The Three Muses Challenge - Photoplay

This is my version of PHOTPLAY (PLUS).  I am now unveiling the TRUE Uncle Paul (by marriage) whose image has been used unmercifully by me over the years.  He was a real person and you can see him in black and white, top right.  He has a pompous air which is highly suited to taking advantage of him through my artwork.  No credits for this one.  The original photo is from an old family album owned by moi, the altered images were designed and painted by moi, and the scrap of background text was scanned and altered by moi.

Take a Word Challenge - Numbers

This week the challenge theme is NUMBERS.  I hope 2015 is going to be a good one.  May I wish all our friends at Take a Word a HAPPY NEW YEAR.
Happy New Year is the theme at Digital Whisper this week so I am doubling up. 
This collage has been created using all manner of bits and pieces.  Credit is due to Createwings Designs, Birgit Kerr and Fiddlette.

The Three Muses Challenge - Mail Art Envelope

This week the challenge is to create a mail art envelope in any style.  Mine has a French flavour.  Image from e-vint.com.  Wine glass, grapes, bird and background by Lauren Bavin.

Take a Word Challenge - Red and Green

I apologize for the silly poem.  My forte is the ditty and a poet I am not!  I painted Santa digitally using ArtRage painting software.  I did start with a Googled line drawing of Santa to maintain the correct proportions but I had to re-create him at least 95 per cent.
This time of year in a part of the world where it can be extremely hot there is not a lot of peace and quiet.  Heat makes people cranky so I try to stay away from the roads, malls, parking lots and anywhere crowds gather.  In spite of that, may I wish all of my friends in Blogland a very peacerul and happy season.  Please come back to the challenges afreshed and eager to start a New Year.

The Three Muses Challenge - LIGHTHOUSE

This week at The Three Muses the theme is LIGHTHOUSE.  A beach scene is not unusual for me at this time of year because in my part of the world it is summertime.
The background is my own, painted digitally with added Photoshop brushes.  The two bathing beauties are from Tumblefish at Mischief Circus. Lighthouse from Eena's Creations, also at Mischief Circus.

Take a Word Challenge - WINTER

I painted this digitally using ArtRage software.  All my own work.

Collage Obsession Challenge - BLACK DRESS

This is a VERY little black dress.  The image (formerly undressed) is from e.vint.com with added cut and paste pieces to make the dress.  The background is by Itkupilli and the metallic butterfly from Alexeeva.  Rose hat from Graphics Fairy.  Curtain (?).

The Three Muses Challenge - GOTHIC ARCH/VINTAGE

This week the theme at Three Muses is Gothic Arch/Vintage.  The lady is from e.vint.com, the rose is my own photo.  Other bits and pieces from Kubivet Designs (no longer designing).

Collage Obsession Challenge - Smile

Her porcelain veneers were obviously ahead of her time!!  Image from Google Images, painter unknown.  Background a re-arranged dictionary scan (by me) and some Photoshop brushes.

Take a Word Challenge - ANGELS

Painted digitally in ArtRage except for the frame which is from the Studio Girls at Scrapbookgraphics.

Digital Whisper Challenge - I can't see

Thanks to DW for a challenging challenge.  The man is from Hidden Vintage Studios, the arm, background and skulls from Itkupilli (both from Mischief Circus).

Three Muses Challenge - SWIRLS AND TWIRLS

 

This week the challenge at Take a Word is SWIRLS AND TWIRLS.  The lovely lady's portrait is from an old painting (Googled) and I have used swirls and twirls AND A TWIRLY BIRD by Jofia DeVoe plus some Google brushes,

Take a Word Challenge - DOORS

 

This week at Take a Word the theme is DOORS.  The door above was Googled and the background made by me (scan of dictionary page) with some added overlays by Katie Pertiet of Designer Digitals.  The lady is probably the first Photoshop brush I owned.  I have had it for many years. The quote is by Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Three Muses Challenge - Silhouettes

This is one of my moldy oldies which I had stored away in my files.  It was inspired by the artist, Romare Bearden, who specialised in wonderful collages, often in silhouette form, on the subject of jazz and other types of music.  I found silhouette brushes of musicians, gave them some colour and placed them on a bright background to make a Beardenesque poster.  (Check Google Images under the artist's name to see his work).

Digital Whisper Challenge - COWBOY BOOTS

An unusual but enjoyable challenge!  Image (altered) from e.vint.com.  Boots and hat Googled.  Backgrounds, rocking chair, rifle from Lorie Davison at Scrapbookgraphics.

Take a Word Challenge - ORGANIC

I scanned and altered a dictionary page, painted the face and created a body for her, gave the lady an apple hat and a selection of organic items.  The white paper flowers are from Birgitt Kerr.

Collage Obsession Challenge - Headress

 

The image was googled.  I like the unusual face!  Her hair was a mess so I lightened it in colour and drew in a hairnet. Flowers, fruit and bird are from Itkupilli at Mischief Circus.

The Three Muses Challenge - Time

A Renaissance lady with a little bit of steampunk.  Face Googled, steampunk elements and clock by Maya at Scrapbookgraphics.

Take a Word Challenge - ALTERING MONA

It always seems to be that Mona is keeping secrets.  I have given her a 1920's look and a "facial" and added a scarf.  The image and background are both from Itkupilli at Mischief Circus.

Sunday Postcard Art Challenge - Shoes

 

Thanks for a nice challenge.  I made the background from a scanned dictionary page and the shoes/boots were googled.  Dried rose from my own photo.

Collage Obsession Challenge - TRANSPORTATION

I am fortunate to have a rich treasure trove of family photos from old albums.  This is my father, Michael McDonnell, 1894-1996.  I have coloured his photo and added it to this beautiful backdrop by Itkupilli.

The Three Muses Challenge - WHITE SPACE

Sometimes less is more.  This week the challenge is to create artwork using some "white space".  The space doesn't have to be white, of course.  Bev is the white space specialist and she has encouraged me to "have a go" as we say here in Australia.  I used a line drawing of a bird as template and added the metallic paint and scrolls using ArtRage software. (Drawing scrolls with a mouse is a challenge!)  Splotches of water colour paint form the background.  Circlet and leaves by Createwings Designs.

Take a Word Challenge - THINK PINK

 

 

The image which I have coloured from the original black and white was Googled.  The water colour background and other elements are from Irene Aleeva (now retired).  I call this lady "Her Royal Pinkness".

Digital Whisper Challenge - Black and White

This week the challenge at Digital Whisper is to create something in black and white.  The image is a freebie from Flickr Lost Picture Gallery, the background is by Itkupilli and the umbrella and hand were Googled.

Collage Obsession Challenge - Long Hair

 

This week at Collage Obsessions the theme is "long hair".  The image is from e.vint.com (I have coloured and altered it).  The backgrounds and overlays are by Manuela Zimmerman and Rosey Posey both at Scrapbookgraphics.

Three Muses Challenge - ART

Bev challenged us to create  a piece including the word ART.  I scanned open pages from a pocket dictionary and imagined children getting into Mum's watercolours and making one heck of a mess. The two images are from Hidden Vintage Studios.  I used many different Photoshop brushes to achieve the watercolour effects.  Not sure where the rose overlay came from.  The stitched pocket is from Createwings Designs.  The paintbrush was googled.

Take a Word Challenge - MOVIE STAR

 

 

 

The not too clear description above says "Keaton, Buster - 1895-1966.  American actor, vaudevillian, comedian, silent movie star, movie maker, stunt performer and writer".  He was one of the greatest pioneers of the film industry in all its many facets.

The image of Buster Keaton was found on Google Images.  The background was made from a scanned dictionary page, altered and coloured.  The ticket and film spool is from Kubivet (no longer working as a designer).

Collage Obsession - BRIDE

This week at Collage Obsession the theme is BRIDE.  Apologies for the macabre take on this subject!  The background, image of bride, skeletal arm, man and books/skulls by Itkupilli.  Tulle by Irene Alexeeva and dried roses by Trish Jones.

The Three Muses Challenge - SOMETHING WICKED

This week Ann has challenged us to create something wicked.  My witch is from a Renaissance painting by Hans Holbein the Younger.  Background by me.  Hat by Irene Alexeeva and creepy crawlies from JenU Designs.

Digital Whisper Challenge - WEB

The life of an understudy can be very hard!!  Waiting in the wings and collecting cobwebs is not very nice.  The web is by Irene Alexeeva, the image from e-vint.com, altered and coloured.  Waiting room made from papers from a long forgotten kit.  See DIGITAL WHISPER challenge page HERE

Take a Word - VINTAGE

Nothing's real here!!  The texty backgrounds are scanned dictionary pages (tinted),  The muslin tree is by me with pieces of silky netting by Lorie Davison, overlaid to form the shape.  Tree trunk also by me.  Paper flowers by Birgit Kerr formerly of Scrapbookgraphics.  The girl is by Hidden Vintage Studios. Background paper by Irene Alexeeva.

Collage Obsession - Eerie

This is my version of eerie created from an image by Hidden Vintage Studios and a background by Eena's Creations and a number of filters and brushes.

Take a Word Challenge - Shades of Blue

I have used this photograph many times.  It is my aunt (age 12) from an old family album.  I have coloured and altered her a bit.  The boots were Googled. The paper flowers are from Birgit Kerr (formerly of Scrapbookgraphics).

Digital Whisper Challenge - The Bowels of Hell

Australians don't celebrate Halloween as in other countries.  Therefore, I am celebrating the hellish season in my own peculiar style.  DIGITAL WHISPER is a new blog challenge which you can find HERE  -  Some of you will recognise it from its NING days and now Patti and Kaylene are bringing it to the blog. 
This picture is a mishmash of Photoshop brushes, googled broom, an angry face (altered) which I have had in storage for many years.  I used an e-vint.com lady - or the body thereof - for the body shape which I have digitally overpainted using the ArtRage program.

Take a Word Challenge - MASCULINE

 

This week the theme word at Take a Word is MASCULINE.  The two images (coloured from black and white) are from Flickr free to use images.  The background is by Itkupilli.

Collage Obsession Challenge - RAVEN

Thanks to Linda for a great challenge at CO.  My raven has a slight injury to his leg.  The girl is from an old painting to which I added a lower body.  The raven was Googled.  The background is made from bits and pieces from Createwing Designs and Catherine Designs.

The Three Muses Challenge - Use of printed or hand-written text in art.

The background text and archway are from Maya at Scrapbookgraphics.  The source for the two images has been lost over the years.  I have altered them greatly and added new legs and shoes. 

The Three Muses Challenge - UMBRELLAS

This week the theme word at "Take a Word" is UMBRELLAS. The elements in this collage are mainly from Catherine Designs, the umbrella was Googled and the rain deprived farmer is from an old painting of unknown origin.

The Three Muses Challenge - Board Games

Poor Flossy spent all her money at the Bingo Hall and is reduced to wearing cardboard castoffs. The image is from e-vint.com, the bingo card from Google Images.

Take a Word Challenge - INSECTS

This week the theme word at Take a Word is INSECTS.  I have chosen bees!  Collage created mostly with Googled images.  Lady Bee includes a face from a Flickr-free-to-use website, painting by me.  Flower also by me.

Sunday Postcard Art - SPOOKY

Thanks to Mandy and Donna for a great challenge.  Original image a free-to-use from the late Suzee Que at Flickr.

Collage Obsessions Challenge - DIVA

What a nice challenge to start a new year of arting at Collage Obsession.  The image is from Itkupilli and the background by Lorie Davison.  (I coloured the image).

The Three Muses Challenge - HAPPINESS IS ...

Happiness IS a cup of tea and a harmless gossip!!  The ladies have been in my collection for a very long time and I'm not sure where they came from.  I have coloured and altered them.  The background is by Itkupilli.

Take a Word Challenge - BUTTONS AND BOWS

The theme this week is BUTTONS AND BOWS.  The image is from Hidden Vintage Studios, buttons Googled, Bow and Bird from Createwings Designs and scanned dictionary page (altered) from me.

Hat for Sunday Postcard Art

A hat good enough to eat.  Drawing by me.  Background Rosey Posey. Googled berries.

The Three Muses Challenge - ALTERED PLAYING CARDS

 

Lord Freddie Fauntleroy lost more than his shirt when playing at cards.  Image Googled and other bits and pieces from Irene Alexeeva.

Take a Word Challenge - STEAMPUNKERY

The image comes from two old photos (the top from one, the legs from another).  Other bits and pieces from Finecrafted Designs and Marta van Eck (both from Deviantscrap)

The Three Muses Challenge - ROSES

A Jane Austen Collage with some red roses thrown in!  Jane Austen memorabilia from Fiddlette, old note books from Christina Renee.

Take a Word Challenge - WINDOWS

This week at Take a Word the theme is WINDOWS.  I have altered the two images (from e.vint.com) by colouring them and giving them new clothes.  The window is from Jen Designs and the background is from Itkupilli.

Sunday Postcard Art Challenge - Framed

This week the theme at Sunday Postcard Art is FRAMES.  I used the face of old time movie actress Louise Brooks (coloured and altered) and drew in the rest.  The background is by Alexeeva and the frame is from a collection by Studio Girls at Scrapbookgraphics.