continuation of my digital media sketchbook part 15.
here i chose an architectural piece made using technique and also a self abstract portrait.
here i used the difference option within the filters selection. The development here has brought out a lovely purple shade amongst the right side of the face and displays a strong and dark demeanour.
here i used the lighten option from the layers selection and with this one you are able to see the portrait more clearly although i do feel that it is quite bland and boring to the eye unlike the above ‘difference’ image.
taken from the above ‘lighten’ image i developed it further by using the gradient map tool. I like the fact that i am still able to see that the portrait is prominent as well as the architectural background thanks to the lighter colours.
this is also a gradient map image taken from the ‘lighten’ image. i find this to be the most successful of the above – it brings a vintage feel to the image because of the brown tint and also makes the image more fine art related rather than a digital image.
Also taken from the ‘lighten’ image I used the green and blue gradient map for this creation. I am very fond of this due to the vibrant colour tones however it is unclear to make out fully that this is a portrait.
once again taken from the ‘lighten’ image a fourth development using the gradient map tool is shown above. the portrait of this is much more prominent to the eye unlike the previous image above but for some reason i am not keep on the colour mix with orange and purple; it does not seem to stand out and the detail of the background is unclear.
this is the second last one taken from the ‘lighten’ image and has been created using the underwater theme within the photo filter selection. with this selection you are able to recognize the portrait straight away of which is what i am aiming for within this project. the opacity of the portrait is quite low and mixes well into the background.
last addition from the ‘lighten’ creation i then decided to play with the filter gallery. i came to the plaster technique here and the image could almost be an advertisement for a gangsta movie as the background reminds me of a busy highway thanks to the dark shadings and the eye catching portrait is strong.
Tags: abstract, art, collage, difference, digital media, gradient, lighten, map, plaster, portrait
part fourteen of my continuation of the digital media sketchbook.
here for part fourteen of the digital media work i have chosen an archway created in acrylics and oil pastels to be the background and also a self portrait in oils as the main topic.
firstly as I usually begin the development process using some options from the layers box. The difference tool was used on here and I like the fact that the portrait looks to be hiding behind the archway and is also placed within the centre immediately bringing the portrait to being the focal point.
taken from the above ‘difference’ image I edited it slightly by using the graphic pen effect taken from the sketch option of the filter gallery. It has given the image an eerie old movie effect because of the grain.
I used the lighten tool from the layers selection and i feel it has helped the the portrait and detail of the archway to be more visible.
gr -1 
gr -2
from the above ‘lighten’ image i took the image further and used the gradient mapping tool for these creations. gr -1 is of the blue tint and seems quite bland as the tone of one colour all over just does not give the image positive justice; gr -2 on the other hand was used with an orange and blue tint and is much more striking to the eye as the colours are mixed well together, bold and bright.
Tags: archway, art, blue, bold, difference, digital media, gradient map, graphics, lighten, orange, portrait
a continuation of my digital media sketchbook
here is a printmaking piece of a flower which shall be the background of the portrait sketch above.
the difference tool was obviously used first here and i like the spotted pebbled look that the technique has given to the background. i also like how the background has added deeper detail to the portraits skin and the overall colours mix brilliantly together.
I then edited the ‘difference’ image further by using the tones of yellow via the gradient map tool. the flower in the background makes the portrait look as though she has butterfly wings. The use of one colour has created an overall abstract feel and almost looks as though the image was made with sand.
I had also edited the ‘difference’ image with the photo filter. I chose an orange filter to shadow the image and I feel that this has highly improved the attractiveness of this work. not too dark but enough to give the portrait an air of mystery.
the photo filter can be accessed via here: -
Tags: art, background, difference, digital media, flower, orange, photo filter, photoshop, potraiture, yellow
a continuation to the developmental sketchbook of my digital media
here i chose a textiles piece i sketched up to use as the potential background and the self portrait of myself which is slightly demonic.
I used the lighten layer from the selection available under the layers box. I really like the effect it has managed to achieve here with a soft hippy floral feel. I really like how the portrait has morphed into the flowers but has remained the focal point.
This was done by using the vivid light from the layers selections as well. unfortunately this one was not so successful – too dark and the reds have been over-used; it is also quite hard to make out the portrait because of the high contrast.
taken from the above vivid light i decided to improve it somehow and lighten the high contrast. Therefore i used reticulation fond under the filter gallery within the sketch section. This has vastly improved the image as the portrait is more noticeable and the red is softer.
Tags: abstract, art, digital media, floral, flowers, portrait, red, reticulation, soft, vintage
continuation of the digital development sketchbook.
here i thought i would experiment with mixing a rope sketch with another abstract male portrait. this post is not as extensive as the rest of the developmental posts have been for my digital media as the image sadly seems to have not been that successful apart from the below image: -
the piece has a rough edge about it and even though the portrait was already abstract before the manipulation, the rope has helped it along by being compositioned within the middle of the contorted portrait to give it the extra abstracted appeal.
Tags: abstract, art, difference, digital media, mixed media, portrait, rope
continuation of digital media sketchbook
for the background here is used a mixed media piece done on tinfoil and an abstract portrait in pastel.
here the difference tool was used from the layers option and it has really brought out the colours of the portrait and made the overall image bold and attractive. The portrait somehow caters for the background and makes the outline of the broken speed camera more prominent yet i am constantly drawn to the eyes of the portrait and the vibrant colours of his face.
working from the above difference image i chose to use the graphic pen from the sketch section of the filter gallery. Now the effect it has given is fantastic and looks to be floating in the air yet unfortunately the male portrait is hard to recognize and sadly this is against my project idea.
Tags: art, difference, digital media, graphic pen, man, portrait, tin foil
continuation to my sketchbook part 7
the image above was done as a mono print plant as was the nude. Both were later manipulated using a number of techniques.
this image here was made using the chalk and charcoal tool within the sketch box of the filter gallery. i love the monotone shades mixed with a bright pink around the outlines of the figure.
this was created using the difference tool of the layers selection. This is another tool that I am beginning to adore mainly because of the wonderful colours it is able to bring out in an image just like it has on here. the red and greens really stand out against the light brown shading of the backdrop to the nude making the nude the focal point.
this is also taken from the layers section and is called ‘screen’. I have never used this layer technique before and i have to say it is basically a lighter version of the ‘multiply’ technique which is also found in the layers selection. I think this technique has worked wonderfully with the alignment of these images together. I chose to experiment with the ‘screen’ image further with gradient filter shown below.
with this one i chose the brown tint for the gradient map tool. it gives the image an overall spooky look and i also like the fact that you are able to make out the detail of the plant yet the nude is still the focal point.
gr -2 
gr -3
both of these creations above were used with an orange and purple gradient map tint. Both images work well together and the colours do not overpower each other.
Tags: art, difference, digital media, gradient map, manipulate, monoprint, orange, printmaking, purple, screen
continuation of the digital media developmental sketchbook.
here i chose a mixed media piece based on tear drops and a portrait I made of an African dancer.
for all of the following images i played around with the layer tools. I used multiply for this one and it creates a nice texture around the face but unfortunately is too dark and are unable to see the beautiful bright blues of the tears.
I then used vivid light from the layers options to brighten it up slightly from the above multiply image. It is slightly over saturated and highly contrasted but i am still able to see the face as well as the over-sized teardrops; only problem is the background is very dark and gives the image a gloomy feeling.
i then used the difference tool from the layers options and out of all three developments this has been the most successful. The image is full of colour and the portrait has merged nicely into the large teardrops giving a slightly abstract look to it.
Tags: art, brightness, dark, difference, digital media, gloomy, multiply, paint, quink ink, vivid light
part four of my continuation with the development of the digital media project.
for this I chose the flowers for the background and a nude portrait to become the main image.
now this was created by using the exclusion tool from the layers option. It has given the image a ghostly effect and the flowers almost replicate curtains covering up the nude as though to privatize her body.
I then took this ‘exclusion’ picture further by using gradient map filter to hopefully give the image a more artistic flare.
gr -1 
gr -2
Now the above images have been created using the same gradient tint of orange and purple. Gr -1 is slightly more abstract and the nude is not as noticeable because with the textures of the flowers and the use of a bright orange it looks as though you are staring at a nicely lit fire in a grande fireplace. Gr -2 however i feel has worked more successfully; the image has a darker quality around the nude figure so it is more prominent to a viewers eye yet it still has the depiction of fire due to the petals of the flowers.
here i took a different approach from the original paintings and used the difference tool of the layers selection. The detail of this piece is more noticeable and is strong on both the flower and the female form; also the dark colours against the light purples and blues of her figure gives a nice contrast.
gr -1 
gr -2
gr -3
once again I used the gradient map tool (I am becoming very fond of this tool) to manipulate the ‘difference’ image further and all three developments from this have turned out perfect.
gr -1:- the nude almost looks like damaged goods due to the effects of the different shades of yellow like a sculpture that is falling apart.
gr -2:- the contrast of cool and warm colours work beautifully together and give a dark and mysterious look to the female nude laying down.
gr -3:- out of the three I think this one is the most successful because of the strong and bright colours. The fact that the background is lighter then the subject matter helps to make the nude portrait the focal point of which is what i was aiming for throughout this project.
Tags: art, contrast, difference, digital media, exclusion, floral, flowers, gradient, nude, photography, portrait, unison, watercolour
Whilst searching through other WordPress blogs i cam across an artist with similar manipulation ideas as myself. He is called Pavel Rehurek (the link to his blog http://rehurek.com/blog/)
Summer Games
I love how this is still portrayed around portraiture but based on the dancers and how their costumes are mixing with the colour palette of their surroundings.
Spring Flashback
now this image is definitely the kind of manipulated fine art digital piece that i am hoping to achieve for this project. You can still clearly see that their is a portrait of a lady there smothered by whats seems to be printed textiles which look as though they have been filtered with the ‘cutout’ tool.
Library People
this image Rehurek has created is fantastically camouflaged and really gets your brain thinking as to whether is that a man standing there? do i see a backpack? It really tests the viewers mind.
Bridge in Stanley Park
this piece has a feel of Fauvism to it and is very eye-catching with it’s bold and bright palette. The image is slightly abstract as well and i am unable to make out whether they are cars or a reflection in the far left hand corner.
his work is astonishing and if you look through his portfolio you can clearly see that his talents lay in many areas 
Tags: art, digital, fauvism, media, paint, pavel rehurek, portraiture
here i used the difference option within the filters selection. The development here has brought out a lovely purple shade amongst the right side of the face and displays a strong and dark demeanour.
here i used the lighten option from the layers selection and with this one you are able to see the portrait more clearly although i do feel that it is quite bland and boring to the eye unlike the above ‘difference’ image.
taken from the above ‘lighten’ image i developed it further by using the gradient map tool. I like the fact that i am still able to see that the portrait is prominent as well as the architectural background thanks to the lighter colours.
this is also a gradient map image taken from the ‘lighten’ image. i find this to be the most successful of the above – it brings a vintage feel to the image because of the brown tint and also makes the image more fine art related rather than a digital image.
Also taken from the ‘lighten’ image I used the green and blue gradient map for this creation. I am very fond of this due to the vibrant colour tones however it is unclear to make out fully that this is a portrait.
once again taken from the ‘lighten’ image a fourth development using the gradient map tool is shown above. the portrait of this is much more prominent to the eye unlike the previous image above but for some reason i am not keep on the colour mix with orange and purple; it does not seem to stand out and the detail of the background is unclear.
this is the second last one taken from the ‘lighten’ image and has been created using the underwater theme within the photo filter selection. with this selection you are able to recognize the portrait straight away of which is what i am aiming for within this project. the opacity of the portrait is quite low and mixes well into the background.
last addition from the ‘lighten’ creation i then decided to play with the filter gallery. i came to the plaster technique here and the image could almost be an advertisement for a gangsta movie as the background reminds me of a busy highway thanks to the dark shadings and the eye catching portrait is strong.
