Phoenix Airport Museum

From now until February 2011 the Phoenix Airport Museum is showing 2 of my pieces from my Forest Trail Series.  Yesterday I was in the Phoenix Airport, on my way to Denver,.  As I rounded the corner to security in terminal 4, I saw one of the exhibits featuring Forest Trails 4.  

Forest Trails 4, 68" x 48" is composed of texture layers of canvas, burlap, fiberglass screen and has a 2 top layers of digital prints on canvas and tyvek.

This picture was taken with my Android.  The reflection in the glass makes it impossible to get a picture without all the reflection, but I was able to clean a little of it up with the Content Aware Fill from Photohshop CS5. On my way back through the airport on Sunday, I will hunt up the other exhibit in the same terminal.

 

Content Aware Fill- Photoshop CS5

Did you know Photoshop CS5  has Content-Aware Fill?  Take items out of a photo with no fuss, just make a selection and then use the Content-Aware Fill. Here's a before and after. This bear was pacing his cage at the zoo in Omaha. I wanted to print him on a skin and as usual I didn't have a lot of time to finish the image preparation and printing.  Since I had been working on the new version of Photoshop, I thought I would try to use the content aware fill and see how easy it was to use.  


The bear was in a glass enclosure at the zoo and there were a bunch of people standing around watching him.  The reflection off the glass in the picture showed parts of the watchers. There was garbage in part of  the bears domain.  I used the lasso tool to make some quick selections and each time I had a selection active I used  Edit< Fill< Use

Here you see the Bear with circles around some of the selections.  If you look closely you can see people and distracting stuff.  

This photo shows the correction made with the Content-Aware Fill, this took just a few minutes.

Last, I textured the rocks with one of my patterns.  The final overprint onto a skin with elements  is part of my Skins and Metal Mesh Workshop.

Flickr Group for Digital Alternative Surfaces

Amazing digital surfaces are the central theme of my new group on Flickr-Digital Prints on Alternative Surfaces.  I would love to see what you are printing on.   Printed alternative surfaces are interesting, innovative and inspirational.  Here is a place to share what you have created in this genre.  You can access this group and get permission to join by going to http://www.flickr.com/groups/alternative_surfaces/

Photos and posts can be anything concerning digital printing: an idea you are working on, a print on an uncommon surface, or a finished piece that incorporates digital prints on alternative surfaces.  This is the place to post your photos or join a discussions.

Join us to share inspiration, ideas and projects with digital prints.

You will need a Flickr account to post.  Also I will have to approve you. You can go to this url  or you can contact me and request an invitation to Digital Prints on Alternative Surfaces on Flickr.   Then you can start a discussion, add to a discussion, ask questions etc.  The best part is for you to share your digital creations in any form and let us all view them.   If you are looking for feedback this is a great place to ask for it.  We would love to have you as a group member.  

Recycled Beverage cans, assembled in layers of printed cans and crochet wire

 Digital print on copper mesh

Digital print on organdy, painted canvas and lutradur

Digital print on aluminum flashing with molding paste and sand added before the inkAID precoat for printing.

Just for Inspiration

Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield is such a great song for inspiration when I work .   Her song is on several playlists on all of my ipods.  Here is the video and the lyrics.  Sometimes in my studio, it's all about loud music and sometimes it's all quiet and working.  Today it's loud music and this started me out.




"Unwritten"

I am unwritten, can't read my mind, I'm undefined
I'm just beginning, the pen's in my hand, ending unplanned

Staring at the blank page before you
Open up the dirty window
Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find

Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your inhibitions
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten

Oh, oh, oh

I break tradition, sometimes my tries, are outside the lines
We've been conditioned to not make mistakes, but I can't live that way

Staring at the blank page before you
Open up the dirty window
Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find

Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your inhibitions
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins

Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten

Staring at the blank page before you
Open up the dirty window
Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find

Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your inhibitions
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins

Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten
The rest is still unwritten
The rest is still unwritten

Oh, yeah, yeah 

Art Full Day

Today I have been trying to finish cleaning up my studio for a 2 day workshop that starts tomorrow.  It is amazing how many neat elements I found beneath the rubble. It’s a good thing I am almost done, because I took some inspiring detours:) that have me somewhat behind on my final preparations. Here’s what I was up to.

*I made several small journals from dyed watercolor paper I found.
*Did a small study for a new beverage can piece, with printed cans that appeared.
*Got ideas for 2 new workshops.
*Received my camera connection kit for my ipad from apple.
*Worked on and finished a journal with beverage can accents.
*Here’s something really awesome-found 8 loose leaf journals containing hand dyed watercolor paper and pieced and beaded covers.  These were put away for the shopping extravaganza at Art Unraveled next month. Lucky me to find them.

This ended up to be a very art full day.  I found lots of great stuff, made stuff and thoroughly enjoyed myself. Now tomorrow, (as I will keep working) my space should be nice and neat.  Already set up my printers to get some good stuff done with the students. A little fine tuning in my office and I’m ready to go.