Tutorial: Art History Brush AHB - Palms method (Photoshop)

palms1 · #16 09-06-2007, 12:46 PM

ok guy's i have found it right here on retouch

http://www.retouchpro.com/forums/pho...w-brushes.html

In the three brushes here is the spatter brush 15a i prefer the most. dont know why it is different from the ones on trimoons downloads but i think it is
also is the impressionist brush and the detail brush.

Palms

amica999 · #17 09-07-2007, 01:08 AM

Thanks Palms and Bob

palms1 · #18 09-08-2007, 03:28 AM

I had the thought the other night that we might not all use the ahb the same way so i will attempt to explain what I do, And i do Stress it is what I do, if you are happy doing it your way then do carry on with it

Select the ahb brush and the brush of your choice ( i used the 15a spatter brush followed by the detail bruh on the last layer )

On the first layer i do the painting in one "click" ( actually i use a pen tool most of the time but you can use the mouse just as well ) with a mouse this might be a bit wearing on your wrist so it might be 2 >3 (1st image)

When you move upwards on the image the paint moves up and when you go downwards the paint goes down, knowing this can help keep the different colours in there proper places or when you have finished and you have bits "over the edges" you can go back to the appropriate layer and put right (2nd image)

On the second layer i tend to do one colour or one item in a single "click" In the flower image i done each of the yellow/ orange flowers , then the green, and then the vase (3rd image)

On the third layer too many clicks to count just moving the brush across to pick out the detail i want and then do the finishing tweaks that i want for the image ( 4th image)

Hopefully i have not confused to much this is a hard one to explain it would be much easier to show you.

And if you have ( like some of you do ) a pen tool gathering dust get it out and try it again , it does take a bit of time to get used to and remember it is not instead of a mouse but as well as . and here is maybe another weird thing i do, i dont have it set up in front of me but to the side and turned sideways i find it a much easier positon to use it

Palms

palms1 · #19 10-03-2007, 06:23 AM

Sometimes i make a background with ahb, i like this as it keeps the back ground within the colours that are already there, although this can be done with the paint brush and colours of your choice just vary opacity and shades
The brush i use most (at the moment) is here
http://www.furiae.com/index.php?view=gallery
under tutorials, textured brushes the download link is right at the bottom

And basically all i do is make a copy of the original image (image1) and paint away again using one/two "clicks"( make the brush a bit smaller if you like) controlling the colour can be a bit hard but move your brush around a bit(image2), and that is it you can then do loads of things like add contrast, sharpen, or colorize,(image4) When you get a background you really like save it and alter for other images

What i do then is have the art work under this layer and use a mask to bring it through (image3) or if you have cut your image out on to another layer put it on top of the background

Hope this helps some for someone

photo curtesy of morgue file

dmrdm · #20 10-08-2007, 06:57 AM

Had never played with the ahb until I read about it on this site. It's been fun. The background method above its real neat.

Played around with the methods as explained above. Had success on dogs (attached a copy of one of the dogs I dinked with) /cats/flowers/buildings, but when playing with portraits of people, they aren't turning out as well. The faces just aren't turning as nice as I hoped. Would anyone be able to share some additional tips? Suppose it just takes more practice. Thank you.

Steve Conway · #21 10-08-2007, 09:19 AM

Being only an occasional Photoshop user, can anyone tell me which versions of Photoshop these brushes will work in? I find no TPL files in either Photoshop 6 or in Photoshop Elements 4.

I also am assuming that they go in "presets/brushes."

Steve C.

palms1 · #22 10-08-2007, 09:23 AM

Glad you have had fun dmrdm and enjoy using the ahb, your dog image is excellent.

Faces can be a problem but i have done some, could you post (here) one that you have done and point out what it is your not happy with or i have posted one here today have a look and say what it is on this one you dont think is quite right or you that you dont like ( i wont cry honest

)

http://www.retouchpro.com/forums/tur...tml#post169462

That way I/someone would be able to offer more advice/tips

Palms

palms1 · #23 10-08-2007, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Conway

Being only an occasional Photoshop user, can anyone tell me which versions of Photoshop these brushes will work in? I find no TPL files in either Photoshop 6 or in Photoshop Elements 4.

I also am assuming that they go in "presets/brushes."

Steve C.

Hi Steve

I am not sure wether these brushes work in ps6 or elements

tpl files though are kept in the presets folder under tools if that is some help to you, also you load them from the preset manager, Edit> preset manager, from the drop down menu pick tools, load, then i think you navigate to were you put them

hope you can get them to work for you Steve as i think you will enjoy using them

Palms

dmrdm · #24 10-08-2007, 10:53 AM

Your toddler looks great. I honestly have deleted all of the faces I started them, because they just weren't what I was looking for. I'm always starting from square one again when I try a new one, but I went ahead and did a real quick example (don't have any time in it at all, just trying to show the skin, lips). My problem is primarily just the skin and lips. The skin turns out too crystaline looking, kind of blotchy, the lips like a bad lipstick job (like when a 2 year old applies lipstick). On the skin, am not sure if I sure I should be using a bigger or smaller area and a shorter or longer style. Using the TM detail brush after the spatter. Guess since these areas are smooth in reality, I'm having a problem with them. I'm okay with the eyes, nose, hair. Fur is just easier! Am not sure if my upload will show what I'm attempting to explain. Thank you!

(using CS3)

palms1 · #25 10-08-2007, 12:31 PM

dmrdm which brushes are you using, and would you say you use lots of "clicks"
my first thought is that you use short strokes with your pen/mouse now there is nothing wrong in this just that you will get a different look
Can you post the original (or a original) and i will have a go along with you posting the different layers i use and you can compare the differences and see if any tips can be picked up that way (for both of us), I like the way you have done your eyes they are my trouble spot, and most mouths look like a bad lipstick job until i tidy them up with the detail brush
The ahb is really quite a hard tool to use and no two images come out the same even by the same person, so stick at it and just keep trying

Palms

dmrdm · #26 10-08-2007, 01:16 PM

MMM...yes, I believe one could say I am using a lot of clicks. That could certainly be my problem. I'll have to go back and focus on that see what happens.

For this pic, I've only been using the TM splatter15a and the TM detail, although I have played with the style, area and size on them.

When you do the lips, do you change your style to tight and short or is that inmaterial? (I didn't know if when you get to the details, one has better results with shorter strokes or not)

Here is the orginal. I'll have to play some more!

http://picasaweb.google.com/doris.ro...42504996745954

Steve Conway · #27 10-08-2007, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by palms1

Hi Steve

I am not sure wether these brushes work in ps6 or elements

tpl files though are kept in the presets folder under tools if that is some help to you, also you load them from the preset manager, Edit> preset manager, from the drop down menu pick tools, load, then i think you navigate to were you put them

hope you can get them to work for you Steve as i think you will enjoy using them

Palms

I'll give it a try....and thanks Palms.

Steve C.

palms1 · #28 10-09-2007, 07:29 AM

Dmdrm

I have had a try at your image and have posted the three layers here that i used. I am not that happy with the results myself and have tried a few different things, one being resizing the image to 200dpi that makes things slightly better (4th image ) others was to use blur tool, smudge tool,and even a smart blur layer, but i wasnt happy with them either,
( begining to realize how few portraits i have done, i tend to smudge them, and the ones i have done are usually adults ) any way see what you think and ask any questions you want will try another thought i had later

Palms

dmrdm · #29 10-09-2007, 08:40 AM

Thanks palms1. I might just have to stick with dogs and cats! The 3rd one looks pretty nice. Yes, I've played with some bluring also, but nothing helped much. I made a couple more attempts, but nothing I like yet. Might look at trying some different brushes, some more bluring and playing with some different things on the layers. Will google a little more and see if I can find any other ideas also. Thank you!

palms1 · #30 10-09-2007, 09:28 AM

I have had another try and got bit better results by using a noise reduction filter ( as i am ps7 i use neat image but i believe your version of Photoshop has one) tried using it after as well but that was too much. Also try a different photo this one does have a lot of shadows and that may be making the crystalising worse ( or try shadow/highlight) I have done a ahb in the desire ll post in the photo art section and that turned out ok keep trying if you get anywhere let me know

Palms