I do design work frequently for churches across the U.S. This particular project is an Easter image I created in 2010 for a young church in Phoenix, AZ. Seemed appropriate to re-visit this project as the Easter holiday is around the corner.

First let me say, this is not a Photoshop tutorial explaining the technical settings, filters and layer arrangement I used to create this piece. This is a step-by-step journey through my creative process, based on the concept I was given. If youʼre curious how I did something specific ask in the comments and Iʼll do my best to explain, if necessary Iʼll create another post.

Here is the idea I was given:

“Thinking of a picture of a tree, with one side of it in black & gray and dead, then the other half in color, green and full of life. And also having the picture kind of torn in two down the middle, which would separate the black and grey (death) from the color (life).

The reason for the tree is: Christ was hung on a tree, there was a tree in the garden when sin entered the world, Jesus prayed in a garden full of olive trees before his arrest, we’ve been grafted in to Christ.”

The idea is based off of the following scripture:
Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 5:20-21

So, weʼve got the concept, off we go…
Early on in the process of any design project is a picture hunting session (or two, or ten). Iʼm not only looking for possible photos to use in the actual piece, but also formulating ideas for the overall visual look and feel, based on the imagery thatʼs passing before my eyes. Iʼll show you what I mean…

As I was hunting through photos I came across these two:

The look & feel of these photos set the tone for what I wanted for the final image. What I liked about these was the back-lit look, with a large foreground focal point and dramatic clouds. Now I know where Iʼm heading look-wise.

Now, to find some images to chop up so I can build out the concept.

Found a big dead back-lit tree in the foreground. But, the clouds are way too boring.

Deleting old boring clouds to make way for new, more dramatic(er) clouds…

Dig these clouds, letʼs see how they look.

That’s working for me.

Quick check to see how the image looks in black and white for the “dead” side of the final image.

I had no idea how it was going to play out in the beginning. But, after finding the really great large dead back-lit tree, my strategy became to use the shape and “skeleton” of the dead tree and re-construct a live tree on top of itʼs skeleton.

Found this live tree, which may work, itʼs shape and characteristics aren’t too different than the dead tree.

Need to lose the cheery blue sky of course.

Now to fit the live tree onto itʼs new skeleton.

Not looking too bad, obviously I need to get rid of the grassy hills.

Thinking ahead, I decided I wanted to have the option of being able to show the entire final image as only a dead tree, or only a live tree, or half dead half alive like the original idea suggested. So, I wanted to make the live tree look just as good as if it was the final piece, in case we needed to show it that way.

Obviously Iʼm omitting a number of technical steps I went through to form the live tree on to the dead one. One thing I will point out that I did, is make a custom photoshop paintbrush out of the leaf patterns of the live tree. That way I could “paint” the leaves on and off in the treeʼs natural looking pattern.

Tree paint brush: (Exciting, I know.)

After some leaf painting and removing the grassy field, I think the live tree is done. It doesnʼt look too bad as is, but the image definitely needs some style and pizzazz.

Many times as I’m photo-hunting, I come across photos that I don’t care what the subject matter is but I see potential in the colors that make up the photo or how the photo would look blurred completely out. Iʼm not looking to add a big fall leaf to the final tree image, but the green/aqua/yellow/orange got my attention.

I blurred it until itʼs no longer a leaf… and now itʼs useable.

Placed it on top of the tree image. (ooOOoooo neato!) Definitely getting somewhere.

How about adding a little texture… this might work.

Subtle, but thatʼs all I was looking for. It enhanced the contrast and provided a little more drama to the image also. Now to combine both life & death and tear the image down the middle.

The final image.

Comments… questions… thoughts?
Is this of benefit to you creatively or perhaps non-creatively?

I’d love to hear what you have to say!

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Horizon Christian Fellowship, in Denver, Colorado approached a friend of mine awhile back about completely re-designing their website. He did all the development & code and I did all the design & graphics work … it’s a lovely system. Horizon wanted a textured look that, in addition, looked and felt like Colorado. We also set them up on the Monk Content Management System for managing their pages, events, sermons and other content. The site is now live so I can show it to you!

Here are the before & after shots: (before is at the bottom)

After:

Before:

I’d love to hear your thoughts!

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I spent an hour or so browsing the #DreamYear hashtag via twitter. Following one person’s tweet to another. I noticed some trends in what people were saying. A number of people are saying the same things in different words.

Trends I observed via twitter about Dream Year Weekend…

— Everyone was blown away. Period.
— Many people expressed they wish they could have connected with more people
— Some left with more questions than answers
— Some left scared, knowing the journey they are about to embark on
— Some came in with answers which were replaced by questions or new answers

For me… Sure I’ve heard the main content of the event. I’m sure I could stand to hear it a couple more times. But, more than that, I’d love to be able to attend every Dream Year to be able to mingle with *amazing people bent on changing the world*.

And if you haven’t heard yet, the next event is in DC in June!

Here’s the list:
Hopefully this can be provided to Ben as a further resource for attendees in some way.

(Add, subtract, edit, etc in the comments and I’ll update the main post. If I spelled your name wrong correct me. If you don’t want to appear in the list let me know and I’ll be happy to omit you. )

Alece Ronzino – @gritandglory
Alex Mills – @xandymills
Alice Sullivan – @alicewrites
Amy Haywood – @ ahaywood
Ashleigh Carroll – @ash_carroll
Bobby Riggles – @bobriggles
Brandon Moore – @RallyPointCh
Bryan Allain – @bryanallain
Cynthia Monk – @cynthiamonk
Dan White – @danieljohn
Dana Byers – @danalbyers
Drew Wells – @dreWells
Dusty Craig – @dustycraig
Evan Crass – @evancrass
Felicity White – @felicitywhite
Gavin Baker – @Gavinbaker
Gordon Marcy – @GordonMarcy
Greg Darley – @gregdarley
Guy Delcambre – @guydelcambre
Heidy Tandy – @heidyjotandy
James Mathews – @jmathews
Jamie Beran – @JamieBeran
Janet Oberholtzer – @JanetOber
Jason Wert – @jcwert
Jay Caruso – @jaycaruso
Jeff Anderson – @vajaba
Jeff Goins – @jeffgoins
Jenessa Dooley – @jenessadooley
Jennifer Taylor – @seejenwrite
Jeremy Chandler – @jeremy_chandler
Jesse Phillips – @jessephillips
Jill Riggles – @JillRiggles
John Carroll – @johncarroll77
John Finch – @johnpfinch
Jonny May – @jonnymay02
Josh Tandy – @josh_tandy
Joy Trachsel – @joyltrachsel
Katie Strandlund – @kstrandlund
Kevin Keigley – @kevinkeigley
Kyle Baker – @kjbnash
Kyle Reed – @kylereed
Leigh Bolton – @aparentleigh
Lindsey Appiah – @LAppiah
Lindsay Goodwin – @not2lindsay
Lindsey Hartz – @LindseyHartz
Luke Dooley – @yeloodekul
Mandy Campbell – @itsmandyc
Matt Wade – @mattwade
Mica May – @micamaydesign
Mitch Bolton – @muntz
Nolan Bobbitt – @nolanbobbitt
Prudence Landis – @prudychick
Rebecca Smith – @rebeccasmith
Richard Dubay – @richarddubay
Rosanne Elmore – @RosanneElmore
Sam Duregger – @duregger
Sam Mahlstadt – @sammahlstadt
Sara Dinges – @saramdinges
Shawn Landis – @shawnlandis
Stacy Goebel – @stgoebel2
Stephen Proctor – @worshipvj
Tracee Persiko – @TraceePersiko
Tyler Stanton – @tylerstanton
Wayne Patterson – @wayneomite

Speakers:
Ben Arment – @BenArment
Maurilio Amorim – @maurilio
Pete Wilson – @pwilson
Stephen Brewster – @b_rewster
Jenni Catron – @jennicatron
Jon Acuff – @jonacuff

Music:
Micah Watson – @micahwatsonband – http://micahwatsonband.com/

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I’m only beginning to digest what I experienced this past few days at Dream Year Weekend. Prudence and I flew to Nashville to attend this event, not really having any clue what we were getting into. (Read her thoughts here)

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Here are a few of my initial , but rather fragmented thoughts…

• I had no idea what to expect before this weekend. It was nothing like I imagined and at the same time far more amazing than I would have ever imagined.

• I am beyond thankful God provided the means and desire to go and be a part of this incredible weekend.

• Solely for the purpose of rubbing shoulders with  more amazing people, I’m already trying to think of a way I could justify attending the next one that’s happening in DC. To be able to hear their dreams and exchange some encouragement, inspiration and wild ideas back and forth.

• A million thanks to Ben Arment who in following his dreams created this engaging and life changing experience that will affect many lives.

• I am thankful for meeting awesome new friends that may already be lifelong relationships.

• I wish I could have connected with a lot more people. The conversations were so deep and rich with people I’d met only hours before, I chalk that up to the raw power of dreams at work in hearts and lives.

• Dreams were viral in that room. It was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced.
  

• I only truly connected with maybe 10-12 people (out of about 100) at this event. Sure, I talked to quite a few, but telling the story of the passionate vision from the depths of one’s heart, as dreams tend to be, takes a larger window of time than a 15min snack break.

• I’m very grateful I got to meet Brandon, a chaplain in the US Army, and learn about his vision for life transformation and discipleship within the armed forces. We shared some great conversations and ideas and talked at length about his vision. I can’t wait to see what happens.

• I’m also extremely grateful we got to meet and talk with James whose dream is already under way, but also just beginning. James spoke during the event and shared his dream with the whole group. I would do terribly injustice by trying to summarize his story in my own words here. I truly hope my wife and I get to be a part of what James is doing in the future.

• After a little processing, one of the main take-aways for me is: I am far more excited about helping others strategize, create and carry out their dreams than developing dreams of my own. Being able to use the creativity & analytical thinking or design skills I have to be help them is far more rewarding and exciting to me. Someday I may have a dream I want to pursue and will need help from others, but for the time being that doesn’t seem to be the case.

• A secondary, somewhat related take-away is, I love creating and producing. But that doesn’t mean it needs to happen in front of a computer using Photoshop.

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If you were there, what kind of thoughts are developing in your heart and mind?
If you weren’t, what are your thoughts after reading above?

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Creativity through life and art is story. This particular life and story is one of the more amazing and inspiring that I’ve seen in recent memory. But, rather than me explain it to you…just watch:

And, her story continues. The guys working on restoring the memory of her art, life and legacy created a Kickstarter project in order to pay for a feature-length documentary about her called “Finding Vivian Maier,” it is now fully funded. A book is in the works as well. Of course this has all happened after she passed from this earth and appears to be very grassroots, which personally I love. Here’s to hoping my art & legacy is even a fraction as amazing as Vivian’s.

So, how did this speak to you? I’m still chewing on some pieces.

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There’s more on Vivian’s story here:
http://vivianmaier.com/ [the guys doing the restoration work post updates here]
http://kck.st/hXTH6O [Kickstarter documentary project]

[ht: Jeremy Cowart]

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The past year happened nothing like I imagined it would.

I’m not saying it was better or worse than I’d anticipated. Just a statement.

Here are some things that I experienced on my journey through 2010.
(Obviously most of them shared with my lovely wife.)

After 33 years as an Arizona native I went to the Grand Canyon for the first time.
I had an emergency appendectomy.
I purchased only 2 Apple products.
I kept up with a Bible reading plan for an entire year.
I attended 2 photography training workshops.
I took part in Help-Portrait.
Prudence and I volunteered at our first Compassion event.
I asked an older friend if he’d edit my life through mentoring.
Via my wife, I had dinner with 2 people who I’d never met or even knew their names. Instant friendships.
I made 1020 entries in Evernote.
I took 866 photos.
I added 3258 songs to iTunes.

I read the following books: (affiliate links)
The War of Art ~ Steven Pressfield
The Me I Want to Be ~ John Ortberg
Gracenomics ~ Mike Foster
Forgotten God ~ Francis Chan
Radical ~ David Platt
Making Ideas Happen ~ Scott Belsky
The Monkey and Fish ~ Dave Gibbons
The Art of Non-Conformity ~ Chris Guillebeau
Church in the Making ~ Ben Arment
Ignore Everybody ~ Hugh Macleod
Crush It ~ Gary Vaynerchuk
Rework ~ Jason Fried & David Heinemeier Hansson

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Looking ahead in the New Year, the number of things I’m hoping to see, do, and accomplish is growing.

“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” ~ C.S. Lewis

Have you thought through what this year may look like for you?

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Self-Discipline is the ability to make yourself do something you don't necessarily want to do, to get a result you would really like to have. ~ Andy Andrews

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December 31. I’ve been thinking, “I should launch the blog I created more than a year ago, the one I’ve chickened out on launching repeatedly, it’s already fully designed (and has been re-designed no fewer than 8 times…another post for another time).” The thought of actually going through with it makes me rather uncomfortable. The New Year is obviously a great time to start something. But, I’m trying to distract myself with other things…

“I should check out Gizmodo, I’m sure there’s some fascinating new gadget geekery there I need to read about.”

“Maybe I’ll just stare at Tweetdeck, until it refreshes again.”

“Ah yes, I could read more in the book I’m in… ya know, stay off the computer for the night, that’s a respectable thing to do.

“Instead and far more productive… I should Google some blog posts on how to have laser sharp focus.”

Or…

I could just click ‘publish’.

Done.

First post.

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I’m quite uncertain what this place will be. I don’t have much to say, I’ll try to update as often as I can. Maybe some nifty things I find online…. maybe some that I create… or, maybe not… time will tell. Nonetheless, thanks for stopping by.

There’s still much work to be done here, some things are incomplete or missing, some aren’t working correctly. A work in progress most assuredly.

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