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Whenever you see this symbol at the end of an article, it means theres either additional material or a download

for that story at www.layersmagazine.com. So be sure to visit the website and check it out.

Design Makeover:Plaster SurgeryJake Widman

Artistic Expressions:Warp Versus WarpBert Monroy

The Digital Camera:Adventures in Close-up Photography

Rick Sammon

The Art of Type:The Power of the Ballot Box

James Felici

Digital Video Solutions:Video in PhotoshopRod Harlan

Letter from the Editor

Layers News

The Digital Canvas

Designer Spotlight

Tips & Tricks

Creative Suite Q&A

With a traditional background in drawing

and painting, Daniel Johnson now lives

in a digital world as Art Director at Nine-

times: An Advertising Design Company.

Check out our interview with Daniel

on page 32 and look for his incredible

artwork throughout the magazine.

Adobe Premiere Elements 4Richard Harrington

Canon SELPHY ES2 PrinterSteve Baczewski

Eye-Fi CardSteve Baczewski

PDF2ID 1.1David Creamer

PUB2IDDavid Creamer

Power StrokeDave Huss

Griffi n EvolveChris Main

DANIELJOHNSON

Always Look on the Bright Side of LifeIs it possible to take a picture without any lights? Of course it

is, but your fi nal image probably wont be very compelling. JoeMcNally shows you how to make your images whisp er or shoutwith just the right lighting, so grab your umbrellas and turn onyour cameras.Joe McNally

In a FlashThe concept behind the Adobe Creative Suites is to use all theapplications in concert. And now that Flash is part of the band,RC demonstrates just how well it harmonizes with Photoshop,Illustrator, and After Effects.Rafael RC Concepcion

Adobe Photoshop Tutorial:Nesting Smart Objects for Multimask Effects

Deke McClelland

Adobe Photoshop CS3for Photographers:Black & White Fine-TuningSen Duggan

Adobe Photoshop CS3for Designers:Going in CirclesMatt Kloskowski

Adobe Illustrator CS3:Blueprint-Style TextCorey Barker

Adobe InDesign CS3:Judge a Book by Its CoverTerry White

Adobe Acrobat 8 Professional:PDF for Graphic FilesTaz Tally

Adobe Dreamweaver CS3:

Troubleshooting CSSJanine Warner

Adobe Flash CS3 Professional:Made-to-Order TextLee Brimelow

Adobe After Effects CS3:Where Theres Smoke...Steve Holmes

Adobe CS3 Production Premium:Professional Color Correction

Richard Harrington

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DANIELJOHNSON

Were always adding new tutorials to the Layers website,so be sure to visit often. And dont forget to sign up for our

graphics tip of the day and to read RCs daily blog, Living

in Layers. Heres a small sampling of some of the tutorials

that you can fi nd at the site now:

www.layersmagazine.com/category/photoshop

Sharpening Using High Pass Filter: Adding just a little extra

degree of crispness to your images can really make them

pop.Mark Fleming

Curvy Cross Processing in Photoshop CS3: Adopted from

the color darkroom of old, cross processing creates a

unique color shift, giving your images a very retro look.

Mark Fleming

Quick Selection and Refi ne Edges, Parts 1 & 2 (Video):

Learn how to use the new Quick Selection tool and the

Refi ne Edge command in Photoshop CS3 to make selec-

tions like a pro.Chris Alvanas

www.layersmagazine.com/category/illustrator

Brushed Metal Effect in Adobe Illustrator (Video): Using the

Gradient Editor and Graphic Styles in Adobe Illustrator, you

can create a brushed metal effect that you can apply to any

shape or text.Scott Weichert

www.layers magazine.com/category/fl ash

Controlling the Timeline with ActionScript 3: Learn how to

use event listeners and event handlers in ActionScript 3 to

control your buttons in Flash.Cyndy Cashman

www.layersmagazine.com/category/dreamweaver

Cascading Style SheetsChoosing the Right Selector: Learn-

ing the differences between the various style selectors can be

a challenge in Dreamweaver. Learn about the most common

options and how to use them.Janine Warner

Hosted by Corey Barker and Rafael RC Concepcion

www.layersmagazine.com/tvEpisode 26: Learn how to choose the right Wacom tablet, plus

special guest Larry Becker talks about the National Association of

Photoshop Professionals (NAPP).

Episode 25: Transform a video clip into a stylized image in Photo-

shop Extended, and learn how to get your video fi les on the Web

using Flash and Dreamweaver.

Episode 24: See how to use Illustrator to re-create a complex geo-

metric pattern from an eye-catching print ad.

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We know that when it comes to creating, you dont want anything to stand in your way. Especially technology.

At CDW, our personal account managers can put technology to work for you. We carry a wide variety of product

categories to assist you with creating, collaborating and storing your work. And our account managers can answer

questions and help you through every step of the process. So when it comes to creativity, were there with whatever

you need, whenever you need it.

Create. Collaborate. Execute.Were there with technology every step of the way.

CDW.com/digitalflow 800.399.4CDW

2008 CDW Corporation

Its kind of weird to start off an Editors note by asking you to turn to the back

page of the magazine, butcould you turn to the back page? The reason why

is I want you to see the work of t he first winner of our Layers Back Page DesignContest. While youre there, I hope this makes you think, Hey, Id like to see

mystuff back there. And thats why we put directions on how to enter the

contest on that very same page, because next issue were doin it again. Go ahead and check it

out now. Ill wait.

Okay, pretty nice stuff, eh? (Hey, it could be you next issuebut not if you dont enter your

work.) Now, onto this issue, which has a feature story from my photography hero and author of

the highly acclaimed The Moment It Clicks, Joe McNally. We got Joe to take us into the studio

to talk about different lighting setups and how to get different looks from that gear, and he covers

everything from hard light (which is hot now) to soft light, glamour light, andwell, youll see (it

starts on page 34).

Also in this issue, RC Concepcion has a special feature on Flash and how its integrated with

the other apps in the Adobe Creative Suite. RC takes us through a sample workflow, as well as

interviewing one of the industrys top Flash designers Lee Brimelow from Adobe about Act ionScript 3

and the future of Flash. Very cool stuffit kicks off on page 40.

We have Photoshop guru Deke McClelland delving into the world of Photoshop smart objects

and smart filters. In this special feature, Deke shows how to use more than one mask with multiplesmart filters that have been applied to a single layer. His technique of nesting one smart object into

another can give you a lot of creative control. Check it out on page 48.

Of course, all our regular columns and articles are here in the magazine, but I want to take you

outside the mag for a minute to the Layers website. The site has absolutely taken off since the first of

the year (thanks to all the amazing stuff RC uncovers in his daily blog, not to mention that each week we

post a new episode ofLayers TV, where RC and Corey Barker share their latest tips on everything from

Dreamweaver to Photoshop to InDesign, Flash, After Effectsyou name it). If you havent been by the

site recently, I think youll be amazed at how much cool stuff is t here for learning all of Adobes latest

offerings, and making the most out of t he Creative Suite. Its all at www.layersmagazine.com.

I also want to invite you to check out my daily blog if you get a chance. Its more Photoshop and

photography centric, so if youre into Photoshop or photography, youll feel right at home. Its at

www.scottkelby.com.

All my best,

Scott Kelby

Editor and Publisher

I

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Tell your story with a Photo Book from Mpix. Our new Custom Hard Covers give

you complete freedom to add vibrant, colorful images to the front and back of

your book. Now your story starts before you even reach page 1.

PHOTO BOOKS

Visit www.mpix.com to see our full line of photographic and press products.

ImagecourtesyofRobDeCamp,Ki hei,HI.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

MANAGING EDITOR

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

TRAFFIC DIRECTOR

DYNAMIC MEDIA EDITOR

GRAPHICS/NEWS EDITOR

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

PRODUCTION MANAGER

ASSOCIATE DESIGNER

ASSOCIATE DESIGNER

PRODUCTION DESIGNER

VP, SALES

ADVERTISING COORDINATOR

ADVERTISING DESIGNER

DIRECTOR OF CIRCULATION

PUBLISHER

EXECUTIVE PUBLISHER

BUSINESS MANAGER

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

WEB TEAM

PUBLISHED BIMONTHLY BY

SUBSCRIPTIONS

COVER DESIGN

COLOPHON

www. layersmagazine .com

All contents COPYRIGHT 2008 Kelby Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Any use

of the contents of this publication without the express written permission of the pub-

lisher is strictly prohibited. Layersmagazine is an independent journal not affiliated with

Adobe Systems, Inc. Adobe, the Adobe logo, Acrobat, Adobe Premiere, After Effects,

Dreamweaver, Flash, GoLive, Illustrator, InDesign, Lightroom, and Photoshop are

either registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in

the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of

their respective owners. Some of the views expressed by contributors may not be the

representative views of the Publisher. ISSN 1554-415X

Scott Kelby

Chris MainMike MackenzieBarbara ThompsonKim GabrielRod HarlanAaron Westgate

Christy Winter

Kevin Agren 813-433-2370Margie Rosenstein

Scott KelbyPaul Parry

Kelby Media Group

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In partnership with 18 digital design agencies worldwide, Adobe has

introduced the Society of Digital Agencies (SoDA). The societys stated

mission is to advance the digital design profession through knowl-

edge sharing, education, and advocacy, and to drive much-needed

standards. Adobe, which provides much of the software used by digi-

tal agencies worldwide, is supporting the group as the organizations

official launch sponsor.

The increasing demand for interactive experiences presents bothopportunities and challenges for digital design agencies. The SoDA

plans to bring them together to address the issues the y face and

AKVIS LLC announced the update of AKVIS ArtSuite to version 3.

As in previous versions, ArtSuite offers Edge Effects for adding

photo frames to digital photos, but it has also added some other

artistic effects. The software can generate a large number of effect

versions with its 15 effects and Pattern Library. Photo frame samples

that come with ArtSuite can be tailored easily to any photo.

ArtSuites Artistic Effects allow users to experiment with photos. For

example, users can convert a ph oto to a black-and-white image and

then add a color shade to it; replace

colors on an image; or add a texture

so that the image looks like its drawn

on a canvas, brick wall, corrugated

paper, etc.

For a free trial, AKVIS offers 10 days

of fully functional use. AKVIS ArtSuite is

downloadable from http://akvis.com.

to develop standards and best practices that will move the entire

industry forward.

SoDA members are planning to address issues such as techni-

cal complexity, rapid changes in content distribution, scaling issues,

timelines, and technologys impact on budgetsall of which affect

the quality, innovation, and accessibility of digital media.

For more information on SoDA and Adobes involvement with the

group, visit www.societyofdigitalagencies.org. To read an interview withJay Wolff of odopod about SoDA, visit www.layersmagazine.com and

click on Columns.

Adobe treated the attendees of Photoshop World, Orlando toa demo of their new public beta of Lightroom 2. According to

Adobe, the company was so pleased with the results from the

fi rst Lightroom beta program that they decided to repeat the

process before rolling out a fi nal version of Lightroom 2.

One impressive new feature included in Adobes demo was

the Localized Correction brush that allows users to make nondestructive

edits by painting with a brush to adjust very specifi c areas of a photo.

Nondestructive, localized editing in Lightroom allows photographers to

experiment, try new things, make changes, and if they dont like the

result, to easily go back to the original version.

Lightroom 2 beta also adds multiple monitor capability, improved

print package functionality, 64-bit support for Mac OS X Leopard andMicrosoft Vista, and improved Photoshop integrationw.

There are also improved organization tools. For instance,

the new Library module will have a keyword filter that can be

used to refine searches and help organize photo collections.

Lightroom 2 beta also introduces Smart Collections, which use

common keywords to organize photos and fi lter photo searches.

Lightroom 2 beta is available to all current Lightroom cus-

tomers. Those who dont already own a copy of Lightroom can

download a free 30-dial trial version of the new beta. For more

information, visit www.adobe.com/products/photoshoplightroom.

Adobe has released the upgraded Adobe Director 11 software,the companys authoring tool for building interactive applications

and rich content. Using Director 11 or a combination of Director

11 and the Adobe Shockwave Player, digital media creators can

author and then publish content for the Web, CDs/DVDs, and the

desktop simultaneously.

The environment also works with other Adobe creative products,

enabling users to a dd Adobe Flash SWF fi les to Director projects,

play them in Director and Shockwave, and edit them with Adobe

Flash CS3 Professional.

Director 11 boasts new features, including support for Adobe

Flash 9 technology and bitmap fi lters to simplify adding character-istics, such as shadowing or glow, to text or images. The product

offers language support with both JavaScript and Lingo, as well as

an enhanced script browser to break out the code and code snip-

pets with drag-and-drop capability. For more information, visit www

.adobe.com/products/director.

In a bold move, Adobe expanded its reach to make their image-

editing technology freely accessible to an online audience. The newly

released Adobe Photoshop Express public beta is a free rich Internet

application (RIA) that allows users to store up to 2 GB of images, make

edits to their photos, and share them online, including downloadingand uploading photos from social networking sites such as Facebook.

During the public beta period, Adobe will solicit Photoshop Express

user feedback on product features and functionality, which will continue

to evolve over time.

Photoshop Express is designed for the general Web user. In a few

clicks, Photoshop Express allows anyone to make standard edits, such as

blemish and red-eye removal, converting to black and white, cropping,

and resizing. No experience is required. Even users with limited photo-

editing knowledge can simply select what looks best from a lineup

of sample photos with visual hints showing different variations of

the added effect.

Photoshop Express also offers sharing options, including uploading

photos and slideshows in your own online gallery hosted by Adobe, or

posting photos to social networking sites and personal blogs without

having to leave the application. Adobe Photoshop Express beta is avail-

able now for free at www.photoshop.com/express.

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The worlds most

POWERFULpainting and illustration softwareNatural-Media

A genuine work of art is the unique expression of the artist

imagination and hand. Each stroke is distinctive, and each

is one of a kind.

Corel Painter X is the ideal tool for turning your photograp

stunning paintings. Featuring the new RealBristle system

models classical brushes right down to the individual bristle

an array of art materials and textures that mirror the look a

of their traditional counterparts, Painter offers unlimited crfreedom. The result? An original work of art, every time.

Visit www.corel.com/layers to experience Painter X and dow

your trial today.

free 30-day

Created with Painter. Made by ha

Underground 300by Claudia

X-Rite and Pantone, major players in color-correction technology, have introduced ColorMunki,

a new product designed to address issues of color creation, control, and communication. The

ColorMunki portfolio includes three versions: ColorMunki Photo, ColorMunki Design, and Color-

Munki Create. A combination of software and hardware, these products give users the fl exibility

to produce color with reliability.

The fi rst element in the portfolio is ColorMunki Photo, which helps photographers calibrate

displays, projectors, and printers; measure ambient light; and capture spot colors. The next

element, ColorMunki Design, allows designers to select, specify, and store color palettes in a

calibrated environment. Palettes can then be imported into design applications including Adobe

Photoshop, InDesign, and QuarkXPress.

The third element, ColorMunki Create, is an affordable, simple starting point for designerswhose primary requirement is color palette creation. It provides monitor calibration only with

basic functionality, and offers spectral color selection

from system-level color pickers, inspirational

images, color harmonies, and keyword

searches. All three solutions are sup-

ported by www.colormunki.com, an

online portal where designers and

photographers can experience key

ColorMunki software capabilities.

Online community for artists to share andview art

A place for artists, designers, andphotographers to discuss and share

all things Painter

A blog centered on automating AdobePhotoshop, Illustrator, and InDesignf whatcan be done in Mac Offi ce

Blog/Photoshop site showcasingPhotoshop tutorials

The new Live Pen plug-in from Zero-One, Inc. provides a fl exible approach to creating vector

lines and shapes of varying width. The software, designed to extend the capabilities of

Adobe Illustrator, may prove of interest not just to type creators but to a broad spectrum of

illustrators and designers, because it lets users control the width of a path at any point. Pen

anchors can be added, deleted, and moved as required, along with options for creating new

pens and mixing different pen types.

Live Pen for Windows Illustrator CS, CS2, and CS3 can be purchased for $99 at the Zero-One

site. A Mac version will be available in the summer. A trial version is available for download at

www.01-lab.com/livepen.html.

Refocus Imaging, Inc. (www.refocusimaging.com) is a start-up c ompany thats generating

buzz with its new digital imaging technology. The technology, which stems from the work of

company founder and Chief Executive Ren Ng, is an example of computational photography

that augments traditional image capture with computers.

By fi tting a cameras image sensor with a special lens and then processing the result-

ing data with new methods, Refocus Imagings technology will let photographers fi x their

photos and exercise new creative control after the shutter is released.

In examples demonstrated by Refocus Imaging, sliders are used to change the point

of focus in a photograph from foreground elements to those in the background. These

examples also show how a user could bring different areas of an image into focus by clicking

on them. Refocus could be the next big step in photography: transforming the camera into

a powerful computational platform.

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Best-selling author, Scott Kelby, is back with an entirely new book that picks up right where his

best-selling The Digital Photography Book, volume 1 left o . In The Digital Photography Book,

volume 2, Scott reveals nearly 200 tricks and techniques that will get you remarkably sharper,

more dramatic photos, and transform your work from snapshots to gallery prints. Cover Price: $24.99*

t o o r d e r c a l l 800-201-7323 o r g o t o www.kelbytraining.co

*All prices in US dollars. Copyright 2007 Kelby Training, Inc. all rights reserved. Adobe and Photoshop are registered trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated.

The Digital Photography Book, volume 2 by Scott Kelby

You Still Dont Have to Be a Proto Shoot Like One

NAPP Member Price:$1499

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FocalPoint from onOne Software is a selective-focus and

vignetting plug-in designed to help photographers easily

blur or vignette areas of an image. The plug-in provides

photographers with a way to create realistic depth-of-fi eld

control, plane-of-focus control, and selective focus to

any image after its photographed. This onscreen control

makes it fast for photographers to choose the sweet

spot of focus and then control how much and what kindof blur theyd like to add. Blur choices include a standard

defocused look as well as a blur that simulates motion.

FocalPoint can also be used just for vignettingwith-

out blurring the image. In addition, the FocusBug allows

users to tilt the chosen sweet-spot aperture in 3D, simulat-

ing the tilt effect of a view camera or tilt-shift lens.

Designed for use with Adobe Photoshop and Photoshop Elements, FocalPoint is available

at www.onOnesoftware.com.

SneakPeek Pro from Code Line Communications (www.code-line.com) is a Quick Look plug-in for

graphics fi les. The plug-in has a redesigned interface and Quick Look is promising Creative Suite

users a richer experience with new features, such as the ability to select a background color

for images with transparency, improved preview generation and control, support for the INX

interchange format in InDesign, support for non-Roman text, and much more.

SneakPeek Pro will allow designers running Leopard to preview their graphics documents from

the Finder, Mail, open dialogs, and anywhere Quick Look is supported. In addition to rendering

a preview, the plug-in also gives you in-depth information on CS3 documents such as fonts used,linked images, and color swatches defi ned.

The update is free for all registered SneakPeek Pro users. Unregistered users that have tried

SneakPeek Pro in the past can try it again with a new 15-day trial period.

May 8, 2008Broward County Convention CenterFt. Lauderdale, FLwww.kelbytraining.com

May 13, 2008Connecticut Convention CenterHartford, CT

www.kelbytraining.com

May 16, 2008Sacramento Convention Center

Sacramento, CAwww.kelbytraining.com

May 1821, 2008

Hynes Convention CenterBoston, MAwww.howconference.com

Chicago, IL (May 19, 2008)Nashville, TN (May 22, 2008)San Francisco, CA (May 28, 2008)

www.kelbytraining.com

May 30, 2008Washington State Convention &

Trade CenterSeattle, WAwww.kelbytraining.com

May 30, 2008Jacob K. Javits Convention Center

New York, NYwww.kelbytraining.com

June 1013, 2008Loews Vanderbilt Hotel

Nashville, TNwww.voicesthatmatter.com/webdesign2008

DTP Tools has released version 2 of Page Control, its plug-in for Adobe InDesign. In addition

to the original abilities to create multiple page sizes within one document, the new version

brings improvements, such as vertical spreads for the easy creation of fl ip-up documents,

as well as content resizing options.

New features include the ability to rotate pages for more convenient combinations of

portrait and landscape pages, resize or rotate page content with each page, and anchor

nonresized objects to sides, center, or corners.

With the plug-in, you can also resize every page in a document individually, create land-

scape and portrait pages in the same document, automatically resize pages according to the

master page, customize pasteboard sizes, and print or export to PDF while retaining page sizes.

Page Control for InDesign CS, CS2, and CS3 on Mac and Windows is available for download

at www.dtptools.com/pagecontrol.

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Viveza is the latest addition to NikSoftwares line of photographic plug-ins

for Adobe Photoshop and PhotoshopElements. Viveza is designed to allow

photographers of all skill levels to pre-cisely select and control the light andcolor in photographic images.

Some key features include new UPoint technology, which allows users to

easily control an images color, light, and

Red Giant Software, developer and publisher of professional digitalvideo plug-ins, has released Magic Bullet Frames. According tothe company, this software gives users the ability to shoot low-cost

video and then get the expensive look of fi lm right in Final Cut Pro,Motion, or Premiere Pro. Video editors c an start with ordinary inter-

tonality with Color Control Points. Using sliders, photographers can

quickly adjust the brightness, contrast, saturation, red, green, blue,hue, and warmth of their digital images.

The software is also compatible with the smart fi lter feature inPhotoshop, and Vivezas Selective tool can brush any light and colorchanges into an image using the brush tools in Photoshop. It also

has pressure-sensitive features for Wacom Pen Tablets.Viveza installs as a Photoshop or Photoshop Elements plug-in

and will be available for Macintosh and Windows operating systems,including Leopard and Vista (www.niksoftware.com).

Olympus has revamped its EVOLT digital SLR line with the new E-420.

This 10-megapixel camera is claimed to be the smallest and lightest inits category, weighing 13.4 oz. The company is marketing the E-420 as

a camera that can be used like a compact point-and-shoot, while stilloffering all the control of a full SLR.

Improvements over the earlier E-410 include both a shadow-cor-

rection function and a new onscreen autofocus feature. Also new tothe E-420 are a larger, 2.7" LCD, face detection for portrait shots,

and better handling of automatic white balance.The camera is scheduled to ship in May, starting at $500 for a

body-only version. A more common kit version will sell for $600 with

As the publics use of high-defi nition (HD) media grows, more and more

consumers need assistance in getting HD content onto their portabledevices. Roxio is offering Toast 9 Titanium to help in this area.

Toast 9 allows consumers to record content from HD camcorders

and favorite HD programming from TiVo, DVRs, and Elgatos EyeTVdevices to Blu-ray disc.

Users also have the option to burn HD video and slide shows onstandard DVDs.

Toast 9 introduces Roxio Streamer for on-the-go entertainment,which allows users to stream video content stored on their home Mac

to a Wi-Fi connected iPhone or iPod touch or any Internet-connectedMac or PC. Using Toast 9, users can capture streaming audio forrecording Internet radio.

Toast 9 Titanium and the High Defi nition/Blu-ray disc plug-in areavailable from Roxio at www.roxio.com.

laced video, apply the Magic Bullet Frames plug-in, and get quick,

high-quality frame-rate conversions with the look of true 24p fi lm.Magic Bullet Frames features motion-adaptive and fi eld-

blended modes for quality footage at high speeds that delivers

great looking, artifact-free output. Letterboxing and line offsetcontrols are included in the Frames tool and can be used to create

mattes and adjust the image inside the letterbox area. For moreproduct information, visit http://redgiantsoftware.com/magicbul-letframes.html.

a 1442mm f/3.55.6 lens and should be accompanied by a $700

edition with a fi xed-focal length, 25mm f/2.8 lens, equivalent to 50mmon a conventional fi lm camera.

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he current logo design for Timeless Finishes could be improved,

in my opinion, for a variety of reasons. The graphic treatment

of the column on the website feels more anthropomorphic than archi-

tectural, causing a disconnect between the intended purpose of the

image and the message its trying to convey to prospective clients.

The tagline, extending into the photo, disrupts the balance of the

graphic treatment, and the wide tracking of the company name (also

on the business card) doesnt seem to have a clear purpose.

I wanted to make the business card and website work together to

make a branding statement with at least one consistent element, espe-

feliciA started her career at an early age, winning numerous art and writing contests. They afforded her the

opportunity to study illustration and design with Alan E. Cober and Anita Kunz while earning her BFA with

honors at State University of New York at Buffalo. She later went on to earn her MFA, magna cum laude, at

the Academy of Art University in San Francisco in Computer Arts: New Media.

feliciA describes herself as a visual communicator and technologist because she combines her skills as

an illustrator, designer, interactive designer, and programmer to create complete packages for a variety of clients. She actively

engages in sketching, illustrating, and visual journalism. She continues to dr aw on the computer using Adobes Cr eative Suite

and one of her Wacom Tablets as if it were her artbox.

Adobe Illustrator CS2

cially since this is a relatively new business. I also wanted to evoke the

modern with the historical, the new with the traditional.

The ancient Italians used to plaster their walls and paint them indistinctive styles. Most of the paintings are lost to antiquity, but some

remain, like those preserved at Pompeii under the ashes of Mount

Vesuvius. Using the Pen tool in Illustrator, I drew a female fi gure in the

style of some of those preserved paintings. Hopefully, the woman will

provide a talking point for Timeless Finishes owner and customers.

I thought a more Italian- or Roman-inspired font would be suit-

able, so I set the company name in I TC Mona Lisa Solid. The rest of

the type is in Myriad Pro for a modern contrast.

The new cards contain personality and history, and in turn will

create a lasting memory that should put Timeless Finishes at the fore-

front of a prospective clients mind. Reaching for the card will be easy

because its distinctive and the infor mation is clearly outlined.

tanley Rachwal started his Venetian plastering business about

three years ago, after doing the work on a part-time basis for

two years before that. I started my plastering business at the tender

age of fi fty, he says, because I wanted to do something different.

Rachwal describes Venetian plastering as the latest faux-fi nish

craze, one thats been popular in the United States for about seven

years. But the technique itself has been around for thousands of years

long before Venice was an important city. Evidence of the method has

been found in ancient sites in Iran, Turkey, Egypt, and, of course, Italy.

Venetian plaster starts with mined limestone thats heated, dried,

and crushed. The rock powder is then mixed with water, and after

some time it becomes a sort of put ty. Different substances (sand, ash,

ground marble) can be added to the mixture to change the appear-

ance of the putty. When a plasterer such as Rachwal applies the putty

to a wall, it dries into a hard, marble-like surface.

Jake Widman is a writer and editor who lives in San Francisco. Hes been covering the intersection of computers and graphic design for about 20 years nowsince backwhen it was all called desktop publishing.

Were looking for product packaging or labels, print advertisements, and magazine covers that are currently in the marketplace for future

Design Makeovers. So if you or someone you know has a design that youd like us to consider making over, or if youre a designer and

youd like to be considered for a future Design Makeover, drop us a line at letters@layersmagazine.com.

Any plasterer can use the material, says Rachwal, but the trick

is in learning to apply it to achieve the desired effect. Some of the

fi nishes require him to apply up t o three different kinds of putty in

just the right way.

After three years, Rachwal has confi dence that his business will

survive and hed like to replace his original logo, which he just

slapped together quickly to have something to put on a business

card. He likes how the current logo, based on a photo of a Roman

column he found on the Web, suggests the antiquity of the pr ocess.

But he doesnt feel that it really portrays what he does. He would

like a new, hipper logo that communicates the idea that Venetian

plastering is an actual work of art, not just a faux fi nish. We asked

three designers to come up with a logo and business card that say

hip and today, as well as timeless and Old World.

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FINALLY...

ANEDUCATIONAL

STROBE SYSTEM

he old logo looks more like a slogan than a proper logo, and its

not as upscale as the clients work product. Furthermore, theres

no balance or consistency between the version on the business card and

the version on the websitethe latter is almost playful, which I dont

think represents the clients artisanal techniques.

I wanted to create a logo that would refl ect the look of materials

used in a timeless fi nish. For the background, I scanned a piece of

paper and applied different fi lters in Photoshop until I got a mottled

effect reminiscent of the walls commonly seen in Rome and throughout

the Mediterranean. I added a classical architectural image taken from

the west pediment of the Temple of Zeus at Olympia, built around 470

B.C.E., depicting the Battle of Lapiths and Centaurs.

Born and raised in Mexico City, Reynaldo Gonzalez came to the U.S. when he was 21. In 1994, he met an

illustrator who introduced him to the fi eld of design. Inspired, he began his quest to become a graphic

designer: in 1998, he received an Associates degree in graphic design, specializing in print design, from

Platt College in Cerritos, CA, and he has continued his studies in the fi eld at Santa Monica College.

As a freelancer, Gonzalez has worked for many sizes and types of companies and ad agencies, including

Deutsch and Guess. He credits his cross-cultural experience with his versatility and ability to view t asks from varied angles. He

loves his work and is still inspired by the creative process.

Adobe Photoshop CS2 and Adobe Illustrator CS2

continued on p. 26

The font for the company name is Michelangelo BQ, a Venetian-style

font designed by Hermann Zapf to be a titling font for Palatino. It goes

well with the architectural image. For the tagline, I chose Herculaneum,

which made me think of Rome and Roman orthography. For the rest

of the business card I used Optima Regular and Bold. Optima is clean,

fresh, and easy to read, which is very important when you want to send

a message to clients. It also doesnt call attention to itself and away from

the type in the logo.

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After serving as the senior designer for an in-house design department, Russel Hempel left to startDaring Escape Designs, a small studio committed to helping small businesses succeed. Russel has

done work for a variety of clients, r anging from a website for a punk rock b and to a catalog and

marketing material for a high-end barbecue grill manufacturer. When hes not cranking out fantastic

design work, Russel can be found spending time with his wife, Dena, and their two sons, Noah and

Hayden, in the beautiful southern California sun; playing guitar; or working on his 1921 Craftsman home.

Adobe Photoshop CS3 and Adobe Illustrator CS3

hen I design a logo, I always begin by doing a black-and-white

version and then add color later. My feeling is that a logo

needs to look great in grayscale as well as color, since a logo gets used

in so many places, not all of which use color (such as invoices, newspa-

per ads, etc.). Working this way also helps to keep the d esign simple.

I decided to combine a slab-serif or Egyptian font (Mido) with an

intricate ornamental fl ourish to convey the skill and Old World artistry

used in the work. The organic tones of the colors I selected, a rich

chocolate brown and a deep orange, suggest the natural materials used

in the process. I decided to dispense with the t agline yesterdays wall

fi nishes...today to further simplify the logo.

I elected to create a vertical business card to keep the layout clean

and modern. With the exception of the logo, I kept all the type (set in

Adobe Minion) left-justifi ed for a more professional look and took the

liberty of adding the title of artisan underneath the name. I think

adding this title helps communicate the immense skill and training

that it takes to master the Venetian plaster technique. I incorporated

a textured background from a stock photo house, similar to the effects

achieved with the plastering technique, to add depth and interest. An

oversized, screened-back version of the fl ourish from the logo r ounds

out the design on the back of the card.

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Manhattan. This meant there had to be additional dents here and

there in the trashcan.

Employing the Warp command in Photoshop would have applied

a mesh composed of nine panels. This mesh would have been suf-

fi cient to distort the wire art into the curvature nee ded for the can

as shown here; but the desired dents added a complexity that this

procedure in Photoshop could not handle.

Since the wire netting was created in Illustrator in the fi rst place,

warping it there made perfect sense. I selected the entire wire net

and went into the Envelope Distort function (Object>Envelope

Distort>Make with Mesh). When you choose this feature, a dialog

pops up allowing you to determine the number of sections the

mesh for warping will contain. Unlike the Photoshop version thats

limited to nine panels, Illustrator lets you create as many panels asyou think youll need to do the job. (Note: The maximum is actually

2,500 panels, but thats probably more than youll ever need.) I chose

a total of 10 Rows with 10 Columns (for a total of 100 panels).

This gave me suffi cient space for distorting the net of the can to

achieve the 3D effect I was looking for, plus the added dents. Once

you have your mesh, you can use the Direct Selection tool to select

and manipulate any individual point in the grid, or you can click-and

drag an entire section of the grid. Here you can see how some of

the sections of the mesh have been moved, causing the net of the

trashca n to distort in specifi c areas.

The beauty of all this is that you can work at any size in Illustra-

tor without sacrifi cing resolution. Once you copy-and-paste the

object into a Photoshop fi le, it rasterizes to the resolution of the

Photoshop document. I tend to work in Illustrator at 400% of what

I need for the painting. I then reduce the object to 25% and export

it over to Photoshop.

The bottom line is that no single program does it all. Its best to get a

thorough working knowledge of the entire Creative Suite so you can

take advantage of the best that each program has to offer.

Bert Monroy is considered one of the pioneers of digital art. His work has been seen in many magazines and scores of books. He has served on the faculty of many well-known institutions,written many books, and appeared on hundreds of TV shows around the world.[ ]

Every new release of our favorite applications

brings with them a variety of features that leave

us wondering how we ever managed to live with-

out them. A perfect example of this is a really coolcommand that was introduced in Photoshop CS2Warp. Found

under Edit>Transform, Warp allows you to bend things in a variety of

ways. My good friend Corey Barker, whose writing always graces the

pages of this magazine, has demonstrated some fantastic uses of this

powerful feature. Like some other items in Photoshop, however, Warp

started somewhere else in the Adobe suite of products.

Illustrator also has this feature but with far more power than the

one found in Photoshop. It has the ability to warp objects via

a user-defi ned mesh. This incredible command is found under

Object>Envelope Distort and is called Make with Mesh.

To demonstrate one of the times that I found this tool indis-

pensable, let me refer to my painting Oyster Bar(left). Were

going to focus on the trashcan in this scene. It has a wire net

body that needs to conform to the curvature of the can.

The basic shapes were generated in Illustrator. The following

image shows the frame for the can and the wire net that I createdfor it. The wire net was created in a separate layer. (Yes, Illustrator

has layers too.)

It was necessary to distort the mesh to follow the curvature of

the trashcan. If this were all that I needed to do, then the Warp

command in Photoshop would have been suffi cient. There was,

however, one detail that made it diffi cultI wanted the trashcan to

be old and worn. The scene is, after all, a busy corner in midtown

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The staff at Layers magazine appreciates the time and effort involved in the creative process, no matter how large or small the

project. With this in mind, we offer you the oppor tunity to display your work on The Digital Canvas. Please submit your print, Web,

or packaging design (jpeg or eps format) to: cmain@layersmagazine.com. Please include name of piece, client name (if applicable),

applications used, and any website where our readers can view more of your work.

Illustration:Beautiful Rain ] [ Personal Work] [

Designer: Angel DAmico] [ Software: Mixed media using acrylics, pen andink, and spray paint scanned and manipulatedin Adobe Photoshop

] [ Website: www.angeldamico.com

Digital Illustration: The BreakOut] [ Client:Exit Strategymagazine ] [ Designer:Angel DAmico ] [ Software: Mixed media using pen, pencil, photos, water-color and acrylics scanned and manipulated in Adobe Photoshop ] [ Website:www.angeldamico.com

Digital Illustration: Wycinanki] [ Personal Work ] [ Designer: Angel DAmicoSoftware: Mixed media using spray paint scanned and manipulated in AdobePhotoshop and Adobe Illustrator ] [ Website: www.angeldamico.com

Digital Illustration: Analog Groove ] [ Personal Work] [ Designer: Erwin Haya] [ Software:Adobe Illustrator] [ Website: www.onesickindividual.com

Digital Illustration: Ethereal] [ Personal Work] [ Designer: Kevin White] [ Software: Adobe Photoshop CS3

] [ Website: www.umamidesign.com

Website: The Asura ] [ Client: The Asura ] [ Designer: Andre Weier ] [ Software: Adobe Flash and Adobe Photoshop ] [ Website: www.nalindesign.com

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All images by Daniel Johnso

Layers: Do you start your illustrations on paper and scan in your

sketches or do everything digitally?

Johnson:That depends on the subject matter. Much of what I do

for work is very industrial, so I can start blocking the image out

digitally. For something more organic, like a person or animal,

I would probably sketch it out on paper fi rst.

Layers: How did you get into designing for multimedia? Did you

learn these skills in school or OJT?

Johnson:My fi rst real job as an artist was with computer games, so

that involved cel animation, rotoscoping, and sound editing. At the time,

there wasn't much of that kind of instruction in schools, so it was all very

much on-thejob, seat-of-your-pants kind of training. I started working

with Adobe Flash years later while doing websites and animation. But

since I was out of school, I had to learn by buying books, attending train-ing seminars, and trial and error.

Layers: Do you you start your 3D work in 2D applications, like

Photoshop and/or Illustrator, or do everything in the 3D software?

Johnson:Again, that depends on the project. For years, the agency

where I work was strictly 2D, so everything was done that way. The skills

I learned in perspective and drawing classes really came in handy then.

Now that we have Cinema 4D, some projects start out in 3D, if they're

[CONTACT] Daniel Johnson http://home.comcast.net/~danjohn8

particularly complex or if we need to do variations with different vie

But unless the fi nal product is animated, everything ends up in Photosh

Layers: What advice do you have for a rtists who are considering

updating their skill sets to compete in a digital world?

Johnson:Just do it. Take classes to learn Photoshop, Illustrator, or

packages. But you may have a hard time fi nding instruction on how

really illustrate digitally, so experiment to see how you can modify t

techniques you learn to do what you want. And for artists who like

draw and paint, a tablet and stylus are a must have.

Layers:I see you were formally trained in traditional drawing and painting. How hasthat helped you as a digital artist?

Johnson: Theres no substitute for basic artistic skills like drawing, color, perspective, and

composition. Software cant correct these areas if the artist doesnt understand them fi rst.

This traditional training is what gives the art life and make s it stand out from the rest.

Layers: Did your style change at all when you went digital?

Johnson:A little bit. I look at computer graphics as a medium, like acrylic, gouache, or

pencil. Each medium has its strengths and weaknesses, and the artist has to fi nd out whatthey are and work within those parameters. I spent years fumbling around with paint

programs, trying to fi gure out how to get them to do what I needed. Of course, to some

degree, you never completely move beyond the need for learning by experimentation.

Layers: What applications do you work with regularly? Do you have a favorite?

Johnson: Adobe Photoshop is the primary tool I use, and much of what I do is done

completely in it. Other programs I use, as the need arises, are Adobe Illustrator,

MAXON Cinema 4D, Flash, and Adobe After Effects. Photoshop is probably my

favorite app, butlike most digital artistsI have a love-hate relationship with it.

started his career early, graduating from Brigham Young University with aBFA in Illustration. Working as an Art Director at Ninetimes, an advertising design fi rm in Northern California, he mostly lives in a digital world,

working more with pixels and vectors than charcoal and pencils

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Nothing like an umbrella: compact; easy to carry; and turns a harsh,

blaring, Klaxon horn of a direct strobe into something smooth and

easy and invariably pleasing. Its so automatic, such a standard, that

its usually the light baffl e or tool most photographers use fi rst, right

when theyre learning.

Put up an umbrella! Easy to do, lightweight, and the results are

much more certain than a Florida ballot. Thats a big reason the

umbrella is often included in a primer lighting kityou know, pack,

head, charger, umbrella.

There are umbrellas galore: white bounces and white bounces

with a black removable backing that can be used as a refl ective

source, then stripped of the back and turned toward the subjectand used as shoot through. (Useful tip: When using one of these

puppies, a handy way to gradate the light gently down the person

of your subject is to strip off only half of the black backing, leaving

the bottom part of the brollie opaqued out. That way, your subjects

face is f/8, shoulder area f/5.6, chest f/5.6, belt buckle f/4, and so

forth. Theres something disconcerting about having someones face

just as bright and well lit as someones tie, especially given some

peoples taste in ties.)

To continue, there are zebra-striped umbrellas (give your subject

a tan!); silver umbrellas for the fashionistas; and umbrellas of all

surfaces with a soft Velcro-on covering (think shower curtain material)

over the business end, spreading and diffusing the light.

So, the upside of umbrellas again is they are light and portable,

handy, easy to rig, and they spread and diffuse the light nicely, softly.

Downside? They spread and diffuse the l ight nicely, softly.

Thats a bad thing? Sometimes. It depends on the mission of the

photo. For the elementary school teacher of the year, its perfect.

For the surfer dude wearing a tight Speedo and more tattoos

than a NASCAR vehicle that youre shooting for this years fashion

spread, maybe not. For that, you might want hard, harsh, wild light.

There are tools for that as well.

From an average distance and height, umbrellas produce an aver-

age, clean, nice light. Nothing wrong with it, but nothing particularly

glowy or special about it either. But there are umbrellas and there

are umbrellas, as I have indicated.

A variation on the umbrella theme could be the VariStar, which

comes in the Elinchrom Ranger lighting kit (www.elinchrom.com).

Call it a poor mans softbox. With the VariStar, the umbrella is used

as a shoot through, with the white diffusion pointed at the subject.

But, as youll note in the picture at the right, theres a black covering

stretched across the backside of the umbrella.

This does a couple of things: It eliminates a lot of back scatterand indiscriminate wash all around the studio, which is a good thing

if youre trying to craft a particular look to the light. With an open-

ended umbrella in a white-walled studio, man, its a free-for-all. Pho-

tons everywhere, and once theyre out, theyre tougher to catch than

a fart in a bag. They careen off the walls and ceiling, fi lling the model

in places you dont want fi lled and generally softening or obliterating

the nature of the light youre trying desperately to create. As they

buzz by your ears, you can distinctly hear them saying Nahh, nahh,

nahh, nah and giving you the Bronx cheer.

So put a lid on

em. Stuff em in the

trunk. Use a VariStar, or

something like it that has

a backing, and corral the

explosion of the strobe.

The result is still a soft

light, but one that has

direction and glow. Some

of the glow comes from

the fact that when you use

the umbrella in this way,

youre effectively moving

the light source closer to

your subject.

Then, keeping it simple, bring in a fi ll card. We use Lastolite

(www.lastolite.com), which makes a whole range of size and colorbounce cards. As you see in the picture, we have that puppy very

close to the face, just out of

frame. Used effectively, its

just like creating another light,

without actually using a light.

An umbrella is an average,

go-to, everyday light source.

But used effectively, it can pro-

duce above average results.

SCOTTHOLSTEIN

SCOTTHOLSTEIN

An umbrella paverage, clean

Adda bouncan umbrella a

adding ano

look on the bright side of life

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Believe it or not, there's a fashion model under that hat!

But the fl oor, what about the fl oor? A big source hovering just of

the fl oor like this is going to heat u p the lower-right corner of you

photo, giving it a dangerous and distracting starboard list. Remembe

I mentioned a tactic of shading the bottom half of the umbrella to

achieve falloff and gradation? Same principal here, except writ large

the size and shape of a piece of 4x8' foam core. Two of these gaffere

together at the edges form what most studios call a V-fl at. Very hand

White on one side, black on the other. Use em to corral a light; gobo

the lens; fl ag a background; bounce a light; or, as you see here, shadow

the fl oor.

So we took a look at the feel and look of a big softbox as it applies to

the human form. And we saw the setup there. So how about the faceWhats the effect of using a softbox the size of a city block on the

human face? Well, outside of the fact that you can make somebod

who looks like they kiss moving trains for a living look good, you ca

also light the face, the clothes, and the background in one shot.

Take a look. Thats it. The whole nine yards. Done. Finito. Spiked

the Octa about ten feet from the model; ran a long cable release

to the cappuccino bar in the fancy-pants studio we were renting;

ordered a no foam, wet, half caf, extra hot, double sprinkle jasmin

tea made from leaves that were already on the ground and therefo

not murdered; and read my Daily News while clicking away.

Hard Light. I mean hard, badass, tough-guy light. Clint Eastwood light.

Hot highlights. Deep shadows. Makes somebodys laugh lines look like

the Grand Frikkin Canyon. This is You-lookin-at-me? kind of light.

You can use this type of light on certain faces, such as the

aforementioned actor whose iconic face and pulsing forehead vein

has graced many a movie screen. But, you can also use it for a hard,

clean fashion look, especially when your model has cheekbones that

look like she swiped em from Mount Rushmore.

So heres the thing (and Ive said this many times); shadows give

mystery and depth and shape and dimension. Not showing some-

thing can be just as evocative as showing it. Shadows help you do

this. Shadows are your friend. Take a shadow to lunch. Or, bring it to

the studio and watch it play.

You introduce shadows to your frame very easily when you use a hard

light. Making a light hard isnt diffi cult to do. Keep the source small, and

move it as far away from your subject as you can. Voil! Ze hard light!

In this instance, our lady friend is standing in front of a bank of

windows on the long side of an L-shaped studio. The light in ques-

tion is way over in the short side of the L, fi ring through a different setof windows, heading outside (come back!), and then reentering the

studio through the set of windows in front of her. By the time it takes

this journey (about 5060 feet) and gets to her, the light has punch

and impact, and whatever it hits is gonna throw a shadow.

Time to throw some stuff into your picture! The last thing you

want to do is create this shadow maker and then put nothing there

to make shadows. What you see on her and the far wall is the mix of

windowpanes, pieces of the walls, and for good measure, I threw a

ladder in harms way. Just to break it up a little. Just for a measure of

unpredictability. Just to make nice to the shadows.

Oh, we are wacky, us photogs. Always coming up with catchy names for

common household objects. (Well, at least around my house.)

Lets tackle a delicate subject right off the bat, eh? When it comes

to softboxes, size matters. Big time. Again, depending where youre

going with your photograph, bigger is most likely better when it comesto softboxes. (Softbox is the terminology of choice now. When I was

coming up in this industry, they were often referred to as light banks,

or just simply banks.)

Okay, just like umbrellas, they come in almost innumerable sizes

and shapes: small boxes, big boxes, squares, rectangles, octagons,

strips, deep ones, shallow ones, white insides, silver insides, and ones

with interior baffl es and some (rare) without. Whew!

There are also hot boxes. By that, I mean certain light sources that

come along and are the box or source of the moment. (This would also

extend to the current crop of BRIESE type, or the parabolic sources

like a Broncolor Para, which are defi nitely the au courantlights of

choice, especially among the fashion crowd. Theyre often as big as a

hot air balloon and about as wieldy.)

The hot box thats pretty much an industry standard is the

Elinchrom Octa, which is big (almost 75") an d redirects the light

source away from the subject and in to a sea of silver, which then

punches (more like a love tap) the light back to the subject through

diffusion. Very soft. Very wrapping. And very perfect when you want

to wring the sumptuous utmost out of a set of curves, such as those

presented in the form of our model with the hat.

Speaking of the hat, its wild and beautiful, and also shades her face

almost completely and thus presents a lighting problem. Small source?

Something with a hard edge? Shadow detail goes south, along with

her face. But with a big source, such as the Elinchrom Octa, luxurious

and liquid, all those photons do a slow, lovely stroll over your subject,

instead of a quick, hard sprint. The result: your photos got legs, just like

she does.

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Joe McNally is an internationally acclaimed American photographer and longtime photojournalist. From 1994 until 1998, he was LIFE magazines staff photographer, the fi rst one in 23 years. McNis known for his ability to produce technically and logistically complex assignments with expert use of color and light for editorial and commercial assignments. His work has appeared in NatioGeographic, Sports Illustrated, Newsweek, Fast Company, and many others. As part of his teaching activities, he conducts numerous workshops around the world. McNally has also released a newbook, The Moment It Clicks: Photography Secrets from One of the Worlds Top Shooters (New Riders Press).[

Wherever it comes from, this type of light stirs emotions. Use it right,

in combination with an overhead source, you can produce magic, and

make your subject look like she just walked out of the pages ofVogue.

When mixing with an overhead light source, think of yourself as a chef,

carefully mixing just enough high and low to bake this particularly

beautiful cake.

You see the sources are very close to the model. The larger source

is overhead because in this combo, its de facto the main light, hence

bigger than our low fi ll. Say, for instance, its running at f/11. That will tell

you to start your low fi ll at f/8. Good rule of thumbthe low fi ll is a stop

under the main.

Is that right all the time? Hardly. Depends on the size of your sources,

the proximity, the look of the modelall sorts of things. But its a good

starting point.

This is where the modern power packs really help out. You can tickthose puppies up and down in tenths of stops until you get the feel

of the light to your liking. It also helps if you shoot tethered in the

studio. That way, youre looking at big images on your laptop, instead

of parsing out the frame on the LCD on the back of the camera.

And when you do mix it rightoh, boy, Hold the presses!

Schweetheart, get me rewrite. Get the right low glow and youve

got a one-way ticket to Glamourville.

Ive used lots of lights over the course of 30 ye

in the fi eld. Big strobes, small strobes, as we

hot lights, constant sources that can vary from

handheld battery types to huge 16 K movie li

that require their own crew and source of elec

And other types of illumination:

Matches: The old Marlboro Man trick. Strike

match, cup it in both hands, and move close

the face.

Car headlights: Great for things by the side

the road, or to fl are down the block for bac

lighting a wet city street. Use neutral-density

to control the output, or color gels for effect

Rearview mirror from a car: Unscrew that pu

and catch light with it and you can form a b

of highlight right across the eyes.

The warning light on top of the Empire State

ing: If you can make the climb, its a nice, red

Lots and lots of candles: In Jaipur, I photo-

graphed the Festival of Lights for Nationa

Geographic, where all the important buildin

are totally lit up with nothing but candles.

Lasers: Ever go to a rave? Use the lasers to

paint bodies.

Unjacketed fi ber optic cable: I once wrappe

body of Jackie Joyner-Kersee in fi ber optic

for a cover ofSports Illustrated Kids.

SCOTTHOLSTEIN

ALL IMAGES JOE McNA

Kidding, but not overmuch. I mean, this light forgives a lot of sins,

not to be too Catholic about it. It lights the face beautifully. Look at

the rotation from highlight to shadow! (These things get me excited.)

Its one light! No muss, no fuss. Theres not even a fi ll card involved.

Plus, shes standing 25' from the backdrop and its lit to a nice, subtle

gray. Gradual falloff is a wonderful thing.

Compare and contrast this source to the feel and look of the ring

light. This is a whole different story. This light needs constant atten-

tion and hands-on devotion to detail. No having a coffee whilst using

this barnburner. Tip this light a bit, and you get radically different,

and potentially disastrous results. Tip the Octa a touchso what?

The ring light does produce harsh shadows, except theyre all

directly behind the face or shape, and hence you cant see them. So the

effect is shadowless but hard and punchy. Notice the catch light in her

eyes. Its right smack dab in the middle of the pupil, meaning I got the

ring beam on to the middle of her face, eyeball level. Go low with this

light, youve got looming shadows all of a sudden and way too much

information about whats going on inside the nostrils. Go high with it,

again, potential for weird shadows, especially around the nose. Using

this light is like using a hammer. Best to hit the nail on the head.

That low glow is very mysterious, very exotic, very Hollywood. Ever

notice how evocative low light is? We see it and gravitate towards it right

away. Its intriguing. Maybe it comes from our ancestors, whose main

source of light and safety came from the campfi re glowing at their feet.

Or maybe it comes from the theater. Going to a show is a special

night, right? We get all dolled up and go to the show. Often, on stage,

the actors and actresses are lit up with low light (they dont call em foot-

lights for nothing) and are radiating with sumptuous, evocative light.

Or maybe its fear. Push a low light hard, and you zip right past

Guys and Dolls on Broadway all the way to Draculas lair. Lots of low

light makes things Halloween creepy, and gives your subject a look that

haunts your dreams.

SCOTTHOLSTEIN

SCOTTHOLSTEIN

Ring lights produce "shadowless," hard, punchy effects.

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Illustrator CS3 has gone through some changes that create a tighter

fi t between itself and Flash CS3. Flash is, after all, a vector-basedanimation program, so it would only seem natural that Illustrator

would be the fi rst program to benefi t from the Macromedia acquisi-

tion. I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised with the new integra-

tion. Working with Illustrator designs in Flash couldnt be easier!

The fi rst thing that youll notice when working with both Illustrator

and Flash is that copying-and-pasting artwork has been greatly

improved. When pasting into Flash, anchor points, paths, colors,

gradients, and clipping paths now come in fl awlessly. This is a boon

to designers who have libraries of vector creations and want to make

the jump to online multimedia development.

Illustrator is also a great place for you to work with text, and

with recent changes, you can now copy-and-paste text right into

the Flash interface and the text remains editable. If you happen to

make changes to the text that Flash doesnt support, it will auto-matically turn the text into a series of drawing objects collected

into a group. Youre guaranteed to see in Flash wha t youve cre-

ated in Illustrator.

ne thing is for certainFlash has come a long way in a very short time. From the mind of Jonathan Gay at

FutureWave Software, Flash started as a standalone application called SmartSketch in the mid 90s, and it eventu-

ally evolved into an application for creating vector-based animations to leverage the rise of a new medium called

the Internet. (For some cool reading on the back history of the development of Flash, check out Flash Tenth Anni-

versary at www.adobe .com/prod ucts/fl ash/spe cial/fl ashann iversary.)

Fast-forward to 2008 and its almost impossible to visit the Web without coming across Flash in some form. It has become

the de facto standard of the new user experience on the Internet. Designers and photographers use Flash to present their

creative visions in an animated form; and musicians and video professionals take advantage of its current toolset to stream

compelling content to the largest possible audience. In fact, the penetration of Flash in the market stands at more than 98% of

Internet-enabled machinessurpassing Java, QuickTime, and Windows Media Player.

In December of 2005, Adobe acquired Macromedia and ushered in a new union of print and Web design applications by

placing the most popular tools under one roof. Then, in 2007, Adobe launched one of its most ambitious upgrades to datethe

Adobe Creative Suite 3. The most anticipated feature of this upgrade was the inclusion of Flashand Adobe didnt disappoint.

And the best part was just how well the Adobe applications integrated with Flash.

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After Effects may not necessarily be the fi rst application that comes

to mind when you think of Flash development, but it may surprise

you just how much its used to create compelling effects. After Effects

supports FLV and SWF, among other popular formats. This is ben-

efi cial when you need to create quick animations but dont want to

invest the time creating them using ActionScript.

For example, lets say that you want to create a quick text anima-

tion for use in Flash. Rather than work with the Timeline in Flash,take advantage of the multitude of text animation presets available in

After Effects CS3. Choosing Browse Presets from the Effects & Presets

panels fl yout menu in After Effects launches Bridge, where you can

select from premade effects. Double-click on the effect youre looking

for and it will be automatically loaded into After Effects.

When youre done editing your text, click on File>Export>

Adobe Flash (SWF) to save your animation. The dialog that appears

allows you to choose how you want Flash to handle unsupported

featuresRasterize or Ignore. You can also specify whether or not

to loop the movie clip.

After making those changes, import the fi le into an FLA project

in Flash CS3 and then work with the movie clip in the same manner

youd work on any other imported clip. This not only saves you time

when working on a composition, but also lessens the learning curve

by using effects that are already created for you.

after

After Effects also has the option to export your compositions

with keyframes as cue points when you export as Flash Video (FLV).

This makes it easier to set up events based on a specifi c time in

the composition. You can also import SWF fi les into After Effects

as vector images with alpha channelsa boon for quickly creating

engaging content based on your existing content.

Now that we spent some time talking about how the different pieces

of the puzzle interact with one another, lets take a look at a project

that incorporates all four applications to produce a quick movie in

Flash. (If youd like to follow along, you can download the project

fi les from the Magazine section at www.layersmagazine.c om.)

Create a new 800x400 composition in After Effects.

Set the Frame Rate to 30 Frames Per Second and the Pixel Aspect

Ratio to Square Pixels. While you wont be using the entire Stage,

this will allow you the option to ease text in and out if you choose

to do so.

Nicholas Da Silva of ZOOLOOK (www.zoolook.com) is a

great example of individuals combining all of the Adobe

Creative Suite with great success. He starts his artwork

using a sketchbook and pencils, c alling upon his roots as

a traditional artist. Then he moves between Adobe Illustra-

tor CS3 and Photoshop CS3 to refi ne his designs. He also

uses After Effects to animate his characters; features such

as Motion Blur let him create eye-catching story transitions

and make movement naturalistic. For fi nal animation and

output, Da Silva takes his work into Flash. For more on

Da Silva and how he takes advantage of Flash and all the

Adobe applications, visit www.layersmagazine.com and

navigate to the Columns section.

Symbols have also been modifi ed to maximize the compatibility

between the applications. Select an object in Illustrator, drag it into

the Symbols panel, and youll be prompted with a dialog where

you can name the symbol, specify whether its a Graphic or a Movie

Clip, set the Flash Registration point, and Enable Guides for 9-Slice

Scaling. Now when you copy-and-paste the symbol into Flash, all of

the legwork for creating a symbol is automatically done for you.

Another great timesaver in this import process is the option

to create movie clips for each layer, and the ability to give each a

specifi c instance name. Its also a good idea to check the box to

Set Stage Size to Same Size As Photoshop Canvas because it takes

away the guesswork of setting up the Stage. When you click OK,

all of your assets will be imported into the Flash fi le, and youre

ready to begin coding.

ISTOCKPHOTO/DAVIDTURTON

While Flash CS3 continues to be a vector-based animation program,

bitmap images have long been a staple of interactive multimedia

experiences. To that end, Flash and Photoshop needed a way towork together in a more organized manner. Adobe succeeded in

this is by allowing Flash to import the layer structure of a PSD fi le

and create movie clips of the elements.

When you import a Photoshop document into Flash (File>Import>

Import to Stage) that contains layers, layer groups, and text layers,

youll notice in the Import dialog that all of the layers and layer

groups have been preserved. You have the option to import indi-

vidual layers, as well the ability to select multiple layers and merge

them. You can import each layer as either a bitmap image that

holds supported layer styles or import them as a fl attened bitmap

image. You can also double-click on the layer names directly in this

dialog and rename them.

Importing an Illustrator fi le into Flash will also prompt a similar

dialog. One difference is an extra c heckbox offering the option to

import any unused symbols you may have in the Illustrator fi le.

If youre currently using Photoshop CS3 Extended, you have

the option to create animations using the Animations Timeline

panel and saving those fi les as video. After creating the animation,

click on File>Export>Render Video, and youll be presented with a

dialog to save your video fi le. Select the Flash Video (FLV) format

and click Render. Youll then ha ve an FLV fi le that you can import

back into Flash CS3.

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Click on the fl yout

menu in the Effects & Presets

panel, and select Browse Presets

to open Bridge. Open the Text

folder then the Lights and Optical

folder. Double-click on the Bubble

Pulse effect and click OK. At this

point, all you need to do is double-

click on the text and replace it with

the text you want to use.Export this fi le as a SWF fi le in the

project directory. Our beginning text

has been created. If you dont have

After Effects CS3, I exported a fi le

for you to use in the download fi les

called if_intro_fi nished.swf.

and setting a center registration point would also be convenient

here in this step. Be sure to turn off the checkboxes for any layers

you dont want to import. After you import your background image,

drag it to the bottom of the layer stack.

Open the Illustrator fi le, if_logo.ai. Youll notice that

theres a shape already set up for you. We want to convert that

shape to a symbol. Select the shape and drag it into the Symbols

panel, giving it a name of if_logo, type of Movie Clip, and a

center registration point. Click OK.

Without closing the Illustrator fi le, open Flash CS3 and

create a new ActionScript 3.0 fi le. In the Property inspector, set the

Stage to 800x400 pixels and the Frame Rate to 30. This will match

the settings that youve made in After Effects and ensure you have

a smooth graphic animation. Go back to your Illustrator fi le and

copy the symbol. Back in Flash CS3, paste the logo into frame 1 of

Layer 1. Double-click the name Layer 1 and change it to if_logo.

To bring in your After Effects content, click the Insert

Layer icon to create a new layer for the element, then choose File>

Import>Import to Library. Select the fi le you want to import (in this

case, if_intro_fi nished.swf) and click Import to Library. This will bring

the clip into the Library, allowing you to drag it out to the Stage.

Once you drag it to the Stage, rename Layer 2 to if_text.

The Photoshop fi le (moon.psd) can be imported in the

same manner, but you dont need to create a new layer for it. When

you choose File>Import>Import to Stage and select the Photoshop

fi le, you can select the layer(s) that you want to import and Flash

will automatically place it on its own individual layer. Double-click

on the layer you want to import (in this case, the middle layer) and

rename it if_background. Creating a movie clip of if_background

Once youve completed the imports, go to Control>

Test Movie. Now youre ready to work with the individual compo-

nents on the Flash Stage, animating each, or manipulating them

with ActionScript.

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Rafael RC Concepcion is an Education and Curriculum Developer for the National Association of Photoshop Professionals.An Adobe Certifi ed Instructor in Photoshop and Illustrator, RC has more than 10 years experience in the I.T. and e-commerceindustries and has hosted training seminars in the U.S., Europe, and Latin America. ][

hile many of the developments within Flash have beenpositive, the latest release of Flash CS3 sports the newestscripting language ActionScript 3. Redesigned from

the ground up, ActionScript 3 has been designed to make thedevelopment of projects more streamlined, more effi cient, andmore powerful. By making many of these changes, however, someof the most basic of actions in Flash require a signifi cant amountof re-learning. Placing actions on symbols and portions of Timelinesisnt allowed anymore, often relegating the scripting to reside in one

frame of the project, or a separate fi le altogether.This push toward the programming side has left many users of

the application struggling with the learning curve and wondering ifthe applications ease-of-use has come to an abrupt end. Veteranprogrammers of ActionSc ript 2 fi nd themselves wit h a new languagethat requires a back-to-school approach. Flash developer CorbanBaxter posted an open letter to Adobe concerning this shift in Flash,and wondering about its future for designers (http://blog.projectx4.com/2008/01/29/dear-adobe).

In my opinion, Adobe has always been known as a companythat listens carefully to its consumers, so it was no surprise (and awelcome relief) to see Adobe Platform Evangelist Lee Brimelowchime in on the direction on Flash and assuage fears of its push tothe dark side of coding (http://thefl ashblog.com/?p=328).

I had the chance to sit down and talk for a few minutes with Leeabout these changes, and what they mean for the evolution of Flash.

Layers: Why is so much ActionScript required now to make simpletasks happen? Previously, you were able to use a wizard to create abutton, and now you need event listeners and stuff? Whats changed?

Brimelow:ActionScript 3, which is a completely new version of thelanguage, represents a considerable change to Flash users in manyways. First, the performance of your Flash movies will be increasedby as much as 10 times when using the new language. Its also amuch more structured and mature language, which is extremelyimportant for developers who typically create large, object-orientedapplications with Flash. One of the downsides of the language is thatit can be a little tougher for designers to pick up, especially those whohave gotten used to ActionScript 2. Adobe is working extremely hardon ways to make the transition to the new language easier.

Layers:Is the Flash application moving away from design and becom-ing more of a development tool specifi c to coders?

Brimelow:Absolutely not! In fact the opposite is true. Flash CS4 willbe focused primarily on designers and will include features such as acompletely new animation system and Timeline. Other features likeinverse kinematics will appeal to people with traditional animation

backgrounds. Flex is the environment most suited for developersand Flash is where interactive designers should feel most at home.With that being said, code does play an important role in mostprofessional Flash projects, so Flash also needs to accommodatethose features as well.

Layers:Many people are willing to learn Flash, but theres a con-sistent push for people to learn ActionScript. How necessary is itthat a user learn ActionScript? Couldnt I just use the Timeline toanimate things?

Brimelow:You should absolutely use the Timeline for animation.Some projects require little or no ActionScript code. But if yourelooking to start a career working in Flash, learning ActionScript isan absolute necessity. Its really just a matter of how complex your

project needs to be. The more complexity, the greater the likeli-hood that youll need ActionScript to help you build it.

Layers:What are some of the immediate benefi ts of learningActionScript 3?

Brimelow:By far the biggest benefi t is the incredible performanceincreases that youll see. Basically, this means that your movies willrun faster and it will also allow you to do things that have neverbeen possible before in the browser. The open source Paper-vision3D project is one of the best showcases of how fast the newlanguage is. Another benefi t is that the language is a lot more struc-tured and organized, making projects easier to manage. Anotherancillary benefi t is that it will make your rsum very valu able, asthere is currently a huge shortage of ActionScript 3 developers inthe industry.

Layers:XML seems to be one of the biggest things touted forActionScript 3? How does this help me?

Brimelow:Once you start using XML for things, youll w onder howyou ever lived without it. S toring your text information in an exter-nal XML fi le allows you to easily edit it without having to repub-lish your Flash movie. This is important if youre building a Flashmovie for a client since theyll easily be able to change things ontheir site without having to bug you to make changes in the Flashmovie. The ActionScript code needed to implement these typesof things can be a bit daunting for beginners, but learning it is wellworth the effort.

Layers:You mentioned CS4 earlier. What other kinds of things canwe expect for the next version of Flash?

Brimelow: Flash CS4 is focused primarily on designers and willinclude things like a completely rebuilt timeline and animationsystem. Auto-keyframing is finally coming to Flash, which willmake people who are used to using tools like After Effects veryhappy. This feature will make animation much easier for begin-ners as they wont have to worry about creating and managing

keyframes. There will be support for inverse kinematics, which willallow you to create bones for characters in a similar way that 3Dapplications do it today. There are many more features, some notfi nalized, that will be included in the next release. But mark mywords, Flash is going back to its roots!

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To sharpen the creature, choose Filter>Sharpen>Smart Sharpen. Then

set the Amount to 350%, Radius to 4.0 pixels, and Remove to Lens

Blur. After clicking OK, double-click the tiny slider icon to the right

of the words Smart Sharpen in the Layers panel and change the

Mode setting to Luminosity. This focuses the attention on the detail in

the image rather than exaggerating the discrepancies between color

channelsalways a good idea when sharpening. Leave the Opacity

set to 100% and click OK. Tip: Delete the empty fi lter mask because

it just takes up room. When you do need a mask, its easier to create

it on the fl y, as youll soon see.

Smoothing out the color works nicely inside the bizarrely (and inac-

curately) multicolored bison, but it eliminates all hint of color in the

background. Whats needed is a fi lter mask that exposes the bison

and protects the grass. Turn off the Eye icon in front of the words

Smart Filters in the Layers panel to restore the original image,

which well need to build a mask. Click the Channels tab and click

the various channels to fi nd the one with the highest degree of

contrast between foreground and background. For most people

and mammal shots, this is going to be Red.

Sharpening did my bison some good, but it also brought out anoma-

lous color patches in the fur. Whats needed is a generous pass of

the Median fi lter. Choose Filter>Noise>Median, raise the Radius to a

hefty 50 pixels, and click OK. As a rule, smoothing should be applied

before sharpening so drag the Median fi lter below Smart Sharpen in

the Layers panel. Double-click the slider icon to the right of Median

in the Layers panel. (Photoshop warns you that you wont be able to

preview the effects.) Change the Mode to Color to smooth over the

considerable coloring problems, and click OK to render the smooth-

ing and sharpening effects together.

Duplicate the Red channel by dragging it onto the Create New

Channel icon at the bottom of the panel. Double-click the name (in

our case, Red copy) and call it Mask. When the mask is complete,

the bison should be white and the background black. So press Com-

mand-I (PC: Ctrl-I) to invert the colors. Next we need to exaggerate

the contrast. Choose Image>Adjustments>Levels. Raise the black

point value to 70 and lower the white point value to 190 to draw out

the bison from its background. Click OK to complete the effect.

One of the biggest drawbacks to smart filters is that all filters applied to a single layer must share a common filter

mask. Fortunately, theres a workaround. To make a long story short, you nest one smart object inside another. To

keep the long story long, read the following steps, in which Ill employ a total of four smart filterstwo masked,

two notto both smooth and sharpen the detail in a photograph.

Lets start things off with a photograph that requires sharpening.

I captured this image with a Leica D-Lux 3 out the window of my

car. In the course of touring the back roads of South Dakotas Black

Forest, we were suddenly surrounded by a few hundred mostly

peaceful bison, and this guy in particular was close enough to touch

(were I endowed with really stretchy Mr. Fantastic arms). The resulting

image is soft with striated noise patterns and wandering colors. If

I just set about sharpening