free calendar

Here's a March calendar for you. Please use only for personal use. It's my goal to post one each month, so check back. Thank you to Shutter Sisters for the template and French Kiss for the trio of frames.

primarily white

Kim's TT challenge this week is to have a primarily white setting and use one of her textures. For this shot taken cross-country skiing in Wisconsin, I've added Kim's 'storm' at multiply / 25%, erased the foreground and two small trees, and added a transparent white border.

bulb

For Kim Klassen's, "Texture Tuesday", I've used her texture 'Felicity' at 75%. The bulb was photographed on top of a printed notepad.

anemone

 

  Thanks for the brushes, Kim.

Image Transfer

                                                Every Other Being That Strides the Earth

This is a photo transfer using that miracle medium 'mod-podge'. This one is done on board, although you could use canvas. First, I painted the board black, then collaged torn book pages, exposing an outer border of black. Since I have wording within the print, I thought the wording of the background needed to become just that - background; so I painted over it with watered-down, white acrylic. I then rubbed that finish off over two phrases I had intentionally placed for visibility, one becoming the title of the piece. In photoshop, I turned my image into black and white, increasing the contrast, and flipping it horizontally since the process flips your image. This was printed on regular copy paper. Next, I coated the printed surface with a thick layer of mod-podge, turned it over, and pressed it onto my prepared board, pressing gently to make certain the entire surface was in contact. I let this dry for 2 hours. When thoroughly dry, I sprayed the back of the print with water, let it soak in, and began rubbing gently to remove the paper. If the paper is too wet, or you rub too hard, you can tear the print. I purposely did that in a few negative spaces. It also "works" on the edges if you're going for the grunge border. A thin layer of paper will remain, which could be hand-tinted with watercolor if desired. Dry work was then sealed with three coats of Krylon's "Protective Finish". The possibilities are endless of the ways you can prepare the surface, so it's best to choose the print you want to transfer first and then decide on an appropriate background treatment. Have fun giving this a try.

Green House

Wondering who lives here and how cold it must be inside. Since the ground and the sky were about the same value of white that day, I applied Kim Klassen's 'revolution' texture at multiply, 84% to add to the old, dilapidated, and mysterious appearance.

Happiness

One thing sure to cause smiles is jumping in puddles after the rain. This is for Kim Klassen's, "Texture Tuesday". I've used her texture, 'wonderful magic' with soft light at 82%.

Happy Valentine's Day

Everything Smiles on Me

 

For Kim Klassen's 'Texture Tuesday', I've layered her texture'plastersquared' at soft light, 75%. I then added the frame at 75% opacity and added the French text.

I'm using an old shed door that I bought for a dollar at an estate sale last weekend as the backdrop.

I had to go home and get a screwdriver to remove it from the collapsing shed, but what a find!        

The Boardwalk

Had a fun day Sunday walking across the train trestle to the Boardwalk. Ended up going on the roller coaster - it's been years. Kim Klassen's storyboard frame was a good way to document the day.

A Walk on the Beach

Template from Kim Klassen.

Observer

For Kim Klassen's Texture Tuesday, I've used the texture 'Simplicity' at soft light/80%.