Friday, April 1, 2011

Free Texture Downloads

There are a number of excellent websites where you can find free texture dowloads for use in your photographs, artwork, designs, for your desktop, etc. The links below will take you to a few of my favorite textures sites.

You can download and use any of these free textures, but please keep in mind that you are NOT allowed to sell, redistribute, or modify these textures to claim them as your own. Doing that would be uncool.

DesignShard Stained Paper Textures

Texture Lovers

Free Stock Textures

Love Textures

Gracey’s Free 3-D Textures

DesignShard Concrete Textures

CGTextures

Texture King

Dreamstime Textures

Link to texture downloads

www.urbandirty.com
Note: Post credit to http://www.urbandirty.com/

Seamless Textures
Note: Cannot be used in scrapbooking.


Mayang's Free Textures
NOTE: Limit of 20 free downloads per day













Saturday, March 5, 2011

Free Brushes Downloads

List of Links to Photoshop Tutorials and Other Info

LINKS     PHOTOSHOP

Sharing my tweets on Photoshop-related links!

Photoshop Quick Special Effects With Filter Forge 2.0 Plugin

Displacement Maps

Top 20 Photoshop Tutorial Sites

Twelve Photoshop Light Effect Tutorials

Color Fragments Effect


The Vanishing Point Filter http://tinyurl.com/pmtwt004

Make a Photo Strip http://tinyurl.com/pmtwt005

Cool Eclipse Effect


Incredible Photos Made Without   

Collection of 50 Free PSD Files  

Creating a Lensbaby Effect with Photoshop  

How to Use the Vanishing Point Tool in Photoshop  

Video:  How to Automate Anything in Photoshop  

Create a simple brush that simulates a real brush  

Creating a Duotone Image  

Peel Back the BW Image to Reveal Color  

Five Crucial Photoshop Tools  

25 Useful Photoshop Keyboard Shortcuts
http://inblogs.org/go/nlqex

Pen Tool:  A Comprehensive Guide  

Video:  Oil Painting Effect in Photoshop CS5 and Pixel Bender: Gavin Hoey http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTVIvzfXyQ0

Master the Pen Tool  

Photorealistic Coloring Techniques  

HDR Done Right  

High Pass Sharpening in  

Make your own Photo Rubik’s Cube  

Create a Water Scene  

Give Your Photos a Vintage Polaroid Effect  

15 Amazing Light Effect Tutorials

50 Stunning Text Effects Tutorials for Photoshop

50 Tutorials for Photoshop Beginners

Star Light Effect   

Create Imitation Canvas Texture  

Create Realistic Tears on Face  

Turn your signature into a custom shape in Photoshop

Create Inscription in Stone Wall  

100 Photo Effects Using  Photoshop

Killer Tips for Photoshop

Place photo inside text by Lesa  

Creating Paths With the Pen Tool Photoshop Independence Day Freebie Wallpaper

The Pen Tool in Photoshop

Create a Calendar Using Photoshop Scripting

Working With Photoshop-compatible Plug-ins


Simple Silhouettes by Gracey

Video:  Make and save a custom Photoshop brush by Susi Lawson

Old Texture Effect

Create a match strike effect in Photoshop

Photography and Photoshop tutorials by Gracey

Try an Aquatopiary, the incredible photo trick that sculpts water into shapes.

Create a Polaroid Effect
[http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/create-a-polaroid-effect-of-your-photo/]

Photoshop Useful Actions for Photo Enhancements

Florabella Textures and Actions!

Photoshop Dichanos

Create an Action in Photoshop CS4

Create a water reflection in Photoshop

Painting Skin in Photoshop

Selecting Hair and Fine Detail in Photoshop

Brushed Silver Text Effect

Illuminate Your Writing with this Photoshop Tutorial
           
Create a water reflection in Photoshop

How to create a Hexagon Bokeh Effect in Photoshop by Fabio

Susi Lawson's hints on subtle glamour retouching on portaits using Photoshop. http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1492932042078

20+ Photoshop Actions for Photoshop by Steven Snell

Design a brochure in Photoshop

Create Motion in Photoshop

Free Photoshop plug-ins from onOne Software. PhotoFrame 4.5.1 Free Edition and PhotoTools 2.5.3

See your Raw images as a thumbnail in in windows.  Download Free RAW Viewer from ArcSoft. 

MCPactions  Free 10×20 “DAD” Template – perfect for Father’s Day Gifts

Created a new Twitter background in Photoshop
http://twitter.com/patmonty

How to Smooth Skin Without Losing Texture in Photoshop

Now able to view my .psd thumbnails in Windows using MysticThumbs

Techniques for Cutting Out Hair in Photoshop

Create a set of scattered Polaroid prints in Photoshop

Use Puppet Warp in Photoshop CS5 to Tweak Your Images
Photoshop Brush Tool:  Basic Guide

Get a tattoo with Photoshop – no needles!

Photoshop or Lightroom:  Which to Choose
http://tinyurl.com/2bqhwf5

Creating Stormy Skies Effect

Creating Photo Art

Create a Worn Photo Look with Water Overlays

How to make transparent glass lettering in photoshop

Make a text snow effect

How to Put Lightning Inside a Bottle

The Mirror Effect in Photoshop

Calendar Templates by Gracey   

2011-01-21  Blending is Fun – Basix

Four Vintage Photo Frames  

Timesaving CS5 Shortcuts ‘n Tips  

Organic Clothing Manipulation  

Tutorial Blogs Worth Reading

Upsizing Photos in  Photoshop

100+ Fresh and Excellent Photoshop Tutorials

Record an action in Photoshop

FREE HDR Plugin  

Create Googly Eyes in Photoshop  

Review of Nik Software’s Silver Efex Pro 2.0

25 cool Light effect tutorials in Photoshop     

HDR – How Many Exposure Do I Need?     
http://scottwyden.com/hdr-photography-tips-how-many-exposures-do-i-need/

Create a Flowerpot in Photoshop

Video: How to Change a Color in 60 Seconds  

Easy Typographic Portrait  

Free PSD Slider  

Paint a Pro Caricature Portrait  

Create a More Dramatic Sky  

Video: A Photoshop Photo Pileup  

49 Creative Photo Effect Tutorials Using Photoshop – GREAT LIST!!

Photoshop’s Pass Thru Mode  

Text in Stitches  

Role of Light & Illumination in Photography  

Water Effect Photo Montage  

Ten Things Your Mother Should Have Told You About Photoshop  

Creative Manipulation Tutorials  

Easy Soft Glow  

Five Crucial Tools for Photoshop Users  

Folding Calendar Template by Gracey

Turn that Man to Stone  

Add Snowfall Effect to Your Photo  

Create a Fog Effect  

Create a Fish Eye Lens Effect  

Create a blue sky with your Infrared Image  

Free Photoshop Button and  Free Font  

The Velvia Effect  

Glowing Text Effect   

Video:  Realistic Reflections Tutorial  


Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Halloween Fright Self Portrait

I created a specialized Halloween self-portrait this year.  With no make-up and an unflattering style for my hair, I asked my hubby to take my photograph.  I almost ran screaming from the computer screen the first time I saw it!  And that was before I used Photoshop to make it look even worse.

Using tools in Photoshop, I pulled the corners of my mouth down and arched my eye brows upward in a menacing way.  I added lots of wrinkles - gasp! - or should I say, added more wrinkles.  I widened my nose.  Then started playing around in Photoshop to add "effects".

Was that tiny gust of wind that went over my arms?  Are there shadows moving over there?  When I saw the final result, I shivered and darted a quick look over my shoulder!

After I printed the image, I gathered the supplies. 

1 framed mirror - (only $1 from the Dollar Tree)
2 sets of Halloween stickers ($1 each on sale at Michael's craft store)
1 can of oven cleaner spray
1 pair of disposable plastic gloves

I took the cardboard backing off the mirror and placed the printed image face down on the back of the mirror.  Then traced with a thin-line sharpie around the photo so that I would know the exact spot to spray the oven cleaner.

I sprayed the oven cleaner on the back of the mirror and used my gloved finger to spread it around, staying within the traced lines. 

Then I went off and did something else and came back about 20 minutes later.  I put my gloves back on and wiped the oven cleaner off.  Well, nothing happened!  It didn't take the silvering off.  Drat!  (That's my favorite four-letter word.) 

Next I used a butter knife to scrape back and forth on the back side of the mirror, but staying within the marked image lines.  I was careful not to scrape too hard and actually make scratches on the glass.  Then I sprayed oven cleaner again.

After 20 more minutes, I put back on the gloves and again wiped the oven cleaner off the back of the mirror.  Waa-laa!  The mirror silvering came away, leaving the knife scraped edges.  I loved the way it looked!

Using blue painter's tape, I taped the photo into the clear opening and then replaced the cardboard backing. Now it was time to embellish the front side of the mirror with the Halloween stickers. 

Portrait complete!  I put it on the table in our foyer and for more Halloween effect, added a bowl of candy and some of my granddaughter's Halloween goodies.

Here's my Halloween Fright portrait!


It's okay.  You can gasp and scream!




Double-click on the images to see a larger view.







Click here to see an even more frightening close-up of the final result.















Please comment below.  I would love to hear from you.  It's alright, I know I look a fright!