Subscribe to How-Tos Kind of Article > How-Tos

Get Dynamic in Photoshop

How-Tos: Written by Colin Smith on May 12, 2008

HDR is one of the hottest trends in photography. Learn how to shoot, merge, and tone-map photos to extend the dynamic range and produce those painted-looking results so in demand right now.

Slim Down Your PDFs

How-Tos: Written by Donna Baker on May 7, 2008

Follow these tips to shrink a PDF's file size and help it display faster.

View Source: Make Your Links Unforgettable

How-Tos: Written by Dave Sawyer McFarland on April 30, 2008

Most Web usability books (for example, Steve Krug's excellent Don't Make Me Think) emphasize that the less you make a visitor think and work, the more likely they'll visit, enjoy, and benefit from your site. The typical HTML link is one of those things that make visitors work -- a single linked word, for example, is a small target that requires good aim to hit. That's one of the reasons Web designers make navigation bars with buttons that are larger than the text inside them.

InDesign Transparency: No Longer the Forbidden Fruit

How-Tos: Written by Mordy Golding Renee Dustman on April 28, 2008

With this advice, you can reap the rewards of transparency and never hear those dreaded words, "It won't print!"

Create Clipping Paths without Photoshop

How-Tos: Written by Robert Underwood on April 25, 2008

Here's how to cut out an image using only QuarkXPress.

Selectively Adjust Color in Photoshop

How-Tos: Written by Chad Neuman on April 23, 2008

To change the hue of only part of an image and not obscure details underneath the new color, try these techniques.

Illustrator How-to: This Technique is a Real Knockout

How-Tos: Written by Mordy Golding on April 14, 2008

Thanks to the Knockout Group checkbox in the Transparency panel, you can accomplish the seemingly impossible in Illustrator.

HerGeekness Says: Convert Custom Letterhead to Microsoft Word Templates

How-Tos: Written by Anne-Marie "HerGeekness" Concepcion on April 2, 2008

Is your client insisting on a Word version of your letterhead design? Follow these conversion guidelines to cut down on your pain and maximize your profit.

A Monstrous Photoshop Technique

How-Tos: Written by Russell Brown on March 31, 2008

Learn how to take images to the creative edge, and break all the rules in the process!

Seven Tips for a Perfect Printed Piece

How-Tos: Written by Cathy Skoglund on March 26, 2008

Straight from the pros at the bindery, this advice will help ensure glitch-free print jobs.

10 Quick Macro Shooting Tips

How-Tos: Written by Mason Resnick on March 17, 2008

Eliminate the variables, and you'll end up with nothing but great shots.

Illustrator How-to: Why the Appearance Panel Rocks

How-Tos: Written by Patrick Devine on March 7, 2008

Although the Appearance panel has been around since Illustrator 9, many people don't realize how helpful it really is. This tutorial gets you up to speed.

Turn Color Photos into Duotones in Photoshop

How-Tos: Written by Chad Neuman on March 4, 2008

You can transform one photograph into a wide variety of duotones to use in print or on the Web.

View Source: JavaScript for Designers

How-Tos: Written by Dave Sawyer McFarland on February 25, 2008

Add interactive Web site effects without a lot of programming.

How to Use Photoshop Smart Filters

How-Tos: Written by Andrew Shalat on February 13, 2008

With CS3's Smart Filters, you can edit any filter at any time, without destroying any pixels. Here's how to use them.

Throw Photoshop's Crop Tool into Reverse

How-Tos: Written by Anne-Marie "HerGeekness" Concepcion on February 11, 2008

Normally, the Crop tool makes the canvas smaller. But it can also make the canvas bigger. And it gives you a preview and the flexibility to adjust size on the fly. Take that, Canvas Size!

Make a Drab Newsletter Dramatic

How-Tos: Written by Scott Citron on February 8, 2008

Even with a small budget, you can design a newsletter that pleases you, your client, and the newsletter's readers.

Mastering Master Pages

How-Tos: Written by Robert Underwood on February 4, 2008

Make your life easier with QuarkXPress's automatic page numbering.

Aging Gracefully in Photoshop

How-Tos: Written by Chad Neuman on February 1, 2008

Give new images retro, vintage looks with three Photoshop techniques.

Improve Photos with One Powerful Tool

How-Tos: Written by Russell Brown on January 28, 2008

These Camera Raw luminosity techniques yield sophisticated results yet are simple to use. And there's no need to buy anything -- it comes with Photoshop!