Computer
Manipulation
Some simple understanding of software such as Photoshop
or Photoshop Elements will make it possible to achieve the
results you want. For example, changing a color photo to
black-and-white gives you more control over the way the
image looks in your final painting. To add color you can
use paint, colored pencils, or crayons before or after you
attach it. Often a photograph needs adjusting for bright-
ness or contrast, depending on how it is going to be used
in your painting. The sliders in Photoshop are easy to use.
Remember, you are not trying to become a professional
photographer; you are merely adjusting images to suit
your painting needs. There's a world of difference. If you'd
prefer sepia over black-and-white, open the Adjustments
menu and click on Hue/Saturation to open the box with the
sliders. At the bottom right of the box, check the Colorize
box and move the hue slider until you see the tone that
you want. You may also need to move the saturation slider
to the left to make the tone more subtle.
If you want to go a step further, special filters and effects
can be applied in Photoshop Elements to make a photo
look like a drawing, a poster, even a cartoon, all with the
click of a mouse.
~hen you must photograph some-
thing in its natural environment,
make sure your cow, tree, or what·
ever it may be, is against a plain
background. This may mean waiting
until the cow has moved or changing
your position. An isolated tree on
top of a hill makes a good subject. A
thistle can be isolated from the rest
of the bunch, if you get down low
enough to shoot it against the sky,
or carry a large white card with you
and place it behind the subject.