July 16, 2012
Photoshop Tutorial: Lightsaber FX
1) Download this file to your Desktop. Open the zip file and drag the two lightsaber images to your desktop. Open both of them through Photoshop. Choose one to work with, then close the other image.
2) Now, working with the lightsaber model of your choice, go to Image > Canvas Size. Click on the left square from the image grid, and increase the width to 2000 pixels. Click OK.
Make a new layer and then drag that layer underneath your original light saber "layer 0". Click on Layer 1, paint this new background layer a dark grey color, using the Piant Bucket Tool.
Zoom out a bit. Make a new layer (place this layer on top of all others) and using the square marque tool select a thin rectangular shape (make sure your Feather is set to zero first), click and drag to make a long rectangular selection:
To make the tip of the lightsabre a rounded edge, zoom in on the top, choose the eliptical marquee tool (make sure your Feather is set to zero in the top Options bar), hold down SHIFT, and click and drag to make a rounded top. It may take a few tries to get it right, just Edit > Undo (Ctrl+z), and try again. Then zoom back out.
3) Now go to Edit > Fill... choose White (100%), click OK.
Now right click on the top layer and choose Blending Options.
4) Now click on Outter Glow and choose these numbers -- Blend Mode: Normal, Opacity: 75%, Spread: 20%, Size: 80px, Range 75%
5) Then click on Inner Glow and choose these numbers -- Blend Mode: Normal, Opacity: 75%, Spread: 5%, Size: 15px, Range 50%
Click OK.
You can go back by double clicking on the FX in the layer if you want to make adjustments.
Now zoom in on the handle, reduce the opacity of the layer to 50%, and choose the Eraser tool, change the eraser to a hard edge and trim the light to match the edge of the handle.
6) Place the opacity back to 100%.
Go to Filter > Blur > Blur.
Then do it again...
Go to Filter > Blur > Blur.
This will take the hard edge off of the light shape.
Holding down the Shift key, click on Layer 2 and Layer 1, right click on one of the layers and choose Merge Layers.
Zoom out and observe you're newly constructed lightsabre!
It's that easy!
Now you can have countless hours of fun inserting your lightsaber into the hands of you, your friends, or animals!!!
If you want to learn about how to animate this effect in Photoshop, check out this tutorial.
July 14, 2012
Marvel Super Heroes Team Up with Disney's "Phineas and Ferb"
Production is now underway on "Phineas and Ferb: Mission Marvel," an animated adventure that will assemble characters from two hugely popular franchises, Disney's "Phineas and Ferb" and Marvel's iconic Super Heroes: Spider-Man and The Avengers (Iron Man, Thor and Hulk). The epic television event, premiering in summer 2013 on Disney Channel, will mark the first crossover animated television special for Marvel and Disney properties. Working closely with Marvel's creative team, "Phineas and Ferb" creators and executive producers Dan Povenmire and Jeff "Swampy" Marsh are designing Marvel's Super Heroes and Super Villains including Red Skull, Whiplash, Venom and M.O.D.O.K. to fit the Danville world of the Emmy Award-winning series.
Via CBR
July 13, 2012
July 12, 2012
Dick Figures Crowd Funding Breaks The Record for Highest Funded Animated Project on Kickstarter
The 30 Minute Animated Short Film will be made thanks to over 4,200 online backers. News from the Dick Figure Movie Kickstarter Campaign:
"CONGRATULATIONS EVERYONE!!! TODAY, WE MET OUR FUNDING GOAL!!!!!!!!
It has been an incredible, exciting and humbling month-and-a-half watching the pledges climb and climb and seeing all support pour out for Dick Figures from around the world! We're so happy to have met our goal, and everyone who has supported and backed the project should be crazy-proud of themselves because we wouldn't have come this far without your help. So from Ed & Zack and everyone at the Dick Figures team... THANK YOU!!!! We're thrilled at the opportunity to actually make this awesome movie for everyone, and we promise it will be more mind-explodingly amazing than you can dream of!"
July 11, 2012
Gravity Falls - Review
I've only seen 4 episodes so far, but I thought a short review of this new animated series would be nice.
Created by Alex Hirsch, the show involves twins Dipper (voiced by Jason Ritter) and the hilariously enthusiastic Mabel (Kristin Schaal), who are dispatched to spend the summer with their great uncle Stan (Hirsch) in the Oregon town of Gravity Falls. Their environs, however, are more than a little strange, with "X-Files"-like things that go bump in the night -- unless of course it's all in their overactive imaginations.
Loosely autobiographical in its inspiration (Hirsch, who shares writing credit with creative director Michael Rianda, spent summers with his own twin sister), "Gravity" incorporates amusing bits, like the level-headed Dipper citing the importance of photographically documenting the sea monster they're pursuing, only to have Mabel and sidekick Soos either lose or destroy most of the disposable cameras he's brought with them.
Hardly racy or raunchy enough to harbor much interest for young guys, the show nevertheless feels more adventurous in its tone than is customary for Disney Channel fare, while rooted in the highly relatable notion of the trouble kids can get into minus adult supervision. (Their uncle doesn't provide much, fleecing tourists by selling knickknacks out of the Mystery Shack.)
There are only brief moments for me where it feels like a Scooby-Doo-like story, which is surprising and a big credit to this show, since it has many similarities, it doesn't feel like a junior version of Scooby-Doo at all.
On the creative level, the designs, colors, background art, and animation quality are all perfect! The graphic style of the show coupled with some great voice acting really brings the show together. For those of you who work in the animation field, you may be drawn to the layouts, the funny poses, or the appealing designs, but overall it has lots of heart, plenty of charm, and engaging characters.
Creator Alex Hirsch has written and storyboarded for The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack, and you can see some similarities from that killer series as well. Joe Pitt is the character designer and has done an exquisite job as always.
I sincerely hope "Gravity Falls" can attract an audience to a channel whose main strength lies with tween girls, this show seems to be aimed at the 6-9 year-old boys range. We'll know soon, and I can't get enough of this series, it's like X-Files for kids!
I love it... go watch it... NOW!
It's a fantastic show for children, adults and especially lovers of cartoons.
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