Just in time for Summer vacation, a bit of knowledge can go a long way in making your photos shine.

Here’s one of the best Adobe Photoshop tutorials I’ve run across. Yes, some things are over simplified, but for the average user: this will really help.

Even if you don’t own Photoshop, the concepts presented will pretty much carry over to any decent image editing program.

Some Photoshop alternatives can be found here. A Macintosh specific list can be found here.

Enjoy!

The good news is that we’ve found a sheet that is 100% recycled, and is produced using only earth-friendly, sustainable practices. We’re only able to obtain it in large sheets, so it needs to be cut to size before use in most cases. That’s just what we do. We’re making the sheet is available to you in most printed products, as well as unprinted for general office use. Drop us a note for a sample.

Now, what you’ve been waiting for: In this short feature film, you can see a Copies&Ink employee (who shall remain unnamed) converting large sheets of Conservation® text into practical, usable sizes. And yes, the film is an unprecedented behind the scenes look in the bowels of a modern printing operation. Enjoy The Guillotine: A Behind the Scenes Look at Life in a Print Shop.

In this 5 minute video designer John McWade says it well. It’s far too easy to get deep into a logo project without really understanding the reason for starting. “I have a business, so I need a logo,” doesn’t really provide the clarity and direction that is needed to produce a winning result.

Beyond that, it’s time for an honesty check. An ideal logo designer needs to be an insightful marketer, a skilled production artist and also posses great visual acuity. If you or your team is missing just one of those pieces, looking for the perfect logo may lead you down a long and winding road.

It really comes down to the person. An online logo design company with a 200 page catalog may look impressive, but will you end up working with a person who will take the time to understand your business at a deep level? On the other hand, if your story is easy to tell, you might run into a art student at a junior college who is perfect for the project. Over the years, I’ve had the pleasure of meeting and/or teaching such students here in Rancho Cucamonga. Some now work at high ticket ad agencies.

There are many dead end streets on the logo journey. Get some good directions, and never settle for a sub par result. No logo is usually better than a poor logo. In fact, a simple typographic-only treatment may be just the ticket until you’re ready for a full blown logo design.

Does having deep knowledge of a software package like Adobe Creative Suite pay off? Is spending a few hours brushing up our skills at a graphics workshop a good use of time? If the speaker is Brian Wood of Adobe Systems the answer must be a resounding: YES!

Just use one or two of Brian’s InDesign or Photoshop tips, and you could literally save hours on your next project. For me the take away at events like this is simple: as professionals we must continually invest in our own skills to the point of true expertise. Otherwise we risk being outsourced, outsold, or just becoming irrelevant to the workplace.

If you use Creative Suite, I urge you to check out Brian’s website.

Also, if you’d like to continue talking about marketing and graphics in the new era, I invite you to join us online on a new forum built for that purpose.

Thanks to everyone who made the event a success. Hope to see you all again soon!