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Often when I need to relax and break away from client work, I zone out and focus on my own work.  There is an assortment of things I’ll bury myself in, including digital doodles and designs.  One idea generally flows into another and another and another.  In this case, I was doodling inside of Photoshop, playing and experimenting.

I like these two.  While they are okay alone, I will return to them on another day to explore them further, seeing where they can go.

The above images evolved into something looking more like feathers or a flower.  The biggest problem I have when doing this work is using so many layers and filters and blend modes that I am not sure how I got from point A to Z.  Worse, if I create something I like, it can be tricky figuring out to enlarge something for a large print or the basis of something in fabric.  I do hope to create something with one of the above images, if even if a starting point to something else.  However, in all likelihood I’ll print them on everyday paper, put them into a sketch book, and return to them another time with fresh eyes.

“It’s about Time –  2009”

I’m mega aware of time.  Am I wasting it?  Packing enough interest into my hours?  I never feel like I’m utilizing my time as well as I could.  And I’m very aware of time ticking by. I often play games with time.  For example, if I’m in a situation that I don’t want to be in (like, getting a root canal), I tell myself “this time tomorrow all of this will be a memory.”  Or if I need to get something done that I don’t feel like working on, I use a timer and tell myself to work on it for 20 minutes and then stop.  I’ve also long since stopped wearing a watch because I tend to time things.  Sick, I know.

On a good note, however, I also like photographing clocks, especially capturing the time that the image was taken.  As a result, I have a cool collection of clocks from all over the place.  The small quilt above (10 x 10″)  was created from a digital collage of clocks.

After I printed the image on cotton, I then overpainted areas for some extra interest.  When quilting this, I sort of overdid the area on the left.  It bugged me.  Rather then tossing it,  I decided to cover it with a sheer fabric.  I then tacked it down with additional quilting.  It calmed the area enough, keeping the focus on time and stopping me from tossing it.   I’ve a bunch more collages in this series.  One is ready to be quilted, and another is a larger, strange version that I may or may not make.  We’ll see if I have the time.  <smile>

This is my 2007 Journal Project, displayed at the International Quilt Festival in Houston, Texas and, I believe their sister shows in Chicago and Long Beach.   It’s called “Know Way Out,” a play on words as many of the pictures in the collage are various exits and ways out.

I took the photographs for this piece while in England and in France.  The bottom image was taken through the plane windows as the plane was descending into Birmingham airport.  The sheep was in a field probably in Worcestershire.  On the far right is a picture from  the Gare du Nord in Paris, the middle is from a tube station in London, and the far right is from a subway exis area in either Paris or Lyon.

The blue that frames the image is painted tyvec that was then burned.  While I burned some of it before stitching it down, I burned the edges after stitching it down — and I did this *very* carefully.

In this you can see lots more images collaged together.  I do think there is so much going on that much is lost in the small 11×14 inch format of the quilt.  The excitement of collaging the images together was quickly dulled by my disappointment of the overall finished piece.  It was too late to toss it, as I was down to the wire on the deadline.  So I finished it and sent it off.

I do have all of the various files that made up this piece, and I think about doing another version, removing some of the layers altogether, and printing it either on large textured paper or again on fabric, but in a larger format – maybe 24″ wide.  We’ll see.  I did learn a valuable lesson in this piece:  Sometimes less is more.   Another day I’ll post my 2008 piece.

Today was another day of informative and inspiring sessions.  The first was with Lesa King was taught “graphic secrets for creatives using Photoshop.” She is the authos of Photoshop CS4, The Missing Manual, published by O’Reilly.

The next was with Deke McClelland.  Deke is considered one of the top Photoshop “guru’s” – along with Scott Kelby and some others popular in NAPP circles.  His session was on Photoshop CS4, going over the new features that make an upgrade worth the money.  He also has several published titles with O’Reilly.

The final session was a panel discussion called “digital art pioneers and trendsetters.”  Above is Jeremy Sutton (and me) next to an incredible painting he did of Barack Obama called “The Speech.”  He also signed a smaller version of the art for me (which I’m thrilled about).  Jeremy’s artwork is very recognizable with its vivid colors and bold brush style, and he’s a clear master of his digital tools, with Corel’s Painter program being a favorite.  If you’d like to obtain a limited edition poster of “The Speech,” visit his site here.

Jeremy was born in London (received a degree in physics from Cambridge) and now lives in San Francisco.  He teaches classes on using Corel.  While I’ve not taken any of his long workshops, I have taken some of his shorter sessions.  If you have the opportunity, I highly recommend a class with him.  He teaches with gusto and treats everyone with with a sincere interest in who they are and how what he teaches may be beneficial.  He also loves dancing and will often treat the class with a soft shoe should there be the time.

The panel was hosted by Rob MacDonald who is the project manage for Corel Corp.  Included was Bruce Dorn, Andrew Jones, Jason Manly, and Fay Sirkis.  Each are incredible artists creating jaw-dropping work.

If the work wasn’t enough, my eyes widened when I saw the Wacom tablet belonging to Andrew Jones (shown above standing).  He added a guitar strap to his tablet, and he modified it to musically respond to his pen stylus stroke.  He does digital live paintings at concerts (he also has, among other things, worked for George Lucas at Industrial Light and Magic and has his art is on the cover of Corel Painter X).

Each artist shared how they got involved in working in a digital media, what trends they see, and they addressed the misconception that digital art isn’t real art.  That discussion focused on how we are on the cusp of a paradigm shift and how with each shift comes questions and doubt from others.  Bruce discussed how traditional galleries have always been behind the times when showing artwork.  Faye gave a quick but fascinating overview of art throughout various stages in history and how technology played a role in the tools used for the creation of art.   She explained, for example, how Vermeer (born 1632) used a “camera obscura,” a lens-like device that helped produce perspective.  The chain of events continued to today’s use of digital tools.

They weren’t suggesting that traditional media is going away, but rather than there is a powerful array of digital tools that artists can use.  And, just because you have digital tools doesn’t mean you are instantly an artist.  They weren’t talking about using various filter recipes to create one look or another look, they were talking about using the tools as a way to further your passion and to authentically create — no different than using a charcoal or a machine stitch.

I was absolutely awestruck by the artwork they shared, and I left the session feeling very energized and very good that my work is taking the direction it is.  It is exciting to witness how digital technology is changing our world and how we incorporate it into our artwork.

Tomorrow is the last day of the show … more to follow …

Every year I try to come up with an xmas/holiday card that features a picture of Rich, Buddy the dog, and me.  This year I started in June, trying to get Rich to take a picture with our dog.  But month after month went by and still no picture.  With xmas fast approaching, I decided to take a photo someone took of us earlier in the year at Longwood Gardens and put it together with another picture of Buddy.  The snow globe idea obviously isn”t an original one.  The globe is a circle with an inner glow, some tinting, and a reflection of light to give it a round-globe look.  I used the tree and snowflakes brushes in Photoshop to create the background, did some snow and trees, and used a soft blue brush to paint in the shadows and snow around Buddy.   The base was some gradients to give a metal look.  The wood table was something learned from Bert Monroy in a class years back.  I suppose it looks a bit odd with both of us dressed for the summer while trapped in a snow globe with snow.  But so it goes!

Next up, I want to use a similar design but put in pictures of Derry, our employees, and me and make a GloDerWorks card to send to our clients.  Hopefully that idea will actually work!  It’s going to be tricky since the only photos I have of Anita are ones in which she is seated.  That may result a whole other concept.

I needed to make some 6×4″ pieces that will be mounted on form core, the added to watercolor paper,  and displayed in a box frame for an upcoming Fiber Revolution show.  I decided to do something with a photograph I took of a swan while  visiting Stratford-Upon-Avon.

This is the original photo.  I was pleased with the lighting in the photo and the overall look of the swan. It seemed a good image play with some digital ideas.

Using a variety of filters, this was the first.

I kept going with it.

For this one, I added a layer and used a brush to create lines with a low opacity to create streaky lines behind the swan.

Then I decided to crop into the swan, add another layer, and paint different background colors, and apply more filters.

Another version.

And yet another.

I like the grainy quality in them and particularly like the second and fifth versions.  I did several other versions than what I have here.  I tend to get carried away, doing  so many versions and experimentations, making lots of prints, playing around with additional ideas in my sketch book, that it’s a wonder I get anything done.  (The same thing happens when I design for clients.  I do a zillion of them.)  Many times I think I’m onto a new series for quilts, and I end up leaving it all in my sketchbook and then coming back to it a year or two later.  That’s what happened with my Blushing Triangles 3 and 4 quilts — I did the layouts for them a couple years ago, left them in my sketchbook, and only decided to create one last year and one this year.  I digress.  Once I print a couple of these,  I’ll add paint and possibly some pastel highlights to it to give it some extra omph.  Then, hopefully, I’ll finish one or two by Friday when I’ll be meeting up with another member of the group.  We’ll be framing the pieces.  I’ll be taking pictures for the group, and I’ll post my final.

Meanwhile, I continued designing.  I have another piece due for a new group I joined.  I decided to use time as my theme.  I have a thing with time, always feeling that I’m not getting enough finished, not maximizing my minutes, hours, days.  I have a zillion photos of clocks that I’ve taken all over the place — in the US, the UK, France.  In addition to the designs I created for the group, it seems I have another series in the making. I have a slew of designs for it, although who knows what I’ll actually make.   I’ll post some of the images once I get it the small project for the group finished.

Witley Decay is a piece I completed earlier this year.  I’m happy to report that  it was accepted in the Transformations ’09 SAQA show which will be premiering at the Festival of Quilts show in Birmingham, England.  At some point I’ll post information on it, too.  That quilt is a different direction for me.  I have more in that series, too.  However, I still have some other designs left in different series that I feel still need to be made.  In other words, I haven’t yet exhausted my need to continue with them.  See, not enough time!

I spend far too much time using Photoshop, yet I can’t help myself.  If I’m not using it for work, I’m using it for play. It such a universe of never-ending possibilities of a program.  I did a series of swan images for a 6×4 small textile piece I need to finish up for  a project.  But, I got sidetracked with some images I took while in York, UK.  While there I photographed many clocks (I love photographing clocks; I have a thing with time) and arches (I like arches, too).  I decided to collage them.  I wanted dark, almost brooding, with surprises tucked in misty layers.  At this small size, it’s hard to see some of those surprises.  I’m not sure what, if anything, I’ll do with this.  Tomorrow or later I’ll post the series of swan images.