Visual Alchemy: The Fine Art of Digital Montage

Visual Alchemy, the new release by artist Catherine McIntyre, fills a void in the world of photography books. As photographers, there are thousands of books on subject matter (wedding, portrait, landscape, etc.) and hundreds of books on the use of Photoshop and other digital manipulation programs. In my search I have found few books that bridge the gap to help photographers take their work far beyond into the realm of imagination. Visual Alchemy fills that gap. Catherine's book shows you what your work can become from an artist's perspective. This is not a beginner book for photographers and Photoshop users, but more so a master class in becoming an artist that uses both. Filled with hundreds of examples, this book will inspire and deepen your curiosity as to what you can do with your images. The images she provides have a haunting beauty to them that possess a nostalgic, yet futuristic feel. I strongly recommend this book to any photographer that wants to go beyond the capture of images and into the creation of works of art. Other helpful sources that I have found include John Paul Caponigro's Adobe Photoshop Master Class and Cina Stanick Young's The New Masters of Photoshop.Shipping of the book was very prompt, no problems. Go out and buy this book!

We are familiar with complaints about digital manipulation and it's misuse to misinform. This book is about the use of digital programs to expand the artist's ability to speak a visual language that expresses the greater and deeper world. There are visual examples to move one forward, as well as technical information and ideas. As an artist new to this medium I'm excited to include this book as part of my everyday practice and my bookshelf of resources. (My artist name is Kathryn Cramer Brown)

This is exquisite, a delight for photographers & voyeurs of art/ surrealism/ photoshop/ symbolic interest. Not unlike Catherine MacIntyres work each page overfolds & underlays with visually stimulating images & text that offers an insight into how the artist works and how one can begin to explore advanced digital imagery techniques & styles.I adore it.............superb :-)

A fascinating read with lots of visual inspiration.

The servivce was great, but I was really disappointed in the book, but that's just me.

I haven't finished reading the whole book yet, but I love the visual imagery and the process of creating stunning images.

Are you a digital and/or traditional photographer that wants to make art? If you are, then this book is for you! Author Catherine McIntyre has done an outstanding job of writing a book that explains her method and inspirations as a digital artist.McIntyre, begins by showing you why digital manipulation must be the most exciting new medium to become available to artists since the invention of oil paints. Then, the author walks you through the process of how to convey your digital artistic message, by looking at how themes evolve and develop with your work, and thus follow you through the rest of your life, by growing and changing as you do. She continues by showing you that there are two essentials for any work of art: that it should be beautiful, and that it should mean something. Next, the author looks at some of the many artists who have helped to shape her own outlook and process, and who she hopes will also inspire you. Then, she discusses why inspiration is a nebulous thing; and, how it strikes out of the blue sometimes, if you are lucky, in the middle of working on a piece. The author continues by showing you the reasons for using and ways of working with some of art's best-loved subjects to communicate your artistic message. She then discusses why taking photographs for a digital montage is very different from taking a picture, by taking two sets of images: one has a pictorial purpose and the other is for source material. Next, the author shows you why a good technique and craft is important to the worth of an image. The author continues by examining some of the ways that composition will affect your picture and how you might use it to reveal your ideas; but, it is by no means either exhaustive or absolute. Then, she discusses where to start when using color as part of the creative process. Next, the author explains how texture brings immediacy, a direct physical connection, to an image. She continues by showing you how changing the lightness or darkness across an image has an immediate effect on its impact. The author then explores the different forms of inversions, which result in a great deal of expressive possibilities. Next, she discusses why lens distortions can be more or less radical. The author continues by showing you why developing a style is an elusive quality to pin down. Finally, she shows you why it is very important to keep close records of your growing collection of files: The finished images.This excellent book explains the author's development, but your own will of course, be yours alone, and take you on a unique journey. In other words, the author hopes that this great book will set you thinking, and help you along your own creative path.

Catherine McIntyre has a wonderful way of writing. Raw and direct without banging readers on the head. The content is very good. I love her images. Her book has inspired me. Thanks.

Not a simple "how to" book filled with Mac menus, but rather a set of very good general principles to facilitate the creation of new art works. These methods are timeless - they originate in art practice with physical materials / no computer. Methods are not vague but detailed to enable artists.Catherine's own work involves thoughtful layering of the female nude with anatomical organic forms, textures, calligraphy and archived/collected objects and photographs. Source images come from directed nudes, natural forms of plants and animals, textbooks (esp anatomy), patterns in the environment, architecture, sculpture, museums and collections. 'Treasure hunting' for found objects and images is followed by digital montage - the search for new juxtapositions evoking emotions.The end of the book has a very illuminating Q&A regarding processes/approach and lists of books and artists provide additional inspiration. Examples of other artists' work is provided throughout: Herb Ritts, Albert Watson, Palma, Atget, Olivia Parker, Kris Kuksi, Brian Oglesbee, Ysabel LeMay and Carsten Witte, to name a few.Not just for digital artists, this is a very good book of applied principles for all artists. Highly recommended.

I have been photographing for many years, and recently became interested in montage. I have no formal photography or art training, but this has given me an excellent grounding on concepts of art as they relate to the subject of montage.Filled with illustrations to demonstrate topics visually, the author gives a comprehensive overview of all aspects of the art of montage, but doesn't give in-depth Photoshop tutorials, (leaving that to the plethora of existing books on the subject). She does, however, simplify workflow into what are the important steps to take in Photoshop, with some pointers on what works well/less well.Highly recommended.

The best book on photography I have ever had the pleasure to read, that may seem an odd comment but Catherine's art is photography based. Very few books go into the why of image making, this one does and in great depth. Any photographer even if they are not interested in montage should have this book on their shelves, they will derive inspiration and pleasure from the images as well as Catherine's words.If like me you are interested in digital montage then this book will be your constant companion. I first became aware of Catherine's work in the days of Photoshop 4. I can recall being utterly gobsmacked by her work, so beautiful, such control of colour and with faultless composition.She takes us through the process of making an image from scratch emphasising that you the reader should use what you are interested in. The old artistic method of copying is advocated, in my experience this is the best way to find out how to do it, 'Them as never made a mistake never made anything'. The images in this book will give everyone something to grasp at something to start with, something that they can say to themselves, 'I know how I can do that'. And then as Catherine says surely with a smile, '... your own vision will soon take over'.The book does not contain great lists of Photoshop steps, she assumes that you will know the basics of layering and of selection. She does give some 'advanced' tips in the method chapter she does explain about the equipment you may need, non of it very expensive, older versions of Photoshop have all the tools to make the images in the book. The techniques are really quite easy it's the application that counts.Where most 'how to' books stop this one carries on immersing the reader in concepts and the unconscious imagery that can be brought forth from the mind of us all to assist in the creation of an image. It encompasses and acknowledges the fact that everyone attempting this aspect of art will be using images from their own sources. Catherine's words and images will help that initial spark turn into the flame of inspiration and determination.

Visually, I've found the book inspiring, but couldn't say the same thing about the writing, of which there is too much. The earliest chapters, i.e. `Beauty and Idea `Influences" I found very tedious and initially I considered sending the book back. My first reaction being, why so many words from someone who is essentially a visual artist. I think she has been let down by her editor. This book could have achieved far more visually with fewer words and more personal anecdotes and stories of the way images came about for different purposes and audiences. In the end I decided that the book was worth keeping for the inspirational images. The way I use it being to to scan and dip into it, reading only the parts around images that interest me.

The book I have been looking for. Wonderful