Photography

Some of my photos from the past couple years. These are just some of my favorites. When I was looking for pictures to post, I found that I've improved more than I thought I had. My progress is evident in my paintings, drawings, photographs...really every medium I've used so far.

But just to be clear...I'm not boasting! I love art and I want to improve. I can't wait to see where I am in the next couple of years. And, like always, the credit goes to God! This is all for His Glory! He blessed me with the talent and if I don't give it back to Him, it's no good.

P.S. Sorry it's been a while since I've had a post. It's been a busy summer :)

*Shot with a 1980s Canon AE1 Program* (2012)

*all other pics beyond this point are digital, not film*

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This is Where I've Been (Part 1)

Progress. That word basically sums up the last 3 and a half years of my life in art. I see progress in everything I've done since day one and I only hope to get better. In order to share where I am now, I must show you where I've been. It will be a little rough at first, but I promise things get better :)

I went through my first visual journal and picked out the pages that I thought were the best. To my surprise, there were more than I remembered. Since there were so many, I had to split up how many would be in each post so that I wouldn't bored you to tears ;) I will try to finish these up within the next few days and then move on to the good stuff!

This is the first page in my first visual journal. My art teacher at the time told me she does this in each of her journals: makes a page with the first letter of her first name and does the page in a way that represents who she is. This is a good way to start of your journal if you are thinking about starting one. To make this page I used watercolor paper and cut out the K. Then I drew circles that I painted with watercolors. I used rubber cement to glue the paper down in my visual journal.

This page really isn't that great but it's the truth. My dad can make me laugh no matter what, even when I'm mad. He's been there for me through everything and supports my dreams and goals I've set for myself. I can't imagine my life without him and I pray that God keep us together for a long time. He is truly the BEST dad in the world :)

The background says "figure of speech". I probably came up with this one day in class because I was bored, but I don't remember since I made this 3 years ago. Oh well.

There is one tiny detail that slipped my mind...not everyone is an artist or has taken an art class. So, a visual journal is just a hardback book that you can put whatever you want in it. This isn't ruining a book either. Throwing a book in a fire is ruining a book. (I love to read so I understand!) The pages in your visual journal can be about anything and you can use any kind of materials: magazine images, gesso, ink, charcoal, colored pencil, etc. You can also make a cover for your book. (I'll do a post about that later) Be creative! Your visual journal is meant to represent you!

-Kalin ♥



It's the End Where I Begin...

You could say high school is the end. After your senior year you are no longer required to go to school. But for some it’s the end and beginning. Some people figure out what they are meant to do in life, even if they don’t know what their specific job will be in the future.

            Before you say that I will probably change my mind several times before I figure out exactly what I want to do, let me assure you that I am well aware of this. There are so many possibilities in life and while I may see myself doing one thing, God can have me doing something else in the future that I can’t even dream of. (One of the infinite amount of reasons why He’s so great!) But for now I have a general idea of what I want to do. And by general, I really mean there are endless possibilities with this one…art.

Yep, as you could probably guess I love art and everything about it. There are some materials that I just do not have the patience to learn how to use (charcoal is the main one) but I also have my favorites: ebony pencil, ink, wax/encaustic, watercolors, acrylic, packaging tape, etc. I have to be honest though, by the end of a piece, I’m so ready to be done with it. I still have unfinished pieces of art from a year ago. Sad, I know. Maybe they will get finished one day.

My favorite kind of art, however…the #1 on my list of favorites is…photography. I LOVE photography. I can sit for hours looking at pictures by professional photographers. There is something about the colors and the emotions and the overall beauty that grabs my attention and steals my heart. I hope to be a professional photographer one day. If it takes my whole life, I will graduate with a masters in photography from the University of Georgia.

For me, art is a way of expressing myself. I’ve kept a diary/journal since 3^rd grade. I got my first one for my 9^th birthday and I’m about to finish my 3^rd, not including the one I kept when I went to France. Freshman year I started making visual journals and where my hand written journals left off, my visual journals picked up. I remember what each page is about, the emotions that were a part of that time, and it really is a few years of my life summed up in images with a few words to go along with it. One thing you must know is that what you read in my visual journal can be completely different from what it really means. I’ve found that I’m good with words when it comes to disguising what I’m feeling, whether good or bad. In a way, the pages in my visual journal are just as secret as the pages in my hand written journal. These are things I’ve kept to myself for 2 or 3 years and I think now is just as good of a time as any to share them. Besides, this is something I love to do and how am I supposed to share something I love if I don’t share the whole story?

This blog will mainly be about my visual journal, but at times I might add some pictures I’ve taken or art pieces I’ve done or just things I feel like sharing. Hope you enjoy! Feel free to leave comments or if you have questions, please ask!

God Bless!

Kalin