December 2011 ~ Photoshop Tutorials 2013

Friday, December 23, 2011

Gold Tone

4:35 AM Unknown

This is about giving a gold tone to images if you fancy that kind of thing. There is no such color as gold in Photoshop, but it can be created easily.

I will be using this free stock image. You will find it here

It belongs to ToplessSugarCube

Images like this work best for gold toning.

I will also be using this image for creating the gold tint.

It belongs to Stock-Nightmare

You will find it here

Let us get started.

Step 1 : The first thing to do is to separate the image from the Background. For this you can use the Quick Selection Tool, the Pen Tool or the Magnetic Lasso whichever you feel comfortable with. If you use the Pen Tool or the Magnetic Lasso, remember to feather the selection by 2 pixels or else you will get jagged edges.

The Foreground and Background Colors are set to the default Black and White.

Step 2 : Click the eyedropper Tool.

Step 3 : Click on a slightly dark portion of the frame. Make sure it is not too dark.

The Foreground Color changes to the color picked.

Step 4 : Click the Background Color.

Step 5 : Click on a light portion of the frame.

Step 6 : The Color Picker will appear click OK.

The Foreground/Background Colors look like this. This will create the gold effect.

Step 7 : Click the Adjustment layer button.

Step 8 : Click on Gradient Map from the pop up.

Step 9 : Since you have already set the Foreground and Background Colors, the Gradient should look like this.

The image looks like this.

The Layers panel looks like this. The Gradient Map1 layer is at the top.

Step 10 : Click the background copy layer which contains the extracted image.

Step 11 : Press CTRL+J. The Background Copy layer is duplicated into Background Copy 2 Layer.

Step 12 : Drag the Background Copy 2 layer to the top.

Step 13 : As soon as you drag the Background Copy 2 Layer to the top all the effects go away. The image looks like this.

Step 14 : Change the Blend Mode to Luminosity.

The image looks like this.

Step 15 : Press CTRL+SHIFT+ALT+E. A new composite Layer 1 forms at the top.

Step 16 : Press CTRL+New Layer icon. A new Layer 2 forms under Layer 1.

These are still you Foreground and Background colors.

Step 17 : Press ALT+BACKSPACE. Layer 2 fills with the Foreground Color.

The finished gold image.

Gradient Fill and Focus

4:34 AM Unknown

Would it not be great if you could focus and tinker with light after taking an image with the camera. This is not mere wishful thinking. It can be done easily in Photoshop and it works with most images.

This is a free stock photo.

The same image after focusing light with Photoshop.

The tutorial is here

Gradient Fill and Focus

4:27 AM Unknown

Focus and light is important for any image. Photoshop shows you to do it artificially with most images. The lights in an image highlights the focus which you not have been able to catch on camera. Never mind, with photoshop you can change mundane photos to something definitely different. It will seem that you are painting with light.

I will be using this free stock image. You will find it here

It belongs to jessangel2003

This is the effect I want.

Step 1 : Make sure that the Foreground Color is set to Black

Step 2 : Go to Layer>New Fill Layer>Gradient.

Step 3 : This dialogue box appears. Photoshop even gives it a name.

Click OK.

Step 4 : This dialogue box now opens.

Step 5 : I am using the Foreground to Transparent Gradient.

Step 6 : Change the Style to Radial, Angle to 130 and Scale to 150 (nothing hard and fast about it though). Check Reverse. Align with Layer should be checked already.

Click OK.

The image looks like this.

Step 7 : Click the New Layer icon. A new Layer 1 forms above the Gradient Fill 1 layer. Change the Blend Mode to Soft Light.

Step 8 : Change the Foreground Color to White.

Step 9 : Press b on the keyboard for the Brush Tool. To make the Brush large press ] (right bracket key) and to make it small [ (left bracket key). To make the Brush hard press SHIFT+] and to make it soft SHIFT+[. We will be using a soft brush.

Step 10 : Check in the left top corner of the panel. I am using a Soft Brush. Drop the Opacity of the Brush to 40%.

Step 11 : I have painted over the girl with the brush just a few times. Each time you apply the Brush you make a portion brighter.

Step 12 : Click the new Layer icon. Layer 2 forms. Change the Blend Mode of Layer 2 to Overlay.

Step 13 : Press b for the Brush Tool. Use the same soft brush to paint. It will seem that you are painting with light.

Step 14 : If the light seems a tad too bright, lower the Opacity.

The finished image.

Darkening Backgrounds

4:56 AM Unknown

A dark background helps the eyes to focus on the subject. But this is not always the case and sometimes beyond control. You can darken the background or parts of an image you do want attention to be given to with an adjustment layer. It can be done in any version of photoshop.

This is the effect I will aim for. The original is just below.

I will be using this free stock image. You will find it here

It belongs to Melyssah6-Stock

Step 1 : Click on the Adjustment Layer button at the bottom of the Layers palette.

Step 2 : Click on Levels.

Step 3 : The Levels 1 Adjustment Layer forms above the Background layer.

Step 4 : Change the Blend Mode to Multiply.

The total image darkens.

Step 5 : Click on layer thumbnail of the Levels 1 layer.

You can see the Levels.

Step 6 : Drag the Black point to the right till the image darkens even more

The image darkens a bit more.

Step 7 : Click on the Layer Mask. When you click you will be able to see a tiny border as above which means it is selected.

Step 8 : The foreground Color should be set to Black.

Step 9 : Click b on the keyboard for the Brush Tool. To make it large press ] (right square bracket) and to make it small (left square bracket). To make it hard press SHIFT+] and to make it soft SHIFT+[. We will be using a soft brush.

Step 10 : In the top panel lower the Opacity of the Brush to 40%. You can lower it more if you want, it will just take more time to complete the job. But it is worthwhile.

Step 11 : With a small, soft brush (you can increase the size when needed) go over the figure twice or thrice. Since the Opacity is set at 40% you are brushing away small increments of the mask. Keep away from edges. Change the size of the brush as needed. Concentrate on the face and skin areas and then on the clothes.