Plastic wrap enlarged bitmaps
Posted 20 May, 2009 in Free Graphics, Tutorials, Wallpaper
Enlarging bitmaps is not a good idea, but there are ways to quickly fix them and one of those ways is to use the Photoshop filter, Plastic Wrap. It evens out those jagged edjes very well, and can create a nice effect. Here are some examples of bitmaps enlarged by up to 10 times then given a plastic wrap. (more…)
HONESTY BOX Help support this site - Thanks!
Vector shapes in Photoshop
Posted 13 May, 2009 in Free Graphics, Tutorials
A quick few samples showing how shapes created in a vector package can be used creatively in Photoshop. This is not a proper tutorial, but samples just for inspiration. (more…)
HONESTY BOX Help support this site - Thanks!Flash Plastic Text Effect Tutorial
Posted 26 April, 2009 in Flash, Tutorials
In this tutorial we are going to look at how to cerate a plastic, glossy, glassy look for your text in Flash. I am using Flash CS3 and also using some of the Flash filter effects. (more…)
HONESTY BOX Help support this site - Thanks!Flash Curling Paper Tutorial
Posted 26 April, 2009 in Flash, Tutorials
In this tutorial we will be looking at how to create a paper curl in Flash. We will also be adding some texture to the paper using a bitmap. (more…)
HONESTY BOX Help support this site - Thanks!Flash Vector Illustration Tutorial
Posted 26 April, 2009 in Flash, Illustrations, Tutorials
This is a tutorial on taking a sketch and creating a flash vector illustration with it. The subject in this case will be the American president, Barack Obama. (more…)
HONESTY BOX Help support this site - Thanks!Affiliates for Artists
Posted 9 February, 2008 in Tutorials
I have written before on how to make money with you graphical designs and illustrations, now I have been playing around with affiliates on a couple of my sites.
I sell pop art paintings that I do in my spare time and although the site generates a healthy number of sales, or at least enough to keep my busy, I have found that putting ads and affiliate links on the site has not hurt my pop art sales and at the same time generates a little extra income.
I currently use allposters.com as they can provide for the UK, Europe and USA. Many people who are looking for artwork and designs will come across artist’s and designer’s websites even though they may have just been looking for something to put on the wall, or a gift for someone.
So far I am quite pleased with allposters.com, not due to the sales as it is too early to tell how good it is, but due to the easy of setting it up. Creating an account was simple. After that, you are given a whole host of options, from banners you can place on your site, to search boxes and even a mini store on your website.
I will get back to you on the sales point when I have given it more time.
HONESTY BOX Help support this site - Thanks!Super Stripe Blending Tutorial
Posted 3 July, 2007 in Tutorials
Blending two images using stripes can be a rather cool way of blending images. The achieve the above image follow the steps laid out below. This tutorial is for Photoshop.
1. Get two images. I have used Superman and Spiderman.
2. Create a new layer for image 1. In this case, Superman and create a gradient fill from top to bottom, from back to white using the Gradient tool set to Linear Gradient.
3. Filter > Distort > Wave. Set Generators to 999. Wavelength Min and Max to 4. Scale 100%. Type: Square. Repeat Edge Pixels. You should get the following:
4. Now set the Layer Style Blend Mode… Layer > Layer Style > Blending Options. Set Blend Mode to Multiply.
5. Using the Magic Wand Tool with settings Tolerance 1, no Anti-aliased and no Contiguous, select one of the black stripes. This should select all the black stripes.
6. Now Shift+Ctrl+i to invert the selection and press Shift+Ctrl+c to copy the image. This should copy everything other than the black stripes.
7. Now paste it over the Spiderman image!
Finished.
As a bonus feature, you might want to save the stripes mask as it is very useful to have around for other images.
photoshop stripes tutorialHONESTY BOX Help support this site - Thanks!Flash or HTML Websites?
Posted 29 June, 2007 in Flash, Tutorials
Not for the first time and undoubtedly not for the last time either, I was asked if a site should be all Flash or HTML.
Now this depends, is what I say. This particular site had already been created all in flash. They sell gifts online and the site is basically an e-commerce store. They had been up and running for about a year and where getting little or no organic hits to the site. The site was 1 page, with a clever bit of flash running the catalogue of products. (more…)
flash htmlHONESTY BOX Help support this site - Thanks!Web 2.0 Stripes in Photoshop
Posted 25 June, 2007 in Tutorials
This tutorial is meant as a simple way to make stripes in Photoshop. It assumes a basic understanding of Photoshop. Included are various samples of stripes at the bottom of the tutorial, for your use subject to the free (cc) licence.
1. Start with a 200 x 200 pixel box.
2. Set foreground colour to Black and background to white.
3. Using the gradient tool set to Reflected Gradient, drag a gradient from the middle of the image to the top. Use the shift key to get it straight. (For special effects, try an oblique or angled gradient)
4. Got to Filter > Distort > Wave.
5. Set Generators to 999. Wavelength Min and Max to 5. Scale 100%. Type: triangle. Repeat Edge Pixels.
Now you should have nice web 2.0 stripes read to use. You can of course use other colours.
If you wish to have stripes without the gradient do steps 1 and 2 again then:
3. Using the gradient tool set to Linea Gradient, drag a gradient from the bottom of the image to the top. Use the shift key to get it straight.
4. Got to Filter > Distort > Wave.
5. Set Generators to 999. Wavelength Min and Max to 5. Scale 100%. Type: square. Repeat Edge Pixels.
This should give you plain stripes that you can then add to your patterns, Edit > Define Pattern.
Mess around with the settings to create some nice effects!
Gradient Patterns
Gradient 2.0 Stripes.
HONESTY BOX Help support this site - Thanks!Free Web 2.0 Gradients
Posted 18 June, 2007 in Tutorials
I found a nice page that does some great Photoshop web 2.0 gradients. Gradients play a strong role in web 2.0 graphics and add that 3d feel to icons and logos and words etc. It is a large collection and with the use of hue and colouring you should be able to create an endless variation of gradients.
ultimate-web-20-gradients-free-download
gradients photoshopHONESTY BOX Help support this site - Thanks!