A Watermark that is a little "too" good.

While still constructing my portfolio site henrybailliebrown.com, I recently redesigned my watermark that I put onto my photos that I post on my site. Before I changed the watermark, it was a nice red "Henry Baillie-Brown" with some red paint dabs in the bottom right corner of the screen.

Seeing a few other photos with the "new 'x' design", I decided to change it due to the rise in copyright issues on the internet. I feel a lot more safer with the new watermark, yet I feel like it is affecting the actual photo now. My father says that it does not look professional anymore, and can tell that I am paranoid, but it gives me security knowing that no matter what, people cannot simply crop out my name anymore.

How the new watermark works. As seen in one of my photos.

I feel as though I am at a crossroads, especially since I want to extend my portfolio into other places such as Flicker and DeviantArt. I am starting to lean to go back to the old one so viewers can enjoy the photos more. Only a little more thought will tell.

The Magic of Creating Worlds

It doesn't matter if your tool is writing, music, film, painting, dancing, photography, etc... Whatever! Creating worlds through your self-expression is an extraordinary art, indeed! From the many greats such as Shakespeare to more modern world (universe creators) such as George Lucas all create their own worlds through their own artistic ways. Sometimes, the arts can be taken for granted and lose their understanding on how important they really are!

I love creating my own worlds through ALL of the methods I mentioned above (yes, even dancing!) It's just the most remarkable feeling to be able to create through your heart. What you create is yours, yet can feel like it can grow and become larger than a universe, if not two!

If you never tried making your own world(s) before, just try it! And you might be surprised with what you end up with! Who knows! You might be the next J.K. Rowling, or the first (insert your name here!)

Have fun!

The Art of Creativity and Expression

There really is no right or wrong way when it comes to the artist expression of the human spirit. In my own personal experience, it is one of my favourite things to do! Everyone has their own means of expression; through music, poetry, painting, drawing, writing... The list goes forever onward.

While expressing your creative side may seem like one of the easiest things to do, I believe it is actually one of the most hardest. The hardest part is starting. That's it. You can say to yourself "I am going to write a book" all day, and sit at that table with your notepad or laptop. However, you need to start. Inspiration comes and goes in mysterious ways. While you feel you want to write, you cannot arrange your chaotic, ever changing thoughts. You feel inspired to spill a world onto a piece of paper, but cannot command the first strokes of your pencil. Starting is always the hardest part, but when you start, it is hard to stop.

After "breaching the wall" of starting your creativity vomit, it then flows freely from you to your work. One must be sure that they do not create the habit of failure (continuos quitting because lack of starting) Just start. Even if you are drawing lines, or writing the same musical note over and over, just start. You might be surprised in what your work mutates into.

As I write this, I attempt to try and get rid of my own starting issues; my "writers block / artistic block". I will keep going till I do, and I hope that you will do the same.