If you simply slap Photoshop filters onto an image, you usually don't get a very good result. Photoshop filters are a lot of fun, and they're somewhat addictive to use, but they really shouldn't be viewed as magic "Make Art" buttons.
I want to show you what happens when you tweak the filter process a bit, and how much better the results will be. Here's a picture of our friend Amy at her wedding:
Here's what happens when you apply Filter > Pixellate > Pointillize:
Notice how it's rough and grainy, and we've completely lost Amy's face. The contrast is way too high. It's basically a mess.
Here's what I think we should do instead, but it takes lots more steps:
1. Duplicate your image. Make sure the color selector has white set for the background.
2. Apply Filter > Pixellate > Pointillize with a very small cell size.
3. Use Edit > Fade. I've found that somewhere between 70 to 90% works well for most images.
4. Change the blending mode to screen for the pointillized layer. Adjust the opacity until you like the look. I lowered it to about 90%.
5. Add an adjustment layer and select curves. Lighten the deepest black to gray. Lighten the overall image if needed.
6. Bring some detail back where it's needed by using the History Brush tool. Select the unpointillized image as the source, and experiment with the percent of opacity to restore detail. I used about 20% opacity to restore Amy's facial features. I still wanted there to be some pixellation, but I wanted her features to be readable.
Technorati Tags:mixed media,collage,assemblage,digital art,photography,altered books,art journals
I want to show you what happens when you tweak the filter process a bit, and how much better the results will be. Here's a picture of our friend Amy at her wedding:
Here's what happens when you apply Filter > Pixellate > Pointillize:
Notice how it's rough and grainy, and we've completely lost Amy's face. The contrast is way too high. It's basically a mess.
Here's what I think we should do instead, but it takes lots more steps:
1. Duplicate your image. Make sure the color selector has white set for the background.
2. Apply Filter > Pixellate > Pointillize with a very small cell size.
3. Use Edit > Fade. I've found that somewhere between 70 to 90% works well for most images.
4. Change the blending mode to screen for the pointillized layer. Adjust the opacity until you like the look. I lowered it to about 90%.
5. Add an adjustment layer and select curves. Lighten the deepest black to gray. Lighten the overall image if needed.
6. Bring some detail back where it's needed by using the History Brush tool. Select the unpointillized image as the source, and experiment with the percent of opacity to restore detail. I used about 20% opacity to restore Amy's facial features. I still wanted there to be some pixellation, but I wanted her features to be readable.
Copyright 2010 Cyndi Lavin. Not to be reprinted, resold, or redistributed for profit. May be printed out for personal use or distributed electronically provided that entire file, including this notice, remains intact.
Technorati Tags:mixed media,collage,assemblage,digital art,photography,altered books,art journals
Comments
Maybe you could cover a little bit about it in a future post.
In the meantime, I'll try this technique and see if that clarifies it for me.
Thanks for the tips, Cyndi!
Open up a new file 4 pixels by 4 pixels, with a white background. Save this as a pattern. then go back to the image you want to pointillise and colour a layer in with the main colour (in my case light blue). then open blending options on that layer and select pattern overlay. Choose your point pattern and voila!
You can experiment with the scale for different size dots but I found the default one just perfect :)