Copyright Free Images: The Commons at Flickr

In an ongoing effort to help you find copyright free imagery, or imagery with "no known copyright restrictions" here is another source.

The Commons at Flickr

Photomicrograph of Insect Wings

William Henry Fox Talbot (1800-1877)

Collection of National Media Museum

Photomicrograph of insect wings, as seen in a solar microscope.

We're happy for you to share this digital image within the spirit of The Commons. Certain restrictions on high quality reproductions of the original physical version of apply though; if you're unsure please visit the National Media Museum website.

For obtaining reproductions of selected images please go to the Science and Society Picture Library.

 No known copyright restrictions 

"Pancake" from the Burnfoot House recipe book, 1782 from the National Library of Scotland

According to the site's description of the rights statements:

Participating institutions may have various reasons for determining that "no known copyright restrictions" exist, such as:

1. The copyright is in the public domain because it has expired;
2. The copyright was injected into the public domain for other reasons, such as failure to adhere to required formalities or conditions;
3. The institution owns the copyright but is not interested in exercising control; or
4. The institution has legal rights sufficient to authorize others to use the work without restrictions.

Egypt: Thebes from the Brooklyn Museum

Supports going up after battle: National Media Museum

You might also like to explore: 

The Library of Congress

WikiMedia Commons

Bibliodyssey

Copyright Free Images: Wikimedia Commons

Another favorite site of mine for finding copyright free imagery to use in my artwork is

Wikimedia Commons

It is a vast repository of imagery available for download under creative commons licenses. You can find very old illustrations, vintage photography, and contemporary photography. 

Map of Ghent by Georges Louise Le Rouge

You can search through the site for all sorts of subjects.

Cowboys Branding a Calf

Hartmann Zebra

For Your Inspiration: From the Air

Furrows in the Sky by Lyric Kinard

Progressive Rhythm by Lyric Kinard

Glory in the Sky by Lyric Kinard

And also from underground.

Detroit Airport Tunnel - Lyric Kinard
My favorite color combination, even if it only lasted a few seconds. The colors change with the music every few seconds. I have to say that it's really great "rushing about from one place to the next" music... one one of my favorite airport experiences. 

Teaching: Fun With the West Michigan Quilter's Guild

Step on in and take a peek at the wonderful day of playtime fun we had with the West Michigan Quilter's Guild in Grand Rapids. Surface Design Sampler Platter is a crazy class - six surface design techniques in six hours. It's a mix of kindergarten playtime with a little touch of insanity thrown in.

Printing with Thermofax Screens

The first "oooohs" and "aaaaahs" as students print with their own hand carved stamps for the first time.

Citra-Solv Photocopy Transfer
A tutorial can be found here

Getting creative - adding a decorative boarderstamping paint with the end of her knife around a photocopy transfer

Working out a design for a small art quilt - she's colored in her photocopy transfer with colored pencils.

Choosing a favorite design from which to make a sketchbook slipcover
A tutorial can be found here

And much fun was had by all!!! Paint, foil, photo transfer, stamp carving, stenciling - and finally - BEADS! 

All in one crazy class!

If you're thinking to yourself - I wish, I wish, I wish I could take this class....

All these methods are taught on my two DVD workshops.

Surface Design Sampler Platter

and

Bead It Like You Mean It

For Your Inspiration: Bibliodyssey

I'd love to introduce you to some of my favorite sources for inspirational imagery.

Bibliodyssey

This is a wonderful blog that will post illustrations from very old, very wonderful books - among other things. Clicking on an image in the blog will often (but not always) take you straight to a flickr page with all sorts of different sizes of the illustrations that are often (but not always) available for download under a creative commons license. If they do have a CCL - read it carefully and see under what conditions you may use it in your art! Often you simply need to cite your source.

One of my favorite recent posts, The Whaling Naturalist

Not every image on the blog is copyright free or listed under a creative commons license. "It's the responsibility of every individual user of an image to research and determine the rights status for each and every image. Seeing it on Bibliodyssey in no way, shape or form discharges that legal responsibility." So make sure that you check the source for each image. This generous blogger is very conscientious about listing and linking sources, making it very easy for you to check. And - remember that international copyright laws can be different from US copyright laws.

Geometric Perspective, what's up with the rooster? I LOVE it!

Bibliodyssey has an extensive resource list in the side bar - different digital libraries from universities and such all over the world. It is well worth your perusal.

You might also like this previous post on the Library of Congress' Flickr site

The Sketchbook Challenge: OPEN, April's theme

 It's my turn to work over at The Sketchbook Challenge to choose the theme for the month of April. As I've watched spring blossom all around me I've finally settled on an idea.

OPEN

 How many different ways can you interpret this theme?

open something within

o·pen  

[oh-puhn]

adjective

1. not closed or barred

2. having the interior immediately accessible

3. free of obstructions to sight, movement, or internal arrangement

verb 

4. to move from a shut or closed position so as to admit passage

5. to render unobstructed

6. to render the interior readily accessible

7. to clear of obstructions

be open to receiving.....

"Stuff your eyes with wonder; live as if you'd drop dead in ten seconds. See the world. It's more fantastic than any dream made or paid for in factories."  ~Ray Bradbury

Open your Eyes, your Heart, your Soul!

There is nothing more joyful than seeing the world through the eyes of an artist. Noticing the beautiful textures in the bark of a tree, the intricate lines in the cracks on the sidewalk. Be open to the beauty that surrounds you! 

Draw, create. Then head over to the Sketchbook Challenge flickr group and post your work - fun prizes are available to participants at the end of the month. Here's information on how TSC works.

Tutorial: Screen Printed Cat Pillow

A couple of weeks ago one of my little ones walked in and said, "will you teach me to make a screen?" Now a very good mother would have done this long ago, especially since this little one has been asking to do this for months. Unfortunately I'm more of the "my studio is MY refuge" kind of mother and I don't take time out as often as I should to let them into my space. I felt the need to take time for her this time. So glad I did.

She would like to share with you her process.

She things that if she can do it so can you!

General's Carbon Sketch Pencil

Draw your picture with a carbon pencil and send it through a thermofax machine and thermal-mesh to make a screen. You can also email your image to a thermofax screen service and let someone else make the screen for you. 

Lay out your cloth on a padded print surface (mine is a layer of felt under twill) and position your screen. It's easier to handle a foam brush than a squeegee. Dip it in the paint. With one hand hold the frame, with the other press the brush across the screen. Notice how her finger is pressing the brush? You really need to squish the paint fairly hard to get the paint through to the fabric.

We made a few prints then washed and dried the screen before turning it over and making some facing the other way. We also decided to do some splatter painting over the top of the kitties just for fun. Dip an old toothbrush into the paint and run your finger over it. It makes a really fun mess!

Cut out the kitties and hold them up to the light and make sure they are aligned. Pin the cats and sew a straight stitch around them, leaving a gap about two inches wide. Use pinking shears to trim about 1/4 inch around the outside of the seam.

Stuff your pillow through the gap. I always have left over bits of batting so she tore some of those up and used them.

Squish the batting back into the pillow and stick a pin into it so that it's easier to sew.

Sew a straight stitch to close the gap.

Pose for a picture with your beautiful little creations. Carry them around and tell everyone you know that you made them yourself. Sleep with them every night.

We'll be playing with thermofax screen printing here in the studio on April 18th.

I'd love to have you join me! 

More information can be found here.