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James J Lemon Graphics
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surfPPC HowTo 004

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surfPPC Tutorial No. 4
ArtMatic©
These programs are a very nice complement to surfPPC. With them, it is easy to quickly generate fantastic patterns, but in a pretty controlled and reliable fashion. Save the small preferences preset files and you can come back and regenerate the giant renderings again and again.
Unlike the KPT texture Explorer which I also recommend, the presets are very editable and easily tweaked. Endlessly tweaked in my particular case. I can quickly and easily request and recieve a pattern containing particular colors, textures, patterns and frequency content. For example, something like wood or stone, but at the same time patterned like a chain link fence. These images are fun and enjoyable already - but often after surfPPC renderin are truly stunning with the added suggestion of depth, it's another way to enjoy the output.
Later you discover you can preconcieve a surfPPC design and then working backwards to the heights and colors, go and create it directly, say a big round stage made of fur with gold and ruby cubes at the corners.... hmmm!!!
The only prerequisite is a utility to convert PICT images to BMP format for surfPPC to open.
Use ArtMatic© or ArtMatic Pro© to make an image and save it as a matching presets file and rendered PICT file.
Use GraphicConverter© or PhotoShop© to convert the image to .BMP format
Use surfPPC© to open the .BMP file.
Render.
To save disk space you can safely toss the PICT and BMP files because (with some effort) they can be regenerated from the presets.
Examples
Make an image in Artmatic© and save as a PICT file

1
Detail 128x128
The PICT file used as input
Looks promising...
Convert to BMP format using PhotoShop© or GraphicConverter©.
Open surfPPC©
Type b to set background to black or open preferences with o
Open with o

2
Detail 128x128
Rendered on the plane, normal view
Picking up some relief....
Space bar to render on a plane
Accent-grave (`) to save image to a BMP file. Open and process using other software.

3
Detail 128x128
After treatment and blending with Painter©
Some detail lost but not all (look at lower left corner)...

4
Final image, 2048x2048
Maybe not that great, but it demonstrates the use of Painter©'s cloning to further accentuate the "feel" of the surface.