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As those of you who follow this site know, I'm working on a four-part series of videos for lynda.com on the topic of making 3D art in Photoshop CS5 Extended. My first course, Photoshop CS5 Extended One-on-One: 3D Fundamentals is due to go live next Tuesday, March 29. (Update: It's live now!) And I just finished recording Part 2 of the series, 3D Objects, today. Below you see the final project from my latest work, Chapter 12: "Advanced Repoussé," created, dressed, and rendered entirely in Photoshop. (The text is not part of the project. It's just hype for the course.)

On a completely unrelated note, NAPP president Scott Kelby recently invited me to contribute to his Guest Blog Wednesday. Naturally, I said yes. And it comes out today!

But here's where these stories meet up: My guest post for Scott is all about 3D in Photoshop CS5 Extended. It's inspired by the first chapter of my 3D Fundamentals course. And it was produced by lynda.com. Seriously, it's like some kind of giant gas planet converged . . . with itself. And that planet is Saturn. Read more » 

As many of you know, I spend the majority of my work-a-day time creating deep-dive, tutorial-style books and videos. But later this week, I'll be embarking on something a little different. I'm starting a new series of single-movie recipe videos for lynda.com, which we're tentatively calling "Deke's Techniques." Many (not all) will be available as free weekly video blogs on this very site. Here are a few examples of the effects I'll show you how to create:

I created all of these images in Photoshop. And amazingly, all but the brand and metal effects employ live editable text (albeit, as smart objects in the case of ice and fire). I'll keep you posted when these begin to go live.

In case you're curious, the ice, brand, and fire effects employ images from the Fotolia image library. The gold and metal effects are 100 percent synthetic.

Let me know what kinds of effects you'd like to create!

Lately, my site has gone as feral as the animal pictured below. Which is somewhat intriguing. I mean, a site gone wild is a sight to behold. But my plan is to change that.

Today, I'm writing to announce two things: First, I finally finished my all-new Illustrator CS5 One-on-One: Advanced course for lynda.com. And second, while that course won't go live until late November (about the time the U.S. members of this site celebrate how the Pilgrims ostensibly broke bread with the Indians before their progeny thought, no wait, let's kill them), I have a special 6-day preview planned for you in just a couple of days. Read more » 

First, I've been recording more content for my Illustrator CS5 One-on-One: Advanced video series that will one day be available at lynda.com. Here's the artwork for Chapter 14: "Gradients and the Gradient Tool." Those eyes are the result of four blended gradients across two layered shapes.

I also dare to teach you how to think like M.C. Escher in Chapter 16: "Tile Patterns." In 15 movies, we explore how to design a highly complex, interlocking pattern, with nary a gap in between. Can you spot the three points at which this triad pattern intersects itself? Hint: nose, heel, knee; that's the key.

Not sure what planet this guy's from. I call him the Next Missing Link. Seriously, wish I had a tail and spikes on my back. Don't you? Read more »