What is this rant I am speaking of? Well it's not going to be a lose my cool entirely rant, I don't bite the hand that feeds...and there will be props given where necessary. With that intro out of the way, let's get to the rant...I see the looks, minions...I see all! I know all! Well at least, that's what I like to think in my reality...
My art program went from Painter 2017 to 2018. This doesn't surprise me...it went on a hella sale, so I got it. Since it's THE program I use I just have the upgrade price...so really all in all, for what you pay, you get a lot. I am thinking they are a bit of a gaffing company, since they've done this a LOT instead of just doing updates. Well, everyone has to eat, and like I said it's THE program that's right for me. I know most digital artists are on Photoshop and if that's what works for them, that's awesome. I just never cared for it, myself. Doesn't sound ranty, does it...well here it comes minions...here it comes...
Upon purchasing I had to re-upload the brush sets I bought...all was well except 5. The 5 sets I bought off of THEIR website and not through the program. I thought, easy enough I have the .ex.e files for the missing 5, I'll run them and then be on my merry arting way. Oh no...THAT didn't work. Grrr...I tried a few tricks that I knew of off the top of my head...nope. So I called Customer Support...one knock is I'm pretty sure they've outsourced that and technical support, too. Just a hunch, not 100% sure. I don't like when companies do that. I was told, that they couldn't help me that I have to go to live chat...so I did...and that person said she'd open a ticket and a tech support guy would email me...So I went from live person, to online chat to email...which I explained my issue and hours...HOURS went by...finally a response that didn't work AT all...I was getting miffed at this point, because naturally, one of the brush sets I am using for my current piece was one of the ones that weren't uploading. GRRR. I was fiddling around with the new technology, let me tell you, it's amazing...going to take me awhile to figure out, but playing with it was whoaaaa....for sure going to up my game. I digress, I was so fed up by around 4pm I called initially at 9am...I called again and said I need to speak to your manager OR transfer me to your tech department. Oh no, we can't do that, the bosses leave at 2pm...REALLY?! They work from 9am to 2pm...can I have that job PLEASE!!!??? Oh and no on the tech support but he'd contact them and place me in priority...So you can call them but I can't? WTF?! I was blazing angry at this point...red was being seen, smoke coming out of my ears...as most of you know, I am not patient. When arting, yes, other than that, nope. I lack in the patience department. So, upon waiting I had a brilliant idea...go to the Google-Fu.
Onward I went, eyes blazing red, typing in a frenzied anger of GRRR...I just wanted to art the piece I was working on...the Google gives me some sites...some I'm familiar with, one I'm like "HEY! I've watched this guys' tutorial when I first got into Painter. Clicked, read the forum, which was old, but same problem but going from Painter 2016 to 2017...and there it was, all shiny and glistening with hope...the answer. Tried it and I'll be damned if it worked!! I was doing a happy dance and right now, here comes the props to this lovely man. He is a Elite Master Painter for Painter and his name is Skip Allen. I do watch a lot of tutorials from Aaron Rutten, another Elite Master painter...he actually followed me on Twitter, yes I'm a bit starstruck by that. These are my two favourites...After waiting ALL day with stupid suggestion to solve it, within 5 minutes I had all my brush sets working...and got a lot of arting done. I feel bad for the peanut gallery, for all the swearing and growling, snipping and snapping, I was doing at the PC and the slow ass response. I did email my tech guy and said I SOLVED my own problems...to which he said I was welcome. I'm like WHAT?! You didn't help me at ALL. So I get to fill a survey out today. As I said, I am not going to bite the hand that feeds, but they seriously need to re-evaluate their customer support system...especially with the kind of money first time buyers put out...and even upgrades on amazing sales, it's not cheap. Thankfully, I finally came to my senses and went to the Google. I just still facepalm when I think, this tech guy should have known what Skip Allen knew. Or they should hire him for tech support.
Okay, that was a LONG rant...I do apologize, minions...I needed to get that off my chest...onto fun stuff...like ARTING! Woohoo! Not only did I get to play with my new arty art maker, but I did work on the current piece after I fixed my issue. Hoping to have it done this week at some point. Now the ideas I have are going to a whole new level of whoa...I hope. Even this piece may have some whoa factor. I'm a happy artist with a lot of ideas and actual time to art, now that the safety net is gone. I do think with the new program I will be doing some Abstract, along with Surreal, as it really has some amazing tools that I can use. Granted, the main plan is still there...marrying the abstract with the surreal with some tangles thrown in for fun. I'm on a roll of sorts....
In the more news...I had to go see the doc for my eyes...turns out, allergies...I thought I scratched my cornea again...so I wanted to make sure I didn't get to the point where I almost lost my eye....again. Yes, true story. Nope, eyeball fine, just really bad allergies...which not only did the doc say that, but so did the pharmacist...the eye drops are amazing...my eyes are feeling fantastical. More art for me! Woohoo! I'm wrapping it up, minions, I promise...just one more little tidbit...of news...I'll be switching my workout routine today...I have officially plateaued and that's not cool. It's nice having the personal trainer background skill set to know...I will miss my current program, though. Not sure what I'll be doing next...but my body for sure needs to be bamboozled into something new. I'll be super sore tomorrow...lol. Thankfully, it's not a Dad day, which is a booooo, too, I love my Dad days.
On that note, and severe, eye strain, sorry minions!! I promise that if I do blog on Friday I will try and keep it shorter...I see those looks and hear the groans...I will TRY, try being the keyword here...For now, I bid you an adieu and hope your eyes recover quickly!