creative-designs-water droplets

Software: PhotoImpact 10,11,12,X3 (Earlier versions may also be used for this tutorial) Title: Water Droplets Author: Maureen Eves-Lavis Level: Beginner/Intermediate Tools: Path, Edit Path Tools, Paint Brush, Palette Ramp Materials: Photograph,
MODES and WORKSPACES Versions 12 and X3 has the ability for customised workspace modes, choose your own personal settings or Full Edit, providing you have all tools available to you for this tutorial. Version 11 has five modes. You will see them listed in the My Workshop Menu. For the purpose of this tutorial, ensure you are working in "Advanced Mode" in order for all tools to be available to you. Version 10 has two work modes, Basic and Standard. Basic Mode features a simplified workspace with larger buttons and the most common functions, whereas,the Standard Mode displays all of the functions. We will be using the Standard Mode in this tutorial.If you see Standard Mode faded out as shown, then this is the mode you are using. If you change from standard to basic you will lose any presets you may have saved. Remember to save often You can drag this feather-pen as you go to keep track of your place in the tutorial
STEP 1 Open your photograph into your workspace, right click ctrl/d duplicate, discard original. We will work with the duplicated copy. With the path tool draw a 3D oval. There should be no colour.
STEP 2 Go to the Easy Palette and choose Material, Glass, G25.
STEP 3 At this stage you can deform the water droplet shape a little by clicking on Edit Path Tool in the Tool Panel. Then click on the Edit Path Obect on the Attribute Bar When you click on the Edit Tool, your object will look like this Your path object is now displayed as a wire frame with nodules and control handles. You can deform the shape. The control handles allow you to adjust the curve. When happy with your shape, click on the Edit Path object again and your path will resume to its 3D shape and colour. You can repeat this process if you feel further adjustment is necessary. Water droplets can be more rounded, oblong or whatever shape you can imagine.
STEP 4 Select the object on your canvas and open the Adjust Material Options on the Attribute bar. Choose gradient and click on the colour bar to open gradient fill box. (This will only be visable and open if you have the Path Drawing Tool selected on the Tool Bar) Multiple Colours - with the Fill Type 'down arrow as you need your darkest colour to the top of the water droplets. Click to open the Palette Ramp Editor. Choose colours similar to the colour of your flower or leaf. OK The water droplet will have a soft, glassy colour of your leaf or flower, but the edges are a little too dark, so let's fix that.
STEP 5 An important factor when making water droplets is the light source. It's vital that the light source is consistent with the rest of your image. The base colour of the dewdrop should be whatever the water droplet is resting upon.....if it's a a green leaf then choose a green gradient with the deeper colour at the top fading to almost transparent.
STEP 6 Highlight the water droplet, right click and convert from Text/Path to Image. Using a darker colour than the original one chosen for the path fill, and selecting the paintbrush with a transparency of approximately 80, paint over very lightly the top part of droplet. Change to white and gently swipe brush down one side of the droplet. Of course this depends on where your light source is coming from. To make the water droplet stand out, choose paintbrush size 5, trans 95, soft edge 50, paint in object mode, with a soft colour gray, gently brush under waterdrop. That's it - a simple, yet effective way of making water droplets or dewdrops on your flower images.
Site created and maintained by Maureen Eves-Lavis Creative-Designs Terms of use for this tutorial are simple....What you create using this tutorial is yours to do with as you please. A link back to this tut is appreciated but is not a requirement. The tutorial itself along with the images herein are copyrighted to me and all rights are reserved. COPYRIGHT: Maureen ©Creative-Designs 2005 - 2008 Australia This document may not be translated, duplicated, redistributed or otherwise appropriated without permission.