Today's Play using iPhone

Today is a play day.  Got into iPhone and had some fun shooting old notebooks and other decorative items scattered across the coffee table.  This image was created using iPhone's camera, Photo Fix and Etching apps.  What fun!

I want to put my old blackboard back on my studio/office door.  On it, written in chalk, will say:   Have Fun and Play!

JOURNALS, PAPERS, BOOKS AND DECORATIVE BOX ON COFFEE TABLE

Note to Self:

I used to post images and a variety of thoughts/ideas on this blog.  Somehow I got away from doing that and I think it is time to start including those things again.

  

Bon Appetite!

This morning I had a fabulous time downloading and watching a movie online. Click, clack--it was that simple. Not only did I enjoy the movie, becoming inspired beyond my dreams, but I also learned how to fix my headphones (which decided not to reduce noise because the batteries died) by Googling the maker's name and clicking on the correct instruction manual. Hooray! I can no longer hear "noise."

Okay, back to the inspiration. JULIE AND JULIA is a most enjoyable movie and I was sent to remembering how and why this journal/blog was started in the first place...five years ago...on AOL...(back when AOL had journals). The purpose was to write every day about photography and/or art and to share photos, drawings, paintings and whatever as they were completed. But more than the sharing of images was the desire to encourage you out there to jump in and be creative. Perhaps by jumping in, an ember might begin to glow and you would want to become better at what you love to do.

Somehow I may have digressed from the original plan. I'm not sure about that, but I do know I still want to share and grow along with you. So here we are five years later beginning anew with ideas and instructions on how to be a better artist, photographer or ______.

Let's start with the basics shall we? Desire ranks right up there at the top of the list. Do you love writing, art, photography or ______? How much do you want to be good--really, really, really good at what you love doing? It isn't enough to want it, you have to earn that right. You have to pay your dues. And...how do you do that? Here's how:

1. Do something related to what you love every day. Practice, practice, practice.
2. Look at the work of the Masters (with a capital M).
3. Read everything you can get your hands on. Through reading you will hone your interest and get more specific about subject matter.
4. Determine what you like to shoot, draw, or write about and get busy exploring that genre.
5. Start a journal and keep track of your progress. (If interested in photography, find a chart for exposures and memorize settings, then experiment. Record your findings.)

Seeing is believing so, if at all possible, TAKE A CLASS from an instructor whose work you admire. The reason I stress learning from someone whose work you admire is because you as a student will absorb some of your instructor's techniques and lordy you don't want to be absorbing junk. Right?

Okay, I have given you a few things to think about. Now...go and get busy. Oh, by the way, it doesn't matter what camera you have...what matters is what you do with it. I must admit though having a Hasselblad years ago did propel me to be the best that I could be, then strive to be better. I, do suggest (no matter what camera you use) that you read your manual and reread it every year. Amazing how much is missed during the first sitting.

So, have fun on the journey. Bon Jour!!!

Art Journal

Yesterday I played with my Art Journals. No sloppy, share who you are, for me. However, I did come up with an idea and am exploring possibilities.

Here is a detail photograph of a background section:

DETAIL FROM ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT JOURNAL PAGE (In Process)

This is original art work done with Renaissance tapestries in mind. Now that I am painting again, it is hard to stop.

Playing with "Sloppy" Journal Pages

While creating a sloppy art journal page, I discovered several things...the main thing being: I don't like doing them. I have trouble being "sloppy" with my art and my work. So, it is back to Photoshop for me. In Photoshop, I can clean up my handcrafted journal pages and make them better. Too many years have been invested in learning how to do things well. I will continue to draw in my journals and write down ideas as they surface for use later. However, doing a sloppy ART JOURNAL is not going to happen any time soon. Excellence and quality are primary around here..."sloppy" is out.

Page and Images
© Elisabeth Bacon 2008

All Rights Reserved

Journal Upload

Today I uploaded my AOL journal so I would have it for reference. My Muse must have whispered in my ear urging me to upload, or my intuition kicked in. I had planned to let that journal go into cybertrash. Anyway, I changed my mind and am very happy I did. Currently that old journal will remain private and be my online filing cabinet of thoughts and ideas. Many photographs have been removed, however they can be put back easily.

The other day while writing about wabi-sabi, I realized that research on that subject was in my old journal. Now, thank goodness, I have online access to those old posts containing years of research and information.

At a later date, I may publish the relic online...we will see...

Also today we went to the big city, had a wonderful lunch, then headed to my favorite bookstore. Bookstores can be dangerous for me and today was a "dangerous" day. A pile of books sits here waiting for my attention. Oh such fun...I will jump into them as soon as I get out of here.

Take care...and Remember: Be Good, Do Good, then Strive to Be Better!