Category Archives: Cacti & Succulents

Two Pots

Two Pots, 5 x 7,  watercolor on paper. © 2021 Sheila Delgado.
Two Pots, 5 x 7, watercolor on paper. © 2021 Sheila Delgado.

My new scanner arrived. Yipee! I had to wait about a month for it. I played with the settings to get a true to life image. I used a piece that I had scanned on the older machine.

There are over a dozen combinations of settings, the interface is very easy to use. I do like that it is powered by USB. So I just need to connect it to the laptop, and it is ready to go. No need to wait for it to warm up. Nice! It was recommended by a couple of artists I follow.

I need to get used to having to preview first. It really is useful, as you can change the settings if the image is off, and then scan for the final saved image.

Two Pots was painted on a spiral-bound pad. I didn’t realize the scanner lid is removable, it expands to hold books. On the left of the image, I can see that it is blurry. Where the rings are. I will need to be more aware of that.

Below are some of the different settings. You might not be able to see much of a difference in some of them. The first one is an illustration setting. That was interesting. It simplifies the image to color “blocks”. More like a vector image. Or cartoon.

Scanner Settings
Scanner Settings

Below you can see the Epson scan and the scan from the old machine. The Epson is more true. Haha. Well, the blooms are. The vase and the background in the original are closer to real life. I’m fine with that. I know I will need to make adjustments in Photoshop as usual. It is just how the different colors reflect the light. I will work with the settings and see how close I can get them. But I’m sure they will be different for each piece. I have scanned about a dozen photos, and they came out true to life.

Epson True
Day 30, 4 x 6 Watercolor and pen on paper. © 2021 Sheila Delgado.
Day 30, 4 x 6 Watercolor and pen on paper. © 2021 Sheila Delgado.
Scanner Tucked Away

This scanner is so slim. About an inch and a half. And it is so lightweight! About 3 pounds. It has a kickstand and you can scan while it is standing on its side. I love that I can tuck it away, and pull it out when needed. I don’t need to sacrifice valuable desk space.

It is so light and easy to connect. It will be perfect for travel. Visiting family, and sharing old photos. Oh, did I say? It is an Epson Perfection V39.

Epson Scanner

Happy week everyone!

February 2021 30-Day Creative Gathering Collage

February 2021 30-Day Gathering Collage .© 2021 Sheila Delgado.

February was a moody month for me. Haha. At least, by the looks of my collage. I didn’t think about doing groups of three. The first was just luck of the draw. I had three sheets of paper ready to go (prepped in January). On the 10th – 18th, I found 3 each, cradled board, and canvas boards in two different sizes. Quite nice, as it removed that part of the decision-making from the equation. As Gump would say, “One less thing.” Haha.

As usual, I had lots of ideas at the beginning of the month, that I never got around to. One thing leads to another, and pretty soon I am headed down a different road. And I still have the large 36 x 36-inch blank canvas hanging on my wall. Though, I did have fun trying some ideas out with that. It is next on my list. Again.

In this creative round, there are 15 pieces I could easily chuck in the round file. But, there are 12 that I am very happy with. Not a bad percentage. There are six that I have started reworking, and I will share those with you soon. You can see some of my favorites below.

February Favorites 2021 30-Day Gathering Collage .© 2021 Sheila Delgado.

Thanks so much for following along! Your encouragement and suggestions are so meaningful to me. You helped me to keep going on the days when nothing seemed to work.

Thank you, my friends!

In a few days, I will share art and collages from the many artists who make up the Creative Gathering. They are all so extremely gifted. I am so honored to work alongside them. You will love a virtual stroll through the Gathering’s Gallery!

See you soon!

Art and friendship are absolutely connected…
Friendship is, after all, sharing a deep part of your self
with another person, and receiving the same back.
Nina Allen Freeman

I draw flowers every day on my iPhone,
and send them to my friends,
so they get fresh flowers every morning.
David Hockney

Day 18 Of 30

Day 18, Mixed Media on 5 x 7 Canvas Board. © 2021 Sheila Delgado.
Day 18, Mixed Media on 5 x 7 Canvas Board. © 2021 Sheila Delgado.

What draws us into the desert is the search
for something intimate in the remote.
Edward Abbey