Hi-Res Fx - Ilu style :)

[O Ilusionista]

Hi guys,

taking a look to a topic in MugenBR forum, I've remember that I have a way to make "high-res" (its a fake) fx that is kinda different from the other ways around. Its my fault that I had this tutorial for AGES lying on my HD.

 

Before someone just jump on my neck yelling that someone already done that, let me show something:


http://bmt.mgbr.net/images/secreto.jpg



That was the first image I ever made with this kinda of fx, for the old DOS mugen to a project called SFTM vs MK. I've keep that secret (secreto means secret in portuguese) for ages (I know, that was a big ego of mine...).

Just to put the things clear here, so won't be anyone blaming for "copying"...something that I've done since 2002 (but never released, its true). I know that It was a weird way of acting, but...The list of this kind of act is very long, if you wanna know...

 

====================================================================================

Then, back to the bussiness.  I will be using Photoshop, but any similar program will do the job. I will put some dirty tips on bold, they are my little secrets

1 - Choose your image to add the new fx. Different kind of images will be using diferent types of effects, lets pick a horizontal projectile. A good thing to do is add some extra space (i.e. to make the canvas bigger) so the fx won't be cutted.



2- Go to IMAGE> MODE> COLOR TABLE if your image is a INDEXED COLOR one or just exchange the pink bg for a black one and turn your image into a RGB (ALT,I,M,R or IMAGE>mode>RGB)

TIP: to go fast to color tabel hold ALT and press I, M and T, in a sequence. Yes, I'm a PS shortcut maniac, hehe

3 - Now, its good to double your image size, to give it a more high-res looking. Hold ALT and press I two times (or SHIFT CTRL I) and choose 200%. If you want some pixelated look, you can choose NEAREST NEIGHBOR where is written BICUBIC. If you wanna a more smooth looking, choose BICUBIC SMOOTHER or SHARPER



4 - Now is where lies one of my tricks: a lot of people loves to convert the image to black and white, something that PS and other programs do weirdly if you let they do as they want. PS versions before CS3 simply can destroy the image contrast if you hit DESATURATED (SHIFT+CTRL+U). Photoshop CS3 has a better tool called BLACK and WHITE, under IMAGE> adjustments. But it could be difficut to handle to people that aren't on image retouching.

So, on layers pallete, click on the white/black circle on the footer and choose GRADIENT MAP



See? the image's contrast was kept INTACT.

Remember to choose a black to white one, or your image will have your foreground to background colors instead. Besides, this can make some nice effects, but lets keep going.

5 - This step can change depends of which kind of effect are you making. You can go Gaussian Blur, motion Blur (remember to match the angle with the image angle), Box Blur, but I do prefer Radial Blur (FILTER>BLUR>RADIAL BLUR)

Take a look at the image:

- we need to set the blur method to ZOOM (spin could do some nice effects too)
- I do prefer to move the grid almost to the all right (or the image 'head'), so the effect will act like a trail
- Choose a amount that matches your image better



6 - Now your image will look something like that:



Cool, but we have a problem: and If you don't want a BW effect? You can change it now with two ways (there are others, but that are the best)

TIP: you can FADE the effect by hitting CTRL+SHIFT+F. Play with the transparency and the overlay modes.

Press CTRL+E to merge your layers, so you can continue

A) IMAGE > ADJUSTMENTS > COLOR BALANCE (CTRL+B) and choose which color do you want

Remember to put the color into the midtones and the highlights (but don't go over on the highlights or your image will have a glow)



B) IMAGE > ADJUSTMENTS > VARIATIONS

This method let you choose visually what kind of color do you want. Just keep pressing "more magenta" or other until you're happy with



Good! But if we want to make...a Fire effect? This kind of colorization doesn't fits, right?

Now its my dirty tricks time, hehe

With you BW image, goto to IMAGE>MODE>INDEXED COLORS. Then, after that choose CUSTOM then GREYSCALE and hit ok.



Nothing has changed, right? Don't panic...the magic is gonna happen now

again, got to IMAGE>MODE> COLOR TABLE and choose BLACK BODY




Voilá! burn baby, burn

This works better with image with smaller white zones.

now, you convert it to a indexed color image and put into your Mugen and be happy

oh, just one more thing: you can scale the image back to 100% if you want on PS or you can scale it on mugen. The first method makes lighter images, but the second one makes smother ones. Its your choice.


Finish, fim, finito

Any questions, drop me a line.

[.:K.I.N.G:.]

nice

[O Ilusionista]

thanx

[Fallen_Angel]

Great tuto.....specially because for the shortcut tips

[O Ilusionista]

thanx bro. I'm addicted to shortcuts, specially the ALT + sequence ones.

I will update this tuto with more options soon.

[random]

nice one bro

[Lifewater]

Thanks great tut

[O Ilusionista]

thanx bro.

[Error Macro]

I never knew Photoshop's radical blur could be so useful in making effects! o_o
Great tutorial, time to update some fx in my chars.

Edit: Heres my try

In mugen:

[Fallen_Angel]

That one looks amazing emw

[mastamasta]

  excellent man..you broke it down very good. everyone should put this into there own "how to create book"   

 

[O Ilusionista]

£mω , there is a tip:

when you're at radial blur, you can change the ammount of blur (but just a little) for each frame. This will give a more animated look.

And another tip is that you can make single images intro animated ones... you change the ammount of Radial blug AND its location, making it closer to the image header, making a bigger tail

make a try
 

[O Ilusionista]

here is an example:

original image


animated image

[DARKTALBAIN]

Good sh*t , May come on in handy for my Spawn characters 

[MirageAtoli]

Is there an easy way to create custom multicolor gradient color tables (similar to the 'black body') palette?

[O Ilusionista]

yeah, there is. On Photoshop, create a Gradient Mask with three colors.

[xPreatorianx]

you mean create custom gradients? if so yea ill let ilo walk you thru that because I suck at making tuts. But its real easy.

@ilo nice job m8 awesome tutorial will have to mess around with this when I start working back on my Shin2 Akuma.

[O Ilusionista]

Yeah, you let the images on black and white and put a Gradient Mask, where you can create a custom gradient