Spry Collapsible Panel: Dreamweaver CS4 Tutorial

Spry Collapsible Panel: Dreamweaver CS4 Tutorial

In this tutorial we will learn about a very cool widget in Dreamweaver CS4 that will allow you to create a very cool and easy to edit Collapsible Panel which basically allows a user to click and tab and a content box drops down below it and the user it able to click the tab and retract the box so it is just the tab again. It is really a cool way to display some content and adds a neat little effect to your website. Go ahead and grab the files from this link: http://tutvid.com/tutorials/dreamweav…

Photoshop Tutorial: Create a Warm Grungy Background!

Photoshop Tutorial: Create a Warm Grungy Background!

 

Here we have a great tutorial on creating a textured grunge style background for web and photo use and even create a little place-holder for images form scratch.

Link to the metal photo: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/424649
Link the the Brush Pack: http://www.brusheezy.com/brush/471-De…

We will talk about applying texture to colored layers, a little dodging and burning, Smart Objects, Custom Brushes, and more!

Tuesday News n’ Stuff

Tuesday News n’ Stuff

 

-Tutvid Redesign:

 

I have started in earnest the re-design of Tutvid.com. The new site is going to be a bit simpler and very, very easy to use and very easy for me to update. Because of how the new site will function there will be a whole bunch of cool new aspects of the site that I can’t wait to show you guys. The new site will also take much less time to keep updated so I will have a lot more tutorials (written and video), resources, free downloads and more that will be available. Long story short the new site should really kick some serious butt. You guys will love it. I am hoping to have the final design finished and all setup by early next year, but it may come even sooner.

 

-FlashCamp Philadelphia:

Well it’s that time! FlashCamp Philadelphia is upon us! This Saturday we will get together and have a grand time! If you are interested in going get your ticket(s) now because there are barely any tickets left at all, so go to the site and get your tickets now!

http://flashcamp.pfpaug.org/

 

-Newsletter Archive coming soon:

 

I have been getting a whole bunch of requests for the older newsletters and I really don’t have a great way of displaying/showcasing them on the site so they are easily accessible. Pretty soon I am hoping to get a some kind of a nice way for folks to check out the older newsletters.

 

-HDR Photography DVD Course to be released:

 

I have been talking about this HDR Photography Course on DVD (it will be available as a download as well) since early Summer and I finally think I will have it finished and ready for download and viewing at the end of this month. Some really great stuff in the course and a lot of you should really enjoy it.

 

Well that is it for now, it’s been a bit of a crazy start to the week with my 3 month old nephew in the hospital as I write, but everything should be OK and he should be home in about a week, but I hope you guys have all had a great week so far! Enjoy!

Flash Tutorial: Create, Drag a Mask with Actionscript 3.0

Flash Tutorial: Create, Drag a Mask with Actionscript 3.0

Here we have a tutorial taken from the Tutvid.com July August newsletter. We will use Flash and Actionscript 3.0 to create a mask that can be dragged around to reveal an image underneath. Very cool, very easy, and very easy to edit as well.

Create a Cool 3D Ice Effect: Photoshop CS4 Extended Tutorial

Create a Cool 3D Ice Effect: Photoshop CS4 Extended Tutorial

Another tutorial taken right from the August September Tutvid newsletter. Here we go ahead and work with Photoshop CS4 Extended, specifically the 3D construction and editing engine. We will create a cool abstract 3D shape which is different every time you make it and we then check out some cool techniques to convert it to a smooth icy looking shape. Really a quick neat technique.

Recent, Cool Top-Whatever Lists

Recent, Cool Top-Whatever Lists

Everyday there are countless design blogs that have top 10, 20, 25, 50, 100 this, that, and the other best-of lists, or just lists in general! Wwe all love em’ and never seem to get sick of them… well for the most part. I typically don’t down my own top-whatever lists, but I don’t have a problem showing others top lists.

Just within the past couple weeks there have been plenty of these lists, so let me share a couple with you guys.

-Best Green Web Designs and Green Blog Designs

http://www.problogdesign.com/inspiration/22-of-the-best-green-web-designs/

-20+ Free High Quality PSDs

http://ntt.cc/2009/10/18/20-high-quality-free-psd-files-improve-your-design-work-features.html

-10 Puzzle Websites to Sharpen Your Programming Skills

http://sixrevisions.com/resources/10-puzzle-websites-to-sharpen-your-programming-skills/

-The Ultimate Round-Up of T-Shirt Design Tutorials

http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2009/10/16/the-ultimate-round-up-of-t-shirt-design-tutorials/

-25 Stylish and Outstanding Login Forms

http://www.queness.com/post/821/25-stylish-and-outstanding-login-forms

-13 Great WordPress Plugins To Power Up Your Admin Area

http://www.problogdesign.com/wordpress/13-great-wordpress-plugins-to-power-up-your-admin-area/

-39 Astonishing Examples of 3D Typography

http://www.tutorial9.net/resources/39-astonishing-examples-of-3d-typography/

-50 Brilliant Bird’s-Eye Photos

http://www.noupe.com/inspiration/50-brilliant-birds-eye-photos.html

-45 Animal Inspired Logo Designs

http://www.youthedesigner.com/2009/10/12/45-animal-inspired-logo-designs/

-16 Smashing Photorealistic Text Effects in Photoshop

http://www.photoshoproadmap.com/Photoshop-blog/2009/09/22/16-smashing-photorealistic-text-effects-in-photoshop/

August-September Newsletter available for download!

August-September Newsletter available for download!

Click here to check out the Newsletter!

The latest newsletter is coming out either later on today or early tomorrow! With that in mind it is time to reveal a newsletter from a couple months ago, this one is the August-September newsletter.

In this newsletter we cover:

Photoshop: Andy Warhol Pop-Art Text Effect

Dreamweaver: Collapsible Spry Panel

Flash: Growing Vines Animation

Photoshop: Abstract 3D Ice Effect

There is also the normal inspirational websites, brush, and font.

Click here to check out the Newsletter!

Photoshop Tutorial Twilight Text Effect

Photoshop Tutorial Twilight Text Effect

Here we go again creating a cool effect in Photoshop. This tutorial was originally written for the July-August Tutvid.com Newsletter and finally I am getting it uploaded! We cover creating text and converting that to paths and editing those paths to create a custom typeface. We also cover a textured effect as well some other great techniques and useful tips in Photoshop.

Brilliant Tutorial: What do you like?

Brilliant Tutorial

Every now and again I come across a really great tutorial that has the “trifecta” of tutorial perfection:

1. The final, finished product is either useful or stunning

2. It is well written

3. It shows a technique or two I have never thought of.

I am continually cruising for new tutorials in an attempt to pick up new techniques and just get a general idea of what other folks are doing to solve different problems. Finding new tutorials-even if you are just going to breeze through them-is a really great way to file away potentially useful tips and tricks as well as gain some serious inspiration for a design project.

All else aside I came across this particular tutorial awhile ago and just stumbled into it again and decided to write a blog about it and share what I think is a truly awesome tutorials with you guys!

GoMediaZine has a ton of great material from tutorials to articles to patterns, actions and a bunch of other cool things, be sure to explore the site beyond this tutorial!

I am going to point out a few of the points I really like about this tutorial and then let you go and check it out for yourself!

I Love…

-That this tutorial starts the 3D text in Illustrator NOT Xara3D or some other 3D engine!

-That this tutorial mixes Bevel and Emboss with a Pattern to actually make it look good!

-How many times have you used the Gradient Map? It is a great tool!

-My personal Highlight of this tutorial: Using the Brush Tool + Brushes Panel to create first the tree limbs and then the foliage, brilliant technique!

Go ahead and check out the tutorial for yourself by clicking here!

http://www.gomediazine.com/tutorials/create-dream-design-3d-typography/

Speaking at FlashCamp Philadelphia: Help me out!

Hey guys I want to let you guys know that I will be speaking at Flash Camp Philadelphia, probably doing a presentation on Photoshop and Flash, but nothing is nailed down 100%.

I would like to know IF you were there, what involving Flash and Photoshop would you like to see me speak/present a tutorial about? Let me know and I may tweak what I have in mind, or more than likely make the presentation even better based on your suggestions.

What would you think would be a good topic to cover?

That’s really all for today, just wanted to let ya’ll know I will be there.

If you are interested in showing up for the Flash Camp event, where we will have about 25 other speakers beside me, check out the sign up page and even if you are not a student you can get in for less than $50. Click here to sign up now!