Smudging resources

[Peter S]

I prefer No.2 personally Palms. It's got a Lucis look to it.
Did you use Shadow/Highlight and boost the midtones?????


Used "-SD-Smudge Soft Captured Oils" brush but lowered the strength by about half for this one, then heavily on with the sharpening.

Peter

[amica999]

Originally Posted by Peter S

Palms
Here are a few to be going on with.
Hope you approve.

Peter


Post versions now

Peter

Thank you Peter, nice images you've found. Here's my 1st people-smudge. Believe it is quite more difficult than animals, though

[carb]

I had smudge these two pictures. Carb

[mikajomc]

Originally Posted by palms1

OK now for a question what do you think of the second version (tried something different on it and would like to hear your opinions )

Palms

I like the second one as well Palms. It has more contrast I think. Or better shadows or something. What did you do different?

Joe- you did a good job, nice teeth

Peter- for Palms it is cats, for you it seems to be women in hats

Peter, amica, carb- all great smudges!

I will be attempting the bride later today.

[palms1]

Here's what i did different, When i have finished the smudge including any sharpening I run CSpringers Contrast mask v.2 action

available free from here in the download section
http://www.atncentral.com/

On the bride it worked great but on other people images you may have to mask in places or alter opacity etc

It works great on animals and flowers
here is a before the action and after on the lion smudge
(sorry i was being lazy and didn't mask off the background but i think you get the idea !)

oh and it is a great action try it on some other photo's too

Palms

[palms1]

found this one hard, not the smudging but the other stuff i have given up trying to get the left arm to look better

Palms

[Peter S]

Originally Posted by mikajomc

I like the second one as well Palms. It has more contrast I think. Or better shadows or something. What did you do different?

Joe- you did a good job, nice teeth

Peter- for Palms it is cats, for you it seems to be women in hats

Peter, amica, carb- all great smudges!

I will be attempting the bride later today.

Thank you.
Women in hats - easier than curly hair!!!!!

Peter

[Peter S]

Your right Palms not that easy this one.
Used Trimoons TM#23 for this.

Peter

[Nan]

Everyone did a great job on the bride. I gave her a try too but not real pleased with the result. I think it looks more like a touched up photo than a painting of any kind. Maybe too dark also.
I'm having trouble uploading here today so here are the links.
Nan

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o...ridesample.jpg

A little closer view.
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o...idecloseup.jpg

[mikajomc]

Nan- I think you did great. If you want it to look even more painted, maybe you could try smudging with more strength? What settings did you use?
But, honestly, I think its fine just as it is.

[palms1]

Originally Posted by Nan

Everyone did a great job on the bride. I gave her a try too but not real pleased with the result. I think it looks more like a touched up photo than a painting of any kind. Maybe too dark also.
I'm having trouble uploading here today so here are the links.
Nan

Nan i think you can include yourself in the great job category,
that looks great as Jordan has said if you wanted a more heavy look put the strength of the smudge tool up, and a higher sharpen setting
As for being to dark, for my taste yes i would lighten it some more ( but you would loose the veil so would have to mask ) but that is just my taste,
now are you going to try one of the other photo's ?


Palms

[palms1]

I tried it the other way round and running the contrast mask first, think it is better doing it last !

Palms

[amica999]

@ All, very, very stunning results. Am a little short on time right now, but will try one of the pics someday soon.

@ Palms, like your last smudge when using the contrast mask before smudging, but I can't get used to that huge hand :-)

[Joeven]

I don't know about this one. Turned into more of a cartoon then a smudge.


Joe

[mikajomc]

Palms- I love it! What makes you think its better to do the contrast last vs first?

and amica- LOL I never noticed the hand till you mentioned it, and now it just leaps out at me!

[palms1]

Thank you Amica
Joe again nice work
Jordan i found by doing the contrast mask first i had to keep going over the image for pieces that were missed (more than usual) and there where more halo/blown out bits, but in all fairness will try it again this way just to make sure

Palms

[amica999]

and amica- LOL I never noticed the hand till you mentioned it, and now it just leaps out at me! [/QUOTE]

LOL, Jordan to me this picture is ALL hand from first look :-)

[Nan]

Jordan and Palms, thanks for the comments. I'm working out which settings I like for the smudging. I've done some people before and was satisfied with the results. I just haven't figured out how to apply it to everything I work on.

Palms, I like the way big hand lady turned out. I'm working on another of the hat ladies but I won't attempt the one you did!
Nan

[mikajomc]

I finally finished the bride! I have started and stopped so many times, I have no idea what brushes I have used from one part to the next!
But at least it's finished! I hate having half done paintings floating around my laptop!
Thanks for the photo Joe.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikajom...27627/sizes/l/

[Joeven]

Originally Posted by mikajomc

I finally finished the bride! I have started and stopped so many times, I have no idea what brushes I have used from one part to the next!
But at least it's finished! I hate having half done paintings floating around my laptop!
Thanks for the photo Joe.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikajom...27627/sizes/l/

Your welcome Jordan.


Joe

[palms1]

I have added this Faye Sirkus pdf ( painter) although this is a painting it has a similar look to smudging, also there are some great tips to getting the image ready in this case to taking into painter but stand good for preparing to smudge as well,
and some great tips on doing eyes

http://www.corel.com/content/pdf/pai...ser_Sept05.pdf

enjoy

Palms

[palms1]

After spending a hour or two tracking down Alan Buonforte's workflow for smudging/painting eyes ( i knew this existed somewhere) i have added it and Alans workflow for smudging to the list
I think Alan is a bit of a forgotten smudger and was one of the first ones i became aware of

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/re...ssage=13999204

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/re...ssage=14703851

enjoy
Palms

[sylvia1065]

Alan is one of the best I have ever seen. I'm glad you spotted that tutorial of his, he's really good!
Thanks for taking the time to share the goodies with us
Sylvia

[palms1]

thought i would show you a couple of doggy smudges i have done this week

first one was with the soft dry brush
and the second was with Linda's smudge brush

Palms

[gholmes1936]

Fantastic work. Just love them, the dog also.

[palms1]

Originally Posted by gholmes1936

Fantastic work. Just love them, the dog also.

Thank you Gholmes the dog is a vistor to my neighbours (when his owners go on holiday)

Palms

[Peter S]

Originally Posted by palms1

thought i would show you a couple of doggy smudges i have done this week

first one was with the soft dry brush
and the second was with Linda's smudge brush

Palms

Both excellent Palms.
Could you explain your method for keeping the whiskers intact and still make them look smudged, do you just bring back the originals by masking???

Peter

[palms1]

Originally Posted by Peter S

Both excellent Palms.
Could you explain your method for keeping the whiskers intact and still make them look smudged, do you just bring back the originals by masking???

Peter

Mainly on the whiskers on these two i just smudged them as i went along, i do tend to smudge them onto another layer as it is easier to erase or correct etc and that then makes it easier to smudge between the whiskers on the layer beneath,
but on the second one, left side as you look at it , the whiskers go onto the background so i painted them freehand with a 2/3 size paint brush on a seperate layer then used the softlight overlay reducing opacity ( made the mistake of using white at first but in fact a light grey works better )
Hope this helps a bit but it is a case of whatever works

Palms

[Peter S]

Thanks Palms, I was dreading the freehand approach as I've not got that steady a hand for it.

Peter

[palms1]

Originally Posted by Peter S

Thanks Palms, I was dreading the freehand approach as I've not got that steady a hand for it.

Peter

I know what you mean but not too bad on a separate layer and it is only small strokes ! ! I have been collecting whiskas to make a brush for ease of use, keep you in mind when i have finished it ( not sure when though!)

Palms