Christmas/New Year 2022

 Tuesday 27th December 2022

Compliments of the season to all

Over the years I have done a pre-Christmas message for my readers, usually incorporating some hopefully humorous Photoshop manipulation.

I just never got round to that this time due to an accumulation of circumstances.

Having surfaced this morning at around 9:00 am I am now motivated to write. I recognise the symptoms: finding something else to do to override the main, but undesirable task which needs attention, that is clearing up from the aftermath of the family Christmas Day and Boxing Day activities.

With son Will, and daughter Jill and granddaughter Katie we have had an enjoyable get together. As always the most rewarding part was seeing Katie having fun and also appreciating her own natural willingness and pleasure in being helpful and joining in with everything with much cheer. 

I have never seen anybody so taken aback at receiving a present that was beyond expectations, as Katie comprehended the contents of an Apple box revealing a new iPad. 

The big attraction for Katie was being able to download  xxx (can't remember the name at the moment) painting app which is similar to Photoshop Elements and probably more user friendly, but nonetheless sophisticated including the indispensable Layers function. Katie's only previous involvement with xxx has been watching You Tube videos showing how it works and with that knowledge only she was launched straight into action with no problems.

See below two examples using different techniques:

This started out as her first experiment and was just a mass of fluffy whites and blues as per the "cloud" now seen in the picture and created with no intention for any representation, merely a doodle. I said to her "make this into a landscape" and within less tan two minutes green grass, a trig point and a sun/moon were added, not a completed picture but just a quick demo to satisfy my suggestion.

This was created using Layers.Katie imported a photo of herself and that was the base layer. A blank white layer is placed on top and then its opacity reduced so that you can see the photo through a virtual mist. The outlines of the photo can then be drawn sufficient to provide the basis for a painting on the white layer. The opacity is then eliminated and you continue to use the app's tool to create the colours using different brushes and many other tools available within the app.

Another Resistance agent dropped in France,

 Sunday 11th December 2022

This Lysander kit was bought ages ago and was shelved because I was not confident about the construction of what is a fairly advanced kit. Now it has been completed along with only the second diorama I have attempted.

With its short landing and takeoff ability this aircraft was used in WW2 to drop off agents for the Resistance in France and to bring back downed RAF pilots who had been sheltered by the Resistance. Remote landing strips such as village football fields were used and most operations carried out under cover of darkness. These Lysanders were painted black

My diorama depicts a Lysander having landed at night-time in France - the pilot and a new agent are being greeted by a Resistance man from a hut.

Daylight view just to show context and more of the finished model

I hope this video captures the atmosphere I was trying to create which was the motivation for buying this kit in the first place. Hopefully you will be able to select Full Screen. You may see the first pages for the next You Tube video but ignore and just open my video. I can't find how to stop that on You Tube.

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I am still afflicted with the breathlessness which did improve quite a lot after the antibiotics but it is still not right and I am undergoing various tests with the doc. I can walk round the block here, just over a mile, but more adventurous walking is on hold.