Key Design Principles and How to Implement Them! In November, I shared some of my design knowledge at the WordPress Southwest Florida MeetUp. Below are my slides and the key topics from the evening's presentation. Overview Web design is the visual styling and layout of a website. It requires a good understanding of color, type, alignment, and harmony. With pleasing aesthetics, organized navigation, and sensible UX, visitors are … [Read More...] about Introduction to Web Design
Why Does It Take So Long to Finish a Painting?
People ask me all the time, "How long does it take you to do a painting?" It depends. I rarely finish a painting the same day I start it. Usually, it takes 2-3 sittings before I experience that definitive moment of "it's done." Each sitting is approximately 3 hours. If the painting is small, I may be able to finish within 2 hours. Larger paintings take me longer. But, size isn't the only factor. I'm thinking about all of this right now, because I finished a painting this summer that I started … [Read more...] about Why Does It Take So Long to Finish a Painting?
WordPress.org vs. WordPress.com: Compare and Choose
What the heck is WordPress? WordPress is one of the most popular web applications for content management and blogging available today. There's a lot of hype about WordPress and it's well-deserved. Started in 2003 Began as a blogging platform Has evolved into a full-fledged Content Management System (CMS) Currently the most prominent CMS in the world 74.6 million sites depend on WordPress 50% of these 74.6 million sites on WordPress.com 18% of self-hosted sites use … [Read more...] about WordPress.org vs. WordPress.com: Compare and Choose
How to Scan within Photoshop
I initially wrote this post in July 2010. I've added updated information to it a couple of times, the most recent one about Photoshop CC and OSX 10.10.5 Yosemite. I've always preferred doing my scanning from within Photoshop, since it offers a fuller range of control than most scanner software. It obviously interprets the RGB data extremely well. After turning on the scanner, launch Photoshop and scroll down the FILE menu to IMPORT, where you will see either the TWAIN option or the actual name … [Read more...] about How to Scan within Photoshop
Adding Images to a WordPress Sidebar
As a follow-up to my previous blog post (Adding Images to WordPress Pages and Posts), I have created a video tutorial to walk you through the process of adding images to a WordPress sidebar: VIEW VIDEO! TUTORIAL SUMMARY There are a few ways to add images to a WordPress sidebar: do it manually, use the image widget, or use a plug-in. The manual method takes longer, but once you know the steps you should be all set. If you are uncomfortable with HTML code, go with one of the many plug-ins that … [Read more...] about Adding Images to a WordPress Sidebar
Adding Images to WordPress Pages and Posts
I have created a video tutorial to walk you through the process for adding images in WordPress: VIEW VIDEO! TUTORIAL SUMMARY Adding images in WordPress is very simple. You can add them directly to pages and posts (and there are a couple of ways to do this), or you can first upload them to the Media Library and then insert them into a page or post. Upload to Media Library Hover over the MEDIA navigation link in the left sidebar and you'll see 2 options: Media Library and Add New. … [Read more...] about Adding Images to WordPress Pages and Posts
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