Painting with acrylics using a projector and Photoshop

[Ben262]

Hello Everyone!
Thank you for having me on this site. I would love some pointers in how to use photoshop to create large canvas paintings from photographs. I have a projector.
In short I would like to be able to break the image I'm using down to, say, 20 - 30 colours. Then, 1 by 1 i would like to be able to project each colour onto my canvas, trace round it and colour it in.
I have not been able to find any tutorials online. Any help will be hugely appreciated. Thank you

 

[IamSam]

Hello Everyone!

Hello and welcome!

Thank you for having me on this site.

We are not having you on our site. Our forum is free for anyone to join. So thank yourself for joining!

I would love some pointers in how to use photoshop to create large canvas paintings from photographs.

OK!

I have a projector.

I presume it's an opaque projector so you can project a specific image on your large canvas.......as you explain later.

In short I would like to be able to break the image I'm using down to, say, 20 - 30 colours.

The number of colors will be determined by the number of colors in the image.
Original....


Three methods for you to choose from:

1
FILTER > FILTER GALLERY > CUTOUT > adjust settings.


2
FILTER > FILTER GALLERY > DRYBRUSH > adjust settings.


3
IMAGE > ADJUSTMENTS > POSTERIZE > adjust settings.


Selection of colors!
Use SELECT > COLOR RANGE > SET FUZZINESS TO 0 > Select a color > hit OK
In this case I selected the darker area of orange. (Note: This is the Cutout version.)


Then hit Cmd/Cntrl + J to copy the selection to it's own layer. Cmd/Cntrl + D to deselect.
Now I have that color on it's own layer by itself ready to be printed and projected.


Continue the above selection process until you are done selecting and isolating all the colors!

 

[Ben262]

Hello and welcome!

We are not having you on our site. Our forum is free for anyone to join. So thank yourself for joining!

OK!

I presume it's an opaque projector so you can project a specific image on your large canvas.......as you explain later.

The number of colors will be determined by the number of colors in the image.
Original....
View attachment 132848

Three methods for you to choose from:

1
FILTER > FILTER GALLERY > CUTOUT > adjust settings.
View attachment 132849

2
FILTER > FILTER GALLERY > DRYBRUSH > adjust settings.
View attachment 132850

3
IMAGE > ADJUSTMENTS > POSTERIZE > adjust settings.
View attachment 132851

Selection of colors!
Use COLOR RANGE > SET FUZZINESS TO 0 > Select a color > hit OK
In this case I selected the darker area of orange. (Note: This is the Cutout version.)
View attachment 132852

Then hit Cmd/Cntrl + J to copy the selection to it's own layer. Cmd/Cntrl + D to deselect.
Now I have that color on it's own layer by itself ready to be printed and projected.
View attachment 132853

Continue the above selection process until you are done selecting and isolating all the colors!

Thanks for getting back to me.
This looks like a great solution.
However I am stuck at the 'Actions' window.
So, on the top menu bar I hit 'Window' , then 'Actions'. The Actions box comes up, but all it has inside are 4 folders (Botton borders, Lose weight, Resize and crop, Special effects) Also the 'play' and 'stop' buttons (triangle and square) are greyed out on not responsive.
This is the 'Actions' window I want:

This is the one I am getting:


I expect I am being super dumb. Im using PS Elements 13.
Thanks for your help. It's appreciated.

 

[IamSam]

However I am stuck at the 'Actions' window.

Not "Actions". Actions are a completely different animal altogether! I'm fairly certain that I did not mention using actions in my post #2.

Color range is located under SELECT > COLOR RANGE in the Ps menu bar! I don't know if you have the same thing in Elements. There is a huge difference between Ps and Elements!

I expect I am being super dumb. Im using PS Elements 13.
Thanks for your help. It's appreciated.

No, you're just speaking from your level of experience and understanding. No shame there!
However, I don't think I can offer much more help as I have no experience with Elements or have any version of Elements to reference. As I stated earlier, Photoshop and Elements are not at all the same.