Getting Braver

[SCRAPPYGIRL]

Well, after reading that long post this morning about posting and commenting on forum users projects I've gotten up the courage to post a photo I've been practicing/playing with. I find everyone in this forum to be very helpful and not judgmental at all. I've learned a ton just reading the posts.

Constructive criticism is invited!!

How do I fade the picture behind the kids only?

Also, can someone give me some insite into using the sponge, dodge, burn and blur, sharpen, smudge tools. For the most part when I attempt to use them nothing happens.

All I'm really doing with it is learning/playing with various brushes and tools.

http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1qj6AoJmlDbrC3bT3QAWB4xeDLyItp0

SG

[Wendy]

Hi there ...

You image is actually a little small to see the details but its a nice layout and the children look really cute. Good choice of colour for the background and I like the stars ...

Now fading the photo behind them ... well one way of doing it is:

Select the children using any of the selection tools
then copy them to their own layer
Edit>Copy ... Edit>Paste
Next try Hue & Saturation on the photo, lower the saturation and maybe make it darker (or lighter) ... and see which looks the best.

Wendy

[Wendy]

Now using different tools ...

Try this:

Create a new file
File>New>Blank File
1000 pixels x 1000 pixels, resolution 300, RGB white background

Now use the rectangular marquee to make a square and fill it with red
Select red as your foreground colour
Edit>Fill Selection>Foreground colour
Change your foreground colour to yellow
Select a hard paintbrush and do some lines on the red square

OK then you are ready to experiment

Take the Burn tool ... set it to midtones 50% (top of the screen)
now run it over part of your yellow line and watch it go darker
Take the dodge tools ... set it to midtones 50% (top of the screen)
now run it over part of your yellow line and watch it go lighter

Try the same thing with the sponge ... that increased the saturation or decreases it (depending on which option you have set)

Get the blur tool, zoom in close and run it over where the yellow line goes over the red ... you will be able to see it blurring the edge
The sharpen tool ... will sharpen the edge

and the smudge tool ... well select that
zoom in close, set it to 50% (top of the screen)
Go to where the yellow line goes over the red and push the yellow into the red .. its a bit like finger painting :)

Hope this helps ..

Wendy

[NMarti]

SG
That's a lovely image. I like the layout and the kids are really cute. I would also do the fading the same as Wendy suggested by using the separate layers. You may even want to play around with converting the background to b/w by desaturating. This would make the children really pop out from the background.

[Wendy]

Nancy ...

I like the idea of B&W :)

Wendy

[w7vp]

SG
The image you have created is already very stunning. There are a lot of things you could do to it that might or might not improve it.

One thought is to desaturate the background layer a bit and then place a translucent adjustment layer over it with an appropriate color. Another is to remove the foreground from one layer and fill the area where the foreground was removed with it with black or gray or some other solid color. Then create an overlying layer of the foreground only with the subjects in the foreground offset a bit to create a 3D/Shadow effect. You could still desaturate and overly the background using this method

I try to use the KISS principle so IMHO the original will be difficult to improve with out overwhelming an already good effort.:)

Bill

[CarolLHB]

Hooray for you-very cute!:)

[SCRAPPYGIRL]

:D :D :D Wow you guys are great. Here's another version, I followed Wendy's advice and copied the children to their own layer and then used Hue & Desaturated on the photo. What fun this is. I still have a long way to go with this picture, but am learning soooo much.

Gonna run now and try some of the things that Bill has suggested.
Thanks again you guys, I really appreciate the advice from the EXPERTS.

Wendy - had a little fun this afternoon playing with the different tools. I'll get the hang of this eventually.

SG

http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1Dp4scPQGBqVaHhYjVq2xHAfbgssVP1

[lindajay]

SG,
I think you've done a wonderful job. And the kids are adorable. I love the little one's hair! :) I wish my first efforts had been as good. You're really on your way now!

--Linda

[Sportsfan]

You really do have adorable children and you have done a great job. Keep up the good work and keep sharing your projects.

Sportsfan

[Pauline]

SG I'm glad you posted. You did a terrific job. I have to tell you when I first opened your image I had to look twice. The little girl is the spitting image of my neighbours little girl!! At least I think so. She's around 5. I don't have a picture of her or I'd post it!

[SCRAPPYGIRL]

Thanks for the kind words, it encourages me to keep going. The children are 2of my grandchildren. The blond, Parker, is 3 1/2 and her little sister, Lily was born on December 23rd. Grandchildren certainly are a gift from God.
SG

[Shari]

Thanks SG for asking those questions. The answers will go into my binder. The kids are darling and I like what you did with Wendy's suggestion. I sure wish I had had this programme when all my friends had small children!!
Shari

[Wendy]

SG ...

Oh that looks great ... the background now fades away.

It has a magic feel to it now ... has to be the effect of those stars :)

Wendy

[NMarti]

SG

That is really beautiful now. Very nice job!

[mel]

Another thing you could do with the background of the photo with the children in it is use the Gaussian Blur. Just select the children Select>Inverse and the go to Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur. Just play around with the slider until you find what suits you personally :)

I do this alot with photos of my daughter when the background is too busy.

Hope this helps.

I have come to realize that there are many different ways to do the same thing in elements and that the result vary. You just have to experiment till you find what you like the best ;)

Great image by the way, I really like it.

Mel