Metal Interface - Photoshop Tutorial

[Leb i Sol]

Here it is.....just a start!

Skin your Great Design!

Any feedback is welcome...it should be the begining of the "gui" series.

All the best!

edit note: FMForums could not process the file attachement so get your copy at:

http://mostarnet.com/tutorials/filemaker/gui.zip

[Lee Smith]

There seems to be a problem with the Server. I get the message that the file isn't there.

Lee

P.S. Why the double post?

[Leb i Sol]

hello Lee!

The file is rather large 2.x Mb so I was not sure if the FMForums had processed it right.

Your can get it at:

http://mostarnet.com/tutorials/filemaker/gui.zip

The file is designed in 1024 x 768 resolution due to its nature of targetting the 800x600 design.

I am hoeping to implement a few more steps into this tutorial:

-"Carving the interface"

-Slicing up and optimising images and using them

a. in FM desing (along with FM background blending)

b. in Web Design ( masking of tables)

...and so on. Let me know if the "style" is overkill...I really don't know the skill levels of Photoshop as it is not "desing" forum....anyhow, I hope you benifit from it and get inspired to create unique looking designs.

All the best!

[EddyB]

Thanks for the tutorial Leb i Sol, it's brilliant.

I'm not too bad on the program side of creating databases, but my GUI designs do need much improvement.

So, anymore tutorials like this are greatly appreciated! Am looking forward to the next steps!

I have photoshop, illustrator, corel draw, but do not have much experience with the programs, now at least I have an insight into how to start GUI designs in photoshop.

Before now I have been limited to what images/backgrounds I could find on the forums or the web in general or to the basics of what FM can do as far as GUI is concerned

Many thanks for sharing

Best regards

Ed

[Leb i Sol]

Hi Eddy!

Thax for the note!

It is funny that you mention this:

"...not too bad on the program side of creating databases, but my GUI designs do need much improvement."

I actually started desinging things 1st...then wanted to "organise my creations".....and got into DB design that I resited for years.(that is why I studied MIS )

..I hated the "programming" aspect of it all. I find a LOT of Good programmers are so "exhaused" by their jobs that GUI thends be forgotten. Even on websites you can tell...great progammers have so many good tips...but it is presented in such a manner that people find it hard to read or navigate.

I belive that is worse to "badly copy" someones design than it is to create a "simpler original" on your own. I know that a lot of peeople here do use Photoshop or have it ...why not put it to use!

"nice GUI" makes me want to use the created sytem even more....

Imagine the face of a user who 'logges in' and finds their gui has changed to from dull grey to "Spring Breez" skin just based on a CurretDate

Anyhow, I'll keep you posted!

[Lee Smith]

That works, thank you.

Was I'm the only one having difficulty with this?

Lee

[EddyB]

No Lee, I had the same problem as you on the forum, got the zip file off the external site.

Ed

[Ugo DI LUCA]

Excellent !

Thank you for sharing it Allen.

Thanks for the time you spent on this one, as I know it was first designed for me on an aside work.

Sure it will benefit to others...

[Leb i Sol]

My pleasure Ugo!

It seem that people like this look....and it can be easily changed to any other look with the same shape.

You are a "Metal Fan"...so we are doing the Metal look

oterwise we can .....ooo u'll have to wait until next tutorial

All the best!

[Ugo DI LUCA]

Hey, I have a Bronze and Gold version too Allen, made with AppleWorks. But it seems a bit "pompuous" ro be implemented. May be a jewerly db one day !

Sure Photoshop offers more than Appleworks, I just need to check and compare sizes of both solutions...

Thanks again, waiting for the next version now...

[rogermax]

Thanks for the tutorial. It is very good. What format do you use to place the designs onto an FM layout? jpg, pict ... ?

[Leb i Sol]

mainly JPGs or stright screenshots pasted on the layout....

For the true "FM layout" I would suggest optimised JPGs or GIFs in transprency, and in container fields....I guess that is another segment that I need to write up. This was a tutoiral for Ugo that I thougt desrves sharing...so my "presentation" of it is not in the "right" way of storing images.

Check back soon, I'll have some more info!

And thanx!

[Leb i Sol]

Actually, Ugo all it would take is "Color OverLay" or Color Fill over the main shape and you got your 'ANY_Color look'...who said that metal need to be "silver"

Note:

The size of the images involved has significantly increased the .fp5 size of the file....some of don't have the luxury of 5 MB Downloads so here it is:

http://mostarnet.com/tutorials/photoshop/Photoshop.asp

I appologise for the site condition as it is never-ending project refresh this page weekly

Take care!