annamarie's: let's inspire each other

Freebie Photo Frame & Tutorial

Today's tutorial will be about making a fun photo frame from scratch. I am working in photoshop, but the same options are most likely available in your program, but under different tab headings.

1. On Layer one, bring in a shape or make one of your own, here is mine.

2. On layer 2 bring in a sheet of paper or color your own square and add some texture to it. (for texture: go to Layer, Layer style, bevel and emboss, then choose a texture you like.) Here is mine.

3. Now on layer 2, hit cntrl, alt, G, this will wrap the paper around your shape like so, don't forget to merge these two layers together also:

4. Let's add some color now. Bring in a sheet of paper or a style that you like and angle it anyway you like on the layer above. I used a style for mine but removed the layering and beveling to make it flat.

5. Again hit Cntrl, Alt, G on this new layer and it will wrap around your frame shape:

6. Now let's make an embellishment to jazz up the right hand corner. Open a new file 3" x 3" and bring in a shape you like. Here is mine:

 7. Let's add some color and dimension to our shape, apply the same paper or style, hit Cntrl, Alt, G. Add some bevel and emboss til you like it. Mine is from the style I used, here are those figures: depth 101, size 25, angle 90, altitude 82, gloss contour - inverted cone, highlight mode - screen, opacity 61%, shadow mode - multiply, bottom opacity 75%. 

8. I love flowers, so let's add a flower or whatever you like and apply the same features:

9. And some final decorations, accents and a few balls for dimension and apply the same features:

10. Okay, let's save your new decoration and bring it into the file with your photo frame now. I'm putting mine on the top right because I still want to add something to the bottom right.

11. Now our frame itself is looking a little flat so let's add some dimension to that layer. Go back to layer 1, where your base is all merged and go to Layer, Layer style, bevel and emboss: depth 100, size 50.

12. Our final step let's add a journaling feature, add a tag or shape of your choosing and color and tuck it between layer 1 and two. The embellishment will now be on layer 3, the tag on 2 and frame on 1. I picked the same color as the frame but without any texture.

There you go, a finished frame to add a photo to and write some text on.

Here is what the freebie download looks like for those interested:

and here is the link:

http://www.4shared.com/file/52903282/9e6c5c54/fullsizeframe1.html

Thanks everyone, enjoy the weekend!

FREEBIE OVERLAYS & CREATIVITY CHALLENGE: where everyone is a winner!

I would like to do a CREATIVITY CHALLNGE, but mine is a little different. Everyone wins because I am into participation. Here is the challenge for anyone interested.

HOW CREATIVE CAN YOU BE and PUSH YOURSELF with 1 PIECE OF PAPER: Here is my example to get your thoughts starting! I took 1 greyscaled overlay and made the edging, butterfly, flower and swirl effect. Now, if you're not into scrapbooking, you don't have to do scrapbooking style, that's the fun part, how creative can YOU be with your own style. Let's have some fun!

Here are some freebie sample overlays to get your creativity flowing. Let's see what you can come up with.

and here is the link to get them:

http://www.4shared.com/file/52854929/616fe6db/bwmarbled_beauty_1.html 

Remember with overlays/or underlays you can colorburn, luminiosity, screen, overlay, color dodge, add gradients, color, etc, etc.

For those that accept this creativity challenge, this is what you will receive just for joining in the fun.

4 starter scrapbook pages:

Don't forget to leave your email so I can send you the link to download them, or send the actual zip file. There is no time limit, this is just a fun challenge, as you enter and post your item I will forward you the starter pages for playing along.

And, I certainly like feedback as I grow my blog. Is this something you would like to see on my blog, or are there already too many creative challenges going on to keep up with. Let me know!

Thanks everyone, I hope you join in and have fun!

FREEBIE GRUNGE PAPER & TUTORIAL: how to save your work as a pattern in your presets

Good Morning, this post is in response to mary who tried the alphabet tutorial and how to load items into your preset folder so they are available for you. Also to provide you the actual pattern I used as you work the tutorial.

Whatever pattern you pull up, it will take the texture from that exact pattern for you. If you use a different pattern, then no it will not look exactly like mine. But if you put your pattern in, then use the same exact pattern for the texture you will get the effect, except a different pattern from mine. I originally didn't include mine in the tutorial post, because I was providing the finished alphabets, but it is here today for those to want to make other matching items.

For starters: I work in illustrator or photoshop. If you work in something else, I'm sure you can do the same, but it might be under a different tab grouping, just check your manual or do a help search.

I'll be showing you two ways, making a pattern from scratch yourself and how to save it for future use and how to take patterns already made and save them in your presets.

 #1. Make a pattern youself and save it (this tutorial was given in greater details a few lessons earlier).

1. Open a 2" x 2" square.

Make something on the square that will become your pattern on layer 2, make sure layer 1 is white.

2. Now take your marquee tool and go to layer 1 (white layer) and with the marquee tool create a box around the entire frame.  Now go to edit, define pattern, and name your pattern.

3. Now open a blank new page, let's say 8 x 8 and hit edit, fill, and open your new pattern to fill in the space and view what the full pattern looks like.

4. Now go under: layer, layer styles: pattern overlay: where the pattern shows, click the triangle to open it and your pattern should now be there and click on the tiny black triangle on the far right side and the options will come up to load, replace or SAVE patterns. When you SAVE here, you will now have created your own patterns that you can give away, sell, etc.

Also now that it is saved, you can also now bring the same pattern up in the texture field which I used for the alphabet tutorials.

#2. freebie or purchased patterns.

When you get ready made patterns, then come in a icon shape with the word pattern on it, to install: 

Go to my computer: c drive: program files: adobe: Adobe Photoshop cs2 or whatever you have: Presets folder: Patterns: paste it in this folder.

Then when you want to use them, in photoshop go to: layer, layer styles, pattern overlay, click the tiny black triangle to load new patterns as you want them. 

Here is the pattern that I used for yesterdays tutorial that you can load into your presets folder if you like:

Here is the link for those interested. Just save this in your presets folder and you can call it up whenever you want to use it.

Burn it over colored squares, multiply them, color dodge or illuminate them, have fun and keep playing.

http://www.4shared.com/file/52824580/59669381/1freebiegrungepattern.html

I hope this makes sense, let me know if you have problems and need guidance.

FREEBIE GRUNGE ALPHABET SET & Tutorial: How to Make a custom alphabet set.

Today's lesson is about making your own alphabets for your custom digital work.

1. Open a 3" x 3" file and on layer 1 type an A. I did mine 275 pts in size & franklin Gothic Heavy as the type style.

 2. Now let's add some color or pattern to it. Go to: Layer, Layer Style, Pattern Overlay and choose something you like. I used my Stripped Grunge Pattern, then hit ok.

3. Now, let's add an edge border around it, go to: Layer, Layer Style, Stroke: Change the position to inner, size 15, Fill type: Pattern and choose something you like to compliment your alphabet. I added my midght blue paper, hit ok.

4. Now let's add some dimension, go to: Layer, Layer Style, Bevel & Emboss: enter - Inner bevel, chisel soft, depth 100, size 46, soft 1.

you can leave it as it at this point OR keeping doing more things:

5. Now let's add some texture: Layer, Layer Styles, Bevel & Emboss, click on textures: bring up the same pattern, and change it to be the same size as your pattern (my was 57%) so the texture lines up exactly with the pattern. Also hit depth to what you would like, I hit mine at -10%, and hit ok.

There you go! Now to make the rest of the alphabet, just copy this A layer, Highlight the text and change to B, C, D, etc. Make sure to save each one as a png which gives it an invisible background.

Today's freebie is a set of this alphabet in all caps! I hope you enjoyed the tutorial and will try it yourself.

Here is the link for today's alphabet set.

http://www.4shared.com/file/52858402/8685713a/ALPHABET.html

Goals update: Here's Mine, how is everyone else doing from your new year's resolutions.

Hi Everyone, I started the year with 7 goals in mind when we did our blog entry: new years resolutions: Here is my 6 month update:

Goal 1. I want to learn to work on-line.
I am busy behind the scenes putting my website together as we speak. I apparently do things big from the start it seems so I have been super busy behind the scenes emailing and working with 3 different companies co-ordinating their products to all work together on one site. Whew! What can I say, I'm not a tekkie, I am a creative, I just knew what I wanted, now I needed to get them all to talk to each other to coordinate all that behind the scene stuff, php?, downloads, etc., etc. It certainly has been a learning experience and we are approx. 90% there with only one last bug to work out between 2 companies. And I just sent them both this mornings email task.

Goal 2. I want to develop my own line of digital supplies, embellishments, papers, etc.
Busy, busy, and busy. I am making and uploading, making and uploading, while others are working out the technical bugs.

Goal 3. Learn about Blogging
This has been a good learning experience as well. Initially I was having problems getting artellas blog to show up in search engines and could not find a way to do it. So I created a 2nd blog off of the artella site and hooked that up with a link back to artellas as a sister blog. Now both blogs show up in streams everytime I put out a freebie. But now I have 2 blogs. On artella, I plan on still doing freebies but would like it to be a "at your service" blog so tutorials also will be highlighted here as it seems there are people that would like tutorials. I welcome any input and feedback for things you would like me to showcase.

Goal 4. Actually join an on-line community and learn to navigate and the in's and out's of one.
I have been learning lots of behind the scenes things, but I have been soooo busy I have not been entering the contests lately. I don't even remember getting the last kit, I better go check my email, ha, ha!   So, I have been missing out of the fun portion of the community, just keeping up with my blog, tutorials and building my website, but I am making sure that I do check in and drop off a freebie and tutorial and give a update. It will get better. I think in general it must be quiet, because I do try to respond to the groups that I get emails from and compliment others work, so maybe everyone is quiet with summer here.

Goal 5. Be a lightworker and be of service whenever the opportunities cross my path. 
I hope our community feels that I am being of service to them.  This continues to be an area I want to grow in.

Goal 6. Develop and grow my skills to someday be able to qualify to be a artella volunteer.
At the moment I am volunteering in my own way, within my blog but have not found where I can be of service ouside my blog. Everyone is starting to get to know me, maybe you can approach me if you think there is a hole somewhere that you think I would fit in at "artella leadership team". There are already so many talented people here, tell me what you see me doing for you, if you are interested in me being one of your volunteers.

Goal 7. Develop my skills with digital photography.
This has been really fun, my daughter and I are doing this together and may even put a photography section on my website. I love landscapes, flowers, textures at the moment.  I obviously have lots to learn yet, I am waiting for some julie burgers flower closeup tips and tricks. Here that Julie, I think you have alot to offer to newbie photographer wannabe's, your work is awesome!

The best way to stay motivated and on top of your goals is to share them and get feedback, especially if you need motivation or help. Who's next, how are your resolutions and/or goals coming along!

Freebies: 2 grunge overlays, 1 Grunge Pattern & Tutorial: Creating a EASY Grunge Background.

Today's tutorial is creating that popular grunge look, but a simple version with only a few steps.

 Layer one, start with a color background. I'm choosing orange:

Step 2: On layer 2, use your stamp or brush tool, or bring in a overlay file and create your effect on layer 2.

Now stay on layer 2 with your grunge let's add some interest to it: go to Layer, Layer Style, Pattern Overlay, and choose something you like. (I will be supplying my choices in a download at the end of the lesson for today's freebies.)

Here is my choice:

Now let's add a layer 3 and have some more fun. Go to your stamp or brush and let's get some more grunge, here is what mine looks like (on a white background so you can see it by itself first):

But now let's turn off the white back ground and turn on layers one and two with the orange background and first layer on grunge. You now have 3 layers with this on top. Let's add some style to this layer of grunge. Go to Layer, Layer Style, Pattern Overlay, and choose something you like: Here is my choice: Or you can use the paper I provide and put it on top of the grunge layer and hit Ctrl, Alt G and it will magically wrap around any thing you have on the layer below it.

Now duplicate that new layer of grunge and turn the page a quarter turn to put the grunge marks in a different location and add more grunge, also apply a new pattern, again go to Layer, Layer Style, Pattern Overlay, and choose something you like. Here is mine:

That's It, of course you can keep going, add a border layer on top of this, etc. Experiment and have fun!

Here is the pattern that I used for anyone interested.  There are 2 overlays for the grunge I used and a pattern in the link below.

and here is the link to get them for those interested:  http://www.4shared.com/file/51386805/529b4421/easy_grunge_background.html

Freebie Patterns & Tutorial: How to make a Digital Pattern in Photoshop

Today's inspiration is about making your own custom patterns. Once you try this you will be addicted and begin to create your own unique digital backgrounds.

Start by opening photoshop in a 2" x 2" size. Turn your grid on by going under view, show, grid. This will give you a guide to work with.

Let's start simple and use something from the custom shapes tool. I am going to use a corner bracket:

on the 1st layer put 1 item:

Now do layer 2 corner:

layer 3 corner:

and layer 4 corner until you have this:

Now you have two choices, you can leave the very bottom white layer on, or you can turn it off (if you want an overlay - a see thru back ground).

For the first save, I'll do it with the white background:
activate layer 1 (the white or blank layer) and use your marquee tool to outline the entire box to include your design. Now go to: Edit, Define Pattern and name it. You have now made your first pattern fill.

 To test your pattern, open a new document, make it 8 x 8 or whatever you like and go to Edit, Fill, Pattern, and pick your pattern to apply. Your pattern should now fill your page:

Now let's take this and apply another element to expand it into a 2nd pattern: Go back to your 2" x 2" file and take another custom shape or make your own and place something in each corner of your 2" square. When you do all 4 corner, again take your marquee tool and make a square around your entire pattern and hit Edit, Define pattern, and name it. Here is a 2nd version of your original pattern.

Now go to your 8" photo shop file and on a new page hit Edit, Fill, and Pattern and pick your new pattern, and this is what you now have:

Now save this with a white background and again with no background if you want it as a see thru overlay as well.

 Now let's put our new pattern to work:

On the layer below your new pattern, make a color box, I am going to do red. Now go to your new pattern layer and play with the layers options, this one is Color Burn over red background:

this is with the overlay choice selected over the same red background:

Now this is color dodge using the same red background:

Now let's work with the overlay that was saved without the white background, this is how it looks with the overlay feature over red. Quite different from the orange/red version two steps up:

Now change the layer to normal and go to Layer, Layer Style, Bevel and Emboss and get this raised look:

Now let take it up a notch: Change the background to another color, I am choosing purple: With the pattern layer that has a white background, use your magic eraser and tap on the large white spaces around your squares, not inside the square just the large outside white space. Now change the layer to soft light and this is what you get:

Experiment and most of all, just have fun! Thanks everyone!

Here is the tutorial patterns (white background, clear background, punched out white) in a zipped file to download for anyone interested:

and here is the link to download:

http://www.4shared.com/file/50512934/fd2f50cc/annamaries_corner_patterns.html

Inspiration: How to create the neon look

In response to Julie Burgers request, and because it's been a little while since the last inspiration: here is a tutorial on creating the neon look. There are many others and I'll showcase others also, but here is todays.

Open photoshop or whatever package you work in, I'm doing mine in a 8 x 8 inch size so you can print it out if you like.

step1: On layer 3: Start with a background paper that you like. I'll start with one from my artists grunge - midnight blue series.

Step 2: Now, on layer 2 make a shape that you like with the pen tool, here is mine:

Step 3: Now turn on layer 3 and hit Alt, Cntl,G and it will wrap around your shape like this:

Step 4: Now merge the two layers together.

Step 5: On layer 1, add a page and use your eye dropper to pick up a color from your existing paper and apply that color to the page below like this:

Step 6: Now let's add some glow and character to the page 3 - go to:

Layer, Style:

Outer Glow: put the blend mode to vivid light, Opacity 100%, check White gradient, Technique softer, Spread 0%, Size 54px, Range 50%, Jitter 0%.

Inner Glow: put the blend mode to screen, Opacity 100%, check Black gradient, Technique softer, Source edge, Choke 0%, Size 42px, Range 50%, Jitter 0%.

this will now get you this:

Step 7: Make a new layer at the top and with your paint brush, custom shape tool or by inserting a graphic, bring in a flower or embellishment of your choice. I am doing a flower.  

Duplicate the flower layer and on the bottom flower layer apply the same settings as the curved edge above to get the glow:
Layer, Style:

Outer Glow: put the blend mode to vivid light, Opacity 100%, check White gradient, Technique softer, Spread 0%, Size 54px, Range 50%, Jitter 0%.

Inner Glow: put the blend mode to screen, Opacity 100%, check Black gradient, Technique softer, Source edge, Choke 0%, Size 42px, Range 50%, Jitter 0%.

and now you will have the glow on this flower layer:

Step 8: Now on the top flower layer either color the flower or add another type of paper in the layer above and again hit: Alt, Cntl, G and it will wrap around the flower image, now merge the flower layers together like before.

Step 9: Now let's move the flower over the black flower layer and add some dimension to this new colorful flower layer.
Go to Layer, Style:
Drop shadow: Multiply, 63%, Angle 139, Distance 21, spread 0, size 13 
Inner shadow: Color Burn, Opacity 56, Angle 120, Distance 10, Choke 26, Size 41
Inner glow: Soft Light, Opacity 65, Color grey, Technique softer, edge, choke 0, size 9, range 50
Bevel & emboss: Inner Bevel, Technique smooth, Depth 311, Direction up, Size 43, Angle 120, Altitude 70, Screen grey, Opacity 100, Shadow Mode multiply, opacity 100

Step 10: let's finish it off with some bling.

Now, you can keep going, duplicate the flowers, add swirl effects, continue to embellish, you get the picture.

Here is the same piece of starter paper with some neon added to the paper:

 I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and will give it a try. Have a great weekend

Freebies: 4 Neon Purple Starter Pages

If you love purple and neon, these are for you. These are 4 starter pages to incorporate your photos and text onto.

This is what each of the pages looks like:

Here is the link to the zipped files for those that are interested. Have fun!

http://www.4shared.com/file/50178888/6dc3f8c9/purple_neon.html