When last year ticked away, I pulled my old Nikon D300 from my closet and started taking random pictures around my house. None of them resulted in a decent photograph. However, it rekindled my desire to capture the world’s beauty. With the fresh desire coursing through my veins, I turned to the internet and found some tricks and tools to help me convert my existing pictures into watercolors. Once I tweaked my fluke capture of a squirrel chowing down on a discarded slice of pizza, my passion rose to new heights.
While I’m not dismissing my journey to draw my characters, I will continue to capture these highlights of nature’s glory. As always, if you want a better look, click a picture to head over to my DeviantArt gallery. Also check out my Etsy store, Natural Desygns, if you’d like to purchase some wall art.
If you have a tree nearby, look outside the nearest window. If you are fortunate, you’ll see a squirrel clambering up the trunk. However, if you are exceptionally lucky, you might glimpse a squirrel calmly sitting on one branch as it chews on a slice of leftover pizza.
Since most people won’t ever see that in real life, you can claim your own rendition of that moment to hang on your wall. The base image was originally claimed some time ago, but with some effort, a watercolor version has been created to bring a unique slice of nature to your home or office.
If you’re interested in adding this hungry squirrel upon your wall grab this print from my Etsy store.
On my last walk through Occoquan, I stopped beside a building that served as a backdrop for a handful of my wedding pictures. While I didn’t stop to dig into the structure’s history, the collection of irregular stones and mortar that comprise the build allowed my mind to image what this patch of earth looked like a couple hundred of years ago. Of course, the juxtaposition of the still standing building and the hunks of stone strewn upon the nearby swath of grass reminded me of a universal truth. Everything has a time and place.
With the watercolor rendition completed, I wanted to take it another step. As I stared at the completed digital canvas, something tickled at the back of my brain. With every passing second, the stark difference between nature’s advance and the deteriorating building consumed my attention. Instantly, the little extra filled my mind, and I created a series of erosions that gave the piece an extra sense of depth.
If you’re interested in adding this juxtaposition of a building to nature then grab the print from my Etsy store.
Sometimes when you search for beauty, it’s impossible to find. However, on special occasions, it appears right before your tired eyes. Every day when I walk out my backdoor, a singular towering tree from my neighbor’s yard captures my attention. Whenever I surveyed that patch of earth, I’m amazed at the disparity between it and its neighbors. It’s as if the tree’s trunk had stomped out the potential competition for the sun’s nourishing light.
Despite this sight being at hand every day, it wasn’t until I pulled my Nikon out of my closet that I actually paid attention to the view from my kitchen. The way the sunlight streamed through the bare branches, it screamed to be captured. So, after imprinting the image with my camera, I imported it into Photoshop and started working to transform the digital picture into a fantastic watercolor rendition. After completing the transformation of the image, I added a frame, giving the image a sense of depth.
If you’re seeking a slice of nature to grace a bare patch of your wall, consider grabbing this image from my Etsy store.
There are a handful of places nearby that have highlighted nature’s innate beauty. One of those places is the Historic District of Occoquan, Virginia. Despite the collection of atheistic buildings, there are many swathes of land that allow nature to shine. These range from its riverbanks to nature’s march against its structures. However, one of my favorite places to go is a bridge that crosses the river next to a small waterfall.
There is something special about water rushing over a cliff. The most iconic example is Niagara Falls, but you don’t need to make a special trip to experience the magic of falling water. As the crashing waves of water disperse over the rocks, it transforms into a memorizing flow of twisting whitewater. With each new stone in the stream’s path, the water twists upon itself, splitting into vast rivulets, enhancing the scene’s beauty.
If you’re looking to add this crashing water to your home, click here and it to your cart.
It’s amazing how much something can change when your focus shifts. The surprising thing is the fact that even a fractional difference can bring produce vast differences. Aside from bringing brilliance to diamonds, it can radically alter your perception of the world around you. One of my walks through the Occoquan, I stopped at one of my favorite places and turned my head. The simple shift in focus brought me face to face with something from my imagination, a handful of stones that a giant casually tossed before him.
Of course, I’m being hyperbolic, but sometimes you need to take a step back and allow your imagination to run wild. Hopefully, my watercolor rendition of these scattered stones will open the doors to your imagination. The next time you’re out on a walk, don’t forget to turn your head and study your surroundings from a different point of view.
If you like these fallen stones, click here and pick one up for your wall.
As I thumbed through my collection of photographs, I stumbled upon a handful of pictures that I took from my parent’s deck. When I stumbled upon this image of the solitary pair of trees sporting their still green leaves surrounded by their autumn sibling, the image gripped my attention. With each passing second, instead of sitting at my desk, I found myself hurtling through time and space to a quiet place in my past.
When current events shook me from my interlude, I loaded it up in Photoshop and started altering the image to bring out more of the piece’s beauty through the watercolor rendition. Hopefully, after a quick study, you’ll find a place of peace and tranquility through this slice of the past.
If you’d like to hang this on your wall and loose yourself in the simple beauty, click here and add one to you cart.
A little more than a week ago, I took my first trip to Neabsco Regional Park, and it was a remarkable trip. Despite going on a chilly winter day, I found many aspects of nature’s beauty to capture. With every picture that I took, my understanding of nature’s beauty deepened. By the end of my walk, I was convinced of the statement that there is beauty to be found in every season.
Once I stepped out of my car, I meandered to the trail and started exploring. There were multiple benches lined the path. At first I ignored them, but eventually I stopped and took in the entire picture. The planners positioned them in such a way that it appeared to be cloaked with bare trees, which was intensified once I converted the image to a watercolor.
If you’re looking to add this mix of nature and elbow grease to an unadorned patch of your home, click here and add this stretched canvas to your cart.
On my walk along Neabsco Regional Park’s boardwalk, I came upon a small bare tree. Despite not having any leaves, the way the branches spread out covering the surface of the water from my field of view reminded me of a bridge. Granted, it’s not one that I would trust to hold my weight, but the shape and branching of the crossing are pleasing to my eye, despite some parts ending mid-stream.
