Seven Day Covenant: Day 1. The Seed of Life: 1. Montage. Original Photography.
There are feathers to be seen.
That will touch your heart.
Reminding you.
Of my love.
~Ally.
Digital Imaging.
After creating the Cover Images for my MakersPlace Gallery and Homesteaders Coop Store with Photoshop, I discovered that not only could I remember how to employ some of the icons of this software, but that I REALLY enjoyed working with Photoshop again.
And although creating digital imagery is not my primary aim as an artist, generating imagery with Photoshop has now become part of the equation, along with Artist's Journaling in my quest to draw and paint again.
Much of my artwork has exemplified a love of subtlety in imagery that can be obtained from layering and transparency and so it's probably not all that surprising that I've found myself gravitating towards experimenting with the very basic techniques of layering and blending.
Challenging myself.
There are as many approaches to art making as there are artists including the time that an artist is able to give to the development and sharing of their work.
One approach is to commit to producing a piece of art on a regular basis. I've been musing with the idea of committing to making one piece of art every day for a year and making my commitment public by sharing it here at Steemit.
The mere thought of doing this has absolutely terrified me. My thinking can come up with any number of reasons as to why it's virtually impossible for me to be able to do. Time being a major tease. And yet the Ally Whisperer has been whispering to me to just start.
I've been so very blessed that @scrawly and @verytiger have become a part of my Steemit journey and I was so impressed when recently they both completed their respective commitments to create an artwork and share it every day for 365 days.
And now reading Scrawly's approach, my Scaredy Cat has at last been pacified. Well, just a little.
I was pretty happy when I posted consecutively for a week, and when I completed my first month, I began to wonder if it’s actually possible for me to draw and post everyday. ~Scrawly: Journey.
For now, my 'covenant' is to produce and share a new work every day for the next seven days.
I'll begin by sharing some of the very simple digital images that I'm currently working with: Using images from my ephemeral art and photography, with the goal of generating concepts and images that can then be used as references for drawings and/or paintings.
Keeping in mind as much as possible that: The way to do is to be. ~Lao Tzu.
The Seed of Life: No 1.
The symbol of a being with no beginning and no end:
Continually existing, perfectly formed
And profoundly symmetrical.
~Sacred Geometry
How this image was produced.
After today, I may or may not be able to show all the stages of a piece. Will have to see how kind Time can be.
Feathers.
I've been very drawn to working with feathers for many years now and they have a personal significance for me. It's like they cast their magic all around me as I work with them. ~Ally.
The Base Image: Wild Duck Feathers.
I shared this image a few days ago in Feathers in my Artwork. I had the feeling for using it as a transparent overlay over the Seed of Life and/or as a background for additional layers.
For there you have been, and there you will always long to return.
~Leonardo da Vinci.
The Rose and Feathers.
The centre bottom rose was extracted from this image of one of my ephemeral pieces that was shared two years ago at Quintessential Rose.
After the candle is blown out. ~Lewis Carroll.
First addition: A Circle of 12 Roses with Feathers.
The single rose was duplicated and the 12 roses were then arranged in a circle, over the feathers. The transparency was slightly adjusted so that the edges of the roses were slightly softened.
The Seed of Life with Shells.
The underlying structure of one of my ephemeral art pieces. A paper that had been wrapped around a present a friend gave me, as a hand-cut Seed of Life.
Second addition: A Circle of 12 Roses and the Seed of Life with Shells and Feathers.
The Seed of Life with an inner circle of star shells and an outer circle of spiraling shells was added to the centre of the image. Two layers of the Seed of Life were used to obtain a softness on the edges with more clarity towards the centre.
Single Feather.
This feather was one of the twelve feathers featured in the video at Morning Star. 12 Feathers.
Third and final addition: A Circle of 12 Roses and the Seed of Life with Shells, Feathers and 11:11.
In my previous article Feathers Montage. Original Photography I shared a little about the significance of the 11:11 and how it first appeared in my collage work and how ever since I have used it with intent in my collage and assemblage work.
The 11:11 is seen as representing a Portal or Gateway to other levels of our being. It is seen by many people in day-to-day situations as a reminder to simply be in the present moment and by doing so, becoming more in tune with all Cosmic Life. ~Ally. Feathers Montage. Original Photography
In a practical sense, the 11:11 can be seen as the numbers on a digital clock or phone or the position of trees in a park/forest. ~Ally. Feathers Montage. Original Photography
Can you see the 11:11 in The Seed of Life: No 1?
Other Versions without the Seed of Life.
One of the modalities I wish to really move into now is minimalistic black and white imagery with subtle tints of colour. Hence these variations. You may find the variations to be elusive but if you have a favourite, I'd love to know.
Another Current Project.
Feathers that have been incorporated into so many of my art pieces from collage work to ephemeral arrangements are also a prominent part of a range of eco-friendly products that I'm in the process of developing. They'll be available soon from my Homesteaders Co-Op Store: Eco Curios: Magical wands and hats, poles and figures as well as small baskets and containers.
And eventually, images inspired by these curios will also be available in my MakersPlace Gallery.
Magical Wands.
Just a glimpse of my first Magical Wand: With all the feathers freely given by the wild ducks at the Roseville Lake.
All the wonderful things.
That you could wish for. If you had:
A MAGICAL WAND.
~Ally.
A creative who is learning to trust the mystery of what will be.
A spirit that is willing to fly into new creative realms and share the journey. ~Ally.
SONY Mark2 A7.
Those are some really beautiful images; they are so pure looking, touched by something divine.
Bright Blessings!
Thanks so much @whitelightxpress. I've worked with the 11:11 and the Seed of Life in my ephemeral art work but this is the first time I've attempted to bring them together. Something I've been aspiring to do, for many years, but had to get over a few fears first.
♥︎♥︎⚖️♥︎♥︎
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Really really beautiful, peaceful feeling...
The one with blue feathers and the infinity symbol up on top is one of my favorites. I like working with Photoshop too but have been mostly using GIMP recently because there is not that much that I'm currently doing. I have been trying to post more frequently and I find it helpful for me. I really enjoy seeing your posts.
Thanks so much for letting me know your preference @lightsplasher. Taking out the Seed of Life and adding the infinity symbol, gave the image more of a neutral colour scheme that I like.
I've been thinking of painting the Seed of Life for a very long time ~ Since having a dream a few years ago about bees forming a Seed of Life from under the earth. So these images are like my working drawings for it. Hopefully more than the one painting too ~ Once I start.
I learned the basics of PS when I did a Photography course, but then used GIMP. I could do everything I'd been able to do in PS, although it took me a while to find my way around. And now I'm back to square one all over again with PS. I've been using LightRoom to edit my photographs and PS goes with the 'package' ~ Just had to get over my fear of thinking it was 'too hard.'
Pleased to hear you're posting more frequently. It's not always easy to find the time. Posting something 7 days in a row will be a HUGE challenge for me ~ Life can be so full of known demands ~ But it's the unknown ones that have stopped me from making any sort of commitment to post on a regular basis. Till now. ♥︎♥︎⚖️♥︎♥︎
Those are absolutely beautiful hon!!!
So pleased you like these images Jaynie. The ideas have been there for a long long time ~ But I needed the time/space to actually birth them. And now that I've overcome my 'fear' of learning Photoshop again ~ I'm that much closer to being able to birth the drawings and paintings that I've been dreaming of too. ♥︎♥︎⚖️♥︎♥︎
That is SO wonderful hon! Well, you know what they say... everything happens PRECISELY as and when it should! :)
Allllyyyyyy
This is absolutely gorgeous, O M G * ___ *
You have such a delicate but fine-tuned comprehension for composition, design, and balance that speaks through your artworks with such volume and beauty <3 I love this, there is something vibrating from this piece, an energy that is although soft, indomitable and sacred :)
Absolutely gorgeous <3
And, and, I see the 11:11 !!! :D
And, and, and, I love how you laid out the process of the piece, and the variations are all very interesting, as in seeing secret faces of this creation :) Very wonderful * ____ *
Dont be afraid to challenge yourself~ The only way to fail is not to give yourself a chance to succeed :D :D :D Love you and your beautiful spirit, Ally <3
I have been SOOOOO lucky to have come across you as a friend <3 <3 <3
I'm so pleased you can see the 11:11 @veryspider. I realized a while ago that this symbol has been with me for even longer than when I first started making collages. Way back when I first started painting on large canvases, I used a format of 4 rectangles for colour paintings. There wasn't a space or a colon in the centre, but I think 4 tall rectangles in a row comes pretty close!
I'd love to keep sharing the processes of my image making, but if I'm aiming to share something every day? I have a feeling that this may be the last of my long posts ~ Which may not be such a 'bad thing.'
Both you and Scrawly have been such an inspiration for me. I wouldn't be able to contemplate taking up this 'challenge' if I hadn't seen you both doing it. I admire how you pushed through all sorts of difficulties ~ With flying colours. Working during the day and then coming home to find the energy to create as well as share your creation ~ Every single day ~ Would have been such a demand. But you did it.
It's really mutual Spider. I feel so fortunate that we have connected and become friends. Much love and gratitude to you. ♥︎♥︎⚖️♥︎♥︎
Here's to the first step of your artistic journey :).
All the arrangement that you created look good, Ally. It's pretty creative of you to think of several different compositions of the same objects.
Beautiful art, @allyinspirit I love the 11:11 addition to your work. The first image without the seed of life is my favorite. You can do it!!! ♥