Copyright: All artwork/content protected under ©2007-2011 Lynne Ciacco

All content herein copyright © Lynne Ciacco


Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Groovin'

Experimenting, learning new tricks in Photoshop over the past couple of days...


The photo of the girl is taken from an online tutorial which was demonstrating how to extract a figure from a background.  The tut didn't work for me but I ad-libbed my way through and eventually produced this image, also learning how to make a halftone pattern, and discovering other interesting effects along the way just by trying things out to see how they look.  The circles and lines in the background are actually marks in cement that I photographed somewhere, some time ago.

variation on the theme

Another recent experiment had me riffing on a not-so-hot photo I'd made of a heron with its wings spread. I didn't know quite what effect I was after, but I knew it when I suddenly (after 3 hours or so of tinkering) hit on it.


This is it. Soft, impressionistic, slightly luminous.
At least, I hope that's how it appears.


online public domain
Here are the two source photos:

straight out of camera
Two very different experiments over the course of a couple of days.  One being more in the line of graphic design, the other more painterly.Both were very satisfying experiments for me and I hope at least one or the other appeals to you.

24 comments:

  1. Hi Lynne
    My moods change like the wind these days so I can howvi would like one or the other at any given moment. Both have their charms


    I have to say if I could stick to just 3 hours I'd be thankful. If I had a spare hour or two

    Thanks for hanging in there with me ciao Julie

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    1. Change is good...usually...though usually not easy! Am having trouble concentrating on much of anything these days myself, so feel inordinately happy whenever I do manage to cobble something together. Thanks for hanging in with me, too!

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  2. Cool results Lynne.... You have much patience!

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    1. Thanks, Gwen. The patience only works for specific endeavours, such as toying with images in PS. Always intrigued to see an atmosphere unfold and surprises pop up...much like with painting. I think you know a lot about patience yourself, with all those little bead people earring you've been creating! Whole civilizations of them.

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  3. You are learning by leaps and bound my dear...I love the 3D effect you have achieved with Groove very nice, you really amped up the drama of the picture. Your heron is exquisite...don't you just love all the effects you can try and remove that's what sends me into raptures is the flexibility and being able to endlessly experiment...stop me I'm running on...awesome job my friend.

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    1. Raptures! Ha, we Photoshoppers are already caught up in The Rapture and the whole world has fallen away. Yes, all those effects at our fingertips are quite intoxicating and dizzying. ("Do I like it better like this, or like this? ad infinitum). What really astounds me is finding out how much I didn't know that I didn't know!

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  4. Loving both images. The heron is clear and beautiful but with your touch there is an air of spiritual beauty with the rocks becoming abstract shapes...lovely! Your cool shot is fascinating, I agree, you are learning by leaps and bounds!

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    1. Leaps and bounds...love it...see me soar! ...and sometimes stumble over my own feet, but that's okay too, because it's all a learning process and lots of fun. I like that you find a spiritual element to my treatment of the photo, and abstraction in the rocks.

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  5. Very neat, both of them.

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  6. Wow, Lynne, you are really getting to be quite the photoshop diva! Both of these are wonderful, and I'm so jealous of your skilz!

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    1. Oh, this "diva" is enjoying diving right in to Photoshop, but I feel as if I'm still in the kiddies' wading pool as yet. Working digitally is as much fun as doing mixed media painting and collage and much easier in the clean-up department.

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  7. both are great in their very special ways... that background of the girl is a hoot! ... you make me long for playing with photo editing more, i only have very few standards at hand and it would be time for me to improve a bit.

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    1. Thanks, Johanna. Glad you like my experiments. It's a lot of fun...but very time consuming--be warned!
      :D

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  8. The heron's pose is really beautiful....love the colours too!

    Enjoy your week,
    Ruby

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    1. Thanks, Ruby.Somehow it all came together and I'm glad you find it pleases your eye (well, both of them).

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  9. Looks like a lot of fun. I've found that the best way to extract items from a background is the old-fashioned way; use the pen tool and draw a bezier curve outline. It's a little time consuming, but it's exact, and you don't always have to use that method for the entire outline. Once you learn how to swing those suckers, it goes really fast. It's a handy skill to have.

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    1. Yup, a lot of fun. Too much fun. Which is probably why I'm staying away from it...if that makes any sense. I must admit I have been terribly afraid of the pen tool! I took an introductory sort of course to Photoshop several years ago and the instructor just sort of advised us to stay away from that tool...likely because she didn't know how to explain it well. My first stabs at it were mind-boggling...but now I think it's time I got over my fear of flying with the pen tool! Thanks for the tip.

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  10. WOW,Your picture its amaizing result,love the colors too,georgus art work,love it.

    XXX Jeannette

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    1. Thank you so much, Jeannette! Lovely to have you visit here and leave such a warm comment.
      :-)

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  11. Interesting and lovely work :)

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    1. Merci, merci! I am so pleased that it pleases.

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  12. Dear Lynne,
    Merry Christmas and a very Happy Healthy New Year to you and all your loved ones.

    Hugs,
    Gaby

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    1. Dear Gaby,
      Thank you so much for your kind wishes. I, in turn, wish you the merriest Christmas and brightest New Year yet, with those dearest to you.
      Hugs,
      Lynne

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