January Flip and Blend Challenge

Nikon AF-S Zoom-Nikkor 28-70mm f/2.8D IF-ED

01/02/2010 01:53:36 PM · #101

Yeah, I do the action as well. I do have two set up - once changes the last blend to exclusion, but I will also go back to the history and try a few different blends along the way. I have one I like without the last flip - may go back to that one if I can remember which folder it was in.... :-)

Really very addicting... And I do like your idea of step actions - maybe put in a stop and continue? Anyone remember how to do that?

VitaminB

Nikon D800

01/02/2010 01:54:35 PM · #102

Originally posted by cpanaioti:

Originally posted by pwm6:
These patterns really make interesting tilings. Here is a tiling of the last one I did, and its negative which sort of looks like ceramic tiles:

Could you please post your steps for tiling. When I think about it it seems tedious but it may be easier than I think.

When I made my tiles I just increased the canvas size to 10x/5x the original size, selected the fliped/blended photo, and copied, pasted, and repositioned it until the tiles were laid out. Doesnt take too long.

krnodil

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM

01/02/2010 01:57:23 PM · #103

Originally posted by Melethia:

Originally posted by krnodil:
These things are like potato chips - I've got 40 in the hopper already and it's only January 2nd!

Yes. :-) (I don't have that many - I've DONE that many but I delete a lot of 'em.)

Well, I should qualify I have 40 keepers - I've run the steps on scores more, but discarded them because they didn't catch my eye that much... :)

Canon EF 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS USM

01/02/2010 01:59:54 PM · #104

Originally posted by Melethia:

Not sure a stop/continue would add much... although at least it would allow a look-see at each step. I think I'll just create another action to "Re-do one flip step" so that I can step backward/forward one flip step at a time with just two clicks.

Jedusi

01/02/2010 02:11:23 PM · #105

You know me - always keen to slip in a wildlife shot . .

In this case I would like to present you with a small male Kestrel :- )

cpanaioti

Canon EOS-40D

01/02/2010 02:15:21 PM · #106

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

01/02/2010 02:41:08 PM · #107

Stars and Struipes forever ...

original:

Used Multiply mode for first two transformations and Difference for the third blend, with a couple of RGB Curves to switch around the colors.

01/02/2010 02:43:51 PM · #108

Originally posted by GeneralE:

Stars and Struipes forever ...

Very cool! Your dedication is unflagging!

Sony 24-70mm F4 Vario-Tessar T* FE OSS

01/02/2010 02:48:11 PM · #109

A re-work of my last one from yesterday...

I deleted the last flip altogether from the process. The *only* things I did to it after processing wereAuto Contrast, a slight Curves adjustment and moved one side a couple px to cover up the central vertical dark line a little. I upsampled the original to 8000px wide prior to processing, the detail in the final image is incredible.

Bear_Music

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

01/02/2010 03:02:45 PM · #110

Geesh...

from

Here's a 100% detail of center of same:

This is addicting, for a guy that used to create Julia and Mandelbrot fractals with a little program in his computer's spare time...

R.

sfalice

Canon PowerShot SX60 HS

01/02/2010 03:28:26 PM · #111

Originally posted by Bear_Music:

Geesh...

This is addicting, for a guy that used to create Julia and Mandelbrot fractals with a little program in his computer's spare time...

R.

Did you do those too! Fascinating little productions, weren't they.

Now, here are some more, and one reason I don't use Actions. It is SO much fun to experiment along the way, scrolling through the Blends watching the variations pop forth, moving colors around. Some are awful, some - wonderful. Here are three, with the original. There were many more from just this one original...
Original:

1st variation:

...2nd variation:

3rd variation (and 45Â° move)

Of course the other reason I don't use Actions is because I never learned how to do that little trick.

Message edited by author 2010-01-02 15:28:55.

Melethia

Canon EOS-80D

Sony 24-70mm F4 Vario-Tessar T* FE OSS

01/02/2010 03:35:45 PM · #112

LOL Alice! If you haven't learned by the time I come visit, I'll show you how. :-) Nice bright productions you have there! The 2nd variation repeated would make wonderful wrapping paper, don't you think?

Bear_Music

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

01/02/2010 03:46:39 PM · #113

Originally posted by sfalice:

Of course the other reason I don't use Actions is because I never learned how to do that little trick.

Well, creating an action is REALLY easy. You open the actions palette, click the little fly-out arrow upper right, and select "new". Then you name your action in the pop-up box and proceed to do whatever the heck it is you want to make an action of. When you're done, you click the flyout and stop the action. Easy peasy.

That said, I'm with you on this one; what would be the *point* of doing these with actions? The fun, and the beauty a lot of the times, is in the details, the messing around to see what works and what doesn't. They are SO unpredictable :-)

R.

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

01/02/2010 04:09:24 PM · #114

Originally posted by Bear_Music:

That said, I'm with you on this one; what would be the *point* of doing these with actions? The fun, and the beauty a lot of the times, is in the details, the messing around to see what works and what doesn't. They are SO unpredictable :-)

R.

Ah, precisely my friend!
And that is why a well-considered set of actions is invaluable. It's such a pain to click click click endlessly (12 times at least) do do one. It's soooo much more fun when you just ask "what happens if I..." and *click* it's done. Don't like it? one *click* and that part is undone; try another path!
A single "start to finish" action does stifle the creativity, but a set of selectable actions takes out the drudgery so I can focus on the creative part! I'm all for eliminating drudgery!

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

01/02/2010 04:40:42 PM · #115

original:

Cropped original to square before starting. I'd like to try Alice's idea of the 45Â° rotation as well -- that looks great!

pwm6

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Nikon AF-S DX 18-105 f/3.5-5.6 ED VR

01/02/2010 04:55:32 PM · #116

How to do the tiling thing...

(1) First get your original image at the size you posted it, say 800 x 800 px. into PS.

(2) Select the entire image with ctrl-A.

(3) On the PS menu click on Edit.

(4) In the drop-down menu click on Define Pattern...

(5) In the Pattern Name Dialog box which appears give the pattern a name or accept the suggestion. Click OK.

(6) Create a new document: Click on File -> New

(7) Create a really big document, say 4800 x 6000 px.

(8) In the new document, select the whole thing with Ctrl-A.

(9) Click on Edit.

(10) In the Drop Down, click on Fill.

(11) In the dialog for Use, pick Pattern

(12) Pick "Custom Pattern" by clicking on the little down arrow. Pick your pattern from the thumbnails. Click OK.

That sounds like a lot but it's very easy. Once you make the patterns you can use them over and over. You could also superimpose them by using different blending modes in the same Fill dialog, I guess, but I haven't tried that yet.

Originally posted by VitaminB:

Originally posted by cpanaioti:

Originally posted by pwm6:
These patterns really make interesting tilings. Here is a tiling of the last one I did, and its negative which sort of looks like ceramic tiles:

Could you please post your steps for tiling. When I think about it it seems tedious but it may be easier than I think.

When I made my tiles I just increased the canvas size to 10x/5x the original size, selected the fliped/blended photo, and copied, pasted, and repositioned it until the tiles were laid out. Doesnt take too long.

jomari

Nikon D7000

01/02/2010 05:03:16 PM · #117

I have to say that an action would be too constraining, because the possibilities are so endless,

from this

these

and this from an original not much different

pwm6

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

01/02/2010 05:03:57 PM · #118

OK, I tried it... Here is the result of tiling TWICE using a different pattern each time. Both patterns are the same size (800x800 in this case so they line up.) I used the Difference blending mode for the second one and 100% opacity, but I guess there are a zillion variations on this one could explore. What a time sink!

SDW

Tamron AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di LD Aspherical IF for Canon

01/02/2010 05:05:42 PM · #119

Message edited by author 2010-01-02 17:37:52.

PenelopeK

Sony Alpha a7 II

Sony 24-70mm F4 Vario-Tessar T* FE OSS

01/02/2010 05:07:43 PM · #120

Such wonderful images here. I just had to try this for myself.

from a square crop taken from the center of this OOF pic

01/02/2010 05:18:36 PM · #121

Some further tips on using actions while maintaining creativity... after creating an action, click on the turn-down arrow next to the action, and once it is expanded, click on the turn-down arrow for a "Set current layer" step. Notice that the purpose of this step is to set the blend mode. Now, look directly to the left, in the right portion of the gray bar; notice a little box with dots at the bottom. Clicking on this box turns on the display of the dialog box for that step. Do this for each "Set current layer" step, and your action now pauses and lets you select the blend mode at each flip!
Now create a separate action for each of the flip/blend steps instead of one continuous action, and set the option to ask for blend mode at the end of the step. Further, create two more actions, one to back up four steps, and another to move forward four steps. You now have a set of actions that allow *complete* artistic control, while eliminating the vast majority of the clicks, and also limiting the clicks to one small area - no repeated cross screen mouse travel! Try it, you'll like it!

SDW

Tamron AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di LD Aspherical IF for Canon

01/02/2010 05:35:54 PM · #122

Melethia

Canon EOS-80D

01/02/2010 06:11:51 PM · #123

Originally posted by kirbic:

I will read this again in the morning and see if I can get it to make sense... :-)

RKT

Sigma 85mm f/1.4 for Canon

01/02/2010 06:19:49 PM · #124

Originally posted by cpanaioti:

For anyone interested in printing on fabric, here's a site to check out.

//www.cjenkinscompany.com/

I've got the pre-treated fabric from this site just haven't printed anything yet.

Thanks for posting this Colette. I think I'll try some of that fabric myself...I keep think these flip & blends would make a killer quilt.

SDW