Conference Buddies

March 11, 2009 8:30am – 10:00am
Speaker: James Hobart

Summary/Topics:

• Navigation/Taxonomy Basics
• Menu/Hierarchical Design Patterns
• Alternative Navigation Design
• Complex Taxonomy Case Study

UI Design Basics

• Consistency
• Clarity
• Terminology
• Provide clear feedback
• Correct “Mental Model”
• Task Alignment
• Enjoyable

Key Thoughts

• Avoid deep level hierarchy when possible (no more than 3 levels deep)
• Lower efficiency costs – shorten the amount of steps to do something
  Example:
  Google allows searches for movie times and stock quotes. Instead of going to Fandango or Scottrade, a user can just type their search in Google.
• Provide real-time feedback
• Present possibilities to help with selection
• Discovery engines can add value
• Help distinguish best choices – the buy now button on e-commerce sites are generally the largest call to action

Note: 18% of users automatically go straight to search rather than using a navigation system, as such, a search should always be available on a global level.

Definitions

Taxonomy – metadata – information about information
Navigation Models – basis for creating components to allow users to move around and find information

Navigation Examples

Hierarchical Tree View

An abstract view for navigation – users may not understand hierarchy. It’s been tested to show that if users do not find what they are looking for upon expanding on a tree view, they start over and go down the hierarchy again. This increases efficiency cost.

Tree/List View Combination

Similar to Tree View, but provides more information. Microsoft Outlook is a popular example of this structure. It has been proven successful for power users.

Menu Navigation Guidelines

• Choose a consistent global navigation scheme
• Sub-navigation should be tied to global navigation
• Beware of complex sidebar navigation
• Avoid fly-out menus with more than 3 levels (also be aware of horizontal and vertical spacing – horizontal space should not be too wide, and vertical margins should provide adequate spacing)

Menu Information Layering

• Set distinct layer thresholds (pick out the essential items to list and for any non-essential items, add a “more” link)
• Follow a 1-2-3 step to get users where they want

Folksonomy-Based Consumer Search/Taxonomy

Hierarchical structures based on user driven data, such as:

• Product reviews
• User driven tags
• User ratings

Note: Pitfall is that you must monitor the data. User driven data needs to factor in that users can drive the data differently in that some users may tag something as “hiking boots” and others as “hiker boots” or “hiking shoes.”

Remember…

• Taxonomies getting more complex
• Adapt navigation strategies to meet new information challenges
• Shield users from complexity
• Lower efficiency cost of navigation
• Leverage design patterns to repeat success

http://www.deke.com (search for “Transparency”)

Commercial Printing – Postscript Printing Language

70-80% of Illustrator functions are not supported by Postscript

• i.e. gradient, transparency

Thus these features might not print correctly (does fine 99% of the time)
Workaround Solution:

• Rasterize before sending it to postscript
• Open the Illustration in Photoshop with really high resolution (300+ depending on your printing document & complexity of graphic).
• Opening in Photoshop will rasterize the graphic but will be okay with high resolution.
• Print from Photoshop or place back the graphic into Illustrator or Indesign.
• Keep text within Illustrator.

Can target the fill and stroke independently on the Appearance Window before going to the Transparency Window to change the opacity.

Transparency Window

1. Knockout Group – turn on twick (1st = “-“, 2nd = “check symbol”)
2. Combines everything in group so you do not see the overlapping sections

Masking

1. Create shape & place on top of the object you wan to mask (in separate layers)
2. Transparency Flyout – Make Opacity Mask
3. Clip and Invert Mask (Play around to achieve what you want – 4 different combinations) –– Black = Transparent, White = Opaque

Blend

1. Can blend between shapes/groups (must be organized the same)
2. Object > Blend > Make – must have object A (blend) B
3. Use blend tool > specified steps to add more objects
4. Open the blend to access the path to adjust the spped and angle of the blend

Can apply Blend Modes to individual attributes of the Appearance Window

Blend Mode – designed for RGB thus may not work all the time in CMYK

• When Screen Mode does not work (black turns white instead of transparent) then change the # of CMYK to all 100.

Clipping Path

• Create boundry within layer & click on the clipping path icon on the bottom of the layers window

http://www.DVConfidential.com

Convert video into a smart object

• Smart object is the grouping/nesting of objects together
• Apply filters throughout video clip
• Change/Edit filter
• Does not distruct the original video file

Time Lapse Photography

1. Images needs to be named in sequential order
2. Do not open all images at once
3. Select 1st image, check sequence box
4. Set frame rate and click OK

Photoshop CS3 has the ability to animate layer effects.

Human Eye Sees

• Monitor Screen = square pixels
• TV Screen = rectangle pixels
• Turn Pixel Aspect Ratio on for Video
• New File > Choose Film & Video settings

Clean Script: takes out all Adobe Files

• There are 4 levels
• Use if computer is acting funny with Adobe Software
• Scripts can be found on the Adobe Website

Photoshop CS3 Extended Video Design

Video Actions available within Actions flyout menu

Animating Layer Mask

• New Layer & Fill with Black
• Add Layer Mask (can animate position)
• When moving the layer mask, unlink, select layer mask (target), then drag

Photoshop Animation

• No scaling or rotation
• Can animate any filter and any adjustment layers
• No easing within Photoshop

• 29.97 frame rate = standard NTSC (Broadcast Quality) – USA
• HD different
• Film 24 frames/sec. – 4K film resolution
• POW – Europe

Photoshop does not recoginize sound files so it cannot be read…

• Workaround is to change the sound file to “.mov” and open in Photoshop
• Photoshop then reads the sound file as a blank movie file
• Export the movie and the sound is embedded
• Open movies with sound into Photoshop and sound will remain when exported.

From Photoshop CS3 Extended to After Effects

Custom Background Formula

1. Convert blank layer to smart objects
2. Enter smart object
3. Fill 50% gray
4. Filter > Render > Fibers – Variance (around 10-15)
5. Render: everything under here can be done in smart object and give you a texture look
6. Filter > Blur > Motion Blur – Angle 90 degree, Distance 200 pixels
7. Creates a more silky look
8. Convert to layer
9. Transform & scale it 500%
10. Animate from top left to the bottom right
11. Save & Close smart object
12. Apply Distort Filters to Render Filters (Formula)
13. Add Polar Coordinate Filter
14. Any other filters under the Distort Menu for different effects
15. New layer, Fill with color, Screen Blend Mode
16. Filter Blending Modes icon within layer allows you to change the blend mode of the filter – original texture bleeds through to create new patterns

Once a movie, you cannot stretch it out.

• You will need to make it the actual length.

LAB Color Mode

• L = Lightness
• A = red, yellow
• B = green, blue
• Redefine color – Example:
• Change red car to green
• Change color mode to LAB
• Curves > change to “a”
• Add two points in the middle of the curve
• Move the top right point down to change the color
• Move the point to the left to give back saturation

Keyframes created in Photoshop will not transfer to After Effects which means you cannot make edits to it

Google “After Effects Fractual Noise” and you will find a lot of free formulas to create backgrounds

http://www.ricksammon.com (go to Articles Page)

Background Textures within Actions – more within top right drop down menu

Artistic Effects/Textures

• Art History Brush > Texture Brush > Small Brush Size > Paint Around the edges

Photoshop > Preferences > General > History Log

1. Select detailed
2. Text file of everything you’ve done – step–by–step

Fish Eye Lens Effect (curved horizon)

• Edit > Transform > Warp

Create Vinneatte

1. New Layer
2. 50% Gray
3. Filter > Distort > Lens Correction
4. Hard Light Blend Mode (more of a Renaissance Effect)

Polarizing Filter Effect

1. New layer
2. Color with 50% Gray – Sky (Darker Blue Sky & Whiter Clouds)
3. Color Burn Blend Mode

Color Replacement Tool

1. Colorizes each object without going out of bounds but only within one layer
2. Alternative: New Layer > Color Blending Mode

Sunset Effect

1. Level > move left slider towards the middle
2. Increase colors with color balance

Some filters are affected by the foreground color (ie. Graphic Pen)

• When using filters always play around with foreground color and fade filter

Human eye sees 11 f-stops

To turn Shadow & Highlight into an Adjustment Layer

• Turn image into a smart object

Shadow & Highlight is good for adjusting shadow and highlights back to the original state

Slight Desaturation

1. New color layer with Soft Light Blend Mode
2. Desaturate background

Three most common portrait retouches:

1. Removing blemishes
2. Balancing skin tone
3. Softening skin

Use retouching tools in the following order:

1. Healing (tiny things) / Patch Tool (big stuff)
2. Paint Brush
3. Liquidfy
4. Cloning Tool

Removing Tan Lines

1. Color in the area
2. Apply the Color Blend Mode
3. Adjust the opacity
4. Use the Clone Tool at 50% opacity and with a large brush to blend the overlaping tan lines area

Skin Softening

1. To keep the skin looking more natural, use 30-35% opacity of the blurred skin + keeping some skin textures

Adding Skin Texture

1. If it looks a little too much on screen then it is perfect for print

Slimming Effect

1. Liquidfy > Push Tool (5th tool down from the tool bar)
2. Move up = push left
3. Move down = push right

Tucking in the Chin a Little

1. Filter > Distort > Puck
2. (Select area and use filter)

File Organization
Example folder structure:

• Master Job folder
• 01_Raw Camera files
• 02_RBG files
• 001 Selects
• 002 Layered files
• 003 Flattened
• 004 Not Used
• 03_(ie. LAB, JPG, etc.)

Color Calibration
Use a gray card (white, gray, black) to adjust the levles according to the RBG # seen on the Color Window
-    Adjust the levels until all 3 RBG # match
-    Take a picture of a gray card for each lighting condition
-    Can save the level setting and load it for all images with that same lighting condition

Cut-Out Image with Pen Tool

• Cut out image and select
• Select > Modify > Border > 2 pixels
• Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur > 1.2 pixels
• Select image and create new layer and fill with black
• Deselect and apply the Gaussian Blur
• Adjust with Transform tool and Move tool

Shadow & Highlight Tool
Can be used to bring back details into shadows
-    Shadow Amount: Around 30% is usually good
-    Highlight Amount: Move to right to add light

Photographing Green Food

• Very hard to photograph – usually comes out really dark
• Use the Shadow & Highlight Tool to brighten the green

Shooting Products Proportionally

• Shoot the biggest product first & keep shooting in the order according to size from biggest to smallest
• Keep the camera in one position and do not move it throughout the photo shoot
• Instead of taking group product images, shoot individual product shots then create a collage out of them. This way you can easily swap out individual images.

Food Photography

• Traditionally, a View Camera is used and the technique is to pull it back to the take the image in order to create a closer, eye-level perspective to make it more appetizing.
• Photoshop can duplicate this effect by using the Transform > Perspective Tool

• Knock Out Overlapping Areas on Text
• Convert text to shape
• Path selection tool to select the letter and overlap them
• Select All
• Select Exclude Overlapping Areas (4th icon – right before Combine Button) on top tool bar

http://www.adventuresinphotoshop.com

1. How To Wow Presets (900 presets): Software-cinema.com/page/htw
2. Photo Tools Lite (OnOne Software)
3. Pre-Scripts (Dr. Brown Services)

Unique Selling Proposition (USP)

• Avoid the abuse of bling effects. Don’t lose sight of the Unique Selling Proposition – The ability to communicate and motivate somebody to action (to buy, to vote, to look, etc.)

Short Cut for Layer Effects

1. Right click choose Scale Layer Effects
2. Change all styles interactively at the same time

Saving a Shape (vector based)

1. Edit > Define Custom Shape
2. Shape is now saved within Custom Shape Tool
3. Good for logo and watermarks
4. Watermarks can create and save custom tool preset for style effects
5. Can save as a tool set to share with other people: Edit > under Preset Manager

Typography

• Kerning: spacing between letters – one letter –– Opt. + left/right arrows
• Tracking: spacing between letters – multiple letters –– highlight all letters & Opt. + left/right arrows

Displacement Map

1. Use the grayscale copy of whatever image/graphic to bend/distort the graphic to follow that grayscale texture.
2. Filter > Distort > Displace

Blending Options

• Layer Mask Hides Effects – Layer style effects does not apply to the layer masked portions

1. Colorizing

• Select the section
• Copy into a separate layer
• Desaturate
• Duplicate layer & Fill shape with color
• Apply Blend Mode Multiply
• Adjust opacity to create the desired look/color
• Duplicate layer
• Apply Blend Mode Overlay
• Adjust opacity to create the desired look/color
• Duplicate layer
• Apply Blend Mode Color
• Adjust opacity to create the desired look/color

2. To Enhance A Subject’s Fitness / Muscles

• Create 2 separate layers
• Layer 1 enhance the highlights
• Layer 2 enhance the shadows
• Adjust the opactity in each layer until it looks natural

1. Creating polar worlds using the Polar Coordinates filter

• Filter > Distort menu
• This filter can create a panorama landscape into a planet.

2. Adjusting brightness of individual colors within an image

• Option + choose Black & White Adjustment Layer > Change the mode to Luminosity
• Move your mouse over your image, click, and drag horizontally to change the brightness of whatever color your mouse is currently over.

3. Quick composites using blending sliders

• Use the Blending Options within the Layer Style popup menu
• Move upper left blending slider towards the middle = hide the dark sections
• Move the upper right blendling slider towards the middle = hide the bright sections
• Option + drag either side of the slider to split the slider into two pieces for a more gradual transition
• If the subject is different than the background color, consider clicking through the different color channels to find the most dramatic difference between the subject and background.
• Then choose that color channel from the popup menu that appears above the sliders.
• The Underlying Layer slider will cause the underlying layer to break through the active layer based on brightness.

4. Removing the Background on Fire

• Filter > Extract
• Check the Force Foreground box
• The Extract command is only capable of searching for a single color within an image
• If there is more than one color, such as a fire, choose the most prominent or a blend of both
• Use the Eye Dropper tool to choose that color

5. Removing the Background on Glass Objects

• Filter > Extract
• Use the command twice to extract the highlights and shadows on separate layers and you’re done.

6. Selecting a Complex Tree

• Background Eraser tool
• Tolerance at 50% and choose Discontiguous
• Choose a large soft brush
• Click on a color within the background and paint over the entire area to remove that color
• Repeat the process until all the background is removed