The other day I was studying an old photograph that I had taken while on holiday in Crete of the Venetian Harbour in Chania. I was wondering what I could do with it. In fact, I’d been looking at it and wondering for some years because it doesn’t stand alone as a photograph. It wasn’t until I was going through my cache of background textures for another piece that inspiration struck. I chanced upon a photograph of moss-covered rock which, combined with the harbour, formed the basis of an image I could work on. A number of tweaks here and several blending changes there (in Photoshop, as usual) enabled me to create this kind of dirty Canaletto-crossed-with-J M W Turner, if you will!
The Gloria Swanson Tattoo was inspired by Edward Steichen‘s well-known headshot of the Hollywood actress covered in lace and held by the Museum of Modern Art. I had remembered it as an image by Man Ray so it is just as well that I checked. Both photographers were renowned for their Hollywood and fashion photography in the 1920s and 1930s. The Swanson photo (Hello-Tuesday) and the vintage wallpaper (MGB-Stock) image I used to create the lace effect are from Deviantart.
There’s a rather marvellous shop in Berlin that sells vintage postcards, a shop I discovered a few years ago. Bartko-Reher-OHG’s site provides hours of delight and I have to be strong not to buy up all their stock in any one day! I bought the above Charlie Chaplin postcard about three years ago but it has taken me this long to do anything with it!
This last image is a vintage advertisement from The Graphics Fairy which stars the singer and dancer Mademoiselle Vanoni who was, according to an old cutting from The New York Times, dated 30 March, 1885, an exuberant performer. I have no doubt of it!
Have a lovely weekend.
Take care and keep laughing!
Related articles
- A History of Lace in Seven Portraits (venetianred.net)
- Edward Steichen and Art Deco Fashion at NGV (dramaofexile.com)
- Edward Steichen – Hollywood Portraits (emblah13.wordpress.com)
- HOLLYWOOD by STEICHEN (hollywoodandallthat.com)
- Masters Of Photography – This Is Edward Steichen (tarenbilkhuphotography.wordpress.com)
- On This Day – Edith Head – Costume Designer – 1897-1981 (roguesandvagabonds.wordpress.com)
- Starstruck – Vintage Movie Posters from Classic Hollywood (wingsart.wordpress.com)
- Edward Steichen (lukebanner.wordpress.com)
First Night Design 
Like all of these…especially love the Gloria Swanson.
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I’m rather fond of Gloria too! Thanks for dropping by.
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I especially like the harbour scene, a very nice photo even without the texturing — haven’t done much with photos in Photoshop (I’m always just using it for comics!) but this inspires me. I have had a longtime habit of taking pictures of “textures”, so have quite a collection — maybe this is what I was doing it for!
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Bless you, Karen. I love that I’ve inspired you! Textures are a digital artist’s dream tool.
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Oh, Sarah–although I love your creativity with each image, I’m SO drawn to the Gloria Swanson tattoo. That is incredibly captivating.
I’m also quite smitten with the Chaplin postcard.
These were lovely pieces!
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You’re a sweetheart, Shelley. I have to confess to an over-abundant fondness for the Swanson too. Gave the same treatment to Louise Brooks, Garbo and Clara Bow…and intend to do more in the future.
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I had some of these again but not all. Thanks, Sarah!
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Wow, you’re on a creative roll! Congrats to you.
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