Those Grids - How?

Hi there - im pretty new to photoshop - and dont know many techniques - but i thought this would be the best forum.

OK, you know how you see all these digital images these days - with things bursting out from no where etc - and they are really nice. And, if you look deep into the picture, there is nearly always a grid - which has varying alpha levels throuout - how is this made - i just want a grid - but with different alpha's throughout the grid.




regards,
Neil.

p.s. - i have photoshop 6

Easy way: make your grid, then create a new layer over it and run the clouds filter. Blur it some, then play with it's layer modes till you get the effect you want with the grid.

Chris

for some reason I think the question was more "How do you make the gird itself?"

if so....

take this .gif file and open it in photoshop:


when it opens [CTR] + [A]

then >edit>define pattern....name the pattern "10px grid"

now make you a new document whatever size you want....

go >edit>fill select "pattern" and select your "10px grid"

click "ok"

tahdah....a grid......

NOW do what Fig suggested.

well - it was a bit of both really - thanks for your replies - ill maybe post my final version..........



Regards,
Neil.

what am i running the clouds filter on - when i create my new layer, above the grid - and run the render>clouds - i just get white.


Neil.

on the layer pallet , with the grid layer selected....there are some tiny checkboxes.....check the one that says "lock transparent pixels" when hovered over...

then it will just apply to the grid itself.


sorry I didn't catch that before you pulled all your hair out.

well I guess you can start by making a 10 by 10 file (make sure the backround is set to transparent). Use the line tool (it looks something like this \ ), if you dont see it look into one of the sub menus by holding down on the tools with the arrows in the lower right corners. once you find the tool that looks like this \, depending on which version you have, there will be properties to either your top, or in a window. Make sure you have anti-aliasing DISABLED for the cleanest grid and dont forget your forground color should be black. Set the line's weight to 1, and use the line tool on the sides to make it look like this:

_|

-in other words you fill the right edge, and the bottom edge. After that go to select->all and then go to edit->define pattern. Once you have the pattern you go to an image you want, say... 500 by 500 pixels and select the paint bucket tool (if you dont see it look for the gradient tool and hold down on it to bring up a submenu, there you will see teh paint bucket tool). Before you do anythingg else lets see what you have done.

1. Created a 10x10 image file
2. Used the lines to fill in 2 sides of the image file.
3. Selected the whole thing and turned it into a pattern by going to edit->define pattern
4. created a new image file (or switched to a previous one).

--------------------------------

after this select the paint bucket tool and find the submenu in which you can choose to fill something in with a color, or a pattern. Choose pattern and look for the pattern that looks like the one you made (remember it looks like this? _| )
Now you are ready to make your grid, fill in the picture, and there you have it! a nice grid. it should look somethin like this
_ _ _
|_|_|_|
|_|_|_|
|_|_|_|

once you have your grid select it (ctrl click the layer it is on). create a new layer and hide the other one. Remember you still have the selection of the grid. Select the gradient tool and set it to the transparent. Press the D key to switch to the default colors, make sure the forground is black. Create the gradient at any angle you want, and you should have a grid with different alphas. For example, if you created a gradient at a diagnol angle your grid would look something like:
_ _ _
|_|_|_
|_|_
|_

where the grid fades as your eye moves to the lower right.
That should be it.. unless I was a complete idiot and totally read your post wrong hehe

The best way is to use a layer mask, that way you can alter the alpha of the grid in any way you want either with gradients or the airbrush tool, and its completely editable.

Can u explain this in a little more detail?

thanks,
Neil.

hiya

new member, great site,

i also would love to learn the mystery of the grid and just wanna say thanks to within for that nice explination.

cheers