Maria....
I used to carry on a bit about the same thing a long time ago..... Nobody listened :-) The aim should be to create the image for the FINAL output device and final size. I use a bunch of techniques to arrive there but the main one is to apply the action/filter etc to a resized copy of the original. With Insta sketch start with a high res image, say 4-6 mp, resize down 50% using bilinear, run the action then upsize 200% using bicubic. With other actions/filters I resize up first. I like the printed result at 19x13 inch on Archival matt. Of course not all images suit any one method so it's a bit hard to make a rule :-) But in the end its you, the artist, that has to make the image. That's why I try to make actions that don't do it all for you..... I also expect people don't print out that much but just view on screen.... Me, I print an image multiple times and each time go back and make changes til it's right... Cost a lot in ink and paper :-)
MikeF
Maria Holmes wrote:
> I don't know if others here have found that often many of the
> photos that have been worked with various actions print out with
> the action's effect being too pronounced. Like so many
> participalnts in this forum, I've been enjoying playing with Mike's
> new Instant Sketch. It's a wonderful action, but when it's applied
> to non-portrait images, it can be a bit much, especially when
> printed out. What I've started doing with this and many of the
> other actions is to run the action, duplicate the final result into
> another layer, create a blank layer, go back to the original image,
> copy it (Ctrl-A, Ctrl-C), return to the actioned image and paste
> (Ctrl-V) the orginal image in the blank layer. By playing with the
> opacity and blend mode of the various layers, I've been able to
> come up with some very pleasing (not so much in-your-face) results.
> The rose image below had the pencil layer set to 70%, multiply,
> base layer to 45%, multiply, layer 1 (original image) 100%, normal,
> in that order. I hope posting this workflow helps some others in
> their experimentations with their own images. Enjoy. Maria H.
>
> http://community.webshots.com/photo/90245459/93418421LStccU
> --
> Maria H.
> C-2-100uz, E--20
--
A few of my images... Watch out! there's some nudity about.
http://homepages.slingshot.co.nz/~mikefinn/
