in my previous journal entry that i didn't expect anyone to read but posted anyway on the off chance that someone might, i mentioned that i'm going the self-taught route, at least for the time being, in this artistic shift from paper to pixels.

now, i have been a computer geek since birth.. i spent countless hours playing Number Munchers on the Mac, Q-Bert and Touch Typing Tutor on the Texas Instruments TI-99, Summer and Winter Games on the Commodore 64.. familiarizing myself with every last detail of Windows 3.0... and i remember what a huge deal it was when Windows 95 was born unto the world of personal computing.

these days, i am still a multi-platform girl. i can operate most any Windows or Mac OS with my eyes tied behind my back. however, due to financial roadblocks, my digital imaging software library has always been severely limited. my current high point finds me with Adobe Photoshop 6 and Photoshop Elements 2, so there is already an obvious limit the sort of output i can tangibly achieve. but i've always been a hands-on student, with an insatiable thirst for knowledge.. obsessive about detail and overall mastery. in short, if that's all i have to work with - fine by me; granted i actually reach their creative boundaries.

so now, the part where i justify the inclusion of so much back story.. the end of a monologue and a hopeful invitation to open dialouge.

i am starved for constructive criticism.

advise me, guide me, mentor me. buy me software ? yes, i'm just kidding on the latter. but honestly, if i've successfully presented myself as an intelligent being, i'm hoping that there's someone out there who wouldn't mind kicking down some of their Higher Photoshop Education knowledge to me. please, and thank you, in advance.

~T