Table of contents for No. 161 in Photoshop Creative

Masks aren’t the flashiest feature of Photoshop, but they are absolutely essential to any professional-grade work in the program. This issue, we’ll reveal to you the many secrets of masks, and our panel of experts will show you how to master them to make any type of imagery take that all-important step up from good to great. We have a special treat this issue as well, in the form of a ten-page best-of feature, where we present our favourites from the year and get our artists’ insight into each unique creation. That’s complemented by our usual wide range of tutorials, ranging from using just about every tool in the box for a dynamic basketball image (28), or mastering vector shapes and layers for a stylish poster (22), to turning your…

GET IN TOUCH Send us your images now for the chance to appear in future galleries Create your own gallery online PhotoshopCreative.co.uk Upload your images to Facebook Search PhotoshopCreative Tweet us your creative artwork @PshopCreative Alternatively, you can email: markwhite03@futurenet.com ChristineRoy https://www.photoshopcreative.co.uk/user/croydesign I started the process by creating a moodboard to help choose a colourful palette and I then did some research on transport. I created a linework of all the elements together, created the colour mockup and later added the details, shading and texture while perfecting each layer. Raphael Andrade https://www.photoshop creative. co.uk/user/Raphaell I used dark blending tones and blend modes with elements of the universe, to create an environment that felt like a surreal dream. The Screen blend mode was key in removing the dark pixels from the…

Ready to layer up a typographic treat? Set tech-inspired text amidst a tangle of shards and colour, employing a technique that makes building up the shapes easier than you might initially think. Tackling a complex problem can often be made much easier by breaking it down into steps or batches of steps. This line of thinking can be put to use when going about creating the tangled web of shapes for this project. After plotting the first shard, you’ll simply continue building up a small unit composed of several shapes. Lowering the Opacity setting and/or changing blend modes on some of these will pay dividends when you start stacking layers. After merging the shapes (or better yet, grouping them in Photoshop/CC) to form a building block, you’ll proceed to duplicate…

01 Find the camera angle Set the G’s camera angle to align with the ground, then choose G from the angle list when rotating the other letters. Rotate them at different angles for this effect. 02 Stacking letters Adjust the camera angle slightly so that the letters of ‘Power’ and ‘And’ look as if they’re sitting on top of other layers. 03 Set the bevel Set Bevel Width to 12%, Angle to -30, and inflate with Angle: 90, Strength: 20%. This will give the effect that we’ve used. Tweak accordingly Some letters may need the Infinite Light source, the bevel or even the angle tweaked slightly. Adjust if you need, as this makes the text look more cohesive, not less.…

Essentials Works with What you’ll learn How to create paint effects using Photoshop’s Smudge Tool as well as the static brushes Time taken 4 hours Expert Rebekka Hearl I’ve been using Photoshop since my teens, and it is still a vital part of my workflow to this day. However, I find its lack of realistic paint tools frustrating, so I’ve developed my own ways of creating convincing painterly effects. I adore my Cintiq 13HD, and my favourite Photoshop tool is without a doubt the Brush Tool. Digital painting software has come a long way since its inception, and forerunners of the industry, such as Adobe, continue to innovate to this day. Users can now edit photos, create digital paintings and render 3D objects without ever having to leave Photoshop CC.…

Essentials Works with What you’ll learn Mix fantasy, reality and photomanipulation techniques Time taken 3 hours Expert Rodrigo Marinelli It’s always fun and challenging to create a fantasy scene where anything can happen, and all that matters is the techniques and tools you will have to mix to get to the best result. I’m an art director and have 12 years of experience in advertising agencies. I learned and am still learning to use Photoshop through following tutorials. The best way to enhance your Photoshop skills is simply to practise. Every time you create a new image, it’s an opportunity to explore new themes, to discover new tools and techniques. In this tutorial, we’ll mix reality, fantasy and photomanipulation techniques to create a magical mushroom world. One of the most…

It’s been a long and amazing 12 months. From the total solar eclipse, to Twitter doubling its character count, we all had a landmark of our own in 2017, and Photoshop Creativewas no different. 2017 was a great year for us, in which we boldly explored new features and tutorials, tried new skills out and brought you the very best and the very latest that Photoshop had to offer. Our trusted Photoshop experts, both old and new artists to the magazine, shared with us their outstanding artwork, and taught us some incredible new things. As we look to 2018, it’s only natural to reflect on the year we’re leaving behind us, so we asked our friends what they were most proud of. Over the next few pages, we’re going to…

Expert Mark White I took the photo of the dog, Ralph, last year, and I’ve been waiting to use it in Photoshop ever since. The side profile really suits the whole scene. I really like how the whole composition falls together with the blur and reflection, and Ralph makes a great subject for this piece. As Techniques Editor on Photoshop Creative, I’ve learned all kinds of quick tips to help with even the most impressive-looking pictures. Expert tip Create a realistic dog It’s easy to abstract in this tutorial: most of it consists of turning swathes of an image into chunky triangles, so it’s a challenge to keep details in your low-poly image. Make sure that when you draw the dog, you outline over his nose, around the ears and…

Color blend mode 01 The Color blend mode is handy for recolouring any kind of picture and it’s a useful blend mode when it comes to recolouring a sky. Here, we’ve used a Gradient Map, set to Color, to give the sky a blue tint rather than a yellow one. Gradient Maps 02 Ordinary Gradient Maps are also perfect for recolouring skies; just add one and mask it over the sky, using the Quick Selection technique from step 3 of the tutorial. It makes it easier if your foreground is a silhouette, such as this one. Hue/Saturation 03 Hue/Saturation can alter the colours within a picture, so why not use it to tweak the tone by moving the sliders to make your sky lighter, brighter, or even a different shade…

Publisher Laurence King Price £45 / $65 US Author Petra Eisele, Annette Ludwig, Isabel Naegele Release date October 2017 “The most supreme of European types are the Roman capitals, consisting of circles, triangles and squares,” mused Paul Renner in 1922, who went on to earn a firm place in the typography hall of fame for being the creator of the Futura typeface. Renner was a fan of where simplicity and elegance conflated, and when it came to typefaces, he compared the minimal san serif style to “The last shimmer of the bright intellectuality of ancient Rome.” With its pastel green cover, iridescent title and silvery fore edge, it is highly likely that Renner would have been besotted with the hardback Futura: The Typeface, a beautiful tribute to his greatest typeface…

“My experience allows me to be flexible depending on what I’m drawing,” reveals Andrey Gordeev. “I can make a project realistic, cartoony, and I can leave out my black humour if need be.” Andrey’s worked with a host of interesting clients, but how does he tailor his work to their needs? We caught up with him to find out his secrets. Have you always been an artist, Andrey? My parents say that I started drawing at 11 months, since nothing fascinated me more at that age! But the last couple of school years I didn’t study art, I just drew in my spare time. I used to draw funny pictures of teachers. Back then I had no idea that there was such a profession as an illustrator. How did you…

PhotoshopCreative.co.uk/user/Abulrook I’m Raqee, I obtained a PhD from the Faculty of Applied and Creative Arts, University Malaysia Sarawak. I am also a member of the Graphic Design Association of Malaysia (wREGA), Photographic Society of America (PSA) and ico-D (International Council of Design). Currently, I’m an assistant professor in the College of Fine Arts at the University of Baghdad. BEAUTY OF THE UNEXPECTED This combined two photos, one from an old Readers’ Challenge and another from Unsplash. FLURRY OF EMOTIONS This image depicts how people end up slaves to the flurry of emotions in our life. Reader Tip I advise beginners to make creativity a daily habit. A good start is to read tutorials. Look at featured images, find out how others think and work, keep doodling; get a notebook and…

Jonathan Schieffer Endless Circle The theme of liquid is central to this image! Masks and blend modes were key in placing the water inside the glass. We challenged you... In Issue 159, we challenged you to get creative with the theme of ‘liquid’. You were allowed to create whatever you wanted, so long as it incorporated the theme somehow. This issue’s challenge... Think you can do better? Prove it! Next issue, the theme is ‘STYLE’. We don’t mind how you incorporate it into your image, just be as creative as you possibly can! Head to www.photoshopcreative.co.ukand simply hit the Challenge link. Closing date: 1 February 2018. THE PRIZE… AKVIS Charcoal This issue, one lucky winner will win a copy of AKVIS’s awesome Charcoal, worth $69! Turn any photo into charcoal…

03 Duplicate shapes/group Follow step 6 to duplicate shapes. Want a quick alternative? Select the shapes/group, select the Move Tool, Option/Alt-click and drag to new position. Free Transform (Cmd/Ctrl+T) for variation. 02 Drop Opacity Drop the Opacity on shapes to enable them to blend when stacked. Photoshop/CC users can alter the Opacity setting of a layer group to affect all layers contained inside. 03 Change blend modes Try changing the blend modes of some shapes for deeper blending. In Photoshop/CC, experiment with changing the blend mode of layer groups. 04 Edit shape layers For shape layers in Photoshop/ CC, use the Direct Selection Tool to select and edit the shape’s points. You can also Free Transform a single shape or a group.…

Select the colour 01 Find a section of the hair where you want to add a paint drip. Use the Eyedropper tool to select a colour right where you want the drip to start. Paint the drip 02 Using the same brush you’ve been using for the hair, paint a drip straight down. Hold the Shift key to ensure you draw in a straight line. Taper and droplet 03 Use the Eraser tool to taper the end of the line, and draw a little sphere at the bottom of it. This creates a convincing drip effect. Additional details 04 To really capture the painterly look, once you are done drawing drips, take a small brush and draw some paint spots in the hair.…

Add more elements Apply the Feather command 01 Activate the mushroom’s top layer (Cmd/Ctrl-click on the layer thumbnail), apply a Feather (Shift+F6) of 2px, invert the selection (Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+I) and press Delete three times. Draw the highlights 02 Create a new layer, use the Pen tool (P), draw the highlight’s shape, activate the selection, paint it white (Alt+Del) and disable the selection. Apply Gaussian Blur (step 17) set to 30px. Add more details 03 Add ‘plant.jpg’ and place it behind the cave_side layer. Use the Warp Tool (Edit> Transform> Warp) to adjust the shape. Finally add ‘rainbow.psd’ and change the blend mode to Screen. Make a lens flare effect 04 Create a new layer, set the Foreground colour to black and paint it (Alt+Del). Apply the lens flare effect (Filter> Render>…

About the artist Ladislas Chachignot @LA10LAS http://www.ladislasdesign.com Ladislas is a French freelance digital and traditional painter based in Barcelona, Spain. He’s self-taught and started by creating personal projects to learn and experiment before he began working on various commercial ones. He specialises in poster design, and is mixing digital painting and drawing with vector art. Personal projects seem to be the ones that we’re often most proud of, and the Easy Rider series of illustrations that Ladislas Chachignot created for himself follows this trend. Based on his love of cycling, the series shows how different cultures use bikes in various ways. The project was actually something that Ladislas conceived after giving up music, so it’s natural that he followed giving one passion up by starting another so close to his…

Colour Fantasy 01 This boosts the light and dark. Duplicate your layer, apply this preset and set to Overlay to create a bold outline effect. Comics 02 The clue’s in the title with the Comics preset; it produces amazing comic book-esque effect with its strong lines. Maroon 03 The choice when it comes to sunsets, for its vibrant tones. Duplicate the layer, apply the effect and switch the blend mode. Newspaper Image 04 Desaturates your image and blurs it. Leave as is or build with colour and detail to create a digital painting. Smooth Lines 05 This smooth and wavy effect looks great in most images, and although it converts your images to black and white, this can be changed.…

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. Julia Molchanova https://www.artstation.com/artist/yuliamolchanova All of my illustrations are made with Photoshop; this material sphere isn’t an exception. They were painted with two standard brushes, soft and hard. Overlay and Multiply were used for more saturation on the colours and some cartoon stylisation for objects. Alex Dos Diaz http://alexdosdiaz.com/ I use Photoshop daily for all my illustrative and design work. The Selective Color adjustment layer was a huge help while working on this piece, Mithridates VII, which is part of my personal project, The Ghost Alchemist. Alexis…

The eraser is just as valuable to an artist as the pencil. Two sides of the same coin, the pencil creates, but the eraser enables you to edit; art is as much about deciding what you want the audience to see, as it is about expressing yourself, and even the most amazing pieces of artwork weren’t created perfectly from the very first sketch. Photoshop has an eraser option, but it’s a destructive tool. Once something’s erased, it’s gone forever. So step forward the Mask feature. Masks enable you to hide parts of your work, just like an eraser, and they’re perfect for editing art down. But the reason we favour masks over the Eraser Tool is that if you decide you want some of that layer back, you can simply…

The artist Kevin Roodhorst My name is Kevin Roodhorst. I’m a 27-year-old digital artist and retoucher from Almere, the Netherlands. I specialise in high-end creative imaging and w w editorial . pi elpr /commercial site . m advertising @thep xelp . I combine ites stock photos, CGI, matte painting and I photograph a lot of images myself too, to create my artwork. You can see more of my work at www.kevinroodhorst.com Essentials Time taken 16 hours “VIPER Elite Series is a sport-advertising-style artwork,” says Kevin Roodhorst of this bright purple composition. “To create this artwork I combined watercolour paint splashes and other textures together.” Kevin’s work is a big hit online, and this piece is no different. It’s been viewed 8,000 times and been hugely popular; Kevin’s previously been featured…

Expert Andre Villanueva I used to create artwork wholly in the physical realm. While I had great fun mixing paint and other media, I had to be careful lest I ruined my surroundings. Now I can quarantine the action behind the computer monitor and sling around paints and colour with abandon. A former college teacher instructing students in Photoshop, I eventually moved to the corporate world as art director and web designer. I am very grateful to still be able to share techniques with readers. Drop by and say hello on my site: 000-000-0000.com. Expert tip Create a brush There are tons of options when it comes to Photoshop brushes. Besides the presets, there are countless brushes online. To make things more personal, you can even create your own. Scan…