GRAPHICS TUTORIAL

How to Create a Mesh Flower in Illustrator

Tutorial Details

• Program: Adobe Illustrator
• Version: CS4
• Difficulty: Intermediate
• Estimated Completion Time: 1.5 hours

Step 1

Open up a new document and select the Polygon Tool. Click once on the artboard and choose Radius 50pt and Sides: 6 in the pop up window. Fill the polygon with an orange color.

Step 2

Select the Mesh Tool (U) and start adding mesh points. Click once on the top line of the polygon.

Step 3

Then repeat the step by clicking in the middle and on the right of the top horizontal line of the polygon as shown.

Step 4

Then click once right into the middle of the polygon with the Mesh Tool (U).

Step 5

Select the Direct selection Tool (A) and highlight the center mesh point, then fill it with a darker orange.

Step 6

Next, select each corner mesh point and fill it with a yellow.

Step 7

Start dragging each middle mesh point of each side of the polygon towards the middle until you create a similar star shape, just like you see in the image below.

Step 8

Let's move onto the flower pedal creation. Select the Pen Tool (P) and draw a similar shape as shown in the image below. Fill it with 5% Black.

Step 9

Create another shape similar to the one shown below, which will be the bottom part of the flower pedal. Fill it with a pink or any other color of your choice. Then go to Effect > Stylize > Feather, then set the Feather amount to 5pt. Place it on top of the gray pedal.

Step 10

Apply mesh points to the pedal with the Mesh Tool (U). Select random mesh points and fill them with a darker gray.

Step 11

Select the smaller pink shape and make a copy. Then scale it down to about 75% of the original one. Fill it with a darker pink or a purple. Apply a Feather effect of 2pt.

Step 12

Group the flower pedal and the two small shapes together. Then select the grouped shape and Rotate (R) and duplicate it until you have six pedals.

Step 13

Select the orange shape from Steps 1-4 and place it on top of the pedals. Set the layer mode to 88% Opacity and apply a Feather effect of 5pt.

Step 14

Make a copy of the orange feather shape and scale it down.

Step 15

Create a rectangle and fill it with green. Then add mesh points with the Mesh Tool (U). Select random points and fill them with a darker or lighter green. This will be the backdrop.

Step 16

Group all the flower shapes together and make a copy. Then apply a Gaussian Blur effect of 21 pixels.

Step 17

Place it on top of the backdrop.

Step 18

You can add some text on the right.

Step 19

Make a copy of the blurred flower, scale it down and place it to the right of the bigger one. Set the layer mode to 20% Opacity.

Step 20

Make another copy and apply a stronger Gaussian Blur of 65 pixels, then place it on top of the big flower. Set the layer mode Opacity back to 100%.

Step 21

I started adding some Opacity Masks to the original non-blurred flower and placed several into the background in order to create a sense of depth of field. will explain how in the next step.

Step 22

Take a copy of the original flower and apply an Opacity Mask. Select the Opacity Mask window (Black square).

Step 23

Create a circle that is bigger than the flower and fill it with a black to white linear gradient.

Step 24

Add another smaller ellipse on top with a black to white gradient. This will hide the edges of the pedals. Remember, we are still in the same Opacity Mask.

Step 25

Leave the Opacity Mask. Place another original flower on top. We want to add another Opacity Mask.

Step 26

Repeat Step 24 and apply another Opacity Mask. As you can see, the image is set up with several flowers placed on top or behind, scaled down or blurred. This will create the illusion of a depth of field and it makes it much more interesting.

Conclusion

Voila, that's it folks. Opacity Masks can be difficult to understand, but they can help to create some awesome effects. Just remember that black hides and white reveals and always make sure that you are in the active Opacity Window and that you leave it by clicking on the layer window next to it.

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Photoshop CS Tutorial

Step 1 - Introduction
Here’s my first tutorial for Designjunk.com. You will be learning how to create a stylish looking clock that can fit in any kind of picture. Above is an example of what your results will hopefully look like!

Step 2 - Beginning the border
Our first step is to create a document of your liking, I am using 200×200, because I like to have room to work with, but it is completely up to you. Next, we will need to create the shape of our clock. I just used the Circle Marquee tool to draw our outline of the clock. Fill it with whatever color for now, I used black.

Step 3 - Gradient Overlay
Okay, now. We will take our black circle and make it the metallic colored border around the clock. So simply, right click on the layer, go to blending options, gradients, and use these settings above.

Step 4 - Smaller Circle
On step 3 we will add the face to the clock. To do this simple just reselect your Selection Marquee tool and make another circle holding shift to make a perfect small circle. Color this white.

Step 5 - Face Details
Now go to the blending options of that smaller circle layer. Find Gradient Overlay. Now add these colors in the gradient box. Change the black to #B3D2ED and the white to F1F9FF. This should have a smooth blue to white look on it.

Step 6 - Gradient overlay
Go to our clock outline layer, click on it, and hit ctrl+a to select the whole shape. Then go to your gradient tool and go to preset gradients. Then, select the white with transparent shape. Use the picture above as a reference.

Step 7 - Stroking the edges
Next, we need some add a stroke on the outside of our clocks face. Again, this adds more depth. You know the drill, find the layer, right click on blending options, then go to stroke. I used the settings above.

Step 8 - Drawing the Arms
Things are coming together now. Our clock just needs some arms and some markings. For the arms, I will just use the pencil tool (1px or 2px) with a square shape. I used #171717 for their main color. Here again, you can change what you want.Finally, we can add the second hand, this will be the longest hand, thin and red. As a a tip, after you draw the straight line, you can hit ctrl+t on that layer to adjust it like I did.

Step 9 - Finished. Add the markings!
Finally, we just need markings. I am going to just take the 1px pencil tool, draw 1 straight line then use the transform (ctrl+t) method to put them accordingly along the edges of the clock face. Congrats now, all that “hard” work paid off in the end! Use this as you wish, or download the PSD from Designjunk.com.

Create an Awesome Exploding Glass Effect with Thinking Particles and 3ds Max

Final Effect Preview

Step 1

Create a Cylinder and change the name to "Glass". Set the "Radius" to '7', the "Height" to '30', and the "Sides" to '6'.

Step 2

Move the cylinder to the coordinates: x = 0, y = 0, and z = 2.

Step 3

Add an "Edit poly" modifier. Click the "Polygon Selection" icon, and select the bottom polygon.

Step 4

In the "Edit Polygons" rollout, click the "Bevel Settings" button. Set the "Height" value to '1.8' and the "Outline Amount" value to '-1.5'. Press OK.

Step 5

With the bottom polygon selected, click the "Inset Settings" button, and set the "Inset Amount" to '1'. Press Ok.

Step 6

Select the top polygon and delete it.

Step 7

Add a "Tessellate" modifier. Set the "Tension" value to '0.0' and the "Iterations" to '2'.

Step 8

Add a "TurboSmooth" modifier. After that, add an "Optimize" modifier. Set the "Face Threshold" value to '0.02', the "Edge Threshold" value to '0', and the "Bias" value to '0.5'.

Step 9

Finally, add a "TurboSmooth" modifier again.

Step 10

ThinkingParticles 3 creates fragments based on surface edges. The idea is to create glass with random edges, but with a smooth surface. You can see a few examples in the screenshot below.

Step 11

Create another Cylinder, and change the name to "Bullet". Set the "Radius" to '1', the "Height" to '5', and the "Sides" to '12'.

Step 12

Convert this "Bullet" cylinder to an "Editable Poly", and model it out bullet using the following image as a reference:

Step 13

Press the 'A' key on the keyboard, to turn on "Angle Snaps", and rotate the "Bullet" by '90' degrees on the 'x' axis.

Step 14

Move the "Bullet" to the coordinates: x = 0, y = 100, and z = 15.

Step 15

Create a box for the ground, set the "Height" to '-2', and add more segments.

Step 16

Go to "Command panel > Create > Particle Systems > Thinking", and place a "ThinkingParticles 3" icon in the Viewport.

Step 17

Go to the "Modify" panel, and click "Properties" in the "Thinking" rollout (you can also use 'Alt + Shift + P' to open, and 'Alt + Shift + C' to close the "ThinkingParticles 3" user interface). In the "DynamicSet Tree" view, select "Master Dynamic". Disable "Edit on the fly" to see the changes in real time. Enable "Show Mesh" to see the particle shape.

Step 18

In the "Particle Group Tree" view, click the "Create" button, under "Master System". Name the group "Glass Particle", by clicking on the name "Group" twice (slowly). Create two other groups. Name the first group "Bullet Particle", and the second group "Fragments".

Step 19

Now you need to create a "Dynamic Set" to dictate what the particles do. In the "DynamicSet Tree" view, click the "Create" button, under "Master Dynamic", and name the new Dynamic Set "Generate".

Step 20

Highlight the "Generate" "DynamicSet", and then go to the right-hand side of the dialog, where you will see a new set of "Create" rollouts.

Step 21

Select the "Operators" icon, and then choose "Generator" from the drop down list. Select the "Obj. to Particle" node, to highlight it, then click in the schematic portion of the "Wire Setup" view, and add this node to your "DynamicSet".

Step 22

In the "Obj. to Particle" rollout (on the right portion that appears), click the "Pick Object" button, and select the "Glass" object in the viewport. From the drop down menu, select "Glass Particle" as your "Group", and enable "Instance Shape".

Step 23

Click the "Pick Object" button again, and select "Bullet". Then select "Bullet Particle" as your "Group", and enable "Instance Shape". The "Obj. to Particle" operator, turned the "Glass" and the "Bullet" into particles, so you can hide them now.

Step 24

Create a new "Dynamic Set" and change the name to "Bullet". In the "Create" panel, click the "Groups" icon, then add the "Bullet Particle" group, in the schematic portion of the "Wire Setup" view.

Step 25

Click the "Operators" icon, and from the drop down list, select "Dynamics". Add a "Force" operator, and set the "Strength" value to '300'. Connect the "Bullet Particle" group to the "Force" operator.

Step 26

You will notice that the bullet particle is moving in the wrong direction, so you need to change the direction vector. Click the "Helpers" icon, and add a "Point3" helper. Set the "Y-Value" to '-1'.

Step 27

Connect the "Vector" output of the "Point3" helper to the "Direction" input of the "Force" operator. Now the bullet is moving on the 'Y' axis.

Step 28

Click the "Operators" icon, and from the drop down list, select "Standard". Add a "Mass" operator, and change the "Mass" value to '300'. Connect the "Bullet Particle" group to the "Mass" operator.

Step 29

Create a new "Dynamic Set", and change the name to "Forces". In the "Create" panel, click the "Groups" icon. Add the "Glass Particle" group to your Dynamic Set.

Step 30

Click the "Operators" icon, and from the drop down list, select "Dynamics". Add a "Freeze" operator, near the "Glass Particle" group, and set the "Freezing" value to '100'. Connect the "Freeze" operator to the "Glass Particle" group.

Step 31

Add the "Fragments" group to your Dynamic Set. Click the "Operators" icon, and from the drop down list, select "Dynamics". Add a "Force" operator, and change the "Strength" value to '-30'. Connect the "Force" operator to the "Fragments" group. This will act like a gravity force for the particles.

Step 32

Create a new "Dynamic Set" and change the name to "Fragments". In the "Create" panel, click the "Groups" icon. Add the "Glass Particle" group to your Dynamic Set. Click the "Operators" icon, and from the drop down list, select "Shape". Add a "Fragment" operator, near the "Glass Particle" group.

Step 33

To create the fragmentation effect, you need to animate the "Threshold" value in the "Fragment" operator rollout, so turn on "Auto Key". Go to frame '15' and change the "Threshold" value to '0.25'. After that, go to frame '14' and change the "Threshold" value to '1'. Don't forget to turn off "Auto Key" when you are finished.

Step 34

Change the "Fragment Count" to '100', the "Sorting Type" to "Top > Bottom", increase "Life Span", change the "Speed" value to '0', and set the "Thickness" to '1.5'. Connect the "Glass Particle" group to the "Fragment" operator.

Step 35

Click the "Operators" icon, and from the drop down list, select "Standard". Add a "Group" operator, and select "Fragments" as your "Group". Connect the "*Born Particle" output of the "Fragment" operator to the "Particle" input of the "Group" operator. This operator is used to transfer the glass pieces into the "Fragments" group.

Step 36

Create a new "Dynamic Set", and change the name to "Collisions". In the "Create" panel, click the "Operators" icon, and from the drop down list, select "Dynamics". Add a "Shape Collision" operator, and select "All" as your "Particle Group". Change the "Floor Voxel Grid" to '20', to get more realistic simulations.

Step 37

Click the "Helpers" icon and add a "Node" helper, then click the "Pick Node" button and select the "Ground" object. Connect the "Node" output of the "Node" helper to the "Floor Node" input of the "Shape Collision" operator. Play back the animation. The particles should collide with each other, and with the "Ground".

Step 38

To add materials to the "glass" and the "bullet" particles, create a new "Dynamic Set" and change the name to "Materials". Add to this "Dynamic Set" the "Glass Particle" and the "Bullet Particle" groups. Click the "Operators" icon, and from the drop down list, select "Material". Add two "Shape Material" operators. Connect the first with the "Glass Particle" group and the second with the "Bullet Particle" group.

Step 39

Create a glass material. Because I used "Default Scanline Renderer" for this scene, I created a "Raytrace" glass material, but you can use any materials or render engine you want. Drag and drop this material into the "Shape Material" slot. Do the same thing with the bullet material.

Step 40

If you are using the "Default Scanline Renderer", you can an apply image motion blur effect directly to the ThinkingParticle icon. If you want to apply different motion blur effects to the particles, select "Master Dynamic", in the TP3 user interface, and enable "Groups as Objects". Now you can select the ThinkingParticles groups, as objects in the viewport.

Step 41

Select the "Fragments" group in the viewport, and apply an image motion blur effect with a "Multiplier" value of '0.25'. Do the same thing with the "Bullet Particle" group, but set the "Multiplier" value to '1'.

Step 42

Make sure the image motion blur effect is enabled!

Step 43

Create some lights to illuminate your scene.

Step 44

To create the camera shaking effect, add a "Noise" modifier to the camera. Change the noise type to "Fractal", enable "Animate Noise", and change the "Frequency" value to '20'.

Step 45

Click the "Auto Key" button and, when the bullet is near the camera, set the "Strength" value to '0.3' for all the three axes. Go back 5 frames, and forward 5 frames, and set the "Strength" value to '0'. Turn off "Auto Key".

Step 46

Finally, create a reflexive material for the "Ground" object, and add an image for your background. If you want to obtain a different fragmentation effect, you can move the glass object on the 'x' axis, until you get something you like.

Final Effect

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial. Below you can see my final results.

Opening a file in Microsoft Word 2003

To open a file

From the File menu, click Open. From the Open dialog box as displayed, use the Look in: drop down menu to select the drive or folder that contains the file you want. To open the file you can either double-click on the file name OR select the file name by clicking on it, and then click on the Open button. Moving through a Word document Using the Keyboard Arrow keys Place the insertion point anywhere in your document. Use the keyboard arrow keys to move up, down, left and right throughout the document. Using the Keyboard Page Up / Page Down keys If you press the keyboard Page Up or Page Down keys you will move through your document by approximately one screen per press. Using the Scroll Button If you click once on the down or up arrows at the top or bottom of the scroll bar you will scroll through your document one line at a time. Using the Scroll Bar Click on the scroll bar within the vertical scroll bar. As you drag it up and down, you will see page number displayed. When you release the mouse button, you will go to the page number indicated within the yellow colored pop-up. Microsoft Word 2003 Toolbars To display additional toolbars From the View menu, point to Toolbars. From the Toolbars sub-menu, click on the required toolbar name. The toolbars that are already displayed on the screen are checked (ticked). To turn a fixed toolbar to a floating toolbar Place the mouse pointer to header of the particular toolbar you wish to move until you see the 'cross' symbol appear. Click and drag the mouse to the location you wish to place the toolbar. To re-attach a floating toolbar Move the mouse pointer to the Title Bar of the particular floating toolbar you wish to re-attach and double-click with the mouse button. Microsoft Word 2003 Selection Techniques Important: Before you can apply any formatting to the text, you need to select (highlight) the text first. It can be a word, a line, a paragraph or entire Word document. To select a word Double-click on the word. To select a line Move the mouse pointer to the left of the line you wish to select, until the mouse pointer changes from an I-bean to an arrow pointing upwards and to the right. Click once with the mouse button. To select a paragraph Move the mouse pointer to the left of the paragraph you wish to select, until the mouse pointer changes from an I-bean to an arrow pointing upwards and to the right. Double-click with the left mouse button. To select the entire document From Edit menu, choose Select All. Deleting Text in Microsoft Word 2003 If you wish a particular text to be disappear from your Microsoft Word 2003 document, then you can use the delete function. To delete a character Place the insertion point to the left of the character to be deleted and press Delete key on your keyboard. To delete a word Select the word to be delete by double-click on it and press the keyboard Delete key. To delete a line or lines Select the line or lines to be delete (as describe in the Selection Techniques section above) Press the Delete key. To delete a block of text Select the block of text that you want to delete by dragging the mouse pointer over the text with the left mouse button depressed. Once the text is selected press the Delete key. To delete the entire document Select the entire document (as describe in the Selection Techniques section above) Press the Delete key.

Creating and Opening Workbooks

To start using Microsoft Excel, you can start with a new blank workbook or open the existing Excel file.

To create a new default workbook

Click on the New icon located on the Standard toolbar OR press Ctrl+N To open a file From the File menu, click Open. From the Open dialog box as displayed, use the Look in: drop down menu to select the drive or folder that contains the file you want. To open the file you can either double-click on the file name OR select the file name by clicking on it, and then click on the Open button. Microsoft Excel - Data Entry Techniques Here is the guide that shows the easy ways that you can use to enter data into the worksheet. To fill a range of cells with the same data Highlight the cells you wish to fill. Enter the information that you wish to fill the selected range with. Press Ctrl+Shift+Enter and the range will be filled. To fill a range of cells with the 'automatic' data Highlight the cells you wish to fill. Enter the data into the cells as follow: A1: 1; A2: 2 Use the mouse to drag from cell A1 to A2. Place your mouse in the bottom right corner of the selected cells until you see the “+” sign appear as follow: Click and drag the mouse down the cells as you wish. You will see the selected range will fill with continuous numbers 3, 4, 5, 6,… Note: You also can replace the above A1 and A2 cells with days of week such as Monday, Tuesday,... and months like January, February,... Microsoft Excel - Navigating in the Worksheet How you can move from one place to another in Microsoft Excel? Here is the ways: To move to a particular cell (quick way) Enter the cell that you wish to jump to into the Name Box (at the top, left of the screen). In the example shown the cell reference J50 has been entered. When you press the Enter key you will jump to the cell you entered. To move from cell to cell using the keyboard To move from cell to cell, use one of the following key or combination keys: Icon Function → One cell to the right. ← One cell to the left. ↓ One cell down. ↑ One cell up. Ctrl + → To the right-hand edge of the current region. Ctrl + ← To the left-hand edge of the current region. Ctrl + ↓ To the bottom edge of the current region. Ctrl + ↑ To the top edge of the current region. Home To the first cell in the row. Ctrl + Home To the first cell in the worksheet. Ctrl + End To the lowest right-hand cell in the worksheet that contains a data entry. Page Down One screen down. Page Up One screen up. Alt + Page Down One screen to the right. Alt + Page Up One screen to the left. Microsoft Excel - Selection Techniques The selection techniques in Microsoft Excel allow you to select or highlight the cell(s) quickly so that you can perform the tasks such as deleting, copying, etc. To select a cell Click on the cell you wish to select. To select a range of cells by dragging the mouse Click on the first cell in the range. Hold down the left-hand mouse button and drag over the cells you wish to include in the selection. To select a range of cells (making up a rectangular block) Click on the first cell of the rectangular block that you wish to select (i.e. the left top-left hand corner) Move down to the cell that marks the bottom-right corner of the rectangular block. Depress the Shift key (and keep it depress). Click once on the last cell of the required block and release the Shift key. To select a non-contiguous range Select the first cell or range. While holding down the Ctrl key, select the next range of cells. To select a row Click on the row heading number. To select a column Click on the column heading letter. To select an entire worksheet Press Ctrl+A Microsoft Excel - Inserting and Deleting Microsoft Excel offers a convenient way for you to either insert or delete cell(s), column(s), row(s), or entire worksheet. To insert a row(s) into a worksheet Select the row you want to move down when the new row is inserted above it. To select more than one row, drag the mouse pointer across the required row headings. Right-click on the selected row(s) to display a pop-up menu. Select Insert. Any existing data will move down to accommodate the new cells. To insert column(s) into a worksheet Select the column you want to move to the right when the new column is inserted. To select more than one column, drag the mouse pointer across the required column headings. Right-click on the selected column(s) to display a pop-up menu. Select Insert. Any existing data will move down to accommodate the new cells. To delete a row or column Use the same techniques outlined above, but select the Delete command from the pop-up menu. To insert cells or range of cells Select the cell where you want to insert a new cell. From the Insert menu, click Cells. From the Insert dialog box, select one of the following options: Entire column Moves all cells in the column to the right and inserts a new column. Entire row Moves all cells in the row down and inserts a new row. Shift cells down Moves existing cells down and inserts one cell. Shift cells right Moves existing cells to the right and inserts one cell. Click on the OK. To delete cells or ranges of cells Select the cell(s) you want to delete. From the Edit menu, click Delete. From the Delete dialog box displayed, select one of the options. Click on the OK button. To insert a worksheet Click the sheet tab to select the worksheet where you want to insert a new one. The new worksheet will be inserted before this worksheet. From the Insert menu, click Worksheet. To delete a worksheet Click on the sheet tab to select the worksheet you wish to delete. From the Edit menu, click Delete Sheet. Select OK to permanently delete the selected sheet.