Can a Zebra…

…Change its Stripes?

I started working on this Zebra some time ago, and I started to enjoy the fact that all I had to spend time on was the black. The white just sort of fills itself in for you, with the help of your eyes. What a time saver.

I’ve been offline for awhile, simply enjoying a little relaxation. I’ve also been thinking a lot – about how things, and many of the people I know (and many I don’t know) have been evolving or changing since 2020.

I don’t know about everywhere else, but in my neck of the woods it seems that small changes have occurred (and continue to occur) since things shut down – and then reopened (or didn’t reopen).

Simply put: Prices up, quality down. In every sector.

The changes are small each time, but over time they add up to BIG. And good old fashioned customer service? Gone. It’s like one day the world just changed, and the signs are everywhere… things will never really return to what it was before ‘that day’.

I’m not bringing this up to be a downer, or complainer, it’s just something I’ve been pondering. I started thinking that maybe I could focus on ways to adapt – to change what “I” do – rather than just blowing a bunch of hot air about how crappy things are getting.

For example, I got a notice that the monthly cost of Adobe is going up. It’s not even the additional $$ per month that bugs me so much, it’s the fact that I miss the old days, when programs were sold in a box. You took them home with you and you actually owned them. Now, it’s like we are forced to “rent” programs.

So… I started searching for FREE alternatives for Illustrator, and I’ve found about six of them so far. I thought that maybe – as a fun thing to blog about – I’d start experimenting with some of them and see if I can actually stay amused while producing illustrations that don’t cost me a cent. Haha! Why not?!

That’s the cool thing about adaptation. It’s kind of fun… like trying to beat the system! I don’t know. That’s my thoughts anyway.

So… I will definitely be investigating some of these free programs, and my hope is that I can share my creations here, along with my thoughts about my personal experience trying to learn and use these free programs.

I had started the Zebra in Illustrator, and that’s one reason that I wanted to get it done… in case I decide to pull the plug on Adobe next month.

Well, that’s about all for now! Wish me luck… let’s see if this old Zebra can really change her stripes. ;0)

Until next time,
Peace and Love!