Tabla de contenidos para No. 136 en Photoshop Creative

This issue we explore the world of photomanipulation, and look at some of the best techniques for creating spectacular photo edits. Turn to p16 where you’ll even discover how this issue’s cover was created. We also have tutorials on how to composite creative portraits, how to design a typeface in Elements, top tips from pro artists on how to improve your illustrations, and much more. There are also some exciting resources on this issue’s FileSilo, worth a total of $386, so download them now and start experimenting. You might you are just reading any Photoshop magazine, but an award-winning one! That’s right, Photoshop Creative was voted Most Inspiring Design Magazine in the Creative Market Awards 2015. Thank you to everyone who voted, and we look forward to inspiring you even…

MOSAIC FILTER Use the Pixelate>Mosaic filter to create the coloured squares from the base image. Use a pixel size of 40 pixels. BLENDING MODES MATTER Use the Soft Light blending mode to force the photo pattern to adopt the colour of the underlying image. This creates the illusion of using specifically coloured images. PHOTO FILLED PATTERN To avoid having to position thousands of tiny photos, create a pattern first and use that to fill the canvas. Photo-filled mosaics are an incredible and time-consuming art form. But the effect can be deceptively easy with a few tricks in Photoshop. Transform the base photo into squares of colour. Use the Filter>Pixelate> Mosaic command with a pixel size of 40. Then create a new file with pixel dimensions that are a multiple of…

Essentials Works with What you’ll learn Create a surreal scenario using multiple pictures and the Warp tool Time taken 6 hours Expert Rodrigo Marinelli “Since I started working with Photoshop, one of the areas that always caught my attention was photomanipulation. I found the ability to join multiple pictures to create one specific scene very exciting. I’m an art director and have 10 years of experience in advertising agencies. I learned and am still learning to use Photoshop through following tutorials.” One of the coolest things about working with Photoshop is being able to create worlds that exist only in our imagination, making an image that is unique and original. Working with photomanipulation takes a lot of patience and time in order to choose the right photos. Often only part…

Essentials Time taken 9 hours The artist Julia Vidanova Russian illustrator Julia Vidanova ( www.vidanova.tumblr.com) has been building up a portfolio of drawings and illustrations for a while now, mostly consisting www.th i of e bright pr itess , evocative com pictures @thepix . She lp had t always wanted to create a piece of artwork in black and white, but had never found the perfect project for it, until she imagined creating a self-portrait. Illustrator Julia Vidanova explains that she loves “expressive eyes in paintings, painting gloss and reflections. I looked in the mirror and I saw that I had messy hair and freckles, because it was summertime. I wanted to create a vivid, artistic portrait from what I saw and incorporate all of my favourite techniques.” The petals…

Essential steps 01 Create your guidelines A rule-of-thirds guide, together with your image’s centre guides, will help you position your elements. Google ‘Photoshop rule of thirds action’ to download this handy tool. 02 Blur your paths The group mask derived from your vector paths will be too sharp, so click on the mask and then go to Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur, with a radius of 1px – 1.5px. 03 Flatten your image When you apply too many blending modes, it can look too saturated and contrasted. Adding an invert adjustment layer helps to counter this, in our case Opacity is at 25%. 04 Soften your image Copy-merge the canvas and set the layer’s blending mode to lighten. Give a Gaussian Blur of 20%. Apply it to the shutter shades area through masking…

Essentials Time taken 10 hours The artist Jonathan Maurin Jonathan Maurin (aeonlux.free.fr/index.html), also known as Aeon-Lux, has been a freelance digital artist for four years. Based in France, he is passionate about www. visual h ix art p and si ess graphic c m design @thepixelpr , working sites mainly in the areas of concept art, matte painting, illustration and graphic design. He enjoys adapting his style. This picture was created for a personal project by Jonathan Maurin, who is also known as Aeon-Lux. The concept artist and illustrator from France is absolutely passionate about creating new worlds and universes. Most of the time he realises fantasy paintings or sci-fi artworks, but he also likes to give life to worlds that have been invented by others such as writers, directors…

WHAT ARE DODGE AND BURN TYPICALLY USED FOR AND HOW SHOULD I USE THEM? The Dodge and Burn tools (O) are used to add light and shade to your pictures. They’re subtle brush-like tools that either increase or decrease the exposure wherever you apply them. Where they can really be used creatively though is as a final overlay layer in your work. If you create a new layer with a neutral grey colour filled (#808080), set this layer to Overlay and dodge and burn here rather than just on the original layer, you can edit non-destructively. This makes it good for refining portraits delicately, but it’s also a useful tool for completing an ambitious composition. With this particular picture, the Dodge and Burn tools are used to sculpt the shape…

Having created art for Grammy-winning Muse and Oscar-winning Black Swan, Scot Bendall has come a long way from his first Notting Hill studio. “When we started we had a scanner on the sink, not to mention the mice,” Scot recalls. “It was horrible. Slowly, the projects and the studio improved… Sort of!” How did you first get into design, and what were the early days of La Boca like? I first got into graffiti in my early teens and from that developed an interest in design. We’re talking about the Eighties, I was into subway art, Vaughn Bode comics, Nike sneakers and records. In 2002 I started La Boca with my business partner, Alain. At first I was the sole designer, in a converted bathroom above an old record shop…

Elissandro Pinto www.photoshopcreative. co.uk/user/Elissandro Image of the issue “This is an image I created for my sons. Colour was extremely important in the creative process and I used adjustment layers to control all of it. The lens flare gave a distinctively science fiction feel to the entire picture.” Ata Alishahi www.photoshopcreative. co.uk/user/Ata “I created this picture from a combination of photos and Photoshop brushes. I took advantage of layers, and blending every one to perfection, and I finalised the picture with a few adjustments. I was happy with the results!” Peter Spencer www.photoshopcreative.co.uk/ user/Seventy%20Eight “I started by cutting out the image of the lady and then adding the London skyline over the top as a clipping mask with the blend mode Screen. I added a photo filter and a few…

BLURRING For a subtle blurring of the surroundings, duplicate everything to the top and go to Filter>Blur Gallery>Iris Blur. This gives even more prominence to the subject. Adding a big subject to much smaller surroundings might seem like a simple composition, but there’s so much to consider to get it just right, especially if you want the final image to look plausible. Everything needs to be deadly realistic, as this is a surreal picture to create; lighting and shading need to be perfect and if the sharpening and blurring don’t look right, your subject could look like a toy figurine rather than a real person. Rather than using a Quick Selection to mask out the subject, use a soft brush to get closer. Use brushes of low opacity to create…

Essentials Works with What you’ll learn How to create basic 3D models and edit images using essential tools Time taken 2 hours Expert Daniel Sinoca “Creating 3D models is one of my preferred hobbies in Photoshop. I can easily transform a flat image into a 3D shape using the intuitive commands and tools available to add an extra dimension to my work. I started to get involved in the digital world more than 10 years ago and have been working as a freelance artist ever since, creating all kinds of multimedia projects.” In this step-by-step guide you’ll discover how to change a flat image into a 3D model, apply decals and modify the object using basic Photoshop 3D tools, then incorporate and edit multiple images to create a fantastic composition.…

Essentials Works with What you’ll learn Paint highlights and shadows, use Transform tools and blend modes Time taken 6 hours Expert Moe Pike Soe “When creating a piece of artwork I think about how each object is placed and the depth of their positions. Everything else depends on these variables. I’m a self-taught, freelance digital artist and designer from Myanmar. I started using Photoshop in high school and began my career in 2011. Since then, I’ve worked with clients from around the world, including Nike and Nissan.” Space and science fiction extend the boundaries of imagination endlessly. In this tutorial you will explore how to create a surreal celestial portrait. You will learn how to use multiple light sources to blend different subjects together and create a dynamic scene that…

CREATE COLOURED EFFECTS When looking for a way to give colours more effect, Bram Vanhaeren (www.bramvanhaeren.com) states: “I always go by a dark background and play with the gradient tool to fill in small shapes. It is a fine challenge to find matching colours and create a vibrant energetic portrait in the end!” The term illustration covers all manner of different styles when it comes to digital artwork. In this feature, we pin down ten professional artists, who create everything from geometric landscapes to whimsical characters, and find out their top tips to take your artwork to the next level. There is a marked difference between a good illustration and a great one, which takes a steady and well-practised hand. It’s about understanding exactly how to work with colours to…

Essentials Time taken 5 hours Expert Neil Duerden “I’ve created many illustrations in Photoshop, and my 3D illustrations have included typography projects for Nike, Ford and Pepsi. These projects are usually even more complicated than this tutorial and can involve external programs. However, this tutorial will teach you how to create press-ready graphics that can be used for other media. “I am a self-confessed Mac monkey based in the UK. Creating mixed-media pieces that combine elements from photography with complex vectors or 3D, I work for clients all over the globe. I’m always hungry for the latest commissions and trends.” For more of Neil’s illustrations, head to www.neilduerden.co.uk. Believe it or not, Photoshop is capable of creating complex-looking renders without the need for specialised dedicated 3D software. The 3D functionality…

“My aim is to make the subject of my portrait artistry look powerful,” says Vicki of her work. “The objective is beauty through expression and emotion.” Vicki’s striking portraits have seen her recognised for awards, including the Gold PSA Medal, The RPS Silver Medal, and in January 2015, she held her first exhibition. But what makes her artwork tick? We were intrigued to find out. How do you start your images? I begin by sketching some ideas, colours and shapes, as well as jotting down key expressive words, which describe the subject and the emotions that I want to capture in the image. Anything that comes to mind will always go down on paper: this helps me when I need to take the photographs. Do you have any recurring themes…

There’s nothing more inspiring than surfing the internet and seeing what other artists are creating and we encourage you to do so. Here are some of our favourite pictures that caught our attention recently, from some of the world’s most exciting artists and designers. Nikita Pilyukshin www. . nikitap “I made this image using Photoshop, Zbrush and Keyshot. The sketch was drawn in Photoshop, and I created the mountains and the girl with clothes by Zbrush. All these models were rendered in Keyshot and the post-production was done in Photoshop.” Thibault Daumain www.behance.net/ thibaultdaumain “This illustration is a personal illustration inspired by James Blake’s song Measurements. I first draw the entire illustration with a thin mechanical pen on a thick white sheet of paper. Then I scanned the finished drawing…

Plan the day 08:30 First thing in the morning, you can find me sitting at my desk, checking all the communications and planning the day of work ahead. Team meeting time 10:00 Next is a meeting with the team managers for projects status review and accommodation of the urgent jobs. We have no other types of jobs than urgent ones! Dealing with issues 13:30 During the course of the day I am often stopped with questions and queries from the studio staff, and I manage issues on the fly. Lunch with colleagues 14:00 Finding time for lunch with colleagues is never an easy task, but we have the best Serbian Grill in town just across the street. Studio problems defeated 16:00 There is no such thing as a perfect world!…

LINE IT UP Lining up the edges of the orange peel and the frog using Warp requires quite a bit of careful manipulation, but it’s worth taking your time to get it just right. FINISHING TOUCHES When making a photo composite, look for extra finishing touches that will make the effect more convincing. Here we have extended the frog’s stripe and added more shadows. This fun animal photomanipulation is made using just two images – a frog and an orange peel. Both are available on the FileSilo, or alternatively you can use different types of fruit or animals. Once you have your start images, begin by selecting the upper half of the animal. We found the Magnetic Lasso tool worked well with our start image, but feel free to try…

ADJUSTMENT LAYERS Apply different adjustment layers, such as Levels and Hue/Saturation, to enhance contrast or make colour and tonal corrections to your image. CLIPPING MASKS Add a clipping mask to apply adjustments or effects only to the layer directly below it. To create a clipping mask, hold Option/Alt and click the line between the two layers. QUICK MASK Select your subject and enter in Quick Mask mode to clean up the areas in your selection. Zoom in and out, and vary the brush size to optimise your work. Use layer masks and Filters to create a fun photo effect. First duplicate the original image. Now grab the Quick Selection tool and select the areas you want to keep in focus. Invert the selection and add a layer mask. Blur the…

Essentials Works with What you’ll learn Use masks, filters and adjustments to create an inky and creative portrait Time taken 1-2 hours Expert Andre Villanueva “One of my favourite things to do in Photoshop is to give a portrait an imaginative makeover. Anything goes: using under-utilised filters, blending random imagery and testing unfamiliar adjustment settings. I discovered Photoshop when studying web design. I’m now art director for a tech company, soothing my inner instructor by sharing techniques with readers.” Photoshop is the ultimate artistic blending engine. Where else can you mix a portrait with ink, clouds, texture and colour with such ease? An inky blob will serve as the launching point of the piece. You’ll use this as a clipping mask to regulate the model. After this, the barrage of…

About the artist Tracy Butler www.lackadaisy cats.com @LackadaisyCats Tracy Butler studied biology at college and took freelance illustration gigs in her spare time. Her work was noticed by St. Louis’ game development company Simultronics, which took her on as an illustrator and concept artist. She learnt 3D while working for them, but initially specialised in animation. She started creating Lackadaisyin 2006, and now works on it full-time. Name of the project Lackadaisy Tracy Butler was an animator for a games company when she started creating web comic Lackadaisy. She says: “I was listening to a lot of jazz and swing revival at the time. I had just bought a very old house in a historic neighbourhood, and I had begun reading about the history of St. Louis and the labyrinth…

Essentials Time taken 18 hours Expert kittozutto “If there’s one thing we couldn’t live without in Photoshop it would be layers and masks (alright that’s two). These two tools open up a whole new dimension to creating images. We’re going to show you how these tools not only offer you more flexibility for editing, but also produce nice clean edges to your artwork. As we are both artists under the moniker kittozutto, and a graphic design studio, BÜRO UFHO, we have been using Photoshop for more than 10 years. In 2015, we had the privilege to be invited by Adobe, together with 70 other artists, to celebrate its 25th anniversary of Photoshop, which was an honour.” For more of kittozutto’s stunning work, head to www.kittozutto.com. From highly polished seductive album…

Here are a few more examples of 3D renders created using the same techniques as in this tutorial. It’s all about experimentation and enjoying what you do. These examples have been used for the pitching process in various jobs and, although simple in form, are what a lot of agencies are looking for in 3D. They are not overly complicated and get the message across quickly. The last thing you want is to lose the client’s message in an overly complicated piece. Disco diva – Integrating a simple texture to bring more attention to the message can be an effective way to bring more interest to the message. Design you trust – Stacked typography to give the message more priority while adding more interest in a legible way. We all…

ToaccessFileSilo,pleasevisitwww .filesilo.co.uk/photoshopcreative-136 01 Follow the instructions on-screen to create an account with our secure FileSilo system, log in and unlock the issue by answering a simple question about the magazine. You can access the content for free with your issue. 02 If you’re a print subscriber, unlock all the content by entering your unique Web ID. Your Web ID is the 8-digit alphanumeric code printed above your address details on the mailing label of your subscription copies. It can also be found on any renewal letters that you receive. 03 You can access FileSilo on any desktop, tablet or smartphone device using any popular browser (such as Safari, Firefox or Google Chrome). However, we recommend that you use a desktop to download content, as you may not be able…