Smudge painting

patre · August 20, 2009

I noted that someone on this site had an interest in smudge painting. So I decided to become a member and share paintings and ideas, if the smudge painting interest still exists. I am not a commercial artist and simply smudge paint for fun. Most of my work is displayed on my website:

http://www.patthompsonsmudgepaintinggallery.com/

Are site members allowed to smudge paint the photographs contributed to the site?

Thanks,
Patre(Pat Thompson)

David_S85 · August 20, 2009

patre wrote:

I noted that someone on this site had an interest in smudge painting. So I decided to become a member and share paintings and ideas, if the smudge painting interest still exists. I am not a commercial artist and simply smudge paint for fun. Most of my work is displayed on my website:

http://www.patthompsonsmudgepaintinggallery.com/

Are site members allowed to smudge paint the photographs contributed to the site?

Thanks,
Patre(Pat Thompson)

Not sure I understand your question. Are you asking if photos posted by DGrinners here on this site can be edited and/or shown somewhere else? Or if you can display your own work here?

pathfinder · August 21, 2009

Generally speaking, it is not considered good etiquette to edit someone else's online image without their express consent or request. Indeed, some feel it is theft if done so. That is why copyright is within the legal system.

Dgrin is a forum for photographers, so a fair amount of editing of other folks images does occur, but most of us try to do it only with the express request of the original poster, and not assume a general consent just because the image is online.

You are more the welcome to post images of your own that you have altered or painted. I am sure there are readers that will find this interesting, including myself.

patre · August 21, 2009

Thanks
Thanks for your responses. My questions were answered.
All the very best,
Patre(Pat)

pathfinder wrote:

Generally speaking, it is not considered good etiquette to edit someone else's online image without their express consent or request. Indeed, some feel it is theft if done so. That is why copyright is within the legal system.

Dgrin is a forum for photographers, so a fair amount of editing of other folks images does occur, but most of us try to do it only with the express request of the original poster, and not assume a general consent just because the image is online.

Mitchell · August 21, 2009

Pat,
I do a fair amount of smudging myself. I've mostly done my own photos, but I've done several for other photographers by request. You should not use other photographer's work for your own smudging without permission.

Your work is very nice. My only nit is the sharp demarcation you have between your subjects and the backgrounds. I gather you have cut these subjects out and pasted them onto other backgrounds. You should try to blend the transition better on these to make it look more painterly.

patre · August 21, 2009

Thanks Mitchell for viewing my gallery and for your complimentary comment.
You are right, I usually separate the subjects of the portrait from their original background, and then create my own background. Probably a smudged or more smudged background would create the blend and transition you are describing. Its a hard call for me because my style has unfolded in a unique way...Again thanks for taking the time to view the gallery and for offering a constructive suggestion.

Mitchell wrote:

Pat,
I do a fair amount of smudging myself. I've mostly done my own photos, but I've done several for other photographers by request. You should not use other photographer's work for your own smudging without permission.

Your work is very nice. My only nit is the sharp demarcation you have between your subjects and the backgrounds. I gather you have cut these subjects out and pasted them onto other backgrounds. You should try to blend the transition better on these to make it look more painterly.

patre · August 21, 2009

patre wrote:

Thanks Mitchell for viewing my gallery and for your complimentary comment.
You are right, I usually separate the subjects of the portrait from their original background, and then create my own background. Probably a smudged or more smudged background would create the blend and transition you are describing. Its a hard call for me because my style has unfolded in a unique way...Again thanks for taking the time to view the gallery and for offering a constructive suggestion.
I viewed your smugmug site. You are a terrific photographer! Wonderful work!
Do you have a specific gallery for the display of your smudge paintings?

Mitchell · August 21, 2009

Thanks. These are best viewed large. I tend to add a texture at the end to simulate a canvas or artistic paper. The only way to really appreciate these is to print them large.

Here are a two of my kids.

Here's one I did for another photographer.

patre · August 21, 2009

Mitchell,
Really magnificent portraits! Even with the compression the painterly effect is till very visually powerful. Hair and eyes are exceptionally good and your color scheme,contrast and composition make these images come alive with a very dynamic and compelling artistic presence.
Thanks for posting the images.

Mitchell wrote:

Thanks. These are best viewed large. I tend to add a texture at the end to simulate a canvas or artistic paper. The only way to really appreciate these is to print them large.

Here are a two of my kids.

Here's one I did for another photographer.

pathfinder · August 21, 2009

I agree, these are splendid!

I want to state again, that the original poster is quite welcome to post images of his that he has smudged, for comment or discussion.

Mitchell · August 23, 2009

BTW, try printing these on canvas. They really look like paintings!

patre · August 23, 2009

Mitchell wrote:

BTW, try printing these on canvas. They really look like paintings!

Yes, I composited three different images and then smudge painted them to create this portrait called "The Continental Divide". It cost me $124 U.S. dollars to have it printed on a 20X24 canvas. The frame cost an additional $26. I am only a hobbyist,so the picture now hangs in one of the rooms in my house. Looks just like it was painted on the canvas.

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pathfinder · August 23, 2009

Lovely image.

Do you have an estimate of the time you spent editing this image, perhaps? I am curious how many hours it takes to do this well. Your image is luminous.

patre · August 23, 2009

Thanks pathfinder,
I don't have a very good answer because I didn't keep track of the time I spent working on the images. My best guess is that I devoted somewhere between 10-30 hours to finding,compositing and painting the source image/images.

pathfinder wrote:

Lovely image.

Do you have an estimate of the time you spent editing this image, perhaps? I am curious how many hours it takes to do this well. Your image is luminous.

sara505 · August 24, 2009

pathfinder wrote:

I agree, these are splendid!

I want to state again, that the original poster is quite welcome to post images of his that he has smudged, for comment or discussion.

What is smudge painting?
Thanks.

patre · August 24, 2009

What is smudge painting?
Hi Sara,

Thanks for your question. Please go to the website the following link will direct you to. On one of the pages there(the page titled "Smudge painting"), I have a short description/definition of smudge painting:
http://www.patthompsonsmudgepaintinggallery.com/
If you view some of the comparison photos on that website,you will get some idea of how a photograph is altered to give it a painterly look.
I also enjoyed viewing the images in your gallery. Very nice work!

Pat

Smudge painting

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