Wed Feb 27, 2008 9:53 am   Reply with quote         

well, i always found the highlight of the object difficult to achieve.

and i had some problems with my lady bug entry

http://photoshopcontest.com/view-entry/133898/ladybug-updated.html
everything i tried didn't look right...

here's my best try

but i think maybe it should be stronger...

i thought maybe someone can help me with this one...

thanks

Wed Feb 27, 2008 10:09 am   Reply with quote         

had a very quick fiddle with some highlight layers, masked around the bug, and overlayed some on the wings. Then shaded with brushes some layers on the leaf surface. Finally a general adjustment to the saturation, colour match and levels.

Wed Feb 27, 2008 10:13 am   Reply with quote         

looks good marco

so did you actually do any brush work on the highlights?

Wed Feb 27, 2008 10:23 am   Reply with quote         

on the surrounds of the wings yes and on the leaf itself. It gives it a slightly more rounded look, yet possiby because of the very dark edges of the wings that were already on your version it is now too dark compared to the rest of the scene, but it was a general idea for you, not a definative one

hope it helps

Wed Feb 27, 2008 11:29 am   Reply with quote         

Wed Feb 27, 2008 12:39 pm   Reply with quote         

Wed Feb 27, 2008 12:46 pm   Reply with quote         

Marco, I think you popped the highlights by making the bug way to dark. (it looks burnt) The highlight are saturated colors. That makes it look like there is a light bulb inside the bug. It's interesting but it's not really a highlight or reflective light. For reflective highlight, imagine the bug is outside. The sun is rising on the tree covered horizon. You reflective light would echo these surroundings. Notice the highlights I cut on the bug, you can almost make out the shape of trees on the horizon and you can tell where the sun is.

Wed Feb 27, 2008 12:55 pm   Reply with quote         

that looks really good reyrey (especially the drops ), can you explain a little about what you did?

Wed Feb 27, 2008 12:56 pm   Reply with quote         

But... but... Mr. Rey, with all due respect, in your version, the gorgeous glass-looking bug appears to be sitting at the very top of the tree (or plant) as we don't see any other nearby leaves reflected

Wed Feb 27, 2008 1:09 pm   Reply with quote         

vokaris wrote:

But... but... Mr. Rey, with all due respect, in your version, the gorgeous glass-looking bug appears to be sitting at the very top of the tree (or plant) as we don't see any other nearby leaves reflected

It's one leave sitting on the ground.

Wed Feb 27, 2008 1:15 pm   Reply with quote         

nevet wrote:

looks good marco

so did you actually do any brush work on the highlights?

?????????? Nevet, yours is the better of the two. Marco overworked it, squashing it like a bug.

Wed Feb 27, 2008 1:20 pm   Reply with quote         

ReyRey wrote:

Marco, I think you popped the highlights by making the bug way to dark. (it looks burnt) The highlight are saturated colors. That makes it look like there is a light bulb inside the bug. It's interesting but it's not really a highlight or reflective light. For reflective highlight, imagine the bug is outside. The sun is rising on the tree covered horizon. You reflective light would echo these surroundings. Notice the highlights I cut on the bug, you can almost make out the shape of trees on the horizon and you can tell where the sun is.

I do like my bugs crispy ya right though, contrasted the highlights off against the darker edge too much, but just hitting some ideas around

Wed Feb 27, 2008 1:21 pm   Reply with quote         

Those are made out of cats eyes right?
I think it looks good, but one reason it might look off is cause of the transparency of the cat's eye.
the lighting/reflections on the drops show the light source coming more from the top of the picture.
with that lighting there would be the main highlights at the top of the wing and refracted light at the back side of the wing (caused by the translucency[note the big word]).
That, and the wing looks a little too dark in general.
My version:

Wed Feb 27, 2008 1:22 pm   Reply with quote         

tadams wrote:

Marco overworked it, squashing it like a bug.

no no no Trace, I totally underworked it 2 mins of work to be precise oh and cooked it in the process

Wed Feb 27, 2008 1:27 pm   Reply with quote         

marcoballistic wrote:

tadams wrote:

Marco overworked it, squashing it like a bug.

no no no Trace, I totally underworked it 2 mins of work to be precise oh and cooked it in the process

It appears you mistook the burn tool for a magnifying glass and seared the living hell out of the edges.