Have a Cuppa

have a cuppa , a photo by Jeweledfrogcreations on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
This is today's image. I liked working on this. I remade the cup and created a mock repeat of roses for it with little blue flowers. I layered it over another color with luminosity selected. With the burn and dodge to I played around until I got the right shading. I layered it over collected elements of roses and other flowers form different images. Using the aircraft and a banner I selected again a burn color in the layering pallet and then applied color on a layer below them. I worked on several different layers of texture some of paper and some of rock. I took some lovely flourishes from an image and created a pattern for the background. I also took some flourishes and made brush work and then put bits of blue with a screen selection in the pallet. You have to just play around with the different choices in order for you to get the right effect.
When I was finishes the design ran of the page. By this I mean that it needed to be contained on the background so I put some wonderful pink to just give the hint of a frame . I chose pink to mirror the tea cup so that the image looks cohesive. The female image was completely remastered from an old photo. I desaturated the image and then applied color over it with burn color selected and then reduced the transparency.

I have saved all the the different elements to use again.
Special thanks to the Graphic Fairy for some of the images used in this Digital Collage

Contrast

As I was reading the Fall issue of Digital Studios I came across "A Time For Monochrome" by Aimee Stewart Licensed throught Duirwaigh Studios and MGLUK Licensing.  She is also self taught (as so am I) I was so inspired by her images that I thought I would give it a try.  She gives a wonderfully written how to in this issue so be sure to check it out.

In the mean while here is my first attempt to get a feel for working in this paticular color pallet.
The images that I used where my own.  Taken from a stay on the beach in Perdido Key Florida.  A hermit crab



And the use of a grunge texture of cement.  I loved the large cracks in it and thought it would be a good fit for the shell.  I wanted to keep the texture simple because I did not want it to fight with the intricate design of the shell.

This is what I came up with.  I reduced the photograph to back and white and placed  the cement over  the photograph. I used a gray layer to build on and then  I played with the effects on the layering pallet,  using different choices such as luminescent and darken or multiply and get the effect that I want adjusting the contrasting or color as needed.   I then used the dodge tool and burn tool as well as some removing some of the image to my liking.  I have  a long way to go before I acquire any where close to her skill set but I will enjoy the road.

$7.50
This image is for personal use and for crafting only.  Not to be resold or used in commercial distribution.

Its OUT!!! Its OUT!!!!

For more information visit Digital Studio

Finally it has arrived!  I feverishly thumbed through all the exquisite art work and digital expertise to find my submissions. Let me say if you don't already have your issue it should hit the news stands the first of September.  You have to see this issue.  The Talent that they have gotten for this issue is just wonderful. 

This image is available at  Frogs Attic

I was so surprised to see that they had given my above image a full page!  I am just over the moon!  

I am so very happy about this image also as it is my FB page logo.  I loved this clown (from Graphic Fairy) and the head of the sweet girl just seemed like a natural. 

I am so honored to have been chosen especially when I peeked at the other artist.  Their talent is so beyond good.  I have so many ideas now I can hardly wait to get more images created.  Thank you Digital Studio!!

And Special thanks goes to Graphic Fairy

Morningcuppajfc2011

Morningcuppajfc2011, a photo by Jeweledfrogcreations on Flickr.

Yes I am at it again this morning! Hope all of you faithful readers have had a restful night and are now up and on your way into life and its adventures.
I have to say that my most favorite time of the day is morning. That first cuppa (tea or coffee) and the feeling as it warms your very inside. So here is a toast to all of you today.

Here's what I did:


Via Flickr:
I have used my own images for the background and then applied a texture and rose gradient with overlay effect. The daisy (a element that I scanned in from my garden) was then used to center the rest of the elements have been taken from various places such as Dover and special thanks to the Graphic Fairy for the lady, zebra, and tea cup.

Octo Pella

strollonbeachjfc2011, a photo by Jeweledfrogcreations on Flickr.

Using a great black and white photo of a lovely opera singer (acquired from the Graphic Fairy) I restored her color. I then added octopus arms and a parasol. I created a bird brush dabbed a few in the sky. For the textures I used one of my photos of the National shore line in the Perdido Key State Park and then overlaid a texture adjusted the color and then layered in some light. The caption that goes across the sea line starts off in a play of words. Instead of A Cappella it reads Octo- Pella to play off the octopus arms and in the second half it reads in Italian "beauty by the sea side"

Bulding Your Dreams

buildingdreamsjls2011, a photo by Jeweledfrogcreations on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
While running some photos through my filters that I was creating and experimenting with I had a sudden flash of a thought So here it is. I love this collage to me it looks like a book cover. One that tells you to go after your dreams. This is a version where the hat is darkened I have another version where it is white.

Freedom

This image came to me as I was thinking about what all I could not do.





You will notice that the light is exploding and as she emerges from her glass dome that has imprisoned her, her shadow also is escaping.  Even the pages of the books and letters have gotten wings and are escaping.
Here are the image that I have used

Available at the Graphic Fairy

This black and white image was used to create the glass bell.  To do this I used about 5-6 layers at varying different effects and luminosity.

Available at the Graphic Fairy

With the Fairy I removed the back ground and then added some insect wings that I discovered outside one morning. I placed the her and then added several layer above and below to lighten and give her a more flesh like color. She also has a gradient behind her to give the appearance of light radiating out.

Dover Image

The shadow what a simple touch.  I used this image and then tweaked it by using a transformation for size and perspective.  Then I selected a darkening option and then reduced the fill for that shadow effect.

The flying birds have also been taken from a larger image . I used their outline , cut and pasted on to  a vintage scanned image of a dictionary page to create flying pages.  I kept the lines of the bids and then used a lightening option in the layering pallet so that the lines are white.  On each of the birds I used a graduating gradient to create lighting.  As a finial detail I copied the bird with the ribbon and then inversed it and placed it as a reflection on the glass bell.


This image took me 2 days to do, working when time would allow.  It has gone on to Digital Studio for submission in their spring of 2012 issue.

Look for me in this September issue of Digital Studio.  2 images have been selected and I am so excited.
I hope that this entry will inspire you to create some fantastic art and don't forget that no matter how much you feel confined by your current circumstances your creativity never has chains.

Pigs in Roses

Just finished up the little pig in a rose bath.  French wording Savon for soap gives this image a sweet look.  It could have been created years ago but instead has been created using vintage images.  (Special thank yous to Graphic Fairy for images used in this collage)

The Rose background is my own creation from taking the elements from on image and combining them and placement for repeat pattern to provide a backdrop.  I then took the doge tool and created with looks like ripples in a fabric or shower curtain.  Using the burn tool I provided depths so that the curtain/ shower curtain.

Soap bubbles have been created from a shape tool and then layering them with darkening and lighting selections.

For more roses and backgrounds for your blog you can join me on Artful Friendship.  Hope to see you there!

Rose card front notextjfc

Rose card front notextjfc, a photo by Jeweledfrogcreations on Flickr.

Working on a rose repeat yesterday and came up with this simple design. It seemed a natural combining it with this blue eyed beauty leaning out of the card holding her own post. I also put a sold repeat for the back of this card and have created a matching envelope to go with her. All of these items are posted for sale in my etsy shop Frogs Attic. http://www.etsy.com/listing/79555310/rose-repeat-card-and-enveople-set

Harry Potter magic vrs 2

Harry Potter magic vrs 2 , a photo by Jeweledfrogcreations on Flickr.

Looking back on the "Harry Potter" series and all that it has meant to my children and myself I was inspired to create my own illustration. Here we have the sorting hat, Hedgwig and Hogwarts castle. The word magic hovers above a reminder that everyone's life needs magic.
(this image will not be offered for sale out of respect to the copyright of the Harry Potter series.)



Via Flickr:
Inspired by Harry Potter this image was created using royalty free images like the owl and castle and reflection in the glasses. The Hat and glasses are my own creation. They type was Got Heroin? and can be found on Defont

Morning has broken

Morning has broken, a photo by Jeweledfrogcreations on Flickr.

Just finished up with this image this morning. I have been forever it seems getting back into the studio. (Had to nurse a spider bite on my oldest) But now on the mend my time is starting to get back to usual. This image came to me as I worked on a background. The old Cat Stevens song "Morning has Broken" kept drumming in my head and as a result this emitted from my fingers to my wacom. Enjoy and if you liked it don't forget to comment. I love hearing from you.



Via Flickr:
Worked entirely in Photoshop CS2 with layering techniques. I placed the photo image of the girl over my original background chose a darkening option for the girl and then on a separate layer I added color so it would come up through the image.
Special thanks goes to the Graphic Fairy for images used in this work