Hey all, was having a bit of fun with Corel Photo-Paint (the image tool in Corel Graphics Suite, not PSP). Getting my 05/28/2015 pictures sorted, cropped, resized, etc... and generally ready for uploading. Decided to take one of the pictures and do a little post-process fun with it.



Firstly, the image itself pre-tweak is SOOC jpeg taken using the vibrant color mode with HDR turned on. I did the 2 major tweaks pre-resize, and then added another effect. "Looks kinda strange..." is what you are probably thinking, and you'd be quite right. The effects used in order are: Bump Map, Plastic, and vignetting. For the bump-map step, I did a low ceiling depth tweak to add a little 3D depth to the image. I always use the option to smooth the bumpmap, and I usually invert it. I was trying to not go overboard here, not to make it aggregiously stand out, but just to make it pop a little. Next up came plastic effect. Again, a low depth effect with maximum smoothness. I adjusted the highlight source to try hiding the shadowing from that part of the effect as much as possible. Finally I added some artistic vignetting around the image after resizing it. Part of the reason I did this was to hide a bit of the more overt bumpmapping effect around the edges. The end result is a slightly 3D image (at the cost of detail when zoomed). Certainly doesn't hold up against pixel peepers, but at the intended image size it looks interesting.

I'll be posting the normal pictures in a thread later, and then xposting them to the appropriate threads around PF later.

[eaglem]

You've done well with this.

[Auzzie-Phoenix]

You've done well with this.

Thanks. Believe it or not, bump map and plastic are 2 of the tools that I'm most familiar with (the others being emboss, dodge, burn, directional blur, and rigged lighting). I used to make textures for 3d related stuff as a hobby, so I am actually familiar with some tools (but severely deficient in most of the others). Working with actual images is quite a different beast though, not much margin for error with actual photos, so the generated images are much easier in that sense.

EDIT: here's the original image for comparison.

[Bob Harris]

the image really stands out, I don't have that program with Corel but it looks to be interesting enough to give it a try. Thanks for sharing.

[Auzzie-Phoenix]

the image really stands out, I don't have that program with Corel but it looks to be interesting enough to give it a try. Thanks for sharing.

You might actually have those tools, Bob. I don't know where they'd be hidden in PSP but in CPP they're under Effects menu. Bump map is listed in the custom submenu of effects, plastic is listed in texture submenu, and vignette is in creative submenu.

[Bob Harris]

thanks, I'll take a look, you really gave this a 3D feel, nice job for sure

[Auzzie-Phoenix]

thanks, I'll take a look, you really gave this a 3D feel, nice job for sure

Thanks for the kind words, bob.