All posts by Sammacha

http://www.sammacha.com/Home/aboutme.html
Featured Articles, Sam's Random Life

6 needles to the arm – A bad day

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!

 

Wow!

what a horrible exp I had today. Just in case you didn’t know, 3 shots really sucks to get at the same time.

In late Nov, I went to get an updated Tetanus Shot. The Dr. (forgot her name) convinced me instead, to get a Cervarix shot. The shot was the first of a series of three, so I would receive the tetanus shot on the follow up shot the next month and a half. The first was painful and my arm hurt for about a week. (Then again shots always  seem to cause me horrible pain in whichever arm I get it. My body does not like medicine).

Anyways, I tried to get an appointment at several clinic to get my 2nd shot and my tetanus. No luck for at least 1.5-3 months away…

Well, I can’t wait that long considering you have to get the 2nd shot within 2 months. Ridiculous!

So I went to the walk-in. They don’t take appointments and its always busy, great. Went in, signed up on the waiting list… went for a walk for an hour. It started raining of course. When I got back to the clinic I still had to sit another 45 mins, thank god I had my Ipad (I knew it would be a while to wait). I feel like I should have just gone home for an hour and then come back.

Finally I got to see the Dr. This was a much better Dr. then the first time. By that I mean it actually seemed like he cared about his patients. So I told him what I was there for and blah blah blah, meanwhile he also grabbed a flu shot. I have never had a flu shot so he felt this year I should get one as it includes H1N1 vaccine.

So… Cervarix shot, it kinda hurt
flu shot, nothing at all
tetanus shot, wow did that ever hurt, either way I never said anything but wow, I think I remember this shot from 10 years ago! the same horrible feeling.
Sat for about 5 mins, stood for while I got some paper work to go get some blood testing across the street around the corner.

After about 5 mins I was able to walk out the door without a problem, but,  a few steps out the door I started to feel severely ill.
I suddenly felt like I was going to throw up, I felt dizzy and had a headache. i took a few more steps and made it across the street and I felt like I had a fever. Then the scary part, my vision started to get really blurry. It was like your were looking through a windshield that had no wipers in heavy rain. It went from the outside of my vision like a circle going inwards, it was a horrible feeling. When my vision was all messed up my ears plugged up so I could barely hear anything.

At this point, I thought it would be best to turn around and walk to 25 feet back to the clinic. When I turned I felt so dizzy, like I was going to pass out. I had a hard time getting to the clinic, and crossing the street was extremely hard when all you can see are blurry drops of colour everywhere.

Finally I made it back to the counter and asked the lady if I could quickly ask the Dr a question. She told me to sit down and wait 5 minutes while she went to get him.

Sitting in the chair at this point was the hardest, and it was between two people which made it harder. So I finally get into the chair, and I sit. My hearing came back, then slowly my vision, and all I was left with was a horrible headache, a feeling like I have the flu and a very painful left arm. The Dr. comes and I tell him. it’s not a allergic reaction thankfully its just due to the fact that I had three shots all of which make people feel, not very good afterwards.

He even offered to buy me something from the store, juice or something to eat so I would feel better, I refused. the scary part is over. Was it ever a horrible 15 minutes!

Now onto the lab where I can get the blood test done. Thankfully I did not have to wait long and got a spot within 10 minutes. *sigh, but the lady I got, was learning. Of course!  She sits me down and gets some vials out, 3 of them, boy that makes me feel good when I already feel like crap. She moves my arm around (painful) and then gets the needle ready, cleans the… uh elbowpit (?) and sticks the needle in…
and moves it around…
wiggles is…
and jams it in farther in an attempt to find the vein.

Meanwhile I am having a great time watching all this…

Finally she asks for help, the other lady takes it out, gets a new needle and finds the vein much quicker. Though now that area is already hurting quite a bit. Back tot he new person, she fills the 3 vials and does, whatever they do while I hold the cotton ball on the bleeding area. When she comes back I expect to go…

O…

She missed one, she has to do it again.

So this time she goes for the back of the hand, you can see the vein here and you don’t need a lot this time. now this time the needle really hurt when she put it in (at least she found the vein). When she had filled it and went to remove the vial from the tube thing she let go of the needle. OUCH! She let it  fall and kind of hang there in my hand. That really hurt. I don’t even think she noticed and the other Dr. or whatever was like, “don’t do that, please hold the needle.” A little late!

and then she comes back again with another bottle… a really big bottle…
but  found was relieved when she said this is for a urine sample.

YES! PLEASE DO NOT STAB ME AGAIN! THANK  YOU!

Now I’m outside, its cold, I feel sick, its raining harder, and the dizzy feeling comes back…
I don’t even think I can make the 15 min walk to my house. I ended up calling my dad who was home, thank you! So he came to pick me up, so glad i didn’t drive.

About 2 hours later my mom had come as we had arranged to have dinner. We went out, I was not feeling the best but I was at the normal sick feeling of having a shot. We ordered these koreon chicken wraps that we had before. They came a bit different the usual but ok, lets try it. They were very good, however, they now added peanuts to the dish…

My mom is allergic to peanuts… and had eaten one now knowing it was there…

She was ok, as a small amount of a peanut is ok for her, not good but ok. If there was any other nut such as almond or walnut then there would be a serious problem. Thankfully there was not and they waitress too the food back and had it re-made without peanuts. The manager came out and apologized, yes they had changed the dish… but we also didn’t bother with a menu we usually get mostly the same things.

So that was annoying ad my mom had to be careful the rest of the night to make sure nothing happened. so overall not a good day.

Now I go to a store to pic up a few picture frames for some of my artwork. Found one I really liked, went to buy and and … the cashier, well he broke it. Nice.

 

 

So my whole day consisted of…
Getting soaked in he rain
waiting for a very long time
getting 3 shots (Horrible as is)
Feeling horrible
losing my vision and hearing for a while
almost passing out in the street
being a guinea pig for a person poking with a needle
another needle
a forgotten needle
Feeling like I am going to fall over while standing still
getting a dinner where my mom almost had a bad reaction to some peanuts
having the item I wanted to buy (the only one there) broken
and typing this  with one hand

Overall, I would say I have had a bad exp. Not fun at all…

indeed.

And yes, I know I didn’t have to type this, but for some reason I felt that this was actually something I could share, beacause really… I don’t often share my stories, and what sane person gets 3 shots in a day then decides that day to go have a blood test done? I’ll tell you, a person that does not want to wait aka me.

With that in mind I have a few great “Guy stories” that some of my guy friends have convinced me to share. Basically its like… “What not to do when you see a girl” type of story. But these, at least in my opinion, are not you average stories.

 

-Sam

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Full Gallery: www.sammacha.com/gallery.html
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Featured Articles, Sam's Random Life, The Sketch Book

What I’l be doing in 2014

So 2014 is here and whats new?

…

I have no idea!  At least not about whats new. I know that this year I am going to be finishing some fan art, actually I hope to finish a lot of it. I have a ton of WIPS that where just ideas I never finished set aside in my “Do it later” pile. That pile is huge….

Thankfully, I’ve already started on this by finishing my blue pansy butterfly and my cute walking renamon. I know,  I know, the blue pansy is not fan art but it at least helps put a notch in my “do it later” pile.

The blue pansy butterfly. A Test using some different drawing paper. It was also good practice in that I have not used my pencil crayons in such a way for a really long time. I’m quite happy with this one.
Renamon. I just thought that this pose was cute, and I really love Renamon. She was such a cool character in Digimon.

 

I am quite happy with the way they both turned out. I think that this paper has worked out well with the rich and vibrant pencil crayons. Great practice for my blending. I will be sure to do this more often. This year I will probably be taking more of a break form Digital art though I am still going to be using it from time to time.

Acrylic painting “Jiggly Jelly”
Acrylic painting, “A Cold Winter Night”

 

Hmm Scenery would be another good thing to work on…

the list goes on and on, anyways.

this year you can expect to see more fan art and more traditional artwork being posted on my site.

Don’t forget you can check otu my gallery here or commission info here anytime., and you can get easy updates via

Deviant Art
Facebook
Twitter
Tumblr
Youtube

Or you can contact me by E-mail: SamanthaLim@Sammacha.com

This outta keep me busy in between my job hunt. Until Next time

~Samantha Lim

 

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Events, Featured Articles

New Years Shout outs!

2 Comments

newcreate.php

 

 

Here we go again~!

So as usual my shout outs to a few people,  great friends, artists and inspiring people, thank you!

bleistiftkind – Beautiful animal art
qrekords – Super creative dude
PetalRain – Crit Buddy!
mcrmysarg – EVIL!!!
ForthSanity – Keep chasing that star
FlashMagnanimous – We have a lot to catch up on
MunchyCrunchyMan – Good luck!
masamune7905 – Awesome superhero fan art
FF-Boy  – This year hands will be easier!
EST0PPEL – Comic’s!
Halolux  – Dont quit now!
LadySerpent – Strives for the best
InstantNoodleV – Not too far!
MiniryuK – Way too far!
SL – Win it Big!
SL – Take good care of yourself, get better soon
JL – Dinner will be soon…
MG – I owe you a hug -.-
TB – Its been a while
HD – So many stories to share
AO – Sushi!!!!
JH – Luck for this year
ES – Wishing you a fast recovery, see you soon!

 

Look forward to seeing you in the new year,  until then

-Samantha Lim

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Rules and FAQ

Who can join and What can I submit?

who

Almost anyone can join. I am open to people of all skill levels submitting their art work for constructive criticism.

*If you would like to receive critique on your work you MUST be willing to critique the work of another person ON TIME!

You Must Read The Rules

to participate, please contact me at SamanthaLim@sammacha.com by the deadline stated on the schedule

If you just want to drop a comment feel free!log in

submitThis is open to people who draw, sketch or paint digitally or traditionally. All styles are welcome.

This is not for people who do photo-manipulations, photography,  sewing, creative writing,  crafts or 3D art.

Pictures do not need to be complete. Sometimes it is very valuable to receive critique on a picture before it is finished. this helps you to improve the overall finished project. However it must be clean ( not a ton of  messy scribbles) so we can see what you are trying to create. Its no use asking someone to critique a picture if they aren’t sure what you are trying to accomplish. Submit something worth while.

Don’t forget you can request Critique on a certain part of your drawing in particular.

DONT FORGET

  1. Post your own artwork. The reason for Crit night is not to see who is the best artist on the page, its to get an insight to how you can improve. DO NOT post artwork that is not your own. DO NOT post tracings or copies of other peoples work. we are looking for YOUR original artwork.I will accept fan art but it must not be a simple copy of  another piece, that would be copyright infringement. Using a reference picture is ok.
  2. Quality Pictures. Please submit quality pictures. This means using a scanner or taking quality photos or your artwork. We want to be able to actually see your artwork!
  3. Water Marks. I myself use a water mark on my artwork and I understand its purpose completely.  When you apply a watermark to your artwork please do it in a way which does not obstruct or distort the image (make the watermark fairly transparent).
  4. Permissions. Keep in mind that this is a PUBLIC BLOG. the public will be able to view all the images which you are allowing me to post for crit night. Please don’t submit things which are personal or contain personal information. By adding them to crit night you are allowing me to post them on my website and or blog for the purposes of Crit night (promotion, examples etc.)
  5. Sexual images and Pornography. Again, this is open to people of all skill levels and various ages. I understand nudity and sexual images but please submit what you would deem “tasteful.” To put it short and simple no hard core porn please! if your not sure please ask.
  6. Violence. Yet Again, this is open to people of all skill levels and various ages. Please no horribly graphic violent images.
  7. Offensive Images. No Overly offensive images such as very racist, religious or political images. Light humor and stereotypes are allowed.

 

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Rules and FAQ

Rules

Rules

Please read the rules before joining crit night.

  1. Meet the Deadline. I will provide you with plenty of time to send me a link to your artwork and your critiques for the actual crit night. I understand that people are busy and have lives and I would give no less then a few months notice (unless there is an emergency). the time between when I send out the pictures to be critiqued and be posted will be around 2 weeks  and 1 week which will give me time to organize and create the post ( Yes, I have a life too!). Please understand that organizing and arranging things like this with people I may not have direct contact with can be difficult and time consuming. Please do your best to meet the deadlines set and communicate with me if you are unable to do so.
    See the Schedule
  2. Keep in touch. To have something like this be successful you need to keep in touch. Please use an E-mail which you actually look at, of add me on facebook or twitter so you can see when an E-mail has been sent. E-mail will be the key communication method used to send and receive everything that has to do with Crit Night.
  3. Constructive Criticism. We are looking for people to give constructive criticism. You must be willing to give constructive criticism on at least one picture to be eligible to have your picture with its critique posted.
  4. Submit Proper content. Please check the submission page to see what type of work is accepted. I have the right to reject or remove any art which is submitted.
  5. Use appropriate language. Nobody here is looking for a puddle of insults or a text message. This is open to people of all skill levels.  Which means people of different ages are able to contribute. Please use appropriate language and proper spelling when you send your critique. I will do my best to try and help filter this out but it is far to time consuming if I have to sit and read everything word for word before I can even get started on posting the material
  6. Post your own artwork. The reason for Crit night is not to see who is the best artist on the page, its to get an insight to how you can improve. DO NOT post artwork that is not your own. DO NOT post tracings or copies of other peoples work. we are looking for YOUR original artwork.I will accept fan art but it must not be a simple copy of  another piece, that would be copyright infringement. Using a reference picture is ok.
  7. Quality Pictures. Please submit quality pictures. This means using a scanner or taking quality photos or your artwork. We want to be able to actually see your artwork!
  8. Water Marks. I myself use a water mark on my artwork and I understand its purpose completely.  When you apply a watermark to your artwork please do it in a way which does not obstruct or distort the image (make the watermark fairly transparent).
  9. Permissions. Keep in mind that this is a PUBLIC BLOG. the public will be able to view all the images which you are allowing me to post for crit night. Please don’t submit things which are personal or contain personal information. By adding them to crit night you are allowing me to post them on my website and or blog for the purposes of Crit night (promotion, examples etc.)
  10. Sexual images and Pornography. Again, this is open to people of all skill levels and various ages. I understand nudity and sexual images but please submit what you would deem “tasteful.” To put it short and simple no hard core porn please! if your not sure please ask.
  11. Violence. Yet Again, this is open to people of all skill levels and various ages. Please no horribly graphic violent images.
  12. Offensive Images. No Overly offensive images such as very racist, religious or political images.

Rules are subject to change. Previous participants will be notified if a change occurs.

thanks

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Featured Articles, Sam's Tips & Helpful Links, The Sketch Book

Improve your Figure and gesture drawing

Fancy Text

Improving your figure and gesture drawing can be a rewarding and enjoyable process. Here are some tips to help you improve your skills:

  1. Practice regularly. Like any skill, figure and gesture drawing improves with practice. Try to set aside time to draw every day, even if it’s just for a few minutes. The more you draw, the better you will become.
  2. Study the human form. Understanding the structure and proportions of the human body is essential for good figure and gesture drawing. Consider taking a life drawing class or studying anatomy books to learn more about the human form.
  3. Start with gesture drawings. Gesture drawings are quick, loose drawings that capture the movement and pose of the figure. They are a great way to practice capturing the essence of the figure and to loosen up your drawing style.
  4. Pay attention to proportions. Proportions are important in figure drawing, as they help to create a sense of realism and believability. Pay attention to the relationships between different parts of the body and try to get the proportions right.
  5. Use reference materials. It can be helpful to use reference materials, such as photographs or live models, to help you get the details right. However, be careful not to rely too heavily on references and try to develop your own style and interpretation of the figure.
  6. Experiment with different mediums and techniques. Figure and gesture drawing can be done with a variety of mediums, including pencils, charcoal, and ink. Experiment with different mediums and techniques to find what works best for you.

With practice and dedication, you can improve your figure and gesture drawing skills. Remember to have fun and don’t be afraid to experiment and try new things!!

A fantastic resource for figure drawing

http://artists.pixelovely.com/

Let’s get sketching!

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Crit Night, Featured Articles, Sam's Tips & Helpful Links

Constructive Criticism – a guide

Constructive criticism is a valuable tool for helping us to grow and improve. It can be difficult to hear criticism, especially when delivered in a negative or hurtful way. However, when criticism is given in a constructive and respectful manner, it can be incredibly helpful in helping us to identify areas for improvement and to learn from our mistakes.

Receiving Criticism

Here are some tips for how to use constructive criticism effectively:

  1. Stay open-minded and receptive to criticism. It can be easy to get defensive when we receive criticism, but try to approach it with an open mind and a willingness to learn. Remember that the criticism is not a personal attack, but rather an opportunity to improve.
  2. Seek out criticism from a variety of sources. Different people will have different perspectives and insights, so try to get feedback from a range of sources. This can include peers, mentors, and even friends and family.
  3. Consider the source of the criticism. It’s important to take into account the source of the criticism and whether or not they have the knowledge and expertise to provide useful feedback. While it’s important to listen to feedback from all sources, it’s important to weigh the opinions of those who have relevant experience and knowledge more heavily.
  4. Don’t take criticism personally. It can be easy to get upset or feel hurt when we receive criticism, but it’s important to remember that it is not a reflection of who we are as a person. Try to separate the criticism from your sense of self and focus on the specific issue or behavior that is being addressed.
  5. Use criticism as an opportunity for learning and growth. Rather than getting defensive or upset, try to use the criticism as a chance to learn and improve. Consider what the criticism is telling you and how you can use it to become a better person or performer.

By following these tips, you can learn to use constructive criticism effectively and turn it into a valuable tool for personal and professional growth.

Remember, some things are just personal preferences, you don’t have to change them because someone else tells you they think it would be better another way.  if you like it leave it, if you are done, don’t change it. just take what they said, reflect,  and maybe it will be helpful to you later on.

Providing feedback

Giving constructive criticism to artwork can be a delicate process, as art is often very personal and subjective. However, it’s important to approach criticism in a respectful and thoughtful manner in order to be helpful and avoid hurting the artist’s feelings. Here are some tips for how to give constructive criticism on artwork:


Here are some tips on how to effectively provide constructive criticism:

  1. Focus on the artwork, not the artist. When giving criticism, it’s important to focus on the specific aspects of the artwork rather than attacking the artist’s character or ability. Avoid making personal attacks and instead focus on specific elements of the piece that could be improved.
  2. Use specific examples to illustrate your points. Rather than making general statements, use specific examples from the artwork to illustrate your points. This will help the artist to understand exactly what you are talking about and how it affects the piece.
  3. Offer suggestions for improvement. Rather than just pointing out what is wrong, try to offer suggestions for how the artist can improve the piece. This can help to turn the criticism into a positive and constructive experience.
  4. Use “I” statements to express your perspective. Rather than using “you” statements, which can be confrontational, try to use “I” statements to express your perspective. This can help to soften the blow of the criticism and make it feel less personal.
  5. Be timely and specific. It’s best to give criticism as soon as possible after the artist has completed the piece. This will help them to remember the work and make the connection between the criticism and the specific elements of the piece. It’s also important to be specific and clear about what you are criticizing in order to avoid confusion.

By following these guidelines, you can give constructive criticism on artwork in a way that is respectful and helpful. Remember that the goal is to help the artist to grow and improve, rather than to attack or belittle them.

So what do you think? Do you have any other tips for giving or receiving criticism? Let me know in the comments

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Featured Articles, The Sketch Book

What am I working on?

Bird’s and scenery are my main focus right now.
I’ve mainly been sketching birds from photos but I will be doing some from real birds and stuffed specimens. That should be fun and interesting, but, not sure if they will be post worthy.

As for the scenery well I’ve been playing around with my old friend acrylic paint. Until recently I hadn’t touched it for ages but I would really like to pick it up again. As the weather starts getting cold and wet I will probably be able to complete some new pictures for show. The only problem I find with the paintings is that its hard to capture it in a photo and its far to big for a scanner, like you see here.

“Clear Night” … I’ve been waiting for a nice day when I can go out and get a real photo to display on my website.

I would also like to do a few more pieces of fan art this year and I have an incomplete image to add to my 1,2,3 pokemon fan art collection. Now if your not sure what that is, it all stared with this picture.

3,2,1 STACK! The original unforgettable starter Pokemon~!

I’m sure you get the idea 😉

 

 

 

-Samantha Lim

Visit my website

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Crit Night, Rules and FAQ

What is Crit Night?

Crit Night

Critique Night is night which will be dedicated to creating a night full of constructive criticism for artists of all skill levels.

This is open to people who draw, sketch or paint digitally or traditionally.

This is not for people who do photo-manipulations, photography, Creative writing,  sewing, crafts or 3D art.

What I would like to do is build a community of artist willing to help one another. I and a few of people I know find that critique, real constructive critique on your artwork is extremely hard to find. Most of the time people simply “like” the picture, and sometimes we wonder what it is about that picture it is that they really do like.

Every few months I am hoping that people will submit work which they would like feedback on, in turn they will help provide feedback to other artists about their work. This allows the  artist to see how others view their work, what they like, what they don’t like and most importantly how they can improve their skills.

Once all the art is collected each artist will be randomly assigned 1 piece to critique (Of course it would be great if you could do more). This would ensure that everyone gets at least 1 critique on their art work. Your art will only get posted when your critique has also been written.

There will be a deadline for art submissions and I will give a set amount of time for people to write their Critiques ( Im thinking 2 weeks would be enough time to crit just 1 picture)

On Crit Night I will post all the pictures with all the critique they received for everyone to see here on my Blog where people can view them all and post comments.

Of course to contact  you I would require your E-mail address (which I will not post or share to others)

 

the Basic form I am hoping people to fill out is a simple one and will be something along the lines of this:

  1. First impression: 
  2. What do you like about this image?
  3. Is there something you don’t like?
  4. What do you think the artist can improve upon? suggestions?

Red line/examples (optional)

Please rate from 1-3

Originality/creativity:

Color scheme:

Overall Composition :

 

So,

If you’re an artist looking for some constructive criticism on your artwork and are willing to critique others work then this might be a great opportunity for you.

If your not an artist but are interested in  providing some valuable feedback I would also be interested in hearing from you.

All the information about participating in Crit night can be found here

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Sam's Random Life

Inspiration from a friend

Inspiring a friendInspiration, why is it so hard to find sometimes?
For a long time Ive felt as though I had none, or at least, very little of it. Like my imagination had just disappeared.
I don’t know how or why but its like my mind was just empty, a blank slate, and quite frankly… That sucks.
Recently however I feel as though it has come back, not on its own however. A very good friend found it and brought it back to me.
He told me that he loved my art because I really try and you can see the effort put into it.
He also told me that I should draw what I liked and whatever I wanted to.
Thats what really got me, I guess being so busy and not having time to draw a lot I got stuck. I stopped drawing things that I liked because I was trying to hard to think of something that other people would like. The reality is that people like my art because they already like what I like or they just plain like it!
So yeah, 2 simple sentences and I recovered something I had lost. He brought it back to me without even having to look for it, I am so grateful for that. Thank you!

It reminds me of another when a different friend once told me, “I don’t want to copy, I want to create my own”

But nothing lost nothing gained right? Now that person is having a hard time in their life. I just wish that there was something that I could do to help, but it seems like there isn’t anything. I would love to give him a painting and hope that I can give him even just a little bit of what he gave back to me.

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