Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Diane's Digital Surface Design

I am thrilled to join in the Blog Hop and Give Away for Diane Doran's new Quilting Arts Workshop dvd, Digital Surface Design


It's awesome. Really.

Get this: I am NOT proficient at Photoshop Elements at all! I wondered if I really could watch this dvd and walk through Photoshop to create interesting digital images that might be good for printing on fabric. I know Diane is an amazing artist and teacher, but I still doubted by ability to take it all in.

Here's what I did. This is a picture of my computer monitor. I've got Diane's dvd running in the window on the left and I have Photoshop open in the window on the right. Even though she works on a PC and I work on a Mac, I was able to follow along easily. As we went along, I clicked pause or zoomed back to look again at what she was doing as neccesary.


I learned to use the motion blur filter to create something that looks like it might have been drip dyed. And then duplicate and play around with that image for more arty effects. I could even enhance and adjust the color to use that same arty image and create it in different color ways. Like this.


 By the way, those images originally came from this photo. Really. How fun is that?

Honestly, I had to pause the video and play around a bit to find the right screen or selection. It took me awhile to just find the plain-old-brush tool, but once I found it, I was able to follow right along with the video. If you're willing to be patient, play around, and experiment, this DVD is an excellent framework for learning lots of stuff.

I learned the very basics of using brushes. In the dvd, Diane used a leaf shaped brush, but I could only find a butterfly shaped brush on my Photoshop Elements version. No problem! Who doesn't love butterflies?


There's a portion of the dvd where Diane uses a pre-designed grass stamp... which I didn't have. I googled "free grass photoshop brush" and it took me seven seconds to get a new brush loaded. (I was feeling quite proud of myself in that moment.) Here you can see my Photoshop work on the right and Diane's dvd on the left. Pretty similar, right? (Remember, I was/am a complete Photoshop novice.)


I learned so many other little things about gradients, making brushes, easy tricks for working with layers and much, much more!

Here are a couple of the final images I ended up with after watching the whole dvd.

Of course, the dvd is full of stunning fabric that Diane created (Candy included lots of them on her blog). But, I wanted you to see what I created by watching the dvd and just imagine what YOU could create.

Here's your chance! Diane is giving away a copy of her amazing dvd. Leave a comment here on my blog before January 28 and you'll have a chance to win. Plus, Diane is giving away four fat quarters of her fabric created for this dvd workshop. It's beautiful!


Check out all the other blogs for more great reviews of Diane's dvd.

January 14 – Candy Glendening - http://www.candiedfabrics.com/journal/

January 16 – Sarah Ann Smith - http://www.sarahannsmith.com/weblog/

January 21 – Deborah Boschert - http://deborahsjournal.blogspot.com/

January 24 – Susan Brubaker Knapp - http://wwwbluemoonriver.blogspot.com/

January 28 – Diane Rusin Doran - http://oohprettycolors.blogspot.com/


47 comments:

Candy said...

Hi Deborah. I've been looking at this dvd a lot wanting it. Wondering if it will be helpful. Now I know. thanks for the opportunity to win. Candy

Elizabeth Bennett said...

Thanks for documenting your journey through the video! It looks like a REAL winner (and that's what we'd all like to be...) and thanks for being one of the giveaway blog stops.

Dianne said...

Now this looks like just what I need to learn so I can understand photoshop

sophie said...

I love how your design esthetic shines through, no matter what tools you use to create it. The books looks SO interesting. I've been working on my photoshop skills lately and I think it could take me in some interesting new directions.

Unknown said...

The way you documented your experience using the DVD as complete PE novice was very helpful.

Linda M said...

I'm pretty much a Photoshop novice also, you've given me hope that I may be able to do this with her dvd.

Rachel Parris said...

I thought I had already posted, but don't see mine here. I really want this DVD and have been happily blog hopping to try to win it. Thanks for the opportunity.

Gill said...

This looks fun!!

wlstarn said...

Gorgeous fabrics! I have PS but have not played with it much except for photo editing. The video looks great!

Unknown said...

My copy of Photoshop Elements arrived this week. It was discounted when purchased with TurboTax. (Oddest pairing I've ever seen!). I wanted it specifically for modifying photos to print on fabric. The same day I stumbled upon a mention of this blog hop. Synchronicity. Thanks for your blog!

Elaine Millar said...

wow what a nice review.
thanks for the detail.
and the chance to win the video.

Renate said...

I have PE, and a book "PE for Dummies", and learned very little. This DVD of Diane's looks like it does what the book should have taught me. Thanks for the chance to use the DVD!

Rhonda said...

Looks like I need to invest in the PE software and Diane's DVD (if I don't win one). Thanks for the chance to win it!

Anonymous said...

Oh wow, this is soooo cool. I have not learned to use my Photo Elements program. Perhaps this will spur me on. Thanks.

Marken

Anonymous said...

I would love this DVD to further enhance my photoshop experience - & to be able to print my own designs for my quilts would be awesome!

Pamela said...

I agree with you. This is awesome! Thanks so much for sharing, and thanks for your beautiful blog! I enjoyed visiting!

Helen Percy Lystra said...

I'd love to have that DVD, what you learned is fascinating.

Laura said...

Wow, so exciting that you could just use the DVD and apply the learning so quickly. Software always seems so complicated. And you are right to be proud of yourself. Thanks for sharing.

Stacey Burnett said...

This would be so cool to learn to do!

CL said...

Thanks for the information and sponsoring the giveaway.

Lydia said...

I can do this! Deborah, from your blog post, I realize how cool this is, and something I really can do. Such fun, it's adult playtime. Then send it off for the making and have your very own wonderful fabric come back. Now that's excitement.

Jennifer Scantlebury Vienneau said...

Looks like a great DVD! It looks really user friendly!

Debbie Jones said...

I was hesitant about this DVD because, like you, Deborah, I doubted my software skills. Now, after your blog post, I have a lot more confidence to go ahead with these exciting ways to design on the computer and print on fabric! It would be so nice to win, thanks for your post!!

Kristin L said...

Showing that a novice can easily use this DVD is great. I am a little further along and have used brushes a bit, but Diane is such a pro, and I can see how users of many levels could get a lot out of her instructions.(I recognized a few of those brushes but would definitely need Diane's tutelage to get anything near the results she did. I love your yellowy sample too!

Sandy in CA said...

Great blog post -- I feel like I could do it, too! Would love to win the DVD.

Anonymous said...

Wonderful ideas...very excited about this DVD!
Thank You.

Patchacha said...

Thanks for this giveaway. I'd love to win the DVD, I have so much to learn !!!

Anonymous said...

great example of how to use the dvd, thanks for sharing. I took a PE online class a while back and it helped a little - I think Diane's lessons would be excellent to help me get to actually create with the program and my photos.Susan

June Horwich said...

You are so encouraging, Deborah. Thanks for your review of Diane's DVD. This is certainly a video I want to take a look at.

Anonymous said...

After seeing the cover of the DVD I was very curious about how Diane makes her fabric. Deborah, your point of view, from the perspective of a student, was so helpful in letting your readers know they too could make fabric from photos......Donna

Terry Aske Art Quilts said...

This is so inspiring!

Hannele said...

Beautiful, beautiful... Thank you for your review.

Shirley Wiltshire said...

Looks like a great opportunity to learn new techniques. LOL the blurred pictures looks like some of my original sometimes.

Pauline G said...

Would love to learn how to experiment with Elements - some great quilts

Joan said...

This is great...I have been thinking about getting this DVD. Keeping my fingers crossed. Thanks for the chance.

Unknown said...

Cool Deborah! I'd like to try Diane's method. Thank you for the opportunity!

New Journeys 2 said...

Hello Deborah! Wow! I have never done anything like this so I have been wondering if this DVD is something that I could even use...but, because of your wonderful examples as you followed Diane's new DVD, you have inspired me to take a bold step to try to learn what she is teaching! I would love to be considered to win one of Diane's new DVD's! Thanks for the chance!
PS..Happy Belated Birthday! ~Journi

Sewgirl said...

Diane's work is just gorgeous. Thanks for the chance at the giveaway!

Textile Recycler said...

The DVD looks amazing! Fingers crossed :)
textilerecycler (at) yahoo (dot) com

Brenda said...

Oh, your post is sooo encouraging! I am just learning Photoshop and hope this DVD will spur me on. Thanks for your comments and this opportunity to win.

Brenda

Sherry said...

Appreciate that you have demonstrated how easy it is for a novice of this technique to achieve great results. Looking forward to giving it a try. Thanks for the opportunity.

Unknown said...

Looks like this is a new technique with lots of potential. I have printed on fabric and used Photoshop Elements but only with my photographs. Haven't experimented with brushes nor have I created my own fabric, yet ...

Amy Art Quilter & Fyber Cafe said...

Wow, you did a great job in Photoshop! I would love to be able to do that!

KittyAnn said...

Would love to win this DVD, I am very interested in learning Diane's techniques! Thanks for the chance! Happy quilting!

Michele Bilyeu said...

I would dearly love to win anything from this talented artist! I have spent hours with Photoshop and only ended up more confused. I would love to win her DVD but would treasure fabric as well. Please enter my name!

Heather said...

I know Photoshop & use elements, been a textile designer for over a decade & I lived this DVD. It's full of great inspiring & easy to follow ideas!

Cait said...

Love what you've done - it gives me hope! I've been hanging to learn Photoshop for some time but it seems so scary, until now. Thanks for sharing, cheers