A frosty morning with Instagram

I don't have much time, and patience, for sitting down in peace and quiet to do some painting at the moment, and I've neglected my camera for ages. That's probably why I enjoy my new iPhone even more, as it allows me to play around and snap, edit and share photos so easily.

It was a frosty morning, freezing cold but so beautiful, especially along the river. And while I very much regretted not having my camera with me, I was so glad that I had my phone to take photos with, and to share some of them on Instagram. I just love winter. And my new phone :)

Playing with my new mobile and Instagram

I finally got myself a new mobile phone, after the battery of my old one had reached the state where it wasn't really possible to use it anymore without it being plugged in. I had been thinking about getting a new mobile for ages, but just couldn't make up my mind about what I wanted. At the end, I couldn't resist the new iPhone, and I was so excited that I didn't even had to wait the usual 2-5 weeks for it, as the phone shop just had a delivery the day before, and I could take it home and start playing with it straight away.

It's my first smartphone, and now instead of reading, I spend most of the time on the train playing with it, looking for new apps, listening to Swedish audio books, which I don't even have to download on to my phone anymore, downloading music, and taking photos and editing them on my phone with the use of different apps. My latest 'discovery' is Instagram. Yes, I know, it's nothing new, and even I had heard about it long before I even considered getting a new mobile. But right now, it's all new to me, and so much fun to use.

Are you using Instagram? I'm still finding it a bit confusing to find people there. You'll find me here: NORDLJUSDREAMS

Why it is a good idea to add a watermark to your photos

I've become a bit of a Pinterest addict again after not having used it for several months. It is a wonderful source for inspiration of all kinds, and you can find some interesting stuff there. Very interesting, indeed. A few days ago, I looked through someone's board of wintery images when suddenly I saw a photo that looked somehow familiar. It was one of those "uploaded by user" ones with no link or reference whatsoever. I could see a little watermark on it, though, so I clicked on it to view it in a bigger size, curious why it looked so familiar. Well, when I saw the watermark, I knew why it had looked so familiar - it was my own photo!

 http://pinterest.com/pin/228276274833820338/

I had taken this photo and uploaded it to Flickr about 2 years ago. I haven't used Flickr in quite a while now, and never renewed my Pro account after it expired over a year ago. Apparently, the photo was uploaded to Pinterest about 3 weeks ago. Where that user got the photo from, I don't know. Is it still visible in some Flickr group pool, even though in my own photostream, only the latest 200 of my 1500+ photos are visible? And how did they manage to download it in the first place, considering that I disenabled downloading from Flickr? I really have no idea.

Up- and downloading photos and sharing them on sites like Flickr, Facebook, Tumblr, Pinterest etc. is ever so easy these days. Unfortunately, relevant information such as references to owners and creators, credits and links back to the original website get forgotten and lost even easier.

For some time now I have become more careful about how and what I repin on Pinterest. I try to follow back every photo I like to see if it links to the original website with all the relevant information provided. If it only links to back to one Tumblr site after another, I don't repin it, even if, as in some cases, the artist is mentioned. Unfortunately, there are so many rather 'careless' pinners, and I can only imagine that these people are neither painters, photographers or otherwise active creatives - or they would be much more aware of how much time and effort goes into creating a painting, art journal page, photograph etc. and how one would like to be given the credit for ones work. And there are also many people who would actually like to know who the artist of a certain photograph, artwork etc. was, but with no information whatsoever, it is simply impossible to find out.

This is why I've started, soon after I got my first DSLR, joined Flickr, and started learning about photo editing, to add a watermark to my photos. I know that there are a lot of people who are not very fond of watermarks, but then there are also a whole lot of people out there who don't care where a photo comes from, so it is up to you to make sure that you put the information right on it and to get the credit for it that you deserve.

And it's really no big deal to add a watermark. And you can even be creative with that too. I use a PNG file I created in Photoshop Elements to slide over any photo in no time. You can even use one those free and easy to use photo editing sites like PicMonkey to add text.Personally, I think the best waterwark is your blog/website address, but unfortunately when I created my blog, I chose a rather long and inconvenient name, so I just use my "name" instead and hope that if someone googles it, it will lead back to the right source. It's easy to create a watermark in f.ex. Photoshop, and you can find numerous tutorials for them.Whatever you use, just make sure it has your name on it.

The first step

I should really be somewhere else now, doing something complete different today and the next 10 days, instead of being where I am and doing what I am now. But sometimes life doesn't go according to plan, some rescheduling is required. But at least it means that I can go the party today, and that brightens this otherwise rather depressing day at least a little bit.

autumn day, mixed media on canvas, 40x40cm

I've been very busy these past few weeks and months, both with work and with my paints and brushes - and some additional materials. Last weekend we hosted our annual technological-historical conference at the library, and this year's topic was "material flows / material cycles".

paradies, mixed media on canvas, 40x40cm

This year, I had the chance to make a little contribution too, by showing some of my paintings. The idea was to show how one's work can be a source inspiration in different ways. (I've already talked about this a little bit in another PPF post, a few weeks ago). Book covers and pages of old journals that needed to be disposed can be re-used as collage elements or to paint on. Old library tickes and catalogue cards, decades-old calendar sheets, little notes and letters can be found between the covers of those old books, and they make perfect elements to use in a painting. The surroundings of the library, the river and the nearby forest with their bird and nature reserve, are a well of inspiration too, and can find their way into a painting, be that the light and autumn colours in the park, or some photographs that turn into collage elements.

paradies, mixed media on canvas, 40x40cm

It was a bit scary, but also exciting, to show some of my work to a group of more or less complete strangers. Would they like it? Or would they think it was just silly? It was a bit of a test for me, and I was quite glad to have the change to do it in this small, protected environment. The reactions were very positive and encouraging (although some of the remarks made me laugh a little bit - yes, even librarians have a life outside the library, and other interests than just books!).

My little display of my my work - my first ever!

So this was the first step outside. Now we'll see what comes next, and how this journey continues. But now it's time for the party!

Happy Paint Party Friday

AEDM days 5 to 12 (minus day 10)

Last week has been a very busy week at work, including having to stay at a hotel for two nights, a very very long Friday, and working on Saturday as well. I did manage to do some sketching on most days though, but I didn't have any time at all for keeping up my blog, or visit any other blogs. But now the busy time's finally over, and things should get back to normal again.

5/11/2012 ~ AEDM Day 5: Dalahästen

These carved wooden horses have a long history and they are very pretty too. They're usually painted in bright colours, the most common one being red, but my favourite one is this plain wooden one with white pattern.

6/11/2012 ~ ADEM Day 6: My Cup of Tea

When inspiration's just gone on a little tea break and you just really don't know what to draw, simply draw what's next to you. Like your favourite tea mug.

7/11/2012 ~ AEDM Day 7: Doorstopper

And if you still don't know what to draw the day after, just take the next closest thing that's lying around. Like this turquoise paint tube-shaped doorstopper. Not that I've ever really used it as a doorstopper.

8/11/2012 ~ AEDM Day 8: Fighting that Cough

Trying to get rid of that annoying cough with cough syrup and sage pastilles. They seem to be working.

9/11/2012 ~ AEDM Day 9: The Conference

The best thing to do to pass the time at the conference was to just sketch it.

10/11/2012 ~ AEDM Day 10:

Sorry, no sketch. After an intense and exhausting two conference days, I just didn't have the energy to do even a simple little sketch.

11/11/2012 ~ AEDM Day 11: Leaves

Spent all day on the sofa, reading or watching films, and recovering from the conference and all the preparations it required. It was raining cats and dogs all day, so that was just a perfect excuse too. And I even remembered to do a little sketch. Just some simple leaves.

12/11/2012 ~ AEDM Day 12: Clementines

I always love the first clementines, they're always the best.

AEDM days 2 to 4, and day 1 with a splash of colour

My intended "quick sketches" are turning out to take much longer to do, but I'm thoroughly enjoying the process, whether it's a quick lunch time sketch with some colour added in the evening, a relaxing evening sketch, a sneaky sketch during art class or an early Sunday morning warm up sketch before spending the rest of the day painting.

2/11/2012 ~ AEDM Day 2: Basic Tools

 Some of my very basic brushes (some of them are simple pastry brushes from the supermarket) and my favourite green water jar.

3/11/2012 ~ AEDM Day 3: The Artist

M painting teacher at work. Unfortunately, it doesn't look anything like him. I'm still far away from getting a real likeness when trying to sketch people. But the first step is to practise sketching people at all - and getting quicker at it. Why can't people just stand still?

4/11/2012 ~ AEDM Day 4: A Pocket Full of Pink

I received a pocketful of Pink the other day, including these lovely buttons. Just perfect for sketching on a Sunday morning.

And the Ginkgo sketch from Day 1 got a bit of colour too:

Have a wonderful, creative Sunday!

It's Art Every Day Month again

November is Art Every Day Month, the challenge hosted by Leah Piken Kolidas from Creative Every Day blog. I took part last year and really enjoyed it, both to force myself to do something every day and the community. I thought I had to give it a miss this years, as November was already filled with plans, which did not really include blogging, or even sketching. But thanks to life being bitchy, it's going to be a lot less eventful month, I'm afraid. And so, with some more time on my hands, I'm joining after all. After all, it's a good way to keep oneself busy.

I know I won't be able to post every day, but I definitely intend to be creative every day. I've dug out my abanondend little Moleskine sketchbook this morning, and my intention is to fill a page each day. I am so impressed by Serena Lewis' terrific sketches for Blogtoberfest and the 75 penk/ink sketch challenge, and they have inspired me try and do a sketch each day for this year's AEDM. Although not necessarily only pen or ink. I do like my pencils (and eraser) and a splash of colour.

1/11/2012 ~ AEDM Day 1: Ginkgo

There's a wonderful big old Ginkgo tree (just getting the spelling right is a little challenge in itself!) outside my window at work. Now, in autumn, it's beautifully shaped leaves are bright yellow, and the ground's already covered with them. As well as with its, or rather her, seeds, as there are actually both male and female trees with only the females producing seeds that look like little fruits. I picked up some of the leaves and seeds for this lunch-time sketch this mornin, but I think I'll add a little bit of colour later this evening.