Happy Halloween

So sad that tomorrow I will have to put away my decorations for another year - Halloween is my favorite holiday!!

Ellis Island 1908

So I was watching the news and they mentioned Ellis Island will be reopening  a year after hurricane Sandy.  Got me thinking about all the history of Ellis Island and I created this image.

Got a pretty current color photo of the registry room – I desaturated it. Found a B&W image of immigrants and extracted them.  I wanted to make this into a family photo keepsake.  I scanned an old red photo fastener.  I wanted an old sepia look to this image.  Many textures, photo filters, blending modes and stuff to dirty it up.  I finally added the words and the circle around the girls head.  Hey I bet she was someone’s mom. I always like the image to tell a story.

Naughty Girl

Well it's that time of year that I love.  I don't know where I acquired the haunted house pic but I add a lot to it and like the result.

Peace

Peace - I love the photo of this girl but I did a LOT of stuff to it.  Many layers, blending modes and adjustments.  I added the dove from another picture and it fit so well in her hands.  Finally added the edge treatment. The model photo is by - NastiaOsipovaStock DeviantArt .

Week 6 Challenge

Wild Horses

Earth, Air and Water

So our week 6 challenge was to divide up the canvas into three spaces and fill in each with a Paree Erica texture. After that you could use as many nature images you wanted and use what ever techniques you chose.  

My first attempt was the top image wild horses.  I wasn't thrilled with it but thought it was OK - I had my three sections and three textures overlayed with the horse images.  

After thinking about this overnight and on my AM walk today I reread the instructions - I thought I missed the mark in the first try by isolating the images rather than the textures. My second try is the bottom image Earth, Air and Water and I am way happier with this one.

I divided up my canvas into three different sized horizontal areas. I added different textures in each – Paree Erica’s Sebastian 03,07 and 08. I then proceeded to add lots of images over these and change blending modes, lighting and painting in. I overlapped some into other sections. I wanted to tell the story of what is above, in the middle and below our earth and how it is all connected. I connected them all with the trees.

Counting Stars

Counting Stars - I love One Republic and I love Counting Stars!! Three images, lots of textures, blending modes and other stuff.

Lately, I've been, I've been losing sleep

Dreaming about the things that we could be

But baby, I've been, I've been praying hard,

Said no more counting dollars

We'll be counting stars, yeah we'll be counting stars

The Queen of Wands

I am very interested in the Tarot and even made my own deck.  I don't know where I got this photo - I am bad at keeping track of where I get things - anyway I thought it would make a nice Queen of Wands.  The woman looks like Glen Close to me ; )

The Queen of Wands is the dominant feminine energy of the element of Fire. She is not afraid to demonstrate her power to others nor does she shy away from a challenge. She is therefore a strong leader who is focused on her desires, intending to get what she wants.

WITCH

The Witch - appropriate for this time of year.  A couple of different photos and lots of other stuff added.  Blessed Be.

The Tree

That grand old tree that has stood the test of time.  Weathered storms and lives on to give us shade in the summer and spectacular color in the fall.  This one is for you!

I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the sweet earth's flowing breast;
A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;
A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.
Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.

Magick Spell

I am getting real close to the look I am envisioning.  This is Magick Spell and I am very happy with this image. Four different photos, lots of layers, blending modes masks and stuff.  I love the expression on this girls face and I love the color and mood.  There are a lot of new TV shows about witchcraft and the occult this year - Coven and Witches of East End, gotta love that.

"This simple wish is mine to cast, 

a magic spell to make it last, 

I close my eyes - a little shiver, 

this wish for me now please deliver".

Day Dreamer

Day Dreamer - I wanted a washed out sketchy look for this one - I am still working on this but I am getting closer to what I envision.  I made so many changes, added so many layers and blending modes and other stuff I could never reproduce this again.  I think I need to make notes when I am working in photoshop but I change and do stuff so fast than change my mind that I think it would be impossible.  I guess there is no formula and each image is a unique experience. I guess the idea is to have fun and just maybe produce a great image too!

For Kim - Week 5 Challenge

Hope - my week 5 challenge.  I love chickadees - such fun cute little birds. I love to see them at my feeder.

Fall Light

Fall Light - This is a composite of 3 different photos from PA. Lots of layer masks, textures and blending modes. I wanted this to look like an old english oil painting.

This photo is used for the middle and foreground.

I used the farm and tree on the left from this photo.

Used the sky and trees for the background from this photo.

Echo

Just a little play with photoshop, filters, blending modes and textures.

White On White

White On White.  I am fascinated by white.  The different shades of white - from pale snowy white to a grey dusty shade.  Also the temperature of the color from a warm creamy ivory to a cool almost blue shade.  I wanted to explore an almost all white hi-key composition.  I didn't quite get it here but it is a good try.  The only real color I wanted in the piece was the girl's skin and hair and I wanted that pretty pale too.   I loved making this image and will explore white on white again. 

Poe

I always love images of Edger Allen Poe - he has a great face and of course I love the crows.  I didn't want a too realistic image - wanted Poe to appear almost posterized.  I think I pulled it off - lots of layers, blending modes and of course ravens!!  Quoth the Raven "Nevermore".    

Week Four Challenge

So this was my week 4 challenge.  We had to go for a walk and take photos of 4 found objects come back and make an image out of them also using specific textures, adjustment layers and edge effects.  Here is my finished image.  Below are my 4 found object photos.

The best find ever an old dirty doll in the crook of a tree.

Newspaper in a plastic bag.

Small Sutter Home wine bottle.

Two pine cones.  What fun this was - I took a lot of found object pics so maybe I will do some more of these.  Hey every image doesn't have to be pretty!!!

Love Letter

Don't have much to say about this image. Not my usual "dark" stuff but I suppose I could have added a skull somewhere! Just an interior with lots of stuff added and blended. I feel so-so about it.

The Black Widow

A bit of photoshop play with lots of effects, blending modes and layers.  This was hard for me because I hate spiders - but it is a fun image.

Behind The Door

Ever wonder what is behind a door??  Maybe it is worse than you imagine or maybe it is nothing at all.  The only way to find out is to open and go through the door.

The Caster

The Caster - I love this image and it is a composite of many individual images.   A caster is a witch I guess - it is a person who casts spells.  I first heard this term in the book Beautiful Creatures.  I wanted to portray a female caster (yes they can be male) but not necessarily a image resembling a witch, pointy hat broom and all.  I love the wet damp feel of this - the mist in the woods.  Couldn't help throwing in the Halloween images of the pumpkins and the familiar black cat.  The red umbrella makes the whole image come together and the bright red color with all the dark green in the trees just seems to pop.

The Reaper

That time of year again.  Halloween, my favorite.  My house is decorated and I am in the mood to make "dark" images!!!!

Whisper of Fall

Well I am not seeing any Whisper of Fall - it was 86 degrees here today.   I do love the fall colors!!!

Angel of the Sea

Angel of the Sea - Back from Cape May and there was an amazing Victorian B&B named Angel of the Sea. I took lots of pictures and this is one of a jetty, I added the Cape May Lighthouse, a sitting girl, wings, moon and a ghost ship. Lots of layers and textures. I loved Cape May beautiful houses and beach.  We had the best weather ever I even got my feet wet in the ocean and saw a pod of dolphins.  I didn't find any Cape May diamonds. 

More Crows

I seem to be fascinated with crows lately.  I love this image - Photoshop and lots of layers and stuff - not to mention the birds!!!!