To Raphael or Greg

[[l i k u i d I B M]]

I was really amazed at how Raphael did that flare thing..i've been trying to mess around a bit with what he threw in but just can't get the same effect..i made an earlier post on that thread but realized later that it wasn't exactly supposed to be there..I'm a newb compared to him..and the instructions he gave to me weren't so clear..so if anyone could enlighten me on facts you think i would miss?(obvious things like flare behind the star!)

[Raphael]

GREG HELP!!!

I don't know how to simplify the technique any further. I have no teaching experience, I just put what I did, and can't see where I should be clarifying.

L i k u i d IBM, sorry, if you can ask me a specific question where you are having problems I'll do my best, but as I say, I'm not used to telling other people how I do what I do. (Most people I know aren't interested!)

Raphael:d

[[l i k u i d I B M]]

Gee..such fast service!

Thanks for responding Raphael..I'm looking at your blue explode and still worshipping it..these are the few things I had problems with..

1) What image did you start up with?
2) I guess this would somehow relate to what image you started up with, but how did you get that trail effect on the star?

Thanks alot Raphael..and thanks for replying to my post!

[Raphael]

1/ I started with just a layer with a white background and used the filter "Add Noise" in a square area that I'd selected with the "Rectangular Marquee" tool.
I then used the Radial blur filter set to 100 pixels to make the basic flare image.

2/ I created the trail by using the rectangular marquee tool to select only the right hand half of the flare bit, went to "Free Transform" (Select Menu > "Transform Selection") and dragged the right hand 'handle' out to half way to the right end of the whole image. I then control clicked one of the handles to get a pop-up menu and selected "perspective" so that when I then caught hold of the top-right handle and drsgged it downwards it distorted the end of the flare.
Then I duplicated the layer (by dragging the layer in the layers palette onto the little page icon at the bottom of the layers palette), and then changed the "blending mode" of the top layer by selecting the top layer in the layers palette and then choosing "Darken" from the little menu at the top left of the layers palette (should say "normal" to start with).
Then I selected the right hand half of the original flare plus the tail with the rectangular selection tool and using Free Transform again I stretched it out the rest of the way to the right.

This is a very simplified version of what I did so don't expect wonderful results, but it should get you started to be able to suss out my previous post more readily.

Sheesh, this is like trying to teach someone to drive, you have to rack your brains to remember to tell them the things you just do automatically. Sorry.

Raphael;)