Artist Challenge - James Abbott Whistler  by farmreporter

Artist Challenge - James Abbott Whistler

This is my attempt to replicate James Abbott Whistler’s self-portrait titled “Brown and Gold”. It is an oil on canvas painted between 1895 – 1900.

The link to the painting I chose is here:
http://www.jamesabbottmcneillwhistler.org/Brown-And-Gold.html
That is very good.
January 18th, 2018  
excellent! i thought there's just a few entries and i won't have a hard time choosing the top five. not the case anymore! although i wish there would be a few more last minute entries. aces on this, wendy. aces!
January 18th, 2018  
I love the dark choices you made in this.
January 18th, 2018  
@francoise @summerfield
I goofed here and am trying to figure out how to fix it. In the original, the background is supposed to be a green-gold colour that really blends nicely with the brown coat. I could have used a lighter background but goofed when I saw the painting and thought it was brown.
Unfortunately, have never worked with layers and am trying to figure out how to make the background gold with my PSE 14. Watched some Youtube tutorials and they make it look easy (but I am a techno-ludite) and cannot get it.
Will upload the better one if I can get it to work. In the meantime - any ideas on how to do this easily?
In the meantime
January 18th, 2018  
don't look at me. i'm dumber when it comes to things like those! i can't even make a circle with that elliptical marquee!
January 18th, 2018  
@summerfield
Well - my hats off to you now knowing that all your amazing shots are done basically in camera!
I will get this yet - I figured out how to make a mask layer and now just need to figure out how to merge the two of them together!
January 18th, 2018  
in my tablet and comp here in the office, the picture is very dark and the figure is barely discernible. however, when i viewed this from my laptop last night, it was fine and i even changed the angle of my monitor to see if it changes. but it was fine. but if you have a way to lighten it to separate the subject from the background, it would be better. thanks, wendy.
January 18th, 2018  
Very good!
January 19th, 2018  
@overalvandaan
Thank you for looking at both and commenting. No matter what - this challenge is definitely a learning experience with both versions!
First one taught me to pay more attention to the background because it is easier to get it right the first time rather than fix it later.
The second one is my first attempt at using layers. Now I know how to do that!
I do appreciate your comments - so encouraging to have your support after spending way too much time on this (but the time was wasted though)
January 19th, 2018  
@overalvandaan
So sorry - I meant to say that the time was NOT wasted ... time spent learning something new is never wasted!!
January 19th, 2018  
I so love the mystery of this image. I don't know anything about layering but I love the effect you have achieved. Well done in my books. FAV
January 24th, 2018  
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