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The Centennial Collection of Panels and Ornaments
The tips and techniques described on this page will translate equally to each of our other three CD collections.
For your convenience, we compiled the Tips and Techniques from our previous offerings into one single page:
Compiled Tips and Techniques
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TIP 4: WORKING WITH CLOUDS
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| The Centennial Collection of Panels and Ornaments already contains several pre-built TIF (bitmap) cloud images in two resolutions. You will be able to put them on a "layer" below your graphic layer, using an image editor such as Adobe Photoshop and adjust the opacity as needed. |
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Please Note: This page is designed to give the "basic" information about building and using cloud or smoke designs. You will, however, need to already know and understand how to use your image editor and software utilities. |
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BUILDING YOUR OWN CLOUDS: |
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The three cloud shapes above came from the "vector" files included on the Centennial Collection of Panels and Ornaments. They were used to make the bitmapped cloud example graphic just above them. As with about any digital process, there are often numerous ways of accomplishing the same overall results. The basic concept is the same, but how you actually do the steps may depend on the features in your design software. We'll attempt to show a few of the more obvious techniques.
Generally, the assembled example image near the top consists of three layers of clouds stacked on top of each other, with the opacity settings adjusted from lightest on the back layer to darkest on the top layer. For example: 10%, 15% and 20% opacity layers may have been used in the cloud design, but that will vary depending on the background value and how apparent you want the clouds to appear.
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THREE WAYS OF MAKING THE STRIPES: |
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Method #1: Omega Stripes
When we need to make stripes, we use Gerber Scientific's Omega (Graphix Advantage) Software. It is fast, reliable, and easy! Simply select the object and click on the Special Effects>Stripes option under the Tools pull-down menu. Enter the desired stripe and gap amounts and it does the rest, as seen in the two images below. |
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Method #2: Finding the Common Elements
Most good software programs have utilities which will "weld", "add", "subtract", or "find common" overlapping shapes. |
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For this method, start with the cloud vector outline. In another area, create a single stripe at the desired thickness. Step and repeat that stripe—usually with the same space as the stripe itself. Group all the lines and group the original shape (cloud) if there are more than one element in it. |
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| Select the lines group and move it over the clouds (shown in wire frame mode on the right). Then shift-select the cloud group along with the lines. With both element groups selected, you will need to find the appropriate "common" shapes command. |
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In Adobe Illustrator, for example, the command is found in the Pathfinder tab. The circled icon on the left is the "Crop" tool. In Omega/Graphix Advantage, the similar command is the A and B option in the Special Effects tools. |
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| The end results are solid lines in the shape of the original cloud. This can actually go pretty fast. It just sounds like it has a lot of steps! |
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Method #3 using a Bitmap Editor such as Adobe Photoshop
This method might be either terribly easy or a little tough, depending on your skills and experience in Photoshop. Really, it is quick and simple once you understand it! |
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The first step is to create a "pattern" for Photoshop. To get started, make a line pattern image as seen here. To use the one we created here, right mouse click on the group of lines to the left and choose "copy". (Mac users can Command-Click to copy). This will copy our repeating lines into the clipboard. |
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Open Adobe Photoshop and click the "New" menu item to start a new image. Photoshop recognizes the size of the image in the clipboard and all you have to do is accept the defaults. Paste the image from the clipboard into the new document and flatten the layers in the file. With the line image active, pull down the Edit menu and select "Define Pattern". Give it a name such as "cloud lines" and click OK. The small image (pattern) will now be stored for future use. |
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Adobe Illustrator files stored in the Centennial Collection (actually all .AI files) can be "opened" into Photoshop. The image on the left is ce1467 from the disk. Once opened, use the magic wand to select the black cloud. |
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| With the cloud selected, pull down the Edit menu and click on the Fill option. When the Fill dialog box opens, pick "Pattern" and click the Custom Pattern arrow option. From this menu, find the new pattern you recently created and click OK. The end results should look something like the image below.
Once created and saved, a pattern can be used over and over.
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As seen above, we've created numerous patterns for our own images that have different line thickness for different size images.
Note: To repeat properly, the line pattern must start with a dark stripe and end with a white stripe.
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| The image on the right used three different vector clouds from the CD, each layered and striped as explained here. Of course, you can also soften the edges of any of the layers by using a large "soft" eraser tool in Photoshop. |
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Note:
Adobe Illustrator is a trade name of Adobe Systems, Inc.
Adobe Photoshop is a trade name of Adobe Systems, inc.
Graphics Advantage is a trade name of Gerber Scientific Products, Inc.
Omega is a trade name of Gerber Scientific Products.
Corel Draw is a trade name of Corel Corporation.
Macintosh is a trade name of Apple Corporation.
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