A year ago this past June, Extensis released version 1 of Universal Type Server (UTS)—and now version 2 is hot on its heels with some nice new features that are going to be of special interest to larger companies with many users. While both the Pro and Lite versions have had general speed enhancements and the obligatory bug fixes, most of the major new features affect the Pro version.

The biggest new feature is the Directory Integration Module, which allows the continual one-way synchronization from Microsoft’s Active Directory or Apple’s Open Directory. This is more convenient than simply importing the information, since new users and changes are updated automatically. The good news is this module was originally included free for a limited time in version 2, but is now a permanent part of version 2.1.

Another major new feature is the ability to use an external SQL database to manage the font, workgroup, and user data rather than using the built-in UTS database. The main advantage is an increase in speed and response time by offloading some of the work from UTS. However, this module is optional and costs $4,235, so this would be mainly of interest to companies with a large user base. Version 2 originally only supported Microsoft SQL Server, but version 2.1 added support for the popular MySQL, which is cross-platform.

Installation of the server and the client software was very easy. Once the server install is complete, the default Web browser opens to the Web-based admin interface. Since the administration is browser-based, it can occur from any system. Just like the first version, Workgroups, Roles, and Users are set up in the admin window. Users can be assigned to multiple workgroups with different roles (permissions) per group, such as the ability to add fonts to the server in one workgroup but not another. Users can have their own personal workgroup to add fonts without those fonts being available to all users, plus these workgroups can be stored on the server so they’re available at any computer the user logs into or on a single computer. If the user attempts to bypass UTS by adding problem fonts directly into the computer’s font folder(s), an administrator can turn on Enforce System Font Policy, which limits what fonts can be added and will remove unapproved fonts automatically.

The client interface looks very similar to Extensis Suitcase Fusion, so it should be comfortable to users switching from Suitcase to UTS. The client software can be installed on as many computers as one wishes—the server will automatically limit the users to the number the license allows. That way, a company doesn’t have to over purchase client licenses, but can maintain a number of floating licenses for occasional use.

Font compliance is easy to set up, albeit a tedious process. Once set up, it will limit the number of users that can activate a font based on the font license restrictions, plus one can generate reports of usage, which can be exported to a tab-delimited file. An admin user can see exactly who’s adding fonts to the workgroups and remove them if necessary.

Other enhancements include (to name but a few) better font corruption checks and repair; speedier auto activation for Adobe InDesign and Illustrator CS2/3/4, plus QuarkXPress 7 and 8; and cross-platform backup of the server database. In my tests, everything worked as expected without glitches.

The cost of the product listed below is for new purchasers. The good news is that owners of UTS version 1 Pro get a free upgrade since they received a one-year service agreement with their purchase. (Version 1 shipped on 6/18/08 and 2 shipped on 6/17/09.) If the service agreement expires, upgrades from Pro version 1 to version 2 are $1,061.45, and Lite users can upgrade to UTS 2 Lite for $697.50. Extensis should be commended for releasing this version within the one-year service agreement time—they could have easily delayed the release and charged upgrade fees from every user.—David Creamer

Company: Extensis
Price: $1,808.95 plus $163.35 per client (Pro); $1,395 w/10 clients (Lite)
Web: www.extensis.com
Rating: 5

Hot: Free upgrade from Pro version 1 with active one-year service agreement; new features for large companies
Not: PDF manuals are not bookmarked

Do you have a tough time with folded product designs? It requires a lot of trial-and-error to line up graphics across folds, making sure that something doesn’t get out of line when the cuts are made. Well, hold onto your hats! Strata has come up with Enfold 3D CX to solve these problems. This product’s tools make the creation of packaging extremely intuitive, allowing designers of all levels to create folded 3D designs directly in Adobe Illustrator.

The obvious important feature is the ability to do 3D modeling in Adobe Illustrator, which allows you to see your folded designs in 3D (real time), make changes to the design, and view them on the fly. This makes the design process much easier—not to mention faster. Another great feature is that you can bring in existing designs from which to create your packaging—no matter what it is, you can bring it in and create some great product designs. Probably the most useful tool is the Distribute feature, which lets you match up art across folds. If you’ve done this before, you know that this is one of the toughest tasks to accomplish when mocking up a design. Enfold 3D CX automates this process, making life easier all around. Finish this up by being able to generate print-ready files and you’re good to go.

This is one awesome program: It moves a cumbersome process to a more streamlined creative process that allows the designer to see results quickly. Strata Enfold 3D CX saves you time and its feature set is a must-have for designers who want to increase their productivity when it comes to creating folded designs.—Bruce Bicknell

Company: Strata 3D
Price: $695
Web: www.strata.com
Rating: 5

Hot: 3D mockups on the fly; import existing designs; intuitive
Not:

For almost 15 years, Sorenson Media has been a leader in video encoding and compression technology. Building on their success, they’ve developed a new Video Delivery Network (VDN) service, Sorenson 360. Like other Content Delivery Networks (CDNs), Sorenson 360’s VDN allows for increased preference, quality, and scalability, without the high price of a CDN, such as Akamai or Limelight.

Although not for everyone, the 360 is designed for a small- or medium-sized business that needs a reliable way to deliver videos in a customizable player along with accurate metrics. Also, it’s a subscription-based service with users paying by the length of videos and number of “streams” (one stream equals one view).

An interesting thing about 360 is that you don’t need Sorenson Squeeze or any other compression software to use it. You can upload your uncompressed files to 360 and it will compress your video, all over the Internet. Even though I’d rather handle encoding locally, this is a great feature for small businesses that might not have extensive knowledge of video compression. Note: Those users with Squeeze 5.1, however, can compress files locally and upload the videos right to a 360 account without leaving Squeeze. Once the videos are uploaded to 360, you’ll have the ability to customize the player, view detailed metrics, password-protect files for client-specific access, and much more.

Sorenson 360 is really designed for small businesses that are looking for a video CDN alternative and want to step above free or cheaper services (such as YouTube or blip.tv), which require compromises and carry certain “free” behaviors. If you fit into that market, it’s a great service and, even if you don’t, Sorenson will customize a subscription for you.—Erik Kuna

Company: Sorenson Media Inc.
Price: Starts at $99/month
Web: www.sorensonmedia.com
Rating: 3.5

Hot: Reliable; customizable; duration metrics
Not: Expensive for most users

While normally someone would look at the image and say “Eh, Sky’s not too good – environment is blah – kinda decent building but I should’ve been here at X time” and then throw the image out – I usually just perk up. See, I consider myself to be (Photographically speaking) Part Artist – Part Technician. I love making pictures of people and landscapes. I equally love making artwork in Photoshop – and both of those are satisfied very well inside the world of HDR – specifically 1 shot HDR.

There is a general feeling about HDR that you need 3-5 images to play with in order to produce something. I call – hogwash. You are hereby given permission to go out there and do whatever you wish in the world of HDR – including single shot HDR images. This frame would have been something that would’ve been thrown away normally, and there was so much to it.. if we just spent some time coaxing out the nuances of it.

Is it a picture? Nope.. but I never intended it to be – hence the textured overlay on the shot. I just wanted it to be pretty… plain and simple. I didnt want to get into the argument – didnt want to talk techie specifics. I just wanted to make something cool. So much so, i’ve even added a section of it on my personal collection of stuff (gets rotated a lot though). Check out the Before and After movie of the shot!

Now, I want you to make something cool too – and if you do, i’ll give you a prize! Let’s do this- let’s add a link below here for you to download a copy of that NEF source file that I started with:

Click here to download the source NEF file

Go ahead and play with it and make something that’s your own. Once you do, send me a message via Twitter (making sure you’re following me) or send a message through the contact section of this page. Point me to where -you- posted your image. We’ll go ahead and choose a winner from there.

The winner will get a copy of Trey Ratcliff’s amazing book “World in HDR” (Thanks to our folks over at Peachpit) AND a copy of Matt Kloskowski’s “Real World HDR” DVD. . Contest will end Midnight EST Feb 11, 2010. Be sure to tell your friends!

NOTE: Just added a prize for this! how about a signed print of this image from both Brad and Myself? There you go!

This video requires Adobe Flash Player.

Pixelmator has a practical feature set for creating, editing, and enhancing images. Originally released in 2007, version 1.5 for Mac is only compatible with Leopard and Snow Leopard (Mac OS X 10.5.7 or later), taking advantage of Apple’s OS X Core Image technology. And it’s fast: booting in two seconds and processing and applying one of 50 effects filters to large files in approximately three seconds.

Pixelmator does a lot within its layer-based architecture, 10 palettes, and set of 20 tools. Added features include: Save for Web; image slicing; a trim tool; and you can send a copy of your image to a new Mail message or your iPhoto library. Also, with one click, Pixelmator can take a picture via Apple iSight and add it as a layer into your composition.

If you work with Photoshop, Pixelmator’s user interface—configurable palettes and a toolbar float on a slick, black background—will be warm, familiar ground, with many of the same keyboard commands. It supports more than 100 file formats including PSD, DNG, and most proprietary RAW formats. Its layer-based architecture has layer masks and blending modes but it lacks nondestructive adjustment layers and blending styles.

Pixelmator offers an excellent brush and gradient tool and there’s a wide range of selection tools including a clever magic wand that visually shows the selection as you drag across targeted areas. The extensive filter menu has some wonderful effects with unique digital ropes that allow you to select the center of the filter’s effect. Third-party plug-ins are supported by Apple’s Core Image and Quartz Composer technology.

What Pixelmator needs is to spruce up the text tools’ options and have a photo browser that can navigate freely. Currently the browser can only open files saved to iPhoto or your Home picture folder. But Pixelmator is a powerful program worth downloading and trying.—Steve Baczewski

Company: Smith Micro Inc.
Price: $59
Web: www.pixelmator.com
Rating: 4.5

Hot: Fast
Not: Photo browser

Flash Decompiler Trillix v4 by Eltima is an inexpensive tool for converting SWF files into editable Flash files or extracting elements such as images, sounds, videos, and fonts. Additionally, Flash Decompiler converts SWF files created in Flex back to their source code.

When you open a SWF in Decompiler you can start, stop, and scrub through the animation. Context panels allow you to examine each frame’s content and provide detailed information of all of the elements within the SWF. Converting a SWF file to a Flash document or extracting elements is as simple as clicking the corresponding button. Conversion is surprisingly quick, while extraction on the same file can be a bit slow.

Decompiler does a good job converting SWF files containing animation and basic ActionScript. Usually, you need to do very little tweaking to replicate the original movie. However, complex SWF files, such as those created using Captivate, did not hold together. It extracted the code but didn’t keep it organized in a manner that allowed the program to function.

This latest release is available for both Mac and Windows; however, the Mac version lacks some of the functionality of the Windows version. Windows users are able to make minor edits to Flash objects, such as images, texts, hyperlinks, sounds, colors, and lines within Decompiler. Mac users must first convert the SWF into a Flash file to edit the objects. The Windows version also includes plug-ins for Internet Explorer and Firefox that allow you to capture SWF movies from the Internet.

The bottom line is Flash Decompiler Trillix is a good but not perfect utility for decompiling SWFs. It’s a tool that can save you significant time if you ever need to edit a SWF file and you no longer have the original Flash document.—Cyndy Cashman

Company: Eltima Software
Price: $79.95
Web: www.eltima.com
Rating: 4

Hot: Easy to use and affordable
Not: Fewer features on Mac; conversion of complex ActionScript

1 [WIDE-EYED WONDER]
When someone watches something with wide-eyed wonder, what exactly does that mean? There’s the childlike connotation: a sense of wonder, astonishment, and surprise. That’s exactly how I imagine the personality of my wide-angle lens. When I look through, the lens begs me to see the world with wonder and awe. A wide-angle lens allows you to quickly change perspective, bending lines or causing them to travel down the frame. And when you’re shooting a larger scene, get low and close so you have a subject in the foreground of the scene.

2 [MOVE]
One of my favorite lenses is a 50mm. I think of this lens as natural, honest, reliable, dependable, and fair. It’s an unpretentious lens with an earnest and genuine soul. It’s not overly dramatic, and it definitely doesn’t play tricks. The fixed and normal focal length lens requires that you do the work, move your feet, and engage. Regardless of what you use, approach your other lenses the same way. Rather than relying on the lens to create the shot, move up, move down, and get close and around until you find what works best.

3 [KEEP IT SIMPLE]
I agree with what Rodney Smith once said, “Composition is to photography what rhythm is to music.” If you want to create more compelling photographs, you need to keep things simple. As you move and change your perspective, look for line, shape, and form. Remember that composing a photograph isn’t only about what’s inside the four walls of a frame; rather, it’s about what’s left behind. The next time you’re shooting, remember Ralph Clevenger’s words, “Reduce and simplify!”

4 [LOOK FOR DIRECTIONAL LINES]
As a beginning drawing student, I remember learning about perspective and drawing with a vanishing point in mind. In photography, similar rules apply. When you’re out shooting, look for directional lines. These lines will direct the eye and if framed a certain way, can resolve or converge. Typically, we don’t see these very well because our minds “correct” the perspective that we see. To make great pictures, we have to unlearn what we know and follow the lines as they travel through the frame.

5 [SLOW DOWN YOUR SHUTTER SPEED]
In photography, creating motion can make even the most ordinary or over-photographed scene come alive. And learning how to work with shutter speed can make photography new and fun. When you select Time Value (sometimes called Speed), the camera prioritizes shutter speed and takes cares of the rest. In other words, you can select a shutter speed without worrying about what aperture works best. With your camera on a tripod, try choosing a slow shutter speed and the world will become a blur.

6 [PAN WITH SLOW SHUTTER SPEED]
Panning involves selecting a slow shutter speed and then panning the camera at the same speed as the subject. For example, if a car drove by, you’d focus and position the lens so that it always pointed directly at the car. As the camera was panning to follow the car’s pass, you would press the shutter and voilà, you’d have an interesting frame. Dial in the right amount of blur with the shutter speed: slower = more blur; faster = less blur.

7 [WITH PATTERNS—FILL THE FRAME]
Cameras allow us to see details in really interesting ways. Rather than seeing all the clutter of our world, we can focus on small details, patterns, and more. Fill the frame with a pattern and it will excite the eye, causing the viewer to imagine the pattern extending beyond the edges of the frame. Patterns exist all around us and change with the quality of light. Some subjects come alive with harsh noon light and others prefer more subdued or even golden light. Whatever the light, begin to look for patterns in your day-to-day life.

8 [PHOTOGRAPH ATHLETES AT THE END OF THE DAY]
Athletes and outdoor enthusiasts have incredible energy. It’s easy to spot them from a hundred yards away: Athletes look different, the way they carry themselves, the composure and confidence; and they’re typically photographed amidst the action. Don’t miss out on their moments of repose though. Relaxed and rested, the athlete’s kinetic force remains full. I’ve found that candid is best, as in this shot after a fun day of skiing: Travis and Holly were standing close by the door, I swung my camera around, they briefly looked up, and I captured the shot.

9 [CONTEXT IS KING]
Do you remember as a child seeing a favorite teacher in a store? How could she be here? In your mind, her whole world was the classroom, and that’s where she belonged. Seeing her out of context was curious, confusing, and kind of cool. The same goes for athletes and outdoor adventurers. We know where they belong. When we see them out of context, it quickens our view, as in this Ironman World Champion triathlete, in front of an old warehouse wall.

10 [CREATE A SENSE OF SCALE]
Humans have intricate sensory receptors and as a result, it’s easy to be overwhelmed. This happens to me every time I hike in the California Sierras: I want to pull my camera out and capture the scene. Yet if we’re not careful, our photographs will be lacking and dull. Many times, the remedy is to position the subject to add a sense of scale and grandeur—as in this photograph. Even more, this perspective invites the viewer to find some snowshoes and follow along.

11 [ALWAYS KEEP YOUR CAMERA CLOSE BY]
Keeping your camera close at hand ensures that you won’t miss a shot. Whenever I travel or go camping, I set my camera bag next to my pillow so I can take a picture of the first sight I see. Not only does this help you capture some interesting shots, it will awaken your senses to the quality of light and colors that you see as the new day begins. And, as the day progresses, always carrying a camera will continually open your eyes to sights that would otherwise have been lost.

12 [EYE CONTACT BRINGS YOU BACK]
Many of the most compelling photographs of all time have been of people. Portraiture has been of profound interest for thousands of years and its course has been as diverse as its subject matter. While it’s impossible to determine the root of our love and fascination with photographs of people, their value—and our interest—continues to grow. The next time you’re making a portrait, try for honest, authentic, and strong eye contact in order to create a connection and cause the viewer to look and then look again.

13 [PHOTOGRAPH FAMILY ACCOMPLISHMENTS]
Photographing what’s most important to you is key and that’s why we take so many pictures of our families. There are times when taking pictures interrupts, and other times when it ignites. Photographing family accomplishments is definitely the latter. Cameras are expected at ballet recitals, soccer games, horse shows, or the top of the mountain after a long hike. When you pull out a camera after a success, it makes people light up, hug tighter, smile bigger, and jump higher.

14 [INITIATE AND INSTIGATE]
As a kid, there’s nothing better than having a cool uncle and my Uncle Jim was the best. He made us laugh harder than anyone else and bent some of the ordinary rules. When we were with him, we wouldn’t get in trouble—my parents let things slide. And the same goes for good photographers. Believe it or not, having a camera in hand gives you a license to bend a few of the rules and act as a catalyst. This means you can ask for different types of behavior—like picking up some fall leaves and throwing them in the air.

15 [SPEND TIME WITH OTHER ARTISTS]
You need to surround yourself with people who love what they do. As with most professions, photography has its curmudgeons who feed off crushing dreams. Those types of people spread their ideas like secondhand smoke: Don’t breathe it in; even better, run the other way. Find people who are passionate and who embrace the challenges of life with grit. Let them be your source of ideas and inspiration. Like surround-sound speakers, let the message of their life stream in from all sides.

16 [DREAM BIG DREAMS]
Daydreamers know that realism isn’t effective. Goals and dreams need to have an edge of unrealistic aspiration to get us out the gate. The more unrealistic the dream, the faster we move. Such dreamers take risks. The best dreams are so risky that they’re ridiculed by everyone. When they’re accomplished, the redemption is sweet. If you want to go far, you need to begin to dream. As T.S. Eliot said, “Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.”

17 [EDIT WITH SOMETHING IN MIND]
When editing your photos, it’s helpful to actively think what it is that you actually want; otherwise, editing hundreds of photos dulls your senses like channel-surfing satellite TV. Determine a few qualities that you want. For example, you could take inspiration from Diane Arbus, who once said, “A photograph is a secret about a secret. The more it tells you, the less you know.” Decide to select the photographs that tell enough, but not too much. Create a whole list of criteria and then begin the search.

18 [PATH TO BEING A PRO]
Photography is a competitive field. And the path to becoming a pro is littered with broken dreams and ill-used expensive gear. People may say there’s no use even trying; you might as well give up. I say no way. The bigger the challenge, the better the reward. Sure, photography might be tough but that’s what makes it so much fun. If you find the idea of getting paid to make pictures irresistible, then the time to begin is now! If this article inspired you, then get outside and start taking things up a notch. Go for it!

ALL IMAGES BY CHRIS ORWIG UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED

The Eye-Fi Pro is the latest, most feature-rich wireless SDHC card in the Eye-Fi lineup—and it should be given that it costs quite a bit more than your typical 4-GB SD card.

Setup is easy: Plug the card into your computer using the supplied card reader, install the software, set up your account, tweak your settings, stick the card in your camera, and snap away.

Overall, I like the card and its many features. You can directly upload to Flickr, Facebook, and other online sharing sites. You have the option to upload everything you shoot, or upload selectively using your camera’s protect function (I recommend the latter). And you can turn on upload notifications via email, SMS, or Twitter.

Many users will find geotagging useful, and Wayport Hotspot access will be handy for photographers in the field without a laptop who want to back up their selects from the day. You can also transfer to any computer that has a wireless card via the ad hoc transfer feature; no need for a router or Internet.

While the Eye-Fi Pro is useful for backing up select RAW images (it takes roughly 30 seconds to transfer a 13-MB file), it’s not really a viable option for downloading the entire 4-GB card (this would take nearly 2.5 hours). This isn’t Eye-Fi’s fault; it’s just the limitation of wireless transfer speed. Kind of like trying to do video chat back in dial-up days, it’s a little ahead of its time.

The bottom line is this card could be useful for field photographers who need to quickly upload selects to the home office. If all the extra features that Eye-Fi Pro has to offer are worth the extra $100 to you, go for it!
—Brad Moore

Company: Eye-Fi, Inc.
Price: $149.99
Web: www.eye.fi
Rating: 3.5

Hot: Easy to use; lots of helpful and useable features
Not: Price; wireless download speed

Sometimes it’s necessary to use both Illustrator and Photoshop to get a particular effect. There’s some feature in one application that doesn’t exist in the other. And even if it does appear in both, it might work better in one than the other. Take the Warp function for example: In Photoshop you’re limited to four points, eight handles, and three rows and three columns; on the other hand, Illustrator allows you to set the number of rows and columns you need, thus greatly enhancing the amount of distortion you’re capable of producing.

The new 3D functions added to Photoshop Extended allow you to create and alter a variety of incredible shapes but one function that’s lacking is a “lathing” tool—allowing you to create a cross section of a shape and have it revolve to form an entire shape. In Illustrator, that feature exists and it’s aptly named Revolve. For example, in Photoshop it’s quite difficult to create a simple oblong disk—like an M&M.

Cook up some M&Ms in Illustrator

Two giant billboard screens in Times Square display animations to whet onlookers’ appetites for something sweet to eat. These animations switch between little M&M characters in various situations to thousands of M&Ms swirling, flying, and falling around. In the Times Square painting I’m working on, I have an M&M character in one and a bunch of M&Ms falling in the other. Let’s take a look at how to create an avalanche of M&Ms.

Step One: In Illustrator, start by creating half the shape of one M&M with the Pen tool (P), then choose a green Stroke and Fill color in the Options Bar. This will determine the color of the object being rendered.

Step Two: To turn the shape into a piece of candy-colored chocolate, call up the 3D function (Effect>3D>Revolve). In this dialog, you can set the viewing angle of the object by spinning the cube in the Position section of the panel or entering specific degrees for the X, Y and Z axes. You can add Perspective too, but in our example, perspective will only add an unwanted distortion. Try using the settings shown here as a starting point (be sure to set the Offset: From drop-down menu to Right Edge to get the proper shape).

To set the lighting controls, click the More Options button (the button changes to Fewer Options once it’s been pressed) and you’ll be able to create, position, and modify multiple light sources to give your object the appearance you desire. We set the Surface to Plastic Shading to simulate the candy coating of the M&Ms. Click OK when you’re finished.

Step Three: To duplicate your M&M, press-and-hold Command-Option (PC: Ctrl-Alt) and then click-and drag the shape. To alter the viewing angle of each duplicate and make it appear to be an individual morsel, go to the Appearance panel and click on 3D Revolve. This brings up the 3D Revolve Options dialog where you can alter the current shape without having to re-establish the lighting.

Note: Once your shape has been turned into a 3D object, you cannot change its shape from the Effect>3D>Revolve menu, as it will override the previous effect and start from scratch.

Step Four: Choose Select>All and press Command-C (PC: Ctrl-C) to copy all of the shapes to the Clipboard. Then click on the Create New Layer icon at the bottom of the Layers panel and press Command-V (PC: Ctrl-V) to paste the shapes into the new layer. With all the shapes still selected, click on Fill and change the color of this batch of new M&Ms to blue, and then change the Stroke to blue, as well. As our M&Ms are “falling in space,” no two will be in exactly the same position, so use the Selection tool to reposition them. Then modify the viewing angle in the 3D Revolve Options dialog for each again to add more variety to your candy bits. Tip: This needs only the slightest turn of the shape within the 3D panel. Repeat this step to create a set of red M&Ms and a set of orange M&Ms, each on their own layer.

Bring each color into Photoshop

Once all the different colors have been created, it’s time to bring them into Photoshop.

Step Five: You should have four layers in Illustrator, one for each color: green, blue, red, and orange. (Note: For expediency, we’re only showing blue and green in our examples.) We want to bring each color into Photoshop separately so, in the Layer’s panel in Illustrator, click on the box (now you’ll see a little padlock) to the right of the Eye icon beside three of the layers to lock them. The layer that isn’t locked is the one we’ll copy to Photoshop. Choose Select>All, then Edit>Copy to copy the contents of the unlocked layer to the Clipboard.

Step Six: In Photoshop, make a new blank document (File>New) where you’ll assemble the falling bits of candy. Then Edit>Paste the contents of the first layer into your Photoshop document—the paste function automatically places the contents into their own layer. In the dialog that appears, choose Pixels, then press Return (PC: Enter).

Switch back to Illustrator. Lock the layer we just copied and unlock the next one to be copied. Follow the steps above (selecting, copying, and pasting) until all four layers have been copied to the Photoshop document.

Step Seven: The four layers fall in position directly over each other, so they tend to hide each other in the Photoshop document. Determine their actual positions by selecting each individual candy and positioning it within the canvas to its final place in the scene. (Note: To select an individual piece of candy, just draw a loose selection around it with the Lasso tool and then drag it with the Selection tool.) You may have to scale some (Edit>Transform>Scale) to give the appearance of being closer or further back within the mass of candy bits.

You may also want to duplicate a few here and there to add more candies. I suggest using Layer>New>Layer Via Copy, as this will send your duplicate to a new layer where it can be manipulated without disturbing the other candy bits. This is helpful when you have two overlapping same-color bits and you decide to move one slightly over the other, then you won’t damage the one below.

Adding the M

You could apply the “M” that’s stamped onto each candy as a texture map to the object. Clicking the Map Art button in the 3D Revolve Options dialog allows you to take any Illustrator element that’s been converted into a Symbol and apply it in any specified position onto the surface of the object. For my M&Ms, however, I wanted every M to look slightly different from the others because real M&Ms have slight variations to the way the letters are stamped onto the surface of the candy.

Step Eight: So, create your “M” in a separate document and add it to the candies within the Photoshop document by placing your “M” layer above the candy shape that will contain it. Then use the Warp command (Edit>Transform>Warp) to distort it into position. Finally, press Command-E (PC: Ctrl-E) to merge each “M” layer down into the layer with the candy shape.

Get the shapes a’movin’

To make the M&Ms appear as if they’re falling together, we need to add some motion blur and shadows.

Step Nine: To get the effect that this image is a moving animation, select the candy bits toward the top of the image and choose Filter>Blur>Motion Blur, choose your settings, and click OK. Use different Angles and Distances in the dialog to make the top candies appear to be falling faster than the ones below.

Step Ten: One final touch to make the M&Ms appear to be falling together is to add shading. Create a New Layer above each colored candy layer to contain “shadows.” With this layer active, select a soft black Brush (B) and apply strokes above the individual candy bits. Then add an inverted (black) Layer Mask to this layer and use a soft-edged white brush to reveal and refine the strokes. We added a Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur using different amounts to make them seem to be at different distances from the candies they’re casting the shadows onto. You can clip the shadows to the candies below by holding the Option button and clicking between the shadow layer and candy layer.

Step Eleven: For the final figure, we filled the Background layer with black (Edit>Fill, then select Use Black, and click OK) to complete the sense of depth to the image.

I hope you’ve learned a few tricks (without causing you to break your diet by downing a few bags of M&Ms). Bon appétit.

The 22″ Eizo FlexScan S2242W LCD features a high native resolution of 1920×1200 usually found on larger sized monitors. This allows you to see approximately the same amount of information that’s visible on most 24″ displays but occupies less space. The best part is that this doesn’t compromise image quality or create text that’s difficult to discern.

The 16:10 screen sits on a sturdy stand, and you can adjust its height, tilt, and swivel, as well as rotate it from landscape to portrait mode. The display has DVI, VGA, and two USB inputs (but no HDMI). The control panel along the bottom is a poorly designed row of 10 buttons; the symbol and letter designations on the buttons aren’t clear as to what functions they represent. However, the onscreen menu offers a lot of features to adjust the display, including gamma, brightness, contrast, color temperature, saturation, hue, and RGB color gain.

The S2242W comes with factory presets for optimum viewing in specific situations, and Eizo’s Auto EcoView uses a sensor to adjust the screen’s brightness in an attempt to save energy. The company sells an optional software/hardware color management solution called EasyPIX for making customized ICC profiles. I calibrated and profiled the display resulting in an accurate match between screen and print. Color fidelity is impressive. The display reproduces 95% of the Adobe RGB color space. Images were evenly illuminated across the screen, colors were right on the money, and the screen’s 1200:1 contrast ratio revealed lots of detail in both highlights and shadow areas. The S2242W boasts a wide viewing angle; however, there was some noticeable reduction in brightness at extreme angles.

This is a very good all-around monitor, but depending on your needs the 22″ size might be a limiting factor for graphics professionals.—Steve Baczewski

Company: Eizo Nanao Corporation
Price: $879
Web: www.eizo.com
Rating: 4.5

Hot: 1900×1200 resolution
Not: Control panel