LiteBrite(TM) Effect

[barkbark00]

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

This is something I thought of while messing with the Grid Maker Plugin which is needed for this tutorial.

Step 1:

Find a simple image with a solid background. I used this.

Step 2:

Open image in PdN. I expanded my canvas size to 800x600 to allow for a better quality final result.

Step 3:

Go to Layers>Rotate / Zoom and zoom in on image until it fills about 75% of your canvas. At this point we are just trying to make the image big enough to fill most of our canvas. Image quality does not matter, considering we will be using the pixelate effect in the next step.

Step 4:

Pixelate to desired size of LiteBrite pegs. I used cell size=15. This is the recommended size if you are using dimensions that are the same as what I have listed so far.

Step 5:

We want background to be black or another dark color. So we will use the Paint Bucket tool (I used a tolerance level of 50%) and fill your image's background with black.

Step 6:

Create a new layer.

Step 7:

Make sure your Primary color is set to black and you secondary color to transparent. Now, use the Grid Maker effect on the newly created layer. I used the following settings (make sure your grid size matched the pixelation size).

*NOTE: Brush Width should be set to "3"*

Step 8:

Gaussian Blur Grid layer.

Radius: 5px

Step 9:

Duplicate Grid Layer, Then use the "Merge Layer Down"* to combine the two Grid layers. This should make the blurred lines of the grid darker.

 

 

Step 10:

Use the "Sharpen" effect on Grid layer a total of 3 times.

#1 Amount: 20

#2 Amount: 20

#3 Amount: 20

Step 11:

Using the Magic Wand tool (Tolerance: 0%), hold Ctrl+Shift and select the center of one of the grid cells. Now we have an active selection in the center of all the grid cells.

Step 12:

Switch to the layer with your image (mine is the apple) on it and copy(Ctrl+C) using the above selection.

Step 13:

Create new layer and change the blending mode to "Additive". Then paste(Ctrl+V) what you just copied from the main image(apple) layer onto this new layer.

Step 14:

Gaussian Blur new layer.

Radius: 3px

That's the basic idea. A little more tuning may give you something like this...

My Work:

LiteBrite after following advanced steps and other modifications (I don't really remember it all). I also added a stupid little border.

[trickman]

mmm, there's some extra pixels on the left...

but anyway I'll try it! sounds COOL!

[Rick Brewster]

P.S. in a tutorial where you mention a plugin, it helps to provide a link to the plugin so people can find it easily

[BoltBait]

Nice!

If you had a few more screenshots of the canvas between step 9 and 14 I would sticky this one.

(people need to know they're on the right track)

[barkbark00]

P.S. in a tutorial where you mention a plugin, it helps to provide a link to the plugin so people can find it easily

Only plugin used is the grid maker and that is linked at the top.

[Picc84]

Wow! Thats realy awesome! Neat effect for signiture backgrounds...

[barkbark00]

Updated with Screenshots.

[Maia Knuckles]

Wow! Cool effect, barkbark00!

[lugz]

that is such a cool effect. you are the man by the way because that has helped me figure out something else i was wanting to do. thank you so much.

[barkbark00]

Here are a few advanced finishing steps to give the pegs a glassy look.

Step 1:

Duplicate top layer 3 times.

Step 2:

Emboss the very top layer @ 45 degrees. Then change the blending mode to "Difference".

Step 3:

Move embossed layer down 2px and to the left 2px.

Step 4:

Go back down to the grid layer. Use the Magic Wand selection tool (tolerance set to "0") and select the center of one of the cells. Invert this selection and go back to the embossed layer and hit the Delete key. Now, Gaussian Blur 6px.

Step 6:

Adjust the brightness and contrast.

Brightness: -32

Contrast: 72

Edited February 7, 2018 by toe_head2001
Fixed broken Photobucket images

[Sepcot]

Looks great! Good job.

[Bunnie]

Wow, awesome! I especially like the glassy part most of all. What I did:

Umm, it was meant to be a rose -_- But I guess I pixelized it too large? Ah, oh well.

[Kaiser Yoshi]

Step 2:

Emboss the very top layer @ 45 degrees. Then change the blending mode to "Difference".

You must know something I don't, because when I do that it messes the picture up.

[barkbark00]

Step 2:

Emboss the very top layer @ 45 degrees. Then change the blending mode to "Difference".

You must know something I don't, because when I do that it messes the picture up.

It is going to look a little weird until you do the rest of the steps. I did however miss a step. I will update the the advanced steps.

[BoltBait]

Step 2:

Emboss the very top layer @ 45 degrees. Then change the blending mode to "Difference".

You must know something I don't, because when I do that it messes the picture up.

It is going to look a little weird until you do the rest of the steps.

That's where screenshots really help...

[Emeror Ikinboy]

something i created

i found it easier to use the image you supplied of an apple, so i could compare it

like i expected yours is much better

Found out what was wrong, re-doing it

2nd Version (the corrected one)

[aprilnmarcus]

I've tried downloading the grid plugin but it keeps opening up in photoshop instead of paint.net. Isn't it supposed to open up in paint.net??

Thanks,

Star*

[aprilnmarcus]

Hi, I did just that and saved in that place. Now when I download it into that file-do I need to click on it or would it be all ready for use in paint.net? Because when I click on it then it opens up paint shop.

Thanks,

April

[BoltBait]

I've tried downloading the grid plugin but it keeps opening up in photoshop instead of paint.net. Isn't it supposed to open up in paint.net??

Thanks,

Star*

Try following the instructions here:

http://paintdotnet.12.forumer.com/viewt ... c&start=26

[czhou]

this is pretty cool...

I made this on Valentine's day for my gf, but the glassy look didn't come out as clear as the apple

[Down]

Is it just me...Or do the spaces in that heart seem to sparkle faintly a bit?

Nice btw better then what I did.

[BuzzKill]

Is it just me...Or do the spaces in that heart seem to sparkle faintly a bit?

Just an optical illusion. :wink:

[barkbark00]

Go through the steps and let me know what you are having problems with.

[spongeboblovr123_123]

Sorry I so :oops: und like a looser but I just got this program Where is the button for the graph?

[spongeboblovr123_123]

Sorry I so :oops: und like a looser but I just got this program Where is the button for the graph?