This week’s Adobe Photoshop or Elements tip of the week is now available on video. This weeks tip is on How to move layers with transparency in Photoshop and PSE.
Saturday Scraplift No. 146
Could this page by Nensike be any yummier?
I can’t think of any better example of how to make a photo shine than this gorgeous, eye-catching page.
The frame laid over the photo, and the painting behind it, make sure that the cute photo is the true focal point of the page and draws your eye in. Not to mention that the photo LITERALLY jumps out at you. I didn’t even notice the extraction at first, it is so subtly and skillfully done - but it adds so well to the effect of the page. The bold, bright colors against a pale background add to the eye-catching design and again help pull your eye to that photo - as well as adding to the sense of fun and excitement. And, although there is lots of gloriously messy detailing, the scaffolding of the page is a strong, triangular design that you can’t go wrong with.
So much inspiration here for lifting, as we found out:
Credits: layout by me (Lynn), Bicycle Classics brushes and stamps by Katie Pertiet, my Glitter thread stitches 4, everything else from my Wild Weekend kit (coming soon).
Credits: layout by Tara, Junkyard Garden Blooms and Classic Cardstock: All My Chicks (both coming soon), Botanical Clusters and Stitched up frames by Katie Pertiet, Stitching and Torn and tattered scalloped paper strips by Anna Aspnes, Beautiful Day kit by Mindy Terasawa.
Credits: layout by Bailey, Wild Weekend kit (coming soon) and Worn strips no.03 by Lynn Grieveson, Spot Dot brushes no.05 by Katie Pertiet, Staple its! by Pattie Knox, Emergency Megaset by Anna Aspnes, Bending Shadows tutorial by Cassie Jones.
~ Lynn
Wow! The photos just keep getting better in the DD Flickr Group. Each week it gets more difficult to choose. I’m breaking my own rules and choosing four this week!
Who can resist these sweet smiles? Love the happiness that tahoedreamin captured.
bob_r_ann’s beautiful color, focus, and composition caught my eye with this macro shot.
This great photo by Jan@twoscoopz uses light contrast so well to draw my eye right in.
Esther_a proves it’s not about the camera with this great shot taken with her point and shoot.
Leave them some love and don’t forget to link us to your favorites from last week in the Photography Forum!
I was impressed with the artwork you shared with us since last challenge - you did a bit of revealing and let us in on some great secrets. What I am thinking is - we are so alike, we share the same fears and thoughts in many ways - but we choose to display it differently. Also in our artwork.
This diversity in our unity speaks to me.
Here is Adryane‘s page - such a strong example of the use of repeating symbols, the repeating squares to
symbolize both the small spaces, but also the fear itself.
And I had a good laugh at maureenreynolds’ page on her neighbors, the Grackles. 
Love the use of patterned
papers and brushwork.
This week I want to focus on painting. Layers of paint. Use Anna’s various Different Strokes or Katie’s watery brushes
to paint, paint, paint on top of your background paper.
Paint in white, with a low opacity (i.e. 30%), try each stroke on a separate layer. I like to use white to
imitate the way I would use gesso. By keeping the layers separate, you can easily change the blend mode and opacity
of each layer and get different results.
I cut out of a notebook paper words I had printed. Random words I wrote with the feelings I had at the moment.
What a great feeling to throw them out on paper!! I recommend it.
I placed them in a more or less random way and then painted more white on top of them. Different strokes for each
layer again.
Another trick I like to use: I click on the Clone Stamp Tool and choose a brush I like. Then I open a grungy fun
colorful artsy paper like Gretchen Thomas’ Sun Burn paper pack. I hold down the Alt button (I am on a PC) and then
mouseclick, on my page I then brush away and the result looks very much like real paint I think.
Good stuff!
I kept on adding layers and layers of various brush work. Try out Anna’s Distressed Toolsets also - great for small
touches. In this page I wanted to add the light butterflies, to keep the spirit lifted even though many of the
words I wrote are more negative and heavy. I finished with a layer of Katie’s Ledger Grid brushes to bind it all together
and on top I used Anna’s multistitches to further emphasize the stronger lines I wanted to break the white.
I was thrilled to have Maureen from our Creative Team hook up with me this week, to share her piece of art using some
of the same techniques I mentioned above. Check out her explanation of how she did this - you are sure to pick up some
new tricks. Thank you Maureen!
I hope you are inspired to try out some paintwork this week! Don’t be afraid to journal on your page as much as you
want and then paint over it afterward, so that only the words are barely visible. The words are not necessarily meant to be recalled
and read later by you or anyone else. There is healing in the process of literally throwing them on the page. And that is what you should go
for on your art journal pages. Have fun and when you are done - you are welcome to share your art with us in the
Art Journal Gallery.
- Aino.
Every great layout needs a focal point, the spot on the page to which the eye is drawn. Pattie’s Speed Byte No. 085 has a clear focal point that serves to highlight a special photo. In addition, she has included supporting elements that enhance the focal point and increase the fun for the artist.
kathie02) chose a sweet photo of her great niece as the star of her page. I love the pinkaliciousness of her layout and the way she used the fabric swatch spaces to add stitching, flowers, and a monogram to complete her page. It’s a vision in pink.
Credits: Speed Byte No. 085, Be Happy Paper Pack, Little Plastic Flowers No. 01, Watery Wings Brushes and Stamps, Fine Lines Border Lines Brushes and Stamps, Stamped Sentiments No. 04 Brushes and Stamps, Ledger Grids Brushes and Stamps, Just Linens Paper Pack No. 01, Rina Paper Pack (recolored), Janine Paper Pack, Tasia Paper Pack, Artfully Paper Pack, Stitched by Anna Borders Bubblegum No. 01, Stitched by Anna Borders No. 01, FlutterBy FotoBlendz Clipping Masks No. 02, Absolutely Acrylic Alphabet No. 01, Brad Bonanza No. 03: Digital Fasteners.
If Kathie’s page is an ode to pink, then mine is an ode to purple. I reduced the size of the template to create a border and filled the page with Anna’s new butterflies and Michelle’s purplicious new papers. You know I’ll take any chance to use purple, so I was happy to get this shot of a purple spring tulip.
Credits: Speed Byte No. 085, Tage Paper Pack, Just Linens Paper Pack No. 05, Frog Prince Alphabets, LoopDaLoop ArtStrokes No. 02 BrushSet, Torn N Tattered FlutterBy Templates No. 02, HP Overlays No. 01 12x12, Dotted Frame Overlays No. 01, Worn Photo Edges No. 02, STOMP! Kit (staple), Stacked Dates 2010-2012 Brushes and Stamps, Days + Months Hand Drawn Brushes.
You can grab Pattie’s template for 30% off as part of the Thrifty Thursday specials. I hope you’ll focus on some scrapping and share you page with us in the Template Challenge Gallery.
