magnetoman Loc: Purbeck, Dorset, UK

....is one of Millais' pre-Raphaelite paintings that has influenced me previously. This composite is closer in terms of subject and setting and came about when the two reenactors told me they had the right costumes and were happy to pose. I thought it would make an easy job of it as I had them both in front of the camera at the same time, rather than my usual way of cobbling things together from umpteen shots - boy, was I wrong! The Brunswicker looked as if he'd just arrived from a battle rather than going off to one! And the lady's dress was great but not ideal. She had taken a lot of trouble to look good though, so I was still sure it wouldn't be a big task, and they came with the added bonus of Frank, the small black dog! Unfortunately the studio was a hay barn full of machinery with the only reasonable natural light smack in front of the hay bales. Consequently I ended up spending far more time than expected on this and it ran close to two hundred layers before it was tamed. And the computer kept crashing, which was far from helpful. The background is completely fabricated in Ps and includes (much against my usual principles) a 'borrowed' image of Napoleon crossing the Alps. Will they like the result - no idea! If you'd like to critique it please do so but I may be too worn out to make many changes! I'll post a copy of Millais' painting as a reply for anyone interested.

(Download)

Bubbee Loc: Aventura, Florida

I like it!

BigDaddy Loc: Pittsburgh, PA

Outstanding work there Magnetoman. 200 layers... WOW. That's about as good as it gets.

magnetoman Loc: Purbeck, Dorset, UK

It is freely available to copy online.

(Download)

magnetoman Loc: Purbeck, Dorset, UK

Pleased to hear it Bubbee - and nice to have you look-in, many thanks.

magnetoman Loc: Purbeck, Dorset, UK

Thanks BD, much appreciated. The Ps layer count includes adjustment layers and is not unusual - actual count is 193, but some of these are tiny adjustments.

BigDaddy Loc: Pittsburgh, PA

I understand. Still, 200 layers seems a lot (to me). I just looked at my last edit, a picture for the "For Your Consideration" contest and I counted up 23 layers. For me, that's about average I think. Even with just 23 layers I have to be careful labeling/naming and grouping them or I tend to get lost.
Anyway, I really like this one, and even like it more after seeing the original. Great piece of work there. Well done. Nothing sticks out as being a composite, and the pose is right on I think. In other words, you nailed it.

UTMike Loc: South Jordan, UT

A great deal of effort, but well rewarded, David!

magnetoman Loc: Purbeck, Dorset, UK

Thanks Mike, must say I don’t think I’d have bothered given the images I got but those two reenactors were very kind so I felt I had to make something reasonable for them.

joecichjr Loc: Chicago S. Suburbs, Illinois, USA

The light reflected by that dress must have been so hard to duplicate Just an amazing, eye catching masterpiece 🤍🤍🤍🤍👀

magnetoman Loc: Purbeck, Dorset, UK

Yes, it’s satin so not easy Joe. The lady did give me a choice of two - and I picked the blue satin rather than cope with white. Glad you like the pic.

Fstop12 Loc: Kentucky

Nice job

magnetoman Loc: Purbeck, Dorset, UK

Thanks Fstop.

NJFrank Loc: New Jersey

I would have never thought this was a composite. But I should know better coming from you that it wasn’t a composite. Everyone and thing fits in seamlessly.Was the door already there and she was holding onto the door knob, or this that one of the layers?
Your skills show well on your submitted composites.

magnetoman Loc: Purbeck, Dorset, UK

Hi Frank. No, the door, wallpaper, carpet and picture on the wall are separate images, with the picture mat and frame constructed in Ps. The wallpaper is a multi of a piece of fabric. The lady's arms and hands are not hers but belong to a model I shot a week or two earlier, and she’s made from around ten pieces of her own image, which also changes the dress from waisted under the bust to where you see it now. It also slims the whole thing down as it seemed too big for her. He’s also made from several pieces and both figures are ‘stretched’ a bit height-wise. I’ll add a pic of the guys boots when I get back to my pc to show what I was up against.
Thanks for your interest.