How to melt something

[fluffybunny]

How to make an object appear to be melting,…

This can be done in either Gimp or PS I believe.

The essence is this (my composition but not my technique, props to teh googles, especially http://www.itexpert.net/photoshop-applying-melting-effect-to-an-object/):

1) Photograph the (art glass) tulip in high key with a soft box to minimize shadows.

2) Run some chocolate syrup along the edge of a white card and put it vertically and at the desired horizontal angle in front of another white card, photograph in same lighting. (many takes here to get the timing right and capture “just the right drips”).

3) High contrast syrup is easily isolated in PS/Gimp (and contains the necessary reflections) .

4) Sample the tulip for color palette and apply to syrup (browns are now greens or reds)

5) Layer and warp as needed to get “drips” aligned and masked. (I used an isolated copy of just the tulip as a top layer to cover the top edges of the syrups, four layers in total: 2x syrup, 1x “tulip only” and background as the original tulip against white)

6) Drop shadows to taste.

7) Fin.

Background:

Tulip as a layer:

Drips processed as a layer:

One set of original drips:

Final product:

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