Filter Foundry - William Baer

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William Baer

Portfolio

Nature Photography
Digital Art Work
My Photography
Abstract Contest
My Macro Work
My Seascape Photography
My Abstract Art

Profile Overview

I am a professional Photographer and I have been involved in Digital Work for about seven years now. I use Photoshop CS5 and Light-room 3.6 to edit my work. I am pretty much a nature photographer. I love the outdoors and traveling to my own photo locations. I love Technology so I am not an old school photographer. I believe that, if I am the author of the shot taken I can do anything I want to make it look the way I like! I don't believe in all the old school rules of photography. This is a new age so, learn it! I am also a computer GURU and I have been building computers for about 17 years. I love art work and that is what I have been working on currently. I keep trying to do better all the time and I don't give up! I will die trying to do better photography and Digital Art Work!

Applications: Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Photoshop
Creative Fields: Photo Manipulation, Fine Arts, Photography

City: Van Nuys	Personal Site: baersphotography.com
Location: USA	Work URL:
Experience: 12 years, 3 months	Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wbaer
Employer: SPUSD	Twitter: http://twitter.com/PokeyBaer
Title: HVAC Technician	LinkedIN:
Status: Fulltime Employed	Other: http://www.etsy.com/shop/BillsArtWork

Project Comments

William

I love the Ocean and I spend alot of time on the beautiful coast of Southern California. I enjoy taking seascape shots, this is at Malibu California.

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<div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_2625" style="width: 600px;"><a href="http://www.bobnolin.com"><img alt="Friends Stick Together, by Bob Nolin. Painted with Photoshop CS5. " class="size-full wp-image-2625" height="361" src="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/wp-content/uploads2010/2011/06/hiatus.jpg" title="hiatus" width="590" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Friends Stick Together, by Bob Nolin. Painted with Photoshop CS5. </p></div> <h5>Digital Image Magazine is on hiatus for an indefinite time. In the meantime, please make use of the more than 180 articles (tutorials, reviews, inspirations, etc.) here for you. </h5> <div class="shr-publisher-2624"></div><div style="clear: both; height: 3px; width: 100%;"></div><div class="shareaholic-like-buttonset" style="float: none; height: 30px;"><a class="shareaholic-fblike"></a><a class="shareaholic-fbsend"></a></div><div style="clear: both; height: 3px; width: 100%;"></div><img alt="" src="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/?ak_action=api_record_view&id=2624&type=feed" /> <p>Related posts:<ol><li><a href="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/featured/digital-image-magazine-is-for-sale/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link: Digital Image Magazine is for sale">Digital Image Magazine is for sale</a> <small>— This blog (Digital Image Magazine) is for sale. $1000....</small></li> <li><a href="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/featured/a-collection-of-helpful-websites-for-digital-artists/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link: A Collection of Helpful Websites for Digital Artists">A Collection of Helpful Websites for Digital Artists</a> <small>Here's a hand-picked list of great websites devoted to creating...</small></li> <li><a href="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/featured/resources-online-training-for-digital-painting/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link: Resources: Online Training for Digital Painting">Resources: Online Training for Digital Painting</a> <small>Learn digital art in the comfort of your own home!...</small></li> </ol></p>

UPDATED: 9 MONTHS, 3 WEEKS

Review: Secrets of Corel Painter Experts

<div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_2605" style="width: 600px;"><a href="http://www.andreasrocha.com"><img alt="Beacon, by Andreas Rocha" class="size-full wp-image-2605" height="251" src="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/wp-content/uploads2010/2011/05/Beacon.jpg" title="Beacon" width="590" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Beacon, by Andreas Rocha</p></div> <p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/143545720X/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=digiimagmaga-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399349&creativeASIN=143545720X">Secrets of Corel Painter Experts: Tips, Techniques, and Insights for Users of All Abilities</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=digiimagmaga-20&l=as2&o=1&a=143545720X&camp=217145&creative=399349" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> by Daryl Wise and Linda Hellfritsch, is a new title from Course Technology PTR. It is printed in their familiar 7×9″ horizontal format. This makes it a bit hard to read, holding it in your lap, but it works very well lying open on a desk. The spine design allows the book to lie flat quite easily, without damaging the book. This is a dense, 314-page, color-filled book, with lots of great paintings to look at and be inspired by. Inspiration, in fact, is what this book is all about.</p> <p><div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_2607" style="width: 586px;"><img alt="A New York Minute, by Richard Swiatlowski" class="size-full wp-image-2607" height="384" src="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/wp-content/uploads2010/2011/05/A-NEW-YORK-MINUTE-06.jpg" title="A-NEW-YORK-MINUTE-06" width="576" /><p class="wp-caption-text">A New York Minute, by Richard Swiatlowski</p></div><span id="more-2597"></span></p> <p>The book highlights the work of 17 artists currently using Painter as part of their workflow. The range of styles is quite diverse, which is one of the book’s strengths. The majority of the works here are paintings created from scratch. Only a few artists here use Painter to modify photographs. Mostly what is presented here are what I would call illustrations or fine art paintings. The artists, for the most part, are new, to me at least. It’s nice to see some new blood. The stable of Corel Masters is getting rather tired at this point. </p> <p><div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_2608" style="width: 600px;"><img alt="The Moon, by Song Yang" class="size-full wp-image-2608" height="862" src="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/wp-content/uploads2010/2011/05/the-moon.jpg" title="the-moon" width="590" /><p class="wp-caption-text">The Moon, by Song Yang</p></div> <p>Each chapter includes information about the artist (software and hardware used, education, clients, and awards), a short interview section, a gallery of work, and a Technique section. This is where you’ll find one or two tutorials by each artist. These vary in level of detail. For instance, Chet Phillips’ tutorial is just that: a low-level, what-settings-to-use sort of tutorial (it’s great, too, by the way); most of the tutorials are more high-level. You’ll gain an understanding of the artist’s approach and workflow. For the most part, these are not follow-along projects. </p> <p>For this sort of book, that’s perfect. As the title indicates, there are some “secrets” here: you’ll pick up quite a few clever tricks and new ideas browsing through each chapter. It’s fascinating to see how many different ways a single program can be used. Of course, nearly all of the artists here use Photoshop and other programs, in addition to Painter. This is the way it is in the world of professional art: no one program does it all. </p> <p>The printing quality is first-rate. There is a DVD attached which pretty much contains nothing more than the same works shown in the printed book. These images look better in the book than in the tiny JPGs on the DVD. Be warned-the back of the book states that the DVD contains video tutorials, desktop wallpaper, and Painter movies. I found only two artists who had additional content. Still, the book itself is very worthwhile. You’ll be happy to have it on hand next time you need some inspiration and new ideas. </p> <div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_2609" style="width: 600px;"><img alt="Page from Anomaly graphic novel, by Brian Haberlin" class="size-full wp-image-2609" height="392" src="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/wp-content/uploads2010/2011/05/page-from-anomaly-graphic-novel.jpg" title="page-from-anomaly-graphic-novel" width="590" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Page from Anomaly graphic novel, by Brian Haberlin</p></div> <div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_2610" style="width: 600px;"><img alt="Together, by Pete Revonkorpi" class="size-full wp-image-2610" height="490" src="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/wp-content/uploads2010/2011/05/Together.jpg" title="Together" width="590" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Together, by Pete Revonkorpi</p></div> <div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_2614" style="width: 600px;"><img alt="Anno 1404 - Harbour, by Torsten Wolber" class="size-full wp-image-2614" height="785" src="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/wp-content/uploads2010/2011/05/Anno1404_Harbour-01.jpg" title="Anno1404_Harbour-01" width="590" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Anno 1404 - Harbour, by Torsten Wolber</p></div> <div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_2615" style="width: 537px;"><img alt="William Shakespaw, by Chet Phillips" class="size-full wp-image-2615" height="897" src="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/wp-content/uploads2010/2011/05/William-Shakespaw.jpg" title="William-Shakespaw" width="527" /><p class="wp-caption-text">William Shakespaw, by Chet Phillips</p></div> <div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_2616" style="width: 510px;"><img alt="Tupac, by Mike Thompson" class="size-full wp-image-2616" height="476" src="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/wp-content/uploads2010/2011/05/Tupac.jpg" title="Tupac" width="500" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Tupac, by Mike Thompson</p></div> <p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/143545720X/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=digiimagmaga-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399349&creativeASIN=143545720X">Secrets of Corel Painter Experts: Tips, Techniques, and Insights for Users of All Abilities</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=digiimagmaga-20&l=as2&o=1&a=143545720X&camp=217145&creative=399349" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> by Daryl Wise and Linda Hellfritsch.</p> <div class="shr-publisher-2597"></div><div style="clear: both; height: 3px; width: 100%;"></div><div class="shareaholic-like-buttonset" style="float: none; height: 30px;"><a class="shareaholic-fblike"></a><a class="shareaholic-fbsend"></a></div><div style="clear: both; height: 3px; width: 100%;"></div><img alt="" src="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/?ak_action=api_record_view&id=2597&type=feed" /> <p>Related posts:<ol><li><a href="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/featured/review-advanced-painter-techniques-by-don-seegmiller/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link: Review: Advanced Painter Techniques by Don Seegmiller">Review: Advanced Painter Techniques by Don Seegmiller</a> <small>An in-depth review of a new book from Don Seegmiller,...</small></li> <li><a href="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/featured/bob-nolin/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link: Review: Digital Collage and Painting, by Susan Ruddick Bloom">Review: Digital Collage and Painting, by Susan Ruddick Bloom</a> <small>An indepth review of Digital Collage and Painting, by Susan...</small></li> <li><a href="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/featured/book-review-karen-sperlings-painting-for-photographers/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link: Book Review: Karen Sperling’s Painting for Photographers">Book Review: Karen Sperling’s Painting for Photographers</a> <small>Karen Sperling has a wonderful new book out for anyone...</small></li> </ol></p>

UPDATED: 10 MONTHS, 2 WEEKS

Tutorial: A Photomanip Journal, Part 3

<div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_2586" style="width: 600px;"><a href="http://www.bobnolin.com"><img alt="This week, we'll see how to take last week's image (left) and turn it into the image on the right. " class="size-full wp-image-2586" height="377" src="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/wp-content/uploads2010/2011/05/before-after-header.jpg" title="before-after-header" width="590" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">This week, we'll see how to take last week's image (left) and turn it into the image on the right. </p></div> <p>Before we begin Part 3, let’s do a quick review. In Part 1, we chose a photo of a model and an environment for her to “live” in. We added a third piece (a new floor) to complete the initial photo composition. In Part 2, we used the ornate stained glass window to create its own mask, thus “removing” the panes of glass. Now we can add a new background image, to serve as the view out the window. Today, in Part 3, we will add 17 layers to adjust the coloring and lighting, to change the image from Part 2 into something exciting and colorful.</p> <div class="wp-caption alignleft" id="attachment_2584" style="width: 233px;"><img alt="To help us stay sane, we'll put the layers into groups, since there are 17 total layers. " class="size-full wp-image-2584" height="184" src="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/wp-content/uploads2010/2011/05/all-groups.jpg" title="all-groups" width="223" /><p class="wp-caption-text">To help us stay sane, we'll put the layers into groups, since there are 17 total layers. </p></div>Before you run screaming out of the room at the very thought of 17 layers, let me assure you it’s not as bad as you might think. Photoshop’s groups act like folders, which help us to organize the layers. Groups can really save your sanity. Here you can see the 17 layers arranged into four groups. The layers are arranged into groups according to the major object being modified. So, for example, the topmost group is the figure group, and it contains the layers which modify our lady in waiting. Here’s what is in the Figures group.</p> <p><span id="more-2583"></span><br /> <div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_2587" style="width: 360px;"><img alt="Clicking on the side-pointing arrow opens up the group. Here are the layers which make up the Figures group. " class="size-full wp-image-2587" height="534" src="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/wp-content/uploads2010/2011/05/figure-group-layers.jpg" title="figure-group-layers" width="350" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Clicking on the side-pointing arrow opens up the group. Here are the layers which make up the Figures group. </p></div> <p>The very top layer is set to blending mode hard light. This is a blank layer, and the blending mode allows us to paint on her hair and brighten it up a lot. We also can shape the hair a bit, and add some queenly length.</p> <p>Notice that the figure itself is on a transparent layer. We can use this transparency to clip (mask) layers above the figure. That’s what those right-angle symbols mean: a clipping mask is turned on. You can have more than one layer clipped by the bottom layer, as here (we have two layers being clipped by the queen figure). This means that we can only paint inside the area taken up by the pixel in the Original image layer (the queen). We can add a rim light (a glowing edge) by painting with an airbrush all around the upper edges of the figure, on a blank layer (see layer “rim light”). Turn on blending mode Linear Dodge (add) to punch up the glow. Don’t worry about painting “outside the lines:” the clipping mask won’t let you. Clipping masks are very helpful, and a big time saver. Once you see how they work, you’ll use them all the time. </p> <p>The layer I lazily left named “Levels 3″ also uses the queen image layer as a clipping mask. Here, I’ve added a levels adjustment layer with a layer mask. The clipping mask restricts the levels adjustment to just the queen, and nothing else. The layers mask allows me to lighten, with the paint brush, the darkening created by the levels adjustment, in selected areas. This is a technique I’ve explained in detail in past tutorials, so I won’t spend any more time on it here.</p> <p>The bottom-most layer in the Figure group is a simple blank layer, with dark, soft-edged shadows painted behind the queen. She overlaps the shadows, because her layer is above the layer with the shadows. Next we have the Floor group. </p> <div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_2588" style="width: 360px;"><img alt="Here is the Floor group, opened up. " class="size-full wp-image-2588" height="476" src="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/wp-content/uploads2010/2011/05/floor-layers-group.jpg" title="floor-layers-group" width="350" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Here is the Floor group, opened up. </p></div> <p>Here again, the floor object is on a transparent layer, so we can use it with clipping masks. This group is fairly straightforward: we just add three adjustment layers with clipping turned on. The adjustments modify the color, saturation, and hue. To turn it on, by the way, go Layer > Add Clipping Mask. </p> <p>Next comes the much more complicated group, the Wall and Windows. </p> <div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_2589" style="width: 360px;"><img alt="There's quite a bit going on here in the Walls and Windows group. " class="size-full wp-image-2589" height="556" src="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/wp-content/uploads2010/2011/05/walls-windows-group.jpg" title="walls-windows-group" width="350" /><p class="wp-caption-text">There's quite a bit going on here in the Walls and Windows group. </p></div> <p>The layer we created last week sits on the bottom of the stack in this group. Notice the layer mask we made, making the panes disappear. In this group, we are going to modify the walls and the windows only, not the view out the window. That we’ll save for last. Just as in the Floor group, we use three adjustment layers. The key here, though, is a blank layer set to Overlay blend mode. Paint on this layer to alter colors, brighten them, etc., without covering over the original pixels. It’s like painting with…stained glass! Kind of appropriate, I guess!</p> <p>Notice that here, too, we’re using the clipping masks. In this case, that means we don’t have to worry about affecting anything that’s transparent in the bottom layer. We can’t get paint on the panes, in other words, because they are made transparent by the layer mask we created in Part Two. </p> <div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_2585" style="width: 360px;"><img alt="The bottommost group is the Background group. This is only what is visible outside the window. " class="size-full wp-image-2585" height="423" src="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/wp-content/uploads2010/2011/05/background-group.jpg" title="background-group" width="350" /><p class="wp-caption-text">The bottommost group is the Background group. This is only what is visible outside the window. </p></div> <p>The fourth and last group contains the layers for the view outside the window. As such, they come last, so that everything else lies on top of the “view.” The only areas that show through are where we’ve created the layer mask in Part Two. The bottom-most layer in this group is an image I chose for the “view out the window.” I’ve also painted on this layer with an intense blue, which shows through nicely in the top windows. I’ve added a vibrance adjustment layer and a blank layer with yellow paint for the clouds. This yellow is supposed to look reflected in the room, on the walls. So as you work, you’ll be shifting up and down through the groups. It’s not a strictly linear process as I have shown here. </p> <p>Photomanipulation, in fact, is a process of play and experimentation. Here we’ve had a look at the final result. But it took hours to come up with these 17 layers. Luckily, groups came to the rescue, and made staying organized a breeze. I hope you found this walkthrough helpful. The final step, for me, is to flatten the image and paint it in Painter and/or Photoshop. Here’s a close-up of the final result of the painting. </p> <div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_2594" style="width: 600px;"><img alt="Painting close-up. Painting by Bob Nolin, with thanks to Elandria on Deviant Art for the use of her stock photograph. " class="size-full wp-image-2594" height="1074" src="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/wp-content/uploads2010/2011/05/painting-cu.jpg" title="painting-cu" width="590" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Painting close-up. Painting by Bob Nolin, with thanks to Elandria on Deviant Art for the use of her stock photograph. </p></div> <div class="shr-publisher-2583"></div><div style="clear: both; height: 3px; width: 100%;"></div><div class="shareaholic-like-buttonset" style="float: none; height: 30px;"><a class="shareaholic-fblike"></a><a class="shareaholic-fbsend"></a></div><div style="clear: both; height: 3px; width: 100%;"></div><img alt="" src="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/?ak_action=api_record_view&id=2583&type=feed" /> <p>Related posts:<ol><li><a href="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/featured/tutorial-a-photomanip-journal-part-one/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link: Tutorial: A Photomanip Journal, Part One">Tutorial: A Photomanip Journal, Part One</a> <small>The thinking process behind creating a photomanip is this week's...</small></li> <li><a href="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/featured/tutorial-a-photomanip-journal-part-2/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link: Tutorial: A Photomanip Journal, Part 2">Tutorial: A Photomanip Journal, Part 2</a> <small>In Part Two, we learn how to create a complex...</small></li> <li><a href="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/featured/tutorial-preparing-a-beach-photo-for-painting-in-corel-painter/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link: Tutorial: Preparing a Beach Photo for Painting in Corel Painter">Tutorial: Preparing a Beach Photo for Painting in Corel Painter</a> <small>Learn how to use Photoshop to correct exposure problems in...</small></li> </ol></p>

UPDATED: 10 MONTHS, 3 WEEKS

Tutorial: A Photomanip Journal, Part 2

<div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_2571" style="width: 600px;"><a href="http://www.bobnolin.com"><img alt="In Part 2, we'll create the mask on the right from the image itself. This will allow us to have a new view out the window. " class="size-full wp-image-2571" height="382" src="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/wp-content/uploads2010/2011/05/step-one-plus-mask.jpg" title="step-one-plus-mask" width="590" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">In Part 2, we'll create the mask on the right from the image itself. This will allow us to have a new view out the window. </p></div> <p>In Part Two, we’ll remove the window panes, so to speak, to give our lady in waiting a new view. Once the panes are removed, we can insert a new layer underneath, using any landscape or scene we choose.</p> <p>In order to remove the current pixels making up the window in our scene (<a href="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog.featured/tutorial-a-photomanip-journal-part-one/">begun in Part 1 </a>), we need to select all the panes. At first, the Select Color Range tool looks like a good choice, but it leaves too much unselected. Ditto with the Magic Wand and the Quick Selection tools. In this case, the view outside the window is very pale: almost white. Using the Curves adjustment tool (see below) we can push the panes to nearly pure white, and darken the cames (the leading between the panes) at the same time. Once we’ve done that, Select Color Range works like a champ. Note the area (circled in red) where the bright sunlight “blew out” the cames in a few areas. We’ll have to correct that next.</p> <p><span id="more-2570"></span><br /> <div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_2574" style="width: 600px;"><img alt="A curve adjustment increases the light areas and darkens the dark areas, which is just what we want. Now the Select Color Range will work much better. " class="size-full wp-image-2574" height="279" src="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/wp-content/uploads2010/2011/05/curves-adj.jpg" title="curves-adj" width="590" /><p class="wp-caption-text">A curve adjustment increases the light areas and darkens the dark areas, which is just what we want. Now the Select Color Range will work much better. </p></div></p> <p>Here’s the process:</p> <p><img alt="layers" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-2578" height="300" src="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/wp-content/uploads2010/2011/05/layers1-234x300.jpg" title="layers" width="234" /></p> <p>1. Take the original photo and rename the layer it’s on to Layer 0, or “original photo”. </p> <p>2. Duplicate this layer, and name it “working layer”</p> <p>3. Apply a Curves adjustment to make the window panes nearly white, and the cames (leading) solid black. </p> <p>4. Use Select Color Range to select the white panes. </p> <p>5. Use Quick Mask (tap the q key) to make sure only the panes are selected. Then exit Quick Mask (toggle with q). </p> <p>6. Invert the Selection: go Select > Invert. </p> <p>7. Make the Original photo layer active. Click once on the Add Layer Mask icon at the bottom of the layers palette. This will create a layer mask that has the window panes masked out.</p> <p>8. To fill in the gaps in the cames (circled in red, above), pick a hard-edged brush, and make it the same size as the cames (about 8 pixels, in this case). Choose solid black as the foreground color. Tap once with the brush, hold down the shift key, and then tap again on the other side of the “broken” came. Photoshop draws a perfectly straight hard-edged 8 pixel-wide line, replacing the missing black areas. Next, use the eraser tool to remove little bits of windowpane which are still hanging around. This goes pretty quickly. Once you’re done making the cames perfect and the panes completely empty, you’re ready to add a new background layer for our lady to look at. </p> <p>9. Lastly, delete the “working layer.” Add back in the image of Elandria from Part One. Paste a new image as your bottom layer, for a new view outside. Here’s what we have at this point. </p> <div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_2580" style="width: 600px;"><img alt="Try different landscape images till you find one that suits your vision. " class="size-full wp-image-2580" height="586" src="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/wp-content/uploads2010/2011/05/end-of-step-two.jpg" title="end-of-step-two" width="590" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Try different landscape images till you find one that suits your vision. </p></div> <hr /> <p>Next week, we’ll look at how modify this image to really make it glow, using layer adjustments and painting. Thanks for reading! </p> <div class="shr-publisher-2570"></div><div style="clear: both; height: 3px; width: 100%;"></div><div class="shareaholic-like-buttonset" style="float: none; height: 30px;"><a class="shareaholic-fblike"></a><a class="shareaholic-fbsend"></a></div><div style="clear: both; height: 3px; width: 100%;"></div><img alt="" src="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/?ak_action=api_record_view&id=2570&type=feed" /> <p>Related posts:<ol><li><a href="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/featured/tutorial-a-photomanip-journal-part-3/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link: Tutorial: A Photomanip Journal, Part 3">Tutorial: A Photomanip Journal, Part 3</a> <small>In our last installment, the photo manipulation is finished. Learn...</small></li> <li><a href="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/featured/tutorial-a-photomanip-journal-part-one/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link: Tutorial: A Photomanip Journal, Part One">Tutorial: A Photomanip Journal, Part One</a> <small>The thinking process behind creating a photomanip is this week's...</small></li> <li><a href="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/featured/tutorial-preparing-a-beach-photo-for-painting-in-corel-painter/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link: Tutorial: Preparing a Beach Photo for Painting in Corel Painter">Tutorial: Preparing a Beach Photo for Painting in Corel Painter</a> <small>Learn how to use Photoshop to correct exposure problems in...</small></li> </ol></p>

UPDATED: 11 MONTHS

Tutorial: A Photomanip Journal, Part One

<div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_2551" style="width: 600px;"><a href="http://elandria.deviantart.com/"><img alt="One of the Nature's Lore series by Elandria. Click on photo to see more by Elandria. " class="size-full wp-image-2551" height="1091" src="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/wp-content/uploads2010/2011/05/natures_lore_38_by_elandria-d3fy9is.jpg" title="natures_lore_38_by_elandria-d3fy9is" width="590" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">One of the Nature's Lore series by Elandria. Click on photo to see more by Elandria. </p></div> <p>Today I came upon the photo above, by Deviant Art stock artist <a href="http://elandria.deviantart.com/">Elandria</a>, and decided I just had to create a photomanipulation with it. For this tutorial, I’m going to emphasize the thought process, more than the actual Photoshopping. I have no idea where I’m going with this photo. So let’s get started!</p> <p> <span id="more-2550"></span></p> <p>First, I’ll separate the image of the woman in the blue dress from the background. The background, in this case, is nearly one color, so I’ll start with the magic wand to select the majority of the background quickly. Make sure “contiguous” is checked on. I used a tolerance setting of 30, which works well, but one of her hand disappears, since it is flesh toned and so is the background (this is why a lime green background-a green screen- is used for this sort of work). Once the selection is made, hit the Q key for Quick Mask. You can make the Quick Mask any color you like; mine is green. </p> <p><div class="wp-caption alignleft" id="attachment_2553" style="width: 260px;"><img alt="In Quick Mask mode, you can see where the Magic Wand got a little too aggressive. Paint over the missing fingers with white to recover them. " class="size-full wp-image-2553" height="302" src="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/wp-content/uploads2010/2011/05/missing-fingers.jpg" title="missing-fingers" width="250" /><p class="wp-caption-text">In Quick Mask mode, you can see where the Magic Wand got a little too aggressive. Paint over the missing fingers with white to recover them. </p></div> Zoom in and clean up the edge of the mask. Paint with white to recover areas; paint with black to mask out unwanted areas. </p> <p>Once the edge is all cleaned up, tap the Q key again. This returns you to select mode, and you’ll see the “marching ants” defining the selection edge. At this point, we’ve selected the background. Go Select > Inverse to select the figure. Now, let’s find a setting for our figure.</p> <p>For this, I turn to my ever-growing collection of stock photos. I keep these on my hard drive, and add to the collection whenever I see a stock photo (on Deviant Art, Morguefile, sxc.hu, etc.) that catches my eye. The images are organized into a large library of folders (Maps, Globes, Clocks, Rocks, Seascapes, Landscapes, etc.). Keeping organized really helps when it’s time to look for an image, as we’re doing right now. I have several promising folders for this image. Since she’s in Medieval garb, I’ll look in my Castles folder, and maybe the Cathedrals folder. She seems to be looking out a window, at least in my mind, so I look in the Windows folder, and find this image: </p> <p><div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_2559" style="width: 600px;"><a href="http://xNickixstockx.deviantart.com"><img alt="This will become the main setting for the final photomanipulation. The pink area shows where I'll be adding a new floor. Stock used with permission by xNickixstockx on Deviant Art. " class="size-full wp-image-2559" height="885" src="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/wp-content/uploads2010/2011/05/Castle_Window___Battle_Abbey_by_xNickixstockx-small.jpg" title="Castle_Window___Battle_Abbey_by_xNickixstockx-small" width="590" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">This will become the main setting for the final photomanipulation. The pink area shows where I'll be adding a new floor. Stock used with permission by xNickixstockx on Deviant Art. </p></div> <p>I go back to the selected image of Elandria, and go Cmd+C (or Cntl+C on Windows) to copy. Then I paste it into the window image. I resize the figure a bit using Edit > Transform > Scale. After moving her around a bit, I decide that she needs a higher floor to stand on. I will grab a floor from another image on my hard drive. After adding the floor, I’ll crop the bottom of the window image. First, let’s find a new floor. </p> <div class="wp-caption alignleft" id="attachment_2560" style="width: 260px;"><a href="http://mirandarose-stock.deviantart.com"><img alt="This image, by stock artist MirandaRose-stock on Deviant Art, shows a nice floor under a lit window. It's a good match for our renovation project. " class="size-full wp-image-2560" height="287" src="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/wp-content/uploads2010/2011/05/new-flooring.jpg" title="new-flooring" width="250" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">This image, by stock artist MirandaRose-stock on Deviant Art, shows a nice floor under a lit window. It's a good match for our renovation project. </p></div> <p>This is a good example of how you need to adapt images to suit your purposes sometimes. This flooring looks good, but it’s not the right polygonal shape (see the pink shape, above). What I’ll do is copy it to another layer, and then flip it horizontally. Then I’ll move the copy until left and right halves make a shape similar to the pink polygon. </p> <p>Next I copy and paste this new flooring into the main image of the castle window (see below). After pasting, it appears in the middle of the image, as you see here. The arrows show where I’ll be moving it. It doesn’t match the original shape exactly. But I kind of like the way it comes forward to a point, so I’ll go with that. For fine tuning, I’ll use the Edit > Transform > Warp tool. </p> <div class="wp-caption alignleft" id="attachment_2562" style="width: 600px;"><img alt="The new floor matches pretty closely, though it comes forward to a point, unlike the pink shape I made earlier. " class="size-full wp-image-2562" height="454" src="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/wp-content/uploads2010/2011/05/new-floor-right-left.jpg" title="new-floor-right-left" width="590" /><p class="wp-caption-text">The new floor matches pretty closely, though it comes forward to a point, unlike the pink shape I made earlier. </p></div> <p>Here’s the new floor, ready to lower into place. </p> <div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_2564" style="width: 600px;"><img alt="I may need to use the Warp transform a bit, but this flooring should pop right into place. Good enough for government work, as they say. " class="size-full wp-image-2564" height="885" src="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/wp-content/uploads2010/2011/05/new-floor-ready-to-install.jpg" title="new-floor-ready-to-install" width="590" /><p class="wp-caption-text">I may need to use the Warp transform a bit, but this flooring should pop right into place. Good enough for government work, as they say. </p></div> <p>Now I copy the image of Elandria into the setting (below). This concludes Step One. Next week, we’ll give Elandria something to look at out the window! </p> <div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_2567" style="width: 600px;"><img alt="Step One, complete. Next we'll change the window view, and some other neat stuff. " class="size-full wp-image-2567" height="762" src="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/wp-content/uploads2010/2011/05/step-one-complete.jpg" title="step-one-complete" width="590" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Step One, complete. Next we'll change the window view, and some other neat stuff. </p></div> <div class="shr-publisher-2550"></div><div style="clear: both; height: 3px; width: 100%;"></div><div class="shareaholic-like-buttonset" style="float: none; height: 30px;"><a class="shareaholic-fblike"></a><a class="shareaholic-fbsend"></a></div><div style="clear: both; height: 3px; width: 100%;"></div><img alt="" src="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/?ak_action=api_record_view&id=2550&type=feed" /> <p>Related posts:<ol><li><a href="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/featured/tutorial-a-photomanip-journal-part-3/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link: Tutorial: A Photomanip Journal, Part 3">Tutorial: A Photomanip Journal, Part 3</a> <small>In our last installment, the photo manipulation is finished. Learn...</small></li> <li><a href="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/featured/tutorial-a-photomanip-journal-part-2/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link: Tutorial: A Photomanip Journal, Part 2">Tutorial: A Photomanip Journal, Part 2</a> <small>In Part Two, we learn how to create a complex...</small></li> <li><a href="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/featured/create-fantasy-painting-with-photoshop-and-painter/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link: Tutorial: Create a Fantasy Painting with Photoshop and Corel Painter">Tutorial: Create a Fantasy Painting with Photoshop and Corel Painter</a> <small>Learn how to assemble a fantasy image using stock images,...</small></li> </ol></p>

UPDATED: 11 MONTHS, 1 WEEK

Tutorial: The Making of ‘Five Chicks Named Moe’

<div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_2534" style="width: 600px;"><a href="http://www.bobnolin.com"><img alt="Five Chicks Named Moe, by Bob Nolin. Painted with Photoshop CS5 and a Wacom Intuos 4 tablet." class="size-full wp-image-2534" height="274" src="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/wp-content/uploads2010/2011/05/Five-chicks_final.jpg" title="Five-chicks_final" width="590" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Five Chicks Named Moe, by Bob Nolin. Painted with Photoshop CS5 and a Wacom Intuos 4 tablet.</p></div> <p>The painting above, “Five Chicks Named Moe,” took about three weeks to complete, working on it a few hours a day on average. I would guess that’s about 45 hours of work. I followed a fairly complex working method, and I’d like to share it with you today. This isn’t really a tutorial, but more of a “making of.” I won’t talk much about the actual painting. Instead, I’ll lay out the steps I took. You may find this method has some advantages for your own work.</p> <p>In a nutshell, I take a stock photo (<a href="http://www.fotolia.com/id/6674607">this one</a>, from Fotolia, in this case), create a black and white “underpainting” (a grisaille), and then paint on top of that until the grisaille is completely covered over. This is different from my previous hand-painted Photoshop works, in that I’m using a grayscale layer that becomes part of the final image. Previously, I’d use a line drawing layer for reference, and then delete it at the end. With this new method, I’m attempting to follow the Old Masters’ way of working, with a monochrome underpainting.</p> <p><em>Grisaille</em> (pronounced “griz-eye”) is a French word meaning “gray tones.” The advantage of starting with a monochrome underpainting is it allows the painter to establish the forms and values first, and then develop the color on top of that. More info available <a href="http://grisaille.com/">here</a>.<span id="more-2525"></span></p> <h4>Step One - Topaz Adjust to add detail</h4> <div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_2528" style="width: 600px;"><a href="http://www.topazlabs.com/303.html"><img alt="Original stock photo on left. Topaz Adjust (Mild Detail preset) on right. " class="size-full wp-image-2528" height="388" src="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/wp-content/uploads2010/2011/05/Chick-2-orig-vs-TA.jpg" title="Chick-2-orig-vs-TA" width="590" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Original stock photo on left. Topaz Adjust (Mild Detail preset) on right. </p></div> <p>I use<a href="http://www.topazlabs.com/303.html"> Topaz Adjust</a> whenever I need to add some punch to a photo. After trying out several of the presets that come with Adjust, I went with the Mild Detail setting. The original photo is very high key, with very little variation in tone. It’s all bright. So the first step is to bring out detail that has been washed out by the bright, even lighting. My goal is to achieve a dark, chiaroscuro look, as though the chicks were painted by a Dutch master of the 16th century. As you can see above, Adjust brings out each individual feather, but the Mild setting doesn’t overdo it. </p> <p>Before we go any further, let me show you where we’re going. Here’s what the layer palette is going to look like once we get through the next several steps. The layer with the chicks is in the middle of the stack. The background is below the birds, and the adjustment layers are above them.</p> <div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_2536" style="width: 600px;"><img alt="Here's our goal: layers that create the look we're after. " class="size-full wp-image-2536" height="856" src="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/wp-content/uploads2010/2011/05/layers.jpg" title="layers" width="590" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Here's our goal: layers that create the look we're after. </p></div> <h4>Step Two - Create the dark background</h4> <div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_2527" style="width: 600px;"><img alt="A simple dark-to-very-dark gradient makes up the background. It will be painted over to add texture and variety." class="size-full wp-image-2527" height="273" src="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/wp-content/uploads2010/2011/05/backgrd-grad.jpg" title="backgrd-grad" width="590" /><p class="wp-caption-text">A simple dark-to-very-dark gradient makes up the background. It will be painted over to add texture and variety.</p></div> <p>The bottom-most layer in the stack is the Dark Gradient background. This is just a start, and we’ll paint over it later to make it look hand-painted, and not machine made. </p> <h4>Step Three - Give the chicks a table to stand on</h4> <div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_2538" style="width: 600px;"><img alt="There are two wood layers, with the upper one set to Overlay mode. The upper one is blurry, and this helps to eliminate the photographic detail of the wood photo. " class="size-full wp-image-2538" height="272" src="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/wp-content/uploads2010/2011/05/wood-layers.jpg" title="wood-layers" width="590" /><p class="wp-caption-text">There are two wood layers, with the upper one set to Overlay mode. The upper one is blurry, and this helps to eliminate the photographic detail of the wood photo. </p></div> <p>The wood tabletop is actually a photograph of an old drawing board. I used the Perspective adjustment tool to make the board look like it’s lying down (it was shot head on). Next I copy one layer, and blur it, set the blending mode to Overlay, and turn down the Opacity until the detail is softened but not eliminated altogether. Then I add a layer mask with a soft edge between black and white. This makes the far end of the table get darker. The layer mask allows the dark gradient to show through. </p> <h4>Step Four - Add shadows under the chicks </h4> <div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_2537" style="width: 600px;"><img alt="Soft, blurry shadows are cast by the chicks' bodies, while small, hard-edged shadows are cast by their feet. " class="size-full wp-image-2537" height="274" src="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/wp-content/uploads2010/2011/05/shadows-added.jpg" title="shadows-added" width="590" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Soft, blurry shadows are cast by the chicks' bodies, while small, hard-edged shadows are cast by their feet. </p></div> <p>Add two new, blank layers. The lower of these layers will contain the blurry shadows cast by the bodies of the chicks. The upper layer will show the shadows cast by their feet. Use a large, soft airbrush at low opacity for the lower layer. For the feet, use a much smaller brush, at higher opacity. Paint right on the edges of their feet. Aren’t layers great? </p> <h4>Step Five - Add the adjustment layers </h4> <div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_2526" style="width: 600px;"><img alt="The new Exposure Adjustment Layer, along with a layer mask, gives the chicks volume and directional lighting. " class="size-full wp-image-2526" height="272" src="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/wp-content/uploads2010/2011/05/adj-layers-added.jpg" title="adj-layers-added" width="590" /><p class="wp-caption-text">The new Exposure Adjustment Layer, along with a layer mask, gives the chicks volume and directional lighting. </p></div> <p>Now that the stage is set and the actors are in place, we’re ready to adjust the lighting. This is done with adjustment layers. As you can see in the Layers screenshot shown earlier, there are the usual Curves, Levels, and Hue/Sat adjustment layers. These make subtle adjustments. The star performer here, though, is the new Exposure adjustment level combined with a layer mask. Set the exposure setting so that the chicks are under-exposed (i.e., darkened). You will make them look like they are completely in shadow. Then you’ll reveal the light by painting on the layer mask. It’s like magic! </p> <h4>Step Six - Collapse all the layers and create the grisaille</h4> <div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_2535" style="width: 600px;"><img alt="The Black&White adjustment is used to create a grayscale image, or grisaille. " class="size-full wp-image-2535" height="271" src="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/wp-content/uploads2010/2011/05/grissaile.jpg" title="grissaile" width="590" /><p class="wp-caption-text">The Black&White adjustment is used to create a grayscale image, or grisaille. </p></div> <p>Save your work to this point; flatten the image, and save with a different name. Now we have our painting base. You could just use this as your starting point. If you like to work with the cloning tools in Painter, you could clone this file and begin to paint. But my goal is to try to emulate the Old Masters, so I go Image > Adjustments > Black & White, use the Auto setting, which creates my grayscale underpainting. </p> <h4>Step Seven - Add “glazes” of color </h4> <p><div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_2532" style="width: 600px;"><img alt="Two layers here: the Color layer on top of the Grisaille layer" class="size-full wp-image-2532" height="275" src="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/wp-content/uploads2010/2011/05/color-layer-added.jpg" title="color-layer-added" width="590" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Two layers here: the Color layer on top of the Grisaille layer</p></div> <p>In traditional painting, thin glazes of color are applied on top of the underpainting. We can do something similar in Photoshop and/or Painter. Insert a new layer above the Grisaille layer, and change the blending mode from Default to Color. (In Painter, choose Colorize.) Now when you paint, you can’t cover over the greyscale; you can only “tint” it with color. This is similar to the hand-tinting of photographs which photographers used to do before the advent of color film. (See <a href="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/featured/tutorial-colorizing-vintage-photos-with-corel-painter/">this article</a> and <a href="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/featured/tutorial-turn-a-civil-war-era-photo-into-a-painting//">this article</a> for two tutorials.) The Color blending mode allows you to paint as though you were laying in transparent washes of watercolor or acrylic, or oil glazes. The values of the grayscale interact with and alter the colors, as you will see. This hand-colored base is now ready for us to paint with opaque colors, in the next step.</p> <div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_2529" style="width: 600px;"><img alt="This close-up shows what the Color layer on top of the Grisaille layer looks like. " class="size-full wp-image-2529" height="739" src="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/wp-content/uploads2010/2011/05/chick2-color-on-gris.jpg" title="chick2-color-on-gris" width="590" /><p class="wp-caption-text">This close-up shows what the Color layer on top of the Grisaille layer looks like. </p></div> <h4>Step Eight - Opaque painting</h4> <div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_2530" style="width: 600px;"><a href="http://www.bobnolin.com"><img alt="Many hours and brushstrokes later, here's the final painted chick. " class="size-full wp-image-2530" height="740" src="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/wp-content/uploads2010/2011/05/chick2-final.jpg" title="chick2-final" width="590" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Many hours and brushstrokes later, here's the final painted chick. </p></div> <p>To begin the next phase, insert a new blank layer as the top layer. Leave the blending mode and opacity as is (Default and 100%). Now here’s where the work really begins! All that has come before is really just preparation for the actual painting. No, I’m not kidding! The first seven steps should take an afternoon, give or take. It’s not very time-consuming; it’s just a lot to explain, a lot of details. </p> <p>While painting, refer to the first file you created (the flattened, full-color one). I use the eye-dropper to sample colors from this base file, and then adjust them as needed. To cover the grisaille lines and tones completely, the paint will need to be quite opaque. However, I use many glazes of low-opacity color, which build up and eventually cover the greyscale image. </p> <p>So that’s basically it. I hope you find this method helpful. At the very least, I’ve laid out one method of painting in the classical mode of the Old Masters. It’s been a fun experiment! I invite your comments and questions below, in the comments box. Thanks for reading!</p> <div class="shr-publisher-2525"></div><div style="clear: both; height: 3px; width: 100%;"></div><div class="shareaholic-like-buttonset" style="float: none; height: 30px;"><a class="shareaholic-fblike"></a><a class="shareaholic-fbsend"></a></div><div style="clear: both; height: 3px; width: 100%;"></div><img alt="" src="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/?ak_action=api_record_view&id=2525&type=feed" /> <p>Related posts:<ol><li><a href="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/featured/tutorial-the-making-of-viking-chieftain-part-2/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link: Tutorial: The Making of Viking Chieftain, Part 2">Tutorial: The Making of Viking Chieftain, Part 2</a> <small>In Part 2, we complete the corrections to the exposure,...</small></li> <li><a href="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/featured/tutorial-the-making-of-viking-chieftain/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link: Tutorial: The Making of Viking Chieftain">Tutorial: The Making of Viking Chieftain</a> <small>Put away that Dodge and Burn tool! Learn some non-destructive...</small></li> <li><a href="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/featured/tutorial-the-making-of-viking-chieftain-part-3/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link: Tutorial: The Making of Viking Chieftain, Part 3">Tutorial: The Making of Viking Chieftain, Part 3</a> <small>In the third and last installment, we look at how...</small></li> </ol></p>

UPDATED: 11 MONTHS, 2 WEEKS

Marketing: Fine Art America Review, Part 2

<div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_2514" style="width: 600px;"><a href="http://www.bobnolin.com"><img alt="The custom header I created for my Fine Art America website. " class="size-full wp-image-2514" height="91" src="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/wp-content/uploads2010/2011/04/artofbn.jpg" title="artofbn" width="590" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">The custom header I created for my Fine Art America website. </p></div> <p>Back around the end of February, <a href="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/featured/marketing-artist-websites-on-fine-art-america/">I wrote about</a> my experiences getting started with Fine Art America. Two months have gone by, so it’s time for the update I promised in Part One. Certain negative aspects have been corrected, so that’s good news. There remain some things I’d like to see changed, but overall I would highly recommend FAA to artists looking for an online presence, especially if they need a print-on-demand (POD) provider.</p> <p>For $30 a year, FAA gives you unlimited gallery space on their main site, as well as a distinct website that has no FAA branding. Customers can order framed prints through either venue. However, when customers order through your personal website, the customer sees only that you have a professional ecommerce site, allowing them to order prints, framed and unframed, prints on canvas, and greeting cards.</p> <p> From a marketing standpoint, this is more impressive than a customized Zazzle or Redbubble gallery, since it appears to be a stand-alone business site. Even better is the ease with which you can create your professional-looking site using FAA’s tools. Customization on other POD sites is difficult, to say the least, and often requires a solid understanding of Cascading Style Sheets (CSS). FAA, on the other hand, is very easy to use. I created the customized header (above) in Photoshop, which really helps the site look unique. </p> <p>Sean Broihier, the owner of FAA, seems to be very focused on the needs of his artist customers, as well as the buying public who visit FAA. Knowing that customers will want to take a close look at artwork before buying, Broihier created a high-resolution zoom tool. This helps increase buyer confidence. The only other place I’ve seen this sort of thing is on a stock photo site. Other POD sites don’t seem to realize the importance of such a tool. </p> <p>Broihier provides artists with a neat slideshow widget, which you can see over on the right here on my blog. When I add artwork to my gallery, the slideshow automatically picks it up. The slideshow’s movement attract the visitor’s attention, and shows off my work at the same time. I think it’s really useful. </p> <p>FAA also automatically provides buyers with color swatches based on the main colors in a piece of artwork. Again, I can’t think of a similar site that does that. Along with visitor counts, there are visitor comments. These help build buyer confidence. </p> <p><span id="more-2513"></span></p> <p>When you upload artwork, it appears automatically in the huge gallery on FAA, as well as on your own website. No need to do dual maintenance of two sites.</p> <p>The buying experience is very professional. I ordered an unframed and a framed print from FAA, in order to check out the printing and framing quality, as well as delivery time and packaging. My order arrived in about ten days, and was packed very securely in a big box. The framed print looked just great. The colors seemed to be an exact match, and the framing quality was excellent. I used to work in a frame shop, and I’ve framed dozens of my own pieces, so I know what to look for. I couldn’t have done a better job myself. The back was covered nicely with kraft paper, and wired ready to hang. </p> <p>I should step back and mention that the online process for ordering a frame is intelligently designed. You pick a frame color and you’re presented with all frames that match that color. You can then order a mat, and the viewer shows what your work will look like in that frame with that mat. The color of the displayed mat didn’t seem to match the color I picked, always, so that may be a little bug. </p> <p>As an artist, you determine the minimum and maximum print sizes available for ordering. The site lets you know what the biggest size printable is for your given file, so that’s helpful. Other sites don’t address this sort of thing well, if at all.</p> <p>Buyers can choose from a range of papers. If you know that your work will not look good on the default matte archival paper, you can’t stop buyers from ordering it, unfortunately. You can, however, add a note in the piece description, recommending the proper paper. The unframed print I ordered was printed on the matte paper, which is the cheapest available. The dark blacks didn’t look as dark as they should have, due to the paper. The Somerset paper I used in the framed print showed accurate and rich colors, though it was a bit more expensive. </p> <p>Normally, an unframed print comes rolled in a tube. Since I was also ordering a framed print, FAA used a large flat box, and packed the unframed print flat in the box, which was a pleasant surprise. I was quite pleased with my purchasing experience on FAA, and feel confident that my customers will be getting a quality product when they order. FAA also has an unconditional guarantee. </p> <p>Back in <a href="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/featured/marketing-artist-websites-on-fine-art-america/">Part One</a> of this review, I mentioned that you can’t pick your own domain name for your FAA website. What I failed to explain is how easy it is to work around that. If you own your own domain name (such as <a href="http://www.bobnolin.com">www.bobnolin.com</a>, you can tell your domain registrar (the company that you pay each year to maintain your URL) to “point” to your FAA site. If you roll your mouse over the slideshow on the right, you’ll notice, down at the bottom of your browser, that it says “www.bobnolin.com.” When you click on it, it takes you to the FAA site, which is really www.bob-nolin.artistwebsites.com. Here’s how you make that happen: </p> <p><img alt="1&1-control-panel" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2519" height="504" src="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/wp-content/uploads2010/2011/04/11-control-panel.jpg" title="1&1-control-panel" width="499" /><br /> <br clear="all" /></p> <p>You select “Forward Your Domain” and then tell it where to forward to. Each registrar has a way to do this, I believe. It is free, too. Also, I tell it what title I want to appear up top in the visitor’s browser (”The Art of Bob Nolin”). Choosing “Frame Redirect” causes the URL to say “www.bobnolin.com”, which keeps the visitor from getting confused by seeing www.bob-nolin.artistwebsites.com. I’ve had some questions about how I did this, so forgive me if I got too techie there!</p> <p>As I mentioned in Part One, the FAA website was not working very well when I was trying to sign up. Sean Broihier assures me this was due to heavy maintenance to the search engine, and that the server should be up all the time now. In two months, I’ve never again experienced a problem. So that’s a relief. Also, FAA employs several full-time customer service people, which was another issue in Part One. </p> <p>I need to wrap up here, but I do want to mention the community on FAA. My works are frequently commented on by other FAA’ers, and they’re all very nice and supportive. There are groups and an online forum, you can create a blog, an email newsletter, and so forth. These things all add to the feeling of a community, and they’re free. The $30 fee is only if you want to use the POD service and/or have your own website. From what I’ve seen so far, this was $30 well-spent. If you have questions I didn’t answer here, please leave a comment below. Also, I’d love to hear about your own experience with FAA.</p> <p>Thanks for reading! </p> <div class="shr-publisher-2513"></div><div style="clear: both; height: 3px; width: 100%;"></div><div class="shareaholic-like-buttonset" style="float: none; height: 30px;"><a class="shareaholic-fblike"></a><a class="shareaholic-fbsend"></a></div><div style="clear: both; height: 3px; width: 100%;"></div><img alt="" src="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/?ak_action=api_record_view&id=2513&type=feed" /> <p>Related posts:<ol><li><a href="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/featured/marketing-a-review-of-fine-art-america/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link: Marketing: A Review of Fine Art America">Marketing: A Review of Fine Art America</a> <small>Fine Art America is an online art marketplace offering an...</small></li> <li><a href="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/featured/marketing-artist-websites-on-fine-art-america/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link: Marketing: Artist Websites on Fine Art America">Marketing: Artist Websites on Fine Art America</a> <small>A look at Fine Art America's artist website option. Come...</small></li> <li><a href="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/featured/marketing-7-places-to-sell-your-work-online/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link: Marketing: 7 Places to Sell Your Work Online">Marketing: 7 Places to Sell Your Work Online</a> <small>Learn how to get your digital works printed and into...</small></li> </ol></p>

UPDATED: 11 MONTHS, 3 WEEKS

Tutorial: Digital Painting with Photoshop

<div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_2504" style="width: 600px;"><a href="http://www.cgarena.com/freestuff/ezine/"><img alt="Learn how to use Photoshop to paint photorealistic wildlife, with this new tutorial on CG Arena. " class="size-full wp-image-2504" height="378" src="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/wp-content/uploads2010/2011/04/article-shot.jpg" title="article-shot" width="590" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Learn how to use Photoshop to paint photorealistic wildlife, with this new tutorial on CG Arena. </p></div> <p>The computer graphics website CG Arena (<a href="http://www.cgarena.com">www.cgarena.com</a>) publishes a free online magazine every other month. The new issue, just out today, includes <a href="http://www.cgarena.com/freestuff/ezine/">a 7-page tutorial</a> I wrote about painting a highly-realistic bald eagle portrait using Photoshop. This tutorial is about twice the length of the ones I publish here on Digital Image Magazine, so there’s lots of detail and screen captures to explain the process. The tutorial is called “The Making of Sentinel.” You can download the free magazine and read the tutorial, along with lots of other great content, <a href="http://www.cgarena.com/freestuff/ezine/">here</a>. Here’s a close-up look at the finished painting. </p> <div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_2508" style="width: 600px;"><a href="http://www.bobnolin.com"><img alt="Sentinel (detail), by Bob Nolin. Digital painting created in Photoshop. Based on photograph by Joshua Sexton. Used with permission. " class="size-full wp-image-2508" height="421" src="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/wp-content/uploads2010/2011/04/Sentinel-dim-cu.jpg" title="Sentinel-dim-cu" width="590" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Sentinel (detail), by Bob Nolin. Digital painting created in Photoshop. Based on photograph by Joshua Sexton. Used with permission. </p></div> <div class="shr-publisher-2503"></div><div style="clear: both; height: 3px; width: 100%;"></div><div class="shareaholic-like-buttonset" style="float: none; height: 30px;"><a class="shareaholic-fblike"></a><a class="shareaholic-fbsend"></a></div><div style="clear: both; height: 3px; width: 100%;"></div><img alt="" src="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/?ak_action=api_record_view&id=2503&type=feed" /> <p>Related posts:<ol><li><a href="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/featured/beginning-digital-painting-with-photoshop/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link: Beginning Digital Painting with Photoshop">Beginning Digital Painting with Photoshop</a> <small>Want to learn how to paint with Photoshop? Here's a...</small></li> <li><a href="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/featured/resources-online-training-for-digital-painting/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link: Resources: Online Training for Digital Painting">Resources: Online Training for Digital Painting</a> <small>Learn digital art in the comfort of your own home!...</small></li> <li><a href="http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/featured/book-review-digital-painting-in-photoshop/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link: Book Review: Digital Painting in Photoshop">Book Review: Digital Painting in Photoshop</a> <small>A review of Susan Ruddick Bloom's new book, Digital Painting...</small></li> </ol></p>

UPDATED: 1 YEAR

YOUTHEDESIGNER.COM

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We’re Giving Away 3 Personal Copies of the Impressionist UI Pack and $100 in Print Credits from UPrinting!

<p><a href="http://designmodo.com/">DesignModo</a> has invited us to host this giveaway for them, and since this is a great resource for us designers we just had to say yes!<br /> <br /> <center><img src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Impressionist-UI.jpg" /></center><br /> <br /> <a href="http://designmodo.com/impressionist/">Impressionist UI</a> is the world’s biggest user interface elements pack, containing over 300 elements for web design that represent almost anythng one can imagine, divided into 5 pages. Here you can find Edit Boxes, Tabs, Buttons, Notification Windows, Menus, fast solutions for the Menu tabs, Windows, Backgrounds, Graphics, Sliders, Informational blocks and many others. All the elements have been done in Photoshop using Shapes, which means that all the elements can be zoomed in or out without losing quality. They can be used for web design, mobile interfaces or illustrations - it all depends on your imagination!<br /> </p> <h3>How to Win!</h3> <p>We will be trying out powering this giveaway using <a href="http://www.punchtab.com">PunchTab</a>, which also powers our design network’s loyalty program. We will be selecting 3 winners; the more entries you have, the better your chances of winning! Check out the app below to see all your options for entering the giveaway, how long we’re running it, and how many entries you currently have! (The app might not be visible to those reading this post from our RSS feed, so please click through to the actual post page.)<br /> <br /> EDIT: Our printing partner <a href="http://www.uprinting.com/?utm_source=youthedesigner.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=ytdblog_post_0412">UPrinting</a> is adding $100 worth of print credits to each winner’s prize pool! We’ve updated one of the entry details, but all your previous entries are still valid. Of course, there’s no stopping you from submitting each entry more than once!<br /> <br /> <center></center><br /> <br /> We’ve made a New Year’s resolution to amp up our contests and giveaways, and so far we’re following through with it very well. If you’d like to keep updated on our other contests/giveaways as well as our other juicy posts, make sure you <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/YouTheDesigner">subscribe to our blog feed</a>!</p> <img height="1" src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/YouTheDesigner/~4/seY1xjP6cJY" width="1" />

UPDATED: 1 DAY, 2 HOURS

Intertitles and Typography: How Typography Dictates a Film’s Mood

<p>I’ve seen over a hundred films in the last two years, and most of them are some of the best I’ve watched in my life. Well, some of them were shown in cinemas while I was a toddler. After playing catch-up with films from the late 1960s onwards, I’ve seen a lot of decent, well-thought, and well-designed movie titles from these films in terms of both word choice and typeface style, and so decided to feature some of these films that glued me to my couch and featured or used noteworthy typography in their movie titles or intertitles.<br /> <br /> One of the few things I’ve learned from watching films (and taking note of the typography used in them) is the use of Period Typography. This type of typography is more of a continuity and props issue within the film. But for graphic designers who studied, appreciated, and used vintage typefaces in their works, you’d be happy to see where, how, and who used what type during the film’s supposed era. Here are four films where some interesting typefaces are used:<br /> <br /> <strong>Breakfast At Tiffany’s (1961)</strong></p> <p><center><img alt="breakfast at tiffany's intertitles typography" class="size-full wp-image-24780 aligncenter" height="412" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/breakfast-at-tiffanys.png" title="Breakfast at Tiffany's - image from intertitles.tumblr.com" width="550" /></center></p> <p>The font used in the film accommodates the film’s theme – a young country girl-turned-socialite trying to figure her way through the bustling life in the metro - because of the sense of class it exudes. <em>Breakfast At Tiffany’s</em> typeface is an interesting variation of the Bodoni typeface. This typeface has been around since the 18th century and was made by Giambattista Bodoni. It’s also interesting that Tiffany & Co. also uses a modified version of the Bodoni type, and must be the inspiration for the movie’s typeface; the only difference is that the company uses a combination of uppercase and small capitalization in their branding.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Submarine (2010)</strong></p> <p><center><img alt="submarine film intertitles typography" class="size-full wp-image-24783 aligncenter" height="582" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/submarine-2010.png" title="Submarine - Image from http://www.typophile.com/node/83953" width="550" /></center></p> <p>I’ve had my fair share of coming-of-age films in recent years, one of them being Submarine. It’s a feel-good film that follows a 15-year-old boy as he struggles to make choices for his love and family. Going into Submarine’s opening and title sequence, the typeface used is possibly a modified version the ever-famous Helvetica family of fonts. The font used is slick and functional, and modernist design-wise. It closely resembles Helvetica Inserat, a font made in 1957 that was primarily for use in the advertising industry. (I’ve also talked about Helvetica in some more depth in a <a href="http://www.youthedesigner.com/2012/03/28/helvetica-and-the-vignelli-canon-how-typefaces-ought-to-be-in-graphic-design/">previous post</a>.)<br /> <br /> The Helvetica-inspired font was made by British visual effects company, Framestore. The font mirrors other directors’ knack of using modern design elements into their films – Wes Anderson and Stanley Kubrick’s Futura, and Woody Allen’s Windsor. The font used may also refer to the director’s European roots and design influence.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Across The Universe (2007)</strong></p> <p><center><img alt="across the universe movie intertitles typography" class="size-full wp-image-24785 aligncenter" height="228" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/across-the-universe.png" title="Across the Universe - Image from intertitles.tumblr.com" width="550" /></center></p> <p>Across The Universe is my favorite musical, ever. It’s the only musical that has almost all of my favorite Beatles songs, plus the 70s setting makes me all giggly. More importantly, the film’s title features a typeface that looks like a cross between Courier and Constructa. The title sequence features a slab serif typeface that’s reminiscent of Courier but doesn’t look so mechanical, nor is it monospaced. Although the font lacks some of the attributes of the Courier, the typeface used on the film has the same smooth curve on the letters S and C which is not present in Constructa. Though slab serif fonts were widely used in typewriters, it was Courier that became the standard for fonts because of its monospaced design.<br /> <br /> The typewriter-reminiscent font used on the film is a possible reference to the film’s 1969 setting, a transitional time in word processing – from manual to digital processing. It can also be considered a proper period typography due to the film’s setting and cultural references. (See more about the use - and misuse - of period typography in movies <a href="http://www.ms-studio.com/typecasting.html">here</a>.)<br /> </p> <p><strong>The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)</strong></p> <p><center><img alt="The Royal Tenenbaums" class="size-medium wp-image-24782 aligncenter" height="232" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/royal-tenenbaums.png" title="The Royal Tenenbaums" width="550" /></center></p> <p>The Royal Tenenbaums is a quirky film that I’ve watched a couple of times. It’s full of eccentric and funny characters, plus they’re all in one awesome yet dysfunctional family. On the typographic side of the film, the font used on the title sequence is most likely Futura Bold, based on the fact that Wes Anderson, the film’s director, uses it on all his title cards, though usually in yellow (Woody Allen and Stanley Kubrick are also very partial to the font family, and who could blame them? Futura is beautiful). Though there’s a difference between the Os, the overall feel of Futura can be seen in the film’s title sequence. The Futura font was designed by Paul Renner in 1927. It has been used extensively by different companies and by the government, notably by IKEA in their advertisements and logos until 2010, and by NASA on the Apollo 11 plaque that was left on the moon.<br /> <br /> Today’s movies are very different from the black and white, silent films of yesteryears. Now we have explosive special effects, crazy animation, and almost seizure-causing colors. But with all these present and the addition of sound-on-film tech, typography in film has truly fallen down the drain… NOT! There’s a lot of activity going on within films these days that involve typography – from badass films like Inglourious Basterds (2009) to rom-coms like Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist (2008), and in TV series like Mad Men.<br /> <br /> <center><img alt="inglourious basterds intertitles typography" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/inglourious-basterds.png" title="Inglourious Basterds intertitle - Image from intertitles.tumblr.com" /><br /> (More delicious typographic examples from this movie <a href="http://underpk.com/inspirations/movies/nice-typography-from-inglourious-basterds">here</a>)</center><br /> <br /> <center><img alt="nick and norah's infinite playlist typography" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/nick-and-norahs-infinite-playlist.png" title="Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist - Image from intertitles.tumblr.com" /><br /> (Feel free to recommend an in-depth post about this one that we can link here!)</center><br /> <br /> <center><img alt="mad men typography" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/mad-men.jpg" title="Mad Men" /><br /> (<a href="http://www.c2gps.com/blog/2009/10/05/mad-men-link/">Image credit</a> and <a href="http://www.marksimonson.com/article/236/mad-men-mad-props">related in-depth post</a>)</center><br /> <br /> If you’re looking for more typography in film or television you can check these type and title sequence related websites:<br /> </p> <ul> <li><a href="http://www.marksimonson.com/category/Son+of+Typecasting/">Son of Typecasting</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.artofthetitle.com/">Art of The Title</a></li> <li><a href="http://intertitles.tumblr.com/archive">Intertitles</a></li> <p> </p> <p>Like this post? Make sure you’re <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/YouTheDesigner">subscribed to the blog feed</a> and/or <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/youthedesigner">following us on Twitter</a> before you go!</p> <img height="1" src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/YouTheDesigner/~4/EYxaVnuaItI" width="1" />

UPDATED: 1 DAY, 22 HOURS

30 Groovy Gig Posters

<p>When you’ve got 100+ bands in one city, chances are you’re going to miss a couple of gigs that you would have really enjoyed (had you known about them, at least). There are a billion places a poster might occupy, after all, but around 80% of the time those particular surfaces and what’s on them will get ignored. At this point someone might exclaim, “But there’s the Internet! Why waste money printing things out and waste time finding spots for ACTUAL posters where the vast majority of people might miss them?”<br /> <br /> Enter aesthetics. The image in Imaginary Poster 1 looks nice, but what’s with the neon Comic Sans? Imaginary Poster 2 would be okay, except the text looks like it was done in MS Paint with the airbrush tool. See, without aesthetics, the power of the Internet is moot. When you scroll down your Facebook feed, your eyes go immediately to the well-worded anecdotes, the beautiful images from a friend’s recent vacation, and-yes, this is where I was going to put it, how did you guess?-the awesome new gig posters announcing your favorite band’s next show.<br /> <br /> What makes a good poster, though? From minimalist vectors to surrealist illustrations, newspaper cut-and-paste to retro ticket-inspired, here are 30 examples of groovy, definitely eye-catching gig posters.<br /> </p> <p><center><img alt="" class="alignnone wp-image-24731" height="600" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/151202.jpg" width="450" /></center><br /> <a href="http://www.gigposters.com/poster/151202_Allo_Darlin.html" title="View source">View source</a></p> <p> </p> <p><center><img alt="" class="alignnone wp-image-24727" height="600" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/151147.jpg" width="450" /></center><br /> <a href="http://gigposters.com/poster/151147_Hives.html" title="View source">View source</a></p> <p> </p> <p><center><img alt="" class="alignnone wp-image-24730" height="600" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/151201.jpg" width="450" /></center><br /> <a href="http://www.gigposters.com/poster/151201_Le_Dead_Projet.html" title="View source">View source</a></p> <p> </p> <p><center><img alt="" class="alignnone wp-image-24726" height="600" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/151120.jpg" width="450" /></center><br /> <a href="http://www.gigposters.com/poster/151120_Boombox.html" title="View source">View source</a></p> <p> </p> <p><center><img alt="" class="alignnone wp-image-24713" height="600" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/150490.jpg" width="450" /></center><br /> <a href="http://www.gigposters.com/poster/150490_Duke_Ukem.html" title="View source">View source</a></p> <p> </p> <p><center><img alt="" class="alignnone wp-image-24729" height="600" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/151190.jpg" width="450" /></center><br /> <a href="http://gigposters.com/poster/151190_Birdhand.html" title="View source">View source</a></p> <p> </p> <p><center><img alt="" class="alignnone wp-image-24712" height="600" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/150480.jpg" width="450" /></center><br /> <a href="http://www.gigposters.com/poster/150480_Said_The_Whale.html" title="View source">View source</a></p> <p> </p> <p><center><img alt="" class="alignnone wp-image-24711" height="540" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/142568.jpg" width="450" /></center><br /> <a href="http://www.gigposters.com/poster/142568_Brighton,_Ma.html">View source</a></p> <p> </p> <p><center><img alt="" class="alignnone wp-image-24710" height="536" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/0023_Layer_84.jpg" width="450" /></center><br /> <a href="http://www.gigposters.com/poster/126316_Appleseed_Cast.html">View source</a></p> <p> </p> <p><center><img alt="" class="alignnone wp-image-24709" height="691" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/tubbytrousers-fornowwetoast.jpg" width="450" /></center><br /> <a href="http://agimat.net/music/e120228.php#.T31-pTFDi8A" target="_blank">View source</a></p> <p> </p> <p><center><img alt="" class="alignnone wp-image-24708" height="648" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/poster_by_beaucoupzero.jpg" width="450" /></center><br /> <a href="http://beaucoupzero.deviantart.com/art/poster-33497970">View source</a></p> <p> </p> <p><center><img alt="" class="alignnone wp-image-24707" height="622" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/dubplate_bside.jpg" width="450" /></center><br /> <a href="http://www.kilo-kilo.com/dubplate-cubao-x">View source</a></p> <p> </p> <p><center><img alt="" class="alignnone wp-image-24706" height="614" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/boombapfriday.jpg" width="450" /></center><br /> <a href="http://ssonictv.blogspot.com/2012/01/events-this-week_30.html">View source</a></p> <p> </p> <p><center><img alt="" class="alignnone wp-image-24737" height="600" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/112624.jpg" width="450" /></center><br /> <a href="http://www.gigposters.com/poster/112624_Bon_Iver.html">View source</a></p> <p> </p> <p><center><img alt="" class="alignnone wp-image-24738" height="600" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/84284.jpg" width="450" /></center><br /> <a href="http://www.gigposters.com/poster/84284_Lynyrd_Skynyrd.html">View source</a></p> <p> </p> <p><center><img alt="" class="alignnone wp-image-24703" height="600" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/150627.jpg" width="450" /></center><br /> <a href="http://www.gigposters.com/poster/150627_Dj_Sir-ett.html">View source</a></p> <p> </p> <p><center><img alt="" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-24702" height="600" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/150608.jpg" width="450" /></center><br /> <a href="http://www.gigposters.com/poster/150608_White_Denim.html">View source</a></p> <p> </p> <p><center><img alt="" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-24701" height="600" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/150602.jpg" width="450" /></center><br /> <a href="http://www.mazzaart.com/2012/01/new-poster-design-for-valley-of-vapors.html">View source</a></p> <p> </p> <p><center><img alt="" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-24700" height="600" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/150599.jpg" width="450" /></center><br /> <a href="http://www.gigposters.com/poster/150599_Lynx.html">View source</a></p> <p> </p> <p><center><img alt="" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-24699" height="600" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/150596.jpg" width="450" /></center><br /> <a href="http://www.gigposters.com/poster/150596_Orgone.html">View source</a></p> <p> </p> <p><center><img alt="" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-24698" height="500" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/150588-e1333641213590.jpg" width="450" /></center><br /> <a href="http://www.gigposters.com/poster/150588_Kristeen_Young.html">View source</a></p> <p> </p> <p><center><img alt="" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-24697" height="600" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/150569.jpg" width="450" /></center><br /> <a href="http://www.gigposters.com/poster/150569_Polar_Bear_Club.html">View source</a></p> <p> </p> <p><center><img alt="" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-24696" height="600" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/150531.jpg" width="450" /></center><br /> <a href="http://www.gigposters.com/poster/150531_Young_The_Giant.html">View source</a></p> <p> </p> <p><center><img alt="" class="alignnone wp-image-24695" height="600" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/150530.jpg" width="450" /></center><br /> <a href="http://www.gigposters.com/poster/150530_Mighty_Fine.html">View source</a></p> <p> </p> <p><center><img alt="" class="alignnone wp-image-24694" height="600" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/150522.jpg" width="450" /></center><br /> <a href="http://www.gigposters.com/poster/150522_Squidling_Bros..html">View source</a></p> <p> </p> <p><center><img alt="" class="alignnone wp-image-24693" height="600" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/150508.jpg" width="450" /></center><br /> <a href="http://www.gigposters.com/poster/150508_Flowers_For_Whores.html">View source</a></p> <p> </p> <p><center><img alt="" class="alignnone wp-image-24692" height="600" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/150507.jpg" width="450" /></center><br /> <a href="http://www.gigposters.com/poster/150507_Stratosfunk.html">View source</a></p> <p> </p> <p><center><img alt="" class="alignnone wp-image-24691" height="600" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/150506.jpg" width="450" /></center><br /> <a href="http://www.gigposters.com/poster/150506_Big_Jay_Mcneely.html">View source</a></p> <p> </p> <p><center><img alt="" class="alignnone wp-image-24690" height="600" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/150491.jpg" width="450" /></center><br /> <a href="http://www.gigposters.com/poster/150491_Tortoise.html">View source</a></p> <p> </p> <p><center><img alt="" class="alignnone wp-image-24741" height="600" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/150956.jpg" width="450" /></center><br /> <a href="http://www.gigposters.com/poster/150956_Sleigh_Bells.html">View source</a></p> <p> </p> <p><em>I know some of you who like gig posters as much as I do like to keep them around as souvenirs, but sometimes their original material doesn’t keep well or gets damaged because of one too many rowdy nights. Just so you know, reprinting that gig swag (with permission from the right people, of course) on material like <a href="http://www.uprinting.com/canvas-printing.html?utm_source=youthedesigner.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=ytdblog_post_0412">canvas prints</a> can not only save that art for longer, but even one-up the original poster’s feel too. And for those of you who actually print for gigs, our print partner’s also got a <a href="https://www.uprinting.com/campaign/up032712?nav=homebanner&utm_source=youthedesigner.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=ytdblog_post_0412">free banner promo</a> going on (until May 7, 2012 at the moment) in case you’re interested.<br /> <br /> Like this post? Make sure you get a regular dose of You The Designer awesomeness by <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/YouTheDesigner">subscribing to the blog</a>, and maybe even <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/youthedesigner">following us on Twitter</a>.<br /> <br /> - Cadence</em></p> <img height="1" src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/YouTheDesigner/~4/n9evLNWr4rA" width="1" />

UPDATED: 2 DAYS, 3 HOURS

Wallpaper Calendar Freebie for April 2012: The Clash by Geno Arguelles

UPDATED: 1 WEEK, 1 DAY

Stock Photos: Pros, Cons, Fixes, and Strange Examples

<p>Stock photos may be indispensable design resources, but they are also very prone to design abuse.<br /> <br /> <center><img src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/addicted.jpg" title="Image from stock.xchng (http://www.sxc.hu/photo/546890)" /><br /> Like this.<br /> (And hey, this post will also be adorned with a few stock photos too! Explanation’s in the next paragraph.)</center><br /> </p> <h3><strong>The Pros of Using Stock Photos (and 1 Con)</strong></h3> <p> <br /> They’re here to stay because people actually look for them. There wouldn’t be so many stock photo websites, both free and premium, otherwise. Here’s a simple example: if you’re a blogger too, I’m sure you’ve had to resort to them a few times to preface abstract concepts you’re about to talk to your readers about, as well as to break the monotony between walls of text. Add to our number the people, both newbie and experienced, who’ve had to put a face on their website, a cover page for their newsletter, or just the right photo on their slideshow presentation at one time or another, and you’ve got a demand that goes by the millions.<br /> <br /> They’re convenient resources for when we need human faces or points of reference in our designs; the kind that can elicit a desired human response from the people we’re designing our creations for. A direct look right into your eyes paired with a winning smile, for instance, coming from just the right kind of person. Chosen based on what we’re looking for and what our general preferences are, as can only be guessed by the demographic we’re classified into. Whether we like it or not, we react to that. In a way that, oftentimes, is exactly how the people using the stock photos want you to.<br /> <br /> <center><img src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/bobby.jpg" title="Image from stock.xchng (http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1210450)" /><br /> Like this…</center></p> <p><center><img src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/stock-photo-portrait-of-attractive-young-woman-25882375.jpg" title="Curiously enough it was harder to find watermark-free photos of girls with smiles that can match the guy's above." /><br /> Or this.</center><br /> <br /> Unless you’ve already seen that stock photo 14,378 times before.<br /> <br /> In other, completely different contexts.<br /> <br /> Maybe even on a website, in combination with a drab, simplistic template-based page designs and walls of text full of trite corporate jargon and meaningless generalizations.<br /> <br /> <center><img src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/stock-photo-collage.jpg" title="Image credits in the watermarks. /le lazy + plz to be using your sharp wits" /><br /> Remember these? <em>All</em> of these?</center><br /> </p> <h3><strong>More of the Cons of Using Stock Images</strong></h3> <p> <br /> Seeing stock photos used carelessly is like hearing canned lines from awkward pick-up artists, or getting automated voice prompts on the phone when you’re trying to reach a real person. I know those of you who’d rather not waste time choosing a few stock photos among thousands don’t like to hear this, but it’s the uncomfortable truth. That “good enough” stock photo you got in the first set of results may not fit the concept or emotion you’re trying to convey as well as if you searched longer (aside from the great likelihood that many other time-pressed individuals like you, in similar circumstances, may have chosen the <em>exact same image</em> before, the earlier you see it in the search results). If, at first glance, a person from your target audience looks at what you’ve made and immediately gets a gut reaction screaming “PHONY”, then you did it wrong, dear, you did it very wrong.<br /> <br /> It will also royally suck if you later find out that you broke a law or two by using the stock photos you chose ignorantly, and the site you lifted them from is now on your heels. (Hence, you will see that we did not take any chances with our demo image above.)<br /> <br /> <center><img src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/forsrs.jpg" title="Image from stock.xchng (http://www.sxc.hu/photo/555352)" /><br /> Did you <em>really</em> think you could get away with that?</center><br /> </p> <h3><strong>Fixing the Cons: How Not to Commit Stock Photo Abuse</strong></h3> <p> <br /> If you must use stock images, </p> <ul> <li><strong>Make sure you’re not using clichés.</strong> The stock photos used in the collage above are not the only photos you should avoid using in your designs; of course, you should also avoid using stock photos that are similar to them, in the sense that they also convey a similar, generic feel. Granted, sometimes you really <em>have</em> to use a photo of a call center girl, globe in the hand, or skyscraper in your design, but it should have to feel more <em>real</em>. There are other ways to make that image more interesting, but we’ll tackle those ways in another list below.</li> <p> </p> <li><strong>Make sure your selected stock photo makes logical sense with the entire intent and purpose of the design.</strong> For example, if you’re making - or directing - a website design that you’re saying has to have a globe somewhere in it, is the business it’s representing actually international? Does its customer service come in several languages? If not, and you can’t reasonably justify why the globe should be there… well, maybe the globe <em>shouldn’t</em> be there.</li> <p> </p> <li><strong>Check with <a href="http://www.tineye.com/">TinEye</a> to see if they’re already used too often.</strong> TinEye is a reverse image search engine that lets you upload your image or enter your image’s URL, and then shows you how many times that image has appeared in other sites. Chances are if you get results as many as - or more than - these:<br /> <br /> <center><img src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/tineye.png" title="Now -that's- abuse." /></a></center><br /> <em><strong>You need to get another image.</strong></em></li> <p> </p> <li><strong>Search diligently; bookmark a few alternatives to that first image before you choose your final candidate.</strong> Give it at least fifteen to thirty minutes to get just the right image. If you weren’t able to find it by that time, you’ll at least have several options on hand to choose from, not just the first one you saw, on some site (or another?), using a search query you barely remember.</li> <p> </p> <li><strong>Respect the power of gut feel.</strong> Even if you searched for and carefully selected that as-close-to-perfect-as-possible stock image after much time and deliberation, that amount of time may also have helped deafen you against what your gut feel is really saying, as well as given you reason to be biased towards that image because you worked so hard to get it. For the sake of the effectiveness of your design, make <em>absolutely</em> sure your image is giving you the right impression. Have a few unbiased people look at your creation and give you their thoughts of what they think about your chosen stock image within your design.<br /> <br /> Here I have to point out, before anyone else raises the issue in the comments, that there is a potential, and relatively popular, argument against making too much effort to make your creation aesthetically pleasing, and it is <strong>conversions versus creative standards</strong>. Like <a href="http://blog.kissmetrics.com/ugly-websites/">this post on KISSmetrics</a> or <a href="http://www.warriorforum.com/main-internet-marketing-discussion-forum/457184-overused-cliche-stock-images-please-stop.html#post4750368">this forum post</a> on a thread debating this same topic demonstrates, there are just some cases where aesthetics does not factor into the effectiveness of your design. And it is here I also point out that in the previous paragraph <strong>I said nothing about aesthetics being important when it came to making an impression</strong>. Just because we are designers does not mean we always need to make pretty, lovely, aesthetically pleasing things. <strong>We design things for certain purposes</strong>, whether our own, our clients’, or our employers’, and <strong>those purposes don’t always go with being aesthetically pleasing.</strong> If you have to produce something awful to get a desired response, then the more awful you get, the more effective you are. (Sorry, Steve Jobs fans.) — You know what, I can already feel some of you raring for a debate after that point of contention from here, so I’ll leave this sentiment here and move on.</li> <p> <br /> <center><img src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/web-pages-that-suck.png" title="We don't want to be pretty. Really. That's the whole -point-." /></center><br /> Just one example, though: the site Web Pages That Suck has a design that looks like it should nominate itself, and they do get a lot of email saying so. But what they don’t get is that it’s done <a href="http://www.webpagesthatsuck.com/whyitsucks.html">on purpose</a>.<br /> Also, the stock photo caught in the screenshot is very appropriate, in several ways.<br /> </p> <li><strong>Make sure you acquire / have permission to use your chosen stock photos legally!</strong> I cannot stress this enough. Back when I was still a noob, I’d haphazardly lift images from wherever and use them however I liked, thinking attribution and all that would take care of itself, only to be called to my boss’s office later on and be told that the legal entity that owns the rights to the image I stole is threatening to sue. You <em>do not want</em> to get that feel, trust me!</li> </ul> <p> <br /> This is supposing that everything else in the design is of good quality, functional, and makes sense, since if it’s not then you should probably be looking at several other articles too.<br /> <br /> If you can afford to use images that are not from stock photo sites, </p> <ul> <li><strong>Consider taking your own photos - hire someone, ask a friend, or do it yourself.</strong> Instead of searching for hours for that perfect photo to represent what you’re trying to convey, why don’t you just grab a camera and capture what’s in front of you yourself? (<a href="http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/stocking">Stocking</a>, though, is a different thing altogether.)</li> <p> </p> <li><strong>Illustrate.</strong> Many businesses have started catching on that their customers aren’t buying their stock photo splash pages as much as they used to, and have gotten better first impressions when they started using illustrations. Replacing photos of people with illustrations of people, for instance, helps the audience get over any unconscious biases about race, gender, perceived social status, etc., lets them view the overall design more objectively, and lets them appreciate the sentiment/overall concept of the design better.</li> <p> </p> <li><strong>Stylize.</strong> Try a combination of photos and illustrations, play more with typography, or the like to give your audience a more unique experience.</li> </ul> <p> <br /> <center><img src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/splash-page.png" title="Our very first newsletter's signup and giveaway splash page!" /></a></center><br /> For example, consider our newsletter signup splash page. We could have easily featured stock photos of the prizes <em>only</em> and left it at that, but since we’re all design-oriented and think creatively, we knew adding that illustration above will make you more interested in signing up, for many internal, creative, designer-type reasons. Yes! Also, you should really <a href="http://www.youthedesigner.com/signup/">sign up for our newsletter and early-subscriber tablet giveaway</a> if you haven’t already - we’re naming the winner on the 15th. /shameless plug<br /> <br /> These articles/blog posts talk more comprehensively about alternatives you can use to stock images, you should check them out:</p> <ul> <li><a href="http://boagworld.com/design/stock-photography/">Stop Using Stock Photography Clichés | Boagworld</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.creativeflavor.com/ext/blog/practice/211">Inspiring Web Design Imagery | Creative Flavor</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.radiiproduction.com/index.php/how-to-avoid-overused-stock-photos">How to Avoid Overused Stock Photos | Radii Production</a></li> </ul> <p> </p> <h3><strong>Now that we got the serious stuff out of the way, uh, what were these stock photographers thinking?</strong></h3> <p> <br /> Maybe I’m just not up to date or it’s a secret only cool kids keep, but I don’t know <a href="http://www.cracked.com/blog/the-12-most-baffling-genres-stock-photo-explained/">why these baffling stock photo genres exist</a> or <a href="http://gawker.com/5880077/i-cant-stop-staring-at-cyber-woman-with-corn">why we would imagine people in the future to have this kind of eye wear or love their fruits/vegetables this much</a>. The other examples listed <a href="http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/stock-photo-clich%C3%A9s">here</a> I can probably understand (“Eating salad is so awesome you can have fun doing it while you’re alone!” or “Technology is SO awesome I want to kiss it silly!”) but I really don’t get the deal about the apples. If you know why these things exist, could you help me - and the rest of us confused public - understand in the comments?<br /> <br /> Here are a few more examples here, if you don’t feel like clicking through to the links above right now:<br /> <br /> <center><img src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/man-holding-shoe.jpg" title="Maybe he keeps a mirror in it, to check if his hair's just right." /><br /> “Heeey, this isn’t Aubercy! Where are the diamonds on this thing?”(<a href="http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-65660641/stock-photo-surreal-portrait-of-a-stylish-man-in-an-elegant-suit-and-shoes-in-hand.html">Link</a>)</center><br /> <center><img src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/stock-photo-strange-woman-silhouette-in-goth-style-photo-51815077.jpg" title="I give up." /><br /> The pursuit of beauty can take you to strange places.</center><br /> <center><img src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/stock-photo-19702303-i-am-working.jpg" /><br /> “I am working. Ribbit.” (<a href="http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-19702303-i-am-working.php?st=f6f1445">Link</a>)</center><br /> <center><img src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/stock-photo-18866973-geek-businessman-holding-big-pencil.jpg" /><br /> “Don’t worry, my lovely pencil, I’ll protect you from people with bad handwriting and amateur doodling skills…” (<a href="http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-18866973-geek-businessman-holding-big-pencil.php?st=f6f1445">Link</a>)</center><br /> <center><img src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/eaten-by-her-work.jpg" title="Though admittedly, some days I feel just like this." /><br /> “My work is eating me alive!” (<a href="http://www.thinkstockphotos.com/image/stock-photo-stressed-out-business-woman-getting-eaten-by/101778353/">Link</a>)</center><br /> (There are more colorful examples of strange stock images out there, but they can be NSFW and I didn’t want to get you into trouble. Please think of the others too if you want to share your own examples in the comments!)<br /> <br /> Like this post? Make sure you’re subscribed to the <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/YouTheDesigner">blog feed</a> and/or following us on <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/youthedesigner">Twitter</a>.</p> <img height="1" src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/YouTheDesigner/~4/PyoZHhj9NAQ" width="1" />

UPDATED: 1 WEEK, 3 DAYS

Helvetica and the Vignelli Canon: How Typefaces Ought to Be in Graphic Design

<p>I had my first brush with typography when I had a subject about freehand lettering in high school. In that class I was exposed to lettering and some of typography’s history. From there, I began admiring different type designs on printed material, from magazines (Ray Gun, Esquire) to posters (“Your Turn, My Turn” and “International Zeitung” posters) and, later on, films and documentaries featuring typography.<br /> <br /> Recently, I watched <em>Helvetica</em> (again), the 2007 documentary about the typeface of the same name. I found it very interesting as it is focused on the rise, effectiveness, and eventual ubiquity of the Helvetica typeface. It also provides, as you watch through the documentary, a guide on how typeface must be applied in graphic design and its related fields, i.e., advertising, marketing, and design in general.<br /> <br /> <em>Helvetica</em> approached design in a philosophical and psychological way. The designers interviewed for the film were notable personalities in design and typography. They shared different insights on the beauty of type and the functionality of Helvetica in particular. They explained the idea of the proper typeface: an immovable, firm object that floats in space, like air, infinite and unseen yet right in front of us.<br /> <br /> <center><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helvetica_(film)"><img src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Helvetica-film.jpg" /></a></center><br /> <br /> An interesting designer featured in the film is Massimo Vignelli. He’s a modernist designer known for his typography-centered designs in different media. His works include American Airline’s corporate identity, NYC’s subway signage, and DC Metro’s way-finding system, among others. Another contribution he made for design is the <a href="http://www.vignelli.com/canon.pdf">Vignelli Canon</a> (link goes to a .pdf file).<br /> <br /> The Vignelli Canon, a handy guide for pursuing typographic design or any design project, is a collection of personal principles that Massimo Vignelli has used throughout his career. It was initially set as a guideline for his design group, but was published later on to help young designers improve their trade.<br /> <br /> As a budding designer, I found the concepts and guidelines presented in the Vignelli Canon helpful with creating my projects. It’s a straightforward guidebook that can help designers establish or improve their design foundation. I read through it every now and then for inspiration on my projects.<br /> <br /> There are parts of the canon that I think are necessary for all designers. By designers, I mean designers from all industries, from fashion designers to architects. I consider Vignelli’s dedication to the purpose, consistency, and practicality of design as important factors for a design to be successful and functional. Just to give you a taste of the awesomeness you can find in the canon, and also to demonstrate how the canon also applies to typography, here’s why I personally consider three of the intangibles Vignelli mentioned to be important:<br /> </p> <h3>Semantics</h3> <p>Semantics in design simply pertains to the meaning of the end product. It could be the purpose of its redesign, or an upgrade of an old design. Even though it’s applicable to all design disciplines, semantics can easily be applied and seen in typography.<br /> <br /> <center><a href="http://www.sonofthesouth.net/uncle-sam/"><img src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/uncle-sam.jpg" /></a></center><br /> <br /> In design, semantics plays a valuable part in sending the message across to a target audience. A commonly used element for design semantics is the application of cultural iconography or symbolism that has strong connections to the target audience. Here, Uncle Sam is used as a patriotic symbol to recruit soldiers into the war effort.<br /> <br /> In typography, it’s all about the meaning and legibility of the design. How people easily read and understand a typographic design is up to the designer. That’s why a designer must first know the history of his project and the people he’s working with – from the company’s and their design’s history, up to their target market and audience. Once a designer learns these, he’ll be better able to create a product or graphic design that makes sense.<br /> <br /> <center><a href="http://www.vignelli.com/home/identity/aa.html"><img src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/american-airlines.jpg" /></a></center><br /> <br /> A great example of semantic design can be found in American Airlines’ branding, which has not changed much since its creation in the late 1960s. It has become an iconic design because of its recognizable elements – the words “American Airlines” used as one word and separated by the colors blue and red. These colors have been used for American Airlines’ branding because of its relevance to the company’s market and as a tribute to the U.S.’s colors.<br /> </p> <h3>Syntax</h3> <p>Syntax, when applied in design, is the overall consistency of the elements throughout a project. In design, syntax is applied to the process to create an overall design that is made up of complementing elements; this is just like how syntax in grammar is the selection and combination of the right words to create a consistent and clear message or thought.<br /> <br /> <center><a href="http://www.behance.net/gallery/Hello-Couture-(with-Love-22)/781354"><img src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/thats-haute.jpg" /></a></center><br /> <br /> Graphic design acts as a communications framework that involves different elements of design in its creation. It is important that a design must be consistent, legible, and intelligible for it to be fully understood by the target audience. This is why modernists utilize as few elements as they can, which are type and negative space (or background).<br /> <br /> Once applied in typography, syntax provides the consistency that a design needs to send a clear and straightforward message to its audience.<br /> <br /> <center><a href="http://aigany.org/events/details/10NL/"><img src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/times-square.jpg" /></a></center><br /> <br /> Syntax in design can be seen in signages, maps, or navigational tools. A classic example can be found in NYC’s subway system signage. These signages use the Helvetica typeface, which gives the system a streamlined and consistent look. This consistency allows passengers and passerbys to navigate their way through the subway system easily.<br /> <br /> (<strong>Erratum:</strong> Turns out Vignelli did not initially specify Helvetica for the NYC subway signage, though it became that later. They specified a version of Akzidenz, which the image sample we have above is actually showing. Please see Scott Smyth’s comment below for more details.)<br /> </p> <h3>Pragmatics</h3> <p>In design, pragmatics is considered as the practicality of the design; its usability and functionality. If a design fails to be understood by the consumer or audience, it is useless regardless of the level of syntax or semantics applied to it. This is where the designer must compare his design’s intent with the results of his work to see if they have diverged or followed at least similar routes.<br /> <br /> <center><a href="http://www.behance.net/gallery/Adidas-Neo-Branding/1519405"><img src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/adidas-neo-branding.jpg" /></a></center><br /> <br /> Aside from its consistency and purpose, a project must also be capable of standing alone, much like cultural icons, wherein a single part, e.g., weapon, hairstyle, clothing, etc., can be easily identified as part of the whole. Like how the trefoil logo (three stripes) is easily associated with the Adidas brand. The concept of <em>pars pro toto</em> (a part taken for the whole) can be used as an acid test for the pragmatics of the design.<br /> <br /> Pragmatics applied in typography transforms the design into a straightforward tool that we see in marketing and advertising. The concept of pragmatics in typography is to get the message across the consumer or audience without confusing them.<br /> <br /> Just to demonstrate to you how taken for granted pragmatics in typography is, here’s a <em>completely wrong</em> example of pragmatics in typography and see if it doesn’t make you roll on the floor with laughter:<br /> <br /> <center><a href="http://www.theonion.com/articles/wrong-font-chosen-for-gravestone,9862/"><img src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/james-morton.jpg" /></a></center><br /> <br /> For more on the topic, you can check out Smashing Magazine’s <a href="http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2011/03/24/how-to-choose-a-typeface/">How to Choose a Typeface</a>.<br /> <br /> <br /> As a graphic designer, you are entitled to the privilege of creating something that can be monumental and that can move a person to do things – buy something, dispose of garbage properly, cross the street, know where she should go. It’s a designer’s job to inform the public, from channels like advertising and marketing to simple signs and symbols. It’s also a designer’s responsibility to create aesthetically pleasing pieces and help prevent <em>visual pollution</em> (a term used by Vignelli).<br /> <br /> As Vignelli said in his book, <strong>design is a language that must use proper grammar in the construction of phrases.</strong> A design, to be able to communicate and function properly, must be well thought of and researched before it can move forward. When creating a project or design solution, a designer must study the design itself and the things that may affect it, from the consumer to the manufacturer - and the designer himself.<br /> <br /> <strong>Like this post? Make sure you <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/YouTheDesigner">subscribe to You The Designer</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/youthedesigner">add us on Twitter</a>!</strong></p> <img height="1" src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/YouTheDesigner/~4/X_SfxGPoVeQ" width="1" />

UPDATED: 2 WEEKS, 1 DAY

Preparing for Earth Hour: Vectors, Icons, Stock Photos, and Inspiration

<p>This 2012, <a href="http://earthhour.org/">Earth Hour</a> is happening on Saturday, March 31st from 8:30 to 9:30 PM. Aside from the <a href="http://earthhour.org/page/get-involved/tools-and-downloads">tools and downloads</a> available on the official website, we thought we’d give you more comprehensive resources if you’d like to contribute with a more design-savvy flair!</p> <p>For those of you who need some reminding, here’s what Earth Hour is all about from the official website:</p> <p><em>“In 2008, the plan was to take Earth Hour to the rest of Australia. But then the City of Toronto, Canada, signed up and it wasn’t long before 35 countries and almost 400 cities and towns were part of the event. It said something compelling to the world: that the climate challenges facing our planet are so significant that change needs to be global.</em></p> <p>With the invitation to ‘switch off’ extended to everyone, Earth Hour quickly became an annual global event. It’s scheduled on the last Saturday of every March – closely coinciding with the equinox to ensure most cities are in darkness as it rolled out around the Earth.</p> <p>In 2011, Earth Hour saw hundreds of millions of people across 135 countries switch off for an hour. But it also marked the start of something new – going Beyond the Hour to commit to lasting action on climate change. And with the power of social networks behind the Earth Hour message, we hope to attract even more participation so we can build a truly global community committed to creating a more sustainable planet.”<br /> </p> <h3>Vectors and Icons:</h3> <p>Available in a variety of file types, these are some icons and vectors that we thought were most likely to be helpful for Earth Hour-related designs.</p> <p><strong><a href="http://www.vecteezy.com/miscellaneous/3842-free-set-of-vector-globes">Free Set of Vector Globes</a></strong></p> <p><center><a href="http://www.vecteezy.com/miscellaneous/3842-free-set-of-vector-globes"><img alt="" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/free-set-of-vector-globes.jpg" /></a></center><strong><a href="http://www.vecteezy.com/skulls-bones/16059-tim-s-freebie-global-warming">Tim’s Freebie Global Warming</a></strong></p> <p><center><a href="http://www.vecteezy.com/skulls-bones/16059-tim-s-freebie-global-warming"><img alt="" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/tims-freebie-global-warming.jpg" /></a></center><strong><a href="http://www.allvectors.com/space-vector/">Space Vector</a></strong></p> <p><center><a href="http://www.allvectors.com/space-vector/"><img alt="" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/space-vector.jpg" /></a></center><strong><a href="http://www.allvectors.com/vector-globe/">Vector Globe</a></strong></p> <p><center><a href="http://www.allvectors.com/vector-globe/"><img alt="" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/vector-globe.jpg" /></a></center><strong><a href="http://www.greatvectors.com/2010/07/eco-light-bulb/">Eco Light Bulb</a></strong></p> <p><center><a href="http://www.greatvectors.com/2010/07/eco-light-bulb/"><img alt="" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/eco-light-bulb.jpg" /></a></center><strong><a href="http://www.freevector.com/free-ecology-vector-icons/">Free Ecology Vector Icons</a></strong></p> <p><center><a href="http://www.freevector.com/free-ecology-vector-icons/"><img alt="" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/free-ecology-vector-icons.jpg" /></a></center><strong><a href="http://www.freevector.com/ecology-icons/">Ecology Icons</a></strong></p> <p><center><a href="http://www.freevector.com/ecology-icons/"><img alt="" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/ecology-icons.jpg" /></a></center><strong><a href="http://www.freevector.com/ecology-vectors/">Ecology Vectors</a></strong></p> <p><center><a href="http://www.freevector.com/ecology-vectors/"><img alt="" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/ecology-vectors.jpg" /></a></center><strong><a href="http://www.allvectors.com/vector-switch/">Vector Switch</a></strong></p> <p><center><a href="http://www.allvectors.com/vector-switch/"><img alt="" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/vector-switch.jpg" /></a></center></p> <h3>Stock Photos:</h3> <p>Going for more realism? Here are some free choice pickings from <a href="http://sxc.hu/">stock.xchng</a>. Please click through each image to see possible restrictions to each image’s terms of use.</p> <p><strong><a href="http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1259922">Old Light Switches</a></strong></p> <p><center><a href="http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1259922"><img alt="" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/old-light-switches.jpg" /></a></center><strong><a href="http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1340751">Mundo</a></strong></p> <p><center><a href="http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1340751"><img alt="" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/mundo.jpg" /></a></center><strong><a href="http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1237395">World Lamp</a></strong></p> <p><center><a href="http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1237395"><img alt="" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/world-lamp.jpg" /></a></center><strong><a href="http://www.sxc.hu/photo/743449">World Button</a></strong></p> <p><center><a href="http://www.sxc.hu/photo/743449"><img alt="" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/world-button.jpg" /></a></center><strong><a href="http://www.sxc.hu/photo/359866">Lightswitch</a></strong></p> <p><center><a href="http://www.sxc.hu/photo/359866"><img alt="" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/lightswitch.jpg" /></a></center><strong><a href="http://www.sxc.hu/photo/619748">Light Bulb</a></strong></p> <p><center><a href="http://www.sxc.hu/photo/619748"><img alt="" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/light-bulb.jpg" /></a></center></p> <h3>Posters:</h3> <p>Here are examples of Earth Hour related posters, for this year as well as the years past.</p> <h4>Be.Also</h4> <p><center><a href="http://www.behance.net/gallery/Earth-Hour-2012-Poster/3234635"><img alt="" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/be.also-earth-hour-2012-poster.jpg" /></a></center></p> <h4>Earvin Michael</h4> <p><center><a href="http://prinsipeearvin.blogspot.com/2012/03/earth-hour-2012-i-will-if-you-will.html"><img src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/i-will-if-you-will.jpg" /></a></center></p> <h4>Isabel Roxas</h4> <p><center><a href="http://www.behance.net/gallery/Earth-Hour-2012-Poster/3313276"><img alt="" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/earth-hour-2012-poster-isabel-roxas.jpg" /></a></center></p> <h4>Francois Hoang</h4> <p><center><a href="http://www.behance.net/gallery/Earth-Hour-2011-Poster/1161093"><img alt="" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/earth-hour-2011-poster-francois-hoang.png" /></a></center></p> <h4>Korey Sahan</h4> <p><center><a href="http://www.behance.net/gallery/WWF-Earth-Hour-Poster/1578423"><img alt="" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/korey-sahan-earth-hour-poster-01.jpg" /></a></center><center><a href="http://www.behance.net/gallery/WWF-Earth-Hour-Poster/1578423"><img alt="" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/korey-sahan-earth-hour-poster-02.jpg" /></a></center></p> <h4>Hunor Henter</h4> <p><center><a href="http://www.behance.net/gallery/Earth-Hour-2010/465684"><img alt="" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/hunor-henter-earth-hour-2010.jpg" /></a></center></p> <h4>Linh Chi</h4> <p><center><a href="http://www.behance.net/gallery/The-Earth-Hour-Poster-2009-Redesigned/202385"><img alt="" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/earth-hour-poster-2009-redesigned-linh-chi.jpg" /></a></center></p> <h4>Catalina Georgescu</h4> <p>Turn the light off! And, for one hour, you can be whoever you want to be.</p> <p><center><a href="http://www.behance.net/gallery/WWF-Earth-Hour-Campaign-2010/2591239"><img alt="" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/radu-georgescu-earth-hour.jpg" /></a></center><center><a href="http://www.behance.net/gallery/WWF-Earth-Hour-Campaign-2010/2591239"><img alt="" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/marinela-dogaru-earth-hour.jpg" /></a></center></p> <h4>racuntikus</h4> <p><center><a href="http://racuntikus.deviantart.com/art/Earth-Hour-115907389?q=boost%3Apopular%20earth%20hour&qo=5"><img alt="" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/switch-off-your-lights.jpg" /></a></center> </p> <h3>Creative Projects:</h3> <p>Aside from posters, here are other printed mediums through which people spread awareness about Earth Hour in years past.</p> <h4><a href="http://www.behance.net/gallery/Panadol-Earth-Hour/1391109">Glow in the Dark Stickers by Panadol</a></h4> <p><center><a href="http://www.behance.net/gallery/Panadol-Earth-Hour/1391109"><img alt="" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/earth-hour-panadol.png" /></a></center></p> <h4>T-shirt Concept</h4> <p><center><a href="http://www.behance.net/gallery/Earth-Hour/1164003"><img alt="" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/emelie-halston-earth-hour-t-shirt-concept.jpg" /></a></center></p> <h4>Infographic Tees</h4> <p><center><a href="http://www.behance.net/gallery/Earth-Hour-Infographic-Tees-Submission/3459321"><img alt="" src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/rizki-ratria-earth-hour-infographic-tees.jpg" /></a></center> </p> <h3>Videos:</h3> <p>Video campaigns for Earth Hour, from 2012 below! My favorite is the first one - you get to see Darth Vader’s softer side.<br /> (If you’re reading this post from our RSS feed, please click through to the post page to play the videos)</p> <h4>For once, the Dark Side saves the planet</h4> <p><center></center></p> <h4><a href="http://www.behance.net/gallery/CHACON-Earth-Hour/593794">CHACON wireless interruptors</a></h4> <p><center></center></p> <h4><a href="http://www.behance.net/gallery/EARTH-HOUR-The-Great-Switch-Off/936542">The Great Switch Off</a></h4> <p><center></center></p> <h4><a href="http://www.behance.net/gallery/-WWF-Vote-Earth/2195011">Vote Earth</a></h4> <p><center></center></p> <h4>Moths / Don’t Be the Only One</h4> <p><center></center><br /> <br /> Hoped you liked this collection! If you think there are other Earth Hour related resources we’ve missed, feel free to share their links in the comments. If you like this post but aren’t following us regularly yet, <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/YouTheDesigner">subscribe to our feed</a> or <a href="http://twitter.com/youthedesigner">follow us on Twitter (@youthedesigner)</a>!</p> <p>In case you need to get some Earth Hour posters or other materials printed, you may want to check out the <a href="http://www.uprinting.com/poster-printing.html?utm_source=youthedesigner.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=ytdblog_post0312">15% discount on posters</a> our printing partner UPrinting has at the moment, as well as 20% off on select print products until April 2, 2012. </p> <img height="1" src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/YouTheDesigner/~4/-PDGrRaRpCQ" width="1" />

UPDATED: 2 WEEKS, 2 DAYS

Which Makes a Better Logo Design: Typographic or Symbol?

<p>A well-designed logo is a unique combination of business and art. With an assortment of well-chosen variables, it conveys the type of business, as well as the corporate philosophy, and is often the first and most essential element of any branding initiative. Why? Because it’s the first thing your consumer sees. And it either grabs their attention or it doesn’t.<br /> <br /> There are three main types of logos: typographic, symbol or a selective combination of the two. And these design choices have a tremendous impact on brand identity. As a result, they represent the starting point for the creation of any effective logo design. But the elements you select are largely determined by the specifics of your organization.<br /> </p> <h2>Using Typographic Logos</h2> <p>As the name implies, a typographic logo is comprised solely of letters, numerals or similar font-based characters. Vastly different than type appearing in standard print, these characters are formatted to serve as graphic elements that stand on their own by varying size, color and typeface.<br /> <br /> <center><a href="http://vi.sualize.us/view/74141a7b6970760d4ee92de732f94f6e/"><img src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/coca-cola-logo.jpg" /></a></center><br /> <br /> Most often, a typographic logo is used to impart the brand name of an organization. Coca-Cola, McDonalds, Google and Levi’s would be prime examples. But to use this type of logo effectively, the company’s name should ideally be short and self-explanatory. In these instances, typographic logos are extremely helpful when trying to establish a memorable brand name.<br /> </p> <h2>Using Symbolic Logos</h2> <p>The first thing to understand when considering a symbolic logo is the nature of an image. Symbols are used to convey a complex idea in a direct, instantly-translatable way. Often created by mixing graphic images, a symbol can be constructed from basic shapes or specific conceptual representations. For example, you’d be hard-pressed to find people in the world who were unable to describe and instantly replicate the Nike “swoop.”<br /> <br /> But as with typographic logos, symbols by themselves are not suited to every organization. Typically reserved for companies with brand names that are long, complex or difficult to pronounce, graphics work extremely well to differentiate those products or services in the marketplace. In the same way, symbols can be used to distinguish brands that have a common sounding name or unite a broad portfolio of sub-brands under a single banner, as is the case with Nike.<br /> <br /> <center><a href="http://www.behance.net/gallery/Nike-2010/625755"><img src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/nike-revamp.jpg" /></a><br /> Image from Jordan Metcalf’s <a href="http://www.behance.net/gallery/Nike-2010/625755">“Nike - 2010″</a> project on Behance</center><br /> <br /> The one catch with using a symbol is that it requires a larger marketing investment to educate the consumer, defining its specific meaning and, more importantly, fostering a favorable impression.<br /> </p> <h2>Combining Typographic and Symbolic</h2> <p>One of the basic requirements for creating an effective logo is simplicity. And this is especially crucial when combining typography and symbols. Ideal for new businesses, this style of logo includes concise text – often boiled down to one or two words – and is paired with a simple, ordinary image or basic shape. But ‘basic’ doesn’t mean ‘plain’. The choice of image has to be strong enough to single out the brand among its competitors.<br /> <br /> <center><a href="http://vi.sualize.us/view/5372fac8f7a0f3282cfa2c68fb2cb52b/"><img src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/puma-logo.jpg" /></a></center><br /> <br /> A great example is the Puma logo. Including the brand name and the trademark cat leaping over the typographic elements, this logo is unique in that it’s become a known commodity, allowing the logo itself to appear as any of the three types: plain type, symbol or a combination of the two.<br /> </p> <table> <tbody> <tr> <td> <h3>About the Author</h3> <p>Dylan Mazeika is an online writer with a background in marketing and small business. He enjoys writing articles and guest posts on the latest business and design trends, and helping business owners with their <a href="http://www.freelogoservices.com">logo design</a>.</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p> <br /> <em>Featured image found on <a href="http://www.logodesignlove.com/20th-century-trademarks">Logo Design Love</a>.</em></p> <img height="1" src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/YouTheDesigner/~4/VR3qEFq0bqw" width="1" />

UPDATED: 3 WEEKS, 2 DAYS

UPDATED: 4 WEEKS, 1 DAY

To Use or Not to Use a CMS

<p>As web designers, we all are aware of the importance of CMSs. Simply put, a CMS helps in managing the website in an efficient manner. If you are running a photo gallery, a blog, a news site or any similar website that requires constant updates, nothing beats the ease which a CMS such as <a href="http://wordpress.org/">WordPress</a> or <a href="http://drupal.org/">Drupal</a> can offer you!<br /> <br /> Therefore, modern day CMSs have made the otherwise-mundane task of running a website very simple. To quote from <a href="http://typo3.com/">Typo3</a>:<br /> </p> <blockquote><p><em>“If you can use a computer, you can manage the content for your website.”</em></p></blockquote> <p> <br /> However, oftentimes, in our bid to employ CMSs for website management, chances are that we might end up over-doing the use of CMSs. In this article, we discuss when to use, and when not to use a CMS.<br /> </p> <h2><strong>When Should You Use a CMS?</strong></h2> <p> <br /> <center><a href="http://vi.sualize.us/view/c953cb1414dbe48060688c39ca77b9c5/"><img src="http://www.youthedesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/confused.jpg" /></a><br /> <em>Image from <a href="http://vi.sualize.us/view/c953cb1414dbe48060688c39ca77b9c5/">vi.sualize.us</a>.</em></center><br /> <br /> To begin with, if you are running a blog or a gallery, don’t bother reading any further. You <strong>NEED</strong> a CMS, period. Similarly, if your website needs to be updated regularly and/or is run by a group of users, a CMS might suit your purpose.<br /> <br /> Using a CMS also ensures that you save your time (and eventually, efforts). You no longer need to hard-code your website in HTML or CSS – the CMS takes care of everything. Just install it, and you are presented with a neat administration panel that lets you tweak, modify and run your website in the manner you deem fit. Furthermore, with the availability of numerous themes, templates as well as plugins/extensions, a CMS can be made to accomplish virtually any task when it comes to web design.<br /> <br /> Using a CMS for clients also makes sense – not all of us are gifted with tech-savvy clients all the time, and more often than not, most clients will have a hard time figuring their way out with hard-coded sites sans CMS.<br /> <br /> CMSs also offer excellent editorial control over your content, and better user management for your website.<br /> <br /> Lastly, many CMSs provide SEO out-of-the-box. Of course, you can always ensure that your hand-crafted HTML pages conform to SEO norms and beat even the most search-engine friendly CMS out there! However, CMSs again save time in this aspect – you do not need to worry much about SEO. At the most, you’ll just have to tweak a few settings initially.<br /> </p> <h2><strong>When Shouldn’t You Use a CMS? </strong></h2> <p> <br /> <em>or</em><br /> </p> <h2><strong>When Should You Hard-Code Your Website? </strong></h2> <p> <br /> <center><a href=" <em>Image by <a href=" <br /> Generally, manually designing your website’s pages should be considered as an option for static websites with few pages that are rarely updated. You can add personality to your website, and you are limited only by your creativity — in other words, you need not be bound by a CMS.<br /> <br /> When you decide to write extensive code for your website, you can pay attention to every minute detail – a blessing for small websites (and a curse for larger ones, pun unintended). Since you are no longer restricted by platform-specific limitations, you can design and craft individual components of the website manually.<br /> <br /> Another point to consider should be security. Most CMSs release new updates/fixes/patches on a regular basis; however, on a generalized level, a CMS invites more hackers than a hard-coded website.<br /> <br /> Most importantly, hard-coding your website, though time-consuming initially, also brings down the time and efforts required in maintenance of the website in the long run – there are no CMSs to update or plugins to uninstall. You design your pages, you publish them, and you drink coffee!<br /> </p> <h2>So, the Verdict is…</h2> <p> <br /> <center><a href=" <em>Image by <a href=" <br /> Well, to be honest, the answer to this question is simple – <em>it depends on your needs! </em><br /> <br /> As stated above, if your website has dynamic content, a CMS will be mandatory in most cases. If, however, you’re running a site with mostly static pages that are not updated very frequently, you can definitely consider coding the website yourself and thereby saving the recurring efforts required in running a CMS.</p> <img height="1" src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/YouTheDesigner/~4/8_-P-Ifw0uo" width="1" />

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