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When I was a kid I used to play with mercury. Now I realize how stupid that was. (I think I'll sue my parents for negligence!). Anyways, I was playing with contours in xara and started to see a mercury-like thing developing so I tried to see where I could take the idea. The attachment is the result of that playing...
Regards, Ross
<a href=http://www.designstop.com/>DesignStop.Com</a>
If you are interested, here's the .xar file. I had to delete the sky reflection because the bitmap I used made the .xar too large to upload. If you want to add back in the sky - know that the necessary bitmap filled shapes are still in the image. They now have the default bitmap and have been made transparent. The sky bitmap I used originally came from the disk clipart.
Regards, Ross
<a href=http://www.designstop.com/>DesignStop.Com</a>
[This message was edited by Ross Macintosh on January 27, 2001 at 05:02 PM.]
Ross, I too played with mercury as a kid. I would rub in onto pennies to make them shine. Now I can see that was a "pretty" stupid thing to do.
Your image is very reminiscent of those long ago times.
Great work! Thanks for sharing the XAR file.
Soquili [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]
Ross,
Your mercury is a great effect. I d/l your file and it took some messing about with until I saw how you got the effect.
I've used the same technique to try and get the effect of water droplets on the side of a glass. I think it works quite well.
I also played happily with mercury as a kid and got away with it. Wether I'll get away with the long term effect's of the lead soldiers remains to be seen.
Egg
.
I like the droplets Egg. Did you apply a mould?
Below I've attached another example of this technique. I've also prepared a tutorial in a .xar format and will attach it below.
Regards, Ross Macintosh
<a href=http://www.designstop.com/>DesignStop.Com</a>
Try it, it is easy and very rewarding results are possible.
Regards, Ross
DesignStop.Com
NOTE: Uploaded a non-corrupt .xar file for Ross' tutorial. Edited link to be a link again.
Ross, thanks for the tutorial! I did have fun playing with it. The attachment below shows a slightly different effect. In honour of your native country, I've attempted a Canadian Maple wood effect for the wall.
Soquili [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]
Nice work Soquili. After my giving him a home with a broken window and strange wallpaper I suspect he's quite honoured by your fine gold frame. (I'm hopeful that one of these days the xara artist who created the old man and the other old-master-style portraits will show up and start participating in these forums - that would be great). I find your maple background gives a scale to the portrait that suggests it is a "miniature". In that regard, the portrait looks like a quality example of that art form. Your gold frame also looks very appropriate for framing a miniature. Overall I think it is a very nice illustration.
Hey, I just thought of something - If you added some reflections over the old man you could make it look like we are seeing him through a door-viewer lens. Nice maple door too. Knock-knock, who's there?
Regards, Ross
<a href=http://www.designstop.com/>DesignStop.Com</a>
Mina is at the door. Soquili I hope you don't mind what I've done to your nice graphic. I couldn't resist - this was fun. It's hard to detect, but I did apply a circular mould to the old man (Mina?) trying to get some distortion into the image. My reflections were quick and only moderately successful in my opinion.
Regards, Ross
<a href=http://www.designstop.com/>DesignStop.Com</a>
Ross, I like the effect. Below is my idea of the door.
Soquili [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]
I sometimes have problems posting to this forum. This time I was told I wasn't the original author of the post, so I couldn't upload?!?!?!?
Anyway, here's the image.
Soquili [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]
Soquili - I can see you are having fun too! I find goofing around is a great way to learn Xara. For me the most important learning tool in xara is the undo button and I use it a lot! Two steps forward and one step back will get you to your goal.
Regards, Ross
<a href=http://www.designstop.com/>DesignStop.Com</a>
Ross - Fun is definately the operative word with Xara! My pointer has learned it's way to the undo button on it's own, I use it so much. I find I learn as much from my mistakes as the successes. Sometimes the mistakes are better than what I intended to draw [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]
The CD finally arrived today, so I'll be busy viewing the movies for awhile.
Regards
Soquili [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]