I'm getting serious about improving, (ha, who are we kidding) getting some computer skills, these days. It's not that I'm going to completely change the way I work, I just want to stay on top of things, use my time wisely and make the most of my options, That said, it's a lot of fun!
As you can see I'm a total beginner, but I'm practicing with some images from my desktop, so kitty got to travel.
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| cat in the mountains (homage to Ferdinand Hodler) |
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At this point I'm a bit of a
Skillshare addict. I had started a couple of classes before, and now that they've switched to a membership format, I get kind of dizzy with all the choices. I haven't actually completely finished and posted a project/assignment yet, but I've already learned a lot (I also learned the hard way to keep hitting "save" as you go along). If you're a newbie like me, you might be interested in this list of recommended free Photoshop
tutorials I encountered today. I have a collection of similar helpful links on a
Pinterest board.
Have a good weekend friends!
Today, I'll end the series with some tips for using your mobile office to help you manage your writing life. These ideas can help you work better so you can achieve your writing goals.Make It a Habit
One common problem for those of us who try to work writing in with our busy lives is making the time to write. Unfortunately, nobody has made an app yet that adds a couple hours to the day or makes our day jobs go away or extends the kids' nap time. However, there is a class of apps that enforces good habits and helps to break bad habits. These can be used to remind us to write, and to check our progress against our goals.Apps like HabitBull (Android, free) and Way of Life (iOS, free for three habits, $3.99 for more) let you set goals. These apps can be configured with whatever parameters you want. Use them to cut down your soda intake, or to spend more time doing something you love, like writing. For example, if you want to write three days a week, you can set a habit reminder that asks you every day if you have written. You wouldn't want to disappoint your tablet, right? The Habit Editor in HabitBull
In addition to yes/no goals like whether you wrote today, you can set number-based goals. Want to write 1,000 words a day? Set that up as a habit, then set a reminder each night that asks you how many words you wrote.
Each habit app is a little different, so look for one that will suit your goals. Keeping Focused
To meet your goals, you need to stay focused.One simple use for your tablet or, especially, your phone, whether you're mobile or stuck at the office is a timer. A timer can you keep you focused. Make a goal to write for a solid hour without checking Facebook or email or grabbing another root beer float at your favorite cafe, then set a timer and don't stop writing until it goes off.
There are tons of timer apps, and they all do what a timer does, so really it probably doesn't matter which one you use. Two I like on Android are Timers4Me+ and Timely Alarm Clock. Both support multiple timers, alarms, and include a stopwatch. Again, I'm not sure what to recommend for your iPad or iPhone, but it really doesn't matter much. A timer is a timer. You can make it pretty, give it fancy options, or whatever, but in the end, it keeps track of time and lets you know when time is up. Track Your Progress
Anybody who has learned about goal-setting has learned that an important part of meeting your objectives is to make your goals measurable. The apps I've mentioned so far will help you do that. But another way to measure your goals is to track your progress.
The
Writeometer app for Android helps you meet your goals. It includes a timer and a writing log, and gives you rewards (guavas) if you meet your goals. For every writing project, you can set your total word count goal and your daily writing goal, and you can set a deadline date. Then, you can set reminders to kick you in the pants. By gamifying your goal tracking, Writeometer keeps you more engaged, and helps you feel good when you accomplish what you set out to do.
Writeometer log
If your goals are fairly basic, such as writing 50,000 words in November, you might like an app like
NaNoProgress, also for Android. The concept is simple: enter your wordcount for each session and the app displays a bar showing your progress toward 50,000 words.
Those apps are great for Android users, but what about authors who use an iPad or iPhone? They have options as well, such as
Word Tracker. I didn't find anything quite as fancy or fun as Writometer, but all you need, really, is a place to enter your goals and measure your progress.
Keep a Journal
Finally, many Utah writers come from a background where keeping a journal is encouraged. A writing journal (see "The Writer's Journal," a post on this blog from way back in 2009), helps you be accountable to yourself, and helps you vent those natural writing insecurities so they don't build up inside you. You can track your objectives, note ideas and problems that need to be fixed, and remind yourself where your next session is supposed to start. Writeometer includes simple journaling functionality, and the app stores include tons of journal apps. You can use one of those, or you can use the note apps or writing apps we've already talked about in this series. You don't need anything fancy. The only thing you need is something you like writing in so you are motivated to keep your journal.And So...
There you have it, pretty much everything you need for the well-equipped mobile office. By choosing the approach that works best for you at each step of the writing process, you can easily break the chains of a desk and write wherever inspiration hits you best. Or, if you still do most of your writing in your office (I call my home office my
Schreibwinkel), you have everything you need if an idea strikes while you are on the road. Your writing comes from your own brilliant mind, so doesn't it just make sense to have your office wherever that mind of yours happens to be? Even if you prefer the routine of writing in the same place every day, sometimes the best cure for writer's block is a simple change of scenery. If your computer screen becomes the intimidating monster that sucks your creative juices, get away from it for a while.
I hope you have enjoyed this series, and that it helps you to be more productive. The key to writing, it is said, is putting your butt in the chair. But nobody says it always has to be the same chair in the same place. It's 2014. You don't have to lash yourself to a desk anymore. Enjoy your freedom and let the words flow wherever they come to you.
Part two of prison commission work
Progress shot for a commission work for Amnesty
A thing for a show, work in progress
Each time I'm finish a piece like this I think: well that's something I will not be drawing again.
I think I will hesitate doing another commission cockpit piece, it really takes it toll.
Sorry about the product placement (the paper brand), you can zoom it below
I wasn't feeling well over the last several days, so there's little progress to report on. I did, however, start on the Strawberry Girl, laying down some base colors.
There's still a good amount of work to do on her, but she's started. I wish I had used a specific model - it would save time in detemining certain angles, shadows, etc. Of course, finding a gigantic strawberry for the model to hold might be a challenge...
Made for the
Beatles tribute show at gallery Nucleus. The Beatles have always played a great part of my life. I'm not sure how many times me and my sister saw the film Help as children, a good part of the references come from that film (even though I think the tiger in the film had a different color sceme)
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love this. Could you maybe do video of how you draw/ink this? Maybe sped up. Would really enjoy watching you work :)
Guau... great image... Sometimes I think you're crazy. But I love it.
Best wishes from Buenos Aires...
http://www.alexiev.com.ar/
Proyectos - Illustrations
Alexiev Store - venta de originales
@alexievg en twitter
Mirame en Art Attack
Mirame en Art Attack de nuevo
what a great work! I'm excited...
Congrats!!! It looks fantastic!
Amazing !
Your work AMAZES me. You must be the most patient man on the planet. :-) Love it. xox