Despite my being an artist, I don’t have many actual paintings as in paint on paper or canvas to hang on the wall.
This photo is of a mural in my bathroom, which I have added dragonflies painted with “interference pigments” on mylar. They started life as part of the window dressing I did for the art store where I worked.
Bathroom mural
Dragonfly detail
This is another mural, done for my niece’s bedroom. Unfortunately, she was never able to use the room as a bedroom and eventually, the wall the mural was on was removed. The painting (on a sheet of Masonite) sits in my basement awaiting repairs and a new home.
Inset wall mural
Landscape detail
Wandering cat (inspired by "Cat Heaven" by Cynthia Rylant)
I have been doing a lot of digital art which incorporate digital photos and images which have been manipulated. Some people think that this work is “easy” and “cheating” but it is no less hard work than “real” (as in live) painting. Painting is painting, whether you use canvas and brushes or an original idea or image and use Photoshop to manipulate the image.
Like any medium, anyone can create something using Photoshop but the end product is what counts. If it moves someone or makes them think, it is art.
In the end, if my work makes someone happy, makes them think, or touches them, that is all well and good but I have to be satisfied with the results.
This is the one of my favorite image paintings. It was a photo of a friend’s son, taken at a pool party. I removed details in the background, like peoples’ heads and a light fixture and then spent a couple of days manipulating the surface as you would with a pastel painting. I love this piece…
"Cherub"
This one is one created entirely on my new art tablet. Just sort of a spontaneous piece to test it out.
Child
Mudpuddle 
azahar said,
May 19, 2009 at 7:11 am
I can’t believe I missed these – they’re wonderful.
Sorry, spent most of the weekend either sleeping or … sleeping.
upcountrysmiles said,
May 18, 2009 at 2:51 am
Aloha from Maui!
Very pretty bathroom mural. I really like it:)
Mines is up too!
Visit http://upcountrysmiles.com
Thank you,
Cindy O
jams O'Donnell said,
May 17, 2009 at 10:15 am
You are a very talented artist. I patricularly love the mural in your bathroom…
saint3 said,
May 16, 2009 at 10:07 pm
the child n cherub pics are truly good!
mudhooks said,
May 16, 2009 at 10:11 pm
Thanks! The “Cherub” title is slightly tongue in cheek. He was a great kid but he was “a bit of a handful” that day. He wasn’t necessarily on his most “cherubic” behaviour. However, he really enjoyed being the centre of attention while I had the camera on him.
magiceye said,
May 16, 2009 at 9:32 pm
such wonderful art work! great!
mudhooks said,
May 16, 2009 at 10:12 pm
Thanks. Really appreciate the compliment!
JC said,
May 16, 2009 at 6:09 pm
That is some fabulous work! Funny you should mention Photoshop work… I just wrote a post for tomorrow. I’d appreciate you coming by and sharing your thoughts, if you have time.
Mrs. Mecomber said,
May 16, 2009 at 3:34 pm
Wowsa!! Your murals are incredible!! I love good art. 🙂
Aileni said,
May 16, 2009 at 2:32 pm
You have worked hard – very productive.
Annie said,
May 16, 2009 at 12:50 pm
I really enjoyed seeing this post. Your work is wonderful! And I agree with you, art is art no matter what the medium.
Thanks for visiting mine and have a nice weekend.
mudhooks said,
May 16, 2009 at 12:55 pm
Thanks!
healingmagichands said,
May 16, 2009 at 11:59 am
I agree with you. Painting is painting no matter what the medium, using the computer and photoshop is not cheating. I have seen some completely wonderful and amazing works of art that were produced digitally, they are no less beautiful or art because they are digital.
I enjoyed your entry in today’s photohunt.
mudhooks said,
May 16, 2009 at 12:54 pm
Thanks!
Photoshop is simply a tool, no different from using oils, watercolours or a pencil, in the same way that digitally created music is the same as using traditional instruments to create music. Some people choose a violin to make their music and another chooses a sound-board. Done well, both will make you weep with joy.
Saying that when you are drawing with a stylus and a digital brush it is “the computer” is creating the painting is like saying the brush and paint and paper are making the painting and not the artist. They are all just tools for creating the artwork. Sure, some basic changes like pressing the “watercolour” tool to instantly create a “watercolour” from a photo isn’t necessarily all that creative but if you have made something interesting and worthwhile in doing so, then it IS creative.
A lot of people don’t really understand that a lot of what we do using photoshop is simply what we would do in the darkroom without all the dangerous chemicals which are also bad for the environment. It is simply the greener and cleaner way of doing something that any photographer from the past would have given his eyeteeth to do as easily.
Basic fact. a photograph is completely created by light, chemicals, and time. The photographer just helps it all along. No differently from the amount of input that a digital photographer has in the work he or she does.
srp said,
May 16, 2009 at 10:50 am
These are all lovely… I can take fair pictures, but get a paint brush in my hand and you can just forget it… might be able to get paint on the wall, but never in something so beautiful! Mine is up here.
mudhooks said,
May 16, 2009 at 11:04 am
You never know. You might be pretty surprised if you just decided to let go and paint.
Painting BIG is always much more fulfilling for me that painting small but then you don’t often have the chance to paint anything the size of a wall. I wish I had a space large enough to paint BIG paintings.
Shades of Blue Wednesday said,
May 16, 2009 at 10:41 am
Those are spectacular drawing! I wish I have murals on my walls. I can’t draw worth anything.
About the tablet….which brand is a better one? I’m not familiar with them beyond what the website said.
mudhooks said,
May 16, 2009 at 10:57 am
Well, I have only tried the Wacom Bamboo Fun one (in the link I posted). They aren’t expensive and they come with great software. You can also use the stylus with any other program because it basically replaces the mouse.
The Wacom product, though, in conjunction with the software that comes with it also has the ability to translate the pressure-sensitivity of a pencil, pen, or brush to the digital tools.
At $99 (I think that is US, my sister gave me mine for Xmas) for the small tablet which is just fine for the average user, I think it is a good bet.
You might want to check out any reviews of other products. But I am happy with mine.
Here are some other paintings I did with mine…
Teena in Toronto said,
May 16, 2009 at 9:28 am
My walls are boring compared to yours!
I played too 🙂
mudhooks said,
May 16, 2009 at 11:05 am
I wish I could paint ALL my walls but then they aren’t mine to paint. Would that I owned my own house with big , blank walls to just go to town on!
aliceaudrey said,
May 16, 2009 at 9:20 am
I want the mural for my wall. Pretty.
mudhooks said,
May 16, 2009 at 9:29 am
Thanks! I feel badly. I offered it to someone and was supposed to fix it for her but with my two accidents last year, I never got around to it. I will HAVE to do it for her soon, before her son it too old to enjoy it!