Friday’s Fun Photo: Freckles and Speckles

Posted bydebirileyPosted inart, inspiration, painting, photographyTags:, , , , ,
texture and patterns, quail eggs, photos, debiriley.com

Speckles, freckles and splatters.  Quail eggs, tin foil and a watercolour painting backdrop. Frenetic? maybe. But, I kinda’ liked it!

texture and patterns, quail eggs, photos, debiriley.com
Quail Eggs and Foil

 

Quail Egg Art Props

I’ve been wanting to get some quail eggs as art props for quite awhile, but kept putting it off. I hadn’t been able do the ‘cost justification’ on this one. Over here for just a few teeny quail eggs, is $8 or so.

Well, as you see I finally bought them.

A couple dozen photos are in my visual library at the ready, and I won’t need to make more quail egg purchases.

After thoroughly cleaning every tiny egg out, spick and span, I now have their sparkling, tidy shells stored for use later.

I’m doing ok on my ‘cost justification’  issue I’m happy to say.

 

 

 

Reflections and Textures

This second photograph is much Smoother,  softer and more subtle.  The background is more blurred and the tin foil a wee bit smoother as well.

Look at the reflections and notice how blurred and soft the edges are.

The delicate blushing tones of the background make the quail egg speckles appear to have even more contrast.

 

reflections and patterns, photo, debiriley.com
Reflecting Shells

 

Texture, patterns reflected into the slightly crumpled tin foil give it a less perfect mirror image than if it was perfectly flat.

 

 

Design With A Twist

By choosing to use these props in this manner makes the images Different. I’d be surprised if I saw another quail egg photo with this same set up!

This design has an interesting ‘twist’ with some added abstraction thrown in for good measure.

 

textures, reflections, egg, leaves, debiriley.com
Egg, Foil, Leaves

 

The backdrop is still the splatter painting but now is Super soft focus;  I added old dried leaves to increase the textural effects and retained the crumpled foil base.

Interesting designs.

I loved playing with these elements.  Moving them around, deleting and adding at random. Just to see “what if….”

 

In each of these photographs I had a main objective.

I needed to create depth in a small ‘short’ space and create a Background, Middleground and Foreground.  With a Focal Point.

Nearly nailed all of them!!

 

 

DIY  Egg Freckles

For those in North America with access to white chicken eggs,  you could probably create your own quail egg “look alikes.”  Boil the eggs. Dip in tea for a pale stain. Let Dry.

For the Splatter – use toothbrush with instant coffee granules.  Or….  splatter a soy/Worcestershire dark  thick mix.   Use edible ingredients so you can eat the egg after you take your photos!

 

Art Materials used for the watercolor backdrop:

Arches Hot Press paper, Indigo, Quinacridone Sienna, Buff Titanium, Burnt Sienna, Permanent Orange splattered.

 

A fabulous Information packed post on  watercolor materials is Watercolour Guide Materials.   Very Useful especially for beginners.

 

 

Published by debiriley

The act of creation, in any media is a fascinating and magical process. I simply love to create. Expressing in color, line, tone, texture - as if, they were words upon a page. Creating a uniquely me, interpretation. Enjoy More of my "one-of-a-kind" expressive art at society6.com/debiriley and, redbubble.com/people/debijriley/shop

44 thoughts on “Friday’s Fun Photo: Freckles and Speckles”

      2. They are very cute. Thank you for displaying them. Sometimes I forget how much beauty is in what presents naturally. It is good to have a reminder. Have a great weekend. xo

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  3. Deb, I absolutely love this idea. Your quail egg purchase was definitely worthy he cost. You have several creative photos to show for it. The foil is a quite different touch and I do love the distorted reflections in it. Kudos!

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    1. thank you for your wonderful comments! I appreciate them. and, thanks for mentioning that Foil!! very important, that Foil, LOL Cheers, Debi

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    1. Laura!! brownie points 🙂 YOU mentioned the foil!! wondered who might. I’m sure someone’s done it, I just haven’t seen it & thought it would be cool to try. Thank you for noting this!!

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  6. I now see all sorts of possibilities with my morning egg. Interesting post. I can get lost for hours in your blog. I thoroughly enjoy your watercolor tips and posts. Thank you for sharing your knowledge!

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    1. thanks Carmel!! that is great to hear you are really enjoying the articles and images! I don’t seem to run out of ideas….yet.

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      1. Maybe you don’t have these chicken in Oz. They are called Araucana and might originally come from Polynesia. I think these eggs are very healthy.

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  9. Your creativity is really unmatched! I mean this is just fabulous stuff, the way you approach and process and determine what and how to do is super cool and wonderful. I really enjoy all that creativity, it is most inspiring and the fruits of your ideas are most beautiful to look at! Awesome imagination and vision Debi!

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    1. thank you once again Eva!!
      as you can know, it can be hit or miss… take a risk, roll the dice. cross the fingers
      these days, the hardest Risk for me – is showing even the imperfects on this site. I want to only show THE Best.
      But really the site was targeted for beginners; and I think it helps them see Not every endeavor is a wonderful Wow! and success rate is not 100% nor even 80%
      Success, for me is whether I learned anything at all today. LOL

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  10. You are seriously creative!! I really love the way you played around with this until something clicked and you said, YES!!! Great photos!! Thank you for explaining the process. That was very cool!! ❤

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    1. Hi Amy, thank YOU, for your thought full, heartwarming comments!!
      I’d love for people, artists, to start playing – assembling their own objects like that to draw, paint, photograph!
      it just gives so much more – everything 🙂

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      1. I play when I edit. I play when I photograph as well, just feeling like a kid let loose from the responsibilities of life. I LOVE to play, to get lost in that moment, as all else just fades away. You keep encouraging people to play!! And know there is a photographer who does just that very thing. I also play with words a lot …. I just love words. 🙂 And when I do paint, it is with my pastels on huge 21×24 inch pastel paper. I listen to music and I just let my hand go. No thought. Abstract. So cool. I haven’t done that in so long …. I really miss it. I need to make a time slot to play with my pastels again. 🙂

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      2. we’d all be much saner and chirpier, if we let ourselves out to play LOL
        Amy, which pastels do you favor? the really soft melting, velvety ones? or the firmer ones? I’d ‘guess’… the softer, but might be wrong guess!

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      3. No, you guessed correctly. I use the Rembrant soft pastels in just about every color you can imagine! 🙂 Then I have pastel pencils for outline, but I rarely use them. I do all my shading, highlighting and outlining with the Rembrants. I never know what I will be drawing …. I just flow and all that exists is music, form, and color. 🙂 ❤

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      5. I ordered mine online, too. I have the itch to draw this weekend and when I do, I will think of posting it here on WP. 🙂 Deal? Have a great weekend, Debi!!!! Love, Amy ❤

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      9. I still have the morrow. 🙂 LOL I did a lot of editing today and putting posts together for the coming week. I have a feeling I’ll be drawing tomorrow. YAY!!! ❤

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