Sunday, 13 April 2025

Understanding Sparklines in Excel and How to Use them

Sparklines in Excel are miniature charts that fit into a single cell, giving you a quick visual 

representation of data trends — like a tiny line graph or bar inside a cell.

They are great for spotting trends at a glance, such as sales growth, fluctuations in performance, or 

seasonality patterns.

๐Ÿ”น Types of Sparklines in Excel:

  1. Line Sparkline – Shows data trends over time (like a mini line graph)

  2. Column Sparkline – Displays each value as a vertical bar

  3. Win/Loss Sparkline – Similar to column, but focuses on positive vs. negative values

✅ How to Insert Sparklines in Excel:

Example:

Let’s say you have sales data from Jan to Dec in columns B to M, and you want a sparkline in column N.

Steps:

  1. Select the cell where you want the sparkline (e.g., N2).

  2. Go to the Insert tab on the Ribbon.

  3. In the Sparklines group, choose:

    • Line

    • Column

    • or Win/Loss

  4. A dialog box appears:

    • Data Range: Select your source data (e.g., B2:M2)

    • Location Range: Should already show the cell you selected (e.g., N2)

  5. Click OK – the sparkline appears!

๐ŸŽจ Customizing Sparklines:

  • Go to the Sparkline Tools → Design tab (when the sparkline is selected)

  • Options include:

    • Change Color

    • Show Markers (for line sparklines)

    • Highlight Highest/Lowest Points

    • Axis Settings (to standardize across multiple sparklines)

๐Ÿ” When to Use Sparklines:

    • Simultaneous comparison of a large number of items
    • Performance tracking per employee, product, or region
    • Trend comparison across rows
    • Condensed dashboards and reports

Would you like a sample Excel file or visual walkthrough to try them out? Then reach out to Palium Skills

They have multiple courses on Excel starting from Beginners level to Advanced levels.

 

Sunday, 6 April 2025

How to Learn Photoshop Without Spending any Money

 

Learning Photoshop for free is totally doable, thanks to tons of online resources. Here’s a step-by-step roadmap to help you get started:


๐Ÿงญ 1. Get Access to Photoshop (Legally)

  • Free Trial: Adobe offers a 7-day free trial of Photoshop.
    ๐Ÿ‘‰ Try it here

  • Adobe Express or Photoshop Web (Limited): Some tools are free online for basic edits.


๐Ÿ“š 2. Learn the Basics First

Focus on tools, layers, selections, and adjustments.

✅ Top Free Beginner Courses:


๐Ÿ–ฑ️ 3. Practice with Free Projects & Templates

  • Use sample images or templates from sites like:

    • Pexels (Free stock photos)

    • Freepik (Photoshop templates & PSDs)


๐Ÿง  4. Level Up With Intermediate Skills


๐ŸŽจ 5. Do Real Projects

Start with:

  • Social media posts

  • Photo manipulation

  • Posters / flyers

  • YouTube thumbnails

  • Logo mockups


๐Ÿ“ฆ Bonus: Free Resource Pack


Want a curated learning plan based on your goal (e.g., photo editing, graphic design, digital painting)?

Want help choosing which ones are best for your goals (freelancing, branding, UI, etc.) then reach out to Palium Skills who have an excellent team of professionals who can mentor and guide you on the best tools to use and build a successful career in Graphic Designing. Visit https://paliumskills.com for more details about the best Graphic Designing Course near you.

 

Top 10 FREE Alternatives to Adobe's Photoshop


Adobe's Photoshop is the most popular photo editing software. However, it is licensed and a hefty fee is payable for the license.

The good news is that there are great alternatives to Photoshop - which may not be same as Photoshop but offer very close features!

Here are 10 free alternatives to Adobe Photoshop that offer a range of features for photo editing, graphic design, and digital art:


๐Ÿ–Œ️ 1. GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program)

  • Platform: Windows, macOS, Linux

  • Best For: Advanced photo editing, layers, filters, plugins

  • Pros: Open-source, highly customizable

  • Website: https://www.gimp.org


๐ŸŽจ 2. Krita

  • Platform: Windows, macOS, Linux

  • Best For: Digital painting, illustration

  • Pros: Brush engines, animation tools, clean UI

  • Website: https://krita.org


๐Ÿ“ธ 3. Photopea

  • Platform: Web-based

  • Best For: Photoshop-like editing in browser

  • Pros: PSD support, no install needed

  • Website: https://www.photopea.com


๐Ÿงฉ 4. Pixlr X / Pixlr E

  • Platform: Web-based

  • Best For: Quick edits and advanced tools (E version)

  • Pros: Easy UI, layers, AI tools

  • Website: https://pixlr.com


๐Ÿงผ 5. Paint.NET

  • Platform: Windows

  • Best For: Lightweight photo editing

  • Pros: Simple, plugins available

  • Website: https://www.getpaint.net


๐Ÿง‘‍๐ŸŽจ 6. MediBang Paint

  • Platform: Windows, macOS, Android, iOS

  • Best For: Manga, comics, digital art

  • Pros: Cloud saving, brushes, templates

  • Website: https://medibangpaint.com


๐Ÿ–ผ️ 7. Fotor

  • Platform: Web, Windows, macOS, mobile

  • Best For: Quick edits, one-click enhancements

  • Pros: Filters, collage tools

  • Website: https://www.fotor.com


๐Ÿ“ 8. Canva

  • Platform: Web, mobile

  • Best For: Graphic design, social media content

  • Pros: Templates, drag-and-drop

  • Website: https://www.canva.com


๐ŸŽ›️ 9. Darktable

  • Platform: Windows, macOS, Linux

  • Best For: RAW photo editing (like Lightroom)

  • Pros: Non-destructive workflow, batch processing

  • Website: https://www.darktable.org


๐ŸŒˆ 10. Inkscape

  • Platform: Windows, macOS, Linux

  • Best For: Vector graphics (like Adobe Illustrator)

  • Pros: SVG editing, pen tools, open-source

  • Website: https://inkscape.org


Want help choosing which ones are best for your goals (freelancing, branding, UI, etc.) then reach out to Palium Skills who have an excellent team of professionals who can mentor and guide you on the best tools to use and build a successful career in Graphic Designing. Visit https://paliumskills.com for more details about the best Graphic Designing Course near you.