Quasimodo is retiring from Notre Dame Cathedral and is auditioning bell-ringers.
He runs an ad in the French Gazette. A guy from a nearby village applies. Quasi explains to the applicant that to ring the bell, he must grab the rope as high up as possible, pull it down to the floor and then let go.
“Go ahead, try it!” he says.
Ring the Bell
The guy grabs the rope and pulls it down to the floor, but fails to let go and the rope yanks him up and he bangs his head on the bell on his way up, knocking him unconscious. He falls out of the window to the street below, and to his death.
A crowd gathers below and Quasi runs down to where the dead applicant is lying dead in the street. A passerby asks, “Hey Quasimodo, you know this fellow?”
“No,” says Quasimodo, “but his face rings a bell.”
About a month later, the brother of the dead applicant comes to the Cathedral to apply for the same job. Again, Quasimodo explains how to ring the bell.
“Try it!” he says.
And again the applicant grabs the rope but forgets to let go, banging his own head on the bell and falling to his death on the street below.
Again, Quasi races down to the street and another pedestrian asks, “Yo, Quasimodo, you know this guy?”
“Nope, but he’s a dead ringer for his brother.”
In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “Ha Ha Ha.”
I’ve been experimenting with making textures for 3D models this week using a few programs to make the magic happen. First of all I used Graphic Stock to source some suitable material.
I can totally recommend subscribing to GraphicStock. For a yearly subscription you can download as many images, textures and patterns that you need knowing that you are not infringing copyright. If you’d like to try it out and would like a discount click here to receive 83% off a yearly subscription.
Next up is DAZ 3D. I downloaded a number of outfits and then extracted the UV Map which is the base onto which the texture will be applied.
DAZ 3D Software
The UV map is then imported into Photoshop where I applied some textures. This is then exported back into DAZ 3D where it is applied to the clothing ready to set up the scene with the model.
Here are a few tips and tricks on how to make a texture using Photoshop.
I’ve been nominated for the Liebster Award for up and coming bloggers. Thank you!
Well, it looks like I’ve been nominated for the “Liebster Award,” an award for up and coming bloggers with 200 followers or less! Thanks for my nomination goes to AliMoonGoddess who has one of the coolest tag lines a blog could have, so go check her out 🙂
So without further ado I will answer the questions I have been posed:-
Each month The Wolfsonian Museumopen their doors to budding artists wishing to practice their drawing skills.
My husband and I attended our first session at the end of February. I haven’t used a pencil and paper in a while but they provided the tools and we were ready to pick a subject to draw. I didn’t want to draw just anything so I wandered around for a while looking for something that looked interesting.
My first sketch attempt going back to using pencil and paper.
The drawing is from a painting depicting the Battle of La Marne Verdun in the current exhibition ‘Myth and Machine: The First World War in Visual Culture’. The painting was large but I focused on one small section which had amazing light flooding the scene.
It was a completely different experience. I’ve been so used to drawing on tablet devices that it felt strange to use a real pencil. Not only that, as the museum was open to the public I felt a little self conscious drawing as people wandered around. Occasionally they would look over my shoulder and I wanted to say, “I’m not a real artist. Focus on that painting on the wall by someone who knew what they were doing”. I decided not to be distracted by what I thought people were thinking and just concentrated on what I was doing.
It’s an unfinished drawing but it was a good test piece. The proportions are not quite right – his hand is too big, his jacket is too short, but for a first attempt (and my first foray into public drawing) I was happy that it actually looked like a person if not a completely true representation of the original. I’m looking forward to exploring using pencil and paper again and hopefully improving my technique.
The original – a painting depicting the Battle of La Marne
The session inspired us so much that we ended up visiting our local art shop for supplies. I’m looking forward to seeing improvements in my drawings and Sketching in the Wolfsonian again at the end of March.
Strathmore Windpower Drawing Sketchbook
The sketchbook I selected was a Strathmore Wind power Drawing Pad. This line of artist papers has been made with 100% wind power – a pollution free renewable energy resource. Strathmore is the first (and only) manufacturer in the United States to make paper entirely from wind generated electricity. This heavyweight drawing paper is perfect for finished works of art. The bright white paper is ideal for working with pencil pen charcoal or pastel.
Generals Sketching Pencil 4B
We selected a few charcoal pencils, some interesting erasers and a flat 4B Sketching pencil.
The erasers were very interesting. They each have a specific use depending on what type of pencil you are using and the effect you are trying to achieve. My favorite so far is the Kneaded Eraser.
Artgum by Prismacolor
Artgumblock shaped, dual purpose eraser and dry cleaner. Containing fine dry powder it cleans the drawing surface by absorbing the graphite and dirt.
Kneaded rubber
Kneaded Eraser – this one is excellent for highlighting and cleaning chalks, charcoal, pastels and colored pencils.
Plastic Eraser – easily removes pencil marks from a range of surfaces.
Welcome…you managed to find me in the vast w.w.w universe, so now you’re here you may be wondering whether you should invest your valuable time and little grey cells exploring further. I hope this mini tour helps you discover a sample of some of the topics that hide within…
Cycling – As I’ve had some kind of bicycle most of my life, my posts on this subject will be a mix of my adventures and the places I visit as well as how my bicycle has become a big part of my everyday life. The useful products that I’ve discovered to help make cycling fun and some pictures of my journey. Check out my latest post My Purple Electra Townie Bicycle
Drawing – I never thought I could draw (I still think that…I mean I’m no Michelangelo) but then I started drawing with various apps on my iPad and the more I practiced the more confident I became that maybe I did have some hidden talent. My husband says he can see a certain style in my drawings and I just think everything looks like a cartoon (well apart from the ones that are trying to be a cartoon) but I will share my doodles here from time-to-time and maybe I will inspire you to unlock your inner Michelangelo.
I’m venturing back into the wonderful world of using a pencil and paper which comes with it’s own quirks so look out for my articles on that subject soon.
Did you know there are ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs that depict people with bananas?
There was a time if I went on a journey I would pop a banana in my bag in case I needed an energy boost. However, sometimes I would forget it was there – so the banana would come with me on my adventures and invariably end up back home uneaten and a little worse for wear.
Each time I would take a banana with me it would become known as the Travelling Banana, an expression my husband came up with.
My tagline, Creative Exploring, covers the diverse range of topics that I am interested in and the creative pursuits that I am exploring such as drawing, photography, art, writing, knitting and technology. I also cover my cycling adventures and throw in a recipe or two along the way.
It’s so much fun exploring by bicycle especially when it’s purple!
My main form of transport these days is no longer horse-power but foot power. Last year we purchased a couple of Electra Townie bicycles – one in purple and one in green. They incorporate Electra’s patented flat-foot technology and an upright seated position which redefines how you cycle. It’s more comfortable to ride and the leg and pedal placing seems to be in a natural position for your leg to rest as you cycle.
On a normal bike your feet are angled backwards but on my Electra Purple Townie 7D Bicycle I don’t feel like my knees or hips are strained or forced into the incorrect position and it helps keep my back straight. The seat position allows me to keep my feet flat on the floor when stationary.
Miami is a fabulous place to cycle and has it’s own CitiBike/DecoBike program where you can hire bikes from stations dotted around the county. I won’t go into detail here but you can find out about that scheme and other interesting things you can do in Miami in my article Miami Beach on a Budget. It’s a wonderful program for both locals and visitors alike. If you don’t own a bike or are short on storage space you can still participate in a healthier way to travel. All you have to do is find a docking station so you don’t need to worry about carrying locks or finding somewhere to leave your bike.
Stay Active Sightseeing
However, there are some limitations. Sometimes, at peak or busy times of the year, you may struggle to find a station with enough bikes. The second problem is they may not be working and then finding a docking station that is conveniently located to where you wish to go can become frustrating. Even with some of these problems, it is a great initiative and a step in the right direction which is more than can be said for other parts of the U.S. I don’t mean that in a detrimental way – but we all know the U.S is a big car loving country and walking and cycling is not high up on the list of cool ways to get around. Maybe I can bring you over to the wild side so you can start to think of this as an alternative to get around. It’s cheaper, it’s fun, you can stop anywhere you want without having to pay expensive parking fees, you get fresh air and may even lose some weight along the way.
Here’s a simple but tasty meal that is easy to prepare and even easier to cook. It only uses three main ingredients and a few sauces and spices that you probably already have in the cupboard.
What Do You Need:-
Beef – I used 1½ lbs of top round beef strips. Add a small amount of olive oil to a large frying pan. Lightly brown the beef over a medium heat.
Add 8 large teaspoons of Teriyaki sauce, 4 large teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce and cracked black pepper to the pan. After a minute turn the beef over until coated in the sauce. Cook for a few more minutes then remove from heat and set aside keeping the pan covered.
From time-to-time in the relative calm of Miami Beach you will suddenly hear raging squawks that sound a bit like hysterical laughter. Looking up you will see three or four green birds flying above. Yes, they even “talk” noisily during flight. Occasionally you will see them sitting quietly together on overhead wires but they can’t keep quiet for very long. I guess they have a lot to say and want to tell everyone and anyone who will listen how super happy they are. Why wouldn’t they be…they live in Miami.
I’ve been calling them wild green parrots for a while but I have recently found out that they actually called Mitred Parakeets. I’ve been referring to them as wild green parrots as they are considered feral but I like my description better.
They were imported into the U.S. in vast quantities, around 140,000 birds, from South America in the 1980’s. They settled in New York, Los Angeles and Miami and can still be seen in those areas today.
Have they migrated anywhere else? Have you spotted any Mitred Parakeets in your neighborhood?
Two Mitred Parakeets chilling out together but keeping a beady eye on me. I managed to take quite a few close-ups and they seemed to be interested in what I was doing!
The Mitred Parakeet (Psittacara mitrata), also known as the Mitred Conure (Aratinga mitrata) in aviculture, is a species of green and red parrot in the Psittacidae family. It is native to the forests and woodlands in the Andes from North-Central Peru, South through Bolivia, to North-Western Argentina with introduced populations in California, Florida and Hawaii
They are such pretty birds but extremely loud for their size which can be quite a surprise. You definitely hear them before you see them! Their feathers are bright tropical green with patches of red and occasional yellow flecks. They are nosy and social birds as you can generally spot them in pairs or small groups.
Here are some pictures I’ve managed to capture of our feathery friends:-
Acting aloof
Getting more curious
Looking for a bed for the night
Sitting, Watching, Chatting
Nosy Parakeet but sitting quietly for a change
Keeping quiet but observant
They tend to disappear around November time and return Feb/March.
I’m not sure where they go during that time but it’s nice to have them back.
If you are interested in finding out more about the Mitred Parakeet or Mitred Conure please check out the following links:-
In my, Knitting: Making Socks article, I talked about how my journey into sock making began, the dread of having to deal with four to five needles and how to knit the seemingly complicated sock shape.
Now it’s time to understand The Anatomy of Sock Knitting which hopefully will help you understand how the sock is constructed, so when it’s time to knit you won’t be phased by the pattern instructions and you will have a piece of work that resembles a sock. I’ll also be referencing helpful video tutorials so you can see the magic loop method in action.
If you haven’t checked out my article Knitting: Making Socks check that out first as I explain a much easier method to help you get up and running on your sock knitting journey using the magic loop method.
The Anatomy of Sock Knitting
(Fig ii) Socks are broken down into different areas and each section is knit differently.
The sock is an amazingly well put together collection of different areas. The foot is a complicated shape so it goes hand-in-hand that the sock has a lot going on too. As you can see from my sock diagram (Fig ii) the sock is broken down into seven distinct areas:-
