Mailing List Archive: MythTV: Theming

How would I create a vignette effect with fanart?

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asherml at gmail

Sep 24, 2009, 4:48 AM

Post #1 of 7 (2253 views)
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How would I create a vignette effect with fanart?

I'm interested in creating a similar effect as the vignette version of
the fanart on thetvdb.com (e.g. http://thetvdb.com/banners/fanart/vignette/73739-34.jpg)
. It seems like the best idea, however, is to download the full sized
fanart and then use MythUI to create the vignette. That way the theme
can decide whether and what type of vignette to use.

Could it be done just with a single imagetype using a mask file? Or
is a mask file only useful for cropping? The mask attribute
description is:

mask allows a second image to be set to alpha-mask the original. This
is a black and transparent image of identical size to the imagetype
area, where black is visible and transparent will be masked. This
allows for smooth edges and exotic shapes to your image. Masks cannot
be resized or scaled.

The usage of "alpha-mask" implies I could get varying level of
transparancy, but the later portion of the description seems to imply
only black and transparent are relevant.

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robert.mcnamara at gmail

Sep 24, 2009, 7:04 AM

Post #2 of 7 (2147 views)
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Re: How would I create a vignette effect with fanart? [In reply to]

On Thu, Sep 24, 2009 at 4:48 AM, David Asher <asherml [at] gmail> wrote:
> I'm interested in creating a similar effect as the vignette version of the
> fanart on thetvdb.com (e.g.
> http://thetvdb.com/banners/fanart/vignette/73739-34.jpg). It seems like the
> best idea, however, is to download the full sized fanart and then use MythUI
> to create the vignette. That way the theme can decide whether and what type
> of vignette to use.
>
> Could it be done just with a single imagetype using a mask file? Or is a
> mask file only useful for cropping? The mask attribute description is:
>
> mask allows a second image to be set to alpha-mask the original. This is a
> black and transparent image of identical size to the imagetype area, where
> black is visible and transparent will be masked. This allows for smooth
> edges and exotic shapes to your image. Masks cannot be resized or scaled.
>
> The usage of "alpha-mask" implies I could get varying level of transparancy,
> but the later portion of the description seems to imply only black and
> transparent are relevant.

Why not just try it?

Yes, a mask will work fine for your purposes.

Robert
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asherml at gmail

Sep 24, 2009, 7:17 AM

Post #3 of 7 (2142 views)
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Re: How would I create a vignette effect with fanart? [In reply to]

On Sep 24, 2009, at 10:04 AM, Robert McNamara wrote:

> On Thu, Sep 24, 2009 at 4:48 AM, David Asher <asherml [at] gmail>
> wrote:
>> I'm interested in creating a similar effect as the vignette version
>> of the
>> fanart on thetvdb.com (e.g.
>> http://thetvdb.com/banners/fanart/vignette/73739-34.jpg). It seems
>> like the
>> best idea, however, is to download the full sized fanart and then
>> use MythUI
>> to create the vignette. That way the theme can decide whether and
>> what type
>> of vignette to use.
>>
>> Could it be done just with a single imagetype using a mask file?
>> Or is a
>> mask file only useful for cropping? The mask attribute description
>> is:
>>
>> mask allows a second image to be set to alpha-mask the original.
>> This is a
>> black and transparent image of identical size to the imagetype
>> area, where
>> black is visible and transparent will be masked. This allows for
>> smooth
>> edges and exotic shapes to your image. Masks cannot be resized or
>> scaled.
>>
>> The usage of "alpha-mask" implies I could get varying level of
>> transparancy,
>> but the later portion of the description seems to imply only black
>> and
>> transparent are relevant.
>
> Why not just try it?
>
> Yes, a mask will work fine for your purposes.

Because I like to overthink things...

I guess I also don't understand image transparency. In my head black
is a color, transparent is an alpha level. I guess my real question
is: what attribute in the mask image implies 50% transparency? A 50%
gray pixel? Something else? Does the wiki mean opaque is visible?

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robert.mcnamara at gmail

Sep 24, 2009, 7:20 AM

Post #4 of 7 (2145 views)
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Re: How would I create a vignette effect with fanart? [In reply to]

On Thu, Sep 24, 2009 at 7:17 AM, David Asher <asherml [at] gmail> wrote:
>
> On Sep 24, 2009, at 10:04 AM, Robert McNamara wrote:
>
>> On Thu, Sep 24, 2009 at 4:48 AM, David Asher <asherml [at] gmail> wrote:
>>>
>>> I'm interested in creating a similar effect as the vignette version of
>>> the
>>> fanart on thetvdb.com (e.g.
>>> http://thetvdb.com/banners/fanart/vignette/73739-34.jpg). It seems like
>>> the
>>> best idea, however, is to download the full sized fanart and then use
>>> MythUI
>>> to create the vignette. That way the theme can decide whether and what
>>> type
>>> of vignette to use.
>>>
>>> Could it be done just with a single imagetype using a mask file? Or is a
>>> mask file only useful for cropping? The mask attribute description is:
>>>
>>> mask allows a second image to be set to alpha-mask the original. This is
>>> a
>>> black and transparent image of identical size to the imagetype area,
>>> where
>>> black is visible and transparent will be masked. This allows for smooth
>>> edges and exotic shapes to your image. Masks cannot be resized or scaled.
>>>
>>> The usage of "alpha-mask" implies I could get varying level of
>>> transparancy,
>>> but the later portion of the description seems to imply only black and
>>> transparent are relevant.
>>
>> Why not just try it?
>>
>> Yes, a mask will work fine for your purposes.
>
> Because I like to overthink things...
>
> I guess I also don't understand image transparency. In my head black is a
> color, transparent is an alpha level. I guess my real question is: what
> attribute in the mask image implies 50% transparency? A 50% gray pixel?
> Something else? Does the wiki mean opaque is visible?

50% opacity = a black pixel at 50% transparency (which will appear
gray, but is not gray)

Robert
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asherml at gmail

Sep 24, 2009, 7:29 AM

Post #5 of 7 (2147 views)
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Re: How would I create a vignette effect with fanart? [In reply to]

On Sep 24, 2009, at 10:20 AM, Robert McNamara wrote:

>> I guess I also don't understand image transparency. In my head
>> black is a
>> color, transparent is an alpha level. I guess my real question is:
>> what
>> attribute in the mask image implies 50% transparency? A 50% gray
>> pixel?
>> Something else? Does the wiki mean opaque is visible?
>
> 50% opacity = a black pixel at 50% transparency (which will appear
> gray, but is not gray)

Ah, that makes MUCH more sense. Thanks for answering the beginner
question. I've done lots of programming, but due to lack of artistic
skill I've never done anything resembling graphic art.

Your pointer to the Inkscape tutorials made me want to give it a try.

stuart at tase

Sep 24, 2009, 9:21 AM

Post #6 of 7 (2132 views)
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Re: How would I create a vignette effect with fanart? [In reply to]

On Thursday 24 Sep 2009 12:48:16 David Asher wrote:
> I'm interested in creating a similar effect as the vignette version of
> the fanart on thetvdb.com (e.g.
> http://thetvdb.com/banners/fanart/vignette/73739-34.jpg) . It seems like
> the best idea, however, is to download the full sized fanart and then use
> MythUI to create the vignette. That way the theme can decide whether and
> what type of vignette to use.

Something like http://miffteevee.co.uk/imagebin/filmstrip_browser.png ?
Ok, I guess that's not a vignette, since it's the whole image but the fade at
the left edge uses masking.
--
Stuart Morgan
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asherml at gmail

Sep 24, 2009, 10:53 AM

Post #7 of 7 (2126 views)
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Re: How would I create a vignette effect with fanart? [In reply to]

On Sep 24, 2009, at 12:21 PM, Stuart Morgan wrote:

> On Thursday 24 Sep 2009 12:48:16 David Asher wrote:
>> I'm interested in creating a similar effect as the vignette version
>> of
>> the fanart on thetvdb.com (e.g.
>> http://thetvdb.com/banners/fanart/vignette/73739-34.jpg) . It
>> seems like
>> the best idea, however, is to download the full sized fanart and
>> then use
>> MythUI to create the vignette. That way the theme can decide
>> whether and
>> what type of vignette to use.
>
> Something like http://miffteevee.co.uk/imagebin/
> filmstrip_browser.png ?
> Ok, I guess that's not a vignette, since it's the whole image but
> the fade at
> the left edge uses masking.

Yep, similar. I find it annoying when the fanart gets obscured, so I
was going to try and create a theme which moves the info off it, and I
liked the fade effect so there wasn't a hard edge.

That's not one of the examples from the MythUI Demo Themes, is it?

Thanks.

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