Tag Archives: design

My Sincerest Apologies

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Hello, folks!  I guess you have noticed by now that I am late with my part of this month’s collaboration kit with Miss Edna’s Place.  I had literally slapped some things together to finish it in time and decided against it.  I can’t do that just to make a deadline.  It isn’t fair to you.  As it is, this isn’t easy for Miss Edna, either, I’m sure.   I’m nearly done and will post it, if not this afternoon, then tomorrow.  I appreciate your understanding so much!  Ya’ll are the best!

I’ve had to re-think my priorities in lieu of the way things have panned out with my grandchildren.  In my last post, I think it was, I mentioned, too, that Digital Whisper is back up and running.  I have always been so inspired there.  The support is awesome and, while I am one who handles two ‘technique’ groups writing tutorials, I always learn something.  Because of my exposure, once again, to the digi-art community, my creativity is making a transformation to a more ‘artsy’ style.  I am trying to work that in to scrapbooking.  It is working wonderfully, too!  You will see!  LOL

In between nursing my g-daughter’s toothache and watching as my g-son impresses me with his game-playing expertise, I have been doing some experimenting with new concepts.  I have even been making more of my own ‘tools’ – brushes, patterns, overlays, blends, etc.  I have become quite a fan of art-journaling because of the hand-worked style and the propensity for a more original design outcome.  So, this will all be for the best – I hope.

In the meantime, though, all of this is wreaking havoc with my usual routine.  I am really a creature of habit, but, once I get my routine better established, I will be fine.  The children are my first priority.  Period!  They have been put on the back burner for so long, I am working hard to make them feel better and to let them know that they are important.  My god and goddess!  The response is awesome!  My granddaughter is doing 90% better at school already!  My grandson is also turning in to quite the young man.  After them, my art and my scrapping is next.  I will always love digi-scrapping, but, I have to flex my artistic muscles with my art, too.  If I don’t take time for myself, all of this will have been in vain.

I promise to keep you all in my loop.  You mean so much to me.  Without your wonderful responses and kind comments, I would never had made it this far.  Besides, it has been you and this community that have given me what I needed to become involved in design and I want to give back.  I have a good handle on the Photoshop program after 5-6 years of learning and practicing daily.  From here, all I can do is spread my wings and soar!  I want you all to come along.

Once I get this installation of parts for the monthly kit to you, I have a really good tutorial for ya’ll.  Not only that, but, I will start sharing my creations of the brushes and other resources I have made.  I think you’ll be pleased.

So, let me get going and I will return later with my ‘parts’.  Again, I really do appreciate everyone’s patience with me as I make this transition.  Well, both transitions, actually.  One, from granny to ‘mom’ again, and, two, to a more artistic style.  Whee!  It’s all good!

Until then,

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Smile!

Hugs,

Su

Freebie and Nonsense

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Hey, there!  Has anyone been watching CreativeLive’s Photoshop Week?  If not, all this week, assorted PS gurus are doing workshops for ya at CL.  Each one is only a few hours long, as opposed to CL’s usual time frame of 6-8 hours.  The week long activities are sponsored by Adobe.  There has been segments on actions, content aware and brushes, so far, along with some other beneficial sessions on retouching photos, PS workspaces, etc.  Today’s line up looks promising, too.  This morning there is one on ‘Advanced Actions’ and another on working non-destructively.  They are running two at a time, so, be sure to look up at the very top of CL’s page for the green button that says, “Watch Live 2”.  A drop down menu will appear with the two that are currently running.  Click on the one you like to see and watch away!  They also do re-broadcasts in the evenings if you happen to miss one you like.  You can also purchase the courses so you can watch them whenever you want.  When you purchase, you also get any related course material with it, such as files that allow you to work along with the video/class.  On the PS Week feature page there is a schedule of the courses so you can map out which ones you like.  Do realize that CL is in the PST time zone and adjust your schedule accordingly.

Digital Whisper has re-opened!  My old haunt is back and going full speed ahead!  DW is a Ning group site with all kinds of good things!  There are individual groups, plenty of challenges and, so much support and help.  The art some of these folks create is stunning!  I am so honored to be exposed to their personal styles and tips/advice.  I run the “Learning Center” and the “Photo-Manipulation” groups, myself.  I’m not that much an authority, but, we manage!  LOL  There is a small fee for new members, if you are interested.  (Ning charges now, so, the fee is to offset costs.)  The role of the group is to give aspiring artists feedback and support in ways that are beneficial.  It’s also a place to hone your digi skills.  They are a wonderful bunch!  DW is where I learned a good deal of what I do.  If we don’t know, we find out!

I have yet another goody for you from “A Rose is a Rose”.  You have the whole kit.  I had forgotten a couple of items, so, I want to give you those here.  The other day, I gave you the cherub frame, and today, another frame:

su_ARIAR_PearlRoseFrame1200

And, some lips:

su_ARIAR_KissLips1200

and, last, but, not least, a word art cluster I played around with:

su_ARIAR_Cluster001_800

BE SURE TO CLICK ON THE IMAGE AND SAVE AS A .PNG!  While I do host these, they aren’t zipped.  They should open a new page.  M’kay?

That will be it for today.  CL is starting up!  Until next time,

Be Happy!

ATTF31

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

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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:

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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.

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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

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

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 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

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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

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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.

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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

Links for Design Goodies

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Greetings!  I have been promising some links for you and now I am here to deliver!  LOL  These are sites I stumble upon or hear about that offer something good for scrappers and digital artists.  As a Photoshop user, too, I pay attention to those resources that are offered.  So, are you ready!

This first place is DigiTee Designs.  Shiela is into scrapbooking, it looks like.  She creates little goodies and gives them away, such as Layer Styles for PS, labels, strings and alphas.  I spotted a cute kit, too!  A couple of ’em!

Do you like ‘Layer Styles’?  JC Sweetpea Designs offers a slew of really nice styles for Photoshop.  They are free and for CU use, too.

Next, is ScrapKado Brushes.  Though the title says ‘Brushes’, Sylvaine has Patterns, Styles and Templates.  On this page, after the first post for Ballet Brushes, she gives links to all of her sites, and there are lots more that you may enjoy!

Now, about DeviantArt.  I spend a lot of time over there since I also do digital art and painting.  My favorite photo-manipulation is anything fantasy.  Thus, I have found a few artists who provide stock for art use.  I have compiled the links into one page at my old blog.  I just haven’t moved it yet.

http://www.suruha-freespirit.com/p/deviantart-stock-providers.html

I have noted after each link what type of goodies each primarily offers to help you narrow down your search.  Also, be sure to pay heed to each individual artist’s terms.  Some are fairly detailed whereas others – not so much.

I saved the best for last.  My friend, Jodiann.  I know I wrote about Jodiann before, but, if you haven’t been to her site, lately, you are missing out!  She is on a roll!  Jodiann is a natural-born designer.  She makes some of the nicest goodies.  Coincidentally, one of her specialties is Layer Styles.  But, she does elements and overlays and all kinds of neat things.

For those of you who design your own, she even offers a year-long CU Pass, allowing you to sell what you make with her goodies.  It is the most reasonable rate I have ever seen!  5 Bucks!  Yep!  For a whole year!  Even if you have no need for this, you really must read some of Jodiann’s posts.  She is a HOOT!  She’s an ol’ hippie chick, herself, so, we have a lot in common.

This isn’t all I have.  It’s just all the time I have.  LOL  I have a tutorial that I will post soon that will, hopefully, help you to save time doing your scrapping/art/designs.  Look for it!  Meanwhile, I will see what needs to be done about my RSS Feed.  I don’t know if it works or not.   The benefit of a ‘feed’ is every time I post something, you get it in your e-mail.  LOL  I use them all the time for sites I want to keep up with.  You can also have the feed go to a ‘reader’ of your choice.  I use Google Reader.  It would take me a year to view each of them, but…  LOL  I subscribe to a lot of places!  I just skim over them and hit on the stuff that stands out to me.  Seeing what all I have downloaded, it is probably a good thing that I can’t read all of them on a regular basis!  I have 2 External Hard Drives full of resources!  My brushes alone weigh in at over 50 gigabytes.  LOL

So, as usual, until next time…

Moving Smile Graphic

 Hugs,

Su