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davescm
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June 20, 2025
Question

Something for the Weekend - Part 243 - Stoned!

  • June 20, 2025
  • 39 replies
  • 6921 views

Hi,
Thanks to Trevor for creating our last 'Smörgåsbord' challenge, and thanks to all who took part in it. There were some very clever, and imaginative, images.

 

For this week's starter image, we have these pebbles on a beach. You could use them as a background, a pattern, a texture, or cut them out and use them as indidividual objects. How far will your creativity take you?

 

The “rules”:

  • Use the starter image as at least part of your own image entry.
  • Anything goes, as long as it meets the forum rules on decency, copyright, etc.
  • Anyone, and everyone, is welcome to have a go, whether you are a complete beginner or a Photoshop expert. This is not just for our forum “regulars”.
  • There are no prizes apart from the chance to practice, show off your skills, or bring a bit of humor and fun. Don't be shy, join in and have a go!
  • The starter image is made available for you to use in this forum challenge only.

 

To download the starter image, hover over the image and click on the circle with the arrows at the top right. Then, when the image opens in its own window, right click and choose “Save Image As/Save Target As” (or similar depending on your browser).

 

 

When posting back your image — please use the blue reply button in this first post and use the 'Insert Photos' icon at the top of the reply box. If posting a comment on someone else’s entry, then please use the grey reply button next to their image post.

 

Have fun!

 

Dave

 

39 replies

Brad @ Roaring Mouse
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July 1, 2025

davescm
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davescmCommunity ExpertAuthor
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July 1, 2025

Nice idea and nicely done, Brad. 🙂
Dave

Brad @ Roaring Mouse
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July 1, 2025

Thanks! i wasn't even "stoned"!

 

Michelle Chocolita
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June 30, 2025

 

davescm
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davescmCommunity ExpertAuthor
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July 1, 2025

That would make a very colourful beach, Michelle. 🙂
Dave

Monika Gause
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June 30, 2025

 

Water image by Killy Ridols - Patagonia, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10275490

Trevor.Dennis
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June 30, 2025

Hah!  Excellent Monika.  Now we are all wondering, how did I not think to do this?

I'm going to try and remember this as an example of what a wet rock looks like.  It's all down to those strong highlights.  Your homework for today is to take one of Dave's rocks (an unfortunate phrase 😞 ) and make it look wet.

Monika Gause
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June 30, 2025

If the top of the rock gets wet at this, then you lose, Trevor.

Trevor.Dennis
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June 28, 2025

 

I really tried to do this with Photoshop, but it was a nightmare.  So I did the effects in AE and put them together with Photoshop.

davescm
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June 30, 2025

Nice job Trevor. I like the way you started with the folds prior to the kaleidoscope.

Dave

Community Expert
June 27, 2025

Hard Rock life

Trevor.Dennis
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June 28, 2025

This one made me hungry for a big greasy burger and fries, with a caramel milkshake and triple scoops of icecream. 

AlanGilbertson
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June 27, 2025

Say Hello to My Little Friend

AlanGilbertson
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June 27, 2025

All Washed Up

@mj
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July 2, 2025

Quite the balancing act!

AlanGilbertson
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June 27, 2025

The Startled Surfer

I took you at your word, Dave. Photoshop to material to object in Stager,  back to Photoshop and composited using Substance 3D Viewer. Two variations coming up.

davescm
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June 30, 2025

I like it Alan and it's great to see the 3D apps being used in SFTW.

Dave

Trevor.Dennis
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July 2, 2025
quote

I like it Alan and it's great to see the 3D apps being used in SFTW.

Dave


By @davescm

 

Oh wow.  I was thinking how realistic it looked, but did not realise it was a Substance render.  Would that be less complicated than Blender renders, or is it the same process?  In the last week I feel like I have worked out basic After Effects for the Kaleidoscope, did some basic animations with Animate — but I'm not so sure about that as I think it is all vector.  I also had a play with Adobe Express after discovering that's were the Firefly Text Effects had disappeared to.  It even still had the last text I'd done with Firefly.  It's a job to keep up. 😞  The other thing I have been doing is swapping to video timelines in Photoshop, and I can't see me going back to frame animations — Photoshop is more capable than I realised regards video.  We have said it a bunch of times, Dave's SFTW threads are a effective Adobe app teaching aid.  You have an idea, and you'll do whatever it takes to make it happen. 

Yss12345
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June 27, 2025

davescm
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June 27, 2025

The blue stone is there to distract our attention. You've hidden lots of objects amongst the other stones. I like it 🙂

Dave

Trevor.Dennis
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July 2, 2025

It's like Cluedo, except I am not sure how Colonel Mustard would murder anyone with a snail. 

Participating Frequently
June 26, 2025

Yeah thats nice...

JR Boulay
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Community Expert
June 25, 2025

Footprint

 

Acrobate du PDF, InDesigner et Photoshopographe
Trevor.Dennis
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June 26, 2025

If toe-prints are unique in the same way that fingerprints are, then you could use your big toe to unlock your MacBook.  Bad people would never think to use your toe.  😉

Participating Frequently
June 28, 2025

Nice result.....