Yup: it's that time of the year when Gary tries to render a complex pine tree without bringing my system to its knees, only to ask for group participation decorating the tree. Here's the way it goes:
• Design a Seasonal ornament in Xara or (slightly less recommended) any program you're comfortable with.
• Try to make the final posted bitmap or XAR drawing no larger than 175 pixels wide or square or else I'll have to resize it to accommodate other contributions.
• I will be responsible for hanging the ornaments. Every day that a new one is posted, I'll put it on our tree and post the cumulative results withi 24 hours.
• Please submit a XARA file (convert the text to curves, please) or a TIFF or a PNG WITH TRANSPARENCY.
My first contribution is up. To create the simple gold orb, I went back to January's tutorial this year and did a little viewing and taking notes:
Let's make this the most glorious virtual tree ever, members! Let's have at it with a rousing Ho-ho-ho, ad the eggnog of your preferred alcoholic content.
I hope to see more decorations posted and I will be a faithful spirit and try to get them on the tree within 24.
As I did last year, everyone gets a copy of the finished tree, and if folks don't mind sharing their original artwork, I'd be happy to post the tree on Xara file format with all the art done in Xara as such.
Ho,ho, ho!
Wot a show!
-g
12 December 2014, 01:23 PM
stygg2003
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Re: The 2014 tree-trimming collective effort!
I think I posted 3D Rudolph last year but I've lightened him up and thought he might look well under the tree :D
I for one am glad to have my .xar shared in a finished file. :)
12 December 2014, 07:43 PM
Crow Haven
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:) This cat may look a bit familiar, Gare...yes, inspired by your cat, Smudge! I thought maybe you could use it for a bit of decoration near the tree on the background if you'd like. Resize any way you prefer, the ribbon is a separate group so it breaks apart, you can add other bows or decorations to it.
Yes, it's fine to have my .xar files shared too in this group project. :)
Hi Scotty and Thanks for the contribution. Unfortunately, I can't add it to our card because it isn't a PNG with transparency or a XAR file. Can you provide one? I don't have the time to manually separate the white background from your foreground.
Thanks!
Gary
12 December 2014, 10:50 PM
Crow Haven
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:) Here's a teddy bear -- small for on the tree or there's a larger one with different texture fabric for under the tree...
12 December 2014, 11:08 PM
Egg Bramhill
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Re: The 2014 tree-trimming collective effort!
Fun thread! Here's my contribution. I was amazed that you can still buy Christmas Tree clip-on candle holders!
Yes, it's fine to have my .xar files shared too in this group project.
I didn't want to put the teddy bear and the cat-in-the-box on the tree, so I thought they'd make nice presents under the tree.
By the way: Smudge is our long-hair calico cat, who likes to eat plastic and tries to fit in boxes half her size. I sent the photo to Maya as a goof, but darn if she didn't illustrate (in Xara) the essence of our little pussy cat:
Can I get a guest tutorial out of your next year, Maya?
Just incredible spirit and beautiful illustrations, all of you! My goal is to get our finished tree into the Outsider in January. How hard can that be? I have Nova's email! :)
A wonder, truly a wonder to behold...all of us working toward a common goal.
Meant to be "light", not offensive in the least. I know 3D stuff can be a little hyper-real, and thus hyper-ugly, but this just came to me, and I asked around before daring to post it. Members thought you might like it.
-g
13 December 2014, 12:41 AM
Egg Bramhill
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Gary,
I love that and thanks for the image. No offense in any way. No need to ask around either, I don't usually take offensive other than time wasters and trolls :)
However please don't be offended if I don't use it. I've used the same avatar on TG, plus other forums for quite a few years. I find that I can filter forums via avatars much quicker if the user retains the same image. Change it & I take a while re-associating it to an individual. For example Scotty, in the post above yours, has had that same avatar for a very long time. I can instantly recognise it's a post by him because it remains constant. Bill used to change his avatar but over the past few years settled on the Batman logo, and whilst he did variations you instantly knew it was a post by Bill.
It's a matter of choice. In a similar manner Cloud has recently requested his username was changed, and for the life of me I can't remember his old one now, but I have noticed on reading old threads the content refers to his old username which now has no relevance to his new username, which for a visitor could be quite confusing. No offence intended Cloud.
Perhaps as my post has nowt to do with the original thread you may wish to split it?
13 December 2014, 01:09 AM
Gare
Re: The 2014 tree-trimming collective effort!
I'm not moving the post, Egg. As long as you like it and accept it in the spirit in which it was intended, it's all good...it's a gift, man. Souls do this sort of stuff around this time of year. And that comes round robin to our tree decoration—in what spirit are we decorating it? :)
No problem with not using it as an avatar; never presumed you'd change just because I laid some egg art on you!
It just sort of happened in my imagination, and then I realized you might make more relevant and creative use of it than I.
Love the animation. When it hatches, you're gonna have scrambled egg.
Here is another Public Domain Christmas Carol, The Sussex Carol. I did the performing and the producing, all synths, samplers, and A Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) on my PC.
Enjoy to the World!
Gary
13 December 2014, 05:39 PM
Crow Haven
Re: The 2014 tree-trimming collective effort!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gare
I will get back to adding the ornaments tomorrow, promise. Maya and everone else were too generous! :)
I didn't want to put the teddy bear and the cat-in-the-box on the tree, so I thought they'd make nice presents under the tree.
By the way: Smudge is our long-hair calico cat, who likes to eat plastic and tries to fit in boxes half her size. I sent the photo to Maya as a goof, but darn if she didn't illustrate (in Xara) the essence of our little pussy cat:
Can I get a guest tutorial out of your next year, Maya?
Just incredible spirit and beautiful illustrations, all of you! My goal is to get our finished tree into the Outsider in January. How hard can that be? I have Nova's email! :)
A wonder, truly a wonder to behold...all of us working toward a common goal.
Meant to be "light", not offensive in the least. I know 3D stuff can be a little hyper-real, and thus hyper-ugly, but this just came to me, and I asked around before daring to post it. Members thought you might like it.
-g
Feel free to recolor Smudge's box or resize it. The ribbon is a separate group that can be removed also. I couldn't make up my mind about coloring the back box flap behind the cat red or leave it tan...when the image is small I liked it left tan overhanging Smudge in the box, BUT it could have been colored red supposing that set of inside flaps could have been colored or left uncolored.....:think: ...but you can ungroup it and recolor any way you prefer. :)
I love everyone's decorations!!! :D At the rate we're going that tree is going to be so loaded down it may be leaning over!;))
13 December 2014, 08:53 PM
Crow Haven
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Here's some xmas lights. I left off the cord which strings between them as I thought then they can be arranged anywhere on the tree (and I don't like the look of cords all over the branches anyway). The glow is separate so they can be used without it. Resize and reverse/rotate to fit the light source direction. :)
13 December 2014, 10:09 PM
Rik
Re: The 2014 tree-trimming collective effort!
What a great idea, Maya.
I wonder what Gary will do?!
I can't wait to see.
13 December 2014, 11:05 PM
Crow Haven
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Re: The 2014 tree-trimming collective effort!
:) Well, Rik, even if he doesn't want to use the lights they are there for anyone else to use on something if they want to.
Here's a bow -- I made a red one first then converted it to a green one also. I don't know if it's useful or not, but they are here to use on something if anyone wants a bow for a wreath or whatever. :)
Here is a gold and crystal snowflake for the tree. I used Eye Candy Chrome for the gold and a bitmap fill for the Crystals. The EC effect is locked so it will display fine if you don't have The eye candy filters.
14 December 2014, 11:50 AM
Rik
Re: The 2014 tree-trimming collective effort!
What a brilliant response to this thread.
Gary's got his work cutout!
Frances: I think Gary said that the images should be 175px in width?!
I think it would help Gary, if we provide the correct size images.
14 December 2014, 12:35 PM
stygg2003
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Re: The 2014 tree-trimming collective effort!
1 present containing XPro 11 DVD :D Not to be openened before Boxing Day.
@ Maya - hope you don't mind me using your bow Maya, never been good at making these things but thanks to your xar.file, I do now :D Much appreciated.
Stygg
14 December 2014, 12:38 PM
Veeness
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Re: The 2014 tree-trimming collective effort!
I think I may have uploaded wrong somehow of my previous pics? Not sure why it hasn't shown a place holder or png reference. I also wasn't sure how to repost, should I have gone back to my previous post and edited with the new file>?
Anyway...I decided that Konkynut koala needed a Christmassy hat which I forgot to add, to put on your tree project, if you allow Aussies on the tree?
1 present containing XPro 11 DVD :D Not to be openened before Boxing Day.
@ Maya - hope you don't mind me using your bow Maya, never been good at making these things but thanks to your xar.file, I do now :D Much appreciated.
Stygg
I love it Stygg, I'm glad the bow was useful! :D The present looks wonderful!
@ Frances -- Love that gold and crystal snowflake, it would also make a spectacular tree topper!:D
@ Christine -- Nice tinsel trimming! :D
@ Veeness -- A super-cute koala! Merry Christmas & Happy Summer down there! :D
14 December 2014, 04:09 PM
Gare
Re: The 2014 tree-trimming collective effort!
You'll all good, folks. My contribuition will be a minor one, becaseu there are so many beautiful pieces here that I might not have space to add one of my own!
Besides, I did the tree, right? :)
Be back soon with the updated tree.
Veeness, I was going to post an upside-down gingerbread man in honor of "Down Under". But thought better of it.
:)
-g
14 December 2014, 04:49 PM
Penny O'Rorke
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Re: The 2014 tree-trimming collective effort!
Thanks for doing this, Gary - a lot of work for you. The tree looks great, wonderful decorations. Here's yet another star which anyone can use.....
14 December 2014, 06:43 PM
Gare
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Re: The 2014 tree-trimming collective effort!
Whew!
And I mean "whew!"
You folks are keeping me hopping with all these beautiful gifts, decorations, and background elements!
I had to trim the backgrounds from a few of the pieces I hope I did them well for you. Here's where we are on the 14th. I think Frances' star is the best entry to top the tree, do we all? The detail, the glory, the majesty...
I'm almost never serious on this forum (because I don't think one is supposed to be), but let me tell you in all sincerity that my heart just swells at all the beautiful work and time we members of TalkGraphics have invested in a collaborative piece. I think it bonds us and brings us together, even if only for the holidays in a way that is the very best of any forum I've ever been on.
All of you take a bow.
My Best,
Gary
14 December 2014, 07:16 PM
Crow Haven
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Re: The 2014 tree-trimming collective effort!
:D It looks beautiful!!!
I don't know if this will fit in as a background addition -- I thought the dove could be flying towards the tree -- I tried it on the original tree/sky pic and it worked. It can be made smaller or flipped facing the other way.
Peace to All...
14 December 2014, 07:25 PM
Gare
Re: The 2014 tree-trimming collective effort!
It will, Maya, and I'll do it tomorrow.
You have no idea how this file is beginning to slog my machine down doing the editing! I myself am surprised: I've got Sandy Bridge architecture (8 processors), 16GB RAM, but because Xara bypasses some of Windows' graphics engine, it's just having a hard time maintaining the fidelity of vector art+bitmap art. I might turn the whole thing into a bitmap with alpha and do additions from there.
Rik, I'd not originally planned to add an ornament, but at the last minute an unarmed Nutcracker seemed novel (he's holding a tulip instead of a sword).
This has been lots of fun! If the tree gets short of room for ornaments please take off some of mine, Gare, to make room for other's contributions. :)
15 December 2014, 05:39 PM
Gare
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Re: The 2014 tree-trimming collective effort!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Crow Haven
This has been lots of fun! If the tree gets short of room for ornaments please take off some of mine, Gare, to make room for other's contributions. :)
NO!
I'll either scale everything down by 2 or 3%... or add another tree! :)
It's vector art, remember? It scales!
Besides, I think we're just about done with this wonderful testament to the Holidays and our art and partnerships. Let's get back to our analog lives now! I haven't sent out any cards yet, and our ornaments are still in the basement.