This is my final design for my baby announcement. It was  designed with friends and family in mind to send out when she arrives. I took a photo and changed the hue and saturation levels until the skin tones were what I wanted, then I watched tutorials on color tones and adding a splash of color to the photo. I thought red was appropriate for the heart in the center of my tummy.  I experimented with font and chose two different styles for the writing. Finally, I used the brush tool and designed a pair of leafy vines to crawl up the sides of my belly. All in all, I am very happy with the finished product and cannot wait to print them out in the next few weeks!!

This is my second phase of my project. I thought I had uploaded it last week, but don't see it here, so I am posting it again.

 This is my first attempt at a baby announcement. I was excited to learn a few new techniques such as saturation and hue changes. I am now learning how to do different font. stay tuned!

Here is my final copy, I had so much fun playing with the textures in the background. The grass 'popped' as well as the small cracks in the stone. The wings turned out better than I expected they would. I watched a lot of videos on using the lasso tool and resizing objects. This was my favorite project so far!

Garden Angel Part 2

        I darkened the image and used a texturized background to enhance this photo a bit. My preliminary

   photo was a bit too washed out and made it hard to see the central focus, which is my little girl. I am

   now looking into making the wings better and fancier.

    
    Above is the original photographaph I plan to enter into the competition.   

https://asmithgallery.com/Gardens_Call_for_Entry.php

    Here is my preliminary rendering. I changed the photo, using smart blur and adding wings to my daughter in the center. I am researching now how to enhance the wings. I want them to be subtle and elegant.

Tiger Army

     This is the original album cover for Tiger Army. Below is the image I re-created. I changed the tiger stripes to orange which was more fitting to me. I originally tried radial blur to create a whispy feel, but was unhappy with the effect, as it was hard to control. below is the sample:

     I re-outlined the cover and thickened the black drop shadow of the lettering box. I like the crisp bold colors much more. I wanted to give the cover a very pop art look. So I thickened the tiger stripes and made the colors very bright.

     I love AFI! I took this simple image and began adding some color, sketching some leaves and creating texture. I am unsure where this project is going to go. I need to do some more brainstorming and experimenting!

   This is my finished product. I am happy with the way it turned out. I began with one of my favorite pictures, and changed the effect to outline brushstroke. I chose a darker color pallet which gave an effect that I liked with the color outlines.
   From there I began to experiment with the textures. In the foreground, I used Craquelure texture. I used Mosaic for the background which was very similar and I felt they complimented each other.
    I used the large paintbrush stroke, size 10pt, and used a light blue found in the flower bloom pallet. I thought the light blue worked well with the dark images and made the outlines 'pop'.
    Let me know what you think! As always, constructive criticism is always welcome!

   

   My sister took some beautiful pictures of my growing belly and my daughter. I thought it would be fun to play and experiment with them! What do you think??

Artist Statement

     I have always admired art and aspired to create it. I found if I practiced and wasn't afraid to step outside of my safety zones that I could improve my techniques and styles. So I kept working at it.
     In high school I became interested in tattoo art. I started researching and studying the great tattoo artists of yesterday and today. Taking a little from what I was learning, I continued to grow and evolve as an artist. When I graduated I found my way in to a circle of artists in Syracuse NY. We worked together, showing our art and inspiring each other. I also had earned an associates degree in art and had started my BA in fine art.
     I was 1 year away from my BA when an opportunity arose for a tattoo apprentiship. I took it. It was everything I had wanted to do and the money was great. After years of tattooing, I started a family and am now furthering my education and working towards the BA I should have finished years ago.
     I incorporate art in my everyday life. My favorite medium is paint. I use acrylic, but also love oil and watercolors, however, do not have a space for the mess and required drying time. I love to experiment with different size and shape brushes, paint mixtures and textures. If you ask me what my favorite color is, I will tell you, ALL of them!
     I draw inspiration from everywhere. I like aesthetically pleasing art, and tattoo inspired art. I appreciate color usage and have been working on bettering my use of light source. I think it makes all the difference in a piece of art, adding depth and dimension.
     I plan out my art before hand by sketching out my ideas. I use these as a guide, that I sometimes stray from, because you never know where your art will take you. I almost never consider one of my paintings finished. I can fool with it for all of eternity. But at some point, I look at it and feel that if I add anymore, it might look overdone. Less is more after all.
     When you view my artwork over this semester, I would like honest critique, and I hope to see an overall improvement from start to finish, as I learn and grow, digitally =)

Digital Art and Design

     I am looking forward to increasing my knowledge of digital art and design.  I have always been a 'traditional' artist. I like to get my hands dirty as I create art.
    
    But I have always admired what is possible to create with computers. I love digital photography. Adding effects, wiping away blemishes, I look forward to creating it all!