Pixosition

… it is about what you can do with them

Living a working life of getting my own salary has tempted me in many ways on my expenses. From purchasing things needed (perhaps of the status “need” only in my head but actually not needed) to the things I want. This certainly can be seen clearly by reflecting back on my pattern of expenses back during schooling days when my parents provided me with a certain sum of allowances (and some other extra mercy allowances) and compare to getting a salary of my own which is more than the allowances.

Things which I use to do… Running an old PC (Pentium 166 Mhz back then) with a heavy application such as Photoshop to come up with something good!

Things which I still want to do… Use my Photoshop as much as possible doing things which I once thought was impossible! However with the latest desktop I have (which I couldn’t even remember what is the processor specification in it) with Photoshop, I’m not using it to the max.

Thinking bout resources in hand and maximizing usage of free resources only reminded me of 2 things in my head,

1. Operations Research - a book used in a subject I once studied during my tertiary studies. I find it a great book as a guide on maximizing usage on resources but only limited to resources that can be represented by numbers. Come to think of it… are there any resources that is not representable by any units?
   

   
   

2. Squandered Resources - One of my favourite Magic: The Gathering cards I once had. A superb card just for getting the mana (for those who have not played Magic: The Gathering, mana is the “resources” needed in order for a player to cast any of the other cards unless the card mentioned no mana needed) I need for my deck strategy called the Squandered Stasis.
   
   
   

Check out the person in the Squandered Resources card… somewhat applies to me soon. Ohh well, a call to spend wisely and use the available resources to the max!

Photoshop has been a tool I’ve been using since 1999. I have always been thinking that I know photoshop well in terms of image editing, creating effects, colour corrections and image composition. However, these few days have prove me wrong. Looking back, no doubt that I know some of the basic tools of Photoshop (like what can the brush do in simplicity…. paint some color on the workspace) but I have been relying on what the filters can do too much.

The Filters are great effect tools! One may come out with a simple picture effect from brushed-like picture out of an oridinary picture to making great backgrounds like rock texture or canvas type. Depending on them as a tool is certainly not a help in one’s growth in Photoshop. Back to square one, I have to learn what the brush can really do with those pressure, tilt, fade and many more other settings. This doesn’t just stop at the brush! There’s so many new tools since Photoshop 5 that I have been using since 1999. With Photoshop CS 2, there’s so many ways of editing and composing pictures.

Did I say composing pictures? Yes.. that’s right, no doubt Photoshop is a photo editing software but one can get much out from it. From simple article layout, effect making to drawing and painting a realistic picture.

Back to basics… Base on my attempts in drawing and painting a wooden board, what I need to learn are

• Drawing with the mighty pencil/pen
• Painting with the brush
• Techniques of painting in Photoshop (Painter offers better ways of painting though)
• Image color configuration (Levels, curve, brightness & contrast, etc…)
• and the list goes on….

Any artist guru willing to provide some guideline?

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Psalm 51:10

Been procrastinating alot especially on the little things that I need to do.

Procrastination One - like this little souvenir that I owe to my “masters” in TRU Retreat Slave Auction.

Hannah, Jane, John, Garbriel & Keith: Sorry bout the late coming of the souvenir.

Procrastination Two - To blog this since last week.

Dealing with temptation?

The Easter theme for SJGC… Personally for me, I know what’s Easter all about but honestly it’s more of the main points in my head. If asked in detail, I won’t be able to answer them though. Yeap… I certainly need more bible study and also post lotsa questions to my church elders.

So… What’s Easter to you?…

I had tough time coming up with the design. Looking back, I guess I have been relying on my own inspiration and my own strength for this design. This reminds me of The Friend of a Wounded Heart, I can still remembered how pressured I was after a call from Desmond that the poster needs to be ready in few days time. Only by prayer and God’s blessing that I’m able to complete them.

Initially, the design wasn’t anything like this but more of the worldly view of what Easter is…. an Easter Egg… After few days of looking at it and sensing the negative feedback, I need to restart over from scratch… It’s just wrong, all wrong… The design will relay a wrong meaning to others who doesn’t know what Easter is. Thanks to Auntie Collene for her call that hears to what I was facing and also others for prayer. After the conversation with Auntie Collene, she gave me whole lots of idea and also sources where I can refer to. Thanks Auntie Collene!

By the way, the design uses sources from others, photos taken and drawing of the cave are from other sites. I didn’t draw or captured any of them. Thanx to them too! If it isn’t for them, I think I need not to sleep for that day…

Last words for today… Never underestimate what prayer can do and also that God is always listening to our prayer

It’s been a long time since I last joined a Christian Youth Camp. As you would have guess, the theme for this camp is none other than the title itself… FAITH FACTOR.

It was a 4 days camp but I missed the first 2 days due to work. Although I’ve been there for only a day and a half, it has been a great blessing to me in many ways… through what I’ve seen… what I’ve heard… and just by involving in it as helper (I think I didn’t help much though other than for the game).

Saturday: This is actually the third day of the camp. Suppose to wake up at 5am and move out to Bukit Tinggi (there’s where the camp is) by 6am with a hope to reach there by 7am to 7.30am but…. I woke up late, 6.30am. Yea… one and a half hour late. Thank God I’ve packed my stuffs the day before. Journey itself was a challenge as it was raining all the way till the Karak Highway. Guess this is when the overslept comes into the plan on preparing me to be more attentive on the wet road (not to forget the winding road to the campsite too).

Things I learnt…

Yea… it’s not all just words, thoughts in minds and what you believe but the action to carry out.

One thing that I couldn’t forget throughout the camp was watching how the campers work together during the game especially group activities. A group for sure consists of different types of members (characteristic, attitude and energy level) and how they work out together on something just seems amazing. The more energetic ones tend to run ahead but the interesting thing is that some ran back and accompany the others behind and some would not go too far ahead but just enough to cheer for the others.

Sunday: The last day ends pretty quick though. Firstly waking up and welcomed by a total different fresh morning, a good breakfast…. and the next thing I know it was sharing session and then pack up and back to Subang.

The camp poster… displayed with some mustard seeds on top of the Faith Factor logo.

This is the design on the back of the tshirt. Trying to make some graffiti look-alike design.

How bout some comments?

Friend of a Wounded Heart was an evangelistic event organized by SJGC’s youth group (aka TRU). Hmmm… honestly… I couldn’t recall much of the event other than lotsa singing, a dance and lotsa youths. hahhaa… I remember Weng Fook being the “Father” in extending his hand in the dance. It was pretty dramatic!

The poster above tells much of it. I recall few memories of it though. One, Desmond gave me a call during my school holidays to inform me that they need the poster 2 or 3 days after the call. Totally shaken and no idea on what to design for the event. I learnt one of the most important thing for a Christian though, that is to pray before doing something and FAITH!. I was flipping and scanning pictures from my stack of “Magic the Gathering” game cards for some inspiration but all seems too “more for painters kind of design”. Made some thought and then finally decided to do something simple that delivers the message… A wounded heart and the hands that heal. Yeap! the hands and heart was drawn (thanks to my sis) and scan for some retouch and coloring to fit into the “frame”. Picturing the “wounded heart” was difficult.. Should it be bloody? perhaps stabbed?

Second thing that I recall is getting it printed. Not able to drive at that time, my friend Chee Keong accompanied me to a printing shop (called SOS Station; they do different types of printing, mostly for commercial and for students but unfortunately it isn’t there anymore). Did we commute there by a cab? hmm… Can’t remember about that but we took a bus back to our house.

Initially, I thought this was my first design…. but nope this is my second artwork… I think… O.o

A friend once shared an opinion about the difference of those who are in a way creative are able to deliver something different and good from those who aren’t. However I would say that everyone is creative in their way, as each of us look at things differently. Picturing an image in one’s head and putting it down on a canvas or paper is the most difficult thing… at least for me. At most time I picture something really “WOW” but unfortunately unable to put it down on a piece of paper… heck.. even describe it.

Creative or not, I still believe it’s the matter of faith of one person has in doing something. If one doesn’t have the faith in doing something, why bother doing it? Is it all because “I need to do it”? Well, if that’s the case, do your best and have faith in the things you do. Cause even if things doesn’t go right, we’ll learn something out and nothing goes to waste.