T T Time . . . .

This week the theme for Texture Tuesday is the colour orange so I decided to use a photo of some apricots I had taken previously . . . .and this is the result.

For anyone who wants to see the steps, here they are :-

1st layer, Ivy 2 texture, blend mode linear burn, opacity 31%, mask layer added and using the black brush I revealed various areas.

2nd layer, I duplicated layer 1, blend mode linear burn, opacity 62%.

3rd layer, I duplicated layer 2, blend mode normal, opacity 80% but used ctrl I to invert the texture and I used the black brush to reveal various areas.

4th layer, I duplicated the previous layer but didn't invert this layer, blend mode normal, opacity 78% and once again I used the black brush to do a final reveal.

Finally, I flattened the image and did a levels adjustment.

I've had to type this I one handed as I've pulled a muscle in my arm which is really painful if I move it. It was totally my own fault.  I was waiting for the washing machine door to open a couple of days ago and decided to do some pressups using the machine. Nothing so radical as getting onto the floor, these were much more genteely done stood up with my hands on the machine. I only did about 6 and felt fine but yesterday the muscle at the top of my left arm began to hurt and last night it was really painful. tis morning it hurts even more  . . . .I think it's stiffened up overnight . . . .so one handed typing and no more exercise for me for a while  :-))

Hope you are all well,  I'm looking forward to seeing what you all come up with.

Love Teresa xx     :-)

Texture Tuesday "back to school"

Todays theme over at the cafe is "back to school" . . . Not having any children and being a few years :-) away from my own schooldays I felt a little out of touch with this one, nothing sprang readily to mind.

I thought of taking a pic of a group of books . . . then I thought about "an apple for the teacher" . . . . but nothing was really firing me up . . .

I had more or less decided to go with the apple theme when, as I was out early yesterday morning wandering around with my camera ( it was a rare windless start to the day), I had this idea . . . .

Back to school isn't just an action, it's a time of year and the time of year is the end of summer.

For the children it's the end of the long, hot, days on the beach and in the sea . . . . and the start of early mornings, restrictive clothing and meeting with any friends they haven't seen for the duration of the holidays.

And for me it's these vines leaves beginning to look autumnal and fall from the vines . . . .

The first texture I used was "warmly cracked".
layer 1, normal blend mode, opacity 48%
layer 2, I duplicated the layer, linear burn blend mode, opacity 28%
On both layers I applied layer masks to reveal certain areas.

The second texture was "grunge"
Overlay blend mode, opacity 16%

I then flattened the image, duplicated it and used multiply blend mode at 22%

Hope you all found it easier than me to come up with a pic. . . . . . .I'm looking forward to seeing what you've all been doing . . .
Love Teresa x :-))

Down by the sea

Twilight time at the harbour.

In the summer, as the sun begins to sink, there is a lovely pink glow down by the harbour. It deepens little by little as the night time approaches until it finally gives way to the darkness.

Because it' so warm in the evening, lots of people are about and it's quite a busy time with fishing, strolling and sitting . . . .

So this is "twilight at the harbour"

Textures were by Kim Klassen.

Enjoy your weekend, Teresa xx :-))

Friday Fiesta . . .

Hope you all feel in a "Friday" mood today and have good things planned for the weekend.

Here's my shot for today . . . . "Friday Fiesta"

This zinnia was just so vibrant under the hot morning sun, I didn't want to dampen it's colour in any way.  The textures I used are by  by Leslie Nicole . . .who incidentally has a competition running at her site to choose the photo with the best use of her "Purple pros" texture. Anyone can vote so this is the link if you want to pop over.

http://frenchkisstextures.com/featured-art/your-work/challenges/purple-prose-texture-challenge-with-prizes/

Love to all, Teresa xx :-))

Geraniums . . . . .if you look closely

I've been doing a lot of work with textures lately and these are two of my more recent ones.

Both started life as photos as geraniums. The first was pink in colour and the second that lovely bright reddy/orange.

Hope you enjoy them :-))


"Floating"

"Impressions of summer"

The textures used were by Kim Klassen and Leslie Nicole . . . . . .see sidebar for links.

Hope you have a wonderful day, Teresa XX :-))

Hot here today

It started off really calm and still which usually means the heat is going to rise . . . .and it did !

There's a strong wind now so it should cool down later.

Anyway that . . .

     leads me . . . . .

            to this . . . .
































I hope that, no matter what sort of weather you are having, or what sort of day, you are able to find some time to just  . . .  .relax . . .

Love Teresa xx :-))

I'm off over to . . . .

It's Texture Tuesday again at the cafe and this weeks theme was a photo inspired by a movie title . . . .so, with a bit of artistic licence . .  . . . .The 39 Steps. Yes I know only four are showing but there were more, honestly . . . .

This is a classic 1935 film ( yes a real oldie . . and no, I didn't see it until much, much later than 1935 :-))  a thriller directed by Alfred Hitchcock and it really is worth seeing if you can.

This is my photo. It was taken on the island of Nisyros and is in the partly uninhabited village of Emporios.

The texture I used was "warm sun" and I used soft light at 65% and then two further layers using linear burn at 30% and 32%. On the first linear burn layer I used the black brush to lessen the intensity in some areas.

This island is really worth a visit if you are in the group of Greek islands called the Dodecanese. It's small but the whole centre of the island is a volcano caldera which is still very "mushy" in places . . . .ancient geological term :-) . .   . . .  and has some yellow sulphur rising up, but according to everyone completely safe. This is the wikipedia entry
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nisyros

Can't wait to see what you've all been up to . .
Love Teresa xx :-)