i-m-a-g-i-n-efx-august

In depth Experimental art
Simple vs complex areas
It helps to have some simpler areas in an image where the
viewer can breathe a little among the detail. If everything
is detailed, then nothing is detailed. Think of it like talking
without ever pausing to take a breath, or reading a solid
paragraph with no full stops. Simple areas let the more
complex areas shine. Always be aware of the play between
simplicity and complexity and use it to your advantage.
Experiment with new
tools and techniques
The Liquify tool was a new find that
enabled me to create a new aesthetic.
Always be curious about the medium
you’re using and experiment with its
possibilities – that’s half the fun!
resources
pHotoSHop
cuStom BruSHeS:
pencil
Brushes are a lot of fun,
but they’re only as good
as you are. So enjoy
experimenting with them
and keep working on the
fundamentals. The more
you understand, the
more fun you can have
with them. I sometimes
like to use this scatter
brush. It’s called Pencil
but that’s not at all how I
use it. Can you figure out
how and why I used it?
2
Making changes
To open up the scene I push the
back building way into the distance.
This gives the image a greater sense
of depth and scale, and enables me to
play with the design of the building
– I get to introduce this wall of glass,
adding another material contrast, and
the reflections also hint at the world
beyond. Instead of the blue plants,
I achieve the nice blue/green colour
harmony I wanted by means of the
sky peeking through the clouds.
3
Finding a balance
The balance of the image was
still bugging me. The woman at the
top of the stairs wasn’t working, so
instead I put some more interesting
architectural features in the area and
three figures walking down from the
museum, adding a sense of people
at various distances to solidify the
scale of the image. Also, having more
people walking around this big public
space felt more fitting and believable
than the previous solution.
August 2017
69