Take Photo: Anatomy of an Edit

Monday, November 16, 2015

Anatomy of an Edit

Earlier this week @mobileartistry on Instagram featured one of my painterly images. I'm posting it here because it included a detailed walkthrough of the editing process.

What I love most about creating artwork from images is that you can take almost anything mundane and make it into something more interesting. This image started off as a woman walking through a beauty salon dressed in black jeans and a shirt. It was a really boring photo.

First I brought the image into Sketch Club where I augmented her wardrobe and added to the volume of her hair. I also evened out her skin tone, enhanced her eyes and lips and painted over the background (version 1).
Next I ran the original image through Glaze (version 2).
I then blended versions 1 and 2 in Sketch Club (version 3).
On to AntiCrop where I added in more background to version 3 by expanding the image. This would allow an off center crop at the end (version 4).
Next I took version 4 into Waterlogue to produce a watercolor effect (version 5).
I then combined versions 4 and 5 in Sketch Club (version 6).
Next I took version 6 into DeforMe and nipped in her waistline a bit (version 7).
Version 7 was adjusted in Snapseed to increase saturation (version 8).
Version 8 was opened in Auto Sky FX HD where I added the misty cloud surrounding the figure and the crescent moon (version 9).
Finally back into Snapseed with version 9 for final crop, tune image and adjust detail (bump up Structure).

It's interesting to me that I often don't have an end in mind and the piece evolves as I go. I'm not sure how I determine what comes next, it all just seems to flow with a mind of its own!