DIGITAL RESIN FLOWERS

I can't decide whether or not I like resin flowers, but when  I was playing around with some of my flower pictures I worked out that it was actually super easy (if you have Elements or a similar programme) to make a digital variety to experiment with (or “with which to experiment” if you don't like sentences ending with prepositions – blame my husband for the little voice in my head that made me add this). Here is how to make your own digital resin flowers

1. Pick a suitable flower and photograph it on a piece of black paper. (There are less shadows in black backgrounds so the area is easier to select with the magic wand)
2. Select the background by clicking on it with the magic wand tool (four down on the left in the tool menu), making sure that the box labelled “Contiguous” at the top of the page is ticked. Click on Edit at the top of the page, and then “Cut”.
3. If necessary (and with any luck you won't have to do this) tidy up any messy bits around the edges of the flower with the eraser tool (side menu)
4. Click on the new background with the magic wand tool again then click on “Select” (at the top of the page) and then on “Inverse” so that the flower is selected.
5. Next click onto “Filter” (also at the top), then “Artistic” then “Plastic wrap.” Put the side sliders to high Highlight strength, low Detail and medium Smoothness. (Play around until you like the effect)
6. Go to “Enhance”, then “Adjust colour”, then“Adjust Hue and Saturation” and click on the “Colorize” box to put a tick in it.
7. Now play around with the Hue and the Saturation sliders to make the flower the colour that you want.
8. Now copy and paste into your project or save your flower for future use (remember to select it each time so you don't get the background too!) You can add a bevel from the Effects menu if you want a more three dimensional look.

p.s. you're welcome to use my first two examples.....