Fringe Fest 2011

This year I got to create the postcard, banner, web image and booklet image for the Fringe Fest's Writing the Edge spoken word event.

Roller Shutter shades

I did a slightly different take on these roller shades, framing, for the heck of it. Had a few minutes so I "tackled" this easy and elegant design. One caveat: make the lines on separate layer to get the shadowing and such right. Found the tutorial at Photoshopstar, a cool site with interesting tutorials.

Design for the sake of design

Some images just generate ideas. I came across this image while purging old images at my office and it called out to be a flyer so I created one. This organization does not exist but maybe it should, huh?

Manipulating Stock Art

I was looking up some images for a project and came across a pretty face and somehow, that evolved into two mock advertisements with opposite uses. One pleasant, one not. Could I use the same face for both? You tell me. Here's a look at what I created.

Shampoo Tutorial

So many interesting tutorials, so little time to work the tutorials or post to my design blog but I did manage to get one in last week. Check this out from psdtuts and, here's my version — without the water drops. I may add those later.

The case of the lonely design blog

yes, I know it's been awhile since I posted a tute. I've had more pressing matters, including moving and not having internet access at home (again, thanks UNNAMED service for all the fun) and doing book signings. If you only read the design blog you probably don't know that I am also a writer and for the last two months my writing has been consuming all my time. I am also in the throes of an intense writing project so I don't know if I'll have time to write design tutorials but here's at least an image you might like.

DIY duct tape

Even in the digital world there's duct tape—or at least a tutorial on it. When I found this one, I just couldn't resist so I found a free texture and set about taping it up. The tutorial is by pshero. I found it fast and fascinating. I mean, who'd thunk it! At pshero you'll find a lot of fabulous tutorials and tons of valuable info. Check'im out.

Framed Image with reflections in Photoshop

One of my favorite tutorial sites is psdtuts+. Here is a gem of a tutorial—a framed image with a reflection of the room and shadows from a Maple tree. Mine isn't as good as I'd like but it was cool to create. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Full Fantasy Digital Painting in Photoshop

I came across this Full Fantasy Painting tutorial at TutVids. It's long—about an hour—and done in CS3, which I don't have, and not anything like the work I do, but I found it is very interesting to see how digital art is created. I recommend it because, as always, there is something to learn for everyone—even if it is just an alternate way of doing what you do.

Glossy spheres and glass buttons in Photoshop

Here are a couple of tutorials on creating glass buttons and spheres. There are dozens on Youtube so you make find others that you like. I always check out a few because the more tutorials I work, the better my skills become. Even when I already know how to do something, I like to try other techniques because they may have some little thing that will make me faster or better.

Here is the sphere by Nick Davies, from Graphic Design Employment, a very useful site with tons of tutorials and information. The glass button tutorial is by amrGraphics, which also has quite a bit of useful info.

3D Cube in Photoshop

I really enjoyed seeing this cube come to life. I created it using a YouTube Photoshop tutorial by Gavin Hoey. I did a couple of things different. First, I used fixed size to create the square and then I used exact measurements rather than free transform to reshape it. Also, I only made two squares. For the second side square I simple duplicated the layer (Ctrl J) and flipped it horizontally.
This jpeg image doesn't show as well but once you create your own, you'll see how the light passes through.
Enjoy!
Valentine

Graphic Design Employment Resources

Just graduated but still need to build your confidence? Check out Graphic Design Employment. GDE offers training, advice, resources and more. I've been doing design in one form or another for a loooong time and I learned something new the first day because I had never heard of the fifth black spot color; it was just never part of my work environment. It's a simple process. Click the link to find out more. While you're there, just have yourself a nice time getting job-ready. Even if you know all of this, it doesn't hurt to stay in practice with a daily dose.

Typography in all it's beauty

Here are only three of dozens of really cool typography images I came across. I can't remember where I originally found them but I think they are all on Deviant Art. They are: 2010 Clockwork by Candido1225; Typography_2 by C None; Typography Imbalance by Sir SiriX. The 2010 Clockwork has a video tutorial associaed with it so I went to Youtube and decided I'd try to create it—at least, my version of it. It is done in a program called GIMP. I admit, I have never heard of this program. It is a free download but I wasn't in the mood for traversing new territory so I thought I'd just work it using Photoshop. You have to have a grounding in Photoshop to work this because even though you can achieve the same results in Photoshop, it gets a little edgy when you are following a tutorial using another program—even though the options are similar. Still, it can be done and it gives your creative mind a workout when you ask, "Hmmm, what is the best way for me to do this in Photoshop?"
I have to say, I enjoyed it. It took longer than I expected because I kept rewinding the video, this is a fast-talking, hotly skilled artist who works at lightning speed though GIMP.

Anyway, here's my result with my own touches, of course.

Creating Twittering Bird with Adobe Illustrator

Might as well tell you now—I don't draw. And, I haven't used a drawing program since the mid-90s and that was Freehand, 3.0, I think. I was quite adept at drawing logos with Freehand when I was freelancing. When I got a fulltime job, my work consisted mainly of layout with Quark and some photo correction with Photoshop so when you see this little twit of a bird and get the urge to bust out laughing, feel free. I am posting it so those who want to venture into design will realize that with some fortitude, they can. Skill in drawing is a valuable asset but you can do other things, like logos, if fine art isn't in your skill set.

I came across this little bird at Vectortutsplus. I have to say I didn't have a clue how to get around Illustrator but having some Photoshop skill helped.

Don't worry if you get frustrated. Remember, frustration is just growth. So, give it a shot. Here's mine. And, naturally, I had to change something so I changed the color.

Very easy gradient in Photoshop

Algiers Lady, you’ll like this simple and elegant gradient tutorial I came across on Digg. 

By the by, there are some really nasty comments on Digg related to this tutorial, which makes me want to reconsider posting to Digg. I’m not blaming Digg; it’s just that every place people have an opportunity to post comments, they seem to fill the space with mean/nasty/non-productive remarks. I just don’t see the point of posting anything that isn’t beneficial — even if it is an easy tutorial. Seems to me, the posters should have gone on to other challenges if this one was too simple for them. 

Granted, we all have our opinions (go ahead and laugh) and sometimes on my other blog, Poet Sense & Sensibilities, I rant but it’s my blog. When it comes to comments, I try to offset the mean/nasty wherever I can. I'm new to the social media arena (typical case of avoidance) and tutorial blogs (silly me, thinking designers had a more sensitive streak) so I probably have a lot to learn about how ugly humans all over the world (although it seems like more Americans than anything) can be to other humans when they are cloaked by screen names.

Back to the main point: Yes, anyone playing around with Photoshop would have found this a mere exercise but for those new to Photoshop, it helps to learn a simple but great technique early. I chose this tutorial by 9rules because it is easy and because sometimes we just don’t think of the simplest process as being the best choice. Sometimes, though, it is. Go make your own if you haven’t tried this method; if you have, share it with someone who hasn’t. Enjoy.

Adobe Illustrator: Logotype for critique

Here's an opportunity to share your insights on logotype creation.
This logotype was created in Adobe Illustrator using Bickham Script with gylph alternatives.
Does it work?
Is the message clear?
Would it be clear without the tag line?
How do the colors work?
Would you add another color?
Would you change the colors?

Anything other comments or opinions?

And, ultimately, why or why not on all of the above.

Need a quick fix? Try this digital makeover Photoshop Tutorial

You're in a bind, you're way behind, you're willing to make a deal. Some of you will recognize these modified lyrics from the Charlie Daniels Band's "The Devil Went Down to Georgia."

My modem failed more than a week ago and the new one has yet to arrive so I'm limited to lunch hours and breaks, which doesn't leave much time for online tutorials. So, though I am not in the habit of creating a tutorial, here's one you might be interested in.

Your boss comes in or a client calls. Now you need to make an ad, quick. You need a pretty face but don't have time to search. You go to your favorite stock photo site and grab the first image that looks reasonable I got mine from stock.xchng, the free stock photo site. Problems: freckles (only for the tutorial), blemishes, sunburn, no make-up. You know what needs to be done but how do you get from here: freckles and all — to there: smooth skin, painted lips and colored eyelids?

Open you image. CMD/CTRL J twice to copy it. Lock then hide the background layer (just in case you over do it on the copy). Select the copy just above the locked/hidden layer. Apply the Gaussian blur, 13.0 or whatever gives you a nice blur. 

Go to the top copy; start erasing the freckles to reveal the smooth skin. Be careful along the edges, the eyes, the mouth—don't erase these. While you're at it, erase the fence, to help define the face.

Create a new layer, set to Overlay. Select a nice reddish/pinkish color to help hide the blemishes on her lips and paint them. Then, with the eyedropper tool, sample a color in the image  (I chose the deeper green in her headband.) With a small soft brush, paint in some eye shadow. If you slip up, just erase. If it seems too bright, tone it down with the burn tool. I even gave her a tiny mole using the brown from her eyes with a dab of black in the center. And there your have it — a pretty face, ready for the next steps: placement, some text, some Photoshop techniques and Viola!

Tag! You're It!

Try this textured torn tag Photoshop tutorial that Sean Hodge, editor of PSDTuts created and get a feel for light, shadow, warping and just plain messing around. After creating the tag, I wanted to put that little curl at the bottom. The tear was a slip of the hand that turned out rather cool I so I decided to keep it and put a tear in the shadow as well. I pushed the light to the bottom because it just seemed right that the light at the bottom would cast a shadow on the top. Could be wrong. I primarily work with photos and flat art for porous newsprint. What do you think? Does it work? If not, what should I do to improve it?

Want your design to glow? Orb-it!

I really loved the look of this orb photoshop tutorial by Photoshopstar. Of course, I had to put my own twist on it with some beveled and embossed text with 0% fill and some fleurs-de-lis in the background. Give this one a try and you'll probably start creating hundreds. I know mine could use a little more work but I can't put only perfect tutes up, can I? We all need to know that we can do better. It's not the failure that matters nor even the success, it's the effort, the experience that makes the difference.

Funky not-really-Retro-colors Text

I spend 85 percent of my time using Photoshop to clean up or manipulate photographs for use in a small weekly newspaper. The other 15 percent is used to create ads but creativity is sometimes stymied by the advertisers, who can be quite adamant about how the ad should look—even if it to the detriment of the advertisement. I don’t get bothered by that because if the advertiser is determined, nothing I say or do will change that. Instead, if I think my design has merit, I save it to my portfolio folder.

That said, I almost never draw anything so when a tutorial calls for drawing, I use the image on the site as a guide, when I can, by pasting it into my document, decreasing the opacity and locking the layer. This allows me see readily see if I am pulling the handles correctly for the shape I want. It’s like teaching a child to write: you make a light or dotted-line version of letters and have the child trace those.

Now let’s move on to this Funky Retro Type Photoshop Tutorial by Tyler Denis that I found at Design Instruct.
What I did different: I chose my own colors; I added an inner glow using the defaults except for opacity, which I changed to 50%. Learning to design means willingness to experiment. It’s like art or cooking. Take a chance. At least with software, you can start over or toss the file without losing anything but some pixels. No, you haven’t lost time because you learned what doesn’t work. Next time you’ll probably learn what does. 

Need a little shade? Make an umbrella

Found this Photoshop tutorial on creating an umbrella byAsher Abbasi on Design Instruct. 

What I did different: When I CMD/CTRL clicked, I use the marquee tool instead of the move tool.

After filling the selection I used the Marquee tool again to move it up 1px, then deleted.

After the first copy of the stripe, I used CMD/CTRL J to copy the other stripe layers and used the arrow key to move each one up 5 px. Then I merged all the stripe layers before changing the layer mode to soft light.

As a member of the Who Dat Nation, I had to put a fleur-de-lis on it. The "flower of the lily" is a standard custom shape in Photoshop.

Give yourself a pearl necklace for Easter

When I came across this Photoshop tutorial at Photoshopstar.com, I thought, hey," I'd like to have a string of pearls." So, I made them—in Photoshop. I did do a couple of things different. First, no shoulder, just a tabletop. Then, instead of making a string, I put a tiny 1px tail on the first pearl and then strung them by rotating each new pearl.

Smooth Glass Type

Here’s a tutorial on creating smooth glass type type I found at luxa.org. I liked the variety the layers styles created when I choose not to use the blue background. As well, on the top and bottom images, I chose to leave the inner glow off because I liked the look. I chose the two shades of blue arbitrarily, some close. I just noted the colors in case you want to use them. the fill style for the type layer is 0%. I didn’t want to just copy the layers style from the downloaded PSD because I like seeing what happens with each change to the style but it was tedious trying to go back and forth between files so I made screen shots of the styles, used Photoshop’s automation capability to create a contact sheet of the images and then worked from that. If you want a tutorial on creating a contact sheet, leave a comment and I’ll create one. It’s really quite easy but if you’re new to Photoshop it may not seem easy, like it didn’t when I first started. I did download the PSD and used the wet metal background texture since I couldn’t find it at mayang. I did find some nice textures there, though, so do check it out.

Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble

Yes, this tutorial is about bubbles but they’re no trouble, really. Well, maybe a little. Some of my trouble was that I had “Boston Legal” on the television and for some reason, I just couldn’t stay focused. It was a show with both Wiliam Shatner and Betty White and they are both crazy as betsy bugs. I tried turning the volume down and finally had to turn it off and got back to my bubbles. 

It is exciting to see bubbles come to life and appear to float. Not as cool, of course, as blowing bubbles when I was a child but this grown-up version is the next best thing. As with planets and other designs, there must be a thousand ways to create them and I tried several. My first one worked out fine. The second and third came out very poorly. Lack of skill? Lack of clarity in the instructions? Misunderstood instructions? Something I missed? Don’t know. 

The first one, with the ducky, is by Photoshopstar. The fourth one, with the semi-circles, is by Tutorial Zee. The fifth is by Andy Halls at CG Arena.

As you can see, my design muse took some liberties with each of these. Try to let your muse loose, too, when you’re designing. That’s where the good stuff comes from, after all.

Planet-making—a whole new world

I came across so many planet tutorials that I had to give that a try. Well, I had a mess of trouble trying to find a planet tutorial I could work. I must have tried at least a half dozen. I don’t know if it was my problem or the instructions, but something always went wrong.  thought I had it down with tutorial #5 but it left me hanging. After I created the planet, the instructions said to add atmosphere and shadow but there was no further instruction. I used the visual for the shadow and attempted the atmosphere but having never made atmosphere, I didn’t like what I got so I didn’t want to post that one. With tutorial #6 I ran into problems with the instructions. It had arbitrary characters—the ones that show up when the html code is incorrect—and, something was twisted. I worked it out but I choose to find another rather than post a link to something that posed too much difficulty.

I am new to these online tutorials so maybe the real problem is not how they are written but learning to read them. Anyway, there are so many that I can always keep searching and trying. Even when the tutorial doesn’t work out, I learn something.I moved on to tutorial #7, by The Tip-Kit.It had a tutorial for a stars-and-clouds background. Had to fiddle with the stars some to get the larger bright ones and I choose to also make the cloud brushes. Those clouds definitely leave something more for me to learn. And, I added lens flare. It wasn’t mentioned but the example image had one. Should you decide to do the clouds, when you get to the instructions on adding color with Hue/Saturation, be sure to click the Colorize on the lower right above Preview or you’ll be scratching your head trying to figure out why it rejects the number.

As for the planet-making? Whew! That’s not a commentary on the tutorial; I’m just glad I finally made it through one. My glows didn’t look quite right so I lowered the opacity on both. I did notice after attempting so many tutorials that they all have several things in common so if this one doesn’t work for you, just Google “creating planets in Photoshop.” You’re sure to find at least one to your liking but, as with me, it may take some trial and error.