perspective and color question re composite

[kathleen]

would sure appreciate some thoughts on how to make the old car look like it belongs there. not sure about color, and i think it needs the ps equiv of cutting the steering wheel to the left, and nudge the backend in some. what do you think? something looks wrong, don't know just what.

i was going to just paint over the yellow car, thought this would be fun and less time consuming (wrong), but im in too deep to stop now.

if it would help i can post the one where i started painting over the yellow car

[DannyRaphael]

Thanks for posting your pics, Kathleen, especially the before/after w/the car. This is an inspired piece of work. You did a great job with the car swap.

First impressions: When I opened the image the first time the thought "What's wrong with this pic?" never crossed my mind. The car doesn't look out of place or angled wrong to me.

Food for thought...

Color: This was a typical color for this era of cars... kind of a pea green. Painting it yellow would make it look very out of place (to me, anyway).

Front wheel: Looks a little flat. Maybe isolate a copy of the back wheel on a separate layer, position it over the front wheel and layer mask a little air into the bottom.

RE: Maybe turning the wheels a bit.
That has possibilities. The most natural position for turned wheels would normally be towards the curb (probably not the direction you envisioned), but since there's no curb, why do that?

Rotating the wheels out would add the slight complication of finding (or painting in) some tread. Challenging, but not impossible. It would be a + if you can pull this off w/o making it look obviously fake.

RE: Car paint
Towards the bottom of the body, along the door bottom and just above the left-rear fender... see how the paint is darker? I don't think it would hurt to sample the lighter color and on a separate layer airbrush over those dark patches. That dark area of paint looks a little out of place to me.

Other stuff:
Perhaps find some other images from about the same era as the old car and "plant" one or two to give it a little more old-time flare. I have no idea "what" these 1-2 add-ons might be (an old streetlight or billboard-type bench perhaps?), but if this was a pic of a cowboy for example, putting a horse w/saddle nearby would give it flavor.

Hope this is this the type of feedback you're looking for. When you get the final version complete, sure would like to see it.

Danny

[kathleen]

hey danny,

thanks for your feedback.

i was really pleased and surprised to hear this didn't look wrong to you, so good to have another pair of eyes to look.

had to smile, when i spoke of turning the wheels, i meant i wished i could physically get inside and repark the car so the body would be angled just a little differently. agree re need for digital air-up.

re the color, it's a 36 chevy, i fooled with the color a little and thought the taupe blended better with the whole; when i left it green felt like it became more important than i wanted. had tried another black one and it was even worse for grabbing too much attention.

that's a good thought re other "dated" addition. the main thing i have considered is a dirt street as i feel pretty sure the roads weren't paved here then.

thanks for the eyes and the brain behind them

kc

ps re painting over the yellow car, i meant painting out, no car there at all, only landscape

[Sanda]

Hi Kathleen,

Like Danny I had to look really hard to find anything that didn't look right to me. One thing I came up with is the messageboard towards the front of the car. I'm not sure that they would have had one of those back on those days, I could be wrong though.

What is the thing on the path at the rear of the car? Is that a leftover bit of the yellow car or something else?

You did a great job on this and please know unless I was looking for things to help you I would have accepted as it is.

Sandra

[kathleen]

wow sanda, i am so grateful. i am never sure whether i overpick; it's not done yet, but i felt like something was wrong and wanted some input before i made it wronger.

messageboard? i wonder if that is ozspeak for dashboard? this is great.

i didin't realize those yellow pieces were still in there; if they're on the 36 and not the 78 model, not sure where they came from but i did notice them and will make to go away.

ok two pairs of eyes say its parked ok, ill leave well enuf alone

thanx so much sanda

k

[roger_ele]

Kathleen

Good job of switching the cars...

I am not sure if the perspective is right, but I am not sure how to change it. It has a cut-out look to me. I think most of the problem is in the lighting. Take a look at the yellow car for a guide to what lighting would be natural in that spot, look at the light on top of the car and how it falls of to a darker tone as it works around to the side. And also the shadow under the car should be as dark as the shadows in the bushes in the background, the shape of the shadow on the ground should probably act the same as the yellow car ...

Good luck, Roger

[CJ Swartz]

Kathleen,

Isn't the front tire squaring off at the bottom right side? I think the tire was turned outward (perhaps), but seems like a little cloning would round it out.

Neat concept -- hope you're having fun with this one!

[kathleen]

hey roger,

thanks, those are meaty suggestions. had that little car in the transform box quite a few times but nothing really satisfied - and i agree re cutout look, think that's what's been botherin me. will play w/ the light.

hey cj,

yep, that tire will get virtual air. i have my own pump . . .

thanks both of you

[Sanda]

Hi Kathleen.
I'm going to have to teah you people how to speak Aussie.
what I ment by the message board was this sign. I'm problably wrong but I was wondering if it was a modern addition.

[kathleen]

sanda

this is pretty funny. that's a bell, but there is a "message board" over in the middle of the pic in front of the church.

but for a minute i thought you were referring to the hood of the car. the bonnet?

[Sanda]

well, ok I think I need my eyes checked.