Crayons: Theme and Variations, 2011
Crayons
I enjoy photographing batches of objects that become patterns in their collective, or textures that become a background when taken out of context. Since the advent of computers and computer screens, we’ve been calling these “wallpapers”, and I guess that’s appropriate too since these patterns could easily repeat and cover a wall.
As excited as I was to photograph this basket of crayons on one of the children’s tables in Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall, I knew my little hand-held digital wasn’t going to win the award; it hasn’t been the same since I dunked it in Robinson Run. So the photo is a little soft, but that’s an invitation to have some of my own fun in PhotoShop, like crayons for adults on computer.
First, I wanted something to simplify the light and shadow and color to a uniformity similar to that of the shapes of the crayons themselves. This filter is “cutout”, meant to resemble cut paper laid out and overlapped, with just six levels of value and the simplest edge setting (if you use PhotoShop, this will make sense).
Crayons, cut out.
You can purchase a variety of styles and sizes of prints of this photo on my Fine Art America profile, Crayola.
Then, I played around and discovered I really liked the “glowing edges” effect and the effect of a pile of neon lights.
Crayons, glowing.
You can purchase a variety of styles and sizes of prints of this photo on my Fine Art America profile, Neon Crayons.
Long Standing
Long Standing
This is the side wall of a very old garage, and the side door into it. It’s not typically too remarkable, but on a bright sunny day at just about noon when the sun shines nearly directly down, even the uneven mortar bits between the bricks has shadows, and instead of being washed out by direct sunlight every detail has depth and color. The aged door is thick with paint, but obviously still opens.
It must have been a much smaller building at one time as you can see where there was apparently an addition to the left of the door where the courses of bricks run crooked. There must also have been an awning or roof of some sort over this side of the building by the band of caulking left on the bricks above the door, and even the shape made by the darker purple bricks.
I had originally thought this would be a neat B&W shot and prepared it both ways, but really like the color better.
Crayons: Theme and Variations
Crayons
I enjoy photographing batches of objects that become patterns in their collective, or textures that become a background when taken out of context. Since the advent of computers and computer screens, we’ve been calling these “wallpapers”, and I guess that’s appropriate too since these patterns could easily repeat and cover a wall.
As excited as I was to photograph this basket of crayons on one of the children’s tables in Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall, I knew my little hand-held digital wasn’t going to win the award; it hasn’t been the same since I dunked it in Robinson Run. So the photo is a little soft, but that’s an invitation to have some of my own fun in PhotoShop, like crayons for adults on computer.
First, I wanted something to simplify the light and shadow and color to a uniformity similar to that of the shapes of the crayons themselves. This filter is “cutout”, meant to resemble cut paper laid out and overlapped, with just six levels of value and the simplest edge setting (if you use PhotoShop, this will make sense).
Crayons, cut out.
Then, I played around and discovered I really liked the “glowing edges” effect and the effect of a pile of neon lights.
Crayons, glowing.
Today 