First of all, I want to thanks my son Roman
for his invaluable help in optimizing the program code.
Iris – a real full-color stringart application.
And I can assume that today, Iris is the only truly full color stringart algorithm in the world. There is no “cheating”: the threads do not need to be threaded (“dived”) one under the other, there is no colored substrate, no paint or any other tricks.
Before you begin, I urge you to read this manual through to the end.
Everything is simple, however, in the course of work you will need to change the color of the threads several times, and the process of making the work itself is somewhat different from the classical scheme.
First of all, how to use the Iris application.
Please wait for the application to fully load, the first time it will take some time (maybe 30-60 seconds), next time it will be faster.
For automatic positioning of faces and other service actions, Iris uses rather bulky code blocks, including neural networks – it takes time to load and initialize them.
– Step 1 –
- When the [Open] button becomes available, upload your image. If there are faces on it, Iris will automatically position and enlarge one of them. To obtain high-quality work, the face must be large, almost the entire frame. Do not forget that this is “stringart magic”, not a photograph – a small face simply cannot be made using threads.
– Palettes –
- This section is designed for fine-tuning and choosing the colors and thickness of the threads that you will use in your work.
The application already has two standard Palettes:
- CMYKrgb (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, red, blue, green) is a palette of pure computer colors. In fact, this is a “blank” for creating your own Palettes.
- Madeira Frosted Matt – a palette of 0.24 mm thick “Madeira” embroidery threads, selected and tested by us, excellent for frames with a diameter of 40 to 60 cm.
Articles: Cyan Col.7828, Magenta Col.7787, Yellow Col.7735, Red Col.7838, Black any fine monofilament for overlock (0.17 mm)
By pressing [+] you can add a new empty palette and customize it yourself. All changes are stored in the browser cache automatically.
To create a Palette, you need to fill in several fields:
- Palette name (just for your convenience)
- Choose a name for the color – this name will be used in the Instruction
- Choose a color that the Iris neural network will use for calculations – I recommend using “pure computer colors”,
for example: Cyan = R : 0, G : 255, B : 255; Green = R : 0, G : 255, B : 0 - Select the color of the threads you are using. Try to choose the closest shade of thread to the CMYK and RGB base colors. Undoubtedly, there are no threads on sale that are as “pure” in color as on computer graphics, you will have to try when choosing your own collection, but it’s worth it!
- Specify the thread thickness for the current color.
[ – ] – Remove Palette.
[ + ] – Duplicate Palette.
[ v ] – Choose a working Palette.
Iris renders the resulting work in the preview as correctly as possible, but this is just Computer graphics, you may need to experiment, especially if you want to pick up another manufacturer’s own set of filaments.
– Step 2 –
- Upload your image for processing by the Iris neural network. After changing the parameters (Strings, Contrast, Posterization, number of pins, etc.), don’t forget to click the [Refresh] button.
By pressing the button (🛠) you can adjust: “number of pins”, “frame Diameter” and “background color”, but I recommend to postpone these experiments for later.
So, let’s deal with the basic settings.
On first launch, Iris tries to pick up the Strings and Contrast settings automatically. But it doesn’t always work perfectly, so first of all try experimenting with these two sliders.
Tips. If the image has little detail or is “pale” – increase Strings; if the image is not clear – increase Contrast (or Posterization)
- Posterization – how much the image will look like a drawing (“0” – the function is completely disabled)
- Eyes whites – how much to whiten the whites of the eyes and teeth. In photographs, eyes and teeth often turn out to be a “pseudo-white” color (beige, gray, bluish) – this function will make them really white, but I advise you not to overdo it =)
- Button ▶ will launch the first 1200 iterations – You will receive the full Instructions after payment.
- Holding down the [Photo] button will temporarily “develop” the original photo, this will help you compare and refine the color reproduction, but this is just a feature, nothing more.
- Button [Default] – resets all parameters to the original ones and uploads the image to Iris once more.
After each pressing [Refresh] and recalculating the image, below will be an approximate calculation of the length of the threads of each color in meters, made taking into account the diameter of the frame you specified.
BRIEF INSTRUCTION. HOW TO START WORK.
As described above, you have received an “Instruction”.
In the Instructions there is a “chain” of approximately the following form:
Red: 238-287, 83-201, 200-85, 107-178, 184-89, 96-178, 177-108, 122-262, 268-229,
226-293, 294-198, 199-277, 282-139,
Yellow: 46-197, 195-48, 54-193, 192-69, 71-278, 278-43, 38-197, 204-32, 29-214, 240-76,
75-252, 271-162, 159-297, 299-115, 104-2, 293-135,
Cyan: 287-95, 96-286, 242-61, 61-10, 14-71, 71-208, 213-68, 67-18, 15-171, 176-272,
267-82, 82-227, 234-79, 84-263, 257-41, 37-191, 188-49, 72-1, 299-163,
Black: 75-230, 231-68, 28-267, 279-24, 25-268, 271-5, 9-266, 265-41, 47-258, 252-52, 58-242, 240-66, 67-239, …
or an equivalent “chain” in other notation:
Red: fix~238, 287~83, 201~200, 85~107, 178~184, 89~96, 178~177, 108~122, 262~268,
229~226, 293~294, 198~199, 277~282, 139~fix
Yellow: fix~46, 197~195, 48~54, 193~192, 69~71, 278~, 43~38, 197~204, 32~29, 214~240,
76~75, 252~271, 162~159, 297~299, 115~104, 2~293, 135~fix
Cyan: fix~287, 95~96, 286~242, 61~, 10~14, 71~, 208~213, 68~67, 18~15, 171~176,
272~267, 82~, 227~234, 79~84, 263~257, 41~37, 191~188, 49~72, 1~299, 163~fix
Black: fix~75, 230~231, 68~28, 267~279, 24~25, 268~271, 5~9, 266~265, 41~47, 258~252, 52~58, 242~240, 66~67, 239~, …
STEP 1 ● Study the Instruction
You can work to the “paper instructions”, or upload the “JSON-file” that came to your email to our s-art.pro/iris_speaker.html
Email with Instruction also include a PDF file with Template. Template contains the diameter of the work and the number of pins that you set during generation to Iris.
You cannot use a frame with a different number of pins !!!
STEP 2 ● Making frame
First, you need to print the Template. It is best to do this on a heavy media in a specialized print shop – so then you can use this Template again and again…
Next, you need to make a frame. You can see how to do it yourself in one of the many videos on YouTube.
Tips. Use MDF with a factory-coated white semi-gloss or matt finish. For example, a door from a kitchen cabinet is suitable – you will not have problems with the processing of edges and the quality of the coating.
STEP 3 ● Starting work
- Spools of threads are best placed in sufficiently long “medical nets” – the thread will conveniently go off the spools and will not get tangled. You will have to fasten the thread of the current color several times and switch to an other color.
- Place the frame at a comfortable height, you might enjoy working on an artist’s easel.
- Pin number “0” should be on the right on “3 o’clock”.
- Attach the thread of the first color to the pin with the indicated number.
- Next, pull the thread through the field of work to the next pin. Without fastening the thread, pull it out of the field of work to the next pin. This is the specificity of full-color stringart, without such an approach it is impossible to get a high-quality image. Nevertheless, Iris tries to reduce the distance of “broaches” as much as possible, and from the middle of the work there will be less and less “broaches”.
The Figure shows how to do the “broach”:
(1) Red: 36-57, 93-285, 291-120, 127-260, …
or
(2) Red: 57~93, 285~291, 120~127, 260~…
(1) and (2) – is a two types of notation of the same “chain”
- When you need to change the color, it is advisable to secure the thread on the pin with a knot.
- Work, especially when using the “Iris Speaker” app, moves quickly. If you are a stringart pro, you can make one work of 2500-3500 iterations in 6-10 hours without much effort. I know people who make one picture in 3-4 hours, but they are real professionals.
- If you are doing work for the soul – do not rush, it is a great relaxation! You can devote 30 minutes a day to work and do it in a month – the quality and WOW effect will not disappear!
Please, carefully study the received Instruction!!!
In the Instruction there are two type of “chain” notation for the winding, both options are identical and lead to identical results.
This is a sample Instruction, please read it before purchasing.
If you have any questions, I will gladly answer them.