EMBRACING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE!!

ZEN BRUSH APP

So many artists of my generation are not embracing the new technology at their fingertips With all the incredible digital programs available for phones and tablets from altering photos to drawing and painting digitally, it is a treasure chest of new ideas and ways of creating from combining traditional methods with digital to working completely digitally.  Staying current with technology is fabulous for keeping one's mind and spirit young and functioning optimally.  Although I prefer actually manipulating art materials, it has been so much fun learning how to manipulate digital art as well.  Especially at night while I am relaxing in a chair or waiting in the airport, doctor's office and other sit around and wait times.  It has become my new "sketch book" an artist is encouraged to have with them at all times.


I have learned how to work with these programs on my own with out any instruction.  That is, until a few weekends ago when I had the wonderful opportunity to take a 2 day seminar on various digital programs as well as information on printing, marketing and everything digital.  mDAC sponsored the weekend program and it was fabulous.  I loved meeting others who are really embracing this brave new world and learning how to go deeper into these programs.     Here are some of the new digital images I created at the seminar and since.  My goal is to do a digital drawing or painting everynight while I veg out in my comfy arm chair.

ZEN BRUSH

We started the portrait party by Julia Kay, by drawing with our nose!!!  It was a great ice breaker.   One can't help but laugh after realizing she wasn't kidding.  

Vector brush i Sketch Club app

Vector Brush in Sketch Club app

Next we played with the app Sketch Club and used the vector brush.  This creates shapes.  Challenges but quite fun to play with.  I need  to go back and explore  this app much more!

here is a portrait another artist did of me and shared using the vector brush.   

We didn't have a lot of time for our portrait party but here is another brush we played with Sketch Club. It is procedural Dots 

ZEN BRUSH APP

ADD A DIGITAL BACKGROUND

KEEP ON PLAYING!

SKETCH CLUB TEXT BRUSH

text brush from Sketch Club worked over photograph that has been modified in iColorama.

I hope these examples tempt you to explore digital painting for yourself.  Please share your images!

TRAVEL MEMORIES

ALONG THE CANALS FROM AMSTERDAM TO BRUGGE

As most of you know, I rarely do landscape paintings.  The exceptions are usually related to traveling.  Painting is the most wonderful way to revisit trips creating an indelible memory.   This past June, I had the unusual opportunity to travel along the waterways between Amsterdam and the seaport of ZeeBrugge on a 35 foot sport boat.  It was a beautiful experience and I took tons of photos.  I thought I would be painting while cruising but that turned out to be impractical.   I am now in the process of turning some of those images into paintings.  This is the first one I have completed.   Taking photos from the docks provided a lower vantage point than normal, giving a different perspective to the landscape.  I liked shooting through the vegetation.   This  particular scene doesn't seem to be typical of what we think of Belgium or Holland but it brings back special memories for me.