Thursday, February 24, 2011

Bridges from the Past to the Future

One of our regular participants Ginger Gehres (pronounced Garris, like Harris) from North Carolina has provided a fabulous view into the production process of her submission this month.  I am very excited about it because it is done with digital paintbrushes.  So it follows up our conversation this month about the different forms of painting and art.
Bridges from the Past to the Future
by Ginger Gehres
If you follow the contest and the look for new entries, you've seen Ginger's final submission, but perhaps you'd like to see how this particular painting was created.  This is NOT a digitally manipulated version of the actual screen shot.  It started with a blank canvas and an artist's window into Prague.


Here's the STREET VIEW from GOOGLE











I have questions, and if you do please ask them here.  Ginger is very responsive and great to talk to.  She will be glad to answer our questions.  I know she would.  So, I would like to ask what Software program you painted with and what was the actual tool in your hand?  I'm thinking you had to have a pencil/drawing tablet (but that's just my carpel tunnel pain in my mouse hand talking) but I'm dying to know, how you control the cursor well enough to do such tiny "brush" work?  It's very intriguing.

And what is your plan to reproduce this work?  Would this be something you'd be able to print out on canvas like a giclee' (which is hard for me to pronounce considering my initials are KZ and Zee-Klay makes me feel tongue tied ;) and Speaking of a Giclee print, how do they digitize an actual painting?  How do the get the textures and such of say a palette knife painting?   Or do they?

Ginger, you don't need to answer that last one. . . unless you want to!  But anyone else can feel free to help educate me.  Thanks again Ginger for providing these images.  I have a few more entries to share so I'll be posting again soon. But for now, feel free to discuss ;)

4 comments:

Ginger said...

Well first, many thanks for posting my work. As a graphic artist, I use many methods to create what I need - it depends on how it will be used in the end.

This is a "digital painting" using the street map to look at and I created my version of what I saw. I took out the train, boats & cars so that it was "timeless".

I used PhotoShop CS3 with a drawing stylus tablet and pen (Wacom) as I cannot use a mouse well anymore.

The technique was a traditional one as far as "paint" back to front,and put lights against darks. The brush alterations were controlled by the pressure I put on the pen and the way I held it. It was also controlled by selecting brush sizes and opacity levels (this would be the same as using thinner or water. I paint in thin layers in acrylic and oil - so I do it the same way here.

There were no filters or "magic wands" used in this process. I do know how to create art by using short cut methods but I choose to play fair and then I'm pleased with what I've accomplished. I have been using PhotoShop (and Corel) since the 1980's. A lot has changed since then.

For this piece, I went small - it's set at 300 dpi in a 10"x6" size and it can be enlarged (by reducing the resolution), reduced & re-produced in many different ways without harming the original. I can print cards, posters, promotional material and yes, even on canvas.

I hope this helps to show that "real art" comes from the heart of the artist. The tools he or she chooses is what helps them tell the story. I'll be happy to answer what I understand (I can look up the rest).

Kindest regards,
-Ginger Gehres

Kay Zahn said...

You Rock GG ! I think I'm going to buy one of those pen/pad devices some day.

Anonymous said...

Ginger Gehres is a wonderful artist been following her for years now. Never ceases to amaze me with the many different talents she has like painting, web art and many more. I personnaly have the privilege of owning a few of her art pieces.

Keep up the beautiful work!!

Susie said...

Ginger is a wonderful artist and has many talents. I love the print and small painting that I have of her work. And hopefully I can learn to do some of the stuff she does. I hope one day to be a quarter as talented.