Moonangelnay: The Look of Inspiration - Another BESTeam Feature

     Moonangelnay is the Etsy home of inspired digital artist Naomi. Mused by the human form, philosophy, nature, free will and color, she has a variant abstract style as a fine artist that is echoed in her digital artwork.
     Passionate about her craft, Naomi attempts to bring contrasting duality into her work. At Moonangelnay, she highlights her interests in both light and dark and the veil between through form, color, mantra and poetry to make her work more than just physical art or home decor, but something to think about.
     Making her home in Birmingham, England, Naomi’s digital art is archival quality. Her nature-inspired work is truly creative and, sometimes, a bit startling. She has a subtle but very tangible way she combines, colors and textures while keeping within the context of the overall imagery. Her pieces will definitely make you take a second look.
    For example, here's one of my most favorite of her works, "Mandala No. 3." Notice how she uses macro nature shots to create the shape of the mandala. Definitely a spiritual work!

     Here we have a digitally enhanced image of mesh. Notice how the effect makes the elements seem to pass through one another like ghost images. This one is called "Mesh."
 

  

   Normally, I do not like spiders or images of spiders (goes back to my childhood), but I have to admit this arachnid does look rather peaceful in his natural surroundings in "Placid Arachnid." The peaceful feel here is enhanced by the subtle colorization in this work.

   However, I very much do like pretty flowers. Notice how the color of this single pansy leaps out at you, while the enhanced rainbow seems to give it a kiss of benediction. This beautiful image is called "Survivor."

     You can see more of Naomi's wonderful art at her Etsy shop. She also has a really great blog and you can be a fan of hers on Facebook. (She also crochets the cutest baby hats!)
      Be sure to stop by and get a dose of inspiration!

     All the best!

     Patrice
     http://www.designsbymayanna.etsy.com

Product Photography Made Simple (and Cheap!)

Hi There,

    In my constant search for better pictures, I ran across this great little tutorial on handmadeology.com. This young man has shared some great tips for improving your product shots for your site! Check it out!

http://www.handmadeology.com/studio-quality-product-photography-with-a-12-set-up/

Patrice
http://www.designsbymayanna.etsy.com

Salvaged History from Danizabeth: Another BESTeam Feature

     Danielle Elizabeth is a talented photographer with a vintage eye and a passion for the look of all things retro and nostalgic.  Her collection of photographs on Etsy at Danizabeth is an assemblage of images from yesteryear frozen in present day. Her pictures evoke beloved memories and provide an escape from the hustle and bustle of life.
     As a young girl, Danielle would accompany her father to salvage yards to search for keys that had fallen out of the cars. The ultimate prize was if the keychain was still attached. “That small collection I accumulated is probably still at my parent's house, hidden away somewhere,” she says. “What remains with me is the love I have for these pieces of a past I wasn't around to live in.”
     A graphic designer by trade, Danielle still hungers for artistic expression in other mediums. She dabbled in painting and then began designing announcements and invitations, “but I started finding myself seeing this as more of an extension of work rather than an opportunity to be artistic in other mediums,” she recalls.
     But inspiration returned on another salvage yard trip with Dad. “I was anxious with anticipation,” she says, “and walked away with 330-some pictures that day. I had finally found it...I had the excitement I had been missing in my other artistic experimentations!” The rest, as they say, is history. The Danizabeth photo collection harks back to the days of the muscle car and beyond.
     Here we have one of her retro memory shots... anybody remember "fish tails?" This is an 8x10 matte print of an old pink and ivory classic Mercury called "Pink and Pearls." Can't you just see the "Pink Ladies" riding in this old classic?

     Below is one "Happy Car!" This one reminds me of Sundays when I was very little. Our family used to go riding through the fancy neighborhoods in my uncle's Olds, dreaming of owning one of those big houses one day.

 
       Do you remember those big, old tow trucks that would rescue snow-bound travelers no matter how bad the weather or how deeply you were stuck? Where did they all go? Well, here's one. This 8x10 matte print is part of her "Red Truck Series" featuring this Ford truck

 

       Talk about the nostalgia season, here's a snowy blast from the past called "Classic Car Christmas!" Perfect to decorate for the holiday season, this vintage image speaks of holidays of yesteryear!

     An artist with a lot of interests, you can visit with Danielle on her blog, become a fan of hers (and the Cubs) on Facebook and follow her on Twitter! Be sure to grab some memories at her shop!

All the best!

Patrice
http://www.designsbymayanna.etsy.com

Jewelry Photo Editing Tips for Professional Results

Photographically challenged? Don't worry, you're not alone! Here are a few tips on how to photo edit your shots and some suggested freeware to help you do it. Got this from home-jewelry-business-success-tips.com.

http://www.home-jewelry-business-success-tips.com/photo-editing.html


Patrice
http://www.designsbymayanna.etsy.com

Taking Photos Getting You Down? Try Scanning!

It's no secret, I can't take a photo for love nor money. But here's a little trick I'm going to try and you can, too.  Got this from home-jewelry-business-success-tips.com.

http://www.home-jewelry-business-success-tips.com/scanners.html


Patrice
http://www.designsbymayanna.etsy.com