What a transformation...

27.05.2012

* If you click on an image, you can flick back and fourth between the before and after to see the changes I made!

I LOVE retouching photos, not because I'm not happy with how I look (if I was I wouldn't have the original photo there, but because I love seeing how I can transform just ordinary photos into something that is extraordinary and looks like it was shot in a studio. I also learnt today that changing eyebrows can alter someones entire appearance ha!

Here are some tips if you are looking at doing some retouching of your own:
A tablet is always great
You have so much more control over pen stroke if you use a tablet - for areas such as eyelashes, adding makeup or eyebrow hairs as I have done.

Avoid the plastic look
If you want your photos to look natural and realistic, you need to leave texture in the skin, otherwise the model will just look really plastic! If you are masking the area, just reduce the opacity! For this image I just used the patch tool and healing brush until I was happy!

Overlay
Overlay is fantastic for additions like makeup. When you add lipstick on it is just thick block colour, but when you change the blend mode to overlay the texture of the lips come through, so you can have a vibrant colour and still have lip texture!

I'm not a photoshop pro, but If you have any questions I'd love to help!

Speedpainting...

19 . 05 . 2012


 


Here is a sped up video of a recent drawing I did on my bamboo tablet! It took an hour to draw, and it has been sped up to 4 minutes! This is my second drawing done on a tablet and I'm still trying to get used to it! But its awesome to be able to watch my drawing progress! Hope you enjoy :)

Mums the word...

13.05.2012

Happy Mothers Day to all the lovely Mums out there, and also the ones that are unfortunately not with us today!

Here are two miracle stories about my most two favourite women, who without them, I would not be alive today:

Mum

18 years ago, Mum was diagnosed with 4^th grade breast cancer, the worst kind, the kind you aren’t supposed to survive. In general, women who have advanced breast cancer such as this live approximately 18 months after diagnosis. The survival rate for a woman who was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancers over a span of 5 years is about 16 to 20%. I was only 3 and my brother was 1, and the saddest thing is, that if she had passed away then we would not have remembered her at all. She knew she had to fight the cancer it for her children, and that’s exactly what she did. Months and months of chemo therapy, radiation, whilst still going to work! The odds were slim but she survived 5 years, 10 years, 15 years, she still isn't cured because It can always come back. It is an absolute miracle that she is alive today, and 18 years later! I thank God every day that she is still alive, I don’t know where I’d be or what I’d do without her.

 Nanny

5 years ago Nanny was diagnosed with lung fibrosis, which is a serious medical condition that involves scarring of the lung tissue, reducing the ability to breathe. There is no known cure for the disease and it is fatal within 3 – 5 years of diagnosis. Nanny is on oxygen and gets breathless easy, she can’t get out of bed. She is so incredibly strong willed, when she was first diagnosed, we were told she had a year to live, it’s been 4 years and she is still battling away. Every Christmas she says it will be her last, (although she has been saying that since she was 70, and now she is 86!! I think we will get one more. ) She's such a fighter, nothing can defeat her!

One day I hope I can be just as half as strong as these inspiring women. I am so incredibly lucky that’s they are still alive, I am truly blessed! Words cannot even describe. My Nanny and Mum mean the world to me! 

Don't take Mum's for granted, you don't know long you will have them! 

May the fourth...

04.05.12

May the 4th is considered National Star Wars Day due to the popular phrase 'May the Force be with you.'
For the Star Wars fans out there, I decided to join in on this momentous day and design a poster.

Having never seen a Star Wars movie, I think today might be the day.....