The Computer - Its quirks and its magic

"Enlightened Bird"
Scanned Copy of Purchase Award Winner

Original bird painting - Watercolor and Pen and Ink
(Shown here is scanned copy)

Original painting scanned and color enhanced on Computer


I was thinking that as I'm still in the "ideas" stage of creativity, I am pulling out old paintings and playing around with them in photoshop. I wanted to post two pictures here, one before I tweeked the picture and the other after I pumped it up with computer color. (2nd and 3rd pictures represent this). Ultimately, I am determined, as I paint hands-on, to really brighten up the color in future creations so I don't have to tweek it, say on the computer. Relying on the computer can become a bit of a crutch, encourage laziness, sometimes take away from pureness of the art process. But, for me, right now, it seems necessary to get me moving out of my "limbo stage". Watercolor can be such a light medium, so transparent. Perhaps I'll use less water or try acrylics which seem to have more color impact. Good, the writings here are stimulating creative possibilities!
Anyway, I painted this little bird in watercolor and pen and ink and then scanned it into the computer during a computer art class. Somehow I hit a computer button, don't know which one and voila a reverse image of the bird appeared, almost skeleton-like in appearance. It won a purchase award and now hangs at the school. (Top picture shown above). I'm asked how I did it and honestly, I say I don't know. My fingers slipped on the computer keys, but I'd like to think that my creative spirit jumped in and took over. Yet, I was delighted with how intrigued the judges were. Soul Lesson -Sometimes when we let go of the how to's and the doing it rights of creativity, magic appears. I call this painting "Enlightened Bird", as it represents, to me, the purity of life, ultimately we want to be transparent and authentic enough to let our light shine through, dropping the shields that block us. Perhaps I'll write a poem about this piece, I feel it stirring within me. And I want to embrace more the magic and mystery of my creativity, so stay tuned.