Table of contents for No. 163 in Photoshop Creative

Most of us keep finding the same obstacles in our lives, where there’s something we just can’t seem to get a handle on, whether it’s repeatedly struggling to remember our many, many online passwords, or always stumbling over the same tool in Photoshop. While we can’t help you with your passwords or finding out how to stop buying those extra 20 items of random stuff when you go out for a loaf of bread, we can help you with Photoshop. So our big feature this month answers questions that you, our readers, sent to us in your quest to get to know Photoshop’s many features better. And hopefully, those answers will help when it comes to the many and varied tutorials that follow, along with our insightful interviews and expert…

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. Weston Fuller  www.westonfuller.com/ Plastic Bag is a conceptual composite where collected beach trash was added as ‘jelly fish’ in Photoshop using blend modes and adjustment layers, to create an emotional connection between the subject matter. Danny Ivan wwwdannyivan..com/ This was created from my research and development about light and how materials react with each other. I made it with Cinema 4D, X-Particles and Photoshop CC, which helped create the motion blur. Dawid Planeta  www.behance.net/dawidplaneta There was a feeling that I really wanted to depict in this…

The modern world is fantastic, particularly the internet, right? We all have a voice now: it only takes one person with a good idea to create something incredible that gets seen across the globe, all from one tiny laptop. That was the thinking behind this feature: what if there are people out there who have great ideas they want to share, or burning questions about Photoshop they need answering? A few weeks ago on social media, we handed the baton over to you and asked for your big Photoshop questions. We got a phenomenal response, and our trusty Photoshop experts have been busy sifting through the best subjects ever since to pick out their favourites. We had all kinds of questions too! Over the next few pages we’re going to…

The artist Jonathan Bail Hey, I am Jonathan Bail and I am 21. I am a digital designer based in southern Germany. Right now, I am studying digital media and am soon going to do my bachelor www. h degree xelpr . I ites picked . up m Photoshop @thepi elpro when it I was 12, and along with my studying, I work as a freelancer. See the other Mobile Animalsor contact me at: behance.net/bailjonathb934 Essentials Time taken 2-3 hours “As far as the Photoshop techniques go, I only used the basics: blend modes, colour corrections and brushes” This image was created while I was travelling,” explains Jonathan Bail. “On this trip I wanted to use the time on the plane for designing something, and having no laptop, I used…

Essentials Time taken 3 hours The artist Fadi Ajjan I’m a Syrian graphic designer and digital artist. From the very beginning, I wanted to embody and portray my feelings through my ww des .thgnsx, which lp osi m esx.com imagination @thepix lprosi and es reality on one hand, but also aim to be unrealistic on the other hand. You can find more of my work at photoshopcreative.co.uk/user/fadi-art Double exposure has come a long way over the years,” says Fadi Ajjan, a graphic designer and digital artist from Syria who loves to blend reality with fantasy in his images for a smart finish. “Double-exposure photos are a great way of creating a coherent image that can be beautiful, nostalgic or unsettling, depending on what photos you use and how you combine…

Load up stock 01 To add a flock of birds into the image to take the effect further, go to File> Place and load ‘pix_2507735_ birds.jpg’. Resize to make them slightly smaller and hit Enter to confirm. Select and mask 02 Pick the Magic Wand Tool (W), set Tolerance to 34 and ‘3 by 3 Average’ in the Options bar. Click on the sky of the bird’s layer to select it (holding Shift to add areas) and, with white as the Foreground colour, press Backspace. Apply Gaussian Blur 03 Position the birds just above the phone in the top corner. Go to Filter> Blur> Gaussian Blur and set Radius to 1px to soften the birds. Ctrl/right-click over the layer and pick Rasterize Layer. Customise position and size 04 Ctrl/right-click over…

On the FileSilo Download your free resources at www.filesilo.co.uk/photoshopcreative Essentials Works with What you’ll learn How to create a low-poly portrait with brushes and masks Time taken 6 hours Expert Mark White To me, the 1990s are about Damon Albarn and Dennis Bergkamp, rather than garish designs, but this is one image that I feel harks back to that style. I love low poly and brushes, and this uses both. As Techniques Editor on Photoshop Creative, I’ve learned all kinds of tips to help with even the most impressive-looking pictures. Low poly isn’t just about the Pen Tool or the Lasso. Sure, you can create great low-poly artwork with just your Polygonal Lasso, but when combining it with an ink-style portrait, you can create low-poly effects that feel both organic…

On the FileSilo Download your free resources at www.filesilo.co.uk/photoshopcreative Essentials Time taken 4-5 hours Expert Jenni Sanders Even people who claim to have zero creativity love to paint. But I have always found it to be very messy, and there’s no Undo button – what gives? Digital painting software has come on leaps and bounds in recent years; you can now create paintings with everything you’d find in a real masterpiece, but you have the control of layers, an eraser and of course, Undo. My first experience with photomanipulation was watching as my dad ‘cloned out’ holidaymakers from our family photographs. I was hooked and I’ve worked in the industry of Photoshop, CGI and graphic design for over ten years. Expanding your library of creative software is both a fun…

Crop tool 01 One of the most vital features that any photo-editing program offers. In Elements, you can crop with a guide over the image, and you can crop to a specific size and resolution. Elements also presents four crop options with every image. Recompose tool 02 Similar to the Crop Tool, but the big difference here is that you can choose to keep or get rid of elements within the image before they’re cropped. Use the Brush and Eraser icons before choosing a ratio. Straighten tool 03 Another simple but valuable feature, drag horizontally across a horizon, and Elements will straighten your photo. You can choose whether you hide the wide space, extend the photo with white space, or fill in with Content-Aware.…

Gradients 01 These are effective when you’re adding colour to your photos. If you have an image that doesn’t have very much detail, sometimes a gradient can give an overarching feel. Simply create a new layer, set to Color and drag in a gradient. Gradient Maps 02 Black-and-white photos tend to have higher contrast than usual photographs. This makes them interesting to use Gradient Maps with, as the Gradient Map will replace the tones with colour, giving a more cartoony feel in your image. Selective Colour 03 What can be more effective than a black-and-white photo? A black-and-white photo with a hint of colour! It can be an interesting challenge to just colour parts of a picture rather than all of it; it also helps a subject stand out from…

“ Space is used effectively to keep the content digestible ” Publisher Serif Price £37.99 / $44.95 US Author Affinity Team Release Date October 2016 The Affinity Designer Workbook is a comprehensive guide to the software. You begin by learning the interface through a digestible visual guide, before moving on to developing your core skills. Finally, you are walked through world-class projects from conception to completion. All this is wrapped in a top-quality hardcover. The book’s layout is clean and considered. Space is used effectively to keep the content digestible and real thought has clearly been put in to how people get to grips with software like this. The paper and bind quality are both exceptional. The last four pages are tear-out cardboard cheat sheets and shortcuts. They are printed…

To Polygonia Use these cool low-poly landscapes to style up your art. Black Marble This stylish font will add a touch of class to your images. Petal overlays A huge selection of beautiful petal overlays is included this issue. On the FileSilo this issue… • 11 Technology mockups worth $37 • 9 Low-poly landscapes worth $7 • 130 5K Petal overlays worth $19 • Black Marble typeface worth $30 • 12 Premium looks worth $7 • Plus free digital Photography Show mag • A total of 164 premium resources worth $100 along with dozens of our tutorial files Log in to www.filesilo.co.uk/photoshopcreative Register to get instant access to this pack of must-have resources, videos and tutorial assets The home of great downloads – exclusive to your favourite magazines from Future…

On the FileSilo Download your free resources at www.filesilo.co.uk/photoshopcreative Essentials Works with What you’ll learn Use shapes, gradients, warping tools and guides to build a typographic poster Time taken 2-4 hours Expert BÜRO UFHO We love combining Illustrator with Photoshop as it can greatly speed up our work process and free us from the constraints of being in a particular application. We have been using Photoshop for over ten years. In 2015, we had the privilege to be invited by Adobe to celebrate its 25th Anniversary of Photoshop. Working with multiple applications is one of the secrets to working fast. It may seem counter-intuitive, but sometimes you might find yourself struggling with a technique, trying to flush out the technicalities of a particular application. Because certain software is better at…

On the FileSilo Download your free resources at www.filesilo.co.uk/photoshopcreative Essentials Works with What you’ll learn How to create a surreal scene where a whale is breaching through land Time taken 4 hours Expert Rodrigo Marinelli Every time I start a surreal scene, I know it will be challenging because I’ll have to use Photoshop to transform something seemingly impossible into a believable reality. I’m an art director and have 13 years’ experience in advertising agencies. I learned and I’m still learning to use Photoshop through following tutorials. One of the most interesting things about working in the realm of digital arts is that you always have the opportunity to learn more, not only about Photoshop tools, but also about different kinds of art. It’s very important to read about the…

On the FileSilo Download your free resources at www.filesilo.co.uk/photoshopcreative Essentials Works with What you’ll learn How to construct a simple illustration using a restricted colour palette Time taken 2 hours Expert Andre Villanueva Though I’m primarily a photo blender, I do like to do other types of visuals. Shape-based illustrations are a fun, creative excursion. They mean I’m able to focus on creating instead of searching for photos and other assets. I have a habit of just freestyling the colours in an image, so working with a set palette really helps keep me in check. Photoshop + boundless creativity + nigh-infinite resources = endless possibilities. Sometimes, utter freedom can cause mental/ creative overload, paralysing you. As such, setting limits can be a good thing. By imposing restraints to your actions,…

Ballpoint Medium 01 The ultimate is precision, this is great for detail, such as sketching the white glint in an eye or making sketchy touches over a finished portrait. Flux Ebber 02 The Flux Ebber Grutbrush leaves a messy look, but is very clear in its painted look. It has a faded tail to it too, making it good for flourishes of colour. Happenstance 03 Happenstance is a thicker, less texturised Grutbrush that also has a nicely noisy edge to it. It’s good for filling in block colour and still feels painterly. Lazy Fair 04 Lazy Fair is a lovely ink brush with a great flick to the end of it. It’s fairly textured, and is perfect for drawing the outline of your subject.…

Warp Tool 01 After finishing the background (step 6), duplicate all the layers and merge them. Go to Edit> Transform> Warp. Drag the handles to create a better perspective for the wave image. Smart Filter mask 02 When applying a filter on a Smart Object, select the Brush Tool and paint on the mask to determine the areas where the effect will impact. Brushes 03 Select the Brush Tool and press F5 to open the Brushes panel. Adjust the Brush Tip Shape, the Shape Dynamics and Scattering to customise your brush. Groups 04 Keep the layers organised by placing the related images into groups (hold Shift and select the layers you want to group, then press Cmd/ Ctrl+G).…

Create the layer 01 Create a new layer at the top of your skin layers and name it Freckles. Set the composite method of this layer to Overlay from the top of the Layers panel. Paper set up 02 Go to Window> Paper Panels> Papers (Cmd/Ctrl+9). In the new panel, increase the Scale to around 300 and Contrast to 400%, leaving the paper type as Basic Paper for now. Brush set up 03 In Brushes, go to Chalk, Pastel and Crayons and select Real Fat Chalk. Set the Size to around 40px, Opacity to 15% and Penetration to 1%. Select a dark grey as your colour. Paint the freckles 04 Start to paint on your Overlay layer to add some freckles! Try varying the colour, brush size and paper settings…

Digital art and traditional art really aren’t that different. Maya Shleifer, an Israeli artist who loves to blur the line between what looks hand-drawn and what looks digital, certainly believes this. But how does Maya create artwork that looks so distinctive, natural and textured? We found out… What’s your background? I graduated Bezalel Academy of Art and Design in Jerusalem in 2002. For ten years I worked mostly in print, developing grids and working on the visuals in newspapers and magazines, but my passion for illustration soon gained strength. So I found myself illustrating more and more, from children’s books and comics to editorial illustrations. In 2012, the newspaper crisis erupted in Israel. It was a strong push for me to begin something new. I wasn’t sure what it should…

We challenged you... In issue 161, we challenged you to get creative with the set theme of Style. You were allowed to create whatever you wanted, so long as it incorporated the theme in some way. Trevor Budd Under the Pressure of Style This is a photomanipulation using a variety of images, based on the theme of ‘style’. I used a number of Photoshop tools and techniques! I will leave it up to the readers to interpret the image in their own way… This issue’s challenge... Think you can do better? Prove it! Next issue, the theme is Hope. 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: 29 March. THE…

Ihaven’t been to the event before, so I’m excited to come,” says Erik Johansson, ahead of March’s The Photography Show, held at the NEC in Birmingham, UK. “Usually if I come someplace new, I try and travel around a bit, see if maybe I can even make something around there.” Let’s hope he gets the chance, because special things happen when Erik explores a landscape with his camera. His work often blends surreal photography with social or economic commentary; sometimes it’s hard-hitting, and other times it’s downright silly. Whatever the impact, he’s found his way into galleries and museums, and soon Erik will be penning a book about this work. For someone who centres his work in the surreal, it’s also a fitting way to describe Erik’s progression from messing…

Structure your layout 01 Using the Rectangle Tool, add in a thin vertical rectangle. Cmd/Ctrl+J to duplicate and place them between the gutters. This will prevent your text from looking like it is floating around. Subtle textures 02 Import ‘pix_paint-345296.jpg’. Using the method of applying brush textures, distort and apply the texture to the stroke. Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+U to desaturate, set to Soft Light, Opacity: 50%. Add thickness 03 Make a selection of the stroke and fill with black. Move this layer up by clicking the up arrow twice and click delete. Set layer Opacity to 10%. Roughen the edges 04 Select all to Copy Merge and paste on a new layer. Go to Filter> Filter Gallery> Brush Strokes. Select Spatter. Set Radius to 3, Smoothness: 15. Blur it with Gaussian Blur,…

Adjust the tone 01 Select the ‘crack_street_01’ layer and link Brightness/Contrast (0, 10) and Levels (61, 1.00, 225) adjustment layers. Duplicate it (Cmd/Ctrl+J) and place it on the left side, just like the image. Use the Brush Tool 02 Create a new layer, set the Foreground colour to #a5a091, use the Brush at 50% opacity and paint the street. Finally, change the blend mode to Soft Light at 30% opacity. Add details 03 Create a new layer, set the Foreground colour to #faf2df, use the Brush at 50% opacity and paint the building’s left side, just like the image. Finally, add ‘birds.psd’. Create a lens flare effect 04 Create a new layer, set the Foreground colour to black and paint (Alt+Del). Apply Filter> Render> Lens Flare, set the position, and…

On the FileSilo Download your free resources at www.filesilo.co.uk/photoshopcreative Essentials Works with What you’ll learn How to control masks, filters and brushes to perfect out of bounds Time taken 3 hours Expert Simon Skellon This image really put my masking skills to the test. Trying to position all the individual elements to create an effective out-of-bounds effect is tricky, but the end result is rewarding. I’ve been working with Photoshop for as long as I can remember, but my techniques are constantly changing as I learn new tools. There’s nothing more exciting than pushing your creativity and imagination to new heights in Photoshop, and making one of these engaging out-of-bounds compositions will do just that. So join us in tackling the intricacies of layer masking and brushwork, as well as…

Choose a colour 01 Set the Foreground colour to a colour you want to add to the Swatches palette. You can choose from the Color Picker or use the Eyedropper Tool to select one. Add colour 02 To add the chosen colour, click the New Swatch button at the bottom of the Swatches palette. Alternatively, you can click in the empty space below the existing colours. Load swatches (CC) 03 In CC, you also have the very intriguing option to grab colour values from an HTML, CSS or SVG file. Once you have done this, go to Load Swatches from the palette menu. Delete/Save colours 04 You can easily manage swatches. To delete a swatch you no longer need, drag it to the trash icon. To save your colours, choose…

Essentials Time taken 6 hours The artist Raul Ferran I’m a veteran creative director with over 20 years’ experience of designing striking visual identities and media ex www cutions . he for elp sosit me of s the om world @thepixelpr ’s most sites recognisable brands. My expertise has offered clients a rare combination of creative solutions and passion for design, having led and directed notable projects for world-class brands. There are projects that artists create for clients, projects that are done for fun, and some projects that are just intended for the artist to learn something or try out a technique. The Gladiator by Raul Ferran is the latter. Created as a challenge for his creative abilities, it’s actually become one of his most striking pieces of work. “This…

FREE YOUR MIND This wallpaper was part of Desktopography 2017, created with Adobe Stock and a Wacom tablet. Estelle’s Tip In an adjustment layer, with a soft brush, paint in the mask in black to withdraw adjustment effects and in white to add them again. I am a self-taught digital artist from Corsica. My work is a mix of dream, fashion and fantasy. I started photomanipulations in 2013 and quickly became a Photoshop addict. I like to alternate between compositing and digital painting. BERBER This was created with Photoshop CS5 and a Wacom tablet; I wanted to push the colour further and give a surreal touch. NEXT ISSUE ON SALE 29 MARCH 2018! www.photoshopcreative.co.uk/user/Stellart…