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Sunday, August 24, 2008

Just Call Me Monet Junior

Oh lordy! Why didn't you guys tell me I could do stuff like this in Photoshop?!!

I take it all back.

***

Today I became an Impressionist! And I can't even paint!

I took this photo today of a waterlily at the Japanese Tea Garden:


And magically turned it into this watercolor painting!

Hooray...something new to obsess about...Photoshop filters!

16 comments:

paris parfait August 24, 2008 at 5:19 PM  

I have yet to check out the capabilities of my Corel Paintshop Pro (similar program to yours) that I bought over a year ago. I think your photograph is beautiful and needs no assistance! xoxox

Anonymous August 24, 2008 at 5:41 PM  

both of them are absolutely breathtaking. just to be able to seek out that sort of beauty; you are very talented. i am falling behind on your blog! i scroll down and realize i need to get to reading. ; )

Tess Kincaid August 24, 2008 at 7:23 PM  

Okay, you've just convinced me. I must have Photoshop. This is stunning!!!

Questions About Faith, Etc. August 24, 2008 at 7:35 PM  

Thanks for your blog. Good photos and creativity :)

Anonymous August 24, 2008 at 11:50 PM  

I'm still not tempted to the dark side of the 'photoshop' *lol* I'm still terrified.

But the photo looks wonderful... I'm reminded slightly of Millias's Ophelia with the colours :-)

julochka August 25, 2008 at 12:20 AM  

oh dear, i sense trouble on the horizon! ;-)

christina August 25, 2008 at 6:53 AM  

Your photographs are beautiful without it! I am happy you figured that part out though. Me and my photoshop are civil to one another but we find it difficult to communicate.

Beautiful pictures!

NYC Tango Pilgrim August 25, 2008 at 8:49 AM  

Love them both!!!

Anonymous August 25, 2008 at 9:38 AM  

I think I just heard the great sucking sound of the vortex of Photoshop :)

My Castle in Spain August 25, 2008 at 9:58 AM  

Hello Monet junior !...great indeed..
but also i agree with Tara and Christina..your photograph is just beautiful without photoshop !

am having a pause in my work, catching up with your recent posts

so first, can't wait to order your "baby" - sounds exciting !

second, I share with you this love of fountain pens. I used to collect them. and of course I love ink..but i found exactly the same : whenever i take a piece of paper and write, i want to type on my keyboard. I think it has to do with the gentle typing noise and as you say the ability to erase.

Nice place to hang around in Venice!

:-)

d smith kaich jones August 25, 2008 at 10:13 AM  

This is how they get you. it's the way a kitten is so cute that you take her in & end up with a cat, the way puppies look at you, the way drug dealers start you out & soon you're huddled on street corners looking for your next fix. It's too late to turn back. You will spend HOURS at your computer, manipulating images to look like THIS, then like THAT. There are TOO MANY possibilites, TOO MANY choices. Never mind that yes, the photo is quite gorgeous without Photoshop - never mind that, because you'll have to just SEE, to just TRY something else.

I feel your joy.
:) Debi

Anonymous August 25, 2008 at 10:50 AM  

Isn't it the most fun? Both photos are equally beautiful. I tried it with a photo of roses (it's in my photoalbum) but I couldn't get it as dramatic looking as you have managed. What did you do?

Kath

Anonymous August 25, 2008 at 11:35 AM  

Sweetie, you have always been an artist. And now you are an artiste!

PS is a double-edged sword. The trick is figuring out with WHICH of your shots to tool around.

Here's one of my high processed shots.

tangobaby August 25, 2008 at 1:14 PM  

Hi paris parfait,

I doubt I'll be jumping ship entirely and becoming a PS junkie. I just tried it because that was a photo I didn't like (I think the colors are yucky and the water looks slimy) so to me, this was like turning the proverbial sow's ear into a silk purse!

Hi sarah,

I'm going to probably run out of things to say any minute now...and now I have to see what you've been writing lately.

Hi willow,

You may want to see if you can get a demo or a trial of it first. I can't say that I love this program, and do feel that I would have to devote a large chunk of my life to ever learning to use it without totally winging it, but see if you can play with it first before shelling out the big bucks and see if you like it.

Hi questionsaboutfaith,
Thank you for visiting my blog. I'm glad you enjoyed it!

Hi Carol,

You know, that's EXACTLY what I thought of when I first used this filter...it totally reminded me of that painting.

;-)

Hi julochka,

I don't have enough time to properly get in trouble with this program, but I can see it being a little side avenue of diversion, to be sure...

Hi christina,

I understand completely. I can see where the filters is the only think I may play around with and then just not even bother with the rest of the program.

Hi TP,

Thank you kindly! I printed the "watercolor" on fancy textured paper and it really does look pretty darn cool.

Hi dutchbaby,

No, no sucking sound yet. I can't afford it! Ink costs too much! I'm already spending all that extra money on AA batteries.

;-)

Hi Lala,

My baby is almost almost ready and then I will be sure to tell you all about it. Thank you for looking forward to her arrival, too.

I found some calligraphy pens in my desk, so I'll start there, but you're right, the sound of typing is very enjoyable and also a subtle part of writing.

I can only imagine what creative inspirations you would get from being in Venice!

Hi debi,

I know, I could feel myself getting lured in by just "playing around." I am not getting enough sleep as it is, just with the photography.

I don't think I'll succumb entirely to the siren's song of photo manipulation, probably because I don't have the patience to get good enough at it, but it is fun to take a photo you don't like and make it into something completely different.

Hi kath,

You have to bear with me and realize that I was pretty much screwing around with an ugly photo and then said, "oh, what's a filter?" I chose Watercolor, and I think I increased the shadows to 2. But that's really it. I cropped the bottom of the photo and used that filter, that's all.

Hi Johanna,

That's a very cool image of yours. Again, I doubt I'll be messing around much with PS because I like my photos to be photos. But to play with the ones that will never see the light of day otherwise, that's where I might have a bit of fun once in a while.

Relyn Lawson August 25, 2008 at 7:09 PM  

Ha! Of course you would manage it sans help, tutorial, or class. Excellent!

Leaning Shanty Farm August 26, 2008 at 8:47 PM  

Filters are AWESOME!!

And so are actions!! You MUST try those out, too!!!