VAN GOGH'S DREAM
This photo was taken in July at the Columbia Bottom Conservation Area. The conservation area is located just north of St. Louis at the junction of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers. A levee protects most of this area from minor floods. However, the great flood of 1993 flooded most of the conservation. The area will continue to be prone to occasional flooding.
After culling my photos from the photography session, I took at sunset, I found one that really captured my attention. While I was looking at the image, I was reminded of Vincent Van Gogh's work, and his life. He often, almost every day, sat somewhere and painted. Sometimes he painted landscapes, fields of wheat and flowers, other times we will paint a still life. Such as, a vase of flowers.
Vincent Van Gogh- Two Cut Flowers 1887
The wide open serene fields, the sunflowers and majestic sky all reminded me of his work and what it might be like to paint on location. So I wanted to edit the photo into a painterly style.
HOW I MADE THE PHOTO TO LOOK LIKE A PAINTING
To make my photo look like a painting, I first used Adobe Lightroom. In Lightroom, I color corrected, cropped and made minor edits. I then uploaded the edited photo into Adobe Photoshop. I am not sure if you can make an photo look painterly in Lightroom. You need to use brushes to give that painterly affect. The ability to use layers in Photoshop helps you create without worrying you are damaging your photo. If you brush something you do not like, you can easily delete that layer and start over.
I always start by making a copy of my main photo. This will ensure that the main photo is always intact and I am always working in layers above it. If I do something I don't like, I delete the layer and try again. This gives me creative freedom to try things and not be afraid to play with the tools in Photoshop.
Once the photo is color corrected, cropped etc., you are ready to make it look like a painting. Go to the Filter tab in Photoshop. Next click on stylize tab. In the stylize menu, you would find a tab that says, 'oil pant.' A side menu will pop up, were you can make adjustments on how the photo would look as a painting. When you are satisfied, click, 'ok.'
Your photo will now look like a painting. I then copy the painting layer, and start to use my brushes to 'mix' the paint on the photo. I make brush strokes much like a painter would using my Wacom Tablet and pen. I Change my brushes for different areas to give different effects. I also, smear the paint around. I keep working the image until I am satisfied with what I created.
WHY I MADE THE PHOTO TO LOOK LIKE A PAINTING
I studied fine art painting in college and grad school. Painting was my first love. I enjoy using oil paints, acrylics as well as water colors. Best of all, I enjoy mixing media's and not be limited to one media's properties. Giving my photos a painterly quality comes naturally to me. I can't wait to do more.
This photo is currently for sale.
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