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TrailGators

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"It's a story of a man named Harmon....." :P

352ee41a-6c01-4aa9-ac58-89255ced1d79.jpg

Still have 3 more openings! Who wants to be Alice!  :anibad:

Holy croak, not the Bradey Bunch. Love the concept and the Blondes are way cool. Dang, tell me true, do I look like Spok? Guess I am old enough to look like Nemoy huh?

 

Maybe do some of the old game shows as well, Hollywood Squares for instance.

 

Thank gosh I was up to my neck in projects during those days and so never watched much television. However I did find time to assemble three of four color Heathkit televisions for friends.

 

You're going to love lesson four so's you can warp those faces in seamlessly.

Edited by SD Rowdies
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"It's a story of a man named Harmon....." ;)

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Still have 3 more openings! Who wants to be Alice!  ;)

 

That is truly one hideous image, for a multitude of reasons! :lol:

Is that you Peter? ;)

This was to demonstrate the before skills. I'm sure that after Lesson 4, I'll be able to get it much better looking!

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If you already have an installed and registered Photoshop 7.0 then all you need is the Photoshop CS2 Upgrade version from Adobe.com. Retail for the upgrade is $149.00 and maybe some for shipping. Some online shopping might even reduce this cost a bit.

 

Again, the trick is to have an installed and registered Photoshop version. If not then there's another way.

 

Mine was loaded by a friend when he was setting up a few things on my laptop. When I start Photoshop, on the startup screen next to the serial number I see my name. Does that mean it is registered to me? :lol:

Edited by Fattuhr
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Maybe do some of the old game shows as well, Hollywood Squares for instance.

 

Thank gosh I was up to my neck in projects during those days and so never watched much television. However I did find time to assemble three of four color Heathkit televisions for friends.

 

You're going to love lesson four so's you can warp those faces in seamlessly.

squares1.jpg

 

Still have more room...just tired of staring at the screen

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Status report on lesson 4, coming along nicely and should appear this weekend.

 

Here's another instance of the technique that I did while proofing instructions. Our dear friend DevHead appears with stapler and Mapsend Tee. He and Splashette seem to be dressing alike.

 

ff9dd1fa-4af2-457f-ac68-7d9b1df48f79.jpg

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Mine was loaded by a friend when he was setting up a few things on my laptop. When I start Photoshop, on the startup screen next to the serial number I see my name. Does that mean it is registered to me? :lol:

Most likely it is registered in your name. Try the Adobe web site and see if there are upgrades for your installation.

 

Do you have the installation package?

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Maybe do some of the old game shows as well, Hollywood Squares for instance.

 

Thank gosh I was up to my neck in projects during those days and so never watched much television. However I did find time to assemble three of four color Heathkit televisions for friends.

 

You're going to love lesson four so's you can warp those faces in seamlessly.

squares1.jpg

 

Still have more room...just tired of staring at the screen

Looking cool Steve. So many Geocachers to choose from and so few squares. No wonder that show ran so long.

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Maybe do some of the old game shows as well, Hollywood Squares for instance.

Although I have a long history with game shows, this was never one that I was interested in.

 

Question: Who's the honorary Paul Lynde Secret Square on this board?

 

--TT--

Good ol' Uncle Arthur from Bewitched! I think we need some more foto fodder uploaded for us mad scientists! :laughing:

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ooooohhh, you've been searchin pat!!!

Me like em picture with you and chief! Actually, I was trying to find more people for your Hollywood Squares idea! That salute makes you a good candidate for center square. harmon could add some dredlocks to make you look more like Whoopee Goldberg! :laughing:

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ooooohhh, you've been searchin pat!!!

Me like em picture with you and chief! Actually, I was trying to find more people for your Hollywood Squares idea! That salute makes you a good candidate for center square. harmon could add some dredlocks to make you look more like Whoopee Goldberg! :laughing:

Ugh, which one Indian?

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ooooohhh, you've been searchin pat!!!

Me like em picture with you and chief! Actually, I was trying to find more people for your Hollywood Squares idea! That salute makes you a good candidate for center square. harmon could add some dredlocks to make you look more like Whoopee Goldberg! :laughing:

Ugh, which one Indian?

The one on the right! :laughing:

b37825a3-6e39-4838-aefe-d474b86f505d.jpg

Edited by TrailGators
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ooooohhh, you've been searchin pat!!!

Me like em picture with you and chief! Actually, I was trying to find more people for your Hollywood Squares idea! That salute makes you a good candidate for center square. harmon could add some dredlocks to make you look more like Whoopee Goldberg! :drama:

Ugh, which one Indian?

The one on the right! :laughing:

b37825a3-6e39-4838-aefe-d474b86f505d.jpg

Some guys just can't eat chocolate cake without making a mess.

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I got up this morning with the intention of downloading some .gpx files for some weekend caching, and jumped onto this thread for some kicks. I couldn't help but trying a couple of exercises, using the Photoshop Elements program. I briefly (and sloppily) did lesson 1 and 3.Thanks for the fun intro to photo editing. Tycho

 

p.s. I couldn't figure out how to upload the images. The IMG button on the reply directs to URL's, but I don't have the upload image button. This must be how we weed out the weak...

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I got up this morning with the intention of downloading some .gpx files for some weekend caching, and jumped onto this thread for some kicks. I couldn't help but trying a couple of exercises, using the Photoshop Elements program. I briefly (and sloppily) did lesson 1 and 3.Thanks for the fun intro to photo editing. Tycho

 

p.s. I couldn't figure out how to upload the images. The IMG button on the reply directs to URL's, but I don't have the upload image button. This must be how we weed out the weak...

You have to first put the image on the web somewhere and then just cut and past the image URL into the IMG dialog in the forums. Most folks just upload the images to a cache page somewhere.

 

Dave

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I got up this morning with the intention of downloading some .gpx files for some weekend caching, and jumped onto this thread for some kicks. I couldn't help but trying a couple of exercises, using the Photoshop Elements program. I briefly (and sloppily) did lesson 1 and 3.Thanks for the fun intro to photo editing. Tycho

 

p.s. I couldn't figure out how to upload the images. The IMG button on the reply directs to URL's, but I don't have the upload image button. This must be how we weed out the weak...

Tycho52,

 

Delighted that you stumbled across our unusual Forum thread. Looking forward to seeing your work.

 

I've been using the "My Photo" option on my own Profle page to store Forum photos. As Rocket man said you can also upload them to your own cache pages as well.

 

Once you upload a photo then view it with your Internet explorer and take a scratch-pad copy of the ugly-looking URL address line while viewing the image.

 

Looks like "http://img.Groundspeak.com/user/4d9b5c4e-b667-45c2-a355-66c9fecdf035.jpg"

 

After you have a scratch-pad copy go to the Forum thread to initiate a new entry and then use the "IMG" button to accept a paste of the copied URL. You can use the "IMG" button at any point within your text message.

 

If by chance your ISP service offers space for personal Web pages then you can store photos there as well.

 

Last night I ran into an unexpected issue and found that there is a limit to the number of photos that can be posted on a Forum entry. Not completely sure what the rule is but hopefully the limit only applies to any single messgae posting. At the time of discovery I was posting Lesson 4 with about fifteen related instructional photos. After doing all of the hard work of uploading the photos and inserting the many URLs into the lesson I hit the "Add Reply" button to encounter a message saying "Sorry, you have exceeded the limit of photos that can be posted." I went to bed.

 

Got to find out what the rules are. Can't beat learning the hard way. Got to figure out another approach for Lesson 4.

 

So it goes,

Harmon

Edited by SD Rowdies
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I've been using the "My Photo" option on my own Profle page to store Forum photos.

Thats the same way I do it!

For those that need the step-by-by rundown:

1) Hit "Edit profile"

2) Under "My Avatar" or under "My Photo" hit "change/edit"

3) At the top of that page hit "upload a new image" and upload your jpg.

4) After uploading the image click on the image and then cut and paste that URL into the IMG link as Harmon aptly wrote.

I have tons of photos in that hidden photo storage area!

 

*By the way if you do ever change your profile photo or your avatar you must hit "re-register the changes" for them to show up in the forums!

Edited by TrailGators
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I debated with myself the wisdom of doing this, but I guess if I'm going to mess with pictures of others, I should make mine available as well. Here's me at my 150th find.

 

me_and_the_cache.jpg

Thank you, thank you, thank you. The hunt is on for an idea.

 

Besides, vee know ver your photos are.

 

By the way, you look like and aged version of the once-young actor that appeared in an escaped-convict movie with Bogart. O yeah, "We're No Angels" and it was Aldo Ray I should think.

 

I could be worng.

Edited by SD Rowdies
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Lesson 4. Introduction to Warping and Blending

 

Objective

 

Introduce warping and layer-blending capabilities of Adobe PhotoShop CS2 Version 9.0.

 

Discussion

 

How is it that photographs seem to have depth and shape when in fact images have only two dimensions? Even though our offset eyes give us a true depth perception in every day life, how can they do so when viewing a photograph? Well of course, they don’t. It’s a trick of the mind to process flat images, one seen by each eye, into a dimensional result.

 

Viewing photographs depends on a lifetime of visual conditioning to perceive depth and shape in the shadows and shading of an absolutely flat image. Herein lies the trick that makes possible the warping and blending of one image onto another while preserving the perceived dimensional aspect of the underlying image.

 

In this lesson a photographic copy of a perfectly flat map layer will be realistically blended onto an image layer that seems to have lots of form and depth. Even though the map layer is initially warped into a roughly conforming shape it is not actually stretched and pushed into the perceived contours of the underlying image layer at all.

 

Here is the trick in a nutshell, the shadows and shading of the underlying image layer are simply preserved as the two layers are blended. PhotoShop CS2 provides many layer-blending options. This lesson explores only two such options.

 

Could one possibly want a more perfect Geocacher than Splashette to illustrate the ins and outs of image depth and shape? The intent is to warp and blend a map image onto her tee-shirt image in such a way that a viewer might actually believe that the map was in fact screened onto the shirt as shown below.

 

4d9b5c4e-b667-45c2-a355-66c9fecdf035.jpg

 

Photographs

 

Photographs for this lesson can be found at the following link.

 

SD Rowdies Web Page

 

Save image files while viewing them by right-clicking an image and use the “Save As … ” option from the pop-up selection box.

 

The title of the photographs as they appear in tabular form on the SD Rowdies Web page will also be used for reference within this document.

 

The Web space links of the two source photographs for this lesson are entitled “Mapsend Original” and “Splashette Original.” Find them on the SD Rowdies Web page.

 

Scope

 

The instructions within this lesson were specifically prepared for Adobe PhotoShop CS2 Version 9.0. At best it will be difficult if not impossible to achieve like results with any other photo-editing software product. One might consider downloading a trial version of PhotoShop CS2 in order to complete the exercise. Please note that the SD Rowdies have no commercial connection whatever with Adobe products other than as a registered and satisfied user.

 

Exercise

 

Step 1

 

In PhotoShop CS2, open the file named “Mapsend Original.jpg.” On the menu bar select “Select>All” and then “Edit>Copy.”

 

See Photo 7.

 

While you are at it make sure that the Layers Palette is active, if need be choose “Window>Layers” from the menu bar. Close the map image file.

 

See Photo 6.

 

Step 2

 

Open the file named “Splashette Original.jpg.” On the menu bar choose “Edit>Paste” and note that the Mapsend image appears at the center of the Splashette image.

 

See Photo 8.

 

Also note that a new “Layer 1” Mapsend layer will appear on the Layer Palette above the Splashette “Background” layer. Make sure that Layer 1 is in focus, if not the just click the title area and note that the layer title area becomes dark blue.

 

See Photo 9.

 

Step 3

 

On the menu bar choose “Edit>Transform>Warp.” Note that the Mapsend image is then divided into nine sections. Note also that there are drag handles all around the many areas of the image. Just for experience grab one of the handles with the cursor and drag it around to experience the warp effect. Return the handle or handles to their original position when satisfied with the experiment.

 

See Photo 10.

 

Step 4

 

On the tool-options toolbar choose “Warp/Arch.” Note that the Mapsend image will then distort into an upward arch. Actually a downward arch is needed for this exercise. On the tool-options toolbar reset the “Bend” value to “-40.” The new bend value produces the needed downward arch. In a very rough sense the topography of the downward arching Mapsend image now conforms to the abstract topography of a human torso. Fundamentally the human torso is a cylinder is it not?

 

See Photo 14.

 

Step 5

 

Note the “Mode Switch” button on the tool-options toolbar. This mode-switch button toggles between “Free Transform” mode and “Warp” mode. Click the “Mode Switch” button to enter “Free Transform” mode. Note that the nine areas of the warped Mapsend image are released and a single area appears with a set of “Free Transform” handles.

 

See Photo 15.

 

Use these transform handles to resize, squeeze, and move the Mapsend image so that it covers the area of Splashette’s tee shirt image. Carefully adjust the Mapsend image so that it slightly overlaps the extreme points of the tee shirt such as at the shoulder straps, shirttail, and sides. Take care to see that none of the tee shirt shows from behind the warped Mapsend image. Don’t overdo the overlap either as that will lead to more work later on in the exercise. Also note that the arched form of the Mapsend image results in a lot of unavoidable overlap above the shoulder line. Refer to the photograph below to see the desired placement.

 

See Photo 16.

 

Step 6

 

Making sure that “Layer 1” is in focus on the Layer palette and then set the “Blend” mode to “Overlay. Note that the underlying tee-shirt image can now be seen to some degree right through the Mapsend layer. This condition allows one to see what part of the Mapsend image lies outside the boundaries of the tee-shirt image.

 

See Photo 17.

 

From the toolbar pane select the “Eraser” tool. Use the eraser-tool to carefully erase all portions of the Mapsend image that lie outside the tee-shirt image. Right-click within the image and note that a “Master Diameter” slider is presented. Adjust the “Master Diameter” of the eraser tool often as needed to work into very small erasure areas such as along the left border of the image. Also adjust the “Master Diameter” of the tool as needed to conform to the various contours that make up the perimeter of the tee shirt image. Great patience is needed and a willingness to make use the “Edit>Step Backward” option of the menu bar many times over. Care at this stage is the key to a credible result.

 

See Photo 18 and Photo 19.

 

Splashette appears in the photograph in a trim-tee that features white piping around the neckline and the two sleeve openings. Make sure to erase that portion of the Mapsend image that overlies the white piping around the neckline and around both sleeve openings.

 

Step 7

 

Once the erasure work is acceptable go to the Layer Palette and set the ‘Blend” mode to “Multiply.” Look carefully at the resulting image and note any orphans left over from erasure of the Mapsend image. It can be useful to turn off the Background image occasionally for inspection. To do so just click the "“Eye” icon at the left end of the “Background” layer area. Use the erasure tool to dispose of image orphans. Also judge the result and if not satisfied repeat the exercise until full satisfaction is gained.

 

See Photo 20

 

Step 8

 

Right click the focused (blue) area of Layer 1 and select “Merge Down” from the pop-up list. The same pop-up list can be accessed by clicking the tiny arrow-head located below the red “Exit” button of the Layer Palette.

 

[Photo 22]

 

On the Menu Bar choose “File/Save As” to name and store your resulting image of Splashette in an enviable trim-tee that’s seems to be screened with a Mapsend image of San Diego County.

 

See photo “Lesson 4 Result"

 

Comments

 

Worth mentioning is that fact that a white tee-shirt appears in this exercise. Background images with strong colors introduce special considerations for layer-blending.

 

While selecting the "Overlay" blend mode in Step 6 try using your mouse wheel to scroll through the many other blend modes. It's a good way to get a feel for blend modes.

 

The odd thing about this exercise is that Splashette has little or no use for a map of San Diego County because she and Splashman long ago scored every darned cache in southern California. Her only interest in continued San Diego Geocaching is to serve as a kindly tour-guide for poor ol’ $kimmer.

 

Many thanks are offered to Splashette for her unexpected and unsanctioned participation in this photo-editing exercise. All others should abandon hope of having posted photographs go unnoticed by a growing band of San Diego photo-editing geeks.

 

The intent of this presentation is merely to share a smattering of information accumulated the hard way, through hands-on experience rather than through formal training. The lesson is merely introductory in scope and so much of the power of PhotoShop warping and blending was either intentionally or out of ignorance omitted. Discussion of advanced features are postponed for another day.

 

The underlying hope is to unite a few Geocachers around the idea that some serious fun and satisfaction can be found by spoofing friends in unexpected ways with digital-image alterations.

 

Please enjoy.

Edited by SD Rowdies
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Tip Sheet No. 1

 

Precision cursor option for PhotoShop Elements, Paint Shop Pro, and PhotoShop CS2

 

Discussion

 

By default most photo editing packages provide an iconic tool cursor. The iconic cursor is usually too large for precision work. Fortunately the default cursor is easily replaced using cursor preference settings. This tip sheet outlines the simple steps needed to establish a precision cursor for the intended photo editors.

Photographs

 

Instructional photographs for this tip sheet can be found on the SD Rowdies web space at this link, SD Rowdies

 

Instructions

 

Paint Shop Pro

 

From the menu bar select “File>Preferences>General Program Preferences.” See Photo 1.

 

In the pop-up Paint Shop Pro Preferences window check the “Use Precise Cursors” check box. See Photo 2.

 

Click the “OK” button and then enjoy the benefits of a precision tool cursor.

 

PhotoShop Elements

 

On the menu bar select “Edit>Preferences>Display and Cursors.” See Photo 3.

 

On the Preferences pop-up window select the two “Precise” radio buttons, one on the “Painting Cursors” frame and another on the “Other Cursors” frame. See Photo 4.

 

Click the “OK” button and enjoy the benefits of precision tool cursors.

 

PhotoShop CS2

 

Use Step B above for PhotoShop Elements.

Edited by SD Rowdies
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Thanks for the upload directions, guys. Here's my Lesson 1 homework. I was camping with the Ecke Indian Princesses (Mighty Bear Nation) at Blair Valley, and my buddy Chris took a quick break to drink some water on one of a portrero (sp?) rock. Here's both the original and the edit...

 

8c838ff8-757c-445b-8fb5-801438a0dafe.jpg

 

dca00c95-abd2-42c5-9120-277b85a05742.jpg

 

I've got to learn how to shadow. The cans on the rock look like they're suspended in air.

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Lesson 2 - Additive Selection

 

Here's Chris resting on a similar rock that happened to be located at Two Harbors, in Catalina (that sunrise was truly epic that day, and I would have missed it if I didn't have to find the porta-potty)...

 

35a0a7a4-8eaf-4c64-b414-dc6d6ac1455b.jpg

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Here's Chris resting on a similar rock that happened to be located at Two Harbors, in Catalina (that sunrise was truly epic that day, and I would have missed it if I didn't have to find the porta-potty)...

Nice job on the photos!

I have no idea how to stop those beer cans from levitating.

I guess Photoshop can also do time lapse photography! :o

07d9abfd-2eba-45e3-b3f3-28651bab06fa.jpg

Edited by TrailGators
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Wow, are we having fun now?

 

Delighted to see some work from Tycho23. Easy to see what you and TrailGators are doing with your holiday. At least I've got a broken-ankle excuse.

 

Nice job all around from you two. We'll get to that issue of dropping shadows and matching saturation so that beer cans come down to earth.

 

Makes me feel good to see that the lessons are usefuly or at least entertaining.

 

Harmon

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Tip Sheet No. 2

 

Screen capture options of Paint Shop Pro

 

Discussion

 

Having a versatile screen-capture utility is a bonus for photo editing. It just so happens that Corel/JASC Paint Shop Pro offers just such a utility.

 

The Paint Shop Pro capture utility is highly configurable and even includes a multiple-capture capability. Captured images are imported directly into Paint Shop Pro as an image that can be processed as needed using the Paint Shop Pro tools and options.

 

All of the images included with Banter Forum lessons and tips were captured with this utility. The fun part is being able to capture in-process images during photo editing whethr using Paint Shop Pro or any other photo-editing application.

 

It is a great utility for capturing multiple images from a webcam cache.

 

Photographs

 

Instructional photographs for this tip sheet can be found on the SD Rowdies web space at the following link.

 

SD Rowdies

 

Instructions

 

A. Setup

 

From the menu bar select “File>Import>Screen Capture/Setup.”

 

On the “Capture Setup” window set radio buttons “Capture>Area” and “Activate capture using>Right mouse click.”

 

Check the “Options>Multiple capture” check-box the click the “OK” button.

 

Refer to the setup photo.

 

B. Start capture

 

From the menu bar select “File>Import>Screen Capture/Capture.” Paint Shop Pro will minimize. Refer to the capture photo.

 

With any other application open click the right mouse button. Note that a cross-hair icon will appear. Move the crosshair to the upper-left corner of an area of the screen that you wish to capture

 

With the crosshair positioned as desired, click the left mouse button and drag a selection rectangle to the lower right corner of the desired area. The selected image will be transferred to the Paint Shop Pro workspace.

 

Try repeat the selection process several times without returning to Paint Shop Pro.

 

NOTE: The capture process acts on the window that is in focus. In cases where it is a pop-up window or an option window is the window in focus, start the capture by clicking the right mouse button while the cursor in within the focused window. Once the crosshair is seen then the cursor can be repositioned outside the boundaries of the focused object. Experimentation will improve understanding of this means of capturing focused Window objects.

Edited by SD Rowdies
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Lesson 3- Introduction to Layering, Part I

 

Finally, here's one of the Lost Girls at an Indian Princess campout at Camp Marston...

 

b2bc7a0c-3cf8-4fae-aec7-2e1e4804186a.jpg

Love the way this technique brings a subject out of a crowd. Fabulous precision work on the erasure.

 

That's a keeper. You good.

Edited by SD Rowdies
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Lesson 4 the best i can do with Photoshop 8.0

Steve,

 

That's as good as you can get huh? Get real, it's a terrific job.

 

Danged sandbagger you are outclassing me and you know it.

 

I'm so proud,

Harmon

had to use mutiply on the layers panel, then just chop it down, for fun i even squished it with some distort

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Lesson 4 the best i can do with Photoshop 8.0

Steve,

 

That's as good as you can get huh? Get real, it's a terrific job.

 

Danged sandbagger you are outclassing me and you know it.

 

I'm so proud,

Harmon

had to use mutiply on the layers panel, then just chop it down, for fun i even squished it with some distort

Yep, it takes a lot of nibbling to elimiinate the overlap. The Multiply blend is certainly best for a white background.

 

I'll just bet that I'll see some other instances in days to come.

 

From all of us to you Splashette ... getting to know you, getting to know all about you.

 

Nice work,

Harmon

 

de9af0ac-4500-49c7-a694-f64a89f1183b.jpg

Edited by SD Rowdies
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I have no idea how to stop those beer cans from levitating.

One approach is to use the Dodge and Burn tools. In this instance I used the Paint Shop Pro tools but any of the moderately good editors will offer dodging and burning tools.

 

a206903b-2f5c-4496-909e-311c21260bee.jpg

Edited by SD Rowdies
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I have no idea how to stop those beer cans from levitating.

One approach is to use the Dodge and Burn tools. In this instance I used the Paint Shop Pro tools but any of the moderately good editors will offer dodging and burning tools.

However, what you really want is the "Drop Shadow" effect. It gives you control of shadow position, shadow color, and shadow opacity.

 

Proper adjustment of the opacity control allows some texture of the underlying layer to show through the shadow. That makes the overall effect more realistic.

 

First you must make a selection of the object that needs to be shadowed before selecting the Drop Shadow effect. What works best is to work with the object of interest while it is still on a separate layer. That way you don't need to reselect it for shadowing.

 

In truth using the Drop Shadow effect and the Dodge and Burn tools together proves to be effective. The dodge and burn tools allow one to reshape a shadow so that it takes on realistic contours. But then, what do I know?

 

1a31b273-247b-4a1f-89e6-767ea047ae6a.jpg

 

f4f2ec0c-de07-44d7-889b-3c69d6127641.jpg

 

All of this for a beer can for crying out loud.

Edited by SD Rowdies
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