dekeStuff

If you've ever seen a Photoshop demo, you've probably watched someone change the color of a car (or other object) using the well-worn method of targeting and shifting colors with the Hue/Saturation command. Problem is, while this technique is straightforward and even sexy, it rarely works as advertised.

In this article, we'll change the color of a car. However, instead of applying Hue/Saturation in its relative mode, we'll employ it in its absolute mode to achieve not just successful but stellar results. Then we'll use a channel, a mask, and a couple of blending options to turn the car black. The original car (red) and its alternatives appear below.

Today's article is based on Deke's Techniques 054 and 055, presented by lynda.com. The base image comes from the Fotolia image library. Read more » 

In this article, we'll take a portrait photo and give it a hand-drawn touch by turning it into first an ink drawing (below left) and then a pencil sketch (right). As you can see, this guy is quite surprised at how well the technique works.

We'll start by making the ink effect using a Smart Object, Gaussian Blur, High Pass, the seldom-used Note Paper filter, another round of Gaussian Blur, a Levels adjustment layer, the Multiply blend mode, and a little bit of luminance blending. It's hardly a one-click solution, but the results are amazing. Plus, this flexible approach can produce several interesting alternative looks, including a credible pencil effect, also documented here.

Today's article is based on Deke's Techniques 026 and 027, presented by lynda.com. (The ink effect is also documented in video form on this site.) Read more » 

In this article, we'll add a stock photo of a magnifying glass to a type design, set it up so that the glass magnifies a portion of the text behind it, and add a hint of tint to the glass itself. We'll also create a custom drop shadow---one that looks realistic---because the default drop shadow doesn't quite do the job.

Today's article comes from Deke's Techniques 062, presented by lynda.com. Read more » 

Hi, dekeOlytes. So over at lynda.com, there's a free InDesign FX movie every other week from master effecter Mike Rankin. Mike's techniques are very cool, and made from 100% pure InDesign (so they're extra healthy). Thing is, a few people have been asking if Mike's effects will actually survive the printing process. And this week Mike shares this free video that explains why---as long as you're diligent---the answer is yes. I thought I'd share the movie (above) and the post (below) where Mike considered the intricacies and shared his five tips for getting good print results: Read more » 

DekeItarians, you know how it is. You have a system that works. You have deadlines villainously looming over you. And you know there might be a better way to do certain tasks, but you don't even have the context to know what questions you need to ask, let alone time and mental bandwidth to ask those questions. 

Over at lynda.com, our good friend Mordy Golding has a series designed specifically for seasoned users of Adobe Illustrator---Illustrator Insider Training. The latest episode of the series is called Drawing without the Pen Tool, and this particular entry is close to my heart, due to my well-documented bouts of penophobia. The idea of the series is to provide Illustrator veterans a chance to refresh their insider knowledge and workflow habits, without having to start from scratch.  Read more »