Discovered Again PhotoShop

While flipping through magazines and book stores along with raking up leaves this fall, I have come across some interesting things that have altered my perspective. As some of you know I am an avid quilter and knitter. I wish that I could do everything all the time, but alas I can not. Human restrictions dictate a one at a time effort. So I dart between quilting, knitting and photography and graphics on the computer. I am always in search to find a common ground where all my loves can meet and then produce something new. Or at least new for myself, after all nothing is new on this planet. It is just new when an individual puts their individual and unique perspective on it. I have started to work more in the PhotoShop realm of digital art. I used to be a devout PhotoShop user until I met and fell in love with Illustrator a sister program of PhotoShop. The simplicity of the program and the effortless ability to create wonderful vector designs smoothly was what drew me into a romance that lasted.... well lets face it have never fallen out out love with illustrator. Drawn back to PhotoShop for it ability to erase the way that I think you should be able to, and age my images,so much easier and to produce some fantastic brushes. Well you can see my dilemma. I wish that they would marry the two programs and give the best of both worlds, but then they would not be making a profit now would they.
As of late have started to make some interesting clipping mask using Cats. My two darlings being the models to these sweet little calico created kittens out of PhotoShop. Now you can do the same in Illustrator you must be thinking and yes you can. My desire to create them in PhotoShop steamed from my Mother asking me to help her with some digital work she was doing.., where else but, you guessed it PhotoShop. Totally embarrassed that I did not remember how to do a clipping mask in my fist love (PhotoShop) I bumbled my way until I got a very protracted and difficult way to get the job done. So I resolved to do several examples and give her more of a effective use of clipping masking. These cats are a result of that effort. I love combining photo images behind the masks and then using the lines of the photos as a guide to render a more life like feel. Using the burn tool as a staple to provide shadows and texture I would layer the images and burn it until the image felt right to my eye.
Now the designs that I used for the look I have taken from William Morris. These free and fantastic designs can be purchase from Dover and used in your art work. Clipped and managed and manipulated with in the clipping mask to create a look for the cat.
So my faithful readers or reader as the case may be, I present to you my newest line inspired by my cat Tiger and driven home by my Mother who needed my help desperately.
Thank you Ti Ti (Tiger Kitty) and Mamma
You can find my art for sale at Cafe Press, Zazzle, Deviantart, my links are published at the side of this Blog. Thanks you once again