Archive for the ‘Hobbies’ Category
Add Adobe Elements Tools To Your Digital Photography Arsenal
August 29th, 2009
Digital photography is a favorable profession that is chosen by many young and budding photographers today. However, many of them do not make it big in this field as they meet failure right at the onset. This is due to low standards of their picture quality which fails to impress many online stock photography sites.
What many amateur photographers are unaware of is the tool that professionals use to make their photos always turn out perfectly. Most professional photographers use photo editing software programs such as Adobe Elements to make their ordinary photos extraordinary. Here is an overview of some of the tools that are available in this program which will help take your photos to the next level and potentially make them saleable.
Once you are done with the job of clicking a photograph, your job of photo editing begins. And, the very first step is to choose a new layer from the options in the menu. Remember that whenever you are making editions and deletions in your original photograph, always do it in a new layer as this makes your editing job easier. Now comes the turn of enhancing the lively appeal of the picture by accentuating its color scheme. This can be done by selecting the brush tool from the menu and clicking on the desired brush element. Basically this tool has three components to opt from, paint brush, spray paint and airbrush. Select the one that would best accentuate the appeal of your picture.
Once you have selected the brush you want to also choose the stroke size as well as brush size. After choosing the brush tool from the menu press your right bracket key on your keyboard to increase its size and the left bracket key to decrease its size. If you want to not have to go through this process each time you use Elements you can select the sample size option to maintain the consistent size of the brush. The next step is to figure out how dark you want to your brush strokes to be.
Using the opacity tool will give you the freedom to increase or decrease the darkness to improve the clarity of the picture. You should see a slider on the opacity tool which gives you the opportunity to increase or decrease the color intensity of your paint brush from 0% to 100%. Elements has a variety of color schemes and you can play around until you find which will work best for you. Experiment with your colors in different layers and then keep only the layer you are satisfied with.
Once you have figured out all that Photoshop Elements has to offer you may want to consider purchasing the professional version called Photoshop CS4. Photoshop CS4 is much more difficult to master but does have a lot more tools and brushes that you can use to edit your photographs. There are more than twelve hard-edged and soft edged brushes to play with. There are also a larger choice of brushes to pick from including a star, spatter, air brush, spatter shaped and natural brushes. You can try out both of these programs for 30 days at www.Adobe.com.
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Tags: adobe photoshop elements, free photoshop elements, Hobbies, learn adobe photoshop elements, learn photoshop elements, photoshop elements, photoshop elements tuorials, photoshop elements videos
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Making Wire Jewelry On Your Own
August 29th, 2009
Learning how to make wire jewelry is all about putting a few simple elements together with a stunning end result. Even the most basic project can look elegant with its classic simplicity. With a few simple materials and tools you can make jewelry that most people would spend a lot of money on.
You materials for making jewelry are the first thing you need to get. Get some different thicknesses of wire. Twenty-gauge wire is great for earrings and is good for most other jewelry. Thinner wire will have a higher gauge such as twenty-four gauge is thinner wire than twenty gauge. Memory wire with stay in the shape of a circle when you bend it, this is great for bracelets; just cut the wire, put the beads on, and fasten the ends. It will still be looped and will go around your wrist.
You have to have clasps for fastening the jewelry. Earwires, eyepins, headpins, and jump rings are referred to as findings. You will also need some chain of different types and thickness.
You will also need the right tools to make the jewelry. You will need some small pliers with a round nose. You may have to buy these at a craft shop, as the ones typically sold at a hardware store are too large. Some use chain nose pliers to grip a jump ring or the wire. These pliers are flat on the inside but the outside is round. You will need something to cut your wires with such as wire cutters.
Now that you have all the necessary equipment, it’s time to get started. To make a simple necklace, bracelet or anklet you start with a length of wire and make a loop at the end with your round nose pliers. Thread some decorative beads onto the wire then cut it. But be sure to leave enough wire for a finishing loop. Then you will add a length of chain either with a jump ring or attached directly to the loop that you made in the wire. The last step is to add jump rings on the ends and attach a clasp.
When you have all your materials and tools ready it is time to start making jewelry. Whether you are making a bracelet, anklet or necklace, you need to start with some wire. Use your pliers to make a loop at one end. Thread your beads in the design you want on the wire, when you are done cut the wire making sure you have enough wire left to loop this end also. You then attach a chain to the loop or use a jump ring to connect it. You will then need to add a clasp, do this by attaching rings to the ends and then putting on the clasp.
Once you get the basics down pat, you’ll be able to come up with all kinds of variations to make each piece of jewelry unique. The possibilities of what you can do with this new-found knowledge is endless.
After mastering the more basic jewelry designs, you will no doubt be inspired to create more extravagant designs and ultimately have some eye catching pieces that are unique to you.
Tags: sports, recreation, self help, self motivation
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Scrapbook Books: Learn More About Your Favorite Hobby
August 29th, 2009
You’ve probably seen some amazing scrapbooks. You can see how it was created; some paper, some glue, some glitter, a few stickers, bows and ribbons. Looks pretty straightforward and easy, huh? Don’t kid yourself. The Internet is full of sad stories of people who wanted to create a beautiful scrapbook for their family and friends to enjoy, only to sit for hours, staring at a blank page wondering how the heck to even get started with a layout.
Does this describe you? Fear not. There are many excellent scrapbook books in print and online that will answer any and all questions you might ever have. They are designed to take you by the hand and gently lead you to scrapbooking perfection.
For instance, you’ll find scrapbook books on the subject of fundamentals of good design. They have beautiful, illustrated examples of the step-by-step process, from initial layout to finished work of art, to help you really see the possibilities. If you just need a quick idea for a special occasion, you can find many scrapbook template books that let you copy their designs when you can’t think of one on your own.
If you have an interest in learning how to make a digital scrapbook, books both in print and available for download are ready to teach you how. If you’re not yet ready to create your own scrapbook, or are simply interested in learning more about it, there are books that cover the colorful history of this wildly popular hobby. Wherever you are in the process of creating your own scrapbook, books that guide you to a greater knowledge of the past, present and future of the craft are a wonderful starting point.
And you may be surprised to learn that there’s more to the process than just making a scrapbook; books teaching you how to make money from your hobby, turning scrapbooking into a profitable business, are among the most sought after.
Scrapbook books lay the foundation of knowledge you’ll need to really master this art form. They teach you the tricks of the trade, and before you know it, you’ll be creating the scrapbooks you always knew you could. You’ll have a resource at your fingertips for tools, supplies, and training and your confidence and skill level will soar.
With practice, determination, and a good book to refer to, your scrapbooks will be the envy of friends, and the most sought after gift on birthdays or Christmas! And how much fun did you having doing it? It doesn’t get any better than that.
Tags: men, pets, Self Improvement, sports
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How to Blow Smoke Rings
August 29th, 2009
If you want to become adept at blowing smoke rings so that you can show others at a get together or party, you are going to want to practice. Blowing smoke rings looks like a simple thing to do, but you will find that there are mechanics and techniques that you need to employ if you expect good results. With practice, they will become easier and almost second nature so that you don’t have to think about them as you blow them.
When you are practicing your smoke rings, make sure that you have a good, tightly packed cigar. While some people use cigarettes, the tobacco in the cigarettes does not usually have as tight of a pack as the cigars do. When the tobacco is tightly packed, you will find that it is easier to get thicker, richer smoke, and this is a key element in blowing smoke rings.
When you are ready with your tightly packed cigar, light it with your butane lighter, making sure that the entire end is lit properly so that you can take a drag more easily. When the end is lit, and after you have taken a few puffs to ensure that the smoke flows freely, you will want to take a large drag. Hold the smoke in your mouth at the top of your throat ” you don’t want to inhale.
Next, you want to press your tongue downward and form your lips into the shape of an “O”, as though you were going to say “ooh”. Try to keep the shape wide while still holding the smoke in your throat. Again, this is something that will come with practice. When you have the shape formed, you can then push small puffs of smoke toward the front of your mouth. It helps if you imagine that you are saying “uh” silently while you are doing this. This will then send those small smoke puffs out of your mouth and they should form rings that float gently away.
As you can see, blowing smoke rings is not as simple as just blowing smoke through your mouth. It takes some practice and some time to get the technique down just right. When you have figured it out, you will find it can be a very impressive trick to show your friends when you are down at the local cigar bar or playing poker at the house.
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