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 am already a subscriber to Kim’s newsletter — I use PSE 8. Thanks for a wonderful blog, yourself!
I visit Kim’s site almost every day… there are always some beautiful textures there to admire… I use Photoshop 7
Thanks.
Thanks for such a great interview with Kim! I’m already a subscriber to her newsletter and I’m so happy to find you also via Kim’s site. I use PSE 8.
Following Kim on Facebook!
Following Everyday Elements on Facebook!
Following Kim on Twitter!
I never cease to be inspired by Kim and all the wonderful blogs out there that are so helpful in motiving one in their creativity! I love Kim’s textures, use them regularly. I am an Elements 9 user.
I have subscribed to Kim’s newsletter. Elements 9 user.
Following Kim on Twitter. Elements 9 user.
I love Kim’s textures!! I have PSE 9 and LR 3.
I like Kim’s Facebook page 🙂
I follow Kim on Twitter! And I Like the Everyday Elements Facebook Page!
I subscribe to Kim’s newsletter!
Kim is such an inspiration. I have taken a couple of her classes and she is an excellent teacher as well as an awesome artist and photographer. Her textures are so much fun.Thanks or the Interview.
I use PSE9 and CS2 (i know its older, but so am I)
Hello, I just stumbled upon this site from Rita’s Coffee shop page and it’s great! I currently use CS3.
Just “Liked” everyday Elements on FB
Just “liked” Kim’s page on fb =)
Officially following on Twitter now
I am using PSE9 and my dream is to be able to create photographs as beautiful as Kim’s. I am signed up for her March Essentials course and am so excited. Genie
and now subscribed to the newsletter =)
I am subscribed to Kim’s Facebook Page. I am so glad to be hooked up with it. This is wonderful.
Amanda…I am now a follower of the Everyday Elements FB page. You have so many exciting things to offer which are going to be wonderful to learn about in the future weeks and months. Genie
I have connected to follow Kim on Twitter….this is all so exciting. I never had a clue all of this great connections were out there just waiting on me. Genie
I am already been a subscriber to Kim’s newsletter,r and I just love getting my Friday textures. I think I have now left all of your individual emails for each of the giveaway response sections: the program I am using, Kim’s Facebook page, Everyday Elements FB Page, Kim’s Twitter, and my subscription to the newsletter. Here’s hoping I am one of the LUCKY winners. Genie
I so admire the work that Kim does, and her generous spirits shines through in her website (I subscribe) and in her interview. Off to check out those FB pages next!
I use the dinosaur that is Photoshop 7.0 and though I sometimes long for something newer, it gets the job done!
Liked Kim’s FB page and added to my FB photography page’s favorites! Wish I had found it before!
I started subscribing to Kim’s newsletter a couple of weeks ago. A fellow Flickrite (raewillow) uses her textures and creates such wonderful works of art with them! So inspirational!
Liked Everyday Elements on FB and added it to my photography favorites. What a great resource!!
I’m excited to find your blog! I use PSE-9. Thank you for this opportunity to win 🙂
just “liked” Everyday Elements on fb
just “liked” Kim Klassen’s fb page
I signed up for Kim’s newsletter yesterday!
I am a Test Kitchen member and use CS3.
I love your site and Kim’s! 😉
And what wonderful textures!!
I use CS3!
thanks
take care!
I use GIMP for editing my pictures!!!
and I’m Kim’s Facebook Fan
… and I a fan of Everyday Element’s on facebook. I do not use Photoshop or Lightroom, but I always like to read those tutorials because they help me to figure out how it works in GIMP. It;s very similar to Photoshop.
…. ah, and I do not have account on twitter, so I’m not gonna twit, or be kim’s follower over there… and I’m already singed up for her newsletter. I’ve been usign her free textures for a few weeks. they are awesome!!!
I use PSE 5, soon to upgrade to version 9! I love textures and am looking forward to using them more. I will subscribe to Kim’s newsletter! Thank you!
I use photoshop 7.. everything I know I learnt from Kim.. I am still a baby when it comes to PS & Photography. Kim’s website is so inspirational. She is so kind & generous with her freebies and tutorials
I use PSE 7 and Virtual Studio which has some great filters in it! I already receive Kim’s newsletter. I like Everyday Elements and Kim Klassen Cafe on FB and follow Kim on Twitter
I just found your blog recently (and love it), but I’ve been a fan of Kim’s for quite a while. I’m a member at the Test Kitchen and LOVE the textures Kim creates, so would love to be a winner here. I upgraded to PSE 9.0 when it came out, and am so glad I did!
I’m a follower of Everyday Elements on Facebook now.
I like Everyday Elements Facebook Page
wao! this is a great opportunity! so kind! I’m a subscriber to Kim’s newsletter and she is amazing! and so good teacher!
I use PSE9. Great blog! I will come often from now.
CS4 and LR2 – love the textures!!!
I like Everyday Elements on facebook!
I follow Kim on twitter!
I like Kim’s facebook page!
I subscribed to the newsletter! can’t wait – I really need to use to learn textures more effectively!