Subtle Softening Photographs of Covered Bridges

This week, in keeping with the theme from last week (a behind the scenes peek of how I digitally create these art prints), I wanted to share a technique I used with these three examples of covered bridges in Oregon. As I stated last week, I have been using Adobe Photoshop forever. I love the variety of features and flexibility it gives me not only with my photography, but also in creating digitally painted art.

The three prints I have attached came from a photo shoot I did a number of years ago in Oregon. All three look like three photographs of covered bridges and in reality they are. If you look closer, you will see that the edges and detail are softened slightly…ever so slightly to just give the prints a subtle softness. It’s a minor change I created by using one of Adobe’s filters. I started with the photographs in Adobe and eliminated any background “noise” such as electrical wires. In these shots that was about the only doctoring I did to the actual photograph. The next step was to soften them slightly, so I used their watercolor filter. In that filter you can control numerous elements such as pixel size of softness..type of softness and intensity. With numerous trial and error attempts, I settled on a level I liked. A subtle watercolor effect that you see more easily in the trees, but it also soften the edges of the bridges…again very subtle, but an overall softening.

“Covered Bridge Entrance”

“The Short Covered Bridge”

“The Red Roof Covered Bridge”

Thoughts?

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Soft Abstract Roses – Featured Art Prints

I love taking macro photographic shots of rose buds and blooms. The colors, texture, etc. create such beautiful visual imagery. Today, I wanted to feature a softer take on rose blooms and then explain how I created them by taking a step back through the process I use to create this type of digital art. I have used Adobe Photoshop for years….probably since it first came out. I remember taking classes from the University of San Diego on how to get the most out of it from an artist perspective. Trust me, it was many years and many versions ago. What I love about the program is the ability to do layers for each of the steps I go through. These roses are a great example of the process, so I will walk you through a simplified version of it.

I start with my macro photography of the rose bloom as the background layer. I then open an empty layer on top of it and using an ink stroke tool (Photoshop), draw the edges and shapes I want to highlight in black. Then I create another layer and pick a digital brush style I like (the brush style I picked here creates an almost air brush look..soft edges). On the blank layer I paint larger areas of colors by painting over the photograph if you will. The large areas of similar colors create the abstract look. I then move the “ink stroke layer” to the top of the layers, eliminate the bottom photograph, merge the layers and the end result is what you are looking at (simplified version as I actually open many laters typically for each color tone).

I also would like to mention that for the painting layer, there are numerous programs out there that can take your photograph and turn it into just about any style of painting. I use these programs in cases where I want to keep the detail of the photograph and am looking for more 3-D brush strokes as you would see in oil paintings. Even in that scenario, I come back in and work the resulting art print with some of the detail I described here.

This is a quick and simple walk through of my process that in actuality is very tedious and for every print I publish, five to seven are trashed by me for not liking the end result.

Orange Rose Bud In Abstract Watercolor

Pink and Orange Rose In Abstract Watercolor

Soft Red Rose Bloom In Abstract Watercolor

Subtle Red Rose In Abstract Watercolor

Yellow Rose In Abstract Watercolor

Thoughts?

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Carlsbad, California – Coastal Sunset

Carlsbad, California is located in North San Diego County – north of the city of San Diego proper.  It sits along the coastline and the village center is just blocks from the beach. This particular setting is just south of the village center where there is a walkway along the coast just above the beach (notice the fence as it lines the walkway above the beach). To get down to the beach there are long stairs scattered periodically for access. I have a number of art prints done in various styles from this setting. What I wanted to feature today was this particular print I did using more subtle earth tones instead of bright vibrant colors. It creates a different visual experience and supports a more relaxed mood with the setting sun. I used the same technique I talked about last week (impasto) to create the thick bold brush strokes.

“Sunset Over the Pacific” 

Thoughts?

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Street Scenes – Featured Art Prints

I have a gallery that focuses on “Street Scenes”, which is where these three prints come from. Most of my art in this genre is more pedestrian oriented and/or simple scenes of streets to highlight architecture of the buildings along that street or to create visual depth.

With these three prints, I used a technique that creates an impasto style (impasto: the process of laying on paint or pigment thickly to allow the brush strokes to stand out from the surface). With this style I also use bright colors to compliment the bold brush strokes.

The first print is of Whistler, British Columbia during the fall. Whistler is a beautiful village known for great winter skiing. What I liked about the village was the architecture and pedestrian friendly streets. You can feel yourself wandering down this street just enjoying the afternoon.

“Pedestrian Village” 

With this second art print, same concept just a totally different location. This particular print is of a New England Village in the spring. I was drawn to this scene because of the angle giving the street depth and intrigue with the pedestrians scattered.

“The Shops”

My final art print is again a New England village, with the line of quaint street lights creating depth and complimenting the brick sidewalk.

“The Sidewalk”

Thoughts?

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Vintage Sepia Photography – Featured Art Prints

I like playing with the sepia look in photography. It conjures up images of old vintage photographs. My wife and I had our picture taken in an old west jail years ago…they decked us up in clothes from the time period. It was done in the sepia format giving it that old look. That experience started my interest in the sepia look.

In my years of photography, I have turned a number of shots into a sepia format (example my Chichen Itza post from last year). I typically feature old items such as the old cash register and chair from another post. Today I wanted to feature three such pictures from my photo shoot in the Sharlot Hall Museum located in Prescott, Arizona.

The first capture is a desk and chair located in one of the log cabins. I like the two architectural elements together and felt that putting a sepia vintage look to them would fit the time period they represent.

Desk And Chair

The second print is of that same log cabin from the exterior.

The Ranch House

The final capture is a pot belly stove located in one of the log cabins on the property.

The Stove In The Cabin

Thoughts?

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