Alternate version with cooler colors.
I'm a wee bit apprehensive about posting this here since, well, it's a self-portrait and the unsmiling pose drips of self-absorbed pretension (never mind the fact that I'm surrounded by glowing lights). While I won't deny the possibility (and I'm not proud of it) that there probably is a hefty dose of narcissism in my personality (I mean, c'mon, I have a blog for crying out loud), the truth is, I needed a subject to goof around with in Photoshop. I went through a ton of pictures on my computer looking for one that would work, couldn't find one, and so snapped a quick one of myself.
So why is this image here? Well, I've mentioned in the past that I have a particular aesthetic interest in light, especially in terms of creating it digitally. And convincingly. Recently, the work of 19 (20?) year old Chuck Anderson (AKA nopattern) caught my attention, because he gets light, balance, and composition. After trying and failing to emulate his work, a Google search turned up a treasure—a back copy of Computer Arts in which Anderson reveals some of his secrets.
Several attempts later, this image is my first somewhat presentable piece. I know it needs work—the background is visually uninteresting, the photograph I started with was too grainy, and some of the masking (especially around my head) is sloppy.
So it's here for your feedback, especially any constructive criticism. I'm no designer, and I need all the help I can get in terms of figuring out colors and compositional balance (does that term even mean anything, or did I just make it up?). While I welcome comments like
- "sick,"
- "cool," and
- "Dearest Aliotsy, That new picture probably makes you the biggest dork in the history of the world" (actual quote!),
I'd much prefer the sort of feedback I got from Donaville: add more light to my face, black out the background, not overdo the "pixie dust," and vary the size of the lights.
Check back soon for a nostalgic look back on my last week of school.
I like the way the shirt looks. But the background is just enough *there* to be really distracting -- and except for your shirt, you blend in with it too well (I'm especially thinking of your face). Either you need a fae that's a lot lighter, or a background that's a lot lighter. The small lights make you look sort of fuzzy. I think maybe there are too many of them.
As I said before I thought it was sick, WAY better 1st attempt than I could have done, although since you are forcing the artistic side to come out, I will agree your face needs to be lightened, and I have told you already...you need to smile :) Or at least have some semblence of a smile. I think if you could overlay your pic on a background of graffiti or something with more colors it would be more dramatic, and would stand to gain more contrast...and similarity to no pattern. :)
So you somehow created those electrical looking streaks? How in the world does one do that (In one or two sentences)?
Also, I think if your backgroud were lighter it would be much easier to see your face...or, maybe if those glowing things were on your head it would at least prove that your head has a top to it :)
David and *e: Yeah, the face was definitely a problem. I wanted a dark background so that the lights would show up better, so I took the picture without the flash on. Unfortunately, that resulted in a lot of compression artifacts, so when you lighten up my face, all these huge splotches start popping up.
I think it comes down to starting with a good picture, so maybe I'll find a better photographer next time.
Laura: In Photoshop, you set a layer to Outer Glow (Color Dodge blend mode) and paint with a small, soft white brush. You have to fiddle a bit to get the strokes to work right; I figure Chuck Anderson uses a Wacom tablet or something similar.
Nerd Alert!
(Sorry Al, I couldn't resist)