This and That

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  • xmasrosexmasrose Posts: 1,403

    Thank you. I am fine with not having a recipe. A way of using the program is more useful to me as well interesting presets.

    Do you still use Topaz studio or moved to Topaz Studio2?

  • Carola OCarola O Posts: 3,823
    edited September 2019

    I still use Topaz studio, never realised it was a 2 and when I read about it in one of the threads around here, it sounded like I wouldn't really need it so I didn't even look it up lol

    There's sooo many interesting presets one can use, far too many at times hahah And you can make your own as well, though I haven't tried that yet. As for how to use it, I tend to first work a picture in photoshop, add layers together, use brushes and other such things, and than put the image together in a .jpg file I simply name [name]-wip. Than I take that into Topaz and use random presets depending on my idea with the picture.

    When in Topaz I never work on the original -wip.jpg image, I always make a duplicate of it. And everytime having used a preset i liked I click apply, there is times I save several images, with different topaz presets used on them.

    After being done in Topaz I tend to go back into Photoshop, if I amde more than one image in topaz I layer them together as I feel work the best, put my name somewhere and merge/flatten the layers before saving it as the finished image :)

     

    Post edited by Carola O on
  • xmasrosexmasrose Posts: 1,403

    Thank you.

    I believe we use Topaz the same way.

    But I stay within Photoshop (CS6), make a combination image of the existing layers and then use Topaz as a filter and layer my favorites. Sometimes I make a smart layer to be able to go back and usually keep my psd intact (and come back later as I sometimes/often change my mind). 

    You're right about the presets, so many! That's why I like to know which presets others use to discover some gems. I tried Studio2 but was not convinced it was any better yet.

  • Carola OCarola O Posts: 3,823
    edited September 2019

    Another one in the Keller serie, a bit different than previous ones and not one I had originally planned, but.... the PC+ release of Perfect Portrait Lights made me go for this one. Rendered in several layers with different lights and backgrounds from the product, than postwork in Photoshop and Topaz. 

    Keller - Portrait

    There was a time when a photographer had followed the unit that Keller were leading at the time, the photographer had managed to snap a photo of Keller when he were not expecting it and Keller's instinctive reaction at hearing the camera click earned the photographer a broken arm, a concussion and a bullet wound. But according to the photographer it was worth it, and to this day no other person has managed to get a portrait of Keller. Even group photos including him is very rare.

    Post edited by Carola O on
  • What an amzing portrait, quite the handsome man he is!! (Just love a man in uniform!)

  • Carola OCarola O Posts: 3,823
    edited September 2019

    Thanks Saphire, and yeah... he's a handsome one for sure :)

    Post edited by Carola O on
  • Carola OCarola O Posts: 3,823

    While I wish I had the possibility to buy the pro bundle, I only got the base character of Silas 8. He's a nice one though, and happily pose away when being asked too. This is my first run with him, worked nicely together with plants from Martin J Frost :)

  • Carola OCarola O Posts: 3,823

    Tested one of the free gifts that we got today, Rita by Colm Jackson. She was quite fun I have to admit :)

    Rita

    It was that time of the year once more, some upstarts believing they had what it took to take her down. She would teach them, as she did with all that tried to take over her turf. She had ruled this area for years and she would rule it for many years to come...

  • Carola OCarola O Posts: 3,823

    Had a bit of fun for the weekly PC contest, for once I had gotten more than just one of the items, and decided to have them all in one render :) 

    Enjoying the show

    Two young men take a break from their daily work, enjoying the show from one of the many street dancers in the city they live in.

  • Carola OCarola O Posts: 3,823

    Decided to play around with some of the stuff I got from the PC anniversary sale so far, and as I hadn't used Lillyanna for a while I decided it was time to let her out to play :)

  • NovicaNovica Posts: 23,887

    I really like the pink tie-ins with the outfit, flowers, vase, and background.
    That wood looks great, very detailed.

  • Carola OCarola O Posts: 3,823

    I was very happy with the wood too, haven't looked over the rest of the props (it's the Luxury Spa Props btw), but plan to do that soon enough :) I'm not generally that fond of pink, but sometimes it's fun to play with it and see how it turns out, I'm glad it worked this time :)

  • Carola OCarola O Posts: 3,823
    edited October 2019

    This started out as a portrait as I wanted to play with Darwin's Jared for a bit, it turned into this :) Cross posting this in Darwin's thread too :)

    Wrath

    Post edited by Carola O on
  • Carola OCarola O Posts: 3,823

    Wanted to play around with some of the recent items I've bought, this is what I ended up with :)

    Come bath with me

  • Carola OCarola O Posts: 3,823

    Have almost forgotten this thread of mine again lol. Decided to resurrect it with my last render of 2019, which is also my third entry in the It's Raining Men 2019 contest :)

    The Boss

    Enemies and friends alike agreed, he was an honorable man, despite the cutthroat and ruthless underworld he ruled he always kept his honor when dealing with the people he came across. And for this he was respected and loved, even amongst his enemies.

  • Carola OCarola O Posts: 3,823

    I've been working on far too many scenes that I have just ended up disliking and than deleting them, but when Tengu Mokushiroku: Eternal came out I just had this idea in my head. And with both the Cyborg Generation 8 and its add on Tengu for Cyborg Generation 8 at really good prices (extremely good when combining some of the sale offers even), I decided that I just had to do this idea. 

    Started the scene and it simply flew together into this one, than postwork simply flowed as well and I am rather satisifed with the end result :)

    Ciclo di vita e morte

    The eternal cycle of Life and Death,
    without one the other can not be.

     

  • Carola OCarola O Posts: 3,823
    edited January 2020

    Keller decided he was long overdue another scene, so he came by to whack me around the head until I made him one ^^ 

    Keller - Breakfast

    He was tired and weary as he sat down to have some breakfast, it was one of his rare days off but he was used to get up at the break of dawn and he rarely managed to sleep long after that. Grumbling lowly to himself he glanced up as one of the other soldiers that shared this building went by, about to start his day. The man gave him a brief smile and Keller returned it before focusing on his breakfast, he needed to figure out what he was going to do today. Not having much time off duty meant he often felt rather lost the few times it did happen, and it was always making him think too much. Think if his life before he went into the service, think of things that could have been had he made different choices. His mood took a downturn and he shook his head, trying to dismiss the thoguhts running in his head, this was why he generally avoided days off as much as he could.

    Post edited by Carola O on
  • Carola OCarola O Posts: 3,823

    The latest pc+ freebie (Garden Plants - Herbs vol 2), together with recently picking up ROG Medieval Fantasy Bedroom inspired me to this scene, hope you enjoy :)

    His Herbalist

    She was the village herbalist, her cottage small but her garden bigger than most. He was the captain of the Lord's guards, born of nobility but living a more simple life by choice. He had made his way here in search of tea leaves for the Lord's Lady, and had found his heart in the smile of the woman living here.

    He had left with a sample of different tea leaves but had come back the day after. After that he had return every day to attempt to convince her he was serious in his choice of courting her, it had taken him nearly a full year but she had eventually accepted him and they were married only a few moons later. She had refused to leave her garden so he had instead moved into her little cottage, it was worth living in a smaller house than even he was used to as long as he had her.



     

    ***** ***** *****

    His morph;

    - Body:
    Dragomir 60%
    Callan 50%
    Liam 30%
    Roy 25%

    - Texture:
    Dragomir

    - Head:
    Dragomir 50%
    Callan 30%
    Liam 25%
    Roy 25%

    Her morph;

    - Body:
    Joliette 60%
    Madison 40%
    Delaney 25%

    - Head:
    Joliette 35%
    Delaney 35%
    Madison 30%

    - Texture:
    Annissa
     

  • carrie58carrie58 Posts: 3,983

    That's lovely .......

  • Carola OCarola O Posts: 3,823

    Thank you :)

  • mori_mannmori_mann Posts: 1,152

    Aww :) Herb ladies are best ladies ;)

  • Carola OCarola O Posts: 3,823

    Herb ladies are fun ! and here's a nice man with a love for gardening to rest eyes upon...

    Benjamin Taylor, Ben to those close to him, was a wellknown name across the world yet the man himself was not. The name was connected to several multi billion companies, amazing parties, many and varied charities and much more, the list could fill several sheets of papers. Yet who he was as a man, as well as his private life, were unknown to all except a rare few.

    He was a mystery to most and that's how he liked it, a smile graced his lips as he laid down the paper he had been reading on the table and stood up, making his way over to the jacuzzi he looked around the greenery filled patio connected to his hi-rise apartment. He chuckled as he sank down into the warm water, wondering how the world would react if they found out that his childhood dream had been to become a gardener? How many would even believe it?



    ***** ***** *****
    Male morph:

    Alaric - body: 45%
    Callan - body: 55%
    John - body: 10%
    Ravi - body: 35%

    Callan - head: 35%
    John head: 20%
    Ravi - head: 25%
    Jared - head: 20%

    Texture: Callan HD for g8m

  • NoswenNoswen Posts: 358

    Rather late to comment on them, but I especially love The Boss and Ciclo di vita e morte.

  • Carola OCarola O Posts: 3,823

    Thank you Noswen :) I enjoyed working with them both, though I enjoyed Ciclo more than the Boss I have to admit :)

  • Carola OCarola O Posts: 3,823

    Got a wild'ish idea with some of the products I've bought this month, and ended up making this. I actually combined Death Strike hair with Jazmine hair in this picture, not something i had originally planned to do but I just had to try :)

    The Dragonshifter

    She stood in her favorite clearing, eyes focused in the direction she knew he would come from. She had felt his approach at the break of dawn, it had been thrumming through the earth and she had responded to his call. As she stood there waiting, knowing it would not be long until he reached the clearing, she could not help but wonder what outcome their meeting would yield. The courting dance of dragons were a violent affair, by the end of the day she would either be dead or having found a worthy mate, either way she would not have to face yet another century alone.

  • mori_mannmori_mann Posts: 1,152

    Nice :D I like the ghostly dragon sneaking up from behind :)

  • Carola OCarola O Posts: 3,823

    hahah not so much ghostly dragon sneaking up, but that does work too :) My idea was to fade the dragon and "show" both her human form and her dragon form waiting and anticapting the arrival, might need more work to achieve such effects lol

  • mori_mannmori_mann Posts: 1,152

    Ah! Sorry, didn't see it that way, although from the story, it was clear that she is a dragon, too.

    Perhaps if you aligned the heads a bit anr/or made the pose more or less 'matching' (if that makes sense) it would be clearer in the image? It's a tricky thing to do, though :)

  • Carola OCarola O Posts: 3,823
    edited March 2020

    Yeah, those are good ideas. I may revisit it later on and see if I can work it out with those ideas :) And no worries, I realised it might not be clear what my intention were lol

    Post edited by Carola O on
  • Carola OCarola O Posts: 3,823

    One of my entries for the PC+ Summer Contest

    What if...

    ..we were to shed our skin and exposing our soul to the eyes around us. Would we be accepted through the brightness of our soul, or would we be shunned for being different?

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