Night Cafe' Digital Art Studio

 

Priestess of Words created on NightCafe'

So, I went and did a thing. This old broad decided to do something "new" and tried my hand at this Digital Art thing. And guess what. I'm addicted...already. It's only been a few days, but I can't stop. It's actually pretty fun.

I checked out a few sites I found through Google, but just wasn't finding anything that struck my fancy. Then, I ran across a site called Night Cafe Studios. Oh, my stars, this place is awesome. I'm still in the learning stages, but I'm having fun checking stuff out.

I had no idea what I was doing but jumped in anyway. After a few trial runs, I sort of started figuring it out. My first attempt wasn't too bad, but it wasn't stellar. I called it Horse Cart. Okay, the truth is that I just typed in the words horse cart and this is what came out.

Horse Cart created on NightCafe'

One thing I do need to say up front is that each digital image requires a certain amount of credits. Users can purchase credit packages--though will have to deal with ads on their pages. However, users can subscribe and get credits every month without ads. There are several different subscription levels, depending on the number of images the user needs to create.

BUT...here's the thing. There is a way to earn credits. Actually, several ways. The cool thing about this site is that they offer a ton of ways to earn credits and network with other artists. Creating an account, tweeting your artwork, following and/or commenting, and publishing images to your profile are just a few of the ways to earn more credits. And the really cool thing is that you get badges each time you cross a milestone. Dude, I love the badges.

NightCafe' holds daily challenges/contests. On day one, artists can submit one creation centered around whatever that day's theme may be. It might be vampires, candles, or 3D images. Once in a while, they have a "no theme" day. Anything goes. 

On the second day, submission voting begins. The voting goes on throughout the day and the artists can see stats on how well their creation is doing. I submitted one of my creations to the 3D Image challenge yesterday and have been watching it off and on all day. As of the time of this writing, my submission has a 2.94 out of 5-star rating. Not bad for my first challenge.

Laughing Pickle Face created on NightCafe'

On the third day, totals are tallied and prizes are handed out. 1st prize is 250 credits, 2nd prize is 150 credits, and 3rd prize is 50 credits. You can also win credits if your creation lands in the top 5%, 10%, or 20% of votes. I still have a couple of hours before I know how well I did. I've already created and submitted my piece for tomorrow's voting. This place could totally get me in trouble.

I want to mention that the beautiful girl at the top of the page is our priestess. While playing around, I simply typed in Priestess of Words and she appeared. I actually got a little giddy. The sad thing is I'm not exactly sure what I did to make her happen. I've started following a few of the more experienced artists and trying to learn their secrets. 

I really am having a blast doing this. I've always wanted to draw and/or paint, but I am NOT an artistic person. However, this is something I can do and, if I can do it, anyone can. If you're on NightCafe', look me up. You can probably teach me a thing or two...or ten.

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Myth Monsters Podcast

 

I love all things mythological. I've always been fascinated with gods and goddesses and heroes and legends. But it was the creatures that always kept me coming back for more. Winged horses, harpies, the Minotaur, and, of course, mermaids and sirens. I just couldn't get enough.

As I got older, I began to read up on cryptids (though I didn't know that's what they were officially called) such as Mothman, the Yeti and Sasquatch, and the Jersey Devil. Believing that there had to be a grain of truth in some of the stories, I always wanted to know how these stories began. I still do.

I've been listening to a lot of ancient history podcasts lately. I used to watch ancient history documentaries on YouTube, but I think I've pretty much seen them all. In my search, I came across a really cool podcast called Myth Monsters. Yep, I had to go check it out. So glad I did.

Myth Monsters is based out of the UK and is run by a feisty little redhead named Erin. I started listening to her podcast from the beginning and found myself both informed and entertained. She cracked me up. 

The thing I love most about this podcast is that its main focus is just the creatures. Not the heroes, not all the hype that surrounds the creature, just the beasts themselves. And it's very well done. I especially like the segment near the end of each episode where Erin talks about whether she thinks the creature is/was an actual being. And, in a few episodes, she sings. It's awesome.

Myth Monsters look at beasts from all around the world. I have to admit that I knew many of them before the podcast, but Erin's done a few about Japanese creatures that I'd never heard of before. I enjoyed learning about those. Note to self: study more Japanese mythology.

Seriously, if you're looking for a way to learn more about mythic beasts and cryptids, check out Myth Monsters. The podcasts are short and sweet, as well as fun and educational. You can find Myth Monsters on several venues including Apple and Spotify, or follow them through any of their social media sites. 

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some mythic monsters to go study. 

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Images used in this post are the sole property of Myth Monsters Podcast and may not be used without the owner's expressed permission. Images were used in this post with permission. All rights reserved.

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