Pat Centeno
About the Image(s)
I thought I had bought AlienSkin SnapArt 6 months ago, but it was just a trial version. I did like it a lot, so now I own it and used it to work on a photo taken just a couple weekends ago in Blountville, TN. This was the national finals, so we saw professional-level racers. Of course, it rained a lot before the races began, so the mud was DEEP. I ended up with a lot of images that focused on the clods of mud flying toward us spectators and obliterating the racer. This one came out better, as I had 3 in the picture, so it shows it's a race. First, I motion-blurred the background in Photoshop, to remove background distractions and indicate speed. I kept the yellow posts that marked the course. Then I used SnapArt's Thick Oil Paint style to reflect the depth of the mud the racers were mired in at every turn. (Surprised they hardly had any spills or accidents!) I also warmed up the overall temperature to enhance the excitement. I experimented with the masking detail tool in SnapArt to make the helmets and numbers slightly less blurry.
This round’s discussion is now closed!
4 comments posted
1. the very effective blurring of the background. Not only does it eliminate a distraction but supports the speed of the racers.
2. The retention of significant detail in the bikes and riders.
3. The slight blurring at the back of the tires that enhance the sense of speed.
4. The thick paint is effective without being overpowering.   Posted: 07/09/2017 08:10:45
In addition, I love the texture of the paint that makes it appear richly colored... almost like crayon and acrylic. Great effect!   Posted: 07/10/2017 22:28:10