Any excuse :)

[ChrissyMarie]

Originally Posted by Andestine

I tend to be in a bit of a rush since I only get six months of every year 'above ground' as it were, so don't let me pressurise you with my haste I'd imagine that you're still partially in convalescence mode anyway, so you must relax and try to take as much time for yourself and your art as possible.

That project sounds really exciting! Please send links or posts as soon as you can (without hurrying, of course ).

It will be great when you can spend more time here, but posting old works, as I just did, is perfectly valid, so anything you find that would be of interest is worth sharing. This place gets far too quiet sometimes

Cheers,

Andestine

Thanks a lot I am well on the road to recovery now though, mainly my lack of time is work related ~ it really gets in the way of several good hobbies

I am not sure if I am meant to post links but I will anyway, these are all Greek bugs so I would have hesitated to post them here.

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If the MoD's get upset, I will be happy to put in a photo or two here too. If anyone spots any they would like to use as art reference especially, just shout up!
I have plenty to post up that is more UK related. it is just that I seem to to a bit of this and a bit of that!! LOL

And yes, it does get too quiet so I shall make a start!

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[Andestine]

Originally Posted by ChrissyMarie

Thanks a lot I am well on the road to recovery now though, mainly my lack of time is work related ~ it really gets in the way of several good hobbies

I'm glad to hear you're on the mend, and I do understand about work getting in the way. I don't have to do it anymore, but I have so many other interests, and have volunteered to do all kinds of fascinating things for other people, that I still don't have enough time for art! So beware, it's a curious mind that fills up the hours, not necessarily work

I am not sure if I am meant to post links but I will anyway, these are all Greek bugs so I would have hesitated to post them here.

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I don't know the rules here, but sometimes links are frowned upon because of the effects of dead links in the archives. However, I just follow what everyone else is doing and post them anyway, as it can helps avoid problems with copyright etc.

As you rightly suspected, Greek bugs would definitely be a no-no though However, if you look them up and find that they also occur in the British Isles (as with your willow warbler, for instance) I can't see that there would be a problem? (but I'm feeling a bit unsure of myself there, so maybe someone in the know could put us right?).

If the MoD's get upset, I will be happy to put in a photo or two here too. If anyone spots any they would like to use as art reference especially, just shout up!
I have plenty to post up that is more UK related. it is just that I seem to to a bit of this and a bit of that!! LOL

It's very kind of you to offer them for references, especially as they're of such high quality.

As for moderation, I've never really known how it works here, but I'm very glad that it works the way it does as I think they have the balance just right. In general the mods seem very tolerant of humour, banter and straying a little off-topic on threads as long as it keeps a strand of relevence to the original title, or naturally strays back on topic again before too long

And yes, it does get too quiet so I shall make a start!

And a lovely start too! That squirrel is superb

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I've really enjoyed looking at those, so thank you very much. They're truly lovely and have a very distinctive style to them. Quite evanescent, in fact Must work out how you do that one day

Cheers,

Andestine

[ChrissyMarie]

Originally Posted by Andestine

So beware, it's a curious mind that fills up the hours, not necessarily work

Yup, I have long since come to terms with the fact that I will never have enough time!

I don't know the rules here, but sometimes links are frowned upon because of the effects of dead links in the archives. However, I just follow what everyone else is doing and post them anyway, as it can helps avoid problems with copyright etc.

Me neither but I normally try to put up an alternative to a link too, as I have done here. I realise a lot of people don't have FB accounts, I only ever started mine to keep in touch with my son....somehow it has progressed to lots of other artists and things

As you rightly suspected, Greek bugs would definitely be a no-no though However, if you look them up and find that they also occur in the British Isles (as with your willow warbler, for instance) I can't see that there would be a problem? (but I'm feeling a bit unsure of myself there, so maybe someone in the know could put us right?).

A lot of these are found in the UK too and I have lots of help with them in the Insect ID section from some very knowledgable people. I did ask for lots of reference books for my birthday which are great but I still get stuck on some. No-one seems to worry too much if they occur here too.........but, I don't put them up in the quantity that I have on the FB page. So as I said, if somone want to see one in greater detail, they only have to ask...

It's very kind of you to offer them for references, especially as they're of such high quality.

People have been very kind to me....both here and elsewhere. I don't forget and now and then try to put something back

As for moderation, I've never really known how it works here, but I'm very glad that it works the way it does as I think they have the balance just right. In general the mods seem very tolerant of humour, banter and straying a little off-topic on threads as long as it keeps a strand of relevence to the original title, or naturally strays back on topic again before too long

I can honestly say that I am not sure that I have been made aware of any ~ which is quite an accolade really

And a lovely start too! That squirrel is superb

I've really enjoyed looking at those, so thank you very much. They're truly lovely and have a very distinctive style to them. Quite evanescent, in fact Must work out how you do that one day

Cheers,

Andestine

Thank you, I confess to being unfamiliar with the word "evanescent" and so looked it up. I still wasn't quite sure but came up with ephemeral ~ fleeting and transitory? I never think of my photographs of having a style but perhaps unwittingly us camera togs do develop one without realising it.
I am hoping to see some of your macro shots at some point....

[theresa dockery]

Originally Posted by Andestine

Do you have any photos of those? I'd love to see them

Yes, I will try to make a thread with the moths and their look-alikes - I don't know where it will end up as it doesn't really belong in art, invertebrate or treehouse categories...

Apparently there's 'housekeeping' of some sort going on, so I might ask there!

Originally Posted by Andestine

I've posted this one here before, but as you probably haven't seen it, here's a dead moth that took on sinister connotations when played with using Irfanview

Its sad staring face is quite creepy

But that leaves so much more to be taken up by others, so will you be choosing the intriguing phasmids or will you go for moths?

Then I will go for the fantastic, phantasmagorical phasmids. It will be a wee while before I can upload/scan, but I will work on the painting in the meantime - and will try to include some bleaching!

Originally Posted by Andestine

I know we originally thought of single species challenges, but then I thought it might also be an idea if anyone who was interested could also host an ongoing thread of their favourite larger groupings, hence 'Spiders and Flies'.

I actually think that's a better idea - it's far more interesting & less predictable this way!

[Andestine]

Originally Posted by ChrissyMarie

Yup, I have long since come to terms with the fact that I will never have enough time!

Which also means that you will never, ever be bored

Me neither but I normally try to put up an alternative to a link too, as I have done here. I realise a lot of people don't have FB accounts, I only ever started mine to keep in touch with my son....somehow it has progressed to lots of other artists and things

I don't use any other way of socialising online apart from forums. I'd go on FB if I could think of a single use for it in my life, but I already stay in touch with most of my old friends via email and just use word of mouth to find anyone I've lost contact with. Sometimes I feel like the last person in the world who isn't on some kind of similar social site

A lot of these are found in the UK too and I have lots of help with them in the Insect ID section from some very knowledgable people. I did ask for lots of reference books for my birthday which are great but I still get stuck on some. No-one seems to worry too much if they occur here too.........but, I don't put them up in the quantity that I have on the FB page. So as I said, if somone want to see one in greater detail, they only have to ask...

Thank you

I know what you mean about ID's. I don't know what I'd do without the generous help of people on ID forums. Books and websites often just aren't enough, and few things can be positively ID'd from a photo alone, but expert guesses are much better than mine

People have been very kind to me....both here and elsewhere. I don't forget and now and then try to put something back

Absolutely how I feel too. And if we're not given the opportunity to return help and favours directly, we can try to be helpful to others in return

I can honestly say that I am not sure that I have been made aware of any ~ which is quite an accolade really

Indeed. It took me ages to notice that quiet little 'moderator' notice under some member's names...

Thank you, I confess to being unfamiliar with the word "evanescent" and so looked it up. I still wasn't quite sure but came up with ephemeral ~ fleeting and transitory?

'Evanescence' is also the name of one of my favourite bands

But it was the word that came to mind to describe the haunting quality of the light you portray, and the lovely delicacy of touch you have, as if one could blow gently on it and it could all unravel back into the separate strokes of colour at any moment and just softly float away

But I've got this whole 'self-educated slum kid' thing going on No books in our home, so when I discovered my first library at the age of eleven, I fell in love with both books and words simultaneously. My latest discovery is 'Inquiline' which roughly means an animal that habitually lives in the abode of others without causing the host any harm, and applies perfectly to my very oldest and best male friend who is coming to spend Christmas with us

I never think of my photographs of having a style but perhaps unwittingly us camera togs do develop one without realising it.

You're absolutely right. It alway used to amuse me when newcomers to art forums would often post threads asking how they could develop a personal style. The answer was always the same; as long as you don't just copy another person's style completely, there's no way to actually prevent a personal style from developing the more you practise your art

I am hoping to see some of your macro shots at some point....

Ah.......yes........I have quite a lot of them, but I don't think they're good enough to put into the Gallery as yet, and don't know what else to do with them. They're almost all macro shots of invertebrates. I'd be grateful for some guidance. What do you suggest?

Cheers,

Andestine

[Andestine]

Originally Posted by theresa dockery

Yes, I will try to make a thread with the moths and their look-alikes - I don't know where it will end up as it doesn't really belong in art, invertebrate or treehouse categories...

Apparently there's 'housekeeping' of some sort going on, so I might ask there!

I've been thinking hard about that, and it's a puzzle. It probably would be best to ask more experienced members. Hard-to-catergorise threads are always difficult to place...but it would be a very enjoyable thread, so let us know what the powers that be advise

Its sad staring face is quite creepy

I'm very fond of anything Gothic, and I love the way that digital manipulation can bring out these hidden things

Then I will go for the fantastic, phantasmagorical phasmids. It will be a wee while before I can upload/scan, but I will work on the painting in the meantime - and will try to include some bleaching!

I'd love to see an example of the bleaching technique. I'll definitely be trying it before long, but our house will be in an uproar until Christmas and it's hard to find room to do any art at all. My spider is being done on my lap in front of the computer.

Have you thought of using a point-and-shoot digital camera to export your images to the PC? I've never used a scanner, and will do so soon, but so far all my images have been photographed before posting..

Please forgive me if I missed something before, but I don't remember you saying you were doing a painting before. Is the subject a secret?

I think that a phasmid thread would be quite something. I've never tried to draw one, but will love the challenge

I actually think that's a better idea - it's far more interesting & less predictable this way!

Like you, I also have to confess to loving the more ongoing, rambling and organically creative threads that WAB spawns on a regular basis

Cheers,

Andestine

[ChrissyMarie]

Originally Posted by Andestine

Which also means that you will never, ever be bored

I don't use any other way of socialising online apart from forums. I'd go on FB if I could think of a single use for it in my life, but I already stay in touch with most of my old friends via email and just use word of mouth to find anyone I've lost contact with. Sometimes I feel like the last person in the world who isn't on some kind of similar social site

Yeah, I am not quite sure how mine took off to the extent that it has.

'Evanescence' is also the name of one of my favourite bands

But it was the word that came to mind to describe the haunting quality of the light you portray, and the lovely delicacy of touch you have, as if one could blow gently on it and it could all unravel back into the separate strokes of colour at any moment and just softly float away

But I've got this whole 'self-educated slum kid' thing going on No books in our home, so when I discovered my first library at the age of eleven, I fell in love with both books and words simultaneously. My latest discovery is 'Inquiline' which roughly means an animal that habitually lives in the abode of others without causing the host any harm, and applies perfectly to my very oldest and best male friend who is coming to spend Christmas with us

I do like apt words I had lots of books when I was young, in fact amusingly I was bribed with them...I guess I was quite lucky in that respect. But, I thank you for the explanation, it is a lovely one and perhaps is a little bit of what I feel about some wildlife. I always consider how lucky I am that something very beautiful has shared space with me. Privileged is a word I use a lot

Ah.......yes........I have quite a lot of them, but I don't think they're good enough to put into the Gallery as yet, and don't know what else to do with them. They're almost all macro shots of invertebrates. I'd be grateful for some guidance. What do you suggest?

Cheers,

Andestine

Well....I have to say that I never put anything in the Gallery. I never consider anything to be good enough any more. I am also very lazy on looking up latin names too!
However, it is good to look over time at improvements. On my blog I smile when I look back at old photo's. I sometimes thought they were so great back then and now ..... not quite so good!
But, they are part of my growth and all of them hold some wonderful memories. They provide lessons in my photographic knowledge but sometimes more importantly my skills working with wildlife (the subject matter behaviour).

So suggestions: Blog, Flickr, Photobucket and of course in here, use the forum images section.

[Andestine]

Originally Posted by ChrissyMarie

I do like apt words I had lots of books when I was young, in fact amusingly I was bribed with them...I guess I was quite lucky in that respect. But, I thank you for the explanation, it is a lovely one and perhaps is a little bit of what I feel about some wildlife. I always consider how lucky I am that something very beautiful has shared space with me. Privileged is a word I use a lot

I know exactly what you mean. From the outside it looks as if I've had a very hard life, but that's not how it seems to me, and right now I'm the happiest I've ever been.

If I wasn't a local I could never afford to come and live in such a gorgeous archipelago, and with such an abundance of wildlife all around, I wake up feeling privileged every day, even though I don't have many of the material things that others can't seem to be happy without.

Apart from the computer and camera equipment upgrades I'm buying soon, I can't think of a single thing that would make me more content. I don't need to socialise in public anymore, and most 'entertainment' doesn't entertain, but nature gives me guaranteed and continual happiness, and all for free

But bribed with books! What a perfect childhood Nowadays, whenever I want to treat myself to anything apart from something camera-related, it's always a book I choose first, and I often buy an art book as a reward for completing a drawing, so it looks as though I indulge in a kind of self-bribery

Well....I have to say that I never put anything in the Gallery. I never consider anything to be good enough any more. I am also very lazy on looking up latin names too!

I don't have a problem with latin names where necessary ever since getting a lecture as a teenager from a very old Austrian lady who I went on a botanical walk with in Sark. She explained how important it was in order for people to speak about plants when they didn't share a common language. We wrote letters to each other until her death, and in her honour, I have always tried to find the latin names as well as the common ones when asking for ID's

I also have an old copy of Geoffrey Grigson's wonderful 'Dictionary of English Plant Names' which I've just noticed on Amazon going for a penny second hand! I recommend it thoroughly, it's very entertaining as well as informative.

If I hadn't read that, I would have thought that there was no point in putting Latin names in on a British site, but there are just so many variations in local names around the British Isles...

So you're a very naughty girl to be so lazy But, having said that, when posting things to Wildlife Art I almost always forget about the Latin name, so please feel free to lob some stones back at me too

(And Martin, when you return, let me know so I can duck!).

However, it is good to look over time at improvements. On my blog I smile when I look back at old photo's. I sometimes thought they were so great back then and now ..... not quite so good!
But, they are part of my growth and all of them hold some wonderful memories. They provide lessons in my photographic knowledge but sometimes more importantly my skills working with wildlife (the subject matter behaviour).

I know that feeling, but with me it's how wonderful I thought my point-and-click photos were at the time, and now I have a DSLR, and have also spent months looking at professional photographic forums, I'm suffering a real crisis of confidence, and nothing I do pleases me

But you're right about past photos providing a record of improvement.

So suggestions: Blog, Flickr, Photobucket and of course in here, use the forum images section.

Thanks I'll think about the first three for the future, but I believe I'll always be an internet Luddite. I've been on it for over twenty years and only use it for learning things and fun through looking at other people's websites and blogs, doing research and going on forums.

All the social sites, chat rooms, Skype, Twitter, plus the idea of having a website or blog of my own make no sense to me at all, and under my real name you won't find a single reference about me or any photo (because I don't let anyone take any of me ). I want to leave this earth without leaving a single trace of my real self on the net. I would do the same in real life, if i could.

But on forums I am always completely myself, so I exist here in a very real sense, and that feels fine.
But aren't I getting maudlin this mornin'

I think that the invention of the Internet must have spawned whole new branches in things like psychology, sociology, philosophy etc. It's certainly a new way of being, this living part of our lives on forums, and an equally valid one as the life we live in First World, in my opinion

Cheers,

Andestine