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PE Photomanip: Get your Fantasy on!**Note: These articles are for YOU. Please feel free to add the thumbs to your groups and enjoy them. If your requests to add yesterday's articles to your groups was declined, please resubmit. Thanks.**
Current dA submissions guidelines define "Fantasy Photomanipulation" as photomanipulation that focuses on a fantasy theme.

We have therefore set out to speak with our fantasy constituency and gain a better understanding of how they see and define the complexities of fantasy photomanipulation.
Fantasy Photomanipulation
We all know of dragons, wizards, sorcerers, witches, griffins, magic, fairies, fauns, and all other mystical and magical beings. We learned of them through stories, art, movies, and games. The fantasy genre has become increasingly popular because of movies like Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter and games like "Dungeons & Dragons" and "World of Warcraft," not to forget fantasy wr

PE Photomanip: Let there be LIGHT!Light in Photomanipulation

Getting your light right when creating a photomanipulation sounds easy . . . until you sit down to try to do it! There are seemingly endless things to keep in mind: where the light source is, the intensity of the light, how pieces of your manipulation need to be composed so that they line up with the direction of the light in the piece, whether there could be multiple light sources, what color the light will be. . . .
And the goal for light in your manipulation is for the light to be consistent throughout so that it is telling a story. No pressure! It is not an overstatement to say that light will make or break your manipulation; I have declined many DD suggestions because of bad lighting.

Light can help you tell a story and is critical to your deviation. It adds emphasis, adds depth, contributes to realism, and draws the viewer's attention to where you want it to be

Photomanip PE: Conversation with ^ElandriaHappy Thursday, everyone!
You know, as photomanipulators, we rely pretty heavily on the stock and resources community, and the opposite is true as well. It is because of this symbiotic relationship that both communities flourish, growing and evolving off of each other. Because of stock artists here on dA and elsewhere, we are able to create our manipulations. Stock inspires us; it drives us to create by capturing in visual image format that which we envision in our minds. So, for our Project Educate week, I sat down to have a conversation with ^Elandria, one of our Community Volunteers (CVs) for stock and resources and a fantastic digital artist, who I am fortunate enough to call a friend as well as a colleague.
Here's how that conversation went!

Interview with ^Elandria
^SanguineVamp: We all know and love you as ^Elandria, rockstar stock artist and digital artist here on dA! But, that is only a small part of you. Who are y

PE Photomanip: That's a Wrap!Thank You!
Photomanipulation Week here at #projecteducate has been phenomenal, and that is entirely thanks to you, our viewers, and to the community members who made it happen. Our community wrote most of the articles; I just posted them. Our community interviewed many, many people and answered what had to have seemed like endless questions about how they do their stuff. And do you know, of the many people I asked, only one or two were unable? People contributed in spite of busy schedules, poor health conditions, other projects, and other competing demands because they knew this was important. I cannot thank you enough.
I wanted to show you the sheer number of people (well over 40) who participated in this event. Every one of these people made a significant contribution. Please, everyone show some love to the deviants who made this week possible (and then keep reading; more good stuff coming below this list):
*3mmI
*AFineWar
:

PE Photomanip: Art with a ConceptWhat is Conceptual Art?
Answer: Conceptual art deals with ideas rather than with the final product. It is "art in which the idea behind a particular work, and the means of producing it, are more important than the finished work." http://dictionary.com
"Conceptual art is art in which the concept(s) or idea(s) involved in the work take precedence over traditional aesthetic and material concerns." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conceptual_art
Conceptual art, a movement conceived in the 1960s, stresses the artist's concept rather than the art object itself. Conceptual art grew out of minimalism and "turned the artist's thoughts and ideas themselves into the primary artistic medium, appealing to the spectator's intellect instead of emotions." http://www.reference.com/browse/conceptual+art?s=t
Conceptual art is often confused with Surreal and Abstract because often they have some of the same elements. However, Conceptual art differs from Surreal

PE Photomanip: More on dark manipulationHi, everyone!
GUESS WHAT!!! You get a bonus blog today because . . . ~intano is in the house!!

Tugba took some time out of her very busy schedule to chat with me about dark photomanipulation and photomanipulation in general. These questions are similar to those that the lovely *MarcelaBolivar answered in our dark photomanipulation interview from earlier in the series (click here). It is always useful to have more perspectives and ideas regarding dark art and its operational definition, and we are really grateful to both of these brilliant artists for sharing their wisdom with us.
Interview with ~intano

So, the “dark” photomanipulation category is confusing many people because it can feature anything from beautiful, sorrowful women in l

PE Photomanip: Get Surreal!

A tour in the world of Surreal Photomanipulations
For years, surreal photomanipulation and its artists have been showing a great variety of works in this style, surprising and inspiring to all of us with their images. If you already had the pleasure to see pieces of this genre, I´m sure you´ve been amazed with what a surreal piece can offer, but if you haven´t . . . what better time than this one to learn and see the incredible options this style have for you?
But first, the most important thing is to know what we are saying when we refer to a "surreal photomanipulation." To have a better understanding, let´s ask the most basic question . . .
What is a Surreal photomanip?
Surreal photomanipulations displays the mind and imagination of an artist and its unique way to represent that into the final work. These pieces can be really appealing to the eyes or disturbing. Subconscio

PE: Photomanip - Interview with *simoneheldPE: Photomanip - Interview with Simone Held
Last week, I was fortunate to catch up with Simone, *simoneheld, who has been a photomanipulator in our community for more than four years. The founder of #PremierPhotomanips and administrator of various other photomanipulation groups and art groups in general across dA, Simone has an eye for identifying good photomanipulation and a passion for excellent artistry.
I chose to invite Simone for our Keynote interview because of her passion for our art form and also because of her vision. She has brilliant ideas and the skills to carry them out both respect to art creation and project design.
Here is our interview.
You've been on dA for over four years now! What brought you here in the first place, and why did you choose to learn photomanipulation specifically?
The reason why I came to dA is very simple: I wanted to share my art with others and see new and different art for myself

PE Photomanip: Dark photomanipulationWhat is Dark Photomanipulation?

Is dark manipulation romantic? Frightening? Cold? Is it full of untold possibilities or a scream waiting to erupt from your throat?
Dark photomanipulation has something for every shade of your dark mood and demeanor. If you visit our dark photomanipulation gallery, you will find everything from grimly beautiful women surrounded by crows to figures engrossed in decay and beautiful stagnation. Some pieces are soothing in their depths; some are startling in their grotesqueness.
So, once again, what is a dark photomanipulation?
When we submit our deviations to the Digital Art > Photomanipulation > Dark gallery, we see the following gallery description:
Photomanipulations which are dark in theme or mood, and have a mystical, obscure, sombre, grim, or sinister expression.
This is a good conceptual definition, but we also want to obtain a more operational definition fro

Community Voices: What is a Daily Deviation?DDs: The deviantART definition
So, as the title says, What in the world IS a Daily Deviation (DD), anyway?
You know what deviantART says about it, right? Under :faq61: it says:
A small assortment of submissions are chosen each day by a select group of staff/volunteer members who wish to showcase an image which they found impressive or otherwise interesting enough to deserve being brought to the attention of the community-at-large.
That says nothing about a DD being a perfect specimen of art-- in fact, it doesn't even use the word "art" at all.

Basically, as CVs, when we are giving a DD, we are doing so because we think the image is interesting and well-done and deserves your attention. It may be technically exquisite. It may be technically quite good but exceptionally thought-provoking. It may be exceedingly creative. It may be all of these things! Above all else, it should stand out in some way from others in that medium or gallery.

PE Photomanip: Using Masks InterviewsUsing Masks Interviews
Good afternoon / morning, everyone!

I've got some interviews about using masks in your photomanipulations today!
Basically, masks are a way of non-destructively erasing parts of your work. Non-destructively means that it doesn't "destroy" your base image - everything you don't erase is kept and it's simple to fix it if you make a mistake. Whereas if you just deleted the parts of an image you don't want, that would be lost and it would be complicated to get those parts back in many instances. Read on for more info!

Interview with `kuschelirmel
`miontre: When is it appropriate (or how do you know you need) to use a mask in your work?
`kuschelirmel: A mask is used to get rid of unwanted parts (backgrounds on objects you want to use etc) as well as to help you blend things better, because the mask gives you control over how transparent any

PE Photomanip: Ask Me Anything!PE Photomanipulation: Ask Me Anything!
One of the activities for Project Educate: Photomanipulation was for the community to ask questions from more experienced community "experts." For "Ask Me Anything," community members came up with ten excellent questions for ten Experts to answer. Having had time to peruse and consider the questions asked, the Experts kindly returned the answers to be included in this news article. Many thanks to the deviants asking, as well as a huge thank you to the Experts for taking the time to come up with such succinct, detailed, and helpful answers.

~Amoretdoesntdrawwell asked, "How do you get that dark, dreary, foggy effect that makes it look like it's all from the same image, like ~Dash-th3me did in 'Dead Marshes'?

Answered by =nitchwarmer :iconnitchwarmer:
~Amoretdoesntdrawwell,
There are many brushes and stock images you can use here on dA; you can find the

Project Educate: The Art of PhotomanipulationHello, deviantART! How are you?

I’m back to tell you a little bit about my very favorite form of art here on dA: photomanipulation, often referenced simply as, manipulation or manips. Hope you enjoy!

What is photomanipulation?

The general consensus in our community seems to be that photomanipulation involves taking elements from at least two photographs (and/or, by some definitions, other sources like 3D work or brushes) and fitting them together to create something that is seamless and distinct from the original sources. Some people argue that a photomanipulation can be made with one photograph as long as the final piece of art is drastically different from the picture from which it originated. If it is not dramatically different—i.e., if the final product is similar to the original photograph but perhaps a bit cleaned up or minor edits are added without including any new elements—we might call it a retouch<

Contest reminder: 'When Darkness Falls'Darkness falls across the land . . .
The midnight hour is close at hand . . .
Creatures crawl in search of blood . . .
To terrorize your neighborhood!
- Michael Jackson, Thriller
You decide what happens when darkness falls!
Is it macabre? Is it fantasy? Is it emotional?
It is up to you.
Welcome to our 2012 Photomanipulation Contest, "When Darkness Falls."
This contest is being held by ^SanguineVamp and ~The-Sacred-Space.
We are grateful to Community Relations for backing this contest.
Any photomanipulator can join, and all are welcome.

Your task is to complete the sentence:
When darkness falls, _____
using a photomanipulation!
[In other words: Show us what happens when Darkness falls!]
You can interpret the sentence to mean anything you want.
It doesn't have to be dark or horror/macabre,
but it must be very clear that

PE - Artisan Crafts ABC II E - HLast year `MyntKat did an excellent work putting together an Artisan Crafts ABC for #projecteducate, however the Artisan Crafts are so extensive, diverse and ever-growing that there's still much to cover. In this new Artisan Crafts Week we will explore some different crafts, techniques, materials and popular themes to expand your knowledge of this addictive world. This list is still not complete, and we invite you to share with us your knowledge.

Artisan Crafts ABC: A - D | E - H | I - M | N - R | S - V | W - Z
Artisan Crafts ABC II: A- D | E - H | I - M | N - R | S - V |

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Featured in Groups:

#projecteducate
Learn our deviantART ABC's

#CRPhotomanipulation
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Let's do it together!

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Submitted: June 4, 2012
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Welcome to Photomanipulation Week!

Mon Jun 4, 2012, 6:49 AM

Daily Deviations

Welcome, all, to Photomanipulation Week here at Project Educate!

This week, the photomanipulation community will be introducing you to some of our styles, techniques, and concepts. We will show you our diversity and our style. We will demonstrate our skills and our creativity. You will be hearing from the community in their own voices what it means to be a photomanipulator here on dA.

Let's get started!

What is photomanipulation?

The official definition of "photomanipulation" (PM), according to deviantART, is: an image that is composed of two or more photographic elements to create something new. This definition has been very nicely analyzed and distinguished from other genres here, here, and here, but let's talk briefly about the three main components of it:

TWO.

There must be at least two different images you're combining. There should be no simple changing of hues, applying filters, etc. and calling it a manipulation; also, there should be no simple retouches of photographs. Also, you are usually using pieces of these pictures; overlaying one picture with another (entire) picture would go under Photography > Darkroom > Digital.

PHOTOGRAPHIC.

At least two of your resources must be photographs-- in other words, brushes or paint do not count as one of your images (although they can certainly be used in addition to the 2 photographs). Renders do not count, either. If the image uses only one picture that has been brushed and/or painted over, it would go under Digital Art > Mixed Media. Likewise, if it features one photographic background and a 3D model (or vice-versa), that image should go under Digital Art > Mixed Media, where the media are 3D art and photography.

NEW.

The product is completely new and different from its parts. The same picture that has been filtered to turn it red is not a photomanipulation; the end product is not different from the starting stock. (Of course, just using a filter violates the above two principles anyway.)

According to this definition, simply cutting out a picture of a butterfly and pasting it onto a picture of a tree would, technically, be considered photomanipulation because there are two photographs that are being combined into something new. However; this is a very simple photomanipulation; usually manipulators do things that are a lot more complex. For example, we may use pieces from many, many stock photographs. We may use digital painting or brushes to enhance our project. We may change the colors in any number of different ways and add new light and shadows. The goal of a photomanipulation, as defined by our community, is to create an image that is seamless and tells a story completely different from any of the pieces that comprise it.

Photomanipulation is art.

Photomanipulators are artists, just like painters, sculptors, and line artists. Just like other artists, there are professional photomanipulators who design books, magazines, prints, and so very much more. And just like any other artists, we start at the bottom and work our way up by studying and learning from other people. It is not only a "cut and paste" art form. Cutting and pasting may be the first skill we learn , but we also have to learn things like color theory, composition, perspective, blending, and lighting . . . just like other artists do.

You can read about the history of photomanipulation from `IreneLangholm here. Photomanipulation has come a long way from its origins, and it continues to evolve, especially in dA's time! Skills I recall being "intermediate" when I was coming up, such as turning skin a different color (was I the only one who couldn't do this when I started?), are now learned at the "beginner" level, and photomanipulators are inventing more advanced effects every day. Back in my day, I was doing well to create realistic-looking fog, and now they have fire! and glowing stuff! and floating ghosts! and statues turned flesh! And all sorts of other amazing things. This is an amazing community; I can't wait to share it with you this week. Prepare to be wowed.

Words of experience

I wanted to give a couple of words to our newbies out there, those who are just starting out--or who are even thinking of starting out-- with photomanipulation. You are our inspiration. Not vice-versa. Your passion for learning and for being the best artist you can be really shine. Here are my words for you:

Learn the basics first. I mean that. Really know them, because without them you will never be able to build your skill repertoire. No matter how long it takes learn your basics (composition, color, lighting, perspective, blending, etc.), it is well worth your time. You're going to have to know them to move to "advanced" anyway; why not do it right from the start? And, if you need a buddy to learn with you, drop by my page. I'm going to be holding Creativity Challenges to encourage artists to expand their skills repertoire. Learn the Pen Tool with me here!

Don't be afraid to ask questions. Most of the older photomanipulators are still around; you just have to drop them a note and ask them what is on your mind. While you're at it, ask them about a piece of work they did and see if they would mind sharing with you a tip or two about how they did it. I have found them to be extremely responsive and helpful. Also, be sure to ask those who are currently around you. Some share secrets, whereas others do not. But, it is worth a try. Most of what we learn is done by word-of-mouth.

Get involved. If you want people to know your work, they have to know you exist!

Get involved with groups. Attend a chat. Comment on people's work. Suggest DDs. By being involved, you become more entrenched in the community and will therefore be better able to share your own work with other people. Remember, dA is about getting to know people.

Use the pen tool, for goodness sake! There are plenty of tutorials, though some are better than others (see here for a discussion of some good ones). While it is a challenging tool to tackle, it is so worth your time because your edges will be so much cleaner when you cut out your stock.

Have an idea? Put it into practice! You are empowered to do anything you want to support the community here on dA, and if you want to tell me about it, I will do everything within my power to support you. Dream big, and don't wait for others to do something!!!

This is what we do . . .

Photomanipulation can make the ordinary . . . extraordinary! Thanks to *MBHenriksen for working with me to pull together this fantastic collection of "before" and "after" stock and manipulation pieces! Enjoy!