I had seen a couple people taking advantage of a trial offer from SnapArt and thought I'd check it out too. One of the best things about processing a photo into an artsy effect is that all the imperfections get glossed over- so that thumbprint on the lens that I didn't see when I took this shot has completely disappeared! I have to say I like the effects that SnapArt offers, but when the trial is up, the program is quite pricey and I won't be buying it. Thankfully, most of the effects here can be duplicated on BeFunky which is free!
The best part about this kind of processing is that it turns me into the artist I always wanted to be (that is a painter- I know I'm artistic for those of you who are about to protest), but never really had the ability to become.
Both your Snapart edits are fabulous Ann. I am a great fan of the artistic styles, but my problem is that I always seem to select the wrong image for the corresponding style. You have chosen superb examples. fave!
@edie Thank you Edie! Yes, I think this one is the Oil Painting effect. To be honest some of them don't seem to have much of a difference! @ltodd Thank you Lyn and thank you so much for the fav! I think my selection has a lot to do with all those years as a Fine Arts major in undergrad studies. I see a shot and it reminds me of an art era and then I go in that direction. Of course the Impressionists were my favorites (particularly Renoir) so I seem to land on them more than any other.
@espyetta Thank you Marybeth! Yes, after seeing a couple people using it, I thought I'd check it out. But it's expensive and doesn't seem to have as much to offer as compared to BeFunky which is free! And thanks so much for the fav!
@olivetreeann ha ha - I have no hope then... with no artistic talent & no formal education in the area...I'll just have to learn from watching your choices.. :)
@ltodd I agree Lyn, it doesn't work on all photos and some it makes look really messy! @olivetreeann I think you have artistic in your bones, as we can see from your photos! Photography is a creative art too I believe.
@kerristephens Thank you Kerri! @ltodd Thank you Lyn- I am flattered by your faith in me! Actually, I'd also recommend picking up an Art history book- nothing fancy just something in general and just looking at some of the photos from time to time. Many artists were also masters of light and shadow, much like great photographers so there's a lot you can learn by just looking at their work. Composition is also another aspect of painting and photography that is shared by the two disciplines. So, you can learn a lot by just studying a painting and then translating it to your camera. @summerfield Thank you Vikki! Off to dreamland with you then!
@salza@dibzgreasley Thank you Sally and Debs. I absolutely agree with you both and qualified my statement above by saying I was just not good at formal painting. But I do know I'm artistic. While in high school my artistic endeavors leant themselves to the areas of weaving and natural dyes and pottery- hand built as opposed to the potter's wheel. In college I dabbled with a number of things but ended up with the more academic aspects of art as opposed to the applied arts. Once in high school a student teacher offered a brief course in black and white photography. And although I liked it, I didn't have enough time with it to realize it could be the artistic avenue of expression that I would really enjoy. So it wasn't until MANY!!! years later that I took it up as a form of expression for myself and an artistic one at that. Oh well! But, not to worry- I know I'm artistic. My meaning was just that I could never be a Renoir with a paint brush and paint, but I can be with my camera and a good processing program shoot a picture and make it look like Renoir painted it!
@jackie8 Thank you Jackie and thank you so much for the fav!!
Since visiting the Rijksmuseum in the 80's, I have been fascinated by light in art - The Australian art I most like is by Von Guerard http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugene_von_Guerard and Glover. My artistic endeavours do include many years dress designing & sewing and even decorating cakes - and after trying to understand photography more seriously, I understood the strong similarities, even with cooking - in all of these endeavours (and art in general) there is a need for balance in texture, light and shade,and an overall 'concept' or journey. I can't draw or paint and so I guess my fine motor skills are not my best assets!! Left-side // Right-side brain. :)
@olivetreeann Ann I have really enjoyed reading what you have shared here, there is a lot of food for thought. Your links between different forms of art are very insightful. What I find interesting is that I too am considered artistic and creative by my family, but have never had any formal training apart from some City and Guilds courses in photography in my mid 30s. It makes me wonder how that creative streak hangs on in there when it isn't really nourished / nurtured when i was young. I think this is the same for many folk who find their creativity or artistic side comes out in decorating, sewing and for many of us, photography and digital art.
Great discussion, thank you.
Nice shot, Ann. I love the painting effect. I used to paint a long time ago. I do draw a bit but haven't in a while so I am glad I have photographs for my new outlet of art. You take such lovely photos and add great effects.
@ltodd As I read your final comments I recalled a conversation I had with a teacher once. People are different (you can say that again!) and they learn differently. Some are more visual and others more verbal. My own thoughts are that visual learners are probably more "academic" in their creativity- that is more in the direction of the fine arts. But verbal learners are more hands-on. To me cake decorating, sewing, pottery are more tactile. What I find interesting with photography is that although the technical side of picture taking might be considered more "academic", the actual photo may lean more towards the tactile. Although the viewer is looking at something 2D, the light, color, composition, and more give the impression of something that is 3D- even invites the viewer to "touch it" or "fee" the shot. It's really quite fascinating- the psychology of art. I also think that all people are creative. From the perspective of my world view, we are created that way. Not all of us end up in the arts, but I am convinced there is just as much creativity in science as there is in ecology, as there is in economics, as there is in sculpture, and so on. But not every one taps into that creativity, which is why we tend to think that we "left our creativity in our child hood. So perhaps you did not lose that creativity- you just misplaced it for a while!
@ltodd@dibzgreasley I just realized I blended the response to both of your comments in my note to Lyn above! Well, it is past midnight here and I am a little bit tired! I think I shall stop now and come back to comment tomorrow when I'm a bit more coherent!
@ltodd Thank you Lyn and thank you so much for the fav! I think my selection has a lot to do with all those years as a Fine Arts major in undergrad studies. I see a shot and it reminds me of an art era and then I go in that direction. Of course the Impressionists were my favorites (particularly Renoir) so I seem to land on them more than any other.
@olivetreeann I think you have artistic in your bones, as we can see from your photos! Photography is a creative art too I believe.
@wenbow Thank you Wendy!
@ltodd Thank you Lyn- I am flattered by your faith in me! Actually, I'd also recommend picking up an Art history book- nothing fancy just something in general and just looking at some of the photos from time to time. Many artists were also masters of light and shadow, much like great photographers so there's a lot you can learn by just looking at their work. Composition is also another aspect of painting and photography that is shared by the two disciplines. So, you can learn a lot by just studying a painting and then translating it to your camera.
@summerfield Thank you Vikki! Off to dreamland with you then!
@jackie8 Thank you Jackie and thank you so much for the fav!!
Great discussion, thank you.
@jesperani Thank you Jennifer and thanks so much for the fav@