Cecelia Play Script Editing and Feedback

Retired English instructor Peter Haggerty from the National Technical Institute for the Deaf took the time to edit and give feedback on my play script titled Cecelia. It's a science fiction play about a genetically-altered deaf woman. I handed the script to Peter and asked him to take a good look at the work. He came over and we sat down together to discuss the work. I learned a great deal. I'm looking forward to polishing it up. The main goal is to have an informal stage reading of this work, then hopefully, get it produced as a full show down the road.


Here is the picture of the script and feedback/editing notes from Peter and myself.

You can click on this to see it bigger.

"Extraterrestrial Communion" Story with Watik, the Alien

I have been writing a short science fiction story titled "Extraterrestrial Communion" for a while. In that story, the main alien named Watiki meets the human race. As the fact, the creature does not look any close like ourselves biologically and physically. It is transparent, glass-like, and inner organs can be seen through its skin similar to jellyfishes. It also glows iridescent blue. I want to show what the creature really looks like out of my mind. I drew the alien with plain pencil on white paper, then took a photo of it, then added the special graphic effects to it on free online PhotoEditor (similar to PhotoShop). Enjoy, Watiki, the alien from far, far away.

You can click on this to see it bigger.

Self-Portrait as an Alien

I took a photo of myself with iPhone. I then put the picture of myself into free online PhotoEditor (similar to PhotoShop). Then I manipulated my face. I used the tools available in PhotoEditor to pinch my nose and make my eyes become bigger. I also enlarged my head. I also made my neck a lot thinner. I made my mouth larger with the same tool.My right ear became pointed similar to the Vulcan race in Star Trek. I then used "Paint" tool to paint all over my face in blue at 10-20 percent transparency, which enabled the skin to look blue very well. I also painted the eyes green. I also painted my hair and facial hair in pink. I then removed the background and filled it black around my face. Then using the "Paint" tool, I used the tool's variety of splashes and spots that were available, which I was able to create the stars, star clusters, and nebulas in variety of colors. Lastly I painted the whole face and stars background in light white at 10 percent transparency that made the whole image look like full of glow. Henceforth, I became an extraterrestrial from far, far away. Enjoy the photo.

                                                     Click on this photo to make it bigger.

Three Self-Portraits for World Photography Organization

I submitted three self-portrait photos to the World Photography Organization, which is over in Britain. I chose the three best ones for the contest. If chosen, my work could be exhibited over there down in London plus it could become part of traveling exhibitions as well. 

If you want to see the contest, here is the site address: https://www.worldphoto.org/

Here are the three self-portraits. Enjoy!

                                          You can click on those photos to see them bigger.

"Rainbow Face" for Embracing Our Differences Contest

I discovered Embracing Our Difference contest online. I chose "Rainbow Face", a color pencil drawing on black paper. The contest wants a horizontal size and the drawing, itself, is in square. To solve the problem, I added several manipulation effects in PhotoEditor (free online similar to PhotoShop) that made the work fit in the whole horizontal size. I used tools such as Blurred, Smudged, Sharpened, Paintbrush, and few more. I also used Adjustments to improve the color, the darkness/lightness, and so forth. I also used Filter for effects that enhance the quality of the work. So, the solution was to add rainbow Paintbrush strokes, add rainbow splashes and dots, and other tricks. I also enlarged the artwork to fit in the horizontal space, which helps the work look more in good use of space and make the composition more interesting. 

If my digital artwork gets selected, it would be blown up into a large horizontal-shaped banner and be displayed in Sarasota, Florida from April 4th to May 31st, 2018. Here is the site for you look up and learn more about the display event:

http://embracingourdifferences.org/mission/

Here is the digital artwork I am submitting.

You can click on this image to see it bigger.

Transformed Selfies

I have been creating photos of self-portrait in different characters or personalities. This is a slide show I created to show you the pictures of myself. Took me two days to create this slide show. You will see me dressed in different characters with make-ups and costumes, and also pictures of myself as Eddie, but in different styles and different personalities. I only used iPhone to take the pictures, but I went beyond just taking selfies. I used PicsArt app, Instagram, and PhotoShop Editor to be able to create photographic effects or manipulations. It has been a lot of fun to do this. I have thought of doing self-portraits for a long time while I was thinking of Cindy Sherman and Robert Mapplethorpe as the most influential photographers. Therefore, I decided to go ahead by taking advantage of those widely available high-tech approaches: Using iPhone with PicsArt, Instagram, and Photoshop Editor. This turned out a good way to show you my photos because printing them out and framing them are expensive for me as of right now. I do want to do the printings and framings, then exhibiting them in a gallery down the road. 

Solar Eclipse and Rainbow Digital Artwork

I just created this "Solar Eclipse and Rainbow"digital artwork. I used a photo of the color pencil self-portrait and put it into PhotoEditor (free online software and very much like PhotoShop). I also put in a real photo of the 2017 solar eclipse, which I took a picture of it with my iPhoto during the moment that the eclipse happened. I also took a picture of the rainbow that appeared in front of me with my iPhone and put that in as well. I then combined them within the best composition I can arrange in the space, then manipulated them, using the tools available in PhotoEditor. I made my face transparent, blending it into the sky where the solar eclipse exists. I also blended the rainbow. I was trying to make them become one piece as possible. I then realized that there was nothing below all three of them at the bottom of the picture. So I went back to the original photo of the rainbow and cut out the hills, pasted it in, and then completely made it become black. That solved the problem. I then tested the Filter affects that were available in PhotoEditor. When I clicked on Kaleidoscope under Filter while working on the rainbow, it suddenly became wild, turning the rainbow into an actual kaleidoscope special affect. It was an accident, but it turned out really cool. I decided to keep that, just only enlarged it, and moved it to make it work for composition. Then it was done. 

You can click on this to see it larger.

It is my message to say rainbow is related to LGBTQ pride, which is in me. If you look at my face closely, there is a rainbow paint on my face, but hard to see due to the kaleidoscope affect of the real rainbow. Yet, the rainbow, itself, is the true representation of my pride. Also, when you look at the ear on my face, it has a hearing aid on it. That tells me I am deaf. This shows my pride to be deaf as well. Adding the solar eclipse just adds the power of spirituality in myself. So is seeing my transparent face floating in the sky.