London Gold

Beginning with a photo I took of the Parliament buildings in London, I used various textures to create the scratched gold look of the buildings and another texture for the background sky.

Bird of Prey

A hawk glances out from his open pen which is part of the birds of prey exhibit at Mary Arden's Farm in Wilmcote, England.

Shakespeare Country

South Warwickshire has a number of sites related to William Shakespeare. Anne Hathaway's Cottage and Mary Arden's House are just two of the most interesting, and are not located far from each other, as the signs above show.

On the Castle Grounds

Image of a tree growing on the grounds of the Tower of London. I've added an old book texture for accentuation.

Tower Views

A part of the Tower Bridge (left) as seen from a wall of the Tower of London (right) along the Thames River.

Boston Manor Stables

I took a photo of the stables at Boston Manor as I was walking through the park a few years ago. I was staying at a nearby bed and breakfast because it was conveniently located near Kew Royal Botanical Gardens and Heathrow on the outskirts of London.

Call Me

I snapped these two bright red telephone booths near Russell Square in London. I added one of the splash masks from Shadowhouse Creations for a fun effect.

Thames River Scene

This image was taken along the Thames River in London several years ago. I've added a painterly texture.

Castle Hill

Another image based on Warwick Castle and another fun image mask from Shadowhouse Creations.

London Museum

This is the entrance of the marvelous Museum of Natural History in South Kensington, London. This ornate terracotta facade, built in 1881, was typical of high Victorian architecture. The interior of the museum has atmosphere to spare. Standing on the stairs of the main hall gives the illusion of being caught in one of those impossible M.C. Escher images. I've added several textures for a grunge effect.

Memoire

Here I'm mixing a photo of an English castle estate with French ephemera to evoke the past.

Big Tree

This lovely, huge tree was in a park just down the street from the B&B where I stayed near Kew Gardens. Aside from the California redwoods, it's one of the largest trees I've seen.
Textures by Yuna and Lenabem-Anna.

Royal Palace and Fortress

Better known as the Tower of London, the castle fortress comprises nearly 12 acres along the bank of the Thames River. The outer curtain wall, seen above, was built in the 13th century.
Textures by boccacino and Shadowhouse Creations.

Mary Arden's Farm

Mary Arden's Farm is a working Tudor farm and belonged to Shakespeare's mother. The bard may have played and worked on the farm in his childhood. This is a view of the barn.
Texture by Shadowhouse Creations.

Awaiting Her Cue

Dressed in period costume, a reenactor peeks around a street corner at the Tower of London.
Textures by Tim in Ohio and Shadowhouse Creations

Nash's House

This well preserved Tudor building is part of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust in Stratford-upon-Avon. The foundations of Shakespeare's final home are located near the beautiful New Place gardens.
Texture: Jody Dog Ma

Big Ben, London Icon

This view of Big Ben emphasizes the blue sky and green foliage of a late May day in London.

Textures are by Emma Cox and Ellenvd.

Chapel, Tower of London

St. John's Chapel dates from 1080 and is the oldest church in London. Located on the second floor of the White Tower, it remains little changed from the days of William the Conqueror.
Texture: a new grunge texture from Shadowhouse Creations.

Cotswolds Scene

This scene was captured while driving through the Cotswolds of England, but I don't recall the precise location. I've added a texture from Christopoulos.

The Views of Kew

This photo was taken during my visit to Kew Royal Botanic Gardens in London. On the left is Temperate House, the largest surviving Victorian glass structure in the world, and to the right is the Chinese Pagoda, built much earlier in 1762. I've added two textures from rubyblossom.