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Dynamic photo effects | Real-media brushes | Perfect portfolios | Blend 2D and 3D objects in CS4 | Interview: Shane Mielke

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ISSUE 54 £5.99
PERFECT PORTFOLIOS READERS’ GALLERY
ISSN 1748-7277
54
Make first impressions count with our Showcase your artwork for
9 771748 727009 guide to creating a winning portfolio maximum exposure

001_AVP_54_Cover.indd 1 5/2/09 15:08:39

 Editorial
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at coll n A pla for ard

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an De eco ign an
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ar w r
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er s es as
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Us won ic d ed
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d as
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keeping your creative finger on the Maria Masiar, Kirk Nelson, Robh Ruppel, Elena Savitskaya
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lie l
s.

ross.webster@imagine-publishing.co.uk
form of lenticular printing, a look at how CS4 can help you
e c rcia

t w Ga tiv ar e g fa
ki hi s m iew or le

nt
fo uc nt d t f th
EN

ig om ea
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om ssf sh v

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k a o ea ce nm in
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The next issue of Advanced ISSN 1748-7277

Photoshop goes on sale 26 March 2009

4
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004_AVP_54_EdIntro.indd 4 10/2/09 12:24:55
 Cover

Cover image
Elena is a graphic and web designer based in
London. This issue, we challenged her to re-create
her amazing lighting skills for our cover image and Photo:
break down the whole process into a tutorial. This ISTOCKPHOTO.COM
modern style is popular in the advertising world, so Imageer:
it pays to know how to make these effects and blend ELENA SAVITSKAYA
them into your own artwork. Turn to page 48 and
you can get started on our tutorial using stock
photos and a few fractals. “This modern style is popular
/ http://designwithathought.com
in the advertising world”

5
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005_AVP_54_CoverImage.indd 5 10/2/09 15:34:04

 E
K SIT d
-LOO
NEW .advance.uk
wwwoshop.co
phot

ADVANCED PHOTOSHOP WEBSITE

www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk
The Advanced Photoshop website is your portal to everything
Photoshop, making it easier than ever to upload your images to your
own gallery, read the latest Photoshop and magazine news, buy
current and back issues and play with our Photoshop Face-Off feature.

ISSUE #54

inside... 32
Integrate 2D and 3D
in Photoshop CS4
INSIGHT
News and showcases from around the globe
News
08
08
Showcase: Alexander Otto 12
Showcase: Luuk Vermeyden 14
Showcase: Mathew Doidge 16
Showcase: Fabian Warnke 18

COMMUNITY 22
Our readers’ comments, feedback and images
from our mailbox, email, website and forum
Mailbox 22
THE COVER On the web 24
Our cover image this issue is the result of a tutorial Peer Pressure: web challenge winners 80
(starting on page 48) by Elena Savitskaya. See more of
her work at http://designwithathought.com.

HELP 72
Tips, techniques and problems solved
EXTENDED! Helpdesk 72

RESOURCES 88
Vital assets to improve your Photoshop work

d va nced p at Hardware and software reviews 88

isit the A nline shoo.uk Book reviews 94
V o .c
shop ineshop oks
ot o
Ph .imag es, bo 54 76
www ack issu andise Get outside with your Our pick of the best reader
THIS MONTH’S CD 98
for b d merch
laptop and Photoshop submissions this month

an Superb stock art, project files and more!

CD guide 98

6
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006-007_AVP_54_Contents.indd 6 10/2/09 12:27:32

 26
We interview
Shane Mielke

© Shane Mielke

FEATURES/REGULAR TECHNIQUES
Insightful interviews and in-depth articles Essential guides to professional Photoshop skills

INTERVIEW: SHANE MIELKE 26 MERGE 3D AND 2D/LENTICULAR PRINTING 32

An expert in website design and an impressive client list to boot Two key skills that you need to know in Photoshop CS4

BUILD THE PERFECT PORTFOLIO 40 DYNAMIC PHOTO EFFECTS 48

If first impressions count, then your portfolio needs to be up to scratch Create professional lighting effects with our in-depth Workshop

PEER PRESSURE 76 DIGITAL PLEIN-AIR 54

The very best submissions from our readers this month Learn how to use real-media brushes for traditional effects

PHOTOSHOP PLUG-INS 82 ADVANCED PHOTOMANIPULATION 60

The Photoshop extras that are worth buying and the artists who use them Phil McDarby walks us through the creation of his unique Moss Dragon

REVIEWS 88 READER’S WORKSHOP 66

We review the latest MacBook Pro, monitors, software and books Another reader breaks down their Photoshop style

7
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006-007_AVP_54_Contents.indd 7 10/2/09 12:28:20

 Dominance War IV
Dominance War, a massive online art challenge, has launched
its fourth year of the contest, opening it up to even more artists
from around the world.
The challenge is a ‘war’ between 12 major art communities
(this year in seven different languages) to create the best 2D and
3D game art. The contest happens once a year and lasts for
three months. Digital artists choose a community that they
want to represent and the community with the best 3D game
art or concept game art at the end of this period is the winner.
Aimed at students, aspiring game artists and professionals,
anyone can take part.
This year, communities from Canada, USA, Korea, China,
India, Europe, Russia and Brazil are taking part, and the well-
known sites involved include CGSociety.org, GameArtisans.org
and 3DTotal.com. Dominance War launched in 2006 and the
The latest creative news
challenges. For each mini challenge, five top artists from each
community will be found through a public voting system, and
from these the Mini Challenge Champions will be announced
by judges at the awards ceremony in May.
This year also sees more character classes and a new theme,
giving artists greater creative freedom when designing their 3D
or 2D game art. The official rules and regulations of this year’s
event, as well as the prizes, were not available at the time of
writing, as these will be officially unveiled when the contest
begins – but by the time you read this, the information should
be available on the official Dominance War website below, or
on one of the participating forums.
Visit your forum of choice to find out how you can
submit game art entries to their team. Usually, there will be a
dedicated thread on a community’s forum and you are

number of participants has nearly doubled in size in every year encouraged to publish works in progress to get feedback
since, making 2009’s contest the most competitive to date. from fellow entrants – improving the community’s overall
As well as more communities taking part this time, there are chance of winning.
also a few extra additions to this year’s challenge. Alongside the
main Dominance War IV Epic Champions, which last year were
www.gameartisans.org/dominancewar/index.htm
3DTotal.com (3D category) and CGLand.com (Concept Art),
there will be two international 2D and 3D nine-day mini

FIRST TIMER
S: An epic serie
history is alway s with a
s a little dauntin three-year
participants. Fo g to first-time
moderators an rtunately, there
d artists who ar are plenty of
willing to help e always happ
fellow artists ge y and
t started

LET THE WORLD IN: Global celebration of

Dominance War takes place and is a great way to get
your work exposed to international audiences. The
most recent success exhibited the best works of DW III
during GSTAR 2008 in Ilsan, South Korea

© VITALIY NAYMUSHIN

8
Advanced Photoshop

008-010_AVP_54_News.indd 8 10/2/09 12:48:05

 News
© DANIEL CONWAY

Fantasy that
From 9 March this year, Edinburgh plays
stellar exposition, called the
On show are 72 uniq ue digit
Fant
al art
asy Art
piece
host to a
Exhibition.
s, provided by
bites
some of the best inter natio nal artis ts base d in the UK NEW SONY VAIO
and Ireland.
Daniel Conway,
RELEASED
This exhibition includes artists such Want the
brea thtak ing digit al paintings, and
well known for his performance of
l myth and sci-fi artis t Simo n Dom inic. Also
influentia a PC, but
Jonn y Dud dle,
present are the works of Matt Dixon, something a
Phil McD arby , who
Nick Harris and the talented little more
creation of his
features in this issue addressing the discreet
than a laptop?

“72 unique digital art Well, the VAIO P series of products is

for you. With a minimum 128GB hard

pieces provided by START OF SOMETHING: It is hope

d drive and 2GB of RAM, this portable
PC incorporates embedded 3G
some of the best
this collaborative show by artists from
the UK and Ireland will be the first connectivity, a well-designed full
this
exhibition of many to take place in
international artists”
keyboard and a brilliant high-
brand new art space resolution screen.

that this event

wonderful Moss Dragon. It is hoped we think it’s well worth the visit. Open
ing times are ADOBE PHOTOSHOP
ition s, presenting
will launch numerous future exhib from 12.30pm
innovative and contemporary art and desig n. from 10am until 4pm on weekdays
and
LIGHTROOM 2.3 AND
If you want to help prom ote the digit al desig n until 4pm on Saturdays. CAMERA RAW 5.3
cause, visit the Fant asy Art Exhib ition at the RELEASE
Digital Design Services studio at 61
e got
Bread Street,
until 27 March until
www.digitaldesignservices.co.uk CANDIDATES
Edinburgh, Scotland. You’v If you want to do your bit to help
an open ing in your diaries now –
it’s all over, so make Adobe evolve its creative products,
log onto http://labs.adobe.com. The
‘release candidate’ label indicates
that this update is well tested, but

Mecano magic
would benefit from additional
MECANO SOLUTIONS: An innovative portfolio site and community testing before it is
blog that is sure to inspire
distributed, and now included are
Mecano, a design agency whose Photoshop Lightroom 2.3 and
Photoshop Camera Raw 5.3. Try them
clients include Rail Europe and Radio-
out and make suggestions.
Canada, has launched an innovative
new version of its website. Specialising
in playful marketing strategies, the
new site is jam-packed with
interactive and audio-based projects.
The site acts as the agency’s
portfolio using integrated
Papervision3D technology so visitors
can see its best interactive website
work without leaving the homepage.
Alongside this, the Mecano team
now runs a blog dedicated to Youth
Marketing and Advertainment, which
shares news and thoughts with its GET PUBLISHED
readers. Stories include the agency’s Index Book is giving you a great
chance to publish your artwork. All
latest projects, as well as design and
you need do is sign up and log in at
cultural news from around the world,
www.indexbook.co.uk/gbi. The
making it an entertaining and Great British Identity book welcomes
www.mecano.ca
informative addition to the site. all creative projects, coinciding with
Design inspiration in one place. the title theme. Deadline is 19 March.

9
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008-010_AVP_54_News.indd 9 10/2/09 16:12:54

 insight
IN THE
NEWS:
Q&A
FREDRIK
HULTQVIST
We question the Dominance War
organiser on the innovations in year
four of this event
Q: WHAT WAS THE THINKING
BEHIND DISSECTING THIS
YEAR’S EVENT
INTO SEPARATE AND MINI
COMPETITIONS?
A: “I always strive to make Dominance
War more into an Olympic-esque
event for game artists. This year, there
will be multiple competitions in one
large event. With separate
competitions in place, regardless of
life circumstances, mid-term exams
and work schedules, there is a
possible medal for everyone.”
Q: WHY EMPLOY ARTISTS
THROUGH ONLINE ART
COMMUNITIES RATHER
THAN INDIVIDUALLY?
A: Unlike traditional employment
events, where artists dress nicely and
prepare answers for questions, in art
communities and events like
Dominance War, companies have the
opportunity to see artists in action.
There is no fluff and no smooth
talking. Here, artists prove themselves
with spirit, art and their actions.
Q: WHAT WILL ENTHUSIASTS
AND STUDENTS LEARN/
ACHIEVE FROM TAKING PART?
A: “Students can practise, learn new
tricks, find inspiration, discover new
friends and make fabulous portfolio
pieces while still having fun. Because
of this, when artists enter I believe
they have an opportunity to learn and
achieve great things as they push
themselves to improve in what they
adore doing – game art.
See more at www.gameartisans.org
10
Advanced Photoshop
008-010_AVP_54_News.indd 10
GET IT SOON (RIGHT): The new Olympus
SP-590UZ is compatible with both xD-
Picture Cards and microSD Cards, and will
go on sale from March
LIGHTER LOAD (ABOVE): With the
SP-590UZ, photographers have
everything they need built into one
neat unit, so you’re not required to lug
around heavy kit
Olympus launches 26x zoom camera
Olympus has announced its new line of cameras for 2009, a photo and expose and focus for them automatically.
which includes the impressive 26x optical zoom prosumer Couple this with one of its most recent additions, Beauty
model, the Olympus SP-590UZ. Mode, and this camera is going to really appeal to digital
The compact superzoom weighs in at around retouchers, photographers and photomanipulation artists.
£360/$450 and includes an impressive range of built-in Beauty Mode compensates in part for photographic
technologies, not least the astounding zoom lens. Building effects by intuitively touching up the appearance of
on the SP-570’s 20x wide-angle lens, the new model now subjects as the photo is being taken, making their skin
offers a focal range 26-676mm equivalent, as opposed to appear smoother, brighter and even more youthful.
its predecessor’s 26-520mm range. The camera can also Creative photographers can focus as close as 1cm for
take ten shots per second and has a 12-megapixel CCD dramatic shots and even superimpose one image on top
sensor. Dual Image Stabilisation controls the effects of of another using Multiple Exposure, making this a stellar
camera shake when using the lens at its full extension. piece of hardware.
The Olympus SP-590UZ has 18 built-in shooting modes
for every situation, including fully automated Scene
modes as well as full Manual, Aperture Priority or Shutter www.olympus.com
Priority for maximum control over exposure. Its Advanced
Face Detection Technology can identify up to 16 people in
Scanning perfection with Epson
Epson has announced the release
of the new Perfection compact of workspaces. Its com
V30 scanner, adding to its popular pact and stylish design
range of scanning means it will make a fashionable
products. Priced at just £68.50, the addition to your creative
latest Perfection toolset. Richard Aplin, product man
model includes built-in technolo ager at Epson UK,
gies for superior results. says: “The Epson Perfection V30
The Perfection V30 is equipped will fully satisfy the needs
with ReadyScan LED of the home or small office cust
technology, which means that the omer who wants to scan
unit provides lower important documents or letters
energy consumption in use, resu to email.”
lting
in fast warm-up times. It also host You can also automatically save
s documents
an optical resolution of 4,800dp into PDF format so they are easy
i,
file, using the dedicated button
to email and
enough to scan in pixel-perfect
casing. The Perfection V30 also
on the
photos and artwork.
possible to scan from books and
makes it
The design of the V30 is portfolios,
ergonomic and has a small loading documents up to 25mm
thick
enough footprint to be with the lid closed. It also has a ‘fully
accommodated in the most open’ lid design, which when ope
n to
180 degrees can copy larger-for
mat
documents as well.
www.epson.co.uk
ACCESSIBLE FUNCTIONS: The
Perfection
V30 provides four shortcut buttons
to help you
access common functions quickly
10/2/09 12:49:09
 insight
my
Prime of life: “This was Neues digitales: “I did this
XIX:
submission for the Evoke work in early 2008 for issue six of
g to
Prime exhibition. I was tryin the ANTI Magazine, which is
g the
create an artwork regardin produced by revolverlover,
ver’. The
theme ‘Nothing Lasts Fore featuring a big mixture of
filter
rain and the ‘P’ were both Photoshop and Illustrator“
I gained
and hand-drawing work.
had
a lot of new techniques and
fun with this piece of art”

Intergalactic: ““Also a

Alexander Otto
submission for Evoke, I was
trying to find a completely
new style for me in black and
white, and approached
different new techniques”
Website: www.diftnorm.com
Clients: Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Ferrero

Alexander Otto is an artist looking to really test the limit of his skills. Having
obtained a vocation at one of Germany’s biggest agencies, working for clients
such as Mazda and Ferrero, it just wasn’t enough. Otto explains: “I’ve been
working as freelance designer and illustrator behind DIFTNORM to push my skills
more and more. I’ve tried a lot of different styles and techniques on both digital
and analogue to find my personal style. I use the successful techniques for clients
as well.”
Dishing out creativity on all fronts, Otto reveals it’s hard for him to distinguish a
preferred style. He explains: “I try various techniques and styles to find my own
personal expression in my compositions. I don’t want to constrain myself with a
certain visual language, so I can always develop new paths of creativity and do
something that’s completely new for me. I always try to find something unique;
something you might have not seen so far, something really fresh. So that’s what
drives me and I enjoy that every single day. ”
Just as Otto’s professional and freelance realities complement each other, so do
his application techniques: “I primarily work with Photoshop, but I also use
Illustrator to create some unique vector elements or type. It’s much easier to
arrange a composition in Photoshop, but you can build a strong typeface or
objects in Illustrator. I aspire to work with the complete range of Photoshop tools
and try to find new techniques using the filters, tools or different layer modes to
finish my artwork.”

12
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012-013_AVP_54_Insight1.indd 12 27/1/09 16:39:34

 To be born: “This coll
aboration piece
with my young talented
friend Dimo
Trifonov (www.nufabric
.org) was done for
the Evoke: Prime exhibiti
on. We got a lot of
inspiration from surreali
sm artists like
Salvador Dali and Escher”

13
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012-013_AVP_54_Insight1.indd 13 27/1/09 16:40:00

 insight
Overdose art (right):
“This is a very personal piece. It’s
a photo of myself and the
concept is ‘overdose art’. I just
love art. Everything around me
is art. When I see some artwork
from someone else, I really
check out the details”

Poetry in Motion, collaboration with

Mischa Loppies: “Our inspiration was dance and R&B
music. Mischa (www.aicatch.com) and I listened to the
same music and we had to make a piece with this concept.
Most things are hand-drawn with a Wacom”

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014-015_AVP_54_Insight2.indd 14 27/1/09 16:40:42

 Luuk Vermeyden
Website: www.jaxestudios.com
Clients: Publish magazine (http://publish.nl), EvokeOne.com
Desktopography.net, Behance

Introduced to Photoshop back in 2001, Luuk Vermeyden was a keen creator of

signatures and desktop graphics. That was until, learning as much as he could from
online tutorials, he went it alone and began to explore the potential for more
dynamic styles and compositions. “Since the day I met Photoshop, I was in love. I
immediately knew I wanted to do something with this program; I wanted to
become a graphic designer,” he explains. “I quit using tutorials and tried everything
myself. Since I made that decision, I really saw improvement in my skills.
“Photoshop is my favourite program because I can really lose all my thoughts in
it. It’s not just the program that creates my work, it’s mostly myself. I use stock
photos, cutting them out with the Pen tool, and I draw my lines with a Wacom
Bamboo A5. I use blending modes to get better colours. Photoshop is the canvas.
My mind is the tool.”
Vermeyden, like many artists, obviously finds his designing to be extremely
therapeutic, but how does he feel others interpret his own style? He reveals: “I see it
as a fresh and funky style. I don’t want to use many dark and emotional colours, I
want it to be bright and eye-catching. I think it’s pretty contemporary, a style that is
really wanted.” Seemingly immersing himself in his work, it’s his perfectionist
attitude that has and will see him continue to produce such lavish designs: “I think
my parents and friends see me as a perfectionist. I can’t draw a line in one go, I have
to do it about four or five times until I think it’s good enough.”

vity,
Fake Negati n
io
collaborat
with Armen
an:
Mnatsakanj
“Armen (www.
n.com)
amnatsakanja
and I wanted to
d make a
experiment an
so we
negative effect,
created extreme and
rs
contrasted colou
Overlay,
set the layers to
hten
Screen and Lig
s”
blending mode

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014-015_AVP_54_Insight2.indd 15 27/1/09 16:41:01

 insight

gic al: “I
Technolo enced by
gr ea tly in flu
was
hile making
Daft Punk w e
real fun piec
this. It was a
ki nd of ha ppened late
that
evening. I’m
at night one
ni ng an ot her version of
plan
ve ry so on ”
Brainstorm: “This was a big experiment with this
a wide range of mark making that I had done,
and how I could try out a new style that still had
the grit I love so much”

16
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016-017_AVP_54_Insight3.indd 16 2/2/09 16:30:12

 Endless peril
: “It’s all
about feelings and
emotions, perhaps
a
personal piece. It wa
s very
fun to make, mixin
g
personal mark-ma
king
techniques and ph
otos to
collage and create
something fun”

Outlaw: “A real turning point

Mathew Doidge
for me, in my mind this was the
point I started to get better after
I produced this. It’s about
humans vs nature, and I was
trying to make a statement”

Website: www.freefluidity.co.uk
Awards: Best New Blood 2008 at the D&AD
Design awards

Mathew Doidge is a 21-year-old graphic designer, currently living in

Bristol, UK. He has studied graphics for about five years, including a
course at the Plymouth College of Art and Design: “What I got taught
has influenced the work I now produce. I taught myself Photoshop and
many other techniques I use within my work at present.”
Doidge has been creative since a young age: “I was always a creative
type and through college I soon learnt that my path lay within some
sort of art/design career. I started out on a Fine Art course, but I decided
it was not for me and that’s when I joined a Graphic Design course in
Plymouth. To this day I have never looked back.”
He has had an online portfolio running for two or three years and
now indulges in collaborations with other designers. His first
commission came through a family member, designing a logo for a local
business, however, he is keen to find new projects that he can sink his
teeth into. A task that is sure to be easy enough to find after winning the
sought-after Best New Blood award by D&AD in 2008.
When asked about his favourite digital artists, Doidge is inspired by
some familiar names to Advanced Photoshop: “Well, I’d have to say Nik
Ainley greatly influenced me through my college years. Second to Nik
would be Peter Jaworowski and Pawel Nolbert.” However, pinning down
his own style is more difficult: “I’m not entirely sure what class I would
come under, as I tend to end up with a range of varied works.”

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016-017_AVP_54_Insight3.indd 17 2/2/09 16:30:48

 insight
Fabian Warnke
Website: www.inphi.de
Clients: Behance, deviantART

Fabian Warnke is a next-generation artist with credible talent, but until

recently feared to share his works with the world. Now a celebrated
member of the Behance and deviantART communities, it was such
communities that prompted his digital development: “I somehow found
the community deviantART. I was really satisfied and amazed while
browsing some of its galleries and started to play around in Adobe
Photoshop myself.”
He is now an adept digital creative, no more apparent than when we
questioned his thoughts on his style. Warnke revealed: “It’s hard to say. I
started with Cinema 4D to create abstract stuff and worked with this in
Photoshop. But, unfortunately, I got a bit bored of it. Over the last few
months, I’ve preferred to create photomanipulations and illustrations. I’m
trying to diversify.”
This dexterous application of software, which is essential for modern-day
artists, shows his attention paid to professional design: “I would say my
style is pretty modern. There are always some new trendy techniques and
styles, though, which might well influence my work, but I’m trying not to
follow them.”
He succeeds also by observing his peers: “There are some guys who
really inspire me! For example, Pete Harrison (aka aeiko), Kai Isselhorst (aka
dopamin), Peter Nowacki (aka velendil), Maciej Mizer (aka mOsk) and Peter
Maciocha (aka 3njin).” But it can’t all be about hard work, as he endorses the
value of loving what you do: “I am enjoying it because it’s simply fun to me.”

ted the texture and

Chameleon: “I duplica
r. After that, I added
transformed it to get a floo
eon and a gradient to
the shadow of the chamel
get the main colours”

Symphonica: “I created the clef

in Photoshop and imported it in
Cinema 4D to make it 3D. To blend
everything, I used the Eraser and
layer masks. I added the underwater
scene using a stock photo and
changed the Levels and Curves”

18
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018-019_AVP_54_Insight4.indd 18 10/2/09 16:13:56

 Nebula: “This
pie
Javier Alvarado. ce was a collaboration with
He started to cre
model and sent ate the 3D
it to me. Then I
background us ad
ing a stock (than ded the
kire1987.devian ks to http://
ta
some highlights rt.com). After that, I added
using a soft brus
splatters using h and some
stock photos”

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018-019_AVP_54_Insight4.indd 19 27/1/09 16:44:19

 Letters
Mailbox
Do you have a question about the magazine? Email your
thoughts to advancedpshop@imagine-publishing.co.uk or
visit www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk/forum
DEVELOPING VISUALLY: The new Creative
Learning DVD helps you get to grips with the basics
of Photoshop
SUBJECT: Photoshop advice
FROM: Matthias Becker, Germany
I just recently discovered the Advanced
Photoshop magazine and think it’s amazing. I’m
just starting to create digital art, in particular
concept artwork with Photoshop. Your
tutorials are great, but most of them are too
difficult for me because I don’t have any
experience yet. Are there any books, online
tutorials or DVDs on this subject that you could
recommend for starters?
Editor replies: Thanks for your email – I’m glad you
like the magazine! We have recently launched a
German-language edition, which you might see
on the shelves, too. In terms of getting started, we
have a couple of sister products that are great. For
example, Photoshop Creative magazine (www.
photoshopcreative.co.uk) is aimed at those
newer to Photoshop and we work quite closely
together, so it’s in the same vein as Advanced
“We look to the most popular trends in
the commercial world for inspiration
for our tutorials”
22
Advanced Photoshop
022-023_AVP_54_Letters.indd 22
Photoshop. Another product from the same
people behind both magazines is www.
creativelearning.tv, a DVD called The Beginners’
Guide to Photoshop, which has over an hour and a
half of video tutorials. Outside of what we
produce, I would definitely recommend http://
psdtuts.com, which has some fantastic tutorials.
SUBJECT: Thoughts on AP
FROM: Brian Harrison, New Zealand
Hello from the far side of the world, as it were!
Thank you for a very interesting and worthy
magazine. As a senior illustrator with many years
of experience (perhaps too many!), I think you
manage to straddle the difficult range of
Photoshop users very well, from the
experienced professional to the newbie – no
mean feat! Even though there are many
magazines, books and websites offering tuition
or advice, Advanced Photoshop usually (but
not always) has something interesting to offer,
enough to make me look out for the next issue.
I would urge you to continue to provide
content aimed at the experienced user, such as
3D, creative possibilities offered by Photoshop
CS4 Extended, etc, as like others, Photoshop is
only one of many creative software used on a
daily basis. I, for example, use Painter and a
range of high-end 3D software in conjunction
with Photoshop to complete assignments. Yes,
do keep producing articles providing stimulus
to new users (who also have a vast range of
material available on the market), but the more
in-depth items are definitely where my own
interests are satisfied – as I say, a tricky job for
sure. My only other problem, being at the end of
the earth, the ‘current’ issue here is issue 49 and I
see you have already published issue 52, but we
are pretty used to that sort of delay out here in
the Colonies! Once again, well done for an often-
brilliant magazine.
Editor replies: Hello from the UK! It’s great to hear
from so many readers from around the world – we
always make an effort to include art from all over,
so it’s good to know the mag is getting picked up,
too. We try to ensure that Advanced Photoshop is
just that, ‘advanced’, but we have to bear in mind
that some people might be coming to the
magazine for the first time and might not have
years of experience with Photoshop. Still, we look
to the most popular trends in the commercial
world for inspiration for our tutorials, and try to
cover the latest features of the latest version of
Photoshop. For example, in this issue you will find
that our Masterclass looks at two key factors of
CS4: first, the enhanced tools for 2D and 3D
integration using free and low-cost models, and
second, transforming this (or any) image into a
lenticular print without the high cost usually
associated with professional printing effects. Fear
not, we’ll also be looking at Photoshop in
association with other popular packages
throughout the year. If there’s anything specific
that you want to see, then drop me an email at
julie.easton@imagine-publishing.co.uk.
SUBJECT: Mudbox for me
FROM: Adam Michelson, California
I just wanted to write in to say how much I
enjoyed your review of the Mudbox 2009
software from Autodesk. I usually skip the
reviews section of your magazine, often not
learning exactly what I want to know about the
product mentioned. However, the writer of this
particular review was concise and detailed. It
REVIEWS REVIEWED: Let us know what
you think of our reviews section so that we
can incorporate your thoughts into AP’s
ongoing development
10/2/09 12:33:50
 FAKE 3D: Distort vs Perspective:
what’s your view?
FRIENDLY SEARCH: If you need to find an article
in a hurry, then our eMag format lets you search
every feature, interview and tutorial over 16 full
issues of Advanced Photoshop
sounded like the writer actually got into the
software and applied it to a typical digital artist’s
needs. The short step-by-step down the side
showed me just what the product could do. In
fact, I think I might make the investment!
Editor replies: We’re glad that you liked the
Mudbox review back in issue 52. We’re going to be
making changes to our reviews section over the
next few issues to get more expert advice, step-
by-steps and relevant information about each
product chosen.
SUBJECT: Contents guide
FROM: Sarah Sleeman
Hi AP. I have been picking up as many back
issues as possible and am looking to invest in
your eMag. I recently got issue 52 and came
across the fantastic Contents Index 2008. I was
wondering if this had been done for previous
years, as it is incredibly handy for me to find
articles that have caught my interest in a hurry.
Editor replies: Sarah, you’re in luck. If you take a
look at your free disc that comes with every copy
of Advanced Photoshop, you will see that we
have now included PDF versions of all three
Contents Index pages that we have done, for
2006, 2007 and 2008. We’ll continue to do these
every year and add them to the disc as we go. If
you do invest in the eMag, however, an advanced
search is built into the DVD so that you can easily
find the exact article that you are looking for, or
every article to do with a particular topic. Enjoy!
022-023_AVP_54_Letters.indd 23
On the
forum
SUBJECT: 3D: creating anaglyphs
FROM: Steve48
Hi, I work for a publisher and would like to
know if anyone knows the best way to
create high-resolution CMYK 3D images
(anaglyphs)? I’ve looked on the web but to
create them professionally, it says it should
be done by specialist companies.
FROM: garry79
Use a specialist! Only joking. Try http://
chwoo2k.com.ne.kr/English/home.html.
SUBJECT: Colour it up Don’t know what it’s like, but it was the
FROM: Eric Wiseman first thing that came up when I searched
I just wanted to write in and say thank you for for ‘anaglyph creator’. I’m sure there are
your tutorial on adding depth to 2D illustrations others. They probably won’t give you the
(issue 52). I found it incredibly handy as I do a lot quality of a professional service, but may
of illustrative work, but it will also help with my be a cheap and cheerful alternative!
digital painting skills. Thanks so much!
FROM: visualthings
Editor replies: I agree with you, Eric, that this tutorial I’ve been recently experimenting with this
can be applied to so many kinds of digital art, as and here are a few things that can help:
the techniques of highlights and shading are Work in RGB (you will convert your final
essential for any Photoshop work. David and Sarah image to CMYK prior to printing).
Cousens have posted a great thread on our forum Once you’ve created your image, select
(www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk/forum) in the the Blue and Green channels and nudge
Photoshop Relay section (Topic: “Dark” tutorial, post them about ten pixels (or more according
your version!) where you can upload your attempts to the size of your final image) to the right.
at this tutorial and compare it with others. The lines After you have shifted them, make all
for the tutorial are on the thread as well in the channels visible and see the result.
event that you don’t have your disc handy. An interesting effect is to create your
background image with these steps, then
paste your foreground elements
(characters, product shots, whatever). They
will look really separated from the
background when viewed with the
glasses. Trying to create more layers of
depth (far background, closer background,
etc) can be quite tricky, though, but still
worth experimenting with.
BE PROUD – BE
VERY PROUD:
Over on the forum,
you can submit your Can you help fellow readers?
attempts at this
great tutorial from www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk
issue 52
23
Advanced Photoshop
10/2/09 12:34:13
 Website

On the web
www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk
Our website and readers’ forum is perfect for showing off Photoshop creations. We present a selection of Picture
of the Week winners here. Log on and upload to get your images on this page next issue!

MATTER OF HONOR
ARTIST: Sylwia Skubis
WEB: www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk/user/Sylwiaa

“I’ve been doing art since 2006 for my own pleasure and to develop
my skills. My favourite style of digital art is a photomanipulation,
because I like to create while using many photos and Photoshop’s
features and techniques. For me, the most important part of my art is
the meaning and a visual sense. But correctness and a good
technique are also important, so that’s why I always try to do my best.
Working on Matter Of Honor, I concentrated on light and shadows to
make this image more realistic, but still with a fantasy touch.”

WINGED BEING
ARTIST: Jena DellaGrottaglia
WEB: www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk/
user/AutumnsGoddess
“I love what I do and I hope to dabble
in sculpting soon! This piece was
created originally to be three winged
beings, but I felt she deserved her own
place. There is much overpainting on
this piece, a ton of fractal work to add
that illuminated feel, in Overlay layers.
Thank you so much to http://mjranum-
stock.deviantart.com for the original
stock piece!”
SPACED PT3
ARTIST: Brett Whatmough
WEB: www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk/user/BrettUK
“I was given a brief to come up with a series of designs
combining urban fashion in a futuristic environment. I started
to come up with some sketches and once I was happy with
how it was looking, I started to replicate it in Photoshop. I
recently got the hang of Cinema 4D so I produced some
renders with different lighting effects, which helped bring the
image to life. I then created various vectors alongside lighting
effects and the odd grunge brush to come up with the
finished image.”

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 Interview
SHANE MIELKE
A creative adrenaline junkie whose drive to improve himself has
helped him achieve commissions from some of the biggest names
in the gaming and movie industries…
M
eet Shane Seminole Mielke, a 35-
year-old designer and creative
director from Southern California
whose passion for Photoshop, photography
and web work has seen him create artwork for
major names in the field, such as Activision
and Warner Bros.
With such an impressive CV to his name, you’d
forgive this creative for being bigheaded at worst
or overly confident at the least. However, a few
minutes with Mielke, and his modesty and desire
to continually improve himself are clear for all to
see. “Being surrounded by multi-talented friends
who have interests other than my own motivates
me,” he begins. “They constantly inspire me to
learn the things they’re interested in simply by
being amazing at what they do. When I see these
talented people hard at work, loving what they
do, I thirst to take a small piece of their excitement,
passion and knowledge and infuse it into myself.
It’s actually a form of jealousy, I think!”
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026-031_AVP_54_Interview.indd 26
This envy shows through in the artist’s more
recent work in his photographic elements – a
talent picked up via one of his friends: “I wanted to
be like him, take beautiful pictures like him and
also use the images in my design work. Now I
have a ton of camera gear and my passion for
photography has helped my overall vision, design
style and is now leading me down a new path of
artwork outside of web design.”
A country boy
Growing up on a rural five-acre ranch at the edge
of the Cleveland National Forest in Southern
California, Mielke’s early experiences have marked
“Growing up surrounded by a national
forest definitely influenced my style to
be more organic and driven by nature”
his Photoshop style differently from the wealth of
urban artists to emerge of late: “We were miles
away from our nearest neighbour and 15 minutes
from a grocery store. Growing up surrounded by a
national forest definitely influenced my style to be
more organic and driven by nature – drastically
different from most of my urban friends, I grew up
hiking, exploring, fishing, swimming and hunting,
all in my own back yard. Consciously or
unconsciously, all of these experiences combined
to impact on my style long before I ever started
expressing myself through digital design. It’s ironic
that I’ve ended up at a place like 2Advanced
whose name and perceived futuristic style is in
contrast to much of the work I enjoy producing.”
10/2/09 15:41:29

In order to produce these organic artworks,
Mielke begins by searching out all the necessary
assets as well as additional textures and
background. This process means the designer can
get to know his project inside out before he starts
work: “This mundane process not only allows me
to get acquainted with all of the assets, but leaves
my mind free to wander and explore the
possibilities of the design. By doing this, I usually
avoid the pressure of staring at a blank starting
canvas wondering where I am going to begin.”
This technique is something the creative has
taught himself, as he has had no formal training –
a fact he’s spent much of his working life trying to
come to terms with: “I continually felt inferior to
others who studied art in college. In my mind,
they knew what was right or wrong according to
the principles of art and design. I fell into the hole
that many beginners do and questioned
everything I did. I always asked for feedback
(which is a good thing), but I never had the
026-031_AVP_54_Interview.indd 27
Shane Mielke
JUXTAPOSITION (MAIN): “A panoramic
moonscape for The Favourite Website Awards (FWA)
founder, Rob Ford“
confidence to say, ‘I know this looks good and is
the best solution.’”
His confidence came in 2000, when Mielke
finally had the courage to start thinking of himself
as a creative: “Then I was able to start relaxing and
feel a creative flow when I worked. It took years,
but I slowly started to see the way I wanted things
and no longer had to ask others for advice or look
to other websites for inspiration. Eventually, I
reinvented myself and I was no longer just a
developer who knew everything about building a
site. I evolved into someone with balance as both
an artist and a developer.” EMPRYEAN: “Th
is is a collaborat
Since his reincarnation, Mielke has continued to poster I created ive
with Mark Wisn
iowski
push himself creatively and experiment with (aka PROBE3)”
styles. His ambition for 2009 is to start to move
away from web work and become better
27
Advanced Photoshop
10/2/09 15:42:08
 Interview

AGAPE: “This was a book submission for nonprofit

organisation DAHRA, Designers Against Human Rights
Abuse (www.dahra.org)”

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 Shane Mielke

ADOBE – DESIGN CENTER: “These were several

abstract pieces created for a feature on 2Advanced in the
Adobe Design Center”

NASA photos. The two limited-edition panoramic

prints hang on the walls of our home offices in
England and California, and the wallpaper version
is downloadable from www.thefwa.com.”
EA – 007:
FROM RUSSIA
WITH LOVE:
“UI design and
Doing it yourself
animation for EA’s
Like many designers, Mielke’s talent has
James Bond 007: developed from hours of hard work,
From Russia With Love experimentation and simply from being
retro videogame”
observant of techniques and styles of others. “Part
of me wishes that I had a degree or formal
education in design, but I also feel that not
knowing some things has helped me be more

known for his art and photography. He’s well on
his way to achieving his ambition too, with his first
major non-web commission for The Favourite
Website Awards (www.thefwa.com). “Initially, the
piece was intended to only be a wallpaper but I
proposed the idea of doing a larger piece that
could be printed and hung. After a few email
conversations we decided upon a fictional scene
depicting man’s first steps on the moon
representing the initial launch of FWA. The final
moonscape was a 44 x 16-inch print mixing over
100 personal reference photos as well as several
“Half of my friends
have a design
education and the
other half are self-
taught like myself”
open to self-growth, experimentation and just
having a diverse skill set not limited to any one
thing. Half of my friends have a design education
and the other half are self-taught like myself. In
the end, all that matters is if your work is any good
or not. Some people need the structure and
guidance of a formal education. Others are do-it-
yourself types who need to move at their own
speed and figure things out through trial and
error. Neither way is perfect; ultimately,

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 Interview
LUCAS ARTS –
FRACTURE
(RIGHT): “Fans of
Sony PlayStation 3s
may recognise this
website for Lucas Arts’
Fracture videogame”

LUCAS ARTS –
STAR WARS
BATTLEFRONT
(BELOW): “This is a
website I designed for
Lucas Arts’ Star Wars
Battlefront: Renegade
Squadron videogame”

success and beautiful work depends upon the
individual and how they grow, learn and create
the best.”
Outside of work, the designer tries to stay away
from anything web, immersing himself instead in
his wife, children, friends and photography.
However hard he tries, though, both halves of his
life are heavily intertwined: “I’m a very conservative
person. I’m not a flashy person who strives for
attention. I’m very organised, very precise and
straightforward. I love symmetry and avoid chaos
or abstract artwork that has no meaning. When I
look at my design and photography style, I see all
of these various personality quirks reflected.
Everything I do is very clean, simple, polished,
symmetrical and serious. Everything has a
purpose, is in balance and tells a story.”
Looking at his web design work, his
photography holds a strong presence, with lots of
depth, textures and realism filtering through on
even the most surreal sites: “I like to create
imagery and experiences that feel as if you could
reach out into to the monitor and touch
everything. Almost as if someone hung a picture

“Everything I do is very polished and

ASSORTED WEBSITE PROJECTS: “From the top symmetrical. Everything has a purpose,
– Dakine, Chevy Transformers, Motorola David Beckham,
VAST, 2Advanced” is in balance and tells a story”
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REBIRTH: Another example of Shane’s work that
combines both photographic and Photoshop elements
on a wall and you could step into the scene or
walk into another world.”
Surprisingly, this artist is influenced heavily by
authors such as David Farland (Runelords) and J.R.R.
Tolkien (The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings), as well as the
designers who grace the covers of these tomes: “I
grew up looking at the amazingly detailed
artwork of Darrell K. Sweet, whose fantasy art
taught and influenced me to sketch and draw
from a young age. I was fascinated by all of his
intricate brushstrokes and the amount of detail he
put into each piece of artwork.”
A traditionalist, his photographic inspiration
comes from master Ansel Adams, whose captures
of the Yosemite region are particularly meaningful
to the designer born and bred in that area:
“However, now inspiration comes from inside
of me. I find that lately I don’t need to look around
026-031_AVP_54_Interview.indd 31
Shane Mielke
NINTENDO – GAME BOY MICRO: “Designed as
artwork for a website for Nintendo’s Game Boy Micro
handheld gaming platform”
to be inspired for ideas, and that is a very fun
place to be.”
On the horizon
So what’s next for this web wonder? “I enjoy the
fact that I don’t feel I’ve ever done my best work. It
means that I’m not satisfied with what I’m doing
and pushes me to continue exploring new ideas,
techniques and keeps me working at getting
better. I’m excited about the interactive work I do
because I’m constantly learning new techniques,
styles and software. Things move very fast on the
web and you have to think on your feet to stay up
to speed on everything. However, even the most
mundane, repetitive task can be used as practice
to improve performance. Challenges and
obstacles are actually opportunities if we allow
them to be.”
His advice for those following his career path is
simple – don’t wait for others to show you the
way; sit down and figure it out on your own: “Be
inspired by the journey of exploration and growth
in all things creative, like the adrenaline junkie
who skydives simply for the rush and excitement.”
See more of Mielke’s work at www.
shanemielke.com, www.terraspirit.com and
www.2advanced.com.
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10/2/09 15:44:23
 MASTERCLASS

32
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 Blend 2D and
3D objects
Use Photoshop CS4’s advanced 3D object manipulation tools to merge a 2D object
into a 3D composition

H
ope inspires creation, whether it’s waiting for something new, retaining something old or simply the ON THE DISC
optimism that surrounds a new era of change. Like every other emotion, hope is translated into art in a On the CD you will find the photos, brushes,
textures, 3D model and star image that you
million different ways as everyone interprets it in a unique way. America’s inauguration of President Obama
need to complete this tutorial. There is also a
and the hope for change around the world inspired this artwork of a tree that transcends all adversity to give life. text document linking you to three more
Although Photoshop CS3 supported 3D objects, it had severe limitations in what you could actually do with them, brushes that are used in the tutorial and are
free to download.
making them largely impractical in a composition. CS4 offers far superior 3D object manipulation, and significantly
lowers the entry barrier to 3D if you consider the training needed for software like Maya. The 3D tree model we’re using OUR EXPERT Maria Masiar

was created by DAZ 3D (www.daz3d.com), which is like the iStockphoto of the 3D world. In this tutorial, we’ll cover Maria has worked as an award-winning web and graphic designer for
15 years with clients such as Volvo, the United Nations and IBM.
some new CS4 features and use them to blend a 3D object into a 2D scene. We’ll then explore the world of lenticular Recently, she won second place in the Photoshop User Design
imagery. Before you start, install the brushes for this tutorial in your presets folder. Also close all other applications, as 3D Awards for composition and collage. Her work can be seen at www.
mariamasiar.com.
rendering is a very RAM-intensive process.

1 Alley adjustments
Create a new file that’s 10 x 12 inches at 150dpi
RGB. Drop in ‘Alley.jpg’ and scale it to fit your project
(Cmd/Ctrl+T). CS4 has a new Adjustments panel, or you
can also select adjustment layers from the bottom of the
Layers palette. Select Hue/Saturation and drop the
Saturation down to -47.
“CS4 offers far superior 3D object
manipulation, and significantly lowers the
entry barrier to 3D if you consider the training
2 Luminosity
Add a new layer, then Cmd/Ctrl-click on the RGB
layer thumbnail in the Channels panel. You should see
marching ants in the white of the sky. Inverse the
selection (Select>Inverse), then return to the blank layer
and fill it with black. Drop the Opacity to 20%. Add a
mask and paint away the first three rows of cobblestones.
Photoshop CS4
Extended
The ability to manipulate light sources and alter
object texture maps is a huge leap forward in
Photoshop CS4. Previously, 3D objects always
looked noticeably fake with intense shine,
reflections and fixed lighting. CS4 allows us to
change these properties in the new 3D panel
that categorises scenes by Meshes, Materials
and Lights.
Lighting is arguably the single most
important thing in a good composition. If we
filter by Lights, then we can add, remove or
change any point (shines in all directions like a
light bulb), spot (conical) or infinite (sunlight)
light. We can also move lights, change their
intensity and colour and even have them create
shadows. Lighting an object really has never
been easier.
Materials are just as important, and you’ll
notice that in Photoshop CS4 we are able to
manipulate things like reflectivity, shininess,
bump maps and glossiness. Additionally, we can
also load texture maps, paint on them, delete or
replace them with our own. Other handy
options include ray tracing, which will render
reflections and shadows. All of these properties
combined together give you fantastic control in
helping you to blend 3D objects into your

needed for software like Maya”

creative compositions.

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 MASTERCLASS
3 Moss and colour
Open ‘moss 1.jpg’, ‘moss 2.jpg’ and ‘moss 3.jpg’.
Paste ‘moss 3’ into your composition, then scale and
rotate. Change the blending mode to Soft Light and add
a layer mask. Paint away everything but the centre
cobblestones. Repeat with ‘moss 1’ and ‘moss 2’, but
change the masking areas with Opacity at 65%. Add a
Solid Color (‘#cad84c’) adjustment layer, then mask,
leaving the foreground moss. Change the blending
mode to Color and drop the Opacity to 80%.
6 Texture and depth of field
Open ‘texture.jpg’ into the piece, then rotate and
scale it to 100%. Add a layer mask and paint away the
moss area. Change the blending mode to Color and
drop the Opacity to 60%, then copy the Alley layer and
apply a Gaussian Blur of 4.5. Add a mask and paint away
the blur around the moss and the ‘44’. We could have
used Lens Blur, but this method gives us more control.
“The 3D Axis tool has
red, green and blue
axes. Each axis has
three elements: the
triangular cone
moves a 3D object,
the curve rotates the
object, while the
square element
scales the object”
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032-038_AVP_54_2D/3DMC.indd 34
4 Writing on the wall
Select the fonts AG Book 300px to type ‘44’ and
Impact 100px to type ‘01, 20, 09’ on the wall. Align the
layers and merge them. Add a layer mask, then load the
Grungy Texture 1280 brush. Click several times over the
mask to give it a distressed look. Repeat this with varying
brushes from the same set. Select Edit>Transform>Scale
and then, holding down Cmd/Ctrl, hover over each
corner and drag it to match the perspective of the wall.
7 Import 3D object
At this stage, just take a second to cast an eye over
what you have done so far, then make a note of any
areas you wish to tidy up later in the process. Once you
have done this, group all of the Alley layers into a folder.
Next, change the Workspace to Advanced 3D, then
select 3D>New Layer from 3D File and locate the file
‘tree.u3d’. 3D objects have a small cube in the lower
right-hand corner of the layer thumbnail. If at any point
you find that rendering is very slow, click the Render
Settings button in the 3D drop-down menu and turn off
the Preview checkbox.
5 Blend text
Next up, select Add a Layer Style (Fx), then
Blending Options from the Layers palette. Now select
Inner Shadow and then drop the Distance to 0 and Size
to 2. In the main Blending Options, go down to the
Underlying Layer gradient below Blend If. Then, while
holding Opt/Alt, drag the lower right-hand corner of the
black arrow to a split value of 0/59.
Quick
tip
The 3D Axis tool has red, green
and blue axes, which represent
the x, y and z planes. Each axis
has three elements: the
triangular cone moves a 3D object, the curve
rotates the object, while the square element
scales the object. The large white square
connecting all three scales uniformly.
10/2/09 15:30:14
 “The tree has over 52,000 polygons, so
rotating it fully rendered is slow. In the 3D
panel, choose Wireframe from the Preset
drop-down and turn on the ground plane”

8 Position the tree

Next, hide the Alley group. The tree has over
52,000 polygons, so rotating it fully rendered is slow.
Choose 3D>Auto-Hide Layers For Performance. In the 3D
panel, choose Wireframe from the Preset drop-down and
turn on the ground plane. Select the 3D Rotate tool and
adjust the tree until you see an opening in the branches.
Use Slide, Drag and the Scale 3D tools to position.

9 Change default lights

In the 3D panel, select Solid under Presets (this
draws without shadows or reflections), then change the
Global Ambient Color to green (‘#7dc146’). Select the
Toggle Lights icon at the bottom of the panel to view a
light wireframe. Choose to filter by Lights and hide the
visibility of SpotLight Top. Choose Point Light Global and
change Intensity to 0.8. Turn the Alley layers on again.

10 Magic background light

Create a new layer and load the
Blackriderrom brushes. With a colour of ‘#68742a’, select
Brush work
By using a selection of custom brush sets,
we can create a lovely lighting effect
3D panel
This is where the main work happens when dealing with
a 3D model, and is key to CS4’s improved handling of 3D
brush 680. Decrease the size and position it near the
centre of the tree and flip it horizontal so that the light
points to the ‘44’. Repeat twice with brush 749 (colours
‘#836b19’ and ‘#f1e5b0’) and add a new layer. With the
colour ‘#fffaa4’, load the Lady Victorie brush 2500. Scale,
mask and position as shown. Drop the Opacity to 35%,
group the Light layers and arrange below the Tree layer.

Lighting
Here, we have
changed the
model’s default
lighting so that
it fits in better
with the scene
as a whole

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 MASTERCLASS
11 Orb
Change the Workspace to Basic. Create a new
folder called ‘Magic Light’. Add a new layer. With Elliptical
Marquee and Feathering set to 10, draw an orb in the
middle of the tree’s crown. Fill with the colour ‘#fff79’ and
set the layer style to Outer Glow with the colour ‘#8dc63f’.
Mask the area that overlaps the foremost branch.
DAZ 3D reader’s offer
On the disc this month you will find the tree model
that you need to complete this tutorial, but DAZ 3D
has kindly provided the whole of this tree set so you
can create your own designs. DAZ 3D (www.daz3d.
com) is one of the best suppliers of high-quality 3D
content. Now, you can save 25 per cent on any DAZ
Original item (www.daz3d.com/i/3d-models/new-
daz-original?cat=3&_m=d) by entering the coupon
code ‘DAZ3DINTRO25’ until 31 July 2009 – there are
currently over 1,200 items to choose from.
14 Shadows
Add a new layer. Select the tree and load its
selection, filling with black. Click, scale, position and mask
the light effect. Drop the Opacity to 45% and transform
in perspective in the opposite direction of the light
source. Click, scale, position and mask the light effect.
Drop the Opacity to 30% and mask away near the light
orb. On a new layer, draw root shadows. Select Tree, add
a mask and paint away root bits so they appear to
emerge from the cobblestones.
36
Advanced Photoshop
032-038_AVP_54_2D/3DMC.indd 36
12 Paint 3D object
Next up, select the Tree layer and
double-click the cube icon on its layer. Choose to
filter by Materials in the 3D Scene panel and select the
‘leaves_1’ layer. Now pick a soft brush with the colour
‘#f2e07e’ selected, and set it to have a blending mode of
Overlay and an Opacity of 65%. With your brush all set
up, paint highlights inside the tree’s crown as they would
be illuminated by the orb. Add a new layer.
“Take a step back to review the work you
have done so far… For even more realistic
results, change the preset to ray traced, which
draws shadows, reflections and refractions”
15 Finishing touches
Take another step back to review the work
you have done so far. Once satisfied with your progress,
return the layer above Alley to Luminosity and apply a
Gaussian Blur of 4.5. When you’re happy with your image,
select Tree and filter by the whole scene. Change Anti-
Alias to Best, but be patient as this will take a while. For
even more realistic results, change the Preset to Ray
Traced, which draws shadows, reflections and refractions.
13 Magic Light
First, load the LightEffects 850 brush with a
colour of ‘#c5c568’. Click, scale, position and mask the
light effect. Next, load Blackriderron 680 with a colour of
‘#ebe575’. Click, scale, position and mask the light effect
again. Drop the Opacity to 56%. Load the Lady Victorie
2500 brush with a colour of ‘#fffaa4’, and repeat the
masking as before. Drop the Opacity to 48%. Load the
Blackriderrom 749 brush with a colour of ‘#d8bc23’ across
the wall near the ‘44’, again masking the effect. Drop the
Opacity to 54%.
Painting on
texture maps
Although you can paint directly on a 3D object,
there’s a nondestructive way to do so. In your 3D
Scene panel, filter by Materials. As an example,
let’s choose the upper trunk. You’ll notice a
texture icon beside Diffuse called ‘texture1_0.
png’. Right-click and select Open Texture. This
will load the texture in a new tab as a PSB file.
Here, you can add new layers and operate on the
file in any manner with full access to blending
modes. Any changes you make are automatically
reflected in your 3D model. When you’re done,
simply save and close the tab.
10/2/09 15:30:50
 Lenticular images
M
ost people have seen lenticulars in cereal boxes, on DVD covers or on cards. It’s an image under a thin
plastic lens that restricts the eye’s focus and makes images appear 3D. Lenticulars are new to CS4 and
although they can be created, they cannot be seen in Photoshop without a red/blue anaglyphic preview.
You can follow with part two of this tutorial using the tree image or you can use one of your own. It’s important to note
that whatever your image size, you must leave an extra inch of space on the right and left of the image to account for
the effect of parallax shifts.
Parallax is the distance between cameras used in the stereo process. As its value goes up, it enhances the depth but
reduces the depth of field. A focal plane of zero is true focus and will be the sharpest area in your image. Positive values Materials
bring objects toward the viewer and negative ones recede. Generally speaking, 3D objects work well with a parallax of
In order to produce your own lenticular image,
20 and 2D with a value of 30. To see more, visit CS4 Printing 3D Depth Charts (www.russellbrown.com/tips_tech.html).
you will need the following materials:
1) 40lpi (lines per inch) T frame stand from www.

16 17
vuethru.com ($29.95 USD)
Organise layers Merge 2) 3D paper red/blue glasses from www.
Go to File>Save As and rename the file. We’ll Merge each of the groups (Cmd/Ctrl+E). starmagic.com ($1.95 USD)
be merging layers so you’ll want an original copy. The Note that you can’t merge the Tree Highlights because it 3) Inkjet printer with high-gloss paper
goal is to organise the layers so that we have blocks of resets the blending mode. Pull the layer out of the group
elements we can turn into 3D postcards. Magic Light will and merge everything else.

18
be in the foreground, then Tree, followed by Light Behind
Tree and Alley Composite. Group Tree Shadow and Roots Alley horizon
with Alley. We want to split the alley background into
the background and foreground. We’ll do this using the
horizon line in the image as our marker. Copy the top sky
into its own separate layer.

19 Crop and postcards

Although they are invisible, we have parts of
images hanging out of frame in our composition. Crop
everything to 10 x 12 inches before proceeding,
otherwise these areas will show. Targeting each layer,
select 3D>New 3D Postcard From Layer. You will notice
the colours and blending modes shift. Next up, select
Tree Highlights and then change its blending mode back
to Overlay. Now select Magic Light and add a Color
Overlay layer style (colour: ‘#d7cf50’).

“Whatever your image size, you must leave an

extra inch of space on the right and left of the
image to account for the effect of parallax
shifts. Parallax is the distance between
cameras used in the stereo process”
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 MASTERCLASS
20 Seeing red/blue
Put on your 3D red/blue glasses then select
the Alley Composite layer. In the 3D panel, click the
“If you are using your own project, then you
will have to experiment with both the
Render Settings button and check Stereo Type at the
bottom. Set the Parallax (p) to 30 and Focal Plane (fp) to
parallax and focal plane in order to see what
80. Repeat for all of the layers with the following works for you”
parameters: Sky – p: 50, fp: -60; Light Behind Tree –

21 22
p: 50, fp: -40; Tree – p: 15, fp: 10; Tree Highlight –
p: 15, fp: 10; Magic Light – p: 30, fp: 100. Adjustments Vertical interlacing
Duplicate the It’s time to interlace the image and get it
Magic Light layer and set its ready for printing. Click each layer’s Render Settings
Opacity to 62% so it doesn’t button again and change the Stereo Type from Red/Blue
look as washed out. If you are to Vertical Interlaced. Leave the lpi at 40 unless you’re
using your own project, then using a different lens.
you will have to experiment
with both the parallax and
focal plane in order to see
what works for you.

23 Resolution and cropping

You’ll need to match the resolution of the
final image to your printer’s native resolution. For HP/
Canon printers, it’s 600dpi. For Epson, it’s 720dpi. Select
the Crop tool and in the Options bar, enter Width = 8,
Height = 10, and match the resolution to the printer. You
must, however, select the Hide radio button rather than
delete then double-click inside the crop area. Be patient
here as the image resizes.

24 Printing
Confirm
your image size and
resolution. If it’s not
accurate, then the print
will not align with the
lens. Before printing,
you may consider
adding a Levels
adjustment layer to
brighten the
composition as prints
are always darker. Print
on high-quality glossy
paper and test your
project behind the
lens. If it’s misaligned,
tweak your lpi settings.

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 Feature

© SAKKE SOINI

40
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040-047_AVP_54_Feature.indd 40 10/2/09 16:17:51

 Build the perfect portfolio
Build the
PERFECT
ANCE
EL AL
FREURVIV E
S GUID
RT 2
PA

PORTFOLIO We analyse the pros and cons of the portfolio format and get advice
from the professionals on the best ways to make a good first impression

T TIP
he portfolio has always been one of
the artist’s most valuable tools, the
key to unlocking that commercial
door and getting your design seen by
potential clients. However, the digital age has
created a whole new ball game. It’s no longer
just about packing your portfolio with pretty
pictures and hoping for the best.
Artists and designers have two key formats
of portfolio to consider: print and digital. Then
there is the matter of how you approach the
style of your portfolio. The whole package has
to become a cohesive aesthetic experience,
from front to back, inside and out. You have to
consider how your own styles and methods getting your portfolio right is the first step in
are reflected within your portfolio’s style. carving out a professional creative career.
Motivation is also important, knowing how to Over the course of this feature, we will break
adapt, update and organise your portfolios. Lost property down everything that you need to know
You’ll no doubt lavish time on the creation When mailing when selecting and presenting your artwork,
of your artwork, but don’t forget that first hard copies, never and question some of the industry’s successful
impressions count when looking for clients. send the original creatives on how they make their own
The way that you approach these potentially artwork. The portfolios shine. This will ultimately reward
all-important clients will increase the chances reason being that you with an understanding on how to
of your portfolio being picked up and noted, these might not produce your very own killer portfolio.
hopefully leading to more work as a result. make their way
This may all seem a little daunting, back to you in the
especially for enthusiasts and those of you same state you
who have recently graduated. However, sent them, if at all.

© SAKKE
SOINI

NI
S OI
KE
AK
©S

040-047_AVP_54_Feature.indd 41 10/2/09 16:19:02

 Feature
The benefits of print
Despite the world having ‘gone digital’ at
every turning point, there are still some
strong advantages to sticking with a
traditional print format to present your digital
artwork. A large part of its appeal is due to its
tangibility, and the simple act of turning the
pages rather than clicking the Next button on
a computer screen.
With over 12 years’ experience, freelance
designer Craig Hunter-Parker (www.behance.
net/Panic_Embryo) has worked for clients
such as Coca-Cola, Motorola and Volkswagen,
and has produced four separate portfolios to
date. When asked why the print portfolio is
valuable, he answers: “There certainly is
something about poring over an artist’s
printed portfolio that seems to transcend the
boundaries of a monitor. That feeling of
physically paging through work still tends to
give the greatest impression of how a piece
breathes on paper. It’s, invariably, as distinct
as you are.”
Many potential clients also appreciate
having control over how and when to view a
printed portfolio product. “It will be easier for
them to remember an object. It will stay
longer in the memory, with a higher chance of
being viewed again,” reveals budding
designer João Oliveira (www.onrepeat.net),
who has already produced projects for
Reebok, Hugo Boss and The Keystone Design
Union (KDU). “Consequently, this creates a
better chance of getting hired.”
So, being a physical object, what form
should a portfolio take to capture a client’s
eye? A sophisticated black leather portfolio
screams ‘style’ and oozes professionalism, but
remember there’s nothing wrong with being a
little more dynamic in your presentation.
040-047_AVP_54_Feature.indd 42
Oliveira agrees: “There’s a lot of ways to add cultural brands such as Ray-Ban, recalls
interactivity to a printed portfolio. I’ve seen another imaginative product: “I remember
portfolios with printed transparent pages where an artist had a printed portfolio that
stacked on the top of each other, adding had a cover in the shape of a very low
depth, moving elements, hiding or showing pyramid. You couldn’t stack anything on top of
certain parts of the next page. Another that portfolio, otherwise the one on top would
entertaining experiment I saw was the use of fall off, so the portfolio was always the first in
3D goggles to reveal a 3D layout. There are no the pile. I would imagine that the person
limits. Imagination is the key.” going through many portfolios a day usually
Finnish designer Sakke Soini (www. remembers the first one they pick up.”
behance.net/SakkeSoini), a keen contributor Another great reason to choose a printed
to the Behance network, producing work for portfolio is that modern printing processes
TIP
JOURNEY: “There’s no ‘right’ way to make a strong portfolio – it’s not that
linear. A portfolio’s presentation should vary depending on the situation,
interview or person that will watch it,” says João Oliveira
Present in person © JOÃO OLIVEIRA
Being present with
your portfolio in
hand is a great
advantage. That
way, you can
discuss it, justify
your decisions and
explain concepts,
which gives you
an advantage.
10/2/09 15:47:54
 Build the perfect portfolio
TO THE INFINITE: “The
portfolio itself is as much a
part of the presentation as the
pieces inside it. A plastic
presentation will add an
amateurish feel to your
portfolio,” warns João Oliveira
© JOÃO OLIVEIRA

PORTFOLIO IDEAS
Don’t forget that your physical portfolio is as much a part of the presentation as the designs inside – whether
they’re printed on paper or burnt to a disc. Making a good first impression is so important. Below, we’ve
presented an eclectic mix of samples to help you make that right first impression.

The Machina Screwpost, with its discreet,

can determine a number of paper sizes and
types, each suitable for presenting your
graphics to their very best. Successful Filipino
digital illustrator Chester Ocampo (www.
chesterocampo.net), who has produced
designs for an expansive client list including
Cartoon Network, Mitsubishi and Penny
Arcade, agrees: “Your artwork is not limited to
monitor sizes and can be printed in a manner
that’s sure enough to impress. A sense of
permanence and legitimacy is produced,
print media being something prospective
clients can touch and see at different angles.”
The cost of printing
However, when dealing with any print
process, investment is a necessity, especially
when you have to update your latest design
on a frequent basis. Individual ink cartridges
can cost anything up to £25 ($36) each, packs
of quality paper can set you back £35 ($50) –
and that’s when you do it yourself. Print
centres can charge one-off fees from anything
up to £6.81 ($9.70), plus VAT, for an A3 print.
The more you print, the lower the print-per-
page cost. That’s not even including the cost
of your physical portfolio.
This isn’t to say that you should put budget
before quality. Craig Hunter-Parker explains:
“With a decent folder or book that houses
evenly sized sleeves or boards to display
attached printed work, it would probably cost
around 2,000 rands in South Africa. This
would be roughly $200 or £140. Naturally, the
sharper your portfolio looks, the more
professional you look,” and this means
attention, which means potential commission
and a way to get your money back or expand
your portfolio further.
When considering print costs, you’re
definitely going to question the amount of
images that you should include in your
2.
1. Blurb Portfolio books
£6.95/$12.95 for a 40-page softcover
www.blurb.com
Available in hardcover, dust jacket,
ImageWrap or softcover, all of these self-
published styles are professionally bound
and coated, printed on luxurious matte
paper, giving your work a real expert edge.
These ultimately make a great keepsake to
send to clients, which they can peruse over
and over. Starting at £6.95/$12.95, they
don’t cost the earth so you can send them
to multiple contacts.
2. Brodies Portfolio and Bag Emporium
Prices start from £210 (approximately
$299.86)
www.brodiesfolios.co.uk
These portfolios will present an informal
yet fashionable persona to clients. Leather-
bound, inside and out, the Brodies ‘B book’
portfolio range comes in a range of colours,
including vibrant orange, yellow, blue and
pink. Customising with embossing and
logo adds a touch of elegance and
authority. Books can be made to order to
suit the image size you require.
3. Pina Zangaro
$50 (approximately £34.93)
www.pinazangaro.com
modern anodised aluminium wrapping,
1. will appeal to the more topical clients in
the digital design industry. This portfolio
can be expanded to five inches and is
relatively economic at $50. However, if you
have some extra cash, you could invest in
laser engraving.
4. Portfolio Store
£52.22 (approximately $74.74)
www.portfolio-store.co.uk
These handcrafted boxes add an element
of personality to your design collections.
The whole idea of a box full of creative
goodies creates intimacy between a client
and your design. These samples are
covered in library-quality black buckram
3. material. The clamshell design enables the
box to open fully and lie flat.
4.
5. Instructables
Free!
5. www.instructables.com
For a more personal touch, visit www.
instructables.com for practical tips and
tutorials on how to create your own
portfolios from scratch. From standard to
innovative solutions, such as inventive
origami or fold-open three-dimensional
CD covers – when you slide the CD out, it
morphs into an unusual three-dimensional
CD case.

43
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 Feature
CHESTER OCAMPO

(MAIN IMAGE) THE DOG AND THE

SPARROW: “The main advantage of a printed
portfolio is scale. Your artwork is not limited to
monitor sizes and can be printed in a manner
that’s sure enough to impress,” says Chester
Ocampo © CHESTER OCAMPO

(BELOW IMAGES) 1. AMBER

CRESCENDO, 2. MARIPOSA SLAYS
PUGITA, 3. VICTORIOUS: “A portfolio is an
artist’s marketing tool, a catalogue of the services
he/she can offer to clients. Check which
companies are putting out the type of stuff that’s
similar to your own,” advises Chester Ocampo
© CHESTER OCAMPO

portfolio. How should these be ordered

for maximum appeal? How many images are
too many? Chester Ocampo answers: “A
strong portfolio all depends on how you want
to market yourself. What are your skill sets? If
you’re versatile, show a variety of works you
can do or have done. If you have a specialised
style, streamline your portfolio towards that
specialisation. In any case, I believe you
should only show your best work – quality
over quantity always.” Ocampo suggests that
you aim for around ten of your best images
and five pieces to showcase other possible
skill sets: “Constantly update your portfolio;
don’t show work that’s older than two or
three years, as your style may have
significantly changed in that span of time.”

Choosing digital
When considering this need to constantly
update your portfolio, the digital option can
3. quickly seem preferable. The accessibility of
free media, such as online forums, art
societies, cheap and easy-to-build websites,
all seems alluring to cost-conscious artists. In
most cases, updates consist of a simple
browse and upload. And then there’s the
promise of exposure on a global scale that is
1. not possible when sending out your printed
portfolio to select clients.
Digital media gives you an immediate voice
in the competitive creative arena, says Craig
Hunter-Parker: “Nowadays, even an email link
to a website will suffice. Plus, with the advent
2. of how integrated technology has become,
I’ve come to believe that virtually any digitally
viable ‘device’ is sufficient. After all, since I’ve
moved more into motion graphics and visual
FX work, I was able to get my last job by
showing a 3G copy of my showreel in a
restaurant from my phone.”

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Some artists will warn you that sending a
link or posting a disc runs the risk of slotting
yourself into the category of a faceless entity
– not only is your work doing the job of
selling itself, it’s now also trying to do the job
of selling you. That’s why you need to put as
much effort into the presentation for your
digital portfolio as you would a traditional
printed version. Still, digital portfolios have
their advantages when you’re using them to
find work: “Believe it or not, potential
employers can be more insecure about the
hiring process than even you are. It’s hard as a
client to peruse work that might be perceived
as weak and at the same time be
constructively critical before you. This is why
it’s best, for them, to view it in the comfort of
their own office or on their own computer,”
explains Hunter-Parker.
“The overall tone
of a portfolio is
something that a
client takes with
them once they
see the last image”
– Craig Hunter-Parker
Standing out from the crowd
So how can you make your website or digital
product stand out from the crowd?
Interactivity is integral, according to graphic
design team Studio Nufabric (www.nufabric.
org), which has produced work for Artec and
Dress Room Fashion Bulgaria, and consists of
040-047_AVP_54_Feature.indd 45
Build the perfect portfolio
ONLINE ADVANTAGES: “One of the benefits of
having a digital portfolio is that you can set one up for
free, through online art community sites and online
image-hosting sites,” explains Chester Ocampo
© CHESTER OCAMPO
members Dimo Trifonov, Kaloian Toshev and
Nikolay Vanchev: “Digital portfolios are
supplying the opportunity to give viewers a
better picture of your character, using sound
and animated content. Interactivity unties
them, gives them more freedom. They’re now
part of your work and your experience.”
However, your portfolio design should be
determined by your own style. Flash and
animated websites are all well and good, but
KDU artist João Oliveira warns: “For a graphic
designer or illustrator, having a portfolio with
motion graphics and sounds might not be that
useful and viable. Their use might compromise
the navigation if not used correctly. Personally,
I agree with ‘less is more’; it’s less likely
to go wrong if the elements stay
simple and organised.”
Make sure that your digital
presentation is in keeping with the
type of work that you do in order to
present a fair impression of your style
to clients: “The overall tone of a
portfolio is something that a client
takes with them once they see the last
image,” explains Hunter-Parker.
“They’re not only looking for skill,
they’re looking for smartness and wit.
But more importantly, they’re looking
for a sense of personality.”
A great example of a successful site can
be found at www.chesterocampo.net, the
online portfolio of Chester Ocampo. This
successfully integrates the interface
and design together as one. Every
image thumbnail draws attention,
focusing on a compositional area,
each orderly and discreet. Clicking a
thumbnail expands it to a fullscreen view
of the design so all image elements are open
to scrutiny. Essentially, this site lets the
BUILD YOUR
OWN
WEBSITE
The online portfolio provides a really
accessible advertising solution that will
enhance your chances of being
recognised by clients. Yet not every
designer has the money to invest in
bespoke solutions. Don’t despair, though,
as we have discovered some cost-
effective, aesthetically pleasing options.
1: Carbonmade
Carbonmade (www.carbonmade.com)
allows designers to simply browse and
upload images from their desktops for
free with a ‘Meh’ account. All you need to
do is log on, title your portfolio, designate
TIP
a web address and give a few personal
details, then get organising your gallery.
Remain objective
Just because you
spent a lot of time
on a piece, or
because it’s your
favourite, doesn’t
mean it’s suitable. 2: Edit options
Be objective and With a free account, a limit of five
get trusted projects, with a maximum of 35 images
people’s opinions applies. Once you’ve joined, you’ll be able
before passing personalise the ‘About’ settings and
judgment. choose from a host of options.
3: Design choices
The ‘Settings’ options let you make your
main design choices. Choose between
gloss black-and-white Color Schemes and
different Font Faces. You can also upgrade
with a $12-a-month ‘Whoo!’ account.
45
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 Feature

ONLINE INSPIRATION
Our pick of some of the best website portfolios out there, sure to
inspire you when creating your own online identity
Obvia
www.obvia.es
This is a tangible and stylish website. The subtle interactivity, coupled with
animation shorts and varied methods, provides fine distinction for the fashion
design services Obvia provides. Feeding you image samples makes you want more
and encourages direct contact from clients.

Accent
www.accent.tv
Art direction and design
studio Accent is the work of artist
and designer Miguel Vega. His latest
portfolio website is a great example of
intuitive and appropriate use of
Flash and HTML to create interactivity
and intimacy. A clean graphic
approach and click/slide movement
provides a leisurely viewing experience
of all artwork.

Jocker
www.creaktif.com/jocker
A cool teaser animation, coupled with a simple click-and-expand function,
makes this site slick and fluid. With its urban chic design, it’s a great example
of a resourceful gallery.
Tony Ariawan
www.area105.com
Tony Ariawan’s latest site is a fantastic example of how your gallery or
portfolio should be determined by your emerging styles. Graphically
corresponding with his lavish illuminated style, the effects are left for simple
display purposes.

work to do the talking, reflecting

the confidence and professionalism of
the artist.
Send out
your portfolio
Once you have a site or digital
portfolio that’s ready to be seen,
then what’s the next step? Getting
your work seen by the right people is
vital if you want to pick up work.
Choosing your clients is as crucial as them
picking you. Your personal portfolio is a key
marketing tool, but there is no point
sending it out to companies where your
style would be completely mismatched to
their direction.
Craig Hunter-Parker explains: “Check which
companies are putting out the type of stuff
that’s similar to your own. Check what
companies are open to the kind of service you
provide. Once you’ve made your list, track
down their email addresses or office addresses
and send your portfolio over, whether by
“[Bulk emails]
mean attention, but
sometimes
distraction is not a
trump”– Studio Nufabric
hyperlink or courier. Make sure to include an
introductory letter, stating who you are, what
kind of work you can offer the client and why
you want to work with that client. Be brief,
precise and courteous.”
For those of you utilising a digital format,
the Studio Nufabric team warns: “We are not a
fan of sending bulk emails that notify updates
or portfolio releases. Yes, it means attention,
but sometimes distraction is not a trump. We
mainly use email to promote ourselves,
writing a short testimonial about ourselves
strengthened by an attached PDF that
includes work examples. We contact
everybody individually.”

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1. 2.
It’s all down to that personal touch, and
this is something that the print format excels
at. The print portfolio is best suited to
localised targets and provides the motivation
to exploit your own exposure. It undoubtedly
promotes personality, as João Oliveira
explains: “Your portfolio is often the only
element that a person sees before deciding
whether or not to contact you. By being
present, you can discuss it and explain
concepts or anything else that may give you
an advantage.”
However, even after all that we’ve
discussed, an artist can always go that extra
mile to promote his or her own inventiveness
and promote their creative potential to
clientele. So in part three of our survival
series, we’ll look at the tricky topics of
merchandising and marketing your work.
040-047_AVP_54_Feature.indd 47
Build the perfect portfolio
MODEL 1: “If you cannot create a portfolio yourself and are
not willing to pay hundreds of euros for one, luckily there are a lot
of free options available as well. Sites like Behance or
Carbonmade are not only easy to manage but also can give you
some great exposure,” advises Sakke Soini
© SAKKE SOINI
3. 4.
TIP
1. AIRBORNE: “The internet reaches thousands of
potential clients. You are not working on a local scale any
more. The world is your oyster, so to speak. Publishing your
work on the internet can really open a whole new world of
clients. It did for me,” says Sakke Soini © SAKKE SOINI Show diversity
Having a signature
2. REVISITED: “It’s no secret that a lot of deals happen style adds
after office hours. So if you have the possibility to strike up uniformity to your
a natural conversation with a possible employer, for
portfolio. But
example in a nightclub, take it,” suggests Sakke Soini
© SAKKE SOINI choosing pieces
that utilise a
3. SLAVE OF HIS PAST: “The image is a universal variety of design
language. Without movement, the frozen image still skills showing
tells a story. It has the power to pass through the retina
your versatility
and directly stir our heart, soul, conscience, brain and
desire,” explains Studio Nufabric will really appeal
© STUDIO NUFABRIC to your clients.
4. THE OPTIMIST: “The benefit of producing a digital
portfolio is that it’s highly accessible to any future client
who may be too busy to look through a hard copy,” says
Craig-Hunter Parker © CRAIG HUNTER-PARKER
EDITOR’S
INSIGHT
Deputy editor of Advanced Photoshop
magazine, Julie Easton, explains which
portfolios stand out from the many
that she receives every day.
“I rarely receive a printed portfolio these
days – so much of what I see is digital.
This can range from a simple email with a
link, to PDF portfolios, to CDs or DVDs
sent through the post. The latter can be a
great idea, but when I am swamped with
work, it can be hard to find the time to go
through them there and then. Usually, I
will collect CDs and DVDs together and
go through them all at once. If choosing
this format, then a great navigation
system will make me much more likely to
go through all the images, and an ‘About
Me’ page or CV is essential if I want to look
for more information. However, my advice
is that the best way to catch a magazine
editor’s attention (or anyone’s that you
are trying to attract) is to send a personal
email that has a brief message about who
you are and what you are hoping to
achieve by contacting me – do you want
your work showcased in the magazine, or
are you looking for a commission? Finish
this with a link to your website or a PDF
portfolio and chances are that I’ll click on
it much sooner than a physical format.
Good luck!”
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Advanced Photoshop
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 Step-by-step
Workshop

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 DYNAMIC
PHOTO EFFECTS
We show you how to create our cover image using
Photoshop’s tools, stock photos and fractals
T
he inspiration for this tutorial comes
from space; with its amazing lights,
stars and nebulas, it’s one of the
most fascinating, mysterious and
undiscovered fields that people are still
trying to explore. Photoshop is probably the
most powerful tool out there to work with
photos. Combine the two and you can end up
creating an absolutely stunning artwork.
Photoshop’s blending modes and layer styles
bring endless possibilities for your creativity.
In this tutorial, we will try to explore some of
the basics of blending images together as a form
of photomanipulation, creating striking lighting
1 2
Get started
Open the first galaxy image (Fotolia ID:
‘10615278’), click Select>Color Range, select the
Image radio button, click on the brightest spot
and set Fuzziness to 200. Hit Cmd/Ctrl+C, open
your adjusted model image and paste it in, calling
the layer ‘G1’. Create a group called ‘Galaxies’ and
drag this layer in it. Hit Cmd/Ctrl+J to duplicate it
and hide a copy for now.
“If you find yourself browsing through
stock images and one of them strikes
you, then that’s probably the one to
work on”
048-053_AVP_54_LightingWS.indd 49
effects with tools as simple as standard brushes,
as well as more advanced techniques. By
mastering your blending mode skills, you will be
able to apply them for almost any project that
you will be creating in the future. Additionally,
we will be exploring some techniques that can
be applied through layer styles.
It is hugely important to work with images
that inspire you. If you find yourself browsing
through stock images and one of them strikes
you, then that’s probably the one to work on.
Always try to project a particular mood and
evoke some feelings with your artwork, as
that is when it will start to inspire others.
Experiment with colour
Set the blending mode of ‘G1’ to Color
Dodge, with Fill set to 90%. Hit Cmd/Ctrl+T and
position the brightest spot underneath the
elbow. Double-click G1 and go to Color Overlay.
Set it to 100% with a Blend Mode of Overlay,
then give it a bright pink colour. Pick the Eraser
tool, set its Opacity to 50% and brush out any
unwanted dust from her face, hand, etc.
ON THE DISC
On the disc you will find a
document linking to all the stock
images used, however, you will be
able to follow this tutorial with
your own model image and space
images (try www.sxc.hu for free
examples). There are four fractal
images and some cutout objects
on the disc, too.
Elena Savitskaya
OUR EXPERT
Elena Savitskaya is a freelance graphic designer from
London, and has been in the field for five years. Coming
from a marketing management background, she shares
her work and views on the industry at http://
designwithathought.com.
Tweak the model
We’ve changed the original image to fit
more with the concept. First open a new
Curves adjustment layer. Creating the ‘S-
shaped’ line with the CMYK/RGB curve
helps to bring more drama. Then just
create a few layers, paint over the places
where you want to change the colour and
apply different blending modes (Color/
Hue/Overlay/Difference). Always try to
keep your models looking realistic.
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 Step-by-step
Workshop
3 Extra elements
Open ‘fractal_1.psd’ from the disc, hit
Cmd/Ctrl+A, then Cmd/Ctrl+C and paste it in,
positioning it on the back of the model. Set the
blending mode to Color Dodge and the Fill to
53%. Open ‘fractal_2.psd’, repeat the process of
pasting it in and position it on top left-hand side
of the model’s head. Set the blending mode to
Color Dodge again and the Fill to 100%. Open
‘fractal_3.psd’, repeat the pasting process,
positioning it near the elbows this time, set the
blending mode to Overlay and hit Cmd/Ctrl+J.
6 Experiment with modes
Now the fun part comes in. Pick a standard
soft brush set to a decent size, then create a new
layer underneath everything except for the main
image. Call this ‘Colors’. Start adding your palette
colours all over the picture almost at random –
try different shades, places, etc. Change the
blending mode to Overlay once you are done
and adjust the colours to your taste.
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048-053_AVP_54_LightingWS.indd 50
4 Ray of light
Create a new group and call it ‘Rays of Light’. Press Cmd/
Ctrl+Shift+N to add a new layer, then set the blending mode to Vivid
“Pick a standard
soft brush, then
Light. Next, select the Polygonal Lasso tool and create an abstract
selection as shown in the screenshot. Pick a baby pink colour, select the start adding your
Brush tool, then use a standard big, soft brush to draw a line following
the selection just outside of the selection area.
palette colours all
over the picture
almost at random –
try different
shades, places, etc”
5 Make the lights work
Select the Eraser tool and brush out the ray
of light in the area of the elbow. It’s worth
experimenting with the positioning in order to
find the best composition. Open ‘fractal_4.psd’,
hit Cmd/Ctrl+A and Cmd/Ctrl+C then paste it in,
positioning it near the brightest area. Set the
blending mode to Screen, and it is now time for
some improvisation.
7 More lines
Jump back to the Rays of Light group and
create a new layer called ‘Blue Ray’. Grab the
Polygonal Lasso tool and make an abstract
selection again. Check the screenshot below
to give you a direction on the perspective. Next,
pick a big, soft brush and give it a light blue
colour with a shade of purple. Now draw
lines outside the selection area in the same way
as in Step 4.
8 Adjust the blending mode
Next up, change the blending mode
of the Blue Ray layer to Overlay and then
duplicate it using Cmd/Ctrl+J. It should then
turn into a deep blue shine. Pick the Eraser tool
and a big, soft brush again, then brush out the
edges the way you prefer it on both layers or
just on the copy.
10/2/09 13:00:29
 9 Seeing stars
Open the second gallery image (Fotolia ID:
‘9904073’), then duplicate and hide the
background layer. Now hit Select>Color Range,
click on the black area of the image with the
Eyedropper tool and click OK. Hit Delete on your
keyboard, then press Cmd/Ctrl+A, Cmd/Ctrl+C
and paste in the Galaxies folder. Position this on
the top corner of Blue Ray. Double-click the layer
and add Color Overlay, selecting a bright blue
colour with a Blend Mode of Hard Light and
Opacity of 100%.
11
Creating highlights
In the Galaxies folder, create a new
layer and call it ‘White Highlights’. Place this in
the order shown on the supplied example. Pick
a soft Brush tool and start painting your
highlights on the brightest areas as shown, as
well as in places where you think highlights
should be added. Change the layer blending
mode to Overlay and improvise some more.
“Draw different shapes in the same
place so that they overlap. You will
notice that at these areas, you will
achieve beautiful lighting effects”
048-053_AVP_54_LightingWS.indd 51
10 Add more stars
Open the third galaxy image (Fotolia
ID: ‘11515350’), hit Select>Color Range, click on
Experiment, explore
and push your limits
the white area of the image and click OK. Press
Cmd/Ctrl+A, Cmd/Ctrl+C and paste in the
Galaxies folder as before, then press Cmd/ Using blending modes can be tricky
sometimes, but if you practise a lot then
Ctrl+T to position near the model’s cheek.
you’ll find a whole universe of amazing
Double-click the layer, add a Color Overlay,
possibilities. Don’t just practise with one
then choose a slightly dark blue/green colour Normal layer and one set to Multiply; use a
with the Blend Mode set to Overlay, and click few on top of each other and see what
OK. Set the layer blending mode to Screen, effect it creates on the image. For example,
then erase any unwanted parts with a soft if you want to create a striking highlight,
brush (Opacity at 50%) Eraser tool. use Overlay, pick a soft brush with a white
colour and draw a few shapes where you
want the highlight to appear. Then
duplicate it, or add even more depth by
creating another Overlay layer and
drawing different shapes in the same
place so that they overlap. You will notice
that at the areas where shapes overlap,
you will achieve beautiful lighting effects.
With layer styles, try to experiment with
the Outer Glow setting; pick a bright
colour for it and set the Blend Mode to
Overlay. Then pick a small brush, at just a
few pixels, and draw a line. Right-click this
layer and copy your layer style. Create a
new one, right-click it and paste in the
layer style. Now draw a line overlapping
the other one, and watch the magic
happen. The more you experiment, the
more amazing things you will discover
about blending modes.
12
Contrast shapes
In the Rays of Light group, create a new layer and call it Light
Blue Ray. Pick the Polygonal Lasso tool and draw a shape similar to the
one shown in the example. Pick a light blue and colour it using the
same technique. Once you are happy with the shape, change the
blending mode to Overlay.
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 Step-by-step
Workshop
13 Lighten up
Using the same colour, pick a soft, round brush of a medium
size. Create a new layer called ‘Blue Shine’ and add more dots and
shapes around the model’s cheek and hair as shown on the example.
Change the blending mode to Overlay, then go back to the Colours
layer and play around with both colours and shades. The more you
experiment, the better the outcome.
14 More light
In the Galaxies folder, create a
new layer called ‘More Highlights’. Next, pick
a soft, round brush with a white colour. Add
more lights on bright areas and where you
think more highlights are needed, or use our
example as a reference. Switch the blending
mode to Overlay and then back to Normal
to see how it affects the image. Once you’re
finished, switch it to Overlay.

15 Another galaxy
Open the last galaxy image (Fotolia
ID: ‘3509054’), duplicate the layer, hide the
16 Positioning
Change the blending mode to
Lighten. Hit Cmd/Ctrl+T, then resize and
background and click Select>Color Range. Set reposition on top of the model’s hand. Now
Fuzziness to 46, then click the darkest area on change the blending mode to Screen, select
the bottom of the image and hit OK. Delete the the Eraser tool and brush out the image so it
selection once more. Complete the same looks a part of the scene.
process for the top dark area of the image. Once
this is done, hit Cmd/Ctrl+A, Cmd/Ctrl+C and
then paste into the main image.

17 Orange abstract shape

Create a new layer in the Rays of
Light group. Pick the Polygonal Lasso tool and
create an abstract selection as shown, then pick
a bright orange colour and a soft brush, then
draw rays the same way as before. Change the
blending mode to Overlay, duplicate the layer
and using the same technique, throw in a few
more orange lines and shapes.

“Change the blending 18 Last galaxies

Remember that G1 copy layer that
mode to Overlay, go back to we left hidden? Well, now we need it. Bring it
back, double-click it, then in Layer Style add a
the Colours layer and play Color Overlay with a bright blue colour at 100%

with colours and shades. and set the Blend Mode to Overlay. Position it
on top of the hand as shown in the example.
The more you experiment, Erase any unwanted parts, duplicate the layer
then repeat the same steps as before,
the better the outcome” positioning it on the right shoulder.

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 19 Add objects
Open ‘objects.
psd’, select and copy one
object. On the main image,
create a new folder and call
it ‘Objects’. Paste it in, then
double-click the layer, add
an Outer Glow layer style
and pick a bright colour
from the range of colours
we’ve been using. Set the
Blend Mode to Hard Light,
Opacity to 64%, Spread to 1
and Size to 49. Repeat the
same routine with as many
objects as you like and try
different settings.
20 Play around
Once you are happy with your
random placement of objects, create a new
layer above all the others and set the blending
mode to Overlay. Pick a big, soft brush with a
white colour, and just paint your highlights the
way you want them. To get an even brighter
glow, create another on top and give it an
Opacity of 50% and repeat the process.
22 Final experiments
To achieve straight lines for the
emitted colourful rays of light, just click
anywhere on the image with your brush, then
hold the Shift key and click where you want the
line to end. Keep holding the Shift key and just
continue to create sunlight-like straight lines.
Create a few more layers with an Outer Glow
setting applied and give them different
coloured settings. We used yellow (for the hair,
right and left corners of the image) and blue for
the diamonds.
048-053_AVP_54_LightingWS.indd 53
“The more you
experiment with
blending modes, the
more amazing your
outcome will be. It
will also polish your
skills… so that next
time you start on a
project, you won’t
need any reference”
21 A very custom glow
At this point, if you’re a lucky owner of a graphic tablet, it
will come in handy. Create a new layer in the Rays of Light folder,
Quick tip
double-click it, tick the Outer Glow box, pick a white colour and set
The more you experiment with blending
the Blend Mode to Overlay and Opacity to 100%. Pick a soft brush with
mode, the more amazing your outcome
a size of about 2-3px, and start drawing lines of light.
will be. It will also polish your skills, as you
will learn things first-hand and by yourself,
so that next time when you start on a
project, you won’t need any reference.
23
Last highlights
For the final touch, let’s highlight the
fractals that we used. For the yellow fractal, use
a layer with Outer Glow set to a yellow colour.
Just start drawing over shapes of the fractal
object and see what you can come up with. Use
a blue Outer Glow layer for the fractal on the
bottom part of the image. Just follow the lines
of the object and see how you can give it that
polished look.
53
Advanced Photoshop
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 Step-by-step
Workshop

DIGITAL PLEIN-AIR
PAINTING
Take Photoshop outdoors with a laptop or pick a scene
from your window and learn to paint what you see

W
e’re going to cover some really
important fundamental steps in
painting from life in this tutorial. If
you want truth in your paintings, working from
real life and not photos is an absolute must
because, as amazing as photography is, it
doesn’t begin to capture what we see with our
eyes. However, we have provided you with a
photo to work from if you can’t get outdoors.
There are so many tools in Photoshop that
allow you to easily adjust not only the values
and colours, but also the overall composition
to give you, the artist, maximum flexibility. We
will go over laying out a good composition
with simple shapes, establishing an overall
value scheme and then translating that into
colour.
The lesson is profound enough for you to
be able to use the method for any subject
from life, and hopefully find another avenue
of artistic expression with the new digital
tools available. You can follow along with the
initial lesson and use the same workflow for
creating your own image from life.
These steps are nearly foolproof in how
complex subjects are easily broken down into
simple shapes and values.

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 55
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 Step-by-step
Workshop
ON THE DISC
We’ve included our photo
reference and our block-in in order
1 Composition advice
Any view can be broken down into a few
simple geometric shapes with the Polygon Lasso
for you to use both the true colours
or Elliptical Marquee tool. Without spending
and values from life as well as some
details from the photo, so you can much time, you can tell right away that you’re
practise before tackling your own onto something. Each shape has its own layer, so
composition. There is also a
we can move them around for subtle
brushes TPL file included.
adjustments. Since you’re painting from life, be
OUR EXPERT Robh Ruppel
willing to move yourself around until you’re in a
Robh is a concept designer and art director working in spot that lends itself to a successful composition.
videogames and feature animation. He also teaches at the
Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California, USA.

2
Check out his work at www.broadviewgraphics.blogspot.
com and www.robhruppel.com, where you can see more Don’t chase the sun
examples of plein-air work.
First lesson: the sun moves! One
of the hardest things about painting landscapes
from life is that the lighting constantly
“The sun moves! changes. Don’t chase those changes. You have

One of the
about an hour before values and colours are
different. Block them in and once they adjust,

hardest things leave them! These pictures were taken only

about 80 minutes apart, but you can clearly see
about painting the differences.

landscapes from
life is that the
lighting constantly
changes”

Essential equipment
The first thing you will need when painting
from life on a laptop is some sort of hood
to cover the screen. Ours is made from
black foamcore and works with the angle
of the computer. The glare, even in the
shade, is too strong for the LCD display to
overcome, so you need to block the light.
We also used two camping stools, one for
the computer and one for us. We painted
on a Mac iBook G4, which was chosen
because it’s small, lightweight and doesn’t
get so hot as to require a lot of fans to
keep the CPU cool. Since there are no large
fans, we can get four to five hours out of
the battery if we shut everything down
except Photoshop. Some opt to use very
powerful laptops, but they draw
enormous power. We also have an extra
battery that allows us to stay out all day
and paint. Finally, we use an Intuos 3
Wacom tablet that sits in the lap.

3 Refine shapes
In this step we’ve done two key
things. First, we’ve refined the shape of the
mountain to look more like the one in front of
us, and then we’ve added a linked layer by
pressing Opt/Alt-click for our shadowed shape.
By keeping them separate, it allows us to adjust
the values next.

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 4 Adjust values
Using Image>Adjustments> Levels, we
can make subtle value adjustments to each
layer in order to get the correct shadow and
highlight relationships. This is not only easier
digitally, but so important to translating nature’s
millions of tones into a handful of distinct ones.
5 First colour
Now that our values are reasonably
accurate, we can start laying in flat colour. Use
the Color Picker to match the hue we want with
the value we’ve already established. We’ve also
activated ‘Lock transparent pixels’, so we’re not
redrawing everything. That way, we can
concentrate on naming the hue. For example, is
it blue on the green side or the purple side?
6 Refine more shapes
Our colour is basically set, so we can begin
to refine more shapes. We blocked in the tree
with a simple light and shadow gradation, so
now we’ll erase and add to bring the shape closer
to the actual tree. We’re using only one flattened
round brush for consistency and unity. Later, we’ll
introduce a few others to create texture.

7 Block out
The values and
colours are basically
“We can make adjustments
to each layer in order to get
the correct shadow and
there so we’ll start
adding the other
elements, like the rocks
on the main hill. They are
highlight relationships”
similar in value but
different in hue than the
green, so we use the
Color Picker again. We Quick tip
also look at the subtle
differences in the If you don’t have a laptop with Photoshop,
shadow of the hill and then use the reference photo on the disc
block those in. to follow along with the tutorial and learn
how to block in the shapes and colours. If
you have a view from your window, this is

8 Block some more

We’ve added some modelling on the
centre hill. We’re looking at the major plane
9 The ground plane
We add variety to the foreground bushes
and start looking at the different colours in the
good practice. Otherwise, you could try
using film stills or photos from your own
collection to get a feel for the technique.

changes at this point, not small details. Big, ground plane. We try and make the shapes

blocky shapes are what we’re after first of all. Only
when those are right can we add detail. ‘Start
with a broom and end with a needle’ is an old
painting adage.
conform to the perspective of the scene. In other
words, we make the shapes we’re drawing
enhance the feeling of a plane moving away in
perspective. Our picture is actually flat and we
don’t need to help it. We want the illusion of
depth and dimension.
10
Finish the block-in
We’ve spent about 80 minutes now and the sun has
changed enough that it is a different image. We’ve got the crucial
information from life we need; truthful colour and value relations that a
camera just can’t capture. Now we need to look at it inside because,
even with a hood, the screen gets a little washed out.

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 Step-by-step
Workshop
Shapes and symbols 11 Add details
Since we’ve been looking at the
scene for nearly an hour and a half, we can add
12 Natural nature
We painted that tree a little
symmetrically and while it may be that way, it
detail and refine the shapes from memory. doesn’t mean it looks good. We want to curve
Basically, if you approach a composition as
an arrangement of very simple symbols, We’re still using a flattened round brush. We the trunk a bit. Since it’s on its own layer, select
you can tell right away if you’ve got make these refinements in their own individual the tree layer and use the Warp tool to alter it by
something worth pursuing. The details of layer so as not to ruin anything that is working. selecting Edit>Transform>Warp.
nature can be deceiving. There has been
many a time when we have noticed a
symmetrical shape we repeated at the
same size, or we have put the horizon
smack in the middle after we finished. If
you think of them as very simple shapes,
you can tell if the arrangement is
interesting and dynamic or if you’ve
plopped the focus of the picture dead
centre and made all the negative spaces
the same.

15 Visual texture/noise
We use a brush that mimics
the overall appearance of distant trees on a
hillside. Eventually, you’ll have a whole toolset

13
based on real-life observations. Our colour,
Large area adjustment value and form modelling are already
Now that we’re inside, we can see established. All we’re doing now is giving it a
that the shadow side of the hill is a little light. little visual texture for interest.
Rather than repaint it all, we’ll make a global
adjustment. First we Cmd/Ctrl-click the image,
then use the Color Range>Select>Sampled
Colors option and pick the range we’re looking
to fix. Then we’ll use an adjustment layer to
slightly darken the area. Now it fits into the
scene better.

14 Spice it up!
Finally, the fun can begin. It’s time to break a little of the
tool monotony. We flip the image to keep it looking interesting and
use a leaf-shaped brush to add some variety to our tool marks. Just a
little here and there to add visual accents to the mark making, and just
like a spice, use sparingly!

“We flip the image

16 Done!
A little overall Levels adjustment,
and the last thing we do is a Sharpen over a
to keep it looking
interesting and
flattened version (using Filter>Sharpen), plus a
slight crop. If you can do this project outside, use a leaf-shaped
then the approach is more truthful than
painting from photos. You were there and
brush to add some
experienced the land with all your senses, variety to our tool
and made a true artistic statement that wasn’t
just a slavish copy of someone else’s picture. You marks. A little here
were the artist. However, getting your
brushwork up to scratch is a useful skill to learn
and there to add
in any environment. visual accents”
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 Step-by-step
Workshop

t i o nal
ira opre
Insporkalsarh ha
tistsostoshop
W ssion d Ph ou
Profeecrets anto help yls
s il
the chniquees your sk
ir
te prov
im

ADVANCED
PHOTOMANIPULATION
Phil McDarby walks us through his unique technique for creating dragons
from photos, which you can apply to your own images

ON THE DISC
There is a layered PSD file on the
CD so that you can see how the
image has been built up step by
step. You’ll need to collect a
selection of images to create your
own scene from, but we have
provided a selection of forest
scenes for you to start out with.
OUR EXPERT Phil McDarby
Phil has been drawing and painting fantasy and sci-fi
characters and environments for most of his life. He is a
freelance artist and composer, as well as the creative
director of Dublin-based Vyro Games. See more of his work
at www.philmcdarby.com.
F
antasy creations from photos is a
popular way to spend time in
Photoshop. You can see it on the
Advanced Photoshop gallery every day and on
community websites, like deviantART (www.
deviantart.com) and Behance (www.behance.
net). Therefore, it definitely pays to learn this
essential genre.
For me, at the heart of my work is a desire
to capture a sense of magic and wonder, that
feeling of childlike excitement and discovery
that most of us tend to lose touch with as
adults. This can be seen in these images and
in the rest of my collection on my website
(www.philmcdarby.com).
This tutorial is designed to show you that
when using a combination of painting,
photography and lighting, a scene can take on
a whole life of its own. The image adjustment
tools in Photoshop are second to none, so we’ll
be making use of them extensively here. The
Curves command gives the user a good
amount of control over the colour and the
tone of the piece. The subtlety of the
Brightness and Contrast options helps a lot to
refine the scene, while I will utilise the
precision selection tools and brushes in order
to build up this image in detail. All of these
Photoshop tools allow the user complete
freedom of creativity, which is precisely the
way it should be when conjuring up
something from the imagination. The more
freedom that your program gives you, the less
restrictions there are for your mind to go wild!

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1 Initial setup
The image began as a seven-picture,
9,000px-wide panorama, stitched together in
Photoshop. I loved the composition of the
arching branch, the log lying across the water,
the light and depth. The light that day was very
soft; no direct sunlight penetrated the wood.
These are ideal conditions because you can
define the lighting however you want it.
060-064_AVP_54_DragonWS.indd 61
“At the heart of my work is a
desire to capture a sense of
magic and wonder, that
feeling of childlike
excitement that [we can]
lose touch with as adults”
Layer composition
There is a lot of cutting out work when you’re
using this many photographs in one piece
You can still see some seams here and there
that need blending and tidying up
The background is just about there now, so
it’s ready for the Moss Dragon
2 Bring in a tree
I selected a photographic element of a tree that I had taken
separately. The lighting is wrong as are the tones for the overall piece,
but we will correct that in a moment with Curves and Brightness/
Contrast. I always use the Pen tool when I need precise selection.
Once I selected, copied and pasted my element into the main image, I The final composition is a blend of many,
corrected the colour using Image>Adjustments>Curves and adjusted many photos built into individual layers
its depth with Image>Adjustments>Brightness/Contrast. Now it
appears part of the same scene.
A final adjustment is added to lighten up the
piece and bring a mystical element
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 Step-by-step
Workshop
3 Create more detail
I began extending the tree upwards,
sampling a number of colours from the tree with
“One trick is Fade, pressing Cmd/Ctrl+
Shift+F immediately after an action. A
the Color Picker and painting little details, like
gnarled ivy and moss. I did this with a graphics
Dodge/Burn faded to 50% can be subtle
tablet set to Pen Pressure, using both the Brush and realistic, [getting] lovely diffused
and Smudge tools. When I finished the painting
elements and was happy with the integration, I semitransparent shadows this way”
began lighting the element using the Dodge

4
tool. It can give you great subtlety if used with a
sparing Opacity. Light and shadow
I always use the Dodge tool in
Highlights mode at 100% Exposure to create
light, and hold Opt/Alt to Burn shadows. One
trick I have always used is Fade, pressing Cmd/
Ctrl+Shift+F immediately after an action. A
Dodge/Burn faded to 50% can be very subtle
and realistic. You can get lovely diffused
semitransparent shadows this way. As well as
extending the tree up, I brought the mossy
carpet down to the edge of the stream.

Creating the Moss Dragon

I always begin my Wood Dragons in the same way – in the folds
of a tree trunk, a knotted branch or a gnarled stump, I spot a
5 Another tree
Selecting another couple of elements to
reference from, I began building up a second
feature. It might be an eye, an arm or a mouth, but it is what I tree exactly like the first. I know where my light is
need to get a particular species of Wood Dragon started. In the coming from now, so I painted and used Dodge
case of the Moss Dragon, I found an incredible old tree and saw and Burn accordingly. I liked the composition on
the line of a mouth and a horn. I cut this element out of the the left now, especially the way the eye is drawn
photo and brought it into Photoshop. I try and vary the up and through these two ancient trees in the
physiology of my different dragons as much as I can, and do
woods, but it still needs further work in order for
sketches and anatomy studies until I am happy with an overall
it to be balanced.
shape. In this case, I wanted a dinosaur-like body; thick hind
legs and thin arms. Then, piece by piece, layer by layer, I use a
combination of digital painting and photographic elements to

6
build up the dragon in tiny increments, often ending up with
over 100 layers. I always make sure the lighting is quite flat, Balance the
giving me the freedom to light them however I want when I add composition
them to an environment like the one in this tutorial. I created another ancient tree on
the right, thicker and heavier, and
brought its mossy roots all the way
down the river. I used the same
techniques to unify colour, tone and
depth, and used Dodge and Burn
for the lighting. I masked out the
mossy arch, again using the Pen
tool, and integrated it into the new
tree’s roots. I created a custom brush
using a small selection of the moss
itself and, using the Clone tool,
lightly feathered the top of the arch
to create a soft, realistic edge.

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 7 Change the water
At this point, I wanted to create a
richer palette for the water. I had a few
references I’ve shot over the last couple
of years, and used them to build up a
vibrant stream. I copied an element of
water in and use Free Transform to
correct its dimensions. I then painted
little details, augmenting the element
with more stones, etc. At this point I
moss-ified the left bank, binding the two
trees on the left together and bedding
them down. I also started gnarling up
the trunks using the same techniques
described in the initial tree steps.
“Adding detail to the banks in the right-
foreground, curving it back in towards
the image, will hopefully draw the eye
back into the centre”
9 Add the waterfall
Here, I extended the river back
to a tiny waterfall, added the snaking
root in the left foreground to add depth
and hide the faery dwelling somewhat.
I continued adding detail to the banks
in the right-foreground, curving it back
in towards the image, which will
hopefully draw the eye back into the
centre, where the Moss Dragon is
about to appear. I’ve left the original
mossy ‘island’ to ground the dragon.
I added two extra ‘bridges’ to pull
the two sides together, which also
gave me more room to manoeuvre
when I added the various water
features in the background.
11 The robin and his nest
The Moss Dragon’s companion is the
robin. The butterfly and robin are both painted
from reference. Faery windows and a tiny door
and reflection were added to the dwellings in
the left foreground. Also, I deleted the original
background as it was very confusing to the eye,
scale-wise. I added a couple of distant waterfalls
to establish distance to the background.
060-064_AVP_54_DragonWS.indd 63
8 Faerie dwelling
I wanted to create an ancient and gnarled
faerie dwelling in the bottom left corner, building
up layers of ancient wood to approximate a
structure. I also added lots of gnarled-root
goodness on the right-hand bank. I copied little
elements out here and there from my own stock,
unifying them in Photoshop using a medium,
soft Eraser at their edges. I corrected their colour
using Curves, extended them, painted in more
detail and finally used Dodge and Burn in light. I
also continued the new water layer into the
foreground, created a new water plane in the left
foreground and added more details to the trees.
10
The Moss Dragon appears
The dragon was created separately
before this image began, and had to be relit and
tweaked to fit him to the scene. I replaced the
water in the bottom-left foreground to maintain
consistency with the upper layer of water. This is
achieved in the same way as the original water
treatment, transforming a photographic
element to fit the perspective plane, and
painting and lighting to bed it down.
12
Finish the dragon
I bedded the Moss Dragon down,
grounding him by using the Burn tool on his
shadow, into the moss and water. Work then
began on the background, an amalgamation of
digital painting and many shots from Glencree
Forest in Wicklow, built up layer after layer.
Establishing depth and a sense of distance is
achieved by desaturating the elements slightly
and pushing them back, using a combination of
Brightness/Contrast and Curves. In addition to
this, I slightly blurred the background.
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 Step-by-step
Workshop
“I applied a mask, Background details
The background has been created using a number
a thin mist layer of different images. The original panorama was a

and a sunbeam series of seven stitched images, but as I went along I

added extras to give it the right finish
layer and then
it’s finished”

13 Finish up
Here, I carefully examined the image from top to bottom
looking for jagged edges, mistakes I missed – all tiny details that are
examined in full zoom. I added a Brightness/Contrast adjustment layer,
using the Create New Fill Or Adjustment Layer option at the bottom of
the Layers palette, or the new Adjustments pane in CS4. I also applied a
mask, a thin mist layer and a sunbeam layer and then it’s finished!

Dragon advice
The dragon itself is also made from a
number of different images. The
dragon was created separately so
that it could be used in a
number of compositions,
including this one

Lighting effects
Lighting is the key to making this scene appear
realistic and blend all of the elements together.
Heavy use of the Burn and Dodge tools, Curves
and Brightness/Contrast are important here

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 Step-by-step
Workshop

d e r’sp
Rea r k s htheoartists
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ADJUST EXPOSURE
WITH BURN TOOL
Create dramatic monochromes by mastering the Burn tools’s options

ON THE DISC
There are two free stock images
from previous issues of AP and one
image of birds provided by Rafal.
The others used are free stock from
www.sxc.hu. Links are referenced
in a Word document on the disc.
OUR EXPERT Rafal Bauer
Rafal is a freelance artist from Poland, currently studying
Digital Design in London College of Communication. He
lives in London, where his hobby finally is turning into new
career. See more of his work at http://grapholio.webs.com
and www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk/user/bauer.
I
t’s easy to create a great black-and-
white image using Photoshop’s basic
tools. All you need is a copy of the program
and some experience with the Burn tool and
Levels adjustment layers.
The inspiration here was to create a
dramatic horror scene as a book or CD cover.
There was only one thing missing and that
was music. It’s a confusing business when a
project is begun back to front; in this example,
the music came at the end of the process
from Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds.
The aim here is to create an eerie image in
Photoshop using minimal tools and tricks. In
this tutorial, we will concentrate on the Burn
tool and Levels adjustment layers and focus on
how to create a dark mood. In our example, we
have added a red colour in with the black and
white in order to make the scene appear that
bit more tragic. Photoshop is a perfect
platform for creating every mood. Feel free to
add your own shots, vector work and change
anything you want; express yourself in your
own way.

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 1 Let’s start
Create a new document, then set the
Width to 150mm and the Height to 100mm, with
a Resolution of 300dpi. We’re using the RGB
profile, because for most image-editing tasks, the
RGB Color Mode is all you will ever need. You can
preview your work in CMYK at any time via
View>Proof Colors (Cmd/Ctrl+Y). If you are using
CS4 for this work, it is also a good idea to name
your document.
3 Make it dry
Open ‘dry.tif’ from the disc. Drag-and-drop
it as a new layer. Name it ‘dry’ and repeat Step 2
to make it black and white. This time, just set
Yellow to -90%. With the Transform tool, fit the
image to your canvas. Switch to the Transform
Perspective tool by following Edit>
Transform>Perspective and drag the bottom
line to fill the picture.
6 The only colour
We need to add some blood. Set the
foreground colour to red, then single-click with
the Magic Wand tool between the dry part of
the ‘dry’ layer and this will select the area for our
imitation of blood. We can add some more
space by using the Magic Wand tool with the
Shift key. Create a new layer and fill the selection
with your foreground colour. Hue/Saturation
(Cmd/Ctrl+U) will change the colour and use
Layer Styles (double-click on the layer) to add an
Inner Shadow. Set Distance to 15px, Choke to
8%, Size to 18px and Opacity to 100%.
“We’re using the RGB profile, because
for most image-editing tasks, the RGB
Color Mode is all you will ever need”
066-068_AVP_54_ReaderWS.indd 67
2 Black & White option
Open ‘sky.tif’ from the disc. Drag-and-drop the image into your Black-and-white
document, Transform (Cmd/Ctrl+T) and rename it ‘sky’. You don’t have to
use the Grayscale or Desaturate buttons to convert your image into a
masterpieces
black-and-white version; instead, use Image>Adjustment>Black & White
(CS2 onwards). This option offers a quick and direct method for Creating black-and-white masterpieces
controlling tonality. In the Preset drop-down menu, choose the Red from colour images is a little bit more
Filter and click OK. You can also click in the main image and drag left or complicated than converting to Grayscale
right to darken or lighten the tonal value of this colour range. or hitting the Desaturate button in
Photoshop. You can now create fantastic
images with the Black & White adjustment
layer feature. This is probably the most
versatile way to convert images to black
and white. You can use the colour sliders
or click in the main image window and
drag both ways to make the colour darker
(to the left) or lighter (to the right).
4 Create a horizon
Use the Polygonal Lasso or Magic Eraser
tool to cut the sky from your ‘dry’ layer. The
Eraser tool will be very helpful to create the
results you’re expecting. You don’t have to be
5
accurate because most of the horizon line will
be covered by other elements. Burn the mood
It’s time to use the Burn tool. Having two layers means that you
can watch the results, especially around the horizon line. Use the soft
brush, set at 150px for the ‘sky’ layer and at 200px for the ‘dry’ layer. Set
the Range to Shadows and Exposure to 50%. Once you’re finished,
you’ll have created your dramatic mood. You will need the Burn tool
later, but first you have to add the rest of the stock images.
7
First boat
Links to the boat images are in the Word
document on the disc. Open ‘Boat 1’ and use the
Polygonal Lasso tool to cut the boat from the
background, then place it as a top layer in your
document. Repeat Step 3 and use the Burn tool
to make the boat much older. With this, you can
expose every single detail of the boat.
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 Step-by-step
Workshop
8 Play with tools
You can hide the bottom edges of the boat using the Burn tool
for a ‘dry’ layer. This time, set the Exposure to 90%. Using the soft brushes,
gently add in some shadows behind the boat. For a better effect,
change the Exposure and Size of the brushes. Repeat the previous step
for ‘Boat 2’ and ‘Anchor’, then resize the boats and anchor to create the
final result. Go back over all the layers and play with the Burn tool and
Black & White adjustment layers. You can add some new elements to
create a real horror scene.
9 Increase contrast
Contrast is a very important element for
this picture. At this point, open a Level
adjustment layer via Layer>New
Adjustment>Levels. Make sure that the layer is
placed on top of your Layers palette. Photoshop
CS4 gives you an option to choose settings that
are already made. Our preferred choice under
the Levels drop-down menu that we used here
is Increase Contrast 2.
10 Birds
Next up, open the ‘birds.tif’ file from
the cover disc. Use the Magic Wand tool to
make your selections, then copy and paste
every bird into your document. Use the
Transform command in order to place them on
top of the first boat. It is up to you to move
them anywhere in the composition that you
think would suit them better, or if you want to
add some more details.

11 Create blood signs

To create signs from the past on the 12 Repair the colour
As we approach the end of the “It is up to you to
boats, we’re going to use a Dry Brush (Size =
170px and Opacity = 55%). Open a new layer
project, now is the perfect time to make the
tone of the blood much more dirty and more
move [the birds]
and set the blending mode to Color Burn or Soft
Light. Add some blood, but you don’t have to
realistic. In order to do this, bring up the Hue/
Saturation palette (Cmd/Ctrl+U) and appoint
anywhere in the
be accurate with it. You can use the Eraser tool the settings as follows: Hue = 365, Saturation = composition that
with a hard-edged brush and erase the red 100 and Lightness = -36. After you have done
colour from the sky and dry elements. this, don’t forget to tick the Colorize and you think would
Preview checkboxes on the bottom right of the
dialog box. suit them better”

13 The final touch

We’re going to fine-tune the image
with another Levels adjustment layer
(Layer>New Adjustment>Levels). Move the
central slider in the master RGB channel to the
left (1,60) to lighten the image. Select the Blue
channel and move the central slider to the right
(0,85). Do the same with the Green channel in
the Levels dialog box. Fill the adjustment mask
with black (Edit>Fill Layer). Select the Brush tool
with a large, soft edge. Choose white as the
foreground colour and set the Brush Opacity to
75-80%. Now you can play with the colour of
Quick tip the sky and boats. For example, we have created
numerous shafts of light.

For this tutorial we have used Photoshop

CS4, so some of the options won’t be
available to users of previous versions.
However, you can still complete the
tutorial. Use the Channel Mixer, Desaturate
or Grayscale options to remove colour
from your images, and adjust the Levels
manually to suit, rather than relying on a
particular preset.

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066-068_AVP_54_ReaderWS.indd 68 10/2/09 14:11:05

 Q&A
Helpdesk
The Helpdesk has been extended so that we can answer even more of your
Photoshop queries and questions – so keep them coming!
Lighten up
Q
Dear Helpdesk, I was wondering if you could
tell me how to create those cool ‘light drawing’
images where people write their names in
midair with sparklers and such. Are those Photoshopped
or real?
Arnold Plokowski
A
Those images can be created both in-camera
and in Photoshop. To create the effect with just
the camera, you’ll need to set the camera on
something still, like a tripod, and adjust the shutter speed
to be several seconds long. Then just wave a glowing
object around while the shutter is open. This will produce
those cool light streaks in the photo. You will immediately
want to try writing your name and drawing stick men. You
Top tip: Smudge tool
Hidden behind the Blur tool is an icon that
appears to be a hand pointing at the tool below it.
This is the Smudge tool. It’s a brave little tool that
openly defies the notion of a nondestructive
workflow. The idea of it is to approximate the look
of dragging your finger through wet paint. Why is
this useful? Well, it often creates a more painterly
look than the regular paintbrush.
The Scatter or Dry Brush tip will give you an
organic, natural brush appearance. The Strength
setting indicates how far the paint will be spread
along the stroke. 100% will pull the paint almost
indefinitely, and lower percentages will fade the
paint along the stroke. The Finger Painting option
will use the foreground colour instead of the
existing layer pixels for the initial sampling.
Send your emails to us at advancedpshop@imagine-publishing.co.uk or post a message on our forum board at www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk/forum.
72
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072-075_AVP_54_Helpdesk.indd 72
LIGHT EFFECTS: Create this effect in Photoshop
will then quickly notice the major flaw of this approach;
you have to work blind! You can’t see the light streaks
while you are making them. If you are anything like me, it’s
at that point you’ll probably say something to the effect of
“enough of this, I’ll just do it in Photoshop”.
First, start with a low-light image to work with. On a
new layer, use a soft brush to add a few small blobs of
white paint. Try to place these where you expect lines to
meet or make sharp corners. Next, grab the Smudge tool
and switch the tip to Dry Brush. Make sure the Smudge
Strength is set to 100% and drag lines out of the white
blobs to produce the shape of your drawing or writing.
Add an Outer Glow layer style for whatever colour you
care the lines to be. Add a new layer and fill with black,
render the Lens Flare filter and change the blending
mode to Screen to hide the black area. This way, you can
position and scale the lens flare as you see fit.
Different shades of black?
Q
Here’s the deal: I’m printing some newsletters I
designed in Photoshop and the black areas
don’t seem to be printing consistently. The
black text looks darker than the black line art even
though it looks the same on the screen. I know printing
has to be done from the CMYK Color Mode so I checked
the values and the colour is registering at 100% in the K
(black) channel. So what’s going on?
Elizabeth Rogers
A
Hi Elizabeth! You have wandered into the wild,
wonderful world of mechanically putting ink
on paper. Some folks call this ‘printing’. I like to
OUR EXPERT Kirk Nelson
Kirk has been a graphic artist for over 11 years
in the Washington DC Metro area. He writes
tutorials for our sister publication Photoshop
Creative, and opens letters, checks emails and
hangs around the AP forum online, all for the
good of our Helpdesk. If you’re having
quibbles with Photoshop, Kirk’s your man with
the plan!
DEEP COLOURS: Rich Black, now with 50% more colours!
call it ‘aggravating’. First, let’s go over a couple of basics.
You are correct that printing is done with the CMYK Color
Mode. But what does that mean? It refers to the four
colours of ink used to produce the image on paper:
(C)yan, (M)agenta, (Y)ellow and blac(K). So when a colour
is defined in CMYK, the percentages refer to how much of
each ink is physically placed on that particular dot. The
more ink that is layered onto the paper, the deeper and
darker the colour will be. The less ink, the more of the
paper will show through.
So, if your black is defined as 0, 0, 0, 100, then it’s
printing the black ink at 100% but none of the other inks
even touch that dot. What you need is to use a different
shade of black referred to as ‘Rich Black’. Though it tends to
vary, the colour registration for Rich Black is often 50, 50,
50, 100. Why not 100% across the board for all of the inks?
Well, it’s because that risks oversaturating the paper and
causing more problems. The goal is to get as deep a
colour as possible without using more ink than the paper
can handle. In the event that you are using a professional
print shop, ask them what values they recommend for
Rich Black; it can vary from shop to shop, depending on
their machines.
Q
Part-time transparency
Okay Helpdesk guy, I’ve got one for you. I’m
using Photoshop CS4 Extended and working
with 3D objects. I’m able to bring in textured models,
place and position them as I want and even tweak the
textures and lighting. Fun stuff! My question is, what
about transparency? And I don’t mean the opacity for the
entire object; I mean how do I make certain areas of the
model transparent and others not?
Cindy Burkholder
10/2/09 14:26:53
 Easy tilt-shift fun

Q Hi Helpdesk, let me start by saying what

a great thing you’ve got going here. I
love the magazine and I read it every
month. Anyway, I’ve seen those images where a
regular object is photographed to look like a
miniature model. Is this done with a special
camera or lens? How can I accomplish the same
effect in Photoshop?
Tracy Carlson

A
Hi Tracy, this is called tilt-shift, and uses a
special lens that, well, tilts and shifts. This
creates a very tight depth of field and drastic
blurring of the portions of the image not inside the
focal range. It’s actually not too difficult – and also quite
fun – to get the same appearance in Photoshop.

Quic k tip el
3D TRANSPARENCY: Imagine a whole new
world. A 3D one, with transparent surfaces
1 The Tilt
Shift Express!
We naturally expect to
e Info pan
Use th
(Window
s>Info) as
an easy
lo ur
Great question Cindy!
First, you’ll need a “The brush setting is view miniatures from
above, so choose an
eck for co
way to ch
registrati
on. It sho
w
K
s bo th separate file that defines
the transparent areas of
additive so the effect image with an

can be built up with

d C M Y
RGB an your 3D object. This should
odes
Colour M
be a greyscale file and will
behave much the same way as a
layer mask operates. The white areas will be visible, black
areas hidden. Feel free to use grey values or gradients, as
those are the way to go for semitransparent regions. Once
this transparency map is saved, open up the 3D panel
(Windows>3D). Select your 3D model and make sure the
Material line in the 3D panel is highlighted. In the lower
portion of the panel, you will see a list of various settings.
Find the one for Opacity and click on the strange little
icon next to it. Select Load Texture from the pop-up menu
and navigate to your transparency map. This should allow
you to see through the model surface where the black
areas of the map are applied.
If dealing with black-and-white files and attempting to
envision what will be visible and what won’t is a bit too
esoteric for your taste, then try this more direct approach.
With your 3D model selected, go to 3D>3D Paint Modes>
Opacity and then use the painting tools to paint
transparency directly on the object! Remember that black
is transparent, white is visible. You can even turn the
model around to paint on other sides of it, too.
elevated vantage
point. Begin by
multiple passes” removing small detail
with the Smart Blur
filter (we used a Radius
layer. I know that sounds rather obvious, but there are at 2 and Threshold at
some important subtleties that you need to be aware of. 25) then add a slight
The layer blending mode setting will blend that layer’s Plastic Wrap filter to
pixels with the pixels of all the layers beneath it. The enhance the illusion.
brush’s Mode setting will only blend the pixels of the
brushstroke with the pixels of the layer you are brushing
on. That was important, read that last sentence again. Did
you catch that? The brush blend is limited to that
2 Create a focal selection
Duplicate the layer and enter Quick Mask mode.
Use the Reflected Gradient tool to create a black-to-
individual layer, while the layer blend will work with all the
white gradient, beginning where you want the focus
layers beneath it. So if you are painting on a blank layer,
to be. Exit Quick Mask mode, save your selection and
the brush blend option won’t do anything because there
press Cmd/Ctrl+D to deselect.
are no pixels for it to blend the paint with.
You’re after other important differences? Well, the
layer blending mode setting has the whole
nondestructive thing going for it. It can be changed later
on if you change your mind, whereas the brush Mode
setting can’t be. But the brush setting is additive with each
brushstroke, which means that the effect can be built up
by multiple passes of the brush. You can’t do that with the
layer setting.

Baffling blending madness

Q Hi Advanced Photoshop Helpdesk guy! I

can’t seem to figure this one out. I noticed
there’s a Mode option for the Paint Brush with
3 Finish the
effect off
Go to Filter>Blur>Lens
the same blending mode options as in the Layers panel? Blur and set the depth
How are they different? map source to the
Roger Coleman selection just created.
Increase the Iris radius

A
Roger, when it comes to obscure Photoshop as needed (we used a
curiosities, there’s nobody quite like your setting of 35) and
friendly neighbourhood Helpdesk guy! press OK. Use a layer
The main difference in those two settings is that one mask to remove the
affects the brushed pixels and the other affects the entire OPTIONS: Set your blending modes here or there. Or both! blur effect from items
that should be clear,
like our lamppost next
Remember to specify whether you’re using a PC or Mac and the version of Photoshop you have.
to the train.

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 Q&A
“Once the text is on the path, you can
reposition the entire line by moving the path
it’s connected to”
The path to well-behaved text

Q
Top tip: Ray of light I have to say, I think your magazine is
excellent. Very inspirational! I’m not quite to
the level where I can follow more than a
couple of the tutorials each month, but the ones that are
beyond me certainly give me something to strive for. TEXT: You can control your text with a little know-how
I am having difficulty with something, and I’m hoping
you can help. How do I get my text to follow a path and Selection tool – that’s the small black arrow under the Text
behave itself once there? I’ve somehow got text on a tool. When you move your cursor near the beginning of
path but I can’t seem to adjust the position along the the text, the cursor will change from a black arrow to the
path, it just keeps going off the end. Please tell me what text insertion icon with a small arrow next to it. This allows
I’m doing wrong. you to slide the text starting point along the path.
James Thornton-Pierce

A
Expanding rays of light emanating from the James, my man, I’m glad we can be here to A long, lonely fence to nowhere

subject matter is an easy way to direct the viewer’s
attention and fill a bland background field. The
trick is making sure each ray of light is consistently
sized and spaced. Begin by using the Pen tool to
create a long triangular shape with the point at
the centre of the light burst. Hit Cmd/Ctrl+Opt/
Alt+T to create a copy of the shape path and bring
up the transformation handles. Move the pivot
point from the centre of the shape to the tip of the
assist and inspire you. Putting text on a path is
a fairly new trick for Photoshop, and you know
what they say about new tricks and old dogs? Well, it’s
hogwash, because all this text needs is a bit of training!
Begin with a path as drawn with the Pen tool, then
grab the Text tool. As you move your cursor over the path,
you’ll notice a small squiggly line appear under the text
cursor. That means you can place text on that path. But
Q
I have a road going way off into the distance
and I want to add a long line of fence posts
following along the side of the road. Is there a
reliable way to get the spacing and size to diminish as the
posts get further away? I’ve tried scaling and positioning
by hand and it seems impossible.
Ava Manelli

long point of the triangle. Rotate the shape as
needed for the desired spacing between
light rays and commit the
transformation. Now press Cmd/
Ctrl+Opt/Alt+Shift+T (Transform
Again) and continue until you
have the right amount of light
S m art Object
rays. To finish the effect, use the
finished shape as a vector mask
on a radial gradient.
A
wait! Before you click, check your paragraph alignment The solution to this problem is to use a
and insert the text accordingly. If it’s left justified, you’ll common tool in a way you don’t normally think
want to click at the left side of the path. If it’s of. Photoshop already has a tool that can take
Quick tip
centred, then click in the centre. If it’s right something and transform it so it looks like it’s getting
rs to a justified, then change it because nobody really further away – it’s the Perspective tool (found under the
lay e
Converting u sin g writes that way! Transform menu)! But it only works for a single layer, so
before
rm atio n Okay, so once the text is on the path, you how can we use it for many layers at once? Well, begin by
transf o
the Warp to rea djust can reposition the entire line by moving the duplicating the fence post many, many times. I used
sy o u
tool allow dles at an
y path it’s connected to. If you want to slide the about 30 duplicates in this example. Then expand your
arp h an
the w e
given tim text along the path then you’ll need the Path canvas size so you can space them all out evenly. Use the

Twister!
1 Column-us clouds
2 Twist it up

Q I’m a huge fan of disaster movies. I Start with an image of a stormy sky. Copy a Convert the layers into a Smart Object and use the
never get tired of watching cities rectangular selection of the clouds and rotate it to form Warp transformation tool to shape the column. Add a
being destroyed in fun and inventive a column. Add a clipped layer above it and use the Gaussian Blur and Highlight/Shadows to fix any lighting
ways. I love all the special effects and I’m Fibres filter. Rotate the fibres diagonally, set the blending problems. Using a layer mask, place the tornado behind
very interested in learning how to accomplish mode to Soft Light and use a 5px Gaussian Blur. the foreground objects and paint out the hard edges.
something like that for myself. So to start
off, can you give me any advice on using
Photoshop to add a tornado to the background
of a photograph?
Mark McGuirck

A
You have to wonder why there would still be
people living in the fictional cities after all
those natural disasters and alien invasions.
Anyway, most actual photos of tornados are pretty
unimpressive, but, of course, we prefer the movie-style
tornados that are huge, swirling engines of devastation!

Send your emails to us at advancedpshop@imagine-publishing.co.uk or post a message on our forum board at www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk/forum.

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LONG ROAD TO NOWHERE: The
power of the Perspective tool
Layer>Distribute>Distribute Centres command to get the
spacing right. Next, combine all the posts into a single
group, layer or Smart Object. Then use Edit>Transform>
Perspective to make the entire line of posts fit along the
side of the road.
Do I really need a tablet?
If you intend to do any type of drawing or painting, then
do yourself a favour and spring for a good graphics tablet.
Why? Well, first of all, there’s the feel of the stylus. It feels
like something that you’re supposed to draw with. We’ve
all been drawing with slender cylinders between our
fingers since our crayon-munching days (personally, I
loved the taste of burnt sienna), so attempting to draw
with an object that feels more like a piece of fruit is
CS4
spotlight
Spring-loaded keys
Do you remember when you used to click on the
Hand tool to scroll your canvas around, and click
back on whatever tool you were using
beforehand? Then remember when somebody
told you that holding down the spacebar
triggered the Hand tool and automatically
switched back to the previous tool when you let
it up? Wasn’t that revolutionary? It was amazing
how much faster your workflow felt when you
didn’t have to run your mouse all the way across
your 30-inch high-def monitor to the toolbar
just to nudge the canvas over a bit. Before long,
you began to wonder why the Hand icon was
even in the toolbar anymore when the spacebar
is so much more convenient.
Now imagine that same breakthrough, but for
almost every tool. This is called ‘spring-loaded
keys’ in Photoshop CS4. Every tool in the toolbar
can now be accessed by holding down the
appropriate shortcut key (with the notable
exception of the Blur tool ‘family’, including the
Sharpen and Smudge tools). For shortcut
enthusiasts, this feature is a gold mine! If you’re
moving a layer and see a stray bunch of pixels,
hold down the ‘E’ key and erase them away. Pair
this feature with the new Rotate View tool (‘R’

Q
Okay Advanced Photoshop, give it to me
straight. Do I really need to buy a graphics
tablet for my digital artwork? Is it worth the
additional cost when I could just use the mouse that
came with my machine?
Allyson James
automatically disadvantageous. key) while painting and you won’t even notice
Second of all, there’s this wonderful thing called the interruption while you situate your canvas.
pressure sensitivity. Your mouse button has two settings:
down and up. So with a mouse, your paintbrush is either RANDOM
SPOT: I’d love
fully on or fully off. Most tablets have a pressure sensitivity to erase that
anywhere between 512 and 2,056 levels (which is much, blue dot, but I’m
working on my
much more than two). Then in Photoshop, this pressure brush settings

A
Yes. Next question please…
In all seriousness, Allyson, it really depends
what you plan to do with your digital artwork.
setting can be mapped to the brush opacity, size, flow, here! Just hold
down the ‘E’ key
etc, which helps to create a far more natural-feeling
painting implement.
In terms of price, Wacom has a line of Bamboo Fun

3
tablets that start at USD $99. That’s even less than some
One-way ticket to Oz high-tech mice!
Duplicate and rasterise the tornado layer. Move
it below the original and use more Gaussian Blur. Use
the Smudge tool to rough up the edges , then RIGHT:
duplicate, add blur and darken the layer with Levels. Every tool
shortcut key
Paint in the dust cloud at the base of the tornado. is now ‘spring
loaded’. Poor
Blur, Sharpen
and Smudge.
Looks like we
need more
letters in the
alphabet, eh?

ONE HAND’S
FREE: Rotate the
view by pressing R
without putting down
your paintbrush

DRAWING TOOLS: Graphics tablets are worth the money

if you do a lot of drawing or painting!

Remember to specify whether you’re using a PC or Mac and the version of Photoshop you have.

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 Our pick of the best reader submissions
sent to us this month

P
eer Pressure has once again been inundated with great artwork. The chosen
entries this month offer an array of insights into the creative mind, sharing
and revealing individual approaches and skills. We always include your
email and web address so that interested parties can get in touch.
All you have to do is send us high-quality TIFFs or JPEGs (RGB or CMYK) at 300dpi,
which can be printed at a minimum size of 15 x 15cm. Send us lo-res versions to
advancedpshop@imagine-publishing.co.uk – we’ll get back to you for work with a
higher resolution if needed. Alternatively, log on to our forum at www.
advancedphotoshop.co.uk/forum. We cannot provide individual image assessment.
Each issue we select one image to be Best In Show, and that lucky person will win
a fantastic prize, courtesy of The Illustration Source (www.illustration-source.com),
which is a great way to get your work seen. So, what are you waiting for?

Evan Lole
WEB: www.redbubble.com/people/evmo

Evan is a young, adventurous and enthusiastic freelance illustrator,

with several years of experience working on various projects locally
and over the internet. “My dream is to become a concept artist in the
entertainment industry and start my own business, contracting to
various film and game companies,” says Evan, whose previous projects
have shown a range of genres. “Over the past four years, I have worked
on everything from children’s book illustrations to advertising graphics
to film storyboards, and as a result of this diversity of employment,
I would like to focus this versatile approach into a more cohesive
individual visual style.”
Being freelance has obviously had a big impact on Evan’s work: “I
feel that being a freelancer has opened my eyes to the enormity of
professional self-promotion and competition, and after each project I
like to take time to reflect on exactly what I learnt from the experience.
I find that being self-employed is a hugely rewarding and frustrating
business that can, if persevered, become almost a part of your psyche –
fiercely creative, thick-skinned and independent. It may be a hard and
poverty-stricken experience for the first few years of freelancing, but I
feel much better off for sticking with it!”

BEST
IN SHOW

BIOHAZBOT: “A monolithic demolition

robot staggering under a payload of amplifiers
and speakers, this piece embodies the spirit of
drum’n’bass as I envision it. I greatly enjoyed
working on it using a mixture of pen and ink
line work, photographic elements, Photoshop
painting and a lot of texture”
ER: “Having an
ALYPSE MARAUD ce as a self-
BARBARIC APOCst in customised transport, I created this pieI drew the
overwhelming intere me).
Beyond Thunderdo it into
mage to Mad Max nned
caricature (and ho sh, an d the n sca
Indian ink and a bru al line work”
original piece with tures over the origin
layered paint and tex
Photoshop where I

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076-079_AVP_54_PeerPressure.indd76 76 10/2/09 14:41:01

 Olof Erla Einarsdottir
WEB: www.oloferla.com or www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk/user/oloferla

Olof Erla Einarsdottir is a graphic designer and digital artist from

Reykjavik in Iceland. She graduated as a Bachelor of Arts in Graphic
Design from the Iceland Academy of the Arts in 2002. “Upon
graduating, I started working in an advertising agency but never
liked it,” she explains. “While I was thinking about going abroad
to take a Master’s degree in Design for TV and Film, Iceland’s TV-1
called and offered me a job!”
For the past four years she has have been working as a broadcast
designer, doing graphics for television and sets, making green-
screen worlds, animation and ads. “Working as a broadcast designer,
I get to create worlds and adventures in Photoshop. I discover new
things, new worlds and new dreams constantly, and each day brings
new challenges. This means that I love getting up in the morning
and coming to work.”

LADY OF THE LAKE: Model: http://emresalci.deviantart.

com/ (not stock) “Lady Of The Lake is one of my favourite
pictures. I knew what I wanted to do as soon as I saw the girl. I
think she is one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen.
The lady in the water is a picture I got from a fellow deviant who
allowed me to use it”

DIMMALIMM: Model: http://persephonestock.deviantart.com/

“Dimmalimm is a girl in a story by a well-known Icelandic writer. It is about
a princess and a swan, which is really a prince under a spell. When I was little
I loved this story, so now I have made it come to life for me”

del:
viantart.com/; mo
ds: http:/ /flordelys-stock.de to.com
COME TO ME: Bir antart.com/; background: www.istockpho
dria.devi
http://elan not have any idea;
something… I did
birds, I wanted to do e the outcome”
“When I saw those e jus t ma de itself and I really lov
the pictur

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076-079_AVP_54_PeerPressure.indd77 77 10/2/09 14:41:42

 Discover the thinking behind the art

Paul Fitisoff
WEB: www.amiens.deviantart.com

Paul Fitisoff has spent the better part of his career of

nine years as an interactive designer. However, having
a degree in Art from UC Berkeley, he has always been
interested in illustration, whether by drawing portraits,
cartooning or other traditional genres.
In 2006, he became seriously interested in using
I experimented
Photoshop to illustrate his ideas. “I came across ALCHEMY: “Here, shades of red
ny
deviantART by chance and I was blown away with trying to use ma d design. The
ifie
to get a deep rich un (the magic of
by what artists there were doing”, he says. “The subject is alchemy
ld), but I wanted to
photomanipulations and paintings were an inspiration. changing lead to go nd for any
By combining Photoshop with my traditional skills, the have the image sta
the broadest sense”
possibilities seemed endless.” transformation in
The result was a style that combined fantasy with
realism, and a touch of surreal thrown in. “I’ve always had
a fascination with strong colours and contrasting lights
and darks,” Paul says. “Every time I pick up a stylus, it
gives me an opportunity to explore different techniques,
lighting, textures and my imagination. What could be msel in a
OLE RAT: “A da
more fun than that?” THE NAKED M inting her dress was a
. Pa
run-down place
lot of fun!”
FREEDOM: “Here, a bit of the surrealism kicks in. The butterflies are
3D renders. The egg required quite a bit of airbrushing as the original
photograph was pixellated and had a different coloured cast to it. The
glowing trail was added to give the impression of movement to an
otherwise static image”

SWEET DARK NESS: “In this image, I crea

several layers of the backgro ted
und wall and set them to
Multiply. I then erased out
portions so that the image
had deep shadows from
left to right that would
emphasise the model. The
raven is a 3D render added
to focus the composition in
”

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076-079_AVP_54_PeerPressure.indd78 78 10/2/09 14:42:10

 best in
COLD 2: “This ice design
was created for the new
Hellsaw album, Cold. I
wanted to assemble a cold
,
winter-like feeling!”
show
Sponsored by…
Not only is Evan Lole this
month’s Best in Show, they have
also won a year’s full Option 3
membership to The Illustration
Source, worth £150, and Featured
Artist slot for March. The Illustration
Source Ltd is the newest source of
original art, freelance illustrators,
photographers, artists and
designers on the net. Visit www.
illustration-source.com for more
information. If you’d like to stand a
chance of winning an Illustration
Source portfolio, send your images
to advancedpshop@imagine-
publishing.co.uk.

Image requirements
You’ll stand a better chance of
seeing your work in print if you
adhere to the following criteria:
make sure that your images are
high-quality TIFFs or JPEGs (RGB or
CMYK), 300dpi, and can be printed
at 15 x 15cm minimum. Don’t forget
to include a small text file detailing
how you created your work as well.

Terms and conditions

By submitting images to Advanced
Photoshop’s Peer Pressure, you
hereby grant Imagine Publishing
and, if relevant, clients to whom the
relevant work has been provided,
SUFFER: “This is a very special photo, kind an irrevocable, perpetual, royalty-
of a classical Black Metal Photography style” free licence to use such intellectual
property in relation to work similar
or equivalent to the work. This
includes the right to showcase
work on multimedia formats. By
submitting work, you also confirm

Florian Proprenter
that your images do not infringe any
copyright regulations should they
be published.
WEB: http://proprenter.pr.funpic.de

Florian Proprenter is a freelancer photographer from Villach in Austria. Florian’s works

include both photomanipulations, like those seen here, as well as some stunning
landscape, portrait and abstract photography. The website is a mix of so many styles,
proving an experience in both Photoshop and photography. “I’ve been working with
Photoshop since my 13th birthday. I started with photography about two years ago,
and in 2008 I started a freelance career”, Florian tells us. “I came to photography
through my friend Daniel Dorfer who allowed me to pick up his Canon camera and
take a few shots – from that day on, I take my camera everywhere, day and night!” THE PRIZE: Check out The Illustration
Source’s website to see the portfolios of
Florian’s current works include Black Metal Photography, and his latest clients are previous winners of Best in Show
the band Hellsaw (www.hellsaw.com) from Austria.

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 web
Discover the thinking behind the art

chall
enge THIS
MONTH’S
PRIZE
Our prize this month is Teach Yourself
Visually: Adobe Photoshop CS4. This
breaks down over 145 CS4-based tasks
into bite-size chunks, making it easy to
Peer Pressure WEB learn the program (many of the tasks

CHALLENGE – THE WINNERS translate to earlier version of

Photoshop) or making a great
Challenge reference: AP 053 encyclopedic reference.

On our website, www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk/

competitions.php, we run a web challenge where you
are asked to create an image in Photoshop using at
least one of three images provided. These challenges NAME: Antonio Corte-Real
WEB: http://shadrak.
R
E B NE
are updated monthly and they are becoming deviantart.com
increasingly popular, so get your entries in for a
chance to win.
METROPOLIS: “I started out W IN
Check out the website for details of our latest
with the desert sunrise to create
a dry and dead world. The sky W
challenge and how to enter. The winner will collect a combined several images of
special prize for that month (prizes change frequently) day, night and star brushes. The
idea of the buildings was to
and will also have their design printed in the make them aggressively grow
magazine, along with two runners-up. out of the planet, corrupting it
even further. In the centre, I used
a television screen with a
beautiful landscape, as if the
planet itself was dreaming”

Runner-up
NAME: Leonardo Iglesias
WEB: www.advancedphotoshop.co.
uk/user/Leix 12 Runner-up
HIGH HOPES: “This picture is entirely NAME: Adam Hawkins
inspired by the song by Pink Floyd (High WEB: N/A
Hopes). It depicts how the interesting or
innocent thoughts that everyone
BUTTERFLY DREAMS: “Created by
using Photoshop brushes and a texture. The
experienced throughout childhood are
texture was made by painting ink onto
trapped behind a wall without access
paper. I used Hue and Saturation to achieve
today. I have made it with a combination of
the strong colours”
quiet, simple images, using soft lights and
rough textures”

www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk/competitions.php
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 Feature
PROFESSIONAL
PLUG-INS
Photoshop plug-ins can be hit and miss, so we’ve tracked down
four of our favourites and the artists that use them
P
hotoshop unquestionably provides a sweet
shop of an experience, consisting of
tantalising tools and fascinating features
for us to feast on. But as our skill set develops, our
hunger grows for heartier apps to strengthen the
suite that Photoshop provides.
Thankfully, there are dozens of third-party software
developers in existence, falling over themselves to
produce apps for a wide range of demands, including
filters, scales, masks, effects, colours, retouching and
many more. Using a plug-in can add a spark to
images, increase interest, improve the quality and
speed up arduous processes. However, there are as
many ineffective programs as there are successful
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ones, ranging in price as much as they do results. With
that in mind, we’ve chosen a quartet of quality plug-
ins and will meet the enthusiasts who can’t live
without them. Fluid Mask 3 is a popular choice for
those seeking an efficient app for isolating images
and removing them from their backdrops. Strata 3D
has been referred to as the weapon of choice for
product design creatives, proving as professional as
plug-ins can get. Nik Software produces a healthy
range of plug-in apps for Photoshop, and its Color
Efex Pro 3.0 offers users up to 52 colour and film filter
effects. Finally, Fractalius has often been opted for by
AS WE BECOME COLD: “Using the Nik Software
those seeking exciting effects. From ethereal to Color Efex Pro 3.0 plug-in for Photoshop, I
sketch, the results make for compelling viewing. processed this image with the Bleach Bypass filter
option,” informs Joseph Nati © JOSEPH NATI
10/2/09 14:44:35
 Professional plug-ins

NIK SOFTWARE COLOR

EFEX PRO 3.0 “Simple, creative
and worth every
penny for the
• PRICE: From £70/$100 to £210/$300
• WEBSITE: www.niksoftware.com
• ABOUT THE PLUG-IN: Nik Software’s Color Efex Pro 3.0 offers digital creatives a
software” – Joseph Nati
comprehensive set of filters for colour correction, retouching and creative
enhancements. The product is available in three volumes, consisting of Standard (15
filters), Select (35 filters) and Complete (52 filters).
Using Color
Efex Pro 3.0

1. Bleach Bypass filter

“Using the Nik Software Color Efex Pro 3.0 plug-in, I process the picture with the Bleach
Bypass filter option,” Joseph Nati explains. “After experimenting with each setting, I take
what I feel is the best, most desirable effect on the image.”

CASE STUDY: 2. Brighten and desaturate

Joseph Nati “I brighten the image to 70% to pull the
background out of the vignette, then
http://jnati.deviantart.com
desaturate the colour to 25% to lend the image
Photoshop guru Joseph Nati employs Nik Software’s a colder feel. Then I set the Global Contrast to 3. Compare and tweak
Color Efex Pro 3.0 with Adobe’s Lightroom 2.0 and -79% in conjunction with a Local Contrast of “I compare before and afters with the split preview
Photoshop CS4 for a complete photo-editing suite. 50% to complement the rose in its desaturated or side-by-side preview feature. Other tweaks can
“Simple, creative and worth every penny for the state by revealing the fingerprint of each petal.” then be administered in Lightroom or Photoshop.”
software,” Nati enthuses. “The package from Nik gives
users so many filter options to try. I really enjoy using
the B/W Conversion, Film Effects and Graduated Neutral
Density. The Film Effects option is particular interesting
Alternative options:
because you can view your image as if it were shot on
Fujichrome Provia 100F or Kodak Ultra Color 100UC.” Alien Skin’s Exposure 2 optikVerve Labs’ Virtual
Other Nik Software plug-ins have made their mark on • PRICE: £170/$249 (full); £100/$150 Photographer
his portfolio: “The company has a great range of (upgrade) • PRICE: Freeware
products that help users improve their images. For • WEBSITE: www.alienskin.com/exposure • WEBSITE: www.optikvervelabs.com
example, I use Nik’s Define plug-in for noise reduction.”

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 Feature

STRATA 3D CX 5.6
Using Strata
• PRICE: £470/$695 (full); £300/$449 (upgrade)
• WEBSITE: www.strata.com
• ABOUT THE PLUG-IN: Strata 3D has been praised by professional design creatives due
3D CX 5.6
to its multifaceted facilities for aiding the generation of three-dimensional artwork. The 1. Artwork
app allows users to match or create 3D objects to and from images, build and edit in 3D “I start by preparing the artwork for all the
layers, render photorealistic 3D layers and generate live 3D web and PDF pages from panels in Adobe Illustrator,” Ripper says,
Photoshop layouts. The new CX edition adds more to the palette, offering a 3D texture guiding us through the step-by-step process
maker and exporter, COLLADA import and export, 8-bit processor support and more.
he uses. “Next, it is rasterised using Photoshop.”

EXHIBITION SAMPLE: “The Strata plug-in is useful when

creating exhibition stands as its real-scale function allows
accurate representation of objects. This gives our clients and
the set builders a true idea of how all the elements work
together” © RAY RIPPER, RAISE COMPOSITION

TAXI SAMPLE: “An example showing the application of flat

artwork to a Strata 3D object,” supplies Strata 3D fan Ray

CASE STUDY: Ripper. “Using the Strata plug-in within Photoshop, we were
able to produce presentations and the final graphics for our 2. 3D model
RAY RIPPER website” © RAY RIPPER, RAISE COMPOSITION “For the next section, I created a 3D illustration
www.raisenet.com of a trailer and its cab using Strata 3D.”

Managing director of creative branding agency Raise

Composition, Ray Ripper endorses the Strata 3D plug-in
with pride: “With Strata 3D, we are able to see exactly how
our designs will work in situ, which gives us the
opportunity to maximise our clients’ branding for any
given application.”
The professional explains to us how his firm uses the
plug-in as an interface between flat-panel artwork and
creating real-scale visuals for presentations and rebuild
branded projects: “This also alleviates frustrating delays
and costly rebuilds,” the pro says. He recently upgraded to
the CX version of the app: “We upgraded because we
needed the additional functionality that it provided, such
as creating perforated effects.”

SAVE!
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3. Finished image
09 “For the final part, I use Photoshop rather than
image mapping in Strata, which gives us more
flexibility on the accuracy of artwork position
and colour fidelity. The plug-in was useful as it
enabled seamless transition between software.”

Alternative options:
Andromeda’s Three-D Luxe 3.0 Redfield Plugins’ Jama 3D
• PRICE: £100/$129 • PRICE: Freeware
• WEBSITE: www.andromeda.com • WEBSITE: www.redfieldplugins.com

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 Professional plug-ins

VERTUS FLUID MASK 3

• PRICE: £99/$149
• WEBSITE: www.vertustech.com
• ABOUT THE PLUG-IN: The award-winning Fluid Mask 3 is one of the most popular
image-extraction plug-ins on the market. The app offers users a unique Smart
Blending tool, an effective edge-detection system and intuitive workflow resources.
Available for both Windows and Mac systems, Fluid Mask 3 also functions as a Using Vertus
standalone program or as a fully compatible plug-in for Adobe Photoshop CS4, as well
as all previous versions. The newest version of Fluid Mask is available for download
through the Vertus website.
Fluid Mask 3
CASE STUDY: Amanda Marie Sjamsudin
http://rotten-carcass.deviantart.com

“I can’t live without it!” bursts Photoshop fan Amanda Marie Sjamsudin. “I love using Fluid Mask because it’s a very
powerful Photoshop plug-in for creating cutouts from pretty much any background.”
The enthusiast explains that Fluid Mask 3 works on three principles: Keep, Delete and Complex. “The real beauty of
Fluid Mask is the wide range of methods it uses to apply the mask, depending on the different types of image,” she
says. “I use Fluid Mask in pretty much all of my work. It’s very simple to use and anyone can use it, whether you are a
beginner or an expert.”
So how does the Photoshop user harness it for her own creations? “I can get my work done a lot quicker than
before thanks to Fluid Mask, and I am more satisfied with the clean edges then when using the annoying Polygonal 1. Select your source
tool or the Eraser in Photoshop. I don’t have the patience to sit at my computer for hours to do several cutouts! Also, I Select the image that you wish to cut out from its
never seemed to like the edges on the finished cutout – it always looked messy and unfinished, like a knife had gone background. Here, Sjamsudin desired to isolate this
into it. It was so frustrating!” beautiful droplet-encrusted flower.

2. What to keep and delete 3. Cut out

You now select the area you wish to delete, which will All that is left to do now is remove the
appear with a red overlay once chosen. The area that has backdrop. The object is now removed and
been isolated is highlighted with a green overlay, with a the new blue backdrop won’t appear, as this
blue marker line separating the two. is actually transparent.

Alternative options:
onOne Software’s Mask Pro 4 Recomposit 2.0
• PRICE: £107/$159 (full); £70/$99 (upgrade) • PRICE: £28/$39
• WEBSITE: www.ononesoftware.com • WEBSITE: www.stepok.net

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 Feature

FRACTALIUS SAVE!
• PRICE: £28/$40
Re
• WEBSITE: www.redfieldplugins.com readedfield Plug
rs 20
• ABOUT THE PLUG-IN: Fractalius has become a popular plug-in for per ceins is offer
nt ing
Photoshop lovers as it delivers the tools to create unusual and eccentric simp plug- discount o
its
artwork in easy-to-implement processes. The firm Redfield Plugins coup ly by enteins, ff
www on code ring the
claims the effects are created based on the extraction of a ‘hidden .redfie ‘2011
fractal texture’ of a picture, which can also generate interesting lighting Orde ldplugin 8’ at
ringIn s.com
fo.htm /
and sketch effects.

Using “I have found the Fractalius plug-in most

Fractalius useful in creating fantasy-type images and for
enhancing details in floral pictures…
1. Add new items
“I took this shot of my daughter and decided Fractalius enables me to easily create a
to use Fractalius to create an ethereal fairy-tale
effect,” Nelson supplies. “First of all, I added
magical feeling to my photographs, which
various items, such as a flower, tree stump,
light mist and a new background.”
would be more difficult to achieve if I relied
upon Photoshop alone” – Angi Nelson

CASE STUDY: POPPY: Nelson takes a stunning image and, by using

2. Apply the plug-in
“After flattening all layers, I created a duplicate
layer then applied Fractalius. I chose to use the
Glow 80 option then altered the Scale to -28
and Brightness to -05.”
Angi Nelson
the Fractalius software, has been able to affect its texture
and colour, offering an almost tangible satin feel to the
petals of this poppy © ANGI NELSON
Redfield’s application Fractalius was launched in the
autumn of 2007 and has become one of the market’s 1.
most popular plug-ins. Angi Nelson, editor of Reptile
Care Magazine, explains why she is one of the software’s
biggest fans: “I have found the Fractalius plug-in most
useful in creating fantasy-type images and for
enhancing details in floral pictures.”
The enthusiast has created dozens of new and
improved versions of her personal photographs, and
says she is happy to experiment with the app’s toolset in
the pursuit of creativity. “Fractalius enables me to easily
create a magical feeling to my photographs, which
would be more difficult to achieve if I relied upon
Photoshop alone.”

2. 3.

3. Fade and feather

“I faded out the new layer by 75%, then
roughly selected the arm’s head, flower and
stump and began feathering this selection by
30 pixels and finely cutting it out. This allowed
me to retain some of the original details with
no hard edge between the layers.”

Alternative options:
Auto FX Software’s AmphiSoft’s Simplifier
Mystical Lighting • PRICE: Freeware
• PRICE: £120/$179 • WEBSITE: http://photoshop.msk.ru/as/
• WEBSITE: www.autofx.com simplifier.html

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resources
Apple MacBook Pro
The new 15-inch MacBook Pro delivers style and substance, making it
the ultimate creative tool when on the move
S leek and elegant, the latest MacBook Pro
upholds the evolving design excellence
associated with all Apple products. This is
undoubtedly due to modern consumers craving
style as much as substance, as the days of clunky
laptop computers are long gone.
The MacBook Pro is constructed from a single
piece of aluminium, which makes it every bit the
innovative device you would expect. This is said
to “make it years ahead of its time”, but the real
question to be asked revolves around its
functions. Just how has Apple modernised the
MacBook product line?
The MacBook Pro first of all provides an
impressive internal memory capacity, with up to
320GB of hard drive space. This means that you
will be able to install a variety of software without
any substantial memory issues, while also being
able to store, access and work on large creative
files at all times. The MacBook Pro also addresses
the need for frequent access, thus it provides
up to five hours of wireless activity. This
certainly makes it an optimum solution for
creatives and other users on the go, whether
college/university students working away
from the classroom or creatives working on
their portfolio on their way to that all-important
job interview.
FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH: The latest
inclusion of NVIDIA’s GeForce 9400M enriches visual
computing experiences for MacBook systems, more
than matching similar desktop machines
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If these two factors make it seem that the
MacBook Pro is dealing constructively with
creative issues, it proves to be beneficial for
users in other significant ways. Take, for
instance, the NVIDIA GeForce 9400M
integrated graphics processor as well as the
9600M GT discrete graphics processor with
512MB. These will allow you to get the most
from your graphics-intensive software.
When coupled with the utilities of the
trackpad’s smooth glass surface, the NVIDIA
operation makes you forget all about the need
for a mouse. This spacious and extremely
touch-sensitive area allows enough room to
use one hand for on-screen tracking, while
using the other to activate and operate on-
screen items with fluid click motions. When
coupled with Photoshop CS4, actions such as
zoom, scroll and orientation become almost
intuitive. By fixing one hand on the trackpad,
you can use the other to rotate an image
clockwise or anticlockwise simply by scrolling
up and down on the pad, while scrolling left to
right zooms in and out of the image.
MORE MEMORY FOR YOUR MONEY: With up to
8GB of 1,066MHz DDR3 memory, you can run more
applications at once and instantly access even more of
your photo, video and graphic files
“It addresses the
need for frequent
access, providing
five hours of
wireless activity…
making it an
optimum solution
for creatives on
the go”
All of this means that image editing and
intense Photoshop work is much easier,
while the access of on-screen windows and files
is first-rate. But users will have to acclimatise to
these functions to appreciate them. Additionally,
if you want to produce more hands-on
application, a mouse or Wacom graphics tablet is
still preferable.
The ergonomics of the built-in keyboard and
trackpad does makes application extremely
manageable. With the trackpad in a central
position, there is adequate empty space
available either side for comfortable
manoeuvring of hands and wrists, and likewise
when moving up to use the keyboard for typing.
The new MacBook Pro also features an ultra-
thin 15-inch LED-backlit display. This seems
equally bright and brilliant from the moment
you turn it on, and the feeling remains
throughout your working process. It really
will help you to appreciate clear viewing of all
the on-screen graphics, as well as highlight the
most sensitive exposures and colour areas in
your design. Additionally, it is completely arsenic-
10/2/09 14:48:35

and mercury-free, making the MacBook Pro
more power efficient than ever, according to
Apple in any case – and we’re all for ecocentric
design these days.
However, as most people reading this review
will be a consumer with previous experience in
laptop usage, it is important to make aware the
fact that the screen type for the latest MacBook
version is glossy or nothing. For those of you
opposed to this type of display, then it’s
obviously going to be a deal-breaker, and the
mere thought of this may dissuade your initial
longing for this high-end machine. That said, the
MacBook Pro’s LED-backlit screen performs
extremely well as previously mentioned, so it is
worth at least getting down to an Apple store
and testing it out before you make that all-
important final judgment.
“The general
smoothness
and the lack of
joins gives this
machine even
more of a space-
age look and feel
than previous
versions”
088-089_AVP_54_MacbookReview.ind89 89
ERGONOMICS (ABOVE): Its redesigned key space area gives the
MacBook Pro more room for even more gestures
THE PERFECT VIEW: Seamless glass
and instant fullscreen brightness make
everything you see on the MacBook Pro
flat-out spectacular
Reverting back to the notable design
changes, the result of which is a
comprehensively sturdy machine from Apple
with seemingly equal strength on all sides. The
general feel of smoothness personified with the
lack of joins gives this machine even more of a
space-age look and feel than previous versions.
The tiny touches of brilliance are what really set
this computer apart; the battery indicator is now
to the side of the MacBook Pro and uses a set of
tiny LEDs, and you can access the battery by
using a finger. Overall, Apple really has provided
a touch of excellence with this laptop. 5
Manufacturer: Apple
Web: www.apple.com
Price: Starts from £1,369
(approximately $2,026)
Spec: Ultra-thin 15-inch LED-
backlit display
High-performance
NVIDIA graphics
All-new, smooth glass Multi-
Touch trackpad
Precision aluminium
unibody enclosure
320GB of hard drive space
Summary: Another dynamic, sexy and
considerate software-packed creative
solution from Apple. Certainly the next
generation of laptop that prides itself on its
ability to let designers across the board
access maximum application on the go.
Rating: 5/5
resources
Feel the
GeForce
Why have Apple gone with NVIDIA?
Apple’s inclusion of the NVIDIA graphics card
on the MacBook Pro has opened up all kinds
of productive avenues, going even further
beyond the creative capabilities that are
associated with laptop types. “We’ve
combined the power of three different chips
into one highly compact and efficient
graphics processing unit,” reveals Jeff Fisher,
senior vice president of the GPU Business
Unit at NVIDIA. “In doing so, we have
redefined the level of performance people
can expect from a motherboard solution to
enrich visual computing experiences for
MacBook systems.”
Fisher offers further explanation: “The
NVIDIA GeForce 9400M is a single-chip, high-
performance, highly integrated design that is
ideal for notebooks and smaller computing
devices. It features 16 parallel-processing
cores that deliver a whopping 54 GFLOPs of
processing power, making it the most
powerful integrated GPU on the market
today. It also delivers long-lasting battery
power, allowing consumers to watch a
complete, full-length HD movie on a single
charge, and provides access to the parallel
processing power of the GPU for a variety of
visual computing applications, including
Adobe Creative Suite 4. The GeForce 9400M
gives users the performance of a discrete
GPU in the small, sleek form factors of the
Apple MacBook, MacBook Pro as well as the
MacBook Air.”
ADDED OOMPH: By running the integrated
NVIDIA GeForce 9400M processor, the 15- and 17-
inch MacBook Pro notebooks combine the
efficiency of an integrated graphics processor with
the desktop-class performance of a discrete
graphics processor
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resources

HP DreamColor LP2480zx
HP’s first move into professional colour is impressive, but not quite a bargain

Manufacturer: HP
Web: www.hp.com
Price: £1,949 (plus VAT)/$1,999
Spec: The world’s only colour-critical
LCD based on HP DreamColor
Engine technology
Support for over one billion
active colours
24-inch (60.96 centimetres)
diagonal display
1,920 x 1,200 at 60Hz resolution
1,000:1 contrast ratio (typical)
178-degree (typical)
viewing angle

A ccording to HP, the LP2480zx is a

collaboration between HP’s engineers
and the SKG DreamWorks movie studio,
which wanted a panel with a wide colour
gamut and good linearity for professional
movie work. The panel “displays billions of
colours”, although this seems to be more about TO
NDER OT
marketing than useful performance. Most high- @ ALEXA
end panels include 10, 12 or even 16-bit colour
processing, which exceeds this spec. In any case, LOOKING ANIMATED: While it can’t dance
human eyes can’t see billions of shades. or grow fur, the LP2480zx is a good way to view
Visually, this is a solid-looking panel, finished in software that can

dark charcoal with a silver clip-on stand. If you’d

rather use a desk arm, the usual VESA mounting
points are included. Where HP has sometimes
packed all kinds of stickers, flashes and other
distractions onto its cheaper panels, the
LP2480zx is a professional product with a more
minimal and less distracting finish. This is very
much a good thing because any professional
panel should be as neutral as possible, and logos,
flashes, splashes and silver trim aren’t something
you’ll want to see when you’re editing.
Mechanically, the panel is solid, with tilt, swivel
and height adjust, and an option to rotate into
portrait mode. Although as with other HP panels,
this isn’t engineered very successfully, because
the panel scrapes the base when you spin it.
Neither a hood nor calibrator are included in the
price. You’ll need to pay an extra £60 (plus
“Where most controls are
VAT)/$129 and £150 (plus VAT)/$349 respectively,
which seems mean-spirited given the high
starting cost.
The on-screen controls are some of the best
we’ve seen. Where most controls are black on
black and nearly invisible, the LP2480zx includes
an attractive green back light for the buttons,
which appears when you press them. Legending
appears on the panel itself, making this feature
unusually easy to use. Electronically, there’s every
connector you’re likely to need on the rear,
including DVI, HDMI and S-Video/Composite
video. A picture-in-picture feature means you
can preview one input while viewing another.
Performance is very good, with excellent
heritage, video performance is slightly fuzzy.
The 12ms switching time isn’t fast, so there is
some smearing.
While there’s a lot to like about the LP2480zx,
the only serious criticism is that at 24 inches, the
1,920 x 1,200 resolution isn’t generous. A few
years ago this would have seemed like a
convincing high-end product, but HP’s
competitors are supplying larger panels with
professional performance at affordable prices.
The colour performance and the list of features is
impressive, but anyone looking for a professional
panel for Photoshop work may also want to try
out some of the competition as well.

black on black and nearly colour accuracy and an exceptionally wide

gamut, which covered sRGB and Adobe 1998
Summary: The LP2480zx is certainly a

invisible, the LP2480zx with ease. The supplied profiles for Windows and
worthy competitor when matched against
the alternatives, but given the relatively high
includes an attractive green OS X weren’t quite perfect; an extra calibration
pass showed some minor errors, but most users
price, it doesn’t quite offer enough to deliver
a compelling knockout blow.
back light for the buttons” wouldn’t notice the difference in ordinary use.
Rating: 4/5
Perhaps surprisingly, given this panel’s movie

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Alien Skin Bokeh
A whole host of lenses in one box? It’s the ultimate money-
saver for those who need professional photographic effects
Manufacturer: Alien Skin Software
Web: www.alienskin.com
Price: $199 (approximately £136)
About: Extensive preset options
Colour-generated vignettes
Professional lens effects
Multiple diaphragm settings
Advanced brightness controls
A s the latest addition to the Alien Skin
Software product range, Bokeh promises
much in the way of innovation. The plug-in
acts as a cost-effective solution, simulating
professional photographic lens effects at a
fraction of the cost of the physical hardware.
Upon installation and activation, the Bokeh
dialog box provides three options through the
Photoshop Filter menu. The first of these is
Settings. Acting as presets, users can apply
INSET IMAGE: Wilco Prinsen, www.sxc.hu
BACKUP BOKEH: Bokeh effects are nondestructive
when activating the Create Output In New Layer Above
Current option. This ensures Photoshop produces an
independent Bokeh effect layer in your Layers palette
091_AVP_54_BokehReview.indd 91
LIVE
ASSESSMENT
(LEFT AND
BELOW): A Revert
icon in the option
bar, found at the
top of the interface,
lets you make real-
time judgements on
your application
and effects, serving
as a before-and-
after comparison
on the screen
quick and easy photographic effects at the
click of a button. Loading times are minimal,
while settings include many different
sophisticated lens styles.
Once you have established a preset, you can
go on to make some adjustments to fine-tune
the effect to suit your needs based on the
preset that you are working with. You can
establish focal regions, blur amounts and
exposure impact within your imagery. There are
two Focus Region options other than None.
First, Radial produces a focus parameter around
your images, using a simple drag-and-shape
diameter selection. This is really easy to use.
Planar works in a gradient capacity by dragging
from a central point to an outer point,
establishing a gradually fading focus.
However, you’ll get the best effects through
setting the Amount and Aperture Control
accurately. These include the Creamy
percentage, Blade Curvature and Highlight
Control. Bokeh Amount simply establishes the
strength of your effects, as Creamy controls the
resources
delineation of your blurred edges. We found
that this operated to great effect and again
was simple enough to function.
However, Bokeh users would benefit from
having a knowledge of working with
Photoshop’s selection and masking functions
when producing multiple focuses, which, of
course, can become time-consuming. Bokeh
does not provide the capacity to do this
natively, but it will recognise your selections or
masks. When handling portrait and macro
images, Bokeh is a dream. However,
approaching perspective images is where
knowledge of Photoshop is ideal to get the
best effects. The Planar Focus Region works in
a basic one-layer fashion, meaning blurring
lacks the necessary depth perception of a true
photographic lens.
You may think that this factor diminishes the
impact of the Bokeh plug-in. However, once
processes are mastered, effects are worthwhile
and almost as good as the real thing. We are
also impressed with the consideration of the
Highlight controls. This option allows you to
make the most of your image lighting and
sustain the exposure that can be lost with the
application of blurring effects, which is great
for those night-time landscape photos.
All in all, Alien Skin’s Bokeh overcomes its
difficulties to provide users with the ability to
manipulate aesthetic quality in their
photographic images.
EXTRA EFFECTS: Bokeh provides you with full control
over vignette effect application, including feathering
and shape tools, such as the radial sweet spot
Summary: Alien Skin’s Bokeh does precisely
the job that it is intended to do. Advanced
effects can be achieved through necessary
Photoshop knowledge, but Bokeh certainly
allows users to create professional-standard
effects as promised.
Rating: 4/5
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10/2/09 14:51:05
resources
Imagenomic Portraiture 2
If you do a lot of photo retouching, then this plug-in promises to save you time and
effort over using the standard Photoshop controls – but it comes at a price
Manufacturer: Imagenomic
Web: www.imagenomic.com
Price: $199.95 (approximately £131)
About: Detail smoothing options
Intuitive Skin Tones Mask
operations included
Six sophisticated
enhancement options
Batch-processing capabilities
One-click commercial presets
I
magenomic’s latest plug-in release,
Portraiture 2, promises to offer an
enhanced option set in comparison to its
predecessor, which in itself was well-received
by the photo-retouching community. Its
aim is to reduce the amount of time that you
spend in Photoshop, while still giving you
fantastic results.
If you already have a tried-and-tested
retouching routine in Photoshop, then
adapting to using a plug-in won’t necessarily
be that smooth. You’ll probably be crying out
for more hands-on control than that offered,
wanting to tweak your image from scratch.
With Portraiture 2, adjustments are intelligently
made by default as soon as you open the
image. From here, you can select a different
preset or adjust the default adjustments to suit.
Slidebars are used to change everything
from the Sharpness, Softness and Contrast, to
the skin treatment and colour. These are
coupled with Portraiture 2’s powerful masking
system to produce professional effects in
seconds. Masks are automatically generated
based on your chosen image and preset,
enabling you to refine the treatment easily and
simply. However, you must begin from one of
the presets included.
IMAGE: Debby Gerhardt, www.sxc.hu
EXTRA ENHANCEMENTS: You can specify the
Smoothening degree for different detail sizes, and
adjust the Sharpness, Softness, Warmth, Brightness and
Contrast for maximum control and sophisticated effects
with a simple set of slidebars
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092_AVP_54_PortraitureReview.ind92 92
MAXIMISE YOUR
WORKFLOW: Auto-
Mask is also very
useful when batch
processing. It creates
the masks
automatically based
on the image’s unique
skin tone range
IMAGE: Helmut Gevert, www.sxc.hu
These professional-standard presets apply
instant popular effects, saving you time in
post-production. Presets include Default, High
Key, Low Key, Glamour, Tones and several
Smoothing options. These are the most
common effects that photo retoucher will
need to achieve and each is explained briefly
under its title in the drop-down Presets menu.
From here, you can make enhancements to
the preset options. Detail Smoothing options,
for example, include Fine, Medium and Large.
Each one is applicable to various regions
within your image and each slider amount
corresponds to how much smoothing is
applied to each area. So, for example, if you
wish to smooth out large areas, such as a
model’s cheeks or forehead, yet produce sharp
and detailed eyes, you can.
The unique Skin Tones Masks complement
all other options within Portraiture 2 and act as
a simple selection tool – though the masks
themselves are actually quite complex. By
activating the Pick Mask Color tool, you can
designate a specific skin tone area by simply
clicking on your photograph. The tones
selected will be isolated through intuitive
masking functions. Portraiture 2 also provides
users with a new real-time Mask Preview
palette that allows you to monitor and
LESS OF THE LAYERS (LEFT): Rather than having
to stack up alpha mask selections to isolate tonal
values, Portraiture 2 does it all in one sitting and a
single workspace
CREATE AT YOUR LEISURE: Presets are such a
great starting point and again save vast amounts of
application time in an instant, allowing you to simply
refine and tune effects, but you must chose one of them
to get started
maintain your selections of desired image
areas at all times. The Expand Mask Color tool
allows you to extend your initial selection
parameters, affecting more individual image
areas. Activating the Auto-Mask produces great
automatic results and optimal starting points
before fine-tuning.
The Skin Tones Mask slider options also
incorporate two new practical additions since
the software’s last incarnation. Now users have
maximum control with Feathering and
Fuzziness options, individually smoothing
mask edges and able to increase or decrease
tonal selections within masked areas. Include
the Enhancement settings, where you can
refine image effects using options to sharpen,
warm and adjust image exposure, and
Portraiture 2 becomes an all-inclusive
sophisticated plug-in that allows you to create
professional effects fast.
Summary: Portraiture 2 is a worthy plug-in
for those who spend a lot of time retouching
model shots. It’s easy to use and the results
are very impressive for just a few minutes of
work. We’d like to see more presets become
available to make it even more worthwhile.
Rating: 4/5
10/2/09 14:52:25

NEC SpectraView 3090
NEC’s 30-inch monster aims to set a new standard in widescreen,
wide-gamut performance
Manufacturer: NEC
Web: www.nec-display-solutions.co.uk
Price: £2,605/$2,449 (approximate
street price)
Spec: Enormous 30-inch 2,560 x
1,600 resolution
12-bit colour control
Portrait and landscape operation
Colour management software
Two DVI inputs
W hile everyone loves the huge working
area of a 30-inch panel, previous
models of this size have compromised on
colour accuracy and back light evenness. The
most recent generation of wide-gamut panels
has shown a respectable colour range, but
there’s still been room for improvement.
NEC’s SpectraView 3090 aims to combine
professional colour accuracy and evenness with
a gigantic panel size, without compromising
either. Out of the box, this is a huge product and
needs a huge desk area. Mechanically, it offers
the full range of tilt, swivel and height adjust, and
can also be swivelled through 90 degrees for use
THE BIG ONE: 30 inches is around 75cm,
so you’ll need a metre of desk space for
this giant
093_AVP_54_MonitorReview.indd 93
in portrait mode. The on-screen controls are at
the bottom right, and feel positive and
reasonably easy to use. Electronically, there are
two switchable DVI inputs, and also a USB
connector that interfaces with the supplied
SpectraView software. This is available in a
standard version in the US and a special
extended version with extra features in the UK
and EU.
Where most calibration software creates an 8-
bit profile, which is used by Windows or OS X to
correct for colour distortions, the SpectraView
tool adjusts the monitor’s own 12-bit colour
look-up tables, creating a much more accurate
result. NEC doesn’t supply a colorimeter, but
suggests that only the latest wide-gamut
models, such as the Eye-One Display 2 from
Xrite, are compatible with the SV3090’s wide-
gamut display. Calibration with an older
calibrator with a more limited colour range may
not be accurate, because this panel is designed
with a very wide gamut, which covers all of the
sRGB and Adobe 1998 colour spaces.
In use, this feels like a professional tool that
does the job with minimum fuss. Once
@ FABIAN WARNKE
resources
“What you see
is what you get.
Colours are rich
and intense,
and the back
lighting is almost
supernaturally
smooth and even”
calibration is completed, what you see is what
you get. Colours are rich and intense, and the
back lighting is almost supernaturally smooth
and even. One minor ‘gotcha’ is that the SV3090
isn’t happy when paired with an older Intel Mac.
Not all graphics cards can handle the 2,560 x
1,600 resolution, and dual-link DVI (which is not
the same as dual DVI) is essential. Another nit-
pick is that while the horizontal viewing angle is
very wide, the vertical viewing angle is more
restricted. Viewed from close-up, you’ll notice
some minor darkening at the top and bottom of
the panel. More distant viewing from a metre or
so away is recommended. Finally, NEC makes a
cheaper 30-inch 3090WQXi panel, which lacks
the colour accuracy of the SV3090. The model
names are so similar that it’s easy to get them
confused, but the WQXi is a very different
product aimed lower down the market.
Overall, this is a very impressive panel and one
that sets a new standard for 30-inch
performance. While the price isn’t low, it’s
unexpectedly competitive when matched
against other high-end colour-controlled
monitors. Some of the competition is still
charging more than £3,000 for 24-inch or lower
screen resolutions, so in its own up-market way,
the SV3090 is still something of a bargain. With
performance and specs that are hard to fault, this
is probably the best monitor around on the
market today.
Summary: Very much a professional
product, the SV3090 offers superb colour
performance combined with a huge 30-inch
working area. Given the target market, the
price is unexpectedly reasonable.
Rating: 5/5
93
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10/2/09 14:53:05
resources
The Anatomy Of Design
Expand your knowledge of modern graphic design with this in-depth title
exploring the influences and inspirations behind well-known imagery
Author/Publisher: Steven Heller/Rockport
Web: www.rockpub.com
Price: £18.99/$30
About: 49 recognisable contemporary designs
Authored by Steven Heller, art director of the
NY Times Book Review, and Mirko Ilic, Dietwee’s pixel-based Ode To The Record Cover Girl and classic
proprietor of NY-based design firm Mirko
Ilic Corp
Work includes posters, book and record
covers, packages, catalogue covers and more
Gatefold, full-colour resource-packed pages
N o other title peels back the creative layers like The
Anatomy Of Design. This title is an in-depth look at
modern-day graphics and design, including recognisable logos,
typography, photographs and illustrations. All the design
examples in this book have been collected over the last couple
of years and show a diverse selection of imagery from a number
of different fields.
There are 49 exceptional examples of great design
throughout this interesting book. Each image is accompanied
by a thorough look at the design workflow and thought
Photoshop Lightroom 2
Adventure
A unique blend of coffee-table photo book and instructional manual –
but does it achieve both functions successfully?
Author/Publisher: Mikkel Aaland/O’Reilly
Web: www.oreilly.com
Price: $44.99/£34.50
About: Step-by-step instructions
Lavishly illustrated examples
Expert tips from on-location adventures
Updated software-related tips
Top contributors including Peter Krogh, Katrin
Eismann and more
P hotoshop Lightroom 2 Adventure is a comprehensive
title that presents a professional and practical look
at Adobe’s next-generation Photoshop tool for enthusiastic
digital photographers.
Marketed as ‘Instruction with inspiration’, not only will readers
find plenty of handy Lightroom advice, but they will also
discover a host of breathtaking images that will inspire and
demonstrate the techniques. Award-winning photographer and
bestselling author Mikkel Aaland and his team, which includes
18 colleagues and Adobe experts, contribute these stunning
94
Advanced Photoshop
094_AVP_54_Books.indd 94
processes behind the projects for an inspirational and useful
insight. In a unique layout, each project page folds out as a
gatefold to give further information on the project, making this
an exciting but essential resource. Some of our favourite
sections are Daniel Eatock’s contemporary Big Brother logos,
art-based digital X-ray project L’Espresso by Massimo Verrone,
Lowe Pirella Agency.
While this is not an instructional book in terms of providing
step-by-step guides, it is still educational, looking at how
designs past and present can influence modern graphics. In
Peel back: This title provides a unique cross
turn, this will help you to improve and expand your knowledge section of its finished projects, revealing how the
of creating graphics that work. With explanation from the
designers themselves, as well as an overview of a project and its
intended audience, this also serves as a guide to understanding
body of design influences contemporary practice
Summary: The Anatomy Of Design is an
and executing a brief – essential if you’re looking to make intriguing title that will certainly expand
money from your work. your attitudes towards how you piece
We really enjoyed the insight provided by this title and it will together your own artwork, and make
no doubt inspire you to broaden your creative horizon. you appreciate the evolution of your
Essentially, The Anatomy Of Design will make you recognise own and others’ design.
resources you may never have known or considered before, Rating: 4/5
helping to enhance your own thought processes.
photos, a catalogue of experiences from a trek around Tasmania.
This adds extra spice to the aesthetics of this title, not usually
seen in similar guides.
The book has 12 extensive chapters, but each technique is
broken down into easy-to-understand chunks. Each chapter
looks at one area of a typical workflow with clear screenshots
and explanations. Each process is broken down into digestible
step-by-steps, which allows you to expand your skills in an Top contributors: This title is brimming
with chief contributors from the photographic
easy-to-follow and concise fashion. Between each chapter you’ll industry, including Catherine Hall, Robert
find one of the contributing photographer’s portfolios with Edwards, Katrin Eismann and more
images from the trek. Full-coloured and high-res, these images
are fantastic examples of great photography, and there are also
large before and after images of photos worked on in
Summary: Photoshop Lightroom 2
Adventure accommodates techniques
Photoshop Lightroom 2. and effects, which provide a lot of fun
For us, the best chapter is Develop Great-Looking and won’t fail to inspire. Photographic
Photos, which has some excellent advice on colour calibration Photoshop users will undoubtedly find
and adjustment, perfect exposure and tonal balance. this resource essential when using
However, there is something here that will interest anyone Adobe’s latest Lightroom edition.
who has got the latest version of Lightroom and wants to use it Rating: 5/5
to its best.
10/2/09 14:54:02
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095_AVP_54_CLTVHouseAd.indd 1 27/1/09 16:56:16