advanced photoshop. the premium collection vol. 8.bak

7/13/2019 Advanced Photoshop. the Premium Collection Vol. 8.Bak

1/196uild advanced composites Create surreal effectsBuild fantasy landscapesConstruct stunning graphicsDiscover digital painting Enhance portr

Master the art of AdobePhotosho

PREMIUM COLLECTIONVo

NEW FOR CC

ver 500rofessionalhotoshop tips


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Welcome to

Its an exciting time to be a digital artist, and a detailed knowledge of Adobe

Photoshop is now a valuable asset. With that in mind, this book compiles the best

content from the last 12 months of Advanced Photoshop magazine, consisting of

immersive features and top tutorials to help you develop expert Photoshop skills.

With sections covering photomanipulation, digital painting, photo editing, typography

and graphics, all the essential techniques are accounted for. Follow the guidance of

experts and creative industry professionals, who have drawn on a wealth of

knowledge to bring you in-depth example projects incorporating a wide range of

tricks, secrets and shortcuts. In addition, this book comes supplied with a free disc

containing asset files to use alongside many of the tutorials, plus free fonts worth

$60, brushes, wallpapers, textures and more. We hope you enjoy the book.


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bookazine series

Part of the

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Photoshop is either a registered trademark or trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporatedin the United States and/or other countries and is used with express permission.

Advanced Photoshop Premium Collection 8 2014 Imagine Publishing Ltd

ISBN 978 1909 758 612


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Contents

PHOTOMANIPULATION

DIGITAL PAINTING

22 Creative retouching32 Create dynamic lighting

38 Master layer masks

44Advanced compositing

50 Apply liquid paint effects

54Expert blending

62 Expert matte painting

70 Paint a fantasysnowscape

76 Create a cyborg

82 Produce fantasy lighting

88Character designand illustration

94 Paint a steampunk-inspired portrait

44PAGE

6 Advanced Photoshop Premium Collection

Great art is most oftenreached through apatient use of yourbasic tools

8PAGE

76PAGE


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TYPOGRAPHY

GRAPHICS

PHOTO EDITING

100 Photo-editing techniques

108 Retouching in Photoshop CC

114 Stylise architectural images

120Expert automotiveretouching

126Cra atmosphericlandscapes

134 20 type secrets

142 Design illustrative type

146 Design 3D Type

152Create stylishvintage type

156 3D type projects

164 15 ways to masterinfographics

172 Master portraitillustration

178 Blend graphics and type

182Master polygons

188Metro-style websites

156PAGE

108PAGE

Advanced Photoshop Premium Collection

Both illustrative andcollage type are agrowing trend indigital art

146PAGE

182PAGE


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There are various ways to use Photoshop

successfully, and it is likely that many of

you will already have a set routine for

creating great effects quickly and

efficiently. But a little help cant hurt, right? In this

mammoth tips feature, youll find everything you

need to know to use Photoshop to its full potential

across a plethora of themes and subjects. Weve

got 75 tips from some of the creative arenas

biggest and best digital artists, covering tools,

graphics, photography, painting, new media and

Photoshop CC, all ready for you to put into practice.

Weve also provided you with some of the most

essential shortcuts to help you speed up your

workflow even further.

Over the next few pages youll find great advice

on creating inspiring effects, mastering specific

tool techniques and improving your productivity.

Weve gone into detail with an array of relevant

topics, including commercial lighting effects, ways

to tackle 3D with Photoshop, professional

retouching tricks and more. We pore over

Photoshop tools old and new, from the latest CC

options to wielding the always-reliable Pen tool.

You can put these tips into action in the tutorials

throughout this book.

Photoshop CC is explored in particular on page

11, providing you with creative tidbits you may not

even know about. So read on, grab a tip and get

creating now!

75 PROFESSIONAL PHOTOSHOP TIPS



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PROFESSIONAL PHOTOSHOP TIPSIndustry experts let you in on their essential tips for illustrating, designing, retouching and more

When working with 3D, its best to

render multiple passes and composite them in

Photoshop. This offers you more flexibility when

colour correcting the final image. Once you have

rendered your passes, theres an easy way to bring

them all into Photoshop quickly by selecting

File>Scripts>Load>Files to Stack. Browse to the

folder containing the passes and select the ones

you want to work with. Everything will be brought

into one document as layers. From here on in you

can tint the shadow pass blue or reduce the

ambient occlusion pass by 50 per cent without

having to re-render.

J. R. SCHMIDTwww.cargocollective.com/jrschmidt

USE SCRIPTS

Photoshop CC now includes a very quick and easy

method for correcting vertical and horizontal

distortions in photographs. Its well hidden within

the Camera Raw dialog box, which can now be

applied through the Filter menu. Switch to the Lens

Correction area and open the Manual tab. There is

now a series of icons under the heading of Upright

that makes quick work of distorted perspectives.

Its perfect for those challenging city shots where

the building appears to be curving in towards the

vanishing point.

AUTO UPRIGHT

Before

Aer

Start by adding a Black & White

adjustment layer as a clipping mask to your image,

then set the layers blending mode to Multiply. You

will then need to invert the attached mask and

apply a 25px soft brush to this, which will create

deeper shadows. Add another new clipped Black &

White adjustment layer, set the blending mode to

Screen and add the same brush in the same way,

this time adding light.

ADAM SPIZAKwww.spizak.com

EDIT LIGHT002 003

001 Jeffrey R. Schmidt

Adam Spizak

Kirk Nelson

Kirk Nelson


Advanced Photoshop Premium Collection


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TOP TEN PHOTOSHOP TOOLSDiscover little-known ways to apply the most essential tools

This is used a lot by

retouchers looking to

remove elements like

tattoos. Many of you will

work solely in Source mode.

However, when working

with skin, use this mode to

clean and Destination mode

to rebuild skin areas.

The Clone Stamp is great for

editing images, but the Spot

Healing brush is more

intuitive, especially when

editing out very fine elements.

Set its mode to Darken, paint

over stray hairs with a

similar-sized brush and

theyll disappear.

04. PATCH TOOL 08. HEALING BRUSH

Dodge and Burn are used by

creative retouchers and

photographers to stylise

photo-based images. When

working with them, always

have Protect Tones active.

Its good at preventing

problems with haloing and

washed out colours.

This adjustment can be used

to nicely equalise shadows

and highlights in your

photos. Simply add a Black

& White adjustment to the

top of your layer stack and

apply a Luminosity blending

mode. Now tweak sliders to

get the best effects.

05. DODGE & BURN 07. B&W ADJUSTAccurate selections are the

name of the game with this

tool. Set this to Paths and

always activate the Rubber

Band setting for the most

accurate application. To

instantly change a path to a

selection, hit Cmd/

Ctrl+Enter.

With this tool, always make

sure that Smart Radius is

active; this will evaluate the

radius for hard or soft edges

separately. This generally

provides a better selection

than when its turned off,

which treats the entire

border uniformly.

06. PEN TOOL

11. REFINE EDGE

Layer styles can create

exciting effects and change

the appearance of layers, but

sometimes when sharing

across Smart Objects the

settings update to all

duplicate layers. Resolve this

by selecting Layer>Layer

Style>Create Layers.

To make accurate

selections, duplicate a

channel, then apply a Curves

or Levels adjustment to

increase the contrast. Use

the Dodge and Burn

brushes to paint in areas,

then hold down Cmd/Ctrl

while clicking the copy.

10. LAYER STYLES 13. CHANNELS

Dont ignore these. The right

one can really enhance the

outcome of painted effects,

especially with lighting.

Screen and Color Dodge will

ensure that specular

highlights shine. Multiply

and Color Burn really

saturate shadow areas.

12. BLEND MODES

004 005

010

006

011

007

012

008

013



009

Many Photoshop artists will

use a layer mask to paint

out detail. However, you can

invert it (Cmd/Ctrl+I) or add

an inverted mask (Alt/

Opt-click>Add Layer Mask)

to paint elements in. You can

even affect your masks

using filters.

09. LAYER MASKS


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TOP TIPS IN PHOTOSHOP CCDiscover new ways to add the latest tools and options, with advice from Kirk Nelson

Photoshops Brush engine has seen

many improvements over the last several version

releases. From the Mixer Brush tool to the Natural

Media Bristle tips, the painting capabilities in

Photoshop continue to expand. However, one

feature frequently overlooked is brush rotation. This

is a huge help to digital painters who regularly use

custom brushes in Photoshop.

Previously, to adjust the rotation of a brush tip

you would have to have the Brush panel open then

focus on the Brush Tip Shape section. This was

cumbersome because the Brush panel is fairlylarge and consumed a good deal of screen real

estate. Now in Photoshop CC, the same brush

rotation widget is available through the context-

sensitive Brush menu, activated by Ctrl/right-

clicking on it. Adjust the rotation then hit Enter/

Return, or just click back on the canvas to hide the

menu away again. This will really speed things up.

The beloved Liquify filter has seen some dramatic

improvements. In CS6, Liquify became much faster

and responsive due to the increased performance

of the Mercury Graphics Engine. In the Creative

Cloud version of CS6, Liquify was even supported

by Smart Objects. Now in Photoshop CC theres

another reason to love Liquify: it has a new Smooth

tool. This tool is related to the Reconstruct tool, but

instead of scaling back or removing a warp it

actually smoothes the effect.

This tip is really trivial, but is one of those tiny

details that just makes life a little bit easier for

anybody attempting to illustrate in Photoshop. The

spacebar has long been a favoured hot key

associated with moving control elements. It lets you

scroll along a project and reposition a selection,even while you are drawing it out. Now in

Photoshop CC, the spacebar allows you to move a

path control point before youve even finished the

path. While using the Pen tool to draw out a path,

hold it down to reposition the last point.

Ever since Adobe took a brave step into 3D with

Photoshop CS3 Extended, every subsequent

version has pushed its capabilities a little bit further.

One of the most recent capabilities was the ability to

LIQUIFY SMOOTH TOOL

PEN AND SPACEBAR

IMAGE BASED LIGHTING

light a scene by using a high dynamic range image.This was used to control light sources and

variations in ways that would be nearly impossible

to accomplish when setting up lighting rigs in the

3D space.

This is known as Image Based Lighting (IBL).

Renders using IBL are more realistic and

convincing because lighting and shadows better

mimic a real-world environment. In Photoshop CC,

IBLs are the default setup for 3D environments.

This alone improves the quality of 3D renders many

times over previous default lighting setups. Use it

as the starting point for any 3D scene, then add

lights to further develop the appearance you want.

Adobe even offers additional IBL images to freelydownload and use on its website, available at www.

photoshop.com/products/photoshop/3d#.

KIRK NELSONhttp://thepixelpro.com/

BRUSH ROTATION

Automatic enlarge

Let the new Image Resize command

do the hard work for you. Always make sure

its set to resize fast by hitting Opt/Alt+1.

018

Affect multiple shapes

Photoshop CS6 supplied us with

completely new Stroke and Fill shape options.

Now you can add these to a number of layers

at once by activating layers simultaneously.

019

Path Isolation mode

Double-click on any path with the Path

Selection tool to isolate that path for easy

editing. Turn off the isolation mode with the

switch at the top-right of the Layers panel.

020

3D object management

In the 3D workspace, Ctrl/right-click

on a mesh in the 3D panel to add, delete,

group or duplicate objects within the 3D scene.

Its now even easier with the upgrades to CC.

021

Instance 3D objects

Create instances of 3D objects that

can be moved independently, but will reflect

edits made to the source. Links to the original

can be broken by freezing the instance.

022

PHOTOSHOP CCSHORTCUTS

014

015

016

017

Kirk Nelson

Kirk Nelson


Advanced Photoshop Premium Collection 1


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DIGITAL GRAPHICS TECHNIQUESQuick and exciting ways to perform image effects and create stunning illustrations

I always find it best to colour my

images digitally using a drawing tablet and a hard

brush. Applying strokes with this brush creates a

solid contour. After this initial pass you can start to

alternate your tool size and style. Try to combine

solid colour with detailed areas to create a more

visually appealing piece of art.

Once you are satisfied with the results, you can

play around with various texture brushes and paint

effects. Splatters, rust, watercolour or ink will

suffice they blend to create bold colours enhanced

through texture. Practically anything goes at this

stage, as long as its barely visible and just enough

for the image to become more intense. Play aroundwith different blending modes and layer opacity too.

A lot can be achieved when

you are shading graphics using

the Gradient tool (G). Make a whole

selection of the graphic then use a

Linear or Radial gradient set to

Foreground to transparent. Try out

different opacities and blending modes.

Here, a red to transparent gradient was

used to accentuate the mystery behind

the character.

GRADIENT IMPACTGRZEGORZDOMARADZKIhttp://iamgabz.com/

KRZYSZTOF DOMARADZKIwww.studiokxx.com

DIGITAL COLOUR

DKNG STUDIOSwww.dkngstudios.com

POSTER ART

Photoshop contains an essential final

step for converting smooth vector graphics into

clean halftones, while avoiding moir patterns. This

is great when creating final print separations for

screen printed posters. The trick is to make sure

that each halftone separation is at the correct

halftone screen angle.

In order to give you the best chance of avoiding

moirs in the printing process, make sure each

separations screen angle is 30 degrees apart from

the previous screen, beginning with an angle of 22.5

degrees for the first screen.

For example, a four-colour poster would have

screen angles of 22.5 degrees, 52.5 degrees, 82.5

degrees and 112.5 degrees respectively. Thepattern that these complementary 30-degree

angles create is called a rosette and is considered

the pattern most pleasing to the eye.

025

PRO TIP

Theres one easy way to distress an

image and make it more interesting while keeping

control of the elements. Start by making a flattened

copy of the whole image by clicking Cmd/

Ctrl+Shift+Opt/Alt+E. Activate your Lasso tool (L)

and draw out a selection of your liking. Now copy

this selection to a new layer (Cmd/Ctrl+J).

Experiment by moving the layer around until it

fits your composition. Repeat this process where

necessary, using smaller selections to break the

image up in a more subtle way. You can refine this

technique by changing the layer blending mode or

by using a layer mask to keep what works best.

RAPHAL VICENZIwww.mydeadpony.com

USE SELECTIONS

PRO TIP

GORDON REIDwww.middleboop.com

INNER SHADOW

A good tip for using Inner

Shadow is to add a small distance, around 15%

choke and 45px size, which will give you a

fantastic shadowed effect. To add a worn effect

to your piece as a finishing touch, use

Filter>Noise>Add Noise and set it to Gaussian,check Monochromatic and keep the amount

between 20% and 40%.

023

024

026

027

Whooc Publishing Ltd

Grzegorz Domaradzki

DKNG Studios




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DIGITAL GRAPHICS SHORTCUTSGroup layers

This way is a lot

quicker than using the

Layers panel fly-out menu.

Simply select the layers you

want to bring together then

hit Cmd/Ctrl+G, for instant

layer grouping.

033Paragraph Text

Use Paragraph Text

to fit type to a design space

without distortion. Ctrl/

right-click your text layer

then select Convert to

Paragraph Text. Continue

typing before resizing points.

034Editable boundary

Create a shape path

then add your Type tool in

this, mapping text to the

shape boundary. Now you

can use the Anchor Point

tools to edit the path and

how text interacts with this.

035Select all layers

This is especially

useful when looking to

merge all to create a group

from all existing layers.

Simply hit Cmd/Ctrl+Opt/

Alt+A. All layers will become

active simultaneously.

036Reselect layer

This Adobe

Photoshop shortcut saves

any designer from

performing accidental clicks

away from a section. Just

press Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+D to

reselect your layer.

037

MIKE HARRISONwww.destill.net

Add depthBuild up depth in your

background by using a mix of

textures. Start with a base image

and use adjustment layers to

darken or lighten, then add

Watercolour texture on a new

layer set to Multiply mode.

A sense of movement

Using a custom brush,

target an area or element to

accentuate. Add the brush to that

area on a new layer then add a

mask to the layer and mask out

parts, leaving only a trail of paint

that gives a sense of movement.

Varied detail

Use Particle brushes, or

make your own on a new layer.

Duplicate this multiple times, then

resize, rotate, reposition and

re-colour each one. This will help

to avoid repetition of detail.

Creative masking

Add in a Watercolour

texture then add a layer mask to

it. Use a few Watercolour brushes

to mask out parts of that texture,

creating an entirely new one that

works better in your composition.

Organise adjustments

Create a folder above all

other layers. Now add adjustment

layers to this, such as Levels and

Gradient Map. Play around with

them to try out different colour

options that can dramatically

change the mood of your image.

028

029

030

031

032

028

029

030

031

032

Nike




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GREAT WAYS TO PAINT DIGITALLYMaster Photoshop brushes, blend modes and more to paint light, colour and form

Designing appealing characters can

be a challenge, especially when there are many

aspects to be aware of. A crucial thing is to avoid

too much repetition. You will only limit your actual

capabilities if you draw the same type of characters

over and over again. Try to think outside of the box

and challenge yourself with new techniques to

come up with your initial character sketches.

Its very useful to explore new characters by

putting yourself in the characters position. In that

way you can ask yourself questions that eventually

can reveal more of the characters personality and

look. Let these thoughts guide you to an expression

that reveals a certain emotion and attitude, or aninteresting pose that holds a story to make it more

believable. All of which should appeal to you.

Although matte painting works with

photos, many of the special effects you see are

actually painted by hand, much like in this example.

Fire at night stock was gathered from the internet

and placed into the scene, in the right positions with

the proper scale. These layers blending modes

were then set to Screen in order to hide all the black

parts in the photograph. However, this still wasnt

enough and painting techniques were needed.

A new solid layer filled with black was created a set

to a Color Dodge blending mode. A soft yellow

brush with airbrush options enabled was then

painted to the layer above the fire stock at a low

Add in radiating streaks moving outward from the

pupil, using several colours for a realistic effect.

Including random dots of colour will also add some

variety and uniqueness. For the lashes, use a small

brush and paint each one beginning at the eyelid

then curve your stroke slightly. Finish by applying

small, light-coloured specks, with the brush mode

set to Vivid Light, creating eye reflection. Also addthis brush around the tissue and bottom eyelid.

TOMMY KINNERUPwww.tommykinnerup.com

FRANCESCO CORVINOwww.francescocorvino.com

SARA BIDDLEwww.salizabeth.net

CHARACTERS

PAINTED GLOWS

REALISTIC EYES

PRO TIP

I sketch the line drawing on a canvas

smaller than A5. This way you can

experiment with different designs, and you dont

have to worry about getting stuck with detailing

too early. Its also helpful because the file wont

get too heavy. Also, try to have as few layers as

possible when you draw. Keep things rough and

loose when you start. Go nuts.

040

brush opacity. This created a realistic yellow glow.

Smoke effects were also painted in, using smoke

texture brushes also at a low opacity. If you need to

add believable fire or smoke to your scene, this

technique is useful as well as quick.

In order to create a traditional effect with digital

software, you need to use textured brushes. These

let you create an expressionist style in your base

image using several brushes strokes. Another way

to create this effect is to paint onto a new layer and

then emulate brush strokes by erasing with a

textured eraser. This will show and combine the

layer below.

Creating custom Photoshop brushes can be a great

way to add extra interest and yield unexpected

results. Paint with these brushes while adjusting

brush settings, such as transparency, spacing and

angle jitter. If you experiment with blending modes

you can quickly achieve impressive depth and

colour in your images.

MARTA NAELwww.martanael.daportfolio.com

JEFF LANGEVINwww.jefflangevin.com

TRADITIONAL EFFECTS

PLAY WITH SETTINGS

START SMALLANDREA FEMERSTRANDhttp://noukah.com

038

039

041

042

043

Tommy Kinnerup

Francesco Corvino

Andrea Femerstrand

Sara Biddle




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FLIP HORIZONTALLYFlipping your canvas makes you

look at the painting with fresh eyes, and you

can see any proportions or compositions that

may be a bit off.Create an action that flips it

when pressing a specific key, perhaps F2.

047

SAMPLE COLOURQuickly sample a colour with one

of the Pencil, Paintbrush, Colour Replacement,

Gradient or Paint Bucket tools activated by

holding down Opt/Alt, switching to the

eyedropper tool.

052HUD COLOR PICKERActivate the HUD Color Picker by

holding down Cmd/Ctrl+Opt/Alt when the Color

Picker is selected. Swap between wheel and

strip views by going to Photoshop>

Preferences>General menu.

051SWAP BRUSHESDial through the brush styles in

your brush panel more easily using these

shortcuts. Hit < on the keyboard to jump to the

next brush in the list or hit > to go to the

previous brush on the list.

050

044

045

046

PAINT ATMOSPHERECustom brushes are a handy alternative to

the standard Photoshop airbrush, depending on the

kind of atmosphere youre looking for. Using

smoke textures in your brushes is a great way to

quickly add movement and volume to image

atmospherics without too much hassle.

ESSENTIAL BACKLIGHTINGIf youre hoping to create a darkened,

moody scene, backlighting is the key to achieving

this atmosphere. For authentic effects, electively

add illuminated haze behind the objects in your

scene to accentuate silhouettes and call attention to

focal points.

USE THE LASSO TOOLUse Photoshops Lasso tool to isolate

objects you wish to backlight. Not only does this

allow you to paint illuminated haze only where you

want it, but it also keeps your backlit edges as crisp

as possible. This is especially effective in higher

image resolutions.

044 045 046

MICHAEL PEDROhttp://mpedro.com/Painting atmosphere

ALTER HARDNESSChanging the brush settings with

sliders makes your workflow slower. Hold

down Shift and hit the bracket keys to decrease

or increase the brush hardness in 25%

increments instead.

049RESIZE BRUSHTheres no need to fire up the brush

panel and use the Size slider to select a style.

Instead, just hit Cmd/Ctrl+Alt/Opt and drag left

and right to change the size, and up and down

to adjust the softness.

048

DIGITAL PAINT SHORTCUTS

Michael Pedro




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GREAT PHOTO EFFECTSMaster effects using adjustments, layering techniques and masks

There is a wide variety of techniques

available to you when trying to create realistic

robotic looks. One way is to draw and paint using

brushes until you reach a point where you obtain

the same realism as a photograph. However, you

can work smarter and do 50 percent less work but

Creating a successful hyper-real look

in your image hangs on how you choose to apply

Dodge and Burn techniques. Start by creating a

blank layer above the image and change the

blending mode to Soft Light. Its this blank layer that

youll be painting to, using black and white brushes

set to 20% Opacity. White makes things brighter

and shinier, with black making things darker and

the colour richer.

OLIVER WETTERhttp://fantasio.info/

JOSH ROSSIhttp://joshrossi.com/

WORK WITH BLUR

HYPERREALISM To create your hyper-real look, start by applying

your black brush. Follow the contours of an object,

making them darker and bolder. Now with your

white brush, add some shine to the light areas by

decreasing the brush size with each stroke. Apply

three or four strokes. The shine will start to appear.

still achieve credible results just by using the right

filter. For example, when adding synthetic tubes,

apply the Field Blur filter that can be found in

Photoshop from version CS6 onwards under

Filter>Blur. The example supplied here shows

where the blur is being applied. Similar to a rotary

knob, you can perfectly assign the amount of blur

desired on a specific part of the canvas. The goal is

to make the whole image look artificial with a

strong blur and solve the problem of an unfinished

look in the painted tubes all at once.

053

054

Josh Rossi Photography

You can do 50 percent

less work but still achievecredible results by

using the right filter




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With the majority of my photo collage

illustrations, I like to be able to separate the light

and dark tones of a photograph into separate

layers. This offers the versatility to use these areas

in a number of creative ways. Desaturate the image

to black and white and using Levels to boost the

contrast, getting the most dramatic light and shade.

Use Color Range to select the black or white areas

and lift them onto a new layer to use as you wish.

Fill with a vivid pop-art colour, paste texture in orreselect areas from the original photo.

ANDY POTTSwww.andy-potts.com

SEPARATE TONE

Shadows

A good way to add shadows is to take

a small to medium sized brush with Hardness set

at 80% and Opacity at 50%. By Opt/Alt-clicking

you can find the desired colour for your shadow

right in the dark areas of your image.

057

Gradient haze

A mystical aura can be added using the

Gradient tool. Use a Foreground to Transparent

style, applied from the bottom to the top of the

image. Fog and haze have a higher density at

ground level, getting clearer as they near the sky.

058

Frontal light

An easy but effective method of adding

details is to go with silhouettes. Pick a dark colour

befitting your haze and paint outlines with a small

hard brush. Fill with the same colour afterwards

and go for minor detailing.

059

Soft edgesIts important to soften the edges of

your layers when working with stock images. To

do this, make a selection of your layer, set Select>

Modify>Contract at 2px then Select>Modify>

Feather at 2px. Invert the selection and hit Delete.

060

Monochrome noise

To add some monochrome noise,

create a new layer, fill it with solid black and place

it on top of all the other layers. Go to Filter>

Noise>Add Noise set at 50% with Gaussian and

Monochromatic active. Change the layers

blending mode to Soft Light and Opacity to 15%.

061

EDMOND YANGwww.yangmedia.com

LIGHT WRAP

Make it easier to composite a

subject into a background with a light wrap.

Adding a low opacity inner glow, using the

background colour is one way. But for more

control, duplicate your background and add a

Gaussian blur to it. Add an inverted layer mask,

hiding all, then use a soft white brush to paint

edges back in around the subject. Change thislayers blending mode to Soft Light.

PRO TIP

055

056

Tob

Edmond Yang

Andy Potts




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COMBINE 3D AND CREATE WEB ASSETSSee how Photoshop helps you to enhance your new media workflow

Cinema 4D (C4D) and Photoshop

were combined to create the 3D shatter shapes you

see in this image. The model sequence was shot in

a studio environment using strobes and a fill light.

Each shot of the sequence was then isolated from

the background using Photoshop masking tools.

The sequence was then set up in one Photoshop

file with each shot on a separate layer. The majority

of the scene was modelled in C4D. After adding a

plane to the scene, texture it using a shot of the

person in the sequence then select the alpha

channel from the Photoshop file. This process is

repeated for each shot in the sequence.

Now youre able to place your planes in a true 3Dspace behind the desk and have them interact with

the lights in a very realistic way. They will cast

shadows across any cubicle elements in a true 3D

space and this helps quite a bit when finally

compositing back in Photoshop.

The great thing about using CGI is

that as the artwork evolves, you can create more

stock imagery to meet your exact requirements.

This image started out with solid curved 3D models,

using them to build the main structure. But they

were too flat and uninteresting alone, so the 3Dframeworks and lighthouse model were produced

to create more details. Photoshops adjustment

layers along with Dodge and Burn can then be used

BARTON DAMERwww.alreadybeenchewed.tv

MARC GOODMANwww.behance.net/elnombre

C4D STYLES

MERGE STOCK

Illustration for HTML5 is so easy to

make in Photoshop, even when starting from a

sketch. Spend your time organising the major

shapes into separate layer groups. This is essential

as most of these images are eventually animated.

On top of this, CS6s ability to clip layers onto groups

makes adding detail amazingly easy. Before CS6 it

was a pain to build your image up like this.

ZEE DURRANIhttp://creative9.com/

HTML5 DESIGN

PRO TIP

MATEUSZ SYPIENwww.digi-mental.com

EXPORT LAYERS

Prepare your work in a way that

lets you modify particular elements without

touching other parts of your composition. Simply

break your 3D scene into objects, textures and

lights. Render them separately and combine

everything back in Photoshop. This will give youevery possibility to experiment with blending

modes and apply different effects, and save time.

to blend those elements together, with more

traditional photographic stocks.

Creating atmosphere is much easier

in Photoshop than in a 3D space. Once Ive exported

my rendered type unit to Photoshop, I bring in a

number of textures with consistent patterning, like

concrete, smoke, clouds and mountains. I

desaturate these then apply different blending

modes, such as Screen and Soft Light, to add extra

tactility to a layer. Using an image of a snowy

mountain range is great for adding depth because

of the exposure range between light and dark.

LUKE CHOICEwww.velvetspectrum.com

ADD TEXTURE

Blend 3D renders into a composition

with ease using these few basic steps. Firstly, try

and match the lighting as closely as possible in your

3D application, which will reduce the amount of

relighting work needed in Photoshop. Exporting

your renders with an alpha channel will prevent

having to trace around it. Matching colours can

require an array of Photoshops adjustment tools.

Start off with a custom Gradient Map based on the

area you are trying to blend.

NIK AINLEYwww.shinybinary.com

BLEND 3D FAST

062

063

064

065

066

067

Nik Ainley

Zee Durrani

Digimental Studio

Marc Goodman




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Puppet Warp on the toe

Using Puppet Warp instead of the

usual Transform Warp feature allows the

user much more accuracy when distorting

the object. Play with the density and mode of

the mesh to give the desired effect.

068

Specular Pass

You can add authenticity to 3D

elements just be ensuring that you apply

light effectively. Using the Specular Pass

from the CGI renders on a Screen blendingmode adds the extra highlights that bring the

metal to life.

069

High Pass filter

Adding a High Pass over the top of the

whole image on Soft Light gives it extra

punch. The amount you need depends on the

size and sharpness of the image. We used a

High Pass of 5 on 50% Opacity for this image.

070

DIGITAL GRAPHICS SHORTCUTSFlexible guides

When laying out

web design, guides become

essential. You can set

specific measurements by

selecting View>New Guide

and input Position, which is

easier than eyeing it in.

071Layer cloning

So youve applied

several layer styles to your

web elements and want to

add them to other layers in

your design. To do this, hold

Opt/Alt and drag the fx icon

to another layer.

072Tracking

This works great

with your type logos being

designed in Photoshop. Hold

down Opt/Alt and press the

< key to start decreasing the

types tracking, or > to

increase it.

073Drag selection

You can keep your

selection live after moving it.

Make a selection with the

Marquee tool and hold the

spacebar to move. Once

released, you can continue

to edit your selection.

074Fold all groups

When working with

web you can have many

layer groups open at one

time. Close them all at once

by pressing Cmd/Ctrl+Opt/

Alt and click the triangle

icon. Repeat to open all.

075

TAYLOR JAMESwww.taylorjames.com

WORK WITH CG

This Spring/Summer collection

image for the popular Mizuno sportswear

brand is a complete Taylor James production,

including an eclectic mix of CGI, photographyand that added vibrancy in retouching. The

campaign for the new Mizuno range,

developed by agency Thinking Juice, highlights

the broad functionality of their trainers.




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Discover the worldof photomanipulation;learn fromPhotoshop expertsand get started withadvanced imagetransformation

Photomanipula

22Creative retouching Discover the tricks behind creatingstunning and other-worldy effects

32 Create dynamiclighting

Achieve surreal lighting effects with

compositing and blending tools

38 Master layer masks Paint with layer masks and develop

an imaginative colour scheme

44 Advancedcompositing

Combine 3D and photographic

elements to create an action scene

50Apply liquidpaint effects

Use photomanipulation tools to

transform a model with paint stock

54Expert blending Build a sci-fi floating city by

combining multiple techniques

54PAGE

Digital artists arenow turningto 3Dsoftware inthe pursuit of

enhanced believability



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ion


32PAGE

44

PAGE

50PAGE


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PHOTOMANIPULATION


TECHNIQUES XXXXXXXXXX

James Lucas and Tom Rose

www.limehousecreative.com

www.radoxist.com

www.edvin.lv

WE REVEAL HOW DIGITAL ARTISTS COMBINE CG SOFTWARE

AND PHOTOSHOP TO ACHIEVE EFFECTS OTHERWISE

IMPOSSIBLE IN REALWORLD SHOOTS

PHOTOMANIPULATION


Creative retouching is all about the viewers

suspension of disbelief. Global advertisers

are increasingly turning to digital artists to

produce effects that wouldnt be possible in

any real-world photo shoot, but that look wholly

credible due to creative retouching.

As creatives, its our mission to ensure precise

colour, sharpness, believable textures and a sprinkling

of magic are achieved in our results supplied through

a highly technical skillset. Understandably, many digital

artists are turning to 3D software to aid in this pursuit

of enhanced believability. This is a technique

commonly known as CG photography.

In this feature we take a look at all the key stages ofproduction. Weve gathered an impressive host of

professionals who share their advice and show you

how to achieve expert composition, photorealism and

special effects. First though, we start with the

ever-essential concept stage.

Every creative retouch project starts with either a

sketch or a photo mockup, with the latter often

following the sketch and using it as a blueprint. When

piecing together a draft, the reference images used

must contain sound aesthetic qualities. These include

defined lights and shadows, as well as a high image

resolution, so all the details are visible and pliable in the

following phases. Factors such as these are crucial to

the success of the final outcome.

Working with larger resolutions offers the ability toscrutinise a composite more thoroughly. Creative

retoucher Radoslav ilinsk, (www.radoxist.com)

reveals how he ensures maximum quality in this

preliminary stage: I often work [with an image] with a

resolution thats at least 30 per cent larger than it

needs to be. When you paint something into the image,

or cut elements out, you can often miss leftover edges

or image artefacts [when working with low-res stock].

However, you wont when working at higher

resolutions, which are likely to look just perfect.

MEET THE EXPERTS

CREATIVERETOUCHING


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CREATIVE RETOUCHING


Jonathon Eadie and Bruce Bigelowwww.electricart.com.au

Gordon McBrydewww.featherwax.com Limehouse Creative 2012


CREATIVE RETOUCHING


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PHOTOMANIPULATION


EXPERT SELECTIONS

Building a plausible fantastical scene will also

depend on the selections you make. Working at

larger sizes enables retouchers to navigate issues

faster, but if you know the best ways to cut out, you

can avoid these problems entirely.

Creative retoucher and art director Edvin

Puzinkevich (www.edvin.lv) uses three separate

methods to detach his elements from the original

backdrop. Generally I use the Polygonal Lasso with

Smooth and Feather settings active, he reveals. I

use the Pen tool to target curved edges in

automotive, human and industrial objects. I apply

separation and outline hair, plants or other highly

detailed shapes and particles using Channels.

Often a creative retoucher must combine several

techniques to get the perfect edge. ilinsk agrees:

When cutting out a model, its good to separate

tricky parts, such as hair or a transparent dress, into

individual layers. [Its best to] work on these using a

combination of the Refine Edge tool and edit by

applying Levels to the attached layer mask(s).

Once all the elements are prepared, a retoucher

has to then fit them together in a realistic and

effective way. This means presenting believable

depth-of-field effects (DOF), but isnt always a case

of simply eyeing everything into place. Instead,

professionals will use Photoshops tools to devise

ways to create authentic results.

BELIEVABLE PERSPECTIVE

Many artists, including Puzinkevich, will turn to

Photoshops grid-based options. He explains: To

HOW TO SHOOT FOR A CREATIVE RETOUCH

01SKETCH IT OUT

The more accurate the sketch, the morelikely it will be accepted by the client and the shootphase is likely to be more stable. Here establishingcolour, shape and image tones was key.

04TIME TO RETOUCH

Always try to capture the most naturalaesthetic and maintain advertising qualities suchas clear contrast, plasticity and nice colours especially when retouching for fashion.

03SHOOT RESULTS

Here the main light source wasntenough, so we added extra lighting behind ourmodels to mimic light pouring through largewindows, which would be added later.

06FINAL COLOUR GRADING

Colour grading makes the final result. Apply a Brightness/Contrast adjustment in combinationwith Hue/Saturation, because when the contrast is increased, tones will become oversaturated. Continue by

adding a Color Balance adjustment, then finish with a Gradient Map set to Color or Hue blend modes.

02PREP THE SHOOT

A simple 3D scene was prepared, so weknew the exact camera placement, lightingconditions and perspective necessary. From this, weknew wed need to shoot with a 35mm camera lens.

05A LITTLE 3D

Though we did go and apply 3D elementsto the background in this image, be aware that thisactually doesnt always have to look super-realistic. Sometimes the smaller details andirregularities are much easier to add in Photoshop.


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CREATIVE RETOUCHING


The models in the base image had to be removedand the interior space was rebuilt by Puzinkevich.I duplicated usable pieces of the window frame,using Free Transform to scale these layers downto the new window width, then skewing and

distorting to match the perspective, he explains. Ialso added 1% Noise to imitate a light grain.

The floor was restored by cloning from itscleaner parts, however, the light reflected on thiswasnt even. Puzinkevich added two invertedCurves adjustment layers and painted to thesewith a soft white brush to match light and shadow.

The ladder was comped in and the PolygonalLasso tool was applied, set with a low Featheramount. I made multiple selections of the top ofthe ladder, then painted these with a light-grey

brush to achieve correct lighting, explainsPuzinkevich. I painted the parts of ladder affectedby the light from the window with a darker grey.

All models were separated from theirrespective backgrounds in two steps. The guywith the laptops head was replaced. The newelement was separated using a duplicate Redchannel with increased contrast and theBrightness/Contrast tool, explains Puzinkevich. Iused the Polygonal Lasso tool again to cut out theoriginal models body. I applied a low Feather

amount (around 0.5) to this selection to achievemore-believable edges.

The Pen tool played its own part and was usedto create and place the separate paper sheets inthe image. Holding the Cmd/Ctrl+Opt/Alt keyswhen applying this tool enables us to adjust pathsperfectly, Puzinkevich concludes.

build geometrical perspective I specifically use

shapes and guides. First I use the Line tool to find

the correct horizon line in my start image, then mark

this with a Photoshop Guide. I continue to apply the

Line tool to mark other directions and map out the

scene. I also draw out perspective grids using the

very useful Vanishing Point filter. Once this tool is

mastered, retouchers can map out guides for

straight, perpendicular and rounded perspectives,

using corresponding Angle values.

However, depth of field isnt just a matter of

varying the size and position of elements, as

Photoshop also offers the means to tweak colour

and light to boost realism. An advanced colour-

correction and matching process can then gradually

be applied to build a believable environment in what

is an otherwise incredible scene.

Its also vital that photo elements react to any light

source in the image, as this will also determine

colour casts and where any shadows will be placed.Photoshops Black & White adjustment layer can be

applied first, to simplify the perception of existing

highlight and shadow areas. A Curves layer can then

be added to achieve a perfect contrast and integrate

elements seamlessly.

COLOUR GRADING

For this stage Puzinkevich uses three tools to

correct tones. I add a Hue/Saturation adjustment

layer to saturate and desaturate objects and make

big colour moves, he explains. Selective Color

adjustment layers are also used to make precioustonal changes, then theres the Gradient Map tool.

This is awesome as it enables me to add

comprehensive tones across the entire image and

bind all the objects.

ilinsk also applies the Gradient Map tool, but

more specifically to colour-grade water elements.

An aquamarine tone resides in waters darker areas

and cyan is in its brighter ones, he explains. Ill

apply a Gradient Map on top of my water layer,

setting the adjustments blending mode to Color.

COMPOSITING YOURIMAGE ELEMENTSEDVIN PUZINKEVICH REVEALS HOW HE USED

SIMPLE PHOTOSHOP TECHNIQUES TO PIECE

TOGETHER THIS CREATIVE RETOUCH FOR

BAHRAINI CREATIVE AGENCY, UNISONO

Unisono

EDVIN PUZINKEVICH /WWW.EDVIN.LV

Selective Color

adjustment layers are

used to make

precious tonal

adjustments, then

theres the GradientMap tool. This is awesome as it

enables me to add

comprehensive tones across the

entire image, binding all objects


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PHOTOMANIPULATION

26 Advanced Photoshop Premium Collection26 Advanced Photoshop Premium Collection

I work with greyscale (desaturated) photos

beneath, Puzinkevich continues. This way I can be

absolutely sure that there are no colour shifts in the

final water composite.

WORK WITH CG

Its clear that a large amount of a retouchers time

will be spent endlessly chasing photorealism.

However, working with photo stock alone can

quickly become an arduous task. Also, with time in

short supply, retouching studios are turning to 3D

software and what this has to offer.

Taylor James (www.taylorjames.com)is a studio

thats leading the way in promoting the use of CG

assets. President and founder Glen Taylor explains

why working this way is such an advantage to the

workflow. CG provides the flexibility and creative

license to make the unbelievable believable, in

instances when we couldnt achieve it with

photography alone, he explains. It enables us to

realise the most imaginative or simply logistically

impossible concepts.

The beauty of working with CGI is that it lets us

achieve any look or feel we want and there will be afew instances where photorealism isnt a

requirement. However, its often the basis for

commercial projects creating images people can

relate to without questioning what they see

Taylor James embarks on a rigorous modelling,

lighting, shading and texturing process to achieve

such believability. This ensures that all CG assets

hit a high level of detail early on. Our retouchers

are experts at compositing many passes, such as

shadows and Alpha channels, which CG can output

accurately to get all the details, Taylor tells us.

CG AND PHOTOSHOP

3ds Max is primarily used and supplemented with

V-Ray for rendering images. Often there are

requirements to use specific software, such as

ZBrush, to virtually sculpt organic forms, adds

Taylor. Photoshop is used to texture and retouch.

Channels are added to enhance and control thelighting in the scene, with tried and trusted

Displacement maps also being utilised to wrap

textures and add imperfections.

When bringing CGI elements into a photographic

background, a creative retoucher must once again

seamlessly integrate these into a scene. We need

to be aware of where the light source is coming

from, then use adjustment layers and Channels

to play with light, shadows and colour, reveals

Taylor. We often use customised brushes,

adjustment layers and different blur techniques to

integrate these.

Photoshop blending modes also come in handy,

especially when working with CGI render passes.

PHOTOMANIPULATION



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CREATIVE RETOUCHING


CONCEPT

The agency supplied us with a 2D concept and a

quick mockup. This gave us a basic idea of what they

wanted. We imported this into a 3D space, where

detailed parts were created and camera and lighting

angles were positioned.

CGI TALK

A chalk material was applied to the modelled scene,

which enhanced the details, ensuring that the correct

angles, shadows and light intensity were presented

clearly. This enabled the actual materials, lighting

and textures to be applied.

DETAILING THE SCENE

The details in soil, grass and water were created

separately then combined in the scene. This meant

each component could be viewed in greater detail to

ensure a photorealistic effect. Materials and textures

were added to each part to enhance the realism.

LAYERING ON THE TEXTURES

At this stage the CGI car was rendered out and

supplied for retouching. This shot shows all straight

RGB render parts created, combined in a full scene

before applying any other passes or colour work.

FINISHING TOUCHES

Here you can see the render passes created in CGI,

separated so that colour work could be applied and

aligned. Keeping them separate enabled morecontrol over stylised lights, reflections and shadows.

CGI PHOTOGRAPHY WORKFLOWTAYLOR JAMES EXPLAINS HOW CG SOFTWARE AND PHOTOSHOP WERE COMBINED TO CREATE THIS IMAGE

COMMISSIONED BY DDB CANADA, FOR SUBARU CANADA

Agency DDB Canada. Client: Subaru. Taylor James

GLEN TAYLOR /WWW.TAYLORJAMES.COM

CREATIVE RETOUCHING


CG gives us flexibility and creativelicense to make the unbelievable

believable, in instances whenwe couldnt achieve it withphotography alone


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PHOTOMANIPULATION


These enable us to bring all the elements

together in terms of lighting, texturing and depth of

field, says Taylor. Blending modes also mean we

can put the CG passes back together in a way that is

mathematically correct.

Even in the few instances where photorealism isnt

overly required, believability is still in the back of a

creative retouchers mind. The beauty of working with

CGI and Photoshop is that we can achieve any look or

feel we want. However, when applying special effects,

a creative retoucher must always enhance the

message of a clients ad campaign first and foremost.

APPLYING SPECIAL EFFECTS

The end results can be either more stylised or surreal,

depending on a clients needs, but attention to quality

must be assured. This is a reaction to the print

medium that retouch work is presented in. There is

far less flexibility than in other mediums, such as

animation and film, explains Jonathon Eadie,managing director at Electric Art (www.electricart.

com.au). In print the tiniest details can be scrutinised

close-up over time and the tiniest detail can shatter

the illusion for the viewer. Detail in lighting and colour

are extremely important.

Nowhere is this more evident than when making

essential relighting edits to certain parts of an image.

Even when the overall treatment is more intense, if

the underlying basics are correct, the viewer wont

question what they perceive. This means that special

effects become the most challenging phase in a

creative retouchers process. Gordon McBryde,

director at Featherwax (http://featherwax.com)

concurs: We try to [achieve] the visually impossiblewhile retaining a realistic edge. If special effects went

purely for realism alone, there would be some pretty

tame adverts out there.

FANTASTICAL ATMOSPHERE

The application of effects can be very tailored, with

each instance producing very different outcomes.

McBryde elaborates: Special effects in post-

production are very much bespoke. While similar

techniques are often used, every project and image is

a new challenge that requires a fresh approach.

Bruce Bigelow, creative director at Electric Art (www.

electricart.com.au)adds: Each job is individual,

however we do have a group of effects that can be

used time and again, with slightly different outcomes.

Using Channels, we can create brushes or layer

masks for colour to add atmospherics. This way

were using the existing lighting to enhance the

overall image.

Photoshop is a very flexible program that can

enable an images atmosphere to be enhanced in a

number of ways. Retouchers tend to use several

layers to build effects in what must become a

three-dimensional workspace. This tends to start

with stripping in a new sky, explains McBryde. If

CREATE A DYNAMIC CAMPAIGN IMAGEELECTRIC ART REVEALS HOW PHOTOSHOP WAS USED TO CREATE THESE SURREAL EFFECTS

01BASE IMAGE

By combining photographic and 3Delements we created a desolate, almost lunar

terrain for the hawk to sit in. One of the biggest

challenges here was creating the correct scale for

the shrubs and rocky outcrops. The other

challenge was to ensure there was enough sense

of distance in a restricted frame for all the action to

take place. Adding atmosphere helped to create

the illusion of depth.

02BUILD VOLUME WITH CHANNELSThe 3D render of the hawk was graduallyreplaced with photographic material of dust,

combining voluminous dust clouds with wispy

trails. We applied this through a combination of

layer styles, Channel masks and opacity tweaks. Aselection was made using the Channel that gave

the best definition between the dust and the

background. This selection was used to increase

or decrease detail contrast where applicable.

03 DUST EFFECTSBlending modes were either left atNormal or set to Screen to enhance contrast. Once

we had the main form, it came down to detailing

the eyes, claws and beak. We created our own

brushes, using specific areas from a Channel

mask to create trailing dust. Once all the elements

were in place, we added extra grit and flying dirt,

applying a final overall colour grade to bring the

entire image together.

Creative Directors Ben Coulson and Chris Northam, Art Director Paul Meates. Agency GPY&R Melbourne, Photography Andreas Smetana


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CREATIVE RETOUCHING


GORDON MCBRYDE /HTTP://FEATHERWAX.COM

CREATIVE RETOUCHING


We try to [achieve] the visually impossiblewhile retaining a realistic edge. If special

effects went purely for realism alone,there would be some pretty tameadverts out there


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PHOTOMANIPULATION


TECHNIQUES XXXXXXXXXX

were creating a dramatic image, we use Curves

and the Black & White tools to make this new sky

suitably moody. We then layer different effects such

as ice, rain and particles in the wind. These tend to

be achieved by applying Screen or Multiply blend

modes or clipped using a Channel mask.

Its very important to ensure the colour and focus

levels in these atmospheric details are matched to

their surroundings, as nothing makes an image

scream Photoshop more than a rain texture thats

too sharp or background clouds that are too green.

Broad adjustments to contrast and colour using

adjustment layers help here, Eadie explains.

Selective adjustments can be localised. Often

its the sum of many small details and colour

treatments that are most effective when it comes

to enhancing atmosphere.

Sharpness is the final piece in creating hyperreal

looks and the High Pass filter is greatly endorsed by

our professionals, as McBryde adds: Many people

will use a destructive sharpening process by

merging the layer stack then using either the

normal Sharpen tool or the Unsharp mask.

ADVANCED SHARPENING

This sharpening technique can be useful at times,

especially if the layer is duplicated a few times, with

an Unsharp mask applied, McBryde continues.

One blend mode is set to Lighten the other to

Darken. However, the preferred method of

sharpening in creative retouching is to apply the

High Pass filter to a duplicate layer set to Soft Light.

This method is non-destructive, as the filter sits at

the top of the stack, affecting the work below.

The Unsharp mask doesnt need to be avoided

entirely. In fact, this tool is capable of producing an

interesting selective contrast treatment, when set

with a low amount and a high pixel radius. We

used this technique on a job for Olympus Tough

cameras (seen at our website), McBryde explains.

An alternative to this is of course the High Pass

filter. We apply this in combination with different

layer blending modes, which provides very

interesting and unique results. Each image is

certainly unique and experimenting with various

techniques is important to find the best results.

It almost goes without saying that over-

sharpening must be avoided, as this can end with

obvious fringing in high-contrast areas. It can also

lead to an increase in image noise, beyond

acceptable levels. Of course this is all determined

by a factor already discussed the quality of your

CG and photographic assets. We have worked with

RAW files from large-format hasselblad and the

tonal range available really determines how much

flexibility we have in retouching believable looks,

McBryde explains.

Retouch Diego Angarita and Gordon McBryde. Discovery Channel

PHOTOMANIPULATION



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CREATIVE RETOUCHING


01THREE DIMENSIONAL SPACE

We always work on a file in a three-dimensional space. So the

first step is always building the background. This has been achieved

here by blending several photographs, such as the sky and water.

02PAINT WITH CURVES

The hero talent is composited, so we focused on lighting the

elements. If each element is in its own folder with a mask, its simply

a matter of using Curves adjustments to paint areas of light and dark.

03CREATIVE LIGHTING

Dynamic contrast really adds something special. This is

achieved by increasing the contrast Curves adjustments, set to a

Luminosity blending mode and painting in selective areas. A straight

curve set to Soft Light at 50% Opacity is a nice final tweak.

04POST EFFECTS

A Black & White adjustment layer at 20% Opacity is added to

mute the colours. A High Pass set to Soft Light adds overall

sharpness. A second finer High Pass can be added and selective

details, such as water splashes, can be sharpened with a layer mask.

CREATE DYNAMIC LIGHTINGGORDON MCBRYDE EXPLAINS HOW TO CREATE EXCITING LIGHTING IN YOUR CREATIVE RETOUCH IMAGES



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PHOTOMANIPULATION


PHOTOMANIPULATION



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CREATE DYNAMIC LIGHTING


CREATE DYNAMICLIGHTINGCOMBINE PHOTO STOCK, TEXTURES AND BLENDINGMODES TO PRODUCE A SURREAL IMAGE

Surrealism is the name of the game in this

tutorial, as we take you through a

Photoshop process that will help you

achieve high-end, photoreal, and surreal

effects, using an array of comped resources. Lighting

effects feature heavily, as we show you how to apply

contrast, highlights and shadows to tie all your

elements together in a believable fashion.

Youll need to be familiar with basic Photoshop

functions as we tackle ways to cut out images using

the Pen Path tool. Well also look at how to enhance

manually applied lighting, using both brushes and

Blend Modes. These lighting effects will bind our

image elements together, creating realism in an

otherwise unbelievable image.

Well start with a model image that forms the

foundation of the artwork. Once you have completed

this tutorial, you will be able to light and construct a

photoreal, surreal image and reapply many of the

techniques across other light-inspired images.

01RESIZE YOUR DOCUMENTOpen a new document at 3,800 x 4,900px,then open the Girl.jpg and place it in the centre of

your workspace. Once youre happy with your

placement, begin removing the subject from the

background. Well use the Pen Path tool to make a

selection and then cut the model out.

02REFINE THE HAIR DETAILSoften the edges of your model so theyrenot overly sharp. Do the same with the hair using

the Painted Hair Brushes supplied, painting to a

separate layer so we can use the Transform tools

to manipulate our elements later. Now merge the

hair layer with the model layer.

03MAKE A BASIC RETOUCHFor this particular image we need to remove the models freckles, so well edit using basicretouching techniques by applying the Spot Healing brush. This is the best tool to clear up blemishes fast, but

well also use the Patch tool for some of the obstinate areas.

DARKNESS TO LIGHT

Step 19:Refine lighting

WORK IN

PROGRESS

Step 7:Arrange elements

Step 1:Pick a subject

Kode is an artist from Melbourne,

Australia, setting his sights on New York.As a self-made graphic artist hecontinues to learn and apply new skills.

KODE ABDO

www.facebook.com/BossLogicInc

OUR EXPERT

All the images and brushes used tocreate this image, including the model,photo stock, textures and renderedimages, are supplied. Ready-made PSDfiles also feature.

SOURCE FILES

BRING THE COMPOSITION TOGETHERARRANGE ALL ELEMENTS BEFORE YOUR LIGHTING PROCESS BEGINS


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PHOTOMANIPULATION


04CREATE YOUR BACKGROUND

We dont want to make an overly complex

backdrop, so instead well add a new layer titled

background. Next, activate a brush with a soft edge,

increase the size to around 4,000px and apply once

behind the subject using a shade of blue on its own

layer. Now well drop the layers Opacity to 80%,

which is especially useful in the cases when the

paint leaves areas far too strong and overpowering

for this project. Remember, were attempting to

complement the piece, not overwhelm it.

07BLEND IN THE LIQUID

Using either your Eraser tool, set with a soft edge, or a layer mask, erase from the bottom of the

subject, specifically the feet. The look were trying to achieve is one where the models feet are submerged in

the water. This doesnt have to be too deep, just up to the ankle so her hand can still be seen over the water

level later in the tutorial. Also, make the water look seamless with the rest of the background by erasing the

hard edges of the water layer, using a soft Eraser tool or a layer mask.

05INSERT TEXTURE TO BACKGROUND

Import the supplied waterdrops 3.jpg file,

place it on top of the blue-brushed layer and set the

blending mode to Soft Light. Desaturate the image to

make it completely black and white. To improve the

contrast in the monochrome layer, apply Brightness/

Contrast and amend the settings until the right effect

is achieved. If it still feels weak, duplicate this layer

and set its blending mode to Overlay. Merge the

background, blue-brushed and waterdrops 3 layers

together and apply a light Gaussian Blur.

06APPLY WATER ELEMENTS

Open and import the supplied waterdrops

2.jpg file and transform it using the Free Transform

tool. Grab the top-middle anchor point and compress

it to give the illusion that the ripple is flat on the

ground. This method is all about getting the right

perspective. The Transform tool is powerful enough

to achieve this, so once youre happy with your

outcome, desaturate your waterdrops 2 layer

(Cmd/Ctrl+U) so its a little less vibrant and matches

the images overall atmosphere.

08PLACE A SOUSAPHONE

Open the supplied Sousaphone.psd then

select, cut, copy and paste it into sections. You can

duplicate and place these in your scene as you see

fit. Place your sousaphone layers closely around

the subject and consider these elements as part of

a giant metallic snake moving in and out of the

water and around the composition. Feel free to

experiment with your own placement to create the

movement you want in the piece.

QUICK TIPTo make lighting pop out of theimage, blending mode layers areyour best friends. Experiment withmodes like Soft Light and Overlayto intensify exposures. You cantweak the strength of effects usingthe Opacity slider, or duplicate thelayers to boost brightness.


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11 DUPLICATE THE RIPPLESUsing the waterdrops 2 layer we applied inStep 6, select the ripple area of the image and

duplicate this. Slightly manipulate it to look different

from the main ripple using Transform tools and

place it on the surface of the water under the

instruments to create entry points for the

sousaphone. Erase the excess areas of the

sousaphone to make them seem like they are

submerged underwater. Darken the tips of the

sousaphones closest to the water so they blend in.

12TWEAK THE BACKLIGHTINGSelect a soft brush and then create a newlayer behind the model and the sousaphone. On this

layer well create an outer glow to make the centre

of the image stand out. With a light shade of blue,

brush some lighting strokes behind the model and

the instruments. Make sure you apply just beneath

the edges, because were using a soft brush that will

automatically spread beyond the edges. To finish this

step, duplicate the layer and set the new layers

blending mode to Soft Light.

13TEXTURE THE SOUSAPHONEApply the supplied cracks 05.jpg andcracks 06.jpg files to texture the sousaphone layers

and give them a rusty look. Take your time when

placing these textures to produce the greatest

impact and realism. Apply an Overlay blending mode

to these texture layers to obtain a stronger effect. If

this becomes too strong for you, try dropping the

Opacity slider to around 80% or a little lower. You can

experiment and set this layer to Soft Light if thats an

effect youre aiming for.

10

PLACE THE BODY TEXTURE

Now well add texture over certain parts of

the models body. Open the supplied Crack Texture

folder to access seven texture images that will help

us achieve the look we want. Weve placed a cracks

04.jpg file over the models left shoulder and just

over her elbow. Both are blended using a Multiply

blending mode. Apply the same effect to the

models thighs, but using the crack 03.jpg file.

Finally, change the tonality to match the water.

09

ADJUST YOUR TONES

First, tone the sousaphone to fit the image using Hue/Saturation>Colorize settings (Cmd/Ctrl+U)

and apply a slightly desaturated dark-blue tone. Here weve also added a gradient map to our model using a

blue-to-light-blue style. Set this gradient map layers blending mode to Soft Light and adjust the Opacity until

youre happy with the outcome.

001Cut out the model, add her hair back in, thenmerge the layers

002Add the background behind the model, paintwith the soft brush, texture and merge

003Cut up and place the sousaphone where youwant it to create a snake-like appearance

001 002 003

UNIFY YOUR SCENEUSE HUE/SATURATION AND OTHER ADJUSTMENTS TO SET THE TONE OF THE COMPOSITION


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PHOTOMANIPULATION


14

Duplicate the model layer and brighten this

by applying Adjustments>Brightness/Contrast.

Create a look that seems a little overexposed, but not

too harsh, because we still want to see details in the

lit areas. Use a soft-edged Eraser and remove from

the centre as in our example. This is done to create

more dynamic lighting, which means we have

something to work with later in the lit edges.

15

Make a selection of your model layer by

Ctrl-clicking the layer thumbnail. With your selection

active, create a new layer and use a soft bright-blue

brush, set to Soft Light, to highlight the edges of the

hairline. Create another new layer on top of this and

repeat the technique using a lighter shade of blue

and setting your blending mode to Overlay. Repeat

this method on the sousaphone layers.

16

To enhance the sense of motion, open the

supplied Music Notes folder where youll find a host

of PSD files that we can combine to create the effects

were looking for. Place these new layers under the

sousaphone layer, making it seem as though these

elements are being blown out. Change the size of

each of these layers to create a sense of perspective

and to enhance the detail in the image.

18

Repeat the techniques from Step 15 to

insert lighting in your liquid areas, but this time wewant these to be a little brighter as they are

reflecting from the glow emitting from the model

image. To get this effect well add an extra layer, set

to Soft Light blending mode. Next, apply a Gaussian

Blur filter to this layer, which will result in brighter

surroundings, then add motion blur to some of the

liquid to inject more movement.

17

Well simulate motion in the piece further by applying images from the supplied Black Ink folder.

Well apply them around the sousaphone and exiting the water, to create a splash effect. You can also mix

your ink layers with the music notes, adding in the previous set, to evoke a chaotic look. Remember to apply

Hue/Saturation>Colorize, which will let you add a shade of purple, matching the tones in the water.

BRING FOCUS TO YOUR IMAGEBLEND LIGHTING LAYERS AND BRING FOCUS BACK TO THE CENTRE

QUICK TIPUse the liquid images supplied to create your ownsplashes and abstract elements in the image. Dont bescared to play around with the Motion B option to producea sense of movement. Strive to make effects your ownand let your imagination take over.

BELIEVE THEUNBELIEVABLEThe key to achieving a believable

image, even when creating surrealelements, is correct placement. Usethe Transform tools to achieve the bestangles and perspective. Make sure theimage doesnt get too cluttered, giveelements room to breath and display astrong sense of depth. Understandingfocal lengths and blur is a core skill tohave. Using the right amount of blurwill help create an accurate senseof background and foreground. Thisis more diffused in the backdrop,harder and brighter in the foreground,especially in this image. Thesedynamic effects are what augment therealism in an unreal scene.


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19INCREASE THE SURREALISM

Open and import layers from the files in the

supplied Hands folder. Using the techniques of the

previous steps, tone the arms to match the colour of

the water using Hue/Saturation>Colorize settings(Cmd/Ctrl+U). Add texture to the arms just like in

Step 10, duplicate the ripple layers as in Step 11 and

continue to mask your arm layers so they look like

they are reaching up from the water.

20FOCUS ON EXTRA DETAIL

Repeat Step 10, but add effects to the

models right leg that sits in the background. Use the

Pen Path tool to make a selection around this leg,

then duplicate and create a new leg layer. Tone thisso the colour matches that of the water and the two

arms. Apply crack textures to the knee and use the

Eraser to work out some of the coloured leg layer, so

it looks like the knee is visible through the cracks.

23REPLICATE A RADIANT LIGHT EFFECT

Referring back to what weve learnt in Step

15, we can now use similar techniques to add

highlights under our models legs, creating the

illusion of light emitting from the water. Doing this

will draw the viewers eye to the centre of the

composition once more. First use the Pen Path tool

to target the areas you want to highlight. Also create

a new layer set to Color Dodge blending mode

before painting in your lights using a light-blue soft

brush set to 80% Opacity.

24USE A SMOKE TEXTURE

Import the smoke.psd supplied and place

it around the image at a very low opacity. This adds

that fine detail in the image and brings a dark, misty

atmosphere. Feel free to use the smoke.psd to add

extra detail to the lighting layers, by blending it using

an applied Soft Light or Overlay blending mode and

setting a low layer opacity. This will add texture to

your lighting. Place similar effects in the lighting

under the model, to evoke a sense of movement.

21LIGHT ELEMENTS INDIVIDUALLY

Now well repeat the same method used in

Step 15 to add highlights to the hand layers. Some of

the hands in the image are set some distance from

the main light source, so when you do apply light,make sure you use separate effects to individual

hand layers. This will enable you to have maximum

control over the brightness and means you can alter

the intensity of light correctly for each element.

22INSERT SHADOWS

Well now add some directional shadows behind the two arms on the right of the image. This is to

enhance the direction and realism of the light, by casting shadows away from our main light source. Create a

new layer and with a soft brush paint two black lines away from the direction of the light, making sure these

are on top of the arm layers in the corner. After youre happy with the angle of the brushed lines, drop the

layer Opacity to 80% to produce a transparent look.

QUICK TIPAdding new colours to the images lighting and mixingtonality can create interesting looks. Weve added anew layer and applied a soft brush over the alreadyvibrant areas of our image. This brush is set to Soft Lightblending mode and weve inserted pink tones, whichproduce an eye-catching look.


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PHOTOMANIPULATION


JONO HISLOP AKA KIVEXwww.somethingfresh.co.nz

OUR EXPERT

Kivex is a New Zealand-bornillustrator living in London. Most ofhis work is created for colleagues inthe music industry and theirassociate record labels, includingAtlantic, Warner, Sony and Tikidub.

SOURCE FILESOn the disc you will find a modelimage that you can use to duplicatethis tutorial (Heroine_stock.jpg).

PHOTOMANIPULATION



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MASTER LAYER MASKS


MASTER LAYERMASKSUSE BRUSHES, LAYER MASKS AND LIGHTING TECHNIQUES

TO CREATE SURREAL LANDSCAPES WITH PHOTOGRAPHY

G

reat art is rarely the product of a complex

chain of elaborate techniques. In truth, it is

a destination most often reached through

a sound understanding and patient use of

your basic tools. A great eye for detail develops

through perseverance.

The following tutorial will teach you how to use

simple Photoshop tools in advanced ways, and in

doing so perhaps you will come to see them in a

new light. In particular, this tutorial focuses on

painting with layer masks and developing a colour

scheme with adjustment layers and gradient maps.

Perspective and the idea that less is more will

guide you through the tutorial as a concept that will

be continually revisited. You should walk away not

just with a new art piece, but a set of skills that will

stick with you throughout your career, assisting you

in getting ideas onto your Photoshop canvas with

less technical frustration.

This particular photomanipulation was inspired

by a piece of music that has a spacious, lost at sea

feel. Music that stimulates your imagination and

creates a sense of location can help your creative

flow and encourage originality.

MASTER LAYER MASKS



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PHOTOMANIPULATION


03BRING IN PHOTOSYoure going to build the top half of the canvas first. Drag and drop in photos of skylines that you like the lookand feel of. Try to keep the colours similar by choosing photos that were taken around the same time of day. Theres no

need to be exact, though, as you can make adjustments later. For every image you bring into your piece, add a layer

mask. With the layer selected, at the bottom-right of your screen click on the rectangle with the circle inside it. Layer

masks allow us to paint in and out parts of the photo without being destructive.

02CREATE PERSPECTIVENow you need the sunray perspective, which is essential in establishing focal direction. Make a newlayer and draw a white line across the canvas, starting from the sun. Cmd/right-click the la

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