FIRST MINI-CHALLENGE -or- NEW TO PHOTO-ART?
See below for "Information and Guidelines."

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PHOTO ART: Mini-challenge #62 – Flowers in New York

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

The base image can be downloaded by clicking the link near the bottom of this lengthy introduction!


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This weeks’ trio of base images are courtesy of Gladys S, whose work can be viewed HERE http://www.pbase.com/gladys.

These flowers were shot in New York City. Based on how much folks seem to like converting flower images into photo-based art, there should be some inventive creations that will result from this one.

Thanks again, Gladys, for another lovely picture.

~DannyR~

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LEGAL VERBIAGE
Gladys S retains the U.S. and international copyright © not only for the original image, but also for any photo-art versions of it. Unauthorized distribution or use of this image without permission are prohibited.

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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 art form until the next major 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? Animated entries are definitely welcome. There have been some really funny ones submitted in the past. Fish jumping, leaves falling, wheels turning. You get the idea.
. * 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.


A special message to those who are new to Photo-art
… Who may be feeling a little uncomfortable about posting an entry.

If you’ve read this far, it means you’re at least curious. That’s a good sign. :)

But what if you’re feeling a little squeamish about posting your first image?

From time to time I hear from those who want to participate, but have considerable anxieties about posting their creations in these mini-challenge. “I’m just a beginner. My pictures don’t belong,” “I see the works of others and I know I’ll never get that good,” “How am I supposed to compete with those wonderful creations?” are typical expressions of concern.

To which I say: Put your fears to rest. This isn’t a competition. You will not be judged in the traditional “art critique” sense. Your honor isn’t on the line. This isn’t about who’s best.

Don’t hold back from participating and posting your creation because your initial attempts don’t measure up (in your own mind) to images generated by folks with more experience than you.

This is a no-fault, all-fun way to jump in the pool. Everyone started the same place: The beginning. Everyone who is more skilled and experienced than you got to that point by practicing, experimenting, asking questions, learning from others, and participating.

Can one learn without interacting with others? Sure. Can one learn as fast? Absolutely not.

When you participate, others get to know you. That makes it easier to ask them questions. Asking questions leads to learning from those with more experience than you. It just keeps getting better and better!

By all means give it a go. You’ll be glad you did.

The pep talk cheerfully brought to you by:

Danny Raphael
Photo-based Art Forum Moderator

To the trio of Gladys pictures, I have used the same basic effect (here) (http://www.retouchpro.com/challenge/art/challenge1/challengeA1_sampson.html) and varied the background layer color, texture and layer blend modes only.
:wavey:

Blacknight...awesome! Love those sharp edges...and some of the flowers just glow!

Chuck...gorgeous!

Chuck, I like both, but I prefer the produce one, because of the extra detail I guess. Folks have different tastes, but luckily you have something for everyone. :)

This resulted from foolin' around with BuzzPro.

Jim

Hi,

Here is my attempt, I applied a stained glass filter, the a gaussian blur, cranked the saturation and then adjusted curves.

Alan

I'm messing with actions again. This one isn't ready for prime time yet. (I'll post it when it is.) Shooting for a textured-oils-like effect.

Alan, your Buzzpro version is really great. Don't know why I gave up so soon on Buzzpro...guess because I wasn't able to do cool things with it like you do. :(

Jim, I like it with the outline added. I like it both ways. The "smudginess" is a nice effect, however you got it.

Danny, good choice of gloppy oil texture, but perhaps too much of it...maybe use a lower number with less shine?

Phyllis

This is a new discovery that I really like. I also tried it on minis #58 (fish) and #63 (produce) if you want to see how it works on other pictures. Here are the steps.

1. Outline with 2-layer b/w blur-dodge method.
2. After merging the two layers from step 1, use multiply on a duplicate layer or use levels to darken the lines a bit and get more contrast if needed.
3. Adjustment-->equalize.
4. Filter-->stylize-->diffuse-->anisotropic.
5. Blend layer 4 over the original in vivid mode.
6. Filter-->artistic-->cutout set to medium values till you get the look you want. May have to adjust opacity of top layer or darken bottom layer if too many whitish areas appear.

It looks very different on the fish pics...more outlining since the pics are simpler/larger to begin with. I like both looks.

Phyllis

I've been trying to learn to use Deep Paint. Here's my try at the flowers.

Jim

This is an Oil Paint effect I have been working on. Hey guy nice art work. Chuch you really like this challange. Danny real nice effect . And of course Phyliss I will have to give it a try.
Any way heres minnnne!

Ok, a little time to get to this one, I don't really know what I did, just played with filters in Photoshop. I'm still learning you know! :-)

Jim, Phil, and Collin, all nice painting looks. Jim, how do you like Deep Paint now that you have had some time to play with it?

Here is one done with Paint Engine, embossed with render>lighting on Photoshop.

Phyllis

Phyllis:

There is NO END to your talent? You are a treasure.

For those not familiar with Paint Engine, CLICK HERE (http://www.retouchpro.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2972) for all you'll ever need to know about this FREE PC only plugin, like a link to download it!

~Danny~

Thanks for the compliment, Danny. With all the cool filters and programs out there though it's not all that hard to come up with new looks. I'm having a blast with my new Paint Shop Pro and Paint Engine and Flaming Pear and Eye Candy and all those wonderful helpers. This one was done with the curly filter in "one of the above (?)" with Photoshop render>lighting texture added along with FPear's aetherize to give it that old dull look, which I think works well with the curlicues.

Phyllis

I just posted a tutorial using a new version of this flower pic. The steps are all included in the thread at:

http://www.retouchpro.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=40867#post40867

Here is just the picture itself:
http://www.retouchpro.com/forums/attachment.php?s=&postid=40867

Phyllis

This is a beautiful image, Gladys! Thanks for letting us play with it :)

Pam

Pam, great color sketch!

Phyllis

Pam:

You have a wonderful touch. Sure glad you're getting into these mini's!

~Danny~

All great entries! Such diverse approaches.

I have no idea what I did to this one. My goal was to do an image without using any 3rd party plugins, so this is all done with adjustment levels, blend modes, and a few Photoshop filters.

I kinda like it.

I kinda like it too, Amanda! Reminds me of silk embroidery.

Phyllis

Jim, Phil, and Collin, all nice painting looks. Jim, how do you like Deep Paint now that you have had some time to play with it?

Here is one done with Paint Engine, embossed with render>lighting on Photoshop.

Phyllis




this one looks very pretty. nice effect.

Can't resist florals....!

PSP8.01

Dupe Bottom Layer. Filter/Photo Wizz/Lum Neg/Mode Soft Light 50%
Merge both layers. Dupe BL again. Levels to lighten.
Paint Shop Pro/UDF/Emboss Filter
Paint Shop Pro/Artistic Effects/Brushstrokes/Water Colour
Merged all and layer mask applied.
Filter/AIM/USM - small amount

Cheers

Just playing around w/ Painter8. Cloned with different brushes on separate layers then composited in Elements2. Nothing to get excited over compared to the PStewart efforts from 12-30-2002. I like Neve's 'recent' version too.

-Mark

Layers (bottom to top):

A: WaterColorRunCloner
B: WaterColorWashCloner (normal, 50%)
C: ChalkCloner (soft light 70%)
D: FlatImpastoCloner (linear light 25% with a bit of layer masking)
E: Copy D. Highpass 1. (linear light 100% with a bit more layer masking)

painter and Photoshop, something, something... ;)

I like some of the painted look renderings, but some seem a bit over done. I thought Blacknight's, and pstewart's first edition, kept the detail, but did give it an arty look. Although I have to say pstewart's second offering was very striking. Pam had a good thing going, but the light flowers on the right are a little too washed out, but the rest is very delicate and pretty.

The thing that drew me to this photo was the juxtaposition of the dark photo with subtile touches of color. I seldom see such a variety of flowers shot in such a "dark" setting.

In my version, I've attempted to keep the ambiance of that setting, and make it appear as if the white flowers on the right were the source of the light without using a gradient to cast the light gently over the other flowers.

PhotoShop CS

1. Duplicate the background (Normal Blending Mode) and ran a High Pass so that just the tip edges of the flowers showed colors.

2. Did a Levels adjustment on the Highpass layer and really clipped the blacks and whites in toward gray. (Normal at 100 %). This layer should always be the top most (first) in your layer palette. (It is needed to maintain the colors in the highpass)

3 Made another copy of the background (Normal Blending) and placed it above the Highpass layer at 10% opacity (to bring back the color and detail)

4 Ran a gentle lighting effects on this new layer with white as high (36) on the background copy channel. Set the center of light in the center of the photo with the light source passing over the white flowers at a slight angle.

5. I then created two new layers from the lighting effects layer. First was luminosity (Option+command+~ on the Mac) and the second was the same luminosity selection reversed. The light selection set to Blend mode Luminosity with a 10% opacity and below that the inverse set to Normal with an opacity of 11%.

I think I covered everything... :-)

Very nice swampy, looks likes an 17th century painting with the darkened bg.

Image 1

Eye Candy 3.01 - Swirl
Motion Blur
Paint Engine
Embossed in PSP8.01 (UDF - Emboss 3)

Image 2 - Image 1 with Jaykita's WC A applied (Impressionist Plugin)

Image 1

Eye Candy 3.01 - Swirl
Motion Blur
Paint Engine
Embossed in PSP8.01 (UDF - Emboss 3)

Image 2

Image 1 with Jaykita's WC A applied (Impressionist Plugin)
hyper-cooooooooooool! :nod:

:lmao: One of my rare moments when I let loose on an abstract look!

This works best with dark shadows and backgrounds.

Dupe original layer.
L2 - Photo Wizz/Photo Freebies/Luma Negative
Layer Mode = Lighten
Merge both layers.
Impressionist Plugin/Fluffbutt/Stevies Gouache
Mask and border added.

Enough said. Trimoon hosts the file for Impressionist (http://www.trimoon.com/html/downloads.html). Paint Engine can be found here (http://home.centurytel.net/luvs2cr8/paintengine.html). :happy:

i love looking through a thread like this. so many great pieces! just too many to comment on, though, so, i'll only comment on ikroll's ;) love how you brought out the flowers with the highlighting. very nice!

Craig

ok, i had to give this one a shot myself. this is a study in the various 'edge' effects in Paint Shop Pro 10 and then combined together with blend modes.

Craig

Done with Buzz Pro.

A pseudo T.Lautrec.

Steve

i like that, steve. Latrec would be proud (or jealous :) ). how bout a rough overview of how you did it?

Craig

Steve
I think that is brilliant i love it (but not enough to get buzz too many other things on the go ) Sorry Craig but he has the EDGE on this one (British Humour) some nice things coming from the Paint Shop Pro' ers lately is it because of the new version or are you just getting clever

Palms

Great results Craig and Steve. I just updated to PSP10.1 and enjoying some of the new features. I always loved experimenting with Edge effects.

I've got the Buzz Simplifier and use it quite often - I don't dislike your rendition Steve but it just appears a bit on the flat side, perhaps requires some highlights/catchlights added for better effect. :)

i'm sorry, palms, but puns are not an exclusive british ideology ;) and am i 'just getting clever'... boy, that's like asking if i've stopped beating my wife yet. i've always been clever; it's convincing others of this that's the hard part ;)

and thank you, neve. it was fun to do :) there's a Paint Shop Pro 10.1 now? i'll have to check their site again.

Craig

Craig :blush:
I realised a little after posting that i could of sounded offensive but i honestly didn't mean it that way, maybe cleverer or betterer, tried to think of way out of the hole i'm in, but think i will only get in deeper :eek:

Palms

i knew what you meant, palms. i was just teasing a bit :) and in fact, i've noticed the same thing. not sure what it is. i know Paint Shop Pro 9 was a pretty big leap forward, at least over 7. 10 is nice, but it's no Photoshop yet. so, i dont know. corel certainly added some credibility to psp when they picked it up. corel's been around for a long while. or maybe it's the reviewers giving psp more than a nod these days. or maybe it's the learning curve compared to Photoshop. not really sure, but glad to see it.

Craig

Thanks Neve.

The flatness, (is that a word?), was what I wanted. A great many of Lautrec's works were sketches with little detail, as in the attached lithograph that he did for the Moulin Rouge.

And thank you again for the nice comments.

Steve



Great results Craig and Steve. I just updated to PSP10.1 and enjoying some of the new features. I always loved experimenting with Edge effects.

I've got the Buzz Simplifier and use it quite often - I don't dislike your rendition Steve but it just appears a bit on the flat side, perhaps requires some highlights/catchlights added for better effect. :)

Buzz is by far the best plugin I ever bought. It often surprises me with new effects that I had not been aware of, while I am working on something else entirely.

I always appreciate the nice comments & suggestions I receive on the forums here. Many thanks.

Steve

Steve
I think that is brilliant i love it (but not enough to get buzz too many other things on the go ) Sorry Craig but he has the EDGE on this one (British Humour) some nice things coming from the Paint Shop Pro' ers lately is it because of the new version or are you just getting clever

Palms

Craig, your comments made my day. If you think that Lautrec, (my favorite artist), would like it, then I know I did ok.

It was done with a combination of stacks in Buzz, including watercolor and simplifiers. I usually move the settings around to accommodate each image, so it would be hard to give you the exact settings.

Steve

i like that, steve. Latrec would be proud (or jealous :) ). how bout a rough overview of how you did it?

Craig

Thankfully it sounds as if i am forgiven and maybe understood but i had just found a good excuse, according to our esteemed daily newspaper :lol: Brummies are the rudest brits ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Palms

http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2005480688,00.html

Hope i am not courting more trouble but !

overlayed Steves Lautrec with Craigs Edge
reduced opacity used usm and then anisotropic

Then had great fun with the colour levels but as there was so many i liked i just posted this one

Palms

OK Palms........you're under arrest! Out and out plagiarism
that's what it is! 8-)

Have fun. Isn't that what this web site is for? I have no problem with your interpretation. Looks fine to me. And I confess, I have done the same thing with images other people have posted.

I never forget that art, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder.

Steve

Hope i am not courting more trouble but !

overlayed Steves Lautrec with Craigs Edge
reduced opacity used usm and then anisotropic

Then had great fun with the colour levels but as there was so many i liked i just posted this one

Palms

Very nice work palms, and I love the color and poster like quality.

Cathy :)

steve,

you're welcome :)

and palms, if you're the rudest of brits, then i think i would enjoy england :)

and i love the steve/craig/palms combo! very cool :)

and, i've been secretly working on my own 'smudged cat', thinking of you the whole time i was doing it and our conversation on this from the other thread. i just couldnt resist the attempt again when i saw this floral picture. but, i cheated a bit. i cut the size of the work down. after thousands of strokes, i just couldnt wait to post it :)

Craig

Thanks Neve.

The flatness, (is that a word?), was what I wanted. A great many of Lautrec's works were sketches with little detail, as in the attached lithograph that he did for the Moulin Rouge.

And thank you again for the nice comments.

Steve


Steve - my choice of the word 'flat' was incorrect - 'definition' would have been a wiser choice...! :blush:

WOW
Craig excellent, :bigthmb: love the definition it brings to the flowers, the crop is good, been debating wether if you see the whole picture if you would perhaps loose some of the definition ?
If cutting the size down is "cheating" then so is removing the background :blush:
Will we be seeing your secret cat ?

Palms

palms,

thank you! :blush:

i guess i was a bit vague. this was the secret cat. i was trying to say that this was my attempt at smudging in a similar style to your smudged cat. the 'secret' was that i'd been working on this for a bit without mentioning anything about it. it's a fun style but definitely more work than just applying a few filters (i really did like your cat, you know. inspiring) :) oh, and there is no definition loss in cropping. the loss comes from cutting down to 100k for posting here.

Craig

Silly me, I can see the whiskas now ! :lol: Smudging is a bit time consuming but i find it fun and relaxing (when it goes right) As for the cat picture it is still my favorite
well any more secrets ! ! ( now now )

Palms

palms,

well, i do have one more (secret), but i'm sort of stingily hoarding it at the moment (actually, it's just not done yet).

Craig

Wasn't really sure what I was in the mood to do with it so I went with weird and funky.

Ok here is another one hope you don't mind I did two... this one reminds me of those black felt posters that you color in.

nice, tk :)

ok palms, here's another. i added a fill gray layer and some blending. then ran 'digital camera noise remove' to get a further smudging/blurring.

Craig

Interesting Craig

It gives the white flowers a look/feel of satin
I personaly havent tried flowers yet must give it some thought

Palms

flowers are fun. cant hardly ever go wrong with flowers.

i was also thinking of your cat smudge. might be interesting to run it through neat image and overly smudge/smooth it that way, somewhat the same way i've done on the flowers.

Craig

Craig you asked me months ago how I did some things, it seems from your last post here you were already half way there with it.

Peter