Yesterday I got a comment from TOM, the other Marcia, and she told me I needed a tablet and a stylus to draw. Since she is an artist, and I definitely am not, I decided to try it. V dropped me off at Best Buy, and they told me that I needed a Bamboo tablet. They were only $99.00, and I decided that would be worth the amount of entertainment I would get from it. So it came home with me.
After going through the tutorial ad nauseum, I wondered if I could draw a house for Piggles. It looked like a square with a triangle on top. So, NO. There are no images in my mind for houses. I have to see pictures, I guess. So I went back to Piggles, and drew her again, using the same photograph, but this time using the stylus, and coloring in a background color.
Piggles was my favorite guinea pig of all times.
So here is the Old Piggles, drawn with the mouse
And here is the new Piggles, drawn with the stylus. You can see that I am still not an artist. I just don’t have the eye, but it was my best try for as long as I want to sit doing it. You can tell me what you think.
Featured Blog
This seems the perfect place to feature my new friend, Marcia, or T.O.M. as she calls herself. There must be something to the name because she is married to Mark, and my first husband was named Mark. Very coincidental. So it only makes sense that since she taught me about this product and gave me a mini-art lesson that I should feature her blog. Like my other friend Darla Welchel, who I plan to feature later this week – warning Darla, I’ll be over camping on your site, Marcia loves to read and review books. I get one book read, and they probably are reading 10. The important thing is that the books get read and reviewed.
The other interest that she and I are sharing is writing. I am so new at this sport as well, in spite of writing for a living in my job, teaching writing to children, having a few articles published in journals and magazines, and even a few pieces of poetry. Books are a different matter. Marcia, however, is all over art work. She emailed me some of her work, and they are astounding. You are just going to have to discover T.O.M. for yourself. She’s astounding. Too bad she’s not single, Ralph! She’s got a great sense of humor, too.
I think the stylus one is great
Oh Alastair, no wonder I love you so!!! You are always the first on my site, and have the sweetest things to say. I’m late, but please by my Valentine!!!
ML 
Piggles thinks you should be my Valentine, too! 
Oh Alastair, no wonder I love you so!!! You are always the first on my site, and have the sweetest things to say. I’m late, but please by my Valentine!!!
ML 
Piggles thinks you should be my Valentine, too! 
Getting a sense of déjà vu
hahaha That’s because I used the same photo. I can’t draw from memory!!!
There is not an art synapse in my brain anywhere!!! 
Haha. I can’t even draw WITH a photo in front of me. Closest I can get is to use paper and trace
I think you showed a big step forward, Marsha! As you get comfortable using the pen on the Bamboo tablet, you will find it easier and easier. And I can give you some tricks and tips as you progress, too. One of the biggest helps is to learn to use digital “brushes” that come with programs like PhotoShop and PaintShop Pro. They help you make hair, etc. Imagine an artist switching from a flat brush (for fill in work) to a fan brush (for stippling or making feathery strokes) to a liner brush (for doing thin, tapererd lines). It’s the same thing, only digital. It’s amazing. And remember, practice makes perfect. (I made that up. No, really. I did. Okay, I didn’t. But it’s still true!)
Thank you so much for featuring my blog, as well. I really appreciate it, and I’m so glad you stopped by for a visit! Have fun with your new toy.
PS…Ralph? Who’s Ralph? And where was he when I was single? Oh, yeah. Probably not even born yet! Hahaha.
haha, if you don’t know Ralph, then follow the link. He’s everybody’s online love. He’s a dear heart, and he’s just a bit older than I am. He’s 6’5″ by the way, not too much different than MacKenzie.
Oh, man. I’m in trouble now. Does he have long legs? Say he doesn’t. I can’t resist a long-legged man. And dang. I already have one around here somewhere, so I can’t be pining around over another one! It just wouldn’t be fittin’, as they say!
TOM He does have VERY long legs! He’s 6’5 Marcia!!! Something HAS to be long!!!
TOM together we are TOM TOMs hahaha
Dang, Marsha! I TOLD you to say he DOESN’T!!! Now you’ve gone and put an image of a long-legged man in my mind, who isn’t the one I live with! Eeep. It’s a good thing I’m so old, my memory is failing, or I might be tempted to…umm…wait. What were we just talking about?
Go meet Ralph, M, he just put up a new post. He’s being very domestic in it. You’ll enjoy it.
Hi Marcia. I have just come into this post and read what you and MVBFM have been saying about me. Where was I when you were single ?
Please contact my dating agent Marsha for more details 
Ralph x
Dear Long-legged Ralph,
Alas. All of Marsha’s machinations to the contrary, it seems we are meant to be Gravatars that pass in the night. Sadly, another long-legged man appeared in my life some years back and was coerced into…I mean…found he couldn’t live without me, and made an honest woman of me. Up until that time, I had been having quite a lot of fun being thoroughly DIS-honest. But now, well…it’s pretty much a done deal. I’m afraid I don’t have enough energy left for being anything other than an honest woman these days, so I’ll just have to settle for being your 2nd, 3rd, 44th, 185th (fill in the number) best blogging buddy.
In all seriousness…well, not ALL, but SOME seriousness… I do hope to get to spend more time reading your blog. I stopped by briefly and found it thoroughly entertaining. Don’t you just love all the clever and amusing folk one meets in the Blogosphere? Makes life a lot more fun.
Keep on bein’ tall and long-legged! (It’s all I know about you, so I can’t tender any other particular parting advice). I’m sure we will cross paths again before long!
Your (Fill In The Number) Blogging Friend,
T. R. O. M. (The REAL “Other Marcia”)
haha, Ralph, and you thought I was talkative! Now you have met a REAL author, who is also a REAL Marcia!!! I LOVE it!!!!!!
xoxox
tom, RVFBFM, ML, MMPP, Marsha, Marsha Lee, and numerous other names I can’t write here!!!
Such a shame we had not met a few decades ago TROM. It’s 02:45 here in Spain and I had better go to bed before Marsha tells me off again. See you around. Your 374629487291837629273rd Blogging friend Ralph xox
Yes, I’m sure I have a lot to learn about digital brushes. I’ve never had an art lesson of any kind in my life. So I don’t know a thing about real brushes!!1
M
But you’ve probably see artists using them, and what I mean is, the same types of options are available to you in your painting programs. Plus millions of colors. Oh, you have loads of fun things to learn. I can’t find the painting group I used to belong to, but I’m going to send you several links to ones I did find. You could learn TONS from a good group, if you have the time and desire to try one. I’m so jealous of your new Bamboo tablet! Makes me want to say “Who cares about carpal tunnel and repetitive stress!” I wanna paint!
TOM Just put on your wrist thingy and don’t paint too long!!! I don’t know about repetitive stress, but I guess I should learn about it since Amanda is a therapist. Somebody in my book is sure to have it sometime. Maybe even Jim.
tom
Repetitive Stress Syndrome comes from making the same movements over and over all day long, like with a computer mouse, say. It can have different consequences, but for me, it resulted in my right arm going numb, and intense burning pain in that shoulder that woke me up at night. A wrist brace worked wonders for that, but I can’t draw very well with one. It limits the fine motions you need for the kind of detail I enjoyed. But it’s okay. Every now and then, I grit my teeth and do a new picture, like the one of my daughter’s Dalmation. And now that I’m writing, I don’t miss the painting as much. Though typing for too long can cause some issues, too.
So now you know what to tell Amanda about RSS. In very general terms, of course.
ok, that makes sense. But I can’t be teaching her. She’s the trained therapist, not me. She’s going to have to learn some of this stuff on her own. OH my gosh, are writers psycho? Yikes Conversations in our heads, one personality of our own, and other personalities developing on their own? Yikes What am I doing to myself???
Aloha Marsha and Marcia. I am loving these comments! Too groovy!
Yes, it really is like having a whole paint set of many myriads of brushes with tons of Vivid colours right before you, that don’t dry up instantly as you just begin to mix (my acrylic despair), it’s glorious! I have created many-a-creepy-man with wild hair-dos on Corel using brushes and paints, very engrossing. I’m Very excited to see you progress and to observe Marcia’s wonderful tips to encourage you along! Brilliant!!
P.S. I laugh every time I read the moniker “Piggles” and the drawings are just as cute as the name, WELL DONE!!
Cheers,
Autumn Jade
Aloha, A.J. Nice to “meet” you. Marsha is really making me smile tonight. She has jumped into this new experience with both feet. Good for her. Having always suffered from an excess of enthusiasm, myself, I really appreciate it in others. I love that she’s enjoying her painting, and predict she will become good at it, because she has NO FEAR! (Fear is what holds most of us back from ALL the good things in life!)
And cheers to you, as well!
Aye, arg, indeed, our Marsha is fearless!! I so admire that in her, as well! I am so proud of her, like a doting kindly old hen would be of her fine swan fearlessly testing the wind and taking flight for the first time. Just as delighted and excited as you are! I see a master digital artist in the making in our Marsha Lee, and here we are, privileged enough to be able to witness it!!! Aye, and very gruntled to make your acquaintance! Will be drizzling by your blog soon! TOO groovy!! Cheers!
Autumn Jade
Hi AJ You and TOM are bound to be great friends. Both artistic, both poets, both fun and funny! It’s another match!! Bloggerland is full of matches like that!!!
ML, (tom)
hahaha Lack of fear hasn’t made me GOOD at anything It just makes me able to laugh at myself along with the others who are laughing, too. Or get sympathy sometimes. That poor woman out there doing that, and doesn’t she KNOW she can’t play the piano (draw, take pictures, write, skydive, drive a go cart, etc.). She sure is funny, though. GOOD, hmmm that’s a new concept. I’ll have to try it on for size!!!
Ummm…joining the club???
I can’t call her anything else. She didn’t even have a nickname. She was just the perfect little guinea pig. I loved her to death even if she peed on my husband EVERY time she sat on his lap!!
M
i love your drawing of Piggles! woo woo!
Watch it Rumpy, you’re getting too close there. She’s used to dogs, though, and you don’t scare her!!! That’s the bad thing. Behave yourself!!!
That’s a great drawing, Marsha!
Thanks Naomi. You’ve just entered best friend territory! Not sure you know much about art, but I adore you anyway!
M
These are great! I have been trying to draw things with photoshop, too!
Yours looks amazing!
Amazing may be laying it on a BIT thick, but I’ll take it! Thanks! I’d love to see your work. I am just, just beginning! It’s really fun. I tried to draw my husband last night. He wasn’t too pleased, but I was. It looked like a human!!
I am beginning beginning, too…but don’t have a stylus…maybe I should get one soon!
Yes, you need to. It’s difficult at first to get used to , but not nearly as hard as a mouse!
I’m still not used to it, but believe me the learning curve is nothing like trying to draw with a mouse in the palm of your hand! 
Great great drawing of Piggles!!! If that is just your first efforts, I can’t wait to see what you do after you practice for a while!
Thanks for the compliment, Kathy. Retirement is grand! To have the time to play like this – ops I don’t really have it. I’m stealing from something else. My sorted dirty laundry is still on the floor. Poor V! I still have to write criteria for the History Day Scholarship Awards, and I’d better get back to my list of to do’s. If I could just twitch my nose!!!
Marsha 
Both Piggles look good, but I’m partial to the second one.
Off to check out The Other Marcia!
YEAH!! You are guapo both inside and out! Go see what TOM has to say (The other Marcia).
Marsha 2
wow your drawings are great… I admire you. I can’t even draw with a pencil, so I leave my hands off photoshop, and enjoy what you get up to. Phantastic pictures Marsha.
Awww shucks, Ute. Thanks!!! I’ll have to draw you a picture of Manny to hang in your room. He is still just crazy about you. Ralph thinks Manny is German because he loves you so much, and Manny asked me the other day if Ralph wasn’t German, too. You are just he person to make everyone feel so good about themselves. I think I’m part German, too!!! We all love you!
xoxo How are YOU doing? ML 
That would be great a picture of Manny. Haha the Germans are everywhere, but I am the only real one here…..
even though Ralph is a German name too. I am ok, thank you Marsha, and thank you so much for your love it makes me soo happy. xx Love you too, you know! Big hug! Ute xx
You’re in my prayers and I love you too
Have a great week this week. The kids are there to love you, and you them. I can imagine what a great blessing you are to your school. Have fun. I’m going to email you a special present I just finished. Manny had to wait. This takes a lot of time!!! 
Thank you so much Marsha, I ‘ve seen it is is great. xx
Glad you like it.
Hi Ute and Marsha. Ralph a German name ?? Well I think Manny and I must be German. I am always spot on time, have a Black Forest cuckoo clock, I leave my towels on the sunbeds by the swimming pool early in the morning, my home is spotlessly clean and like Manny I am very manly ……. hmmmm!! Love you both. Ralph xox
I’m impressed! It looks like a pretty good drawing of a guinea pig to me. I might be a writer but a drawer I ain’t, so I think you’ve done a great job!
Hi Eternal Carol, I ain’t either – well really either writer or drawer, so here I am doing both, and lovin’ it. And I’ve got these marvelous friends who also enjoy the same things, and AIN’T life grand?
ML
This is true!
It was just the last part about great friends I was agreeing with!
haha Of course. The way these comments are displayed(or rather not fully displayed) you can’t even tell what you wrote in order to know what someone is agreeing or not agreeing to! So we’re in agreement, then? xox ML
Hmmm….I think so…:D
I am very impressed with your drawings of Piggles! Lovely x
Hi Jo,
Thanks so much!!! It was hours of laboring with what I don’t really know how to do on several levels – drawing, Photoshop, new tablet and stylus, etc. What could be more engaging than learning new stuff!!! I’m in heaven!!!
Marsha
I think they’re both good! If I attempted to draw a guinea pig, the only way in which it might be recognizably be a mammal of some sort would be the four legs and fur, whereas yours is most definitely a guinea pig.
Awww thanks. I used a photo, but when I tried to add something in the background, the house… well…. nothing..
M
Cute! Oh, BTW, I reviewed that book a long time ago! Small world. Very strange book.
Hi Darla, Are you talking about Ransom Riggs’ book? I haven’t read that one. I haven’t read a lot of books it seems!!!
ML
Dang, I better go write something other than for the newspaper. I did five stories for the paper this week. so much for part time. LOL!
Hi again, Darla, Wow! Is that about what a normal week looks like. I did two stories for a magazine this week-end. They weren’t very long – about 300 words.
ML 
My responses are not longer showing up in the proper column, but that’s okay. It’s good mental exercise for you to try to figure out what I’m responding to. Hahaha. In this case, I can only say that sometimes in life, the most important thing you can do is provide Comic Relief.
I don’t have to know where it came from to agree with that!!
Good point! Keep ‘em laughing. That way, they can’t see what you’re really up to!
Pingback: The best Recipe « Ute smile
Manny loves his friends
Thanks! 
ML
I’ve been practicing drawing on my galaxy note with the stylus. It’s SO much fun. Mine aren’t really good enough to show yet (although, Crazy Writer Lady did make a brief appearance) but I love your second Piggles! You are very good!
This is fun. Time consumingly fun!!!
Hi Marsha. I like your first attempt with your new machine. Came out well. I wonder what else you have done
Ralph xox
So how about this one??? Can you guess who it is???
That’s it. The tablet is BRAND NEW, Ralph. You are a first!
No idea. The Pope?
I’ll put it out to the public. Maybe they can guess more accurately than you, my friend.
Oh Marsha it’s me.!! How kind of you to paint my portrait. I must find somewhere to hang it. Any suggestions?
That’s a hard call, Ralph. The garage? It would be perfect for the garden shed. Where do YOU want it? I am an amateur, but everyone will know it was done especially for you. You can’t buy one that looks like that … yet! hahaha
tom xox
It doesn’t matter whether I draw with a pencil, paintbrush, mouse, tablet. It’s all bad!
I’m not sure I believe you. Anyone who can see pictures the way you do!… I don’t know. You might surprise yourself.
ML
In the stylus version, Piggles looks like she came from the salon
haha, thanks so much, Glorious Mettle. I maybe should have aded a bow!!! hahaha Marsha