Amazing program ... PI

**Kiwi** · 26 October 2005, 07:34 PM

This is made using PI only,
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...ntJamesjpg.jpg

**sallybode** · 27 October 2005, 01:13 AM

Beautiful work, is this an astrolabe or a sextant or what is the name.

Very good work, high realism.

Did it take you long, which version of PI did you use?

**Kiwi** · 27 October 2005, 03:51 AM

Hi Sally,
Yes, it is a Sextant..
I had just finished one of Rosie Hardman's Path Edit courses and looked everywhere for a picture that could really bring out the possibilities of Photo Impact (8 ) "in this case"
A bit hard to say exactly how long it took to draw as I spent a few hours doing each part taking breaks of a day or so in between.
I experimented quite a lot with getting the "Brassie" look and colours right for reflections so this added to the time taken.
About 30/36 hours drawing time in total?
Everything you see is made mainly in 3d Trim mode as this gives it a more 3d/Rounded appearance and allows the "lights" in PI to be added/used effectively.
Thank's for your lovely comments and for the interest shown

**sallybode** · 27 October 2005, 05:08 AM

Well your labor of love is worth a double compliment.

Too bad everyone here is chatting about Xara Xtreme. PI can do so much.
I bought Xtreme lately myself because I can use some of the plug ins it comes with at work.

One of these days I'll end up with PhotoImpact down at my job. I have retouch work that was pretty well impossible in Photoshop and I could solve the problem with PI.

Adobe is more hype than help sometimes.

I wish there was a way to turn off the marching ants when you don't want to see them rather than selecting another layer.

Keep up the good work.

**Kiwi** · 27 October 2005, 05:46 AM

[QUOTE=sallybode]I wish there was a way to turn off the marching ants when you don't want to see them rather than selecting another layer./QUOTE]
Sally,
If this is Photo Impact 8/10 (Marching ants!) that you are referring to?
Go to "View" and click "Show Marquee"
This will turn the insects off

I have recently bought Xara myself but this was mainly for the "Stroke shapes" which are too labour intensive to do in PI. Mind you, I am having fun exploring the possibilities in both programs.

**Grafixman** · 27 October 2005, 11:34 AM

You really have PI's materials under control, Kiwi. You remind me of Mike Sims at the X3D forum. He's a wizard with Xara 3D. He can also make the program he uses do the impossible. Then there is Gray with UGA5...

. Xara wizards are also amazing, but they have the advantage of a really good tool... yikes, there are probably countless monitors being splattered with spit right now for that comment....

Marching ants. I have them turned off for my selected objects by default. Those things are extremely distracting. BTW, do you know that the hotkey for the pick tool is W? I always use this when I'm painting different objects. Paintbrush tool, hold down W to pick another object, release W and I'm back to my paintbrush tool and ready to start painting on the new object.... and the return key to deselect all objects...
Yeah, shaped vector brush strokes is one thing I also wish for in PI.
Retouching photos are simplier and easier in PI. I agree. But the anti-aliasing needs some improvement. At least in PI8. Dunno if it's improved for later versions...
So on the one hand you got technique nailed down. The harder part is getting the inspiration on WHAT to do....

**gidgit** · 27 October 2005, 02:29 PM

Very nice work Kiwi...

though I must say here, in defence of all the other app user's, that for the most part, it's really the artist that brings out the majic of most any app, as in Kiwi's case here, in fact the app really did nothing but follow commands

Kiwi, do you model in 3D at all?

**Kiwi** · 27 October 2005, 08:31 PM

Ahh! But without the amazing abilities of the software, there would be no way to give life to the imagination lol.
It would be nice if everyone had the artistic/instinctive ability to just pick up a pencil and draw a nice picture but sadly this is not the case.
Programs such as PI, Xara, PSP and many more give the ability back through adding bevells, shadows, lights etc and even if we have to use photos or other pics as guides to help us, it's a great feeling to look at something that we made ourself.
No, I have never worked with 3d software Gidjit, PI keeps me busy enough and with now having Xtreme to play with as well there's not enough hours in the day