The main programs I use for digital photo art are Photoshop and Photoshop Elements. You can purchase Elements for about $79 at Costco. I also utilize these programs when I teach my photo manipulation classes at the Community Collage of Southern Nevada: Digital Photo Touchup and Digital Photos I and II. These classes are a fun way to get you started on digital computer art. Classes are starting now so call 702-651-4040 and sign up. You will learn how to get your pictures from your digital camera to your computer, and digital art and manipulation techniques.
With digital art programs, you can create artistic digital images with just a blank page, freehand or put an existing picture under your “canvas” and paint over the top. These incredible programs allow even a novice to open a picture file and with a click of the mouse make it look like an oil painting. Most of these digital art programs have easy to use “filters” that allow users to do unique and artistic things to any picture. There are lots of fun, easy filters available.
One of my favorite filters is called “liquify.” I open my picture file and I get to play with the picture like it was made of water, pulling and stretching it. You can make your pictures larger or smaller, stretch them, smear them and rotate them. It’s a blast! And if you want to keep the kids busy for hours, give them a picture of you to play with.
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