"Homeless Da Vinci - Textured" Corel

Da Vinci by Francesco Melzi

Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci; 15 April 1452 – 2 May 1519) was an Italian painter, sculptor, architect, musician, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, geologist, cartographer, botanist, and writer. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest polymaths of all time and perhaps the most diversely talented person ever to have lived. His genius, perhaps more than that of any other figure, epitomized the Renaissance humanist ideal.**

Homeless Da Vinci

My Homeless Da Vinci is from a photograph of a man of maturity from MorgueFile. I opened the photograph in Corel PSP Pro X3. There I applied the Threshold tool for a black and white image.

I had just received from StockVault Friday Free Textures a few colored paper textures. I opened them also in PSP Pro X3 and copy and pasted as new Layers on the black and white Portrait. I first used the greenish aqua colored one, adjusting Saturation Vibrancy and Curves for more color, I applied the layer property for Transparency, thus leaving the black and white to now reflect the greenish aqua and white image.

I used a Vintage colored texture and also added that with transparency properties. I then added my signature and merged all the layers to one background.  I adjusted with the Saturation and Curves again for an added boost to the overall piece. I added a partially Transparent Frame to it. I saved that large iteration.

Next I opened with Corel's PhotoPaint to resample the file size to display here and to compress (75) and smooth (33). I saved for display.

Da Vinci's Study of Man

Leonardo's work is very famous, this is one example of one that is frequently used in design and artworks. I had to censor it due to having a "G" Rated Blog. Please excuse that if you object. Remember I am highlighting the full piece and the wonderful symmetry of it's details. Some may object to not having censored it.

** http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonardo_da_Vinci

"Redhead with Flowers Textured" Paint.NET - Corel

Redhead with Flowers Textured

Another Portrait from MorgueFile and a Free Texture Friday from StockVault. I opened the Redhead with Flowers in Paint.NET as a layer. Then I searched for a recent Texture and found one I liked. I opened that also in Paint.NET and copied to the clipboard, pasting it as a new layer over the Portrait.

I adjusted the Texture trying differing layer properties and finally found one and I texture blended the layer with the photograph. I did some slight adjustments to the color with Curves. I also opened my signature file and copy - pasted as a layer to them.

I saved the large file after I merged all the layers. Then I opened with Corel PSP Pro X3 for adding Image Information and to resized for display. I did that and saved the image in a Medium iteration.

I'd like you to listen to some of my Singer Songwriter Alternative Folk/Rock on SoundCloud. At:

https://soundcloud.com/gatzka-music

The first song is the full version of my new single "Open Secret." Which is for sale on CDBaby. I invite you to have a listen and consider buying it.

Comments, Pluses and Shares on Google+ are welcome and any Tweets would be appreciated. Thank you!

"Boats and Skies" Corel

Boats and Skies

I received a photograph from StockVault's Freebies of this wonderful scene. I opened it in Corel Painter Photo Essentials 4 and watercolor sketch painted it. I used Intense colors to highlight the skies and reflections. I saved the large iteration and opened with Corel PSP Pro X3.

There I added my signature and a frame with Picture Frames. I used Image Information to add Title, my name, date and sources.

A very simple and straight forward way to create a acceptable Digital Watercolor.

Please Don't forget to listen and consider buying my new single, "Open Secret." Thanks for your kind attention!

"Now On Sale At CDBaby = Open Secret" - CDBaby

See shopping cart to your right ->

I've finally done it I have placed one of my Original Songs up for sale on CDBaby.com! Please see the shopping cart on the right hand side of this post.

I am quite excited to offer this song for sale. It is an intimate tune for those that are in a relationship without any secrets. It was once said that this song "has a honest quality to it." It isn't easy to be this open in any relationship, but communication is one of the most important parts of one.

Please consider buying this song. I am very proud to offer it as my First Single on CDBaby!

I thought that you might want to read the lyrics:

Open Secret ©2014 Kirk Mathew Gatzka

It's an open secret

It's a big idea

Nobody knows it better

Than you

It's an open secret

That I'm trying to endure

Nobody knows it better

Than you

Time to see clearly

When I'm being obscure

That you can freely

Read me

Something's are well known

Everything is not

But what's to disown

When nothin' is what you got

I've got to grow up

Time to take on what's tough

Even though I know it's rough

I think I've had enough

    

It's an open secret

It's a big idea

Nobody knows it better

Than you

It's an open secret

That I'm trying to endure

Nobody knows it better

Than you

  

It's an open secret

It's an open secret

It's an open secret

It's an open secret

It's an open secret

Thank you to all who have listened to it on SoundCloud, Now you can own your own copy! Click on the Cart to purchase at $0.99! Visit my CDBaby page Here

"Shy Guy" Corel

Shy Guy

I did today's portrait with a photograph from MorgueFile and Free Texture Friday from StockVault. I really like these photographs of ragged men. Their faces tell stories of a life filled with hardship, you can't help but sympathize with them.

I opened the photograph in Corel PhotoPaint, here I used the Threshold tool on it for white space. I adjusted it for a bit more white space as the lower portion of the image is full of deep colors.

I added the layer of a Gritty Texture, rotated to portrait and fit to the subject. I applied the property Multiply for transparency, allowing it to blend with the man's face.

I added my signature with a new copyright date, in white. Also I gave it a small black border for the top of the image as a finishing touch.

I am enjoying this series of portraits and hope you are as well. Faces and Eyes tell tales we cannot ignore. Love that, don't you?