Process of creating my art

All of my digital art work is based on my digital photographs; editing and designing are done on the computer.

Using filters, I add artistic edge effects on one (or several) of the layers of my digital art work and arrange them to add movement to the picture. It is like using a pencil to sketch. I then take a second copy of the photo and paint it. When I paint a picture by hand, I usually do it on the computer. I have a Wacom tablet and an electronic pen that are connected to my computer. As I move the pen across the tablet, I am painting on a layer above the photograph. I can paint with oils, watercolor, chalk, pencil, and other tools.

Finally, I blend the painted pixels with the upper and underlying layers. On some of my pictures, I use as many as nine or more layers. Each layer is carefully arranged to the correct position before the art work is finished.

Many of my photographs are not sketched or painted. They are best left just as they were as I snapped the picture. I have marked them as "photograph," while the others are labeled "digital art."

In my digital darkroom, I can adjust the brightness and contrast as well as the saturation of the color just as film photographers do in a darkroom. I use at least two different computer programs with my pictures.