New Graphic Panel.

I have slightly changed the graphic panel of this blog adding a cutout image of an apple.

It is the same apple that sits within the letters of the title. Both techniques, cropping and filling letters with images are described on the blog. You can also see this apple in the favicon — the small icon in the url of this blog.

To learn how to crop an image to make a 'cutout,' see the post 'Mask vs Alpha: how to make cutouts' or read all articles labeled 'cutouts.'

To learn how to fill letters (typography symbols) with an image, read articles tagged 'transparent letters' or see this step-by-step tutorial: 'Letters as Image.'

If you would like to commission a graphic panel for your own blog or website, or have a favicon designed for your url, please contact the editor via comments or through the profile.

Read more in my new book 'iWork for Mac OSX Cookbook' (2012), follow me on Twitter at iworkinpages, like my page I Work in Pages on Facebook and add me to your circles on Google+ 

For those interested in apples, this is a late ripening variety called Winter Banana, crisp, sweet and stores well.

iWork Book on Twitter Page Background.

This is the new design for the background of my Twitter page at iworkinpages. 

It has my book on it and the photo of the famous apple which I've use in the graphic panel of the title of this blog and its favicon (small icon next to the internet address.)

The apple variety is called Winter Banana. My book, with a free sample chapter, is available on Packt Publishing here and on all major book-selling websites.

How to Download Photos: Just Drag and Drop

I am sure most Mac users already know this trick, but if you are just starting to build your stock you may find this tip useful. To download a photo from the internet to your computer

Click on the image, hold and drag to your Desktop.

It's dead easy, so easy that I always giggle to myself when I come across complicated multistep advice on downloading photos from the internet, sometimes even software for sale to do this.

When you've dragged a picture to your Desktop, you get a file, in most cases in .jpg format. They come in various sizes and resolutions. Many internet images have a 72 DPI count, quite low, to allow fast loading of internet pages.

For good quality print projects these can only be used in very small sizes. If you need a good quality picture which you plan to use in a large size you should have at least 300 DPI count in real size. Many web-sites, including wikipedia/wikimedia have clickable pictures which open up in higher resolution, good for quality printing.

Remember to check copyright status of images and crediting requirements. Wikipedia and many public/government web-sites have current affairs photos free for use (in public domain.) There is a number of web-sites, including bigfoto.com, offering amateur photos for free downloads and use. However, while digital photography made taking snaps very easy, a good picture requires a lot of creative work, planning, thinking, preparation, luck - and talent. A good photographer always puts part of their soul into the picture.

If a photo has a name to it, I make it a rule to mention it in photo credits.

Oh, and apple photos on this blog are all mine, clickable and free to reuse. Please credit to Alexander Anichkin (Александр Аничкин) and link to this blog.