Something for the Weekend - Part 191 - Golden age of windmills

[davescm]

We see a lot of modern wind turbines these days but this windmill, in York, dates back to 1770 and was milling flour long before the houses appeared around it in the 1900's. Now restored, by volunteers in the Holgate Mill Preservation Society, it is open to visitors and does grind flour on open days.

The restorers have done an excellent job on the mill, but can you show what the scene might have looked like in its golden years of the 18th century?

The “rules”:

* Use one of the starter images 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, or bring a bit of humour and fun. Don't be shy, join in and have a go!

* The starter images are made available for you to use in this forum challenge only. Sorry to emphasise this, but the images are not for use elsewhere.

To download the image below, 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. If posting a comment on someone else’s entry then please use the grey reply button next to their image post.

Have fun.

Dave

[EuanWilliamson]

Would that be the 40% alpha channel?

[davescm]

Indeed it was Euan - although I used values between 20% and 35% for the Alpha in these layers. The technique came from the video below in which the presenter uses it for an oil paint effect :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VA2L5iHRQRI

I used several GenFill layers, , based on that technique which made the textured fills follow the contours of the original image, along with older compositing techniques such as Blend If, Blend modes as well as filters like emboss and find edges. My layer stack looks like this:

Dave

[EuanWilliamson]

Nice work Dave and thanks for the layer stack insight.

I see a lot of tips and tricks popping up on the YT.

Some interesting insights and lots of fun playing about.

Have you found the tip about the importance of the selection prior to GF?

[davescm]

I had, but until this week never put it together with the low opacity selection used in the video. I've since used it with luminosity selections and other techniques. For me, it takes Gen Fill to another level over and above drawing a shape and asking to fill with xx.

Dave

[EuanWilliamson]

Hi @davescm I have a new one for you:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-discussions/using-generative-fill-on-a-simple-ske...

[jane-e]

I looked for a "1" at the beginning, Dave, and couldn't quite see it — even with filters. It certainly makes more sense than Angel Numbers or Georgia area codes!

Jane

[davescm]

I should have made it stand out a bit more Jane. 🙂

Just for clarity I've changed the blend mode in the screenshot below to show where it is.

Dave

[jane-e]

I see it clearly now, Dave, thank you! 🤣

1770 was the same year as the Boston Massacre, where British soldiers killed five colonists in a crowd of three or four hundred who were protesting taxation without representation. Six years later we declared ourselves to be independent of England and a revolution began.

Jane

[Trevor.Dennis]

Are you still allowed to use words like Massacre Jane?  We used to have a Wairau Massacre about ten kilometres as the crow flies from my house, in which a Maori tribe killed a party of British Settlers.  They decided that was not very PC  so renamed it the Wairau Affray, but even that was hurting Maori deelings, so they renamed it again to the Wairau Affray.  Come to think of it, one of my early SFTW uploads (SFTW40) was rather relevant to that.

[jane-e]

Are you still allowed to use words like Massacre Jane? 

By @Trevor.Dennis

Good point, Trevor, but we don't seem to rename/reframe older incidents — only recent ones. The insurrectionists who stormed the Capitol on January 6, for instance, are now being called normal tourist visitors by some.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/mar/11/republicans-reframing-january-6-attack

Jane

[J E L]

And the world is like an apple whirling silently in space

Like the circles that you find

In the windmills of your mind

[davescm]

Lovely image Jain, and great use of colour.

Dave

[jane-e]

A beautiful image to illustrate a beautiful song, Jain!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKV9bK-CBXo

Jane

[J E L]

Thanks, Jane! That lyrics are so amazing in that song that I can forget to listen to the score, which is fantastic. Written by husband and wife team Alan and Marilyn Bergman (giants) with arrangement by Michel-Jean Legrand (ultra giant). I also love her version of “You Don't Have To Say You Love Me” (1966). I could do an entire thread on her alone! One of a kind and way before her time (gone too soon, breast cancer).

https://youtu.be/dvTmm0wV9SY

[Dean_Utian]

Rain clouds got worse.

[davescm]

That's a fine day in the North of England Dean 🙂

Dave

[Dean_Utian]

And here it is with global warming.

[davescm]

Ah, that's better. We have a word here for two sunny days followed by a rainstorm. We call it summer 🙂

Dave

[sandrad54]

Adding a dash of whimsy and fun

[sandrad54]

Adding a dash of whimsy and fun

[davescm]

Welcome to SFTW Sandra. A new kennel and a form of transport for the dog 🙂

Dave

[sandrad54]

Yes Fido is very happy LOL a fun edit, thanks for the challenge.

[Dean_Utian]

And is there a giant bird somewhere too? 🙂

[sandrad54]

LOL no I refrained from "throwing" one in 🙂

[Trevor.Dennis]

This is currently my favourite bit of music.  I used Gen Fill for the water and reflection, but the rest was reconstructed, and probably the most time I have spent on a SFTW upload.