NEW: Service offering!



This is exciting.  A service I can offer to anyone, anywhere. If you can read this, and send an e-mail with attachments, from anywhere across the globe, I can turn a photo of you into an illustrated replica of your photo similar in style to some pictured in this post.
All have been done by hand with a graphics tablet. I have become increasingly comfortable with these powerful little computer accessories.  Especially with the amounts of layer masking done by hand at 200% view, thanks to my photo editing work as of late.

Read more below for details to the process


Pictured at left is one from several months back now that is a self portrait and the original file can be found on the initial welcome screen at www.cgardiner.ca for the currently inoperable, Culinary section of the website.

How are they made? Well starting with a reasonable resolution of image. Ideally at least 1000pixels on its longest edge is a good base point.
Then I create a layer for each of the major colors in the image. Painting those colors over their appropriate areas. After coloring is done, I group those layers and make temporarily invisible.
Then detail lines are drawn with a fine point brush, and slightly burred after.
Then one layer painted in white, and with a "screen" or "lighten" blend mode applied, is used to paint over all parts of the image needing highlights from its base neutral tone. I blur this layer. And may repeat this process several times to layer the lighting to get appropriate appearance of depth in the image.
To apply shadows to the base tones, I will make a new layer, painting in black with a "multiply" or "darken" blend mode and paint over the shadows. Blurring, and layering as necessary.

Compare this process to commissioning a hand painted portrait of yourself, or a street illustrators cartoon version of yourself  . It takes time, a skilled hand and a trained eye. For only $50 I will offer you a finished file at a printable resolution, within a week of receiving the file or paypal payment (whichever comes last).

Initial fee will cover first two faces in an image. Each additional face is $15.  Why faces? Well majority of the work involved in making someone look like themselves goes into replicating their facial structure.

Please get in touch with me via email
chris at cgardiner dot ca
or
request an online quote through my website, on the services page,
or
message me personally on facebook/gardinerphoto

Thank you for reading

=========== Find more photos @ www.facebook.com/cgardinerphoto ============