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SOME EXPOSURE, PLEASE? (Read 3592 times)
David_133145
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Re: SOME EXPOSURE, PLEASE?
Reply #15 - Mar 26th, 2008, 11:24am
 
Hey guys, I was just being a smarty pants when I made the comment "what's photoshop."  It's an inside personal joke.  
As a "starving artist" I have been using some free grahic programs for a couple of years.  The Germans are very gnerous with some nice free programs. But then, other countries support the arts.  
I started with Ultimte paint and some of the corel draw programs The recent one that someone, I am sorry I don't exactly recall who, called "Paint.net" has proved to be very useful.  I draw all mt artwork originally, then color and fill them with graphic programs.  This is a necessary process as doing my old colored pencil fills simply does not gain the results that are...well competitive as far as quality goes.  Vector graphics is, of course, the goal as all or most of the pixelization is removed.  
I recently purchased Adobe CS3 illustrator, which I saved many months to afford, which is the premier vector grahics program.  I am very excited about having the program for my own, finally, but the learning curve is pretty intense.  Much like Photoshop, I am sure.  I've found the paint.com to be a great substitute in the interim, although I use many of the other programs because each of them has tools that are not found in the others.  Someday I'll master the CS3 so I can stay in one place to get my work done.  I gues this is why I am amazed at how much time some people spend in forums.  I rearely have time away from my grahics, and then the process of uploading images to my various stores is also so time consuming.  
Anyhow, all that said, I've often wanted to get photoshop as it has some very valuable tools. But vector graphics is what I need most.  So, it was with a touch of jealousy and sarcasm that I said "what's photoshop?"  Certainly no offense intended. Cheesy
Norval, thank you for your comments and input regarding the e-cards. I am a bit frustrated that folks would say that free e-cards have no value, when any exposure is, of course, of value.  The only free e-cards that I delete without looking at them are the ones sent to me from companies doing generic promotion. However, anything sent to me by a friend is immediately filed and saved, at least for a little while.
But I see that many of us agree that there is some fine talent in this community that is not being accessed or exposed.  But some responses appear to me to be in the realm of "things are just fine as the have been, lets not rock the boat."
But it is my nature to improve on what I see, especially when I se something not functioning to it's highest potential.
Now, excuse me while I go burn myself out trying to make my programs do things they are not really supposed to do.
Also, Norval, an easy way to tell if I am kidding?...just look and see if my lips are moving.   Grin
Peace Cool ~David
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Norval_132688
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Re: SOME EXPOSURE, PLEASE?
Reply #16 - Mar 26th, 2008, 12:05pm
 
David, I wasn't kidding.......I really need help with Corel Draw, I work mostly with
type or Hand-Lettering and I would really like to access the '25,000 type fonts' that
Corel says is on their program disk.  The book I have reads like it is written in a foreign language, I can't make heads or tails out of it.   'having time to post, its called coffee breaks.
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Teri Francis_131425
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Re: SOME EXPOSURE, PLEASE?
Reply #17 - Mar 27th, 2008, 10:13pm
 
Quote from Norval_132688 on Mar 26th, 2008, 12:05pm:
David, I wasn't kidding.......I really need help with Corel Draw, I work mostly with
type or Hand-Lettering and I would really like to access the '25,000 type fonts' that
Corel says is on their program disk.  The book I have reads like it is written in a foreign language, I can't make heads or tails out of it.   'having time to post, its called coffee breaks.

 
Noval ... I've been using CorelDraw12 for several years, along with several other vector programs.  Not sure what version you're working in, nor about the 25,000 fonts, but please feel free to pm me or email me with your questions and I'll see if I can help you out.  
 
David ... I have to work Adobe Illustrator (version 8) for some of my work, but it is the biggest pain-in-the-you-know-what to learn, and even when you do, I think it still takes longer to work with to do even the simplest drawings ... but the end result is often worth the effort, so hang in there with it.  Most of the time, I do my original drawings in CorelDraw12, then import the file into AI and finish up the color gradients and effects in AI8 format.  Have you tried Inkscape?  It's a free open-source program -- doesn't have a lot of bells and whistles that AI and Corel have, but since you have some experience working in vector programs, you might want to give it a try.  Also, I know several artists who love XaraXtreme ... I tried it and almost blew my brains out trying to work with it ... but they have 30-day free trial if you ever want to give it a whirl.  
 
As for the eCards, printables, etc. ... I'm for anything that reinforces branding.  It doesn't really matter whether people keep them or not ... I know a lot of people who toss away paper greeting cards (yikes -- horrors!), but obviously I'm not one of those!   Cheesy  Just getting the GCU name and logo out there where people can see it is what's important IMHO.  
 
Again, Norval, let me know if I can be of any help to you.
 
Teri
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Ernestine_131365
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Re: SOME EXPOSURE, PLEASE?
Reply #18 - Mar 27th, 2008, 11:08pm
 
Hi all-
 
I've used Illustrator (and Photoshop) for about 15 years, and must say, I still don't have a "handle" on bezier curves.  Wink  I'm a pixel person.  But my sister has been using AI for as long and I'm amazed at the detailed drawings she's able to do with that program.  (She should teach it.) Sis is more "left brain,"  I'm just scatter brain!.  Works for me!
 
-Ernestine
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Norval_132688
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Re: SOME EXPOSURE, PLEASE?
Reply #19 - Mar 28th, 2008, 1:36am
 
Thank You, Terri, I will be in touch.  I have Corel Draw 8 for windows '98 and work
in PhotoShop 5.5 also Illustrator 8---- all on a puter I share with my wife and two
kids.  I've only been on the computer a year, and then only because  I had to send my work in in 600dpi grayscale to meet the new dead lines. I came kicking and
screaming but its getting easier now, and you know, I'm actually begining to enjoy it.  My Wife laughs because I had said 'no way would I use one of those things'.
On your post on demographics, does it take in to account all of us pre-babyboomers
that have just discovered computers and just now are learning to buy on line?  I
know my Buddies are the same as I, living out here in the fly over zone where we have to drive 35 miles to a town big enough to even have cards, WallMart, which has two brands, the big one and the company the big one bought two years ago!No way am I going to spend $12.00 in gas to buy a $3.00 card.  GCU really has a chance in this market if they can be discovered.  What I said Above, my wife and kids. thats why I work these unGodly Hours, the night shift, my coffee break is over
so I had better shut up. Thanks again for your offer............Norval
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David_133145
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Re: SOME EXPOSURE, PLEASE?
Reply #20 - Mar 28th, 2008, 11:32am
 
Teri, thanks for the info.  I've tried Inkscape but it was just another program to learn and I had trouble exporting in my desired formats.  I prefer to work in PNG which is a bit frustrating in that GCU want JPEG.  I see JPEG as the bottom of the food chain in the image world.  I also do a lot of transparancy work, so it's either png or gif format.
It's funny how we use programs differently as per our comfortable habits.  I use my Illusrator cs3 primarily, since I haven't gotten too deep into it as of yet...but still working at it, to change my inked drawings to vector.  This does help illiminate a lot of pixelization.  I then do the gradient fills in two other programs depending on my need for affects or filters.  For some reason paint.net seeems to do the fills almost as nicely as Illustrator.  I am not sure if it's vector or not but it seems to be.  So I kind of do the opposite that you do.  I used Ultimate paint for a very long time, but often had to hand paint the images to remove straggler pixels around the edges of dark fills.  
I've only been using graphic programs for about a year.  I figured it was a necessity as all cartoonists that are published, pretty much, do so.  I do enjoy the end results, but it is always a bit diappointing to see the printed results compared to the way things look on the creen. LOL Cool  I'm doing some detailed drawing again which will come out pretty soon.  It's kind of nice to get back to teh drawing board once in awhile.  Grphic programs are wonderful, but I still love the way a pencil can build an image from my mind, through my eyes, to my hand and onto the paper.  Of all things, I'm drawing motorcycles. I've got this idea about "biker bears" that simply needs to be done.
I think these remarks of yours pretty much sums up what I have been trying to promote: "As for the eCards, printables, etc. ... I'm for anything that reinforces branding.  It doesn't really matter whether people keep them or not ... I know a lot of people who toss away paper greeting cards (yikes -- horrors!), but obviously I'm not one of those!     Just getting the GCU name and logo out there where people can see it is what's important IMHO"
Branding is what is important.  Without exposure, teh artists, as an asset to GCU, can never be appreciated.
Thank You.
 
Ernestine,  I can understan being a pixel person.  But it sure can be a butt load of work managing all those little buggers Grin  I always love your comments.
Bear Hugs ~David
 
Oh, by the way.  My association with Polar Bear International became real and official the other morning. They sent me the mock-up of the space in their site reserved for me.  I had a long phone chat withthe folks, and very nice people they are!.  To start out I'll be doing one cartoon per week, just to get it all going and comfortable.  I've been promised exclusivety (sp?) although I had not requested it.  They also told me they were "honored" to have my work in their site.  When being overwhelmed by the opportunity and attention subsides a bit, my excitment about this project should just about fill me up.  Now it's time to see what Creators and King think about my new stuff. Cool  "Keep moving forward" ~Walt Disney Okay, sorry 'bout the bragging.  Just had to tell someone.  Not too many artists here abouts in "Slowdotna", Alaska
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David_133145
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Re: SOME EXPOSURE, PLEASE?
Reply #21 - Mar 28th, 2008, 11:33am
 
Man...I sure write long posts.... Shocked
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Gina_133039
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Re: SOME EXPOSURE, PLEASE?
Reply #22 - Mar 28th, 2008, 2:41pm
 
Smiley David, that's not bragging, just fact... I'm so happy for you.  I hope this is not only a professional venture for you, but also a fun adventure... the fun is a factor that we sometimes forget when life gets in the way... so be happy and have fun and please keep us posted!
 
gina
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