Kate Harper's Blog, page 11

How to Enjoy the Season

This card by Hiromitsu Yokata is a good visual representation of a magical Christmas.  It brings us into a dreamlike world and lets us imagine what is possible.









Artist Information:


Hiromitsu Yokata represented by LeJarie Noguchi
www.artas1.comhttp://artas1.com/
323 742-1005










~
Kate Harper Designs www.kateharperdesigns.com

The Pet Who Wanted to Go Home With Santa

Here is a card Allison Chesnutt that is about a pet who wants to go home with santa.  I think that is a great concept and sentiment.  It's so like a pet to want to do that.
















Artist Information:

Allison Chesnutt

AJ's Pastime

www.ajspastime.com

903-832-6257







~
Kate Harper Designs www.kateharperdesigns.com

How to Resize Multiple Images via Batch Processing

Another great how-to article by Joan Beiriger's Blog on Art Licensing.  Check it out.  Here's an excerpt:







There are times an artist needs to change the file size, file format,
add a signature, logo or watermark on multiple images for the following
purposes:

• e-mail attachments to manufacturers for licensing consideration

• a manufacturer request for presentation to their client(s)

• low resolution standard size images for websites

• a marketing slide show for youtube.com

• iPhoto library that will be transferred to iPad

• photo/image-sharing websites like drop box

• sent to printing services

• sent to a publication for a press release or an advertisement

• auction/sale websites such as eBay and Etsy



Doing these tasks one file at a time is boring and time consuming.
However, using batch processing software that allows multiple steps to
be applied to many files at once is fast and easy.



Adobe Photoshop allows a person to do custom batch processing by using
the Action and Batch commands to program exactly what is needed. Turnkey
software (pre-built software for immediate use) performs certain tasks
such as resizing images and reformatting files.  Article continued...


Kate Harper Designs www.kateharperdesigns.com

How to make a successful one-color holiday card.

Here's a very creative holiday card by Robyn Short of "Speak Life Greetings".  What a great concept.  She honors the tradition of calligraphy with an angel design and also does this by using one color.  That is very difficult to do. I could easily see this card in red, green or blue versions or by using the same calligraphy concept for other holidays like Valentine's or St. Patrick's.











For more information contact:

Robyn Short

Speak Life Greetings

Encourage someone today.

www.speaklifegreetings.com


Kate Harper Designs www.kateharperdesigns.com

Mechanics Are Artists Too.

You might wonder why you haven't seen a post on this blog for the last 11 days -- well, I've been in Indiana with family.



One thing I learned from being there is that mechanics are artists too.



My uncle Tom Allis built this specialty truck that tows semi-trailers (when they break down). He took an old Walmart truck and cut it in half and added a towing attachment.  I call that creative! 



Notice the mix of red and green colors in these pictures.  Using images like this can be a great way to personalize a holiday card. You can print the picture and add your own text, or you could design a card with an open blank space where someone else can add their own photo.










(Bennett's Garage and Towing Inc , Earl Park, Indiana)


 




Photo Credit: Peter Mui
Kate Harper Designs www.kateharperdesigns.com

Publish Your Own Children's "E-Book"

If you have designed a children's book and can't get the attention of a publisher, consider publishing it yourself and selling it in an eBookstore (Amazon, Apple iBookstore, Kobo, Barnes and Noble, etc). 



If you want to see what an ebook looks like on an eReader, download some free children's books and see what others are doing. 



If you don't have a Kindle, all you need to do is download a free app so you can read them on almost any other device (tablets, cellphones, desktop computers). 



These are the top free children's books today on Amazon.  Since they are free, it is a good way to preview how other people have designed and published children's ebooks. To see a list of the top 100 free Children's books on Animals, make sure you look at the list on the RIGHT that says "Top 100 Free." Then download them.




Note: Free book listings change daily.  









 How to Download a free children's ebook:



1. Go to the page with free listings on the right side.. 







2. Click on a book you like, and then select where you want it to be delivered.  In this sample, I can choose where I want to read it (on a variety of multiple devices and on my computer).  In this example below, I'm selecting my Kindle.




























4. If you don't have a kindle or any of these listing available, then download a free app to read on multiple devices.


















Learn more about self publishing ebooks








1.check out this free guide:











2. Read article about Patti Gay publishing her first children's ebook:




Artist Publishes Children's book for E-Readers (Kindle and Nook)




Kate Harper Designs www.kateharperdesigns.com

Happy Thanksgiving

Hope your Thanksgiving is full of peace, simplicity and hearty laughs.  Here's a thanksgiving card from Joan Beiriger.  Check out her great art licensing blog.










Kate Harper Designs www.kateharperdesigns.com

Free Book Today: How to Sell Crafts Online.

This looks like a great book in the TOC and it's usually $9.99.  I'm hoping it's free for more than one day today (Tuesday).  Very applicable for any artist trying to sell online.














Kate Harper Designs www.kateharperdesigns.com

25 Amazing Photoshop Tutorials

Here's a good article on Umagazine.  Check it out: http://urdu-mag.com/blog/2012/11/25-amazing-photoshop-photo-manipulation-tutorials/




Here are 2 of the 25:


How To Design Freestyle Human Portrait Manipulation in Photoshop with Brush Painting and Layer Masking









 How To Design Vintage Artwork with Old Newspaper and Watercolor Brush in Photoshop



 




Kate Harper Designs www.kateharperdesigns.com

Free Greeting Card Booklet Today (Also Thursday and Friday)

Free on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday! (November 14,15, and 16th)






7 Mistakes Greeting Card Writers Make



A booklet on common mistakes greeting card writers make and what to
avoid when submitting greeting card verse to publishers. Today, greeting
card publishers are shying away from traditional stereotypes, and may
even include pets as family members. This article talks about how to
create a trendy card that reflects the contemporary world we live in,
and how to use our own personal experiences to create great card verse.
Topics include: how to avoid limiting the market of who could buy your
card, when to use adjectives, how not to creating card for enemies, how
to write like people talk and a list of why card sentiment submissions
are often rejected. The good news is you can increase your odds of
success by 60% by doing a few simple things.



BONUS: Includes a
list of card publishers and their guidelines, links to writer
interviews, and exercises for creating good verse (4,000 words and 9
Card Sample images).







Don't have an eReader? You can still read this booklet on any
smartphone, mobile device or your computer. For more information on how to do this,
download any of these free apps.








--
Kate Harper Designs www.kateharperdesigns.com