Out of needing something to do (before I go insane - know how it feels to sit in a waiting room for a very long time? know how it feels after two weeks of doing it?) besides writing (I visited blogs for many hours yesterday) and twiddling my thumbs, I decided to play with Gimp today. And this really is just playing. I have Gimp on my home computer (you can download it free by the way, but I paid something like $3 to do it from a secure site) and use it all the time to scale my art work scans for posting on the internet and for adjusting contrast, brightness, color, etc., but my knowledge of how to use it or what you can really do with it is very limited. I used three photographs (shown below the finished piece), two of them I took here in Missouri and the one of the girls is from the Library of Congress. I wish I could make it "pop" a bit more. I may try and work on it some more.
copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 6/8/09
Digital collage using two photographs I took with my little "purse" camera for the background and a portrait from the Library of Congress. Words created in Publisher and the collage created in Gimp.
copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 6/5/09
copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 6/6/09
You can certainly use the photo of the little girls here. I left it for you to click on and download. I linked the others to my blog to prevent downloading, but I am thinking I may start a free to use texture/layer/background folder on my flickr.
I have tried to learn Photoshop a bit but am not any better at it and I don't have it on this computer. This collage took me about an hour with me reading in a tutorial about how to do it - much faster than my normal 7-8 hour collage piece. But, I still prefer working with hand-cut, hand-colored, I have to say. I am going to try and merge the two ways of working when I get home. Don't ask me how I did this cuz I hardly know myself, but I used this tutorial to help emptyeasel.com/2008/08/29/how-to-create-a-photomontage-in-gimp
Ooops! I almost forgot. When I get home I'm going to try and work on my blog background again. I've been hearing it is just too hard for some people's eyes to read from (seeing stripes I hear). I love seeing artwork on black but I may have to give it up and go to a white background. I don't want people to avoid me!
24 comments:
Wow, your digital collage looks great! Anything digital is completely beyond me but it looks so great when other people do it. I love the images you have chosen to put together. I think you will do wonderful things when you combine digital with your usual collage :-)
Oh no !!! you are gonna be hooked lol .. I am hooked on digital and sometimes when i am not feeling very art motivated but want to do something .... it is great for that !!
Your work is fabulous and a great start my friend. well done !!!
I use gimp sometimes but also psp 7
Try this group for inspiration. Its quite new and for all kinds of people not just experienced.
I am a member there too http://digitalwhisper.ning.com/
Well done my friend you are an artist and it shows .. even in digital
Big hugsssssssss
June xxx
I know nothing about digital manipulation! It is up there near the top of my learn how to do list!
I think you did a grand job.
OMG, Marsha! Two on a Path . . . I created a digital collage today too for the new Three Muses site and just posted it on my blog. Great minds . . .
Yours far surpasses mine! Frankly, I see the glimmer of a new art addiction! LOL! Huge Hugs, Terri xoxo
Marsha...I wanted to tell you that I really love your art. This piece is really inspiring. I also love all the colorful collages you do as well. It's nice to see different techniques, and approaches.
I hope you will be back soon, as I know you must be itching to get started on the plans you have been making up in your mind. Sometimes, we need to get away from the things we love to do in order to approach it in a new way. I can't see what you come up with next. It is always such a thrill! oxoxx
AMazing piece! I love the layering.
I'm really in love with the ad painted on the building.
I'm so impressed that this is your first digital.I see you being able to combine your love of handcut/handcolored pieces with digital somehow. I just know you'll find a way to merge them beautifully!
Sorry I haven't been around much lately, I'm catching up on life with a teenage daughter back in the house...
I'm also trying to figure out what I want to do 'when I grow up'.
I keep thinking I've got to narrow my artwork to at least a couple of mediums rather than just all over the place. So, I thought in between
hanging out with her, I could do some reading, relaxing and soul searching...
As always, I've written sooo much it looks like a post rather than a comment!
I hope your dad is on the road to recovery and that you can go back home to your artwork soon!
hugs!cathy
AMazing piece! I love the layering.
I'm really in love with the ad painted on the building.
I'm so impressed that this is your first digital.I see you being able to combine your love of handcut/handcolored pieces with digital somehow. I just know you'll find a way to merge them beautifully!
Sorry I haven't been around much lately, I'm catching up on life with a teenage daughter back in the house...
I'm also trying to figure out what I want to do 'when I grow up'.
I keep thinking I've got to narrow my artwork to at least a couple of mediums rather than just all over the place. So, I thought in between
hanging out with her, I could do some reading, relaxing and soul searching...
As always, I've written sooo much it looks like a post rather than a comment!
I hope your dad is on the road to recovery and that you can go back home to your artwork soon!
hugs!cathy
Good work, Marsha! You have such an eye for bringing components together with cut and paste, I have no doubt you will master it digitally as well. You will need to lock yourself in your studio 24/7 when you get home so you can release all this creative energy you've amassed while you've been away. I'm so glad your Dad is doing well enough for you to go home for a bit.
Look at you go girl! It looks awesome and I love that you used your coke bottle photo as the background. Before you know it you are going to be addicted, umm, I mean loving digital you are doing it all the time:)LOL!!! It is definitely a perfect outlet for you right now while you are away. Love, Jamie
You have to be kidding!! If this is your first digital collage the sky is the limit for Ms Tumble Fish. It is magnificent. I love it.
Oh! I just love what you did with your first attempt at the digital collage. I am always in awe of those who can do this type of work! Love yours! (And, it is a great idea to keep busy during this very stressful time. Hope all is going well with your Dad!)
Thank you for posting the 3 different photos so I could see the before and after. That is amazing what you can do with the computer. I am very slow at all this electronic stuff so it amazes me to see what other people do with it.
Wicked cool! You're on to something with this. :) I've been getting up to speed on Photoshop Elements (can't afford Photoshop). Some days I think I get it, and others, not so much. LOL!
Hey Marsha!
I love the digitals you did! Very cool stuff! I think I downloaded GIMP onetime but havent been back to explore it really. Thanks for stopping by my blog and my flickr sweet friend! Hang in there! Hope your Dad is feeling lots better. I love the new background :D xox
Thanx for the Little girls!
I love the new look of your blog!
It's beautiful!
And I hope this means that your Dad is doing much better. I know 1st hand what a scary and stressful time this can be. We finally lost my Dad 2 years ago and it still seems like just yesterday. Hang in there and let you art carry you away. -julia-
Lordy I can't believe you did this with gimp...thank you for your generosity...the way you explain the steps you follow in your work...I'm going to have a look at the tute that you used...take care...
Great collage Marsha!
wonderful digital collage! i can't do digital anything; i'm very impressed!
I'm trying to learn Photoshop Elements 7, but I'm very digitally challenged! Thanks for sharing your process. I learn something from every one of your posts! And I like the blog face-lift!
Those are fantastic, and I it looks like you have been doing this for years!
Your Pal,
Linda
PS. I am going to google digital collages, I have no clue how to do them.
Marsha,
I've been following your blog for awhile now and I always seem to leave your blog feeling inspired in some way, whether it is to try something new or to start a new project. You create beautifully! I really liked your first attempt at Digital Art. I have yet to venture down that avenue myself. I used to think that Digital Artwork was cheating because it wasn't done by hand, but the more I learn about Digital Artwork, the more I realize I was wrong.
I'm not familiar with "Gimp" but I just recently downloaded "IrfanView" and I think they are similar programs? I'm having trouble learning to crop my photos for my blog much less doing digital artwork, so I commend you on the beautiful job you did. Looking forward to seeing your future Digital creations.
It's great and what a beautiful pictures you made;o)
i think it is lovely! the photo of the 2 girls is EXQUISTE! i love all the colors in your blog -very bright and inspiring, whereas usually i find color too intense - but i like how you've applied it; especially in the banner!
kecia
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