A mermaid photo composite

Welcome to the weekend. Welcome to my mermaid photo Saturday linky party – s~A(R)T~urday!

Creativity takes courage.” Henri Matisse

I always want to work creatively. But an office job, as interesting as it may be – and I like mine – sucks most creativity out of me. I am spending the majority of my awake time there, which is fair enough, because after all my employer pays me for it. My art does not. While I do sell some of my pictures I do not put a lot of effort into the art of selling. You know, marketing, socializing etc. I’d rather spend my time creating more pictures. So that one day I will have a bit more of a cohesive body of work.

Right now I feel my art is all over the place. There will always be my straight photography (which is usually not what you are seeing here on my s~A(R)T~urday) and my photo art, both created in Photoshop or equivalent apps on my iPhone. But it seems to me that even after all this time there is still not an ‘ImagesByCW signature style’. I cannot see one at least. Or feel one. There are always so many things to explore to try out and though some of my pictures here are quite elaborate (the mermaid consists of 74 layers…) I am missing, lacking something.

Oh well, until I find out, I will just keep on plugging away – in a good way. I get sad when I sometimes don’t have an idea for a new creation (= loss of creativity during day job…). Then I will just grab a random photo, toss it into Photoshop and start adding a few bits and pieces or applying adjustment masks or filters. The outcome might not be something that I would ever share with you, but – I know I will have had fun in the process and might have even learned something new. Those are definitely things that will make me happy again.

But this is not how today’s picture started. I did have the idea of creating a mermaid photo. I already had the right model photo through The Colby Files and found a couple of bettas for the tail in morguefiles, which is a good resource if you are ever missing a photo to work an idea. The other photos in the picture, moon, dragonfly, ocean, spray and sky are my own. A lot of Photoshop mojo later and you can see the result below.

Patrick of Adventures in Weseland linked up last in previous week’s s~A(R)T~urday. It was the 4th of July edition and he had a very fitting post, a reminder of what America’s national holiday is about. Please check it out here: Last week’s entry here.

I hope you’ll be enjoying your weekend, I know I will with the weather being all summer. But I promise I will make time tomorrow to visit your entries, probably while lounging on the balcony :). Last week just ran away from me, I apologize, but I’ll be back to check out your entries again and comment, too. I so appreciate our little community forming here. Thank you for being part of it.

mermaid, composite, photoshop

 *** Here is where I link up today. ***

Please help me spread the word about my Saturday Art Linkup and grab my badge below:

sARTurday

<div align="center"><a href="http://ImagesByCW.com" title="ImagesByCW Photography"><img src="http://www.imagesbycw.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/sARTurday.png" alt="ImagesByCW Photography" style="border:none;" /></a></div>
I hope that over time we will be building a community dedicated to art and creating. My personal medium is photography and photo art, but I do not want to put a limit on my art link up. Thus I encourage you to join me, no matter which your art form is. Please do not be intimidated that I am calling this an art link up. I want you to share your creations. Art is completely subjective. It takes courage and time to realize that you may actually call your own creations art. If you believe they are pieces of art, I believe they are. They may be good or bad or great – who am I to say?! I’d rather like to think along these words from Andy Warhol:

Don’t think about making art, just get it done.

Let everyone else decide if it’s good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. 

While they are deciding, make even more art.” 

Why don’t you join me along my journey and follow me on fbgo and tw if you prefer and see what I come up with next. You can, of course, also subscribe by email – (click) here or you may follow my blog with Bloglovin or my preferred reader Feedly.

Drop me a comment and you’ll make me smile!

claudia3

 

13 thoughts on “A mermaid photo composite”

  1. I hear you. I really hate my day job but have only a couple more years before I can retire so am trudging along. I use lunch hours and very slow days to create or promote mine (and others’) works. I like your mermaid. I think you have a fairy tale theme going here. Last week reminded me of Snow White. This one could be the Little Mermaid. Love it!

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  2. Don´t worry for not having a “signature style”. Who has? Not me. If I have a style it is that I change all the time. If I do two pieces that looks alike I get bored. When I am out with the camera I always take a lot of “might be useful” images. 🙂

    74 layers? So far I have not managed to do so many 🙂 It does not seem to be that many for your little lady:

    I rarely use other images then my own but I´ll check out those you mention.

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  3. I love coming to visit every week to see what you’ve come up with this time. It’s fascinating and inspiring for me. I love the mermaid and her unique tail, and the way she gazes out over the water. Beautiful!

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  4. Your pictures are BEAUTIFUL!! I stumbled upon your site from a mention by Jen at Pierced Wonderings. I’m so glad I did. I am no artist or photography, but I love looking at and taking pictures. I was hesitant at first about joining your link up until I read through your post and looked back at ones from last week. New follower her and look forward to linking up more in the future. 🙂

    Reply
  5. I love your image! As always, I’m inspired by your creativity. I have no idea how to even begin creating something like this.

    You know, I was just reading a post by my friend Julie Jordan Scott about how writing has allowed her to more fully engage with with her creativity. I’ve found that to be true. When I’m engaging with my morning pages and into that habit, I’m much more likely to do other creative projects.

    Thank you for joining us for Photo Friday again this week. I appreciate it your support. I’m hoping to get a post together for you tomorrow 😉

    Reply
  6. I think you are better off not being tied to a “signature style”. You would find yourself always trying to fall within it’s parameters and it would limit your creativity. What you do is lovely and effort intensive (74 layers, Wow!). Your results are your reward and if you are like me, you stop and appreciate it for the moment and then move on. There are so many possibilities in photo art alone and when you go beyond that there is a lifetime of art to experiment with. I think you are off to a great start with your linky … I look forward to you each week already.

    Andrea @ From The Sol

    Reply
  7. I have no idea if I have a signature style or not at all. Sometimes I think it’s kids’ eyes, but who really knows? That wasn’t what it was when I had a completely different job from photography – and didn’t do photography as a job.
    Scarlet loves mermaids. If I saw this at an art show, I’d buy it for her room!

    Reply
  8. 74 layers!!!???
    oh my – I need to up my game!! My own this week is the most I’ve ever done at I think 4 layers! maybe that’s why I never quite get the result I am trying to achieve. it always feels a bit lacking. but then, I still feel quite new at this editing thing.
    I love the mermaid. everything about this is just so magical, and then there is the very real feel of the ocean spray added. I can almost feel the sea breeze on my face. Mostly though, I am so curious at to what that mermaid is thinking about? what does she ponder as she gazes out on that watery horizon? Would be an interesting story I bet!

    Reply

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