I found a new toy. I have been immersed in trying to figure out Dreamweaver, PhotoShop, InDesign, and a bit of Illustrator for the last several days. So many huge, powerful programs – all at the same time. I have wanted to learn how to use them, but haven’t had the time. Since time has been a bit easier to come by lately {you know, that time sucker called a job that I don’t have anymore :-D} I have been able to work on figuring this out. I have to say, these are days it’s a good thing I’m stubborn! I have used Dreamweaver and PhotoShop a little bit in the past — but it was Dreamweaver 8 {6? years ago} and PhotoShop CS4 {walked through for class assignments, two years ago!} So, I am talking HUGE learning curves in the making. I’m working on a website and needing a new header. It is a website for my dad who has NO opinion on what I do. Can I just say I think it is much easier when someone has an idea on what they want… Being he has no opinion, I am left wide open. Do you know how much texture and color I love?! It is excruciating to keep in mind “less is more” when the sky is the limit. 😀
On that note, somewhere along the line in trying to make PhotoShop do something I knew it could, but I couldn’t come up with the right command, I decided to try to find something “like” Picnik. I didn’t use Picnik much, but when I did I figured it out really quickly.
I was desperately needing the satisfaction of accomplishing something.
I found PicMonkey! It is so fun to make such different looking photos. Here are some examples from the same photo in a half hour. Oh, yes – sense of accomplishment accomplished :-D!!
The above is the photo I started with. This is one of my bushels of flowers on my deck from summer 2010. {I wasn’t here last summer, so I didn’t have flowers.} I am aching to get started! I have been to my favorite local greenhouse twice in the last four days…I still haven’t bought anything. I’m so desperate to have flowers, I feel the need to wait. I absolutely can not make up my mind {probably a good thing, it definitely helped my resisting temptation.}. If money would allow I could {& would} easily spend a $100+ on flowers … anytime!
I don’t really remember what I did for each photo, but I will try to remember.
This was the original photo with some highlight/shadow fixing {I think}.
The text is set on “difference” and then I added a frame to make it look like an old photo.
This was back to the original photo, and under the effect ‘papyrus’. {I love, Love, LOVE the little tiny bit of handwriting on the top right corner} There was an option of “wiping” some of the effect off. I did that in the center so I could see the color “through” the effect. The text is set on “normal”; I love the variety of simple fonts offered.
On this one I used the photo above and added the same frame used in the second photo.
This one the third photo again, but I added the Daguerreotype in ‘shiro’ {I think}.
If that isn’t it…then it was something like that :-D.
You definitely should go play — find out for yourself where I didn’t remember the correct settings and effects I used. I have a problem hanging onto the effect/filter kind of information. Probably why I can’t just learn what I really like in PhotoShop and use it; there are just so many options.
Anyway, hope your weekend was wonderful and your Sunday rest-full!
{p.s. there are visible leaves at my house today :-D, however, it is windy and wasn’t overly sunny. But spring/summer has to be on its way soon.}
