Studio Brief 2 - Initial Brief (Photoshop)

TASK: Five visual images adding colour on photoshop using textures and tools - use your own textures to avoid copyright.

A photograph of my original sketch using black fine liner pen on A5 paper, from my sketchbook. 

After photographing it and uploading it to Photoshop I used the crop tool to cut out the information I didn't need.

Here I have used the Threshold tool to increase contrast and remove most of the grey and coloured tones from the photograph. I also added a layer and locked the black and white square mesh which enabled me to create the Union Jack background. I used the Magnetic Selection tool to outline around the windows and details of the building to get as accurate coverage as possible. I then used the paintbrush tool to paint in the cross. I chose this image instead of standard brickwork as the Union Jack was used by The Sex Pistols ironically to represent non-conformity and anarchy in the UK; they embraced the flag to remind everyone of their hate for the monarchy and what it stood for. I chose to use purple/orange tones purely to take a twist on the Union Jack to represent the punks adoption of it.

I then used the Magnetic Selection tool again to add a hint of colour to the faces for skin tone, I could have done this more thoroughly and accurately however I just wanted to practice using this tool so I left it reasonably simple with just a hint of pink. (Below) I have used the same tool to add the rest of the skin tones.

I added grey tones for the road and pavement and warm orange/yellow tones for the car light using the Magnetic Selection tool and then the Paint Brush tool. I chose to keep the road plain and bleak, this juxtaposes the looming flag and the small car light which is meant to resemble life; I think one point of the punk movement was to show that there was life, and that their was colour and fire refusing to be stifled by the bleak grey of everyday rules of authority and conformity. 

Above is my image with the policeman's uniform added. After adding the rest of the skin tones,car light and the pavement using the Magnetic Selection tool, I then learnt how to use the FX Multiply tool which was definitely a time saver especially within this detailed sketch. I wanted to keep the original pen work but add colour to the image and the Multiply tool does just that. I added a range of blues, greys and whites to the policeman's' outfit; unsure of what was most effective.

Still unsure about the policeman's outfit I used the Multiply and Paintbrush tools again to add some more colours, mainly grey and brown tones. I also added these to the building to add depth; however I am not sure that this worked very well as it looks slightly like smudges on the piece. I also added colour to the clothing and hair and shadow to the face. My reference photograph was in black and white so I had to guess what they were wearing but I used my research into Punk as a whole to support these choices and put them in jeans, reds and black because of this. I also added warm tones to the windows to bring them to life; for this I used the Multiply and Brush tools.

Above: I have added colour to the buildings in the background; mainly grey and brown to add a subtle sign of life to that part. For this I used the Brush tool and the Multiply tool. I am not 100% certain about the shadows in this work and I think to improve it I would have to commit to the shadows and add depth to the building in the background, as well as adding colour to the car. However at the moment I feel like I could have made a more effective piece by choosing to leave some parts black and white, with a more hand drawn and simplistic feel. On the whole though this exercise was really useful as I learnt how to use some tools which have saved me a lot of time in producing the image; this will be beneficial in my future work. 

The above image I edited using Windows Live Photo Gallery to add a warmer tone. I increased colour Temperature and also Saturation and a slight increased Contrast and Brightness. 

Beneath are my photoshop edits of my A5 photocopies from my brief transforming initials. These were some of my favorite initial ideas and they have all been edited  using the Crop tool to achieve the right frame and layout for the image. I then used the Threshold tool to create a highly contrasted black and white image. I then used the Select, Layer, Paint Brush and Fill tools to edit them which helped to add colour and pattern to the pieces. I think some were more successful than others; I think the book shelf could have been edited more successfully by choosing a more appropriate softer colour palette, however I like the simplicity in the starfish image where I have added an appropriate sandy background but left the starfish as a black and white hand drawn image.