From photograph to painting

John Battison of Paignton U3A manipulates photographs on his computer with digital imaging software to create stunning, impactful art.

I’ve been involved with photography all my life but I wanted more freedom to create exactly what I wanted.

My pictures start life as a photograph, or usually several photos. I then work on them with my computer to make something more akin to a painting, I certainly aim to have the result look more like a painting than a photograph.

The photo of the ethereal lady in the woods for example is made  from a photo of a model, combined with photos of rocks in Chatsworth, a stone wall in Dartmoor and a temple in Thailand.  It took up to 20 hours to complete.

I coordinated classes at the U3A National Summers Schools hoping it will encourage a few more folk into produce art on their computers.  I hope I don't sound too boastful, but I am working in a very up-to-date medium even though I’m well into my ninth decade!