Digital Art and Acrylic Art

I like artsty stuff, I like it better if I can do it myself.

Last night I was wandering through DIY information for making crackled paint with Elmer's Glue when I happened on something called Acrylic Pouring...or Fluid Painting.
Wow, just cool enough to be right up my alley!
I worked on some play blocks and used two different glues to 'crack' the paint. My results with the wood glue were so-so. But heck it is going in the painted block box for building, so no big deal.

The second block I did turned out even neater. Now I have to find sticks to make a welcome sign.
I use sticks because I couldn't paint a pretty Welcome by hand no matter how I tried and stencils always make a mess anyway. Glue some fake leaves to it, and viola! I have a cute sign thingy to set on the entry way table.

The last little block I messed with was really interesting. I gooed the top with Elmer's Glue, then used a 'dirty pour' method with layers of acrylic paint in a tiny cup and dripped it in one spot on the block. The I tipped it around so it would cover the whole side.
The glue is drying and separating the paints and making cracks. The paints look like a swirl of madness on the little block.
My impression? Very neat.

I'll do pictures a bit later.

Because it was soooo windy 47 mph gusts yesterday, I stayed inside and did some Digital Art also.

Here is a slightly Van Gogh layer over a photo I took coming home from my CrossFit on Friday morning. I like it and it pleased me.

Then I turned to DeepDream and decided to see what artificial intelligence would do to my fall photo.

Original:

DeepDreamGenerator:

The acrylic paints? I'd like to try something like this just once....Through a strainer, the flip cup method, or the dirty cup method...or paint with a string.

I like wild and weird stuff.

Now my favorite digital art is computer generated with a program called Mandelbulb 3D, and Incendia, and JWildfire. All free programs and a lot less messier.

This time of the year I usually take a bit of a break from the camera and do a bit of digital artwork and painting as the days get cold and dull. I also work on some still life to keep my creative juices going.

My next trip to town will involve getting a couple of cheap canvases to try some of the flip cup acrylic pour.

I'm putting up my little corner of fall decorations too. I caved in. Summer is over, fall is here, and winter is just around the corner.
It snowed here yesterday again.

In the meantime, the sun will be up in a bit and perhaps Charlie and I should go see it.

This and that ~ the day after Christmas

On those frigid dark mornings I sometimes dabble in a bit of fun. I took a photo of a bare tree in the pasture and 'developed' it into something else. 

Not quite sure what it is, but I do like the colors. Very abstract.

Can you tell that it is dark and below zero outside?
I thought it would be fun to make a Christmas colored fractal...

I don't know why I enjoy 'making' these odd shapes and designs, but it just ends up pleasing me and it is a challenge to work in a graphic program that makes unbelievable worlds.

Or a bit of other worldly...

And...then I decided to see what I could do with a Mandelbulb I made.

Sort of cool. Interesting shapes and patterns.

But then I took it to another photo program and did some manipulations.

Okay this one I like. I mean I really do like it.

Well the sun is coming up. It is about -7 and that is with no winds. The sky has beautiful orange and pale blue colors in it.

Rich's daughter and her family are coming today along with Mom. The house is prepped and tidy. Well, tidy for me.

I need to gather my outdoor gear for chores this morning.

I do love cold. I have the appropriate gear to wear in it and be very comfortable.

So have a great day whatever you are doing.

Fractal Art, Break Time

The recent events and feeling a bit under the weather have kept me from getting out with my camera and hiking.
I swear with all this ice and poor weather it is nearly noon before we are finished with chores.

Then it begins again.
So I thought I'd do some quick edits and play with Incendia, JWildfire, and Mandelbulb 3d.

This black and white abstract is a combo of Incendia and MD3D.

I'm not as proficient as some of the folks who do this every day and work with these programs all of the time. I usually dabble in the fractal programs when I can't get out or have no inspiration to do any photography.

Sometimes I just have the need for lots of wild color which this one shows. The JWildfire flame is layered over an Incendia fractal of 'horns'. Then layered with a flood edit of reflections I did in CS2.

I used Topaz Glow to bring out some of the wild colors. 
I love wild colors!

I just printed this one to hang on my 'Art' wall. I used two formations by MD3D and a flame program called Apophysis 16 to make the wild looking thing in 'front'. 
I just loved the hues and decided to see what it would look like printed.

It did not disappoint.
I wish I had a huge wall for a lot of my creative work. Alas, such a wee house!

All I know is that it has been a nice break from the horrid weather we have been having.
It seems this winter, it is all about ice. Ice. And more ice.
Yak Traks or snow shoes are the footwear of choice.

See?

Fractal-mania

I'm a huge fan of graphic art.  I enjoy the creating of something out of nothing.  Well, okay, fractals are all about math.

I think I enjoy this method of 'messing' around as a tool to explore and be surprised when something works out well.
I am not the master of Fractal Programs, but in the next week I plan on interviewing a few artists.

When I first saw Fractal Art, it was posted on Flickr.  I was mesmerized by the colors and the wonderful abstracts that were created.

So I started looking into 3D programs and Fractals.  

My very first fractal was created in a program called Apophysis.  I added all sorts of 'stuff' to it until I was satisfied.  I started in 2008 with Fe Explore and Sterling Fractals which I believe are still available to download.  A list of programs can be found at Amazing Seattle Fractals.

Sort of looks like a mad-person's mind doesn't it?  I put in several different little flames and then went made in Adobe Photoshop 7.0 with layers and brushes.

My first try in Sterling Fractals:

I sure had no idea of what I was doing but I knew that it fascinated me in so many ways.

In the next week I'm going to try and feature some fractal artists that I've met through social media and groups.
I enjoy their work and would like to know what exactly got them started down the road to being such an artist.

I'm still a novice but am always looking for deeper understanding of the programs and also for the fun of it.

It is always a welcome break from photography and for those days when I have to stay inside because of wicked weather.

The Night The Fractals Collided

Call me crazy.
But I thought I'd try something a bit crazy.

I used Mandebulb 3D to create the object in the top left of the above photo.

I used Apophysis 7X to create a 3D 'flame' backround which I faded and blurred in Photoshop 7.0.

I used Incendia EX to make the swirl of stars as a backdrop of sorts.

I finally did it, combined three '3D' fractal generation programs to make one image.

I don't know if it has been done before like this.
But it sure was a rush putting it together.