New Work: swimming amongst the stars

It’s funny, swimming amongst the stars was not the image I set out to create. As I was exploring a new direction with my petroglyph/photography collage, I did some experimenting. While the intent was to only have a photo background, I found this beautiful image of two swans that I took awhile back. I decided to see what I could do with it as I played a bit. As the image progressed, it really started to take on a life of its own.

While the swans turned out well, I did have some issues with the water/starfield blending. It took quite some time to find the correct balance. But the image still looked a bit unfinished. I added the lanterns (hand drawn) and yet, something was still missing. Finally, I came across a constellation map and that turned out to be the exact finish to this piece.

BTW, if you like this image, I am selling digital archival prints (8″x8″, 16.75″ x16.75″ framed), just message me for more information.