PHOTO ART: Mini-challenge #50 – Pink Lotus

[DannyRaphael]

Tony:

Positively brilliant! Smart Blur / Edge Only + Invert + a little Gaussian Blur + Levels = pretty tight edges. Very, very cool. Thanks for turnin' that lightbulb on!

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Art:

Didn't occur to me that Elements and PS have nearly identical filter sets.

The results you get between PI 8 and PSE 2 are great. I'd say you're getting along just fine w/o PS.

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Phil:

I used Mike's Oil Paint .atn (I believe you told me you got that one from him) + a free one from his site (Amateur Panter).

Mike just posted another free one today ("comic") that's quite good.

For a download link check out this DPReview post.

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Everyone who's new to PS7:

If you haven't checked out this folder, there's a LOT of neat stuff in it:

C:\Program Files\Adobe\Photoshop 7.0\Presets

For example point your Texturizer filter to \Presets\Textures and you'll find some additional texture files, including the "Rusted Flakes" one mentioned above.

[phili1]

Agnue very nice effect, more great flowers.

Phyliss, thats great what program did you use.

[omeyas]

Not my style at all really, stuck for ideas. Most have been before me.
Frank

[Trimoon]

Chuck.. The woodcut effect is good.. I like the way it looks and the color. It reminds me of a friend who paints just like this.

Frank .. That’s so cool looking! Nice color

Danny.. Yours has such a rich look to it. I can feel the texturing.
How's the watercolor tutorial coming? That’s a good question, and Ill get back to you on that.

Arthill.. The dark background is a good idea, it makes lotus glow like fire.

Angue.. To me Yours has a look of reflecting water

Phyllis.. You don’t have to compete your in a class all your own, First Class.

[pstewart]

Chuck, what a great sketch! I like the simplicity, the texture, and the background color.

Frank, I love the metallic look...very nice.

Phili, the program I used is Photoshop 7, but the kaleidoscope filter is from KPT3. You still have two days to get FOUR different KPT packages plus Techtures plus that lame Dreamsuites2 for 1/4 the cost...only $199 thru andromeda.com...but the offer expires on 11/15/02.

Phyllis (who doesn't want to be the only one with a digital kaleidoscope!)

[jeaniesa]

Originally posted by pstewart
Phyllis (who doesn't want to be the only one with a digital kaleidoscope!)

Phyllis, There was an entire thread on kaleidoscopes a while back (before you joined us, I think.) I even wrote a Photoshop actions to create kaleidoscopes with 6, 8, 10 or 12 segments from an image. (I added the actions to the Action thread starting here.) From what I have tried of the KPT3 swirl filter, I think my action gives you a little more visual control over exactly what part of the photo is used to create the kaleidoscope. But, I admit that I haven't played much with the KPT3 filter, so perhaps I'm missing something.

Just didn't want you to think that no one else has tried the kaleidoscopes. (In fact, there were a few of us obsessed with them a few months ago! )

Jeanie

[phili1]

I cant take credit for this, it is an action but a good one.

[phili1]

This is from the same action.

By the way its Mike fins comic action, but if you use it in a certain way you get this results.

[phili1]

Chuck just fantastic. I like the texture totally different.

Omeyas, the coloration is great, what do they say about great minds Ha Ha. WE had the same idea.

CJ and Phyliss, we said what about real flowers, some really great entriies.

[jeaniesa]

Phyllis,
This is all your fault! I decided to play around with my kaleidoscope action and took it a step further by applying some filters. As usual, I had no idea where I was going with it until I "arrived".

Steps:
1. Applied the kaleidoscope_12 action.
2. Filled in the background layer with an appropriate color and added texture.
3. Applied a curves adjustment to make the flower "pop" a bit more.
4. Duplicated the kaleidoscope layer and applied the Paint Engine "Curve brush" filter.
5. Duplicated that layer and applied the glowing edges filter; changed the blending mode to luminosity.
6. Merged visible kaleidoscope layers to a new layer (without the background layer). Applied a slight curves adjustment to brighten the yellow tones. Added both a outer and inner glow.

Jeanie

[jeaniesa]

Uh oh - I need help. Please stop me! I've got too much other stuff to do!!

A simple kaleidoscope using 10 segments. Sharpened, increased saturation in the R/Y/M channels. Added outer/inner "glow", which I changed to more of a shadow by changing the blending mode to multiply instead of screen and changing the color to black.

Jeanie

[CJ Swartz]

Jeanie -- you can't stop -- they're too beautiful!

[phili1]

I agree they are fantastic. Teh last one could be a sevring platter or center piece.

[jeaniesa]

Thanks CJ and Phili. I appreciate your kind words.

But, I really do have to stop for a little bit. I know it sounds boring, but I have got to finish filing the piles in my office. It's important, b/c I've told myself I can't put my new computer together until I get the filing done. (Otherwise, I'll never do the filing. And it's gotten to the point where I can't find anything anymore. )

Jeanie

[clare]

Wow there are some really fantastic images up on this one - a very inspiring image

Heres my version, I have gone for a minimalist image - didn't really have to do to much
- cut out image
- adjusted the curves
- used a few layers with different settings to get the white
- it looked slightly unfinished so just produced a quick frame from the colours in the petals and lowered the opacity

Clare

[GOLDCOIN]

This may have been said before, but I know one job I would
never apply for..... "Entry Judge." Each of you really were
inspired, all merit great praise. Such beauty & talent....

For the valley of Pink Lotus..... may I add a couple

[GOLDCOIN]

Inverion, created this unusal happening....

[GOLDCOIN]

Lastly, using a "Demo" of PhotoBrush..... experimented with all these new toys........

[jeaniesa]

Goldcoin,
I agree - I'd really hate to be an entry judge!!

OK - LAST ONE for me!!! (At least for a little while. I just love lotus, so might come back to this one.)

For this version, I selected the flower, copied to a new layer, transformed with 97% size and -5 rotation. Repeated that a few times (copy to new layer, transform using same values). Then rotated the entire image back a few degrees to have the center a little more level. Cloned in the background where needed. Ran the Paint Enging Mosaic filter and faded about 50%. Increased saturation in the yellow channel to make the center glow a little more.

Jeanie

[clare]

jeaniesa - Thats fantastic - I love the way you've duplicated the leaves - Makes a completely different composition.

Goldcoin - I like your first image - you've made the flower look like it is made out of silk - so beautiful.

[pstewart]

Jeanie, those twirls are great! I love the added texture too. Thanks for the link...I had fun looking through all the kaleidscopic images. Nice to know I'm not alone in my love of abstract geometric designs.

Goldcoin, I like your blue/green one best. Has a sixties look to it.

Clare, I love the delicate look of yours...and the thin frame is the perfect finishing touch!

Phili, that comic action is great...love the stark outlines.

Phyllis

[pstewart]

In case of nuclear holocaust, might be nice to know that a mutated lotus might still survive! So here's a radioactive lotus, healthy and flourishing!

Phyllis

[Snoleoprd]

Phyllis,

That looks great how did you do it? Reminds me of lava lamps, blacklights and 8 track tapes, doh! a flashback....

Alan

[phili1]

Out on a date go to the Lotus Club.

Every body else is going with the out in space stuff, so why not me.

[pstewart]

Thanks, Alan. Frankly, I don't know...just playing around with blending modes and color. Was a few days back so I don't recall the details.

I twirled it and got a few "blacklight" designs I really like. Here is one.

Phyllis

[pstewart]

And here are two more. I was especially pleased with the scalloped edge. To make the second one, I twirled the lotus to a simple "double" design, then twirled that again.

Phyllis

[lglogan]

Here is my first attempt. I changed the image to black and white and then applied the Photo Brush oil emboss filter.

[lglogan]

This is a color sketch with framing texture.

[phili1]

Phyliss. I like them and I am Jealous, I cant do Kscopes. I cant deal with new toys right now, maby in the future.

Linda, very nice I like the delicate nature of number two and the colorations. NIce touch.

[BigAl]

Trying out a few more PSP7 filters:

1. Effects> Textures > Polished Stone
2. Effects> Artistic Effects> Chrome
3. Effects> Artistic Effects> Colored edges (128, 0, 0)
4. Effects> Lighting Effects> Sunburst (moved burst just to the right of the stamens).