The January 2012 Tutorial Discussion

[Gare]

I really, really like the style of the tutorial, it's not too fast, not too slow

I'm inclined to keep doing tutorials as videos, because 1.) Someone like you tells me you like them, and I have a lot of respect for you as a fellow artist 2.) They're not all that hard to produce, not when I have the software and use cameras and stuff professionally almost every day, and 3.) this one took 2 days on and off, from concept to finished video, while a written one can take much longer, and I'm not always as focused when I write!

As far as bitmap copying goes, I caution you and all members. The Deal is: bitmaps are resolution-dependent. Okay WTH (what the heck) does this mean? It means that bitmaps can become distorted and lose their focus if you resample them by enlargeing them. When you create a bitmap from vector artwork, you've declared a finite number of pixels that make up the bitmap and the information presented to you visually is fixed, you can't add or subtract pixels to the design itself without resampling (blurring) it.

This is a hard concept to explain and if there's interest, I might feature a video on the prinicple because I devoted several (like 20) pages to this in a Photoshop book I wrote ages ago, and it's still a relevant topic.

Mathematically, you can resize a vector object with no loss to detail because vector artwork has no fixed resolution.
A small bitmap photo might be 300 by 300 pixels by 96 pixels/inch. And if you resample it to 600 by 600 pixels by 96 pixels/inch, you've distorted original bitmap features and details in the picture, and unless you do a Ctrl+Z, you've permanently messed up the bitmap.

Proof for Xaraists: import a bitmap and look at the resoluition in the lower left of the UI when it's selected. Now scale it. As dimensions increase, resolution decreases.

This means Xara does not by default resample imported bitmaps. You haven't changed the number of pixels in it.

And generally, you shouldn't try to up-sample bitmaps, because aside from one or two expensive software programs that partially produce this impossible feat, there's no mathematically sound way to increase size or detail in bitmap graphics. Adobe is doing some experimental stuff on smart filters that refocus data and there's the Lytro camera that doesn't take focus data so there's nothing to blur the original image, but other than that, for us mortals with Xara today, upscaling bitmaps degrades your work, end of line.

Does this make sense for you in your work?

My Best,

Gary

[zaphodeist]

I'm not too fond of video tutorials as a rule, but this one is so well produced, thought out, presented etc that I like it! Refreshing. Mind you, that's the kind of thing I expected of you Gary

[Gare]

Hi John—

Although I have indeed learned in the past from video tutorials, I think as The Bard of Avon said, "The play's the thing." It's really the content, and less so these days the delivery method. I'm comfortable doing video, I've been producing video both analog and digital since 1978, and hopefully I don't get so tone deaf I lose "the play" to interesting, pop culture technology.

I'm expecting next month's tutorial to be delivered in video as well, because there's an issue about it that demands video. But I don't know; as the months pass, I might defer to the printed word—I also have some experience writing tutorial-littered books.

My Best,

—Gary

[angelize]

I did learn a trick or two from your tutorial Gary, and I will be playing around later with some of the other shapes. Using the diffuse on the shadow was something I hadn't thought of before and something I will be experimenting with more. I have to say too that your tutorial has inspired me to keep on working to improve my own video tutorials. I find that I wind up doing a few takes for each section of my tutorials as it's often hard for me to find a quiet time to do the screencasting. I often get interrupted by the dog, the phone, etc. and have to edit things out and splice clips together. luckily I have found a video editor I like and am finding it easy to learn.

[Gare]

I wish you luck with the video, Frances. It's daunting, but rewarding.

Me, I'd have had serious reservations about mounting an HD video were it not for the hardware that's either been donated to me or I've popped for like a good mic, and then there's the software. Camtasia is only the beginning: I also used audio and video sweetening (some MAGIX and some Adobe products) to make the thing tight.

There's "content" and there's "presentation", two things to worry about, you know?

But I love what you did with the dodecahedron.

My Best,

—g

[gracehjs]

I enjoyed the video, but you talk too fast for me. But I will be trying the tutorial, thanks Gary.

[Gare]

Hi Grace—

Well, actually, I don't talk that fast—I removed my pauses to create what I thought was good timing. Some of the comments so far were that the timing was alright. But, not everyone has their ears fully wound up, I guess, so...

Because I read from a script, if you'd like the script and own a copy of Word, I've attached it here.

Myyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy Bessssssssssttttttttttttttttttttttttt,

Garrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrry

[Karateed]

This is actually a very good idea Gare....thank you.

[Gare]

You're welcome and forgive my typing in advance!

-g-

[angelize]

That's interesting Gare. I thought you did it in one perfect take! I really need to get a new mic. I think I am in possession of the world's most uncomfortable head set!