Cheers!
Posted by Sue on Thursday Jul 29, 2010Under Sue, creativity, resources Tags: CoffeeShop, life long learning, Picnik, Scott Kelby World Wide Photo Walk
Whew! I think I’ve worked longer and harder on this post than any other Vision and Verb post. And sadly, I doubt that you — the reader — will realize and/or appreciate my hard work. *smile*
So, where to begin.
A couple of posts back, I mentioned that I wanted to learn how to make photo collages in Photoshop. More than likely that skill is Photoshop 101 for most of you. But for me, the one who has never had any formal training in Photoshop and strictly does everything “by guess and by golly,” that was at the “master’s degree level.”
Ginny suggested purchasing an inexpensive subscription to Picnik. She’s right about the wonderful creative opportunities available there for a very reasonable fee.
Toni, in an email, offered her help. I emailed Toni back and said, “You know, it sounds logical to me that I would open a new document, add images to the document, use the “Ctrl T” to size and arrange the images, and voila — have my collage.” She replied “Yup. That’s about it!”
After scratching my head and throwing away numerous messy attempts, I finally did a good old fashioned Google search and found “CoffeeShop Free Stuff,” which included a free storyboard template. Again, I would imagine that most of you are already familiar with this site. I’m an old dog who doesn’t always know all the new tricks.
A little history: Following my career as a teacher, I worked for a couple of years with the Salvation Army at the local Family and Youth Center. One of the many responsibilities I had as the Assistant Director of the Center was to run the computer lab.
During adult computer lab time I helped provide one-on-one instruction on the computer. Most of the adults who frequented the lab did not own their own computers but came to the lab to explore the various aspects of the computer with the expectations that in the near future they might purchase a home computer. For the majority of the participants, their primary goal consisted of learning to use email and perform Internet searches.
From time to time a few of the individuals would bravely ask about using Word, Excel, Publisher, and PowerPoint.
The principal thing I learned from observing the adults exploring MS Office, etc. was they needed to have a specific purpose or goal in mind.
If I simply showed them how to open a new document in Word and had them start keying in words, it meant NOTHING to them. However, when the adult group undertook compiling a recipe collection to share on a web site they helped create, the various functions of Word came alive and had real life meaning.
I felt that way this week while attempting to create a photo collage in Photoshop.
Once I decided my goal was to share a photo collage (albeit a primitive one) here at Vision and Verb, several of the concepts became more clear to me. While it’s nice to use storyboard templates that are acquired from resources like CoffeeShop, I think I now have a better understanding of the process and probably could produce a collage independently.
Since I’m rambling, why in the first place did I even want to create collage to share more than one image?
This past week-end, along with hundreds of thousands of other photographers around the world, I participated in the 2010 Scott Kelby World Wide Photo Walk and I simply wanted to share a few of the images I made during that walk.
So there. Now you know.
Now what. Is there a moral to my ramblings?
I think so. This “old dog” CAN learn new tricks.
And, I’ve noticed that so many others of our little community are working toward learning new tricks by taking on-line classes, viewing tutorials, attending webinars, etc. — probably even reading good old-fashioned books.
Here’s to life long learning!
Cheers!
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July 29th, 2010 at 3:24 am
So – ‘old dog’ – now that you’ve mastered this ‘new trick’..whadaya gonna show us next???
More seriously – isn’t it great to be constantly trying out and learning new things. As we do get older – exercising our brains is as important as exercising our bodies. Use ‘em..or lose ‘em???
Love the result of your hard labors. And that the collage is one filled with musicians – is just perfect considering you are a musician yourself.
YOU GO GIRL!!!
July 29th, 2010 at 5:26 am
Well cheers to you! Love the collage, well done!
July 29th, 2010 at 5:53 am
Looking good!! The collage I mean! And Scott Kelby is one of my guru’s! I learned so much online by his blog.
July 29th, 2010 at 7:20 am
With your “by guess and by golly” and my “flying by the seat of my pants” most of the time, I really had to smile all the way through this, Sue. Before sister Ruth told me about Picnik, I’m sure I did it the way you did it. I have no idea what Toni is talking about but maybe I just learned something about her “Ctrl T.”
I think you and I may come from the same cookie mold when it cones to trying something new. If I really want to do something, I’ll just try to figure it out…and then find out later how the 10 steps can be done easier in 3. Why re-create the wheel? Because sometimes you don’t have the instructor in front of you at your fingertips. And yes, we can read how to do it on the Internet but who helps you when you don’t understand it?
YAY for learning new tricks and for never being too old. I love it for you, Sue, and am proud of your collage. Like Marcie said, it’s perfect for you the musician. Carry on!
July 29th, 2010 at 8:31 am
that would be me as well..on PS, computer, most things “techie”..i ask my kids!! You captured the heart and soul of musicians in this wonderful mosaic!
July 29th, 2010 at 9:01 am
Dear Old Friend,
Cheers! for life long learning – the name of the game! Love your reminder of the value of lifelong learning, as well as the photo collage. You are doing good/fun work in “retirement.”
July 29th, 2010 at 9:11 am
Yes, you have to keep learning, always! Especially these days, when technology changes so fast, even the youngsters can barely keep up with it. (Well, okay, they do keep up with it.) Your collage is fabulous and good for you for learning how to do it. I recently took Kim Klassen’s Art of Texture e-course, which was fabulous by the way. But I told her, early on, that I was embarrassed to discover how much I didn’t know about Photoshop, given that I work as a graphic artist! Just goes to show you, there is always more we can learn…
July 29th, 2010 at 9:43 am
Oh Sue, a kindred spirit. I don’t know how many of us in the photog world actually learn the way we both do — by messin’ around and googling this and that, but it seems to have worked splendidly for you.
Yep, old dogs, new tricks — part of the journey, my friend!
July 29th, 2010 at 6:29 pm
Sue, as you found out there are many ways to do something, you just have to find the way that is easiest for you. You go girl!! Job well done on this excellent collage. I hope to be learning and exercising my mind until the day that I die. Excellent post!
July 29th, 2010 at 7:22 pm
Oh Sue! THIS IS WONDERFUL! I love it in so many different ways, the adventure of the experience, the courage to take on something new, the wow in discovery. I frankly have no idea how to make a great collage from scratch in photoshop. However, now I use Photoscape. Fast, easy, voila. An old girl can find short cuts like nobody’s business. Awesome!
August 2nd, 2010 at 6:00 am
hi there, there is so much to learn isn’t there…i am just like that about photoshop, about which i know so little – and every time i learn something new; only recently learned how to dodge and burn, i’m embarrassed to say, i think ‘how could i have not known this before’.
August 7th, 2010 at 8:33 am
Oh my, we are so similar. I didn’t participate in the Photowalk this year, there was none organized in my town and I was too disorganized to get to the nearest City. Learning something new is hard. I find I don’t want to do the baby steps, the practicing and repetition bore me. I just want to DO it. Ah, impatience has also come with being a certain age. But then I remember, it is hard to learn something new, keep at it. I’ve been trying to learn to hand quilt, frustrated with my long loopy inconsistent stitches, wanting to do those tiny perfect stitches my mother does. She laughed and said, look, when you’ve been doing it for 80 years your stitches will be good too…. I don’t think I have 80 years left, but I’ve decided that I can come close to perfection in the next ten!