Power
of the
Pens

June

Jack is perhaps best known as the coauthor of the award-winning and best-selling guides to Photoshop, The Photoshop Wow! Book, and How to Wow: Photoshop for Photography. However, there is much more up his sleeve. He is also an award-winning designer, photographer and contributing editor to numerous books and magazines on digital tools and the creative process.

For over 20 years, Jack has been an internationally recognized spokesperson on digital imagery, and has given keynote addresses throughout the US, Asia, Canada, South America, Europe and Australia. Jack has lead countless hands-on workshops around the world and routinely teaches as part of the "Dream Team" at the National Association of Photoshop Professional’s Photoshop World Conferences. At that conference, he was recently inducted into the Photoshop Hall of Fame for his life time contributions in the field of education and digital imagery.

Jack has undergraduate degrees in Graphic Design and an MA and MFA in Digital Imagery. When he’s not in his studio in San Diego, he can be found on a beach somewhere like Polynesia with a digital camera, a laptop and a Wacom tablet, capturing the local color.

"I use the Intuos3 4×6 when I’m on the road - which is a lot. The need for creative control doesn’t change while away fro the studio and with the 4×6 it’s always there."

At the office, the Wacom Intuos3 6×11 Special Edition is Jack’s new best friend - it’s always on his desk and under his hand, providing all the essential control and finesse needed for all his photographic retouching and enhancing. Also, the Wacom Cintiq 21UX is his main studio monitor.

"Absolutely beautiful, with great color and tone accuracy - as well as being an incredible breakthrough in all my illustration and painting work. The Cintiq allows me to truly interact with my art - through ever stroke, every gesture, every expressive flick of the pen - getting me as close to a tactile response as is possible."

Jack clearly knows his Photoshop, and his Wacom tablets. Let’s see what he can teach us about the Power of the Pens.

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The magic of Moloka’i - how in the world do you capture that in a single photograph? Location, timing and some very creative tools came together in this image I created for Wacom’s Power of the Pens Calendar for the month of June.

First, I knew I wanted to shoot the sacred palm grove from the lagoon on the island’s south shore - definitely one of the worlds most beautiful tropical locations. Second, I wanted to capture the entire island in the image AND maintain dramatic detail - this lead me to shoot and stitch together (using Photoshop CS3’s Photomerge. see A) an 8 shot panorama that could achieve both the wide angle and give me the desired resolution (the image for the Wacom desktop calendar is the center three images from the panorama - go to AdventuresInPhotoshop.com to see the entire vista). Third, to really convey the uniqueness of the location I choose to not only shoot it at sunset (when else?) but also in infrared, to bring the glory of the palms out against a darker sky (the above URL also has information on my IR work).

Once the images had been combined in Photoshop, I wanted to pull out the subtle details in the infrared palm fronds - which meant extensive dodging and burning - taking full advantage of the incredible control (and speed) I get with the direct painting capabilities of the combination of my Wacom Cintiq 21UX Monitor and their 6D pen (see B) - truly a daily lifesaver!

Lastly, I wanted to finalize the storybook feeling of the piece by hand tinting on top of the subtle infrared colors (see C) - with a little salt stain overlay thrown to finalize the painted effect. Again, the control, and personal expression that is possible in each stroke of the pen is essential in creating the individuality I desire in both my commercial and fine art work! Thank you Wacom for creating such powerful, yet elegant tools for all of us in the digital age - we couldn’t do it without you!

1. Tell us what you think. The artist, their work. We want your input.

2. Posted by: Family Photo 12.06.2007
   Loved to Wow books guess I picked to artist to follow!
   
3. Posted by: Jeff Foster 12.06.2007
   Jack rocks! Always an inspiration.
   
4. Posted by: Jeri Goodwin 12.06.2007
   Love your photo. I live near Walla Walla, WA
   not close to anything. Do you have any how to books on more advance Photoshop techniques?
   thank you
   
5. Posted by: Carol Conte 12.06.2007
   Your work looks wonderful, a digital masterpiece.
   I am doing something similar with all of my waterfowl photography. I create a new rendition in Photoshop watercolor. I paint life into the canvas with the Photoshop and the Wacom Intos tablet.
   It would be great to have a webinar for users to attend for advanced training and sharing of tips and tricks etc.
   
6. Posted by: Harvey McRae 12.06.2007
   Is this Photoshop “WOW” a book for beginners? Like starting at square A.
   
7. Posted by: Eduardo M. 12.07.2007
   Jack is a well known name for us here in Brazil. I’m sure it will be great to see some of his personal works presented by himself.
   Sure his work deserves every “Wow”
   
8. Posted by: Darlene Coney 12.07.2007
   Your work is goreous! It’s so amazing to learn how other artist go out on the road. Your an inspiration thank you.
   
9. Posted by: D Waldron 12.08.2007
   The picture “Street Blues” is a very powerful capture of an aging, world wise Jazz Player who’s heart and soul are as pure as his music…………..
   
10. Posted by: Jody 12.09.2007
    What talent! What is the best way to really really learn this system????
    
11. Posted by: Suzette 12.13.2007
    I’ve been a PhotoShop user since ‘92 and Jack Davis is a familiar name to me. As soon as I saw this piece it brought back instant memories of Maui - no wonder! It’s from the Islands! Quite a difference from the shores of Washington state. Terrific piece! I love my tablet and pen and what can be done with it in PhotoShop - but seeing a master at it using the Cintiq makes me hungry for one myself! Thanks for the inspiration and instruction, Jack - LOVE your work!
    
12. Posted by: MPerry 12.13.2007
    wow. Thank you for sharing this. It is just incredible.
    
13. Posted by: Orville 12.13.2007
    Jack your work is inspiring…. a beautiful piece.
    
14. Posted by: DB TGS 12.13.2007
    You are the BEST!!!!!! Inspriring.
    
15. Posted by: Thomas Tracy 12.13.2007
    Hawaii is home. I sent this to my children now living in FL & MD. Its Maui in the moonlight, that we had seen so often from out boat. Thank you so much for sharing it with us.
    Marry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.
    Tom
    
16. Posted by: Bill Stafford 12.17.2007
    Sacred Palms shot is awesome. I go to Moloka’i a lot and have always wondered how best to shoot the Palms. I think you have done it.
    
17. Posted by: Arlene 12.17.2007
    This is truly an amazing and inspiring piece of art. It makes me want to rush out and shoot something, upload it, and get to work on it with my pen. Thank you.
    
18. Posted by: Janice S 01.19.2008
    As a more beginner photographer and lover of photoshop I really appreciate Jack’s books and creative photography. This picture is breath taking. I hope to get better with time and practice. Thanks Jack for your beautiful work!!! Awesome!!!!
    

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