Rachel Jefferies Mixed Media Challenge | May 2023 ... CLOSED

Discussion in 'Designer Challenges' started by alinalove, May 1, 2023.

  1. alinalove

    alinalove Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    516
    Joined:
    Feb 11, 2013
    Hey, wow, oops, it's May!
    Time for a new challenge. You wanted shadowing of elements, I will guide you through my process and set you up for the challenge.

    But first:
    Thank you to all who participated in April's challenge. Please help me congratulate @trekmom as the winner of the April 2023 Mixed Media Challenge!
    Those who participated, please watch your inboxes for your discount coupons. They will be coming in the next day or so, and thank you for your patience!

    ******* Rachel Jefferies May 2023 Mixed Media Challenge with a tutorial *******

    Although this tutorial will be heavily photoshop based (with a workaround in PSE (eta: and Affinity Designer) in the comments), you might try to emulate this in the program you use. If you find yourself with a technical block, please tell me in this thread, we will have a solution for you.

    I consider shadowing an art form in itself. I often look at things and how the light hits them and how the shadow falls. It's crucial to understand how light behaves around shapes and how shadows are formed when I want to develop my shadowing skills.

    So how do I use shadowing in photoshop. There are other ways to do it, of course, it's just my way.
    First of all, I use shadow styles all the time. I have several bought sets and added some styles for my own needs as it makes shadowing so much easier. You will find ready made shadow styles in the shop, just type "shadow" in the search bar and choose from the automatic drop down menu.
    Anyway, here is how you make your own shadow: Click on the fx symbol (probably down right) and on "Drop Shadow". The standard drop shadow isn't very useful but you can always tweak it. These are my used stats and the result.
    shadow-basics.jpg
    I included the degrees of the direction of the light. My prefered light direction is from 120°, but 90° and 45° are also often used. You can see that I put the highlight of the element up to that 120° angle, so that it looks as if the light hit it there. Sometimes if an element is very directional with it's highlights and shadows and I can't turn or mirror it (e.g. because of text on the element), I might use the "right" shadowing angle for this element on the whole page.

    These automated shadows are a good starting point and on most elements I use them as is. To make a page look more photo realistic, I tweak the automated shadow manually on the visually strong elements. (For PSE you will find a workaround for separating the shadow of an element in the first comment.)
    In the layers panel, right click on the shadow style of the element you want to work on and click on "create layer". This will separate the element's shadow and put it on a separate layer.
    Screenshot 2023-04-24 193522.png
    From here I can do several things to the shadow on its own layer.
    I click on the separated shadow in the layers panel.
    First I smudge the shadow to give it a better contour. I use a 30% strength smudge with a very soft round brush. The size of the brush depends on the size of the part that I want to work on. On bigger items it's usually 400px.
    Then I blur the shadow with a gaussian blur, to make it softer if it needs to be. Size of the blur is usually around 6 pixels.
    Sometimes I want the shadow to fade on the edges, and I use a layer mask with a soft and/or slight irregular black brush on a low opacity to lighten up the edges a bit. This works great if you have an element that you want to look as if it's far away from the background. The edges will then fade, as there is much more light reflecting from the surrounding area.
    And of course I play with the opacity of the shadow itself. If I want to make something pop on my page, I subtly turn the opacity up.
    smudge-and-gaussian.jpg
    (Left: where you find the smudge tool, Right: where you find the Gaussian blur under the filter tab in the upper menu)

    Here is an example of the process. 1. Without shadow, 2. with a shadow style and 3. with a separated, manually tweaked shadow. The edges are smudged and faded out, it's blurred and opacity is turned up. Yes, it's turned up. Blurring and fading out makes the shadow look like it's lighter.
    butterflies.jpg
    Rachel already treated the butterfly to use it this way with a huge shadow. You see the left wing is much darker as the right wing. If you want to turn an element into something more directional like this butterfly, you might use dodging and burning. This is a tutorial for a different day though.

    Here is my example page for the challenge (linked):
    [​IMG]

    And now for the lovely example pages from my scrap sisters:

    Aly:
    AJM-Footprints-on-the-road-800.jpg

    Dady
    Dady_Challenge-Rachel-copy.jpg

    Roxana
    Roxana_True Direction.jpg

    Marijke
    marijke_23-05_TLP_mm-challenge-copy.jpg

    __________________________________________________________
    Challenge Requirements
    • Make a layout with no more than 5 elements to be shadowed (let's call them "three dimensional elements" or 3D elements) and as much brushwork you want to add.
    • Keep it simple.
    • If you want to use different paper cuts, shadow them subtly or they will count towards your 5 max 3D elements.
    • Let at least one of the 3D elements pop off your page with a fab shadow. You don't have to tweak it manually but it would totally make me happy <3 Of course you can also use your own process of tweaking a shadow manually.
    • Use at least 75% of Rachel's Product. Any remaining percentage must be product from another current TLP designer.
    • The product can be currently available in the TLP Shop or be retired products from Rachel or a current TLP designer.
    • Hybrid projects are also welcome and the same product rules apply. Where digital products are used in a hybrid project they must all come from current The LilyPad designers, and at least 75% must be Rachel's Product.
    • Upload your layout to the Rachel Jefferies Designs Gallery at TLP with your product credits.
    • For your challenge entry to be counted, you MUST upload your finished layout to this thread. Please link your gallery image to your post in this thread, as it helps us leave love on your layout (and validate your project).
    • No double-dipping… your layout must be created for this challenge only, no others. You must create a NEW layout for this challenge.
    • This challenge will remain open for the monthly coupons until May 31, 2023.

    Prizes and other important notes:
    • All participants who post their page during the challenge month by the end of month deadline and meet the criteria will be eligible for a coupon of 15% off their next order (from Rachel's shop) of $10 or more.
    • ONE lucky random winner who posts their page during the challenge month by the end of month deadline and meets the criteria will receive an $8.00 coupon for Rachel's Shop here at The LilyPad!
    • Complete ALL twelve of Rachel's Mixed Media Challenges at The LilyPad in 2023 for a chance to enter her Annual Draw. The first drawn winner will be offered a three month Guest Gig on her Creative Team and the second drawn winner will receive a $20 coupon to her shop here at The LilyPad!
    • In order to be eligible for the annual drawings for the Guest Gig or the $20 coupon to Rachel's shop, you will need to do the following:
    • Complete ALL twelve of Rachel's Mixed Media Challenges at the LilyPad in 2023 by December 31, 2023 by 11:59 PM PDT. (Featured Product Challenges and Hear My Voice Challenges are excluded from the tracker and annual draw).
    • Post the challenge layout in the appropriate challenge month thread for Rachel's Jefferies Mixed Media Challenges. We will keep an accumulative list for you in each month's challenge thread to make this easier. For example: Your January Challenge layout must be posted in the January Challenge thread and linked back to the gallery --even if you complete it in November, it must still be posted in the January Thread).
    • Complete your tracker form with links to each challenge layout by December 31, 2023 by 11:59 PM PDT.
    • Note: for the annual drawings, challenge pages will be accepted for individual challenges after the actual challenge month and the end of month deadlines have both passed.
    • In order to qualify for the monthly winners coupon draw of $8 and the participation coupon you must complete the challenge during the challenge month by the end of month deadline as stated in each challenge thread.
    • Find your 2023 Tracker Submission Form Here
    • Past Challenges are here: JAN 2023 | FEB 2023 | MAR 2023 | APR 2023
     

    Attached Files:

    Last edited: May 1, 2023
    umyesh, SLKendall and ajm like this.
  2. alinalove

    alinalove Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    516
    Joined:
    Feb 11, 2013
    And here is the tutorial for separating an automated shadow in PSE:

    thank you Cheryl for making it and Kayla for linking me up <3
     
    tanteva likes this.
  3. Angela Toucan

    Angela Toucan I keep looking for THAT wardrobe

    Messages:
    8,139
    Joined:
    Nov 6, 2017
  4. Pachimac

    Pachimac Give me all the cliché Christmas movies

    Messages:
    3,839
    Joined:
    Apr 12, 2016
    oooo - I love shadowing!!
     
    alinalove likes this.
  5. alinalove

    alinalove Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    516
    Joined:
    Feb 11, 2013
    Angela Toucan likes this.
  6. keepscrappin

    keepscrappin ScrapWithTheWind

    Messages:
    10,541
    Joined:
    Apr 2, 2010
  7. Cath_

    Cath_ In my polka dot dress and apron

    Messages:
    6,496
    Joined:
    Dec 12, 2014
    is there a tutorial on a layer mask, never could understand that?
     
    alinalove likes this.
  8. keepscrappin

    keepscrappin ScrapWithTheWind

    Messages:
    10,541
    Joined:
    Apr 2, 2010
    alinalove and Cath_ like this.
  9. dotcomkari

    dotcomkari The Deaf Superstar

    Messages:
    6,380
    Joined:
    May 24, 2012
  10. marijke

    marijke Weekends are for wine.

    Messages:
    5,128
    Joined:
    Jul 2, 2010
    Congratulations @trekmom

    My page for the credits

    [​IMG]
     
    trekmom, alinalove and ajm like this.
  11. ajm

    ajm Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    1,110
    Joined:
    Dec 19, 2010
    Congrats @trekmom :cheer and thank you @alinalove for the challenge!

    The photo shadow is on a separate layer and I tried to match with the shadow of the fabric.

    [​IMG]
     
    trekmom and alinalove like this.
  12. trekmom

    trekmom Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    1,184
    Joined:
    Apr 30, 2015
    Wow, thank you so very much!
     
    alinalove likes this.
  13. KayTeaPea

    KayTeaPea I carried a watermelon

    Messages:
    3,895
    Joined:
    Aug 3, 2013
    I tweaked the shadows on the messy thread, the cut-out wordart (above the photo), the camera charm and the map flair.
    [​IMG]
     
    trekmom and alinalove like this.
  14. designbylime

    designbylime Definitely a cat person.

    Messages:
    3,354
    Joined:
    May 7, 2013
    Such a fun challenge. I don't have any fancy program so my shadows are always my own tweaking :)
    [​IMG]
     
    trekmom and alinalove like this.
  15. AnotherAmanda

    AnotherAmanda Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    2,103
    Joined:
    Jan 10, 2015
    [​IMG]

    I did the shadows for the frame, metal flowers and ribbon and used the Mommyish Shadow action for the other shadows (layered papers, staple cluster and stitching)
     
    trekmom and alinalove like this.
  16. KarenK

    KarenK Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    578
    Joined:
    Sep 7, 2016
    The 5 elements shadowed are the heart, the card, the tag, the twig, and the button which is the one with the deep shadow.

    [​IMG]
     
    trekmom and alinalove like this.
  17. wvsandy

    wvsandy Grinning Granny

    Messages:
    4,799
    Joined:
    Apr 15, 2011
    I modified all of the shadows.
    [​IMG]
     
    trekmom and alinalove like this.
  18. Janisn

    Janisn Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    2,665
    Joined:
    Oct 6, 2017
    I used your shadow technique on the photo mat and butterfly
    [​IMG]
     
    trekmom and alinalove like this.
  19. RJMJ

    RJMJ There is a shade of red for every woman.

    Messages:
    3,620
    Joined:
    Apr 27, 2013
    What A Great! Challenge!...Totally outside the normal for what I would ordinarily do...But I do like to use shadows always...so this was just a bit of a few less elements for me...I wanted to add more things...but wasn't sure if I was allowed...so I aired on the side of caution & completed my layout as follows...

    My 5 items are : 1 frame/1 scatter/1 thread/1 paper piece/1 WA...I shadowed all 5 elements differently...
    Everything else you see there was already on the paper I used...I did not add anything else...But I did recolor the scatter to coordinate better with my photo...

    Thank You! for the interesting challenge!...

    I Used : Sanguine | The Complete Mixed Media Collection By Rachel Jefferies : https://the-lilypad.com/store/Sanguine-the-complete-mixed-media-collection-by-rachel-jefferies.html

    My : Rainbow Dreams : Layout :

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: May 16, 2023
    trekmom and alinalove like this.
  20. alinalove

    alinalove Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    516
    Joined:
    Feb 11, 2013
    I know Kayla already answered but wanted to check in, if you found anything that helped?
     

Share This Page