Category: Other

Other

Inkscape – Simple Color Blending with Gradients

The easiest way to blend colors in Inkscape is by using color gradients. Here is an exercise to create a simple ground cover or part of a forest floor.
  • Create an irregular shape like this using the Pen Tool or other drawing tools. Fill the shape with a shade of green. Remove the stroke color. If you wish to keep the stroke color, match it with the fill color.
Fig 1
  • The shape can also be created using the Circle, Ellipses and Arcs tool. Draw an ellipse using this tool and flatten it using the selector tool.
Continue reading “Inkscape – Simple Color Blending with Gradients” →
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Other

Fixing Transparency Issues in Inkscape

While creating images on Inkscape, gradients and transparencies can be used to blend colors or add texture to an image.
fig 1

When such a file is exported as a png file or used in a pdf/x1-a or pdf/x-3 file, the transparency may not render properly (fig 2).
fig 2
Continue reading “Fixing Transparency Issues in Inkscape” →
Other

Computer Basics Tutorial – Free Download

Photo by Andrew Neel on Pexels.com

While volunteering at a local chapter of the HOC (Housing Opportunities Commission), I created these tutorials for adult students. Before creating the learning/teaching material, I asked the Program Coordinator for guidance.  She simply said that I should create the sessions with my mother in mind. 

That’s just what I did.  These sessions are designed for those who have no knowledge about working on a PC and have trouble using the mouse/keyboard. There are simple exercises and even a pop quiz to keep these sessions lively.

I am posting these files in hopes that it would help someone trying to understand the basics of the PC. These sessions are designed primarily for teaching. Yet, it could also be used to self-learning.

Tutorials are based on Windows 2007, sessions created in early 2011. Some minor adjustments might be needed for the current version.

There are two .zip files to download. Here are the details.

Continue reading “Computer Basics Tutorial – Free Download” →
Books, Other

Author Event – The Thirsty Crow & The Crow and the Fox

Author event chapters

A big thanks to all my friends and family who cheered me on as I published my first book, “The Thirsty Crow & The Crow and the Fox”.

Last Sunday, I had my first author event at a Chapters store, in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada. It was a wonderful day, where I had the opportunity to interact with customers who walked into the store. I met the young and old, parents with toddlers (the ideal customer group), yet to be parents, don’t ever want to be parents, teenagers, men and women from a diverse demographic. I told them the stories in the book and the story of how I designed the book and made all the illustrations by just using open source software such as Inkscape and Scribus and how I published it through Ingram. Continue reading “Author Event – The Thirsty Crow & The Crow and the Fox” →

Other

iBooks: The Thirsty Crow / The Crow and the Fox

Thirsty crow coverThe Thirsty Crow & The Crow and the Fox – Lekha Murali

This digital version was published on August 25th, 2017 on iBooks store. This version has been pulled from iBooks store and is no longer available.

The revised edition of this book is available in hardcover format on Amazon.com.

Other

Drabble Submission – Old Man Winter

This was a piece I wrote for, “The Drabble” – a website I visit regularly, where each piece is less than one hundred words.
Irrespective of whether I like a piece or not, I enjoy reading all of them, because the published pieces has a quality of writing that is missing these days in literature.
I appreciate that the editors, uphold these standards they expect from the writers.
Please visit the website and try “Drabbling”, yourself. It can fire your imagination.

central-park-142894_1920

By Lekha Murali

“Half an inch? hmm … too little, maybe an inch. That’s too much. Three-fourths seems about right. There now, just enough to cover the thin sheet of ice. There I’ve turned my kingdom into a skating rink,” he told himself with a wicked gleam.

“Wakey, wakey people, the sun is up, the sky is blue, the air is clear. It’s another brisk winter’s day. Come on, get into your cars and start your day,” Old Man Winter laughed, “Let the show begin.”

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Other

Submission for Tuesdays at 10

I read up the rules for this week’s submission for Tuesdays at 10. I hope I’m doing this right. Here goes…

I find strength in…

I find strength in friendship; spanning continents, religion, age and any other social fragmentation that exists. They give me the strength to soar to the skies, because I know they will catch me, should I fall.

I find strength in family, of which there are plenty, incongruent by their many natures, yet their bonds an oasis of strength and comfort.

I find strength in my husband, like a tree from its roots. He is my home, my love. I owe him my everyday happiness. The thought of him can bring a smile, even on days when nothing goes my way.

Here’s a poem I wrote for him: Joy Ride

Thank you Tessa, I found the link from your blog.
Thank you for this opportunity Karen

Other

Blog Party Declared

Thank you, Double UU for this terrific idea. It truly is a great way to mix things up.

Its hardly two months since I moved to WordPress blog and I am grateful for the support and encouragement. Mr. John White has been a loyal follower in this short period of time. Much appreciated.

Since he is the host of this party Continue reading “Blog Party Declared” →

Other

Review: “Siddhartha” on goodreads

SiddharthaSiddhartha by Hermann Hesse

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Being of indian origin, I was really thrilled to read this book that captures the ancient spiritual India quite accurately. The most poignant moment for me was to read about Siddartha coming face to face to Gautama Buddha and tell the great teacher that wisdom cannot be taught; that it is incommunicable. Isn’t that so true? No amount of reading or meditating can teach us about life.

The only way to learn about life is to live, to immerse in this extraordinary opportunity that is the human experience, Continue reading “Review: “Siddhartha” on goodreads” →