PUCKER UP!

         "Making It With Balloons" BLOG

             A personal Look At Making Things, 

             Making Success and 

             Making A Difference

             With Balloons

FROM A FLOWER TO A KISS

Here (below) is another digital painting of one of my facebook friends, 

Manon Dudziak. She is a fine balloon artist and marvelous entertainer from Paris, France. Check out her web site at http://www.mademoizelle-m.com
or visit her on Facebook at
 https:.facebook.com/manon.dudziak   

My painting is derived from Manon Dudziak's Facebook profile photo of April 9,2010. 

The original photo (to the right) draws attention to the balloon hat with a bright balloon flower that wraps around the hat. 

But, I found Manon's expression more interesting. So, I dropped the flower, simplified the background and refocused the lighting on her face (below).

Now, you really notice her piercing look, soft skin and puckered lips. 

Is she kidding with the camera man, flirting with you or pondering projected memories?

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Thanks for joining us here on 
"Making It With Balloons"  Blog

Your Host,
Graham Rouse




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Copyright Graham Rouse / Rouse Technologies LLC  2012

FATHER'S DAY BALLOON PLAY

    "Making It With Balloons" BLOG

       A personal Look At Making Things, 

       Making Success and 

       Making A Difference

       With Balloons

BALLOONS FOR CHILDREN & GRANDCHILDREN

My twin boys got a lot of balloon time in their younger days.  The picture (left) shows them at play with a set of balloon creatures that I designed in modular units so they could be assembled in a variety of ways. They were similar in nature to the "Mr. Potato Heads" that were popular for a while. You could connect the parts and rearrange them to make a lot of different creatures from relatively few elements.

My boys are both fathers themselves now. This picture is one of those I found when I went rummaging to see what interesting things I might send them as a Father's Day greeting (June 17, 2012). 

The grandchildren do not get the same level of balloon play as their fathers except on those infrequent occasions when "Graham Pa" swoops in with a bag of balloons.  Those are fun times.

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CHOOSING THE FATHER'S DAY SCENE
But, on this Father's Day I was searching for something more universal, a scene that my boys experienced with me that might remind them of scenes they have, or could have, with their children.  I found a scene I really liked.

You can see it to the right.  We were nested together on the living room sofa.  We were settling in after one damaged arm had been patched. One brother had catapulted the other through the air and into some furniture.  The furniture survived nicely, but my son's left arm did not do as well. The hospital trip was not so bad. In fact, we made a little adventure out of it.  But, it was nice to pause together on the sofa afterward to reinforce the bonds tested by the day.  I can see my grown up boys having similar moments with their children.

ENHANCING THE PICTURE 

While the scene was just right, the old snapshot was weak, dirty, a little out of focus and the strong back lighting made it hard to see the three subjects.  I decided to rebuild it as a digital illustration.  It took a few hours, but it was a pleasure to work on it, and it gave me a few hours to reflect on my years as a father and grandfather. The memories were rich and I tried to build that richness into the colors and textures of the image below.

I hope you enjoy the illustration and the memories it may stir in you.

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Thanks for joining us here on "Making It With Balloons"  Blog

Your Host,
Graham Rouse



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Copyright Graham Rouse / Rouse Technologies LLC  2012

BALLOON FRIENDS VIRTUALLY ENHANCED

    
"Making It With Balloons" BLOG       
A personal Look At Making Things, Making        
Success and Making A Difference         
With Balloons

Massaging The Virtual World

I find the virtual world of computers and the internet especially fascinating.  And, being a creative sort of guy,  I love exploring and then adding my own "twists" and "enhancements" to what I find.  Some may call it "editing".  Others might name it "digital painting" or "virtual art".  I just enjoy massaging images and giving them new expression.  I though I would enjoy, and I hope you enjoy, sharing in some of the results and a little of the process as well. 

 Facebook Balloon Friends

I thought I would start with images I have created of and about many of my Facebook balloon friends.  Sometimes it is a portrait of a person and some times an image of their work, but always, I have added my own twist, hoping that it will be perceived as an enhancement rather than a detraction.  Let me know what you think with your "comments", "likes", "shares", etc.

Ingrid Janssens
https://www.facebook.com/ingrid.janssens.7  
This is not Ingrid (below). My guess is that it is Ingrid's daughter. The dress made with balloons is Ingrid's work.  You may see more images of the model, the dress and of the construction steps at  https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=oa.340377369345314&type=1 .

When I first saw Ingrid's original picture (left), I liked the dress and the girl.  I imagined them, however, in a different setting. There is a bright spot is on her knees.  I wanted the light to move up.  And, I imagined a simpler and darker background to contrast with the subject and to focus more attention on the girl and the balloon dress.  So, I spent some hours shifting the light and changing the background to draw your eyes up to shoulder height and then out to explore her mood and gesture and then on to the texture and craftsmanship of the balloon dress.  


You can see the results in the second and larger picture below.  I find the finished image absorbing and pleasant to explore. It feels as if I am taking on some of the poise and patience exhibited by Ingrid's young model. 


How does the new picture affect you?

Thanks for joining us here on "Making It With Balloons"  Blog

Your Host, Graham Rouse
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• Give us your quick reaction with the check boxes below.
• Join in the conversation by leaving your comments below.
• Give us you recommendation by clicking "+1".
• Share our link by email with the envelope icon.
• Share with your friends on.facebook, twitter, etc via their icons.
• Do come again!

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