ClipArt Video

by jazamarripae

Question by Bluebird: Is it difficult to learn Adobe Photoshop on your own, without taking a class?
I’ve read that it can be useful in creating compositions for drawing and painting. Do you think I could teach myself with the software and books or videos from the library? Also, what other uses does Adobe Photoshop offer for the visual artist (painters, not photographers)?

Best answer:

Answer by Puppy Zwolle
Yes and no. No, it is pretty intuitive and you can do the basics almost instantly.
Yes, there are so many options that you would never think of you should at least do the tutorials to get acquainted with the possibilities. Someone to guide you to get it right would be of great help.

Also stuff like layers and how to use them may need some explaining but it is all there in the Photoshop. Like all tools it takes time and skill to get good results.

I often use it to get my color scheme right or a composition.

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by moedusa

A Jury in London Kurdish Film Festival have 3 films taking part !!

There is no doubt when it comes to film festival is one of the hardest events to organize, in this article I will uncover my experience and some of the errors in London Kurdish Film Festival and the organizers.

London Kurdish Film Festival is running its 6th Festival this year, and their goal is to promote Kurdish artist and filmmakers, they accept films all over the world as long as you are a Kurdish director or artist. DO THEY ?

As an independent Kurdish filmmaker in my visit to North Iraq Kurdistan Region in august 2008 in an attempt to shoot my short film ‘MIX’ and to see my old Institute of art student friends which most of them are now teachers in the same institute teaching Drama, Acting & Directing also an opportunity for them to take part in the film.

After going through a hectic time to organize shooting, I was happy to come back to London and start post production procedures, and it took a few month to finish due to the amount of effects that applied to the film.

When I submitted the film to London Kurdish Film Festival in June 2009 I was surprised that I didn’t get any confirmation e-mail letter phone call et.. for the recipient !!! Few month later time were getting close to the festival and still no words from them, so I contacted them 2 weeks before the  festival starts via facebook ! because their e-mail address from their website http://www.lkff.co.uk/ were either wrong or they had a full inbox or it didn’t exists, when I was trying to send them e-mails from my 3 different e-mail addresses it kept coming back with the     ‘mail delivery failed’ message

As I contacted one of the festival committee via facebook he replied with this message:

Dear sangar
i have emailed you after the independent committee’s decision that your films has not been selected for the competition therefore for the the programme of the festival. as festival committee we have invited 7 kurdish and non-kurdish individuals to form pre selection committee to decide on the films to go in to competition. unfortunately your one has been qualified by the selection committee

I red this message for about 5 times but no chance of understanding, I showed it to couple of friends no clue, it is possible that they accepted or not or maybe both !! And I never received any e-mails from them.

So I decided to contact the guy again and he kindly apologized and confirmed that my film is NOT been accepted for the competition.

But still no explanation of the reasons why is not been accepted !

A few days later I visited London Kurdish Film Festival website and I was going through the upcoming programs of this year festival, I noticed they also have a none competition screening !!  and  there is 3 short films in this screening section which they are not taking part in the competition, and 2 of them is by a female Kurdish Director, and that Kurdish director is also a Jury within the festival !! And she have one more film which is taking part in the competition !! in the same festival ! So total of 3 films for one Director, and she is also a jury in the festival ! THAT NEVER HAPPENED IN A HISTORY OF FILM FESTIVAL this is all  been published in their website http://www.lkff.co.uk/
there is also a male Kurdish Jury in the festival who have a feature film in the festival ! does it exist to be a jury on your own film ?!

It doesn’t seem right, if one of the mission of London Kurdish Film festival is to promote Kurdish artist and Filmmakers wouldn’t be fair to replace at lest one of the 3 films with a new Kurdish Director film ? rather than promote one director with 3 films and be a jury on their own films ?! A new face or Introduce another filmmaker to take part ?

What is also worth to mention is that the same director with the 3 films this year also anticipated with a film in the previous London Kurdish Film Festival ! I think we all know that raise so many questions.

Personally I have nothing against the respected Kurdish Directors who are also a jury in the festival . My debate here is about Promoting New Kurdish films and artist, if you ask me so far the mission is not accomplished.

Sangar Kamal

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by webtreats

Taking Advantage of Png Files in Windows Vista? Icons and Web Design

Png’s are one of the most popular graphic files but unlike the gif and jpg formats its usage has not yet widely extended to the website design field. Before moving to the subject of the icons themselves, it is worth to mention that the new version of Internet Explorer 7 bundled with Windows Vista™ finally fully supports png as long as other well known web explorers, so the enhanced capabilities of this format can be exploited to the full extent.

The Vista interface distinctively supports a huge size for icons, 256 x 256 pixels, which can be seen by choosing Extra Large Icons in the View submenu, right-clicking on any blank area of the explorer window or the desktop. In this mode view the icons can show an almost photographic amount of details.

So, at the time of rendering an image file to be used as the 256 px icon, a number of effects can be applied in order to get an attractive icon. One is the shadow of the depicted object, which needs to follow the same perspective as the whole icon. But additionally the icons can also have glowing effects, for example for lightning parts of an object that will smoothly fade over the background (png can handle several levels of transparency) and also glass effects and areas showing translucency. Just like shadows, other semi transparent mediums like water, smoke or sparks must be prevented from being cropped outside the canvas of the image.

A quality Vista icon can be nearly photographic, however it is recommended to follow certain rules so the icon will appear naturally inserted into the Vista graphic look. It is good to use less saturation than the standard used in Windows XP™ since this is one of the main characteristics of the Aero™ visual style. In the same way, the icon should communicate its message with even more accuracy than a real image of an object, so its representation will need a complete balance between the use of complex effects and a soft clean general look. Finally, semi transparent effects should not be used in the icon versions of 24 and 16 px.

The endless possibilities now available in Windows Vista icons can be found at www.iconshock.com where you can find professional examples of icons in multiple styles suitable for any visual environment.

This is Part 4 NEW in this version: Dock icons with no shadows, folders with another skin, new vWallpaper 3Dfiction video, the video is recorded much closer to the icons and with more details with a X10 Mini with continuous autofocus. GT5 trailer as vRingtone. Statusbar in top with more info. Here I show my customized iPhone 4 (16GB Jailbroken) with DINIKs Anatacia Icons original made for Windows Mobile 6.5, I converted them myself to iPhone 4 with HD icon size 114×114 so its pretty uniq unless another person do the same. The theme i used as base is the CLASSified HD theme what the dialer, menus and other icons also show. Also I show the HD theme together with my icons and some vWallpaper (video wallpapers) and vRingtone (video rintone). The dock icons are also converted to HD and are called GinoAwesome. This video was recorded by s7yler in Germany near the border to Denmark. 3dfiction.com The lockscreen wallpaper get it from here peecee.dk What have been used in this video: Info: iPhone 4 with firmware 4.2.1 Jailbroken Lockscreen: “Lockinfo” (can be found in Cydia) Lockscreen: “High Gloss for Lockinfo” (can be found in Cydia) Lockscreen: “HTC Plugin HD Theme for Lockinfo” (can be found in Cydia) Unlock: “Tap To Unlock” (iPhone 4) (can be found in Cydia) Unlock: “iPad:iPhone 4 Clear Lock Screen” (can be found in Cydia) Icon roll movement: “Barrel” (can be found in Cydia) Dock and Dockicons: “GinoAwesome” (can be found in Cydia) Icons: “Read down under how to get them” TV …
Video Rating: 4 / 5

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Question by pandora’s box: How can I deal with the problem about taking flash-free pictures indoors?
Suppose that you have to take pictures without flash indoors and you are not able to use tripod or brace your camera anywhere, only thing you can do is to trust your hands’ stability and to hope that they don’t shake. In such a condition, which camera settings can be ideal for both noisy-free and non-blurry pictures?…(iso settings, ect…) Thank you….

Best answer:

Answer by Ankur
Here are a few things you can try-
1) Increase the ISO- ISO level basically reflects the sensitivity of film or sensor for light. Higher ISO means you can manage to keep your shutter speed high even in low light conditions. But here is one trade off- higher ISO means grains(which look like noise in digital cameras) and quality you can get is highly dependent on how good your camera(in digital case) is. So choose an optimum ISO value as per your light conditions and quality requirements.
2) Add some light- Generally normal indoor lighting is not sufficient for photography without flash. So you can add some light from outside. If it is a high intensity, directional light, try pointing it to the ceiling so that it is diffused properly and doesn’t cast sharp shadows. It will add a lot to your indoor photographs.
3) Avoid hand shakes- As you have already ruled out tripod, the only way you can achieve this is by practicing holding camera steady while taking photograph. These tips might be useful-
a) Do not hold camera too tight or too loose.
b) Do not stop breathing, but try to release breath slowly as you click.
c) Practice, practice & practice.

Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!

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by Daniel*1977

Taking Pictures of Ferraris for Fun and Profit

You may have a fascination with expensive cars that you can turn into a fun hobby or possible profit from when taking pictures of Ferraris. If you are a competent photographer, or an accomplished amateur, taking pictures of Ferraris can be a fun filled activity.

A good place to find a great source for taking pictures of Ferraris is the Ferrari Club of America. This 5,000-member club offers a year-long schedule of activities for Ferrari owners. There are quite a few regional associations, so you can more than likely find one where you live. These regions provide opportunities to take pictures of Ferraris at swap meets, rallies, track events and other venues where owners and the interested come together.

In fact, almost every country in Europe has a Ferrari Club that holds annual events where you can take pictures of Ferraris in a variety of settings from on-display to road running and rally events.

The Ferrari Club of Australia holds an annual meet in October where owners from all over converge to show off their prized possession presenting an excellent opportunity for any skilled photographer to take pictures of Ferraris.

Worldwide opportunities abound on every continent to take pictures of Ferraris for either your own personal interest of possibly to turn into a part-time paying activity.

Dedicated Magazines

There are two extremely popular magazines dedicated to the car developed by the legendary Enzo Ferrari. These magazines are Forza and Cavallino. Both display incredibly high-quality pictures of Ferraris in each edition. If you are a Ferrari enthusiast, check out issues from both these magazines that not only offer great pictures of Ferraris from different collectors throughout the world, but also offer a vast amount of Ferrari information and history. If you are a highly skilled photographer with an impressive portfolio of pictures of Ferraris, you should contact the photo editors of either, or both, magazines to make them aware of the shots you’ve taken.

Also, when cruising about at events taking pictures of Ferraris, always get the contact information and specifications of the vehicle photographed. Complete information, plus permission from the owner, may lead to your selling pictures of Ferraris to magazines, and possibly local news outlets, if the quality of your photography is exceptionally high and unique also.

Owner’s Pride

Often you may find that contacting the owner of a vehicle that you photographed may wish to purchase a copy of your shot. Again, if your photo taking skills are high quality, you may find an avenue for selling pictures of Ferraris to their owners. Some photographers set up websites where visitors can view these pictures of Ferraris for possible purchase by credit card online. Sale of a digital image removes the hassle from the photographer needing to make enlargements of the pictures of Ferraris taken.

A Great Tip

Gaining access to people who may buy pictures of Ferraris might be possible through offering the sponsoring organization free photos taken of an event. Whenever visiting an event, locate the promoter to get their contact information. Again, delivery of a digital image will eliminate any printing needs. Just make sure to always provide a copyright statement whenever providing free pictures of Ferraris you have taken.

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Many people think they have to have an expensive, top of the line digital camera to take great photographs, but the secret to a great picture is not the camera, it is the photographer. If you try these simple tips when using your digital camera you will reap the rewards of better photographs no matter what your subject matter is.

1. Position your subject

Use the Rule of Thirds to make your photographs more interesting. Imagine the scene divided into three sections, like tic- tac- toe, horizontally and vertically. Positioning your subject at the intersection of those lines will break up symmetry and result in a compelling photo. If you don’t get the perfect shot, you can crop it with Photoshop. You should be able to get a free download for Photoshop at the Adobe website.

2. Choose the Right Backgrounds for your Subject

Simple backgrounds are best for subjects with busy patterns. You can also adjust the depth of field to focus on objects closer to you while blurring objects far away. Simple subjects look best against a more detailed background. Be sure the background doesn’t interfere and take attention away from your subject.

3. Create Distance and Dimension

A photo of a distant subject can seem static and one-dimensional. Including subjects nearer to you in your photos gives a sense of distance. Blurring the background focuses attention on your subject.

4. Choose an Orientation that Suits your Subject

Your camera produces a rectangular image which gives you two orientations to work with-vertical or horizontal. Your subject will lend itself to one or the other. One sure way to find out is simply to take your photo both ways and decide which is best.

5. Use a Unique Point of View/ Get in Close to your Subject

Break the habit of shooting everything from eye level. Experiment with kneeling down to capture subjects from near the ground, or photographing subjects above you. Get in close to your subject — close-up photography adds intimacy to your photos and helps capture all the hidden details and moments you might not ever see. Learn Photoshop so you can edit, crop and enhance your digital photos.

6. Use your surroundings to Frame Your Subject

Position your subject in front of an interesting doorway, window, scene, etc. to frame your subjects, keeping the Rule of Thirds in mind.

7. Avoid Underexposed Pictures

Indoors – move near a window or bring a lamp into the room. Move closer to your subject. Manually adjust the shutter speed on your camera. Change exposure settings. For lighter photos, adjust exposure up; for darker photos, adjust down. You are able to see what your image will look like as you adjust this setting

8. Avoid Overexposed pictures

On sunny days, find a shady spot to photograph your subjects and use the flash which will cast an even light over your subject. Take advantage of overcast days to avoid shadows. When indoors, provide as much natural light as possible to avoid using the flash which may wash out colors and cast harsh shadows. Avoid the midday sun, early morning and late evenings are better times for photography.

9. Avoid Red Eye

Turn off your camera’s flash or if it’s too dark to go without a flash, ask your subject to look toward the camera, but not directly at the lens. By taking daytime photos, you may eliminate the need for a flash. Bring in additional light sources if needed. Try stand further away from your subject. If you try all this and still have red eye, try using Photoshop to edit your photograph.

10. Avoid Blurry Photos

Avoid shutter lag by pressing the button halfway down before you shoot your photo. When you are ready to take the shot, press all the way down to instantly capture the desired photograph. Use a tripod or brace yourself against a stationary object to hold the camera still. If your subject is moving, use the Action mode on your camera. The Action setting automatically optimizes the shutter speed to capture the action.

The best way to learn to take good digital photos is to takes lots and lots of pictures. You can just delete those you don’t want. Learn Photoshop so you can to make corrections, enhance your pictures, and use special effects to make your digital photographs look like a pro’s.

For more Photoshop Tips and Tricks, visit: http://www.PhotoshopDemos.com

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Photoshop, the premium image editing and designing software takes pride for incorporating some of the richest graphic designing tools and capabilities in it. For graphics designers, the wheels of designing sure wonâ??t move an inch sans this software. In the graphic & web design field, Photoshop has established itself as the undisputed leader and everyone accepts the fact now, even the most skeptical among us. But the question arises here is whatâ??s makes Photoshop so special! Is it the ease of use or for its features? Both to be more precise â?? yes, both!

For web graphic designer Photoshop offers tools like Elliptical Marquee Tool helping him carry out any graphic web design project with more panache. Similar to the Rectangular Marquee Tool, the Elliptical Marquee Tool can play big role in designing shapes. What makes the tool different from the Rectangular Marquee Tool is its capability of providing designers with power to create round shapes and help making circular selections. If you use default Photoshop settings, you can find the Elliptical Marquee Tool on the right side of the screen under the control panel. Otherwise, it can be initiated by clicking under the Rectangular Marquee Tool. It will look like a circle with a dotted line.

The prime aim of using the Elliptical Marquee Tool is to make selections those are shaped like an eclipse. Once you have selected it, you need to click on the canvas image and then drag. By simply holding down on the left mouse button while you hover the mouse cursor across the image, you can easily do it. If you select the New Selection Option under the Options menu, your current selection can be erased by making a new selection. By using the Add to Selection under the Options menu, you can add an ellipse to it. By pressing the Subtract from Selection option, you can even delete an ellipse from a selection. Intersection of an ellipse with an existing selection can also be done by using the Intersect with Selection option. In all graphic design companies, designers always keep playing with these options.

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I have had a digital camera for about two years, and I just wonder if folks who use photoshop recommend it for beginners or should we just continue using something like Picasa? I am just about out of subjects to shoot…or am I just unimagnative. Actually it’s a very exciting medium…how does one know if his photos are really “art”. I certainly don’t want to be a diletante but I honestly don’t know if this is good for me to pursue.

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The problem is that I used the magic eraser tool in Photoshop to get rid of the background, and still a white background shows up when I drag it into InDesign. I heard that I have to do something with a clipping path, but I don’t know what. Please help?

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I’ve read that it can be useful in creating compositions for drawing and painting. Do you think I could teach myself with the software and books or videos from the library? Also, what other uses does Adobe Photoshop offer for the visual artist (painters, not photographers)?

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