Free Vintage Photographs

As well as some awesome postcards and illustrations.

I love digital collaging and am always looking for sources of inspiration.

I have a library of old family photographs, and sometimes use those in my creations.

For example, here’s a piece I did entitled Storm Gatherer, using a photograph of my mother and her older sister, from way back in the day.

But sometimes we all want something new.

Or old, as the case may be.

Free vintage photographs, postcards and illustrations.

While stumbling down various and sundry internet rabbit holes, I tripped up on Vintage Printable, a website that describes itself thusly:

“We provide free, public domain/out-of-copyright images for you to print or download. Most of the images are vintage naturalist or scientific illustration, but there are loads of other images, too.”

It’s an awesome site, with searchable galleries in all these different areas:

  • Animal
  • Art
  • Botanical
  • Color
  • Entertainment
  • Environment
  • Geopolitical
  • Juvenile
  • Medieval
  • Printed
  • Science
Check it out. Maybe it’ll trigger a creative burst of energy. It’s where I found my octopus.

 

Inspiration from Old Photographs

“I’d like to be under the sea…

In an octopus’ garden in the shade. He’d let us in, knows where we’ve been, in his octopus’ garden in the shade”  Richard Starkey aka Ringo Starr

Original Inspiration

I found this vintage photograph and postcard while browsing a few free online sites. The octopus postcard came from Vintage Printable.

Asheville Commercial Photographer Deborah Wolfe

Asheville Commercial Photographer Deborah Wolfe

Other Elements I Happened to Have on Hand

 

Asheville Commercial Photographer Deborah Wolfe

Asheville Commercial Photographer Deborah Wolfe

Asheville Commercial Photographer Deborah Wolfe

Completion

 

Asheville Commercial Photographer Deborah Wolfe

In From the Deep – © 2012 Deborah Wolfe

If you would like to view it larger, click the image above or click here.

Other examples of digital collage:

My Daughter as Marie Antoinette

The Oracle Consults Her Muse

Digital Art – Blurring the Boundaries

 

My Daughter As Marie Antoinette

Or, How to Help Your Family Time Travel

My daughter just celebrated her September birthday and I wanted to give her something very special.  She has a fascination with all things Marie Antoinette.  I have a fascination with all things ART and thought it would be a good opportunity to continue working on my digital mastery and eventual conquest of the world.  Not too mention I thought ‘J’ might enjoy BEING Marie Antoinette!  How often DOES a young, modern woman get to see herself in French court attire?

JAsMarieFinal

[…]

Dangerous Beauty

“The world breaks everyone – and afterward some are strong at the broken places.”

Ernest Hemingway

 

 

 

 

 

Steel Roses II

Unexpressed love is toxic.  Happy Birthday Kate.

The Oracle Consults Her Muse

Or, Another Step Closer to Figuring Some Crap Out

Or, Before Enlightenment, Chop Wood and Carry Water.

Or, After Enlightenment, Chop Wood and Carry Water.

This piece of artwork has kept me busy, on and off, for the better part of the past two months. I mentioned in an earlier post how much I love Maggie Taylor’s art. I’ve set about teaching myself an entire other way of doing/seeing/being. Oh dear. Hmmmm. I suppose I should also mention I have begun a new personal practice of The Dance of Shiva. Insights and breakthroughs could happen. Yeah, I know….better watch it with the airy-fairy stuff.

TheOracleConsultsHerMuse

[…]

Digital Art – Blurring the Boundaries

Southern Gothic Gemini Watched Over by the Ancestors, the Moon and Mother Cameo

I LOVE Maggie Taylor’s art. I own one of her books and have been literally CONSUMING it. If I could eat it, I would. I feel so inspired when I look at her magical works of wonder. I’ve finally gotten patient enough to begin teaching myself an entire new art form. At this point, I am nowhere near the utter perfection of Maggie Taylor, but it is certainly a very high water mark to aim for.

SouthernGeminiWatchedOver