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Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Other Art Forms (Basic Editing)
Collection: Favorites - Ribbons
Camera: Canon EOS-7D
Lens: Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon
Location: Easton, CT
Date: May 25, 2010
Aperture: f/3.2
ISO: 100
Shutter: 1/160
Galleries: Humorous, Children
Date Uploaded: May 25, 2010

 Yes, I drew the face on the screen using the knobs. Yes, it was a pain in the neck. No, it's not what I "do," but I thought it would make an interesting photo. I had to buy the Etch a Sketch for the challenge, and this was my first attempt. I drew the face a little too large, but close enough.

To illustrate the face, I took a photo of my daughter (not the same one holding the frame), converted to a very light B&W, and printed it out on transparent inkjet film. Using the film on the screen as a guide, I carefully traced over the image— a tedious process that took several hours. Though the line work is real, I left the film in place because I liked the subtle shading in the open areas. I went to some trouble to coordinate the background color with gels, but B&W provided a closer match to the face and made it look a little more real. Here's a version without the gel. Unfortunately, the super-bright hue of the frame resulted in noise when converted and the abundance of midtones creates a muddy look. Not my best photo— this one relies more on concept than photography. :-/

FWIW, this was my second entry in a row to get absolutely clobbered by the early voters. I was at 3.667 after the first few votes and didn't get above 5 until early the next morning. Tough crowd!

Processing: Levels, Curves, Smart Sharpen, B&W conversion with adjustments to yellow, red and magenta channels, and Noise Ninja as a final sharpening step.

Statistics
Place: 1 out of 146
Avg (all users): 6.9929
Avg (commenters): 7.5882
Avg (participants): 6.6047
Avg (non-participants): 7.1649
Views since voting: 6387
Views during voting: 404
Votes: 140
Comments: 54
Favorites: 16 (view)

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AuthorThread
 05/24/2015 08:22:59 PM
THIS is when I fell in love with you. *grin*

  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/25/2010 10:36:12 AM
Just having a look at some of the previous challenges,and this one caught my eye.
Brilliant idea really well presented,very impressive.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/07/2010 11:57:25 AM
Dude, this is sooo cool! Absolutely deserved win but scorewise totally underrated! Congrats!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/07/2010 04:56:01 AM
ooh yes, a very well deserved blue, i like this shot very much for his originality and fro your good realization...
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/06/2010 10:28:05 AM
Kudos to your creativity. Very impressive and well deserved blue!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/05/2010 03:29:41 AM
I think this is so clever as well as a great shot. well done!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/04/2010 10:51:56 AM
Awesome, Shannon!! Congrats on another blue!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/04/2010 06:39:21 AM
Well done Shannon. I always hated those silly things - I could never remember which direction to twist the knobs
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/03/2010 10:52:33 PM
Wow! You are an artist of many genres! That is a very cool etch-a-sketch drawing! And a brilliant idea for the challenge :) Glad your hours of work paid off!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/03/2010 03:53:01 PM
Huge congrats on the work and the ribbon!!!. It would be great to see how the actual drawing looks (line work only without the film over it).
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/03/2010 07:35:58 AM
WTG Shannon!!! Superb concept and shot!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/02/2010 09:54:36 PM
Well, sir, you DO have my intense RESPECT for both Great Creativity, and Superb Execution!

Your placement on this photo is completely understandable, although the over-all score does seem a bit low for the caliber of photo that this is.

Kudos! Onward & Upward! :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/02/2010 08:51:27 PM
Dang, you are finally showing a bit of talent.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/02/2010 07:23:03 PM
WOW that is great image and Sketching work!! You should get two Blue Ribbons on this one! :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/02/2010 02:20:44 PM
I agree that's a really good bit of sketching, but if you haven't already seen it, check out this guy's gallery -- it's almost unbelievable what he does ...

Etched in Time
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/02/2010 02:16:37 PM
Fantastic Job! Thanks for sharing the process.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/02/2010 07:22:37 AM
Congratulations!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/02/2010 06:55:49 AM
Wow! Very impressive. I didn't have a chance to vote in this one or go through all the entries. I'm always amazed at the things people will actually do for these challenges. So creative and fun!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/02/2010 04:27:33 AM
Congrats on the blue, Shannon. You put a lot of thought and work into this and it certainly paid off. Good work (you talented devil! ;-D
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/02/2010 04:04:35 AM
looks like the purchase of the Etch a Sketch was an investment here :D Congratulations!! well deserved to win this!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/02/2010 01:22:36 AM
Just too cool Shannon! Your ideas make me smile : )
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/02/2010 01:08:30 AM
Super job, Shannon! That looks a lot harder than mine. ;-) Congrats on the well deserved blue!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/02/2010 01:05:07 AM
Congratulation!
It really needs time to produce a good work.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/02/2010 12:42:38 AM
Great photograph! Really well done. I like it!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/02/2010 12:39:07 AM
Originally posted by Bear_Music:
Have you ever considered being an ad man? :-)

That's exactly where my career started (in high school), and I got as far as Chiat/Day (Apple, the Energizer Bunny, Nynex, Reebok, etc.) in college before straying into other fields of graphic design. I'd go back to that in a heartbeat!
 06/02/2010 12:32:55 AM
Your concepts never get old!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/02/2010 12:32:21 AM
Congratulations! Great decision to go BW!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/02/2010 12:30:58 AM
Big congrats on your Blue, Shannon!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/02/2010 12:25:25 AM
I knew this had to be yours as soon as I saw it. It's good to see another one of your elaborate concepts fully realized and ribboning. I have nothing but admiration for your ability to do this. Have you ever considered being an ad man? :-)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/02/2010 12:25:21 AM
Good one Shannon--hadn't thought of a paper overlay to help with the drawing. I'm still impressed; i can only draw stair steps and worm holes. Congrats!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/02/2010 12:15:54 AM
Brilliant, dang it! *grin*

This is totally deserving of The Blue.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/02/2010 12:11:33 AM
Awesome Job! Congrats!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/02/2010 12:06:53 AM
one of my top picks, congrats!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/02/2010 12:06:21 AM
I gave this a 9 but thought it would get third.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/02/2010 12:05:17 AM
Good gracious, he does it again! Congratulations. Apparently the B/W turned out okay after all!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
06/01/2010 02:26:19 PM
anyone who has owned or played with this toy knows HOW difficult is to make that sketch...very impressing skill.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/01/2010 12:55:36 PM
Amazing!! Such creativity and extremely well planned and articulated!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/01/2010 02:29:56 AM
holy shit??!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/31/2010 09:28:18 PM
I hope that is really done on the Etch a Sketch. I'm giving a high score with the assumption that this is really your craft !
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/29/2010 08:52:17 PM
Outstanding!! 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/29/2010 11:32:08 AM
good idea well done
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/28/2010 09:01:33 PM
Wow, was that really drawn on an etch-a-sketch? That's amazing!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/27/2010 02:47:19 PM
that's kinda cool :D - made me smile - thanks
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/27/2010 05:56:41 AM
A vote gor originality
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/27/2010 12:27:11 AM
Well if this is yours Sahhanon, you're even more brilliant than I thought - it even looks like your daughter!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/26/2010 07:39:54 PM
etch-tastic
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/26/2010 03:02:01 PM
What a great idea. Well done.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/26/2010 02:15:41 PM
That's creative!! How did you get hat pencil drawing in there? I know you can't possibly do those kind of shadows with a real etch a sketch.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/26/2010 12:42:49 PM
Wow! Really? That's AWESOME! (not voting)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/26/2010 09:59:08 AM
lol
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/26/2010 08:20:39 AM
The contrast is very flat for a B&W, but the idea behind the picture is good :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/26/2010 04:19:45 AM
hehe,,,,,,,, cool idea,,,,, i like,,,,,,,
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/26/2010 01:53:41 AM
Seriously Cool! Your art and your photo!!!!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/26/2010 12:31:33 AM
Impressive use of that machine. I am really impressed that you didn't erase it while photographing the shot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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