Project #8: Reconstructed Panoramic Images in the Photomontage style of David Hockney
Tips for taking pictures:
- Choose one interesting subject to photograph (can be anything and should be photographed during the day to get the best possible lighting and colors).
- Standing in one area zoom your camera into the subject and begin taking photos of different parts of the subject. It is very important that you do not change your location too much and do not change the camera’s zoom as this will make the pieces not fit together properly.
- All 10+ pictures should be taken in one sitting as different times of day will create different lighting.
- Take more pictures than you think you need to prevent missing areas in your finished artwork.
- Make sure to include the area around the subject as you may choose to include this in your final artwork.
- Once you have finished taking your photos bring your pictures into class and upload them to a folder on your class computer.
Once pictures are uploaded:
- Create a new document in Photoshop (file>new) Make it 19x13 inches or 13x19 inches AND 300 resolution. This will give you a very large blank canvas to add your photos to.
- Next, open your photos in Photoshop. (You may want to only open the ones you think you may actually be using)
- VIDEO TUTORIAL: HOW TO CREATE COLLAGE IN PHOTOSHOP
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3q59aeDY - Edit each layer (using Image Adjustments) so that all the photos have good contrast and are all matching in colors. This may take a long time as you will need to do this to all your layers.
- When you are done save your file: last name first initial_collage.jpg
Criteria:
1. *BE CREATIVE! Take pictures away from
2. Your composition must have at least 10 images in it. This means you should probably have double this amount of pictures to choose from.
3. Use the zoom control on your camera to crop in on certain elements of your composition.4. Incorporate yourself in some way inside of this composition.
5. Demonstrate evidence of your understanding of foreground, middle ground, and background
1. VIDEO TUTORIAL: HOW TO CREATE COLLAGE IN PHOTOSHOP
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3q59aeDYqc
2. ARTIST WEBSITE WITH EXAMPLES: http://www.canadiannaturephotographer.com/hockney.html
3. Websites for further Hockney Research:
- Biography: http://www.hockneypictures.com/home.php
- Photography will never equal Painting Article: https://photomuserh.wordpress.com/2012/03/04/david-hockney-photography-will-never-equal-painting/
- Tribute to David Hockney - www.davidhockney.com
- Authorized David Hockney Web site - www.hockneypictures.com
- David Hockney biography at Wikipedia - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Hockney
History behind the Process: Discovery of by David Hockney
Photoshop Directions - In Print
1. Create a folder and place all of your photos inside.
2. In photoshop CS3 or CS4 Select File>Automate>Photomerge>Collage and unselect the option Blend images together (we don't want to blend them). Click OK. Photoshop will put all the images onto a transparent canvas in separate layers. You can then adjust the position of the images using the move tool on some layers or delete extra layers if you have too many.
3. Select one of the images and at the bottom of the layers palette select stroke> Select inside> colour white>10 pixels (you can vary the size of the stroke depending on your image size). Then add a drop shadow to the image using FX feature at the bottom of the layers palette.
4. Then apply the stroke and drop shadow to the other layers - Alt-click and drag these effects onto each layer. (this saves time of having to stroke and add a drop shadow to each layer). Note you don't have to add borders and a drop shadow I just like to because it enhances the separation between the images.
5. To add a white background (or any colour background), create a new layer and fill it with white or the colour of your choice and drag this layer to the bottom of the layers palette to create the background.
6. You may want to increase the Canvas size of your image - Select Image>Canvas size and add 1 or more inches, leave the Anchor set to the middle so the canvas increase around all sizes and you are done.
The technique is easy and fun to apply to people, animals and buildings. If you are looking for something different to try the next time you go out to shoot - try a Hockney style photo-collage.