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Subject:Re: What graphics tasks do you perform? From:voxwoman <voxwoman -at- gmail -dot- com> To:"McLauchlan, Kevin" <Kevin -dot- McLauchlan -at- safenet-inc -dot- com> Date:Tue, 19 Feb 2013 16:05:52 -0500
I use PhotoShop (CS5) for image manipulation. The later versions have much
better selection/masking algorithms than the earlier ones. I was lucky that
one of my former employers sent me to a 3-day PhotoShop workshop that I
think one entire day was spent learning how to select stuff. I thought I
knew most of the program but I learned a huge amount of tricks during those
3 days. I also learned a huge amount with the Clasroom In A Book series.
For drawings, I use Illustrator if I don't have to share the source files
with other people in the company.As far as what I do, I create toolbar
icons, tradeshow displays, and marketing collateral. I've barely done any
writing since I'm the only "artist" in the company.
On Tue, Feb 19, 2013 at 3:33 PM, McLauchlan, Kevin <
Kevin -dot- McLauchlan -at- safenet-inc -dot- com> wrote:
> Though I blush to say it.... "Ditto on your second paragraph." Except
> I'll usually use something wa-a-a-a-ay less heavy-duty than GIMP for that.
>
> There's probably some masking magic that will magically flow around curves
> and crannies without munging the desired parts, despite there being no
> consistent color or shading clues to say "this is the good part to retain,
> and that is the background-to-erase". But I haven't figured that out, so I
> just enlarge and then either use an eraser tool or apply repetitive chunks
> of white (or transparent, or....) to the clutter that I want gone.
>
> So, yeah, I'd like a good step-by-step of the insider techniques that
> would reduce my brute-force, time-consuming method to a matter of seconds.
>
> I rarely have the patience for tutorials, so if I'm forced to view one,
> then instead of following it religiously (using the provided files) I often
> try to parallel it with my own, meaningful example.... and often fail when
> it turns out I don't have some of the material and locations that the
> tutorial pre-supposes. But that's just me.
>
> Ooo! Oooo... just thought of something to ask about.
> I'll do it in a new reply....
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: techwr-l-bounces+kevin -dot- mclauchlan=safenet-inc -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com[mailto:
> techwr-l-bounces+kevin -dot- mclauchlan=safenet-inc -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On
> Behalf Of Chris Morton
> Sent: February-19-13 12:37 PM
> To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> Subject: Re: What graphics tasks do you perform?
>
> The only thing I use GIMP for is to (laboriously) cut desired product
> photos out from their respective backgrounds. (Operating on a shoestring,
> we've never contracted for a pro photo shoot using bluescreens.)
>
> Although somewhat time consuming, I find this task easier to perform in
> GIMP than to use variants of PhotoShop's masking technique (with which I've
> had no success even after reviewing tutorials). To proceed, I zoom in
> tightly on the photo, then use the freehand tool to delineate background
> regions I want to remove.
>
> > Chris
>
> On Tue, Feb 19, 2013 at 9:07 AM, Nancy Allison <maker -at- verizon -dot- net> wrote:
>
> > Hi, all. I hope you can take a minute to help me gather info for a
> > book review I'm working on.
> >
> > I'm reviewing a book about GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) and I
> > want to be sure that I cover the subjects of interest to tech writers.
> > I'm interested in everyone's response, but especially in the responses
> > from those of us who have no graphics training but have to deal with
> > graphics as part of their jobs.
> >
> > I have two basic areas of inquiry:
> >
> > One: What tasks do you perform? Here are the usual tasks I perform --
> > please add to the list or clarify as needed:
> >
> > --Making modifications to line drawings --Making modifications to
> > photos --Sharpening elderly graphics --Resizing high-res photos for
> > use in user docs or online help --Creating new graphics from scratch
> > (very rarely)
> >
> > Two: what are your biggest areas of difficulty (and what tools do you
> > use?)
> >
> > Thanks very, very much. I'll write a more useful review if I know what
> > kinds of info you are looking for!
> >
> > --Nancy
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