Q & A

For sponsorship enquires or further questions please email me at acaciatrenholm(at)gmail(dot)com.  I'd love to hear from you! x Acacia

WHAT CAMERA DO YOU USE?

I use a Canon 1100D (T3) with the 18-55mm lens and 50mm 1.8 lens.  I shoot in manual 95% of the time, and most of my images were taken with the 50mm f/1.8 lens.  New kit!  Photos taken after June 2015:  Using the Canon 5d Mark iii, Sigma 35mm 1.4 and Canon 50mm 1.2.

All photos taken and published before June 20, 2012 were taken with a Fujifilm Finepix J38. 

COULD YOU GIVE ME SOME TIPS ON HTML AND DESIGN? 

+ Be you. Design something that you're inspired by.  You want to be recognised as who you are through your blog andthrough your design. It also really helps to occasionally get your blog designed by an experienced designer -- they'll most often be able to create something that you love. 

+ If you don't already have an account, get a pinterest account and pin away all your favourite design buttons, headers, etc.  Gather inspiration then select which images/designs inspire you most.  Then use those images and design as the basis of your new design. 

+ Google, google, google. You'll find a plethora of HTML tutorials on Google -- youtube also helps!  I've learnt a lot through HTML and design tutorials on blogger. 

+ Start simple with a white background, Times New Roman font, simple header, and a few beautiful colours.  Then build your blog from there; add pretty sidebar buttons, freshen up your header with a splash of watercolour, etc. 

WOULD YOU CONSIDER RE-DESIGNING MY BLOG FOR ME FOR FREE? 

In the past, I have undertaken a paid design job with a client so it would be unfair to give a free blog design to you and not to others (sorry!) but I can highly recommend using Squarespace for creating a fantastic website, simple and fresh and so easy to use!  Ebony from Handwritten did my logo - I cannot recommend her work enough! 

YOU'RE CANADIAN, YOU'VE LIVED IN AMERICA AND ENGLAND, AND NOW YOU'RE IN AUSTRALIA...?!

Yes!   I was born in Canada and lived in New York for most of my life.  Four years ago we moved to England. My dad was offered a job in Australia.  So we're in Australia now!  I have five younger siblings born in the different countries we lived in but we're all Canadian by blood.

WILL YOU GUEST POST FOR ME ON MY BLOG? 

Shoot me an email with your idea! (acaciatrenholm(at)gmail(dot)com) 

WHY DON'T YOU POST MANY PICTURES OF YOURSELF?

My parents agreed that if I started a public blog, I wouldn't share pictures of myself for safety and privacy.

HOW DO YOU EDIT YOUR PHOTOS? 

I use Lightroom 5 and VSCO film pack 01.   ALL PHOTOS TAKEN BEFORE MARCH 2014 WERE EDITING USING PICASA.  

WHAT OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA SITES ARE YOU ON?  

Have a peek at my photography Facebook page and my pinterest, twitter and instagram accounts. 

DO YOU HAVE ANY TIPS ON SHOOTING IN MANUAL? 

1) ONLY allow yourself to shoot in manual; pretend there is no other setting; that way, you'll have to/be forced to come to grips with the settings. 

2) Setting your ISO to auto -- but manually adjusting shutter speed -- lessens the chance you'll have a grainy or underexposed photo; unless, of course, you want a particular dullness or brightness to your photo.  An ISO of 200 is average, especially during the day. When it's dark, I recommend using a higher ISO (e.g., 1600+). 

3) The higher the number of shutter speed (2000, for instance) the darker and more stable your image quality will be (it's best to have a higher shutter speed when it's bright outside). A slow shutter lets in a lot more light (so setting your shutter on about 200 when you're inside in the evening is a good idea!). A slow shutter is also really good for fast motion blur images. 

4) Play around. When you wake up in the morning and your camera is beside your bed, pick it up and play around with the manual settings - just have fun! Or simply when you don't have anything to do,  pick up your camera and play with the settings. I learnt so much from doing that! And now I only ever shoot in manual. 

5) Aperture… I could go on for ages, but I'll let this post explain the rest. :) 

WHAT EQUIPMENT DO YOU USE FOR YOUR ART AND DO YOU HAVE ANY TECHNIQUES? 

PAINTS:

+ I mostly use 'Windor and Newton' Cotman Watercolours; they produce beautiful, raw, and high-quality colours.

+ Occasionally I use 'Daler and Rowney'  Watercolours -- their colours are unique and also really lovely...

BRUSHES:

'Proarte' White Nylon for watercolour in sizes:

+10

+6

+1/2 (flat brush)

+'Nobel' size 8

+'Daler-Rowney' A485 Round size 1 (I use this one a lot for fine and detailed work; it does a spledid job.

PAPER:

I mostly use basic watercolour paper which you can find at most art stores.  (Actually, I was given my watercolour paper for free, so as far as I'm aware it doesn't have a brand name -- it's just 'watercolour' paper! :) I also occasionally watercolour in my sketch book but sketching paper doesn't hold the paint as well, hence why I would not suggest using sketch paper to watercolour on, unless it's a quick sketch/paint that you're not going to fuss over a lot.

TECHNIQUE:

+ I've explored with mixing colours a lot, and knowing the colour wheel well and discovering how to produce your favourite hues is extremely beneficial.  I used this ARTistic Pursuits art course (and another one of their art courses) and learnt a lot about creating colours - primary, secondary, tertiary and how mixing them can produce a variety of beautiful, subtle, or vibrant hues.  

+ When it comes to copying a painting, I normally start with a quick pencil sketch then I watercolour over.  If I make a mistake with the watercolour, I have a wet/dampened tissue next to me, which I use to wipe the mistake away.  

+ Also, I set relatively high standards for myself.  For example, the other day I painted the face of a young girl.  The painting turned out alright but it wasn't cutting it... in the end, I threw it out!  By setting relatively high standards for myself, I end up painting more and producing quality rather than large quantities of not-so-nice paintings.   Obviously, I don't throw out all the artwork I don't like.  I just don't like painting sloppily; if I paint something at all, I paint as best I can. 

+ I copy a lot from works of other artists: I learn a lot about the way they paint and their techniques --  Julia Kuo and Inslee are very inspirational.

+ Read about great artists (Leonardo DaVinci, Rembrandt, VanGogh, Monet) and study their work; immerse yourself in beautiful artwork and visit art galleries.  Most of all, paint from your heart. Draw the way your feeling - your mood - and incorporate artwork into everyday life. 

A  N  Y     M O  R  E    Q U E  S  T  I  O  N  S ?   Feel free to shoot me an email at acaciatrenholm(at)gmail(dot)com