Image-a-day: a new digital nanoscapes' direction

What started as a distraction has become a new direction for digital nanoscapes, and they are part of my 2012 Image-a-Day project.

Blue Tiles

Nanoscapes began as post-card sized paintings because "tiny" was my comfort zone. When a pal said "I love your work, but I can't hang a post card behind my sofa," I took the hint and made larger paintings. My new comfort zone became 22x33 inches.

The return of small nanoscapes

The original "Net"

But the small paintings and post cards came back, because I love to experiment, I must paint every day, and their size makes them convenient for a traveler.

Through my consulting business, Pass the Baton, I often speak at law schools around the country. Two years ago, I would carry a 12x16 Arches Hot Press watercolor block and a six pallets with 100+ colors. No more. I take three or four tubes of watercolors, a post card block, a 6H pencil, a ruler, an eraser, and a pencil sharpener. Everything goes through security and the whole kit may weigh one pound.

Painting in hotel rooms
With the best lighting in many hotel rooms in the bathroom, I never hesitate to ask for better light for painting. Kind concierge staff members have delivered new light bulbs and, sometimes, multiple lamps to make my rooms workable for a painter. The collateral benefit comfortable bed-time reading. All too often, bedside table lamps give off barely enough light to barely see the alarm clock.

How are these digital nanoscapes made?
I scan a small painting and then experiment the wonderful toys in Photoshop adjusting color and hue, saturation and more. The magic in these new digital nanoscapes comes from horizontal and vertical flipping which, as you will see, makes a combination with a center, giving new life and more energy than the original.

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 This painting, originally titled "The Net," is now the image of mosaic tile work that I would do if it didn't require safety equipment for tile cutting. When I turned 60, I decided that I should avoid all activity requiring either safety equipment or liability waivers. No skydiving, no bungee jumping, and no glass work.  

Just painting.