Suggestion for backgrund

[chooks]

There are a lot of great backgrounds in the products section. I managed to check them all out, but would love to have one that is like Scottish fabric (checkered material). just a thought

[Steve Grisetti]

Cool idea, Chooks!

Have you maybe got a pattern or two (that you either own rights to or are in the public domain) I could work with?

[Chuck Engels]

You mean like a kilt?

[Bob]

Like a tartan.

[chooks]

Bingo, just like a kilt/tartan.
Steve, sorry I don't have any images unfortunately. Would taking some photos with a digital SLR down at the fabric shop suffice? Or would I be better off searching the web for free images be the go?

[Steve Grisetti]

You might want to do a search on "tartan" here:
http://www.sxc.hu/index.phtml

Many of these images are free or available at a low cost.

Let me know if you find any that appeal to you.

I wonder if I could use one as a template and use After Effects to "assemble" it from a bunch of random lines.

Is that what you're thinking?

[chooks]

I found this website where you can make your own designs
http://www.houseoftartan.co.uk/interact ... /index.htm

It says on the website that:

Images produced using this site may be used for non-commercial purposes.

an example I randomly made was:

[chooks]

You might want to do a search on "tartan" here:
http://www.sxc.hu/index.phtml

Many of these images are free or available at a low cost.

Let me know if you find any that appeal to you.

yes, this is the sort of thing I was thinking also:
http://www.stockxpert.com/browse_image/ ... ref=sxc_hu

[Steve Grisetti]

Thanks, Chooks.

I'll play with it as I have time. It will be a nice excuse for practicing on After Effects..

It may take a week or two though. Is that okay?

[chooks]

It may take a week or two though. Is that okay?

Brilliant No big rush, look forward to seeing what you come up with, thanks for this Steve!

[Steve Grisetti]

Here's my first pass at a motion background based on a tartan pattern.
http://muvipix.com/cpg/albums/userpics/10010/Tartan.mov

I'm not real excited about it, but it's a start.

I'll keep at it and see what else I can come up with.

[Chuck Engels]

That's pretty cool Steve, are you using After Effects?
A little Fractal Noise and you will have a really cool motion background.

Here are some tutorials from VideoCopilot
http://www.videocopilot.net/tutorials/

And here are a couple of great ones on Fractal Noise from the Cow
http://library.creativecow.net/articles ... _noise.php
http://library.creativecow.net/articles ... basics.php
http://library.creativecow.net/articles ... _loops.php

[Steve Grisetti]

Great suggestion, Chuck. I'll give it a try!

[chooks]

looks great Steve! I was thinking of just fabric with motion (like for the flags etc) but what you have done really draws the viewer in

[Steve Grisetti]

I still hope to improve on it, Chooks -- though you're welcome to have what I've done.

This busy summer hasn't left me as much time for After Effects as I'd prefer.