7 replies to this topic

[Irisim1]

Hello,

I hope I am in the right place to receive help in this topic...

I am a visual artist, but no computers, just plain canvas, acrylic or oil paints, pencils, brushes etc...

I have been working with a designer on a web page, he prepared a lot of GIF images for me, more than I could use, and left me stranded for more basic things he promised to provide. I believe he was practicing his skills, and felt he did enough at some point and simply disappeared...

Since I already paid him, my budget is drained now and I am forced to learn some skills in order to try and acheive these results I was initially aiming for, rather simple things.

I have photoshop version 7.0. and I believe I should be able to get what I need but it is extremely difficult to use!!! I have tried tutorials and books, yet it seems that in order to learn it by myself I will need to study the program for days and weeks before acheiving these simple results.... I cannot afford the time...

what I am trying to learn is how to give the images of my artwork (paintings) an edge, as if it is a 3d canvas. Also, I would like the corners a little rounded, but not a lot. Maybe a shade behind the pictures as well, that would be nice...

I have other needs, but I will have to learn to use the program for these, especially editing the colors, since an accurate photo of an original painting is seldom acheived, especially in terms of colors. If there is a very simple guide you can recommend I'll be happy to try it.

Hoever, if anyone can help me with shortcuts on how to use the program for the purposes I mentioned (edges, corners, shading) I would really appreciate it.

Thank You,
Iris

[SatanicPenguins]

I wouldn't mind helping you with a thing here and there, just send me a pm with more specific things you need help with, 1 or 2 at a time

[Dance]

It is very hard to imagine what you do imagine im afraid even if you provide a breef explenation a picture tells more than a thousand words... examples please

[Irisim1]

Thank you esem, dance!

Esem, no worry, I can only take one thing at a time... these things are pretty complicated for a beginner anyway, I really aporeciate your offer.

Dance, I'm not sure what examples you want? of my paintings?

I have found a very useful tool for shading. It makes it very easy to do!

http://www.isdntek.c...gbot/shadow.htm

It doesn't really work in the case of making a collage of shaded images.

Again, I would gladly give examples, but not sure of what,

Thank you,
Iris

[Dance]

Of the effect that you want to have done using photoshop.

If you are looking to make drop shadows on your images the easiest way to do so is trough the blending modes and effects wizard. To use this tool, load one of your pictures into a photoshop document thats abit larger then the image itself, you can edit the photoshop canvas size under the topmenu Edit<canvas size.
when you have this, go to the layers panel and make a new layer that you then drag underneath the layer with your picture in it. then use the paint bucket tool and fill this layer with white having it selected in the layers panel. Then select the layer with your picture on it and double-click on the layer thumbnail in the menu to bring up the "Blending modes and effects" wizzard. To the left you will se a menu and there you will find a cheakbox with the text "Drop shadow" beside it. Klick this option and you will be given a wide range op options customiceing your drop shadow. Play around with those untill you get what you are after.

If you have questions dont hessitate to ask.

[Irisim1]

Hey Dance, thank you. I have only now read your message, since I didn't receive an email notification, i thought I was subscribed. I will try your suggestion and update you.

There are many, many more things I need to learn to do.... thanks for your help, and I hope you don't mind I am a slow learner, and will take some time practicing your advise,
Thanks

[Irisim1]

Yes!

I got great results using the wizard! I was also able to create an emboss effect which I needed, and it was pretty easy to do! Thank you!

The way I did it is simply opening a new document (larger than the image as you said) and setting the background as white, then paste the image on top. I wasn't sure how to do what you explained, about putting the layer underneath.... but it worked and the results are beautiful. I'll show you a sample.

I need to learn a few more basic things, how to alter color, how to crop, how to angle, how to reduce file size, how to save (obviously save is easy, but should I save it in different formats etc...), well... I guess it's not a few, it's a lot... but I would start with just one thing....



Here is what I made so far, I like very much the emboss and shading effect, however, I think I am messing up in the resizing and compressing process, I am trying to do it using photoshop, but it seems the sharpness is greatly reduced....

What do you think?

Thank you again!

Iris

[Irisim1]

Here's another version, I think it looks a little better: