Photos Go Graphic

I have found a love for painting with photos, and manipulating the pixels into graphics. My two favorite finished products arrive from two different kinds of manipulation:

1. If I do warps, melts and other basic computerized things, I ususally arrive at a contemporary looking piece of framable abstract art. But often, I like to take it one step further, and steal cuts from the abstract and then put them back together like a quilt or layered collage.  The results are fascinating. These work best made from some version of shiny or metalic element. One of my favorite pieces is derived from nothing but Christmas ribbon.

 2. And the second kind of graphic work I find most fascinating is cutaway work. My last post of a collage of cutaway work, was of cutaways on black, which allowed brightly colored backgrounds to show through. These also make good framing options. They provide fun opportunities to allow the light of the computer screen to shine through:

Just Graphics

Sometimes I like to manipulate photos, sometimes paint, and sometimes just do graphics. Tonight, I just took some graphics that I have been playing with for over a year and combined them into a poster which I named "GIRLY THINGS", which will become one of my Hot Colors Series of work.
To make these I take a black background, which by the way is a photo, and narrow my brush in my photo tools to an appropriate size for drawing. What I draw is a transparent cutaway. So as I draw, the area is cut from the background, and anything I put behind it shows through. In the "Girly Things" collage, I used multi-shaded hot colors to place behind the pictures, which produces a glow effect. The Gerbera Daisy stamp in the center of the collage is an art piece in itself. The "Girl in a Swing" block is also a poster by itself, part of my Rejoice Series of artworks. The lacey frames I use in several types of art, including cards and calendars. They are also transparent, and I change the colors behind them for effect.  I often like just white behind the black, though.
The deep black background can not be achieved from color charts. It has to be a photo. It requires a generous amount of ink to print, but the color is worth it.

Cozy Christmas Holidays

How I love glittery, shiny things.  Wonder why they attract my attention. Not like diamond jewelry.  Just things that attract or produce light. Like candles on mirrors. There's just something about it.  I saw a signboard once that made the remark that Christmas lights had nothing to do with Christmas. It was in front of a church.  I couldn't help but wonder, "have they never read where Jesus is the light of the world." Sometimes, I wonder if people really get why lights brighten our spirits. Jesus knew it would.  In honor of Jesus, let everyone who enjoys Christmas lights be seen from outer space!!!LOL

A few days til Christmas

It is only a few days until Christmas this year.  I am finding it to be a time to regroup. It seems that this New Year will honestly be one of new beginning. I am looking forward to knowing where the Lord is taking me. I am hoping everyone I know truly has a very Merry Christmas, in spite of the lack of money or jobs, or even good health. I am actually enjoying Christmas this year, I didn't decorate one bit.  But I think I might next year. But I will do it just because, not because I have to.

I have been busy making some arrangements for Jimmy to share as gifts with his co-workers. The greens were so nice this year.  They were a pleasure to make.

Smells like Christmas all through my house. I can almost smell them just looking at the pics. Ummm. Nice.

Pine and Candles

Today I took some of my favorite pics from last year and made Christmas cards. The picture in this one is of Nandina berries and Hemlock pine that I took in my mother"s front yard the last time I was there.  Nothing brings back Christmas Memories like my mother's front yard would. Mother liked Christmas year round. We always had on our minds through out the year, what we would do that year to make our Christmas more special.  It ususally meant sharing with our neighbors by decorating the yard in some special new way. We spent at least part of our summer drumming up something to display.  In it's humble beginnings, we used the simplest of things to create wreaths and manger scenes. My favorite thing was when she let us begin to paint the figures for our Christmas scenes. Besides the manger, our fondest memory would be the toy soldiers. I drew one early on, but I don't recall who actually cut one out and painted it.  I just remember that while one stood on either side of our porch, we felt we had a Christmas like no one else. Remembering Mama while I do my Christmas duties, makes me cry sometimes, but makes me glad that I had such wonderful Christmas memories because of her.   

Every Morning is a New Day for Miracles

Beautiful Fall Days and I have scarcely had
time to notice them. Thank you Lord for the
seasons. The colors fill my soul with joy.