Before I start, I must admit, I'm biased towards Linux, open and free software. I like something that works for me: simple to use, reliable and not hard on my skimpy budget. I can't speak for each and every Linux OS (operating system- Microsoft Windows is a computer operating system, for example). But, I do love Ubuntu, the Linux OS.

Ubuntu is a version of Linux which is made to be user friendly. You can install it, run it and be online with your favourite web browser in just minutes. I know because I've done it myself! I am not a computer expert. I have never taken a computer class. Everything I have learned about computers and the Internet I have taught myself (or found help with online or in a book).

Some may say I am brave or adventurous or a risk taker. I think I am fairly ordinary, with a creative bent. I have taken the lid off my computer, more than once. I have reformatted my hard drive, more than once. I have installed, reinstalled and deleted MS Windows from my computer, more than once. Does this make me a nerdy rebel, perhaps? I think I just have a little lust for adventure and learning and I want to try new things before I get too old (older).

I ran Ubuntu for over two years on my personal, home computer. I use the computer every day, for everything about being online and running my own websites, creating digital art and everything else in between. I've been on the Internet since 1996 and this is my 5th computer. I like to replace them as they start getting too old to work with new software - usually it is the Windows OS which ages a computer faster than any other software. I was a long time MS Windows user when I decided to change to Ubuntu Linux.

I made the change mainly because Ubuntu was not Windows. Ubuntu was not prone to attack by hackers because they preferred Windows. Ubuntu was new (for me) and I wanted to see what it was really like to run a Linux computer. Of course, running a free OS (operating system) was very appealing too. But, a big part of my switch was just to try something new, something that was not giving me a huge OS with far more software than I ever needed or wanted to use. I wanted something which could be simple and dependable again.

In Ubuntu I found something simple, fresh and fun too. I can't say enough about wishing more people would break away from the old Windows software and try Ubuntu instead. Give yourself some time to adjust. There are some small, mainly cosmetic, differences. Take a week to find your way around and get used to the new layout.

If you hardly go into your computer, beyond using the web browser (Google Chrome, Firefox, MS IExplorer being the ones most people use these days), you won't see much difference in running Ubuntu. If you sometimes download software or other files, you will notice minor differences in where the files are stored as they download. However, you can have them download to the desktop just as you can in MS Windows. So, this is not a hardship or complicated.

Don't be intimidated by Linux. Running Ubuntu Linux does not mean you need to have any training as a computer programmer, you don't have to be a computer geek or nerd at all. You can be an ordinary (but creative and curious) 40+ year old woman who nearly failed Math in school ( a couple of times actually).

Emoticons, also known as smileys, are used to convey emotion in your writing. They are a great way to use text in an otherwise flat email. Emoticons can also show when you are teasing versus being serious.

Making emoticons is as simple as typing anything else on your keyboard. Look down there at your fingers, find the characters, press and release. It's not the act of typing emoticons which is difficult, of course. It's knowing which characters to type in order to be understood.

Some emoticons, like the basic smile face, have developed several different versions over the years. Some have a nose and some are shortened to a two character smiley, no nose included. (The nose has become optional).

Text-Based Emoticons

`😀 Smiley face

😎 Cool

|-O Yawn

=D Laughing out loud

-( Annoyed

X-( Angry

X-P Joking

😉 Winking

=) Happy face

%-) Confused

8-O Shocked

) Evil

O:) Angel

8-# Zombie

@>_; A rose

%%- Good luck

</3 Broken heart

😍 Heart `

Using Emoticons for Online Chat

Online chat uses text emoticons and turns them into graphics. I find people who ask about how to make emoticons are not actually talking about making emoticons, but these graphics.

Although they are based on the original text emoticons they display as graphics. Each chat (Yahoo, MSN, etc.) uses different emoticons and graphics. However, the basic smiley is still a smiley whether it comes with a big mouth, red cheeks or not.

Text art includes: ASCII art, ANSI art, typographic art, typewriter art, emoticons and Twitter art. They are all based on keyboard characters, more or less.

Text art includes more than ASCII art. But, ASCII art will come up first and be the largest part of the search results when you look up text art online.

The Text Mode blog on Tumblr has a mix of text art forms and techniques. It’s worth looking through the current posts and the archives too. There’s also a Pinterest account.

On Flickr I found a Text group with all kinds of art involving text. Another group for Text as Art.

What is Text Art?

ASCII Art

ASCII artists use the standard keyboard characters (if you have to use more than the shift key to type them they are not ASCII art characters) to create pictures (images/ graphics). This means artists who use more than the standard ASCII art characters are creating ANSI art.

ANSI Art

Artists have more flexibility with ANSI art because there are a variety of extended characters and colours which give far more options than ASCII art. It’s funny how ASCII art is still hanging around and is better known than ANSI art.

Typewriter Art

Typewriter art is easy to understand. Take away the computer keyboard and put an old fashioned typewriter down in front of yourself instead. Use the typewriter ribbon to add more effects to the art you create. You can smudge the ink, for instance. You can also hold the paper as you type and move it where you want to type, exactly. This means you can type one character halfway over another – easily done with the old typewriter.

Twitter Text Art

Twitter text art is a version of ANSI art. But, like Japanese ASCII art, it is dependent on which computer, software and operating system you are using. Not all keyboards, systems and languages work alike. These differences bring variety to ASCII/ ANSI text art and this difference is also use for creating text art which works on Twitter.

Emoticons/ Smileys

Emoticons are another simple form of text art, easily explained. You may have seen them as smileys/ smilies. Text art created to show expression and mood in the flat communication of email and online forums and chats. The basic emoticon, with the nose in the middle. Confused or don’t see the face? Then tip your head to the left and use some imagination.

Typographic Text Art

Last of all are the typographic text art. These can have a variety of styles. But, they are all formed from text (assorted fonts) and created in a graphics program, like Gimp. Typographic art is the closest thing to being a cross over between ASCII/ ANSI art and typewriter art. If more artists got into this and really thought about how far it can be taken we would have some very creative and unique graphic arts text art.

An avatar gives you a face when you fill out a profile online. There are endless places you can use an avatar on the web: email signatures, blog comments, forum profiles, HubPages or any other site you create an account on.

For this post I am focusing on sites which let you create the avatar online, from start to finish. You may need a screen capture software to save your finished avatar in an image file on your own computer. Go to the home site for your web browser and look up the add-ons. I use Chrome and Firefox (at different times) both of those have simple add-ons which let you use screen capture right from your web browser.

Many online game sites will give you an avatar when you sign up to play their game. This is another way to create an avatar, but it requires you to register for the site and have an account first. If you are not interested in playing the game you can still create an avatar and save it on your own computer, but you will have to take the time to register for the site, first.

Creating an Avatar with Your Own Art

The avatar can be an image of your own choosing. Use a photo you have taken. Your own art/ drawings in an image file (png, jpg or gif files) are great as avatars too.

Modify the image to fit the size you need. Most profiles will have a size limit. Some will have a limit for the pixels/ bandwidth of the image as well. There are web graphic programs which can resize an image. Some have features which let you add text, change colours and change the shape of the image, give it a different background and so on. You can use software such as Gimp, for image editing.

Globally Recognized Avatar

Once you have your avatar go to Gravatar and set up an account. This is a free online service which gives you a globally recognized avatar which will automatically show up when you comment on WordPress blogs or use various comment services and forums online.

• Creating Avatar in GIMP (Illustrated)

Try Making Your Own Web Avatar (last updated on March 18, 2012).

• Turn Your Name Into a Face
• Meez
  Requires registration.
• WhuddleWorld!
  Requires registration.
• The Doll Palace
• PowerPuff Girls Avatar
• Simpsons Movie Avatar
• Blessthischick.com
• The Minifig Generator (Lego Avatar)
• WeeWorld
• storTroopers
• Tizme
• Weather Pixie
  Site is currently down, 02/12.
• DoppelMe
• My Brute
• Mad Men Yourself
• Pogo.com
  Requires registration.
• Clay Yourself!
• Second Life Official Site
  Requires registration.
• Yahoo! Avatars
• Reasonably Clever - Blockhead
• Create My Picture
• Portrait Mail
• HeroMachine
• IMVU
  Requires registration.
• Pick a Face
• Doll Makers
• Gaia Online Dream Avatar
• Otaku Avatar Maker
• Face Your Manga
  Requires registration.
• Lunaii - Dollmaker
• Create Avatar - South Park Studios
• Habbo Hotel
  Requires registration.

Unicode Twitter Text Art to Create and then Post on Twitter

I began noticing Twitter text art in 2010. I thought it was nice… but most of it was patterns and designs and I wasn’t too interested. A few months later I found there were people making pictures as well. That was more interesting. As an ASCII text artist I like seeing how text can be used to create new art. So I researched this new art and found artists, more art and some information about how it all works.

It’s different from ASCII art. It doesn’t use the standard ASCII art characters, it includes ANSI art characters. Plus using Twitter makes the artists work within the 140 character limit and the spacing has to fit with how Twitter works too. You don’t have limitless width or height.

fsymbols - Small Simple Text Art