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Kitty

Kaleidoscope

Make magnificent mandalas from kittehs and other kritters. By Erico Narita

A typical kaleidoscope contains 2 mirrors angled at 60°, which reflect a pattern to create a symmetrical effect that we can emulate in software such as Photoshop. Here’s how I did it.

Choose a photograph that has a wide range of shading from light to dark, and some features that will be recognizable after they’ve been chopped, rotated, and reflected (eyes always work well). For my first effort, I made an LOL-cat. Here are the steps in Photoshop 6 or later.

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Photography by Erico Narita and Charles Platt

1. CHOOSE THE POLYGON TOOL Choose the Polygon tool, which looks like a hexagon and is hidden in the toolbar. You may have to read Help to find it. After you select it, use Window ⇒ ^C Options to show the tool Options bar, and click the button “Create new work path” or just “Paths” (the wording varies in different Photoshop versions). Also in the tool options, specify 3 sides.

2. FIND AN INTERESTING PART

Drag to create an equilateral triangle over your photograph, then go to Edit ⇒ Transform Path ⇒ Rotate, or Edit ⇒ Transform Path ⇒ Scale (while scaling, hold down Shift so that your triangle remains symmetrical), to modify the size and posi-

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tion of your triangle, until it contains an interesting area of your photograph. While scaling or rotating your triangle, you can also drag it around. When you have what you want, press Enter to confirm.

3. COPY PATH TO A NEW LAYER If your Paths palette is not open, open it from Window ⇒ Show Paths. Photoshop will have put

Fig. A: Looking for a cute subject? Start with a cat. Fig. B: An eye, a nose, and a striped fur pattern guarantee that this image will work kaleidoscopically. Fig. C: This is how kitty would look through a kaleidoscope. Fig. D: By duplicating more triangles, flipping and turning them, you get a pattern that could work as upholstery for kitty’s favorite couch. He’ll blend right in.

84 Make: Volume 17