"Vintage Woman and Horse on Paper Digital Collage" Corel - Dover

Vintage Woman and Horse on Paper Digital Collage

Had some time today to work on this Digital Collage. I used some images from StockVault's Free Textures (the vintage paper background,) and some Dover Publication Samples (Woman and Horse, Florals, and Art Deco Flourish.)

I opened the Woman and Horse in Corel PhotoPaint, here I applied the Tone Curve to deepen the colors. I separately opened the Vintage Paper (I cropped this image,) and here pasted the Woman and Horse, using the property Subtract.

I searched through my collection of Dover sample clip art for the Florals and added them, resizing and darkening with the Tone Curve before merging them. I used Color Burn and Multiply to add them with transparency. I added my signature using Color Burn for a burnt tone. I resized in Corel PSP Pro X3 and added Image Information: Title, Copyright, Sources and Programs used. I added a Mustard border to the image and saved the iteration you see here.

I have been extremely busy this month with an unrelated Project which will conclude at month's end. I am looking forward to creating more Art and playing and recording music with my 12-String Seagull Guitar in the near future. Not counting watching my Grandson!

"Trellises Bark Siding Shed" Corel - Audacity and Line 6

Trellises Bark Siding

A simple post today. A touch of workflow. I took this photograph near Clare, Michigan, with my Canon Rebel XTi. I opened it in Corel PhotoPaint. There I applied Local Equalization and used the Tone Curve for upping the color depth a bit.

I opened the saved large iteration in Corel PSP Pro X3 and flipped the photograph. I added Vibrancy with the Saturation tool. I also added a layer of my signature in white, which doesn't detract from the image a bit. I adjusted the size for display here and saved the medium file.

I have been experimenting with my Music using my Line 6 PodXTLive, and the Gearbox software. I used a drum backtrack that was fast rock and a beginning sound like a jet taking off. I had opened this in Audacity. I recorded E7 A7 B7 riff and also a Am Em G D riff on a subsequent new track with a differing beat. In other words I played around with two drum tracks and used a Clean guitar tone called "Clean Guitar Tone," to lay down a rhythm track through the Pod.

I used a different tone for the lead playing on both tunes. On the Am tune I used the tone Avenge-fold Seven. And on the E7 tune I used a Blues tone setting.

I played the leads, adjusted the timing in Audacity due to the Latency. I ended up with two fun tracks without vocals for my own enjoyment. I am getting used to the PoDXTLive and like it quite a bit thus far. I don't currently have the funds to purchase DAW Software so Audacity is my choice above other free recording software. For a free recording type of software it is very good to use. One of the best in my humble opinion.

"Hummingbird Hook Globe Chimes" - Corel - "DADGAD Tuning Discussion"

Hummingbird Hook Globe Chimes

I have been very busy this past few weeks. I did this image from a Canon Rebel XTi photograph, taken up North in an area near Clare, Michigan. I opened the photograph in Corel PhotoPaint.

I used the Local Equalization tool on it, then applied the Tone Curve, adding depth to the color. I kept my image processing fairly straight forward. I added a Half-Tone frame with Filter Forge's Frames. I saved the large iteration.

I re-opened the image in Corel PSP Pro X3. Here I upped the color with a Saturation Vibrancy Boost. I added my signature as a layer in Black and then a layer in White. I saved the file in display size for this post.

I also have done some work musically. I now own a used Line 6 Pod XT Live for use with my recording. It is primarily a guitar Pod but I attempted to use the Gearbox software (from Line 6) with it and used a Clean guitar setting for recording with my Shure PG58 Mic.

I played and sang the basis of a DADGAD tune and recorded it with Audacity. Though I am still having some Latency problems with Audacity, but have learned a work around for that until I get my settings right. I then recorded, with my 12-String Seagull plugged in, using a setting called Clean Sweep and laid down a lead track.

I re-plugged in my Shure Mic and did some more vocals in a new track. I adjusted the tracks to match, and Mixed and Rendered to a Stereo file. Saving as a large Wav export and then an MP3 export of a different name.

I shared it with two friends and I have been told it sounded like a late 1960's style tune. Which I don't mind as I like the period of my roots in guitar playing and singing. I was pretty impressed with the results of my experiment with the Pod XT Live and Gearbox, recording with the free source Audacity.