Every now and then I run across a gallery that has wonderful, jaw dropping works. I thought these would be of interest to experienced and aspiring photo artists.

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I'm honored to start this thread with this one by Phyllis Stewart of Innographx.com.

Click here (http://www.retouchpro.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=87130#post87130) for commentary and links.

~Danny~

Thanks for the links Danny, her work is certainly inspirational.

It's not unusual for people to ask, "How is Painter different from Photoshop?"

Visual answer: Check out this gallery. Pictures definitely worth 1,000 words.

These are exceptional and there is no possible way to get these types of results in Photoshop -- or any other program for that matter, except possibly the recently discontinued Deep Paint.

http://www.pbase.com/zenpo/paintings2005

Enjoy and keep practicing.

What a joy. My first impression looking at the thumbnails was the great clarity between 'light and dark' areas. Very striking. Liked the ones using 'wet oils' and the maintaining of striking colours in some.

Thanks. There are some nice pictures here. I think I prefer some of the black and white ones. I wouldn't myself describe the work as 'jaw dropping' but there are a few impressive brushed natural media simulations. Some of the best, freer brushed oil or body colour manipulations I have seen are by Steven Friedman - they're not all on target (whose are?), but there are some very impressive ones. I would apply 'jaw dropping' to these http://www.btinternet.com/~rupertyardley/recent_paintings_by_john_yardley.htm real watercolours by John Yardley whose brush technique (he uses just one large sable brush) is breathtaking (for me anyway). These are not of course photos turned into simulated paintings but I think it's not a bad thing to remind ourselves every now and again what real natural media pictures look like.
David

Thanks Danny for introducing me to Zenpo, The marina dawn painting is pure stunning, some are better than other like everyones pics but on the whole lovely work and very inspirational, the cranes and my cardinal I love too.

Danny posted a link prior to Steven Friedman's work, here it is again......

http://www.digitalartmasterworks.com/default.htm

Yes, I agree with you David, Steven's work is an inspiration.

Speaking of "jaw-dropping" and "breath-taking" REAL WATERCOLORS, do check out THIS SITE. (http://www.marysorrowshughes.com/)
Personally, I have yet to come across anything more spectacular than this.
Enjoy!

Pam (PamSav) does some really nice work, too...

Check out her gallery, here: http://www.pbase.com/pamsav/photoart

I especially like this one: http://www.pbase.com/pamsav/image/42188149

You're right, Judy... She does some amazing work. I admire artists with these types of skills as much as I do accomplished musicians.

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Speaking of amazing, check out Alexander's work (aka: corona2632), here:

http://www.renderosity.com/gallery.ez?ByArtist=Yes&Artist=corona2632

This is some top notch manipulation.

TO COMMENT ON HIS WORK... click HERE (http://www.retouchpro.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10396)

~Danny~

Thank you for posting this link. Some of the manipulations are marvellous - I particularly like the Sailing Vessel but there are a number of really great oil on canvas simulations. When I first saw them I assumed they were done in Painter but it seems the artist doea all his work in Photoshop. This is very interesting. It looks to me like it might be the art history brush. Is there a link anywhere to his technique? The canvas ground effect is especially convincing. The best oil simulations I have seen I think.
David

Thank you for posting this link. Some of the manipulations are marvellous - I particularly like the Sailing Vessel but there are a number of really great oil on canvas simulations. When I first saw them I assumed they were done in Painter but it seems the artist doea all his work in Photoshop. This is very interesting. It looks to me like it might be the art history brush. Is there a link anywhere to his technique? The canvas ground effect is especially convincing. The best oil simulations I have seen I think.
David
David:

Per a PM he sent to me he's using Painter IX (Artists Oils), in some cases the Impressionist plugin (via Photoshop) and the canvas effect from the Alian Skin Splat collection.

Thanks for that. He does not mention Painter in the notes for each of his pictures but records "Photoshop and plugins" only. It makes more sense if he is using Impressionist and Painter - the pictures do not look like they were made in Photoshop. The canvas effect is the best I have seen. I must investigate this.
David