Comments on: Mechanics of Creation BONUS!!! A DamienBlog http://www.heromachine.com/2009/06/14/mechanics-of-creation-bonus-a-damienblog/ Comics and RPG fun, plus the latest on the world's premier character portrait creator. Wed, 23 May 2012 14:23:32 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Damien Stadler http://www.heromachine.com/2009/06/14/mechanics-of-creation-bonus-a-damienblog/#comment-14125 Damien Stadler Mon, 15 Jun 2009 16:49:52 +0000 http://www.heromachine.com/?p=3919#comment-14125 Mostly, it's the limits of the program. I did a previous but much less detailed mention of masking <a href="http://www.heromachine.com/2009/06/07/the-mechanics-of-creation-1-a-damienblog/" rel="nofollow">here</a> where I discussed the much-anticipated solution to animal/human hybrid legs. In there I mentioned that it's better to plan out your masking a bit in advance to prevent that problem. The trick is to decide more or less what you want, position it accordingly, and send it to the back until the end of the project. Unwieldy, true, and a pain at times, especially considering the large and disruptive nature of the Patterns category. If you look at the hair on Fierra's lower legs <a href="http://sites.google.com/site/damienstadler/files/FierraFeyruneNew3.png" rel="nofollow">here</a>, the patterns are pretty specifically arranged to give the impression of depth. Saving those until last may have saved me a lot of trouble on the rest of the project, but it still took me at least an hour or so to handle those two clumps of hair. And in the above post, I also plugged one of my most useful programs, <strong>Paint.Net</strong> (available for free at <a href="http://www.download.com/" rel="nofollow">Download.com.</a>) This program is Photoshop's innovative little half-brother which includes layering, hex color selection along with RGB, and a ton of other useful tools. If I might be so bold to say, I recommend downloading this program and using it to assemble the more difficult portions separately. This considerably cuts down the strain on your browser, and make sure that if your browser <strong>does</strong> crash, your image is already protected in another program. However, if you plan on entering contest pieces, I would keep the program use to a minimum until you know enough to keep the image from looking assembled. Mostly, it’s the limits of the program. I did a previous but much less detailed mention of masking here where I discussed the much-anticipated solution to animal/human hybrid legs. In there I mentioned that it’s better to plan out your masking a bit in advance to prevent that problem. The trick is to decide more or less what you want, position it accordingly, and send it to the back until the end of the project. Unwieldy, true, and a pain at times, especially considering the large and disruptive nature of the Patterns category.

If you look at the hair on Fierra’s lower legs here, the patterns are pretty specifically arranged to give the impression of depth. Saving those until last may have saved me a lot of trouble on the rest of the project, but it still took me at least an hour or so to handle those two clumps of hair.

And in the above post, I also plugged one of my most useful programs, Paint.Net (available for free at Download.com.) This program is Photoshop’s innovative little half-brother which includes layering, hex color selection along with RGB, and a ton of other useful tools. If I might be so bold to say, I recommend downloading this program and using it to assemble the more difficult portions separately. This considerably cuts down the strain on your browser, and make sure that if your browser does crash, your image is already protected in another program. However, if you plan on entering contest pieces, I would keep the program use to a minimum until you know enough to keep the image from looking assembled.

]]> By: Melis http://www.heromachine.com/2009/06/14/mechanics-of-creation-bonus-a-damienblog/#comment-14124 Melis Mon, 15 Jun 2009 16:26:34 +0000 http://www.heromachine.com/?p=3919#comment-14124 have you had trouble working with items in the same category when you're using masks? A lot of the time, when I add a new item, it pushes the masked item out and replaces it. The program also can't seem to handle multiple masks of the same type of item. do you know a way around that or is it just the limits of the program? have you had trouble working with items in the same category when you’re using masks? A lot of the time, when I add a new item, it pushes the masked item out and replaces it. The program also can’t seem to handle multiple masks of the same type of item. do you know a way around that or is it just the limits of the program?

]]> By: Damien Stadler http://www.heromachine.com/2009/06/14/mechanics-of-creation-bonus-a-damienblog/#comment-14118 Damien Stadler Mon, 15 Jun 2009 13:58:48 +0000 http://www.heromachine.com/?p=3919#comment-14118 That would be the circle from Backgrounds. That would be the circle from Backgrounds.

]]> By: psyjet http://www.heromachine.com/2009/06/14/mechanics-of-creation-bonus-a-damienblog/#comment-14117 psyjet Mon, 15 Jun 2009 12:28:13 +0000 http://www.heromachine.com/?p=3919#comment-14117 I don't know how to make the big oval. I don’t know how to make the big oval.

]]> By: The Imp http://www.heromachine.com/2009/06/14/mechanics-of-creation-bonus-a-damienblog/#comment-14113 The Imp Mon, 15 Jun 2009 03:37:48 +0000 http://www.heromachine.com/?p=3919#comment-14113 I knew what masking meant immediately, thanks to a summer job in high school one year as a house painter. :D I knew what masking meant immediately, thanks to a summer job in high school one year as a house painter. :D

]]> By: Xavier Kain http://www.heromachine.com/2009/06/14/mechanics-of-creation-bonus-a-damienblog/#comment-14111 Xavier Kain Sun, 14 Jun 2009 23:51:30 +0000 http://www.heromachine.com/?p=3919#comment-14111 I think the term "mask" is used because it is similar to how masking works in image editing programs, also the tree on cape example is to "sink" the tree shape down so that it actually looks like its on the cape, and helps it to appear as though it flows with the cape instead of just floating a layer over it, also masking works differently with hands then it does for everything else, for hands it makes items so that it looks like the hand is holding the item. Hope this explanation helps instead of further adding to confusion. I think the term “mask” is used because it is similar to how masking works in image editing programs, also the tree on cape example is to “sink” the tree shape down so that it actually looks like its on the cape, and helps it to appear as though it flows with the cape instead of just floating a layer over it, also masking works differently with hands then it does for everything else, for hands it makes items so that it looks like the hand is holding the item. Hope this explanation helps instead of further adding to confusion.

]]> By: Tim http://www.heromachine.com/2009/06/14/mechanics-of-creation-bonus-a-damienblog/#comment-14110 Tim Sun, 14 Jun 2009 22:21:47 +0000 http://www.heromachine.com/?p=3919#comment-14110 Wow Damien! Your creativity is very impressive! Especially masking those pantlegs to make puffy sleeves. Wow Damien! Your creativity is very impressive! Especially masking those pantlegs to make puffy sleeves.

]]> By: Damien Stadler http://www.heromachine.com/2009/06/14/mechanics-of-creation-bonus-a-damienblog/#comment-14109 Damien Stadler Sun, 14 Jun 2009 22:06:52 +0000 http://www.heromachine.com/?p=3919#comment-14109 Sorry about that. The Tree-on-Cape was to let the black lines show through, giving the illusion of a ripple, As shown much better here: http://sites.google.com/site/damienstadler/files/PhoenixBannerman.jpg This was one of my early attempts with HM3. (VERY early--name one of those items that didn't come from Jeff's minis.) I was also trying to give a 3/4 view like HM2 but only got about halfway... [Edited to add] Also, I suppose I should mention the use of rocks from HM2 for that upped-leg pose to look right... Sorry about that. The Tree-on-Cape was to let the black lines show through, giving the illusion of a ripple, As shown much better here:

http://sites.google.com/site/damienstadler/files/PhoenixBannerman.jpg

This was one of my early attempts with HM3. (VERY early–name one of those items that didn’t come from Jeff’s minis.) I was also trying to give a 3/4 view like HM2 but only got about halfway…

[Edited to add] Also, I suppose I should mention the use of rocks from HM2 for that upped-leg pose to look right…

]]> By: Whit http://www.heromachine.com/2009/06/14/mechanics-of-creation-bonus-a-damienblog/#comment-14108 Whit Sun, 14 Jun 2009 21:59:29 +0000 http://www.heromachine.com/?p=3919#comment-14108 Okay, I think I have it now. I guess it was the terminology that was throwing me--"masking" didn't seem very descriptive to me--but maybe it's a technical term from a field with which I'm not familiar. I'd call this "trimming the first shape to fit the second shape". Still don't know how that applies to the tree-on-cape example, but I'll experiment. My trouble was that I was trying to use masking for almost exactly the opposite purpose: to merge the contours of two overlapping shapes to create a new, usually *bigger* shape. Thanks so much for the help and effort. :-) Okay, I think I have it now. I guess it was the terminology that was throwing me–”masking” didn’t seem very descriptive to me–but maybe it’s a technical term from a field with which I’m not familiar. I’d call this “trimming the first shape to fit the second shape”. Still don’t know how that applies to the tree-on-cape example, but I’ll experiment.

My trouble was that I was trying to use masking for almost exactly the opposite purpose: to merge the contours of two overlapping shapes to create a new, usually *bigger* shape.

Thanks so much for the help and effort. :-)

]]> By: RSC5 http://www.heromachine.com/2009/06/14/mechanics-of-creation-bonus-a-damienblog/#comment-14107 RSC5 Sun, 14 Jun 2009 21:03:36 +0000 http://www.heromachine.com/?p=3919#comment-14107 Well that explains quite a bit! Many thanks. That was extremely enjoyable and snarky. By the by, it's the stalking option. So you know. Well that explains quite a bit! Many thanks. That was extremely enjoyable and snarky.

By the by, it’s the stalking option. So you know.

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