Here's the latest in my digital watercolour experiments.
I hope you enjoy. Comments are welcome.
Regards, Ross
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Here's the latest in my digital watercolour experiments.
I hope you enjoy. Comments are welcome.
Regards, Ross
The images I see on here simply amaze and astound me - this is no exception to that :)
I have a load of drawing packages - Drawplus, Creature Expressions, Corel Painter, Xara X and a few more. I think I must just be the worlds worst artist :(
It's fun though :)
Dave
Wow! That is superb! You can even see inside upstairs! (I hope the owner of that jeep spots that giant paintbrush in the road before he/she peels outa there.....)
Thanks guys for the comments.
I attach the base images exported from SketchUp that were the basis of the rendering. The colour image is typical of SketchUp's internal rendering capabilities. (It is a modeling/visualization program and not oriented towards rendering per say). I export the linework seperately because the final result requires the linework overlays to be processed differently from the colour stuff. In the processing I use up to several different filters and use additional images as transparency masks. The "paper" for instance is a imported image (fill) overlayed a couple of times with differnt transparency settings.
Regards, Ross
The watercolor effect you get on these is wonderful, Ross.
Judi
I'm very curious about which filters, filter settings, and transparency settings you are using for these fabulous creations. If you don't remember this info, it would be great if you could keep track on your next effort and let us know then.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ross Macintosh
Thanks,
Glen
nice work,Ross as always. I wonder if there is a simplified tutorial for water colors somewhere.
Okay, here's a tutorial that gives the basics. Note it identifies the three main filters I happen to use. I suspect that other filters could be esed to do the same thing. The substitution for KPT Pyramid Paint could be 'Simplifier' from 'Amphisoft' --- I think it is available for free. The DCspecial filter called 'BeyondEdger4' is available for free. Most of you guys might not be doing things with linework so the 'Jiggle' filter isn't really all that important.
I also note that you canapply these techniques to almost any image. It certainly doesn't have to be just architectural stuff.
I hope this helps you grasp the basic approach I'm using. The technique is quite flexible and offers lots of possibilities.
Regards, Ross
Very cool... I love the effect on the windows... and very cool wire :)
Wire?
Wire knot? :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Ross Macintosh
Seriously, I think he meant "wireframe" as in "outline".
Simon
Thanks for this excellent tutorial, Ross. Now I just need to find out if I can replicate it somehow (that Jiggle filter might be hard to find or to substitute).
Thanks again,
Glen
Glen
There are other filters that can be used to give linework results similar to 'Jiggle'. I believe the Redfield filter called 'Water Ripples' is available freely. To use it you need to move all the option sliders to their zero points. Then adjust the 'wave placement-vertical' sliders slightly. For my example I just adjusted the wave2 one, altering it to a -30 setting. That was the only setting change I did. Note however that if you are applying it to a bitmap you'll also need to adjust the brightness sliderto its maximum. Also note that when 'Water Ripples' is applied to an image it can make the edge of the image become visible -- you may later need to crop those edges out if they interfer with your drawing.
There are probably other filters than could distort linework suitably. The trick is to try them at their minimum settings and adjust from there.
Regards, Ross
Above I noted the techniques can be applied to almost any image. I thought I'd try and back that up with an example. The attached self-portrait is the result. You can print it out and use it to frighten small children and scare away squirrels.
Regards, Ross
My go at a water colour. I used drier paper.
That's an effective drybrush look. My only suggestion is to try brightening the image early in the process. When I did the self portrait I used an image of clouds as an overlay to lighten and breakup the tonal values. Try something like that and you'll find your final product can have a looser look.
Regards, Ross
Slightly re-worked attempt of water colour effect hopefully lifting it a little, i.e. not so flat.
I would like to point out that this is pure Xara though, no ketchup.
(The building is the backside of the veterinary surgery my wife has worked in since slightly after the Normans elected themselves into power here in England back in 66).
I'd like to thank Ross for bringing the whole water colour technique up, as it may be just the thing to liven up a group of photographs of old canal side buildings I'm doing which at the moment simply lack character and interest,(the photographs lack the character, not the buildings) this might be just what they need.
Derek
Masque - It appears you are using a filter that adds edges at the boundries of each area of colour. To my eye it is problematic in that it adds excessive amounts of edge 'lines'. I'd really suggest only running that filteron a copy of the image that has been significantly posterized. It might also help if that copy were also processesd with the free 'Xpose' plugin from LittleInkPot. Xpose can be used to punch up the highlights and generally brighten the image. (It is one of my favorite plugins -- very useful). After the edge-creating filter is applied to the brightened, posterized copy it can be merged with the other filtered copies using Xara transparency effects.
I hope you can understand what I'm suggesting.
Regards, Ross
PS - By the way, when I use the BeyondEdger4 filter I always justleave it set at the default value of 10.
Thanks Ross
Ross
All I'm doing is tracing a photo in xara, copying the result and removing the fill from one and the outline from another and superimposing the two. Using your method I inserted a copy of the fill only version with a fractal stained glass transparency, (instead of clouds).
I used a plugin filter to apply a grain to the base image and made a bitmap copy of the outline to make it more managable (4000+ shapes slowed things down a little), this also softened the lines a little and made it easier to adjust the transparency of the lines to make them a little less dark.
A base image of paper texture was inserted last.
Its not anything like as watercolour (ish) as yours but added the interest to anotherwise boring image and gave me the inspiration for the canal building photographs I'm fiddling with.
Masque - I played a bit with your image. I hope you don't mind.
I did the Xpose plugin thing on it, punching up the brightness and highlights, and then made a bitmap copy. On the copy I ran the KPT Pyramid Paint plugin. I then overlaid the Xposed processed one on top and gave it a fractal plasma stained glass transparency. It brought back some of the complexity to the Pyramided one but the plasma kept it a little looser.
Regards, Ross
Bit softer and a bit wetter using plugins in Serif PhotoPlus.
Mine retained a little more detail than yours which I suppose gets away from the true idea of water colour a little.
I remember when I did actual water colours some years ago I used to work over them in pencil or pen to sharpen them up a little.
derek
Excellent work guys! When you share your techniques, please know that it is MUCH APPRECIATED!! I downloaded a lot of 'free' plug-ins, plus purchased a few and have been playing with them to figure out what does what. The thing is that so far I haven't been able to think in multi-dimensions with filters... I'm going to try these techniques, and hopefully they will help me to think past what one (or even two) filters will do added together. Keep up the great work! Craig
Super thread! Thanks for sharing (great work on visualizing your concept too, Ross.) :cool:
Thanks Guys.
I'm very pleased that Graig has recognized that filters have lots of creative power when the effects are layered using Xara's flexible transparency tools. Many people seem to think that applying filters as one-click-effects. In fact sometimes their minimal settings can produce dramatic effects when layered with other equally subtle effects. It's the old sum is greater than the parts thing at work.
If others want to try this kind of filter-effect layering try it with a portrait. It certainly doesn't have to look like a watercolour -- the point is to have some good clean creative fun.
Regards, Ross
I just had to try this... without digging too deep in my photo supply, I found a baby picture I took of a co-worker's baby when she was new born... I tried your techniques, substituting filters when I could... I'm going to post it, but it brought me to a question. If I have a photo, how would you recommend getting the 'outline' type picture that you use in the last steps?? Anyhow, I'll have to play some more with the technique and thanks again for sharing!
The outline step is probably most relevant to the look of traditional architectural watercolours. Typically they are painted over a fairly detailed base drawing. For other kinds of subjects the lines may be less important. I suppose many watercolourists may draw a few lines or a relatively loose sketch that they then paint over. In the xara drawing it would always be possible to just draw some lines if it helps the digital painting.
The baby is a great subject. The painting highlights to me one of the problems I've found in trying to do these. Note that some portions of the image remain too photographic. Ideally (I think) it would have a more consistant painterly effect. One way to try to avoided the problem is the use of a posterizing filter that greatly simplifies the photo.
Regards, Ross
So you're suggesting to draw (trace) some lines over the photo in Xara to add to the effect? I thought maybe a plugin or something could be used. I tried the Little Ink Pot's Thredgeholder, but the lines weren't very dark... I could play with this some more, maybe put several copies on top of each other, etc. If I were to trace the lines, what areas of the photo would you suggest to highlight with lines?
I'll also try your suggestion of the posterizing filter. I don't have a lot of 'art' background, so I see a technique like this and go, "oh wow, that looks cool" without really knowing all the 'artistic's' behind why it looks good. So this is a total learning experience for me when you describe what looks 'watercolored' and so on... My experience is more photography, crafts... (origami, paper models and so on). I'm eager to learn as long as there's those willing to teach. I appreciate your feedback.
Craig :)
Just had to say, thanks Ross, for your threads on using SketchUp and producing a watercolor effect. I recently was asked to do a watercolor sketch of a beach house and immediately thought of your posts. I also checked out Grant's threads in the SketchUp forum and found the masks you mentioned.
Actually, the effect was easier for me to do than making the SU model :-) Since I only use SU occasionaly I find myself stumbling around with jumping geometry and misplaced objects, etc. (I really should take the time to study SU a bit.) In any case, I was able to come up with a nice final image (sorry, can't show it here till it's approved). My boss was pleased and I had learned a new technique for future projects.
Anyways, thanks again! It was a big help!
I agree with you Ross. Also the playing around doesn't have to be restricted to the plug-ins ... using some of the software's own digital paint / drawing effects themselves can also add some interest to a digital manipulation.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ross Macintosh
The following pieces were completed in the 1990's with just with Painter ... ver. 4 or 5 I think?
http://tinyurl.com/kh6n2
I used some of the same effect techniques and transparencies that Ross used and applied a bit of the methodology I used for hard-copy work way back before the wheel was invented.
Haven't tried it since or with Xara... yet!
madainn mhath
Cuidhil-meaban
Raji -- What a great idea it was to donate images to Veterans Affairs Canada! I'm sure the Veterans who've seen them enjoyed them as much as I did.
ZEBtoonz -- I look forward to seeing your beach house if and when you can post it.
Craig -- My thought was by drawing a few lines you can sometimes give some punch to reinforce only the edges needing reinforcement. Generally the problem with edge finding filters is they aren't selective enough -- they find all edges and not just the important ones. One way around that might be to apply Thredgeholder to a copy of your image that you've brightened considerably. (LittleInkPot's Xpose! could likely be used to brighten by poweringup the highlights). The edges that result can then be overlaid on the original with stained glass transparency.
Regards, Ross
Ross, thanks for the pointers... I'll continue to play... I will post one attempt, any further suggestions welcomed. :)
Ross, here's my beach house.
Here's an updated version. I added plants, adjusted the colors and gave it a ragged edge.
Craig -- That train looks great. One thing I've noticed about filters and these techniques is they are very much influenced by the resolution you are working. For example it looks like your original tran pic was quite high resolution. As a result the watercolour is very detailed. If you wanted a looser look you couldhave started with a lower resolution bitmap copy of the train. --- just something to play with and explore.
ZEBtoonz -- I enjoy both images although I do find the vehicle detracts somewhat from the first. As illustrations I think they have quite a bit of charm.
Everyone -- Over at the SketchUp Forums I have a thread with a new series of digital watercolours - produced with Xara of course. You're invited to visit! :D
Regards, Ross
Wow great technique Ross, thanks for sharing it!
The self-portrait is amazing.
Bob C.
I went back and looked at your examples in this thread and noticed the difference... I thought maybe I needed to change the settings when I applied the plug-ins, but what you said makes perfect sense...I noticed this with plug-ins that 'draw' the photo, how much of a difference a higher quality photo is to a lower quality one. The train was a picture I took, so the resolution is straight from the camera... I'll have to try to reduce it first. Thanks bunches for all the feedback! :)