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davescm
Community Expert
Community Expert
October 24, 2025
Question

Something for the Weekend - Part 252 - Double, Double Toil and Trouble!

  • October 24, 2025
  • 34 replies
  • 3674 views

Thanks to all who put forward their interpretations of last weeks Lemon and Lime starter image. There were some great ideas and great translation of those ideas into images.

During the two week period of this challenge, we have Halloween coming up. I got to thinking of Shakespeare's witches in Macbeth chanting 'Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn and cauldron bubble'. So, I've built a cauldron scene in Blender 3D using a fluid simulation for the fire and smoke, textured it in Adobe Substance Painter and finished the rendered image in Photoshop adding the moon surface from a NASA image.. What can you now do to bring it to life? For those that enjoy some realism, it poses challenges with the lighting, from the fire, and also the retention of the smoke and steam in front of any mid ground subjects. For other styles - just go for it. 🙂

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”.
  • The challenge is not limited to Photoshop. Any Adobe software can be used. 
  • 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

34 replies

Christelle RD
Community Expert
Community Expert
October 24, 2025

The Cauldron of Merlin and his owl ✨
He is developing a recipe to defeat the evil spirits of Halloween.

 

davescm
Community Expert
davescmCommunity ExpertAuthor
Community Expert
October 24, 2025

I like the spell book on the rock - it's a nice touch. 🙂
Dave

Christelle RD
Community Expert
Community Expert
October 25, 2025

Thanks Dave 😊 
I struggle a lot with Archimed, I had to turn it white to be seen and couldn't make him look realistic ...

Jacob Bugge
Community Expert
Community Expert
October 24, 2025

 

 

Click to get closer, Click again to get closer still

davescm
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davescmCommunity ExpertAuthor
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October 24, 2025

Great use of the previous challenge's lime, Jacob. It makes a nice change from a pumpkin. 🙂
Dave

Jacob Bugge
Community Expert
Community Expert
October 24, 2025

Thank you very much, Dave.

 

EuanWilliamson
Community Expert
Community Expert
October 24, 2025

Not in the original recipe but a great substitute for eye of newt

 

Best regards, Euan.
davescm
Community Expert
davescmCommunity ExpertAuthor
Community Expert
October 24, 2025

Haha, best place for him, although he seems to be enjoying it in there! 🙂
Dave

jane-e
Community Expert
Community Expert
October 24, 2025

This render is exquisite, Dave, and perfect for Halloween! Could you please show us what I call the "skeleton" (from Blender)?

 

For scale, how tall is the cauldron?

 

Jane

davescm
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davescmCommunity ExpertAuthor
Community Expert
October 24, 2025

Thanks Jane.
The cauldron is 0.835m tall (32.9 inches for those in the US). 
The model in Blender is shown below:

 

Dave