[Award Winner] Tutorial~The Mystery Behind the Mask ~ Photoshop Masks +

[StillCypher]

I'd really like to see more info about the masks -- I'm still learning how to use them, and there are so many different ways to take advantage of their non-destructive approach. I'm not real sold on the video idea, but that's because as I'm going through a tutorial, I like to stop and try the theory out for myself -- and sometimes I go back and forth within the tutorial, which is a pain when it's in video format. But that's just my two cents!

So, I'm tuned! What's next?

[jfrazierjr]

I'm not real sold on the video idea, but that's because as I'm going through a tutorial, I like to stop and try the theory out for myself -- and sometimes I go back and forth within the tutorial, which is a pain when it's in video format. But that's just my two cents!

Hmm.. I think I am quite a bit in the same boat. Would you take a quick look at my post for the GIMP version? In mine, my videos are sound less and only 20-80 seconds in length. I then explain in the post exactly (4-10 bullet points) what I am doing in each step of the video. Do you think this would be a good format for you (and most others) to learn? ie, short, quick, hit and run videos?

I broke mine up for many, many reasons, but one of the primary ones was the total size of the video. I wanted to make sure the video quality we pretty darn high so people could see the details well... of course, this bumps up the total size. So, instead of creating one 1 GB 10 minute video file I opted for hit and run do these 2-3 techniques enough to see a difference in the visible image. Another reason I did short ones was because I tend to hit the wrong thing (wrong menus, etc) and I did not want to waste bandwidth with my mistakes and short videos are easy to rerecord quickly.

I personnaly think that this short video technique has many good benefits to it, and at least for me... is the way I will be going from now on. Of course, I need to find a better place to host them instead of from my dropbox account site.. but thats a different story.

Arcana? Any thoughts on posssibly having moderated access to upload videos or something like that hosted on the main site?

[Badger]

hey jojo... sent you an email detailing account permissions on my website... for hosting your video files... : D no need to worry about where to host them

[StillCypher]

Hmm.. I think I am quite a bit in the same boat. Would you take a quick look at my post for the GIMP version? In mine, my videos are sound less and only 20-80 seconds in length. I then explain in the post exactly (4-10 bullet points) what I am doing in each step of the video. Do you think this would be a good format for you (and most others) to learn? ie, short, quick, hit and run videos?

All right, once again, my two cents -- for whatever it's worth!

I went through your entire tutorial (Hey! It's not done yet! There's a cliffhanger at the end!), and I still think my personal favorite is the text version with screenshots. I'm not saying that the videos would not be helpful -- but not only did these go off of my screen and cut off the view of what was happening, but they were very fast, and I missed what you were doing (not helped by the missing portions, I think!).

I think that in a text-type tutorial, one could assume that the viewer has some basic skills with the graphics program they're using (PS, GIMP, etc.) and some of the screenshot examples could be left out -- things like 'create a new layer and name it 'Water Texture' and other such basic instructions -- thus cutting down on the number of screenshots you'd actually need to use.

Not that I want to make things hard for new users!

For part of your tutorial I went along in Photoshop and found your instructions pretty easy to 'translate' from GIMP. I wonder if it is possible or practical to author some of these tutorials with a partner who uses the other program, making notes of how the procedure would be performed (or if it is not available) in that other program.

For instance:

What if you want to see the image without the layer mask? You can temporarily disable a layer mask if you like. [In Photoshop, Shift-click on the layer mask thumbnail in the Layers Palette. A red X will show on the layer mask thumbnail.]

And here's another totally outrageous idea... There are some tutorials that I like to refer back to frequently. How about providing a downloadable (PDF) version I can keep forever and ever and ever??

I know. I'm making MORE WORK. I'd actually be willing to help out some. I'm a pretty good editor, and although my PS skills are hardly up to professional quality, I'd be happy to try to fill in the PS equivalents to GIMP commands.

(And I'm probably up to about 25¢ now, huh?)

[jfrazierjr]

All right, once again, my two cents -- for whatever it's worth!

I went through your entire tutorial (Hey! It's not done yet! There's a cliffhanger at the end!),

Actually, I hope to get that part done tonight. However, EVEN when I get that cliffhanger part finished, I plan to throw up several more posts/videos adding additional tips and tricks.

and I still think my personal favorite is the text version with screenshots. I'm not saying that the videos would not be helpful -- but not only did these go off of my screen and cut off the view of what was happening, but they were very fast, and I missed what you were doing (not helped by the missing portions, I think!).

Even the later ones? I actually plan to redo the original one and get the physical dimensions down some to avoid the off the screen problem. As for the speed, I tried to go at slightly slower than my normal speed, but no so slow that I wasted a lot of time which would bloat the file sizes of the video (which as stated is why I did very short videos as stated before)

I think that in a text-type tutorial, one could assume that the viewer has some basic skills with the graphics program they're using (PS, GIMP, etc.) and some of the screenshot examples could be left out -- things like 'create a new layer and name it 'Water Texture' and other such basic instructions -- thus cutting down on the number of screenshots you'd actually need to use.

I wanted to make this tutorial accessible to anyone, no matter what their level of experience was, however, it was made for intermediate people in mind. Typed out bullet points are much less time consuming for me than taking screen shots.

And here's another totally outrageous idea... There are some tutorials that I like to refer back to frequently. How about providing a downloadable (PDF) version I can keep forever and ever and ever??

I know. I'm making MORE WORK. I'd actually be willing to help out some. I'm a pretty good editor, and although my PS skills are hardly up to professional quality, I'd be happy to try to fill in the PS equivalents to GIMP commands.

(And I'm probably up to about 25¢ now, huh?)

I would love to do the whole PDF thing, and wanted to... but... I really don't have any way that I know of to do such, at least not that I know of. If someone could point me in the right direction to some free software for layout that would export to PDF, that would be ok. However, it has to be something brain dead simple. While I am a techie and fairly smart, I just don't have the time to learn any new programs right now...

[RobA]

I appreciate the comments, StillCypher.
It takes a lot of effort to make a decent tutorial. If you consider my "arstic regional map tut" I did the technique once. Then I repeated it while jotting down the steps and taking screen grabs. Then a third time through following the directions to see if they make sense. After that I uploaded the tutorial steps. Then I made them into pdf's.

It was so much work it has kept me from making another one. The video tutorials certianly are a lot easier to author.

-Rob A>

[StillCypher]

I can (and do!) appreciate all the work you tutorial-writers go to -- and by that I mean that I can feel for you. It *is* a lot of work.

Joe: I don't know if this is Mac-centric, but when I create a text + data file > print, I can choose the option to save it as a PDF file (with PDF options, too! Most of which I'm afraid I'm ignorant about).

Tutorial Makers: I'm going to guess that the process of copying and pasting your instructions AND inserting the appropriate pictures (screen captures) into the appropriate slots in a post is a pain in the keester. What if you create them as graphic documents? I know a lot of folks over on deviantArt do that. It might require dividing the document into a couple of sections, but then it could be uploaded in one shot and easily saved as a complete document by anyone.

[jfrazierjr]

I can (and do!) appreciate all the work you tutorial-writers go to -- and by that I mean that I can feel for you. It *is* a lot of work.

Joe: I don't know if this is Mac-centric, but when I create a text + data file > print, I can choose the option to save it as a PDF file (with PDF options, too! Most of which I'm afraid I'm ignorant about).

Tutorial Makers: I'm going to guess that the process of copying and pasting your instructions AND inserting the appropriate pictures (screen captures) into the appropriate slots in a post is a pain in the keester. What if you create them as graphic documents? I know a lot of folks over on deviantArt do that. It might require dividing the document into a couple of sections, but then it could be uploaded in one shot and easily saved as a complete document by anyone.

Nope.. Can't do PDF. This is a new machine... so perhaps when I install Open Office on it, there will be some default stuff installed to convert to PDF. Also, I think I can grab frames out of Camstudio, so perhaps I can make screenshots and if so will work on making up a PDF.

[Midgardsormr]

If someone could point me in the right direction to some free software for layout that would export to PDF, that would be ok. However, it has to be something brain dead simple. While I am a techie and fairly smart, I just don't have the time to learn any new programs right now...

The easiest free way to export PDF that I have yet found is to get one of those programs that acts like a printer but "prints" a pdf instead. Pdf995 is the one I've used to print from CorelDRAW. Then use whatever layout tool you like--as long as it can print you can make a simple pdf.

As for video tutorials, I find them somewhat cumbersome. I prefer a text-and-pic approach. However, I'd rather have a video tutorial than no tutorial.

And finally, yes, the PS counterpart to the Gimp tutorial is very helpful. I am not as accomplished with masks as I should be, and I've already learned a bit more about them from this thread. I learned a bit from the Gimp tutorial, but it's difficult to keep on target when you have to keep stopping to poke around the UI looking for equivalent commands.

[Badger]

I'm going to continue the tutorials then ... doing it with text and pictures....

don't forget to rate it or add some rep!!