Into the sunset

[Nancy Bell]

I did a lot of experimenting with this image and ended up using several layers of fractalius on both the base image and the individually transplanted cranes. The border is a composite of borders from NIK Effex Pro. Then a final layer of NIK bicolor. I had absolutely no idea how to incorporate a red chop in this image , so I added the chinese symbol for crane. I spent a lot of time searching for chinese symbols and only found a limited group that had translations and I could download so this was a default choice. Does someone have a free website they like?

The cranes are from Bosque del Apache and the sunset is a deeply saturated and hazy image from Thailand. Once I started to play with the image and that sunset/eye emerged I wanted to make it into something. I sort of feel like this is Abstract meets Asian art.

[John Storjohann]

Nancy, I love the texture on the brilliant orange background...I love the silhouetted cranes with the depth the texture adds...but for some reason the sun throws me a bit..I might deepen/darken the colors in the sun somewhat...just thinking out loud...I like the image a lot overall!

[Nancy Bell]

John, you are so right about the sun. Here is a repost. I cloned some of the bkgd into the distracting center and toned down the entire sun.

[Judy Howle]

Very creative, Nancy! I love the background and the edge works well. I'm an edge kinda gal! The cranes look good and go well with the background. The sunset does look better in the toned down version.

[Dan Brown]

Nicely balanced image, Nancy! I like both posts. The sun in the first post looks like a giant eye to me! As for adding a chop, you could place a small, red chop below the calligraphy but this is fine. I do not know of a website for translated calligraphy. What I have done in the past, is download Asian fonts (Dafonts.com, I think?) and install them in my font folder. They are English letters in Asian style. Then use them to make chops and/or as Asian style English lettering. BE VERY CAREFUL WHEN DOWNLOADING THE FONTS, MY VIRUS SCANNER DETECTED A VIRUS FROM THAT SITE!! A trusted site for translated Kanji would be nice!

[Cheryl Slechta]

Nancy, a beautiful composition with great colors and textures. I think I prefer the 2nd post but I like them both. And the kanji looks nice. Did you download it or copy it? I have been drawing mine freehand on a transparent layer (which is why they don't look great).

[Mitch Carucci]

The gentleness of the cranes, contrasted with the surprise of the sun/eye creates a strong image for me. somewhat disturbing, but also challenging.

[denise ippolito]

Nancy, I thought the sun was an eyeball! I love the first one and I think it is unique and creative!

[Nancy Bell]

Thank you all! Some prefer image #1 and some image #2. I seem to bounce back and forth, myself. Adding abstract elements, i.e. the eyeball sun, is pushing my comfort zone!

I found kanji symbols at www.thejapaneseconnection.com. After I download them I add them to my brush presets in PS, as per Dan's earlier advice.