REVIEW: Portrait Sketches & Oil Impressions

[DannyRaphael]

DVD TITLE: Portrait Sketches & Oil Impressions

AUTHOR: Richard Ramsey

TO GET AN IDEA OF WHAT THE TUTORIALS TEACH ONE TO DO:
http://ramseyphotography.com/

PRODUCT INFO/ORDERING: (corrected link - 9/2009)
www.RichardRamsey.info


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PICTURES WORTH 1,000 WORDS

==> Check out screenshots and example images that accompany this review:

http://www.pbase.com/dannyraphael/review__richard_ramsey_sketch_tutorial


DVD CONTENT:

Lessons (.mov format, which requires QuickTime player for Windows users):
· Pencil sketch: 3 movies
o Fascinating technique; one of the BEST I’ve run across anywhere
o Easy to follow
o Step-by-step, beginning to end
o Can be twisted/morphed into other methods

· Oil painting: 5 movies
o Two methods presented; both very basic and easy to learn
o Background enhancement and replacement; painting eyes, skin, hair, clothes; restoring detail
o Two ways to add highlights
o Creating an underpainting in two minutes or less

· Skin retouching: 1 movie
o Another fascinating, easy to follow technique
o Useful to retouchers as well as artists

Goodies:
· Painterly background files: .psd, .jpg
· Photoshop custom brushes file: .abr


NOTEWORTHY:

• About 30 seconds into the “watch me” video Richard reveals a contact phone number and encourages anyone with problems or questions to call. Now, that’s service.
• Although the methods he presents are easy to follow and not difficult to learn, each is quite effective and once mastered can yield very pleasing (and marketable) results.
• His demonstration of how to sync up color management between Painter and Photoshop was enlightening. I’d never before considered synchronizing applications.

OBSERVATIONS:

• Richard is an exceptional, award winning photographer and when it comes down to it (no matter whose method one uses), starting out with great images like the ones he captures can make all the difference in the world.
• While the sketch method requires little more than basic Photoshop skills like duplicating layers, adding layer masks, using the brush tool, adjusting layer opacity, tinkering with adjustment layers, etc., it does require (for lack of a better phrase) artistic judgment that comes with time and experience. Quite frankly I struggled with my first few sketches, but feel I got better with each attempt.
• For those who like to experiment, his basic approach can be the foundation for and adapted to unique variations.

IS THIS DVD FOR ME?




Yes, for those who:

• Are visual learners
• Want to learn the recipe for Richard’s unique pencil sketch look. Judge by the examples he crafted (see above for link to pBase gallery), not necessarily my "still learning" attempts.
• Have a fundamental grasp of layers, layer masks, Levels and/or Curves in Photoshop or their functional equivalents in other image editing programs
• Are new to Corel Painter and are looking for super easy methods to get started with photo painting
• Are fairly comfortable with selecting brushes and navigating among palettes in Painter
• Already have the following plugins or plan to acquire suitable equivalents

IMPORTANT:
Richard uses LucisArt and Alien Skin’s Snap Art plugins to render his sketch look, and a few Jeremy Sutton custom brushes in his painting illustrations.

Photoshop’s Curves adjustment or plugins like Topaz Adjust, Flaming Pear's Mr. Contrast, Nik Silver Efex Pro or Alien Skin’s Exposure might substitute for LucisArt. Under some circumstances Akvis Sketch might work in place of Snap Art. Some of Denise Laurent’s free brushes, e.g., Den’s Oil Funky Chunky, could be used in place of Jeremy’s brushes.

The bottom line is if you want to achieve the sketch look Richard gets, in my opinion Snap Art is a requirement. LucisArt is a ”nice-to-have.”






No, not recommended for those…

• Familiar with painting methods taught by Sirkis, Sutton, Sholin, Connor-Ziser, Woeck, etc., each of whom present similar painting techniques
• Who don’t already own or do not intend to acquire Snap Art

FINAL THOUGHTS

As of this writing I now prefer Richard’s sketch technique over any Photoshop action (including some pretty spiffy sketch actions I have written), plugin or method of any sort I’ve seen or used since 2000 when I first got hooked by this photo-art obsession. Snap Art and LucisArt have gone from a plugins I used very, very seldom to ones I now consider essential since adopting Richard’s recipe.

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Comments and questions welcome.

[Joeven]

Very impressive stuff. Never liked Snap Art.Time to take a second look at it. Makes me want to buy the DVD.

Joe

[DannyRaphael]

Originally Posted by Joeven

Never liked Snap Art. Time to take a second look at it.

That was me. After the initial excitement faded, Snap Art just sat in my filter menu. Never used it.

It now has "a new lease on life" in my world.

[Joeven]

Would you like to give any clues on what settings he's using in Snap Art? I've tried all the Pencil Sketch ones and have had no luck at all with getting anything close to looking like a real sketch.

Joe

[DannyRaphael]

Originally Posted by Joeven

Would you like to give any clues on what settings he's using in Snap Art? I've tried all the Pencil Sketch ones and have had no luck at all with getting anything close to looking like a real sketch.

Joe

If Richard was giving away his DVD, I'd happily type out the details.

Since he's not, it would not be ethical for me to reveal hints of any kind. It would be a breach of his trust in me.

Thanks for your understanding on this...

[Joeven]

I understand. But I had to try anyway.

Joe

[skydog]

Thanks for the review. I like Jeremy's DVD's. Sirkis I find pricey for what is presented.

[Phil467]

I love the outcome Richard's technique produces. I don't have Snap Art nor LucisArt plugins. I do have the comprehensive onOne Software Plugin Suite 4.

Do you believe the onOne plugins would sufficiently replace the functionality Snap Art and LucisArt plugin provides in Richards approach to Portrait Sketches & Oil Impressions effects or is his tutorials closely tied to these two tool-sets?

[DannyRaphael]

Originally Posted by Phil467

I love the outcome Richard's technique produces. I don't have Snap Art nor LucisArt plugins. I do have the comprehensive onOne Software Plugin Suite 4.

Do you believe the onOne plugins would sufficiently replace the functionality Snap Art and LucisArt plugin provides in Richards approach to Portrait Sketches & Oil Impressions effects or is his tutorials closely tied to these two tool-sets?

Welcome to RP, Phil...

The sketch look is very closely tied to Snap Art. I honestly don't know of any suitable alternative - plugin or action - that would achieve the look Richard gets with Snap Art as a part of his method.

I'm not familiar with the OnOne Suite 4, but I did check out the video demo at their site. Based on the video, I did not see any of the Photo Tools effects that would substitute fo SA.

Richard uses LucisArt to render a high contrast, almost HDR-like effect. In my opinion the LucisArt contribution to the recipe can be sufficiently mimiced by other means, whereas Snap Art is about as close to a requirement as one can get.

Great question. Thanks for asking.

[gholmes1936]

This URL is not working:
http://web.mac.com/ramsey616814/Site/Original_DVD.html

[DannyRaphael]

Originally Posted by gholmes1936

HOW does one find out where one can order this DVD. I have googled until I am ready for a nap-but then I must be fair and say that I am always ready for a nap. Nonetheless, it seems I WANT this DVD and cannot figgur out how to get it. Thanks for all your hard work Danny.
George Holmes

Sorry you're having difficulty with the link. It "worked" when I originally posted the review, but...

There are numerous entries in his photography site blog for the past several months (two for September 2009), so I assume he's still in business.

I will try to reach him this week to find out what's up, and will update the DVD order link.

[ISeek]

Here's the updated link: www.RichardRamsey.info

[DannyRaphael]

Originally Posted by ISeek

Here's the updated link: www.RichardRamsey.info

Much appreciated; thanks.