Looking Over the Fence (with Prisma filter)

Yesterday's post was a photo that I took in mid-May, a quick look over the fence.  Here is the same image, this time with a Prisma filter.

Looking Over the Fence

This spring, I have been taking more photos close to home.  I took this photo in mid-May.  Trees were leafing out, and I looked over the fence and saw the azaleas in neighbors' yard, so I took a picture.  Today I also made a version of the image with a Prisma filter, and I plan to post it here tomorrow.

Ferns in the Garden (Photo)

Yesterday's post was a little video of ferns in my backyard on a breezy afternoon.  I also took the still photo that I am posting here tonight.

Ferns in the Garden (Video)

The ferns in our back garden have recently leafed out.  They looked so pretty on a windy afternoon, so I took this little video.

Still Life with Colander

On Wednesdays, our CSA order from Farmers to You arrives.  Since the shut-down began, my daughter has been delivering our order and then everything gets washed in the sink before it is put away.  Today's order looked so great in the colander that I decided to take this picture.

Lilacs (Closeup)

The lilacs are blooming in the yard and they smell amazing.  Here is a closeup that I took the other day.

My Dad at Place de la Concorde, Paris

On Memorial Day we honor soldiers who did not return from war. But I saw this quotation today (by Ronald Reagan, posted by Al Franken) : "They gave up two lives. The one they were living and the one they would have lived. When they died, they gave up their chance to be husbands and fathers and grandfathers. . .".  This made me think of my father, who did come back from World War II. It makes me think about everything he was risking. But unlike many others, he did go on to be a father and grandfather.  My own life, my own family, resulted from that fact. So today I am posting this picture of my dad in Paris. The image began with a small snapshot in a wallet-sized album that my dad carried during the war. This album was among my father's photos, sent to me last year by my cousin Rori. In it are snapshots of my mom and my father's brothers and sisters, along with his military ID and his military discharge card. Today I transferred the snapshot into the computer, where I cropped it, cleaned it up, and added some color with Painter.  Nothing was written on the back of the snapshot, but as I worked, I used a search engine to try to learn more. I searched for an obelisk in Paris and found the matching image at Place de la Concorde.  It took me longer to identify the balustrade, but the photo matches Pont de la Concorde, connecting the Palais Bourbon with Place de La Concorde. So I was able to figure out where he was.  And when? This picture must have been taken after the liberation.  The nearby Hotel de Crillon had been occupied by the Nazis, but he's not worrying about nearby Nazis in this photo. The Place de La Concorde was the cite of a victory parade for the liberation of Paris, though, as I learned, although the Nazis had abandoned Paris when liberation was celebrated, some active snipers were still around. Maybe that's why my dad is wearing a helmet.  In any case, he seems relaxed in the photo, maybe relieved that the worst was over, maybe thinking about going home. I have said before that my father was a peaceful man.  He told me himself that he had been afraid during the war.  He had married my mother shortly before shipping out to Europe. He had a wife waiting and a life to get back to. But he did his bit to fight the Nazis. I owe it to him to follow his example and stand up to tyranny and prejudice whenever I can.  We owe it to all those who lost their lives to remember not to take our freedom, our democracy, or our lives for granted. 

Lilacs in the Yard (with Prisma filter)

Some of our lilacs are finally blooming.  I took some pictures, and added a Prisma filter to this one.  

Cooking Hasty Charoses (Photo with Prisma filter)

Yesterday I finished a recipe illustration for charoses, a fruit-nut spread eaten on Passover.  The recipe will be published on our food blog, Seasoning for Every Palate. In addition to the main illustration,  I also plan to include this image, a quick photo that I took while cooking.  I added a Prisma filter, and decided to keep the quirky composition of the original photo.

Hasty Charoses (Recipe Illustration)

Today I finally finished this recipe illustration for our food blog, Seasoning for Every Palate The recipe is for charoses (fruit and nut paste used at Passover). Although my recipe is very quick to make (just dates, almonds and orange juice), this illustration took me quite a while to finish.  Today I started by making hand corrections: a second layer of purple conte crayon on the background, additional smoothing and blending of all the areas with conte crayon. Then I used Sharpie markers to re-draw the date-palm leaves.  I made many other small corrections by hand.  Then I transferred the image into the computer. After I used iPhoto to make some basic corrections (cropping, retouching), I opened the image in Painter and used digital pastel to make some fine corrections to some of the lines, and then used cut-and-paste to adjust the line of the largest circle.  

Hasty Charoses (Illustration as of May 21, 2020)

Today I worked on this project, an illustration for our food blog, Seasoning for Every Palate. The recipe is for charoses, a fruit and nut spread eaten at Passover. Today my main task was establishing the background color with purple conte crayon.  Although the background will need another layer of conte, at least the color scheme is complete.  I also plan to make some small corrections by hand as well as on the computer in Painter. To be continued. . . . 

Hasty Charoses (Illustration as of May 20, 2020)

Today I continued working on this project, a recipe illustration to be published in our food blog, Seasoning for Every Palate.  The recipe is for charoses, a fruit and nut spread eaten at Passover. This version is a speedy mixture of chopped dates, almonds, and orange juice. Although my recipe is quick to make, this illustration is taking some time! Today I decided on the color scheme for the final circle, worked on the lettering and added the little design, and then added the color.  Tomorrow I hope to do the background color.  To be continued. . .

Hasty Charoses (Illustration as of May 19, 2020)

This is a recipe illustration-in-progress, to be published in our food blog, Seasoning for Every Palate  The recipe is for a quick charoses (fruit-nut spread eaten at Passover).  Today I continued to add color with a colored conte crayon and Sharpie markers. That is the fun part. I also did a little work on the lettering (not as much fun, but necessary). To be continued. . . .

Hasty Charoses (Illustration as of May 18, 2020)

This morning, I continued to add color to this illustration.  This will be published  on our food blog, Seasoning for Every Palate  illustrate a recipe for charoses, a fruit and nut spread eaten at Passover. I am using a combination of Sharpie markers and colored conte crayon to add color, working from the inside of the circle outward. Although I have a general idea for the color scheme -- I want it to be festive -- I am guided by what happens as I draw and what is needed as I go.  To be continued.

Hasty Charoses (Illustration as of May 17, 2020)

I worked on this project today.  This is going to be a recipe illustration for our food blog, Seasoning for Every Palate. The recipe is a quick version of charoses, a fruit and nut spread eaten at Passover.  Today I started by trying to improve on some of my circles.  (I plan to make more corrections later on the computer.)  I also added a bit more stem to the date clusters as a way to make the design a bit more symmetrical.  Then I finally started adding color with my conte crayons, moving from the center outward.  I had more fun as the session progressed. . .

Hasty Charoses (Illustration as of May 16, 2020)

Late this afternoon, I had a chance to work on this project.  This is going to be an illustration for our food blog, Seasoning for Every Palate.  The recipe I am illustrating is a quick charoses (fruit spread used at Passover).  Today I continued inking in lines with my Sharpie pens, including all those circles.  Drawing in ink, especially circles, can be scary. But although there are plenty of mistakes, some of them can be fixed "by hand" and the rest I will tackle digitally, with Painter.  Today I also worked out the color scheme and decided to use colored conte crayon in addition to my beloved Sharpies.

Hasty Charoses (Illustration as of May 15, 2020)

Today I worked some more on this project, an illustration for our food blog (Seasoning for Every Palate). I am drawing an illustration for a recipe for charoses, a fruit-and-nut spread used at Passover.  This recipe has only three ingredients: dates, almonds, and orange, represented in the circles of my design. I haven't decided on a color scheme, and I still haven't decided whether to use crayon or colored pencil, etc., so I continued inking in the lines with Sharpie pens. To be continued. . . .

Hasty Charoses (Illustration as of May 14, 2020)

This is the recipe illustration I am working on for our food blog, Seasoning for Every Palate.  Charoses is a kind of fruit spread used at Passover, and this year I came up with a very fast version made of dates, almonds, and orange juice.  Making the actual dish was a lot faster than drawing this illustration!  Today I revised the title a bit for the sake of centering the text, and redrew the letters.  By that point, I had very little time left to work on this, but I did start to ink in the lettering and the almond leaves with my Sharpies.  To be continued. . . .

Hasty Charoses (Illustration as of May 13, 2020)

I am working on an illustration for our food blog, Seasoning for Every Palate. The recipe is for  charoses, a kind of fruit spread used at Passover.  In this case, the ingredients are dates, oranges, and almonds.  I posted the rough sketch yesterday. Today I revised the design, simplifying some of the elements, and drew it on the paper I am using for the final illustration. To be continued. . .

Hasty Charoses (Rough Sketch for Illustration)

Today I started this rough sketch for a recipe illustration.  The recipe is for charoses, a kind of fruit and nut spread used at Passover.  This recipe has only three ingredients--dates, almonds, and oranges--and I worried that that wasn't enough to work with, but I decided to add the leaves from the date palm, the almond tree, and orange blossoms and leaves.  That seemed more fun to me. I have been thinking about a circular shape, like a mandala. I was trying to hurry, so I traced the circles using four or five lids taken from my pots and pans cabinet, which made me laugh.  I worked in pencil and things got pretty messy.  I did a little digital cleanup to make this sketch more presentable.  Anyway, I had a good time and I think this will work. To be continued.

Sunlight on Japanese Andromeda

In May, we are usually taking walks at Long Hill Gardens to see what is blooming.  But this year, I am taking photographs closer to home, learning to appreciate what has been right in front of me all along.  About a week ago, I noticed the sunlight playing on this shrub, so I took a picture.  Apparently I have overlooked this shrub for years, and have never photographed it.  Is this because it blooms early, when the weather is still cold and rainy?  Maybe, but more likely it is because this shrub is usually upstaged by the rhododendrons planted nearby, which bloom a few weeks later with large, hot pink blossoms. But this shrub's tiny blossoms, pale pink bells, have a beauty of their own. The name of this plant is pieris japonica or Japanese Andromeda. We have lived in this house for decades, but this week I finally did a little detective work and learned its name. 

Mom and Me (with Digital Color)

I don't have very many pictures of myself with my mom, maybe because she was camera-shy. So a few years ago,  I was very happy to find this one in the boxes of my father's photos sent to me by my cousin Rori. The occasion photographed was my birthday (I can tell from other photos that I have). Judging from the state of the kitchen, this was probably taken after the party. And from the other photos in the set, I can tell that the photographer was my uncle, Ike Fitterman.  I liked the photo so much that last year I posted the original black-and-white version for Mother's Day.  This year, I decided to add color to the image, using Painter's digital pastel and color overlay.  I do this because it is fun, but also because it is also a way of remembering her, a way of spending time with her.  As I choose the colors, I remember that she seemed to like bold plaids, and I notice that she seemed to be concentrating hard on getting that cake and ice cream in my mouth without spilling anything on my fancy ruffled pinafore and ruffled sleeves. 

Blossoms on the Dogwood Tree

The other day, I took a picture of the dogwood tree by our deck.  It is starting to bloom and I love the beautiful coral blossoms.  Today it was the backdrop for a morning snow squall.

More Budding Azaleas

Here's another photo taken close to home, more azaleas budding near the fence.  I like the way the look in the sunlight.

Budding Azaleas Near the Fence

The weather has been warmer lately, and I have been exploring in my own yard.  These beautiful azaleas are getting ready to bloom.  I liked the way they looked in the sunlight so I took a picture.

Backyard Wood Anemone (with Woodcut Effect)

A couple of days ago, I took pictures of these little flowers growing in my back yard.  Yesterday I posted a version with posterizing effect. Today's version has a "digital woodcut" effect added.

Backyard Wood Anemone (Posterized Photo)

Here north of Boston, the weather is improving and I am spending more time outside. Yesterday's post was a photo of some wood anemone, growing in my backyard.  I used Painter to add the posterizing effect.

Backyard Wood Anemone

Here north of Boston, the temperatures have finally been getting warmer so I am spending more time in the yard when I can.  Today I saw these little wood anemones in the backyard, so I took this picture.  I like the patterns of the leaves and petals, so I used Painter to create additional versions of this image with special effects, and I plan to post those soon.

Front Yard Magnolias

Yesterday I took pictures of the magnolia trees blooming in the front yard.  If you pay attention, beauty can be found close at hand, and these days, that's a very good thing.

At Dillon Lake (Final) Acrylic Watermedia

Well, yesterday I said that this painting was finished but today I decided that I wanted to make two small changes. I adjusted the color of the mountain across the lake, and I added a bit more green to the trees in the foreground.  Perhaps it is silly to be so particular, but I want these paintings to create peace when people look at it. So if something is bothering me, I need to fix it.

Dillon Lake (Acrylic Watermedia Painting)

I just finished this painting.  This is one of my Colorado memories, inspired by a snapshot from a family trip to Dillon Lake in Colorado, back in the 1970s. (Digitally modified snapshot that served as my painting reference is posted here, April 27.) Today I worked on the foreground, reworked the sky and the lake, and made a lot of small changes.  I am happy I managed to finish it today, because I wanted to include it in a virtual version of the solo show I was supposed to have in May. Although the "bricks and mortar" version of the show has been delayed till December, the virtual version is due to be posted next week.