Knowing how to use masks

browj2 wrote on 11/6/2014, 9:59 AM

Hi Michael,

Congratulations on your purchase!

My computer is out of action for at least one more day while I remodel my office so I can't help you right now.

As you saw from my messages, I did just what you want to do. When I get back on the computer I will give you a step by step as to how I did the skin touch up using both the organic mask and the hard mask together within Pixelan SmartBlur Pro.

In the meantime, try out the various parameters to see what they do. Take notes and keep in a project anything that you do that you want to keep for later use. Then you can always go back to see how you did it. The parameters are always available.

Time to finish my coffee and get back to putting together the other 500 pieces of my new desk.

Regards,

johnebaker wrote on 11/6/2014, 1:00 PM

Hi Michael

See this tutorial (V2) - it should get you going with masks and blurring.

John

browj2 wrote on 11/12/2014, 11:59 AM

Hi Michael,

The effect that I mentioned that does the skin touch up like the New Blue effect only better is Pixelan Smart Blur Pro, not Blur Pro. Blur Pro does not have the same tools.

I am working on a tuturial as to how to do this in Smart Blur Pro. Hopefully it will be done by tomorrow. I will give yuo a preview as soon as I can. I will probably have 3 parts: Intro and basic shape mask; Skin smoothing with shape and organic masks; keyframing.

michaelblountemail wrote on 11/12/2014, 3:22 PM

OK John

Thanks for that.

Blur Pro is good though, been using it in my new video..

Looking forward to watching your tuturial.

Is this what you do for a living your very good at it.

Michael

browj2 wrote on 11/14/2014, 12:01 AM

Hi Michael,

Thank you for the kind words. I'm a semi-retired Civil Engineer, after having spent most of my carreer involved in hydro projects in Canada and around the world. Video is now a major pass-time as I try to catch up on many years of taking photos, 8mm and Super8mm film, and video, and not having completed much in the way of final output.

Regards,

browj2 wrote on 11/30/2014, 4:12 PM

Hi Michael,

At long last I finished part 1 of the Pixelan Smart Blur Pro tutorials. It includes an introduction to the tool, blur parameters and how to use shape masks included in the tool. The second tutorial will go on to skin smoothing, and the use of the included organic mask, as well as a combination of the organic and shape masks. The third tutorial will cover keyframing of the parameters and masks using Smart Blur Pro.

I will be sending this to Magix for publishing so if you manage to take a look and see anything that is wrong or incomprehensible, please let me know.

Here is the link to the Dropbox version.

michaelblountemail wrote on 12/1/2014, 7:14 AM

Hi John

That is a brilliant tutorial, you make it easy to understand, it will be a great help to me and I'm sure to lots of other people out there.

I like Pixelan I have: Smart Blur Pro, 3D six pack, Creative Ease, and they are good value for the money, a company that gets back to you within a day if you have a problerm.

Anyway thank you again look forward to your next tutorials.

Michael

browj2 wrote on 12/9/2014, 1:57 PM

Hi Michael,

Here is my latest effort, part 2 showing how to smooth skin. I will be sending it to Magix for publishing.

Please let me know if there is something that you don't understand.

browj2 wrote on 12/12/2014, 7:49 AM

Hi Michael,

Both tutorials have been published under the tutorials tab so I'll be removing the links to the Dropbox files. If I have time, the third tutorial about key framing should be out by next Friday. I'll let you know.

browj2 wrote on 12/18/2014, 9:06 AM

Hi Michael,

Part 3 of my Smart Blur Pro tutorials showing key framing has now been published in the Tutorials part. I am now going to delete the Dropbox link to the other 2 videos.

Regards,