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Aurora Effect (by request)


david.atwell

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A new user, hopelessrom_grl, requested a translation of a Photoshop tutorial into PdN. (dead links removed) I've managed to come close; anyone with an idea on how to get closer to the original can feel free to post theirs here.

Now...

Step 1: Green Layer

colorpallette.png

In your Color Palette, make sure that the box marked with arrow #1 is set on "Primary." Click on "more," marked in the picture with arrow #2.

In the "Hex" box (marked with arrow #3), type in 3C580E. Change "Primary" to "Secondary," and type A4D23B into the "Hex" box.

Choose the Gradient tool ( :GradientTool:) and click near the bottom of the image; press the Shift key, drag it to near the top of the image, then release the mouse button BEFORE releasing the Shift key.

It should look like this:
step1.png

Step 2: Blue Layer

Create a new layer. ( :AddNewLayer:)

Go back to your Color Palette. Set your primary color to 64B9F0 and the secondary color to FFFFFF; then, in the box marked "Alpha" (indicated by arrow #4 in the diagram above) change the "255" to a zero.

Using the Gradient tool, click near the right-hand side of the image. Press the shift key, then drag to the other side of the image, releasing the mouse button before releasing the shift key.

It should look like this:
step2.png

Step 3: Line

Change your primary color to white (FFFFFF). Select the Line/Curve tool (:LineCurveTool:)- draw a line from the bottom-left corner to the top-right corner. Then drag the handles in the center as shown:

step3.png

Step 4: Select Gradient Area

Use the Magic Wand tool ( :MagicWandTool:) and select the area beneath the line. Create a new layer ( :AddNewLayer:).

Step 5: Gradient

Your primary color should still be white (FFFFFF) and your secondary still transparent (alpha = 0). Select the Gradient tool and drag it as shown:
gradient.png

Duplicate the layer ( :DuplicateLayer:) and use Rotate/Zoom (in the Layers menu) to rotate it ten degrees. Merge the layer down (:MergeDown:).

Duplicate the layer again. Use Rotate/Zoom to rotate it another ten degrees. Merge the layer down.

Step 6: Ghost Auroras

Duplicate the layer and drag it to the top-left corner of the image. Radial blur this layer (in the Effects > Blurs menu) 7 pixels.

Select the layer below. Duplicate it again, and drag it to the bottom-right corner of the image. Radial blur this layer another 7 pixels.

Select the top layer again. Merge it down; then change the opacity to 160.

Merge it down again, and dial the opacity down to 160 again.

Delete the next layer (the line). Flatten the image.

You should end up with this:
final.png

Show me what you come up with, and let me know if you have a better method!

 

The Doctor: There was a goblin, or a trickster, or a warrior... A nameless, terrible thing, soaked in the blood of a billion galaxies. The most feared being in all the cosmos. And nothing could stop it, or hold it, or reason with it. One day it would just drop out of the sky and tear down your world.
Amy: But how did it end up in there?
The Doctor: You know fairy tales. A good wizard tricked it.
River Song: I hate good wizards in fairy tales; they always turn out to be him.

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That looks pretty cool. The edges of the circle things look like they need a little feathering though.

I'm still alive!

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Ironically, those ARE feathered. I left that step out because there's no apparent change.

 

The Doctor: There was a goblin, or a trickster, or a warrior... A nameless, terrible thing, soaked in the blood of a billion galaxies. The most feared being in all the cosmos. And nothing could stop it, or hold it, or reason with it. One day it would just drop out of the sky and tear down your world.
Amy: But how did it end up in there?
The Doctor: You know fairy tales. A good wizard tricked it.
River Song: I hate good wizards in fairy tales; they always turn out to be him.

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Ironically, those ARE feathered. I left that step out because there's no apparent change.

Very nice!!

I believe your white color is already some what transparent,

And feather doesn't seem to work as well when it's like that.

EDIT: So in step 5....don't drag the gradient nubs past the white line, then adjust the opacity of the layer later on.

See if that will help :)

The_next_thousand_words_by_0_ASH_0.png

All creations Ash + Paint.NET [ Googlepage | deviantArt | Club PDN | PDN Fan ]

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Since the shapes are all elliptical in nature, one may be able to use the Ellipse tool and take advantage of its natural edge anti-aliasing, then use the Gradient tool in Transparency mode to fade it out.

Otherwise, very good, and quite close to the original! :)

I am not a mechanism, I am part of the resistance;

I am an organism, an animal, a creature, I am a beast.

~ Becoming the Archetype

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Thank you, and you're welcome, to everyone! :-) As for your suggestions - I seem to have misplaced the .PDN file, so if you could post your solutions to the feathering problems as images, I would appreciate it.

@HopelessRom_grl - I'm glad you found it useful.

 

The Doctor: There was a goblin, or a trickster, or a warrior... A nameless, terrible thing, soaked in the blood of a billion galaxies. The most feared being in all the cosmos. And nothing could stop it, or hold it, or reason with it. One day it would just drop out of the sky and tear down your world.
Amy: But how did it end up in there?
The Doctor: You know fairy tales. A good wizard tricked it.
River Song: I hate good wizards in fairy tales; they always turn out to be him.

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here is what I did with a footballer's wedding picture with a little bit of tinkering

nevillewedding.png

GirlsAloud.png

The 3rd siggy I've ever made^^

<

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That looks really good! I wish the feathering worked, because the picture could use that...but very well done!

 

The Doctor: There was a goblin, or a trickster, or a warrior... A nameless, terrible thing, soaked in the blood of a billion galaxies. The most feared being in all the cosmos. And nothing could stop it, or hold it, or reason with it. One day it would just drop out of the sky and tear down your world.
Amy: But how did it end up in there?
The Doctor: You know fairy tales. A good wizard tricked it.
River Song: I hate good wizards in fairy tales; they always turn out to be him.

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Thank you, and you're welcome, to everyone! :-) As for your suggestions - I seem to have misplaced the .PDN file, so if you could post your solutions to the feathering problems as images, I would appreciate it.

For your appreciation:

My aurora! (warning: big image need memory and CPU, save as often as possible)

1. Follow the david.atwell's tutorial steps 1,2

2. Create a new image 2400x2400. Ctrl+A and Del to make it transparent.

All next steps (3-12) are for this new image

3. Draw a circle diameter 2200. Use the Align Object plugin to place the circle in the center.

4. With the magic wand tool select outside the circle.

5. Add a new layer (call it shadow).

6. Set primary color white. Press BackSpace to fill the selection.

7. Unselect (Ctrl+D).

8. Gaussian blur 40px.

9. Choose the background layer and again select outside the circle.

10. Choose the shadow layer and delete the selection.

11. Effect/Blur/Radial blur :10px.

12. Ctrl+A,Ctrl+C,Ctrl+D: Select all the shadow layer, copy it, unselect.

Back to the Aurora image.

13.Add a layer. Zoom out (30-50%).

14.Ctrl+V Paste the circle, don't expand the canvas. Move it to find and place the curve you want.

15.Repeat 13-14 as many time as you want for more curves...

16. For each layer with a curve you could try the Sine Wave plugin...

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What did I not do right? When I draw the first gradient, it's green at the bottom -- not black like yours...

I'll continue and see if it still looks good.

Sig-1.png
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What did I not do right? When I draw the first gradient, it's green at the bottom -- not black like yours...

I'll continue and see if it still looks good.

Left click/Right click is important to start the gradient...

Left : Gradient starts with primary color.

Right : Gradient starts with secondary color.

That might be the problem you have!

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  • 4 weeks later...

heres mine

Feathereffect.png

i used the ellipse select tool because i couldnt select just the area under the white line.

I also did more that just rotate it 10 degrees.

I moved it around and rotated it to how i though it looked good.

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@ Cris Design --> I think your signature block (combination boat and block) are too big and someone will make you change it.

This is a really cool tut and I really like them all.

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The outline object plug-in can be used for anti-aliasing. small width, max softness.

This is the third time I post this little tip in a day. I'll shut up now :P

Sig-1.png
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