Blog

Illustrator, Vector Art

Illustrator Intertwine

Caryn

I finally had the opportunity to experiment with Adobe Illustrator’s new Intertwine feature. This is game changing. It has reduced my workflow and time invested dramatically when I want to link objects together (which is all the time, I love that Celtic knot/Art Nouveau feel). I appreciate the multiple ways to achieve the intertwine as well, with a mouse-over computer-selected objects, and a manual lasso tool, both of which I found intuitive. I made a Thank You card for Teacher Appreciation week. So excited about how much this helps me create what I love.

Adobe Fresco, Illustrator, Photoshop, Vector Art

Psychedelic show banner

Caryn

My latest project was developing a digital banner for Lone Star Chorus’ “Peace, Love, and Barbershop” show announcement. I had fun with this one, and used Adobe Fresco (for the water color background and grass), Adobe Illustrator (for the sun and notes), Adobe Photoshop (for the botanical layers), and finally Adobe inDesign to make a manageable file size. I flip through the apps because each one has a specialty and it is easier to do certain elements in different apps. Not only do I keep familiarity with each app with regular usage, I also see which app works better to execute my ideas.

Rainbow botanical musical banner

The banner is sized at 1920×1005 pixels to optimize for use as a Facebook event. To make a printable flyer, I played with the elements to make a lower coordinating panel, leaving a white section in the middle for readability.

1/2 page coordinating flyer
Little Red Truck, Photography

Greeting cards

Caryn

I have two lines of greeting cards now available to purchase at The Full Cup in Weatherford, TX. One line has prints of my Little Red Truck paintings, which are printed on 100% recycled card stock and come with a kraft paper envelope. I have a new peach themed truck painting that is making its debut at the coffee shop!

The other line is of cats, mostly pictures of feral cats from colonies in Italy that I took in 2003, but also some from cats I have helped through our local TNR (Trap Neuter Release) programs. These are printed on 30% recycled linen card stock and part of the proceeds from these sales will go to support local TNR programs.

Greeting cards prepped and ready for sale
Photoshop

Spot Healing Brush Tool

Caryn

In the Photoshop arsenal is an icon of a Bandaid labeled “Spot Healing Brush Tool” that removes marks and blemishes. They aren’t kidding. It worked wonders on the bright spots on this spectacular moon photograph my neighbor took after our recent storm.

Before Spot Healing
After Spot Healing

“The moon’s halo or lunar halo is an optical illusion that causes a large bright ring to surround the moon. This striking and often beautiful halo around the moon is caused by the refraction of moonlight from ice crystals in the upper atmosphere.” – https://www.space.com/moon-halo