Monday, September 19, 2011

Balance

I am pulled between two very different color stories.  I am energized and excited by the intense, saturated colors like the ones I dyed last week.  But the historian in me is also drawn to the grungy, vintage browns, rusts, and sepia colors that evoke a weathered past.  So to balance all the color from my last post, I decided to go vintage this week for my Texture Tuesday submissions.  Kim left the theme up to us, as long as we use at least one layer of her textures.  That part was easy, since she freely offers so many of her gorgeous textures.... but sometimes I find it hard to come up with interesting images to use in the first place.  I am looking forward to taking some online photography classes, as well as going on some "real-life" photo walks this fall, so hopefully I'll start to get some inspiration.  In the meantime, check out Kim's cafe for some wonderfully inventive uses of texture.

This photo was taken at 6 am on Friday.  My dog, Jackson, is an early riser, and I have learned to keep my camera handy just in case.....
Processed with Kim Klassen's "Thursday" (soft light @100%, color burn @16%, and linear burn @35%) and her "Scripted Autumn" (soft light @60%, texture brushed off of sky)

I see so many people setting up their own still lifes, so I gave it a try:
Kim Klassen's "Luminous" (soft light @100% and overlay @33%) and her "Pourvous" (overlay @53%, texture brushed off books and jug.)

This is an antique mixing bowl, which I set on the table runner I made from my erosion bundle fabrics:
I can't find where I wrote my recipe for this one, oops!
Speaking of erosion bundles... I started a new one on September 15th:
This one has a lot of rusty stuff bundled up in there, along with several photographs.  It's mostly fabric this time; fewer papers.  I decided I like the weathered look that you get from rubbing citrasolv on National Geographic pages better than the aged papers I got from the erosion bundle (with a lot less effort ) -- so this time I focused more on seeing what a year of weathering will do to fabrics.  Check out this space again in a year for the results!!

Gratuitous Jackson pic:
Hipstamatic shot taken on my iphone, processed with two layers of Kim's "Warm Sun" (overlay @50% and color burn @17%)


I'll close with a page from my art journal:
I was thinking I couldn't link up with Julie Fei-Fan Balzer's Art Journal Every Day this month because I am not always able to work directly in my journal...

But then I thought about it some more, and decided that yes I can!  Taking photographs counts as journal time, because I might use the images as collage fodder.  Working on the erosion bundle counts, because I'll use the eroded materials in my journal in some fashion or other.  Dyeing tissue paper counts, because one day I'll use pieces in a journal page.  I've decided that as long as I'm following my artistic impulses -- no matter how circuitous they may seem to an observer -- one of these days I'll get to wherever it is I'm going.

20 comments:

hannah said...

Love this post Kathleen. So full of good things and great pictures. This erosion system has to be investigated. I shall read up on it more thoroughly through your blog.
Love your still lives and the colours are warm and subtle.
I will come back after I've had some breakfast to read some more.

deb duty said...

Well you certainly did come up with interesting images! The sunrise is gorgeous and I love the still life and the bowl of eggs too. Your texture work is lovely. Really great job! Enjoy your photography class and walks!

johanna said...

wonderful shots again this week, kathleen! i wish i had this hipstamatic-iphone-thing... it gives a gorgeous look!!

Bonnie Zieman, M.Ed. said...

Such diverse styles - which demonstrates just how creative you are! Love the feel of the first one.

Becky said...

Great photos. I especially like the first one.

Kia said...

What a lovely post, full of great pictures! :)
The bowl with eggs is fabulous, and so is the sunset! Thanks for sharing! Have a lovely day.

Kathryn Dyche said...

Great post and beautiful textured images.

Nadege, said...

Wonderful still life images. I love the image from your virtual diary, very creative.

fotogran said...

I love your very interesting work. I don't know what erosion bundles are but will make a point to find out!

Kathleen said...

I should have posted a link to the Erosion Bundle blog in my post today. Briefly, the idea is to gather and bundle up materials you can use in your art (paper, fabric, photographs, newspapers, etc. etc.) and place them out in the elements to age naturally for a period of time. I just finished a year-long project, and started another one this week. You can check it out here: http://erosionbundles.blogspot.com/

Lisa said...

Lovely photos! Textures are addictive, aren't they?

Cedar said...

Simply lovely! The first one is like a painting...so beautiful!

geetlee said...

I love the first picture. It called out to me when I was scanning the thumbnails.
I hope you have a happy week ahead :)

Mira said...

Hello! The sun photo is wonderful but my favorite would be the first still life. It has great balance, composition, and a lot of interest. Very nice job! I am new to your blog so I will snoop around for a little bit to get to know you better. I hope you don't mind. :)
Mira

Joy Burkhart said...

Wonderful post Kathleen. Your photos are great all by themselves, just enhanced by the textures. Thanks for stopping by and the well wishes for hubby and me. Your comments really lifted my spirits!

The Artful Diva said...

You worked hard on this post. I love your work!

Linda/patchwork said...

Beautiful photos and great texture work.

Evelyn ~ Indigo Beach Art said...

All lovely images but the first one is my favourite ~ it is simply stunning !! It would look great on canvas and hung on the wall !!

Marilyn said...

Wow, lots of great images. Love your spread on "a third chakra thing". I have to say though Jackson has won my heart.

Sivinden said...

What a great collection of photos - great editing!