Category Archives: Photoshop

Art Created with Christine-Art’s Kits

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One of the coolest things about digital art is that you can create anything you want! It’s your creation! Aside from usage rights, there is no end to what one can do artistically and digitally! I happen to like the ‘artsy’ look on my pieces. I want it to look like I spent time drawing, sketching, cutting and/or painting my works. Of course I do spend time on each piece, but, I can choose how involved I want to be.  I decide if I want to paint with a Photoshop paint brush or find a suitable image or design kit that has the type of elements I want and like.  Christine-Art‘s ‘Art Kits’ are just that for me.

I had all these ideas of creating artsy supplies to use in my pieces. I did create a bunch of stuff that I like to use myself. It was around that time, though, that I discovered other design folks were in to the same type of thing as I am – artsy-looking layouts or art works that have the look of having been done by hand. One of these design folks was Christine who is Christine-Art. In fact, I’m not sure, but, I believe she is among just a few who actually do sketch and color and cut and scan her own art to use as a ‘Art Kit’.

I have shared about Christine’s Art Kits before, but, I want to do so again, here. I am hooked on using her kits to come up with pieces that I like and enjoy creating.

Here is one of her most recent kits, ‘Doubt‘:

DSS-ad-Doubt

To accompany some of her kit designs Christine has ‘workshops’ on her blog, based on some aspect of our humanity, our feelings, our lives. ‘Doubt‘ was one of them. She gave ideas, prompts and suggestions to ponder. I created two pieces with the kit:

I Doubt It

su_IDoubtIt-600web

and

Doubt & Fear

su_Doubt&Fear-600web

In addition to her own website/blog/shop, Christine-Art, Christine is Guest Designer right now at Digital Scrapbooking Studio (DSS). Check out her Art Kits and other goodies! There is even a ‘freebie’ section on her site, Christine-Art!

There is also a Facebook group for Christine-Art lovers, Fans de Les Idees de Christine.

Enjoy!

First Ever Post Featuring My Art

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When I last posted, regularly, on this blog, I was doing the scrapbooking thing, but, making the transfer over to art journaling. I wanted to create and use things that looked artistic. I made some resources of my own to use, which I have been threatening to post for all, but, have not got to it, yet. I am currently working on gathering all my goodies from all the different host sites and putting them all in one place. I will have a page where these items can be downloaded for free. I will let you know when, so, sign up for e-mail updates in the right side bar.

One of the first ‘artsy’ designers to catch my eye was Christine, of Les Idees de Christine. Chris hand paints her pretties. Her little daughter, the apple of her eye, even gets in on it with her own line of scrapbooking good called, “The World of Justine”. Creating a cool layout is so fun with handmade elements! Well, now Christine has opened a new blog/shop, Christine-Art. She offers tutorials, freebies and previews of her work.

A few months ago, Christine came out with a lovely collection of her art, Christine-Art Dreams of Light-1. It was such a fun kit, I ended up making several layouts with it and posting them in Christine’s FB group. Yesterday, she told me she had posted a page on her blog of my layouts. (She had asked for permission prior)

Here is the kit – (Click to go to Christine’s shop):

DL1-preview1-900bis

And, here is the link to her post of my work:

digitals-art-works-created-by-su/

I hope you like and, there are a lot more! My Behance Gallery is coming along nicely. With being a part of Design Cuts and enrolled in Awake, my art is starting to look like something worth looking at! I’m having fun and I need it! LOL

I wanted to share this with you as it is so flattering to have the designer of a kit post your layouts and I’m not even a CT member. Her CT girls are absolutely phenomenal!

Thank you for looking.

Smile, ya’ll!

Su

Save

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Mask Tutorial and a Link for Coding

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Hi, everyone!  I have a couple of things I want to share with you today.  They are a mish-mash of topics, but, all should come in handy.  Shall we get started?  M’kay!

First up is a series of posts, “31 Days of Coding Basics”, to help you with some of the simpler codes you can use on your own blog or on others, like in the comments section.  This series is on This Bold Girl.com.  Coding is all of the Greek, or Swahili, I’m not sure which, that allows you to create some cool stuff on your blog or website.  It’s really ‘html’!  LOL  For instance, you can add a bold heading to each sub-section of a post if you are posting on several topics, as I often do (See Below).  You can add a link to a comment you make on someone else’s blog.  You can create lists, breaks, emphasis and italicization.  The last two are useful for me since these attributes don’t exist as options on the ‘visual’ page I post on here at WP.

None of the posts/instructions are very long or tedious.  Rather, you may just learn something quickly and easily.  Gwen, the ‘Bold Girl’, writes a good tutorial!  Give it a shot and see!  I know I was envious of those folks who could place links in their comments on other folks’ blogs.  Now, I can do it!  There may be a trick in there that you can use!

Look at the sub-title just below.  I used code to get it like that.

Key-Stroke Shortcut

Next up, I want to show you something.  It is kind of a keystroke, only different.  LOL  If you use Masks in Photoshop, this is a cool tip!  Say, you are extracting an item from an image.  I almost always apply a Mask to the image I am going to extract from.  This gives me the ability to change things and clean things up more easily.  It keeps your image ‘non-destructive.  Then, I begin selecting the item with the Quick Selection Tool, getting up close to the edges as possible.  When you are satisfied with the selecting, click on the ‘Add Layer Mask’ button at the bottom of the Layers Palette.  This should isolate your item.  If, instead, you’ve masked over the image in error, just switch the masking to the item by clicking on Select>Inverse, then, add the Mask.  (Whichever area you Mask, either the background or the circle, the selected area will remain visible, while the remaining area ‘disappears’, when the Mask button is clicked.)

Here is the tip!  If you would like to check the Mask to be sure there aren’t any places missing or ragged-looking, press ‘Alt(Options-Mac)’ and click on the Mask in the Layers Palette.  The Mask will be completely visible.  This is priceless on difficult images.  You can brush over any areas that you need to, then, simple do the same keystroke to return your image mode.  Or, just click somewhere on the mask’s Layer itself and the image reappears.

Here is a simple image I whipped up to show you how to do this.  I want to isolate the circle to use elsewhere.

Select the circle with the Quick Selection Tool.  Add the Mask.  Then, press ‘Alt'(Options-Mac)’ and click on the Mask in the Layers Palette.  You should see this:

Remember, White Reveals, Black Conceals.  The Layers Palette looks like this:

When you get the Mask cleaned up, and you are satisfied, simply click the same Keystroke or click anywhere on the grey part of the Layer.  This is the result:

(Though it is hard to see, the PS background pattern is showing all around the circle.  I can now save it as a .PNG file.)

When I get the Mask work done, I can right-click on the Mask and select ‘Apply Layer Mask’.

And, here is my newly extracted circle!

Being able to tweek the Mask is a perfect way to see what you may have missed while selecting.  My eyes aren’t as good as they used to be, so, this helps me bunches!  Because Masks are editable, you can make changes by going over any areas with the opposite colors: black-conceals or white-reveals.

I think this will do for today.  I have some more things to share, so, watch for them.  Until then,

SMILE!

Hugs,

Su

Scrapbooking and Digital Resources: Sites with Links

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It’s done!  From now on, all my downloads will be direct downloads!  Yay!  I shouldn’t have to host my files on Minus anymore, though, of all the hosting sites, they were awesome!  I learned how to use the FTP and put the files in to my site’s files for direct download.  Thanks to my friend, J. and the folks at Hosting Bonanza!  All files are ‘on site’!  Woo-hoo!  I hope to, eventually, move the bulk of my goodies in to my own site, so, I don’t have to rely on the hosting sites anymore.  Then, I won’t have to put up with the scams (see last post), pop-ups, and constant waiting that come with some of those sites! Yay!

If you are in to digital scrapbooking, there is an entire community of scrappers online.  There are hundreds of shops, forums and articles, with tips and tutorials, that make up one huge community.  Everything I have learned in scrapping, I learned from other scrappers, either by asking, reading posts, or from tutorials.  This is probably the case with many of my fellow scrappers.  You seek out and find a site, possibly with a forum and a good group of folks, with fun challenges and helpful members, and you’re set!  Everyone seems to find their niche quite easily as the members are a friendly bunch.  That’s what I have noticed about scrapbooking.  Everyone is so helpful and friendly!

I will venture a guess and say that over half, at least, the scrappers use Photoshop.  Learning PS is the biggest hurdle!  So, along with learning digi-scrapping, you must learn how to use Photoshop, or some other editing program.  It is in trying to learn PS that I have discovered another huge community of folks – the PS design blogs/sites.  These are the sites where you can read anything at all on the topic of using Photoshop.  You can find a plethora of presets: textures, patterns, brushes, actions, you name it!  If it works in PS, it is offered!  Additionally, there are scads of tutorials that are there to teach old and new techniques and offer inspiration.  Some sites have Premium areas where members have access to certain tutorials and PS goodies for a minimal fee.  Most are under 10 dollars a month, with even better deals for 6 or 12 month memberships.  Several of the larger sites are a part of a network of related sites, all included under one membership and all geared to help you with design!  But, the bulk of these sites are there for your perusal of free goodies.  I sign up for the RSS feed on most of them and have their frequent updates and newsletters sent right to my inbox so I don’t miss a thing.  Over time, I have learned which ones are better than others and have adjusted my e-mail intake accordingly.

I bring all this up as the scrapbooking community, as huge at it is, is not the end all of obtaining resources and learning Photoshop.  While these PS design blogs/sites may not have blinkies to collect and display on our blogs, and they may not have the challenges and communal events so popular in scrapping sites, they offer some serious PS help!  Over the past 4 years, I have learned a great deal from subscribing to these design sites.  I’ve also learned which ones are preferable.  I want to share with you all what I have found.  I promise you won’t be disappointed in any of them!

I want to note that some of these sites have ‘vectors’, either in their name or as a feature.  DO NOT ignore these sites!  Vectors work in PS!  If you don’t know this, you do now.  Look at the file format – .ai (Adobe Illustrator).  Adobe is the key word here.  But, .eps (Encapsulated Post Script) files open in PS, too.  Try to open either one in PS and see for yourself.  There is a box that pops up that will guide you through opening the image.  As PS is a raster program, the .ai and .eps files will be converted into rasters once opened.  To maintain the ‘vector’ status, though, they must be opened in Illustrator or another vector program.

Ready?  Alrighty!  In no particular order:

WebTreats – This site is well-known for their wonderful patterns with liberal terms.  But, they do offer other PS presets, such as brushes, textures, shapes, styles, etc.  I know you’ve seen these around the web!

crimson_red_patterns_preview

Image Linked to Item

PSDFanExtra – This is a large network of sites offering all kinds of presets, for free, as well as their Premium section’s offerings.  They feature a weekly set of textures that I always love!  Here’s a set of mixed textures from a recent offering:

Image Linked to Item

I tend to fancy this site as the folks there are wonderful help!  On their BlogsFanExtra site, you can ask for and receive a redesign of your blog – free.  Tom will evaluate your current blog/site and make recommendations.  He includes a .PSD file of his recommended suggestions.  He did my previous blog and I took his advice, carrying over to this blog, his ideas and suggestions.  My content is what I want featured, not necessarily other scrappers blogs.  He’s evaluated some popular sites since it’s inception.

PSDTuts –  This site is also a part of a large network with a Premium section.  They’re very well known for thier tutorials and their ‘mini-courses’ in all sort of Photoshop training.  Their Basix series, featured by Martin Perhiniak, is wonderful for a beginner learning PS.

Image Linked to Item

They also offer many free resources such as the previously mentioned presets.

PSDDude –  This site has some of the coolest offerings, in my opinion.  As they don’t have a Premium section, that I know of, all of their offerings are free.  Just in the past week, I have obtained an action that gives paper a folded look

Image Linked to Item

and a set of styles that create both Letterpress and embossed effects for your designs.

Image Linked to Item

 CreativeNerds – Another good site, featuring similar free resources and tutorials.  They often feature goodies from other sites that one might miss if they didn’t.  They have a really good Premium section and, get this, their membership is $15.99 for A YEAR!

Their most recent free offering:

freepaintspaltterbrushpreview High Resolution Free Paint Splatter Photoshop Brush Set

Image Linked to Item

VectorPatterns – Don’t let the name mislead you!  These folks come out with the most awesome free patterns!  I think I have downloaded all of them!  Their latest offering:

flowerbannerpreview thumb A Great Simple Seamless Flower Pattern Set

Image Linked to Item

Each download comes with a scalable vector and a PS .PAT file.  They have some cute designs, perfect for scrapbooking!

Fuzzimo –  I saved the best for last!  This site seems to cater to the needs of us scrappers.  They offer some fantastic freebies, many of which I have used, myself, and have seen others use.

Image Linked to Item

Image Linked to Item

Image Linked to Item

Obviously, there are a gazillion more web sites, many that are similar to these.  And, there are even more design sites that aren’t strictly PS sites.  Many are specializing in web design, or, in a particular aspect of PS and/or design.  For that, many of their resources work for scrapbooking.  I only mention these few sites as I find they are tops in providing goodies that scrappers might be able to use.  While I absolutely love the scrapbooking community, I only want to suggest that there are other communities of resource providers and folks who are eager and willing to help available.  Hey, the scrapbooking community has some fantastic designers, but, sometimes, free is what we need.  A good deal of these sites have liberal terms, as well!  I hope you have found something among these sites I’ve listed!  That would make me

Smile Graphic #22

Hugs,

Su

Final Parts – ‘Vintage Garden’ and Texture Panel for PS

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A good morning to you!  I hope everyone is well and in good spirits.  Me, I’m so lost!  LOL  That’s really nothing new, tho!  Seriously!  Lately, there have been changes in my life.  Big changes.  I feel like I am struggling to stay sane!  Ah, well!  “Life goes on!”  “This, too, shall pass!”  And, finally, “What doesn’t kill us will only make us stronger!”  I have been reminding myself of these ‘catch-phrases’ over and over.  It is helping – somewhat.  LOL

So!  I have been looking at Adobe Exchange and some of the new features of CS6.  Wow!  Did you know you can download an ‘Adobe Exchange Portal’ that would enable you to visit the Exchange while inside Photoshop?  I am finding things to do with PS that will help in design and my art.  There are all types of things you can add on to PS!  I wanted to tell ya’ll about one ‘Extension’ that I have used since CS5 that I love!

Textures appeal to me!  I don’t know what it is, but, there is something about adding a texture and tweeking the ‘Blending Modes’ that just thrills me.  You can come up with some awesome designs/effects!  I am a sucker, too, for downloading about every ‘texture freebie’ I see.  When I first started playing with PS, I looked for the panel that had the textures.  LOL  You can add a style, a pattern, even create a ribbon with an action, but, there was not a panel/feature that would bring up and apply textures.  There’s the ‘Texturizer Filter’, but, I am speaking of something that would give the artist complete control as to what kind of texture we want.

Then, I read something about an extension that brings textures in to PS.  I went on a search and found it!  It’s called ‘Texture Panel’ and it works in conjunction with ‘FlyPaperTextures.com’.  I know it works in CS5 and CS6, but, any other versions, I do not know.  You can find the script on Dr. Brown’s Script page.  Russel Brown is such an awesome guy!  He’s funny and smart!  I am fuzzy on who came up with the idea and all that, but, I know it is a gem!

When you download it, which I do through the Extension Manager that comes with CS, and open PS, you will find it under ‘Windows’>’Extensions’.  It will open as a panel.  You’ll see something like this:

The textures that come installed are from FlyPaperTextures.com.  The assortment is very nice!  I use them a lot!  For a while they were the only textures you could use in this extension.  Now, though, they have added the capability, with Texture Panel open, to navigate to your hard drive, so, now, you can use all of your own textures!  Talk about easy-peasy!  LOL  On Dr. Brown’s Scripts page, he warns you about size.  I guess larger textures take a really long time to open.  It’s best to go with smaller size textures.  As with anything, you’ll have to experiment.

What is cool is, when you want to use a texture, you open the Texture Panel window/palette.  Either select one of the FlyPpaperTextures that comes installed, or navigate to your own with the drop-down menu in the upper right-hand corner of the palette.  Once you decide on a texture, and bring it into Texture Panel, just double click on the desired texture’s thumbnail.  Wallah!  The texture not only opens up, but, it goes on top of the stack of layers you currently have open.  What ever layer you have selected, it goes on top of it in the Layers Palette.  (I have not tried to open a texture as a stand-alone document, yet.) Then, it applies a Blending Mode; ‘Multiply’ is default, but, you can always change the mode.  Then, once the texture is applied, it closes.  You are left with your creation plus a texture!  You really must see it!  It is awesome!  While I have interspersed this article with links, I repeat them here:

Texture Panel (download is second in the list) – http://russellbrown.com/scripts.html

Fly Paper Textures –  http://flypapertextures.com/

Adobe Exchange Panel – http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/exchange/

Now, the final two parts to ‘Vintage Garden’.  This wraps up the kit.  Next month, we have something neat!  So, do plan on coming back the second week of September!  My previews are linked to the downloads.  The first preview, the ‘elements’ lead to Part 5, and the second preview, the papers, lead to Part 6.  Then, if you haven’t already been to Miss Edna’s Place, click on her preview to go to her blog to download her two parts.  If you missed it, I made a layout using Miss Edna’s goodies for the photos we took of the children’s first day of school.  I shared it a few posts back or click on this link.

Part 5

Part 6

Miss Edna’s Preview and Link (click on image)

There ya go!  You’ve learned something and been able to download a freebie!  So, kick back and enjoy!  It has been raining here in sunny Florida for weeks!  So,

until next time…

Hugs,

Su