Art166 - The Fine Art of Insomnia

(click image for larger view)

Original photo by Amanda
Extreme manipulations by W. J. St. Christopher


~ Four Unexpected Digis

As a digital artist, I often see the "usual" in a most unusual way. When I least expect it, a mundane item catches my eye and screams, "Here I am! Manipulate me!!!"

That's exactly what happened a few days ago when I saw the "original" pic, above. My fellow Etsian, Amanda, posted a link to her handy tutorial on how to recycle empty TicTac containers. I don't eat TicTacs, but, inexplicably, my Spidey Sense was in full tingle and I was compelled to take a peek.

The moment I saw the clean lines and muted colors of Amanda's photo, several fully-formed images popped into my mind. (Yep, that really is how my mind works . . .) The finished images, above, are pretty darn close to my initial ... ahem ... visions.

I love it when a plan comes together!

My sincere thanks to Amanda (Etsy I.D. "Polyclarific"), for allowing me to play with her unexpectedly mind-bending photo (which, we agree, looks like a row of washing machines with their lids up).

You can visit her Etsy shop, where she offers her unique, handmade jewelry and other fab items, by clicking here. Her "Heart Movements Keyring" is on my wish list!

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Of potential interest:

My "Art166.com" galleries will be temporarily closed as of the evening of August 30, 2007. Art166.com will return in about a week. In the meantime, my Etsy shop will remain open for business! I'm currently restocking; watch for new items every day for the next week or so.

EDIT: 5:19 p.m., Late Breaking News!

Due to the generosity of one of my local collectors, the galleries at Art166.com will not be closing after all.

Thank you, kindly, DRH!

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Comment Catch-up:

Thanks JB, and welcome back to you! You know what they say,

If the fractal's a-rockin',

Don't come a-knockin'!

Hi, Tammi,
So true; without the wonders of sleep disorders, I might be perfectly normal. Or, maybe not!

Check out "Keen Eddie" if you get the chance -- you'll love it!

Thanks for your kind words re: my spontaneous exercise in excessive wordiness. Writing was one of the earliest of my many creative passions.

I'm afraid I can't even pronounce "duffesessessess" but here are a couple of fractal software links for you:

Fractal Explorer - Free Download
http://www.eclectasy.com/Fractal-Explorer/index.html
Ultra Fractal - Not So Free Download
http://www.ultrafractal.com/

Thank you, Sara, and welcome to Art166.com!

Dr. John, that's the sweetest thing you've ever said to me. Not! Don't make me come up there!

Your son is a wise man, Mr. Lincoln. Thanks for stopping by!

Welcome, Sherry! I'm glad you enjoy the work. Seven images from the "Please, Take a Seat" series are currently being exhibited at Timo's Coffee House, where the original photos were taken.

I use Photoshop about 95% of the time, though my hard drive is chock-a-block with imaging software of every persuasion. You never know when you'll need that one, obscure function that Photoshop doesn't offer.

You're right, you'll never learn all of Photoshop. I began with Photoshop Elements (which is a little easier to manage) and moved to Photoshop about seven years ago. I discover new features all the time! Picking up a copy of "Photoshop for Dummies" and working through it a chapter at a time was a HUGE help. Also, be sure to Google for the countless, free, Photoshop tutorials that are available online.

Remember -- never alter your original image, try everything, save frequently. And, don't forget to have fun!

Hi, Cynthia! You'll love "Testament", but don't forget the tissues! Let me know when/if you watch it. I honestly can't remember ever having a good night's sleep -- though, if I'm really exhausted, I can get four or so hours without waking. Most night's, it's more like three or four hours with lots of interruptions. It's more of a drag as I develop more health problems, but most of the art is born during those long, solitary nights. Payoff!