Chris Wallace's Blog

Glassy

thechriswallace — Mon, 09 May 2011 22:01:51 +0000

Seeing the ways that technology shapes our lives, seeing the patterns behind our most useful and most used innovations, can be a humbling experience. It truly shows us the way that technology as a whole has influenced the development of all aspects of our society, from our popular culture to the way we access and disseminate information. We have learned and been conditioned to rely upon these wonderful machines for nearly every part of our everyday life. In that way, it is easy for us to see just where we came from. It can, as well, tell us just where we are going in terms of our future technological development. As well, its versatility is something that we can speak to as being one of its most important and endearing aspects. We have so much at our disposal, and learning just what we can do with it is important.

Now, with graphic design, the sky is no longer the limit in this day in age. You, as well as your creations and designs, are limited only by you, only by your own limitations and (more often than not) your imagination. Anything you can imagine, anything you can fathom or conjure up out of the ether can be design. It can be made into something that is a little bit more tangible but certainly no less powerful to you or anyone else. That is, of course, a testament to your own skill, but that is on your head. To learn just how versatile, how malleable design can truly be, please visit our effects tutorial at Photoshop Atoms.

Heavy Metal

thechriswallace — Fri, 06 May 2011 13:23:00 +0000

We must recognize that technology can only be as versatile as we are. That is to say, our imaginations and our needs are the true limitations to technological progress. We have, in a stunning and rather overwhelming manner, allowed for technology to pervade and to seep into almost every aspect of modern life. From medicine to entertainment to manufacturing and everything conceivable beyond and between, our modern industrial complex owes a great deal to the technologies that we have developed over the past few decades. As such, it goes without saying that we have all of these wonderful tools and toys due to the ingenuity, genius, and toil of a large group of people, from concept designers to programmers to those who physically manufacture the gadgets. We must realize that it was not magic or divine fate that provided us with our modern tech landscape, that it was indeed other people. We must also realize that we cannot limit ourselves to what we already have.

Ingenuity and innovations are cornerstones of the technological experience. Without the presence of either of them, we would probably be nowhere near as advanced a society as we currently are. As such, it will do us a world of good to maintain and foster these creative cornerstones, if only to ensure continued success and prosperity. Even in graphic design can we see the merits of versatility and innovation. Take the juggernaut Photoshop, for instance. Would it be as notable and as popular as it is if it were not also incredibly versatile and useful for a wide range of situations? Probably not, in fact. Learn just how you can apply this concept of versatility in a new tutorial at Photoshop Atoms.

Full Potential

thechriswallace — Wed, 04 May 2011 15:07:26 +0000

We are able to do amazing things with today’s technology. This is a point you have no doubt heard a thousand times before, both on this blog and elsewhere in your everyday wanderings. That does not make the statement any less true, and does not detract from the true power of its meaning. However, there is something interesting to take note of here. When you truly take a look at how technology in general shapes our society, one glaring piece of knowledge can be gleaned, and that is this: it is never truly just one piece of technology, or software, or just one little gadget that is responsible for our stance as a society. No, it is not just the computer that allowed us to become an internationally-united people. The computer was certainly the medium, an important contributing factor, but you are forgetting a few things if you think that it acted alone. You are forgetting the software, the coding and programming languages that shaped the Internet. You are forgetting, as well, the sites that have allowed us to stay connected.

The point is, the full potential of a certain piece of technology cannot be known if you do not evolve past it. The Internet was an offshoot of the computer, and has allowed us to share and experience information and art in ways never before thought possible. The World Wide Web has changed the course of human history forever, and it was a group of technologies acting in concert that brought about such a fundamental alteration of our culture. The same reasoning can be applied to art as well, specifically at the points where art and technology meet. Photoshop has allowed graphic designers to create worlds unknown to humans, but its uses do not end here. To learn how to design a graphic software interface, please visit Photoshop Atoms.

Bag of Tricks

thechriswallace — Mon, 02 May 2011 20:21:57 +0000

Novelist Stephen King, in his non-fiction book On Writing likens the art of writing to the use of tools in a toolbox. In fact, this toolbox metaphor is an apt and steadily-recurring motif throughout the book, which weaves tidbits from King’s past through lessons that he has learned about the art of crafting a perfect horror novel. He states that those simple and ever-present pieces of a story, such as the parts of speech, the use of certain words, sentence structure, and the like, are tools that all writers need. Each writer will find their own unique uses and definitions for each of these tools, but they indeed exist beyond the shadow of a doubt. The way the writer, the artist uses them dictates the pace, mood, and indeed the very heart of the story. King states that knowing how and when to use these tools comes through great practice, which in this case is both writing and reading. What an apt and proper lesson this will turn out to be.

You see, we can extend King’s toolbox metaphor a little further. Yes, his craft has been and will always be writing, it is what he will be remembered for in the years to come. However, his book paints a picture of a writer in such a way as to be applied to other artists and workers of a creative nature. Throughout all expressive media, there are a variety of tools at the disposal of the creator. Perhaps these tools have a tangible nature and inflict a readily-seen end upon the work in question. Other times, these tools seemingly exist in the ether, the product of imagination. When we speak of graphic design, we can see that both of these types of tools are present. For more information on using certain tools in Photoshop, please visit Photoshop Atoms.

Dimensionality

thechriswallace — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 15:23:30 +0000

It is fascinating to note just how trends in technology seem to transcend their original media. That is to say, when something catches on in one arena, it seems to have an effect on things that may only be tangentially related or not related at all. If something is proven to be a success in one area, there is a very good chance that its lessons, its principles, or perhaps even its being will attempt to cross over into another realm altogether. We see this all the time without truly realizing it, but you do see it. Take popular movies, for instance. A movie is not simply a movie anymore, no. It is more of a two-hour advertisement for all of the products that are meant to promote the movie: all the merchandise that can be found at your local department or toy store, all of the special promotions that tie into the movie, and as well the home media release. When something truly takes hold and is seen as a success, it will be duplicated in any way possible. At the very least, an attempt will be made.

Speaking of movies, our prime discussion point has its roots planted firmly in the modern film industry. Photorealistic 3D movies have become all the rage. It seems that every release these days features a tagline that prominently displays that the movie will be projected in three dimensions. Whether this can be used as a legitimate film-making tool or is simply a gimmick, that debate is not one for this post or this day. We are simply pointing out that the dissemination and popularity of 3D technology has pervaded the many different industries that serve the film-making world. One of those is, of course, the realm of graphic design. In Photoshop, especially the CS5 release, 3D capabilities are becoming all the rage. To get a little practice, please visit Photoshop Atoms.

Seamless

thechriswallace — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 18:16:30 +0000

The core tenet of any creative endeavor, apart from a passion for the work, is that of practice. Of course, the whole ‘practice’ angle can and indeed does harken back to a passion for your craft, but we are getting a little off-track here. Practice makes perfect, and very rarely is somebody good at something the very first time they do it. Sure, there are those naturals among us who can make it look oh so easy. However, the vast, vast majority of people need a time and energy investment in order to hone their given skill. It makes absolutely no difference what this skill or this task or this vocation might be. It comes right down to the issue of muscle memory, of repetition, of learning something so completely that it is impossible to think of a time when this particular task was an unknown entity. We tend to associate the element of practice with the athletic or creative tasks, but it is indeed true for anything you can ever imagine doing.

Nothing is perfect, and you must realize that right away. There is only an illusion of a perfect picture, a perfect manuscript, a perfect film or perfect piece of music. Indeed, there is an illusion that there could possibly be a perfect piece of art somewhere. Flaws are abound, that is the general tenet of the human experience. However, that is where practice comes into play. Perhaps, with a little bit of hard work and a dash of dedication, you can hope to become a skilled artist, or designer, or writer, or just a better person in some shape or form. When it comes to graphic design (and, as usual, any creative endeavor) there can never be enough practice. For a little bit of practice formulating a seamless background in Photoshop, please visit Photoshop Atoms.

Shine Off

thechriswallace — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 18:19:20 +0000

When it comes to everyday life, people generally want to put their best foot forward, to look their absolute best. This is not a vanity thing, no. It is a thing of pride, of wanting to look in-control and to seem like you know what you are doing. All professional organizations have a standard aesthetic that they wish to achieve and maintain throughout their employee base. The professional look is neat, clean, and with an air of confidence and power. Every single one of these feelings stems from the feeling that you get when you look your absolute best. As such, many aspects of our everyday lives boil down to appearances and aesthetic, including that ever-important aspect of social interaction: the first impression. As well, creatively-minded people recognize the importance of looking and being the best you can. It is said that art is not formed in the creation, but in the editing, the retouching phase. This is a profound truth, as many artists would be willing to admit to.

As such, it would be prudent for graphic designers to want to display their talents in the most effective ways possible. This, of course, calls for the artist to be on top of his game in a big way. When you have a human subject in a graphic design or piece of artwork, the artist is charged with a sort of double-layered task. Of course, they want to make their work look as good as possible. With a human subject, this entails making them look their absolute best in order to best serve the picture or piece in question. This requires the artist to have a knowledge of what makes humans look appealing. One of the drawbacks to human complexion can be shiny skin. However, it is nothing a little Photoshop cannot handle. For more information, please visit Photoshop Atoms.

Paint the Town

thechriswallace — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 17:48:25 +0000

Art is, of course, about expression. There are many different ways to go about expressing whatever viewpoint, emotion, or message you wish to convey. For every single thought you have, there is a way to express it artistically. You may choose to do so through song, dance, the written word, through a graphic piece, or really any way you fathom or fancy. As such, it will do well for you to not only have a sort of variance in your artistic endeavors, but as well become knowledgeable and efficient in the ones you know the most about. The only way to get better is, of course, practice, so find time to hone your skills. In no time at all, you will be able to convey exactly what it is you want to convey, whatever emotion or message or thought that might be. As such, it will do you well to remember your potential audience and their possible responses to whatever it is you might be trying to say. Have a good situation awareness, that is.

As many avenues as you have to convey whatever your message might be, it will also do you well to remember that the medium has as much an impact on the piece as the message itself. Picking the right medium for a particular message can be difficult, but is another thing that comes along with practice and hard work. For instance, your message might have a bit of difficulty being understood in a prose piece or through song, but could be earth-shattering in the form of a graphic design. One of the least-understood but most popularly-known forms of artistic expression is, in fact, graffiti. Yes, the stuff you see plastered along streetcorners and in alleyways, that can have an emotional connection with people. For more information on implementing graffiti into Photoshop, please visit Photoshop Atoms.

Branching Out

thechriswallace — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 16:31:40 +0000

Contrary to every single thing you might think of when you hear the phrase ‘comfort zone,’ the aforementioned is not always the best place to be. In fact, it can be a downright destructive and limiting aspect of everyday life. Think of it this way, if you will: you are a writer. Every day, you work on perfecting and honing your craft. You are finding your voice and your style and everything is working itself into place. You are on a constant pace, and are working steadily. Now, eventually you will come to find that you have defined exactly what your sensibilities are, to find that you have perfected a certain form. Where is the thrill? Where is the accomplishment? If you are constantly mired in the same genre or form or style of writing, where is the artistic achievement? The fact of the matter is, staying within your comfort zone limits personal and professional growth. It is time to break out.

When it come to web development, there are a variety of tools and options available. Depending upon exactly what message you wish to convey and to which audience you wish to convey it to, you can literally do anything you wish. The main aim of this is to get your message out to the masses through a new and exciting medium. However, there are a few ways to do this effectively. There are all manner of programming languages and development suites available for you to utilize and learn. One of those is Adobe Dreamweaver. What, you thought that Adobe was all about Photoshop? Incorrect. In fact, the CS5 suite is one of the most widely-praised creative suites on the market today. Learn more about this wonderful development tool here.

The More Things Change

thechriswallace — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 08:38:22 +0000

When it comes to technology, you absolutely cannot escape the specter of change. The only ever-present, constant concept within this world is that nothing will stand still for very long. When you talk about technology, this is doubly so. The rate at which technology becomes more advanced, or shifts toward a new field or a particular ideal, cannot be predicted but can always be anticipated in one way or another. You might not know exactly where or when the change or leap will occur, no. However, it is always the safest bet in the world that the change will happen whether or not you are fully ready to embrace it. As such, it is prudent to be properly prepared for what the changing landscape might offer. You cannot be ready for every scenario, that is a pipe dream of the highest order. However, a little research might make you a little bit more prepared for the world to come.

There is a current trend that is dominating the film industry and has been for the past three or four years: the 3D craze. Technology these days has allowed us to shoot films in digital, photo-realistic 3D and project the films as such. This has, thanks to movies such as James Cameron’s behemoth hit Avatar, led to an explosions in not only the use of 3D in filmmaking, but also its popularity in theaters and with independent filmmakers. As it stands, the 3D craze is showing absolutely no signs of slowing down. Photoshop, being a tool that graphic artists can utilize in the filmmaking process, might not be able to allow you to create images that literally jump out at you. Instead, it can indeed allow you to perfect the shading and perspective techniques that have allowed 3D to evolve from a simple gimmick to a movie-making juggernaut. For more information, please visit Photoshop Atoms.