SEO is a best practices game. Understanding how not to over optimize is an important part of the mix. …
Original post by Search Engine Watch
Don’t Over Optimize Your Site
March 8th, 201040 Outstanding Photo Manipulation Tutorials
March 8th, 2010
Written by noupe
Photo manipulation is an art that requires lots of patience along with the expertise in Photoshop and other photo editing tools. With your creativity and imagination, you can manipulate any photograph the way you want! Now it’s all about your imagination and using Photoshop’s effects and other tools cleverly.
You simply have to experiment with different effects to see what feeling they give you as having expertise in Photoshop can help you greatly in producing amazing results. Here we’ve compiled a list of 40 great photo manipulation tutorials that would astonish you!
Photo Manipulation Tutorials
How to Create Glass Transparency in a Cute Photo Manipulation
In this tutorial you’ll learn how to incorporate glass into your work. We’ll learn a good technique for incorporating glass transparency into photo manipulations, while placing a cute, pirate hamster on the high seas. Let’s start!
Design a Surreal Desert Scene in Photoshop
In this tutorial artist is going to show you how to create a surreal time-themed photomanipulation using Photoshop. The name of this photomanipulation is “Time Guardian” and it was originally created by Mariusz Karasiewicz
How to Make a Melting Camera Scene
In this tutorial, we’ll use the Layer Mask Tool and Liquify filter to “melt” the camera. Artist recommends you work with a tablet for this one (it makes your work easier), but if you don’t have one it is also possible to go through this tutorial. Let’s start!
Blend a Planet Transparently into a Photo Manipulation
In this tutorial Artist will show you how to use different blending modes to blend flying hairs easily and to make semi-transparent planet. He will also show you different techniques of adjustment to get the most realistic results in your photo manipulations!
Making of the Imaginary Paint Dancers
Artist came across the amazing set of Paint Tossing freebies from Media Militia the other day and thought that he must create some artwork with them. So he visited my favorite Mjranum’s stock gallery again and done up this tutorial. Hope you will like it.
Robot Woman Photo Manipulation
If you want to take your photo manipulation skills to the next level, then we have an awesome tutorial for you. Learn more at the jump!
A step by step and detailed tutorial, you will find it very useful and interesting.
How to Create a Steampunk Style Illustration in Photoshop
Go simultaneously backward and forward in time with this Steampunk tutorial. The main focus, aside from the style of course, is fusing elements from different sources together to create a cohesive whole. There are many tricks to this end and we shall be looking at light sources, shadows, and image grading.
Create a Cyborg With Photoshop
In this tutorial you’ll discover how to incorporate mundane, everyday objects into a photoshop cyborg manipulation. Combining household objects with 3D renders is a technique that can and does have interesting results.
How to Create a Mythical Creature Photo Manipulation
If you want to take your photo manipulation skills to the next level, then we have an awesome tutorial for you. Learn more at the jump!
How to Create a Chilling Photo Manipulation in Photoshop
In this tutorial artist will show you how he created a fantasy photo manipulation called “You Can Not Frost The Time” with using several Photoshop tools such as Color Range, different blending modes, and more. Let’s get started!
How to Create a Fantasy Landscape Photo Manipulation
In this tutorial, you will learn how to create a fantasy landscape using some simple and easy techniques. Everyone with basic Photoshop skills can succeed to recreate this simple image using the most important thing in this kind of photo manipulation – the right stock. So let’s go!
How to Create a Fallen Angel on Fire Photo Manipulation
If you want to take your photo manipulation work to the next level, then we have an exciting tutorial for you. We’ll work with fire and other images to create this fantasy scene. Learn more at the jump!
How to Create a Dark Emotional Photo Manipulation
This is a tutorial with a simple idea: to create an emotional photo manipulation. Following this tutorial, you will learn how to blend different images to make a dark atmospheric background, modify the dress of the model, apply makeup, paint hair, blend different objects in the background, and more – all to create a moody illustration. So, let’s start!
How to Create a Surreal Photo Manipulation with Twisting Water
In this tutorial, we’re going to create a fantasy photo manipulation mixing different images and learning to use and modify the stock images in a creative way. The idea is to get a compact image that looks absolutely real, and at the same time, absolutely impossible!
Photo Manipulate a Falling Angel
Learn how to combine several photos to create a dramatic ‘fallen angel’ scene.
Animal King Photo Manipulation
In this photoshop tutorial, you’ll learn how to mash up a series of photos in a highly creative poster based on a famous painting from the 1800’s. Let’s get started!
Design an Epic Fantasy Scene with Photoshop
In this tutorial we are going to create a photo manipulation inspired by Valhalla.
Create an Explosive Cover with Precise Photo Manipulation Techniques
In this tutorial, we’re going to make a creative illustration in a style meant for a video game cover or sci-fi book cover. We’ll create this with mostly photo manipulation techniques. With some cool Photoshop options you can turn all the photos you chose, into one stunning looking explosive cover.
Design a Dramatic and Surreal Rainy Scene with Photoshop
Learn all about how to manipulate images and combine them to create surreal scenes, in this case a rainy scene. Also, numerous details are covered in this tutorial such as adding highlights, shading, excellent photo-manipulation techniques, and more. Learn all about it at the jump!
In this tutorial Nik Ainley walks us through the process of making a spectacular image. This tutorial focuses on the big picture steps taken to create this image. You’ll learn some incredible techniques in this tutorial, and get a view into how Nik creates beautiful photo-manipulation based images. Let’s check it out.
Fantastic Disintegration Effect inspired by Watchmen in Photoshop
In this tutorial artist will show you how to create the disintegration effect using brushes and the blur filter. It’s really simple and you will be able to create nice designs using this sort of trendy style of effect.
In this tutorial We will be creating a game poster with magical theme. This tutorial shows how to draw a sword from scratch and also introducing some of the latest high quality brushes on the internet.
Create amazing water-drenched photomontages
Nik Ainley shows you how to make a splash, blending two very different images to create this amazing underwater effect, complete with a dissolving figure of a man.
Torture a Man and Stitch himup
Transform a man into a torture victim with a couple tricks and some basic tools.
Creating a Glowing Sphere in An Inverted Image
Learn how you can create an interesting image by adding in some simple Photoshop effects and by inverting its colors! Inverting an image can sometimes produce unexpected results, and in this tutorial, you’ll learn and practice Filters – Liquify, Blur and Lens Flare tools to create additional effects and elements to make it more stunning.
How to Create a Mystery Photo Manipulation in Photoshop
In this tutorial artist will show you how to create a mystery photo manipulation using Photoshop brushes, different blend modes, and more. Let’s get started!
How To Create A Ripping And Tearing Poster Effect
In this tutorial we are going to turn a flat, artificial poster into something that looks as if it’s been hanging around on the wall for a long time.The initial poster was created using techniques that we have covered in previews tutorials. As you can see, it’s a brash image that looks nothing like a real poster.
Mysterious Hollow Dark landscape
A step by step and detailed tutorial, you will find it very useful and interesting.
How to Create a Photo Manipulation of a Flooded City Scene
In this tutorial, we will learn how to manipulate a simple photo into a flooding torrent of a scene. We’ll use some relatively simple techniques to give this image a semi-realistic, stylized feel. Let’s get started!
Scared Photomanipulation Tutorial
This tutorial will be a little different than all the other tutorials. Here artist will teach you some basic things about Photomanipulation.
How to Create a Slice of Nature Photo Manipulation
Today artist is going to show you how to put together a complex tree illustration. The idea for this tutorial is to show a workflow from concept to finish, not just so you can copy this illustration, but so that you can take the ideas behind it and use them for any design you have. It’s not just the finished design but the process we are after.
In this tutorial artist will show you how – with a little time on your side – you can overcome the common myth of low budget work, creating an impressive piece of abstract work using Photoshop.
In this tutorial we will take a photo and use different color adjustments and something like pattern floral brushes to make it better or to make a different mood to our picture. So let’s go.
Dazzling Dance Photo Manipulation
In this detailed and lengthy Photoshop tutorial, you will learn how to combine photos and add special effects to turn a normal photograph into a stunning artwork. You will also learn several tricks to reduce your Photoshop document file size and number of layers and layer styles.
How to Create a Fantasy Scene with Death
In this detailed tutorial you will learn how to create a fantasy scene with death.
How To Create a Futuristic Sci-Fi Scene
In this tutorial, artist will guide you through the steps to create a futuristic sci-fi scene. We will transform original pictures using Photoshop tools that will help to give the image a more spectacular look.
Create a Colorful Woodpecker and Tree Scenery
This tutorial is intended for everyone who is beginning at digital drawing/painting, if you like drawing and Photoshop then you are the perfect candidate to follow this tutorial.
Create a Beautiful Lonely Fantasy Fairy
This tutorial will explain how to make a beautiful fairy from a single source image. We’ll go over each step on how to make the feathers, the hat, the background, the grass and the mountains.
How to Create a Severed Arm in Photoshop
In this tutorial we will be learning how to create a severed arm with fleshy stumps and strings of sinew. This will be created by using some basic Brushes and Layer Masks. Let’s get started!
Other Useful Resources
- Photo-manipulation Tutorials
- 30+ Most Wanted Photo Manipulation Tutorials in Photoshop
- 18 Fresh Photoshop Photo Manipulation Tutorials
- 60 Elegant Photo Manipulation Tutorials
Original post by bspcn
Why Ad Blocking is devastating to the sites you love
March 7th, 2010
Written by Ken Fisher
Did you know that blocking ads truly hurts the websites you visit? We recently learned that many of our readers did not know this, so I’m going to explain why.
There is an oft-stated misconception that if a user never clicks on ads, then blocking them won’t hurt a site financially. This is wrong. Most sites, at least sites the size of ours, are paid on a per view basis. If you have an ad blocker running, and you load 10 pages on the site, you consume resources from us (bandwidth being only one of them), but provide us with no revenue. Because we are a technology site, we have a very large base of ad blockers. Imagine running a restaurant where 40% of the people who came and ate didn’t pay. In a way, that’s what ad blocking is doing to us. Just like a restaurant, we have to pay to staff, we have to pay for resources, and we have to pay when people consume those resources. The difference, of course, is that our visitors don’t pay us directly but indirectly by viewing advertising. (Although a few thousand of you are subscribers, and we thank you all very, very much!)
My argument is simple: blocking ads can be devastating to the sites you love. I am not making an argument that blocking ads is a form of stealing, or is immoral, or unethical, or makes someone the son of the devil. It can result in people losing their jobs, it can result in less content on any given site, and it definitely can affect the quality of content. It can also put sites into a real advertising death spin. As ad revenues go down, many sites are lured into running advertising of a truly questionable nature. We’ve all seen it happen. I am very proud of the fact that we routinely talk to you guys in our feedback forum about the quality of our ads. I have proven over 12 years that we will fight on the behalf of readers whenever we can. Does that mean that there are the occasional intrusive ads, expanding this way and that? Yes, sometimes we have to accept those ads. But any of you reading this site for any significant period of time know that these are few and far between. We turn down offers every month for advertising like that out of respect for you guys. We simply ask that you return the favor and not block ads.
If you read a site and care about its well being, then you should not block ads (or you subscribe to sites like Ars that offer ads-free versions of the site). If a site has advertising you don’t agree with, don’t go there. I think it is far better to vote with page views than to show up and consume resources without giving anything in return. I think in some ways the Internet and its vast anonymity feeds into a culture where many people do not think about the people, the families, the careers that go into producing a website. People talk about how annoying advertisments are, but I’ll tell you what: it’s a lot more annoying and frustrating to have to cut staff and cut benefits because a huge portion of readers block ads. Yet I’ve seen that happen at dozens of great sites over the last few years, Ars included.
Invariably someone always pops into a discussion like this and brings up some analogy with television advertising, radio, or somesuch. It is not in any way the same; advertisers in those mediums are paying for potential to reach audiences, and not for results. They have complex models which tell them if X number are watching, Y will likely see the ad (and it even varies by ad position, show type, etc!). But they really have no true idea who sees what ad, and that’s why it’s a medium based on potential and not provable results. On the Internet everything is 100% trackable and is billed and sold as such. Comparing a website to TiVo is comparing apples to asparagus. And anyway, my point still stands: if you like this site you shouldn’t block ads. Invariably someone else will pop in and tell me that it’s not their fault that our business model sucks. My response is simple: you either care about the site’s well-being, or you don’t. As for our business model sucking, we’ve been here for 12 years, online-only. Not many sites can say that.
Let me stop and clarify quickly that I am not saying that we are on the verge of vanishing from the Internet. But we, like many, many sites are greatly affected by ad blocking, and it is a very worrisome trend.
So I’ll end this part of the discussion by just reiterating my point: blocking ads hurts the sites you love. Please consider not blocking ads on those sites.
An experiment gone wrong
Starting late Friday afternoon we conducted a 12 hour experiment to see if it would be possible to simply make content disappear for visitors who were using a very popular ad blocking tool. Technologically, it was a success in that it worked. Ad blockers, and only ad blockers, couldn’t see our content. We tested just one way of doing this, but have devised a way to keep it rotating were we to want to permanently implement it. But we don’t. Socially, the experiment was a mixed bag. A bunch of people whitelisted Ars, and even a few subscribed. And while others showed up to support our actions, there was a healthy mob of people criticizing us for daring to take any kind of action against those who would deny us revenue even though they knew they were doing so. Others rightly criticized the lack of a warning or notification as to what was going on.
We made the mistake of assuming that everyone who is blocking ads at Ars is doing so with malice. As it turns out, only a few people are, and many (most?) indicated you are happy to help out. That’s what led to this hopefully informative post.
Our experiment is over, and we’re glad we did it because it led to us learning that we needed to communicate our point of view every once in a while. Sure, some people told us we deserved to die in a fire. But that’s the Internet! Making its ways into parents’ basements since 1991. To those people I say: admit it, you just wish you were half as cool as this guy.
Bonus: Best Divorce Letter Ever !
Original post by bspcn
Winning the Multi-Agency Game: Can’t We All Just Get Along?
March 7th, 2010Some survival tips for when you’re asked to work with your clients’ other agencies. …
Original post by Search Engine Watch
6 Critical WordPress Plugins You Should Have Installed
March 6th, 2010
Written by Jacob Gube
WordPress, the ubiquitous open source publishing platform that powers many of your favorite blogs and web publications, also powers Design Instruct and Six Revisions. By using WordPress plugins, site owners can extend and tailor their WordPress installation to meet their needs. However, using many plugins can affect a website’s performance, and thus, you must be highly selective in choosing the plugins you install.
Design Instruct and Six Revisions only uses six WordPress plugins. We’ve kept our plugins to the bare essentials—any other features we add to our WordPress installation, we develop ourselves specifically for our sites.
In this article, we share with you the WordPress plugins that we use on our sites.
This article is part of Design Instruct Week, a weeklong celebration of our newly launched site, Design Instruct. This week on Six Revisions covers topics that deal with running websites and design, written by the founders/editors of Design Instruct and Six Revisions. Be sure to check out the Design Instruct Week Twitter Giveaway, which gives out different prizes every day of Design Instruct Week.
1. WP Super Cache
WP Super Cache speeds up WordPress posts and pages by creating static HTML versions of them, updating them at an interval of your choosing. This cuts back on the need for server-side processes to generate a post or page whenever a visitor requests them. After page performance testing on Design Instruct, we discovered that WP Super Cache single-handedly improved page response times of unprimed caches by 259.1%, lowering the average total page load time from 9.56s to 3.69s for the most content-heavy post we have.
2. Akismet
The biggest annoyance a WordPress site owner will encounter is moderating comments to weed out the ones posted by guileful spammers. Akismet abates this burden by filtering out known comment spammers that are registered on their blacklist database. In the two years that Six Revisions has been using Akismet, it has caught over 124,000 spam comments with 99.3% accuracy. This plugin saves us a lot of time so that we can focus on what’s truly important in running websites: creating and publishing content.
3. WP-SpamFree
Although Akismet is great, it works only through a blacklist database of reported spammers. WP-SpamFree adds an additional layer of spam protection by using cookie-based and JavaScript-based techniques to ensure that the comment form submitter isn’t using remote-site scripting or client-side scripts to automatically post comments on your site. WP-SpamFree is similar to a captcha in that it tests to see if a comment form submitter is human. This plugin eliminates the need to use a traditional captcha system that can affect website accessibility. On Design Instruct, WP-SpamFree has captured over 130 automated comments in under a month, which would have been about 26% of all the comments on the site.
4. Google XML Sitemaps Generator
A Sitemaps XML file is crucial to have if you’re interested in helping search engine spiders like Googlebot accurately index the content of your website. The Google XML Sitemaps plugin automatically generates and updates your Sitemaps XML file for you. It also pings search engines to let them know that there’s new content on your site waiting to be indexed every time you publish and update posts and pages. For regularly updated web publications such as Design Instruct and Six Revisions, this plugin bails us out from having to manually rebuild the file and notify search engines whenever new content is published.
5. All in One SEO Pack
The All in One SEO Pack WordPress plugin is packed with features that improve search engine visibility of your content. On Six Revisions, with over 450,000 visitors from Google searches alone in the month of February, this plugin is critical in helping visitors find your content through search engines.
6. WP-PageNavi
WP-PageNavi is a convenient WordPress plugin that adds a pagination feature on your site so that readers can navigate to older posts easier. It’s highly configurable and customizable to the way you want it to look and function. You can see WP-PageNavi in action at the bottom-left of the home page and category pages on Six Revisions, and bottom-right on Design Instruct.
What WordPress plugins do you consider critical to your website or blog? Share it with the rest of us in the comments.
Original post by bspcn