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I’ve got some new Christmas stuff this week! A new background and new countdown:

Snowflakes!

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You can see the countdown here:

I’m famous! Or at least my work is! I was just browsing around on the WorshipHouse Media site tonight and what do I find- the new Christmas Promos! And one of my graphics included in the Christmas promos! That’s right- click here and view the “watching a loop” video. That green snowflake loop is mine! You can see the full version of it here.

The promos are hilarious, watch them all if you have the time. I especially like the one on “Seasonal Stills”- very creative and nice use of simple fx to create a unique video!

Welcome to a new feature here at PixelGirl Media. Behind the Scenes will be a series of fun and helpful tips about creating and using better media for your ministry. The posts will be at least 2 a month, maybe more. If you have suggestions or questions, email me at contact(at)pixelgirlmedia(dot)com.

This week’s tip is about where to gain inspiration. Fall is a season that makes me very aware that the earth is changing. The weather gets much cooler and I tend to spend more time outside. I’ve also taken up the hobby of gardening over the past few months. The changing season and increased time outside has made me very aware of the world around me. The colors of fall- the leaves, different types of flowers have become great inspiration lately. Let me show you an example of what I mean. Recently I created a new background for the winter/Christmas season. I wanted a good blue background with some snow- simple design, yet usually a very effective idea. I began to look for a great texture to put in the background but couldn’t find much in my collection. Later on that day, I was taking a walk outside in my garden, when I noticed the way one color on a pansy petal bleeds into the next color. So I picked a few flowers apart and scanned the petals into my computer. Then after a little photoshop magic I had blue and black pansy petals. Composite them all together in After Effects, add a little snow and voila! Here is the resulting background below and also a shot of the original pansy petals:

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You never know what might spark inspiration. I’ve found it in some wierd places. But God’s creation is one place that I never fail to find it!