Abstracting Photos for Quilts

I cannot say how much I found this lesson useful in turning photos into patterns for quilts or other types of art. You can do the same thing using pencil and paper or by projecting an image onto a wall, both of which I have done. But PSE makes the process so much simpler. Plus, it’s interesting to see how the program simplifies versus what I as the individual would eliminate from the photo. I have to say the workshop and program are well worth it just for this.

I had two images I was interested in simplifying. The first I have long wanted to create into a wallhanging. Every year I do the Providence Bridge Pedal here in Portland. On one Sunday in August, you can cycle auto-free over the bridges of our beautiful city. The weather has been picture perfect every year. The Bridge Pedal is a fund raiser for heart research. Both my dad and late husband suffered from heart related issues as does my current husband, so for me, while I love cycling, the heart health connection is an added impetus to participate.

Here’s the photo I took with the Fremont Bridge in front of me.

Here’s how PSE abstracted the photo. You will notice we changed the color saturation to a grey scale as the lesson was how to create a pattern. Retaining the colors is not important for a pattern and could be distracting. Another benefit: the grey scale shows the values. I really like the disappearing/reappearing vertical lines. I might further simplify this image by eliminating the small figures in the distance.

I was curious how PSE would abstract the colors. Here is that version, which I like. I probably would not make the changes in the sky so obvious.

I tried a second photo, also of a bridge–the Pont du Gard in Provence–by chance. The stonework makes the lines in the bridge quite complex. How was PSE going to abstract this image? How far should I take it? You do have choices.

I waffled between two abstraction levels and ultimately chose this one.

Then I tried the color version,, which I love so much, no matter how challenging it looks, I may have to do it! This just goes to show how valuable this PSE tool is.