At the beginning of the month, the AB Friday Forum becomes a One Photo Focus, which means that we all make edits to the same photo. This month’s photo is from Loré Dombaj at Snow’s Fissures and Fractures.
Once I saw the statue in the photo I knew I wanted to focus in on that and do something artsy with it. I tried a few things, but in the end I liked the idea of making it look like it had been drawn and then shaded with greys. I made all my edits in GIMP*.
Here’s my version (click to enlarge)…
Here’s the original…
Kind thoughts and comments are welcome!
Go find out what everyone else did to this image here.
I have joined ABFriday (after before Friday), it is a forum hosted by Stacy at Visual Venturing. This week’s forum can be seen here.
Every Friday Stacy showcases after/before photos we’ve submitted. Then, if we choose, we can tell how we did it on our own blogs.
On the first Friday of the month, we are all invited to post-process the same image, which Stacy has dubbed, One Photo Focus.
How-To
1. First I straightend the photo, then I cropped it.
2. Next I increased the saturation so that the leaves would be more distinct when I changed it to black & white.
3. Then I used the G’MIC plug-in for GIMP and ran the Ink Wash filter [Filters->G’MIC->Black & white->Ink Wash].
4. And lastly, I used the G’MIC plug-in for GIMP and ran the Dream Smoothing filter [Filters->G’MIC->Artistic->Dream Smoothing].
Until next time…
~nic
* GIMP is Open Source software that is available for all platforms (Linux, Mac, and Windows), it is a photo editor that does many (if not all) of the things you can do in Photoshop. You can download it for free here. The GIMP online manual can be found here.
Like Wilber? You can get him here.
Photography by Nic 
I had to have a go because this effect is briliant (and easy, thanks); https://www.flickr.com/photos/bminney/22007805769/in/dateposted-public/
Oh wow, Barrie, you did a fabulous job with the effect. Thanks so much for crediting me for the inspiration. 🙂
This looks amazing, everything works so well. I am impressed get again by your Gimp skills.
Thanks so much, Lore! I was really hoping you would like it. 🙂
Not much more for me to say after all the lovely comments above, but I do like how you smoothed it out and made it look like a drawing. The silver tones just give it a great feel and is something that could be framed up on a wall in an elegant setting. Ya’ did good!
Nancy
Thanks, Nancy! There is something rather ‘creamy’ about the white and grey that is so different from a normal black and white that is really appealing, perhaps it is the silver tones you are talking about. Thanks for your lovely compliment. 🙂
Nic, week after week, I am so impressed with GIMP and how you use it! As for what you did with Loré’s image, I never even thought about a portrait crop and really do love the result. And I also never seriously entertained a black and white version as I just couldn’t visualize what I could do that would make me happy with the result. I really like your choices! (And, fyi, my husband, who really doesn’t say much when it comes to ABF/1PF, really liked yours too 😃)
Thanks so much, Stacy! Sometimes an idea comes and you roll with it. 🙂 Perhaps because I had used the Dream Smoothing filter on my balloon photo for One Four Challenge the seed of an idea was already there, I really don’t know. But I’m so glad so many people liked my version. 🙂 Thanks also to your husband. 😀
I do kinda feel like I am some kind of ambassador for GIMP so I’m very happy that my efforts are working out and showing that this software is really cool.
GIMP Ambassador. I like that! 🙂
🙂
Well done, a unique and creative approach.
Thanks, Robin! 🙂
Really interesting interpretation, I like the portrait crop and the smoothing works really nicely. Great job!
Thanks, Katie! I was hoping the crop would help bring the eye to the important parts of the image. 🙂
It’s like you used pastels but only grayish tones. Very nice and creative as usual.
Thanks, KC! That’s a cool way of thinking about it. 😀
I LOVED THIS!!! It was my personal fave of all the versions, the swirly hand drawn/painted effect is lovely but then the mono is just WOW.
(muttering I SHOULD have cropped my image tighter too)
Thanks, Stacey! 🙂
Nicely done and a nice crop for this edit.
Thank you, Lynne! 🙂
I really like the effect, adds a completely different spin on the image. It also feels slightly sculpted. Really nice work Nic.
Thanks, Ben! That’s the look I was going for, glad I achieved it. 🙂
Very different look, I like it.
Thanks, Mary! 🙂
Great editing job. I like your results. 🙂
Thanks so much, Cee! 😀
I like your version!
Thank you, Now at Home! 🙂