Experimenting

Experimenting with a new medium can be exciting, and at the same time frustrating. I've been re-creating my paper alphabet blocks on wood. The wood blocks were sanded and sealed with polyurethane. Alphabet letters were drawn with a Sharpie marker or outlined with Ziller (acrylic) ink and painted with acrylic craft paints for wood by Plaid.  This part of the experiment went well.

Now another hold my breath part, sealing the painted letters. The instructions on the paint box said the paints didn't need to be sealed as the paints wouldn't chip or crack. However, while working on the blocks, a bit of paint ran where I didn't want it. I used a dampened paper towel to gently remove the offending blot. Horror as the painted background on the block square flaked revealing the wood beneath. Obviously, the paints would need to be sealed.

Even though the paints are acrylic would the paints bleed when the polyurethane was applied? I tested on the bottom of one of the blocks. So far, it looks good.

I also thought I'd like to decoupage a picture of myself sitting on illuminated initial blocks. I created this image in Paint Shop Pro and use it as my avatar.  I printed the image on photo paper. I spread a thin coat of Modge Podge Decoupage sealer over the image. Was shocked when the image streaked!  Now what? I tried again this time using the polyurethane. No streaks!

What are you working on? Are your experiments turning out the way you expect?

New Toy

I decided to update Corel's Paint Shop Pro X2 to X3. This program is what I call a poor man's version of Photoshop. For me PSP is more intuitive and at 1/6th the price, a bargain. Bundle it with Video Studio Pro X3 and it was too good to let go. Corel was also offering a program called Paint It! Takes photographs and instantly transforms them into paintings. You select your photograph, a drawing/painting style: watercolor, pen & ink, pastels (and a bunch more), click start and watch the program transform your photograph. For an extra $10 bucks and free shipping, I had to go to the dark side. Some women lust after shoes, for me it's software, electronics, DVDs...

I used one of the sample photos that came with Windows 7 and applied the pastel style. Ta da! I could even use a pen feature to sign my work. Too fun! Looks like it will be a happy little time waster.

What new toys have you purchased lately?

New Beginnings

Today is John Wayne's birthday. Seems an appropriate date to launch a blog with a Western flavor. April 3rd would have been a better launch date as this was the start date for the Pony Express. I was busy composting (thinking, planning, day dreaming) and missed this date. I'm in the process of reinventing me and what I do.

I've been giving my website a new look, started tweeting on Twitter, and a new blog. A rather odd combination. A little bit old, a little bit new. Calligraphy and computer graphics.

Why Pony Express? First, I love cowboys and Westerns. If you're going to do something, it ought to be what you love. Secondly, coming from Massachusetts, there are lots of Colonial, Pilgrim, Minutemen, Kennedy, and I wanted something different. Brainstormed with a friend. Cowboy, cowpoke, Maverick. That was cool sounding, but all variations were taken on the domain names. Outlaw, Renegade, but those implied something shady even though I liked Outlaw. Pony Express. Dependable, reliable. Ta-dah!

Cool, but why pick a name from a failed venture? There's a bit of irony there between the Pony Express, calligraphy and computers. I didn't consciously think of it, but it's there.

The Pony Express was started in April 1860. It was a dangerous and expensive mail run from St. Joseph, MO to Sacramento, CA and it lasted a little over one year. The invention of the telegraph made the Pony Express obsolete and the company folded in 1861. A little like computers and desktop publishing has impacted hand-done calligraphy. Ironic? Yes. Appropriate, yes. The legend and romance of the Pony Express still lives on in Western movies and those of us who love "The Old West". And even though computers have had a big impact on calligraphy, that still lives on, too. People still want their wedding invitations written in a beautiful hand. Some want their wedding vows, a favorite poem or quote turned into a piece of hand done art. Calligraphy is still taught at art museums, adult ed., and craft classes. The art will be passed on and it will still live on.

So stop by from time to time as I ramble on about calligraphy, computers and computer graphics and cowboys.

The graphic is an ATC (artist trading card) done for an exchange with the theme Words to Live By. From She Wore A Yellow Ribbon, John Wayne as Captain Nathan Brittles: Don't apologize. It's a sign of weakness.

Screen capture taken from the movie and then sepeia toned through the magic of Paint Shop Pro X2, walnut ink, gel marker, Rubinato pen on Diploma Parchment dyed with burnt sugar. The Duke's image was mounted with double stick mounting tape to give a 3D look.

Happy Birthday, Duke!