Another Birthday Rose (Posterized Photo)

Another Birthday Rose (Posterized Photo) Originally uploaded by randubnick

I have spent the past few days in Colorado, visiting family and friends, and spent last night flying home on a red-eye. Since arriving home early this morning, I have been trying to handle one minor disaster after another, all with far too little sleep. At this point, it is all I can do to just get through the basics. But I did want to make time for this image today. This began with a photo of a pink and white rose, taken with my old soft-focus phonecam and originally posted it here in 2006. Tonight I opened the original version in Painter IX and posterized it. I also used digital pastel to clean up some scraggly foliage in the background, and cropped the image to get the composition I wanted. So there you have it: another birthday rose!

Between Denver Colorado Springs 2 (Posterized Photo)

Between Denver and Colorado Springs 2 (Posterized Photo) Originally uploaded by randubnick

Here is the second version of this image. This is a posterized version of a photo from one of my old albums, a view of the mountains between Denver and Pueblo. I saw this view during my recent trip to Colorado, but couldn't take a picture because I was driving (and storm clouds were covering the mountains anyway). So I took the 1988 photo and scanned it into the computer. I used PainterIX to add color overlays and posterize the image, and came up with two versions. The first version has more realistic color. This version, the second, has more impressionistic color, suggesting dreams or memories, so I think it is the best choice for the last day of the trip.

Between Denver and Colorado Springs 1 (Posterized Photo)

Between Denver and Colorado Springs 1 (Posterized Photo) Originally uploaded by randubnick

During my too short visit to Colorado, I drove down to Colorado Springs to visit close friends. I have always loved the drive between Denver and Colorado Springs because that is where I usually get my first close look at the mountains, and it often makes me cry. This time, I couldn't take pictures because I was at the wheel, and besides, it was pouring rain. But tonight in one of my albums I found a picture of that view from a trip I made in 1988. (Apparently I was already in the habit of taking pictures from the passenger seat of moving cars!) So I scanned the photo into the computer, then cropped to eliminate the car interior, and cropped again to get the composition I wanted. Then I opened the image in Painter IX and used color overlays (to restore some of the color lost in scanning and enlarging) and posterized the image. I created two different versions, the first with more realistic color, and the second more impressionistic. This is the first version.

Green Mountain Rainstorm

Green Mountain Rainstorm (Originally uploaded by randubnick)

I drove up to Boulder on Friday morning to have breakfast with a former teacher, one of my all time favorite people, and it was wonderful to see her! It was raining hard and the mountains were completely covered with clouds. But it doesn't matter because those mountains are always in my mind's eye. I have no photos, so here is a painting that I did when I was an undergraduate at the University of Colorado. This is a watermedia landscape done with acrylic paint. I have always thought of this image as Boulder in a thunderstorm, even though the mountains don't look that much like the Flatirons. (Maybe my memories of the Green Mountain Grainery influenced the title!) I see this painting every day because it is hanging in my house, and when I look at it, I always think of Boulder.

Front Range from Sloan's Lake (Posterized Photo)

Front Range from Sloan's Lake (Posterized Photo) Originally uploaded by randubnick

Here is another image from my recent trip to Colorado, a view of the Front Range from Sloan's Lake in Denver. I spent most of my time in and around Denver, with short trips to up to Boulder and down to Colorado Springs. So I really did spend a lot of time driving up and down the Front Range. It rained hard for three of the five days I was there, so I didn't get too many scenic photos. But I made the trip to visit friends and family, not really to see the scenery. It was a short trip, but I made the most of it, despite the rain, and now I am making the most of the images I have. I cropped this one of the background of one of my photos, then posterized it in Painter IX to capitalize on this little view of the Colorado Rockies.

Hello Denver (Sloan's Lake and Mountains)

Hello Denver (Sloan's Lake and Mountains) Originally uploaded by randubnick

Whenever I go to Colorado, I know I am home once I get a good look at the mountains. I took this photo during my visit last week (on Thursday morning). This is a view of the mountains from Sloan's Lake. It was a beautiful day, typical Colorado weather. Later, I was very glad I had taken this photo, because three very rainy days followed. Colorado seemed to have been overtaken by Massachusetts weather. Much of the time, the clouds were so thick that you couldn't see the mountains. . . , so this is one of the few photos I took of the Rockies.

Rain on Hosta Leaves (Posterized Photo)

Rain on Hosta Leaves (Posterized Photo) Originally uploaded by randubnick

Here are the hosta leaves again. This is the same photo that I posted yesterday, but this time I posterized the photo in Painter IX.

Rain on Hosta Leaves

Rain on Hosta Leaves (Originally uploaded by randubnick)

Have I mentioned that it has been raining all week? Today, at least, it only rained off and on. Tonight, while taking some trash out to the driveway, I noticed these hosta leaves. I see them every day, but tonight I really noticed the beautiful patterns of these huge leaves. So I took a quick picture with my phonecam (Blackberry). Then I loaded the image into my computer and cropped it to get this composition. One benefit of rain is that it changes textures and reflections, and makes you really look at things.

Raining Cats and Dogs (Posterized Photo)

Raining Cats and Dogs (Posterized Photo) Originally uploaded by randubnick

Summer in Massachusetts can be quite wet, and we have been having several daily downpours this week. But we have been through other rainy summers. Tonight I came across a photo of a rainstorm in my back yard, posted here in mid-July of 2006, titled "Raining Cats and Dogs". I like the original photograph because it captures the light and atmosphere of a rainy day. But looking at the photo tonight, I had the idea of trying to posterize it to see if I could get the rain to show up a little better. First I increased the contrast, then opened the image in Painter IX and adjusted the controls for posterizing until I got this result. You can't see any cats or dogs, but now you can, in fact, see the rain!

Pink Blossoms in Cut-Glass Vase

Pink Blossoms in Cut-Glass Vase (Originally uploaded by randubnick)

Here is yet another of the "lost" images that I recently came across while cleaning house. Among the long-forgotten art work that I found in a big bag was a stack of full-size color photocopies of some of my pastel drawings, many of which I have either sold or given away as gifts. This is one of them, a drawing of pink blossoms in a vase made of cut glass. I did this pastel one night at a session of the drawing group that I used to belong to here in Beverly, about five years ago. Although the subject matter may look simple, I think it is always a challenge to draw from observation, and it is important because it makes you really, really look! It is also a great exercise to try to capture the shapes and textures of familiar objects, as in these pastel drawings.

Watering Can

Watering Can (Originally uploaded by randubnick)

This is another of the lost images I recently found. (While I was cleaning out a room, I looked in a bag and found some of my art work: small drawings, watercolors, etc.) This image was in a stack of full-size color copies of pastels. I am in the process of making digital images of everything I found, and loading those images into the computer. So this is a photograph of a color copy! But still, I am glad to have the image. I made this pastel drawing several years ago, when I belonged to a drawing group here in Beverly; we met regularly and drew together. Some of the artists drew from photographs or worked on long-term projects. I liked to set up a still life and draw from observation for a couple of hours. Some of the drawings are better than others, but it was always an excellent exercise. Sometimes I brought fruit for the still life, but sometimes I just created a still life setup from what was on hand. I showed this drawing in one of our group shows. This drawing now belongs to friends who have moved away, so I was glad to come across the image again last week.

Heart Shaped Box as of August 8

Heart Shaped Box as of August 8 (Originally uploaded by randubnick)

This morning I took advantage of the cool weather and went to the studio to work on this project for an hour. This is a collage and decoupage project in progress. I am decorating a heart-shaped box (received on Mother's Day several years ago), covering it with patterns cut from printed metallic ribbons. Today I worked on the bottom part of the box, which is going to be predominantly gold. It is a slow process, kind of like doing a jigsaw puzzle, because I am looking for the right pieces (hoping not to run out of gold!) and then trying to find the right place for each piece I find. But it is very enjoyable and calming work, almost like a meditation. Here is how the box looked when I was ready to go back home.

Tea with Milk (Pastel Still Life)

Tea with Milk (Pastel Still Life) Originally uploaded by randubnick

Last week while cleaning house, I stumbled across some full-size color copies of some of my pastel drawings, along with some other art work (originals and photocopies). Since then, I have been photographing these images with my digital camera so I can have digital versions of them in the computer. This is one of the pastels I found, or to be more precise, a color photocopy of it, since I no longer own the original. I drew this pastel several years ago, when I was part of a drawing group that met regularly here in Beverly and also held group shows. Later, this pastel was shown in a gallery in Rocky Neck, Massachusetts. Until last week, I hadn't seen the drawing in quite a while. I was very pleased to rediscover the color copy of this pastel.

Trees through the Car Window (Posterized Photo)

Trees through the Car Window (Posterized Photo) Originally uploaded by randubnick

Here's one more image from this week's drive up to Durham, New Hampshire. This also began as a photograph taken from the passenger seat of a moving car. I was just trying to photograph the wooded areas on the side of the road. Once I got back home and transferred the images from my digital camera to my computer, I came across this shot. The photo was blurred from the motion, so much that some of the trees looked transparent, and there were some reflections from the window. Although I could have chosen to regard the photo as a "mistake" to be discarded, I liked the composition and even the sense of motion. So I cropped the image just a bit and then posterized it in Painter IX. I liked the result, so here it is.

New Hampshire Lake from Bridge (Posterized Photo)

New Hampshire Lake from Bridge (Posterized Photo)

Yesterday I posted a photo of a New Hampshire lake, seen from a bridge. I took the photo from the passenger seat of a moving car, on the way to Durham, New Hampshire. I cropped the image to capitalize on the tantalizing glimpses of the lake seen through the structure of the bridge. I also tried posterizing the image in Painter IX, and here it is.

New Hampshire Lake from Bridge

New Hampshire Lake from Bridge (Originally uploaded by randubnick)

This is a photo that I took today from the passenger seat of a moving car. The occasion was a trip up to New Hampshire to have lunch with a friend from UNH (University of New Hampshire). I love the drive to Durham, which involves going over a series of bridges. The water is an amazing blue. But because of the bridges, it is hard to get a good picture of the lake. Well, I certainly had all those problems during today's trip! I usually deal with the problems by editing the pictures on the computer. Often I try cropping out the bridge to get a closer view of the lake, but the resulting images always seem a little disappointing. However, while I was editing the photos tonight, I tried a different approach. Instead of cropping out the bridge, I tried to find a pleasing composition that used the bridge, working hard to get a square format. What I was trying to capture was the excitement (and frustration) of that fleeting glimpse of brilliant blue. Even despite currently skyrocketing gas prices, a lot of people spend a considerable amount of time looking at scenery this way, through the windows of a moving car.

Silver Teapot

Silver Teapot Originally uploaded by randubnick

I did this pastel drawing of a silver teapot several years ago when I belonged to a drawing group here in Beverly. We got together regularly to draw and had group shows. One evening, I drew this silver teapot that belongs to one of my friends. I thought the teapot has an interesting shape, and I wanted to try to capture the colors of the reflections in the metallic surface. This teapot was made in Taunton, Massachusetts, where my friend grew up, and so she wanted to have this drawing. My friend moved away several years ago, but turned up in Beverly for a visit, and I had dinner with her last night. She told me that she still has this drawing. As a coincidence, last week I came across some full-size color copies of my pastels, and this one was among them, so I photographed it and here it is.

Artists' Brushes

Artists' Brushes (Originally uploaded by randubnick)

I drew these artists' brushes with pastel some five or six years ago. At that time, I was a member of a drawing group here in Beverly. We got together regularly to draw, and we had group art shows. This drawing was framed and hung in one of our shows, and this image was also used on the postcard advertising the event. The original drawing is no longer in my possession, but this week when I was cleaning up, I came across a full-size color copy of it. As a happy coincidence, tonight I had dinner with a member of the drawing group who moved away four years ago and was back in the area for a visit, so I decided to post this tonight in her honor. It was great to see her again!

Evening Sky on Quiet Beach in Beverly

Evening Sky on Quiet Beach in Beverly (Originally uploaded by randubnick)

This image began as a photo that I took earlier this week during an evening walk down to Dane Street Beach here in Beverly. The sky looked like it was a painting, so I took a picture , using the phonecam in my Blackberry Pearl. Tonight when I transferred the image into my computer, I realized there were several people sitting on the park bench on the right. I also noticed looked some patchy lawn and dirt in the foreground. So I opened the image in Painter IX and used some digital pastel to gently move the people on the bench out of the way. Then I cropped the image to eliminate the problem in the foreground. Now the image concentrates attention on the beautiful evening sky over the Dane Street Beach.

Heart Shaped Box as of July 30 (Detail)

Heart Shaped Box as of July 30 (Detail) Originally uploaded by randubnick

Yesterday I went to the studio to work on this project, a heart-shaped box that I am covering with collage and decoupage made from printed metallic ribbons. Last night I posted a photo to show yesterday's progress. This photo, a closer look, shows more detail. I have been working on the gold area around the edge of the box.

Heart Shaped Box as of July 30

Heart Shaped Box as of July 30 (Originally uploaded by randubnick)

This morning I had to get my car inspected, a yearly chore that is usually quite a nuisance. But this time, I had the inspection done at a garage around the corner from Red Brick, so instead of waiting around for my car, I walked over to my studio and spent about an hour working on this project. I am covering a heart-shaped cardboard box with collage and decoupage patterns created from printed metallic ribbons. I received the box several years ago; it held a Mother's Day present from my daughter. I have been working on the gold area around the side of the box, at the bottom. I am beginning to fill in the bottom edge. I had a good time, and it would have been alright with me if the car inspection had taken even longer!

Proportions of the Face Part II (Drawing Class Demo)

Proportions of the Face Part II (Drawing Class Demo) Originally uploaded by randubnick

Tonight was the last class of the basic drawing class I have been teaching at Red Brick. Last week, I did a quick sketch to demonstrate how to start a drawing by laying out the proportions of the face. (I posted that sketch here on July 22.) In tonight's class, I went back to the original sketch ("before") and demonstrated how to correct proportions by checking and measuring with a ruler. This sketch is "after". I corrected the placement of the eye line, which was too low. That change made the face longer and the hairline higher. Then I lowered the eyebrows a bit, and added cheekbones to refine the shape of the face. I took a quick picture to keep this image. When I got home tonight, I realized that there were some cast shadows on the edges of the drawing, so before I posting, I opened the image in Painter IX and cleaned up the shadows with some digital pastel.

O Ribeiro em Porto (Watercolor)

O Ribeiro em Porto (Watercolor) Originally uploaded by randubnick

Yesterday, I came across some misplaced artwork while I was cleaning the house, drawings and paintings stashed in a bag that I thought held art supplies for the studio. This painting was among them, a watercolor of Portugal, a night view of the river in Porto. One source for this painting was a rough digital sketch on my PDA (handheld computer) that I drew in Portugal during a visit several years ago. I had recently seen the river at night on a drive through Porto, so I was working from recent memory, rather than observation. I was surprised by how well the little digital sketch turned out, so when I got home, I cleaned it up and posted it here. (The title is also O Ribeiro em Porto, posted January 8, 2005.) But I also have painted a series of watercolors of Portugal, and I began this watercolor soon afterwards because I wanted to paint this view in a similar style. I used photos I had taken during the day, as well as what I knew and had seen of Porto and the Douro River to supplement the information in my sketch. This watercolor is the result. When I was painting this, I was happy with it, but didn't think it was as strong as that PDA sketch. (I still think that is true.) However, when I found this watercolor yesterday, I was ready to see on its own terms, and like it much better. Of course, it also brought back great memories of my visits to Portugal, so I was very glad to see this lost souvenir.

Basket of Flowers with Blue Wall

Basket of Flowers with Blue Wall (Originally uploaded by randubnick)

Today I was cleaning up around the house and decided to go through a large bag that had been hiding in a corner of room. I thought it contained art supplies for the studio. Well, there were some drawing pads in there, but I was happy to find some of my art work in there as well: some watercolors (some complete and some not), oil pastel figure drawings, and some full-size color photocopies of my pastels and watercolors. I had the copies made professionally a few years ago before showing the work. (Now I rely much more on digital images). Today I was glad to see those color copies, because I had sold or given away some of the originals, and had no other images of them. The still life posted here is one of the pastels, done several years ago when I was part of a drawing group. Some friends from the drawing group now own this pastel. But I am glad to have the color copy because the composition is unusual, and the lines of the drawing are very relaxed, something that I like to achieve but seldom do. Well, after going the bag of my art work that had been stashed in the corner, I decided to make sure I have digital photos of everything, including those color photocopies, loaded into into the right file in the computer. (While I am at it, I will post some of it here.) Then I will take the art work to the studio, put the finished things in my portfolio, and work on the unfinished pieces as I get a chance.

Lilies and Iron Fence (C)

Lilies and Iron Fence (C) Originally uploaded by randubnick

Here is my third photo of lilies in front of an iron fence. I took it last weekend during an evening walk at the Cummings Center here in Beverly. I took three similar photos of these lilies, and decided to post all three photos. (Versions 1 and 2 were posted yesterday and the day before.) But to be precise, this is actually version 3.5 because tonight I re-edited this photo, cropping it for symmetry. This resulted in a different format and a slightly closer look at the lilies. At this point, I think this might be the best of the three photos in terms of the composition, and the light. I was interested in the slightly orange cast of the evening light playing on the flowers, foliage, and ground.

Lilies and Iron Fence (B)

Lilies and Iron Fence (B) Originally uploaded by randubnick

Last weekend, during an evening walk at the Cummings Center Pond, I took some photos of daylilies blooming in front of an iron fence. I liked the lilies in the evening light, and the contrast of the flowers with the geometry of the fence. I edited the photos yesterday, and realized that I had three photos of the same subject matter. I couldn't decide which one I liked best, so am posting all three. This is the second photo. One of the things I like about this version is that it shows a little bit of the design at the top of the fence. There's one more, for tomorrow. . . .

Lilies and Iron Fence (A)

Lilies and Iron Fence (A) Originally uploaded by randubnick

Last week we had a heat wave, and when it gets really hot, one of the few places to walk a dog in relative comfort is the pond at the Cummings Center. (Here in Beverly, dogs are not allowed on the beach between Memorial Day and Labor Day.) This photo was taken on an evening walk last weekend, around seven P.M. There are several gardens planted here and there around the pond. Right now, the daylilies are blooming, and I was admiring them in the evening light. I loved the contrast of the flowers with the wrought iron fence behind them, so I took some pictures. Tonight as I edited the photos, I found that I have three very similar photos. I like all three, and couldn't decide on a favorite, so I will post all of them over the next few days, one each day. Here is the first one.

Heart Shaped Box (Detail as of July 23)

Heart Shaped Box (Detail as of July 23) Originally uploaded by randubnick

Now that the weather has cooled off a bit, I was able to get up to the studio this morning and work on this project for an hour or so. I have a heart-shaped cardboard box that originally contained a Mother's Day gift from my daughter. Now I am making it into a keepsake box and covering it with collage and decoupage designs made of printed metallic ribbon in a variety of patterns. Today I concentrated on the gold pattern on the sides of the box, shown in a closeup view here. I am happy with how it is going, but I am beginning to worry about having enough gold ribbon. . . .

Proportions of the Face (Drawing Class Demo)

Proportions of the Face (Drawing Class Demo) Originally uploaded by randubnick

This is a quick sketch that I did tonight in the basic drawing class that I am teaching at Red Brick. I was trying to demonstrate basic (average) facial proportions and placement of facial features, which is why there are arrows, marks, and other annotations on the drawing. I liked the way the marks looked on the drawing, so I took a photo. This is a very rough sketch, and I labeled it a work in progress, because I might develop this drawing a bit more to show the students. To be continued. . . .

Many Many Cherries

Many Many Cherries (Originally uploaded by randubnick)

Here are many, many bowls of cherries, ready for a celebration in July! This morning I made this pattern in Painter from the image I posted yesterday: a photo (posterized) of cherries in July. The little song about cherries is a reminder to relax and enjoy life: "Life is just a bowl of cherries, so live and laugh at it all!"

Bowl of Cherries (Posterized Photo)

Bowl of Cherries (Posterized Photo) Originally uploaded by randubnick

Tonight I created this digitally manipulated version of a photo that I took and posted here back in July of 2005. I came across the original photo tonight and thought it would look good posterized, so I opened it in Painter IX and tried it. I liked the result. So while I was at it, I used Painter's magic wand tool and added some light blue color overlay to the background. Well, as time goes by, I guess some things don't change that much: every summer I look forward to bing cherries, I always enjoy eating cherries on a hot July day, and I am apparently incapable of looking at this image without hearing a little soundtrack in my head ("Life is Just a Bowl of Cherries").

Manhattan in the Morning (From the Train to Boston)

Manhattan in the Morning (From the Train to Boston) Originally uploaded by randubnick

I took this photograph on Thursday morning, from the 6:55 AM train back to Boston. You actually can't see much of New York City from the train because travel in and out of the city involves going through a tunnel under the river, and directly to or from Penn Station. But you can catch a glimpse of the Manhattan skyline as the train travels through Queens, but you have to wait for just the right angle. That is what I did on Thursday morning, and I had pretty good luck this time. I used the zoom on my new digital camera. This is one of the best of the photos I took and today I cropped it to get this composition. I also adjusted the brightness and contrast to compensate for the tinted windows of the Amtrak train. The morning light was beautiful and I wanted to make sure that came through in this photo.

Basket of Apples (Matted and Framed)

Basket of Apples (Matted and Framed) Originally uploaded by randubnick

This is an oil pastel drawing that I did back in September of 2006, and posted here daily as the drawing progressed. When I found out that my aunt admired this drawing, I decided to give it to her, so on one of my trips down to New York City, I took it along on the train (unframed) in a portfolio. Yesterday I visited my aunt and saw this drawing matted and framed for the first time. My aunt picked out the color of the mat and I think she did a great job! I took this photo yesterday in New York City; tonight I opened the image in Painter IX and used a little digital chalk to tone down some reflections visible in the glass.

New York City Fruit Stand (Posterized Photo)

New York City Fruit Stand (Posterized Photo) Originally uploaded by randubnick

I took the train down to New York yesterday to spend the day visiting family. It was a short visit, but we made the best of the time we had. At lunchtime, we took a walk down Broadway. We passed this fruit stand on the corner. I love the outdoor grocery displays in New York City, so I took a couple of pictures. Tonight I cropped the image to focus on the pineapple, mango, and kiwi fruit displays (which seems appropriate, given the tropical weather in New York City yesterday). I also posterized the image in Painter IX, and used some color overlays on the kiwi and the yellow sign. Now I have a little souvenir of my one-day Manhattan get-away.

Niantic Bay CT

Niantic Bay CT (Originally uploaded by randubnick)

I did this sketch with my PDA (handheld computer) using Pocket Artist software. The image was inspired by views of Niantic Bay, Connecticut, which were whizzing past because I made this drawing from a moving train. I was taking the train from Boston to New York for a quick visit to family. A fellow passenger kindly identified the name of the bay. The trip down to New York took place was yesterday so I am back-dating this post as July 16th which is when I did the sketch. I returned today (July 17th) which is when I actually posted it. Although I did just a little bit of cleanup on this image before posting it, the image was created entirely on my handheld computer.

Three Nectarines (Pencil Drawing)

Three Nectarines (Pencil Drawing) Originally uploaded by randubnick

I am teaching a beginning drawing class at Red Brick, and tonight was the second session. When the students are doing an exercise or drawing, I try to do it too, whenever possible. Tonight I set up a still life of three nectarines on a plate. I started this drawing by following the contours of the fruit and the plate, paying attention to the negative shapes. Then I added shadows and shading. This exercise was fun, but it made me hungry!

Raspberries Everywhere (Posterized Photo)

Raspberries Everywhere (Posterized Photo) Originally uploaded by randubnick

Tonight I used Painter IX to posterize this photo, which I took back in 2005 with my late great phonecam (that made soft focus images). I posted the original photo here back in 2005, but I thought this would be a good time to revisit the image. Raspberries are ripening now, and just as in 2005, they are growing all over everything. I am cutting them back some. (Well I have to, because the thorns on those things are murder!) But over time, I have learned to cut back less and pick more. Confronted with raspberries, you can focus on the brambles and thorns, or consider the beautiful little berries. If you want the raspberries, you have to put up with the thorns. So out I go to trim a little and pick as much as I can. I usually get only a few berries at a time, enough for cereal or waffles. It is a funny little harvest. The tiny berries are few and far between, but it is best to make the most of whatever is beautiful, whatever is sweet, however much of it you can find.

Heart Shaped Box as of July 10

Heart Shaped Box as of July 10 (Originally uploaded by randubnick)

This is a photo of my collage and decoupage project as it looked the last time I worked on it, which was last Thursday, July 10th. I am recycling the heart-shaped box, which originally contained a Mother's Day gift from my daughter. I am covering all the surfaces of the box with designs made with decoupage and collage, using printed metallic ribbons. I have been concentrating on the edge of the box top (covered with a predominantly red pattern). It is almost complete, except for a bit of patching, as can be seen in this photo. But the gold pattern below, on the outside of the box, still has a long way to go. To be continued. . . .

Clematis in July

Clematis in July (Originally uploaded by randubnick)

Last week there was a bad wind storm with hail, and a tree came down in the yard. It is fun to garden, but not so much fun to deal with tree removal and getting rid of the debris. But the other morning, I took a little break to notice that the clematis had opened. I took a few photos with my digital camera because the blossoms looked so beautiful in the morning light. This is the best of the three photos I took. In fact, this is the image exactly as it came out of the camera. I didn't adjust anything and didn't even have to crop it. The aqua peeking through the leaves at the upper left corner is a glimpse of swimming pool, and I considered cropping it out, but I like the combination of colors, and I think the strong color in that corner helps balance the composition.

Heart Shaped Box, Closeup of Side as of July 5

Heart Shaped Box, Closeup of Side as of July 5 (Originally uploaded by randubnick)

I am continuing to work on this project whenever I get a chance. I am covering this heart-shaped box with collage and decoupage patterns made from printed metallic ribbons. The box itself once held a Mother's Day gift from my daughter, and I am going to give her this project when it is finished. This is how the box looked as of July 5th. In this closeup of the side of the box, you can see the tiny collage compositions that I am making from pieces of ribbon.

Cascading Petunias (Posterized)

Cascading Petunias (Posterized) Originally uploaded by randubnick

Last weekend included a visit to a wonderful garden store in Marblehead, Massachusetts. The plants are outside in rows of beautiful displays and you can wander around through the flower carts and hanging plants. It's a great place for gardeners, but also for photographers. This image began as a photo of a hanging basket of pink petunias. Tonight I cropped the image to get a closer view of the flowers. I liked the pattern of flowers and foliage, so I posterized it using Painter IX.

Sailboats on the Ocean

Sailboats on the Ocean (Originally uploaded by randubnick)

We have had a string of hot summer days here in the Boston area. Here is an image to cool things off a bit. Even when the air is hot and muggy in Beverly, it is almost always better near the shore. I took this photo from a tiny park off a residential street near the ocean, and tonight I cropped the image to get this composition. Beverly has several half-hidden parks where residential side streets run up to the shoreline. These little pocket parks are marked with signs saying "Please Enjoy This Public Way." And I do! They have flowers, park benches, and even steep staircases down to the water. Best of all, they have cool breezes and great views of the ocean.

Composition with Three Textures (Drawing Class Exercise)

Composition with Three Textures (Drawing Class Exercise) Originally uploaded by randubnick

I am teaching a basic drawing class at Red Brick Studio and tonight was the first of four sessions. Because it is a small class, I am trying to participate in (or at least demonstrate) as many of the drawing exercises as possible. That makes it more fun for me, and also helps me to understand what is and is not working in an assignment. One of the first exercises for the class was to create a composition using a repeated shape filled with three different textures. This is my demo. This small drawing (maybe 3 by 4 inches) is done with a fine tip Sharpie pen on sketchpad paper.

Heart Shaped Box (View of Side as of July 1)

Heart Shaped Box (View of Side as of July 1) Originally uploaded by randubnick

Here is how the heart shaped box looked as of July 1. I am covering this box with collage and decoupage, using printed metallic ribbons. (The box itself originally held a gift from my daughter for Mother's Day.) This view shows the progress on the side of the box top (red pattern), which I have been trying to finish, while at the same time working on the gold pattern (on the side of the bottom of the box).

Tiger Lilies and Rock

Tiger Lilies and Rock (Originally uploaded by randubnick)

Recently I have been exploring a new neighborhood to walk in here in Beverly. There are lots of hills and rocky outcroppings, contrasting with beautiful old homes and gardens on winding streets. I loved the way the tiger lilies looked against the boulders, so I took a photo with my Blackberry (phonecam). Tonight I cropped the photo to get the composition I wanted, and here it is.

Fabric Flowers and Vase (Day 2)

Fabric Flowers and Vase (Day 2) Originally uploaded by randubnick

This is a work in progress, a collage made out of pieces of cloth, applied to the background by using a sticky backing and ironing the pieces on. I started this piece in the fiber arts class at Red Brick (see post for June 27th). Since then, I have been thinking about what to do with the background. I haven't had a chance to buy more of the sticky backing or get more fabric, so for the moment, I am working with the leftover scraps from the class. Yesterday I finally had a chance to try out my ideas, so I got out my scissors and the iron and went to work. I created a surface to hold the vase, using the same purple pattern as in the flowers. I am almost out of that pattern, so will have to come up with a solution for the foreground. Right now I am considering using some darker material (deep blue or purple) to create shadows and the side of the table. To be continued. . . .

Fourth of July at Independence Park

Fourth of July at Independence Park (Originally uploaded by randubnick)

I took this photo tonight at Independence Park in Beverly, Massachusetts, a great place to watch fireworks. This is a beachfront park, and fireworks from at least three nearby towns can be seen: Salem, Marblehead, and Beverly Farms. Because of the distance, the sounds are muted, but the water reflects and enhances the visual effects. In addition, there are lights along the shore, and even on the water because some people watch the fireworks from their boats. I took my new digital camera along, thinking I would try to get some pictures. My camera has a setting for fireworks. Well, I loved the fireworks, but was disappointed with most of the photos I took, and none of them do the scene justice. For one thing, it took me a while to figure out that this was a slow shutter speed, so to get a clear picture, the camera has to be held very still. So I got a lot of mistakes. But a few of the mistakes were interesting, and this is one of the best! I adjusted the contrast to enhance the bright lights, and cropped this image to get the composition I wanted.

Heart Shaped Box as of June 25

Heart Shaped Box as of June 25 (Originally uploaded by randubnick)

Although last week was really hectic, I did manage to slip away for an hour here and there to work on this project. This is a keepsake box that I am covering with collage and decoupage made of printed metallic ribbons. I received the box several years ago. It held a Mother's Day present from my daughter, and when this project is finished, I am going to give the keepsake box to her as a gift. A few days ago, I posted a closeup view from the side. But this photo, taken a few days later, shows more of the box. I have been concentrating on the outside of the box top (predominantly red ribbon) and the outside of the bottom of the box (predominantly gold ribbon). I am further along with the red pattern than with the gold, but I am seeing progress. There is a lot of detail work to this project, but I am really enjoying it, and have to force myself to stop working. To be continued. . . .

Found Art (Posterized Photo of Pool Filter)

Found Art (Posterized Photo of Pool Filter) Originally uploaded by randubnick

Today I was asked to take a picture of the inside of our (malfunctioning) swimming pool filter, to e-mail to the swimming pool company for a diagnosis. After launching into my customary rant about "The Role of the Artist in American Society," I complied, using my digital camera. Although it was hard to see what I was doing, I did my best, and the results were very useful to the swimming pool people. But family members who saw the photos thought they were interesting, and I had to agree, even though at first I laughed off the suggestion that I post them here. So tonight I cropped one of the photos and posterized it, and here it is, a piece of found art (with apologies to Marcel Duchamp). This is funny, but also serious, because I really do believe that art can be found anywhere (even in a broken swimming pool filter), and that beauty can be found every day, if we are willing to look.

Swampscott Beach in Fog

Swampscott Beach in Fog (Originally uploaded by randubnick)

I took this photo of the beach at Swampscott, MA, from inside the Red Rock Bistro during brunch last Sunday. Tonight I cropped the photo to get the composition I wanted. One of this restaurant's many attractions is its view of the Boston skyline, but it was much too foggy Sunday morning to have any hopes of seeing that. But that doesn't mean there was nothing to see! I think fog is visually interesting because it calls attention to details that are often overlooked. I loved watching the waves come up onto the beach. In this photo, I was trying to capture the way the curve of the ocean waves mirrors the line of the shore, seen in the houses on the curving road on the right.