cmyk

Choose between CMYK vs RGB for your designs

This guide will cover everything you need to know about CMYK and RGB and which is best for your design.

What is the Difference Between CMYK and RGB?

When it comes to creating visually appealing content, understanding the difference between CMYK and RGB is crucial. These color models are widely used in various applications, but they have distinct purposes and characteristics. Let’s explore the key differences between CMYK and RGB:

RGB for Digital Work

RGB, which stands for Red, Green, and Blue, is primarily used for digital work. It is an additive color model where the primary colors are combined to create a wide range of hues. When you see vibrant displays on your computer screen, mobile devices, or television, they are all created using RGB.

Branding, social media graphics, web design, and other digital content benefit greatly from the RGB color model. Its wide color gamut and ability to display vibrant and rich colors make it ideal for creating visually stunning digital assets.

CMYK for Print Projects

CMYK, which stands for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Key (Black), is predominantly used for print projects. It is a subtractive color model that applies different ink combinations to achieve the desired colors. CMYK is commonly used in offset printing, digital printing, and other printing techniques.

When creating merchandise, advertising materials, brochures, and other printed materials, CMYK is the go-to color model. It ensures accurate color reproduction and consistency in print, resulting in high-quality outputs.

What Programs Use CMYK and RGB?

When it comes to graphic design software, CMYK and RGB are two popular color spaces used to create stunning visuals. Whether you are a professional graphic designer or an aspiring artist, understanding the difference between CMYK and RGB and knowing which programs support these color spaces is essential. In this article, we will explore the programs that utilize CMYK and RGB, providing you with the tools you need to bring your creative ideas to life.

Graphic Design Software

Adobe is a prominent name in the world of graphic design, and their suite of software programs, including Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign, support both CMYK and RGB. These powerful tools provide a vast range of features and options, allowing users to manipulate colors, create stunning images, and design professional layouts. Whether you’re working on a digital project or preparing designs for print, these industry-standard programs have got you covered.

In addition to Adobe’s suite, there are other graphic design software programs available that support both CMYK and RGB. CorelDRAW, for example, is a popular alternative that offers similar functionality. Affinity Designer, Sketch, and GIMP are also excellent choices for digital artists and designers looking to work in both color spaces.

Canva

If you prefer a more user-friendly and web-based design tool, Canva is a fantastic option. Initially, Canva only supported RGB color space, which is suitable for online designs. However, due to the increasing demand for print-ready designs, Canva now allows users to download their creations in CMYK color space as well. This feature is extremely useful for individuals who want to send their designs directly to print or collaborate with professional printing services.

Canva’s intuitive interface and vast library of pre-designed templates make it accessible for users of all skill levels. Whether you’re designing social media graphics, flyers, or business cards, Canva’s support for both CMYK and RGB ensures that your designs will look fantastic in any medium.

When it comes to graphic design software, having the ability to work in both CMYK and RGB color spaces is essential. Programs like Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign offer robust features for professional designers, while Canva provides a user-friendly web-based platform suitable for beginners and casual users.

Whether you’re creating digital graphics or preparing designs for print, understanding and utilizing CMYK and RGB will help you achieve the desired outcome. So, choose the software that best suits your needs and let your creative ideas shine.

How to Get the Best Print Color in Photoshop

When it comes to printing your digital designs or photographs, getting the color just right is crucial. The colors you see on your computer screen might not translate accurately to print, which can result in disappointing outcomes. However, by following a few simple steps in Photoshop, you can ensure that the colors in your prints are vibrant and true to your original vision.

Switch to CMYK Color Space

First and foremost, it is important to understand the difference between RGB (Red, Green, Blue) and CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Key) color spaces. RGB is the color mode used for digital screens, while CMYK is the standard for print. To get the best print color in Photoshop, you need to switch from RGB to CMYK.

To do this, you can begin by creating a new document in Photoshop and selecting CMYK as the color mode. This ensures that you start with the appropriate color space for print. Alternatively, if you already have an existing image or design in RGB, you can convert it to CMYK by going to the “Image” menu, selecting “Mode,” and then choosing “CMYK Color.”

Adjusting Colors for Print

Converting to CMYK alone is not enough to guarantee accurate print colors. You may also need to make additional adjustments to achieve the best results. Once you have switched to CMYK, open the “Image” menu again and select “Adjustments.” From there, you can fine-tune the brightness, contrast, and saturation of your image specifically for print.

Keep in mind that the colors you see on your computer screen are created using light, while printed colors are created using ink. This means that certain vibrant colors that are easily achievable in RGB may not be as achievable in the CMYK color space. It’s important to experiment and find a balance that maintains the integrity of your design while considering the limitations of print.

Soft Proofing for Print

Another helpful feature in Photoshop is the “Soft Proofing” function, which allows you to preview how your image will appear in print. To use this feature, go to the “View” menu, select “Proof Setup,” and then choose the appropriate CMYK profile for your printer or printing service.

Soft proofing gives you a more accurate representation of how your print will look by simulating the specific printer profile and the characteristics of the printing process. It can help you identify any potential issues, such as colors that are out of gamut and may not reproduce as desired. By adjusting your colors based on these soft proofing results, you can ensure that the final print closely matches what you see on your screen.

Switching from RGB to CMYK color space and making necessary adjustments in Photoshop are vital steps to ensure the best print color. However, it’s important to note that the final result is also influenced by factors beyond your control, such as the type of printer, paper, and ink used. To achieve the most accurate print colors, it’s advisable to consult with a professional printing service and request proof prints before committing to a large batch.

Do I Need to Convert RGB to CMYK for Printing?

When it comes to printing, accurate color reproduction is vital. In order to ensure that the colors in your artwork and files appear as intended, it is necessary to convert RGB (Red, Green, Blue) colors to CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Key) colors. Let’s explore why this conversion is important and how it affects the final printed product.

The Difference Between RGB and CMYK

RGB is the color space used for digital displays such as computer screens, cameras, and smartphones. It is an additive color model where the combination of red, green, and blue light creates various colors. On the other hand, CMYK is the color model used in printing. It is a subtractive color model where colors are created by subtracting different amounts of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black ink from a white background.

Why Convert RGB to CMYK for Printing?

Colors can appear differently when printed in CMYK compared to what you see on your screen in RGB. RGB has a wider color gamut, meaning it can produce a broader range of colors than CMYK. Therefore, if you provide artwork or files in RGB for printing, there is a possibility that the printed colors may not match your expectations or the vibrant hues you see on your screen.

Converting RGB to CMYK allows you to have more control over the color output during the printing process. By making this conversion, you can adjust the colors to ensure they appear as intended on the final printed material. This is particularly important for businesses and individuals who require color accuracy in their printed materials, such as designers, photographers, and marketing professionals.

Supplying Artwork and Files for Printing

Before submitting your artwork or files for printing, it is crucial to convert them from RGB to CMYK. You can easily do this using professional graphic design software such as Adobe Photoshop or Adobe Illustrator. These programs have color conversion options that allow you to make the necessary adjustments and ensure the colors translate accurately to the CMYK color space.

When converting from RGB to CMYK, it’s important to keep in mind that some colors may not have an exact match in the CMYK color space. This means that certain vibrant or neon colors may appear duller when printed. To avoid any surprises, it’s always a good idea to request a physical proof or a color swatch from your printing service provider before proceeding with a large print run.

Converting RGB to CMYK for printing is a necessary step to achieve accurate color reproduction. While it can be disappointing to see the vibrancy of RGB colors diminish when printed in CMYK, this conversion allows you to have better control over the final printed result. By making the conversion and checking the colors before printing, you can ensure that your printed materials look exactly as you intended them to, bringing your designs to life with precision and accuracy.

RGB or CMYK for Digital Art

When it comes to creating digital art, one of the important considerations is choosing the right color mode. The two most commonly used color modes are RGB (Red, Green, Blue) and CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black). Each of these color modes has its advantages and is suitable for different purposes. In this article, we will explore when and why you should use RGB or CMYK for your digital artwork.

RGB for Digital Art

If your digital art will exclusively be used digitally, then RGB is the best option. RGB is an additive color model that produces colors by combining varying intensities of red, green, and blue light. This color mode is widely supported by digital devices such as computer screens, smartphones, and tablets. By creating your digital art in RGB, you can ensure that the colors will be displayed accurately and vibrantly on these devices.

With RGB, you have a wider range of colors to work with compared to CMYK. This is because RGB is capable of producing more vibrant and intense colors. It is ideal for creating artworks that rely on bright and saturated hues, such as digital illustrations and graphics for websites.

CMYK for Print

On the other hand, if you plan to print your digital art, it is recommended to convert it to CMYK for better color accuracy. CMYK is a subtractive color model used in the printing industry, where colors are created by subtracting varying amounts of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black ink.

Unlike RGB, CMYK colors may appear less vibrant and bright when printed. This is because the printing process has limitations in reproducing certain intense colors. However, CMYK offers a wider gamut for softer and more nuanced colors, making it suitable for printed materials such as posters, brochures, and art prints.

Considerations for Choosing the Right Color Mode

When deciding whether to use RGB or CMYK, here are some factors to consider:

  • Intended Use: If your digital art is meant for screen display only, RGB is the way to go. If you anticipate printing your artwork, then converting it to CMYK is necessary.
  • Color Accuracy: If color accuracy is crucial for your artwork, CMYK provides better control over how the colors will appear in print.
  • Impact of Conversion: Keep in mind that converting RGB artwork to CMYK may cause slight color shifts, so it’s recommended to make any necessary adjustments before the conversion.

Tip: When working on a digital art project that will potentially be both digitally displayed and printed, it is advisable to create your artwork using a larger color workspace, such as Adobe RGB or ProPhoto RGB. This will give you more flexibility when converting to CMYK for printing while preserving the vibrant colors for digital displays.

Ultimately, the choice between RGB and CMYK for digital art depends on where and how the artwork will be used. By understanding the characteristics and limitations of each color mode, you can ensure that your digital artwork looks its best, whether it’s on a screen or in print.

Prepping File for Wall Art

If you plan to sell wall art, it’s important to consider the color mode of your digital designs. Wall art should be in CMYK format to ensure the colors appear the same when printed as they do on screen.

When creating digital designs for wall art, it’s essential to take into account how the colors will translate from the digital screen to the final printed product. The color mode used in your design files can greatly impact the final result.

CMYK, which stands for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Key (black), is the standard color mode for professional printing. Unlike RGB (Red, Green, Blue), which is used for digital displays, CMYK is optimized for printing with ink on paper. It’s crucial to work in CMYK mode when creating wall art to ensure that the colors are accurately represented in the final print.

When a design file is in RGB mode, it uses a wider color gamut than CMYK, which means it can reproduce colors that are outside the range that can be printed. This can lead to a discrepancy between the colors seen on the screen and those produced in the print. Colors that appear vibrant and bright on a digital display may appear dull or different when printed in CMYK.

Converting your design files to CMYK before printing is essential to achieving the desired results. Most professional design software, such as Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator, allows you to easily switch between color modes. Simply select the CMYK color mode before starting your design or convert the file before sending it for printing.

In addition to the color mode, it’s also crucial to consider other aspects of prepping your file for wall art. This includes ensuring that your design has the proper resolution for printing, using the correct file format (such as TIFF or PDF), and providing any necessary bleed or trim areas. These factors will vary depending on the specific requirements of your printing method.

By taking the time to prep your file correctly, you can ensure that your wall art looks just as intended when printed. This will help you deliver a high-quality product to your customers and build a reputation for professionalism and attention to detail. Remember, the right color mode can make a significant difference in how your wall art is perceived, so always work in CMYK for print.

To summarize:

  • RGB is best for branding, social media graphics, web design, and other digital content.
  • CMYK is best for branding, merchandise, advertising, and other printed materials.

By optimizing your color choices for each medium, you can create visually striking and consistent content that effectively communicates your message.

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5 Simple Photoshop Image Editing Tips

Adobe Photoshop is a groundbreaking computer program that has revolutionized the way photographs are edited. It has made the process simple and accessible even for those who are new to computers but have a basic understanding. Photoshop allows users to not only edit existing images, but also create new ones from scratch.

The program has become the go-to industry standard for photo editing and has elevated the field to new heights. While becoming an expert in photo editing through practice and experience with Photoshop is ideal, following some simple tips can still yield impressive results.

To start your Photoshop editing journey, it is crucial to choose the right tools. There are various selection tools available, including the marquee, lasso, and magic wand, which can be used to select the entire image or parts of it. These tools are used to perform operations such as cut, copy, edit, or retouch.

Cropping the Photo

Most photos, no matter how well-composed, have portions that are not needed. The next step in Photoshop editing is to remove these unwanted areas by using the crop tool. To activate the crop tool, simply press the control key. Next, create a box within your photo, and use the tick-boxes in the corners to adjust and resize the area you want to crop.

Removing Sensor Dust

Enhancing the quality of your photo also involves removing any dust spots or debris on the lens of your camera. This is most visible in images taken with a small aperture or in plain areas like the sky. To remove these spots, use the Healing Brush.

Boosting Contrast

Another important aspect of Photoshop editing is boosting the contrast of the image to make it more vibrant. This can be achieved by brightening the highlights and darkening the shadows. To do this, adjust the levels window by dragging the white arrow (right) to the left for lightening and the black arrow (left) to the right for darkening.

Fine-Tuning Colors

In some instances, you may need to fine-tune the colors in your image to avoid garish and noisy tones. To do this, boost the saturation levels. However, be mindful of adding too much saturation as this can make the image look unnatural.

Sharpening the Image

Finally, sharpening the image can make it clearer and more precise. This process can be applied to all digital images, but the settings will vary depending on whether the image will be viewed on a screen or printed. It is important to sharpen the image discreetly to avoid unwanted digital noise.

By keeping these 5 Photoshop editing tips in mind, you can create high-quality images that look natural and lively.

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More tips and trick for Photoshop 2023

Here are some tips and tricks for using Photoshop:

Quickly select layers: With the Move tool selected, right-click in the image over the layer to be selected and choose it from the context-sensitive menu. Note: this shortcut works better if you name your layers.

Reposition selections while drawing: After starting to draw a selection using the Marquee tool, holding the spacebar (while still holding the mouse down) allows the repositioning of the origin of the selection. Releasing the spacebar (while still holding the mouse down) allows continuation of drawing of the selection. Similarly, when drawing with the Pen tool, if you click to set down an anchor point and need to reposition it, holding the spacebar allows you to reposition that anchor point – as long as you have not released the mouse after clicking to set the point.

Cycle through nested tools: To cycle through tools that use the same keyboard shortcut, add the Shift key. For example, Shift + L will cycle through the Lasso, Polygonal, and Magnetic Lasso Tools. If you prefer to cycle through tools that have the same shortcut without using the Shift key, choose Preferences > Tools and disable Use Shift Key for Tool Switch. To quickly cycle through nested tools without using a keyboard shortcut, Alt-click on the tool in the Toolbar. Or, learn how to create your own custom keyboard shortcut.

Toggling between tools: There are several tools which, with the help of a keyboard modifier, can be temporarily toggled to another tool. For example, to temporarily toggle between the Path Selection Tool and the Direct Selection Tool, hold the Control key. Other tools toggle with the help of the Alt key.Erase with history: Holding Alt key with the Eraser tool will erase with history.

Quickly fill or erase areas: The Paint Bucket can fill with the Foreground color or a Pattern (via the drop-down menu in the Options bar). Note: the Fill command (Edit > Fill) also has the pattern option, but the Paint Bucket may be faster than using the command.

The Ruler Tool: To rotate or straighten a layer (without affecting the entire document), click-drag using the Ruler tool then, click the Straighten Layer button in the Options bar.

Block mode: The Eraser tool has a special “Block” mode which gives you an eraser in the shape of a square.

Remember, these are just a few tips and tricks to help you get started with Photoshop. There are many more shortcuts and techniques to explore!

How to wrap text around a circle in Photoshop

Learn how you can wrap text around a circle with Photoshop — both inside and outside of a circle. This is something that even a first-time user of Photoshop can follow along with.

Photoshop CC 2021 New Features

Photoshop CC 2021 New Features

Photoshop has changed the lives of many either through creativity or professional opportunities. It has also added a lot of value to photography.

Photoshop 2020 was undoubtedly far ahead of its old versions. Neural filters & sky replacement, pattern preview & live shapes made Photoshop CC 2020 a remarkable tool. The addition of exciting capabilities like reimagined filters powered through Adobe Sensei, which let you change a person’s facial expressions in seconds, makes Photoshop CC 2021 a preferred choice.

Let’s read on to go through the new options of Photoshop CC 2021

Neural Filters

One of the best new features from Photoshop 2021 is the Neural Filters. It’s simply a new workspace inside Photoshop with filters powered by Adobe Sensei. With the help of simple sliders, you can change your image’s expression, age, gaze, or pose. AI has genuinely added a lot of value to Photoshop’s latest feature.

Furthermore, features like the skin Smoothing filter saves a lot of effort.

For Neural Filters, open Photoshop and choose Filters > Neural Filters.

Sky Replacement

Photoshop’s new sky option allows you to replace the sky in any photo. There are a variety of options to choose from, including blue skies and rolling thunder. You could also select to upload your sky image, and Photoshop automatically alters the surrounding colorings. So now it would not matter if you clicked pictures with average surroundings, as with the help of Photoshop, your below-par photography skills will not show up.

You can select your preferred sky from the options provided – or you can choose your picture; Photoshop will automatically adjust the photograph. It’ll additionally subtly adjust the white balance of your photo to make it look perfect.

To give your sky a makeover, open Photoshop and select Edit > Sky Replacement.

Pattern Preview

Photoshop allows you to check how your layout will come to life as a pattern in real-time. Earlier, creating a textile or a graphical design with quality details was difficult, as squares were used for design editing. However, you can preview the patterns to analyze how the design will finally develop the new version.

Open Photoshop and choose View > Pattern Preview.

Live Shapes

Live shapes are now available in Photoshop and permit you to create and edit shapes at once to your canvas, just like Adobe Illustrator. There are new controls to adjust strains, triangles, rectangles, and more in the toolbar’s shape tools institution. Furthermore, many improvements are apparent in the line tool, polygon tool, and other variations.

Plugins & Extras

For people who love a little extra, you may now discover plugins inside the creative cloud desktop app. These plugins can be installed and used quickly in Photoshop.

New Elements Features in Photoshop 2021:

Add Motion to Static Images

Remodel your favorite photographs into shifting images in a single click. Powered via Adobe Sensei, this option turns your pictures into laugh animated GIFs with 2D and 3D camera motion, including an extra size on your photographs.

Get Creative

Photoshop Elements 2021 includes plenty of artistic features. You can add motivational quotes or personalized messages to your pics with pre-set templates, as well as tonnes of customization and incredible animation options. You can also turn a picture into a sketch by adding an illustrated sketch effect to your favorite photo. You can create a look of your choice, and this feature includes a pencil, colored pencil, old paper, and old photo. Or, you can also play with the image by brushing on different patterns. You can try photoshop templates and textures from Envato Elements to take your creativity to the next level.

Perfect Landscapes

Adobe’s most up-to-date functions will let you replace skies without difficulty. You can easily do away with haze and erase unwanted gadgets to create amazing outside scenes. The easy guided edit permits you to create an appropriate picture each time. For example, if your background is underwhelming, you may replace it in seconds.

Create Modern Duotones

Duotone offers various options for you to pick from customized sizes, upload a gradient, and more. You could even convert pictures into one double exposure effect painting.

Automatically Colorize Photos

This computerized colorization feature enables you to give new life in your black-and-white pics. You can select colors with automated colorization, upload desired shades to your black and white images, highlight a portion or select an object, and add beautiful effects.

Adjust Facial Features

This feature allows you to adjust facial features. It can elevate frowns to smiles or even close open eyes, and more! The fine-tune face tilt feature additionally robotically adjusts the placements.

Combine Multiple Shots Into One

You can also get high-quality feasible exposure and create exceptional panoramas or photographs by merging your different pictures. You can focus on the subject and reduce the impact of distractions in the background. You may even move, scale and copy gadgets to significantly change their role, length, and more.

Why do we use Ctrl+Alt+Delete?

To summarize:

Even though we’re all used to pointing and clicking these days, plenty of keyboard shortcuts are still incredibly useful. But did you ever take a moment to think about where some of these seeming random button combos actually came from?

The engineers behind the original IBM PC in the early 1980s, wanting a quick way to restart a computer using the keyboard, but they didn’t want to make it too easy, less the user accidentally reboot the computer and lose whatever they were working on. First, control escape was proposed, but all three of those keys are on the same side of the keyboard and they could be pressed easily by mistake.

Then Delete was assigned to be the third key. The key combination was originally intended just for development use by computer engineers, but it was leaked to the public in some IBM reference documents.

The combination has actually done different things in each version of Windows, but nowadays windows 10 gives you a screen with several useful options when pressing control alt delete.

Differences Between Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign

What are the differences between Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign?

Firstly, let me say that all three programs are in fact owned and developed by the same company, Adobe Systems, the World leader in Web development, graphic design and E-learning software. All three programs are also bundled together into Adobe’s Creative Suite, which is a great and affordable way to purchase this software.

I think part of the confusion, is that certain tasks can be done in more than one of these programs. For example you can find vector-drawing tools available inside Photoshop and InDesign, even though Illustrator is the predominant vector drawing program. The key to getting the most out of these three programs is to understand what their key functions are and how they can be used together.

Okay so lets look at each program separately. We’ll start with Adobe Photoshop, which is probably the best known out of the three. Photoshop is a professional image editing software primarily used for editing bitmap images and image manipulation. Bitmap images are images, which are defined by their pixel structure. In other words digital bitmaps can be broken down into millions of tiny pixels and each pixel has its own attributes. Bitmap images are sometimes also referred to as raster images.

The most common type of bitmap image is a photographic image. Whether shot on film and scanned into the computer or whether digitally shot, photos are made up of millions of tiny pixels. So simply put Photoshop is a tool used to edit photographic images. It also has the ability to do lots of other things but the core function of Photoshop is to edit Photographic images.

If you go down to your local newsagent and pick up any magazine, chances are very good that the images in that magazine would have been edited or altered using Photoshop. Sometimes the adjustments can be minor such as subtle lighting or sharpening adjustments, and other times they could be major like applying a filter or special effect. Photoshop is used for retouching – ever wonder why the models and movie stars never have any cellulite or a double chin – the answer is Photoshop. Often an image can comprise of a few different images with have been merged together to form a montage. This effect can also be created in Photoshop.

Adobe Illustrator on the other hand is a vector-drawing program. Vector images are the other main type of digital image. Unlike bitmaps, vectors are made up of a series of lines and shapes, which are defined as mathematical formulae. Vectors are very good for creating images, which contain large sections of the same color. So for example a navigation button on your web site, your company logo, or any non-photographic image would be better off created as a vector. Illustrator is the World’s premiere vector drawing tool, so if you were tasked with creating any kind of ‘flat’ art, such as a corporate profile, including logos, sign work, letterheads etc, chances are you would use Adobe Illustrator.

Adobe InDesign is the newest out of the three programs and is a page layout or publishing program. InDesign is used for putting together stuff like corporate brochures, documents, magazines, newsletters or advertisements. InDesign’s specialty is working with documents that contain a large amount of type or text.

Often designers will use all three programs on the same project. For example we recently created some new course outlines so we used Illustrator to create our logo and a few other vector graphics, we used Photoshop to apply a special shadow effect to some bitmap images, and finally we imported all those elements from Illustrator and Photoshop into InDesign where we added the copy and defined the layout.

Quality graphic design can make or break any company’s image. Adobe Creative Suite which includes Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign plus a little training can give you the vital edge to succeeding in a very competitive world.

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6 Ways You Can Grow Your Creativity Using Technology

Ever pondered on whether you can grow your creativity using Technology? Can you relate? Read on to find out.

Here are a few eye-provoking ways:

1) Music Composition

Do you have a yearning for music? You can download tabs, lyrics and compose music with voice using suitable software and play it in a concert while you go live as well. It will help you keep in track and any mistakes can be covered up. That way you are bound to be a success. People will love your show and you will be in demand.

2) Online Art Exhibition

Everything can be digitized now. Get those paint, water colors and drawing board and create some beautiful art. With Adobe Photoshop you can give further shades and change colors according to your taste and give a finishing touch to the art. Then sell it in an online art exhibition.

3) Creative Writing

Anyone can start writing creatively provided they read and write enough. Plot a story – take one or two days and then start writing. Everything will work out fine so long you plan everything about when you are going to finish your great piece of work, when you are going to sell and publicize it. Don’t give up – keep hanging on. As for the selling part and publicizing, Amazon would be a great place.

4) Photography

Photography is a great creative hobby for anyone. You learn to take photographs in enough light or with your camera’s flash light at night. Once you have the photographs computerized, you can further refine face shapes and colors, body shapes and colors and background colors using Adobe Photoshop. And finally print them out if you like.

5) Making handicrafts

Handicrafts can be made out of wood, bamboo, jute and cotton. They can be of various types depending on your taste for instance, smaller versions of real life objects such as, toy dolls, toy rickshaws and others such as, a handbag, money wallet, a picture with a village scene, boutique T-shirts etc. You can sell these in an appropriate online shop.

6) Making Blended Tea

Get different blends of tea leaves and try one day two blends, another day another two different blends and the third day three blends. And actually boil them in a tea pan. After boiling is done and tea leaves are removed, add sufficient milk and sugar and find out which day’s blended tea you liked the best. Have that more often and feel great. You can make a video of blended tea made by you creatively and embed it in YouTube.

You can tap your creative side in the above ways and technology can help you to grow in ways I have mentioned. Without technology in this modern day, life is meaningless. It has reached every sector of the world. So you need to keep yourself updated in your niche as well as the technology niche.

With both combined and the power of the two, money will keep rolling in. First attempt tried and tested methods of the combination and then when you have sufficient income, you can go experimenting by trial and error. Do not take too many risks or too little either. Do it slow. Take my word for granted – you will soar.

7 Must Have Graphic Design Skills For Today’s Market

Today’s graphic market is more competitive than ever. The need is great to be on top of the pack with adequate skills and information that is up to date. There are skills that are an absolute requirement for the serious graphic design artist, whether creating design for their own projects or for others. There are some basic tools and skills that are needed to have what it takes to produce graphic design that will meet this ever-changing world’s insatiable desire for more and more graphics.

Here is a list of the basic skills needed to meet those needs.

1. Adobe Photoshop: In the industry of graphic design, even the experts are constantly learning. They are on top of the latest and greatest and experimenting with what can be done. They learn through tutorials, seminars, and books. Adobe Photoshop, a pixel based photo manipulation product, is considered the foundation of graphic design. To become proficient, it is imperative that you spend a pre-determined amount of time each week to learn new techniques.

The selection tool offers some complex photo manipulation and design. This product will teach you the technique of layering and adjusting layers, masks and channels. These powerful tools allow for photo repairs such as correcting the colours, scratches, and blemishes.

2. Adobe Illustrator: This program provides graphic design through vector-based graphics. For logo graphics or any other design where crisp, clean artwork is essential, this is the tool of choice. This detail graphic illustrator gives the designer the ability to create poster work and any design print ready.

This program offers such skills as bezier curves, converting a bitmap to a vector image, multi-step gradients, and converting graphic images with text. Like any powerful program, it will take some time to gain proficiency. However, the time spent learning these skills is worth every minute. Invest the time and you will reap great benefits.

3. Quark Express or Adobe InDesign: These programs are what is referred to as page layout programs. No matter what your final product will become, your work area is the page. So, it needs a layout. No matter what type of graphics or text are needed, or if the product will be a book, sales copy, brochures or a magazine, this type of high-end layout program is essential.

To become proficient in these products your skill level must be at the level of creating Master Pages. When this level of skill is attained you will be able to create a 32-page catalogue. This is achieved by understanding how to control text with and around images. This would include setting up the document for the text to flow around and sometimes in the images.

This program will also assist you in setting up pre-press copy and offset printing. If these concepts are foreign to you, go to your local print shop and ask them for a tour. Be sure to test drive this program before you do so you can be ready with a list of questions as you see the process through the eyes of the local print shop. This can be very valuable.

4. Typography: This is one of the most important skills that will determine if you will be a good or an excellent graphic designer. This skill is about the type, the clarity and appropriateness of the type that must accompany the text. It is essential that you have a font management system on your computer system. You must know the difference between True Type, PostScript and OpenType fonts. Be sure to get a font reference guide and resource book. This will increase your typography skills to the expert level.

5. Idea Generation: The resource of ideas is essential for any professional. However, in the design world it is imperative. Graphic designers are paid the most and are in the most demand, not just because of their Flash ability, or PhotoShop skills, but also because of their ability to provide innovative ideas. As an Idea Generator you need a plan, and a method. You will need to be around other innovative thinkers. Be sure to read, read, read. This will assist your creative side and allow your creative side to open up and flow. Remember it is the idea generators that generate serious income. Have a plan and work your plan.

6. Network Building: This is perhaps an essential skill that is too often overlooked. The networking is especially essential when you are a designer who works alone in their studio. For some people networking is difficult. This network will be your support group for those times when you need input, encouragement and direction. Even if you feel that you will never need this, prepare the resource so you will be ready.

To build a strong network, attending networking events is a good idea. Attend events and seminars where you can meet and mingle with others of similar interests. Be sure to take contract information. In this day in age, people are more willing to share their email address. Be sure to keep that contact information available for you to seek out their professional assistance.

7. Business Skills: This is a very important skill. There are some basic office skills that are needed for graphic design artists. You do not have to be an accounting genius, however there is a need to know business skills like sales, marketing, tax strategies and database management. The real heart of any business; whether you are starting your own graphic design company or if you are contracting your work out to customers, you NEED business skills. Without the business skills your graphic design talent will not be utilized to the full potential possible.

These are some of the essential skills needed to be a graphic design artist, who is reaping the benefits of positive cash flow. Some of these skills are specific to the graphics and the design capabilities, and some are specific to the business side. We encourage you to take a good look at where you are on the skill level. Do a realistic assessment, and make a plan to gain the skills needed.

The real key is to do something after you read this. Statistically most people, yes, even those who have paid good money for valuable advice, do not take the next step. The next step is action. Simply put it is, Plan and then Act.

Word design written on top of colorful geometric 3d shapes.

How to Flatten and Unflatten an Image in Photoshop

To flatten an image, first of all create a new Photoshop document by pressing Ctrl+N, or go to File → New. Open the image you want to flatten, then go to the above menu and press Layer → Flatten image. Once you press this command, all of your layers will be merged. Even if you had 10 or 20 layers, by merging they will all become one single layer, one image. Now you can use the “arrow” move tool and move the whole image.

If you look on the right of your screen to the layers column, you will see just one layer listed. Flattening the image merges all layers into one. Just like when you first open the document, because it has only one layer it will be labeled Background, and have a little lock icon. You can unlock the icon by double-clicking on the lock icon. The image will still be flattened even after you unlock the layer, and you will not be able to modify the image or edit text if you added one.

This doesn’t mean that from now on you can’t modify it, just that you have to un-flatten the image first. To undo the flattening, either go to Edit → Undo or press Ctrl+Z. This command will simply undo your last action. Your previous layers will appear again, just as they were before the flattening merged them.

Note that even if the command for “undo” is the same, Photoshop will not allow you to do multiple undo’s like Microsoft Word. If you keep pressing Ctrl+Z will not undo your actions one by one. For this, Photoshop has a different command, called Step Backwards. So if you want to undo several steps, press Alt + Ctrl + Z.

Learn Photoshop Now – Beginner Photoshop Tricks

Selecting Colors from an Image Quickly To turn any color into the foreground color Press I to activate the Eyedropper Tool and then click on any color in your image. To turn that color into the background color, press the ALT Key and click on any color in your image.

Change Brush Tip Sizes Quickly With a brush selected, simply Press the Right Bracket Key “]” to increase the size of your brush tip, or Press the Left Bracket Key “[” to decrease the size of your brush tip.

The Move Tool & the Arrow Keys Getting in the habit of activating the Move Tool through the keyboard is a timesaver; you can do this using the shortcut, “V”. Once you have the Move Tool activated you can use the keyboard arrow keys to push a layer or selection in 1 pixel increments. You can speed things up by pressing the Shift key along with the arrow key to nudge in 10 pixel increments.

Hide Your Palettes Press Tab once to hide all your palettes. Press Tab again to bring them back. Press Shift Tab to hide all your palettes except the toolbar.

Zooming In & Zooming Out You can zoom in on your image by pressing CTRL and the plus sign ” ” (Mac: Command and the ” ” sign). Conversely you can zoom out by pressing CTRL and the minus sign “-” (Mac: Command and the “-“sign).

Navigating In Magnified Images If you have lost your bearings when zooming in on a large image you can jump quickly to specific views using the following shortcuts: To set the view to the top left hand corner of your image press the Home Key. Press the End Key to set the view to the bottom right hand corner of your image. To move the view one full screen down press the Page Down Key. Press CTRL Page Down (Mac: Command Page Down) to move the screen view one full screen to the right. Press CTRL Page Up (Mac: Command Page Up) to move the screen view one full screen to the left.

Selecting Just The Pixels On A Layer An easy way to select an object that is on a transparent layer is to Press the Command Key (PC: Control key) and click on the layer with the object in the Layers Palette. This makes sure that only the opaque pixels (the pixels that are visible) will be selected with the marching ants, instead of the entire layer.

Tile Images for Better Visibility When you simultaneously open a bunch of files in Photoshop they automatically cascade, and it can be difficult to select individual windows within all the overlapping files. To eliminate this problem choose Window> Arrange> Tile and all of your open files will rearrange themselves to be visible all at once. When you’re ready to close the windows you don’t have to spend time closing them individually, instead use the Close All shortcut Control Option W (Mac: Command Alt W).

Getting Rid Of the Welcome Screen – And Bringing It Back When you first open Photoshop CS you will probably see a Welcome Screen that has links to Tutorials, Tips and Tricks, and a set of Color Management Help Files. At some point you might want to stop this screen from coming up. You should see a check box at the bottom of the screen that you can click to hide the screen at startup. Later on, if you change your mind and decide that you want to have it show up again, you can temporarily bring the screen back by clicking under the Help menu and choosing Welcome Screen.

Cycle Through All Of Your Open Documents Sometimes you’ll want to find one of your open documents that is hidden, but navigating using the Window menu won’t help because you can’t recall the name of the file. Instead press Control-Tab repeatedly (MAC and PC) to cycle through all of your open documents.

101 Photoshop Tips

You can download 101 Photoshop tips as a PDF below or press play to listen to the tips. Enjoy!

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