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Posted on 03/04/15 09:41:05 AM |
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Steve Caplin
Administrator Posts: 7025 Reply  |
Challenge 550: Half a column
I was so intrigued by the intricate statuary around the base of this column in Marseille that I completely forgot to look at what was on top of it. Can you suggest something suitable grand? You can make the column as tall as you like. High res is here.  |
Posted on 03/04/15 12:41:22 PM |
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DavidMac
Director of Photoshop Posts: 5675 Reply  |
Re: An appropriate memorial for a French seaport.
In the great British tradition of "How to annoy the French" ... here's how to really do it. 
For those of you unfamiliar with British history Horatio Nelson inflicted the greatest naval defeat ever upon the French at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805 - thus ending France's ambition to be the greatest naval power and establishing England's supremacy over the sea's for the next century. It's a subject that still rankles with the francais. 
 _________________ The subtlety and conviction of any Photoshop effect is invariably inversely proportional to the number of knobs on it ....... |
Posted on 03/04/15 1:50:48 PM |
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DavidMac
Director of Photoshop Posts: 5675 Reply |
Continuing the tradition .......
Here's another way to get up le nez français ....... 
 _________________ The subtlety and conviction of any Photoshop effect is invariably inversely proportional to the number of knobs on it ....... |
Posted on 03/04/15 2:57:28 PM |
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michael sinclair
Off-Topic Opportunist Posts: 1864 Reply  |
Re: An appropriate memorial for a French seaport.
David, I love your clever second entry which is sharpened-up with good stone colour, but your first doesn't match in hue, sharpness, or contrast: can you see how soft and reddish the original is compared to Nelson's column? Now we don't want teacher having to point this out to you do we. 
Michael |
Posted on 03/04/15 3:14:25 PM |
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michael sinclair
Off-Topic Opportunist Posts: 1864 Reply |
Re: Challenge 550: Half a column
Here's another photo of Fontaine Cantini which shows the water around it, and the fountain spouts (not on). Not dissimilar to Trafalgar square.
NB If anyone were to use this image instead of the one given (I ain't sayin nuthin), then do watch out for perspective distortion on the column. Anyway, I'm afraid I'm completely stuck on this one  I cannot think who or what should go atop of the column. I do know that this monument commemorates early nineteenth affairs: Joan of arc is too early, and Charles de Gaulle is too late, so for the life of me I cannot think who would be appropriate for that time. 
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Posted on 03/04/15 3:14:48 PM |
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Mariner
Renaissance Mariner Posts: 3062 Reply  |
Re: Challenge 550: Half a column
If you want a closer look at this column you will find it in Place Castellane, Marseille |
Posted on 03/04/15 4:50:01 PM |
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matt
** Posts: 84 Reply |
Re: Challenge 550: Half a column
Michael: a minor hint: it starts and ends with a 'n', and it is not neon. And simply reverting to your predeliction won't do either...  |
Posted on 03/04/15 10:18:10 PM |
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Frank
Eager Beaver Posts: 1749 Reply  |
Re: Challenge 550: Half a column
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Posted on 04/04/15 1:59:42 PM |
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DavidMac
Director of Photoshop Posts: 5675 Reply |
Re: An appropriate memorial for a French seaport.
Well Oui and Non Micheal ....... that's because the bottom bit is français and the top bit is anglais. Imported British stone and masons ...... notice how much sharper and cleaner the British masonry is? 
After all, it wouldn't do at all if les rosbifs were the same as the French would it? That would run counter to the point. _________________ The subtlety and conviction of any Photoshop effect is invariably inversely proportional to the number of knobs on it ....... |
Posted on 04/04/15 3:44:37 PM |
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michael sinclair
Off-Topic Opportunist Posts: 1864 Reply |
Re: Challenge 550: Half a column
Oh, I see it was intentional then! However, you must see how easy it is for your work to be, albeit, misjudged for lacking in Photoshop skill when the--ostensible--remit of skilfully blending and combining seamlessly is ignored.  |
Posted on 04/04/15 6:26:18 PM |
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DavidMac
Director of Photoshop Posts: 5675 Reply |
Re: Challenge 550: Half a column
Umm ....... Oui and Non. I was pulling your leg Micheal. You are quite right. It is not well matched. The Nelson photo has a higher contrast, deeper shadows, and a crisper less eroded finish. It proved surprisingly difficult to match. I did vaguely attempt to help the marriage by introducing shadowing to the left side of the base column, but not I agree, much more effort than that. With the advantage of twenty/twenty hindsight I can see that the best would probably have been to remove the original short length of column entirely and bed the new one directly onto the carved base. On this occasion I was very short on time so I simply confined myself to having a quick little giggle without paying too much attention the Photoshop side. Weak ..... But true ....... _________________ The subtlety and conviction of any Photoshop effect is invariably inversely proportional to the number of knobs on it ....... |
Posted on 04/04/15 11:37:48 PM |
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michael sinclair
Off-Topic Opportunist Posts: 1864 Reply |
Re: Challenge 550: Half a column
Yes, you are quite correct David: it is very difficult indeed. It took me one-and-half-hours to get it nearly right, but if the fluting is different and angle of light is different one is not able to match accurately at all. 
Anyway, Here was a stab at getting a better match with your own entry (I hope you don't mind  ). you're welcome to use this example if you like before teacher finds out,
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Posted on 05/04/15 11:14:35 AM |
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DavidMac
Director of Photoshop Posts: 5675 Reply |
Re: Challenge 550: Half a column
That's really interesting Michael. It's an excellent match at, of course, the expense of changing the character of the whole image. It would never have occurred to me to take things so far. I am impressed!!
If you can't raise the bridge - lower the river ....... _________________ The subtlety and conviction of any Photoshop effect is invariably inversely proportional to the number of knobs on it ....... |
Posted on 05/04/15 3:10:29 PM |
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michael sinclair
Off-Topic Opportunist Posts: 1864 Reply |
Re: Challenge 550: Half a column
David, thanks for the comments, but it was very late at night, and I had to stop work, so I only concentrated on the column; however, today I have been able to give your entry my full attention: behold... 
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Posted on 05/04/15 9:24:45 PM |
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DavidMac
Director of Photoshop Posts: 5675 Reply |
Re: Challenge 550: Half a column
That's truly seamless Micheal. You clearly have much more patience than I. _________________ The subtlety and conviction of any Photoshop effect is invariably inversely proportional to the number of knobs on it ....... |
Posted on 05/04/15 10:04:26 PM |
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michael sinclair
Off-Topic Opportunist Posts: 1864 Reply |
Re: Challenge 550: Half a column
Thank you David: you gave me an opportunity to test myself. If you look very, very carefully the original base column is different from the upper column: this was intentional on my part as I did not want to be accused of pasting a selection from the upper to the lower which I could have easily done. I made thin rectangle selections on the lower and darkened and lightened accordingly. |
Posted on 05/04/15 10:57:26 PM |
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michael sinclair
Off-Topic Opportunist Posts: 1864 Reply |
Re: Challenge 550: Half a column
Finished! 
UPDATED 6th April UPDATED 9th of April (wrong upload: now you see continuous flickering as was originally intended) 
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Posted on 05/04/15 10:59:25 PM |
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Jota120
Ingenious Inventor Posts: 2615 Reply  |
Re: Challenge 550: Half a column
...might have another idea, rework later... (She was walking through Lhasa Tibet on centre of 6 lane carriageway (weird!), while looking for buddha(?), surprised to meet France and Norway!! ..mystery like the LHC journeys)  |
Posted on 06/04/15 00:44:27 AM |
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Jota120
Ingenious Inventor Posts: 2615 Reply |
Re: Challenge 550: Half a column
..variant without Tibet ..  |
Posted on 06/04/15 10:10:11 AM |
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DavidMac
Director of Photoshop Posts: 5675 Reply |
Re: Challenge 550: Half a column
Just like the one in Vegas!! _________________ The subtlety and conviction of any Photoshop effect is invariably inversely proportional to the number of knobs on it ....... |
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