Technology vs Brains, Winner-Loser

Some days technology is wonderful, once you know how to use it. It’s gloriously fast, efficient, and effective. Other days it can make me want to poke my own eyes out.

Tell me how many mistakes can pencil and paper make? Huh? Yeah, I thought so.

Okay, so the pencil can break, you have to keep sharpening it, a pen can run out of ink, the paper could tear, smudge, become illegible, or lost.

Computers and their ilk, however, are quite another expensive, annoying, make me feel stupid, story.

What’s my problem, you ask? Well, I’ll tell you. Most of these items need electricity to run, and when not plugged into an outlet periodically, run out of juice. Most of the time an items has run out at the moment I need to use it.

Technology is overrated.

Now, take art, for example. Real, honest, brush/paint/paper/canvas art. Plug it in the electric socket for it to do something? Nope. Plug me and my brain in to do something? Yes. Got it?

Herein lies the rub.

For the art to “work” my brain needs to function properly, which, on certain days, may not happen. But on those days that it works to it’s optimum potential we are golden. Cameras, however, need charged batteries to photograph such moments. Charged fully one day, depleted the next.

And there you have it.

New Finished Watercolor Painting

Yes, friends, another watercolor painting is off the block. And it’s a happy day. 

Sunburst ©2012 Dora Sislian Themelis
14×20 Watercolor, Arches 140lb cold press
Let me tell you what I’m not sure about. I’m not thrilled with my photo taking skills. I have tried bright natural light, and sometimes it’s too much light. 
Then I tried softer daylight, with a sheer curtain, still no good. Today I took this photo with the flash on, all quite by accident, and it’s not all that bad. I think I lost some color in there somewhere, but the photo without flash was dull. Am I going to need to take a course, or what? 

Almost finished photo, no flash, bright desk lamp

A photographer at the art event asked me if I knew how to take photos of my work by zooming in on the painting first. Yes, I knew that, but I should’ve asked more questions. Better yet, I should have asked him to take the photos. I wonder if that would be a good idea? Next time, my brain needs to work faster.

This might be the only work I get done this week. Our big, fat Greek festival is happening this weekend, and you know what that means? Craziness. I’ll try to update you.

Photos for Friday

On my artist date at the Nassau County Museum of Art to see the Louis Comfort Tiffany exhibit, I just had to take a short walk on one of the trails. I thought I could see a body of water beyond the trees and I had to try to see it. If you look at the first photo, you can barely see Long Island Sound beyond the trees. Read the small sign at the bottom of the name of the trail. Interesting? Scary!