It’s that time of year, dekeIntines, For some reason, our culture is convinced that sometime in mid-February, when the holiday madness is just behind us and spring fever is on the horizon, that it’s suddenly and somewhat randomly the best time to think about love. So to get you in the mood for this arguably arbitrarily designated Day of Adoration, I’ve gathered together a collection of dekeAdvice gems, all of which are centered thematically around romantic love. Or love in general. Or arguably unnatural love for a software application. No matter. Go with me here. I’m working a theme. To get you in the mood, here is the most tasteful Valentine image in this post:

Want to know how to draw that perfect heart in Illustrator and other sundry Photoshop-based acts of love? Read on:

Drawing a classic heart shape in Illustrator

Let’s start with the obvious, should you find yourself in need of drawing a classic heart—either in service of a meticulously graphically designed valentine or something sarcastically festooned with gratuitous hearts—Deke’s Techniques 42: Creating a Classic Heart in Illustrator has you covered. What you do to the shape afterwards depends on your sense of romance.

Glossing up your heart in Photohsop

If the heart you created with the above technique is too tasteful, and your particular brand of love requires something much more over the top, then Deke’s exclusive technique, “Glossing Up a Heart in Photoshop,” is exactly what you need. In this movie, which will only play for logged-in members of lynda.com, Deke takes the simple heart, brings it into Photoshop, and proceeds to fxthe crap out of it. Don’t want to even bother with Illustrator? You can always make the requisite path with the custom shape tool in Photoshop. Don’t have a lynda.com subscription? You can treat yourself to a Valentine’s Day free-week-of-training by going to lynda.com/deke. By the time you’re done, you won’t help but agree with the sentiment (if not the subtlety).

Enjoying all the Martini Hours at once (with love)

Last year for Valentine’s Day, I keyboarded my fingers to the bone in order to bring you this list of every single martini Hour podcast and all the over-the-top graphics Deke and I made in service of our love . . . of Photoshop and captivating guests. Only have time for one? Try the last one: Martini Hour 101, “In Which Deke and Colleen Have One More for the Road”, during which Deke and I reflect on what we loved and learned about our two years of podcasting. It’s mostly two friends having a love fest over something they’re going to miss.

Listening to Deke’s Valentine to a Photoshop Automation Feature

Many of you may remember Deke’s in-your-face music video, 101 Photoshop Tips in Five Minutes. But his follow up hit, “The Droplet Song (a Love Song to a Lost Feature in Photoshop)”—starring the singer-songwriter soft side of Deke—is perfect for setting a romantic mood, even if you’re spending the evening with Photoshop. During the movie, you’ll see Deke express his love for droplets, a guitar he doesn’t know how to play, and some seagulls, all whilst wearing a fetching red poncho.

Observe the Mating Habits of the Pen Tool

In one of the classic episodes of the infamous dekePod, Deke explains that the Pen tool (whether in Photoshop, Illustrator, or InDesign) can be best understood once you realize that anchor points are boys and the control handles are girls. I know it sounds absurd, but it really can help you wrap your mind and heart around this vexing drawing tool. And really, it’s all about the love.

So however you choose to observe (or not observe) Valentine’s Day next week, these love-themed bits of dekeAdvice are sure to enhance your relationship with the graphic tool of your choice.