arbitrary

Today at dekeOnline we prove that a tech podcast can be warm, friendly, and inviting. Welcome to the first episode of our semi-regular, very-possibly-close-to-weekly, audio-only podcast, Martini Hour. Here's an insanely large graphic to honor the occasion.

Think of it as a mid-season replacement for dekePod, only completely different -- by which I mean unscripted, conversational, altogether relaxed, video-free, and with three olives. The video portion occurs only in your mind as you listen to me and Colleen sip cocktails in the dekeLounge and discuss the digital imaging issues of the day. Read more » 

 Colleen and David Futato and I are in the final death throes of Photoshop CS4 Channels & Masks One-on-One. I'm sitting here working on the introduction to the final lesson, Lesson 12, "Masking the Tough Stuff." By way of demonstrating arbitrary maps, which can be quite useful for "throw down" masking, I assembled this nifty composition. It's a photo from David Politi subject to two varieties of arb maps, one applied using Gradient Map and the other with Curves. Isn't she pretty?

It has nothing whatsoever to do with masking -- just introduces a topic -- but I'm rather transfixed with it at the moment. Takes me back to my teónanácatl-tinted halcyon days. So naturally I had to share.

Anyway, we're shooting to get the book to the printer any day now. We'll keep you apprised. Read more »