When it comes to digital art, I have been fascinated for several years with the process of starting with a
single master image and by zooming in to various areas of that image, creating a seemingly endless number
of new images. In fact, many of these zoomed images are far more interesting than the original. In turn,
each of these daughter images can then serve as the master for another series of zoomed images. This has
been the main process that I have used to create many of the images that populate my Sciartists-Online
Gallery, my blog, and my ArtWanted gallery.
Until now, I have always used this process freely without any established method of recording the
relationship between images or the steps taken to produce each image. This new project, The Pixel
Playground Project, is my attempt to document an extended series of images starting from a single master
image (seen at the top of this page).
All work is done using only Photoshop 6 and the standard set of features that come with PS6. The starting
parent image will always be 3600 x 2400 pixel image and my default magnification for working with this
image will be 21.53%. Each daughter image will also end up being 3600 x 2400 pixels.
The steps used to create each daughter, granddaughter, great-granddaughter…will be documented using a
system detailed in this example:
(Z350)(RSBC)(USM 500,3.5,0)(SP 10,12,5)(USM 200,1.9,0)
- Z350 = Zoomed in on image to 350%, selected area, and copied to new file
- RSBC = Resized image to 3600 x 2400 pixels using bicubic resample
- USM 500,3.5,0 = Unsharp mask filter - Amount 500%, Radius 3.5 pixels, Threshold 0 levels
- SP 10,12,5 = Sponge filter - Brush size 10, Definition 12, Smoothness 5
- USM 200,1.9,0 = You can figure this one out
Other steps will be similarly documented and I will generate a key as the project progresses. Generally,
steps used in creating each daughter image will be kept to a minimum. I will not document the location in
the parent image where the daughter originated (some things have to be kept secret, even from me).
Tracking the lineage of each image will be accomplished using a simple naming system (maybe not that
simple). Here is an example and explanation of a name:
Image name: PP-1A1A
- PP: The Pixel Playground master image
- PP-1: Daughter 1 derived from PP
- PP-1A: Daughter 1 derived from PP-1
- PP-1A1: Daughter 1 derived from PP-1A
- PP-1A1A: Daughter 1 derived from PP-1A1
Another example:
Image name: PP-1B2A
- PP: Master image
- PP-1: Daughter 1 derived from PP
- PP-1B: Daughter 2 derived from PP-1
- PP-1B2: Daughter 2 derived from PP-1B
- PP-1B2A: Daughter 1 derived from PP-1B2
Both of these names represent a fifth generation image and PP-1A1A and PP-1B2A would be second
cousins (at least I think that is how it works out) and PP would be the great-great-grandmother.
I almost forgot to mention. Each image (except the master image) is for sale as
a limited-edition print (only 2 prints will be made of each image, 1 artist proof
and 1 print for sale). Each print is signed with a letter of authenticity. The prints are be made using
Fuji Hunt Chemicals on Fujicolor Crystal Archive professional photographic paper (matte finish). This is a
very high quality process that you find in most pro-labs with a very long life before any fading occurs. Each
print is 20 x 30 inches (the image is 16 x 24 with a 3-inch white border on the top/bottom and a 2 inch
border on the sides to make framing easier). The price of each print is $100 and includes free shipping to
the continental US (Please contact me for shipping outside of the US). Payment can be made through
PayPal (preferred and only method for overseas payment) or by Postal Money Order (US only).
Please feel free to email me should you have any questions concerning The Pixel Playground Project.
Copyright 2006 - All rights reserved -
