This was a photo I took of a bird at the Houston Zoo. Not sure what it was. But I thought it was pretty. Then added some textures and splatter to finish the picture.
I had to also paint over the bill because of the straw the bird was gathering to build a nest, and I painted over the arm to remove the silver arm band. I quit the painting course because my writing has had to take priority and it was just taking too long to do the paintings in full. Plus, she set everyone way back on lessons, then required a month to pass before new lessons. And it’s subscription. So if I couldn’t complete them in a year, no sense in paying for an expensive yearly subscription. Maybe if I ever retire I could. But I love writing and I need the income, so the course wasn’t doable.
It has helped me in learning to paint missing parts though on a photo where something is in the way of the subject when I can’t clone it out in Photoshop. So I did learn something! And when I did one of my covers, I painted the pocket flaps of the guys’ pants that should have been ironed down, but they were twisted and that’s all the eye could see. That was fun. Plus his arms had so many muscles, so many veins highlighted, that really stuck out, so painting them helped to focus on the beauty of the body. I also painted the cougar on that cover and that turned out really well. I would still like to learn how to paint sweeping strands of hair, or extend hair on animals that get muddled when adding background textures. But that I can do on my own by watching free Youtube videos, no time limit, no month waiting, and I can watch them as many times as I want. I also learned more on how to copy a section of one side of a subject to add to the other side when something is missing.
So it’s all good. I quit the premium selection of DAZ3D also, because that takes a time to create and render objects and like with the painting class, I wasn’t taking the time to do them. I’ve been concentrating on playing the game with 4thewords and getting more writing done. If my renders looked more realistic, maybe I would be more apt to do them. I know some use the dressed bodies and then add their own people faces. I’d like to do that too. But again, it takes time, and often my renders have so much grain, they’re not quality enough for book covers. Still, it’s something I want to explore more of.
In the meantime though, I need to keep my focus on books!!! And photography, and creating simple photo art. It keeps me happy. And I’ll learn how to do the other stuff eventually.
I don’t know how I managed to do it, but I wrote 3,000 word on Billionaire, so that made up for the two days before. Not for yesterday though. But then they want the synopsis for White Wolf to the Rescue, so I need to read the novella again. I wrote it several stories ago. I guess I’m going to have to start writing the synopsis for these after I write them. It’s easier than trying to remember them again much later! They’re going into the 10th Anniversary releases, this one in Legend of the White Wolf, but also coming out in individual novellas now.
We did yard work yesterday, little one and I. Well, I did. She had to put on her garden gloves too, but then after pulling a little bit of weeds, she was done and dancing around the yard and having fun. It was a great day! Nice and warm and sunny.
We practiced her typing her letters on the computer and her numbers. Of course the letters look a little different from how she’s supposed to write them, so it’s a little confusing–like the J on the keyboard doesn’t have the top cap, and the capital I doesn’t have the top and bottom cap. And some of my letters are worn off too. But she got to the point where she remembered where the letters were even if they’re no longer visible. lol
Hope you have a lovely day!!! I’ve got to get to reading and writing!
Terry
“Giving new meaning to the term alpha male where fantasy is reality.”
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