― Artistic Expression Showcase ⇒ a study in form and light

[PietFrancke]

and with a little bit of puppet warp squishing things down..

[Psjunkie]

I watch patiently...

[minniev]

Frank and Minnie, thank you guys very much for playing along. Frank knows that the fool (that would be me) needs a straight man!

First, I removed the NIK artistic filter that I had applied earlier.
Second, I learned how to use puppet warp, and curved the leaf around the acorns.
Third, I darkened the part of the leaf that would now be in shadow (camera right part).
Fourth, I converted the image to black and white - since the majority of this study will be in Value.

And here are the results from step 1-4.
b2.jpg

Next I plan to average out some of the values attempting to reduce the "coarseness" of the texture. And an easy thing to do would be to darken those areas that are now behind the leaf...

I admire you for figuring out how puppet warp works. I have experimented but have yet to end up with what I intended.

[Matt Quinn]

I would have been happy to have taken and posted the first photo. The sequence, however, bewilders and bewitches me. Like watching Michelangelo. Amazing, Piet. Matt

[minniev]

Can't speak for step one, but steps2,3, and 4 are done well...

thanks Frank!

Now to attempt to reduce the texture imprint from the accorn, but to maintain the general value, I used a mixer brush and with very short strokes, mixed/smoothened/blurred the local contrast away. And of course it turned into a smudgy mess. But the spirit of it was close, so I just reduced the opacity of this new layer to 50 percent and merged down. This allowed some detail/texture to be kept, but also managed to lower it substantially.

Also, painted in some shadows where the fabric/leave would stop light.

I plan to mix/smooth and then bring back some detail again, but anyway, here it is for now:

b3.jpg

A later challenge will be to make the upper part be more flat - and the lower part (fabric covered) more round!

I have no idea what a mixer brush is for. Educate me?

[minniev]

much more realistic but I feel bad, I want no part in influencing your artistry....you are your own canvas my friend

you are ruined, it is too late..

struggling with this part. Added a splash of light to the top, but might need to attempt Warp. b5.jpg

You are going to warp light? What did you do the light with?

[minniev]

and with a little bit of puppet warp squishing things down..b6.jpg

Would I be profane if I suggested that they now look like a buxom lass with no blouse? Is that your goal?

Pole dancing again. I've spent too much time in New Orleans I guess.

[PietFrancke]

Can't speak for step one, but steps2,3, and 4 are done well...

thanks Frank!

Now to attempt to reduce the texture imprint from the accorn, but to maintain the general value, I used a mixer brush and with very short strokes, mixed/smoothened/blurred the local contrast away. And of course it turned into a smudgy mess. But the spirit of it was close, so I just reduced the opacity of this new layer to 50 percent and merged down. This allowed some detail/texture to be kept, but also managed to lower it substantially.

Also, painted in some shadows where the fabric/leave would stop light.

I plan to mix/smooth and then bring back some detail again, but anyway, here it is for now:

b3.jpg

A later challenge will be to make the upper part be more flat - and the lower part (fabric covered) more round!

I have no idea what a mixer brush is for. Educate me?

Thank you Frank and Matt. Minnie, the purpose of a mixer brush is to grab pigment and swirl it around. I procured a number of them as part of a Grut Brushes pack (which I highly recommend). Here is how to find the primitive one provided by PS... On the left where you have the tool icons, at the bottom of the list, there is a tool button that is three dots. "...". If you select that, you will see a long list of additional tools. One of them is called "mixer brush". If you use it, it blends together whatever is underneath. Use small short strokes or jabs (else you are smudging instead of blending).

If after a while you see a buxom lass instead of acorns, then the goal of fooling the eye will have been achieved. Because, we all know, these are two acorns shot exactly as I saw them laying (after I moved them about). There is no redo of the picture, they are gone. Swept aside in a moment of panic when I heard my wife sneaking up on me.

Warping light... LOL, no, just trying to virtually squeeze the nuts into a shape that a proper buxom lass might better appreciate. About the puppet warp.. Make a selection and then place a bunch of pins into the areas that you feel do not need to move. And some pins into the areas that you Do feel will need to move. If you place the mouse above an existing pin and click, then you can move the pin, and the image underneath will move right along with the pin that you are moving. Just move it a little tiny bit and then perhaps move a different pin. Or hit return to make it keep.

[PietFrancke]

some more warping and some pathetic shading. I now desperately need to find some kind of reference image where the light is coming from the left and the body is reclined in a similar fashion!

[Psjunkie]

my favorite part so far is the lacy looking brassiere...