Create Opalescent Stained Glass

[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.

 

 

On 3/7/2016 at 10:29 PM, MJW said:

I had an idea that might simplify the procedure, and which seemed to work.

 

**You must create the outline layer on a white background layer**  (you are no longer working with transparent layers)

 

Duplicate the outline layer.

Select the white area with the Magic Wand in Global Mode at 50% tolerance.

Invert the selection.

Erase the selection.  (Now only the white areas remain.)

Set the color to fully white by using Adjustment>Hue/Saturation with Lightness set to 100. (This eliminates any gray edge pixels.)

Run Edge Expander with default values, except Maximum Distance set to 2. (This makes the white pixels fully opaque, and decreases the separation between the white regions.)

Select each region with the Magic Wand in Contiguous Mode at 50%, add the Gradient Bars, and blur with Gaussian Blur (Clamped).

When finished, use Edge Expander to fill in the transparent lines between regions.

Add a leading layer on top.

 

 

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.   

[Maximilian]

Oh, wow, you did it so fast Will certainly give it a go asap! Many thanks!

[lynxster4]

Oh, wow, you did it so fast Will certainly give it a go asap! Many thanks!

 

I've been known to pull all-nighters!  Haha!   

 

Your welcome! Looking forward to seeing your result, Max.......

[MJW]

I'm not sure I fully understand the gap problem, so I probably shouldn't offer suggestions, but I will anyway. Assuming (as it seems to be) that the leading layer is on top and will cover the glass edges, you might be able to merge all the glass layers, then use my Edge Expander plugin to fill in the space between the glass pieces. (I hope that's a sensible suggestion, and apologize if it's not.)

[TechnoRobbo]

Great Tut. It will lends itself to that Tiffany style as well as ecclesiastic art. 

[lynxster4]

I'm not sure I fully understand the gap problem, so I probably shouldn't offer suggestions, but I will anyway. Assuming (as it seems to be) that the leading layer is on top and will cover the glass edges, you might be able to merge all the glass layers, then use my Edge Expander plugin to fill in the space between the glass pieces. (I hope that's a sensible suggestion, and apologize if it's not.)

 

@MJW...thank you for the suggestion! I'm going to try it. I have close to 400 files in my effects folder and sometimes you forget everything you have available to you. (You get tunnel-vision.)

 

I'll let you know if this solves the 'gap' problem because it would eliminate a lot of steps!    

 

Great Tut. It will lends itself to that Tiffany style as well as ecclesiastic art. 

 

@TR....thanks bunches!  I really appreciate that comment!    

[Seerose]

Dear lynxster!  

 

 

The Water Lily is a superb.     Thank you so much.

2x I have tried and 2x paint.net crashed repeatedly.

I'll try again. 

[david.atwell]

Pinned.  This is one of the best results I've seen in ages.

[lynxster4]

Pinned.  This is one of the best results I've seen in ages.

 

@david.atwell.....I am honored that you pinned this!           Thank you so much...it means a lot to me.          or           (My first pin!)

Edited March 7, 2016 by lynxster4

[lynxster4]

I'm not sure I fully understand the gap problem, so I probably shouldn't offer suggestions, but I will anyway. Assuming (as it seems to be) that the leading layer is on top and will cover the glass edges, you might be able to merge all the glass layers, then use my Edge Expander plugin to fill in the space between the glass pieces. (I hope that's a sensible suggestion, and apologize if it's not.)

 

@MJW....I am forever grateful that you stopped by and suggested your plugin. Works beautifully!      

 

 I'm editing this tutorial pronto!    Thanks, again!        (Your plugin will always be in the back of my mind now)

[Pixey]

A great tutorial @Lynxster - Thank You .  Thank goodness too, for @MJW's Edge Expander which really makes a difference in filling that tiny gap.

 

Congratulations on the Pin too

 

Here's my effort:

 

 

 

Edited July 9, 2017 by Pixey
repaired PB image

[lynxster4]

A great tutorial @Lynxster - Thank You .  Thank goodness too, for @MJW's Edge Expander which really makes a difference in filling that tiny gap.

 

Congratulations on the Pin too

 

Here's my effort:

 

 

Pixey, that is just fabulous!  Love your color combinations!         Bravo!!     Right back atcha'          

[Red ochre]

Congrats on the pin Lynxster4!
Great result Pixey!

[lynxster4]

Congrats on the pin Lynxster4!

 

 

Thank you, Red!   

[david.atwell]

@david.atwell.....I am honored that you pinned this!           Thank you so much...it means a lot to me.          or           (My first pin!)

You can keep the , but I'll happily take the , , and .

Well done, though. Seriously, keep this up and it definitely won't be your last.

[TechnoRobbo]

Props on the pin Lynx!

Yowza Pixey! That's awesome!

[MJW]

I had an idea that might simplify the procedure, and which seemed to work.

 

Duplicate the outline layer.

Select the white area with the Magic Wand in Global Mode at 50% tolerance.

Invert the selection.

Erase the selection.  (Now only the white areas remain.)

Set the color to fully white by using Adjustment>Hue/Saturation with Lightness set to 100. (This eliminates any gray edge pixels.)

Run Edge Expander with default values, except Maximum Distance set to 2. (This makes the white pixels fully opaque, and decreases the separation between the white regions.)

Select each region with the Magic Wand in Contiguous Mode at 50%, add the Gradient Bars, and blur with Gaussian Blur (Clamped).

When finished, use Edge Expander to fill in the transparent lines between regions.

Add a leading layer on top.

 

EDIT: Modified the "make white pixels opaque" step to use the Edge Expander instead of the Transparency adjustment. This has the advantage of decreasing the gap size that must be filled by the later edge expansion. The expansion of 2 is based on an original edge width of 6. The value can be the largest value that won't result in any white regions touching.

Edited March 11, 2016 by MJW

[lynxster4]

I had an idea that might simplify the procedure, and which seemed to work.

 

 

@MJW....I will try this when I get some time.     Unfortunately 'work' is getting in the way!        

Edited March 8, 2016 by lynxster4

[Seerose]

 

 

 

Dear Pixey!  

 

WOW! The colors really compliment each other. Nice!   

[Pixey]

Hey Gals and Girls & Guys - thanks for the compliments .

 

Here's a rose for ya'll.

 

Edited March 8, 2016 by Pixey

[lynxster4]

Hey Gals and Girls & Guys - thanks for the compliments .

 

Here's a rose for ya'll.

 

 

Pixie, that rose is just lovely! Again, really nice color combinations! I'm glad you are enjoying this tutorial!   

 

I'm out of reps....I'll catch you when I'm re-stocked!      Done!  

Edited March 8, 2016 by lynxster4

[Seerose]

Link:  http://pdnfans.probo...2/stained-glass

 

 

 

Link: http://forums.getpaint.net/index.php?/topic/27430-seeroses-gallery-march-update-2016/page-20

[lynxster4]

Link:  http://pdnfans.probo...2/stained-glass

 

Link: http://forums.getpaint.net/index.php?/topic/27430-seeroses-gallery-march-update-2016/page-20

 

Thank you, Seerose. Yes, I am aware of Ella's tutorial. Slightly different than mine, but nonetheless good!       I rep'd you on page 20 of your gallery.   Beautiful work!     

[Seerose]

Thank you, Seerose. Yes, I am aware of Ella's tutorial. Slightly different than mine, but nonetheless good!       I rep'd you on page 20 of your gallery.   Beautiful work!     

 

Dear lynxster!  

Your tutorial is also very nice. Another method

So I would also love to try the. Thanks again. 

[lynxster4]

Dear lynxster!  

Your tutorial is also very nice. Another method

So I would also love to try the. Thanks again. 

 

Danke.