I graduated with a 2:1 degree in Printed Textiles from
Manchester Metropolitan University .After graduation I worked
freelance as a Textile Designer .At this time I also began to use
a P.C for making midi music and learnt through trial and error
how to build and upgrade P.C's .
I bought Photoshop and a 17" Epson Giclee printer to enable
me to print my fashion fabric designs .I soon discovered that
I could also print my Artwork on canvas ,paper and anything
else I could coat with a matte medium.
For the last 4 years I have been self employed, renting a shop
Tunbridge Wells where I do my painting and printing.
I have learnt a lot more about Photoshop and other programs
and use the Computer all the time as an ideas book also,
when asked to manipulate photos, I have a good idea
how to arrive at the fastest solution.
Photoshop & Printing
I can build, repair P.C's , install windows etc .
Troubleshoot and maintain a 44 inch large format printer.
Use colour calibration software to calibrate monitors ,
scanners and printers.
Build colour profiles to print on different types of media to ensure
consistent colour. If this proves difficult I can then manipulate the
file in Photoshop using adjustment layers.
Draw and make selections
using the pen and feather
tool.
Below are some Cherubs I was asked to design and print.
Retouch photo's using the clone stamp tool.
Add a splash of brightness and contrast to give a photo some
life when printed.
Use the unsharp mask filter to sharpen images.
Join scanned images together so that the join is invisible .This is
the procedure I use when making a print from my small paintings.
Take a good photo of artwork and use the lens correction tool
to straighten out any lens problems.
Create split tone images from colour photos, add photo filters
and gradient map colouring.
Use adjustment layers for curves, levels, hue saturation,
selective colour, channel mixer, invert, threshold etc.
Use alpha channels and layer masks (I am still
getting to grips with this).
Manipulating text.
Adding shadows and lighting effects to text and images.
Adding radial blur to make images look as though they are moving.
Softening focus with gaussian blur and fade gaussian blur.
Use skew and perspective to manipulate horizons.
Use filters to change images.
Use blur, dodge, shapes tool etc.
Import and build brushes and then paint with them.
Change the resolution of images for websites or printing.
Make animated GIF's
I have a basic understanding of Mac's, Illustrator and In-design.
I still have to use a Manual when using these but, my knowledge
is growing.
Website Design
Create an index page and an index image folder
followed by folders for the other web pages.
I have a basic understanding of creating footer's, wrapper's,
mastheads etc. I am beginning to understand how absolute,
relative and floating divs / layers work.
I am starting to use css style sheets
to edit my website.
Using Photoshop to edit images and importing images to fit in a layer.
Adding various buttons and rollovers etc where needed.
Adding Hyperlinks to connect it all together.
Uploading my website to the server and then adding new pages.
I have started to look at code when everything goes wrong but this is
mostly uncharted waters for me.
Other Information
I can edit camcorder clips into dvd's with chapters etc using
nero movie maker.
I am able to set up midi sound modules to a mixing desk and
decks and then make tunes with loops, slices and sequences. I can use
Propellerhead Reason and Logic Audio Software.
Oh yes! One more thing, I can paint and draw as well!!
