Art & Inspiration The Photoshop thread to end all Photoshop Threads!

A little more tweaking

 

I don't know how much you want to monkey around with this, but this may get you better results when you scan the original photo.

Assuming it is a B&W shot you're on the right track scanning it in grayscale. What size is the original photo? I'm guessing maybe around 3.5" or 4" on the longest side. The problem is that a computer monitor doesn't know from inches. It measures everything in pixel dimensions, for example 800 x 600 (width x height) pixels.

Now you need to look around a bit to make a couple changes to the scanner's software settings. Make a "Preview" scan which should show you a small image of the picture shown on the full bed of the scanner. Select the "Cropping" tool and click and drag out a border slightly larger than the picture.

Then find the menu that allows you to change the scanning resolution. It may be kind of hidden in another menu. What you're looking for is a setting that specifies the number of pixels per inch you want the scanner to scan at. Look for setting of LPI (lines per inch), PPI (pixels per inch) or DPI (dots per inch). The terminology tends to be used interchangably.

I'm guessing again that you might be scanning at something like 150 DPI. If that's the case change it to something like 250 or 300 DPI. You can do a little math to figure out the pixel dimensions you'll get. If the picure is 4" wide and scanned at 300 DPI the resulting scan will be 1200 pixels wide. 4" x 300 DPI (actually PIXELS per inch) = 1200 pixels. The same formula applies to the height of the image.

For posting in the forum pages here something around 1000 pixels wide is just about right. Measure the width of your photo and then change the DPI of your scanner to make the math work out close to the desired final size. Simple, huh?

I'm making a big assumption here that everybody else's scanners work similarly to mine, but I think it's a safe assumption. Some interesting projects might get overlooked here because the posted scans are too small to work with. Maybe this will help clear up some of the confusion.

 

+ use an image uploading host that wouldnt size it back down again.

 

I know you guys with skills are busy....but i got the software to try my own ideas, but it's became very obvious i don't have the skills or patience for computers. If anyone could help me out with an idea I'd really appreciate it!!

 

Thanks claymart. I put it on it's highest setting and rescanned it. Now its huge. The original is very small 2"X2.5". My Dad was into cars but once he got married never did them for enjoyment again. For him family was more important. So I don't have any pictures of him (Car related) to hang up in my garage. And it being so small it would get lost on my wall so that's why I want to blow it up. I'm going to try and post it....it may be too big now. Thanks for all the help. I have all this hi-tech computer stuff here and don't know how to use it very well.

 

You're welcome!

Yeah, considering that you might have scanned it at 1000 DPI you'd end up with an image that's 2500 x 2000 pixels. Way too big to post in the forums without breaking the frames.

Try scanning it at 400 DPI and you should end up with 1000 x 800 pixels. A little big, but easier to work with for PS work. It won't make the picture any sharper or more focused but you should be able to make an acceptable 4"x5" or slightly larger print.

As already mentioned, you might make sure that your Fotki account doesn't automatically downsize your pics to something like 640 x 480 when you upload.

 

Yes it does auto resize. The picture is so big now I can't do anything with it (almost 12 megs) 12,432X10,368 pixels. I could email it to you.

 

Thanks very much !!!!!! the green is my favorite,and with the top of my doors in green please??

 

hope this is what you been looking for, New55 (click the picture to make it bigger)

 

WOW!!!!!!!! Thank you Russian....that is perfect! I appreciate the time put into that! This site is filled with great people, knowledge and skills! Thanks again

 

If possible, the wife would like to see it a little more orange and less brown she found this picture for color reference, if you're able to. Thanks again

 

Hello, if there was someone that could be so kind in "painting" my car silver and filling in the rear inner fender?

I am trying to see if I need to bring my wheels forward.

Thanks a ton, this could potentially save a lot of work for me!

 

something like this?

 

Exactly like that!! I really appreciate your help on this.....it saves me a ton in anxiety and paint costs!!! thanks again, your skills are amazing. I never had thought of scallops.......until now!

 

can someone please chop this this 5''the one with the black trim.

 

something about 5 inches

 

So I guess it there's a wizard that's game (I don't know squat about photo-shop) I would really appreciate some one working over my truck so I can show the wife where I'm headed with our 40 chevy , going to go a pasticiao green metallic with a phaeton silver beltline and wire wheels and wide white walls, thanks. Mark A.K.A Fenderless.......

 

Hey Russian, I like your new avatar! What kinda car is that?

 

Thanks it looks great.

 

yeah me too, post a bigger pic! (or save it for the friday art show, haha)
It's a VAZ (Lada) 2102

 

yes, it's a Lada 2102, photoshoped it today
for your viewing pleasure or desktop picture

 

That is a GREAT Photoshop Russian! Outstanding job. Pat yourself on the back. If you darken wall areas through windows to maybe 10% darker than actual wall itself you can fool a lot of people.

 

thank you all for kind words
i'm still learning/playing around with shadows, reflections and other stuff

 

Can some one please put chrome steelies and white running boards on my car. Thanks

 

quick one

 

Thanks Russian, Thats what I wanted to see

 

Nice job, Russian!
Reminds me I should upload the old Moskvitch photoshops...
So yeah: this is the stock car


stage one (not literally, as i will now be skipping 70% of the wip files inbetween): chopping the already small car; some cleaning up; covering the rear fender in an awkward way; guessing the guys face


coupe'd; adding a "fin" from a the later model


different chop, different paintjob; lake pipes


changing fender shapes; bellflowers; thought up trim (gotta chrome it with own imagination)


lil' chevy


..aand, more chopping and sectioning. at this point, no one bigger than that short old man would be able to fit in, haha (and the background is too drunk by now):