SteveB2005
09-17-2007, 05:20 PM
As I love to watch magic specials on tv, especially Criss Angel, David Blaine's street magic, illusionist David Copperfield, the Brazilian one armed card master, I almost feel that some of the really high end retouchers like Pascal, Amy Dresser keep their "tricks" to themselves the same way magicians do. There is a website like this, but it deals with magic pro.
As I was mystified the first time I saw David Blaine, I found out where and how to buy some of his illusions and tricks. After I found out the secrets, I was able to pull a few of them off, but even knowing the secret or how the trick is done takes a long time to master it and pull it off like a pro illusionist. The same with some of the high end retouching I think. I would pull off the trick and someone would ask me, "how did you do that? Of course I didn't tell em', magicians tight lipped honor.
Luckily, there is this forum to trade "tricks" with and books and online tutorials on professional retouching secrets. Even Katrin in her books tells pros to not let the client watch you retouch lurking over your shoulder or having them ask who is behind the curtain?
It was funny when I worked in a small design studio, the boss or head art director was also senior retoucher and man was she secretive about how she did her "magic." I learned a few things from her, but she was pretty much telling me, you're on your own, you'll figure it out by doing it." I learned a lot working there, but I spent my own money taking one day seminars at NAPP with Scott Kelby and bought his books and videos, to learn the "magic."
One of my idols in illustration was the late great Bob or Robert Peak. He was the highest paid movie poster illustrator in the 80's, before Photoshop really took over. Bob got the 1984 Olympic Games account when in Los Angeles, stamps, posters and I got the limited edition book. He did it all by hand, with watercolors, airbrush, pastels, whatever it took. Of course he could also draw beautifully. He was left handed, although there are certainly many great right handed artists out there. There was an art trade show in Pasadena and Bob Peak showed up to give a talk and show his slides. he took some questions and then again, specifics on how he got his look was a bit murky and over 1000 people were there. It was rumored he got $660,000 for his Apocalypse Now poster. There still isn't much info out there about Bob's secrets and workflow and he passed away a few years ago. Anyway, his talk was very helpful and inspiring, but no secrets given out.
Bob was in a sense, a master retoucher, in that he worked from celebrity photos and "retouched" them with his crayons and brushes for his concepts. Man who knows what he would have done with Photoshop and a Wacom or Cintiq tablet. Another great art "Illusionist."
steve
As I was mystified the first time I saw David Blaine, I found out where and how to buy some of his illusions and tricks. After I found out the secrets, I was able to pull a few of them off, but even knowing the secret or how the trick is done takes a long time to master it and pull it off like a pro illusionist. The same with some of the high end retouching I think. I would pull off the trick and someone would ask me, "how did you do that? Of course I didn't tell em', magicians tight lipped honor.
Luckily, there is this forum to trade "tricks" with and books and online tutorials on professional retouching secrets. Even Katrin in her books tells pros to not let the client watch you retouch lurking over your shoulder or having them ask who is behind the curtain?
It was funny when I worked in a small design studio, the boss or head art director was also senior retoucher and man was she secretive about how she did her "magic." I learned a few things from her, but she was pretty much telling me, you're on your own, you'll figure it out by doing it." I learned a lot working there, but I spent my own money taking one day seminars at NAPP with Scott Kelby and bought his books and videos, to learn the "magic."
One of my idols in illustration was the late great Bob or Robert Peak. He was the highest paid movie poster illustrator in the 80's, before Photoshop really took over. Bob got the 1984 Olympic Games account when in Los Angeles, stamps, posters and I got the limited edition book. He did it all by hand, with watercolors, airbrush, pastels, whatever it took. Of course he could also draw beautifully. He was left handed, although there are certainly many great right handed artists out there. There was an art trade show in Pasadena and Bob Peak showed up to give a talk and show his slides. he took some questions and then again, specifics on how he got his look was a bit murky and over 1000 people were there. It was rumored he got $660,000 for his Apocalypse Now poster. There still isn't much info out there about Bob's secrets and workflow and he passed away a few years ago. Anyway, his talk was very helpful and inspiring, but no secrets given out.
Bob was in a sense, a master retoucher, in that he worked from celebrity photos and "retouched" them with his crayons and brushes for his concepts. Man who knows what he would have done with Photoshop and a Wacom or Cintiq tablet. Another great art "Illusionist."
steve