playing with the playwright

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I love to play digitally.  I find it keeps my acquired skills sharp.  I can honestly say I learn something every time I open a document and start messing with layers.  It's not unlike the lessons learned on my journal pages.  You hold an element over the surface, squint a little, then move it around with indecision until it feels like the right spot.  Commit and move on.  Each choice you make informs the next step to take because you see what's missing or what needs to be taken away. Working out composition – whether on the screen or on the page, is the kind of problem solving I love. 

Yesterday I cut a stencil of Shakespeare.  Haven't used it yet but loved playing with design in photoshop.

MWShakespeareDIGITAL

Then I shifted the color balance, and got this…looks like money doesn't it?

 

MWShakespeareDIGITALvariation

And here's a lesson:

 

MWPStoot2

More Shakespeare tomorrow.

Comments

13 responses to “playing with the playwright”

  1. Giddy Avatar
    Giddy

    Uh, I am liking it so much that I hope you are working on a new release of stamps…just a hint! PS I will print out an occasional free digital download, but I never work in digital, always physical.

  2. Lisa Hoffman Avatar

    consider my mind BLOWN.
    we sit at the foot of the Master (yeah, I’m tawkin’ ta YOU).

  3. Danee Kaplan Avatar

    I am trying to get photoshop. I am so smart but my brain goes numb when I start to read instructions for blogs or photoshop. So I take classes- but haven’t committed to a downright “how to photoshop” class. I need to. I play around and did my blog header but it isn’t what I could do on paper. Thanks for showing us your thought process. I need more layers and that is where I go wrong. Oh and I don’t get drop shadows yet but I shall work on that.

  4. Sarah Avatar

    oooh it DOES look like money!
    I think I will start a campaign to elect you as the new designer of British currency , that would look fabulous on a 20 pound note 🙂

  5. Latebloomerbuds.wordpress.com Avatar

    Way cool! Love it.
    I have never played around with Photoshop. You make me want to though.
    Margie

  6. Carrie Avatar

    Awesome! I still haven’t gotten into Photoshop, but I love what you did with it. Old Bill SHOULD be on money, if he isn’t already.

  7. Anna C. Bowling Avatar

    Absolutely stunning. I am going to have to try playing with this minitutorial after I get my :cough: responsible adult work done for the day.

  8. teri Avatar

    Thanks for doing the Photoshop ideas. I needed a different way to use the brushes I have. I love the idea of erasing with it — like a bleach stamp on paper. Going to go through some of my images tonight and see what I can drum up. Fun!!

  9. Folk Heart Avatar
    Folk Heart

    What a great thing to share. Thank you so much for being succint, fundamental and demonstrative. This is such a help!!

  10. Brian Kasstle Avatar

    Michelle, thank you! I have wondered how your get your wonderful awesome layers! I love these!!!!

  11. Sandi Terry Avatar
    Sandi Terry

    I’m loving Will, what an awesome stencil he’ll be! Great mini tut too. It’s so much fun playing with Photoshop and having almost anything you want right at your fingertips!!

  12. Lisabarrie Avatar

    Psdtuts has some great free tutorials for anyone looking to play around . I love what you did here Michelle, I’ve been a paper scrapper for 12 years but I am using digital more and more I love creating my own background papers and custom brushes I never thought I would find it so creative…but it truly is!!

  13. Chris Avatar

    wow.
    I finally learned a bit of photoshop. It is beyond amazing. I can almost understand every step you mention, here, and it looks so fabulous. THINK of what Warhol might have done? And I never think of warhol, so I have no idea what this means.
    Oh, does everything have to MEAN something? sheesh!
    (frankly, yes)

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