Totally knackered, picture suggestions needed

[rmartin]

I have a picture in my gallery (it's currently the main) that needs something. I just don't know what that something is. All suggestions welcome, and with each suggestion, I'll gladly give you one of my New Year's resolutions! :)

About the picture. It's one of my hand turned pens made from New Zealand Kauri Wood. Kauri is a huge tree (think California Redwood), and this particular Kauri was found buried in a peat bog under farmland. It has been carbon dated to 50,000 years old! It is the world's oldest workable wood.

The picture of the pen is of poor quality and I plan to replace it with a better one, but you can see from the other pen pics what I'm trying to do. Right now it rests on what looks like a block of marble, which is actually an ancient cave painting I made to look like a box. I like that OK, but the background needs something. Or it needs some kind of border?

I don't know

I've googled pictures of icebergs, and volcanoes to use as a film strip? I even thought of putting it in a block of ice, what did the earth look like 50,000 years ago? I've googled Nasa's Hubble site for pictures of star clusters for a possible background, but they looked too busy. I keep coming back to a simple black background with the pen sitting on that mable block looking thingy, but then, it still needs something.

Any ideas? I've got tons of time, so nothing is out of question, and don't forget, you can have one of my New Year's resolutions just for the asking? What a bargin! :D

I just realized, I hope my gallery link shows up when I post this :o

[lindajay]

Wow, that's quite a story about the wood you used! I'm impressed!

As for the image, I'm afraid I'm not a lot of help. The pen is beautiful, but doesn't really stand out . . . maybe because the brown doesn't contrast enough with the stone, which also has a lot of brown running through it. Also, the shadow doesn't look quite right, but I'm not sure what needs to be done. I hate to offer critique without offering a way to improve it. But maybe my comments can kick off a discussion that will eventually result in some positive suggestions. You certainly have a wonderful talent in making the pens!

[CalamityJanet]

I think the marble block is too busy. The reflection is much more effective in showing off the pen.

[scrapperjlc]

I like the black background, but I think this picture lends itself to needing a Reflection like from tutorial. Or maybe some kind of thin white border to break up the black?

Jodi

[lucianj]

Great story to go with the pen. The picture looks fine but like you there just seems to be something... What just doesn't look right to me is the position of the pen point. It seems lost in the marble. The second thing is the pen is straight on. Again it just doesn't look right to me.

Suggestion, three items to consider:

1. Place the pen at an angle;

2. Larger, softer shadow under the pen;

3. Lighten the marble some. It seems to draw my attention away from the pen.

I do like the black background. I'd keep it and try to lighten the marble some.

[scrapperjlc]

Lucianj, we had some of the same ideas!

Here is a version I reworked with the suggestions I had, plus I had put the pen at an angle too.

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1bGSGTel5lB4qXIEz9uPP2vkSEkkoS0_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1bGSGTel5lB4qXIEz9uPP2vkSEkkoS0)

Jodi

[rmartin]

Oh My! That's absolutely fantastic Jody. I hadn't thought of making the block a reflection. It almost looks like it's melting or something. I love it!

I should have a new pen to photo tomorrow, and then i'll work it into your picture, but for now, it's midnight, my brain is mush, and I have to get up for work at 5:00 in the morning.

Happy New Year everybody!

[pixlbandit]

If you have a subject that you want to stand out and it is a warm tone, make the background a cool tone, or vice-versa, as the case may be.
Vicki

Also love your pens.

[hukari]

I think Jody's looks great, but I think Vicki is right about the colors. Plus, I don't think the block does the cave painting justice. And that is such a nice connection to the origin of the wood. Sorry I can't give any concrete suggestions, but my first cup of coffee isn't quite taking effect yet!:o

[Rusty]

Very nice turnings. If you want to stay with the cave painting, I would experiment with making it less busy by playing with opacity and/or with hue/sat. And, I really like Jodi's reflected block.

Rusty

[Daviskw]

Hi there

Very good work...classy…way better than I could do

I just think it needs some contrast... and the bottom of the pen should be darker than the top.

If you are worried about separation maybe put some felt under the pen or set it up in a penholder.

Butch


http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1rwisyvtHUIOaIX7S5VHEzVWgMzsT_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1rwisyvtHUIOaIX7S5VHEzVWgMzsT)

[Juergen D]

I thought there was too much brown in the marble block, competing with the color of the pen. Taking some red out gave me this result.

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1XaPjNUqpUmvyrA8RvOTlTJTyRNccX_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1XaPjNUqpUmvyrA8RvOTlTJTyRNccX)

Juergen

[rmartin]

Great suggestions All!

now who wants one of my New years resolutions? I've got a diet one with your name on it! :D

I'm going to work on the pic over the next couple of days. I also post pictures on my site of my pens which have no photo shopping, so I feel safe 'dressing up' the promo picture.

Jody; I still love what you did with my picture, I can't believe you did it so fast!

Butch; I like the sparkle you added, I think I'll use it.

Reka; I had the same concerns about the cave painting. It lost a lot when I transformed it. I think I'll start over with it. I still have the orginal saved.

Juregen; I agree the color needs adjusting, thank you!

[scrapperjlc]

Thanks Rmartin! Can't wait to see what you come up with for a final. It is a very intriguing subject to work with! :)

Jodi

p.s. I like the sparkle Butch put on it too, gives it that extra WOW factor!

[rmartin]

I've updated my pen picture (it's the main in my gallery) I changed the base to a different cave drawing which I think shows up better, and I've taken a new picture of my pen.

I've been incorporating everyone's suggestions, (changed the image, took the color out) haven't added the sparkle yet because I'm having problems with the reflection. I'm not sure if my foreground to transparent button is working properly. I've followed the reflection tute to a tee. (tute to a tee, heehee)

Can someone tell me how Jodi got the image to look like it's melting away. Each time I use the grad tool, it just seems to look like I've lowered the opacity rather than fading away. Do you know what I mean?

[scrapperjlc]

I PM'd you on how I did it. :)

Jodi

[Rusty]

Very nice, I really like your latest version a lot better than the first.

Second subject, I gotta ask (nothing to do w/PSE), how did you laminate the blank for the "coconut pens"? I'm assuming that's a lamination, right? How did you get enough "straight sections" to yield a 7" blank of sufficient size?

Rusty
(love all your pens)

[hukari]

Oh yes, this is much better! I really liked the cave drawing idea, and this color shows off your pen much better.

[rmartin]

Jody, I don't know what PM'd is?

Rusty,
The coconut pen is laminated to a brass tube by the company who I buy my pen parts from. This is something new they have just offered. The brown comes from the inner shell of the mature coconut and the white from the inner shell of the immature coconut. Craft stores sell a clear resin base which is used by pen turners to set almost anything you can think of in a pen, but this particular pen comes in a kit form with the upper and lower barrels already encased in a clear resin block. I put it on the lathe with a mandrel and shaft using bushing as spacers as well as a guide on how far to turn down. This is a very light wieght pen. The total thickness of the coconut layer and the resin layer is less than an eight of an inch. To finnish, I use Micro-mesh sandpaper which has grits to 20,000. It was developed for windshields on fighter aircraft.