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Sample Framing : Samples of framed and matted photography and artwork.

Sample Framing

Sparrows :

Sparrows

Pelicans :

Pelicans

American Robin :

American Robin

Nuthatches :

Nuthatches

Birds in Flight : This is a new photographic challenge for me and a significant challenge for any photographer that attempts it. What are the challenges? Primarily it is tracking the birds while trying to keep a very small camera focus point on their head (preferably their eye[s]). Some birds have erratic flight patterns which make them near impossible to track through the lens, this requires you to learn to use both eyes to help keep them in sight (one eye on the bird [off camera] and the other eye looking through the camera viewfinder). To obtain the most flexibility in acquiring these images a photographer must hand-hold the camera equipment, making it more difficult to keep the camera stable. The end result is large numbers of deleted images due to unwanted movement by either the subject or the photographer -- or both.

Birds in Flight

Ospreys :

Ospreys

Hawks :

Hawks

Flashlights : Sampling of flashlight product photography I have done.

Flashlights

Black and White :

Black and White

Mixed Varieties :

Mixed Varieties

Inclines :

Inclines

Silver Falls, Oregon :

Silver Falls, Oregon

Coyotes :

Coyotes

Leopards :

Leopards

Tigers :

Tigers

Effects, Filters, and Mods : Nearly every photographer enhances their images to bring out the best in them. I personally strive to achieve the best possible image in the field through proper exposure, focus, and trying my best to eliminate distracting elements before snapping the shutter. Even after doing all of the necessary steps in the field you return home and view your images on a large monitor and discover little things need to be addressed. These little things include dust specs on the image sensor, poor shadow detail, color saturation that wasn't quite right, a bug flying through your shot, wind blowing over a stalk of grass into the scene, etc. Occasionally an image needs more than "normal" levels of adjustment and this gallery is provided to showcase heavier manipulation — often out of necessity, but sometimes for fun.

Effects, Filters, and Mods

Portland, Oregon :

Portland, Oregon

Elk :

Elk

Mountain Goats :

Mountain Goats

Swallows :

Swallows

Towhees :

Towhees

Juncos :

Juncos

Abstract :

Abstract

Cannon Beach, Oregon :

Cannon Beach, Oregon

The Dalles, Oregon :

The Dalles, Oregon

Vintage Vehicles :

Vintage Vehicles

Bears :

Bears

Owls :

Owls

Eagles :

Eagles

Roses :

Roses

Dahlias : This gallery contains a collection of dahlia images which I have taken over the past four years at the Canby Dahlia Festival in Canby, Oregon (south of Portland). This annual festival is held during the last weekend in August and Labor Day weekend in September, it's well worth a visit if you are in the area. As a photographer I am drawn to this event to capture the bold colors, intricate petal formations, and the amazing variety of dahlias found there. My objective at the event is to attempt to photograph the dahlias from numerous perspectives, including wide angle views of the large fields down to macro views of the tiny critters that live in and around the individual dahlias.

Dahlias

Meerkats :

Meerkats

Foxes :

Foxes

Bighorn Sheep :

Bighorn Sheep

Disconnected :

Disconnected

Squirrels :

Squirrels

American Bison :

American Bison

Moose :

Moose

Wolves :

Wolves

Chipmunks :

Chipmunks

Skippers :

Skippers

Butterflies :

Butterflies

Reptiles :

Reptiles

Amphibians :

Amphibians

Monuments :

Monuments

Maritime Vessels :

Maritime Vessels

Aircraft :

Aircraft

Aquatic Mammals :

Aquatic Mammals

Egrets :

Egrets

Lorikeets :

Lorikeets

Peacocks :

Peacocks

Ducks : This is an extremely broad catagory which will later be divided into specific species as I process more of my images

Ducks

Graphite Drawings : A collection of student and finished artwork using graphite in either powdered, stick, or pencil form.

Graphite Drawings

Pastel : This is a fun medium for me. It forces me to loosen up my line work and use color in a bold way that I find difficult to achieve with other mediums. This is one of the few mediums I really enjoy taking outdoors to paint plein air. Toned papers are a favorite starting place for me and occasionally I will challenge myself with limited palettes. I often begin each painting with a preliminary charcoal value drawing which permits me to literally blow off the lines if I don't like the way the composition is going. After the value drawing is to my liking I will softly blow off a bulk of the charcoal to avoid overloading the paper and tainting my pastels as I begin to add color.

Pastel

Primates :

Primates

About Printmaking : ABOUT PRINTMAKING What's involved in creating a print? blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah

About Printmaking

About the Art : ABOUT THE ART My photography and hand-crafted artwork are a reflection of my love for both modern and traditional methods in recording the beauty, intricacies, patterns, colors, textures, and unique (sometimes humorous) moments I have witnessed in nature. My detail oriented nature is evident in each image and art piece as I strive to produce work which is compositionally interesting, clear and concise, color accurate, and completed with fine craftsmanship. I prefer to create representational and realistic works, yet I will not ignore simplification and abstraction in my work if I feel a particular composition calls for it. Equally interesting to me is the science of my subjects which includes their environment, behavior, camouflage, communication, and interaction with other species — including humans. This observation often leads to a story behind each image I create which may be subtle, apparent, or require accompanying text. My hope is that some of this history will help heighten your appreciation of the subjects. Photography is my modern method for recording the life around me and has served me well as both reference tool and art form. Here I have embraced the latest digital technology and use it exclusively over traditional chemical based methods. My hand-crafted artwork tends to be reserved in more traditional methods including; graphite and ink drawings, pastel and acrylic painting, and printmaking. Printmaking and drawing mediums are generally an extension of my photography where I can correct unwanted elements in a failed composition or exposure of a photographic image. Pastel and acrylic painting mediums are often where I work from life references by either setting up a still-life in the studio or painting outdoors (plein air). Other modern and traditional materials and/or mediums that I work with include: glass, wood, plastics, metals, fabric, paper, stone, and leather. My approach is often to consider the best material to use for a particular end result, often factoring in strength, durability, ease of use, effect, aesthetic, and sometimes function. My ultimate goal is that my artwork extends to the viewer the love and appreciation I have for the natural world we live in and that every subject I have chosen to capture has an identity, a personality if you will, that comes through in the work. Artists, past and present, who have influenced me in some way include: printmakers Albrecht Dürer and Rembrandt; painters Carl Brenders, Terry Isaac, and Robert Bateman; and photographers Art Wolfe, George Lepp, and Joe and Mary Ann McDonald.

About the Art

About the Artist : ABOUT THE ARTIST blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah

About the Artist

Etching Press Design

Tutorial Images : This is a description of my method of registration for type-high (1" high) blocks of wood or pre-mounted linoleum (such as Speedball brand mounted linoleum blocks). This system is design to ensure critical alignment between paper and block in reduction and multi-block color printing. I have found this method to be so precise and efficient that I now use it for all my relief printing. This tutorial falls into two parts; construction and use. The registration sled is the construction element. This may be intimidating to some, but it's simple construction and with the aid of someone to pre-cut the wood to size one could assemble it with common artist/home tools. The registration pins will be the hardest thing to obtain as they are not a regularly stocked item in most brick and mortar stores. Some art stores may be able to special order them and is a good place to start. Be sure to order the plastic tabs that match (usually a bag of 100). I'd estimate the cost of the sled, in the size described here (with tabs and pins), to be in the $50 to $100 range. The pins are the expensive part; depending on a source they may be between $10 and $20 each. Two pins is a minimum, however you may find more pins useful for larger paper or flexibility in pin selection for larger or smaller blocks. showPhotoBar = true;

Tutorial Images

Acrylic :

Acrylic

Ibis :

Ibis

Mount Rainier, Washington :

Mount Rainier, Washington

Cougars : These medium to large sized cats are known by many names, the most common names used in the United States and Canada are puma, cougar, and mountain lion. Depending on the region they are found in they are also known as: North American lions, Mexican lions, Florida panthers, catamounts, and mountain screamers (due to their calls which can sound like a woman screaming). The two cougars I have had the privilege and opportunity to photograph are female orphans which were discovered at about six months of age in two different regions of the United States; one in Washington state, the other in South Dakota. Often people believe all cougars to be the same but these two cats possess slight regional differences from one another in their markings and behavior. The Washington cougar (named Chinook) has a reddish coat which helps her to blend in with the fallen pine needles and leaves that often litter the forest floors of the pacific northwest. The cougar found in South Dakota (named Takini) is more gray in color with faint spots helping her to blend into the more rocky environments found in the Dakotas. While observing the behavior of these two cats I discovered that they each possessed distinct climbing abilities which seemed to also match their native habitats; Chinook is a far better tree climber and Takini is a much better rock climber. Some additional behavioral differences which may or may not be regionally related include Chinook being the more curious and aggressive of the two cats while Takini is more placid and predictable in her behavior. Also, Chinook is almost always first to initiate play, however Takini is equally playful when provoked and in the mood. Sadly, as of early 2009, Takini has since passed away due to an intestinal illness which could not be overcome with medication or surgery.

Cougars

Herons :

Herons

Red Wing Blackbirds :

Red Wing Blackbirds

Wilson's Snipes : Snipes (Wilson's or Common) are generally pretty shy and will hide in the marshy grasses or fly off and make a winnowing sound with their wings as they dive down above, sometimes sounding like they are very close to your head. The origin of the sound created is difficult to pinpoint exactly and can be rather spooky if you have never heard it before (very distinct and not a sound one would normally associate coming from a bird). These birds have beautiful and effective markings which allow them to blend right in with their typical surroundings. While often found on the ground close to water, I have also discovered them on high perches and in densely-branched trees and shrubs. This is a bird you will often hear before you see and they tend to be extremely vocal around perceived threats.

Wilson's Snipes

Yellow Headed Blackbirds :

Yellow Headed Blackbirds

Canada Geese :

Canada Geese

Wrens :

Wrens

Parrots :

Parrots

Gulls :

Gulls

Reduction : A multi-step printmaking technique which involves progressively carving away a wood or linoleum block for each color produced. The process requires a sophisticated registration method to ensure positive alignment of the paper and block during each stage of color application.

Reduction

Dry-point : Dry-point is an intaglio printmaking process where a sharp steel, diamond, or carbide needle tool is used to incise lines into copper or zinc metal plates, or a piece of plexi-glass. Editions tend to be small due to the low durability of the plate material used and the high pressures applied by the etching press during the printing of an edition. Every line is scribed in by hand and gray tones are achieved by varied line spacing and pattern. Rich blacks and dark values are quite beautiful in this form of intaglio printmaking and aching artist hands are often the result in achieving them. To print the image etching ink is applied to the entire plate surface and then the top surface is wiped clean using tarlatan (a heavily starched, semi-rigid, scratch and lint-free cheesecloth fabric). The tarlatan removes ink from the top surface but leaves ink in the incised lines and burrs formed by the needle tool. Special etching paper is used during printing and is first soaked in water to help raise the paper fibers to aid in extracting the ink from the plate when printed. After soaking the paper, excess water is blotted off the paper and an etching press is used to apply thousands of pounds of pressure to the paper and plate to extract the image. This extreme pressure, the heavy paper, and the plate thickness result in a nicely embossed printed image.

Dry-point

Mono-type and Mono-print : The mono-type is a single print created with no other formal printmaking techniques involved and, due to the limits of the materials used in its creation, subsequent prints in exactness to the original are not possible. The mono-print is a mono-type which has had one or more additional printmaking techniques applied to it (often an etching or relief image). These two printmaking techniques produce "one of a kind" prints, similar to an original painting. Unlike other printmaking methods where an image can be reproduced, unchanged, a number of times, the media applied under pressure in the creation of a mono-type/mono-print behaves in a manner which is beyond any kind of rigid control. The process involves applying media to a rigid surface and printed to paper by either hand or mechanical pressure. Oil based ink is the media of choice, however acrylic paint, stain, raw pigment, and organic materials can be used. This is a fun, free-form printmaking style with very few limitations.

Mono-type and Mono-print

Relief : Relief print work is achieved by printing a carved block of linoleum or wood (wood being the more traditional material, often providing an elegant grain pattern to the finished print). Ink is applied to the top surface of a block and only that which has not been carved away is printed. Smooth and dry paper is typically used during printing to maximize ink transfer, maintain crisp line work, and minimize tearing when separating the print from the block.

Relief

Etching : The simple explanation of the process is to create an image on a thin, flat base material (plate/substrate) using some type of etchant (acidic or basic compound) which etches (bites, eats away, dissolves, etc.) a recess in the surface which will hold ink and can then be printed onto paper. To print the image etching ink is applied to the entire plate surface and then the top surface is wiped clean using tarlatan (a heavily starched, semi-rigid, scratch and lint-free cheesecloth fabric). The tarlatan removes ink from the top surface but leaves ink in the etched recesses. Special etching paper is used during printing and is first soaked in water to help raise the paper fibers to aid in extracting the ink from the plate when printed. After soaking the paper, excess water is blotted off the paper and an etching press is used to apply thousands of pounds of pressure to the paper and plate to extract the image. This extreme pressure, the heavy paper, and the plate thickness result in a nicely embossed printed image.

Etching

Copyright ©2009 Kevin Welsh All Rights Reserved
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