Today for the first time since I purchased my Adobe Photoshop Elements some years ago, I used it like a pro. It just seemed to happen. I used the “Google image search,” “Adobe quick selection tool,” “the iMac’s copy & paste,” and “Adobe layers,” to create scenes much more easily and professionally than I had ever done before.

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This morning on the telephone, Evan, my 4-year-old grandson, dictated elements of a Star Wars story that he wanted me to turn into a book (book #15 for Evan). As Evan was telling me about his toys and interests, I was already beginning to create Chapter One of the story. You might think that is something rude – working on a computer-produced picture book while the child is talking to me. But I was so excited to begin the project that I could not wait.

In about 2 hours, I completed the 13-page picture book. Now I cannot wait to make another book. So what is all the excitement about?

It is about creating that which does not really exist – but it sure looks as if it exists. When I place Evan’s head, with precision, onto the body of a Star Trooper, it sure looks like a 30-year old trooper, albeit with a baby-like face. When I place a glass of chocolate milk in Chewbacca’s hand, it sure looks as if he is happy to hold that drink. It’s not 3D, like my pop-up cards, little clay creations or watching a 3D movie. And it’s not detective work, like my genealogical research, or my identification of trees. Instead, making these fantasy picture books is like manipulating the world with a juxtaposition of pictures to tell a story about the way I want that story to be. I am creating a world in microcosm, right there on the pages. How exiting it is, and how fun it is, too.

Why did that Adobe program suddenly become easy to use? Perhaps I was ready to experiment today. I do recall saying to myself something like, “What do you have to lose by trying to leave all the layers of pictures on the page and then manipulating them, one by one?” It worked. But why today? Perhaps because in my excitement to make that book for Evan, I was bold enough to forge ahead. Hmmm. I think I’ll try forging ahead more often.

Mr. Ebsen may be contacted at Robertebsen@hotmail.com