kaleidoscope

[DJ Dubovsky]

Thanks Jeanie,
I'll give it a try. What happens to me is I open the image then open the 8ths gif. when prompted. Next thing you know it duplicates the image and throws out the 8ths gif so I'm left with 2 copies of the image and some cross guides on one. If I switch the images I get the 8ths gif with another 8ths layer on top of it. Or sometimes I get the image on the bottom with the 8ths gif as Layer 1. So what I am having to do is manually duplicate the image and delete the original then on the 8ths gif I change to RGB mode and then let the action put the guides on it and I then select all and copy the image and then activate the 8ths gif and pick up the action at the paste command. It usually goes ok from there.

It took awhile to figure all that out. I don't know why it's working so well for everyone else but I will give this new one I try when I get a chance.
DJ

[jeaniesa]

! Sorry to laugh DJ, but that's quite a description of the problem!

OK - try the new version, though I'm not sure that will change anything since I didn't really change that part of the action at all. It is obviously getting confused over which image is which. Very strange. If nothing changes with the new action, then I would recommend re-recording those steps which aren't working for you. Perhaps start by simply recording the opening of the eighths.gif file so that you don't do it manually and see if that helps at all. If not, then I would change the playback options to delay for 2-3 seconds so you can see exactly which steps are causing the problem. Then stop the action after the problem step, delete it, back up and re-record. Sorry to put all that on you to make the changes, but I'm not sure how else to ensure that it will run on your machine!

Has anyone else run into a similar problem to DJ?

Jeanie

[Jakaleena]

Nope. The one you sent me works just beautifully! The only things I have to do are open the 8ths image and then free transform my target image. Then I just sit back and watch it make something really pretty that I get to take all of the credit for...!

Anyone remember a commercial for a woman making Rice Crispy Treats, and she tosses flour on her own face before exiting the kitchen to make it look as though she actully put some effort into them...

I feel like her.

Thank you very much, Jeanie, for all of the hard work you've put into these actions!

[DJ Dubovsky]

That's ok Jeanie. I can't figure out why it thinks that previous image is the 8ths gif and not the image I just duplicated from but I can handle doing it by hand that far it's the rest of the stuff that would get involved if I had to work through the whole thing. Eventually I will replace the first few steps to match my screwed up version of PS and all will be right with the world. I'm actually amazed I figured it out. There were some pretty wierd things going on to work through.

Jak
That commercial does not depict how I experienced this action. Quit bragging. No one likes someone who breezes through while they're tearing thier hairs out.
DJ

[CJ Swartz]

Jeanie, thanks so much for the new action versions! I hadn't had any success using the other versions, and I still had trouble using the new version for PS6, but I finally figured out that I wasn't resizing and placing the image properly (it left a big white cross in the center) -- after I figured out how to better place the image, your action automatically created a full kaleidoscope. It'll take me some time to figure out which images will work well as kaleidoscopes, but at least I finally was able to make one!

This is an Arabian horse performing in the "Native Costume" class at the horse show.

[DJ Dubovsky]

Eureka!!! I think I have figured out what's going wrong!!!
For some reason I decided to try the action out in PS 6 and low and behold it works beautifully. Which got me to thinking about the differences. I believe it was how I was opening the files. In 6 I had no choice but to open via File > Open where as in 7 I just go to the browser and drag and drop. That evidently has some impact on how events occur. When I did File > Open in 7 all went perfectly. I think if you use the browser and double click instead of drag and drop it should work ok. For some reason double click puts them in order one on top of the other where as drag and drop puts them behind the first dragged file.

I feel vindicated!!!! I'm not stupid!!! (Anymore) Just thought I would pass this on incase others experienced the same problem.

By the way, looks great CJ.
DJ

[jeaniesa]

Jak - I'm glad the action is working so well for you! Makes my effort worth it to see the beautiful creations that you (and everyone) is making!

CJ - Sorry to not be clear about the fact that your image must completely fill the wedge outline. Otherwise, you'll get that cross. (Although, I have to say - it can produce some intersting results when you take that result and make another kaleidescope from it. See my attachment - of my nephew at a swimming lesson. ) Your kaleidescope looks really neat. One little suggestion - you might try a levels adjustment to lighten it up a bit and make it "pop" more. I'd love to see some more kaleidesopes from the Arabian horses - I have a feeling some of them could be really neat!

DJ- THANK YOU for persisting and figuring out what the problem was! That is valuable information to know and I've included it in the readme file. (FWIW, it is not possible to record drag & drop in an action either. I had to copy/paste instead.)

A little more explanation on this kaleidescope. My sister is really into scrapbooking (no she doesn't cut up old family photos) and apparently kaleidescopes are pretty big in the scrapbooking world to make a "people photo" more interesting for a "cover page" or as a "border" around a photo. The way scrapbookers make kaleidescopes is by getting 8 copies of the same photo and cutting/pasting them (literally). So, my sister thinks this might be an interesting "service" to provide for scrapbookers. In any case, with that background in mind, my sister made some kaleidescopes of my nephew - but in her beginning stages (which I think we've all been through with these ), she forgot to completely fill the wedge and created a kaleidescope with "the cross". I took that further and made another kaleidescope from that and was pleased to see how the lines turned out.

BTW - for anyone doing kaleidescopes of people, you have to be really careful how the body parts are cropped because you can get some "interesting" effects in the kaleidescope.

Jeanie

[jeaniesa]

OK - I've created actions for 6-, 10- and 12-segment kaleidescopes as well. I've included all of the actions in the same action file, but due to the 100KB file limitation, I've had to split the zip files into separate kaleidescopes because of the *.gif files that are needed to create the wedge selections. So, here's the first one - the 6-segment.

Jeanie

[jeaniesa]

10-segment kaleidescope.

[jeaniesa]

12-segment kaleidescope

I am now DONE creating these actions - unless of course someone finds a problem. (Please do let me know if you fid a problem!) I've decided it's a lot more fun to USE these actions than to CREATE them!

BTW - you'll notice that I have these labeled as v5. The 8-segment action has not changed and is included in the action file anyway. I just didn't see a need to create another zip file containing the *.gif file which you already have if you've downloaded v4.

Have fun!

Jeanie

[T Paul]

Jeanie,

Thanks for all your hard work. I can't wait to try out the new versions!

-T

[jerry]

Thanks Jeanie

I just downloaded the three additional kleidescope actions that you developed. Can't wait to experiment with them.

Let the experimenting begin
Jerry

[jeaniesa]

T & Jerry, I hope you'll post some of your creations!

Jeanie

[DJ Dubovsky]

Thanks alot Jeanie. Now that I'm on the right track I can't wait to use them. Hey have you added these to Jaks Thread on Actions? They should be listed there as well. You sure worked hard to create some very impressive actions for us. I love how they turn out. It's so fun to watch them and guess what they will look like when done. I never visualize them a beautiful as they really turn out. Can't wait to see how the others work.
DJ

[jeaniesa]

Yes, I've posted all of them the Jak's thread. Hope to see some of your creations soon! I sent them to my mother as well and now instead of playing a game of solitaire before bed, she makes a kaleidescope. These things are addictive!

Jeanie

[DJ Dubovsky]

I'll see what I can do. I've made several but nothing as impressive as what's been displayed so far.
DJ

[DJ Dubovsky]

This was one of the first ones I tried using one of the stock photos out of Photoshop. Its a photo of Peppers and I liked the pattern and colors it produced.
DJ

[jeaniesa]

All right DJ!! I see devil's horns in it. (Now don't go analyzing that, OK? )

Try running another kaleidescope action on the one you've produced. You can really go wild on the transform by holding down the CTL key which allows you to move one point at a time making for some wild distortions. I just tried it and came up with a REALLY cool one! The image definitely has the color contrast and lines to make a good kaleidescope - sometimes it just takes more than one run through the filter to really jump out at you.

Jeanie

[DJ Dubovsky]

Actually I liked the contrast between the horns and the little green hearts at the point between the horns. And the colors do work great as you said.

I also tried out your other actions. This one was using the 12ths gif and I used a stock PS photo of a shell on a wave marked beach. I really like the pattern it created.
DJ

[DJ Dubovsky]

This is another one using a PS stock photo of a design that reminded me of a partial Spirograph drawing. This one I used the 10th gif on.
DJ

[DJ Dubovsky]

Thought this one turned out kind of neat too. It's a hand with a blue light source behind it. Made a cool kaleidescope image.

Yup, this is addicting. Now I will try putting some of the designs through the action and see what comes up.
DJ

[jeaniesa]

Wow DJ - I love that one with the shell - very cool pattern! And the "spirograph" one is just too cool!

About the "addiction" - my mother called me up this morning and asked me to help her figure out a problem she was having with the kaleidescope action because she couldn't wait until I got there this evening to fix it!

Jeanie

[DJ Dubovsky]

Well, that sure is a nice compliment to your hard work. You not only pleased your Mother with a fun action but the rest of us are having a blast with them as well.
Hey I did try running them more than once and the patterns are even better than the first. I didn't think that sea shell on sand would be very impressive because of the lack of colors but I was really impressed with it the most I think. It made a beautiful 2nd run also.
DJ

[Blacknight]

NOT a photo, but it IS a kaleidoscope. For those who have FreeHand this takes about 30 seconds. It is actually a routine that I use to make snowflakes, because in creating these no two will ever be the same.

I exported this and colorized it in Photoshop just for fun. Imagine drawing this with a pencil and then coloring all by hand. HOURS vs. seconds. Amazing.

[T Paul]

Great job!! Kind of reminds me of spaghetti and meatballs! I guess I must be hungry

-T

[T Paul]

Okay Jeanie,

I played with the 10-slice action and ran it twice. This is what I got.

[T Paul]

DJ,

I really love the ones you did. The hand with the blue background is so striking! And the seashell in the sand created such a lovely pattern!

-T

[jeaniesa]

BK - very cool!!

T - I love that color combination. Did you play around with the hue? How did you get gold leaves? Beautiful!

Jeanie

[T Paul]

This was such a fun thread with beautiful samples that I thought I revive it for 2005!

~T

[Janet Petty]

I thought I'd help TPaul revive an old thread because the result is breathtaking is every post. My determination has resulted in the most fun I've had playing with photos in a long time.

I have to admit that I bent or downright broke the "rules" for creating a kaleidoscope just to see what I could come up with. While the result was not perfectly symetrical, I think it is still beautiful. That one is the purple iris.

The pink one was created from a Rose of Sharon. The other one (with the original shown) is a Bachelor Button.

I didn't discover the action posted by one of the members until I had already done one or two of these little creations. The action runs very smoothly and is very well done. A couple of others I found elsewhere on the net did not work nearly as well. Kudos to the person on this thread who created the action. It does take a lot of the tedious work out of the creator's hands.

Janet