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PE: The power of contextA picture is indeed "worth a thousand words", a complex idea can be conveyed with a single still image. This quote also characterizes one of the main goals of visualizations, namely making it possible to absorb large amounts of data quickly. In our perception of artworks we see every day, some get closer to our hearts than others. Imagine a painting, strong and powerful, technique showing an experienced, steady hand, needing nothing but a pair of eyes to enter one's sensitive soul. Are you satisfied with what you see? I wouldn't count on that, but I would be quite sure that after a while your head fills with numerous questions.PE: The power of context4 months ago in Art Blogs & Mags More Like This
On the contrary, your favorite artist publishes their recent work and you, as always, immediately love it. If, however, you would allow your mind a little exercise, you could clearly see that if this work was shown to you at random, under different circumstances and you would not know the author, hardly would it catch your interest for a second.
Photography Troubleshooting: Winter WildlifeFor many parts of the world, Winter provides a beautiful backdrop for some of the best landscape and water scape Photography out there. Snowy hills, Frosty trees and more help to convert a world of vibrant Summer or Autumn into subdued yet awe-inspiring Winter. But what about the wildlife? Extreme weather conditions can make it more challenging to get out and about with the camera, but can also give you more opportunity to capture those elusive animals.Photography Troubleshooting: Winter Wildlife5 months ago in Community Relations More Like This
When I first started investigating Winter Wildlife Photography I thought that I would have to aim for things like Foxes, Deer and other wild and sometimes elusive animals. But actually, wildlife Photography and in particular in the Winter - can start right in the back garden.
Birds in particular get hungrier and needier during Winter months in England. I'm sure this is true for many parts of the world too. Depending on the kinds that frequent your garden, you could encourage them to linger pretty quickly or it might
PE: Daily Deviations - The Myth and the LegendDaily Deviations, or DDs . . . for some deviants, receiving one is the epitome of awesomesauce in the deviantART world. For others, they are a nice way to show off the work of lesser-known artists. Still others treat them as a special way to bring attention to great art that exemplifies works being done by a particular gallery or community.PE: Daily Deviations - The Myth and the Legend9 months ago in Projects More Like This
Perhaps because there are so many different ways of conceptualizing DDs, there are also many myths and misconceptions. I would like to address some of those myths by responding to the ones most frequently heard. Please note that these opinions are mine and reflect my experiences with the photomanipulation community, but perhaps they will be informative nevertheless.
Myth 1: DDs should always be perfect.
To many of us, the ideal Daily Deviation goes to an artist with amazing talent whose work draws you in and makes you think, "Wow, everyone needs to see this!" A DD should move you, inspire you, and provoke you to think, b
PE: 9 ways to overcome (artistic) Frustration.9 ways to overcome (artistic) FrustrationPE: 9 ways to overcome (artistic) Frustration.5 months ago in Art Blogs & Mags More Like This
Everyone has heard of it, everyone fears the very sight of it, but if you are an artist, there is a good chance it creeps at you regularly, more often than a flu, in various forms and intensity; in psychology, Frustration is a common emotional response to opposition / obstacle, is related to anger and disappointment and its strength depends on the size of the established challenge. When Frustration calls you more often than your mother does, it's time to take an action!
1. - TAKE A WALK
Try to get your feelings straight by walking it out of your system. Is it raining or snowing? Even better, get soaked and dry out.
2. - SHIFT YOUR FOCUS
Sleep on it. Make yourself busy with small repetitive tasks, watch a good movie or comedy, play a game, visit your family or a friend, cook a new recipe, get a haircut, tidy up your room or house, watch a documentary, have a chocolate, take a horse ridi
Photography Troubleshooting: Capturing AutumnFor many Photographers, Autumn is now officially here and is one of the most exciting seasons to capture in terms of colour, change and vistas. Early morning mist, late afternoon sun, orange, red and golden hues - Autumn has a lot to offer in many countries. If you're like me, Autumn often arrives all at once and it can be tricky to know how to make the best of the season before it's over. A couple of days of high winds and rain can ruin the best Autumnal captures by ripping the leaves down before you've even got the chance to snap - so it's great to be prepared for the season.Photography Troubleshooting: Capturing Autumn8 months ago in Community Relations More Like This
Leading lines are particularly useful. Yet so many people quote ' Look for leading lines...' or 'You've captured the leading lines here perfectly' and really do we even know properly what they are? The purpose of a leading line is to draw a viewers eye into the photograph and then on a journey - through it. Think of it as a visual narrative. They can be intentional and ind
Photography Troubleshooting: LandscapesI first started out with landscape Photography and it's something that I particularly enjoy now whether that's rolling hills, rolling clouds, or a bit of both on a stormy day. Photographing landscapes can not only highlight the natural terrain of the earth, but also what's going on in the sky and the weather effects of the day. *DreamlikeDesign asked for some Landscape pointers - so here are some handy tips on how to achieve great landscape shots:Photography Troubleshooting: Landscapes4 months ago in Photography More Like This
1) Use a Tripod
There are times when you just won't have the time. But equally if you've got a fantastic scene in front of you and you have a moment or two to set things up, then please do. You'll honestly be more pleased with your results. Where you may have a landscape that involves a bit of water, you might need a longer shutter speed. The tripod will help stabilise you. Consider also using a shutter release to help you as well. For a bit more information on tripods and when and where to use them
PE: 9 tips to be more creativeCreativity isn't just an artist's concern. Creativity is about using your imagination in every endeavor. Believe it or not, you are a creative person already. However, these tips might inspire you to get the best of what you already have.PE: 9 tips to be more creative2 months ago in Art Blogs & Mags More Like This
1. GET OUTSIDE
This comes as a very first tip for a reason. Whether it's outside your house or outside your mind, changing your perspective will help the ideas flow.
2. DRINK ENOUGH WATER
Your brain functions much better when well-hydrated. Symptoms of mild dehydration include tiredness, headache, muscle weakness, and dizziness - these are certainly not going to help you to think straight.
3. EXERCISE
Exercise produces endorphins that might as well be responsible for your next brilliant idea.
4. DAYDREAM
Dreaming is very important, inside a dream nothing is impossible. Use that to your advantage.
5. STOP WATCHING TELEVISION
Or better yet, get rid of the damn thing. TV is a mind-killer. Turn it off. Even if th
PE: Walkthroughs, an alternative way to learnPE: Walkthroughs, an alternative way to learn6 months ago in Art Features More Like This
Walkthroughs, alongside tutorials, are always an excellent way to learn. It's really helpful to get educated through a tutorial which tells exactly what to do in a detailed way step by step. However at times what is even more helpful is to actually see the artist in action, there are things you need to see get done by yourself and here is where walkthroughs come into play.
There's always something fascinating about seeing the different stages of the creation process of a piece, and you can always learn from the artists and adapt part of said process to your own.
Besides showing part of this process through images which show the different stages of a piece, and
Starting with dA CSSBack when CSS was allowed for journals for the first time there had been only a few deviants like `ClaireJones, `Lilyas or =kuschelirmel-stock who provided free skins for everyone. Through the time more and more people enjoyed working on CSS skins and we also got the chance to skin our galleries.Starting with dA CSS5 months ago in Editorials More Like This
These days, and thanks to the great resources about journal and gallery CSS that have been created, it is possible for nearly everyone to code their own skins and/or to share them with others. Still there are many people who struggle with some basic things, which is why we want to focus on some of them here.General
Where can you use CSS/HTML
On deviantART you can only use HTML and CSS on your journals, group blogs, your custom gallery folders, as well as your groups' galleries.
When you customize your profile widgets you can't add CSS or HTML like you can for journals/galleries. All you can do is using existing dA code that can be re-us
10 Things a Photomanip Newbie Should KnowHi all,10 Things a Photomanip Newbie Should Know8 months ago in Projects More Like This
I wanted to talk for a moment to our newbie photomanipulators or even older photomanipulators who are out of the fray. How are you? Welcome to the inner circle.
Here are some things that you (and all photomanipulators) need to know about dA and the photomanipulation community.
1. Stay in touch with the Photomanipulation CV (currently me, ^Aeirmid).
Watch me. No, that's not an ill-formed plea for pageviews, favorites, or watchers.Actually, I rarely even post art anymore.
I am the Community Volunteer (CV) for photomanipulation, which means I regularly run contests, feature art, share news, post Daily Deviations (DDs), and do other things to support the community. It is in your best interest to watch my journal because I post every photomanipulation-related update there. This information is important to you so you can learn about upcoming events, changes in rules, new groups, and other news.
2. Watch :devcommunity
Photography Troubleshooting: Understanding ISOHeader created by ~TouchedDPhotography Troubleshooting: Understanding ISO3 months ago in Community Relations More Like This
=TheGalleryOfEve asked recently about SLR settings and in particular, a troubleshooting article focusing on ISO. So here it is! Hopefully this article will help you to understand ISO better, whether a beginner or not.
What Is ISO?
ISO within traditional photography, was an indication of how sensitive a film was to light. Within digital photography it measures the sensitivity of the image sensor. Basically, the lower the number then the less your camera is sensitive to light. Higher ISO numbers are generally used in dark situations to get faster shutter speeds but this can often mean that your shots are noisier. ISO 100 is the most widely used and gives crisp shots with little to no grain. Shooting in automatic means that the camera will select the appropriate ISO for the situations that you are facing, and work out the rest for you to reduce noise as much possible. But it's when you start getting more technical and
What is Traditional Darkroom?What is Traditional Darkroom?What is Traditional Darkroom?6 months ago in Editorials More Like This
Traditional Darkroom is where it all began. It started in a world where the word 'photography' didn't yet exist and the art of creating images of reality with light and chemicals sat somewhere between science and magic. Did you know that the mathematicians Aristotle and Euclid describe pinhole cameras in the 4th and 5th centuries?
In the early 1800s, artist/inventors like Louis Dageurre and Henry Fox Talbot (among others) experimented with ways of fixing images using chemicals, including silver compounds, following exposures on materials like glass and metal, lasting from several minutes to several hours. By 1840, Talbot was creating negative images using the calotype process and John Herschel had invented the cyanotype process (where the term 'blueprint' comes from) and created the first glass negative in 1839.
In the middle part of the 1800s, the wet plate collodion process be
Tutorial Writing TipsTutorial Writing TipsTutorial Writing Tips5 months ago in Art Blogs & Mags More Like This
This article has been written both for #projecteducate's Community Week and for the second #FeedbackFrenzy contest.
There are many tutorials right here on deviantART, most of which are provided by other deviants for free. All of us can take a look at these tutorials, and hopefully learn something new. While it's wonderful people spend their spare time helping others learn for free, the truth is some tutorials are much better than others. In this article, I am aiming to share my tutorial-writing knowledge to help others make their tutorials better! After all, if you're going to spend some of your spare time writing a tutorial, you might as well make it the best it can be!
What are you good at?
First of all, think about what you're good at! If you haven't already decided what you want to write your tutorial on, you'll need to have a think about the sorts of things you're good at, which you could teach others. You don't ha
Darkroom Photography TutorialsdeviantART is home to thousands of useful tutorials on just about every topic imaginable.Darkroom Photography Tutorials6 months ago in Editorials More Like This
If you want to try your hand at darkroom photography, or simply gain a greater understanding of the medium, here are a few to get you started...
Confused by film types and formats? Don't know your 35mm from your instant processing? This tutorial is a good place to start.
No camera? No problem! Make your own.
One exposure not enough? Here's how to do the double.
Time to develop? Read these!
Maybe you want to try some alternative processing. Here's how to make a negative from a digital photo.
Cyanotypes are fun, safe and easy. Find out how to make your own.
Want to take your instant film shots further? Try an emulsion lift!
Love vintage looks but don't have access to darkroom chem
PE: Introduction to the Digital Art categoriesHi! Welcome to the Digital Art categories central! The following article is intended to be a quick guide on the Digital Art categories to get you started, most of the descriptions included here came from past Project Educate articles (so thanks for all the current and past CVs for their indirect help :P) and will include links to more articles if you want a more deep insight of said category, as well as a list of CVs you can send your DD suggestions to. (As of December 2012, for the updated list of current volunteers you can always check this blog)PE: Introduction to the Digital Art categories6 months ago in Digital Art More Like This
But first, what is considered DIGITAL Art?
Digital Art includes every artwork created with the use and/or help of digital software and tools. Said in simple words: art you create with a computer (or other devic
Photography Troubleshooting: How to work with MistGetting the camera out, and the scarf, hat and gloves, and heading into a misty morning or hazy evening can result in the best kind of photographs. Atmospheric, moody and ultimately a fine example of whatever current season you're in - these kinds of shots present themselves at awkward moments so it's vitally important to be prepared. In previous years I've got up at the crack of dawn and ventured out with all the excitement of a young child on their first day of school - only to come home with a grazed knee and broken felt tip pens. Or rather, washed out, blurred and altogether rubbish photographs.Photography Troubleshooting: How to work with Mist8 months ago in Photography More Like This
Fog is a popular mist - we often get confused and just term it all as fog or all as mist. It's not quite like that. It's all about the visibility, if we can see less than 1km through it then it's fog. If we can see between 1 - 2 km then it's mist. So when is the best time to catch these ground level clouds at their best? Fo
It's All About Presentation (Mostly)As more and more people start taking pictures of their nether regions on their iphones or posing myspace style in front of their HTC's - the competitive world of getting a Daily Deviation gets just that much harder...It's All About Presentation (Mostly)7 months ago in Community Relations More Like ThisI kid. But... daily, I am bombarded with awesome suggestions (which I love) and I'm not complaining about. But there has to be a criteria of sorts, that sets an image above the rest. Here are a few things I look for that you might not have noticed before... The first thing I look at when I stumble across an image or view a suggestion from somebody, is how the artist has presented their work to the deviantART Community.
Title
Your image isn't everything. Not anymore. In the past I have given Daily Deviations to pieces with titles that are a combination of random letters and numbers, or that are very obviously still the source file title - or that tends to be just a keyboard mash-up. Everyday CVs are sent many many notes suggesting pieces o
Photography Troubleshooting: The Watermark FAQ"How do I protect my photography and art in general?"Photography Troubleshooting: The Watermark FAQ9 months ago in Editorials More Like This
~=Eitvys200
"As =Eitvys200 pointed out, at least 1 journal per month makes it to the top of the list and is about stealing art. Sometimes this is something small such as posting a piece to facebook, other times you see hoards of pieces on a website selling wallpapers or something similar. Regardless of how it happens, or where, it can hurt just as much to see your hard work disregarded and especially someone else profiting or taking credit.
Protecting work is a huge deal for some people, and not for others. It depends entirely on your outlook - how you view your work and indeed whether or not there needs to be some constrictions on it due to the content being a child, or family member. But how do we protect our work properly from art theft and wrongful use? The simple answer is you can't provide for every eventuality. Even if you upload your work to a website where right click -> copy is disabled,
2012 Roundup!2012 has seen #projecteducate advance with the changing times here on deviantART and become an official group! That means that it has been a lot easier to bring you all the information, features, interviews and articles as part of various Project Educate weeks. So with the functions of groups at our fingertips, the articles shared are all in organised gallery folders for ease - all of which are linked in this article.2012 Roundup!5 months ago in Community Relations More Like This
2012 also saw the Introduction of Community Weeks headed up by members of the community. They're now running monthly and are designed for members of the community to get involved by writing articles on whatever they want - educationally. `JamminJo and `lintu47 are your current community week leads and the people to note if you're interested in contributing! Our calendar for
Project Educate: Permission to Photograph People Permission to Photograph PeopleProject Educate: Permission to Photograph People9 months ago in Community Relations More Like This
It's a tough topic and one that most of us like to shy away from rather than embrace, but the honest truth is that the shots of people that you get - the best kind - are the ones that are candid, journalistic or spontaneous. That usually means asking permission afterwards, or not asking permission at all - which can appear quite odd, to some. One of my biggest concerns and anxieties is having my camera out in public. I recently went to a beach, of all places, and was shooting the coastline when a horrible feeling crept over me and I realised that there were lots of people around and that I was invading, a little bit, on their privacy. These guidelines are useful for shooting on the street, at public gatherings and events and at more formal occasions such as weddings.If the person is going to be the main subject of your photo - then it's kind to ask permission, get perm
Photography Troubleshooting:How to Photograph FoodMany of us lament about a lack of subjects to Photograph - and almost just as many of us create something on a daily basis that with a bit of presentation, can look like a masterpiece. Food is one of the most accessible Photographic subjects and if you've no idea where to start, hopefully this article will give you a few pointers. Firstly, you don't need an expensive D-SLR in order to capture some of the food masterpieces you see around.Photography Troubleshooting:How to Photograph Food7 months ago in Community Relations More Like This
By *PaSt1978
The above was taken with a Sony Cybershot which is a good quality point and shoot camera. As you can see, the focus is crisp, the quality is good and the lighting is adequate. It works well - and it's easy enough to achieve whether you have a D-SLR or something smaller.
PE: Journal and Gallery SkinsWhat are Journal Skins?PE: Journal and Gallery Skins2 months ago in Community Relations More Like This
Complete Journal & Gallery CSS
This gallery is for Journal and Gallery skins where the CSS must be downloaded to be used. These days, there aren't as many journal skins being submitted into this category; as installable skins are becoming more and more popular.
Examples
Installable Journal Skins
These are journal skins that can be installed for quick use.
Examples
<strong wytiwyg="1">
Sta.sh
