Rebecca Harbaugh Alternative Photography

Book Review: "The Artists Guide: How to Making a Living Doing What You Love” by Jackie Battenfield

2011-03-26T14:14:00.001-07:00

5 out of 5 stars

I can not say enough GREAT THINGS about this book or recommend it to enough artists! The Artist's Guide: How To Make A Living Doing What You Love has been a big eye opener and helpful guide for what it takes to be a professional artists. Jackie Battenfield freely shares the knowledge she has gained as a professional artist for the last 20+ years for beginning or re-beginning artists to reference as they embark on their own journey. Battenfield takes a very practical and realistic approach to what it means to be an artist. She gives a thoroughly overview of a lot of the responsibilities, problems and needs an artist will face and how to deal with them.

I know for me as a student, there are many unsure areas of what needs to be done to make money in the art world. Battenfield has been very helpful in paving a more clear picture for me of what it will take. I am not saying this book gives every answer I'll ever need to know or is the only resource I would ever need, but it helps bring light to a lot of what was once unknown. It makes it clearer how and where to start a career as an artist.

In her book, Battenfield covers a lot of essential skills an artist should develop, like setting goals, how to write an artists statement, a resume,a bio and how to make work samples, and she gives advice on organizational skills. She discusses grants, residencies, copy right laws, taxes and building a network of artists and other art professionals to draw upon for help. She offers guidelines for exhibiting your work and gives resources for finding galleries that are a right match. She also outlines who the key players are in the art world and what role they play. (Most of this information I had little knowledge of beforehand so I received it all gladly)!

At the end each chapter, Battenfield gives a list of resources (with a brief description of what information that resource contains) that gives direction of where to look next for more information covered in the chapter. I found her brief descriptions to be very helpful in choosing what other resources I would be interested looking in to.

To sum up my overall feelings about the book, I was actually sad when I finished it. Battenfield began to feel like real, helping friend to me. I felt like I knew her and her career intimately. Her writing approach was often personal, she gave great antidotes and I could relate to what she was saying. I even felt at times as though as I was having a conversation with her. It was a very easy and enjoyable read. This is a book I plan on re-reading over and over again throughout my career and I see myself reference it often for advice about the many responsibilities I will face as a professional artist.

Book Review: "How To Get Ideas" by Jack Foster

2011-03-26T13:33:00.000-07:00

5 out of 5 Stars

My husband suggested this book to me. It was a required book for his English class. Anyone in an field, whether in the arts or not could still glean tools towards creative thinking found in this book. How To Get Ideas was a fun book for me to read. It is a short, quick read (I finished it in a week), but it is packed full of information. As I was reading it I kept thinking, “Wow, I need to tell my teachers about this book and convince them to make it a required reading for their classes.” Foster starts his book out by defining what exactly is an idea. He declared it a “new combination of old elements.” Just having the definition of an idea alone helped me to start thinking and seeing things a little differently.

Foster gives 10 great tools in 10 great chapters for generating ideas (or as he put it “idea-condition your mind”): Have Fun, Be More Like a Child, Become Idea-Prone, Visualize Success, Rejoice in Failure, Get More Inputs, Screw Up Your Courage, Team Up with Energy, Rethink Your Thinking, and Learn How to Combine. After every couple pages I would find myself putting the book down to write notes, ideas, and insights to his suggestions. I felt very inspired to put what he was preaching into practice. It takes effort, but I see it as a valuable return.

Foster finishes the book with a “five-step method for producing ideas.” There is a chapter for each step where he discusses what to do and why to do it. The idea is to combine idea making tools with an idea making formula and great ideas will be born. I felt like Foster, who has worked for years in the advertising industry, had a lot to offer on creative thinking. He gives personal stories and insights, but his book is also stalked full with examples and quotes from others as well.

Gumoil Prints

2011-01-13T22:35:00.000-08:00

This is a really cool, but rather difficult alternative photographic process called the gumoil processes. It was invented by Karl Koenig in, I believe, the early 1990s. It uses similiar chemsistry as a gum bichromate, but instead of water or acyclic paint it uses oil paint. It isn't printed the same as gum bichromate processes. The image is printed first with just the chemistry, then you brush the oil paint on top and rub it back off. The print is then placed in a bleach bath to be etched, followed by a 10 minute rinse.

This was kind of difficult processes for me to print with. It is very finicky and easy to lose my image quickly. I was running into problems where the paint was too thick so that the image couldn't be seen or else the paint was washing off in the bleach etching bath. It was really hard for me to keep the details of the photo as well. I had about 6-8 images I printed multiple times for this series, but these were the only two I was actually satisfied with. I love the gritty, old look that gumoils offer so I want to keep practicing to see if I can figure out a way to better control my printing. I am really glad I tried it and got at least something to turn out.

Book Review: "Art Revolution" by Lisa L. Cyr

2010-12-28T22:34:00.000-08:00

4.5 out of 5 Stars
I actually read Art Revolution at the end of the summer and have been so busy I hadn't gotten around to writing a book review yet. This book was very influential for me.

The "art revolution" Lisa Cyr is referring to in her book is that of mixed media artwork. I work primarily in alternative photography, but after reading this book, it inspired me to learn as many art mediums as possible. Not only was I inspired, but it motivated me enough to sign up for a watercolor and an oil painting class at school last semester. I loved learning and exploring these new mediums so much I signed up for 3 painting classes and a drawing class for this semester. In my opinion, a book that can inspire real, concrete change is a powerful book. This book really amplified my desire to learn as much art as I can (however, individual results may vary).

Art Revolution is packed full of beautiful and inspiring images. It was a feast for the eyes and the mind. Cyr picked very thoughtful, talented artists to feature in her book. She interviewed 20 mixed media artists, including a 2 to 3 page article about their art work which was packed full of great quotes from the artist. Each section also has a few images to show off the artist's work. Some of the artists even give step by step demos on how they created a piece of art. The directions in the demo seemed a little unclear sometimes, but it gives you a good general idea of how mixed media works and of different techniques you can try in your own work.

What I gained most from this book (well . . .besides the desire to act) was reading about the artist's working process. It is fascinating for me to hear other artists talk about their work. It helps me understand my own processes and concepts better, and also helps me develop skills in talking about my work. I also gained a lot of insight about working with concepts and how to illustrate ideas. Mixed media is not always easy to pull off, but in Art Revolution there are many great examples of beautiful mixed media art, as well as explanations about why artists' are working with mixed media. I think if you are a mixed media artist, you will enjoy this book.

Book Review: "COLOR: messages and meanings" by Leatrice Eiseman

2010-12-26T21:02:00.000-08:00

A must have:

5 out of 5 Stars
This book is a great resource for all artists, but especially for graphic designers, interior designers, and commercial photographers. This book is an essential resource (it is targeted to this audience . . . especially graphic designers). I am not a graphic designer, but if I was, I know I would be referencing this book daily for inspiration and direction. I have read a couple books on color (color theory, color symbolism) and this is the best book I have read. The author, Leatrice Eiseman, has strong credentials and it shows in her book. She knows what she is talking about. The book is easy and enjoyable to read and very informative.

It starts by covering the basic colors (red, blue, brown, purple, orange, etc.) and the symbols/moods associated with those colors. She even touches on how colors effect us psychologically. At the end of a color section she lists different shades of that color along with positive and sometimes negative adjectives/symbols often associated with these colors. I found this section the most interesting. It was very informative and comprehensive. It is a very helpful reference for any artist who works in color to better understand what role color plays in sharing a message with their audience.

The next section is about color in the marketplace. This section is more about using color in the advertisement world. She focuses on creating an identity for a company and how color effects their image and reflects their mission as a company. Eiseman talks about using color as an attention grabber and using appropriate colors to fit certian ages, genders, and shopping patterns.

The next section goes into color relationships. She has a brief section about color schemes on the color wheel and the messages sent by using those schemes. Following this, she gives 20 different moods (exotic, sentimental, unique, restful, assertive, nightlife, etc.) with a brief description of the mood and associated colors. Then, on the next page, there are 20 colored squares giving examples of a dominant, subordinate, and accent color combinations that could be used to convey that mood. The part I found most impressive is at the end of the book where she has a chart of every color she used in the book and the CMYK numbers for that color! This chart is a great time saver and will help you get the exact color combination desired. It makes this book a very practical reference book.

In the last section, she covers color trends in the advertisement world and how to spot them. She briefly discusses trends in fashion, graphic design, technology, and art. She even gives specific examples of places to look.

I really loved this book. Not only are the images beautiful and pleasurable to look at, but it is packed full of information. It is the best book on color I have seen or read. I STRONGLY recommend it to anyone who works with or is interested in color theory, color relationships, or color symbolism. If you are a graphic designer, this book is a must have. It is worth every dollar spent on it!

Art Show

2010-11-10T20:53:00.000-08:00

I am having an art show! The opening is Friday. This is my first solo show and I am very excited about it. I have been working on my concept and art pieces for a year and now it is finally time to share what I have done. After my show is finished I am planning on posting all the images from it on my blog.

Holga Camera - Cross Processed Film

2010-10-23T21:52:00.000-07:00

I took these images with a toy camera called a Holga. It is a cheap, plastic medium format film camera. Because it is so cheap it leaks light in, vignetting the edges of the image. I crossed processed the film when I got it developed and so it shifted all the colors around.

Liberated

2010-09-18T19:45:00.000-07:00

Last Spring when I made this project, I felt things were amiss in my life. I felt I was living a very lopsided life and wasn't practicing the self control and discipline I felt I needed to. I thought about that a lot, and I noticed the other people around me, and thought about our society as a whole and could see they were in a very similar predicament. I decided this was a little concerning and I need to say something about it. So this project was born. It is about the importance of staying balanced and grounded in life. This self control ultimately allows more freedom in the end.

I showed this piece at the end of last spring semester at my school. I hung it in the halls of the art building. I had a beautiful, long branch I hung my prints from. I wanted to emphasis the importance of a branch in a birds life. Sadly, the photo I have of the final presentation isn't as lovely as I would have hoped. The lighting in the building was terrible and it was hanging in a hall, so I didn't have enough room to back up to get the whole thing. But you can see the general overall idea. It took a long time to hang, but it was well worth it!

I printed the images on watercolor paper with the historic cyanotype printing processes.

Gum Bichromate - Ballerina

2010-08-21T22:49:00.000-07:00

I think ballerinas are such a wonderful symbol for grace, dignity, and discipline. I love how they move. One of my dear friends is a ballerina. She is one of my favorite subject matters to photograph. I printed these Gum Bichromate pictures as a birthday present for her, and as a thank you for all the hours she has spent with me over the last couple of years modeling in the studio. I picked a soft, silvery color for my paint as a representation of the way I view ballerinas: gentle, subtle and eloquent.

Image Transfers on Wood

2010-08-09T16:29:00.000-07:00

I made this book for a friend of mine who works at the university I attend. He had made some comments earlier that got me thinking about how he could use a nice gift in his life lately. So with the help of my teacher we were able to borrow his well-beloved cowboy outfit and photograph it.
I photographed these images with a 4x5 large format camera. It was the first time I had ever used one before. My teacher let me use hers and went out photographing with me so she could teach me how to use it (I loved it so much a couple weeks later I bought my own ;).
Besides learning how to use a 4x5 camera, I was also interested in learning some new book binding techniques. I decided I was going to make my friend a handmade book with the images I took. I choose wood as the substrate because I wanted to play with new materials and I thought it fit the cowboy theme. I scanned the images on the computer,printed them off and transferred them onto wood. I stitched it with a green thread and have a belt around it to seal it closed.

Photographic Toning with Kool-Aid

2010-08-04T23:53:00.001-07:00

I wanted to experiment with homemade photographic toners, so I bought a package of red and blue kool-aid. I mixed each package with a little bit of water. I then transferred some laser prints onto a heavier paper. I placed the images (or sometimes just sections of the images) in the two separate colors for about 30 seconds. I am happy with how it turned out. I am planning on making a toning journal where I have a collection of different types of papers with different types of toners as a reference for future projects. I think toning an image can add a lot to a print.

Book Review: "Photographic Possiblities" by Robert Hirsch

2010-07-29T00:43:00.001-07:00

An excellent book I just finished reading:

5 out of 5 Stars

This book is fantastic! It is laid out in textbook format, but don't let that intimidate you. It is well worth reading!
The first note to make about this book is that its focus is more directed towards photographers working with film. This book covers topics such as: paper and negative developers, photographic toners, specialty films and cameras, and how to mix and store chemistry. It also has an excellent opening chapter about what photography is and pushing the boundaries of art making.
The author, Robert Hirsch, also wrote a lengthy chapter about historic processes. This chapter was the main reason I bought the book. I picked up quite a few helpful tips for coating paper and what substrates work with different processes. I felt the information was adequate enough to at least begin experimenting with these processes, though I sometimes wished he'd gone into more depth. I learned about a new process called gumoil that I am very excited to try and already have a project in mind for it.
Overall I found this book to be very informative. Hirsch is very thorough in the information given. He lists recipes for: making toners, chemistry for historic processes, as well as film and paper developers. He explains in detail what the different chemicals do and why they are needed. He tells what the different visual results will be depending on what type of developer is used. (For example, with film he specifies how each developer will effect the grain size, contrast, etc). He also gives a lot of resources, such as: introducing a wide range of working artists, websites to buy supplies and chemicals, websites for more information about the topic, and a long list of resource guides at the end of each chapter, including other books.
One of the things I liked the best is that this book is filled with beautiful photographs from a wide range of artists. Often he would use the photographs as examples of what he was talking about by using artists who used a certian processes or developer or technique. Also the images would have quotes from the artists that not only explained their technique but also talked about what their art means or why they made it. I love that! It was kind of like little artists statements with each photograph.
The one thing I found most disappointing was the description of how to make digital negatives. I felt like he really skimmed over the concept. He did not give much detail about it. He mentioned the need to change the curves in Photoshop and what to change it to depends on the process you are working with. But then he gave no information about what the curve settings need to be. All he did was reference an artist's website, Dan Burkholder, who has written a book about making digital negatives. So, I guess if you don't already have the curves and information you need, you might want to look into buying the other book, too. Maybe he felt like it was too much information to try and add to his book. But I did take note that for someone who doesn't have experience with making digital negatives, they will probably get lost when making one if they are only going off the information he provided.
My final critique of the overall quality, clarity, information, and inspiration of this book is that it is excellently executed. I felt very inspired by it. I wrote a long lists of ideas to try that I gained from reading this book. I was really influenced by the artists' works and writings. I felt like I gained a lot of insight into the art making process. I learned things about photography I did not know, especially new darkroom techniques. This book is a resource I plan on referring to often. I recommend it to any serious artists working with film, darkroom techniques, or historic processes. To me, it is a must have!

Experimenting With Plexiglass

2010-07-27T11:12:00.000-07:00

This is an image of my husband, Devon Harbaugh. I was working on two projects when I made this piece. The first project, I was trying to figure out a good way to convey the concept of layers building upon itself. With the other project, I was playing with the idea of making a book out of plexiglass. I wanted it so that you could look through all the pages and see a final image, but that you could also flip through the pages as you would a book.
When all the pages were put together, I loved how it looked, but each individual piece was not strong enough to hold interests as you looked at them by themselves. I still need to explore that concept with a different approach and subject matter.
As far as the other project goes with building up layers, it wasn't quite the right look I was going for. I think this project looks more broken and pieced back together than individual layers built up to make a whole. I found a different way to resolve my layers piece, much different than how this turned out. But I think this approach has great potential for future concepts and projects. What is your critique and feeling about this picture?

Book Review: "Encaustic Workshop" by Patricia Baldwin Seggebruch

2010-07-21T14:08:00.001-07:00

Another book i just finished reading:

3.5 out of 5 Stars

I read this book because I am interested in mixed media techniques and have played some with wax and wanted to learn more. This book covers some basic techniques and ideas for working with beeswax as an artistic medium. I wouldn't suggest this book for someone who is seriously interested in learning the traditional techniques of encaustic painting. In terms of how to paint with encaustic, the information was limited. But if you are a mixed media artists or are always looking for new techniques this is a fabulous resource to have in your library.

Patricia takes a very alternative approach using beeswax as a form of art. This book explores carving the wax, adding watercolor, transferring images, adding found objects, cloth and papers, and even burning shellac on the wax. She even has a chapter at the end with tips, examples, and ideas for how to present or frame your encaustic work.

The step by step images for all her technique examples seemed clear and easy to follow. However, I didn't care much for the examples of the finished art that were given throughout the book. Most of them I found to be uninspiring and as far as I could tell there was no real concept to any of her work, which was a disappointment. She made only a few references to concept throughout the whole book!

She did have some interesting techniques that sparked my interested, though. There was an example she showed where she bleached black paper. It looks like it has a lot of potential to create beautiful things. I am also interested in trying the shellac and watercolor techniques.

Here are the examples of these techniques. I photographed them from the book:

Bleaching Technique

Shellac Technique

Watercolor Technique

And now for my two cents about what I have observed from this book and in my own experience: I have found that when it comes to working with beeswax often times simpler (an image with a few accents and a couple layers of wax) is better...unless you want to go for a more abstract look. When I am trying to use photographs as the main focus and I am adding sand and twigs and paint and text and so on, it just never seems to come out correctly. It usually comes out looking cluttered or disorganized or scrapbooky. I think working with encaustic has a delicate balance between being a cohesive, strong piece of art and being a mess, boring, or having disconnected elements.
But, like I briefly mentioned before, when it comes to abstract work there is a lot of potential. There are many great textures and colors possible through the layering techniques of wax. In general I have found that I like the beauty and mood of abstract work with mixed media encaustic more then something that has a recognizable subject matter. An abstract approach with encaustic can create some very beautiful, visually interesting art.
On a final note, an important tip I discovered: when using photographs make sure the background surface is white, not wood/dark colored because it will darken your natural image a lot as your image becomes partly transparent from the wax.

Great Horned Owl

2010-07-20T18:41:00.000-07:00

About 4 or 5 days ago very late at night I spotted a Great Horned Owl perched on a telephone pole. It was hard to see it because of how dark it was, but I was very excited about it none-the-less. I love owls and they are one of my favorite birds. Yesterday I went to photograph at the Arboretum in a neighboring town, and right when we got there, around dusk, an owl flew right above my head. I watched where he perched and was able to take some photos of him. Unfortunately the lighting was dim, so I had to bump up my ISO (which causes graininess/fuzziness) and slow my shutter speed down (which causes motion blur). So even though they aren't perfect pictures (and I can't afford a $5,000-$10,000 telephoto, fast, birding lens), I am still happy I was able to get them!

Darkroom Mural Print

2010-07-12T23:58:00.001-07:00

Sorry I haven't been posting my art work as much as I should be lately. I have been having great art experiences other than just creating, but I have been creating lots this summer too and I have so much art to post. Sometimes it just takes me a while after I create something to re-photograph it so I can post it. But I took some pictures and will be sharing them here in the next few weeks.

To start with, this is a self portrait I made as part of my BFA show. My BFA show is my senior project that is required for a Bachelors in Fine Art (BFA). I have been working since last December on it and will be showing it this November at Gallery East in Price, Ut. I am really excited about it.
This photograph was taken on a medium format camera called a Hasselblad. The film I used was Ilford Pan 50 which allows for really fine detail and beautiful contrast. I printed it large (30x32 inches) in the darkroom by projecting it onto the wall and then taping mural sized RC variable contrast silver gelatin paper to the wall to make the exposure. This photograph is about knowing you have an important decision to make and confronting your fears about it with confidence. It is about taking the first step towards change.

Book Review: The Art of Papermaking with Plants by Marie-Jeanne Lorente

2010-07-11T21:38:00.001-07:00

And yet another book I have read this summer:

3 out of 5 Stars

The way this book is set up is that there is a chapter in the front of the book discussing supplies and materials needed to create handmade paper. Then it gives instructions on how to make handmade paper. The instructions are basic and easy to follow (of course I think paper making is one of those things that is easier said than done). After the brief introduction on how to make paper, the rest of the book, except for a concluding chapter, has recipes for how to make different types of paper. The concluding chapter features a gallery of working paper-artists and shows the diversity of what contemporary artists are creating with handmade paper. Each artists also has an artist statement and bio.

The recipes in this book are broken up into 4 sections: grasses, trees, edible plants, and non-plant papers. Examples of some of the plants found in this book are: bamboo, wheat, chestnut, elm, artichoke, mushroom, zucchini, and tomatoes. The plants under the edible plants chapter seem to be the easiest to access. Some of the plants aren't even indigenous to America (the book was originally written in French and the author is from France). There are 52 plant recipes.

Recipes include: location for where the plant can be found, when is best to harvest the plant, how to prepare it, how long to cook it for, how much bleach to use, how long to rinse it, the results of the paper (texture, look, etc), and what it can be used for. Some of the paper is so fragile that it can't really be used for anything; it is just to look at.

The thing I did not like about this book was the authors writing style. It was cheesy and random. In the first chapter of the book she gives an introduction about paper-making and the invention of making paper. I found it scattered and uninformative. But when it comes to paper-making she seems to know what she is talking about.

I was interested in this book because I'd like to try printing historic processes on handmade paper. I love the unique look and texture handmade papers offer. Plus, I love using my hands to create. I am not sure how well the emulsion will stick to the paper, but i definitely think it is worth trying. I also want to use handmade papers for image transfers and art books.

Book Review: "Book Art - Handcrafting Artists' Books" by Dorothy Simpson Krause

2010-07-09T18:00:00.001-07:00

Here is a review of another book I read this summer:

3.5 out of 5 Stars
This book is focused on the art of book making. Dorothy Simpson Krause seems to be a very experienced book artist. The book is filled with well over a dozen examples of handmade books she has created. With each of these examples she talks about her concept and how and why she did certian things, which is always interesting and helpful for me to hear how other artist work.

Krause covers a lot of ground: altering found/blank books, transferring images and text, book layouts, stitching, and making covers. This is great for an overall introduction to these techniques, but I found that some of the examples and how-to steps weren't as thorough as I would have liked, especially on the stitching section. I wish she had more pictures showing what she is talking about with each step. The pictures are kind of vague. I think if you were a beginner without much experience with bookbinding it might be hard to follow. But if you are familiar with bookbinding and have made a handful of books before, you shouldn't have a problem understanding what is going on and would probably enjoy the book a lot.

Besides the lack of more detailed pictures I found the book comfortable and easy to read. Her writing was conversational and easy to follow.

Overall I enjoyed the book. It had some really helpful tips and creative ideas. It gives a broad introduction to book arts and gives insight to the possibilities available, with great examples. I also found the author to be very sincere and open about her art which is also insightful. My favorite part in the book was an example she gave for gelatin monoprints. She showed how to use gelatin, leaves, and paint to make gorgeous transfers onto book pages. I am really excited to try this technique and can see myself using it often in my own book making projects.

Book Review: "Image Transfer Workshop" by Darlene Olivia McElroy and Sandra Duran Wilson

2010-07-06T15:38:00.001-07:00

This summer has been a nice vacation for me. I am up in Washington while my husband is doing research at a university here. This has been a great time for me to take a break from school and work, and to be able to do what I want! During this time I have been able to read a lot of books. Because I have been getting so much great reading done, I decided to write up some book reviews. This way I can share these wonderful books I have been finding so many gems in and share it with you!

5 out of 5 Stars
I would definitely recommend this book. It is a very simple to read, straight forward book with a wide variety of techniques to transfer images (35 to be exact). It gives very detailed step by step instructions with each transfer as well as step by step photographs to go with them. It is hard to get lost or confused along the way.

Plus, with each transfer it lists: its limitations (potential issues), the different types of surfaces it works well on (wood, cloth, metal, paper), its archival quality, and the materials you will need. Also, it gives a troubleshooting section with each transfer to help you figure out why your transfer didn't work. I also found it really helpful that at the end of the book they have a list of resources for where you can buy the materials you would need.

They also have a chapter at the end of the book showing how the artists apply these techniques in their own work. For me personally, my style and taste differs from theirs, but these techniques can definitely be utilized to fit my own personal vision and offer great potential to all different styles of art making (photography, book arts, mixed media, painting, fabric arts).

I plan on using a wide range of transfer techniques I learned from this book. I like to use different substrates in my work and so I am really interested in the transfer techniques that can be used on wood, metal, and cloth. There was also a really interesting technique where you use silk tissue to make a transfer that I want to try. Once I get home and have access to all my art supplies I will post an example of an image transfer I make based off a technique I learned in this book.

Cyanotype Photograms

2010-06-28T10:17:00.000-07:00

In my last posts I talked a little about photograms. Photograms are made by putting an object (leaves, flowers, strings, toys, cookie cutters, etc) onto a substrate that has been coated with a light sensitive emulsion. The emulsion is then exposed in sunlight and then fixed in photo chemicals. Here are some examples of photograms I did with cyanotype a while ago.

Cloth Cyanotype Book

2010-06-14T20:27:00.001-07:00

I am making a small children's book with images of birds. The inspiration for this book comes from the old school Dick and Jane books, with extremely simple text and sentence structure. I printed the images with a historic photographic process called cyanotype. This time I didn't print on watercolor paper though, but on cloth. I really liked using cloth as a substrate. I like the softness of the pages and the texture added to the print. I found it a more appropriate and durable substrate for a children book. I still need to figure out a way to keep the edges from fraying though. Any suggestions of the easiest, cleanliest way to fix my edges? Once I do that, it will be ready for me to stitch up into a book form and it will be done. I enjoyed this project so much I plan on making a few of them to sell.
It was really great using the cloth pages for a book too because it is easier than using watercolor paper. This is because the cloth is already pretreated with the chemistry and I don't have to mix and coat the chemistry on myself. There are two great websites where you can buy these pretreated cyanotype cloth pieces:

http://www.blueprintsonfabric.com

http://www.bluesunprints.com/

The later website even has different colors of cyanotype. If you want a fun, simple art project to do I recommend buying a packages of small squares, a large sheet, a t-shirt, whatever you'd like from this website (if you are into quilting and sewing, this is a fantastic way to get your own distinct pattern to work with. The material is washable). While you are waiting for the cloth to come in the mail, start thinking of some fun shaped objects you would like to use for your art piece. This can be flowers or leaves or maybe something like scissors and paper clips or maybe a paper cuttings you did. Whatever it is, make sure its size is compatible to the size of cloth you ordered. When your cloth gets here, take it out of the package, lay your objects on top of it in direct sunlight. It usually takes maybe 10 to 15 minutes (see instructions that come with purchase). After it has been exposed take it back inside. Give it a water bath for about 5 minutes. Then move it to a second water bath that has a little bit of hydrogen peroxide in it(a capsule or two). It only needs to be in that bath for 15 to 30 seconds. (The hydrogen peroxide in the second bath is optional, but recommended. Using it will give you a deeper, richer blue color in your cyanotypes). Then move it to a final bath and let it rinse for 10 to 20 minutes. Hang or lay to dry. And that is it! You have just created some beautiful art!
I have quite a few upcoming art projects I have been gathering plants for, where I will be making cyanotype photograms. I am very excited to create them! I think plant photograms are very beautiful. For inspiration, enjoyment and a vision of possibilities, yet out this artist (make sure to read the artist statement, it is very well written and gives a wonderful insight to the beauty of creating photograms). Also, check out Anna Atkins work, I highlighted her briefly in the post previous to this one:

James Hajicek and Carol Panora-Smith

I think it is important to support shops like the Blueprints on Fabric store so that they stay open and running. I hope each one of you tries it out. It is a super great activity to do with kids too...at birthday parties, preschool lesson, visit to grandmas, etc. ENJOY!

New York City and the Many Beautiful Historic Photographs

2010-06-10T18:11:00.000-07:00

I went to New York City for the purpose of having an exquisite and rejuvenating art experience. And that is exactly what I got! It was well worth the efforts to get there. I saw some of the most beautiful art from dozens and dozens of the many well known masters of art. It is such a different experience to see these things in person rather than just in an art history textbook.
I would like to highlight some of the amazing, historic photographers whose work I saw at the art museums I went to in New York City (the Guggenheim, Metropolitan and Museum of Modern Art):

Anna Atkins, (1869-1950), Cyanotype Print
Anna Atkins was a botanist/photographer who created the first photographic book ever made, which consisted of photo-grams of plant life using a cyanotype printing process. The book is titled "Photographs of British Algea: Cyanotype Impressions." I had the opportunity to see a sample page from her original book.

Julia Margaret Cameron, (1815-1879),Venus Chiding Cupid and Removing His Wings, Albumen Print
Julia Margaret Cameron is one of my favorite early photographers. She was very ahead of her time and a great pioneer in creating artistic photography. Her work is well worth looking into; she has some really beautiful creations.

Roger Fenton, Rievaulx Abbey Yorkshire, 1854, Process Unknown
Roger Fenton is an early photographer who is most famous for photographing the Crimean War. He also did a lot of architectural photography. The Metropolitan Museum had a print of his on display. Unfortunately, I do not remember the exact image I saw there because it is one I wasn't familiar with it. But it was a landscape/architectural photograph, instead of one taken from the Crimean War. I like his landscape/architectural images better than his war photographs.

Anne Brigman, (1869-1950), The Wind Harp, Platinum Print

Gertrude Kasebier, (1852-1934), Blessed Art Thou Among Woman, Platinum Print

Imogen Cunningham, 1925, Magnolia Blossom,
Platinum Print

All three of these artist are American Woman who belonged to a group called the Photo-Secession. This was a group of photographers who fought for photography's acceptance as an art form. They approached their art with a more pictorial, soft, moody feel. I really, really enjoy this style of photography both for the philosophy behind the group and also for more dreamlike, emotional feel to the photographs.

Irving Penn, Large Sleeve, 1951, Gelatin Silver Print
Classic, inspirational, talented portrait photographer - known as one of the best! About 12 to 15 or so of Irving Penn's original silver gelatin prints were on display at the MOMA and they are all gorgeous prints.

Henri Cartier-Bresson, Hyeres, France, 1932, Silver Gelatin Print
Henri Cartier-Bresson is known as the "father to modern photojournalism." He is most famous for his photographic philosophy "the decisive moment." The best way I can think of to describe this concept is in Henri Cartier-Bresson own words: "There is nothing in this world that does not have a decisive moment...Photography is simultaneously and instantaneously the recognition of a fact and the rigorous organization of visually perceived forms that express and signify that fact." (Quote cited from Wikipedia).
Currently at the MOMA they have an entire exhibit of Henri Cartier-Bresson's photographs. There is easily over a hundred on display. It was an incredible experience to be able to make it over there and see the exhibit.
My entire art trip to New York City was absolutely amazing and I can't wait to go back! What a wonderful thing that there can be so much beautiful art all in on city.
I have one last artist I want to highlight: William Kentridge. He was actually my favorite part about my entire trip. I liked his show the very best. He isn't even a photographer. He's actually best known for his animated films. He has done a lot with theater and film. He also does printmaking, paper-cutting, and charcoal drawings. Hope you enjoy, unfortunately these small internet images don't even do it close to enough justice...at all! His work is breathe taking in person, but this will give you an idea of his style of work:

Drawing From Stereoscope 1998-99, Charcoal, Pastel, Color Pencil on paper

Title Unknown

Music Box Tondo, 2006, Archival pigment print on Hahnemuhle German etching paper

What I like about William Kentridge's work is the sense of humility that is offers. It is simple, rough, depends greatly on contour lines and has a moody edge to it. He has a large variation in his work, yet it all holds a distinct signature of his style. I can tell that thought, concept and effort were put into each piece. I relate to it on a raw human nature level, if that makes sense? Anyways, I learned a lot about my own art work and got a lot of great ideas from viewing his show. He has a gigantic exhibit going on at the MOMA right now. He filled rooms and rooms all with his own work. That really impressed me.
What are your thoughts and critic on his work, and the other artists I have shared?

Tucson, AZ

2010-05-20T18:40:00.000-07:00

Hello friends! Sorry it has been so long since I have posted. I was finishing up finals at school and then after that I've been gone doing lots of traveling. I went to Tucson, AZ a couple weeks ago and then last weekend I just got back from a trip to New York City.
I went to AZ so I could take pictures for a big project I am working on. Here is just a highlight of what I spent my week in Tucson photographing.

DESERT LANDSCAPE
The first night we were in Arizona my husband and I spent the evening watching the sun set over the saguaro desert. It was so beautiful watching the clouds slowly change colors from orange and reds to purples and blues. The cacti have this heavenly glow about them when they are back lit. Then as it gets darker all that can be seen is the beautiful, delicate silhouette of the saguaro cacti. Truly a breathtaking site!

Here is a close up of the flowers in bloom on top of the saguaro cacti. They bloomed the last day we were in Tucson. I was so excited!

RELIGIOUS ICONS

For the big project I am working on, I am using a lot of religious statues as part of my concept. I spent almost 2 full days photographing at cathedrals and Catholic graveyards. The art found in these places is quite stunning. I plan on printing over 4 dozen different photographs I took of religious icons and printing them with a historic photo process called kallitypes. It will take me a while to finish them, but keep your eyes open as I begin posting them throughout the summer.

BIRDS

I have picked up a new hobby lately where I love to photograph birds. For two class projects I did last semester I used birds for my subject matter. I found it very relaxing and exciting to photograph them (and very difficult too, especially to get them in sharp focus). My husband has become particularly interested in photographing birds and encourages me to go out often with him to find and photograph them. I still need to rephotograph the bird projects I did last semester (because I printed them as cyanotypes) and will hopefully post them soon as well.

AIRPLANE GRAVEYARD

There is a really cool place in Tucson called the Airplane Graveyard. It covers something like 80 acres of land, all of which is spotted with rows old, broken down airplanes used by the air force. When the airplanes are retired, the air force sends them to Tucson where they wait until a discussion is made what to do with them. Often times parts are salvaged and scrap metal is used for other airplanes. If you are interested in old airplanes like this here is a link for more information.

BEES
So I thought I would just throw this in for kicks and giggles. My brother lives in Tucson and we stayed at his house. Overnight this huge bees nest moved into a tree in his backyard. I must admit that I was not the one who took these photos, my husband was the one brave enough to go into the backyard and photograph them. I felt bad for my sister-in-law because she has 3 kids seven years old and under who love to play in the backyard, but because of the bees they couldn't go outside to play. I don't blame her for keeping them inside though, that nest holds an alarming amount of bees. The last thing she needs is her 7 year old boy throwing rocks at the nest and having a whole swarm attack him. Scary stuff.

Large Format Camera

2010-04-10T21:09:00.000-07:00

These are some images I photographed with a large format camera. It was my first time ever photographing with a large format camera by myself. I printed them as kallitypes.

Reawakening

2010-03-27T15:13:00.000-07:00

Fashion Shoot

2010-03-20T10:41:00.000-07:00

Fashion isn't my favorite choice to photograph, but I have a friend who does hair and make-up. She got together 3 models which she dressed up and did hair and make-up for and I photographed them. I spent 7 hours that Saturday working on this photo shoot.

Regenerate

2010-03-11T19:55:00.001-08:00

I printed this image using a historic printing processes called cyanotype. It is similar to many of the historic processes I use. It requires me to paint my chemistry on to the watercolor paper and then contact print it in the sunlight. I love this process because of the color; it is a rich, beautiful blue. The digital reproduction I made of my final piece didn't capture the color quite correctly, but it is close enough.
After I had printed with cyanotype, I then added, using glue, broken pieces of glass on top of my printed cyanotype.
The piece is about the continual cycle and quest for healing.

Frame of Mind

2010-03-11T19:02:00.000-08:00

Wondering how I did this?...
For this process I took a piece of metal and etched it with acid. I then transferred a photograph onto the metal. I was really happy with how it turned out. I wasn't very familiar with either process, so in alot of ways it was a "happy accident." I didn't realize that the metal would show up underneath my transfer in the lighter areas of my photograph. So that means that the acid etched metal is showing through where her skin is.

Alternative Wax Art Photograph

2010-03-10T12:52:00.000-08:00

I recently have been learning a new technique similar to encaustic painting, except I am working with Alternative Wax Art Photograph. I am in love with this new processes because of the many layers I can add to it and the texture it creates.

Resting Place

2010-02-07T19:23:00.001-08:00

These images were printed using an historic processes called kallitype. I painted light sensitive chemistry onto watercolor paper and then exposed it using UV light. This process is called contact printing because my negative has to lay flat on the paper to expose correctly. My images were taken on a digital camera and then converted into a negative that I could then print with.
This project is not finished yet. The other half I am waiting for spring to come so I can finish it. I created this project in honor of my uncle who recently passed away.

Arizona

2010-01-14T20:40:00.001-08:00

Here is a sneak peek into my new project I am working on. The concept is about important decisions. For Christmas, I went down to Tucson, AZ to photograph the beautiful scenery there. I plan on printing my images with historic processes and other alternative photography. It will take me awhile to finish the project, but it will be incredibly beautiful when it is done!

Lifestyle's Artist Statement

2010-01-12T19:36:00.000-08:00

The greatest influence in my work is my love and passion for people. There is so much to say about a person. I see each individual as unique, with their own distinct stories to tell, and I recognize that theme continually resurfacing in my work. My goal is to capture the personality, passions and emotions within individuals. I believe people have so many different layers to who they are, what they think and how they feel.

For this project, I found great inspiration as I studied the work of Mary Ellen Mark. She inspired me to take a photojournalist approach to my photography. She inspired and motivated me to get out on the streets and find a wide variety of people to photograph.

I approached this project in a straightforward manner. I found people to photograph, talked to them about their lives, and then captured a part of their personality and lifestyle. I let them do their own thing, encouraging them to be themselves, as I sit in the background photographing. All my photographs are printed black and white to simplify the images.

I plan on working on this project for a few years. If anyone knows somebody who would be good to photograph for this project, please let me know. Thanks.

Lifestyle

2010-01-12T19:00:00.000-08:00