Before
Digital Painting (below):
Notice the added green and pink skin tones, the skin smoothing, the softening of edges in the hair, face and dress.
In addition, notice facial features were improved, hairline was darkened, hair was added, removal of bra strap, soft painterly background, removed distracting background elements etc…
Digital Painting – the Subtle Look (closeup)
Digital Painting – the Painterly Look
Before digital painting – original resource photo
Digital Painting by Mark Lovett
The Process
Image Capture
Capture an amazing image in the camera. It must be a very flattering, natural image of the person with a beautiful background. After all the hard work of capturing amazing images in the photo session, we spend many more hours processing the image.
We begin by culling through, and carefully inspecting all the images from the photo session on a large screen, rejecting any that don’t meet our standards, and eventually choose a broad selection of hand-picked images representing only the best from the session.
Original Image out of camera
Standard Image Processing
After the image has been chosen. Most often images coming straight out of the camera are too cool or warm and need color adjustment. We go through each image making all necessary color corrections to enhance natural looking skin tones.
In addition to color correction, most images need an exposure adjustment. Each image is carefully lightened or darkened to bring out the best in the image.
As a result of all the hard work of capturing great images, and all the hours of image processing work done after every session, you are presented with only the finest top quality professional images.
Below represents our standard high quality image processing…… after culling, cropping, color correction and white balance work.
Before Digital Painting – Standard Processing
Digital Painting
After carefully reviewing your images, there will be some that are very dear to your heart, and deserving of special attention. Perhaps you will use them on Social Media or your website, or maybe even have these images professionaly printed and decorate your home and office with them. You may even want them printed very large as wall art.
For these extra special images, Mark uses his keen artistic eye and professional portrait painting background, combined this with his extensive Photoshop and computer software skills, to create a beautiful digital work of art.
Mark carefully examines each image, and determines what is necessary to create a beautiful digital image. For portraits, this typically includes complexion enhancement, smoothing of the skin, pimple removal, minimizing wrinkles and bags under the eyes, all done in a tasteful, artistic manner so you look your best.
Any distracting elements in the image may be removed or minimized. Lighting and contrast adjustments may be applied to certain areas of the image.
Backgrounds may be enhanced, softened and given a painterly feel. All elements are considered and may be tweaked to create a gorgeous digital art image worthy to hang in prominent place on the wall of your favorite room!
Mark uses no magical software to create his digital paintings, but rather does everything by hand. It typically takes him many hours to complete a unique, one of a kind, digital work of art. Two styles of digital paintings are shown below. The top digital painting is more subtle. The bottom digital is more painterly. Which digital painting style is used depends on which style looks best for your image, and which style you prefer.
When you see the digital painting in a large size displayed on your wall, professionally giclee printed on canvas, perhaps 20″ to 30″ wide, unframed or framed, you will be blown away! This tiny 6″ image that you are looking at here only conveys a small fraction of the beauty. The quality of our giclee prints on canvas compare favorably with a gorgeous original oil painting.
One of the benefits of purchasing a one-of-a-kind digital painting is that you can order any size or crop that you prefer. It’s easy to create the right size for that perfect wall display.
Perhaps you need to schedule a photo session now, or maybe you have already had your photo session and would like a digital painting created from one of your favorite images from that session. In either case, for more information give us a call at 301-873-4701.
Digital Painting – the Subtle Look
Digital Painting – the Painterly Look
Sometimes I enjoy a more painterly look as shown above. I added brush strokes in various shades and color to the fabrics, and add more color intensity and variations to abstract the background. Also warmed and smoothed the skin too!
I’m a professional figurative oil painter who is often commissioned by clients to paint figures and portraits on linen canvas. You can see my work at Mark Lovett Studio. I was recently commissioned by a client to paint a reproduction of the Mona Lisa, so I wrote an interesting article, the Mona Lisa Project, about the Mona Lisa, Leonardo da Vinci, and the process. The article contains published pictures of my work and the process is described along the way.
by Mark Lovett
Gaithersburg, MD