Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Slipstream



How cool is this graphic?



       Michael Offutt is a good blogging friend of mine.  I enjoy reading every word of his posts.  Besides being an engaging writer, he’s a talented artist.  His debut book, Slipstream, has just been released by Double Dragon, which might be the coolest name for a publisher.  Michael has taken over my blog to give marketing/Photoshop tips.


Because writers need to do so much of their own marketing, I feel that investing in a little program called Adobe Photoshop Elements can really pay off. This program is less than $100, and I’ve been able to make my own gifs, make my blog look nice, and draw some of the characters that I have running around in my head.

Embedded with this post is my first attempt at making a gif. I think it turned out pretty good. The boy is how I picture Jordan looking in my head (random trivia…Theresa also likes the name ‘Jordan’) , and I tried really hard to make him look seventeen and not like the actors who are 27 years old playing teenagers on Glee.

All I did was watch a YouTube tutorial and it was simple. I made three layers in Photoshop, simplified them with a right click, and then saved it for the web which automatically launches a gif panel where you can view it.

It really is that easy. We may be writers, but we are also artists. The right tools can make all the difference.

I have a contest for the release of my book.  I will pick one random person who comments on this post to win a $5 Amazon Gift Card and a SLIPSTREAM jeweled spider (the same person wins both prizes). The jeweled spider really sparkles in the sunlight. I hope whoever wins it really likes it. Also, please make sure that your email is linked to your signature in some way J. And yes, the crystal spiders play an important role in my book.

Rules:

1)     Mark my book “To Read” on Goodreads.
2)     Comment on this post.
3)     Tweet this post if you have twitter. You don’t have to sign-up for twitter. It’s the “honor” system. J
That’s it. I will choose a winner on Saturday, May 19th.  And thank you, Theresa, for having me on your fine blog.


Links:





56 comments:

  1. Well, you make it LOOK easy, Michael! I am a writer, but ... I am far, far from being a visual artist. Your gif looks great! Congratulations on SLIPSTREAM!

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  2. Thanks for sharing the tip Michael. Love the title for your book. Enjoy your debut!

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  3. My goodness that shiny sparkly gorgeous yummy spider jewelry! Yum!

    Oh the gif animation is brilliant!! How amazing - yay!! It's sort of very hypnotic! I am in super duper AWE!! All the best, Michael!! Tare care
    x

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  4. We have photoshop CS 2 (I think) on our Mac at home. My daughter is the expert on it.

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  5. I have PhotoShop Elements, which I got free with a scanner I bought. I still can't draw though. You still need something I like to call "talent".

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  6. I love that Michael has his artsy side :)

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  7. Layering is what gets me. I so need to learn this. I'm a mural painter by nature. Not sure why graphic art seems so foreign to me. I need to take a class. lol

    Thanks for sharing! Will Tweet away!

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  8. I have played a little bit with Photoshop, but nothing extensive. I need to work harder at it~

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  9. You're so right about the artists inside writers. You certainly have proven that with your spider jewel and boy image. I'll give you some PR. Off to do that and, of course, I'd love to win . . . anything. It makes me happy.

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  10. i love the premise of slipstream! looking forward to reading it!

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  11. @Sarah: Thank you. It wasn't as hard to make as I thought :)

    @Natalie: Thanks for liking my title. It's woefully unoriginal and I knew that going in when I first came up with it. I struggled with how unoriginal it was but no other title seemed to fit. I just figured "Ah well...it's not like I'm a big name author. Why do I need an original title? I'll just embrace my unoriginality and be done with it." Basically I took the attitude that if anyone said, "Hey, your title is unoriginal," I would just shrug and say "So? My book probably has typos in it too. What's your point?"

    @Old Kitty: You got me excited. I love cool comments like yours :))

    @Matt: So what you're saying is that you have female slaves to do your work. I got ya.

    @P.T.: I don't consider myself a talented artist. I can only draw blond guys.

    @Dezmond: Why thank you Dezzy.

    @SA Larsen: You need to understand layers to create gifs.

    @Shelly: Take a class or watch a tutorial on YouTube. I suggest starting with the most basic version of PhotoShop.

    @cleemckenzie: I like P.R. (especially the free P.R.). Thank you miss. I appreciate everything you do.

    @Tara: Awwh thank you. I appreciate that. *virtual hugs.

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  12. I must not be a writer, because I'm no artist. My father, yes. Me, no. The artist gene skipped a generation. Thanks for the photoshop advice, 100$ is not that bad.

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  13. Congratulations on the release of Slipstream, Michael. That's such a cool title. And, yes, Theresa, I agree that Double Dragon is a super cool name for a publisher!

    Thanks for the tips on Photoshop, Michael. I thought Photoshop was much more expensive. I've been playing with the new techniques offered for editing on Photobucket, but I'm lost as far as what the layering part is all about. Very challenging to me. Your graphics are awesome!

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  14. @Suze: Thank you dearie!

    @Elise: Ja. Especially considering the full blown version costs the price of a used car.

    @LynNerdKelley: This is the watered down version of PhotoShop called "Elements". It's really all most people need.

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  15. Awesome. I am hooked just by the sight of those crystal spiders LOL! Good luck to Michael. Congrats and good luck with the launch.

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  16. I considered buying Photoshop Elements, but my husband loaded Photoshop itself on my computer. I tried the whole YouTube video instruction thing, but must be technologically backward b/c I can't quite figure it out.
    I am impressed by the gif you made, Michael! Your book is in my lineup to be read.
    Thanks for hosting Michael today, Theresa. You're both wonderful!!!

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  17. There's an App called "GIFBoom" that you can download for free on your smart phone and create animated gifs. It actually works really well.

    It won't do all that cool stuff you do, Mr Renaissance Man with the drawing and clever writing and all. But some of us aren't made of money like you bigshot authors.

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  18. Photoshop Elements is a good, simple program (and reasonable) for anyone who doesn't want to tackle CS6.

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  19. Hi Michael,
    You are right about graphics knowledge coming in handy. I'm still trying to win that spider. :)

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  20. I think I already have your book marked as 'to read' at Goods.
    Not artistic, I just fiddle with basic photo editing. I do have a the now dated Photoshop Cs2 version, which I had one look at long ago and froze but could use it to learn the basics. When I do come out with my collections, my bro will do all or any of the graphic work. His brain is better tuned to software(maybe it is something called higher tech I.Q.)

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  21. >waves both hands around<
    You will give me that spider...

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  22. That sounds like a really good package - anything that's nice and simple...
    I can see your spiders getting near-cult status at this rate :) (and rightly so!)
    Laura x

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  23. Cool gif. I love graphics stuff. I'll have to check out that program.

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  24. Thanks for the tips on the software.

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  25. Very cool tips about the software. I love the gif you've made for SLIPSTREAM.

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  26. @Madeleine: I have one for each step of the blog tour so that makes thirteen. There's pretty good odds that the people that really want them will get one.

    @Susan: Thanks! Gifs are easy.

    @Briane: So sayeth the super rich lawyer.

    @Alex: I agree sir.

    @Brinda: I'm glad at least some people don't find it creepy (the spider). I have one that's pink. They ran out of the blue. I'll have to ask someone if they want a pink one at some point.

    @Rek: Muchos Gracias senorita

    @Andrew: Oh the force never stops with you, does it?

    @Laura: LOL dunno about that.

    @MPax: Thank you astronomer lady

    @Tonja: You're welcome

    @Cherie: Thank you super editor person.

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  27. A cheap Photoshop? I might have to look into that. That's the one program I don't know, although I know enough to fake it on days when I cover Photoshop classes.

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  28. Adobe Photoshop Elements sounds like a useful program. Whenever I come across anything relating to web design, they often say to use it.

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  29. You just made it seem easy~ thanks for that! Hmm, but if I ever actually need to make a cover, I can just contact you to do the easiness freelance for me, right? :)

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  30. That graphic is great! My daughter has photoshop, but I haven't played with it at all yet - I'll have to give it a shot one of these days! :)

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  31. Thanks for sharing these tips, Michael! You made a simple but effective cover to catch the eye!

    Thanks Theresa!

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  32. WOW, thanks for the info! I have never heard of that program.
    And GREAT spider! :)

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  33. Congratulations Michael! Yeah, I had Adobe elements, and the layering always got me, too. You do make it look easy.

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  34. I'll look into Adobe Elements.

    I used to make gifs with Jasc's Animation Shop. It's time consuming, but if I need an animation I know how to do it.

    Congrats to Michael on the release of his book.

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  35. I'm so technologically challenged, but that program sounds amazing and useful. Thank you for sharing!

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  36. @Liz: Remember, Elements is not the full blown version of PS. It has a few important features that make it awesome though.

    @Eagle: Yeah...PS is the best out there for this kind of thing.

    @Jess: Making a gif is pretty darn easy.

    @Jemi: Thanks for the compliment!

    @Romance: I didn't make the cover. My publisher did. I just made the gif.

    @Heather: You're welcome

    @Janet: I'm still working out how to manipulate layers best.

    @Libby: It's costume jewelry but the crystal looks awesome.

    @Medeia: Thank you for being so supportive.

    @Julie: You're welcome. Have a great day :)

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  37. Yay for Michael! Congrats on your release. Slipstream is on my TBR list on Goodreads!

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  38. I've enjoyed being able to play "artist" when designing my covers. I haven't used Photoshop Elements, but I've used the full Photoshop (and it was pretty complicated!). Being able to create gifs looks like fun :)

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  39. Nice graphic! I have photoshop but haven't quite got the hang of it yet. Maybe someday i'll have more time to play with it.

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  40. That is really cool, how fun! I like the graphic :)

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  41. Congrats to Michael! And yes, that is a very cool graphic.

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  42. I love the graphic. It alone is enough to make me want to read the book!

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  43. Great graphic and super cool crystal spiders!

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  44. Good share, Theresa, and congratulations to Michael I agree it's a good graphic. And thanks for such an informative post. Definitely a "keeper". BTW; I'm commenting because it was such good information. And of course I want to read the book, now. (But if I win the $5.00, please don't send me the spider - shudder. I am not real fond of the 8-legged critters.)

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  45. Okay, you've finally given me the nudge I need to dip a toe into Goodreads. I love dabbling in photo shop even though I'm lame at it.

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  46. Thanks everyone for your comments :) Thank you very much Theresa for having me on the blog. I appreciate it.

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  47. Congrats Michael! Slipstream is a cool title--and so is Double Dragon!
    Happy weekend!
    Nutschell
    www.thewritingnut.com

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  48. BTW, congrats! I just gave you an award. Check it out here
    http://www.thewritingnut.com/ramblings/award-long-awaited-haircut/

    Happy weekend!
    Nutschell
    www.thewritingnut.com

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  49. Thanks for the tip on the book. Neat blog:)

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  50. That's a great idea, Michael! I'm not very good at designing, but I love playing around with ready-made images.

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  51. Hi Theresa! Thanks for having MIchael on your blog.

    Michael, this is really a great post. My husband got me Adobe photoshop elements for my birthday and I'm still learning how to use it. Thank you for the tips.

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  52. I love faffing around in photoshop. I used to get paid well for it too, but then I quit to be a writer. I don't get paid so much anymore ;)

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  53. Thanks for the tips, Michael. Congratulations on your book - cool Swag, BTW!

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  54. Congratulations on your book, Michael. Theresa is right, Double Dragon is a wicked cool name for a publishing house. :)

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