From Pre-Raphaelites to Paintography

Extract from 'Pre-Raphaelites to Paintography' (posted 30.09.2012):

'Somehow, I could not help but think of my own photographs and the treatment they receive after I upload them onto my computer. What is more, everywhere I looked I would make a connection to something called 'Paintography' - a technique I have wanted to try for a while now. After this exhibition I have finally touched on the technique...

 ...to the left is my usual treatment (bringing up the colour and contrast). The left picture of wispy grass has addition of further Photoshop tools that I actually forgot I can use (that happens when there is not much need for them in one's work).


Suddenly, from an attractive picture there is something else, something new. This is a cross between a photograph and a painterly approach to a photograph. I know, I might be applauding myself here a bit. The point is that if it was not for the 'Pre-Raphaelites' exhibition I would still only think about paintography, I would not start on something so interesting, so creative. And so, I am embarking on a new adventure. K-)'

Since this post, I have had more time to investigate further. Not only have I brushed up on Photoshop tools but also got my hands on an extension to Photoshop, the right plug-in for paintography. The picture on top reveals its benefits. In few words, the image is made soft, brushed, more defined.

When I took this picture, picture of a rose bud, I had the treatment of paintography at the back of my mind. I knew that my usual adjustments would not enhance this image enough.

And so, cautiously, I started experimenting (right). As I stated already, the image becomes softer, brushed and more defined. Not to overtake the rose was my aim. I wanted to add not to take away. However, I must say when playing with various paintography features it became clear that there is much more to this tool...

Take this picture. I took this photograph last week in Richmond Park. There was a whole herd and these two stags looked so magnificent in the light...

After a cautious approach, I ended up with this variation (left); softened a little, made painterly and the colours becoming more vivid.


This is when my connection to 'Pre-Raphaelites to Paintography' comes in.


'The Girlhood of Mary Virgin' by Dante Gabriel Rossetti reveals similar treatment. Defined by contrast, bright colours and flat surfaces, just focus on the folds of Mary's dress and the muscle seen on the back leg of the seated deer. Similarly, the deer's antlers in the light stand out so strongly, adding to the painterly aim. The play of light and shadow helps giving it such contrast, I simply cannot but relate digital painting to Pre-Raphaelites.

Taking the same image, I decided to push it further with paintography...

All of a sudden, I was looking at a still from Disney's Bambi. More brushed, more softened, more defined.

The colours become more vivid and again, I made a connection to another of Dante Gabriel Rossetti's oils 'The Beloved' ('The Bride'). However, in my opinion this treatment was taking it too far.

I did not want to go this way. Therefore, I desaturated on both images and ended up here.

My conclusion so far stands here: Up to now I have focused on keeping the images for what they are. I did not want paintography to overtake the image. By doing so, I have seen where else paintography can take you. However, this is an area I still need to investigate. So far this has been quite an exercise enough...

Yes, paintography certainly is a powerful tool and I cannot stress enough that if it was not for my visit to Tate Britain last month I would cheat myself out of this exciting journey. K-)

Wizardry in Wood

Wizardry in Wood is the title of a fair I visited today. I must say, I have not seen anything so beautiful, skillful and spine-tingling in a long time. Wood-turning is the base of all the works on display.

Rosemary Wright takes the process of wood-turning into a new dimension by turning, cutting the pieces and creating these wall panels that caught my eye. What I like about this is the approach. The fact the she takes what one would expect and takes it further. From a design point of view, I like such approach and, dare to say, can relate to it.

All of this is described in Rosemary's own words - 'I find this liberating'. I can definitely believe that.

Below are just few artists that caught my eye though I must say one did not know where to look and what to admire first.

Mark Hancock

Beautiful and decorative pieces.

My first thought here was that this flower was made out of leather. How wrong was I.

The finish might look leathery but this flower by Gabor Lacko and Patricia Spero is made out of thin slices of wood. I actually had to touch it to believe it.






Margaret Garrard's stand revealed delicate finish and earthy colour to her pieces.

The picture on top brings one of her pieces closer. The shape and the refined work shows the skill with which the wood is treated. This is simply stunning.




I started this post by praising a liberating work approach of Rosemary Wright. I would like to finish by showing some pieces by Joey Richardson.

Again, as a designer, I could not leave unnoticed this block of wood revealing beautiful craft. Here one can actually see the vision of an artist; the fact that the design is seen even before the artist starts manipulating the wood.

Joey Richardson also combines wood with glass. What makes this more interesting is that these glass pieces are a spitting image of what had been turned in wood earlier. Sometimes they make a part of a piece, someimes they stand alone. Her work is so eye-catching.

Wizardry in Wood was definitely worth visiting and I am putting a note in my diary for next year. What a show. K-)

On guard

Recently I have published this picture on G+ naming it 'On guard'. When seeing this image all I could think of were the Royal Guards standing straight, being on guard in their striking red uniforms, keeping an eye on the British establishment.

One thing you have to give to these young men is the stamina with which they manage to stand (or do their little walk depending on where their post is) with their faces straight, body in a perfect posture with all the gear they have to wear summer or winter. They always keep to the prestige of the country. When I took these pictures, there was a bunch of us, a crowd that is always there. Yes, these guys deserve a medal.

Comparing the two unlikely subjects, we can point out the colour scheme; the red and black. Red behind a fence and red on the young man's uniform. Also noticeable are the points of the fence to the point of the guard's weapon or the glossy finish on the fence to the glossy standard of the guard's boots. What is more, the golden buttons of the uniform distantly bear colour resemblance to the green-turning-yellow leaves of the plants.

Taking pictures and making connections like this opens up quite a new world I would say. I find it rewarding when realising how things can be tied in, don't you? I just wanted to share this observation and am wondering what you are thinking of it. Have a nice week and see you next time. K-)

Offbeat Scarf

The weather is slowly but certainly turning colder, windier and wetter. It has a grip on the situation enough that the arrival of Indian summer is surely fading away. And this made me remember this time last year when I started on a project called 'Offbeat Scarf'.

Prior to 'Spine&Veins&Reflection', I was working on a similar project comprising of building blocks. I had such fun (with a reward in a form of a completed design at the end) that it was only natural to use similar approach in 'S&V&R'.
(This was equal to the inspiration of a leaf that made me decide on that particular design. Basically, I also created rectangles aiming to join them in a way that it would resemble the structure of a leaf.)

As you can see in this little section (left), I used the extra bits left at the beginning and end of each block to join the little rectangles.

On the right is the scarf cleared of the extra bits. It suddenly looks neat and brushed...

To hold the structure better, I secured its form by joining chains both horizontally and vertically.

Visually, it also added the feel of warmth. All of a sudden, the extra part (no matter how thin) brought sense of comfort and cosiness.

Having been rather optimistic at the beginning, I realised later that the little 'bits' I used for joining the rectangles were not enough. They kept undoing and that turned to be quite a flaw on the design...

As a result, I decided to cut longer strips of yarn and weave them through each row (or column depending on how you want to look at it). This would finally hold the rectangles in place.


Learning curve as this project was, now I would also think of using buttons or crochet small rosettes and use needle and a thread to secure it all differently. The longer strips also work but it simply all depends on what you want. Something elegant, more sophisticated or slightly offbeat? K-)