I had many adventures on my way to the top, some happy, some sad, some terrible, some downright weird. My editor thinks the book is like a group of short stories, all somewhat funny. I'm not sure they were all funny, not when I was living them. I also put in some of the humorous and tragic things that happened to me along the way, but mostly I stuck to the challenges, pitfalls, and triumphs of an art career.

In the middle of my trip to the top position in the commercial art advertising field I made a detour into a fine arts promotional art position. It was an eight year sting doing mostly fine arts, an artist's dream job. Imagine being paid to do what I thought of as fun and games. This time of my life makes the book more versatile and interesting to the reader and especially to the would-be fine artist or craftsman, or the simply curious about an artist's life. In the end I got what I wanted; the top position of art director of the whole corporation.

This manual, is based on lectures of Frank J Reilly and teaching experiences of the author at County College of Morris. It covers the fundamental concepts of form, planes and light-and-shade that are also applied to the structural understanding of the human figure and head. Analysis of the Munsell Color Theory, color mixes and their application to figure, portrait, and landscape painting is given in the second part of this manual. The stress on craftsmanship and practice, based on knowledge of principles, structural concepts, and color orientation related to painting techniques will lead to development of creativity in the style of an artist. It is the purpose of this manual to serve as a reference guide for art students, art teachers, and art professionals.

Lying in my bed that had become more like a prison than a place of rest, I realized the extent of damage I would face for a lifetime imposed upon me by criminals. I was angry at a system that failed to deliver anything resembling Justice. I was permanently crippled, suffering unbearable pain and the guilty were free.

Bedridden and housebound, I grieved my life that had been destroyed. It hurt to let go of all that I had worked so hard to acquire, and face the endless days alone, without a purpose, or a life worth living. When life gave me lemons, I had made lemonade, but now the pitcher which contained it had been smashed and broken. I cried out in anger and despair to my Creator, "Please God, do not let this be how my story ends. Give me a way, which I can rejoin the living - a purpose to fulfill - a reason to live!" I knew from past experience that anger and all the negative monsters that love to accompany it would be the ruination of my soul - the only thing I had that was still intact, if I did not let it go. Forgiving the criminals who had given me this life sentence would not be easy, but I vowed to forgive them and I begged my Lord to guide me. I said to my maker, "Show me the way Lord, they destroyed the container that held my sweet lemonade, it is all gone. Give me your strength and I promise, this time I will make a real mean batch of punch."

I began to feel God's presence, and listening to the still small voice within I chose to begin painting. After accomplishing 36 paintings a year and a half later, I became inspired to write this book. I hope it will inspire others who have recovery challenges of their own. It is in helping others that I have found my reason to go on. I hope that through my art, the Healing Center that I host on the internet at my website www.markeryk.com, and by sharing my story with you in this book, that I will in effect transcend the emptiness of being shut in, and once again participate with and enjoy the mainstream of life. New Life.