My 2nd artist newsletter: A breakthrough! Also: being featured, mentors, copyright, photo overwhelm, and experimenting.
Newsletter #2
read more
The Artist’s Blog of Marlene Breitenstein
Exploring the creative process: inspiration, techniques, challenges, results.
Welcome to my artist’s blog! I invite you to jump into the usually playful, occasionally painful, deep end of art-making, with me.
I publish a few times a month, sometimes more. My topics are of particular interest to other artists and photographers, collectors, and journalists … but of course, everyone is welcome.
Pick a post below, or subscribe to my RSS Feed.
Experimenting with Painting on Photos: Pt. 3
My third set of experiments with painting over fine art photographs: I apply clear gesso over six photo papers, test pastels on the gesso, and use a heat gun to texturize the gesso. Learn about the process and my key takeaways.
Experimenting with Painting on Photos: Pt. 2
I continue my experiments with combining painting with photography, using soft pastels. In this post, I devise a plan, and share my second set of experiments. Learn about the process and my key takeaways.
A Featured Photographer
📸 I’m pleased to announce my photo, of a sun-dappled Swiss mountain hut, was featured in an article on rural photos, by Glass! I dive into why rural is important to me, share a few more of my submissions, plus 18 terrific photos by other Glass photographers.
Experimenting with Painting on Photos: Pt. 1
I have begun the process of combining painting and photography. Learn how I selected a photo printer, investigated suitable papers and surfaces, explored possible painting methods, chose a base medium and other supplies, and executed my first experiment.
Shutter Happy*: A Tale of Too Many Photographs
Travel is a good thing. That said, the many wonders discovered while traveling can result in too many photographs. As a digital photographer, how does one balance the easy creation of photos, with the reality of sorting, storing and processing them? If you’ve been discouraged by wasting time with an overabundance of photos, read on.
Thoughts on Copyright Protection
Creatives!
Curious about Copyright?
Interested in Intellectual Property Rights?
Puzzled about Protection?
Check out my latest blog post, where I touch on these topics, as well as infringement and enforcement, with pointers to helpful resources.
Newsletter #1
My first artist newsletter, where I share and discuss my inspiration, techniques, challenges, and results. This includes wallpapers, experimentation, tips, rejection, and appreciation.
Strategic Photo Posting on Social Media
Whether you’re a professional photographer or serious hobbyist, you can benefit from strategic photo posting. Having clarity on what you want to be known for can direct your choices, significantly improving the impression you make. Read on to learn why, and how, to strategically select your photos.
Benefit from Standing Back
Artists learn to take a few steps back from their work, to assess its progress. Photographers benefit from this same technique, both when selecting possible works to share, and when processing photographs. Here are some thoughts on why and how you can use this technique.
Find Me on Social Media
No account needed to view!
I support social media that’s independent of the big dogs.
Are you thinking, "What? I never heard of those."
Okay, since you actually clicked on this, and I’m a bit of an ambassador for things I believe in, I’ll explain:
Mastodon is the most engaging, refreshing social media I’ve experienced. It is a social network based on a non-profit, ad-free model, designed to allow the user fine control over what they choose to see and who they interact with, while retaining full data ownership. It may be smaller, but that’s actually a benefit!
Glass is an image-focused social network, designed by and for photographers, using a subscription-based model, which also provides full user and data control.
Where Am I?
Sometimes in the Washington, DC area.
Sometimes I’m traveling elsewhere.
Otherwise I’m near Landau in der Pfalz, in the Südliche Weinstrasse (Southern Wine Route) region of Germany, characterized by endless vineyards, and bordered by mountains covered with fairy-tale forests. France is 25 minutes away.