Create A Planetary Star Field in Photoshop: In this tutorial we’ll learn how to create a Planetary Star Field using masks and a few star brushes. Photoshop brushes are very powerful, they can simulate real life objects, like trees, birds and in our case, a Planetary Star Field. You can find many free brushes online at places like Brusheezy and Deviant Art. While this is a fairly simple process to achieve, there are a few tips and tricks that can be applied to any project to increase productivity and enhance the realism of your scene. Lets get started! Inspiration This tutorial was inspired by Tyler van der Hoeven’s Image called Star Field. Thanks to Tyler for graciously allowing me to use his high-resolution photo in the process of recreating the image. The image reminded me of Psalm 19:1-4 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work… read more
life
I have spent a lot of time thinking mostly about the future. For a long time I have had a plan in my mind about how my future was going to work out. As you who are older and/or wiser than me know, “the best laid plans of mice and men often go astray.†This has been a hard experience but it has also been a very healthy one. It was good to step back and take a look at life after the future I thought was so certain, vanished. I realized that God was simply a part of my plan and that ultimately I was still living life for myself. I wanted to live out my life how I had planned it and I essentially told God that He could come along for the ride, because I wanted some of Him in my life. I realized though that it’s… read more
I am in Vienna-Austria, waiting for my dad and sister to arrive, so I have some time to myself. I was thinking about life these last few days and I have really been bored with life. To be honest, if I had the choice of being here or back at school I would choose the little, dinky town of Schladming (where school was). Here I have been living the “good life,†I have a hotel room all to myself with a nice view and I have a public transit pass to get me anywhere in this beautiful city. Yet compared to experiencing God, it does not even come close. I say this because I feel that too few Christians truly experience Christ. They go to Church on Sunday, going through the motions, and then live life pretty normally throughout the week. Life with Christ is an adventure and… read more
Today’s testimony is brought to you courtesy of Dave Berryman, he is one of the many wonderful people that I have had the privilege of meeting on Flickr. I take much inspiration from him, from both his style of photos and the awesome messages he includes with them. The idea of sharing others testimonies was actually from Dave and I would like to thank him for allowing me to share this with all of you. Testimony I grew up in a Christian home all my life, but when I left home I became addicted to porn. I went to church every Sunday but I could not stop my insatiable appetite for porn. I was on the church board, but I could not let go of porn…it had its hooks in me good! I led small groups but for some reason I didn’t have the ability to stop looking at porn… read more
Although Christian designers can derive inspiration from almost everything, the Bible is our greatest source of inspiration. The Bible is filled with life changing words that can also be translated into beautiful eye-catching wallpapers. The wallpapers allow us to experience the Word of God in a whole new light. We collected some beautiful wallpapers below, remember to share them with someone today. [sam id=3 codes=’false’] [sam id=3 codes=’false’] [sam id=3 codes=’false’]
I read an article by Brandon, about demons, and I decided to share my personal story of some accounts I had in the past. This is the first time I am sharing this with anyone on-line, but I think it can be an eye opener for some. Demons are very real, I have had my experiences. Let me share one with you. First, let let me give a disclaimer: I don’t smoke, drink, take any kind of drugs, I have no mental problems etc, etc and what I am about to say may sound crazy!! For a few months, about five or six years ago, I was working on a Creation Book and during this time, I had some experiences that led me to believe that I had demon activity in our house. I would be troubled in my sleep almost every night and sometimes when I was taking a nap… read more
We have a great line-up of tutorials this month, that will satisfy your artistic thirst! These tutorials range from cool photo manipulations, abstract illustrations, cool typography effects and much more. Check them out, you may find something that you like! Extremely Glossy and Shiny Text Effect In this Photoshop tutorial, we’re going to see how to create extremely glossy and shiny text effect with glitter texture. We will use simple techniques blending and layer style effects.. View Tutorial Undress a Giraffe in Photoshop Have you ever wanted to know what a Giraffe looks like without its spots? If so, this tutorial is for you. This tut we will demonstrate how to undress a giraffe by removing its spots. View Tutorial Honey Bubbles Text Effect In this very easy Photoshop tutorial, we’re going to see how to create warm honey text effect with bubbles texture. We will use simple techniques such… read more
Today I wish to talk to you about something that I think that we all struggle with in life, and that is being content. I am going to start out by saying that I have been a horrible example as one who is content in my past. I have been driving for 5 years and I have had 5 different vehicles, none of them have been totaled. Arguable, my first few cars were not so great, but my fourth was a ’99 Honda Civic with relatively low kilometers. It was a great car that would have lasted me a long time but I had always wanted a Honda Prelude. So I sold my Civic and went a few months without a car so that I could save to get a Prelude. I ended up with exactly what I was looking for, a well-maintained, low kilometer, eucalyptus green pearl Prelude. So… read more
The other day I was talking to a co-worker about faith and she asked the question what if nothing of what I believe is real? And to be honest, if that were the case, I would have no regrets. I lived an awesome, healthy life doing my best to make the world around me a better place. I think the question that people should really be worried about is what if Christianity is true? What if there is a God who is going to judge us when we die? It says in the Bible that our time on earth will seem like a blink of an eye compared to eternity. Is it really worth living life exactly how we want to for maybe 80 years or so and then spend the rest of eternity paying for it? However, it is so much more than a get out of jail free… read more
I was reading this scripture passage from Psalms 41:9 this morning. This verse just stuck out to me as never before. It reminded me of Jesus and Judas, the one who clearly betrayed Jesus, who supped with the Lord at His table. Jesus knew the thoughts and intents of his heart, for the Lord knows what is in the heart of all men and women. Judas supped with Jesus, he was right there with the other disciples, why such betrayal? Do we know why? The Bible tells us such. Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me. Psalm 41:9 As I pondered on the verse, It remind me of how the Lord reveals to us, His children, when we wholeheartedly seek His face for guidance, for His truth in all matters, all areas of our lives. Including when we pray… read more
I was raised in what I would call a semi-Christian home. I was never taught about having a personal relationship with Jesus, but I was taught the real significance behind Christian holidays and I was taught many of the same basic principles of the Bible for living my life. When I was 10 years old, we moved to a new city and some neighbors invited us to attend AWANAS. We began to attend church and by the end of my first year of AWANAS I had given my life to Christ. During my school years I had a great group of Christian friends and as a result I never got into alcohol or drugs or anything like that. It was really easy in my group to stay on the straight and narrow, which was really cool, but I never felt like I made a difference for Christ while at… read more
The parable in Luke 12:16-21 that talks about the rich man, packs a lot of punch for people like me, though I don’t stockpile money, I do stockpile stuff. I always want the better lens, the better flash, the bigger camera, the lighter tripod, the faster computer. I have been extremely blessed in what I do have and I must learn not only to be content with it but also not to stockpile it, but to use it in such a way as to become rich towards God. And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods…. read more
My daughter has been on my heart a lot this morning, so I thought I would share. If I seem too open, it’s okay, this is me, and life in this world is always real. Jesus didn’t promise that we will have no pain and no sorrow, in fact, if someone preaches blessings and prosperity in this world with no pain or no trials, RUN! Run the other way, because they are preaching another gospel, a false gospel! The one true Shepherd of my soul, the living Jesus who has risen from the dead and is seated at the right hand of the Father, and His written word, tells me I will suffer and I will be tested and tried. He also said that there will be pain, but through it all, Jesus is with me and always close. If we were to remain on the mountain top and never… read more
Xara 3D Type in a Wallpaper Project: Photo manipulation is always fun, it opens the spectrum of what we can create in Photoshop and allow our imagination to run wild! Today we will be re-creating a wallpaper called “Life”. In this wallpaper, I used some simple techniques to pull all my elements together, like 3D typography from Xara3D, and a few images. The inspiration for this image came from a reflection on how we can see the majesty of God in creation. Every living thing has a purpose in the circle of life, and we can’t help, but give God the glory and honor! Worthy art Thou, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for Thou didst create all things, and because of Thy will they existed, and were created. Revelation 4:11 Final Image Skill Level Intermediate Resources Xara3DMushroom Image From Stock.xchngRobin Image From From… read more
In my previous post A Dreamer – Escaping The Brokenness of Life, I shared with you a little of my life leading up to me being saved and being blessed with a spirit filled husband, today I will share how The Holy Spirit has blessed me with different gifts in order to share the Gospel. I’m a dreamer. I also am given many visions from the Lord. These are gifts from the Holy Spirit, yes. Joel speaks of this [ Joel 2:28 ] and again in Acts. [ Acts 2:17 ] The journey in Jesus and this walk, is painful and joyous. That is truth. Persecution has come in all different, shapes and sizes. but the outcome of these trials and tribulations is this. Jesus is LORD and He is KING! I become stronger in Christ. To press toward the higher calling in Christ Jesus. To persevere in Him. I… read more
In this Photoshop tutorial, we will learn the Basics of Color Focus Editing or selective color, the post-processing technique where most of a photo is converted to black and white, but some parts are left in color to draw the viewer’s eye. Landscape photography is the most common application for this technique. Colorful leaves in an otherwise drab scene can breathe life into a photo. This technique can be applied to any genre, but portraits and landscapes are the usual beneficiaries. Buckle up people, lets get into this exciting tutorial! its gonna be a wild ride! Final image Here are some examples of images that I created using the same technique, check out my Flickr Profile for more examples.
As we come to the close of our 100 Days Praise Challenge, we want to thank w2wsoul.com and those who participated, gave praise shout outs, and shared their artwork. We continue to give God thanks and praise for the things he has done in our lives, because we really and truly cannot stop giving praise to God. Praise should be a part of our daily lives and should encompass all that we do. Living a life that is surrendered totally to Christ is our ultimate offering of praise. Our Praise Challenge took us through many books in the Bible and we learnt that praise can take many forms for the believer. Singing songs and hymns, clapping our hands, even jumping for joy…the list is endless. We can give glory and praise to our God with the use of our physical bodies, with our hearts and minds, and with our talents… read more
There are times where life hits us and just strikes a nerve with us, causing a change in attitude and to recognize what really matters. We all go through struggles and it’s important that we remember to look to the right places for comfort, understanding, help, and healing during these times. This is one of those times for a particular family in my church and it’s pulling at my heart to share. The Inspiration for This Madison Davis is 6 years old. She has been battling cancer with a good amount of success since she was 4 1/2 years old. Her parents, Destry and Christy Davis and her siblings, all have a very strong faith in God, even through the struggles they have had to endure. However, a recent scan showed that the cancer has come back in multiple places including her bone marrow and a spot on or near… read more
Every day on the subway on my way to university I pass by this cemetery, Mount Pleasant Cemetery, and in the morning it looks so beautiful from outside: the sunlight going through the trees and people are walking through it. It looks peaceful so I decided last summer to visit it and take some pictures. I visited it on a beautiful summer evening but I didn’t take any pictures because the awareness of death’s reality and ugliness was all around me. (I only took one picture on my way out.) So I decided to visit the cemetery again but this time not to photograph its natural beauty but I wanted to capture the reality of death. I settled for this capture because as sure as the yellow and white lines separate so our souls will leave our bodies one day. Death is one of the most misrepresented facts of life…. read more
This shot is very dear to me because it reminds me of when we first came to this wonderful country Canada. We arrived in Toronto late of 1999, and I had just accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior few months prior. I didn’t come to know Jesus through a pastor or a person’s testimony—I accepted Him through reading the Bible and few books by Josh McDowell mainly “More Than a Carpenter”—so I didn’t know what it means to accept Jesus. When we arrived here we were not lonely in the sense that we didn’t have anybody because almost my mom’s entire family have been living in Canada for quite a long time. I found myself very lonely on the inside and kind of emotionally disoriented because I was in a strange country where I didn’t feel like I belong. That’s why I started talking to Jesus whenever I… read more
40 Cross Images – This post showcases 40 inspirational images of the cross. The cross has become a universal symbol of hope. It is used in relief organizations logos, ambulances, rescue helicopters and on the steeple of churches. In today’s society the cross has different meanings to different people, it is considered to be just another piece of jewelery, a fashion statement or to be used in mythical stories to kill vampires. For the Romans the cross was the ultimate symbol of death and punishment, but like everything that Jesus Christ comes in contact with; the cross became a symbol of life and hope. Jesus’ death on the cross was the ultimate sacrifice for our sins. by the third century the cross had become so closely associated with Christ it was called the Lords symbol and Christians were called devotees of the Cross. The cross reminds us of God’s act… read more
In this article, I have chosen 50 stunning Christian wallpapers directly from our Flickr Group. Wallpapers are the first thing that inspires us when we turn on our computers. The more inspirational, beautiful, and elegant they are, the better they can challenge our imagination. Christian Wallpapers, as simple as they may be, never fail to provide a fresh perspective of the world around us. However, desktop wallpapers can go far beyond being a colorful decoration. They can also be a source of Biblical inspiration and a great tool to spread the Gospel of Christ. Check them out, share, and enjoy them! To Download: Click the image you want.  After It loads – Click the Download Link at Top – Image will load in a new window – Right Click it and choose “Save Image As”. Acoustic Melodies Christian wallpapers by PHATBOYid War Sky by by jakedillard Our Rock by SeraphimChris… read more
This red leaf was on the wall of the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library at the University of Toronto. It was one of many leafs on a long stem running horizontally on the wall. I would say the stem run for more than 5 meters, and since I had my mini tripod with me, I decided go rest it against the wall and shoot a super macro shot. However, all the leafs were too big for a super macro, so I ended up going up the stairs alongside the stem all the way to the end to this little leaf; it was the last in the long string of leafs and it fit perfectly in my camera’s super macro zoom. That’s when I remembered the verse: “The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone.†Psalm 118:22 That incident kept me thinking that day. This little leaf was so much… read more
Christian Cell Phone Wallpapers – Cell Phone wallpapers are pretty cool, if you do a search on Google, you will find that there are plenty out there for the masses. Inspiks however, decided to create a Christian Cell Phone Wallpaper group over at Flickr. We also have a Cell Phone Wallpaper Gallery here on our blog, which features nearly 100 wallpapers and growing. Below you will find some of the best wallpapers from our Flickr group members and some from our own graphic designers. Download and share them. If you want to create a great wallpaper and share it in our Flickr group, here is a great Photoshop template for starter, have fun and remember to share them! [singlepic=397,100,100] [download id=5] Light of The World by pk Christmas by josephreygan Day  by loswl Creation: DMK  by loswl Got Jesus by jorgeabalderas Bring Them Home Lord! by godserv Newness of Life by… read more
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