PlaymoFriends

Creative => How-To => Topic started by: tonguello on September 16, 2011, 01:48:25

Title: How to make things appear to be flying
Post by: tonguello on September 16, 2011, 01:48:25
There are a few techniques to make things appear to be flying. I’m no expert but I like to learn about this things and I guess I have mastered one of them. 
First of all, for HP lovers,  I would suggest you,  to get a wand, point at the object and after a flourish movement repeat, Wingardium Leviosa!  :lol: :lol: :lol:
If this doesn’t  work there are still other  techniques  to explore.

1)   In settings where you can handle the lighting as much as the camera, the easiest way is to use very thin and transparent wire from which to hang the objects. The proper use of light and camera angle will make the wire invisible to the camera.

2)   In these type of settings and also in those settings where the light can not be handled (like exteriors) there is another technique that I like to call the perspective technique.  It consists in using hard wire or a stick or any thin but strong element that can support the weight of the flying object. This element must be placed in a way and angle that keeps itself hidden behind the flying object .
For example in picture 12 in this thread   http://www.playmofriends.com/forum/index.php?topic=9117.0   there could be an element attached to one of the wheels of the plane and to the tree. This “element” would be hidden from view by the body of the plane. It is a difficult technique and it can’t be use with very small or very big objects but it is quite effective.

3)   The best technique however for film and photographs is the use of an editing program, like Photoshop. It is not easy to explain how it works, but once you learn it, it is quite simple. I just use the CLONE tool. Basically this tool duplicates sectors of the existing photograph on the area of the photograph you choose. For example to cover my shadow on the grass I have duplicated over  the shadow,  sectors of sunlighted grass. And so on with the rest.
Here are some examples than are very explanatory. I hope this could help you.


(http://i1205.photobucket.com/albums/bb432/tonguello/Winter%20Sunday/11.jpg)
(http://i1205.photobucket.com/albums/bb432/tonguello/Winter%20Sunday/11original.jpg)

(http://i1205.photobucket.com/albums/bb432/tonguello/Winter%20Sunday/15.jpg)               
(http://i1205.photobucket.com/albums/bb432/tonguello/Winter%20Sunday/15original.jpg)   

(http://i1205.photobucket.com/albums/bb432/tonguello/Winter%20Sunday/17.jpg) 
(http://i1205.photobucket.com/albums/bb432/tonguello/Winter%20Sunday/17original.jpg)

 :wave:

Title: Re: How to make things appear to be flying
Post by: WarriorOfToys on September 16, 2011, 02:05:41
I think I'll stick with Wingardium Leviosa... less photo-shop. ;)

Excellent technique! :wow:
Have you tried black string? ???
Does it work as well as it is supposed to?
Title: Re: How to make things appear to be flying
Post by: bonniebeth on September 16, 2011, 02:50:06
So you've been practicing with photo shop! :D Really cool Gaston! You did a fantastic job, and you couldn't tell it had been photo shopped at all. Very good technique.
Title: Re: How to make things appear to be flying
Post by: BlackPearl2006 on September 16, 2011, 04:58:06
ah, the clone tool!  why wasn't this my first guess??? I went all complicated talking about masks and greenscreen and such.  Clone tool is much easier!  Well done Gaston!

And I'm guessing you held the stick for the vulture...in your teeth?!    Vulture Shikabob on a stick!  :D
Title: Re: How to make things appear to be flying
Post by: stadswache on September 16, 2011, 05:03:22
great ..

well done..

how did you took the photo with the vulgar and the plane in one shot??

I only have two hands so how did you do this? there was help?

many hours on the photoshop?

thx for sharing
Title: Re: How to make things appear to be flying
Post by: Wolf Knight on September 16, 2011, 05:09:29
I knew it!!! Excellent work Gaston!!! Very well done!!!
Title: Re: How to make things appear to be flying
Post by: cowabounga on September 16, 2011, 05:13:31
There's another technique. Throw the plane in the air and take a quick picture before it comes down again!  :lol: :lol: :lol:
Title: Re: How to make things appear to be flying
Post by: stadswache on September 16, 2011, 05:15:46
There's another technique. Throw the plane in the air and take a quick picture before it comes down again!  :lol: :lol: :lol:

In this case you will only have one shot.

or two

one in the air one on shattered the ground  ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: How to make things appear to be flying
Post by: tonguello on September 16, 2011, 11:08:36
Thank you all guys!

@WOT... I din't knoe what you mean by "black string"... I guess a black string instead of transparent like I said in the first option? I guess that would work well with dark backgrounds, but not against a clear sky.


There was no help... I can't remember how I held the vulture to be honest  :lol: :lol: not with the mouth for the angle is not right, so I think it was with my camera hand.... tricky.  8}
It didn't take too many hours, it was about 40 minutes shooting... and maybe three hours photoshopping (actually it was a couple of pics per day, several days,  but the whole thing probably was 3 hours straight)
Title: Re: How to make things appear to be flying
Post by: bonniebeth on September 16, 2011, 12:09:19
Trying to figure it out from the pic... could the stick for the vulture be tucked under your wristwatch, maybe?
Title: Re: How to make things appear to be flying
Post by: tonguello on September 16, 2011, 12:36:43
Trying to figure it out from the pic... could the stick for the vulture be tucked under your wristwatch, maybe?

mm nope... I use my watch on my left hand and that day I wasn't using it.  :P . I must have been holding the vulture with my camera hand.
Title: Re: How to make things appear to be flying
Post by: Wolf Knight on September 16, 2011, 13:01:13
Well, no matter how t was done, its magic ....  ;D stop killing the magic
Title: Re: How to make things appear to be flying
Post by: Bill Blackhurst on September 16, 2011, 13:38:23
When I display my planes & helicopters like in the my past photo stories I have used transparent 8 lb. fishing line, & it works well for the larger jet liners.
Title: Re: How to make things appear to be flying
Post by: bonniebeth on September 16, 2011, 13:52:40
Do you still have a bunch of planes and helicopters hanging from your ceiling, BB? I recall you did in a pic you've shown in the past.
Title: Re: How to make things appear to be flying
Post by: tonguello on September 16, 2011, 13:53:20
When I display my planes & helicopters like in the my past photo stories I have used transparent 8 lb. fishing line, & it works well for the larger jet liners.

 :wave: hi BIll!

yeah fishing line is what I ment by transparent string.  ;D
It works fine under certain conditions.
This reminds me that I tried to use it to make a fairy fly over a display and it didn't work because the clicky is TOO light and the hanging posture looked awefull...with hevier objects like a plane it is probably the best choice though.  :)
Title: Re: How to make things appear to be flying
Post by: Luis on September 16, 2011, 15:37:35
i've used the transparent thread with the magic carpet and then just erase with photo shop

yours is very well done because you have natural lighting and i see no sequels of earsing at all :clap:
Title: Re: How to make things appear to be flying
Post by: Tiermann on September 16, 2011, 18:04:46
Great job on the photoshopping. I love  :love: the clone tool. Finding ways to hide the support works nicely in video too, like we did with the jousting knights. Much easier than stop motion.
Title: Re: How to make things appear to be flying
Post by: tonguello on September 16, 2011, 18:06:33
Finding ways to hide the support works nicely in video too, like we did with the jousting knights. Much easier than stop motion.
oh right, yes! works great for video!
Title: Re: How to make things appear to be flying
Post by: tahra on September 17, 2011, 07:50:15
The problem with those plane pics, is that the helix/motor of the plane is still.. maybe some motion blur, but at least for me it might be a bit over my paintshop skills.
Title: Re: How to make things appear to be flying
Post by: bonniebeth on September 17, 2011, 10:44:50
I never even thought about that.
Title: Re: How to make things appear to be flying
Post by: tonguello on September 17, 2011, 10:48:38
The problem with those plane pics, is that the helix/motor of the plane is still.. maybe some motion blur, but at least for me it might be a bit over my paintshop skills.

yes I know... but I haven't come around how to do it yet  :lol: the was a great topic about it by skywaker, I should look for it.
Title: Re: How to make things appear to be flying
Post by: tahra on September 17, 2011, 17:58:12
I never even thought about that.

First thing I notice. AGES ago, when we were kids (and dinos were around) we tried filming something with a heli.. It was awful.. We'd burst out laughing, and then even when we didn't, the rotors were still, so it just looked silly.. :(

Have no idea if that recording is still somewhere. One day I will have to find the 2 large dios we filmed in the livingroom, over 2 long weekends when we were home alone.. A medieval one and a recent one...
Title: Re: How to make things appear to be flying
Post by: PlaymoMan on September 18, 2011, 12:40:08
Thanks for the tip, Gaston! :)9