I noticed the other day...

A white sail as elusive as the wild swans... which now, alas, have moved on.

The cormorant dries it's wings... an iconic totem for sure.

And tulips. I could look at tulips all day.

Ferris wheels must be very popular...

Ferris wheels must be very popular. I have been perplexed to discover this after noticing that this image, which I posted on my blog about a year ago has been one of the most popular pages ever on my site. It seems to come up almost every day in web searches.

Maybe that's a good sign for my new upcoming book. Let's hope so.

So I've reposted it... along with a link to my new book's URL. So maybe now folks from Kyonggi-do, Seoul, Jakarta Raya, Kyonggi-do, Costa Rica Madrid, Bratislava, Ontario, and Virginia will know where else to click if they like this image.

By the way... my most popular link by far is: How to unclog a Canon print head. That one wins bar none. I'm thinking of adding a new update titled: How to refill a Canon inkjet cartridge for $1. That's sure to cause a sensation!

:0)

My New Book - Layers & Layers of Art

As part of the run-up to my new book, 'Cromwell Dixon's Sky-Cycle', I thought I'd share this fun little step by step animation.

This image is built from layers in Photoshop. With the magic of digital technology, these layers can be transformed into an animation of sorts.

The original drawing forms the basic structure... while the layers add depth, color, type, background and shadows. It's sort of hypnotic to watch as the layers click together...

Photoshop can be useful in adjusting the elements... without some of the drawbacks of real paints.

The title of my new book is 'Cromwell Dixon's Sky-Cycle'. It's a fantastic true story about a boy named Cromwell Dixon, who was known in the newspapers a century ago as America's 'Boy Aeronaut'.

He had a dream to build his own flying airship in Columbus, Ohio in 1907... and this is a book about how his dream came true.

This is a real boy's book... with imagination, daring, adventure, danger and amazing inventions... all built by a boy in his own backyard.

That was always one of my favorite boyhood things to do... build amazing new contraptions out in the backyard.

I'll be blogging more about it in the not too distant future.

March

This picture reminded me so much of one of those illustrations for 'March'. Our particular March is not coming in like a lamb.... more like a penguin actually.

Meanwhile, inside the conservatory, summer remains intact... worlds away, under glass.

Nothing quite like a hot-house jungle for a freezing day in March.

I wasn't sure what this was until I peered through the device. It's a bit of clever artwork... sort of a time machine.

Meanwhile, the valiant crocuses put their best foot forward.