You may have noticed that we’ve added a reader’s survey at the top of our homepage. Please, if you can find the time, fill this in so that we can learn more about you and where you want the magazine to go in the future. It’ll only take a couple of minutes, but the information collected is invaluable to us. It is completely anonymous, so be honest!
Issue 47 of Advanced Photoshop goes on sale tomorrow, 14 August.
Among the usual blend of features, portfolios and tutorials, we’ve got an interview with Alessandro Bavari. His surreal photomanipulations are dark, a little disturbing, but ultimately compelling with a classical twist. Definitely worth a read to find out what’s goes on in the mind of this artist.
We’ve got a practical look at 3D integration in Photoshop too, which is a popular combination. First, Mark Mayers looks at incorporating a 3D model (free from DAZ 3D) into a Photoshop project using CS3 Extended. You don’t need anything but Photoshop Extended to give it a go. But if you do want to use 3D software in conjunction with Photoshop, then our Resources feature looks at the way top artists use 3D programs alongside Photoshop and just how easy it is to get started.
But if you’re perfectly happy with just the two dimensions, then check out our tutorials on the art of speed painting, vivid lighting effects and creative retouching.
Finally, take a close look at our cover this issue and you’ll notice some interesting work on the gloss - a hidden word perhaps?
Let me know what you think of the magazine!
Julie
I’m not joking when I say this is addictive! Digital Photographer’s new Photo Face-Off feature on its website makes it really difficult to get on with any work. What is it? Well, the site, which hosts over 28,000 readers’ images, offers you the chance to pick the winner in a head-to-head battle between two randomly generated images from the site. There’s more information in the press release below, but please, please try it out and let me know what you think. If you like it, we are thinking about adding it to the AP website too!Press release:Are you ready to Photo Face-Off?Imagine Publishing unveils its latest innovative photography websiteDescribed by photography website regulars as “Pure genius!” and “Highly addictive, I love it!”, Photo Face-Off (www.photofaceoff.co.uk), the latest new online photograph comparison site from Imagine Publishing and DPhotographer.co.uk, is already creating a storm online.Launched in July 2007, Dphotographer.co.uk is the online home of the Digital Photographer magazine, and provides users with up-to-the minute news, reviews, an active online forum, and an online image database to showcase all their digital photos which can be uploaded to their own personal.Photo Face-off utilises the 28,000+ photographs that have already been uploaded to sister site DPhotographer.co.uk, and randomly selects two shots to battle it out in a simple point & click competition to see which one wins the face-off. Developed for photographers by photographers, Photo Face-Off is accessible, fresh and full of inspirational images taken by amateurs and semi-pro photographers.Debbi Allen, Editor of Digital Photographer said: “Photo Face-Off is great fun and we’re keen to offer a better, more interactive and more exciting website, the team behind dphotographer.co.uk has been working hard to develop this cool new feature.”Andy Wooldridge, Digital Photographer and Photo Face-Off’s Advertising Executive added: “This highly addictive feature will drive traffic to the website and give our online advertisers even more value for money. Photo Face-Off also offers a unique sponsorship opportunity for one company to maximise branding exposure on what will become the most viewed area of the site.”Digital photography has never been bigger news and this is proven by the tremendous success Digital Photographer has experienced over the past 12 months. 2006 saw the magazine achieve its highest-ever individual issue sales figures and this has continued into 2007, and it is one of Imagine’s most successful magazines.Imagine Publishing is one of the UK’s fastest growing consumer specialist publishers. Formed in May 2005, it now publishes 20 magazines and 20 websites in the videogames, computing, entertainment and photography markets. An Imagine magazine is purchased every ten seconds.
Many of you have been aware of the inappropriate use of the Advanced Photoshop gallery website in recent weeks. Please note that ANY use of offensive, racist or derogatory language will result in the person responsible for putting it on the site, in any context, being removed from the website with immediate effect.
Please use this site with respect. The rating and comment system is there to help artists learn from each other and give helpful advice on how to improve artworks. Please do not abuse this system. This applies to only a tiny minority of website users and I appreciate those of you who are are on hand to offer constructive criticism, praise and advice.
If you notice anything on this website that causes you offence, then let me know as soon as possible so that the situation can be dealt with immediately. The policing of this site will now be even more tightly controlled and I appreciate your help in this matter.
Respect the community and your fellow artists – we’re all here to learn and show off our work.
Many thanks,
Julie
I want to say a warm welcome to two new members of the Advanced Photoshop team! For a while now, it’s been just me and Adam (plus a whole host of wonderful freelancers keeping us going!), but now we have two new members of the team. First, Stacey Grove joins us as the magazine’s new designer. I’m happy to have another female on team, but I also can’t wait to see her put her personal stamp on things. Second, we have Sam Robson joining us as sub-editor. Sam’s been with Imagine Publishing for a while now and also works on our sister title, Web Designer. He’ll be standing guard over rogue commas and misplaced apostrophes from now on!
I’m a fan of reading John Nack’s Adobe blog to keep up with the latest news regarding Photoshop, so I was pleased to hear that he has been selected for the Photoshop Hall of Fame – he will be officially inducted at the Photoshop World Expo in September. Congratulations!
The BBC have been working closely with the renowned creative minds behind the music sensation Gorillaz, Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlitt, to bring viewers an innovative Beijing Olympic title sequence.
If you haven’t been privileged enough to hear or see anything related to this wonderful piece of animation then click on to http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics/monkey/7521287.stm. Stylized, smooth and with a contemporary cool soundtrack it’s entertainment at its best.
The animation itself is based upon the classical Chinese novel, “Journey to the West” and will feature across TV, radio, online, mobile and interactive coverage of the Games from BBC Sport. This is also part of a marketing campaign airing mid-July as the final countdown to the Games. The finished product will be to do with music as much as animation, so keep your eyes peeled for updates and more monkey business.