Fences make good neighbors and good photos!

Here is another photo editing project that could be called a tutorial this time!

SOOC:

Background layer, enhanced:

Layer 2: Background copy: sepia tint photo effects filter at 75%

Layer 3: Pixel Dust Vintage Blue texture:  Hard light filter at 85% opacity

Layer 4: Pixel Dust French Toast texture, Soft Light filter at 75% opacity

Layer 5: Pixel Dust Notes to Myself texture, reversed,

Hard light filter at 85% opacity, partially erased at 80% opacity

Final photo:

Version 2: without sepia tint:

If you edit a photo using my 'recipe', I would love to see it!

Digital goodness

Continuing in my endeavor to capture beauty in the ordinary through the lens of  my camera, 

I used my own photographs to create this digital art.

Original  background photo taken by me

Photo taken by me

 I combined my own images with these from The Graphics Fairy.

Graphics Fairy

Graphics Fairy

 Textures are wonderful applications that
 I am still learning about.
There are so many variables with filtering
styles and opacity settings.
In hindsight, I realize I should have made note
of the styles and values I used to make this
into more of a tutorial than a show & tell.
I use PSE5 to do my creating--a dinosaur, I know,
but I like it and it fits my comfort level.
Why fix it if it's not broken, right?


All the textures I used in this creation were free downloads from a site I just found, but will be visiting often:  Pixel Dust Photo Art.

Textures source: Pixel Dust Photo Art

The last layer I added to my art was this grunge border,
 but I erased a good portion of the middle,
 using just the detail around the edges.

Source

Can you see all the elements in the finished product? 

The effect of some of the textures is so subtle it is obvious
only when subtracted from the picture and added back,
 but lends just the right touch to the overall scheme.
It is the sum of the parts that is a magical thing.

Moving on

The time, the time.....what happens to the time!?

For one thing, it is moving incredibly fast.

For another, I am not a good manager of it.

But I did manage to crank out another little diggie.

It helps calm the creative jitters.  ;)

Images source

Art nouveau de digital

graphics: The Graphics Fairy

texture: last door down the hall

Feelin' digity

Having some fun with some of my old photos.

Pretty picture:

Digitized:

How fun was that?

Just some simple enhancements to change 

a photo into 'aahrt'.

Birdie, birdie

Feeling a little digital today.

Also feeling the purple, so the background was chosen first.

Picked a totally random paper to accent the bottom strip.

All this activity conjured up the need for a focal point--

that's when the bird came in.

After adding the details, the digital tearing and layering began.

This is not the first time this little bird has found his way onto my digital palette.

There must be something about him I like.

When looking for another diggie to post, because I like posting in pairs,

I found this same birdie on a piece I did some while back.

Same bird, two totally different looks.

I like that in a graphic, clothes, and even jewelry.

Versatility is my middle name.

Fun lovin' gals

I tried to create this digital piece to look like a scrapbook page

one of the gals had kept with some old faded souvenirs 

from fun days at the beach and some letters keeping in touch with each other.

They got together again at the beach for old time's sake

and snapped another photo to clip into the scrapbook.

Don't you know they had a good time reminiscing?

(I remind myself of Cindy coming up with a story! )

Do you see all the tape, pins, and clips?

I think it turned out pretty dimensional.

Sisters 4.0

Playing in Photoshop is so much fun.

So are 'before & after' pictures.

I've combined the two for your viewing entertainment.

Look slowly so it will last longer!

The original:

I started playing with textures and layers until frankly, I got tired of the sisters.

Sorry, gals!

Version 1:

Version 2:

You don't really need me to number them for you.

I just don't have any creative titles or captions.

Last one:

If this post ended too soon, start over until you get tired of the sisters too!

You can pick a favorite and tell me in the comments if you want to.

Little girls

You didn't think I'd forgotten all about the digitals, did you?

Oh, no.  They are way too much fun.

But I have been spending more time 

at the tabletop instead of the laptop.

As for some new digitals--

I had fun making these little girls a few days ago.

The older girl in this picture reminds me of myself way back when.

But instead of the little sister, I had a little brother.

Not a bad deal, tho--most of the time.  ;)

Something old, something new

If this actually had any paint or glue on it,

it would still be wet!

I just finished it.

This one has been sitting on the shelf for a while.

Dancers all around!

Definition Illustrated

mon·o·chrome   (mŏn'ə-krōm')

noun

1. 
   
   1. painting, drawing, design, or photograph in one color or shades of one color with detail represented by differing hues and tints

Just having a little fun playing with one color at a time.  

Which illustration is your favorite?  

Is it because it is in your favorite color or
because of something about the composition itself?

Tell me more......

Back to our regularly scheduled programing

I think it is prudent that we put all that angst and creepiness

 (see last post, if you dare) behind us.  Shall we?

I know I've gotten it out of my system!

I've spent the last week in front of the TV 

cheering for USA (and sometimes Canada)

but always with my laptop in my lap.

(Isn't that a clever place for it?)

Anyway, while skiing, skating and luging, I have also been creating.

credits:

background: Freubel Art

elements: Boutique-Digiscrap

credits:

elements: Let Me Scrapbook

Try, try again

You may or may not remember my feeble attempt

 at creepy creations.

I'm more this kind of gal:

I'm good with that.  It's who I am.

But I am also one for not giving up too easily. 

 A couple of weeks ago I tried again.

I started with drab and made it drabber (more drab?)

Then I grunged it up.

When I had a potentially creepy background, 

I asked Kristin what I could add to it to make it even uglier.

Without a second's hesitation she answered matter-of-factly:

"A naked mole rat"

So now I present to you the best I have to offer

under the classification of

dark, twisted, grungy, creepy:

Prepare to be creeped out, 

repulsed

and slightly alarmed.........

.......you've been warned........

I rest my case.

The end.

You are welcome.

Framed!

With the exception of a very few pieces, 

my art work ends up either displayed on a dresser in my art room or, 

more likely stored in a box or my hard drive.

  I know, sad, isn't it? 

 I'm working on changing that.

For Christmas, I received a marvelous shadowbox frame.

 (Thanks again, Danielle)

Quite out of the blue it hit me to create some art to go in it.

Then I happened along this Blog train and loaded up 

on some wonderful coordinating papers and graphics.

A couple of weeks ago I spent an entire weekend

making digital collages to fill the shadowbox.

Now I have a cool collection of my art hanging in my office at work.

Ta-da!

Frames 1,3,5,7,& 9 are the shadowboxes.

 In them I have placed such things as flowers, stones, keys, 

a watch face, a perfume bottle, a shell and other little things.

The finished product was difficult to photograph, 

but trust me, it looks awesome!