The Necessity of Flowers (framed drawing)

This is the last of the four small drawings I framed recently.  I created these flower drawings with Sharpie fineline markers.  I have scanned the drawings into the computer and in some cases, have made some digital corrections.  But I framed the original drawings to hang in my house.  

Hopeful Flowers (framed drawing)

Here is the third of four small drawings that I recently framed.  There is a digitally edited version of this drawing in my computer, but I am hanging the original drawing in my house.  All of these drawings are 6 x 6 inches, and were drawn with Sharpie fine-line markers on paper. 

Flowers of Kindness (framed drawing)

Here is another of the small drawings that I framed yesterday.  These drawings are 6 x 6 inches, Sharpie fine-line marker on paper. I scanned these drawings into the computer, and in some cases, made some digital corrections.  I am framing the original drawings to hang in my house.

Counting on Flowers (framed drawing)

Yesterday I framed some of my small drawings of flowers to hang in my house.  Although I have created digital versions, I am framing the original drawings.  This is the first of four.  They are all 6 x 6 inches, created with Sharpie fineline markers on paper. This is the first of four.

Toward the Mountains (Modified Photo for Painting Reference)

My previous post was the original version of this photo, taken in June of 2018 as we drove through the Colorado mountains.  I recently chose that photo to use as a painting reference for my next painting.  But in the original photo, the highway runs right through the foreground.  I decided that in this case, I didn't want to include the road, so I opened the jpg in Painter and used digital pastel and "cut-and-paste" to change the foreground, to produce the basic composition that I wanted for my painting.

Towards the Mountains (Original Photo)

It is time to paint the mountains again, so I have been looking at my photos of Colorado. This photo was taken back on June 7 of 2018, during our trip to Colorado. (A double celebration of our 50th wedding anniversary  and 50 years of friendship with our friends from Brazil, who were also celebrating 50 years married.)  I am not sure of the exact location, but I think it is somewhere near Breckenridge.  This is the photo just as it came out of the camera, although I have obscured the license plate.  I like the composition and decided to use this photo as my painting reference. Of course I could paint the highway, but decided not to. Instead, I created a digitally modified version of this photo, which I plan to post soon. .   

Two Bridges over the Hudson (with Prisma filter)

Here's another image from our recent road trip from Massachusetts to Nashville. We began with a northern route through Western Mass and upstate New York, eventually heading south through Ohio to Tennessee.  I took this picture on July 24, our first day on the road, as we were crossing the Hudson River into New York. Tonight I added the "Vivid" filter from the Prisma app. The blue bridge is called the Castleton Bridge, and the older bridge in the background is the Alfred H. Smith Memorial Bridge (built for train traffic).  I got excited when I learned the name of the older bridge because during our road trip, we listened to "The Power Broker" on Audible, a book about the history of New York in which Alfred Smith figures prominently. But alas, this is named after a different Alfred Smith.  Anyway, there is only one Hudson River, and this is it. 

Indoor Garden (Fabric Appliqué), Framed

This is a fabric appliqué that I made a few years ago.  We had our kitchen redone in February of 2020, and I had decided to have it framed to hang on our kitchen wall.  But Covid happened, and that little project was delayed until a few weeks ago, when I took my appliqué to the framers.  Today I picked it up and hung it on my kitchen wall. 

From "The Peach Truck" (with Prisma filter)

One of our destinations before leaving Nashville was "The Peach Truck" (yes, an actual truck) where we received a huge box of Georgia peaches and a bag of pecans as a gift. So we ate peaches through two-day drive home, and since we got home, we have been making peach crisps and muffins.  Here is a picture of the peaches still in the box, with  Prisma's "Watercolor" filter add.

Bashert (wall decoration)

The Yiddish has various translations: "soul-mate", "destiny," or just "the one,"  While we were visiting Nashville, I noticed a jar full of Sharpies (fine-line markers), so I found some paper and made this simple hand-lettered wall decoration for the newlyweds. 

A Special Place (Bench with Magnolia Tree)

I took this picture on July 29th on the Vanderbilt campus in Nashville. Even on a hot summer's day, the bench under this lovely old magnolia tree is a lovely sight.  But we could only imagine how the magnolia tree would have looked when it was in bloom, as it was on a spring day in March of 2020, when this bench was the scene of a marriage proposal.

At Vanderbilt University

More from our recent trip to Nashville. We had a chance to see a little bit of the Vanderbilt campus, which is very beautiful. It was a very warm day, but lots of lovely old trees provided shade.  I took lots of pictures.

Tree and Wall (Vanderbilt University Medical Center)

Here's another image from our recent trip to Nashville. As we passed this landmark,  I took a quick photo.  I liked the way the wall was framed by the old tree.  Later I did some editing to remove a pesky street sign, and cropped the original to get this composition.

Morning Light in Tennessee

From our recent road trip, taken on our first morning in Tennessee.  I loved the tall trees in the morning light so I took some pictures.

Driving Through Western Mass (with Prisma filter)

This image began with one of the photos I took on July 24, the day we set out on our road trip.  The scenery in western Massachusetts is beautiful.  I cropped the original photo and use the Prisma app to add the "Whale" filter. 

 

At the Carwash (Bass River)

Back on July 22, we were getting ready for our road trip so to vacuum the car, we went to the local carwash here in Beverly, MA.  This carwash has a great view of the Bass River.  I noticed a couple of kayakers going under the bridge, heading toward the ocean.  I decided not to wait to start my vacation photos.  

"Indoor Garden" Fabric Appliqué (at framers)

I finished this fabric appliquê in 2018.  Back in early March of 2020, I decided to have it framed and hang it in our newly renovated kitchen. But then came Covid  and lockdowns, etc., it never happened.  But this week, I took finally took it in to the framers; should be ready in two weeks. Before I left it with the framers,  I decided to take a picture.

Accidental Self-Portrait

A couple of days ago, I was trying to take a picture of our new bathroom mirror, and I didn't realize I was also taking a picture of myself.  I liked the composition, but I the edges of the mirror were cut off in a few places.  I have a thing about squaring the circle, so I opened the image in Painter, added pixels on all sides, and used digital pastel to finish the lines of the circle.  I haven't done a self-portrait in a while, so I guess this will have to do.  This is my everyday look: T-shirt, lock-down hairdo, phone in hand, taking pictures. This is me, at 73.

Bargain Bouquet (with Prisma's "Disco" filter)

Here's another take on my "Bargain Bouquet".  I used a Prisma filter, and this time I chose "Disco" which as you can see gives the image a very different look.

Bargain Bouquet

We made a quick trip to the grocery store, even though it was almost closing time.  Some beautiful bouquets were marked down, so we bought this one. This bouquet was a bargain, but if you ask me, flowers are always worth it.

Windowbox in July (with Prisma filter)

Yesterday's post was a photo of a windowbox on our deck. 

Here's another version of the photo, this time with the Prisma app's "Dallas" filter.   

Windowbox in July

 Windowboxes are back on our deck this year, thanks to my daughter, who comes over to garden. Despite a rollercoaster of temperature extremes, torrential rains, and even fog, the flowers are doing well, as you can see in this photo.  Tonight I cropped the original photo and did some retouching.  I also used my Prisma app to create another version with a filter, and I hope to post that here tomorrow.

Flowers of Suggestion (Digitally Modified Photo)

“We need milk,” I said at Whole Foods. He insisted there was enough milk at home. I was wrong, he said. Okay fine.

We checked out (no milk), went home, put the groceries away. I went back to work in my office, upstairs. He stayed in the kitchen, getting ready to bake something. 

A few minutes later, he says he is going back to the store. To buy milk. For his recipe. Because we are out. 

“Anything else we need from the store?” he asked. 

“Well,” I said, “while you are there, you might want to pick up some flowers for your wife.”  

And so he did.

*Photo is digitally modified with Prisma, Painter, and iPhoto.

Glimpse of Zakim Bridge (with Prisma filter)

On the way home from our recent trip to Boston, I took a picture of the Zakim Bridge.  I try to do that whenever I am in the driver's seat.  (Gertrude Stein said that there is no such thing as repetition, only insistence.) But really, the photos are different every time.  I added Prisma's "Mononoke" filter to this one, and cropped it to get this composition. 

Back Bay Scene (with Prisma filter)

Here's one more photo of Boston's Back Bay from our recent run into town to have breakfast with friends.  You can see the Back Bay mix of old and new, churches and skyscrapers, trees and traffic jams. I edited the original photo and added my favorite Prisma filter, "Watercolor".

Boston Public Library (with Prisma filter)

Here is another of the photos that I took during our trip to Boston's Back Bay on June 25th: the Boston Public Library. Today I added Prisma's "Speed Boat" filter and cropped the original photo to get this composition.

Happy Fourth! (Procreate animation)

Sending this out to wish everyone safe travels and happy times to those celebrating the Fourth of July! This little video is part of my ongoing attempt to learn more about animation this year. I made this using "animation assist" in Procreate.  (It is more like traditional animation rather than an automatic capture of drawing strokes.) 

In the Storrow Drive Tunnel

Here's another photo from last week's trip to Boston, a picture taken in the tunnel under Storrow Drive, heading toward the Zakim Bridge and the ride north on 93.  Driving through Boston's tunnels can be daunting, but when I am in the passenger seat, I can relax and enjoy the lights, colors, patterns, and shapes.

Back Bay Windows (with Prisma filter)

Here is my "Back Bay Windows" photo, but with Prisma's "Tokyo" filter added.  This is such a beautiful part of Boston.

Back Bay Windows

Here's another photo that I took last Friday. After our breakfast in Boston with friends, we drove through the Back Bay on the way home. This is another photo taken at the intersection of Beacon and Berkeley.  The "special effects" reflection and the quirky composition happened because I was taking photos from the passenger seat of a moving car.  Those things can be corrected, but sometimes I prefer to just embrace them instead. 

From Storrow Drive

Last Friday, as we drove through Boston, heading home after breakfast with friends, I took lots of pictures from the driver's seat.  From Storrow Drive, you can often get a peek at some elegant Back Bay homes.  I took a quick picture of this one.  I like the quirky composition, so this is how the photo looked, right out of the camera.

Composition at Beacon and Berkeley

Last Friday, after breakfast in Boston with our friends, I took pictures as we drove through Back Bay on the way home.  When you take pictures, as I do, from the passenger seat of a moving car, you sometimes get strange effects and quirky compositions.  In this case, I got both.  Instead of trying to correct the reflections and odd angles for a more conventional photo, I decided to let things be, apart from a bit of cropping.  As you can see from the street signs in the photo, this was taken at the corner of Beacon and Berkeley.

Reflections on a Boston Optical Illusion

After Friday's breakfast in Boston with friends, we walked with them in the Back Bay.  We were standing on the street corner chatting, and I had lost track of our location.  I looked down the street and saw a building with wavy windows, kind of like a Gaudi building in Barcelona.  How strange! Then I realized -- of course -- that I was looking at an optical illusion: the YWCA building reflected on the surface of the John Hancock building.  I laughed and then took a picture.  Tonight I cropped the original photo to get this composition.

Looking Up on Stanhope Street

On Friday morning, we drove into Boston to meet friends for breakfast.  (This was our first meal at a restaurant since March of 2020!)  Our meeting place was The Friendly Toast, one of four restaurants on Stanhope Street, which is very short, narrow, and somehow set at an angle, tucked away in the Back Bay. While we were waiting for our friends to arrive, I looked up and saw that these buildings created an interesting arrangement, so I took a picture.  Tonight I cropped the original photo to get this composition.

Day Lillies Version 3 (with Prisma filter "Disco")

Here is the third and last version of my recent photo of day lillies. 

I used my Prisma app to add a different filter, called "Disco", which gave the image a very different look.

A Birthday Bouquet

It has been a busy day, so I had just enough time to take a quick closeup of my daughter's birthday bouquet.  It is as bright and colorful and amazing as she is.

Day Lillies Version 2 (with Prisma's "Watercolor"filter)

Yesterday I posted my recent photo of day lilies. Here is the same photo edited in the Prisma app, using the Watercolor filter (my favorite). 

Day Lilies Version 1 (Original Photo)

I took this quick photo of daylilies during an afternoon walk.  The flowers are beautiful, and I like the composition.  But the photo is not quite ready for prime time. Flowers and background need some work.  One option would be to do some retouching in iPhoto and then used Painter to clean up the image with digital pastel and some cut and paste.  I plan to do that, but haven't had time, so instead I tried out some Prisma filters, which I plan to post here later this week.  So please consider this image my "before" picture.  

Backyard Ferns (with Prisma filter)

I see these ferns every day; they are growing in the shade garden in my backyard. But sometimes the sunlight reaches them, which is beautiful. I captured that in a recent photo, and then used the Prisma app to add a filter. Tonight I cropped the image to get this composition. 

Dad and Me (with Prisma filter)

This is a family classic, and I have posted other versions of this image before.  This photo of my dad with me on my birthday. was taken by my uncle, Isaac Fitterman, a very talented photographer   who took many great photos of the whole family!  Some years ago,  I used Painter to rescue my well-worn copy that was worn, bent, and cracked. Today I decided to try adding a Prisma filter (technology suggested to me by Uncle Ike's son Bob Fitterman.)  So this image is a collaboration with my Uncle Ike (who was a wonderful uncle to me), and a way to spend a little time thinking about my dad on Father's Day. 

Maple Seeds on Flagstone (with Prisma filter)

A few weeks ago, I caught myself admiring some red maple seeds on the flagstone, so I took this picture.  These lovely seeds can fly like helicopters, and are very beautiful.  But they come down hard and fast, especially this year, covering the driveway, getting into the windshield wipers, and (in our case, we have learned) wreaking havoc with swimming pool pipes. Nonetheless, they are lovely.  I used my Prisma app to add the Watercolor filter to the original photo, and then cropped it to get this image. 

The Necessity of Flowers (Drawing)

This is the drawing I started yesterday. Last night, I thought it was finished, but at the last minute, noticed some incomplete lines. So this morning, I finished this. I made this drawing with fine-line markers on paper (6 inches x 6 inches).  Some think of flowers are frivolous, but in reality they are necessary.  As is art.

White Dogwood Blossoms (with Prisma filter)

I recently posted a photo of white dogwood blossoms, taken during a walk in a neighborhood park.  Here is the same photo, with Prisma's Frangipani filter added.  I also used iPhoto to adjust the color.

Hopeful Flowers (Digitally Edited)

A few days ago, I posted a little drawing that I did with Sharpie markers.  The drawing began as a simple sketch but got complicated. Complicated is not bad, but can be a problem with markers, which just get darker and darker.  Today I used Painter to edit my drawing, lightening the colors and correcting mistakes.  This is what it looks like now.

White Dogwood Blossoms

I saw a beautiful dogwood tree full of white blossoms, just a block from home in a small neighborhood park. I took some pictures, and liked this closeup the best.  I cropped the original photo to get this composition. 

Snowball Bush and Fence (with Prisma filter)

Lately, I have been spending a lot of time in the back yard watering newly planted vegetables and flowers. This gives me time to enjoy what is blooming all around me: flowers in my own backyard, but also my neighbors' flowers. Here is the snowball bush from next door, peeking over the fence into my yard.  I took a picture and added the "Watercolor" filter with my Prisma app. Tonight I did the final crop to get the compositon.

Rhododendrons Everywhere

Rhododendrons seem to be everywhere.  They started to bloom at the end of May, but the ones in front of my house took their time.  I took this picture on June 1.  Despite a run of hot days, we are back to cool weather here North of Boston. That can be frustrating if you are waiting for summer, but cool temperatures keeps the blossoms on the trees and shrubs a bit longer.  These are still in bloom! Tonight I cropped the original photo to get this composition.

Hopeful Flowers

This is the little drawing I started yesterday.  As I worked on it, this drawing became more complicated, and then I simplified it.  Now it is finished, although I plan to do some cleanup on a digital version.  I drew this with Sharpie markers on paper, 6 x 6 inches.

 

Hopeful Flowers (as of June 4, 2021)

It has been a while, but I pulled out my Sharpie pens today and got this little drawing started. This little flowers reflect a guardedly hopeful season, and are just beginning to bloom.  I will continue this drawing tomorrow.

Bachelor Buttons (with Prisma filter)

Over the weekend, my daughter brought me a bouquet of bachelor buttons, with a patriotic color scheme for memorial day.  I took some pictures, and later added a filter with the Prisma app I also used Painter's cut-and-paste to simplify the background.

Lots of Lilacs (with Prisma filter)

I am a little late posting this; the lilacs are fading.  But there were lots and lots of them this year.  Here is one of my recent photos of lilacs.  I used the Prisma app on my phone to add a filter.