Monday, July 20, 2009

Cactus Monday - Faux Oil Painting

Happy Cactus Monday :)
Welcome to Desert Colors! I started this new blog as a place to put my creative experiments and art related posts.

These are some of my recent experiments with oil painting in Photoshop. I followed this Photoshop Essentials tutorial. The tutorial shows how to set up the oil painting action so that it can instantly be applied to a photo without having to paint individual brushstrokes. I tried it out on many photos, with mixed results, but I do like the glass-like distortion.

The colors are quite saturated on this first one exaggerating the late afternoon glow of the setting sun on the prickly pear pads. Click picture for closer view.
I kept the colors more natural on the next two images.

I had the most fun with this photo of an old prickly pear cactus.
I rotated the canvas and cropped in for an abstract effect, before doing the oil painting action.
Then, I inverted the colors and cropped closer. I like this one the best, but the picture is small now and it won't enlarge.
Thanks for stopping by. For more Cactus Monday posts, visit Teri's Painted Daisies.

19 comments:

Unknown said...

I have been following your other blog for months and love your beautiful photographs. I was happy to see this blog for experimenting with photoshop. I still struggle with this software. But I have a daughter and son-in-law that are artists and graphic designers. When I need to know how to do something they help me out. But more often I just asked them to do it for me...the easy way out. I enjoyed seeing your experiments, very artistic endeavor. Keep up the good work, Judy

stapeliad said...

These are fun! Especially the pads with the pink on them. Thanks for sharing. HCM!

Teri said...

Hey,CONGRATULATIONS on your leap into artistic endeavors! I was wonderful when it would happen with all the inspiration around you.

I have thought about photoshop for so long and kept hearing horror stories so I keep it on the back burner.

Your first attempts are just great!!

I am so excited you have started this blog but I still love your other one.

Icy BC said...

This is great, Diane, a new adventure in photoshop. I am still clueless with this software, though I've tried many times.

betchai said...

wow, congratulations Diane, for setting up with this new blog, showing your artistic side. Am looking forward to more of your work. I love your creation, how you managed to do the last picture is right now still beyond my comprehension, like Icy, I am aware what a Photoshop is ( I have one as gift from my brother in law), I have tried, but I am so technically challenged, I remember there were days I even cried because I could not do what they talk about in layers, so I gave it up and just happily shoot away. But inside of me, I wanted to explore this too. Now, I will get more inspiration from your work.

Margaret Ann said...

Now we can all have twice the fun when we visit...What a great idea...doubled desert pleasure! :) HCM!

soulbrush said...

wish i could do the photoshop thing...will learn one day, these are fabadabadoo. hcm fellow cactuteer.

Lindy said...

Really, really like your attempts at the faux oil painting technique. They are beautiful!

Cathy S. said...

Great Photos, love your new blog and you are very creative.

Happy CM!

-Cathy

Phoenix C. said...

Looks like you've been having a great time, Diane! Photoshop is a wonderful tool. I like the last one too.

I find Photoshop particularly useful for superimposing text onto images, and layers of multi images.

yoon see said...

Hi Diane C,
Good day to you.
First thing I notice is the change of your blog.
Now, it's more clean and minimal.
Love your new blog header and new blog layout:)
I love the 1st photo. The striking green is so cool!
Second photo: I love the nature, the mountain. You are so clever to include the rock and the yellow bloom too. Love the stream in the center that brings my eye attention back to the mountain behind!

My favourite is the 3rd photo.
Three tone colous. Purple grey sky with a white ray limelight breaking the day. The black shadow treescape is fantastic!
Just love this shot:):):)

I also love the abstract effect that you play it. So much fun yeah.
See you again.
Happy Cactus Monday Diane:)

yoon see said...

By the way, is this a new blog?
Where are your previous entries?

Julie said...

Oh, I will place this new blog in my Blog List too! I will love to see what all you do here! I, too, love the blue inverted color shot! That is awesome!!!
Happy Cactus MOnday!

Jen said...

I've nenver done anything in Photoshop. They all look terrific to me!

Gaelyn said...

I like what you've done with these images Diane. Don't know anything about photoshop, maybe someday. But I've had fun playing with other image software. Look forward to more.

LisaNewton said...

Oh, I love to see experiments with Photoshop. I'm still feeling my way around it, so it's great to see all the different things you can do with it. :)

Prospero said...

Congratulation on the new blog, Diane. Expressing one's self through art often signals a catharsis. Just as the desert renews itself, so too can the artist.

Unknown said...

fascinating! so wonderful to see this.

Kevin said...

Looking forward to your new blog. Let the creativity flow!