Color

Perhaps you are like me and you have that one color scheme that just seems to look the best everytime. For me that color scheme is Red, white and black (note: diguno :: MEDIA's color scheme), it seems it doesn't matter what sort of project I am working on the same colors keep coming up.

I found a tool that is made to help with this. Its called The Color Schemer Studio. www.colorschemer.com is where you can find a trial. The full version costs $50 ($35 if you are a student) and is well worth it.

The way it works is you pick a main color as a starting point. Then you select what kind of scheme you want. ie: monochromatic, complementary, split-complementary... From there it gives the hex code to the colors that fit the scheme.

One of the really nice features is the different ways to get your starting color. Obniously you can just type in the Hex code, but it also gives you an eyedropper that allows you to select any color on you monitor at the time, and a jpeg selector: which opens the picture and selects dominate colors out of the picture to form a scheme.

Other little perks include text colors where you select your scheme and choose the color that you think the background is going to be and it shows you the best options (from your scheme) for text to go on top.

Thats my plug for the Color Schemer...

urlTrends

I just found an iteresting site which allows you to track statistics of any public url. The site is urltrends.com. The site gives the number or links leading to your site, and also number leading out, google page rank, alexis rank, popularity, keyword positioning, and much more.

For example a site such as tsn.ca has a list of keywords that a user can search using a search engine like Google and urltrends gives a list of keywords that would give tsn.ca as a result if they were searched. In this list it gives the positioning of the result. So if I searched tsn.ca in Google it would be result #1. Therefore in the list it would give keyword: tsn.ca the ranking of 1. It does this for as many keywords as it has in its system, which relate to the url.

Anyways after all that, urltrends is a great way to keep track of all the little things about your urls.

Firefox

This post is both tip and a suggestion of a cool add-on. We shall start with the tip...

Until Internet Explorer 7 comes out, and until it works the way a browser should use Firefox. And now for the add-on... Once you have gotten your Firefox browser, i would suggest getting the web development add-on. A simple Google Search of "Web Browser add-on for firefox" a couple second download and you can adjust Stylesheets, and source HTML coding for any website... locally of course, but a great way to learn CSS and HTML. And lots of fun. Just an FYI.

A Little Less Is Usually Alot More

This is just my opinion when it comes to design and for that matter when it comes to just about anything. All too often we think that the more I have the more I will like... In all reality it is more along the lines of the more you have the more you want, a similar thought applies to design. Simple and clean design can often amplify a message no matter how complex it is. Simplified design does not imply simplified concept. Plain and simple is often the best (and safest) way to go.

These are just my thoughts...

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Scott Refvik
diguno :: MEDIA

A Tip - For Creative Suite Users

If you are a user of Adobe's Creative Suite and are wondering if you should update to the Creative Suite 2. I will answer quite simply for you: YES!

CS2 is simply the best update perhaps since the early editions. Photoshop features alone are worth the update price. Vanishing Point, Smart Objects, Live Trace, Live Paint, Snippets, Adobe Bridge, Version Cue... just to name a few.

In case it didn't translate; get CS2.

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Scott Refvik
diguno :: MEDIA

Radiant Vista

Another great site for photoshop users/digital photographers trying to learn new techniques is Radiant Vista. It features what they call the Daily Critique which features pictures sent in by begginer through expert photographers from accross the world. These critiques will discuss framing, technique, lighting, composition and many other parts of photography.

Radiant Vista also has the Photoshop Workbench which are longer tutorials featuring techniques used to make a very average image into a stellar piece. I encourage you to check this site out as well.

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-Scott Refvik
diguno :: MEDIA

A Tip - For Photoshop

Have you ever seen one of those commercials or ads where there is part of a picture cut out perfectly around a person or an object?

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Its all done using the Extract Filter...

Now it may seem a little wierd to use a filter to cut part of a picture out. But it is the best and easiest way of doing so.

It only takes a few steps.

Step 1: Open the picture that you want to cut an object out of

Step 2: Under the Filter menu select Extract

Step 3: With the default tool (the outline tool) selected brush around the outside border of the object you want to cut out. (The object should now be outlined in green)

**TIP** If you press the control button (PC) or comand (option) you will see that the brush will have crosshairs in the circle. This will make outlining your object easier as it will find the place of largest contrast and outline it as you pass. Only use this if it is a well defined outline. For other sections such as blown hair use a thick brush.

Step 4: Select the fill tool from the right hand side and fill (with blue) the inside of the object.

Step 5: Click the preview button to see the extract.

Note: This filter usually doesn't do such a good job at this point so if it looks bad carry on with step 6 if it looks good press OK.

Step 6: Use the Clean Up Tool to erase pixels that don't belong and if you hold Alt (PC) option (MAC) you can paint pixels back in.

Step 7: Once you are satisfied with how it looks click ok and you have succesfully extracted the image... I hope.



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-Scott Refvik
diguno :: MEDIA

Photoshop TV

This is something that I just heard about. Its the only Podcast that I am subscribed to and it is called Photoshop TV. If you are a photoshop enthusiast, geek, or even if you occasionally touch up some photos this podcast will make you a much better Photoshoper... and no a Photoshoper is not on who buys stuff...

Photoshop TV

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-Scott Refvik
diguno :: MEDIA

Context Can Go So Wrong

I saw an ad for the University of Calgary athletics on the bus the other day. It was interesting to say the least. It had a female volleyball player with her arms stretched horizontally with a volleyball in one hand and the other with her fingers fully extended. The caption stated "We hear you like to watch" Now it was somewhat witty I will admit, however, lets take a moment to think about what we are actually advertising.

Now if this is an ad for the Playboy mansion then ok, but honestly this is an ad for U of C volleyball...

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-Scott Refvik
diguno :: MEDIA

Interface is Everything

Interface is half the battle!

The only way I can really put is that the interface is the employee of your product. In the same ways that you would want an employee to be presentable and professional, it is a neccesity to have an interface that represents your product well.

Your interface is the part of your product that guides the user. If this guide is not physically attractive the user will move to something that holds their attention. If the guide is not succesful in guiding the user through the product then they will become frustrated and move to a product that is easier to use. If the guide is confusing the user will not even give it the time of day to do its job.

So to put it simply the interface, or navigation system, menu item, however you want to call it, is the front man in your presentation. It is only beat in presidence by the message. Next to the message it should be the focus of the product. The success of your interface will make or break the final product

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-Scott Refvik
diguno :: MEDIA