PSDTUTS Голосов: 2 Адрес блога: http://psdtuts.com Добавлен: 2008-10-26 20:48:58 блограйдером DrakAngel

Interview With Andreas Rocha

2011-09-03 17:00:28 (читать в оригинале)

Andreas Rocha is a veteran designer who has mastered the art of matte and digital paintings. His portfolio will take you to incredible fantasy landscapes that you could only dream of. Andreas gives the readers a window into how he creates his beautiful illustrations by explaining the art of matte painting and also telling us about the equipment he uses. Don’t miss this great interview with a multi-talented artist.

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Hi. My name is Andreas Rocha, I was born in 1976 and live in Portugal. I’ve been freelancing in digital art for the last four years, although I’ve been doing it since 1997. I had always enjoyed drawing from an early age. I mostly sketched characters and did portraits but in 1997, when I found out about tablets, everything changed. Until then, my failed attempts at painting with acrylics and watercolor were frustrating me. But when I started seeing work from other artists done with the digital medium, I knew I had to get a tablet and I never looked back since then.

My best answer to that is to check out Wikipedia for “matte paintings” as it will give you a much better explanation than what I could give you. Basically, it’s an image created for the purpose of creating a virtual backdrop for a scene. They are very popular in fantasy and sci-fi films because they mostly deal with imaginary places which are only possible to create through matte painting and make them believable. Before there was digital art, these matte paintings were painting on glass using traditional media like acrylics. Some famous matte paintings created in this way were done for the original Star Wars Trilogy and the first 3 Indiana Jones movies (watching these movies nowadays in HD you can even see the brushstrokes). Nowadays, it’s all created digitally with the use of photography, digital painting and 3D. On a side note, I remember seeing an original matte painting from The Return of the Jedi a few years ago and I was completely blown away.

My approach to a matte painting is to start with a digital painting as base without the use of much photography. Having a solid foundation on top of which you can overlay your photos and 3D elements is a must to achieve consistency and believability. I also think it’s very important to give an overall painted feeling to the image by painting in a lot of the elements. The blending of brushstrokes adds to the realism and you avoid the cut and paste look. Finally, a lot of post production is also necessary with a lot of layers to simulate atmosphere, lights, shadows and reflections.

I have an Intuos4 L and dual 24inch LCD setup. I use a PC and Photoshop for most of my work. I’ve tried a Cintiq for 2 days and returned it to the store after that. It may seem like a flaw that you can’t paint directly onto your working surface but not having your hand in the way is something that I had never realized would be so helpful. The strain on the eyes was also something I didn’t like. Most likely Cintiq’s will get better and more responsive in the future but for now I am really satisfied with my Intuos.

I also use a dual monitor setup so I can keep all my tools and tab groups on my second monitor to free up space. This helps a lot because the more I see of the entire image at a good zoom percentage the better. Finally, regarding Photoshop, it’s just very user friendly in my opinion and really speeds up my work flow, compared to other digital painting software.

As mentioned above, you should be able to start with a digital painting without much use of photography. You will have a better control of composition, light and drama. It is also very important to use a lot of layers dealing with atmospheric effects like hazes, blooms, god rays, etc. But try and leave these for the final stages as introducing them too early may make the work flow more complicated. Finally, I would say that actually painting in a lot of the elements is also very important as you will have a greater control over them. It is also important to follow rules of traditional painting. For example, avoiding detail where you don’t want the viewer to look is something that you easily control with painting. Photography, on the other hand, registers every tiny detail. So, relying on photography alone to compose a matte painting can make it look uninteresting and bland.

Some inspired me at an early age and made me love the environments portrayed. I think it made me want to be able to create such worlds myself. Over the years, as I improved my technique and after watching all of these movies countless times I realized that I could also start sharing with others all the ideas and imagery that went through my head. It’s a very fulfilling sensation, when you get it right, but it sucks, when you completely missed the mark.

It all started with a thumbnail sketch I had done in the previous year. I was just practicing black and white thumbnails so there was no real intent other than to paint something in a fantasy theme. Later on, I decided to make a bigger color version out of it. Again, I did it for practicing purposes and also tried to make worthy addition to my portfolio. Instead of writing about what I did I will show you the several stages of the painting process.

Well, I would say my favorite type of scenes are definitely wide fantasy vistas with a lot of natural elements in it. I think it has to do with my overall love for fantasy. It’s also a funny feeling when I get to the more detailed stages in these paintings and I start imagining all the things that might have actually happened in such places. I really immerse myself and start living inside the painting which is quite rewarding.

Don’t be disheartened if you fail in your first attempts at digital painting. You will inevitably get better if you keep painting, you can’t avoid that. But be patient, sometimes it can take a couple of years before you start seeing any visible improvements. Also, try to have fun while you paint. It should be a rewarding experience. Start by copying other artists’ works or photographs. Even though, it’s probably not something that you will be able to show it will make wonders to your technique.

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Where to find Andreas on the Web

• Andreas’ Portfolio
• Andreas’ DeviantArt

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Test Your Photoshop Knowledge #1

2011-09-02 17:00:10 (читать в оригинале)

We know how much you guys like to test your knowledge of Photoshop so today we are giving you an opportunity to do so with another quiz from Martin Perhiniak. Please take a moment to complete this 10-question quiz and see if you’re prepared to pass our test! Good luck!

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Best of Tuts+ in August

2011-09-01 17:00:27 (читать в оригинале)

Each month, we bring together a selection of the best tutorials and articles from across the whole Tuts+ network. Whether you’d like to read the top posts from your favourite site, or would like to start learning something completely new, this is the best place to start!

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Cgtuts+ — Computer Graphics Tutorials

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  Vehicle Rendering With Fryrender

  Rendering realistic vehicles is no easy task, the complexity of the surfaces and high reflectivity make getting good renders a time consuming, and often frustrating process. So we’ve enlisted the help of author Shaun Keenan to guide you through the process of creating a high quality, realistic vehicle render using Maya 2011 and Random Control’s physically accurate Fryrender.

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  Epic Blender Tutorials

  We’ve scoured the web in search of the best Blender tutorials out there and compiled a list of 45 of the most epic we could find. This collection includes a variety of tutorials covering everything from modeling and animation, to rigging and VFX. So grab a coffee and savor the Blender goodness!

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  An Introduction To Keyshot Rendering

  In this tutorial, new author Ivan Momchilow will introduce you to the Keyshot rendering engine and get you started on working with the software. Ivan will go through the process of setting up a model for importing and cover the basic settings for rendering inside the software. Keyshot features a surprisingly simple interface that’s both intuitive and easy to use. Featuring only six main UI buttons, rather then the hundreds of options most render engines throw at the user. Ivan has provided our premium members with a fantastic model of the Sony PSP Go, as well as the scene file from Keyshot, so get started after the jump!

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Psdtuts+ — Photoshop Tutorials

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  Create a Medieval Landscape in Photoshop

  In this tutorial we will demonstrate how to create a medieval landscape using digital painting and photo manipulation techniques. We will begin by sketching out a rough idea of how we want our image to look. Then, we will then add various stock images and build upon them until we produce the scene below. Let’s get started!

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  Sketching the Human Form in Photoshop

  Photoshop is an excellent tool for manipulating photographs but it can also be used as a means to create stunning digital art. This tutorial is part of a 25-part video tutorial series demonstrating everything you will need to know to start producing digital art in Photoshop. Digital Art for Beginners, by Adobe Certified Expert and Instructor, Martin Perhiniak will begin by teaching you how to draw in Photoshop. At the conclusion of this series you will know all you need to produce your own concept art and matte paintings in Photoshop.

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  Interview With Martin Perhiniak: Getting an Adobe Certification

  I recently had the opportunity to chat with Psdtuts author, Martin Perhiniak. Martin is the author of our Photoshop Basix and Digital Art for Beginners Series, and is an Adobe Certified Expert and Instructor. I frequently introduce Martin as an Adobe Certified Expert so in this interview I decided to ask him exactly what that means.

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Nettuts+ — Web Development Tutorials

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  Getting Started with the Fuel PHP Framework

  This two-part tutorial will get you up and running with the Fuel PHP framework. We’ll start with the basics, and then move onto some more advanced topics in part two! Let’s get started.

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  How to Create an Advanced Twitter Widget

  As of March 2011, the current average number of “Tweets” the world sends per day is 140 million. This tutorial demonstrates how to create a custom Twitter widget from scratch that uses the Twitter API, Web Intents and @Anywhere. Using the Twitter platform to create a fun, interactive tool for your website can be beneficial both in the learning and promotion departments!

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  Sublime Text 2 Tips and Tricks

  I consider Sublime Text 2 to be the spiritual successor to TextMate – particularly when the likelihood of TextMate 2 coming to fruition becomes bleaker and bleaker. When Duke Nukem Forever is released before TextMate 2, you know you’re in trouble! But that’s okay, because Sublime Text 2 is one of the fastest and most incredible editors to come out in a long time! I’ll show you my favorite tips and tricks today.

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Vectortuts+ — Illustrator Tutorials

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  Free Packs of Animal Vector Graphics: Cute Cartoon Characters

  Jump in and download these free animal vectors. We’ve rounded up an assortment of cute animal characters drawn in a quirky styles. There are a variety of looks represented, such as: flat vintage, shiny modern anime, childish crayon, chibi characters, and more. The glue holding these together are their must have lovable construction. All are available in various vector formats for free download. Add them to your next design project to add some character warmth, playful fun, and huggable character goodness.

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  How to Create a Seamless Bookshelf Pattern in Illustrator

  I admire the complex, inspiring seamless patterns of several vector artists and have always wanted to attempt to create my own. In today’s tutorial I’m going to show you how to make a seamless bookshelf pattern in Adobe Illustrator.

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  Create a Lace Text Effect in Adobe Illustrator

  Follow this tutorial and you will learn how to create a beautiful lace text effect. You will use many effects and you will define many personalized Art and Pattern Brushes that will help you create a Lace Pattern Brush that works with any color. Jump into creating this delicate text effect now.

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Webdesigntuts+ — Web Design Tutorials

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  Perfectly Rotate and Mask Thumbnails With CSS3

  Ever seen a website showcasing image thumbnails that are slightly rotated? It’s a simple effect that adds a layer of visual personality. Saying that, if you’re not achieving the rotation effect with CSS, you’re working too hard! Learn how to do it right!

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  Designing for a Responsive Web

  The web as we know it is changing. In the past, designers and developers only had to concern themselves with one medium: the computer screen. In recent years, however, a plethora of fully internet-enabled devices with scores of different shapes and capabilities have cropped up, meaning that we now have to design our websites to fit comfortably in as many screen sizes, shapes, and resolutions as you can possibly think of.

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  Exclusive PSD Freebie: Vue UI Kit

  Vue is a complete UI kit, prepared in Photoshop and exclusively available to Webdesigntuts+ readers. Check out preview shots after the jump, download it and use it in your projects!

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Phototuts+ — Photography Tutorials

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  A Neutral Density Filter Primer

  Neutral Density (ND) filters are a bit like sunglasses for your lens. Except that sunglasses typically tint the light coming through in one form or another. As true color rendition is often important to photographers, neutral density filters strive to lessen the amount of light passing through them without coloring or changing the nature of the light.

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  Top Tips to Help Define Your Personal Photographic Style

  So you’ve spent time developing your camera techniques and skills. You’ve aimed to understand exposure settings and endeavoring to get the perfect shot each time. But sometimes, you’re just not happy with the results and you don’t feel like your work expresses what you want it to. How do you refine your art so you can truly express yourself as a photographer and make your shots recognizable as your work? Well, here are a few tips to help you on your way.

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  Super Surreal Photographs

  Today, we look at some of the most biazarre and unreal photos ever taken. Surreal means have the disorienting, hallucinatory quality of a dream. It is a very creative style of photography as you have to have a good sense of vision and creativity to create things others wouldn’t normally see.
  
  I hope you enjoy these 50 examples of surreal photography.

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Aetuts+ — After Effects Tutorials

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  Realistic Cloud Fly Through – AE Premium

  In today’s tutorial, we’re going to recreate this cool cloud scene using Trapcode Particular and a stock clip from Digital Juice’s Compositor’s Toolkit (although other stock elements are available elsewhere). I hope you learn some neat tips and tricks for working with Particular.

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  Summer Time Swimming Pool Logo Reveal

  In this tutorial we are going to keep the summer going as long as we can by creating a cool looking water logo reveal animation using some interesting textures and techniques. Also we are going to create a cool looking caustics effect as well as some interesting displacement effects to simulate water surface.

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  Aetuts+ Hollywood Movie Title Series -” Harry Potter V2

  We created a Harry Potter title tutorial 2 years ago, but in today’s tutorial we’re going to step it up a notch by emulating the style of the Cinema 4d, we’ll model the beveled text and do animation of the logo and lightning elements. Then in After Effects, well complete our project with clouds, audio, and final compositing. Enjoy!

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Audiotuts+ — Audio & Production Tutorials

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  Simple Tricks to Fit the Kick and Bass Together

  One of the most commonly asked questions in audio is how to make the kick drum and bass sit well together in the mix. There are a few techniques that have been used throughout the years to take care of clashing bass guitar and kick drum. In the following tutorial we’ll go through two of them: carving out EQ areas and side chaining.

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  Making Your MIDI Strings Even More Realistic

  Since my last tutorial, I haven’t had the chance to try Hollywood Strings or LASS, so I’ll be doing this tutorial with my good old friend East West Quantum Leap Orchestra Complete, without blending different patches, using just one!
  
  So, before going to the tutorial, there is no point in lying to you. MIDI is always a temporary option. For us, the film composer guys, MIDI is a solution till the time we can record a live orchestra.

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  Audiotuts+ Top 6 Software Synths

  I remember discovering pro synths way back in 1982. I was amazed – with one instrument you could create almost any sound you could imagine. I fell in love with them. Now we can do all that with software.

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Activetuts+ — Flash, Flex & ActionScript Tutorials

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  Activetuts+ Has a New Focus: Browser-Based Apps and Games

  From today onwards, our focus is changing. Instead of covering everything to do with Flash, Unity and Silverlight, we’ll be covering the design and development of browser-based apps and games in general. This means no more tutorials on full-Flash websites or AIR, and lots of new content on game design, UI, and HTML5. Read on to find out what we’ve got in store!

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  Build a 2D Portal Puzzle Game With Unity: Getting Started

  In this tutorial (part free, part Premium), you’ll learn how to create a 2D puzzle game in Unity which uses a Portal-style game mechanic to teleport objects across the level. In this first part, we’ll lay out the main concepts of the game, put some graphics together, and get the basic (portal-less) physics working.

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  Beginner’s Guide to Powerflasher’s FDT 4

  Flash Professional isn’t the only tool you can use for making Flash apps and games. Earlier in the year we looked at FlashDevelop; now, we’ll take a look at FDT 4, a powerful IDE designed specifically for ActionScript, MXML and haXe development. Read on to find out what it can offer you!

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Wptuts+ — WordPress Tutorials

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  WP101 Basix Training

  Welcome to the WPtuts+ WP101 tutorial series, the perfect beginning spot for those just getting started with WordPress! It’s also a valuable resource for designers & developers who are teaching your clients & colleagues!

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  Add Facebook Comments To Your WordPress Theme

  Facebook launched the social plugins for developers in 2010. You all know at least one of them, the “like” button that you see on lots of blog posts across the net (like this one, pardon the pun!) Today we are focusing on the Comments Box system. Adding Facebook comments allows the user to comment on your blog using his Facebook account. There is no need for him to enter his name and email address or even register an account on your site.

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  Using Custom Post Types to Create a Killer Portfolio

  Quite possibly the best addition to WordPress 3.0 was that of Custom Post Types. This took WordPress from being a CMS that can manage posts and pages to being able to manage anything the user can think of rather easily. You no longer have to add custom fields to posts- you can add high level support to your own types, creating their own theme page files and admin areas. One of the first things I did using custom post types was revamp my portfolio and today I’m going to show you how I did it!

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Mobiletuts+ — Mobile Development Tutorials

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  Corona SDK: Create a Memory Match Game

  The Corona SDK makes game development for the iPhone, iPad, and Android easy. Corona uses the Lua programming language to create cross-platform apps. In this tutorial, we will explore how to create a memory match game with the Corona SDK.
  

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  Building a Jabber Client for iOS: Server Setup

  In this tutorial we will build a Jabber Client for iOS. The application developed in this series will enable users to sign in, add buddies, and send messages. In the process of building this app, we will describe how to install and configure a jabber server, create accounts, and interact with the server from an iOS application. To simulate a chat environment we will build a scenario with two users: one user will be chatting from an iPhone app and the other will be using iChat.
  

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  Building an iPad Reader for War of the Worlds

  This tutorial will use the Leaves open-source project to build a simple iPad reader for The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells. Along the way, we’ll take a quick look at the code powering the Leaves project, discuss implementation details, and explore a few alternative options for achieving a similar effect.
  

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Thanks for Reading!

We love bringing you the latest and greatest tutorials each month, and would like to take this opportunity to say thanks for reading, subscribing, and offering your feedback. If you have any suggestions for tutorials, or Tuts+ in general, feel free to leave them below in the comments!

As ever, the best way to support the sites (and get your hands on superb, industry-leading tutorials) is to join our Premium program. It costs just $9 per month, and will be the best few dollars you ever spend! There’s also no risk, thanks to our 100% money-back guarantee.

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Create Earthy 3D Typography in Photoshop – Psd Premium Tutorial

2011-09-01 17:00:22 (читать в оригинале)

In this Psd Premium tutorial, author Ed Lopez will demonstrate how to create an earthy 3D typographic piece using Photoshop’s 3D tools. This tutorial is available exclusively to Premium Members. If you are looking to take your typography skills to the next level then Log in or Join Now to get started!

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Detailed Video Instruction

This tutorial includes 10 videos that demonstrate the process of creating this project in detail so that you can better understand the techniques that were used in each step. Below is a clip from one of those videos. To view more clips you can Log in or Join Now!

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Professional and Detailed Instructions Inside

This tutorial also includes full text and screenshots of each step. Premium members can Log in and Download! Otherwise, Join Now! Below are some sample images from this tutorial.

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Final Image

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Psd Premium Membership

You can join Psd Premium for as little as $9/month. Premium membership gives you access to the source files for all our tutorials as well as access to premium tutorials like this one. This also includes the rest of the sites in our network including Vectortuts+, Webdesigntuts+, Phototuts+, Nettuts, and more! Premium Members can Log In and download this tutorial. Otherwise you can Join Today!

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Photoshop World 2011 in Las Vegas

2011-09-01 05:23:51 (читать в оригинале)

As a graphic designer, it’s important to constantly learn new things. That’s one of the great things about this website. We are always sharing new tips and tricks so that you can become better designers. I’ve always found that conferences are a great way to learn new techniques. That is why next week I’ll be headed to Las Vegas for Photoshop World, the world’s largest Photoshop-related conference.

While I am there I’ll do my best to pass on what I’ve learned about the world of Photoshop. If you would like to get the most up-to-date information on my travels make sure to follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

If you’re attending Photoshop World, feel free to stop me and say hello. I’d love to meet you! I may also have some Psdtuts t-shirts to give away so make sure to flag me down.

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A Call for Authors: Web UI and Photo Retouching Tutorials

Also, a bit of news… One of my most important jobs, as editor is recruiting new authors. If you would like to get paid to write tutorials for us, we would love to hear what you have in mind. Visit our Write for Us page for more information.

We recently decided to start posting Web Design/Web UI-related content. So if you would like to get paid to write a tutorial demonstrating how to create a web design, button, icon, navigation item, or something else feel free to pitch a concept.

We are also looking for some new authors to write photo retouching, photo effect, and photo manipulation tutorials. So please let us know if you have an idea that you would like to share. Thanks guys!