How did I do this?
Why this image?
I was drawn to the color and shape of the flower at at 1st. Then I noticed the illustration on the cup kinda matched.
Which Camera?
My iPhone 3g
What program?
I upload everyrthing I shoot no matter which camera in to Adobe LightRoom 3. It makes it easy to tag and sort. This one is labled, Dawsons, Paint, Flower.
I generally do a quick adjustment in LR, balance the exposure, etc. Often as they images are loading up. I also delete images here. I cull much more then I did in the beginning, however with hard drive space so cheap I wonder if I should keep them all. I delete mostly so it is easier to sort.
Altering/enhancement?
I often crop in Lightroom, a lot of square images lately. Partly due to the market for coaster, put it also makes me focus on what is important to the artwork.
Once sized and balanced, I switch to PhotoShop. I create a second layer so I keep the original intact.
Using a tablet, and the track pad I use a combination of filters( love PixelBender) and brushes. This image was created using the mostly Art History Brush. Each part of the image is adjusted, changing the size and style of the brush on the fly. For instance I wanted the "Ham & Cheese" to be readable. so a very small brush is used to "whoosh" them.
After the scenc is close parts of the lop layer are erased to bring in some of the details of the original. Mostly in the petals.
Then it is on to Selective Color to bring out the vibrance of certin hues. Here the yellows were enhanced and I almost alway add in a little more black for drama.
I save the file back to LightRoom and added a very slight vignette.
One more trick. I zoom way in and look for spots that don't look right. The new clone brush is often an easy fix.
You don't really know what you have till a print is made. Print it, take a close look and adjust if needed.