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

[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 PS 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

[Marlene DeGrood]

Wow, I just the love the variations on this butterfly!

Trine.... Love it! The surreal effect is awesome! I also love a well done B&W such as this.

Jerry.... Beautiful! I love the soft pastel pencil effect, very well done!

Ken.... It does look like beadwork. A bead artist would probably love to use this as a pattern. Clever & original.

Chuck.... Thankyou for the steps used in this lovely rendition. I don't think I've ever used the conte crayon....I'm now inspired to try.

Toad.... HI!!! I'm glad to be here and thanks for the warm welcome. So much talent, so much to be learned. Oh yeah....cool butterfly. Looks like copper, I like it!

Trimoon...Ok, now I know you're a fake, you're really a very talented watercolor artist trying to freak us all out. This is just waaaaaay too good, right down to the way the water spreads on the paper. I have a lot to learn from you!

Marlene
www.thedigitalspectrum.com

[Trine Sirnes]

Just perfect! I really love it!

Trine

[pstewart]

Marlene, love the flat lighting and the colors...go well with the texture.

Chuck, I will visit you every Sunday in the home...I promise.

CJ, wonderful idea, and well done. The use of the three lights is great too. I seldom use the fancy lighting choices...you have inspired me to experiment more.

Ken, that's a neat effect. Sort of looks like needlepoint. If you raised the contrast, you'd have a glassier, beady look too.

Bruce, very imaginative...nice work with the daring colors and the motion behind as he rests.

Chuck, I like the way the butterfly has more detail than his resting place...emphasizes him. I really like the colored line drawing that you turned the leaves into.

Toad, bold, futuristic, and I like the metallic butterfly. Makes me think this is billions of years in the future when "butterbots" will rule the earth!

Trimoon, I love your "butterfly on the rocks." Colors, texture, simplicity...all make it really beautiful!

Chuck, I love your butterfly #2. Looks like it's painted on parchment. Lovely and delicate.

Phyllis

[Marlene DeGrood]

Chuck....Outstanding!!!! I love it, love it, love it!

Marlene
www.thedigitalspectrum.com

[Trine Sirnes]

Oh Chuck, what a perfect time for introducing you to "The Devines" singing of course "The wind beneath my wings"(with a voice awfully similar to Bette's)

[DannyRaphael]

From the pristine, serious and beautiful... to the hysterical, in about 5 posts.

Priceless image, Trine. A GR-eat way to start my morning!

I love this forum!

~Danny~

[CJ Swartz]

Chuck, you're "not kidding" with this one -- beautiful!

Trine -- I'll take Bette Midler's voice, but I Love the image!

Trimoon -- as always -- wonderful. Keep listening to those voices.

[jerry]

Chuck I go away for a day and you go crazy..That last one is a knock out..My type of art..How do you like your new tablet..hoping santa will bring me one..

Trimoon,,Marlene,Trine...All beautifull..You folks have been busy..

Jerry

[VisualEyes]

A cartoony butterfly. Looks simple, but wasn't.

[ecurbh]

Gee, this place is so inspiring. You all have opened up a whole new world of self-expression to me. Thanks!

Here is my first-ever attempt at using the Art History Brush.

Bruce

[Snoleoprd]

Hi all,

I am really amazed at what everyone has done with my photo, some very interesting interpretations. I have enjoyed looking and I finally signed up for the forums. I have a lot to learn!

Alan

[DannyRaphael]

Truman:
One word: Exceptional. Simply terrific.

Bruce:
Ain't that Art History Brush amazing? If you're not hooked yet, you soon will be. Great first time results.

Check the TUTORIALs (from the main menu); there's a very good AHB tutorial written by Jim Caffrey, a frequent contributor to this forum.

Also, if you have access to any of the Photoshop Wow 5.5, 6 or 7 books, it contains a very informative section on using the Art History Brush.

[angue]

VE,
I have always liked graphic artists that can translate a photograph into simple lines without taking away any details. But most of all I like artists that details the translation process (hint, hint).

Tony

[DannyRaphael]

ALAN:

Wow! Welcome Aboard!

Glad you joined the party. (Alan is the guy who took the pic for this mini-challenge and is my partner in crime in this little adventure: http://www.geocities.com/kafuensis/ .)

When you get the time / inclination, pop over to this thread, specially reserved as a place where new folks do brief self-introductions.

For a possibly helpful site map, click the link below my signature. Sometimes a picture worth 1K words; sometimes not.

Look forward to tapping into some of your other pictures for future mini-challenges. Thanks again for letting me show off your pic!

~Danny~

[pstewart]

Truman, it didn't "look simple" to me...though I did recognize anisotropic diffuse and possibly the cut out filter in there, along with some "glow" from one of many methods. So, you gonna tell us how you made this wonderful illustration? Please?

Phyllis