Designing Decorative Lanterns Using Digital Photos
With image-based software like Adobe's Photoshop (TM), there are few limits to what you can do creatively using your digital photographs. Graphic artist Meg Ruggiero uses the program to alter and manipulate photo images to create design elements that she incorporates into decorative lanterns and shades. Subdued candlelight shining through the colorful photographic images -- printed on specialty art-papers -- makes for an eye-pleasing effect.
Ruggiero talks about her creative techniques with host Rick Sammon and takes him through the steps for making a floral-print lantern (figure A) from elements of a photo printed on fire-retardant paper. - The process begins with a close-up picture of a pink rose. The digital photo of the rose is opened using the image program Photoshop (figure B).
- Using Photoshop's "Lasso" tool, she traced and outlined the area of the image she wanted to use. This useful tool allows for a specific portion of the image to be cropped out and isolated. The selected portion can then duplicated over and over again to create a repeated-image pattern (figure C). The pattern is created using the "Marquis" tool, to paste the image over and over again into a blank field.
- Once Ruggiero has created a collage-type pattern to her liking, using the repeated rose image, she prints out the design on specialized art-paper that has fire-retardant properties.
- Two of the printed sheets are then rolled (figure D) and fastened with double-sided tape to fashion the completed shade (figure E). The shade is then used in conjunction with a candle of a height that will cause the flame to accentuate a desired portion of the image.
Safety Tip: Although these papers are fire-retardant, only candles in glass candleholders are used for illumination. The glass holder further guards against fire hazards.
Creating Watercolor Effects with Digital Photographs
Another of Ruggiero's techniques involves retouching printed photographs using a watercolor effect. She begins with a digital photograph in which the subject matter will lend itself well to a watercolor treatment. In our demonstration, she used an architectural cityscape shot in Venice, Italy (figure F).
The image is printed on special watercolor paper. Ruggiero then used actual watercolor paints to accentuate lines and highlight certain areas on the photograph. The watercolor paper allows her to paint directly onto the photo as if it were a canvas (figure G).
The end result is a photographic image that emulates the soft, muted qualities of a watercolor painting (figure H).
In Ruggiero's design work, the use of various specialized art-quality papers is key in achieving the unique creative effects that she desires.
RESOURCES :
Rick Sammon, professional photographer
Web site: www.ricksammon.com
Learn more about photography with Rick Sammon's new e-book on CD. More than 100 tips and photographs from Rick's travels around the world.
And check out Rick's column on Kodak's site:
Web site: www.kodak.com/US/en/corp/magazine/tips/2001_10
Rick Sammon
Croton-on-Hudson, NY 10520
Email: RickSammon@aol.com
Website: www.ricksammon.com
Special Thanks for DIY's Digital Photography workshop, episodes 101-105
Adobe Photoshop
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PC Photo magazine
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Kodak
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Epson America, Inc.
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Kinkos
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Ulead Cool 360
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The Digital Wallet
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The L.A. County Arboretum
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Adobe Photoshop
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PC Photo magazine
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Online version of the magazine devoted to digital photography and related technologies.
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