Need Drop Shadow lesson advice

[muddygirl]

I really need to learn how to make my drop shadows better. I know Cassie mentioned this in the HTDT chat the other night, but I cant remember which one she said.

Could someone, or Cassie, tell me which lesson would be best for me to learn the fantastic drop shadows I see on all your lovely pages.

Thanks ladies....

[esther_a]

Hi Sam!
Cassie's tutorial is CJones HTDT13 BendingShadows.
She shows how to make a shadow under a piece of loose thread so it looks like it lifts off the page. You can then easily adapt that technique to anything - a photo corner, a ribbon, etc. I use it on most of my pages unless I'm being super lazy or I want it to look graphic and flat.
I also use Katie's drop shadows. It is not that hard to make a shadow using the layer styles in photoshop but you have to reduce the opacity and soften the color each time and it is so nice to have Katie's layer style sitting there and just click on it. I use it on almost everything!!

Esther

[hguenthe]

As Esther mentioned, Cassie's bending shadows is a great one for doing the more intricate shadows:


Another favorite of mine is her:

as it shows the basic way of making shadows as well as she teaches you how to make shadows for more transparent elements like the vellum tag in the tutorial.

I tend to use Katie's:

a lot. Somewhere in one of Cassie's tutorials (can't remember off hand which... likely more than 1), she taught me how to make a shadow style into a layer of its own so I do that and then adjust it using her techniques taught in the above tutorials to achieve the look I want.

[Cassie Jones (1gr8muggle)]

Hi, Sam -

Nearly all of my LIAO tutorials address how to make a custom shadow. The store description will specifically tell you if it does.

The two mentioned above take the drop shadows a little further (LIAO No. 8 and HTDT No. 13).

Also, LIAO No. 3: Custom Stickers and Clever Layering addresses shadows exactly the way you need it to for the tutorial from Monday night. It also shows you how to do the weaving (like we did on Monday) but continues with the shadow instructions.



I'm glad you enjoyed the tutorial. Let me know if you need any additional help.

[audrey77]

And the best thing about Cassie's method of making a custom drop shadow- you can easily make the initial steps into an action, and then work from there.

[janedee]

Thanks for the tips!
Now I have a couple of more things to add to my shopping list for the sale!!

[Cassie Jones (1gr8muggle)]

Originally Posted by audrey77

And the best thing about Cassie's method of making a custom drop shadow- you can easily make the initial steps into an action, and then work from there.

That's right. If you're using Photoshop (not Elements). In fact, this tutorial addresses not only how to make the drop shadow, but how to make the action, too:

[muddygirl]

Thanks everyone, I really appreciate your advice. I'll add to my wishlist now

[audrey77]

Originally Posted by 1gr8muggle

That's right. If you're using Photoshop (not Elements).

I just downloaded the trial version of PS3 to make 'em lol

[deanie]

PSE 7 has actions!

[audrey77]

PSE 5 has actions as well... You need to go to PSCS to record actions to use them in PSE

[audrey77]

Offtopic: Deanie- did you get hail? I'm in Newnan.

[dugarner]

I have a copy of CS3 on my computer, but refuse to install it because I'm terrified of learning it, the interface looks impossible. Is it worth it to use CS3 just for the customize-able drop shadows?? I would love to be able to record actions, too, but I'm afraid I don't have the time to get over that learning curve.

[audrey77]

No... you can just do the custom shadows step by step in PSE. Really easy.

[Cassie Jones (1gr8muggle)]

Originally Posted by dugarner

I have a copy of CS3 on my computer, but refuse to install it because I'm terrified of learning it, the interface looks impossible. Is it worth it to use CS3 just for the customize-able drop shadows?? I would love to be able to record actions, too, but I'm afraid I don't have the time to get over that learning curve.

It really isn't hard. All of my tutorials are written with screenshots from that software, so if you have any of them, they would help you get comfortable with the interface. If you have it, I would definitely dive in and use it. There's so much more you can do with PS.

[hguenthe]

Cassie even has this great VIDEO tutorial on making actions that it is really easy to learn and when you are finished with the tutorial, you have a great set of actions already to be used over and over and over...


There are some great advantages to CS3 that you can't do with elements... warp tool!! and pen tool!! I am planning on picking up Cassie's PS. I Love You tutorial tonight (it's on Thrifty Thursday so I don't have to wait for tomorrow night!) as I would love to learn the pen tool...


If you have the space on your computer since you already have the program, how about installing it and learn it at your pace... play with just learning actions on it first and getting comfortable with the interface changes. It doesn't need to be an all or nothing change over if you have the space. I still have Elements on my computer even though I only use CS3/4 now. It made the transition easier for me. When I had the time to take to learn it, I would. When I was in a hurry and just wanted familiar, I would use Elements. More and more, I stopped reaching for Elements and began just using CS3/4.

[dugarner]

Heather, that sounds like a great idea. I'm the kind of person who is all-or-nothing; I go at something full-force, and if I feel like it's something I can't master, I don't even want to try. But the warp tool looks pretty neat, and the text on a path is neat, too. I'd love to be able to do that.

I might give it a try!

Sarah