<Janet> whew. I got list in the clay class. that was marvelous!!

<Janet> and I've been looking forward to this one all day. I'm such a photoshophead

<Redstick> Hey there Jam!

<Gazdina> http://www.gazdina.com/classroom.htm

<Janet> ooooo scout. i want photos!

<Gazdina> HTTP://WWW.GAZDINA.COM/CLASSROOM.HTM

<scout> When they are open, they will be about like a dinner plate.

<Janet> thankee sharon

<scout> I go out every so often and snap another photo.

<Redstick> Thanks, Gaz and Howdy

<Gazdina> YOU'RE WELCOME, JANET....GREETINGS, EVERYONE....

<Janet> I want to see them ALL. You need to put 'em on a web page

<scout> When I get done, can zip them to ya, Janet.

<Janet> oh cool, please do!

<Jambalaya> The Gazdina's Booth:

<Jambalaya> http://www.cyberstampers.com/convention/gazdina/

<sber> wowzers! I love the samples!

<Gazdina> ARE WE WAITING FOR MORE FOLKS OR SHALL WE GET STARTED?

<sber> what a great idea!

<Gazdina> HTTP://WWW.GAZDINA.COM/CLASSROOM.HTM

<GaPeach> hi all

<sber> I love my photosho[ elements program

<Janet> oh what fun!!

<Jambalaya> http://www.gazdina.com/classroom.htm

<Gazdina> I WROTE UP MY NOTES FOR THE CLASS TONIGHT....IT CAN GET COMPLEX TRYING TO TALK ABOUT IT WHEN YOU CAN'T SEE IT, SO I'LL SUGGEST FOLKS BLIP OVER TO THE SITE AND HAVE A LOOK AT THE TEXT AND THE SAMPLES....

<Janet> and I upgraded to CS2 just for class :)

<BlackCats> ty

<Gazdina> HTTP://WWW.GAZDINA.COM/CLASSROOM.HTM

<Gazdina> OH GREAT, JANET, NUTHIN LIKE PUTTIN THE PRESSURE ON....

<Janet> LOL

<sber> janet--that was a bit of over kill just for a class wasn't it??

<Janet> LOL I needed a good justification. :)

<Gazdina> SHE NEEDED THE EXCUSE:d

<pmstamper> janet = technogeek

<Gazdina> OOOO, GREAT MINDS....

<Janet> otherwise I'd a done it just because it was THERE

<Janet> LOL

<pmstamper> I can say that because I'm a technogeek too.

<pmstamper> : )

<Janet> I just love playing with photoshop

<Vaughnde> Hi Janet

<sber> I love love love photoshop elements (it has all the bits and pieces I actually use!)

<Gazdina> GO BELOW THE CLASSROOM LINK AND START AT THE INTRODUCTION....THE CLASSROOM LINK WOULD JUST BRING YOU BACK HERE.

<GaPeach> okay

<Gazdina> OKAY, SO I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW AND SUGGEST THAT IF YOU'RE INTRIGUED THAT YOU SPEND A BIT OF TIME READING THE NOTES ON THE GAZDINA'S CLASSROOM PAGE AND THEN GO PLAY!

<Janet> I didn't know there were so many adobe heads around. I should put together alla my favorite plug ins and share 'em, the free ones.

<stampverb> I don't have PhotoShop so I'm gonna catch this class in reruns

<carolyn> The more help with PhotoShop using our stamps, the better as I'm learning PS

<cak> I love PhotoShop

<Janet> and most of this you can do with other graphics software, too

<Vaughnde> like Imaging?

<Gazdina> STAMPVERB, THAT'S ONE THING I WANTED TO MENTION....I USED PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS TO CREATE THE CLASS SAMPLES. THAT PROGRAM IS MUCH MUCH CHEAPER THAN THE FULL PHOTOSHOP SUITE AND GIVES YOU ALL THE KEY CAPABILITIES OF PHOTOSHOP...

<Janet> that's the 99 buck one, right?

<Gazdina> UNLESS YOU'RE WORKING FOR A GRAPHICS HOUSE OR AD AGENCY....

<Gazdina> YES, JANET --AND ADOBE OFTEN BUNDLES IN EXTRAS FOR THAT PRICE TOO....

<Janet> (or you're just a graphics software addict like some we won't name)

<GaPeach> before I bow out, what about the things that come installed laready?

<Vaughnde> good idea

<Gazdina> SUCH AS, GA?

<Janet> that is a lot of the time, elements, also comes with scanners

<GaPeach> What ever it is that's on my Dell that came from the factory

<GaPeach> I can make negatives of photos, make them streaky, impressionistic etc...

<Gazdina> YOU'LL HAVE TO PLAY WITH IT AND SEE, PEACH. MY DELL SOFTWARE LETS ME DISPLAY AND RESIZE BUT I HAVEN'T FOUND ANY LAYERS CAPABILITIES, WHICH IS WHAT I LIKE TO USE...

<sber> windows image editor isn't powerful enough

<sber> it only does a few things.

<Tarotmama> will this work with Prinshop Pro?

<GaPeach> I'm not sure about layers, part of it actually came with my digital camera. I can collage though

<Janet> micrografx picture publisher does layers, I've found that on ebay for less than $20

<sber> if you got a scanner or have a digita camera some software that comes with them might be able todo this

<Janet> PSP also does layers, doesn't it?

<Vaughnde> got dad's old scanner and the Cd with it...may need to reload the CD

<Tarotmama> ahh, layers, sure

<Janet> and you can try before you buy PSP

<Gazdina> SO, LAYERS....

<GaPeach> do you mean transparent layers?

<Tarotmama> i own it janet

<sber> GA--if you can make a black and white image then make all the white stiff transparent you can do this.

<Gazdina> YES, PEACH, THAT'S A KEY FEATURE IN PHOTOSHOP....

<Janet> LOL me too. told ya, I'm a graphics software addict<g>

<GaPeach> I'm in the technododo category

<Gazdina> IT LETS YOU PUT IMAGES AND BITS OF IMAGES AND COLORS ONTO ELECTRONIC LAYERS THAT YOU CAN THINK OF JUST LIKE OVERHEAD TRANSPARENCIES...

<Gazdina> ONLY THEY ARE A LOT MORE SOPHISTICATED AND FUN TO WORK WITH...

<Janet> (and fast! for us instant gratification folk)

<GaPeach> hmmm... I'll have to sit quietly and think about all this

<sber> lovethat too janet!

<Gazdina> USING LAYERS IN THEIR SIMPLEST FORM IS THE FOUNDATION OF THE CLASS TONIGHT....

<carolyn> I'm sure glad I signed on --- layers!

<Gazdina> AGAIN, ALL THIS INFO IS WRITTEN DOWN (MORE COHERENTLY, TOO) ON THE CLASSROOM PAGE...

<Gazdina> BUT HERE'S THE QUICK VERSION....

<Gazdina> I SCAN A STAMPED IMAGE INTO PHOTOSHOP. THAT IMAGE BECOMES LAYER ONE....

<Gazdina> THEN I OPEN A NEW LAYER...THIS ONE IS LAYER ZERO. IT IS DESTINED TO BECOME MY NEW, TRANSPARENT BACKGROUND.

<Jambalaya> http://www.gazdina.com/classroom.htm

<Gazdina> NEXT, I KNOCK OUT THE WHITE BACKGROUND OF MY STAMPED IMAGE. I CAN DO THIS BY ERASING OR BY USING THE MAGIC WAND FEATURE. THE WAND LOOKS FOR LIKE-COLORED PIXELS, SO IT CAN ERASE MORE BACKGROUND MORE QUICKLY.

* sber is away: dinner time be back in a few

<Gazdina> AS I ERASE THE BACKGROUND, A GREY/WHITE CHECKERBOARD APPEARS....THAT'S PHOTOSHOP'S WAY OF SAYING THE AREA IS TRANSPARENT...

<Gazdina> (AND THAT IS ONE THING i COULDN'T REPLICATE ON THE CLASSROOM PAGE....THE TRANSPARENT BACKGROUND IS LOST WHEN SAVING THE IMAGE TO A WEB FILE) :(

<cak> (I'm so glad it does that==I wouldn't be able to tell if I got it all)

<Gazdina> WHEN MY IMAGE IS PRETTY CLEAN, I'M ESSENTIALLY DONE WITH STEP ONE. I NOW HAVE AN ELECTRONIC TRANSPARENCY TO PLAY WITH.

* Redstick slips quietly out so as not to disturb....waving g'bye to all

<Gazdina> FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO CAN SEE THE IMAGES ON THE CLASS ROOM PAGE, YOU MIGHT SCROLL DOWN A LITTLE TO WHERE YOU SEE A THANKSGVING CORNUCOPIA WITH A GREAT GRINNING GUY ARRANGED ON IT...

<Janet> i love that!

<Gazdina> THAT'S A VERY SIMPLE IDEA OF WHAT YOU CAN START TO DO WITH A TRANSPARENCY. YOU CAN ARRANGE THEM ON TEXTURED BACKGROUNDS, COLORED BACKGROUNDS, PHOTO BACKGROUNDS, ANY BACKGROUND YOU CAN DREAM UP, AND THE BACKGROUND WILL SHOW THROUGH...

<Gazdina> ARE Y'ALL FOLLOWING ME OR AM I BABBLING?

<Janet> yes, I mean no, I mean yes, I understand and no you're not babbling

<cak> following just fine

<Janet> (but I am<g>)

<cak> and thinking of all the things I could use this for

<carolyn> How do you import the background? Is it another layer?

<Gazdina> IN THESE SAMPLES, CAROLYN, THE BACKGROUNDS STARTED AS SEPARATE DOCUMENTS...THEY WERE SCANS I'D DONE...

<carolyn> thanks.

<GaPeach> love the yummy roses

<sandyh> glad i'm going to save your written instructions!

<Gazdina> I FOUND IT WAS EASIEST FOR ME TO DO A "COPY MERGED" FUNCTION TO TAKE THE TRANSPARENCY INTO THE BACKGROUND AS A SEPARATE LAYER....

<Gazdina> WHICH SOUNDS WEIRD AND WON'T MAKE A LOT OF SENSE UNTIL YOU TRY PLAYING WITH IT. :)

<Gazdina> THERE ARE NOTES ABOUT HOW THAT WORKS IN MORE DETAIL ON THE CLASSROOM SITE...

<Gazdina> PAGE, I MEAN...

<Gazdina> AMONG THE MANY FUN THINGS ABOUT PLAYING WITH LAYERS IS THAT YOU CAN CONTROL THE OPACITY OF EACH LAYER....

<carolyn> This will be fantastic! I can't wait to try it

<Gazdina> THAT MEANS YOU DON'T NEED TO KEEP YOUR TRANSPARENCY COMPLETELY SOLID....

<Gazdina> SO, OTHER FUN WITH LAYERS... CONTROLLING THEIR OPACITY IS ONE...YOU CAN ALSO ADD SPECIAL EFFECTS TO THEM, SUCH AS DROP SHADOWS AND BEVELS AND GLOWS...ALL WITH A TOUCH OF A KEYSTROKE....

<Gazdina> SCROLLING ALLLLLLLLL THE WAAAAAY DOOOOOWWWWN THE CLASSROOM PAGE SHOWS YOU SOME EXAMPLES OF USING LAYERS WITH SPECIAL EFFECTS....I'M REFERING TO THE ROSE GIRLS.

<Gazdina> THOSE TWO GALS ALSO BENEFITED FROM THE MANY FILTER EFFECTS PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS OFFERS ( AND AGAIN, LOTS OF IMAGING SOFTWARE PACKAGES HAVE FILTERS TOO).

<Janet> i love those!

<cak> (Janet's addicted to them)

<Janet> I am!!!

<Janet> I'm a plug-in hog

<GaPeach> I HAVE to fiddle with mine to see what it does

<Vaughnde> So is there a list of good imaging software packages somewhere with retail list prices for the budget wise stampers?

<Jambalaya> http://www.gazdina.com/classroom.htm

<Gazdina> I USED FILTERS ON THE SCAN I HAD OF THE ROSE PHOTO TO GIVE IT SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT LOOKS FOR EACH LADY. IT'S THE EXACT SAME SCAN...JUST ONE WAS FILTERED TO LOOK LIKE A WATERCOLOR PAINTING... THE OTHER WITH A CONTRAST FUNCTION TO DARKEN AND SHARPEN...

<Janet> I'm almost sure yours will do this. Or you can save as a gif with transparent background and then pile different files on top of each other in a new file.

<GaPeach> it will have to wait for after convention... I don't wan't to miss classes

<Janet> LOL and don't ya know I'll stay up most of the night playing with it

<Gazdina> I'D GO TO AMAZON.COM AND LOOK FIRST FOR PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS IN THE LATEST VERSION AND THEN READ THE REVIEWS...YOU CAN OFTEN GET GOOD TIPS ABOUT OTHER PACKAGES FROM FOLKS WHO LIKE DIFFERENT SOFTWARE...AND YOU'LL ALSO HEAR THE GOOD, BAD AND UGLY ABOUT ELEMENTS...

<GaPeach> and then search for it on E-bay

<GaPeach> because we're "thrifty"

<Janet> corel photo paint is good, and nicely economical. the micrografx one is very economical (downright cheap).

<Janet> and unless you're a janet, you can buy really cheap the next to latest version on ebay

<GaPeach> like GP

<Janet> yeah!

<GaPeach> if mine doesn't already do this

<Gazdina> AND MORE ON FILTERS AND SPECIAL EFFECTS.....YOU CAN APPLY A FILTER OR EFFECT TO ONLY PART OF AN IMAGE...WHICH IS WHAT I DID IN THE THIRD IMAGE ON THE PAGE...THE BACKGROUND, ACTUALLY. IT'S A PHOTOGRAPH AND I WANTED A LITTLE TEXTURE, SO I TURNED THE CENTER PART OF IT INTO A "COLORED PENCIL DRAWING," COURTESY OF THE FILTER OF THE SAME NAME....

<Janet> oh my goodness! I see that now. it's the same pycanthria (uh however you spell that)

<Janet> (you can also find FREE filters by internet searching)

<GaPeach> bush Janet, bush

<Janet> got it. we always called it the wait a minute bush

<Janet> cuz it hurts to fall into it

<GaPeach> LOL!

<Gazdina> SORRY, JANET, IT'S A HAWTHORN TREE IN CHICAGO...

<Janet> LOL

<Gazdina> BUT YES, IT WOULD HURT TO FALL INTO IT. :;)

<Gazdina> SO I KNOW I'M TRYING TO COVER A LOT IN A LITTLE TIME....WHAT QUESTIONS CAN I TRY TO ANSWER?

<carolyn> I like your tomb creation!

<Janet> I love that on the tomb. like you'd die if you fell into it really hard<g>

<Gazdina> THANK YOU! :)

<Vaughnde> Are there freebie creations out there to try with first before plunking down money on something you don't have money for at the moment?

<carolyn> yw

<carolyn> Some companies offer a trial version

<Janet> you can even get photoshop for a trial version

<Janet> (but don't fall in love with it, that trial version cost me $300 about six years ago<g>)

<Gazdina> YOU COULD TRY GOING TO ADOBE.COM AND SEE WHAT THEY OFFER....AND CERTAINLY POKE AROUND WITH ANYTHING THAT CAME INSTALLED ON YOUR PC...ITS CAPABILITIES MIGHT SURPRISE YOU (OR NOT...)

<carolyn> Beware of purchasing a copy cheap that doesn't include a warranty. Some of these are copies and miss important files.

<Vaughnde> understood

<Gazdina> AS JANET MENTIONED EARLIER, THERE *ARE* LOTS OF FREE FILTERS AND TEXTURES AND PLUGINS OFFERED BY ADOBEHEADS...AND SOME GREAT NEWSSTAND MAGAZINES DEVOTED TO PHOTOSHOP TRICKS AND TIPS

<Janet> if you save your versions, then you can't break anything by poking at a new button

<GaPeach> it will all be a surprise to me... I just figured out how to download from the camera... You just plug it in!

<Vaughnde> what about the ones selling at walmart?

<Gazdina> I SHOULD MENTION, I DON'T WORK FOR ADOBE OR EVEN OWN STOCK IN THEM...JUST LIKE THE PROGRAM.:)

<sandyh> how do you import the freebies?

<Janet> I shoulda bought adobe stock. I've sure spent enough over the years there. :)

<Janet> usually you download them, then when in the program load the new filter

<GaPeach> what do you need on your PC to support the freebies?

<Gazdina> YUP, THAT'S BEEN MY EXPERIENCE, JANET....

<sandyh> ok, ty

<carolyn> Janet, do you have a special folder for your plug-ins. I'd be interested in how you handle these

<Janet> and I just found a free program that lets you pick and choose which to load so you aren't so slow having 4392 plugins installed

<Janet> I have them all in my plugin folder. and this new freeware program has really speeded me up

<Vaughnde> Are there programs that work off a CD without needing to be installed on a HD?

<Gazdina> NOT SURE WHAT YOU MEAN, PEACH....I'D THINK MOST CURRENT PC'S WOULD HAVE WHATEVER'S NEEDED TO HANDLE DOWNLOADING PLUGINS/FREEWARE...MODEM, MAINLY...

<GaPeach> excellent question

<Janet> not that I know of, but check and see.

<GaPeach> so you don't have to have their "purchase only" program to support the free ones?

<Janet> well, yeah, you need the main program, but the extra filters are free

<GaPeach> got it

<Janet> or some of them are. tons of them are

<Gazdina> OH, WELL, YES, YOU'D NEED THE FULL GRAPHICS SOFTWARE TO SUPPORT THE FREE PLUGINS--THE PLUGS ARE JUST LITTLE BITS OF CODE THAT WORK WITH THE LARGE SUITE OF TOOLS..

<Vaughnde> People using these programs is how we are getting our collage papers for use with stamping?

<Gazdina> NOT FOLLOWING YOU, VAUGHNDE...

<Janet> that's how I make mine, Jess

<Vaughnde> like there is a company that sells collage papers and some of them look like they were created with a computer graphics program and then sold

<Vaughnde> for your use with backgrounds, et al in stamping

<GaPeach> like morphing a girl head onto a flower body with dragonfly wings

<Vaughnde> yeah similiar to that peach

<GaPeach> I wpuld love to be able to do that rather than spending $4 for each page!

<sandyh> got that right!

<Janet> mine look wonderful :) (since I bought my husband a color laser printer as a present)

<Vaughnde> ouch...4 per page is pricey

<Vaughnde> lol Janet

<Janet> I told him he NEEDED it

<Gazdina> A COLOR LASER!!! DROOL, DROOL, ENVY EVNY....

<Vaughnde> lol

<GaPeach> it was from Gail Russakov and it was a MUSTHAVE

<Janet> it was on too good a sale to leave at the store. $299

<Gazdina> OKAY, ANY MORE TECHNIQUE QUESTIONS I CAN TRY TO HELP WITH?

<Vaughnde> not that I can think of Gaz

<Vaughnde> thats a good deal Janet

<cak> I have a nice technique for you to try if you're interested

<sandyh> i have photoshop elements and haven't been aboe to use it!

<Janet> I have a question... a lot of companies say they don't allow mechanical reproductions, but I'm thinking you do, right?

<BlackCats> this looks like some great information gaz

<sandyh> now maybe i can!

<Gazdina> AND YES, SCANNING AND PLAYING IN A GRAPHICS PROGRAM IS AGREAT WAY TO CREATE BACKGROUNDS, USE VINTAGE ELEMENTS, ETC.

<Gazdina> CAK, DO TELL....

<Janet> Cak, I wanna know!!

<BlackCats> saved it to my desktop for future reference

<Vaughnde> lol black

<cak> this is a technique I learned in a darkroom class, but is easily done in PS too

<cak> It's called Alternative Masking

<BlackCats> your classroom page, that is

<cak> you take a high contrast image (like your green man stamp) and duplicate it and reverse it so you have another high contrast image exactly the opposite of your original

<Janet> alternative masking sounds good. that's the most tedious thing I do

<cak> (basically when you put the two together you get a solid color)

<Janet> how awesome!

<cak> now you take a color image and use one of the high contrast ( LOL ) as a mask

<Janet> http://www.gazdina.com/classroom.htm

<Jambalaya> http://www.gazdina.com/classroom.htm

<BlackCats> really

<Tarotmama> umm, I just found two good free graphics programs

<cak> then you take a second color image and use the other contrast image to mask it

<Janet> at least it was innocent. I always end up pasting the last catty email I sent

<Vaughnde> oh wowl Tarot do tell

<cak> put 'em together and voila--alternative masking

<Vaughnde> cool Cak that sounds interesting

<Vaughnde> would be much easier with step by step photos for me :)

<Tarotmama> is it appropriate to share them?

<Janet> and quick and easy and no pixel by pixel editing

<pmstamper> lol, janet.

<Gazdina> CAK, THAT SOUNDS VERY COOL....I WILL HAVE TO TRY IT...

<Vaughnde> definetly Janet

<Janet> yes, since none of our vendors sell graphics software :)

<Gazdina> SURE, TAROTMAMA...I'M NOT SELLING ANY GRAPHICS PROGRAMS...

<Janet> LOL

<cak> I think your stamps would make very cool masks

<Gazdina> WELL, THANKEE...

<Tarotmama> YAY!

<Tarotmama> ok

<Tarotmama> first is

<Tarotmama> http://www.irfanview.com/

<Vaughnde> I have that program but not used it other than looking at my jpgs

<cak> (gimp is supposed to be a nice PS-like program too)

<Vaughnde> urls to gimp cak?

<Tarotmama> the second and better one for MAKING graphics is

<cak> I don't have it since I don't need it. just had it recommended

<Tarotmama> http://www.photofiltre.com/

<Tarotmama> gimp is great too

<Tarotmama> photo filtre is very photoshop like

<Vaughnde> hmmmm

<Tarotmama> and has extra filters as add ons

<Vaughnde> looks like I got some browsing to do tonight yet

<Tarotmama> also photofiltre has tutorials

<carolyn_q> Thanks, Gazdina. You have triggered the muse!

<Janet> for sure!

<Vaughnde> Thank You Tarot

<Vaughnde> and Thank you too Gaz

<Gazdina> FOR ME, THE BEST WAY TO LEARN THE SOFTWARE IS TO JUST PLAY WITH IT....THOUGH I DO HIT THE HELP BUTTEN WHEN I'M ABSOLUTELY STUMPED...

<cak> that's a great way to learn!

<Vaughnde> I do the same thing

<Gazdina> OOOH, SO GLAD TO HEAR THE MUSES ARE WINGING ABOUT....

<Janet> always. we'll all be sleepy tomorrow<g>

<sandyh> thanks, gaz!

<cak> it's been so long since I've done anything like this--you've reminded me how much I miss it

<Vaughnde> did that in word today learning how to use the autoshapes to make my own atc decals

<cak> Thank you!

<Janet> this is great. I am sooo inspired!

<anno> I'm already sleepy. does that mean I win?

<Vaughnde> me too Janet

<Janet> you win :)

<Vaughnde> lol

<carolyn_q> Thanks a bunch.

[convention specials are announced]

<Gazdina> AND PLEASE, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVEN'T DONE SO, PLEASE SIGN UP FOR THE GAZDINA'S E-NEWSLETTER....IT'S FREE, INFREQUENT, I DON'T SELL/SHARE/RENT ADDRESSES...AND IT'S THE BEST WAY RIGHT NOW TO KEEP IN TOUCH....AND THERE WILL BE NEW RUBBER THIS FALL!!!

<Vaughnde> its still early enough :)

<GaPeach> switching over

<cak> cool!

<Janet> Gaz, thank you! and yay on new rubber!!!

<cak> thank you Gaz!

<Vaughnde> neato

<Gazdina> THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR COMING....PLEASE SHARE THE CLASS PAGE WITH YOUR ART BUDDIES....AND ENJOY THE REST OF THE CONVENTION!

<pmstamper> thanks for the great tutorial Gaz.

<Jambalaya> thanks sharon

<Vaughnde> forgot how to close this room down on my screen?

<Gazdina> YOU'RE WELCOME....TY TO ALL OF YOU!

<Tarotmama> ty gaz

Log file closed at: 8/19/05 10:16:58 PM