Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Basic Shapes in Illustrator CS

In Adobe Illustrator, you can paint both the fill and the stroke of shapes with colors, patterns, or gradients. You can even apply various brushes to the path of the shapes. For this logo, you’ll use a simple method to reverse the default fill and stroke of your shapes, painting the fill with black and the stroke with white. Full tutorial

Big Island Vacation Trip Report 2

Free Listing for Big Island Vacation Rentals

This Big Island Trip Report 2 is written by JoLoyce from Hana Maui Botanical Gardens

Did you know about the Big Island?

Hilo town is a great place to experience Hawaii. People are friendly and there are many places to enjoy yourself at a reasonable cost. There is the usual tourist places that are fun. The Candy factory with great samples, a short ride down past the pier area, you will find homemade ice cream with yummy tropical flavors (Lilikoi passion fruit and Lychee is my favorite and next door is a very interesting tropical Garden and along the road are quiet parks for lolling and enjoying the ocean.

I love to eat at local restaurants. Which are so tasty and so cheap. A favorite is Ken's Pancake House, you can't go wrong at any time. The oxtail dinner is so "ONO" (delicious). There is a Chinese take out or eat in place across the airport road on the Volcano Highway. You can order for one and eat for two. And in the back of Kuhio Mall is Kuhio Grill. Don't miss the one pound lau lau or Chicken Katsu. Mostly local people eating in here.

Driving up Volcano Highway, you have many stops that you shouldn't miss. The beautiful tropical landscaped zoo and the Macadamia Nut Factory. Definitely stop in at the DeLuz wood factory, they have a great restaurant there, too, with homemade pie.

Don't forget the Bakery at Mt. View, where you can get the very famous Stone Cookies. Now they make coconut and chocolate chip. You will be hooked on this.

Before Volcano on the left side is the most amazing Orchid Nursery and gift shop. And some smell wonderful.

If you want a home away from home, there are many in Volcano. I am partial to A'alani Volcano Heart Hawaii because I own it. Eco oriented with natural cedar walls and recycled furniture and CFL light bulbs. Cutesy decorated for fun. A good place to be located to explore this area and Hilo. You will find sweet Volcano Village with it's local store and gift shops, two great restaurants. Lava Rock Cafe, great food and Internet service and the special Thai Thai Restaurant. Order mild..........whoa.

You can spend all your time at the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park exploring, ranger led hikes, and I am addicted to the Volcano Artists Gallery. I buy a Special Key Chain from local artists that I use as a necklace. If you like your wine, definitely go to the Volcano Winery. Tasting first. And if you are a golf nut, the Volcano Golf Course has really surprising good weather when the rest of the area rains. It is cooler so sweaters are recommended. It is 4,000 ft. elevation.

I also, recommend at least one day driving the entire road around the Island. Naalehu has a bakery that makes the famous Punaluu Sweet Bread and has a nice choice for light lunches or desert.

You will pass Ocean View which has a great take out or eat in for local food. Stop at any park you see, they are all different. You shouldn't miss the next national park. Used to be called the City of Refuge but has the correct name now. Hoonaunau. It is a really long drive down the mountain to it but really worth it. You can see the place where Capt. Cook met his fate with the Hawaiians. They thought he was a God until they borrowed a boat and he punished them.

Kona is fun but hot. Go on up the highway and check out the Kona Hilton Hotel. You can explore it even if you don't stay there. Waimea is a treat, especially the tour of the Parker Ranch. Some well known high end restaurants are here, so if you have a special day to celebrate, this would be the area. There is the most wonderful lady who makes Lilikoi pie sold on Sat. at the Hawi farmers market.

You can't miss Honokaa. Gracie has a fabulous antique store. I love her because she rescues cats. Drive to the lookout to see Waipio Valley. Back up on the Highway, you have to stop at TEX's. They have cream filled malasadas. Fresh and hot. And daily lunch specials. I love sweet sour spareribs. A couple more Gardens on the way back to Hilo and you are almost home again. It is only 25 miles up to Volcano and the road is straight and good.

Guess what, that is only some of the highlights, so you need to stay at least a month and do whatever you missed or need to do again. You gotta hit the Saturday Farmers Market in Hilo.

Happy vacationing and relaxing. JoLoyce Kaia

Mahalo JoLoyce for your insider Big Island Vacation trip ideas. It gives them great ideas where to go and what to do on their Hawaii vacation on the Big Island. Aloha, Pua
Kohala Coast Vacation Guide

Related Articles

Big Island Vacation Trip Report 1

Big Island Vacation Trip Report 2

Free Listing for Big Island Vacation Rentals

This Big Island Trip Report 2 is written by JoLoyce from Hana Maui Botanical Gardens

Did you know about the Big Island?

Hilo town is a great place to experience Hawaii. People are friendly and there are many places to enjoy yourself at a reasonable cost. There is the usual tourist places that are fun. The Candy factory with great samples, a short ride down past the pier area, you will find homemade ice cream with yummy tropical flavors (Lilikoi passion fruit and Lychee is my favorite and next door is a very interesting tropical Garden and along the road are quiet parks for lolling and enjoying the ocean.

I love to eat at local restaurants. Which are so tasty and so cheap. A favorite is Ken's Pancake House, you can't go wrong at any time. The oxtail dinner is so "ONO" (delicious). There is a Chinese take out or eat in place across the airport road on the Volcano Highway. You can order for one and eat for two. And in the back of Kuhio Mall is Kuhio Grill. Don't miss the one pound lau lau or Chicken Katsu. Mostly local people eating in here.

Driving up Volcano Highway, you have many stops that you shouldn't miss. The beautiful tropical landscaped zoo and the Macadamia Nut Factory. Definitely stop in at the DeLuz wood factory, they have a great restaurant there, too, with homemade pie.

Don't forget the Bakery at Mt. View, where you can get the very famous Stone Cookies. Now they make coconut and chocolate chip. You will be hooked on this.

Before Volcano on the left side is the most amazing Orchid Nursery and gift shop. And some smell wonderful.

If you want a home away from home, there are many in Volcano. I am partial to A'alani Volcano Heart Hawaii because I own it. Eco oriented with natural cedar walls and recycled furniture and CFL light bulbs. Cutesy decorated for fun. A good place to be located to explore this area and Hilo. You will find sweet Volcano Village with it's local store and gift shops, two great restaurants. Lava Rock Cafe, great food and Internet service and the special Thai Thai Restaurant. Order mild..........whoa.

You can spend all your time at the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park exploring, ranger led hikes, and I am addicted to the Volcano Artists Gallery. I buy a Special Key Chain from local artists that I use as a necklace. If you like your wine, definitely go to the Volcano Winery. Tasting first. And if you are a golf nut, the Volcano Golf Course has really surprising good weather when the rest of the area rains. It is cooler so sweaters are recommended. It is 4,000 ft. elevation.

I also, recommend at least one day driving the entire road around the Island. Naalehu has a bakery that makes the famous Punaluu Sweet Bread and has a nice choice for light lunches or desert.

You will pass Ocean View which has a great take out or eat in for local food. Stop at any park you see, they are all different. You shouldn't miss the next national park. Used to be called the City of Refuge but has the correct name now. Hoonaunau. It is a really long drive down the mountain to it but really worth it. You can see the place where Capt. Cook met his fate with the Hawaiians. They thought he was a God until they borrowed a boat and he punished them.

Kona is fun but hot. Go on up the highway and check out the Kona Hilton Hotel. You can explore it even if you don't stay there. Waimea is a treat, especially the tour of the Parker Ranch. Some well known high end restaurants are here, so if you have a special day to celebrate, this would be the area. There is the most wonderful lady who makes Lilikoi pie sold on Sat. at the Hawi farmers market.

You can't miss Honokaa. Gracie has a fabulous antique store. I love her because she rescues cats. Drive to the lookout to see Waipio Valley. Back up on the Highway, you have to stop at TEX's. They have cream filled malasadas. Fresh and hot. And daily lunch specials. I love sweet sour spareribs. A couple more Gardens on the way back to Hilo and you are almost home again. It is only 25 miles up to Volcano and the road is straight and good.

Guess what, that is only some of the highlights, so you need to stay at least a month and do whatever you missed or need to do again. You gotta hit the Saturday Farmers Market in Hilo.

Happy vacationing and relaxing. JoLoyce Kaia

Mahalo JoLoyce for your insider Big Island Vacation trip ideas. It gives them great ideas where to go and what to do on their Hawaii vacation on the Big Island. Aloha, Pua
Kohala Coast Vacation Guide

Related Articles

Big Island Vacation Trip Report 1

Sunday, July 29, 2007

5 Myths about Hawaii

Getting ready for your first Hawaii Vacation? Well, when you think of Hawaii, you probably remember some things other people told you about Hawaii and their Hawaii vacation. There are certain myths about places and people, which are mostly legendary stories but they are actually not true. Anyhow, Hawaii is a good one for myths. Here is what we, Keoki and Pua from Best Hawaii Vacations, came up with after having lived for many years in Hawaii:

Hawaii myth number 1:

Hawaii is white sand beaches and swaying palm trees

Remember 'Mutiny on the Bounty' with Marlon Brando and all the beautiful Hawaiian (or was it Tahitian girls), white sand beaches, fresh tropical fruits and hula all day long. To tell you the truth, that was my image of Hawaii. Can you imagine my shock when I landed at Kona International Airport in the middle of old lava fields? Later, when getting to know all the Hawaiian Islands better, I found out that the beaches and the palm trees are not everywhere (they are just a small part of the islands), that beaches are not always white (Big Island has probably a larger number of black sand beaches created from lava), that there is lots of upcountry ranchland on Maui or the Big Island, that there are rough areas where you have hardly any access to (see Napali Coast on Kauai). Well, be prepared, Hawaii is much more than white sand beaches and palm trees (actually a lot of those were planted with resort construction!).

Hawaii myth number 2:

Hawaii weather is always sunny and nice

OK we admit it. Hawaii is blessed with some of the nicest climates and weather around the world. But guess what, not each part of the Hawaiian Islands is pure sunshine all year round. A general rule of thumb is - east coasts are more wet and rainy and west coasts are more dry and sunny! And don't forget the elevation. It can be quite cold at upcountry areas. So bring your sweater and be prepared to close the roof of your convertible, which you rented under the misconception, that it will be warm and sunny everywhere. A sudden, unexpected downpour when touring Hawaii countryside is not that rare. Especially winter months can bring a rain storm in with flash floods, which can be pretty dangerous. Scary stuff !!!! Watch the weather news and switch your radio on when riding down the Hwy! By the way, in most cases, winter storms hit all the Hawaiian islands starting on Kauai and coming its way 'down' to the Big Island, which is sometimes lucky, as the storm might have lost its power by then.

Here we go with the most often asked question: "When is the best month to visit Hawaii for my best Hawaii vacation"? Believe me, it's not just the most asked but the hardest to answer. When potential guests at our Hawaii vacation rentals asked us, we mostly said something like: "It's nice all year around but we cannot make any prediction or guarantees for the best Hawaii weather at any time of the year." Read GoHawaii Travel Planner article on When to visit Hawaii

Hawaii myth number 3:

Flipflops are cheap and good for your feet


First thing I did when I arrived in Hawaii in summer 1991 was buying flipflops. Everybody was wearing flipflops, from Hawaiian dudes, to white tourists and residents. It seemed the best way to cope with the heat plus comfortable and casual. But that feeling did not last long. Soon I experienced leg pain and cramps in the foot which I first could not pinpoint where it came from. Did not take me long to find the cause. Getting some more expensive sandals, with arch support and straps to hold the sandel on the foot, immediately 'healed' my unexplained symptoms. Later on as a licensed massage therapist, I was able to 'heal' other Hawaii visitors from their new Hawaii pains. I call it the 'flipflop' syndrome. So rather spend some money on some more supporting sandals for walking at the resort. If the sand is not too hot, just walk bare foot on the beach in Hawaii.

Hawaii myth number 4:


Taking a lava rock from the islands brings bad luck

With so many years having run our Hawaii vacation rentals, it was not rare that vistors would come back from the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park with all kinds of lava rocks. They had never heard about the myth that taking alava rock from islands will haunt you and bring you bad luck because Pele, the Goddess of the Volcano got mad at you. It is a known fact that vacationers who took lava rocks home against better advice, were haunted by bad luck until they returned the rocks to Hawaii. That's why we would always share the myth or legend with our visitors, as we felt it's their own decision. Myth or superstition, who knows? What do you think?

Hawaii myth number 5:

What do you think is a Hawaii myth 5?????

1st Suggestion from Personal Development for Book Smart
Hawaii Myth 5 would be "There are only hot babes and hunks in Hawaii"

2nd Suggestion from Sheila from 'Go Visit Hawaii' Blog
Hawaii Myth 5 would be "Most people assume that all the beautiful beaches are completely safe. Some beaches have dangerous currents, but people just hop in the water without checking for any safety concerns. They ignore beach safety signs and then get in trouble. I like to encourage people to check the official beach safety website"

3rd Suggestion from Da Kine Hawaiian Aloha
Hawaii Myth 5 would be "You may or may not know this, but did you know that what we refer to as the 6 Hawaiian Islands comprise a total of 137 Hawaiian Islands"

4th Suggestion from Ideal Hawaii Vacation
Hawaii Myth 5 would be "Hawaii is Too Expensive for a Vacation."
"Over the years we have heard many people make the comment that Hawaii is too expensive. We have been going to Maui for the last 20+ years and so think we have the authority to dispel such a myth. Yes if you stay in an expensive resort you will probably pay $350 or more per night, so that is expensive. However if you stay in a vacation rental that you rent from an owner, you can find some very affordable Hawaii accommodations. If you choose to eat every meal in a restaurant, yes, Hawaii, just like my home town in Penticton British Columbia, is expensive. However if you rent from an owner and cook your own meals it is the same as anywhere else."

Find more about this myth in comments below. This is a great comment how you can save on you vacation in Hawaii and still have your best Hawaii vacation.

5th Suggestion from Hawaii VacationGifts
Hawaii Myths 5 would be "If you live in Hawaii you can wake up and pick papayas for breakfast and catch your own fish for dinner. (People actually told me this when I went to school in California in the early nineties!)"

5th Suggestion is from Blogatech (ever need any help for your blogger blog, go visit Stratman)Hawaii Myth 5 would be"I've always heard that in the islands marijuana plants grow to the size of palm trees and their seeds are the size of coconuts :)"
Well, what do people say when they get addressed with a question or statement, they don't want to deal with: "No comment!"

To all those who believed in the Hawaii myth of catching a fresh fish for dinner, don't rely on that. Even those charter boats which take you out for deep sea fishing in Hawaii, can come home without the big fish!

Make a suggestion for Hawaii myth number 5. What do you think is a good myth about Hawaii? Share it today and leave a comment. Sign in with 'Other' for your name + your URL. We will add all your suggestions right here.

We are very excited to hear from Hawaii residents and Hawaii visitors. Mahalo and aloha, Pua
Kohala Coast Vacation Guide

This post is open and will be continued with your suggestions. Please, bookmark.



5 Myths about Hawaii

Getting ready for your first Hawaii Vacation? Well, when you think of Hawaii, you probably remember some things other people told you about Hawaii and their Hawaii vacation. There are certain myths about places and people, which are mostly legendary stories but they are actually not true. Anyhow, Hawaii is a good one for myths. Here is what we, Keoki and Pua from Best Hawaii Vacations, came up with after having lived for many years in Hawaii:

Hawaii myth number 1:

Hawaii is white sand beaches and swaying palm trees

Remember 'Mutiny on the Bounty' with Marlon Brando and all the beautiful Hawaiian (or was it Tahitian girls), white sand beaches, fresh tropical fruits and hula all day long. To tell you the truth, that was my image of Hawaii. Can you imagine my shock when I landed at Kona International Airport in the middle of old lava fields? Later, when getting to know all the Hawaiian Islands better, I found out that the beaches and the palm trees are not everywhere (they are just a small part of the islands), that beaches are not always white (Big Island has probably a larger number of black sand beaches created from lava), that there is lots of upcountry ranchland on Maui or the Big Island, that there are rough areas where you have hardly any access to (see Napali Coast on Kauai). Well, be prepared, Hawaii is much more than white sand beaches and palm trees (actually a lot of those were planted with resort construction!).

Hawaii myth number 2:

Hawaii weather is always sunny and nice

OK we admit it. Hawaii is blessed with some of the nicest climates and weather around the world. But guess what, not each part of the Hawaiian Islands is pure sunshine all year round. A general rule of thumb is - east coasts are more wet and rainy and west coasts are more dry and sunny! And don't forget the elevation. It can be quite cold at upcountry areas. So bring your sweater and be prepared to close the roof of your convertible, which you rented under the misconception, that it will be warm and sunny everywhere. A sudden, unexpected downpour when touring Hawaii countryside is not that rare. Especially winter months can bring a rain storm in with flash floods, which can be pretty dangerous. Scary stuff !!!! Watch the weather news and switch your radio on when riding down the Hwy! By the way, in most cases, winter storms hit all the Hawaiian islands starting on Kauai and coming its way 'down' to the Big Island, which is sometimes lucky, as the storm might have lost its power by then.

Here we go with the most often asked question: "When is the best month to visit Hawaii for my best Hawaii vacation"? Believe me, it's not just the most asked but the hardest to answer. When potential guests at our Hawaii vacation rentals asked us, we mostly said something like: "It's nice all year around but we cannot make any prediction or guarantees for the best Hawaii weather at any time of the year." Read GoHawaii Travel Planner article on When to visit Hawaii

Hawaii myth number 3:

Flipflops are cheap and good for your feet


First thing I did when I arrived in Hawaii in summer 1991 was buying flipflops. Everybody was wearing flipflops, from Hawaiian dudes, to white tourists and residents. It seemed the best way to cope with the heat plus comfortable and casual. But that feeling did not last long. Soon I experienced leg pain and cramps in the foot which I first could not pinpoint where it came from. Did not take me long to find the cause. Getting some more expensive sandals, with arch support and straps to hold the sandel on the foot, immediately 'healed' my unexplained symptoms. Later on as a licensed massage therapist, I was able to 'heal' other Hawaii visitors from their new Hawaii pains. I call it the 'flipflop' syndrome. So rather spend some money on some more supporting sandals for walking at the resort. If the sand is not too hot, just walk bare foot on the beach in Hawaii.

Hawaii myth number 4:


Taking a lava rock from the islands brings bad luck

With so many years having run our Hawaii vacation rentals, it was not rare that vistors would come back from the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park with all kinds of lava rocks. They had never heard about the myth that taking alava rock from islands will haunt you and bring you bad luck because Pele, the Goddess of the Volcano got mad at you. It is a known fact that vacationers who took lava rocks home against better advice, were haunted by bad luck until they returned the rocks to Hawaii. That's why we would always share the myth or legend with our visitors, as we felt it's their own decision. Myth or superstition, who knows? What do you think?

Hawaii myth number 5:

What do you think is a Hawaii myth 5?????

1st Suggestion from Personal Development for Book Smart
Hawaii Myth 5 would be "There are only hot babes and hunks in Hawaii"

2nd Suggestion from Sheila from 'Go Visit Hawaii' Blog
Hawaii Myth 5 would be "Most people assume that all the beautiful beaches are completely safe. Some beaches have dangerous currents, but people just hop in the water without checking for any safety concerns. They ignore beach safety signs and then get in trouble. I like to encourage people to check the official beach safety website"

3rd Suggestion from Da Kine Hawaiian Aloha
Hawaii Myth 5 would be "You may or may not know this, but did you know that what we refer to as the 6 Hawaiian Islands comprise a total of 137 Hawaiian Islands"

4th Suggestion from Ideal Hawaii Vacation
Hawaii Myth 5 would be "Hawaii is Too Expensive for a Vacation."
"Over the years we have heard many people make the comment that Hawaii is too expensive. We have been going to Maui for the last 20+ years and so think we have the authority to dispel such a myth. Yes if you stay in an expensive resort you will probably pay $350 or more per night, so that is expensive. However if you stay in a vacation rental that you rent from an owner, you can find some very affordable Hawaii accommodations. If you choose to eat every meal in a restaurant, yes, Hawaii, just like my home town in Penticton British Columbia, is expensive. However if you rent from an owner and cook your own meals it is the same as anywhere else."

Find more about this myth in comments below. This is a great comment how you can save on you vacation in Hawaii and still have your best Hawaii vacation.

5th Suggestion from Hawaii VacationGifts
Hawaii Myths 5 would be "If you live in Hawaii you can wake up and pick papayas for breakfast and catch your own fish for dinner. (People actually told me this when I went to school in California in the early nineties!)"

5th Suggestion is from Blogatech (ever need any help for your blogger blog, go visit Stratman)Hawaii Myth 5 would be"I've always heard that in the islands marijuana plants grow to the size of palm trees and their seeds are the size of coconuts :)"
Well, what do people say when they get addressed with a question or statement, they don't want to deal with: "No comment!"

To all those who believed in the Hawaii myth of catching a fresh fish for dinner, don't rely on that. Even those charter boats which take you out for deep sea fishing in Hawaii, can come home without the big fish!

Make a suggestion for Hawaii myth number 5. What do you think is a good myth about Hawaii? Share it today and leave a comment. Sign in with 'Other' for your name + your URL. We will add all your suggestions right here.

We are very excited to hear from Hawaii residents and Hawaii visitors. Mahalo and aloha, Pua
Kohala Coast Vacation Guide

This post is open and will be continued with your suggestions. Please, bookmark.



Friday, July 27, 2007

Vector Polaroid Brush Set

The set contains 8 Photoshop CS2 / CS3 brushes made with Flash and Photoshop CS2. Download

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Vector Illustrations Price

According to the IStock web site, the price of ten credits –– the least that a customer can buy at one time –– will rise to $13. Currently, the division charges $12 for ten credits. The price of 600 credits will be $600 after Aug. 19. Until that date, customers can purchase 625 credits for the same $600.

The number of credits needed to purchase a still image will apparently remain the same after Aug. 19, but some vector illustrations and video clips will require more credits, the division said.

The purchase of a single still image will continue to require one to 15 credits, depending on the digital file size. Vector illustrations will require the expenditure of one to 25 credits after the change. Currently, no separate category exists for vector art.

Best Hawaii Vacation Blog 1st Birthday

Welcome to Hawaii with Best Hawaii Vacation BlogHooray, our first blog goal is achieved!!! We happily announce the first anniversary of our Best Hawaii Vacation Blog. One year of blogging about how to make your trip to Hawaii your best Hawaii vacation and save money! We feel we've come long ways from our first blog post on July 25/07. Now, more covering unique Hawaii vacation issues which the traveler to the Hawaiian islands does not find on the corporate sites and blogs! Our Hawaii Youtube videos, even used sparingly, found and find lots of readers.

This is a good time to make our Hawaii blog readers aware that you can sign up for our feed in a reader or just by email, which is still the way preferred by 'regular' people. Just click one of the links in the very top of our side bar and you will be connected. You can always unsubscribe if you don't like what you read.

It's also our intention to tell you about other Hawaii blogs for further reference on your vacation in Hawaii. Here is a random list of Hawaii blogs which hopefully comes handy when you get ready for your trip to the Hawaiian islands:

Let's start with this Hawaii beach walk video blog: Beach Walks with Rox - A little Aloha Every Day. This is a fun blog with lots of videos to watch. Here is a Hawaii beach walk video from July 23 about shark sightings. Want to know what happened, just watch 'Sharks in town' now.

When I started blogging on Hawaii vacation last year, I searched the web for other Hawaii blogs, just to see what is out there and how I can define my target group. There was no way that Hawaii-Aloha.com Hawaii Travel blog could escape my attention. I was impressed what comprehensive Hawaii travel information the founder Bruce has put together: from Hawaii Vacation Deals to all Hawaiian Islands, to Hawaii Hawaii Hotel Finder, Hawaii Crise packages and not to forget Hawaii wedding packages. Listen to the official podcast of Hawaii Aloha Travel for 'Hawaii Vacation Connection' with tons of information valuable information on pricing, trends, Hawaii vacation itineraries, Hawaii All inclusive packages, Hawaii cruises and more on Hawaii Travel.

Here is a Hawaii blog where you can find lots of miscellaneous stuff on Hawaii. On Alohaupdate.com you might just find something which might be of interest for your next Hawaii vacation.

When on vacation in Hawaii, on top of the list of Hawaii activities and things to do of Hawaii visitors are ocean activities like scuba-diving, snorkeling and whale watch. I found this very nice Hawaii Scuba Diving blog about scuba diving when vacationing in Kailua Kona On Hawaii Big Island. Nice photos!!!

If you visit Waikiki in Honolulu, here is a totally different blog to view Honolulu town. Evelyn, the owner, does a great job to introduce all facets of Life in Honolulu to Hawaii travelers. This is a well written Hawaii blogs with lots of love and aloha to Hawaii and the Hawaiian people.

Anther new blog in the Hawaii blog blog community is GoVisitHawaii by Sheila with interesting tips and news regards Hawaii vacation. This Hawaii blog offers quite a number of Hawaioi Vacation Specials at Hawaii Hotels and Resorts. Interested in Hawaii Fall Specials? Read about Kauai Hotels for Sale this Fall.

You get ready for your Hawaii vacation but don't own a Hawaiian Aloha Shirt yet, visit Da Kine Hawaiian Aloha Shirts. They might just have what you want.

OK it's our Hawaii blog anniversary but we cannot waste time celebrating. We are here for your Best Hawaii Vacation needs. Aloha, Pua Kohala Coast Vacation Homes
p.s.
If you want to see more of Donna's photos, our today's blog post girl, visit wahinestyle.com. Mahalo again, Kawika, for all the beautiful Hawaiian girls, which make my blog so special.

If you know of other great Hawaii Blogs, please, share with our Best Hawaii Vacation Blog readers. Sign in with 'other', which allows you link to your website URL (don't forget http://).

Best Hawaii Vacation Blog 1st Birthday

Welcome to Hawaii with Best Hawaii Vacation BlogHooray, our first blog goal is achieved!!! We happily announce the first anniversary of our Best Hawaii Vacation Blog. One year of blogging about how to make your trip to Hawaii your best Hawaii vacation and save money! We feel we've come long ways from our first blog post on July 25/07. Now, more covering unique Hawaii vacation issues which the traveler to the Hawaiian islands does not find on the corporate sites and blogs! Our Hawaii Youtube videos, even used sparingly, found and find lots of readers.

This is a good time to make our Hawaii blog readers aware that you can sign up for our feed in a reader or just by email, which is still the way preferred by 'regular' people. Just click one of the links in the very top of our side bar and you will be connected. You can always unsubscribe if you don't like what you read.

It's also our intention to tell you about other Hawaii blogs for further reference on your vacation in Hawaii. Here is a random list of Hawaii blogs which hopefully comes handy when you get ready for your trip to the Hawaiian islands:

Let's start with this Hawaii beach walk video blog: Beach Walks with Rox - A little Aloha Every Day. This is a fun blog with lots of videos to watch. Here is a Hawaii beach walk video from July 23 about shark sightings. Want to know what happened, just watch 'Sharks in town' now.

When I started blogging on Hawaii vacation last year, I searched the web for other Hawaii blogs, just to see what is out there and how I can define my target group. There was no way that Hawaii-Aloha.com Hawaii Travel blog could escape my attention. I was impressed what comprehensive Hawaii travel information the founder Bruce has put together: from Hawaii Vacation Deals to all Hawaiian Islands, to Hawaii Hawaii Hotel Finder, Hawaii Crise packages and not to forget Hawaii wedding packages. Listen to the official podcast of Hawaii Aloha Travel for 'Hawaii Vacation Connection' with tons of information valuable information on pricing, trends, Hawaii vacation itineraries, Hawaii All inclusive packages, Hawaii cruises and more on Hawaii Travel.

Here is a Hawaii blog where you can find lots of miscellaneous stuff on Hawaii. On Alohaupdate.com you might just find something which might be of interest for your next Hawaii vacation.

When on vacation in Hawaii, on top of the list of Hawaii activities and things to do of Hawaii visitors are ocean activities like scuba-diving, snorkeling and whale watch. I found this very nice Hawaii Scuba Diving blog about scuba diving when vacationing in Kailua Kona On Hawaii Big Island. Nice photos!!!

If you visit Waikiki in Honolulu, here is a totally different blog to view Honolulu town. Evelyn, the owner, does a great job to introduce all facets of Life in Honolulu to Hawaii travelers. This is a well written Hawaii blogs with lots of love and aloha to Hawaii and the Hawaiian people.

Anther new blog in the Hawaii blog blog community is GoVisitHawaii by Sheila with interesting tips and news regards Hawaii vacation. This Hawaii blog offers quite a number of Hawaioi Vacation Specials at Hawaii Hotels and Resorts. Interested in Hawaii Fall Specials? Read about Kauai Hotels for Sale this Fall.

You get ready for your Hawaii vacation but don't own a Hawaiian Aloha Shirt yet, visit Da Kine Hawaiian Aloha Shirts. They might just have what you want.

OK it's our Hawaii blog anniversary but we cannot waste time celebrating. We are here for your Best Hawaii Vacation needs. Aloha, Pua Kohala Coast Vacation Homes
p.s.
If you want to see more of Donna's photos, our today's blog post girl, visit wahinestyle.com. Mahalo again, Kawika, for all the beautiful Hawaiian girls, which make my blog so special.

If you know of other great Hawaii Blogs, please, share with our Best Hawaii Vacation Blog readers. Sign in with 'other', which allows you link to your website URL (don't forget http://).

Monday, July 23, 2007

Rocket Fish Wallpaper

Rocket Fish Wallpaper by Philorawing

iStockphoto to raise prices in August

iStockphoto, the Getty Images "microstock" subsidiary that sells low-cost imagery and video, will announce Monday plans to raise prices and therefore photographer revenue next month along with a number of promotional activities.

The company sells credits that give customers rights to use contributors' photos in materials such as advertisements, Web sites or brochures. The higher the resolution, the more credits an image costs, and the credit cost will increase from $1.20 to $1.30 on August 19, said iStockphoto Executive Vice President Kelly Thompson. (Credits are cheaper in bulk.)

Because photographers get a proportion of the credit cost ranging between 20 percent and 40 percent, the increase will mean a few more pennies at least per sale for photographers, too. That may not sound like much, but some popular photos sell hundreds or even thousands of times over, so there are economies of scale at work here. Read more

Sunday, July 22, 2007

How to Save Money on your Hawaii Vacation

Hawaii Affordable Kailua Kona Condos & HomesAloha and welcome back to Best Hawaii Vacation Blog,

where you find unique Hawaii vacation and travel tips to make your trip to Hawaii your Best Hawaii Vacation. Today, we start a series with links to Hawaii blogs and sites which we find a great resource for your travel plan. Vacation in Hawaii like Donald Trump but cheap! This one is a mix for everything...from saving big money on Hawaii hotel rooms, going camping on Maui, save money on Hawaii activities with gocard, Hawaiian Air fare Fall Specials, Discount Golf Hawaii Card and Hawaii Cruise package. See what we picked for your Best Hawaii Vacation but please, use your own judgement when booking with these companies.

How to save money on Hawaii Vacation Accommodation

When cruising Joe's blog, who frequently includes travel posts with tips where to stay, I came across a post about his stay at a Days Inn for $49. Regular rate at the Days Inn website was $141 but the Roomsaver Coupon made the rate $49.00! That was an impressive saving. So I went ahead and checked what Roomsaver has to offer for Hawaii. Roomsaver Travel Coupons are available for Honolulu, Kapaa and Lahaina. Good luck!

Did you notice that nobody talks about camping anymore, especially not in association with a Hawaii vacation? Here is a site which does. If you look for lodging on your Maui Hawaii vacation that are cheap, inexpensive, moderate, discount or economical, you've come to the right place! Maui for the Financially Challenged written by a former Maui resident trying to help you find inexpensive Maui, Hawaii Vacations, lodging, and activities. It never hurts to look.

You consider a trip to Hawaii Big Island but don't want to spend tons of money on your accommodation, Hawaii Affordable lists over 100 Big Island vacation rental homes from beach front condo rental to ocean view homes & cottages for your Big Island vacation with homes, cottages, condos in Kona, South Kona, Captain Cook, Puako, Volcano, Kapoho, Puna, Hawaiian Paradise Park, Hilo, Waimea, Waikoloa, Hamakua Coast, Kohala Coast & North Kohala. Save money on your Hawaii vacation accommodation with your next trip to Hawaii!

How to save money on Hawaii activities

When you finally made it to Hawaii you want to have some fun and enjoy those unique Hawaii activities which you only can in Hawaii. If you have never heard about the HawaiiGoCards, here is an article by Luxury Resort Travel on 'How to save money on your Maui and Oahu vacation' with GoCard. GoCardOahu offers a multi activity pass for your Oahu Vacation with admission to over 25 of the best attractions, activities, and tours. There is even a GoMauiCard which offers Admission to over 20 of the best attractions, activities, and tours are included with your Go Maui Card. Do as much as you like each day for one low, affordable price. So start saving money on your Hawaii vacation on Maui and Oahu.

How to save money on your flight to Hawaii and Hawaii Vacation Packages

We found this great Hawaiian Airline fall sale: Free nights and Hawaii hotels room upgrades. Plus, save on Hawaiian Air flights to Maui, Oahu, Kauai & Big Island and island activities. Find more information on Hawaiian Air fare sale, exclusive on Expedia.
Have your best Hawaii vacation during beautiful fall weather in Hawaii. Book early on Expedia for the best fares, flights, and hotel rooms. Savings on Hawaii car rentals and Hawaiian island activities with 2-for-1 admission to local attractions. Book by August 10, travel to Hawaii August 25 - December 15, 2007.

What better way is there to get to know the Hawaiian Islands than a cruise? Have a hassle free all-inclusive Hawaii Vacation. Cruise Deals offers great Deals like this one 10 nights in Hawaii! Cruise from Honolulu for 10 incredible nights this fall. CruiseDeals.com rates start at just $499 pp! Personally, I am not a cruise person but if I'd not get seasick, I think a Hawaii cruise is a great way to have a relaxing vacation in the sun.

How to save money on Hawaii Golf

What is Hawaii without Golf? With beautiful, sunny weather all-year round Hawaii has become one of the top vacation destinations for golf players. Golf Hawaii with Hawaii Golf Deals. Their Golf Hawaii Card has been named by GOLF Magazine as one of the five best golf value cards in the nation! It is definitely the Hawaii golf discount leader. If you golf, give them a try and get access to Hawaii championship golf courses at discounted rates!

That's #1 of our 'How to save money on Hawaii Vacation' series. We try to keep our Hawaii blog posts as unique, challenging and informative as possible. Please, share your thoughts and ideas on Best Hawaii Vacation with our visitors. Mahalo and aloha, Pua Kohala Coast Vacation Guide

Related Articles
How to have a great Maui Vacation and Save Money
How to have a great Kauai Vacation and Save Money
How to have a great Oahu Vacation and Save Money
How to have a great Big Island Vacation and Save Money
How to get free vacation brochures for Hawaii

How to Save Money on your Hawaii Vacation

Hawaii Affordable Kailua Kona Condos & HomesAloha and welcome back to Best Hawaii Vacation Blog,

where you find unique Hawaii vacation and travel tips to make your trip to Hawaii your Best Hawaii Vacation. Today, we start a series with links to Hawaii blogs and sites which we find a great resource for your travel plan. Vacation in Hawaii like Donald Trump but cheap! This one is a mix for everything...from saving big money on Hawaii hotel rooms, going camping on Maui, save money on Hawaii activities with gocard, Hawaiian Air fare Fall Specials, Discount Golf Hawaii Card and Hawaii Cruise package. See what we picked for your Best Hawaii Vacation but please, use your own judgement when booking with these companies.

How to save money on Hawaii Vacation Accommodation

When cruising Joe's blog, who frequently includes travel posts with tips where to stay, I came across a post about his stay at a Days Inn for $49. Regular rate at the Days Inn website was $141 but the Roomsaver Coupon made the rate $49.00! That was an impressive saving. So I went ahead and checked what Roomsaver has to offer for Hawaii. Roomsaver Travel Coupons are available for Honolulu, Kapaa and Lahaina. Good luck!

Did you notice that nobody talks about camping anymore, especially not in association with a Hawaii vacation? Here is a site which does. If you look for lodging on your Maui Hawaii vacation that are cheap, inexpensive, moderate, discount or economical, you've come to the right place! Maui for the Financially Challenged written by a former Maui resident trying to help you find inexpensive Maui, Hawaii Vacations, lodging, and activities. It never hurts to look.

You consider a trip to Hawaii Big Island but don't want to spend tons of money on your accommodation, Hawaii Affordable lists over 100 Big Island vacation rental homes from beach front condo rental to ocean view homes & cottages for your Big Island vacation with homes, cottages, condos in Kona, South Kona, Captain Cook, Puako, Volcano, Kapoho, Puna, Hawaiian Paradise Park, Hilo, Waimea, Waikoloa, Hamakua Coast, Kohala Coast & North Kohala. Save money on your Hawaii vacation accommodation with your next trip to Hawaii!

How to save money on Hawaii activities

When you finally made it to Hawaii you want to have some fun and enjoy those unique Hawaii activities which you only can in Hawaii. If you have never heard about the HawaiiGoCards, here is an article by Luxury Resort Travel on 'How to save money on your Maui and Oahu vacation' with GoCard. GoCardOahu offers a multi activity pass for your Oahu Vacation with admission to over 25 of the best attractions, activities, and tours. There is even a GoMauiCard which offers Admission to over 20 of the best attractions, activities, and tours are included with your Go Maui Card. Do as much as you like each day for one low, affordable price. So start saving money on your Hawaii vacation on Maui and Oahu.

How to save money on your flight to Hawaii and Hawaii Vacation Packages

We found this great Hawaiian Airline fall sale: Free nights and Hawaii hotels room upgrades. Plus, save on Hawaiian Air flights to Maui, Oahu, Kauai & Big Island and island activities. Find more information on Hawaiian Air fare sale, exclusive on Expedia.
Have your best Hawaii vacation during beautiful fall weather in Hawaii. Book early on Expedia for the best fares, flights, and hotel rooms. Savings on Hawaii car rentals and Hawaiian island activities with 2-for-1 admission to local attractions. Book by August 10, travel to Hawaii August 25 - December 15, 2007.

What better way is there to get to know the Hawaiian Islands than a cruise? Have a hassle free all-inclusive Hawaii Vacation. Cruise Deals offers great Deals like this one 10 nights in Hawaii! Cruise from Honolulu for 10 incredible nights this fall. CruiseDeals.com rates start at just $499 pp! Personally, I am not a cruise person but if I'd not get seasick, I think a Hawaii cruise is a great way to have a relaxing vacation in the sun.

How to save money on Hawaii Golf

What is Hawaii without Golf? With beautiful, sunny weather all-year round Hawaii has become one of the top vacation destinations for golf players. Golf Hawaii with Hawaii Golf Deals. Their Golf Hawaii Card has been named by GOLF Magazine as one of the five best golf value cards in the nation! It is definitely the Hawaii golf discount leader. If you golf, give them a try and get access to Hawaii championship golf courses at discounted rates!

That's #1 of our 'How to save money on Hawaii Vacation' series. We try to keep our Hawaii blog posts as unique, challenging and informative as possible. Please, share your thoughts and ideas on Best Hawaii Vacation with our visitors. Mahalo and aloha, Pua Kohala Coast Vacation Guide

Related Articles
How to have a great Maui Vacation and Save Money
How to have a great Kauai Vacation and Save Money
How to have a great Oahu Vacation and Save Money
How to have a great Big Island Vacation and Save Money
How to get free vacation brochures for Hawaii

Saturday, July 21, 2007

Advertise On This Site





Advertise on Vector Art Blog?

We offer attractive ad spots. Please send a brief email to vablog@yahoo.com. We will respond shortly. Please have in mind that we would never publish information about paid content or write reviews about the advertiser, unless we found them useful to the digital illustrators community. The postings on Vector Art Blog are objective; the quality of each article is defined by the extent of its utility to our subscribers. 

Promote Your Work
If you are a vector artist and you are looking for exposure send us links to your work. We will review it and with your perimision we will publish it in our Artists directory.

Squadron Festival 2007

Busy preparations for one of the most awaited festivals this year have already commenced as Squadron have just launched their official Squadron Festival 2007 website (www.squadronfestival.com).

For the first edition, Squadron Festival together with the support of Pure Promotions will deliver three international heavy-weight headliners, and that being none other than the true Godfather of House Music 'Marshall Jefferson'. This man is responsible for literally defining house music as we know it today and boasts the repertoire of being the man responsible for turning House music into a universal sound by introducing it for the first time ever straight across the ocean to Europe with his legendary classic 'House Music Anthem - Move your Body'.

Squadron Festival 2007 will also feature two of the most requested DJ's - Dr.Lektroluv & Spacid, both residents at the popular yearly I Love Techno in Belgium. Squadron being the originators and leading electro music event organizations in Malta & Pure Promotions being the most sought after House event organization on this island, the two now join forces in an aim to bring together Malta's most prominent music scenes, in one big festival.

Make sure to check out www.squadronfestival.com for more info, downloads and features!

SQUADRON HISTORY!
Squadron has played a most important role in the ever increasing popularity of the so called 'electro' sound. Having been involved in the music scene for over 4 years, Squadron events have successfully managed to breed a new era of freaks who were not interested in dancing to the music which had dominated the scene for the past years.

Squadron provided the means for these people to listen to all sorts of genres jammed into one night, ranging from true Electro and Chicago house music from its purest days, to the more evil days of acid techno, mixed in with the less sinister Italo-Disco sounds of the early 80's. Besides bringing innovation in music locally, Squadron has also managed to fashion their very own unmistakable Squadron brand artwork, a fusion between classic chic art-deco and modern vector illustrations.

Since their first ever event back in April 2003, Squadron flyers have been sought after gems for flyer enthusiasts around the island.

Seeing that crowds at Squadron events have been on the increase and having already brought over the creme the la creme of modern electronic music artists namely Legowelt, Bangkok Impact, Alden Tyrell, Aux 88, DJ Godfather and Dr.Lektroluv, Squadron now shift their ambition in bringing over legends from both our era and these past two decades. One can expect anything from early Chicago house legends, 80's Miami Bass/Oldschool live shows, Classic Detroit techno DJ's and hard rocking new era electronic artists inspired by all of the latter!

The following artists have been brought over by Squadron: Legowelt, Dr.Lektroluv, Spacid, Le Syndicat Electronique, Alden Tyrell, DJ Serge, Bangkok Impact, Aux 88, Luke Eargoggle, Orgue Electronique, DJ TLR, DJ Godfather, The Chicago Shags, DJ Kafka and Rollinka.

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

The infinity of art

by di-ve.com Tuesday, 17 July, 2007
Enter the world of Digital Art and be prepared for a roller coaster ride of high lows and incredible no limit highs. Digital Arts is nothing new, but due to the nature of digital technology it is permanently redefined through the constant updates and digital innovations.

However, at its core beats the same original artistic heart as before. The upgrades to the system, the redesign and the technical advancements in the design programs work to change the outcome of the art, but in the end it still boils down to the talents of the artistic user that controls and guides the software to create art work.

ICA Ltd a leading and innovative communications agency based in Malta is hosting a Digital Arts Expo in 2008. The DA 2008 is split into Digital Art Galleries, Exhibition stands and Educational Workshops/Seminars for the creative enthusiast and professional alike.

Innovation is something that the DA 2008 is looking for, so having two of our in house talents Martin Bonnici and Roderick Darmanin, do what artists generally don't do and compete against each other in a digital Photoshop Tennis match sums up the extent that we are prepared to go to.

Photoshop Tennis is when two or more Digital Artists do the unthinkable, and try to improve on their opponent's digital creation. One artist starts off with his design and forwards it to his opponent. The opponent then takes the original design and adds his art to it thus changing the original. The rules are, the concept of the original design needs to be kept, but anything can be added or improved on.

With this in mind, we are very proud to present the players of the first "Digital Playoff" of the DA 2008 Expo;
Martin Bonnici (b. 1985) balances his time between working as a Post-Production Artist/Flash Designer and recreating his thoughts and dreams in still and moving pictures. Whereas his day job pounds him with demanding clients and projects, his late nights working on short films, animations and studying special effects allow him to flex his creative muscles and vent of the pressures of his happy little existence.

Roderick Darmanin (b. 1985) torn by the evils of work and play is forced to splits his talents. As a day walker he is a Graphic Designer extraordinaire and a vivacious Vector Artist. Using Photoshop, Illustrator, Freehand and Indesign, he earns his money at one of Maltas up and coming agencies. By night he enters the murky world of Speed painting.

Let the playoffs begin. With the art designs below Martin and Roderick have started as they mean to go on, so to follow the digital excellence as it progresses log on to the DA 2008 website at www.digitalartsexpo.com.

Registration and participation is free, so join in and be part of Malta's digital culture. Limitations are yours to exceed.

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Animate your illustration

Adding animation to your illustration work can reap great creative and financial rewards. But what does it take to make the small jump from Illustrator to Flash, Photoshop to After Effects and page to screen? Nick Spence finds out.

For any illustrator safe in the static world of editorial illustration, animating your work may seem a job best left to others. New skills, new software to learn, thinking not just about the image but also about time, will certainly present fresh challenges. But the rewards for adding animation to your creative canon should outweigh any lingering doubts about venturing outside of your comfort zone.

The rise of broadband and mobile content in recent years has opened up vast new opportunities for anyone creating animation and motion graphics. Online interactive content is big business and much has been made of the potential funds available in web advertising. The internet is now also the ideal platform to showcase your animation skills, with broadband best able to cope with the most demanding video and audio showreels. Many savvy illustrators have added impressive animation sections to their personal online portfolios to great effect. Continue
article by www.computerarts.co.uk

The easiest way to convert images to line art

Faster than a tracing hand, this powerful software is the raster to vector converter you need for Illustrator (Adobe), CorelDraw (Corel), Flash (Macromedia), WebDraw (Jasc), Sodipodi (freeware) and any vector-based software. Vector Eye instantly converts scanned black-and-white or color raster images (bmp, jpg, tiff, png) into editable vector files (svg, ps, eps).
Just scan any sketch, or select an image (or a sequence) in an AVI movie, make some bitmap adjustements (scale, select zone, enhance, swap colors, rotate...) and Vector Eye will automatically create multiple SVG file corresponding to differents settings. You can analyse, modify till the result suits you (quality, weight, number of vectors).
Just save it in the appropriate format for your purpose and drop into your favorite editor or authoring tool to complete or animate your design. You could also use the batch system to launch hundreds of vectorization processes. Download

Vector Cloud Brushes

Vector Cloud Brush Collection from cloud-no9. Three different versions of the brush set. For Adobe Photoshop CS, CS2 and CS3.

Download:
Ver. 1.0 Ver. 2.0 Ver.3.0

Monday, July 16, 2007

Vector Animation

Excellent work by Vector Bridge. Right panning camerawith with masking vectors beneathe the background. Motion graphics by www.VectorBrigade.com .

Hot Vampire Girls

Well a jacuzzi full of blood...with hot vampire girls, that sounds fun. This vector illustration reminds me of an awful scene from Tarantino's HOSTEL 2. I coudn imagine that blood bath can be attractive. Artist page

Designing Logo In Illustrator

In this tutorial I hope to illustrate some of the process of logo design using Adobe Illustrator. However, I must stress, this is not so much a tutorial on the use of Adobe Illustrator as it is a way to show you one method of the "process" of refining an image to a corporate identity (logo) or stylized illustration.The basic process here could be applied to any application.

It should be noted that the example provided here was done mostly for this tutorial and I have bypassed a few of the earlier stages of logo design and concepting such as thumbnail sketching, etc.

The logo is for a company called stone gecko, so I thought an illustration of a chameleon/gecko type animal would be good. Part of the concept originanlly was to make the gecko"s lines apear blocky or stone like, but the process began to go out of the scope of this tutorial so I opted for a more simplified approach.

This tutorial assumes you have at least a basic working knowledge of Illustrator, for example you should know how to select objects and change their outlines and fills. Being comfortable with the pen tool is also a big plus. Go to tutorial page

Sunday, July 15, 2007

Hed Kandi Street Art

"Poster art" is usually a graphic made on a newspaper thin paper. To stick a poster up so it is less tearable, artists use a paste called "wheat paste" .Its made up of approximately 1 part flour and 3 parts water. Generally posters are found in suburban or urban areas and are pasted on smooth surfaces. Hed Kandi poster on Manchester Street

5 Top Secret Travel Tips For Best Hawaii Vacation

This blog post is proudly sponsored by Hawaii Affordable Vacations

These Hot Tips for your Hawaii travel are insider tips, which we learned from our own experience or our guests who stayed at our Hawaii Vacation Homes.
Hot List of Hawaii Travel Tips
1st Hot Hawaii Travel Tip

Pack a bathing suit, beach towel + sun screen in your carry on! That way if your bags get lost or delayed on the flight to Hawaii, you can at least hang out on the beach.

2nd Hot Hawaii Travel Tip

Book a direct flight to your Hawaii island vacation destination, so you don't have to hang out at Honolulu Airport and go through an extra security check-up again. Sorry there are no direct flights to Molokai.

3rd Hot Hawaii Travel Tip

Have your free Hawaii vacation package for your island destination Maui, Kauai, Oahu, Big Island mailed to you ahead of the time. You will find many coupons + discounts for island activities, restaurants, hotel specials, cruises and luau shows. If you forget, pick some flyers up at the airport upon arrival in Hawaii!

4th Hot Hawaii Travel Tip

If you like a little surf, go to Hawaii in the spring or fall! In winter, the surf can kill you, in summer, it's like a huge bath tub.

5th Hot Hawaii Travel Tip

Unless you are staying at a fancy 5 star Hawaii hotel or resort, pack casual. Casual is in at most Hawaiian restaurants. Hawaiian Aloha Shirts and Hawaiian dresses are perfect for the warm weather. Most Hawaii visitors pack too much anyway. Beach attire is trump.

Have fun in the sun of Hawaii. Aloha, Pua from Best Hawaii Vacations
p.s.
You consider a LAST MINUTE Travel to Hawaii, check for vacancies and specials.

5 Top Secret Travel Tips For Best Hawaii Vacation

This blog post is proudly sponsored by Hawaii Affordable Vacations

These Hot Tips for your Hawaii travel are insider tips, which we learned from our own experience or our guests who stayed at our Hawaii Vacation Homes.
Hot List of Hawaii Travel Tips
1st Hot Hawaii Travel Tip

Pack a bathing suit, beach towel + sun screen in your carry on! That way if your bags get lost or delayed on the flight to Hawaii, you can at least hang out on the beach.

2nd Hot Hawaii Travel Tip

Book a direct flight to your Hawaii island vacation destination, so you don't have to hang out at Honolulu Airport and go through an extra security check-up again. Sorry there are no direct flights to Molokai.

3rd Hot Hawaii Travel Tip

Have your free Hawaii vacation package for your island destination Maui, Kauai, Oahu, Big Island mailed to you ahead of the time. You will find many coupons + discounts for island activities, restaurants, hotel specials, cruises and luau shows. If you forget, pick some flyers up at the airport upon arrival in Hawaii!

4th Hot Hawaii Travel Tip

If you like a little surf, go to Hawaii in the spring or fall! In winter, the surf can kill you, in summer, it's like a huge bath tub.

5th Hot Hawaii Travel Tip

Unless you are staying at a fancy 5 star Hawaii hotel or resort, pack casual. Casual is in at most Hawaiian restaurants. Hawaiian Aloha Shirts and Hawaiian dresses are perfect for the warm weather. Most Hawaii visitors pack too much anyway. Beach attire is trump.

Have fun in the sun of Hawaii. Aloha, Pua from Best Hawaii Vacations
p.s.
You consider a LAST MINUTE Travel to Hawaii, check for vacancies and specials.

Shoot Your Creativity

The most suitable motto for all designers - Shoot Your Creativity supported by the idea of a tank that's shooting markers and the smoke is coloured .Nise and simple. Artist - kontrastt.

Free Rising Sun Vector Brushes

This set contains 28 high resolution brushes for Adobe Photoshop CS, CS2, CS3 and CS4. The size of each shapes is 1280x1024 pixels. If you want to convert them to vector you can easily do so by following the steps in this tutorial.

You can use them for create abstract / minimalistic vector backgrounds. Download

For more Adobe Photoshop brushes of that kind, you can have a look at the Author's DA Profile.



Saturday, July 14, 2007

Vector Foliage Brush Set 2

New 23 high-quality photoshop ps vector brushes (some floral stuff - really cute!). Imagepacks available. Download from Aless1984

Computer Arts issue 138

It’s a special issue this month as we roll out three different newsstand covers from three different design collectives, plus an extra exclusive subscribers-only cover. Pick your favourite or collect the set! Here’s what you’ll find inside:

FEATURES

COVER FEATURE: COLLABORATE!
Discover the new way of working that’s changing the industry
CREATING OUR COVER
How four design collectives tackled our challenging cover brief
PROFILE: SANNA ANNUKKA
The half-Finnish artist whose fresh new style is turning heads
PHOTOSHOP INSIDE OUT
Derek Lea presents 33 professional tips for Photoshop CS3
Q&A: BISHBO
The design duo that named their new studio after their cat!
TEN TIPS
Self-initiated projects will keep you creative and productive
TUTORIALS

Online PDF Portfolio

If you want to get your work seen by as many people as possible, the web is the way to go. Couple that with the flexibility of the Adobe PDF format and you have a winner...
Adobe’s PDF format has beaten off the competition to become the de-facto portable document format. While Microsoft Word might be slightly more ubiquitous, it lacks PDF’s ability to look exactly as the author intended on pretty much any platform you care to mention.
For designers creating a portfolio, this is a hugely important factor in an industry where presentation is just as important as the work on display. Users who have downloaded Adobe Reader software also have the ability to view PDFs inline without having to leave their browser, which means that PDF portfolios no longer have to be emailed but can live on a server somewhere. All you need to do is email the link.
The PDF format has quite a few tricks up its sleeve, such as the ability to incorporate complex interactivity, featuring buttons and links, and the ability to embed audio and video in addition to images. Using the easy-to-use Acrobat Professional application, it’s possible to completely control how users see your document.
Continue

Friday, July 13, 2007

Mac CS3 Brush Performance

This information may be very useful for Adobe CS3 for mac users. If you notice that custom brushes are are as laggy and slow as they used to be in Cs2 and you want to enhance their speed read below.

VM BUFFERING IN PHOTOSHOP CS3 On Macintosh computers, Photoshop can directly access up to about 3.5GB. When there is more than 3.5GB of document data, Photoshop writes data to its scratch files as necessary. On a computer with 4GB or less of RAM, the data is transferred directly between the scratch files on disk and the Photoshop RAM. On a computer with more than 4GB of RAM, Photoshop tells the operating system to use the extra RAM as a buffer for the Photoshop scratch file. In this case, when document data no longer fits in the 3.5GB of Photoshop RAM and is written to the scratch file, the operating system stores it in the extra RAM and can retrieve it from there much faster than it could be read from disk. This lets Photoshop take advantage of more than 4GB of RAM to significantly increase performance with very large documents.
When this scratch file buffering is turned on with Mac OS X v.10.3 or 10.4, the operating system periodically pauses execution of Photoshop for up to several seconds at a time. This can cause problems when painting. Installing the plug-in causes Photoshop to disable the buffering so the pauses do not occur. It also means that Photoshop only takes advantage of the 3.5GB of RAM it can directly access, so performance with very large documents will decrease.
VM BUFFERING OPTIONAL PLUG-INS
You can chose for Photoshop to disable or force VM Buffering via two optional plug-ins. If you use very large documents and have no problems with pauses during painting, you should install the force VM Buffering plug-in. If you do not use very large documents or have problems with pauses during painting, we recommend that you install the Disable VM Buffering plug-in.
To install either of the VM Buffering optional plug-ins:
Make sure the Adobe Photoshop application is not currently running.
Install the plug-in by dragging it into the Plug-Ins folder inside the Adobe Photoshop CS3 folder. The full path is: /Applications/Adobe Photoshop CS3/Plug-Ins.
Launch Photoshop. The VM Buffering plug-in(s) will be loaded
Adobe Photoshop CS3 VM Buffering Optional Extensions plug in