Creating the Blossoming Series II
Obstacle is the way
In the previous post, I was talking about how I created some contrasty black and white self-portraits that I think are good, but they don’t resonate with me anymore.
Since my state of mind has shifted, reflect on how I feel about my work. I find myself having to go on to explore new scenes and new techniques. I was frustrated when I looked at the photos. I thought about the images before I went to sleep. I couldn’t sleep and woke up early because the images were in my mind, and I couldn’t solve the puzzle. I stared at my computer screen with my pen and tablet; my mind went blank. Just when I thought I might as well give them all up and move on to another project and forget about them. My printer ran out of two ink cartridges; one of them is black. There are several different types of black and grey inks in my printer, and they are my most purchased inks. This information tells me that my work is mostly dark. Hm…sometimes when you are very close to your work, you take everything as normal and don’t think too much of it. So I was thinking, if I don’t use black or grey scale colours, what would it look like?
I was working on the image for weeks and trying different techniques. At first, I tried blending flower photos into the portrait. It looked good, but it didn’t have the "thing" that I wanted. (If you want to try out this technique, I have a Youtube tutorial in which I demo how to blend a flower photo into skin like a tattoo.) At the same time, I was painting flowers in watercolour every evening before going to bed. So I thought, maybe I could combine my paintings into the portrait? So I did. It turned out to be a beautiful surprise. The watercolour paintings match how I feel about the season and my love for flowers.
This series not only gives me a fresh look at my creative journey, but I also realise how much I have changed internally and feel so grateful for everything I have in life.
So this is the back story of the creation of Blossoming. I think it’s visually powerful that human figures blend in with nature (flowers) so beautifully. It’s a celebration of the beauty of nature and the female form.
Here is a Youtube walk though video for Blossoming from Photo Shoot to Photoshop:
3 things to share from creating “Blossoming”
Take a friend's advice, but create your own stuff.
Take up a new hobby, like painting or pottery; you never know when you will need it.
80% of attempts at something new will fail. But hold on, when the 20% happens, it’s awesome.
Lili Amanda
P.S. Just 4 days before the Blossoming Series launches on my website for sale! They are Gold 金, Wood 木, Water 水, Fire 火, Earth 土 and Air 氣. Air 氣 is only available for subscribers. The prints will be in three different sizes. A2, A3, and A4. The original price for an A4 print is €110, there will be 50% off during the 4 days launch.
