The Making of a Desk Potato
The desk potato image was created using a video camera, a Chips and Technology video capture card, the enhanced capture software in the Microsat 150 multimedia satellite receiver from Norsat, and Paint Shop Pro from Jasc, Inc. All html was generated and edited with WinEdit, from Wilson WindowWare.
The original image started from a potato (the talent) set on a doll chair with a woodgrain
project box in front. This was his last performance, as shortly after this picture was
taken he was killed in a freak cooking accident.
The desk set was positioned to match the "desk" in the original image and the
equipment was carefully pasted in place, one element at a time. The cup is multiple
elements to allow the handle to be transparent. Shadows were then added to the mask
channel and applied using a masked color-correction to give the objects
"presence".
The original potato's eye was mirrored to produce a "left eye", then the glasses
frames were pasted in, in several pieces. The lenses were simulated by applying a
"pinch" distortion to the area inside the lenses. To complete the effect, a
reflection was added.
The outline of the nose and the left ear and mouth were pasted in from a video image of a
human face (guess who's). The elements were color corrected to match the "skin
tone" of the potato. A small stretch was applied to add a "chin". Shadows
of the glasses, nose and ear and philtrum were added to complete the effect.
To get the arms in the right place, a pose was aligned with the image on the computer
screen. The individual arm elements were pasted into place after color correcting (to
match skin tone) and perspective adjustment.
After a few final touches such as softening the background, and a right ear (a
perspective-tilted mirror of the left ear), the final image is complete.
The Desk Potato Home Page
Don's Corner