Downloads

Hand-Drawn Texture 101

by morgan · Mar 9, 2011

Creating Vibrant Hand-Drawn Texture in Photoshop

In this tutorial we will explore a technique to use hand-drawn textures in digital illustration. This method is quick, and simple to use. However, it requires that you take some time to understand the application before getting started. The first part of this tutorial is about making textures and preparing them for digital art. The second part will demonstrate a method to paint with texture and apply some color theory. This will all be created using Photoshop CS3, and should take anywhere from 1-3 hours, depending on the textures you make.

Vector Textures Made Simple

by morgan · Mar 4, 2010

The basics of opacity masks in Adobe Illustrator

Masking is an incredibly powerful tool for making textures and fades in the Creative Suite. Both Photoshop and Illustrator can create these effects, but there are pros and cons to using each. Making textures in Photoshop can often become cumbersome and tedious, due to both the interface and the nature of its graphics. In Illustrator however, textures are a breeze to make and edit, as well as being highly flexible vector graphics. In this tutorial I will show you how to use opacity masks in illustrator to create textured effects with ease.

Lunar 40

by morgan · Feb 1, 2010

Dawn of the space age?

This past July marked the fortieth anniversary of the moon landing. I’m too young, but my parents remember watching the moon landing, and the earlier space flights. I’ve grown up with the space shuttle and Mars rovers, but no lunar landing. It’s been forty years since we went to the moon, will it be another forty before we return? Some scientists have suggested returning to the moon and using it as a launching point for Mars, but with NASA’s funds diminishing, I’m left asking…when?

Concept on paper

Like all my illustrations, this one started in my sketchbook. One day I found myself drawing some rockets in a few different styles. Later I used them as references to make the digital illustration. The clouds were drawn, traced, refined, traced some more and then scanned. Once in the computer they were traced using the pen tool. Colors added using live-paint and shape layers.

In the Download

In this download you get the desktop wallpaper, plus a vector illustration. The vector file is sized as a wall poster (18×24) and I hope someday to screen-print it on some nice paper. Until then, enjoy!

Rise of the Cloud

by morgan · Feb 1, 2010

Free floating data

Cloud computing is on the rise, but what does that mean anyway? More and more, people are storing their data and information on the internet (the cloud). This can include all kinds of services, from email to shared office documents. Data that’s accessible from anywhere is a great convenience, but is it vulnerable, and if so, to who? Google is at the forefront of cloud based services with GMail and Google Docs, but can we trust them. Will they protect our data from hackers, or are they the biggest threat themselves? The convenience of the cloud calls for us to trust the corporations hosting our data.

The Sketches

I sketched all of the pieces of this illustration separately and then digitized. I decided I did not like the top part of the cloud sketch, so I erased it in the computer. Later, I added the color layers with my wacom tablet and then arranged the final composition.

What’s in the download

In this download you get a desktop wallpaper (two sizes) and the final vector file.

Life Under Glass

by morgan · Feb 1, 2010

The death of privacy

Google yourself. I dare you. The privacy and anonymity that was cherished in the past is now gone. With facebook, twitter and blogs people are leaving their words all over the internet. Although this is great for communicating with friends and self-promotion, what is the cost on a person’s public identity? Will we be defined by the words we publish, no matter how big or small? How will future employers, friends and acquaintances see you? Will that facebook rant from ten years ago come back to haunt you? These are all scary questions, so before you hit that publish button be ready for your words to come under the looking glass.

The sketches

For this illustration I started with some simple doodles. I drew, traced and refined the mouse shape, and scribbled some swatches to use for texture. Later I digitized using live-trace and the pen tool.

What’s in the download

Included in this download are the desktop wallpapers, and a vector resource file. The file includes the pieces I used to create this digital illustration, plus some bonus scribble textures. If you would like something else to be included in the file, please let me know in the comments.

Data Center

by morgan · Jan 31, 2010

The old information warehouse

Often I find myself reminiscing about the library. Gone are the days when I would spend hours among the stacks exploring, learning and enjoying the quiet. My senior year of high school I had the best job ever, a library shelver. In my time there I learned the Dewey Decimal System like the back of my hand and discovered a ton of new authors. Sadly, that job had to come to an end. I still fondly remember the smell and feel of the library books— old, dusty and weathered. Although I’ve largely replaced the library with the internet (except for some college papers), nothing beats the magic of finding just the right book.

What’s in the download

Included in this download is the “Data Center” illustration as a desktop wallpaper. I’ve provided two sizes, 1024×768 and 800×600. If you think I should include other sizes, please let me know which ones in the comments below. Enjoy!

The original sketch

I scribbled this ink sketch a few years ago. I didn’t have much use for it then, but when I rediscovered it I knew it had to go digital, and needed some color. Scanned, live-trace and color added with a wacom tablet.