ADDENDUM TO BOOK

ADDENDUM TO BOOK

My book contains part one of the portrait technique that I use to create my patterns. It is the basic fundamentals that can be found in most programs. I can actually use Microsoft Paint that is found on all computers to create patterns. Learning how to use your program is the part that you will have to do the home work on because there is so many programs available and they operate differently. I show you how you need to convert the photo in stages and you need to make that happen with the software that you are using.

Some people have stated that the information in my book can be found in any help menu or instructions of the program. My response to that is of corse it can and there is a thousand different other things in there as well. Rather than having you look through pages of help menues or re-inventing the wheel I put the process before you with all my trial and errors worked out. The first step is so basic and fundamental that it seems to simple to be true. After reading the book you will wonder why you didnt think of it before but there is information about the types of pictures to look for and some good ideas and tips. It is mainly a pattern book with 55 patterns that is worth the price of the book but it contains instructions on how I make my patterns to get you started on your own patterns. This method will free you from having to rely on others to create custom patterns for you. You can make them yourself!

I want to go to the next level now called layering.After reading and understanding the book this will aid you to pull even more detail out of a picture and make those so so pictures that are hard to make into a workable pattern with a little more effort.

This first picture is already greyscaled and size adjusted.I just want to show you the picture I am working with.[click here]

The secound picture is showing the patterns with the contrast at 100% and the brightness level is about 50 %.I am showing how some pictures have shadows that overpower some detail in the face when you adjust the contrast and brightness.The layering will bring out the lost detail on the subjects eye areas.[click here]

The third pattern is adjusted from the same original picture. This time I have adjusted the brightness even more so that just the eye areas or the area that I am trying to improve from the first pattern looks good.[click here]

This fourth one shows how the layering works by putting one pattern over top of the next. When starting out I used to print out two different pages and place one on top of the other and trace the detail from one to the other.This does the same thing but it is alot faster and more efficient.[click here]

The fifth picture shows the two patterns layered (one on top of another) and how I chose an eraser brush to erase the shaded area of the top layer so you can see the eye detail of the pattern underneath.When you get used to this layering technique you can work on multiple areas at one time.[click here]

And this last one shows how you can use the layering technique the other way and put a very dark pattern on the bottom so you can bring out details of areas that were to light.[click here]

You will obviously have to rework the whole pattern when finished to make it useable with your scroll saw after all the layering work is made. It is alot of work and effort but you can see how it will improve your pattern making ability to give you more detail than you can handle.When doing custom work I suggest you keep it simple and if someone thinks that the pattern lacks enough detail to bring the character of the subject through you can then move to the layering technique to better your chances of success with the same picture.

The program that I am using is Adobe Photo Deluxe 2.0

This is the program that I use for pattern making.I know that Adobe Illustrator has layering features and I have that program but I mainly use that for vectoring my patterns for publishing.If anyone has experience with layering and finds a particular program that works well in the pattern process let me know and I will post it here to help scrollers out in finding a program to work with.

When looking for a program to make portraits with I suggest that you try to see if it has layering features. The program I have came with my scanner and the scanner was about $80.00 so it should not cost that much for a good program for portrait making.

I wish to stress that I do not think that I am the king of pattern making or a guru computer wiz. I am just like you and I have taken the time to help out others that enjoy doing what I do. I'm sure there are going to be critics again that will say that what I am showing you is nothing amazing or difficult. I can tell you that I am not a rocket scientist but I have enough ability to put my thoughts down as best as I can to demonstrate my efforts fairly clear so every scroller (not just the seasoned veterans)can take something from it.

I threw this together quick and late at night to get the information out to you.I will eventually work the page out to be more user friendly to you but for now it is what it is.

Gary Browning