My Wifes "Rock Art"

[Chadeaux]

My Wife's "Rock Art"

No, not "The Who" or "Jim Morrison"! Real rocks!

She likes to bring out the natural features she sees in rocks she finds around Arkansas.

For instance, this rabbit is a rock she found in our driveway a few years back. There were no alterations to the rock other than painting. All of the rabbit's features existed naturally:

Here are 3 recently completed projects

 

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[Oregon Viking]

That is talent, and very cool in my book!

 

[Nitric]

Very cool!

I do not have that talent! Nope, not at all! I could make a stick figure on a rock! And call it cave art! maybe?

 

[Chadeaux]

That is talent, and very cool in my book!

I agree, but she doesn't think she's very good.

 

[Nitric]

I agree, but she doesn't think she's very good.

That's strange too, Most people that are very good, don't think their work is. I guess it's the perfectionist part maybe?
My mom was a good artist, she doesn't paint anymore, I was always amazed how real the pictures looked. Just like the rocks above! But I definitely didn't get that passed to me! My school projects looked more like dog poo!

 

[Icewing]

I know she would do well at an Arts and Crafts Fair up here in NWA, my family owns one of them and people are always looking for actual crafts rather than just stuff that's sold by traveling vendors.
Great work all she has to do is carry it to market.

 

[Butter Hat]

I agree, but she doesn't think she's very good.

She's wrong!

Pure Awesome-osity.

 

[pat-tekker-cat]

Chad, her work is beautiful!
I had got this book many many years back, the author does animals, too.
It gives some tips, tricks, and techniques, that may could help her sharpen her talents.
I think they are wonderful like they are. I still have no painted flower rocks.

http://www.amazon.com/Painting-Flowers-Rocks-Lin-Wellford/dp/0891349456


oh Butter Hat, that name cracked me up!

 

[TheRingFinder]

I am impressed - Very nice, I would buy one for a decoration piece

 

[Loco-Digger]

Love the Bunny, that is awesome, she lets the rock speak to her to help decide how to proceed.

 

[Chadeaux]

Kinda big file, but here's a 360 view of the Cheetah ...

 

[Chadeaux]

 

[hvacker]

Great imagination! Encourage her.

 

[CoilyGirl]

I think she is very talented! The turtle is my favorite.

 

[digger460]

Just awesome! Excellent detail. Very talented.

 

[Chadeaux]

I'm working on building a lightbox for photographing small items (looking to reduce light reflections). Got a way to go before it's finished, but here are the results from my first effort with some of my wife's rock art as the subject:

 

[pat-tekker-cat]

She is super talented! So are you, too!
Let me know how you're doing your light box. I just made one outta an old Priority C box and poster board.
The "light" issue is the other thing. I get the blue and/or yellow tint, I have to edit out. I've resorted to taking pics on a mirror, reflecting the sky in natural light (it works for some things).
Do let me know your trick, please, and thanks for sharing.

 

[boogeyman]

I agree, but she doesn't think she's very good.

Tell her there aren't that many that can paint as good on a canvas let alone visualizing it & getting it on a rock. She's got talent above and beyond! Make sure she signs them! When she gets famous you can brag "My wife did that!"

 

[Chadeaux]

She is super talented! So are you, too!
Let me know how you're doing your light box. I just made one outta an old Priority C box and poster board.
The "light" issue is the other thing. I get the blue and/or yellow tint, I have to edit out. I've resorted to taking pics on a mirror, reflecting the sky in natural light (it works for some things).
Do let me know your trick, please, and thanks for sharing.

Still experimenting but was pleased with the results considering it took less than 10 minutes and less than 10 cents in materials ...

Had a New Egg 9" X 12" shipping box, 6" tall. The top was open, so I taped the flaps so that the box was 9" X 12" by 10 1/2" tall.

On the long sides, I took a box cutter and made an opening on both sides about 7" wide by 9" tall. Then I taped copy paper over the openings on the side of the box.

I already had two LED flood lights, and set one on either side (I love how they stay cool to the touch!) so that the light hit the paper. It likely would have worked better with some cheesecloth or maybe even a paper towel (would have created more diffusion). I put a piece of card stock for the white bottom (fits nicely in the 9 X 12 box).

I've used it with the box standing on end and with it lying down. Will continue experimenting until I get a good solution for what I'm working on.

 

[Chadeaux]

Oh, and I did do a bit of "white balancing" for post processing (as well as cropping and resizing the images).

I use PaintShop Pro X8 Ultimate for processing images after shooting. Well worth the $80 price tag if you don't already own PaintShop, $45 if you do.