Watercolor tutorial

[Raymond Robillard]

Hi group!

I just came accross a very nice tutorial for creating a watercolor flower. And since it's Summer for many of our readers, I thought it appropriate to post the link :
<http://www.myjanee.com/tuts/painted2/painted2.htm>

Ray
P.S. For those living where Winter is arriving... work on last year pictures :)

[Susan S.]

Janee's tutorial's are excellent - when I first got Elements I learnt an awful lot about the package trying them (and even a lot of the ones that are not labelled as working in Elmeents can be adjusted with some effort ) Having tried to write instructions for doing things that I've worked out, it's really hard to do well.

And Ray - one of my roses is just trying to put out a bud....(and I haven't even got around to pruning them yet!!)

Susan S

[Raymond Robillard]

Jane, I was particularly thinking of you, and this is why I did post it on the classroom group as well :)

Ray

[Raymond Robillard]

Chuck, if you mean creating the tutorials, I have no clue! I know I made most of my discoveries while trying to acheive something totally different! :)

Ray

[Jane Carter]

Thanks Ray, Janee has the most wonderful stuff! I love just looking thru her examples, and someday I will be able to attempt the tutorials, and come out with lovely results. You know how I love flowers.
My garden got pummeled with unexpected rain, but we do have our daylillies coming, so we wait,,,,,,,
Jane

[Chuck Snyder]

Ray, VERY nice! How do these people come up with them??

:-)

Chuck

[Jane Carter]

Thanks again Ray, I do have some bad news, all my roses got either eaten or trashed by the rain, so they are not blooming. The poor things are just struggling with the weather and the bugs. Today we got out of the monsoon, but everything is still unusually wet, mouldy, and cool. I even sprayed them with some rose-bug-spray, so all I can do is wait,,,,,,,,,
(Last year they were wonderful right here in late June. I should fetch some of last years photos off my ext. HD tomorrow.)
Jane

[Raymond Robillard]

Jane : I'm sorry to hear this. Flowers (and nature in general) are totally defenseless.. It's a shame when it's damaged or destroyed (we had icing rain a few years ago and trees around here are still showing signs of damages).

Susan : I'm on the laptop and, unfortunately, I don't have my english-french dictionnary ("put out a bud" and "pruning", I can't tell what's that meaning). For all I know, a Bud is a kind of beer :) I'll look tomorrow morning.

Ray

[Susan S.]

Ray - "pruning" - the process of cutting off the old stems in winter to make sure the roses have strong new growth next year

"put out a bud" - burgeon? (maybe? - that seems to come into my mind from distant French lessons!) - a rose bud is an immature rose flower, and they have just started to appear, despite the fact that it is mid-winter.

Susan S.

[Raymond Robillard]

Thanks Susan ! I will have my dictionnary installed a.s.a.p. on my laptop, I won't bother this group with my english inhabilities anymore :)

But, in the meantime, it's very kind of you to translate. Tell me, what's the weather in Winter where you live ? We have an average of -15C (with peaks of -27C and we receive 1.80 meters of snow, an average again).

Ray

[Raymond Robillard]

I'm trading my Winters for yours Susan, anytime ! :)

Ray

[Susan S.]

Ray - In Adelaide (South Australia) we are in a Mediterranean type climate - in Winter it is cool and wet. We don't get snow, and frosts are unusual - day time maximum temperatures around 12-16 degrees C, going down to 2-7C overnight. A bit warmer than you! In summer the average day time maximum will be low 30s C, but we will get long hot spells which can have days at a time over 40C - luckily it's dry heat which is much more bearable than humidity. But my printer doesn't like it (since the cooler weather came i haven't had to run a head clean cycle once - I was doing it every week in summer!)

Susan S

[Leen Koper]

back to the original posting.
It really is a wonderful image and very well done. I envy people able to do things like this.

But: why trying to imitate other forms of art from photography, except for experimentation purposes? To produce watercolours you need paper, brushes, water and dyes.
IMHO, working in Photoshop is an artform in itself that doesnot need to imitate other techniques.

Or am I missing something?

Leen

[Barbara Brundage]

Well, Leen, if like me you can't draw worth beans, it's very helpful. I don't always want straight photographic illustrations for everything I do, and I can make a nice watercolor in PE much more easily than I can with paint.

EDIT After all, in the pre-photoshop world, I remember art directors getting paid big bucks to sit there and use pantographs and such to make line drawings out of photos, and it took ages to do it, too.

[RobertHJones]

Leen,

Let me answer your question by asking another question. There are artists
that produce photorealistic drawings by hand. Why would they want to
imitate a photograph? Shouldn't they just use a camera?

My comment is why should it matter! An artist communicates through choice
of media, subject, emphasis, technique, color and lighting.

There are ongoing debates as to whether photography is art (I feel it is)
and whether "photo art" is a valid artistic expression (I feel this is
also). I don't intend to carry on such a debate here.

To my way of thinking, a painterly rendition of a photographic subject is
just as valid an artistic statement as one rendered using classical
techniques and media.

No one who has ever seen a well done watercolor will confuse that with the
results of the "watercolor" photoshop techniques. But, the resultant look
and feel from the photoshop technique may have exactly what we want to
communicate our message and/or feelings. We're not creating a watercolor
with photoshop, we're creating a mood and expressing an emotion.

Bob

[Raymond Robillard]

Bob, I wouldn't have said it better myself! I agree with you 100%.

Besides, when I look at a piece of art, I rarely ask myself how it was done, on what canvas, etc. I consider the art piece for the message and I see it in its whole.

Granted, Photohop Elements may not be the best software to do painting. But, for applying paint (or paint effect) on a photo, I think it's a very good choice!

Ray

[Leen Koper]

I don't reject this way of imaging at all.
I just only wanted to start a discussion about what what we are doing.

I reject plastic flowers in a vase, I don't like like electric fake fire in the fireplace and I don't believe a Big Mac is a decent meal...;-))

How about an imitation watercolour? I don't know. Just wondering.

Leen

[Ray]

For me, all that expresses a message is a form of art, even a McDonald's
adv. However, I may not find it very equally appealing or mind challenging.

Certain form of Art are to be "digested" on the spot. Others require a more
slowly approach, one that requires the viewer to think back, sometimes
within himself or herself. The best work is one that goes deep inside me
and makes me realize what I am or what the Artist is. Many times, I've seen
this on The Challenge pages.

Now, to say that an imitation watercolor flower is different from that, I
don't think so. It may be viewed as an "instant Art form", granted. But
yet, the person that did it put a little (and sometimes a lot) of himself in
it. Picking up the picture, choosing the color, selecting the filters, etc.
Those are only tools to express a message. If you look at my drawings of
the boats, for this week, I used oil painting with Photoshop Elements. It's
a rendition, a fake if you like. What does that tell you about me?

My conclusion is that whatever the materials, the techniques, the tools,
every work done is still a form of Art. That it is done with finger
painting, on a LCD monitor, or with chalk on a wall, it's no different.

Ray
P.S. I don't reject your views neither, I'm only expressing mine :)

[Chuck Snyder]

Leen: I certainly agree with you on the plastic flowers and the electric
fireplace.....but Big Mac?? One of the basic food groups for sure!!

:-)

Chuck

[Raymond Robillard]

That's the spirit Jane :)

Ray

[Jane Carter]

I don't have one whiff of artistic ability, but the rest of my family does, but I can really do something in PSE that makes me feel really great, and the family looks at my monitor and says, "Hey thats really neat, Granny!"

Music, another thing that the whole family does well, I stink at it, but I can sit down at the old piano and make some music that sounds OK to ME(and the dog).
That's what my retirement is all about, if we enjoy our own primative art, and have a good time doing it, and do a Challenge once in a while, keep going and have a good time. I call it FUN!

Jane

[Leen Koper]

There is no right or wrong; there never is. This discussion is going the way I like it, because I love to hear peoples personal opinion, what motivates them to express themselves this way.
I just only don't agree on Chuck's opinion about the Big Mac. ;-)

Leen

[Paul L UK]

Leen

Having never considered myself, or been considered, an artist, I have found that sharing my 'doodlings' on the Challenge has given me more pleasure than I could ever have imagined. The praise and comments that come from all in the forum spur me on to try even harder to produce as good if not better entry the next time.
Sometimes I look at the Challenge picture and no matter what I do, I cannot visualise anything to do with it, other times an idea immediately comes to mind. Then I have to try to recreate on the screen what I see in my head, which is why I call it doodling. I have tried, but on my best efforts I cannot re-create exactly what I have done.

As for the burger debate, there is no other way I know of getting my recommended daily/monthly/yearly allowance of plastic'ky cheese, saturated fat, hollow fries and rubber bread with a bird seed coating, than from a Big Mac.
So I don't ;) (sorry Chuck, but you have got to try one over here, it WILL put you off for life)

Paul

[Susan S.]

I got dragged there by the kids for tea tonight (quid pro quo for me dragging them round the mall while looked at dress material, duvets, pillows and other things boring to the under-seven age group). I don't go there often, but when I do I am reminded that there is a good reason for avoiding the place. The children were interested mainly in the plastic junk in the happy meal - neither of them will touch the burgers and just eat the fries and a token McNugget!

[Jodi Frye]

i've been following this thread with interest but haven't commented t'il now.

The tools available are just that; tools. You will never see 2 identical images from 2 seperate Artists who use the exact same tools. It is what you do with them that makes us individual creators. It is totally subjective. I hope to be able to create whatever I want without being judged on the process in which i created it. If it looks good...so what ??

Oh Whoppers are way better...flame broiled !!!

[Raymond Robillard]

Nothing beat Wendy's :)

Ray

[Barbara Brundage]

Jodi, I do so agree with you that tools are just tools. It kind of fascinates me that if you look at, say, the websites of many of the great gurus of these programs, the design is often simply, umm, not something I myself would show off with pride, no matter how deeply they understand the programs they used to create them.

Alas, all the technical knowledge and tools in the world can't give you an artist's eye or heart if it wasn't there to begin with. I know that's surely true for me. Sigh.

[Dave Hamer]

>
>
>Nothing beat Wendy's :)
>

I prefer Wendys, Jack in the Box and Burger King to McDonalds but
somehow Mickey D's has become the standard. For value, I would rather go
to our Vietnamese, Chinese or East Indian buffets here for $6.95 for all
you can eat.

Dave

[no spam @yahoo.com Pete D]

Your art is always very pleasing to see! (and I too don't care what you
used to create it)

"Jodi Frye If it looks good...so what ??

I will also agree with the following. (As long as it is not more than one
every few weeks).

Pete

> Oh Whoppers are way better...flame broiled !!!

But I guess I would eat just about anything as long as it looked (& smelled)
good.

Pete

[Jodi Frye]

Dave, I have cut down on my consumption of asian food. There is just too much proof they are cooking our pets. It's not a myth. There have been many restaurants that have closed here in Upsate NY because they were caught. I just can't do it. There are times I have major cravings for an egg roll....which I know is mostly vegetarian but I still just can't do it...can't.

[Jodi Frye]

Such a tangled web we weave when first we practise to deceive ;)

[Jodi Frye]

Hi Pete, I do love most foods as well.

when are we going to do lunch ??

[no spam @yahoo.com Pete D]

Jodi,

When would you like? (I told everyone that we had lunch together every
day...now they know that was not true:(

Pete

[no spam @yahoo.com Pete D]

"I might have known there was but one", "Whose look could quell"... not
Lord Marmion, But Me!

[Dave Hamer]

Jodi

> That myth certainly continues in these parts as well. There doesn't
> seem to be any such rumour though with East Indian cooking and at
> $6.95 for all you can eat, it still beats Mickey D's in my opinion.
> Besides, with typical North American style food we now have to be very
> careful with Mad Cow dissease and things such as Scrapes. The fish is
> contaminated with Mercury and the Veggies are being exploited with
> chemicals and fertilizers to enhance their growth. It's a sad world at
> times.

dave

[Jodi Frye]

Dave, the saddest part is how much we waste here on this side. i remind my daughter when she does not want to eat her dinner that there are children that eat from landfills and dumpsters in other parts of the world because they have no food at all. I remind her when she complains every time we run out of orange popsicles ( her favorite)...that there are kids who have never even seen or tasted a popsicle. Certainly these same children would not have any problems eating chinese food as for the same reasoning in China...it's meat...it's food. Although, I, have a choice. the closest I have come to eating east Indian food was that great curry rice...one of my favourites ! Had a good friend many years ago in Junior high who's family was of this origin. I loved eating over !!!

[Dave Hamer]

Jodi

Many years ago now, when I was growing up in Toronto, my landlord ( who
was old school Hungarian ) and I were discussing food. He had asked me
what I liked to eat and I had replied that I really liked shrimp but
found them very expensive. He said, do you eat them all or do you throw
some in the garbage. I replied that I never threw any out. He said the
only time food is expensive, is when you waste it or throw it out
because it has gone bad. I have remembered this to this day and so tend
to buy the types of foods I like regardless of cost. I still enjoy
getting good value for my dollar and hence my statement about rather
having a good varied buffet meal for $6.95 than a burger from a fast
food outlet. I have travelled in some pretty poor regions and highly
value our lifestyle and what it provides to us. I was raised at home to
only take what I felt I could reasonably eat and not to leave anything
on my plate.

To keep this on topic. Let me say that I enjoy Photoshop and Photoshop
Elements almost as much as I do a good buffet. They provide me with
quite a varied smorgasbord.

Dave

[Jodi Frye]

;)

[Cats 4ever]

I feel art is in the eye of the beholder , whether it is on paper, canvas or computer. Check out the Digital Painting newsgroup at Annexcafe.

[Cats 4ever]

Just wanted to mention I am Catlady as well :-)

--
news://news.annexcafe.com/Annexcafe.Digital.Painting
Catlady Moderator

[Chuck Snyder]

Hmmm....all these cat names must mean you're one of those cat lovers....?
Well......I guess I won't hold that against you!

:-)

Chuck

[Cats 4ever]

yep catlover I am, have 7 cats :-))