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What technique/process/idea interests you?

bcgal00

bcgal00

Say, "birdseed!"
Pollywog
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Nov 18, 2010
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What is it you would like to learn more about (scrappy related)? I'm curious as to what new technique/process/idea you might want to learn more about? Have you learned something new this year?
 
What I learned:
I am a bit obsessed with creating multiple paper layers, applying various blend modes, changing opacity and colors, as needed. To tidy up my layers palette, I started creating layer groups which makes it easier to edit the layers within a group and then collapse it so there aren't a million (ok, that's an exaggeration lol) layers to scroll thru. I use the shortcut Ctrl+G after highlighting all the layers that need to be collapsed in a group.

What I want to learn:
I like to do extractions in masking and photoshop is getting better and better at refining extractions. I want to take a bit of time and learn how to improve my extracting technique.
 
There should be some tutorials on those. We did things like that in the last couple MOC's -- January's big challenge month. @AnneofAlamo is the one who makes us learn things I bet she knows where those tutorials are (I should know but I have paintshop so I don't use them often).
 
i need more practice with the pen tool and to keep getting better/faster with editing in LR. I need to spend an afternoon with my styles and shadows and re-organize/load some new goodies and get that all set up. It makes my scrapping go so much faster.

I need to really figure out the LR brushes. I just don't really get it yet. I know how it works, but I just make a mess of things.
 
carilyne said:
@AnneofAlamo is the one who makes us learn
Click to expand...
bold done by me, cause it made me smile!
the task master..bhahahwhaha
dompteur.gif

YOU will learn new things!

tee hee
I giggled! I love to learn new things...extracting to me is something you just have to keep practicing...which is probably why I force it on people all the time...

I love to buy new actions for photo effects and can spend waaaaaaaay too much time with them lately.
 
AnneofAlamo said:
bold done by me, cause it made me smile!
the task master..bhahahwhaha
dompteur.gif

YOU will learn new things!

tee hee
I giggled! I love to learn new things...extracting to me is something you just have to keep practicing...which is probably why I force it on people all the time...

I love to buy new actions for photo effects and can spend waaaaaaaay too much time with them lately.
Click to expand...
LOL the taskmaster -- you have been this month too as I recall color art journal, every day art journal, I'm sure I can find more.
However.... can you point bcgal00 to your wonderful tutorials on extractions and similar? Thank you. Or you can taskmaster her and make her learn!
 
Yes the MOC extraction challenge was fun. I want to practice more with that and any tutorials are appreciated.
 
How to order styles and brushes would be great to learn

also blending a photo into the background
pen to make custom text paths - and how to edit the path one made
 
bcgal00 said:
Yes the MOC extraction challenge was fun. I want to practice more with that and any tutorials are appreciated.
Click to expand...
I think this year's was very helpful in doing extractions. Even though we didn't really do a full extraction learning to to the free hand loop has helped me remove more background. We can always make our own challenge or ask to have a chat about a technique as well.
 
Even though I've read and tried several tutorials on how to make text paths I just never remember and I always struggle with it.

I've seen Photoshop keyboard covers that you can buy and put over your keyboard and it shows all the shortcuts with those keys. I like the idea. Because I suck at remembering all the short cuts. But I haven't yet found one that fits my keyboard...
 
Berniek - I buy file cards and write out point form instructions. I have a card with the shortcut keys that I use a lot for PS actions I have created. When I learn a new technique, I will write a condensed point form card for the steps to refer to, until I've followed the steps often enough to have it ingrained in my head. The latest instructions I had written out were for gradient tool blending in a mask. I'm visually orientated, so watching a video and then writing down instructions is the way that works best for me to remember new techniques.
 
I've come to the conclusion that while I'm impressed with extractions, I just don't have the patience for it. That happens with some techniques I've tried. Not having CS, I can't make text paths so I'm happy to just use the ones I've bought if I fancy that. However, dh had such a hard time reading the journaling done on a border text path, I think text paths will stay in the 'tried and rarely repeated' bin with extractions.

I think once I read a formula for clusters...somewhere sometime...and I'd like to make elegant ones with TLP products. I think I could probably replicate some that I've really liked and used in the past elsewhere. Lynn G comes closest to what I look for.
 
I learned quite a bit more about Lightroom this year . . . and I'd like to continue refining my skills in LR.

I haven't learned much in PS . . . just scrapping and going with my tried and true style. LOL
 
I love to learn new tricks and ideas...I have and continue to write a lot of PS tutorials. (I write for Pink Reptile, and I'm just getting back to writing for Forever Joy. Occasionally, I also write one for Scrapping with Liz.) After I write them, I pin them to my board so that I can reference it for later...

My all time favorite one was Dry Embossing, and it was really cool to be able to make any pattern into a dry embossed pattern on a solid paper. It really translated well, and looks like dry embossing!

I seem to have to re-learn techniques when I don't use them often (I re-learned slicing for my new siggy, lol!). That is one great reason to pin to Pinterest - my own reference!

I would love to actually learn how to make a kit, ellies or papers, but sadly, I know I wouldn't scrap. I like scrapping too much to want to put that much effort into the learning part, lol! But all that knowledge, and I'm sure I'd pick up a few more techniques and tips!!!
 
berniek said:
I've seen Photoshop keyboard covers that you can buy and put over your keyboard and it shows all the shortcuts with those keys. I like the idea. Because I suck at remembering all the short cuts. But I haven't yet found one that fits my keyboard...
Click to expand...
I have found the best way to learn photoshop shortcuts is to work on one at a time. I put the shortcut I want to learn on a sticky note and either put it on my screen or on my keyboard and just try to use it every time I need to use that function, before I know it is second nature to use the shortcut. Then I put a new sticky note up with a new shortcut. I use the save, save as, group, layer copy, new document, and merge down down shortcuts the most. Just pick 5 that you would use the most and work on them one at a time. I think you will be surprised how quickly it becomes muscle memory for you.
 
One of the tutorials I read/viewed and use on almost every layout now is the "Friends don't let friends float fonts" (I think that is the correct name). I did not know you could do layer blending that way and I love it. I use it often to give a stamped look to some elements as well and for paint splashes, not just fonts.
 
I must admit after several times watching Cheryl scrap and others. I may soon need to learn photoshop. Paintshop is so slow and has no styles. Hmm I'm a student I wonder if the school has connections to the Adobe student discounts.
 
@carilyne there are definitely Adobe student discounts! And really, PSE (I find full scale PS is a lot more money, for a lot of feature I'll never use) has made scrapping a lot easier.
 
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