A Milestone, My 70th Birthday is Sunday, November 16th.

Posted by Skip Allen on

Hey Friends,

Normally, I wouldn’t be writing about something personal, but heck, my 70th birthday…drum roll please…is tomorrow.  I can remember as a kid, I thought 40 was ancient and gosh, nobody hardly made it to 70.  And here I am; it happened so fast.

As you know, I am teaching at DAA in the Holiday Open Studio class; well, I just finished my week.  I taught calligraphy in Corel Painter.  Since it is my 70th…drum roll please, and I am practicing calligraphy, I thought I would make a birthday greeting for myself.  Sounds sad doesn’t it…poor baby has to make his own card.

The first thing I did was compose the verse.  I enjoyed that.  I’m not a writer and I struggled with the last line, but I like the sentiment.  I don’t view 70 as the end but continuing the journey.  There is always a new block to explore.

Photography is my next exploration.  OK, I have taken photographs for a while, bought a number of camera and lenses, but never really learned to take pictures other than point and shoot.  I am going to spend some time with my camera and learn a few things.  I bought a new camera that is way too fancy, so I have a lot to learn.  I know you want to know what I bought…it is a Nikon D810…and I think it is pretty slick.

But, I digress.  I was telling you about my birthday greeting that I made for myself.  Elaina is teaching the second week of Holiday Open Studio.  Her class is about making a blackboard card for the Holidays.  I figured a black card would be perfect for my 70th…drum roll please.  So I started making my black image.  I created a nifty brush to do the calligraphy and I was ready to start.  The blackboard idea had lots of texture in it, and that made my letters look funny.  So I abandoned the blackboard, but kept the image black.

Keeping it black and slick is a mistake.  It now looks like the text screen at a silent movie.  Oh right, you guys don’t remember those.  Well, take my word for it.

This is a long lead to this silly image.  I hope you like it.

My birthday greeting to myself:

Birthday Greeting to myself, done in Corel Painter 2015, using one of my custom brushes.

Birthday Greeting to myself, done in Corel Painter 2015, using one of my custom brushes.

Happy Thanksgiving to the Americans…

Enjoy,

Skip

 

138 responses to “A Milestone, My 70th Birthday is Sunday, November 16th.”


  4. Happy Birthday Garrison.
    “The supreme happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved, loved for ourselves, or rather loved in spite of ourselves.” Hugo
    So happy to have you part of my life.

    Reply

    • Thank you so much…I echo your sentiments. Hey, I haven’t taken the time to tell you that I think your son is a remarkable young man. He is very special, just like his mom.

      Reply

  7. You are an awesome 70 year old. Keep the teaching and the brushes coming. I have learned a lot from you. happy Birthday!

    Reply

  8. Happy, Happy Birthday, Skip! I hope you have a fabulous year . . . and many, many more!

    I watched your You Tube Advanced Auto Painting with Watercolor tonight. Sorry we haven’t met in person. I have great respect and admiration for all you do to help the Painter community. There are many of us who appreciate your sharing your amazing talent, instruction and brushes so freely on the internet! Thank you! You are a wonderful teacher and I appreciate the way you keep things simple! Maybe 2015 will be my year for growing into the painter that I’ve dreamed of being.

    Sending you love, light & hugs!

    All the best,

    Cheryl Schindler

    Cheryl Schindler

    >

    Reply

  11. Happy Birthday friend, I’m right behind you with my 70th birthday in July. At our age a camera is a perfect gift, with it you can catch a moment in time when the light striking your scene is perfect, and you can use the picture to remember how it was for a long time afterward. If I was to trust my memory about how it was it would be long gone and so would the feeling you had when you composed your picture. Enjoy your birthday, your friend Daryl Berg >

    Reply

  13. To state again what I posted at DAA, have a great birthday… And many more to come. Just don’t get so absorbed in the camera that you forget us Painter types!
    Sounds like a nice toy though.
    Lyn

    Reply

    • Hey Lyn, my friend from down under! I suspect the camera will be another vehicle for creating paintings. It is a nice toy…and I love toys. 🙂 Thanks for the nice greeting.

      Reply

  14. Happy Birthday Skip have a great day today. Love what you’ve done with Painter and the Webinars and hope that your successful with the camera as well. I’m only 8 years behind you at 62 and I know what you mean about thinking that when your young you think that 60 – 70 is ancient but now that I’m here like you I find that doing things that challenge you keeps you young as well. Once again have a brilliant birthday and I hope you get everything you wish for.

    Reply

  15. Happy Birthday dear Skip. It is one minute after midnight here is cold Virginia. So happy 7th decade. And 7 doesn’t sound old at all. Your fellow teacher, Elaina, was teaching me Corel Painter 12 with her marvelous lessons when I turned 70. Then she helped me think more positively…by sharing the decade thoughts. It just sounds old. All of us need just focus on the positive learning new avenues. The camera is a great idea…You have already decided to learn something new. That’s my motto. Keep new thoughts on your horizon. Best Wishes..Marion

    Reply

  19. Happy 70th birthday Skip! I love your card..I hope you have a wonderful time and a great day. Wishing you well.

    Reply

  21. Happy Birthday, Skip. I loved the card and especially enjoyed your calligraphy class…my first class of hopefully many more taught by you. You are both talented and at the same time humble. You have the ability to laugh at your mistakes and that allowed me to laugh at mine, instead of giving up! Besides, 70 is the new 50!

    Reply

  22. Happy Birthday, Skip! I’m two years behind you and time sure does fly. Now 70 doesn’t seem old at all. You’ll always have a youthful aura about you no matter your age… such a fun guy!

    Reply

  26. Happy Birthday young man – hope it’s a good one – and keep up the good work encouraging those of us who have lesser talent.

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  27. Happy Happy Birthday Skip!

    Have a wonderful day!

    I hope you get this reply?

    I am still painting … real oils, digital painting, doing some fabric designs. My daughter is getting married, so full steam ahead organising the wedding.

    Happy. Happy painting, calligraphy, photography and any other creative journey, Ginny Fletcher

    >

    Reply

    • Hey Ginny…so good to hear from you. Best wishes to your daughter and I hope you survive the event. 🙂 You sound very busy. I have always loved your work. Would love to see some of your fabric designs. Thank you so much for your comment.

      Reply

  29. Happy birthday dear Skipper. Make it the best one ever. I love your attitude and will keep it in mind for when my big seven oh comes up in April. You have a great outlook and spirit for sure. Young at heart, that’s what matters.

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  31. Happy Birthday Skipper!!! It is a big milestone. Reached it myself a few yrs ago, Love your cuetom card. Hope you post some of your. Photograhy here. Enjoy that new camera.

    Reply

  33. Happy happy birthday! Congratulations on this milestone, my friend. I have learned so much from you, and I enjoy your personality, the sound of your laugh always me me laugh 🙂 I hope to see you here for many more years to come. Best wishes!
    ~Wynne

    Reply

    • Thanks Wynne, I get a lot of comments about my laugh, which always surprises me. I don’t notice it, until I play back the videos…and then I think what a doofus. 🙂 Long ago, I thought I should edit them out, but then folks mentioned that they like it…so in they are…along with yawns and belches. 😉

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  34. Dear Skip, Happy birthday to you! Love your card..what a perfect sentiment too. I wonder if you have any instruction on how to load your own artwork into a nozzle? I am using painter 12 at the moment hoping that Santa upgrades me this Christmas to 15😉 …if its easier to do in the upgrade I suppose I will just wait. Thanks for any advice u can offer. Have a beautiful day🎂 Nancy

    Sent from my Windows Phone ________________________________

    Reply

    • Thanks Nanee, I just did a video about making nozzles in the Class about 2015. The process isn’t new, it still works the same. I can’t remember if I have done another video that is out in public about nozzles. I’ll put it on my list of things to do.

      Reply

  35. Happy, Happy Birthday. Great card. I’ve got you beat by 2 years, but I don’t remember ever seeing a silent movie, only hearing about them. Have fun with your new camera. I hope you’ll share some pictures with us.

    Happy Thanksgiving, too.
    Judy

    Reply

    • Hey Judy,
      Thanks for the note. I was exaggerating a bit about the silent movie, although I have seen several…usually at film festivals. They are great fun, especially if there is live music. Happy Thanksgiving to you too.

      Reply

  38. Happy Birthday Skip. May you have many more good years ahead of you! = )

    Sincerely, Donna Couture

    Sent from my Sprint phone.

    Reply

  39. Belated Happy 70th Skip! Hope you had a great day. I like your verse.

    I’m getting to that age myself in about 2 years and 4 days.

    Have fun with your D810. I use the model before that – the D800.

    Arturo Ramirez

    Reply

    • Thank Arturo…I’m looking forward to really putting the D810 through its paces. I understand that it isn’t a lot different from the D800. It will be fun learning about it.

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  40. Happy Birthday Skip. I can’t think of any one person that gives more of themself to others than you. Thanks for all you do. Skip around the corner to that next block (and use your cane on any buckets you see lol JUST jokin’!). 🙂

    Reply

  42. Happy Birthday to you again, Skip. I like the idea of a card to ourselves. I’m not too far from you. I’m also starting to explore photography. We’re never too old for learning is what I say.

    Reply

  44. Dear Skip, a very wonderful Happy 70th Birthday to you. I’m only a few years behind you & I love your beautiful script & card. I hope you can do something to celebrate! Thank you for all that you do.

    Reply

  46. Happy Birthday Skip…I hope you have an amazing day. You are going to love you Nikon D810. That is a wonderful birthday present to yourself. Enjoy and have lots of fun!!

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  47. Happy Birthday Skip with many happy returns!
    Your poem is sweet and the black and white card works well.
    See you at HOS 2014, Dianne

    Reply

  49. happy birthday Skip , i never thought of writing to my self , brilliant . will try it for sure . photography , wonderful thing to take on . happy everything . soumaya

    Reply

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