Connections More: How I Make a Picture

Monday, October 22, 2018

How I Make a Picture

So many of you would like to know how I make the photomanipulations. Well, first I must say that I have been self-learning since retirement in 1999. I do not use any programs that you have to buy. I use the ones on my early 2013 MacBook Pro now, but had started when I first got my first home LC Mac in the early '90's and those old programs don't work anymore. I have had to adjust. It has developed into a process and numerous "do-overs." I use about 10 different internet sites. Many want you to take a trial membership but allow you to use the site without paying. I never have paid to use. I like to see the finished piece on my 2009 iMac 24" screen!

#1 - being inspired. I actually have to feel the urge to play when I see a photo or graphic.

#2 - trying many different variations and deciding on one or two that seem to be what I want to convey. I know when it's finished.

Here's an example of one I made today. I saw the background on a relative's FB cover photo. I don't where it came from but I liked it.

I had to rotate it and resize the free graphic I found with a Google image search for large witch in .png format. If a graphic I want to use isn't in transparent form, I know how to do that with my Preview app. on the laptop.

I copy and paste her onto the background.

Next I put her into a program with assorted filters and decide which I like best.

Then I put her into another program and resize and darken her.

She then goes into ANOTHER program and is colorized, skewed and cropped.

After importing the image into my MacBook the top, bottom, sides are all turned black. If I didn't want the black I could have copied and pasted it onto a color background image and cropped.

See what I mean?

I decided to keep the background black and added a moon, a bat and a frame! It is now finished to my satisfaction after adding my initials on bottom right.