[JOAT]

I guess this is where to post this. I hope.
OK, the Wizard I designed for my figure banks is now scheduled for my planned walking staff. Several issues tho. Apparently I printed the original on a different printer, because it doesn't print out the same size. An irritation, but resolvable with some work. Photo one.

The first big issue is deleting the background of the photo, so I can print it out on paper that will essentially vanish when glued to wood. I learned how to white the background out, but can't get the white smooth along the outline of the Wizard. Photo two. However, think I have this one solved by photographing the original Wizard against a white background. Photo three.

Now the biggie. I am wanting to change the color of the robes, beard, and moustache. Learned how, but not how to fill the space nicely. Photo four. Also, have changes made to the face, so will have nine different face available. So, going to have to print out nine Wizards, glue them to plywood, rout them out. Then be able to change colors, nicely, and neatly.

I understand Photoshop will do what I want, but at $30 a month with something I've never used, that will be a last choice for me.

Is there anyway I can do what I want for free? Yes, I know I can fill in the spaces, but when I do that it never comes out well.
Very strange, photos Three and Four got swapped, and I did not post them in that order. The original Woody Woodpecker background was white. Oh, for Pete's sake, Somehow all the pictures but the first are all mixed up. Bah. Humbug. Just sort it out, I'm not going to even try to correct them.

 

[boogalee]

Hey Theo

Paint.net is free.
Get paint.net
This image was edited with 4 clicks of the mouse.
You can also try gimp.

 

[Stick486]

Al has yur plan....

 

[chuckgray]

Theo, I used the image in your post. It has a white background since jpg's cannot accommodate transparency. If you need the image with a transparent background, let me know what format you need.

 

[chuckgray]

I gave him his feet back.:grin:

 

[chuckgray]

Ol' Bluebeard himself.

 

[JOAT]

Boogalee - just tossed the woodpecker in to show how jagged the edges of the new background color, and what a pain it would be to smooth it. Found Gimp - all it did was confuse me. Found GetPaint too - think it will help, but still wading thru it.

Stick - who's Al?

Chuck - saw that first picture and went AACH, he's lost his tennis shoes. Then saw where you gave them back. The blue beard and 'stache actually look good, hadn't thought of blue, but will retain it for later. I will be saving that picture.

 

[ggom]

Hello!

Practising with a few graphical freewares
IMHO:

"The Gimp" is the most powerful, but not easy to handle.
Lot of training stuff can be found on the net in order to learn using it.

"Krita" can also do the job ,and is a bit easier to handle...

Both are very powerful , they can handle transparency if needed, and functional for windows and for Linux systems.

Regards
Gérard

 

[TenGees]

I like to use Illustrator for things like that but that's influenced by using it at work for years. The closest freeware that I've found is Inkscape. After vectorizing an image it can be resized much nicer and recolouring is a breeze.

 

[RainMan 2.0]

Theo , if you email me preferably as high a resolution pic as you can , I can play with it tonight .
I need to know what you prefer for colours in which areas also .

i sent you a PM

 

[RainMan 2.0]

I have to say that wizard has a lot of toes?

 

[JOAT]

Wow. Thanks for the links guys. Not had a chance to check out any of them yet. I took my Jeep in for a bit of work, including a cooling system flush. Well, apparently my freeze plugs were leaking badly. And the cost to replace them would be more than the vehicle is worth. I was told tho that it would be drivable for short distances (no distance actually stated), and would have to top off the radiator 2-3 times a day. So started looking for a replacement vehicle.

Then the however. Got the vehicle dropped off at the house at Friday. Didn't start it, just checked the radiator, and it was full. OK. Saturday, checked the radiator again, still full. Hmm. Drove to town to a couple of places. No problems. Checked today, still full. I am thinking that the flush made it leak more, if it was already leaking a bit. I did some looking on-line, a lot of looking actually, for something that might stop small leaks - and save me from repairs, for awhile at least. I looked at a lot of automotive sites, HAMB, Jalopy forum, and similar sites. And they ALL had good words for Bar's Block and Intake sealer. People were saying it sealed blown head gaskets, freeze plugs, cracked heads, etc. So I popped for $9.99 for a bottle, and will put it in if the fluid goes down. And if it doesn't go down I'll suck enough out to be able to pour the bottle in. And then hope for the best.

So, between that, searching for a backup vehicle, and life, not been here in a few days.

And the Wizard does NOT have a lot of toes. Those are his tennis shoes, at least that's what we called them when I was a kid. Standard Wizard issue.

 

[ggom]

Wow. Thanks for the links guys. Not had a chance to check out any of them yet. I took my Jeep in for a bit of work, including a cooling system flush. Well, apparently my freeze plugs were leaking badly. And the cost to replace them would be more than the vehicle is worth. I was told tho that it would be drivable for short distances (no distance actually stated), and would have to top off the radiator 2-3 times a day. So started looking for a replacement vehicle.

.

Hello!

Had the same freeze plugs problem on a Renault french engine.
No Renault parts for that!

Went to a little place where busyness is engine repairs
second hand engines, engine rebuilt and so on.

The guy did not accept any money, he gave me 3 plugs for free,
so i tipped him for go and having a good Beer ...

Those plugs are inexpensive and this guy bought then at large scale,
changing them every time he'd get a motor to repair..

The only difficult thing is to access those plugs had to take admission pipes off to get a little access.

Then discovered they where all in the same corrosion state, one leaking, the other
with very little steel left.

Make a tiny drill hole in them , aspirator for the produced dust,
force-plug a screwdriver or something similar, lever on them and they are out..

Rince the coolant circuit, put the new ones.

You're done!
About 2 to 4 hours job, depends on the type of car.
Could also be a 12 hours job if engine is to be lifted out.
Takes me about 10 hours for changing an engine.

For a temporary quick and dirty repair You also can use some Loctite
synthetic compound, the one sort that stands more than 100° Celsius.
Apply from the outside after a good cleaning on metal parts.
That saved my day while on the road.

Regards

gg

 

[JOAT]

You're done!
About 2 to 4 hours job, depends on the type of car.
Could also be a 12 hours job if engine is to be lifted out.
Takes me about 10 hours for changing an engine.

My engine would definitely have to be taken out. And all the EFI and everything else unhooked to do it. Then once the plugs are replaced, it would all have to be done in reverse. Not a lot of home mechanics versed in all of that. Like I said, repairs would cost more than my vehicle is worth. Been looking for a vehicle for converting to a small camper, for some traveling, so now need to put some more effort into that.

 

[ggom]

hello!

Ok! In fact I don' t know about car prices in your place so...
Can't tell..

My van has 200 000 milles and still works..

That's no glory but I 'm not rich

My car has a bit more but still O.K.

I have a tendency to keep things.

Regards

Gérard

 

[TenGees]

Many moons ago, I had one go behind my exhaust manifold, on a Comet. People were beeping at me and I thought: "What do you want?". Then I looked in my rearview and couldn't see anything for the smoke! Soon it was coming out the cracks of my hood. I thought that I had an engine fire! hahaha

In those days you could get at many of the frost plugs but this one needed the exhaust manifold removed. Which would be a major job on an old car... probably drilling out and replacing broken studs etc. So I found a rubber frost plug repair thing at Canadian Tire. Basically a bolt through a rubber cork. I put that in, tightened it and drove the car for ages after that. As ggom (name?) mentioned, I put a screwdriver through my old one and pried it out. Tightened that stopper thing in and taa-daa.

That Comet was a great value: I bought it for $100, drove it for four years, sold it for $100!

 

[JOAT]

Thanks Paul. Reviewed those expandable plugs, and almost everyone had good words for them. May be a bit late for me tho. Town is about a mile or so away, and been going in, with no problem. Fluid level up, seemed fine. Until today. It overheated. So, pulled into a parking lot to let it cool. Pulled up the little red tab on the radiator cap, figured that'd let some of the pressure out. But almost as soon as I did it, there was a pop on the passenger side, fluid spitting out, and a large cloud of steam. Clueless as to why that happened, but from the location of the steam cloud think a radiator hose went. Fluid on the ground, but not enough to be all of it. So had it carried home. This is just not my week. In fact, at a light, if I could have pulled out on the highway, I think the moving air might have cooled it down some. But the idiot in front of me sat thru half of the green light, until it turned red, and I could not turn.

 

[TenGees]

...Pulled up the little red tab on the radiator cap, figured that'd let some of the pressure out. But almost as soon as I did it, there was a pop on the passenger side, fluid spitting out, and a large cloud of steam. Clueless as to why that happened, but from the location of the steam cloud think a radiator hose went...

If a leak sprays on the exhaust, it makes a great cloud of steam. (personal experience)

I don't understand why that tab would initiate that either??? If it's not the hose maybe you've located the vicinity of the bad frost plug. Or could it have been the hose all along?

If the engine was badly over-heated, it can warp the head(s) and that's serious - can lead to a blown head gasket.

 

[JOAT]

If a leak sprays on the exhaust, it makes a great cloud of steam. (personal experience)

I don't understand why that tab would initiate that either??? If it's not the hose maybe you've located the vicinity of the bad frost plug. Or could it have been the hose all along?

If the engine was badly over-heated, it can warp the head(s) and that's serious - can lead to a blown head gasket.

Nope, plugs are on the other side, under the exhaust. If it is the radiator hose I cannot find a split or hole. What I did find is that the hose to the radiator overflow is packed solid with something that looks like mud. The only thing I can figure is the fluid got hot enough to be released to the overflow tank, but with the hose plugged, it had to go somewhere else. Can't clear the hose either, will have to buy a new one. And no transportation to go to town. Bleah.

However, have a line on a car that has not already been sold, like the others I checked. But one guy decided to jack the price on his up $500. The guy that has the car is working today, supposed to give me a call when he gets off. Hope he remembers. Otherwise will need to take a taxi to a dental appointment tomorrow. -