Creative interpretations: Portrait - Bara

[byRo]

Been working on a little tool(box) for sharpening / blurring effects. Still got some things to iron out - if you look closely there is some banding. However , this came out nicely as a preview.

Like LQQKER, this also isn't hard-core photo-art, but maybe someone finds it interesting.
(LQQKER, borrowed the noise - but masked only to the skin, OK?)

Rô

[Neve]

What an exciting thread, wonderful results throughout!

Dupe coloured image
Image 2 – PR Studio - BW + Levels to lighten
Buzz/One – Light – 135
Dupe Layer twice/Mode/Multiply twice
Merge Visible
(Clone to get rid of blotches on skin)
Dupe Image and….
Paste as L2 onto original image
Mode – Lum (L) 50% - Merge
Dupe Layer
L2 – Photo Wizz/RGB to HSL
Mode Normal (pic 1)
Mode Dodge 52% (pic 2)
Merge

[GOLDCOIN]

Agree, Neve, it is a great thread of Photo art..

My first one was a Impressionist plug in..trimoon III changing the brush to Sumi4a.tif Really an nice effect.

For a larger view..

http://www.pbase.com/goldcoin/image/36170269

[Neve]

Bravo Goldcoin - I agree, this is a great effect, love the colouring. Steve's (Trimoon) tuts are great, I often try them out in PSP8, not all turn out the same but its always worth giving them a go....I still have an excellent HK tut of Steve's that I often refer to... THANKS STEVE!!!

[Pam]

Here's my high key look:

1 Convert your image to b+w using your favorite method.

2 Using level or curves, lighten the image.

3 3 Fill a new layer with white. Place this layer under your final high key image. Activate the high key image layer, then click on "Add layer mask" at the bottom of the layers palette. Now take a soft black brush and brush away anything that doesn't belong ;

[DannyRaphael]

Originally Posted by Pam

Here's my high key look:

1 Convert your image to b+w using your favorite method.

2 Using level or curves, lighten the image.

3 Fill a new layer with white. Place this layer under your final high key image. Activate the high key image layer, then click on "Add layer mask" at the bottom of the layers palette. Now take a soft black brush and brush away anything that doesn't belong ;

Wow! What a lovely result using such an uncomplicated method. It's been a long, long time since I've been this inspired. I'll be up for hours tonight/this morning experimenting with this technique. I can envision so many applications.

Although I could probably use the sleep, thanks for giving me a reason to play a little longer!

~Danny~

[painperdu]

-Convert to b/w by splitting RGB
-Clarify
-Adjust levels
-Adjust contrast
-Cut and paste eyes, lips from original and adjust color
-Manual color correction for hair

[Neve]

Great result Pam, I'm going to give this a try too....! Thanks.

Painperdu.....well done, that turned out terrific!

[Duv]

Used one of my beach, fishing village pics as background. Lens Blur, Impressionist Filter; Photo Filter: Blue.

For Bara, used Redfield's Lattice XP: Jalousie, set to minimum values.

Cheers
Dave

[jaykita]

This method uses two custom Impressionist settings. They can be downloaded here: http://www.retouchpro.com/forums/sho...6114#post76114

Layer L1 (upwards) Original image, image adjustment levels to lighten without increasing contrast (only move middle slider toward left)
L2- Dup L1- apply impr filter Watercolor A, Noise-Median 1 or 2.
L3- Dup L1- levels adj 0,1.90,255, ps7 artistic watercolor, 14,0,1.
L4- Select all, copymerged, paste -- ps7 artistic watercolor once more.
L5- Dup L4, virtual painter watercolor opacity 36. (this further enhances effect)
L6- Select all, copy merged, paste.
L7- Dup, impr filter watercolor B opac 41.
L8- Select all, copy merged, paste, image adj selective color-white reduce black a bit.
L9- Dup again ps7 artistic watercolor, layermask (add vectormask)to get rid of any black in image if necessary.
Merge all.

I used the same method for the "Jose" challenge, too.

[DannyRaphael]

Originally Posted by jaykita

Impr filter and ps7 watercolor.

Positively Exceptional results. One of the best WC interpretations I've ever seen on a human subject.

~Danny~

[Janet Petty]

I'm still trying to work out the technique on this one. If anyone is interested, I'll post the steps later.

Enjoy,

Janet

I used this technique on another challenge. I posted the steps here...I think.
http://www.retouchpro.com/challenges...cat/520/page/1

[DannyRaphael]

Originally Posted by Janet Petty

I'm still trying to work out the technique on this one. If anyone is interested, I'll post the steps later.

Enjoy,

Janet

Color me interested!

[Neve]

Jaykita and Janet - inspirational results!

A few days ago I spotted this tutorial "Chuck's Watercolor Technique" and loved the results!

http://www.innographx.com/forum/view...3bd628aea220c8

Having given it a go in PSP8.01.... I strayed somewhat....! Today I used similar steps for this result. There's plenty scope with this to use other brushes etc and heaps of interpretations can result. However, for the exercise I stuck with one brush today.

PSP.8.01

Dupe original image.
2nd image - PSP/Apply a brushstroke of choice/I have a Portrait WC preset
Edge Preserving Smooth - Twice - 30
Reduce this image.

1st Image
Add two raster (empty) layers.
L2 - (Middle) Fill with white and reduce opacity so that the original image
below shows through.
L3 - Select a brush, I used Chalk for this at 40% opacity.
Then select pattern of the 2nd Image (size 100%) with the brushstroke applied to it.
Paint all over your image in L3 across and down.
(Optionally you can choose to just paint directly over the parts you want to and leave the background alone)
Dupe this layer - Multiply mode or whatever suits your image best.
Dupe again - Soft light or whatever.......etc.
Hide Bottom Layer - merge the rest.
Texture Preserving Smooth - 100
USM - 100/50/5 to suit taste and image.
Eraser - 2nd layer - 8% to reveal eyes, mouth etc.
Merge and flatten image.

I did smudge her neck etc. prior to USM as it was slightly blotchy.

Doing another interepretation of this and for more control, I chose to add a new layer every time I used a different brush rather than keep applying different brushes all in one layer.

[Northernshadow]

I have been lurking for a couple weeks now, I am just astounded at the amount of incredible work and information here! I am sooo inspired!!!
here is my version of Bara, once I started playing she just kinda took on a life of her own.

Here is how I put her together
used Painter 8 for the major stuff and Photoshop for base images to clone

canvas-darker soft blue

layer 1-cloned (original image) with sponge brush very lightly

layer 2-watercolor wash cloner
(cloned original image ran through Photoshop's difference clouds filter,
then blended to smooth out the skin)

layer 3-cloned woman (original image) with a variant of smeary round oil
brush and set this layer to luminosity

layer 4-is layer 3 duplicated BUT set to default with 50% opacity

layer 5-watercolor layer (first added a purple wash to the background, then
added some blue to the eyes and then cloned a sketch variation to add the
details in the eyes and hair)

dropped layers then adjusted levels in Photoshop
cropped and resized...


Sherry

[Neve]

WOW Northernshadow....beautiful to say the least...very inspirational! I'm waiting on Painter8 coming in the mail...nervously...LOL. Thanks for the details. Must give this a go.

Pam - I loved your HK result and agree with Danny....uncomplicated it is. Thank you.

Cheers

[Northernshadow]

Thanks Neve, You are going to just love Painter, I have had it for over 6 months and am just clueing into what can be accomplished with it. I'll start something and find myself just playing with all the different brushes. way too much fun!

Pam, I too just love your High Key Look! very, very cool, thanks for posting the instructions!

Sherry

[byRo]

Just having fun, smudging along....

byRo

[SWEngineer]

An inspiring photo, for sure. Playing with a B&W sketch effect here...

Layers (bottom to top):
A=BG
B = new layer. fill w/ white
C=copy BG, Highpass 9, GBlur 0.5, desaturate. LinearLight / 100%
D=copy BG, Highpass 1.2 (??), desaturate. ColorBurn / 100%
E=Levels Adj. 100 / 1 / 255
F=MergeVisible (B,C,D,E)
G=Copy F, Waterpaper 5/74/46
H=Copy F, PlasticWrap 10/4/12. LinearBurn / 53%
I = Copy F, GraphicPen 5/50. Normal / 31%
J= Copy F, Solarize, Invert. Screen / 41%
K=Copy F, Diffuse (normal). Darken / 100%
L=MergeVisible (G,H,I,J,K)
M=Clone (lighten mode) to cleanup obnoxious dark spots.

-Mark

[earthman]

Just dodging and burning

[JustChecking]

very nice ideas in this thread!



---
duplicate layer (desaturate), simplify, blend-luminosity, enhanced edges a bit, pasted to new layer, impressionist->pencil sketch-detailed col. (80, 90, 106; background-image), a tiny bit of simplification, impressionist->paint-free daubs (27, 87, 102; background-image)
-both passes of impressionist had decreased colour jitter to (2, 3, 3)

[Axleuk]

The ReTouchPro poster campaign.....

Well have a good time with this one (lovely to look at) to say the least.

Had some help from the girlfriend with regards to the makeup.

Photoshop CS:

Smoothed out the skin using the smooth tool
Enhanced the eyes with some colour dodge
Eyebrows with some colour burn
Lips colour dodge
Added lip liner with colour burn
Changed the colour of the hair for enhanced highlights with colour dodge
Added some slight lighing effects
Cooled the overall image with AutoFX Tint Tone Color
Added the ReTouchPro logo for a little personalisation

Overall she has become my new best friend

[Legacy~Art]

Thank you Danny - Great Model!

1st one i added more Glamour giving her amazing eyes and lips!

2nd i added a mask giving a darker edge and then added porcelain for the face.

3rd I couldn't resist giving her an alter image!

4rd Added a septia finish.

5th Doesn't she look awesome as a bronze sculpture?

Thanks again for the fun of this site its a great place to be!

[Legacy~Art]

Very nice Axleuk! I think you should with help from your girlfriend become a professional make up artist...when i get married will you come do my make up?

[Con Looymans]

Hi Danny,

I thought I'd have a brief go at your chalenge.

Quickly what I've done is as follows:

I cut the figure out of the background using a mask created from the blue channel
I then created a new "Studio" background using several Render>Clouds Layers, I then "lit" this using the Lighting filter.
I then did a quick retouch and spoting of the skin.
I reduced the highlights on the lips and forehead a little with an airbrush set to the relevant color.
Then I cut out and enlarged the eyes a little and merged them into the image again.
I then Duplicated and Blurred the figure, applied a black Mask. Using a very low Opacity Airbrush I then painted in some diffusion onto the skin.
After this I created a Softlight Layer filled with 50% gray. Using a very weak 5% White I airbrushed in some more modeling into the cheekbones.
To draw more attention to the face I added a Hue/Saturation mask and appled -30 desaturation to the body
Finally I created another Hue/Saturation Layer to intensify the lips

Hope you like the result.

Regards

Con

[Janet Petty]

Wonderful, ethereal job on the makeup Axel.

[DannyRaphael]

Originally Posted by Legacy~Art

Thanks for the fun of this site its a great place to be!

Glad you're having fun. Me, too.

The real value comes from the great people who share their artwork, creativity and methods as well as those who ask questions and make suggestions. I'm honored to be associated with the site and consider it a privilege to interact with many talented and kind folks like yourself.

~Danny~

[Axleuk]

Originally Posted by Legacy~Art

Very nice Axleuk! I think you should with help from your girlfriend become a professional make up artist...when i get married will you come do my make up?

My girlfriend already is a make-up artist, somehow i dont think she will let me go near any of her clients, damn shame that

Originally Posted by Janet

Wonderful, ethereal job on the makeup Axel.

Thanks Janet, this image was one of the most enjoyable to work on, i have quickly found that having a Wacom tablet greatly improves the amount of control and flexibility you have.

[sidis]

sharpened/saturated the irises and masked them out of the next manipulations

blended in:
bluish layer to normalize color
"coffee"-colored layer (mocha?)
gradient layer

selective blurring, dodging, and burning

added edge


.

[Duv]

Thought I'd try an overexposed look.

Painter 8: Smeary Camel Cloner followed by Chalk Cloner. Imported to PS, ran Levels Adjustment. Opened Curves and raised the bottom point up halfway to remove almost all color. Used the Dodge tool to bring back just a bit of definition.
Also, ran the pic thru a Cartoon action.

Cheers
Dave