Saturday, October 15, 2011

Regency Era Scrapbooking Backgrounds - Ackermann's Repository

I was playing around with more images from Ackermann's Repository and fell in love with a series of hand-colored plates of landscape scenes from the 1820's.  I thought these images would make great background papers for digital scrapbooking so I played around with a few settings in Photoshop and then added in a funky texture I created, to give them a whole new look.

Ackermann's Repository always included a variety of Landscape, Architecture, or scenic image in every issue.  They usually were part of a themed series like The Churches of London or Country Seats.
The images I used were from the 1820's and were part of the garden and country seat series.

EKD digital scrapbooking backgrounds made with Ackermann's Repository images
I chose to create a series of 8 backgrounds that would worked together well. These garden and pastoral landscapes had similar colors and tones so I made a few lighting adjustments, added an EKDuncan texture from my batch of favorites and came up with this set of pages.

I liked them so much that I even loaded them over on me EveyD account over at deviantart.com


Here are the individual background pages I created

1819 Aviary in Garden scene from Ackermann's Repository

1819 Garden scene from Ackermann's Repository

1820 Garden Fountain from Ackermann's Repository

1820 Garden Seat scene from Ackermann's Repository

1820 Rustic Garden Bridge over water from Ackermann's Repository

1821 Formal Garden Bridge over water from Ackermann's Repository

1821 Picturesque Dairy scene from Ackermann's Repository

1822 Castle on the River scene from Ackermann's Repository

1823 Ditton - Country seat of Lord Montague from Ackermann's Repository

1823 The Hermitage on the Frogmore Estate from Ackermann's Repository

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Here is what the original image for the above Hermitage looked like

This is the original image from Ackermann's Repository



I started with the original image above; cropped it and altered it to give it a softer watercolor effect. This made a nice background but not quite what I was looking for...

This is what the background looked like before the crackle effect was added

so I then added a crackle texture for some added interest.

The final EKDuncan altered background page of the Ackermann's 1823 Hermitage scene
I followed the same basic steps for all the images so they would work together as a series
of antique looking background papers and am quite pleased with the final effect.

I enjoy using these nearly 200 year old images in my modern digital art.
There is just so much fun that can be had with them and I don't think I'll ever tire of using them.

 I hope this has inspired you to play and give new life to old images too.

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 I'll be posting a large selection of scenic elements like those used to create these
backgrounds so keep checking back to see what all the goodies I have to share.

till next time...



2 comments:

  1. This might sound a little out there but I am still looking for some kind of beach/ocean with a lady beauty in it. someone looking for shells in some faraway romantic fantastic gown.

    Thanks.
    enjoyed your blog.

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    Replies
    1. Hi surfer - Thanks for letting me know you have enjoyed my blog posts. I don't believe I have the type of image you are looking for in my current vintage collection. Ackermann's did make a few fashion plates with seaside costumes in them or with vague beach scenery in background but non of those would be classified as having a "...romantic, fantastic gown".

      Here are two Ackermann examples you can take a look at:
      http://www.ekduncan.com/2011/09/regency-era-fashions-ackermanns_25.html
      (See the September seaside costume with lady holding a shell and the beach behind her)

      http://www.ekduncan.com/2011/07/regency-era-fashions-ackermanns.html
      (See the September promenade costume of lady looking out over the beach)

      You might have more luck creating a Photoshop "manipulation" using various elements to get the final image you are looking for or by browsing the web for that specific type of image. deviantART.com is a good place to check since many digital artist have amazing manipulation art there.

      Good Luck on your search,
      Evelyn

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