The first rule of making PDFs is easy... do it in InDesign, don't even think of doing it in Quark. Navigation, linking to the web and even playing movies can be sorted out in InDesign first before the PDF is made. This way when the client has added his changes these elements don't have to be re-done … [Read more...]
Designing at Tate
I have been doing some work at Tate Britain recently. As you can imagine, designing a booklet on contemporary and modern British art compares favourably to some of the more corporate work I've been doing. I've also been very impressed with their design guidelines, typeface and logos that were set … [Read more...]
Using the Quick Mask Mode in Photoshop
The Quick Mask Mode is a much overlooked method for making selections. In particular, "burning" or darkening skies more at the top of the image than at the horizon. To do this, go into Quick Mask Mode, either by clicking on the icon at the bottom of the tool bar or by pressing Q. Immediately, the … [Read more...]
Improving photos with Photoshop
This is about the very basics of improving landscape photography. For years I've been taking rather bland photos of both natural landscapes and cityscapes and then pushing those pixels to bits in Photoshop. One of the most important things to learn in Photoshop is selecting areas of pictures. For … [Read more...]
Cutting out
How do you cut out a high resolution photo? It depends on the picture of course. If you are cutting out a product – a mobile phone, say – then use the pen tool in Photoshop. Blow the image up big and follow the edge one or two pixels in using Bézier curves. Bézier is a town in the south of France … [Read more...]
Overprint nightmare solved
Here's a problem I've been getting a lot recently ... and a solution! Elements not printing out or printing out darker or fainter than they should. Why? The element – beit type or a box or anything – has been set to overprint. Overprinting is great. Black type on a tinted or coloured … [Read more...]
Making and using PDFs
How do you make PDFs? Direct from an application or by distilling from a saved eps or postscript file? Everyone has their favourite way, but whichever method is used there always seems to be some unforeseen errors creeping into the final file occasionally Why are some elements obscured behind … [Read more...]
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