How to Provide Your Digital Artwork in the Correct Format

So you have been asked to provide artwork and don't know where to begin? Many graphics orientated industries such as printing, awards, and signage require digital artwork in specific file formats. This is essential in order to obtain high quality imagery on your end product. Here is a quick guide on what you need to know in order to correctly fulfill that next artwork request.

Before we talk about vendor requirements for your artwork, let's discuss what they probably don't want. Most often, providing your artwork in the form of a physical business card, letterhead, photocopy, website art, or a photograph is not ideal, and generally will not work. These examples are not considered "original artwork" which typically is required. Remember, someone created your art, and it's up to you to find out where it originated, and if it is available digitally. If you can find the originator or original art, you will save yourself a lot of work, and will likely be able to provide your art to your vendor per their requirements.

Regardless of file format, most vendors will require vector art. Open your artwork on your computer and zoom in very, very closely. If your art is composed of small dots it is likely a bitmap image, and is NOT a vector image. A vector image is made up of lines, and if you zoom in very close on your image you will see that the graphic is still very crisp and clean with no blurry dots. Another way to check is by taking your art and increasing the size about 10-20 times. If the "blown up" image is still as crisp, clean and detailed as when it was small, you likely have a vector image. If it becomes blurry the bigger it gets, your image is likely a bitmap. Another way to check, if your file has any of the following extensions, it is likely a bitmap: .bmp, .jpg, .gif

So your image is a bitmap and you don't know what to do? Bitmap images may be acceptable if they are high resolution bitmaps in the 300-600 dpi range. Keep in mind that some more complicated art may need to be a bitmap image in order to achieve the visual effects desired, but will still need to be high resolution. In addition, some vendors may have conversion software, where they can convert the bitmap art into vector art. This conversion software can often take art from a scanned business card or from the internet. There are also many businesses on the internet where you can provide your digital bitmap file in various formats, and they will convert your art to vector art. Go to Google and search for "vector art conversion" and you will find many available options for this service. Lastly, perhaps you don't need to convert to vector... check with your vendor to see if your bitmap image is workable.

Your vector or high resolution bitmap image will need to be in a specified file format. Usually, most vendors will ask for your art to have one of the following file format extensions:.ai (Adobe Illustrator),.cdr (Corel Draw), .pdf (portable document format), or .eps (encapsulated postscript). Whatever program you are able to open your artwork up in, you should be able to "save as" or "export" as one of these file formats. Be sure to convert any text to curves. Please understand, that taking a low resolution bitmap file and saving it as a higher resolution .eps or .ai file does not improve the resolution of the art, nor does it turn it into a vector file.

If your still at a loss and cannot provide artwork per the vendors specifications, you may have to have it re-created. Re-creating art can be expensive as you most likely will have to have the a graphic artist do this for you. Plan on spending $50-$100 per hour for this service, and once provided, have them save several copies in various formats for future use. In the end, you want to supply artwork in an economical and efficient manner, and hopefully some of the suggestions offered in this article can help you with this goal.

Correct artwork is critical for ideal printing results such as on these custom imprinted award medals found at http://www.justawardmedals.com/Custom_Medals_s/171.htm

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Thriller Novels: Where Does the Kick Come From?

Scarcely any novel enthusiast has not read any thriller novels at all. The genre is immensely popular with readers of all ages. The best thrillers have provided gripping suspense, exhilaration, and enjoyment to readers since the first beginnings of the genre. Their scope is vast, with many sub-genres.

So, what are they?

Obviously, the novel must must engender thrills in its readers. Straightforward enough, but where are the origins of this ability? The predecessors of thriller novels originated with the writers of early civilizations such as the Greeks or Persians. For example, the Odyssey in Greek and the Mahabharata in Sanskrit were, it can be argued constructed using similar narrative mechanisms to the modern day thriller novels. Originating in the Tenth Century and later translated by Sir Richard Burton, the Arabian Nights narrates the first ever detective thriller as a tale entitled "The Three Apples".

With this ancestry, the art has grown and contemporary 'thrill fiction' can be sub-divided into several genres such as the intelligence related thriller, medical, political, legal case related thriller, historical, technological, action, exploration oriented thriller, armed forces operations thriller, and romantic thriller. At least. The list is practically never ending. Thrilling the readers, that's all it's about, and there are so many ways. Normally, all of the genres will be creating thrills by working on several aspects of the reader's mind: emotions, empathy with a character, impatience, uncertainty, fear, anticipation and even panic. The most able novelist will be toying with several of these areas of the reader's mind at any one time.

The reader's imagination, though, is definitely the most effective target area for the novelist to work on, but it is also the aspect needing the highest skill to manipulate effectively. Although each of the sub genres has its inherent dimensions, there are a few regular techniques used by novelists. For example: the disguising of significant facts from the reader until the a climactic point, the dramatic description of combat (even if only verbal). Add in foreshadowing, unexpected twists in the plot and hanging chapter ends and you have the basic devices which are deployed to work up the thrill and excitement levels.

Let's examine a couple of sub-genres in more detail:

The espionage thriller offers a typical example of the thriller genre-type. Some specialize in the operation of intelligence gathering structures within particular countries and governments - for example the British SIS or the Chinese Guoanbu. Other genre-specialist writers focus on the technology of espionage, be they satellites or miniature cameras. The main character is often an anti-hero having a problem with her organization.

In psychological thriller novels, brain games as well as infatuations, persecutions, mental entrapment and other such themes are the most common structural devices.

So, there's plenty of scope for writing and giving thrills to readers.

James Marinero writes thriller novels with a topical espionage aspect. Find out more about James's views on the thriller novels genre and his latest techno-thriller 'Gate of Tears' at his website.

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Keeping Memories Alive

Memories of our past, good or bad, many times fill a very important part of our daily lives. We draw continuously on the knowledge we have acquired over the years. But, over time, much of this knowledge and wisdom is lost due to forgetfulness or lack of review. Also, those wonderful family memories of weddings, births, family reunions, vacations and a whole host of other memories captured on audio or visual media types may not be seen or heard because you have nothing to play them on. For instance, you may have reels of 8mm regular or super film, reel to reel audio tape, 8 trk audio tape, cassette audio tape, VHS, Hi8, 78/45/33 rpm vinyl records or just simply photos that are hard to access. Well, as the Bandleader of the Stardusters Band, I am dedicated to the preservation and performance of live music of the great musical era of WWII. In the same respect, I believe our recorded memories of our families and our adventures through life are equally if not more important to preserve for future generations to come. Therefore, I have researched online the many services offered to render or transfer various media types to CD or DVD, or bands to perform the great music of the 30's, 40's and 50's. I have found the cost to be surprisingly expensive.

I believe the musical performance in a live band format and the Audio & Video Rendering and Transfer of this great music and your treasured memories can be reasonable and affordable. If one has the talent, knowledge, access to the proper equipment and time on his or her hands that would be the perfect combination to accomplish this very worthy task.

Many early mornings with coffee cup in hand I have contemplated these possibilities. It would obviously take musical abilities. That is, training as a musician or to be so inclined. Also, there is the need for the specific projectors and/or playing devices to render and transfer the different media types. Some folks are fortunate to have had fathers who used these devices over the years and kept them in good condition, and, later handed them down to sons or daughters. This is a recipe for entrepreneurism. I know a person just like this. His dad kept right up with technology and over the years had collected recording equipment from reel to reel tape recorders to 8mm movie cameras and projectors to the Hi8 digital tape before he passed away. What a great opportunity his father left to him for the preservation of history. And, that history is something we should work hard to keep, and maybe even more important, to pass on.

Since this type of work must be done in real time, it is obvious that the amount of time available is crucial in the ability to reduce the cost of the service. If time is not a major factor then you are half the way there. On the other hand, if you don't already own the appropriate equipment and devices, I'm sure they would be somewhat hard to find, hence, the lucky son. With this time and equipment, a process could be streamlined to what I believe to be a very affordable option. The equipment and software will produce excellent rendering and transfer of the media types to CD/VCD/DVD. It doesn't have to be fancy or major high tech to still deliver excellent quality and service. The possibilities are endless!

The Stardusters are a four-eighteen piece band featuring a veriety of musical styles. They use combinations of vocals, guitar, steel guitar, bass, drums, piano, trumpet, saxophone, and banjo to accomplish their easy listening and very danceable repertoire. The Stardusters are a truly enjoyable musical experience. And, if you like BIG, The Stardusters can accommodate with some modern and contemporary tunes, and all the great tunes popular during the Big Band era with combinations up to an 18 piece Big Band. The Stardusters are performing in clubs, restaurants, and private venues throughout Fresno and the Central Valley. My web site can be viewed as http://www.stardusters.net/

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The Nuts and Bolts of Producing Children's Musical Theater

It's no secret that everyone and his brother, sister, aunt and uncle feel that they have the knack for producing children's Musical Theater. With so many publishing houses out there producing mini versions of some of Broadway's biggest hits, providing a "how to" and robust director's manual and prerecorded tracks to the show's songs, everyone is jumping on the band wagon and offering summer productions for kids ages 5-15 years old. However, it is very important to realize that it takes much more than a script, a bunch of students, and hall to produce truly great children's theater!

There are definitive areas of producing a musical with kids that will make a show simply mediocre or make a show simply spectacular. These areas are as follows: Quality Casting; Strong direction; Scenic Design and Construction; Lighting Design; sound design; costume design; a quality performance venue, Publicity and Marketing.

The reason I mention quality casting is because it is here lies your most important task. In my 25 years as an Artistic Director, I've always said, "Casting can be your best friend! It can make your job as a director a pure joy or a living hell!" And it is so true. If you cast the wrong child in the lead, a great set, costumes and lighting design will not save your show. It is for this reason that time and careful planning and thought should be given to the casting of each role, especially the leads. With casting in mind, always planning ahead and casting a double or understudy is a wise and prudent thing to do should your first choice fall ill or fall out of a tree a week before your show opens. After all, we are speaking about kids here!:-) Of course, going hand in hand with strong casting is your job as the theatrical producer to hire a top-knotch director. Without a iron-clad experienced director, you ruin the risk of the show not having a strong flow or semblance.

The next crucial thing to think about is your rehearsal process. Where will rehearsals be? A Church, a school, a hall? How many days per week? Hours per day? Will the rehearsal process last 8, 10, or 12 weeks? Once this is determined a solid rehearsal schedule can be put together and distributed among the students.

Now that rehearsals are under way, it is time to think about what and how your set design will look like? There are so many ways you can go with a set design. Of course, after much trial and error over the last two decades, I find the KISS principle best. "Keep It Simple Stupid!" It's true. A wonderfully designed set with bright colors simply hanging from a theater baton will go miles and cost far less than having several stage wagons built or huge flats to fly up in the air. Remember: This is children's theater. Kids performing for kids. You can find great scenic designers almost anywhere these days. Craigslist, College Dept, High School Theater clubs, etc... I strongly advise staying away from Performing Arts magazines, as these folks are all strictly professional and will charge a pretty penny.

Your next important task is to find a great lighting designer. Focusing lights on a stage and mixing colors to create moods is not a difficult job. It is however a specialized one and if you don't hire the right person, your beautiful set will look a lot less beautiful and you won't be able to evoke the kind of response you are looking for from your audience. Like Scenic Designers, you can find good lighting designers on places like Craigslist, College dept, etc... Most Lighting designers will charge you a couple hundred dollars to light your whole show. I've always believed that lighting a show, especially a musical is critical to the overall success of the production. This is definite one area you do not want to skimp on. There is nothing worse than going to a children's production and the curtain opens to all these kids in costume with blinding white light from the ceiling light fixtures! In the words of one of my past students, "Yuck!"

Speaking of costumes for the students, this is the next big item that should be on your list. Costumes are indeed important, but think that you have to go out and spend hundreds of dollars on each costume. A simple vest, hat, glasses, jumpsuit, etc.. will do just fine. Of course, a great deal of this is determined by your show. Doing the musical, Annie? Making orphan clothing is quite simple. Doing Aladdin? This of course may require a costume designer and seamstress. Again, you can find students who are willing to help you with this or even volunteer moms, dads, grandmas, etc... Sewing is an American past time! What ever you do, do not make the mistake of producing a period piece than skimping on the costumes. Nothing says tacky more than this.

The next important item is sound. If you can't hear the kids on stage, why bother paying for a ticket. Nothing is more aggravating than attending a wonderful performance only to be confused as to what is going on because you do not understand the kids. Body mics work best. But if you cannot afford these, choir mics or shot guns definitely work in a pinch. Please, please, please make sure that the sound designer you hire knows how to set levels. Feedback during a show is never pleasant.

Finally, getting the word out about your performance is key to building the excitement among the actors, paying all of the expenses that have been piled up and of course, spreading the word about what you do, who you are and why your theater program is so important to the community!

There are countless ways today to publicize a show and get the word out to everyone and their brothers, sisters, aunts and uncles. The internet has a wealth of social media, ticket software programs, email grouping, etc.. to help spread the word about your show. Of course, it never hurts to print up posters and post cards and distribute them around your town in every coffee, house, bookstore, school or church! Who can resist a great kid's production?

So, to briefly recap. To produce truly great children's theater, remember there are several key areas to consider. Hiring a strong director; Casting the right kid in the right role; hiring the best designers your budget can afford; hiring the best lighting and sound people your budget can afford; and getting the word out to further capture the community you are trying to impress!

Happy Producing!

Trevor Weaver - Managing Director (Playandprofundity.com)

www.playandprofundity.com

Trevor Weaver
Artistic Director
Play & Profundity
trevor@playandprofundity.com
http://www.playandprofundity.com/
1-805-203-6250

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The Art of Mixing and Mastering for Video Games

I think we all remember the old times when we played arcade games and all we could hear in the background were onomatopoeic sounds. And we can all agree upon the fact that video games have come a long way since then, both in terms of graphic and in terms of audio. The processes of mixing and mastering have left their mark and being an audio designer has become greatly profitable. But the work is equally demanding and it requires several technical skills in order to be able to deliver a truly professional final version of the game audio.

Basically, the mixing process can be considered the art of blending all the elements of a musical piece in a compatible way. The end product must be melodious and perfectly balanced. It may seem like a piece of cake, but it's surely not. An audio designer needs many years of experience to achieve a level of professionalism required in order to make up a flawless mix. It's called art because in the end, the engineer's job is to give the song emotion and a certain sparkle. And this emotion, together with the line of the audio must fit the action of the video game. You can imagine that country music has nothing to do with slaying vampires or something of that sort. Dynamic effects are also put to use in this phase, such as equalization, delays or compression, which may provide a certain sense of space to your game audio.

The latter phase of the mixing and mastering is also the final stage of the recording process. But it is highly important and should be treated as such. Mastering acts as a quality controller before the final release. There has been some debate over the level of loudness at which an audio should be mastered, but in order for an audio designer to make clear determinations he ought to have critical listening. Of course they have the aid of special technical equipment and software mastering tools, but the final touch is still in the hands of the sound engineer. The end result also depends on the accuracy of speaker monitors. Moreover, disciplinary equalization and intense enhancements may be necessary for the improvement of the audio translation on any system.

All things considered, excelling at the art of mixing and mastering is a must for any audio designer and video game developers should only trust their music editing needs to professional studios that have the required experience and tools to deliver a faultless end product that meets all of your expectations and the ones of the consumers. Fortunately, it shouldn't be very hard to find such a studio, as the world wide web has helped the industry of game audio through the developing of online masters and the advances of the sound technology. The online studios are now able to provide end to end audio solutions for every kind of video game you can think of. The cutting edge technology and top notch engineers will help you get a state of the art mix for your product.

For more resources about mixing and mastering or about audio designer or even about game audio, please review these links.

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How to Mix Live Vocals

In almost all cases the vocals in a band setting should sit on top of the mix. Nobody leaves a show humming the beat of the kick drum.

First, choose the right vocal microphone. Spend some time learning the differences in singers as well as the different characteristics of vocal microphones. This can go a long way to accomplishing the best sound.

Set your gain structure properly. Before you even turn up the fader, set your incoming gain. There are different schools of thought here, and it really depends on the application. If you are going for smooth or there is spoken word, don't push the gain all the way up to peak. Keep it in the green and out of the yellow. On some more driven applications it is OK to push the preamps a bit more as some "distortion" can be used for good. Peaking is always bad. Use compression or limiting to keep more dynamic vocalists from peaking.

Avoid using too much compression or effects. Unless you are going for a particular effect keep it natural sounding. Use compression, delay and reverb only to make a more natural sounding vocal, not to fix bad sound or singing.

Don't boost the EQ. It is a common beginners mistake to boost certain frequencies on the board to get more clarity or more body. This is almost never the right starting point. Start with cutting frequencies. If it sounds muddy find and cut the mud causing frequency. If it sounds harsh, find and cut the harsh frequency. Sometimes it is useful to boost the gain on a frequency and sweep the frequency dial until you find the offending frequency, then you know where to cut. Don't cut too wide or it will cut too much and have an unintended effect.

Your fader should be near or just below Unity (unity is at a different level on digital boards than on analog boards). There are different schools of thought on this as well, but unity is always a good starting point especially if you are just starting out. We will dive into the unity theory and gain structure as a whole later on. The very high level basic idea is that you don't have you head gain really low and your fader really high, or vice versa. You want to let the sound through rather than significantly boost or cut it.

Check out http://www.howtomixlive.com/ for more free live mixing tips and techniques!

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