Ninja Sparks: Note Taking, and Drawing Skills

Hey there,

It’s been 2 weeks so it’s time for another issue of Ninja Sparks, my fortnightly newsletter where I share interesting things I’ve found on the internet.

Over the last couple of weeks I’ve spent some time polishing Photo Edit Tools, the app I featured in the last issue. The day after I sent the email I realised there was an error that meant you couldn’t load the modified images because the app removed the file extensions. Not ideal. I fixed that and added a few more tweaks and improvements.

I have also been working on a new editor for Beep8. One of the games I was making for Beep8 is a top down adventure game called Key Kwest. I got quite far with it but I was editing the levels by hand in a text editor. Cumbersome, but it worked, until I changed the screen size for Beep8 and had to start again.

So I decided to make a new editor that allows me to draw the levels and then export them to be loaded into Beep8. This is the first step towards a full Beep8 editor, and maybe even a full game editor. It’s going well and I hope to have a newly working version of Key Kwest to share with you soon.

Simplenote

Simplenote is my secret weapon for staying organised. It’s a simple note-taking app that syncs across all my devices, allowing me to jot down ideas, to-do lists, and reminders without any distractions. And it has search so I can quickly find related things.

I have notes and ideas for Brush Ninja, Ninja Sparks, Beep8 and other projects, alongside shopping lists and holiday plans. It’s possibly not as creative or out there as some of the apps I feature here but it’s so helpful.

It loads quickly, and I can easily jot things down at any time whenever I have an idea or want to remember something. Thanks to the built in search and syncing I don’t do any organisation of the notes.

I use it on my Android phone, Apple tablet, Mac, and Chromebook and it works seamlessly across all of them. I can even access it in the browser if I need to.

I’ve tried all sorts of note-taking apps over the years, but the total disorganization and top notch synchronization means that Simplenote is the only one that I have stuck with. It’s simple, fast and reliable; which is all I need.

Try Simplenote

Why people believe they can’t draw - and how to prove they can

This TEDx talk, “Why people believe they can’t draw – and how to prove they can”, is a quick, fun watch. Graham Shaw shows that drawing isn’t some magical talent—it’s a skill anyone can learn with the right mindset and a few simple tricks.

If you’ve ever said, “I can’t draw,” give it a look. It’s not about becoming an artist. It’s about enjoying the act of making marks and seeing them turn into something recognisable.

I’ve always messed about with drawing. People sometimes say I’m good at it, but I rarely feel that way. Especially when I compare my stuff to what’s online. That ‘not good enough’ feeling? It’s common. My son’s great at copying Looshkin, Dog Man, and Pokémon, but he still says he “can’t draw.” He’s drawing constantly, just doesn’t think it counts.

Over time (and with age), I’ve stopped worrying if things look “good.” I draw because I enjoy it and that’s the heart of the talk. Graham gets the crowd drawing cartoon faces before they even realise it.

Watch “Anyone Can Draw” on Youtube

Sparked Discoveries

Here’s a handful of links I found intriguing recently:

Optical Illusions with Explanations

This is a collection of optical illusions with explanations of how they work. Many of them are even interactive or animated so you can see how they work and how you are deceived. I kind of wish I’d made this site myself. I like how the interactive elements help the illusions make sense.

Little Alchemy 2

This is an addictive game where you play the role of an alchemist combining different elements to create new ones. How many can you find? You start with a few basic elements and drag and drop them on top of each other to find new combinations. It’s a fun game to play and whilst not scientifically accurate it does have a lot of combinations. An alternative is Infinite Craft which is a similar concept but it uses AI to create infinite possible combinations. I actually found Infinite Craft first and it’s good but some of the combinations are a bit mature so I wouldn’t recommend it for impressionable children.

Getting off US Tech

This is a blog post by Disconnect looking at the challenges of moving away from US based tech companies. This isn’t anything against the United States, but rather a look at moving away from the big tech companies that dominate the internet, mostly based in the USA. The post looks at the challenges of moving. Personally I started the move years ago, and it’s still ongoing. I use Firefox for browsing, Mullvad as a VPN, and Deezer for music. I use Proton Mail for my personal email but I still need to transition all the old Gmail things over and that’s not something I look forward to. I’ve also stopped using Amazon for everything except one or two items that I can’t get anywhere else. Instead I use real physical shops which is better for my mental health (since I leave the house more often) and likely saves me money since I’m not buying as many random things on a whim. I use Ecosia for search, the author said it’s not as good as Google but I disagree, I have no need to use Google for search and any time I do use it I find it’s got more ads and a worse experience than it did the last time I used it. Plus Ecosia earns money from searches and uses a lot of it to plant trees around the world. And it’s private and doesn’t track you.

Casio Smart Ring watch

This is a ring that looks like a tiny Casio watch. It’s so ridiculous that I want one, even though I know I’d probably never wear it. I can’t understand the appeal of current smart rings (essentially fitness trackers), but a smart ring that replaces my watch would be great.

Have you found anything interesting lately? I’d love to hear about it, just reply to this email!

Until next time,

Ben