The August Tips and Tricks discussion

[stygg2003]

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 ?

Stygg

[germaine]

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

[Big Frank]

@Germaine—

You actually exported regularly? As in File>Export?

how else do you save it as a file?

[angelize]

@ 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!

[Gare]

how else do you save it as a file?

@ 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

[stygg2003]

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

Syugg

[Big Frank]

@ 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

yep, i didn't read all his post, sry

[stygg2003]

One more flag for Sweden or my relatives will never forgive me!

Stygg

[Gare]

@Everyone—

Psst! This is a wonderful, but limited bonus tutorial this month.

The Real Deal is ...>>> here!

My Best (hopefully!),

Gary

[handrawn]

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