Someone asked me a couple of days ago where I get my ideas. I said that sometimes they just happen organically. I don’t always set out with a concrete idea of what I want a piece to look like. I just start with some elements and play around with them and at some point, after a few happy accidents, I decide that I like the way it looks.
I was playing around with dyeing some fabric and paper with natural dyes like beet juice and wine. It looked….okay. I wasn’t thrilled. I decided to stamp some shapes on it with my handmade stamps and ink. I’m liking it a little better. I photographed it and then started playing with it digitally in some Ipad apps like DistressedFX.
I liked this look! Then I used a photo of a tree and it’s reflectinon as a custom texture on top of the fabric and paper. I’m liking it even better. I saved it and reopened it and added birds. Kind of dreamy.
I had this vintage photo that I got from my family photos. I don’t know who this couple is, but they look so sweet together. I opened it in DistressedFX also and added a texture and then again and added the tree and birds.
Then I layered it on top of the fabric/paper photo in my Procreate App, that allows me to open a layer over a background and control the opacity and hue and size.
It feels done! I saved it as it is and then I decided to try another photo on the top of it next. I love the result of the next one, but I like the one with the people better. It feels like it has a story. Maybe someday I will find out who they are.
