February, 2003 | CreativePro Network

Digital Camera How-To: Understanding Lens Specifications

Other than the image sensor, there’s no component that’s more important on your digital camera than the lens. A good lens allows you to get clear, focused shots while offering the flexibility to creatively frame your subjects. Understanding how your lens works allows you to make informed decisions on how to shoot in a variety […]

Under the Desktop: How Safe Is Your Password?

When configuring a new Web site the other day and creating its various accounts and authorities, I was reminded of the importance of passwords. We use them everyday for professional, financial, and recreational purposes. Yet, how often do we consider the importance of our password(s) and their security? If you’re like most content creators, not […]

Photoshop How-to: Advanced Techniques with the Art History Brush

Adapted from “Photoshop 7 Magic” (New Riders Publishing). The Art History Brushes are affected by Photoshop’s Brush controls. Any kind of image can be altered and enhanced with Art History brushwork. My favorite subjects for painting and image manipulation are the human face and figure. Though not absolutely necessary, a graphics tablet is recommended for […]

HP Color LaserJet 2500: Good Prints at a Great Price

There are some basic things that most people understand about printers: inkjets deliver excellent color quality, are cheap to buy but expensive to print with; laser printers deliver so-so color quality, are expensive to buy but cheap to print with. Yet compared to inkjets they’re are fast and offer excellent text quality. Hewlett-Packard’s new Color […]

dot-font: The Annual Type Report

dot-font was a collection of short articles written by editor and typographer John D. Barry (the former editor and publisher of the typographic journal U&lc) for CreativePro. If you’d like to read more from this series, click here. Eventually, John gathered a selection of these articles into two books, dot-font: Talking About Design and dot-font: Talking […]

PageMaker How-To: Opening QuarkXPress and Adobe InDesign Files

Besides PageMaker, there are two additional page-layout applications — QuarkXPress and InDesign — that are (shall we say) very popular among publishers. Therefore, if you receive files from outside sources, the odds are good that they’ll be created in something other than PageMaker. This may or may not be a problem. It’s not a problem […]

Heavy Metal Madness: Making the Best of a Dysfunctional Work Team

Last column I laid out how, through a fluke in timing and an addiction to eBay, I ended up with a driveway full of hot-metal printing and typesetting equipment — the start of a new hobby. After a lifetime of working in high-production environments, I have learned that the physical tools are actually secondary, even […]

Creative Thinking in Photoshop: Compositing an Imaginary Place

Adapted from “Creative Thinking in Photoshop: A New Approach to Digital Art” (New Riders Publishing). Purchase this book here. Traditionally, artists create sketches to quickly work through compositional ideas. Unfortunately, although you might be able to visualize how your sketch might be transformed into a finished image, clients are notoriously incapable of envisioning anything beyond […]

Bit by Bit: Fast Internet Access and Steaming Hot Coffee

You are a creative pro on the go. It seems you spend half your life meeting with clients, a quarter waiting for proofs, and the “other half” on the phone. There is little time left for the creative work, and sleep is out of the question. Your cell phone rings constantly, your Palm Pilot is […]