Today I’ll show you some fun masking techniques using Adobe Photoshop. I’ll show you how to create some visual interest and depth to a design by overlapping and masking elements.

The other day I posted a blog about designing a custom steel texture background and adding it to a PowerPoint template. It turned out so nice, I thought that I’d make some matching Flash Activities and Flash Games.

Click each sample below for a demo.

Here is a tutorial on how to import a custom graphic background into a Flash Template.

Today I’d like to show you one of my favorite ways to design buttons. The end result is a nice and simple glossy button. This technique is very easy and even though I’m demonstrating it in Adobe Photoshop, you can follow the same steps in other applications as well. Hope you enjoy!

I am often asked where I get inspiration for design. Well, I always answer, everywhere! Sometimes it is in nature, other times it is from a TV commercial, and times like today it is from a door hanger delivered in the mail box.

I received this door hanger in my mail box (not sure why it wasn’t hung on my door…) and I thought that it could make a cool eLearning design for a future course. Here are a few samples of what I came up with.

I’ve recorded two screencasts below to show you how I took this inspiration and turned it into an eLearning design.

1. How to create a steel texture background in Photoshop CS5

2. How to create the PowerPoint template

Have you ever created a new file in Photoshop, Flash, or any other application, and found yourself just staring at the blank canvas not knowing where to begin? Sometimes the blank canvas can be a little intimidating. I personally love the thought of starting a new file and design. I thrive off the opportunity to be creative and to truly create something new.

At the beginning of a new project, I usually spend a good hour or so just finding inspiration. I search all over the web for cool color combinations, typeface and other design elements. I often take bits and pieces of inspiration from all over and then mash them into a unique design that fits my requirements. Whether you like the opportunity to be creative or not, here is a great source for inspiration: The Design Inspiration. I like to look through the Logos for color ideas and websites for compositions. Take a look around and see if you can be inspired.

This week we celebrated America’s Independence day. In the spirit of celebrating, I thought I’d make and share a free eLearning background. Hope you enjoy… Each image is 720×540 and ready to be imported right into Articulate, powerpoint, iSpring, Snap, or many other rapid eLearning tools.

Click here to download the files. (I’ve included 2 .jpgs and I threw in the .psd for you also.)

Have you ever wondered how to cutout an object from a background? In this tutorial I show a quick and effective way to remove a background using Adobe Photoshop.

Want pre-clipped People Pictures? Check out our People Pictures.

Sometimes it is very effective to add people pictures to your online courses. They could be used as a guide/narrator that directs the learner through the course or you could use people to create scenarios and graphics.

Below are a few simple examples and layouts for using cut-out people pictures in eLearning. The pictures are copied into PowerPoint using pre-build eLearning course styles. (A couple are also published with a custom Articulate Skin.)

8 Flash games, 1 PowerPoint eLearning course style theme , 1 Flash Interactions Pack included in this bundle AND 1 Articulate Presenter Course Skin!

These are PowerPoint and Flash based templates that are super easy to update. Each template is fully customizable in Flash and PowerPoint (we give you the source files). Easily integrate into your Articulate Presenter course.

BONUS: Reuse the templates over and over again in multiple courses or even other websites and presentations.
Purchase these templates at eLearningTemplates.com

Here is a set of 50 symbols that are used across the globe to help passengers and pedestrians. These could come in handy as you look for symbols/icons to use in your next online course.

Take a look at these Universal Symbols. (They are free to download and use.)

Pre-cutout People Pictures