Help painting a "creative" photo for a friend...

[carseasoncity]

I took this shot of a friends baby and she wants to print it in a 16x20 and frame it. But she wanted to know what it would look like "painted". I have tried and failed with several different photoshop actions and have not yet learned enough about photoshop to try and do the smudge painting. Could someone show me what it would look like painted and is there an easy way to blend the shadowed and white areas to make it more gradual than looking like a line across the bottom? I know it's a long shot, but I thought someone might want to give a stab at giving this a painted look for me.
Thanks in advance for any help!
Brandi

[lkroll]

I'm just better at using GIMP. Was trying to use Impressionist (in Irfanview instead of PS), but I didn't really like the result. Went to my crutch with GIMPressionist and a few other tricks and got this.

[DannyRaphael]

Wonderful photo. Thanks for the chance to take a shot at this one.

Here are a couple interpretations to chew on: color photo, BW photo & painted using Corel Painter. I'm not to much into the smudge thing; prefer a little looser, rougher style. Sometimes works, sometimes not.

Is this more or less what you had in mind re: blend the shadowed and white areas to make it more gradual than looking like a line across the bottom?

Personal opinion FWIW... I'd go for the BW photo look.

Hope this gives you some ideas.

[palms]

WOW Danny that black and white is excellent, who wouldn't want that blown up and framed on a wall

Palms

[DannyRaphael]

Originally Posted by palms1

WOW Danny that black and white is excellent, who wouldn't want that blown up and framed on a wall

Palms

I was having a difficult time sleeping, so I got up and started tinkering. Thanks for your very kind words.

It's now 2 a.m. - time to go back to bed.

[Ziaphra]

Gorgeous picture!

[Swampy]

This is a great photo. Hope this helps you with ideas.

[carseasoncity]

Thank you everyone for all the great work! I can't wait to show her the results! Danny...those three pictures are amazing! I personally love the black and white, but I think she will go for the second color one. Maybe one day I will get to know photoshop enough that I could execute something like that. Do you have a tutorial? Thanks also for all the nice comments on the picture. This is a great forum!
Thanks again for all the hard work and I'll let ya know what the mother says when she sees them. I'll make sure I give credit where credit is due.

Brandi

[palms]

I had to have a go at this,even though everyone has done a great job ( my money is still on the black and white ) so used the ahb and lighting effects,

Danny glad to know i wouldnt be the only one getting "up" at 2 a.m. as opposed to the just going to bed at 2 a.m.

Palms

[Gilbert]

Tried a painted version in painter but can't disagree with the prefs for the B&W one

[Bob Mc]

Very sweet picture

Here's my try

Regards

Bob Mc

[DannyRaphael]

Originally Posted by Gilbert

Tried a painted version in painter but can't disagree with the prefs for the B&W one

Now, if I could smudge as well as you, I'd like doing it more! This is really well done.

[Peter S]

well my vote would be the B&W thats very nice Danny.


Peter

[DannyRaphael]

Originally Posted by carseasoncity

Thank you everyone for all the great work! I can't wait to show her the results! Danny...those three pictures are amazing! I personally love the black and white, but I think she will go for the second color one. Maybe one day I will get to know photoshop enough that I could execute something like that. Do you have a tutorial? Thanks also for all the nice comments on the picture. This is a great forum!
Thanks again for all the hard work and I'll let ya know what the mother says when she sees them. I'll make sure I give credit where credit is due.

Brandi

Hi Brandi...

Mom's generally prefer color. The good news is making a BW is pretty easy once the color version is done should she decide to go that way. Be sure she sees all the interpretations. There are some really good ones from which to choose.

re: Maybe one day I will get to know photoshop enough that I could execute something like that.

Believe me... If I can learn to do this kind of thing, I have no doubt you will be able to learn how too. I confess a lot of what I have learned to do in PS has been as a consequence of being a not-so-good photographer, which required me to to learn how to fix things. At least you don't have that problem!

re: Do you have a tutorial?

Not per se, but the essence of what I did is well documented in numerous already written tutorials that explain:
* Using the Lasso to make selections
* Using Layer Masks, the Brush, Clone and Free Transform tools to combine and stretch the selections into a replacement background
* Using Layer Masks to combine parts of one layer with another, e.g., the arm, flower and foreground from the original with the replacement
background
* Applying a simulated texture via Filter > Texture > Texturizer to a layer filled with 50% gray set to Overlay
...each a fairly basic skill I'll be glad to help you with offline if/when the time comes.

Thanks for the kind words. They made my day.

[carseasoncity]

Originally Posted by DannyRaphael

Hi Brandi...

Mom's generally prefer color. The good news is making a BW is pretty easy once the color version is done should she decide to go that way. Be sure she sees all the interpretations. There are some really good ones from which to choose.

re: Maybe one day I will get to know photoshop enough that I could execute something like that.

Believe me... If I can learn to do this kind of thing, I have no doubt you will be able to learn how too. I confess a lot of what I have learned to do in Photoshop has been as a consequence of being a not-so-good photographer, which required me to to learn how to fix things. At least you don't have that problem!

re: Do you have a tutorial?

Not per se, but the essence of what I did is well documented in numerous already written tutorials that explain:
* Using the Lasso to make selections
* Using Layer Masks, the Brush, Clone and Free Transform tools to combine and stretch the selections into a replacement background
* Using Layer Masks to combine parts of one layer with another, e.g., the arm, flower and foreground from the original with the replacement
background
* Applying a simulated texture via Filter > Texture > Texturizer to a layer filled with 50% gray set to Overlay
...each a fairly basic skill I'll be glad to help you with offline if/when the time comes.

Thanks for the kind words. They made my day.

Just an update. I printed out the three techniques that you posted and the mother (my friend) couldn't decide which one she liked best, so she framed all three of them in a trio frame. It looks awesome! They are graduated from the black and white, to color, to the really painted one. Just thought you'd like to know how much your work was appreciated.

As soon as I get finished editing wedding photos from a December wedding I'm going to try and practice on my painting techniques so you'll probably be hearing more from me. Until then...

Brandi

[pavel123]

Well, I hope the hand is recognizable

Pavel

[keiser]

Nice photo. Had to give this a try. have been working on my paint look.

[amica999]

very, very nice interpretations, still I "love" the b/w best...but it's just my opinion...

[mikajomc]

I do love these baby photos you've been letting us play with Brandi!
And everyone's work has been wonderful!!

I know the mother already has her print out. But I couldn't resist playing with this myself. Mostly just the impressionist filter.

-jordan in cinci