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Communications Design Industry Discussion, Inspiration, & Tutorials

Showing posts with label tutorial. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tutorial. Show all posts

Jun 17, 2015

Tutorial: Create Simple Blog Header

By On 17:18 In

Using Adobe InDesign

Activity I: Working with Images - Header 

Create a Header image / Banner for your E-Newsletter:

We will reuse this image file when working with the various E-News creation tools.
Click to view full-size

a. Open Adobe nDesign and create a new document: Create New > Document 
b. Uncheck: facing pages, and Primary Text Frame
  • Width: 600px (type this in the field)
  • Height: 200px
Note: Notice that the sizes are converted to Points and Picas (typography units of measure)
  • Hit OK or Save



Shape tool is a Rectangle, by Default--but expands to several other shapes.


USE THE SHAPE TOOL

  1. Select the Rectangle Tool from the Tools Panel
  2. Click and drag a large rectangle that’s slightly bigger than your artboard. It has not color.
  3. Change the Fill Color: Open the Swatches Panel on the right > Be sure that the FILL is active, choose the green color swatch




ADD TEXT



  1. Select the Type tool in the right-hand tool bar
  2. Click and drag a large rectangular marquee above the green shape. This is your first Text Frame (notice the black cursor inside of this frame) > 
  3. type in this content:  the HUB (hit enter to create a line break) monthly e-news for loyola university Maryland educators

EDIT TEXT

  1. Double-click in the first line (this selects one word)
  2. Triple-click in the first line – All text on that line is selected
  • Change font-face to: Arial
  • Change font-style to: Bold
  • Change font-size to: 22pt

Now change the second line to Arial, Regular, 10pt

EDIT THIS TEXT FRAME




  1. Choose the black arrow tool from the tools panel and select the text frame (blue outline and corner anchors)
  2. From Top Menu > Object > Text Frame Options > check Preview 
  3. Inset > Use arrows to make the inset 0pt 8  > OK
  4. Use the black arrow tool to move this text frame toward the bottom of your artboard
  5. Drag on the white anchor points to stretch this frame outer margins to reach the left and right of your artboard.
  6. Got it?

COLORIZE THIS TEXT FRAME

  1. With the text frame still selected, open the Swatches Panel
  2. Make sure that the Container Icon is selected and choose PAPER from the swatches.
  3. Now select the Text Icon in the Swatches Panel and chose the Dark Blue Color swatch.
So far so good...


ADD AN IMAGE TO THIS DESIGN

  1. Go to Top Menu > File > Place > UNCHECK replace selected item
  2. Navitgate to one of the campus images and hit Open > Your cursor is loaded with the new image
  3. Click anywhere outside of your artborad and drag a rectangle. Don’t worry too much about size, you can adjust that
  4. Move this new image so that it aligns with the right-side margin of your art board.


Ideally, this image should be taller than your artboard. If it isn’t…

…use the black arrow tool and click on one of the white anchor points on the left of this image frame. WHILE THE IMAGE IS SELECTED, hold down Ctrl + SHIFT (or Command + Shift).. Drag left with your mouse.

When you’re satisfied, let go of the mouse. You can redo this change until it suits you.

Note: To undo any new edits, hit  Ctrl + Z (or Command +Z)

LET'S WRAP THIS UP

Image is moved to the back of the art.
  1. Move the image frame behind green rectangle
  2. Select Image > Object > arrange > Send to Back (Ctrl + Shift + { )
  3. Select the Green Rectangle with Black Arrow Tool
  4. Then choose the Gradient Feather tool from the tool bar (Shift + G)
The Cursor turns into a crosshairs > 
  1. Click on the region of the rectangle where the partially hidden image ends
  2. Drag to the right a couple inches.
  3. When you release the mouse, the rectangle with be partially transparent.
  4. Almost done: Select View > Preview in the tools Panel (all the way at the bottom). Look Good?
(It's tough to get a screen shot of the crosshairs cursor, sorry)







EXPORT THE FINAL DESIGN
  1. File > Export > Name it "header" > file type PNG
  2. (save location > enews Practice Folder
  3. Image > Quality= High 
  4. Resolution = 150 ppi








BONUS ACTIVITY: Quickly Optimize an Image for Web in Photoshop


  • Open Photoshop > File > Open >choose another image from practice folder
  • Under image size (lower-right), constrain proportions and choose 400px
  • File > Save for Web > Choose 4-up tab preview in upper-left 
Notice the different file sizes for the different levels of image quality
NOTE: Ctrl + 0 will fit the image into the window.
  • Select one of the optimized images and Save as ‘optimized.jpg’ into the Practice folder.
  • Close Photoshop (don’t save).

Okay, Let’s build an Enewsletter!!
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Jul 13, 2013

HtML5 VIdeo: Use VLC MEdia Player to Convert Video

By On 17:28 In
A recent project I built a HTML5 video player. For these players to work across all the major browsers redundant video formats must be created. There are several free online services that will convert video formats to ogg theora, mp4, and webm for you. However, once you get to long/large video files, they act up (require payment, or freeze).

VLC media player is free and will convert your vids to the desired format, relatively quickly. One drawback is that you can't run more than one conversion instance at a time. If you need to convert, say 1000 videos, then you'd better get some help.  Here' the quick and dirty of using this player to make your job easier:

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Jul 11, 2013

Mock-ups Round Up

By On 16:50 In
Photoshop Magazine Mockup
When I originally put together my online portfolio and printed leave behind, I took several photographs of my samples so that my work would be well represented in both media. It was a mostly successful project. However, some of my conceptual pieces--ones that never went into production--had to be altered to fit stylistically. There were ways to get around this. I found an awesome Photoshop mockup that allowed me to share more of my work. I also created so ad hoc mock up scenarios that were also successful.

For conceptual posters, I photographed gallery walls and inserted appropriate sized design samples into frames or in a salon style hanging.

Poster Mockup II
Here are some other great mock up options to help get your portfolio a second glance:


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Feb 8, 2013

RoundUp: Letterpress Type Tutorials

By On 05:20 In
Way back in July I got the Shutterstock e-news with a gorgeous letterpress tutorial.  I've meant to create a link to this awesome project for designers who want to know. So here it is, plus a few more tutorials on creating the letterpress look with Adobe, HTML and CSS:

Learn how to make this awesome invitation at the Shutterstock Blog


This is a great Photoshop tutorial from Pugly Pixel


Learn how to create tetterpress type using CSS, at ilovecolors.com




Use Adobe Fireworks and CSS to create this graphic style, from Smashing Magazine




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Nov 4, 2012

Instagram DIY or Another Photoshop Tutorial

By On 05:29 In
I've gotten a few requests for an easy tutorial on increasing blur in portraits. Here's a super easy how-to using a selection and a filter. For this sample, I used a low-res portrait of myself snatched from a social site.



1. Open your image with Photoshop and unlock the layer by double clicking on it and hitting “OK”.
Create a duplicate copy of that layer.




2. With the top layer selected choose the Lasso tool from the toolbar. Change the feather radius to between 75 and 250px—choose a higher feather for higher resolution images. I used 100 px for this portrait.




3. Draw an oval around the area that you want to remain sharp. When you close the shape,
Photoshop will alter your selection. Be sure that the area you choose is large enough to keep your
subject in focus. Redraw your selection if you need to.



4.From the top dropdown menu choose Select > Inverse.
Your marquee is now around the area that will be blurred!

5. Go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur and choose a blur radius between 5 and 15—
use higher numbers for higher resolution images. I used 5.5 for this portrait. Hit “OK”

6. NOW, DO IT AGAIN. Choose Crtl + D OR Command +D on your keyboard to deselect the area.

7. Choose the lasso tool and draw another marquee around the subject. Your feather radius will remain the same. Select the inverse and then choose Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur.
 Use a smaller radius this time—between 1 and 5 px. I used 1.6 for this portrait.


You now have a sharp focus area and blurred border to your image. You can stop now or apply one more filter to add a little more visual interest. Check out the simple vignette…


(I used a blur radius of 34px and output of 99 for this one)

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Sep 4, 2012

Tutorial: Simple Photoshop Vignette

By On 10:41 In
Here is an easy-peasy way to vignette a photo by darkening it's corners using a simple mask. For this tutorial, I'm using a photo of two of my friends--both MICA grads--who attended the 2012 MICA graduation carrying inspirational signs to encourage the new grads.

Open your image in photoshop. In the layers panel double-click the image to unlock it

Select the Elliptical Marquee Tool and drag a marquee from the upper-left to the lower-right of your image. This will select most of the image except for the 4 corners


From top menu choose Select > Inverse to choose the outer corners of your image
Press “Q” or click on the Select the Edit in Standard Mode mask from your tools panel


Go to Filters for your top menu and select Blur > Gaussian Blur. Set your radius to between  50 and 60px (57px used here). Hit OK

Press “Q” again
Select Image  > Adjustments  > Levels and with your RGB channel selected, use the light Output to create the darkened edges on your photo.

Here’s what I finished with:


thanks Zach and Street

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Jul 2, 2012

Tutorial: Salvage a Signature in Photoshop

By On 08:15 In
I got a printed scan of our signature on my desk this morning. This sheet of paper looked terrible, but it was all I had so I needed to make it work. Here’s the quick and dirty on how to make salvage a low quality printed signature for digital use.

  1. Rescan the image and set the output to TIFF or other image file type. Be sure to select the highest resolution setting. This will yield a lot of artifacts on the image but you can remove them pretty easily. 
  2. Open the file in Photoshop, and crop it; removing all excess white space around your work area.
  3. Go to the layers panel and create a new layer filled with white. Move this layer below your working layer and reselect the top layer. 

 Now, let’s get to work! 

First: Increase contrast. Go to Image > Adjustments > Brightness/Contrast. With Preview on, move the brightness slider down to around -150 and increase contrast to 100. You may need to repeat this once more before you continue. Eyeball it, then hit OK.

 

Next: Zoom in on a section of the signature—I chose 200% for this one—and select the Lasso tool. Then: Start with a small area, and select stray pixel artifacts surrounding the main letterforms.


Hold down Command + X (Mac) or Ctrl + X(Windows) to remove the pixels.





Repeat. Make sure that you zoom out to 100% every-so-often to be sure the right pixels have been removed.


 Final Clean up

  1. Merge down layers. In the Layers panel select your top layer and select merge down from the dropdown.
  2. Increase contrast. Go to Image > Adjustments > Brightness/Contrast. With Preview on, move the brightness slider down to -150 and increase contrast to 100. Do this only once! . Then hit OK.
  3. Save it. Select File > Save As>
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Mar 9, 2012

Fix a Ruddy Complexion in Photoshop

By On 10:59 In
I opened my email this morning to find a request to remove cheek redness from a photo for our newsletter. As soon as I fixed the picture I realized that I should pass on a quick and dirty how-to to the community. Remove cheek redness quickly:

1. In the Layers Window: copy your background layer , then select the new layer

2. Select the Lasso tool and change the feather radius to 2 px
(or up to 4 px if you’re working with a larger file)

3. Select Image > Adjustments > Hue/ Saturation.
With preview on:

  • move the Hue slider to the right between +1 and +10
  • move saturation slider to the left between -2 and -10
  • increase lightness by +1  to  +3


Click Preview off and on the see the results then hit “OK”.

4. Repeat until the portrait is perfect. Then delete your original background layer. Viola!

The final picture here shows only a single area of redness corrected.
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Dec 7, 2011

Build a Digital Magazine with Indesign CS5

By On 11:34 In


This is awesome because my formal training ended in the previous version. I ended up buying a decent textbook and walking through tutorials for hours to get a handle on the new CS5 upgrades.
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May 26, 2011

Create an E-Book with Indesign CS5

By On 15:09 In
EPub will get your e-books easily viewed on smart phones, tablets and various readers--I dont mean a PDF




Here's part two:

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