"The Better To See With" Corel Painter 11 - Plus

'59 Vette Close Up

From the Dream Cruise photographs I have this one of a close up of the headlights and grill of a '59 Vette. I opened through Picasa 3.9 with Corel Painter Photo Essentials 4 and auto painted. I first used the Watercolor Sketch but was not satisfied with it. So I selected the Illustration feature. I made no changes to the settings with the exception of stopping the auto paint before it made Ink lines on the image.

I saved that iteration and opened with Corel PhotoPaint. I tried the Local Equalization on it and it spoiled the entire effect! Thank goodness for the Undo tool. I decided I needed some texture on the image so I opened with Corel Painter 11. There I applied the Surface Texture Image Luminance. Saving that I went back to PhotoPaint and Filter Forge's Photo Effects Dreamy and applied a variant to slightly adjust the colors.

There I added my signature in white and saved that iteration. resampled to display size and saved again.

Listening --- Kirk Mathew Gatzka --- Like I've Never Been Refused

"Hot Rod Pickup at Night" Corel PSP Pro X3

Hot Rod Pickup at Night

This photograph was taken by my Son, Keir M. Gatzka Friday Night at the Woodward Dream Cruise 2012 in Metro Detroit, Michigan. He is learning how to use the Manual settings on our Canon Rebel XTi.

I did some post processing in Corel PSP Pro X3 to deepen the foreground. His photograph was blown out in the grill and headlight area. I used the Remove Digital Noise feature and also gave the depth using Brightness/Contrast Midtones/Shadows/Highlights.

It is a great night time image with the blown out street lamps and the dark blue sky.

This photograph is ©2012 by Keir M. Gatzka.

"Last in Series" - Custom Cars - 2011 Woodward Dream Cruise - PhotoPaint - Filter Forge

1936 Cadillac

Excalibur

Alleyway End of Day

Here is the "Last in Series" of my Custom Cars photographic display of the 2011 Woodward Dream Cruise in Pontiac, Michigan. I enhanced these photographs in PhotoPaint and used Filter Forge's plugins for Vibrance and film framing.

I have more photographs but I selected the best of them for enhancement and sharing with you on my blog. In PhotoPaint I applied the Local Equalization and Tone Curve tools for texture and depth. I used Filter Forge's Photo Effects for the Vibrant colors and their Frames for light film frames.

Listening --- Dishwalla --- Counting Blue Cars

High Contrast Custom Cars Images - PhotoPaint - PSP Pro X3 - Filter Forge

62-63 Custom Chevy

Red Roadster

Custom Chevrolet

I have so many good photographs from the Woodward Dream Cruise I have to share some. I applied my High Contrast workflow to these photographs displayed today. I used PhotoPaint, PSP Pro X3, and Filter Forge to create the images.

My workflow for these High Contrast images has been reiterated many times on this blog. I refer you to the Tag Cloud to click on High Contrast for other examples of this style.

I did use PSP Pro X3 for texture and framing with the film like frames, and added some grunge to the frames with Filter Forge's Photo Effects Grunge while in PhotoPaint.

I have large files of each and I resampled for display online, per usual.

Listening --- Led Zeppelin --- When the Levee Breaks

Custom Cars from the Woodward Dream Cruise - PhotoPaint - PSP Pro X3 - Filter Forge

Custom Hudson

Cobra Pipes

55 Chevy

Some additional photographs given the High Contrast treatment in PhotoPaint, framed in PSP Pro X3, and color punched in Filter Forge's Photo Effects Vibrance. These are more of my photographs from the Woodward Dream Cruise at the Pontiac, Michigan location of the Cruise.

I applied the Local Equalization and the Tone Curve for texture and depth in PhotoPaint. I also added the Vibrant coloring with Filter Forge's Photo Effects while in PhotoPaint. I experimented with the framing while in PSP Pro X3 and applied the Time Machine feature with Edges selected.

Listening --- Beth Orton --- Stolen Car

More 2011 Woodward Dream Cruise - PhotoPaint - PSP Pro X3

Golden GTO

Custom 57 Chevy

Bronze and Chrome

Short post today, busy times. I am sharing more High Contrast images from the Woodward Dream Cruise taken in Pontiac, Michigan. I used similar techniques on my photographs as I did for yesterday's post. PhotoPaint and PSP Pro X3 and Filter Forge's Photo Effects were used to create these images.

I used the same framing in PSP as I did yesterday to lend to some consistency in each of these related photographs. I have many to work on and will continue to share them as a series.

Listening --- Bob Seger --- Travelin Man

2011 Woodward Dream Cruise - Before the Crowds - Pontiac - PhotoPaint - PSP Pro X3

Downtown Pontiac

Number 2

Truck Lights - Grill

I took my Canon Rebel XTi to Pontiac, Michigan on Friday to get some Pre-Woodward Dream Cruise photographs of the town and vehicles already for the weekend. I was able to get over 100 photographs of various cars and trucks, custom and stock. Today I browsed my new folder in Picasa 3 and selected some photographs to enhance and show.

Opening with PhotoPaint I went for the High Contrast images I like so much (they remind me of good HDR photographs.) I applied the Local Equalization and the Tone Curve for contrast and depth. I used Filter Forge's Photo Effects Vibrancy on the street scene and the Truck Lights.

I saved the large files and opened with PSP Pro X3 and added a hatch-like texture, and framed each photograph with the same frame type for consistency.

I have more yet to share as I pick and chose from my selections, I have ample work to display for the next few blog entries.

Listening --- The Beach Boys --- Fun, Fun, Fun