Tag Archives: original art

Lynda.Com because he needed to brush up on an application he was using more.

He gave me CS3 products for my birthday and I’m trying desperately to be worthy. I’ve taken 2 Photoshop classes and one Illustrator class over the past 3 years and I’m not a quick learner. But then, I wasn’t born with a computer in my hands.

I’ve been working my way through the Lynda tutorials. I’m going to learn InDesign, too, eventually, and I’m trying to get a handle on the Bridge and organize my image files which are a disaster especially by my standards.

At first I was being all methodical about starting at the beginning of each class and working through each item. But then I started skipping around to the stuff that looks fun. I never thought I’d be into online learning but I like this a lot.

Above is my latest creation. I call it: Acorn relaxing on an Autumn Day.

On Friday I made my weekend No Knead loaf and I decided to get crazy and throw some olives in there. In my head I remember working them in there better but as you can see here, they’ve all gathered at the edges and as soon as you slice into it, olives fall out everywhere.

I thought maybe I should turn this into a stunt baking blog and bake everything in my Bread Baker’s Apprentice book and document it all. We could laugh at my lumpy loaves and unrisen messes. But then I made these cinnamon rolls that peeled our faces off. And I don’t want to do a stunt because I would try too hard and it would make my life miserble.

Today’s special feature is original art. I’m still trying to learn Illustrator with more frustration than not. This reminds me of learning to play guitar a long time ago when I was in college. I’m trying, but it’s taking me awhile and the results aren’t much to look at. I’m still having fun, I just wish I could catch on a little easier.

I thought instead of grinding through tutorials I’d make something myself. I find I learn a lot when I have to figure it out rather than the book telling me what to do. Almost two hours later, ta da! I had to abandon my first effort because it got brown and when I shrunk it to proper size it looked turd-like and made me want to stick forks in my eyes.

Aside from Illustrator, I’m stuck in the biggest rut. I can’t seem to move forward on anything. Little piddly chores go ignored. Paper accumulates. Dust bunnies peek out from the corners. Lists get stapled to other lists, or thrown away because that’s easiest.

For example I have a banking matter that’s probably going to involve at least 3 phone calls. All week long I think: Friday I will take care of this. But then Friday rolls around and I take care of a few other things and can’t bear the idea of making numerous phone calls for this matter. So I think, well this week for sure. I will do this on my lunch hour. Or, I’ll definitely take care of it before I go home. Now several weeks have gone by. The matter is unresolved and becoming time sensitive.

Yesterday we took advantage of the sun break to take a wonderful walk. I wish I would have had my camera (and that it worked) so I could have taken a picture of a huge sign someone put on a telephone pole: Jennifer: I LOVED You.

I didn’t want to, but I worked outside and cut down most of the Dahlias and dug a small batch of bulbs, washed them and set them out in the garage to dry. I suppose I should carefully store them today so I don’t run into mass-of-moldy-bulbs next spring.

We’re going to see Demetri Martin tonight. Going out on a Sunday night is something I have a firm policy of never doing. We did last weekend because it was part of our lecture series and other than the biblical downpour when the lecture let out, it wasn’t that bad. Demetri is a comedian from the Daily Show. I loved him the first time I saw him but it still took a bit of convincing before I agreed to it. Since I believe his target demographic is about half my age, you know, people who don’t covet sleep as they should, it’s seems a lot to hope for that I’ll be in bed before 11pm. But maybe.