PHOTO ART: Mini-challenge #91 – Vietnamese Lady

[Guest]

FIRST MINI-CHALLENGE -or- NEW TO PHOTO-ART?
Click here for "Information and Guidelines."

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PHOTO ART: Mini-challenge #91 – Vietnamese Lady

Here’s another “mini-challenge” to play with in the Photo-based Art category until the next major challenge is posted here.

The base image can be downloaded by clicking the link below the photo description.

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Jeanie (Jeaniesa) took this wonderful photo of a woman in Vietnam. What a story her face could tell! See what history and moods you can bring out with different artistic techniques!

Phyllis

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LEGAL VERBIAGE
Jeaniesa retains the U.S. and international copyright © not only for the original image, but also for any photo-art versions of it. Unauthorized distribution or use of this image without permission are prohibited.

[Guest]

Quite often my abstract technique doesn't give good results on faces, but it seems to work just fine on this weathered face.

Phyllis

[TwinbNJ]

oooooh --- very nice effect on this! Weathered yet soft. Fabulous.

[TwinANJ]

Phyllis, Love the eyes! They seem to draw you in.

Jean

[TwinbNJ]

What a wonderful subject to work with.
I wanted to make everything around her face to look more eroded and soften her face.

Made a layer and applied Craquelure filter, opacity to 35%, added some noise. Erased the face and neck part of the layer.
Made new layer from the original selected the face did and inverse and deleted (to bring back the crauelure in the bg). Used the smudge stick filter to soften the face, opacity to 46%.

[Pam]

Phyllis-
You have a way with that abstract look, I can't get it to work for me no matter how hard I try!

Jill-
Very nice effect. I especially like the tone and texture you achieved on her face. It almost looks like a dye transfer print.

I tried Phyllis' anisotropic filter (I call it "her's" cause I learned it from her it's a great one), along with some other stuff and kind of worked it into an airbrushed look...kinda sorta...

Pam

[CJ Swartz]

Jeannie -- wonderful image! I wanted to emphasize the face - used palette knife over glowing edges with a layer mask to bring back some detail...

[jerry]

This is a very interesting portrait to work with..

Phyllis.. Your abstract is very effective with this portrait..

Jill..The Crackle..texture works well with this lady..Nice work..

Pam.. Your isolation of the portrait and new background are very artlike..

I started with the smudge painting technique..Sharpened several times..Used a glazing technique to add new background..Sandstone texture..Edge action #4 (I think)...Buds double matte action..

Jerry

[TwinbNJ]

Pam – I love the soft pastel look without compromising the character in her face. I also like how you choose to crop this --- very effective.


C.J. This effect works very well with the image. Very dramatic.

Jerry the frame and scalloped matt puts the finishing touch on your image. The burgundy just enhances her face even more!

[jerry]

CJ
Sorry I missed seeing yours..We must have been posting at the same time..

Your glowing edge effect is really unique..Very artlike technique..

Jerry

[themanda]

Once again, stellar entries.

Phyllis--I love the strenght of the black lines juxtaposed against the coolness and softness of the pastels. Probably a lot like the woman herself...she has so much character.

TwinB--this has fabulous texture to it without being distracting from the subject's face. love it!

Pam--I really like how soft this feels without being washed out. You've got a wonderful light touch and it plays well with this portrait. very good!

CJ--great! i love how the texture of the palette knife plays against the glowing edges. terrific!

Jerry--I really love this. You've presented her perfectly. your attention to detail is great, too, all the way down to matting and framing. she's ready for somebody's wall!

[themanda]

I used my newest favorite technique--The Smudge Tool as introduced to me by Phyllis.

I wanted her to look a little more worn and sad, so before I went in with my tool I played with her features a bit in liquify. Made her eyes droop a little more, made them slightly smaller, gave her more defined jowls, dropped the edges of her mouth. Then I upped the contrast a bit to bring out all of the fine lines, which I then pulled out a bit more with the burn tool.

Using a small brush, I smudge painted her face. I used larger brushes for her hair, wrap, and clothes. PE'd a background and painted it in with a layer mask. Then I used many different layers of blend modes topped off with a crossed light render lighting effect to add some more depth.

I'm very happy with her!

Amanda

[TwinANJ]

Then and Now

Jill Craquelure hmmm wonder who told you about that filter? Very nice use of the filter.

Pam you pastel background brings out the face. Lighting and blending on the face is very natural.

CJ I love the glowing edge effect and have not figured out how to use it yet. Never thought to use the palette knife. I will have to play with this. Needless to say I love the effect on your submission.

Jerry The border is a nice touch. Sandstone texture works well with the subject.

Took the orig. layer and made a copy used the lasso tool to cut the face in half. Used the brush strokes accented edge on multiple layers to smooth out half the face. Added a little more red to the lips added eye shadow. Used lighting effect on multiple layers and worked the opacity for the background and shading.

Jean

[jerry]

Amanda

I'm REALLY likin' everything about that one.. Your turning into a smudge teckie like me..

Jean..The young/old concept..Very interesting...

Jerry

[KenB]

Here's my attempt. First converted to a sketch with heavy outlines, copied this sketch onto a new layer of the original. I then created a new layer , filled with while and used the history brush to paint some color back in. Gave a little texture and saved.

Ken