"Pixel Dusted" Daffodils

Folding in upon themselves

 Once moist petals 

Now parched and transparent

 Droop and prepare to drop 

Light refracts through the palliated petals

Still projecting a withered radiance 

Fragile, filamented flesh fades and folds 

And as the juice nourishing them drains away 

A quiet, dignified beauty remains 

for those who have

eyes to see

SOOC shot of drying daffodils

With the application of two new textures, I've created a little

piece of digital art from the above photograph.

This is the first texture applied to the daffodils.  It is one of the new textures I will be sharing in my upcoming Pixel Dust Texture Collection.  This texture is #5  from Pixel Dust Set I (soon to be featured here).  After applying the Monet-like texture over the levels adjusted photograph, I adjusted it to 80% Opacity in the Blending Mode, "Multiply".  A Layer Mask was used to remove some of the texture from the petals.  My brush was set to 88% to do that.  I decided to experiment with the addition of a second texture.

The next texture applied was the above texture #2 from the Pixel Dust Texture Set III (soon to be featured here).  The Blending Mode of "Hard Light" was used and left at 100%.  Again, I applied a Layer Mask to remove some of the texture from the petals, setting my brush at 85%.  I was surprised to see light and a golden tone emerge as I brushed bits of the blue texture away.  Wow - I did not anticipate that effect!  Once complete I changed my foreground color to white, reduced the brush size to 10% and brushed back a bit of texture just to minimize harsh edges.

Again, the photo shown at the beginning of this post with the two new textures applied.  Click on the image to enlarge, and enjoy its real beauty.  I tried it on another drying daffodil photograph to see if it would reproduce the same effect:

Second photograph using the same texture and blending mode adjustments.  Now, I wondered would the same effect be produced on a photograph that was not of transparent petals ...

This is the non-flower photo I decided to test with the two above textures.

A photograph of a rather barren looking restaurant, now given life and light with the addition of magical "pixel dust" from the addition of two textures.   (The same blending modes, opacity adjustments, layer masks and techniques were employed.)  I love the warm glow emanating from the restaurant.  And, as you know by now, I LOVE TEXTURES.

Can't wait to show you the textures I have created, so here is a sneak peek.  Small groupings of the collection will also be presented in the next couple of days, so stay tuned!

OAS Pixel Dust Texture Collection I