PBS Studios Blog

“Creating Digital Paintings” Book Trailer

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“Creating Digital Paintings” Book Trailer

Good morning. I am announcing the Creating Digital Paintings Book Trailer as part of my latest installment of the “Tales of an Independent Publishers,” 2024 version.

Promoting Your Book

The latest trend in marketing your book is to make a book trailer. Using Zoom and a PowerPoint presentation, I recorded a book trailer for my book, “Creating Digital Paintings.” It took a couple of tries, but I got through the book trailer voice-over. I edited the book trailer using a video editing software application called Power Director 365. Trust me, there were a lot of edits! But it’s done. Click to view the Create Digital Painting Book Trailer. Please be kind with the comments.

As I said before, I’m not very good at voice-over recording—there are too many mangled words. However, I now have much more respect for actors who read books on tape.

One of the features of Power Director 365 is music clips. Now that I know how to edit a video, I might start working on another trailer featuring a PowerPoint with music clips and no voice-over. 

Update – Changing the Title

Amazon finally fixed the title of my book “Creating Digital Paintings” on Amazon. It took a couple of phone calls, but I finally got the right help desk person, and they fixed the title of my book listing on Amazon. So now, when you type in “Creating Digital Paintings,” my book comes up first!

P.B.S. Studios

P.B.S. Studios is a feature and content writer/photography/digital painting company that has written and published over a hundred articles for newspapers, magazines, and online publications. I’ve also had many other photographs published as illustrations in commercial and textbook publications. I’ve also had many additional photographs published as illustrations in commercial and textbook publications. As a digital photo painter, I’ve displayed my work in shops, libraries, galleries, restaurants, commercial buildings, and banners.

Check out the gallery section on my website, www.pbsstudios.com, to see digital photo paintings and other examples of my work. Please Note: All photographs and digital images are for sale, and some photographic prints and digital artworks are available in my Etsy shop. If you have questions or comments, use the Contact Me form or email psmolens@pbsstudios.com. I accept credit card payments on my Square account, PayPal, check, or Money Order.

Tales of an Independent Publisher

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Promoting “Creating Digital Paintings”

Good morning. Here is the latest installment of the “Tales of an Independent Publishers,” 2024 version.

After finishing the corrections to my new book from Digital Art Press, a P.B.S. Studios division called “Creating Digital Paintings, “I ordered another batch of books. The latest batch of books came in earlier this week. A review of the new book shows all the corrections found in the first batch are now resolved.

An interesting side note: one of the books had the cover on backward. I don’t know who to talk to at Amazon about that one. Does anyone have a suggestion?

I also took a new picture of myself holding the new book. I got some comments from my family about the fact that I was not smiling in the earlier photo. Here is the latest picture has me smiling with the book. I hope everyone likes the new picture.

You’ve always wondered why I prefer to be behind the camera; now you know 🙂

Changing the Title

When “Creating Digital Paintings” was first published on Amazon and I ordered my first batch of books, I didn’t notice the spelling problem with the book’s title on Amazon. Amazon had the title “Creaing Digital Paintings.” I admit my fault. Fat fingers when typing the title on the form caused that problem.

I could fix the e-book version immediately by changing the name on the form. However, I could not change the name on the paperback form. It took a week for me to get in touch with the correct department to get the name changed. It appears the paperback name is a key field in the database. The change has to be done to the database file. As a retired programmer, I understood precisely why the challenge. But, like other challenges I’ve had publishing this book, I’m dealing with each situation.

Promoting Your Book

The latest trend in marketing your book is to make a book trailer. Using Zoom and a PowerPoint presentation, I tried to record myself talking about the book. I discovered I’m not very good at voice-over recording—too many mangled words. I now have much more respect for actors who read books on tape. Still, I got through the book trailer voice-over. But it’s going to need a lot of editing.

I’m learning a new video editing software application called Power Director 365 to clean up the video. I removed the big mistakes. For example, I cut out false starts to a sentence. I’m in the middle of a detail edit – trying to make my voice-over sound smooth. No chance, but I’m going to do my best.

One of the features of Power Director 365 is music clips. Another trailer will feature a PowerPoint with music clips and no voice-over. 

P.B.S. Studios Logo

P.B.S. Studios

P.B.S. Studios is a feature and content writer/photography/digital painting company that has written and published over a hundred articles for newspapers, magazines, and online publications. I’ve also had many other photographs published as illustrations in commercial and textbook publications. I’ve also had many additional photographs published as illustrations in commercial and textbook publications. As a digital photo painter, I’ve displayed my work in shops, libraries, galleries, restaurants, commercial buildings, and banners.

Check out the gallery section on my website, www.pbsstudios.com, to see digital photo paintings and other examples of my work. Please Note: All photographs and digital images are for sale, and some photographic prints and digital artworks are available in my Etsy shop. If you have questions or comments, use the Contact Me form or email psmolens@pbsstudios.com. I accept credit card payments on my Square account, PayPal, check, or Money Order.

Promoting “Creating Digital Paintings!”

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Promoting “Creating Digital Paintings”

Where has the month of February gone? Between visits to Di. Ross Weinberg’s office for treating my back and correcting mistakes I discovered in the first edition of my new book from Digital Art Press, a division of P.B.S. Studios, called “Creating Digital Paintings.” I’ve been busy. Still. it’s been almost a month since I announced my new book “Creating Digital Paintings.” Last, I wrote something for my blog.

Any writer will tell you that receiving the box that contains printed copies of your new book is a joyous moment in a writer’s life. It happened a few weeks ago on Super Bowl Sunday afternoon while watching the Capital’s hockey game. Yes, I purchased an ebook version to see what my book looked like on my tablet. It’s a great sense of accomplishment when you hold the physical book.

Now that I have the book in hand, a blog post on Monday includes a picture of me holding the new book. That all went out the window after reviewing the book. Overall, I’m happy with the way the book turned out. However, the writer in me started finding a couple of formatting faults.

  • The book cover is printed slightly off-center, Leaving a small, dark blue line on the back cover edge. My layout had the cover going to the edge.
  • I’m unsure what happened to one of the chapter headings in the Table of Contents. It says error.
  • There was a blank page on Page 197, making the start of the next chapter on the left-hand page unprofessional.

I spent the next few days correcting those mistakes and uploaded the revised version of the book cover and manuscript to Amazon.

I then purchased the ebook version of “Create Digital Paintings.” The ebook didn’t have those mistakes. However, I noticed many pictures were too big for my tablet’s page. I spent a week reviewing the ebook manuscript and changing the size of every illustration and digital painting, making them smaller to fit on a tablet page.

Promoting Your Book

"Creating Digital Paintings" Book

I’ve also spent much time putting together letters to promote my book, “Creating Digital Painting.” I had read online and viewed YouTube videos that said, as an independent publisher, once you finish writing and publishing your book, the “hard work” begins – promoting your product. Letting people know you’ve published a book.

P.B.S. Studios

P.B.S. Studios is a feature and content writer/photography/digital painting company that has written and published over a hundred articles for newspapers, magazines, and online publications. I’ve also had many other photographs published as illustrations in commercial and textbook publications. I’ve also had many additional photographs published as illustrations in commercial and textbook publications. As a digital photo painter, I’ve displayed my work in shops, libraries, galleries, restaurants, commercial buildings, and banners.

Check out the gallery section on my website, www.pbsstudios.com, to see digital photo paintings and other examples of my work. Please Note: All photographs and digital images are for sale, and some photographic prints and digital artworks are available in my Etsy shop.

If you have questions or comments, use the Contact Me form or email psmolens@pbsstudios.com. I accept credit card payments on my Square account, PayPal, check, or Money Order.

“Creating Digital Paintings” Book” is Available

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“Creating Digital Paintings” Book” is Available

Today, Digital Art Press announces the publication of “Creating Digital Paintings, a new paperback and e-book by Peter Smolens. It’s a revised, updated, and expanded version of the 2019 publication of “Digital Photo Painting using Adobe Photoshop.” It’s a hands-on, practical guide showing how to create digital paintings using your computer, a graphics tablet, and Adobe Photoshop. The book is available at Amazon.com

Written for the beginner to advanced painter, you learn how to create digital paints using Adobe Photoshop, the tool of the modern artist. “Creating Digital Paintings” incorporates the latest Adobe Photoshop Brush Engine changes to educate and inspire painters.

Photoshop is an expansive and daunting piece of software. Use the step-by-step tutorials in the book and insightful exercises to build up the skills you need to bring your imagination to life as digital paintings unleash the endless possibilities for this unique medium. “Creating Digital Paintings” Contains more than 200 illustrations, including print screens and original digital paintings.

What is inside

“Create Digital Paintings” shows how to create digital paintings in the following to create specific digital paintings in styles such as:

  • Understand the Photoshop environment and Brush Engine.
  • Create a Digital Painting Portrait
  • Create a Watercolor Digital Painting
  • Charcoal  – emulating black and white style shading drawing
  • Pastel  – emulating a chalk-style painting
  • Cyanotype – emulating the old-time blue-tinted style
  • Fauve Style (Chapter 10) – emulating the graphic line style

Create digital images you can share with family and friends. Upload to social media, print digital paintings suitable for framing, and create customized greeting cards with your digital paintings.

Author Peter Smolens, a writer, photographer, and digital painter, is the author of “Creating Digital Paintings” and “Digital Photo-Painting using Adobe Photoshop,” both published by Digital Art Press. He has published digital painting articles in Photoshop Creative. His digital photo paintings have been displayed in restaurants, stores, galleries, libraries, corporate offices, and on the streets as banners.

“Creating Digital Paintings,” published by Digital Art Press, is his second book. To see examples of his work, check out the Digital Painting Gallery on his website, P.B.S Studios.

P.B.S. Studios Logo

“Creating Digital Paintings” Book Announcement

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“Creating Digital Paintings” Book Announcement

Digital Art Press, a division of P.B.S. Studios, is proud to announce a new book called “Creating Digital Paintings” by Peter Smolens. It’s a hands-on, practical guide showing how to create digital paintings using your computer, a graphics tablet, and Adobe Photoshop. Available through Amazon.com, “Creating Digital Paintings.” scheduled publication date is January 30, 2024

“Creating Digital Paintings” is a revised, updated, and expanded version of the 2019 publication of “Digital Photo Painting using Adobe Photoshop.” Written for the beginner, you learn how to paint using Adobe Photoshop, the tool of the modern artist. “Creating Digital Paintings” incorporates the latest Adobe Photoshop Brush Engine changes.

Photoshop is an expansive and daunting piece of software. Using step-by-step tutorials and insightful exercises, “Creating Digital Paintings” shows you how to build up the skills you need to bring your imagination to life as digital paintings, unleashing the endless possibilities for this unique medium. You can create diverse art, including landscapes, portrait digital paintings in watercolor, pastel, charcoal, Cyanotype, Fauve paintings, and mixed media pieces. You “paint” digital images to share with family and friends. Create customized greeting cards with your digital paintings.

P.B.S. Studios

P.B.S. Studios is a feature and content writer/photography/digital painting company that has written and published over a hundred articles for newspapers, magazines, and online publications. I’ve also had many other photographs published as illustrations in commercial and textbook publications. I’ve also had many additional photographs published as illustrations in commercial and textbook publications. As a digital photo painter, I’ve displayed my work in shops, libraries, galleries, restaurants, commercial buildings, and banners.

Check out the gallery section on my website, www.pbsstudios.com, to see digital photo paintings and other examples of my work. Please Note: All photographs and digital images are for sale, and some photographic prints and digital artworks are available in my Etsy shop.

If you have questions or comments, use the Contact Me form or email psmolens@pbsstudios.com. I accept credit card payments on my Square account, PayPal, check, or Money Order.

Christmas Day 2023 Holiday Card

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2023 Holiday Card

Merry Christmas to one and all!

Just like last year, now that my family has seen this year’s holiday card, I can share my 2023 Holiday Greeting card with you on the website and Facebook. This year’s holiday card is a whimsical painting featuring a snowman. It started last winter, I painted “Olaf” after seeing the movie Frozen. To accompany the snowman, I added “Andy” and “Sunshine” and a couple of cardinals to add some nature to the scene.

Looking at my files, I’m amazed to say I’ve been sending holiday cards to family for over a decade. It’s become a tradition for a dozen years now to create a digital painting as the cover of our holiday card. It’s often a winter scene with nature. This year, a snowman and animals – birds and cats- are often the subjects. This year, I included all the subjects! I always try to make sure my family sees the card first and then friends – I’m running late on sending the cards this year, but they’re coming!

My artist friend, Laura Lavarnway, is the inspiration for the theme of my digital painting greeting card. For the past 23 years, Laura has painted greeting cards featuring Santa to send to her family, friends, and people in the artist’s community. I liked the idea, asked Laura, and I’m still creating them a dozen years later!

P.B.S. Studios 2024 Calendars 25% Off

Because of the lack of art shows this holiday season, I have a few  P.B.S. Studios 2024 Digital Painting Calendars left. I will sell them at $15.00 each, 25% off the listed sale price at my art shows.

The calendar contains 13 reproductions of my digital photo paintings. The 2024 Digital Painting Calendar includes digital images from my landscapes, cats, silhouettes, and other illustrations.

The cover is a digital photo painting called “Fall Impressions, “one of my all-time favorites. It’s a digital painting based on three original photographs. I used the Impressionist Style to give it a painterly quality.

You can purchase the P.B.S. Studios 2024 Digital Painting Calendar from my Etsy shopor through the “Contact Me” form on the pbsstudios.com website or email: psmolens@pbsstudios.com. I accept credit card payments on my Square account, PayPal, check, or Money Order.

P.B.S. Studios

P.B.S. Studios is a feature and content writer/photography/digital painting company that’s written and published over a hundred articles for newspapers, magazines, and online publications. I’ve also had many other photographs published as illustrations in commercial and textbook publications. I’ve also had many additional photographs published as illustrations in commercial and textbook publications. As a digital photo painter, I’ve displayed my work in shops, libraries, galleries, restaurants, commercial buildings, and banners.

Check out the gallery section on my website, www.pbsstudios.com, to see digital photo paintings and other examples of my work. Please Note: All photographs and digital images are for sale, and some photographic prints and digital artworks are available on my Etsy shop.

If you have questions or comments, use the Contact Me form or email: psmolens@pbsstudios.com. I accept credit card payments on my square account, PayPal, check, or Money Order.

2023 Patriot High School PTSA’s Holiday Market this Saturday

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2023 Patriot High School PTSA’s Holiday Market this Saturday

P.B.S. Studios is participating in the Patriot High School PTSA’s Holiday Market at the Patriot High School in Nokesville, VA, on Saturday, Dec. 2nd, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. I’ll be with my art group MAG, showing my digital art.

Attached is one of my favorite winter digital paintings, “Christmas Trees with Deers”.

Also for sale is my 2024 P.B.S. Studios wall calendar featuring thirteen of my digital paintings.

It’s a perfect time and place to holiday shop for arts and crafts created by local artists. It’s supposed to be a beautiful Friday night, so come and see fantastic art by local artists.

PBS Studios

PBS Studios is a feature and content writer/photographer/digital painting company that’s written and published over a hundred articles for newspapers, magazines, and online publications. I’ve also had many other photographs published as illustrations in commercial and textbook publications. As a digital photo painter, I’ve displayed my work in shops, libraries, galleries, restaurants, commercial buildings (including Manassas City Hall), and banners.

Check out the gallery section on my website, www.pbsstudios.com, to see digital photo paintings and other examples of my work. Please Note: All photographs and digital images are for sale, and you can purchase my digital paintings directly from me or online through my Etsy Store. For more information, Please send me an email at psmolens@pbsstudios.com.

2023 First Friday Fall Gallery Walk

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I hope you will stop by Centerfuse Workplace Center in downtown Manassas tomorrow (Friday) night, November 3rd. From 6 to 9 p.m., I’ll be with my art with my art group, MAG, showing my digital art as part of the 2023 First Friday Fall Gallery Walk.


Attached is one of my newest digital paintings, “Winter Tree Bird and Full Moon,” part of my Nighttime Silhouette series of digital paintings.

Also for sale is my 2024 P.B.S. Studios wall calendar featuring thirteen of my digital paintings.

After visiting me at Centerfuse Workplace Center, you can see other artists in stores around downtown Manassas. My artist friends will show their latest creations, including John Hartt at the Man Cave, Valerie Larson at the Doug’s Deli, and the p-ART-ners art group at the Ground Central coffee shop. It’s supposed to be a beautiful Friday night, so come and see fantastic art by local artists.

PBS Studios

P.B.S. Studios Logo

PBS Studios is a feature and content writer/photography/digital painting company. I’ve written and published over a hundred articles for newspapers, magazines, and online publications. I’ve also had many other photographs published as illustrations in commercial and textbook publications. As a digital photo painter, I’ve displayed my work in shops, libraries, galleries, restaurants, commercial buildings (including Manassas City Hall), and banners.

Check out the gallery section on my website, www.pbsstudios.com. There, you’ll see digital photo paintings and other examples of my work. Please Note: All photographs and digital images are for sale, and you can purchase my digital paintings directly from me or online through my Etsy Store. For more information, Please send me an email at psmolens@pbsstudios.com.

2023 Inventory Art Sale This Saturday

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2023 Inventory Art Sale This Saturday

Announcing my art group, Manassas Art Group (MAG), will be one of the vendors showing our art at the 2023 Artist Inventory Sale this Saturday, October 28, 2022, at the Harris Pavilion in downtown Manassas, VA, from 12 PM – 4 PM.

I’ll be displaying a selection of framed and unframed versions of my digital art, including my latest digital painting, “Waiting for Daddy!” This is my tribute to my two cats.

 Also for sale is my 2024 P.B.S. Studios wall calendar featuring thirteen of my digital paintings with the cover “Fall Impressions,”

Art in Centerfuse Coworking Space

Speaking of my digital painting, “Fall Impressions,” it’s one of the paintings on display as part of the Manassas Art Group (MAG) art show at the Centerfuse Coworking Space in downtown Manassas, VA.

Artist Gallery Walk Sale Friday

Just a reminder, MAG will be one of the vendors showing our art at the Artist Gallery Walk Sale as part of the Manassas First Friday of the Month on Friday, November 3, 2023, at Centerfuse Coworking Space in downtown Manassas, VA, from 6 PM – 9 PM. I’ll have the new P.B.S. Studios 2024 Digital Painting Calendar for sale.

Article Sale to Barefoot Writer

This past summer, Barefoot Writer Magazine published my article with the working title “What Happens When the Client Says, Yes!” in the May issue. The article discusses the business side of running your copywriting business, and I include quotes from AWAI copywriting experts in a round-up-style article. Editor Mindy McHorse suggests the following link to the Barefoot Writer Magazine website to learn more about AWAI.

PBS Studios

PBS Studios is a feature and content writer/photography/digital painting company that’s written and published over a hundred articles for newspapers, magazines, and online publications. I’ve also had many other photographs published as illustrations in commercial and textbook publications. As a digital photo painter, I’ve displayed my work in shops, libraries, galleries, restaurants, commercial buildings (including Centerfuse Manassas VA), and banners.

Check out the gallery section on my website, www.pbsstudios.com, to see digital photo paintings and other examples of my work. Please Note: All photographs and digital images are for sale, and you can purchase my digital paintings directly from me or online through my Etsy Store. For more information, Please send me an email at psmolens@pbsstudios.com.

2024 P.B.S. Studios Digital Painting Calendar is now Available

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P.B.S. Studios 2024 Digital Painting Calendar is now Available

P.B.S. Studios is proud to announce the P.B.S. Studios 2024 Digital Painting Calendar is now available. The calendar contains 13 reproductions of my digital photo paintings. The 2024 Digital Painting Calendar includes digital images from landscapes, silhouettes, and other illustrations.

The cover is a digital photo painting called “Fall Impressions, “one of my all-time favorites. It’s a digital painting based on three original photographs. I used the Impressionist Style to give it a painterly quality.

You can purchase the P.B.S. Studios 2024 Digital Painting Calendar from my Etsy shop or through the “Contact Me” form on the pbsstudios.com website or email: psmolens@pbsstudios.com. I accept credit card payments on my Square account, PayPal, check, or Money Order.

Art in Centerfuse Coworking Space

Speaking of my digital painting, “Fall Impressions,” it’s one of the paintings on display as part of the Manassas Art Group (MAG) art show at the Centerfuse Coworking Space in downtown Manassas, VA.

Artist Inventory Sale

Mark your Calendars. My art group, MAG, will be one of the vendors showing our art at the Artist Inventory Sale as part of the Manassas Fall Jubilee on Saturday, October 28, 2023, at the Harris Pavilion in downtown Manassas, VA, from 10 AM – 5 PM. I’ll have the new P.B.S. Studios 2024 Digital Painting Calendar for sale.

Artist Gallery Walk Sale Friday

Just a reminder, MAG will be one of the vendors showing our art at the Artist Gallery Walk Sale as part of the Manassas First Friday of the Month on Friday, November 3, 2023, at Centerfuse Coworking Space in downtown Manassas, VA, from 6 PM – 9 PM. I’ll have the new P.B.S. Studios 2024 Digital Painting Calendar for sale.

P.B.S. Studios

P.B.S. Studios is a feature and content writer/photography/digital painting company that has written and published over a hundred articles for newspapers, magazines, and online publications. I’ve also had many other photographs published as illustrations in commercial and textbook publications. As a digital photo painter, I’ve displayed my work in shops, libraries, galleries, restaurants, commercial buildings, and banners.

Check out the gallery section on my website, www.pbsstudios.com, to see digital photo paintings and other examples of my work including P.B.S. Studios 2024 Digital Painting Calendar is now available Please Note: All photographs and digital images are for sale, and some photographic prints and digital artworks are available on my Etsy shop.

If you have questions or comments, use the Contact Me form or email me at psmolens@pbsstudios.com. I accept credit card payments on my Square account, PayPal, check, or Money Order.