Photo by Ian Schneider on Unsplash

What I’ve Been Working On Lately – Part One

LaurenLeave a comment

In a previous post, Beginnings, I discussed a Skillshare class that I took, as well as some of the art and daily art habits that resulted from said class. I have been creating artwork for much of 2017, and have been sharing my work mainly on my Instagram, but not so much elsewhere. So, I wanted to share some of my favorite works here and give a brief explanation on how I created them.

Piece 1 – Trying Something New, Posted February 15, 2017

Artwork, titled Trying Something New
Trying Something New, created using the iOS apps Uzu and Mextures.

This piece, Trying Something New, was created using two separate iOS apps. The first, Uzu, was where I created the general shapes. Uzu is described on its website as a “Kinetic Multitouch Particle Visualizer.” It “allows users to manipulate a fully dynamic art light show.” There are a number of presets that provide a starting point for the particle movement, as well as options for users to customize. The app allows for saving the visualizer paused at a moment in time.

The second app, Mextures, was where I added the textures, adjusted the colors, and generally fine-tuned the image. This app allows a user to combine an unlimited number of color gradients, textures, light leaks, grunginess, etc., and fine-tune them endlessly with opacity, blending modes, basic image adjustments, and different film emulators. The basic workflow description from the website – “Add a photo, layer up your image, add adjustments, and export your work of art.” Mextures also allows a user to save “formulas” which are presets that contain all of the layers, opacity and blending mode settings, film emulators, and image adjustments from a specific edit session. You can keep these for yourself, or share with others using a code generated within the app.

I have experimented with Uzu and Mextures quite a bit this year in a variety of different ways, and cannot recommend them enough. There really are an endless amount of adjustments and variations that can be created from both.

Here’s a variation on Trying Something New. It has the same basic shapes from Uzu, but different adjustments, layers, blending modes, light leaks, and textures from Mextures.

Artwork, titled Trying Something New Variation
Trying Something New Variation, created using the iOS apps Uzu and Mextures.

There are more of these interactive “particle visualization” apps out there. Others that I’ve used are Tesla Toy, Atomic Toy, Laser Lights, Cyclotron, and Particle Box, all by PDJ Apps.

These are a few other pieces I created using the Uzu and other particle visualization apps combined with Mextures –

Artwork, titled Bloom
Bloom, created using the iOS apps Uzu and Mextures
Artwork, titled Color Boom
Color Boom, created using a particle visualization iOS app and Mextures
Artwork, titled Crane
Crane, created using the iOS apps Uzu and Mextures.
Artwork, titled Crane Two
Crane Two, created using the iOS apps Uzu and Mextures.
Artwork, titled Excess Exes
Excess Exes, created using the iOS apps Uzu and Mextures.
Artwork, titled Only When You're Standing in the Eye
Only When You’re Standing in the Eye, created using the iOS apps Uzu and Mextures.
Artwork, titled Baby, You're a Firework
Baby, You’re a Firework, created using the iOS apps Uzu and Mextures.
Artwork, titled Formation of an Idea
Formation of an Idea, created using the iOS apps Uzu and Mextures.
Artwork, titled Sparklers
Sparklers, created using a particle visualization iOS app and Mextures.

 

I hope you have enjoyed these, dear reader! Check back again soon for another installment of What I’ve Been Working on Lately!

 

*All images are copyright Lauren Yandle, 2017

Candle light

A Comforting Space, or, Share Your Light

LaurenLeave a comment

I’ve been on edge ever since the US election last fall, and every day feels like we’re spinning further into chaos. I was drawn here today because some part of me feels comfort in my blog.

To pay forward that comfort, I want to tell you, dear reader, I’m sending love and light to you. When times are dark and it takes everything you have just to get out of bed in the morning, remember that there is love, kindness, and beauty in the universe, and in all of us. When times are dark, hold close the light. Focus on it. Add to it. Share love. Share light. Give someone good news. Be kind to yourself, and to others. We have a choice each day to add to the light or add to the dark. I hope we choose to share and nurture the lovely light within us all.

 

Let yourself be

A Needed Pep Talk

LaurenLeave a comment

Dear Reader,

I love you and I’m with you. I’m in your corner and cheering you on. You have good ideas, you’re smart, you have potential. You’re lovable and have value. You’re not alone. You have a voice worth listening to, but you need to do the work and find it. You are absolutely capable of achieving everything you want to do, but again, you have to do the work. Yes, it will be hard. Yes, it will not be fast. Yes, it may go a different direction. Yes, you may fail. But, in the end, YES it will be worth it. Not everyone will understand or support you, but this is your journey, not theirs. I give you permission to explore, to learn, to discover, to create, even to destroy if necessary. You have permission to let yourself be. I’m proud of you for everything you’ve done, and everything you’ve overcome. Believe in yourself, trust the process, trust your decisions. Be patient, give things time. HAVE FUN! You have permission to have fun. You need to have fun. Life is short.

I believe in you. You can do the things.

In Love and Kindness,

Lauren

Beginnings

Lauren5 Comments

Abstract Galaxy

In February, I took a course, Create beautiful abstract artworks on your iPhone or iPad, using the learning platform, Skillshare. The image above is the first piece I made in this course. As instructed, I created this on my iPad using a source image from NASA, which was then edited in the app, Glitché, to create the spiky, 3D effect. I took the resulting image into the app, Mextures, to edit the colors and add texture effects.

This was my first experience using these apps. I wasn’t very familiar with creating artwork using my iPad. I previously experimented with Procreate, as well as used Snapseed to edit photos, but nothing like the abstract work from the Skillshare course.

This began my love affair with creating abstract artwork using my iDevices. I made a goal to post a new piece of artwork to my Instagram for thirty days, and kept posting new artwork beyond the original thirty day goal. Even though I may not have posted something everyday after the original thirty, I created something everyday. I branched out into other apps, other source material, anything that I could bring into an app and edit.

What I learned in this exercise of everyday creation is that consistent practice, experimentation, and striving to meet a goal, are all essential to learning and growing in a skill.

Notebooks and Posters

Just Begin

LaurenLeave a comment

Don’t overthink it. Sometimes it’s better to put something out into the world that’s imperfect, rather than to hold onto something perfect that no one will ever see.

I frequently get ideas, start projects, and then never finish anything. It didn’t fit into the romantic vision I had in my head, I lose steam, lose interest, whatever reason.

So, I’m creating this space to allow myself to accept the imperfect.