21.2.13

Third Thursday, Already!!!

Hi everyone, it seems totally amazing that it is the 3rd Thursday in February..which means taking on the challenge offered on Brenda's blog How to Feather an Empty Nest. 
Brenda has an infallible eye and determination to get the very best photos she can. It is always enlightening to visit her blog. And her prose/writing matches the skill of her photography.

I have posted so many times this week that I am feeling a bit like a nuisance, but do want to support Brenda and take on the challenge of 3rd Thursday.
The challenge: do something you haven't done, I take that to mean: exploration.

Many of us who are enjoying photography and editing are no strangers to adding texture to our photos.  Brenda is doing a fantastic job...see her "shutter" photo for example.  For me it has been a learning curve.  Recently I learned of photographer, Melissa Gallo who is turning photographs into paintings via painted textures. I thought I would give it a try...well it is pretty late at night and it has been a long process, so what I have to offer is no where near what Melissa accomplishes. But I had fun trying.  I have as my models three photos:  Blossom, a beloved dog of my son and daughter; Baby Bits, our 1+ year old granddaughter; and a painting of two Indian girls who have fallen asleep during a Hindu Festival.

The painted textures completely changed the appearance of the original photos. And since it was my first try, I really don't have directions to share...it was truly hit and miss. But I think you might enjoy a different approach with textures.  

Miss Blossom in her Tutu





This was my first attempt at painted textures. I should have removed the distracting background before proceeding.  Learned that the hard way!!!


Baby Bits



Choosing the correct photo makes a big difference. The fewer distractions the better.  I should have "cleaned up" my original photos before using textures. 


Little Girls Sleeping on the Ground


This is an original oil painting I wanted to experiment on.
I actually liked what the textures could do....I came up with a number of variations but chose the following to share.


Quite a change from the oil painting.  
These were my first attempts. I definitely love the process and hope to improve with lots of practice....but when I ask myself?

I do think that Melissa has a great idea here and soon we will see more of this new technique.  I should try making my own backgrounds...certainly a lot of paint in my studio!!!

Thanks for viewing...what do you think of painted textures?
Maybe next month I will choose this same challenge and see how I can improve and cut the time down in doing so.  Until then thanks for sharing some time with me.



7 comments:

  1. Sharon - Oh, I LOVE this technique! I will definitely be checking out Melissa's information - thanks so much for sharing the link and your wonderful experiments. That is what the Third Thursday Challenge is supposed to be about - a safe place to explore - a place where we can be encouraged to try something new. I loved seeing how the textures changed all your images and what you learned from each experiment.

    And yes - I think you should defintely experiment with making your own painted backgrounds.

    Thanks so much for joining in with the Third Thursday Challenge.

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  2. What a cool thing to challenge yourself with and sounds like you learned what you liked along the way. I personally am not nearly as drawn to paintings as photographs, but I do appreciate them. Very cool to take one form to the next. Cute doggy and baby pics...nothing like working with a subject that you adore.

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  3. These are great. I especially like the dog. I think by leaving in the background it added color to the 'painting'. I don't think it was distracting.

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  4. I think painted textures are beautiful, and I love what you've done here! They all look lovely with your enhancements. :)

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  5. I like the texture of the painted texture, but I'm honestly not sure how well it works with the photos. There's such contrast between the thick brushstrokes and the smooth photo image. I do think it worked nicely with your painting. The colors and style blended well with your subject of the sleeping girls. It seems like this could be a tool a painter could use to get ideas on how to approach a painting of their own. Not that you seem to need any inspiration in that department - I love your paintings!

    This was a great challenge for TTC. I'd like to see more when you have a chance to explore the technique further. I like the idea of your trying to paint your own textures, too.

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  6. Interesting. The painted textures definitely do a great job of hiding distracting aspects of photos (that would be plenty useful for some of my images!). I think my favorite is the one of the Indian girls because that image seemed best suited to the treatment. Good luck with your experimentation.

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  7. Fabulous!!! Love how you've transformed your photography to painterly art!

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Thank you for visiting my blog today. I appreciate the time you take to say hello. Warmly, Sharon