Link List, volume 43

Posted by gregtreadwell on October 2, 2012

Some tutorials to inspire and push your skills.

Going beyond a blast of light, lets make text explode.

Just to drive the point home: use Smart Filters when Sharpening.

Because this always comes up, how to cut out hair.

Adding a non-destructive Vignette to your image.

Another one that came up in class: making your own Bokeh effect.

Getting to know Photoshop

Part of the Intro to Photoshop Layer Styles session over at psdtuts+, here’s a guide to Bevel and Emboss and Inner Glow, too.

Exploring CS6’s 3D Controls.

Last week I featured some artists for inspiration, now here are some tutorials that show you how they work.

James White, aka signalnoise, has some of his tutorials here.
Chuck Anderson, aka nopattern, doesn’t post tutorials but other people have explored his style and offered their own take on how to get his look.
Justin Maller of depthCore shares some of his process here.

Link List, volume 35

Posted by gregtreadwell on July 3, 2012

More tutorials to help you refine your skills and master our tools of the trade.

Illustrator

Tutorial

Create a luscious pair of lips from a photo.

Tips & Tricks

I love the new pattern feature in CS6 and here are a couple of videos demonstrating its use: from Adobe and from Computer Arts magazine.

InDesign

Tutorials

Make your own 3D Paper Craft calendar.

Setting up and planning a magazine.

Tips & Tricks

Using Fx to simulate stickers & tape.

Typographic Quick Tip: Kerning.

Photoshop

Tutorials

Combining Illustrator vectors and Photoshop to create abstract shards.

Quickly turn a photo into a sketch with Gaussian Blur.

Combine analog textures and hand-drawn art.

Two retro film effects: Fuji Velvia and the Lomo effect.

Tips & Tricks

Adjusting tones with the Dodge & Burn tool.

Enhancing reflections in landscape photography.

The Color Lookup Adjustment Layer.

Link List, volume 32

Posted by gregtreadwell on June 12, 2012

Tutorials

Using multiple applications is a great way to get the outcome you want. Here’s a simple abstract line design that starts in Illustrator and finishes in Photoshop.

Creating a grungy blackletter effect using Illustrator & Photoshop.

Here’s another multi app tutorial that starts with custom type in Illustrator and ends with a cosmic scene in Photoshop.

An awesome place for tutorials on all things Adobe is Layers Magazine. I really like this Photoshop 3D tutorial on creating a DNA strand.

Photoshop

Tutorials

Create a bright abstract lines background.

Basic compositing: Fixing bleached out skies.

Masking Transparent Elements.

Tips & Tricks

Creating Neon FX with Layer Styles.

Getting into Layer Styles: Understanding Drop Shadows

Become a Master: 101 Tips, Tricks & Shortcuts.

Design Inspiration

Projects

Need to kick start your creativity? Here’s a great project idea: Creative Cards. Maybe it’ll inspire you to re-imagine another common object in your life?

The films of Studio Ghibli as Penguin Book covers. Too bad the Studio Ghibli site isn’t in English…

Postcards from everywhere/nowhere, the Wander Blog project.

Designers

The type stylings of Jessica Hische.

An interview with Chuck Anderson, NoPattern.

Monday Link List, volume 24

Posted by gregtreadwell on April 16, 2012

Let’s start with the future. Some sneak peaks at some new features to be included with Illustrator CS6:

First, Pattern Creation. Love how it updates live as you work.

And this one is absolute magic! Gradients on Strokes. Such an awesome feature, no more Blends or Appearance workarounds.

Defiantly a mixed bag of resources this week. The usual tutorials, some resources (high res images & vectors), Design Theory, and some inspiration. Enjoy.

Tutorials

Masking Patterns in Illustrator.

Psychedelic Portrait using the Width Tool, Stroke Profiles & Custom Brushes.

A whole bunch of video tutorials you should watch.

Using Styles to control text in Illustrator.

Create a Geometric Flower.

Resources

Great site for resources, business/motivation & tutorials: Design Instruct.

Vector Floral Sets.

Design Theory

I like this article on working with Visual Weight.

Infographics to help with Typography, Colour Theory and Web Design.

How about a summer reading list?

A Graphic Design Primer, Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.

Inspiration

Japanese Graphic Design from the 1920s & 30s.

Scandinavian Logo Design from the 1960s & 70s.

Monday Link List, volume 20

Posted by gregtreadwell on March 12, 2012

Tool Techniques

Using Shape Builder to create a Celtic Knot.

Applying Width Profiles to Strokes and using the Width Tool.

Draw Inside & Draw Behind modes.

Quick review of the 3D tool. Like the text effect created here.

Using the Bristle Brush to create textures in an illustration.

Color Guide – remapping colours in an illustration.

Tutorials

Create a retro-futuristic chrome type effect.

Drawing a lotus flower using Gradient Mesh.

Creating a volume bar for an application or web interface. As a challenge, try to create this object using as few shapes as possible utilizing the Appearance pallet.

Eye popping explosion effect. Includes my favourite trick, using the tilde (~) when drawing.