Hints, tips, and general Mashing Up questions

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All Forums >> [Film Forums] >> Poster Mash-Ups >> Hints, tips, and general Mashing Up questions

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Hints, tips, and general Mashing Up questions - 7/11/2011 5:36:19 PM

keatsmeister

Posts: 541
Joined: 21/6/2007

I was in the process of writing a reply on the Euro thread, asking Eyuplad about the font work on his Berlusconi mashup, when I realised rather than diverting a current thread away from topic, it would perhaps be worthwhile having a separate thread dedicated to asking for hints and tips for mashing up (maybe even as a sticky thread? -looking at you mods

). It could be anything from font work (how do you get some of the flashier font effects to work eg Iron Man, Burlesque, Sex & The City), to where to find good poster images or even how to generate mash up ideas.

So, if there's anything you'd like to ask, or even if there's some hints or advice you'd like to give - here's the place

I'd like to start by asking Eyuplad - how did you manage the text effect on that Berlusconi pic?

Post #: 1

RE: Hints, tips, and general Mashing Up questions - 7/11/2011 5:38:34 PM

elab49

Posts: 51645
Joined: 1/10/2005

Seems reasonable - we'll sticky it here for now and see how it goes.

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Post #: 2

RE: Hints, tips, and general Mashing Up questions - 7/11/2011 6:30:32 PM

EyupLad

Posts: 679
Joined: 22/1/2009

Keats,

I'd like to say it was some fancy, quick and easy Photoshop technique, but unfortunately it was the more tedious case of copying the existing letters from Burlesque, onto separate layers.

Then switching the E and U around, copying and cropping the Q to make an O, cutting the existing Q into a C (pinching the end of the top of the S to make the ends of the C), taking the upright from the E to make an I and then using three copies of the I to make an N, blending the diagonal in using the clone tool.

Then I scaled all the letters down using the transform tool, to ensure they would fit the poster, since Berlusconi at that scale, would have dropped off the bottom. Then I cut off all the surround from the letters and merged them into a single layer.

Finally using the clone tool on a copy of the background image, I painted over the existing Burlesque title.

There is probably a much quicker way of doing this, but this is pretty much the technique I always go for when using the poster with the really fancy fonts, I've employed the same technique on the Iron Man posters I've done.

Hope this helps!

(in reply to keatsmeister)

Post #: 3

RE: Hints, tips, and general Mashing Up questions - 9/11/2011 2:45:30 PM

Bosskatte

Posts: 1044
Joined: 3/1/2006

Great idea Mr K

Here's my first open question...

I struggle converting photos to art/cartoon-esque effects; is that a basic photoshop feature (I use a different one - ArcSoft) or are there clever tricks involved?

Ideally I'd like a good freeware package that does the job but I'm thinking about shelling out for proper Photoshop if it will increase my mashing powers!...

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Post #: 4

RE: Hints, tips, and general Mashing Up questions - 10/11/2011 8:59:32 AM

EyupLad

Posts: 679
Joined: 22/1/2009

Boss,

I try to use some of the built in filters in Photoshop. There are a number of artistic ones such as palette knife, watercolour, coloured pencil, I play around with the settings but I'm generally never too happy with the end result.

It is one of the most difficult effects to achieve quickly. Generally working on a really large image, then reducing it after applying the filter seems to work best for me.

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Post #: 5

RE: Hints, tips, and general Mashing Up questions - 10/11/2011 9:28:23 AM

Bosskatte

Posts: 1044
Joined: 3/1/2006

Thanks Eyuplad. I've got similar filters on mine so I'll give the shrinkage a try. FYI there is a freeware package I found at www.freewarefiles.com called Fotosketcher that gives a few more options. It's never been brilliant but with your shrink tip may work better too...

Cheers!

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Post #: 6

RE: Hints, tips, and general Mashing Up questions - 10/11/2011 12:19:42 PM

keatsmeister

Posts: 541
Joined: 21/6/2007

quote:

ORIGINAL: EyupLad

Boss,

I try to use some of the built in filters in Photoshop. There are a number of artistic ones such as palette knife, watercolour, coloured pencil, I play around with the settings but I'm generally never too happy with the end result.

It is one of the most difficult effects to achieve quickly. Generally working on a really large image, then reducing it after applying the filter seems to work best for me.

Sounds good to me. I usually end up cropping and resizing first to make sure I can get the overall look to work, but may just start filtering first

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Post #: 7

RE: Hints, tips, and general Mashing Up questions - 11/11/2011 5:06:49 AM

zack_ryan

Posts: 295
Joined: 30/5/2011

quote:

ORIGINAL: Bosskatte

Great idea Mr K

Here's my first open question...

I struggle converting photos to art/cartoon-esque effects; is that a basic photoshop feature (I use a different one - ArcSoft) or are there clever tricks involved?

Ideally I'd like a good freeware package that does the job but I'm thinking about shelling out for proper Photoshop if it will increase my mashing powers!...

Bosskatte, it certainly will..and remember, with great power comes great responsibility (to send more mash-ups every week!)

great tips by Eyuplad btw!

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Post #: 8

RE: Hints, tips, and general Mashing Up questions - 17/11/2011 12:56:21 PM

Bosskatte

Posts: 1044
Joined: 3/1/2006

I'm wondering if there's a good trick to sorting out the outlines of a cut/paste picture. E.g when hair is involved I find it hard getting a good finish as found in mrmarkb's excellent Donkey Darko this week. Tend to have to fudge it a bit with blurring etc but would like to be able to get nice crisp outlines...

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Post #: 9

RE: Hints, tips, and general Mashing Up questions - 17/11/2011 7:21:51 PM

EyupLad

Posts: 679
Joined: 22/1/2009

Boss,

mrmarkb's multiply trick is one way of doing this. I think I've used it is the past, but I'm not sure I know exactly how to get the best from it.

What I try to do is use the largest image I can find, it's especially great if it's on a white background, and use the magic wand to select all background and delete. By making a copy and adjusting the contrast to get the background really light and the foreground dark the wand will pick up more pixels and give better edges then you can use this layer as a selection to duplicate the original layer cropping out the background, then reducing the image down eliminates much of the jagged/pixelated edge.

Failing that I often take the long winded approach and cutout the background using the polygon lasso tool. But I think when I get a chance I'll play around with the multiply layer control to see if that makes life easier.

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Post #: 10

RE: Hints, tips, and general Mashing Up questions - 18/11/2011 2:24:03 PM

Bosskatte

Posts: 1044
Joined: 3/1/2006

Hadn't thought to find a great big picture to work with, that makes sense. I'm sure the multiply thing is probably the way forward but i fear my brain is too small to get to grips with it

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Post #: 11

RE: Hints, tips, and general Mashing Up questions - 19/11/2011 9:42:08 AM

keatsmeister

Posts: 541
Joined: 21/6/2007

I'll have a go at using those edge techniques as it's the main thing I struggle with since I switched to using Photoshop Elements, but I definitely concur on starting with the larger size images. I always try to find the largest, hi-res image I can for the job, as if I need to stretch it as I'll only be using a part of it eg headswaps, then it retains a decent resolution when put into the final image and doesn't stick out so much

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Post #: 12

RE: Hints, tips, and general Mashing Up questions - 4/12/2011 2:52:45 PM

mytvisevil

Posts: 212
Joined: 24/10/2011

Hey Keats how did you do the plastic effect on the Bond/Toy Story faces?

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Post #: 13

RE: Hints, tips, and general Mashing Up questions - 4/12/2011 6:14:27 PM

keatsmeister

Posts: 541
Joined: 21/6/2007

quote:

ORIGINAL: mytvisevil

Hey Keats how did you do the plastic effect on the Bond/Toy Story faces?

Software wise, I use Photoshop Elements 9 at the moment. The main tool is the plastic wrap filter. Select the part of the pic you want to look plastic, then use the plastic wrap filter.

Once in, you can adjust the settings to smooth out the effect, increase the highlights etc

May also be worth using a paint filter to smooth out the part of the pic before using the plastic wrap effect.

Not too sure about how to do it using any other programs, so I hope this is of use

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Post #: 14

RE: Hints, tips, and general Mashing Up questions - 5/12/2011 11:18:59 AM

mytvisevil

Posts: 212
Joined: 24/10/2011

Nice one, thanks buddy.

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Post #: 15

RE: Hints, tips, and general Mashing Up questions - 13/12/2011 9:14:06 AM

Bosskatte

Posts: 1044
Joined: 3/1/2006

Morning troops

Anyone have a quick tip on how to easily produce text shadows in different colours?(inspired by ZackRyan's excellent font work on Harry Brown)

Cheers

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Post #: 16

RE: Hints, tips, and general Mashing Up questions - 13/12/2011 3:43:23 PM

keatsmeister

Posts: 541
Joined: 21/6/2007

quote:

ORIGINAL: Bosskatte

Morning troops

Anyone have a quick tip on how to easily produce text shadows in different colours?(inspired by ZackRyan's excellent font work on Harry Brown)

Cheers

I usually just duplicate the text layer, and adjust the lower text layer to the shadow colour I'm looking for then offset it a little to get the drop shadow effect. If there's an easier way, I would be happy to know

On a related topic, does anyone know of a good technique for getting coloured outlines for text? I use outline fonts where I can find them, but not always easy to find them as outline fonts

Thanks

< Message edited by keatsmeister -- 13/12/2011 3:44:47 PM >

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Post #: 17

RE: Hints, tips, and general Mashing Up questions - 13/12/2011 8:25:16 PM

Bosskatte

Posts: 1044
Joined: 3/1/2006

Can you not use a similar technique but increase font size and overlay?

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Post #: 18

RE: Hints, tips, and general Mashing Up questions - 13/12/2011 9:24:47 PM

keatsmeister

Posts: 541
Joined: 21/6/2007

quote:

ORIGINAL: Bosskatte

Can you not use a similar technique but increase font size and overlay?

That works for a few fonts, but for quite a few letters, the smaller font needs trimming to get an even effect. Just as an example, the M:I:6 poster I did for the Bond thread, I ended up trimming large sections for the 6, then skewing it back into place for the italic effect, which was pretty time consumin

< Message edited by keatsmeister -- 13/12/2011 9:26:54 PM >

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Post #: 19

RE: Hints, tips, and general Mashing Up questions - 13/12/2011 10:08:03 PM

EyupLad

Posts: 679
Joined: 22/1/2009

Boss/Keats,

Not sure what you software you guys are using. So this might not be any help!

For the drop shadow text
In photoshop (full version) it's pretty easy to drop shadow the text. I'd pretty much follow keats suggestion, though I'd create a blank layer below the text layer, then create a selection from the text layer by cmd clicking on the T in the layers palette, this creates a dotted line around the text, then back on the empty layer you can fill this selection (alt + delete or cmd + delete fills the selection with the foreground or background colour) with whatever colour you want for the shadow and move this layer a couple of pixels below the text.

For an outline to the text
A couple of options, in the layer > layer style menu there is a stroke option, this allows a stroke of any colour and width to be applied to the text layer, it can be set to outside the edge of the text, centred on the edge of the text or inside the edge of the text. This would give a coloured edge to the text, you can then drop the fill of the layer in the layers palette to 0% so you then only have the coloured edge showing. This allows you to always be able to amend the stroke width and colour.

Or you can go the route as above and create a new blank layer, make a selection of the edge of the text layer, and use edit > stroke... to add a permanent stroke to the blank layer.

Hope this helps and isn't too complicated!

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Post #: 20

RE: Hints, tips, and general Mashing Up questions - 14/12/2011 8:44:48 AM

Bosskatte

Posts: 1044
Joined: 3/1/2006

Blimey! Well over my head

I'm surprised that packages don't have these as an option in the text input menu; when I use ArcSoft's Photostudio you get a pretty good shadow option that allows you to choose the direction and intensity of the shadow but doesn't let you choose a colour; it is brilliant 90% of the time though. I was surprised that Photoshop didn't expand on this although it does have quite a lot of text outline options for installed fonts

Thanks for the ideas though; always good to have something to play around with next time

< Message edited by Bosskatte -- 14/12/2011 8:45:18 AM >

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Post #: 21

RE: Hints, tips, and general Mashing Up questions - 14/12/2011 10:18:59 AM

zack_ryan

Posts: 295
Joined: 30/5/2011

quote:

ORIGINAL: keatsmeister

quote:

ORIGINAL: Bosskatte

Morning troops

Anyone have a quick tip on how to easily produce text shadows in different colours?(inspired by ZackRyan's excellent font work on Harry Brown)

Cheers

I usually just duplicate the text layer, and adjust the lower text layer to the shadow colour I'm looking for then offset it a little to get the drop shadow effect. If there's an easier way, I would be happy to know

On a related topic, does anyone know of a good technique for getting coloured outlines for text? I use outline fonts where I can find them, but not always easy to find them as outline fonts

Thanks

yeah Boss.. I did it the same way Keats described it. all the best!

(in reply to keatsmeister)

Post #: 22

RE: Hints, tips, and general Mashing Up questions - 14/12/2011 3:15:20 PM

mytvisevil

Posts: 212
Joined: 24/10/2011

For an outline effect using Photoshop- duplicate the text layer and change the copy to the desired colour, then rasterize the layer.
Now go into the Filter menu and select >Blur >Gaussian Blur. Set the blur to the required width and the duplicate that layer a few times until the blur becomes more solid.
The end result isn't perfect but it works for most things.

< Message edited by mytvisevil -- 14/12/2011 4:31:53 PM >

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Post #: 23

RE: Hints, tips, and general Mashing Up questions - 14/12/2011 4:34:31 PM

EyupLad

Posts: 679
Joined: 22/1/2009

quote:

ORIGINAL: Bosskatte

Blimey!� Well over my head

I'm surprised that packages don't have these as an option in the text input menu; when I use ArcSoft's Photostudio you get a pretty good shadow option that allows you to choose the direction and intensity of the shadow but doesn't let you choose a colour; it is brilliant 90% of the time though.� I was surprised that Photoshop didn't expand on this although it does have quite a lot of text outline options for installed fonts

Thanks for the ideas though; always good to have something to play around with next time

Actually, yeah photoshop allows you to add a drop shadow to any layer, text or otherwise, in the layer > layer style > drop shadow, you can choose the angle of the drop shadow, distance from the layer, etc. it generally adds a blur to the shadow so it's not solid colour, though I guess you can play with the setting to get a solid shadow, I just find it quicker to create a separate layer...

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Post #: 24

RE: Hints, tips, and general Mashing Up questions - 15/5/2012 6:29:26 PM

keatsmeister

Posts: 541
Joined: 21/6/2007

Here is a an answer i provided in another thread on this forum, reposted here for reference should it be of benefit to anyone else

quote:

ORIGINAL: LazarusQ

This is probably a stupid question, but where do you guys find good quality movie posters ? Everything I find is horribly horribly pixellated.

I use www.movieposterdb.com. It costs a small amount to get credits, but you get access to a broad range of high res posters, including textless ones, which is very handy for topics like this where you will need to edit the titles.

If you are stuck for ideas, the links to search most popular posters by year of release are quite handy, as is the random poster link

Other than that, try advanced searches on your preferred search engine and select a minimum pixel size for your posters. Most of the ones I use tend to be about 2000 x 3000 or something in those brackets. Hope this helps (I'll repost in the hints, tips thread)

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Post #: 25

RE: Hints, tips, and general Mashing Up questions - 12/4/2013 6:37:13 PM

gasspole

Posts: 1
Joined: 11/4/2013

wow this is great idea,

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Post #: 26

RE: Hints, tips, and general Mashing Up questions - 13/5/2013 2:58:42 PM

piccolo135

Posts: 1714
Joined: 6/9/2006
From: Cheshire

Hello all! I was thinking it might be time to put all my poster creations into one place, anyone got any thoughts on the best online outlet to use? Deviantart? Tumblr?

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Post #: 27