lorikart

Mandarin Orange Monday 46

noreply@blogger.com (lorik) — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 08:00:00 +0000

This week I am returning to Manly again - both digitally and physically - for a day visit.

The building I have used is perched high above the beach and has views of its entire length. There is even a stairway leading to the Surf Club and finally the sand. I think it is a beautiful old building and would love to live there....if only.

1. Manly Flats. PS Sharpen and Tones/Curves adjusted

Linking to Our World Tuesday

2. PS Filter Gallery - Poster Edges.
Adjust Shadows/Highlights

Linking to Weekly Top Shot

3. Nik Color Efex Filter - Photo Styliser
Nik Sharpener
Topaz Clean Filter - Crisp Style
PS Adjust Curves and Vibrance
Topaz Detail - Fill Light

Linking to Tina's PicStory

4. Same as No. 3.
PS Desaturate all but red.
Adjust Curves
PS Filter Gallery - Poster Edges

Linking to NF Inspiring Photography Catching the Light

5. Isolate a section using PS cropping tool
PS Selective Color - change all white to cyan (Absolute)

6. Isolate smaller section.
PS Filter Gallery - Palette Knife

Artists In Blogland Show and Tell

7. Topaz Filter - Clean - Cartooned.

Linking to Paint Party Friday

8. As above. Topaz Filter Clean - Cartooned. Cropped again.

Linking to Nature Footstep Abstract

For both 7 and 8 I selected a smaller section and pasted about 5 times, at different angles. Each time I adjusted the transparency and blending modes. Finally I adjusted colours using PS Selective Color and adjusted curves.

Thank you so much to all for visiting and taking part in Mandarin Orange Monday. Thank you also for your thoughtful comments.

Mandarin Orange Monday 45

noreply@blogger.com (lorik) — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 07:29:00 +0000

Welcome back to Mandarin Orange Monday. Once again I had a lot of fun seeing what you had all created this week. I have to apologise, again, for not being able to return all your comments this week. Not only have I been ill with the dreaded "bug" but I have had extra responsibilities.

This week I have used one of my paintings - acrylics on canvas - which I did a couple of years ago. Being a painting of a cat, and a very colourful one too, it has been a favourite of my grandson's. When he is older (he is only three) perhaps he might like it for his bedroom wall. But I will wait until asked..... The cat portrayed is Clarence. I had fun making him a psychedelic Clarence when I painted him . Today I had just as much fun transforming him digitally. I have included the original photograph - I think it was taken with my old Nokia phone.

1. Initial Photograph - Nokia Phone camera

2.Acrylics on Canvas Painting

Linking to Camera Critters 270

3. PS Filter Gallery - Poster Edges

Linking to Artists in Blogland Show and Tell

4. Topaz Clean Filter - Stylise Details

5.Nik Color Efex - Photo Styliser, Polarisation.
PS Adjust Curves and Levels
PS Selective Colour Adjustments

Linking to NF Catching the Light

6. Nik Color Efex - Photo Styliser and Polaroid Transfer
Adjust Saturation

Linking to Creative Every Day

7. Nik Color Efex - Black White Conversion
Nik HDR Efex

Linking to Caturday

8. Topaz Clean Filter - Cartooned

Linking to Paint Party Friday

9. PS Quick Selection Tool Background. Fill Cyan. Fade
Inverse Selection. Fill Orange.
PS Selective Colour Adjustments.

Linking to Tones on Tuesday

10. Nik HDR Efex - Cat.
Repeat HDR Efex

Linking to Weekly Top Shot

11. Nik Color Efex - Weird lines. PS Increase Saturation.
Selective Colour adjustments

Linking to Nature Footstep Abstract Wednesday

12. Nik Color Efex - Detail Styliser - Weird Lines, adjustments
PS Selective colour.
Desaturation

Linking to Feline Friday

Mandarin Orange Monday 44

noreply@blogger.com (lorik) — Sun, 02 Jun 2013 08:00:00 +0000

It has been a while since we visited one of our favourite places, Manly, but I did come across some photographs I took last year on the very pretty walk to Shelly Beach. It is that same walk where I captured those images of the amazing Easter Water Dragon. The vegetation along here is interesting too - a long row of paper bark trees. I photographed these late in the day and used Photoshop to manipulate the images. At that time I didn't have extra filters, so I was using the default Photoshop Filter Gallery. Although, I was tempted with one of them to use Nik just now. I wonder if you will be able to identify it?

The first series of images are those earlier ones.

The second series is a cropped square section which I played around with this weekend using both Nik and Topaz filters as well as the default PS Filter Gallery.

Linking to Our World Tuesday

Linking to Tones on Tuesday

Linked to Weekly Top Shot

Square 1. PS Filter - Find Edges (Blending Linear Burn)

Linking to Blue Monday

Square 2. Nik Color Efex - Bi Colour - User Defined.
Topaz Clean - Curly Smooth, Stylise Details.
PS Poster Edges, Find Edges (Blending, Linear Burn)
Nik Color Efex - Colorie, Cross Balance.
PS Adjust Levels and Curves.

Linking to NF Inspiring Photography 49/ Catching the Light

Square 3. Topaz Filter - Sketch Colour, Mono line

Square 4. PS Shadows/Highlights adjustments.
Nik Color Efex - White Neutraliser and Photo Styliser
PS Equalise, Fade, Equalise again.

Linking to Take a Word Challenge

Square 5. Nik Color Efex - Polaroid Transfer.
PS Selective Colour

Square 6 Nik Colour Efex - Polaroid Transfer.
PS Selective Colour.
Fill Cyan 50%

Linking to Artists in Blogland Show and Tell

Square7. Selective Colour - and Saturation - Fill white with cyan

Linking to Paint Party Friday

Square 8. Isolate smaller square section and enlarge

Square 9. Topaz Clean - Stylise Details

Linking to Nature Footstep Abstract

My very dear friends, Angela and Chris, actually live at Manly and often feature images of that beautiful part of Sydney, as well as pics of their trips into the Australian Outback. Their blog was called RoadworkInk. They are aslo regular contributors to Mandarin Orange Monday. Alas, Roadwork Ink is no more - they will tell you why - and it has now become The Manual of Intent.

Mandarin Orange Monday 43

noreply@blogger.com (lorik) — Sun, 26 May 2013 08:00:00 +0000

The Old and The New

This week a combination of old and new. Another "treasure find" in the old shed, an old hurricane lamp together with a section of my (orange) kitchen.

The hurricane lamp could be a hundred years old and it was later converted to an electric lamp, probably by my grandfather, Archibald. Before I clean it up I will have an electrician check it over and maybe I will be able to use it! Now, that would be fun.

There a quite a few images this week, maybe due my indecisive state (?) so I have made them smaller than usual.

Thank you again to everyone who is taking part in Mandarin Orange Monday. I hope you are having as much fun as I am - well, fun most of the time.... except when I do too many pics and then get into a muddle choosing them.

Nik Color Efex - Old Photo

PS Fill - OverlayPS Find Edges Filter.
Adjust Curves

Linking to Our World Tuesday

PS Fill - Overlay 60%
PS Filter - Find Edges 70%
PS Selective Colour (Increase Yellow and Red)
PS Adjust Curves

Linking to Tones onTuesday

Nik Color Efex -Polaroid Transfer
PS Adjust Curves, Selective Colour
Topaz Detail - Fill Light
Ps Selective Colour adjustments

Linking to Artists in Blogland Show and Tell

PS Increased Saturation

PS Filter - Poster Edges

Linking to Weekly Top Shot

Nik Color Efex - Polaroid Transfer

Linking to Nature Footstep Catching the Light

The filters I used for the following abstractions are are combination of Topaz Detail and Nik Colour Effex. I also applied the PS magic wand to select various areas and fill with colour. eg. cyan in the last one. And as always, I played around with PS Selective Colour and Saturation. I am sorry I can be no more specific than this - my late night notes are once again a mess.

The important thing, however, is just to play, experiment and see what happens. If you are feeling wide awake and organised (unlike me last night) take notes of the what you did that you liked.

Linking to Paint Party Friday

Linking to Creative Everyday

And now for a question...I am recently having problems with layout of pics etc (as you can see today). Now it obviously might just be me. But, is anyone experiencing similar problems?

And if you have changed to WordPress from Blogger, are you happy with the change?

A Bit of Art Therapy - for me. MoM#42 Extension

noreply@blogger.com (lorik) — Tue, 21 May 2013 11:40:00 +0000

Should be in bed...had "one of those days " today....but couldn't resist a little play. Art Therapy.

I guess we could call it Mandarin Orange Monday 42 ...Part B? Extension?
Or just a bit of fun before bed.

Linking to Creative Everyday

Linking To NF Abstract

Mandarin Orange Monday 42

noreply@blogger.com (lorik) — Mon, 20 May 2013 05:50:00 +0000

The Shed Revisited

This week we have a guest blogger... well at least a guest photographer. My sister. As some of you know I have been been spending a lot of time clearing out our father's house. But that is not all... there are two sheds! One shed is quite small and was even my first home as a baby while Dad built our house - all by himself! The other shed is huge. As a carpenter who had his own small business, he needed a lot of tools - both hand and power - and of course, much timber.

You may remember my pictures of my father's shed last year. And fantasy image of the shed window.

He retired early, at 53, due to ill health. He had a brain aneurism - something that many people don't survive. But he did! During his very long rehabilitation he learned many new crafts. He had already done a lot of painting and drawing earlier in his life - but now discovered ceramics, sculpture, leadlight and so much more. As a result - the contents of the shed grew. You have no idea how many beautiful boxes and cases we have found that he had made especially to store his art/craft equipment. But there is another reason it grew. He was a hoarder....and that "grew" too. Now his brother's bits and pieces were added. So we discovered many cardboard boxes filled with "junk" but also interesting "treasures". And he was a keen fisherman, so also we sorted through many fishing baskets and canvas bags filled with reels and hooks and sinkers.

It is hard work, but it is also fun sometimes. Last week my sister, Lynn, and I dressed up in our oldest work clothes and got to work. I found a head band was much more useful than a cap to make it possible to actually see what I was looking at. I felt a bit like a hippy! I quite liked that feeling.

Lynn, of course, just had to capture my hippy look. I told her if she "edited/processed it" I would publish her images - expecting that I would do the "orangeification" stage. That wasn't necessary. Her edits ended up orange - accidently!

She used her Galaxy 2 phone and edited with the default Photo Editor. Her very first photo editing. Do you think she might get hooked?

Hippy me - in both senses of the word. Chocolate!!
Photography by Lynn.

Edited using Galaxy 2 Photo Editor. Repeated increased Contrast (maximum)
Editing by Lynn

Band Saw - obviously unused for a long time,
probably almost 40 years.
Photography by Lynn.

Band Saw -
transformed by repeated Increased Contrast on Galaxy's default Photo Editor
Editing by Lynn.

View of side of old shed - my home as a baby.

I don't even remember that side door -

apparently it later storour camping equipment.

I remember a fruit tree (locust? if there is such a thing)

growing here.
Photography by Lynn.

Side of old shed "orangeified".
Edited using Galaxy 2's default Photo Editor. Repeated increased contrast.
Editing by Lynn

And now I must show you one of the "treasures" we found wrapped in old newspaper in a cardboard box. We used them yesterday when celebrating my husband's birthday - and what colourful sight they made! They now sit proudly on a shabby, worn old trolly table we found in the old shed under a huge pile of cedar table legs! My sister will put those legs to good use in her woodwork. I think the shabbiness of the table is interesting and would like to keep it as it is...unfortunately my husband thinks it just looks like a bit of junk and should be restored. We'll see......

PS Increased Vibrance and Exposure
PS Sharpen Edges
Nik Color Efex Filter - Remove Color Cast
PS Adjust Levels

Linking to Weekly Top Shot and Inspiration Avenue

PS Selective Color Adjustments
Topaz Filter - Clean - Curly Smooth
PS Selelctive Colour Adjustments
PS Adjust Curves
PS Shadows/Highlights Adjustments

Linking to Tones on Tuesday

PS Adjust Tonal Contrast
PS Photo Filter - Orange
PS fill - Orange - Overlay 45%
Ps Adjust Curves
PS Sharpen Edges

Linking to Our World Tuesday

PS Desaturate all but yellow, red, magenta. Lighten yellow.
PS Adjust Levels and Curves
Select Background (Quick Selection Tool_ and decrease saturation.
Fill selected section with PS Warming Filter 85

Linking to Tina's PicStory

Nik Color Efex Filter - Bleach Bypass
PS Increase Saturation and Contrast
Nik Color Efex - White Neutralizer
PS Sharpen Edges
Nik Color Efex - High Key

Linking to NF Inspiring Photography/Catching the Light

Abstract 1. Isolated square section
Topaz Simplify Filter - Sketch Colour

Linking to Artists in Blogland Show and Tell

Abstract 2. Topaz Filter - Dynamic Range Equalization

Linking to Paint Party Friday

Abstract 3. Abstract 1 and 2 combined.
Nik Color Efex - Colorize.

Linking to Creative EveryDay

Sorry I am later again with posting Mandarin Orange Monday. My work load has increased but I also seem to get carried away editing and spend far too much time "enjoying the art". Bad time management though I suppose!

And thank you again for your time, loyality, conversation and most of all for sharing your precious art on Mandarin Orange Monday.
Lori

Mandarin Orange Monday 41

noreply@blogger.com (lorik) — Sun, 12 May 2013 08:45:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (lorik) — Mon, 06 May 2013 07:34:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (lorik) — Sun, 05 May 2013 11:20:00 +0000

Mandarin Orange Monday #40

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

Mandarin Orange Monday 39

noreply@blogger.com (lorik) — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 13:32:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (lorik) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 00:29:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (lorik) — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 08:00:00 +0000

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?

Mandarin Orange Monday 37

noreply@blogger.com (lorik) — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 08:00:00 +0000

Another beautiful tree at Sydney's Callan Park. It stands directly in front of the main entrance of the Sydney College of the Arts, which was originally built as an "asylum". This old tree is slightly assymmetrical now but still manages to stand by itself. A similar tree in Sydney's Botanic Gardens now, sadly, needs props.

This week I tried to keep the processing simple, using default Photoshop filters. However I did use Nik and Topaz for the final six abstractions.

I am afraid my posts on LorikArt have been rather infrequent lately - due to family issues (as you know, the recent loss of my father) and more recently my son being ill in hospital. I am relieved and happy to say he is now recovering and home with his wife and little Matthew.

As you would all agree, making art is a wonderful therapy - and so I have been able to continue with MoM and playing with images.

Linking with Weekly Top Shot

Desaturated. PS Photo Filter Warming 85 (preserve luminosity)

Increased Saturation of Red and Yellow (50%)
Increased Vibrance
PS Filter - Ink Outlines

Desaturated. PS Photo Filter Warming 85 (preserve luminosity)

Increased Saturation of Red and Yellow (50%)
Increased Vibrance
PS Filter - Ink Outlines

Linking to Our World Tuesday

Desaturated. PS Photo Filter Warming 85 (preserve luminosity)

Increased Saturation of Red and Yellow (50%)
Increased Vibrance
PS Filter - Ink Outlines

Linking with NF Inspiring Photography/Catching the light

Desaturated. PS Photo Filter Warming 85 (preserve luminosity)

Increased Saturation of Red and Yellow (50%)
Increased Vibrance
PS Filter - Ink Outlines

Linking to Tones on Tuesday

Nik Color Efex Filter - Poloroid Transfer

Linking to Artists in Blogland Show and Tell

Topaz Clean Filter - Stylised Details
PS Increased Vibrance, Selective Colour, Hue Saturation.
Fill Cyan - Colour Dodge.

Square selected and isolated.

Abstraction 1. Nik Color Efex Filter - Detail Styliser

Linking to Nature Footstep Abstract

Abstraction 2. Topaz Filter - Simplify - Sketch Color.
Increase Vibrance

Abstraction 3. Combine Abstractions 1 and 2.
Abstraction 1 (Nik) layer at 50% transparency.

So once again welcome to Mandarin Orange Monday. Your work last week was really exciting and most inspiring. It is great to see people "playing" and experimenting. I did manage to visit everyone this week too:)

Mandarin Orange Monday 36

noreply@blogger.com (lorik) — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 11:25:00 +0000

My pictures today are based on slides I took long ago...1977 in fact. They are quite grainy and not the perfect images to work with, but I was determined, very determined, to make them into something interesting.

That year was one of the most exciting years of my life. My new husband and I set off for a year's travel with nothing but our backpacks. We didn't call it backpacking then, but we did call the route the hippy trail - or the overland trip. We set off from Sydney in January, my very first trip outside Australia, and we travelled across Asia and Europe to the UK. It took us about six months. In the UK we did what many young travellers did then, we bought a VW combi and headed back to Europe. We returned to Australia just in time for Christmas.

The place - Nepal, high in the Himalayas and quite close to the Chinese border.

1. Nik Color Efex - Reflector Effects, Foliage.
Levels and Curves Adjustments

2.Cropped 16 x 9.
Desaturate all but red and yellow.
Selective Color adjustments.
Increased Vibrance.
Topaz Clean - Crisp Style

Linking to Weekly Top Shot

3. Nik Color Efex - Reflector Effects, Foliage.
Levels and Curves Adjustments

4.Cropped 16 x 9.
Desaturate all but red and yellow.
Selective Color adjustments.
Increased Vibrance

Linking to NF Inspiring Photography

5. Cropped 16 x 9.
Desaturate all but red and yellow.
Selective Color adjustments.

Linking to Our World Tuesday

6. Cropped 16 x 9.
Desaturate all but red and yellow.
Selective Color adjustments.

Linking to Paint Party Friday

7. Cropped 16 x 9.
Desaturate all but red and yellow.
Selective Color adjustments.
Nik Color Efex - Reflective Effect

Linking to Tina's PicStory

Nik Col Efex - Reflective Effects.
Increased Vibrance.
Levels, Curves adjustments

Cropped 16 x 9
Desaturated all but red.

I aslo made various Topaz filter adjustments - Topaz Clean, both Curly Smooth and Crisp Style and Topaz DeNoise. Unfortunately I got lost trying to decipher my notes!

I couldn't resist making a few more.... still not entirely happy with the results...but I think these are better. Lots of fun though:)

Linking to Landscape within me

Linking to Tones on Tuesday

Nostalgia for Friday Photo Art

noreply@blogger.com (lorik) — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 10:01:00 +0000

Nostalgia Collage 1.

Nostalgia Collage 2

Linking to Photo Art Friday

It's a small world at the craft markets

noreply@blogger.com (lorik) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 23:39:00 +0000

Tess of planettreasures shared her experiences at the huge Burrawong Market last weekend on her blog. What a surprise to find a pic of my sister Lynn and her wood working stall!

My sister Lynn and her wares at Burrawong last weekend.

I am lucky enough to have one of the first boxes Lynn made. I use it to keep some of my favourite
bangles.

My jewellery box - by Lynn

Tess herself makes the most beautiful jewellery, among other things. I bought this necklace from her long ago when we were fellow members of a art/craft co-op in the Blue Mountains.

My favourite necklace - made by Tess of Planettreasures

Now I am feeling a little nostalgic and remembering what fun it was being part of a craft market.

You can find Lynn at the Windsor Market and Cobbitty. Tess's work can be found at the Nook at Leura and at various markets around Sydney. See her blog for details.

Mandarin Orange Monday 35

noreply@blogger.com (lorik) — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 11:02:00 +0000

National Art School

Memory Lane - from my student days

Recently I wandered around these old sandstone buildings. This is where I studied as an art student 1969-70. The buildings were once a gaol and there is a courtyard there where people were hanged. It stopped being gaol about 1920. There are tunnels underneath connecting the gaol with the police station and courthouse nearby. This courthouse is the one where I was on a jury panel recently.

Life Drawing Class 1890. Dictionary of Sydney

National Art School Campus 1960's. Dictionary of Sydney.

Student working on potter. 1971.
Photo by Douglas Thompson.National Library of Australia.

Orange 1.

Linking to Weekly Top Shot

Orange 2

Linking to NF Inspiring Photography/Catching the Light

Orange 3

Linking to Our World Tuesday

Orange 4

Linking to Tina's PicStory

Orange 5

Linking to Tones on Tuesday

Orange 6

Orange 7

Orange 8

Orange 9

Orange 1 - 9 I used similar processes. After tweeking the orignal pics (sharpening, adjusting tone, levels, curves) I did the following.

• Desaturaed all colour except Red.

•Photoshop Photo Filter - Warming 85 (about 40%)

•Nik Color Efex Filter - Glamor Glow

• Increased Vibrancy

I also adjusted Shadows/Highlights to some that were too dark.

Orange 10. As above, then cropped the section I liked best.
Increased Saturation.
Selective colour - to adjust the orange
Nik Color Efex - Poloroid Transfer
Duplicated layer (40% transparency)
Linear Burn and linear dodge.
Merged layers
Equalised.

Orange 11. As Above, then cropped a
smaller square section and enlarged.
Increased Vibrancy

Linking to Artists in Blogland Show and Tell

Orange 11. As above, then cropped a
smaller square section and enlarged.
Copied sections, rotated, pasted
(adjusting transparencies)

Linking to Paint Party Friday

Orange 12. As Above. Topaz Filter (Clean - DeGrunge?)

Linking to NF Abstract

Links for more information

The National Art School

DarlinghurstGaol - Dictionary of Sydney and Wikipedia

Thank you so much for your art last week. People are being so creative and inspiring. I really enjoyed looking at it and for the first time in some weeks I was able to visit you as well.

Mandarin Orange Monday 34

noreply@blogger.com (lorik) — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 05:54:00 +0000

Another beautiful tree at Callan Park - probably a Moreton Bay Fig.

1. Pentax *ist DL. Sharpened. Increased Contrast. Levels adusted.

Linking to Weekly Top Shot

2. Nik Color Efex - Reflective Effects.

Linking to NF Inspiring Photography Catching the Light

3. Saturation and Selective Colour adjustments.
Nik Color Efex - Reflective Effects.
Nik Color Effex - Glamor Glow

Linking to Artists in Blogland Show and Tell

4. Topaz - Stylise Details
Nik Color Efex - Photo Styliser

Linking to Tones on Tuesday

Linking to Our World Tuesday

I decided to make just one more especially for Nature Footstep Abstract

Mandarin Monday 33

noreply@blogger.com (lorik) — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Callan Park at Sunset

Photographed from verandah of one of the historic sandstone buildings which are now being used by Sydney College of the Arts.

1. Photo taken with Pentax ist DL. Minor Photoshop adjustments in Tone and Saturation.

Linking to Weekly Top Shot and Nature Footstep Inspiring Photography

2. Selective Color and Saturation - removed green/blue, cyan and reduced Magenta.

3. As Above plus - Nik Color Efex - Colorize. Topaz - Clean - Curly Smooth.
Nik Color Efex - Classical Soft Focus.

4. As No. 2 plus - Topaz - Clean - Sketch Color. Saturation and Selective Color adjustments.
PS Poster Edges and Photo Filter - Warm 81

Linking to Tina's PicStory

Square selection crop. Nik Color Efex - Detail Styliser - Weird Lines. Topaz Clean - Stylised Details.
Saturation and Selective Color.

Linking to Artists in Blogland Show and Tell and Nature Footstep's Abstract

Thank you again to everyone for your spectacular orange images last week and your thoughtful comments.

Mandarin Orange Monday 32

noreply@blogger.com (lorik) — Sun, 10 Mar 2013 10:40:00 +0000

There were some wonderful orange images shared on MoM last week. Thank you again for being part of this meme and blog. I really do look forward to seeing what you have contributed every week. I usually manage to visit everyone - but my apologies again this week. Life away from blogging isn't quite back to normal yet...

I did manage to photograph the beautiful bunch of roses given to me by a friend. It was happy surprise to find them, together with a very thoughtful card, on my doorstep this week. They were captured with my Pentax istDL with the help of a tripod. However it was almost sunset, so the light wasn't fantastic.

Editing was a little different this week. I started with Photoshop, adjusting tone and colour and then made a couple of changes using Topaz and Nik PS filters. Then, since I was spending some time away from home, I transferred the images to my iPad. I downloaded a new Photoshop iPad app, Adobe's Photoshop Touch 1.4.1 from iTunes. At $A 10.49 it was far cheaper than the computer application! What did I think of it? Fairly frustrating because I kept expecting it to do what the computer version can do! It was useful for playing with levels and tones as well as changing styles - but I found it really difficult to introduce new colours. There is an option there for this...I guess I just need to be patient and practise. I did, however, find it much more useful than Photoshop Express. Photoshop Express is better for instant, automatic changes, not individual manipulation.

When it came to converting the images to smaller sizes and actually adding them to my blog, I gave up. It was almost time to go home. So the actual uploading and blogging was done on my iMac at home.

Photoshop and Nik Color Efex - Pro Contrast

Linking to Weekly Top Shot

Linking to Our World Tuesday

Linking to Creative Everyday

Linking to Paint Party Friday

Topaz Glamor Glow. Topaz Clean - Crsip Style

Linking to Tones on Tuesday

Topaz Clean - Crisp Style

Linking to Nature Footstep Inspiring Photography

Linking to Artists in Blogland

Because I was experimenting and learning Photoshop Touch, I didn't take notes, so I am not able to describe the processes I used for each image this time. I am also still learning to use the iPad - it is mostly used by my soon to be 3 years old grandson - usually educational and creative apps of course! He is becoming a real whiz and just loves it! The problem is, I have to think up ways to tempt him away from the iPad and limit the amount of time he spends on it. Usually Playgroup does the trick!

Mandarin Monday 31

noreply@blogger.com (lorik) — Sun, 03 Mar 2013 07:00:00 +0000

Thank you for all your beautiful words last week.

I am sorry I wasn't able to visit you last MoM and thank you for your wonderful images. I thank you now for the inspiring work you contribute to Mandarin Orange Monday.

Melody, my beautiful ginger and white cat, returns to MoM this week. It is amazing the places she finds to take a nap. And she didn't fall off!

Topaz Clean - Stylise details.
Nik Color Efex - Glamor Glow

Sharing with It's Caturday and Weekly Top Shot

Topaz Simplify - Sketch Colour
PS Photo Filter

Sharing with Our World Tuesday

Topaz Simplify - Sketch Color. Crop Square.

Topaz Simplify - Sketch Colour. Crop Square
Topaz Clean - Stylised Detail. Adjust tones and levels.
Nik Color Efex - Sunshine
Selective Colour and Saturation adjustments.
PS Poster Edges.
Topaz Clean - Cartooned.
Crop.

Sharing with Artists in Blogland and Creative Every Day

Sad Week

noreply@blogger.com (lorik) — Sun, 24 Feb 2013 02:53:00 +0000

In memory of my wonderful father

Victor Charles 4.11.21 - 18.2.13

There will be no Mandarin Orange Monday this week.

Mandarin Orange Monday 30

noreply@blogger.com (lorik) — Sat, 16 Feb 2013 22:31:00 +0000

Orange Fungii

Every time I walk past this log I am amazed it is still there and still

covered with orange fungus. It is just a smallish log by the side of the road in Callan Park.

iPhone Photograph.

Sharing with Weekly Top Shot

Desaturate all but red and yellow. Selective Colour. Topaz Clean - Smooth

IPhone Photograph.

Sharing with NF Inspiring Photography

Topaz Detail. Nik Color Efex - Cross Balance

Adjust Saturation and Selective colour. Nik Color Efex - Cross Balance

Sharing with Tina's PicStory

Desaturate all non orange. PS photo filter. Topaz Clean - Stylise Details.
PS Poster Edges.

Sharing with Tones on Tuesday

Fill Orange - Darker Colour Blending. Nik Color Efex.
Adjust saturation and hues

Sharing with Creative Everyday

Topaz Clean - Sketch. Difference Blending.
Fill Orange. Nik Color Efex - Detail Styliser.

Sharing with Paint Party Friday and Artists in Blogland Show and Tell.

MoM is a little early this week:)

Succulent Art

noreply@blogger.com (lorik) — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 04:27:00 +0000

I was expecting to spend the day today in court - waiting to find out if I had been selected for jury duty. My panel wasn't needed today but perhaps tomorrow will be a different matter. So what did I do instead?

First, a 7km walk around the bay, something I used to do regularly and am trying to make myself do again. Once I start I enjoy it...but the actual starting.....

Second, I played with a photograph of a little succulent plant which was given to me by a friend. I tried really hard not to end up with orange images but didn't quite succeed.

Incorporating Bonnies pdpa Bamboo Dream texture.

Linking to Photo Art Friday

Linking to Nature Footstep Abstract

Mandarin Orange Monday 29

noreply@blogger.com (lorik) — Sun, 10 Feb 2013 07:00:00 +0000

Iron Cove Bridge

The Iron Cove Bridge links the Sydney inner west suburbs of Rozelle and Drummoyne. The iron section was built 1942-1947, the duplicate concrete structure 2009-2011.

It is usually very busy with cars and buses. But since the bridge is part of the popular Bay Run, a constant stream of walkers and joggers can be seen - from dawn until well after dark. I was one of those walkers when I snapped these pics of with my iPhone.

Nik Color Efex. Topaz Detail. Topaz Define.

Linking to NF Inspiring Photography

Nik Color Efex. Topaz Detail. Topaz Define. Nik Color Efex - Colorize.

Linking to Weekly Top Shot

Topaz Detail. Topaz Define. PS High Pass Filter.

Linking to Tina's PicStory

AddTopaz Detail. Topaz Define. PS High Pass Filter.
Nik Color Efex-Reflector Effects. Nik Color Efex - Bleach Bypass.

Linking to Tones on Tuesday

Mask and simpify negative spaces. Nik Color Efex - Detail (Stylizer-Pop Art).
New Layer Copy and Paste. Free Transform. Delete some sections.
Nik Color Efex - Saturation Stylizer.
Topaz Detail.
Nik Color Efex - Colorize.

As above. Then Duplicate layer.
Topaz Simplify (Sketch Hard Pencil). Inverse.
Delete some sections of black. Merge layers.

Linking to Creative Every Day

Add Mask and simpify negative spaces. Nik Color Efex - Detail (Stylizer-Pop Art).
New Layer Copy and Paste. Free Transform. Delete some sections.
Nik Color Efex - Saturation Stylizer.
Topaz Detail.

Linking to Artists in Blogland

As above. Auto Tone. Auto Color.

Linking to Paint Party Friday

I am really enjoying MoM - and I hope you are too. I love seeing what art you have shared every week. Just a reminder though....the photo should be edited/processed in some way - unless of course you are photographing your art. We now have quite a selection of artists - both journal and canvas painters - displaying their work here as well as photographers who love to play digitally with images.

lorikart

Mandarin Orange Monday 46

Thank you so much to all for visiting and taking part in Mandarin Orange Monday. Thank you also for your thoughtful comments.

Mandarin Orange Monday 45

Mandarin Orange Monday 44

Mandarin Orange Monday 43

The Old and The New

And now for a question...I am recently having problems with layout of pics etc (as you can see today). Now it obviously might just be me. But, is anyone experiencing similar problems?

And if you have changed to WordPress from Blogger, are you happy with the change?

A Bit of Art Therapy - for me. MoM#42 Extension

Mandarin Orange Monday 42

The Shed Revisited

Mandarin Orange Monday 41

Mandarin Orange Monday #40

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!!

MoM Abstractions

Mandarin Orange Monday 38

Nostalgic NicNacs (oops! Nick - Nacks)

Mandarin Orange Monday 37

So once again welcome to Mandarin Orange Monday. Your work last week was really exciting and most inspiring. It is great to see people "playing" and experimenting. I did manage to visit everyone this week too:)

Mandarin Orange Monday 36

I couldn't resist making a few more.... still not entirely happy with the results...but I think these are better. Lots of fun though:)

Nostalgia for Friday Photo Art

It's a small world at the craft markets

Mandarin Orange Monday 35

National Art School Memory Lane - from my student days

Orange 1 - 9 I used similar processes. After tweeking the orignal pics (sharpening, adjusting tone, levels, curves) I did the following.

Links for more information

Mandarin Orange Monday 34

Another beautiful tree at Callan Park - probably a Moreton Bay Fig.

Mandarin Monday 33

Callan Park at Sunset

Mandarin Orange Monday 32

Mandarin Monday 31

Thank you for all your beautiful words last week.

Sad Week

In memory of my wonderful father Victor Charles 4.11.21 - 18.2.13

Mandarin Orange Monday 30

Orange Fungii

Succulent Art

Mandarin Orange Monday 29

Iron Cove Bridge

National Art School

Memory Lane - from my student days

In memory of my wonderful father

Victor Charles 4.11.21 - 18.2.13