Linda
09-14-2009, 10:50 AM
If you'd like to add rain to an image, here is a basic tutorial. You can go into more depth using this program and can find more information by clicking on their "help" tab, but this tutorial will get you started with this fun project!
With this program, you'll be able to make big puddles, little puddles, waves of varying sizes, rain, snow, change the size, direction, etc.! The possibilities are endless! :wink:
You will need the Sqirlz program which you can download free here - http://download.cnet.com/Sqirlz-Water-Reflections/3000-2186_4-10395165.html
Here is the image I will be using. Feel free to right click and save it to your computer to use in this tutorial or use an image of your own.
http://www.mypcclinic.com/files/Linda/rain2.jpg
In your Sqirlz program, go up to "file" and then "open" and find your image and then click "open". Go to the big red Y which is the rain/snow ripples combination and put a dot in rain/snow only and then click "okay". Now click the yellow arrow to view your animation. Click the yellow arrow again to stop the animation and now let's go back and customize the settings. You would only need to do this if you want to change anything that you saw in your animation. Click on the rain option (customize rain/snow) and adjust the settings. On this, you'll have to just play around and keep checking to get familiar with what each one does. It's best to change them one at a time and then view what that did, before you change anything else. Each time after you change the settings, click the red "x" to get rid of the box and then click on the yellow arrow again to view your animation. When you have it the way you want it, just click to save it as a gif, follow the prompts and you're all done! Sometimes with my program, I actually have to click "gif" a couple of times before my save box appears.
Here's my image with the rain that I selected -
http://www.mypcclinic.com/files/Linda/rainfinished.gif
Let's experiment by adding some ring puddles. Before I saved my image and I viewed my rain, I clicked the yellow arrow to stop the animation. Look over to the left margin and click on the top box with the red egg shape. Now left click on a starting point on your image where you want puddles and drag your line. Left click to stop the line and click again to continue marking your puddle area. When you have the area completed back to your starting point, right click to enclose the area. Now go up to the big red Y (rain/snow & ripples) and put a dot in rain/snow & ring ripples and click "ok". Click the yellow arrow to view.
If you want to change the ripples, click the yellow arrow again to stop the animation and click on "customize ring ripples" and change your settings, "x" out of the box and click yellow arrow again to view. Remember you can always stop the animation and click on any of the blue customization options and keep editing your options and then click the yellow arrow to view, etc., until you have it the way you want it.
Here is our finished image with rain and puddles too -
http://www.mypcclinic.com/files/Linda/2m5kvhg.gif
On the above image, I decided to make 2 puddles which requires a little more editing. To achieve this, make your first rain/puddle animation and save it as an "AVI" file. Then load your saved AVI file using the “AVI Open” command in the File menu. Draw a new Outline around your second reflecting area. You can repeat this as many times as you like to create three, four or more reflecting areas. Each time though, you will have to save it as the AVI file and then open as instructed to apply a new outline. When you are finished, then save your image as a gif file.
Also, if you have any problems uploading your image to a hosting site, try here http://tinypic.com/ and it should upload fine! :wink:
This is just a basic introduction with one additional option (the ring puddle) to familiarize you with the program. Remember to check out their "help" section for more detailed instructions! :hi:
With this program, you'll be able to make big puddles, little puddles, waves of varying sizes, rain, snow, change the size, direction, etc.! The possibilities are endless! :wink:
You will need the Sqirlz program which you can download free here - http://download.cnet.com/Sqirlz-Water-Reflections/3000-2186_4-10395165.html
Here is the image I will be using. Feel free to right click and save it to your computer to use in this tutorial or use an image of your own.
http://www.mypcclinic.com/files/Linda/rain2.jpg
In your Sqirlz program, go up to "file" and then "open" and find your image and then click "open". Go to the big red Y which is the rain/snow ripples combination and put a dot in rain/snow only and then click "okay". Now click the yellow arrow to view your animation. Click the yellow arrow again to stop the animation and now let's go back and customize the settings. You would only need to do this if you want to change anything that you saw in your animation. Click on the rain option (customize rain/snow) and adjust the settings. On this, you'll have to just play around and keep checking to get familiar with what each one does. It's best to change them one at a time and then view what that did, before you change anything else. Each time after you change the settings, click the red "x" to get rid of the box and then click on the yellow arrow again to view your animation. When you have it the way you want it, just click to save it as a gif, follow the prompts and you're all done! Sometimes with my program, I actually have to click "gif" a couple of times before my save box appears.
Here's my image with the rain that I selected -
http://www.mypcclinic.com/files/Linda/rainfinished.gif
Let's experiment by adding some ring puddles. Before I saved my image and I viewed my rain, I clicked the yellow arrow to stop the animation. Look over to the left margin and click on the top box with the red egg shape. Now left click on a starting point on your image where you want puddles and drag your line. Left click to stop the line and click again to continue marking your puddle area. When you have the area completed back to your starting point, right click to enclose the area. Now go up to the big red Y (rain/snow & ripples) and put a dot in rain/snow & ring ripples and click "ok". Click the yellow arrow to view.
If you want to change the ripples, click the yellow arrow again to stop the animation and click on "customize ring ripples" and change your settings, "x" out of the box and click yellow arrow again to view. Remember you can always stop the animation and click on any of the blue customization options and keep editing your options and then click the yellow arrow to view, etc., until you have it the way you want it.
Here is our finished image with rain and puddles too -
http://www.mypcclinic.com/files/Linda/2m5kvhg.gif
On the above image, I decided to make 2 puddles which requires a little more editing. To achieve this, make your first rain/puddle animation and save it as an "AVI" file. Then load your saved AVI file using the “AVI Open” command in the File menu. Draw a new Outline around your second reflecting area. You can repeat this as many times as you like to create three, four or more reflecting areas. Each time though, you will have to save it as the AVI file and then open as instructed to apply a new outline. When you are finished, then save your image as a gif file.
Also, if you have any problems uploading your image to a hosting site, try here http://tinypic.com/ and it should upload fine! :wink:
This is just a basic introduction with one additional option (the ring puddle) to familiarize you with the program. Remember to check out their "help" section for more detailed instructions! :hi: