lynxster4

This tutorial is available as a PDF. Click here to view or download it Hi, fellow PDN users! I've had two requests to make a tutorial on this subject after I posted some pics in my art gallery. This is for TR (TechnoRobbo) and Max (Maximilian) and everyone interested in an opalescent stained glass effect. And a special 'shout-out' to Seerose because I'm using a Water Lily or Lotus flower for this tut. I've attached the shape below. Plugins required: Align Object pyrochild's Gradient Bars gaussian-blur-clamped-v20-by toe_head2001 AA's Assistant BoltBait's Bevel Selection Metallize MJW's-edge-expander Optional: pyrochild's Outline Object Water Lily Shape.zip This file goes into your 'Shapes' folder under Program Files, paint.net Here's the end result we are striving for: Create your outline using color 255,195,0 at about 6px wide. Align object. Duplicate layer, making the bottom layer black (turn lightness down to -100 via Hue/Sat). Turn off top gold layer and work with the black layer. Select the colors you are going to work with (I’m starting with the petals…I used P-255,73,119 S-255,255,255). 1. Magic Wand, tolerance 69-70%, select one of the petals 2. Create a new layer directly above 3. Effects—Render—Gradient Bars (play with all the settings until you get something you like) 4. Effects—Blurs—Gaussian Blur (clamped) at a radius of your choice 5. AA’s Assistant at default Repeat these 5 steps on all flower petals. You should have 15 layers. Do the lily pad next, repeating the above 5 steps with green shades of your choosing…I used P-47,168,37 S-167,229,165 Do the water next, repeating the above 5 steps with blue shades of your choosing…I used P-0,140,220 S-94,244,255 for the lighter blue areas and P-3,19,115 S-56,243,255 for the darker blue areas. Now for the ‘leading’. Turn off the bottom black layer and go to the gold layer at top. Do (1) AA’s Assistant. Magic Wand, global at 50%, then Invert Selection. Adjustments—Black and White Effects—Selection—Bevel Selection at 3, Strength .70, Highlight Color – 127,127,127 Shadow Color – 0,0,0 Color—Metallize, Angle of Start – 160, Type 1, Gray Scale checked. Do (1) AA’s Assistant and turn lightness down to -30 via Hue/Sat Merge all 'glass' layers down to one underneath the finished 'leading' layer. Select the 'glass' layer. Effects--Object--Edge Expander (I used a Maximum Distance of 3, and everything else at default) The Edge Expander works beautifully and saves a ton of steps! ((You can still 'Outline Object' every individual 'glass' layer, if you choose (in lieu of Edge Expander), so I left pyro's plugin in the tut as optional.)) Merge all layers down and you are done! This gives the result above with a silvery lead solder. ***If you want gold ‘leading’, Metallize at about 316, Type 2, uncheck Gray Scale. You can now delete bottom black outline layer. ***If you want a dark patina finish, follow the gold frame instructions, then duplicate the layer. On bottom outline layer apply a Lightness adjustment of (-50) via Hue/Sat. On top outline layer, apply a Lightness adjustment of (-30) via Hue/Sat and set layer blend mode to Multiply. Examples of gold and dark patina finish can be found here: http://forums.getpaint.net/index.php?/topic/45133-lynxster4s-art-gallery-updated-3416-new-pics/?p=513127 Keep in mind that this is only one type of ‘stained glass’. There are many other types which I am exploring. You can't really do this 'wrong'. Opalescent glass has so many color variations to it...this is just how I choose to do it, trying to keep it as simple as possible. I hope you enjoy this tutorial and have fun making ‘stained glass’!! I'm looking forward to seeing your results! *Revised the tutorial to include MJW's Edge Expander plugin to solve the 'gap' problem in fewer steps. **Revised 3/12/16 to include MJW's steps to keep layers down to the minimum. I have added this as an alternate method to construct any stained glass picture. I tried it and it works very nicely! All colors are on one layer. I did this in 20 minutes: Thanks so much MJW! This is much appreciated and should cut down significantly on PDN crashes. There's always a better way to do things. I hope you don't mind that I attached this to the tutorial.

Mind = Blown! TR, that is really creepy-looking...and I don't mean that in a bad way! It just gives me the heebie-jeebies. (spelling?) It's really good! Thank you. And I don't see a koala...my head is spinning too much. Ha!

Seerose....you are blowing my mind!!! Beautiful pictures!!!

Thanks, Max! I really appreciate the comment! Glad you like them.

Thanks so much TR! I will consider it...I'd like to perfect it a little more, though.

Thank you, Pixey! I had great fun making them. I am aware of that tutorial and I thought it was the best of the bunch! Thank you dear Seerose! I am so glad you like them...more to come!

@FotoFactory....some really good images here! Keep up the good work.

@ TR.....those are some pretty amazing morphs! I have yet to try the plugin...(I got side-tracked on something else) Cheers!

Very interesting picture, Limon! I don't know why, but I immediately thought of an experiment in ancient Atlantis. (isn't that an odd thought?) Anyway, great portrayal!

@Goonfella....New Frontiers looks so.....realistic! Or what I imagine another world would look like. Great job, I love it!

Thank you, toe_head, the gold star is appreciated! I'm glad you like them.

Pixey, the globe is just so beautiful and delicate-looking! Looks fantastic! Take your pick or indulge in all!

Hi, my friends! I've been deeply involved in researching stained glass. I've watched and/or read many tutorials (mostly Photoshop) on the subject. I didn't care for most of the results, so I decided to create my own with the plugins we have on hand in PDN. I studied stain glass in person and looked at many pictures. How surprised I was to find out there are quite a few different types of stained glass. I will open with Opalescent Stained Glass, which is opaque, has subtle color variations and is smooth. Comments are welcome! Please enjoy. ***I will be adding more as I explore different types of glass***

Congrats to SiBorg! Thank you, DrewDale for hosting. Another great set of entries!

Nice technique! I'll have to try it out. Thank you, Nai!

Nai, very beautiful gemstones! The coloring is great!

Pixey, actually I used Pyrochild's Trail plugin on the cross and inner ornamental. But of course, the 'frame' around the picture is toe's Inset Box Shadow. I'm just lovin' that plugin...it is so versatile!

Nai, I think it looks great! Just a little smoothing around the outer edges and you have a wonderful iridescent gemstone!

Holy cow, Lydia! What a great looking shapes pack! I'll need some time to try this out...haha!

Very nice Easter shapes, Pixey! Happy Easter!!

Thank you, toe_head! I'm sure I'll find a use for this... Eli, Beam me up!! (I'm a huge Trekkie...)

Nice collection of shields, Iron67. Welcome to the Shapes Subforum!! Looking forward to seeing more.

Limon, that is absolutely stunning! I 3rd that....I want one and would definitely wear it. Can you mass produce that for us?? Everything is so perfect! (Give you a rep later...I ran out)

My humble entry:

What a wonderful plugin, Remake! Thank you so much for making it. The color option is great.