Alpha Centauri 2

Community => Recreation Commons => Topic started by: Buster's Uncle on September 05, 2012, 06:56:58 PM

Title: Taking Requests
Post by: Buster's Uncle on September 05, 2012, 06:56:58 PM

So, I've had a little fun with this sort of thing in the past; does anyone have any art requests?

I'm known for my avatar work, and I've done a lot of smilies and sig art, too.

Of course, custom SMAC(X) faction art is best, but little easy jobs are great.  Any takers?

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Buster's Uncle on September 06, 2012, 09:25:30 PM

BTW, another thing I like doing is lessons, so I'd be happy to talk anyone through anything I know how to do, or can figure out.  Hit me with your questions.

Teach a man to fish...

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Unorthodox on September 24, 2012, 03:58:48 PM

Might have some teaching requests later. 

Tryong to update a page on my website, which means I need some mad photoshop stuff done. 

A collage (sp), specifically.  Any great hints on how to compose one. 

I also got to html code a new button/banner and forgot how the specifics of what I'm trying to do...gotta look that up. 

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Buster's Uncle on September 24, 2012, 05:02:03 PM

Of course, I'll be glad.  A collage is easy in GIMP, tougher in Photoshop, but not hard.  What do you have?

Also, my html skills are pathetic, but I'm not totally helpless at building a page...

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Unorthodox on September 24, 2012, 05:17:12 PM

Never heard of GIMP, we have photoshop elements. 

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Unorthodox on September 24, 2012, 05:20:58 PM

here's the page my wife made last year using some digital scrapbooking template.

(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-_SUYz-pwzkM/TpmtecBieVI/AAAAAAAAKmI/FbHq85ZHZFU/s800/TheUnorthodoxHistory2010.jpg)

We have much better pics from last year to use, so it needs an update, and I was hoping for something less cookie cutter...

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Buster's Uncle on September 24, 2012, 05:25:23 PM

Definitely doable.  The text is too big, thus too crowded...

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Unorthodox on September 24, 2012, 07:47:31 PM

Well, she was constrained by the template.  I won't have that problem. 

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Buster's Uncle on September 24, 2012, 08:26:22 PM

That's not comic sans, is it?  That font will launch a bunch of aspies on the net into fits of rage.

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Unorthodox on September 25, 2012, 03:59:45 AM

No idea. 

New button. 

(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Z1P-WC3rPVM/UGEdNvnqYBI/AAAAAAAAOAo/Ufy7ZhhJocA/s800/button.jpg)

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Buster's Uncle on September 25, 2012, 06:02:09 AM

What's it to do?

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Unorthodox on September 25, 2012, 02:04:38 PM

Just a button for my website, links to the info page.  Not sure if you can BB code such a thing or not, and fairly sure html don't work here. 

I tried to upload my first attempt at a collage, and my image host absolutely refuses not to resize it to illegible, and I don't want to hotlink directly from my server as I'm not sure how the service would handle such a thing. 

Basically, I used the magic wand to crop and drag pics around.  Is there a simpler way, or perhaps a way to make the magic wand tool more precise (without me having to go painstakingly trace images manually).   

Also, what would be the best way to 'fade' the edges of a pic to black? 

It turned out "OK" but could definitely use an improvement. 

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Buster's Uncle on September 25, 2012, 02:15:29 PM

Hmm. I could never get hotspot linking to work in Front Page and I've never tried in Kompozer.

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Unorthodox on September 26, 2012, 06:33:05 PM

Oh, I do raw HTML, no fancy 'helper' programs.  Got it working fine.  Just don't know how to translate that onto the forum. 

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Buster's Uncle on September 26, 2012, 07:10:58 PM

For display/demonstration/link to your page and maybe score some views purposes?  Like this:

(http://alphacentauri2.info/MGalleryItem.php?id=260) (http://www.hickorychessclub.org/custom%20factions.htm)

What I did was load it to an album and img link from there.  Around that, I wrapped a hotlink - the button here only gives you [ url ][ /url ], but it's a simple matter to add the url, which looks like this:  [ url=http://alphacentauri2.info/My%20Custom%20Factions/Custom%20Factions.htm]

If you don't want to fool with an album, you can attach it to the post - and even link from the attachment using 'copy shortcut'.  AC2 does resize some images, but it's worth a try.  Now, if you're asking how to post an image with multiple working buttons embedded, I don't know how, or if it can be done.

Quote from: Unorthodox on September 25, 2012, 02:04:38 PM

Basically, I used the magic wand to crop and drag pics around.  Is there a simpler way, or perhaps a way to make the magic wand tool more precise (without me having to go painstakingly trace images manually).   

That's one of those things I use GIMP for; the controls on the magic wand are greatly more precise and it will let you drag a pasted-in bit around before you drop it in, which my copy of Photoshop won't do.  You can also fiddle with the size of your select box in GIMP, and don't have to get it right on the first try.  (I didn't see these questions when I posted yesterday.)

Quote from: Unorthodox on September 25, 2012, 02:04:38 PM

Also, what would be the best way to 'fade' the edges of a pic to black? 

I assume this is going onto a black background, and there's probably some way to do it with semi-transparency, but I don't know how.  What I'd do is work with two copies of the image>darken one maybe 80%, erase few pixels around the edges of the second copy, copy/paste the result over the first, darken the result maybe 10%, and repeat, darkening the result another 10%.

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Buster's Uncle on October 14, 2012, 09:30:29 PM

Green1, when he downloaded GIMP a few days ago, called it an "aircraft control panel" -and it is.  All high-end graphic editors I've seen are.  But you wanna hear something funny?

Yesterday, I downloaded and installed GIMP on my Momma's laptop.  She's 72, and has the normal mental blocks seniors do about adapting to new tech.  She's brighter than most seniors, mind you, as well as an extremely young 72.  And her son likes to teach, and has been teaching her to operate new tech since the 80's, so she gets by with email and basic computer stuff like the top 10% percent of people in her age range who geek any at all - I only take partial credit for that.  She's gifted, naturally - I'm my parent's son, not a mutant.

When I first started teaching her computers, she had trouble doing something so basic as to select my name in my hotmail address sign-in so she could type her own.  (Protip: start your senior out playing Solitaire, to practice the hand-eye coordination - I wish I had, 'cause she loves computer solitaire, and when I finally got her on that, the hand-eye problems went right away) But the first time she sat down to try Lexmark Photo Editor (a very limited-purpose user-friendly program well designed to be idiot-proof, but still) she got photo cropping right on the first try!  She'd picked that up just watching me do it a lot (after Gramma died, I spent two months scanning old photos, doing a lot of cropping.)

Now, she IS of her generation, and it's a constant struggle to build her confidence with the computer stuff, and allay her frustration with all the bullcrap stuff that comes with sophisticated, mercurial, modern systems - stuff that bugs you and me, too, and makes her plum crazy.  But she loves the computer for her genology hobby, for email and video Skyping, and when she's on a tear of working with old photos, man, she ain't too bad.  In fact, here's a shoop she did a couple of years ago merging two photos of her father's parents. 

(http://alphacentauri2.info/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=2259.0;attach=1688)
None of you are impressed except maybe accounting for her age, right? 

Well, she did that in Lexmark Photo Editor and MSPaint.  And I didn't help her.



So anyway, the punch line of this story is that yes, it's an aircraft panel, and old people are afraid of computers, Mom being no exception;  I thought I'd get her started cropping photos, the most basic thing you need working with snapshots of any vintage, and the easiest, then leave her to practicing.  Well, she's been in her room for about three hours now, retouching a horribly-mangled early 40's toddler picture with the Smudge Tool (and a touch of Dodge/Burn), feeling like she's getting the hang of it, and doing good enough work that the shot's worth saving instead of starting over now that she's learned how.

I didn't get my talent from nowhere.

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Unorthodox on October 17, 2012, 05:26:57 AM

Latest photoshop. 

This is actually going on Tshirts for a group of runners in a charity race for breast cancer, so it gets cut into circles for the sleeves.     

The letters are like 5 layers deep to get the glow/fading/color right.  I struggled with the curvature of the arcs, however.  Still not 100%, but it's a last minute thing and I run outta time. 

(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Xe13FGXL0QQ/UH4yWtNCe1I/AAAAAAAAOMY/fl2GqmpqIg4/s800/sponsored%2520copy.jpg)

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Buster's Uncle on October 17, 2012, 05:31:24 AM

That is not bad.  Not bad at all, and I don't know how to do it, either.


-Incidentally, when I went upstairs to take my medicine about two hours ago, Mom had tired of the presidential debate and was at the computer, GIMPing away on that baby picture.

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Mylochka on October 17, 2012, 10:49:40 PM

I'm still in awe that Mom figured out how to combine those two pictures.  Maybe you should post the "un-combined" originals to show what she was working with...

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Buster's Uncle on October 17, 2012, 11:20:58 PM

I don't have them on my machine, but no sweat getting them, I guess.

BTW, welcome to AC2, BAunt.  How did you find us?  Have you had a look at the Self Portrait thread?

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Green1 on October 18, 2012, 03:04:47 AM

Do not underestimate elders. As one who works with elders on a regular basis, you must realize even with aging, learning is still possible!

Maybe some wish to challenge my reading (which may be wrong) due to the need for the scam that is a continual paycheck for the nusing home association, But, I continue to be impressed with example I see in day to day life. Age is a number. i come under attack because i agree with Dr. deGray on some of the things dealing with aging mostly because this affects continual paychecks. I see Michio Kaku's future of 60 year olds associating with 30 somethings and no detectable differences coming shortly if those not beholden to the system do not sabotage this coming shortly.

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Buster's Uncle on October 18, 2012, 03:07:20 AM

But the system has a way of totally doing that, as you know.

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Green1 on October 18, 2012, 03:23:06 AM

Yes... my plans as an OT come directly in oposition to that. In STW's wiki which this particular handle was involved in, I wrote about this travesty. But, since STW is YIPPIE, it is aimed towards young folks which do not care. Do you know I got friggin FIRED for providing a paraplegic with a way to live online through an avatar?

Deal with me again if I have a MA, I am fixing to destroy these people. Screw you NPs as a MAOT, I will be god. Sorry for my hatred. But, after katrina I was forced to enter in as a grunt to medical after years working in the hospitality field. I am passionate about this and have encountered significant opression because of my beliefs. if it needs a separate topic, fine. But, I have encountered lots of oppression.

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Buster's Uncle on October 18, 2012, 03:31:17 AM

It sounds like it needs a separate topic...

WAY too much alphabet soup that time.

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Green1 on October 18, 2012, 04:18:05 AM

Related.. no need for separate.

But, I do need to elaborate for those not in industry. We do have our own language. Point taken.

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Unorthodox on October 18, 2012, 02:50:08 PM

too. many. acronyms.

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Buster's Uncle on October 18, 2012, 09:54:58 PM

Quote from: Mylochka on October 17, 2012, 10:49:40 PM

I'm still in awe that Mom figured out how to combine those two pictures.  Maybe you should post the "un-combined" originals to show what she was working with...

I did teach her the basic technique - I was still doing everything I could in simpler programs back then, and it wasn't hard to do transparent-background pasting in MSPaint (make white, or whatever color, transparent - easy), though I don't think you can in the W7 version.

Here's the raw material, as requested - the part that's impressive to me is that she got the respective sizes right on the shoop; I bet that took a lot of patient trial and error.  She must've really wanted it.


(http://alphacentauri2.info/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=2259.0;attach=1688)

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Unorthodox on October 19, 2012, 08:04:44 PM

I love old photos.  That lady in white in the first one looks like she's about ready to murder someone. 
Then, my family ain't much better on that count.
(http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/9536/creepyuy9.jpg)

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Buster's Uncle on October 19, 2012, 08:30:28 PM

I think you're talking about my great grandmother, and I gather that she was indeed a bad woman to cross.  She had an illegitimate daughter in about 1915, and I bet nobody ever said anything about it in her hearing twice.

Did anyone else notice what fine, fine dressers both my great grandparents were?  Both of them could even walk around a church in those outfits now and not stand out.  She made her dress herself, too.  Family of artists, most of whom never knew they were.

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Buster's Uncle on October 19, 2012, 11:40:00 PM

Quote from: Unorthodox on October 19, 2012, 08:04:44 PM

Then, my family ain't much better on that count.
(http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/9536/creepyuy9.jpg)

I see a bit of your features on the two younger ones standing...

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Buster's Uncle on October 20, 2012, 06:08:56 PM

Dr. BA, could you be so kind as to review the first page of this thread?  Uno had several questions I couldn't answer well, if at all - and I think you can.

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Buster's Uncle on October 21, 2012, 03:51:43 PM

And in the interest of being complete, here's the retouch I did a couple of months ago of Momma's shoop after BA recently had a go at fixing up my attempt. 

I still see the flaws in the retouch, but this job is the main thing that set off my current creative/productive spell - when I was done, I felt almost an itching in my hands for more projects, a desire to create.  Flaws and all, it's still much improved - I think his face looks unmistakably over-retouched, but you see what I started with, and the shot blends together a lot better now...

(http://alphacentauri2.info/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=2259.0;attach=1688;image) (http://alphacentauri2.info/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=2259.0;attach=1806;image)

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Buster's Uncle on October 24, 2012, 07:23:19 PM

Quote from: Unorthodox on September 25, 2012, 02:04:38 PM

Just a button for my website, links to the info page.  Not sure if you can BB code such a thing or not, and fairly sure html don't work here.

Incidentally, we need to work out how to do the same thing you want there in forum bb code for a big project I'm working on - I'll keep you posted. 

-Also, check out the hovertext on this sentence.  That's as easy as hyperlinking, only with acronym in place of url in the brackets.  I added the boldface separately.

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Mylochka on October 26, 2012, 07:05:22 PM

Quote from: BUncle on October 20, 2012, 06:08:56 PM

Dr. BA, could you be so kind as to review the first page of this thread?  Uno had several questions I couldn't answer well, if at all - and I think you can.

I'm not sure which questions you're talking about -- using the magic wand?  I'd use the Polygonal Lasso tool to select and then go to Select/Feather to blur the edges.

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Buster's Uncle on October 26, 2012, 07:11:56 PM

Well, tell him what you can about semi-transparency for blending elements into the background or whatever you think best, and any insights into  the html stuff I was no help on...

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Buster's Uncle on October 26, 2012, 07:21:10 PM

BTW, Mom is GIMPing on the Sam family pic today, and Pokey's coming any minute, so I've encouraged her to share - I think I've been teaching her mostly stuff Pokey doesn't know, so they can teach each other a lot and have fun...

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Mylochka on October 26, 2012, 07:21:30 PM

I don't know how to do the html stuff, but you can adjust the sensitivity of the magic wand by playing with the numbers in the Tolerence box in the upper right hand corner.  While you've got the wand (or any selection tool) selected you can hold down the SHIFT key to add more areas or the ALT key to de-select areas.

I think the best way to "fade to black" around the edges of an image is to go to Filer/Render/Lighting Effects, swap the Light Type from Spotlight to Omni and then put the center of the circle on whatever it is you want to be the lightest part of the image.

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Mylochka on October 26, 2012, 07:26:53 PM

Oh, and yes, to make a collage in Photoshop, I'd put each set of images in a different layer and then play with the transparency settings and blending modes.

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Buster's Uncle on October 26, 2012, 07:29:08 PM

...I imagine the separate layers have the virtue of being a lot easier to move around, something I've found Photoshop to be poor at with straight pasting, as I said...

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Buster's Uncle on October 26, 2012, 07:43:33 PM

I think you may have missed this...

Quote from: BUncle on October 26, 2012, 07:21:10 PM

BTW, Mom is GIMPing on the Sam family pic today, and Pokey's coming any minute, so I've encouraged her to share - I think I've been teaching her mostly stuff Pokey doesn't know, so they can teach each other a lot and have fun...

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Mylochka on October 26, 2012, 07:51:06 PM

Yes, that sounds good.  Pokey may have some ideas that could help Mom out.

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Buster's Uncle on October 26, 2012, 08:31:23 PM

Right - and I think Pokey will love the retouching, but it's mostly a different skillset than what she needs for Photoshopping ads together at work.  I think they'll have a good time.

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Buster's Uncle on October 27, 2012, 04:52:10 PM

Mom was busy shooping yesterday in GIMP, as I mentioned.  I think she made some real improvement on a badly damaged shot.  Here's a before and after:

(http://alphacentauri2.info/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=2259.0;attach=1745)

(http://alphacentauri2.info/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=2259.0;attach=1885)

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Mylochka on October 27, 2012, 05:22:25 PM

Oh, that's good!  She's doing great.  I think she should try colorizing it.  That will really bring out the details.

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Buster's Uncle on October 27, 2012, 05:36:23 PM

I will run and suggest that now.  I've talked a little to her about the possibilities for modest colorizations, and even of paintingizing photos as gifts.

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Buster's Uncle on October 27, 2012, 05:43:28 PM

She's interested in taking a run at colorizing.  It will, no doubt, happen soon.

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Rymdolov on October 28, 2012, 07:31:50 AM

I'm impressed with your mom's work on that picture!

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Buster's Uncle on February 13, 2015, 04:34:20 AM

Bumped for Flux...

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Buster's Uncle on August 26, 2015, 02:23:10 AM

Elok, here's one of my great grandfathers; young C.S. Lewis there always reminded me a little of Sam.

(http://alphacentauri2.info/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=2259.0;attach=1688;image)

Hmm.  That attachment from the second page of the thread won't dis[play for some reason.  Gotta look into that...

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Buster's Uncle on August 26, 2015, 03:50:12 AM

Took me a while to find the file, but here's the one Mom shooped together in Paint.

(http://alphacentauri2.info/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=2259.0;attach=16488;image)

Hmm.  It displays; I wonder why, if the previous attachment has gone bad, why it even displayed where it was attached.

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Buster's Uncle on February 08, 2021, 06:29:21 PM

-Mom's on a different laptop than 7.5 years ago, and kinda fell off GIMPing photos completely while I was in Texas bringing Mylochka popsicles when I found her on the kitchen floor.  Some jokes are also true.

Mylochka, btw, had a clever notion a few months ago, and got Momma an online subscription to the local paper - Momma spends time online, she'll get used to the machine, and complain less when she needs it for something.  It's been working.  My sister is clever.  Make sure that senior in YOUR life has a nice selection of computer solitaire games, and they'll ask you for help less. ;nod

Anyway, lately she's been desultory-like trying to fix up a 1958 B&W college pic of herself in MSPaint, and I finally today have broken down and put my GIMP folder on a thumbdrive and installed it on her machine. -The last version she used was later than 2.6.6 and made you jump through an extra hoop saving.

So I've spent about 45 minutes showing her some basics/refreshing her memory.  -Please stay tuned for I will be back to brag on my 80.5 year-old computer artist mother.

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Geo on February 08, 2021, 11:03:09 PM

I guess its in the genes in your family.

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Buster's Uncle on February 09, 2021, 12:08:14 AM

I'm not a sport, no - they all artistic.  Mom, Dr. Mylochka, me Rev. Dr. the Fink and Buster.  All creative and productively so.

-Daddy wasn't creative, just productive.

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Buster's Uncle on February 16, 2021, 12:14:01 AM

She's GIMPing this:

That's four cousins at the kids' table, Christmas, about three weeks after I was born. I'll post her end result when she's done...

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Buster's Uncle on February 16, 2021, 02:12:49 PM

She's done some nice work, here, on a snapshot of her from 1958.  Here's what she'd already done in MSPaint to try to patch white where the emulsion had come off.

(https://alphacentauri2.info/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=2259.0;attach=21874;image)
-Mom's a babe, yes.

These embiggen a lot.



And HERE:

(https://alphacentauri2.info/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=2259.0;attach=21876;image)

It's not as nice/subtle as I could do, but it ain't bad.  The shadow on the post she's leaning on is entirely invented - her skirt was vanishing white-on-white.  I don't think she's done anything to her face.  Good trainer pic, that.  B&W, washed-out, you have more wiggle room to not have the alterations stand out.

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Buster's Uncle on February 27, 2021, 07:59:21 PM

SO- here's the photo Momma started with, again:

(https://alphacentauri2.info/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=2259.0;attach=21873;image)

-And the first attachment is what she did with it.

The second is my final cleanup, working from hers...

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Geo on February 27, 2021, 08:27:30 PM

So who do we see? You? Mylochka?
Looks like the blue sleeve suffered the most over the years. ;)

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Buster's Uncle on February 27, 2021, 09:15:54 PM

In order of age: no one you ever met, or heard much of.



-I think what I've done to the background here improves it a little....



Thanks for the trophy - I'm gonna send it to my DL for safekeeping.

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Buster's Uncle on February 27, 2021, 09:25:20 PM

...Actually, I kept it and sent the OTHER trophy...

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Rusty Edge on February 21, 2022, 03:20:21 AM

Color me impressed!

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Geo on February 21, 2022, 09:17:11 AM

*Geo fetches some crayons... :P

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Rusty Edge on February 22, 2022, 12:02:48 AM

 

Quote from: Geo on February 21, 2022, 09:17:11 AM

*Geo fetches some crayons... :P

 ;lol

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Buster's Uncle on February 22, 2022, 02:39:50 AM

Oh - NOW I get it...

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Geo on February 22, 2022, 07:54:51 AM

Yeah, the expression literally translated to Dutch really sounds strange.
Anyone in the known of the origin of this expression in the English language? In particular where the 'color' part of it comes from?

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Rusty Edge on February 23, 2022, 05:00:41 AM

I don't know. I guess I've heard it more often or originally as "Color me embarrassed."
 :-[

We do relate some colors and emotions (red = angry or embarrassed, green = envy. blue = sad), so the idiom is a way of announcing emotion before it's facially apparent.

Title: Re: Taking Requests
Post by: Geo on February 24, 2022, 08:34:55 AM

Thanks;  :)


In Dutch, we could use a variant of colored/blushing cheeks. "rode kaakjes", or "blozende kaakjes". Mostly for kids and and (younger) women though.