FIRST MINI-CHALLENGE?
See below for "Information and Guidelines."

Here’s another “mini-challenge” to play with in the Photo-based Art category until the next offical challenge is posted here (http://www.retouchpro.com/challenge/index.html).

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PHOTO ART: Mini-challenge# 43 – Golden Gate Bridge

This exceptional image of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California was created by Jeremy Birn. Given the fall of the San Francisco Giants in the U.S. Major League Baseball World Series tonight, there are probably a few sad folks driving across this landmark right now.

Jeremy, of course, retains the copyright © not only for the original image, but for any photo-art versions of it. Unauthorized distribution or use without his permission is prohibited. Jeremy asks that if you post the results of this mini-challenge on you own website that you include a link to the original (see below) and post credit as appropriate.

Here’s a link to the original (http://www.pbase.com/image/5917175), where some of Jeremy’s other wonderful pictures can be seen.

Jeremy, Thank you so very much for authorizing the use of your picture for this mini-challenge. It is truly outstanding.

~DannyR~

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INFORMATION AND GUIDELINES

Unlike “official challenges” for this forum which can be found here (http://www.retouchpro.com/challenge/index.html), this one will be self-contained within this thread. It is intended as an opportunity to engage in this artform until the next official challenge is posted.

The rules are more-or-less the same:
* It’s a challenge, not a contest -- intended to provide opportunities to experiment, share methods and/or techniques and, most importantly, have FUN.
* Everyone who participates is a winner.
* There’s no expiration date.

GUIDELINES:
1. Use any method, application(s), style(s) you like:
. * Convert to sketch, grayscale, abstract, watercolor, oil painting, pen-and-ink, Conte crayon, impasto, van Gogh or any style of your choosing
. * Add elements from other images (collage) or replace the background
. * Hand painting? Tracing? Freehand? You bet. Always appreciate entries of this nature.
. * Apply filters from your favorite application(s) or tweak it with 3rd party plug-ins
. * Feeling animated? Joggers? Streakers? Moving cars?
. * Any or all of the above

Bottom line:
How you create this masterpiece makes no difference. Whatever floats your boat as long as you follow guideline #4 in the process.

2. When done, reply to this thread and attach your work (don’t forget the 100kb size limit).

Note: Multiple entries OK if you’re so inspired.

3. By all means include some verbiage on how you achieved your masterpiece so others will benefit from your skills and experience. Make it as descriptive as you like. Grammar and spelling will not be graded. Priority given to content, not how it is written.

4. Have fun.

This effect is in part the result of an action I created a while ago to obtain a sort of foggy effect. I did add some clouds and just basically messed around with it. When I was a student at Brooks Institute in Santa Barbara I photographed this bridge from almost the exact the same spot using a 4x5 view camera. I made one exposure at dusk and then another, long exposure, when it was dark. I guess I was trying to digitally simulate that effect here and match what I remember the other looking like. I don't think I suceeded, but this was fun working with. Thanks!

Marlene
www.thedigitalspectrum.com

I was trying to come up with an oil painting effect.

Altered the image using Equalize, Displace, and Find Edges, then created a pattern of the image. After creating a top layer filled with white, I painted the image on it using the pattern stamp and one of the "Wow" brushes set at about 25% opacity.

Jim

Hey Marlene...welcome aboard! I see more familiar (faces??) from dpreview every day - I expect that is Danny's influence. The environment here is a little different, but equally rich - the challenges here are my favorite bits. The people are very nice.

Your challenge entry is pretty cool - I like the effect on the sky and the subtle modifiation of the bridge light.

Jim: excellent effort - I like this a lot! Can you tell me about the WOW package please?

Thanks, MARLENE, for breakin' the ice on this one, too. Soft colors and sky treatment make this one stand out.

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JIM: Another winner. Convincing painterly result; brush textures are excellent.

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"I left my heart... in San Francicso..." (Actually, it was my wallet...it got stolen there once.)

Here's my dreamy version of it. Most of it are brushes and actions that I downloaded at Adobe Photo Exchange (http://share.studio.adobe.com/axBrowseProduct.asp?p=2)

First I used Walrus Fantasy Focus, then Walrus Movieposter. Then pasted the original on as a new layer with just a tad opacity(to get some of the lines sharper in the bridge).

I used "Walrus collection One" brushset for the clouds, the moon and the sailboat(I used the reflection from the boat and pasted that several times to make a moontrail in the water).
I ran the Walrus Fantasy Focus on the other layers as well, and finished it all off(after merging the layers) with a small amount of the Fantasy Focus(it got three levels).

Marlene, love the exaggerated contrast between the sharp lines of the cables and soft puffy sky...emphasizes the form beautifully.

Jim, your painting not only succeeded, but it (really) would look wonderful blown up to a 4 by 6 and hung on a wall.

Trine, love the ethereal feel of your version. The sailboat is the perfect touch.

Phyllis

This bridge was just begging to be twirled by KPT! This first one I call Chinatown. I added glowing edges and played around with channels and blending modes to finish it.

Phyllis

Called this one carnival, because it reminded me of a ferris wheel at night. Did some layer blending and color adjustment, then sharpened with a high pass layer.

Phyllis

Jim, you definatly suceeded in obtaining an oil painting effect, very well done!

Trine, wow...looks like the fogs rolling in...excellent job! My only suggestion would be to have made the sailboat smaller. Proportionatly, it's too large, looks like it's going to take the bridge down, and, I find it a little distracting. Otherwise, great work with the effects, especially the clouds (fog).

Phyllis, I love the patterns you create. I'm always looking at designs to inspire me in my wood inlay projects, these are great inspirations.

This forum abounds in talent! Thankyou all for your comments regarding my submissions. They are greatly appreciated.

Marlene
www.thedigitalspectrum

Trine: More of your magic... Keep them coming.

Phyllis: Are you having fun with your KPT package or what? These are great!

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This is a classic example of accidental art...

* Background copy: Glowing Edges (1,20,3)
* Inverted & desaturated
* Duplicated Glowing Edges layer; set blend to Color Dodge.
* Duplicated this layer 2 more times to build up "white lines" in image
* Duplicated again, but set blend to Overlay
* Duplicated original Background, dragged to top of layer stack and set blend to Hard Light
* Duplicated original Background again, dragged to top of layer stack and set blend to Overlay and blurred with Median (5px)
* Added a Levels adjustment layer set to Screen for enhancement
* Flattened
* Duplicated remaining layer
* Applied blurring to selected areas

Different, anyway... :)

~DannyR~

Your effect is really very good, frame it for sure. When you say you made a pattern of the image, do you mean you define the entire image as a pattern? Then you used that pattern with the pattern stamp? Thank you, Patsy

Jim, I'm not usually partial to oil paintings, but I just LOVE your version of this image!! The lighting is spectacular. Great job!

:D :bigthmb:

Jeanie

Never mind previous post, had some time to fool around and it is all figured out, thank you again for sharing your techniques.

I added some clouds to the sky, changed it's color a little. Then I used a star filter and framed it.

Decided the previous version wasn't very "artsy" so I took the previous image, applied Colored Pen filter and reframed it.

Took me three go's to upload one of the other challenges. I'll try one here.
Frank

ART:
I like both of yours for different reasons. The framing and sky really enhance #1. Interesting idea to apply the starburst effect, too.

The Graphic Pen definitely added an artsy quality. Swapping out the frame was a good call, too.

FRANK:
Wow. This is a wonderful interpretation. The colors and fading at the edges with the texture are especially effective.

Whatever you learned about uploading the other pic you're applying with precision now!

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A great way to start my Friday morning guys!

~Danny~

Heading for a night on the town? This was done mostly with the custom filter.

Phyllis (suffering these days from convolutions...) :)

A very simple tritone effect.

FRANK: Simple, but elegant.

PHYLLIS: Another inspired rendition. Though relatively complex to develop, a simple and elegant result achieved.

Omeyas:

I really like your tritone a lot - one of my favs in this category so far. Have you considerd cloning away a few of the artifacts around the bridge cables - particularly around the central tower? My eye got pulled towards those, and I think this would be pretty much perfect with some selective cleanup of the artifacts.

Best
Toad

Hi, call me Frank! You are perfectly correct, being a tritone it literally took me a few minutes and I did not give it a good look! :o: As soon as I saw it on the screen, I thought, "----" :o:
Is there a facility to remove it or not? I know on pbase you can.
First day here yesterday, probably trying to run before I can walk, teach me to take my time in future! Keep it coming, I can take lots of criticism, only way to learn. That's the beauty of these groups.
Thanks

here's my try at it. once again just trying out filters and GIMP "Script Fu's"

- David :)

DAVID...

For living so far away, you really captured the spirit of a bridge in California!

Hey, Yer still Gimping along. Is the student discounted Photoshop still on the horizon?

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FRANK:

No magic .jpg artifact eraser function here. WYSIWYG. Since uploads are restricted to 100KB in the forums (200KB in the general gallery), frequently the quality of what you have to work with isn't ideal.

Heavy sigh...

~Danny~

I apologize in advance for this rather disturbing image.

I am envious of the crop of young people born after 1975 or so who did not grow up with the spectre of global war and impending disaster hanging over them - that spectre was a fact of life while I was growing up, and I don't miss it today.

Old demons die hard though, and I had a really bad nightmare a couple of nights ago - this is the result.

Toad -- that is a nightmare, and I hope it remains only a nightmare. The flames are pretty realistic, but the effect in the clouds is horrifically beautiful!

Mine's an attempt to add fog (render clouds -- difference) plus some added paint and distort effects to make it look more like fog (I've not yet seen Golden Gate in person, and rarely seen CA fog).

David, I love the way you toned down and softened the bridge pic. Nice border effect too. Really nice job!

Toad, that's really awesome! The statue was a perfect finishing touch.

CJ, great job on giving it a wet look. You can't tell where the ocean stops and the coast begins. Verrrry nice painting effects too!

Phyllis

FRANK:

No magic .jpg artifact eraser function here. WYSIWYG. Since uploads are restricted to 100KB in the forums (200KB in the general gallery), frequently the quality of what you have to work with isn't ideal.

Heavy sigh...

~Danny~

That's fine, I can live with that!;) It's the same for everyone. I have recently put some photos on pbase and I normally keep them around 100kb, 150kb at the most, still doesn't prevent some people from getting some stunning results! :depressed
Frank

CJ:

For never having seen the GG bridge before, you did a brilliant job capturing the fog, especially on the far side of the bridge! Very well done!

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Toad:

Technically, very well executed. Conceptually, very disturbing to me. As CJ said, hope this rendition represents something that will never happen.

Great work everyone!

C.J. ..... Great job on the fog and painting quality, very well done

Phyllis.... I love your night scene! And...

Toad.... Simply Awesome!

Marlene
www.thedigitalspectrum.com

duplicate layer
lasso sky aetherize
lasso bridge aetherize
lighting effect of whole picture
changed opacity
did a flood action on bottom layer
and turned opacity down on top

Originally posted by DannyRaphael
DAVID...

For living so far away, you really captured the spirit of a bridge in California!

Hey, Yer still Gimping along. Is the student discounted Photoshop still on the horizon?


thanks Danny! (and phyllis too). well, I ordered the software, and now I'm waiting for it to ship (and I am *not* a patient person!!) I think I'm going to go crazy waiting for it!!!!!

- David :)

pjb:

From what I can tell you came up with a pretty interesting interpretation, but the size of the image is too small to really appreciate it.

Rule of thumb... about 72 ppi and about 6-8" tall x 10-12" wide works pretty good.

Keep 'em coming!

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David:

Good to hear Photoshop is on the horizon. You'll be in Photoshop heaven (or the opposite) before you know it!

Last bit of play for the night. I've been procrastinating all day, now I really do have to get serious. :(

Anyway, this was pretty quick. I copied the bg layer and ran the Mosaic filter. Set the blend mode to screen and opacity to 73%. Merged all to a new layer and ran the Paint Engine filter with Bad brush; set the opacity to 60%. Merged all to a new layer and ran the Photoshop Palette knife filter; set the blend mode to screen and opacity to 43%.

Jeanie

Abstract version.

Phyllis

OK I know, I'm just going through a funny phase right now.

Peter