Fantasy Black-chinned Hummingbird -Painting

[Gus Hallgren]

Hi Folks;

Photographed this Black-chinned Hummingbird at Madera Kubo B&B, Madera Canyon, AZ this week end.

First I opened it in CS5, first thing I do with every photo I open is to press Ctrl+J so I have opacity & Layer mask available. Then I opened Filter>Pixel Bender>Oil Painting and used Helen Bradley's default settings with small adjustments. Clicked OK and when displayed I clicked Layer Mask icon, (square with hole in middle), then pressed "D" for default color picker, black over white, Press "X" to reverse colors. I selected Black and painted over BG to reveal original. Saved it and opened in free FotoSketch to change BG. Minor PP with CS5

BTW: Under Filter>Render>Lightening was only available with 32 bit CS5, last update it was added to 64 bit.

CC's Welcome & always very much appreciated

Warm hugs

Gus

[Kerry Perkins]

Hi Gus, how cool to get this hummer and your painting is great as always. Super treatment and lovely background. I like the little border too.

[Paul Lagasi]

Way to go Gus, thanks for how to, lovely effect and framing...TFS

[denise ippolito]

Beautiful painterly look and the background looks like fine foil. I really like the colors and the composition , I wonder if a sliver off the right might look nice.

[Scott Vincent]

Hey Gus, this is beautiful. Great bird. Love the oil canvas look. You have some repeating elements around the edges, which you might be ok with.

[Julie Kenward]

Good golly, Gus! I do believe I'd put this in your "Top Ten" of all your hummingbird photos. The position of the bird and the detail is great but that BG - it blows me away!

There's a tiny dark "dot" in the painting right on the bird's belly. If you can evict that without messing everything up then I'd do it. It draws my eye being right there where his "belly button" would be...you know...if he actually HAD one!

[Brendan Dozier]

Great pose and compostion, Gus. Love the BG you created, nice work!