Posted on 04/27/2004 4:44:26 PM PDT by IPWGOP
John Medal-Tossing Kerry gets nailed with a first-hand account of his 1971 medals throwing act by Good Morning America's Charlie Gibson, prompting Kerry to declare it was Karen Hughes' fault...
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Hi, Scott Yes, my cartoons are 100% computer done. Here's what I have put together for folks who are curious how to do them... How I do the cartoons: I use 2 programs -- PhotoShop 5.0 and a very simple "goo" program called "KaiGoo" (it came with the software for a very old printer I once used) I use PhotoShop to literally 'paint' the cartoons. Why? Because it most closely resembles painting on canvas with acrylics or oils. I used to paint portraits, so this is how I relate to digital art. I don't approach it as most do, meaning, I don't envision this as morphing an existing photo or slapping a head on another body, etc. I really use the PhotoShop program to paint. Okay, once in PhotoShop I create a new file for each cartoon. The size is 5" x 5", 150 dpi, RGB color format (that's just the size I can easily handle without it being too slow for my computer). Then I gather the components I will use and put each one on its own layer. DON'T MERGE THESE LAYERS!!! Each is a 'mini' painting in itself! Of course, the caricatures of the faces take the most time and effort to paint. PhotoShop has the best tools for this! I just love it!! It is worth the effort to really learn how to use these tools because it truly is just like painting. Swatches (lots of ready-made colors to click on) Colors (where you can tweak the color swatch) Brushes (where you pick the size of brush and a hard or soft edge) Erase Burn/Dodge/Saturate/Desaturate
Now, within these tools are numerous settings. This is how you achieve a 'wash' effect -- by setting the % of the color. If you don't think the face or other art element is 'warm' or 'cool' enough, select the appropriate swatch and paint/brush over it with maybe a 5% 'wash' and it will change that.... just like real painting. It's all intuitive. You must study the face or whatever and determine what it needs... but, that's why we're artists, yes? It is as tedious as real painting. But I prefer it to painting on canvas because I can achieve my goal in a fraction of the time. AND I can manipulate these layers (size, rotation, flip, fade, etc) much more quickly than the hand sketching I had to do for the canvas work. To me it’s like the difference between walking and taking a jet! Which leads to the "how long does it take?" The average cartoon takes 8 to 10 hours. Some are quicker, some longer. It used to take me much longer, but sheer repetition has improved my speed. Once the cartoon layers are what I want, I take the face layer into the KaiGoo program. Why a goo program? Because goo programs don't blend the pixels together. Instead, they push them around and preserve them. PhotoShop mushes them together (blends them) so you really can't manipulate the expressions very well. However, the goo program is very frustrating and needs a very very subtle hand (mouse, I mean). A little goes a long way and it is completely intuitive to achieve the expression and maintain the integrity (look) of the person. Some people think there is a magic program that caricatures faces. There isn't. Nor is there a magic "plug-in". I don't hand draw and then scan in any artwork. I could, but it is too slow compared to just doing it on the computer. Well, once the face is 'gooed' I bring it back into the original 5" x 5" file and tweak it. This involves more layers of subtle shading paints and of course the shadowing and highlights. Those make the artwork really come to life. All of the elements of a good portrait are part of how I approach a caricature: color, lights vs darks, cools vs warmtones, and such. The last step: I 'flatten' the file and do a ‘SaveAs’ for a JPEG version, which I can then post on the web. Of course, I save the original file with all the layers. Sometimes I reuse components in other cartoons (like a hand or something). If you can paint on canvas, you can paint with PhotoShop. It will feel like you have two left hands at first, but eventually it will take you less and less time to achieve what you want. I highly recommend it. The outcome will depend on your particular talent and style. No two artists render alike, yes? Linda Eddy |
I have you added to the Ping List :)
Thanks so much!!!! :)
Hi, Brenda, I have you added. :)
Think of the miniature medal as white tie, the full-size medal as formal, and the ribbon as semi-formal.
Lost me here - what's the difference between a miniature medal and full-size medal? Also, when a soldier receives a medal, are they presented with miniature, full-size, and ribbon?
The ribbon stands for the medal.
This I did not know - thanks.
Looks like he couldn't put his entire heart even into treason.
Yea, bottom line is that by his actions concerning medals/ribbons, and then his lying about it, he is in no way fit to be Commander-In-Chief of the United States.
Wow, great work. Thanks for sharing the background technical stuff. Do you do illustration/artwork for a living? Do you have a website?
The haughty surrender-monkey looking presumptive presidential candidate sat up in his chair,
and holding a bag of children's shoes, he looked the moderator right in the eye, and announced:
"Tim, let me explain it as simply as I can for you and your viewers to comprehend. How shall I put it?
There's an old Indian saying about walking a mile in someone else's flip-flops before you criticize me."
hahahaha ! Hilarious. Good job ! ....
bump !
His last remaining working brain cell.
Assuming I haven't gone brain dead from being retired five years, you are issued the medal, a ribbon and a tiny little lapel pin in a very nice box. Miniature medals are purchased for VERY formal occasions, such as the Marine Corps Birthday Ball, and are worn on the evening dress uniform or perhaps on a tuxedo lapel. They are just smaller versions of the full-sized medal.
My money's on coke bottle tops.
Yes, I do this for a living. I am the political cartoonist (and webmaster) for www.iowapresidentialwatch.com which is a conservative website started Feb. 2003. It is run by a federal PAC (the uncoordinated kind -- we do not coordinate or getting funding from any candidate or political party). That just means the website if funded just like Free Republic -- solely viewer contributions.
Oh, I forgot... here is a link to the website: CLICK HERE
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