As we come to the close of our 100 Days Praise Challenge, we want to thank w2wsoul.com and those who participated, gave praise shout outs, and shared their artwork. We continue to give God thanks and praise for the things he has done in our lives, because we really and truly cannot stop giving praise to God. Praise should be a part of our daily lives and should encompass all that we do. Living a life that is surrendered totally to Christ is our ultimate offering of praise. Our Praise Challenge took us through many books in the Bible and we learnt that praise can take many forms for the believer. Singing songs and hymns, clapping our hands, even jumping for joy…the list is endless. We can give glory and praise to our God with the use of our physical bodies, with our hearts and minds, and with our talents… read more
Inspiks Market Blog
Each month we feature some of the best Photoshop tutorials and this month is exciting! The tutorials range from cool photo manipulations, to some fantastic digital drawings. Check them out, you may find something that you like! Create a Brick Curtain with Displace Filter in Photoshop This tutorial will teach you how to create a curtain made of bricks or how to deform a brick wall as it was a curtain. To do that we will use a few stock photos, layer adjustments and the Displace filter in Photoshop CS5. The technique is pretty simple and the tutorial won’t take you more than 30 minutes to go through it. View Tutorial Create a Fantasy Girlbird Illustration with Photoshop Create a fantasy bird girl illustration using digital painting and photo manipulation techniques. The results can often be cute, funny, or even a bit disturbing, check it out! View Tutorial Create… read more
Create a Panorama in Photoshop CS5: In this tutorial we will learn about panoramas and the very basics in levels adjustments to make our images pop in ways they maybe never have! We will use Adobe Bridge and Camera Raw to do some post work on our image and stitch multiple images together to make a cool panorama, then we will use the powerful tools in Photoshop CS5 to make the final adjustments. Ok, lets begin! Create a Panorama in Photoshop CS5 [sociallocker] Final Image [/sociallocker]
I am so happy to be a Christian; I would’ve rather not have been created, than live life without my heavenly Father. I love to praise Him. I love to sing to Him…my favorite song to sing to Him is “How Great is Our Godâ€, and that’s for the simple reason: it is the only song I can sing without butchering very badly! LOL! I am not writing this because of my easy life, actually this morning I cried my heart out and I didn’t even find a taste in my breakfast because my heart was crying inside that I could not feel anything on the outside. But we can either choose to draw closer to Him through those extremely troubling and painful times, or we can choose to drift away from Him. The Bible mentions many names, more than anyone can remember, but only few names stand out from… read more
In this video tutorial by Che McPherson from TutCandy.com, you will learn how to use custom brushes to add a nice splatter effect to your image to create a stunning abstract piece of artwork. Check it out and Enjoy! Resources Free Splatter Brush Set by loswl Create Custom Brushes in Photoshop by che mcpherson Final Image [sociallocker] [/sociallocker]
One of the things that continues to inspire artist is the natural things around us. Nature, in the broadest sense, is equivalent to the natural world, physical world, or material world. As we look around us we are inspired by all the beauty that God has created for us to enjoy, water, fire, plants, animals, birds, fishes, clouds, rainbows, etc. God has given us the ability to imagine and design varied amount of images, in our minds and these images spill out on the canvas as beautiful pieces of art. Creattica a gallery of great design and inspirational imagery showcases the artwork of some amazing artist. Below you will find some breathtaking images from their archives inspired by nature. Enjoy! [sam id=3 codes=’false’] [sam id=3 codes=’false’] [sam id=3 codes=’false’]
There are times where life hits us and just strikes a nerve with us, causing a change in attitude and to recognize what really matters. We all go through struggles and it’s important that we remember to look to the right places for comfort, understanding, help, and healing during these times. This is one of those times for a particular family in my church and it’s pulling at my heart to share. The Inspiration for This Madison Davis is 6 years old. She has been battling cancer with a good amount of success since she was 4 1/2 years old. Her parents, Destry and Christy Davis and her siblings, all have a very strong faith in God, even through the struggles they have had to endure. However, a recent scan showed that the cancer has come back in multiple places including her bone marrow and a spot on or near… read more
We’ve decided to start doing a roundup of the best tutorials released on the web each month. This month, there were some excellent tutorials for you to choose from. Please take a moment to review our favorites from August 2010. Paint Using A Dreamlike 80’s Airbrush Effect Learn how to create a beautiful, dreamlike painting full of subtle details but with a bold 80’s color scheme? Design duo KittoZutto show you how in this tutorial on creating an airbrushed portrait tapping the glory days of Athena posters. Visit Tutorial Create A Elegant Gold Ornamental Text in Photoshop Learn how to create an unusual text effect by combining different photos and brush elements. This golden text is a nice idea and suitable for some treasury topic. Visit Tutorial Create A Cool Scenery using Matte Painting Techniques In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to take a concept, develop it using linear… read more
Another capture of a park bench; don’t they just look so romantic? And because I think they are romantic they remind me of something happened about two weeks ago. Two weeks ago I was working with a co-worker who is new to Canada (he has been here for only four months) and has been married not long ago (he celebrated his first wedding anniversary a couple of weeks ago). He speaks English but a bit broken; he certainly speaks better English than I did when I came to Canada. He is truly a joy to work with because he is very easy going, funny, and hard working, that’s why I usually work with him. We were just talking while working, and he told me about his first wedding anniversary being that week, and how he used to work as a marine engineer back in his home country, and so on…. read more
The book, “Creation, The Dawn of Mankind” by Mark Taylor, presents a fresh look at an old story, the story of man’s beginning, as recorded in the book of Genesis. Genesis gives a compelling answer to man’s greatest question, “where did we come from?” The book is illustrated in a comic format using unique full color artwork, created with 3d and 2d software. It captures the wonder of creation and the fact that God made it all for man, His ultimate creation. God’s plan of salvation is revealed in the story and we get to see the loving grace and mercy of God, to His fallen and disobedient children. Read and Share it today. Click the lower right edge of the Flash Book after it is loaded. Book also available in paperback on Blurb Why Did I Write The Book? As a kid, I often pondered the question of, “how… read more
One of the hardest thing for designers is to find that single image that fits our design idea. Sometimes we spend more time looking for photos than we spend on the actual design, but when we find that one gem of an image it makes a world of difference. That’s why I put this list of the best websites to find stock photos together. The list contains websites that range from free stock photos to free graphic resources. I also included some paid subscription sites, like ShutterStock and Dreamstime and some websites I often use to get free textures and graphic resources. Enjoy! [sociallocker] Free Stock Photos EveryStockPhoto Search engine for free stock photos and clip art for the stock photography community including images of creative commons and public domain and other free licenses. Flickr Creative Commons All the content on this page is protected by a Attribution License…. read more
It’s that time of the year again when we celebrate our fathers. The first observance of Father’s Day is believed to have been held on July 5, 1908 in a church located in Fairmont, West Virginia, by Dr. Robert Webb. Our fathers are given the special responsibility of leadership in the home. What a joy it is to interact and learn from our fathers! The most important role of our father is to lead us to the truths of God; his love is a representation of God’s love for us. As you look at these amazing photos, be reminded of God’s everlasting love for you and be inspired to do something special for your dad today, let him know how much you love him! Happy Father,s Day! Want photos you can use in your personal or commercial work? Download our “40 Free Photos of Fathers Bundle”. “As a father has compassion… read more
The story of the dry bones mentioned in Ezekiel chapter 37, has been interpreted as the re-gathering of the Jews from many nations back to the land of Israel, this event happened in our time, when Israel was established as a nation in 1948. An interesting fact is that one of the first places that was excavated shortly after Israel received it’s sovereignty was the site called Masada, the last Jewish stronghold against Rome. The archaeologists that excavated Masada knew all about it, based on the writings of Jewish historian, Josephus Flavius. They came upon a synagogue on the mountain fortress, and there they found only one preserved portion of scripture, Ezekiel 37. When they uncovered this find, the discoverers wept, realizing that they themselves were these “dry bones that came to life.” At a time in which this prophecy was being fulfilled, this portion of scripture was preserved in… read more
Each month Best Christian Design has a Desktop Wallpaper Competition sponsored by RedisWhite. They select a number of the best entries and display them each month, giving credit to each designer. The winner receives a Free T-Shirt of their choice from RedisWhite. Each desktop wallpaper must have a christian theme to it eg. Christ, God, Love, Bible, Mission, Evangelism, Worship, etc. Below are some of the wallpapers that have earned top places. To learn more about the contest visit BestChristianDesign.com. Enjoy! DOWNLOAD WALLPAPER DOWNLOAD WALLPAPER King of Kings by Brian Hollingsworth DOWNLOAD WALLPAPER DOWNLOAD WALLPAPER Seven Jeff Heaton from Heaton Design
Ever heard something that just made you chuckle, and at the same time, warm your heart so much you gave praise and thanks to God? We were watching the news yesterday when the upcoming headline was announced, “Which came first, the chicken or the egg?“. The headline left me waiting for the answer as they switched to commercial. While we waited for the news to return, I said to my brother, “Here they go again with these wasted researches that we already have an answer to, the chicken came first, don’t they know that?”. My brother and I had a nice laugh, then reflected on why we knew the chicken came first; I explained that maybe everyone does not know the reason why we have that conclusion in our heads, but it just seemed so obvious to us. Bible believing Christians would agree with me that the chicken had to… read more
For the last year I’ve been struggling with doubt off and on…from the little things to the big things. Some days I feel that nothing can shake my faith, and other days I feel nothing can make it continue. So recently I’ve been going to God asking Him questions about this and that, and why did this happen and why that didn’t happen, etc. I am determined to face this struggle head on and overcome it, rather than just let it make me drift away from trusting God. God’s faithfulness is probably His most important attribute to me. I simply must know that He does not change, keeps His promises, does not mislead us, makes His will clear, guides us to His best at all times. And He has given me many promises concerning an issue I’ve been facing for quite sometime. All those promises add up and confirm each… read more
Clouds are always interesting to look at, most times we can see different shapes in them that captures our imaginations, but what exactly are clouds?, how are they made?. On Earth the condensing substance that form clouds is typically water vapor, which forms small droplets or ice crystals. When surrounded by billions of other droplets or crystals they become visible as clouds. Dense deep clouds exhibit a high reflectance throughout the visible range of wavelengths; they therefore appear white, at least from the top. Cloud droplets tend to scatter light efficiently, so that the intensity of the solar radiation decreases with depth into the gases, hence the gray or even sometimes dark appearance at the cloud base. Thin clouds may appear to have acquired the color of their environment or background and clouds illuminated by non-white light, such as during sunrise or sunset, may appear colored accordingly. Clouds look darker… read more
INSPIKS created Christian Art of the 100 days praise challenge. We posted praise scriptures on a daily basis and share them with our readers. The praise challenge was started by our friends over at w2wsoul.com. Each day was geared towards giving praise to God, instead of asking Him for stuff. The 100 Day Praise Challenge started June 22, 2010, and ended September 30, 2010. Praise the Lord even when you don’t feel like it – keep pressing forward and keep praising Him. We guarantee that you will see a growth in your relationship with Him and in any trial that you may be experiencing.  Thanks to all who had a chance to participate, God Bless you! Feel free to use these images in your Church and daily devotions and continue to lift Jesus higher! DOWNLOAD
Today I was taking a long walk in the mid-day sun, with the temperature at about 88 degrees and the wind blowing mildly in my face. About 15 minutes into my walk the thought came to mind about the cowardly act of many Christians that claim they love people and how they certainly don’t want people to go to hell yet, they refuse to be open about their faith in a way that would make a non-believer want what they have. Please, don’t make the mistake of assuming that I didn’t examine myself as well, so I’m certainly not being too critical, or judgmental. I think sometimes as Christians, we find all types of excuses to not share the Gospel ( the good news about Jesus). If the News is so good, why not share it? If we really believe that we are saved from hell and cleansed of our… read more
Relating to all the aspect of what a father should be is sometimes difficult for me, because I grew up with a father who was abusive to my mother and was not there totally for the family. In spite of my father’s abusive tendencies and erratic behaviors, it’s amazing to me that I was always glad when he came home. There was just something about his presence that, in itself, brought a feeling of security and oneness, even though that was not the reality that existed. At one point things got so bad at home that my mother decided she had enough of the abuse and she fled our island home of Jamaica and came to the US to live. Mom brought my younger brother with her and left me and my older brother in Jamaica with relatives. This was a very heartbreaking time of our lives and it took… read more
Cutting Out Hair in Photoshop CS5: Photoshop CS5 comes with some exciting tools for designers, one of them that stand out is the new Refine Edge tool. It really helps when cutting out an object from a background especially when it involves human hair or any type of fur that is troublesome and can be tricky to achieve a realistic look. With Photoshop CS5 it is now possible to achieve the task very easily. Here are a couple techniques you can use on images especially those those with varied background tones, the results takes just a few mouse clicks. In this tutorial we will be replacing a dull background with a very cool sunset, Check it out! Final Image Resource sunbathing 2 from Stock.xchng Sunset from Astoria, Queens from Stock.xchng [sociallocker] Step 1 Open the sunbathing 2 from Stock.xchng, then crop it down to about 24×24 inches, removing the… read more
Every day on the subway on my way to university I pass by this cemetery, Mount Pleasant Cemetery, and in the morning it looks so beautiful from outside: the sunlight going through the trees and people are walking through it. It looks peaceful so I decided last summer to visit it and take some pictures. I visited it on a beautiful summer evening but I didn’t take any pictures because the awareness of death’s reality and ugliness was all around me. (I only took one picture on my way out.) So I decided to visit the cemetery again but this time not to photograph its natural beauty but I wanted to capture the reality of death. I settled for this capture because as sure as the yellow and white lines separate so our souls will leave our bodies one day. Death is one of the most misrepresented facts of life…. read more
Typography is one of the hardest elements of design to master. Motion typography takes type to a whole other level by expressing and communicating ideas with animated text, it involves the combination of movement and sound and it can be a really powerful way of capturing the audience. These videos are prime examples of how Typography can be used to convey a message in a creative and powerful way. These videos were created by some of the best Christian Motion Graphics Artist. Check them out! Elijah by Bryan Clark That’s My King from Dustin Bankord That’s My King! by Albert Martin Names of Jesus by Joe Perez Psalm 106 by Mothlight Creative Thinking About Eternal by Versa Save the Lost by Salomon The Ten Commandments by Vit Ryznar Easter from Bjorn Amundsen In The Beginning from Bjorn Amundsen Compassion by Dustin Bankord What is the Church by Dave Tate
In this tutorial we will learn how to design a magazine cover in Photoshop. I usually design covers using Photoshop and InDesign, but for this tutorial we will be using Photoshop for everything. When you set out to design your own magazine cover you’ll need to pay close attention to details and carefully lay out the artistic aspect of it, working towards a well planned and complete artistic concept. Taking the time to formulate a strong concept is extremely important to the success of the magazine. I will take you through the process of creating a cover and reveal techniques that designers use to make their covers stand out. Final Image Resources Model Face Handsome – PhotoXpress Stock illustration: Planet – Stock.Xchng Free Vector Barcode Graphics – Airopia Brush Border Pack -27 – Media Melitia Step 1 Create a new document in Photoshop, 8.5×11 inches, 300dpi (for… read more