Adjustment Layers and Cross Processing Images

You can make adjustments to photos by using Levels, Curves, Hue/Saturation etc, etc. But when you do that you will be doing this on an image. You can do the same thing in a non-destructive way by using Adjustment Layers. The Adjustment Layers allow you to make adjustment to the bright and dark spots, color and much more. It will also allow cross processing of the image digitally. This is a tutorial on cross processing using Adjustment Layers.

This is a free stock image.

This is the effect I intend to give.

The Create New Fill or Adjustment layers button is located at the bottom of the Layers palette.

Clicking the button will reveal these Adjustments.

We will be using this free stock image. You will find it here
It belongs to *Storms-Stock

Step 1 : Click on the Adjustment Layer button and then on Curves.

The Curves dialogue box opens.

Step 2 : Click two points at the top and bottom as shown. The points are about halfway in the top right and left bottom squares.

Step 3 : Click on the top point. You can see that the cursor changes to a cross.

Step 4 : Press the Up arrow key on the keyboard 10 times. You can move the cursor with the mouse, but it is more accurate to use the Up arrow.

Step 5 : Click on the bottom point.

Step 6 : Press the Down Arrow key 10 times. Pressing 10 times is not a rule. What I am trying to convey is that you press an equal number of times with the arrow keys on tne two points.

The image looks brighter.

Step 7 : Click the Curves Adjustment Layer button and click on Curves again.

The Layers panel should look like this now.

Step 8 : Click on the Red channel from the drop-down.

Step 9 : Click two points on the diagonal at the top and bottom.

Step 10 : Click on the top point and use the Up Arrow 5 times. Again this is not a rule.

Step 11 : Click on the bottom point and  press the Down Arrow key 5 times.

The Reds in the image increase.

Step 12 : Go to the Green Channel.

Step 13 : Click on the top and bottom points and press the Up and Down arrow keys 4 times.

Step 14 : Go to the Blue channel.

Step 15 : Drag the sides of the diagonals up and down as shown.

The image acquires a yellowish tone.

Step 16 : Make a Hue/Saturation Adjustment Layer.

The Layers palette looks like this.

Step 17 : Check Colorize in Hue/Saturation.

Step 18 : Increase the Hue to 50 and retain 25 for Saturation.

The image looks like this.

Step 19 : Click on the Layers panel. Press 5. The Opacity of the Hue/Saturation Layer decreases 50%. You can also drag the Opacity slider down to 50%.

Step 20 : Click the Elliptical Marquee Tool.

Step 21 : Press SHIFT and draw a perfect circle. If it is not correctly position use the ARROW keys to move it to the position you want.

Step 22 : Press CTRL+SHIFT+I.

Step 23 : Go to Select>Modify>Feather

 Step 24 : Feather by 150 pixels.

Step 25 : Make another Adjustment Layer. Choose Levels.

The Layers palette looks like this.

Step 26 : Drag the Black slider to the right to give a vignette effect in the Levels dialogue box.

That is all. This is the finished effect. Other photoshop tutorials are here

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3D CUBE in Photoshop CS5

The Cube could be made in Photoshop all along, but it required a lot of effort and manipulation. In CS5 making a Cube from an image is very simple.You can do it with a single image. Photoshop fills all six sides of a Cube with the chosen image. You can also use the Cube Wrap feature. One tutorial on Cube Wrap is here 

Here I wish to use a different image for each of the six sides.

This is the effect I intend to create.

Download these free stock images. You will find them here

They belong to  mjranum-stock

I have opened this image in Photoshop. I will show how you can make this into a Cube.

Go to 3D>New Shape from Layer>Cube Wrap

Photoshop has done all the work. But this is not what I want to demonstrate. I would like to use six images for the six sides of a Cube. That is done a bit differently.

Step 1 : Open the image. Go to 3D>New Shape from layer>Cube.

This is what you get.

The Layers panel looks like this.

If you double click the Background Texture you will be able to see the image. The sides are the textures.

Step 2 : Double click the Top Material Default Texture which is just above the the Background Texture.

Photoshop opens a blank layer. On top you can see it is the Top Material default texture

Step 3 : Go to File>Open.

Step 4 : Navigate to the folder where you have downloaded the images.

Step 5 : Click one of them to open in Photoshop.

Step 6 : Press CTRL+A (Select ALL) and CTRL+C (Copy) after opening the image in Photoshop.

Step 7 : Go to the Top Material and press CTRL+V (Paste). The image is a large one and has to be resized.

Step 8 : Resize the image by pressing SHIFT+ALT and dragging a corner handle.

Press ENTER.

Step 9 : Click the small x to close the image.

Step 10 :  This dialogue box appears. Click Yes. Close the other image also.

The image looks like this. You don't see any change. This is because the image has been added to a side not visible to you.

Step 11 : Click on the Bottom Material.

Photoshop opens it.

Step 12 : Click on another image.

Step 13 : Press CTRL+A and them CTRL+C.

Step 14 : Go to the Bottom Material and press CTRL+V. Resize the image since it is a large one. Press ENTER.

Step 15 : Click the x at the top to close the image.

Step 16 : This dialogue box opens. Click Yes. Close the other image also.

The image looks like this. I hope you can now understand how to add an image to each side of the cube. You have to click on  the sides one by one in the Layers panel, open and image, Select all (CTRL+A), copy (CTRL+C), take it to the relevant side and paste (CTRL+V). Resize. Close the image. Save the image. This is how you will add images to all six sides.

Step 17 : I have added images to all the six sides as I have described.

Step18 : Click the 3D Object Rotate Tool.

This will be seen at the top left beside the image to rotate the image.

On the top panel you will find these tools.

If you drag the cursor straight down you will be able to rotate the Cube downwards.

The Cube has been rotated downwards.

Drag the cursor to the right. The Cube rotates to the right. 

The Cube has rotated to the right.

You can rotate the Cube anyway you want.

The Cube looks like this.

I have rotated the Cube like this.

You can also Slide the Cube.

Drag up the cursor to make the Cube smaller and drag down to make the cube bigger.

If you move the cursor to the right or left it will move the Cube to the right or left. It will not make it smaller or bigger.

You can also drag the Cube anywhere on the canvas by clicking the Drag the 3D object icon.

You can also Roll the 3D object by clicking on the icon.

The Cube has been rolled.

You can also scale the Cube.

You can drag down to make the Cube smaller.

You can drag up to make the Cube bigger.

I have positioned the Cube thus.

Step 19 : CTRL+CLICK the New Layer icon. A new Layer 1 forms at the bottom.

Step 20 : Make sure that the Foreground/Background Colors set to the default Black/White.

Step 21 : Press ALT+BACKSPACE to fill with the Foreground Color which is Black.

The image looks like this.

Step 22 : Click the New Layer icon. A new Layer 2 forms above Layer 1.

Step 23 : Press x to change the Foreground Color to White.

Step 24 : Press b for the Brush Tool. Press ] (right square bracket)  to make it large.

Step 25 : In the top panel reduce the Opacity of the Brush to 40%.

Click once with the Brush at the corners. And, here is the completed image.

Other photoshop tutorials are here

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