One More Thing

Are you getting tired of seeing photos with special effects on them?!  I hope not because there's still one week of classes for me to master.  

Project #3 was to add a frame to the texturized photo - and I was able to do that!!  The frame is from Jessica Sprague's collection. 

Lesson 6 was Through the Viewfinder - a technique that I'd never heard of before.  Apparently there's a movement of photographers who actually use old cameras and take pictures to get these vintage effects.  There are some Photoshop textures that have been created that can be used to get the same effect.  This is a picture from our 2008 South American trip and I love the aged look of it now!

More Learning

Here are a few more samples from the Photoshop Editing: Frame-Ups and Special Effects class on which I've been working.  

Lesson 3 - Vintage, Hand-Tinted Look with a frame

Project #2 (which are additional fun assignments using what we've learnt) - Frame + Brush + Hand Tint - the little stars are the brush and I hand tinted Silas' eyes and cheeks.  I need to practice this alot more.

Lesson 4 - with which I struggled for 2 days!  - Clipping Masks
Day 5 - Textures - I used  brown paper, film and subtle grunge textures on this.

I think it's starting to sink in!  I'm getting comfortable with the commands and steps in the process, which is a huge help when I didn't have a clue where to start.  Back to Day 6 - something new again.  I'll show you later :))

"Summer School"

When I bought Photoshop Elements for my computer, I knew that I would have to do some serious learning to master anything with it.  There's alot the program can do and I really had no clue where to begin.  And then a few weeks ago, this digital guru, Jessica Sprague, offered a free online class to learn how to do some photo editting tricks and enhancements.  It was just what I needed to push me onto the learning curve!  And so here we are at day 3.  I've learned a few things like -

how to add frames -

and WordARt to pictures -

and how to use brushes - and change their colors too!!

But it's been like taking a university course again!  I have to watch her video tutorials 2 or 3 times, make notes to follow the steps, and then even search online for answers to some of my questions.  Computers are marvelous but if you don't know how or where to find little commands or processes, well - it can be a BIG source of frustration.  Last night about 1:30 a.m., I was feeling like somewhat of a dummy!  Luckily I wasn't the only one with the problem (such a good feeling when someone else is in the boat with you!!!!) and I managed to find someone who'd posted a help and I was finally able to master the technique.  

On to photo tinting today - wish me luck!!  I will succeed, I will succeed, I will succeed . . . 

This learning is definitely good for my brain - right?!?!?!