Texturized Bug

The last thing I did to my bug painting was to make it into a texture background.  For this exercise, I used Photoshop CS5 once again.

First, I select all of the image, "Cmd-A" (Ctrl-A on PC) and copy, "Cmd-C" (Ctrl-C for PC users) and pasted it on a new layer.  On this layer, I desaturated it with keyboard combo "Shift-Cmd-U" and then select all and copy again.

Here I need to create a new Alpha Channel.  To do that, click on "/Filter/Render/Lighting Effects.../"

On the following screenshot, you will notice that there's a problem.  Don't worry, the menu items I mentioned are correct.  However, it doesn't show it on my version of Photoshop CS5.

I never really used Photoshop beyond just manipulating the colours and highlighting and optimizing the image size prior to this.  So, I kinda got stuck.  It is strange that my copy of PS CS5 was missing a menu feature.  I asked and no one I asked had an answer.  I searched online for remedy and found out that the problem lies with PS CS5 runs on a 64 bit and that it must to switched to 32 bit to have that menu feature.  This to me is quite a surprise and I was very disappointed.  At first, I thought that it was not available on my Mac when it runs 64 bit.  However, I know that the PC's have been running 64 bit a while longer than the Mac.  The problem does not seem to be with the Mac after I found a solution online.  When I changed the setting on the Mac by going to the Application folder and right click the icon that launches PS, and checkmark "Open in 32-bit mode". 

The menu feature of Light Effects...showed up after I've made the change to run 32-bit for PS.  I guess no love from Adobe...thanks a lot!

Finally, back at the ranch, after clicking "Lighting Effects..." a window pops and here decide the settings according how you wish your texture will appear.  Just ensure that "Preview" is checked to see the changes immediately in the preview.

When you are satisfied how your image is textured, click "Ok", save , and enjoy you work!  Here's my version.

A New Brush

As I indicated in "Inventing Colour..." I also created a new brush.  I named it bug.  The following are the steps.

After I've created the following painting...

...and yes, once again, you could stop laughing now.

In Photoshop, I clicked "/Image/Adjustments/Desaturate" or Shift-CMD-U my Mac (Shift-CTRL-U on a PC) to desaturate or turn the image into black and white.

Then I selected the Lasso tool and after tracing/defining the part I believe would be a good looking brush, I clicked "/Edit/Define Brush Preset" and a menu window popped up and gave the new brush a name.  Clicked ok.

In "/Windows/Brush" or F5, I looked for the new brush I created to test it.  Now there's another brush to play with.

Inventing Colour...Swatches

I created some digital assets.  First is the colour swatch.  Painting is great way.  Using some paint, I used water colour paint.  Painted whatever...ok, it was a bug of some sort.  It sure doesn't look like one...and you could stop laughing at my very first set of unacceptable scary paintings.

The Bug of some scary sort...

I scanned these paintings and using Photoshop, I clicked the following: Image/Mode/Indexed Color and in the window menu, I chose 16 colours and for "Forced" I selected "Black & White" and clicked OK.  Then Image/Mode/Color Table and saved the new colour swatch.

Here's a screenshot and blow up version of the final colour swatch.

Looking at Texture

Textures I found around town.  Closing in on things gives another perspective of everyday things in the city.  Sometimes if we look up, the clouds sends us signals.  Droplets of water carry a scene that we can't see when we are too far away.  The animals also communicates with us using their contrasting skin or furs.  Nature beckons our attention with the colours they are created with.  Just that we often neglect these calls.  Our attention are diverted into our busyness.  Let the various forms of texture tranquilize you.

Bird Nest - ISO 100 at 300 mm focal length with f/5.6 and 1/60 shutter speed.  

Zebra at the Toronto Zoo - ISO 100 at 280 mm focal length with f/9 and 1/125 shutter speed.

Flowers of a shrub outside the Film building at York University - ISO 80 at 3.9 mm focal length with f/2.8 and 1/150 shutter speed.

After the rain clouds, which seems to signal more rain on the way - ISO 100 at 3.9 mm focal length with f/2.8 and 1/120 shutter speed.

Droplets for texture - ISO 100 at 3.9 mm focal length with f/2.8 and 1/60 shutter speed.

Textures of Sesame Ice Cream - ISO 1600 at 50 mm focal length with f/5.6 and 1/40 shutter speed.

Textures on Cloud Nine - ISO 100 at 29 mm focal length with f/22 and 1/160 shutter speed.

Strawberries homework that O ate - ISO 800 at 55 mm focal length with f/5.6 and 1/8 shutter speed.

Droplets after the rain of reeves - ISO 100 at 55 mm focal length with f/6.3 and 1/40 shutter speed.

Toronto Zoo imitating a forest - ISO 100 at 18 mm focal length with f/3.5 and 1/100 shutter speed.

Water texture on the Penguin display - ISO 100 at 95mm focal length with f/11 and 1/400 shutter speed.

Some previous photos

In response to this first photo assignment, I dug up some previous shots.  Here are some of the ones I've done before.  

The bird shots are of the same bird.  Unfortunately, I don't know what kind of bird.  If you know, please do tell.  This bird made a nest on my neighbour's porch light.  I told them about it and they said that they were afraid in moving it because they saw eggs in it.

While I was taking photographs of this bird nesting, it flew on to the tree.  I just followed it and made more images.

Here, well...would you like to guess what this is?

10 minutes...now draw!

Here's exercise for ya.  You have 10 minutes.  Now draw me rabbit.  Impossible?  Well, it might as well be an Iron Chef idea...10 minutes to cook a rabbit...er I mean, uh...ok, let's not talk about eating a bunny...Doh!...  Sorry.

Alright, meet Groovy.  Groovy was just an ordinary bunny just last week.  He was interested in food and particularly Indian, Malaysian, and Thai food.  This week, he was created into a super hero by...me of course and here's how.

I was given 10 minutes to draw a bunny.  Ha!  Funny thing is I never knew how to draw.  However, coming into DMA, I knew I'd have to somehow draw something.  After all, it's a design and creative subject.  So, I took the task at hand and thought how a bunny would look like.  Wait, the professor said draw a bunny.  Not a rabbit.  Ok, so, a bunny has long ears...ah...Bugs Bunny comes to mind.  Alright...then the drawing the head, I thought of how the eyes would look.  They probably would be red?  But I only have 10 minutes...and no time to colour them red.  Ok, Bugs Bunny had whiskers....

I basically modelled my bunny after Bugs Bunny with subtle differences and I gave Groovy a cape.  Groovy has superpowers as indicated.  He could teleport, has healing powers, and is capable of becoming invisible too.  Wow...I wish I could be Groovy instead of me.  But if I was Groovy, then who would be me?

Enough talk.  Here's my Groovy, the Bunny.

Groovy and his previous persona, an ordinary rabbit turned "extraordinary".

Introduction

The sky is the limit.

My name is Stephen Lew.  Currently attending Seneca College and academically enlisted in the Digital Media Arts program on the School of Creative Arts and Animations.  I've been asked what this program does and what I will or could do when I graduate from it.   Well, the program involves designs.  Then we take those and apply them with the digitally creations and in multiple media forms.  I will be a swiss army knife.

Ok, I know.  It's confusing and doesn't make any sense.  Well, at this point, that is what I am able to tell you as I wouldn't be able to see what I will definitely be in the future.  What I will be able to tell you now, is that the future will be good.  I'm looking forward to working towards it.  I pray I get there.

Till then, I will share my work and experience here.  I hope you will enjoy my creations.  Thanks.