Making Pastel Panels

Toy Digital: Is there a future in it?

Plastic toy cameras have a storied history in fine art photography. The Holga, from China is a favorite of many. Lomos are great as well. I enjoy my Fisheye 2, and morn the loss of my Lomo that took four photos in a row. But, they are all film cameras, and film is film. I no longer use film in my "real" photographic work. But what about toy digital cameras? Is there potential there?

Here are some shots from my VuPoint DC-st-12:

All those colors might be fun, but I'm not sure they are my dog Gypsy's best colors.

Here is a "raw" in .cif format (what ever that is) and the same image with some quick enhancements:



And here is a crown of a mature Ponderosa Pine, slightly enhanced in iPhoto:


These images are pretty darned small. Wow, 0.1 megapixel! My next step will be to see if I can increase their size so I can get a reasonable print. Or, I could do something serious. . .

almost LIVE from my painting studio!

Studio Report

From time to time, I will be making a video from my studio to show what I'm up to. Here is the first one. I know, the quality is lacking, but I'll make it better over time!

Studio Report

From time to time, I will be making a video from my studio to show what I'm up to. Here is the first one. I know, the quality is lacking, but I'll make it better over time!

Studio Report

From time to time, I will be making a video from my studio to show what I'm up to. Here is the first one. I know, the quality is lacking, but I'll make it better over time!

Old Trucks

What is the fascination us guys have with old trucks? I don’t know, but I sure do have it. Have to paint more of these critters.

12x16. oil.

In a few days, I’ll be off to Europe for several weeks. Please check my blog again in late July. Thanks.

Steve

Big Night, Big City

I painted this image from a photograph a friend’s daughter took in New York City. It was a nice change, painting a night scene. I enjoyed this painting so much, I am thinking of a series of Fort Collins night scenes. Got to stay up late though, and prowl the city with my camera at night to get references. Just an idea. . .

Oil, 16x12.

Cowboyin'

Riding the range, somewhere in the west. The landscape changes, but the work is still the same. Fixin’ fence. Looking for that stray. Wondering where there is enough grass, when to move the herd. It’s the way it’s always been, and always will be.

Oil. 16”x10” unframed.

Just Another day in the South Seas

I finished this pastel several weeks ago. Life gets busy, it’s hard to find time to get art photographed and on the ol’ blog. But, yes, this is what I saw snorkeling in the Morea Lagoon last Christmas eve. I have been working on another pastel, looking the opposite direction at the barrier reef. Not as successful as this one: it may be packed away in a dark closet, never to be seen. Can’t win them all, but I do like this one.

The Moose is Loose!

Another Juried Show??

Okay, here I am wondering. Wondering whether it makes since to fill out an application for another juried art show, or just go buy $25 in lottery tickets? If I get in, I’ll have to pay to ship my work down there and back. Have a small change at prize money. And, whopee, I’ll get to list the show on my resume. But I already have a lot of juried shows under my belt seem to make a difference. Unless I am applying for something that requires I submit a resume, and that is very rare, indeed.

One of the reasons I submit work to art shows is to give myself incentive to get something framed. Hey, if it gets in, I got to frame it, and that is my least favorite part of this job. And, hey someone likes the photo or painting to let it in, so that is an ego booster. But, most of all, I get the feeling I’m on the right track with my art.

But. . .what if I bought the lottery ticket with the million dollar prize?

After the Party. Motu Mahana. December 2008

Taos Adobe #1

All photographers have to do the cathedral in Taos, they say. So, I did mine in pastel. I really like this piece, and have had a lot of good comments on it. Although I love working in pastel, framing a pastel is not the least bit of fun. Now that this piece has been accepted into the Evergreen Art Open 3, I’ll have to stop messing around and get it framed!

I now have my photos from Tahiti all tagged and adjusted. They are ready to catalog. I spent last week in the Black Hills of South Dakota, and haven’t yet begun to upload my film cards. Work to do!

Tropical Foliage, Morea

Sharks and a Ray

The Morea Lagoon pastel is coming along. I am at that stage where I kinda hope I’m finished. But! That’s when taking the piece to critique is a very good idea. I know that large black blob in the lower center is a ray. And that’s what the photo I’m working from shows. But unless you were there with me when I took the picture, you may not know. So, my next challenge: Use my artistic license to make the ray look like what viewers connect with like they are able to connect with how the sharks are portrayed.

Don’t miss what’s under your feet!

Raiatea, December 2008.

A Pastel Painting in Progress

Still a long way to go!

Buy my art on T-shirts, canvas bags, mugs, and more!

I've just opened a store on the web featuring my images on a lot of useful products. To visit the store, go to:

www.cafepress.com/sjaphoto09

Such Friendly Gentle Creatures

Last December I had the opportunity to swim with the rays. I hade been brought up to think of these as monstrous creatures. The rays were very friendly, and gracefully swam all around us. Why do we as a society want to find terror when none is there?

Seascapes on the way

One of the real benefits of working in several media, I think, is when you have an image that does not work well in one media, you can use it as a reference for another. This photo I took last month in the lagoon off of Morea. It’s a pretty cruddy photograph. High speed film (my new digital camera had already flooded) in a cheep disposable camera. But I like the colors and I like the composition. I think it’ll make a nice pastel. I better get painting!

The Undersea World of Steve part 1

This is a slide show from a snorkeling trip with my wife Debbie last month. Yes, I am playing with technology!

Can I dance my way into the AANC National Show?

It’s that time of the year again. Got to fill out those juried show applications. One of the biggest and best such shows in my area is the Artist’s Association of Northern Colorado National Show. And, It’s a hard show to get it, I usually only get in once every three years. This year’s juror does like realism. But I don’t like to paint realism. Heck, if I want a photo, I’ll do a photo!! So I hope this lady can dance her way into the show, along with River of January, and another random selection.