February: Love, Art, History
This month we have a little something for everyone. From our Photoshop Elements tutorial to some new news items, to my annual Valentine's surf, we'll help ward off the winter doldrums. You really want to read the newsletter because in addition to some interesting news items, we've even got some humor. After the 14th, we'll open our Black History Month piece and share some of the most important black visual artists of our times.
February: Black History
in honor of Black History Month, we thought it would be fun and educational to take a field trip to some prestigious educational institutions to see some wonderful visual art works by African American Artists & Designers.
Did you plan your 'Design' year?
During January, we asked DTG readers to write in and share their "design" planning for the year. From Updating Web Sites, to a Photographic Journey our readers are moving forward. There are some fun ones this month, Be sure to read the entry from Mark and check out the sound clips from the Violet Crown Radio Players in Mark's post! See them all in the Creative Networking Center
Surfing for Valentine's
Come along and see some cool things you can see and do for Valentine's -- neat crafts, art, and idea starters. You'll also see some not-so-cool places and more in Fred's annual Surf For Valentine's
Changing Colors in Photoshop Elements
People write in wanting to know how to change the color of everything from their cloths to their cars to their houses. Here, we'll show you how to change the color of any object you find, simply by using the Photoshop Elements "Replace Color" command
Communication Design Principles
Someone requested that we publish an article on design principles. But you really can't portray the scope of the topic in a single aritcle -- at least one that people would read on the internet. The best advice is to pick up this month's Editor's Choice; Jorge Frascara's Communication Design Principles, Methods, and Practices
Photography 101
Real Estate Web Site Done Well
it's a pleasure to run across and nicely designed web site. This month we visit one that is done quite well, so all you realtors and real estate sites -- if you want to see a real estate site done right take a look at the DC Living Real Estate Portal Critique
Designer & Photographer sites
About a third of all sites requesting a review are design or photography sites. They almost always share some common characteristics that may not be to their best interest. In this student design site we point out some serious considerations for improving the Abyss Arts Design Studio Critique
New Year (Financial) Resolutions
to a Better Financial Future ... Rusbiz.com's Nowshade Kabir says: "This is a good time to set yearly goals and make resolutions -- on making money!" Follow along as he gives you some tips on Financial Resolutions.March: SELLING WITH DESIGN
When designers design, they're usually designing for a purpose. (Or, should be!) Most of the time that purpose is to sell something or to persuade someone to do something. Selling is the designer's challenge -- now share your tips, tricks and experiences SELLING WITH DESIGN... Designing to sell on eBay; Tips for designing headlines; Designing Yellow Pages Ads; direct mail; Using Color to Sell... or any of your favorite promotions and sales events. To be a winner you'll need to post your punchlist on our PRIZE REGISTRATION PAGE
DESIGNING WOMEN
Don't forget our March and April issues feature "Designing Women" - If you're a woman in the design field we want to hear from you!
Reader Web Sites for Review
This month we have a selection of sites to review from business to personal. Yes, we have yet another stock photography site as well as several photography portfolio sites. (One critiqued by WDR!). We also have a new search site, a couple of clothing sites and a stationery wholesaler in the UK. For liesure we have the Himalaya expedition site and one devoted completely to sharks. To round things out we have a chilean student blog, an Italian architect and a professional bookkeeper. So go out there and critique some sites. They all need your help so get going. Web Design & Review
&ELSE News & Views
See this month's newsletter including: Mac: iLife '05, Apple Products for Fun, LightMachine Photo Plug-Ins, Recording the Screen, Big Brother is watching, Music for Education, Google exposes web surveillance cams, Retouchers, Poor Man's CADD, and many more...: News, resources shareware and contacts
Previously:
- Photoshop: Eye Candy 5: Nature
- Photoshop: Eye Candy 5: Textures
- Product Review: Web Euphoria
- Best Books: Goodbye Gutenberg:
- Gallery: David F. Kyte is the Racing Artist
- Gallery: Revisiting Amy Wasserman pixelsmithing in Photoshop
- Critique: Briefs sent in by readers
- 60-Seconds 171: Ten Years Later, still lonely
- Design: Using Postcards to Promote Your Design Studio
- Designers: Print Primer for DTP
- Beware: Phishing for Your Identity
- 60-Seconds #169: SpamCop Full Circle
- Type & Fonts: P22 & TypeCo
- Type & Fonts: Letterheads
- Type & Fonts: Charter Type
- Type & Fonts: Matthew Carter
- Type & Fonts: Urban Type
- Type & Fonts: Autumn Type
- Type & Fonts: October Fonts
- Design: Design from the Edge
- Photoshop: For Right Brainers
- Photoshop: Rusty Type
- LA Art Scene: Snap To Grid
- Feature: Patriotic Art & Design Survey
- Design: Airman Magazine Patriotic Design
- Editor's Choice: Deke McClelland One on One
- Photoshop Tutorial: Displacement Maps
- Designing Women: Designing Words
- Glitter Guru Suzette Troche on Beauty Retouching
- Editor's Choice: The Logo, Font & Lettering Bible
- 60-Seconds: #168 Ethics in Digital Photography
- & Photographic: Digital Photo Tips
- Freeware: Digital photo management program
- Commentary: Get A Design Buddy!
- Tutorial: Photoshop or Elements Feathering
- Designing Women: Carey Jones Balance of Design!
- Critique: Tomato Cages.com
- Digital Photography: living photography
- Community: Designers talk about "Getting Creative Ideas"
- Interview: Master Illustrator: Jon C. Lund
- 60 Second Window #167: Creative Juices
- Web Critique: An American Idol Web Site Gone Bad?
- Web Design: The Delicate Art of Web Design Critique
- Photography: A glass of water to quench your thirst...
- Software Review: The Proposal Kit
- Software Review: Wildform FX Pro
- Photoshop Tutorial: Quick, Easy Photo Montage
- Photoshop Tutorial: Photoshop Pixels to Pencil Drawings
- Shoot-out: Photoshop or Elements? Which is best?
- Web Design: Seven Steps to Return On Design
- Web Critique: Joyce Evans Sweetens Sweet Deco
- Web Critique: 9th Street Rag
- Web Critique: Doctors' Support Net
- Web Critique: Rolling Meadow Kennels & Canine Training
- Community: Designers talk about Color
- Photography: Bruce Duncan asks Why Black & White?
- Interview: Cynthia Baron, designing a digital portfolio
- Interview: Melissa Mason is Designless in Seattle
- Designing Women: Catherine Morley's Katz Design Group
- Designing Women: Sandy Wright, Lyric Marketing & Design
- Designing Women: Gina Geick, GAWD Productions
- Field Trip: Creative Latitude
- History Lesson: The Famous Names in Typography
- 60-Seconds: Avoiding New Spam Traps
- Bookshelf: Design: Best "Beginner" Design Books
- Cary Lu talks about Computing's Holy Wars
- James Redelfs: Personal Computer Software and Ethics
Got Photoshop Questions? Who do you call?
Last month we opened the doors of Photoshop 911's new blog. Now you can comment on posts, and even lend a helping hand where needed... who do you call? Photoshop 911
Recent Photoshop FAQs
- Fading Photos - Use Feathering or Layer Masks
- Grid Patterns over Photos - Multi colored, grid over art - painstaking process
- Pen Tool in Photoshop CS - Why can't you draw an "Open" path
- Photoshop and Error 39 - NOT Photoshop!/li>
- Automating the Healing Brush - lots and lots of dust spots
- Burned Holes in Photoshop
- Help recall Filter Settings... Reapplying filter effects
- PS Bevels by hand
- PS helps Faded Photo two scans?
- Making round corner rectangles in Photoshop
- Hot spots in photo (Flash Burn)
- Adding Fill Flash in Photoshop
- Removing Date Stamps from Photos
- Mismatched resolution causes problems
- Making round corner rectangles in Photoshop
- Get Rid of White Backgrounds? Classic question!
- Aging Photos: What would they look like today?
- Custom Gradients? break out of the defaults
- Annoying Gray Boxes? Careful what you click
- Selecting Wrong Colors? Eyedropper Spread Trick
&Else News & Reviews
... including: watch for the newsletter next week, along with all the news and happenings in the wonderful world of graphic design, typography and graphics.
Photoshop 911 Call Reports
Here comes this month's batch of reports from the Photoshop 911 call line. The most interesting is how one user solves the problem of removing the background from multiple shots of a rotating product for a 3D video... there are seven others, and you'll want to read them all:In the Photoshop 911 FAQ department
Participate in your Design Center
Lots of fun and information for all... don't forget, any community is only as good as the participation of its members. We invite your tips, tricks, comments, suggestions and camaraderie.- Ask for the DT&G Monthly: to receive news about DT& headlines, happenings in the Design Center and regular columns like the "Mail Bag" and "Cool Sites"
- SUBSCRIBE : to the Designers' CAFE email list
- Link to this site, and then show us the link. We'll send you any of our current door prizes, just for your trouble.
- Help Support The Design Center: with your donation, we say thank you with free books, listings, and even links on the front page!
- Does your Web Site Suck?: Let the WDR Design Team give you a critique of your web site and get helpful advice on how to make it the best it can be!
Advertise your products or services among these pages! Call: 540-433-8402 for details.





