[Steve Blakeman]

Does anyone know of any computer software that can make pumpkin patterns out of photos?

Thanks!

[CombichristGirl]

the only thing i know of is photoshop and some tweaking or similar program. try to make sure u have a high contrast photo as it will make it easier:)

[GUS]

Try search options on the site for archived threads, you'll find em!

[Ajax]

I would suggest to start in Illustrator and finish in photoshop for the best results. I'm not sure what Ryan uses I think he has some kind of custom software.

[GUS]

How detailed are you going to go for your site Steven? ..as it's a long curve (as Ryan would tell you) ..why don't you get a headstart on your site by buying in some pattern designs whilst you practice in order that your own site doesn't miss out on all those hits!

..there's alot of Crud out there, which is why we are at home here, & at stoney's Jp's & the like..

The other thing is "printer friendly greyscale infills" ..so you don't suck the ink out of a printer each time only to cut those bits out later.

What sort of thing are you planning ultimately?, I had a nose round your site a few days back.

[badgers]

Does anyone know of any computer software that can make pumpkin patterns out of photos?

Thanks!

Here's a site that may be what you're looking for, haven't tried it but wanted too.


http://www.canucarve.com/index.html

[sodajazz]

I wouldn't bother with that site some folk got stung and paid but never got what they should have, plus they didn't respond to emails.

[badgers]

I wouldn't bother with that site some folk got stung and paid but never got what they should have, plus they didn't respond to emails.

Well then I'm certainly glad I didn't try it then......I'll stick with Zombie Pumpkins

[GUS]

Perhaps Steve blakeman could buy some designs from Ryan, that way they are up there for Halloween season for his pumpkin related site (a kind of pumpkin patch locator currently) ..by a regocnised pro-stencil maker!

[Zombie Pumpkins!]

Illustrator and Photoshop are the professional tools of my trade. I do most of my pattern drawing "by hand" so they have my own district stylization and don't look "traced."

I know there are some supposed pattern making programs out there, but none can be perfect. As I've said before, making a well structured pattern is as much science and it is art. Any program that has a button to click for an instant stencil... there are bound to be some flawed areas, because the software can't take into account gravity and physics.

Not to imply that it's the most complicated thing in the world. But I know I put a lot of thought into my designs, and the best stencils are probably those that were made by a human with carving experience.

[Ajax]

That is very cool that you do some of it by hand. I do look at other pumpkin carving sites and look at certain areas on there patterns and think that is going to be a weak spot. I was even a member of a couple of sites last year and some other people i carved with didn't choose zombie patterns and there patterns were falling apart on them even though they were nice patterns on paper.

That is also inspiration for people who don't have knowledge of Illustrator or photoshop to free hand it. I actually may try to do that this year just for fun to see what I can come up with. You should start a contest for best user created pattern.

[Paperjane9]

I dug out all my info/patterns/books from past carves today and found where I had printed info on creating patterns. Not sure if this will be helpful for you Steve, or even if you are still checking the forum, but here it is anyway:

http://wls.wwco.com/garden/patterns.html

[Zombie Pumpkins!]

That is very cool that you do some of it by hand.

My first two patterns ever were actually drawn directly on paper with pencil. This was Bono and Rob Zombie. These days I still start by sketching with my hands, but I use a Wacom graphics tablet which allows me to draw directly on the screen (well on the tablet, but the drawing shows up on the screen). I draw in Photoshop, and then clean up the lines with Illustrator. But I got my start on plain old paper.

I was even a member of a couple of sites last year and some other people i carved with didn't choose zombie patterns and there patterns were falling apart on them even though they were nice patterns on paper.

That's nice of you to point out Ajax. I try to keep the lines in my patterns fairly thick, and with gravity and shriveling in mind, have plenty of connector parts in my designs. If people carve my designs and others, I hope my efforts show in the results. The proof is in the pumpkin pudding. I aim for patterns that are easy to carve, look impressive, and won't easily break or shrivel up quickly.

[Dr. Frybrain]

I use Paint Shop Pro, and usually start by converting the photo to greyscale. Then all I do is increase the contrast, and decrease the brightness, until I get it close.

Then I print it out, and trace over it by hand.

[St0ney]

My Programs of Choice for pattern making is also Adobe Products.
I use Photoshop and Illustrator Mainly.
Acrobat to PDF Cut-out Patterns

The Programs (button clicks) Help get me about a 3rd there.

I then Basically re-draw the entire Image by hand.
No Matter what the settings are in these programs,

They always leave out details and highlights.
Which I then Hand Draw in.

Now I have to admit something here, for it's a huge Pet Peeve of mine. (because it undermines the amount of work I put into the patterns on my site.)

I hate the fact that most people think there is this Magic software,
or that I (we - the pattern sites) Have Special Software that we had Programmed / Designed. For this little statement, takes away all the hard work, skill, artistic ability and decisions that went into creating the patterns.

St0ney's List of Pumpkin related Pet Peevs
1) Special Software to make patterns
2) Spending 4 hours on a foam pumpkin (then hear Oh it's Fake).
3) People looking at the tools I use, And say oh it's the Special tools he uses.

What I give back on #3 is if you load my shop up with every tool and machine used by Norm Abrams - I still could not make the Furniture he creates. - LOL (i.e. there is Skill involved).


"Most" of the patterns on my site take a minimal of a hour or two.
Some I have spent well over 4 hours creating one pattern.
(I'm not talking about toons - they take about 15 minutes)

Here's an Example: Michelangelo's Pietà
This Pattern Took me around 4 or 5 hours to create.




My Site Does Offer tons of patterns, Along with the tons of patterns, Was an "extreme" amount of Work involved.

There are other shaded Pattern Sites out there, that offer tons of patterns also. But if you look at these patterns, most of the detail is lost. Because the Software is doing 90% of the work.

One thing I take pride in is how clean the finished product /pattern is. It's clean for only one reason, I sit there and redraw every single line and shape. (by Hand) There's not one pixel on the pattern that I did not go over, re-draw or touch-up.

Now - I also want to say, that I could make the patterns even cleaner then they are now, (making them PNG format).
I would prefer to go with PNG, but then I will run into issue's with folks not having the software to open and print PNG files.

So I stick with the common GIF format.


So the Cliffnote Version of this Post:
There is no magic Software - LOL