::ANNA::

NewART Sneak Peek + ArtJournaling

New digital products will be arriving in the store tomorrow.  

Epic is a color themed palette in tones of green, white, gray and brown.  This palette would be great for a variety of themes including but not limited to outdoors, hiking, animal parks, camping, military, masculine, landscapes and gardening.

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ArtJournaling Revisited.  If you missed Pattie Knox's 2 Art Journaling classes they're back in self-paced format at Creative Passions by popular demand. These classes were previously available at Get It Scrapped.

Digital Techniques for Art Journaling will teach you to digitally mimic gesso and thick paint, digitally layer elements and create collage using the tools available in Photoshop and Elements.

More Digital Techniques for Art Journaling introduces more techniques for creating backgrounds, working with text and forming interesting focal images. 

The class can be purchased individually or in bundle format at a 15% discount.

I've also been able to get  a 10% discount coupon valid toward the individual classes.  A great opportunity to try Art Journaling under the guidance of a great teacher.  Use coupon code 10DAJwPK valid for a limited time on Digital Techniques for Art Journaling or More Digital Techniques for Art Journaling.

MidWeek Release + ArtSale

MidWeek Release. 4 NewART products are coming to the AnnaStore today: 2 New sets of ArtsyKardz to coordinate with ArtPlay Palette Bicycle delivered in .jpg and the popular layered .psd format. Instructions for using these ArtsyKardz can be found here.

FotoInspired Layout No. 21.

As May 2012 comes to a close, I'm also introducing the next MonthReview template in the series.

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ArtSale.  10 Hand-selected AnnaProducts will be on sale discounted by 30% through Friday 1 June 2012, 9am EST.

Tutorial | Channel Mixer Black and White Conversion

Black and white photos coordinate with any kit and are a classic look in scrapbook layouts.  There are many ways to convert a color picture into black and white.  AnnaTeamer, Eszter Baranyi, shares her favorite technique using a Channel Mixer adjustment layer.

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Beautiful | Beszteri

1. Open the photo you want to convert to Black/White.

2. Apply a new Channel Mixer adjustment layer.  Go to Layer> New Adjustment Layer> Channel Mixer.

Note: You can also choose Image > Adjustments > Channel Mixer, but keep in mind that this method makes direct adjustments to the image layer and discards image information.

3. Check the Monochrome option in the Adjustments panel to convert the image into grayscale.

4. There are a total of 6 default preset options available in the panel. Select the one which best suits your photo/preferences.  You can also customize the Source Channels.  Note: Below the Source Channels (Red, Green and Blue) you’ll see the total percentage value of the combined colors. For best results, adjust the source channels so the combined values equal 100%.

I opted for the Orange filter version.

If you are satisfied with the results you can stop the process here.

5. If you like higher contrast photos, you can add a new Brightness/Contrast adjustment layer. In the Adjustments panel, drag the sliders to adjust the brightness and contrast. Dragging to the left decreases the level, and dragging to the right increases it.

What's your preferred method for converting images to Black and White?

NewART Sneak Peek

New digital products will be arriving in the store tomorrow.  

Summer is moving into Colorado and I love my rides around the reservoir close to our house so I have bikes on the brain.  This Palette would be perfect for showcasing photos about children learning to ride bikes, document stories about bike enthusiasts or simple weekend rides.

Thanks always for your continued support of my designs.

MidWeek Release, ArtSale + New Class

MidWeek Release.  3 NewART products are coming to the AnnaStore today:

2 New sets of ArtsyKardz to coordinate with ArtPlay Palette Classico delivered in .jpg and the popular layered .psd format.  Instructions for using these ArtsyKardz can be found here.

FotoInspired Layout No. 20.

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ArtSale.  15 Hand-selected AnnaProducts will be on sale discounted by 30% through Friday 25 May 2012, 9am EST.

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New Class from Reneee Pearson.

Mobile scrapbooking is the logical next step for the modern memory keeper. In iScrapit, you’ll learn how to create beautiful digital albums using Apple Keynote for iPad or iPhone. Over the course of 3-weeks, Renee will cover everything from adding images and text to animations and transitions. You’ll also learn how to convert your digital kits and templates to sizes that work with your mobile device and how to take your Project Life mobile.  Further information and registrations details can be found here.

(Image Credit: Digital sampler kit provided by Karla Dudley of Design House Digital)

Tutorial | Working with Transparent Elements

Friends.Forever | Bezsteri

This tutorial shows you how to apply drop shadows to transparent elements and offers a fun effect you can apply to Acrylic AlphaNumberSet No. 1 courtesy of AnnaTeamer, Ezster Baranyi.

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 1. Create a New Layout at 12 x 12 inches 300dpi and open a paper. Open an Acrylic Alpha or Number from Acrylic AlphaNumberSet No. 1 and drag onto the canvas using the Move tool from the Tools palette.

2. Apply a drop shadow layer style. I recommend AnnaStyle Shadows No. 1.  Notice that the letter is too dark with the drop shadow style.  

3. Layer styles can be converted to separate image layers.  Right click on the Effects of the letter’s layer and select Create Layers from the fly-out menu, or choose Layer > Layer Style > Create Layer.

Notice that a second layer appears beneath the element layer and is named OriginalLayerName’s Drop Shadow.

4. Select the letter’s layer and choose the Magic Wand Tool (W) from the Tools palette.  Click on the area on your layout outside of the letter element

5. Select the drop shadow layer in the Layers palette and add layer mask to it. This deletes the shadow behind the element and makes it only visible on the outside edges.  

6.  Create a New Layer beneath the shadow layer (Layer 1). Select the letter’s layer in the Layers palette and choose the Magic Wand Tool in the Tools palette.  Click on the area on your layout outside of the letter element. Go to Select > Inverse  (Ctrl+Shift+I). Select Layer 1 on the Layers palette, choose the Paint Bucket Tool (G) from the Tools palette and click on the selected area to fill with color.

7. Apply the Sprayed Stencil (type) effect from the Text Effects palette.

After applying the action you will see the following:

8. Apply the Gaussian Blur filter to this layer.  Go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur.

Tip. Check the Preview box in the Gaussian Blur dialogue box to view the results on the fly or as you work.  You can also play with the layer’s opacity and blending mode if desired.

9. Finally add a Gradient Overlay layer style to the acrylic alpha layer. 

First set foreground color on the Tools palette then set up the Gradient Overlay layer style to complete the effect.

Watching

I spend a lot of time watching and observing.  

This weekend I happened to catch Luke doing a little observing of his own.  All the hype about the solar eclipse has had Luke very interested in the sun.  Loved watch him observe one of our spectacular Colorado sunsets.

New Acrylic AlphaNumberSet

New AnnaRelease 18 May 2012 is now available, and includes an Acrylic AlphaNumberSet that I have been working on for a few months now.

This AlphaNumberSet is a little different from others in that it is delivered in both .png and 3-layer .psd format to yield more realistic results and to allow for maximum customization.  Not only can you change the contrast, hue (color) and how opaque each number/letter appears, but the drop shadow has already been applied and is fully customizable because it exists on it's own layer.

I'm sending out a tutorial with screenshots and specifics for adjusting the .psd file in tomorrow's AnnaNews.  In the meantime, AnnaTeamer, Chris Asbury shared another technique that I hadn't considered i.e Use the AlphaNumberSet with the clipping mask function.  You can customize the numbers/letter by clipping papers or brush layers to the *alpha/number normal layer* and then applying different blending modes to each layer.

Windy | Chris Asbury

And the breakdown of the layers:

Another fun little technique to try.

NewART Sneak Peek

New digital products will be arriving in the store tomorrow.  

This weeks' palette in black is white has no specific theme and would be perfect for weddings, proms, Father's Day, graduations to name just a few suggested uses.

And a co-ordinating BrushSet.

I also completed an Acrylic AlphaNumberSet that I have been working on for a while now.  This particular AlphaNumberSet is delivered in .png and 3-layer .psd format to allow for maximum customization. Includes tips sheet for modifying the .psd file as well as instructions for applying realistic drop shadows to transparent elements.  Please note that we have renamed all the AlphaNumberSets in the store this week to provide betetr naming conventions.  Previous product names are included in the descriptions.

MidWeek Release + ArtSale

MidWeek Release.  4 NewART products are coming to the AnnaStore today:

2 New sets of ArtsyKardz to coordinate with ArtPlay Palette Jardinier delivered in .jpg and the popular layered .psd format.  Instructions for using these ArtsyKardz can be found here.

FotoInspired Layout No. 19.

An oldie revisited and reworked to include clipping masks.  Supports approx. 75 photos.

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ArtSale.  12 Hand-selected AnnaProducts will be on sale discounted by 30% through Friday 18 May 2012, 9am EST.