December 2019 Blog Train - Working

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Hi Amanda,

I can't draw freehand with a mouse in photoshop if my life depended on it (wish I had one of those pen/tablet thingys), so what I do is extract bits and pieces (ie: various shapes like an ear or an antler) from different cliparts/graphics that I've found here and elsewhere. Put all those pieces together in photoshop, moving things around - resizing, rotating, stretching, warping, etc until I like the end results.

Then I open each individual piece in Illustrator and "vectorize" everything to get nice crisp smooth edges. Then go back into photoshop, making final adjustments to each layer/piece, putting it all back together again until I'm happy with the results....

.... And then the fun begins with colouring/texturing, dodging/burning, shading/highlighting, painting with a gazillion different brushes, fx/layer styles, etc etc on each of the layers.

It's a long drawn out process, but I enjoy playing around with all the bits and pieces for endless hours to see what I can come up with. Sometimes I end up hating what I've made, scrap it all into the garbage bin and start the process all over again.

Other times it may just be a simple matter of using different brushes/custom shapes to get the designs that I want, but more times than not, I usually end up cutting/extracting things out and using those.

In a nutshell: I take other stuff and put it all together to make new stuff. *snicker snicker*

There's probably much much simpler ways of doing things to save time and effort, but currently this is the only way I know how. My hope is to someday perfect that dang Illustrator program so I can start making my own shapes and designs from scratch. But until then, I grab myself a strong cup of coffee and curl up in front of my computer to hunker down and get to work "playing" with stuff to see what I end up with. smiley

That does sound involved, Brenda, but the end results look great. smiley

I know the feeling of working a while on something you ultimately hate. I had an idea for a paper for the Renaissance Faire train that I tried to get to work, but after several hours of work trying to get something satisfactory out of it, I ended up binning the whole thing because it wasn't working and looked weird. Then I managed to knock out a different design that worked great in like half an hour. Because of course.

I have a question. Can it be any of these colors OR does it have to be all of these colors?

I think I am going to just use the top set of colors OR a couple colors. smiley

It's really up to you, Nae, how much of the palette you use. You can look through past "working" threads to see how much of the palette different designers use. I've seen some kits that restricted themselves to certain parts of the palette, and others that went ham on all the colors.

Thank you Amanda. You are such a help.♥ I struggle with colors anyway not knowing what looks good with one and what doesn't. I worry I put too much of one color and not enough of another. I am the same way with fonts. LOL I overthink things alot and that can get overwhelming sometimes. I am trying to branch out and use more colors because I always tend to lean on dark colors. Black especially but im tryin.... smiley

Thank you so much.
♥Nae

I know the feeling. I tend to go overboard with colors, so working with a palette forces me to restrict myself in that regard and it's a good thing.

I am LOVING this blog train! The vibrant colors are so whimsical!

@ Bourico...your elements are awesome, love the "coloring book" look of them!

@ Amanda...your gradient papers are beautiful!

@ Brenda...the sleigh is too cute and I love all the goodies you have stuffed in it!

@Diane...you never disappoint! love the touch of glitter on the poinsettia and the snowflake frame!

now I need to quit creating stuff to coordinate with the November blog train and get started on December

this is truly magical!

can't wait to play with this one!

smiley

OK It has been awhile for me here. No more cancer. I wanted to try and get back into the swing of things. This is my Mini Kit.
OK I had Time to make more... smiley

OH! Lori, I've missed you! On my older computer, I had your blog on favorites, and on here, though, I lost a few things. I've often wondered about you, though, and am SO happy to see you here again! Thankful cancer is gone!

Just got done with mine. Thank the LORD! I just ended up throwing some colors together and I think it turned out pretty good. My computer will have to recover now from all those huge papers and elements. LOL I hope someone can find something they like in it. It will be live on my blog December 1. smiley

Hi Lisel, Thanks so much sweetie. You can email me and I can see what all you are missing and I can see what I can do for you. I might build a new blog just for my Pixel scrap freebies. smiley Hugs!

Lori I just love the textures in your kit. You done a awesome job! -Nae

Thanks Nae. Scrapping in my Passion. Been doing it for years and loving having my own stores I sale in. smiley Also love sharing my work with others.

OK Ladies...This is my New Blog I just made last night. This is the Blog that I will be adding Blog Train Goodies on and other freebie goodies from time to time. smiley https://p4dsdesignzpixalscrapsblogtrainblog.blogspot.com/

Lori that is beautiful! I love your blog layout. I tried making one with a layout like that and mine was not centered at all. LOL You done a great job! Now I just use tiles on mine (alot simpler) I will get the nerve up to try and do it again SOMEDAY but I LOVE the layouts like yours. BRILLIANT! xNae

I am your first follower.... yea! smiley

Thanks Nae...I have done several blogs. I Design and then add in to the codes. I use Artistree to do my building...Then I go into Blogger in the code and add all the codes in it. I do Blogs if you ever need a makeover. LOL Thanks for being the first follower. I added some ribbons on it. Go grab. Hope to get time to add more there. I love doing that... smiley

And I'm follower number TWO! ROFL!
Thanks, Lori!

Hey Lori I was just about to check my list I follow on blogger. I will go now and grab them babies.... I know they are awesome and I can always use ribbons I LOVE them! I am so glad you decided to make a blog.... YOU know I just may take you up on a blog makeover soon..... The last one I had I had that on there for 5 years. LOL which I was away from the digital world for a while. I would pop in and out but didn't do much due to health issues. BUT that was the one that was not centered it stayed that way for that long.... what a mess! smiley I am going to go now and grab those ribbons.... Thank you so much and it is great to meet you!♥ -Nae

Lori HEY you got kits too!!!!!!!!!!!!! woo hoo!!!!!!!! YOU Know I share all the freebies I have on my list on my pinterest.... HOPE that's ok. smiley

Got them all! I feel another tut in the making..... smiley

So far.....I was feeling a sort of retro vibe...so that's where I'm at in my design process...

Very nice, Rachel. I also thought retro with mine, but I like that this thread has others that look very 80s, 90s, modern, etc.

Well, I hope you all don't mind, but I stayed with two colors. Here are my contributions for the month. I decided to do two different page kits

OOooooooo Laura, I am digging all the sparkle! And I think the colors are wonderful that you chose! The vellum frame is so cool, and that Holiday Magic is beautiful!

Wow these are all so pretty! I was going to try and jump on this train but it seems like y'all got a big jump on me lol

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