In a post earlier this week, I reviewed the latest version of Photoshop Elements. Elements has never been a hugely popular program, but I think the recent release is well-suited to the needs of at least some users. The same can be said of the CorelDRAW Graphic Suite X4. It’s easily overlooked, but actually might be worth considering.

Photoshop Elements and the Corel line of products aren’t the most popular apps out there, but they do have their uses.

The CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 is a complete creative environment, so any task you’d perform in Photoshop, Illustrator, or InDesign can probably be accomplished using Corel’s apps. That said, the Corel interfaces and many of the tools are very different than what you’ll find in an Adobe program, so the learning curve is steep. Still, the whole CorelDRAW package can be yours for just $429, so maybe it’s a fair trade. Here are some pros and cons to consider before you make a final decision:

1) CorelDRAW (the vector program) and Corel PHOTO-PAINT (the bitmap program) really are on par with Illustrator and Photoshop, but they cost a lot less.

2) The X4 update includes support for RAW files and has the ability to match colors across both Corel and Adobe programs.

3) CorelDRAW is both a vector drawing and page layout program, so you don’t need to hop to a different app when design your pages.

4) There’s a very powerful bitmap/vector tracing program included in CorelDRAW. It’s called PowerTRACE, and it’s far (more…)

A recent post on BoingBoing, (Everyone’s favorite blog other than this one.), introduced me to a new magazine called ILLO. I guess I’m a little late to the party, as issue #1 debuted months ago and issue #2 is already in the works. Still, I’m sure glad I discovered this new magazine.

ILLO is all about illustrators and modern illustration, but it’s unlike most of the other magazines that cover these topics. ILLO’s focus isn’t digital illustration or the latest software. Instead, it delves into the creative minds, and sometimes the strange worlds, of today’s illustrators. It seeks to understand what inspires their work, and looks at how these individuals turned a love of drawing into a career in commercial/creative illustration.

That said, ILLO won’t disappoint those with just a casual interest in illustration or contemporary art. Graphic designers, vinyl toy collectors, tattoo artists, and magazine publishers will all find something to enjoy as they flick through the magazine’s colorful pages. I definitely wouldn’t call ILLO a trend magazine because most of the artists it features are not easily categorized. They come from unique backgrounds and their work is often informed by very personal ideas. These folks don’t follow trends, they define them.

If you’re still not sure that all this is worth $10 an issue, I recommend you check out the ILLO’s website. ILLO is one of just a few periodicals that offer sneak previews online, and the thumbnails from issue #1 will give you a good sense of the magazine’s overall look and feel. (more…)

I recently saw a magazine ad for a hair product in which words were “written” on the model’s hair in “liquid text.” Text effects like this have been around for as long as Photoshop has existed. There’s liquid, fire, glass, metal, and so many others. Often, these effects are cheesy. They often appear devoid of context: metal simply because it looks masculine, for example, and they’re usually created in one of two ways: the long way that involves channels and displacement maps, or the short way using ugly default layer styles. What I liked about the liquid text I saw in the magazine was that it seemed totally appropriate given the message, and the design was custom enough to look good. I wanted to find a simple way to reproduce it.

I started with a photo of my own hair, but you can use any interesting background, such as wood, tile, skin, or concrete.

Try to use an even texture because if your background is really wavy, you’ll have to do this the long way, with displacement maps.

Begin by duplicating the layer. This new layer is the one we’ll use to create our liquid text area. But before we do that, I want to bulge and warp the layer a bit, since the liquid would magnify the surface below it. Start with the Wave filter (Filter > Distort > Wave) and create a very large, soft wave. Then add a bulge using the Spherize filter (Filter > Distort > Spherize).

A little distortion makes a big difference. The text we cut from this layer will be magnified and will look a little distorted.

Now, we can cut the text from this layer. Use the Type Mask tool. If you have trouble deciding on a font or character settings when using the Type Mask tool, use the regular Type tool to set the letters. (more…)

If you’ve been reading the blog lately, you’ve probably noticed that I’m on a bit of an “(insert Apple thing here) for Designers” kick. First it was Safari plug-ins, then Dashboard widgets, and now podcasts. The is because I’ve recently discovered that though I’m an early adopter, I rarely take full advantage of the features that come with my new gadgets and software. I bet some of you are the same way!

Podcasts for designers, direct to earbuds everywhere.

I’m like a grandma when it comes to podcasts, (though come to think of it, many grandmas are probably more podcast-savvy than I). I’ve had an iPod since the first generation of battery-eating bricks, but only recently have I started downloading these little audio and video shows. Once I started looking for them, I found many that are perfect for designers. Here are some of the standouts.

There are many podcasts that focus on technology and software, one of the best being Photoshop Killer Tips, hosted by Matt Kloskowski, who also happens to be an instructor at Sessions! Photoshop Killer Tips is updated five days a week, so there’s no shortage of useful information here. But if you need even more Adobe tips in video podcast format, check out Terry White’s Adobe Creative Suite Video Podcast. There’s a new episode at least once a week, and (more…)

If you like typography and information design, take a look at these sketches from the Type Workshop. The concepts are mostly fundamental, but the drawings uniquely and effectively express the ideas. It’s good stuff.

via I love typography

Part Two of a Two-Part Series.

Earlier this year, I received an email from a woman who was impressed by specific samples she had seen on my website, and wanted to hire me for an illustration project. Her company was developing proprietary technologies and needed a drawing of a prototype village that showed how these technologies could be used to operate a self-sustaining community. I called her and she said my drawing style was perfect, but as she described the project to me, I got a sick feeling in my stomach because it reminded me so much of the Aspen job. It sounded very interesting, however, so I agreed to meet with her and discuss the details. I needed money to get my house painted and this job would just about cover the cost. (more…)

Lessons Learned from Jobs that Got Completely Out of Control:
Part One of a Two-Part Series.

I ran a full-page color ad of my illustration work in the Graphic Artists Guild’s Directory of Illustration #11. It set me back $3500, but I was convinced it would open all kinds of doors for me. Within two months I received a call from the owner of a puzzle company who saw my ad and wanted me to create a 30”x48” full-color map/illustration of Aspen Colorado for use on puzzles and postcards. The client happened to be only three hours away, so I arranged a personal meeting. We discussed the job and I worked up a quote for $4000. They also said the job requires me to fly to Aspen for three days to sample the bars and restaurants, take pictures and go shopping. Oh…and they would pay for everything on top of my illustration fee.

This all sounded great to me… could it get any better? The directory ad paid for itself and I was off to an all expenses paid trip to Hollywood’s Winter Playground (it was February). I finally hit the big-time. (more…)

In the midst of pressure for designers to keep technical skills and software repertoire fresh, it is just as important to keep feeding your creativity, and challenging the part of your brain that makes your work unique. However, it can be hard to create projects for yourself and produce them in a vacuum. That’s where a site like Illustration Friday fits in perfectly. (more…)

I recently came across a fun portrait exchange site by Los Angeles-based illustrator and teacher Rama Hughes via Danny Gregory’s blog. It’s called The Portrait Party, and its purpose is simple and excellent: to get people drawing and sharing their artwork. You and a fellow artist pair up, either in person or using photographs, to draw each other’s portraits. You then share your portraits by posting a comment to the Portrait Party site that includes your and your partner’s name, contact info, and any comments you’d like to share. If you don’t have a face-to-face drawing buddy, the site offers a list of people who are game and have posted their contact info, some even linking to flickr accounts offering photos from which they’d like their portraits made. (more…)

You’ve redone your homepage, chosen artwork you’d like to show, and decided how you’d like to display it. Now comes the grunt work – getting it all done.

Coding it yourself
In a perfect world, you would code everything on your site yourself. It’s frustrating at times, but ultimately very satisfying when you can tell a prospective employer that you did everything they see on your site.

Look at other sites for inspiration. If you like how a site looks, study the code to see how they did something, but don’t steal it! (You wouldn’t want someone stealing your work to use on their site, right? Same thing.) A little research can show you different ideas you might never have thought of and may start you off on a new and exciting approach to your portfolio.

Don’t be afraid to use Google – type in (more…)