Creative Portraits: Kids, Big Blue Eyes

[DannyRaphael]

How about these eyes? Thank you, Janet, for submitting such a darling pic.

~Danny~

[Cheryl H]

It was fun to play up those big, blue eyes. I started with something I saw on dpreview.

First image: select eyes and mouth and run USM. Select inverse and play with filters (I used watercolor, drybrush, a little smudging, and gaussian blur)

Second Image: took the first image and duplicated. Set blending mode to color dodge. Add adjustment layers

Third image: Took the results of the second into virtual painter--air brush. adjusted color. It doesn't look much like the original image anymore, but it was a fun transistion.

[Neve]

Thank you Janet for permission to use this....she's gorgeous!

I haven't done this before and just did it quickly for this...

PSP8.01

Buzz Simplifier Filter
Aim/USM Filter
Duped Bottom Layer
2nd Layer - Xero Lineart Filter - Drawing/Tone=0/Line Intensity=5/Mono.

I reduced the opacity on 2nd layer to allow colour to show through but you can leave it as is and just have the black and white drawing.

Merged both layers and applied a pencil texture (criss-cross).

[Janet Petty]

Duped original 3 times. Used one layer to find lines, one layer to create a pencil sketch at 250 gaussian blur. Hid those layers. Used remaining duped layer to use impressionist filter (my new best friend ). Used eraser at 25-50% to erase eyes, nose and mouth. Merged visible and used impressionist filter again. Used eraser again. Merged visible. Used a spatter paintbrush to paint in detail areas. Brought the two hidden layers to the top and manipulated them to get the effect I wanted. Merged visible again and added a canvas texture.

[jaykita]

PS7 then went into Painter.

[Neve]

Terrific Janet and Jaykita - both different and enjoyable to view.

[CJ Swartz]

Too cute to ignore!

Using PShop 7, ran levels on a dupe layer to adjust color a bit; cloned away a bit of her bangs (on a separate layer) to emphasize those beautiful eyes, added a Hue/Sat adjustment layer with blue and cyan saturated, being careful (hopefully) to mask out any blue in the eye-whites. Made a stamped copy of the work so far and duped this layer. Ran the Palette Knive filter and adjusted to taste via the Edit -> Fade routine. Added a 50% Gray layer above and added Angled Brush Strokes, then reduced the effect with Diffuse -> Anisitropic. Ran a Selective Color adjustment layer above to reduce a yellowing of the skin. Decided to expand the canvas to give her some room to breathe. Tried a Lighting Effect with a lot of Shadowing, but decided it made her look too grown up. She's young and cute, and there's time later to be a lovely young woman.

[Janet Petty]

Absolutely incredible work CJ. I really like what you did.

[jaykita]

Used the watercolor tutorial by Antonio Guevara (wow, so easy Thank you Antonio ) sketch on duplicate layer, unsharp mask, filter photocopy, multiply, filter angled strokes, dodge tool for some highlights.

[dslinger]

I love the renditions I'm seeing...everyone's different take on this. That's the great thing about painting and art to me- there are no rules!

So, here's my "version":
1. Channel mixer to bring up blue and hair highlights
2. replace color to make eyes brighter
3. dupe layer, lots of smart blur (3 times actually)
4. unsharp mask
5. made canvas square and placed her face centrally
6. equalize to brighten
7. levels to bring color up
8. dupe layer- poster edges- opacity about 50%
9. erased black lines from poster edges filter from cheeks.
10. a bit of smudge on chin to erase spottiness

[LQQKER]

Cropped.
Straightened.
Adjusted color and contrast.
Removed T-shirt.
Lengthened hair.
Nik warmth.
Xero Clairity.
Simplified.
Softened skin.
Shaded and highlight a few areas.

[Patricia]

Such a cutie! I used Painter 8, cloned with an oil brush.

[Elleth]

Love those blue eyes!

I used the AHB, highpass filter, and smudge tool.

[Steve Conway]

Sure can't beat the subject for this one!

Steve

[Steve Conway]

The subject was too good not to try at least one more.

Steve

[corona2632]

I could not be indifferent when has seen these eyes! Thanks Janet and Danny!

[DannyRaphael]

Originally Posted by corona2632

I could not be indifferent when has seen these eyes! Thanks Janet and Danny!

The brushwork on the hair is excellent, corona. Nicely done.

[Kraellin]

steve,

love the hair, eyes, and lips on the 2nd one, but the face looks 'dirty' with that texture. i suppose that's a natural look for someone her age, but any chance to see that same rendition without the 'dirt'?

Craig

[dbuckle]

Done with Studio Artist.

[Kraellin]

dbuckle,

very nice!

could you maybe brighten the eye area a bit? seems a shame to hide those big blues.

Craig

[lkroll]

Impressionist and Paint Engine. Some smudging and color adjustments. AutoContrast. Done.

[ahutton]

Darling little girl, who'se going to be a beautiful young woman.

High res here: http://www.bigbluebird.com/blueeyes.jpg

Amy

[Cassidy]

Wow, such a cutie.
Dry brush in overlay mode with dodge/burn layer to bring back eyes

[Duv]

Very striking Cass! Here's my first crack at Deep Paint.

Cheers

Dave

[palms]

Just for a change i smudged this one all though i do think of it as the over the top smudging, but them eyes called for it !
Duv if that is your first crack cant wait to see more

Palms

[Abraham Moyano]

Danny,
This is my first atempt to use the impressionist filter. I studied and tested every style and most of your suggestions from your e-mail with the instructions how to use it. Thank you for your help!
This is a digital oil painting of the little girl with blue eyes. I used Photoshop CS 1, impressionist filter and Painter IX. I appreciate any feedback.

[Kraellin]

palms,

once again, i love your smudges

craig

[palms]

thanks Craig

Palms

[DannyRaphael]

Originally Posted by Abraham Moyano

Danny,
This is my first atempt to use the impressionist filter. I studied and tested every style and most of your suggestions from your e-mail with the instructions how to use it. Thank you for your help!
This is a digital oil painting of the little girl with blue eyes. I used Photoshop CS 1, impressionist filter and Painter IX. I appreciate any feedback.

Welcome to the forum, Abraham. This is a terrific first post. I hope to see many more.

One thing I found distracting is the canvas texture effect. I understand what you are trying to simulate -- not all paint covers the canvas unformly -- but to me it just looks out of place. I wish I could make suggestions, but I don't know how to I would improve it myself -- other than take it out. Perhaps other suggestions will follow.

I might try to get a little of the Impasto look in the face like you got in the shirt. I would do this on a separate layer in Painter, then in Photoshop use a Layer Mask to control the opaciy and final placement of the strokes.

Congratulations on your first use of Impressionist. It was an impressive example of how it can be used along with Painter.

~Danny~