Digital Doings

This was my Thanksgiving piece for the ArttechniquesDigital group.  We played with the Poster edges filter and with the image of the woman this past week. Look at the sidebar for the link to join the group!

Sanna!

You were the lone person to comment for the aht, so you will receive it!! Congratulations!

Blogger Blues

I have no idea why my blog banner is always off to the left. It doesn't show this in my layout. Grrrr!

Win This Hat from the book The Latest Trends in Mixed Media Art, Volume 2!

I will be drawing a winner at the end of November for this hat as featured in my book, The Latest Trends in Mixed Media Art, Volume 2. Just comment to this post and leave your email addy so I can notify you if you win!

New Digital Piece

Here is a new digital collage made from 3 different images and a vintage text layer. Our challenge was to use the leaves image (background) and the tool of the week was the Burn tool. I love fall leaves and pears so a good combo for a composition.

NEW YAHOO GROUP- ARTTECHNIQUES DIGITAL

Here are two sample collages from our first weekly challenge for Arttechniques Digital. We took a Dover element and used it in any way we wanted to create a collage. Come join us for digital art collage fun at: http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/arttechniquesdigital/

New Blog to Check Out

Cynthia Powell, my fellow instructor for the Digital Montage Studio Workshops, has started a great new blog for digital artists. Check it out at: http://dmstudiochallenge.blogspot.com/!

Go to Digiscrapstation to buy this fun new kit! http://digiscrapstation.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1_143

Free Textures!

Here are a couple of free textures you can use for your digital creations. Please limit these to personal use only. Thanks!

Montage

This is one of the montages I created for Worskhop 1- Graven Angels. I love creating with Photoshop- a creative delight!

Workshop 2- Fun!

We had a great time during workshop #2! We just need Yahoo to stop having its occasional fits. :)
There are only 2 spaces left for workshop #3. Go to: http://digitalmontagestudio.blogspot.com to sign up!

Workshop 2 Sold Out!

The Digital Montage Studio Workshop #2 is sold out, but there are still openings for workshops 3-5. Check out http://digitalmontagestudio.blogspot.com for more information. Cindy and I are really enjoying teaching and setting up these workshops. We both love creating digital art and the workshops are a fun way to learn how to use your Adobe Photoshop or PSE software. Join us for future workshops!

Don't Miss Out on Workshop #2!!

Workshop #1 SOLD OUT and Workshop #2 is "Filling Up Fast"-Don't miss out on
these fantastic digital: "Story Telling Montage" workshops.
Learn how to create some fabulous Custom Distressed Overlays and Photo Borders
that will make each of your photos unique and "Pop".
Create custom brushes from scanned images, text and elements, for special
effects to use on your digital mixed media montages and have fun creating with
others, using themes to help inspire your creations. Come join the fun! For
more info visit: http://digitalmontagestudio.blogspot.com/

DIGITAL MONTAGE WORKSHOP #2 COMING SOON!

Workshop #2-Creating and Using Distressing Tools-Starts August 16th

Create unique brushes (from found images & scanned text) and learn how to use various digital tools to create the illusion of age to your backgrounds & elements. Create beautiful overlays, masks and custom brushes for your unique style of art, plus learn a few tricks for fixing old photos. Come join the fun! For more info visit: http://digitalmontagestudio.blogspot.com/

Playing with Old Photos

I was playing around with an old photo of my son Rob today; hard to believe he will be 28 in August! He has always been a fan of the Oakland A's and this photo proves it. I created the montage in Adobe Photoshop CS5.

Digital Montage Workshop Begins in 12 Days!

"Serenity at the Beach" is the theme we have been playing around with for the past week-just having some fun while we wait for the remaining few people to sign up for the workshop. If you haven't signed up yet-there is more information below and a few more spots left. We are learning how to create layers of "Story Telling Montages" using blending modes in our software. The lessons are geared for the beginner to intermediate, but you must have some knowledge of how your software works. I have also shared some very basic lessons written in PSE6 with the workshop group, to help them get warmed up for the coming themes. The lessons are written in very basic step by steps, with plenty of photos, charts, color wheel, shared textures and lots of fabulous links for free downloads. Come join us!

This layout combined a texture of some beautiful turquoise peeling paint, with a new layer of baby blue, blended with a fabulous vacation photo of a sandcastle and pavilion. The lettering is from a vintage catalog of boys dress suits, but after changing all the wording around, it's now a poster advertising boys swimming suits, priced below regular London prices. :-D

For more information and to sign up for this 1st workshop in a series of 5-or sign up for all 5-go to: DigitalMontageStudios

New Workshops Available!! Digital Montage

Explore Your Digital World through these 5 amazing "Montage" workshops!
July 19-30th-Workshop #1-Blending Texture & Color Layers-Blending/Overlaying for dynamic visual effects.
August 16-27th-Workshop #2-Creating & Using Distressing Tools-Create unique brushes (from found images) and learn how to use various
digital tools to create the illusion of age to your backgrounds & elements.
September 13-24th-Workshop #3-Digital Stenciling Technique-A truly unique way for using Stencils in the virtual world of digital imaging.
The results are stunning! Plus create a variety of digital stamps for your own personal collection.
October 18-29th-Workshop #4-Shadow & Light-Creating depth with Shadows, Bevels and Lighting effects + additional blending techniques.
November 15-24th-Workshop #5-Filters-Styles & Patterns-Filters can change your whole perspective, when you discover what they can do
for your art! Throw in some styles or patterns and your digital world becomes a playground for your art.
For more information, to see samples and to sign up for these great on-line workshops-visit: http://digitalmontagestudio.blogspot.com

Year-long Workshop Begins Today!!

The year-long workshop begins today for Exploring the Latest Trends in Mixed Media Art, Volume 2!

Digital Collage

This is the latest colage I have been working on. It incorporates images from photoXpress.com, my own stash; and various brushes. I wanted to evoke emotion with this piece. I call it "House of Memories."

Faith

A digital collage I am experimenting with using some images from photoXpress.com. It expresses how we hang on in the tough times, when feeling closed in; almost as if we are melting away. That's when faith hangs on. Although not feeling this way at this time, I have been there before.

Newest Digital Collage from Old n Rusty Things

This digital collage shows how you can take elements and create a totally different look. Using elements from the new kit featured below, I have created a collage that could be used as a greeting card or a print, etc. Digital kits are such fun to play with!

Newest kit- Old n Rusty Things

Here is my latest mixed media digital kit. All of the elements are from my private collection or my own photograph. Lots of ways to use these!

New HandsonDigital Kit!

Here is my newest digital kit! It complements my Floral Splendor kit by giving you some of the individual elements that were found in the first kit as combined elements plus new elements to inspire your artistic muse! Come join the world of digital art for mixed media!

Go to: http://digiscrapstation.com and look under Designers- AlteredHeartDesigns.

Arttechniques Floral Postcard Swap

Here is the digital collage I made using images from two of my AlteredHeartDesigns mixed media digital kits; Floral Splendor and Journal Inspirations. The quote will be part of a second floral kit.

At Arttechniques we are doing a postcard swap each month.

Colds and other things...

It seems I can go "great guns" for just so long and then catch a cold. This one, thanks to hubby, I got on my birthday. Nice gift!!
My digital kits have been selling which is a real blessing in this economy! As soon as my cold makes me less groggy, and my computer woes are (hopefully) cleared up, I plan on creating some more mixed media digital kits. The ideas are simmering....

New Computer Struggles

I have been attempting to make the transition to a new, much faster computer. Although it's speed is fantastic, the fact that it has Windows 7 is not. I have never had such trouble in my life. My laser printer, keyboard, mouse, all are incompatible and my inkjet doesn't work with Photoshop the same. I have returned the computer to its maker and am asking to have Windows XP installed instead. How can a billion-dollar company sell such a buggy product??? If you go to the Windows website there are apparently thousands of others with the same problems. When all of my Adobe CS4 Design programs stopped working entirely yeaterday I said, "enough is enough!". Microsoft, you have a lot of explaining to do......

Spring Song

As you can see I love this image. The woman seems so serene and self-composed. I fell in love with this verse from an antique volume of children's poetry. I used some elements from my Floral Splendor digital journaling kit.

Exploring the Latest Trends in Mixed Media Art Volume 2 Workshop

Cynthia Powell is doing another year long workshop based on the art projects we featured in our latest book-Exploring the Latest Trends in Mixed Media Art-Vol. II. If you have purchased this book and would like an invitation to participate in this on-line monthly workshop! This workshop will take place in another yahoo group set up special just for this endeavor. Just like Cynthia did for the Mary Todd Beam and Julia Andrus book-workshops! Each month a new art project will be created by the members-each project is unique to the book-but you will be able to put your own spin on things! This workshop will start June 1st-provided we have at least 25 people signed up! We look forward to seeing you there! You can email Sherre at sherresartzone@yahoo.com if you are interested in participating! You can also sign up in the Latest Trends and the Arttechniques yahoo groups.

Metal Key Pin

I turned the metal square into a Steampunk-style art pin. Kinda funky, but I like it!

Here are the embossed metal pieces. The top piece will be turned into an art pin; the "doors" copper piece will be turned into a shrine on a canvas board; the green, who knows??

Etching Metal

I had a play day with Susan Chong yesterday where we used a lot of the Ten Seconds studio metal products that we have. I had wanted to try my hand at metal etching using Stephanie Lee's book, Semiprecious Salvage for my inspiration. I followed her directions for etching metal; I used copper and ferric acid; yet after waiting the allotted time, I found my metal had totally dissolved in the acid solution. Too thin of copper?? I have emailed Stephanie to see if she knows. It was kind of freaky working with a product that totally dissolved copper! And then to find hours later after golfing that I had somehow gotten a bit of the acid on the bottom of my toes! I was extremely relieved to see that the skin wasn't eaten away!! Now to pray that I don't have poison in my system.... the trials and tribulations of being an artist! I think I need to stick with safer mediums!

Medieval Muse Digital ATC Kits Now Available!

My two newest kits are now available at http://digiscrapstation.com. I use the designer name: AlteredHeartDesigns. Shown here are the kit previews and a few sample ATCs made using the kits.

Added a Counter

I just added a counter so I can make sure you have found me since I changed my blog to this one.

Happy Spring everyone!

New Workshop Being Offered!

Cynthia Powell is contemplating doing another year long workshop based on the art projects we featured in our latest book-Exploring the Latest Trends in Mixed Media Art-Vol. II. If you have purchased this book and would like an invitation to participate in this on-line monthly workshop-please sign up here! This workshop will take place in another yahoo group set up special just for this endeavor. Just like I did for the Mary Todd Beam and Julia Andrus book-workshops! Each month a new art project will be created by the members-each project is unique to the book-but you will be able to put your own spin on things! This workshop will start June 1st-provided I have at least 25 people signed up! I look forward to seeing you there!

Email me at: sherresartzone@yahoo.com if you are interested and I will give your name and email addy to Cindy.

Two New Kits Available!

Here are two new kits I have available for mixed media digital creating! The Art Adventures" Add-on Kit goes with an ATC Primer Kit that Cynthia Powell has created. You can find these new kits at http://digiscrapstation.com; look under "AlteredheartDesigns"!

Direct link to Sherre's AlteredHeartDesigns kits!

http://digiscrapstation.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1_143 Here is the direct link to my posrion of digiscrapstation!

Here is my second digital kit! The two samples show the versatility you can achieve in creating with this kit. Go to: http://digiscrapstation.com to purchase!
Give your prayer journal a jump-start by incorporating this kit’s papers and elements into your journal pages. You can also make greeting cards, ATCS, scrapbook pages, etc. Let the Proverbs 31 Woman add inspiration to your journaling!

My First Digital ATC Kit Available for Purchase!

Celebrate your friends by creating digital ATCs! Use either the printable ATC provided in the kit, or create your own using the elements provided in the kit. A great way to begin experiencing the world of Artist Trading Cards (ATCs)! Go to: http://digiscrapstation.com!

March!

I am finding it hard to believe we are already into the third month of the year! I hope to unveil the first five kits of my new AlteredHeartDesigns mixed media digital kits this week. Working on the technical aspects of getting the kits loaded to the shop at http://handsondigital.blogspot.com and http://digiscrapstation.com. I used portions of the "Home-keeping Hearts Mini Kit to create my blog banner this month.
My Yahoo group Arttechniques is doing a postcard swap with an Alice in Wonderland theme this month. Cynthia Powell has several great digital kits featuring Alice and friends.
This is the month that spring arrives! Some of my bulbs have already bloomed! I am looking forward to the longer days and (hopefully) drier weather! I am ready to hit the links on a more regular basis without getting soaked slogging through the wet fairways!

This is my favorite collaged postcard from last year. Happy Valentine's Day!

Blog Banner

I wanted to credit cottagearts.net for the background to my blog banner.

Looking Forward

I am enjoying the first few days of solitude I have had since last Thanksgiving. My sweet grown-up daughter had broken both elbows Thanksgiving weekend and would come stay at my house while recuperating. While hubby is off fishing, it's been nice to catch up on things and work more on creating some fun digital kits for mixed media use. This is looking to be an exciting venture!

New Blog, New Name

I am starting a new blog to coincide with my starting a new business endeavor. I will be creating digital art kits along with Cynthia Powell, Cecilia Swatton and Sharon House. We are the exclusive designers for the Hands On Digital brand. I will have a couple of kits available soon! Also check out handsondigital.blogspot.com to see what is currently available. Cecilia has a great steampunk kit!