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# 44 – Alan's Butterfly

Since we’re well into Fall, I’m thinking we need something to inspire us into thinking about Spring!

This pretty butterfly closeup was snapped by Alan Smallbone, my colleague in the DPReview Retouching Forum Action collection endeavor (see http://www.geocities.com/kafuensis/). If this doesn't get you thinking about Springtime, nothing will!

It should come as little or no surprise by now (but I’m obliged to say it anyway) that Alan retains the copyright © not only for the original image, but for any photo-art versions of it. Unauthorized distribution or use without his permission are prohibited.

Thanks, Alan, for graciously letting me use this wonderful picture.

More good news: I have two more of Alan’s pictures to use in future mini-challenges. In the mean time have fun with this one.

~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? Takeoff? Morph into a helicopter?
. * 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.

Looks like I'll bite first. Nothing too complicated done here, I'm just taking a break for lunch and where better to do that than in front of my computer. All I did here was to apply KPT Pyramid Paint to one layer, torn edges filter to one and photocopy to another, decreasing the opacities to taste. After I flattened I adjusted the curves and applied a sandstone texture.

Thanks for the challenge!

Marlene
www.thedigitalspectrum.com

:lol: Chuck Stop That.....

Here's my try; I played a while in Photoshop with this. I started with a photo I had, and pasted the butterfly in as a new layer. Converted them both to grayscale. Just the rubberstamp to get the wings pattern on the kids clothes and when merging the two together. Toned it, used a brushset I got at AdobePhotoExchange to make the bubbles, that's about it, I guess. :rolleyes:

Awesome Trine! :bigthmb:
Jeanie

This is somewhat garish placed so closely to Trine's soft, fantasmic (and fantastic) image. I duped, flipped the image and moved to make one big "butterfly", duped the result using color burn layer blend to intensify the color. Added a green background, lighting effects - 3 down (different hues), duped the butterfly and ran ink outlines on the top layer, blending with Soft light to add some texture to the intense colors. Also used Hue/Saturation to change the hues somewhat.

Chuck -- I'd just gotten over checking flies's heads before swatting them, and now I'll have to start all over again! ;)

Marlene -- glad you were able to take a lunch break in the forum -- it's a nice soft touch to a lovely, soft butterfly.

Trine -- I am SO glad that you are sharing your visions with us -- I am not jealous of your talent and vision, I am not inspired to attempt something similar (I'll leave that to others like you who are truly artistic) -- I'm just happy to step into your world for a moment.

Trine - just took a look at your website and one of websites where your images are shown -- beautiful Koster, your striking portraits of Knut and others -- SO sharp with a digital cam!, "Painting with light2" -- what a setup -- fantastic!

Marlene..very nice..it amazes me how you talented folk can quickly produce nice results..

Trine..Just Beautiful..Inspired..

CJ..very nicely done. I like the deep coloration.

Chuck..be good..

Here is my try.. A color sketchy look..

Jerry :D

My attempt on this ended up looking like beadwork.

Ken

That's pretty neat, Ken. Mind sharing how you got that effect?

Here is what I came up with:
Ran the djr-Portrait Sketch 22 action
Applied the original image twice, once as Overlay, and once as Color
Adjusted the opacity and saturation

Something about the way it is sitting like it's looking over the edge of the leaf inspired me to copy it to a new layer and apply a motion blur to the background.

Bruce

Trine...unbelievable!!!!! You are my new hero!

Phyllis (bowing low to the great Goddess Trine!)

:blush: You guys are the greatest, and makes me feel I finally found home:pleased:
This is just so much fun, gives me so many new ideas and challenge my fantasy. Together with all of you creative people's talent :bow: , I'm in heaven!

Thank's to Danny and Allan for a great challenge.

Marlene, I love the colors and the texture you got. I think, if you go a bit easier (make it softer) on the texture on the background it will look more realistic(to a textured paper).

Chuck, I love your sense of humor, right up my alley:lol:

C.J., wow, you flatter me (don't stop):D . I do have a passion for photography, and fortunately digital cameras have gotten so good these days. Makes it a lot easier to just shoot and plug it into your pc and see the results emediately. Then you can go back and do it again if you're not satisfied, without having to wait for days for the film to be developed.
As for your photo, I really like the strong colors and contrasts in it, and the idea. I do think blending the leafes and the background, or make the transition not so hard, would make it even better, as I know feel it takes away a bit of the focus on the butterflies.

jerry, beautiful! It really looks like a drawing:bigthmb:

Ken, yes it really looks like beads. Maybe a bit sharpen(unsharpmask) would bring out the details and colors even more?

Bruce, looks like a psycedelic dream:rainbow:

Chuck, your #2, the texture on the butterfly almost makes me expect that if I touch it, I will get butterflydust on my fingers. Great job! I do think the background need a bit of work though. A paperlike texture maybe? As it is now, it looks like two separate photos put on top of eachother.

Phyllis, right back at ya!:bow:

;)Trine

Here we go again - my usual kick at the cat...

The Secret Life of Butterflies...

Originally posted by ugot2bkdng
I am kinda new here, what is djr??


Chuck,

It is from a set of actions that I downloaded here (http://www.retouchpro.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2653). I am really learning a lot by trying these actions, and disecting them to see how they do what they do.

Bruce

I don’t know what to call it. You could say it was therapy.. I molded a batch of pixels and this is what I get. ‘Butterfly on the Rocks’? I sit down and start plying.

That background is perfect ;) I do miss the lovely colors you had on the previous though...What about taking the butterfly from the first one and place it on this background? I think that would look great:bigthmb:

It's really nice as is also:D

Wow, I just the love the variations on this butterfly!

Trine.... Love it! The surreal effect is awesome! I also love a well done B&W such as this.

Jerry.... Beautiful! I love the soft pastel pencil effect, very well done!

Ken.... It does look like beadwork. A bead artist would probably love to use this as a pattern. Clever & original.

Chuck.... Thankyou for the steps used in this lovely rendition. I don't think I've ever used the conte crayon....I'm now inspired to try.

Toad.... HI!!! I'm glad to be here and thanks for the warm welcome. So much talent, so much to be learned. Oh yeah....cool butterfly. Looks like copper, I like it!

Trimoon...Ok, now I know you're a fake, you're really a very talented watercolor artist trying to freak us all out. This is just waaaaaay too good, right down to the way the water spreads on the paper. I have a lot to learn from you!

Marlene
www.thedigitalspectrum.com

:D :cool: :pleased: :bigthmb: :bigthmb: :bigthmb: :!:

Just perfect! I really love it!

;)Trine

Marlene, love the flat lighting and the colors...go well with the texture.

Chuck, I will visit you every Sunday in the home...I promise. :)

CJ, wonderful idea, and well done. The use of the three lights is great too. I seldom use the fancy lighting choices...you have inspired me to experiment more.

Ken, that's a neat effect. Sort of looks like needlepoint. If you raised the contrast, you'd have a glassier, beady look too.

Bruce, very imaginative...nice work with the daring colors and the motion behind as he rests.

Chuck, I like the way the butterfly has more detail than his resting place...emphasizes him. I really like the colored line drawing that you turned the leaves into.

Toad, bold, futuristic, and I like the metallic butterfly. Makes me think this is billions of years in the future when "butterbots" will rule the earth!

Trimoon, I love your "butterfly on the rocks." Colors, texture, simplicity...all make it really beautiful!

Chuck, I love your butterfly #2. Looks like it's painted on parchment. Lovely and delicate.

Phyllis

Chuck....Outstanding!!!! I love it, love it, love it!

Marlene
www.thedigitalspectrum.com

Oh Chuck, what a perfect time for introducing you to "The Devines" singing of course "The wind beneath my wings"(with a voice awfully similar to Bette's):lmao: :lol:

From the pristine, serious and beautiful... to the hysterical, in about 5 posts.

Priceless image, Trine. A GR-eat way to start my morning!

I love this forum!

~Danny~

Chuck, you're "not kidding" with this one -- beautiful!

Trine -- I'll take Bette Midler's voice, but I Love the image!

Trimoon -- as always -- wonderful. Keep listening to those voices.

Chuck I go away for a day and you go crazy..That last one is a knock out..My type of art..How do you like your new tablet..hoping santa will bring me one..

Trimoon,,Marlene,Trine...All beautifull..You folks have been busy..

Jerry

A cartoony butterfly. Looks simple, but wasn't.

Gee, this place is so inspiring. You all have opened up a whole new world of self-expression to me. Thanks!

Here is my first-ever attempt at using the Art History Brush.

Bruce

Hi all,

I am really amazed at what everyone has done with my photo, some very interesting interpretations. I have enjoyed looking and I finally signed up for the forums. I have a lot to learn!

Alan

Truman:
One word: Exceptional. Simply terrific.

Bruce:
Ain't that Art History Brush amazing? If you're not hooked yet, you soon will be. Great first time results.

Check the TUTORIALs (from the main menu); there's a very good AHB tutorial written by Jim Caffrey, a frequent contributor to this forum.

Also, if you have access to any of the Photoshop Wow 5.5, 6 or 7 books, it contains a very informative section on using the Art History Brush.

VE,
I have always liked graphic artists that can translate a photograph into simple lines without taking away any details. But most of all I like artists that details the translation process (hint, hint).

Tony

ALAN:

Wow! Welcome Aboard!

Glad you joined the party. (Alan is the guy who took the pic for this mini-challenge and is my partner in crime in this little adventure: http://www.geocities.com/kafuensis/ .)

When you get the time / inclination, pop over to this thread (http://www.retouchpro.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=761), specially reserved as a place where new folks do brief self-introductions.

For a possibly helpful site map, click the link below my signature. Sometimes a picture worth 1K words; sometimes not.

Look forward to tapping into some of your other pictures for future mini-challenges. Thanks again for letting me show off your pic! :)

~Danny~

Truman, it didn't "look simple" to me...though I did recognize anisotropic diffuse and possibly the cut out filter in there, along with some "glow" from one of many methods. So, you gonna tell us how you made this wonderful illustration? Please? :)

Phyllis

This guy has had too much party, I think. I changed and brightened the colors, ran KPT6 "pyramid" filter to simplify the picture, then tried the KPT3 "video feedback" filter to make him dizzy. The VF filter is nice because you can adjust the angle and degree of spin, as well as the shape of the repeating pieces, so you can make it fit into just about any picture.

Phyllis

Looks like "Tequila Butterfly" to me, Phyllis, an event I would have preferred not to recall! :) Very creative technique.

Gotta agree with your observation that VE's technique was far from simple. People who are very good at their craft do that... make the difficult look simple. You know. Like you do!

This is my first post here. I made 3 copies as layers. First layer I used Palette Knife, second layer Dry Brush, third layer Smart Blur Edge only then inversed it. Set the blending mode for all three of these layers to Soft Light. Applied a canvas texture. Detailed procedure is at http://www.davrodigital.co.uk/tutorials/haye-island-cafe/hayes-island-cafe.htm

This is the first time I am here. Hi Danny. I am haveing a ball and my wife says she sick of me being on the computer, morning and nightime but the talent has me trying harder. I hope I am toning my skills and each time getting better. So here is my butterfly.

By the way it is really hard to find different ways to do this without looking like someone elses.

I used a art history brush tech I have been working on for Oil Painting which if Danny agrees it is ready I will post it. I then did a select all from the original and pasted it over the Art painting. I the adjusrted the slider for effect and used the paint brush to sharpen it. Then I added Luminocity to it. I think it gives it an artsey effect.

By the way I reviewed all postings and lik I said there so good its hard come up a comparable.

ART...

W E L C O M E ! Glad you joined us and jumped right in.

I, too, like the David Rowley technique. I think it's one of the better tutorials on the net. Thanks for posting the link.

This is a great place to spread your (butterfly) wings! :) Hopefully we'll be seeing more of your creations in the future.

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PHIL:

Hey! Glad you joined our little fun gang, too! Having seen many of your creations in the past, you'll fit right in here.

Thoughts from Dr. Danny:
You can tell your wife the time you're spending on the computer these days is all MY fault... I've been tempting you with excessive rhetoric and hairbrained ideas. It's your obligation to the universe to prove them (a) right, (b) wrong or (c) improve on them! I'd say you're doing very well on (c)!

Reassure her that your hobby is keeping you out of the bars and isn't costing any additional money... except maybe a little more photo paper for the printer.

Speaking from personal experinece I'd recommend making a significant effort to spend quality time with her on a regular basis (dinner out? go for a walks together? foot massages?). If she is confident that she is more important to you than the computer, believe me, everyone will benefit! :)

I know what you mean about sometimes feeling a little short on ideas after looking at some of the fantastic creations submitted by others, but don't ever let that stop or discourage you, especially in this forum.

It's easy to get caught up in the comparison of your creations with those of others. Ya gotta unlearn that. Be inspired, but not intimidated. Just let it flow... and keep on growing.

One approach: Don't look at other entries until after you've finished yours.

Speaking of entries, yours is an inspired rendition, Phil. There have definitely been none like it so far -- making it very special.

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If you haven't yet, I would encourage each of you to pop over to
this thread (http://www.retouchpro.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=761) in the Salon forum, where new folks can share a little bit about their backgrounds, interests, equipment, whatever.

Also, below my signature is a link to a site map which may (or may not) be helpful in finding your way around the site or discovering nooks and crannies you have not yet explored.

Lastly, if you haven't yet, check out the general site gallery (Select "Gallery" from the main menu.) Feel free to post 2-3 of your favorite creations there. It's a friendly place to get additional feedback and view some exceptional works.

Again, welcome to both of you. It's always fun to have new folks join us. Feel free to send me e-mail or Personal Mail (PM button) if you have any questions or I can be of assistance.

~Danny~

Well I have reviewd every bodys butterfly collection and Danny was right about the talent.

Hi Toad ( we are old friends from another forum) Great job. Every time I see new work I am ready to ask how and I think I am finally getting the nack because I can now answer 70% of my own questions. Wow thats great. How did get the distinct lines, did you use glowing edges as well as emboss?

I will remember everybody name after awhile but right now Id like to tell Trine I visited your web sight and the intro is really different, but your photography is just great, you have a good eye. I really liked the singing Gulls but I have one question how did you get them to pose.

Danny I have gone up and down this thread looking for trumans work, who is Truman, I cant find him and i went thru all five times.

I have another question, I have some of you refer to Wacom tablet, so I looked it up. Does it really help with designing and retouching in Photoshop. Ran out of space so By for now.

I will remember everybody name after awhile but right now Id like to tell Trine I visited your web sight and the intro is really different, but your photography is just great, you have a good eye. I really liked the singing Gulls but I have one question how did you get them to pose.

Hi Phil!

Thank you so much.
"The Devines" are after publisity, so they are not too hard to get a photo of though :lol:
Seriously though, this one gull that they all are was one of many gulls outside a fastfoodrestaurant by the sea. They are so used to find food there, the owners actually had to put up a sign "Keep a tight hold on your food, beware the gulls". A friend of our family once came out with one hotdog in each hand. ZZZZZOOOFFF, there the gull was stealing his hotdog :lmao: The photo of the gull is probbly him screeming for more. You can se the original below here.

;)Trine

Phil, welcome! In answer to your question, Truman is known as Visual Eyes. His work is pretty impressive...and humbling. I am a big fan. :)

I think you are kidding about the "posing" birds...right?
---------

Now...guess what I found! A PS7 filter I'd never used before...the "custom" filter under "other." I am very excited about it since it has infinite possibilities. This new butterfly pic was made with a few steps, the first of which was to try a negative 1 in the upper left box in "custom" and I got a really neat look, which was even better when faded to luminosity. I then just overlaid a redder version of the butterfly I had been working on, then softened it a bit to get the excess sparkle out and resharpened with a highpass layer and brightened a bit with a partial screen layer.

Not much to it...and all from changing a zero to a negative 1! (Note: I didn't change the five center boxes, which were preset with a 5 in the middle surrounded by four negative 1's.)

Can't wait to try to do more number experiments with custom! If any turn out useful, they can be made into actions. Perhaps we could start a forum for custom filter settings. Anyone interested in trying out some settings?

Phyllis

I took the same filter result as above (from custom, -1) and blended it at overlay instead of luminosity, and the leaf turned black (!) while the butterfly turned reddish orange. The only thing I did to it was to desaturate and darken the remaining bit of green that stayed on the stem.

I am putting a blurb about this filter in the software-->photoshop-->favorite filters forum along with small pics of the different results from this filter setting if anyone is interested.

Phyllis

Phyllis, just for the record, that filter is in previous versions of Photoshop too. At least in my 6.0. Just to let you know ;) Never tried it before either.

That brilliant orange and black "custom" result (the second one posted above) was so bright I just had to twirl it...sorry, trying to break the habit, but it's so hard. Sigh....

Phyllis :)

Trine, you said that it was the original and your good, but how did you turn the bird around, did you use a mirror image. I have got ot say its impossable to tell you implanted them to the dock. Great job

Phyliss, I didn't think it was exact because when it comes to food they do not get that close to each other, its usaually a food war, and no I didnt think they were singing.
Your filter of the bfly looks great.
Hey until recently all I use Photshop for was for photo enhancement and boy is this Photo art fun.

Hi, first time here. A very basic attempt here, really I want to ensure that I have got the hang of this technology.
Frank:)

I've no idea what happened to that photo, i'll try again.:o:

Tried twice, don't know why the page is not loading correctly. Any ideas?
I just tried it here, it works fine.
http://www.pbase.com/image/6624041
Frank

Tring one or two more

Iron Butterfly part II

These two where done using just lighting effects that’s all

And now for something completely deferent

All where done using lighting effects and Hue/saturation

Originally posted by phili1
Trine, you said that it was the original and your good, but how did you turn the bird around, did you use a mirror image. I have got ot say its impossable to tell you implanted them to the dock. Great job

I turned it around with Edit->Transform->Flip Horizontal. I think I also rotated some of them a bit, using the same method, only "Rotate" instead of "Flip Horizontal".

Thank you again

;)Trine

try one last time!

Trimon. Just when you think you seen greatnees, someone comes up with something different. The last two butterflys are great.

Thanks Trine. I have to trhy it. I didnt realizes it would reverse it that way.

PHYLLIS:

Check out this post for one of the meatiest discussions on the CUSTOM FILTER I've ever seen. It's very good.

http://www.retouchpro.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=33777#post33777

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PHIL: Truman: aka "Visual Eyes." Sorry bout the confusion; didn't mean to send you on a fruitless hunt.

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FRANK:

I applaud your determination. :) Glad you got the upload to work.

It was definitely worth it! Hope to see more of your creations in the future.

~DannyR~

Hey Philip:

I recognized you right off. There are quite a few regulars from the "other" forum here - some using the same tag - many are not.

In answer to your question about technique, I will post another reply later - as I actually made a few notes this time, but I don't have them near this PC.

Nice to see you around here as well.

Best
Toad

Just trying to get away from filters. :)
Frank

Frank:

Excellent example of creative exterior framing and using frame sections to define the subject. Who needs filters?

Definitely an inspiring "way outside the box" approach.

Nicely done.

~Danny~

Frank, that's a nice treatment, both innovative and attractive!

This is probably best described as a watercolor, but it's really just the end result of overworking a picture then salvaging it by making it more abstract. :)

Phyllis

Phyllis,
I love your latest creation.
Love it, love it, love it.

Tony

HI Chuck I posted something yesterday and it dissapeared.

Any way just to be cute, from what I have seen of this forum there is no such thing as a mistakes, just talent.

Frank -- creative approach -- nicely done!

Phyllis -- I'm with the rest of them -- love it! The lighting of the butterfly is especially beautiful.

I agree also. It is beautifull.

Oh, Phyllis.....the colors are just breathtaking!! Love it.....

Awww...thanks to all you guys for the nice words on my "mistake." From now on, anything goes!

Have you all noticed how much more creative the entires in all the mini-challenges are getting compared to a few months ago? I think it's great how folks are constantly breaking new ground and experimenting with imaginative ideas...like the butterflies by Trimoon, Frank, Goldcoin and others before theirs, as well as the unusual treatments in the other challenges. So exciting!

At the same time, folks are improving their more traditional art techniques to the point where you can't tell if their sketches and paintings are faked or photos of the actual thing.

I look forward each day to opening the new files! Thanks, Danny, for providing this glorious playground!

Phyllis

Lets see penicillian was a mistake, Electric light was a mistake, the cotten gin became a locomotive and that was a mistake and my father told me I was a mistake but that butterfly was no mistake, like the rest lets call it talent.

Hey I dont know about anyone else but I wany to say thanks for letting me join, because I am having the best time in my life. Its great when you can find someting in life thats fun and learn at the same time. I used Photoshop for Photo retouching and had no Idea of the art side of it till I meet up with Danny and Toad.

I don't know if you guys do it, but I try to duplicate your work after all our posts are in and I am finding that each filter has so many different looks to it and you can't find that in any book.

So Phyliss you are right up there with Edison.

Playing around with PSP7, using this tutorial (http://www.state-of-entropy.com/watercolor.html).

Very nice BigAl..It definately has a watercolor feel to it..Thanks for the link..That tutorial looks really interestting..I'll have to find some time to work through it..

Thanks
Jerry :D

Chuck...

Wasn't that program Paint Shop that Big Al used?

This is posted on the OhThatGirl mini challenge thread too.

I was cruising through the mini-challenges and looked at all the great "alan's butterfly" pics. (Great work you guys!) I was tossing around what to do with those wings when I spotted the OhThatGirl challange. Ah-ha!
(I must admit I was inspired by Trine Simes butterflychild picture...nice photos on your website Trine!)

I started by copying the wings off the butterfly, cloning in some missing top wing bits and tranforming them (scale, rotate, perspective) to get them to look right on Lisa's body.

then I colourised Lisa including adding some wing texture to her dress and getting rid of the buttons. (Fairies don't 'do' buttons!) I also used liquify and cloning to "elf up" her ears a little. (I didn't really need liquify but I started out using it to change the shape of the wings to something spikier but decided to ditch that work. I'd spent so much time using it I needed an excuse to say I still did. So I tweaked her ears)

I used the smart blur (learned that from this site!) and then texturized a render clouds background that had been hue adjusted to yellow. I also saturated the colours of the wings a bit.
The text is from the dictionary. Just like Lisa herself - helpful and a bit supernatural in her photgraphy/graphic skills.

I will post this under the butterfly thread as well. See below for two other versions of this....I couldn't stop playing!

Helena

hmmmm...perhaps she should have antennae too?

Very neat Helena :bigthmb:

I posted this last night but it seems to have dissappeared. :blank: :eek:
Here it is again....now I hope I don't end up on here twice somehow...sigh.

Here is picture number two...just combined the first one with a photo of the woods. Changed the hue on the woods and saturated some bits of the trees. Gave Lisa an outer glow and drew in the light trails (with glow).

I like this one a lot. I would change the light trails a bit and do it on a nice smooth pen path next time.

Helena

I like this one best :)

Same thing...i thought I posted this already....the mysteries of the web:confused:

Here is the last one. Combined Lisa with two other butterfly pics (used smart blur twice) Cloned her into place and gave her a glow....had to mask a bit to keep the glow in the right places because of some flattening I'd done earlier. (I hate it when I do that too soon :bawling: )

This was fun!

Helena

Helena - what a creative composition. Both pictures have a faerie like feel to them. Very nice. Have you ever experimented with Photoshop's Brushes? They have a series of brushes that have poems and quotes - and even faerie like brushes. Mike Needham sent me a set of Grunge brushes that would work wonderfully with this picture.

Lisa

The only filters that I used were the ones that are included in photoshop 7.

Enhanced the colors with the hue/sat
then applied craquelure
selected b/g with 20 feather
applied random red yellow and orange short brush strokes to black b/g
used the glass filter then the wave filter over the brush strokes
The only other thing I did was play with layer opacities. All layers were kept normal.
The rough texture made this a bit difficult to compress, so it's very low resolution.

Helena - I hope you don't mind. I applied a brush called Steel Garden with is part of a grunge brush set I have - just to give you the idea.

Lisa

Helena,

You've inspired me to try something a little different.

Lisa

Here's another attempt.

Lisa

Yup... it's true, I'm addicted.

Lisa

Oh Lisa - I absolutely love the one with the bubbles!! :bigthmb: How did you do that? ;)

And Helena, I just love your version with the light trails too! Soooo creative! :bigthmb:

Jeanie

Hi Jeanie - long time no see!!!!

Well - it was pretty easy for me. I took a picture of my crystal ball - I noticed all kinds of bubbles in the glass. I had no idea what I would do with a macro shot of the crystal ball - but since I was thinking butterflies, faeries etc... it seem to fit the theme. So I simply selected the butterfly and placed her on one of the bubbles on the crystal ball shot and voila.

Lisa

So, that's a macro shot of the bubbles in the glass in your crystal ball? Wow - ingenuous! :D

Jeanie

Helena,
Actually you have posted one in the Oh That Girl II mini-challenge. But I'm not complaining. With submission this beautiful I don't mind if I see them again and again.

Tony

Helena, that's wonderful! Lisa makes a great mythical creature doesn't she?

Lisa, love all of them. Love the soft notecard look. And of course the butterfly perched on a bubble is a stroke of genius!

Phyllis

Gosh - thanks Phyllis :)

Lisa

Lisa..Just beautiful..The one with the bubbles is inspired..The poetry entries are both really nice also..Glad you jumped back in..

Helena..Your fairy compositions are really great..A pleasure to look at..

Jerry :D

Lisa, I love the crystal ball bubbles -- never would have imagined what they were -- love the image WITH the bubbles, love the "transformation", love the poetry image... Hmmm, you've been gone a few days, but you catch up quick! ;)

Helena -- your faerie is a clever combination of two challenges and lovely addition.

Lqqker -- love the texture and color!

You know how it is. I've been away too long - time to play and catch up on all that I've been missing :)

Lisa

HI Lisa both your submission are really great but I love the Poem best its delicate and shows compasion.

But how dod you make the bubbles they are cool.

Hi phili1,

I'm a huge fan of poetry myself. As far as the bubbles go... I used my digital camera and took a picture of one of my crystal balls. I noticed all kinds of bubbles inside and thought I'd try to get a macro shot of it. I remembered having the picture and thought the butterfly would look neat travelling on one of the bubbles :)

Lisa

put adapt equalize filter on butterfly and glare filter two times on background
brightness and color balance on butterfly

Wow...metal leaf and metallic butterfly...neat look!

Phyllis

PJB that is awsome, great look and coloration. How did you get that effect.

I'm glad you like it. I used two different filters on two different layers. Adapt Equalize and Glare filter.

Abstract filter combo again.

Phyllis

Phyllis,

Wow that is great and I like the lotus one too, what filters are these? Can you give a few more details for us newbies. I like it.

Thanks,
Alan

HI Phyliss. Its really great. I love the colors, makes it jump out at you.

Didn't like the way it was turning out so just started messing with it. Hate it when it turns out good all of a sudden and I don't know all I did. A happy accident.
:wavey:

Originally posted by Snoleoprd
Phyllis,Wow that is great and I like the lotus one too, what filters are these? Can you give a few more details for us newbies. I like it.

Thanks, Alan. The technique is one I discovered while playing around with filter combos and blend modes about two weeks ago and I've been using it a lot in mini challenges since then. The step by step instructions are given along with my last entries in both the flowers mini #62 and the produce mini #63. I also used it on the fish mini and on Guitar Charlie and on the cats Jake and Joey and maybe elsewhere.

If you look at these two fish:

http://www.retouchpro.com/forums/attachment.php?s=&postid=39101
http://www.retouchpro.com/forums/attachment.php?s=&postid=39102

as opposed to the produce pic:

http://www.retouchpro.com/forums/attachment.php?s=&postid=39092

you will see that there is quite a difference in how it affects different photos, but I personally like both looks. There are some pics I've tried it on that just fall flat, however, so, like anything else, it's usefulness depends on the original picture, and of course intermediate settings will make a big difference too.

Phyllis

This is an outstanding butterfly shot and was a pleasure to work with.

Don--That is beautiful. You created an excellent effect for the image. The softness is wonderful.

Danny--Thanks for letting me play with your portrait process. I see what you mean about needing tweaking each time, but they're easy tweaks and that makes it fun to play with. This probably wasn't what you intended, but I like the result.

My take.

soft plastic
saturation
image doctor
neat image
unsharp mask
neat image

I was playing around with luminance layers and texture overlays.

Sharon

This is my first contribution to this wonderful forum. This image is a result of what I have learned here and at sites that were referred to here. Just started using Photoshop again after a short hiatus. Formerly used it mostly for the web and type. Just started doing a few "artsy things".

After downloading the original I duped and extracted the butterfly.
Tweaked levels.
Used history brush to capture pixels extraction usually leaves.
New layer/ marquee/ stroke/ 25px/ free transform.
History brush for shadows on frame.
On copy of orig airbrushed white to lighten, black for shadows.

I heard of this technique being called OOB for Out of Bounds. Not very painterly... more of an illustration.

Cheers... Kent

This is my first contribution to this wonderful forum. This image is a result of what I have learned here and at sites that were referred to here. Just started using Photoshop again after a short hiatus. Formerly used it mostly for the web and type. Just started doing a few "artsy things".

After downloading the original I duped and extracted the butterfly.
Tweaked levels.
Used history brush to capture pixels extraction usually leaves.
New layer/ marquee/ stroke/ 25px/ free transform.
History brush for shadows on frame.
On copy of orig airbrushed white to lighten, black for shadows.

I heard of this technique being called OOB for Out of Bounds. Not very painterly... more of an illustration.

Cheers... Kent

Kent:

Welcome aboard.

In bounds? Out of bounds? Regardless, this is terrific manipulation you've crafted.

I'm glad you joined us. Hope to see more of your creations in the future.

~Danny~

First post, hope I did this right. I have lurked a few times a long time ago and have wanted to get more involved.
Sorry, but I did not write down all I did. I just got carried away and one led to the other. I even made a mask for the tapestry.
trolljenta

Another nice effect, TJ. You did it just fine.

Don't worry about getting carried away sometimes. It's good to get creatively lost in what you're doing sometimes.

~Danny~

Here is my result of this image. I know it is very different to everyone elses. But that is what I like doing most, doing things totally different.

Judi

Judy...

Lovely & imaginative. What were your methods?

...Kent

Thanks Kent.

I cutout the butterfly and promoted it to another layer and duplicated the butterfly twice and colourized all three.

I then added a blade of grass and merged it with the main butterfuly and added a flood effect. I then added a gradient sky.

The other two butterflies were reduced in sizes and a bubble was added to each.

Once they were all positioned a lens flare was added and finally a border.

About half an hour job but I was happy with the result.

I dupped the the butterfly and pasted it in to the sky... Each layer selected and did H/S adjustments for its colour defferences.. used transform tool to split the wings and alligned... Let them Fly...

vijayan

I do not like my previous try.

1.Smudge Tool (Smudging)

2.Selective Color correction and
Hue/Saturation to brighten it up

3.Some texture


Larger Image (http://www.pbase.com/image/32365814.jpg)

Steve

Steve, nice super natural one.. Very very Beautiful..

vijayan

Steve,
You really brought out the color and detail. Excellent job!

Vijayan,
I like the new background and all the different colored butterflies. A very happy image. Great work!

good work and very creative also. That pattern you added to the bottom part is a nice idea too...

Tpaul, thankyou very much for that nice comments..

----
vijayan

i dont remember how i did the first, sorry. But i couldnt resist sending it in.

For the second, I tried to achieve a similar one to steve trimoon's butterfly. No smudging here. Mine involves equalize fade 100% multiply on duplicate layer- with several image adjustments involving selective color changes and hue and saturation changes.

Painter 8.1 - Oils/Details Oils on butterfly plus surface texture/Luminance. Gouache on leaf and cloning. Artists Brushes/Seurat on the bg. Waterdrops and framing in Paint Shop Pro.

Jaykita and Neve I'm very impressed. WOW such great art.

Janet

Thanks Janet...! :wavey:

Marlene DeGrood - Awesome gallery
Trimoon - Awesome work & website *Inspirational*
PStewart - Kewl party butterfly!
Trimoon - Your iron butterfly reminds me of a boxed butterfly from a museum.
PStewart i am going to follow you around, want to be my mentor? Awesome, kewl!

(***How does a person become a registered User?***)

Its a great honor to post with the greatest! :bow:

GrafixD - that's a colourful beauty! Glad you've come to join me trailing after P Stewart, have you seen her work at PBase?

http://www.pbase.com/pstewart

Wow PStewart your gallery is amazing, each picture i clicked took me to another set of pictures, i shall save and look tomorrow, have to go now, will come back and ask you LOTS of questions for sure!

Thank you Janet. Gosh it was such a long ago that i did those butterflies! (seems that way, anyway) :cool:
Neve, yours is lovely as always.
GrafixD, gradient map i presume? Very vibrant.
I agree with you, Neve, Phyllis Stewart's work is terrific. Her forum at innographx.com is simply great. There's such a wealth of artistic talent over there. I do take a peek from time to time.

Painter 8.1 - Oils/Details Oils on butterfly plus surface texture/Luminance. Gouache on leaf and cloning. Artists Brushes/Seurat on the bg. Waterdrops and framing in Paint Shop Pro.
That is georgeous!!

Thanks Carrie, This was one of the first things I tried in Painter.

Here's my attempt at trying one of Trimoon's old tutorials from several years ago. It was the one based on the lily and flower with no name. It was also my first attempt at trying to use the smudge tool.

Hmm.. let me think..

Fotocopy and posterize mixed together + emboss.
All that mixed together with oilpainting, then some color and contrast correction and finally some structure added.

Unfortunately I don't remember the exact steps, but I hope the above description helps a bit ;)

one of my favorite candies at Easter was always the chocolate critters. anyone care for a chocolate butterfly?

Craig

edit: based on comments from T Paul in the gallery where i posted this, and from my own 2nd look at this, i've revised the 'wrapper' and am posting this 2nd version up.

Rendered with extreme help from Microsoft's Impressionist plugin, and also used Paint Engine (in Photoshop) and GIMP's GIMPressionist filter. Some subtle enhancement's with Xero's Caravagio and SuperSmooth filters, and GIMP's bumpmap filter for texture relief. :)

Rendered with extreme help from Microsoft's Impressionist plugin, and also used Paint Engine (in Photoshop) and GIMP's GIMPressionist filter. Some subtle enhancement's with Xero's Caravagio and SuperSmooth filters, and GIMP's bumpmap filter for texture relief. :)Your very pleasing results are an example of what's possible if you have many tools in your toolbox -- and know how to use them.

Nicely done.

I've mentioned this before on other forums. I'm not in love with any one tool. I try to find a happy synergistic relationship with all the tools I use. The more the better in my book. That's the art (my opinion of course). And I'm lazy, and I don't have a wacom. :lol:

well, i dont know what to call the style, Ikroll, but i like the look.

Craig

well, i dont know what to call the style, Ikroll, but i like the look.

Craig

A haphazard mix? LOL

A haphazard mix? LOL hehe, well, i was going to say a cross between pointilist, watercolor and a touch of impressionistic, but haphazard is ok too :) whatever, it works.

btw, your web name here, Ikroll, is that an I or an L. fonts being what they are i'm not sure.

Craig

Hey Craig,

That's L for Lyle. :)

ok, thanks :)

Craig

another 'crazy art' ;) hmm, it doesn't really look like orriginal anymore, now, does it? oh, well... remember - i'm the innocent one here!

heheh, pozdrawiam! ;)

ok thana,

did you recently watch the new willie wonka movie? straight out of the chocolate factory :) definitely a different look, but nice. :)

Craig

remember - i'm the innocent one here! ;)Guilty as charged. :)

I like the way you're "stirring things up"! Your creative vision is inspiring.

Well thana...you sure broke the mould on that one. It may not look like the original but that's the beauty of art...ignore the rules and conventions and amazing things can come out of it!

Very cool image.

Helena

thanks a lot Craig, Danny & Helena :)
chocolate factory you say? then it should fit nicelly your chocolate butterfly (which i really, really like) ;) i'm trying rather hard to do something new every time i open photoshop (my favourite program), so, by the force of events, my 'arts' may be a little creative...
thanks again!

pozdrawiam! ;)

thana,

you're welcome.

and thank you, i like my chocolate butterfly also. i shld have made it with a bite taken out of it :)

also, what's your signature mean? and what's the podzra...pozdarw...pozdwra...other thing you keep saying mean? it seems familar, but i cant quite place it.

Craig

heheh, it's a great idea with that bite, you know? maybe you should try something like that sometime, huh? ;p

my signature? it's a latin proverb; an english version is "let us eat, drink and be merry; there is no pleasure after death" :) (polish: "jedzmy, pijmy, radujmy się! Po śmierci nie ma już przyjemności")

and now a little polish lesson: pozdrawiam means best regards, love (in the letter), something like this. if you would like to pronounce it, say 'poz' like 'pos' in position, 'dra' like in drama, 'wia' like 'via' on viaduct, plus 'm' like any 'm' you'd like :D

have a nice day,
pozdrawiam! ;)

Cant recall all steps to be honest.

Mental note: Dont play while being tired *laughs*

Changing colors, different poster edges, blur, sharpen.. paint daubs. hmm no way to reconstruct my way :blush:

thana,

thank you for clearing those up. and, pozdrawiam to you as well :)

naburi,

very lovely!

Craig

Mental note: Dont play while being tired *laughs*Looks to me like you should play more often when you're tired. Great colors.

... :blush: ...

Well I wanted a different color scheme so I began playing with edges and layer blends to give me the look, finally got something I liked, Image 1, but did I stop there? ha I don't think so, tried a what if in Virtual Painter , used Impasto oil effect , pretty colorful and definitely different :grin:

Well I wanted a different color scheme so I began playing with edges and layer blends to give me the look, finally got something I liked, Image 1, but did I stop there? ha I don't think so, tried a what if in Virtual Painter , used Impasto oil effect , pretty colorful and definitely different :grin:

Good What if version sometimes they are the most rewarding

Palms