Trading tips for gutting, transferring, and carving the real thing.
By manicmarauder88
#7982
I was wondering if anyone had any tips for making stencils from photos. I've only managed to find a couple of not particularly useful tips online and I'm hoping that someone here can help me out!
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By CorpseBride
#7983
I'm sure Ryan can answer this better than me. But as for myself I use a wonderful program called Adobe Illustrator...it takes some practice but once you nail the tools you need to use you can make some great stuff!
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By Mister_JP
#8020
I also use Illustrator to create patterns. I even posted a tutorial on another site. I could either post it here, or give a link to the original, however, I will wait to get the green light from Ryan before doing so.
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By Dans banana Loafcake
#8021
I full endorse JP's tutorials they were what helped me and speeded up my stencil marking, theres some great tips on it. Illustrator and Photoshop are both very powerful tools once you master (or like me semi master) their features.

Two main points are patience and having the right image to use as inspiration. With out that even the most accomplished stencil maker will strugle.

Dan
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By Zombie Pumpkins!
#8121
Mister_JP wrote:I also use Illustrator to create patterns. I even posted a tutorial on another site. I could either post it here, or give a link to the original, however, I will wait to get the green light from Ryan before doing so.
I'll save ya the trouble ;-) Cut-Out Tutorial Using Adobe Illustrator

My full process is a bit different though (which is why I'd rather link to your tutorial than post it here, lest it be considered THE officially endorsed ZP technique). But I do certainly agree that Adobe Illustrator is a must for the nice smooth lines.

A lot of it comes from practice and experience. Besides the fact that Illustrator's Pen tool takes some getting used to, it also helps to have designed and carved a lot of pumpkins. You get a feeling for what works and doesn't work, and the patterns start to come more naturally.

Looking at my earlier patterns, I see some weaknesses (such as areas that are a bit too thin or not well supported). I've actually altered some of these designs to improve them. Do you have an old printout of "Dr. Pumpkinstein", "ZP Logo", "Eye of Newt" or "Dementia the Clown"? You might want to print an updated copy.

I can also say that when basing a stencil on a photo, it's temping to just trace exactly what you see. But that doesn't always equal a good carving pattern. As with most art forms, sometimes you need to draw what "looks right" rather than what is really there.

Whenever possible, I aim to make my designs easy to carve, structurally sound, and long lasting. The last thing I want is for my patrons to get frustrated because their pumpkin broke apart while carving or wilted within a few hours. That's why I will stylize/simplify some areas. Plus, that allows my patterns have more of my own artistic style, rather than simply look like a traced photo.

The real method to my madness? Practice, sketch paper, pencils, blood, sweat, tears, Photopshop, Illustrator, Flash, a Wacom tablet, magic glasses, voodoo chants, a full moon and a horde of Zombie Pumpkins breathing down my neck. :twisted:
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By Dadja
#8124
zombiepumpkins wrote:Do you have an old printout of "Dr. Pumpkinstein", "ZP Logo", "Eye of Newt" or "Dementia the Clown"? You might want to print an updated copy.
Dammit you! Are those the only ones that have changed? Because I really don't feel like checking every print I have... Although they are collector items now :lol:
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By Zombie Pumpkins!
#8126
Well I seem to remember that I also tweaked "Heads Up!", "Dracula Burns", and "Jim Morrison" at some point. Other patterns have been phased out entirely, or taken down for "maintanance." This collection of patterns is always growing and evolving.
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By Dadja
#8128
zombiepumpkins wrote:Well I seem to remember that I also tweaked "Heads Up!", "Dracula Burns", and "Jim Morrison" at some point. Other patterns have been phased out entirely, or taken down for "maintanance." This collection of patterns is always growing and evolving.
Can't find any difference for the heads up one. So I guess I don't have the original one for that :p

So what do you think these 'first editions' may be worth in about ten years? :lol:
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By Mister_JP
#8138
In response to Ryan:

Yeah Illustrator has been described to me when I was a student as "a bottomless pit of techniques and means to an end." So its no doubt that you do things a tad differently. I've been using AI as a student and professionally for more than 10 years, and there are still plenty of tools I have not even used, much less mastered. BUT the pen tool is my personal &!?¢# that I put to work for me.

Experience is definately the best teacher. You can read a hunderd different tutorials and still come up with a crappy end result, or a pattern that just don't work. Hey, like I mentioned in the tutorial, sometimes you just have to dump the whole thing and start over.

Looking back ant some of my earlier ones, I probably should tweak them and repost too, but so far I haven't had anyone state that they completely failed trying to carve one of mine. Some are definately harder than others, however. I have seen plenty of carvers that are looking for a challenge, so why not give them one? (I have a few doozies in the works)

I'll have tio admit that I never thought about magic glasses, voodoo or an evil horde, but I'm sure those are extermely helpful! [runs out to get stick-pins and voodoo doll]
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By CorpseBride
#8181
Mister_JP wrote:In response to Ryan:

Yeah Illustrator has been described to me when I was a student as "a bottomless pit of techniques and means to an end." So its no doubt that you do things a tad differently. I've been using AI as a student and professionally for more than 10 years, and there are still plenty of tools I have not even used, much less mastered. BUT the pen tool is my personal &!?¢# that I put to work for me.

Experience is definately the best teacher. You can read a hunderd different tutorials and still come up with a crappy end result, or a pattern that just don't work. Hey, like I mentioned in the tutorial, sometimes you just have to dump the whole thing and start over.
You took the words right out of my mouth. I went to art school for 4 years. They taught me every little single tool that program holds...but even now I only use a select few of them on regular basis.