Friday, January 16, 2009

New blog header!

Tell me what you think! I was searching for a painting to use - I was pretty much at my wits end! - then I thought "Yeah. . . I'll try this one, just to see what it looks like. . . " -- I think it looks pretty good, myself! But let me know what you think of it!

The painting I chose - Miranda - The Tempest by John William Waterhouse, is a picture that has been very special to me for a long time. A few years ago, the calendar hanging in our lounge/dining/school-room featured artworks by popular 19th century painters - mostly Impressionists. One masterpiece for each month of the year. They were all very beautiful, but there was this one painting that particularly captured my imagination, and it was the same one which you now see at the top of my blog. This was before I knew who John William Waterhouse was, and before I had heard of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream - and yet this beautiful painting held me enraptured.

So, it seemed fitting that it should now feature as a part of my place in cyberspace! 


Current Mood: Satisfied
EDIT: I was eating my breakfast this morning, and I suddenly remembered that I had said that this painting is a scene from A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM???! Arrghh!! I can't believe I said that! Did any of you notice my error? Perhaps you were to polite to point out my mistake to me. Oh well - it's The Tempest, most definitely not A Midsummer Night's Dream. Whew, glad I've cleared that up now. My apologies to "The Bard" for this great dishonour I have done him. :-(   30 Jan 09

17 comments:

Vic said...

Love it. I like the topic and the colors: very striking.

Polly said...

Beautiful painting. And Miranda looking out to the sea looks a bit like your profile photo - also looking out to the sea. Good choice.

Ana Smith said...

I love it! I think it fits perfectly. :-)

Mrs. E said...

I really LOVE it and it happens to be one of my favorite paintings as well!!! ;)

The Editrix said...

Oh good!! I'm so glad you all like it! :-D

Polly, funnily enough, I hadn't noticed that - but yes, the girl in my profile picture and Miranda are both looking out to sea! Hmmm, I it doesn't look a bit. . . repetitive. . . (?)

emme said...

I really love it! It's the perfect combination of elegance, beauty, and emotion without being over-the-top. It just feels like "you" to me! ☺

~Emily

The Editrix said...

:-) I'm glad you like it, too, Emily!

I agree - I think it is "me". ;-)

Erin said...

Love your new picture:) In fact I enjoy visiting your blog, always so interesting.

The Editrix said...

:D Thanks, Erin!

Laura said...

Really, really like the new header, dear!!

I'm sorry I forgot to answer your question on my Cammy post . . Yes, that is a hand-crocheted blanket in the photo. My Grandma made it for me - a very long time ago. I treasure it dearly!! Nothing like something handmade by loved ones.

The Editrix said...

Thankyou, Laura! :-)

How special to have this rug crocheted by your Grandma! I agree, it is a beautiful thing to have precious hand-made gifts passed on from mother to daughter - or grandmother to grand-daughter! : )

Andy said...

oh yes, it is a terribly good picture to have there, fits nicely.

Mmmm, only issue would be the title, doesn't you know, do the picture justice. Maybe try this? Just remember to change the setting somewhere there to "do not display blog title on top of picture"... I think that's what you do. Oh, just a suggestion.

The Editrix said...

I like it!! I know what you mean - the title does get a bit lost in the picture.

Now if you could just explain to me how you did what you did. . . I've just gone to edit my header, but it doesn't seem to give me an option as to where the title is placed. . .

Oh wait a minute -- I'd have to add the text to the picture using Paint or some other similar program, then use the edited picture as my header. (?)

Andy said...

yep, your third paragraph is correct. the text is part of the picture... I did it in Fireworks, which lets you add a shadow to the text - gives it better contrast against the background of the picture. I can change the font if you want...

As for backgrounds.......
a nice bit of antiquated, sepia-coloured foilage would look pretty nice as a background - just sitting in say the right corner, and stays there even if you scroll... something like that.

Oh, btw, I have a (not related) niece called Elise - it is a cool name!

The Editrix said...

Good, my guess was correct! I am somewhat computer-challenged. . .

The background idea sounds nice - now it's just a matter of finding it, since there's no way I'm going to be able to design it. . .

How can you have a not-related niece?

Andy said...

You know how you can have a "fake" uncle or aunty...? Well, it's their 5th child, a really cute baby!

The Editrix said...

Oh - right!! Now I get it. . . LOL! :-)