All websites have a front end and a back end. The front end is what is viewed by visitors, where we see the results of what happens on the back end. The back end is hidden from visitors, and only viewable to those who can either log into the site (as in … [Read More...] about Logging into WordPress and Viewing the Back End
New Cards and Prints with Quotes
Last year, Peggy wrote the book Lose Your Mind, Open Your Heart, and I painted the art for it (and designed it). We've teamed up again to create new notecards and prints, pairing 3 of my favorite paintings with quotes from her book. Her loving words are uplifting and thought-provoking. The cards and prints could be framed, they are so beautiful! Get some for yourself or as a gift! ORDER at my Fine Art America Shop! Related Posts T-shirt Art and Design for Thoreau Society Self-Publishing … [Read more...] about New Cards and Prints with Quotes
Louise: Boston 1944 (In Memory of My Mother)
A couple of years ago, I assisted Linda Novick when she taught a program at Kripalu called Unmasking Your Soul. The mixed media piece I created in memory of my mother, shown on the left, was done at the end of that program. I had brought xeroxes of several family pictures with me in hopes that I would use them in some artwork. This particular photograph of my mother is one of my favorites. She's a young woman, recently graduated from high school, and probably working at her first job. That … [Read more...] about Louise: Boston 1944 (In Memory of My Mother)
How to Create a Watermark in Photoshop
I use Photoshop to create watermarks as a way to protect my online art. A watermark is a subtle graphic or text identifier: logo, copyright information, pattern, etc. It helps deter web viewers from downloading that image and using it without your permission. Steps for Embedding Text Select the Horizontal Type Tool Click anywhere on the image. This will automatically create a new layer on top of the existing image layer. Type the text you want. In my case, I type my copyright … [Read more...] about How to Create a Watermark in Photoshop
Top 10 Typography Books
I compiled this list of my favorite books about typography, from the perspective of one who teaches the subject. I first wrote it in the summer of 2009 when I was preparing to teach a Typography 2 class, updating my bibliography list, and thinking about which books are must-haves and/or classics. Now I'm updating it again after revisiting some material. I suspect I'll continue to update it every few years... :-) The Elements of Typographic Style, by Robert Bringhurst This is a comprehensive … [Read more...] about Top 10 Typography Books
How to Create a Navigation Menu in WordPress
I have created a video tutorial to walk you through the 3 simple steps for creating a navigation menu in WordPress: Add New Page Create New Menu Add the new pages to the menu VIEW VIDEO! Here is a summary of the tutorial: STEP 1 - Add New Page A navigation menu is usually composed with the pages of a website, but it can also include blog posts, links (internal and external), and categories. You will see all of these options in the Menus area. But first, let's create a new … [Read more...] about How to Create a Navigation Menu in WordPress
Best Alternatives to Photoshop
I recently had the pleasure of presenting a hands-on workshop to a friendly group of artists at the South Shore Art Center (SSAC) in Cohasset. We covered a lot of technical territory concerning the types of images you use for web and print and the software tools available on computers and iPads. The gold standard tool is still Photoshop, which is part of the Adobe Creative Cloud subscription plan. That's a pricey option because it includes all of the Adobe products. If you don't need or want … [Read more...] about Best Alternatives to Photoshop
Anti-Bullying Project 2015
I usually change the projects in classes that I routinely teach each year, but sometimes an assignment yields substantial educational rewards to warrant repeating. Last year's anti-bullying campaign was important, relevant, and challenging, so we started off this year's fall semester again with it. All of the original parameters and requirements remained the same. The Newton Public Schools has a full anti-bullying curriculum in place that was designed by a local firm. We imagined ourselves as … [Read more...] about Anti-Bullying Project 2015
Embracing Technology in the Classroom
During a recent professional development workshop at Lasell College (where I teach), we had an interesting discussion about the use of technology in the classroom. When this topic arises among teachers, the tendency is to berate students who use their cellphones during class. And so it began during this discussion. Quickly, though, I learned how many of my colleagues don't use or even allow any technology at all. This surprised me. Technology is a broad term and it means different things to … [Read more...] about Embracing Technology in the Classroom
How to Create and Edit WordPress Galleries
Create Gallery One pretty slick feature of WordPress is the ability to create a gallery of images for any page or post. All it takes is a few basic steps. Create a new page or post ("ADD NEW"). Click the "ADD MEDIA" button (above the default editor menu options). Click "CREATE GALLERY" (in the left sidebar). You are now given two options: (a) Select images in your media library (you've already uploaded these). OR (b) Upload new images. Check to make sure that the newly uploaded … [Read more...] about How to Create and Edit WordPress Galleries
How to Prepare Images for the Web
One of the most common problems I see on websites is the use of images that are not optimized. Two telltale signs are (1) images that are too large and require the user to scroll and (2) resolution is too high and the images load slowly. Optimizing means: resizing the physical dimensions to fit the maximum width for the content area on your website; reducing the resolution to 72 ppi; compressing the image by saving it as a JPG, PNG, or GIF. Your website will load faster with optimized … [Read more...] about How to Prepare Images for the Web
Surrounded by Art in Asheville
My partner and I just returned from a week's vacation in Asheville, North Carolina. This small city has long intrigued us, because of its art community and its location on a plateau in the Blue Ridge Mountains. We love to hike and we love art. So, we spent most of our days hiking, and the rest of the time looking at art and eating excellent vegetarian food! Part of the larger Appalachian Mountains that stretch all the way from Canada to Florida, the Blue Ridge range has some of the oldest … [Read more...] about Surrounded by Art in Asheville
Filling the Blank Canvas
Last week, I sat down in my backyard to begin my first painting of the season. While I experience some level of anxiety when starting a painting, it's mild compared to what I feel when starting a design project. With art, I'm not trying to solve any communication problem; I'm simply expressing a sentiment or emotion or vision. Excitement tempers most of the unease. I think this year's harsh winter enhanced my joy about finally getting outside to paint again. I usually have more than enough ideas … [Read more...] about Filling the Blank Canvas
The Blank Page
The blank page stares at me when I begin a new design project. I always experience some level of anxiety with this challenge of transforming emptiness into an attractive piece that communicates a clear message. You can't just put ANYTHING into the empty space. The design has to have a concept, an idea, a plan. When I was first in school learning graphic design, I wanted to hurry through the planning stage and get to the implementation phase as soon as I could. Why? Because I was comfortable … [Read more...] about The Blank Page
How to Export InDesign File to PDF
PDFs are created from InDesign files using the Export function in InDesign. There's no way to do a "SAVE AS" like you can in Illustrator and Photoshop. Watch this video tutorial to see the key steps in creating a print-ready PDF from an InDesign file. https://youtu.be/jsuoZfu_ybs … [Read more...] about How to Export InDesign File to PDF