Artsy Fartsy

As I've been sitting in bed a lot recovering from surgery, I have been feeling arty!

I have filled up a sketchbook since my first stay in the hospital, and have recently been giving myself photoshop projects as if I were in school.

Here's the cool thing: I didn't care if I failed at these projects. Failure is how I learn.  So some of the following projects may make your eyes bleed, but I was working and stretching my art and design muscles that have sat dormant for toooooooo long.

I need practice with layer masking, so I played:

I wanted to practice merging different pictures onto one background. So I played:

I need practice working on layouts. So I played:

 

I need practice with type. So I played:

just because you CAN use a filter, doesn't mean you SHOULD

I wanted to play with fire. So I did.

And I wanted to explore other options of creation, not just the Big Bang. More like the Big Ball Of Yarn theory.

Bacon and Jabba the Hutt

I leant my camera to a friend to take on a hiking trip. Due to some computer glitches, he left the pics on my camera so I could download them and then transfer them to him.

While looking through the 500+ photo's he took, I couldn't help the thoughts that were popping into my head. I begged and begged for permission to use his pics, and he went ahead and let me. (yay!)

BICHOK!

Butt In Chair, Hands On Keyboard - (Thank you Howard Taylor for that acronym!) Although today it was Hands On Wacom Tablet.

Let me just say that I am absolutely superfantabulous at over-exposing and under-exposing pictures. Hand me a DSLR and I will manage to mess up the picture. I have a serious talent here, people!

Sisters

 

I'm probably going to regret not watermarking these, but oh well. 

These are my last two baby girls. As different as it's possible to get, and yet the bestest of friends ever. They fight, they laugh, they giggle, they have secret jokes and stories, they want to show each other the cool stuff they've done every day, they wrestle, they scream at each other; in short, they are sisters.

We were at a Girl Scout activity on Saturday, and they had been rolling down a hill and then trying to roll each other back up the hill. When they sat down for a breather, this is what it looked like, and I had to sneak some shots of them sharing secrets and enjoying each others company. 

I can't decide if I like it better in color or Black and White, but I love it all the same. To me, it represents the epitome of sisterhood.

Believe

Some days I could talk forever. Some days I don't have anything to say. And while there are many many things going on in my household today, I don't have any ideas to string together today into a cohesive essay. So instead I played in Photoshop and InDesign.

I firmly believe that the ideas behind "The Secret" and "Ask And It Is Given" are true because I believe that God is serious when He says that through faith all things are possible. ALL things.

So even when we have bad days, down days, or bad things happen despite all that we have tried to do, giving up is not an option. If we have a dream, and we believe that dream can be realized, it will be. The "how" of things don't matter, what matters is that we believe it.

Magic Happens

Originally I had typed up an essay about fairies and fairy homes. I could resort to talking about how flowers are temporary summer homes for fairies, but the more I looked through the photos I have taken, the more I decided that what I really look for in nature is the opportunity for magic.

In Memorium

I would say Happy Memorial Day, but that somehow seems trite. Instead, may we remember those who have served, sacrificed, and given all for their country. Without them, we would not be sitting here in front of our computers chatting, posting, blogging, sharing, liking, and tweeting. I myself have several family members who have served. I was unable to locate pictures of all of them, but it is with heartfelt thanks and appreciation that I express my love for all of those who bravely go abroad and follow orders, even if it is to the death.

Uncle Rudy Owings, My Father Brett Owings, and my grandfather Albert Christman

Finishing the Quote series

Rob picked the quote and pic for me. The picture I found for Rob was... well, the best one I could find. I need to take more pictures. I'm not sure I consider any of this awesome design, but I have to admit that it felt refreshing to do it. I love to play with type. And if nothing else, it's experience working with kearning, leading, and matching various typefaces together. I do not like Verdana at all. So it's what I used for boring. It was a toss-up between Times New Roman and Verdana. I remember the people at school really really really considered Papyrus "Of the Devil" but it seemed so appropriate for age-old wisdom for Rob's quote. On another typeface note, I would have used "Fairies Wear Boots" for the "madness is genius" bit of the quote, but it really wasn't readable. /sadface.

keeping busy

With some Photoshop help from my dear friend Bradon, I was able to make this cover for the Northridge High School's production of "Into the Woods." I drew everything out, and then when I went to trace it with my Wacom tablet, I was seriously irked to find that my tablet pen no longer worked. So the lines don't have the lovely thicks/thins I wanted because I drew it in with a mouse instead. My first attempt at leather and gold embossing was very scary. I cannot even convey how grateful I am for friends willing to share their skills! - And for Peggy and her internet search engine that found more resources than mine!!

The full program is at least 16 pages, black and white interior, full-color cover. It was good to have some work to do that stimulated my brain, but wow did I feel overwhelmed. I was hoping the school would ask me to paint backdrops. But no... they needed help with the program design. It was fun, I just hope they are pleased with it. And I can't even say how glad I am that I haven't forgotten how to use InDesign! Hooray for style guides!!!!!