Saturday, July 31, 2010

Sunset on the Water


Sunset on the Water
Originally uploaded by
randubnick

On Wednesday, we went for an evening walk in Obear Park, a little neighborhood park here in Beverly, MA. Dogs aren't allowed in waterfront parks until after 7:30 PM in the summer. One benefit of this arrangement is that lots of people take their dogs to the park around the same time, so it is lots of fun for dogs and owners alike. The other benefit is the view of the sunset over the water. I took lots of pictures. I like this one because it shows the sky and its reflected colors in the water.

Friday, July 30, 2010

Lilies at Long Hill (Digital Woodcut)


Lilies at Long Hill (Digital Woodcut)
Originally uploaded by
randubnick

I have been creating images from a photo of lilies that I took recently at Long Hill Gardens. This image is the last of the series; no more lilies, at least for a little while. Today I used my Painter program to create a digital woodcut from the photo. It took a number of attempts to get the amount of black outline and the colors that I wanted.

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Lilies at Long Hill (Posterized)


Lilies at Long Hill (Posterized)
Originally uploaded by
randubnick

Last night I posted my photo of lilies at Long Hill Gardens, edited to eliminate some dry leaves. Tonight I am posting the posterized version. Sometimes people ask me what the difference is, and in this group of images, you can see. In the modified version, I changed the colors. In the posterized version,the shapes are simplified and color is intensified. For a photography show, I would use the original version. But it is good to have the modified and posterized versions, for greetings, cards, etc., and I would use the posterized version to make a pattern.

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Lilies at Long Hill Edited


Lilies at Long Hill Edited
Originally uploaded by
randubnick

This is a digitally edited version of the photo I posted yesterday of lilies in bloom at Long Hill Gardens. When I took the picture, I was excited about the colorful blossoms, the textures in the leaves, and the composition. I liked the photo just as it came out of the camera, but still, I thought I might be able to change it a bit. I liked the informal arrangement, the lilies in various stages of blooming, and the endless complications of the leaves. But because it has been so hot here, there were lots of dry leaves, so many that I thought they were creating a distraction from the vibrancy of the flowers. So I opened the image in Painter and used a little light digital pastel so add a bit of color to the dried leaves. While I was at it, I covered up a few problems with some opaque digital pastel. I still like the original version, so I kept the changes subtle, using a light green or a yellow green where I could. I sometimes use these images for cards and greetings, and for that sort of thing, I would be more likely to use the edited version of this photo. I also created a posterized image from the edited version, which I plan to publish here tomorrow.

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Lilies at Long Hill


Lilies at Long Hill
Originally uploaded by
randubnick

This is a photograph that I took at Long Hill Gardens last Thursday evening, after we picked up our weekly haul of vegetables. I loved these beautiful lilies. This is the original photo, which I have cropped in iPhoto. I like the basic composition, but I am wondering if I could do more with this image in Painter. To be continued. . . .

Monday, July 26, 2010

Peace in the Evening (Obear Park)


Peace in the Evening (Obear Park)
Originally uploaded by
randubnick

I took this photo tonight during a late walk at Obear Park, here in Beverly, MA. It was almost 8:30 when we got to the park, and the sun was setting. The light on the water was great, so I took some pictures. The view was great, but the sense of peace after a hectic day was even better!

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Heart Shaped Box as of July 24, 2010


Heart Shaped Box as of July 24, 2010
Originally uploaded by
randubnick

Yesterday I had a chance to work for a while on this project, a heart-shaped box that I am covering with collage and decoupage patterns created from printed metallic ribbon. I am working on the red interior area, and at this point, I am filling in gaps and trying to add definition to the gold border around the perimeter.

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Just a Rose (Stroke-by-Stroke Video)


Just a Rose (Stroke-by-Stroke Video)
Originally uploaded by
randubnick

Yesterday I posted a digital drawing of a rose, done on my iPad with Brushes. As you draw, Brushes creates a stroke-by-stroke video as well, and here is the video of the drawing I posted yesterday. This one shows all the changes I made, and there were lots of changes as the rose became more three-dimensional.

Friday, July 23, 2010

Just a Rose (Digital Sketch)


Just a Rose (Digital Sketch)
Originally uploaded by
randubnick

This is a digital sketch made on my iPad with Brushes. This began as a little drawing of a rose, a doodle really, that I started while I was traveling last weekend. As I worked on it, I decided to go from a flat outline of a rose to a more three-dimensional drawing. I finally finished it tonight, and imported it into iPhoto just to crop it. I also imported the stroke-by-stroke action "video" of the sketch as it was being drawn, and hope to post it here tomorrow.

Thursday, July 22, 2010

NYC Fruit Stand (Digitally Modified and Posterized)


NYC Fruit Stand (Digitally Modified and Posterized)
Originally uploaded by
randubnick

This image began with a photograph that I took in Manhattan on Monday morning. This was a very short visit, with no time for tourism. But I did get a chance to have a walk on Broadway on the upper West Side. I love the outdoor fruit stands in New York City, so when I saw one, I took a picture. When I got back home and loaded the image into the computer, I could see that the photo included several empty cardboard boxes and big labels on almost every mango. But I liked the basic composition, so I opened the image in Painter and got to work. I used cut and paste and some digital pastel to fill up the empty cartons. (Can you find them?) I also used digital pastel to cover up the labels, as well as to simplify parts of the background. Then I posterized the whole image, and cropped it to get this composition. Although some of the fruit in this photo is not real, I think the image captures the colorful and orderly chaos of these New York fruit stands. For example, the announcements in the (very beautiful) placards do not match the fruit below. In any case, I am glad to have a little souvenir of my (extremely short) trip to Manhattan.

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Driving to Manhattan


Driving to Manhattan
Originally uploaded by
randubnick

Tonight I cropped this image from a photo that I took on Sunday, while traveling from Long Island to Manhattan, for a quick visit with cousins. I think this is the Throg's Neck Bridge. In any case, it was beautiful, especially against the sky as the sun was setting, so I started taking pictures. This is one of the best photos, taken right on the bridge.

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Long Island in the Distance


Long Island in the Distance
Originally uploaded by
randubnick

Here is one more photo from my recent trip on the Long Island Ferry, crossing from New London, CT, to Orient Point, Long Island. The trip takes about 90 minutes, so I had time to take lots of pictures. In this shot, Long Island is visible in the distance. Tonight I cropped the original photo to emphasize the geometry of the boat and the horizon line. I thought about cropping out the rope, but decided to leave it in because I liked the juxtaposition of patterns in the rope, the railings, and the waves.

Monday, July 19, 2010

Lighthouse Seen from the Long Island Ferry


Lighthouse Seen from the Long Island Ferry
Originally uploaded by
randubnick

Here's another image from my ride on the Long Island Ferry. The trip from New London, CT, to Orient Point (the tip of Long Island) takes about ninety minutes. The weather was warm, the water was calm, and the ride was relaxing. I used the time to take a lot of pictures. Tonight I cropped this image out of the original photograph.

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Leaving New London


Leaving New London
Originally uploaded by
randubnick

I took this photograph from the Long Island ferry before the trip got underway. The route was from New London, CT to Orient Point at the very tip of Long Island. The quickest way to drive from Massachusetts to Long Island is to take a short cut over the water. Once I got back home, I cropped the original photograph to get this composition.

Saturday, July 17, 2010

Clematis Again (Digital Print)


Clematis Again (Digital Print)
Originally uploaded by
randubnick

This is digital art, made with Painter's pattern pen. The origin of the pattern is a photo that I took of the clematis growing in my backyard. (I decided to use this pattern because I have been spending lots of time looking at clematis as I trim the vines on the fence.) I used a purple background, and selected dark green digital pastel for the pen. I made a few strokes and then posterized it, and cropped it. (This isn't really a print, but the images that result from this process look like prints to me.) After I had transferred the image into iPhoto, I decided to crop it again, and this is the final version.

Friday, July 16, 2010

Ceiling at Peabody Essex Museum


Ceiling at Peabody Essex Museum
Originally uploaded by
randubnick

I took this photograph today at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, MA. There are some great exhibits there, but the museum itself is a work of art! This is a view of the ceiling in the courtyard, across from the cafe. The structure, shapes, and materials seem to evoke sailing ships. (Sailing ships have a lot to do with the history of Salem and Boston.) What struck me today was the use of light and pattern, so I took a couple of pictures. Tonight I cropped this photo, trying to create a composition from the abstract shapes and the format of the photo.

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Just Blueberries (Digitally Edited Photo)


Just Blueberries (Digitally Edited Photo)
Originally uploaded by
randubnick

Yesterday I opened a package of blueberries to go with dinner. They were such a beautiful blue that I decided to take a quick picture, even though dinner was already late. I took a couple of photos, but couldn't get the lighting right (white countertop, black stove). So the photos I got were blurred with washed out color. Well, it was getting too late, so I had to forget about it. Tonight I decided to try to see if I could do anything with my photos of those blueberries. I chose the best of the photos I had, and used iPhoto to crop, straighten, and sharpen the image. Then I also adjusted the color, adding saturation, and kicking up both blue and red tint. Obviously these blueberries are far from natural. But digital editing brought the color much closer to the blueberries that I actually saw last night.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Sunset Summer Sky


Sunset Summer Sky
Originally uploaded by
randubnick

Tonight we went to Obear Park, a little neighborhood park here in Beverly, MA. It was after 8 PM, so we could take the dog. The sun was already setting when we got there. The light on the water was amazing, so I started taking pictures, and kept going because the light kept changing. This is the first photo that I took tonight. When I got home, I used iPhoto to straighten, adjust the shadows, and crop to get this composition.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Orange Lilies


Orange Lilies
Originally uploaded by
randubnick

This is a photograph that I took back on July 2, during a walk at the Cummings Center Pond. Lots of lilies were blooming that day, in many different colors. Tonight I used iPhoto to do some rotating and cropping to get this composition.

Monday, July 12, 2010

Walking Down to the Beach


Walking Down to the Beach
Originally uploaded by
randubnick

I took this photo today during a late afternoon walk on the beach here in Beverly, MA. We went back to the same place we went a couple of days ago, a part of the beach that is hidden behind the houses on Lothrop Street. I took this picture looking down at the ocean from the little "pocket park" that you walk through to get down to the water. I liked the combination of colors, lines, and pattern, so I took a picture. Tonight I used iPhoto to do a little editing, and cropped the image to get this composition.

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Red Beets on a Plate


Red Beets on a Plate
Originally uploaded by
randubnick

Tonight I cut up some red beets for roasting. (They were part of this week's haul from The Food Project.) I loved the color and texture, so I stopped to take a photo. Later, I used iPhoto to adjust the exposure and to square the circle.

Saturday, July 10, 2010

View from a Beverly Beach


View from a Beverly Beach
Originally uploaded by
randubnick

This is a photograph that I took yesterday during a walk on the beach here in Beverly, MA. Part of the shoreline runs behind the houses on Lothrop Street between Dane Street Beach and Independence Park, but the beach is open to the public and accessible through some of the little "pocket parks" on the side streets. (The signs say, "Please enjoy this public way", so we did.) We parked, walked down some stairs, and we were on the beach. The air was cooler by the water, and I instantly felt like I was on vacation! Well, this little break didn't last long, but it made me smile for the rest of the day.

Friday, July 09, 2010

Summer Evening Summer Sky


Summer Evening Summer Sky
Originally uploaded by
randubnick

This week, we had some really hot days, too hot to go for a walk until evening. This is from a photo that I took a couple of days ago during an evening walk at Obear Park, here in Beverly, MA. It was cooler by the water, and because it was after 8 PM, the dog could come along. (Dogs aren't allowed in beach front parks during the day.) The view was a bonus: the colors in the sky and the ripples in the water. Tonight I cropped the original photo to get this composition.

Thursday, July 08, 2010

Cherries in July


Cherries in July
Originally uploaded by
randubnick

Here north of Boston, we have had a string of very hot and humid days. Cold cherries are great on a hot day. I took this photo a couple of days ago as I was pulling some cherries out of the fridge and putting them in a bowl.

Wednesday, July 07, 2010

Yellow Lily at the Cummings Center Pond


Yellow Lily at the Cummings Center Pond
Originally uploaded by
randubnick

This image is from a photo that I took at the Cummings Center Pond last Friday afternoon (July 2). The lilies are blooming there, so I took some pictures. Tonight I cropped this image just a little, and used iPhoto to do a some basic retouching.

Tuesday, July 06, 2010

Swiss Chard Stems (Kitchen Compositon)


Swiss Chard Stems (Kitchen Compositon)
Originally uploaded by
randubnick

This summer we are participating in The Food Project at Long Hill Gardens, which is a CSA project (Community Supported Agriculture). Every week I get huge bag of organic vegetables to use. The element of surprise makes it fun (like a grab bag for vegetables). This experience is making me think about food in new ways, and has me looking for recipes to figure out how to cook what I have. Tonight I cut up Swiss chard stems to add to a stir fry. The colors were amazing, so I stopped to take a picture. Later, I used iPhoto to crop the original image in order to get this composition.

Monday, July 05, 2010

Trumpet Vine at Long Hill Gardens


Trumpet Vine at Long Hill Gardens
Originally uploaded by
randubnick

This is a photograph that I took last Thursday (July 1), during a walk at Long Hill Gardens here in Beverly, MA. This is Sedgwick Gardens at Long Hill, which used to be a private estate, but is now run by the Trustees of the Reservation and open to the public. We stayed to walk after picking up our weekly haul of organic vegetables from The Food Project, located on a big field near the entrance to Long Hill. We walked around the flower gardens near the main house, and when I saw these trumpet vines, I had to take a picture. Tonight I cropped the photo to get this image. I was interested in the play of the vines against the window, and the contrasting colors and textures of vine, window, brick, and shutters.

Sunday, July 04, 2010

Flowers in Blue Vase actions


Flowers in Blue Vase actions
Originally uploaded by
randubnick

This is a stroke-by-stroke video of the drawing I posted yesterday, made on my iPad with the Brushes app. Just press play. . . .

Saturday, July 03, 2010

Flowers in Blue Vase


Flowers in Blue Vase
Originally uploaded by
randubnick

This is a digital sketch that I drew tonight on my iPad with the Brushes app. I am trying out different brushes in the program, so I decided to do a still life. (This is drawn from my imagination, not from observation.) It was fun and I am learning to work with the controls, though I accidently hit the paint bucket a couple of times which makes the whole image disappear in favor of a solid sheet of color. (But you just hit "undo" and it's okay.) When I finished this sketch, I transferred it into my computer, and used iPhoto to crop the image. Brushes also creates a little "movie" of the drawing, stroke by stroke. I am still trying to figure out how I can export that, too, and find out if I can post it here.

Friday, July 02, 2010

Red Sun and Mountain


Red Sun and Mountain
Originally uploaded by
randubnick

Here is a surprise from the past! This is a painting that I did sometime in the 1980s, when I was living in Lawrence, Kansas. This water-media landscape was done with acrylic paint, using a combination of techniques, including water wash-off, which creates a kind of monoprint effect. While I was living in Lawrence, I did a series of acrylic paintings of mountains, images based on imagination and memories of my home state of Colorado. Well, I haven't seen this painting for quite a while because it belongs to a friend who lives in Kansas. My husband is on a trip back to Lawrence this week, and he saw my painting hanging in her office at the University of Kansas. I was happy to hear that she still has my painting and that it is on display at KU! I knew didn't have an image of this painting, so I asked for a photo, which came today by e-mail. The photo I received was taken with an iPhone camera, and showed the painting framed, on a wall with several other paintings. Tonight I cropped this image out of the photo and did a little straightening and cropping in iPhoto.

Thursday, July 01, 2010

Pink and Ivory Rose (Posterized)


Pink and Ivory Rose (Posterized)
Originally uploaded by
randubnick

I was running errands yesterday when I came face to face with some roses, tall bushes planted in front of a little diner here in Beverly, so I stopped to take a picture or two. When I got the original photo into my computer, I decided that although the image of the rose needed no help from me, there were a few problems with the background. I had captured a plate glass window in the background, and the reflections of three wires were visible in the window. So I opened the image in Painter and used a digital airbrush to cover up the wires. While I was at it, I fixed some distracting marks on the leaves. Then I decided to simplify the window frame down to one simple vertical shape, so it looks more like a post rail than a metal window frame. Then I posterized the image, just a little bit.