Fancy typography doesn’t require expensive software. Thanks to the OpenType font format, the newest versions of everyday software (and the pro stuff) can tap into a multitude of alternate character designs if you know where to look. In this column, you’ll learn to use a variety of applications to add a special flourish to an important letter in a word—say, the first or last letter of a name—or to change the appearance of any amount of text. It’s a wonderful way to enliven an invitation, greeting card, inspirational graphic, logo, headlines, stationery, resume, and so on...

Chances are good that you’ve witnessed a wide variety of file formats flit across your screen, but do you really understand what they mean? For example, you may understand that a JPEG is for pictures but what’s a PNG and a TIFF? And which format supports an image with a see-through background? In this column, you’ll get answers to those questions and more... click here to read the full story on Macworld.com

Few design projects are as nerve-wracking—and important—as designing your own business card. Just like the clothes you wear, your business card tells the recipient if you’re professional, artistic, or a big ol’ ball of cheese. Aside from the aesthetic message, you’ve also got to pack a ton of info into a tiny-teeny space and keep it readable. To put your best business card forward, try following these essential design tips...click here to read the full story on Macworld.com

Teaser alert! Here's one of the three techniques I'm writing about today for my Beginner's Workshop column in the November issue of Photoshop User magazine. It's a classy yet simple promotional / ad design for photographers, all done in Photoshop. The stock imagery is from Fotolia.com. In fact, you can visit http://www.lesa.in/fotoliaoffer to sign up for a Fotolia account and get 10 free images (new customers only; offer does not expire).