layering

Layered Photography

If you are into arts or crafts you may be familiar with collages.  Layering various materials to achieve what ever idea you have in mind.

Many think of art as creative expression.  A way that some can “work through” various issues they have emotionally.  I’m sure some do.  I never thought of art as a way to express myself.  If I did I’m sure I would create much more and very different art than I usually do.

I just love collages.  I enjoy seeing others ideas and hoping something touches me.  Personally I create any art with beauty in mind be it visual, music, dance, etc.  Some modern art is downright ugly and offensive.  I don’t care if it is someone’s expression, if it’s ugly I don’t want to see it.

Some things can be a mess to some and I might like it.  Then there could be another mess that actually looks like a mess to me but someone else gets it.

I have always been enamored with the Old Masters.  They were perfection.  They had talent and went for realism.  Then came the sloppier impressionists.  They helped bring about what I call “crap on canvas.”

Speaking of which, I do love my collages.  The ones from altered books, pages, pictures, paints, papers, lace & anything else you can glue on.

This was one I layered from various photos to look hand made.  Usually when I create layered photos I have a different technique, similar to the one below which might be various flowers with complementary colors layered on an enhancing background.

 

Graphic Art Techniques & Attempts

Created using Microsoft PhotoDraw text and animation effects.

I have not done much in the way of fine arts in the last 20 years or more.  I am sadly out of practice.  Ever since I began taking more photographs and purchased my first Graphics Software, Microsoft PhotoDraw 2000 version 2, I have gotten very lazy.  I have given up on the idea of spending many hours concentrating with pastel or paintbrush when I can receive the same results in a few minutes with my original photographs, a computer and decent software.  In fact I can do much more with less effort.  I am so spoiled that I thank God this was NOT around during the time of Rembrandt & Leonardo Da Vinci or we would have missed out on so many great works.  I do think that Da Vinci would have come up with  better software ideas than all of them!

I have really enjoyed the years I just experimented and piddled in all kinds of mediums just for the heck of it.  I posted the “Fish Curtain” I did with transfers and free hand painting on a muslin panel last year.

Please view the video I created presenting a few computer graphics followed by brief instructions for each.  If you have any questions feel free to post them in the comments.