Yesterday I returned to one of my fun hobbies. I created another book for my five-year-old grandson.
I had heard that my grandson was into robots. During a recent Skype session with him, I asked if I could make him a book about a robot. He said, “Yes,” and told me two important requisites: the robot had to have one eye, and had to have laser ability.
I did a Google Image search for “robot.” Among the 907 million pictures, I found almost 50 different poses of the robot Asimo, who was created by the Honda Motor Co. I browsed through the scores of screenshot pictures of Evan I made each time my wife and I Skyped with Evan in the past two years. For the background scenery, I went back to Google Images and searched for large pictures of scenes from Evan’s hometown in upstate New York. I dragged all those pictures to my desktop. I dragged all the pictures into my Adobe editing program. Using the “Brush Tool” I “erased” the words Asimo and Honda from the robots’ bodies. Using the “Quick Selection Tool,” I encircled the pictures of robots and of Evan. I copied and pasted those pictures into the background scenery, moving the pictures around to where I wanted them to be. If the robot needed to shoot his laser beam, I again used the “Brush Tool” to make a laser-like red line to the location I wanted.
After each scene was finished, I took a screenshot picture of it. I viewed the pictures in Picasa and wrote the words of the story. Using Picasa I can easily write and size the words I want. If the page has light color, I can use dark letters, and if it is dark-colored, I can use white letters. And, if it is not appropriately dark or light, I use the “Rectangle Tool,” and the “Paint Bucket Tool” to make a dark-colored rectangle box. I can then use light color words in the box.
Then I printed the pages of pictures full-size, and used my binding machine to make the book. I put the book in a mailing envelope and mailed it to Evan just before the post office closed yesterday.
I just re-read two essays I had previously written about making books for Evan. The excitement doesn’t seem to wane. With each creation there are new innovations. I am already wondering what the next book will be. This is fun.
Mr. Ebsen may be contacted at robertebsen@hotmail.com.
