Illustrator or Photoshop help

D

Dinkum

Joined
Mar 24, 2007
Messages
476
Guys, I am finishing off a Diploma and want to have some great graphics in my assignment. I have been looking for a simple Rev counter like drawing in Photoshop or Illustrator but haven't been able to find the one I like that I can easily manipulate. I have trolled the forums for tutorials but when I follow them they just dont seem to work or whatever I need to select is grayed out :grumpy:

Can anyone let me know how to draw a simple rev counter that I can change the position of the needle on easily?

Photoshop CS
Illustrator CS

Thanks
 
Dont know what you mean by "grayed out", but here are a couple of things.
photoshop- use layers- they are in the window in the lower right hand corner
- make sure you duplicate your original picture as a new layer
- make sure the layer you are working on is not locked
- use the select tool to "select" the needle
- make sure you use the "eyeball" icon to turn the visibility of layers off and on.
- once you select the needle of the rev counter (for instance), right click and select "layer via cut"
- Then move and rotate it where ever you want it
- Then go back and fill in the place you cutout using the clone stamp tool (on the appropriate layer.)
-Make sure you are using 8 bit as opposed to 16 bit images, as 16 bit loses some funtions and filters.
 
Rev counter? I don't follow you.

I'm assuming a needle gauge of some sort.

Make sure the needle and the gauge below it are in two separate layers. If you want to get picky, you can put a "glass" face on the dial above the needle and then simply move the needle layer about.
 
Thanks guys, I have some rudimentry skills with PS & Il but its so bloody complex sometimes its really frustrating. What I mean by grayed out is that it isnt selectable. For instance I was following a tute online to make a clock that I figured I could modify once I had the gist of what to do to make the rev counter. So, I set up the page as instructed, then got a little through it. The instructions then said 'Rasterize' it, so I duly went to do that and it wasnt selectable, it was visible in the drop down, but grayed out (Not black) at which point I got stuck.

I think I am going to need to get a few lessons on it, they are brilliant programs, but man do they test your will power not to throw the PC out of the window! ;)
 
Is a rev counter the same as a tachometer?
I could probably do this for you in about 2 seconds in Illustrator.
Don't use Photoshop to create this, that is not what that program best at.
Start with basic shapes and modify them.
Learn to group opposing pairs and duplicate/rotate for the marks.
 
racegunner said:
Is a rev counter the same as a tachometer?
Click to expand...

Yes.

I would really appreciate it if you can, I have Illustrator CS

I understand the idea, just can't seem to put it into practice, you must admit, its not the most intuitative program out there! :D
 
Dinkum said:
Yes.

I would really appreciate it if you can, I have Illustrator CS

I understand the idea, just can't seem to put it into practice, you must admit, its not the most intuitative program out there! :D
Click to expand...

if racegunner cant get to it i could look at your file for ya, been in both programs professionally for the last 12 years:)
best of luck to ya
ivan
 
Take a digi-photo and work from that.
Or google image search for a tach and work from that.
Why do it from scratch?
 
I have an Illustrator file I can send you and you can modify it any way you want. It goes to 11 ! You can look at it to see how I built it.
I need your email though, bladeforums sends messages via your email, but I need your actual address to send a file.
-Brian
 
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