I know this is totally out of season, but I really liked the
ideas for this Jack-O-Lantern project.
It was certainly very challenging – particularly the clipping mask to
get the candles to show behind the pumpkins eyes and mouth, and also because of
my difficulties with getting the text path feature to work on my copy of
Photoshop.
My other image involves rubber duckies – see them both at my web page.
1.
Please describe
your preferred method of creating text and the layer effects to make it stand
out.
At this point, my preferred
method to create text is to use the horizontal text tool, with an appropriate
thick-bodied font such as Myriad Pro or Showcard Gothic. I like having a clipping mask to show some
image through the text, and I like using a drop shadow, inner glow, or bevel
effect.
2.
In which way did
you like results from using clipping masks for text and shapes? Do you think
you will use them in future projects? Why or why not?
I found using clipping masks to
be very challenging. It was somewhat
easier for text because of the explicit instructions in Lesson 7, but creating
a clipping mask for a shape was more difficult to figure out. I experimented a lot (and went back a lot) to
achieve the jack-o-lantern effect in my second composite. I very much like the result, but it will take
a lot of retries before I get the method down.
3.
What was your
experience using the pen tool to create selections? Were you able to modify
your selection with the path adjustment tools?
I do like using the pen tool to
create selections. The method of
creating curves seems quite intuitive once you get used to it. My usual method of modification was to undo
some of the anchor points as I went along.
I did experiment some with using “add anchor point” and “delete anchor
point” and adjusting the curves, but I still have some learning to do to become
fluent with these tools.
4.
What challenges
did you experience using the shape tools? Did you create a custom shape? What
was it?
The trick with using the shape
tools is to get all the choices in the option bar correct. I experimented some with this, and went back
to redo things many, many times, but will need to do considerably more
experimentation.
BONUS POINTS: I did create custom shapes for the eyes, nose
and mouth of the jack-o-lantern.
5.
How will you use
Smart Objects in future projects?
I don’t fully understand the
purpose of smart objects, other than simply to create an object that can be
transformed in size repeatedly, without losing quality. I feel certain that Smart Objects have other
attributes and advantages, but I have not yet learned them.
6.
What keyboard
shortcuts are you using regularly now?
I have not really added to
keyboard shortcuts I have previously listed in my blog. At this point there are enough of them that
adding more seems somewhat unmanageable.
Here’s the list, as of today, of keyboard shortcuts I use:
- Open bracket: [ to increase the size of the cursor/brush, and close bracket: ] to decrease the size of the cursor/brush.
- Ctrl-X to make the background transparent.
- Crtl-Z to undo the last editing step
- Ctrl-D to deselect
- Ctrl-0 to fit image on screen
- W to use the quick selection tool
- C for crop tool
- S for clone stamp tool
- Alt to change the quick selection tool from "add to image" to "subtract from image" or to change “zoom in” to “zoom out”.
- Double click to zoom to 100%
- Ctrl-C to copy
- Ctrl-V to paste
- Ctrl-X to cut
- Ctrl-A to select all
- D to restore the default foreground and background colors
- X to exchange foreground color for background color
- B for paintbrush
- Ctrl-H to turn off marching ants
- Ctrl (and hold) to temporarily change any tool to the move tool.
- E for eraser tool
- G for gradient tool
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