Photos to paintings

[jeffrey_winn]

<p>Hello,</p>

<p>I'm new to the digital world, but have been using film cameras for a long time. This fall, our family picked up a Nikon D-60 as our first DSLR, and I would like to slowly begin the process of editing these photos, and having some fun. My goal is to begin with a few basic touch ups, like adjusting the white balance, etc. Later, I would like to try a few fun things, like turning selected photos into paintings.</p>

<p>Can someone point me in the right direction to learn more about editing digital photos. I'm not a pro, and after searching this site, I found many different threads about software and editing. But, since I'm late to the digital game, much of this is going over my head. Should I start off with Photoshop Elements, or is there another basic program that I should look into.</p>

<p>Is there a program out there that can turn photos into paintings? I've seen several photos on this site, and others that were changed from a photo into a painting. Is this a relatively easy process, with the right program, or is this some expert spending hours on end completely retouching the entire photo?</p>

<p>Again, please bear with me on these subjects. I've been a dedicated film shooter for years, and still enjoy using my old gear. But, as we begin to take more digital photos, I would like to enhance them when I need to, or play around and turn them into a painting if it is a reasonable thing for me.</p>

<p>Thanks again!</p>

<p>Jeff</p>

[CharlesBecker-Toronto]

<p>Hi Jeffrey- I use Elements and,at least for now, it has everything I need and more; go to the Adobe web site and download the 30 day free trial of Photoshop Elements and see what you think of it. cb :-)</p>

[Matt Laur]

<p>The folks at Corel make a product with the somewhat unwieldy name <strong><a href="http://www.corel.com/servlet/Satellite/us/en/Product/1184951547051#versionTabview=tab0&tabview=tab0">Paint Shop Pro Photo X2</a></strong>. The "ultimate" version of that product includes some very easy to use photo-to-painting tools, which area a subset of their flagship painting program, <strong><a href="http://www.corel.com/servlet/Satellite/us/en/Product/1166553885783#tabview=tab0">Painter X</a></strong>. Corel allows you to download their apps for a free trial period before having to license them. There's no better way to get a feel for how the tools work. Corel's products don't get the internet buzz or slavish press coverage that Adobe's Photoshop-related titles do, but it's very good software, at much lower prices. Definitely check those out.</p>

[jack_landry]

<p>Photoshop Elements 7 is a good choice to begin with digital image processing. It's not too expensive and has everything you need (and even more) to make basic adjustments and some artistic effects like painting look and others. And don't forget to get the 'Photoshop Elements 7 for Dummies' by Barbara Obermeier & Ted Padova.<br>

There are also some good plugins for making paintings from pictures such as Topaz Simplify.</p>

[manuel barrera houston,]

<p>Painter X, but to really appreciated it you need a graphics tablet.</p>

[JTG1]

There is a product that does the painting for you, you can do some minor tweaks to the output. It comes as a plugin or standalone.

 

http://www.virtualpainter5.com/vp5index.html

 

~Jack

[Sanford]

<p>I always thought turning photos into simulated paintings was an insult to the art of photography. Photography is an art form unto itself and deserves to stand alone. That being said, Photoshop has a lot of cool options under "Filters" that can turn a photo into just about anything. Print it on canvas for the full effect. </p>

[Matt Laur]

<p><em>I always thought turning photos into simulated paintings was an insult to the art of photography. Photography is an art form unto itself and deserves to stand alone. <br /></em><br />Oh, come now. Thousands of successful painters work from photographs, in any number of ways. And every day, untold numbers of photographs are worked into layouts, designs, and uses that don't simply show the photograph in a vacuum, as one might with a fine art print. It's never an "insult" to photography to put a photograph to work in a way that pleases you or serves a particular purpose or aesthetic vision. It's an insult to photographers, though, to suggest that there's only one way to use the tools and skills of the craft.<br /><br />A photograph is a piece of communication. It can also be put to use as part of, or at the root of another form of communication. Especially when it's the photographer making that decision, it's entirely appropriate. Of course, when the photographer's work is <strong><a href="../photography-news-forum/00SPLo">turned into a painting by someone else, without permission</a></strong>, it's another matter. <br /> </p>

[Sanford]

<p>Matt - I guess I've lived in the Monterey, CA area too long where Weston and Adams are considered Gods and your word would be heresy. Photography fought a tough battle to finally be recognized as an art form distinct from and equal to painting. I do though see a lot of paintings in Carmel galleries that look suspiciously like they were copied from photographs with shallow DOF, etc.</p>

[Larry_G1664882113]

<p>Jeffrey, Whether you choose Photoshop Elements or Photoshop is your preference and a matter of cost as Photoshop costs about 4 times more. I have used both - started with Elements and moved to Photoshop which is a lot more complex and more complete. As to using these programs, we learn what we use, and aspects of the programs we don't use we never learn. It's similar to learning all of the features of Microsoft Office. I don't recall if Elements offers Camera Raw processing. If you take RAW images (I suggest you do for optimal editing capabilities and the sharpest images) you may want to check out what Camera RAW editing is available in Elements or spring for Photoshop. <br>

If you are learning your D60 you may want to put your investments in lenses and camera equipment. In that case go with Elements, save the money, and use it for lenses. <br>

Above all, take lots of pictures and have fun. They may become art without editors. Art is defined in the eye of the beholder.</p>

<p> </p>

[wooden boat pictures and n]

<p>Photoshop Elements DOES have a pretty good RAW image editor, and I'm having alot of fun playing with Topaz plugins for a great variety of painting effects.<br>

Have fun!</p>

[upsman]

<p>I have used Painter now for like 4 months and I'm hooked! Don't get me wrong I love Photoshop as well but to take a picture you've taken and to create a "painting" is what I kept trying to do in Photoshop but I never was able to really get it right and the options were limited.<br>

I think many feel that digital painting is nothing but pushing a button and most of it is done for you. It's not really the case - I just spent at least 16 laborous hours creating a painting of my Son and his Fiance sitting on the beach in Newport Beach with a bottle of wine. Tears were welled up in both of their redish eyes! After a 6 year relationship this New Years day he had just proposed. They were lucky someone came by and offered to take their photograph!<br>

The minute I saw the photo I knew I wanted to capture their emotion in a painting. Not only am I about to frame this "painted" image for them - but as well I'm going to make smaller framed copies as gifts for the parents. </p>