Curtains and Drapes 2 by Kraellin

this is one of my older filters and it never got a comment. it's also HU (high usage), which is cool. so, it never had any sample pics put with it either. and, i'm not going to do any now.

in fact, i've been remodeling this one. time for some improvements. when i originally did this one, i kind of threw the kitchen sink at it and hoped something would stick. seems it did, but that left a lot of room for improvement also. so, i've stripped out a number of things, updated the look to be more cohesive, patterned and simpler to work with. i've also added threads. getting the thread count up high enough was a bit of a trick, but it seems to work now.

so, this thread is about version 1 and version 2 (actually 2 and 3 ).

the new one isnt quite done yet, but i'm close enough to show some samples from it. so, here's a look at the new version:

#3

just showing some variety here. these may not be the final presets:

#5

curtains and drapes are often made with a more subdued look. they are considered background to a room and not meant to overwhelm. so, a lot of these, so far, are that way, more subdued.

#7

just another. let me know if the thread count on all these is too much or too little. the repeats on these components will only go so high and i had to cheat a bit to make it more.

#8

made a couple of changes. the threads shld now follow the folds a bit better.

hi steve. wondered when you'd get here

and thanks.

still working on it but it's coming along nicely. i think i'll add something to allow a lessening of the thread pattern. on some of these it's a bit much; stands out too much.

LOL..... I've gotta be honest.....that #8 sample really stands out from the rest. I would suggest making that into its' own filter with different patterns.....and I would be willing to bet that Vlad would make it an Editor's Pick

carl, thanks

frankly, this is one of those filters i never thought would go HU (version 1). it was done pretty sloppily and like you mentioned, the lead preset really shld never have been used. but, i've also come to realize this filter has more uses than i originally intended. i was just simulating a curtains and drapes type look, but it would work for any cloth material, including dresses and others, so maybe that's what got it to HU? dont really know. i'd love to have more feedback from the folks that actually use these filters. it would help us all make better filters.

steve, dont worry, i wont lose this preset or at least the capability for it. it's quite easy to do these and control doing them. i've just want to show the variety possible here.

and the other reason i wont be doing this as a separate filter, is that i've changed my reasoning on doing texture and other filters, changed my philosophy back to more the way i was originally doing them. it's not quite the 'multi-filter' philosophy, but similar in ways. i want my filters to be 'creators', 'factories', that can produce a multitude of similar looks, sizes, shapes and colors, somewhat like my 'frame forge' filter. that's a 'factory' filter. the trend around here has been almost a single look and make a filter of it and we've now got 3700 + filters competing for high use and attention. that dilutes the chances any one filter will make it to HU. it's also clumsy and inefficient in finding filters. and that's not to say there shld only be one frame filter. no. but it does mean there dont have to be 400, perhaps. a lot of the filters around could easily be combined into one 'forge' or 'factory' filter. so, right or wrong, that's what i'm going back to and i wont be spawning 10 different filters off this initial one. i may well do further versions, but that will be because i've figured out something new or want to crowbar in some more effects to the original.

the somewhat trajic part of this is, i may well take existing filters that have similar looks and condense them into single filters as a way of organising my filters and the trajic part is, those that made those filters wont get credit if and when i do this for me using their filters. and that kinda sucks. but, i REALLY need to condense or organize the filters more without just deleting a passle of them. i'm just spending way too much time just trying to FIND a given filter i know exists. so, i might take all the frame filters with a roughly similar look and combine them all into one filter and end up with just a dozen frame filters.

and yes, i know the counter-arguement is, well, then you wont be able to find that one look within just one filter, but that's never been a problem for me. remember, i made the monster which has over 200 presets besides, those presets are easier to scroll through to find what i need than going through several categories in the library.

i've been very reluctant to do this, but with almost 4000 filters in the libary, it's becoming a necessity.

so, i've currently got in mind a whole new series of 'factory/forge' filters and that's probably what you'll see mostly from me for a while.

also, please dont read any of that to mean i think that everyone shld do this same thing with their filters. i know you're going to. i know you're going to think 'he means all my glass filters', but i really dont. i can always find your filters

and here's one with seamless turned on:

Well, I was thinking of it from a perspective of you getting an Editor's Pick with it.....because it seems exactly like the type of filter that Vlad wants for it.....

Personally, I don't think the problem of the library growing to astronomical proportions is going to stop until FF starts putting some quality control and restrictions on submitted filters.....and start deleting the 'sub-optimal' low usage ones......as the only ways to raise the mean quality of filters. I also believe that FF is going to at least start deleting low usage filters pretty soon.....because the low usage tagging has obviously been stepped up into high gear lately.....it's exactly what I would do if I were running the show

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Kraellin wrote: they're already culling filters. i fairly regularly get the message about filters being removed and put into 'my filters'.

I think that is voluntry author deletion

that could be, carl. hadnt really thought about that possibility.

manon, yes, the way this filter is constructed does not lend to really bright, vivid colorings. i think that's the influence of having grown up in a home where i couldnt remember anything but rather subdued, less bright tones. and i do remember patterns in the drapes, but it was always fairly low contrast. and it seems appropriate to me, somewhat. if you paint a picture, the backgrounds tend to not be the focus of the painting. so, if you 'paint' a living room with drapes and other accoutrements, it would be the same, with drapes being part of the background.

now, that's not to say you cant get some brighter colors and patterns with this new version, but the filter lends itself more towards the other direction.

i'm surprised it's not in the library yet. just checked.

http://www.filterforge.com/filters/4523.html

it's there now. that's the link to it.