I am making a manipulation for someone and have to make a window looking out on the NYC skyline. I can not for the life of me figure out how to make this look like a window!! What can I do?

The manip is of girls dong ballet on a bar, and the bar is a part of the window. They are looking out towards the NYC skyline, which is supposed to be portrayed through the giant picture window. I have GIMP 2.6!

Hi PintoBean and to GC.

I split your post to a new thread. You'll probably get better answers by having a new topic dedicated to your question.

are you asking about making realistic looking glass ?

PintoBean,

I made kind of a weak attempt to get the effect you are after in this post. I think I could have gotten a more realistic effect with a little more effort. Perhaps what is needed are some inner reflections in the panes, to give a bit better effect of looking through a glass window.

Hello.
Perhaps it would be better if you share a link to some photo showing how you want that window look.

I find this color - c5d1e8 with opacity set real low makes for a nice shade of glass.


Add a couple white highlights and a reflection and you are good to go.

You guys all beat me to it. I was still looking through all the tutes for a decent one but didn't find any.
YAFU mentioned that you should post what you are looking for. We will get a better idea how to help you.

This is what I am trying to achieve everyone, thank you all for replying so quickly!

The manipulation is of girls doing ballet on a bar, and the bar is a part of the window. They are looking out towards the NYC skyline, which is supposed to be portrayed through the giant picture window. I tried adding glare but it didn't help...

Wow! That looks awesome! How would I do this on GIMP 2.6?

Here is the manip so far...

@molly

I love that idea! I tried the panes, but they didn't look so great. How do you think I could get the panes to look as nice as the ones in the photo you posted?

You would use the rectangle tool and make a frame and use your guides to mark off the panes. In your case it would be a lot more difficult because you would have to select just the window and not the girls. You would probably use the lasso selection tool to do that.

you could make the girls mirror in the glass

@ molly: Sounds like a plan! I will have to try it.

@ Esper: That also is a good idea too. I'm loving every one you guys come up with! Now, which on to try first...

One of the issues you're going to have is that glass tends to be reflective. You can see the ballet dancers reflections in the glossy floor. Unfortunately, due to the perspective of the dancers to the window, there is really no way to get an accurate reflection of the dancers in the windows because you can't see the other side of the dancers, which is what would be in the reflection.

Forgetting about the dancers' reflections, you might be able to simulate a decent effect by overlaying a glass effect layer or simply decreasing the opacity of an overlain colored layer, as Rod suggested.

One a side note, the real difference between a glass effect and a low opacity colored layer is that the transparency in actually part of the glass layer, rather than simply being a low opacity colored layer.

GnuTux,
That is something to think about...So you don't think it would be realistic to add reflection of the dancers on the window?

Which technique would you try first?

Well, you could try to get some kind of reflection of the dancers in the windows but I don't see how you can get an accurate reflection of the side of the dancers that you can't see. Simply mirroring the dancers is not going to do it.

I think you should overlay a glass (or low opacity colored layer) over the window, as a first step. Then go from there.

GnuTux,
So get an actual picture of glass, and place it on a new layer over the skyline photo?

Here, I tried Rod's idea. I like the effect, but it needs something...Any ideas?

You will have to add each reflection of each girl one at a time.