Sidewinder Template

Well, after years of designing websites and also WordPress templates I started to investigate how others were designing templates. Since I am also into fine art and photography I wanted to easily add my work without getting bogged down in coding.

I came across Graph Paper Press and I loved what they were doing with WordPress, the layouts, the code, the attention to photographers and artists to display their work.

After spending some time investigating their work I finally chose their Base template and the child template Sidewinder. I love their gallery plug-in, perfect if you want to show your work off with ease.

I am also an advocate of having your site function on mobile devices and their templates do just that. Testing on the iPhone and iPad, I can tell you their work holds up. What better way to show potential clients your work then on your iPhone?

Their customer support seems to be 24 hours a day and they are very quick to respond to questions. If you are serious about using WordPress to show off your work I would highly recommend them.

Of course I cannot help but tweak code so I modified some of the child template in CSS and with a few changes in the code I was finally ready to make it live.

Well…I was asked to. Now I probably know every song by him. Pretty much my whole life this man was in the spotlight and a household name. Love him, or hate him you can not deny he was very talented and changed the entire music industry, next to Elvis. I must admit some songs I enjoy, I never cared for his personal life, always thought he was very strange, maybe that much talent makes someone that way.

Michael - ©2010 ChrisVodnik.com

So I was asked to do a portrait for a friend’s child who really loves his music and him.

I thought black and white would fit the mood in this portrait. So I worked with a palette of 5 basic colors. I am not sure why but I love to paint in black and white. I had to work with photos which was a challenge because photos never give you what real life can. I prefer either live or photos I take so I can have the lighting and pose the way I want it. I took no money for the portrait, it was a gift and I hope the owner will enjoy it while listening to her favorite singer.

So I noticed that it is now the end of June and I have not touched a paint brush in several months. I am writing this down to remind me the next time I visit my site and wonder…. wow still no new art.

I have been taking lots of photos during this time of non painting. Hoping that something will inspire me to pick up a brush other than for my teeth. My daughter on the other hand has been inspired to create in the bathtub. She is showing me that creating is a joyful event and shouldn’t be daunting. Maybe I should take a bath…

Finally.

I have finished this painting. Took a lot of work from where it started, but the painting turned out how I wanted.

Now I just need to let it dry and choose a frame. A larger image is available in the Portraits gallery.

Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year. Not because of all the gifts, but the one gift that we can truly never repay. Since we are called to be thankful, I am thankful for that gift above all things. I am also thankful for my family and their health.

I am also very thankful for my wife, whom puts up with me 365 days a year and 24 hours a day. She also knows I love my art and encourages me to do so.

This year she gave to me a Jullian Easel, a wonderful gift for any artist. I have never painted outside, unless you count finger paints when I was a kid. So since I love to paint the outdoors, it will be great to actually paint outside! Of course at 9 degrees, I think I will wait until spring.

After the birth of my daughter in July, I came across a picture that was taken of my sister and I sitting on the couch that looked very similar to a picture that I took my two daughters. I always enjoyed that picture and I discovered it 11 years ago at my sister’s house. I guess she must have liked the image as well.

So what better thing to do than to paint the picture and surprise my mother for her birthday with it. I thought I could complete this small 8″x8″ painting in a few days. I forgot how picky I am so that did not happen. So my mother was presented with an almost finished painting for her birthday. She understands, she knows me very well.

But I have finally finished and I can not wait to present it to her. You can view a larger version in the Portraits Gallery above.

Words do not do justice in what this day has meant. There are no more tears of pain and sorrow, but of joy and hope. I am always, amazed at God’s grace and mercy. I looked to the cross in that dark moment years ago and tried to remember that Jesus went through pain and death and that He also conquered it that day so all could live in light.

Today has shown me again the wonders of God and His eternal love.

Now I have another one of God’s creation to paint on canvas! Amen!