By Lissia D Fraser
Welcome to my art blog, where I share the stories and creative processes behind my original, limited edition art prints. Today, I’m excited to introduce you to Hidden Landscapes, a series of digital artworks that invite you to explore the beauty of nature through a foggy, mist-shrouded lens. These works reflect both a personal experience and a deeper connection with the way light transforms landscapes, evoking memories of classic art while capturing the fleeting moments of morning light.
A Summer Morning in London
The idea for Hidden Landscapes began on a summer morning in 2022, at 6:30 AM, as I stood on Blackfriars Bridge, waiting for my train to Luton Airport. The scene in front of me was one of quiet serenity, as a mist hung low over the Thames, partially obscuring the buildings in the distance. From the platform window, I watched as the landscape slowly emerged through the fog, transitioning from cool greys and blues to the warm golden hues of the morning sunlight. It was a moment of calm, but one that revealed the delicate balance between light and shadow.
Photographs from Blackfriars Bridge Station 2022
As I stood there, I couldn’t help but think of the work of J.M.W. Turner, particularly his iconic painting The Dogana and Santa Maria della Salute, Venice (1805). Turner’s depiction of Venice, with its soft, almost ethereal light, seemed to echo the mood I was experiencing on the bridge. Despite the geographical differences—Venice and London—both places were brought to life by the power of light, albeit in different forms. This realization sparked the idea for Hidden Landscapes, where I would explore this delicate interplay of light, fog, and nature through my own photography and Art practice.
The Dogana and Santa Mario della Salute, Venice J W Turner
From Photograph to Digital Canvas
Armed with my camera, I took several photos of the misty scene from the bridge. studio,
I began experimenting with these images, using Photoshop to manipulate the photographs and recreate the shifting colours and textures I had observed. I started by overlaying a gradient of colours on top of the original image, adjusting the opacity to allow the misty landscape to gently peek through. The result was an almost dreamlike quality, with the figures and shapes in the scene becoming softened, blurred, and partially obscured.
But I didn’t stop there. I wanted to push the boundaries of digital manipulation further, so I continued experimenting with various layers, transparency, and filters. Below are some of my experimentations.
Experimentation - colour transparencies and Hue saturation.
Experimentation - colour transparencies and Hue saturation.
Experimentation - Overlay of images and transparencies
Experimentation - Overlay of images and transparencies
The goal was to capture the process of the landscape gradually emerging from the haze, as the sun’s warmth began to break through the fog. Through trial and error, I developed two distinct images—Hidden Landscapes 1 and Hidden Landscapes 2—that encapsulate this ethereal moment in time.
Hidden Landscape 1 2022 www.colourandash.com Digitally manipulated Photographs taken from Blackfriars Bridge station 2022
Hidden Landscape 2 2022 www.colourandash.com
manipulated Photographs taken from Blackfriars Bridge station 2022.
The Concept Behind THE Hidden Landscapes 1 & 2.
The essence of Hidden Landscapes lies in the theme of obscurity. In both pieces, the landscape is intentionally blurred, to the point where it becomes difficult to distinguish individual buildings or landmarks. Instead, everything merges into abstract shapes and colours reflecting the idea that sometimes, landscapes are not immediately visible to the naked eye. They are hidden, veiled by nature itself, whether through fog, mist, or the play of light.
For me, this process of obscuring the original image was an important artistic decision. It wasn’t about creating a perfect, crisp representation of the landscape. Rather, it was about evoking the sense of mystery and wonder that comes from witnessing a landscape slowly reveal itself through nature’s elements.
Can You Spot the Hidden Landscape?
Now that you’ve learned a bit about the creative process behind Hidden Landscapes, I invite you to take a closer look at the final artworks. Can you spot which parts of the original photograph have been transformed into these digital interpretations? Is it the outline of a building or the shape of a tree hidden behind the mist? Explore the works and let your imagination wander as you discover the hidden layers within each piece.
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