Greetings from your newest member1

[dalel]

Hello, artists!

I am a brand new member of this forum, and have been recently learning XaraX.

This is my first use of a vector graphics tool; I cut my teeth on Photoshop.

I just LOVE the work many of you are doing. After looking at your work and salivating to do my own, I decided to join, to be inspired and to maybe throw in a few contributions of my own.

My artistic background is mostly in photography, though I have painted in oils and acrylics for years, for my own pleasure. I am just starting to work with digital art, and this forum looks like the place to get some good feedback.

I would like to ask if I might show a photograph or two now and then while I am developing my skills with XaraX. I also frequently manipulate photographs to create artistic effects.

I will show my first attempt at using XaraX soon, if I can find where I stored it!

For now, I will show this to introduce myself. It is a simple black and white photograph. Taken in the Rockies west of Denver.

http://www.eyesitewebdesign.com/waterfallframed.jpg

Why, I’m afraid I can’t explain myself, sir, because I’m not myself, you know...
- Lewis Carroll

[dalel]

Hello, artists!

I am a brand new member of this forum, and have been recently learning XaraX.

This is my first use of a vector graphics tool; I cut my teeth on Photoshop.

I just LOVE the work many of you are doing. After looking at your work and salivating to do my own, I decided to join, to be inspired and to maybe throw in a few contributions of my own.

My artistic background is mostly in photography, though I have painted in oils and acrylics for years, for my own pleasure. I am just starting to work with digital art, and this forum looks like the place to get some good feedback.

I would like to ask if I might show a photograph or two now and then while I am developing my skills with XaraX. I also frequently manipulate photographs to create artistic effects.

I will show my first attempt at using XaraX soon, if I can find where I stored it!

For now, I will show this to introduce myself. It is a simple black and white photograph. Taken in the Rockies west of Denver.

http://www.eyesitewebdesign.com/waterfallframed.jpg

Why, I’m afraid I can’t explain myself, sir, because I’m not myself, you know...
- Lewis Carroll

[Bob C.]

Hi Dale and welcome.

I come from a pixel pushing background as well and the work done by the Xarartists here continues to amazes me.

The shutter speed you used gives the flowing water a very silky quality which is contrasted nicely by the large rock in the foreground. Wonderful picture.

I look forward to your future Xara post.

Bob C.

[Wolfgang]

Hi Dale,

and welcome to the forums!

I am a big fan of black and white photography, but from a viewer's point only. It is long ago that I tried to photograph myself apart from vacation-pics.

But I am looking forward to your Xara-X work as well, look closely and you will find it again [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]

Wolfgang

[Old Dog]

The photograph is beautiful!

I'm a relative newcomer myself and I can tell you that you have found the greatest place to be. I've been a member for just over a month and from the start I've been made to feel like family!

The people here are wonderful, the most encouraging and helpful I have ever come across!

Can't wait to see your first Xara X work!

Jack

[Soquili]

Hi Dale,

Welcome to the forum. Great looking photo. Did you use Ansel Adams zone system? I haven't done much photography for years, but greatly admire good black and white photos.

Soquili

[Mike Hennessey]

Welcome Dale, you are in the right place.
From balmy (minus 23) Lake George, Colorado
Mike

[gwpriester]

Love your photo. It is very powerful and yet elegant.

You might begin by working with some of your photos in Xara. (You can always revert back to the original black and white by left and right clicking on the little hatched box to the left of the screen palette.

For example, with the photo selected, left and right click on various colors on the on screen palette to see what they do to the photo.

Place one photo on top another and experiment with different kinds of transparency types and shapes (Linear, Circular, Bitmap, etc.) Or create some areas of color, place them over your photo, and add some transparency.

See what I mean?

Gary

Gary Priester

Moderator Person

<A HREF="http://www.gwpriester.com" TARGET=_blank>
www.gwpriester.com </a>


XaraXone

[dalel]

First, oops!

Actually, I had not intended to post in this forum, and was going to just post in the gallery forum, and that is why you see my introductory message in both. Sorry for the duplication.
(After reading some of the other forums, I WILL probably post to all of them from time to time.)

I use a modified zone system for black and white. Much of my art and photography has been instinctive, and then when I read about something like the zone system, it clarifies what I have been doing, and helps me to plan it and make it more deliberate. As I have discovered, instinct is fine, but nothing replaces good training, observation, and practice. I have the Ansel Adams books; The Negative, The Print, The Camera.

My greatest interest in the last few years has been in composition, and since I have had no formal training in the arts, I have tried to use black and white photography as my main medium for practicing composition. You MUST have good composition to make black and whites work.

I no longer do black and white film photography, and I sold all of my darkroom equipment a few years ago. I have been looking forward to going digital within the next couple of years, so that I can do both color and black and white photography without darkroom equipment. I'm waiting for a camera to be produced that fits my eccentric photographic needs, at an affordable price.

And in case anyone is interested, that photo was taken with a Mamiya 645 medium format camera. I made a 16 X 20 enlargement of it that shows much more detail and isn't quite so contrasty. I also do 35mm with Nikon equipment, and have done large format photography also. I have sold a few of my photos to interested friends, but have never tried to sell them in any other way.

And lastly, I did not join these forums primarily to post photographs or to work with photographs in XaraX, so that will not be my main interest. You've piqued my interest, and I will play with a few of my photographs in XaraX, and get the idea of what you are suggesting. I mostly want to work with vector graphics, especially graphics for websites.

A few quick questions: I don't see a "Mark all as read" button or link. Is this done automatically as you look at the messages? Since I have read every single message in the gallery forum already, I'd like also to be able to just see the new ones listed, without any of the others listed. Is this possible?

And Gary and Soquili, thanks for the excellent suggestions. XaraX never ceases to amaze me. I also bought Illustrator recently, but I suspect it's going to collect digital dust while I work with XaraX!

Thanks for the great welcome!

Why, I’m afraid I can’t explain myself, sir, because I’m not myself, you know...
- Lewis Carroll

[Crow Haven]

Never fear Dale! Your sense of composition is wonderful and Xara X is so easy to use I'm positive you'll produce amazing things!

I also have zero art training--completely self-taught (but then perhaps that was apparent????), I've never had the opportunity to attend art courses with moving all the time and taking care of a family and working (coast guard lifestyle), and cost was a factor as well. So I'm just trying to learn as I go and the people here are VERY helpful and tolerant of my mistakes [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img] so I keep trying. I am primarily a painter though...still love the canvas and brush and don't plan to give that up. Photographic realism is possible with Xara---but that is not my goal.

Welcome and have fun!
---As The Crow Flies!---
Maya