I'd mentioned, while we were talking about creating flags and displacement mapping in July, that I'd write a tute on it for August.
Here it is >>Displacing a design<<<
...let's talk about it once you've run the steps!
My Best,
Gary
Printable View
I'd mentioned, while we were talking about creating flags and displacement mapping in July, that I'd write a tute on it for August.
Here it is >>Displacing a design<<<
...let's talk about it once you've run the steps!
My Best,
Gary
I really like the use of the levels for this. I've learned something new! (I've also learned that its hard to type with a bandaged finger so apologies for any typos)
here is my tutorial result and an image I put together with some of the free maps and textures :)
Hey Frances—
You're the first to post, so you win...a minor critiqué. :)
You need to watch the areas you're displacing to make sure there isn't "shredding" going on. What happened in this close-up I took of your work is that the displacement program couldn't reconcile an abrupt change in the brightness values and produced some aliased, unpleasant areas.
Attachment 91550
There are three ways to approach and remedy this:
1. If you have an honest-to-gosh image editor that has a toning tool as a brush, you can blur or decrease the contrast in the problem area of the displacement map image.
2. Increase the Smoothness value of Image Skill's displacement filter.
3. Decrease the Amount of Image Skill's displacement filter.
Displacement is an unpredictable sport. In modeling where the changes aren't permanent and they're dynamic, you have the opportunity to reset key values. Xara's Live Effects are much the same why because they're non-destructive. You go back and change a value.
And this is why you make a bitmap copy of your work only after you're positive the filter and your composition are the way you want it.
Thanks for reviewing the piece this month!
My Best,
Gary
Attachment 91559
using all different effects and transparancy and maps
I had to export regularly and continue on the exported jpg or png once the images skills is used
excellent tutorial, well worth reading
Hi Gary Thanks for the critique, it will help improve my work in future. Here is a second go at the Xarxonia flag. There is still a bit of shredding so I didn't get perfect but it is better! I also found that changing the angle can reduce the shredding a bit too, but you have to be careful because it can also make it worse. I also applied the displacement to a rectangle using the same map (and I noticed that the displacement seems to have more of an effect on vector shapes) made a bitmap copy of the displaced rectangle ran it through the bitmap tracer and used the resulting shape to clip the flag.
Edit: I just had to go back and make it better :D I added a background (a free texture) and hung the flag up!
@Germaine—
You actually exported regularly? As in File>Export?
If so, did you know that you can make a bitmap internally? Ctrl+Shift+C makes a bitmap copy. Be sure to specify TrueColor as the Depth and not TrueColor+alpha, because alpha channels can mess up the success of a few Live Effects plug-ins.
Save yourself a trip, and nice, very intricate work! The text is a little faint—I assume this was intentional.
Good going!
P.S. Go watch The Tutorial Video for August! It shows how to ake a bitmap copy the easy way.
My Best,
—g
@Frances—
Your work is superb.
(Except for the conceptual part about bolting a waving flag on to a brick wall.
You must have specialized home picture-hanging equipment. :))
—g
I agree with you Gary, really nice work from Francis. I have not got that far yet but here's my first attempt at the tut.
Stygg
It's perfect, Stygg.
Now do what you always do: you innovate, you create a variation on the basic theme.
Of course, you can love the Xarxonian flag and salute it and sing the National Anthem for Xarxonia (I'll publish the lyrics as soon as I think of them), but let's get some original work outa you, eh?
:)
Good show,
Gary
Tried a variation on a G.P. tut. I did some while a go, got an interesting result! I did not apply any displacement to the flower head it self, I thought it looked better to stand out from the background ? :D
Stygg
Attachment 91590Attachment 91591
I think I found a solution for making a bitmap when using the image skill filter
if I make first a new layer before using the create bitmap it puts the bitmap on the new layer if I didn t make a new layer most often xara frooze I
I work with graphic designer 5 silver
@ Styyg that really makes quite a lovely piece!
@ Gare: The fabric bumps material texture reminded me more of a tapestry than a silky flag, which was what gave me the idea of bolting it to the brick wall. I decided to run with the tapestry idea in this next piece.
For anyone who has upgraded to DPX you have a great tool to create your own displacement maps, The Shapebuilder! After applying the fabric bumps texture to my tapestry as per the tutorial I created a 50% black rectangle that just covered the whole tapestry including the tassels (but not the rod!) Because 50% is right in the middle and white causes the displacement to pull up and black causes the displacement to pull down any areas that are covered by 50% black are unaffected by the filter.
I wanted to displace my tapestry to match the shading in the fabric bumps so I made the grey rectangle transparent enough to see the image underneath clearly enough to identify which areas needed to be black and which white. After making sure nothing was selected I used the shape builder tool with a large very soft nib to draw in the black areas where I wanted the displacement to pull down and white areas where I wanted the displacement to pull up. Then I removed the transparency from the grey rectangle and used the page and layer gallery to select the rectangle and all of my displacement shapes and hit Q to clip it together. I exported this as a bitmap and used this bitmap with the displacement filter. I went in after applying the displacement filter and used the shapebuilder with stained glass and bleach transparencies to add more detailing to the shading around the rod and I used the eraser with a small soft nib to tidy up the edges especially around the tassels. I marquee selected the whole tapestry image and again clip view to clip it. After that I popped it into the picture and added a shadow!
@ Big Frank—
Read Germaine's post. In context, it appeared as though he was exporting regularly and then working on the export, successively.
You can certainly export as a bitmap, import the bitmap and then work on the copy some more, or you can keep a copy internally without exporting.
I brought up the question because there was ambiguity in the post, and don't want people doing stuff "the long way around" just because many of us are self-taught.
—g
That is a beautiful piece of work Francis and thanks for the mini-tut. in your post on how to achieve it. I've copied it ready for when I upgrade then will give it a go :D
Syugg
One more flag for Sweden or my relatives will never forgive me! :D
Stygg
@Everyone—
Psst! This is a wonderful, but limited bonus tutorial this month.
The Real Deal is ...>>> here!
My Best (hopefully!),
Gary
there is an advantage to exporting if you're not working at 96dpi - the export dialog remembers your last dpi [per session] bitmap copy doesn't [although there is a reg key to change the default, as used by xareg] and export also remembers your colour depth
...
oh almost forgot ---- great tutorial :)
I had a hard time with this. My version of the displace filter was missing a map so I had to make my own, maybe that's why I had so much trouble.
These are the maps I have. Notice that one is missing.
Attachment 91602
Here is what I finally came up with. The last one came out very gray so I changed it with another prog.
Attachment 91605 Attachment 91604
So now you have something to critique.
Hi Larry—
I provided several maps so you don't need to depend on the ones that install with Image Skills'.
You're saying your image came out "dull"? And you had to use a different program?
Although I use a whole bunch of different programs, I write this tutorial so you wouldn't have to leave Xara. The Photo tool features have brightness, contrast, and Saturation. Did you try these before going to a different program?
Your final image looks good, nonetheless!
-g
Yes it came out very gray, and yes I did try them over and over. The first one I posted looked good but when I added the stars and did the displacement over it came out gray.
This is the gray one.
Attachment 91610 :(
@Larry—
This is a "What's going wrong?" moment.
Can you please post the native XAR file?
I'd like to look-see.
TIA,
Gary
a seasick jellyfish
more a backdrop than a flag :D
OK Gare, I'd like to know.
Here is my xar file. the image looks reasonable until I export it, then it turns gray. I included a copy of my map in the file so you have it too.
Attachment 91613
Hi Larry
first thing to check - make sure you are exporting it at 'true colour' and not 'true colour + alpha' which won't work properly because of the stained glass transparency
You nailed it in one, Steve.
Larry, I probably didn't mention this in a step, but yeah, you cannot keep your colors and use TrueColor+alpha, not when you have Stained Glass mode going on.
Attachment 91615
Attachment 91616
-g
Thanks guys, I was tring to pay attention to that, but, I could have done exactly that (true color plus alpha). Hopefully I'll know better next time.
here's my attempt
thanks for the software tip for displacement mapping, good fun
also did some retouching
Attachment 91620
Attachment 91619 Attachment 91618 Attachment 91617
@Frank—
Masterful.
Masterfully done and presented. You've taken a modest Monthly Tutorial and turned it into High Art.
Five stars.
Okay, 4 point 9: The Displacement plug-in can be used for stuff other than flags. :)
My Best,
Gary
The displacement filter can be also used to create some interesting effects. the first image is just done with the displacement, the second image has an undisplaced clone on top with it's edges selectively feathered (at least that's what I'm calling it) with the eraser tool
Interesting, Frances!
Here's a variation on the technique: use a pattern instead of a flag, illustration, or photo.
The attached displacement map can also be used as a bump map, and I made certain it's seamless tiling.
Attachment 91644
My Best,
Gary
none of your tutorials are anything less than professional and highly instructive - to call them modest is to do yourself a disservice
agreed, there is always room for improvement, but a 4.9 from you is praise worth having
i've never worked with disp maps in a 2d environment, so this was a novel challenge for me
might do another one whilst i am motivated
@ Big Frank—
I think if you're working in a 3D environment and use just the right displacement map on a surface, and then render it, you can make an interesting seamless tile. So the displacement thing can be in both a 2D and 3D domain to get you where you want a design to go.
Here's a seamless tile I modified in ShaderMap Pro, displaced a plane, lit and rendered the plane, and now I'm trying to reconcile the edges to make it seamless. It's not done, but I'm digging the "white on white" with highlights texture.
Attachment 91645
I really, truly enjoy watching the inventiveness on these monthly threads. It, in turn, lends me ideas for future tutorials, so keep the chemistry up, folks!
My Best,
Gary
That's an interesting texture!
The more I play with the displacement filter the more uses I find for it, I used it on a vector shape that I made as a quick scribble with the shape builder and the filter will distort the edges of the shape in all sorts of ways. I made a bitmap copy of my displaced shape with a true colour setting and ran that through the bitmap tracer and was back to a completely vector result. some fractal plasma transparency and some work with the eraser tool and I have a pretty good looking stain, useful for doing grunge work.
Here is a quick example of the stain applied to a photo
the original image
Attachment 91654
in army camouflage green
Attachment 91658
in army desert storm
Attachment 91656
edit - perhaps a little over-ambitious, far easier to do on simple shapes
Hi,
The postings here are very inspiring...but alas when I try and download the 'displacement map plug in" from the link and from the website all I get is a '....Pixel .gif ' and my browser (firefox) just keeps tryin' to load page..even tried in ie ( explorer same result.
Jim
download here : http://www.imageskill.com/displaceme...tMap_Setup.exe
Frances that is an interesting stain. Put on a road it could look like a hole. Or something no no bad dog did on the carpet.