Sunday 13 November 2011

How abstract is *too* abstract?

How abstract is *too* abstract? Or, depending upon your point of view, can there ever be such a thing as *too* abstract anyway?

Just to reassure you, I'm not asking this for theoretical reasons, like some medieval cleric wondering about the number of angels he could fit onto the head of a pin. No, there's a practical purpose.

The thing is, I'm enjoying creating inspirational poscards at the moment, and people seem to like them. So far so good. But  like the rest of us, I've been used to pin-sharp natural photographic scenes as a backdrop to such things, (I'm thinking about majestic mountains with the word "Courage" emblazoned at the bottom, etc.)

So part of me feels constrained by this. The other feels it's high time that inspirational images came in all shapes, and specifically, softer, more feminine, and maybe more abstract choices. Hence my dilemma.

I have no answer to the question posed in the title of this post...






Wednesday 2 November 2011

Life-Affirming Graffiti. But What Should I *Do* With These?

When Jim and I went to Edinburgh for the Fringe this last summer, a piece of graffiti kept popping up. But not just any old piece of graffiti. It was one of the most positive and life-affirming pieces of graffiti I've ever seen.


It inspired me so much that I've come up with two pieces based upon it. (They are rendered in two very different colour schemes by the way...a sort of his'n hers, perhaps?).
And...







The thing is that, for one reason and another, both of them seem to have a relatively small natural size. (And I'm not talking resolution here...the resolution is fine at A4 size, but overpowers the message, somehow).


What to do with them? 

Wednesday 12 October 2011

Indian Summer


An Indian summer kept me away from the blog. (And yes, I know that sounds just like, "Please Miss, the dog ate my homework!". But it really is true).

If you're reading this from outside the UK, then please know that everything you've ever heard about Brits and the weather is also true. Only more so. We really will talk about it thrice daily...and drop everything to chase a few minutes of sun.

Summer 2011 had not lived up to its early promises. The long, dark nights loomed. Then, out of nowhere, came a handful of days that broke records for September. And then for October.




The photos on these pages were just snapped with the phone, and will look better after some digital magic. But just for now, they record afternoons of golden light. Days when small surprises were as wonderous as the weather.



Who knew my husband of almost 10 years could row? (And how had anyone "hidden" a boating lake, just two miles from our urban home, for all these years?)



The sudden delight of an Indian summer isn't just about the weather though. It's also like an affirmation from Nature.

"Don't worry about what's gone before," the light whispers. "Just know that it's never too late for things to improve...And life always gives you a second chance".


Sunday 11 September 2011

9/11 Art Online

Mindful of the date, I've been looking at all the different artwork online commemorating 9/11. One child's work seems to have an especially moving and profound message at:

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/multimedia/911children/6.html


Fun with a New App

The MagicPrints Android App is a wonderful thing...and perfect for whiling away more waiting time than I'd have thought possible.

Currently I'm enjoying using it to make mandalas like this one.

But I'm wondering which apps would you use to do this?

Sunday 4 September 2011

Poppies & The Lure of Etsy...

Etsy, oh, Etsy...My shop has been in progress (with designs ready on the computer) for quite a few days now... But the site is sooo beautiful... (That techy word "sticky" doesn't do it justice, though it's definitely a place to stick around).

Anyway, please enjoy the fruits of my latest distraction there, and the talents of all these poppy-makers... (including their wonderful product shots, grouped below, but needing a browse in their own right)... at:

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/MTU1ODY1Nzh8NjY5ODgwNzky/poppy-heaven

Update: That link is no longer available. But here's another expression of my love affair with poppies!




Thursday 1 September 2011

A Get Well Soon Card For Dogs...

Update October 2016: Here (above) is a long-overdue update to this post...a get well soon card for dogs available to buy, and featuring a cute golden labrador puppy amongst daffodils. (You can still personalise the text as much as you want and send it to humans too, though).

Click here for more info...






Original post from 2011 is below.



One of the cutest dogs I know had to have an operation yesterday. And yet I couldn't find a "get well soon" card specifically for dogs anywhere. So I created this e-card design (which you could probably send to any poorly dog-lover, too, if you wanted).