Turning Portraits into Digital Sketches, Oils, Watercolors - - Bride-to-be...what can you do?

carseasoncity · #1 01-16-2008, 09:19 PM

Here is a candid shot from a wedding I did a few weeks ago. When I showed her this shot on the lcd screen she loved it. I included the original (straight from camera) and a version that I played around with. I would love to see what you guys come up with. I think it could look really cool as a painting...minus the tree in the background. But I have about 300 more pics to edit, and my painting skills are void at the moment though I am trying to learn.
Let me see what you can come up with.
Brandi

ThePhotoFixer · #2 01-17-2008, 01:01 AM

Here is my quick study. Comments Welcome. I love the photo by the way!

Cassidy · #3 01-17-2008, 02:31 AM

Brandi, I really love your sketch. Would you care to share your technique?

lkroll · #4 01-17-2008, 05:31 AM

A little sparkle and glow.

Alison · #5 01-17-2008, 05:36 AM

Hi Brandi,

I don't do much painting, so I just played around with the image till I liked it.

I kinda like the idea of the jaded bride taking a breather on her wedding day.

Levels adjustment layer - flatten image - dup b/ground twice (3 layers) - leave the b/ground as is - on the second layer desaturate the image - third layer, change blend mode to soft light and reduce the opacity to suit ... I used about 50% - curves adjustment layer - curves adjustment layer, invert mask, use to bring out the head dress - colour balance adjustment layer, midtones, boost reds about 20%, desat yellows about 20%. Snapshot, flatten image - neat image to smooth, mask to bring back out the pattern on the dress, her eyes, lips and hair.

The look - the bride is a little washed out after her big day but the shrubbery and the yellow flowers are not jaded.

carseasoncity · #6 01-17-2008, 06:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cassidy

Brandi, I really love your sketch. Would you care to share your technique?

Well, being on the RetouchPro forum I'm almost a little embarassed to say, but it's an action. (blush, blush).

I've got to get going this morning, but I'll look for it when I get home. It's free and it's just called "high key", though the one I used was called "more sketch than high key". I'll post the link when I find it.
Brandi

Cassidy · #7 01-17-2008, 06:52 AM

Brandi, don't be embarassed, there are so many actions and plugins out there it is hard to know what is what

DannyRaphael · #8 01-17-2008, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cassidy

Brandi, don't be embarassed, there are so many actions and plugins out there it is hard to know what is what

Agreed...

FWIW when I started with this hobby many years ago, using actions was my method of choice. In fact I've written literally hundreds of "arty actions" myself which helped me learn a lot about Photoshop as well as action writing.

There's no shame in using whatever tools you have at hand that render the results you want. It's like going to the store for a loaf of bread vs. baking a loaf from scratch. Both result in the ability to make a sandwich. Each has pros / cons. Until I learn to "do it myself," I'm perfectly OK with store bought!

DannyRaphael · #9 01-17-2008, 10:45 AM

Just a classic photo... Thanks for the play opportunity.

On this interpretation I used various Impressionist plugin settings applied to separate layers and layer masks on the individual layers to enable selective effect application. I thought it would look better without the tree, so I painted over that beforehand.

I think the trick with this type of thing is to not mess "too much" with facial features and skin, but manipulate the rest.

In retrospect I should have "done less manipulation" with her face and skin tone on this one.

palms1 · #10 01-17-2008, 11:26 AM

A absolutely great photo, and my favorite sort of wedding photo's (not formal or posed )

As you said paint i have attempted just that with the ah brush, but with two finishes hopefully you will like one of them

Palms

Swampy · #11 01-17-2008, 11:48 AM

I don't often paint portraits, but this is a wonderful candid shot so I had to have a go.

PST with a watercolor brush.

palms1 · #12 01-17-2008, 11:49 AM

Sorry couldn't resist another one, using the history brush and a sketch layer (done with a action ! )

Palms

carseasoncity · #13 01-17-2008, 12:15 PM

You guys are so talented. Maybe one day I will get good at painting. I'm still mostly at the "actions" level though.

I'm glad everyone likes the shot. I will post a few more later as I work through the 800 pictures that I took.

Here is the link to the sketch action that I used. Hope you find it useful.

http://www.inframe.co.uk/html/download.shtml

Thanks for all the ideas and hope to see more.
Brandi

DannyRaphael · #14 01-17-2008, 02:18 PM

Palms... you nailed it on AHB #1. The only nit is loss of detail in dress; otherwise simply wonderful.

B: thanks for link. I can always use another action.

My try II: BW, which seems to work on many wedding shots.

palms1 · #15 01-17-2008, 02:31 PM

Thank you Danny I agree about the detail on the dress, I tried using the history brush to try and bring some of it back but sadly it didnt work, Great black and white conversion, but why didn't i think of a vignette

Swampy great painting, hope you dont mind but as soon as i looked at yours i thought "This would look great in Sepia " so i have had a bit of a play and yep i think it looks great as well give it a try and see what you think ( i know it could just be me )

Palms