Personal Introduction Image

Tree silhouette clip art copied and modified with permission from Bob G, via Flickr.
Creative Commons License available here.

For this week's class, we were asked to use Adobe Fireworks to create an image of introduction. Initially, I was sure I wanted to work with personal photographs, creating some kind of collage. But as I watched the tutorials and started to explore some of the capabilities of Fireworks, I decided that I wanted to try out some of the drawing and design features. Being new to Fireworks, this turned out to be a challenge, but I ended up learning a lot.

My image represents me in many ways. I chose a tree because it's a common symbol for life and growth, and also because I love to be in nature. Many of my favorite memories have happened under starry skies, against a backdrop of silhouetted trees. I tried to recreate that feeling of connectedness and magic without being too literal. The reflection (or "roots" part of the tree) also holds meaning for me, in that I am very aware of how my past experiences and my current environment have shaped (and continue to shape) who I am today. 

As a final reference, I was also influenced by my daughter's art. Here is an example of how she draws trees. The multi-colored leaves always make me smile.

Art by Eira, age 4.