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Create vexel art | Dramatic exposure effects | Spherical panoramas in CS4 | Interview: Scott Lukowski
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New to CS4: rotate around the interior of a From badges to toys, we show you 55
building with this great panoramic feature how to plaster your art on anything 9 771748 727009
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Editor in Chief Jo Cole
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trends in digital art creation. That’s why
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Sub Editor Sam Robson
we spend our time trawling the Group Art Editor Lora Barnes
Head of Design Ross Andrews
internet and our online gallery, Contributors
Debbi Allen, Jeff M. D Guzman, Ben Harvell, Natalie Johnson,
figuring out what’s popular and Lars Meyer, Kirk Nelson, Josie Reavely and Sarah Teer
Advertising
bringing it into the mag. Digital or printed media packs are available on request.
This month is no exception. For a start, we have a Commercial Director Ross Webster
☎ 01202 586418
re re d o rs s
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tutorial looking at how you can create dramatic
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give it a go – and now you can too, by following Head of Digital Projects Stuart Dixon
our in-depth six-page guide to getting started. Multimedia Editor Steve Litton
apxtrahelp@imagine-publishing.co.uk
Other tutorials look at surreal photomontages,
International
concept art for videogames and creating spherical Advanced Photoshop is available for licensing. Contact the
panoramas in CS4 Extended. Add this to our four-page International department to discuss partnership opportunities.
International Manager Cathy Blackman
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through to plastering your work over office 13-issue subscription (UK) – £62.30
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walls. There’s loads of great advice here to get you 13-issue subscription (ROW) – £80
on the right track. Circulation
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The publisher cannot accept responsibility for any unsolicited material lost
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4
Advanced Photoshop TORS
004_AVP_55_EdIntro.indd 4 4/3/09 12:21:43
Cover
Cover image
Vexel art is one of those art forms that comes quietly
out of nowhere and builds into a huge style that
everyone wants to know how to emulate.
deviantART gave it its own category on the popular
Imageer:
community site, recognising its rather large
SARAH TEER
following. It’s for the hardcore Photoshopper – it’s
time-consuming and it’ll kill your system, but it looks
fantastic! Sarah Teer is a master of the technique and
shares her advice in our tutorial on page 50. “Vexel art is time-consuming,
/ http://sarahchristine.org
but it looks fantastic”
5
Advanced Photoshop
ISSUE #55
inside... 36
Professional concept
art explained
INSIGHT
News and showcases from around the globe
News
08
08
Showcase: Alexis Taieb 12
Showcase: Joshua M Smith 14
Showcase: Emeric Trahand 16
Showcase: Fabio Sasso 18
COMMUNITY 22
Our readers’ comments, feedback and images
from our mailbox, email, website and forum
Mailbox 22
THE COVER On the web 24
If you want to learn how to create the image on our Web challenge winners 28
cover, then turn to page 50 to find out everything
that you need to know about vexel art
HELP 74
Tips, techniques and problems solved
Helpdesk 74
RESOURCES 90
Vital assets to improve your Photoshop work
6
Advanced Photoshop
© Scott Lukowski
FEATURES/REGULAR TECHNIQUES
Insightful interviews and in-depth articles Essential guides to professional Photoshop skills
7
Advanced Photoshop
EASY DOES IT
: The latest Wa
easy to use an com offering is
d comfortable
to hold
8
Advanced Photoshop
PHOTOSHOP
FRIENDS UNITED
Have you found Adobe Groups yet?
Designed as an easy way to meet
9
Advanced Photoshop
NEWS:
Not one to be left behind, Nikon has introduced a range compose images using either the viewfinder or LCD and,
of COOLPIX compacts to extend its range and the flagship for the sports shooters, you can even record frames from
of these is the new P90. before you press the shutter release. And all for just £379!
A bridge camera sporting the looks of a DSLR coupled
Q&A
with the functionality of a compact, the P90 has a number
of features to tempt the creative shooter. LONG-RANGE SHOOTING: The front of the
P90 boasts a 24x zoom lens with 26mm wide-
First off, there’s the large, three-inch, vari-angled LCD, angle capability
which is ideal for high- and low-angled shooting. The in-
camera editing features Quick Retouch and D-Lighting
(which helps create perfect exposures) and anti-blur, auto
f
range of themes and application of www.nikon.co.uk
the software. I have entered before
and was honoured to have been
recognised by winning the Artistic
category on two previous occasions.
10
Advanced Photoshop
9780240811147
made this
Gobelins: “I
belins
poster for the Go
e (School
L’Ecole de L’Imag I was
en
of the Image) wh it
I did
studying there.
Kewa
with my friend
ii.com). He
(www.kewash
nster
created the mo
ile I did the
characters, wh
e
typography. Th
s
composition wa hop,
otos
produced in Ph
of the
integrating all
s together”
visual element
From here to
fame:
“From Here to Fam
e was a
Parisian crew that
organised a few pa
rties. I
produced all the flye
rs.
Following a rough
that
scanned, I redrew the I
type
and the illustrations
with
Photoshop brushe
s”
12
Advanced Photoshop
Alexis Taieb an SH KS pa
his is a flyer fo
MInimix: “T made the
rty. I
Illustrator,
whole type in h that I made
r
ug
Website: www.tyrsa.fr follow in g a ro
paper first. Th
en
Clients: SHKS, DDB, Draftfcb, Publicis on a sheet of
ke d th e lig ht and
I wor hop
cts in Photos
shadows effe
te de pt h”
Paris-based graphic designer Alexis Taieb is a recognisable digital talent, whose to crea
own skills evolved from more traditional methods. Venturing into graffiti over a
decade ago, Taieb learnt much that shaped his expressive understanding of
typography: “It gave me the opportunity to learn about things like colour
sensitivity or the shaping of letters from complicated forms.”
As his skills matured, he eventually explored the digital format. Photoshop in
particular has become an integral creative device of his. “I’d rather work on
Photoshop than Illustrator because vector forms look cold,” explains Taieb. “Even
if I start my work with vectors, I end up using Photoshop to include textures or
add lighting effects. I feel way more comfortable with Photoshop as it gives me a
sense of freedom.” However, Taieb does not leave the entire creative process in
digital hands. “I always get my roughs on paper,” he explains. “It’s very important
for me to start my graphic process this way. I think you lose some spontaneity
with the computer medium.”
He also gets by with a little help from his friends. Making up part of the SHKS
crew (www.lickmyshks.com), Taieb produces design that ultimately keep his
creative juices flowing: “For them, I do visuals such as mix tape covers, party
flyers, even jewellery design in a recent collaboration with Adeline Affre. All these
personal projects are important to me, as the work I do for big clients, such as
DDB and Publicis, doesn’t always allow me to express what I like doing. I’d be
really frustrated if I couldn’t do these personal works.”
13
Advanced Photoshop
Joshua Smith’s experiences with digital media started back in 1998. His love affair
with artistic education turning sour, he rode the wave of creative enthusiasm and
became a totally self-taught artist. Out of pure passion, he evolved his creative skills
by himself.
However, this meant making huge sacrifices, which were made apparent quickly,
as Smith recalls his first commission. After posting avatar illustrations at a band
portal, he was contacted by a large record company: “During the summer, I drove
45 minutes each day to the college computer lab to work on the illustration. It was a
very painful $500 that I made, but totally worth it because I learned a lot quickly.“
This determination has certainly paid off, seeing him work for some impressive
clients, including Lucasfilm, Mattel and Hasbro. “A lot of my work is within the
snowboard and action sports community,” he reveals. “To be honest, you can find
pieces pretty easily in the market that I have touched in one form or another, from
custom pieces I’ve developed or clip art that was sold via You Work For Them.”
Success to him is as much about attitude as it is about ability. This becomes clear
when he explains his own style, saying: “In a generic form, I am first a vector
illustrator, typographer and graphic designer. As far as doing pieces in Photoshop, I
don’t plan really. I just go in with an idea and gather up resources from various stock
sites. When people ask, I try to avoid saying ‘freelance’, even if it is that, but instead
just say I run a graphic design company. Both are true, but the term freelancer has a
‘less than’ feel.”
Waist Deep:
“Website mock-
up for the movie
Waist Deep for
Evoke LA. The
idea was to
develop
something that
had many layers,
which could be
used in the site’s
functionality”
14
Advanced Photoshop
You might remember Emeric Trahand’s work from the cover of issue 46 of Advanced Photoshop. However,
he has also had a number of high-profile clients and advertising campaigns in his time. The 27-year-old
French designer and illustrator, who divides his time between his home country and New York, has
surprisingly only been involved in digital creation for three years. Art has always been a part of his life,
though: “As far as I can remember, I’ve always been drawing, sketching, painting walls, doing graffiti on my
sneakers… still, I didn’t really ever imagine I could end up as a professional designer.” He’s come a long way
from his first commissions through friends, creating graphics for album covers or flyers.
Photoshop has played a huge part in his progression: “I think I started ‘playing’ with Photoshop a few
years back, and felt that the potential of digital tools was huge. I just kept experimenting, worked on very
small projects, tried to get better results and, with time and experience, I started to be a full-time designer.”
Trahand has plenty of work to keep him busy for the foreseeable future: “I’ve just finished a piece for the
UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) and do have a few collaborations on the go. One is with the
photographer Bert Spangemacher, who I had the chance to meet in NYC. I also collaborate with Henrik
Rypkema and Man Hoang, the co-founders of computerlove (www.cpluv.com), and have some more long-
term projects with multidisciplinary designer/illustrator, Cita Sadeli.”
16
Advanced Photoshop
wear
Ins2one street
Piece.
2: “Commissioned
A4 magazine ad, for ter
win
Ins2one Streetwear
collection. 2008”
Quantum: “Commissioned piece.
Gustav Magazine/Swatch. Illustrating
the new Swatch James Bond villains
collection. 2008”
17
Advanced Photoshop
18
Advanced Photoshop
Fabio Sasso
Websites: http://abduzeedo.com, http://fabiosasso.com/
Clients: PSDTUTS, Abduzeedo
Brazilian Fabio Sasso is the man behind the popular design blog Abduzeedo, which
looks at the very best digital creations daily. Sasso is a graphic and web designer
based in Porto Alegre who indulges in personal work for the blog site, as well as
work for clients through the studio he co-founded, Zee (http://zee.com.br/).
Sasso has a degree in Graphic Design, which has helped to develop his work:
“When I was in college, I thought that was a waste of time – now I see that it was
important. Mainly because of the nice background you get in Art History and other
similar subjects.” He began as an intern in 1999, then five years ago he started Zee
along with a friend. In 2006, the studio was robbed and they lost everything, forcing
them to start everything from scratch. The Abduzeedo blog began as a way to back
up all Sasso’s work: “Fortunately, the blog grew more than I expected and my
tutorials got quite popular. That has helped me to get more work worldwide.”
Sasso’s images might have a contemporary look, but they are actually inspired by
days gone by: “I’m really into the Eighties style, mixing RGB colours and light effects.
Photoshop is great for that, the blending modes and filters work just great. My
favourite technique is using elements in white with the Color Dodge blending
mode and a bit of blur over a background with dark gradients. It creates a nice
glowing effect.”
19
Advanced Photoshop
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
Obviously, your ‘layout’ artists are young
and innovative.
That brings me to a minor criticism; I’m
reaching the end of my working life, and find
that some text in your magazine has become
very hard to read. Take for instance the answers
in your Mailbox. The text is so faint that it has
become illegible to me.
Another place I encounter difficulty is where
white type is used on a pale orange background.
Colleagues of similar ages to me have the same
problems. Given time, we will all get older and
our eyesight will deteriorate, but that doesn’t
mean we should be excluded from some truly
great reading.
be used in work that’s not for sale” the magazine that you think needs improving,
then let us know!
22
Advanced Photoshop
FROM: jules247
I like your thinking! Many times AP refers
to the reader dropping in on Illustrator to
reasons I did begin to buy it was to get some of do this, that and the other… it may be nice
the nice tutorials, plus some brushes, textures if they did include the odd tut for those
and images. who are not that familiar to Illustrator.
However, I did read that the textures and
images are for private use only. So does this FROM: Illustrator
mean I can’t even use some elements of the I wouldn’t like to see mixed tutorials in the
images/textures in any design/art piece I make mag, sorry. I buy it utterly for Photoshop
that I want to sell? and want as much out of it as possible for
Photoshop work. I know what you mean
Editor replies: Hi Linus, I’m glad that you like the about the references that are made to just
magazine! The price can be high in some nipping into another program; we want to
countries, so it is a lot cheaper to take out a follow it and be able to immerse ourselves
subscription; see my reply to the letter below to CD RESOURCES: The contents of our CD are for in the complete process, but an
find out more about our subscription costs. personal use only, but visit the original suppliers’ indulgence into cross-program tutoring
websites for information on using them in
All the content on our discs is for non- commercial works would be editorial space I would rather not
commercial use only, so it can only be used in give up.
artwork that is not intended for sale. However, we discovered your magazine; it has become my I would prefer that if there were any
always ensure that we include the website source of inspiration and my daily read. I would aspects of other programs I needed to
information of each supplier of content for the just like to know, is there a subscription service know in order to follow a tutorial, I would
disc. In many cases, you will find that by visiting for the US? I would really, really like to subscribe! rather research it by other means than lose
the supplier’s website, you will find information space in the magazine for what could be
about how the images or brushes can be used for Editor replies: Kristopher, I love your enthusiasm! potentially more Photoshop information,
commercial work. Sometimes you will need to And the good news is that you can subscribe from hints and tips.
donate a fee to the supplier, but in other cases you the US. A World subscription costs £80, which is for
might just have to give them a credit – it’s worth 13 issues and includes all postage costs. At the
taking a look if you want to use the content in time of writing, £80 was roughly equivalent to
your commercial work. $115 USD, which is less than $9 USD per issue. For
those readers in Europe, the cost of a subscription
is £70 and in the UK it is £62.30 (or £25.15 every six
SUBJECT: Subscription queries issues, which saves you even more). You can
FROM: Kristopher, San Francisco subscribe via www.imaginesubs.co.uk, or using
Greetings. My name is Kristopher, a 3D the forms inside this issue on pages 25 and 72. Can you help fellow readers?
Animation student at the Academy of Art Even better, you don’t have to wait for each issue www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk
University in San Francisco. I’m very happy that I to hit the shops, so you’ll get your copies sooner.
23
Advanced Photoshop
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!
FUTURISTIC CITYSCAPE
ARTIST: Sorin Bechira
WEB: www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk/user/bechira
ZEHELLIANOZ
ARTIST: Naethen Lie
WEB: www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk/ S.O.S.
user/nae ARTIST: Jeff Michelmann
WEB: www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk/user/gucken
“I’m a 21-year-old freelance graphic
designer and digital artist based in “I am a 20-year-old self-taught hobby artist living in Germany. I
Indonesia. I have really fallen in love created this piece with photomanipulation techniques, 3D
with photomanipulation and abstract and painted elements. The meanings behind this picture are
for doing all my artwork. I made this the boundaries of humankind and the bad happenings that
piece in Photoshop and imported may occur by trying to exceed them. Although this picture is
some details from Illustrator and already some months old, I am still very proud of it because I
CINEMA 4D. I started picking the reached a new level by using techniques that were very new
right image stock for the artwork and to me. This piece couldn’t have been created without the
made some contrast fire to bring constant support of my family and friends. Also, the person
more detail to the artwork.” you see in that picture is actually me!”
24
Advanced Photoshop
Web challenge
The winners THI
Challenge reference: AP 054
MO S
On our website, www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk/competitions.php, we run a web
P NT
RI H’
challenge where you are asked to create an image in Photoshop using at least one
of three images provided. These challenges are updated monthly and they are
ZE S
becoming increasingly popular, so get your entries in for a chance to win.
Check out the website for details of our latest challenge and how to enter. The
winner will collect a special prize for that month (prizes change frequently) and will
also have their design printed in the magazine, along with two runners-up.
Our prize this month is a copy of the latest
Advanced Photoshop: The Premium
Challenge start images
Collection Volume 3. This contains our
pick of the very best tutorials, interviews,
profiles and features from the last year of
Advanced Photoshop magazine.
MY POLAROID GIRLS
ARTIST: Robb Castaneda
WEB: http://neda.carbonmade.com
G-DIMENSION
ARTIST: Giuseppe Parisi
WEB: www.g2-studio.com
BEHIND EVERY “This image is a
HAND, THERE composite background,
ARE TALENTS created by blending
ARTIST: Frederic three different photos.
David Cerveaux The door was
WEB: www. manipulated to appear
advancedphotoshop.co.uk/ open, and an energy
user/onemansoul sphere was created
using clouds and Liquify
“I saved some images filter in PS. Some digital
generated from Apophysis, painting of shadows and
then blended each into the lights made all the
picture by playing with elements of the scene
different blending modes.” perfectly match.”
28
Advanced Photoshop
We love this image and the way that the mannequin image has been integrated into the piece. Irvan tells
us how it was created: “The image was created using the mannequin photo. There were two mannequins,
so I used one’s body and other’s face. I repainted the head and did all the swirls by hand. I made this with
lots of layers, smudging and blurring to create the smooth marble effect on the mannequin’s skin. I also
played a lot with Curves, Hue/Saturation and the Bevel filter.”
29
Advanced Photoshop
S
cott Lukowski is an artist who Lukowski took immense pleasure in immersing take on the superhero world, and was listed as
specialises in making fantasy become a himself in this parallel world, enforcing his own one the 100 best novels of all time by Time.
reality. As one of the leading concept creative slant. Translating Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ iconic
designers in the entertainment industry today, it is “For the most part, my work on Watchmen was work into a big-screen adaptation posed some
his responsibility to make a significant a hybrid of key frame art and conceptual design,” interesting challenges.
contribution to the filmmaking process by he explains. “The evolution of each piece I “I had to maintain the original vision while
developing new vehicles and characters, as well created revealed a cinematic version, while creating something that could really exist.
as lavish environments. remaining true to the original graphic novel. The Everyone involved had a passion for their work,
Many of us have no problem spending our original graphic novel was famous for its unique and the end result shows this.”
hard-earned cash at the movies, and people like
X C LU SI V E
E !
IMAGE
Absolutely honoured
During his senior year, Lukowski was fortunate
enough to be one of four students honoured with
the Rickert-Ziebold Trust Fund Award, which was
WATCHMEN CONCEPT ART – TENEMENT an annual competition held for graduating art
INFERNO:: The Owl Ship approaches the building on majors at the university. He explains: “Not only was
fire, as the rescue begins this a huge honour, but it also made my ticket to
California a possibility. With my family’s support, I
packed my car with everything I owned and hit
Origins explains. “My parents noticed this interest and the road to Los Angeles.” He’s never looked back.
Getting results is a must in Lukowski’s line of encouraged it from an early age. By the time Lukowski took advantage of this head start in
design. “Realising the director’s vision is the key to I was in sixth grade, I decided I wanted to the industry, starting work as a visual effects artist.
concept art,” he reveals. “Achieving this goal often become an inventor. My concept drawings This involved sculpting and fabricating various
requires inspiration from many sources, reference grew and developed beyond the page, taking miniature on-screen elements from scratch for a
material from history or classical artworks, natural shape as primitive working prototypes I built variety of films. He explains: “When starting in this
and artificial lighting elements and, of course, the from disassembled electronics and various department, I had the opportunity to work with
source material if applicable. It’s always risky to raw materials I found lying around the house. and learn from some of Hollywood’s best at
take on the challenge of translating a beloved High school flew by, and when I had to choose various companies, including Digital Domain, Stan
world, story or character from a different form of a career path, the decision to major in Industrial Winston Studio and New Deal Studios.
media or era into a modern cinematic application Design was an easy one. It was a choice that “There, my work included a variety of vehicles,
that will be seen by millions.” balanced my passion for design and interest characters and architectural elements, some of
This is a challenge he is always willing to take in development.” which ended up in museums once filming was
up. Some would find such design overwhelming, Development is a word that seems to suit complete. During this stage of my career, I was
but not Lukowski. In fact, he has always found Lukowski, as he has become a leading light in the also able to incorporate my drawing and design
elaborate projects liberating. From an early age, he conceptual design arena. Over a career spanning talents where they were needed most. Every
has been fascinated with all things creative: “I 12 years, Lukowski has worked on blockbusters element of the piece had to be realised before it
loved drawing and making my own toys and including Superman Returns, Terminator 3, was completed for filming. Ultimately, this led me
vehicles from basic materials, and was also easily Armageddon and Titanic. But seeing just how far down the path to the art department, where my
absorbed with studying mechanical devices,” he he has come, where did it all begin? Exactly how career evolved.”
31
Advanced Photoshop
within Photoshop”
riots of 1977
32
Advanced Photoshop
33
Advanced Photoshop
34
Advanced Photoshop
WATCHMEN CO
NCEPT ART –
MANHATTAN DR
at
’S LAB: The ren
the Rockefeller ewable energy
Institute reactor
www.scottlukowski.com
35
Advanced Photoshop
36
Advanced Photoshop
C
On the CD, you will find all the brushes
needed for this tutorial. The sketches and
reating an alien concept environment is fun are done in a professional pre- and post-production
modelling sheet are also included for
to do. There are no rules on how structures setup. You will learn how to create the custom brushes reference, plus a layered version of the
should look, and not even the landscape is needed for textures and patterns using photos and image’s PSD files on how it was built nearing
its final stage.
bound by restrictions. It all boils down to how far your shapes. Using only Photoshop’s Brush tool, it is easy to
creativity brings you. create perspective guidelines and grids. We will also OUR EXPERT Jeffrey M de Guzman
Concept artists need to have a solid design before guide you through creating visual scale and distance Jeffrey is a concept artist for a VFX company in Makati, the Philippines.
He is an Excellence Award winner for his picture Golden Bee in the
jumping into the rendering part of the image. In this kind with a few rules, tricks and techniques, without the use Portrait (Painted) category for Ballistic Publishing’s Exposé 6, which
of work, they are designers first and artists second. They of characters and vehicles to help you. Gather enough was also chosen as the cover for the Limited Edition. His work has also
been published in Exotique 3 and 4, and he was Advanced Photoshop
need to follow the rules of perspective as well as for architectural and landscape photographs, as these
issue 48’s cover artist. See more at www.jeffmdart.com.
understand vanishing points and atmospheric levels in will help you easily understand our discussions regarding
order to make the image believable. This isn’t different to depth of field, atmospheric levels and perspective, using
creating characters, as the rules of anatomy should be these as a guide as we move along.
the first thing to consider. Last of all, we encourage you to create a completely
In this tutorial, we shall create an alien environment
from the concept stage, structure design, previsualisation
new concept, so that by the end of this workshop you
already have a brand new work of art you can call your About the
to the final rendering of the image, exactly how things own. Have fun creating that award-winning image! artwork
This image was awarded first place and the title
“They need to follow the rules of perspective of Grand Champion for the 2D Painting category
in an online competition called Unearthly
as well as understand vanishing points and Challenge on Gameartisans.org. Gameartisans.
atmospheric levels in order to make the org and Polycount.com are the two competing
forums in this event, where artists compete to
1 2
around, but if it’s evil then Polycount is for you.
Thumbnails Design studies It’s a long eight-week event where you need
It is always best to start with thumbnail sketches. Rather than start painting windows, doors or other to show your work-in-progress, design and
As it has been emphasised, this makes your work faster designs directly onto our artwork, it’s better if we start planning stages. The rules are simple: create an
and keeps ideas flowing freely. This allows you to doing studies of the elements that we’re putting in our alien environment so appealing that if it were to
concentrate primarily on the layout and composition, structures separately. It’s the same approach when be made into a game, it would be fun and
rather than getting into details at an early stage. Right creating concept sketches of armour, weapons and other interesting to play. No characters and vehicles
now, we need to create a landscape, the different angles equipment for a character design. With this process, you were allowed to be seen in the image, as this
takes the attention away from the environment’s
of view, perspective and lighting in order to determine have a solid idea of what will be placed and could be
design. It was judged by a ten-man jury each for
which works best. easily added later on. It’s best to just create as many as
2D and 3D, which included game managers, art
you can and then pick what works best. directors and lead artists of different game
companies worldwide. Out of 300 initial
participants and 100 finished entries, the judges
chose seven finalists for 2D Painting, while seven
were chosen from the 3D department.
An actual trophy is given to first-place
winners, with a brand new PS3 plus cash and
other goodies coming from game company
sponsors. But most rewarding of all is the pride
of winning the event, having competed against
top-class artists from around the world. You can
take a look at the results at http://gameartisans.
org/contests/events/4/finals/.
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Advanced Photoshop
4 Work on it a bit
We then increase our thumbnail sketches to a
fairly large size and try and put in the details we’re after.
But try to restrain yourself from working on it further, as
the last thing you want to do is have an almost complete
piece of art and then learn later on that it doesn’t work.
From the studies, copy and paste designs to the base
structures to give you an idea of how it would look like.
Occasionally, flip the canvas horizontally to see if it still
works the other way round.
5 Colour wash
From the images we have worked on, apply a
colour wash to give us a visual regarding the look and
6 Start grey
It is always good
practice to start in
the atmospheric feel of it. Add a layer on top of it set to greyscale. We can easily
Soft Light and paint over colours to bring the images to give depth and
life. Keep it loose and fast, as this is a part of the atmospheric values to
previsualisation stage in our concept included for the our image without
final composition. worrying about colours.
Keep in mind the
following rule: blacks
and whites on the
nearest subject are
blacks, fading to grey in
the distance. As a
reference, check the
colour swatches and
you will see how they
are arranged, which
applies to the same rule
that we have discussed.
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Advanced Photoshop
Revisions
We need to make changes and adjustments, as some things in
Composition the scene aren’t working out. Increase the head space to make
Make a better framing structure design to more room for the sky and to make the centre image stand
direct the eyes to the entire image. God out. Increase the size of the gate for better framing and scale
Rays on a 45-degree angle are useful, as
they would capture the viewer’s attention
and direct it to the main image
39
Advanced Photoshop
Design
foundation
The importance of atmospheric levels and
perspectives can’t be emphasised enough. It is
essential to study about linear vanishing points,
which are the one-, two- and three-point
perspectives. Without a good knowledge of
these basic guidelines, an environment concept
will never look proper and right. This principle
also helps a lot with the proper scale of an
object, giving the correct impression of distance.
Atmospheric levels are the supporting element
in painting this subject matter, as distance won’t
be believably achieved once the proper colour
levels are painted in. A discussion of these topics
can be found at 2D Design Notes (http://
daphne.palomar.edu/design/space2.html).
11 Paint clouds
In issue 48 (Fantasy Characters tutorial), we
showed you how to create skin and freckle brushes.
12 Patterns brush
Since most
architectural structures are built
Those same brushes, included on the CD, can be used to using repetitive patterns, we
create cloud formations. Choose a base colour for your can create our brush so that we
cloud and gradually change the colour to a brighter one, can easily put in those parts
as we put in highlights and darker tones for the shadows. without painting them one by
Play with the brush sizes and colour tones as you paint one. Make a new file, 200 x 200
them in to make it realistic and not uniform looking. Our pixels, then create a triangle
goal here is to make it look fluffy and soft. and add details of any shape.
Create this as a brush and go to
Brush Settings, then select
Direction in Angle Jitter in the
Other Dynamics setting. With
the brush set up this way,
patterns are angled and lined
up properly to each brushstroke
that we make. Apply the same
procedure and create groups of
circle patterns.
40
Advanced Photoshop
16 Gradient depth
Paint the cables using Quick Masks
(using the Q keyboard shortcut), then grab the
17
gradient (G) and drag it to half the length of the
cable. Press Q and it will transform to an inverted More textures
selection. Invert via Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+I, open Curves To make the image more believable, we
with Cmd/Ctrl+M and increase the foreground’s must add varying amount of textures to it. Here, we
black levels. Invert the selection to decrease the could make use of our Cracks brush from issue 50 (50s
level of black where the cables connect to the Pin-up Art tutorial) and the Scratch brushes from issue
structure. Keep these on a separate layer. 48, included on the CD. Add a new layer set to Overlay
and paint into parts where it’s noticeable. Erase away all
the unwanted parts and reduce the Opacity to 50%.
18 God Rays
To strengthen and add drama to the
composition, God Rays will be a great addition. With the
“The way to show
distance is to create a
Pen tool (the P keyboard shortcut), create a shape like a
cone but without a pointed tip. Right-click, choose Make pattern that
Selection and fill with bright purple in a new layer.
Reduce the layer’s Opacity to 25% and set the layer to
decreases in size as
Screen. Then go to Filter>Gaussian Blur and adjust the it goes away from the
slide to 50 pixels. With your skin blender/cloud brush,
gradually erase out portions as it hits the structure. foreground element”
Remember that a light beam gradually fades as it gets
19
further away from the source.
Colour correction and
adding overall noise
Now we need to intensify our colour
levels. Pull up Color Balance using Cmd/
Ctrl+B, and switch intensity as you choose
Shadows, Midtones and Highlights. Keep
playing with the colours in the slider, as
you may discover better combinations.
Then add a new layer filled with white and
go to Filter>Noise>Add Noise, setting it to
100%. Set layer to Multiply with Opacity at
5%. Flatten the entire image and it’s done!
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r ew
y An d
© J e re m
ANCE
EL AL
FREURVIV E
PROMOTIONAL S GUID
PART 3
P TIP
ersonality goes a long way in the inventive nature, taking your ideas beyond
design industry. Prospective clients the page or screen. Over the next eight pages,
do want to see exactly what you can we’ll be taking a close look at what
do, but sometimes it takes something a little Suitability promotional merchandise is available to you,
more personal to grab their attention. It’s here Formats aren’t whatever your budget, as well as the best
that promotional merchandise comes into its more suitable for places to go to get these products made.
own and can help expand your client list in a one client over We’ve got some great advice from artists who
big way. Even if you are not looking to another, but have been there and done that – they show us
promote your artwork in this way, getting design styles the products they’ve made and how it’s
your designs on badges or postcards for should helped them to forge ahead in their careers.
friends and family can be cheap and correspond with Finally, if you’re not sure what to do with your
potentially rewarding. the tastes of the shiny new collection of badges, we take a look
Sending out free samples always creates client receiving at who to send them to in order to get the
such a buzz and can really show off your the product best results.
© Jeremy Andrew
© Jeremy Andrew 43
Advanced Photoshop
people’s desks, so
One of the most commonly considered pieces exactly what’s possible in the world of the
of promotional merchandise is the tried-and- business card.
trusted business card. This format has always
been a big hit with clients, as it’s discreet and Variety is the
LA-based multimedia designer Emerson
Taymor (www.emersontaymor.com) certainly
I will always be in
transferable. This means the business card spice of life did. Despite retaining conventional sizing, clients’ minds”
creates a personal reaction between you and Weigh up which is Taymor’s business card presents creativity and
the client. It’s also portable so, even when best for you personality through its ingenious – Emerson Taymor
pocketed, it stays with them and can be easily between local or functionality – the centre of the card pushes
rediscovered at any given time. Essentially, online vendors. out into a pop-up image of himself. Of the the printer to see which will work best for
the business card is a prop to prompt a client Find out the product, he says: “I really wanted to sell myself your project.” Taymor was more than happy
into getting in touch and not to forget about strengths of as a person, as much as a designer. The design with his manufacturer, Printingforless.com,
you and your design. various has the potential to stand up on people’s which provided a punctual service with daily
Some artists, however, will have their hang- establishments, so desks, so I will always be in clients’ minds.” updates on the process. It provided him with
ups. At a regular size of 8.5cm by 5.5cm and you can take This sort of innovative card is possible 2,000 cards at a competitive price of only
250 grams per square metre, you may be advantage of many through the use of die cutting. This is a $500, around £350. He has been quoted up to
concerned that your business card will be services for process applied to the sheet of paper with the $1,900, or £1,334, for 2,000 cards previously,
forgotten in the client’s wallet. So maybe it’s different projects right amount of pressure, cutting out the proving that it pays to shop around.
44
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© Joe Rogers
multidiscipline designer Roland Murillo wooden-nickel.com), was in his hometown.
(www.murillodesign.com). His ‘Memory Chip’ “The Memory Chip didn’t cost any more than
business card has been received well by a paper card to produce, about $200, or £140,
clients, but he reveals: “When it was time to for 500,” he explains, “but the per-unit costs
develop a format of my own, I took the drops dramatically when you start thinking in
concept of a tactile business card to heart. I the thousands.” Using a local manufacturer
bypassed paper and went straight for wood.” made the production process easier for
Murillo admits to having no idea how he Murillo to monitor and manage.
would produce cost-effective wooden He does admit: “I did have to modify my
business cards. After extensive research original design to fit the round format,
online he managed to find a local vendor. The though. Most of the rectangular cards were
either wood laminate on paper or individually
assembled by hand and glued, which takes a
CASE STUDY: long time and would be more fragile than the
FLYERS
time-tested circular form I use.”
Magnets
Be prepared to change your designs or
Sometimes a simple, stylish solution is original ideas as you go, depending on
best. A graphical mailer or flyer lends itself whether they will suit your chosen format or
by grabbing a client’s attention when whether the cost is getting too high. However,
falling on their desk. Urban graphic artist there are plenty of low-cost and versatile
© Joe Rogers
Simeon Elson (www.simeonelson.co.uk) solutions that will suit most designs.
produces some inspiring examples. International freelance illustrator David
His decorative samples successfully Cousens’ (www.coolsurface.com) magnetic
highlight his style, logo and contact calling cards are just one great example. His
details through traditional layouts. Their product was produced by custom printing
400gsm silk and matte-laminated finish service VistaPrint.com. Inventing
creates a stimulating textural feel. Elson
admits: “My flyers are quite smooth, but
don’t have an overaggressive gloss, which
I felt would complement the attitude of
my artwork well.”
Such sophisticated items don’t have to
be expensive, as Elson explains: “In total I
spent £300.80 including VAT for two lots
of 1,000 luxury double-sided Showcards.
As they were on a special offer, at half
price, I went for a thousand of each
instead of 500.”
He goes on to reveal: “Many
prospective clients are impressed by the
artwork, print, weight and finish. Also,
when I make my chase-up calls, a lot of
recipients remember my cards straight
away when I mention my name, which is
always a good sign. In addition, they have
helped me gain more work and many
more leads the more I send out.”
45
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Badges are a great promotional device that 70.5mm by 45mm. An extensive range can
will not only entertain a client, but also help be bought from www.my-accessories.co.uk.
them identify with the creative brand that is Prices start from £39.95.
you. These are some of the easiest and
cheapest promotional items to make, as
they can be personally produced in your
own studio. Here, we present some
essential bits of kit that will allow you to
create some great examples to send to your
potential clientele.
TIP
has very reasonable prices, we find the service being spread further than the original
G Clamps
to be reliable and, most importantly, it always recipient. I wanted to choose a design that
Heavy-duty G Clamps are useful for
produces quality results.” could comfortably sit on a cluttered desk of a
clamping your machines to sturdy surfaces.
This magnet format can act as a business client or that had the potential for favourite
This makes sure that your badges aren’t The right card, a miniature billboard and a standard images to be ripped out and pinned on a
manufactured distorted. These can be easily investment magnet. Importantly, it can be presented to pinboard or stick on a wall in the office.”
picked up from local hardware stores, for Strategy and multiple audiences. It can be attached in both This product is a luxury in comparison to
instance Homebase. Online retailers are in planning are a part public and personal places. Letter boxes, bus regular paper examples. However, creating a
abundance, including www.ebay.co.uk and of any successful shelters, phone booths and office spaces… the collection of works needs a lot of dedication.
www.toolspot.co.uk. endeavour. sky’s the limit (as long as it’s magnetic!). Rogers took the time to organise face-to-face
Handing out Cousens adds: “The magnets can take pride of meetings with printers, outlined his plans and
expensive place on white goods – think how many times discussed suitable binding process. Sourcing
promotion items a day you go to the fridge!” Tuckey Print Ltd (www.tuckeyprint.co.uk)
needs to be well through word of mouth, he says: “I chose hot
targeted and Postcards glue binding to make my postcard books. It’s
relevant. Investing Another great solution for showing off your cheap and provides the possibility to rip
time is more designs, this time on a slightly larger scale, is individual pages out of the book easily
important than through the use of individual postcards or without damage. I had a look at previous
investing money postcard books. Freelance editorial and examples of products they had made, in order
advertising illustrator Joe Rogers (www. to make sure they could complete the job to
Hand cutters
colourboxonline.com) has done just that to my satisfaction and, of course, discussed the
If you don’t fancy sitting and cutting out
promote his abilities. Printed on 300-gram price. 500 24-page, 300-gram, matte-coated
circles around your badge designs one by
matte card with a nice textured finish, it makes printed and bound postcard books cost
one, then you’re best off investing in a
a nice keepsake, as Rogers explains: “This around £840 including VAT. That works out at
heavy-duty hand cutter. These come in a
postcard collection is designed to be both a around £1.70 per book, which is a very
range of sizes, from 25mm by 25mm, up to
book and individual postcards. The recipient reasonable price.”
46
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TIP
formats, which can be sold and/or shared financially viable. Phillips invested time using
with multiple audiences, include greetings his wife’s Corner Rounder cutting machine to
cards. These can be distributed to clients who smooth his cards’ edges: “I purchased Kraft
jewellery boxes from a company online (www.
“This allowed me jewelrysupply.com) that served as the
container for the cards, stand and instructions,”
Modesty
Remember never
to keep around he reveals. Designs were printed on Crack and to forget that
250 books to sell… Peel paper, using I-Gen digital press, so they
could be applied to sturdy 14-ply, 1.3 to
creativity prevails
in terms of Phillips notes the benefits of outside help at
enabling me to 1.5mm-thick mat board. This keeps the cards recognition. key stages in the cards’ production. He
47
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y
myville to
N ig h t m a re in Jere ot.com
Product: rer: www.kidrob
tu
Manufac oft vinyl Product: Gelati Woods
ia l: S nd rew
Mater : Jeremy A Manufacturer: www.domestic.fr
y r ig h t
Cop Material: Wall vinyl
Copyright: Jeremy Andrew
Advanced Photoshop
VistaPrint.co.uk (www.vistaprint.co.uk)
VistaPrint.co.uk offers a great try-before-
you-buy service on a variety of products,
designed through a set of ready-made
templates. Again, it offers a competitive
price list on a range of traditional
products. Some of its more entertaining
items include T-shirts, magnets and sticky
notes. Upload and Proofing fees have been recently slashed,
and items can cost up to as little as £1.24, exclusive of VAT, for
singular items. It also runs special offers, and
provides handy product specifications for every
product so you know what trim and bleed sizes
to provide before production.
TShirt Studio
(www.tshirtstudio.com)
TShirt Studio
provides great
incentive. There’s a
ten per cent
discount on all
orders over £50
and standard shipping applies. There’s no
minimum order on items and a two-day
dispatch applies, or express shipping if it’s
necessary. When it comes to T-shirts, they supply
men’s, women’s and unisex garments. But that’s
not all they supply. Jigsaws, coasters, cushions
and even teddy bears are available as print-on
merchandise. No upload fees apply.
49
Advanced Photoshop
r e ateer
C cov
thee u
er the
ncovind vexeal ge
W s beh six-p
t t
secrtehis experg started
in
a t inok at getat photo
r
lo with
50
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T
hroughout the course of this tutorial, Photoshop is one of the simplest mediums to
ON THE DISC
you’ll learn the basics of one particular work with when it comes to vexel art. The
method of vexelling, focusing on functions are simple and easily repeated, The only file required is the
using the Pen tool, paths and layers. allowing for quick build-up of the piece once original image, which you can
Getting started is often the hardest part and you get going. Some other programs, while download from iStock, number
‘7133124’, but we encourage you
involves searching for the perfect image. It’s producing the same end product, come with an to try it on your own images.
important to work with large images, and as a increased complexity, providing unneeded
beginner it’s particularly helpful to avoid images features. Even as it is, Photoshop has plenty of OUR EXPERT Sarah Teer
with too much varying contrast or something features irrelevant to vexelling!
Sarah, a biology student from New Zealand, has a keen
with too much going on. Browsing stock image The newness of vexel art has created a huge interest in art, both digital and traditional, and has been
galleries and collecting a few potential images to interest in the method, with many eager to try working with Photoshop since 2001. You can find her at
http://sarahchristine.org.
work with is often a good idea. Give yourself it but unsure of where to begin. This tutorial will
some options, and settle on the image you feel provide you with an easy step into the world
most comfortable with. of vexelling.
What is a vexel?
1 Getting started
Open the image and
your Layers palette. Create
A vexel is a work made in raster (ie bitmap,
involving pixels) in which an image is
some groups referencing the created through building up layers, one on
major areas to focus on: Skin, top of the other, slowly building contrast.
Left Eye, Right Eye, Lips and It often (not always) involves replicating
Hair. Within the Left Eye an image of your choice, following the
shapes and colours. The term ‘vexel’ was
group, create a new group
coined several years ago during a heated
called ‘Eye Whites’. Make a
discussion at a popular forum. Several
new layer in this group called members became frustrated when others
‘Eye Whites Base Layer’. Zoom referred to their vector-like yet raster-
in on the left eye (between based images as ‘vectors.’ In an attempt to
200% and 600%). put an end to the incorrect terminology, it
was suggested they called such an image a
‘vexel’ – combining vector and pixel, and
“Getting started is
often the hardest
2 The base layer
Using the Pen tool, select the whole area
of the eye whites. Using the Eyedropper, select a
describing the raster qualities of the image
while making significant reference to the
style from which vexel was derived. The
primary difference between vexels and
part and involves medium to light colour from the eye whites,
then return to your Pen tool. Right-click (Cmd-
vectors is the method of creation.
Compared to vector art, vexels are (at least
searching for the click for Macs) and select Fill Path. Leave the
default settings, simply pressing OK, and then
partly) created in raster, thus pixels,
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Advanced Photoshop
4 Building up contrast
Unhide the base layer. Return to the layer
you just filled, and play with the Opacity and
5 Highlights and gradients
With the shadows built up, begin adding
some highlights in a similar fashion, filling paths
Fill until it creates a smooth transition, with lighter shades. Gradients are also useful for a
appearing a few shades darker than the base quick transition for both shadows and highlights
layer (we used Opacity = 11%, Fill = 20%). here. Create a new layer, select the area and
Continue to select increasingly darker areas, right-click, choosing Make Selection>New
filling the path and adjusting the Opacity and Selection. Drag the Gradient tool (set to
Fill. Always do each on a new layer. Foreground to Transparent) then modify the
Opacity and Fill.
6 The iris
Create a new group above the Eye Whites
group, hiding Eye Whites in the process. Create a
new layer, labelled ‘Iris Base Layer’, creating a path
around the iris’s outline, and fill with a medium
colour picked from the original photo.
Alternatively, create a selection and use the
Gradient tool, creating a dark to light transition.
8
and colours producing rays
Colours and contrast and segments. Focus on these
You might find that your iris looks a little bit while building the shading and
flat. On layers just above the base layer, use highlights up.
gradients with varying colours and shades to add
the appearance of roundness. Focus on the
9
green around the pupil and the darker shades of
blue. The selected gradient was created by
dragging the tool at different positions around
The pupil
Create a new group Quick tip
the selection. above the iris called ‘Pupil’. Hide
the Iris and Eye Whites groups, Vexel art relies on using the tones and
and create a layer entitled colours in your start image. Duplicating
‘Blank Layer.’ Create another the original image and posterising this
new layer on top of that. With layer can make for a quick and easy way
the pupil we’re working from to see the contours of the image that
the top down rather than the you will be working with. This is applied
by going to Image>Adjustments>
bottom up. Select what you
Posterize. Set the level of posterisation
consider the uppermost area of
to a point where you can see the
the pupil, select a colour from different shapes (we recommend a value
this area and fill the path. Don’t around 9.)
change the Opacity.
52
Advanced Photoshop
15 Gimme
some skin!
Now you need to hide the
“Create a path
around all the skin
and fill with the
Left Eye group and move
to the Skin group. Ensure
that this group is below all
the others. Create a new
colour from the
layer (‘Skin Base Layer’) and photo. Work up
select a medium-light
hue from the photograph. some shadows
Create a path around all
the skin and fill it with the
using the method
colour you selected from you used before.
the photo. Work up some
shadows using the This is a learn-and-
method you used before.
This is very much a learn-
repeat process to
and-repeat process to complete the area
complete the area you’re
working on.
you’re working on”
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Advanced Photoshop
18 Make-up
Next, create a new group above
your Skin group called ‘Make-up’. Now hide the
skin and choose a colour of the eye-shadow.
Begin working in the make-up, building it up
19
darker layer by layer. Gradients are particularly
useful for this section of the vexel. Work with Touch-ups
opacities to ensure that the contrast from the By this stage some touch-ups are necessary. Go over your
skin shows through. work, adding extra highlights, shadows or forgotten features on the
proper layers. For example – the pink of the corner of the eye, and
some more shading around the eye whites and iris. Using a 3px or 1px
brush in white for certain highlights is helpful as well.
“Go over your
work, adding extra
highlights,
shadows or
forgotten features
on the proper
layers – for
20 Eyebrows
Hiding the skin and make-up layers, example, the pink
create a new group in the Left Eye group called
‘Eyebrows’. Using the Pen tool, create a path
of the corner of
around the basic shape of the eyebrow, filling the eye”
it with a medium shade. Lower the Opacity
slightly, unhiding the skin layer to check how
21
it transitions.
Solid layer
sections
Build up the eyebrow
slightly, focusing on the
main blocks of colour and
shades in varying opacities.
Be general – don’t worry if
your blocks don’t follow the
contours correctly, just try
to produce a general base of
colours and shapes. This
includes the solid areas of
the lighter part of the
eyebrow (the very left,
where it tapers off ).
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Advanced Photoshop
Quick tip
24 Stroke path –
small brush light
Hide the layers that you’ve previously
25 More touch-ups
Now that the general features are starting to become
apparent in our vexel image, you may find there are more touch-ups
The image we’ve used here is from iStock.
You can find it by searching for image
worked on so that you can see the original necessary on a slightly wider scale. For instance, it might be number ‘7133124’. However, this is a
picture again to select from. Pick the lightest worthwhile to work in some more shading to prevent the features technique that can be tried on any image,
shade you can see in the eyebrows, and after from looking as though they’re floating, or you may want to go and so why not search through free stock sites
ensuring that your 3px Paintbrush is still change the Hue/Contrast of a base layer. On the screenshot below, to find an image that appeals to you, or
use a portrait of a friend or member of
selected, use the Pen tool and begin creating you can see the areas that we’ve worked on, which will give you an
your family? Remember, you’re going to
Stroke paths over the lightest hairs. Stroke the idea of the sort of thing to look out for.
be looking at it for a long time, so make
path on a new layer and modify the Opacity sure you like your start image!
to suit.
55
Advanced Photoshop
t i o nal
spirashopre
In k
Worional artisPthsotoshuop
sha
ss d o
Profeecrets anto help yls
s il
the chniquees your sk
ir
te prov
im
56
Advanced Photoshop
I
n this tutorial you will learn how to start
creating pictures that have a near-
photorealistic quality, but with a surreal
twist in the composition and finish. You will
learn how to improvise with Photoshop in a
natural and logical way.
Photoshop is the best tool for creating
such pictures because it has the most flexible
layer system out there, and this is key when
building up the many different elements.
Some pictures like this will have hundreds
of layers.
Before you begin to recreate the style in
this breakdown, you have to think about
what you want to create prior to starting
work in Photoshop. First, much of the
photorealistic finish is reliant on getting
good stock photos in an adequate resolution.
The best way to get exactly the images you
want is to shoot your own, but there are
some really good stock sites out there that
offer free images in high resolutions. Second,
make sure that you have a rough idea of the
composition and theme you want to work
with. While every element will be on its own
layer so you can move things around as you
go, it’ll help you to get started and to source
the right stock images.
When you’re ready, collect the images you
want to use for this tutorial together in one
folder, and we can begin.
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Advanced Photoshop
4
manipulate that at the end when the work is finished by mirroring the
whole picture on the X-axis. There is often instinctively something like a Let’s get started!
‘straight-up’ or ‘straight-down’ composition in the final image. First of all you need a background. It defines
the atmosphere of the whole image and also the
whole intension. Sunsets with strong red and yellow
colours automatically connect the viewer with a
feeling of warmth and passion. In this specific image,
we chose a mid-day sky with clouds.
Inspiration
“Most inspiration I get from dreams.
“The sea has the effect of showing the
Sometimes I awake at night and notice
things I saw in the dream. The next
viewer that the landscape is realistic
morning it often makes no sense at all, and deep. This little detail is as important
but the surrealism is born.
Another big source of inspiration is as the background or foreground”
‘self-made laws’. When you mix things that
5 6
you experience during the day with your
dreams and your self-made laws (for Middle ground Foreground
example, a specific and recurrent 2:1 The middle ground is an important part of The main subjects are going to be in the
format, or special symbols like a green your image, as it decides how ‘deep’ it will be. In foreground of the image, like actors on-stage in a
pyramid), it gives the images you create a this image there’s a small middle ground, theatre. Choosing to have grassy ground is
personal and personalised watermark –
because the main subjects are in the front. The easiest, because on grass you don’t need as
like individual ‘handwriting’ that the
sea has the effect of showing the viewer that the perfect shadowing as you would need on rocky
audience can recognise as yours.
My own personal trademarks are landscape is realistic and deep. It seems or dessert ground. So for the beginning, grassy
always different styled clocks without a unspectacular in isolation, but this little detail is ground is perfect.
needle, the green pyramid, a black raven, as important as the background or foreground.
the nameplate ‘AWESYB’ and, last but not
least, the metaphorical personalisation of
balance. Every one of my images has to
do with balance, sometimes in an
interpretative way, sometimes in a
personified way – a woman with her arms
wide, for example.
The ‘balance’ is the fuel in my engine of
inspiration, the reason I became – or want
to become – an artist.”
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Advanced Photoshop
Hieronymus Bosch
See his work at: www.theartgallery.com
9 Shadows
Now we come to a part which is
very important for photorealism: the
shadows. All the objects need to have
realistic shadows and they must all have
the same lighting. An object has to
leave a correct shadow on the ground Max Ernst
and the other objects beside it. See his work at: www.tate.org.uk
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Advanced Photoshop
12 Darker edges
When we have a less-saturated image, we can duplicate
the layer and apply a Multiply blending mode. Cut a soft-edged
ellipse out of the middle of the image so that the lower layer shows
through. This will create a little colour gradient from the middle to
the edges, like a real photo.
13 Contrasts
Flatten the image layers once again.
Now we need to work on the overall contrast of
14 Hue/Saturation tweaks
As mentioned before, even a
realistic photomanipulation can be
the piece. This is important, because when we colourful. To increase the colour
enhance the contrast, the shadows of the stock saturation, but not fall into creating a
photos and those we added shadows to will comic book-style image, it’s important
blend into the scene. It gives the whole image a that the colours are vivid but not over
new consistent look, which is the most the top. The colours have to be evenly
important element of a photorealistic scene. distributed all over the image. If one
colour stands out above the rest, it will
pull in the viewer’s eye, rather than
letting them take in the whole scene.
15 Finished
To finish up, flip the image
horizontally, which adds to the surreal feel of
“The paper collage
technique itself is
the piece, as it’s not the natural composition.
The paper collage technique itself is easy – the
easy – the hardest
hardest part is in the planning stages and part is in the
building your own compositions. Now try out
your own compositions and see what you can planning stages”
come up with!
Quick tip
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Advanced Photoshop
DRAMATIC
EXPOSURE EFFECTS
Create dramatic compositions with commercial sports advertising effects
I
n this tutorial, Advanced Photoshop manipulate this to create an all-inclusive, eye-
ON THE DISC
keeps up with mainstream methods and catching composition.
On this month’s disc, you will find
both the model image (kindly presents yet another contemporary We will show you how to apply layer masks
provided by freelance creative project by replicating sports and the Selection tools to correct layers and
photographer Jelani Memory –
www.jelanimemory.com) and the
advertising styles. This industry sets a effects. Blending modes and Blending Options
clouds that we bring into the precedent in what is considered à la mode and are used to rectify exposures and integrate
background. We have also used fashionable with advertising campaigns image elements. We’ll also show you how to
some water images from royalty-
free stock image sites, and you will promoting art styles, and those that are related apply manual exposures and sharpen imagery,
find the links to these throughout to sports are some of the most dramatic and so your design has that professional edge.
the tutorial in the relevant steps,
entertaining types. Photoshop’s Filters are explored, and we reveal
many of which are free.
We go across the creative board in this how these can be used alone, with other
OUR EXPERT Adam Smith
tutorial, applying numerous examples of toolsets, to create realistic weather effects.
Senior staff writer Adam Smith is a massive sports fan. So it Photoshop’s most powerful image-altering All the images used and supplied for this
makes sense that he is aware of the most fashionable
advertising styles in the sports design arena, as he
tools to create stunning high-end graphic tutorial are high-res, so you’ll really notice the
demonstrates in this tutorial. effects. Essentially, we’ll be showing you how quality of your design once you start building
to composite stock photography and up your effects.
62
Advanced Photoshop
2
Tolerance to 20 and apply to the brickwork.
Selection tools
This should select a majority of your background, but there will be Retouching advice
bits that need adding to or removing from the selection. The quickest
way to amend these is to choose the Polygonal Lasso tool, holding Opt/ Photoshop provides numerous powerful
Alt to erase and Shift to add, and draw around the areas that need techniques to retouch your photography
tidying up. Remember to only select the brick wall. and art projects. The method here is just
one way of doing it. We’ve supplied
many other tutorials and methods in the
past, such as John Deaville’s (www.
photofixer.com) Fashion and Beauty
Retouching in issue 43, Master Metallic
3
Photo Effects by Kirk Nelson in issue 48
Add skyline
and Fashion Retouching by Julian Knight
Press Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+I, inverting your
(www.slingshotphotostudios.com) in
selection. Choose Select>Modify>Feather and issue 50.
apply a Feather Radius of 0.5 pixels. Click OK and However, if you need a little help then
apply a layer mask from the bottom of the Layers you could always try some the many
palette. Open ‘1120297_13767646.jpg’ from this plug-in options available. Portraiture
issue’s disc and copy and paste it into your maim (www.imagenomic.com) eliminates
image. Name the layer ‘Sky’. Select Edit> manual labour by intelligently
Transform>Scale to resize it accordingly, then smoothing and removing photo
move the layer below your ‘B-Ball Player’ layer. imperfections. OnOne software’s
PhotoTune 2.2 (www.ononesoftware.
com) provides professional-quality
colour correction, improving your post-
production work. All these resources will
definitely help you expand the
professionalism in your design work.
4 Feathered edges
At this point, your image should be
starting to take shape and coming along nicely. 5 Create fog
Select the Rectangle Marquee tool, with
Next up, activate your model layer and Cmd/Ctrl- Feather set to 10%, then drag horizontally to
click the layer mask thumbnail to select the mask make a selection across the centre of your image.
area. Press Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+I to inverse, then With your ‘Sky’ layer active, press Cmd/Ctrl+C
choose Select>Modify>Feather and apply a then Cmd/Ctrl+V, creating a new layer. Name this
Feather Radius of 0.5 pixels. Now hit the ‘Fog’. Place it above your ‘B-Ball Player’ layer and
backspace button a total of three times and press select Blending Options from the Layer Style (Fx)
Cmd/Ctrl+D in order to deactivate your selection. menu at the bottom of the Layers palette.
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Advanced Photoshop
9 Gradient Map
Press Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+I, and with a black
brush at 100% Opacity, apply to your Hue/ “Working with an Overlay-neutral layer
Saturation layer mask. Press Cmd/Ctrl+D to
deactivate your selection. Add a black-and-white is one of the most important steps when
Gradient Map adjustment layer and tick Dither.
Place this layer above your Hue/Saturation layer
replicating [these] effects. Be sure to
and apply a Soft Light blending mode. Select
Blending Options from the Layer Style (Fx) menu.
pay careful attention to this stage”
10 Duplicate
channel
Holding Opt/Alt, drag
the This Layer black
cursor to a value of
0/110, then the
Underlying Layer black
cursor to a value of 0/90.
Activate your Channels
palette and hide all but
the Green channel.
Duplicate your Green
channel and activate it,
hiding all the others.
Select the duplicate layer
using the Rectangle
Marquee tool, then copy
Quick tip and paste it into your
Layers palette.
Working with an Overlay-neutral layer is
11
one of the most important steps when
replicating the effects in this tutorial. Be Apply Green channel
sure to pay careful attention to this Place this new layer at the top of the
stage. Zooming in close to your chosen layer stack in the Layers palette, naming it
model and altering the brush sizes as you ‘Green channel’. Apply a Linear Burn blending
go, using the Tab keys, makes application mode, with a 10% Opacity. Create a new layer,
specific and quick. Get this tricky little titled ‘Wet floor’ and place this at the top of the
procedure right and your model will
layer stack. Press Cmd/Ctrl+Opt/Alt+Shift+E,
literally glow. You can then apply this
merging all the layers. Now select the
technique to many of your other
photomanipulation projects. Rectangle Marquee tool from the toolbar at the
left-hand side of the interface.
64
Advanced Photoshop
65
Advanced Photoshop
18 Manual exposures
Holding Opt/Alt, create a new layer.
In the New Layer dialog box, set the Mode to
Overlay and activate Fill with Overlay-neutral
color. Select a soft-edged 20% Opacity black
brush and apply to your model and skyline.
This specifically strengthens shadow areas. A
white brush will apply the opposite, bringing
out the highlights.
19 Correct focus
We’re almost there. You’ll notice that
the basketball net is standing out like a sore
thumb. To remedy this, create a new layer,
placing it at the top of the layer stack, and press
Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+Opt/Alt+E, merging all. With
your new layer active, Cmd/Ctrl-click your
original model layer and use the Polygonal
Lasso tool while holding Opt/Alt to isolate your 2: Take full advantage of
basketball net. Photoshop’s powerful Filters, such
as Plastic Wrap, to simulate
weather effects
66
Advanced Photoshop
67
Advanced Photoshop
Panoramic image
New fea
ture
CREATE
i
See th
n CS4
e effect in
clip on th e d c and the video
for yoursis tr
elf with thy it out
provided im e
age
SPHERICAL
PANORAMAS
Use Photoshop CS4 Extended to create a spherical panorama and view it in 3D space. No
special lenses, plug-ins or 3D software required
P
anoramas are fun and challenging, As a word of caution, this project requires
ON THE DISC
especially using just a standard lens. considerable preparation time and it generates
This month’s CD contains a short
video clip of the 3D spherical 360-degree panoramas, where the massive files when stitching the panorama
panorama in action, plus the image wraps completely around the viewer, together. So be sure your machine is capable
flattened version of the panorama
are even more fun and even more of handling files that are in excess of hundreds
(SphericalPano.jpg) so you can try
it at home. challenging to accomplish without of megabytes in size. If you are concerned
specialised equipment. about your computer’s memory limitations,
OUR EXPERT Kirk Nelson
Spherical panoramas are a step further in that use a batch command to reduce your source
Our regular Helpdesk writer takes a day out of the office
the image wraps completely around images by 50 to 75 per cent before generating
and pays a trip to the museum with his DSLR to test a fun
feature of CS4 Extended. horizontally and vertically, capturing every the panorama.
possible angle from that position. You’ll need to take your own source photos
This month, we show you how to to complete this tutorial from start to finish,
accomplish this with a regular camera and merging lots of shots together into one
Photoshop CS4 Extended. Photoshop not only panorama. Or, as a shortcut to the fun part,
has the ability to stitch together the massive making it spherical, just use the panoramic
image from individual shots of an entire room, image from the disc that has already been
but also to convert it to a 3D environment merged and pick up the tutorial around Step 8.
sphere that can be turned and twisted any way Whichever you choose to do, it’s a great
you please. technique to learn.
68
Advanced Photoshop
4 Simplify things
The resultant file will
have a layer and a mask for
“Large open
spaces with lots of
every photograph used. This
will make the file large, interesting visuals
cumbersome and memory-
intensive. Delete any stray
work the best. If
layers that didn’t quite fit the space is
into the panorama, then
merge the remaining layers privately owned or
together into a single layer.
Correct any lighting issues
managed, be sure
with Image>Adjustments> to check their
Equalize. Then use the
Image>Trim command to policy on
remove empty areas of
transparent pixels.
photography first”
5 End to end
The sides of the
panorama need to fit
6 Autoblend
Set the duplicate layer back to Normal. Select both layers and go
to Edit>Auto-Blend Layers. Be sure to select the Panorama blend
perfectly together. method and check the Seamless Tones and Colors option. This will
Currently, there are make sure the lighting appears consistent where the two layers overlap.
ragged edges Press Cmd/Ctrl+E to merge the layers together.
created by the
Photomerge process.
Duplicate the layer
and move the
duplicate off the side
edge until the ends
overlap. Use the
Difference blending
mode to assist with
lining up the layers.
This is the tricky part,
but it is worth
spending the time to
get it just right to get
the best final effect.
69
Advanced Photoshop
11
sounds pretty easy in theory, but in
practice things can go wrong quickly. Combine the patch
Here’s some advice from our battle- Go to Layer>Merge Down to
seasoned author: combine the patch layer with the 3D panoramic
If you have permission, a tripod is a object. Finally, look around the image and
wonderful asset for ensuring your shots repeat this process to cover over any other
are steady, level and solid. But museum
problem areas by hand. If you don’t have a good
owners tend to frown at the tripping
photo to fix an area, remember that all of
hazard a tripod presents. So you may
need to rely on the steadiness of your Photoshop’s regular image-editing tools (Clone
own hand. If so, try to use visual markers Stamp, Healing Brush, Filters, etc) are still
from the location to keep each sweep of available to use!
panoramas level.
The Photomerge feature requires at
least 40 per cent overlap of images
before it will even attempt to stitch them
together. Providing a generous 50 per
cent yields even better results, so try and
aim for this percentage. When shooting,
take a note of what’s in the centre of
your viewfinder and then align the left
(or right) edge with that object in the
next shot. Keep this in mind when
adjusting the vertical angle for each
sweep as well.
Make sure that you take a shot
directly up at the ceiling or sky to use as
a cover for the ‘pinch’ that is generated
by the Spherical Panorama. If you can
get one of the floor directly beneath you
(without seeing your feet), that will be
handy as well.
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Advanced Photoshop
Newgn
desi site
web
VS
www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk/photoshopfaceoff
071_AVP_55_FaceOffHouseAd.indd 1 4/3/09 12:44:11
Q&A
Helpdesk
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!
The Helpdesk has been extended so that we can answer even more of your
Photoshop queries and questions – so keep them coming!
Q
guidelines without the maths
First of all, many thanks for the excellent
magazine you folks produce. I always learn so
much and am amazed by just how much more
there is to learn in each issue.
My question is in reference to the Rounded Rectangle
shape. I’ve noticed that as the shape is drawn out, the
corners maintain symmetry and each rounded corner RESET SETTINGS: Resetting the preferences can solve
some erratic behaviours in Photoshop
looks great regardless of how tall or wide the shape is
drawn. But then if I scale the shape, the corners become percentages? Nifty, huh? So place a guideline at 33% and
stretched instead of maintaining the evenly rounded 66% horizontally and vertically, and you’ll have your
appearance. Is there any way to scale the shape without each rounded corner) from the top of the shape and familiar tick-tack-toe board.
distorting the rounded corners? move them straight up. This increases your shape height,
Kylie Reuters but retains your evenly rounded corners.
Photoshop possessed!
A
Kylie, that’s an excellent question! Some folks
wouldn’t even notice such things as unevenly Rule of thirds
Q My Photoshop’s gone crazy! I can’t get my
brushes to load, some filters simply won’t
Q
rounded corners, but you clearly have an eye Hey hey, Helpdesk guy! I’m an art student in respond correctly, my menu items are all over
for detail. I’m guessing you’ve even noticed that other my second year and really starting to dig into
designers have struggled with this same dilemma simply everything Photoshop has to offer. I’m also
by observing their work. Nobody wants an unevenly trying to apply all the stuff they taught us in the Top tip: Clouds filter
rounded corner, they just happen! And what can we do traditional art courses to my digital work. I’m sure you’ve
about it? heard of the rule of thirds, right? Dividing the canvas into
The Clouds filter (Filter>Render>Clouds) in
Here’s the deal, Kylie. Photoshop’s Scale Transform will thirds vertically and horizontally and using that as a
Photoshop proves to be immensely useful in ways
scale the entire shape uniformly, regardless of content. composition assist. So can you tell me how to lay down that are not so obvious. It can be used as a means
That what it does and it does it well. So unless that’s the appropriate guidelines in Photoshop? I know I can of adding convincing dirt or grime to a surface, or
exactly what you want (which is unlikely), avoid using the take the size of the canvas, divide by three then figure it as a layer mask to break up the opacity of an
Scale tool. Instead, use the Direct Selection tool. That’s the out that way, but is there a method that doesn’t involve object in a seemingly random fashion. A trick is to
white arrow that is hiding behind the Path Selection’s so much maths? keep a PSD file of clouds slightly blurred and use
black arrow. Don’t try to move each path point Ethan Rome this as a displacement map. This can go a long
individually, grab entire groups. For instance, to scale the way to removing the overly smooth computer-
A
shape to be taller, grab all four control points (two for Let’s see here, where’s my checklist… ah, here generated appearance and create a more natural,
realistic appearance. And did you know that the
it is. Okay, excited about Photoshop, check.
clouds are never rendered the exact same way
Trying to synchronise traditional methods with
twice? How about that holding down the Opt/Alt
new mediums, check. Doesn’t like maths, check. Yup, key will generate clouds with a higher contrast?
Ethan, you’re right, you are an art student! And the rule of Finally, filling a canvas that is sized by a power of
thirds you’re talking about is a general compositional two (64, 128, 512, 1,024, etc) will create a seamless
guideline that divides the canvas into nine equal sections cloud texture that can be repeated as a pattern.
by using two equally spaced horizontal lines and two
equally spaced vertical lines. Placing dominant
compositional elements along these lines can create a
piece with more energy and interest than one where the
subject is simply centred.
Well, Ethan, you will be glad to hear there is an easier
way to place those guidelines. Go to View>New Guide.
CLOUDS: Get creative with crazy
ROUNDED CORNERS: Use the Direct Selection tool to Now, you probably already know that you can enter exact cloud customisations
keep the rounded corners from squashing pixel locations, but did you know that you can enter
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.
74
Advanced Photoshop
A
Hey Tracy, great question! Those dancing
light patterns are called caustics and can be
wonderfully hypnotising to watch –
especially when lounging lazily at the water’s edge!
And yes, Photoshop can generate a texture that’s
almost as refreshing. But before you begin, first create
a new file and fill it with the Clouds filter (Filter>
Render>Clouds), then add some blur (Filter>Blur>
Gaussian Blur) and save it as ‘Clouds.psd’. We will need
it later!
1 The setup
In a new file (1,000px x 1,000px), fill the
tip
background with 50% grey and set the foreground
Q udoiwcn k
Opt/Alt and
colour to white. Go to Filter>Texture>Stained Glass
and set Cell Size to 46, Border to 2 and Light Intensity
Hold in
layer mask a to 0. Follow with Filter>Sketch>Stamp with a Light/
click on a m ask as
e the Dark Balance of 9 and Smoothness of 13.
order to se ima ge
greyscale
GLASS BALL: By adding realistic
refractions, you are able to make an image
more believable
A
Easy there Kathy, it’s going be okay. Photoshop Go to Filter>Distort>Displace and load the
is a complicated beast, and due to the highly
configurable nature of the interface, sometimes
generate a texture ‘Clouds.psd’ file. Set the horizontal and vertical scale
to 25. Duplicate the layer and set the mode to Linear
things can get a little out of whack. And other times the almost as refreshing” Dodge. Run the Motion Blur filter (Filter>Blur>Motion
program can seem to be possessed by evil spirits from the Blur) with an
nether realm of PhotoDeluxe. Fortunately, these dastardly Angle of -35 and
A
demon spawn can be easily cast out by resetting your Helpdesk heroes, Louise? Thinking about it, Distance of 60.
Photoshop preferences. First, close down Photoshop. there might just be something to that. Now Move the layer
Then hold down the Ctrl+Alt+Shift keys (Cmd+Opt+Shift while I grab a cape, pull my underwear over my slightly down
on a Mac) and launch Photoshop again. Keep holding the jeans and search for a phone booth, here’s the solution to and to the right,
buttons down until you see a prompt asking if you wish your refractions dilemma. and then repeat
to delete the preferences file. Click Yes and rejoice as Begin with a round selection the same size and the displacement.
3
Photoshop is reborn with its factory settings! position as your glass ball. Copy that area of the
background into a new layer and go to Filter>Distort> Dancing lights
Spherize, then set the amount to a full 100%. Next, run the Add a blue
Glass refractions Spherize filter twice. Flip the layer both vertically and background and group the
Q
Hello there Helpdesk heroes! Please can you horizontally and use the Warp Transformation tool to two layers together. Set the
tell me how to create realistic refractions, just enhance the curved refraction even more. Now duplicate group blending mode to
like the kind you would see in a solid glass ball the layer and add a Gaussian Blur of about three pixels. Linear Dodge. Add a group
sitting on top of a desk. I have managed to get some Use a Radial Gradient on a layer mask in order to fade the mask and render clouds on
good-looking glass, but the image doesn’t work well blur layer from the centre of the ball. Isolate the ball’s it. Duplicate the group,
unless the refraction looks just right. What do I have to do highlights and move that layer above the refractions and transform it around and
to achieve this? set the blending mode to Screen. Finally, do likewise with lower the Opacity for a
Louise Parker the shadows set to a blending mode of Multiply. secondary set of lines. To
create a soft glow, merge the
Remember to specify whether you’re using a PC or Mac and the version of Photoshop you have. layers of a duplicate group
then use the Gaussian Blur.
75
Advanced Photoshop
Q
Top tip: Plastic fantastic Dear Helpdesk, this is one of those issues
that’s not really a huge problem but annoying
nonetheless. Sometimes when I’m scaling an
object I’m trying to match it to something in the
background. Often, this requires me to zoom in on the
canvas to get the object just right. But when I zoom in,
the scale handles are way off the screen and I can’t grab
them to adjust the transformation. So I end up zooming
out to make a minor adjustment, zooming in to check,
zooming out to adjust, over and over again. Is there a
better way to do this?
DIAL SCALE: Use arrow keys in the Scale entry fields to
Elaine Murphy make fine adjustments
A
Elaine, you’re going to like this one. It will save scale you want, but that’s rather cumbersome and can
TEXT: Create plastic text using the Lighting Effect filter
you a lot of frustration, as well as wear and tear interrupt your flow of concentration. Instead, click your
It’s a fairly commonly known fact (yet rarely used) on those zoom hotkeys! Once you’ve activated cursor into the box you want to change and then tap your
that selections can be saved in Photoshop. Right the Transform tool, check the options bar across the top of up or down arrow key. The scale adjustment reacts
there in the Selections menu is Save and Load. the screen. You’ll see the input boxes for Scale accordingly and you don’t have to scroll out to grab those
When a selection is saved, it’s stored as a greyscale
percentages. You probably realise you could type in the handles! If you need to make a more drastic change in
channel. You can even see them if you look in the
scale, hold down the Shift key as you tap the arrows and
Channels palette – this way, they can be reloaded
at any time. But something that’s even more increase the adjustment by a factor of ten.
useful is that certain filters can use these I can hear Elaine sigh in relief already. You’re more than
selections to create additional effects. For welcome Elaine!
example, create a selection in the shape of some WARP: Selecting the None setting
text, then contract and smooth that selection will reset the warp transformation
(both found under the Select>Modify menu) and Warp reset
Q
save this selection. Rasterise your text and go to Is there any way to reset the warp
Filter>Render>Lighting Effects. Set the Texture transformation on a Smart Object back to the
channel to your saved selection and you’ve got an
original shape? To sort of unapply the warp? I
easy way to add a plastic appearance to your text.
tried putting all the control points back in the original
Once you get the sliders set how you like, you can
even save this setting and use it any time! positions, but I can’t seem to get them right.
Marc Spoeth
Q Dear Helpdesk, I’m always amazed at Begin with the Cutout filter as expected (Filter> Use the Color Range tool (under the Select menu)
how easy your writers make things Artist>Cutout) and keep the Levels set at around three and sample the dark colour from the image. Use the Add
look. Here’s a question I haven’t been colours. The Edge settings will vary depending on the to Sample mode (it’s the eyedropper with the plus sign)
able to figure out. I’ve noticed a popular trend in image. Create two new layers above the image layer, fill to select additional dark areas, then use this selection as
advertising posters that have a stencil look using the top one with a dark colour and the next one with a a mask on the dark colour layer. Repeat the process for
just two or three colours, and the cutout shapes light colour, then hide them both for now. the light colour.
are always smooth and flowing, not rough and
jagged. How can I get this same effect?
Carla McPhereson
A
Carla, that effect is a dramatic one indeed.
And while it first seems to be achievable
with a simple Cutout filter, it quickly
becomes apparent that the filter gives a result that’s
much too angular. And as you stated, getting things to
smooth out is a bit trickier, but a clever combination of
filters will get the job done.
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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Advanced Photoshop
A
Marc, if you’ve come this far, you’re already B) The process of creating unpopped popcorn. masks), there’s a button for making some quick
most of the way to discovering the answer C) The vertical space between lines of text. adjustments such as Invert and Color Range, but
yourself. There is no proper reset button, but D) A method of adjusting letter spacing based on the most useful would be the Mask Edge button.
there’s the next best thing – a menu item! Select your character pairs. This activates the same Refine Edge dialog box
Smart Object and activate the Warp Transformation tool, If you answered A or B, then you probably see fonts as we’ve seen with the Quick Selection tool, but
then check the options bar along the top of the screen. a method of making a necessary element – text – more applied to the current mask. It’s a great way for
The Warp drop-down menu is probably set to Custom. interesting. You will store thousands of fonts on your adjusting the smoothness or the contrast of the
Just change it to None and watch your Smart Object snap system and enjoy the process of picking the right one to mask. The new Density slider reduces the
back into its original shape. fit your project. If this describes you, then using freely opacity of the mask as a whole without being
available fonts is probably right up your alley. Try a site like connected to the layer opacity. We couldn’t do
www.1001freefonts.com. Just promise me you won’t use that before! The Feather slider does what you
Let’s talk about fonts heavily stylised fonts for full paragraphs of text. Please save would expect, essentially blurring and softening
A
Okay Jeb, fonts can be a touchy subject. Some http://ilovetypography.com/. After perusing those, you criticism that vector masks create an edge that is
folks view them as simply ornamental, while will solidly seat yourself into either the first or last groups too sharp and abrupt. Now you can feather that
others view them as the lifeblood of their listed here. edge, and still move the vector points around as
profession. Before we go on, let’s try a little litmus test to Finally, if you answered D, then you might be the type needed. Huzzah!
see where you sit on that scale. of person who notices the improper usage of
Kerning is: Copperplate on billboards. Or you find the mention of MASKS PANEL: CS4’s
Qonvuertiincgka latyeirp
A) A city in Georgia. Comic Sans to be physically painful. You probably even new Masks panel brings a
new ease of use to masks
bleed Helvetica, don’t you? To you, fonts aren’t the details
to a
C of a design – they are the design! If this describes you,
s you
ject allow
Smart Ob ew a rp then you don’t need me to tell you that www.fonts.com
to keep th ditable is one of the most respected online resources for fonts.
n sform ation e
tra at Some of the fonts available are pricey, but well-designed
readjust it
and then e. fonts don’t come cheap! There’s even a brilliant Search by
any tim
Sight feature that allows you to find a particular font just
3
by answering a series of questions.
Smooth things out REFINED EDGES: Use
Click on the mask for
the dark colour layer and
“If you answered D, the refine edge feature on
the mask
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Advanced Photoshop
9
as Best in Show. This artist will win a fantastic
R
WO
9
prize, courtesy of OHFolio.com. The lucky winner
£
will receive a year’s subscription to the website
service, a fully designed Flash website template,
and a free domain name.
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Advanced Photoshop
“I first started drawing when I was 14 years old and living in Japan,
learning anime illustration. I studied architecture in New Zealand and
have worked through university as a part-time renderer and model
maker. However, I would consider myself a self-taught digital renderer. I
am currently working in the film industry.
“In my personal projects I generally create a mechanical skeleton,
melt organic skin over the structure and make cuts to reveal the interior
workings. Adding artificial light in Photoshop cuts the rendering time in
half, which is important when you are a student!
”Any exterior surroundings (eg, trees, landscape, sky) are painted on
with a variety of custom brushes and layers of opacity. Photoshop has
really enabled me to add a lot of personal touches to my work and to use
a lot of my illustration skills.”
BEST
IN SHOW
SUPERFINAL: “I like to crea
dreamy atmosphere, rath te a
er than
something super-real”
AE: “I render
daylight scenes
and then add
all artificial light
p’s
with Photosho
alpha channels
s”
and layer mask
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Advanced Photoshop
Michael Smith
WEB: www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk/user/MSDesign
“My love for art and design started back in school when my friend Mike
and I would sit around looking at comics and graphic novels thinking,
‘why don’t we make our own?’ Of course, our comic never took off. Doing
this, however, did manage to get us a comic strip at the back of the
school paper, and for the first time I got to see some of my work printed;
from that day on, I was hooked.
“I graduated from Swansea Metropolitan University last year, getting
a 2.1 in BA (Hons) Illustration. Since leaving, I have done a few bits of
freelance work, such as logo designs, but haven’t had the chance to do
any real design work as I’ve been moving a lot, so most of my designs
are done in my spare time just for fun.”
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Advanced Photoshop
A LULLABY TO ROMANCE:
This image shows off Nina’s unique
style and when asked about what
the image is showing, she explains:
“A heart that fell asleep”
HOUSE OF MOTH
ER NATURE: “The T: “Today I am
glamorous Mother
Nature. She gives, ENCHANTMEN
and somewhat
ter
away, she rides a wo she takes a great suppor art,”
unded pear and ow general digital
ns a pair of an addict to
of cute pink shoes! ins Ni na ab out why her
” expla p
ated in Photosho
images are cre
Nina Yankovich
WEB: www.myspace.com/nina_y
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Advanced Photoshop
84
Advanced Photoshop
C
ompetition is healthy and entering into the and peers, inviting curiosity when added to your CV With stars now glistening in your eyes, it’s likely
spirit of things can cause you to affect the and website. The winning design, plus perhaps the that you feel motivated to enter. But first consider the
evolution of the design world as a whole, ‘not quite right’ countless drafts, can be added to your downside. The aforementioned ‘cloud nine’ fantasy is
as well as reap the awards and fame that success portfolio, showing clients your manner of developing achievable, but the consequences of not winning are
can bring. In this feature we will talk to the industry your artwork. Altruistically, your work may influence altogether less inviting: a sense of rejection, bruised
experts, competition organisers, judges and winners and inspire contemporaries as well as future ego, loss of motivation, soul-destroying feelings and
to unlock the secret of what it takes to enter a generations, not to mention perhaps alter the axis of the list goes on. It doesn’t have to be that way. Be
competition and come out on top. what’s in design vogue. proactive and use your loss to your advantage; post
So why enter in the first place? Well, aside from the Exposing your talent can herald adulation from your work on forums and get feedback. Find out
prospect of scooping tantalising prize funds and a peers and industry experts, harvesting contacts and where you are going wrong, as the work you
bounty of merchandise (often cash prizes or essential connections with the movers and the shakers, and complete can also help engorge your portfolio, and
kit), artists can use their accolades to impress clients your name may even hit the headlines, which can never stop submitting. What doesn’t break you will
only raise your profile higher. make you stronger.
QUICK TIPS:
• READ AND REPEAT: The • CATEGORY SELECTION: Check • KEEP IT BRIEF: Never forget the
rules and regulations differ immensely to see if you are able to submit more than one brief. Remind yourself of it at regular intervals
from comp to comp, so read them entry or even into various categories, but if you and keep a checklist of the things you need
carefully and even repeat to be sure. can only opt for one then choose wisely. and want to achieve within the project.
85
Advanced Photoshop
well as being a method of pinpointing and brief and reread it. Read it again, go to sleep, wake up
elevating exciting raw talent: “I believe in doing and reread the brief. Your initial idea may not be the
whatever I can to help bring exposure to the world’s best one; ideas evolve, so don’t fixate on just one.”
finest digital art and to the individual artists. It’s As well as creative communities, look to
important for artists to get credit and exposure for corporations such as software brands, and what
their work, and the more remote their locale, then the better place to start than the mother ship? Adobe’s
more important the exposure is. We’re seeing a hallmark competition Adobe Design Achievement
continually widening spectrum of artists from a wider Awards have been running for nine years and
diversity of cultures, as well as more sophisticated and originally started with just six categories, explains Liz
unusual approaches to the tools they use.” Wilkins, the brand’s education marketing manager for
the UK: “Today, the competition has expanded to
Winning words of wisdom encompass all areas of the creative world, from
Andrew Barton is a recent winner of an NVArt interactive media to video and motion design. The
competition (www.andrewdesigns.com), and he competition is now open to students in 40 countries
claims the reason he entered was not for the pool of around the world, and is done in partnership with the
exciting prizes but simply the honour of knowing his International Council of Graphic Design Associates.”
images would be seen by his creative heroes: “I This year has seen an increase of seven new countries
entered the competition because the panel of judges added to the accepted list, which magnifies the
was of such high calibre. I just loved the idea of Syd expected scope of rivalry for the coveted awards,
Mead looking at one of my images.” In a bid to wow forcing creatives to up their game. “We are looking for
the experts, Barton created Megaville 2108, an image originality, effectiveness in meeting the specified
of a futuristic civilisation: “My advice is to read the communication objectives and skill in using Adobe
products,” Wilkins continues. “Follow the guide
“The panel of judges available online, and please make sure you’re
submitting the right files for the right categories as
was of such high failure to do so means we can’t progress your entry.”
One of the short-term gratifications and perhaps
calibre. I loved the most obvious attraction for entering competitions are
idea of Syd Mead the prizes. The ADAA, for example, jet-sets finalists to
one of the design capitals of the world to take part in
looking at my images” a conference, followed by an awards dinner. Last
year’s finalists were also treated to studio tours of
– Andrew Barton, NVArt winner some of New York’s finest digital art companies, and
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Advanced Photoshop
TheJudge’s
within the design community or society at large.”
Other routes to investigate include magazines and Dr Mark Snoswell
trade journals, not forgetting their mirrored online Dr Mark Snoswell is the president of CGSociety and publisher
view
counterparts. Visit Advanced Photoshop’s daily news Ballistic Media. He has been a judge for the NVArt challenges and
blog at www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk for up-to- the CG Challenges for seven years. You can find out more about
the-minute alerts, because if there’s a competition these competitions at http://events.cgsociety.org/. Here, he gives
happening, we’ll be one of the first to report it. us the judge’s-eye view on what it takes to win.
Creatively focused magazines, such as ours, are
likely to hold one-off or regular Photoshop-inspired
projects and competitions, so be on the lookout or Has the competition and the What type of images tend to
join newsletter or mailing lists to keep in the know. standard evolved? stand out from the crowd?
Over the years the standard has steadily grown. A High-impact images that are bold in colour, contrast,
few years ago I started providing much more composition and subject.
guidance to entrants, including the provision of
sample images, stories and technical information. I What is the greatest benefit of
have also encouraged entrants to write short winning a competition?
descriptions of works. All of this has contributed to The competitions we run give entrants a chance for
a steep rise in the quality of work entered. global recognition – among their peers, viewers and
potential employers. Our competitions also offer the
What are you looking for in a largest prize pools in the world in this genre.
short list contender?
Works should be original and emotionally Are there any negative
engaging. They should be free of technical errors. consequences of entering?
Entries should also have commercial potential – The only possible downside to entering is that
they should be instantly recognisable and entrants love their work and put a lot of time into it –
engaging. They should also be broadly acceptable and as a result they may get offered jobs and have to
and not appear to be too horrific, sexual or in any make hard decisions as a consequence – but you can’t
other way offensive to our global community. really call that a negative unless you don’t like work.
What are you looking for in What is the best piece of advice
terms of winning quality? you can give our readers when it
Outstanding execution of artistic content comes to entering competitions
and technical execution. Above all is the
like this?
NV artwork emotional storytelling component of the image. Have a go! Do not be afraid or too proud to join
The CGSociety regularly holds individual challenges This element, to a successful artist, works in in and enter. It costs nothing and the rewards can
with huge cash prizes, and also runs competitions in any medium. be great.
association with NVIDIA known as NVArt
• RESEARCH AND PREPARE: To have the • SUBMISSION MISSION: Read the rules to • ATTENTION TO DETAIL: Pay attention
upper hand, research the competition like no one’s discover how entries are accepted. If you need to post a to detail within your artwork. Execute your designs well,
business. Nose into who won last year, as the organisers print, what dimensions and on what material? If you and if the competition requires for you to write an
will want to raise the bar this time. need to send a CD, what resolution and format? accompanying essay, have someone reliable proofread it.
87
Advanced Photoshop
competitions
considered the longest-running website design
awards with 13 years of service. “Winning a Webby
can really help lesser-known sites break out from the
pack and find new global audiences,” says executive
director David-Michel Davies. “It’s a way to join the Brit Insurance Adobe Design
ranks of the web’s best and brightest, making you –
Designs of Achievement Awards
and your work – an industry leader, validating the
the Year November to June
Entries by invitation Who’s eligible?
work of you and your team.” and nomination Adults (18+) who are full-time
Regardless of what the competition is or where you only. This happens in matriculated students in an
find it, there are a few simple steps you can take to the autumn accredited institution of
Who’s eligible? higher education. To see
ensure you give yourself the best chance possible, as which residents of which
Industry experts nominate designs to be
Lorne Lanning reveals: “First, study the rules and considered for the short list countries are eligible, visit
theme of the competition. Think before you start Competition website: the website
putting your stylus to the screen, explore the full www.designsoftheyear.com Competition website:
www.adobe.com/education/adaa
design potential and push the boundaries to aim for
innovations that will help to cut through and make
your work stand out.
50th Annual Communication
“Take it seriously as an exercise to demonstrate
Arts Photography Competition NVArt and CG
your all. If you don’t make the short list, don’t let that March deadline Challenges
keep you from submitting in the future. If an artist is Who’s eligible? December – March
striving for excellence and innovation, then it’s only a Any photograph first Who’s eligible?
printed or produced Anyone over the age of
matter of time before their work stands out.
between certain dates in 18 may enter
Ultimately, that’s the best place an artist can wind up March each year Competition website:
– with ‘undeniable credibility’ toward their work, as Competition website: http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/
acknowledged by their peers and community… and www.commarts.com/
the industry will inevitably follow.” competitions/
photography
Cut and Paste
Global
HELEN STOREY Championship
WITH TONY RYAN, HOW Promotion Until 20 June
WONDERLAND Design Awards Who’s eligible?
© NICK KNIGHT Deadline for entries is Anyone can enter but you have to be available for
usually in March the Test Rounds
Who’s eligible? Competition website:
There are a handful of www.cutandpaste.com/events/global_
restrictions so visit the website’s rules and championship
regulations web page to check who can enter
Competition website:
www.howdesign.com/promotiondesignawards
D&AD Awards
October to February
Who’s eligible?
55DSL Anyone who wants to
October to December enter may do so
Who’s eligible? Competition website:
Mostly everyone but http://awards09.
some restrictions apply. dandad.org/
See http://
logoremix.55dsl.com/about/details/ for more
Competition website:
http://logoremix.55dsl.com/ Photoshop User Awards (NAPP)
1 November to 31 December
Who’s eligible?
Open to all Adobe Photoshop users, at any skill
The Webby level. However, employees, instructors and staff of
Brit Insurance Designs of the Year Awards the National Association of Photoshop
Call for entries via email, Professionals (NAPP) and their families are not
Winners of the British Insurance Design Awards. These visit http://webbyawards. eligible to enter
individuals were nominated and judged by experts in com/entries/ for details Competition website:
the design industry Who’s eligible? www.photoshopuserawards.com
Artists who have a project that has been in
existence during the judging year
Competition website:
• MAKE THE DEADLINE: It goes without
saying to be aware of deadlines, but remember deadlines www.webbyawards.com
can differ depending on the country you are from or the
format you intend to use (ie postal versus electronic).
BACKGROUND IMAGE: NENDO, CABBAGE CHAIR FOR THE XXI CT MAN EXHIBITION CURATED BY ISSY MIYAKE
88
Advanced Photoshop
iMovie
The most improved application of the suite,
more by default than pioneering advancements,
is iMovie. iMovie ’08 was much maligned after a
radical shift away from the previous iMovie HD
to a more beginner-friendly approach. Many of
the missing features bemoaned by fans last year
have, thankfully, been reinstated. Themes and
IMOVIE: A massive upgrade to iMovie puts the user upgrades to the major players, namely iMovie maps are the big coup, with automatic
back in control of editing and iPhoto, as well as behind the scenes transitions and slick, animated globes
tinkering and minor adjustments to the implemented in a matter of clicks. Editing power
iPhoto
is kicked up a notch as well, with a precision
editor and a video stabilisation feature that can
turn previously unusable footage into smooth
that with each new iteration comes updates to The unanimous favourite in the iLife bundle is, clips. Once again, Photoshop users will benefit
five creative applications all prefixed with a lower- without a doubt, iPhoto. A simple yet devilishly from the ability to import images into the
case ‘i’. iPhoto for editing and sorting images, efficient tool for importing, editing and application in order to create presentations, slide
iMovie for creating films from camera and categorising digital images, the application also shows and showreels from their work.
camcorder footage, iDVD for burning movies to provides facilities to create slideshows as well as
disc, iWeb for web design and GarageBand for print professional-quality photo books. This year, iDVD and GarageBand
music and podcasts. with the inclusion of GPS-based geotagging While iDVD still remains a very useful tool for
Since the suite’s launch in 2003, every year has (global positioning data included within image sharing photos, movies and music on disc, Apple
seen more impressive features added and, on files), new travel book themes have been added didn’t see fit to add any more weapons to its
some occasions, as with 2008’s iWeb, entirely new to help users chart their trips through photos arsenal. Some believe the application is going
applications made available. This year, although and maps. The feature behind the creation of the way of the physical disc in the era of flash
lacking a new piece of software, the annual these books is called Places, which reads drives and YouTube, but while iDVD remains
overhaul of iLife is no different, with much-touted geotagging data in images, allowing users to within the iLife suite, it still serves an important
browse photos by location and even look at purpose. If you play an instrument, simply plug
them on a Google Map interface. Similarly, Faces in to GarageBand and get recording with the
makes the same true of human features, simple controls and effects on show. Those with
recognising people in your pictures and sorting no musical experience may benefit from the
them into their own albums. new teaching element in GarageBand, which
90
Advanced Photoshop
8/10
controlled and sharpness is good, although solid camera nonetheless.
some images took a little extra sharpening in
Photoshop and we’d steer clear of Auto WB
92
Advanced Photoshop
Manufacturer: Epson
Web: www.epson.com
Price: £68.51/$80
source, like a sunlit window or bright sky. We
Spec: 4,800 x 9,600dpi matrix CCD
tested this feature thoroughly and found it
Four scan buttons, including
produced generally good results. books or other bulkier items, and something that
scan to PDF and email
The V30 boasts an optical resolution of 4,800 x all scanners should offer, in our opinion.
Portrait or landscape opening lid
9,600dpi, which is plenty for all your home The V30 also includes four scan buttons for
ReadyScan LED Technology
scanning and creative projects. It’s also supplied easy operation. This cluster of large silver buttons
Epson Easy Photo Fix software
with OCR software, which allows you to scan and appears in the bottom right-hand corner of the
for dust removal as well as
edit text on your computer as well. We tried the top of the scanner and allows you to power the
colour correction
scanner with a range of print media, text and unit on and off, copy, scan to an email or scan to
photographs, as well as ‘living’ subjects like PDF – all at the touch of a button. Adding to the
9/10
the Color Restoration box when scanning. You can also Adjustment palette, their film photo collection.
like backlighting, which arises when choose to add Unsharp Mask, Descreening and to Tone Correction,
photographing your subject in front of a light Backlight Correction among others
93
Advanced Photoshop
Author/Publisher: Scott Purdy/Impact giving you the tools you need to start creating your own
Web: www.impact-books.com characters. Everything is covered, from facial expressions to
Price: £14.99/$22.99 skeletal structures and atmospheric lighting, with lots of images
About: In-depth anatomical study to explain the theory.
Six species covered with multiple characters ‘Part Two: The Goblinoids’ concerns itself with individual, in-
Double-page spread character creation depth ‘species’ design. All creatures are personalised with their
Map of the Goblin world own story, which brings the characters to life even before
Goblinoid keyword creator creation has started. Each one is dissected into four creation
stages, all of which are easy to follow. From building basic forms Gross attention to detail: If you want
G oblinoids: How to draw and paint goblins, orcs and other to applying base colour and determining texture and lighting to illustrate warts, sores and scars to exaggerate
the gruesomeness of your character, check out
dark creatures is a title that teaches you how to draw a by layering colour, each is presented through explanatory the related section on page 31
whole host of weird and wonderful otherworldly beasts. annotations and thumbnails. Some of our favourite creatures
Divided into two key sections, readers get to enjoy over 126 full- have fantastic names, like Tunnel Rat Tailtoe Mushnroo, Summary: Goblinoids is not exclusive
colour pages of goblins, orcs, trolls, hobgoblins and more. It’s a Barbarian Meskin Dragonslayer and Rocketeer Noobel to either digital or traditional artists. This
real fantasy feast for lovers of the genre that won’t fail to Pidgeonfoot, depicted with cool additions, such as flying means that the book is a relevant
entertain and inspire. machines and mechanical weapons. resource for both, and presents projects
‘Part One: The Basics’ is aimed at the more enthusiastic In addition to being packed with creative advice, Goblinoids for creatives at all levels. Essentially, it
concept artist, providing insight into what you’ll need to make also has its fair share of fun. Turn to the back of this book and gives you the fantasy fundamentals for
your monstrous visions come alive. This is achieved through you’ll find the Goblinoid keyword creator. This consists of a you to get on and create with whatever
traditional anatomical studies, where human and goblin body numbered list of characters, weapons and skin types. Simply roll means suits you.
parts are presented and compared. The book shows how to
make the progression from basic shapes through to final figures,
a dice to pick an entry from the list and you’ll end up with a
creature recipe for you to draw.
8/10
How to Cheat in
Photoshop CS4
If you’re looking for a speedy creative solution, this title is for you
Author/Publisher: Steve Caplin/Focal Press intuitive and powerful tool types, such as the blending options
Web: www.focalpress.com layer styles and the Vanishing Point filter.
Price: £24.99/$44.95 Being presented in a fun project-led fashion makes readers
About: Authored by international graphic artist and feel secure and confident in tackling any of the book’s creative
journalist Steve Caplin tasks. Everything is evident, in bite-sized step-by-step tutorials,
15 jam-packed project-based chapters with all keyboard shortcuts highlighted, promoting recognition
Full-colour thumbnails and familiarity.
Resource CD included High-resolution thumbnails of the tool dialog boxes are
useful references, so that you know exactly what you should be
P
So much to learn: This book is brimming
hotoshop is intensive and sophisticated software that doing. There are even Hot Tips included, which are genuinely with easy-to-follow instructions that will surely
should be explored and studied to understand its full useful, helping you get a greater understanding of the topic help you create professional, eye-catching effects
creative potential. But if this sounds like too much hard work, being discussed.
then why not just cheat?! On an aesthetic level, we were extremely impressed with Summary: This is a title true to its word,
How to Cheat in Photoshop CS4 shows you how to create How to Cheat in Photoshop CS4. There are a lot of new projects in which lets you familiarise with Photoshop
convincing photographic work without the need of a studio, this updated version, such as submerging in water, cosmetic in a concise and speedy fashion. Well
and reveals a host of shortcuts and quick ways to achieve makeover and magical realism effects. Readers also get a worth purchasing, as it is packed with
otherwise complex effects. resource CD, which boasts video tutorials, Photoshop files and projects relevant to professional work as
Split into 15 chapters, it covers specific processes that will stock imagery. All these mean that you can get learning straight well as being really fun for the
really help you get to grips with photo editing, photomontage away. And don’t worry if you haven’t got Photoshop CS4 – a lot enthusiastic creative.
and photomanipulation projects. The title is coherent but in no
way ‘mothers’ readers, as it covers some of Photoshop’s most
of the content is relevant to older versions and there is still
plenty to learn!
10/10
94
Advanced Photoshop
Massive Black
Digest a magical amount of macabre concept art
Author/Publisher: Ballistic
Web: www.ballisticpublishing.com
Price: £39.89 ($53.95)
About: Professional design from Massive Black
Projects in Photoshop, ZBrush and more
Conceptual through to finalised design massiveblack.com) most recognisable projects in the
Hardback sleeve and matte cover entertainment business. These include designs for the Transient
film and game world, which grew from the graphic novel, as