Leap Year - Extra Day

 Can't say that it feels like an extra day.

Camera+ App. Straight shot. After The Storm.

Camera+ close-up of the top of a Saguaro layered in ArtStudio with an image of rust.

In the Pulse

It'll be interesting to read how I answered the question:  'If you could take a class from one artist from anytime in history, including the present, who would it be and why?" My response will be in the last group of posts for this series of The Pulse. Thank you Seth! (I really don't remember what I said.)

The photo is Paper Camera + PhotoForge.

Constructed Image

 Sand dunes in Palm Desert. Camera+. The sharpness could have been better, but I was in the car when I shot this image.

I will most likely do some more work on this piece once I figure out how to add some black. In the meantime  . . .  this constructed image started out as a photo of creases in the blanket on the bed. Yep, I was bored, so I photographed everything around me. The latest additions were created using the PhotoForge App that had immediately frozen after downloading it. Going into settings by clicking on the name PhotoForge on the screen I restored all apps purchases and I don't have a clue  why but suddenly the App worked. If all else fails, start over, unplug devices and give them a break . . .
     I particularly like the history list that can be found on the clock icon; it's rare when I remember what I've done from point A to Z.

A couple of new photos on the photo blog.

Verification Madness Update or Anti-Verification

I've had a few spammers "try" to leave comments, but they haven't gotten past  "Comments Moderation - Always" that has been in place on my blog since the beginning. It might not be convenient for those who have a lot of traffic on their blogs, but I prefer it  over deleting spammers who have posted. (Settings > Comments > Comments Moderation > Always.) Plus, when I hit "publish" on an email I can immediately reply to the person who has taken the time to leave a comment. Works for me. Oh, and one more thing, on your dashboard you can, and should, check the "spam tab" on your comments and delete those ******* spammers.

Every year I'm in awe when leaves start sprouting on what appears to be deadwood. Grape vines are deceiving. On the left we have a close-up of some citrus buds. Both images were captured with Camera+ on the iphone. Just plain ole photos.

Sunday/sundae

 Sometimes manipulating photos is as good as a sundae. Three layers blended together in ArtStudio. And below cropped before using a ScratchCam effect.

Over on my other blog I've posted some links for tutorials for a few of the Apps I've been using.

Quote: Believing that you must do something perfectly is a recipe for stress, and you'll associate that stress with the task and thus condition yourself to avoid it. Steve Pavlina

Word Verification Madness

Hard to believe that some things become more difficult as time goes in but Blogger seems to be bored, enough so that there are now two words to try and get right to prove you're a person. Insane. Anyway, I hope I've gotten rid of the verification madness on my blogs. Please let me know.

This is how I did it. On the dashboard I clicked on Settings > Comments > scroll down to Show Word Verification for comments and check "NO." Remember to click on save and that should do it, that is if you're using the same Blogger Interface that I'm using. Sorry if it doesn't work . . .

this link might help!

PS. I found this link today which sort of gives the reason for the verification madness.

Art Under the Umbrellas

 It's been too many years since I last attended Art Under the Umbrellas in La Quinta. The weather is absolutely perfect today; in the mid 70's. It was definitely time to go again. It's held in Old Town, which isn't all that old; I think they were still building it when I moved here over five years ago.

This is what the architecture looks like, or resembles being that this is a Paper Camera effect.

The entryway to the Hog's Breath Inn. The original Hog's Breath is in Carmel, my former Home Town. It never fails to amuse me how many people will ask where Clint Eastwood's place is. Check out the info here. A few artists said that a huge sign pointing the way might be helpful . . . The restaurant is upstairs and a view from the balcony is a must.

More photos are on my other other blog: http://g-photosi.blogspot.com/

and for outstanding inspiration to Marilyn's blog. Her work continues to blow me away.

Ho Hum

 I added strips to all sides including an entire unit on the right side. Ho-hum. Way too ordinary; if I were feeling brave I might just take the rotary cutter and slice it up, but I'm not feeling courageous at the moment.

We drive by this stand of green trees quite often and this time I was ready with the iPhone. When the traffic slowed down I dawdled enough to get 2 photos. Hm mm, will try and take it next time in Camera+ as I imagine at some point I won't be as enamored with the Paper Camera app. (More photos are here.)

Quote:  I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past. Patrick Henry

Dave's App Recipe Book - Monthly

It's Dave's App Recipe Book time again. Go here. A photo of a leaf, that keeps appearing in photos, was layered with shadows photographed on the house wall. ArtStudio App has become my favorite app for layering photos. The image was saved to camera roll, opened in Camera+ w here the sunset scene was chosen. Toy cameras are always fun; Diana ended up being the winner of the effects.

TreeDuo. Layered in ArtStudio, saved in camera roll, reopened in Camera+ where the night scene was chosen. Lo-fi in retro effects, adjusted intensity. Light Grit border.

I couldn't decide which photo to showcase . . .
More can be viewed on my photo blog here. 








And then I discovered Paper Camera App which reminds me, at least Comic Boom effect does, of altering Polaroid images when SX-70 film was available. I barely remember lunch today; I was busy snapping photos before customers joined us on the patio where the temp was below the usual 70's for this time of year.

Do check out Dave's blog.

Fabric Challenge

Last month I joined Karen Musgrave's challenge. Simple Guidelines: the challenge fabric, a vintage print, must appear in the finished piece. And we must use Rayna Gillman's book, Create Your Own Free-Form Quilts: A Stress-free journey to original design. Using the book had been a goal of mine so I was up for the challenge. The piece of fabric arrived and sat on the sewing table gathering dust.  The white background just didn't speak to me. The vintage print reminds me of curtains. If my mother hadn't disappeared into Alzheimer's fog perhaps she could tell my why the print seems so familiar.
    When I knocked back the white by coffee staining some of the fabric I was finally able to start.

Fabric gathering.

Assembling some strips using the print as a motif plus using the reverse side created a decent enough start to keep going.

Day 1 ended with a workable beginning using the challenge piece 6 times.

Due date is March 1, will I make it?