New Photo Art

[ElectronicLady]

This is more art than photo. It started with a very bad photo. I did a LOT of image manipulation in photoshop. (I'm self learned.) I want to give this as a printed and framed gift, but don't want to give junk. What do yall think?

[DannyRaphael]

Originally Posted by ElectronicLady

This is more art than photo. It started with a very bad photo. I did a LOT of image manipulation in photoshop. (I'm self learned.) I want to give this as a printed and framed gift, but don't want to give junk. What do yall think?

Hello, EL...

The quality and perception of your final result will be a function of the image dimensions and resolution (ppi) -- and the kind of paper (or canvas) on which it's printed.

For a photo painting to look more like a traditonal painting, size does matter. If your image is (say) 16"x20" or so, resolution is around 200 ppi and you plan to print it on canvas, IMO it will look pretty good. If it's 8"x10" at 72 ppi and destined for, say, regular matte photo paper, then IMO it will look so-so. When was the last time you saw an 8"x10" (real) painting?

From an artistic expression perspective, I'm fine with the style. There's no doubt it will be "one of a kind." You might experiment with Selective Color and Hue/Saturation adjustment layers to give the colors some more "oomph."

If it was me I'd lose the digital borders/edges effect. For web output these are OK, but for printed work IMO they look pretty cheesy in contrast with the real matting and frame.

I'd say you have a work to be proud of, which the future recipients will surely treasure no matter how you decide to proceed.

Good luck on your project.

~Danny~

[Kraellin]

as photo art, this is a tough one to critique. a lot of my comments will be preferences and not 'faults'.

i like the overall. the faces and the man's body are really quite good.

the things i dont 'prefer' here are the blown out white of her dress. the heads look a bit pasted in, or cut to close, trimmed, especially the man's. not quite natural looking, but again, that could be due to the style. if it was photo-photo and not photo-art, i'd say it was a fault, but here, it may have been intentional.

also, i'd have preferred the edges be the same all the way around or at least matching side to side. i like both, the right and left, but i dont like both as opposing edges; one or the other on both edges.

ya see what i mean, preferences as opposed to actual critique remarks.

and please, understand, i think you did an outstanding job. the overall effect is really quite excellent and that they, the recipients would be proud to have it.

Craig

[DannyRaphael]

Here's a "food for thought" example...

Perhaps do a little sharpening, plus add some color behind the bride to better distinguish her dress from the background.

[ElectronicLady]

Originally Posted by DannyRaphael

When was the last time you saw an 8"x10" (real) painting?

Great point about the printing and dpi!!!

I'll also work on the edges. I see your point there too.

As far as giving the colors more "oomp" -- I purposely watered downed the colores desiring to give a more painted effect. I'll play around with it and see.

Thanks So Very Much for your comments

[ElectronicLady]

Originally Posted by Kraellin

the heads look a bit pasted in

That's funny you say that, Craig, because I actually pasted most of the man's face in. An you liked his face. LOL The photo was so bad that most of the detail was lost on his face so I had to do a bit of cut and paste from another picture.

I was wondering about the different side borders. It's good to have a second pair of eyes.

Thanks so much for your comments. I love this site!!!!

[Kraellin]

it's not that face that looks pasted; it's the edges that give it away. like i said, i think you did a great job on the faces themselves. but, the guy's head looks clipped at the edges, trimmed too tight and thus pasted. you can blend that out a bit and make it not quite such a hard line.

and you're welcome.

Craig