Blender 3D Basics Beginner's Guide by Gordon Fisher

Peering over the cover of this book I see a Blender and primitive shapes on the cutting board: a cone, a torus, a sphere and a tube about to be sliced by a knife.  Sounds like a culinary danger, but this is a reference to the Blender 3D software.  Gordon Fisher wrote Blender 3D Basics Beginner's Guide to uncover the mysteries of the blender interface which all new artists to this software face.  His instructions are so thorough that they answered some of my lingering questions even though I had been acquainted with Blender through my modeling efforts.  This book covers modeling a rowboat, oars,  a sailboat, an island, a tree, animating the oars, using key frames, cameras, the graph editor, dope sheet and the  video editing sequencer.

Here are some the book's highlights:

Chapter One the author discusses the history of animation and computer graphics and gives the reader a few assignments: watch animations and collect your favorite animations.
Chapter Two:  covers the Blender interface, the author guides the reader through a series of exercises: re-sizing the view port, the visual differences in orthographic vs. perspective, and navigating the view port.

Chapter Three describes the lamp, how it looks in the view port, how to move it and guides the reader through a series of lighting exercises.
Chapter Five guides the reader to build a row boat using box modeling techniques and extruding vertices.

Chapter Ten Gordon explains how to use the Ant Landscape add-on to procedurally generate a crescent shaped island.  He guides the reader to use the Sapling add-on to generate a realistic looking tree.  He uses the array modifier to make a pier.  He models the portals of a sailboat using a Boolean modifier.

Chapter Eleven I see advanced lighting techniques that I haven't encountered in other Blender books, cookies!  Cookies apply textures to lighting.  The first time I encountered cookies was with Unity software.  The author uses cookies to provide mood lighting.  He also explains how to use curves in lighting to focus on a specific area.

Other topics covered in this book include planning your animation, examples of using a storyboards,  camera techniques Dolly vs zoom, compositing using nodes, dope sheet, graph editor, adding audio, how aspect ratio affects what gets cropped out of a picture and cycles rendering.  This book is for a beginner, but it guides them to excellence.

To find out more about this book here's the link :
https://www.packtpub.com/hardware-and-creative/blender-3d-basics-second-edition

Making Fortress Island

It began with a simple doodle almost resembling a sunny side up egg.  Why model an island? Unity offered a challenge: make an island using your favorite 3d software and post it sketchfab. I downloaded the latest version of Blender 2.72.  I was excited to open the new version of Blender and I saw a new tabs vertically arranged on the left.  I clicked on the create tab and saw cone, cube, tube, sphere and torus meshes.  I added a circle to my scene and extruded up forming a pumpkin shaped fortress.  I extruded the top ledge then extruded down.  I selected the bottom vertices and extruded outward the rest of the island.

I modeled my palm trees, made a UV map of the island and applied textures of sand and water.  I made a normal map of my textures using GIMP software. In Blender I enabled the sketchfab export add-on by checking the box in user preferences and saving my preferences. The upload tab appeared on the bottom left.  I uploaded my model to sketchfab as a .blend file and then added my UV map and adjusted the material settings.  I added a treat for my island a Milkyway background from sketchfab and a vignette effect.  I enjoyed peering into my small magical landscape and zooming in on the palm trees.

island by ravenking99 on Sketchfab

island fortress by ravenking99 on Sketchfab

My first model in Sketchfab

Hello folks.  I am delighted to share with you my first  3D model on Sketchfab.  With Sketchfab's embedded player you will be able to zoom in on my spaceship  using your scroll button, turn the model around  by holding down the left mouse button and dragging the view left or right. 

I invite you to take it for a spin. 

crystal shuttle by ravenking99 on Sketchfab

Book Review: 3D Printing with Rep Rap Cookbook

3D Printing with RepRap Cookbook was written by Richard Salinas for the reader who has a Rep Rap 3D printer and is ready to learn how to print better models.  The author guides the reader through numerous printing exercises involving calibration, flow rate and test models.  Numerous color photos show print results using ABS and PLA filaments.

Chapter one shows the reader how to take photos of an actual object and stitch them up with 123D Catch to make a 3D model.  I enjoyed reading chapter three which shows how to install a David Laserscanner using a webcam and a common laser to scan small objects.  I also found clear images of host interfaces like Repetier which you install on your computer to control your printer. The author also compares slicing programs Slic3r and Skeinforge interface as well photos of the printed results.

Richard describes 3D modeling with TopMod to create organic forms with carefully designed support meant to be strong and easier to remove from the printed model which is knowledge that can only be gained by experience.  He shows how to fix mesh problems with MeshLab for manifold issues, inverted mesh, as well as reducing the amount of polygons of dense models.  He adds textures to his lovely starfish model with meshmixer.  The author shows the lattice technique to prevent printed filament from curling up and distorting the model.  He also discusses trouble shooting the actual 3D printer and common issues like a loose heatsink.

You can find more information of this book by clicking on 3D Printing with Rep Rap Cookbook
as well as this link  http://bit.ly/1jAyZ2U
You can find more information about Richard by visiting his website http://www.3dprintedsculpture.com/

My first game asset

I recently made my first game asset. I crafted a low poly model which I named Ralphy using Blender 3D.
I used a texture from a digital artwork I made a while ago using GIMP to modify a photo of a geranium to look like gold leaf.  I added my texture to the UV map.  I planned for a simple animation using only three keys and twenty frames.  I then exported my .blend file as a Collada file with a .dae extension to a Unity folder named models and inserted Ralphy to a tropical scene.
Next I plan to further my modeling skills by sculpting a spaceship in Blender 3D.

Book Review: Blender Cycles: Lighting and Rendering Cookbook by Bernardo Iraci

Reading this book I came to realize how Blender can produce images with photorealism accuracy.  Bernardo Iraci's recipes are float point precision from RGB colors, Index of Refraction to factoring levels in mixing nodes.  Photographic terms: depth of field, bokeh effect and exposure levels are used.  The author begins by discussing GPU vs. CPU and video cards.  He introduces the reader to the three point light system using emitting planes and gives those lighted mesh subtle hues.  I like the way he lights the environment.  An hdr image is loaded in the environment texture which adds reflection. He uses sun position along with an IBL plug in and chooses Latitude, Longitude and Time settings for the outdoor landscape.  Grass is made with the particle system which is ready for animation.  He guides the reader for changing the scenes.  The interior scene with plant, lamp, chair bathed in sunlight becomes night.  IES, a plug in used by professionals, saves on polygon count.  Throughout the book the author maintains focus on the lighting,  IOR, rendering time, nodes while he develops textures for a glass full of water,  a glass of wine, bottle of wine, grapes,  a car with realistic reflections, toys inside a space ship, and a model of a young lady by the sea.

From Pinterest to Upcycling

Whenever I pour over my Pinterest boards I think about the projects I've seen and what I would I want to make. Upcycling or if you prefer recycling is an art form.   I would like to make a stain glass embedded wall as seen on my Pinterest boards of earthag homes, cob, earthship using empty bottles.  I am not a vegetarian, but I would like to make millet milk and cookies, because in same process you get both.  Strain the grain/nut milk and bake the paste with a little bit of sugar.  The 30 day drawing challenge could be used to make character and environment art which could become game assets.

What have I tried? Well, I took my broken rake into the kitchen and mounted on the wall so that it now holds salad tongs, tea strainer, wooden spoon, measuring cups.  I also turned an empty Chantilly box into a shelf.  The shelf carries my favorite collection of nail polish.  I cut the plastic cover and hot glued it.  I cut washers from the plastic and hung it on the wall with small brass screws.  Voila!

Book Review : Blender Cycles: Materials & Textures Cookbook written by Enrico Valenza in 2013

Blender Cycles: Materials & Textures Cookbook written by

Enrico Valenza in 2013.
What I like about this book are the features "How to do it" and "How it works" which follows each project describing why he chose the methods and why it works.

Chapter One is a gentle introduction taking the reader through a step by step process with color photos.  The author explains how increasing the sampling rate reduces the fireflies in a 3D image.  He shows how mesh lights produce a soft diffuse light.  He uses an hdr image to produce light effects on the subject while giving the reader the option to make the hdr image disappear while keeping the effect which seems like magic.

Chapter two the author shows how to organize in order to save time when beginning a new texture as well as providing the reader a way to modify just one file instead of a series of files.  It begins with a spheroid on a plane.

The rest of the book involves precise recipes using nodes, different textures like the Voroni texture which has a high degree of realism in its crunchy looking texture.  Other texture from the Blender cycles render include fresnel, dislacement, Musgrave and noise to achieve a variety of texture projects ice, running water, sand, metal, bronze, stone, polystyrene, bakelite, glass, sponge, rubber, wood, cloth, tree bark, tree leaves,  ocean, spaceship hull and Earth.

My favorite projects come from chapter five ocean surface and under water environment.  The author constructs the ocean surface using three node groups: one for the basic ocean plane,  another for reflections holds fresnel, reflective and IOR values while a third node holds foam location values.  For the underwater environment the author begins with a cube rescaled twenty one times.  He uses a subdivision modifier, ocean modifier geometry displacements.  For both ocean projects he uses the linear extrapolation to make the ocean animation constant.  Why did he use a cube for the underwater project is for the quality of lighting.

Book Review: The Dragon's Call

The Dragon's Call written by K.W. Mc Cabe is a romantic fantasy focusing on the young lives of Derek, Cecily and her battle born father.  Cecily discovers a forbidden love while uncovering the hidden truth about herself.  Issues of inequality permeate a post war dragon run world while the fact that humans are disappearing after curfew remains in hushed whispers.

Source: amazon.com via Ann on Pinterest

     Todd was born in the year of the dragon, anno draconis.  Human weaponry awoke dragons from their sleep thus began the war.  Todd relives his memories fighting the dragons with their best weapons.  He lives with PTSD and his isolation from society became severe after his wife is snatched seconds after curfew while he and his daughter are watching from inside the house.

     Cecily is a teenager who is surprised to find a dragon attending her class because in the dragon run world dragons and humans are segragated.  Dragons live in luxury of the dragon enclave while humans live in the delapidated neighborhood.  Don't smile....don't look.  Cecily tries to act on what her father told her about dragons.  Looking at a dragon in human form means falling under their spell.

    Derek born in luxury for his mother is the queen dragon.  He has an antagonistic relationship with his half brother and his rebellious nature leads him to seek the human enclave.  Both Derek and Cecily develop an inexplicable fondness for one another.  Aknowledging their forbidden love is dangerous.  Discussions about humans disappearing after curfew make Cecily wonder if she can really trust this dragon?

Vsit the author's website.  http://kwmccabe.blogspot.com/

Calendar Enchanting Kingdom by RavenKing
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Unbound and Reaper Cover Reveal

The world of ghosts and spirits is nothing new to eighteen year old Anora Benson; she’s spent her whole life trying to ignore them, trying to be normal. But when the Pricolici, a group of ancient bounty hunters, are sent after her, Anora realizes she is more than just a medium. 

As a witch she has power, power she doesn’t know how to use, power that makes her vulnerable to the demons that desire her gifts. Anora is alone and scared, forced to face the darkness on her own. Then she meets Ethan, a mysterious boy who shows up in her life right along with the magic, and he seems to know quite a bit about her and her legacy Coven. Will she risk everything by trusting him or risk fighting alone?

https://www.createspace.com/3736330

http://www.amazon.com/Unbound-The-Guardian-Legacies-ebook/dp/B005YTMZQY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1349475118&sr=8-2&keywords=unbound+emily+goodwin

After discovering her destiny as a witch, Anora is on a mission to find out everything she can about the magical world. Unbeknownst to her, the creatures of that world are trying to find out everything they can about her…and the people closest to her.

With Ethan and Hunter to protect her, Anora feels safe and happy with her new life. That is, until she begins to be plagued with terrifying visions that only she can see, leaving her full of fear and doubt. What if the hallucinations are real? What if there is something dark out there that can attack her from within?


If Anora can’t even trust herself, who can she turn to?

Enter for a chance to win both copies of the books Reaper and Unbound.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/7dccaf11/

Emily Goodwin resides in Indiana, where she lives with her husband, many four legged children and their much loved German Shepherd named Vader. Accused of being a day dreamer, Emily began writing at an early age, making use of her active imagination. She has a degree in psychology, is currently working on her second degree in nursing, likes anything paranormal, 80's rock, going on crazy adventures with her friends and is an animal rights activist.

www.emily-goodwin.blogspot.com

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12954989-unbound

Mischief tee shirt by RavenKing
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Kelpie Rider tee shirt by RavenKing
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Lovely Blog Award

Thank you Suzy Henderson for nominating my blog.

Seven random facts about me:
1. I met numerous talented writers and artists through my blog.
2.  I enjoy reading books from fiction to software. I read the Gimp Bible, Inkscape book and an Invent Games with Python.

3. I registered to take An Introduction to Interactive Programming in Python course through Coursera.  I  am attending Rice University.  The course is free and this knowledge will help me explore making video games.  In my second week I have explored boolean values and made a mini text program with a variation of rock paper scissors lizard Spock.

Source: ravensartshack.deviantart.com via Ann on Pinterest

4. I am a fan of GIMP software my latest artwork, Guinevere was done in in this software from start to finish.  I used airbrush at varying levels of opacity.

5.  I think I learn something new everyday. I am living in an allergy garden.  Why do I say that?  I am surrounded for miles in every direction by sagebrush which is related to ambrosia, also known as ragweed.  You would think with a name like ambrosia, food of the gods,  would be a super food.  Where is ambrosia?  It is here...ah...choo.

6.  I like making music from candy box, keyboard or virtual instrument.

7.  I opened a new zazzle store and you can see some of at my deviantart gallery.  I have designed tee shirts, kindle cases, pillow cases, ipad cases.

I have the pleasure to nominate 15 bloggers for the lovely blog award.  If you choose to accept name who nominated you with their link, tell 7 random facts about yourself and nominate at least 15 other bloggers and post the lovely blog award pic in pink!
One note, I wanted to mention these ladies and some of their accomplishments and that means more than one link.


Julia Hanna is an artist writer one of her latest book reviews Book Review: Our Lady of Kafeng by Aya Katz. Sweetbearies is her personal blog she writes about her her art.  At hubpages she writes very interesting book reviews and art tutorials. See some of her art here. I read her columns at the http://www.examiner.com/budget-crafting-in-national/julia-hanna
she writes about art, writers and crafts. Here Julia interviews Aya Katz and her latest novel.

Aya Katz is a primatologist has both a newspaper The Aya Katz Daily and blog named Notes from the Pens and is a writer who illustrates her own books she runs Inverted A Press and I saw a charming photo of this author.


Mary Bookhound formed a huge an active group at bookblogs.ning where bloggers of books can post book reviews and cover real.  http://bookblogs.ning.com/group/networkyourblog?xg_source=activity
She has two lovely blogs. http://maryinhb.blogspot.com/
http://foreveryoungadult.blogspot.com/

    I have had a sneek peek at  Shah Wharton's newest novel in the making Finding Esta and have attended her many blog hops which she has hosted. Her blog http://shahwharton.com/
Her is her book trailer.

Source: amazon.com via Ann on Pinterest

Claude Dancourt has a clever, lovely blog.  She has a delightful sense of humor.  Read her latest novel set in Camelot cocooned in intrigue, romance, humor and magic.
http://www.claudedancourt.webs.com/
https://twitter.com/ClaudeDancourt

Carly Labuschagne
Her lovely book trailer has illuminated this blog. http://www.carlylelabuschagne.com/index.html

K.W. Mc Cabe is a talented author who writes in the fantasy romance genre.  Stay tuned to this blog.  I will write a book review of her latest book The Dragon's Call. Visit her blog here http://kwmccabe.blogspot.com/

and here

http://kwmdigest.blogspot.com/

Source: amazon.com via Ann on Pinterest

Source: livinglibraryblog.com via Ann on Pinterest

Shanon is having an exciting contest for her new book.  Her site is wonderful with a banner displaying King Arthur and the words

"the Dark Celtic Fairytale, Creatures of the Night both real and imagined"…

http://livinglibraryblog.com/?page_id=1070 

Christine Rice is an energetic writer who writes very informative books.  She edits and you can visit her site here. http://christinerice-author.com/

Source: amazon.com via Ann on Pinterest

Maria Luisa Arnaiz
I see beautiful yet erotic paintings and thought provoking poems in Spanish. I do visit this site, yet I don't understand Spanish. Fulva Lux is the name of this blog http://mlarnaiz13.blogspot.com/

Reading with Anacasia focuses on romantic sexy novels in the fantasy genre. Check out her lovely widgets.
http://readingwithanacrasia.blogspot.com/

Source: smashingmagazine.com via Ann on Pinterest

Jesica Hische posts her beautiful designs at http://www.dailydropcap.com/# she invites people to visit her site and allows them to use her designs at personal (non commercial) blog posts.

Maureen writes about art in her blog Writing Without Paper. http://writingwithoutpaper.blogspot.com/

Source: 365sketches.org via Ann on Pinterest

John Lemansey creates an image each day. View his site here. Many of the Images were created with inkscape. http://365sketches.org/

Source: examiner.com via Ann on Pinterest

Wayne Tully captures demons and zombies on paper. http://drawfantasyart.com/

Book Review: Return to Caer Lon

Return to Caer Lon was written by Claude Dancourt.  The story begins at the height of drama.  Queen Ylianor shields her young son Derek while the castle is being attacked by fireballs.  King William Pendragon sends his wife and child away from Camelot so he can fight his foe, Wolfryth a despicable sorcerer who kills him.

The story fast forwards fifteen years later.  Derek has grown to be a tall handsome man who looks and acts like his late father. Derek is eager to claim back Camelot and avenge his father's death.  He feels competing in tournaments is frivolous use of his time. Ylianor  raised her son within the Haven's walls overlooking the sea and  became an herbalist who has been treating Derek's favorite antagonist, Sacha for nightmares which are actually visions.  Sacha a raven haired young lady is a seer.  Residents of Haven snicker because Derek and Sacha would make a lovely couple, but they can't stand eachother due to their frictitous relationship.

Source: amazon.com via Ann on Pinterest

The adventure unfolds after Sebastian, Sacha's cousin, and Ewlyn, Sacha's twin brother,  go missing after scouting the area of Pemfro.  Sacha finds a wounded and unconscious Sebastian.  Both Derek and Sacha ask permission for a search party to find her brother, but are denied permission. The following scene made me laugh.  One night Sacha sneeks into Derek's quarters.  He was relieved that she wasn't naked under her cloak.  She wasn't sure if she should consider that an insult.  They sneek into the night on horseback.  Gee,  seems romantic, but they take turns teasing eachother and getting angry.  I think it is remarkable how two people who can't get along would decide to go on trip together.

Their relationship takes an arc from almost childish bickering to a sense of curiosity when they stay in the inn.  They sleep on separate beds.  Their relationship deepens in the cave after she almost drowns.  They develop feelings of concern and lust which they try to conceal from eachother.
This story explores magic as well as honor. Sacha has elemental powers while her bother has Earth powers.  She continues to have visions that suggest she should turn back.  They are unaware that Wolfryth is watching them through Sacha.  A riddle replays in their mind: the blood of a dragon will reveal the source.  Ewlyn is tortured and kept in a dungeon by Wolfryth.  Ewlyn tells his sister via telepathy that he is in Caer Lon, a forgotten city.  Sacha has a difficult time trying to convince Derek because he considers the city a myth and he is very sceptical of magic.
Derek and Sacha are in danger.  They travel alone without telling anyone.  Thugs with swords roam the streets.  They visit a monastery for clues to Caer Lon.  Derek peaks his interest upon learning his Pendragon heritage intertwines with the lost city.
I highly recommend this book. At times I laughed while eager to finish this book of magic and romance.

You can find Return to Caer Lon at amazon
You can visit her blog http://www.claudedancourt.webs.com/
Visit her on twitter https://twitter.com/ClaudeDancourt
Goodreads...good reading!
 http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5157110.Claude_Dancourt?auto_login_attempted=true

Win a digital copy of Return to Caer Lon
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/4a60c98/

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My First Python Class

I am so excited to be taking my first computer programming course An Introduction into Interactive Programming in Python.  I enrolled through Coursera at  Rice University and this is my first week.  This online class  will teach me how to make a video game! I will be learning the basics about programming in the python language which includes importing a gui, a graphical user interface and event handling which includes what happens after the button is clicked.  What will you see if you join this class?  Video lectures, course material, code skulptor which allows you to code online through your browser and online forums to ask questions or discuss issues with other students.  I found the sytatical shortcut '+=' to be an interesting feature.  Here's an example: if a = 3
                                   a += 2
The answer is 5 because we added 3 + 2.
I also found modulus math interesting, especially the remainder which is a form of division.
Here's an example: 4 % 4
The answer results in 0, because although 4 divided by 4 equals 1, the remainder is zero.  There are no left overs in this equation.
 Click  here to read more about this course. Hurry class begins October 15, 2012.
Did I mention the class is free!

I drew my second vector drawing with inkscape.  I think Lucinda is ready for Halloween and I call this drawing Lucinda's First Bite.


Lucinda's First Bite by ~ravensartshack on deviantART

I See You pet bowl by RavenKing
Browse other cat bowl designs on Zazzle.

My first inkscape Drawing

I am beginning to learn how to use inkscape to make my first vector drawing.  Because I am so fond of entering contests I decided to enter the Mountain Dew contest so that I would have a deadline for making my drawing.  The size is small at 600 x 600 pixels and it took about four hours to make.  The palette was limited to 5 colors which they provided four along with the logo.  Restrictions help keep my design simple since this drawing could wrap around a soda can. I made a spider from the mountain ridges covered in fresh snow.  What I found interesting in drawing with inkscape is that when you draw your shape you can choose a different color for the outline than the fill.   Each shape or line is a layer and you can alter it by moving the nodes or simply selecting it to stretch it. Mountain Dew contest ends October, 10.

This is my second variation of my Mountain Dew entry. I decided to make the snow shine by changing the opacities of the snow.  Which do you think is better snow plates or snow shine?

 

There is one more contest that I might enter.  The author is hosting a contest on her blog to design a book cover about a samurai who travels between the living and the dead. 

Or you can see the link on deviantart.

The contest ends October31, 2012.

Psst...psst...hey...you can visit my zazzle store and flip through my calendar pages.  :)

Calendar Enchanting Kingdom by RavenKing
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September Collection

Today's post includes all the artworks I made this month.

This is Mishchief the original I drew on paper with my bic red and blue pens.


Mischief by ~ravensartshack on deviantART

This is Mischief after I enhanced in GIMP.

Mischief too by ~ravensartshack on deviantART

The effects are subtle.

This next before and after are very strikingly different.  Here I drew Sunny with my bic pens and colored pencils.


Sunny by ~ravensartshack on deviantART

Sunny becomes an icon after I used alien map in GIMP. 



Mary by ~ravensartshack on deviantART

I entered a contest Stockpocalypse and I felt it challenged me to become a story teller and try to imagine an event that could have changed many lives.  I wanted a message of hope and here are my two versions of a New Tribe.

Source: ravensartshack.deviantart.com via Ann on Pinterest

A New Tribe Before and After Noon.

Source: ravensartshack.deviantart.com via Ann on Pinterest

I made my first calendar. Hurray! You can flip through the pages online at my zazzle store

Source: zazzle.com via Ann on Pinterest

I drew Fay and Kelpie on paper and enhanced with alien map in GIMP to make this tee shirt.

Source: zazzle.com via Ann on Pinterest

Mary tee shirt.

Source: zazzle.com via Ann on Pinterest

I even made a guitar out of a candy box and played music. :)


I hope you too have fun writing or creating stuff!

Contest: Stockapocalypse

I am excited by this contest because it encourages the visual artist to look outside of the form on the blank canvas to become a storyteller.  Take a moment and ask yourself the question: what if?  The contest involves the scary idea of apocalypse.  How did it happen?  If you enjoy drawing or manipulating photos you can still submit some art till October 5, 2012.  You must use one of the stock images provided and be a deviantart.com member which you can join for free.
I browsed the gallery and found images with zombies, alien invasion with varying shades or horror.
I was so inspired that I decided tell my story.

Source: ravensartshack.deviantart.com via Ann on Pinterest

I made my New Tribe in two versions A New Tribe before and After Dawn where this family finds a plane and A New Tribe before and after Noon when they walk along a  train.  I drew the figures with airbrush while the sky I used cora balls brush.  I made them completely in GIMP.  The word "Air" I made with my own digital brush after I took pictures of the native sagebrush in my back yard. I made her armored bra with my digital brush which I made out of a sequin image.

Source: ravensartshack.deviantart.com via Ann on Pinterest

A few years have passed since the incident that changed everyone's lives. Some say it was a polar shift that caused the pulse that shut down technology.  Many lives were affected.  A new tribe rose along with hope.
Elders often talked about the technology they missed, but they also explain how the event brought them together.  Some villagers moved to more fertile ground building yurts or earthbag homes, cooking with solar ovens and woodstove.  Curious to see what once flew in the sky or hauled cargo on tracks many make a pilgrimage to visit the mammoth sized vehicle covered in silence and shrubs.  A child smiles and imitates the flight of a plane which makes a poignant image in time.


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My Favorite Tee Shirts

Today I will be posting my thoughts and some flash fiction about my favorite wardrobe. These tee shirts are availabe on zazzle.


Gardeners Make Better Lovers
I designed this tank to be naughty for the image resembles a bandaid designed to highlight the feminine form.  A figure hides among the lush tropical flowers.  Her red lips offer a kiss to her lover, but he must find her first.

Gardeners Make Better Lovers ladies tank top by RavenKing
Browse Red T-Shirts

There's A Dragon In My Salad depicts a playful dragon wriggling in a green salad.  Kids sometimes pose a challenge for healthy eating habits.  "Mom, who told you I eat vegetables?"  The little buckaroo asked before inspecting a piece of lettuce. I remember growing up and wondering how many attempts till I learned to like carrot salad or brocolli.  Mom still has so much patience with me.  Thanks, mom.

There's a dragon in my salad tee shirt by RavenKing
Get a custom made tshirt.

If you would like to draw your own dragon with my paint software follow my link to
Draw A Baby Dragon tee

A Good Date tee shirt by RavenKing
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A Good Date tee shirt Star Date 2525  (a flash fiction about this tee shirt)
It had taken him about two hours to foil his hair for no dude would want to woo his date with naked hair.  Of course not.  The evning before he had gone to the gym to upgrade his calf muscles, not that he needed it, no. 
Today Ruby had her hair polished at the salon and it blazed like red satin.  The stylist threw a caveat at her feet.  "If you get caught in a plasma storm it might make your erect hairstyle prostrate.  Ruby mulled over the words.  The weather report suggested a small percentage of a plasma storm approaching the city limits. 
He came to pick her up at their first date.  He knocked on her shop door Everything Vintage circa 2050.  She dusted her funny little nick knacks.  "Let me get you your shawl."  His silk jacket whisked her bare shoulder.  They stepped one foot outside and got caught in the plasma storm.

Here is another version of my happy couple caught in a plasma storm available as a print.

Source: ravensartshack.deviantart.com via Ann on Pinterest

Source: zazzle.com via Ann on Pinterest

All Natural tee depicts a green pony.
I wanted to design an image that reminds me of summer meets Autumn.  I made a pony out of flowers I captured in the grocery store.  What if a topiary became a horse?  I would expect it to enter a maze, throw a look over its shoulder as if to ask,"Will you join me?"

Blue Thunder Horses tee shirt by RavenKing
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Blue Thunder
I was inspired by the wild Nevada horses when I designed this tee shirt, but mythology also played a part in the inspiration.  Odin's horse Slepnir was an eight legged horse that came from the sky. I envisioned a moment when a brooding sky grows battlship grey clouds that creep down the foothills.  Hot flash and thunderous reverberation release a herd of electric blue horses.  I could imagine the power unleashed and their hearts racing as they make their escape.