[DannyRaphael]

FIRST MINI-CHALLENGE?
See below for "Information and Guidelines."

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

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PHOTO ART: Mini-challenge# 44 – Alan's Butterfly

Since we’re well into Fall, I’m thinking we need something to inspire us into thinking about Spring!

This pretty butterfly closeup was snapped by Alan Smallbone, my colleague in the DPReview Retouching Forum Action collection endeavor (see http://www.geocities.com/kafuensis/). If this doesn't get you thinking about Springtime, nothing will!

It should come as little or no surprise by now (but I’m obliged to say it anyway) that Alan retains the copyright © not only for the original image, but for any photo-art versions of it. Unauthorized distribution or use without his permission are prohibited.

Thanks, Alan, for graciously letting me use this wonderful picture.

More good news: I have two more of Alan’s pictures to use in future mini-challenges. In the mean time have fun with this one.

~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? Takeoff? Morph into a helicopter?
. * 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.

[Marlene DeGrood]

Looks like I'll bite first. Nothing too complicated done here, I'm just taking a break for lunch and where better to do that than in front of my computer. All I did here was to apply KPT Pyramid Paint to one layer, torn edges filter to one and photocopy to another, decreasing the opacities to taste. After I flattened I adjusted the curves and applied a sandstone texture.

Thanks for the challenge!

Marlene
www.thedigitalspectrum.com

[jerry]

Chuck Stop That.....

[Trine Sirnes]

Here's my try; I played a while in Photoshop with this. I started with a photo I had, and pasted the butterfly in as a new layer. Converted them both to grayscale. Just the rubberstamp to get the wings pattern on the kids clothes and when merging the two together. Toned it, used a brushset I got at AdobePhotoExchange to make the bubbles, that's about it, I guess.

[jeaniesa]

Awesome Trine!
Jeanie

[CJ Swartz]

This is somewhat garish placed so closely to Trine's soft, fantasmic (and fantastic) image. I duped, flipped the image and moved to make one big "butterfly", duped the result using color burn layer blend to intensify the color. Added a green background, lighting effects - 3 down (different hues), duped the butterfly and ran ink outlines on the top layer, blending with Soft light to add some texture to the intense colors. Also used Hue/Saturation to change the hues somewhat.

Chuck -- I'd just gotten over checking flies's heads before swatting them, and now I'll have to start all over again!

Marlene -- glad you were able to take a lunch break in the forum -- it's a nice soft touch to a lovely, soft butterfly.

Trine -- I am SO glad that you are sharing your visions with us -- I am not jealous of your talent and vision, I am not inspired to attempt something similar (I'll leave that to others like you who are truly artistic) -- I'm just happy to step into your world for a moment.

Trine - just took a look at your website and one of websites where your images are shown -- beautiful Koster, your striking portraits of Knut and others -- SO sharp with a digital cam!, "Painting with light2" -- what a setup -- fantastic!

[jerry]

Marlene..very nice..it amazes me how you talented folk can quickly produce nice results..

Trine..Just Beautiful..Inspired..

CJ..very nicely done. I like the deep coloration.

Chuck..be good..

Here is my try.. A color sketchy look..

Jerry

[KenB]

My attempt on this ended up looking like beadwork.

Ken

[ecurbh]

That's pretty neat, Ken. Mind sharing how you got that effect?

Here is what I came up with:
Ran the djr-Portrait Sketch 22 action
Applied the original image twice, once as Overlay, and once as Color
Adjusted the opacity and saturation

Something about the way it is sitting like it's looking over the edge of the leaf inspired me to copy it to a new layer and apply a motion blur to the background.

Bruce

[pstewart]

Trine...unbelievable!!!!! You are my new hero!

Phyllis (bowing low to the great Goddess Trine!)

[Trine Sirnes]

You guys are the greatest, and makes me feel I finally found home
This is just so much fun, gives me so many new ideas and challenge my fantasy. Together with all of you creative people's talent , I'm in heaven!

Thank's to Danny and Allan for a great challenge.

Marlene, I love the colors and the texture you got. I think, if you go a bit easier (make it softer) on the texture on the background it will look more realistic(to a textured paper).

Chuck, I love your sense of humor, right up my alley

C.J., wow, you flatter me (don't stop) . I do have a passion for photography, and fortunately digital cameras have gotten so good these days. Makes it a lot easier to just shoot and plug it into your pc and see the results emediately. Then you can go back and do it again if you're not satisfied, without having to wait for days for the film to be developed.
As for your photo, I really like the strong colors and contrasts in it, and the idea. I do think blending the leafes and the background, or make the transition not so hard, would make it even better, as I know feel it takes away a bit of the focus on the butterflies.

jerry, beautiful! It really looks like a drawing

Ken, yes it really looks like beads. Maybe a bit sharpen(unsharpmask) would bring out the details and colors even more?

Bruce, looks like a psycedelic dream

Chuck, your #2, the texture on the butterfly almost makes me expect that if I touch it, I will get butterflydust on my fingers. Great job! I do think the background need a bit of work though. A paperlike texture maybe? As it is now, it looks like two separate photos put on top of eachother.

Phyllis, right back at ya!

Trine

[Toad]

Here we go again - my usual kick at the cat...

The Secret Life of Butterflies...

[ecurbh]

Originally posted by ugot2bkdng
I am kinda new here, what is djr??

Chuck,

It is from a set of actions that I downloaded here. I am really learning a lot by trying these actions, and disecting them to see how they do what they do.

Bruce

[Trimoon]

I don’t know what to call it. You could say it was therapy.. I molded a batch of pixels and this is what I get. ‘Butterfly on the Rocks’? I sit down and start plying.

[Trine Sirnes]

That background is perfect I do miss the lovely colors you had on the previous though...What about taking the butterfly from the first one and place it on this background? I think that would look great

It's really nice as is also