Photoshop_Creative_-_Issue_154_2017

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THE WORLD’S NO.1 FOR
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25
EFFECTS THAT WILL
CHANGE YOUR WORK
FILTERS
✔ DIGITAL ARTWORK ✔ LIGHT EFFECTS
✔ LIQUIFY TOOLS ✔ CAMERA RAW
LIQUIFY
PLUS!
18 pages of
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GLOWING
EDGES
MASTER
DIGITAL ART
Unlock the power of digital
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OIL PAINT
RENDER
FLAME
SNOW
EFFECTS
ALSO INSIDE!
BUILD
A 3D CITY
Create your own city in the sky today
HIGH PASS
COMPOSITE
LIKE A PRO
Master layers to design a
fantasy scene
GO INTO SPACE
With the help of filters, layers and masks
Issue 154

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Senior Art Editor Rebecca Shaw
Senior Staff Writer Mark White
Senior Designer Sarah Bellman
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Photographer James Sheppard
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ISSN 1747-7816
On the surface, filters may look like one
of Photoshop’s more basic features, but
when you look closer, they can help you
unlock a whole world of opportunities,
whether it comes to adding subtle final
effects to an artwork you’re tweaking, or
dramatically transforming an image to create
something stunning and unique. Turn to p14 for an
in-depth guide to their many uses. In addition, our oil
painting effects tutorial on p42 shows how you can
use filters to turn a simple image into a striking
portrait. If you’re looking for that extra dimension to
make your art pop, we have not one, but two exciting
3D features. Our advanced 3D city tutorial on p58 will
teach you to build a city in the sky, and the tutorial on
p22 helps you get to know the many aspects of 3D
effects in Photoshop. We hope you enjoy the issue!
Erlingur Einarsson Editor
erlingur.einarsson@futurenet.com
3

Contents SAVE
www.photoshopcreative.co.uk
Essentials
06 22
08
10
12
14
36
56
70
92
FileSilo
This issue there are over 600 free
resources for you to use
Trending gallery
Check out some of the coolest
artwork going viral this month
Readers’ gallery
Have a look at what your fellow
readers have been up to this issue
Readers’ challenge
A chance to win Corel AterShot 3 and
AKVIS Enhancer software
Feature: Master filters
25 diferent ilters and how to use
them to make a good artwork great
How I Made
See how Alexandru Savescu made
the ilm-noiresque artwork The
Mystery Man of Maryland
How I Made
Christian Orrillo shows us how he
created the vivid Amniotic
Project focus
Typhaine Le Gallo has perfected the
way to blend digital and traditional
hand-drawn art using Photoshop
Reviews
This issue we put Anthropics’
LandscapePro 2 and AKVIS’
LightShop and OilPaint to the test
Portfolio interview
Carolina Rempto talks about her path
to being an acclaimed digital artist
Reader interview
Maciej Matuszak shares his secret
Photoshop tips and tricks with us
Tutorials
28
38
42
46
52
96 46
98
4
76
Master basic 3D in
Photoshop
Get to know Photoshop’s 3D tools
and create a cityscape with depth
Blend with layer masks
Use double-exposure tools to blend
diferent images
Create a fantasy scene
Mix reality and fantasy with the help
of layers and masks
Turn any photo into an
abstract oil painting
Learn how to transform a photo
into a richly detailed oil painting
Create a 3D-style logo
Layer styles, Smart Objects and
Blur ilters can help you make a
rockin’ logo
Create block animals
with Liquify
Follow this fun step-by-step guide
to turn any furry critter into a boxy
fantasy creature
Follow
us on
Twitter
@pshopcreative
Subscribe
today and you’ll
20%
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this amazing deal.
US page 72
YOUR FREE PHOTOSHOP
RESOURCES ARE HERE!
✔ This issue: lightning strikes, textures,
mockups, light leaks and much more
✔ Plus files to follow the tutorials
✔ Free and ready for you to download today!
Advanced Photoshop
58
64
3D modelling in
Photoshop
Dream up a city in the sky
using Photoshop’s powerful
3D tools
Create an awesome
space scene
Compose an out-of-this-world
scene with the help of layers,
ilters and masks
64
6

14
25
FILTERS THAT WILL
CHANGE YOUR WORK
22
42 28
36
58
Elements creative
74
76
80
Dodge and Burn
your photos
Achieve fast precision with
this vital tool
Make a creative
clock face
Make creative compositions
with text and images
How to age portraits
Change the look of your
images non-destructively
82
86
90
Create a surreal moon
composition
Follow this step-by-step guide
to build an eye-catching scene
Illustrate a scene using
selections
How to thrive in Elements
without a graphics tablet
Q&A: Common problems
in Elements
Your FAQs answered by our
team of Elements experts
19
5

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TRENDING IMAGES
Check out some of the most popular artwork that’s been rocking the internet
over the last few weeks, and take inspiration from what’s currently trending
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.
Chatchanok’s rooster has been viewed over
8,000 times. We love the detail in the piece,
and it’s proof that while digital and analogue
art are oten considered separate, they can
conlate for incredible results such as this.
The blending in Rafael’s work is superb, as is the
choice of colour and texture. He’s been featured by
Adobe’s Photoshop gallery, and this piece is a great
example of his wonderful command of a composition.
Rafael Boo
www.behance.
net/rafaelboo
This was
created with the
smoke cut out and applied
using blend modes, and
space elements added. The
smoke was given a colour
temperature, light efects and
spots using gradient maps,
Curves and blend modes.
Mind-bending compositions are extremely
popular online, and this is the standout
piece in Risfan’s impressive portfolio. We
particularly like the colour editing that
Risfan has made in Lightroom.
Chatchanok
Wongvachara
www.behance.net/
chatchanokwong
The artwork was created
from a pencil drawing that I did, with the
digital colouring coming from Photoshop.
The image was created in celebration of
the Chinese Year of the Rooster.
Risfan
Fariansyah
www.behance.
net/rsvn
This was
created in Photoshop and
Lightroom. The Transform
tools were key in creating
a surreal environment,
masking helped to bring all
the elements into the inal
image and blend modes
helped unify the elements.
8

Jan Urschel
www.hendrix-design.com/
This illustration was made for the movie
Ghost in the Shell from Paramount Pictures.
Photoshop was used to composite several 3D
render passes, add photographic background plates, bring in
atmospheric efects like steam, and the inal colour grading.
Yukai Du
www.yukaidu.com/
This is the cover of a children’s book,
commissioned by Wide-Eyed Editions . The cover
image needed to incorporate the themes of the
book, feel coherent, and also feel related to the other pages
illustrated inside. Brushes were used to create the illustration.
Jan has worked with countless production companies, and this is a
shining example of his work. We love the detail and atmosphere in
this piece, and so do 135,000 people who have viewed him online.
Aitor Prieto Reyes
www.aitorprieto.com/
I work on my digital pieces as if they were a real canvas, so
I don’t usually accumulate many layers. In this piece I used
a layer for the background and another for the characters,
which I blocked to give them volume with brushstrokes.
With half a million online views and support from The Student Show
and Pantone, Yukai’s work is highly rated. We love this one, because it
feels slick yet playful: that’s the power of Photoshop brushes.
Barcelona-born Aitor has been recognised by four separate Behance showcases for
his perfectly detailed, oten caricaturist digital art. This landscape is beautifully
realised and was featured by the Photoshop, Behance and Illustration galleries.
9

READERS’ IMAGES
Welcome to an inspirational round-up of great Photoshop artwork
created by none other than your fellow readers
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
Elissandro Pinto
www.photoshopcreative.co.uk/user/
Elissandro
Image of the issue
Layers, blend modes and masking
were vital in this image. The rhino was the first
thing to be added to the scene, before the town
was added to its back and everything was blended
with adjustments and brushes.
Caroline Julia Moore
www.photoshopcreative.co.uk/user/
CJMArt
I took the main photo of the two
subjects at the studio and merged
this with a woodland photograph that I’d taken.
The image was stylised with Dodge and Burn,
and a Color Lookup adjustment was applied.
10

Alexander Kruglov
www.photoshopcreative.co.uk/user/Shurelo
I used a lot of layers and masks for the mood in
this image. I used an image of an old gramophone
from a museum and Liquified it to make it look like
an unusual flower. I added my cat to the image, too!
Murilo Francisco
www.photoshopcreative.co.uk/user/Mumu0909
I used the Pen Tool to cut out the images,
along with exposure, merging and
adjustments, and I blended everything
together to produce a natural, toned composition.
Claudio Tosi
www.photoshopcreative.co.uk/user/MirrorWalkers
The original sketch was drawn by hand, then
replicated on a Wacom tablet. The aim was to
enhance the beauty of the traditional sketch using
digital tools. I used brushes and pastel textures on the shadows.
Kostis Keritis
www.photoshopcreative.co.uk/user/kostis%20keritis
In order to create this, I began with a few quick
sketches to find the best possible frame. Then I added
more images, overpainted a few new elements and
drew the details with a tablet.
11

READERS’
CHALLENGE
Upload your images to
photoshopcreative.co.uk
Challenge
entries
The best entries and
overall challenge winner
1 Sheri Emerson
Space Detective
I used Polar Coordinates to
make rings from the rockets,
duplicated and blurred for glow.
I put the arctic scene in the
background, filtered and added
a desaturated rainbow ribbon.
2 Bob Parsi
Love, Strategy & War
I created a movie poster theme
based on Love, Strategy and
War. I created this design using
all images provided. I used a lot
of masking, layer adjustments,
blurs, blending and more.
1
Readers’
Challenge
WINNER
3 Previatti Consanni
Don’t Worry, Be Happy
This image uses a main subject
as the focus, with a spacey
background. The background
was created with adjustments,
layers and blend modes.
4 Neil Kelly
Spaceman
This depicts a spaceman
landing on a planet once
inhabited by humans, but now
only a ferry remains and no
ocean. Adjustments blended
everything together.
2
We challenged you with these
In issue 151, we
challenged you
to get creative
with these four
images. You
were allowed to
use any or all of
the pictures, and
whatever other
resources you
chose. Here’s
what you created.
12

The PRiZe…
Corel AfterShot 3
This issue, one lucky winner
will receive a copy of Corel’s
photo-editing software,
AfterShot 3. AfterShot
is fantastic for RAW
processing and is packed
with a plethora of new features,
including watermarking, blemish
removal and an enhanced highlight
recovery feature. This is a fantastic
addition to any Photoshop user’s
workflow, should you wish to make
improvements to your photos.
WORTH
£79.99!
RUnneRs’-UP PRiZe…
WORTH $99!
AKVIS Enhancer
Three runners-up in
this issue’s challenge,
along with the winner,
will all receive a copy
of AKVIS Enhancer.
Another photo-editing
program, Enhancer
is a great companion
to your Photoshop
workflow, dedicated
to improving detail
and tone.
4
3
This issue’s challenge
Think you can do better? Prove it!
Get creative with the supplied images and you
could win a fantastic prize! Use as many of the
images as you like (from previous issues too!)
and include your own photos if you wish. Head to
www.photoshopcreative.co.uk and simply hit
the Challenge link. Closing date: 17 August 2017.
13

25
FILTERS THAT WILL
CHANGE YOUR WORK
OIL PAINT
25 FILTERS
THAT WILL
CHANGE YOUR
WORK
Don’t dismiss filters as being an unsophisticated editing
option; we reveal how they can elevate your work
Filters can turn a good piece of artwork into a great piece of
artwork. Whether you’re looking to add noise, reduce it, blur,
sharpen, or create an artistic effect on a photo, there’s a filter
for that. And the best part is they’re fun to experiment with!
Filters can sometimes have a bad reputation in the
Photoshop world, because they create simple, immediate
effects in your work, which can look obviously edited. However,
this is only if you don’t use them correctly: there are hundreds
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN…
of ways that you can subtly or dramatically change the look and
feel of any project, just by using filters. They never have to just
be the finishing touches either, because filters can be built upon
or intertwined, for you to create stunning effects throughout all
of your projects.
Let’s delve into 25 of them, and look at how you can use
them to not just add cool effects to your images, but actually
change the way you work.
LENS FLARE
ILLUSTRATIONS
Create amazing
illustrations all with the
help of ordinary filters,
and bring a humble
skyline to life.
SURREAL ART
Blend mind-bending
tools and distortion
filters together for
projects that call for
something special.
DIGITAL
ARTWORK
Use filters to enhance digital
artwork as well as photobased
projects, and get the
best from Brush Strokes.
PORTRAITS
Learn how to transform
ordinary portraits with
extraordinary effects,
using filters for creating
fire and ice.
CAMERA RAW
Discover the best features
available in Camera Raw,
and learn which sliders
are the perfect ones to
improve your photos.
14

DESPECKLE
FIELD BLUR
On the FileSilo
Download your free
resources at www.filesilo.
co.uk/photoshopcreative
HIGH PASS
REDUCE NOISE
15

25
FILTERS THAT WILL
CHANGE YOUR WORK
16
Easy illustrations with Cutout
Turn a photo into a vector-style image using two filters
You don’t have to be a natural artist to draw; you can quickly create a cityscape
illustration using the Cutout and Gaussian Blur filters, with a little help from the
Pen Tool. Begin by opening ‘pex_169647_city.jpeg’ from the FileSilo.
To apply the Cutout filter to just the buildings, grab the Pen and ensure Paths is
selected, and then draw around the shape of the buildings. Create a selection
around the working path and then apply Filter>Artistic>Cutout, set to 3, 2, 3.
To enhance the gradient background of the image, select the original path and
convert the path to Subtract from Shape Area (located in the Pen Options bar).
Now create a selection around the sky and go to Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur and
amend Radius to 59px.
You can also apply the Gaussian Blur filter to soften the edges of shapes. Begin
by creating a number of long rectangles, convert them to a Smart Object and then
the Gaussian Blur can be applied. Do the same to create a moon.

Bend with Polar Coordinates
Combine this filter with edits to create surreal worlds
Achieve an incredible effect using the Polar Coordinates filter, adjustment layers and
colour corrections. It is a simple and fast effect that is easy to achieve using some basic
techniques and tools in Photoshop. This technique offers countless possibilities of
composition, so feel free to exploit it to its full creative extent.
RADIAL BLUR
Use Radial Blur (Filter>Blur>Radial
Blur) to add a touch of motion in a
circle around the image.
SPHERIZE
Go to Filter>Distort>Spherize to bring
more focus on the subject and make
the composition feel more globe-like.
“It is a simple and fast effect
that is easy to achieve using
some basic techniques”
Round things out
01
Create a 230mm x 310mm file, 300ppi.
Open ‘pex_132983_ocean.jpg’. Go to
Image>Image Size, (uncheck Constrain
Proportions) and resize to 3000x3000px. Go to
Filter>Distort>Polar Coordinates, select
Rectangular to Polar. Drag the image to your file.
Adjustments
02
Duplicate the layer once (Cmd/Ctrl+J) and
rotate it 60° counter-clockwise, create a
layer mask and paint over the line to remove it.
Duplicate again, increase the size, create a layer
mask and hide the middle parts. Create a Curves
adjustment layer, move the line down.
Finish the composition
03
Add some adjustment layers to the water,
like Colour Balance and Brightness/
Contrast. Insert ‘pex_241044_man.jpg’ in the
centre and remove unnecessary parts. Add
adjustment layers for the man; Colour Balance,
Brightness/Contrast, Curves and Levels.
17

25
FILTERS THAT WILL
CHANGE YOUR WORK
“To make the
woman’s skin
softer, use Filter>
Blur>Surface Blur”
Add special effects to portraits
Combine multiple filters for a fantasy fire and ice world
Create the snow
01
Create a new layer, set Foreground colour
to black, place on the top of the layers
and paint it (Alt+Del). Apply Filter>Noise>Add
Noise, Amount: 90%, Distribution: Gaussian and
tick Monochromatic. Use Levels (109, 1,00, 255),
change blend mode to Screen and apply
Filter>Blur>Motion Blur, Angle: -45° and
Distance: 26px. Finally, add Filter>Artistic>Dry
Brush, set to 2, 1, 3.
Add some filters
02
To make the woman’s skin softer, use
Filter>Blur>Surface Blur, set to 70, 5. To
add realism to the ice side, duplicate the
background, merge it and apply Filter>Artistic>
Plastic Wrap, set to 3, 10, 14 and make a mask to
erase the unnecessary parts. Finally duplicate
the background again and add the Diffuse Glow
filter (Filter>Gallery>Distortion>Diffuse Glow),
set to 6, 3, 16.
Make the fire
03
Make a new layer, use the Pen Tool (P),
draw a flame shape, go to
Filter>Render>Flame, set Width to 70 and change
blend mode to Screen. Duplicate all layers from
the fire side, merge it, apply Filter>Distort>Glass)
and set to 10, 12 - Frosted Texture. Create a new
layer, set Foreground colour to black,
Background to white, apply Filter>Render>Clouds
and change the blend mode to Screen.
18

Mold with Liquify and Displace
Use these filters to bend objects to your will
The Liquify and Displace filters are used to
distort pixels in an image. However, there is
a huge difference between them. Liquify is
commonly used to create artistic effects by
using tools to distort the pixels, Displace
uses a greyscale map to distort the objects.
In this project, we used Liquify to create a
melting effect and Displace to blend the
melted paws with the iceberg. To create the
Displace Map, open the image you want to
map, desaturate it, use Levels to adjust the
grayscale tones, then save as .psd. To apply
the filter, go to Filter>Distort>Displace,
select the .psd file you created. To work
with Liquify, go to Filter>Liquify. Grab the
Forward Warp Tool and start pushing the
pixels down and then push sideways and
inward to make the trails thinner.
19

25
FILTERS THAT WILL
CHANGE YOUR WORK
Quickly boost your illustrations
Apply Texturizer and Glowing Edges to make images pop
If you’re no stranger to image-editing apps
such as Instagram and Photoshop Mix,
then you’re more than likely already aware
of just how fun filters can be. Though
lacking the likes of Valencia and X-Pro II,
the default options in Photoshop’s Filter
Gallery can still have a beautiful creative
impact on your work.
For example, if you don’t have access to
suitable texture images or brushes, the
Texturizer filter is a fitting substitute.
Choose texture types such as Mosaic,
Burlap and Canvas from the drop-down
menu, and adjust using the sliders. Subtle
details are best for detailed backgrounds,
so keep the sliders low.
To refine the edges of an illustration, you
can get excellent results from the Glowing
Edges filter. Apply it to your character
illustration, and set the sliders to high
settings. Set the layer to either Overlay or
Colour Dodge, and set the Opacity to 20%
or lower. This way, it will apply extra detail
to your illustration without overpowering it.
20

Before
Sharpen
Detail in a picture is key, but so is a lack of it;
sharpen and reduce noise with these sliders.
Basic adjustments
Fix the tone, brightness and light using the basic
adjustments on the first page of Camera Raw.
Colour balance
Get more from colours than adjustments can
manage; alter hue, saturation and luminance.
Edit images with Camera Raw
Achieve professional retouches with this powerful filter
The Camera Raw filter processes Raw files,
and you can apply its sliders and effects to
your pictures to fix everything from clarity
and contrast, right through to saturation
and split tone.
If you’d like to fix a range of issues, just
cycle through the features on the righthand
side of the window and adjust all the
sliders. The first page is full of basic
adjustments that can really bring the
essentials out of your picture; once you’ve
made the necessary edits, click on the next
Toning
Add a split tone to finish and decide on the
balance between the highlight and shade.
icon and delve a little deeper into your
picture, by fixing the tone, sharpening,
editing colour and even applying effects
based on camera make and model.
“Fix everything from clarity and contrast, right
through to saturation and split tone”
21

Tutorial Master basic 3D in Photoshop
Master basic 3D
in Photoshop
Get to grips with the essentials of Photoshop’s 3D tools to
create a background scene for a digital painting
Cities look beautiful at night, and they
can be an attractive setting to use in
digital paintings and illustrations.
However, without any perspective tools or
objects, city scenes can be an intimidating
subject to paint. But with a little knowledge
of Photoshop’s 3D tools, you can make this
process a lot less painful.
Before you start, make sure your computer
is powerful enough to run the 3D software. If
you have never modelled a 3D object in your
life before, don’t worry. In this tutorial, we will
be covering the absolute basics of creating
and reshaping 3D objects in Photoshop.
Although Photoshop’s built-in 3D tools are
not as powerful as the tools featured in
dedicated programs such as Maya, they are
certainly enough for creating shapes that fit
the perspective of the scene you want to
paint, which is exactly what we need to
complete this cityscape piece.
We will also be using illustrative and digital
painting techniques to complete this image,
so even if you do not intend to use 3D
objects in your work on a regular basis, there
are drawing and colour-editing techniques
you may still find useful. Most importantly,
though, be sure to have fun!
Expert
Rebekka
Hearl
“As a graduate of a 3D
animation course, I am well
versed in the use of 3D tools
and modelling 3D objects,
and applying them to my
digital artwork.
“I’ve been using Photoshop
since my teens, and it is still
a vital part of my workflow
to this day. I don’t know how I
managed to survive so many
years without my Cintiq 13HD,
and my favourite Photoshop
tool is without a doubt the
Brush Tool.”
22

Want to cycle through Move tools? Press V In 3D mode
On the FileSilo
Download your free
resources at www.filesilo.
co.uk/photoshopcreative
Essentials
Works with
Elements
CS
CC
What you’ll learn
How to create and
adjust a basic 3D object in
Photoshop CC
Time taken
9 hours
23

Tutorial Master basic 3D in Photoshop
Perspective reference
01
We will be using 3D objects as part of
this tutorial, but perspective reference
photos are still imperative to help you put the
scene together. It’s useful to take photos of
tall buildings and study the perspective from
different angles. Keep them to hand and keep
referring to them as you work.
Begin sketching
02
Using the reference images you
collected, sketch a rough idea for
your scene. Create a new layer and select a
hard brush, set to 15px. If you’re not confident
when it comes to drawing perspective, feel
free to trace one of the images you collected.
Sketch your subject
03
Now your background is done, place
your character in the scene. Create a
new layer and, using the same brush, draw a
character balancing on the wall you drew on
the background layer. Remember, use as
much reference material as you need. Add in
basic shadows on a separate layer.
Set up the colour palette
04
Create a new layer, above all layers, so it will be easy to
access as you work. Using a large hard brush at 75px+,
draw circles of the colours you want using the Colour Picker.
These will be easily accessible later using the Eyedropper Tool.
Load up the 3D space
05
Access the 3D tab by navigating to Window>3D. This will add the
3D tab next to your Layers panel. Select Mesh From Preset, and
select Cube from the drop-down menu. This will create a 3D cube and
bring up the 3D navigation space.
Prepare for adjustments
06
Don’t worry! Your sketch hasn’t been
deleted. Think of this as a
workspace entirely separate from your
painting space. Select the Cube folder to edit
the cube, and Scene to move the camera. In
the Properties window, click the Coordinates
icon, and switch off Uniform Scaling.
Shape the cube
07
Now Uniform Scaling is off, we can
elongate the cube. 3D objects are
modelled by stretching or squashing them
along Y, X and Z-axes. Increase the X-axis
from 13 to 19, and the cube will stretch into a
rectangular shape. Decrease the Z-axis.
Adjust lighting
08
Below the Cube folder, select the
Lighting folder. You can drag it
around as you do with the camera. It will be
helpful to set up the lighting now, so the cube
will fit the scene. From the Properties panel,
set Shadow Opacity to 0%. We won’t need it.
24

Want to cycle through Move tools? Press V In 3D mode
Duplicate cube
09
We will be using this cube to create an
apartment building in our scene. To quickly
give it shape, Ctrl/right-click the Cube folder and select
Duplicate. This will create an exact copy. Notice how it
clips through the other cube as you move it with the
Move Tool.
Apply to scene
10
Switch back to the Layers tab, and
you’ll notice that the 3D object has
been applied to your scene, exactly as you
left it positioned in the 3D space. Go back to
the 3D space to adjust the camera if it’s not
sitting correctly. Line it up with your sketch.
Expert tip
Tweak the
perspective
Here’s a great tip for
perspective drawings. As
mentioned before, collecting
perspective references
is imperative for creating
accurate environments,
whether you’re studying
perspective or editing the
photos directly. But it can be
frustrating looking for the
angle you have in mind. If you
take a photo that’s of a similar
angle, of any subject, use the
Transform Tool to rotate, flip
and warp the image into the
angle you need. Then create a
new layer and draw over it.
Overlay colour
11
Overlay some colour to make the grey
3D object fit in the scene. Use the
Eyedropper Tool to select the purple you
used for the background, create a new layer
above the cube, Ctrl/right-click and select
Clipping Mask. Use the Paint Bucket Tool to
fill the layer. Set it to Overlay, 50% Opacity.
Start shading
12
Create another clipping mask layer
above the cube, below the Overlay,
and set to Multiply, 40% Opacity. Use the
Shape and Marquee tools to draw straight
lines on the front of your apartment building.
On another clipping mask layer, colour some
of the windows a cyan blue.
Complete shading
13
Select a soft brush at 50px+, and set to
60% Opacity, 80% Flow, and Multiply
blend mode. Still using the same purple,
shade the building. Paint harsh lines to create
a concrete look. On a new layer, use a 10px
hard brush to add graffiti.
Add texture
14
Create a new layer set to Overlay, select the cyan, and
use an airbrush to add a glow effect. If you have texture
images to hand, find a scratchy one, or download one from a site
like BittBox (bittbox.com). On another new layer, paste in the
texture, set to Overlay, 20% Opacity.
Finish drawing the character
15
With the background that will be sitting behind your character
mostly finished, now’s the time to finish the character art. Create a
new layer above the sketch layer, and use a hard round brush set to 12px
and a dark purple to draw the lines.
25

Tutorial Master basic 3D in Photoshop
Quick flats
16
Create a new layer under the lines,
and fill it with purple. Select outside
the lines using the Magic Wand Tool. Go to
Select>Expand>2px, and click OK. Select the
colour layer, and hit delete. Turn on Lock
Transparency, and use the Eyedropper and a
hard brush to colour the character.
Shade the character
17
Create a new layer above the flats,
Ctrl/right-click and select Create
Clipping Mask. Set the layer to Multiply, 45%
Opacity and, using a hard brush at 20px+,
draw in the purple shading. Keep the
shadows crisp and contrasted, to fit the
strong lighting of the scene.
Background buildings
18
Using the same technique as we did
for the first apartment building, create
two more cube shapes for the background
buildings. Repeat steps 12 and 13 to shade
them in the same way.
Add some foliage
19
On a new layer above the apartment buildings, use a
textured brush set to 35px+ to draw in some trees. Use a
dark grey/cyan; in this lighting, it will appear slightly green
compared to all the purples. Set the brush to 30% Opacity and
Multiply blend mode to shade the trees.
Foreground wall
20
The character is still floating! Beneath her layer, create a new one
and draw an angled wall using the Marquee Tool. Fill with a light
purple, and then use the dark purple we used for all other shadows and a
soft painting brush set to Multiply to shade it.
Starry night sky
21
You can’t usually see stars in a city, but
we’ll make an exception here. Create
a layer below all others, and use the purple to
draw a dark horizon. Use the square Shape
Tool to draw building silhouettes. Shade using
the soft brush, and add stars and lights with
a small hard brush.
Combine and contrast
22
With your painting complete, select
all the layers, Ctrl/right-click and
select Merge Layers. This will combine all
your layers into one, making it easier to
adjust the final colours. First go to Image>
Adjustments>Brightness/Contrast and set
each parameter to 11.
Gradient mapping
23
Select a saturated dark purple and a
light yellow as your Foreground/
Background colours, and go to Layer>New
Adjustment Layer>Gradient Map. This will
create a new layer that automatically applies
colour effects to your image. Set to Overlay,
and reduce Opacity to 30%. And it’s done!
26

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28
Tutorial Blend with layer masks

Show us your creative edits Tweet us @pshopcreative
On the FileSilo
Download your free
resources at www.filesilo.
co.uk/photoshopcreative
Essentials
Works with
Elements
CS
CC
What you’ll learn
Combine images for a
double-exposure effect
using masks
Time taken
2 hours
Expert
Andre
Villanueva
“Layer masks and blend
modes are features I can’t
live without. I especially
love doing double-exposure
experiments and surprising
myself with combinations.
“I discovered Photoshop
while studying web design.
Ater graduating, I taught in
the media arts department.
I’m now art director for a
tech company, soothing my
inner instructor by sharing
techniques with readers.”
Blend with
layer masks
Produce a trendy animal double-exposure effect using layer
masks, blend modes and adjustment layers
Double-exposure imagery has roots in
photography. A juxtaposing of two (or even
more) images due to multiple exposures,
this technique oftentimes yields startlingly beautiful
visuals. You’ve more than likely seen this effect on
album covers, advertisements and posters.
Double exposures can be achieved in Photoshop
using multiple layers stacked on top of one another
and merged using layer masks and blend modes.
Before you get to the blending, though, you’ll
want to make selections of the playing pieces. Here
you’ll start by selecting and isolating an animal and
some mountains. You can certainly make the blend
without isolating these, but freeing each from their
respective backgrounds will give you flexibility in
editing as well as deployment. Blending will be
facilitated, and you can adjust the background or
swap it altogether.
The initial animal-mountainscape meld will be
realised with masks. You’ll then enhance with
blend modes, layering clouds with Screen and
doing a bit of painting with Color and Pin Light.
Some choice adjustments will help to add the final
spit and polish.
After completing the tutorial, why not try your
own double exposure? Find a worthy animal or
person, then pair your subject with an interesting
scene or object.
Mask the mountain
01
Open ‘landscape.psd’. Use the Quick Selection tool to select the
mountains. Resize the brush with [ and ]. To remove from the
selection, hold Option/Alt while using the tool. When done, press the Add
Layer Mask button in the Layers palette. Save and close.
Select animal
02
Open ‘animal.psd’. Use the Quick Selection tool to make
a base selection of the animal. Use the Zoom tool to get
up close as needed. When you have a decent selection, go to
Select>Select and Mask [non-CC: Refine Edge].
29

Tutorial Blend with layer masks
Refine the selection
03
Paint with the Refine Edge Brush tool [non-CC: Refine Radius tool] along the
fur and other areas to fine-tune. Resize brush with [ and ]. When done, set
Output To to Layer Mask. Click OK.
Clean up mask
04
If necessary, paint in the mask with the Brush
tool for editing. Use black to hide and white to
restore areas. Get up close with the Zoom tool. Adjust
brush size and opacity as needed. Decrease/increase
brush hardness with { and }.
Situate backdrop
05
Click the ‘Create new fill or adjustment layer’ button in
the Layers palette, choose Solid Colour. Pick #d0d3dc.
Drag it below the animal layer. Click the animal layer. Press Cmd/
Ctrl+J to duplicate. Click the lower animal layer’s mask. Press
Cmd/Ctrl+I to invert the selection.
Fade sky
06
Press Cmd/Ctrl+G. Add a layer mask to the group. Ensure the
Foreground colour is black. Select the Gradient tool. In the options
bar, set to Linear and 100% Opacity. Choose the Foreground to Transparent
preset. Shift-click and drag down from the top to fade.
Blend
landscape
07
Select the top
layer. Go to
File>Place [CC: Place
Embedded], grab
‘landscape2.jpg’.
Option/Alt+click the
Add Layer Mask
button from the
Layers palette, then
paint white in the
mask at 40-60%
brush Opacity to bring
a bit back. Move or
transform (Cmd/
Ctrl+T) layer if needed.
30

Show us your creative edits Tweet us @pshopcreative
Add mountains
08
Place [CC:
Place
Linked] ‘landscape.
psd’. Scale down and
position on the
animal’s back before
committing. Add a
layer mask. Paint
black at 60-100%
Opacity to fade the
edges and merge
with the animal.
Expert tip
Proper
planning
Investing in the planning
phases of a double-exposure
image can really pay off. Make
sketches, jot down notes and
look online and in magazines
for inspiration. Gather stock
photos and/or create your
own assets. Line up different
options for your images.
When you’re in the heat of
creation, stopping to search
for alternate images can stunt
your artistic flow. During your
image search, try collecting
some oddball images that
catch your eye. They may be of
use in a future project.
Paint with colour
09
Click the ‘Create new fill or adjustment layer’ button from the
Layers palette, choose Solid Colour. Pick #c68449. Set the blend
mode to Colour. Click the mask and invert it (Cmd/Ctrl+I). Paint white at
10-40% brush Opacity to help blend the masking.
Place birds
10
Place [CC: Use Place Embedded from here on out]
‘birds.jpg’. Scale down and position before committing. Set
the blend mode to Darken. Remember where the birds are for the
next step.
Clean mask
11 Option/
Alt+click the
Add Layer Mask
button from the
Layers palette,
then paint white at
80% brush Opacity
to bring the birds
back. Feel free to
move the layer to
reposition the birds.
31

Tutorial Blend with layer masks
Add clouds
12
Place ‘sky.jpg’. Scale down and position before committing. Set the
blend mode to Screen. Option/Alt+click the Add Layer Mask button,
then paint white at 40-60% brush Opacity to add the clouds.
More clouds
13
Duplicate the sky layer or place ‘sky.jpg’ again, then move
and edit or add mask. To duplicate quickly, select the
Move Tool, hold Option/Alt, click and drag to copy and move in
one stroke. From there, edit mask and transform layer if needed.
Paint some cloudiness
14
Click the ‘Create new fill or adjustment layer’ button,
choose Solid Colour. Pick #4987c6. Set the blend mode to
Screen. Drop Opacity to 40%. Click the mask and invert it (Cmd/
Ctrl+I). Paint white at 10-40% brush Opacity to ramp up the
cloudy vibe.
Merge layers
15
Make any last masking and positioning changes in the base
composition. With the top layer selected, press Cmd/Ctrl+Option/
Alt+Shift+E. Right-click on the layer, and then choose the Convert to Smart
Object option.
Enhance
(Photoshop pre-CC)
16
[CC: skip to next step.]
Go to Filter>
Sharpen>Unsharp Mask or
Smart Sharpen, whichever
you prefer. Adjust the
settings to apply the desired
amount of sharpening.
When satisfied, click OK.
Paint black in the filter mask
to reduce in areas if needed.
Skip to step 18.
32

Show us your creative edits Tweet us @pshopcreative
Enhance (CC)
17
Go to
Filter>Camera
Raw Filter. Use the
various settings to
enhance and sharpen the
image. Increase Clarity
and follow up by
increasing Shadows: +76
and Blacks: +50. Under
Detail, utilise Sharpening,
under Effects, utilise
Dehaze and Post Crop
Vignetting. Click OK when
you are done.
Expert edit
Transplant your image
Place your image
01
If you need to situate your image in
another document, place the image
PSD in the destination document. Use
Place Linked in CC to stay linked.
Blend with Pin Light
18
Click the ‘Create new fill or
adjustment layer’ button, choose
Solid Colour. Pick #80b2e5. Set the blend
mode to Pin Light. Drop Opacity to 50%. Paint
black in the mask at 10-40% brush Opacity to
reduce in areas.
Cool with Photo Filter
19
Click the ‘Create new fill or adjustment
layer’ button, choose Photo Filter. Pick
Cooling Filter (80). Set Density to 25%. Paint
black in the mask at 10-40% brush Opacity to
reduce the effect.
Mask away edges
02
Add a layer mask to the placed
image. Use black to fade edges via
a soft-edged brush and/or a Foregroundto-Transparent
Linear gradient.
Edit background
03
If needed, adjust the background
colours or textures to help the
image look more at home. Add colour,
mask additional texture and/or work in
some adjustments.
Finalise and save
20
Employ other adjustments to finalise the image. Check out Colour Lookup’s various
presets such as FoggyNight and FuturisticBleak. Tone down the adjustments by
reducing layer Opacity and/or painting black in the masks. Play with Colour Balance’s sliders.
Fine-tune with Levels or Curves. When done, save your work.
Add vignette
04
Merge layers at the top and
convert to Smart Object. Go to
Filter>Camera Raw Filter. Under Effects,
adjust the Post Crop Vignetting settings.
33

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How I made The Mystery Man of Maryland
Essentials
Time taken
10 hours
The artist
Alexandru
Savescu
“I’m an artist
who dabbles
in a variety of styles,
from traditional pen
and ink illustrations and
experimental printing, to
digital painting and short
animations. www.thepixelprositess.com
I list Egon
Schiele, @thepixelprosites Sergio Toppi,
Moebius, Andrei Tarkovsky,
Stanley Kubrick and Quentin
Tarantino as key influences.
“I have been a finalist
three years in a row in the
Folio Society and House of
Illustration international
competition in 2015, 2016 and
also 2017.”
36

Show us your compositions Search for photoshopcreative
The Mystery Man of
Maryland
How Alexandru Savescu concocted an atmosphere of film noir with Photoshop brushes,
lots of research and adjustments
has always been on narrative and conceptual
illustration,” says Alexandru Savescu, a Romanian
illustrator and graphic designer currently residing in
London. “I am passionate about portraiture, traditional drawing and
printing techniques.”
Alexandru’s appreciation for all art forms is represented in this
piece, The Mystery Man of Maryland. Alexandru used traditional
drawing techniques, including type, in the piece, and listened to a lot of
jazz to help create the atmosphere for his image; not to mention the
“My focus
effort he put into researching location. Ultimately though, Photoshop
was the key tool in bringing all these inspirations together.
“For me, Photoshop is a way of recreating these techniques and
maximising productivity, helping me change and rework my ideas
without interrupting the creative flow,” he says. “My favourite
Photoshop tools, the very foundation of my illustrations, are actually
quite common: the standard Brush and Eraser and the Lasso. Besides
these, layer and clipping masks and colour overlays are my next
favourite thing.”
Preliminary sketches
01
My travelling drawing kit is a small tablet and a memory stick. After
a thorough research on the location and time setting of the story
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button by F Scott Fitzgerald, and a four hour
flight, I made a few preliminary sketches.
Colouring the image
02
Every colour I use is set to a specific layer and starts as
100% black, which gets a colour overlay on top and
textures applied as masks. I prefer doing this because it allows
me to change my mind later on and I can also use the layers to
screen-print the illustration any time.
Build the composition
03
This is the part where Photoshop takes over from any
traditional practice. I am a bit choosy with my colour
palettes and it takes me a few hours and many different versions
to decide. I used turquoise-vermillion colour contrast to create
drama and heighten the action.
Adjustments
04
A couple of colour layers are added on top with a reduced fill and
opacity with either Difference or Exclude used as the blend mode.
I then added a Color Lookup filter and I was done. I was listening to jazz
music continuously throughout the process to get into character and this
helped me create a detective/noir setting.
37

Tutorial Create a fantasy scene
Essentials
Works with
Elements
CS
CC
What you’ll learn
How to use layers in a
creative way to compose a
fantasy scene
Time taken
5 hours
On the FileSilo
Download your free
resources at www.filesilo.
co.uk/photoshopcreative
Expert
Rodrigo
Marinelli
“Photoshop gives wings to
my imagination. When I was
a kid, one of my dreams was
to leave my bedroom and go
straight to the park with my
friends. While I could never
do this in real life, it’s possible
in Photoshop!
“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.”
Create a
fantasy scene
Let’s use layers to create an imaginative scene where a girl leaves
her house and goes straight into a park
A
good way to create a unique scene is to
mix reality with fantasy. To do that, it’s
necessary to use your creativity to imagine
how these two different worlds will blend into the
same scene, in a way that is believable to the
viewer. So, let’s learn which are the best tools to
construct a scene like that.
To create this image, we will work with many
layers, so, it will be necessary to organise the
workflow. As we will create every single part of the
scene, it is also necessary to pay attention to the
colour tone of the layers. It also helps to link
adjustment layers and use the Feather to blend the
photos into the scene. Another essential part of
this tutorial is the mask command. This is an
amazing tool that will help to mix different photos.
After finishing this tutorial, create your own
fantasy/reality scene and send us your image!
38

To organise layers Set up groups (Cmd/Ctrl+G)
Blend with mask
01
Create a new document (Cmd/Ctrl+N) at 230x180mm and place
‘sky_01.jpg’. Add ‘sky_02.psd’ and place it on the top. To blend the
image, click the Add Layer Mask button, set the Foreground colour to
black, use the Brush Tool (B) and erase the unwanted parts, as above.
Link the adjustment layers
02
Add the Chair layer from ‘bedroom_02.psd’ and place it
as above. Set up a Hue/Saturation adjustment layer,
hold Cmd/Ctrl+Opt/Alt and click on the chair layer, then set it to 0,
-33, 0. Make a mask (Step 1) to blend the image with the scene.
Place the floor
03
Add the Floor layer from
‘bedroom_02.psd’ and place it below
the Chair layer. To make it fill the space, as in
the image, duplicate it (Cmd/Ctrl+J) and
make a mask (Step 1) to blend.
Enhance the details
04
Add Layer 01 from ‘bedroom.psd’ and place it behind the Chair layer. To enhance the
details in the image, duplicate the layer (Cmd/Ctrl+J), apply the High Pass filter
(Filter>Other>High Pass) set to 1px and change the blend mode to Soft Light. Finally, make a
mask (step 1) to blend the image.
Add some details
05
Let’s add a few details to give depth to the scene. Add the Carpet
layer from ‘bedroom.psd’ and place as in the image. Then, add
the Top layer from the same file and place it at the top of the bedroom.
Finally use a mask (Step 1) to blend.
Create the shadows
06
Set the Foreground colour to #aa754e, create a new
layer (Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+N) and pick the Brush Tool (B).
Then, go to the Brush Preset Picker and choose a Soft Round
brush. Change the blend mode to Multiply, adjust the Opacity to
50% and paint in the shadows.
39

Tutorial Create a fantasy scene
Expert tip
Attention to
the details
Always pay attention to
highlights and shadows in
your scene – they will help
make it look realistic. Because
the female figure is going
from a bedroom to a park, it’s
necessary to pay attention to
the highlights and shadows
to make the scene believable.
To enhance the shadows of
her face, use the Burn Tool (O),
set the Exposure to 50% and
gently paint the darkest parts.
To enhance highlights, use the
Dodge Tool (O) and repeat the
same procedure.
Apply the Feather command
07
Add the ‘biker.psd’ and place it in the
centre of the scene. Activate the
layer selection (Cmd/Ctrl+click on the layer
thumbnail), apply the Feather (Shift+F6) set to
1px, invert the selection (Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+I),
and press delete three times. Finally, link a
Levels adjustment layer (Step 2) and set it to
12, 1.00, 247.
Use the Free Transform Tool
08
Duplicate the biker layer (Cmd/Ctrl+J), activate
the selection (Cmd/Ctrl+click the thumbnail),
set the Foreground colour to black, paint it (Alt+Del)
and use a Gaussian Blur (Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur) at
10px. Use the Free Transform Tool (Cmd/Ctrl+T) then
hold Cmd/Ctrl and adjust the perspective.
Create the park
09
Add the ‘skateboard.jpg’ and place it below the bedroom/biker layers. Add
‘skateboard_02.jpg’ and place it above ‘skateboard.jpg.’ Use a mask (step 1)
to erase the unnecessary parts and to blend the images. Link a Colour Balance
adjustment layer (step 2) set to 0, 0, -39, as well as a Levels one set to 24, 1.00, 255.
Layer group with mask
10
Create a new layer (Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+N) and use
the Pen Tool (P) to draw a shape as shown
above. Activate the selection (Cmd/Ctrl+Enter), create a
layer group (Cmd/Ctrl+G) and press the Add Layer
Mask button. After that, place the Floor layer from
‘bedroom_02.psd’ inside the folder.
Add the grass
11
Add ‘grass.psd’ and place it below the bedroom layers,
then add ‘grass_02.psd’, place it above and make a mask
(step 1) to blend. Create a new layer, set the colour to black, use
the Brush Tool (B), change the blend mode to Soft Light and
brush in the shadow.
Compose the scene
12
Let’s add more elements to make the scene realistic. First, add
‘plane.psd’ and set the Feather command (step 7) to 1px. Then, add
‘birds.jpg’ and apply the Feather at 0.5px.
40

To organise layers Set up groups (Cmd/Ctrl+G)
Add depth to the scene
13
Now, add ‘leaves.psd’ and place at the top of the scene. To give
more depth to the image, apply a Gaussian Blur (Filter>Blur>
Gaussian Blur) set to 15px. Duplicate it (Cmd/Ctrl+J) and place at the
bottom of the scene, as in the image above.
Change the colour
14
Add ‘butterfly.psd’ and place it on the grass. To change its
colour, link a Hue/Saturation adjustment layer (step 2)
and set to 197, 53, 0. Add the ‘butterfly.psd’ again, place it under
the leaf on the bottom and apply a 10px Gaussian Blur filter.
Use the gradient
mask
15
Add ‘basketball.
psd’, duplicate it,
flip it vertically
(Edit>Transform>Flip
Vertically) and change the
Opacity to 30%. Add a
mask, use the Gradient
Tool (G), go to the Gradient
Picker, select Foreground
to Transparent and gently
erase the image. Now
add ‘soccer.jpg’ and
‘roller_skates.jpg’ and
repeat the procedure.
Simple highlights
16
Add Layer_01 from ‘smoke.psd’, change the blend mode to Screen
and place it in the middle of the scene. Then, add Layer_02 from
the same photo, place it at the bottom of the scene and change the blend
mode to Screen.
Set the colour tone
17
Let’s use different adjustment layers for both sides.
Create a layer group with mask (step 10) and for the left
side, use Brightness/Contrast (0, 20), Levels (19, 1.00, 255), Photo
Filter (Warming 85) and Colour Lookup (3Strip.look). For the right
side, add Levels (7, 1.00, 255), Brightness/Contrast (15, 16), Photo
Filter (Warming 85) and Colour Lookup (3Strip.look).
41

42
Tutorial Turn any photo into an abstract oil painting

Want different results? Repeat the Glass and Oil Paint filters
On the FileSilo
Download your free
resources at www.filesilo.
co.uk/photoshopcreative
Essentials
Works with
Elements
CS
CC
What you’ll learn
How to use filters to
apply an abstract painting
effect on a photo
Time taken
1-3 hours
Expert
BÜRO
UFHO
“We found that combining
Photoshop’s Oil Paint filter
with other filters can yield
some interesting results.
“Being both an artist,
under the moniker kittozutto,
and graphic design studio,
BÜRO UFHO, we have been
using Photoshop for over
10 years. In 2015, we had
the privilege to be invited
by Adobe, together with 70
artists, to celebrate its 25th
Anniversary of Photoshop.”
Turn any photo
into an
abstract oil
painting
Transform a photograph with the use of filters in Photoshop
There are several ways to create an oil
painting effect in Photoshop. The fastest
and easiest way is a rather cool feature, aptly
named the Oil Paint filter. It enables you to take
any photo and easily turn it into a ‘painting’ by
tweaking a few sliders. As is the case with many
other Photoshop filters, using it alone creates a
common-looking, much less interesting result.
However, combining it with other filters opens up a
whole new world of possibilities.
In this tutorial, we’ll take you through the process
of transforming a mandrill photo into an illustration,
and show you how we use filters in Photoshop to
speed up and achieve a painting effect. We’ll also
show you how to prepare your image before
applying the filters to get the result we want. Check
out our Expert Tip for more specific advice on the
Blend-If sliders.
The images used in this tutorial are all provided
on the FileSilo. You can also download the layered
PSD to get a better understanding of exactly how
you can build up your artwork. Once you have
worked through the technique, you can try applying
it to other kinds of photos.
Import the image
01
Begin by searching for your desired
image from your own library or the
web. We will be using a mandrill image we
found as a base for our painting. Place your
guidelines according to the rule of thirds,
and drag the image into your canvas.
Content-Aware fill
02
We are going to extend the image.
Using the Rectangular Marquee Tool,
click and drag to make a selection at the top
of the image. Go to Edit>Fill>Content-Aware.
Repeat to extend the bottom and both sides
of the image.
Patch Tool
03
Depending on your image, some
weird artifacts may result. We’re
going to remove these by using the Patch
Tool. Select the area you wish to clean up,
and simply drag to the area you wish to
sample. Repeat this a few times to
thoroughly remove any strange areas.
43

Tutorial Turn any photo into an abstract oil painting
Liquify Tool
04
Go to Filter>Liquify. Using the Forward
Warp Tool, slowly push the beard
outwards so that the edges are vertically
straight to keep the illustration clean and
geometric. Using the Bloat Tool, click on the eye
a few times to enlarge it.
Add details
05
Using a black Soft Round brush, roughly brush in the mouth. On a new layer, use a
white Soft Round brush to paint over the highlight areas, use black for shadow
areas. Set the blending mode to Soft Light to make these areas more defined.
Achieve symmetry
06
Select the left side of the image with
the Rectangular Marquee Tool,
Cmd/Ctrl+J to duplicate, Cmd/Ctrl+T to
transform. Right-click and select Flip
Horizontal. Shift the layer accordingly to
achieve symmetry.
High Pass sharpening
07
We’re going to bring out some of the
details for the oil painting effect. Go
to Filter>Other>High Pass. Set Radius to 1px.
Set the layer blending mode to Linear Light,
Opacity at 40%. Select the layers and Cmd/
Ctrl+E to merge them.
Glass Filter
08
Go to Filter>Filter Gallery>Distort>
Glass. Set Distortion and
Smoothness to 15, Texture: Tiny Lens,
Scaling: 200%. Check Invert. Your image will
now be transformed into an abstract pattern.
Oil Paint filter
09
Now enlarge the image to fill up the canvas. Go to
Filter>Oil Paint. Set Stylization and Cleanliness to 5,
Scale to 10, Bristle Detail and Shine to 0. Hit Cmd/Ctrl+F to apply
the filter again.
Bas Relief filter
10
Use Cmd/Ctrl+J to duplicate the layer. Go to Filter>Filter Gallery>
Sketch>Bas Relief. Set Detail to 13, Smoothness to 3, Light at Top
Left. Hit Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+U to desaturate the layer. Set the blending mode
to Overlay, with Opacity at 30%.
44

Want different results? Repeat the Glass and Oil Paint filters
Noise filter
11
Import ‘paint-268231.jpg’ and drag into your
canvas. Desaturate the image. Set blending
mode to Soft Light, Opacity to 25%. On a new black
layer, go to Filter>Noise>Add Noise. Set Amount to
55%, select Uniform, check Monochromatic. Set
blending mode to Soft Light.
Selective Colour
12
Add a Selective Colour adjustment
layer. We’re going to add a more
purplish hue than the original colours. On the
Cyans channel, set Cyan to -55, Magenta: +22,
Yellow: -100. On the Blues channel, set Cyan:
-100, Magenta: +35, Yellow: -100.
Expert tip
Blend-If
sliders
Blend-If is a powerful tool for
layer blending that lets you
manipulate specific areas to
blend based on light and dark
tone. Under layer Blending
Options, holding down the Opt/
Alt key and drag the Blend-If
slider out. Holding down the
Alt/Option key causes the
slider to split in half. This will
smooth your layer blending
and create more transition
between the two layers. We’ve
used this to only affect the
Magenta Photo Filter on the
darker tones of the image.
Photo Filter adjustment
13
Add a Warming Filter (85) Photo Filter
adjustment layer. Next, add a
Magenta Photo Filter adjustment layer. Use
the Blend-If slider to avoid affecting the white
areas so that the whites don’t become too
magenta. Check out our Expert Tip on the
Blend-If slider.
More Selective Colour
14
Add a Hue/Saturation adjustment
layer. Set Hue: +5, Saturation: +35.
Add a second Selective Colour adjustment
layer. On the Reds channel, set Magenta and
Yellow to -24. On the Neutral channel, set
Cyan: +14, Magenta: -8, Yellow: -13.
Levels and Brightness
15
Add a Levels adjustment layer. Pull in
the blacks to 44, and whites to 199.
Use the Blend-If slider to avoid affecting the
black areas and only brighten the light areas.
Add a Brightness/Contrast adjustment layer
and set Contrast to 11.
Import texture
16
Import ‘red-652716.jpg’ and drag into your canvas.
Desaturate the image. Set blending mode to Soft Light,
Opacity to 50%. On a new layer, use a white Soft Round brush to
paint over highlight areas, black for shadow areas. Set blending
mode to Soft Light to make these areas more defined.
Texturizer filter
17
Go to Filter>Filter Gallery>Texture>Texturizer. Set Texture to Canvas,
Scaling to 200%, Relief to 50, Light at Top. Set the layer blending
mode to Soft Light, Opacity to 50%.
45

Tutorial Create a 3D-style logo
Essentials
Works with
Elements
CS
CC
What you’ll learn
Use the Pen Tool, layer
styles, blend modes, Smart
Objects for a 3D effect
Time taken
1.5 hours
Start
image
On the FileSilo
Download your free
resources at www.filesilo.
co.uk/photoshopcreative
Expert
Moe
Hezwani
“Logo design is a big aspect
of my daily work. I’m always
asked to create a number of
styles and I’m grateful for the
techniques and tools I can
use in Photoshop to help me
design all these logos.
“I’m a professional graphic
designer/illustrator and
Photoshop is my go-to
platform. I enjoy playing
around with Photoshop
to mix photography and
illustration to build an image.”
Create a 3Dstyle
logo
Discover how to create an out-of-this-world logo design using layer
styles, Smart Objects and Blur filters
Every great company needs a brand logo – if
it is original and eye-catching, it will help a
company stand out. Most logos use
typography, but it would be too ordinary to just
use a standard font; why not create your own?
Planning what you want your logo to look like is
one of the most important stages in logo design
development. Use the name of the company to
help you decide on design elements, for example
in this tutorial the company is called ‘Planet
Direct’, therefore a rocket with some stars is a
happy complement to the company name; really
have fun with your design.
In this tutorial you will learn how to create an
original and eye-catching logo by using a number
of different Photoshop tips and tricks. Discover
how to give your text depth and how to customise
it with the help of the Pen Tool and layer styles.
46

Keep your shape layers organised Group them (Cmd/Ctrl+G)
Create a background
01
Create a black 240x190mm document, then
grab the Ellipse Shape Tool and draw a large
circle in the centre of the canvas. Hold Shift for a
symmetrical circle. Now Ctrl/right-click the circle layer
and click Convert to Smart Object. Then go
Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur and amend the Radius to
250px and set the layer blend mode to Soft Light.
Background vignette
02
Draw the same sized circle as Step 1,
but this time change the shape
options to Subtract From Shape. This will
give you a vignette shape. To soften it, convert
the shape to a Smart Object and add a 250px
Gaussian Blur. Now set the blend mode to
Vivid Light and Opacity to 50%.
Expert tip
No Pen
Tool?
For most of this tutorial, you
will mostly be using layer
styles, the Ellipse Tool and
Blur filters, which Elements
users can do. Unfortunately,
Elements users don’t have
access to the Pen Tool, and
this tutorial uses the Pen Tool
to trace around the sketch
from step 3. Instead of using
the Pen Tool, use the Brush
Tool very carefully to trace
around the sketch, but still
make sure you trace each
section of the sketch into
separate layers.
Draw the logo
03
Open ‘fo_start_
image.jpg’ from
the FileSilo and use the
Pen Tool, set to Shapes,
to trace around the
sketch. It is very
important to this tutorial
that each section of the
logo is on its own shape
layer; for instance, the
front part of the rocket
will be on a separate layer
to the inner 3D section.
Add a gradient overlay
04
Once you have drawn the whole logo, it is time to add
some colour to it. Start by adding a gradient to the front
of the rocket. To do this, bring up the layer styles and select
Gradient Overlay. Make the first colour stop a dark orange and
the second a light orange.
Align gradients together
05
When creating an illustration with a large number of gradient
styles, you want to ensure the Align with Layer box is always
ticked. Ensuring the box is ticked means all your gradients will
simultaneously align together, so if you move the angle on one gradient
layer style, all your gradients will move with it.
47

Tutorial Create a 3D-style logo
Expert edit
Enhance the shadows
Black layer
01
Only darken the inside shapes
of the logo, eg the inside of the
T. Firstly create a new layer above the T
shape, fill with black, set Opacity: 70%.
Glow with inner shadow
06
After applying the gradients, add a
white glowing key line around the
foreground shapes, for instance, the front
section of the rocket, stars, etc. To do this,
select Inner Shadow from layer styles and
change the Blend Mode to Screen and Color
to white, Distance: 8px, Choke: 2%, Size: 10px,
and check Use Global Light.
A glowing key line
07
Add an Outer Glow to all the shape
layers you added an inner shadow to
and amend the following settings to create a
soft glow: Blend Mode: Soft Light, Opacity:
60%, set Color to a light orange, Spread: 10%,
and Size: 50px.
Create a selection
02
Start by creating a selection
around the inside of the T shape.
To select a shape layer, simply Cmd/rightclick
on its layer’s thumbnail.
Enhance the glow
08
To make the
glows really pop,
create a new layer,
change its blend mode to
Overlay and make a
selection around the front
part of the rocket. Grab a
white soft brush and
change its Opacity to 40%,
then start to brush
around the edges of the
rocket. Repeat for the rest
of the front shapes.
Add a mask
03
Now click the Add Layer Mask
button located at the bottom of the
Layers panel and create a mask over the
new black layer.
Brush to erase
04
With the mask thumbnail
selected, ensure the Foreground
colour is set to black and use the Brush
Tool to erase any black fill you don’t need.
Create a dark shadow
09
To darken the inner sections of the
logo, eg the inside of the rocket,
start with the inside section of the flame,
select its shape layer and select the Inner
Shadow layer style. Change the settings to;
Blend Mode: Multiply, Color: black, Opacity: 21,
Distance: 14px, Choke: 15% and Size 38px.
Outer Box Blur glow
10
First duplicate the entire rocket and
flame shapes, merge them together
and move behind the shape layers. Next, add
an outer glow and amend the settings to
Blend Mode: Soft Light, Opacity: 40%, set
Color to white, Spread: 20%, and Size: 3px.
Finally, go Filter>Blur>Box Blur and change
the Radius to 30px.
48

Keep your shape layers organised Group them (Cmd/Ctrl+G)
Expert edit
Try these adjustments
A final outer glow
11
This time, duplicate all the foreground
shapes; this will include the front part
of the rocket, circles, flame and letters. Once
duplicated, merge the layers together,
change the Opacity to 70% and the Fill to 0%
and add an Outer Glow layer style. Amend
the settings to: Opacity: 60%, Spread: 10%
and Size: 40px.
A starry foreground
12
Start by opening ‘pex_119685_space.jpg’
from FileSilo, go to Select>All and hit
Cmd/Ctrl+C to copy the starry background.
Head back to your logo canvas and hit Cmd/
Ctrl+V to paste it into the canvas. Next, change
the Opacity of the starry image to 70% and the
blend mode to Colour Dodge.
Gradient maps
Gradient maps add different hues,
depending on where light and dark tones
are. They’re great for transforming the
entire colour of an image with a few clicks.
Foreground
vignette
13
Duplicate the
background
vignette from Step 2, drag
it to the top of your
Layers panel and change
the blend mode to Soft
Light. Now amend the
Gaussian Blur filter. To do
this, simply double-click
Gaussian Blur on the
layer and amend the
Radius to 341.6px.
Colour Balance
The Colour Balance adjustment will
enhance the colours already in an image.
Tweak between Cyan/Red, Magenta/Green
and Yellow/Blue.
Colour Lookup
For a professional-looking tone, Colour
Lookup can help. Choose from the dropdown
menus and switch the blend mode to
lessen the effect if need be.
Hue/Saturation adjustment
14
Add a Hue/Saturation adjustment
layer to enhance the colours of the
overall logo design. To add a new adjustment
layer, go Layers>New Adjustment
Layer>Hue/Saturation and amend the
Saturation to +22.
Brighten up the canvas
15
Finally, brighten and boost the
contrast to add a final touch of depth.
This time, use a Brightness/Contrast
adjustment layer and amend the Brightness
to +9 and Contrast to +15.
Curves
The Curves feature is a versatile
adjustment: use it to alter the red, green or
blue of your image, as well as the whites,
blacks, lights and darks.
49

Tutorial Create a 3D-style logo
Logo measurements Essential dimensions for social media platforms
FACEBOOK
TWITTER
Logo/profiLe –
180 x 180px
Any logo or profile
picture must be a
minimum of 180 x 180px,
but it’ll appear as 160 x
160px and be displayed
throughout as 32 x 32px.
Cover photo –
828 x 515px
Any images used for
your cover photo will
be stretched to 828
x 515px, but you can
upload an image that’s
a minimum of 399 x
150px.
Logo/profiLe –
400 x 400px
The logo or profile image
area on Twitter uploads
as 400 x 400px. You can
upload JPEGs, PNGs or
GIFs.
Cover photo –
1500 x 500px
Any image you upload as
your cover photo should
be a wide landscape, but
Twitter will reduce it to
1500 x 500px. Keep the
main focus in the middle
of the image.
YOUTUBE
TUMBLR
video upLoads –
1280 x 760px
Every video needs a
display image, and this
should measure in at
1280 x 760px, as this
qualifies as HD, with a
16:9 ratio.
Cover photo –
2560 x 1440px
Keep this to 2560 x 1440px
to have the highest
resolution. Cover photo
sizes will vary depending
on device; it will show up
as 1546 x 423px on your
mobile, for example.
Logo/profiLe –
128 x 128px
Your profile image on
Tumblr will be shrunk
down to 128 x 128px,
but will show up as 64
x 64px when scrolling
through your news feed.
Max iMage size
– 500 x 750px
Images will show up
in the news feed as
a maximum of 500
x 750px, but you can
upload images as large
as 1280 x 1920px.
50

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Tutorial Create block animals with Liquify
On the FileSilo
Download your free
resources at www.filesilo.
co.uk/photoshopcreative
Essentials
Works with
Elements
CS6+
CC
What you’ll learn
How to use the Liquify
filter’s Forward Push Tool
and Freeze Mask Tool
Time taken
1 hour
Expert
Sarah
Cousens
“As an animal lover, I oten
ind that cute furry critters
become the focus of my
designs. Combined with my
interest in the surreal, this
block efect has me hooked.
“I am a designer and
illustrator and have been
using Photoshop ever since
forming my own design and
illustration company, Cool
Surface Ltd, ten years ago.”
Create block
animals with
Liquify
Have
You may think small furry animals are pretty
cute to begin with, but this charming 3D
animal-cube effect gives them a whole new
level of adorable quirkiness. Created almost
exclusively with the Liquify filter, it is a simple
technique that is so satisfying and fun to use, with
amusing results!
One key thing to remember is that you only get
one level of undo within the Liquify filter. Undo
once, and that’s it – no going back any further. This
can be very frustrating when you have been
carefully pushing pixels for several minutes only to
fun pushing pixels around to
make this cute cuboid gerbil
make a couple of dodgy brush strokes and ruin it
all! For this reason, we recommend you periodically
click OK to apply the progress you have made with
the filter so far, for example immediately after you
have edited one small body part, then return to the
Liquify filter again to continue with your artwork.
As you manipulate the image, imagine the
animal’s body as being made up of 3D shapes;
think about their positions, the perspective, and
how the different shapes would connect with each
other. Once you get the hang of it, you can have
fun trying this technique out on other animals, too.
52

Check out the latest blog www.photoshopcreative.co.uk
Open the start image
01
Open ‘pix_1238228_gerbil.psd’. Press Cmd/
Ctrl+J to duplicate the background layer, in
order to preserve a copy. Go to Filter>Liquify (or press
Shift+Cmd/Ctrl+X) and select the Forward Warp Tool.
Choose a Brush Size of around 400, Brush Density: 16,
Brush Pressure: 100 and Brush Rate: 20.
Straighten the back
02
Start to click and drag along the left edge of the gerbil’s body to manipulate
it into a straight edge. Using a larger brush size creates a more natural
result and prevents the fur projecting over the edges from being compressed.
Create corners and edges
03
Create a diagonal edge at the top of the gerbil’s back, leading towards his ear. Use a
smaller brush size (around 80) to create a sharper corner at the top of his back.
Flatten the top of the head.
Edit the leg
04
On the right leg, create a flattened
edge along the bottom, with a
corner each side, dragging outwards with a
large brush size, then refining the corners
with a smaller size. Flatten and straighten the
underneath of the gerbil’s body.
Now the other leg
05
On the left leg, create a 3D cuboid shape, remembering to use a
fairly large brush size (around 150) to prevent the edge becoming
compressed and losing the soft blurred appearance. A smaller brush (eg
60) can be used to sharpen the corners.
Apply a Freeze Mask
06
To preserve the progress made so far, select the Freeze
Mask Tool within the Liquify filter and apply a mask over
the straightened edges of the gerbil, and also over his paws as
we want to leave these unchanged.
53

Tutorial Create block animals with Liquify
Expert tip
Liquify
shortcuts
When you activate the Liquify
filter, you enter a dedicated
workspace. The same rules
for keyboard shortcuts
apply within this window.
Each Liquify tool has its own
shortcut (eg press W for the
Forward Warp Tool, or press
F for the Freeze Mask Tool),
and other common keyboard
shortcuts can also be used.
For example, the bracket keys
can be used to adjust brush
sizes, and while using the
Freeze Mask Tool, you can
hold Alt and paint to subtract
from the masked area.
Cheek and arms
07
Switch back to the Forward Warp Tool, drag
his cheek down and left and create more of a
squared shape. Alter his arm to create a sharper
right-angled point at the elbow, then a straight edge
along the bottom and up the left side of the arm.
Extend the Freeze Mask
08
Once you are happy with these
areas, paint over them with the
Freeze Mask Tool to preserve them, then
also apply the Freeze Mask to the whiskers
on the right side to prevent them from
becoming distorted.
Edit the nose
09
Switch back to the Forward Warp
Tool. Straighten the edges of the
bridge of the gerbil’s nose, and straighten the
underneath of his mouth. Reduce the brush
size so you have the necessary control to
turn the pink tip of his nose into a square.
Create a rectangular ear
10
With the Freeze Mask preserving the straight edge of the gerbil’s back, use the
Forward Warp Tool on the left ear to create a rectangular shape. Zoom in to tidy and
straighten the edges, and adjust the fur within the ear so it maintains a natural curved shape.
Tweak the other ear
11
For the right ear, think of it as a similar 3D shape to the left ear, but
angling away from the viewer. Create a diagonal top edge, then a
straight vertical edge on the right.
Now for the eyes
12
Apply the Freeze Mask on an area around the eye, then
use the Forward Warp Tool to create a square-shaped
eye. Use a small brush size to make the corners and edges
sharp. Also straighten the light and shadows within the eye.
Flatten the right eye.
54

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Feet and tail
13
Slightly straighten the edges of the feet and toes, but take care not
to create edges or corners that are too sharp, as this will contrast
unnaturally with their blurriness. Straighten the tail, working your way
along it gradually, and square off the tip.
Add a shadow layer
14
Add a new layer at the top of the layer stack, name it
Shadows, set the blending mode to Multiply and layer
Opacity to 30%. Use a Soft Round Brush with R: 80 G: 47 B: 25 to
paint in shadows beneath the gerbil.
Angular
shadows
15
Keep the
shadows
angular with straight
edges to match the
gerbil’s new body
shape. To create a
straight line, hold
down Shift while
left-clicking at the
start and then the end
point of your line.
Some shading
16
Reduce the brush Opacity to 30% and apply some faint shading underneath parts of
the gerbil that would project and cast a shadow, for example, beneath his arms and
chin. Keep these shadows subtle, and again apply them with straight edges to match the form
of the gerbil.
Finishing touches
17
Check your image over and make any
final tweaks or edits with the Liquify
filter. Finally, give your image a boost by
adding a Brightness/Contrast adjustment
layer at the top of the layer stack. Set the
Brightness to +7 and Contrast to +3.
55

How I made Amniotic
Essentials
Time taken
48 hours
The artist
Christian Orrillo
“I’m Christian
Orrillo, better
known as
Krizpi, and I’m
a self-taught,
contemporary Peruvian
artist. My work expresses
many personal concepts
related www.thepixelprositess.com
with fantasy
world, @thepixelprosites full of beautiful
characters and dreamlike
scenes. Surrealism and
classical beauty are constant
elements in my work,
embellished by an iridescent
colour palette and influenced
by the aesthetic of anime,
manga art and pop culture.
You can find more of my work
at www.behance.net/krizpi.”
Amniotic
How Christian Orrillo created a beautifully iridescent
self-portrait from a Photoshop brush sketch
Christian Orrillo is an artist who knows a lot about intensity,
whether he’s creating something incredibly detailed or colourful.
His brightly hued portraits have racked up over 25,000 views on
Behance, but his digital art journey had humble beginnings. “Photoshop
is and has been for a long time my first digital creative tool,” he says. “I
remember the first time I used it in 2002, when I drew and painted my
own characters using the Brush tool and a mouse.”
Over the years, he’s developed more than just his trademark
iridescent style with the program. “I intuitively learned to use my
favourite tools such as the Brush, Liquify, Smudge. Without these tools
I cannot imagine creating what I currently make.” It’s clear that such a
unique style takes time to evolve, and Christian’s mastery of the more
digital art-focused tools in Photoshop is thanks to time and practice.
With a great eye for colour and detail, his work looks steeped in
traditional art influences, but Christian says he loves working in
Photoshop. “I really enjoy drawing and painting a lot in Photoshop,
experimenting with different brushes and textures. I also like to use
photo-editing tools to give a realistic touch to my art.”
Making a sketch
01
I made a rough sketch of what I had
on my mind; in this case, a close-up
of my face to which I wanted to incorporate a
kind of circular shape as a space helmet. I
usually use a brush with a graphite pencil
texture to sketch and draw on white canvas.
Defining shape
02
Once I have defined the basic
composition, I add strokes of colour
and experiment with textures. Here, I played
with the contrast between pink and blue and
added volume to the character, painting soft
shadows and some delicate highlights.
Finishing the piece
03
I then started to focus on details,
such as thin strands of hair, little
sparks around the face, highlights on the
eyes, texture on the lips and the bubble over
the head. This required extra work to paint all
the iridescent colours and reflections.
56

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58
Advanced 3D modelling in Photoshop

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59

Advanced 3D modelling in Photoshop
On the FileSilo
Download your free
resources at www.filesilo.
co.uk/photoshopcreative
Essentials
Time taken
4 hours
Expert
Daniel
Sinoca
“I love creating 3D objects
and combining them with
ordinary photos to create
beautiful compositions. The
3D tools enable me to create
simple and sometimes
complex objects.
“I got involved in the digital
world more than 15 years
ago and have been working
as a freelance artist ever
since, creating all kinds of
multimedia projects.”
3D
modelling in
Photoshop
Learn the essential skills to transforming 2D textures into 3D
objects and create a fantastic cityscape
Are you ready to jump into the 3D world?
The Photoshop 3D tools are a great place to
start. In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to add
another dimension to flat images using the
Photoshop 3D commands. You’ll learn how to work
within the dedicated 3D environment, apply
textures, create 3D objects, modify the lighting and
render the final composition.
To work in the 3D environment in Photoshop,
you will need to juggle three different panels
simultaneously. The first is the Layers panel; here
you will place the regular images, create 3D layers
and merge the 3D models. The second is the 3D
panel. It shows the elements related to the 3D
objects; 3D layers, Material layers, Light, and
Camera/view. Finally, the third is the Properties
panel. After you select the elements in the 3D
panel, the Properties panel lets you tweak the
settings. For example, you can deform the object,
add material, define the light intensity and more.
Pay close attention to each step, because you’ll
have to jump back and forth to each panel. Check
the Expert tip for extra advice on how to use the
camera/view and the on-screen controls.
Prepare your document
01
Start off by creating a new canvas, measuring around 1800x1200
pixels. Now grab the Gradient tool (G) and apply a bluish radial
gradient over the canvas. Switch to the 3D workspace for access to all 3D
panels, by going to Windows>Workspace>3D.
Create a 3D object
02
Place ‘fo_map.png’ and press Return/Enter. Now
transform it into a 3D object. In the 3D panel, check 3D
Extrusion and click Create. In the Properties panel, set the
Extrusion Depth to 150 pixels, then click on Coordinates and set
the X Rotation Angle to 90° and click Move to Ground.
60

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Expert edit
3D type effect
Adjust the map material
03
Now it’s time to tweak the materials. In the 3D panel, click ‘fo_map Front Inflation
Material’. Next, in the Properties panel, set the Reflection to 30% and Refraction to
1.100; keep the other settings as they are.
The Type Tool
01
You can easily transform any text
into a 3D object. Grab the Type Tool
(T), choose a bold font, define the colour
and then type your text.
Apply a new material
04
In the 3D panel, select the ‘fo_map_
Extrusion Material’. In the Properties
panel, click on the Diffuse menu and then
click Replace Texture. Choose ‘fo_texture_
map.png’ and click Open. Time to edit the
texture. Click on the Diffuse menu and choose
Edit UV Properties. Set the Scale U/X to 4.5%
and click OK.
Create a 3D building
05
In the Layers panel, place ‘fo_bldg1_
front.png’ and press Return/Enter.
Now create a 3D object. In the 3D panel, click
3D Extrusion and click Create. In Properties,
keep the Extrusion Depth as it is.
3D extrusion
02
Now create a 3D layer. Right-click
on the text layer and choose ‘New
3D Extrusion from Selected Layer’. In the
Properties panel, adjust the Extrusion
Depth to suit.
Bevelled edges
03
In the Properties panel, click on
the Cap button. Set the Bevel
Width at 25, keep the Angle at 45° and
change the contour to Cone.
Decal technique
06
In the Secondary View, click Select/
View Camera and choose Right, then
swap Main and Right views. Now, in the
Layers panel, place ‘fo_bldg1_right_view.png’.
Move over the building and click Return/Enter.
To apply the new material using the decal
technique, simply go to Layer>Merge Down
(Cmd/Ctrl+E).
Edit texture
07
Place the material on the other side
of the building. In the 3D panel, click
‘fo_bldg1_front_Extrusion_Material’. In
Properties, open the Diffuse menu and
choose Edit Texture. In Layers, duplicate the
texture and flip horizontally, placing on the
right. Fill the area between the textures with
any colour and save the image.
Merge 3D
04
In the Layers panel, hold down the
Shift key and select the text layer
and the map layer, then go to 3D>Merge 3D
Layers. With the layers merged together,
place on top of the building.
61

Advanced 3D modelling in Photoshop
Expert tip
On-screen
controls
To access on-screen controls,
go to Edit>Preferences>
Performance and check Use
Graphic Processor. When in
the 3D environment, use the
Move Tool (V) to select and
move the axis or the camera
controllers. The 3D axis
enables you to move, rotate
and scale the 3D object using
X, Y and Z coordinates. Hover
the cursor over the axis, click
and drag to control the object.
Use the Secondary Camera/
View to see different angles so
you know precisely where the
objects are in the 3D space.
Create a new object
08
First, swap to the Main view. In the
Layers panel, place ‘fo_bldg1_frame.
png’. Drag over the image and hit Return/
Enter. Transform in a 3D layer. In the 3D panel,
click 3D Extrusion and click Create.
Add material
09
Let’s use a solid colour to fill the extrusion. In
the 3D panel, click ‘fo_bldg1_frame Extrusion
Material’. Click on the Diffuse colour. In the Color Picker
window, choose the white colour and click OK.
Merge 3D layers
10
To merge the 3D layers, go to the Layers panel, hold
down the Shift key on your keyboard and select ‘fo_
bldg1_frame’ and ‘fo_bldg1_front’. With both layers selected, go
to 3D>Merge 3D Layers.
Move 3D objects
11
In the Secondary view, select Top view and swap with the Main view.
In the 3D panel, select ‘fo_bdlg1_frame’ and use the on-screen
controls to move the image. Click on the blue arrow (Move on Z Axis) and
drag down to push the frame out of the building.
Now merge the objects
12
First, swap to the Main view. With the
building in the right position, it is now
possible to place it on the map. In the Layers
panel, select the 3D building and the 3D map
layers, then go to 3D>Merge 3D Layers.
Scale 3D objects
13
First, swap to the Top view. In the 3D
panel, hold Shift and select ‘fo_bldg1_
front’ and ‘fo_bldg1_frame’. Place the cursor
on the centre of the on-screen controls until
the Scale Uniformly command appears. Hold
down the mouse button and drag down to
scale the object.
Put in place
14
Keep both objects selected and use
the on-screen controls to move and
rotate the objects over the map. Now swap
to the Front view and again, use the onscreen
controls to drag the 3D building down
to the ground.
62

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Build the city
15
Repeat the techniques you’ve just
learned and start creating more
buildings. Remember to create the buildings
with all the details and extra objects before
merging with the 3D map. Swap the views
and use the on-screen controls to adjust the
position of each building.
Adjust the light source
16
Use the three scene-moving controls at the bottom left of the 3D workspace to move
the camera to adjust the position of the entire scene. Now, click on Infinite Light and
adjust the light source angle. Render the 3D object by going to 3D>Render 3D Layer.
Place 2D images
17
Now, bring in some regular images and place around the
scene. In the Layers panel, place ‘pix_headphone.jpg’.
Grab the Pen tool and select and mask the image. Resize it and
place on top of the building.
Create shadows
18
Duplicate the image and apply a layer mask. Open the Hue/
Saturation command (Cmd/Ctrl+U) and set the Lightness to -100.
Reduce the layer’s Opacity to make the shadow less intense, adjusting the
perspective using the Free Transform tool (Cmd/Ctrl+T) and mask it
around the buildings. Add more images and create the shadows.
Add some trees
19
Create a new layer.
Go to
Filter>Render>Tree.
Choose a tree type and
tweak the settings. Open
the Advanced tab and set
the Camera Tilt to 24.
Create the shadow as you
did in Step 18. Link the
layers. Duplicate, placing
the trees all over the map.
Custom brushes
20
Go to Edit>Presets>Preset Manager.
Click Load, locate ‘fo_clouds154.abr’
and then click Load. Create a new layer on
top of the layer stack. Grab the Brush Tool (B)
and paint a few clouds over the city.
63

64
Advanced Create an awesome space scene

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On the FileSilo
Download your free
resources at www.filesilo.
co.uk/photoshopcreative
Essentials
Time taken
2 hours
Expert
Daniel
Sinoca
“Sometimes I think
Photoshop is truly out of this
world – I can create planets,
galaxies, stars and add a
variety of special efects
to a sketch using only the
amazing tools, ilters, and
features that are bundled in
the sotware. I have always
loved science-iction stories
– the idea of exploring
new planets and being an
astronaut were part of my
childhood dreams. Well,
thanks to Photoshop, now
I can inally satisfy those
dreams and create my own
space compositions.
“I started to get involved in
the digital world more than
15 years ago and have been
working as a freelance artist
ever since, creating all kinds
of multimedia projects and
tutorial guides.”
Create an
awesome
space scene
Explore new ways to use filters, layer styles and masks to create
an out-of-this-world composition
Let’s create an awesome space composition
from a sketch using some of the most
impressive features in Photoshop: filters, layer
styles and masks. In this tutorial, you’ll explore
each one of these powerful commands and
discover how to apply them for realistic effects. To
begin, you’ll create stars using the Noise filter and
then you’ll learn a clever way to add some twinkles
using the Motion Blur filter. Next, you’ll use the
Cloud filter, blending modes and brushes to create
a colourful nebula. Finally, you will place the images
and use the layer styles to add glows and apply
other techniques to complete the composition and
make it work as a whole.
You can try out different settings for the styles,
adjustments and blend modes, but it’s important to
use vivid colours for the nebula to make the image
stand out. If you are using Photoshop Elements,
don’t forget to check the side stepper for more
information on the editing process. There are so
many good tips and tricks in this tutorial that at the
end, you will have new skills to start using in your
own projects. Download the stock images from
FileSilo now, and start learning.
Set the stage
01
To begin, create a new document. Go to File>New. Name your
project Astronaut, set the Width to 230mm, Height to 310mm,
Resolution to 300ppi, change the Background Contents to Black and then
click OK. Double-click on the Background layer thumbnail and name the
layer Stars.
Create the stars
02
Go to Filter>Noise>Add Noise. Set Amount to 50%,
Distribution: Gaussian, check the Monochromatic box
and click OK. Now go to Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur. Set Radius to
3px and click OK. Use the Levels (Cmd/Ctrl+L) to create the stars.
Set the Inputs to 40, 0.05, 80.
65

Advanced Create an awesome space scene
Create twinkles
03
Duplicate the layer (Cmd/Ctrl+J). Now go to Filter>Blur>Motion Blur. Set
Angle to 0°, Distance: 30px and click OK. Change the blend to Screen.
Duplicate the original layer again and apply the Motion Blur filter. Set the Angle to 90°,
keep the same Distance and change the blend mode to Screen.
Merge layers
04
Click on the Stars copy layer to make it active.
Press Shift+Cmd/Ctrl+Opt/Alt+E to create a
merged copy of the layers. Now, hit Cmd/Ctrl+T and in
Options, set the Horizontal/Vertical Scales to 150%, go
to Edit>Transform>Flip Vertical, then press Return/
Enter. Change the blend mode to Screen.
Cloud filter
05
Create a new layer (Shift+Cmd/Ctrl+N) and name it
Cloud. Grab the Rectangular Marquee Tool (M). Hold Shift
and create a small selection. Press D to set the default
Foreground/Background colours and then go to
Filter>Render>Clouds. Press Cmd/Ctrl+T and scale up to fit on the
canvas. Change the blend mode to Color Dodge.
The nebula
06
Create a new layer (Shift+Cmd/Ctrl+N) and name it Nebula. Drag
the layer, placing under the Cloud layer. Grab the Brush Tool (B).
Choose a large soft-tip brush and set the brush’s Opacity to around 30%.
Choose a vivid blue colour and start painting the nebula (use different
colours to enhance the nebula).
Lens Flare
effect
07
Create a new
layer on top of
the layer stack and
name it Lens Flare. Fill
it with black and then
go to Filter>Render>
Lens Flare. Set the
Brightness to 100% and
Lens Type: 105mm
Prime. Change the
blend mode to Screen.
Adjust the Levels (Cmd/
Ctrl+L) and resize it
(Cmd/Ctrl+T).
66

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Expert edit
Camera RAW in Elements
Place the astronaut
08
First, duplicate the Lens Flare layer (Cmd/Ctrl+J). Resize the image again and move to
a different place. Now go to File>Place Embedded ‘Astronaut.jpg’. Grab the Pen Tool (or
your favourite selection tool) and draw a path around the image. In Options, click Selection and
then create a layer mask (go to Layer>Layer Mask>Reveal Selection).
Save image
01
In Photoshop Elements, finish
step 18 and save the image. Go to
File>Save as. Name your image and Save
as type: JPEG, then click Save.
Layer styles
09
Go to
Layer>Layer
Style>Inner Glow. Set
the colour of the glow
to white. Reduce the
Opacity to 50% and
Size to 70px. Now,
click Outer Glow and
set the Opacity to
60%, pick blue as the
colour and Size: 35px,
then click OK.
Open the file
02
Open Camera RAW in Elements;
go to File>Open in Camera RAW or
click Opt/Alt+Cmd/Ctrl+O. Locate the JPEG
image you saved and click Open.
Tweak the settings
03
Keep the Exposure at 0, set the
Contrast to 10, Highlights to 0,
Shadows to 20, Whites to 20, Blacks to 0,
Clarity to 20, Vibrance to 30, Saturation to
0 and click Open Image.
Make adjustments
10
Go to Layer>New Adjustment
Layer>Photo Filter. Click Color and
choose #5fc2f1. Set Density to 60%, check
Preserve Luminosity and clip the layers.
(Cmd/Ctrl+Opt/Alt+G). Now, add a Levels
adjustment. Go to Layer>New Adjustment
Layer>Levels. Set the Inputs to 0, 0.70, 200
and clip the layers (Cmd/Ctrl+Opt/Alt+G).
Add more adjustments
11
Go to Layer>New Adjustment
Layer>Photo Filter. Click Color and
choose #f65a08. Set Density to 100%, check
Preserve Luminosity and clip the layers. Grab
a soft-tip brush (B). Click on the layer’s mask
and hide the areas around the image.
Vignette effect
04
Go to Filter>Correct Camera
Distortion. Set the Vignette
Amount to -100 and Midpoint to +70 and
then click OK. Save your image by pressing
Cmd/Ctrl+S.
67

Advanced Create an awesome space scene
Blend modes
12
Let’s make the astronaut suit a bit warmer, in preparation for the
galaxy. Duplicate the Photo Filter layer and mask you’ve just created.
Clip the layers and then double-click on the layer’s thumbnail to open the
Properties panel. Choose Filter: Warming Filter (85), Density: 100%. Change
the blending mode to Color Dodge.
Place the galaxy
13
Go to File>Place Embedded ‘Galaxy.jpg’. In Options, set the
Horizontal/Vertical scale to 60% and rotate the image
about -15°, then press Return/Enter. Create a layer mask. Go to
Layer>Layer Mask>Reveal All. Grab a large soft-tip brush (B)
and mask the sky.
Create the Sun
14
Go to File>Place
Embedded
‘Planet1.jpg’. Grab the
Elliptical Marquee Tool
(M). Select and mask the
image. Go to Layer>Layer
Style>Inner Glow. Choose
a light orange colour and
tweak the Opacity, Angle,
Distance and Size. Now,
click Outer Glow, choose
a light orange and tweak
the settings again, then
click OK.
Make adjustments
15
Press Cmd/Ctrl+T and scale down the image, placing it at
the centre of the galaxy. Grab a soft-tip brush (B) and
paint over the mask to partially hide the planet behind the clouds.
Click on the Planet layer thumbnail, then open the Levels (Cmd/
Ctrl+L). Adjust the Inputs to 60, 0.90, 180.
Add the Earth
16
Place ‘Earth.jpg’. Apply the Inner/Outer Glow styles as you did in
step 14. Create a new layer and name it Shadows/Highlights.
Change the blend to Overlay and clip the layers (Cmd/Ctrl+Opt/Alt+G). Grab
a soft-tip brush (B) and using a dark blue and light orange, paint the
shadows and highlights around the Earth.
68

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Place more
planets
17
Press Cmd/Ctrl+T
and resize the
Earth image. Now, add
more planets and repeat
steps 14 and 16 to add the
layer styles and the
shadows/highlights.
Reduce the planets’ size
and distribute around the
image. You can try
experimenting with
different blend modes for
the shadows/highlights
or reduce the opacity.
Expert tip
Scaling layer
styles
When using Free Transform
(Cmd/Ctrl+T) to resize a layer
that has a layer style applied
to it, Photoshop will not scale
the style, so you have to
tweak the settings again. To
solve this problem, rasterize
the layer style by going to
Layer>Rasterize>Layer
Style and then use the Free
Transform Tool. After placing
the planets and adding the
shadow and highlights layer,
remember to link the layers
before you start scaling down
the images.
Create the visor’s reflection
18
Create a snapshot; press Shift+Cmd/Ctrl+Opt/Alt+E.
Create a selection around the helmet visor, then create a
layer mask. Unlink the mask (click the link icon between the
thumbnail and the mask). Resize the image, placing the sun
inside the mask. Change the blending mode to Lighten.
Smart Object
19
Create a new snapshot, press Shift+Cmd/Ctrl+Opt/Alt+E
and name it Final. Now, transform the image into a
Smart Object. Go to Layer>Smart Objects>Convert to Smart
Object. Let’s make some adjustments to enhance the colours
using the Camera RAW filter.
Camera RAW
filter
20
Go to
Filter>Camera
RAW filter. Keep the
Exposure at 0, set the
Contrast to 10, Highlights:
0, Shadows: 20, Whites:
20, Blacks: 0, Clarity: 20,
Vibrance: 30 and
Saturation: 0. Open the
Lens Correction panel,
set the Vignetting to -60
and then click OK.
69

Project focus Blending digital and traditional artwork
Blending digital and
traditional artwork
Typhaine Le Gallo had always used Photoshop just for embellishing hand-drawn work,
until she worked on a project that made Photoshop the focus
About the artist
Typhaine Le Gallo
typhainelegallo.
com/
Typhaine Le Gallo is originally
from France but is currently
living in Montreal, Canada. She
studied mathematics before
studying illustration with wellknown
Canadian illustrators
Gerard Dubois, Steve Adams and
Pol Turgeon. She has had work
published by Carte Blanche and
Chinese publishers, along with
having work shown at exhibitions.
Name of the project
Little Red Boubou
Finding one’s style in Photoshop is
something that every digital artist
does, but learning to develop and
evolve your style is something altogether
more challenging.
With her Little Red Boubou project, a
children’s book based on the fairy tale of Red
Riding Hood, Typhaine Le Gallo took her
original creative process and then adapted it
for the needs of the project. The subsequent
illustrations have been featured in Behance’s
Photoshop and Illustration galleries as a result,
proving that often the very best work comes
from innovation.
We caught up with Typhaine to ask about
her creative process, her influences, and how
she made these beautiful illustrations.
Have you always been interested
in art, Typhaine?
I initially studied mathematics and computer
programming; I worked for around 10 years as
a graphic programmer in the video game
industry. But I have always enjoyed drawing
and four years ago I decided to go back to
university to take illustration classes and study
for a graphic design baccalaureate. This is
where I discovered Photoshop.
As a graphic programmer, was
it easy to get to grips with
Photoshop when you first used it?
Yes, I found it to be mathematics applied on
pixels. The layers, masks and post-effects
work are very intuitive for me as I developed
similar features in video games. I chose to
take a professional photography class to learn
how to edit pictures, as to start with I simply
wanted to create illustrations with traditional
materials and enhance them in Photoshop.
Who would you say are your
biggest artistic influences?
My biggest artistic influence is Rebecca
Dautremer, a wonderful French children’s
book illustrator. I think she uses Photoshop
almost exactly for the same steps than my
own process: to improve a sketch, to test
colours before applying traditional mediums,
and to enhance the final scanned picture. A
few years ago I discovered another big
influence: the work of Victo Ngai, an editorial
illustrator. For the first time I discovered a
process almost entirely done in Photoshop,
which was truly resonating with me, and it
was the one I decided to use for the Little Red
Boubou project.
So was the Little Red Boubou
project completed entirely in the
Photoshop software?
Well, for Little Red Boubou I wanted to push
my use of Photoshop, but still use my usual
watercolour pencil textures. To do so, I drew
lines with black ink on paper, scanned the
drawings and a lot of textures created with
traditional mediums, and assembled the
whole thing in Photoshop. I always start with a
sketch on paper, then I move and distort the
objects and characters a lot in Photoshop until
I’m happy with the composition. I usually
70

DEVELOPING
TECHNIQUE
For the skies,
I enlarged my
texture as
usual but I also
stretched it
horizontally to get
a different visual.
COLOURED
LINES
With this
technique it
is easy to get
punchy results
with coloured
lines, for example
the red lines on
the features of the
leopard’s head.
TEXTURES
In all my
illustrations I
used scanned
watercolour
pencil textures
that I zoomed in
to for textures
with strong and
large patterns.
All images © Typhaine Le Galloa
choose the colours by actually colouring my
sketch in Photoshop.
What are your favourite tools to
use in Photoshop?
Mainly the tools I use are the Magic Wand
Tool in conjunction with the Refine Edge
option. I also love using certain adjustment
layers, specifically Selective Color, Hue/
Saturation and Brightness/Contrast. For the
Little Red Boubou project, I created the
illustrations by selecting areas between the
black lines and using masks to apply my
scanned textures to the selected areas and to
the lines. Then for every area, I modified the
colour of the applied texture to get the exact
colour that I had in mind. Finally I added
shadows and highlights by darkening or
lightening the colours of my lines and textures
on specific areas.
This creative process is slightly
different to your usual, then.
What made you head in a new
direction for this project?
The style I used for the Little Red Boubou
project differs a little bit from my usual
illustrations, even if they are still similar. There
are two reasons for that: first I had a very
short amount of time to finish the illustrations
for this book, secondly as I wanted heavily
contrasted black-and-white drawings to be
able to select the areas easily, I used black ink
and continuous lines. As a result my lines are
a little bit stronger and the look is more ‘naive’
and colourful than usual, which was not a
problem for me as I thought it was a good
match to represent an African adaptation of
Little Red Riding Hood.
Has this project changed the way
you use Photoshop?
Nothing is better than to work on a whole
project of at least 10 illustrations by applying
the same Photoshop recipe on all the
illustrations. This recipe should be compatible
with what you like to do with traditional
mediums: for example, for me it was essential
to keep the textures of watercolour pencils. I
learnt a lot during the Little Red Boubou project.
I only really mastered the software after
spending a lot of time on these 32 pages of
illustrations in Photoshop. Before that I was
mainly trying to edit my pictures to fix the loss
of colours and contrast due to the scan. Since
then I am still using traditional techniques, but
now Photoshop is an essential part of my
process to get the final atmosphere and
palette of colours that I have in mind.
71

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Elements
Elements
18 pages of practical guides
Essential
techniques
Follow the
step-by-step
tutorials
Create more in Elements…
Dodge and Burn your photos..............................74
Make a creative clock face..................................76
How to age female portraits.............................. 80
Create a surreal moon composition........... 82
Q&A: Common problems in Elements....... 90
On the FileSilo
Download your free
resources at www.filesilo.
co.uk/photoshopcreative
Digital art…
learn how to
MASTER SELECTIONS TO
ILLUSTRATE A SCENE
Create this stunning digital artwork without a graphics tablet p86

elements
What
does it mean?
Screen anD Multiply – These are
two of the most used blend modes.
The Screen mode will reflect pixels
to create something lighter, while
Multiply will do the opposite and
literally multiply the pixels of two
layers together. This makes
them both great for working
with light and shade.
ADJUST YOUR IMAGE
Always use the Levels,
Brightness/Contrast and
Gradient Map adjustments
to harmonise the tone and
colour of your images.
74
On the FileSilo
Download your free
resources at www.filesilo.
co.uk/photoshopcreative
Tool focus…
Dodge and burn
your photos
Work non-destructively with tone using these simple tools
There are so many techniques for making your images pop.
Different photo editors use different skills to try and get their images
sharp, contrasted and bright, but two of the most popular tools for
finishing off your photos are Dodge and Burn.
Polar opposites but used in conjunction with one another, Dodge
and Burn are two of the oldest features, but are still popular for their
command of tone and brightness. They can be applied to any image
to improve the light and shade in your photos. They’re extremely
similar to brushes: think of them as being brushes that apply blend
modes to your work rather than colour. Namely, Color Burn in the
case of Burn, and Screen in the case of Dodge.
Start
image
While you can apply the Dodge and Burn tools to any image, the
absolute best way to apply them is to do so non-destructively. By
making your edits on a new layer, you can use them almost like an
adjustment layer, enabling yourself to edit them again if needed,
reduce the opacity, or delete them completely. Editing nondestructively
is the most organised way to work, for these reasons,
but also so that you can view each of your edits as layers, and stay
on top of your workflow.
Dodge and Burn might not be fancy new tools added in the latest
few versions of Elements, but they’re solid, reliable and capable of
improving your photos to various degrees.

elements
Retouch the tone Brush on light and shade in your pictures
Shortcut
Hit the Eye icon in
the Layers panel
to hide a layer
Create a grey layer
01
Open your image and create a new layer. On this layer, select
the colour #808080 and ill, before setting to Overlay. This is
neutral grey: anything that is this colour will become invisible, while
darker and lighter strokes will lighten and darken the photo.
Start burning
02
Select the Burn Tool (O). This is used to darken the image;
lightly brush over your picture, preferably at a low Opacity
setting, and make sure that you enhance the shadows all over, while
adding a few more shaded areas where necessary.
Dodge the image
03
The Dodge Tool (O) is in the bottom bar along with Burn, and
does the opposite of its counterpart. Use it to subtly touch
over the highlights in your image to balance out the shadows.
Adjust the Brightness/Contrast
04
Go to the Fill Layer icon, situated next to the Mask icon in the
Layers panel. Select Brightness/Contrast, and adjust both
sliders to improve the overall exposure and tone of the image.
Screen and Multiply Apply light and dark, without the added saturation
Duplicate the layers
Dodge and Burn are great tools for improving
the tone of your pictures, but they do add a touch
of saturation. To avoid this, you can simply use
Screen and Multiply layers. Start by duplicating
your background layer twice (Cmd/Ctrl+J); one of
which we want to set to the Multiply blend mode,
the other to Screen.
Brush in shade
Select a small, soft, white, low-opacity brush.
Brush over the shadows in your image to
apply extra shade; this is particularly great for
contouring subjects or adding drama to the
image. You can reduce the layer opacity if you
want to lessen the effect of the Multiply layer.
Mask in the Screen
Once you’ve masked the Multiply layer, do the
same with the Screen layer. You may wish to
brush close to the lines brushed in the Multiply
layer to accentuate the contrast further. Feel free
to reduce the Opacity setting of this layer to bring
it more in line with the Multiply strokes.
75

Elements
Reference
Start image
76
Creative project…
Make a creative
clock face
Invest time in designing a clock, with layers, masks and edits
If you’re looking for an original way to display your artwork on a
wall, there aren’t many more novel ways than to create a clock
face. It’s something you’re bound to look at a few times a day, and
its only obstructions are a couple of hands across its face.
While creating a clock might be a creative idea you’d never even
considered though, it’s as much about the maths of measuring out
the degrees of a circle as it is about creating something bright and
colourful in Elements. One aspect that will really define your clock is
where you decide to place the numerals, and it’s important to get
On the FileSilo
Download your free
resources at www.filesilo.
co.uk/photoshopcreative
that right: but luckily Elements has all the tools necessary for
creating with precision.
Ultimately though, aside from the numerals and markers on the
clock for the 60 minutes, the design is totally up to you. We’ve taken
inspiration from a famous clock in Prague, and updated it with a
modern twist of a geometric font and beach photo; but you can
create whatever you like. You may want to take the idea of the circle
and run with that, or you might want to just create any kind of
design and add the numbers on after.

StaGE 1
Creating the
template
Build your template before
you add images to it
What
does it mean?
ROTATING – While we usually drag
the corner handles of a selection to
rotate it, you can also use the
bottom bar of Elements to choose a
degree to rotate by. If you’d like 12
equally-spaced points, simply
divide 360 – the number of
degrees in a circle – by 12
to work out how much
to rotate by.
Every big project has humble beginnings,
and creating a clock face is no different.
Before we dive into the creative bit, we’ve got to
organise the template, and this relies on maths as
much as it does design skills.
All we need is a circle for the clock face, and some markers to
show where the 12 hours should be. From there, we can create
whatever kind of design we like: just remember to hide the template
markers when you’re done.
Create a new document
01
Start by opening Elements and going to File>New. Choose a
square document, as the clock face is going to be round;
3000 x 3000px should be enough, and choose a resolution of 300ppi
so that the design is more detailed.
Elements
Shortcut
Hit alt/Opt+Cmd/
Ctrl+E to copy one
layer onto the
one below
Set up the template
02
Create a #808080 circle that ills the entire document, and on
a new layer, add a dot to the centre using the Brush Tool (B).
Hit Cmd/Ctrl+’ to bring up the grid, because this can help with scale
and precision.
Finish the template
03
Make a thin, black line with the Marquee Tool (M) at the top of
the clock on a new layer, duplicate (Cmd/Ctrl+J), Select All
(Cmd/Ctrl+A) and Transform (Cmd/Ctrl+T). Look to the bottom panel of
Elements; rotate by 30 degrees, and then repeat this until the clock
has 12 points in place.
USE NEW LAYERS
Insert your centre spot and 12
points onto new layers so that
you can hide these layers later on
when you finish your clock.
NEUTRAL GREY
By using neutral grey, anything
you add to the clock face can
be set to Overlay to blend in.
TWELVE POINTS
Rotate a point 30 degrees
to create 12 points, but
rotate 6 degrees to create
60 points for each minute.
USING TEMPLATES
Keep this template and use
it in future for creating more
clocks if you wish to.
77

Elements
StaGE 2
Get stuck into the
clock design
Add a background and then
embellish it further
Once you have your template, you’re ready
to go ahead and get as creative as you like
with your clock. Check the internet for
inspiration, find a design or pattern you’d
like to create, and then start using Elements
to build up the clock face.
For our clock example here, we chose to
add a beach image, and the colours from
the Prague Astronomical Clock, for a bright,
exciting finish.
add the numbers
01
Grab the Type Tool, and enter your
numerals, 1 to 12, each on new
layers: we’ve gone for Roman numerals but
you can use what you like. Move each of the
numerals to their space on the clock, and
reduce the size of 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10 and 11
for effect. We’ve supplied the font used.
Create minute dots
02
Just as we created the markers for
the 12 hours, we’re going to create
dots for each of the 60 minutes on the clock
face. Use the technique from step 3 in stage
1 and rotate each dot 6 degrees.
Bring in the image
03
We’ve supplied a beach image for you
to drop into the project. Arrange it so
that the middle of the photo aligns with the
centre of the clock, resize if need be with the
Transform Tool and then Alt/Opt-click to clip to
the template.
Inject some colour
04
Our clock is going to be inspired by
the Astronomical Clock in Prague.
Use the Elliptical Marquee Tool to create a
circle on a new layer, and ill with colour:
follow the reference image supplied, or use
the ready-made one we created.
Blend it in
05
Group your layers, duplicate twice,
set one group to Soft Light, one to
Multiply, 75% Opacity and one to Screen, 50%
Opacity. Cmd/Ctrl-click the preview image on
each layer and then Ctrl/right-click, choose
Stroke (Outline), and add a 10px stroke of
#e5c578 before erasing the excess (E).
78
Perfect the clock
06
With the clock now looking more
complete, turn the text of each of the
numerals white by selecting each of them
and using the Type Tool. Then, go to
Layer>Layer Style>Style Settings and add a
Drop Shadow on each numeral with these
settings; Size: 0, Distance: 20, Opacity: 100%.
VARY THE
COLOURS
Alter the colours
to customise
your clock face
and give it a
unique style.

StaGE 3
Finish the clock
Adjust your work and turn it
into a product
With your clock very nearly complete,
all that’s left to do is finish off the
project with adjustments, and turn it
into a real-life product for you to sell!
There are loads of great sites online
that can turn your artwork into
products, but one of the best things
about Redbubble is that it gives you a
percentage of the profits whenever
someone buys your design. Visit
www.redbubble.com for more
information and to set up an account.
FRAME COLOUR
Choose between black,
white and bamboo
frames for whatever
looks best on your clock.
Elements
HAND COLOUR
Choose between
white, black, red
or teal for the hand
colour: we went
with red to stand
out against the blue.
GET PAID
Every time someone
buys your design,
you will receive a
percentage of the
sale money.
Shortcut
Hit ‘5’ to reduce a
layer to 50%
Opacity
adjust the clock
01
Create a Levels adjustment and improve the colour and tone,
before adding a black-to-white gradient. Choose Radial, and
then set to Soft Light, 50% Opacity so it fades to the edge. Now add a
black-to-white gradient map, set it to Soft Light and then reduce to
30% Opacity.
Reduce noise and sharpen
02
Merge everything into one layer by hitting Cmd/Ctrl+Alt/
Opt+Shift+E and go to Filter>Noise>Reduce Noise. Move
Strength to 10 and the other values to 0. Hit OK, merge everything into
another layer, then go to Filter>Other>High Pass. Set to 5px and also
set to Overlay to Sharpen.
Save for web
03
Hide the background layer in your project. Hit Cmd/Ctrl+Alt/
Opt+Shift+S and then choose PNG. Keep the image at high
quality and save it to your computer, as we want our image to be as
high resolution as possible to turn into a clock.
Use Redbubble
04
Go to www.redbubble.com and sign up for a free account.
Head to your proile and upload a new image. Choose your
clock face, enable it as a clock, and then resize as necessary.
79

Elements
What
does it mean?
LAYER MASKS – These make it
easier to control transparency when
blending images together. Use a
white brush to paint in areas around
the forehead, eyes, cheeks, nose
and chin. Blend in the wrinkles,
veins, and blemishes. Avoid
distinct traits of the original
image like eyes, lips or
nose shape.
OLDER DETAILS
Older hair is usually short
and white or golden in colour.
Wrinkles are found around eyes,
cheeks, forehead, and chin.
STUDY PHYSICAL TRAITS
When making people look older,
it helps to study the traits of older
people in order to be realistic.
80
Photo edit…
Learn how
to age portraits
Use the Camera RAW filter and layers for this creative effect
Posters, commercials, and various advertisements today all seem
to be selling some sort of age-defying product, feeding an eager
public with tips and tricks on how to look younger than they
actually are. The cosmetics industry alone makes billions from skin
products that mask fine lines and obvious indications of age, while
clothing lines keep releasing collections aimed at people who want
to wear clothes that make them look young. Everyone seems to
want to go back to the so-called happier times of their youth, but
the truth is that age is not something to deny or shy away from – it
Start
images
is something to be welcomed. After all, no wrinkle will ever dull your
true shine, right?
This tutorial will focus on quick and easy tips for how to make a
portrait look older, just to prove that getting old doesn’t have to be a
terrifying task. In fact, by using subtle blending with layer masks, you
can age a photo realistically and gracefully. Are you curious to see
how you’d look like in a few years? Go ahead and try it out – age
your own photo at home and embrace the best years of your life
that are yet to come!

Elements
Camera RAW filter Slider adjustments create the base for the effect
Shortcut
A cloning/healing
layer blends
everything for a
inal touch
Open up the shadows
01
Inside Camera RAW, you can make use of a variety of sliders to
adjust the overall tone of your photo. In this case we are going
to lighten the Shadows, remembering to darken the Blacks as well.
Enhance wrinkles
02
Now mask the hair and then lighten it by opening up the
Shadows completely. You can also add a Local Adjustment of
Clarity on the skin to enhance the wrinkles further, around +20.
Soften with Clarity
03
While you are adjusting the hair, keep in mind that aged hair is
often very soft like cotton candy, and as such, needs to be
softened. Bring down the Clarity with a Local Adjustment to visually
soften the hair.
Adjust temperatures
04
While you are adjusting the hair with a Local Adjustment, bring
down the Saturation. Then, opt for a Warm Temperature to
make the hair look more golden. This image will be your base for
compositing a new image on top, which we show you how to do below.
Take it further Composite images Overlay a photo for optimal realism
Match skin colours
01
Once the base image is prepped,
do your best to choose an image of
an older woman that’s as similar to yours
as possible. Lay it over the top of your
photo, and match the skin colours between
the two female models as best as you can.
Resize accordingly
02
Compositing an image is never
easy, so you need to painstakingly
adjust the two images together until they
blend seamlessly. You will need to resize,
scale, and distort the older woman’s photo
over yours so that they match better.
Adjust layer Opacity
03
It is unlikely your two images will it
exactly. This means you may need
to work on multiple copies of the older
woman. Drop the old woman’s layer Opacity
to about 70%, blending mode of Darken
and blend with layer masks.
81

Elements
What
does it mean?
REFINE EDGE – The Reine Edge
option helps to inesse a selection
once you’ve made it. It can feather
the edges of your selection, smooth
them over and even shift the edges
of your selection; by clicking on
the actual image away from the
dialog box, it is possible to
add and remove pixels.
ADJUST ACCORDINGLY
Use precise adjustments to get
the best out of the colours and
tones of your final composition.
Start images
PLAY WITH PLANETS
Check out the other supplied planets
in the resources, and experiment
with different spheres in the image.
On the FileSilo
Download your free
resources at www.filesilo.
co.uk/photoshopcreative
82

Elements
Surreal art…
Create a surreal
moon composition
Turn a collection of stock images into a surreal scene
For as long as night has followed day, humans have been obsessed
with the moon, whether they’ve been viewing it through a
telescope, or landing on it in the 1960s and 1970s. Artistically
though, it makes a great focus for a composition!
In this project, we’re going to explore how to make a composition
realistic in tone, if not in scale. The idea is simple: our subject is
placing a moon into the sky with help from a step ladder, and so
we’re going to need to make sure the image is balanced in terms of
the size of its elements. Don’t be afraid to lay out your stock images
on the page when you start: sometimes before making a
composition such as this, it can help to rough it out first.
The most important thing, though, is just to have fun and
experiment whenever you can. There are loads of great techniques
you can learn from attempting a project like this, and we’ve supplied
everything you’ll need to recreate this image in your own style on
the FileSilo. So download, and get creating!
The foundations Build the composition up with brushes, masking and other tools
Begin the composition
01
Start off by opening the background
image and cropping so that you just
have a clear view of the beach, with the
horizon in the distance. Add the supplied
ladder image. Place and add a white-to-black
gradient. Clip this to the ladder by Alt/
Opt-clicking it.
Give it a subject
02
Place the supplied image of the girl.
Use Quick Selection (W) to cut her
out and place her behind the ladder. Use
Reine Edge on the selection, and then Cmd/
Ctrl-click the layer preview of the ladder layer;
ill in this selection with black, on the mask of
the subject.
Recolour with the sunset
03
Shortcut
Alt/Opt-drag a
layer to duplicate it
in the Layers
panel
Add the sunset image. Place it below
the ladder layer and set to Screen; hit
Screen, Invert (Cmd/Ctrl+I) and make big, soft
brush strokes over the sky. Duplicate the
layer and move above the subject. Delete the
mask and follow the annotated screenshot
below to learn how to blend it.
Scatter the stars
04
Add the supplied image of the starry
sky. Set it to Multiply, 80% Opacity
and place it just above the lower sunset layer.
Use the techniques in the annotated
screenshot to blend it in with the image.
TWEAK THE
SUNSET
When you place
the sunset, grab
a sot brush, Alt/
Opt-click colours
from the image,
and brush over
the bottom half.
BLENDING THE
SUBJECT
Cmd/Ctrl-click on
the subject layer
preview, then
Shit+Cmd/Ctrlclick
on the ladder
layer preview. Go to
Filter>Blur>Average
to remove detail
from the subject.
83

Elements
Place the moon
05
Insert the supplied moon image, and
use the Elliptical Marquee Tool to
select it before hitting Screen. Duplicate the
layer, then on a layer below, select a big, soft,
white brush and click to add a glow. Duplicate
this layer and mask out the glow from inside
the moon.
Lay some more planets
06
In the supplied iles, you’ll ind a collection of
various planet stock images, already cut out
and ready to place into your image. Select a few and
place them onto the ground in front of the ladder.
Resize by using Transform (Cmd/Ctrl+T).
Expert tip
Keep realism in
the shadows
When you create the shadows
of your planets and the ladder,
it’s important to remember a
few things to ensure that your
composition stays realistic.
The irst is that the edge of the
shadows can’t be too hard,
which is why we use Gaussian
Blur. Remember to transform
the shadows in a direction
away from the light source, in
this case the moon, and that
the shadows will be darker the
closer they are to the object.
When you mask the excess
from the shadows in step
8, use a dark grey-to-white
gradient, as this will only
mask some of the shadow.
Work on the lighting
07
We need these planets to glow, so
add glowing white brush strokes as
we did with the moon. Clip a Soft Light layer
to each of the planet layers and using soft
black and white brushes, touch-up the lighting
and shading on each of the planets.
Cast some shadows
08
Select the layer previews of all the
planets, plus the ladder. Fill with
black on a layer beneath them all, then go to
Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur and choose 10px.
Hit Transform (Cmd/Ctrl+T) and use to resize
and shape each of the shadows as seen in
the screenshot above. You can also mask
them slightly with a gradient.
Liquify the ladder shadow
09
Select the ladder from the layer
preview, again by Cmd/Ctrl-clicking
and ill with black on another new layer above
the shadow layer. Again, blur, then go to
Filter>Distort>Liquify, and create a curve as
seen. Clip to the layer of the planet next to
the ladder and reduce the Opacity setting.
WARP TOOL
Use the Warp tool to
drag pixels around the
main preview area and
distort the shadow.
SIZE AND PRESSURE
Alter the size and pressure
of the brush that you warp
with using the two sliders
on the right-hand side.
HAND AND ZOOM
Zoom in and pan
around by using the
Hand and Zoom tools
at the bottom of the
tool panel.
PUCKER AND BLOAT
Grow or shrink the size of
the object you’re liquifying
by using the Pucker and
Bloat tools on the let.
84

Elements
Make adjustments
10
Go to the Fill Layer icon and choose
some adjustments to subtly enhance
the tone, colour and feel of the piece so far.
We used Levels – alter the red, green and
blue channels – along with Brightness/
Contrast and a black-to-white gradient map.
Reduce noise
11
Hit Cmd/Ctrl+Alt/Opt+Shift+E to create
a merged layer at the top of the stack.
Go to Filter>Noise>Reduce Noise and choose
Strength: 10, both other values at 0. Click OK.
This will smooth over the entire image.
Sharpen it up
12
Again, create a merged layer at the
top of the layer stack. Go to
Filter>Other>High Pass and choose 5px as
the Radius before hitting OK and setting to
Overlay. This will sharpen up the image again,
and add detail to the highlights.
Add noise
13
Once more, create a merged layer at the top of your layer
stack, and this time go to Filter>Noise>Add Noise. Select
Amount: 400%, Distribution: Gaussian and check the Monochrome box.
Click OK and set to Soft Light, 20% Opacity.
Master lighting
with blend modes
Use Screen, Lighten and Soft Light
for different effects
When creating a composition that relies largely
on light and light sources, it’s incredibly important
to get the best out of the light in your picture. As
a inishing touch, we’ve inserted a bokeh texture,
available in the supplied resources. By setting the
texture to Screen, only the lightest colours become
visible, but if you want to let through light and
dark, set the blend mode to Sot Light. Alternately,
Lighten will only show pixels lighter than the
colours of the layers below.
Get to know your blend modes so that you’ll be
able to keep all your images consistent in tone.
Experiment with Screen, Lighten and Sot Light in
this tutorial and see what efects you can create.
Tweak the colours
14
Finally, with everything else in the image complete, add a
Photo Filter, a black-to-white gradient set to Soft Light, 20%
Opacity, and then add a gradient of yellow to navy via purple, as seen
above, to bring out the colours of the inal composition.
Shortcut
Hit Cmd/Ctrl+F to
repeat the last
ilter that you
used
85

Elements
LOOK CLOSELY
Though it may look like it was
hand-drawn, every element of
this piece was created using
selection and shape tools.
On the FileSilo
Download your free
resources at www.filesilo.
co.uk/photoshopcreative
Digital art…
Illustrate a scene
using selections
Master the Lasso tool and draw without a graphics tablet
Digital art can be an expensive hobby. Once you’ve got your
hands on software, you might consider purchasing accessories
such as printers, scanners, graphics tablets and plug-ins. However,
none of these extra purchases are entirely necessary for creating
digital art. This tutorial will show you how to create a lovely piece
using tools already available to you, and techniques that can be
completed using your regular mouse.
We’ll be painting a nautical scene using Elements. All the tools
we will require are under the Expert tab – but don’t let that put you
off! All the menus we will be using are simple to navigate and the
tools are easy to apply. To make things even more straightforward,
we would recommend first finding a picture of a lighthouse
standing over the ocean to use as reference for this tutorial. If you
can copy and paste the image into Elements, feel free to trace
over it during step one.
The end result will be an attractive, illustrative image of a
lighthouse at night: an excellent piece to use as a gift, or print off
and frame in your own home. The techniques we will cover can be
used for any of your future projects, and will hopefully improve your
skill and confidence when drawing in Elements.
86

Elements
Default tools Create this nautical scene without the aid of a graphics tablet
Sketch your scene
01
Under the Expert tab, create a new
document and then a new layer.
Select a small hard brush, 100% Opacity and
10px in size. Use the Colour Picker to choose
a bright colour, like blue or red, and sketch the
lighthouse scene. Trace an image if needed.
Prepare for colour
02
Once your sketch is done, set the
blend mode to Multiply. Create
another layer below that one, and ill it with a
light-blue colour using the Bucket tool. You
should notice that your sketch’s lines are now
darker; this will make them easier to see as
you apply colour.
Using the Lasso
03
Create another new layer above the
blue ill layer. Select the Lasso tool
and use it to trace the outline of one of the
rock formations. Use the Colour Picker to
choose a dark blue, and use the Bucket tool
to ill the selected area. Repeat until all the
rocks are illed.
Draw the sea foam
04
You can complete the sea foam using the same technique as
the rocks. Create a new layer beneath the rocks layer, use the
Colour Picker to choose a light grey/blue, and trace over the sea foam
areas. Try to make the shapes more rounded than the rocks.
Shortcut
Press the L key to
quickly select the
Lasso tool
Create the sea
05
Create another new layer, beneath the rocks and the foam.
Select a deep blue and use the Rectangular Marquee tool to
draw a rectangle across your canvas. This will be the basic colour for
the sea, so make sure you keep the rectangle below the horizon line
you drew in your sketch.
What
does it mean?
LASSO TOOL – This is a useful and
versatile tool for drawing freeform
without the aid of a graphics tablet.
It enables you to draw any shape
using the mouse, and create a
selection. This selection area can
be illed in using the Bucket
tool, moved using the Move
tool, or removed with
the Delete key.
JAGGED LINES
Draw sharp, pointed edges using the
Lasso and Square Marquee tools to give
your rock formations a harder look.
RESHAPE YOUR
COLOURS
Taper the foam and rocks
by drawing over them
with the Lasso, and
hitting the delete key.
87

Elements
Darken the sky
06
Repeat the last step for the night sky,
using a darker blue. Then select an
even darker blue, and set your brush to a
200px+ Airbrush. Draw around the top
corners of the canvas to create a shadow
across the sky. You don’t need a graphics
tablet for this – the mouse will work ine!
Making waves
07
Go back to your sea layer. Select the blue using
the Eyedropper tool, then make it slightly darker
in the Colour Picker. Using the Lasso tool, draw several
rough, snaking lines across the layer, and ill them using
the Bucket tool to shade in some waves.
Expert tip
Blur the moon
for realism
The moon is obviously a far
away object, so drawing it
with a very hard edge will look
incorrect in your image. To ix
this, soten the edges of the
moon by selecting the moon
layer, then go to Filter>Blur>
Gaussian Blur. A new window
will appear. This includes a
preview window, which will
show how the blur will edit
your currently selected asset.
Adjust the Radius slider to
between 2.0 and 2.5. Try to
keep it within these numbers;
blurring it too much will make
it look out of focus, instead
of far away. Click OK, and the
blur will be applied.
Choppy sea
08
Repeat the process using another
slightly darker blue. Fill in the gaps
between your irst lot of waves. This will give
your ocean a sense of depth. If you’re ever
unsatisied with a shape you’ve drawn, draw
back over it with the Lasso, and press delete
to taper the shape.
Light in the dark
09
Use the aforementioned technique
one more time, using a blue that is
lighter than your ocean’s base colour. Be
much more sparing with your use of this
colour. Keep your shapes small, aside from
one area near the horizon. We’ll be using this
in the next few steps.
Moon over the water
10
Create a new layer above your night
sky layer. Using the Circle Marquee
tool, draw a perfect circle above the
highlighted area of the sea below. Select a
near-white blue in the Colour Picker, and ill
your shape with the Bucket tool.
STRIKING COLOURS
Using the Lasso tool like this
creates sharp, striking artwork. It’s
great for creating illustrative work.
GRAPHICS TABLET
If you do have access to a graphics
tablet, use it to draw in extra
details, like small rocks.
COLOUR CONTRAST
Make sure each colour
stands out. Use the Bucket
tool to adjust them.
A PERFECT CIRCLE
To draw a complete circle, hold Shit
as you draw outward with the Circle
Marquee tool.
88

Elements
Bright side of the moon
11
Just as you did with the waves, use
the Lasso tool to draw details on the
moon. First, press the Opacity Lock button
from the top of the Layers panel. This will
prevent you from colouring outside of the
moon. Select two shades of dark greys, draw
in your squiggly lines, and use the Bucket tool
to ill them in.
Moonlight
12
Create a new layer above the moon,
set it to Overlay. Using a near-white
colour, select Brush tool, set to the airbrush
you used earlier. Click around the moon; this
will create perfect soft circles around it, which
will make it look like it’s glowing.
Lighthouse
13
Create a new layer above the rock
layer, and use the Lasso tool to draw
in the lighthouse. Use a light white to ill in
the selection, then select a grey/purple to
draw in the details. Use the Lasso and
Square Marquee tools to draw straight and
angular lines for the windows.
Shade the scene
14
Go back to your rock layer, and use a darker shade of purple
and the Lasso tool to draw jagged shapes. Fill them in with the
Bucket tool. Do this again with a darker shade, to give the rocks
deinition. Apply the same technique to the lighthouse; use Opacity
Lock to keep the shading within the lighthouse shape.
Gradient maps
The easy way to instantly apply
beautiful colour
Elements has many tools for adjusting the
colour of a inal piece. Gradient maps can
produce some truly beautiful results. Set
your Foreground swatch to a dark colour and
your Background swatch to a lighter colour.
Create a gradient map by going to Layer>
New Adjustment Layer>Gradient Map. This
will create a new layer with the colour efects
applied. The darker colours of your piece will
be enhanced by the irst colour you selected,
and the lighter colours by the second.
Now experiment with blend modes. Overlay,
Color Dodge and Sot Light are good options.
Lower the Opacity to 70% or lower, so the
gradient map doesn’t overpower your piece.
A light in the darkness
15
Create a new layer beneath the lighthouse layer, and use the
Lasso to draw a straight line from the top of the lighthouse to
the horizon line. Select the Gradient tool, and adjust the settings to
Foreground to Transparent. Drag from the top of the lighthouse to the
horizon line to create a fading light.
Shortcut
Press K for the
Bucket tool, G for
the Gradient
tool
89

Elements
QA+
Get in touch
COMMON PROBLEMS IN
ELEMENTS
Ask on Twitter
@PshopCreative
Post on facebook
PhotoshopCreative
Alternatively, you can email:
mark.white03@futurenet.com
CAN I USE WATERCOLOUR
TEXTURES IN MY WORK?
Watercolour textures are popular resources on the
internet, and are great for incorporating into your projects.
While you might want to use them as overlays for digital
art or incorporate them into compositions, they can be
central to creating beautiful textured artwork, too.
Start of with an image and then go to the Fill Layer
icon. Select Threshold to reduce the layer to just black
and white. With your image now being two colours,
drop in your watercolour textures; we’ve supplied some
on the FileSilo to use. Set these to a Screen or Lighten
blend mode and use the Levels adjustment to tweak the
contrast and exposure of the textures.
Finally, add a watercolour paper texture to the
background and set to the Multiply blend mode to add a
little more to the background. Play with the Gradient Map
and Brightness/Contrast adjustment layers to harmonise
the image further, bearing in mind that a stronger contrast
will make your image stand out more.
PERFECT THE THRESHOLD
Use a black or white brush on your
Threshold layer to edit the contrast
of the image.
On the FileSilo
Download your free
resources at www.filesilo.
co.uk/photoshopcreative
Before
PICK LOCATIONS WISELY
Use two scenes that have similar
horizons or elements, such as the
trees in this image.
WHAT IS OUT OF BOUNDS, AND IS IT EASY
TO CREATE IN ELEMENTS?
An out-of-bounds composition places some kind of screen or window in one
image, with elements breaking out of the screen and spilling into the scene. They’re
extremely fun to make and can really bring out your creativity.
Start with the supplied image of the bucolic, grassy scene, and cut out the iPad
to place into the image, before cutting out the screen of the iPad, too. Place the
beach scene within the iPad and then add the supplied sunrise stock image, using
Multiply to blend the two images together. Add some more sand and hit Mask; with
a sot brush, blend the sand falling out of the iPad and onto the grass.
Next, add the birds and the subject: you can cut the birds out with the Magic
Wand and the subject out with Quick Selection. Then, duplicate your original scene
and move it to the top of the layer stack. Hit Mask, then Invert (Cmd/Ctrl+I). Select
a white grass brush, and mask in the grass over the edge of the sand and the iPad.
Finish with a Lens Flare (Filter>Render>Lens Flare) and make adjustments if need
be, such as Hue/Saturation and Levels, using the Fill Layer icon.
90

Before
VIEW LAYERS
Once you select Expert
mode, you’ll be able to see
all the edits you’ve made as
individual layers.
IS THERE AN EASY
WAY TO RETOUCH MY
PORTRAITS?
There are loads of great ways to retouch your
portraits but one of the easiest is using the
Guided Edit section of Elements, and going to
the Perfect Portrait option.
From here, you’ll see a list of edits that
you can make down the right-hand side of
the window, from smoothing skin and using
the Spot-Healing Brush to Red Eye Removal.
Use each of these options one by one, and
remember that subtlety is key. It’s also
possible to use the tools in creative ways;
you may wish to use the Darken Eyebrows
feature to contour the cheeks or use the Spot
Healing Brush to smooth the lips.
Once finished, you can go into the Expert
workspace to make further edits.
Elements
HOW CAN I TURN MY
IMAGES INTO PENCIL
SKETCHES?
Mastering how to create pencil sketches
on paper might be extremely difficult, but
creating them in Elements is less so. You
can use the Brush Tool to trace an image in
Expert mode, or create a quick sketch of any
picture by using the Quick mode.
Simply open the picture you want to
transform into a pencil sketch and go to
Quick. Under Pencil Sketch, you’ll find four
potential options, all slightly different and
varying in style. From there, if you pick
one, you can turn your image into a sketch
immediately, but the real editing comes in
once you click back on Expert.
Use Brightness/Contrast and Levels
to adjust the look of your sketch, and
remember that you can still use brushes to
edit the image.
Before
Before
Quick tip
Using
Outer Glow
The Outer Glow layer
style is one of the most
useful tricks in your editing
arsenal for making your
layers stand out. Simply
by applying an outer glow
to a picture, you can give
your layer added warmth
or prominence over the
background. It’s great for
light effects, too. Use it in
conjunction with the Drop
Shadow to make a layer
stand out even more, but
remember to use it subtly,
as it can look over-the-top
in some cases.
WHAT IS THE
GRAPHICS TAB
USED FOR?
In Elements, we usually work with
the Layers palette firmly on the
right-hand side of the window at all
times. But if you check along the
bottom-right of the program, you’ll
see that there are other options,
including Graphics.
This provides exactly what you’d
expect. Click on there, view them,
and double-click to apply a graphic
as the background to your image.
They’re great for placing subjects
onto or can form the basis of a new
project. There is also a range of
styles for you to explore.
91

REVIEWS LANDSCAPEPRO 2
SOFTWARE
Price £29.95 / $49.95 US Coupon code PST17 Web www.landscapepro.pics/
LandscapePro 2
The specs
Company
Anthropics
Feature
Intelligent automated
masking
Sky replacement
3D Lighting brushes
RAW file support
Anthropics’ update to its intelligent software makes editing landscape images easier than ever
View the original
The option to quickly switch
back to the original image is
a really handy feature to help
you monitor how much you
have edited.
Simple interface
The program is laid out in a way
that’s easy to use, and the pop-up
prompts really make editing easy.
Drop-Down menuS
The drop-down menus make editing
simple and split up each section you
have masked for localised editing.
Enhance landscapes Use this intelligent software to transform vistas and replace the sky
Import your image
01
Upon opening the interface, you will
have the options to open an example
image, watch a video tutorial or import your
own image. Select the option to import your
own image and choose the one that you
would like to edit.
Label the image
02
Next, you will be prompted to drag
labels onto parts of the image to
identify them for the masks. We labelled the
sky, grass, mountain and trees. You will most
likely have to alter the selections, which is
done by dragging them.
Select a sky
03
We wanted to change the cloud
formations and make something a
little different, so we selected a new sky from
the Clouds drop-down menu. You will probably
have to try a few in order to ind one that
works with your image.
92

This intelligent editing software aims to
help simplify the photographer’s
workflow with a powerful alternative to
spending hours meticulously editing
landscape shots. LandscapePro 2 offers the
user dramatic effects in just a few simple
steps and its interface will suit any skill level of
photographer or photo editor.
The unique controls and intelligent selection
tools adapt to the image you are working on.
The software helps users process landscape
imagery with essential features that make
replacing skies and altering clouds simple,
using presets or by uploading your own
imagery. It will enable you to brighten,
recolour and even replace skies, as well as
offering automatic area selection, targeted
editing, distance controls, one-click presets,
lighting controls and RAW file support.
This latest version includes new lighting
brushes, over 100 new sky presets, a new Sky
Reflections label and improved selection tools.
The interface is simple throughout and
although it might be initially daunting with its
multiple drop-down menus and sliders, we
found it to be intuitive and relatively easy to
pick up with a little experimentation. As you
progress through your edit, the software gives
you tips in pop-up boxes, which we found
really helpful, especially during the first few
times we used the software.
Once you have selected an image, you are
prompted to drag labels from the main panel
over the different elements in the image. This
applies masks to the labelled parts of the
image, which enables localised adjustments.
The software then attempts to identify the
areas of the image associated with each label,
however, generally you will need to alter them
yourself by selecting and dragging the masks.
In the latest update this feels easier and more
responsive than the first, but you will have to
spend a little time in detailed areas.
When you come across more complicated
objects, you can employ the Object In Sky or
the Tree & Sky tools, which enable you to
brush over objects to separate the two masks.
In general, these tools were impressive, with
only a couple of errors. The masking process
is simple and the software identifies subjects
intelligently, and it’s probably quicker than
doing the same thing in Photoshop.
Once you have created the masks, you will
be able to apply adjustments to the image as
a whole, or to the individual sections you have
created. Each section has its own drop-down
menu with the adjustments available. You will
be able to replace the sky or alter the clouds
and their density or colour to completely
transform your landscape capture. You’ll also
have the option to relight the image, change
the time of day and adjust the depth of field,
which will transform your imagery in an
impressive way.
Although we think it’s accessible to all
levels, we’re not sure if it will appeal to
everyone. The masking is powerful and one of
the most effective of its kind, but it can be a
little laborious with more detailed landscapes.
If you’ are a photographer who spends their
days editing landscape after landscape,
LandscapePro 2 might be the perfect solution
for you to make dramatic adjustments to your
captures and take them a little further than
you might have in Photoshop. That said, there
are certainly still some improvements that
could be made – the two obvious ones being
speed and responsiveness.
Already discounted to a very reasonable
£29.95 ($49.95), readers of Photoshop
Creative can get a further 10% off the price by
using the Coupon Code PST17 at checkout.
The verdict
For the price, it is worth a go.
It’s unique and will enable you to
delve into your landscapes with
intelligent automatic selection
9and creative presets.
Standout feature
Replace and edit the sky
The Sky Replacement tool seems to be the
most intelligent feature; you can completely
replace a sky with one of your own images, or
change the clouds and their density. We were
impressed by the option to flawlessly remove
all of the clouds with a mere click of the mouse.
Change the lighting
04
Go into the Lighting drop-down menu
and alter the strength of the light.
Then drag the black Lighting icon to where on
the image you would like the light source to
come from.
Use Lighting brushes
05
Enhance the lighting in your image by
painting on light with the 2D Lighting
brush. It will intelligently mould onto the
landscape for a realistic effect.
93

PLUG-IN
CHOOSE AN
EFFECT
Pick a speciic style of
lens lare or lighting
efect by visiting the
let-hand panel and
double-clicking to add
the efect.
Price £76 (approx) $99 US Web http://akvis.com/
FLARE
ELEMENTS
Add or remove
elements of the lens
lare to customise
and reine exactly
how you wish your
lighting efect to look.
SLIDERS
Improve on the elements
you’ve added to the
photo: change colours,
opacity and size of
everything in your lare.
The specs
Company
AKVIS
Additional specs
Windows XP and above
Mac 10.7 and above
Photoshop CS3 and above
Photoshop Elements 6 and above
Standout feature
Elements panel
Add or remove parts of your lens lare using the
panel in the top-right corner, and control how
your lare looks. You can also copy elements or
rearrange them, meaning that every lighting
efect is completely customisable.
AKVIS LightShop
Add lens flares to your work and refine the lighting with this exciting and accurate plug-in
Lighting can be the difference between a
good photo and a bad one. Well-lit photos
grab attention for all the right reasons. But
can something as fundamentally important as
lighting be creative, and how can you possibly
get imaginative with it?
Though Photoshop offers many ilters for
improving your lighting, AKVIS LightShop can
help to take your lighting even further; it’s
available as a plug-in for Photoshop too,
making it easy to use alongside your other
ilters. LightShop is structured like most
AKVIS plug-ins; offering an array of presets
for applying to work, along with thorough
sliders for tweaking anything you like in your
lighting. As with other AKVIS plug-ins,
LightShop is wonderfully easy to get to grips
with, and the irst impressions of the software
are great.
While LightShop is essentially a collection
of lens lare stock images, the plug-in is far
more advanced than just inserting light effects
into your photos. The lares you add to your
work are nicely blended into the image, and
you can adjust the opacity. Everything is also
labelled with images where necessary, so you
can alter just about anything in your lens lare
quickly and eficiently.
LightShop is a great addition to Photoshop
because it builds on the Lens Flare feature
without being dificult to work with. The
effects are eclectic and easy to tinker with,
making LightShop a must for photo editors
who want to improve lighting in their work.
The verdict
A useful upgrade on the Lens
Flare tool and one of the most
in-depth plug-ins AKVIS has
produced, LightShop is also very
9user-friendly.
Five great effects A taste of the creative options available to you
Colour filters
01
These help to add
bursts of light to
your image, but they’re
also capable of lending a
little hue and saturation to
any landscape.
Sunset
02
The Sunset option
is a good lighting
effect to display on a
horizon, with the light
spots facing upwards
towards the sky.
Cascade of
Light
03
One of the most
ostentatious lens
lares, with bright lares,
spots and rings, to be built
up or stripped back.
Moonlight
04
Moonlight simply
adds a sphere to
the work with a bright halo;
it can transform night
shots or make day shots a
little more surreal.
Shining Star
05
This effect is
bright, has bursts
of light and softer light
spots scattered across
the image, making it good
for corner placement.
94

AKVIS OIlPAInt
REVIEWS
PLUG-IN
PRESETS
Choose a preset
digital art option
from the drop-down
list, and either leave
it at that, or tweak
the sliders further to
perfect the efect.
Price £54 (approx) $69 US Web http://akvis.com/
PREVIEW
AREA
See your image
take shape in
the preview area
of the program,
and use the Ater
tab to see the
completed efect.
SLIDERS
Use the sliders to alter everything
about your image, from the
simplicity of the composition to how
random the strokes are.
The specs
Company
AKVIS
Additional specs
Windows XP and above
Mac 10.7 and above
Photoshop CS3 and above
Photoshop Elements 6 and above
Standout feature
Abstract Art tab
While most digital art plug-ins create paintings
based on the photo you’re converting, OilPaint
is diferent. the Abstract Art tab can distort
your image, add new colours and take the
image in a whole new direction.
AKVIS OilPaint
Turn any image into a digital painting of beautiful strokes using this simple plug-in
Digital painting is one of those skills that
fall into the category of being easy to
learn, but hard to master. It takes
patience, time and lots of practise to become
a great digital artist, not to mention a lot of
experimenting to ind your style. But that
doesn’t mean it’s not fun to play around with
digital art and create basic paintings in
Photoshop from nothing.
AKVIS OilPaint is available either as a
standalone app or as an add-on to Photoshop,
and can help you evolve as a digital artist and
develop your own style. It can turn any photo
into digital artwork using presets and sliders,
making it easy to achieve an effect that would
otherwise take a lot of time and effort.
While this may suggest OilPaint doesn’t
give much control over your work, this isn’t
the case at all. The sliders are precise and can
control everything from detail to brush size.
OilPaint is fantastically in-depth and you can
create something unique every time: while it
can be used to create a inished image, you
can also add more effects in Photoshop.
OilPaint makes a great addition to
Photoshop, because it slots right into your
worklow, has a plethora of options for
tweaking work, and is extremely versatile. It’s
useful for Photoshop beginners looking to
learn more about digital paintings, but it can
be used by more advanced artists seeking to
save time with their work; digital painting
might be easy to learn, but OilPaint can take
your skills to the next level.
The verdict
A useful plug-in for all levels of
digital artists, OilPaint has quick,
accurate and unique efects to
help you transform any image
8into a digital work of art.
Five great presets Some of the ways to get creative with OilPaint
Impasto
01
This effect excels
in creating thick,
painterly strokes with a
clear brush pattern,
perfect for leaving as a
inished digital painting.
Dramatic Colors
02
The Dramatic
Colors preset is
good for saturating your
image a little and making
each of the hues really
pop in your painting.
Magnific +
Frame & Canvas
03
This preset does
three things; it
adds a canvas, a frame
and completes the look
with subtle brush strokes.
Fresco
04
This is simplistic,
bold and gives
you a great starting point
to go further and add your
own custom brush strokes
to the image.
Wild Strokes
05
The Wild Strokes
option is big, bold
and painterly. It is great
when used on photos of
skies and water because it
gives a rippled feel.
95

Portfolio interview
carolrempto.
myportfolio.com/
With work featured by
TheStudentShow along with
Behance’s Photoshop and
Illustration galleries online, Carolina
Rempto is a digital artist who’s already
seen critical acclaim for her work, not to
mention thousands of views.
As someone deeply passionate about
digital painting, Carolina is constantly
undergoing exciting new projects. We
asked her about her favourite ones, and
what tips she has for beginners.
Have you always been interested
in art and design?
I’ve always been the kind of kid that was
quiet and drawing something. At first I
was drawing dresses and princesses,
when I grew up a little I started to copy
the comics that I read in my favourite
teenage magazines. When I was about to
begin a Graphic Design course, I started
to learn Photoshop and it soon became
essential in my life. Now I work with it
every day.
Who are your biggest influences?
Well, I think my biggest artistic influence
is Mary Blair (the artist who produced
concept art for such films as Alice in
Wonderland, Peter Pan, Song of the South
and Cinderella). I’ve always loved Disney
movies and when I finally discovered the
artist behind some of them, I fell in love
with her art. I didn’t start to create like I
do now, though I’ve been in a lot of places
when it comes to creation and creativity,
but the more you know about art, about
yourself and your tools, the better you
get. You never stop developing!
Would you describe your artwork
in a similar way to how one might
describe Disney art?
I would describe my work as colourful,
whimsical and cute. It is a result of
everything I love and I think that is how I
would like the world to be: so similar to
The power of
brushes & textures
Carolina Rempto tells us her biggest influences, how she became
interested in art, and how she creates her stunning digital paintings
Disney in that sense. I observed a lot of
illustrators that create similar art and tried
to absorb the aspects that I like in their
art to create something unique, that is
truly mine. For me, it is super important
to keep an eye on what illustrators that I
like are doing. It seems like the more you
see, the more you learn and apply it to
your own work.
What are your favourite tools and
features in Photoshop?
My favourite tool is the Brush, I use it all
the time, but I also love the Magic Wand
as it saves me a lot of time. Another great
thing is that you can add masks to the
layers, which is magical! My creative
process usually starts with some options
I’ve created as digital sketches in
Photoshop, then I start to separate the
shapes of the drawing by using layers and
flat colours. After that, I test a lot of
colours, and when I decide that I like the
combination, I add some textures and
details to finalise it.
As a digital artist, and someone
who uses brushes a lot in their
work, textures must be really
important to you, too
Yes. Textures are really important in my
work, as I think they bring life to the
illustration. My favourite adjustment is
Hue/Saturation, because it gives me the
chance to change the colour of the work
without really altering it too much. It
allows me to try new combinations of
colours on a project, which is great.
What tips would you give to
Photoshop beginners looking to
achieve results as good as yours?
Tutorials are great, they help a lot. But
don’t limit yourself to it. Try new things,
try to discover what each tool does and
use it in unexpected ways. You’ll find that
the way you use Photoshop is always a
little bit different from the way others do,
so I would say to find your way to use it,
learn your favourite shortcuts (you’re
going to save a lot of time using them!)
and focus on doing your work. Photoshop
is a great tool to achieve your final result,
so focus on that.
Which projects have you worked
on that you’re most proud of?
I recently did a comic about a girl that
was seeking the truth, it was called Azul
and it was truly a life-changing project. I
never tried to do comics before and I
absolutely loved it! It pushed my limits
and made me discover sides of my work
that I never saw before. Another project
that I’m really proud of is the special
edition plate I’ve illustrated for a national
chain of Italian restaurants here in Brazil,
that was sold for a short period of time all
over the country. I’m really hoping to work
with concept art somewhere in the future,
so I might invest some of my time
studying more about that subject so I can
achieve these goals.
Happy and Satisfied: This was a personal piece I did about a
cat really happy and satisfied with its life. It’s available as a
cushion, a travel mug, a tote bag and a phone case.
All images © Carolina Rempto
96

The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe: This project
was developed for the Type and Image class at SCAD.
The goal was to do a cover for a book that we like. The
main idea that I chose to represent the book is the
balance between Aslan and the White Queen.
Art + Beer: This project is a series of illustrated posters about
beer and how people relate to it. Relaxation, Lifestyle, Fun and
Love were the themes and the typography was made by hand.
Amazonian Myths: There are many interesting mythological
creatures in Brazilian folk tales, so I chose some of the
Amazonian myths to paint in a series of illustrations!
Harry Potter illustration: This was a project that gave 13 artists
the opportunity to create a digital painting of a Harry Potter
character. The project has been viewed over 5,000 times online.
97

Reader interview
Flower of Life
The
Macaque
Island
No Life
The
Wanderer
The making of Rebirth of
Paradise
How Maciej turned a series of stock photos into
one utopian composition
Creating the
background
I started to composite
the background
together by masking
two pictures: the
sky and the roots. I
wanted the image to
look bright and warm.
98
Maciej Matuszak
Polish artist Maciej on inspiration, messages in his work and
how to create amazing, unique artwork
Inspiration can strike from anywhere, and
that’s something that Maciej Matuszak, a
graphic designer who works for an
advertising agency by day, embraces. Though all
his work looks diferent, he takes inluence from all
over, including his surroundings. “I come from a
very beautiful country,” he says of Poland. “I
encourage everyone to visit.”
We caught up with Maciej to ind out how he
creates his amazing work.
Can you tell us where your
inspiration comes from?
Oten everything goes straight from my head to the
computer. At the beginning I search for diferent
photographs. Oten when I browse for images, I ind
something special, and then when I have the idea, I
start building from there.
Do you have a message you try and
convey in your work?
I try to say something, not with everything that I
create, but I think that subject matter and title can
help send a message. But I like it the best when
someone tells me what they see in my work, and
then we can discuss the subject together.
What subject matters do you
explore most in your work?
All of my pictures are diferent, but I’d like to think
they all have an air of mystery. I like exploring
space with my artwork, but equally, I don’t mind
what I create as long as it’s interesting.
Are there any tips that you would
give to beginners?
Be as creative as you can and just try to develop
your own style. Don’t focus too much about what
other people are doing. Ask experienced artists
for feedback and then see what it is they have to
say about it.
What Once Was
Rebirth of Paradise
If you are inspired by Maciej’s art on these pages,
you can see more of his work at www.
photoshopcreative.co.uk/user/
inspireyourmind
NEXT ISSUE ON SALE 20 JULY 2017!
Plant some
trees
Next I added some
trees, using Channels
to cut them out, as I
find it to be a simple
way to isolate colour
in a layer. I added
shade all over and
matched light relative
to where the sun was
in the photo.
Building the
composition
In this step, I added
the rest of the trees,
using a brush and the
appropriate settings.
I created flying pollen
to show that the
paradise is beginning
to recover.
Adjustments
The last step
was to adjust the
composition as
a whole with the
appropriate colour,
which I did using
Curves and Color
Balance. I also added
a light vignette.

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