A stitchin’ time

We have an art show tomorrow so, as is usual, I spent some time this evening rushing around trying to get the entries framed, backed and wired. Of course this was after I had scanned the works so that we can keep copies and upload to our websites. This time around I am not entering anything but the “family studio” was represented through one of my daughter’s photographs and two of my wife’s acrylic paintings.

I still need to sort out my office, to make things easier, but my trusty Epson V600 scanner does a grand job, and for the larger paintings I take multiple scans and then stitch them together using the fabulously free Microsoft ICE (Image Composite Editor). This may involve 6 or more images on some of the larger works (like the chickens, below) as the scan bed is about 12” x 9” (30cm x 22.5cm).

Then I run the resulting image through GIMP to color correct as I still haven’t made the leap to Lightroom or Photoshop even though my daughter has these (I’m a creature of habit, I guess), and we have the final saved images. It can be a bit of hard work for my old ASUS Pentium laptop, but it still manages it.

161117_eddie

161117_wildflowers

161117_hens

So, after a few hours of preparation everything is framed up and ready to be submitted to the show tomorrow.

What do you think?

161117_pix

~Richard

November 17, 2016 2

Our Own Installation Art

My daughter is currently putting together her art portfolio in order to apply to art colleges in Pennsylvania. This involves showing a variety of skills to add to her passions of animation and sculpture.

Over the weekend she finished her most recent addition – the adaptation of our oil tank in the basement into a version of The Beatles’ Yellow Submarine. This is a sister piece to a great animation she made earlier in the year to the Fab Four’s famous song.

This certainly has brightened up the basement and is our very own piece of Installation Art!

~Richard

November 14, 2016 1

52 Week Challenge: Week 44

WEEK 44: Landscape: A Tree – Some of the most famous landscapes in the world feature a tree. Time to see what you can do.

Ok, you can argue whether this fits the description of a “landscape” in the classic sense, but I saw this astoundingly beautiful tree on the corner as I was driving the girls to school and the early morning sun made it look truly spectacular.

~Richard

November 8, 2016 1

Gunpowder Treason

For any British readers today is a significant date, for it is the day when, in 1605 Robert Catesby’s plot to destroy the English Parliament using gunpowder was foiled. One of the conspirators, Guy Fawkes was caught red handed guarding barrels of gunpowder that had been placed under the House of Lords so that it would kill everyone inside. The plot uncovered, Guy Fawkes was subjected to terrible torture and, along with his co-conspirators, executed.
Subsequently, throughout Britain the public have celebrated this date as “Guy Fawkes Night” or “Bonfire Night” when large community bonfires are built, usually with an effigy (“guy”) set atop, and fireworks are set as celebration. The ancient rhyme is also recited, or at least it was when I was a kid:

Remember, remember, the 5th of November
The Gunpowder Treason and plot;
I know of no reason why Gunpowder Treason
Should ever be forgot.

161105_gunpowderplot

We always looked forward to the fireworks, the huge bonfire, and also the tradition of children making their own guys and then attempting to collect a “penny for the guy” in order to be able to raise cash to buy fireworks. I don’t think this happens so much anymore, at least the children buying fireworks part.

Another more modern development is the use of current figures of hate on the bonfires. Ironically, the British Prime Minister has been the target on several occasions, and I recall Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair being featured, but often there are international guys too, such as foreign “dignitaries” who have particularly struck a negative cord with the British populace.

One of the oldest and largest Guy Fawkes Festivals is the Lewes Bonfire Night Celebration which takes place in the tows, East Sussex. Here there are several competing societies that plan their effigies for months and compete in a parade followed by a series of bonfires.

As an American citizen, of British heritage, I can only remark on how fitting that this should be celebrated a mere 3 days ahead of US election day 2016, a situation that has not escaped the teams at Lewes in their choice of effigies to burn this year.

~Richard

November 5, 2016 2

52 Week Challenge: week 41

WEEK 41: Landscape: Get High – Everything looks different when you are high. Find a high perspective to shoot this landscape.

Beautiful autumnal textures in Northern Pennsylvania

161014_52wk41landscapehigh1

~Richard

October 16, 2016 2

#r2bcheerful21 – Yellow Socks

In a week of bizarre and depressing political/showbiz news and spin I needed a #r2bcheerful so I was glad to be able to take a picture of my daughter’s wonderful yellow (and black) socks as she walked down the stairs yesterday morning.

Truly a reason to bee cheerful!

~Richard

October 10, 2016 1

#r2bcheerful11 – Dominica Camels

I must admit that I don’t really understand what Ian was getting at here – Dominica or Dominecker – I’ve seen it written both ways, the country or something else? Camels, of course, could refer to the cigarettes of the same name or the humped ungulate, famed as a pack animal with a seriously bad temper.

I don’t smoke but I have ridden camels on a few occasions in Australia, Egypt and the US, so I have chosen the mammal as my answer to the 11th r2bcheerful challenge.

I guess if you needed to travel a significant distance, especially over a sandy, dry terrain they would certainly give you a reason to be cheerful, despite their tendency to grunt and spit and generally act like curmudgeons.

~Richard

October 4, 2016 2

#r2bcheerful9 – Nanny goats

What isn’t there to love about goats? Wonderful, hardy animals that will eat just about anything. Oh, hang on, that may be a problem…

We have toyed with idea of adding these to our ever growing menagerie, but as yet we haven’t got round to it. I think they’d be great for keeping down some of the weeds and grass but then they’d also destroy other plants that we want, and I sure wouldn’t be happy if they got into our veggie beds! On the whole though, I think goats are fun animals and they certainly are characters. Watching them is always give me a reason to be cheerful.

~Richard

October 3, 2016 1

#r2bcheerful5 – Boats

I’ve had a short break from this challenge as I caught up on the 52 week challenge and a few other things. I mentioned before that there’s no requirement for the reasons to be cheerful challenge to be done in strict order so I am jumping to #r2bcheerful5 – boats.

Boats are always fun. I am not a great seafarer by any measure, but messing about in small boats is a great summer pastime that I have enjoyed over the years. A simple row boat (or rowing boat as we call them in the UK) provided on a local lake can provide a few hours of fun on a hot summer’s day. This shot was taken at the boating lake in Central Park in new York City.

What better reason to be cheerful than messing about in a boat with friends?

~Richard

October 2, 2016 1

52 Week Challenge: week 19

WEEK 19: Portrait: Messy – Take an amazing portrait of someone, make a mess while you are doing it.

This challenge has been eating away at the back of my mind for weeks. Today we were in the front garden, picking up fallen sticks and branches and had let Eddie, our Jack Russell Terrier, out to join us. He went straight to the pile of topsoil that we have left over from building our raised beds in the Spring, dived under the tarpaulin that covers it and disappeared for about 30 minutes. The result was spectacular!

My main camera was in the house so I went to the trunk of my car to get another and found the first one had no memory card in it and the second had flat battery. My daughter quickly retrieved my cell phone and this is the resulting shot, taken in the fading late afternoon Fall light. Yes, it’s not a person, but it’s still a portrait as far as I am concerned and Eddie certainly made a mess for this shot!

~Richard

October 1, 2016 0

Category: photography

A stitchin’ time

Our Own Installation Art

52 Week Challenge: Week 44

Gunpowder Treason

52 Week Challenge: week 41

#r2bcheerful21 – Yellow Socks

#r2bcheerful11 – Dominica Camels

#r2bcheerful9 – Nanny goats

#r2bcheerful5 – Boats

52 Week Challenge: week 19

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