Mandarin Orange Monday 41

Happy Mother's Day

I recently came across an old hand tinted wedding photo of my mother, one which we  though had been lost forever. Where did I find it? In one of the many art/paper cases my father made to store his art projects - drawings for paintings, lead-light, sculpture, etc). Amongst a batch of old faded paper, which almost ended up in the recycle bin, was this beautiful professional photographic portrait. He had used it as a reference for a painting. How lucky a find was that!?

Since it I have just acquired a scanner to archive the family photo collection and it also happens to be Mother's Day here in Australia today I decided my first scan, and the subject for Mandarin  Orange Monday this week would be my mother as a young bride.

1.Raw Scan. Epson Perfection Photo Scanner
Original Photography by Gilston Butler.

2.Nik Color Efex -
Skin Softener, High Key, Photo Styliser

3. As Above
plus Nik Color Efex - Reflector Effects

Linking with Tina's PicStory/Beautiful

4.Nik Silver Efex B&W conversion

5.Nik Silver Efex - Paper Toner

Linking to NF Inspiring Photography/Catching the Light

6.Nik Color Efex - High Key, Photo Styliser
Nik Silver Efex - Antique Plate 11

Linking  to Weekly Top Shot

7. As Above plus
Nik Glamor Glow, Colorize, Color Stylizer.
Topaz Detail - Feature Enhancement
Nik Color Efex - Vignette

Linking to Tones on Tuesday

8. Above Image Duplicated and layers merged
Nik Col Efex
PS Fill layer Cyan 50%
Merge Layers and Equalise
Fade Equalise and Colour Dodge 10%
Nik Color Efex - Cross Processing
Decrease Saturation.

Linking with Our World Tuesday

9. Detail.
Topaz Define
PS Ink Outlines
Selective Colour and Saturation Changes
PS Poster Edges
Fill - fade and Linear Burn

Linking to Paint Party Friday

10. Nik Define
Topaz Clean - Stylise Details.
Topaz Simplify - Painting Colourful.
PS Fill - Colour Burn
Colour Balance, Saturation and Selective Colour adjustments.

Linking to Artists in Blogland Show and Tell

11. Combination of two images, No's 5 and 10.
Layers Merged - PS Colour Burn 60%
Increase Vibrance and Saturation
Nik Col Efex - White Neutraliser.

Linking to NF Abstract

Thank you again for your amazing artwork last week.  I actually was able to visit everyone to say thank you and to have a closer look at your work. Life is rather busy and complicated for me at the moment, but Mandarin Orange is still one of my great joys. I love doing the art and I love seeing and discussing it too.

Mandarin Orange Monday #40

Finally, Mandarin Orange Monday has arrived. At least it is still Monday here in Australia. My apologies for the lateness and for the fact that I was unable to visit everyone last week to comment on your art. I was able, however, to enjoy looking at it and appreciating it. I And thank you again for your comments and discussion - I always look forward to reading what you have to say.

This week I decided to celebrate the joy of being a grandmother - so I have featured my grandson, Matthew - or Matty as he is usually called. This is the first time I have published any pictures of him publicly, on LorikArt - as his parents, understandably, worry about his  photo being on the web. But when I asked if I could just show his eyes - his beautiful eyes - they agreed.

I know many of you are also grandparents, as well as parents and aunts and uncles. Perhaps you might like to continue this theme next time.


I found the whole process rather difficult - I don't usually use people in my photo art. And of course I didn't want my grandson looking less than perfect, who would? In the future, however, I may start doing some figurative art because I am planning to go to some life drawing classes. Scary! I haven't drawn people, seriously, for years. And now that I have bought a new scanner to archive the family photographic collection (will I regret this huge commitment???) all sorts of options will be open to me.

So....meet little Matty, who has just turned three!

I edited all the images separately (and actually took notes!) then added them one by one to a Photoshop blank page which I had divided up using guides. I know it is a long-winded way to go about things - I really should get some of those collage-making applications! The processes I used with each image included adjusting Curves and Levels in PS and Dynamic Skin Smoother (as if a 3year old needs that!) in Nik Color Efex.

Finally I  flattened the layers and Equalised (PS) (about 50%) the whole collage image.

Nik Color Efex Filters - Included, Dynamic Skin Softener, High Key,
Glamour Glow, Brilliant Warmth and  Reflector Effects,  in individual images.
Topaz Filters - Included DeJpeg

Nik Silver Efex to desaturate - Fine Art - High Key
PS Fill Orange (Overlay, Colour Burn). 

Linking to Tones on Tuesday

Topaz Clean Filter - Dynamic Skin Smoother

Linking to Our World Tuesday

Nik Color Efex - Bleach Bypass

Topaz Simplify
Nik Color Efex - Duplex, Sunshine
Topaz Detail - Fill Light
Nik _ Bleach ByPass
PS Photo Filter (Orange) 

Linking to NF Inspiring Photography/Catching the Light

As Above plus - Nik Color Efex - Burnt Siena
Topaz Simplify -- Cartooned
New Layer -Topaz Simplify - Sketch Colour
Merge Layers - 50%- Hard Light

Linking to Tina's PicStory

As Above plus - Nik Color Efex - Photo Styliser, Remove Color Cast
Topaz Clean - Stylised Details

Linking to Paint Party Friday

Topaz Simplify - Painting Harsh Color
Topaz Clean - Cartoon
Dulicate Layer - Topaz Detail
Merge layers - Screen

Linking to Creative Everyday

Mandarin Orange Monday is a bit late

Mandarin Orange Monday #40

is a bit late but it will be up tomorrow, Monday, Sydney time.

Mandarin Orange Monday 39

Surrounded by Coins!!

I really thought that MoM wouldn't happen today....maybe not even tomorrow. I spent the day sorting
through old coins that belonged to my father, photographing them, listing them, messing up the lists, getting the photographs out of order....... ever had a day like that???!!! But I did make the most of it. I used some of my coin photos for Mandarin Orange Monday.

Tomorrow morning I will be up early trying to sort out the mess I made trying to document those coins before taking them off to the city. 

Thank you once again for all your comments and conversation -  I really feel like I getting to know you quite well. And I did manage to visit everyone - that is what I did this morning BEFORE the coins! A nice thing to do over a cup of coffee...or two.

I edited these pics rather quickly ...it is way past my bedtime, but I hope you find something you like or that inspires  you. Of  course I also look forward to seeing what you have done this week.

Nik Color Efex Filter - Old Photo
Fill Orange - Overlay
Topaz Clean - Cartoon.

Nik Color Efex - Glamor Glow and High Key filters

Linking with NF Inspiring Photography/Catching the Light

Photoshop Filter - Ink Outlines
Topaz Clean Filter - Stylise Details
and Sketch Colour.

Nik Color Efex - Reflector Effects.
PS Adjust exposure and curves.

Linking with Our World Tuesday

I added Nik Color Efex Filter - Polaroid Transfer to the image above.
Then intensified the cyan border.

Linking up with Artists in Blogland Show and Tell

This image combines all the others - as layers of varying transparencies and blending modes.

Linking with Paint Party Friday

MoM Abstractions

I planned to  sit here at my computer and enjoy my morning coffee, check email etc and choose an image from MoM for NF Abstract meme. After that I would visit my blogger friends who took part in MoM this week.

Next back to  the task I started last night  -  reorganising my desk, my back up drives, etc so I could  ceremoniously open and install my brand new photo scanner, which I bought yesterday.

So here I am, at least an hour later (or two??) , having another cup of coffee  with my desk in the same state. What did I do instead? I got carried away with my abstract image. I refuse to call it a waste of time though - art making never is that! Perhaps by coffee number three I will have the holes drilled in the shelf, the back up drives etc in place and and my exciting new toy out of it's box and  installed. I might take a pic to show you too!

Linking to NF Abstract

Mandarin Orange Monday 38

Nostalgic NicNacs (oops! Nick - Nacks)

Sorting through and  cleaning out a loved-one's possessions - especially those belonging to a hoarder - brings with it many emotions. The obvious are sadness, frustration and confusion - but there are other more pleasurable ones. Finding belongings from your childhood, even everyday ordinary things, can be   exciting and evoke happy memories.

Here are a few of those things I have come across at my father's house over the past few days. Unsurprisingly, some were already orange - but others, I "orangified".

This cute little pussy cat ornament - placed on my mother's orange everyday tablecloth, now sits on my 

dressing table.

Photoshop Filter Neon Glow.
Topaz Detail Filter - Edge Softener
PS Photo Filter - Orange
Topaz Clean Filter - Stylize Details.

Added Nik Color  Efex Filter - Polaroid Transfer.
Increase Saturation of Cyan

Linking to Paint Party Friday

Another cute ornament, standing here on one of my mother's old t-towels, has a new home  here in my study.

Topaz Detail Filter - Fill Light.
PS Filters - Accentuated Edges.
PS Shadows/Highlights adjustments

Added PS Filter -  Ink Outlines.
Nik Color Efex Filter - Polaroid Transfer.
Adjusted Curves.
Selected area (magic wand)  to adjust colour.
PS Photo Filter - Yellow
Duplicated layer and applied Nik Color Efex - Polaroid Transfer again (Screen, 30%)

Linking with Artists in Blogland Show and Tell

She now stands beside her twin in my lounge-room cabinet.

Linking with Tina's PicStory "Bottom Up"

Nik Color Efex Filter - Reflector Effects (gold) and Glamour Glow.
Topaz - Lens Effects.
Nik Color Efex - Neutralise Whites

Added Topaz Simplify - Sketch Color.
Duplicated Layer - 50% Transparency.
Adjusted Curves and Levels.
Duplicated Layer again. PS Equalise. Nik Color Efex - Polaroid Transfer - 40%, Lighter Colour.

The old string bag has had somewhat of a revival lately. This one belonged to my mother - unless of course it is a more recently part of my father's op-shop collection. I think it is beautiful, anyway.

Increased Vibrancy and Saturation. Selective Colour  (increased orange).
PS Photo Filter - Warming
PS Filter - Find Edges (fade to 70%, Hard Mix)
Clean up white background and change to Cyan (Selective Colour)

Select background (feather) and fill Cyan.
Increase Vibrance and Saturation.
PS filter - Poster Edges.
Topaz Clean - Stylise Details and Cartoon.

And being a bit of a hoarder myself, I still have a slightly worn sister to this rug in a cupboard somewhere. This one will soon be on the spare bed.

Linking with Our World Tuesday

(this pic reminds me a little of the Australian Outback landscape)

I don't remember this potato peeler - but i love it! I am guessing that my father found it at one of the op- shops he liked to visit in later years.

Increase Vibrancy and Saturation.
Nik Color Efex Filter - Photo Styliser

Linking with Tones on Tuesday

My family loved fishing so it is no surprise to find marine ornaments.

This one was in the aquarium - long since devoid of the living sort.

Increase Vibrancy and Saturation.
PS Filter - Accentuated Edges
PS Shadows/Highlights adjustments

Added Topaz Clean Filter - Stylise Details.
PS Curves, Levels, Shadows/Highlights adjustments.
PS Selective Colour  and Hue Saturation.
PS Filter - Paint Daubs.

Linking to NatureFootstep Inspiring Photography / Catching the Light

And finally the gift I so proudly presented to my mother at the age of 3 or 4 years old. I remember admiring it in the window of the local hardware store. I even remember walking inside the shop to buy it.

Increase Saturation.
Nik Color Efex Filter - Glamour Glow

Added Topaz Clean Filter - Stylize Details.
Selective colour (neutrals to orange, increased red in yellows).

Linking up with Weekly Top Shot

Thank you again for your creative orange efforts last week! People really seem to be having fun with playing with and experimenting with their images and media. Lots of multi media appearing too! I wonder what is in store for us this week?