Adding Lights?

[Benni]

Hi,

I am new to this Paint.Net and I am really into vehicles.

I want to edit my photos of trucks and vans and try and make them like they have lights on, is this possible?

They have flashing orae lightbars on them, but in the photos they are not on, so can I edit it and make a glow in a section of the lightbar and headlights etc?

Also, is there a way I can animate it to actually flash?

Thanks.

[oma]

yes Benni it is possible.

so lets help you think this thru.

1) lights flashing this will mean you need two images one lights on one lights off

solution you need to know how to isolate just the lights

tip explore cutting out images the easy way . it is in the tut section. Simon did a nice little remake of an old tut.

viewtopic.php?f=34&t=28790&start=0

2) lights on picture this means you need to add some sort of glow.

solution adding brighter hightlights. you say orange lights so some yellow little bits for hightlights and even some white spots on one layer with some glow behind. Now seeing the truck with the lights off would provide better explination of where to place highlights. If its one of those grid style lights usually in centre of the grid, also depends on perspective. some hightlights off to one end brighter etc. when I say glow behind I mean layer below ...glow the simple way is blur the same color)

plenty of tuts for "how do I make it glow" in fact it was just discussed yet again on the forum last week. seems we get asked this one once a week. Here's just one answer,

viewtopic.php?f=12&t=30158&hilit=glow

there are other ways depending on what you effect you are going for. all avail by using that search button upper right of the forum page.

3) animation there is a plugin by Simon you should check out.

also there is an older legacy tut I find very simple to understand the mechanics of making animated images.

well worth a read

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=2492&hilit=unfreeze

a bit of reading but I hope that helps you get started.

ciao

OMA

[Benni]

thamks for the help Oma!

But sligtly confused.

I meant is there a way I can make lights look on usig PDN, with tools, shapes & effects? I do not have an image of the lights on / off thats why I am trying to do it on here.

If I put some pics up of the van / truck I want the lights flashing, can you please have a quick go and make me a simpole tutorial?

I would really apprecite it!

[Ash]

Hint:

"Add new layer,

On the new layer over the headlights, Use :AllColorChannels:

1st color=White (Yellowish for normal headlights, blueish for HID, LED lamps or whatever)

2nd Color Alpha=0"

=small round gradient over the headlight on the new layer.

Glow

Play with the layer's blending mode.

Mess around with the above idea, you should get it.

Good luck.

[Benni]

Ash, thanks for help.

Once I have added a new layer, I take it I make a round shape on the headlight to get the gradients?

I am kind of confused abour your hint, can you explain in a little more detail? I am new to this.

Great sig by the way!

Edit: Here is my attempt. I have tried it on the light in the lower grill. I just can't seem to capture the glare and flash part of it, I would like something litke transparent rays of light coming off of it.

If someone can help me here and make a pictured tutorial, I will try and get the lughtbar lit on the roof...

[Ash]

I did the one on the left side to show you.

And below is what it should look like on the new layer.

You can study it by saving this png file, adding this to a layer on top of your truck layer.

See what happens.

And read my above post again.

[Benni]

Great, thats exactly how i want it!

Will have another go now...

Once its on the new layer on the plain background, how do I put it on to the picture in the right place?

Edit: I can get the faded light on the new layer blank page, but I cannot get it onto the truck? I have tried merging down layers but that makes it one blank layer with the light in the middle?

[Benni]

Thanks Welshblue, that helped.

Although when i put it on the pic, it comes up with a white background, and when I use the magic wand, it cuts off the fade glow bit so its just like a circle...

Also tried it on the lightbar, if I can crack this, I think it would look great! Although I think rectangles would look better in the lighbar...

[Ash]

Hint:

"Add new layer,

On the new layer over the headlights, Use :AllColorChannels:

1st color=White (Yellowish for normal headlights, blueish for HID, LED lamps or whatever)

2nd Color Alpha=0"

=small round gradient over the headlight on the new layer.

Glow

Play with the layer's blending mode.

Mess around with the above idea, you should get it.

Good luck.

I asked you to read my post again.

For light bar use

[Ash]

ok ... I'm not sure how you're doing this ... when you make your light it may be better to do it with 2 files open. One with your truck on and one for your lights ...

Making your gradient inside this will confine the gradient to just inside the circle ... so it doesn't fill the whole page (Shift and will give a perfect circle)

That won't look natural...

It won't fill the whole layer if the 2nd Color Alpha=0

Benni:

I asked you to save this file and open it on a new layer to see how it's done.

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z32/ ... b6a4fe.png