The Beer
Another Belgian abbey brew, this one from Affligem.
Author Archives:
Link List, volume 29
InDesign
Tips & Tricks
Multiple page sizes in a single document: Mastering the Page tool.
A years worth of Tips & Tricks from CreativePro.
Black is Black, right? Not when you’re going to print. Get a handle on the different shades of Black.
Tutorials
Setting up a Baseline Grid for good typography.
Where do I get such fabulous toys? Check out Noupe’s InDesign Toolbox. It’s got links to InDesign focused sites, tutorials and other resources.
Illustrator
Tutorials
Create glowing disco lines.
Make a retro triangle pattern.
Create Isometric Grid 3D lettering.
70 great tutorials for making your type pop and other tutorials to make you an Illustrator master.
Mastering your tools: 35 tutorials focusing on specific Illustrator tools.
Welcome to the 3rd dimension: create a 3D airplane.
Photoshop
Tips & Tricks
Fun type treatments with 3D postcards.
Using Layer Comps to improve your workflow.
Using the Lens Blur filter.
Using tools on Smart Object Layers.
Tutorials
Create Liquid effects.
And just in time for summer, how to create an elephant sundae.
Design Process
Thoughts on Design: Essential Reading
Keeping up on your game, a summer reading list from Frank Chimero.
Design is a job. And there’s nothing wrong with that.
Branding and Logo Design
Tips for crafting the perfect logo.
More thoughts on logo design.
And a reminder that Branding is more than a Logo.
Can you use math to solve design problems? Why of course you can!
Thirsty Thursday
The Beer
History meets great brewing in Dead Elephant IPA from St. Thomas’ Railway City Brewing Co.
Like this:
Link List, volume 28
This week I’m trying to establish a more general format for the Link Lists. I’ll present 3 or more categories relating to Graphic Design with emphasis always on the beloved Trinity of software (Illustrator, InDesign & Photoshop) supported with business, inspiration and other related links.
Illustrator
Create a very cool badge with some creative combination of a simple blend and masks for complex details.
Getting the most out of the Blend tool.
Create a Spiral Blend.
Working with Envelope Distort.
50 tutorials to help you master Illustrator.
Photoshop
Creative uses of the Curves Adjustment Layer.
Creative a Film Edge Burn look with Curves.
Using Curves to control skin tone.
And a companion video to the last, Retouching Skin.
3 Ways to improve an image (or text) if you absolutely have to enlarge it.
Business Matters: Tips for Freelancing
Is Freelancing right for you?
Resources for the new Freelancer.
How to deal with some common Freelance perceptions.
Guidelines for getting paid.
Working from home? You need to stay productive.
So you’re making money as a freelancer, now what? These tips are specific to the US, but the advice still stands no matter where you live.
Thirsty Thursday
Link List, volume 27
Creative Suite 6 & Creative Cloud
It’s official, Creative Suite 6 is available as of yester day (May 7) and Creative Cloud will be launched May 11 – Friday. Can’t wait.
InDesign
Here are a bunch of InDesign Tips, Tricks and Tutorials that I’ve been hoarding. Time to share them.
Working with type:
Using your First Baseline to perfectly align type.
You’ve set your Baseline control, now to vertically balance columns to avoid widows & orphans.
10 tips to help you master typography.
Advanced Typography primer, covering Special Characters & Glyphs (including Keyboard Shortcuts.)
Text Wrap & Fit Content options explained.
Tips, Tricks and Tutorials
InDesign Basics: (Everything) You need to know starting out with InDesign.
Book mark this page: InDesign Magazine’s Tip of the Week.
The Perfect Page: Grids that create harmony.
Building your grid: How to construct a Penguin book cover.
Mind the Gap: tools that help align your objects to the Grid.
Create a Grid on the fly using Live Distribute.
Find yourself using the same elements over and over again? You need to harness the power of Snippets.
Using Anchored Objects to make your Tables stand out.
Smart Guides, not just in Illustrator.
11 Tricks that will make you more efficient.
InDesign & the Web
A web developer’s guide to InDesign as a dev tool.
Resources
Common print job templates. (envelopes, door hangers, presentation folders & more.)
Don’t know the difference between a Blind Emboss and Deboss? Check out this Print Terminology Glossary.
InDesign & Creative Cloud
CS6 feature: Content Collector tool.
CS6 feature: Liquid Layout.
Thirsty Thursday
The Beer
A Gluten free beer made with Sorghum and Rice, Lakefront Brewery’s New Grist is hard to classify.
Link List, volume 26
First off, I’m changing my publishing schedule: Monday Link list will now be posted on Tuesday and simply called Link List. I just like the symmetry of having regular posts on Tuesdays and Thursdays (you are checking out my weekly beer photo posts, Thirsty Thursday, right?)
This week I’m again focusing on CS6 and Creative Cloud; some my favorite feature roundups and a look at Oleg Dou, the artist responsible for the new packaging.
Enjoy and next week I’ll get back to the usual tutorials and business advice.
Photoshop CS6
Top 10 Time Saving Enhancements to Layers in Photoshop CS6.
New Features and Enhancements in the Photoshop CS6 Vector Shapes Tool.
Updates to Layer Effects/ Styles in Photoshop CS6.
InDesign CS6
Alternate Layout in InDesign CS6.
Using the Content Collector Tool in InDesign CS6.
Illustrator CS6
Deep Dive on Illustrator CS6 Performance Enhancements.
Creative Cloud
Creative Cloud Feature Tour for Print Designers
Creative Cloud Feature Tour for Web Designers.
Adobe Creative Cloud Q&A with Scott Kelby.
Artist Feature, Oleg Dou
He’s responsible for some of the imagery being used with the CS6 packaging.
Thirsty Thursday
The Beer
Nothing says summer like Red Stripe’s stubby bottle, a total retro trip for anyone old enough to remember when Canadian beer came in stubbies… not to date my self.
Monday Link List, volume 25
There really is only one topic today, Creative Suite 6 and Creative Cloud.
Here’s a round-up of all you need to know:
Adobe TV: CS6 & Creative Cloud Feature Tour.
Computer Arts, CS6: The Creative Pro’s Guide.
Creative Bloq, Adobe CS6 review. I like that they list hardware specs too.
What do I think?
I love the productivity enhancements (Illustrator’s new Pattern Tool & Gradient on a Stroke), I love the integration of the apps and Creative Cloud and exporting from Flash to HTML5. I worry that forcing people into an integrated workflow will make for lazy decisions – do it the way the software supports or the specific tool works – instead of building and exploring other options or more manual approaches. Innovation and stylistic discoveries happen when the presets are exhausted and the creative is forced to make things happen and discover unrealized combinations and processes. That said, once you get to the end of the road as defined by the toolsets of CS6, I hope for a brave new world of creative expression, enabled by the previously mention productivity and tool enhancements – now that the tools do so much, it gives creatives the time to push them further.
