PhotoShop Options

Photo of my woods, blended wiht funky edges

 I enjoy layering my photographs in Photoshop to create images that are painterly.

There are a number of blending tools in this digital palette that is similar to the creative process used in any media.

Frosty Grass

sheets of hand made paper

pinlight blend with frosty grass

overlay blend 

another photo used in above blend

frosty grass with soft light blend

Creating Thermal Fax Images using Photoshop Options

This post deals with several options to create the Black and White image you will need to create a Thermal Fax Silkscreen. 

Fiber sculpture by Anda Klancic

The best screens for thermal fax need to be created from photos that are pure black and white photos. 

The original image is first simply converted to a Black and White image. Go to Image>Adjustments >Black and White. I duplicated this image to use so I could retain the original Black and White image to return to to use again if I chose.

For the first option, I used Filters. Filter>Sketch>Stamp. This image resulted which could be used for a negative silkscreen. All the black areas would be burned. This is where the paint will be placed.

I prefer a positive image. To create this, go to Image.Adjustments.Invert. This will invert the colors so the subject in this photo is in black. The result is too thick, not detailed enough for what I had in mind.

As with most everything, there are different ways to do things. For above image, I returned to the original Black and White image and went to Image>Adjustments>Brightness/Contrast. A small window with a slider will pop up. I slid the brightness first to lighten the image, than the contrast to darken the subject. I needed to up contrast several times to get a high contrast or dark subject. I decided this image was too delicate.

For this final image, I again returned to the original Black and White Image. This time I went to Image>Adjustments>Curves. A pop up window will show a scale. I slid the small triangle to the right, while watching my image. When I saw the desired darken image, I went to Adjustments> Brightness/Contrast and upped the contrast to create a dark high contrast image. This highlites all the veins in the leaf that I found so attractive. Perfect! This result has the detail I want and is dark enough to create a great Thermal Fax SilkScreen!
Copy and paste image onto a letter size file with a 1/2" border. Repeat until you have 4 images on a letter size file.

Photo Shop Play

One of the things I like to do to relax is play with my photo's in Photo Shop. Here is the original image.

I overlaid the image with a photo of painted fabric. You can see tints of the color coming though.
Then I went to image> invert.
For this image, I copied and pasted in a new file, using sections of above photos. I did change the hue in the center image. Such fun!Try playing with your images. Just do it. If you're afraid of ruining your images, just make a copy first. Then see what those buttons in photo shop DO!

Thermal Facts #2

As a follow up to my 12/10/08 post about thermal facts. I make my thermal fax silk screens using my nifty machine purchased from Welch Products.
I use duck tape around the screen as it is cheaper than the plastic frames you can buy. I use 2 or even 3 thickness on larger screens to keep them from buckling.
Secure 1/2 of the tape on one side, fold and continue.
Be sure to press firmly along the inner edge.
Pin, tape or spray your screen in position on your surface.
Lately, my daughter and I have been having fun screening motifs onto shirts and sweatshirts. I screen with a lighter color at first and continue using the screen with different colors, without worrying about the color too much. This often leads to nice spreads and delightful combinations.  I will either place a thin line on the duck tape 'well' or paint the paint right onto my squeegee. The squeegee can be anything- I have used old credit cards, dummies they send in the mail, paint spreaders found in your local Mart, to the real deal professional, ahem, squeegee. Squeegee the screen using somewhat fast even pressure, perhaps twice. Too much pressure or too slow a squeegee results in too much paint  though the screen, creating a bloated image. The surface you work on should be somewhat padded, like an ironing board. Be sure to wash your screen out before the paint dries in it. I usually throw it into a pan of water, and move on while it is soaking. The paint dissolves out like a dirty pan, then rinse and hang or blot to dry. Occasionally you'll need to scrub- do this gently with a soft brush.
I usually clean my squeegee's and other items used to direct the paint, onto a damp cloth. These have resulted in some unusual painted fabric. A good way to change your old stash. Have Fun!!