Drop shadows are an excellent way to add dimension and interest to a design piece. However, making them look truly realistic is a more applied process than simply adding the “drop shadow” layer effect. This cool technique is something I picked up from David Adams, the Art Director of Weiser Creative Group. Read more
Tables are a great way to display information such as numerical data, hours of operation, and standard procedures. While they can be made in Excel, InDesign has some sophisticated tools for making attractive tables, and data can even be imported into InDesign from Excel. Here is an easy way to make an impressive table using simple tools in InDesign. Read more
Many artistic effects can be achieved with black and white photography. It allows the viewer to focus on the lighting, texture, and composition that you work so hard to perfect. Here is a short video I made on how to properly grayscale an image in Photoshop. Changing the Image Mode is no longer acceptable! Read more
Photoshop’s Add Noise filter can be used effectively for many useful and interesting results in graphic and web design. First, I will explain the different settings that can be specified with the Add Noise filter, and then the effects that can be acheived with this simple yet powerful filter. Read more
I designed the sports pages five days a week for Cal Poly’s student-run newspaper, the Mustang Daily, and it is printed with an on-campus offset web press, also run by students in the Graphic Communication department. After designing close to two hundred layouts for the Mustang Daily, I am beginning to see what works and looks good…and what doesn’t. Read more
I have a digital point-and-shoot camera, so I am fairly limited with creative options for photography. However, photo composition is something that anyone, including myself, can learn about and apply to their photography. Here are some basics I picked up from my Digital Photography class last year, and were discussed in Get the Most from your Digital Camera by Simon Joinson. Read more
Using Illustrator, I was working on some ideas for a brochure at my Campus Dining job today and decided to do a “graffiti-style” look. Using basic tools, I came up with a type effect that I thought turned out pretty neat. Here’s how I did it. Read more