Createwings Designs

Custom Shadow Tutorial and a Special Treat from a friend... it's a good day!

Hi everyone! I hope you are having a good week and getting ready to enjoy your weekend :) I thought you might enjoy a few things.. One is my first blog tutorial on making custom shadows on your layouts. I really want to share with the community things that I feel helped me become a better scrapper. So I hope you will enjoy it.

Are you signed up for my Newsletter? Don't miss getting Exclusive offers, Coupons and special updates! I have a signup in the right hand corner of my blog here :) I will be sending out my first one in the next few days and you won't want to miss out!

Make sure to read this whole post because I have a special treat for you from my good friend and Designer Catherine!

Now before you go on... Are any of you Grey's Anatomy Fans? Oh my I'm such a fan and I just finished watching the episode tonight... I'm never disappointed when I watch this show and I have to say this last one really got me... I just bawled my eyes out LOL! Couldn't help my self it was a such a good one...Ha! Does that make any sense me crying and then I say it was good? Well if your a fan then you will understand. LOVE that show!

Ok that is all for today... Have a fantastic weekend and keep your eyes open because I'm working on something new and I'm so excited about it :)

Custom Shadow Tutorial I use photoshop CS3 but this should work for most versions. I hope I make sense LOL!!!:lol This is just a few steps beyond making a regular shadow... I use this to give elements a more realistic look of dimension as if they are raised off the page. Also as a general rule. You want your shadows to be at 60 percent opacity or a bit lower for lighter papers. I use these basic settings to start.

Starting with this... The reason you want to make a separate shadow layer (where the shadow is all by itself not connected to the element anymore in the layers pallet) is so you can modify it by using the warp tool. So now go up to Layers then under Layer Styles. then select Create Layer This will separate the shadow on it's own layer below the element layer. Now you can see in your layers pallet to the right the two individual layers. Now go to your layers pallet and select the Shadow layer Now go under Edit and select Transform Then select Warp Now pull the tips by grabbing the section of the grid... Make sure you move the closest sections around the corner of grid too so it looks natural. You want it to look naturally bent. You will have to play a bit. Also, make sure that you pull back the base so it is close to the object. Here shows what the grid looks like... After warping the grid...  

Here is the finished custom shadow. 

Tip: if your shadow is too sharp go under Filter, Blur, and select Gaussian Blur and you can soften it :) You can do this in the first step making the size bigger. This is used after putting the shadow on it's own layer. Softened Shadow I also lowered the fill to from the orig. 60 to 50 since it is on white paper. 

The fill is right below Opacity and acts the same as Opacity in this step.

I hope this was helpful. There are many different ways of doing things in PS ;) 

More Shadow Tips:

When I'm trying to figure which way to warp my shadows. I usually look at my photo and see which way the light is casting down on the subject. I then try to imitate that when creating shadows on my page. Try to make all your shadows cast in the same direction away from the light. Think about depth and if you want something like a butterfly to look like it is flying off the page then make the shadow depth farther off the page and soften the size of the shadow. I really love using custom shadows on my pages and think it really gives that pop to the elements. I use them on every page and even made an action for creating custom shadows. It makes a lot faster...  

Oh another thing about shadows I was asked is do I color my shadows... I read that suggestion a while back and started to do so, but then I found I personally like using black and don't color them anymore. You can always try it though and make your own choice:)

One more Shadow Tip I hope this makes sense.

If I have an area that I want to add more shadow too. I will make a layer above or below the item which ever area that I'm trying to add more depth. I then put my settings to Multiply:) and select a soft brush. Then set the brush at a low opacity like 10. I then will paint in a shadow to add the depth I want. Building it up slowly so it looks natural. If you want to see an example of this. You can look at my last page I created in my gallery link Here. I used it for the base of the tree on the left side of the hills.

I plan to post more tutorials on my blog and I would love some feedback. I posted this at DST a while back asking for any suggestions for what you would like to see in the future. A few suggestions were a tutorial on Extractions, Lighting and I was thinking one about using the blending modes and masking would be good. I would love your thoughts.

Here is a bonus for you today!!!!

My good friend and one of the kindest people I know Catherine is offering a new Add-on Freebie using her latest kit Winter Retreat... you have to check it out it's gorgeous! Here is the Link to Catherine Designs Blog 

Here is a peek of the Add-on.... Enjoy!

Happy Monday.... Winners Announced and a HUGE Thank you!

Wow what a week it has been and I'm so happy that I started the blog!  I love being able to connect even more with this amazing community and I have to say a HUGE Thank you to you all for your kindness and amazing support!  I read all your wonderful comments and you all really made me happy...so thank you so much from the bottom of my heart... with out you I wouldn't be here! 

It is still Monday for me so nope I'm not late... I say this because in my time zone I'm always behind everyone else...last to finish the day!  Some have already started on Tuesday!! LOL.  If you haven't discovered this website about GMT times zones you should. It's a really cool way to see what time it is for some of your digifriends across the world from you.  I have to say it is a great way for me to keep track of it all. Since we are from all over.  Here is the link so you know what time it is in Washington State USA and here is the home page to look up any GMT time.

Thanks to all of you who entered my little contest!  I really enjoyed seeing your pages you created with Live Laugh Love!  It is so much fun to see pages using my designs.  I enjoy that part very much!

I put all your names in a hat and my oldest son pulled out 2 he was so excited to help out :).  I then couldn't help my self and had to choose one more LOL!  I will contact you soon with your $5.00 Gift Card to my shop!  Thanks again everyone for playing!

Winners are:

Erin Shannon

Aska

Petra

I want to thank you all that have signed up for my Newsletter!  This is exciting for me because I really want to give back to my customers and this will be a great way to do so!

With that said.....  Have you signed up for Createwings Designs Newsletter?  You will get EXCLUSIVE offers, coupons and be updated with my new releases when they hit the store!! I will be sending out my first one really soon so don't miss out!  Sign up in the right hand corner of my blog :)

Well to leave you with something to look forward too.... Keep checking back because I will be posting my latest blog tutorial on making "Custom Shadows" on your pages!  You won't want to miss this tutorial as it has screen shots and is step by step.  I really believe that shadow work is so important and can really add that "extra" to your pages.  I will post that later this week...  I also am working on something NEW and VERY Exciting.... I can't wait to tell you about it :)

Have a fantastic week!!!

((hugs))

Dawn

Live Laugh Love is here... and my 1st Freebie! Let's Celebrate!

Happy Monday everyone! I have a  New kit Live Laugh Love in my shop. I'm so excited about starting this new blog that I created this kit to celebrate!  Yes I have my gift for you too... a special Freebie that matches the kit!  I really appreciate all your support and kindness and hope you enjoy this gift as my thank you.  

In celebration Live Laugh Love the full kit is in my store at a special price only $3.00! 

Make sure to check out the inspirational pages my CT has created.  I have the gallery on the right side of the blog here.  They are such an amazing group and I'm sure you will be inspired!

Please Note:  I also have a New Newsletter that you can sign up for in the right hand corner of my blog...  So don't miss out on getting exclusive offers, coupons, and being notified of my new releases when the hit the store! I promise I won't bug you too much LOL!

Win a $5.00 Gift Card to my Shop.  If you create a page with my new kit and freebie post a link to it in my comments.  I will randomly choose 2 winners next Monday!

So without making you wait any longer here is my Freebie to match my new kit Live Laugh Love!

Link is below...

Here is the matching Kit that's in my Store...

Check out these fun frames you also get in the store kit....

Here is my page I created using Live Laugh Love

It's a special RAK for Yvette aka Alohamama

I hope you enjoy the Kit and my 1st Blog Freebie!

I would love to hear what you think... please leave me a comment.

Freebie Link: Live Laugh Love Freebie Download Here 

Store Link: for full kit Live Laugh Love

Celebration Price Only $3.00.

Have a fantastic week everyone!

and keep checking back there are more

wonderful things to come!

((hugs))

Dawn

Monday is the Day!! Woohooo!

Hi everyone! I will for sure be posting my special gift for you here on MONDAY!  I promise it will be worth the wait... I just couldn't stop creating and that's why I'm late LOL!

I'm celebrating my new blog here and I'm so excited for this new year.  I will have my 1st freebie for you and to top it off a special kit to match in my shop at a very discounted price!  So make sure you stop by here on Monday you won't want to miss it! 

Also, I finally have a Newsletter... see that little sign up box in the right hand corner?  Sign up and I promise not to bug you too much..LOL..  I will be sending out exclusive offers, coupons and you will be updated on my new releases!  

I'm so happy and I have a secret to share....

I'm almost finished with a special gift for everyone!  I really want to start this year off right. This community has been so amazing and I really want to give something back for all the support and kindness everyone has giving me!  So keep an eye out because I plan to get it posted here this next week!  I think you may like it... well I'm hoping so LOL!

 My mind is swirling with ideas for this new year and I'm also really excited because I have a new kit in the works too!  Wooohooo!  Life is good!  Now I just need to figure out how to get some sleep too...ha!  I have a hard time making myself go to bed any earlier than 10pm.  I'm such a night owl.  

One more thing I'm also planning on having a mailing list set up this next week too! This is something I have wanted to do since I started designing. For those who sign up I will be having special offers that will be exclusive just for subscribers.... more about that later :)

Hope you are having a wonderful rest of the weekend and I wish you the best week ever!  I'm really hoping to get out and put that new year resolution to work and do some walking...  Let's hope it doesn't snow...

Happy New Year!!!

I'm so excited for this new year!  I really think it's going to be full of good things.  I wanted to make a post today to say to keep an eye out because I have a new kit in the works and hope to be releasing it really soon!  When I release it I will be also giving away a freebie here too.  I plan to also post some tutorials.  

Some good news too I was recently interviewed by my new friend Agnes (kuznyec) if you want to read a little more about me go here blog4scrap: it is even in 2 languages! This makes me so happy!

So any new years resolutions?  I'm so bad at these LOL!  I hope to get out and walk more this year... there that should be one that I can accomplish.  

I want to thank everyone for all your support and kindness.  I wish everyone a year where all your dreams come true and one full of happiness and good health :)

((hugs))

Dawn