2021-06-15 Fine Art Photography SIG meeting notes

We met online using ZOOM 6:00pm-8:45pm

The goal of our Fine Art Photography SIG is to help each other to create fine art from our photography.

ATTENDEES
Mike Barry
Judy Canon
Mike Dunett
Rich Ernst
Dave Fahrney
Michael Hohol
Jim Limburg
Ed Ogle
Ken Sandberg
Albert Wang

OUR MAIN DISCUSSION TOPIC WAS "Creating a Watercolor from a Photograph"
Mike showed some techniques from a watercolor class by Rikard Rodin.
Jim and Judy showed how to use Waterlogue Pro on Apple products.
Rich showed off Mediachance/ReactorPlayer.
Judy showed how to use Matter on an iPad to make animations, see her video on https://youtu.be/F1jISdnOMs8.

OUR MAIN DISCUSSION TOPIC FOR JULY WILL BE "Blend Modes and Blend-If"

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT - RESEARCH "How to Use Blend Modes and Blend-If"
Everyone has the homework assignment to research "How to Use Blend Modes and Blend-If", study them and bring back some information for the group to discuss at our next Fine Art Photography SIG meeting. If you find some good "How to Use Blend Modes and Blend-If" information online, tell me where it is and I will put a link to the information on our website.

FCDCC.com/resources.php
(Rich found these, and I added them to our Resources page)
Of course, there are photoshop actions, and these from Adobe are free:
https://creativecloud.adobe.com/cc/discover/article/transform-photos-into-watercolors-with-a-free-photoshop-action?locale=en
https://www.behance.net/gallery/80006157/Free-Watercolor-Artist-Photoshop-Action
Another app to use for watercolor effect is Waterlogue by Tinrocket. There are versions for iOS, Mac and PC; the core functionality is the same across platforms, but some may have additional features.
A simple hand painted watercolor video:
https://painting.tube/real-digital-watercolor-painting-in-photoshop-the-most-simple-tutorial-for-artists/
Robert Ardill has a site that has articles, tutorials and tools ($20) using Photoshop for watercolor. This is probably the most complete site describing digital watercolor painting. The site has several articles, a bunch of videos, and a tool set that you can buy:
http://www.paintingdigitally.com/
Some random watercolor tips:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxZPHAX4mNY
(Dave found these, and I added them to our Resources page)
https://photographylife.com/unifying-emotions-photography - Unifying a Photo's Emotions - by Spencer Cox

SIG Project - FINISH-IT-PHOTO
Several members showed their versions of the "House on the Hill" image by Ed Ogle. Even though we started with the same image, we had different visions for the image and we all created different art.

If you haven't already sent in a FINISH-IT-PHOTO, please do send Mike Barry an image in RAW format. Mike will choose one of the images, send it out to the SIG members, and everyone will create their own interpretation of the image to show at future meetings. The idea is to show how all the members would process the same image in different styles.

The FINISH-IT-PHOTO for July will be: "Wizard" from Albert Wang.

Constructive Critiques
We didn't have time to discuss images this time.

What Project Are You Working On?
Mike showed his thick paint style image of Rebekah.
Dave showed us his Venice Carnival slideshow.

AGENDA FOR OUR NEXT FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY SIG MEETING - Tue 7/20/2021 @6:00pm
1. The main topic will be "How to Use Blend Modes and Blend-If" Please research on your own so we can all discuss it at the meeting (optional)
2. We will discuss our interpretations of the FINISH-IT-PHOTO Please, everyone send Mike Barry a RAW image file that we can use for this Project.
3. We will hold constructive critiques (optional) Pick as many as 3 images that you would like critiqued, and be prepared to show them by sharing your screen during the ZOOM meeting.
4. We will pick a topic for the next meeting

If you don't have time to research the topic, or you don't have any images that you want to have critiqued, that is OK, you can just attend the meeting and participate when you want.

I would like to see more pictures from our Fine Art SIG in the regular club meeting slideshows.

Jim Limburg will send out the Meeting ID, passcode, and meeting link when we have scheduled the meeting, which will be about a week before the meeting date.

We have put video of previous Fine Art SIG meetings online and you can link to them from the Fine Art SIG page of the club website.

Please email Mike, info@fcdcc.com, when you find mistakes, missing information or if you have suggestions for the Fine Art Photography SIG and I will try to address the issues.

======== Some notes on creativity from the meeting =========

David duChemin: "Start Ugly..."
Don't get paralyzed by searching for perfection, just start, make mistakes, get better...
"Done is better than good"

--------How to Make a Watercolor Painting from a Photo - by Rikard Rodin --------

How to Make a Watercolor Painting from a Photo
- by Rikard Rodin

Create and clean up base image

1. Create a canvas with proper dimensions, I like 16"x20" @300dpi
2. Place all components, background, main subject, props
3. Flatten image

Apply watercolor paint effects

1. "Base" The bottom layer should be the base image, lock it so it can't be changed
2. "White BGND" Create a layer above the base layer for blank white (or color if you like)
3. "Blur1" Create a blurry background layer
- Copy base layer above the paper layer and blur it a lot, so you only see regions of color (maybe 250px)
- Add a mask to define visible area ( add watercolor shapes/texture )
4. "Blur2" another layer with a distorted version of the image
- Apply Filter | Filter Gallery | Glass
- Add a mask to define visible area ( add watercolor shapes )
5. "Blur3" Create another layer with a different distortion
- Apply Filter | ...
- Add a mask to define visible area ( paint in areas for more detail )
6. "Details" Create another layer just for details
- Add a mask to define visible area ( paint in areas for most accurate detail )
7. Adjust opacity of each layer
- Details 100%
- Set more blurry layers with a lower opacity
8. "Splatters" Create a new layer for splatters
- Filter | Blur | Gaussian Blur a moderate amount (maybe 40px)
- Add a mask to define visible area
Paint with a splash brush, lots of drops
Erase parts of splashes to make the splashes unique
9. "Drips" Create a new layer for drips
10. "Color Splatters" Create a new layer for colored splatters
- Sample color from image
- Paint splatter with sampled color
11. "Scratches" Create a new layer for scratches
- Set blend mode to "Screen"
- Fill layer with black
- Paint in white or light scratches
12. "Paper" Create a new layer for paper texture
- drag and drop a paper texture onto layer
- Set blend mode to "Multiply", and adjust opacity

Final touches

1. "Gradient Map" Create a new adjustment layer for a gradient map
- Add gradient map: dark,cyan - light,orange
- Set blend mode to "Soft Light"
- Adjust opacity
2. "Enhanced Edges" Create a new layer for enhanced edges
- Copy base layer
- Filter | Filter Gallery | Stylize | Glowing Edges
- Convert to Black and White
- Use a Levels adjustment layer to remove all but major white lines
- Invert white lines to make black lines
- Create a new layer that is a flattened version of the enhanced edges - CNTL-SHIFT-ALT-E
- Delete or hide the layers from this step except for the result
- Set Blend Mode to "Multiply" (adds black lines for major edges)
- Mask the edges to show only where you want them
- Adjust opacity
3. Sharpen image
4. Adjust colors; Color Balance, Saturation...
5. Increase clarity and vibrance

Smart Object

If you keep all instances of the original image as a smart object, then you can replace the image in the smart object with a new image, and it will be replaced throughout your Photoshop stack.
You can unlink the masks from the smart object to move the mask contents around to better fit the new image.