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Historical Novels -Bobi Andrews

Saturday, April 2, 2016

A GLOOMY DAY FIX

The sky is gray.  Morbidly misty.  Cheerless.  I need a fix.  Colors--reds, blues, greens and yellows.  Then I remember.  Rose's remarkable collages.  This one is my favorite.



My sister, Rose, has a long history with collages having visited nursing homes for over twenty years with her scrapbook projects.  Her ministry caught on with a number of church members and friends contributing church bulletins, cards, calendars, fabrics and their labor to make it possible for her weekly workshops.  Sometimes she had as many as sixty participants all needing the cut cardboard, glue, and arty materials to compose their own posters. She encouraged the participants to add their own titles to their compositions.  

Her use of graphics technology has grown over the years.  I asked her how she went about composing her butterfly (above).   I am pleased to share her experience.  Enjoy and Envy! 
 
            This will take some explaining to do.  Again, as in many of my projects, they come together almost by coincidence or accident.  I've been working on reorganizing and resorting my multitude of "basement stashes"--mostly things left over from twenty-one years of doing poster boards for four nursing homes. 

            And . . . I am kinda the "catch all" for people who have things  they "hate to throw away." 

            For the butterfly, Joan M. gave me a foot and a half high Mothers Day card that she had received from her children.  It laid kinda sideways in the back of my cabinet for over a year--collecting sawdust and such.  So as I was resorting, the huge card seemed to scream at me, "I've laid around long enough!   Do something with me." 

            Also I have wonderful friends.  Cathy and Renee do a lot of computerized embroidery.  They are generous and keep me supplied 'cuz they know that somehow I'll mix their special items in some kind of far-out project.

            So, from recent gifts, at least thirty embroidery samples (flowers, Santas, teapots and cups, saucers, fairies, birds, etc.) were in a stack on my work table.  Hmmm, I say. . . I really enjoy using their things . . . and then there's this "huge flowery card" staring at me . . . and my brain clicked into . . . "I'll cut the card up, trim the teapots and cups, add my glittery butterflies and ?????" 

Mounted on Cardboard
 
            So as I finished "composing" I mounted  the above on cardboard.  I took several pictures of it and loaded them into my computer.  After getting it the right size, exposure, contrast and saturation, I used my various computer photo effect programs to form the butterfly by showing the original image first and then watching how the programs can automatically "do their things"--with just a touch of the right keys.  It's fascinating every time.  I used Amazing Edges to high-light the butterfly image.  It can be changed into all different colors and shapes.  I use Image Tricks Lite for some of the effects.  I use Fotor to make many of my frames . . . also Image Framer.

            Since most of the programs do only "one thing", I usually have to use 3-4-5 programs to achieve the finished results.  I also use Fotor for the texting -- or Picaso.
 
            There are an infinite number of ways that one image can be elaborated upon.  None of the ways are complicated . . . just takes some time. Most of my photo effects apps I have obtained free.  I think I paid less than two dollars for the Amazing Edges app.  I use that program a lot because if my image isn't quite straight (I have much trouble as a photographer)--it may seem straight but the framing programs seem to cause the image to be a bit "kaddy-wampus" and the framing lines don't match my image.  The program covers up in creative ways "my sins."

             My "creative world" has completely changed since I have a digital camera and an iMac computer that has iPhoto multitude of possibilities. Before that, I had never put a film in an old fashioned camera.   So, if I--being quite "un-technically minded" can figure it all out--anybody can.  By trial and error, I find immense satisfaction in what I create.  Of course without all the stashes in my basement, most of the images wouldn't have happened.  

            My head is spinning. I think it best to quit complaining about boring, gloomy days.

 

(If any readers would like to contact Rose about her ideas, projects and techniques please leave a comment at the bottom of the blog.)  

 

 

 

 


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