Vector Workshop 2023

[Bobby Yeater]

Well, I must say, there are a bunch of talented people in this class. To everyone, I enjoy looking at what you create!

Lessons I have learned so far:

1. Go at your own speed - mine is slow.

2. The only way to get better is to practice - practice - practice ( I wish I had more time).

My wish is that one day I can be as good as y'all.

Here is my Lesson 3 result...a fantasy leaf with LSU colors.

Geaux Tigers 

[James Brady]

These lessons are great, but they sure take a lot of patience.

[rjay segura]

Fun to do

[Dorothy Donn]

I just signed up. I hope it's not too late to join in the great little nodes hunt.

[Jackie Savukinas]

Hi, if you click on a node and then right click and all the choices for node type are greyed out, does that mean you really haven't clicked on the node?  Is there any way to tell that you are clicking on a node or somewhere else?  Also, often times when I am trying to click on a node I get the white circle with line through it.  I know how to rectify that as you told me this morning to just go into the layer palette and click on the ellipse again, but do you know what I keep doing wrong?  From watching your video repeatedly, you are able to manipulate the arms so easily.  

It took all day but I got an arrow and a heart.  

[Art Kuiper]

After trying three leaves I now have the node thing figured out. I also found that lengthening and shortening the node handles gave me more control over the line shape. Who dreams up all this stuff to add to photo software. I'm not complaining but there sure is a lot to learn in PSP. 

[Cassel]

4 minutes ago, Jackie Savukinas said:

Hi, if you click on a node and then right click and all the choices for node type are greyed out, does that mean you really haven't clicked on the node?  Is there any way to tell that you are clicking on a node or somewhere else?  Also, often times when I am trying to click on a node I get the white circle with line through it.  I know how to rectify that as you told me this morning to just go into the layer palette and click on the ellipse again, but do you know what I keep doing wrong?  From watching your video repeatedly, you are able to manipulate the arms so easily. 

If you get all the options greyed out, it could be because you didn't click directly on the node. I don't know if you are using a larger node size, but one thing I found is that although the nodes are larger, you still have to "select" them right in the middle, as if you had only a small node.

And if you accidentally click too far from those control arms, it might deselect the object in the layers palette and then, nothing is left selected, which explains that red icon. It is mostly a matter of practice.

[Corrie Kinkel]

2 hours ago, Susan Ewart said:

THANK YOU! This is so helpful.  It's the little details that mess me up, that I'm doing wrong and i know I'm doing them wrong but dont know what is wrong.  I'm so glad I'm in the class when it's a workshop so I have the benefit of everyone's mistakes and questions.  Thank you again, Carole. 

I wholeheartedly agree! For this workshop I print the guidebooks so I have them next to my pc and I write these very useful tips down and have them ready to refer to when needed.

[Leslie Gifford Cook]

Here is my Day 3 leaf - I think it is an Ash Leaf.

[Corrie Kinkel]

Here are the leaves I made and exported as shapes.  I'm more familiar with those nodes now and have made some notes from Carole's comments. It is getting easier and I didn't have to start all over this day, but I have to take it more slowly because it is very strenuous on my hands. So nothing fancy, only the shapes I did. I want to be able to follow along the coming days, so the other shapes will have to wait.

[Marvin Fojtasek]

Here is my attempt at creating a leaf shape for Lesson 3. I try to use a graphic tablet, but it isn't easy for me. As previously stated in this forum, I just need to keep practicing.

[Jackie Savukinas]

1 hour ago, Cassel said:

If you get all the options greyed out, it could be because you didn't click directly on the node. I don't know if you are using a larger node size, but one thing I found is that although the nodes are larger, you still have to "select" them right in the middle, as if you had only a small node.

And if you accidentally click too far from those control arms, it might deselect the object in the layers palette and then, nothing is left selected, which explains that red icon. It is mostly a matter of practice.

Thank you--I think I'm catching on.  I did actually decrease the node size because if you don't hit the exact spot, it's not going to work anyway so I may as well narrow the target.  I so appreciate your advice!!

[Donna Sillia]

I spent most of the day trying to put lines on my leaves. I finally gave up, although I copied the spine of one my leaf pictures and pasted it on my leaf. It was very straight so I used the Warp noise brush, blend mode, and some gaussian blur. I darkened the middle and used a cloud texture under Effects - Texture. The green is a gradient.

I just noticed a little tag left over from a misplaced node and just erased it.

 

Edited July 19, 2023 by Donna Sillia

[Alice Daniel]

Crazy busy here so just finished lesson one. I will upload my crazy heart and arrow. I am finding it very difficult to get a hold of a node in order to move the contour of the line. I right click edit mode once I have activated the pen tool but can't consistently adjust the line at the node the way I want. Sometimes it just moves the whole image and sometimes it looks like it is trying to draw a box ....

Edited July 19, 2023 by Alice Daniel

[Mary Solaas]

I'm still working on Lesson 1.  Made a curved arrow.  Not saving it as a brush or shape.  Did export the new heart.

[sharon thompson]

Lesson 2 assignment completed but not without issues as detailed to Carole already. BUT - I won't be able to do lesson 3 & maybe not 4 for a bit. my email locked me out saying that I was entering "invalid credentials". After a half hour waiting on the service line at Bell, I was told that they are flooded with similar calls from customers who can't access their email. Even their technical chat line is affected. Their only advice is to try again tomorrow several times as they have no time line on solving the problem as they don't know what is causing it yet. My cyberlife is becoming a black hole of technical errors. Time to bake brownies I think. I will resurface when my email is back & I can get the lessons. Sharon

 

 

[Suzy]

4 hours ago, Corrie Kinkel said:

I wholeheartedly agree! For this workshop I print the guidebooks so I have them next to my pc and I write these very useful tips down and have them ready to refer to when needed.

Corrie, I wish I had done this on Day One! (Even though I already have stacks a foot high on my desk). This is one workshop where I will eventually need to know everything that’s being taught, and there have been a lot of helpful things in this thread, too. Durn it! Do I go back, or do I shrug it off?

[Jackie Savukinas]

My biggest problem was seeing the lines to move the nodes after you selected the node type.  One thing that helped me in the leaf project was to set the leaf vector to invisible while I was trying to get on the line to move the curve of the node.  It was a lot easier to see it when visibility was turned off.

 

[Jackie Savukinas]

3 minutes ago, Suzy said:

Corrie, I wish I had done this on Day One! (Even though I already have stacks a foot high on my desk). This is one workshop where I will eventually need to know everything that’s being taught, and there have been a lot of helpful things in this thread, too. Durn it! Do I go back, or do I shrug it off?

Hi, where are the guidebooks?  thanks

[Suzy]

3 hours ago, Marvin Fojtasek said:

Here is my attempt at creating a leaf shape for Lesson 3. I try to use a graphic tablet, but it isn't easy for me. As previously stated in this forum, I just need to keep practicing.

 

@Marvin Fojtasek your leaf is very, very smooth. I think that qualifies as exceptional because I think it’s hard to do. 

[Linda J Walker]

10 hours ago, Bonnie Ballentine said:

Day 2

Project 2

I also deleted a lot and started over a lot. It's a lot to remember!

I am glad to hear I am not the only one who 'deletes and starts over'.....sometimes several times.....

[Suzy]

Just now, Jackie Savukinas said:

Hi, where are the guidebooks?  thanks

Jackie, Corrie is a Diamond member and we get guidebooks. You have to make your own with screen shots, but it can be done, and easily, too.

You simply take screen shots of Cassel’s screen as she’s showing you the tool settings in the beginning, by using “print screen”. You can trim it up in PSP, and then use MSWord or your word processor to make the guidebook. Words will be the “meat” of what she’s showing, and you type them in.  When she shows something, or zooms in, you take another screen shot and paste it on a new layer in .psp.  You might have 12 of them at the end of one lesson. Trim them so just the video is showing and paste in the right order into MSWord. 

I’ve done this plenty of times and  it’s easy to do, but now that I’m old and my kids are grown up, I have more money and also bought the Diamond membership. The good part of using MS Word is that you can add all the conversation here — whatever seems helpful - cut n paste. On Cassel’s guidebooks, they’re .pdf and you have to print it and then use a pencil or pen and do any comments by hand. 

[Linda J Walker]

Day 3/Lesson 3 - I watched the video this morning. I felt a bit intimidated....but I had an appointment and errands to do, so I could procrastinate ?  But this evening it seemed less intimidating, or easier. It was not as difficult as I expected it to be. And I tried to pick the easiest leaf ?.  Gaining a bit of confidence, I think.

 

[Anita Wyatt]

Sorry I am running behind. I am having a difficult time with lesson 2. I spent the last 5 hours on it and I am tired. I will try again tomorrow. I get the rectangle and the rounded corners OK, but I am having trouble with extending the extra nodes once I added them.  Also, when I keep opening a new image after not being able to continue with what I have, I keep getting a rounded rectangle now when I want to draw a regular rectangle preset. So I shut my computer down and open  it again and that sometimes works. I follow all the steps from the video. I will read the PDF Guide tomorrow after I get home from work.  I also have trouble sometimes when clicking on the Edit option after activating the pen tool. Sometimes it does not give me the option to convert to path even though I have both layers selected. Thanks for any advice.

[Cassel]

@Susan Ewart The lessons are not meant to be complicated, so even if you just work on simple shape, it is the process you get to practice. Complicated designs will only come later (after the workshop), so continue to do "simple" assignments and it is perfectly ok. Great result on your leaf! You are getting there.

@Royanne Hewko Great to see your results. Simple is still better than complicated and not finished! Isn't it fun to customize the shape once it is drawn?

@James Brady That is kind of funny to see those line styles, but since you can always change them, it can become your signature design!

@Cristina Yes, it is your mention of the French version that reminded me of the script. You did great with your maple leaf.

@Jannette Nieuwboer Great start for this lesson 1.

@Harmony BirchGood to see you join! You seemed to have had fun with that first lesson! Those wooden shapes look like trays with that bevel. Great work also on the leaves! You didn't pick the easiest one either!

@Jnet Allard No problem in starting just today. And yes, it is quite a busy thread. I guess it means that a lot of people feel the need to learn more about vectors.

@Anne Burgess Glad to see you post your projects. That is a great start. Don't make anything complicated; concentrate on practicing on simple assignments.

@MicheleIt is a good thing that those nodes are not heavy or everyone would die of exhaustion! Practicing seems to work for you, seeing all the shapes you made.

@Theresa Di Cesare That is a great leaf. Once you remove the black and keep only the vector shape, nobody would know how some tiny sections were different. In fact, you can take liberties if you want! I am glad you are enjoying it and learning at the same time. That is the whole goal.

@Bonnie Ballentine Are we going to see those shapes in future projects? No rush for this week, but since you are saving them, you will be able to use them later.

@Jackie SavukinasMost of the issues people have in this workshop come from either a little detail that is skipped or steps in the wrong order. Only a handful MIGHT be experiencing a bug but that is not widespread. Keep asking questions as needed. We are all here to help you succeed too. And yes, a large node might be easier to SEE, but won't help with clicking because you still have to be in the very center of it.

@Anja PelzerThose are really cool shapes you created! That is a lot of practice!

@fiona cook Even if your shape is not "perfect", remember that when you use it, you can always tweak it. For example, you can start with the exact same leaf 10 times, but tweak them a little and you would end up with 10 different leaves!

@Sheila Hogg Great leaves! You are probably one of the rare participants who LOVE vectors! Most people tend to be very intimidated. Hopefully, everyone will become a little more comfortable.

@Cindy LawrenceThose are really fun shapes. I can definitely see them used in cards!

@Jannette Nieuwboer You will see the Text on path coming in a future lesson!

@Bobby Yeater You are right: practice, practice, practice. That is the whole point of this particular workshop. You are doing great so far!

@James Brady Yes, working with vectors can be tedious when you consider all those nodes, one by one! Even if it seems "easy" for me, it is still very tedious if I need to create new shapes, like some freebies on the blog.

@rjay segura Glad to see those results. That maple leaf looks great.

@Art Kuiper Yes, the length of the control arms will have an impact on the curve of the path. So many details can be used to create a custom design.

@Leslie Gifford Cook I have to admit that other than the maple leaf, I am totally ignorant of the type of leaves the other designs are.

@Corrie Kinkel I am glad to hear that things are getting a little easier now.

@Marvin Fojtasek What seems to be harder using the tablet? That is what I use all the time (including in the video although you can't tell the difference)

@Donna Sillia Although it is ok to want to add those lines on the leaves, don't sweat too much on that. I would consider that extra work. Don't make it frustrating though!

@Alice DanielWhen clicking on a node to edit it, we tend to be a little too quick. Take your time. Once you click on a node and it is ready to be moved, it will be black (instead of white). Once you practice enough, the nodes will realize who is the boss! ?

@Mary Solaas Just as an additional mention, the curved arrow was actually a tutorial in TheLab 11-08

@SuzyJust a note on the guidebooks: you can always create an add-on in Word for the additional tips you gather everywhere. 

@Linda J Walker I am glad that you are feeling a bit more confident. That is what I hope for everyone.

@Anita WyattThe rounded corners are due to the Radius setting not being set to 0. It seems to be a default setting that I didn't think of mentioning because I have already set mine to 0 as I rarely want a rounded corner. If you are not able to convert to path is it because you already did it? 

 

To answer everyone's question about the written instructions, they are perks available to our DIAMOND members only.

Now take a deep breath because lesson 4 will be a little more advanced, but keep taking things one step at a time. You made it this far, and now, those nodes know you mean business! Keep it up!