fiona cook

I have now used the extra template and some supplies that Carole gave us to practice the technique. It did help to question with each move what I was actually trying to achieve with each layer. Thank you Harmony for your help there. For this template I found it easier to rename the Stroke layers (1-5) to differentiate them. The main image I created from a picture tube I created of hearts and placed it on my photo of an old painted wall. The wall image fell short of the Mask window so I duplicated the wall image to fit, and used the Smudge brush to blend the join. Then Merged down to one layer.

Thanks Harmony. This helps me as well from Julian's original question and it may explain what I got wrong with one of my layers with my tree project. I was using the wrong layer perhaps.

Corrie, I have note taken on paper like you which I find easier for me to digest. Susan, your idea of screen shots of the steps I will take up. I had made a mistake on the last photo for this lesson and still don't know what I did wrong (See snip of my layers) I rectified by deleting the offending layers and replacing by dragging across from the original template and redoing just that last photo. My theme is back to my local tree project and because the main tree image was not wide enough for the mask , it caused a sharp edge where it fell short. I used a black brush stroke inside the white area of the mask using a splodgy brush tip (a-dozi's background-08 003) to blend the edge in. The 2 background layers were blended with Multiply having used Adjust\Colour\Colour Mixer to change a red to blue. The main title font is Mama which Carole gave us the link to download

Beautiful photos

Hi Ann, I get the concept but when it comes to where to put the layers, floating layers and inverting I have not remembered it well. Doing the course again will be good for me.

Well I hadn't realised how varied his artistic talents were but what a sad shame for the other. Perhaps it's appropriate for that typography joke (shown in the book Just My Type as mentioned) :- Comic Sans walks into a bar and the bartender says, "we don't serve your type"

Thank you. Yes it is surprising that there was not much of a change between some of the months. (I didn't cheat! Went up there dutifully every month). I think we had enough wet and sunny weather last year for the trees to like it. Also in south of England not too much cold compared to other years. I will work on other designs when I get inspired and can always use the images for the community magazine. They are always asking for local photographs.

I am in too but was thinking I would be the only one who has completed the course before to be repeating the exercise. I am so relieved. Like Monique says 'repeating is a good thing' For me it's a subject that is a little difficult to feel at home with as I find it difficult thinking in reverse as it were. When I have been successful the result is so satisfying and I also think that the MasterClass is one of my favourites. Thank you for putting it on again Carole.

I have a book somewhere Just My Type described as "not just a font book, but a book of stories. About how Helvetica and Comic Sans took over the world" It's surprisingly interesting. I must find it to see about Gill Sans. When I left work I bought each of the designers in the studio the book and selected a typeface that matched their character.

I am just getting done in time for the end of January for my first attempt at my Hook trees project. I saw people using the 2023 review template so thought I would give it a go for the trees although I will still work on some other designs in due course. This one shows my photos with their respective dates and the central photo shows the tree in situ in the field. Adjustments to the template included: - resetting the dates as the white text on the raster text layer supplied did not show up on my chosen background. - changing the grey squares to an oak leaf design paper from Digital Scrapbook.com. In order to select a different part of the pattern for each mat for the sake of interest, my process was to save the oak leaf paper as a layer. Then for each grey Mat in turn made a selection and then on the oak leaf paper layer promoted the selection to a layer and positioned it above the Mat layer. - adding a fine outline to the main letter characters as some of the photos did not contrast well with the background. As each character was a raster layer my process was to duplicate the character layer and move it above its group. Then use the Magic Wand on the new outline layer. Selection/Modify/Contract by 3 pixels and then delete and de-select.

That ice cube tip is the second time I have heard it today so I must try it. I only use rain water as we have chemicals in our water that they (and the cats) don't like. A beautiful flower.

Quite a funky idea Susan and I like the way the font changes to suit the china design

I am sure I have been like that in the past but with this project I had two aims so one prompted the other: regular weekly exercise (training for that sponsored walk) and the photography project. So now, I mustn't give up on the exercise (might sign up for another walk) and need to fulfil the creative project.

I hadn't thought of a double page but that would be easier to fit the 12 photos in to see the detail of the changes that the seasons bring about. I'll add that idea to my cogitating. Thank you Carole.

I have not followed what's going on for a few weeks so a bit late into the challenge, sorry but it is the perfect subject for a personal project I started last year that I have not finished the final layout for. I dutifully walked to the same oak tree on the outskirts of our village, once a month for all of 2023, getting the exercise and always having in my mind the creative challenge of how to present the collection of photos at the end. So my project is not quite p52 but very similar. I am still cogitating how to display all twelve of the photos into one photo montage and have made a layout to start with. The scripts that some of you are using on your designs are giving me ideas but here is where I am at so far...

Thank you Corrie. Your card is so elegant.

No pictures of Santa but just wanted to thank you Carole for your Christmas Countdown and I am still laughing at the actors doing the twelve days of Christmas. Brilliant.

I think I took the photo in Devon and retouched him a bit so yes, English. Very traditional on British Christmas cards but I was told (and hope the superstition is not believed anymore) that you shouldn't give a card to an older person as it signifies someone departing. I prefer to think 'when robins appear, loved ones are near' so you can take it either way, on earth or in heaven. Thank you Susan for your kind words re my photo book of my mother in law on the other forum.

And a happy Christmas to you all and looking forward to the new year. Thank you Carole and to all the inspirational work and comments. Here's one of my photos slightly festively adorned with freebies. Happy new year.

A lovely present Carole and I like the consistency in the style of the photos. I have made a photobook as a present this Christmas for my husband and his brothers of memories of their late mother. We have so many photos of her so it is nice to have one record of the best of them. The skills I have been learning at the Campus, for which I am grateful, have been put into practice. I just hope the photobook doesn't upset them at Christmas time.

Reading the blog 'how to create a festive snowglobe' gave me the idea for a birthday card (could double up as Christmas card) for a friend of mine who likes gonks. I made the gonk pictured by needlefelting, photographed him, cut him out with Smart Selection brush and the edit mode, adjusted his colour a bit and used him as the element for the snowglobe. A suggestion at the end of the instructions was to darken the edges. I used the Lighten and Darken tool but couldn't think how else to do that.

Your suggestions are so inspiring. I tried out the transparent frames and added a bit of colour too on one of my Turkish photos. I used the selection tool method.

Must give this technique a try. The technical explanations are very useful, particularly yours Sue on Adjustment Layers. The effect enhances the images really well. Thank you Mary.