LAYERING EXPERIMENT 2 IN PHOTOSHOP

Chippewah 5, Demonstration of Layering Using Modes. © by Ruth Zachary

This Post is a continuing demonstration of how Using the same basic layers, and how by changing the Modes of the layers, the resulting configuration of colors, shapes and relationships within a composition can be changed. The initial explanation of these experiments began on the previous post, dated May 25, 2014.

The settings for each mode change are recorded step by step:

 

CHIPPEWAH 5. layer1- Chippewah Background at Bottom , Mode- Normal

            LAYER 1, KP Mod, - Top position Mode - Saturation

            Layer 2, Pale Blue Dawn. Middle layer.  Mode – Darken

 

CHIPPEWAH 6 - LAYER 1 Chippewah, Background, Mode - Normal

            LAYER 1, KP Mod, - Top position,  Mode -Saturation

            Layer 2, Pale Blue Dawn. Middle position,  Mode - Saturation

Chippewah 6 ,  Only Layer 2 in the Middle was changed to Saturation.                                            ©by Ruth Zachary

LAYERING EXPERIMENTS IN PHOTOSHOP

Chippewah, Used as Background Layer for Series. © by Ruth Zachary

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A SERIES OF ABSTRACT LAYERING EXPERIMENTS IN PHOTOSHOP

The Series name, Chippewah, came from a nearly disintegrated year-book cover from 1920. The flaked texture and color appealed to me, and is the background layer in this series. This scan has been used  many  times. 

            KP Mod was created in Kid Pix. Pale Blue Dawn was another piece made in another Photoshop series of experiments,  named Where Visions Gather. Dancing Around White was another piece generated in the same kind of process. That piece was completed as a collage on a Masonite panel, and no longer looks like the Computer design-study.

Going through the process step by step may help the viewer to see how changes are achieved on the computer, using modes and other techniques, with many possible versions.  Sometimes the process seems easy, but sometimes I spend a whole day experimenting, with nothing to show for my time. In the explanations given below, I have recorded all steps I have tried myself.

I will continue posting these steps on this blog until they are complete.

KP Mod, Used as Layer 1 in this Series. It Was Also Used in the Imagery of the Previous Post. © by Ruth Zachary

The series began with three layers. Layer 2 was named Pale blue Dawn, shown below.

Pale Blue Dawn. Layer 2 of this Chippewah Series. © by Ruth Zachary

Chippewah Series, #4, Bright Sunshiny Day, First Result of Series,  Using Modes with Layers in Photoshop. © by Ruth Zachary

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CHIPPEWAH 4 – layer1- Chippewah  as Background, Mode- Normal.

            LAYER 1, KP Mod, - Top position, Mode -Saturation

            Layer 2 Pale Blue Dawn. Middle,  Mode Normal 

You will see in the nexr few posts, that a great many of the resulting images from this process are extremely varied and in some cases do not resemble their parents much at all. 

Most of the images measure about 14x17" and are 300 dpi in Photoshop.

From four finished pieces to begin with, a total of seventeen images resulted. Although I would not accept some of them as works to display, all the same they do demonstrate the variations adequately to use as an example of How to. Of course you will want to gather your own textures so the results from your own experiments are completely your own.

Images and Writing are the Copyright © of Ruth Zachary.

LAYERING IMAGE CUT-OUTS

-->  On March 30, I explained I was experimenting with  layering methods, using different layer combinations and different modes on the top layers. The textures originally created in low resolution paint programs were then copied into Photoshop as a means for designing, discovering color combinations and for stimulating freedom and play into my process.


I had at that time,  discovered a new technique to use with this methodology, which I hoped to share in the future. It took longer than I anticipated to return with experiments  creating compositions in this new method, because I needed to work on a theme project with realistic images just then, even though the technique worked equally well with both abstraction and realism.

Coins of the Realm 1. Computer Layered Composition  7.5x10" ©by Ruth Zachary

The layers I chose to combine included two textured abstract layers, a third layer with a Kid Pix geometric design, and then a fourth layer containing a scanned image of various coins. I used the select the white background option in Photoshop on the coin layer, to select and cut out the background around the coins just in that layer. In the above version, it is easy to see how the coins were affected by changing the modes of different layers. Some details in the coins are still visible. Working in a small size allows working faster with many layers, because it is less memory intensive.

Coins of the Realm 2. Computer Layered Composition. 7. 5x10" © by Ruth Zachary

The different colors and values were the result of changes in the modes. Even though the coins have a different appearance, the coins remained in the same relationships to each other and to the dominant design of the Kid Pix geometric composition. To save each version, I used "Save As " to preserve the images I liked. Layers were flattened in each saved version.  Paint textures on some layers can be seen on the surface, as well, although the Kid Pix design was mostly in flat colors to start with.

Coins of the Realm 3. Computer Layered Composition. 7. 5x10" © by Ruth Zachary

Changing the mode of the layers then results in other combinations. In this version, the circular motif seems to shift, although the coins did not change position. Also in this version, the coins have no details. This composition is quite different from the original Kid Pix creation, but has more of the flattened color areas like the original. I think this is the one I like best.

What is new about this method, at least to me, is that the coins were cut out and they have a completely different impact, than working with several full sized, fully filled layers. I have carried this on to yet another step, using photographic cut out images. Cut out drawings, paintings, or separated distorted images offer unlimited potential for integrating realistic or semi-realistic images with abstraction.Since this is something I have been working toward, for a long time, I find this to be very exciting! The next step of this process will appear on my Montage Blog soon.


All Images and Writing are the Copyright © of Ruth Zachary.