The Pen and Inkpot

As of a few months ago, I had never touched Photoshop in my life. Now, I use it for everything. At first, it seemed a little daunting and extremely frustrating (at times it still is) but I have come a long way since then. Once you have grasped the main concepts of the program and become familiar with the basic tools, you can do anything. I want to share with you, through a three part sequence, the fundamental knowledge for a beginner wanting to learn how to use Photoshop.  DISCLAIMER: I am not an expert and all shortcuts and tips are relevant for mac computers with Adobe Photoshop CC 2017 Photoshop works in layers. This is really important to keep in mind when using Photoshop.  For example, if you open a new document in Photoshop, the background will probably be white. That is one layer. If you draw a rectangle shape, that is on a separate layer, if you add text, that is on another layer.  This all means that it is easy to undo and remove ele...

"The Shadow of the Wind" is an extremely unique novel, set in the crumbling streets of Barcelona during the 1940s. It is written in the style of a classic novel even though it was published in the early 2000s and it is historical fiction mingled with mystery and horror. The story is so complex, my mind is boggled by the author's ability to create such a masterpiece. It has everything that I love in a novel: books, mystery, a beautiful setting and amusing characters. Daniel is only ten years old when his father takes him to the Cemetery of Forgotten Books where he is drawn to one particular novel, "The Shadow of the Wind" by Julian Carax. The beauty of the story captivates the young boy and ignites in him a burning curiosity to unravel the dark mystery surrounding the author's past. Little does he know that this will lead him into a dangerous side of Barcelona which he never knew existed. I was pleasantly surprised by this novel's capacity to ...

Readers like to play it safe. Once they find a few genres they like, they refuse to read anything of a different style. Romance, crime, sci-fi and young adult fiction seem to be what’s popular at the moment, but there are so many other genres and sub-genres to explore, many of which you may never have heard of before. Picaresque This genre, originating from Spain, refers specifically to stories told about the travels and adventures of a rough but appealing hero told in a series of humourous episodes. Usually focusing on the everyday lives of ordinary people, picaresque novels take a satirical approach to storytelling. Steam Punk A blend of science fiction and historical fiction but also found in the fantasy genre, steampunk novels are based on 19 th century steam power machinery and set in a particular time period. The steampunk movement was inspired by the unique fashions that came with the dawn of the use of cogs, engines and steam power which is reflected in the w...

Illuminae sucked me in through its unique story telling style which was quite unlike anything I have read before. The story of a girl ripped from her home on micro planet, "Kerenza" and thrust into a chase through outer space is told through a collection of interviews, reports, surveillance transcripts and text message conversations. I was at first skeptical about how well this would tell the story but it didn't end up disrupting the reading experience at all. Instead, it added interest and gave the reader insight into the characters in a different way. Illuminae is a sci-fi, dystopian romance featuring robots, zombies and space ships which is definitely not what I would usually read.  I would not pick Illuminae as the best bedtime read due to the large amount of death and tragedy experienced by the characters. I found myself quite connected to the main characters and this really made me feel for what they were going through. I was scared for them and grieved...