[Krazykate]

Hi all- I'm a newbie with a question.

I am getting more into photoshop-but all the tutorials I see are mostly painting or interface buttons. My question is basic drawing in photoshop-for instance a spiral. Has anyone got any suggestions as to how to set up a grid-or some way to create a well executed spiral line?

Also-anyone have any tutorial references like this?

Kate

[Pat]

If you want to freehand a spiral, popping on a grid might be your best option. However, if you want to get techy (or you only have mouse, not a drawing tablet) you could always fire up the paths tool. I don't think I could possibly try to explain how to use bezier curves in a message like this, but trust me --it can be done. Once the path is set, select a drawing tool and a brush size then use the "stroke path" command.

Frankly, when I need sprials I cheat. Freehand 7 has a great spiral tool.

-Pat

[Pat]

If you want to freehand a spiral, popping on a grid might be your best option. However, if you want to get techy (or you only have mouse, not a drawing tablet) you could always fire up the paths tool. I don't think I could possibly try to explain how to use bezier curves in a message like this, but trust me --it can be done. Once the path is set, select a drawing tool and a brush size then use the "stroke path" command.

Frankly, when I need spirals I cheat. Freehand 7 has a great spiral tool.

-Pat

[root88]

If you are a wussy... Draw a straight line and apply the twist filter.

[Pat]

Wow, that's a colossally ignorant suggestion. First of all, I assume you mean the Twirl filter, not the "Twist" filter. As far as I can tell there is no "Twist" filter in Photoshop. Secondly, the Twirl filter doesn't make decent spirals out of lines. The math involved in the spiral distortion will sooner split the line than wrap it neatly into a spiral. Additionally, assuming you can get the effect you're looking for, the distortion effect will skew the line making it thicker in places and thinner in others. The nexus of the spiral will likly be a mess as well.

Your best chance for getting the filter approach to work properly is to select a very small value Twirl and repeatedly run the filter. Then do a lot of editing to remove line splits. For precision work, control of the angle, number of spirals and less heartache use Freehand or the path tool.

-Pat

[Frost]

>Filter >Distort >Twirl

Either that, or hold your pen and spin the tablet under it... that always works for me.

[This message has been edited by Frost (edited February 13, 2001).]

[root88]

Hey Pat, no need to get snotty, especially when you are wrong. You were right about the filter being called twirl and not twist. I mixed photoshop with another application I sometimes use. My fault for not using a distort filter for a few years now.

Anyway here is a spiral I made in photoshop in 4.5 seconds. If you draw a straight line across your image and twirl at 999 you will get two spirals. I erased one. That's why it took 4.5 seconds instead of 1 second. It would actually look better if you twirled it at 100 ten times.

No it's not perfect it just really quick and easy. That's why I called it the wussy way out.

[Krazykate]

Thanks to all of you for the input! I am a lowly mouse user-so it prohibits some of the ideas. But thanks for the suggestions.

Kate

[wayfinder]

if you want to freehand a spiral, what better program could there be than - (surprise!) - Freehand?

seriously, photoshop is really weak in constructing stuff, vector gfx etc. Use freehand to make a spiral (it's got a dedicated tool for the purpose) and open the resulting .EPS file in photoshop. Dont worry about the size, you can tell photoshop at which size it should render .EPSs, and it will not matter to the quality if it's all vector gfx.

I hope that made sense



------------------
.think.big.

[jzero]

Skrew FreakHand...

- Open Adobe Illustrator
- Select Spiral Tool (under Ellipse tool)
- Draw spiral path to taste
- Edit > Copy
- Open Photoshop
- File > New
- Edit > Paste
- Choose Paste as Pixels if you're happy as-is
- Choose Paste as Paths to get a vector shape you can do cool stuff with
- End

[Pat]

Root88, sorry for the snippy reply. I probably ought to get a little more sleep before I post sometimes. For penance I've worked up the best sprial I could manage in Photoshop and one in Freehand. I figure Krazykate can chose the one that closes fits her needs.



Both images took about a minute to make.

-Pat

[root88]

jzero: Those are the exact same directions for getting a spiral from freehand into photoshop.

Pat: When someone asks how to do something in Photoshop, I don't assume that they have freehand. I tell them how to do it in photoshop. I would have explained the path tools, but it was already done. I just offered a quick, lazy, "wussy" alternative.

[Krazykate]

It's interesting to see the variety of responses....

I have Corel and have used Freehand in school. Photoshop was just the one thing that was not covered that well. It was more a class on photo manipulation and touch ups--nothing to do with orignal textures, painting skills, filters??--wazzat??

So..I would definetly rely on a vector program for any elaborate lines. It's nice to know that I'm not as lame at photoshop as I think I am.

[root88]

Krazykate: Sounds like a good class.

Paint in Painter, not Photoshop.

Leave your filters at the door. Besides, why would someone need to teach you how to use a filter?