Flying in a New Direction: the Marvel of Technology in the Artistic Hand!

The Scribe Speaks: S'not easy changing course in mid-flight. However, as time/years/Ages pass (practically Eons in my case!) one learns that each of us has some singular talent/skill/interest/avocation that brings us joy. I love words and stories, ergo I love to write. But even more, I love to create, to imagine and bring what I imagine into a shareable form of reality.

Painting is another but no less important/significant/vital love of mine that has been on the back burner far too long. Color and texture, light and dark, shape and focus and lines and solidity--these visual artifacts are as rich and moving to me as any verb or noun that ever graced a sentence.  Sadly, just as I turn my focus on revitalizing my artistic drive, circumstances and reduced finances limit my access to work  space and paint supplies with which to create art.  Technology, thank Heavens, has swooped in on sleek, leathery wings and provided some wonderful products to replace both space and supplies.  

Instead of canvas or paper, I have a graphics tablet.  I don't need a room in which to work, or even a dedicated corner, because the tablet fits on my lap or desk (next to my laptop) and can be used over and over again.  Instead of a paint brush or charcoal stick or whatever media I choose to use, I have a stylus with round-tipped nibs that are remarkably durable and long lasting.  Instead of paint I have pixels via my Corel Painter program...Voila!  Digital art, as rich and vibrant and creative as anything I've ever generated.  I can 'paint' or draw in any media I choose, on any kind of paper, and have what I paint or draw printed on canvas and/or paper and/or material, to be framed and displayed and/or sewn into something wearable or usable.  Can't do all of that with a single 'paint on canvas' image!

There are some who don't believe that 'painting' in digital form is...real.  S'not 'true' art, so they say.  I've heard the same comment/attitude/argument in regard to e-published books and using an e-reader instead of buying a printed-on-paper book.  I've given this some thought and have come to believe the attitude/argument is based on the primal fear of change. Creativity, imagination, and skill required either to write a novel or paint a picture remain firmly in the realm of the writer/artist, deriving from their brain/mind/soul, spewing from whatever well of creative waters they draw from...the manner in which they present that vision to the world is, in truth, irrelevant.  A good story is a good story...s'got nothing to do with whether it's visible on a screen or a page.  A beautiful work of art is beautiful whether it comes to life from a brush held in hand or a stylus held in hand.  

As Carl Sagan once said, "predispositions bias conclusions."  Many people are predisposed to dislike change, a rather Neanderthal position considering the speed-of-light evolution of computers and smart phones not only year to year, but month to month!  You'd think everyone would embrace change with excitement and gratitude and an adventuresome spirit!

Ah, well, let them denigrate, who will, the validity of digital words and art.  Such narrow critiques don't lessen the impact or truth of a good book or a moving painting.  In my case, technology has given me new life, new creativity, new ability!  I, for one, consider it a marvel!

The Dragon's Scribe Has Spoken...

Tarot: The Cards – a Dragon’s literary/artistic perspective

A human I recently met (to my great pleasure!), Corrine Kenner, who is a magical mistress of analytical divination (she reads cards), has penned a fascinating tome called “Tarot for Writers”.  T'is a stimulating tool for sparking creativity and imagination via the prompt of tarot card imagery and interpretation.

As a Dragon of artistic and literary inclination, I believe it would be fun to taste a few tarot cards—I speak in metaphorical terms, not culinary!—and savor the flavor of the deck. 

For instance…The Fool. What, exactly, is a Fool? In present day, it’s a derogatory appellation—he/she/it (no discriminate by sex or species) is viewed as an idiot, a ridiculous persona, one who acts silly or without true mental skill (in truth, I must claim this characteristic is more common among humans than Dragons).  Or—he/she/it is ‘one who fools’ others; ergo: a trickster, a hoodwink, a con. Neither designation is flattering.  

However, in the Renaissance (a time I remember well), when tarot cards originated, the ‘fool’ was the court jester, whose silliness was connived for entertainment, a mask born of cunning and wit.  S’not so dumb to earn one’s keep in a comfortable setting by playing, well, dumb. 

    

In tarot cards The Fool is 1) “…the happy wanderer who sees the world through the eyes of a child…he represents each of us—naïve travelers through life, off on a grand adventure, out to learn whatever experience the tarot can teach us;” one who “takes a leap of faith” (taken from “Tarot for Writers”).  In the lovely deck my Scribe owns (you didn’t think I could write and type with these claws, did you?), which is, of course, The Dragon Tarot, the Fool is “carelessness, frivolity, immaturity, and spontaneity”; “wild optimism without thought for consequences”. 

S’not really derogatory!  S’not too great to be careless or immature or giving no thought to consequences; however, none of those conditions is to be despised, and they are applicable to so many humans (not Dragons, of course).  Would be a wonder, I think, for more folk to see the world through the eyes of a child; refresh one’s viewpoint, see life as an adventure instead of a great trudge to be tackled one dragging step at a time.  Leaps and bounds, moments of flight (for those of us who have wings) during which the mere escape from gravitation, infinitesimal though it be, sets the heart pounding, the blood flowing, clearing the eyes and mind for maximum input. 

S’no great ‘foolery’, I think, to play the Fool in such a circumstance.

The Fool, visually…Dragon eyes are discerning.  Symbolism is subjective.  The Fool card in The Dragon Tarot depicts an energetic jester dressed in typical jester garb (bright red and green and yellow) on the edge of a cliff, a bag over his shoulder, a small Dragon at this feet.  The Dragon Tarot interpretation: “the bag is full of the natural talents the jester/fool could use to aid his journey, but doesn’t; the small Dragon symbolizes his cautious conscience, warning him to not get carried away and fall of the edge; the image warns one to temper enthusiasm with common sense…”

And what does this Dragon see? Colors!  As an artiste I love color, the simmering, shimmering emotions of tones and hues.  

Red: the color of fire and blood, energy, strength, power, determination—s’any wonder a Dragon loves red?  The Fool is obviously energetic, balancing life with-ah yes!-enthusiasm.  He’s determined to tease danger—foolish?  Perhaps…but these characteristics also express innovation, perseverance, courage.  

Yellow:  the color of sunshine!  S’a happy day to fly high in the warmth of the sun!  The color is associated with joy, happiness, intellect, and energy.  A color that arouses cheerfulness and mental activity.  Ho—anyone who balances on the edge of cliffs should be alert, happy enough with life that they make a point of…not… falling…over!  Yellow sometimes depicts cowardice, but what coward (a wingless one at that!) would walk cliff edges or begin a journey toward the unknown with such tipping/tilting/titillating joy?

Green:  The color of nature, growth, harmony, freshness, fertility!  It suggests stability and endurance (in our world, the ability of plants to survive is phenomenal!).  A balanced man has, indeed, a measure of stability.  At least in his physical aspect.  Green…growth in spirit and knowledge, which a journey may well bring; freshness, surrounded by clear, clean mountain air, and unhindered by the wisdoms of age; harmony, being in agreement/balance with one’s own body/mind/heart…as The Fool’s red, yellow and green are balanced in his garb.

The small Dragon—ah, well, a Dragon likes to think the little guy is serving as a companion on the journey, a tiny watch-Dragon to warn of pitfalls and help the intrepid Fool stay warm in the mountain heights…and perhaps light his campfire at night.  Add a little flame to the mix.  Dragons are, after all, most giving souls.

There you have it—a Dragon’s take on The Fool card.  S’not enough darkness, you say?  What can I tell you?  The only thing I know of darkness are deep caves, starless nights, and my own gullet, which grumbles when empty.  S’darkness enough for me!  

The Dragon has spoken…

Creativity - A Dragon's Thoughts on the Subject

I have been cogitating about creativity. 

Create- to make, generate, fashion, form, produce, craft, or construct something, be it a thought or a physical item.  Ivity- not a word onto itself; however…true cognation can delve beyond the ‘notness’ of it.  Therefore, ivity = I, which is a word onto itself, and vity…ummm…I can grasp good use of the ‘v’, such as vital? Vivid? Voracious?

Is it not a vital activity, to create? Is creation not a vivid release of imagination, vision, insight? To be voracious is to be avid, big, rapacious…insatiable! Creativity is the insatiable explosion of mind into matter.

Creat-i-vity, a lovely tumble of mind to hand and eye.  Of hand and eye to word or brush/stylus.  Of word to sentence, of brush/stylus to image.  Writers and Artists are the creators of Books and Art, and in some cases, both.

 

The Creativity of Books and Art, I think, is the manner by which human beings (and some Dragons, I’ll not exclude intelligent species such as myself!) expand soul and mind, interact, teach, share their culture, their intelligence, their dreams. S’not such a difficult conception! 

Admire ye, then, bipedal and winged beasts alike, the Writers and Artists among you.  How else do you pass on knowledge, insight, memory, beauty, imagination.  I.  Imagine.  A Nation…without Books that connect us to the past, to the current, to the future.  Without Art that visualizes what has been, what is, what will be, what might be.  

Thought.  Pondering.  Ideas.  Color.  Splendor.  Spirit.

Creativity: Admire it. Share it!  The Dragon has spoken.

Good Appetite! S'more than a eating 'Cliche'.

As a Dragon,  a good appetite is something I understand. Takes more than a little nibble to develop appreciable Dragon heft. In this instance, however, I speak not of food/chow/vittles, but of Life, for which a good appetite is every bit as important.  What different does it make to shovel calories into one's great maw/jaw/gullet if they've no motivation for the outcome of such an effort...life?

A short while ago I curled in my cave and enjoyed watching a film called "Julie & Julia", an inspiring tale about two motivated humans (Dragon or not, I've no problem with cross- species entertainment; soul-spark recognizes no physiological boundaries!)  S'not just a 'chick' or 'Dragon' flick, but an excellent presentation of drive, focus on goals, a joy for existence, and the beauty of relationships that survive the difficulties of fierce drive, assiduous focus, and unbounded joy.  All applicable circumstances, I think, for writers and artists to consider in their works.

Writers: what rich characteristics to assign your characters! Driven characters have conflicts, both internal and external.  Focused folks don't always see what's happening around them, either emotionally or intellectually.  More Conflict!  Unbounded joy/happiness/elation can be charming, but can also be irritating to the 'unjoyful' (new word!) among your characters, and it can be a careless and distracting attribute.  If a character is blinded by joy, will they recognize evil?  Threats?  The possibility of  disenchantment?  S'a thick soup of potential issues worthy of spooning into your story development.  

Artists:  Rather than spoon the soup, spatter it on with paint.  Or pixels; whatever your choice of artistic weaponry.  Every emotion has its own color and texture, visible to the eyes and heart of the individual artist.  Subject and style, both or either, can express drive. Focus can relate to the artist or the work, but my reference is to the visual: soften or sharpen lines, tones, hues, light.  Such expresses the environment of the scene.  How can there be naught but unbounded joy in the mere creation?  But that alludes to the artist.  Not all art expresses joy, but can push the bounds of emotion by invoking sadness, peace, dread...s'all in the presentation.  Make your art a palatable creation.

"Julie & Julia", so much can be reaped from the manner of their lives!  Touches even a Dragon's heart to recognize the depth of devotion between Julia Child and her husband.  She was tall, loud, uninhibited, and (at least in the movie) his love was unbending.  He loved her not 'in spite' of her characteristics, but because of them.

What a delicious story.  Butter was never so tasty!  S'worth your time to watch this one!

The Dragon has spoken...                 

Twitter's Tweets: a literary format!

I read an interesting article by Chris Vognar that addressed tweeting as a viable forum for short writing. He spoke not of the typical tweet territory of sharing links or emotional shout-outs or celebrity self-celebratory spouting, but of the new format discovered by those who celebrate the art of the written word. Held to the tight requirement of 140 characters, writers/authors/journalists and all manner of humans and Dragons who enjoy writing can wring words until they are rendered bone stark and reduced to their most fundamental sense.

Brevity. Conciseness. Succinctness. 'Less is More' are 3 words so tightly packed with righteous truth, if you add water they'll explode! Twitter provides an opportunity to perfect an economy of style through vigorous editing. What true writer wouldn't love the challenge to say something utterly profound within the parameters of a few short sentences?

  

Forget the links (well, not entirely! I do enjoy following those digital byways to new knowledge and revelations) and the oh-so-yawn-inducing announcement of where your posterior/rear/tail is settled at the moment, and strive, fellow witty writers to achieve true literary heights via nuggets of crisp and poignant syllables.  Tame your prose, clip the bloat, slice the fat (s'only good on steaks and pork chops in any case!) and bring new literary achievements to the Twitter universe. Make reading 140 characters worthwhile.

 

As a Dragon I've a tendency to excess...however, in the spirit of tweeting purity, I shall endeavor to explore the strategy of 'write tight'. Adapt! Enjoy the technology. S'likely more folks will read a two sentence wonder than a 1,000 page novel. Sad but true.

The Dragon has spoken... 

A Nod To LVS Associates: Where Learning Is FUN!

Even Dragons, old as we are, need to be educated in new things.  We live so many years/eras/centuries, the brain becomes weighty. Heavy with wisdoms, burdened with experience.  Our superior intellect requires priming--a pruning of the old, a pricking with the new.  

A witty Dragon, in particular, must have fuel for the brain. Knowledge. Edification. Erudition. BUT - s'not easy to find courses suitable to one's financial situation (not all of us have caves full of treasure!) or convenient to our busy schedules.  An artistic Dragon, in particular, has special needs, requires tools by which to express its talents.  Wise Dragon that I am, I searched online for an institute that would provide lessons I could both afford And have time to participate in. The Great Egg was watching out for me. I found the perfect situation.

LVS Associates...they say it best in their own words: 

"LVS Online Classes offer the highest quality instruction in a unique format. Whether you want to upgrade your resume, improve your skills, or impress your boss, LVS Online classes offers a selection of classes that are not only affordable but will also introduce you to a great group of people - our students! 

Our online courses are perfect for senior learners, homeschoolers, or those seeking a stress-relieving hobby or even a career change. You won't need any special hardware of software to participate in our online classes. There are no scheduled class times - you decide when you'd like to work online, day or the middle of the night, no matter what time zone. Your instructor is there to review your work, answer questions or concerns and, if you'd like, you can chat with other students on our class discussion board. The very best part of online learning is that you don't have to leave your home to enjoy a course developed and taught by a professional in their field!"

This is a marvelous institution. For the grand sum of $30 ($24 if you're a returning student) you can take a 6 week course in academic subjects, business, graphic design and art, graphic programs (I've taken numerous classes in Corel Painter), arts and humanities, computers and internet, photography, and web related subjects (web development, programming, Dreamweaver, and Flash).  

S'nough to make an old Dragon's heart sing! Fun, self-paced, knowledgeable, and varied in subject matter.  If you are interested in learning something new, something you need know, fun but useful courses, go to the website (http://www.lvsassociates.com/register), see what a great line up of courses LVS provides, and look over the exciting classes offered.  If you've half a Dragon's worth of motivation, this is the site for you!

Go!  Look!  Marvel!  Make a choice to improve yourself, to improve your life, or at least make it more interesting.  The Dragon has spoken.

The 4th of July - Appreciating the Freedoms

As a Dragon, a plethora of activities give me joy: flying, flaming, eating!  I'm Free to engage in these activities...well, I do have to control the extent of my enthusiasm.  Too much wing here, too hot a flame there--ho, yes!  There are consequences.  But control is a freedom of choice; if one chooses to be part of a social order, the freedom to flap their wings or flip their tail ends at the tip of the next Dragon's (or human's) nose.  Mutual respect.  S'only way to assure the continuation of health, amicability, and order, both for moi and those who share my world. 

Ergo, within those self-imposed restrictions one can fly where and as they will (avoiding jet flight paths and somersaults that could rip ye olde wings!), flame with impunity, and eat what soaks the fat cells!  [As I've noted before, a Dragon needs tremendous tush to handle heavy landings.]  I appreciate/adore/love the Freedom to do these things.  

There are many places in this world where I, as a Dragon, and my scribe, as a female, wouldn't be 'allowed' to express/convey/articulate anything, let alone emote emotions, spew freely the language we love, or carry ourselves proudly as free thinking individuals. The western world is special for Dragons and females, America is flaming Great!

Happy 4th of July--appreciate the Freedoms.  Responsibly.  The Dragon has spoken...

 

The Dragon Has A SHOPPE! T-Shirts, Totes, Pillows & Clocks--What Fun!

As a Dragon with superior sensory capabilities, is it a wonder I love/like/enjoy the glory of color? Artistic endeavor? Creativity...imagination...inspiration? S'no surprise! 

With paint brush/stylus pen in claw, I now create/generate/produce images extraordinaire. And Cafepress has been kind enough to help me set up my own Writing Dragon Shoppe (www.cafepress.com/WritingDragon), where humans may purchase my bursts of original creative innovation...wear'em (t-shirts, sweatshirts, outer wear, children's wear, aprons, even intimate undies!); bear'em (totes & bags); sip from them (mugs & bottles); display them in your humble abode/dwelling/cave (clocks, throw pillows, keepsake boxes, coasters, etc.).

With my propensity for the Written Word, I've created items for writers and readers and anyone who loves to relax with a paper book/ebook reader in hand or claw.  For those who love dogs and/or cats (as pets, not chow! Dragons do not partake of cuddly creatures) there are Dog Daze Delights and Cat Capers. Oh, how I enjoy generating those.

Like Dragons? Well, I've not ignored the inherent beauty of my own species. I've painted a friend or two, or parts thereof.  Dragons make such marvelous subjects.

And there are pieces simply for the sake of the art. You've a grand choice from which to draw. Gift yourself, a family member, a friend. And keep going back because the creative spirit is on-going, the creative juices are flowing, the brush/pen will be endlessly busy, the wares continually added to.

Good news! I'll soon open a store on Zazzle.  AND some of my art is up on Red Bubble. S'nough to make a Dragon dance on his claw tips.

Oh, and follow me on Twitter for moments of Draconic wit.  The Dragon has spoken...

A few of my designs/artwork:

On Noise and Explosions, Politics and Ire, Vinegar and Honey

Verily, but there is so much noise/din/clamor/RACKET in the air these days it is an absolute agony for Dragon ears! When one hears All So Well as a Dragon does, no twitter (nay, I mean sound, not text) goes unnoticed.

Americans are a fractious and oft antagonistic/belligerent/hostile variant of the human species, so seriously do they take their personal philosophies. So much thought and passion gone rampant inside those little human bodies and heads--s'wonder they don't explode! Detonate! Splatter outward like sparkles from a skyrocket. Pyrotechnic spew. Which would be a fascinating sight, but hardly pleasant either for the exploder or the recipient of their spraying/spreading/effervescent molecules. Do you think the resultant discharge would be in tones of red, white and blue? Just a thought...

Religion. Law. Politics. Value systems as varied as colorful leaves spiraling in autumnal splendor--orange and ginger, red and ruby, crimson and russet and chocolate and yellow...lovely in their individual expression, but mix them, chop them into tiny/minuscule bits and the color goes dark. Somber. Scareeeyyyy....grrrrrrr.

Civility and passion seem, to my Dragon senses, incompatible. Irreconcilable. Mutually exclusive. Dragons were once that way, to my chagrin. All fire and spit and it WILL be my way...or not at all. But we learned the error of our ways. Naught comes from flash fire and anger but incineration of all that is dear to one's being. From passion set free and spent without regard to feelings, respect, or simple common courtesy.

In today's impassioned atmosphere, blistered as it is with the ire of righteous indignation and virtuous resentment, manners no longer exist. Vinegar, not honey, has become the ingredient of choice in the recipe of verbal debate. Personally, as a discerning Dragon, I have a sweet tooth. A palate titillated/tingled/teased by saccharine constituents, sugary components, tongue tasty bits of politeness. Gobbled up, such tidbits stifle irrational reaction.

Sigh. If only set minds were as easy to work with as words. Seek ye, olde writers of stories, tales, and narratives, the richest, mind rejuvenating expressions you can ferret from whatever language you consider your own. Make an old Dragon happy, and give every written account an incomparable flavor that will please the reader, improve his/her mood, provide clarity of perspective and, please Lord, return kindness/tolerance/graciousness to their expression of humanity.

The Dragon has spoken...

A Dragon's Take on Eating, Cotton Seeds, and Dr. Norman Borlaug

I love to eat. Snack. Nibble. Very well--gorge! What Dragon does not? With two gullets and a massive weight to support, we are required to partake/ consume/devour equally massive quantities of caloric rations, energy elevators, weight promoting particulates. Chow.

Fortunately, a Dragon's tastes are broad and varied--meat of any ilk will suffice. Cooked or uncooked. With or without bones, fur, hair, scales, horns, antlers, hooves, fins or whatever proteinaceous protrusion projects from the anatomy of one's dinner choice. It is good to be able to be cavalier about one's dining habits, to have the capacity for eating all that is available without the necessity of considering its nutritional value, health significance, or accessibility (in truth, with so much to select from, and because a Dragon has wings, accessibility to a meal is rarely a factor). Humans, however, have a more precarious/uncertain/insecure relationship with food.

I'm sad to say hunger/starvation/deprevation not only occur in some parts of the world, they are commonplace. Take a look at the list of some of the most famous famines in history. Famine...a deplorable situation a Dragon can only shake his head at and sorrow for. Such conditions result from so many causes. Weather is often the culprit. Soil scouring drought, or ground devouring flood--either can deplete resources. Insects, too, can be deadly. Voracious and overwhelming, a vertiable storm of gleaming little carapaces chewing, gnawing, and demolishing foodstuffs off the ground, the stalk, or out of the storage bin. Mice have this destructive capacity, as well. Explosive numbers of any creature, even humans, bode poorly for food stocks. Nature can only support so many mouths/ stomachs/gullets at a time! [Fortunately, Dragons reproduce slowly; we are few and far between.]

The worst perpetrators, in moi esteemed opinion, are war, hostitlies, confrontation between and among mankind. Humans have the most startling and deplorable capacity for violence upon their own. Dragons do not eat species of equitable intellect. There is something 'cannabalistic' about such an activity! Men, however, appear to have no such restraint. Some blame it on hormones (ah! blame nature for it, of course), others on lack of education (not applicable, I think, when many of the offenders have college degrees), while many fault culture, religion, greed, and/or simply plain evil. Causality aside, the end results are the same--famine, deprivation, death of the innocent.

Ahem. But my mind/brain/thought processes are not focused, in this moment, on the sad and mournful causes of hunger, but on prospects of confronting the foul condition via the grace of human minds bent on salvation rather than destruction. Many humans not only rise above the aggressive gene, they soar above it. Which only goes to prove one does not have to have wings to fly...

Recently, I read of the passing of a human who devoted his life to fighting world hunger (yes, Dragons read. Large books, or tiny books with very large print!) I tend to think this significant event has occurred beyond the scrutiny/ knowledge/awareness of most of the humanity this fine man served. This important human was Dr. Norman Borlaug, a professor of international agriculture at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. He was a Nobel Prize-winning scientist and father of the 'green revolution' who was credited with saving one billion lives from famine. One Billion! Why--I've not counted that many stars when night flying! In the 1940's, with a team of young scientists, he developed the disease-resistant/high yield/adaptable wheat that helped prevent starvation/ hunger/death in India and Pakistan in the mid-1960's. T'is it any wonder that in 2007 Dr. Borlaug received the Congressional Gold Metal, the highest civilian honor given by the United States Congress? Oh, this man had wings of caliber, the finely-feathered kind that swoop the body and soul above and beyond the common/ordinary/general lives to which most are relegated due to lesser vision. And, perhaps, lesser hearts.

Fear not, brave and capricious humans! The baton has not been dropped. Even now another professor from that same notable university is working to provide an abundant new protein source to our hungry world: cotton seeds!, Dr. Keerti Rathore has managed to construct/develop/generate a genetic sequence that blocks the toxic chemical that protects cotton from insects--and prevents humans from consuming them (the seeds, not the insects). Cotton seeds are a rich source of protein, and developing an edible variety will open the door to safely utilizing the more than 40 million tons of seeds produced annually. The planet can use such an influx of nutritional import. A tasty import at that; reportedly the seeds taste like chickpeas.

Ummmm...as a Dragon I've had little association with peas in general; however, s'not to say I could not be tempted to partake of such fare if properly prepared. Might go down well with a yummy bovine.

Dear writers of the rich and substantive word, human or otherwise, be willing to seek out new words, new meanings, fresh approaches to enrich your writing style. Every subject has the potential to be fruitful. Read beyond your comfort zone, be stirred by deeper thoughts, and extract bountiful aspects of your reading experience to salt your prose with realism and meaning. Keep Writing!