Creative Team Call at DSAG

Well, I just finished posting all of my layouts for the Creative Team call at Digitial Scrapbook Artisans Guild. It was an amazing experience, and a lot of work. I loved the challenge though, and I think I really learned a lot about what I can do.







So, I have a ton of work to do before tomorrow, I have to finish a brochure and get it to the printer by tomorrow evening. Better get cracking I guess.

Sophia's Dance school participated in the Akron Art Expo this summer, which is a fabulous opportunity for them. The school was bought this year by Jennifer, from Terri Martell after 25 years. I know we'll all miss Terri after so many years, but her life has taken her to New York, where her heart has been for some time. Sophia will be taking Jazz and Tap this year and I know she loves ballet, but has decided to take a break from it, much to Jennifer's dismay. But, she wants to do pointe one day, and I know she'll return soon.

I did this Layout of Abbie, her dance instructor, from photos I took at the Art Expo. I love the way it came out, and I think I'll try a few more using these blending techniques. You do have to have the right photo for it though, since I've tried it on a few photos and it didn't really work.

Photoshop directions:
open photo
duplicate the photo later 2 times
on the layer right above the original
to linear light at anywhere from 40 to 50 % opacity
on the 2nd layer up do hard light at about 50% or so
its kinda edge but not grungy or extreme

I duplicated the photo 5 times
on the layer immediately above the original Linear Light 60% (name it Linear Light)
on the layer above that Hard Light 40% (name it Hard Light)
on the layer above that Screen 40% (name it Screen)
on the final layer Multiply 66.7% Gaussain Blur, then lower opacity to 52% (name it Multiply)

then I grabbed the corner of the last two layers at the top right and enlarged it to pull the layers away from the rest to give the background echo of the image.

Merging the layers is tricky. You have to merge the next to bottom layer first with the original layer, then the next bottom with that and so on, but DO NOT merge the screen layer. When you get to the scrren layer, you MUST use the clipping mask to clip it the layer below it. Then merge it. The last layer can then be merged down. If you don't do this, the whole effect disappears.

I used the lasso tool with about a 8 feather around her face and raised the curve to lighten and illuminate her face more, then applied an RGB channel layer to heighten the contrast a little on the second to top layer.

Then I tweak whatever else I want.

Seem like a lot of work?? Yeah, so I created an action and now I just push one button!!

Flourish a Graphical Overlay Pack - Christine Haskell
Far East - Lisa Dozier
Digital Tears - Kim Liddiard
Pinot Noir - Lauren Bavin

Fonts: Lucinda Grande; GF Ordner Normal