I really liked all the effects of my Caturday Art last week, but the only problem is that most phone apps — and phone photos — are limited in size. They look fine on a computer screen and a website, and you can make cards with them or stick them on a mug, but you can’t print out anything larger than a 5″x7″ image and have it look good. So I sent my human on a search to find software that at least replicates the gouache effect with photos from the camera. That way I could make T-shirts, larger prints and canvases, if I wanted.
She came back with something called AKVIS ArtWork that had a free 10-day, full-feature demo so we are giving it a spin!
I picked the following image for some experimentation. Incidentally, it is on a card at my Zazzle shop!
My human opened it up in the program and she had a lot of options and adjustments she could make. There is a small square that you can move over any part of the photo you think is important (in this case, my face), and the adjustments are previewed there.
Once you’ve made your choices, the program “draws” the image for you! It’s really interesting to watch. My human tried to shoot a video but couldn’t quite make it work. Anyhow, this was the result:
There are more painting effects than just the gouache. It has oil, watercolor, comics, pen and ink, linocut, and pastel. My human did not like the pen and ink effect (she has yet to find a program that will do pen and ink and sketch effects as well as the phone apps she has), and the linocut is pretty much useless for kitties — but it would probably work well on buildings and things like that. She did try one more experiment with the pastel effect, and she added a canvas texture when she was done.
The whole goal here is to try to make the images look like they weren’t generated from a photograph, and I think they work pretty well. So far, we are really enjoying this software! It is not cheap, but it’s not horribly expensive either (for fancy software, at least). And we have nine more days to play around with it.
For more Caturday Art, visit Athena!
See all of Summer’s merch at her Designercat Shop, available on Zazzle.
My favorite of all is the very first photo. Gorgeous!
Those turned out great-looks like cool software.
I really love that first one.. I’m not one for paying for programs, but I might just look into this one..
That is neat!!
Love the difference and how they look like paintings and drawings!
Great effects on an already great photo. The pastel and canvas effect is my favourite.
Those are fabulous pictures, love the effects!
Very cool photos!
Sparkle, You look great no matter WHAT your Human does to you.
Oh boy. This looks rather good doesn’t it. I know what you mean about it ‘not looking like a photograph’, maybe we should all ask Sparkle to visit and be our Super Cat Model!
Harvey
Your photo effects are great – it looks very much like you’ve had the pastels out and have been drawing Sparkles picture in the doorway!
THOSE IS GORGEOUS! If Mommy had more time these days, she would has a look at that software.
Kisses
Nellie
Fun for free is never bad! Mommy really admires your Human’s talent.
That’s pretty cool, Sparkle. Your human finds the neatest stuff.
That was very nice Sparkle!
I always learn so much from your Art posts, Sparkle!
I love all of those. Very pretty.
That’s a great photo to start with. And a really neat program you guys used. At the end, it didn’t look like a photo to us – you did great!
The original photograph is so nice, it’s hard to improve. The painterly one is very nice though!
Give your human a raise she did a great job!
Hugs madi your bfff
look just fabulous SParkle just like you!xx Speedy
Those effects look great. I did find a sketch effect I liked. TW used it to make my t-shirt for last year’s Blogpaws. If I remember it, I’ll let you know. I’ll have to wait till tomorrow to do my art cos I had to do a campaign today.
Oh that looks like fun….and it’s such a wonderful photo to begin with!
The original; photo is so superb it would be difficult to make it any better but the last 2 shots have a charm of their own!
These are cool effects but I like the original photo best with the purrfect Sparkle.
Cool picture, Sparkle. We definitely like the painting effect
Sparkle, those are both so meowvolous, we don’t know which we like better. Dad just bought Mom Adobe Photoshop Elements 12 for her birthday. We hope she can do some cool stuff with it. Right now we are just using free apps. We think you achieved your goal with those not looking like photographs. Have a great weekend. Purrs and hugs, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth and Calista Jo
love love love that photo!! Was really sorry not to see you (and a few others) not listed as a finalist for the Nose-to-Nose awards, you deserve to be there 😥
We love that one Sparkle. We will have to check that program out too!
Oh, those are really nice! You’re right, those are nice effects that don’t look like they are computer-generated. That program is a great find.
Very nice effects. Mom is going to look at that program.
The Florida Furkids
Sparkle you lend beauty to ANY program!
We love your “new” look Sparkle.
Luv Hannah and Lucy xx xx
That must be so much fun to do all that. I like that picture a lot. Take care.
That’s soooooo cool!
That looks amazing! Think I’ll get my mum to try it out 🙂
Ooo that’s really cool!