I spent the week in San Francisco attending Macworld/iWorld. Here are some pictures taken with my iPhone 4s and then altered using various apps on my iPad. I was going for a faded, vintage-like look.
This is a picture I took last year in San Francisco using my Nikon D90. I blurred out the sides, adjusted the colors, and applied a couple filters to apply texture to the image and edges.
This is another digital painting based on a photograph of our dog, Budz.
I first did a sketch based on a photograph in a fashion magazine. I then scanned the drawing into Photoshop and used a wet brush to create the background. In the process, I painted right over a hand.
I then digitally repainted the dress, adjusted the colors, sketched in a suggested hand, removed the green area from the right, and extended the background area. I was going to entirely redraw the arm and hand behind the head, but decided instead to stop.
Another version with more vibrancy on the color.
A couple drawings from my sketchbook. Both are based on images from a fashion magazine. I enjoy sketching, and one goal this year is making an effort to do it on a more regular basis.
The other thing I’ve been doing is adding hand stitching to my Artifications quilt. I exhibited the quilt this past fall in Houston. However, the quilt kept calling for hand stitches to follow some of the curved secondary patterns in the design. I thus removed the hanging sleeve and part of the facing and have been hand stitching it with red variegated perle cotton thread.
I made this one for my niece. :)
The thing about a digital file is that you can keep altering and altering and altering. With fresh morning eyes I did this version, which I like best.
This evening while watching the Giants win over the Cowboys, I did a quick pencil sketch of my dog, Bud-z. While I like his head, I have issues with other areas. Rather than toss it, or try to change it, I decided to scan it into Photoshop and see what I could do with it.
I used the custom shape tool to create a patterned background on the top. I also used it to create the checker board pattern on the floor. I then added a wash of lavender color to different areas.
The version on the above left uses a watercolor filter, and I punched up the color. In the version of the right, I added back some of the detail in the dog and some additional color in the pattered background.
Next I added a frame, adjusted the colors. On the right, I adjusted the colors again. This gets addictive!
Who stole these Slingerland Silver Sparkle drums???
My older brother, Bob, is a musician who lives in San Marcos, California. On the 23rd of December, while he was home, someone went into his garage and stole his 1965 vintage set of Slingerland drums from a storage cabinet!! It’s bad enough to have your home violated and possessions stolen, but at Christmas time makes it even more sad. Plus, this wasn’t just a set of drums; this was a piece of his musical history. For a complete description of what was taken, read his ad on Craigslist here.
Bob says, “It is a well-known fact among drummers that pre-1966 Slingerland made in Niles, IL, such as my dearly departed, are legendary and considered the “holy grail” of drums. They were the same drums as played by Buddy Rich and Gene Krupa, many other renowned guys. Back then they were considered the best drums you could buy. Mine were in such fine condition, perfect really and made jaws drop. Often other drummers or people would come up to me at gigs to say “those are the BEST sounding set of drums I’ve ever heard!!”
If you’ve seen these drums, please contact the San Marcos Sheriff at 760-510-5200 or let me know so that I can pass along the information. If you are the grinch those stole these drums, please return them to their home.
Here’s an article from the San Marcos North County Times posted December 29, 2011.
Happy Holidays!
The above is the digital painting I did of my friend’s dog, Molly, as a present.
Here’s one I did of our dog, Bud-Z.
This is a digital painting I did based on my Refracted Lily quilt. I then did a watercolor painting with Intense pencils based on this digital painting which was based on my quilt and the quilt based on a photograph. I messed up the pencils, which I tossed in the garbage, only to later take it out of the garbage and realize it wasn’t that bad. It seems I do that with most things – toss it in the garbage and take it out again. Round and round it goes.
Another.
This is based on one of my photographs. I enjoy painting with pixels, but I also like painting with paint, but it’s so much easier to to play with pixels.
About two weeks ago, I visited Rutgers Gardens in New Jersey in search of butterflies to photograph. I was pleasantly surprised to find monarch butterflies still around. I went one day and returned the following, while the weather was still lovely. In the process of taking the photographs — wading through various weeds and who knows what — I was bitten by some bugs and probably also went into something that gave caused my skin to get an allergic reaction. I’ve been to a dermatologist twice since then, and the skin on my arms, legs, and back are still broken out in a itchy mess of a rash despite the topical medications and anti-histamines. I’ve had poison ivy in the past, and each time after starting medication I started to clear up. This, however, is not budging. Ugh!
On a good note, I like some of the photos. Were they worth this annoying, itchy rash? Right now, the jury is still out on that one. I am partial to the desaturated versions of some of the photos. While I certainly like vivid color, I find myself more attracted to the dreamy quality I see when the color is pushed back.
This is my favorite.
Tears are falling and my heart is aching, but I am forever grateful to this visionary man for all he did and all he inspired.
I can talk for hours on how intertwined I am with Macintosh and Apple products; how they truly changed my life; how much joy I’ve had over the decades being involved with the Mac community, attending MacWorlds, waiting on what seemed like endless lines to listen to Steve Jobs speak at keynotes. Instead, I’ll say that I was one of the many heading to an Apple store to leave condolences, which is such a strange, strange thing to do. I’m feeling totally out of whack, which also doesn’t make much sense. And I feel incredibly sad, yet so grateful to have been a part of it all for a long time, although not nearly long enough.
“Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. …
Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.” —
Think Different ad campaign, Apple Inc.
Thank you, Steve, for changing the world and for changing my world for the better.
If you’ve never viewed his 2005 Commencement Address at Stanford, you’re in for some inspiring words. In part, “Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. … Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure — these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.”
I saw this commercial aired several times during different 9/11 specials, and I just fell in love with it! It’s so very uplifting and filled with hope. After some searching on the Web, I learned that Spike Lee contacted the PS22 Chorus to sing a “classic rendition of “Empire State of Mind” for a 9/11 themed commercial he was directing. The first time I heard that song was when JayZ opened for Coldplay at a concert in England. I was wow’ed by that song, and it immediately made me feel proud for lots of reasons. Hearing it sung by the beautiful voices in that choir and seeing the smiling faces of those kids, the faces of the appreciative firemen, and all of the NY imagery stopped me in my tracks. If you haven’t watched it, please do! It is truly joyous and hope filled.
