A Bassist Darkly

[wulf]

Here is a self portrait I took earlier this month:



A couple of days ago I was reading an article called Imitating A Scanner Darkly, which inspired me to try something similar:



I didn't have the time to use quite the same technique and the result isn't exactly what I had in mind at the start but I was pleased with the overall effect.

I started with the image in The Gimp, used "posterise" to reduce the number of lcolours and blurred that layer a little to stop the edges being too jagged. I then created a layer mask using "threshold" to pick out all the darkest areas. This was applied to a black layer (giving my inking) and then made translucent (as otherwise the black areas were too large). The picture was then flattened, indexed down to 36 colours and saved as a .png file.

I imported this into Inkscape (vector graphics) and used the "trace bitmap" control to make 36 passes (one per colour) and create a vector version. My PC groaned a bit at using this (because it creates shapes made up of lots of nodes) so I then applied the simplify option, which has rounded everything off and provided the slightly bumpy edges. To post to Flickr, I just took a screenshot and saved as a .jpg image.

I think similar steps would have helped me towards achieving what was set out in the article, although a graphics tablet and more time would also have been useful ingredients. However, this was quick, easy and has produced a worthwhile result.

Wulf

[jiminyClickit]

wulf,

At first look, I believed the Posterize function would get a look similar to this on my setup. Not even close. When you went to vector graphics, I crashed and burned. As always, innovation ala wulf brings that extra something to the work. I should go read that link now . . .

[Saralonde]

Very cool effect, Wulf. I have to admit I kind of lost you in the third paragraph though. My abilities in post processing don't extend too far .

[jiminyClickit]

Saralonde,

If you miss the watercoloring some, that link on wulf's post looks like fun way to fill 3 or 4 hours.

[wulf]

I'm trying to remember if I have seen a similar effect from what The Gimp calls "artistic filters"? There might also be other ways to do it without using a second post-processing program, although I suppose part of the illustration is that it sometimes works to use more than one tool to finish the job.

Wulf