water color effect Portrait

[snapdragon]

I am useing photo studio 4.5 :o I know not a good program but it was a gift. I took this Portrait of my daughter and wanted to use the water color effect on it . i did not want to over do it so only used 3% . in thie small size it is hard to tell ,but it will be printed at least to an 8x10" . for a portrait is this enough ? or should the % of water color be higher ?<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/rightleftbroken/PortWaterColor/photo#5162717540302716306"><img src="http://lh4.google.com/rightleftbroken/R6WoP-lr_ZI/AAAAAAAAGi8/j4G87O4gu6s/s400/Untitled-Duplicated-08.jpg" /></a> port,water color not sure if the data is needed but I am adding it
Jan 30, 2008
1202×1600 pixels – 336KB

Filename: Untitled-Duplicated-*08.jpg
Camera: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
Model: KODAK Z650 ZOOM DIGITAL CAMERA
ISO: 80
Exposure: 1/100 sec
Aperture: f/8.0
Focal Length: 28mm
Flash Used: Yes
Latitude: n/a
Longitude: n/a

[jiminyClickit]

snapdragon,

Without a link to original, I couldn't say whether it's enough, or not.

I'm really only thinking how much it would benefit you, if you're taking the time to edit and print, to try to retake a shot without the harsh shadow behind Connie's head? And set her in front of a smoother background, or farther away from this wrinkled one? For a keeper, the extra work would give such a better image.

[snapdragon]

snapdragon,

Without a link to original, I couldn't say whether it's enough, or not.

I'm really only thinking how much it would benefit you, if you're taking the time to edit and print, to try to retake a shot without the harsh shadow behind Connie's head? And set her in front of a smoother background, or farther away from this wrinkled one? For a keeper, the extra work would give such a better image.

Thanks jiminy,I will do a retake keeping your suggestions in mind . I want to do some portraits useing the water color effect and ,not knowing much if anything about post editing ,was hoping others who have done the water color effect on portraits could give me a ball park % of water color effect they find best , I know the lighting will be a big factor but was wondering if there was a range that seemed to give the best effect , I was on the low end of the scale . Does anyone have a link to water color effect portraits ? seeing others work I am sure will help me .

[jiminyClickit]

snapdragon,

There are a few examples on DPS (xxpinballxx says he just adjusts until he likes the way it looks).

In Yahoo Search, there are nearly 4,000,000 "watercolor effects" results. You can pick one: here's the first on the list, not what you were looking for, but an interesting site for a later project, maybe.

http://abduzeedo.com/watercolor_effects

And a PhotoShop example:

http://www.photoshopessentials.com/photo-effects/watercolor-painting/page-3.php

[snapdragon]

snapdragon,

There are a few examples on DPS (xxpinballxx says he just adjusts until he likes the way it looks).

In Yahoo Search, there are nearly 4,000,000 "watercolor effects" results. You can pick one: here's the first on the list, not what you were looking for, but an interesting site for a later project, maybe.

http://abduzeedo.com/watercolor_effects

Thanks Jiminy

[jiminyClickit]

snapdragon,

For a comparison, is this anything like you had imagined watercolor would look?

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/47146451@N00/2239924752/" title="Untitled-1 by jiminyClickit, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2090/2239924752_6e792512c1.jpg" width="377" height="500" alt="Untitled-1" /></a>

[snapdragon]

snapdragon,

For a comparison, is this anything like you had imagined watercolor would look?

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/47146451@N00/2239924752/" title="Untitled-1 by jiminyClickit, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2090/2239924752_6e792512c1.jpg" width="377" height="500" alt="Untitled-1" /></a>

Thanks Jiminy ,it is hard to tell at this size and I can't get into your site to view it at a larger size . at this size seems to be a tad more than I would want & I thibk i should have chosen a lighter back ground , but at a larger size it may be what I want . I will just have to play with it till I get it ,I want it to look like a painting in water color . I may be wanting something I can't make happen ,with what I have to work with , but I will keep on trying .

[jiminyClickit]

snapdragon,

Larger view: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2090/2239924752_6e792512c1_b.jpg

Here's the general idea of where I took your photo:

http://www.photoshopessentials.com/photo-effects/watercolor-painting/page-3.php

I'll un-Private the Flickr, and say the background is easy to change if you try this. I like as much hair/background contrast as possible, so it is likely darker than you would make it.
I did rotate CCW some to get eyes to a more comfortable tilt. Also smoothed b/g, nothing there to see, texture is distracting.

What will become obvious right away is that the detail your original has, will be the first thing to go. Watercolor is more a Nature, flower/landscape medium, not that really good portraits aren't possible. You may have some good results with that tutorial, I'll be glad to see how it works in another edit program.

[snapdragon]

snapdragon,

Larger view: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2090/2239924752_6e792512c1_b.jpg

Here's the general idea of where I took your photo:

http://www.photoshopessentials.com/photo-effects/watercolor-painting/page-3.php

I'll un-Private the Flickr, and say the background is easy to change if you try this. I like as much hair/background contrast as possible, so it is likely darker than you would make it.
I did rotate CCW some to get eyes to a more comfortable tilt. Also smoothed b/g, nothing there to see, texture is distracting.

What will become obvious right away is that the detail your original has, will be the first thing to go. Watercolor is more a Nature, flower/landscape medium, not that really good portraits aren't possible. You may have some good results with that tutorial, I'll be glad to see how it works in another edit program.
Thanks Jiminy for all that work, I knew I would loose detail ,but not how much , i can see by the link that you added for me it is more for landscapes ecetra , or the portrait would have to be very large ,not what I was thinking .I do want to soffen portraites and add texture , is there anything else you know of in photo editing that is used to give it a bit of a softer but textured look ?

[peeperita]

if your looking to soften your female portraits, my version of the orton effect can add a soft angelic feel to an image......

tweak your shot in post as you normally would.....duplicate the background and add a gaussian blur of around 15 to 20 pixels....(you'll have to decide for yourself what's best)....set this layer to screen......duplicate the background again and set the blending mode to multiply or overlay....again your eye will tell you what to pick......lastly, adjust the opacity separately to your new layers til the desired effect grabs you......

hope this helps...

peeper

[peeperita]

i thought it best i practice what i preach.....

i don't know if this is what you meant by softer.....but, i did pretty much what i told you to try.....

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/peeperita/2241043692/" title="Untitled-Duplicated-08 by peeperita, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2155/2241043692_abac478d73.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Untitled-Duplicated-08" /></a>

now, i did have a go with her skin at first by reducing the magentas there in selective color.....then it is the same as i outlined above.....the screen layer set to around 50% opacity and the other layer.....i chose a soft light blending mode....was set to 37% opacity.....

peeper

[xxpinballxx]

alot of the artistic effects are dependent on the shots and certain % across the board.
A shot with lots of areas and edges tend to need a higher percentage of brush detail and the less complex the shot it can benefit from less brush detail.
Also it depends on the amount of effect you want. If you want it obviously a water color look turn up down the brush detail and the effect stands out more.
im not familiar with the program you are using....is it just one slider or do you have other settings in the effect you can adjust like the texture and shadow detail in CS3?

[xxpinballxx]

here is a quick example...but more towards water color. I would do something like this with multiple layers giving some areas more of the water color look than other areas.
http://xxpinballxx.zoints.com/image/76475-conniecopy

[snapdragon]

if your looking to soften your female portraits, my version of the orton effect can add a soft angelic feel to an image......

tweak your shot in post as you normally would.....duplicate the background and add a gaussian blur of around 15 to 20 pixels....(you'll have to decide for yourself what's best)....set this layer to screen......duplicate the background again and set the blending mode to multiply or overlay....again your eye will tell you what to pick......lastly, adjust the opacity separately to your new layers til the desired effect grabs you......

hope this helps...

peeper

Thanks peeper , I will try that .:)

[snapdragon]

alot of the artistic effects are dependent on the shots and certain % across the board.
A shot with lots of areas and edges tend to need a higher percentage of brush detail and the less complex the shot it can benefit from less brush detail.
Also it depends on the amount of effect you want. If you want it obviously a water color look turn up down the brush detail and the effect stands out more.
im not familiar with the program you are using....is it just one slider or do you have other settings in the effect you can adjust like the texture and shadow detail in CS3?

thanks xxpinballxx, where it will only be 8x10" I would not want a lot of the water color effect , the program that I am useing has sliders for texture and shadow , I think the size is part of what is throwing me off on how much of the effect I can use and still hold detail , with a larger portrait I think you could use more , that is what I think not what i know or have been able to get right . One of my ideas that may not work as I had hoped it would .

[xxpinballxx]

i think if you take it in section such as the clothes as one layer then the hair another then the face another and eyes another and the background lastly would be the best bet but a bit more work. At least that way you can still give it the effect in some areas without affecting features of the face.

[snapdragon]

I tried a slight orton effect , <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/rightleftbroken/PortWaterColor/photo#5162967129442221650"><img src="http://lh5.google.com/rightleftbroken/R6aLP-lr_lI/AAAAAAAAGnk/lED0XbKHNig/s400/Untitled-Duplicated-01so.jpg" /></a> It may be a tad too suttle but I like the feel of it . It is still not what I had in mind but .......... thanks everyone for all your help .

[snapdragon]

i think if you take it in section such as the clothes as one layer then the hair another then the face another and eyes another and the background lastly would be the best bet but a bit more work. At least that way you can still give it the effect in some areas without affecting features of the face.

Thanks , that sounds like it would give me more control ,and i would not have to loose so much detail in face . but i am not sure I am up for the chalange ,but I will give it a try .