Texture Tuesday - For the love of Singer Sewing Machines.

Hello dear friends,

Here it is Tuesday once again... goodness how the week flies!
I am loving 'Texture Tuesday' and, after completing half a dozen or more textured photos, the penny is finally dropping.. and I feel I am starting to become a little more familiar with the process.

Each week, I am amazed with the variety and quality of the textured photos on Kim's site.

Each time, after viewing other photos, I tell myself..."be a little more adventurous with it, attempt something a little different!"
So, this week, I have done that...however... I am now starting to think I may have gone TOO far....

I find it quite a dilemma really... the choice between simplicity or the problem of it all becoming too over- textured and looking too 'busy'.

Is it better to stay simple both in the nature of the original photographic style and the texturing that goes with it?

Does anyone else ask themselves these questions as they learn this process or am I just being too self critical?
I would like to know your opinion...more elaborate..or simple...? Which is your style and what do you think is 'better'?

                                                           _________________

This week the challenge was to post a photo with the addition of writing, either in the added texture or as a text over the photo.

This photo was taken in Portobello Road, Spitalfields, London. It is of a window of one of a chain of fashion shops called All Saints.

I was captivated by the wonderful display of old sewing machines which were arranged in multiple layers in each of the windows.
There were actually hundreds of them in the shop....it was quite an amazing sight!

The main writing in this photo is actually on the front window of the shop.

This is how I achieved the look on the photo above, using Photoshop Elements:

• Added a frame, 0.5 inches all round, thanks to SLucy at Creative Skyy Photography ( sorry I could not get link to work!)
• Levels adjustment to brighten and increase contrast.
• Texture 1 - Pixel Dust Photo Art medieval texture on overlay blend mode, 49%
• Layer mask, rubbed away grey texture from store name.
• Texture 2 - a hand made paper texture (made by my husband!) on darken blend mode, 48% This yellowed up the frame.
• Layer mask, rubbed away most of the second texture except I left it on the frame and as a slight vignette.
• Gaussian blur filter to blur the eraser marks.
• Texture 3 - old writing taken from scanned wrapping paper (similar to that used in the shop)! Soft light blend mode, 77%
• Type in signature

                                   

This second photo was actually the first texturisation I did of the shop-photo. It is definitely simpler, more muted.

This is how I achieved the look on the photo above-

• Levels adjustment to brighten and increase contrast.
• KK Life's Good texture, Soft Light blend mode, 46%
• KK Vintage texture, multiply blend mode, 81%
• KK Pourvous texture, multiply blend mode, 87%
• Levels adjustment
• Layer mask to remove some texture
• Text, signature

And finally, while we are on the topic of old sewing machines, I thought I would show you the old, Singer - treadle sewing machine which I have in my home as a hallway table. I really should have removed the cyclamen plant, the flowers are just not in the color palette. (and the plastic pot is terrible!)

I added Kim's latest texture, "Subtly Yours" to this one. (The walls in my home are honestly not that grubby...it's the texture)

To see more pictures of textured photos please click on the 'Texture Tuesday' logo on my side bar to take you to Kims site.

And that's it for today, folks,