"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up." Pablo Picasso
When I paint there is usually a stage where I have put the background on a picture and it looks a bit of a mess. This picture will end up as one of my favourite bluebell woods. I have a plan for the picture, I know how I want it to end up but there are various stages along the way before it is completed. Having a picture only part done always reminds me that we are a work in progress too.
"...He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."
Philippians 1v6
In the UK it's Mother's Day today so I thought that I'd put up this piece of clip art that I did with my digitizer pad and pen. I have so enjoyed my "computer" art that I haven't done much "real" art this week, hopefully I'll do some more painting next week. HAPPY MOTHERS DAY! I'm just off to eat chocolates!
I have enjoyed playing with my digitizer pad and pen. These flowers were created using the brush and metallic paint setting. I rubbed away a few parts that I didn't want with the "eraser".
On Sunday we had an interesting visit to the Sandham Memorial Chapel in Burghclere near Newbury. We live nearby, and can get in free as we are National Trust members, but for some reason have never been there before. I knew there were some paintings by Stanley Spencer there, but didn't expect what I found. Every wall in the chapel room was covered with huge murals. They were about Spencer's experiences during the war. It was almost like being inside someone's mind and looking at their memories. It made me feel like I was looking at someone's private "art therapy" and was wonderfully interesting, but also mildly disturbing. If you are in the area it's well worth a visit, but the chapel only consists of one room so plan something else as well. If you'd like a look at some of the paintings you can view the photo gallery at the, "National Trust" site here.
You will go out with joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.
Isaiah 55 v 12
I have been given the most wonderful gift. It's a WACOM, Volito2 Digitizer Pad. (In the photo it's shown with my laptop, with the pad and pen at the front.) I think it's one of the most amazing bits of equipment for doing computer art. You use the pen, on the pad, just as you would a brush or pencil and it paints or draws onto the computer screen. It comes with some software called, "ArtRage 2" that enables you to choose types of background texture, type of drawing tool and a variety of colours and tones.
If you live in the UK have a look at the Amazon link at the bottom of this blog where you can buy one for £26.05. Amazon was the lowest price that my husband could find, to buy one for me, and mine arrived the next day!!
I did this palette on the computer. I find it amazing that it doesn't "exist" anywhere, only as a computer image. I could print it of course.
I enjoyed using the buttons that made the "paint" look as if it was squeezed from tubes, then smudging them with a brush. You can set the brush to be dry or wet, so that it goes on top of the paint underneath or merges with it, just as wet paint would.
The palette was done using a "roller" setting over a "canvas" background. You can decide how thick or thin you want all the strokes to be. Of course as I've only had it a few days I am just learning how to use it fully.
