June 2012 Entry: Frozen

Thought I might participate this time since I missed the hand-drawn challenge, yet again. =\
So, this experimental piece sorta took off in its own direction... dragging me with it. Decidedly uncomfortable. I have no clue where it's taking me.

Do have one conundrum, though maybe I'll get a better answer if I post it in a different thread. The border layers had a few styles attached to them, embossing and such, that apparently don't like to be flattened into jpegs. I spent quite a bit of time to get the coastlines and border looking just right, so now I'm a bit depressed. Probably missing something obvious, but I can't see it. Any help would be fantastic! =D

### LATEST WIP ###
Attachment 45589

What software are you using? I use Gimp so not sure if I can help but I don't think I have any problems with things vanishing when I 'save as...' *.jpg

Are you trying to flatten the image into one layer before saving or just saving it as a jpeg. Also are you saving in low resolution because I've found that messes with fine details.

-D-

Thanks for replying. I'm using Photoshop cs4. I tried flatten + save, just save, copy visible to a new file. Those don't work. I've been saving at full res. 300. It is a very large file, though. Many layers, and I sized it down to 25% before I uploaded the wip.

I don't know much of the in-depth stuff that Ps can do, as I usually just stick with the brush tools and do things by hand. Maybe I'll try opening it with Gimp and saving there. Can always fall back to my by-hand strategy.

- Later -

I reopened the psd file in Ps and now it looks more like the jpeg. ??? I give up. I'll just do it by hand. At least I can wrap my head around that.

- Even Later -

I couldn't leave it alone. =} I don't like being flummoxed. I still can't get the psd-jpeg transfer to keep everything, but figured out that there is less of a difference if I switch the emboss style, etc, to an inner bevel, then create layers out of the style. Then flatten the image. Will still have to do a bit by hand, but that's better than most of it. =) I'll post another wip when I get further along. Maybe tonight.

i ususallly copy merged and paste into new layer. It keeps all effects that way

Here is a trick to try.Save the psd then Create an empty layer BELOW the layer with the Effects and then merge the layer Down Into the empty one. DO this for any STUBBORN layers then flatten the image and save to Jpg. >:)>:) Reopen your original PSD to continue editing !

Thanks, I'll try that. =)

The resizing is also screwing with your fine detailings, anything smaller than a pixels gets lost in the resizing.

-D-

Okay. I'm going to have to size down my working file anyway. The little laptop can't handle it anymore. =\

Thank you, everyone, for the advice. =) Much appreciated.

---
Here's an update.

### LATEST WIP ###
Attachment 45644

Okay, so after the computer crashed last night, and running two virus scanners and a disk defrag to fix it... Here's a, well, I'm not sure it's a wip. Experiment? Think bio-luminescent fish tank with stained glass. I kid, but that would be cool. I'm not sure I like it enough to continue. And maybe it's not extreme enough for this comp. =\

My thoughts were sort of running in the direction of a fancy light box with a satellite image overlaid to show the luminescent ocean and track the spread of these mysterious dark areas in the south. This world has a very high axial-tilt, so winters are quite dark and long. Aside from stars and nearby planets, the oceans provide the light, and heat. Hydro-thermal vents along the Mid Lumin Ridge warm things up enough to keep the coastal areas in fodder. And the Summer current flows northward as well. At the moment, this map is actually depicting springtime, when the ice sheet leaks its glacial melt-waters into the ocean, obscuring the definition of the shallower depths in the north. Land vegetation is gaining ground as the planet slowly tilts back toward the sun.

I'm directionally challenged. =\

### LATEST WIP ###
Attachment 45692