Scribe's Realm

Moving to the Castle

2017-08-02T17:37:00.002+02:00

Happy news! The Castle is now officially open to visitors! I would like to invite all to come visit the website, where I will be putting up stories and photos. I hope to bring more in time, so make sure you keep updated on it all by going there...

Onward, to the Castle!

Throne Room | Contact Me Photo Manipulation for The Castle Completed

2017-07-31T16:31:00.000+02:00

The Throne Room (or Contact Me) photo manipulation for The Castle is complete (see it here)! I like seeing how my abilities increase just a little every time I work on something new. I am definitely faster and more at ease to create certain moods and effects. My only issue is that I am not sure about how to create different effects.

I got the photos for this photo manipulation here:

Background
Carpet
Knight Statue
Ivy 1
Ivy 2
Mural
Stars

Let me know what you think of this!

About Me | Main Hall Photo Manipulation for The Castle

2017-07-27T18:56:00.000+02:00

This is the image for The Castle's Main Hall | About Me page. It took around one and a half full work shift to finish and it is definitely the biggest photo manipulation I have attempted. Once again, this is not how I envisioned the result, but I am proud of it nonetheless.

Why This?

Considering that this image is meant to be of the Main Hall of The Castle, it is quite strange that it is an outside view. All the images of the Castle so far has been of the inside (or the map of the Kingdom). In order to give all Castle Dwellers a better idea of their home, there needs to be a better view of everything around them.

Therefore, by choosing an outside image, I hope that everyone can better imagine what the Castle is like both inside and outside. Further, I also felt the need to work on a fantasy landscape. For that reason, I chose to create a view from the Main Hall balcony instead.

Resources Used

Background
Clouds
Balcony
Deer
Waterfall
Left Mountain
Right Mountain
Stars

Your Thoughts

I hope that not only do you enjoy looking at the photo manipulation, but that you can also see yourself having an adventure somewhere the landscape. It is supposed to make you dream and imagine. Where does this take you? What are your thoughts on the manipulation? Comment below!

Grand Gallery Photo Manipulation for The Castle Completed

2017-07-24T15:54:00.000+02:00

The Grand Gallery photo manipulation image for The Castle is finally completed! This is literally the biggest photo manipulation task I have taken on. If you would like to try your own hand at something like this, I used these images:

Background

Chandelier

Horse Statue

Angel Statues

Curtains

Carpet

The two images used as the gallery artwork can be found here and here.

I made this using Gimp and my mouse. My next one is an even bigger one and will hopefully be even better! I'm still struggling to get the effect exactly as I want it, but I can't complain about the end result.

Let me know your thoughts on this photo manipulation below!

Moving Again

2017-07-20T17:32:00.000+02:00

Well, as the name of this post suggests, we are moving... again, and we are not happy about it. This is a complete mess-up with plenty of lies from our agent. But this is not meant to be a rant, so rather look at this:

I made this specially for you and I hope you like it. It was fun playing around with different effects on Gimp to see what it will do to the artwork. I had a specific result in mind, but as usual this ended up different than anticipated. If there is one thing I have learnt so far, it is that you will never get it exactly perfect, but it doesn't mean you won't be happy with it.

But back to the move. Since I must move and therefore also move my internet, I might be offline at some point. The internet might be moved within the same week I move or it might take weeks (but they told us it will take a week only). Heads up. You are not forgotten and I didn't suddenly become lazy or sick.

I hope you have a fantastic day and if you would like, tell me about your day and rental-issues (if any)!

Word Wise: Is It Dreamt or Dreamed?

2017-07-17T16:57:00.000+02:00

Hmm, is it dreamt or dreamed? This is once again one of those cases where people can't help but get confused. My spellchecker for one, tells me that dreamt is a spelling mistake. Yet, many of you have heard of both these forms. Both are after all the past tense of dream.

Of Dreams I Dreamt

Dreamt is just as acceptable as dreamed. Merriam Webster has both these forms under dream. This can be considered as a little strange, as few words have two past tenses. But, even when it is acceptable, dreamt isn't used as much as dreamed. Dreamt is used about 7 times less in American English than dreamed, whereas dreamt in British English is used only 2.5 times less than dreamed. See it here and here on an ngram graph.

Still, the point stands that dreamt drew the short end of the straw. It is clear that it is used more in British English than in American English. Does this make dreamt the British version?

I Dreamed a Dream

The Collins Dictionary had this to say, "American English uses the form dreamed as the past tense and past participle. British English uses either dreamed or dreamt". It's clear that dreamed is the most used version in both British and American English and that dreamed is also considered the American past tense. But which one should you use?

So, Which One Is It Dreamt or Dreamed?

Since both words are correct, you can use your own preference. However, you need to keep in mind that dreamed is more well-known and used. It would be good to know your readers. If most of your readers use American English, dreamt might seem a little out of place to them, whereas the British readers might be more accepting.

At the end of the day, your choice must be written down in your own house-rules. This means you keep with it throughout your written works. Try not to jump between the two versions. Your readers will get used to your writing style, but if you jump between the two versions, they might get a little distracted.

Which will you choose to use? Comment below and let us know!

Word Wise: Is It Awhile or a While

2017-07-10T16:54:00.000+02:00

Hmm, is it awhile or a while? I can't remember now. Even the best language heroes get a little confused every once in a while. If you get stuck like that sometimes, this might help you remember which word to use in which situation.

Is There Such a Thing as Awhile?

Awhile is considered as old English. More often than not people write awhile as a while, as is the more modern practice. Some people, who are comfortable with the correct usage of awhile, will use it as it should be. Using either awhile or a while is acceptable in certain situations, but it's not recommended. Awhile is an adverb and therefore needs to take that role (and that role only) in a sentence. While, however, can take different forms.

While on Its Own

When while stands alone, it can have a different meaning than when it stands in a cluster of words. Think about these two sentences:

I will stand in the rain for a while.
I will stand in the rain while I wait for my friend.

The first sentence uses for a while, which refers to a period of time. While in the second sentence takes on the role of a conjunction. Therefore it took on the same role as words such as but, although and during.

So, Is It Awhile or a While?

While while can stand on it's own to act as a conjunction, it can also be a noun. A while is the noun version. As an adverb, awhile offers more information on the verb. It modifies the verb. For example:

Go sleep awhile.

If you change the awhile to soundly you can see that it will take the position perfectly. Soundly is also an adverb. It gives you more info on the action sleep. Awhile is doing the same. It tells you for what period in time this action is taking place.

Go sleep for a while.

In the above sentence you can change a while with a period of time.

Go sleep for an hour.

The article a(n) tells us we are dealing with a noun. The substitution cheat can help you decide whether you need to use awhile or a while. Substitute what you want to say with a two phrased time noun or a one worded adverb. The one that works, is the one you want to go for. Otherwise, just remember that one fulfills the noun role and the other the adverb role.

Final Fantasy XV Glitch

2017-07-06T16:05:00.000+02:00

This Final Fantasy XV glitch proves that Ignis is a fantastic driver. It also shows that the four friends can keep calm (and unhurt) in almost any situation...

Grammar Geek: Is It Believe In, Believe On or Believe That?

2017-07-03T17:10:00.000+02:00

Since last week's post was on believe or belief, I decided to ask whether it's believe in, believe on or believe that. All of these are correct and do get used. The questions are when, where, why and how. Here it is in what I hope is the simplest way to explain it and the easiest way to remember it.

Believe In and Believe That Correlation

A certain professor, H. H. Price, came to the conclusion that there is a difference between believe in and believe that. To him, it came down to this, “Surely belief-in is an attitude to a person, whether human or divine, while belief-that is just an attitude to a proposition?”

This makes perfect sense considering the words in and that. Personally, in sounds a lot more involved and personal, whereas that seems distant. Get that away from me. Come on in. That might just be me though. However, this view might make things easier.

What if this thinking was indeed the correct manner? To believe in someone is intimate. If you believe that something was one way or another, you still believe, but it is in an object, not in a person.

You believe that what I say is correct.

You believe in something, but it isn't me. You believe in what I say, not in me.

You believe in my words.

Yet, we can change it to say that you believe in my words. This means you don't necessarily believe in me, but you do believe in my words. The meaning is the same as the first example, but I changed the word that to in.

But can you feel the difference of involvement. If you believe that I am correct, it feels less emotionally involved. If you believe in my being correct, it feels as if there is more trust and emotion. What about believe on?

Believe On

This version is hardly ever seen or heard of. However, it does get used. Believe on is used to imply religious trust, obedience and faith. It is rare and usually only seen in the older texts. This being said, you will be hard pressed to see this in modern texts.

So, Is It Believe In, Believe On or Believe That

In conclusion, each of these have their place. Where there is no solid answer, there is a fine line as to involvement with the statement. If you are a writer and you want to impart a certain feel into the scene, it is wise to know which to use to bring out the correct emotion within the reader.

For more involvement, I recommend using believe in. For a more distant approach, use believe that. Lastly, believe on can be used for religious texts or if you want to create an old feel with your text. Just be aware that if you use believe on in a school or work situation, it might not be accepted with open arms.

Comment and let me know what your thoughts are on believe in and believe that.

Photo credit to Pixabay photographer.

Photo of the Week: Hallo

2017-06-29T17:23:00.000+02:00

This beautiful Burnet moth made it as our photo of the week purely because of it's character and colour. It refused to move away and my wife happily placed it out of the dog's reach. We believe this is a Burnet moth. These moths are actually active in the day, unlike most other moths. Luckily, they are common and not endangered.

Grammar Geek: Should I Use Believe or Belief?

2017-06-26T16:17:00.000+02:00

Should I use believe or belief? This question can keep you from writing that last sentence for the day. It can be so irritating when you're tired and almost done with your work, but that one word is making your head spin. From now on, you should never need to wonder whether you should use believe or belief ever again.

To Believe

I believe that at the end of this post, you will have a better understanding of the word believe. Look at the next sentence:

I believe in aliens.

If you believe in something, you are doing an action. When a word takes on the role of describing an action, that word is a verb. This means that believe is a verb. Change believe in in the above sentence to a different verb, such as chase.

I chase aliens.

All you need to do is substitute a verb in a sentence with believe or belief. If the sentence sounds strange to you, you probably used the wrong one. For example:

I belief in aliens.

That hardly makes any sense, right? Just say the sentence out loud with the right pronunciation to hear whether it sounds right or wrong.

It's a Belief

My belief is not in aliens, but in God. Belief, on the other hand, takes the role of a noun. One of the oldest tricks in the book is to see whether you can put an a or the before the word. If you can, it is a noun. If you can't, continue guessing.

The believe. The belief. A believe. A belief.

Which one sounds right to you? The belief and a belief are correct. With that being said, the question is the following:

So, Should I Use Believe or Belief?

It's my belief that you will choose the right form of the word. You need to figure out whether the word takes on a verb or noun role in your sentence. Once you know which one is correct. You can easy make these plural as well.

Believe takes believes.
Belief takes beliefs.

They might both show acceptance, but belief goes an extra mile. It can also mean in accepting truth and having confidence and trust in something or someone.

I believe in you.

That is a vote of confidence. It shows that I accept you, whether it is that I accept you exist or that I accept that you can do a certain task.

My belief is placed in you.

Not only does this sentence sound epic, but it is also packed with meaning. Once again this is a vote of confidence in you. Yet, both can be a lie. Whether my belief in aliens are correct, doesn't matter. What matters is what I do believe.

I hope that seeing these two words in action helped you understand how to use them even better. To me it is about what sounds right. Check whether your word is a verb or noun and choose accordingly. You can always ask me if you struggle to decide!

Photo credit to Pixabay.

Photo of the Week: Parasite on Me

2017-06-22T17:45:00.000+02:00

This photo was meant to be a typical flower close-up, but instead a innocent bug got caught in the spotlight. We chose this photo because of the timely chance of getting a little insect in on the fun. The flower's beauty is definitely a bonus too.

The Castle: The Queen

2017-06-19T15:47:00.000+02:00

Last week's post was the reveal of the Castle, my new website. Today, is the grand reveal of my Queen. Queen Lazaria the 7th, as she is called, is the strength behind everything I do. She is also the only person between the two of us who has a story ready for you (but now she is waiting for me to finish the artwork and cover...).

Here she is:

If you wondered why I am missing most of the time, it is because this image alone took me around two working shifts (8 hours each) to complete. I am slow and can't really draw. I had to trace to get the proportions right. However, I am working on learning proper proportions!

I will reveal more images soon!

Photo of the Week: Life as an Orange

2017-06-15T15:04:00.000+02:00

Have you ever wondered what life would be like if you were an orange? It would be pretty much like this photo. It's colourful, bright, beautiful. but short. Underneath this tree was an army of rotten oranges. Plenty of them were decorated with stab wounds from hungry birds. Do you still wonder about life as an orange?

Photo of the Week: Tower in the Sky

2017-06-12T15:20:00.000+02:00

Since I missed last week's "photo of the week" post, I decided to post one today. Our photo of the week is "Tower in the Sky". This beautiful architectural tower is actually a church bell. On our recent trip to Estepona, we spent the day roaming the streets. We came across this church in a courtyard. The pigeons regard it as their home and people regards it as a place of peace.

Pray for Garden Route, South Africa, Fire Devastation

2017-06-09T15:44:00.000+02:00

Hi guys! I do apologise for the lack of Photo of the Week this week. The past two days were a panic as fires ravaged South Africa. My mind was not exactly on my photography. There are a few deaths, two of which were children and one a pregnant woman.

This is the photo that appears on The New York Times.

The above photo, which appears on The New York Times, is accompanied with a video, showing the struggle and devastation the fire caused. It is therefore not a surprise at all when Knysna was classed as a disaster area.

The Storm-Driven Winds

Winds did not help the firefighters in their battle against the fires. These winds are from a result of a massive storm that hit Cape Town only a few days ago (a storm that also claimed lives).

It was only once the wind died down they could hope to bring out the helicopters to help. Plenty of calls for prayers and messages explaining the problems flooded Whatsapp. These were terrifying to hear, as they mentioned Knysna inhabitants were stranded while trying to flee the blaze.

I would like to give a shout out to all those affected by the massive fires that has caused (and still is) havoc on the Garden Route, South Africa. People have been left homeless and jobless. We are very sad about the deaths and our hearts and prayers are with those left behind with the scars.

The devastation is too much to even begin to describe. Not only are people's lives touched, but also animals and nature. Farms were burnt down. I will try to keep you guys updated on how we can all help through my Twitter.

Donations

If you would like to help, there are plenty of ways. I will add some of the links below.

SPCA Donation

Donate to the SPCA. You can help the SPCA, George and Mosselbay SPCA are trying their best to save as many animals as possible and are also allowing those that are too badly burnt to find peace.

The local radio station, AlgoaFM, is running a fund. You can find out how to donate here.

Relief to the Fire Victims. This fund is run by the Eden District Municipality.

Time to Explain: The Castle and Kingdom

2017-06-05T15:37:00.000+02:00

I recently mentioned that I am working on my Castle. The Castle is my new website. I am still building it, but I want to tell you what I am doing with it and what exactly you can expect from it.

Get to It! What is The Castle?

The Castle is a place where we all can express ourselves artistically. You are able to comment and send your items in for review. If it is accepted, I will put it onto the website for others to view. There is plenty of ideas and plans for the website. All of these ideas are explained on the website itself, which you can view here.

The reason I am telling you about it now, before the website is complete, is because of two reasons:

Suggestions

This website is for all of us. I don't want to build this Castle and the only person really happy with it is me. We should all enjoy it and feel part of it. This is why I say that the Castle is our place of creativity. I want you to tell me what you would like and don't like.

Remember: Just because you suggest it, doesn't mean I will make use of the suggestion. The majority must like the idea. The King's word is the final word.

Never Stagnate

The second reason is that this Castle will probably always be a work in progress. The website will change all the time to become better. It will one day reach a good standard, but it will never be set in stone. The best way for this website to be all it can be, it must be built slowly over time.

What's Different

The Castle is different from my blog because it's about roll playing, creativity, atmosphere and fun. The blog took a serious nature, whereas the Castle is supposed to be playful. This blog will still exist, but once I start writing on the Castle's own blog (the Library), I will hardly come back here. I will, however, post a notice before heading off.

On that note, go check the Castle and let me know your thoughts. Together we can build it to be a great place for all to escape to!

Photo of the Week: The Blue Arrow

2017-06-01T11:13:00.000+02:00

Our chosen photo of the week is The Blue Arrow. This flower radiates calm colours, yet its harsh, sharp design contradicts the softness.

We chose this photo because of the interesting lines and colours. Nature knows best when it comes to design and contrast.

If anyone knows what kind of flower this is, please let us know in the comments below! Check back next week for our next photo of the week. If you want to keep up to date without any of the manual hassles, we have set up a feed for you. Feel free to subscribe to email updates (on top) or our feed (on the side).

Or you can follow us here:
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DeviantArt

Word Wise: Should I Use Further or Farther

2017-05-29T17:50:00.000+02:00

Today's grammar-focused question is: Should I use further or farther? As writers, we want people to enjoy our books. Even though readers would not necessarily care whether you use further or farther, it might affect readability if used incorrectly. This is why I thought it is best to help you decide on which one to use.

Does "further" or "farther" tell you about distance?

There has been plenty of discussions about these two words. They are often regarded as equals, which can be used interchangeably. Yet there are a few posts I have come across in my research who can easily say how they differ. As always, it is best we know much before we come to a decision.

Further and Farther in UK English

It's well-known that US and UK English differs. There is no exception with the use of further and farther. The Oxford Dictionary has this to say:

Both words share the same roots. [T]here is no difference in meaning, and both are equally correct.

Further it also mentions that further is the "more common" choice. This can be a bit of an understatement in this regard, as many UK English native speakers say that is is rare to use farther and that it is an American word.

The Cambridge Dictionary feels the same, as mentions this:

There is no difference in meaning between them.

H.W. Fowler, a well-known lexicographer, mentioned in 1926 that further will be the popular choice and that farther will disappear from usage because of this. He might have been on to something. Modern dictionaries do not see a difference between these words, which allows us to use it as we please. But what about US English?

The US Version

Many American blogs on grammar do offer their help in differentiating between the two words. Thus some people do feel there is a difference. This difference is slight, but it is there.

Further

Further is used for abstract ideas. As stated on GrammarBook.com it can be used for:

Moreover; in addition; to a greater extent.

An example of further used in this way:

I can gain further experience by doing this course.

Farther

Farther, on the other hand, can be used for physical distances. An example of this is:

The grocery shop is farther away than anticipated.

As you can see, there is a difference. Which brings us to the post's final decision:

Should I Use Further or Farther?

In conclusion, we can hardly say one is right and one is wrong. Both these words exist and both get used. However, it is clear than one of these words get used more often than the other. Further is often used in any context, and is accepted by many.

Yet there are those who hold on to the belief that there is a difference between them and they should not be used interchangeably. In this case, you should know who you are writing for and whether you might upset someone with your choice.

My choice is to stick to one of them throughout, namely further. Even though there is a clear difference, I feel two well-known and respected dictionaries back me up. I grew up using these dictionaries, as we use UK English. What is your choice? Let me know below!

Photo of the Week: The Rock of Gibraltar

2017-05-25T11:51:00.000+02:00

The Rock of Gibraltar is something to admire, and has made it as our photo of the week pick. This photo shows the beauty of not only the British Territory, but also of Spain. Spain is known for its large, seemingly never-ending beaches. This picture captures that beach, as it winds its way to the Rock.

The Rock of Gibraltar made it as our photo of the week. It has a beautiful Spanish beach stretching to reach it.

Other versions of this photo can also be viewed on Instagram (here, here and here), Pinterest and DeviantArt (here, here and here). Follow us if you don't want to miss a photo of the week!

See you again next week for the next photo of the week.

Photography Category: Life in Strange Places

2017-05-22T20:35:00.000+02:00

This week I want to bring you something different. I had a week off work and I have plenty of photos I want to put up for you on all my social media. This photography category is called "Life in Strange Places". As the name suggests, I found plants growing in abnormal places and I decided to take some photos of it.

You can view them on my Instagram, DeviantArt and Pinterest. Here are four of the six photos:

You can use these photos as you see fit as stock photos (you can download them on DeviantArt).

Photo of the Week: Purple Lament

2017-05-18T15:11:00.000+02:00

For our photo of the week, we bring you Purple Lament. On one of our many walks around the neighbourhood, we spotted these flowers on the side of the rocks. We took only three pictures of it, but this picture stood out to us. We thought this flower represents our blog quite well, as it is a royal purple colour.

Purple Lament has vivid colours, which won its place as our photo of the week.

We hope you enjoy our chosen photograph. If you want to see more of this photo, you can view it on DeviantArt (here and here) and Instagram (There is two photo, so make sure to look at both here). You can also buy it as a print on DeviantArt.

See you next week for another photo of the week!

Word Wise: Should I Use Pled or Pleaded

2017-05-15T11:02:00.000+02:00

Should I use pled or pleaded as the past tense of plea? Neither of these two are necessarily wrong, which can make the decision harder to make. Here are a few technical aspects to help you make your decision.

Pled, is it a Mistake?

Every writing tool I have used since researching and writing this post told me that pled is nothing but a spelling mistake. Even though this post would have been a lot shorter if I could just say "Don't use 'pled', as it's a spelling mistake", it's not necessarily true.

Pled is mentioned as a colloquial past tense form in the AP Stylebook, and in other modern books, pleaded is considered the better choice. Pled is also used in some text, such as in the U.S Supreme court (you can read about the study here). However, the amount it is used is considerably less than pleaded's usage.

So, Should I Use Pled or Pleaded?

Although certain parts of the world accepts pled with open arms, it is used in the minority. This might cause a few issues. I won't tell you what to use, but I will say that the safer choice would be to use the norm. Yet, you don't have to conform if you don't want to, considering that pled is not incorrect.

Last Thoughts

The key in regards to choosing the right form of the word is not necessarily about the technical aspects. It is about remembering your choice and sticking with it. Create a document with your house rules (the grammatical decisions you make and will stick by in all your books) and add your choice to it. You will never need to ask yourself whether you should use pled or pleaded again.

If you have any confusing words you want me to blog about, let me know below and I will get right on it!

Image credit: Gavel, taken by Geoffrey Whiteway on Free Range Stock. Edited by myself.

Skin Colour Palette for Digital Art

2017-05-14T16:34:00.000+02:00

I made a skin colour palette for digital art today, which I thought I will share with you guys. If you ever find yourself trying to make a realistic digital painting, you can use these colours to make the skin of the person. Just keep mixing these colours until you have the correct shades you want to use. I'll be using this for the characters I am busy drawing!

You can download this palette on DeviantArt.

I look forward to share the first character with you once I am done with her!

Photo of the Week: The Ant on the Sand

2017-05-11T16:20:00.000+02:00

The Ant on the Sand shows that we don't always have to look for something grand to shoot. Sometimes something small in a large empty space can make quite an impact. The contrast between the sand and ant made this our choice for the week. We hope you enjoy the photo!

If you want to see another photo of this ant, be sure to visit our DeviantArt (here and here) and Instagram (here and here) pages.

Just remember that the photos here are untouched. The other versions are usually enhanced in some way.

See you again next week for another photo of the week!