They taunted me on the radio, day after day, "In the mighty jungle, where the lion sleeps tonite" and "I miss the rains down in Africa". I faught back by singing "living in America". I felt more like the scarecrow of OZ, "my legs over there and my chest over there". I was not myself and I couldn't pull myself together. I was determined to find where I put my mind, the forensic evidence was as scattered as I was. Things were so sketchy, I needed help and all the best detectives were busy doing TV shows. I know my fore-folks were brought to the labor camps in this country, we have documents of an uncle escaping the cotton fields and peach orchards of the south, made it to the apple orchards of Ohio and on to Canada. The underground railroad I suspect. However that trail leads to me, I am here in a jungle of a different sort. No, it's not an big urban jungle like the coastal cities, more like the edge of a savanna. Probably why that song about where the lion sleeps keeps stalking me.
Much of an artist life is lived in secret to cultivate the means of expression, how to move a paint brush, a digital pen, a voicebox, how to stroke, pluck, toggle and pat a musical instrument. Me, deep in the bowels of my lair, I mingled elephant DNA with a chameleon's. Of course, you'd never know it until I place it in a context where it can be seen. Thus the art elephant was born. Another part of an artist life is doing the expression. For some this doing is the show, for others it is wait and see it when I'm done.
I am a digital artist and the art elephant is also digital. What makes it different? I use Linux and Open Source Software. I heard all the arguments about what the pros use, what print makers require, what is established and what is expected, what is assumed. If I waited for funding or "borrowed" the software, I'd be still pushing a pencil not a mouse. I'm just saying if you are trying to get into this digital thing and can't because the funds aren't there, Linux and Open Source Software is free to both download and use, a no hassle no-brainer. And if you are stuck on the Microsoft bandwagon, many Open Source Software titles come in MS versions too, they also are free. I use GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) which is like Photoshop for raster work. GIMP is like it, not a clone of it, replacement for it or a version of Photoshop, so mileage may vary. I also use Inkscape to do vector graphics which is what Adobe Illustrator does. Blender 3D does 3D though I am not well versed in it. There are other programs as well in the Open Source realm and they are free. You can always save your pennies to get the proware, in the mean time, cut your grits with Open Source, the tools are near the same and skills are transferable. I warn you though, once you try them, you might like them. Ooh man, elephants should not wear plaid!
Posted By: Arnold Johnson
Saturday, December 12th 2009 at 12:28PM
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