I feel like I’ve taken a turn, and the road back is a long way around. I’m headed forward and that feels like a good thing. I’ve been working on leaping off of the proverbial cliff with the faith that I know that I can fly. I don’t just believe it, I know it. Have you ever discovered the thrill that happens once you leap through your fear? I love it.
The original pen sketch was done in an old (1990) sketchbook. There’s always been something about this piece that appealed to some of my senses. I have several times photocopied it and then colored it with crayons or colored pencils. I decided to update it electronically by adding the element of digital color. Still makes me laugh.
A late bloomer, this is taken of the other tulip tree in my yard.
This image a day project has been shaking up my set beliefs about what is acceptable and what is not. Some of the big crusts are breaking off, and the tender new thoughts underneath seem not to be quite so rigid, nor discriminatory. It’s as if my sensibilitys get to wake up fresh to a new each day.
Playing with an old black and white photo and textures and color photos can become addictive. There are thousands of ways one can go, many of them acceptable. Dabbly dabbly, I like to fiddly faddly. It’s the idea of play, and learning through doing that feeds the creative process. All Dressed up for Easter. I still remember the dress.
Today’s image was the result of a prompt in Melissa Dinwiddie’s “Creative Sandbox 101: Kickstart Your Creativity With the Power of Play” which I’m doing in her Creative Ignition Club.
I did two separate 15 minute sessions: one photographing myself and one playing with those images in Photoshop. I was strict with myself on the timing. I took 103 images of myself, playing with props, lighting, indoors-outdoors, making faces, looking all different directions.
I have needed a more updated image of myself, yet have been reluctant because I am not fond of how old I look right now (I suspect I’ll have to get used to it!), so I was hoping the camera would secretly do some kind of time warp thing and take a photo of me about 20 years ago. No such luck!
Of the 103 images, I gleaned 44 worth looking at twice, which I narrowed down to an even dozen to play with. This was the winner. It playfully expresses a true bit of me without making me look like Methusilah’s mother. Since I spent so much time ( a full half hour plus comment time) on this today, I am posting it on my blog as my daily image.
Thanks Melissa for the fun project, and the new way of approaching image making! I always enjoy your way of inspiring me to raise the bar on my creativity.
