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Get to the grind

We unlock the power of web design with a breakthrough Photoshop plug-in.

By: Allen M. Gottfried

 

Designing and programming websites has always been in my blood. I remember learning HTML techniques back in my technology classes in high school and learning the simple coding to make text blink. Well, we have come a long way from just blinking text and now with faster connection speeds and more users, the internet is the place to be.

 

Having a website is almost required these days if you want to promote yourself or sell products to the masses without spending tons on traditional advertising. The idea of designing a site in a program like Photoshop is pretty simple since many artists already use it and are familiar with the program. If you have no idea what you want your new site to look like you can simply logon to some of your favorite sites and get a basic idea of what your site should look like. One that is visually pleasing, easy to use and navigate but still informative is what you want.

 

Originally, the task of building a website was very time intensive requiring lines of programming code and individual photos and artwork to build the final site. Thankfully more and more web-coding and layout design integration software is becoming available, easier to use and relatively inexpensive. However, I still do recommend getting a basic book on HTML programming to know some of the basics.

For a very long time I used Microsoft Frontpage, which was a simple to use interface yet advanced program that built damn good sites...and still does. However, in 2004 Microsoft stopped further developing the software and they moved on to other more advance software and web-coding programs. I started to see a lot of Macromedia supported sites with flash and I picked up a book a did some basic training in both Flash and Dreamweaver, but DW for what I was designing was way too advanced and complicated and I still ended up using my old edition of FrontPage.

 

After researching new methods for designing high-end graphical websites, I found that many sites were being built right in Adobe's Photoshop and Imageready and then outputted to programs like Dreamweaver for final programming. I gave this approach a try and I did design some great sites, but like clockwork I would run into some sort of problem with the sites. Most of the time it was alignment issues with different browsers and me not having enough Dreamweaver programming expertise it always turned into a grueling task of trying to fix the problem.

 

Now, I was desperately searching for new, and relatively simple methods of designing and delivering high-end websites. My latest issue of Photoshop Magazine seemed to promise just that. I saw an advertisement for a plug-in for Photoshop called, Sitegrinder by Medialab. The ad stated that you can build fully functional websites right in Photoshop with little or no programming at all! I had to check this out for myself and see how true it actually was.  I searched a few review sites and kept reading amazing reviews...now I really had to try it!

 

I installed the Demo version of the program, downloaded the online tutorial, and was quickly on my way. The company offers two versions, standard and professional. The pro version allows you to add media integration like flash video and more. Honestly for the little difference in price, you may as well order the pro version. Following the step by step tutorial, I quickly learned how the program operated and how to name the different layers in Photoshop so the program would correctly recognize and auto program them to work in my website.

 

My task was to take an existing name that we own, www.airbrushgetaway.com , that has been just sitting dormant and design a basic website that people could visit and learn more about our world renowned airbrushing workshops.

 

I simply reviewed a few other websites and template sites that I liked and felt were all user-friendly and easy to navigate. Eventually I chose a design I wanted to base our new site on. I built everything right in Photoshop and named the layers correctly and was able to easily build a preview of the website while I was laying it all out. When the first preview finished rendering all I could say was; wow! Everything was going smoothly until, I questioned how I would make the website grow when more content was added or subtracted. After reading the technical information I gave it a shot and started to encounter a lot of problems getting this to work. After numerous questions back and forth between, the very helpful and quick to respond, technical support I was able to make it do what I wanted. This is not something that is totally necessary and would all depend on your site requirements, but if you do need a growing content site just take your time read the directions and you will eventually get it to work as well.

 

I was able to build the new site using many of the program features but there are so many hints, (the term used to name and program the layers). I was able to give most of them a try to test the functionality, but just did not need it on the final site. The hints offer easy was to program embedded media, slideshows, contact forms and more.. all in Photoshop! Keep in mind, after programming and laying some content out, the Photoshop file looks kind of weird and has a lot going on. This is not how it will build in Site Grinder.

 

Making a few final changes to the website, I attempted to use some other programming features of the pro-version. I tried out their slideshow hint but didn't really like the way it operated, it was good but not what I wanted. So, I did some research and decided I would embed my slideshow content from my Flickr account. A lot of websites have tutorials how to do this and the slideshow player they offer is great! I programmed it into my new layout, in Photoshop, and now I had a professional looking slideshow on my site. I did the same with the Getaway promotional and testimonial videos and I easily embedded the video using html tags provided from our friends at Youtube. Hosting our videos on sites like Youtube save us some big time bandwidth and allows us not to worry about having to build a custom video player. Site Grinder also has a unique programming feature allowing text within the site to stay searchable text and not become just an image. This will allow search engines and crawlers to find the information on your site and help to possibly bump up your rating on searches. Keep in mind,  some items are better off as images and also might help if you have any browser alignment issues which you can change with a simple hint command.

 

Now that my site is laid out and I am happy how everything is programmed, I was ready to do the final build-to-folder in Sitegrinder. Their build interface is very self- explanatory, although, I do recommend reading the instructions. Following the instructions, I was able to easily link the pages together, setup up e-mail information, and more. The program also evaluates the webpage and checks to make sure no errors occur before final output. Once everything is linked and ready to go you can either  preview it again or build to folder.

 

You might have to go back and tweak a few things to make it work for certain browsers. When I built the final site, except for a few of my own stupid mistakes, my site was finished, looked great, and was ready for upload.

 

Site Grinder does offer features to upload to your hosting company, but I just used my Freeware ftp program, Filezilla to upload the content. Voila! My new site is live, looks great and was pretty easy to do! In addition I do recommend that you download a basic HTML editor too. I use either an old version of Frontpage or I really like the freeware software, HTML-Kit.

In closing, Sitegrinder is a fantastic tool and I highly recommend it, if you are looking for a relatively simple way to build a professional website and are already comfortable using and own copy of Photoshop it's the way to go! You can learn more, download the demo, see site samples and purchase the full version at www.medialab.com

 

Take a look at the site I built with SG, www.airbrushgetaway.com , the site is easy to navigate, graphically pleasing and only showcases a fraction of what Sitegrinder is capable of! This is absolutely on piece of amazing software!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Save Streaming Media to Your PC With Ease.
By: Allen M. Gottfried, Digital Media & Video
Airbrush Action Magazine

 

In the ever-emerging online content world we sometimes find a great resource of information and would like to save it on the computer for future viewing purposes. Perhaps, you don’t want to save links to a video site or maybe you just want the ability to save, convert and watch files that can be played back on a system that doesn’t have an internet connection, for example in your garage, workshop or on the road.

 

This all sound great but in order to capture these secure streaming media files you need to have the training of a network engineer. That said, it is relatively hard for the average computer using Joe to figure out how to find and download these protect video streams. Thankfully, I have done some research and as always I’m here to help. After some research and testing many demo programs that would allow me to locate and save streaming media files, both audio and video, and later convert them to other playable media formats, I came across one of the best pieces of software to date and by far one of the easiest to use.

 

The software company Alex Inc., has developed a series of easy-to-use programs that will locate, download and capture the hard to find media streams. Both WMRecorder and WMConverter showed its competition no remorse and did exactly what it said it would do.  I have not encountered any problems recording the streaming media that I wanted to download and playback looks perfect. Of course, keep in mind that this program should only be used for legal downloads and the media you obtain should only be used for personal use and reference.

 

In a statement from Alex, Inc. they exclaim that WMRecorder is the easiest and most advanced way to record video and audio from the Internet. Just open the recorder play the video or audio from your Internet Explorer browser or your favorite media player and the content will automatically be recorded. And, I have to agree with them fully on that statement.

 

Once the file is downloaded you can use WMConverter to convert to and from some of the most popular video and audio formats including WMV, MP4, FLV, MPEG, AVI, MP3, AAC, WAV, iPod, Zune, mobile. I have downloaded numerous media files and have converted some to the various formats listed above. I was able to put some of the training videos and tutorials right on my Ipod and I was able to watch it when I was performing the work where I had no internet connection.  What a great, simple-to-use and sophisticated product and l allowing yet another way to learn and entertain yourself from anywhere in the world on a variety of media platforms.

 

When you first open the software it does not initially come across graphically as a highly sophisticated piece of software but once you start to use the program and see how well it performs and all it is capable of you will be far from disappointed. The company offers a few different software options as the programs are sold separately or can be purchased as a bundle to save you some money.  If you are looking to take your favorite internet video and streaming media files on the road or just be able to access that media at anytime, then I highly recommend that you visit http://www.wmrecorder.com to download a demo or order the full version.  

 

                                       

 

 

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 By: Allen M. Gottfried
Airbrush Action, Digital Media

ALIEN SKIN – IMAGE DOCTOR2

 

Here in the Airbrush Action Digital Media and Production departments we are constantly seeking new innovative, easy to use and affordable software or plug-ins to use to make our lives easier and that of our fellow artists.

Our friends at Alien Skin Software recently let us demo their new release of Image Doctor 2, a Photoshop Plug-in that makes photo manipulation and retouching a breeze.  

Now some of the plug-ins and filter I have used pose no real need to purchase them or even use them to perform a few basic tricks. This package however is indeed worthy of the purchase price. If you are an artist working a variety of photos, old, new ones that are good but have a minor mistake or artifact that is making you not want to use it, then Image Doctor 2 is for you.

I went online to see what the program was capable of and I was impressed but as always I had to try it for myself. I loaded up a few pictures from our stock photo library including ones with people, structures and landscapes to try a plethora of different types of images.

The plug-in gives your five main tools to work with. Blemish Concealer, Dust and Scratch Remover, JPEG Repair, Skin Softener and Smart Fill. If you are working to restore old photos this package would be a wise investment without a doubt with the advanced controls to cover up many problematic artifacts. JPEG repair is a great tool too for anyone that is working with jagged images that might need some help. The coolest feature of this package had to be Smart Fill. This plug-in examines your photo and you can make selection much like the Photoshop clone/stamp tool but this thing is amazing. It analyzes the surrounding pixels and determines how to cover up those evil mistakes.  I was able to take cables out pictures, removed a duck from a pond picture completely and had some fun manipulating some friend’s photos too.

How can this program work for the airbrush artist? Well, if you scan or photograph your work this could be a great tool to aide in making some easy or sophisticated adjustment to make the picture better, cleaner and present a sellable final product. Say, if you have a bad background, a scratch on the scan, or any other blemish you need to cover up. The program is really made for the digital artist but thinking outside the box any artists that uses Photoshop to correct art, pictures or more can benefit from this program.

Alien Skin offers a demo of this product and I highly recommend that you check it out! www.alienskin.com

 

 

This sample is nothing spectacular but it took
only seconds to finish and it was done with a preset.
If you take time and use all the correct settings
you can work some real magic...and save time too!

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Welcome to the NEW Airbrush Action website and blog. We are excited to annouce the new blog feature on the website and look forward to discussing and reviewing new products, artists, software and more!

 Enjoy!

 

~Airbrush Action

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For those who can create realistic airbrush art, there is a lucrative future in a number of industries (especially the automotive industry). However, the wide variety of subjects and styles required for mastery requires a vast amount of knowledge; this is why there is an instructional airbrush DVD for virtually every type of image. For instance, an expert airbrusher might know how to paint a flaming-skulled clown riding a motorcycle, yet need some more practice to accurately render a simple chrome finish. Building one's artistic repertoire is a matter of learning each piece, one by one, after mastering the general techniques of airbrushing.

Naturally, one should learn how to control and use an airbrush before trying to master a particular design. Many airbrushers use instructional DVDs or books to keep their basic skills sharp as well as keep abreast of trends in the industry. DVDs such as the "Introduction to Automotive Airbrushing" are designed to give the viewer step-by-step instruction in this precise form of art.

Interestingly, instructional airbrush videocassettes were never as popular as a modern instructional airbrush DVD. This is because it's difficult to show the intricate detail of an airbrush with a low-resolution medium such as a VCR. However, since DVD players have high-resolution capabilities, showing the finer points of airbrushing is quite a simple matter. In fact, many prefer learning airbrushing via DVD, since the crisp color blends are easy to perceive.

For those who have mastered basic airbrush techniques, building a client base is simply a matter of creating a design base. The most popular motorcycle designs are skulls and flames. For cars, the flame is by far the most popular design, which is why there are so many instructional DVDs based on this design motif. Learning designs becomes quite easy when there are instructional DVDs for virtually every popular design style.

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People who have an airbrush hobby generally fall into three categories. These categories include the photographic artist, the mural designer, and the auto/motorcycle detailer. The airbrush industry has widened its focus to accommodate these modern artistes.

Creating realism worthy of a photograph through airbrushing is a great way to occupy one's time. Those who can turn ordinary portraits into life-like pieces of art always have a unique gift idea available. Learning to perfect this technique takes practice, but the tools are readily available for anyone who is willing to take instruction. A wide variety of DVDs and books are available, such as "Getting Started in Airbrush ", which is a book featuring 22 do-it-yourself projects for the beginning airbrusher.

Artists who have mastered the general skills needed to airbrush often find that there is no limit to the number of projects they can do. Airbrushes are the perfect way to add poignant detail to a large mural. Anyone who has ever seen a nondescript mural occupying an entire city block understands the dire need for airbrushing. Companies such as Aqua Flow design airbrushes for artists who work on metal or plastic--there's not a city surface that can't be airbrushed.

Those who work with custom cars definitely know how popular a good airbrush hobbyist can be. Anyone who took the time to master the basic motifs of airbrush hobbyist and fire will have lots of people asking them to customize their cars, motorcycles, and even helmets. Learning new ways to express oneself through airbrushing can be as simple as reviewing an instructional DVD, and most find that this hobby is extremely fun to practice.

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One of the most lucrative industries for modern artists is that of automotive airbrushing . Painting killer designs on the sides of decked-out hot rods is not only thrilling, it is also quite profitable for skilled artists . However, this skill is not easily obtained--learning professional automotive airbrush is a talent that takes years to master.

Surprisingly, the hardest part about airbrushing cars isn't the airbrushing--it's the surface preparation. In order for an airbrushed design to truly stand out, it must not be painted on a grainy, uneven, or lackluster surface. This is why entire DVDs have been created to show artists how to properly place their airbrushed art onto a vehicle, in titles such as "Introduction to Automotive Airbrushing ."

Preparing a surface for airbrushing requires a several-step process and an eye for detail. Start by stripping the old paint, then sand the surface smooth. After that, one needs to prime the surface, making sure to fill the low spots. Once that is all finished, the surface is ready for a base coat of paint. Knowing how to properly strip and prime a surface is almost an art form in itself.

There are a number of companies that produce an extensive selection of automotive airbrushes. The Andrew Mack Brush Company advertises that it has been manufacturing brushes for 150 years, and now makes popular models for airbrushing cars. Those who want to airbrush their motorcycles will find that many of the same techniques apply to hogs as they do to hot-rods, with just a few small but important differences in surface materials.

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The art of airbrushing takes human form with airbrush body painting, which is becoming an increasingly popular choice. From maximizing physical assets to minimizing bodily flaws, airbrush body painting can help accentuate physique while still appearing natural to an audience. Airbrush body painting is also done for decorative purposes, whether to make a glitzy splash on a Las Vegas stage or add flair to a holiday manicure. Whether for performance, enhancement, or just for fun, airbrush body painting has boomed into a lucrative artisanal service, creating the need for professionals to obtain straightforward continuing education in the field.

Of course, for the airbrush body painting professional, staying abreast of design and technical trends can require research and subsequent practice. For this reason, many airbrush body painters seek out instructional materials from experts in the industry. Airbrush body painting DVDs by such masters as Terry Hill and Pat Reynolds demonstrate insider techniques for both face and body airbrush painting. These instructional DVDs cover both the basics of paint choice, customer comfort, and air control as well as special effects such as lace and feather looks.

Another renowned professional in the airbrush body painting arena is Tobi Britton, also with dynamic DVD instructions available for purchase. A Hollywood make-up artist, Britton covers bust enhancement techniques, look transformation and other pro tips while demonstrating on live models. For professionals and hobbyists seeking airbrush instruction for fingernail art, Liz Fojon's DVDs span scores of popular designs in easy-to-follow format.

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