I was looking through a Photoshop book I hadn't looked at in some time and stumbled across the following...
"If you want to give your (images) an impasto effect (make them look as though you used very thick paint), choose Filter > Render > Lighting Effects. In the Lighting Effects dialog choose DIRECTIONAL as your lighting type and BLUE as your texture channel."

Photoshop 5.5 - Get Professional Results, Ken Milburn, Osborn/McGraw-Hill, 2000.

Hadn't seen this technique before, so I decided to give it a try. For such a simple technique, I was impressed with the results.

Attached is an example applied against an image that had not yet been manipulated. It would probably generate some interesting results on images that already included texture and/or brush strokes.

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So, here’s another in the just beginning series of “mini-challenges” in the Photo-based Art category.

Unlike “official challenges” for this forum posted here (http://www.retouchpro.com/challenge/art/index.html), this one will be self-contained within this thread. It is intended as a souce of amusement until the next official challenge is posted.

The rules are more-or-less the same:
* It’s a challenge, not a contest -- intended to sharpen skills and to share techniques.
* Everyone who participates is a winner.
* There’s no expiration date.

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#2 – Using the Lighting Effects filter to apply Texture

Guidelines:
1. On an image of your choice (already doctored or plain, never been messed with) use the method described above to “give it some additional texture and/or depth.”

2. When done, reply to this thread and attach your work (don’t forget the 100K size limit). If you would, please nclude the “before” image as well as the after (like I did) so others can appreciate your handiwork. Note: Multiple entries O.K.

3. Have fun.

4. Since this mini-challenge is based on a technique, no need to elaborate on the technique, unless you get really wild and crazy!

5. Have fun

OK. It’s time to have some fun. :)

~DannyR~

Interesting technique. Seems to work well with scenery. A little tweaking is necessary if you're going to try this on Portraits.
Here's my first attempt. I added the texture at the end.

Lisa

:)

This a painting I did in PhotoImpact using a tutorial. Applied the lighting effect, added some real cool texture:) Looks almost like Crewel work, or some type of sewing effect. Thanks, Danny, I would have never found this technique without your sharing of knowledge. :)

Wanda

I played with the sliders and such, and didn't really like anything I saw. This one was as close to what I think they meant when they suggested this method as anything I saw in my efforts. Will post the screenshot of my settings.
:wavey:

:)

Lisa, love it:) So peaceful and serene, take me away:D This technique has possibilities doesn't it. It was fun!

Settings Screenshot.
:wavey:

:)

BlackKnight, I can't get a picture, just a red X. Something wrong on your end or is it my ****** computer again:D

Wanda

Thanks Lisa, Phil and Wanda... Appreciate you leaping into the pool. Some cool pix. Hopefully we'll get some other takers.

Like most techniques of this nature, it works on some things... not at all well on others. Just another tool in your bag of tricks.

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Phil:
Excellent screenshot of Lighting Effects dialog. Much easier to communicate (and understand) than regurgitating the settings!

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Wanda:
For what it's worth, Phil's image loaded OK on my computer. May I suggest you post a ? in the Software forum. Maybe one of the tech gurus can provide advice. It happens to me sometimes, too -- but I don't know why.

~DannyR~

Thanks Wanda,

The original photo is breath-taking. Here's another one I've tried the technique out on.

Lisa

:)

Lisa, i really love the window frame:) I enjoy compositions like this, old broken down barns, wagon wheels, etc. This technique worked perfect on this. Way to go Lisa:)

Wanda

:)

BlackKnight, finally got your pic to load, absolutely gorgeous:) I see on your screenshot that you have the sliding lever more to the left than I. Going to try that:) Thanks for the screen shot!

Wanda

My artistic abilities may be dubious but I can take a mean screen shot!
:wavey:

Thought I would give this method a try. Here's what I came up with. I used all the steps instructed above with the exception that I upped the Texture Channel Height from the center all the way up to Mountainous. I think it give a deeper look to it. Good technique Danny. Thanks for posting it. Unfortunately in this low res file you can't see the details but you can see some of the depth in the mountains and trees on the left.
DJ

I love it DJ!!! It worked wonderfully. Great image to try this on.

Lisa

DJ - that looks so 3D!! Very cool! :D

I fooled around with the technique a little last night, but obviously wasn't working with the right images because I have nothing to show for it. (Really, I didn't even save anything.) I'll keep trying though...

Jeanie

Thanks Lisa and Jeanie. Yes, now that you mentioned it, I think you are right that it works better on some images more than others. It does have a 3D look to it. I was really disappointed it turned out so small compared to how I saw it full size. I think it's a pretty cool technique though.
DJ

The original photo is breath-taking. - Lisa
Yeah... do you wonder sometimes why we take perfectly good photos and grind them up - just because we can?

I like pic 2 A LOT!

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DJ:

Though it's difficult to appreciate the real beauty of your results, I can 'imagine' them. Very nicely done.

Thanks for playing along and twisting the dials a little. I really appreciate it when people take an idea and put their own spin on it. All of us benefit seeing the results and hearing (reading) the details.

Ya done good.

~Danny~

Pretty interesting technique. Here's my example:

Nice results, T Paul.

A rose isn't a rose until properly textured!

~Danny~

Ever since I learned here how to do the impasto style texturing (thank you thank you thank you!) I have been experimenting with it and loving it. I recently uploaded one for Danny's butterfly mini-challenge #4 that turned out with A LOT of texture...almost like it's carved. If you don't frequent that area of the forum, you can see what I mean by going there:

http://www.retouchpro.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3308&perpage=15&pagenumber=3

A gold metal version is here: www.innographx.com/photoart.html

Phyllis

This IS a good little known filter!

Woody, the lighting effects and outlines look so cool. I really love how this one turned out.
DJ

Here is a take on Mini-challenge #44.

The thing is once I tried the Blue channel I started fooling with the other channels. They all seem to work but with slightly different textures.

A very interesting effect was noticed using the transparency channel. Seemed to bring foreground up.

This one is the red channel, mountainous, 64% opacity with the transparency channel behind that one.


Cheers... Kent