theBlog @reneepearson.com
Wanna Learn How — Create a Text Border
The winner of the Creating Keepsakes subscription giveaway is commenter #2, Joscie who commented:
I love when CK offers Digital Scrap Tips. and a chance to win a subscription to a mag I love, well that’s just icing on the cake!
Congratulations Joscie!
Hey RP fans! Deena Boese from Creating Keepsakes magazine back with another quick and easy Photoshop tutorial! I tend to love simple yet strong pages. The old adage “less is more” repeatedly calls my name. But while I love to create simple pages, sometimes they need just a little something extra. So what do you do without adding more “fluff”? Create design with your text! This week I’ll show you how to take an ordinary title and integrate it into your layout design.
Creating a text border is a great way not only to separate photos and paper; it adds a great design element to any project while still keeping the page simple and the focus on the photo.
Wanna learn how simple it is to create these fun text borders? Read on! (more…)
Wanna Learn How: Selectively Color a B&W Photo
The winner of the Creating Keepsakes subscription giveaway is commenter #5, Kathi Heifner who commented:
I have Photoshop Elements and haven’t learned all the tricks. Thanks for the tip, can’t wait to try.
Congratulations Kathi!
Hey RP fans! Deena Boese from Creating Keepsakes magazine back at the table with another quick and easy Photoshop tutorial! This week’s tip comes from the request of last month’s tutorial reader Melinda. She wrote:
We’ve all seen those stunning black and white photos with a single item highlighted with a bright pop of color. If you’ve ever wondered how to recreate this look yourself, today is your day! There are probably a dozen different ways to add selective color to a black and white image in Photoshop. But today I’m going to show you my favorite quick and easy technique that can take a photo from blah to beautiful in under 5 minutes.
With just a few clicks of the mouse you can transform an ordinary photo from this:
to this:
Wanna learn how simple it is to selectively color a black and white photo? Read on! (more…)
A Chevron Pattern in Illustrator
We know chevron patterns are trendy right now. Luckily, they’re easy to make too! With Adobe Illustrator CS6 or even CS5 and earlier versions, you’ll be making your own pattern in no time flat, just check out my latest tutorial:
Have fun creating your own and if you’re still hungry for patterns in Adobe Illustrator I’ll have a new class coming next month that focuses on the new CS6 Pattern Mode. Stay tuned!
Wanna Learn How: Seamless Photo Backgrounds
The winner of the Creating Keepsakes subscription giveaway is commenter #2, Linda Palmer who commented:
Thank you for an excellent tutorial. Easy to understand and follow. I love learning something new.
Congratulations Linda!
Hey RP fans! Deena Boese from Creating Keepsakes magazine back at the table with another quick and easy Photoshop tutorial! This week I was talking with a reader who was in love with magazine ads and wished she knew how to design her layouts with a similar look. As we talked, we agreed on a couple of factors that contribute to the designer look she was after:
1) A large focal point photo that spans the width of the ad, and
2) Bold graphic text that’s integrated with the image.
She immediately said she was drawn to full-page photos but didn’t know what to do when her photo background ran out before her layout canvas did. Ah ha! Enter Photoshop!
With an array of Photoshop super tools at our fingertips it’s easy to duplicate or clone backgrounds to get that margin to margin image we love. While this technique won’t necessarily work on photos with busy backgrounds, it’s a gem on photos with backgrounds featuring solid colors (think walls and fabric) or nature (think grass, sky, water and sand). By extending your photo backgrounds you create the perfect place to house titles, journaling, and even design elements! Here are a few examples of the impact an extended photo background can make on a layout.
Turning 3 by Deena Boese, as seen in the July/August 2012 issue of Creating Keepsakes magazine.
My SuperHero by Deena Boese, as seen in the January 2010 issue of Creating Keepsakes magazine.
God’s Beauty by Deena Boese, as seen in the April 2008 issue of Creating Keepsakes magazine.
Uncontainable Joy by Deena Boese, as seen in the December 2009 issue of Creating Keepsakes magazine.
Wanna learn how simple it is to create seamless photo backgrounds? Read on! (more…)
Changing the Color of Elements
There are many ways to change the colors of your elements to match other items or even photos in your layouts, these are just a few of my personal first choices.
For Mono-colored Elements
So you have this wonderful translucent or semitransparent brushwork or mask you want to include in your layout, but the color is not what you want. I use two options depending on the element itself.
Option 1
1. Bring your objects into your layout so you can see them both.
2. Select the layer of the element you want to change the color.
3. From the top menu: EDIT>FILL (Shift F5)
4. From Contents use the drop down menu to Color.
5. Using the eyedropper that now pops up with the Choose a color dialog box, choose the color you want from your layout.
6. Make sure Preserve Transparency box is checked.
7. Opacity can be anything and will depend on the object being recolored. The higher the %, the more of the color will show.
8. Click OK in the Color dialog box.
9. Click OK in the Fill dialog box.
10. If you want to try a different color, Undo (Ctrl/Cmd Z) and repeat above steps.
NOTE: I highly suggest you play with the opacity setting to see how it reacts with the object you are recoloring. I normally choose between 50–100%.
For Mono-colored Elements with light and dark areas of color
If you notice, my original paint splatter has a lighter color of the paint with the darker of the color for the grid lines. I want to retain that look and not completely fill all one color shade as with the first option.
Option 2
1. Bring your objects into your layout so you can see them both.
2. Select the layer of the element you want to change the color.
3. Double click on the layer to open your Layer Style dialog box or click the Fx button at the bottom of the Layers Panel.
4. Click on and check the box for Color Overlay.
5. Make sure the Preview check box is checked so you can see your results as you adjust.
6. Click on the small colored box to change the color.
7. Choose your color with the eyedropper when the Select overlay color box pops up from your layout, Click OK.
8. Change the Blend mode with the pull down menu and click OK.
You will get many different looks with different blend modes and you can also change the opacity here too. The only way to learn these is to try different ones and note how they will react with your particular element. Most of the time I use Color as a blending mode, but when you have a very light color in your element, it can produce results I don’t like. I simply cycle through the Blend Modes to see which option I like the best for my layout.
As an additional option, you can also adjust the Layer’s Opacity and Fill.
Just a few of the Blend Mode options shown for example. I used the red from the paper in the layout to show how these react.
Changing the Layer’s Opacity or Fill adjustment examples. I used the color burn blending mode here.
Here is my final layout.
Credits:
All items from Beautiful Mess 8 and the Paint & Grid splatter from Beautiful Mess 7
Want to see a video showing how to recolor another way too?
You can find it on my blog here at “How to Recolor Multiple Colors on a Single Element.”
Hope you enjoyed the tutorial and can’t wait to see your layouts applying your new-found skills.
DOWNLOADS
Tutorial: Changing the Color of Elements
Molly Newman: Adding Artful Text to Photos
You can give your photos quick and creative captions with the Phonto app. This is a free app for both the iPhone and iPad. Here’s how to do it:
Wanna Learn How: Create and Use Gradients
The winner of the Creating Keepsakes subscription giveaway is commenter #1, Ava who commented:
The only times I’ve used gradients are those with tutorials that I can follow. Looks like I have to practice just a little bit more…thanks Deena. I always love your lay-outs.
Congratulations Ava! Please send us an email to claim your prize.
Hey RP fans! Deena Boese from Creating Keepsakes magazine back at the table with another Photoshop tutorial! I was recently talking with a reader who was just dipping her feet into the digital waters. She commented that her first digital layout was looking “flat” and unfinished. She wanted to know if I had a favorite trick that was easy, versatile and added that extra finishing touch. I gotta admit. This girl made me think! Then it hit me. Gradients! I use them in almost every project I design. From blending colors, to adding shadow depth, to editing photos…this trusty solution is one I always rely on. Let’s take a look at some of the fun and easy ways gradients can be used!
Foreground to Background
Here is an example of a basic gradient that blends a foreground color of blue with a background color of green. Try layering a gradient over textured paper and applying a blending mode for added depth.
I Adore by Deena Boese, as seen in the August 2009 issue of Creating Keepsakes magazine
Foreground to Transparent
This layout uses a gradient from a foreground color of white to transparent. The transparent grade at the bottom of the layout allows the patterned paper to show then graduates to crisp opaque white at the top.
Lavender Eyes by Deena Boese
Photo Effects
Here I set my foreground color to blue and selected the FOREGROUND TO TRANSPARENT gradient option to add a beautiful blue sky to my photos.
Captivate by Deena Boese, as seen in the Budget Friendly Scrapbooking issue of Creating Keepsakes magazine
Create Housing for Text
Another great trick is to use a black to transparent gradient over a photo or busy patterned paper to create a home for a title or journaling.
Wanna learn how simple it is to create and use gradients? Read on! (more…)
Laura Coyle: Seamless Repeat Pattern Fills
In this video tutorial I show students in my Automatic Patterns class how to make an Adobe Illustrator pattern fill swatch from the patterns we create in class. If you’re already familiar with the class, you can skip the introduction and go right to 1:30, where the tutorial begins.
In the class, we create seamless repeat patterns using Transform Effects, allowing you to tweak a pattern and see the changes update instantly in CS4 and CS5 — something unheard of before the introduction of the new CS6 Pattern Mode.
The class focuses on exporting png and jpeg images of Illustrator repeat patterns for Spoonflower fabric, blogging, digital scrapbooking and crafting. The tutorial above shows the steps for creating Illustrator fill swatches, so the patterns you create in class can also be applied to any vector art you’re working on in Illustrator.
The tutorial also highlights one of my favorite Adobe Illustrator tools, the Eraser tool. It’s great for working with expanded pattern art, but I’m sure you’ll discover your own uses for the Eraser. Have fun!
Feed me: August 1, 2012
How To Create An HDR Photo Effect In Photoshop
With the Olympics going on right now, when I saw this tutorial on the Creative Nerds website, I wanted to share it with you.
In this tutorial Creative Nerds share with you how to apply a high dynamic range (HDR) effect to your photos. This technique is easy to achieve using a new filter available in Photoshop CS6 and Photoshop CS 5.5. There are so many ways to make an HDR photo effect, according to the author, but this has to be the easiest method, and produces the best results.
Continue reading at Creative Nerds
Pen Tool Paisleys in Illustrator
Learning to use the Illustrator Pen Tool and bezier curves takes time and practice. Practicing with paisleys can help you master smooth curves, S curves, smooth points and corner points. Then, you’ll be on your way to creating a groovy pattern.
While not a complete introduction to the Pen Tool, this video tutorial demonstrates using the Pen Tool to create a simple curved paisley shape. We modify the Pen with the opt/alt key to change a smooth anchor point to a corner anchor point with independent curve direction handles. I also demonstrate editing the anchor points and curve handles with the White Arrow and “borrowing curves” from standard circles and ellipse shapes.
This tutorial was created in CS6, but the Pen Tool works the same in other versions of Adobe Illustrator. Have some fun with the Pen — it’s the drawing tool that gives you the most control over your curves in Illustrator.