Polygonal (Gossamer) image

[Red ochre]

This tutorial is available as a PDF. Click here to view or download the PDF

Polygonal (Gossamer) image

 

I will try to keep this simple but there are many possible variants and alternatives to explore - please do experiment!... and post your results/tips in this thread.

Required plugins: My Red ochre plugin pack and MJW's Edge-expander

 

1. Choose an image with a distinctive outline. Even better, draw and scan an original image. For this tutorial I will use this CC0 image from Pexel.com.
If using a photographic image, try to choose one with a contrasting background. It will make turning it into an object much easier.

If using a scanned drawing, convert it to black and alpha, (my Two-tone threshold can do this). You can of course draw the dots (vertices) where you wish this way.
Tracing paper is very useful when scanning artwork - but that would be another tutorial.

 

2. Crop the image.
3. Resize the image - something in the range of 1000 pixels maximum dimension or less should work. (Image/Resize).
4. Select and delete the background. I used the magic wand  in additive mode and clicked on the background till all was selected.
   If it selects parts of your subject, reduce the tolerance.The subject is now an 'object' (opaque pixels on a transparent layer).
5. Name the layer 'kingfisher object' or whatever is relevant for you. Do this by double clicking on the layer in the layers window and typing a name into the text box.

6. Save this image as a .png file (you don't want to do all that selecting again!).
7. Save as a .pdn file (always wise to save regularly).
8. Create a new layer and fill it with black. Either 'select all' and backspace or use the fill tool. Name this layer 'background'.
9. Create a new transparent layer and add some noise - Effects/Noise/Noise choice (the built-in one can't put noise on transparency).
   Name this the 'small dots' layer.

10. Move to the object layer, select the magic wand tool and click on the transparent area around the object.
Now move to the small dots layer and press delete.

11. Copy the object layer (at stage 4) to the clipboard by moving to that layer then use Edit/Select all/Copy.
12 Move back to the small dots layer by clicking on it in the layers window.
13. We now need to apply the colours from the clipboard to the small dots. Many plugins can do this but I will use Effects/Tools/ClipWarpNew, with no warping.

14. Duplicate this layer, Name it 'big dots' and apply Effects/Object/Edge-expander with settings shown.

15. Hide the big dots layer by unchecking the visibility box. The small dots layer should now be active (highlighted in the layers window).
16. Run Effects/Iterative lines/Gossamer with the settings shown. Feel free to experiment though!

17. If some of the thin lines generated have obscured the edge of the object they can be deleted by first selecting the transparent space around the object on the object layer.
Then move back to the Gossamer lines (small dots) layer and hit delete.The same idea as at stage 10.
It also looks good to erase some of the lines with the eraser tool.

18. Turn the 'big dots' visibility back on.

19. Drag the object above the other layers and set its blend mode to multiply and lower the opacity.

20. Save as a .pdn file. Then select Image/Flatten then save as .png or .jpg file. Done!

 

[Seerose]

 OMG! WOW!!! @Red ochre! Next day I will try.   Thank you so much for your effort.  

 

 

Edited May 25, 2017 by Seerose

[Ego Eram Reputo]

Fabulous! Thanks Red, this is awesome

 

[LionsDragon]

Woo-hoo! Fantastic tutorial! Definitely putting this on the to-do list.

 

 

[loaded]

Thank you so much for this beautiful work. Respects

[Seerose]

I have no scanners. Simply so tried. I mean the picture is dark. Thank you so much @Red ochre!   

 

 

 

Edited December 7, 2019 by Seerose

[Red ochre]

Seerose, E.E.R., LionsDragon, Loaded, thank you all for your support ... I hope it gives you some ideas.

Seerose - Great work! Beautiful butterfly.

[Pixey]

Thank you for this tutorial @Red ochre - it really got me thinking.  I'd never (ordinarily) think of those steps.  Thanks for explaining .

 

 

 

 

 

[Red ochre]

Cool car Pixey! - Looks like something from the film 'Tron'.

[Scooter]

OK I tried it and because I are an bit of a village idiot, it took a while to get it right (NOT Red Ochres fault ).

so here is #1 ( as directions called for)

Then because even I had trouble "seeing" the original,  I did another version with an addition of a second layer (of the original subject); changed the blend mode to  overlay and reduced the opacity by "? just enough?" .

looks a bit more like a Model T Ford

I tired now need to go nap time TOOTLES 

[Eli]

Thanks Red! Great tutorial.

 

Here is my try :

[Red ochre]

Scooter, The Model T ford - a design classic! Thanks for posting the image.
Feel free to adapt and tweak the tutorial to get the best result for each image. The second version is easier to recognize.
Enjoy that nap!

 

Eli, great image! - perhaps I'm biased, being a Leo myself.
And do I see some 'Highlight' for the stars?
Thanks for posting the result.

[Eli]

Red, It 's a tiger that lost its  stripes in the process but that was intended. I used Gossamer twice. Each time I erased randomly some of the little dots and then used Gossamer. I added at the end the stars with the Highlight effect.

[Seerose]

 @Pixey! I like this piece.   Thank you very much.  

[Seerose]

 @Eli! I like those colors too.   ("The tiger") Very pleasing on the eyes. Thank you so much.  

[AndrewDavid]

 

Another creation made with your plug in @Red ochre. Hope you like it. I see we both like dragons. Ruth Thompson gets credit for the pic wherever she is.

[Ego Eram Reputo]

I'm pinning this thread. We don't have enough photo manip tutorials of this quality IMHO.

[Red ochre]

Good work with the dragon image Andrew! I like the fiery spotlight/rainbow flare too. Thanks for posting the image.

 

E.E.R - thank you!

(The small dots layer can be coloured with Gradients Galore with the 'On objects only' button checked.)

[LionsDragon]

Here's mine: my logo (an apple-shaped constellation) with added twinkle. Not as detailed as others, but a fun exercise. Now to see what I can else I can use with this tut....

 

[Red ochre]

Good work LionsDragon, thanks for posting the image!
Looking forward to seeing what other uses you can put this technique to.

[Ego Eram Reputo]

Added PDF link

[Vagabondi]

Played with this tutorial a lot but never was satisfied with the results. Now, at last.

 

Thank you so much @Red ochre - and everyone who posted here - for the inspiration!