Digital Collage and Painting: Using Photoshop and Painter to Create Fine Art (Paperback)

by Susan Ruddick Bloom (Author) "Where does that kernel of inspiration come from?..." (more)
Key Phrases: chalk cloner, straight cloner, bristle oil cloner, Find Edges, Art History Brush, Impressionist Cloner (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"Using Painter and Photoshop, you'll discover ways to incorporate watercolors, pastels, oils, charcoals, and collage into your digital images." - PC Photo, Oct. 2006

"This is not a book for beginning Photoshop and Painter users; it does not give exact instruction on how to operate either program. This makes it perfect for those who are familiar with either program and want to strengthen their skills as digital artists. Inspiration can be obtained not only from rhe author's own images but the third chapter which showcases twenty-one digital artists...Bloom has made projects, with files available for download on a website, for those who want some practice with the information gained from this book." - Apogee Photo Magazine, August 2006

"Digital Collage and Painting is yet another reason why Focal Press have become one of my favorite publishing imprints. Excellent coverage of Photoshop and Painter. Contributing authors and their featured projects are well selected...The book is well written and researched and it provides a wealth of information which is both relevant and useful. The range of projects showcased and each artist's insights are something we can all benefit from. I thoroughly enjoyed the book. For anyone interested in digital painting or creating digital collages, this one is highly recommended." - Mario Georgiou, www.kickstartnews.com., Sept. 2006

"Digital Imaging and Painting Using Photoshop and Painter to Create Fine Art is a meaty read with a website to complement it." Advanced Photoshop Magazine, Sept 06

Book Description
The digital "alternative technique" book to help photographers take their imagery to the next level. Accompanied by a cool website.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 608 pages
• Publisher: Focal Press; 1 edition (June 16, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0240807057
• ISBN-13: 978-0240807058
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 7.4 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #59,127 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars excellent, but in some areas only, August 1, 2006

By	John Stevenson (Colorado Springs, CO U.S.A.) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Enthusiastically written and covering a comprehensive range of topics, ideas and projects, this is an engaging book. I found the structure to be interesting, with a lot of material intended to inspire the reader at the front (including twenty-one individual "chapterettes", each involving a single artwork project, from invited contributors). The only purely instructional chapter comes right at the end, offering more detailed insight into some of the key steps and procedures used throughout the balance of the tome. And, in total, a bulky tome this is - 583 pages and 3 pounds plus a little (to be almost exact). A lot of the material presented is very inventive; for example, I do not recall seeing any of the techniques used as the basis of the worked (and finely artistic) examples within the `Painting in Photoshop ...' chapter included within any other of the now growing number of contemporary photo-art texts. Collage is taken to include the building of panoramic photographs and a whole chapter is devoted to these. However, arguably the best software for actually doing such constructions - NHIS' PTgui - isn't included (presumably because it doesn't fall directly into the Photoshop or Painter bucket). It's a shame, I think, that the urge to put the names of the two super-heavyweight software packages on the cover of the book lead to exclusions like this .... Fo2PiX' ArtMasterPro application would have been very worthy of some coverage in this case also. There are a couple of other omissions which are really too obvious to go unremarked. First, there's almost no material in the book on portraiture - for example, just two of those "chapterettes" involve using and developing full-facial images, while a large proportion of the author's own fine art work involves just landscape and still life subject matter. Secondly, there are some clear encouragements given at the outset (that is; within Chapter 1, titled `Concept') on pre- and post-visualization of the fine art. Post-visualization almost always needs to include some planning on a target size for the output/finished printed work. Again, a few of the "chapterettes" include some details on this, but it is a topic which remains pretty much absent from the remainder of the text. Overall, the careful reader will undoubtedly find a whole slew of new ideas from within this worthy book; but, may have to work independently - and/or pioneeringly - to execute some of them in detail.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Digital Collage and Painting: Using Photoshop and Painter to Create Fine Art, November 24, 2006

By	Beverly S. Roveto "Suni" (CT, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book was like reading a great novel, I couldn't put it down! The inspiration was excellent. The incorrect assumption of some that "digital" means "computer generated" is debunked in this excellent work which has lots of beautiful examples of many kinds of digital art (not just collage). There are lots of step by step tutorials that are helpful and tips for using the tools of PS and Painter to their best advantage.

It is not a beginners book however as Bloom assumes that the reader is familiar with PS and Painter. Still this might be the work that makes one REALLY want to do the work needed to become proficient in these programs.

Loved it more than any other work on this subject and I already have a shelf full!!!

Suni R

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great book for learning new techniques and skills, August 26, 2006

By	Alberto Rodriguez (Mayaguez, Puerto Rico) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is a great book for the curious and creative artist who wants to use Photoshop and Painter as their tools for expression. The author provides plenty of information, step-by-step instructions and illustrations to help the reader go through the process and create his/her images. The book is not an introduction to basic Photoshop or Painter. The book is for the artist who wants to improve his techniques and learn new skills using these programs. You can practice, and apply the new skills and I'm sure that you will notice immediately the improvement on your technical skills.

The chapters on Collage are excellent and the author provides a step-by-step guide in the creative process of a diversity of images. She inspires you to use the newly learned techniques to create stunning collages. The chapter devoted to creating panoramic images is superb. You will enjoy this chapter because you can use any digital camera to create great panoramas and you don't need to invest in expensive equipment.

You will love the chapter on filters; you can practice and create new versions of some of your favorite old images. The chapter on Essential Photoshop and Painter techniques is a must for everyone who wants to be proficient with the tools of both programs. This chapter has a step-by-step approach to the method and you'll have plenty of illustrations and instructions to learn how to master the tools. The book provides five projects for you to practice some of your newly acquired skills. I'm sure that this book will help you find inspiration and will motivate you to go out and create great images with this wonderful programs. This book is a must in the library of every photographer and artists who uses digital technology.