Never Perfect Always Different
The Winter Project
The Winter Project
Transform photographs into arty images suitable as wearable designs
Have Fun
Learn Something New
Make People Smile
Have Fun Learn Something New Make People Smile
Puffins
Dogs
Wildlife
Aurora Borealis
Passions
Creativity Continuum
Wildliferamblings’ ethos of ‘less perfect, more play’ was crystallised into action, with an image taken randomly on a rainy day. The sun not so much peered through the clouds, as squinted. The impetus to stop waiting for just the right moment & the absolute best subject, transformed (surprisingly) into action. The shot was taken, and with only a bit of effort, a design produced, and printed on a T-Shirt.
Perception not Perfection
An occasional foray into in-camera ‘special modes’ had proved previously very entertaining (see the ‘Arty’ photo collection for examples). However, the aim here was next-level editing - bypassing the pursuit of perfection or uber-amazing - and careering into the surreal, impressionist, or just plain zany.
One is hesitant to call it ‘art’, but the aim was to tease out the inherent colour and character of the photo’s subject. Something you’d be happy with wearing on a T-Shirt.
As perception is personal, there’s never a right a wrong end point. Just different results.
Transforming the 1s & 0s
As a novice to both serious photo-editing and painting app-type tools, PhotoScape X (the free version) was chosen in part because of the likely restricted menu options available in a cost-free version. A smaller choice might prove frustrating down the line, but can actually work in your favour when you’re at the bottom of the learning curve. Especially if you have a brain that can drown into apathy when options are endless. Also, Tony Northrup recommended this as one of the best free editing tools.
It was really good fun to play with the different effects and pretty easy to work out how to transform & tweak an image. With a bit of trial and error, you can quickly start being creative, and develop a feel for what might work well.
A quick internet search will find useful clips of how to achieve something specific. And you can always ‘undo’ (& redo) last steps.
Keep On Keeping On
Most of the photos crafted into printable images were provided by the recipients themselves. Many were of very questionable quality (pixel wise) - but this just made the creative challenge more interesting. More importantly, the images meant something to them.
The Winter Project provided a much needed creative outlet when outdoor adventures proved difficult. So far over forty T-Shirts, hoodies, tea-towels, & cards have been produced for friends and family. Each featuring a furry friend, reflecting the joy of a hobby, or capturing a memory. Hopefully, the fresh takes on their pics have encouraged others to ‘see not just look’ which is what Wildliferamblings is all about after all.
Check out the quirkybird website to see some of these images on T-shirts and other products. Many of the designs were commissions, so not listed here; but you can get an idea of what can be achieved with a bit of imagination & not too many clicks.