The latest pack, just relased today, is entitled “Fractal Abstract Brushes” and contains a variety of high-resolution, abstract brushes. Well worth checking out, download these free brushes today!

Creating Hot Air Balloons in Photoshop

Follow this easy-to-use tutorial to create a simple, yet elegant, Hot Air Balloon scene.

Designing Smokey Type

Type is one of the most powerful element of visual design, and creating fancy type can only add to that power.

Create a Detailed Compass Illustration

While illustration is often left for Photoshop’s sister software, Illustrator, this in-depth tutorial is a valuable resource to those looking to hone this PS skills.

Design a Galaxy

Creating one of the largest elements in deep space can not only be a great way to add another piece to your portfolio, but also to have fun.

Designing a Web 2.0 Logo

While the designer goes about creating his logo in a rather novel, “jelly”, way, the final result is unquestionably professional.

Descent Brushes

Hi-Res Splatter Brushes

Quantum Brushes

Check out the final product below:

Step 1 - Creating Some Text

This effect works best on bolder text, so choose a font with a bit of width and type some text. This effect relies on layer styles and is completely dynamic, so you can change the text and font later on.

Step 2 - Making the Style Changes

We will use Photoshop’s powerful layer styling tools to achive this glossy effect. Make the following changes:

In this order the gradient’s colors are:

#94c516 - #72aa00 - #8eb92a - #a8c732- #b9ce44

Color #72aa00 and #8eb92a are placed quite close to one another.

As for the satin, use the color #515151.

Finally, use the color #7aa008 for the stroke:

Congrats! You have now created a stylish, Web 2.0 effect that can really bring your text to life. Enjoy!

Sidewalk Oil Stains

Splatter Brush Pack

Dot Splatters

Regular Updates and Improvements
Ever since its humble beginnings as a simple image editor in 1988, Photoshop has been updated continually. With a total of 10 major versions, the latest being CS3, Photoshop has shown that it has no intention of dying and will be a powerful, reliable tool for years to come.

Designers need to update and improve as well. Whether it is staying on top of the latest trends and technologies or learning a new marketable skill, regular self-improvement is incredibly beneficial to any designer.

Accessibility
Photoshop strives to be as user friendly as possible. Throughout many updates, the program’s creators made vast improvements to the user interface.

Likewise, designers should also be assessable. The more user friendly you are, the better the chance of turning a first time client into a repeat client.

Setting a Fair Price
While its price is sometimes the cause for complaint, Photoshop is an application that does not under-value itself. The makers of Photoshop know the program’s value and set a price that reflects it.
Similarly, designers should set and charge fair prices for their services and talents. Under-valuing your services not only hurts yourself, but can hurt the design community at large, devaluing designers everywhere.

Freelance designers of all types can submit their portfolios for free to this ever growing site. If accepted, your site will receive extra traffic and exposure, plus a free, permanent link-back.

Vector Brush Set

Scratch Brush Set

Fractal Abstract Brush Set

Creating a sense of community is vital to the success of many freelance
graphic designers, especially those that obtain the majority of their business
from local entities. Community, or the simple act of having common
characteristics, enables designers to be more personable, which in turn leads to
a greater designer-client relationship.

You can go about creating a sense of community a variety of different ways
and no one is unable to accomplish this, humans all have something in common
with each other which is the first step to developing community… establishing
a connection.

When you are out and about at the grocery store, local festival, or meeting,
be friendly. Everyone enjoys meeting new people on some level and first
impressions are incredibly important. Establish “community” by asking a few
questions about the other person, take a genuine interest in them and endeavor
to remember their answers to the best of your ability. People will most likely
remember you better when their first encounter with you was a pleasant
experience.

Another method of encouraging a sense of community is choosing to use more
personable language on your website. You can establish a connection with a
potential client by breaking the barrier created by faceless corporate language.

The next step in creating a sense of community is maintaining the connection.
Follow-through is vital in showing not only that you are a designer of your
word, but will greatly strengthen the relationship between you and the potential
or current client.

Exchange contact information with as many people as possible, there is no way
of maintaining a connection if you don’t have a way of getting in touch with
somebody. Hand out your business card liberally, invite people to add you as a
friend on Facebook or MySpace, start an email newsletter, or give them a call.

Even if you don’t start out talking about what you do for a living,
employment is bound to come up in conversation sometime and is a perfect
opportunity to give your “elevator speech.” Even if the person your are
conversing with isn’t in need of your services, almost everybody knows somebody
who could use a little help in that area.

The potential for increasing your client base is enormous, all because you
established a connection and maintained it. This is by no means a comprehensive
look at steps to creating a community, there are many, varied methods in
addition to the ones I mentioned. Feel free to let us know about your favorite
methods in the comments below… Stay tuned for Part 3!

About the Author

Mike is a freelance web and graphic designer who runs Digital Revolutions. Feel free to add him on Facebook or send him an email.

Every cloud needs a good sky background. Create a gradient with the colors (#98bedd) and (#e0eefa); proceed to fill the background layer with this gradient, you will end up with something like this:

Step 2 - Creating a Cloud

Next, take the Ellipse tool and with Shift held down (to make sure all of the ellipses are created on the same layer), create a bunch of circles in a fashion similar to the one below:

Step 3 - Styling the Cloud

To make the cloud look more realistic, make the following layer style changes to the cloud’s layer:
Please note the gradient uses the colors (#e9e9ce) and (#fcfdf4).

Step 4 - Final Touches

Next, duplicate the cloud and use the transform tools to modify its shape. Experiment to achieve the effect you desire:

Congrats! You’re created some vector clouds.