Tag: Allows

The Benefits Of The Blink Outdoor 2 Camera System
by David Burgess on 0

The Benefits Of The Blink Outdoor 2 Camera System

First and foremost, it is a Blink system, which means that it is compatible with all other Blink products. This gives you the peace of mind of knowing that your home security system is compatible with the products you already own.

Another great benefit of the Blink Outdoor 2 Camera System is that it is very easy to install. The instructions are clear and concise, and the entire process takes less than five minutes.

The Blink Outdoor 2 Camera System also comes with a free Blink Sync Module, which allows you to sync your Blink cameras with your other Blink products. This is a great feature, as it allows you to have a complete home security system that is easy to use and manage.

Finally, the Blink Outdoor 2 Camera System is very affordable. It is one of the most affordable home security systems on the market, and it offers a great value for the money.

If you are looking for a home security system that is easy to install, compatible with other Blink products, and very affordable, then the Blink Outdoor 2 Camera System is the perfect choice for you.

First and foremost, it is an affordable and easy to install security solution for your home or business. With its two wireless cameras, you can keep an eye on what’s going on both inside and outside your property. The Blink Outdoor 2 also offers motion detection, night vision, and two-way audio, so you can stay aware of any potential threats, and respond quickly if necessary.

In addition to its security benefits, the Blink Outdoor 2 is also a great way to keep an eye on your pets or kids when you’re not at home. The cameras’ live streaming capabilities mean you can check in on them at any time, from anywhere. And if you need to leave them home alone for a while, the two-way audio feature lets you check in on them and make sure they’re okay, even if you’re not there in person.

So whether you’re looking for a security solution or just a way to stay connected to your loved ones when you’re not at home, the Blink Outdoor 2 Camera System is a great choice. Affordable, easy to install, and packed with features, it’s the perfect solution for any home or business.

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Tips And Tricks For 3D Pen Art
by David Burgess on 0

Tips And Tricks For 3D Pen Art

3D pen art is a relatively new and exciting art form that allows you to create three-dimensional objects with a pen-like device. While it may sound complicated, it’s actually quite easy to get started with 3D pen art. In this article, we’ll give you some tips and tricks for creating beautiful 3D pen art.

One of the most important things to keep in mind when creating 3D pen art is to start with simple shapes. You can gradually increase the complexity of your shapes as you become more comfortable with the 3D pen. It’s also important to use a light hand when you’re first starting out. The pressure you apply to the pen will determine the thickness of the line you create.

Another important tip is to use a variety of colors when you’re creating 3D pen art. This will give your art more dimension and make it more interesting to look at. You can also experiment with different line thicknesses to add more interest to your art.

When you’re first starting out, it’s a good idea to practice on paper before you start working on three-dimensional objects. This will help you get a feel for how the 3D pen works and how to control it. Once you feel comfortable with the pen, you can start experimenting with different materials.

There are a few different types of 3D pens available on the market. Some of the more popular brands include the 3Doodler and the Lix 3D pen.

No matter what type of 3D pen you choose, the most important thing is to have fun and be creative. With a little practice, you’ll be able to create amazing works of art with a 3D pen.

3D pen art is a relatively new and exciting form of art that allows you to create three-dimensional objects with a special pen. This type of art is becoming increasingly popular, as it allows you to create unique and intricate designs that can be displayed in your home or office.

If you’re interested in trying your hand at 3D pen art, there are a few tips and tricks that you should keep in mind. First, it’s important to choose the right pen for your needs. There are a variety of 3D pens on the market, and each one has its own set of features and benefits. Do some research to find the pen that’s right for you and your artistic goals.

Once you have the right pen, it’s time to start practicing. Draw some simple shapes and objects to get a feel for how the pen works. Then, you can start working on more complex designs. When you’re first starting out, it’s a good idea to use a template or stencil to help you create your design. This will make it easier to get the hang of using the pen and create a consistent look for your art.

As you become more comfortable with using a 3D pen, you can start experimenting with different techniques. You can create different textures by varying the speed at which you move the pen, or by using different types of plastic. You can also create different colors by mixing different colors of plastic together. The possibilities are endless, so have fun and be creative!

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How To Create 3D Pen Art
by David Burgess on 0

How To Create 3D Pen Art

3D pen art is a type of art that is created using a 3D pen. These pens are special pens that allow you to draw in three dimensions. This type of art is becoming increasingly popular, as it allows you to create unique and intricate designs.

If you’re interested in creating 3D pen art, then you’ll need to purchase a 3D pen. These pens are available from a variety of different retailers. Once you have your pen, you’ll need to choose a design to create.

There are a few things to keep in mind when choosing a design for your 3D pen art. First, you’ll need to make sure that the design is not too complex. If the design is too complex, it will be difficult to recreate with a 3D pen.

Second, you’ll need to make sure that the design is something that you’re passionate about. This will help to ensure that you’re motivated to create the best possible art.

Third, you’ll need to make sure that the design is something that you have the time to create. Creating 3D pen art can be time consuming, so you’ll need to make sure that you have the time to dedicate to the project.

Once you’ve chosen a design, you’ll need to gather the supplies that you’ll need to create your art. This includes the 3D pen, as well as the filament that you’ll use to create your art. The filament is the plastic that is used to create the 3D designs.

You can purchase filament from a variety of different retailers. Once you have your filament, you’ll need to load it into your 3D pen.

To load the filament into your 3D pen, you’ll need to follow the instructions that came with your pen. Once the filament is loaded, you’ll need to choose a color.

You can use any color of filament that you’d like. Once you’ve chosen a color, you’ll need to turn on your 3D pen.

To turn on your 3D pen, you’ll need to press the power button. Once the pen is turned on, you’ll need to press the button that controls the flow of filament.

This button is typically located on the side of the pen. Once you’ve pressed the button, the filament will start to flow from the pen.

You’ll need to hold the pen vertically while the filament flows. Once the filament has stopped flowing, you can start to create your art.

To create your art, you’ll need to start by drawing a line. Once you’ve drawn a line, you can start to build up the line by adding additional layers.

You can add as many layers as you’d like. Once you’ve created your art, you can allow it to cool.

Once the art has cooled, you can remove it from the 3D pen. You can then display your art or give it as a gift.

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Can Advanced Point and Shoot Cameras Measure Up to DSLRs?
by David Burgess on 0

Can Advanced Point and Shoot Cameras Measure Up to DSLRs?

Affordable Point and Shoot Cameras for Advanced Users

If you’ve already spent some time learning about photography you probably already know know that with the proper knowledge you can take amazing photos with a DSLR. But carrying around a large camera with you everywhere can be a bit of a drag. Sometimes you need a camera that is small, compact and easily transportable. So, if you’re looking for the best point and shoot camera for an advanced photographer, then you can find some great options that take incredible images. If saving some money on the camera is a factor, then you will usually find that prices are a bit less than most of the DSLR cameras out there which could give you some additional cash for use to purchase a nice printer or some accessories.

The best part about point and shoot types of cameras is their portability and ability to pack extremely powerful picture taking within a small and compact package. There are several models out in the market that can let you manipulate and alter its settings so that you can take the exact kind of photo that you want. It’s almost like having a small DSLR.

Canon G12

Canon a leader in the camera world, they have a wide range of models that encompasses point and shoot cameras to entry level, mid-level, and professional level cameras. The G12 is a 10 megapixel camera that is a part of Canon’s G series of cameras.

Nikon J1

The Nikon J1 is a very impressive device. Its auto-focus function works very quickly which allows you to take advantage of its fast shooting speed. You can also just as quickly switch to video recording which lets you take high definition videos up to 1080p by hitting one button.

 

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5 is a compact camera that delivers high quality photos and high definition videos. This camera is equipped with Leica DC Vario-Summicron, F2.0, ultra-wide lens. Image distortion is reduced by this model bringing you gorgeous, detailed photos.

More High Quality Point and Shoot Cameras

You don’t need a big fancy camera to take high definition videos and high resolution photos. A simple point and shoot camera may just do the trick for you.

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Wacom Bamboo Tablets: Differences and Reviews
by David Burgess on 0

Wacom Bamboo Tablets: Differences and Reviews

An Overview of the Different Types of Wacom Bamboo Series of Drawing Tablets

If you’ve never tried a drawing tablet before, but you’re looking to get into the world of graphic art, getting one of the Bamboo drawing tablets made by Wacom is an excellent place to start, because they are extremely functional and easy to use. However, if you’ve been looking around the market at all, you may have noticed that there are a few different types of Bamboo pen tablets out there, and it’s not necessarily that easy to tell the differences between them all unless you really devote some time and energy to research.

I’m here to lay it all out for you, giving you the specifics you need in order to decide which Bamboo drawing tablet is the right one to buy. Whether you’re looking for yourself or as a gift for a loved one, I aim to provide you with enough accurate and detailed information in order to make an informed decision that you’ll never regret. (Hint: you may also want to check out all of The Best Drawing Tablets.)

The Bamboo Connect Tablet

Wacom Bamboo Connect Pen Tablet (CTL470)

Key Features
– Size: Small
– Pen Eraser: No
– Multi-Touch: Not compatible
– Wireless Option: Not compatible

Free Bundled Software
Autodesk SketchBook Express

Review of the Bamboo Connect

The simplest and most lightweight Bamboo model in terms of size and functionality, this is excellent for either a beginner artist or someone who needs the ability to write by hand or annotate documents. It’s not great, however, for those who are looking to practice graphic art as a serious hobby or profession. If you’re looking to get your creative child something cool for a holiday or special occasion, this would make a great gift, but be aware that they may soon grow beyond the capabilities of this tablet.

The Bamboo Connect was designed with the professional communicator in mind rather than the professional artist. It is perfect for people who are frequently in meetings online and needs to draw something to the screen. It’s also the perfect tool for making notes in documents, signing signatures, writing annotations, and other activities that require hand-written text.

From an artist’s perspective, it’s quite lacking. There are no extra buttons or shortcut keys in order to quickly move through in-program menus or change tools, and it doesn’t support easy zooming or scrolling control due to the lack of multi-touch. I would however, recommend this to anyone who travels and uses a laptop a lot. Because of its small size and weight, it’s very portable, and it is great for getting out a quick sketch or doodle when inspiration hits.

The Bamboo Splash Tablet

Bamboo Splash Summary and Review

Key Features
– Size: Small
– Pen Eraser: No
– Multi-Touch: Not compatible
– Wireless Option: Not compatible

Free Bundled Software
Autodesk SketchBook Express; ArtRage 3 Studio

Review of the Bamboo Splash

I like to think of the Splash as the older brother of the Connect. It can do all the same things and little more. It’s designed to be more of a step in the artistic direction, but the only notable difference is that it includes a copy of ArtRage. Don’t get me wrong, that’s a great deal, and it’s really good for anyone still working on building their skills as an artist. This extra feature may not seem like much, but it allows you to view the tablet in a new light. It teaches the user the basics of art programs (they all can do pretty much the same basic things), and any child who’s given a drawing tablet without an environment to use it in that’s geared towards art will probably be inclined to treat it as a toy instead of the sophisticated tool that it really is.

The size and weight make this just as portable, but it also allows it to be durable. If it gets dropped, thrown, bumped, or anything else, unless it’s been attacked with heavy machinery or dropped from a couple of stories high, there isn’t anything heavy or bulky about it to cause it (or anything else) any damage. This also makes the Splash quite easy to store away when it’s not in use.

The Bamboo Capture Tablet

Bamboo Capture Summary and Review

Key Features
– Size: Small
– Pen Eraser: No
– Multi-Touch: Compatible
– Wireless Option: Compatible

Free Bundled Software
Adobe Photoshop Elements; Nik Color Efex Pro Filters (Wacom Edition); Autodesk SketchBook Express

Review of the Bamboo Capture

As far as an artist is concerned with the Bamboo line of Wacom tablets, this is where it starts to get interesting. Of course, you can do all the same stuff that you could with the other models (annotating documents, signing papers, etc.), but this is the model where Wacom started to design things specifically for artists.

If you take a look at the software that’s included with this tablet, you’ll notice that there are two new programs: PS Elements, and Nik Color Efex. These programs are specifically designed for more serious photographers who want to spice up their pictures with effects, filters, cleaning tools, and more. As you probably know, Adobe is the industry leader in the field of creative software, boasting a track record that includes Flash CS, Photoshop, Illustrator, inDesign, and a ton more.

If you want to get into photography, image editing, vector art, and other popular design media, this is a great tablet to use to get started. Though, it’s not the perfect fit for you if you’re into digital art that looks more realistic such as painting, drawing, watercolors, and rubber-stamping. And it’s a bit overkill if you’re just looking to get your feet wet and not quite a serious artist yet.

The Bamboo Create Tablet

Bamboo Create Summary and Review

 

Key Features
– Size: Medium
– Pen Eraser: Yes
– Multi-Touch: Yes
– Wireless Option: Yes

Free Bundled Software
Adobe Photoshop Elements; Corel Painter Essentials; Nik Color Efex Pro (Wacom Edition)

Review of the Bamboo Create
This right here is the mother of all Wacom Bamboo Drawing Tablets. With an active work area of 8.5″ x 5.4″ it has the largest amount of work space you can get. This is definitely something for serious artists to consider, because it scales the best to whatever screen size you’re looking at, and it allows you to use full motions with your drawing.

While it still includes PS Elements and Nik for photography work and image editing, you’ll notice that it also comes with a copy of Corel Painter Essentials, which is an absolutely excellent program for any artist to work in if you’re more interested in classical media. Realistic oil, watercolor, pencil, marker, and other tools allow you to make full use of this tablet when you’re working to create your best works of art.

If you’re familiar with other Wacom tablets, you’ll probably already know about the Intuos series. What you should know is that this models of Bamboo is only a small step below an Intuos in that the only real differences are the potential in size (this only goes up to medium size, when an Intuos can go up to large), and in the shortcut keys. The Create only has a couple of buttons, but if you’re not yet a professional graphic designer or artist (and by that I mean making steady money off your artwork), then this is a fine investment for you to begin with. It will increase your productivity and allow for a vast improvement in the quality of your work, depending on your skill of course 😉

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Free Art Tools Online
by David Burgess on 0

Free Art Tools Online

Art Resources

Who has time for art? While I love art, it’s inconvenient to take out all my supplies, paint, and clean up. Not to mention, my kids want to participate too. I spend so much time teaching them how to create things that I don’t get to fully enjoy my own work or time. It just leaves me frustrated.

There is an easier way to find your inner artist

Free Resources
Several places online offer a variety of ways to create graphic art with just the click of a mouse. Most programs load right into your web browser and are easy to pick up. Other, more complex, programs need to be downloaded, installed, and learned.

Convenient
Art is at the tip of your fingers. A few minutes of art every day spent creating art is entrancing. Don’t you deserve a few minutes each day?

Harmony

Harmony Harmony is one of my favorite programs online.

*Free to Use and Save
*No Registration Required
*Several Drawing Styles
*Simple Layout (uses most of the page to draw on)

PsykoPaint

PsykoPaint PsykoPaint is a site that you can create paintings from your own photographs even if you don’t know how to paint.

*Register is Required for many features
*Able to use with Wacom or digital tablets
*Send a postcard with your art
*Send a digital card by email

Flash Paint

Flash Paint Flash Paint is an online paint tool that uses Flash in your web browser

*No Sign Up Requirements
*Save your images
*Share images in the Gallery
*Simple Tool Set

OdoSketch

OdoSketch OdoSketch is a unique online Flash drawing application.

*Paper Background
*Easy tool system
*Account Required to save images

Bomomo

the Bomomo One of the simplest web browser art generators out there is Bomomo

*Works only with Firefox and Safari
*18 drawing tools to experiment with
*Save finished work to your hard drive
*Nothing to sign up for or download

My Oats Draw Tool

My Oats My Oats is an online, web browser art generator.

*Advanced Editing Tools
*Share with the community if you want
*Save your images (must make an account)
Great Art Resources on Amazon

ToonDoo – Make Comic Strips

ToonDoo ToonDoo is the fastest way to create comic strips online.

*Registration Required
*Draw Characters – Create different looks for each character
*Choose Comic Layout
*Use the DoodleR to add personal touches
*Create Books of your comics
*Print your creations on T-shirts, posters, cloth, mugs, mousepads, keychains and more!

Sketchpad

SketchPad SketchPad is a more complex drawing tool that offers a variety of patterns, brush options, and shapes to create with.

*A little more difficult to learn than some of the others
*Easy to save
*No Sign-up Required

Draw.To

Draw To Draw.To lets you draw anything you like and share it instantly via email, instant messaging, Twitter, Facebook and more!

*No Registration Required
*Embed drawings in your blog or website
*Add to existing drawings
*Works in your web browser, no downloads required
*Also works on iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch

The Image Mixer

Image Mixer If you love abstract art, try experimenting with the Image Mixer. It’s a web based generator. Unfortunately, you can’t add your own photographs. There are a lot of great patterns that you can create as well as a gallery from other users.

Generate abstract images in your web browser
Generate as many images as you desire
Customize the size, color, patterns, shape, opacity and scattering

Modern Art Generator

Modern Art Generator The Modern Art Generator

*Create abstract drawings online in your web browser
*Experiment with different color palettes
*Adjust opacity and image size
*Save your images

Brushter

Brushter Brushter is an online painting machine for all ages. This Shockwave interactive includes more than forty brushes and customizable size, transparency, texture, and stroke options. A rainbow palette, along with a toolbox of special effects that blur, ripple, smudge, blend, and fragment your designs help make BRUSHster a full-feature painting program.

*No Registration Required
*Save work to your computer
*Auto Draw Mode
*Requires Shockwave Payer (Free Download)

Sumo Paint

Sumo Paint Sumo Paint is an online image editor and digital paint program.

*No Sign up required
*Several Tools to choose from
*Extensive “How To” section
*Filters to create effects on your work
*Browse other community art for inspiration

Sketch Swap

Sketch Swap With Sketch Swap, you can draw images online and trade it with another person. It’s all anonymous, so there’s nothing embarrassing to worry about.

*Runs in your web browser
*Nothing to download
*Simple pen tool
*Redraws another person’s art after you submit yours

FlockDraw

FlockDraw Flockdraw is a free to use online whiteboard based painting & drawing tool.

*Draw online free with multiple people for fun or business
*Have unlimited people in a room
*See drawing changes in real time
*Use different colors, shapes and text
*Signup Required

ScribLink

ScribLink Scriblink is a free digital whiteboard that users can share online in real-time. Sorta like pen and paper, minus the dead trees, plastic, and the inconvenience of being at the same place at the same time.

*No Registration required
*Privacy: the board is all yours, open only to the people you choose to invite
*Dynamic Tools: use shapes, hundreds of colors, a size bar, a text feature, and a grid to help guide your drawings
*File Options: gives you the ability to print, save, and email your work
*Image Uploader: upload an image onto the whiteboard as the background, allowing you to share it, mark it, deface it, or highlight key elements
*In-Screen Chat: when working with others, no need to sign in to third party software, simply use our in-screen chat
*VOIP Conferencing: if you have a mic for your computer, you can automatically connect with your collaborators (no software necessary) and talk for free for as long as you like
*File transfer: when emailing is too much of a hassle, simply transfer files directly to anyone you’re working with

Online Color Palette Generator

Color Palette Generator The Color Palette Generator is an amazing tool for any digital artist.

How many times have you needed to pick up the colors on your images to create a color pallets? The color dropper tool is effective, but it’s slow. Also, if you’ve used the dropper you’ve noticed how each pixel can be slightly different. This generator find the number of colors you need for an image. Just upload a sample image under 100KB and select your color palette grid size.

You can use .png, .gif, .jpg, and .jpeg formats
No Limits on the amount of palettes you generate
Create precise or average color palettes.

Gaffiti Playdo

Graffiti Playdo Graffiti Playdo uses adobe flash player and allows you to paint on a wall with cans of spray paint. Draw graffiti together with your friends! Save your art to your album and share with your friends. With multiplayer functions so you can paint together in real time.

*No Registration Required
*Connect with Facebook to save, share, and draw with friends

ArtisanCam – Graffiti Art Board

ArtisanCam ArtisanCam provides an insight into the lives of contemporary artists. Using a mixture of video and interactive activities, we introduce children to the world of contemporary visual art before encouraging them to have a go themselves in fun and exciting ways.

*No Registration Required
*Much more art content than the graffiti paint program”

Kerpoof

Kerpoof Kerpoof is a fun program for both children and adults. It’s simple enough for the young users but versatile enough for adults to fully enjoy. The website is owned and operated by the Walt Disney Company.

*Flash and Java browser
*Free to use and to download JPEGs
*Must have an account to save unfinished work
*Make artwork (even if you aren’t good at drawing!)
*Make an animated movie (really! it’s easy!)
*Earn Koins which you can trade for fun things in the Kerpoof Store
*Make a printed card, t-shirt, or mug
*Tell a story
*Make a drawing
*Vote on the movies, stories, and drawings that other people have made

Draw Here

Draw Here Draw Here allows you to draw on any web page. If you save your drawing, other Draw Here users will be able to see what you’ve drawn. Use it to share your artwork, comment on web pages, or just doodle while you are browsing.

*Free to Join
*Free to use
*Highlight parts of a webpage
*Doodle while you read
*Write notes right on the screen
*Deface your photos just for the fun of it

Draw Island

Draw Island Draw Island was just launched early Feb. 2012

*Iphone version , Minimalist version
*Draw online : change sizes, colors and use shapes like rectangle, round,…. and save result
*Generate animations (see button) with your drawings…(max size 400×400 pixels with 10 frames max)
*Video Tutorial

**Updates Coming :
– new options(Import Image)

Favicon Icon Drawing

Favicon Favicon is a drawing program to create a 16×16 pixel icon in 16 colors with optional transparency.

*No Registration Required
*Generate Icon button to save the icon to your hard disk
*The icons you generate are not recorded anywhere

Scribbls

Scribbls Scribbls – Bees plus flowers gives you honey. Pie and rat together make “pirate.” Putting any two things together is bound to have an interesting, even hilarious, effect-or outcome. At Scribbls, you can combine thousands of different drawings to create an infinite number of outcomes.

*Registration Required (Free Sign Up)
*Collaborative drawing community
*Uses Flash Player
*Occasional Contests

The Scribbler

The Scribbler The Scribbler takes simple vector based input (in the case of the online toy, your drawing) and creates its own drawing on top of it based on a number of simple rules. When a new scribble line is created it chooses a few numbers at random that eventually determine what sort of line it will draw.

*No Registration Required
*No Save Option (Take a screenshot)
*Experiment with different colors and line thicknesses
*Change colors during the scribble process

Deviant Art Muro

Deviant Art Muro Deviant Art Muro is a free online painting tool that offers both a pro version (layers) and basic version.

*No Registration Required
*Wacom Tablet Usability
*Purchase additional brushes
SketchPAN SketchPAN is an online drawing community where anyone can participate and share their art.

*Use Drawing PAN to record your drawing process
*Animation PAN lets you create flip books
*Together PAN lets you create something with others
*Shop PAN lets you start with something more than blank paper

Queeky

Queeky Queeky is an online drawing community.

*Save your work either on Queeky.com, or on your local computer
*Publish your work to the galleries
*Vote and Comment on other art
*Import photos, Blur Tool, Select Tool, custom gradient fills, multiple windows, layer effects and many more
*Premium Version Option
*Share your work and comments on Facebook
*Study the technics and workflow of your favorite artists

Pencil Maddness

Pencil Maddness Pencil Madness a free online sketching tool. PencilMadness is a Flash application that lets you draw and publish images in our gallery.

*Save images as jpg or Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) directly to your computer
*Sign Up is Not Required

Penolo

Penolo Penolo is a simple sketching tool where you can post results to Twitter if you want.

*No Registration Required (Unless using Twitter)
*Simple Tools
*Tons of Color Choices
*Easy enough for kids to use

Pixlr – Online Photo Editor

Pixlr Pixlr enables web developers to use Pixlr applications on their own site. Everything that is done on this site can be done on yours. Added advanced image editing capabilities is very easy.

*Completely free
*Uses Flash
*3 applications in our suite: Pixlr Editor, Pixlr Express, and Pixlr-o-Matic
*Uses Layers
*Color Effects

FREE Digital Image Editing and Painting Programs

There are a variety of 2D graphics software products useful for creating art, manipulating photographic images, or to just experimenting with for the purpose of gaining insight. Most of these programs need to be downloaded and installed to your computer. All have free versions.

Free Programs Include:

Gimp
GIMP is a versatile graphics manipulation package. GIMP allows you to customize the view and behavior the way you like it. Starting from the widget theme, allowing you to change colors, widget spacings and icon sizes to custom tool sets in the toolbox. The interface is modulized into so called docks, allowing you to stack them into tabs or keep them open in their own window. Pressing the tab key will toggle them hidden.

My Paint
MyPaint is a fast and easy open-source graphics application for digital painters. It lets you focus on the art instead of the program. You work on your canvas with minimum distractions, bringing up the interface only when you need it.

mtPaint
Easily create pixel art and manipulate digital photos.

Pencil
Pencil is an animation/drawing software for Mac OS X, Windows, and Linux. It lets you create traditional hand-drawn animation (cartoon) using both bitmap and vector graphics. Pencil is free and open source.

Helios Paint
HeliosPaint is a feature-rich, easy-to-use and powerful paint program for editing photos, drawings and icons. It runs on Microsoft Windows, Apple Mac OS X, Linux and Unix. Helios Paint utilizes Java. While it’s a simple program, it does offer a lot of tool options.

Real World Paint
Draw, Retouch Photos, and Animate Gifs with this program. You won’t have to leave your old projects behind. Real World Paint can import and export native image files of other popular image editors. Images are imported or exported with layers. Real World Paint installs or requires NO additional packages on your computer.

Dia
Dia can be used to draw many different kinds of diagrams. It currently has special objects to help draw entity relationship diagrams, UML diagrams, flowcharts, network diagrams, and many other diagrams. It is also possible to add support for new shapes by writing simple XML files, using a subset of SVG to draw the shape.

Inkscape
An Open Source vector graphics editor, with capabilities similar to Illustrator, CorelDraw, or Xara X, using the W3C standard Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) file format. Inkscape supports many advanced SVG features (markers, clones, alpha blending, etc.) and great care is taken in designing a streamlined interface. It is very easy to edit nodes, perform complex path operations, trace bitmaps and much more. We also aim to maintain a thriving user and developer community by using open, community-oriented development.

Project Dogwaffle
It’s a light, yet powerful tool for artistic expression. It’s a fully functional version with some new features too. It is not save-disabled, there’s no time-limit, no need to register, and there’s no spyware or adware coming with it.

Twisted Brush
The free edition of TwistedBrush with most of the great features of TwistedBrush except for brush editing and with a just handful of very fine brushes with the option to add additional collections of brushes. layers, realistic media, photo cloning, tracing, masks, particles, filters, script recording, scripts to AVI, drawing tablet support, brush shapes, patterns, textures, Adobe compatible plug-in support, integrated scanner support, image brushes, drawing guides, reference image views, dirty brushes, scratch layer, dynamic palettes and a whole lot more.

Free 3D Editing Programs

Sketchup

You can build models from scratch, or you can download what you need. People all over the world share what they’ve made on the Google 3D Warehouse. Redecorate your living room. Invent a new piece of furniture. Model your city for Google Earth. There’s no limit to what you can create with SketchUp.

DAZ

DAZ|Studio is a free software application that allows you to easily create beautiful digital art. You can use this software to load in people, animals, vehicles, buildings, props, and accessories to create digital scenes. DAZ|Studio includes two pre-configured scenes ready for you to Load & Render within DAZ|Studio. Just double-click on the scene thumbnails inside of DAZ|Studio, and everything will come on screen posed, lit, and ready for you to create a stunning digital image. Click here to view a sample scene render from DAZ|Studio using the included content. With DAZ|Studio, you can turn your 3d dreams into reality.

Bryce

Bryce 7 gives you the ability to work faster and create more realistic environments than ever before. From the new Instancing Lab and totally redesigned bridge to DAZ Studio, to the improved skies and clouds, updated HDRI and advanced lighting, Bryce 7 will breathe new life into both your future and existing Bryce scenes. Whether you are a professional designer, or a recent 3D graphics enthusiast, Bryce provides you with the tools to literally create a world of your own.

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ool Floating Coolers To Keep Drinks Cool-Playing or Swimming
by David Burgess on 0

ool Floating Coolers To Keep Drinks Cool-Playing or Swimming

Pool Floating Coolers for Cold Drinks

Pool floating coolers have become very popular over the last few years. I know we love ours and use it every time we go for a swim. I put cold drinks and snack in it to keep the chilled while I swim or float around on my chair. I also take it out with me when we swim in the river by our summer camp. Every one enjoys a cold drink while we play in the hot sun.

Since the cooler floats it can be easily attached to your inflatable chair while float in your pool and relax. I sometimes use mine when we are having a party as an extra cooler on the table. It keep everything cold and is also very decorative. The kids like to take it with them while they swim and play games. I like it when they do because they don’t have to come back into the house with wet feet every time the want something cold.

My husband and I like to have the neighbor over up at the cottage and we use the floating cooler when we swim. He likes to keep it filled with adult beverage to share with his buddies. Some days they play beach volleyball and keep the cooler in the water near where they play. I am planning to buy another one to give as a gift to my cousin. She was so excited when she saw our I knew it would be a great gift for her. An inflatable cooler allows you to keep you drinks nearby when you are in the water. Since my cousin is a swimmer and lives in her pool I am sure that a beer cooler will make the perfect gift. The coolers floats in the water and beverages are served in the pool.

It floats

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The best camera for sports photography
by David Burgess on 0

The best camera for sports photography

Improve your action images with the best camera for sports photography

The best camera for sports photography will improve your sports and action images no end. If you are looking for the best camera for sports photography you have come to the right place since this article focuses solely on the best camera for sports photography as well as all the lenses and accessories you are going to need to capture those awesome sports and action photos.

Sports is an excellent subject to photograph but due to the speed and fast nature of sports capturing those stunning images can be a real challenge. If you want to increase your hit rate and the number of “keepers” you need the best camera for sports photography. This is obvious, but what is the best camera for sports photography? Carry on reading, and you will find out.

So, if you are looking to improve your sports photography and need a new camera make sure you read this article before parting with your hard earned cash.

When choosing the best camera for sports photography there are a couple of key things you need to consider.

Sports and action photography is fast and quick moving. In order to increase the number of usable images, i.e. your hit rate, you need a camera with a high burst rate. The more photographs you can take in quick succession the higher the chance of getting the shot.

Full frame digital cameras with a high burst rate are very expensive and can cost several thousand dollars. Many people simply don’t have this amount of money to spend on the best camera for sports photography, or can’t justify spending this amount of money on a digital camera. Fortunately, there are some very good crop sensor digital slr cameras with burst rates that offer great image quality and are far more affordable. If you want the best value for money, and want to get the most bang for your buck these crop sensor cameras are the ones to buy.

If you want a camera specifically for sports and action photography a digital slr camera is the only digital camera you should consider, so don’t even bother investigating point and shoot cameras or micro four thirds and mirrorless cameras.

All the major camera manufacturers sell at least one digital SLR camera that is ideal for sports and action photography, so there is something for everyone. For the best sports photography cameras take a look at the products below:

Best camera for sports photography – Canon eos 7d

In my opinion the Canon 7d is the best camera for sports photography for the masses. The Canon 7d is tough, durable and, what I consider bulletproof. The magnesium body and seals ensure it is dustproof, waterproof and shockproof, which makes it ideal out in the field

The Canon eos 7d

The Canon 7d has an impressive 18MP sensor that allows you to capture high levels of detail and images that can be blown up real big. This makes it possible to crop and enlarge every photo taken, which is ideal for subjects that you consider “too small” in the frame because they were just a bit too far away for the focal length of lens used to take the photograph.

The Canon 7d has an impressive 8fps burst rate that allows you to fire off loads of shots all in one go, so you will never miss the action again. Just remember you are going to need to have plenty of spare and make sure you have some backup batteries.

The Canon 7d is affordable and the best camera for sports photography for budding sports photographers on a budget. The Canon 7d is an awesome camera and I highly recommend it, and it is for the reasons above I consider it the best camera for sports photography.

Best camera for sports photography – Canon 1DX

Best camera for sports photography – Canon 1DX

The Canon eos 1DX is the flag ship of the Canon dslr range and when you look at the specifications of the 1DX it is easy to see why, I mean 18MP full frame sensor, dual-digic 5 processors for a staggering 12fps burst rate, tough magnesium alloy body and an ISO range of 100 – 51,200 (which is expendable to 204,800) is jst some of the features.

Whilst I don’t own a Canon eos 1DX I have been fortunate to use one and I can say it is an awesome camera. The 1DX is bullet proof, the burst rate is something else (although it does eat memory cards), and the images it produces are exceptional, but would I pay the $6,000 + asking price?

If I were a professional photographer and could make a living out of sports photography I would, but as I am not there is no way I could justify the cost. Buying the 1DX is one thing but then there are the lenses to go with it. The 1DX doesn’t have a crop factor so if you need a lens over 400mm you are going to have to buy a lens extender (which is not ideal for sports photography because it leads to a loss of light and hence slower shutter speeds) or spend a few thousand bucks on a long reach lens, such as the EF500mm.

The Canon 1DX is a camera for professional photographers or enthusiasts with exceptionally deep pockets. A cheaper alternative, and one that is best suited to enthusiasts.

Nikon D7000

A popular camera for sports photography

Best camera for sports photography – Nikon D7000

The Nikon D7000 is a popular camera with sports photographers and it is easy to see why. The first thing you will notice about the Nikon D7000 is the build quality, which is superb. This is a tough and durable camera that is built to last, which is a good job given sports photographers spend a lot of time out in the field.

With a 16.2MP sensor the Nikon D700 is a powerful camera that is capable of capturing some stunning sports images that will impress family and friends. Sports photography requires a lot of cropping and with this impressive sensor it is possible to get 100% crops and still get excellent image quality.

The 39 point auto focus points helps to ensure the Nikon D700 finds the target, locks on and stays locked on and it does this very well. The Nikon D700 has a fast Expeed 2 processor which is essential for sports photography. This sensor allows for 6fps, so you can fire off a lot of images in quick succession, which is vital to ensure you don’t miss the shot.

One of the best things about the Nikon D700 is the twin SD card slots, which means you don’t have to faff around swapping over memory cards and can continue to capture the action as it unfolds instead.

Overall the Nikon D700 is an excellent camera and therefore has to be included as a best camera for sports photography.

Top Sports lenses for your digital slr camera

Capturing awesome sports and action photographs requires more than the best camera for sports photography. Oh yes, if you want to capture the best sports photographs possible you also need the right lens.

When capturing sports photographs you are likely to be quite far away from the action, therefore a long reach telephoto lens is needed. If you want to “freeze” the action and still get sharp shots you also need a fast lens, which allows you to keep the shutter speeds up.

There are plenty of great sports photography lenses available for all brands and models of digital slr camera. It doesn’t matter whether you shoot a Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Sony or Olympus, there is the perfect sports lens for your particular digital slr camera.

For some of the best sports and action photography lenses currently available check out the lenses below:

Best Canon lens for sports photography – Canon 100mm – 400mm L IS USM

Canon 100mm – 400mm L IS USM Lens

My most used lens for motorsports photography is the Canon 100mm – 400mm f4.5 – 5.6L IS USM lens, which is awesome. This lens is tough, durable and built to last. This lens is also fully sealed, which means it is weatherproof making it excellent for out in the field. This lens isn’t particularly fast but then given the affordable price tag this is to be expected. Besides, the image stabilization technology is awesome and helps to ensure tack sharp shots each and every time.

One of the best things about the Canon 100mm – 400mm is the push/pull zoom which makes it super quick and easy to change between focal lengths. With this lens it is possible to zoom right in close and personal or pull back to capture more of the background.

The image quality of this lens is simply superb and it is possible to capture some awesome images. If you want the best sports photography lens to go with your Canon digital slr camera the Canon 100mm – 400mm f4.5 – 5.6L IS USM lens is the lens to buy.

Top rated Nikon sports lenses

If you shoot a Nikon digital slr camera there are a few long reach zoom lenses available to buy, although the best (and most popular) are detailed below.

 

nikon 70 – 200 2.8

nikon 80 – 400nikon

nikon 300

Top rated Sigma sports lenses

Canon and Nikon branded tele lenses are expensive however there is a cheaper alternative, which is a Sigma lens. Sigma lenses are tough, durable, well made and the image quality is very good. Sigma produces lenses that will fit both Canon and Nikon digital slr cameras, so it really doesn’t matter what you shoot.

For the best Sigma sports and action photography lenses check out the products below, all of which are worth looking in to if you want to buy a Sigma sports photography lens.

Sigma 70 – 200Sigma

Sigma 150 – 500 Sigma

 

 

Sigma 120 – 400Sigma

An essential bit of kit of sports photography

The Monopod
Sports photography with big zoom lenses requires some support, otherwise you are going to experience camera shake and get some blurry photos. There’s no doubt about it, a tripod is the best type of camera/lens support you can buy however a tripod is not ideal for sports photography. Focusing on a moving object using a tripod is nigh on impossible, besides most sports venues prohibit the use of tripods.

The best camera/lens support for sports photography is the monopod, which is an upright pole that screws in to the bottom of the camera or the lens ring. The foot of the pole is place on the ground, hence providing a support for big and heavy lenses. The monopod is small (when collapsed), light and easily transportable, which makes is a doddle to carry around all day long. The monopod is a simple but very effective product that doesn’t cost much but will improve your sports photography photos no end.

Compared to other types of photography monopods aren’t expensive however it does pay to get the best one you can afford. Cheap monopods are heavy but made out of inferior materials that tend to flex and bend once loaded up with a heavy camera/lens combo. The best monopods are made out of carbon fibre and these are both lightweight, but most importantly strong.

Manfrotto are well known for making top quality tripods and their range of monopods is equally as good and the 680B is one of Manfrotto’s top rated monopods. This monopod is very strong and can easily support the heaviest of camera/lens combinations. I always use a fully gripped 7d combined with a 500mm prime (a seriously heavy set up) and the 680B can easily cope with this and never bends or flexes.

The weak part of all monopods is the joints, however this is not the case with the 680B . The joints on this monopod are second to none. The isn’t the cheapest monopod but it is worth every cent.

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Things to Do With Pictures
by David Burgess on 0

Things to Do With Pictures

What Fun Stuff Can You Do with All of Those Pictures?

You’ve made the step and gone to digital photos. You can view them on your computer, e-mail them to friends, and take them to the store to get prints or maybe even print them at home. But after that you think, what can I do with these images that would be fun or interesting? How else can I enjoy them?

Well, let’s talk about that. There are a lot of great products, activities, services and more that will allow you to use those digital images in so many ways. Read on to learn more.

Photo Sharing Sites That Offer More

Photo sharing sites give you a place to keep your photos, a place to share them. However, some photo sharing sites offer more things to do with pictures. Shutterfly.com for instance also allows you to make a variety of things using your photos. Photo books, cards, calendars, coasters, tote bags, mouse pads, stickers, canvas prints, mugs, key rings, ornaments, puzzles, keepsake boxes, address labels, and notebooks are just some of the options.

Scrapbooking and collages are another creative way of dealing with your photos. Photomix, Google’s Picasa, Snapfish, and ScrapBlog are just a few that offer this ability.

Get Some Motion from Your Pictures

If you remember the little books you made as a kid by drawing a series of pictures in sequence, stapling them together, and then flipping through them to simulate motion, then you understand this concept.

This is another one of those fun things to do with pictures; make your own, more adult, version of these flip books. There are a number of sites that can produce some pretty nice flip books either from a series of digital photos or the still images grabbed from your camera’s video recordings. Flippies, Glitterfy, and FlipClips are just three of the options.

Of course there are also a number of tutorials out there to help you if you want to go it on your own. Two of the most useful that can be found are at a blog called The Curious and another called Short Courses.

If you’d like to make a 3-D movie from your images you can try Make3D but if you want to make a movie with some great music added you can try Animoto or even Google Picasa.

Wacky Things to Do With Pictures

Your pictures may be sentimental, they may be precious, but they should also be fun. At CaptionBubble you can make a joke of almost any picture by adding captions just like you see in cartoons.

There are a number of fun services at Flickr based BigHugeLabs. You can make a magazine cover, add captions, or make motivational posters among other things with your images.

If you want to really get silly, you can also use a number of sites to distort photos to create that “house of mirrors” effect. Sites like Gooifier allow you to do this without having to even download anything. Or perhaps you would rather insert your face, or the face of someone you know, into a well known picture, on the body of another person, or somewhere else where it doesn’t belong at FaceinHole. However, if you want a lifesized cutout of someone you’ll need to go to PhotoCutOuts or to get a caricature, visit osoq.

If you have kids, another kind of cool project can be found at FlattenMe where you can use your kids pictures to insert them into existing books. Suddenly your son or daughter can be the main character in the storyline.

Getting Artsy with Your Photos

There are a number of more artistic things to do with pictures. Various sites will allow you to change your favorite photos into works of art. PhotoWow can give you some great looking pop art of your favorites, while PhotoFiddle gives you even more options for the style of art you prefer; oil paintings, watercolor paintings, abstract collages, and so forth.

A site called ReColored allows you to colorize your black and white photos. On the other hand, if you just want a photo enlarged and placed on canvas to hang on the wall, you can try CanvasRUs.

For those who prefer a line drawing, there are a number of tools to help get the job done. Here is a Photoshop tutorial for doing just that.

Be Sure You Put Your Photos Best Face On

Digital photo frames have become more interesting and more affordable in the past few years. They offer larger screens with higher resolution in many instances, allowing you to enjoy your photos in their most vibrant splendor. These modern frames are capable of storing more images and can be set up to display slideshows so that you can enjoy more of your photos.

In addition, some frames offer filters for special effects, the ability to add music for a full presentation, and remote controls for convenience. Digital photo frames really are the best way to capitalize on the digital nature of your photos. Because fading won’t occur with the digital file and those images will always be at their best, this is one of the smart things to do with pictures.

Portable Digital Devices That Let You Enjoy Your Pictures Everywhere

A digital camera gives you that potential connection with the other modern devices you may own. Clearly, uploading those photos to a media player or other portable device allows you to take those images with you to share with others or to enjoy while you’re out and about.

On the other hand, some of the traditional ways of enjoying printed images aren’t lost just because you’ve gone digital. In fact many of these just got better because you can tote along more images with less bulk when your photos are in the digital format. For instance, an old picture wallet could hold a handful of 2×3 photos before it became an unwanted bulk. A digital photo wallet on the other hand allows you store many times more pictures and it’s size doesn’t change. Aside from true wallets, there are also wallet sized digital photo albums that are easy to take along; they’re definitely a much lighter load than a traditional photo album which is three or four times the size.

Another item to keep your pictures close at hand is a digital photo keychain. These are affordable little devices and they don’t require much technical knowledge to use. They do best in displaying up close, portrait type shots due to the small screen size but they’re definitely a fun little gadget.

Editing: Making Those Photos Look The Way You Want

Many of us don’t go out and buy the more sophisticated editing tools that are available but instead use whatever came with our camera. However, editing is among the best things to do with pictures if you want to enjoy them.

There are some sites out there than can help you do things with pictures that are a bit fun. Picnik is one of those sites. It allows you to do some editing, which includes adding interesting borders, effects, shapes, and fonts to spice up your images. Of course, one of the best things is that you don’t have to download anything to your computer or take a course to understand it.

Of course there are other online photo editing tools such as FotoFlexer and SplashUp.

Another possibility is to study up a bit and consider some photo editing software to really get the most from your pictures.

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