Ever wonder how I create my digital art? I’ve been asked a number of times how I do what I do with photographs and a computer, so I thought I’d share a little about my creative process with you. I began my journey into digital art 5 years ago, when I turned a photograph I took of a tree in my parents’ backyard into a dramatic, surreal piece of art in Photoshop. I’ve actually been experimenting with my photography in Photoshop since I got my hands on Photoshop 2.0 (around 1997), but in 2005, after being a member of the DeviantART community (a wonderful source of inspiration) for about 2 years at the time, my photo-manipulating/digital art creations went to another level.

My process is 1 part planning (utilizing my photographic composition & design knowledge) and 9 parts experimentation. When I say “experimentation”, I don’t mean I go crazy trying anything and everything until I get a result I like. Okay, maybe a little! I apply a lot of techniques that I’ve taught myself over the years to see if they’ll work for a particular piece. I also often come up with completely new techniques or ideas. Each project goes through an evolutionary transformation and manifests on my screen by fusing many elements together to create a unified work of art.

Here I will outline a very basic, very abbreviated version of my digital art creation process, using the “Avalon Revisited” cover art as an example…

Step 1: Found photos, removed subject from background, arranged photos on canvas.

Here you see a public domain photograph of the Houses of Parliament found on the WikiCommons website. Normally, I try use my own stock of photographs for most of my art, but since I’ve never been to London to take a photo myself, and because the project required it, I had to settle for this very nice license-free stock photo. You also see a carefully cut-out photograph of our mysterious steampunk model.

Step 2: Added some “steampunk” elements and experimented with layer blending options.

I found the clockwork, gear and cog photographs on the WikiCommons site and cut them out from their respective backgrounds. You can see some layer blending has been applied by the almost negative effect of the clockwork and the variegated color on the cog. At this stage I also smoothed out the pixelization and digital noise from the photo of the model.

Step 3: Texture!

Added clouds and an overlay texture image, adjusting opacity and probably playing around with the layer blending options again.

Step 4: Added coil, clock and more texture

Added more texture using clouds and a grungy photo of a rusted metal surface. Erased the center of the rust image to allow most of the art to show through, leaving a little to frame the edges. I also added the coil and clock face for some more steampunk flair.

Step 5: Flatten and Filter

When I get to a point where I am happy with the layout and placement of all the elements, have the color adjusted to my liking and just the right amount light density and contrast, I flatten the entire image. With the flattened image, I do some more color, levels and contrast adjustments before playing around with special filters.

Step 6: Filters and Backtrack Adjustments

I use Photoshop filters or additional plug-in filters to achieve a more polished look. For this piece, I added a vignette filter that also brightened the center a bit. Because digital art can often be moody and unpredictable, I often went back to the un-flattened file to make adjustments. Here you can see that the cog on the left, inside the clockwork, is more pronounced/constrasted. I also resized the subject and nudged her a bit to the left. These were just a few of many many adjustments. I’m quite the perfectionist, and while sometimes that can become an obstacle, thankfully in this case that trait helped make the final image a success!

Step 7: Final image

It’s finished! After many more adjustments to the final flattened image, I decided it was ready for print. I sent the final version off to the publishing company and the author, who were both very pleased with the final result.

Step 8: Final Cover Design

InDesign was used to lay out the final design. I created all the design elements except for the publishing company’s logo and bar code. The industrial-looking metal placard and screws were created from scratch in Photoshop. This shows the full image stretching on to the back of the book.

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It seems so simple when I write it out like this. In reality, this particular project lasted many countless hours scattered over the course of a month and a half. But it was definitely worth it, and I’d do it again if the opportunity presented itself!

This summer I was asked to create more art for Rachel Van Asch of Van Asch Clothing. When she sent the reference photos over I knew this would be another exciting project to work on! Lovely models wearing beautiful and edgy clothing from the Van Asch “Unique Boutique” inspired a more fashion-focused approach to the images I created for them. These 5 images were featured in a fashion spread for Alt Fashion Magazine issue 14. I introduce to you my new art series, Fierce Faeries….

Models are wearing: (image 1) Titania Top – €68.00, (image 2) Devotion Top – €62.00, (image 3) Silver Siren Evening Dress- €95.00,  (image 4) Victorian Lolita Bell Skirt – €95.00

Here is the complete series of fairy art created for Rachel Van Asch for publication in the Summer ‘09 issue of FAE Magazine:

I am currently working on more art for Van Asch Clothing to appear in another magazine! So be sure to stop back later for more updates. Or better yet, join me on Facebook…I tend to make more updates here: http://www.facebook.com/catherineart

Next in my new fantasy art series is a piece we call Meadow.  Over the next few weeks, I will be unveiling new fantasy art I created for Van Asch Clothing that is published in a fashion spread for the Summer ‘09 issue of Faeries & Enchantment (FAE) Magazine. You can pick up your copy online or at participating Borders stores.

A princess of the human realm lies in a lush meadow of creeping grass and wild flowers. She is wearing the Lichen Green Chiffon Robe from the Van Asch line.

Be sure to Subscribe to my blog so you don’t miss the next unveiling!

Next in my new fantasy art series is a piece we call Green Fairy.  Over the next few weeks, I will be unveiling new fantasy art I created for Van Asch Clothing that is published in a fashion spread for the Summer ‘09 issue of Faeries & Enchantment (FAE) Magazine. You can pick up your copy online or at participating Borders stores.

This scene features a fairy dressed in the gorgeous Forest Maiden dress from the Van Asch line,  summoning the spirits of the forest in an arc of ethereal light.

Be sure to come back on in a few days for the next unveiling!  Subscribe to my blog so you don’t forget!

Next in my new fantasy art series is a piece we call Fairies Landed.  Over the next few weeks, I will be unveiling new fantasy art I created for Van Asch Clothing that is published in a fashion spread for the Summer ‘09 issue of Faeries & Enchantment (FAE) Magazine. You can pick up your copy online or at participating Borders stores.

This scene features three colorful fairies who just landed in a forest illuminated by fireflies. One of the fairies is wearing the Harvest Maiden dress from the Van Asch Clothing line.

Be sure to come back on in a few days for the next unveiling!  Subscribe to my blog so you don’t forget!

Over the next few weeks, I will be unveiling new fantasy art I created for Van Asch Clothing that is published in a fashion spread for the Summer ‘09 issue of Faeries & Enchantment (FAE) Magazine. The magazine is out today, May 1st.  You can pick up your copy online or at participating Borders stores.

First, a little about how this series came to be. Rachel Van Asch, whose clothing line and work with the Mediaeval Baebes I’ve been a fan of for years, contacted me after viewing my fantasy art. She asked if I would be interested in turning photographs of models wearing her gorgeous medieval & gothic dresses into works of fairy art for an upcoming issue of FAE Magazine. Of course I said yes! I would wear every dress in this series, they all look amazing! With a tight deadline and stretching my creativity to the limit, I finished all six in about 3 weeks. Thus begins a journey into a realm where the fey frolic and flutter about…

The first scene features a young maiden approaching a magical woodland spring, full of wonder as she tests the water, slightly hesitant about stepping further into the mystical otherworld that lies before her. She is wearing the Bohemian Princess dress from the Van Asch Clothing line.

All 6 creations will soon be available for purchase as archival prints and greeting cards. Please contact me if you are interested in purchasing.

Be sure to come back later thing month for the next unveiling! Subscribe to my blog so you don’t forget!

Be sure to pick up the Summer ‘09 issue of FAE Magazine on May 1st, to see the gothic fairy fashion art spread I did in collaboration with clothing designer, Rachel Van Asch! The art features some of the many beautiful dresses designed by Rachel for her Mediaeval & Gothic clothing line, Van Asch. I’ve been a fan of Rachel’s work for years, so it was a huge honor and a lot of fun to create these magical scenes for her. You can find FAE (Faeries & Enchantment) Magazine at participating Borders stores or on their website. A special sneak peek can be seen on Rachel’s website. Check back here after May 1st for a feature on the entire series!

The Spring Fairy Festival in Tacoma was a lovely event that I was very honored to be a part of.  I received many wonderful compliments about my art.  Thank you to all who stopped by!

Sales didn’t go so well, so that was a little disappointing.  I wasn’t expecting many sales since this was my first time (other than the solo exhibit and a few small group exhibits in NE Ohio) showing my art to the public.  Sounds like it was either hit or miss for the vendors there.  I was near the entrance, diagonally across from Amy Brown, so most people moved that way first, coming to my corner last.  So overall, it wasn’t great for the finances (booth decorations, printing costs and the 40 mile drive set me back quite a bit), but it was great for the experience. I had a really nice time, enjoying the music and decorations, meeting a lot of great people and some of the other vendors.  I met Amber of Faerie Moon, an artist who makes these gorgeous faerie houses!  Please check out her website: http://nightbloomingflower.webs.com

This is the henna tattoo my booth “neighbors” from Magical Mehendi traded for one of my 8×10 prints   They do stunning work:
www.MagicalMehendi.com

Many thanks to Angela of Crescent Moon Gifts, who organized the event and made sure all the vendors were well and happy.

Special thanks to my husband, Ben, my Knight, for assisting me at the booth and sacrificing a Saturday he would normally spend in the lab doing his research.  I had no one else to help me out, so he was kind enough to be my “person” and watch the booth when I took breaks and walked around to talk to the other vendors.  No, he didn’t just sit reading Stephen King all day   He helped me out so much, and with an injured leg at that!  So, thank you Sir Knight, for donning that dashing pirate shirt and trying to smile through the pain.

I finally created my own online store!  There are quite a few greeting cards, note cards and 8×10 archival prints in stock at the moment, so please be sure to see what I have up for sale: www.catherinesomerlot.com/store.htm

I am not certain as to what the future may hold for current and future Maidens of the Otherworld. Or for my nature & landscape photography. Or my design career. But I do know that I will not give up in my efforts to turn this business into an actual… business! I have many small ideas up my sleeve and also a few big goals to reach for. One goal is to have my work seen by more people, so I’m looking into ways to get my work published in magazines like Faerie Magazine and more mainstream publications like Digital Art Magazine. I’ve already taken what I hope is a big step in that direction, with some rather exciting publication news coming in May! I hope to vend at more events, after doing a little more marketing and research so I don’t have a repeat performance of my first event in terms of sales.  I’d love to meet more artists in this magical genre of fairy and fantasy, and now that I live in the Pacific Northwest that shouldn’t be too hard do.  I am amazed at the number of events in this area geared toward this genre that I am learning about, and the number of artists who’s bio pages on their websites include the phrase “living in the Pacific Northwest..” or “surrounded by the natural wonders of the Pacific Northwest…”  This part of the country is filled with magic and enchantment, so I believe I was sent here for a reason.  Looking forward to what lies ahead…

The Fairy Society Magazine, a new publication featuring fantasy art and crafts, chose The Meadow to appear on the cover of its first edition! Check it out here: http://tinyurl.com/fairye-zine