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GRAPHIC GOODNESS EXERCISES 2:
KINDWORDS CARDS A downloadable e-book to accompany the original blogposts on http://www.amretasgraphicsblog.com/2011/01/graphic-goodness-exercises-2-kindwords.html and http://www.amretasgraphicsblog.com/2011/02/year-of-fortune-cookies-card-kit-free.html
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Hello! Here we come to the Graphic Goodness Exercises 2...making Kindwords Cards! Whoohoo! Now, if you already practiced alot with the Graphic Goodness Exercises number 1, it will be very easy. This time, we'll also use my Rose Bears webset for sample. If you haven't got the webset, you can get it for free with newsletter subscription, here. Okay, let's start :-) One. Open Adobe Photoshop program, prepare the Rose Bears webset. Two, create a new working board on Photoshop. Set it to 640 x 480 pixels. We are going to create a patterned background. Choose one patterned tile from my Rose Bears webset, open it on Photoshop. Click on the menu 'select' 'all', then copy and paste it into the working board.
Just like what you have learned from GGE 1, either repeatedly paste the tile or duplicate the layer. Put them in a row covering the working board. To make it quick, you can also merge several layers, then duplicate. When the entire working board is covered, flatten the image (or merge the layers).
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Voila! You get the patterned background ready! Three. Create another working board, only now smaller. Let's reduce it from the first working board by 60pixels both the width and length, which means make a 580 x 420 px working board. Choose one tile you want to use for the second background. Then, using this tile, repeat step two.
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----------------------------------------------------------------Four. When the second working board is ready, select all, copy and then paste it to the first working board. It's normally centered automatically.
Five. To give a cutout effect (which i love!), see I apply shadow here (click 'layer' - 'layer style' - 'drop shadow')
Six. Now I want to put a fancy transparent tape on the working board. Here's how I make it:
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Repeat step two with another graphic tile..but only a small one, let's say 100 x 50 pixels. Then copy and paste and place it at the top of the working board, like taping the first and the second background together.
Oh, then I wanted to rotate it a little bit. You still remember how to use the 'free transform' tools, right?
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Next step, I want to make it transparent. Again, use the 'layer style' function and use 'blending options' as shown on the image above. A blending toolbox will pop up and see below I changed the green tape's opacity to 50% (blend mode: normal).
Yay! The card background is now ready!! :-) Seven. Using 'type tool', now you can add your text. For this kindwords cards I also drop 35% shadow to the text.
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Eight. This time I use my graphics to decorate the card. Very easy exercise...just choose the graphics from the Rose Bears webset, for example. Open one, select all, copy, paste it to the working board.
And I also drop the rose graphic 35% shadow to give the cutout feel...
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Okay, ready!!! If you follow these steps..congratulations! Now you know how to use my websets to create cards, in addition to the cutout graphics you've learned earlier in Graphic Goodness Exercises 1. Certainly now you can combine both! Isn't that exciting? :-)
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Do-It-Your-Way challenge •
do a lot of practice and create as many kindwords cards repeating these exercises as you enjoy doing it :o)))
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create your own {fortune cookie - kindwords cards} series
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share the cards online. blog it or post it on facebook. share it (or share the link to your blog) also on www.facebook.com/amretasgraphics . Spread the good energy!
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be grateful and celebrate each time you complete the exercises! :o)
--------------------------------------------------------------Have a graphic goodness today!
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Anyway… by now if you don’t have time to create the background tiles, I have another goodie download that will save your day ;o)
A Year of Fortune Cookies - card kit - free download - 1
Now, if you can't wait to play with the kindwords cards kit and to create your own... download the package here (zipped 6,55 MB)
And here’s a little ‘guide post’ for you to play with the kindwords cards kit. first of all, this kindwords cards kit is to be ‘played’ in Adobe Photoshop. I have posted a series of tutorials on how I created cutout cards for my blog – the graphic goodness exercises, + the kindwords card tutorial itself..so if you also happened to miss the them… please ‘play’ with them first :o)
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in the free kit you can find the following: •
two working files, in PSD format. one with the basic graphics (640x480px and 560x400px backgrounds, transparent tape, rose bear graphics and text) and another with additional cutout graphics, for inspiration ;-)
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in the first working file, you will see I included 25 free patterned backgrounds(640x480px) in the file. you can, for example, delete ones you already use, so that you don’t have to worry about using the same backgrounds repeatedly. but then remember to keep the zipped file in case you want the working file with all the 25 backgrounds back!!
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18 patterned backgrounds, PNG format 640x480px, based on the websets you can download when you subscribe to my newsletter
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3 beige basic middle backgrounds, PNG format 560x400px
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2 transparent tapes, also in PNG format
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2 final images from the working files.
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note: the font I use in he working files is *Euphorigenic* that you can download for free, for example on http://www.urbanfonts.com/fonts/Euphorigenic.htm
if you are already familiar with photoshop (or the tutorials on how I created the cards)- then great! you also know that you can play further with the files, and that what I created is only a basic kit, a sample or you can even call it a ‘teaser’. you can experiment with different fonts in different sizes, and also with different graphics or pictures. yes, pictures! you can create your own fancy scrapbook-style framedpictures with the kit. imagination is your only limit. creativity will flow when you just do it, take my word for it, it’s based on my own experience. I think all creative people all over the world definitely agree with me! :-))
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anyway, do not forget that you can use the kindwords cards to illustrate or decorate your blog, website, etc, for free :-) and here’s a little sample of ‘tweaked’ working file with the text replaced with picture of my almost 2 year-old nephew, Attila (living in Stuttgart, Germany), talking to me (in Jakarta, Indonesia) on Skype. it’s our new ‘hobby’ :-)) such an internet-age baby, he's my little muse!!
Enjoy the graphic goodness!!
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Like this graphic goodness goodie? Do share it with your friends and give them a lil' treat:o) If you have trouble viewing the pictures /illustration in this e-book, or to download the goodies, view them on the original blogposts instead here: http://www.amretasgraphicsblog.com/search/label/tutorial sweet thanks!
Amreta’s Graphics Original mouse-drawn country graphics with a twist! Get inspired / Get energized / Get creative / Get ahead / Love yourlife http://www.amretasgraphics.com http://www.amretasgraphicsblog.com
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