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Posted on 24/10/22 11:33:58 PM |
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tom8gem@gmail.com
* Posts: 47 Reply |
The Old Barn
Here's a recent piece incorporating illustration techniques from Steve's books. "100% Photoshop" in particular has been a great longterm resource; from having gone through it years ago, I now know how to go about bringing "real-world" items to new life, via drawing & painting in PS. (H-res version here, http://thomaskugler.com/img/illustration/oldBarn.jpg)  |
Posted on 25/10/22 10:05:37 AM |
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DavidMac
Director of Photoshop Posts: 5564 Reply  |
Re: The Old Barn
Not sure how much of this is drawn and how much is photo based. In this context that is, of course, good! The one thing that does stick out negatively is the junction between the foreground grass and the plants behind. It does look 'cut out' to my eye. Nice piece of work Tom! Very interesting. _________________ The subtlety and conviction of any Photoshop effect is invariably inversely proportional to the number of knobs on it ....... |
Posted on 25/10/22 10:06:34 AM |
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DavidMac
Director of Photoshop Posts: 5564 Reply |
Re: The Old Barn
Oops .... double post removed. _________________ The subtlety and conviction of any Photoshop effect is invariably inversely proportional to the number of knobs on it ....... |
Posted on 26/10/22 00:15:21 AM |
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tom8gem@gmail.com
* Posts: 47 Reply |
Re: The Old Barn
Thank you, David! It was modeled after a photo, but no photographic elements remain—it's 100% drawing/painting! You're right; the layering of the front grass is bothersome, I'll revisit that. |
Posted on 26/10/22 00:25:46 AM |
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dwindt
Realism Realiser Posts: 877 Reply |
Re: The Old Barn
What David said. It has a lot of errors Tom...but I love it. I think you're going in the right direction. Shouldn't your silos be flipped vertically. The layers closer to you would be bigger than the layers higher up. Some strategically placed specular light would help. Stunning though. Keep it up. _________________ The grass is greener on the other side of the fence because there is more $hit there. |
Posted on 26/10/22 1:43:39 PM |
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tom8gem@gmail.com
* Posts: 47 Reply |
Re: The Old Barn
Here's another pass, with improved front grass. That was something I'd planned to come back to, then forgot (grass I'd painted early on was on a layer covered by the barn and plants). It looked off, and it's always good to have another set of eyes to catch things like that. Thank you too, Dennis! Glad you like it, despite its flaws. Per the silos, I followed the lines from a reference photo, so I was drawing what I saw.  |
Posted on 28/10/22 01:18:55 AM |
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dwindt
Realism Realiser Posts: 877 Reply |
Re: The Old Barn
Tom, I feel guilty putting hand to your beautiful painting. I have accentuated the image in an attempt to high light various items. Shape, silhouette,surface, shine, reflection, secondry light etc. Its mearly for a train of thought. The image you were veiwing to create this picture is no doubt lit with defused light. I have enhanced that as a means to bring attention to it. It should be made more subtle but it should be there. I made the bird smaller. Tried to introduce subtle changes to the grass. Flipped your window as the high lighted edge was facing the wrong way. Try get a better understanding of perspective. Be careful of using drop shadows. It sometimes gives and subtle dark outer edge that is easy to miss. Check the right side of the silo edge. Steve, where's the spell check...lol.  _________________ The grass is greener on the other side of the fence because there is more $hit there. |
Posted on 28/10/22 07:43:25 AM |
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Steve Caplin
Administrator Posts: 6997 Reply  |
Re: The Old Barn
Good work, Tom, I especially like your trees and brickwork. David (Mac) and Dennis (dwindt) have made valid points. I think one issue with the grass is that there's so much of it and it's so featureless, it really draws your attention. Some perspective needed here, so the foreground stalks are significantly taller than those in the background. This might be hard to achieve so an easier way would be to sprinkle some flowers on it, making them smaller as they recede into the distance. Keep it up! |
Posted on 29/10/22 00:31:10 AM |
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tom8gem@gmail.com
* Posts: 47 Reply |
Re: The Old Barn
Dennis, thank you for your feedback, and for taking time to annotate; that’s a great advantage of forums such as this, and I appreciate it. I like what you’ve done with lighting, on the tree/window inset especially, and overall! Were these global modifications from adjustment layers (e.g., Levels or Curves), or something else like a Lighting Effects filter? I worked from a photo that wasn’t great photography and the lighting was flat from it being an overcast day; that’s what I tried to recreate, but I can see how that could be improved upon. I couldn’t quite follow a couple of your points, i.e., the insets from the roof and doorway. I agree I have more to learn on perspective—could you recommend a resource(s)? Steve, thanks so much; I agree the grass is boring and needs something more. I really enjoy doing this kind of thing, and your books kicked it all off! |
Posted on 29/10/22 10:04:25 PM |
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dwindt
Realism Realiser Posts: 877 Reply |
Re: The Old Barn
You're welcome Tom. Go back to your "Lion at the end of the tunnel" picture. There was a lot of perspective going on there. Do a google for perspective. There's plenty content out there. Here's basic 2 point perspective. Draw a box the size of the base of a bottle and allow perspective in a box to find the right guide lines at different heights, to create a bottle. You can bring anything to it's basic form of a box to marry it into a veiwing plain. Excuse my crude sketch underneath. 
_________________ The grass is greener on the other side of the fence because there is more $hit there. |
Posted on 29/10/22 10:10:21 PM |
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dwindt
Realism Realiser Posts: 877 Reply |
Re: The Old Barn
Don't study my example, it is just that...an example and not worth more than that as it's not accurate. _________________ The grass is greener on the other side of the fence because there is more $hit there. |
Posted on 30/10/22 4:24:14 PM |
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tom8gem@gmail.com
* Posts: 47 Reply |
Re: The Old Barn
I’ve cropped excess grass at the bottom, compensating by adding more sky at the top. I decided reducing the amount of grass was preferable to embellishing it, since I thought that element should remain stark, for a less idyllic/more foreboding feel, striving for an overall sense of malaise and neglect. I tried a Curves adjustment layer and a Lighting Effects filter to brighten the lighting, yet decided these worked against the desired mood, so didn’t keep them. I like this piece a bit gloomy.  |
Posted on 31/10/22 5:52:44 PM |
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dwindt
Realism Realiser Posts: 877 Reply |
Re: The Old Barn
That changes the whole image. I'm not sure for the best. I liked the open, deserted space in the fore ground depicting an uninhabited environment. Maybe just preferance, or biasness due to trying to help re the fore ground grass...lol. A quick example turned into a 60 plus layer PS exercise. Your farm house occupies perfect perspective. Extend those perspective lines into the open space in front of the building. This will give you a guide as to how items should receed into the distance. Grass isn't fix such as a building, so I've just extended lines (blue) from the horizon line to a point in front of the viewer, to establish the grass height. This offers guidance with receeding the grass into the distance. Keep in mind, the field is not a ploughed field therefor the grass will not be bound by only 2 points of perspective but by many; deriving from any point in the fore ground (defining how tall the grass is) to any point on the HL. Allow this to be a guide to the size of your grass. I hope my illustration makes more sense cause now I'm confused.   _________________ The grass is greener on the other side of the fence because there is more $hit there. |
Posted on 01/11/22 00:33:15 AM |
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tom8gem@gmail.com
* Posts: 47 Reply |
Re: The Old Barn
Dennis, you're right again! Damn, that perspective sketch looks good and opens room for improvement! I totally agree—I'll work on it some more!  |
Posted on 01/11/22 5:45:34 PM |
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dwindt
Realism Realiser Posts: 877 Reply |
Re: The Old Barn
I hope it makes sense and helps for the future. You have a gift and you're striving to improve it.I appreciate that and it only seems fair that I extend my help to you. I was in the same boat 3 decades ago (can't believe it's been so long David Mac) on another Graphics art site and David helped and guided me to where I am today. Steve's influence and his amazing books and tutorials have spand the years and I was lucky enough to win 2 of his books back then. My only hope is that what I relay to you, is correct. I do have faith that if not, one of the art family will assist. _________________ The grass is greener on the other side of the fence because there is more $hit there. |
Posted on 03/11/22 5:18:15 PM |
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tom8gem@gmail.com
* Posts: 47 Reply |
Re: The Old Barn
It's very helpful, thanks again! That's a very fine grass brush, did you make that? Mine is much more basic, and even when painting along perspective lines, it all starts to blur together once enough of it overlaps. I can see more difference in blade size now from front to back, but it lacks the shape, texture, etc. I see in yours. |
Posted on 03/11/22 8:02:06 PM |
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dwindt
Realism Realiser Posts: 877 Reply |
Re: The Old Barn
Nah, I cheated Tom. I created a varity scatter of grass, added a shadow and then copied them, reducing them into the distance. It's still clumps of you painting. You can't get a small enough brush yo paint details in the distance. You can however, go huge and then reduce it...which I feel is what I did with a twist...lol Don't let go of HOTCHIPS!!!! _________________ The grass is greener on the other side of the fence because there is more $hit there. |
Posted on 04/11/22 00:13:41 AM |
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tom8gem@gmail.com
* Posts: 47 Reply |
Re: The Old Barn
Great trick! I didn't see that technique in HOTCHIPS; it must be one of your own (?). Cheating is the name of the game in HOTCHIPS, nothing at all wrong with that, as long as you get the results you want!  |
Posted on 04/11/22 00:13:42 AM |
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tom8gem@gmail.com
* Posts: 47 Reply |
Re: The Old Barn
(oops, removed a duplicate post) |
Posted on 04/11/22 10:58:28 PM |
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dwindt
Realism Realiser Posts: 877 Reply |
Re: The Old Barn
Lol...use any means available. "How to cheat in PS." (HOTCHIPS) _________________ The grass is greener on the other side of the fence because there is more $hit there. |