An attempt at a Chinese Water Colour look

[Brownbear]

I've received a few comments on some of my high key bird images being somewhat reminiscent of Chinese Watercolours. So I borrowed a book from a library to view some pictures of Chinese watercolours and tried my best to make some of my foggy/misty scenes convey this look. The scenes seem to have muted colours but not always, and some have a drawing like look. Obviously the true scenes are painted and these are photos so I can't replicate the look but I thought I'd try for an artsy feel. During the process I found the water colour filter in Photoshop but the effects look nothing like the pics in the book I borrowed so I skipped that.

An ugly old tree on a foggy lagoon...

#1.




Weeping Willows on Lost Lagoon

#2. (Edited pic... added contrast and saturation)



Forest scenes from Brackendale, BC (processed with different white balances, purposely)

3.


4.


River Otters

5. (Edited pic, less sharpening and lost two of the otters at the rear of the image)



I'd appreciate knowing if any of these images bear any resemblance to Chinese water colours. I'd also like to be told if any of these images are appealing and/or if I should hit the delete button on a few or all of these.

I also have limited experience photographing landscapes, so all advice is truly appreciated.

Thank you.

[mknittle]

Christina, I like them all but 1 best. I like the simple stark feel of it.

[Brownbear]

Thank you, Mark. Truly appreciated.

I almost didn't post the tree, so it's nice to know that you like this one best.

Christina, I like them all but 1 best. I like the simple stark feel of it.

[TonyW]

I don't know whether these resemble Chinese water colours but I very much like 1,2, and 3 especially, and I would agree that 1 is the best.

[Shadowman]

The first is the only one that reminds me of Chinese water color, the others have perhaps a oil painting look to them. They are all appealing except for image #4, not enough of any particular condition (sky, ground) yet too much tree line and fog.

[chauncey]

I might suggest that you have numerous swan images that might serve you better.

[Brownbear]

Thank you Tony and John.

John, I especially appreciate the critique on the image consisting of just trees and mist. It helps me see and learn.

[GBO25]

I too like them all Christina but especially #1.
As to replicating the painted look I have an app on my iPad called "Brushstroke" which does an excellent job of making photos look like various types of painted art. Might be worth exploring.

[flashback]

Hi Christina, while I referenced Japanese watercolors I suspect that the difference is one of degree and not one of distinction.
That said, in my head #2 and then #1 come very close conceptually. If you look at (well, primarily) Japanese watercolors they tend toward images much like the aforementioned images.

#1 has the feel of a Japanese watercolor, but since the tree appears dead it's a toss up.
#2 I think has the feel of a Japanese watercolor. I might suggest tweaking the curves a bit to bring up a bit more color, but overall I really like #2, it has a mystic, ephemeral quality about it.
#3 I like for what it is, it has a nice feel for a winter, foggy winter river scene.
#5 is a very cool otter family picnic kind of shot. I love the two looking directly at the camera. Awesome animals, I used to love watching them frolic along a beaver dam impoundment and slide down the outflow falls.

I think you have posted up some really good images that (in my mind) come very close to Japanese watercolor nature paintings. The ones here I've mentioned I believe would look amazing, printed on canvas and hung on a wall (anywhere).

[Rebel]

All nice images Christina, but they don't really remind me of Chinese watercolour paintings.

[ShaneS]

Christina;

These are all lovely images and I think the one that comes closest to a watercolor for me is #2.

#1 and #3 are cropped a bit tight for me. Both might benefit from a little but more room on the left. #2 and #5 are tied for my favorite of the bunch but are very different. #5 is the least like a watercolor though...

Very nice work regardless of whether they meet the criteria of a Chinese or Japanese watercolor so stay away from the delete button....please!

[FlyingSquirrel]

Hi Christina, as usual I will be the one to disagree with the common opinion. Personally I don't like #1 at all, because I feel like the subject is ugly. The mood and effect are nice, but they don't make up for the weak subject IMO.

#2 - 3 are nice, I like them. Tree in lower right of #2 is really cool, would like a shot with more focus on that.

#4 is weak for me, flat composition, just sort of boring for me.

Otters don't work for me much, I realize the effect you are going for but it is too stark for me. The otters are don't look sharp to me, and are oversharpened. The cluster of animals is distracting. Sorry, but I am just trying to be honest.

2 and 3 are pretty good. Nice work on those. If I were you, I'd compare those to 4 and see what the difference is in composition and visual flow. I think you'll get it.

Hope my honest opinion and feedback is helpful

[bnnrcn]

Hi Christina. I like them all. I googled Chineese watercolor paintings and I noticed that although they look misty/fogy, the elements of the images have some structure,contrast and saturated colors. So, I don't think yours remind me Chineese watercolor paintings but they are very nice photos on their own.

[FootLoose]

I think the first shot needs a bit more space on the left, but otherwise it is the one that comes closest to the style you are aiming for, Christina.

[harrd11]

wonderful. I'm a painter, so I absolutely love what your doing. keep going!

[Stagecoach]

Hi Christina,

The images by themselves are all good and I believe No 1 comes the closest but as Binnur has mentioned the majority of the googled images have quite distinct colour to them.

Before I did the google search my impression was that 'all' Chinese painting was of isolated subjects on a plain background but have now learnt something new.

Grahame

[Brownbear]

Thank you to all for sharing your thoughts on the images and postprocessing with respect to my attempt to try for a watercolour look, advising on the compositions, and for the critiques. All truly appreciated.

In hindsight, I think that since I'm still have so much to learn about photographing landscapes that I will confine my future attempts on this to birds that are more suited, likely herons and swans, and colourful little birds.

Graham - I will check out brushstrokes as something is needed to give the images a more painterly look.

Jack - Thank you for your detailed reply. Very helpful as my knowledge of chinese watercolours is infinitesimal but I do adore the look so it is something that I will continue to explore and learn about. My favourite of this set is #2. In a day or two I will apply more contrast to that image and up the colour factor. I found a family of River otters (first ones I've ever seen) and yes they are adorable and so playful. On this particular day the lagoon that they occasionally hang out in, froze over. They were swimming under the water and every once in a while they would break the ice and come out for a bit. I got quite the workout trying to keep up with them.

Shane....

Thank you for sharing your thoughts and taking the time to advise me on how I might improve my compositions. I seem to have a tendency to frame things too, tightly so I will keep this in mind for future. #2 is my favourite. #5 is an image that didn't work out that I thought that post processing in this manner might just work. I'm going to give it another try.

Matt...

Your honest opinion and feedback is always helpful and truly appreciated, and the fact of the matter is that that tree is ugly and dead. The 4th image is typical of me becoming infatuated with the beauty of misty scenes and not being able to capture the true beauty...

Yes, the River Otters are not sharp as they should be and an image that I thought processing this way might be worth a try. They are also soaking wet. It was hand held SS 1/640 on a 300 mm lens, f4, ISO 1600 so my only option without upping the ISO even more was a shallow depth of field. I'm going to try another edit, without sharpening the otters at the back, and perhaps eliminating the rear most otter which shows motion blur which I inadvertently sharpened.

Binnur, Greg, Harrd11, and Grahame...

Thank you for advising. Truly appreciated. Yes, there are some misty landscape watercolours but my next try will be on a suitable colourful bird, just seems simpler and more suitable for something I'm trying to learn to do.

Thank you to all!

[DonnaK]

I'm not sure you got the look you were seeking, but I do like them. I'm really drawn to the first shot because of the isolation and the softness of the colors. I also love the #3. The fog lifting up into the trees is really nice. You have a lot of elements in this one. The river, riverbed, snow, trees, and fog make it very interesting. More work on the Chinese watercolours for later posts I do love looking at your work,

[Mike Buckley]

the fact of the matter is that that tree is ugly and dead.

It's probably an accurate fact that the tree is dead. It's an opinion, one I disagree with, that it's ugly. Just the opposite, I believe it's a beautiful subject that merits many return visits in different light.

[Whistletown Wilds]

Good pics, love the moods!