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Thursday, March 7, 2013

This Is One Crazy Chicken!

Bonnie's challenge this week for Photo Art Friday was to do an abstract image and I had a lot of fun playing with a photo of a chicken that I shot back in the summer.  Happily I can say that I also learned something new in Photoshop Elements while doing it!

Mouse over photo to see the 'before' image.

The first step was to extend the area to the left of the chicken so that I'd have enough room for the text so I copied the left part of the image and flipped it horizontally before using the clone stamp to draw in the extra parts of the chicken wire to create the three triangular 'thingies'.  I then played around with the blend mode so that I could change up the colours to make it a more fun, graphic image.  Unfortunately, I did so many things to the image, in a trial and error sort of way, that I don't know everything that I actually ended up doing.  Suffice it to say I had a lot of fun playing.

I drew in some extra 'hair' to augment the already funky head feathers that she had, and then I found a woman's face on the Internet by doing a Google search for 'blue eye'.  This is where I learned something new.  When I used the elliptical marquee tool, I discovered that you can click on a box that says 'refine edge' and the dialogue box to the right opens up.  From there I was able to feather the edge and adjust the edge detection so that it actually selected a more precise shape around the eye than what I had originally captured with the elliptical marquee tool.  In the 'output to:" section I could choose to make the eye selection a new layer and then I just had to move it into place.

Once she had that funky hair and her new and improved eye, I just had to give her a nose job too!  I found a clip art nose, which I had to flip horizontally so that it was pointing in the right direction.  The next step was to pop in Bonnie's PDPA Faded Fresco texture.  I decided to move it into the background and use it as a frame.  I rotated the chicken image slightly and then used the eraser tool to remove some of the image along the outer edges so that it wasn't such a stark square and it fit better into the 'frame' in Bonnie's texture.

I said a few weeks ago that abstracts are not my thing, but I had a lot of fun with this!  The best part was not having any preconceived notions when I started.  One thing just led to the next and the further I got into it, the sillier it became.

30 comments:

  1. Linda, Just love your chicken! Your digitally altered photo was so much fun to hear about. We have a "Funky Chicken Farm" down the street with several different types of chickens. They would love what you have done. One breed has colored eggs and I can see those eggs in your photo. LOL! I am not into abstract and my trials have not been to my liking. Must try with a altered photo. Thanks for keeping me thinking and playing with art.

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    1. Thanks Ruthanne. I had a lot of fun creating this silly image.

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  2. That crazy looking chicken is a gem! What a great piece you created. One would never be able to tell that abstracts are "not your thing". I like that they give you complete free reign to try anything and everything. Truly, no rules!!
    :)

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    1. Thanks. I'm starting to figure out that 'abstract' for me is just license to be silly and have fun. So maybe it could be 'my thing'. LOL

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  3. Thanks for joining the party at pret-a-vivre Linda. You are very talented, I love the neon color hair of your chicken :)
    I have to learn photo art one of these days, you seem to have way to much fun :)

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    1. Thank you. Yes, I do have a lot of fun with my photos.

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  4. This is great! You're always so playful and creative with your work!

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    1. Thanks. I do seem to let my silly side out with they challenges.

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  5. I absolutely love this! the colours the subject and the thingies are wonderful. What fun you had abstracts are definitely your thing.

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    1. Thanks Miriam. I am discovering that I do like to have some truly silly fun now and then. This was a great way to pass a couple of hours just goofing around!

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  6. Linda, you just provided me with the perfect beginning to the weekend! Unfortunately, the workday isn't quite finished yet... but that's just too bad, 'cause this'll keep me breaking out in giggling fits for the rest of the day!

    Thank you... :)

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    1. Thanks Anna. I'm so glad that this gave you a good giggle. To quote Reader's Digest...'laugher is the best medicine!' Have a wonderful weekend!

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  7. Wow, you are always on top of things! You have amazing inspiration to come up with such cute things on a daily basis! Just love your chicken!

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    1. Thanks Juliana. My goal to health and happiness is 'art every day' so this is just a great way to exercise my creative side and have fun doing it. Have a great weekend!

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  8. Love your chicken - what a great job you did!! I recently did a small art quilt with chickens - I called it Yellow Tree With Chickens. It's pretty silly too. :o)

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    1. Thanks Jean. Your quilt sound like a lot of fun. I'm convinced this silliness keeps us young...or at least it keeps us silly...

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  9. you are such an inspiration, Linda!! I really feel how much fun you had making this, trying things out, seeing what happened if this and when that.

    I love the goofiness of this, too, as I sometimes think I try to BE too much colouring within the lines. I've rarely used though often tried some of the "geekier" doodling effects. you've given me just the nudge to try incorporating them sometimes. so thank you for that!!

    I think the thing about real and abstract is that they are much more the same than they are different. I think if I worry too much about BEing one or the other solely, I end up with a headache and my eyes crossing exhaustedly.

    when I just go and play and see what happens if and when, I am always so much happier. and what else I am noticing is that I am starting to know more about what this or that "tweak" can DO, so there is definitely learning happening even though I am usually always just playing.

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    1. Thanks Currie! It's so true that sometimes you just have to let go and see what happens and like you say, there ends up being some learning along the way. I find I learn more doing this sort of thing because I start exploring parts of the software I haven't used before.

      Take care my friend! Hugs!

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  10. That's what I call "A chicken"
    I enjoyed it.
    Best whishes.
    Mormor Norway.

    http://www.starbear.no/mormor/2013/03/08/photo-art-friday-march-8th-9th/

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    1. Thanks Anne. He's quite the character and he's got attitude!

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  11. Well now, this is just fabulous! This is a keeper piece of art, and would look great on a wall.

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    1. Thanks Edna. I thought it would be fun in a kids room or a rec. room!

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  12. Super funky and fun! What a creative piece this is.

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    1. Thanks Ida. I did have fun with the silly guy!

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  13. I do like abstracts, I'm just not great at creating them - you did a great job with this - made me smile too!

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    1. Thanks Kim. Glad I could provide a smile. Have a great weekend.

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  14. What a marvellous piece of work, Linda - awesome if I may say!

    I have PSE too but unfortunately I broke it. But my old program PSP works and it looks like it.

    Thanks for sharing

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  15. That is one FUNky chicken! So creative.

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