Painting Tutorial: Anna's Hummingbird

Hi Folks; Going to be away for awhile so thought I would post this painting with full workflow.
First I opened photo in free Fotosketcher (Just Google it, if you don't have it.)
Drawing parameters opens by default. If not, click color pallet icon)
Click down arrow on "Drawing Style." Click #6 Oil Painting under Painting Effects
Will open with Light Texture. Click "Draw" See if you like it. Often that will be it.
I like to at least look at Strong Texture, Select then Click "Draw". You Click "Draw"
after every change. To go back, select your previous choice, Click "Draw"
After deciding Texture I usually look at "Soft Edges", Darken/Lighten slider. Color Intensity & Brush Stroke Sliders. When satisfied I click Save Icon (Black rectangle.)

Open in CS5 or earlier.
Press Ctrl+J for layer copy (Can be handy for adjusting opacity}
Click Select>All>Edit>Stroke
Size> 42 px(or choice) Color >Dark Green from BG>Inside>Screen>Opacity 30% (Experiment>smaller %, lighter stroke). OK
Click Select>Deselect
For line inside stroke, press M (Rectangle Marquis) Drag it to come just under stroke, I left it 1/32" short on right side to show you effect (You might like complete all sides that way?)
Then Click>Edit>Stroke>Size 3px. Color>Pick maroon from bird> Center>Normal>Opacity 20%
OK Select>Deselect
Those were just what I used, the sky is the limit on what you may want;
Finally, add sig and you might try a little color experimenting, exposure, curves, levels in small does. I left it as is.

The reasn I showed one side of inside line slightly away from stroke is because if it was that way all around it would give you a embossed look, which I have used on my cards.

Have fun

Gus aka Mad Painter :2eyes2:

Original for painting.

Hi Folks;

Same bird, selected and changed background to gradient.

What do you think?

Gus :2eyes2:

Hey Gus,
Hope you sre going to be away for fun! Thanks for sharing the technique....and the end result turned out great!!! I will refer to this and try these myself!

Gus, I really like the first one. The embossed look is nice. I like the painterly look and the hummer is lovely.

Gus, excellent composition and I think this is the best in the series. I do like the OP with the bg texture. I also like posting on #3. The gradient bg on #3 makes the image pop. Thanks for sharing the wf.

Wonderful base image and I like both the OP and the 2nd version but I like the OP best, it's a very good technique. Thanks so much for the tutorial!!

My favorite one is the OP, but I like them both. I really appreciate the tutorial! Fotosketcher is one of my favorite programs, but that framing technique is new to me. I look forward to trying it out.

Gus,

I like them all! The OP is my fav though. The painterly feel to the image is wonderful. I love the birds flying position and blurred wings. Another beauty.

Hi Gus, really nice images all. I am going to add this thread to the workflow sticky. Thanks for sharing! :cool:

Excellent painting, Gus! I also like the version with the gradient BG. Thanks for sharing your workflow. :)