ED, Here is my attempt to keep my non-profit status intact. First, this Ad is targeted at the 60+ age group, with disposable incomes and living in a relatively affluent area.It is intended for reproduction on color flyers to be distribuled to Jewelry stores, Hair salons, Country clubs and such places. It is kept plain to appeal to rich conservative types and to evoke a sense of nostalgia along with, hopefully, an uncontrollable desire to get their heirloom photos restored, and give me money.
The steps taken to produce this were:
(1) Create new background layer.
(2) Drag photo of women onto background ;free transform to fit 1/2 of the page leaving the bottom blank, flatten.
(3) Sample the sepia tone in the photo with eyedropper tool to set foreground color.
(4) Create new blank layer,select gradient tool, apply linear gradient to blank layer.
(5) Use eraser tool to uncover the fireplace scene down to the reclining lady"s head. Change the eraser from hard to soft with "wet edges" active and opacity at 70% and erase to bottom of fireplace scene trying for a Blend/transition look.
(6) Flatten
(7) Crop and drag the small photos onto the top of the scene, free transform to fit. When all photos are in place, link and from layer menu select merge linked.
(8) Now duplicate the background and drag the duplicate to top of layer stack. Reduce opacity to 90% to be able to see the small photos layer.
(9) Select the eraser tool,60%opacity and wet edges, adjust the size to just cover one of the small photos, give a couple of clicks to allow it to "fade" thru, repeat on the next and so on.
(10) When done, increase opacity to 100% do any touch up and flatten.
(11) Use text tool to place text, apply PS preset text style, flatten, size, save.

Tom,
I think I have alot of work ahead of me to compete on that level. Excellent job!! I really thought that was a great visual effect ad to grab at the heartstrings of the elderly who so fondly remember those days.
DJ

Heartstrings I got. Its the purse strings I want to yank. Thanks for the input but I am No digital artist and simplicity is about as high as aim for. Tom

Fantastic Tom! I can really see that working very well. Really an eyecatcher!

Ed

Good work, Tom!

But doesn't "time's" have an apostrophe? :)

Yea,usually there's one of those critters there, but, they all got outa the corral and the hyphens ate 'em. Tom

tom

almost get mesmerized with the fire just like the ladies, what a great photo . and the tones you chose for the bottom and the lettering, just right.

i wonder if it wouldn't be even stronger with the little ones out, or used somewhere else. the grandma on the left particularly seems "out of it".
also would like to see the type a little lower and maybe - smaller? - or grouped differently?

these just fine tuning thoughts. effective. very effective. preys on the sentiments of the middle-aged as well as the elderly. :wink:

I absolutely LOVE the women by the fire. Where did you find that photo?!? I think the ad will definitely evoke people's memories of their own old photos.

Although I like the lettering and I think that it fits the theme of the ad, I wonder if it will be difficult for someone with failing eyesight to read? You don't want your message to get lost just because someone has to "work" at reading it. Unfortunately, my mom (65 yo) is traveling, so I can't get her opinion on it.

Other than that, I REALLY like it!!

Jeanie

Jeanisa and Kathleen, Thanks for the input. I suspect you might be right about those with poor eyesight, Very good point! Also I think I tend to "crowd" things when I try compositing--which is something I need to work on,composition not being my "long suit".The original photo was found in a box containing some of my Grandfathers effects-No idea of the who-what-when or where, By the way, look closely at the "fire" in the fire place. Early photo special effect there. The "fire" is actually the photographers flash powder illuminating the scene--the logs arenot burning and there are no coals. Tom