Oak Creek Printworks

10 Tips For PhotographersPosted by Georgia Lange on August 31st, 2010

by Trevor Mauk

1. Back to Basic Rules: When taking pictures, following a simple rule can make your pictures much more interesting and professional. Do not place your subject of the picture (ex. a face, a flower) in the dead center of the photograph. Instead, move the subject closer to the edge or the corners of the picture. When taking portraits, you can follow this rule by putting your subject’s eyes in the top three quarter mark of the photo. With many cameras, a grid can be turned on in the viewfinder to help compose your photographs. Read the rest of this entry »

Cardmaking: Creating depth with cutoutsPosted by Stephanie Ferguson on August 31st, 2010

by Nancy Haberman

Recently I assisted a colleague who was learning the finer points of Adobe Illustrator’s pen tool. Our goal was to create images that would adorn products related to the sea. The resulting artwork of a seahorse was intricate and stunning, and a discussion followed about using it on a greeting card.

Commercial greeting card publishers have forever pushed the envelope when it comes to greeting card presentation techniques, relying heavily on high end print and print finishing processes. While holographic and lenticular printing are too pricey for the average working artist and crafter, other finishes like die cutting, embossing and engraving are now within reach of those willing to invest in new desktop equipment and take the time to learn how to use it.

The desktop publishing revolution turned artists and crafters into self-publishers. Fast forward 25 years later, and a trip to Border’s, Target or any greeting card store reveals that it takes more to excite the eye of a card buyer in 2010 than cheap two-dimensional Photoshop effects, long ago passé. Read the rest of this entry »

Photo Contestants Beware: Read Contest Guidelines CarefullyPosted by admin on August 26th, 2010

by Nancy Haberman

Some time last spring, knowing that I was fond of hiking and photographing in the hills of Simi, a friend suggested I enter some of my images in a postcard contest sponsored by the local Chamber of Commerce. I’m not usually lured by contests, but due to the particular subject matter of this contest, I have to admit, I was intrigued.

I’d always wanted to make postcards from my “Simi Rocks” images, a series of landscape note cards I created between 2000-2004, so I immediately I began a rough edit of my archived photos. Many of the note cards depict the Simi and the adjacent Conejo hillsides, which are dotted with gnarled and mangled oaks. The environment became inspiration for Oak Creek Printworks. The hiking trails that surround our little valley run through a rocky landscape that was home to the Chumash Indians, and later to early western film stars and crews. The few areas that remain open space tell tales of movie land cowboys and real life Indians. I swear there are commercials running on television Read the rest of this entry »

Image of the WeekPosted by Stephanie Ferguson on August 26th, 2010

To download, click on the image below. When the high resolution copy appears right click on it to copy or save it.

If you use our images, we would love to hear from you and see a sample of what you did with it. Who knows, we might just post your creation in a future blog…with your permission, of course! Contact us at admin@oakcreekprintworks.com.

Terms of Use: You can use this image for anything you wish (e.g. advertising, printed materials, product packaging, presentations, brochures, greeting cards, postcards, book covers, etc.) as long as you do not copyright it or resell it. Oak Creek Printworks and Oak Creek Marketplace, Inc. are not liable for any damages incurred by your use of the image. ©2010 Oak Creek Printworks

Public Workspaces As Galleries: A Public Arts ControversyPosted by Georgia Lange on August 24th, 2010

by Georgia Lange

When public workspaces operate as “part-time galleries” by exhibiting artwork on a rotating basis, it can become a controversial public arts issue. Most public workspaces (hospitals, hotels, city halls, banks and offices) typically buy or rent the artwork that is chosen to be put on display. It is often not local or original art, but “decorator” art that is deliberately chosen to fit the design and colors of the interior of the building in question. Because this is typically the case, many artists are fundamentally against the idea of allowing public workspaces to display their work for  “exhibitions” without providing advance compensation.  It is a rare exception for a public workspace to consistently exhibit artwork on a rotating basis, but it does happen. When it does, the issue of displaying prices on the works being shown becomes more complicated than one might assume. Read the rest of this entry »

Body of Art Contest: Win up to $2500!Posted by Georgia Lange on August 24th, 2010

Aaron Brothers is currently having an art contest called Body of Art! Using pens, paint and markers, artists get to let their creativity loose on clothing including t-shirts, jeans, shoes, and hats. Get involved, get creative, and take a 4 x 6 or 5 x 7 photograph of your original, one-of-a-kind wearable art to your local Aaron Brothers for a chance to win a $2500 Gift Certificate! Entries are due by September 25, 2010. Click here for more details.

Image of the WeekPosted by Stephanie Ferguson on August 19th, 2010

To download, click on the image below. When the high resolution copy appears right click on it to copy or save it.

If you use our images, we would love to hear from you and see a sample of what you did with it. Who knows, we might just post your creation in a future blog…with your permission, of course! Contact us at admin@oakcreekprintworks.com.

Terms of Use: You can use this image for anything you wish (e.g. advertising, printed materials, product packaging, presentations, brochures, greeting cards, postcards, book covers, etc.) as long as you do not copyright it or resell it. Oak Creek Printworks and Oak Creek Marketplace, Inc. are not liable for any damages incurred by your use of the image. ©2010 Oak Creek Printworks

Image of the WeekPosted by Stephanie Ferguson on August 12th, 2010

To download, click on the image below. When the high resolution copy appears right click on it to copy or save it.

Lichen on rockface

You may be wondering what you can do with images like the one above. They are great  for providing texture for backgrounds and other graphic elements. The current photo of the week (above) was screened back to 30% and placed over a block of color to provide a rough-looking background for the poster on the right. Or, an image can be used with a clipping mask to texture letters or other graphic elements, as seen below.

If you use our images, we would love to hear from you and see a sample of what you did with it. Who knows, we might just post your creation in a future blog…with your permission, of course! Contact us at admin@oakcreekprintworks.com.

Terms of Use: You can use this image for anything you wish (e.g. advertising, printed materials, product packaging, presentations, brochures, greeting cards, postcards, book covers, etc.) as long as you do not copyright it or resell it. Oak Creek Printworks and Oak Creek Marketplace, Inc. are not liable for any damages incurred by your use of the image. ©2010 Oak Creek Printworks

Image of the WeekPosted by Stephanie Ferguson on August 5th, 2010

To download, click on the image below. When the high resolution copy appears right click on it to copy or save it.

If you use our images, we would love to hear from you and see a sample of what you did with it. Who knows, we might just post your creation in a future blog…with your permission, of course! Contact us at admin@oakcreekprintworks.com.

Terms of Use: You can use this image for anything you wish (e.g. advertising, printed materials, product packaging, presentations, brochures, greeting cards, postcards, book covers, etc.) as long as you do not copyright it or resell it. Oak Creek Printworks and Oak Creek Marketplace, Inc. are not liable for any damages incurred by your use of the image. ©2010 Oak Creek Printworks