Editor's Column for DTG Magazine Online Edition

O C T O B E R
Fall fonts, Reviews, Letters...

01 Welcome to October...; 02 October: Fall Fonts Festival; 03 New Gallo font for the season; 04 Photoshop 911 calls: questions answered; 05 Photoshop Emergency? The Doctor is in...; 06 Photoshop Mini-tutorials; 07 Rubber Ball keeps on bouncing; 08 Readers review Readers' web sites...; 09 Web sites to review in October; 10 DT&G for October; 11 60-Second Windows; 12 What Else?; 13 Design Center Mailbox: answering letters
Welcome to October...: It's that time again and we're happy to announce the opening of the Autumn season. You know what that means: The Fall Fonts Festival!
Of course there are lots of other things going on this month as well... so sit back and relax.
Editor's Opening http://www.graphic-design.com/news/index.html [top]
October: Fall Fonts Festival: The Fall Fonts Festival is now open with a collection of great fonts to share with DT&G readers.
Since it is October, we're featuring the "Trick or Treat" font, and "Sugar Coma" which are two superbly rendered picture fonts. Also we have a font that simulates the Atari games system font, an earthquake font, several new "casual" fonts, and a listing of great font resources we've found.
There are lots more, but I think we'll just let you discover them on your own.
No special 'city' or 'calendar' games this month for the Publishers Warehouse, because they're all deeply involved in the Festival.
Fonts Fall Fonts Festival begins at: http://www.graphic-design.com/Type/index.html [top]
New Gallo font for the season: Wouldn't you know it? Here comes Gerald Gallo with an all new icon font called: "Jackolantern" ... you guessed it, an entire font of pumpkins carved into a hilarious array of facial expressions! From happy to sad to crazy to mad you should find something here for just about everyone.
Fonts Fall Fonts Festival begins at: http://www.graphic-design.com/Type/gallo/index.html [top]
Photoshop 911 calls: questions answered: As we begin to migrate the Photoshop Tips & Tricks department to its new home at Photoshop911.com, we're ramping up the hot line, taking more and more calls. Out of all the inquiries we answer via email, we've selected a few really good ones and posted them at the web site.
We post these because we know they're frequently asked questions, or we feel they'll benefit a number of our readers:
* Colorizing Black and White... is easy with blending modes
* Resetting Palettes... working with the color palette
* Convert a photo to a Puzzle... clipping paths to the rescue
* Posters from Photoshop... oversized printing
* Airbrushed Auto Photos... smooth it and groove it
* RGB or CMYK?... work in the color space you need
* Bulk Printing... print a pile of files at the same time, and
* Sending quality images via email
Photoshop ... read them all at: http://www.graphic-design.com/Photoshop/Tips/index.html [top]
Photoshop Emergency? The Doctor is in...: Alien Skin must have picked up on our soon to be released Photoshop911.com site using the emergency and ER analogy -- they're released a killer new plug-in set for Photoshop and Elements called: The Image Doctor! And yes, you guessed it -- the Image Doctor fixes images in such amazing ways you would think it was magic rather than good Photoshop practices. Take a look... the doctor can see you now and you won't be disappointed!
Photoshop ... read them all at: http://www.graphic-design.com/Photoshop/imagedoctor/index.html [top]
Photoshop Mini-tutorials: Two of our questions this month deserved a bit more than a simple reply. So they've been written up rather extensively. Perhaps you'll enjoy:
* Ink stamped skin... fun with photos!
The writer asked about how to simulate a rubber stamp when stamped on skin. A fun tutorial follows which works equally well for simulating tatoos!
Then our second question dealt with a lot of problems getting images sampled to the right size. This is such a frequent question, I believe we'll probably be making a mini-seminar from this one:
* Understanding resolution... Keep in mind, they're only pixels
Dos and don'ts for enlarging and reducing images. More importantly, this column explains pixels, and how they relate to image size, ppi, dpi, and the relative quality of the final image.
... read them all at: http://www.graphic-design.com/Photoshop/Tips/resolution.html [top]
Rubber Ball keeps on bouncing: ... and bouncing and bouncing!
This is stock photography the way it should be. The best! Want an Elvis? You got it. Want kids at a lemonade stand? How about the proverbial house wife with curlers, slippers, bathrobe -- coming after you with the rolling pin! Rubber Ball has them all in a stunning new collection of people silhouettes. All are knocked out of a white background, and most carry clipping paths and all. One series features business people with exaggerated features. Another series called "Your Message Here" features people holding cards, sitting on boxes, or sharing banners -- all with the intention of inserting your message into the blanks. Very cool
You'll want to check these out!http://www.graphic-design.com/DTG/Reviews/Rubberball/index.html [top]
Readers review Readers' web sites...: In our reader reviews department we see one site reviewed by two different readers. Everyone seems to like the art sites, but please folks -- find sites in other categories to comment on.
Check out these reviews:
Applause for ninAdesign... fast load, clean design!
Can you say "DULL"? ... reviewer brutally honest
Beautiful Art... but please put us in the "mood"
Complete Physique... lacks sparkle, ID and 'readability'
Good start gets better... little things go a long way
Nature at its Best... site 'flavor' at its best
They're all posted at: http://www.graphic-design.com/Web/Critique/index.html [top]
Web sites to review in October: As usual we've got a good selection of reader web sites to check out -- everything from the "California Mom dot com" web site...

The author says: "I am struggling with figuring out what to focus on."
I say, let's help her out! (A site devoted to Mothers in California!)

... to the Findigo dot com site:
"We're thinking about a redesign and want to know where to focus our attention."
(A store featuring handcrafted items by local artists.)

If you're looking for a cause, try the "Team Children" site. The author is making a world wide difference -- one man's mission to bridge the digital divide.

And, wouldn't you agree that the "WAGS" web site suggests a site about K-9s? Not so! It's the Woodlands Area Geological Society -- asking "Is basic html okay?"

For our shopping spree this month, here's the "All Things Christmas" site -- right in time! This one could use a few pointers, but offers some really interesting things you'll like.

Speaking of the holidays. You might want to also look in on the Free book price comparison service site. The author says: "I think people will benefit -- but you tell me." What do you think?

On a more serious note, we were compelled to visit the "Moved by 9/11" site created by a group of web developers after that fatefull day. Even though I don't normally run web developer's sites in the reviews column, this one sort of needed to be shown.

Each month we get a few real doozies. This one, called "BeenDreaming.com" will get your brain waves going for sure. The author says "I welcome any comments, suggestions or constructive criticism!" Brave fellow.
Visit our readers' web sites, and perhaps share a review...http://www.graphic-design.com/Web/Reviews/index.html [top]
DT&G for October: Again, DTG is 100% web based this month.
Last month we asked what you thought about the shift in emphasis for content, and we didn't get one single complaint. So, to keep focused on getting new content and features in the site for the holiday season, there's no need to download the PDF, it's all on the web.
Find the index at: http://www.graphic-design.com/news/index.html [top]
60-Second Windows: Speaking of complaints: we had a lot of complaints last month that there was no new "60 Second Windows." Well, we had no idea you cared so much, however -- there is ALWAYS a 60-Second Window. We just somehow forgot to include it in the monthly email newsletter!

Careful with that UID... are you being stalked?
A spam email I got prompted me to follow up to a previous post about online stalking. This insidious post had my "Unique Identification Number" repeated numerous times in links that would report back. Glad I didn't click!

The Etherial Wave
Are you really tired of those telemarketers who claim they've got the best long distance telephone rates? I certainly am -- and the other day, quite off the top of my head, here's a conversation that took place during one of those calls.

When is Nissan not Nissan?
A small business owner named "Nissan" in California is preparing to do battle withe the mega auto maker with the same name. The prize? Nissan.com.
Find these and others at: http://www.60-Seconds.com/articles/index.html [top]
What Else?: Some interesting things this month: Bitmap Image Filters with Cocoa, Pantone and the Money of Colors, PiXELS 3D too late for us, ScreenArena redefines the CRT, Free eBook Library to Internet Users, Computer Tips from David Pogue, Easy Browser eliminates popups!, Swiss Knife Software, AddaButton adds extra buttons to Explorer, Anydown multiple browse and download, Spam, Virus and Content Filtering with PerlMx, Speaking of spam... Anti-Spam Laws a Tough 'Cell', Kid Porn Case: Click to Clink, Linux Worm Hits the Network, Readers Share Anti-Spam Best Practices, Godzilla goes Macintosh, and others
Of course the "and else" column is at: http://www.graphic-design.com/news/else/ [top]
Design Center Mailbox: answering letters: I'd like to catch up with some of our correspondence.
Between September 8 and the 30th, the Design Center received 1,564 emails which were not spam. 90% of them don't say much beyond "let me in" or "where is..." or "how can I..." etc. But some are really good. Those that require an immediate response usually get it within a few days. Many of them say "Don't send the newsletter" -- To those I say: if you don't get the newsletter, (the one you're reading right now,) then why should I bother to answer your question? The purpose of the newsletter is to bind us together into a "community." That's what the Design Center is all about. If you don't want to be part of the community, then don't bother asking a question.
Here are some of this month's letters...

Looking for A Job

Sad to report there are NO jobs available at the Design Center or any of the affiliate sites.
Don't write asking for a job. I don't even get paid myself.

Wanting to know it all

It's very difficult to respond to letters that ask for "everything you have on Photoshop" or "...send all info on learning design."
For instance, P. Curran from Edinburgh UK wrote in requesting "info and files on all subjects relating to desisn and design history." This sort of request is impossible to answer in email or even in an article on the web site. This writer needs to visit the library.
When writing letters, please be specific.

Harrington Font

Those who have written looking for the Windows version of the "Harrington" font can now find it in the Publishers' Warehouse Loading Dock.
I cannot understand it, but we get at least a dozen inquiries about the Harrington font each month. It's by far the most popular font we have.

Padding Press Instructions

Another incredibly popular item is the "Padding Press" instructions. this month there were maybe 80 people looking for those plans.
There is an Adobe EPS file and a PDF file in the Loading Dock under "Layouts" that should provide enough information to build the press. Beware: you need to have a certain level of ability in translating drawings into the real thing. The instructions are not written in highly detailed step by step.

Zippy Pictures for Windows

M.F. from Moorestown, NJ wrote in saying: "I'm looking for a Windows compatible version of Zippy Pictures"
Sorry to say I haven't seen one. However, if you'll look in the Publishers' Warehouse Loading Dock you'll find a complete set of Zippy characters in EPS file format. This should be usable in EPS compatible Windows programs.

Nice letters from nice people

It's always a super nice feeling to get letters like this one from T.H. in Mt. Juliet, TN:
I have enjoyed browsing your site and espcially liked the ease of navigation and lack of "do-dads" which seem to clutter so many sites lately. Have a great day!

It's a real novelty to get such a nice letter -- not complaining about anything or demanding something.

Understanding Histograms

Okay, we've gotten our hundredth letter requesting a full-scale tutorial on understanding Histograms.
I've done a great deal of research and reading on the topic in recent weeks for my Photoshop class at JMU. Last semester I skimmed over the topic, but I realize it is a very powerful tool for working with both contrast and color balance. It's not easily explained in a few short paragraphs.
First, you'll want to take a look at our "Histograms" supplement which was posted last year. There are downloadable PDF files in the Publishers' Warehouse!
Thanks to all who have written. I've kept your email addresses and will post you when I release a full scale, easy to understand, dissertation on "Histograms and Levels: what they are and how they're used in image processing." Stay tuned.

This has gotten rather longish, so I'll close now. Each month I'll select several letters from the mail bag and share them here in the monthly email newsletter rather than in the web site.
[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.