Do you ever feel sad, frustrated, like giving up? Everyone does once in a while. This book contains small doses of inspiration meant to uplift and enlighten. If you know someone who is struggling, or are struggling yourself, this is the book for you.

From the perfect glossy pages of a magazine to the larger-than-life images floating on a billboard in the sky, image retouching has become a key component of today's digital photography world. Sometimes controversial but widely accepted, and even expected, excellent retouching skills are crucial to finding success in the field of digital imaging. As you work through the clear step-by-step instructions in the book using the images provided on the downloadable resources, you'll learn how to do real retouching jobs from start to finish, including each and every technical step along the way. You'll also get behind the scenes advice for talking to clients and establishing a workflow to ensure that your client gets the results they are looking for. If you're a student or aspiring professional just starting out in the world of retouching, the information found in this book can help you find work in the advertising/retouching industry. If you're already a working photographer, you'll be able to add retouching to your repertoire as an additional offering to your clients. Carrie Beene is a professional retoucher and educator who has worked with some of the world's most prestigious companies In this new book, she'll share the techniques she has learned and developed over the years to help you navigate the often mysterious world of image retouching.

Capture your subjects on paper like never before. Look Closer, Draw Better will transform the way you see the subjects of your artwork, lighting the way with practical techniques in a range of mediums. Are you looking to make a leap in the quality of your artwork? Are you looking for new perspectives on the art of drawing? Or maybe you want to bring more poetry and presence to your work. Look Closer, Draw Better will help you reach your goals with projects that explore graphite, charcoal, ink, and watercolor wash, emphasizing techniques that Kateri Ewing has refined over years of practice and teaching. Ewing teaches by training your eye to see subjects clearly in contour, line, and shadow, while you learn to make marks with tools that are expressive of what we really see. Her focus is on nature—birds, flowers, and plants that can be closely observed. Discover the techniques for capturing the delicacy of feathers, the natural blemishes on a piece of fruit, the veins and velvety texture of a leaf—all the tiny details that enhance the realistic quality of a drawing. Ewing takes you carefully through every step. Let Look Closer, Draw Better inspire and transform your artistic eye.

The Black Arts Movement was sparked by the Civil Rights movement and the urge to produce and revitalize functional, realistic, and holistic symbols to express African American creativity. When Larry Neal began his quest for a new dramatic form to epitomize African American self-determination he laid the foundation upon which his friends and compatriots-Amiri Baraka and Charles Fuller-would build. Expressing their individual protests through their writings, these artists soon united in their attack against Eurocentrism, which traditionally minimized or neglected the roles played by Africans and African Americans on the world stage. Their writings signaled a radical change in the form and content of African American writing, particularly drama. In this insightful examination of African American cultural history, the author explores the heart of the dramatic imagination of African Americans during the turbulent years of the Civil Rights and Black Power movements. The analysis of the works of these three important dramatists reveals the roots of an Afrocentric approach to the theater, and introduces a new methodology for exploring Afrocentrism that is particularly suited to classes in African American drama and literature.ࠁ

The go-to worship planning resource for all who plan weekly worship. The Abingdon Worship Annual 2023 is a practical, lectionary-based resource for leaders who are responsible for planning worship. This thoughtful sourcebook offers a weekly theme with meaningful prayers and fresh litanies following a traditional order of Christian worship: Invitation and Gathering Proclamation and Response Thanksgiving and Communion Sending ForthLiturgies and prayers are also included for special days, including New Year’s Day, Ascension Day, All Saints Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Eve. The Annual includes helpful reminders for Christian-year planning--including liturgical colors--and a scripture index. The authors also provide in-depth guidance and practical ideas for this new age of worship, helping readers to understand and weigh their options for worshiping in digital spaces and in unconventional places. The Abingdon Worship Annual 2023 is a must-have source book offering countless opportunities for planning meaningful and insightful worship.

Like a broken starfish that miraculously regenerates in ocean waters, "Ocean Star" is an inspiring memoir of how God healed the author after she experienced a childhood filled with chaos and pain.