C. Zablockis's Blog, page 8
December 27, 2012
Playing with Photoshop Colored Pencil Filter Tool
I was playing around with Photoshop converting photos to line drawings. I used the Photoshop Colored Pencil Filter Tool to accomplish the effect. First I adjusted the levels to increase the blacks and wash out some of the background.
Conner Illustration
Conner Photo
October 11, 2012
Tribute to Vampire Diaries Season 4 Premier: 15 ways to kill a vampire
I have compiled a short list various movies and books have killed vampires.
CW Photo Credit
1. The most popular of all, a stake through the heart. Although, Vampire Diaries added a twist when it came to killing off Original Vampires. They needed a stake carved from a rare tree that luckily for them the Wickery Bridge had been made out of. Dusk to Dawn they were able to rip out a heart and stab it with a pencil, butch style.
2. The tried and true, sunlight. However, Vampire Diaries found a way fo...
October 6, 2012
YA Authors: Part II Capturing a sale from the ever elusive teen
In this part, I’m going to discuss:
Different ways to attract teen readers
First, throw out everything you learned so far when it comes to promoting your book. You’ll have to take a different approach if you’re selling to teens, especially if you’re a new author.
Teens generally won’t follow authors on twitter or facebook they aren’t familiar with. They follow them after reading a book they enjoyed, just ask Stephanie Myers who built up her following with her mySpace page after Twilight had been...
September 28, 2012
Readers Subconsciously Become Their Favorite Fictional Characters, but what about the authors?
I recently read an article, “Psychologists Discover How People Subconsciously Become Their Favorite Fictional Characters”
It explained that psychologies discovered people subconsciously adopt the behavior of a character they are reading in a book. They believe stories written in first-person have a more profound affect since the reader is inside their head experiencing the story as if they were the character.
But what about the author who wrote about the character? Do they temporarily become th...
September 22, 2012
What happened to originality in movies?
Yet another 80’s remake is hitting the big screen and it hasn’t nothing to do with improving the movie. It’s all about the money.
The movie industry is optioning for remakes, popular books and superhero comics instead of original, possible sleeper hits hoping to capture the built-in audience, ensuring instant success and cash flow.
They’ve almost given up on original ideas that don’t have an instant following.
But what about the sleeper hits like Poltergeist. I remember when it came out in the t...
September 17, 2012
Underworld: Awakening in3D Blu-ray review
I just watched Underworld: Awakening in3D on Blu-ray. It was the fourth film part of the epic battle between vampires and lycan’s (werewolves for those who don’t know what lycan means). However, this go around, humans discovered their existence and go on a rampage exterminating both their kinds. Surprisingly, but not really, both species managed to survive extinction by hiding, getting inside help or in Selene case, used as a guinea pig.
Last movie she drank Corvinus blood, father of all vampi...
September 9, 2012
Blood Forever Book Report
Book Report
Blood Forever
By Mari Mancusi
Overview
Blood Forever
is the last book part of the Blood Coven Vampire series. Sunny (Sunshine) and Rayne McDonald managed to go back in time before Sunny was bitten by Magnus with the help of Hades. They are both able to remember everything that had happened in their previous future. However, no one else can. Not even their vampire boyfriends Magnus and Jareth.
Given a second chance, both girls swear off vampires forever avoiding going down the same path...
September 1, 2012
Why are all ghosts depicted as bad?
I was watching Ghostly Encounters on Biography where a man and woman went to this old school. They came across a presence of a ghostly male figure that grabbed the man around the neck and then overpowered the woman with despairing emotions. The show continued focusing on another incident of a young female ghost who left water running and slammed doors and then another ghost story. Every time a ghost was mentioned, they were called a bad ghost.
If you watch movies, read books or other shows abo...
August 28, 2012
5 Paranormal Romance Covers that make you want to drool . . .
Have you ever been seduced to buy or borrow a book, simply because of the cover? I know I have. As a graphic designer and indie author, I am reviewing book covers daily for inspiration and research. I’ve collected five paranormal romance werewolf book covers I would like to share as well as inspire other author / designers. If you’ve seen other inspirational paranormal romance werewolf book covers please feel free to add a link in the comment section. If it’s your own book, go ahead and add t...
