Antique Photo restoration

Antique photo restoration has long been one of my passions.

Not only restoring the color but also making digital alterations to the photo that I could not have done when the photo was originally taken. Removing a post from the middle of my head, to removing a partially seen dog in the background are just some of the things that digital restoration is now capable of. If I need to I can literally move or remove people and things. Make people look younger or older, heavier or skinnier. Even in some older photos replacing damaged or missing areas in the photo. The real trick is to make the restoration without altering the photo anymore the necessary. When done the photo should appear as close to the original as possible without making major alterations that would change the historical value. Repairing sun damage, cracks and tears are the usual repairs made to heirloom photos.

     

Mosquito design

Mosquito design

 

Mosquito Shirt by abadu44
See other Blood T-Shirts

   This is actually one of my older designs. Up until Recently this design was available through Cafépress.com but because I did not get as much response to it there, I removed it and placed it on Zazzle.com.  Selling designs through these two companies is sometimes a trial and error. Cafepress.com is based in England whereas Zazzle.com is based in the United States. Both are good websites that can be trusted, but each caters to a different type of clientele. Both companies sell their products worldwide but both companies also do a better job in the countries that they're based in. It is always a good idea to take in consideration that some designs do better if they cater to the demographics and culture of the country they're being sold to. I always keep in mind that cookies in the United States doesn't mean the same in England. (P.S. you cannot sell a single design on both sites at the same time due to contract agreements.)

Petrified Santa Sculpture

Petrified Santa Sculpture

It is said that sometimes your creations take on a life of their own and I found that out for myself this winter. The universe always has a way of reminding us that we are not always in control of anything and that we are more co_creator than creator. 

The universe is a living thing that we are a part of and connected to, co_creating what we dream. 

So what will you create today that will make the world a better place?

If I made one person smile, it was worth it.

Lizard eating lizard

A once in a lifetime photo.    

    This photograph is a good example of two things. The first is that the best camera you can have is the one that is in your hand, at the time you need to take the photo. Had I not had a camera in my hands at the time I came upon these two, I would not have gotten the shot. As it was they were as startled to see me as I was to see them. Their first instinct was to stand still which gave me time to take several photos using an old Kodak digital EasyShare Z981. The camera has an agonizing lag time between photos, but I still managed to take nine photos before they both took off in separate directions. It is hard to say who would've won the battle as I think they were evenly matched, but personally I think the leopard lizard had bit off more than he could chew.
    The second is, that in this day and age of high-tech, an artisan needs to protect their artwork by whatever means necessary. It is unfortunate in this day and age that as an artisan we must protect our work with such drastic measures as using watermarks and other high-tech protection. The Internet has made this even more important not only because so many think that anything that is on the Internet is free for the taking, but because so many international laws around the world are so different from one another.
    At one time decreasing the resolution to 72 ppi might have been enough, but now there are computer programs that can enlarge a photo without any distortion. There are also photographic editing tools that would allow me to remove any visible watermarks such as these. Although in this case it would take a great deal of work to do so, it is not impossible. Yes, even the invisible watermarks that are encoded into the photograph itself do not guarantee a 100% protection. With technology moving so quickly, it is almost impossible to keep up and stay ahead of the criminal element.
     As a result, most of my work is on a third-party website which helps give a second layer of protection. One such website is Zazzle.com  which sells products with my artwork on them. I retain all the copyrights and receive a royalty for any products that I sell. I set up a virtual store with products such as clothing or housewares and use my photographic images on those products. I then sell the products and upon completion of the transaction I receive a royalty from the sale of those products. I also have the option of keeping those products and images private which means I can show the images and products to a select private group. Keep in mind that even the best of third-party websites cannot guarantee 100% protection.

Hunting for lizards in heads

Alice ( A Chihuahua that belongs to one of my kids) 

She is  looking  for lizards in one of my latest carvings.

The problem is she does not know which head to look in. It quickly becomes a game of who is faster. A little like watching a kid play "Whack a mole".

Garden patch heads

My three latest creation are now drying out from their week long soak in water. The one on the left I created for Corie Candee, if she decides to keep it. They are not signed or numbered and I no longer name them. I have always felt that naming them was a little precocious. After all, would you want someone else to name your kid? I think of them as stone Cabbage Patch kids rising up out of the garden. The one on the right is still being worked on as I intend to add a glass jewel to the four head.

my back yard

My back yard. Some would say it is just desert, but I think it is magic.

My back yard

Life gives you want you need but not always the way that you want. Like swimming a raging river, there is no point to fighting it. Move with it and see where it leads you before you call it good or bad.