Video Tutorials

Basics

Opening, Creating, & the Canvas
Basics of how to open your image, create a new image, and Acorn’s canvas.

Saving an Image
A basic review of how to save an image you have opened and modified.

Layers Basics Part 1
An introduction to the layers list, opacity slider, and blending modes.

Layers Basics Part 2
How to add multiple images to your layers, then rotate and move them around.

Using Acorn with Photos
Learn to edit your images from Photos in Acorn.

Filters Basics
Learn the basics of how to use Acorn's powerful stackable filter interface.

Shape Processor Basics
Discover the ease of Acorn's shape processor for creating vector designs.

Tools

Paint Tool
How to use Acorn's paint tool and a few nifty brush tricks.

Text Tool
New to text? Learn how to get started with this tutorial.

Shape Tools
Get acquainted with the basics of the shape tools.

Selections
An introduction to the various selection tools.

Quick Mask
Discover how to use quick mask mode to remove a background.

Clone Tool
Learn to use Acorn’s clone tool across layers, across images, and to “stamp”.

Bezier Curve Tool Part 1
A quick introduction on how to use the Bézier tool, with a link to a sample image.

Bezier Curve Tool Part 2
Draw a Bezier Curve then modify its anchor points and add more anchor points.

Circle Text Tool
Learn how easy it is to place your text on a circle to create a logo.

Path Text Tool
Create text on a path like the pros to take your designs to the next level.

Image Editing

Remove a Background
Use instant alpha and the eraser tool to remove an image background.

Introduction to Curves
Use curves to adjust the shadows, midtones, and highlights in your image.

Straighten a Crooked Image
How to quickly straighten your crooked photos using the crop tool.

Adjust the Color of the Sky
Use the magic wand and gradient tools to adjust the sky color.

Watermarking
How to use Acorn to watermark your images with text or with another image.

Make a Vector Cog
Learn how to use shape tools and boolean operations to create a cog shape.

Fade Out Techniques
Learn how to use layer masks and gradients to fade out your image.

Making a Specific Selection Size
How to set a selection with specific dimensions.

Background Blur Filter
Use the background blur filter to quickly blur a specific area of your image.

Locking Layer Transparency
Use a layer mask to preserve layer transparency.

Clipping to a Shape Layer
Discover how to use blending modes to clip to a shape layer.

Photo Touchup Tutorials

Beginner

Straighten a Crooked Photo
Straighten up images that turned out a bit crooked.

Black & White
A few different ways of converting a color photo into black & white.

Sepia Tone
How to give your photo a classic look.

Clone Tool
Learn how to efficiently use the clone tool.

Intermediate

Red Eye Removal
Get the demons out.

Changing Colors
How to change eye and hair colors.

Restoring and Coloring Old Photos
Learn how to make an old black and white photo a color photo.

Soft Lighting
How to create soft lighting using filters and gradients.

Color Correction
Too dark? Too blue? Learn how to fix it using levels and filters.

HDR Effect
Give your photos a high dynamic range appearance.

Lighten or Darken
How to lighten and darken specific areas of your image.

Color Correcting Part 2
Fix poor contrast and washed out images with blend modes.

Retouching a Portrait
Learn how to whiten teeth, add lipstick, and brush on some eyeliner.

General Acorn Tutorials

Beginner

Applying Texture
How to apply texture to your image using blending modes.

Cropping a Photo for Printing
How to crop a photo to prepare it for printing.

Filter Examples
Single filters applied to an image of the Space Needle and a plain rectangle.

Fade Out Your Image
Fade out your image using layer masks, gradients, and selections.

Remove a Background
Learn a few different ways to get rid of that pesky background.

Adding Images
How to insert and resize images.

Quick Mask
Introduction to Quick Mask mode (see also the companion video).

Custom Brushes
Create your own shape brush.

Intermediate

Automating Watermarking
Use Automator to add a custom watermark to multiple images.

Drop Shadow Variations
Ways to create a custom drop shadow.

Layer Mask Examples
Different ways to use layer masks.

Making Seamless Tiles
How to make a tile that can be repeated seamlessly.

Shapes in Layer Masks
Do you want to use a shape layer as a mask? Here's how.

Watermarking a Single Image
How to watermark an image.

Photo and Design Tutorials

Beginner

Add a Border
How to give your image a simple border.

Color Highlight Tutorial
Turn an image to black and white then bring back areas of color.

Coloring a Sketch
Color in a sketch just like the kids do!

Making Your Own Texture
Make brushed metal and leather textures.

Intermediate

Animate an Image
Use Acorn and Keynote to animate an image, our most ridiculous tutorial yet!

Bokeh Effect
Create a Bokeh effect that you can use as your desktop picture.

Create a Box
Make a custom gift box that you can print out and fold.

Create a Sphere
Create a sphere using the shape tool, gradients, and filters.

Creating Creases
How to create the appearance of creases in your image.

Create Invitations
How to create your own invitation.

Custom Clouds
Create your very own unique custom clouds.

Depth of Field
Create depth of field to focus on a subject.

Digital Postcard
How to create your own digital postcards.

Frame Your Image
How to create a digital frame.

Give Yourself a Tattoo
How to freak out your parents.

Holiday Card
Make your own greeting card!

Image to Illustration
Turning a photograph into an outline illustration.

Jagged Image Edge
Give your image edges a rough irregular look.

Light Designs
Creating neato light effects.

Lifted Image Edges
How to create the effect of lifted image edges.

Mounting Corners
Add mounting corners to your image.

Panorama
How to combine image to create a panorama.

Photo Booth Layout
Create the layout of a photo booth strip.

Photo Collage
Give multiple photos a border and drop shadow to create a digital collage.

Photo Cutout
Use this technique to create depth in an image.

Photo Inside a Photo
Take a photo and embed another photo inside of it with a nice border.

Photo Manipulation
Making bizarre images in Acorn.

Scrapbooking
How to create digital scrapbook pages.

Vignette Effect
Add interest to your image with this soft effect.

Vintage Photo Effect
How to give your photographs an older look.

Advanced

Aging a Face
Use layer masks to add wrinkles and texture to a face.

City Skyline Outline
Outline a city skyline using the bézier shape tool to use in artwork and designs.

Create a Book
How to create the appearance of a 3 dimensional book.

Lightning and Electricity
Customize and create lightning or electricity.

Make a Puzzle
Give your image the appearance of a puzzle

Making a Custom Web Button
How to make a custom web button using gradients, shapes, and text.

Pop Art Effect
How to create the look of pop art with your image.

Text & Shape Tutorials

Beginner

Drop Shadows
How to apply a drop shadow to text and shapes.

Gradient Text
Learn how to apply a gradient to your text.

Intermediate

Create a Cogwheel
Easily make a cogwheel or gear using the star shape tool and Boolean operations.

Creating Pressed Text
How to create the look of pressed text.

Cutout Type
How to create type that looks cut out from the background.

Filling Text
How to fill text with an image or pattern using 'paste into' and 'fill'.

Giving Text Shadows and Reflection
Give text a shadow and reflection to create depth.

Gold Text
Creating text that looks like gold.

Leaves on Text
Making it appear as if leaves are covering text.

Outer and Inner Glow
How to give your text a glow effect.

Placing a Photo Into Text
How to make it appear as if a photo is inside text using selections and rasterization.

Retro Star
How to use shapes, gradients, and filters to create a shooting star.

Rock Text
Learn how to chisel your text from rock.

Text to Bezier Shape
Modify your text in neat ways by converting it to a Bezier shape.

Vector Clouds
Create vector clouds easily by using shape operations.

Vector Flowers
Learn how to use the star shape tool to make easy and beautiful flowers.

Weathered Text
Create the appearance of weathered or scratched text.

Wood Text
Making text that appears to be cut from wood.

Advanced

Batman Logo
Create the batman logo from scratch using shape operations.

Cartoon Character
Learn how to use vector shapes to make a fun cartoon character.

Comic Text
Create the look of action text seen in comics.

Vector Pig
How to make a cute pig and landscape using vector shapes and gradients.