All Articles

Creative Illustrator article / tutorial

TomArah — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0600

[inline:rw160transparency.jpg=Version 9 marked a turnaround in Illustrator's creative handling]

Tom Arah shows you how to uncover Adobe Illustrator’s creative depths.

Ten years ago today’s market-defining vector drawing package, Adobe Illustrator, was an underpowered embarrassment. Compared to pioneering rivals such as Xara and Expression (see previous article), Adobe’s flagship just wasn’t able to produce work with the same creative depth...

Texture Applications article

TomArah — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0600

[inline:rw158texturemakerfunctions.jpg=Texture handling is key to successful 3D materials - and to bitmap and vector formatting too]

Tom Arah shows you the best way to bring some texture into your design work.

Long-term readers will know that I am a big fan and keen advocate of the use of seamless bitmap textures. Such textures play an essential role in the production of 3D work, as we saw again last month, but they can also prove just as useful within 2D bitmap and vector environments...

3D Painting tutorial

TomArah — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0600

[inline:rw157piranesiart.jpg=3D painting can combine 3D model and bitmaps in entirely new creative ways]

Tom Arah explores the ways in which 3D modelling and bitmap editing can be creatively fused.

The end quality of 3D output depends largely on the application’s handling of materials and, more often than not, this involves mapping imported bitmaps to your objects’ surfaces...

Silverlight versus Flash

TomArah — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 00:00:00 -0600

[inline:rw155topbanana.jpg=Silverlight will enable advanced design, media handling and .NET control]

Tom Arah gets to grips with Microsoft’s new Expression Studio and Silverlight platforms and wonders how they will fare against Adobe’s Flash.

Recently I looked at how Adobe is reworking Flash in preparation for the coming battle with Microsoft over the Rich Internet Application (RIA) space and, with it, the likely future of computer-based design...

Adobe's Plans For Flash

TomArah — Sat, 28 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0600

[inline:rw154flashcs3design.jpg=For the first time, the latest Flash fails to significantly extend its design capabilities - but Adobe has other plans...]

Tom Arah examines what the recent Flash-based developments mean for the future.

Amazingly, the Flash SWF format’s rise to dominance began with its ability to embed simple, cartoon-style vector animations into HTML web pages to give them a bit of a lift...

Adobe Moves Into 3D

TomArah — Sun, 01 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0600

[inline:rw153acrobat3d.jpg=Acrobat is quietly developing a 3D foothold]

Tom Arah explores the 3D handling in Adobe’s recent CS3 releases and wonders if it is a sign of things to come.

With its current blitz of CS3 software launches, it might seem that Adobe has the entire creative arena well covered. However there’s one surprising omission from the list – 3D.

Illustrator and Photoshop

TomArah — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 00:00:00 -0700

[inline:rw152combined.jpg=With modern features such as Smart Objects the distinction between vector and bitmap handling is becoming increasingly blurred]

Tom Arah explores the vector and bitmap capabilities in Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop and how to make the most of them.

Photoshop and Illustrator are the twin graphical pillars of Adobe’s Creative Suite. As standalones they each offer their own unique mix of state-of-the-art vector and bitmap-based handling but, for maximum creative power, their respective strengths can also be pooled.

The PD Apps (Project Dogwaffle)

TomArah — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 00:00:00 -0700

[inline:rw151pdpropower.jpg=Project DOgwaffle has turned into a range of PD apps]

Don’t be put off by the name (Project Dogwaffle), Tom Arah discovers some extraordinary painting power in the unlikeliest of places

After working in the digital design industry for almost 20 years and reviewing over 250 applications I like to think that I know the graphics software that is out there. Recently however...

Cinema 4D Modules

TomArah — Wed, 03 Jan 2007 00:00:00 -0700

[inline:rw150c4dsketchandtoon.jpg=Add-on modules add greatly to Cinema 4D's core strengths]

Tom Arah pushes the boundaries of 3D with CINEMA 4D and its comprehensive range of add-on modules.

About two and a half years ago I looked at the range of software available for 2D designers wanting to make the move into 3D and concluded that much the best option was MAXON’s CINEMA 4D...

Photoshop Filter Roundup

TomArah — Sun, 26 Nov 2006 00:00:00 -0700

[inline:rw149exposure.jpg=Photoshop add-ons are essential for helpign work stand out from the crowd]

Tom Arah looks at some recently released creative add-ons from Alien Skin and Twisting Pixels that could help make your work stand out

With all creative professionals using Adobe Photoshop it’s difficult to make your work stand out. The solution is to extend your creative arsenal by choosing from the wide selection of Photoshop plug-ins.