Polka Dots in any version of Photoshop

I had demonstrated how Polka Dots can be created in Photoshop CS4. The tutorial is here. But you can create Polka Dots in other versions of Photoshop as well quite easily.

Step 1 : Open a new White Layer in Photoshop.

Step 2 : Click the Add New Layer button and a new layer -- Layer 1 forms.

Step 3 Click the Brush Tool.

Step 4 : Click where the red arrow points to in the top panel to reveal the Brush controls. Select Brush 19 which is a Hard Brush.

Step 5 : It does not matter what you set for the Master Diameter. The Hardness of this Brush is set to 100 %. It means that it it a hard brush.

Step 6 : Make sure that your Foreground is set to Black and Background To White.

Step 7 : Now click once with the Brush Tool on the extreme left top of the White Layer. Then press SHIFT and click on the extreme right side. Photoshop automatically creates the rest of the dots.

The dots have been created.

Step 8 : Look in the top panel. The Brush size is 70.

Step 9 : Now press the [ (left bracket next to the letter P on your keyboard) till the Brush Size decreases to 50. This is a shortcut to make the Brush tip smaller.

Step 10 : Click on the Foreground Color.

Step 11 : As soon as you click on the Foreground Color, the Color Picker pops up. I have clicked on a shade of gray in the left panel.Note that 'new' at the top changes to the same shade. The numerical value of the shade is given in the box at the bottom.

Note that the Foreground Color has also changed to the shade picked.

Step 12 : Click once with the Brush Tool.

Step 13  : Now click once on the extreme right with the Brush Tool. Photoshop immediately creates the rest of the dots.

Step 14 : Now make the Brush tip large. Press the ] (right bracket key next to the letter P on your keyboard) to make the Brush size larger. It will increase every time you press it.

Step 15 : Now click on the Foreground Color. This will bring up the Color Picker. Note that there is a small slider on the column of color in the middle which can be dragged up or down to change the color. The column of color is called the Spectrum. I have chosen a shade of pink for the next dot. I have click on the left panel. Note that 'new' at the top changes to the color picked. The numerical value appears in the box at the bottom.

The Foreground Color also changes to the color picked.

Step 16 : Click  the Brush Tool.

Step 17 : Increase the Brush size to 70 by pressing on the ] (right bracket).

Step 18 : Click once on the left of the canvas with Brush Tool.

Step 19 : Press SHIFT and click on the extreme right. Photoshop creates the remaining dots for you. This is how you go on adding the dots in different colors.

And, there are the polka dots.

Step 20 ; Click on the Elliptical Marquee Tool.

Step 21 : Press Shift and draw out a circle with the Elliptical marquee. You will be able to draw a perfect circle. Note that the circle is not in the middle.

Step 22 : Place your cursor in the middle of the circle and drag it to the middle.

Step 23 : Press CTRL+SHIFT+I to inverse the selection. The selection inverses.

Step 24 : Press DELETE.

Step 25 : Press CTRL+SHIFT+I. The selection inverses again.

Step 26 : Go to Filter>Distort>Spherize.

Step 27 : The Spherize dialogue opens. Drag the Amount slider to 50 %. Click OK.

Step 28 : After you click OK, the Spherize effect is applied. If you want to apply it again press CTRL+F. I have not done so, as this effect is satisfactory for me. That's how you can make a Polka dot. You can also make the design created into a Brush for later use. Press CTRL+D to deselect.

Step 29 : Go to Edit>Define Brush Preset.

Step 30 : This dialogou box pops up. I have named it polka dots. I have just typed it in.

Step 31 : Click where the arrow points to in the top panel. Click on the Brush Tip Space, then drag the Spacing slider till the dots separate.

Step 32 : In the left top panel click where the red arrow points to, to reveal the Brushes pallette. You will find the Polka Dots Brush at the end. It is Brush no 531.

Step 33 : Click on Add Layer icon in the Layers pallete and a new Layer 2 forms above Layer 1.

Step 34 : Click once with the Brush Tool on the left top corner.

Step 35 : Click the icon in th top right panel to reveal the Brushes pallette. Click on the Brush Tip Shape. The drag the Spacing slider suitably till the polka dots are separated.

Step 36 : Press Shift and click on the right hand size of the canvas and Photoshop completes the rest of the polka dots.

And that's how you create a polka dot design.

Other Photoshop tutorials are here.

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Frame - Rounded Frame with Photoshop

There are many kinds of Frames you can make for your photos in Photoshop. I will show you how to make a Rounded Frame. I will also show you how to download a free high resolution brush and install it in Photoshop as a bonus. Step 1 : Open any photo in Photoshop. I have opened this high resolution, non watermarked free stock image. If you want to use it you can download it here. You will only need to register at http://www.dreamstime.com/ . There are both paid images and free images for download. I use the free images. There are enough of them.

Step 2 : Go to Edit>Canvas Size.
Step 3 : As soon as you click on Canvas Size, this dialogue box will appear. Check the Relative box. This will reset the Width and Height to 0. Type in 3 cm for both Width and Height. Click OK.
And, you get a nice White Frame.

Step 4 : Now click on the Rounded Rectangle Tool from the fly out.

Step 5 : Look in the top panel. First click on the Paths icon shown by the red arrow. Now type 150 in the Radius box.

Step 6 : Now with the Rectangular Tool drag out from the inside corner of the frame at the top left to the bottom right. A thin selection can me made out. This has to be made visible.

Step 7 : Now click on the Paths palette.

Step 8 : You now see the Work path thumbnail in the Paths palette.

Step 9 : Right click the Work path. You will find this pop up appear. Click on Make Selection. Step 10 : This dialogue box opens. The New Selection will be selected. The Feather Radius should be set to 0 pixel. If it is not type in 0.

Step 11 : You can see the rounded corners now marked by the marching ants.

Step 12 : Look at the Foreground/Background colors. The default setting is Foreground is Black and Background is White. If it not set to the default press 'x' and then 'd' on your keyboard.

Step 13 : Press CTRL+SHIFT+I. The selection will inverse. See above. Press CTRL+Backspace. This will fill the selection with Background Color which is White in this case.

Step 14 : Now click back on the Layers palette.

Step 15 : Press CTRL+J. The frame will be cut and pasted onto a new layer -- Layer 1.

Step 16 : Now CTRL+Click the Layer thumbnail.

Step 17 : As soon as you CTRL+click marching ants surround the entire frame.

Step 18 : Click the Gradient Tool.

Step 19 : Click in the top panel where the arrow points to, to bring up the Gradient Editor.

Step 20 : The Gradient Editor opens. I have clicked on the first gradient in the bottom row. Click OK.

Step 21 : Click on the Reflected Gradient, it is the icon the arrow points to.

Step 22 : I have dragged with the Gradient Tool from left corner bottom to right top corner.

This is the effect I have got. You may choose any Gradient of course in Step 20. You will get a different effect.

Step 23 : Press CTRL+L. This will bring up the Levels dialogue box. Note there are three sliders -- Black, Grey and White. The Black is to darken, the White to lighten and the Grey in the middle to increase or decrease the highlights. I have just changed the value of the Black slider by typing 90 in the box below it. There is nothing hard and fast about it though. Click OK.

Step 24 : The frame has been darkened.

Step 25 : Now click the Add New layer button and a new layer -- Layer 2 forms. For the next step we need a Brush. You have quite a lot of Brushes built into Photoshop, but I will download a free brush from the Internet and show you how to install it in Photoshop for your use.

Step 26 : I am going to download this brush. You will find it here.

Step 27 : When you click on the link, you will find the download button on the left of the page. Click it.

Step 28 : As soon as you click this dialogue box opens. A Brush is always an .abr file. This particular Brush is not in a zip file and can be loaded directly into Photoshop. Click the Save button. The name of the Brush is 'rOman_abstract2'.

Step 29 : Photoshop may open some location in your computer to save the file. That will not do. You have to save it in the Brushes folder in Photoshop. Click on Computer or My Computer.

Step 30 : The configuration of your computer may not be the same, but the steps to install the Brush will be the same. Click on 'C' drive where all your Programme files are loaded.

Step 31 : Click on Programme Files.

Step 32 : Click on Adobe. The Photoshop folder is located inside the Adobe folder.

Step 33 : Click on Photoshop (whatever your version).

Step 34 : Click on Presets.

Step 35 : Click on Brushes.

Step 36 : You can see all the Brushes in Photoshop. They are the same in all versions. Click Save.

Step 37. The Brush downloads. Click Close. The Brush has been installed in Photoshop. If Photoshop is open you will have to close it and start it up again.

Step 38 : Click on the Brush Tool.

Step 39 : Click on this icon in the top right of the top panel to open the Brushes palette.

Step 40 : The Brushes palette opens. Click on the tiny Black arrow the red arrow point to.

Step 41 : When you click the tiny Black arrow you will find the list of Brushes available. The rOman_abstract2 brush is there. Click it.

Step 42 : As soon as you click this dialogue box pops up. Click OK.

Step 43 : The Brush opens. Click on the Brush in the top right of the panel (red arrow). Then click the Brush Tip Shape. Lastly drag the Spacing slider to the right. I have dragged it 95 percent.

Step 44 : In the right hand top panel click the Brush and set the Hardness to zero. Drag the Master Diameter suitably for a large brush tip.

Step 45 : Change the Foreground Color to White.

Step 46 : Click with the Brush all around the edges till you are satisfied. Press CTRL+D to deselect. The marching ants go away. The frame is now complete.

Other Photoshop tutorials are here.

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