Red-Pink Carnations 1 RusticClaveles de Rojo-Rosa 1 Rustico

Ive noticed that my artwork has been trending more and more toward peaceful images. I imagine that that is what I'm craving right now. Peace and stability seem to be in short supply all over the world. This artwork Red-Pink Carnations 1 Rustic is a painterly photo (yes all my florals were/are photos) that I gave extra texture including in a more textured canvas feel which I admit is not so easy to see in a preview photo. I want it to have a more relaxed rustic feel that I imagine someone might want to hang in their pantry, kitchen, or bedroom.

Red-Pink Carnations 1 Rustic

Are you getting enough sleep?

Yellow Rose 2 Intense

by Christopher Johnson

Sleepy? While it seems like we try to make up for the lack of rest by consuming caffeine, sugar, and vitamins like B-12, I've noticed that nothing is as important as a good night's sleep on a regular basis.

My roommate has this idea that because I work at home most days of the week that I'm living in a magic land of light and wonder where my websites update themselves, web hosting issues get resolved, social networking sites get updated, e-mail messages get read and furthermore amazing art gets created, uploaded, described, and tagged!

I only wish he were right.  Last night was one like many where we went to sleep late because he was playing a Playstation 3 game he just bought.  He was complaining about the heat, flies buzzing (that I couldn't hear) and probably one or two other ailments off and on. I told him to be quiet because I couldn't seep because of him.

Because I live in a magic wonderland of work-at-home where work does itself  (according to him anyway), he didn't care, but now I am restless unable to concentrate. I know if I try to create art, it will take me twice as long to finish a new work and it won't be as good as it would have been had I been allowed to sleep. I know that if I try to update one of my website's code I'll most likely forget certain details.

If your roommate, spouse, relative, or significant other works at home please let them sleep because it is entirely possible that they have run out of magical fairy dust and Mary Poppins isn't around to turn it into a game.

Queen Anne's Lace 3 Moonbeam

I like to experiment with both high-key and low-key artwork. It gives extra variety and it sometimes changes the mood and emotional impact of art.  In Queen Anne's Lace 3 Moonbeam, I had this reference photo with beautiful flowers, but it was taken at an angle so the sky was in the right corner. I had to change the background if i were to use this image.

I decided on adding texture from other parts of the background then accentuated the plant and flower lines and decided that it would be great with a moonbeam like glow and focus allowing me to further remove attention from the angle of the flowers and the background. I hope you like it.

Queen Anne's Lace 3 Moonbeam

Glowing Lights 1 - Fractal ArtLuces Brillantes 1 - Arte Fractal

This fractal flame artwork was just something for fun, but it makes me think of photos I've seen of the northern lights.

Glowing Lights 1 - Fractal Art

Queen Anne's Lace 1 & 2

Queen Anne's Lace or Wild Carrot is a wildflower with clusters of very small white flowers. I was sent several unedited photos by a friend and artist to experiment with and use in art. Here are the first two works.

Queen Anne's Lace 1

Queen Anne's Lace 1 has enhanced color and saturation to make the flower 'pop' simple yet effective with that extra saturation and other adjustments.

Queen Anne's Lace 2

This Queen Anne's Lace floral artwork had to be simplified because it just had too much detail, so I gave the entire background a painterly effect which gave it an impressionistic feel which one friend compared to Monet who made many wonderful garden paintings. I didn't give the flowers the same painting look so they stand out with most of their detail.



It was a pleasure to work with the reference photos. If you have some high-resolution photos that you'd like to have me include in my artwork, let me know in Twitter or Facebook.  Don't forget I'm also available for artistic digital portraits.

White Hibiscus 2 GraceHibisco Blanco 2 Bendición

A beautiful white hibiscus flower artwork that makes me think of grace. A subtle glow plays over the main flower in this floral art. The shading and different degrees of sharpness draw you in closer until you feel grace of the divine presence in your life.

Made with a reference photo taken by a friend and artist. Reference photo used (as always) with permission.

White Hibiscus 2 Grace

White Hibiscus 1 GlamourHibisco Blanco 1 Encanto

This hibiscus flower artwork is based on a reference photo taken by a friend who is also a great artist. I only spent about 3 hours doing the post-processing work. I think it came out very well.

White Hibiscus 1 Glamour

Esta obra de arte es basada en una foto que me envío una amiga que también es artista visual. Solo edite la imagen unas tres horas.

Pink Carnations 3 - Floral ArtClaveles - Color Rosa 3

The third pink carnation flower artwork in the series. Pink Carnations 3 has several versions, but I'm only sharing a couple in this post. You can see all of them in my gallery pages.
In pink carnations 3, my goal was to add texture to the work which already has great shades of pink and green along with great enhanced lines.

Pink Carnations 3

Pink Carnations 2 Serene - Floral ArtClaveles - Color Rosa 2 Sereno

Over the weekend and this morning I was post-processing several pink carnation flower photos as artwork. I took the photos here in my home studio a few weeks ago. This first artwork, Pink Carnations 2 Serene, is meant to give a feeling of peace, some comfort, and it is very high-key. I really brightened it to give a very classic look.

Pink Carnations 2 Serene

Por los últimos dias he estado editando fotos de claveles como arte. Esta obra de arte es una que hice con bastante luz y sin sombras para dar una imagen clásica. Debe dar una sensación de la paz y tranquilidad.

Twisted 1 Fractal Flame Kaleidoscope in Green, Red, White, Blue, and SolarizedTwisted 1 Serie de Arte Fractal Calidoscopio

These kaleidoscope artworks are based on the Twisted 1 fractal flame abstract art series.

Twisted 1 Fractal Flame Kaleidoscope Art

Basados en el arte fractal Twisted 1

Twisted 1 Fractal Flame Series - Red, Green, Blue, White, and SolarizedTwisted 1 Serie de Arte Fractal en Rojo, Verde, Azul, Blanco

This series, Twisted 1, is based on one fractal flame image. It took me several hours to do, but once I got one color highlight it wasn't difficult to change to other colors. I could have done more colors, but I decided to stop at three and do others by request.

Twisted 1 Fractal Flame Series - Red, Green, Blue, White, and Solarized

Twisted 1 (Torcido 1) es de una imagen fractal pero hice varias versiones agregando colores distintos como rojo, verde, y azul. Puedo hacer mas versiones sobre pedido.

Green Star 1 - Fractal Flame ArtEstrella Verde 1 - Arte Visual

This fractal flame made me think of a green star, so I just adjusted brightness levels and a blur to make it more like a star (and fixed a few details). I don't think I spent more than an hour in post-processing.

Green Star 1

Me hizo pensar en una estrella de color verde entonces modifique la imagen para resaltar el concepto ajustando la luz y un poco mas. No creo que pasé mas de una hora modificando esta obra de arte.

Gold and Brown Chrysanthemum Flowers 1 Art

I bought these beautiful chrysanthemum flowers a couple weeks ago, but don't worry I took the photos right away while they were fresh. :-)
This is my second attempt at doing a high-key bright flower artwork. The first attempt was with pink carnations which I believe I forgot to post about however you'll see a small preview a couple posts ago where I asked what you wanted to see (no one commented so I must assume you're all super happy with my art as it is).

Gold and Brown Chrysanthemum Flowers 1

I also did a sepia version which is also available.

Feathery 1 - Fractal Flame ArtFeathery 1

I created this artwork several days ago, perhaps it was last weekend. In any case, I've been delaying trying to find the right words to express my feelings about this work.
Yes, I tried to make it soft and feathery, and yet when I look at it, it seems to be more. The colors I selected for it as well as the varying levels of brightness as well as the extra blurring in some areas seem to speak to me. They make me think of autumn and the harvest. Others may think of it more literally like a fern leaf unfurled, but I will always think of it as something abstract and feathery.

Lo siento, aun no hay traducción para esta entrada.

I created this artwork several days ago, perhaps it was last weekend. In any case, I've been delaying trying to find the right words to express my feelings about this work.
Yes, I tried to make it soft and feathery, and yet when I look at it, it seems to be more. The colors I selected for it as well as the varying levels of brightness as well as the extra blurring in some areas seem to speak to me. They make me think of autumn and the harvest. Others may think of it more literally like a fern leaf unfurled, but I will always think of it as something abstract and feathery.

What art and content would you like to see?Que les gustaria ver?

I have been experimenting with quite a few different types of art and subjects for the last few months and I've learned several new techniques so I think it is finally time to ask a simple question.

What would you like to see for my art and on this website?

I  don't do one style and subject that can be done over and over, It just isn't in my personality to do anything remotely cookie-cutter.  I get way too bored doing just one thing! I understand that that makes it easy for art galleries and collectors, but I have to wonder why that is so preferred?

If  I were a collector and I had one work from an artist and I saw that all the other artist's work was exactly the same identifiable style with the same basic subjects, I probably wouldn't want to get another unless I thought that his or her art style and subject was the most amazing art ever.

The feedback I get to this post will be used in those moments when I am not sure what I want to work on. I will look at the suggestions and pick one to try.

I've experimented with some travel photography, nature photography,  street photography, floral (flowers and plants) art like  roses,  abstract art, kaleidoscopes, and geometric art, fantasy art,  fractal art, fractal flame art, digital mosaic, antiqued sepia art,wild animals,the sky, weather (clouds and rain),  drawings, and portraits.

My journey of experimentation is far from over, so expect to see a variety of new subjects and styles and perhaps even new media in the next few years! I do hope to be able to get a better camera as well as some traditional art supplies as soon as my budget allows (perhaps 2011?). I'd love to try oil painting and pastels.  Marker art would be fun too.

Art Gifts

Currently I'm using Zazzle for art gifts like bags, USA postage stamps, greeting cards, mouse pads, buttons, stickers, aprons, magnets, etc.  I'll including links to my different stores in the sidebar.

Portraits

I've done several digital portraits and I think they'd make great framed gifts for holidays  and birthdays for relatives and loved ones. I start with photos and manipulate them for several hours to get the results you see in my portrait gallery. Normally people look cleaner and younger, I can give them abstract realism looks, an antiqued photo look, or a more painterly effect. The final result depends mostly on the lighting and composition of the original photo.

If you'd like to see more portraits, please consider emailing me some high resolution photos of you or the person you'd like to see a portrait of  (get their permission first!).  If you live in Mexico City or plan on visiting Mexico City, let me know how you'll be arriving and I'll give you directions for visiting and I'll take your photo here in my studio.   I don't look for youth nor beauty (although I won't hold that against you if you are young and beautiful or handsome!).   I touch up blemishes like scars, large pores, sun damage, and I minimize wrinkles too!

I'm willing to try  pet portraits, but since I don't have any pets, I don't have any examples to display.

Gallery and Artists Pages

I was recently asked to make an artists statement for use on another website featuring some of my artwork.  I think it is time I shared it with my readers.

My Artist Statement

"I've always loved the arts including the visual arts since I was little. I remember how I loved working with construction paper, watercolors, and drawing with pencil, crayon, or markers in school.
It wasn't until rather recently with the availability of affordable decent digital cameras that I started to take a more serious interest in creating and sharing art with others.
I'd describe the main body of my artwork to be artistic photography. Most of my other work is abstract with the focus on geometric shapes and repeating patterns often taken from nature.
For my artistic photography, I take photographs in the street or in my studio and transform them according to what I see and how each one makes me feel. These enhancements go from the subtle to the extreme. The subjects of my photographic art include florals - especially close-ups of roses and other tropical flowers, destinations, portraits, and even some animal art.

While some works have a painterly look, the majority have accentuated lines and curves and many have deeper shadows and warm glows. Another common trend in my work is the manipulation of degrees of light and tone in angled groups or sections especially in the background of a piece. I trend toward using gray, pink, dark red,dusky blues and any shade of green I can find. Each work is carried out, without hurry, normally taking 1-4 hours of loving effort.

I'm inspired by nature and thoughts of hope and peace. A look, a smile, history, a ray of light against a petal, all these - and more - inspire me to create.

I have been experimenting with quite a few different types of art and subjects for the last few months and I've learned several new techniques so I think it is finally time to ask a simple question.

What would you like to see for my art and on this website?

Sidewalk Rain 1 - Visual ArtLa Lluvia Sobre la Banqueta - Arte Visual

Sidewalk Rain 1 - Visual Art

I really love the rain and the rainy season here in Mexico City. The rainy season, or summer, is from June to September. This processed photograph artwork was taken from the third floor window looking down at the sidewalk in front of the house. I only touched it up and fixed the colors and sharpness a little.

Me encanta la lluvia y la temporada de lluvias aquí en México (junio-Septiembre). Esta foto es desde la ventana del segundo piso (primero contando Planta Baja).  Estaba lloviendo fuerte ese día entonces si hubo agua encima de la banqueta provocando las gotas nuevas a brincar fuerte.

Curves 1 - Fractal Flame ArtCurvas 1 - Arte Tipo Fractal Flame

Curves 1 - Fractal Flame Art

This is another fractal flame artwork that I almost didn't create. It didn't look very promising at first, but as I started to post-process it, I saw hope. It will remind some of a bird, and I almost turned it into one, but I finally decided that as an abstract work it would let everyone use their imagination more than if I made it surreal or stylized.

Blue and Purple Circles 1 - Fractal Flame ArtCirculos Azules y Morados 1 - Arte tipo Fractal Flame

Blue and Purple Circles 1 - Fractal Flame Art

I really love this work because I changed almost every single part of it from the colors to the textures to get the look you see here. I'm still trying to comprehend fractal generating software so I'm really creating the art in post-processing. It has several bubble like circles or globes with blue, black and purple.

Colors 1 - Abstract ArtColores 1 - Arte Abstracto

Colors 1 - Abstract Art

Free form abstract artwork with glowing green, red, blue, yellow, and purple.

Golden Brown Glow Kaleidoscope Art 2Calidoscopio Con Brillo Dorado 2

Golden Brown Glow Kaleidoscope Art 2

While I didn't get much of a response on Facebook after posting a couple kaleidoscope styled artworks in this series, I enjoy the glow that this work  and the other three below contain.