Xencelabs Tips & Tricks No. 17 – Intro to Tip & Tricks Videos, Changing Brush Size, Rotating Canvas, and Barrel Rotation.

I hope this finds everyone well and enjoying the changing seasons. It's such a beautiful time of year, and the Christmas holiday is quickly approaching.

I'm excited to share a project that I have been developing over the past year. I've been building my video creation skills and getting more comfortable in front of the camera—a new challenge for me! As a photographer, being behind the lens always felt more comfortable. This is my way of stepping out of my comfort zone to bring something fresh to you: a video version of my Tips & Tricks series.

While I don't consider myself a video content creator by any stretch, I’ve heard your requests for training and content videos, and I wanted to create something useful to fill that void.

Please feel free to share your thoughts. I'd love to hear what you think! My goal is to release one short, focused Tips & Tricks video each week. It will be posted on YouTube and the Xencelabs website. Please scribe so you will be notified when new ones are released.

Please let me know what you think. Comments are welcome!

Introducing Tips & Tricks Video Series

FROM THE DESK OF

Mike McBride

Director of Customer Care / Global Training

Topic 1:

Brush Size

How many times have you asked yourself: "I wish I had a quicker way to change my brush size or brush hardness in Adobe Ps?”

Topic 2:

Quick Canvas Reset

After rotating my canvas, I always struggle to get it back to zero degrees. I was talking with a colleague, Bill Lindsay, who told me about an undocumented keystroke he discovered that would instantly bring your canvas back to zero degrees. It is so simple and easy!

Press the ESC key, and your canvas is set back to zero instantly.

Topic 3:

Barrel Rotation

Some of you have asked for barrel rotation support. Xencelabs pens do not currently support barrel rotation. That said, I did come across a solution in Adobe PS that allows you to rotate your brush. Please keep in mind that you will need to use a non-round brush to see the effect. It is easy to set up on your Quick Keys Dial.

See Video

MIKE'S MUSES:

I recently revisited Keep Going by Austin Kleon, and one of the most powerful lessons I took away is this: just create. It doesn't matter what you create, where you do it, or how it happens. What matters is simply the act of creating. The more you create, the more it fuels your creativity.

If you haven't read Keep Going, I can't recommend it enough. It's an inspiring and practical guide to staying motivated and consistently tapping into your creativity. This book has been a game-changer for me, and I'm sure it can be for you too.