GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED.
Thank you to all who entered and for the wonderful love and support you showed to Kim! Love you all!
Winner 1, comment #177 was Marcee.
Winner 2, comment #61 was Kim.
Winner 3, comment #528 was Kathy G.
Winner 4, comment #363 was Jacqueline.
Today I have a real treat for you! Kim Klassen, texture creator extraordinaire and workshop leader, has allowed me to ask her a few questions regarding her photography and texture creations. Plus, she is giving away a slew of things, so make sure to read through to the bottom!
If you are not familiar with Kim, pop over to her site, Kim Klassen Cafe and see all she has to offer. While you are there, make sure to sign up for her newsletter because she gives away a beautiful, FREE texture each Friday. Really!
I have many of her free textures plus have purchased some and they are all top quality! You know I am a textures addict, right? Kim’s textures are really beautiful and I have thoroughly enjoyed using them.
Alright, on to the interview….below are a few questions I sent Kim, ones that I have been wondering myself. I hope they help you “get to know” Kim as I have.
How long has photography been a passion for you?
I started taking photos in September of 2009. So it hasn’t been that long. I always had a good camera on hand, so I could take pictures of my artwork. For many years I worked as a licensed artist. My art was and still is offered as prints, as well as licensed for calendars, stationary, and giftware. Anyhow, one day I decided to take my Nikon on the trail…. I just started to snap some pics… I came home, uploaded them and let’s just say… the rest is history. 🙂
What camera do you use and your two favorite lenses?
I just recently bought the Nikon D700. I also have the D300s. I honestly love them both. Oh dear, my 2 favourite lenses? Let’s see… that’s so hard. But I’m in love with my Nikon 24-70 f/2.8. I keep it on my camera most of the time. It’s fabulous….creates beautiful blur…. it’s also fairly versatile. Before the 24-70 I used my Nikon 50mm f/1.4 the most.
When did you start creating textures and how did that come about?
I started making textures last winter. Because I am an artist, I have a studio full of incredible art supplies…many of which the companies send to me for free. So I thought, hmmmmm why not give it a try. I wanted to come up with a way to combine my photography and my art. Making textures really allows me to do both. It’s a great combination of getting messy and digital…which I LOVE.
Your work is beautiful and evokes feelings and emotions. Is that how the textures are begin to take shape, you have an emotion you are trying to convey through the texture?
Oh, my… thank you for that beautiful compliment. ‘sigh’. I would say my mood just comes through as I’m creating the textures. I often start out with one step and it just flows from there…building on the layers… creating depth as I add paint, paper, medium…. is a fabulous process. I have always loved anything old and worn…peeling paint, rust… good stuff like that. So making textures is a wonderful outlet for my art style.
Typically, how long does it take for you to create a complete set of textures, where you are very pleased with them and ready to share with the world? A week, a month, three months?
Hmmm, that’s a tough one. I often make just a few textures at a time and offer them in sets. That can be done in a day or so. The Studio Collection began as a month long challenge. I decided to make 30 textures in 30 days. And I did it. It took me about 5 weeks to create the entire collection. I would create several, then scan them in and get to work in Photoshop, which allows me to tweak and perfect the texture. I sometimes layer several together to create a totally different piece.
I also had several fabulous photographers/artists test the textures as I created them. That was incredibly helpful and very exciting…. seeing the textures on other’s photos motivated me to keep going, keep creating. It was fabulous.
Interested in seeing her make a texture? She made a video showing her process and it is amazing!!!
You need to know something else….she is just as sweet and sincere as she seems at her site! I have had several phone or Skype conversations with her, plus many email messages over the past few months and I think she is just an extraordinary woman! I want to be her when I grow up, but seeing how she’s only a few years older than me, I don’t think I’m going to make it.
Now, remember I said something about a giveaway, did I not? I have to tell you that Kim has pulled out all the stops here. She knows how I like to have multiple winners for giveaways and she has really made me a happy blogger because we are going to have FOUR winners, each receiving different prizes. How fantastic is that!! She has a new set out, The Studio Collection, and the textures being given away come from that collection.
The prizes being given away are:
- One Studio Collection – the full set, $60 value
- One Studio Collection – squares and overlays only, a $45 value
- One Studio Collection – rectangular only, a $20 value
- One 4 month membership to the Test Kitchen, a $25 value
To enter the giveaway simply leave a comment telling me what editing program you use (PSE 9, CS5, PSE 7, CS3, LR 2, etc.).
For extra entries you can do one or more of the following things, making sure to come back here and leave a separate comment for each and every one. Please.
- Like Kim’s Facebook page
- Like Everyday Element’s Facebook page
- Follow Kim on Twitter (@kimklassen)
- Subscribe to Kim’s newsletter
The giveaway will end on Friday, March 18th at 11:00 PM EST. Winners will be chosen with Random.org and announced Saturday at the top of this post.
Winners have seven days to claim their prize, after which a new winner will be identified.
About Amanda
I have “Liked” Everyday Elements on Facebook!
I liked Kim Klassen’s FB page.
Still using PSE7, thanks to Amanda’s actions. No need to updgrade to CS5 yet. Thanks Amanda!!
I already like Everyday Elements on Facebook.
I have been receiving Kims Newsletter (freebie textures) for months! If there’s another newsletter, it’s news to me and I’m going to head over to check that out now.
I now Follow Kim Klassen on Twitter.
I subscribed to Kim Klassen’s newsletter.
I will probably be getting PSE 9 but so want CS5. I will be waiting to get CS5 once I can get me a MAC.
I subscribed to Kim Klassen’s newsletter.
Hi Amanda: What a great interview with Kim – and how generous she is with this giveaway!
I use PSE 8 for now but am hoping to join the ‘big kids’ with full blown Photoshop soon.
I use PSE9 and I love Kim. She is very sweet. She has helped me with emails on questions over and over when I did the Skinny class.
This is my first time to your site, Amanda. I will have to take a look around. I am a big fan of Kim and her textures. I have been photographing for a while but I have learned plenty from Kim. The editing system I use is a 2004 version of RawShooter. I found it for free and have used it ever since. You can’t get it anymore because Adobe bought it and created Light Room instead. RawShooter doesn’t have the organization of LR, but it gets the job done for me. And it was free! Thanks Amanda and Kim for the chance at the giveaway.
thank you for this splendid giveaway – i love Kim’s textures and have been using them a lot …
here’s my flickr album with some digi collages if you want to have a look 😉
http://www.flickr.com/photos/68111170@N00/sets/72157626020759069/
have a great day
anna
I currently have PSE8 on the computer, but PSE9 is waiting to be loaded. Can’t wait to really learn how to use it.
Thanks for the interview with Kim. She has some amazing stuff.
I am using PSE7. I’ve learned so much from both of you!
I already “Like” Kim’s Facebook page.
I subscribe to Kim’s newsletter.
I already “Like” Everyday Element’s Facebook page
I like Everyday Elements on FB 🙂
I am a subscriber of Kim’s newsletter. Thanks for all the beautiful freebies.
I follow Kim on Twitter.
I also like Kim on FB 🙂
I have just gotten Elements 9 and Lightroom. Love it so far.
CS3
I “liked” Kim’s FB
I have elements 7 (but am upgrading to 9) I also have photoscape, Topaz adjust and picnik.
I am taking a course with Kim right now (my second class, she is an amazing teacher).
I “liked” your FB
I already “liked” Kim and now I have “liked” everyday elements. Been following Kim for only a short time but already cant stay away. Have so many photos I want to try it on and cant figure out where to start.
I’m using pse 8…….thanks for the chance to win!!!
I just found your blog through Kim Klassens blog. Please put me in the hat for the give way…I just love Kims textures and I just finished one of her classes. I also like your blog, you give some very valuable info. I am adding you to my blog list. Thanks
Sorry…forgot to tell you I use photoshop elements 9
I signed up for her newsletter!!
I liked Kim on facebook!!!
I use Paint Shop Pro and I LOVE her textures! So far I only have the weekly free ones, so I would love to win! 🙂
I use PSE 8 to do my editing.
I use PSE 9 and LR3!
I already *like* Kim Klassen!!
Already a fan of Kim’s facebook page.
I already *like* Everyday Elements!
Already a fan of everyday elements on facebook.
I use LR2 and just got CS5
I already “follow” Kim on twitter!
‘like’ Kim on FB…
‘like’ EE on FB 🙂
and I already receive Kim Klassen’s newsletter! Awesome giveaway! Thanks, Amanda & Kim!
Already subscribed to Kim’s newsletter.
I follow Kim on twitter!
Great interview with Kim, and i agree she is the sweetest person. I am a member of Kim’s Test Kitchen and I would love to win any of her textures, I find them so beautiful to work with 🙂
I use Photoshop CS5. Love Your Textures
I use PSE9 and hope to also add LR3 to my toolbox soon. I love Kim’s textures–and her creativity and she shares with the world.
and I’m a subscriber to Kim’s newsletter!