Thursday, December 28, 2006 Filed in:
Windows
| Training
Products
I've
just gotten permission from my publisher to
release a chapter for free
from my
new book How to Wow with PowerPoint. This is
the intro to the book and focusses on best
practices for designing graphics for the
screen (so even if you aren't a PowerPoint
fan, you'll find some wholesome goodness on
here).
I hope you all enjoy it, you can download direct
or visit the resources page. If you'd like to
order the book (it ships in a few weeks)
click here.
Tuesday, December 26, 2006 Filed in:
Podcast
| Adobe
Instructor Richard
Harrington shows you how to use blending modes in
Photoshop to blend layers together in various
ways for a wide range of results.
Like the podcast?
Subscribe for FREE.
Want more training? Check out our
Books.
Monday, December 25, 2006 Filed in:
Windows
So what was
in my stocking this morning? The perfect gift for
someone who is frequently stuck next to a
computer for long hours. A USB beverage
cooler (no really.. I swear). Plug
it in to a USB port and it dips to 45 degrees
within seconds. Its perfect for chilling
several cans of Coke Zero (I'm on a writing
deadline you see).
The device works, doesn't seem to draw much
power, and it runs silently. I know you're
jealous, so if you're significant other didn't
get you one, than stop over to
www.thinkgeek.com
and pick one up.
Tuesday, December 19, 2006 Filed in:
Podcast
| Adobe
Layer comps allow
you to create alternate images and store them in
one Photoshop document. Instructor Richard
Harrington shows you how to get the most out of
this important tool. Part 2 of 2.
Like the podcast?
Subscribe for FREE.
Want more training? Check out our
Books.
Saturday, December 16, 2006 Filed in:
Adobe
Well, it
appears timing is everything. Our new podcast on
Adobe Photoshop CS3 is rocking the charts.
Literally overnight it took number 1 in the
software training category. That's very
motivational to a guy with zero advertising
budget and very little public presence. I
genuinely hope you are enjoying the show (I am
trying to produce one a day for the next two
weeks). Up next (its literally compressing right
now) a 15 minute tutorial on creating panoramic
photos.
Thanks to those who are watching (a few comments)
1. Please click the subscribe button
(it is free)
2. Please tell your
friends
3. Please leave
feedback.
4. Please post a comment here with requests for
specific tutorials.
I want this podcast to be truly useful to the
community. Your support
and feedback
really do help.
Photoshop CS3 Sneak Peek –
On the Web
–
On
iTunes
Saturday, December 16, 2006
The great
folks over at Photoshop User
Magazine have launched an
online learning
center for the new Photoshop CS3
beta. You'll find great articles, interviews,
and video tutorials on the latest technology
development. I particularly liked Scott
Kelby's Top 10 list and interview with John
Nack, the Photoshop product manager.
These guys have good stuff and can be commended
for making the bulk of it free to new users. Be
sure to check it out
and explore new
options. You may also want to Join NAPP for
access to a wealth of other online materials
and training.
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Long-rumored,
but finally true. Adobe has announced a public
beta program for Photoshop CS3. While the
finished program is not yet ready for release
until the Spring, it is almost ready for
'prime-time.' You can read more about the release
on Adobe's website
for the full
details.
If you are looking for some training, here's two
places to start:
Photoshop CS3 Sneak Peek –
On the Web
–
On
iTunes
Photoshop
CS3 Learning Center –
On the
Web
Thursday, December 14, 2006 Filed in:
Apple
Some of
my favorite tools are on sale this week as part
of a great shareware bundle (deal ends
this Sunday).
Over at MacHeist (an
online game) they have a shareware developer
bundle. For $49 you can get the following
programs.
1. Delicious Library
(allows you to catalog music and DVDs)
2. Foto Magico
(a cool slideshow
application)
3.
ShapeShifter
(for changing the Mac UI)
4.
Devon Think
(a database application)
5.
Disco
(a disc burning
application)
6.
RapidWeaver
(the blogging tool I use for this
site)
7.
iClip
(a clipboard organizer that is very useful)
8. A game from Pangea software
(several to choose from... I like Bugdom)
9. Newsfire
(a RSS reader)
10.
TextMate
(a great text editor - unlocked if they raise
100K for charity)
Plus... 25% of the purchase price goes to a
charity (of your choice). This is just a great
example of geeks doing good... I am ordering mine
today and suggest that other mac users
take this great deal
up before
it is gone.
Thursday, December 14, 2006 Filed in:
Windows
| Training
Products
The
book is
DONE! I have just finished a
new book on PowerPoint
2007. It’s
called How to Wow with
PowerPoint and I am writing it
with my friend Scott
Rekdal. I am quite proud
of it... It's full color, to-the-point, and
teaches you how to do all the important stuff
with PowerPoint 2007. It's great for all
levels of users, especially those who feel
their skills have leveled-off.
I'm trying to get a sample chapter up this week.
If you want to order it, put a pre-order
into Amazon or directly at
Peachpit. This way you'll get it first (heck
we might even get the book out before
Microsoft gets the software out).
Tuesday, December 12, 2006 Filed in:
Apple
If you use
Aperture, Apple's photo management application (I
do), you'll be glad that they've released
a new
update. Here's the highlights (and
my interpretation).
Aperture 1.5.2 addresses issues related to
overall reliability and performance in a number
of areas, including:
• Contact sheet printing (useful for
sending to clients)
• Smart Albums
• Watermarks (useful for clients you don't
trust)
• Lift and stamp
• Image export (Cuts down on artifacting
when converting)
This part is
essential
If
you haven’t already done so, it is strongly
recommended that you also download the Digital
Camera RAW Support Update 1.0.1, which is
available on the Apple Downloads support page
at http://www.apple.com/support/downloads.
The Digital Camera RAW Support Update addresses
the following issues:
• Handling of large Canon RAW files (.CRW)
• DNG compatibility on Intel-based
Macintosh computers (Important
for Adobe users)
• Lines sometimes appearing in images
exported from Aperture (sometimes? try all
the time)
Tuesday, December 12, 2006 Filed in:
Adobe
Looking
for greater options and compatibility when
browsing PDF files? Then its time to
download Adobe Reader
8 (formerly Acrobat Reader).
The new version features a streamlined
interface that can be customized by the end
user. An important change is that Acrobat
Professional users can enable the ability for
Reader users to fill and submit forms as well
as add comments. The program is also GPU aware
so a powerful graphics card will speed things
up.
Tuesday, December 12, 2006 Filed in:
Podcast
| Adobe
Layer comps allow
you to create alternate images and store them in
one Photoshop document. Instructor Richard
Harrington shows you how to get the most out of
this important tool. Part 1 of 2.
Like the podcast?
Subscribe for FREE.
Want more training? Check out our
Books.
Sunday, December 10, 2006 Filed in:
Adobe
While its
'just' a minor update, its still nice when our
power tools get tweaked. Adobe just released a
minor bug update to After Effects. Here are some
details from the release notes about the most
significant fixes in the 7.0.1 release
(Mac or Win):
• An issue has been fixed where After
Effects' application window could not be revealed
after being hidden.
• After Effects can now read IFF image
files rendered out of mental ray for Maya.
• Shift-clicking to draw vertices with the
Pen tool now constrains to 45 degree angles.
• Copy and paste of semitransparent text
from Illustrator into After Effects has been
fixed.
• Choosing Composition > Preview >
Audio Preview (Work Area) will now play the whole
work area.
• Users can now import Blackmagic Design
8-bit YUV AVI compressed files.
• An issue that caused incorrect pixel
aspect ratio and dimensions when importing
DVCProHD files captured in FCP5 has been
fixed. (I begged for this
one)
• Audio waveform no longer disappears when
the window is resized.
A big thanks to After Effects Product
Manager Steve Kilisky
for letting me
know.
Sunday, December 10, 2006 Filed in:
Motion
Graphics
I've
edited together the highlights from a recent
class on video
podcasting. If
you attended my class at Digital Media DC,
then this is the advanced notes. If you
couldn't attend, then this is the next best
thing. If you open this file in iTunes you can
see the slides change in sync with the audio.
If the slides are not visible, click the Show
Artwork button in the lower left corner then
click the slide thumbnail to go full-screen.
You can also see the slides if you put the
file on an iPod with a screen. I hope you
enjoy and find the presentation
useful.
Saturday, December 09, 2006
It's that time
again... we've launched our survey for the month
of December. It's time for you to cast your vote
and have your voice/click heard.
This time we want to know which new
tutorials to produce. Which Motion Graphics
design skill do you want to see more training
available? I'll produce both a for sale product
and an exclusive sample for those who vote and
comment. Be sure to leave a comment with your
email address and I'll contact you next month
with a free training module.
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Saturday, December 09, 2006 Filed in:
Video
| Education
To those who
attended, sorry for the short delay in getting my
final notes up. Friday turned into a day of
recovery, but you'll now find all of the
notes
posted. While you are in the
handout section, feel free to poke around and
look at other resources. You'll find lots of
ideas that will help you out with projects.
If you wanted to take advantage of our DVD
discount (10% off at VASST.com) be sure to enter the code
GVEXPO at check out.
Saturday, December 09, 2006 Filed in:
Personal
I
have now made the leap to a new digital camera. I
have been very happy with my Nikon D70 (albeit
its a few years old), but I have desired a
smaller camera that I could keep in my laptop bag
for the many trips I take. The thought being that
carrying a full bag of lenses and camera parts
isn't always going to be practical.
I
was about ready to give up my shopping quest
(don't even get me started on the in store people
who tried to convince me that I didn't need to
shoot Camera Raw). But some research and
photography buddies turned me onto Leica camera.
I have purchased (but not yet received) what I
think to be the perfect camera for my needs.
The Leica D-LUX 3
offers
a superb amount of pro features in a small
package:
- 10-megapixel CCD (18
x 24-inch prints)
- Shoot both RAW and
JPEG
- Manual setting
options (focus, aperture, ISA,
bracketing)
- High-quality lens
takes (equivalent to 28 mm - 112
mm)
- Ability to shoot
three aspect ratios (4:3 - 3:2 -
16:9)
- Optical
stabilization and fast processing (burst 1
fps)
- High-quality
aluminum housing
- Video Record HD 720P
@ 15 fps & SD @ 30 fps in
QuickTime
- Choice between
automatic or manual ISO 100, ISO 200, ISO 400,
ISO 800 or ISO 1600.
- Includes full copy
of Photoshop Elements
The cameras are back ordered due to popularity,
so you'll need to allow a few weeks to
get yours
(I'm
still anxiously waiting).
Saturday, December 09, 2006 Filed in:
Personal
Here's
my latest iMix, a collection of songs posted to
the iTunes music store for others to enjoy. Just
click this link to visit the iTunes
music store and you can here a little part of
the soundtrack of my life. Music from 2006
is a
collection songs that I discovered in 2006.
I've limited it to one song per artist (but I
recommend checking entire albums). Visit
iTunes to listen to the tracks, pick up the
ones you want, and vote for the iMix in the
rankings.
Friday, December 08, 2006
For most of
you, it's holiday time... a time for giving of
gifts and catching up with friends. Well I'm
brining that same joy into the blogosphere.
Exactly what am I giving away? It's a secret and
I can't reveal it to December 15th... but check
back then.
I promise some really cool free downloads that
you'll want to get. A certain legal document
prevents me from leaking any details, but you
will NOT want to miss what I have in store. Trust
me... GRIN.
Friday, December 08, 2006 Filed in:
Adobe
While
teaching this week, we got on the topic of how to
make Photoshop run faster. Most in the audience
thought the answer was to add more RAM (yes that
will help), but its not the only way. Adobe
Photoshop can recognize up to 3GB of physical
RAM, but you can also use virtual memory in the
form of a scratch disk.
By targeting hard drive, Photoshop can
temporarily use disk space to help in opening
large files, ruing complex filters, or performing
a resize command. But how do you set this up?
1. Launch your preferences by pressing Cmd + K
(Ctrl + K).
2. Find the Plug-Ins & Scratch Disks Category
in the drop down menu at the top of the window.
3. Set your first Scratch Disk to a hard drive
and click OK.
Internal hard drives are best (as opposed to
networked drives). You should also avoid using
the Startup (system) drive as this will bog
performance down. If you are a video editor, you
can target your fast video editing drives. Don't
worry, Photoshop will trash any temp files when
you quit or on relaunch after a crash.
Be sure to set your Scratch Disk preferences
right for a great bump in performance when
working with larger files or with several files
open.
Thursday, December 07, 2006 Filed in:
Apple
| Training
Products
Looking for some great
new FCP tutorials? Well true experts know that
"the power is in the trim." Chris has two great
short tips on trimming, the first is on
asymmetrical trimming (easier that its sounds)
and the second is on using markers for sync
reference. If you are an Avid editor, these two
tutorials will really help unlock FCP's trimming
tools. Be sure to subscribe today (it’s
totally free). You can get it at iTunes
(the
preferred method) or manually visit our
web feed. If you'd like to
get full-length DVDs with practice media, then
visit www.VASST.com.
Thursday, December 07, 2006 Filed in:
Apple
| Training
Products
Looking for some great
new FCP tutorials? Well true experts know that
"the power is in the trim." Chris has two great
short tips on trimming, the first is on
asymmetrical trimming (easier that its sounds)
and the second is on using markers for sync
reference. If you are an Avid editor, these two
tutorials will really help unlock FCP's trimming
tools. Be sure to subscribe today (it’s
totally free). You can get it at iTunes
(the
preferred method) or manually visit our
web
feed. If you'd like to
get full-length DVDs with practice media, then
visit www.VASST.com.
Wednesday, December 06, 2006 Filed in:
Business
| Video
While I was traveling
for DV Expo, we decided to pick up a new digital
audio recorder. After an exhaustive search, we
decided upon the Microtrack 24/96 from
M-Audio. This recorder has
proven very flexible as we can use it several
ways.
- It
can be patched into a soundboard easily with
three different connection types
- It
can be connected to a video camera's headphone
port to record audio
- It
has an attachable mike for quick voice records
of meetings or creative sessions
The feature list is pretty impressive as it
offers pro options at a reasonable price. It's
important that you download the latest software
updates (which are free) but the whole package is
great. I love being able to both charge and
transfer data via a USB 2 cable. Don't let some
of the inexperienced Amazon reviewers throw you
off, I trust the recommendation of Douglas
Spotted Eagle any day.
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
If you are in
need of some new ideas or inspiration, be sure to
check out the new articles from Adobe experts.
There's a full list posted over at
PhotoshopNews.com
and there's some
truly great stuff in there. While the articles
skew towards digital photographers (like most
of Adobe these days), I found these two very
useful.
Tuesday, December 05, 2006 Filed in:
Adobe
| Business
If
you are in need of some new ideas or inspiration,
be sure to check out the new articles from Adobe
experts. There's a full list posted over
at PhotoshopNews.com
and
there's some truly great stuff in there. While
the articles skew towards digital
photographers (like most of Adobe these days),
I found these two very useful.
Digital
Image Integrityby George
ReisPhotographs have been
altered or “faked” ever since the
very beginning of chemical photography. Learn how
Photoshop CS is providing forensics experts and
law enforcement specialists better tools for
evaluating the authenticity of a
photograph.
Black
and White Conversion
Tutorialby John Paul
CaponigroAre you looking for
more detail in your digital B&W conversions?
Or perhaps better contrast and tonal separation?
Here’s an opportunity to learn how to get
maximum flexibility out of your B&W
conversions. Follow along step-by-step, as John
Paul Caponigro shows you how the pros do it in
this dynamic PDF tutorial.
Tuesday, December 05, 2006 Filed in:
Podcast
| Adobe
Maximize your
Photoshop workflow with these essential tips on
layer organization. Instructor Rich Harrington
explains how to align, distribute and group
layers and how to lock different aspects of a
layer.
Like the podcast?
Subscribe for FREE.
Want more training? Check out our
Books.
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