#bridge witches

[ki11erpancake]

Five Things I Do While Painting in Photoshop

Making little vids about my process has been super helpful for me to understand my shit and get better. Maybe it can be for you as well? Below I elaborate on my minute vid posted originally in my Instagram feed.

Set Up

I know a lot of people who like to save a million versions of separate layers of things. I guess you could call me a minimalist because I cannot be bothered to hold on to the past. In this file I have merged the grey-scale drawing into one single layer. Next I create two layers for color. One has the Multiply blend mode activated and the other is in the Overlay blend mode. From there I play around with the color until I get what I like—just like IRL painting. Starting off gradually I eventually get super detailed but I haven't agonized over every choice made in the drawing.

As I go I combine the layers using the best trick ever. Hold down "ctrl", "alt", "shift", and "E" (I dunno what this is on a Mac—sorrrrryyyyy). All of your layers will be merged into a single layer NO MATTER WHAT BLEND MODE THEY ARE IN. Here is the full scoop on this tip from Photoshop Essentials. I use this trick all. Damn. DAY.

The Goal

The rest of the image is built off of the basics I lay down early. I can add things and make adjustments but if the foundation sucks then the image is garbage and I'm left tinkering with something that can't be saved.

Brushes

When I was learning how to paint in Photoshop I heard a lot about Kyle Webster on Insta and at Adobe Max and basically any-fucking-where anyone talks about a damn Photoshop brush that isn't mentioning Syd Weiler. I impulse bought a mega pack (and sixteen million other packs) of his before Adobe brought him on board (like... right before it came with your Adobe CC subscription).

I now use two of those brushes (yeah I know). Both are from the PaintBox. The first is "Big Wide Softy" which is super bitchin' for blending and building trees and clouds as fast as humanly possible. The other is Bristle 3 for drawing and painting things out. Otherwise, I'm using the lasso tool and paint bucket or shaping things with the smudge and eraser tools.

For me, finding the right brushes was similar to finding a favorite medium in the real world. We each draw differently in the same way that we all have different handwriting. Play around with things and go from there—and don't spend a million dollars on a ton of things you will likely never use.

The View

Go to Window, Arrange, and at the bottom of the menu is "New Window for {blah blah file}". Then Go back to arrange and select the view that works best for you (I do 2-vertical). That way you can have a bird's eye view of your work while you are also zoomed in real close. If both windows are rotating at the same time there's a box you can uncheck "Rotate All Windows"  in the toolbar when Rotate function is active.

Take one thing off

I've started the use the Olly Moss trick of putting your "finished" WIP on your phone screen. When you look at it randomly during the day you will see what is so wrong or so right, so fast...

Music "Kawaii" by Frequency Decree from Nul Tiel Records, used under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License

[bridgewitches]

Ace of Cicadas

This suit replaces the pentacles from other decks and evokes themes of summer and earth while featuring southern neighborhoods. 

Cicadas live underground emerging only for a few weeks to mate and then return to the land in death. This cycle ensures there is a wealth of noise in summer evenings during the last gasp of the dog days in July and August. We use cicadas here to symbolize material wealth and thriving creative economic success. While Pittsburgh as a whole is a city with a strong and vibrant small business community, the South Side, the Slopes, the Hilltop, and the South Hills neighborhoods are a maze of mom and pop shops and single proprietors who thrive in tight knit communities.

This suit features people from around the world who have brought their success to Pittsburgh. While it mostly focuses on monetary success that wouldn’t be possible without a strong sense of individual identity and community support. 

Generally this is a happy suit that reminds us of what things can be when we feel welcomed and have the room to flourish. This being said, it’s important to remember that many people who have done well here have also been victim to threats, vandalism, and deportation. It must be stressed that communities are strongest when we come together and support one another. Our individual success is meaningless when we work alone or against each other.

Positive aspects: Burgeoning financial success, immeasurable social and monetary growth, a new “it” neighborhood

Negative aspects: Loss of an opportunity, exclusion, mismanagement, inability to connect, instability

Key elements: When initially planning this deck we always wanted to feature a bright and busy bouquet of things that grow in this region. A happy garden makes for a happy looking house and this wild bunch of plants is thriving.

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[bridgewitches]

The Hermit

The introverted of introverted—the hermit card celebrates isolation and treasures thinking time. In a world that demands we put ourselves out there at every turn and share our thoughts with the world, the hermit turns inward and keeps their thoughts to themselves before putting things out into the world. 

This is not the same as isolating. It is possible to be actively extroverted and still emotionally isolate oneself from friends, family, and community. The Hermit card is about thoughtful reflection, thinking things through, and self-care. This image is based on a person locally who vibes strongly with this card but obviously treasures their privacy. This “selfie” reflects their fascination with the world and the warmth they chose to share with others in their own way.

Positive aspects of this card: Self-refelection, self care, privacy, thoughtfulness

Negative aspects: Neglect of oneself and your needs, denial of feelings, isolation from one’s community

Key features: The focus of this card is on nature. A cherry is front and center, it’s color and simple shape a fascination for the hermit. It allows the introvert to express themselves without putting their face out there. 

[bridgewitches]

Ace of Fences // The Suite of Fences

The suit of fences features the winter season and draws inspiration from the northern neighborhoods and outlying areas of Pittsburgh. 

Fences are this deck’s replacement of the suit of swords in the Rider-Waite. Traditionally, this suit is one of power, violence, and suffering. We have expanded upon these themes to include institutional oppression and the ways in which Pittsburghers isolate individually—freezing out the “outsiders”. The types of fences and gates in the city and beyond range dramatically from beautiful wrought iron fences of former grand mansions, to basic chainlink and wooden plank surrounding postage stamp backlots. Regardless of its construction, a fence is built to keep certain things out and other things penned in.

Moving to Pittsburgh for the first time, the neighborhoods can be charming and offer a sense of belonging to those with the privilege of assimilating easily. For others, there is an assumption of outsiderness that is never completely shaken. 

This isn’t to say it’s not “friendly”—but there is a difference in being treated as a guest rather than as a member of community.

This region saw a surge in development in the early 1900s by predominantly (but not entirely) white migrants and immigrants who came looking for work and the promise of something more for themselves and their families. The things they built where monuments to the region’s capacity to grow and manufacture. When industries folded and white flight drained the number of residents, the land began to retake what wasn’t being used. The people who stayed, established lives here and slowly the economy has been reborn but that doesn’t equate to a rising tide lifting all boats. Low-income Black communities especially have been pushed and relocated and scattered to wherever landlords will rent to them. As money has come back into the economy and the quality of life as increased, low-income families are paid the same and therefore unable to keep up with the change.

What does this have to do with the Fountain of Youth? This spot is likely familiar to people who grew up near Allison Park. Once a source of natural spring water, it was sheltered in the 1930s but abruptly closed due to contamination in the 1950s. While the exterior has been restored in the late 2000s, it sits alone, a random relic that people from here will mention in passing but overall is neglected and it’s story buried. It is a reminder that there is more to learn fro each other if we care to show up and listen. Things do not bode well for the suit of fences but knowing is half the battle. The rest is up to us and how we choose to mend or dismantle them. 

Positive aspects of this card: Raw energy, a full and meaningful interaction, a history revealed.

Negative aspects: Lack of discovery, loss of time and history, unclear, uselessness

Key features: A monument to something that means something to someone. This place was restored because someone cared about it and that story is somewhere but we don’t know what that is. While there is something to be admired here, it’s missing pieces as well. It’s also hiding, tucked away both physically and in our collective memories.

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[bridgewitches]

Four of Fences

There can’t be a deck about Pittsburgh without referring to the parking chair. Whether you use them or not they are a part of the culture in a snowy region. The veracity of these chairs is not relevant to this card but is a great prop.

The winter settles (entombs?) everything including us no matter who busy we wish to keep ourselves. It takes longer to dress and moving through the world requires alternate strategies. We have to accept this. There is no getting around snow. In that cold and the quiet it can bring we have time to think and take in a different looking Pittsburgh. A forced hibernation can be a time to rethink things.

Positive aspects of this card: Reprieve, acceptance of fate Negative aspects: Cabin fever, exhaustion with all that needs done Key features: The winter parking chair is a sign that someone has done the work to dig out that spot. That’s not to say it won’t be covered up by a squick snow or a plow making its way down the street. There is a lot of peace in a quiet and snow covered Pittsburgh. After while though... people start to freak out a little bit (about early February to be exact)

[bridgewitches]

Three of Cicadas

While Cicadas as a suit is focused on work and material wealth, threes are about balance. We can’t do our best work if things on the home front are shaky and vice versa. We are at our best when our home is filled with what fulfills us, (examples: a family of fur babies, a partner, and/or a room filled with green and growing things, a vast record collection etc). When things are settled then we are living our best life and focusing on the task at hand.

This could be taken literally to mean that we must put balanced days together to maintain order or to achieve greater goals. It’s not uncommon to get disillusioned with the daily grind but the larger perspective is greater peace. Don’t have a goal? Reevaluate. What needs to change in order to feel like you’re working towards something?

Positive aspects of this card: Life / work balance Negative aspects: The dull grind. Key features: The spatula and cellphone are symbolic of different tools for creativity and communication (both essential in any kind of business). The white color worker takes the T to and from work each day, symbolizing cycles and balance that keep the home running. The home is surrounded with symbols of love (roses) and wealth) basil and chamomile.

[bridgewitches]

Judgement

So this card diverges heavily from the traditional Judgement card. The whole “naked men and women being judged before an archangel” just felt a little... one sided in its use of a specific religion to talk about this topic. 

Instead, we decided to get a little cheeky. Our Judgement card features the zombified head of a teenager who even in underneath must roll their eyes at you as if you are the biggest idiot in the room. You will never “get it”.

Their head sits upon the Squirrel Hill Tunnels which are known to feel so constrictive by many drivers that they slow down upon entering and traffic backs up at all times of the day. As your car is swallowed into their darkness, you begin to question every driver on all sides and “can’t see the hold up”.

To say driving in Pittsburgh is a pain in the ass is an understatement. No one wins here and everybody knows better than everybody else. 

After getting through the tunnels however, (as long as you haven’t caused any major damage) you feel amazing that you are free. 

The harshest critics are usually the harshest on themselves. They lack perspective to their own problems and can’t seem to accept things as they are and adapt. Acceptance of our frustrations is learned (or it’s not...). There is a freedom that comes from this acceptance however. If we can let go of our inner zombie teenager and take the time to stop rolling the jaded eyes of our soul then judgement becomes self reflection and growth.

Positive aspects of this card: When you start to believe that acceptance is the answer to every problem and inner disturbance then you’re on the other side of judgement.

Negative aspects: Lack of self examination or perspective, jaded, blaming others, you probably suffer from terrible road rage.

Key features: To be fair, the Squirrel Hill Tunnels are the fucking worst and we here at BW avoid them at all costs so who are we to tell you what to do? Zombie teenager head came to us in a vision of our inner critic being a girl we went to high school with who was intolerably rude to other teens and adults alike.

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[bridgewitches]

The Lovers + The Art of Communication

Before we reclaimed our riverfronts, the shores of Pittsburgh were clogged with factories that robbed us of breathable air. Today, those spaces have been abandoned and where there isn’t riverfront development there are wild spots for people to steal themselves for a few moments.

Young lovers need these spaces to sit for hours and learn more about each other. Communication is the key to The Lover card. Bridges not only connect opposite shores they create space for dialogue. The more we sit with our lover and tell them how pretty they are or giggle over inside jokes the closer we become and the stronger the relationship.

Anne Carson, author of “Eros: The Bittersweet” explores oral tradition and the context of living in ancient Greece before the invention of writing. The Greeks used to believe that the whole body was in a state of active breathing and exhaling of the substance that they called aporrhoai, small particles that allow everything to be in touch with everything else. Space was ignored, interactions constant, and there was a sense of things being without edge or limit. This is the blush of new love.

Traditionally this card features a couple standing on either side of an angel floating above them. Instead of using a celestial being to illustrate spiritual connection or communication (because no thank you angel), we used the classic 16th Street Bridge (aka the David McCullough Bridge) that spans the Allegheny River between the North Shore and the Strip District because it’s beautiful and one of the more unique bridges in the city (we’re looking at you Sister Bridges...).

Positive aspects of this card: Connection, communication, a deep sense of belonging with someone else, conversation, dialogue

Negative aspects: Lack of communication, breakdown, miss connection

Key features: Two people connected by something larger than them, a sister bridge

Thanks to Erin Nihizer for her research + words in this write up.

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