N O V E M B E R
The Holidays are now open... Fall fonts, etc.
00 Welcome to the Holidays...
01 Fall Fonts Festival Concludes
02 They're back...
03 Flash: INDIE FONTS
04 Design and Publishing Product Round-Up
05 DT&G: Duotones, Tips FAQ, etc
06 All about Duotones
07 Photoshop 911 calls: questions answered
08 Photoshop 911 FAQ
09 Whither the Web: Editor Rants
10 Readers review Readers' web sites...
11 What Else?
12 60-Second Windows - Telemarketers revisited
13 Adobe Illustrator Users Look Out
14 A Tablet Laptop for Christmas?
15 Letters: HELP! Illustrator Paste Problems
16 Letters: HELP! Photoshop drags down
17 HELP: Reducing Huge JPEG files
18 Jewish Clip Art
19 Seasonal fun...
25 Well wishes and good times this holiday season
 
Welcome to the Holidays...
It's that time again and as we enter the holiday season there's lots to do and see all around the world. But let's not forget the work at hand -- this is also the busiest season, so everyone has to find just a little bit more time.

New Concept: "CONTENT"
Everyone seemed to like our "letters" section of this newsletter last month. We tried it again after having it missing for a couple of years, and the reception was quite warm.
      So, each month we'll run a few of the letters that didn't make it into the site, and we'll start adding some content pieces. This will make our email newsletter even more productive and beneficial than ever.

Remember: we're here for you, so please feel welcome to contribute any time!
Editor's Opening http://www.graphic-design.com/news/index.html   [top]
Fall Fonts Festival Concludes
The Fall Fonts Festival wraps it up this month with some handwriting, script and antique fonts just right for the Holiday season. We've got a super letter from one of this month's Festival WINNERs who sends along a whole bevy of new fonts for YOU! He also sheds light on some of the fonts featured in the past.
      Others include: Augie, a super handwriting font; Rechtman Script, a wonderful hand tooled font generated by David Rakowski; New Day Script, a flashy, stylish hand script, and a lot more!
      After this month, the Publishers' Warehouse and the Loading dock will return to normal.
Fonts Don't miss it... http://www.graphic-design.com/Type/index.html   [top]
They're back...
Those Wonderful Whacky Kartoons are back... yes, it's the Kartoons Font Vol. 2. We had a number of readers so happy to find these '40s cartoon characters we went digging and found Volume 2 with dozens of new faces in new situations. Great stuff... part of the Font Festival.
http://www.graphic-design.com/Type/kartoon/2.html   [top]
Flash: INDIE FONTS
This one is too hot to handle -- it just arrived today, and we'll be getting samples and a full review up on the site as soon as possible.

P22 Foundry Releases "Indie Fonts'
When I opened the package I was knocked out -- this is a hard-bound book, superbly designed and printed on heavy coated stock -- complete with CD-Rom which showcases nearly 2,000 fonts from 18 of today's hottest digital type foundries! You no longer have to spend countless hours on the web looking at digitized samples of fonts for inspiration or acquisition. You just thumb your way through this book.
      Most surprising was the discovery that Tayme Riggs, formerly our font guru from Phil's Fonts -- and frequenter in the Design Cafe list, is one of the editors of the book. So you know it's got to be good.
      This is not just a font reference or samples book either. All through the book you find exquisite layouts and designs which feature the fonts. It's as much a designer's inspiration as it is a font shopping mall.
      Best of all you get 33 representative fonts from the book completely free and ready to load and use. WOW.
      The price is $39.95, including the free fonts, it's hard bound with over 400 luscious pages of font heaven. Watch for our complete review in the &Type department, or go and get one NOW! (It's not too early to buy yourself a holiday gift. You deserve it after all!)
http://www.indie-fonts.com   [top]
Design and Publishing Product Round-Up
What's the most important software discovery you made in 2002?
Is there a product or service you discovered on the web that has really made a difference in your experience?
Did you find a shareware program or downloadable file that you must tell everyone about?

Here's your chance!

We're looking for YOUR favorites of 2002 -- share your discoveries with the rest of the design community! Just post a brief description of your favorites, along with some info about where we can go to follow up on your lead.
      Best submissions will get a shopping spree at www.Design-Bookshelf.com!
http://www.news-serve.net/announce.html   [top]
DT&G: Duotones, Tips FAQ, etc
As our Fall Fonts Festival continues into November, we also turn our attention to other matters like letters from readers. Two reader letters prompted our "All about Duotones" column as well as the new Photoshop Tips FAQ. We'll be adding to this as we go along with short, hit and run, solutions. When the page hits around 40 K, we'll open page 2 and 3 and so forth. Hope you enjoy that one.
http://www.graphic-design.com/news/index.html   [top]
All about Duotones
Over the months we find topics emerging that seem to have a universal appeal. There have been a number of letters wanting to know about spot colors and duotones. This month another reader asked how to do it -- so we've put together this tutorial that introduces you to the Photoshop Duotone functions
http://www.graphic-design.com/Photoshop/duotones/index.html   [top]
Photoshop 911 calls: questions answered
Speaking of duotones, in this edition we share tips for usingt channels in PS 5 adding spot colors to PS 6. Additionally:
* Troubleshooting: Scrambled images Could it be upgrading to version 7
* adding Japanese Characters and other font problems
* Gradient Trick fade from color to transparent
* Neutral Gray ... depends on your color space
* Transformations moving selections across multiple layers
* More type problems printing with off-market printers.

Follow along as we solve a few of the problems sent in by readers. Hopefully we'll answer some of your questions too.
Photoshop ... read them all at: http://www.graphic-design.com/Photoshop/Tips/index.html   [top]
Photoshop 911 FAQ
Here is the beginnings of our collection of short, frequently asked questions from the PS 911 call records, including: Vignetting, Color from B&W, Reduced files become Jagged, End of file Errors, Convert Layer to Grayscale, Lost Clone Tool, and others.
http://www.graphic-design.com/Photoshop/Tips/faq.html   [top]
Whither the Web: Editor Rants
While I was processing this month's incoming web site submissions I reached the end of my rope. So I took a little hour break to express my incensed displeasure with some of the elements of the online world that barrage the Design Center month after month. If you're thinking about submitting a pure advertising site, porno site or hate site just don't. Read my rant. Ethical, sincere designers have no time for the likes of you.
http://www.graphic-design.com/Web/Critique/rant.html   [top]
Readers review Readers' web sites...
If you read my "RANT" about submitted web sites this month, you'll then enjoy reading our reader critiques. We're continually thrilled to get good evaluations such as these from observant web crafters who care:
Eagles in trouble... Buckle up. This is going to be a rough ride
State Police web site... under arrest for running overweight
Quentin Photography... gets some praise, and some suggestions
Dilip Special Site... mixes messages, needs structure
      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]
What Else?
Lots of interesting links... Cleaner, faster FLASH video encoding; The Media Bakery; LapCop: smarter than thieves; Spam sites' Pop-up Ads - dishonest; Speaking of honest advertising; Copyrights, Wrongs Get a Review; Apple's Stickiest Marketing Ploy; Super Maps - Forget about Map Quest; Automatic CD jackets and labels?; Do you keep the books and many more coming to you in the &Else department
Of course the "and else" column is at: http://www.graphic-design.com/news/else/   [top]
60-Second Windows - Telemarketers revisited
Our "Etherial Wave" column brought a lot of response -- it seems other people are fed up with telemarketers too! Of the letters we received this one continues to crack us up each time we read it. I think you'll enjoy this one.
      Then, shortly after posting this month's piece we get Neil McManus' column from Wired magazine: "Telemarketing, Evil: One in Same?" about telemarketers becoming ever more relentless due to new technology like predictive dialing. It's a $270 billion industry! (http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/10.11/start.html?pg=9)
Find these and others at: http://www.60-Seconds.com/articles/index.html   [top]
Adobe Illustrator Users Look Out
Artlandia has announced a prerelease version of Artlandia SymmetryWorks 2.0, the company's best-selling plug-in for Adobe Illustrator.
      SymmetryWorks gained popularity among web designers, surface and textile artists, and other industrial designers for easily performing what used to be the painstaking tasks of creating surface patterns.
      SymmetryWorks 2.0 introduces a new level of automation in pattern design by using new features called "art replicas" and "layouts". Replicas allow for easy creation of the most sophisticated designs, in which the same elements of the pattern occur multiple times within the unit of repetition, possibly with arbitrary rotation, reflection, and scaling. Layouts remember all vital statistics of patterns and let the user reproduce complex patterns with a single click.
See it in action:
http://www.artlandia.com/products/SymmetryWorks/imgs/edit.gif
    NOTE: this is a demo and takes a few moments to load. Once it loads though, it walks through modifying the vector points to change the pattern... very slick!

Click these to bring up examples:
http://www.artlandia.com/wonderland/imgs/tessellation.jpg
http://www.artlandia.com/wonderland/imgs/zambus.jpg
http://www.artlandia.com/wonderland/imgs/tassels.jpg

Thanks to Artlandia, Inc. for sending this one in to our GRAPHICS - painting, drawing, tips techniques department. Go check it out at: http://www.artlandia.com/products/SymmetryWorks/   [top]
A Tablet Laptop for Christmas?
I guess the hottest news is the release of the Tablet PC.
      You'll remember in 2000 I showed photos from Microsoft's annual report where people were using a strange sort of digital tablet. I said at the time, this could be big if anyone ever actually brought it to market. Well, if you read any of the computer magazines or even Newsweek then you saw the marketing propaganda barrage about Microsoft's new "TabletPC"
      Apple introduced the device as "a concept computer" back in the '80s -- called "Knowledge Navigator" -- however it was way, way, way ahead of its time. No one ever heard of the internet at that time. But just looking at this new machine makes me wonder if it isn't time for 'ole Fred to get a Windows lap top?

Let the pictures speak for themselves:
here's how it works: (Click to see pictures)
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/tabletpc/images/highlights/hls_tablet-animation.gif
http://www.compusa.com/tabletpc/tabletpc1.jpg
http://www.compusa.com/tabletpc/tabletpc2.jpg
http://www.compusa.com/tabletpc/tabletpc3.jpg

Interesting to note that now there are at least three other companies (including Compaq) announcing similar products!
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/tabletpc/   [top]
Letters: HELP! Illustrator Paste Problems
Help... I upgraded to Illustrator 10 and now I seem to be getting weird PDF stuff when I use the clipboard to copy and paste! (Mac OS 9)

Welcome to Photoshop 6 and Illustrator 10! Adobe decided to give you some hidden surprises when they reprogrammed version 10 of Illustrator's Clipboard settings. In the old days, Illustrator's Clipboard settings defaulted to the AICB/Preserve Appearance settings. Today, in Illustrator 10 it now defaults to PDF -- and now, you're expected to already know this, and go to the Edit menu and choose Preferences > Files - Clipboard to return Illustrator to copying in the AICB format rather than PDF. (The way it should be!) No need to worry about it in OSX.
  [top]
Letters: HELP! Photoshop drags down
Help! after I use photoshop for a while it seems to bog down and flake out on me. It's even worse now since I upgraded.

Photoshop's degrading capacity

Photoshop is probably the most RAM hungry program you can operate. IN fact when it boots it grabs ALL the memory the computer has. As you use it, that memory degrades. It gets filled and fragmented. To check your system, open the largest document you might be using in Photoshop, and work on it for a few minutes. Run a few filters and do some painting or touch-up.
      Now, check your RAM. Click and hold the arrow icon found at the base of your document window. (Lower left, next to the Magnification and Document Size readouts.) Now, select "Efficiency" from the resulting pop-up menu. If it's 75% or less then you need more RAM.

Couple of things you can do in lieu of RAM:
  1. Quite everything else during Photoshop sessions. Don't forget spell checkers, date reminders, and above all the internet!
  2. Disconnect Adobe's internet connections
  3. While working, when it gets sluggish, quit and launch again with fresh RAM
    Turn down the number of "Undos" (You shouldn't need more than two!
  4. Don't use the "History" functions. Keep those settings very low.
    Save incremental copies of the file using "Save As..." rather than 'Save'... close then re-open the newer version.
  5. If you've done a copy or cut/paste of a large chunk of data, copy a single pixel. (Photoshop keeps those copies in the clip board (memory) until you copy something else)

Good luck!
  [top]
HELP: Reducing Huge JPEG files
HELP, my client sends me huge JPEG files from his digital camera and when I reduce to the size I need for the web, and thumbnails, they look awful!

Reduction tricks...
      With very huge jpg files I often see how good it looks in "Show Page" mode. (All programs have "fit window" or "show page" features.) If it looks pretty good, and it usually does, I just do a screen capture and work with THAT file rather than the original. Man, what a time saver! You can then resample that to the sizes you need and usually get superb results.
      If reducing the actual file, you'll want to sharpen first, then reduce in increments. Select a shorter reduction factor which is equally devisable by the resolution of the file: for instance, from a 300 ppi file try 230. Take a look. Resharpen and then go to 160 and so forth. I use 'rule of thumb' of 72% in two or three steps to get it down to a workable size. Be careful not to over sharpen.
      Once you've got the formula, if it happens often, just build an action to do all the steps for you!
  [top]
Jewish Clip Art
Jacob Richman has launched a new department to his website "The J Site" for Jewish education and entertainment -- The Jewish Clipart Database.

This database will be a collection of Jewish Clipart fornon-commercial use by the community. The Jewish Clipart Database features clipart donations by graphic artists and illustrators from all over the world. If you use it, consider contributing to it! They openly invite clip art submissions. I plan to upload my Jewish "Holiday" theme files to the effort. (They're under "Holidays" in the Publishers' Warehouse Loading Dock!)
  [top]
Seasonal fun...
Don't know why I included this -- has nothing to do with graphics, design or publishing... I just happen to like the tastes of autumn:

Pumpkin Marmalade
This is a great seasonal activity for home ec. It also makes a unique gift for the holidays.
* http://www.easyfunschool.com/PumpkinMarmalade.html
Pumpkin Fudge
Here are two autumn variation on an old-fashioned favorite.
* http://www.easyfunschool.com/PumpkinFudge.html
Pumpkin Doughnut Drops
I want some of these for sure:
* http://www.easyfunschool.com/PumpkinDoughnutDrops.html

I've often noticed how good graphic designers also make good chefs. Anybody else noticed this?
  [top]
Well wishes and good times this holiday season
Send in your ideas!
      The holiday season is now officially open! Share your 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 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!

In the Designer's CAFE, we'll once again hold our Holiday card tour (similar to a web ring, but a lot better), and we'll also count down the last days of 2002 with daily prize drawings for CAFE readers and subscribers! Join us for those events.

Until next time, have a great day and a better week!
Fred
your loyal editor
http://www.graphic-design.com/news/index.html   [top]
 
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.