QUICK PHOTOSHOP KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS

Photoshop is quite an interesting tool to use, and more interesting when you know the shortcuts that saves you time and puts that smile and confidence on your client’s face when they see you navigating the job like it was too easy! There are huge amounts of keyboard shortcuts in Photoshop, but i believe in listing the most important and worthy ones.

Notes:

We will be using ‘+’ sign to show two or more keyboard combinations. For example: CTRL + ALT + TAB etc.

This article was written using Windows as example, so if you’re using Macintosh: CONTROL = COMMAND and ALT = OPTION

Worldwide Keyboard Shortcuts

1. You can check all your preferences pressing CTRL + K and learn more.

2. Press TAB to show/hide tool panels;

3. Press SHIFT + TAB to show/hide only your palette;

4. Press F repeatedly to cycle screen modes;

5. Press CTRL + TAB to switch to your next document;

6. Press CTRL + SHIFT + TAB to switch to your previous document;

7. Press CTRL + T to enter free transform mode;

Tip: You can scale proportionally from center. You transform by pressing and holding ALT + SHIFT, when you’re dragging.

8. Press ALT + DEL to fill the layer with foreground color or SHIFT + DEL to fill with background color; Tip: You can also use ALT + BACKSPACE or SHIFT + BACKSPACE to fill non-transparent pixels.

Related posts:

1. :: Create a Dock Icon Folder in Photoshop ::
2. :: How to filter color using Photoshop ::

Happy New Year to my IT Plus Magazine family!

Happy Newyear to everyone who has supported us and been a part of this vision,

we love you all and appreciate your comments,likes,posts,contributions etc 2012

is going to be and awesome year full of inspiration,joy blessings,laughter,peace for everyone.

Welcome to a year of Reloaded inspiration! 2012.

Have a blessed year.
NewYear Wishes from the ITPlus Crew!

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The Surface touchscreen is just four inches thick – it can be used in ‘table’ format, or even hung on the wall like a painting

Microsoft's Surface display is a 40-inch multi-touch screen which overcomes the limitations of most touchscreen technology – the fact that the screens are bamboozled if too many people touch at once

The screen works by shining light upwards through the screen, which bounces back to a layer of sensors behind the screen. It can detect not only fingers but objects on the table – whereas other touchscreen technologies are limited in what they can detect.

For instance, touching an iPhone screen with a pen will have no effect. With that in mind, the tablet ships with apps allowing children to paint or draw directly on screen – or even edit photos and upload them to Facebook.

Being able to move objects on top of the screen revolutionises how the touchscreen can be used – you could play board games on it, or use it to plan buildings

Microsoft’s previous Surface table was a bit of a cheat – the surface was semi-transparent, and touch was detected by cameras underneath the table. The result was that displays using Surface looked a little washed-out – and the table wasn’t as responsive as multi-touch touchscreens.

At CES 2011, Microsoft unveiled the next generation of the Microsoft Surface experience featuring PixelSense™ technology, which gives LCD panels the power to see without the use of cameras.

The table will also include apps that allow people to 'paint' directly onto the table, or edit photos then add them directly to their Facebook accounts

The screen can hang on a wall, be built into a wall, or comes with standard leg supports.If that doesn’t fit with your home, you can choose your own legs. The gizmo was named a 2011 ‘Best of What’s New’ award winner by Popular Science magazine.

The Surface SUR40 is available for pre-order now for £7499.

Source: DailyMail

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With the advent of thousands of online stores in our world today, so many options abound for consumers to choose from. These days, there is definitely no need for most of us to go to the stores, rather the stores actually come to us through our computers….thats right, online shopping thats what am talking about. Convenience is most certainly key for everyone that's why we are introducing an online shopping mall that is not just like any store you may know online, it is a combination of various real life stores located in Nigeria and Africa in general (for now) showcasing their products and services on PurpleRod Online Shopping Mall's Website.

The PurpleRod Team

Team of Experts

Here are some Facts about PurpleRod Inc.

·         PurpleRod started operations in Abuja(FCT), Nigeria in October 2011, however  our Lagos(the commercial capital) office will kick start operations this month(November) 2011.

·         Already with over 220 Vendors/Stores gearing over 1000 products in its first month of Operations.

·         Our revenue model is mainly by advertisement and introduction of subscription fee model for vendors.

·         But in the main time we are in a promotional period till early next year i.e. product listing is free for all vendors till next year.

·         Purchasing  is free for users/buyers which will also attract standard charges for shipping/delivery.

·         Considering the social economic environment in the African online market where people have trust issues with making orders without having physical contact with the store/product this poses a great challenge. So we are introducing an online payment system (This week) gradually as we are monitoring the way people interact and accept the product, which is awesome with our few month of operations.

·         We are currently integrating our first online payment platform which will allow payment with Nigeria payment processor Interswitch, Verve, e-Transact, Visa & Mastercard (Naira denominated). Also international denominated mastercard and visa card is being integrated into our website, this process is still ongoing.

·         People abroad can make orders for friends and family in Nigeria.

·         This product is unique in Africa as there is no product/service till date with the capability of giving an unlimited numbers of vendors/stores the privilege of managing their products, store and interacting with customers independently.

The Category Page

More About PurpleRod Inc

PurpleRod Inc is an organization with the sole aim of providing affordable and convenient services to the African sales and purchasing market. We serve as a central market place providing a focal point for transactions between sellers and buyers using state-of-the-art technology to deliver effective and efficient service.

At PurpleRod, we bring all retailers and shopping malls together and at the click of the mouse, you can shop. We turn our customers’ desires into reality. If you want it, you can have it!

PurpleRod aim’s to solve client’s buying and selling dilemmas. We can solve dilemmas such as; where to shop, how to shop, cost of products – and we can do this without geographical limitation.

Our Motto
One Shop. All Stores!

Our Vision
Our dream is to become Africa’s largest online shopping mall with the sole aim of becoming a one stop shop for consumers in Africa and beyond.

Our Mission
Our mission is to deliver high quality services to our customers by providing door to door service with maximum convenience, satisfaction and minimum frustration.

Our Team
PurpleRod consists of a team of professionals with a vast array of backgrounds and qualifications.

Our Coverage
PurpleRod has unlimited coverage as we provide our services across the globe through the internet.

Our Core Values
At PurpleRod we value our customers and pride ourselves on being reliable and efficient and above all else trustworthy.

SERVICES

To Sellers

· Registration is free.

· Listing your products is free until January 2012.

. Stores can manage their store and products through an easy to use admin panel

· There is no minimum amount of products that you can list.

· Bulk Product Loader is available.

· Bulk Images Loader is available.

· Custom created web pages and own mini-website.

· Stores manage everything through an easy-to-use, web based interface with no additional software.

· Stores have complete control/management of their own products.

· Inventory Control.

· Product Variations (Attributes)

· Wholesale Pricing.

· Possible for store owners to view order and product statistics (reporting).

· Each store has its own profile, logo and web pages such as payment terms, returns policy, contact forms and more.

· Search Engine Optimization is available.

· SEO-Friendly Links.

· And many other features not specified are also available.

PurpleRod Classified Page

To Buyers

· Customers can buy from multiple stores through one checkout point.

· Buyers can rate stores and comment on their performance.

· Buyers can contact each store individually.

· Buyers can easily submit an RMA or return request from their “My Account “page.

· Buyers can breeze through checkout using the PurpleRod Shopping Cart single page checkout system.

· Buyers can enter their location to receive a shipping cost estimate.

· Buyers will automatically receive an email when their order is shipped.

Product Page

Checkout Page

Final Checkout Page

Another great thing about this online mall is that Buyers can also  Click Here to shop through their Facebook application .

PurpleRod Team

And don't forget to visit PurpleRod on their website

Am still here wondering what you're waiting for, let the shopping begin

**(Currently they offer services within Africa they will extend services to other countries soon and trust IT Plus would be giving that information)**

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Anthropomorphized Web Browsers of the Day: Illustrator Moie “Eskimoie” Preisenberger reimagines browser icons as beautiful women.

Here's what explorer looks like……

Please leave us your comments and what each browser  should look like to you.

Moie “Eskimoie” Preisenberger's facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/e.illustrations?sk=photos

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History

In 1962 a French engineer Pierre Bézier make this kind of drawing widely publicized when used them to design automobile bodies but initially “path” based drawing were first developed in 1959 by Paul de Casteljau when this use a numerically stable method to evaluate smooth curves (de Casteljau’s algorithm).

Why vector?
Because in this way the results of your work can be scaled indefinitely. Curves shapes are not bound by the size limits of classic images (rasterized) and are intuitive to modify.
A “path” is a collection of points used to create primitive shapes such as lines, arcs, and curves. From these primitives, you can create complex shapes such as circles, rectangles, polygons. Because paths are composed of points (as opposed to a rasterized bitmap image which is composed of pixels), results are lightweight, fast, and they can scale to any resolutions without losing accuracy or quality.

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FINAL IMAGE RESULT

How it works?

When you draw a line/curve the two endpoints of the curve are called anchor points. The other points, which define the shape of the curve, are called handles, tangent points, or nodes. Attached to each handle are two control points. By moving the handles themselves, or the control points, you can modify the shape of the curve.
As the curve is completely contained in the convex hull (analogy for elastic bound) of its control points, the points can be graphically displayed and used to manipulate the curve intuitively.

Vector or vectorize?

Tracing is the process of creating drawings from images. By using the pixels of an image as a guide we can trace over the image and create points, lines and areas in a drawing. The tracing process is like laying a sheet of tracing paper onto a photograph and then drawing lines with a pen to outline what is seen in the photo. The photo image is thus converted into a line drawing. This process is very clean and lightweight.

If you wonder why you can just use an automate tracing command you must have in mind that is not so simple anyway. In some condition automate tracing may be the best solution you can consider but if you have a smaller, older or just bad low image you have to accept manual tracing which is the best method for an accurate design.

To trace an image you have to use a image source or a sketch where the drawing layer in which objects are created appears about the image layer. You can then see both the drawing as well as the image being traced.

Let’s go!
To start we need a raster image as a base for what we want to draw. In this example I choose a very original and exciting photo made by LIFE Magazine – “Light-beam contour map” which are used by Air Force to design flight helmets in 1954

To start drawing you have to create a new document. File>New… You can set this new document at any size but for starting preferably is the same size as you original image. Import this image in your vector based software. For this you have to go to File>Place… and select you drawing from your hard drive or other source (C, DVD , mass storage etc.). If you use Illustrator to make your first draw you have to now that image imported are automatically centered in page. After you imported lock the layer to prevent accidental moving. Create a new layer for you illustration.

Shaping
Drawing with pen tool is not complicated. In the first faze of drawing you have to determine the base points of shape you want to define.
The first tool in your pen palette is your default pen tool. When you select the pen tool (either by clicking it or pressing “P”), and hover over your document area, you’ll notice that the pen tip cursor shows a small “x” next to it. If you click somewhere on your document, you’ll see a new anchor point. Click again somewhere else on your document, and Illustrator draws a line segment.

Using the same default pen tool, click and hold somewhere else on your document. While holding the left click, drag your cursor in the direction of your intended curve. For example, if you want your line to come down and curve to the right, you’ll click below your selected point and drag to the right. This click and drag action creates a handle that defines the shape of your curve.

If it does not correct what you want to draw, you’ll have to adjust your line to get it just right. For this, you’ll need the “Direct Select” tool (shortcut: “A”). With the direct select tool, you can select individual anchor points on your line and move them around. An anchor point will have a solid fill when it’s selected, when you select a curve anchor point, you’ll see the handles. Using this tool you can adjust the direction of the curve by clicking and dragging the small dot at the end of the handle. You can also shorten or lengthen each side of the handle as you desired.

CREDIT
Title: Light-beam contour map used by the Air Force to design flight helmets, 1954
Artist: LIFE Magazine Photographers

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Name: Draghia Cornel
Nickname: dccanim
Location: Bucharest, Romania, Europe
Job: Illustrator/designer
Contact: http://www.dccanim.deviantart.com, http://www.colourlovers.com/lover/dccanim
Software: Photoshop, Illustrator, Indesign, Corel Draw, 3D Studio Max, QuarkXPress
Age: 43 years old
School: Mid level
Knowledge skills:autodidact
Working now with: Publishing House ART, Romania, layout designer,TIMES TEN CREATIVE, Inc., Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA, vector artist,BrightPink Studio, Inc.,
Works done: over 1200 book – layout design, over 700 cover books – layout design and prepress, over 1000 posters, flyers, trifold, CD/DVD covers etc., collaboration with television stations in media design, commercial animation, over 30 websites design, and more
Years in the industry: around 20 years
Experience:Advanced in Corel Draw, Photoshop, QuarkXPress

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With the Xbox 360’s transition away from simple grey game machine to sleek, black dedicated media hub, it makes sense that the updated device would also get its own media remote.

And that’s exactly what Microsoft announced today. A full-blown remote in its own right, the new Xbox 360 Media Remote features all the functionality you’d expect – buttons, the ability to control both physical and streamed media, and, surprisingly, the ability to control television sets. The device will also be compatible with a range of features Microsoft announced at E3, including support for the upcoming Live TV channels. Microsoft is clearly trying to get the device in as many living rooms as possible, which is likely why it will be selling the remote for a cool $19.99 this November.

Also announced today is a new Bluetooth-enabled Xbox 360 Wireless Headset. While obviously aimed mostly at the Xbox, the headset is actually compatible; with phones and PCs as well. That’s a pretty major selling point considering that the device will cost $59. Who would want a dedicated Xbox 360 headset at that price? Expect it this November as well.

Source: http://www.zdnet.com/blog/gadgetreviews/microsoft-announces-sleek-new-xbox-360-media-remote-headset/26536

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By Gwen Moran

Not everyone will end up burning out like Shawn Theodore did to finally realize how to take a break. After his web-design company grew from a few clients in 2003 to 50 in 2007, a deep fatigue had set in.

“It got to the point where my clients knew I was up all night working. They would think it was okay to email me at 3 in the morning and expect a response,” says Theodore, 40, a co-founder of Adjektiv, which was based in Las Vegas, Nev., and New York.

After his business partner and an investor both died in tragic, separate incidents in 2008, he was reeling from grief and the stressful toll that years of nonstop work had taken on his psyche. Taking drastic action, he scaled back to four clients and moved from Las Vegas to Brooklyn, N.Y., to regroup.

Getting in touch with his “Bohemian roots” was one goal. He rented an apartment with a roof deck, spent hours in nearby Prospect Park and rode his bike whenever the weather permitted. He slowly rebuilt his company with a new name — Partners in Theory — and a new conviction to never again let business consume his life.

Now, instead of running a company with three partners and as many as 20 independent coders and programmers, he runs the business on his own, working with about 11 independent contractors, all of whom take the lead on their own projects, relieving him of client-management responsibilities.

Theodore says he is also much more in tune with his own need for time off. While he rarely took breaks before, he now takes both vacations and short daily breaks to recharge. This summer, he’ll take off either Thursday or Friday most weeks and is combining a cross-country work trip with sightseeing.

In that respect, Theodore is unlike many other U.S. business owners. Only 46 percent plan to take a vacation this summer, down from a high of 67% in 2006, according to the May American Express OPEN Small Business Vacation Monitor. Busy work schedules (37%) and affordability (29%) are the top reasons. But vacations and breaks can be what you need to increase productivity and come up with new ideas to make your business run better, says Jon Gordon, a Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.-based motivational speaker on business productivity and author of The Seed: Finding Purpose and Happiness in Work and Life (Wiley, 2011).

Do you need a break? Here are seven signs it’s time.

1. Loss of joy. If you’re beginning to dread going to the business you once loved or find yourself chronically unhappy, it’s likely a signal you need to take a break. “Often, it’s when we think we can’t take a break, during those very busy times, or when business is slow, that it’s most important to do so,” says Gordon.

2. Lack of focus or creativity. “Most people can’t have a high level of focus for extended periods of time. Even high-end athletes or musicians need regular breaks,” says former accountant Greg De Simone, founder of FocalPoint, a Mansfield, Mass., business coaching firm. He says he routinely sees clients return from vacations operating at a higher level of productivity or with newfound solutions to problems that had dogged them.

3. Constant feeling of overwhelm. If you’re reacting rather than taking control, it’s a clear indicator you need to take a break, says De Simone. If you think you can’t spare the time, consider that you’re losing it anyway by being ineffective, he says. “Getting away from your business allows you to step out of the constant flood of demands and interruptions and see your business more clearly,” he says. That can help you make better decisions.

4. Irritability. Cranky much? Irritability can be a sign of stress, depression, or other maladies, says Gordon. Take a break before you do real damage to your employee and client relationships.

5. Insomnia. Sleep issues are another red flag, says Gordon. Meditation and getting outside on a regular basis can help, he says. The National Institutes of Health says that regular exposure to outdoor light is important for the circadian rhythms that direct your sleep. If you’re stressed and sunlight-deprived all day, you’re dealing a double blow to your ability to get a good night’s rest.

6. Health issues. Drive yourself too hard and it’s likely going to take a toll on your health, says Gordon. Working endless hours may feel like a badge of honor, but if you have chronic insomnia, stomach issues, or generally not feeling well, it’s time to consult your doctor — who just might prescribe a break, he says. (Unfortunately, vacations aren’t usually covered by health insurance.)

7. Warnings from friends and family. Today, when people in his life tell him it’s time to take a break, Theodore finds the time. He never wants his business to run his life again. “Relationships are the most important thing in your life. If the people around you need you, you have to find time for them, even when it’s busy,” he says. Time with his loved ones, he says, is often the best way to relax.

Source: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/220035

Gwen Moran is a freelance writer and co-author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Business Plans (Alpha, 2010). Follower her on Twitter: @gwenmoran

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Florian Nicolle, or better still Neo as he’s known online, is a 24 year old French illustrator, who has a Diploma in Graphics Design. His love for design dates back to the age of 15, which led him to the decision of focusing in an area of Graphics Design called “Arts Applique” and started searching for his own unique style with the help of his teacher who specializes in sketches also.
His works are loved my many and I’m a personal fan, which is why he was kind enough to share his technique with us today, please read on…
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Hi, Welcome to IT Plus Magazine. Am sure our readers and your fans out there would love to know you and please give us a brief summary of your background in design.
Hello, my name is Florian Nicolle, aka Neo, am a 24 year old French illustrator. I already have a diploma in Graphic Design, in fact, at a very tender age of 15, I wanted to be a Graphic Designer, that is why I decided to move towards the field called “arts appliqués” where I began to search my own style thanks to my teacher, who specializes in sketch, and has greatly helped me on this, and some of my friends from whom I got inspired.

For some of our readers who are not familiar with your style of design, what is it called and please tell us the processes involved in your design from inception to completion
My style of design is called Tradigital, it is a combination of traditional hand drawing (Bic pen, colored ink, pen, marker.) + Digital painting (palette graphic, Photoshop). The first process is drawing on paper, then I digitalize it and I finalize my work in Photoshop.

Where do you draw your inspiration from? Do you work from a home office or studio office? If either one, tell us its pros and cons?

I am very grateful to my first art teacher who has been my greatest source of inspiration, which really helped me to move on with my work. In this way, I have been able to attain my own methods, my own style. Of course I continue to watch a lot of work of famous or anonymous illustrators, with various styles. As for where I do my work, I work from home

Am sure people want to know how favorable the market is for you, so how do you manage to make a living from being a designer?
I am 24 years old, completed my studies there are only 2 years, so my career has just began. The beginning was very unstable, I started drawing a lot and publish my work online (Behance, deviant art…), following this, my exposition started with different features on graphic sites (abduzedoo, blogs…) magazines (digital art, digital artist, Creanum…), and books (“bigger book”, “International Design Year Book”…). Customers identified with my works, thanks to these expositions. I would say the market has been favorable.

Let’s move to some beneficial projects to you. That is, what jobs have been most rewarding and least rewarding, you don’t have to include names.

For me precisely what has been most rewarding is diversity. Proceeding from the creation of a logo, to a brochure, an illustration for a film poster, the layout of a magazine…

There are definitely tools and techniques involved in your production process, give us a visual of your workspace and also tools, software and hardware that you use.

I always use a simple pen, chines ink, watercolor, then Photoshop

Your design “Minnesota Golden Gophers” is one of my personal favorites, please walk us through the stages involved in the design process of that work, including the tools used.
In fact, it is always the same process. I try to create an image that retains its freshness of the first paint stroke; the expressions of the line have to be very free and spontaneous, while keeping a rigorous drawing. So i use “fast techniques” like a bic, large/little brushes, watercolor and chine ink, then I add texture on Photoshop.

I often use much texture of text, because it adds a presence of hand. I draw a picture as if I wrote a text, with the same tool, the same freedom, with erasures, lines, scribbles etc…

What is your favorite piece of design and why? (It could be anybody’s design). Also, what are your top 5 go-to websites (websites you visit almost on a daily basis or ones you draw inspiration from).
I don’t have one favorite piece of design, but I do admire the work of some graphic designers & illustrators:
Russ mills, Martijn Van Dam, Kxx, Peter Jaworowski, Joshua M. Smith, Barral Fabien, Michael Kutsche, Adam Haynes… and many more

Top website :
Behance.net
Deviantart.com
abduzeedo.com
Graphic-exchange.com

Which basic Photoshop techniques do you find yourself using all the time and why?
Selection by color, it helps me a lot to overthrow in white, a stain made in ink.

Do you have any designs lined up later on this year? And if you weren’t a designer, what would you have been doing?

Yes, I do. I have always been interested in manual work, I would have liked also to be a carpenter, for example.

Any final words with tips for upcoming designers?
Work, pleasure and perseverance



Where to find Florian Nicolle on the web to see more of his designs:
Websites:
Florian’s Website
Florian’s Behance Portfolio
Florian’s Deviant Portfolio

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