An Odd Craft

Hello, I hope you enjoyed yesterday's post. I am going to be painting over the next few days, small pleasant painting's for a craft fair that I am going to this coming Sunday. In addition to my little paintings as I call them, I'll have on show some of my more serious pieces. I love to paint the little ones, as the subjects are usually very close to me, more often than not I paint trees as it happens. Lately I have been experimenting with bizarre colouring's for my pieces, I've been changing the lighting aspects of photographs I have taken with a mind to paint them in a similar fashion. Here are the one's I'm working with at the moment, as usual feel free to comment.

 Here, as on all of the rest of the photographs I'll show you, I changed the light, withdrew most of the green and increased the red and blue levels, most photographic software has the capability to adjust the red, green, blue settings. I reduced the brightness and increased the saturation and contrast, again a function that most of the above mentioned software has. It has  left the photograph's with what some might describe as a psychedelic feel, reminiscent of the early LSD inspired art. I don't condone the use of drugs and needless to say I wasn't out of my tree when I decided to do this, I was just experimenting with artistic tools if you like. My mind works like this anyway so there's no point taking shrooms, the trance like state's Salvidor Dali used to induce upon himself, are however, very interesting. I do enjoy his work, Genius.

I am undecided on which of the photographs to use as yet, I'll probably print them and spend a fair bit of time staring at them until the moment comes when my mind shifts into the right place, the place where I can see the photograph or something inspired by it on canvas as a finished painting. It is important to understand how your own process works, in days past I have been known to completely lose the plot waiting for 'the moment', I drank quite heavily in those days of course (T total now) which, contrary to what a lot of people think, does not always help and does not always count in some cases. It works for some granted, but I have always believed in trying out as many ways  as possible of doing something, and if you can retain your own style at the same time then you're laughing.

This one has the added advantage of a more obvious tree in the silhouette. I say advantage because I have a love of tree's verging on obsession, they are magical living creations, literally rooted to the planet, they are old and still, they flow with the seasons, never take more than they need, they distribute their wealth in the form of fruit and nuts freely, it's probably because they are everything people should at least try and be that I love them so much, don't get me wrong I love people too, I wouldn't be doing this otherwise.

 Sharing inspiration, I think, is highly important. Many folk go and view artwork and are then inspired to go away and create, but this is usually inspiration taken from a finished piece, I thought it would be worth while to share the process.  The craft fair by the way is just outside the village of  Brightwell-Cum-Sotwell, Oxfordshire on Sunday, 15, September, this Sunday!  I hope you enjoy today's post, and the craft fair too if you go.

                               Peace In All






Images ©D.N.Read2013