Chicago Charcoal Photo "Sketches"

joethedestroyer · Sep 30, 2008

A couple of years ago I edited a series of shots I took of downtown chicago to look like they had been charcoal sketched. My degree is in advertising, and as a result I have a vastly untapped compendium of knowledge on graphic design work tucked away in my brain, but these were super simple to make. Not really photography from a purist's point of view, but I figure I've been hoarding these to myself for long enough without letting anyone see them. I just wanted to share, really. These were all taken on several different point & shoots, as I've only recently taken an interest in dSLR photography (and am waiting for the CFO/wife to give the greenlight on a D90

Let me know what you think. I know it's an odd concept, but, well... That's how I roll.

Big Bully · Sep 30, 2008

Ok I am confused, these are photographs or sketch charcoal drawings? Either way they are way cool and very good. I really like them! This coming from a person who has a degree in art and photography.
The composition in all of them is very nice. You really did a great job.

joethedestroyer · Sep 30, 2008

Thanks!

Yeah, they really are photographs... Just with a little bit of photoshop trickery mixed in to make them look like they were sketched. Truthfully, I did these so long ago that I forgot exactly how I did them! Since I did these, I've seen a video on youtube that gave a how-to guide that seemed pretty close. I know there was duplicate layers, one with the colors inverted, and a minimize filter, but my memory is hazy on the subject.

Big Bully · Sep 30, 2008

Well you did a fantastic job. I am in awe!

Toxic Toast · Sep 30, 2008

cool idea, i like the concept a lot. my favorite is the skyline whith chicago on it, i dunno its very signish and cool haha. :thumbup:

joethedestroyer · Sep 30, 2008

yeah, it's one of my favorites as well. It seems like the one that is most receptive to color treatment to me. My wife says it looks like an album cover.

It was actually part of a t-shirt design I did for my father-in-law after he finished the Chicago Marathon last year. It was so hot that they cancelled the race and said the latter portion was a "fun run" and time didn't count anymore. Naturally the t-shirt said "I survived the chicago marathon... fun run my a**!"

Big Bully · Sep 30, 2008

Fun run my ass.. That is totally what I would be saying.. hahaha

LaFoto · Sep 30, 2008

We have a special forum for this kind of heavily manipulated digital photography, the Graphic Programmes and Photo Gallery, to where I have now moved your thread, Joe.

Kalikala · Oct 1, 2008

Very awesome! My favorite is the first one with the artist. Has a very unique feel to it!

joethedestroyer · Oct 1, 2008

oops, sorry about that. My mistake.

will-jum · Oct 7, 2008

Filters> Charcoal, hardly 'photoshop trickery'

joethedestroyer · Oct 7, 2008

Try filters>charcoal and see what crap you get back. No, there was duplicate layer, desaturation, duplicate layer, color inversion, some different blending modes between the 3 layers, and THEN a minimize filter.

If you don't have anything useful to say and are going to be a douchebag, just don't post.

joethedestroyer · Oct 7, 2008

this is what you get with just a charcoal filter. I never said what I did was complicated, but it required a little more know-how than tweaking the filter menu.