Editor's Column for DTG Magazine Online Edition

SEPTEMBER
answers to problems...

00 Welcome to September...; 01 Web sites to review in September; 02 The Bouton Gang is back...; 03 How to bind photos for harmony; 04 DT&G for September; 05 Readers review Readers' web sites...; 05 The Color Reference Guide; 06 Editor's Choice: Photoshop 7 Savvy; 07 Photoshop questions answered; 08 Coming in October: Fall Fonts Festival; 09 The Holidays are coming...
Welcome to September...: Did anyone else notice how fast June and July went by? I got back from Macworld New York, and suddenly it was August. What happened? Busy, busy.
You'll see a few things slightly different in this month's newsletter -- a trend I think will continue. Each month we have a number of items which don't fit into the ongoing venue. So, below you'll see I've some additional items not usually found in this edition. Please enjoy...
http://www.graphic-design.com/news/index.html [top]
Web sites to review in September: Single Parents and there stories looks at different ways of parenting for todays children.
Next, I really enjoyed "The Bicycling Guitarist" described as "A guy, his bicycle, and a Fender Stratocaster guitar." This truly a "Personal" web site, one that exemplifies the ideals of personal publishing on the web.
If you're in the printing business, or have an interest in the history of printing be sure to check out the "Briar Press" site. It's all about letterpress printers and enthusiasts -- promoting the art and history of letterpress printing.
We also have a few 'nuts-n-bolts' sites this month: the "Charlotte County Public Works" web site and the New Jersey State Police web site. Plenty there to sink your reviewer's teeth into!
This month I moved three "Personal" sites (as prescribed by their owners) into the "Passtimes" category because their topics are broader than the typical 'personal' site: "Sarah's Web Site" focuses on travel photography with photos of Asia. The "Destination Iceland" web site takes you to to the outdoors of Iceland -- and, the "Deepsand" site takes you to the Glamis sand dunes OHV recreation area. Dune surfers unite!
No site review excursion is complete without visiting "Dennisys" a personal 'hobby' web site to see some rather unique features. In an extensive and enlightening description, the author says: "My reason for soliciting critiques is to gather feedback prior to the recoding and optimizing project that might help the site become more valuable and usable." Go read this author's full explanation of his site. I'll bet you'll have some comments about this one!
There are a total of 61 sites for review in this month's Web Design & Review department. Remember all of these have been posted by the authors to get your feedback, comments and suggestions. Don't disappoint those authors!
http://www.graphic-design.com/Web/Reviews/ [top]
The Bouton Gang is back...: Yup! Gary and his wife Barbara, along with Daniel Will-Harris, J. Scott Hamlin, Robert Stanley and Mara Zebest Nathanson are back with another blockbuster edition of "Inside Photoshop." This time with 1056 pages of all new stuff! You would certainly think that after reviewing each edition of "Inside Photoshop" year after year it would become a bit 'old hat'. But it just doesn't happen that way folks -- each new edition is a whole new discovery all over again!
Take a peek inside: http://www.design-bookshelf.com/Bouton/index.html [top]
How to bind photos for harmony: This month we share a real-world scenario where photos taken at an event needed to be brought together into a photo journalism web page with a serious and dramatic effect. What was the best technique to use? Color of course.
Follow along as we illustrate a quick and easy technique in Photoshop that will help you turn snap shots into a compelling story!
[top]
DT&G for September: Don't look now folks, the PDF is not posted yet. In fact it will be late this month because we've gotten so wrapped up in preparations for the Fall Fonts Festival we decided to wrap both September and October into a double holiday issue. So all of this month's content is 100% web based.
Here's a sobering flash: last month's content was 100% PDF based and we registered the lowest traffic levels in a long time. Does that tell you the readers would rather have web based articles each month rather than the PDF edition? You tell me!
If you missed last month's edition you can still pick it up at: http://www.graphic-design.com/PubWarehouse/DTG-Library.html [top]
Readers review Readers' web sites...: This month we only had four reviews from readers, but they offer some interesting insights. Most interesting are three different reviews, from three different reviewers on the same web site! So the Northampton House web site gets a good workout. The fourth reviewer says the Pawn Shop site is "...the ugliest sites I've ever seen" in what turns out to be a review that turns into the reviewer being reviewed!
Stop in and see what readers have to say about reader's web sites. And, please go out there and share your comments about the sites for review. Other readers really want your opinion!
http://www.graphic-design.com/Web/Critique/index.html [top]
The Color Reference Guide: Since everyone has been enjoying Mr. Pixelsmith's color series each month, we thought it would be appropriate to share his bibliography with you.
Color is such an important part of all visual communications projects, the serious practitioner is obligated to understand as much about it as possible. Here's a little help to get you started.
http://www.graphic-design.com/PubWarehouse/DTG/Design/ [top]
Editor's Choice: Photoshop 7 Savvy: This month's Editor's Choice #1 is the Photoshop 7 Savvy book by Steve Romaniello. 704 pages of superb Photoshop tutorials no real Photoshop user should be without. Being an instructor of Photoshop myself, I appreciate what it takes to prepare lessons, and then orchestrate the elements into an enriching experience for the students. Romaniello has done a brilliant job in assembling and teaching the quintessential aspects of Photoshop.
Check out my review at:http://www.design-bookshelf.com/Photoshop/savvy/index.html [top]
Photoshop questions answered: The past few months we've been remiss in getting letters from readers published, but this month we decided to catch up.
Our Photoshop 911 Hot Line has been busy, and from all the solutions mailed out in July and August we've selected these to share with everyone:
* Tiny type in Photoshop?... Should you do it?
* Color casts in scans... how do you correct them?
* Clipping Paths to Quark... but not tif
* Spot colors in Photoshop... channel to success
* Cropping in PS 6... a new perspective
* Photoshop Type in a circle?... v5 and v6
* Making Crisp images from scans... drawings that look sharp!
* Turn your photos into a sketch?

Other Letters too...
It's not just a Photoshop thing either. We also address one letter looking for varnish techniques for printing; and another on selecting a 3D drawing program. (Gary David Bouton helps us out on this one and even throws in a 3D illustration to go along!)
... read them all at: http://www.graphic-design.com/Photoshop/Tips/index.html [top]
Coming in October: Fall Fonts Festival: We're already gearing up for the Fall Fonts Festival, and we're inviting your input and suggestions on great fonts to share with DT&G readers.
In fact, if you send in your suggestions or referrals to great shareware, or freeware fonts you may just get a free copy of the Web Designer's Type Book, or any of dozens of other great books from the Designers' Bookshelf.
Just grab the font name, developer's name and a link to the site where the font can be downloaded. Be sure to include a few words telling us why you like the font and why you think other readers will want the font too.
We'll be selecting the winners all during October and November so you can get your prizes in time for Christmas! Do it today.
http://www.design-bookshelf.com/contact.html [top]
The Holidays are coming...: Send in your ideas!
Each year we open the holiday season in October with fonts and holiday graphics ideas. Sometimes we focus on self-promotion ideas, other times we look at cool holiday ideas for your design and publishing clients.
We're looking for your favorite fonts, and your creative ideas on using them. We'd also love to see your seasonal greeting cards, event promotions or other creative ideas for decorating graphic design projects for the holidays.
Let's see if we can showcase some of your creativity for everyone else to enjoy!
[top]; Fred
your loyal editor; Folks, we can't help you if you don't cooperate...
Each month accesses (looking for that new EPS clip art disk) and prize registrations are denied in the Publishers'Warehouse.
Why? Because the email address keyed into the Loading Dock request was incorrect, or no longer in use. I find it hard to believe that people would register for something and then drop the address.
Remember: no spaces, correct spelling. Dozens of AOL users didn't put in "@aol.com" -- remember: name@aol.com, no spaces. (We assume they were AOL since they had no "@" indicator.)
Remember too, that the loading dock changes locations each month. You'll find the clue you need to the new location in each issue of this column.
Don't forget to write.
... http://www.graphic-design.com/contact.html [top]

Join us for discussions:: Here's an invitation to you all to join us in discussions about graphic arts, design, illustration, or just about whatever might be on your mind. You can take your pick of the Design Cafe, or the WebDesign Review list, or both. We'll be looking forward to meeting you there real soon...
* Go To: http://www.graphic-design.com/subscribe.html [top]
Help the community do something about spam...: Do you get spam? Do you wish you didn't?
The Design Center is helping sponsor a SPAM SURVEY conducted by the Association of Apple Computer Users & Groups. The organization is chartered for community service, education and legislation advocacy for technology. SPAM is one of the big issues they hope to take to Washington D.C. this year, and they need YOUR help. Go there and fill out the simple, secure and safe SPAM SURVEY. It will help them gather data for their UCE Presentation.
* Go To: http://www.user-groups.net/submit.html [top]
Speaking of spam... read this:: Top Ten Signs You're About to be RIPPED OFF
Fred tracks the illusive spammer! With the influx of thousands of new UCEs ('Unsolicited Commercial Email" -- aka: SPAM) hitting the Graphic Design Network servers, our spam-hunting team decided to track a few of these low-lifes down, and find out where it's all coming from.
What we found was rather alarming, and out of more than 7,000 UCEs gathered since January 1st -- so far -- we haven't found but ONE honest person. But we've found hundreds of them who would sell their mother for a quarter, or stab you in the back for a nickel. Not a pretty sight.
* Go To: http://www.60-Seconds.com/articles/130a.html [top]
How to contact us?: http://www.graphic-design.com/contact.html
Post your web site for review
http://www.graphic-design.com/Web/Reviews/Submit.html
Review a readers' web site
http://www.graphic-design.com/Web/Reviews/index.html
Off-Line Seminars for visual communicators
http://www.design-U.org/
The Designers'Bookshelf
http://www.design-bookshelf.com/
Post your news & stuff
http://www.news-serve.net/announce.html
60-Second Windows, Editorials
http://www.60-Seconds.com
The User Group Network
http://www.user-groups.net/
The Info Manager
http://www.user-groups.net/InfoManager/
Mac Shareware
http://www.user-groups.net/shareware/index.html
and of course, the Design Center News Page
* Go To: http://www.graphic-design.com/news/ [top]
Folks, we can't help you if you don't cooperate...: Folks, we can't help you if you don't cooperate...
Each month accesses (looking for that new EPS clip art disk) and prize registrations are denied in the Publishers'Warehouse.
Why? Because the email address keyed into the Loading Dock request was incorrect, or no longer in use. I find it hard to believe that people would register for something and then drop the address.
Remember: no spaces, correct spelling. Dozens of AOL users didn't put in "@aol.com" -- remember: name@aol.com, no spaces. (We assume they were AOL since they had no "@" indicator.)
Remember too, that the loading dock changes locations each month. You'll find the clue you need to the new location in each issue of this column.
Don't forget to write.
* Go To: http://www.graphic-design.com/contact.html [top]

Thank you for visiting the Design & Publishing Center's online newsletter for DT&G. You are currently reading the Editor's column, where each month Editor and Chief Fred Showker writes, from the heart, about what's happening in the Design Center. Contents Copyright (c) 2002, Reproduction or reuse of parts or all of this manuscript without prior written permission is expressly forbidden. The Design & Publishing Center is the product and trade name for Showker, Inc., in Harrisonburg, Virginia, USA, trading as Showker Graphic Arts & Design -- a Virginia State Corporation since 1972. DT&G: The Online Journal of Design, Typography & Graphics has been distributed continuously each month since May of 1990, originally on the GEnie and CompuServe networks, then on America Online, and in 1993 on Apple Computer's "EWorld", migrating to the internet world wide web in 1994.