Books on Corel ® Photo-Paint ™ (+ Photoshop ®)
'Corel Photo-Paint X3 Insider' by Nathan Segal - a vast range of tutorials, information about color calibration, web info, textures, digital photography, printing, videos and more.
Also find out more about Photo-Paint ™ and see video tutorials on the subject
Video Tutorial
Extract from the above
How to set up color profiles for specific printers and papers. Actually, the first thing you need to do is to calibrate your monitor, which is explained in detail in Chapter 1 of The Photoshop Companion. If this isn't enough, I recommend that you look at the products made by Colorvision. In theory, you have ICC profiles for all of your devices to create accurate scans and prints. But color profiling on a consumer scanner can introduce banding and color artifacts that destroy the image for high end use. It's unlikely that you'll notice it in small frames or if you're not critical of color. But it will become apparent in larger prints, especially if you get into poster sized applications.
In addition, different papers will also affect the color profile of your printer, so each will have to be tested, which can be expensive, especially if you're creating giclee' quality prints.
Note: Be aware that All inks saturate the paper used with your desktop printer, some more than others. As a result, you will need to test every type of paper you want to use and make note of the settings you need to create the desired result.
If you're looking for a photographic result, have a look at papers made by Epson. I use these papers myself and the quality is superb. And while HP and Epson printers offer great results these days, I recommend Epson for the best results in color printing.
That's all for now.
If you have any questions or suggestions for tutorials/tips that are of interest to you, please write to me.
File compression for the web.
On the web, how much time do you have to make a first impression?
About 10 seconds. If your site doesn't load by then you're likely to lose the user forever.
A major culprit involving a slow site concerns images that are too large for fast loading, unless you have a DSL or cable connection (and even that can be strained by some users).
As a quick example, when you create files for the web with Photoshop use the Save for Web option in the File menu. And when you save that file, check the loading times for different speeds, especially for users running on 56K connections.
I guarantee it will be a real eye-opener.
In Chapter 3 of The Photoshop Companion, I go into great detail about the three major file types for the web (JPEG, PNG and GIF).
What's more, I show you why you should pay attention to these file types and more importantly, you'll learn when and how to use them. Chapter 4 also offers important information on web design strategies.
And for those of you who don't have the time to set up a web site from scratch, I recommend templates.
From Nathan Segal at The Photoshop Companion
Hi
As mentioned previously, in this newsletter, we look at at tips and tricks designed to help you get the most productivity out of Photoshop and the software/hardware that works in conjunction with it. If you have any questions, tip suggestions or comments, feel free to write to me mailto:natsegal@islandnet.com here
Issue #2: How to Design a Successful Web Site
Quick! What's the fastest way to ruin a new web site layout?
Lack of proper planning beforehand.
Let's put it another way. In programming there's an old axiom which states: "The sooner you start coding the longer it takes to finish."
To elaborate, planning out your site before you build it is essential. To borrow a technique from the film industry, I recommend that you create a storyboard, which is a type of a flow chart of your new site design.
It's during this process that all sorts of problems will crop up. But it's much easier to solve on paper than in the middle of coding. The last thing you want is to run into a major problem that would require a complete site redesign.
Working things out on paper will give you a much better idea of how things will work and how to fix problems.
Once you've completed the process, you've built the web site. All you have to do is translate that into code.
If you're into building web sites from scratch this technique is a godsend. But for others, building a custom site is too labor intensive.
In this case I recommend the use of templates
There's also two full chapters solely devoted to web design in The Photoshop Companion I recommend that you take a look at Chapters 3 and 4 in the table of contents.
If you have any questions or suggestions for tutorials/tips that are of interest to you, write to me here
Resolutions for Layout & Design
As a quick reference, Web images use a resolution of 72dpi (dots per inch). Newspapers use resolutions ranging from 125dpi to 170dpi. High -quality brochures and magazines use resolutions ranging from 200dpi to 400dpi. And for books, the range is generally from 175dpi to 350dpi. These measurements refer to 300 dpi at an output size of 8.5 x 11 inches, as an example.
When creating images for your projects, it's also important to remember to start with a high quality original. If the original is poor, it will be reflected in the result.
User Questions. Part 1
Q: For a Web site, do I have to employ a pro, or can I call the guidance counselor at my local high school and ask for the names of some computer whiz kids that I could call (for a fee)?
A: It really depends on what you want to do. If all you want is 1-2 pages , you can learn how to build the Web pages yourself. If it's an intensive site with many pages, I'd recommend a student or a pro with the necessary skills (if you have the budget).
Q: Are there shareware programs, that I could test out (shareware, freeware)?
A: Yes. Here are some links for more information:
Tucows Shareware: Downloads & Reviews
HTML Editors
Here are some links for HTML tutorials:
WebDeveloper.com Resource Directory
About.com: Learning HTML
For reviews of HTML editors, check out this link:
WebReference.com: HTML With Style
Again, if you don't want to design a Web site from scratch, I recommend that you use templates.
Q: I see a lot of photo-oriented web sites that have a black background. Is this the best color to use? A: Not necessarily. It's a matter of opinion and personal taste. White can work just as well. I don't recommend the use of other colors as they can compete with your images.
Q: Is "Flash" or audio acceptable?
A: If you absolutely need Flash to demonstrate an animation, then by all means use it. If it's just for a fancy trick, I recommend leaving it out. It's similar with sound. Unless it adds to your site, don't use it. And if you do use sound, give users an option to turn it off. If you don't, you're likely to lose visitors.
User Questions. Part 2
Q: What constitutes a poor image? Technically? Aesthetically? Color balance? Blurred? Lighting dark, light? A: An image that is poorly lit, blurred, flat or very deep shadows, washed out colors, etc. will yield poor results. To get the best results, you need the best image quality.
Photoshop is a great program, but it can't bring out details that aren't there.
As for aesthetics, if you have doubts about your image quality, getting an outside opinion of a photographer whose work you respect is a good approach.
Q: Where do Megs come in to the equation?
A: Megs (megabytes or MB) refer to the file size and resolution of your image. On the web, it won't be an issue. With print, the size of the image and resolution used will determine its size in megabytes. i.e. An image that is 500 x 500 pixels with a resolution of 72 ppi (pixels per inch) will yield a file size of 732.4 Kilobytes. An image that is 8 x10 inches at a resolution of 300 ppi will give you a file size of 20.6 Megabytes, uncompressed.
Q: Are 10-Meg point-and-shoot cameras eligible for professional use?
A: In my opinion, no. Point and shoot cameras have problems with shutter lag, especially in action situations. They also have poor sensitivity in low light situations and if you're trying to shoot action in low light with a high ISO/ASA setting, the result is likely to contain a lot of noise. Also, the lenses might not offer enough flexibility.
Q: Can resolution problems be worked out by programs such as Genuine Fractals?
A: Yes, but it would be wise not to expect too much of these programs. It's better to address resolution issues at the source, rather than trying to fix them after the fact.
Q: How large is a web image when it's too large?
A: Generally, I try to limit file sizes to no more than 20K each. There are exceptions, such as an image that has a large amount of information.
If that's the case, I would employ image slicing. This is where the image is divided into sections. In Photoshop and ImageReady, slicing allows you divide a single image into multiple smaller files, where each slice is an independent file. Each section will load as an image on its own. This gives the user something to look at as the page loads and is much faster than trying to load a large image.If you need to use image slicing it is recommended that the total image size not exceed 100K.
Q: How will we know what is large?
A: This will be determined by using the Save for Web feature in Photoshop which will give you information about different file sizes and their loading times as based on using a 28.8K (kilobytes per second) modem.
Q: How can we reduce the size so that our website comes up in 5 to 10 seconds?
A: For the most part, this is a factor of setting the image size and resolution. I recommend that you don't make your images any larger than 500 pixels in either height or width.
Smaller is better. When using file formats, I recommend JPEG and in the Save for Web dialog box in Photoshop, choose 30% as a starting point. You will have to experiment a bit to find a happy medium. The file sizes change depending on the amount of complexity in an image. i.e. A blue sky will compress more than an image of people in a park.
Here's a question from a user, "Which file format is better for sharing, TIFF or PSD?"TIFF is the better one. It's more universal and there are many service bureaus who don't like to deal with PSD's partly due to layers, etc. The same goes for other native file formats, such as CPT for PHOTO-PAINT.It's a similar situation when working with file formats for the Web. To keep it simple, I recommend JPEG and GIF.. I don't recommend PNG for photographic compression because it can bloat files sizes from 5 - 10x more than JPEG. Also, it's not cross-platform compatible. The only place where using PNG is ok is for 8-bit compression. Depending on the image, the compression may be slightly more or less than a GIF.
This week we're going to look at monitor calibration.This was the number one burning question from users. The reason it's so important is that without proper color calibration you won't be able to rely on anything you see. The result is that all your prints, web designs, etc. will be off. You can easily see how this would have serious consequences.If you're intending to create a monitor calibration, here are a few important points to consider:1. Let your monitor warm up for one hour before calibrating it.2. Make sure that the room that you use for your computer work has controllable lighting, and, most importantly, that you can reduce or eliminate ambient light that comes in through a window. If the light changes throughout the day, it will throw off your color perception.3. If there is stray lighting, consider creating a flat black (so it won't reflect) hood for your monitor. That will help as well.4. Eliminate screen wallpaper and replace the background with an RGB neutral gray with color settings of 127, 127, 127.
How to Get Great ScansStart off with a high quality original, whether wit film or print. Here are some things to look for:
* Good color saturation
* Edge to edge sharpness
* Smooth color graduation (no banding)
* Smooth contrast definition from highlights to shadows.
To elaborate, highlights should retain some detail and not be blown out. The same goes for shadows, which should contain detail and should not suddenly fall to solid black.A common misconception about image editing software is that it can fix these problems. The reality is that it can only do so much. It cannot bring detail back into blown out highlights, nor can it bring details out of solid black.The same goes for images that aren't sharp. You can adjust that with software, but only so much. My recommendation is simple, start with a high quality original. That alone will reduce or eliminate the need for adjustments later.Film and Flatbed Scanners An example of a less expensive film scanner is the Nikon Super Coolscan 9000. A good all round choice for a flatbed scanner is the Epson Perfection. With a more expensive scanner ($500.00+ for a flatbed and $1,500.00+ for a film scanner), you should obtain moiré free scans under almost all circumstances. One of the higher end models is the Epson GT-30000 Large-format Flatbed Color Scanner. Prints have a shorter dynamic range than film, making them easier to scan. A professional would need to spend between $500.00-1,500.00 and up to $3,000.00+ for an “11×17” scanner.
gradient effects and more. Each plug-in comes with 77 output modes such as tiling and mirror and color wrap and others + effects modes (where the effect is applied as a blur or smear or distortion or sepia effect). 
