Newbie here

Sylvie-Anne · #1 05-21-2007, 12:45 AM

Hi All,

Found this forum while searching for tutorials for buZZ Pro 3. I downloaded a trial version and am getting frustrated because it won't let me do things I want to do such as duplicate layers. I also downloaded Art Master Semi Pro trial and am a bit confused by both as I can't seem to get the effects I want. I have taught myself Corel Painter 1X.5 and a little of Photoshop Elements - I'm a bit naughty when it has come down to learning about layers - got to admit!

Has anyone recently used buZZ Pro 3? What do you think about it? I have been using Corel and have been printing my work to Lazertran then transfering it to canvas and just about anything else except the dog! I run an art and craft school for small children and have also been asked to help teach at a severely handicapped institution. As many of them have little or no use of their limbs but seem to magic their way on a computer I thought any easy art programs might be enjoyed by them. I mean using photo based art of course. BuZZ seemed to produce more real life watercolors than I'd seen on other programs. I know buZZ is a plug in - you know what I mean. Hope some of you can help me,
Cheers,
Sylvie-Anne in W.Australia

Sylvie-Anne · #2 05-22-2007, 06:28 AM

Well, I'm going to reply to myself -as no one else has! Come on guys help me out! PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESE! Maybe I've done something wrong here - I am so sorry if I have. Haven't got a clue what other than may sound a bit boring or something - a novice yes!

Help,
Sylvie-Anne

DannyRaphael · #3 05-22-2007, 10:26 AM

Sylvie-Anne:

I started to reply to your post yesterday and then got distracted. Sorry about that.

So first of all, Welcome to RetouchPRO. We have many members from Oz; glad you're now among them.

re: Buzz
I have the Buzz Pro 2 plugin and like it for watercolor-like effects.

Like all my other filters and plugins I use in Photoshop (or Painter) Buzz only operates on the current (active) layer. It has no built-in ability to duplicate layers by itself. Layer duplication must be done by separate commands in Elements or Painter before applying the Buzz plugin. Does this help?

Questions for you:
* Do you need help on how to duplicate a layer in Elements or Painter?
* Are you running on a Mac or PC?

re: Art Master
Not easy to learn. Very unintuitive in my opinion. I would definitely not recommend it for children.

Swampy · #4 05-22-2007, 10:38 AM

Sylvie-Anne

There has been a deluge of Noobies on RetouchPRO in the last week or so and it is easy to miss some folks. I wasn't ignoring you, but saw your request for info about Buzz and other plug-ins for PC when I scanned your message, so I kinda went on to the next post 'cause I'm on a Mac and can't help you with PC stuff. I figured some of the PC folks would jump in.

Welcome aboard.

cazubi · #5 05-22-2007, 01:15 PM

Welcome to RetouchPro Sylvie-Anne. I use BuzzX for Mac so I can't help much. As a Photoshop plug-in I just apply it to different layers to get different effects.

Cathy

Sylvie-Anne · #6 05-23-2007, 12:02 AM

Thank you so much guys for answering my call for help. I have a PC. Mmmm, so it wasn't just me when working with Art Master - found it very annoying

! Just wondering - if I worked with a photo in Corel in watercolour then opened it in buZZ 3 and used Simplify 1, 2 or 3 would it give me that more natural effect they say it will? Try it out you say...remember at this stage I only have the trial plug in and only have a few goes left so don't want to waste anymore if it won't work. I had trouble with a tutorial from
http://www.skydancers.com/fo2pix/tut...ning_tree.html
After they had used the Simplifier effect they then duplicated the simplified layer, creating layer 2 etc. The trial won't let you do it without loosing another 'go' Eg. if I saved to corel, duplicateded it, then reopened buZZ I'd loose the trial times I have. Does that make sense? I guess at the end of the day I'll have to decide whether having buZZ is really going to be an advantage for me. What do you all think?

As far as layers are concerned I find them confusing in both Elements and Corel 1X.5. Got to admit I've really not worked much in Elements and get more fun out of Corel. I had a feeling I really couldn't improve until I've conquered layers! So send me back to school

I'd love a simple tutorial please.

I've let 3 year olds loose on Corel using the KPT filters and we've had some fantastic results and lots of fun. They then printed their work to Lazertran and transfered to mounted canvases by themselves. I certainly would'nt be purchasing Art Master for them. I don't think I want it for me either.

The reason I'm on the look out for new Photo Art programs is not only for myself but also for severely handicapped young adults who have intelegent brains trapped in bodies that won't work. They can use computers, however, and love the idea of having an outing where carers can be their hands and take pictures of what interests the patient. They can then go back to the village and play around with their photos on the PC, eventually printing onto canvas, watercolour paper - whatever. I have spent alot of time on and off working for Disability Services including 3 years where I literally had a captive audience working in the prison system. This plus the fact I've had alot of success teaching young children almost anything from etching on glass to working with Art Clay silver prompted Rocky Bay to investigate if I'd like to help their diabled patients.

I have Virtual Painter, Gertrudice, Corel 1X.5, Elements 3 already installed. I taught myself to use all these - so am still very much a novice and have to admit hopeless with a computer, it's trial and error with me, but I won't be defeated and keep going till I know how to do something.

If it helps any other newbies out there I purchased Martin Addison's book Painter 1X for Photographers and have found it very helpful and easy to understand most of the time - was'nt cheap though!!!!!

Thanks for listening and helping,

Sylvie-Anne

DannyRaphael · #7 05-23-2007, 12:50 AM

There are dozens of tutorials on layers (for Elements and Painter). Suggest you do Google searches on:

photoshop elements tutorial layers

corel painter tutorial layers

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In a nutshell think of layers as you would layers in a cake. A two-layer cake would have a top layer and a bottom layer. In Painter the bottom layer = Canvas. In Elements the bottom layer = Background. Conceptually Canvas and Background are the same.

If you lower the "opacity" of the top layer, it starts to reveal the bottom layer. If opacity of top layer = 0%, bottom layer fully visible. If Top layer opacity = 20%, then bottom layer is 80% visible.

You can erase here/there on the top layer to selectively reveal the bottom layer.

You can also change what's known as Layer Blend modes, i.e., from Normal to one of the other options in the dropdown menu. When you do that Painter or Elements combines the layers literally pixel by pixel by applying a mathematical calculation to each pixel location.

Layers, then, provide a means of combining effects. Hope this kind of helps.

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Since you are a PC user, click my name above and send me an e-mail. I will send you information on the Impressionist plugin. It's free and can be used with either Painter or Elements. Think of it as 160 more choices in your Filters menu. It's quite amazing and will keep you and your students amused for months. Really.

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re: Buzz Pro 3.0 and watercolor

If you're unable to get satisfactory WC effect from Painter IX at this point, in my opinion you would be disappointed by taking a Painter IX watercolor and applying one of the Buzz Simplifiers to it.

I would concentrate on learning more about Painter.

Again, Google is your friend: Corel painter watercolor tutorial
or Corel painter watercolor brush