These magical ghosts are derived from my favorite photograph of my grandparents. Years ago I created a series of linocut prints, using various inking techniques and color combinations. These are new variants: digital art created from one of the old linocut prints.
I modified the oil based ink print, using watercolors to create soft curtains of transparent color, before working on the scanned digital image.
I continued to fuss with the shading etc. on the original, trying to modify the color saturation. My final effort there is shown in the second, lower, row above, along with a digital variant. I prefer the second version of the original, but I liked the digital variant of the earlier version. So I kept working on the digital variants from the final version, to get back a bit more impact and drama.
It is wonderful to transform an unfinished/unsatisfying artwork into a finished piece. I need my work to take me somewhere, if only for a moment; art should magnify, or otherwise transform reality, creating another space for our emotions. And now this piece brings me joy! Now I see again the magic I found in the original photograph that inspired me: the magic I want to put into, and take away from, all my art!
