A steaming cup of fresh coffee? (Java perhaps?)

[gnurf]

I saw a TV commercial yesterfay with beautifully animated "steam" from two cups, forming a heart.

And Today I had some spare time (well, not really - I was just feeling lazy) at work, so while studying my coffee cup, I wanted to create realistic steam with Xara X. And the steam must come from somewhere so I had to create the cup first. And somewhere I heard/read that a picture with reflections (on ie the floor) can never go wrong so I just had to do that too [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

This is the result:

-Paul

[gnurf]

I saw a TV commercial yesterfay with beautifully animated "steam" from two cups, forming a heart.

And Today I had some spare time (well, not really - I was just feeling lazy) at work, so while studying my coffee cup, I wanted to create realistic steam with Xara X. And the steam must come from somewhere so I had to create the cup first. And somewhere I heard/read that a picture with reflections (on ie the floor) can never go wrong so I just had to do that too [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

This is the result:

-Paul

[gwpriester]

Nice image, Paul. Did you use the new feathering settings to achieve the soft edge of the aromatic steam?

Gary

Gary Priester

Moderator Person

Be It Every So Humble...

[gnurf]

Yep, after I finished I noticed I used the feathering feature a lot: in the steam, in the shadows, in the highlights... I could have (and would have in Xara 2) done it all with blends and transparencies, but it was a lot easier with the new brush strokes and feathering.

So all thin shadows and hightlights, and the steam is actually lines with brush strokes, with feathering.

I am not completely satisfied with the steam though - places where I used longer lines the steam looks unnatural, not enough variations with same thickness in the middle. I guess I could have achieved it with more and shorter brush strokes.

Lets see if I can make a better version. If anyone have any suggestion, feel free to tell.

-Paul

[mike engles]

Hello

Perhaps some of the steam should also have a reflection?

Mike Engles