Corel Photo Painter

I be cognizant most of you are set since surfing centrally located, being the Pensacola New Journal featured us today, together with I significance you might analogous a preview of SOME of the topics coming done with separating the upcoming weeks. Recall whim geting our daily quizzes, including (disclose the hasp hopeful the left.) There are a lot topics not pictured, same in that candle painting, scratchart, painting onward clay hunks, foam cutouts, paper mache, wood besides foam door hangers, sequin shirts, textile painting (on shirts together with canvas totes) painting gourds, woodburning along with painting setup wood (petrol pencils) besides sport skills equaling considering sketching, statue, acrylic painting, watercolor painting, etc.

ALthough O'Malley took a bit of skill to "doctor up," good art skills aren't usually required for computer generated art. (Yes, you heard correctly.) Computer generated graphics are a LOT of fun, as you can tell from our cat, O'Malley. I KNOW you long to dabble on someone's picture and turn them into a toothless, bearded pirate...you name it. (My husband quickly removed me from the computer chair when I asked how he'd look in a pink tutu...)

If you're getting a graphics program, the one I use is Corel (Draw, Photopaint.)

Let me give you an advance peek at the upcoming topic, computer art. We'll get to that in a week or two. I'll show you what you can do, using simple outlining in black, and the press of a few buttons. Take a look at this simple picture, it's about to change drastically. Here we go! :)

I outlined the flowers in black, using the mouse. I didn't care if my lines were perfect. It takes a bit of practice to keep your hand steady using the mouse. Start practicing! :) The picture below wasn't quite completed with the black outline, I did all the flowers.

Using Corel Photo Paint, I went to Effects/Contour/Edge Detect/Edges Soft (level 100) and pressed a button. Voila, with only 4 clicks of mouse, see my masterpiece?

Here's another one. Effects/Custom/Alchemy/Brush Strokes. Your kids will LOVE doing computer art for the front of their folders, and everyone can make great cards! (I'll be providing images, be sure and right click and save them IMMEDIATELY if you want them.) Alchemy reminds me of abstract pastel chalk pieces. What do you think?

And for a bolder approach, here's Effects/3d/Emboss.

So, if you'd like to keep up with the arts/crafts projects, local art events, etc, you can get on my mailing list for this blog. When a new topic is posted, you'll get a reminder. That's helpful because posting isn't on a schedule. I am going to try to post at least once a week. BTW, I do not share email addresses with others, they are for blog notification only, and there is no solicitation. Just email me at haldagobay1@bellsouth.net with "Haldago Bay Blog" in the subject line. If you'd like to email a friend and tell them about this blog, just go to the end of this article and there's a small envelope with a black arrow on it. Just click on it and fill in your friends' email addys. Thanks for spreading the word :)

Feel free to tell me what topics you'd like to see featured; this is an interactive blog. I would love to hear from you! And if you have images that you think others would like to use when they sketch, paint, or do computer art, send them in the BODY of your email. I'd also love to publish photos of your arts/crafts! If you find great images on the internet in photo albums, let us know about that, too.

YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE AN ARTIST TO DO THE PROJECTS, and I will be drawing simple items for you to download and print out, and locating good images for you from the net that you can use. The projects allow for flexibiility- you make it as easy or difficult as you want. All the projects (note ALL) are do-able by children. I select the ones my kids have enjoyed, and the activities that were the most popular when I did craft sessions at several Michaels locations, and during private lessons. Don't be afraid to email me anytime you have a question, because I'm here to help.) So, relax and have fun, you have a blog pal to guide you along!

If you have an art activity such as the one below, just email me. If you sell arts/crafts and want to send a picture, I'll consider posting it. It is at my discretion. I'd like to help the LOCAL crafters get noticed.

One of the local nurseries (Garden Gate) is having a mosaic class. Let me tell you briefly about Garden Gate before I discuss the class, because it's an awesome nursery and if you're in the Pensacola area, you should stop by. Emily makes a wonderful effort, year after year, to rescue butterflies. Picture above are Monarch caterpillars. Their numbers have declined by millions for several years in a row, due to natural catastrophes. Give Garden Gate a call if you find these caterpillars in the winter as the milkweed plants they eat are usually without leaves. Below is one of seven monarchs we hatched, as we fed/protected them in our bathroom. All seven fluttered happily away when we released them in April.

Now, back to arts and crafts. In the Garden Gate newsletter, I found this and thought you'd like to know about it. The Garden Gate classes do fill rather quickly, but this was just announced Thursday night (Jan 5th) so you are informed early enough to get a spot.

"Mosaics - The most fun of all our classes! Take out your aggressions with a hammer on tile and ceramics, and create something beautiful for your house or garden. Come learn the art and craft of mosaics and take home something you made in class