Water and reflection

[svsg]

I searched in the tutorial section, but could not find it. How to create a water layer and create reflections on it? I am guessing one could flip the image and use some kind of blending to make it look like reflection.But i would like to know the best way to do it. I have more questions on this topic, but let me ask them once I understand the basic technique. I request the repliers to explain in generic terms and not use PhotoShop specific functions. I use Gimp and it has most of the functions modelled on Photoshop, but it might still not be the same. Can the effect be realized without special filters?
Svsg

[winwintoo]

I don't have an answer, but I'm interested in learning this technique as well. Do you have an image in mind to work on?? Could you post an image and I'll play around and see what I can come up with.

Thanks, Margaret

[DannyRaphael]

To create the water, these looked promising...

http://anubisart.imess.net/tutorials/water/index.htm

http://www.eternalgfx.homestead.com/instantwater.html

For the reflection, that's typically done by selecting the portion above the water you want reflected, e.g., clouds, shore, side of the pool, whatever, rotate 180 degrees and flip horizontally so everything lines up.

Then position the top edge of the reflected layer with the top edge of the water. Reduce the opacity accordingly.

Some additional fine tuning will be needed to fade the reflection (stronger near the top, fading into nothingness at the bottom.)

Hope this gets you started in the right direction.

~Danny~

[roger_ele]

I gave this a try, my water ended up looking like a marble floor and I discovered that I do very little photos that show very much ground ...

There are lots of layers created as I tried to make this real, to many to try to list straight out (probably alot more than needed if I new what to do). If you like the concept, if not the execution and want clarification, just ask.

Roger

[svsg]

Roger_ele,
Even if you can provide a few important steps in your procedure it will be great. I tried working on your original image, but mine is no where near as good. I tried to created water layer in greyscale instead of blue because I felt that the meeting place between the blue layer and the greyscale part in your image looked a bit artificial. But I am still not getting it right. The second thing I tried was to make the water little clear. But the problem with this was that I had to make the reflection little more precise. I am still confused how an object should be projected on the surface when the water line is not horizontal. When the water line is horizontal, I think just flipping the image would do, but when the line is slanting, I may have to skew it according to the angle of the water line. When I achieve anything decent, I will post it here and share the technique.
thanks,
Svsg

[roger_ele]

Svsg

I just realized I should have darkened the edge of the water.

Attached is a screen shot of the first steps with the image at that stage. After this stage I split the reflection (currently on the top layer of the attachment) into four layers, one for each reflected object, positioned each object where I thought it would reflect and masked to just show enough of it to be a reflection.

Everything else is tweaking with curves and hue/saturation adjustment layers grouped with the blue layer and empty layers in overlay mode with white and black painted at 10% brush opacity to lighten/darken.

On another subject (if we want to discuss this much I will start a new thread - don't mean to hi-jack), but it might apply to this. I have been thinking that with the new tutorial system (can load, edit and discuss by the author of the tutorial). It might be fun and educational to build a group authored tutorial. Post the process to do something like this even if we don't really know what we are doing, and then entertain all comers for fine tuning until it becomes beacon of educational light

Hope the previous description of what I did helps, need more - it will do nothing but flatter me ...

Roger

[svsg]

Originally posted by roger_ele
[B]
.... positioned each object where I thought it would reflect and masked to just show enough of it to be a reflection.

I got everything else except this part. I have attached my version.

It might be fun and educational to build a group authored tutorial. Post the process to do something like this even if we don't really know what we are doing, and then entertain all comers for fine tuning until it becomes beacon of educational light

Nice idea, why don't you start a new thread to discuss the idea, as you suggested. If people like the idea, we can start with the reflection itself as our first project
Svsg.

[roger_ele]

that looks pretty good - maybe needs to be darker and contrastier - or maybe darker with a blurred layer on top that is blurred in a lighten blending mode for a luminesense (just guessing)

I thought I had saved all steps, but alas not. So I have created a quickie example of the four layer reflections, sreen shot and all.

[roger_ele]

and then I thought to actually attach this great example