I’m always looking for opportunities to get more practice and experience with using puppets in video. Besides using the puppet for children’s ministry, I enlist the puppets for fun video projects at home, including our annual family Christmas video.
[2020 – Christmas with Twiggs and Looper]
[2021 – Puppet Christmas Carol […]
It’s been a long time since posting on this blog. One area I’ve been able to spend more time with is working with puppets (specifically for video use) and making the transition from building hard shell ventriloquist puppets to building foam/fabric puppets, which require a totally different approach.
I start […]
On occasion I’m asked to take photos of the different CEF ministries. These photos are used to help raise prayer and financial support for ministry outreaches, special projects or for national workers. The visuals are helpful in sharing with ministry partners around Europe and the world who may have sponsored a […]
Kilchzimmer is a word you would have heard us refer to often in our correspondence. It is the name for the historical building that has been home to the CEF administrative and training center for Europe as well as the offices for education […]
I created a short video of our church’s youth retreat weekend in January –making (and sleeping in) igloos. The biggest challenge was actually hiking up to the destination with snow shoes and a loaded pack.
Our contact person was a former student from the CMLC course in Kilchzimmer who leads igloo […]
Another fun personal art project. The goal this time was to work on some new Photoshop brushes and have fun in the process. No deep subliminal meaning to the picture. Just had this idea and went with it.
Adobe Photoshop
Do I […]
Found time to paint a small personal project with the purpose of trying something different from my regular CEF projects and have total freedom to take risks, learn, discover and have fun. Sue was my willing model.
![Digital illustration using ArtRage 5. [16x20"]](http://www.illustratedword.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Sue_winter_painting_16x20_sm.jpg)
Digital illustration […]
An illustration from today…
CEF flashcard Bible lesson series on Stewardship.
I was trying to make use of the light and shadows to help show the heart attitude in their giving; the one giving for others to see.
[…]
A big congratulations to Rebecca! A day full of smiles.
…followed by tears when Sue & I had to leave on Sunday.
Jumping between weddings, graduations, greetings and farewells …whew! what an emotional roller coaster these past few weeks in the US have been for us.
Interior of the Münster – Basel, Switzerland. Late afternoon in December. [Fuji X-T1, bracketed images merged in Adobe Lightroom] Without light we wouldn’t have photography.
As a photographer, always be aware of […]
We had an early morning errand today. This was the amazing view waiting us on the mountain as we descended back into the valley. You can barely see an outline of the Swiss alps on the horizon. The fog was literally rolling and flowing like ocean waves.
This is one time […]
Below are several illustrations I recently completed from the first lesson in a new 5-part Bible lesson series on the theme of Stewardship. The title of lesson one is Let’s appreciate and care for God’s wonderful creation.
Flashcard print size: 24.5 x 34cm. Tools: Adobe Photoshop CC, Wacom Cintiq
![5-part Bible lesson [...]
</p srcset=](http://www.illustratedword.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/1-12.jpg)
Much of November is spent living in constant fog… but it’s not so bad if you can get above the murky soup!
This is the view (NE) arriving at work this morning at 8am. Kilchzimmer is a 600m walk down the Mt. behind where I’m standing. It’s no surprise this ridge is […]
Enjoyed a Saturday afternoon attending the Worldwide Photowalk in Zürich, Switzerland.
Unfortunately, I arrived late due to terrible traffic but I knew their general route through the city so spent part of the day tracking down anyone with a camera. I eventually found time to get a few photos in.
A team of CEF workers came to replace the roof on an old barn at Kilchzimmer.
![Renovating the roof on an old barn at our office (Langenbruck, Switzerland) and finding clay roof tiles dating back to 1648 – one with a 369 yr. old hand imprint on [...]
</p srcset=](http://www.illustratedword.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Kz_barn_roof_9-2015-2.jpg)
I’ve made a point to take my camera along with me wherever I go (when possible). We never know when a photo opportunity will present itself. Here are just a few of my favorites from the past few weeks.
Waiting for […]
Ricketts Glen State Park. Benton, PA
One common link between my illustration, photography and multimedia work is they all involve different forms of visual storytelling so I’m always keeping an eye out for new and effective ways to create and share these stories.
This past week, I […]
View toward Kilchzimmer and Ankenballen, waiting for fog to clear.
It’s only February and we’re already planning ahead for Kilchzimmer’s next Christmas card because when the time comes to print the card […]
Noah sending out a raven.
My favorite illustrator is NC Wyeth. I love how he made use of clouds to lead the eye around the image and draw attention to certain subjects. In this picture of Noah […]
Noah’s ark in storm.
Started illustrations for the Noah’s ark scenes in the early reader booklet. I don’t normally get to paint a stormy sea so this was a big challenge to simplify a chaotic scene, involving several re-re-does. There’s […]
I remember in art class at university, a professor was giving a critique of a freshman’s drawing and the student responded, “…but that’s not my style.” We all gave a silent gasp as the professor calmly but firmly replied, “You don’t have a style.” “That’s not […]
This past weekend I enjoyed a slice of my wife’s homemade apple pie, caramel sauce and homemade ice-cream with fresh cream from the local farmer. One of my all-time favorite combos!
When time allows and doesn’t disrupt family meal time, an interesting plate of food can provide an opportunity to experiment with the camera. I thought I’d have plenty […]
I hung out the attic window to photograph our first snowfall of winter at the CEF office – Kilchzimmer (Langenbruck, Switzerland).
One of those times I fought the urge to stretch the black/white values in the histogram and decided to keep a narrow range of values. Using a telephoto lens compressed the depth […]
For some “creative stretching” I’ve been taking the occasional square photo. Square photos are not just for uploading to Instagram.
A beautiful field of Dahlias during one of our last warm days of the year – Liestal, Switzerland.
[Fujifilm X-T1, LR5]
This was the view from Kilchzimmer at 8:00am this morning after an overnight rain. It makes for an encouraging start to the day when we can get above those dreary clouds in the valley. If we get caught in early morning work traffic, that really means we got behind a tractor […]
I learned a few lessons while photographing Sandpipers at the beach in Stone Harbor, NJ.
#1– Sandpipers are hyper birds that never stand still.
#2– Don’t forget to wear sunscreen.
The Fujifilm X-T1 was up to the challenge of catching the fast moving birds within the 55-200’s shallow DOF.
![Sandpipers. [...]
</p srcset=](http://www.illustratedword.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Stone_Harbor_2014.jpg)
I had the camera along in downtown Lancaster, PA and walked through the Central Market – the oldest operating farmers’ market in America.
A photographer friend and I had a free afternoon and did a short photo walk for some creative inspiration. Contrary to the popular view that creativity thrives best without limitations, sometimes the […]
We had a great weekend in Maine with meetings at a church near Rockport. We were able to fit in two days to explore the nearby towns and coastline. A beautiful area to visit and photograph – rain or shine!
[All photos taken with the Fuji X-T1, 18-55mm, 55-200mm. Edited in Adobe LR.]
