Filed under: Uncategorized
using adobe kuler to enhance your photoshop color workflow: http://psd.tutsplus.com/tutorials/tools-tips/using-adobe-kuler-to-enhance-your-photoshop-color-workflow/
since i keep seeing this cool tool mentioned, i thought i’d learn how to use it! there are several ways to access kuler: website, widget, or the kuler extension in CS4 products. kuler is a nifty website/collection of color palettes that you can use for projects. this tut walks us through how to sign up and get started using kuler. 
if you open the kuler window in photoshop it looks like this:
i wanted to see what the website version looks like, though, so i followed the tutorial for that. here’s the kuler page before signing in:
kuler lets you add or get info from the site. you can even customize your search to a certain time frame, highest rated, most popular, newest, or there are even several other options. you can limit your results by searching for certain creators, colors, or tags. in the mykuler section, you can save favorite themes that you’ve seen by clicking the favorite button. any themes you’ve created are also saved in mykuler.
if you use the kuler website, you can download swatches to your computer when you’re signed in. cool! with CS4, though, you can just view the kuler in your window and add swatches from there. as a member of the community, you can comment on swatches, receive feedback on any you’ve created, and rate stuff.
you can create a theme from colors or an image. here i chose to create a theme from an image – you are given the option to look at your own images or at flickr images. i picked a random happy photo to play with from flickr:
basically you move those white circles around to assign colors to your theme. pretty easy!
you can also create a theme totally from scratch, and kuler helps with that by allowing you to utilize different harmony rules, a color wheel, and sliders to adjust brightness and angle and all that good stuff. the harmony rule you set essentially makes finding a theme effortless: you choose a base color, and kuler chooses the other four colors based on the harmony rule you use. you just drag and drop the white circle and watch the magic happen. here’s my monochromatic theme:
if you still can’t get just the right colors, you can change the values by entering numeric values in the spaces below the colors. changing from rgb to cmyk, for example, can help, too.
this tutorial was great – although i’m sure if i spent enough time in kuler i could figure it all out there, too. it’s still nice to have something to follow along with, though!
how to create an identity package in illustrator: http://vector.tutsplus.com/tutorials/designing/how-to-create-an-identity-package-in-illustrator/
this tutorial tells us how to make business cards, letterheads, and envelopes in illustrator. it focuses on setting illustrator up rather than the actual graphics design process. basically, you’re guided through how to set up a bleed with the artboards, told to offset stuff by -.25, and how to convert shapes to artboards. using whatever logo you have set up, make it a symbol and drag it into your artboards where needed.
i think this tutorial will be helpful if/when i’d like to set up more than just a quickie business card. it breaks down some of the necessary steps to make the workspace work for you. the author goes on to show how to make a proof (complete with drop shadows) and how to print. i feel like this tutorial would have been better if it concentrated on the process of making the actual products instead of splitting the focus between making proofs, printing, etc.
how to create funky 3D springs in illustrator: http://vector.tutsplus.com/tutorials/tools-tips/how-to-create-funky-3d-springs-in-illustrator/
to accomplish this, we use the 3D revolve tool. so neat! didn’t even know this existed. it does incredibly cool things to circles. basically, you use different settings with the 3D revolve tool to get the half-springs to turn in the right direction, then line them up, and repeat until you have the spring as big as you want it.
this tutorial makes this look both complicated and simple. in essence, this is nothing more than a circle altered by settings. the right choices in the settings is what makes this happen – well, that and precise alignment when connecting the ends together! i do wish they had shown us how to do the other springs pictured on the tuttorial, specifically the ones that are bent in an arc…i’m sure massive playing around with settings will garner results, though, and once i have my computer back i plan on trying!
how to create a landscape wallpaper for your desktop: http://vector.tutsplus.com/tutorials/illustration/how-to-create-a-landscape-wallpaper-for-your-desktop/
this is almost deceptively easy! the grass is made starting with a rectangle, then you distort it, use the mesh tool, and choose the colors. the sky – another rectangle, filled with a radial gradient. the sun is just an ellipse with an outer glow. the mountains are hand drawn using the paint brush tool. the clouds are done the same way. basically, everything is drawn by hand using the paint brush tool and grouped as desired. the hardest part, in my opinion, would be to judge how to put in the shadows cast by the sun. i think i’ll try this some day, though, since it gives such easy-to-follow directions on how to achieve the image. even though my drawing skills are questionable, i think i could swing this!
changing eye color in photoshop: http://tutvid.com/tutorials/photoshop/tutorials/changeEyeColor.php
this is super easy – and the tutorial is great at showing how to do it. basically, he just used the elliptical marquee selection tool to select the pupil of the eye, then inversed the selection so that when you color the eye you’re leaving the pupil intact. pick a color, then color the iris. change the blend mode to color, then have fun! i’ve colored eyes before, but my method was a bit more involved, so this is definitely a better way to try!
Leave a Comment so far
Leave a comment
