Here is a picture that combines my two main interests in photography, cycle racing and landscapes. The race takes place each Spring in a moorland area about 30 miles north of where I live in the UK.

Here is my attempt at a watercolor sketch. To make the sketch I did the following.

Duplicate the original layer (called it mono)
Desaturate the mono layer
Duplicate the mono layer
Invert the mono copy layer
Set the Blend Mode on the mono copy layer to Color Dodge
Use Filter Gaussian Blur on the mono copy layer to taste (I used 12.5)
Make a blank layer
Holding down the Alt key go to Layer>Merge Layers
Delete the mono and mono copy layers (they're now redundant)
On the Merged layer set the Opacity to 60% to bring up some colour
On the original layer increase Saturation to taste
Use Gaussian Blur on the original layer to about the same setting as used on the mono copy layer (I used 12.5)

Your watercolor came out very well.

Separtated the bike and added motion blur. took the back ground and made it into a drawing, only added color to the flowers.

Originally posted by TwinbNJ
Your watercolor came out very well.

Separtated the bike and added motion blur. took the back ground and made it into a drawing, only added color to the flowers.

Nice one Jill, this reminds me of the times this race has been dogged by severe snowstorms and riders have been reduced to walking on the steeper slopes. ;)

Mal..This is a interesting picture to work with..I like your watercolor very much.

Jill..Nice painting/sketch combination..Your use of the action lines is very effective..Good job..

I got rid of the car so all attention could be given to the rider..This is a colorized sketch using Dave's sketch action with color overlay and ezframe action..

Jerry :D

Originally posted by jerry
Mal..I got rid of the car so all attention could be given to the rider..This is a colorized sketch using Dave's sketch action with color overlay and ezframe action..

Jerry :D

I'd wondered how it might look without the car so thanks for doing it for me Jerry ;) Your rendition of the road makes it look the way it used to before they laid the tarmac surface - a real backwoods road.

Mal, I really like this photo -- you captured the cyclist and the flowers together in a very pleasing fashion.

I used Color Range a couple of times to just catch certain aspects of the image, and then copied them to their own layer, eliminated the original layer and substituted a color layer for a background.

Each time you do this, it'll come out a bit different -- lots of possibilities! :)

Originally posted by CJ Swartz
Mal, I really like this photo -- you captured the cyclist and the flowers together in a very pleasing fashion.

I used Color Range a couple of times to just catch certain aspects of the image, and then copied them to their own layer, eliminated the original layer and substituted a color layer for a background.

Each time you do this, it'll come out a bit different -- lots of possibilities! :)

Thanks CJ, I lay in the bed of daffodils for quite a while trying to get an "arty" shot, and fortunately this cyclist came along whose skinsuit and armwarmers matched the grass and the flowers quite well.

Your rendition looks quite dreamlike, almost spooky ;)

IR Filter and layer masks, that's all... And Motion blur, ya.

Mal, welcome to retouch pro! Thanks for starting us off with such a great photo to play with. You'll fit right in around here!

Very nice, soft touch with the watercolor. I like it!

Jill--very inventive! I like it a whole lot. Where's Jean these days?

Jerry--Once again, you are I are thinking the same thoughts. Sometimes I feel like I'm working with only half a brain; now I know why. Jerry's got it the rest of the time!! ;)

CJ--Great to see a pic from you! I always enjoy your versions. This feels like a ghost cyclist...very nice!

Here's mine. I was going for a soft sort of abstract water color.

I decided to try something a little different.

Tyeise

Mosaic tiles.

I like that mosaic angue, it would look well as a mural on my bathroom wall ;)

Nicely done Tyeise, it looks as if it was printed on a piece of linen.

Thanks for your kind word Amanda. I really like your effort, it looks just like a color wash - how did you do that, it's what I was trying to do but failed.

Well done mikl, the black and white background makes the rider stand out.

Very nice, everyone. CJ, that's a new look for me. I really like it.

This is new for me, also. I did this with my "3-way Leroy" sports action (still in development); then converted to black and white; then applied some charcoal and conte crayon filters.

Bill -- I love this look for this image! The contrasts, and the highlighting on the roadway as well as the grasses in front of the flowers -- great enhancements -- it looks like you controlled where the filter effects should be placed. So this is a technique that you're still working on -- please tell us more when you can. :)

Mal, this one is fun to work with!

The really nice entries just keep coming..

CJ..The last one is really excellent..

Amanda..I'll make a deal with you..I'll return the other half of your brain, if you tell me how you did that really nice watercolor..I really like the soft look of that technique..

Jerry
:D

Here's a blurry version with an certain uncertainty to it.

Mig

Jill:

How did you achieve such distinctive sketch detail? Very impressive considering the characteristics of the original image.

~Danny~

Mal, great pic...thanks! Love your soft watercolor sketch!

Jill, nice touch removing the color from road etc. to set off biker and flowers.

Jerry, nice use of black accents...really makes it jump!

CJ, eerie use of color and omission on the first...the effect is very unusual and I can’t help but like it! The second is also quite creative...your use of the soft rainbow spectrum and overall soft pattern really holds it all together amongst the variety of interesting textures and lines.

Mikl, nice use of b/w blurred background to set off the racer. Works great!

Amanda, nice use of anisotropic diffuse to add softness to your watercolor...looks great!

Tyeise, looks like it’s painted on a hanky...cool texture effect.

Tony, what a great use of mosaic tiles! This picture was made for that effect!

Bill M, your charcoal looks like the real thing! Well done!

Mig, really clever! LOL!

I added a hint of blur to the biker in this color illustration.

Phyllis

Jill:

How did you achieve such distinctive sketch detail? Very impressive considering the characteristics of the original image.

~Danny~


I have been working on this look all weekend below are the steps I used for this image. I have used variations on other submission on the Member Posted challenges.

Create new layer
Desaturate the new layer
Adjust Levels (I have not gotten this part down to a science!) Adjust levels to bring out the definision for lines.
Adjust Curves - same here as with the Levels
Filters - Finde Edges
Select Color Range - Select the grey areas
Paint in white on the the selected area
I do this two or three times untill I get the look I want
If the lines left need to be enhanced--
Select Color Range - Select the black
Select Modify Border at about 1 or 2 then Paint in with black in the areas that need to be bolder.

Attached is a version using the above instructions - final step is history brush to bring in the color Opacity 74%

Mal, your first photo submittal to this forum has attracted the creative juices of a good many folks, resulting in a variety of lovely and interesting images! Nothing like a good photo to make us all salivate to get our hands into it. :)

Jill, thanks for the info on your new technique! I'll look forward to seeing more. As always, Jerry, Miki, Amanda, Angue, Phyllis, and Bill (again) - love to see your works. :) Mig -- ;) An unusual, and unsettling take on the race. ;)

Originally posted by jerry
Amanda..I'll make a deal with you..I'll return the other half of your brain, if you tell me how you did that really nice watercolor..I really like the soft look of that technique..

Jerry


It's a technique I learned from Phyllis, so I can't take credit for it. Basically, it's Smart Blur, then unsharp mask. I might also do an Other/Custom in here if I feel like it. If your edges are too jagged, a nice anistropic diffuse will, um...diffuse things.

It's waaaay to easy to take any credit for.l