To be honest it depends on your computer.  But the newest version of Photoshop is probably the best route to go. Lightroom is ok if it comes with the plan you choose.  But it sounds like having Photoshop and Illustrator might be more suitable for what you are doing.  As eventually you might want to create scalable graphics for your blog at some point. So to me there is no reason to get Lightroom.  Unless you are working more in photography.  ... View more

It seems to have worked. ... View more

Have you tried opening up the file on another computer with Illustrator? If not then it might be gone.  I have had this happen different times when I was working from a Western Digital external hard drive.  Needless to say I never use WD anymore... Seagate all the way! But that is off topic.  It can be annoying.  But even in Microsoft Word... if you are working on an important project it is good to save a backup or rename it to a different file after so much work.  Example.... Birdv1.ai..... then after working a few hours Birdv2.ai. I know that is a silly way to do it.  But sometimes I do that... just so I have a point that I can always go back to.  Kind of like gaming... you want to keep one point of the game saved.  Just save the next part of the game under a new name. Bad thing is this can happen in any software at any moment.  That is the pain of creating things digitally.  You have to save or back things up under a new name.  Happens to even the pros... they forget and then they have that "Oh NOOOOO" moment. So if it does not open up on another computer... you may very well have to recreate it all. ... View more

In Photoshop.... select the house and delete the rest. Take the new image into Adobe Illustrator.  Then select it and open up the Image Trace window under 'windows'.  This was formerly known as Live Trace. Then you can create a vector of the house recreate a similar look. Another option is to stay in Photoshop.  Keep the house layer as your main layer.  Add a new layer and with the pen tool start drawing out the house by placing points.  You can start with the redish burgandy color. Then do the white as highlights. The thing in Illustrator will give you more detail, but may or may not give you the look you want.  But worth seeing how it works. There are a lot of videos on this... Image Trace in Adobe Illustrator CC - YouTube ... View more

Download free example projects and puppets: https://forums.adobe.com/docs/DOC-6029 (official adobe pack) and http://okaysamurai.com/puppets/ (okay samurai puppet pack) ... View more

Brad... Okay Samurai is part of the Character Animator Team... and he has several videos on YouTube.  With those videos is a download link where you can get 10 or so of the puppets he created.  You are able to download those and utilize the mouths that he created on his puppets.  This will give you a start to creating the mouths. You can also use his eyes too. I looked up the mouths on Google and I kind of guessed while creating them.  The three main mouths to focus on is the L, F and O.  These seem to be the most different out of any mouth series.  The rest are easy to make as they are very similar to each other. The thing is to play with it... have fun with it... and as you do you will learn how to do it on your own. https://kennshinabery.myportfolio.com/adobe-tech-wednesday-lecture-adobe-character-animator https://www.youtube.com/user/okaysamurai ... View more

Agree with Chuck... you can not record what you are doing. However... let me give you another cool option.  Adobe Video Presenter Express. The way Adobe Video Presenter Express works is it records not only what you are doing in an application but also you via webcam all at the same time. So I can record myself working on a project and talking about what I am creating.  When I play the record video I have three options to choose from... one button to show a full screen of me.... a second button to show my screen and myself.... a third button to show just my screen. As the video plays I hit which ever button I want and it records it.  This is super cool when creating tutorials for YouTube or whatever.  I have recorded up to two hours.... so you can record a lot.  Then once you played and selected the views you want.... then it renders everything. Just another option or way to create cool content! ... View more

I do not think that is possible in any application.  You can share files via your libraries. But working on something together at the same time makes no sense.  I picture a tug of war with the cursor instead of a rope.  The idea seems interesting.  But let's say your coworker or team member is making different changes to something and you are changing other things but trying to leave parts the same.  Ideally that does not seem very good. Now if a person is in different city or country... one could use Adobe Connect or Skype and do a screen share.  This way you can talk to each other while one person is making the changes.  If you are in the same office... the scoot your chairs next to each other for an hour or so. ... View more

I do not see where people are running into lag with Adobe Illustrator 2017. I am running a Wacom Cintiq Companion 2...... I am also running Illustrator at the same time as OBS Studio, ScorpBot... a Logitech c922 Web Cam and Blue Snowball Mic.... as I am now streaming on Beam and Twitch. And I am running Windows 10. So if I am running all that and have no problems... then it must be your computers.  My Cintiq Companion is running a major load with no lag on Illustrator or Photoshop. Or maybe I am just lucky..... ... View more

That is strange.  Maybe the external hard drive is going bad.  What kind is it??? Please do not say Western Digital !!!  Please do not say Western Digital !!! I use a Seagate... actually have three of them!  I got so pissed at my old Western Digital that I said no more buying things that become corrupted.  So friendly tip.... try a Seagate! But strange that this is happening.  Have you right clicked to try to delete or dragged it directly to your trash can (then hit empty)? ... View more

For those who did not view the Tech Wednesday lecture...... here is a link to see the project that I was working! https://kennshinabery.myportfolio.com/adobe-tech-wednesday-lecture-adobe-character-animator Thank you all so much for the useful info!  And of course to Dave.... his tutorials are the best!  Easy to follow and really make it simple to create using Character Animator. I am currently working on a new character (of me actually).  Building an animated CV/Resume as I think in today's world that will be very interesting as compared to the typical CV. ... View more

First download the image from Dropbox and save it to your desktop. Then go to File Open on Photoshop.  Look for the file on your desktop. You can also right click on the image after you save it your desktop.  This will bring up a menu and you can choose OPEN WITH then select Photoshop. ... View more

Calvin, Dave is correct.  If you want the grid to remain you simply need to draw it out with the line tool.  That should be fairly easy. Then you have more freedom of choosing the color and thickness of the lines for the grid. ... View more

Brad... you do not have to draw the best characters.  In fact, characters can be simple shapes. Example People cartoon characters Vector | Free Download So if you can place circles or squares into Photoshop or Illustrator then you can create some characters.  Try it and let show me! ... View more

Accidentally logged in under my old Adobe ID.....  that is why it looks different in the comment above. ... View more

KJerryK.... that is good to know.  Something I would have to see done.... but once I see it I can do it usually.  I learn quickly and pick things up after the first time viewing something. Was the audio able to move over as well? ... View more

I figured out how to replicate it on my own.  I created a set of six flames/fire (or however you would call it).  I felt that was too short... then just duplicated it until I had 72... that way the thruster would last longer.  It looks really cool. Right now I am uploading the project completely to Adobe Portfolio so that Tricia can see the video for the Tech Wednesday lecture. Still more I want to learn about the software.  But to me it is a really fun and simple way to bring a character to life. But here is an additional question... I worked on an official sample for Adobe Animate CC via Tour de Animate on bringing characters to life.  Now I know we can import recorded characters directly into After Effects... but can we import characters also into Animate CC?  If that is possible that would be brilliant.  If it is not possible then that is something that should be considered for an update.  As it would be nice to be able to import characters into Animate CC as well. ... View more

I have Adobe Video Presenter Express 11.0 and it is also crashing.  I am creating a video that will be used for Adobe Generation Professional and Adobe Education Exchange.  It works fine with Illustrator, Character and Acrobat... but as soon as I do something on Photoshop it dies. I have no idea what to do as this is case sensitive. I have the have the video to Greg and uploaded by Monday for the course.  Thus, I need a good answer quickly. Any ideas on how to correct this? ... View more

I am doing a lecture on Adobe Character Animator for the Adobe Community Professionals program next week for Tech Wednesday.  I have designed a character. Well the space monkey has a rocket pack.  Any idea on how I can add flames from his booster?  Something similar to what the Cyberman (the worker that turns into the blue iron man) had on his feet (the audio was a little messed up on that part of that video).  If you like I can send you a screen shot of the character or the entire character.  Right now I am about to build the hands and tail.  All the rest is finished.  Might make a second leg with feet facing down when he flies (this would trigger with the flames). ... View more

Also interested in finding examples of other mouths.  ... View more

Also note that I think the artist may have used a brush or some other method to color the image.  In fact, the total image could have been done in Adobe Illustrator and not Photoshop. Again play with the ADD NOISE.  You can select specific parts of a graphic and test it out.  So say you have a CUBE... select one side of the cube and then use the ADD NOISE filter. ... View more

The FILTER that was probably was applied to this was under NOISE> ADD NOISE This will give you that pixelated feel. Now if you are talking about the graphic itself, well then yes you need to learn how to create graphics of this caliber. But to age a graphic and give it a retro or old look there are various tutorials online.  But test out the ADD NOISE filter!  As I think that is what you are looking for. ... View more