Photos
This page
Above: BirdsOpposite page
Top: Sunrise
Bottom: Woolithis can change the angles, intensity and amount
of shadows.
“I frequently use the camera in Auto mode as it is
fast, effective and reduces my need to ‘play’ with the
manual settings, especially when the image I’m after
is fleeting or if I’m pressed for time. The camera
does all the work.
“If I’m after a photo as an artwork on its own, then
I might spend more time playing with settings, but
usually I’m only after a reference so Auto is fine. That
said, Auto can also produce some incredible photos
which make great exhibition pieces for me!
“The transition to digital cameras has opened up a
whole new world for those of us who use photographs
as artistic references. Many images can be captured,
deleted, reshot, without huge expense. Images can be
printed out or viewed on a computer screen. I find the
camera a valued tool of trade now as an artist.
“When producing pen illustrations from my
photographs I often print out images on my black
and white printer and use those as references as the
monotones, dark and light shadows and highlights
make illustration easier for me. This process is
useful for natural history or scientific illustration
work – the colour is then not a distraction for me, so
I can concentrate more on line detail and shading.
Specimens also have a ‘shelf life’, so having photos
as reference helps with details and colours that have
disappeared over time or where specimens such
as particular parts of plants cannot be used as live
reference material.
”Using photographs also provides opportunities to
manipulate artwork compositions. For example you
may take two photos of the same scene, but use
differing components of each in your final work.
“I find photographs very effective when I want to
paint sunrises or sunsets. The colours disappear so
quickly that I would never get them on canvas, so
digital cameras allow me to save the images I see.
I can then paint the spectacular visions in all their
glory at my leisure.
“I also love the silhouettes produced at these
times of day, so a vivid sunrise for example creates a
background for dark shapes in the foreground such
as trees, birds roosting, or old fences etc. I would
miss these colourful images if not for my camera.”Current exhibitions- Pyramids Road Wines, Ballandean, Queensland
- 2014 to present – ‘A Natural Selection’ solo
exhibition.
- 2014 to present – ‘A Natural Selection’ solo
- Following on from the Clarence Valley Plunge
Art Festival held throughout April 2015, works
are now included as a continuing exhibition at
Lawrence Tavern, Clarence Valley, NSW - nature
themed artworks solo exhibition. n
Kathleen Davies
By appointment- inspection of
artworks and
enquiries at
home studio –
Casuarina Place,
Lavadia, NSW,
Australia. Email:
brolgacountry@
gmail.com OR call
0427 477 143
Enquiries can be
made for Natural
History Art, Writing
& Photography
and combination
Workshops and
Guest Speaker
Presentations in
regional areas.
artist 11