[DannyRaphael]

Here’s another “mini-challenge” to play with in the Photo-based Art category until the next offical challenge is posted here.

See "Information and Guidelines below" if this is your first mini-challenge.

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PHOTO ART: Mini-Challenge #16 - Our Lady before Tyn

While surfing at www.PBASE.com I discovered one of thegalleries of Benny Lo.

During Benny’s recent trip to Prague, he took many beautiful pictures including this one of Our Lady before Tyn church, which I thought would make an inspiring base image for this mini-challenge. Benny has graciously granted permission to use it on conditon that:

“I retain copyright for all the images and must not be re-produced (in print or electronically) without my prior consent.”

That would be more than fair.

Your mission, if you decide to accept it, is to convert it to photo-art using your best and/or favorite techniques.

Note: There will be additional Benny Lo pictures in future challenges.

~DannyR~

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INFORMATION AND GUIDELINES

Unlike “official challenges” for this forum which can be found here, 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? Angels descending from the sky?
. * 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.

[Blacknight]

Gloom.

[jeaniesa]

Ooooo - very cool Blacknight!
Jeanie

[pstewart]

Blacknight, that is awesome! Love the colors and sharp detail.

Phyllis

[pstewart]

I think I ended up with a Christmas card. So, let me be the first...

Phyllis

[DannyRaphael]

This image was created by an action I wrote based on a tutorial written by Tom Nelson.

To download the action click here.

~DannyR~

[Blacknight]

Phyllis - I was heading in that direction myself - kind of a Disney thing, when my mood changed and I went the other way. But I really like yours, and THAT was what I had in my head when I first set out!

[pstewart]

Oh Danny i love that effect...the way it outlines the bricks with curved lines. What is the filter component of that action that does that, do you know offhand? When I download actions, often they don't work since I have a Mac and sometimes they aren't compatible file types.

Phyllis

[DannyRaphael]

Phyllis:

Glad you liked it. As you'll see it uses a unique combination of filters and blend modes.

The action is based on this tutorial (click here) where the steps are illustrated and described. For the Reader's Digest version (summary), scroll to the bottom of the page. It's relatively short...about 6-7 steps.

A tweak I made was adding a final step of duplicating the original background layer, dragging the copy to the top of the layer stack, setting blend to Hard Light and opacity to 75%. This gave it a little color boost.

~Danny~

[Cheryl H]

I almost didn't look at this one based on the title. I'm glad I did--castles are another thing I enjoy.

1. Replaced the blue sky with a stormy one.
2. Used the crackled color method found here. http://www.retouchpro.com/forums/sho...&threadid=6385

[Toad]

Very nice Cheryl. I'm surprised I haven't looked at this thread before - there is some stellar work here. Perhaps, like you, I was put off by the title.

This is a bit different than your usual style - I like this dark and light contrast happening on the spires and in the clouds.

[Cheryl H]

The fairy tale version posted earlier looked good, but to me, castles have to be dark and broody. I had a better one going with flaming pear's Mr. Contrast and Melancholytron, but decided the sky was too contrasty and needed softening--then I got carried away and ruined it.

I'm going to take your comment about my usual soft look as a challenge (in a positive way) to find some stuff I can give a different look to.

[Toad]

Always nice to push your personal envelope. Please don't take my comment about your unique and recognizable style as a criticism.

[Peter S]

I tried this one to see what Redfield's Bas-relief would do with it.
Not bad I think.

Peter

[glikster]

Just playing around...