Shadow Workshop 2024

[Sue Thomas]

Another scorching hot day here.  I decided to crack on and do day 3.  To my mind, I don't think that there is anyone that can do a lifted corner which on a parr with the  the lifted photo script. Although, I must say everyone  is doing superbly in this shadows workshop.  I decided to showcase The Brown Thrashers going through a moult.  I first noticed it on the 18th July.  Every day I would go and photograph them, if they were about.  I had them come to the call, like the Robins, their reward was a treat in the form of either nuts or blueberries.  I now have a sequence of  pics of  the transition from juveniles to immature. Even their eyes are an earthy pale blue when young, and gradually during the moult changes to a  yellow, eventually their  eyes will be bright yellow.  Here I used the  first photo, and the last photo taken.  I haven't seen them since, I suspect they have  finally left the nursery.  I did all three corners, and  the  sticker.  I also used the fading background gradient for the background paper.  Using the  buish  and  yellowie colours from their eyes. 

Edited August 21 by Sue Thomas

[Corrie Kinkel]

5 minutes ago, Sue Thomas said:

Another scorching hot day here.  I decided to crack on and do day 3.  To my mind, I don't think that there is anyone that can do a lifted corner which on a parr with the  the lifted photo script. Although, I must say everyone  is doing superbly in this shadows workshop.  I decided to showcase The Brown Thrashers going through a moult.  I first noticed it on the 18th July.  Every day I would go and photograph them, if they were about.  I had them come to the call, like the Robins, their reward was a treat in the form of either nuts or blueberries.  I now have a sequence of  pics of  the transition from juveniles to immature. Even their eyes are an earthy pale blue when young, and gradually during the moult changes to a  yellow, eventually their  eyes will be bright yellow.  Here I used the  first photo, and the last photo taken.  I haven't seen them since, I suspect they have  finally left the nursery.  I did all three corners, and  the  sticker.  I also used the fading background gradient for the background paper.  Using the  buish  and  yellowie colours from their eyes. 

I know it is about the shadows and yours are great, but I love the photos and the difference between the first and last day!

[Corrie Kinkel]

I had a busy day so I used the practice paper. Maybe I haven't paid close attention to the making of a lifted corner in the past, but the use of feathering was completely new to me and it is giving a better result. I need a lot more practice when attempting this technique by hand instead of using the scripts. Finally having my new glasses since last week let me see it so much better now. I stayed for the weekend with my son and daughter in law and I was constantly saying "oh WOW" I can see this or read that, for me a little miracle after 8 or so months of misery. Although seeing it better doesn't make my hands less shaky (I'm using a mouse) and it will take more time to get this technique easier. I'll stick to the scripts for now.

[Sue Thomas]

29 minutes ago, Corrie Kinkel said:

I know it is about the shadows and yours are great, but I love the photos and the difference between the first and last day!

I'll post  it on faace book, as posting on here really doesn't do the  page justice, due to such compression.

[Sue Thomas]

17 minutes ago, Corrie Kinkel said:

I had a busy day so I used the practice paper. Maybe I haven't paid close attention to the making of a lifted corner in the past, but the use of feathering was completely new to me and it is giving a better result. I need a lot more practice when attempting this technique by hand instead of using the scripts. Finally having my new glasses since last week let me see it so much better now. I stayed for the weekend with my son and daughter in law and I was constantly saying "oh WOW" I can see this or read that, for me a little miracle after 8 or so months of misery. Although seeing it better doesn't make my hands less shaky (I'm using a mouse) and it will take more time to get this technique easier. I'll stick to the scripts for now.

To me, you did a grand job!   You do surprise me about not knowing about the feathering, then blur.  I also make a selection and feather, to  brighten the lifted corners a touch on the photos, using brightness and contrast tool.  It doesn't always show up well, it depends on the photo. I didn't use that technique  on these photos. As Carole may demonstrate it later on this week.   OOOps!  Perhaps I shouldn't have said anything. 

[Donna Sillia]

I spent a lot of time trying to get these photos uplifted correctly. As you can see, I am an utter failure which is why I purchased Carole's script which I love.

[Donna Sillia]

53 minutes ago, Corrie Kinkel said:

I had a busy day so I used the practice paper. Maybe I haven't paid close attention to the making of a lifted corner in the past, but the use of feathering was completely new to me and it is giving a better result. I need a lot more practice when attempting this technique by hand instead of using the scripts. Finally having my new glasses since last week let me see it so much better now. I stayed for the weekend with my son and daughter in law and I was constantly saying "oh WOW" I can see this or read that, for me a little miracle after 8 or so months of misery. Although seeing it better doesn't make my hands less shaky (I'm using a mouse) and it will take more time to get this technique easier. I'll stick to the scripts for now.

I am so happy that you can see better. I feel a deep sympathy for anyone who has vision problems.

[Donna Sillia]

A few that I tried on my own compared to the scripts.

[Susan Ewart]

1 hour ago, Sue Thomas said:

Another scorching hot day here.  I decided to crack on and do day 3.  To my mind, I don't think that there is anyone that can do a lifted corner which on a parr with the  the lifted photo script. Although, I must say everyone  is doing superbly in this shadows workshop.  I decided to showcase The Brown Thrashers going through a moult.  I first noticed it on the 18th July.  Every day I would go and photograph them, if they were about.  I had them come to the call, like the Robins, their reward was a treat in the form of either nuts or blueberries.  I now have a sequence of  pics of  the transition from juveniles to immature. Even their eyes are an earthy pale blue when young, and gradually during the moult changes to a  yellow, eventually their  eyes will be bright yellow.  Here I used the  first photo, and the last photo taken.  I haven't seen them since, I suspect they have  finally left the nursery.  I did all three corners, and  the  sticker.  I also used the fading background gradient for the background paper.  Using the  buish  and  yellowie colours from their eyes. 

If I'm ever in the vicinity I will also come running for nuts and blueberries!  I think  you are on par with the Script, which I have and use.  It's awesome!

 

[Susan Ewart]

59 minutes ago, Corrie Kinkel said:

I had a busy day so I used the practice paper. Maybe I haven't paid close attention to the making of a lifted corner in the past, but the use of feathering was completely new to me and it is giving a better result. I need a lot more practice when attempting this technique by hand instead of using the scripts. Finally having my new glasses since last week let me see it so much better now. I stayed for the weekend with my son and daughter in law and I was constantly saying "oh WOW" I can see this or read that, for me a little miracle after 8 or so months of misery. Although seeing it better doesn't make my hands less shaky (I'm using a mouse) and it will take more time to get this technique easier. I'll stick to the scripts for now.

I'm glad to hear you have a new clear look at the world now.  How frustrating that must've been.  I still have my nagging floater, almost a year now.  Getting older isn't fun.    Your corners are nice.  I pushed a bit to hard here and there but it's the first time I was able to not squish the shadow to nothingness with the warp brush.  I watched carefully, just where the arrow and brush tip need to be and with a much better, larger mouse pad, the mouse slides so much better and not in jerky movements.  

[Susan Ewart]

Lesson 3

I used the image given as I've been doing errands and now I'm off to work very soon, but really wanted to try this technique.  More practice needed, but really happy that I didnt squish the shadow down to nothing like I do on staples.  

Edited August 21 by Susan Ewart

[Sue Thomas]

52 minutes ago, Susan Ewart said:

If I'm ever in the vicinity I will also come running for nuts and blueberries!  I think  you are on par with the Script, which I have and use.  It's awesome!

 

Thank you.  I'll go out  to check the the wind direction, if it's blowing west, I'll shout for you, to  see if you come running for treats!  lol

[Daniel Hess]

I await with anxiety on this one LOL.  I'm not nearly as good with finesse like most of you Diamond members.  At any rate, here is my attempt at this concept.  I'm hoping I got the "other" corners that weren't in the "assignment" correct at least in how they would present.  PS, someone who would thumbtack important pictures to a corkboard and let them curl should probably be prosecuted LOL.  I suspect the offsets for my thumbtack shadows could have been higher numbers.

Edited August 21 by Daniel Hess

[Rene Marker]

@Daniel Hess Guilty... still have bulletin boards with photos thumbtacked on them with turned up corners. One photo is from 1971!

[Anja Pelzer]

here is mine,

 

 

[Sue Thomas]

2 hours ago, Donna Sillia said:

A few that I tried on my own compared to the scripts.

Those are great! Several techniques used

[Mary Solaas]

@Cassel-- Mary SolaasHow do you feel about all those shadow settings?

It was very interesting how you demonstrated it on the blue circles. Most of these settings I have put as presets in the shadow tool.

[Carolyn Rye]

My 1st attempt of lifted corners.  I think I still have some learning to do.

[Gerry Landreth]

Day 3

I have always been fascinated by lifted shadows. More practice is needed.

When I first tried to pull one, it went everywhere. After several more attempts, I realized the brush was set to NOISE. Oops!

[Linda J Walker]

Lesson 3 - I don't think I have tried to do lifted corners before. And I don't have the script.

Nor do I know how to save presets on the drop shadows...is there a blog article???

[Cassel]

It is great to see everyone working so hard on today's technique.

@Sue Thomas You are right: one great way to learn about shadows is to look at them and analyze what they are. Observation is key in replicating any effect. I love how you added the lifted effect on the "sticker". That is another element that can easily be "lifted" on scrap pages. You are also correct about the idea to lighten the lifted corner a little (although it would not apply to all four corners). Unfortunately, that is not a detail that will be addressed. Maybe it will come in a second workshop on shadows! 🙂

@MoniqueN. The scribbles are both chalk, so it would not need a shadow. You see how it looks really natural on the bottom one, while the top one is unrealistic. Your question about the size of the shadow base on the geographical location is an interesting one. We know that the shadows are directly dependent on the light source so if the sun is low on the horizon, the shadows will be much longer. If the sun is high in the sky, it will be much shorter. If you live close to the Equator, the sun will be very high at noon, while it will be much lower if you are on the north pole. However, that only applies to shadows created by the sun. If you are indoors it won't make any difference. And if you are talking about shadows on a project, that won't have any visible effect. But here is a little technical article where an old experiment that shows some difference.

@Rene MarkerYou are correct in using the reverse shadow only in some instances. I think that they are not essential every time, especially if the papers already have textures and obvious differences with the surrounding papers. The lifted shadows on the bottom photo look the most realistic. The top photo MIGHT have used more feathering before the blur. I think the same thing applies to the ribbon. It is a good idea to try on a ribbon as that is an element that can easily be "lifted" in a project.

@Ann SeeberI think that for your lifted shadow, you started with too much of an offset. Then, I think you pushed the photo corner toward the top right instead of the top left (inward). Is that possible?

@fiona cookThose shadows look good. I think the only issue is with the Warp brush. One trick you can try is to avoid putting the very center of the brush right on the tip of the corner. Try to keep that center away from the corner. I think it will push the corner a bit better (maybe there should be lessons about the Warp Brush in the future too!). Your shadows on the translucent ribbons are great. 

@Corrie Kinkel You are correct: once you have a starting point for the shadow, it is up to you to adjust it based on various conditions. And with practice, you might start to have your own prefered settings (and presets). Yes, the feathering is one way to go from the "regular" shadow on the flat section to the "lifted" shadow on the lifted section.

@Cristina Great work on those lifted corners. I think the only slight issue is the corner of the photo. It looks like they are not "smoothly" curled up. I think that is just a Warp Brush issue, and that might need some additional lessons.

@Donna SilliaThe shadow on the top photo is quite good, but if you look at the one on the bottom photo, your shadow was stretched in the wrong direction: it should have gone toward the bottom and you sent it to the top. If you want to try it again, you might see the obvious difference. I am surprised that the Flip it up script would send the shadow toward the top left???

@Susan EwartI think you did pretty well with those lifted shadows. Keep practicing so they become more "automatic".

@Daniel HessThe shadows for the thumbtacks will be addressed in Lesson 7 so I won't comment on them. For the photo on the top, It looks like it is missing the shadow for the bottom left corner. For the other corners (and the other photo), they look quite good. 

@Anja Pelzer Your shadows look good, however, the one on the bottom left of the bottom photo seems to be misaligned. If you draw a line between the corner of the photo and the corner of the shadow, it would indicate a light source on the top, slightly to the right even. Do you see that?

@Carolyn RyeYou did very well for those being your first tries! I think I would have pushed the top shadow from the bottom photo a little more toward the bottom. It MIGHT have been in the correct direction, but the blur just made it less clear.

@Gerry LandrethThose are pretty good. I wonder if you feathered before adding the blur (maybe you did the same mistake I made!).

@Linda J WalkerThe shadow on the top photo seems perfect. On the bottom one, I think you just pushed the shadows inward a tiny bit too much to fix the edges, but otherwise, they would have looked like the one on the top photo. For information about saving presets, you can read this article.

Tomorrow, we will look at shadowing flowers. You will be able to use a few techniques learned until now!

[Cristina]

The good thing about doing this with everybody is to have also your feedback,  Carole. 

Plus, learning from each other. 🙂

Edited August 22 by Cristina

[Ann Seeber]

5 hours ago, Cassel said:

Is that possible?

@Cassel I have no idea! 😁

[Michele]

Day Two
As usual, I'm a little behind. I had a birthday card to make yesterday.

 

Edited August 22 by Michele

[Chris Schults]

18 hours ago, Sue Thomas said:

I agree! Admittedley the closer to the equator you  get  the less length of shadow you get, but there is still a shadow, no matter how minimal it is.   I do believe that for a few days of the year there aren't any shadows what so ever at the equator.

In the tropics when the sun is right above you is difficult to make some shadow. Spread your arms and you see shadow right under the arms. So,it is not the day but the time and place you are. But still you see a minimal shadow from things at a distance from you. When they are not right under the sun.