Pastel smudge

MitchellMitchell Registered Users Posts: 3,503 Major grins
edited April 22, 2010 in Finishing School
I've been trying to learn a smudge technique that simulates pastels. Here is my second effort.

Any comments or suggestions?

273642312_QvK6t-XL.jpg
Mitch
http://clearwaterphotography.smugmug.com/

Comments

  • TravisTravis Registered Users Posts: 1,472 Major grins
    edited April 2, 2008
    Good job! The only thing that I see that may be improved is the smoothing of the darker shades on the sides of the nose. I like what you did with the base of the shirt.
    Travis Owney Photography
    My Images | My Lessons Learned and Other Adventures
  • MitchellMitchell Registered Users Posts: 3,503 Major grins
    edited April 2, 2008
    Travis wrote:
    Good job! The only thing that I see that may be improved is the smoothing of the darker shades on the sides of the nose. I like what you did with the base of the shirt.

    Thanks, Travis. I appreciate your input.

    These can be a lot of fun. I find a fresh eye is often helpful after you've been staring at the same image for several hours.
    Mitch
    http://clearwaterphotography.smugmug.com/
  • TravisTravis Registered Users Posts: 1,472 Major grins
    edited April 2, 2008
    Mitchell wrote:
    Thanks, Travis. I appreciate your input.

    These can be a lot of fun. I find a fresh eye is often helpful after you've been staring at the same image for several hours.

    Are you using Sarsa's/Linda's smudge brushes or another set? The work that you did on the hair is especially awesome.
    Travis Owney Photography
    My Images | My Lessons Learned and Other Adventures
  • MitchellMitchell Registered Users Posts: 3,503 Major grins
    edited April 2, 2008
    Travis wrote:
    Are you using Sarsa's/Linda's smudge brushes or another set? The work that you did on the hair is especially awesome.

    I use Brad Buttry's brushes. They were included in his excellent DVD tutorial. The hair brush is very nice and similar to Sara's brush.

    I've had much better luck with the pastel look as opposed to the oil.
    Mitch
    http://clearwaterphotography.smugmug.com/
  • MitchellMitchell Registered Users Posts: 3,503 Major grins
    edited April 8, 2008
    Just had this printed 12x12 with smugmug's kodak lustre paper. This came out beautifully. Much nicer than I can see on the monitor.
    Mitch
    http://clearwaterphotography.smugmug.com/
  • TravisTravis Registered Users Posts: 1,472 Major grins
    edited April 8, 2008
    Awesome to hear. I bet it would also look spectacular on canvas!
    Travis Owney Photography
    My Images | My Lessons Learned and Other Adventures
  • MitchellMitchell Registered Users Posts: 3,503 Major grins
    edited April 8, 2008
    Travis wrote:
    Awesome to hear. I bet it would also look spectacular on canvas!

    Travis, I added a sandstone texture to this shot before I printed it on lustre paper. The texture makes the image look like it is on high grade pastel art paper.
    Mitch
    http://clearwaterphotography.smugmug.com/
  • wholenewlightwholenewlight Registered Users Posts: 1,529 Major grins
    edited April 8, 2008
    Really nice! This is impressive.

    Question: Did you use a Wacom (or other brand) tablet?? I went to Buttery's site and he says yes but not completely necessary.
    john w
    http://cspics.smugmug.com/

    I knew, of course, that trees and plants had roots, stems, bark, branches and foliage that reached up toward the light. But I was coming to realize that the real magician was light itself.
    Edward Steichen

  • MitchellMitchell Registered Users Posts: 3,503 Major grins
    edited April 8, 2008
    wholenewlight wrote:
    Really nice! This is impressive.

    Question: Did you use a Wacom (or other brand) tablet?? I went to Buttery's site and he says yes but not completely necessary.

    John,
    I did this with just a mouse. Buttry admits he uses a Wacom tablet for all of his, but you can do it with a mouse.

    I'm looking into purchasing a wacom Intuos3 6x8 tablet for these. I think if you want to do smudge paintings regularly, the tablet would be quite helpful. I'm particularly curious about the pressure sensitive option with many of the brushes. Should be fun!
    Mitch
    http://clearwaterphotography.smugmug.com/
  • TravisTravis Registered Users Posts: 1,472 Major grins
    edited April 8, 2008
    Mitchell wrote:
    John,
    I did this with just a mouse. Buttry admits he uses a Wacom tablet for all of his, but you can do it with a mouse.

    I'm looking into purchasing a wacom Intuos3 6x8 tablet for these. I think if you want to do smudge paintings regularly, the tablet would be quite helpful. I'm particularly curious about the pressure sensitive option with many of the brushes. Should be fun!

    I've been using a bottom line Wacom Graphire 4x6 tablet ($100 at Best Buy). It took a couple of days to get used to but now I can't live w/o it. The difference is amazing between using it and a mouse, especially for images like this one. Next inline will be an upgrade to the Intuos. I just need to get a D300, some new glass, couple more strobes, etc. first...... :D
    Travis Owney Photography
    My Images | My Lessons Learned and Other Adventures
  • IcebearIcebear Registered Users Posts: 4,015 Major grins
    edited April 8, 2008
    Really nice Mitch. I seem to remember some earlier posts a few months ago. I recall being a bit snarky and asking why you'd abuse such cute kids with such a technique. Guess that was the oils. Anyway, I've never tried any of these techniques (I'm just not very artistic) but this one is great.
    John :
    Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
    D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
  • MitchellMitchell Registered Users Posts: 3,503 Major grins
    edited April 9, 2008
    Icebear wrote:
    Really nice Mitch. I seem to remember some earlier posts a few months ago. I recall being a bit snarky and asking why you'd abuse such cute kids with such a technique. Guess that was the oils. Anyway, I've never tried any of these techniques (I'm just not very artistic) but this one is great.

    Yes, I remember distinctly your snarky remark about gilding the lily!mwink.gif

    I must confess that I've gotten better at these. Thanks for looking!
    Mitch
    http://clearwaterphotography.smugmug.com/
  • Gary MillerGary Miller Registered Users Posts: 45 Big grins
    edited March 31, 2009
    Hi Mitch. Very nice work. I am following your progress with great interest.

    Are you using PSP or Photoshop to do your smudge painting?

    Keep up the good work.

    - Gary
    Gary Miller
    www.garymillerphoto.com
  • pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,708 moderator
    edited March 31, 2009
    George, I think this looks very nice.

    The one thing I notice, is that the iris of the eyes seem smudged as well with the corneal light reflexes.

    Do you notice this also?

    I think I might prefer to keep the eyes and light reflexes more pristine myself. Maybe if I saw this full size in person I might think differently. I know images of mine at a small scale do not always get much regard that I think in large scale look very satisfactory.
    Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

    Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
  • bbuttrybbuttry Registered Users Posts: 1 Beginner grinner
    edited April 9, 2009
    Nice Work!
    I think you did a great job with the virtual painting! Personally, I like a more painterly look and feel. I did a quick rendition and came up with this:
  • photorelivephotorelive Banned Posts: 21 Big grins
    edited April 20, 2010
    great work , looks very nice , the face might need some more working on it , but the final still great ..
  • MitchellMitchell Registered Users Posts: 3,503 Major grins
    edited April 22, 2010
    Wow, someone revived this old thread and I just noticed that Brad Buttry (the master) added a comment and worked on my smudge. I had no idea!
    Mitch
    http://clearwaterphotography.smugmug.com/
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