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cover artist ndash interviewRandy Monteith
Randy Monteith is a self-taught artist All his ideas come from an
overactive imagination that is only put in check when he finishes a
piece of artwork and then the process begins again
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8
20
10
Dearest ReadersLetrsquos face it the Summer is about to end Most of you are probably coming back from holidays and I guess you donrsquot feel like getting back to work is that right
The sunny days will soon be over but it doesnrsquot mean that the holiday fun has to stop Try to change all the good energy you have into art Be creative and let us inspire you with our September tutorials
In this issue Alena Lazareva will show you how to make a beautiful digital painting of a Forest Fairy and Joseacute-Paulo Reis ndash how to prepare an intriguing vector image You can also improve your photo retouch skills with Ylenia Peronti and Armand Johnson or become a master of a realistic digital painting in which George Patsouras will help you You can also enjoy the works of Randy Monteith our cover artist and read the in-terview with Natalia Voloshyn April Elisabeth and Armand Johnson
I hope that each one of you will find something useful and interesting for himself Have a good lecture
Magdalena Mojskamagdalenamojskapsdmagorg
Editor in Chief
creative classDistractionsJoseacute-Paulo Reis
interviewInterview with Natalia Voloshyn
digital paintingForest FairyAlena Lazareva
workshopHow to paint a realistic eyeGeorge Patsouras
How to paint a realistic lipsGeorge Patsouras
interviewInterview with Armand Johnson
photo retouchGlamour RetouchArmand Johnson
How to change eye colorYlenia Peronti
interviewInterview with April Elisabeth
photomanipulationMaking the MoodNaomi Bensen
800-844-6528 | 3901 Atkinson Square Drive | Louisville KY 40218 | sctdedu
In todayrsquos job market you need a degree just to get an interview If yoursquore in need of a new career but still donrsquot have a degree then call Sullivan College of Technology and Design Our degrees are focused so you donrsquot have to spend a lot of time in school Plus most of our students are just like you People who have been in the job market but are going to school-many for the first time-to earn that much-needed degree
SCTD is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools to award certificates diplomas associate and bachelorrsquos degrees
Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools 750 First Street NE Suite 980 Washington DC 20002-4241 | Telephone (202) 336-6780
GET A GRAPHIC DESIGN DEGREE THAT WILL LEAD TO A CAREER
ALL PICTURED WORK PRODUCED BY SCTD STUDENTS
2009 AETAOutstanding Technical Program Award
interview
4 psd Photoshop
sea (who is my biggest fan) is 17 I work for Bombardier of Thunder Bay Canada where I do the electrical electronics testing on the rail-cars we manufacture for the world
Interview withRandy Monteith
Please tell our readers something about yourselfI am 49 years old I have a great wife who is my inspiration in so many ways My son Rory is seven years old and my daughter Chel-
I am self-taught as an artist So any mistakes I have made are intentional All my ideas come from an overactive imagination that is only put in check when I finish a piece of artwork and then the process begins again I have been working with Photoshop for almost 7 years now I am lucky enough to have two images chosen for two of RedBubblersquos books GAIA and Compassion Courage and Friendship I have been interviewed in Photoshop Creative Magazine 14 and have images printed in Advanced Photoshop as well Recently in Issue 60 of Photoshop Creative Magazine the editors chose my portfolio on their webpage as one of the Top 5 rated portfolios I am not one to think outside the box but blow it to bits so stand back and watch me now
interview with randy monteith
5psd Photoshop
Why did you choose to become a digital artistSomeone sent me an email with a picture that someone did of an animal that was made up of three other animals and I said to myself Great Idea but I thought I could do so much better I had no clue what software was out there until some friends told me about Photoshop I am self taught as an artist and have taught myself Photoshop all on my own Creating Digital Art is a great outlet I get to see all these crazy ideas I have in my head come to fruition
interview
6 psd Photoshop
interview with randy monteith
7psd Photoshop
Where do you look for the inspiration to createMy ideas come from all over I have a very overactive imagination that works non-stop
Could you tell us a bit about the advantages and difficulties of your profession What do you find the most satisfying about it and what can be discouragingIn my case because I have a regular job as a elec-tronics tech I am lucky I donrsquot have to rely upon my income from my artwork But this also gives me the freedom to work on what I want to work on and not what the boss tells me to do I mainly create art for myself If others like it then thatrsquos a bonus
Are there any works you are particularly proud ofYes there are quite a few actually Broken from Within was featured in an ad for Photoshop Creative maga-zine Wither won a first place prize in a international art contest sponsored by Corel Earth Bound was fea-tured in a limited edition book by Redbubble
What are you currently working onNo real projects just some experi-ments that sometimes turn into pieces of artwork I love coming up with new techniques take an old techinque and stretch it a little further then others have
Any advices to those who would like to become digital artists as wellDonrsquot think outside the box Blow it to bits A program like Photoshop can be very scary to learn there are so many tools and things you have to know how to use Just take your time and learn a small part at a time Then you will learn how to slowly start using different parts of the program together en-abling you to understand it better and create some amazing art
In this tutorial I will show you how to acheive an interesting effect using vectors
Distractions
medium | 45 min
adobe photoshop CS5 | adobe illustrator
distractions
9psd Photoshop
Step 1To begin create a new document as shown below
02
03
Step 2Fill the background layer with black color [Alt] + [Backspace] Next select the picture for this tuto-rial Any picture will do but the photo of a face or a portrait will be the most suitable here Now you need to cut the face out of the picture In this sce-nario we used Pen Tool since it provided the best result In Paths panel click left mouse button on the thumbnail you created Next press [Ctrl] +[C]to copy and [Ctrl]+[V] to paste it
Step 3Now we will adjust contrast of the cut out image Go to LayergtNew Adjustments LayergtSelective color and set the values as you see in the picture below
01
creative class
10 psd Photoshop
Step 4Duplicate the models layer and desaturate it using [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[U] In the Layers panel select desaturated copy of the model and go to FiltergtBlurgtLens Blur and use the settings below
04
05
06
Step 5Now we need to save the document as PSD fi le (FilegtSave as)
Step 6In this step you need to make sure that you have chosen or made the right vectors to be used in the image you are creating As soon as you have it done drag into Photoshop and choose Smart object To do that highlight your Vector in Layers panel right click mouse button and from the drop down menu select Convert to smart object
distractions
11psd Photoshop
Step 7Now put your vectors in your fi le Choose the fi rst one and go to FiltergtDistortgtDisplace Use the settings shown below You have to do it for all the vector layers Choose the fi le you saved before in PSD format to complete the displace fi lter Next duplicate the face image as many times as the number of vectors you add to your fi le We need the original copy of the image you cut on top of any smart object you create Once you have the images on top of the vector layers you have to create Clipping masks Right-click on each copy of the image layer in the Layers palette and select Create Clipping Mask
07
08
09
Step 8Once you have done all the clipping masks you must give some layer properties to the vector lay-ers Click on fx below the Layers panel select drop shadow and use the settings below
Step 9You can modify the settings of each smart object layer just the way you want I hope you enjoy it
by Joseacute-Paulo Reis
interview
12 psd Photoshop
urge to create Also I was a lot into photography at that time but I didnrsquot have a camera After browsing a couple of websites with pho-tomanipulations I understood that itrsquos not necessary to have expen-sive equipment to create ndash and I decided to give it a try
Interview withNatalia Voloshyn
Tell our readers something about yourself How did your digital arts adventure started and why did you choose this professionIrsquove been a digital artist for three years now and my relationship with this form of art started rather traditionally ndash I was driven by a strong
Irsquom a 21 years old master student from a beautiful city of Lviv Ukraine Though my occupation (Irsquom a linguist) can hardly be called ldquoartyrdquo Irsquove been madly in love with Photoshop and photography for nearly 3 years Being an artist is an amazing feelingYou can find more of my works athttpvoloschka-photodeviantartcomhttpvoloschkadeviantartcom
interview with natalia voloshyn
13psd Photoshop
Where do you get the inspiration for your worksAnything can be an inspiration ndash music films books different kinds of art even random lines in the conversation I often build up an im-age of a future artwork in my imagination it can be my vision of a certain concept or feeling or just a fantasy scene But sometimes I just play around with images textures and brushes and something interesting comes along the way
Could you tell us a bit about the advantages and difficulties of your profession What do you find the most satisfying about it and what can be discouragingDigital art is very time consuming It might take up to 5 hours or even more to create a piece It is also quite tiring as it requires hours of concentration and sitting in front of a computer screen The most satisfying thing about being a digital artist is that nothing limits you
interview
14 psd Photoshop
ndash if you want to create a beautiful lady with huge butterfly wings or a dark dungeon with ghosts it is up to you Anything is possible Im-ages brushes and textures give you an opportunity to experiment as much as you want However digital art is technically difficult and requires a lot of practice which can be discouraging at times
Are there any works you are particularly proud of Any personal favourites Thatrsquos a tricky question I really like my latest pieces lsquoFreersquo lsquoPerfec-tionrsquo and lsquoCarried Awayrsquo but it would be wrong to call them favourite as all of my works mean a lot to me
interview with natalia voloshyn
15psd Photoshop
What are you currently working onIrsquom working on a piece portraying an imaginary being perhaps a girl lonely lost and rejected longing for warm human feelings but not being able to find them It is going to be a dreamy fantasy piece quite dark and atmospheric
What are your plans for future Are there any particular goals you would like to achieve I consider myself being a perfectionist so I try to improve my skills with every new piece I create I would like to move more in the direc-tion of digital painting learn some new techniques
Any advices to those who would like to become digital artists as wellThe first and the most important piece of advice ndash donrsquot stop Donrsquot give up even if things go totally wrong or are not as good as you ex-pected Be patient try to build up an image in your mind first or draw a sketch and then recreate it step by step If you feel that you lack knowledge browse for some tutorials they can be very helpful Im-prove your skills And remember - the sky is the limit
medium | 30 min
adobe photoshop CS3 | wacom tablet
forest fairy
17psd Photoshop
Step 1I made a sketch in Photoshop using Wacom tablet After I made a rough sketch I decided to add dif-ferent decorative details during the process of drawing
01
02
Step 2I drew the basis for the face body and dress on a new layer More details and highlights would be added later
Forest FairyI wanted to draw a beautiful fairy with long hair and bright green eyes running through the forest I decided to paint it in bright colors of yellow and orange The image needed to be magical
digital painting
18 psd Photoshop
Step 4At this point I began to refi ne the face and make up continuing from step 2 and adding more de-tails I focused on the looks and the eyes because I think itrsquos very important I painted some pinkish shades on the face added highlights and textured the lips After that I added eyelashes
04
05
Step 5In this step I drew the hair I decided that fairys hair would be long with a reddish-yellow hue First I drew the basis for hair using a dark color Then I painted waves of the hair lighter I used several colors to draw the hair (brown orange red and various shades of yellow) as it gives the effect of more volume To draw the hair I use a soft round brush In the brush settings I set ShapegtDynamicsgtFine hair fi ne hair and sized it to 2 px
03
Step 3I started to paint the basis for fairys hair I used a wide round soft brown brush and drew it on a new layer Then I began to paint more details of fairys body and of her dress by adding shadows and highlights
forest fairy
19psd Photoshop
Step 7When I fi nished the details on the girls body I drew a fl ower in her hand On a new layer with Opacity 50 I drew a light train I used a soft round brush with Opacity set to 30-50
07
08
Step 8I started to paint the background and used a soft large brush I made the left upper corner of the background lighter and the bottom of the back-ground - darker
06
Step 6I decided to make the dress more beautiful First I drew bright yellow patches on the dress and the folds I drew highlights with a soft round brush setting the Opacity to 40 I then painted gloss on her dress For this I used a brush size of 2-5 px Glitter (point brush) I drew it on multiple layers with varying transparency and used a bright yel-low and red brush The more points you paint the more the dress will shine On the brightest parts of the dress I put more points of bright color
digital painting
20 psd Photoshop
Step 10In this step I added decorative items and orna-ments I used a brush size of 2 px and yellow and brown colors to paint decorations (to look their best they need to be drawn very accurately)
10
11
Step 11I drew the falling leaves on 2 layers a front and a rear layer On the foreground I painted the leaves brighter To layer the leaves in the background I applied a Gaussian Blur
by Alena Lazareva
09
Step 9I then painted an abstract leaf in the right side of the background and applied the Gaussian Blur fi l-ter (FiltergtBlurgtGaussian Blur) Now using a soft brush with light yellow I added rays of the sun Af-ter that I again applied the Gaussian Blur
This tutorial will explain how to paint a realistic eye in Photoshop Eyes are by far one of the most important aspects of any painting especially if itrsquos a portrait Itrsquos also one of the most fun features to paint as painting an eye is much easier than one might think
How toPaint a Realistic Eye
medium | 30 min
adobe photoshop CS5
how to paint a realistic eye
23psd Photoshop
SketchBefore laying down a single brushstroke itrsquos important for me to create a rough sketch It doesnrsquot have to be perfect but we need to get our point across here This will only make things easier during the painting process Create a new layer and sketch in an eye
02
03
Laying down the Base ColorThis step is simple enough here we lay down the base color for the skin Simply use the Gradienttool here and fi ll the background layer with your color choice In general try not to go too light or too saturated here
Defi ning FormUsing the HSB Slider (WindowsgtColor) pick a darker more saturated color for the darker areas of the skin and paint it using a simple Hard Edged brush I also pick a lighter less saturated tone for the highlights of the skin I choose a color for the eye in this case a bright blue and paint that in as well
01
workshop
24 psd Photoshop
Bringing Life to the SkinThe values of the skin need some work here I choose an even brighter lighter color to defi ne the form of the skin I introduce the lighter tones according to the lighting here which is a standard front light I add the lighter tones to the tone the bridge of the nose near the eyebrow and around the eyelid to make things appear more realistic
04
05
06
Smoothing Out the SkinAt this point all my work was done using a standard Hard Edged brush which is great for defi ning form quickly To blend the skin and give it a more photo realistic look I now switch to a soft brush (Hardness at 0) and Opacity at 50 I blend all the sharp transitions until things appear much smoother Additionally I paint darker tones on the blue iris to give it more depth
Bringing More LifeAt this point I work a bit more on the skin tones adding some more saturated reddish tones on the area around the eye as well as the cheek I also add a more saturated blue to the eye as well I do this all with a soft airbrush at a fairly low opacity on a new layer then merge it down when Irsquom satisfi ed with how things are looking I also do some more detail work using a softer Hard Edgedbrush as well
how to paint a realistic eye
25psd Photoshop
DetailsIrsquom satisfi ed with how things are looking at this stage so I start working on the details Using a fairly small brush I begin to add some lsquobumpsrsquo around the eye to give it a more realistic looks I also create bumps around the eyebrow using a both a fairly light as well as dark color to help it pop for a realistic look I also add details in the iris using a lighter bluish color to really bring the image to life I work in at a very large zoom at this stage as well to make things easier and more accurate
07
08
09
Refi nementI go over everything with a Soft Edged brush at a low opacity for a more realistic look Additionally I bring out the details more using fairly small hard edged brushes I work on the eyebrow painting each strand in as well as the eyelashes
Color and Texture EnhancementThings are looking a bit too muddy for my taste so what I do here is create a new layer set to soft light and enhance the colors quite a bit I introduce much warmer tones around the eye to give it more life Finally I slightly overlay a leather photo texture to give the skin a slightly more realistic effect
by George Patsouras
In this tutorial I will explain how to paint realistic lips with Photoshop Before attempting to paint lips itrsquos essential that you practice drawing lips as well as the head in general to get the best results possible
How toPaint a Realistic Lips
medium | 30 min
adobe photoshop CS5
how to paint a realistic lips
27psd Photoshop
SketchI almost always start off with a sketch for my serious paintings and this one is no different I create a new layer and with a Hard Edged brush I quickly sketch in the lips Getting the lips to look right now just makes the painting process that much easier
02
03
Picking the right base colorPick a mid-tone for the skin one thatrsquos not too saturated or too light (a common mistake many artists make) To quickly fi ll in the canvas with a color I simply use the Gradient tool After itrsquos done I use a hard edged brush to paint in the red lips
Defi ning FormOnce I chose my base tone itrsquos time to defi ne the form of the skin The fi rst thing you must think of is where does the light come from In this case I decide to go for a fairly simple front light and shade accordingly Using a Hard Edged brush I use darker more saturated tones for the darker parts of the skin and a lighter less saturated tone for the highlights of the skin for a realistic effect Use a darker midtone for the lsquotoprsquo lip and bring out lighter tones for the bottom one (this works for most lighting situations)
01
workshop
28 psd Photoshop
Bringing out the HighlightsThings are still looking too fl at for me at this stage so I choose a much brighter midtone to bring out the form of the skin As always I simply use a hard edged brush at this step I bring out lighter tones on the lsquocornersrsquo of the lips the chin and on top of the lips
04
05
06
Smoothing out the SkinOnce Irsquom happy with my value statement I decide to soften everything out with a soft edged brush I choose Hardness 0 under my Brush Settingsand with a 50 Opacity I smoothen out the rough transitions
DetailsI start bringing texture to the lower lips using a fairly small Hard Edged brush I zoom closer here to make things easier and begin to paint the texture of the lips keeping the form in mind using a circular stroke Additionally I bring out a fairly harsh highlight at the top of the lips (the part that looks like a lsquoVrsquo) which gives the image a much more realistic feel
how to paint a realistic lips
29psd Photoshop
Even more detailsI bring more contrast to the image using lighter tones for the highlights and darker ones for shadows I introduce a fairly dark tone right underneath the lip above the chin for a realistic effect I also use a darker tone to separate the lsquobottomrsquo lip from the top giving the lips more depth in the process I also add a mole simply for the fun of it
07
08
Final Refi nementHere I add even more texture to the lips and use a very light almost white color on the bottom lips to bring more life and contrast to the image I clean the image out a bit in general and make sure everything appears as symmetrical as possible and voila Wersquore done
by George Patsouras
contributing writers
Editor in Chief Magdalena Mojska magdalenamojskapsdmagorg
Copy Editor Ed Werzyn Robert Coppa Art Director Agnieszka Marchocka
DTP Przemysław BanasiewiczSenior ConsultantPublisherPresident
Paweł Marciniak Managing Director Ewa Łozowicka
Marketing Director Magdalena Mojska magdalenamojskapsdmagorg
Production DirectorAndrzej Kuca andrzejkucapsdmagorg
Postal addressPublisher Software Press Spzoo SK
02-682 Warszawa ul Bokserska 1worldwide publishing wwwpsdmagorgen
All trade marks presented in the magazine were used only for informa-tive purposes All rights to trade marks presented in the magazine are
reserved by the companies which own themMathematical formulas created by Design Science MathTypetrade
The editors use automatic DTP systemEditorial contributions should be sent to
editorspsdmagorg Customer Service +1 917 338 3631
The Software Press Spzoo SK works individually from Adobe The psd Photoshop team reserves the right not to be responsible for the topical-ity correctness completeness or quality of the information provided by
contributors
Randy Monteith
I am self taught as an artist So any mistakes I have made are in-tentional All my ideas come from an over active imagination that is only put in check when I fi nish a piece of artwork and then the process begins again I have been working with Photoshop for al-most 7 years now I am lucky enough to have two images chosen for two of RedBubblersquos books GAIA and Compassion Courage and Friendship I have been interviewed in Photoshop Creative Maga-zine 14 and have images printed in Advanced Photoshop as well Recently in Issue 60 of Photoshop Creative Magazine the editors chose my portfolio on their webpage as one of the Top 5 rated portfolios I am not one to think outside the box but blow it to bits so stand back and watch me now
c o v e r a r t i s t
Alena Lazareva
My name is Alena I live in Russia I`m the digital artist and the illustrator My interests are art photography computer graph-ics I have been drawing since childhood I studied at the School of Art at the artist There I drew pictures in oils and watercolor is now engaged in graphic design During the last three years I have been enjoying working as a computer graphics artist I love to paint illustrations in the style of Fantasy mythical creatures fairies elves mermaids and angels and painting children fairy-tales I`m currently using Photoshop CS and tablet Wacom for of my artworks I hope you like my illustrationsWebsite wwwalenalazarevacome-mail alenkalazarevamailru
Armand Johnson
Irsquom a professional photographer and graphic designer from Northern Louisiana USA I have had the pleasure of working with celebrities non-profi t organizations and local talents within the Louisiana region Irsquove also provided public service to the area and worked with the local youth to teach them professionalism career goals and creative thinking I get a lot of my inspiration from what I observe which is everyday lifehttpwwwfl ickrcomphotosthearmandjohnsonhttpwwwtwittercomdajizzlehttpwwwcreatticacomcreativesthe-armand-john-son29390thearmandjohnsongmailcom
George Patsouras
George Patsouras is a freelance and concept artist residing from Long Island City NY His work can be seen in a variety of differ-ent projects including video games comic books as well as card games George specializes in depicting realistic fantasy images For more of his work be sure to check out his offi cial blog at httpcgaddictblogspotcom
Jose Paulo Reis
Irsquom a digital artist with 3 years of experience My passion is fashion photography creativity advertising photomanipula-tion and digital art Currently Irsquom working as a digital artist in Lalaland Studios (fashion photography) I love fashion and beauty photography and everything related with digital art Irsquom devoted to Photoshop and everyday Irsquom trying to improve my skillsEnjoy my works by visiting my blog wwwzepaulocreationblogspotcom
Naomi Bensen
Having been raised in a colorful environment of art music and creative learning it was only natural for me to gravitate towards photographymdasha medium that can catch a split second and make it last forever Behind the lens I have pursued my own unique style of photography that focuses on capturing natural and un-staged moments For me photography is more than taking a good picturemdashitrsquos about turning a moment into art Find me at httptheimaginationdeviantartcom
Ylenia Peronti
Irsquom 19 years old italian artist From 3 years I have a passion for photo retouch and generally for phtoshop so I started to practice retouch fi rst on what I call ldquoextreme makeoverrdquo as described in this tutorial and then devot himelf to studying professional photo retouching refi ning technical professional and actually retouch fashion shots Irsquom supermoderator in the Forum Graphics wwwgrafi cicreativicom and I manage especially the section of photoretouch you can fi nd me at the following links wwwyleniaperontiwordpresscom httpyleniucciadeviantartcom
interview
32 psd Photoshop
Interview withArmand Johnson
Please say a few words about yourselfI have a degree in Graphic Design and I really enjoy art all forms of it Whether that is music acting dancing painting photography etc I am intrigued by many different forms of art I DO like to play video games (when I have time but who doesnrsquot) and I DO consider video games as ART but thatrsquos a different subject Irsquom kind of laid back and very business like in my approach to most things
Why did you choose photo retouching and what do you find fascinating about itWhen I was in undergrad I collected plenty of music CDrsquos and DVDrsquos It always intrigued me how flawless and perfect looking the cover art was I thought to myself I want to reach that level of perfection in what I do But graduating with a BFA in Graphic Design kind of steered me away from that in some regards It wasnrsquot until about 5 years ago when my Aunt asked me to gather a couple of shots for some of my cousinrsquos promotional work that I begun to take retouch-ing very seriously After I took the shots I thought These images need to be presentable So I started to dabble with perfecting the images which pushed me into retouching By being a photographer retouching is essential to my workflow because I want my images to have that commercial professional appeal I want my work to look like it belongs in a magazine as a poster or on a billboard etc I find retouching fascinating because how one can push and perfect an image to hisher likings and to the clientrsquos likings as well Itrsquos a great feeling to boost someonersquos confidence by showing them the retouched image in comparison to the original It can help them gain or retain their ldquoswaggardquo
Irsquom a professional photographer and graphic designer from Northern Louisiana USA I have had the pleasure of working with celebrities non-profit organizations and local talents within the Louisiana region Irsquove also provided public service to the area and worked with the local youth to teach them professionalism career goals and creative thinking I get a lot of my inspiration from what I observe which is everyday life
See more of my works here
httpwwwflickrcomphotosthearmandjohnsonhttpwwwtwittercomdajizzlehttpwwwcreatticacomcreativesthe-armand-johnson29390
Contact me
thearmandjohnsongmailcom
interview with armand johnson
33psd Photoshop
Where do you look for the inspiration to createThere are several photographers and retouchers well known and not that inspire me with their work Joel Grimes and Dave Hill are probably the most prominent amongst the photographers I admire their approach to their craft and absolutely love their end result Other notable photographers are Dustin Snipes and Dallas J Logan As for retouchers I think Amy Dresser is amongst the best Her work is incredible Nick Saglimbeni is also Hersquos an awesome photographer and retoucher But that is just the list of people Nature and natural things are very inspiring because of their calming attributes Also
interview
34 psd Photoshop
there is a bevy of websites that are exceptionally useful for inspira-tion Abduzeedo is my favorite Being an artist you can get your in-spiration from anything and anywhere An idea can gravitate towards you at anytime
What are the main advantages of your profession and what can be discouraging about itAn advantage of being a retoucher is the payoff If yoursquore great at it you can eventually open up to a much larger clientele such as the entertainment (music movies etc) and fashion industries Once
interview with armand johnson
35psd Photoshop
yoursquore attached to some major clients your rep (credibility) increas-es for the better What can be discouraging is the journey to arrive at that stage There are many individuals proclaiming themselves pro-fessionals (whether photographers retouchers etc) that are hurt-ing the industry They are utterly confusing clients A random person with a camera is not a photographer and a random person with a copy of Photoshop is not retoucher A lot of lower level clients tend to desire commercial level work for pennies on the dollar Thatrsquos just not feasible Retouchers probably spend more time with an image than anyone else involved with the creative process They deserve to be compensated properly
Do you have any achievements that you are particularly proud ofYeah I just recently got a couple works approved on the major cre-ative website Creatticacom Also being featured in this magazine is very rewarding I look forward to achieving more goals and receiving more accolades Lifersquos a marathon not a sprint
What about your plans for the futureI plan on making my stamp within the industry as have the other successful digital artists Irsquoll always be refining and fine-tuning my craft to become more diverse I wonrsquot go into too much details cause I have a laundry list of things That could take all day ) But I will say this the pieces of the puzzle are beginning to fall into the right plac-es and I believe this interview and collaboration with PSD Photoshop magazine is a crucial step in this process
Do you have any advice to those who would like to become digital artists as wellBe artistic and approach things from a creative perspective I find many individuals wanting to be artists without being artistic or cre-ative Itrsquos a process not a fast food restaurant The creation of mas-terpieces and wonderful works of art takes careful planning time and effort There has to be a love for what you do Photoshop is only a tool which is used to create art It is not meant to replace it or the process of creating it
advanced | 45 min
adobe photoshop CS3
glamour retouch
37psd Photoshop
Blemish Removal and Skin SmoothingFirst open the RAW image and make a duplicate of the background layer by pressing [Ctrl]+[J] Name the bottom layer Retouch and the top layer Original This creates a quick toggle between the Before and After states This also allows you to monitor your progress and determine if you are making changes that have a negative effect on the results Turn off the top layer (Original) Nextcreate a new layer above the Retouch layer by pressing [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] Name this layer CleanUp With the Healing Brush [J] selected make sure Sam-ple All Layers is selected from the drop down menu and Aligned is checked Next use the Healing Brush as well as the Clone Stamp on the CleanUp layer to remove all the blemishes and imperfections The settings are 100 Opacity 100 with Sample All Layers and Alignedselected Once the skin is cleaned up create another layer above it [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] and name it Skin Select the Clone Stamp tool and use these settings 18-25 Opacity 100 Flow Sample All Layers and Aligned Use the Clone Stamp tool to even out the Highlight Shadowand Midtone areas giving the skin a very smooth fl awless appear-ance Lastly apply a little noise the layer Go to FiltergtNoisegtAdd Noise and set the amount to 25 - 50 and the distribution to Gauss-ian After initially cleaning and smoothing the skin group those layers together by holding down the [Shift] key and selecting both of them and [Ctrl]+[G] to group them Rename the group CleanUp
01
02Color BoostAbove the CleanUp group create a Curves Adjustment Layer and name it CB - Curves Use three points along the slope 255 255 0 0 and 148 112 within the RGB channel Then create a LevelsAdjustment Layer naming it CB - Levels Within the RGB chan-nel using these values 10 115 245 Group together these two Adjustment Layers and name the group Overall because it af-fects the overall image Then create a Curves Adjustment Layerabove the grouped layers and insert four points along the slope Keep the two default points 255255 and 0 0 Add two more 35 43 and 211 201 (or somewhere within that tonal range) also in the RGB channel Rename this layer Jewelry Select the Mask by clicking on it and fi ll the Mask with Black Use the Brush tool with the foreground color set to White and paint only over the jewelry Rename this layer Jewelry Create a fi nal Curves adjustment layer above the Jewelry layer and name it Hair Use settings very simi-lar to those on the Jewelry layer within the RGB channel Select the Mask fi ll it with Black and paint over the hair with a Whitebrush Group all of these Adjustment Layers together and name the group Color Boost
GlamourRetouchIn this tutorial I will show you how I performed a Glamour retouch on a photo of my beautiful friend Asia I photographed her against a black background for a dramatic and edgy effect as well as using various Photoshop tools to achieve that ldquoglamour lookrdquo that many magazines and print work use I will be using Photoshop CS3 but any higher version should work as well The tools I will be using are Adjustment Layers Filters and Blending Modes as well as the Clone Stamp Brush and Healing Brush tools
photo retouch
38 psd Photoshop
Highlight and ShadowCreate a new layer and name it FaceBody and set the Blending Mode to Soft Light Set the foreground color to White select the Brush tool with the settings Opacity 100 Flow 2 and paint over the naturally highlighted areas bring-ing out the highlights Then set the foreground color to Black using the same settings and paint over the naturally shadowed areas increasing the contrast in the image Add a Gaussian BlurFiltergtBlurgtGaussian Blur to the layer with a ra-dius setting of 15 ndash 30 Repeat these steps on a new layer named Hair with the Blending Mode set to Overlay Create another new layer named Jew-elry with the Blending Mode set to Overlay as well Once fi nished rearrange the layers so that they are in this order from top to bottom Hair FaceBody Jewelry Lastly group these layers together and name the group HLSH or HighlightShadow
04
05SharpenMake a new layer by combining all visible layers [Shift]+[Alt]+[Ctrl]+[E] This creates a new layer consisting of all the information from the bottom layers Make this a smart object by right ndash click-ing on the layer and selecting Convert to Smart Object This makes the layer a Smart Object allow-ing the use of Smart Filters Duplicate this layer and rename the copy HP 65 and the original layer Sharpen Turn off the HP 65 layer With the Sharp-en layer selected go to FiltergtSharpengtUnSharp Mask using these settings Amount 60 Radius2500 Threshold 10 With the Blending Mode set to Normal adjust the Opacity within the 30 - 40 range and the Fill within the 75 - 90 range Then turn on the HP 65 Layer and select it Set the Blending Mode to Overlay and go to FiltergtOthergtHigh Pass Set the Radius to 65 and the Opacity within the 65 - 75 range and the Fillwithin the 90 - 95 range Finally group these two layers together and name the group Sharpen
03
Color CorrectionCreate a new layer and name it Color CorrectionSet the Blending Mode to Color Set the Brush tool to a SoftFeather setting with the Hardness to 15 Set Black as the foreground color and paint over the lips Then use Gold as the foreground color and paint over the ldquoCoachrdquo text and the handle of the sunglasses changing them from Silver to GoldSelect various colors from the skin and paint over the discolorations in the skin Put the layer in its own group and name that group Color Correction
glamour retouch
39psd Photoshop
EffectsCreate a new layer and name it Sparkles With the Pen tool create a fi ve ndash point sparkle Once fi nished drawing the outline right ndash click and select Make Selection feathering the selection by 1 pixel Make sure the Anti-aliased box is checked and the New Selection option is selected Fill the selection with White Then make several copies (four should be enough) of this layer and move the various spar-kles to certain areas on the jewelry and sunglasses Resize those sparkles individually using transform [Ctrl]+[T] Once the sparkles are at sizes you are comfortable with click on the top most layer (Sparkles Copy 4) hold the shift key then the original Sparkles lay-er and merge them by pressing [Ctrl]+[E] Rename this layer Spar-kles Then add a layer style to the layer by double ndash clicking on it I selected Outer Glow In the options for the Outer Glow effect leave the default setting only changing the Size to 3 pixels Lastly place this layer into its own group and name that group Effects Switch the Original layer OnOff and enjoy the result
by Armand Johnson
07
06
Cool DownCreate a HueSaturation Adjustment Layer mak-ing sure it is set to the Master channel Set the Saturation to -100 This turns the image black and white Set the Blending Mode set to Normalthe Opacity within the 40 - 50 range and the Fill within the 70 - 90 range Select the Maskset the foreground color to 40 Gray and fi ll the mask Paint over only the jewelry and the colored sections of the hair This brings back some of the original color but not too much of it Finally group only this layer and name it Cool Down
How to change the eye color very quickly but efficiently
How to change
eye color
beginer | 10 min
adobe photoshop CS4
how to change eye color
41psd Photoshop
Step 1First open the photos select the pupil of the eye using the method you prefer (Polygonal lassoMagnetic lasso pen etc) I used the Magnetic lasso in this case Right click the mouse on the Selection and select New Layer via Copy Rename the layer eyes
02
03
Step 2Make sure that in the Layers palette is selected layer eyes and from the menu Image select HuegtSaturation adjustments When the window will be open move the Hues cursor until you fi nd the satisfying color If you want from the same HuegtSaturation window we can also modify the saturation and brightness to achieve different ef-fects Heres an example set the Hue value on 44You can also customize more the color using the color balance adjustment selected from the menu ImagegtAdjustmentsgtColor Balance and reduce the opacity of the layer eyes to adjust the effect
Step 3For a more aesthetic effect you can use the Dodge tool selected from the Tools palette Set Light to a 5-10 opacity (or an opacity that allows to achieve the desired effect) and use Dodge toolwithin the colored part of the eye Select Burn tool(also an Opacity of 5) set to Midtones and Burn-ing to defi ne better the outline of the eye
by Ylenia Peronti
42 psd Photoshop
interview
2 pas Photoshop
Tell us about your first steps in photographyMy dad is a really good photographer and he showed me how to use his Nikon film camera when I was young and how to de-
Interview withApril Elizabeth
Can you introduce yourself to our readersMy name is April Elizabeth I am a creative photographer from the small snowy town of Ishpeming in Upper Peninsula of Michigan
April Elizabeth is an internationally published photographer from Ishpeming Michigan Her photos have appeared in magazines on book covers and websites Her clients include Random house HarperCollins Publishing and The Portland Beanie Company
43psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
3psd Photoshop
velop the film I really enjoyed it but it was expensive and I was unable to really get into photography until digital cameras came along I started with a point and shoot camera and went from there
Why did you choose this professionI think it sort of chose me Irsquove always liked photography but I never in my life imagined myself going anywhere with it That all changed when I bought my first slr and asked a local model to do a photo
44 psd Photoshop
interview
4 pas Photoshop
shoot with me I was nervous because I had never done any-thing like that before and I wasnrsquot com-pletely sure how the camera worked but the pictures turned out great and soon more and more peo-ple wanted to work with me
Where do you get the inspiration for your worksIrsquove always been an introverted day-dreamer with an
overly active imagination When other people are liv-ing their life I am looking around and thinking of sto-ries Irsquove always wanted to be a writer but photography lets me tell stories with pic-tures and as long as I can tell a story I am happy
What do you like the most about being a photographer and what are the main difficulties for youIf I am not creating some-thing I feel frustrated I like that my job lets me cre-ate things while making people feel beautiful and good about themselves I enjoy taking pictures that have a fantasy quality to them so that people in the photos can be part of something a little magi-cal instead of ordinary and people who see the photos will feel inspired One of the main difficul-ties I have is my location the middle of nowhere in the Midwest Winter lasts around 7-8 months and itrsquos always very harsh and with a lot of snow I donrsquot have a studio or anyplace indoors thatI can go to so this means I only have a very short amount of time in the year that I can really do many photo shoots
45psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
5psd Photoshop
Do you have any personal achievements you are particularly proud ofIrsquom very proud that my photo Shy with over 35550 favs is one of the most popular photos ever to be up-loaded to the website deviantart Itrsquos unreal to me Irsquom also proud that two photos of mine have been licensed to be on book covers Growing up I never thought any-thing like that could ever happen to me Being in magazines such as this one is also very nice All of these things make me feel like Irsquove accomplished something in life and gives me confidence that I can do even more
What are your plans for futureIrsquod like to get a studio someday And Irsquod like to get into stock photogra-phy Irsquom also working on a gothic romance novel called Whispering Pines and a book of short scary stories I guess I plan on just creat-ing more and trying to improve in everything I do
What would you advice to the young photographersDonrsquot worry about what kind of cam-era or equipment you have Just fo-cus on what you have now and try to create something beautiful with it Itrsquos the photographer that makes the picture good not the camera
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many successful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quitting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many suc-cessful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quit-ting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
A photographerrsquos main goal is to take a photo that makes the viewer feel a strong emotion towards it whether it is love hate anger or passion But when a photo is excellently taken yet the colors lighting and texture dont match up to the photoers vision a photo will become uninspiring This tutorial will teach you how to take your photo to the next level and create an image that matches your vision
Makingthe Mood
making the mood
47psd Photoshop
Step 1The fi rst step in changing a photo is doing the ba-sics You have to prepare your photo before you can move to the fun stuff In this pickture I got rid of any noticeable blemishes the model had and g of noticeable hair that were going across her face to give more clear picture of the model I did this using the Patch and Clone Stamp tool When edit-ing a model make sure to always keep texture in the skin its more interesting that way as opposed to having a models face which is completely air-brushed
02
03
Step 2The next step I took was darkening the whole photo I knew that I wanted the photo to be much darker than it currently was I could have just used the Curves tool or Levels but I fi nd that when overusing the Curves tool a photo starts to look overly contrasted which I dont want So instead I used a light gradient (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtGradient Map) and changed the Blending mode from Normal to Multiply Doing this gives the photo a lot more depth but doesnt darken it completely
Step 3As soon as Ive got my basic photo ready I knew that the yellowish tinge was not the effect I was going for so I used both the Color Balance tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtColor Balance)and the Selective Color tool (LayergtNew Adjust-ment LayergtColor Balance)
01
photomanipulation
48 psd Photoshop
Step 4The next thing I noticed was that my models face was not highlighted enough it was getting lost in the midst of forest and darkness so I made two new layers One layer was for the models face and I simply used a soft Photoshop brush with 0 Hardness and drew over the models face and the snakes body I then changed both layers Blending Mode from Normal to Screen and applied a Box blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 543 pixels to both so they wouldnt be as noticeable Remember you just want hints of light just enough so the models face and the snake is highlighted
04
05
06
Step 5The fi fth step is more or less a repeat of a step number three I liked the way photo looked but it wasnt nearly as dramatic as it could be So now I fi nally decided to use the Curves tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtCurves) to darken and light certain areas making sure again not to overdo it but to give it enough contrast to really bring out the picture Next I made two new Selective Colorlayers (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtSelective Color) One Selective Colors layer changed the leaves and clothes but not the models face to a more dark blue tint while the second Selective Color layer brightened the snakes skin
Step 6The next thing I did was making another two lay-ers I still wanted to brighten only the snakes skin so for the fi rst layer I changed the Blending modefrom Normal to Soft Light and then used a brush with 0 Hardness and carefully painted over the snake It took a few variations before I found a color I liked Its helpful to remember to also look at the whole picture In the next layer I created I simply wanted to add a little more color to the shrubbery in the background so I made another layer and again changed the blending mode from Normal to Soft Light I used a soft brush with 0 Hardness and a maroon and yellow color just to add a little variation from my usual palette of blue I then added it all along the bushes and used the Box Blur tool at 483 pixels also changing the Blending mode from Normal to Screen to make it less obvious
making the mood
49psd Photoshop
Step 7The fi nal step I took to fi nish setting the mood for my photo was adding a texture and chang-ing the Blending Mode from Normal to Soft LightI found that the texture was to overpowering at 100 Opacity so I lowered it to 77 I next added my fi nal layer and created a vignette around my photo by using a brush with a Hardness of 100 and then brushed it around the outer edges of the photo particularly around the four corners I then applied a Box Blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 693 pixels to the layer creating a nice dark blurred ef-fect
by Naomi Bensen
07
800-844-6528 | 3901 Atkinson Square Drive | Louisville KY 40218 | sctdedu
In todayrsquos job market you need a degree just to get an interview If yoursquore in need of a new career but still donrsquot have a degree then call Sullivan College of Technology and Design Our degrees are focused so you donrsquot have to spend a lot of time in school Plus most of our students are just like you People who have been in the job market but are going to school-many for the first time-to earn that much-needed degree
SCTD is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools to award certificates diplomas associate and bachelorrsquos degrees
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GET A GRAPHIC DESIGN DEGREE THAT WILL LEAD TO A CAREER
ALL PICTURED WORK PRODUCED BY SCTD STUDENTS
2009 AETAOutstanding Technical Program Award
interview
4 psd Photoshop
sea (who is my biggest fan) is 17 I work for Bombardier of Thunder Bay Canada where I do the electrical electronics testing on the rail-cars we manufacture for the world
Interview withRandy Monteith
Please tell our readers something about yourselfI am 49 years old I have a great wife who is my inspiration in so many ways My son Rory is seven years old and my daughter Chel-
I am self-taught as an artist So any mistakes I have made are intentional All my ideas come from an overactive imagination that is only put in check when I finish a piece of artwork and then the process begins again I have been working with Photoshop for almost 7 years now I am lucky enough to have two images chosen for two of RedBubblersquos books GAIA and Compassion Courage and Friendship I have been interviewed in Photoshop Creative Magazine 14 and have images printed in Advanced Photoshop as well Recently in Issue 60 of Photoshop Creative Magazine the editors chose my portfolio on their webpage as one of the Top 5 rated portfolios I am not one to think outside the box but blow it to bits so stand back and watch me now
interview with randy monteith
5psd Photoshop
Why did you choose to become a digital artistSomeone sent me an email with a picture that someone did of an animal that was made up of three other animals and I said to myself Great Idea but I thought I could do so much better I had no clue what software was out there until some friends told me about Photoshop I am self taught as an artist and have taught myself Photoshop all on my own Creating Digital Art is a great outlet I get to see all these crazy ideas I have in my head come to fruition
interview
6 psd Photoshop
interview with randy monteith
7psd Photoshop
Where do you look for the inspiration to createMy ideas come from all over I have a very overactive imagination that works non-stop
Could you tell us a bit about the advantages and difficulties of your profession What do you find the most satisfying about it and what can be discouragingIn my case because I have a regular job as a elec-tronics tech I am lucky I donrsquot have to rely upon my income from my artwork But this also gives me the freedom to work on what I want to work on and not what the boss tells me to do I mainly create art for myself If others like it then thatrsquos a bonus
Are there any works you are particularly proud ofYes there are quite a few actually Broken from Within was featured in an ad for Photoshop Creative maga-zine Wither won a first place prize in a international art contest sponsored by Corel Earth Bound was fea-tured in a limited edition book by Redbubble
What are you currently working onNo real projects just some experi-ments that sometimes turn into pieces of artwork I love coming up with new techniques take an old techinque and stretch it a little further then others have
Any advices to those who would like to become digital artists as wellDonrsquot think outside the box Blow it to bits A program like Photoshop can be very scary to learn there are so many tools and things you have to know how to use Just take your time and learn a small part at a time Then you will learn how to slowly start using different parts of the program together en-abling you to understand it better and create some amazing art
In this tutorial I will show you how to acheive an interesting effect using vectors
Distractions
medium | 45 min
adobe photoshop CS5 | adobe illustrator
distractions
9psd Photoshop
Step 1To begin create a new document as shown below
02
03
Step 2Fill the background layer with black color [Alt] + [Backspace] Next select the picture for this tuto-rial Any picture will do but the photo of a face or a portrait will be the most suitable here Now you need to cut the face out of the picture In this sce-nario we used Pen Tool since it provided the best result In Paths panel click left mouse button on the thumbnail you created Next press [Ctrl] +[C]to copy and [Ctrl]+[V] to paste it
Step 3Now we will adjust contrast of the cut out image Go to LayergtNew Adjustments LayergtSelective color and set the values as you see in the picture below
01
creative class
10 psd Photoshop
Step 4Duplicate the models layer and desaturate it using [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[U] In the Layers panel select desaturated copy of the model and go to FiltergtBlurgtLens Blur and use the settings below
04
05
06
Step 5Now we need to save the document as PSD fi le (FilegtSave as)
Step 6In this step you need to make sure that you have chosen or made the right vectors to be used in the image you are creating As soon as you have it done drag into Photoshop and choose Smart object To do that highlight your Vector in Layers panel right click mouse button and from the drop down menu select Convert to smart object
distractions
11psd Photoshop
Step 7Now put your vectors in your fi le Choose the fi rst one and go to FiltergtDistortgtDisplace Use the settings shown below You have to do it for all the vector layers Choose the fi le you saved before in PSD format to complete the displace fi lter Next duplicate the face image as many times as the number of vectors you add to your fi le We need the original copy of the image you cut on top of any smart object you create Once you have the images on top of the vector layers you have to create Clipping masks Right-click on each copy of the image layer in the Layers palette and select Create Clipping Mask
07
08
09
Step 8Once you have done all the clipping masks you must give some layer properties to the vector lay-ers Click on fx below the Layers panel select drop shadow and use the settings below
Step 9You can modify the settings of each smart object layer just the way you want I hope you enjoy it
by Joseacute-Paulo Reis
interview
12 psd Photoshop
urge to create Also I was a lot into photography at that time but I didnrsquot have a camera After browsing a couple of websites with pho-tomanipulations I understood that itrsquos not necessary to have expen-sive equipment to create ndash and I decided to give it a try
Interview withNatalia Voloshyn
Tell our readers something about yourself How did your digital arts adventure started and why did you choose this professionIrsquove been a digital artist for three years now and my relationship with this form of art started rather traditionally ndash I was driven by a strong
Irsquom a 21 years old master student from a beautiful city of Lviv Ukraine Though my occupation (Irsquom a linguist) can hardly be called ldquoartyrdquo Irsquove been madly in love with Photoshop and photography for nearly 3 years Being an artist is an amazing feelingYou can find more of my works athttpvoloschka-photodeviantartcomhttpvoloschkadeviantartcom
interview with natalia voloshyn
13psd Photoshop
Where do you get the inspiration for your worksAnything can be an inspiration ndash music films books different kinds of art even random lines in the conversation I often build up an im-age of a future artwork in my imagination it can be my vision of a certain concept or feeling or just a fantasy scene But sometimes I just play around with images textures and brushes and something interesting comes along the way
Could you tell us a bit about the advantages and difficulties of your profession What do you find the most satisfying about it and what can be discouragingDigital art is very time consuming It might take up to 5 hours or even more to create a piece It is also quite tiring as it requires hours of concentration and sitting in front of a computer screen The most satisfying thing about being a digital artist is that nothing limits you
interview
14 psd Photoshop
ndash if you want to create a beautiful lady with huge butterfly wings or a dark dungeon with ghosts it is up to you Anything is possible Im-ages brushes and textures give you an opportunity to experiment as much as you want However digital art is technically difficult and requires a lot of practice which can be discouraging at times
Are there any works you are particularly proud of Any personal favourites Thatrsquos a tricky question I really like my latest pieces lsquoFreersquo lsquoPerfec-tionrsquo and lsquoCarried Awayrsquo but it would be wrong to call them favourite as all of my works mean a lot to me
interview with natalia voloshyn
15psd Photoshop
What are you currently working onIrsquom working on a piece portraying an imaginary being perhaps a girl lonely lost and rejected longing for warm human feelings but not being able to find them It is going to be a dreamy fantasy piece quite dark and atmospheric
What are your plans for future Are there any particular goals you would like to achieve I consider myself being a perfectionist so I try to improve my skills with every new piece I create I would like to move more in the direc-tion of digital painting learn some new techniques
Any advices to those who would like to become digital artists as wellThe first and the most important piece of advice ndash donrsquot stop Donrsquot give up even if things go totally wrong or are not as good as you ex-pected Be patient try to build up an image in your mind first or draw a sketch and then recreate it step by step If you feel that you lack knowledge browse for some tutorials they can be very helpful Im-prove your skills And remember - the sky is the limit
medium | 30 min
adobe photoshop CS3 | wacom tablet
forest fairy
17psd Photoshop
Step 1I made a sketch in Photoshop using Wacom tablet After I made a rough sketch I decided to add dif-ferent decorative details during the process of drawing
01
02
Step 2I drew the basis for the face body and dress on a new layer More details and highlights would be added later
Forest FairyI wanted to draw a beautiful fairy with long hair and bright green eyes running through the forest I decided to paint it in bright colors of yellow and orange The image needed to be magical
digital painting
18 psd Photoshop
Step 4At this point I began to refi ne the face and make up continuing from step 2 and adding more de-tails I focused on the looks and the eyes because I think itrsquos very important I painted some pinkish shades on the face added highlights and textured the lips After that I added eyelashes
04
05
Step 5In this step I drew the hair I decided that fairys hair would be long with a reddish-yellow hue First I drew the basis for hair using a dark color Then I painted waves of the hair lighter I used several colors to draw the hair (brown orange red and various shades of yellow) as it gives the effect of more volume To draw the hair I use a soft round brush In the brush settings I set ShapegtDynamicsgtFine hair fi ne hair and sized it to 2 px
03
Step 3I started to paint the basis for fairys hair I used a wide round soft brown brush and drew it on a new layer Then I began to paint more details of fairys body and of her dress by adding shadows and highlights
forest fairy
19psd Photoshop
Step 7When I fi nished the details on the girls body I drew a fl ower in her hand On a new layer with Opacity 50 I drew a light train I used a soft round brush with Opacity set to 30-50
07
08
Step 8I started to paint the background and used a soft large brush I made the left upper corner of the background lighter and the bottom of the back-ground - darker
06
Step 6I decided to make the dress more beautiful First I drew bright yellow patches on the dress and the folds I drew highlights with a soft round brush setting the Opacity to 40 I then painted gloss on her dress For this I used a brush size of 2-5 px Glitter (point brush) I drew it on multiple layers with varying transparency and used a bright yel-low and red brush The more points you paint the more the dress will shine On the brightest parts of the dress I put more points of bright color
digital painting
20 psd Photoshop
Step 10In this step I added decorative items and orna-ments I used a brush size of 2 px and yellow and brown colors to paint decorations (to look their best they need to be drawn very accurately)
10
11
Step 11I drew the falling leaves on 2 layers a front and a rear layer On the foreground I painted the leaves brighter To layer the leaves in the background I applied a Gaussian Blur
by Alena Lazareva
09
Step 9I then painted an abstract leaf in the right side of the background and applied the Gaussian Blur fi l-ter (FiltergtBlurgtGaussian Blur) Now using a soft brush with light yellow I added rays of the sun Af-ter that I again applied the Gaussian Blur
This tutorial will explain how to paint a realistic eye in Photoshop Eyes are by far one of the most important aspects of any painting especially if itrsquos a portrait Itrsquos also one of the most fun features to paint as painting an eye is much easier than one might think
How toPaint a Realistic Eye
medium | 30 min
adobe photoshop CS5
how to paint a realistic eye
23psd Photoshop
SketchBefore laying down a single brushstroke itrsquos important for me to create a rough sketch It doesnrsquot have to be perfect but we need to get our point across here This will only make things easier during the painting process Create a new layer and sketch in an eye
02
03
Laying down the Base ColorThis step is simple enough here we lay down the base color for the skin Simply use the Gradienttool here and fi ll the background layer with your color choice In general try not to go too light or too saturated here
Defi ning FormUsing the HSB Slider (WindowsgtColor) pick a darker more saturated color for the darker areas of the skin and paint it using a simple Hard Edged brush I also pick a lighter less saturated tone for the highlights of the skin I choose a color for the eye in this case a bright blue and paint that in as well
01
workshop
24 psd Photoshop
Bringing Life to the SkinThe values of the skin need some work here I choose an even brighter lighter color to defi ne the form of the skin I introduce the lighter tones according to the lighting here which is a standard front light I add the lighter tones to the tone the bridge of the nose near the eyebrow and around the eyelid to make things appear more realistic
04
05
06
Smoothing Out the SkinAt this point all my work was done using a standard Hard Edged brush which is great for defi ning form quickly To blend the skin and give it a more photo realistic look I now switch to a soft brush (Hardness at 0) and Opacity at 50 I blend all the sharp transitions until things appear much smoother Additionally I paint darker tones on the blue iris to give it more depth
Bringing More LifeAt this point I work a bit more on the skin tones adding some more saturated reddish tones on the area around the eye as well as the cheek I also add a more saturated blue to the eye as well I do this all with a soft airbrush at a fairly low opacity on a new layer then merge it down when Irsquom satisfi ed with how things are looking I also do some more detail work using a softer Hard Edgedbrush as well
how to paint a realistic eye
25psd Photoshop
DetailsIrsquom satisfi ed with how things are looking at this stage so I start working on the details Using a fairly small brush I begin to add some lsquobumpsrsquo around the eye to give it a more realistic looks I also create bumps around the eyebrow using a both a fairly light as well as dark color to help it pop for a realistic look I also add details in the iris using a lighter bluish color to really bring the image to life I work in at a very large zoom at this stage as well to make things easier and more accurate
07
08
09
Refi nementI go over everything with a Soft Edged brush at a low opacity for a more realistic look Additionally I bring out the details more using fairly small hard edged brushes I work on the eyebrow painting each strand in as well as the eyelashes
Color and Texture EnhancementThings are looking a bit too muddy for my taste so what I do here is create a new layer set to soft light and enhance the colors quite a bit I introduce much warmer tones around the eye to give it more life Finally I slightly overlay a leather photo texture to give the skin a slightly more realistic effect
by George Patsouras
In this tutorial I will explain how to paint realistic lips with Photoshop Before attempting to paint lips itrsquos essential that you practice drawing lips as well as the head in general to get the best results possible
How toPaint a Realistic Lips
medium | 30 min
adobe photoshop CS5
how to paint a realistic lips
27psd Photoshop
SketchI almost always start off with a sketch for my serious paintings and this one is no different I create a new layer and with a Hard Edged brush I quickly sketch in the lips Getting the lips to look right now just makes the painting process that much easier
02
03
Picking the right base colorPick a mid-tone for the skin one thatrsquos not too saturated or too light (a common mistake many artists make) To quickly fi ll in the canvas with a color I simply use the Gradient tool After itrsquos done I use a hard edged brush to paint in the red lips
Defi ning FormOnce I chose my base tone itrsquos time to defi ne the form of the skin The fi rst thing you must think of is where does the light come from In this case I decide to go for a fairly simple front light and shade accordingly Using a Hard Edged brush I use darker more saturated tones for the darker parts of the skin and a lighter less saturated tone for the highlights of the skin for a realistic effect Use a darker midtone for the lsquotoprsquo lip and bring out lighter tones for the bottom one (this works for most lighting situations)
01
workshop
28 psd Photoshop
Bringing out the HighlightsThings are still looking too fl at for me at this stage so I choose a much brighter midtone to bring out the form of the skin As always I simply use a hard edged brush at this step I bring out lighter tones on the lsquocornersrsquo of the lips the chin and on top of the lips
04
05
06
Smoothing out the SkinOnce Irsquom happy with my value statement I decide to soften everything out with a soft edged brush I choose Hardness 0 under my Brush Settingsand with a 50 Opacity I smoothen out the rough transitions
DetailsI start bringing texture to the lower lips using a fairly small Hard Edged brush I zoom closer here to make things easier and begin to paint the texture of the lips keeping the form in mind using a circular stroke Additionally I bring out a fairly harsh highlight at the top of the lips (the part that looks like a lsquoVrsquo) which gives the image a much more realistic feel
how to paint a realistic lips
29psd Photoshop
Even more detailsI bring more contrast to the image using lighter tones for the highlights and darker ones for shadows I introduce a fairly dark tone right underneath the lip above the chin for a realistic effect I also use a darker tone to separate the lsquobottomrsquo lip from the top giving the lips more depth in the process I also add a mole simply for the fun of it
07
08
Final Refi nementHere I add even more texture to the lips and use a very light almost white color on the bottom lips to bring more life and contrast to the image I clean the image out a bit in general and make sure everything appears as symmetrical as possible and voila Wersquore done
by George Patsouras
contributing writers
Editor in Chief Magdalena Mojska magdalenamojskapsdmagorg
Copy Editor Ed Werzyn Robert Coppa Art Director Agnieszka Marchocka
DTP Przemysław BanasiewiczSenior ConsultantPublisherPresident
Paweł Marciniak Managing Director Ewa Łozowicka
Marketing Director Magdalena Mojska magdalenamojskapsdmagorg
Production DirectorAndrzej Kuca andrzejkucapsdmagorg
Postal addressPublisher Software Press Spzoo SK
02-682 Warszawa ul Bokserska 1worldwide publishing wwwpsdmagorgen
All trade marks presented in the magazine were used only for informa-tive purposes All rights to trade marks presented in the magazine are
reserved by the companies which own themMathematical formulas created by Design Science MathTypetrade
The editors use automatic DTP systemEditorial contributions should be sent to
editorspsdmagorg Customer Service +1 917 338 3631
The Software Press Spzoo SK works individually from Adobe The psd Photoshop team reserves the right not to be responsible for the topical-ity correctness completeness or quality of the information provided by
contributors
Randy Monteith
I am self taught as an artist So any mistakes I have made are in-tentional All my ideas come from an over active imagination that is only put in check when I fi nish a piece of artwork and then the process begins again I have been working with Photoshop for al-most 7 years now I am lucky enough to have two images chosen for two of RedBubblersquos books GAIA and Compassion Courage and Friendship I have been interviewed in Photoshop Creative Maga-zine 14 and have images printed in Advanced Photoshop as well Recently in Issue 60 of Photoshop Creative Magazine the editors chose my portfolio on their webpage as one of the Top 5 rated portfolios I am not one to think outside the box but blow it to bits so stand back and watch me now
c o v e r a r t i s t
Alena Lazareva
My name is Alena I live in Russia I`m the digital artist and the illustrator My interests are art photography computer graph-ics I have been drawing since childhood I studied at the School of Art at the artist There I drew pictures in oils and watercolor is now engaged in graphic design During the last three years I have been enjoying working as a computer graphics artist I love to paint illustrations in the style of Fantasy mythical creatures fairies elves mermaids and angels and painting children fairy-tales I`m currently using Photoshop CS and tablet Wacom for of my artworks I hope you like my illustrationsWebsite wwwalenalazarevacome-mail alenkalazarevamailru
Armand Johnson
Irsquom a professional photographer and graphic designer from Northern Louisiana USA I have had the pleasure of working with celebrities non-profi t organizations and local talents within the Louisiana region Irsquove also provided public service to the area and worked with the local youth to teach them professionalism career goals and creative thinking I get a lot of my inspiration from what I observe which is everyday lifehttpwwwfl ickrcomphotosthearmandjohnsonhttpwwwtwittercomdajizzlehttpwwwcreatticacomcreativesthe-armand-john-son29390thearmandjohnsongmailcom
George Patsouras
George Patsouras is a freelance and concept artist residing from Long Island City NY His work can be seen in a variety of differ-ent projects including video games comic books as well as card games George specializes in depicting realistic fantasy images For more of his work be sure to check out his offi cial blog at httpcgaddictblogspotcom
Jose Paulo Reis
Irsquom a digital artist with 3 years of experience My passion is fashion photography creativity advertising photomanipula-tion and digital art Currently Irsquom working as a digital artist in Lalaland Studios (fashion photography) I love fashion and beauty photography and everything related with digital art Irsquom devoted to Photoshop and everyday Irsquom trying to improve my skillsEnjoy my works by visiting my blog wwwzepaulocreationblogspotcom
Naomi Bensen
Having been raised in a colorful environment of art music and creative learning it was only natural for me to gravitate towards photographymdasha medium that can catch a split second and make it last forever Behind the lens I have pursued my own unique style of photography that focuses on capturing natural and un-staged moments For me photography is more than taking a good picturemdashitrsquos about turning a moment into art Find me at httptheimaginationdeviantartcom
Ylenia Peronti
Irsquom 19 years old italian artist From 3 years I have a passion for photo retouch and generally for phtoshop so I started to practice retouch fi rst on what I call ldquoextreme makeoverrdquo as described in this tutorial and then devot himelf to studying professional photo retouching refi ning technical professional and actually retouch fashion shots Irsquom supermoderator in the Forum Graphics wwwgrafi cicreativicom and I manage especially the section of photoretouch you can fi nd me at the following links wwwyleniaperontiwordpresscom httpyleniucciadeviantartcom
interview
32 psd Photoshop
Interview withArmand Johnson
Please say a few words about yourselfI have a degree in Graphic Design and I really enjoy art all forms of it Whether that is music acting dancing painting photography etc I am intrigued by many different forms of art I DO like to play video games (when I have time but who doesnrsquot) and I DO consider video games as ART but thatrsquos a different subject Irsquom kind of laid back and very business like in my approach to most things
Why did you choose photo retouching and what do you find fascinating about itWhen I was in undergrad I collected plenty of music CDrsquos and DVDrsquos It always intrigued me how flawless and perfect looking the cover art was I thought to myself I want to reach that level of perfection in what I do But graduating with a BFA in Graphic Design kind of steered me away from that in some regards It wasnrsquot until about 5 years ago when my Aunt asked me to gather a couple of shots for some of my cousinrsquos promotional work that I begun to take retouch-ing very seriously After I took the shots I thought These images need to be presentable So I started to dabble with perfecting the images which pushed me into retouching By being a photographer retouching is essential to my workflow because I want my images to have that commercial professional appeal I want my work to look like it belongs in a magazine as a poster or on a billboard etc I find retouching fascinating because how one can push and perfect an image to hisher likings and to the clientrsquos likings as well Itrsquos a great feeling to boost someonersquos confidence by showing them the retouched image in comparison to the original It can help them gain or retain their ldquoswaggardquo
Irsquom a professional photographer and graphic designer from Northern Louisiana USA I have had the pleasure of working with celebrities non-profit organizations and local talents within the Louisiana region Irsquove also provided public service to the area and worked with the local youth to teach them professionalism career goals and creative thinking I get a lot of my inspiration from what I observe which is everyday life
See more of my works here
httpwwwflickrcomphotosthearmandjohnsonhttpwwwtwittercomdajizzlehttpwwwcreatticacomcreativesthe-armand-johnson29390
Contact me
thearmandjohnsongmailcom
interview with armand johnson
33psd Photoshop
Where do you look for the inspiration to createThere are several photographers and retouchers well known and not that inspire me with their work Joel Grimes and Dave Hill are probably the most prominent amongst the photographers I admire their approach to their craft and absolutely love their end result Other notable photographers are Dustin Snipes and Dallas J Logan As for retouchers I think Amy Dresser is amongst the best Her work is incredible Nick Saglimbeni is also Hersquos an awesome photographer and retoucher But that is just the list of people Nature and natural things are very inspiring because of their calming attributes Also
interview
34 psd Photoshop
there is a bevy of websites that are exceptionally useful for inspira-tion Abduzeedo is my favorite Being an artist you can get your in-spiration from anything and anywhere An idea can gravitate towards you at anytime
What are the main advantages of your profession and what can be discouraging about itAn advantage of being a retoucher is the payoff If yoursquore great at it you can eventually open up to a much larger clientele such as the entertainment (music movies etc) and fashion industries Once
interview with armand johnson
35psd Photoshop
yoursquore attached to some major clients your rep (credibility) increas-es for the better What can be discouraging is the journey to arrive at that stage There are many individuals proclaiming themselves pro-fessionals (whether photographers retouchers etc) that are hurt-ing the industry They are utterly confusing clients A random person with a camera is not a photographer and a random person with a copy of Photoshop is not retoucher A lot of lower level clients tend to desire commercial level work for pennies on the dollar Thatrsquos just not feasible Retouchers probably spend more time with an image than anyone else involved with the creative process They deserve to be compensated properly
Do you have any achievements that you are particularly proud ofYeah I just recently got a couple works approved on the major cre-ative website Creatticacom Also being featured in this magazine is very rewarding I look forward to achieving more goals and receiving more accolades Lifersquos a marathon not a sprint
What about your plans for the futureI plan on making my stamp within the industry as have the other successful digital artists Irsquoll always be refining and fine-tuning my craft to become more diverse I wonrsquot go into too much details cause I have a laundry list of things That could take all day ) But I will say this the pieces of the puzzle are beginning to fall into the right plac-es and I believe this interview and collaboration with PSD Photoshop magazine is a crucial step in this process
Do you have any advice to those who would like to become digital artists as wellBe artistic and approach things from a creative perspective I find many individuals wanting to be artists without being artistic or cre-ative Itrsquos a process not a fast food restaurant The creation of mas-terpieces and wonderful works of art takes careful planning time and effort There has to be a love for what you do Photoshop is only a tool which is used to create art It is not meant to replace it or the process of creating it
advanced | 45 min
adobe photoshop CS3
glamour retouch
37psd Photoshop
Blemish Removal and Skin SmoothingFirst open the RAW image and make a duplicate of the background layer by pressing [Ctrl]+[J] Name the bottom layer Retouch and the top layer Original This creates a quick toggle between the Before and After states This also allows you to monitor your progress and determine if you are making changes that have a negative effect on the results Turn off the top layer (Original) Nextcreate a new layer above the Retouch layer by pressing [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] Name this layer CleanUp With the Healing Brush [J] selected make sure Sam-ple All Layers is selected from the drop down menu and Aligned is checked Next use the Healing Brush as well as the Clone Stamp on the CleanUp layer to remove all the blemishes and imperfections The settings are 100 Opacity 100 with Sample All Layers and Alignedselected Once the skin is cleaned up create another layer above it [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] and name it Skin Select the Clone Stamp tool and use these settings 18-25 Opacity 100 Flow Sample All Layers and Aligned Use the Clone Stamp tool to even out the Highlight Shadowand Midtone areas giving the skin a very smooth fl awless appear-ance Lastly apply a little noise the layer Go to FiltergtNoisegtAdd Noise and set the amount to 25 - 50 and the distribution to Gauss-ian After initially cleaning and smoothing the skin group those layers together by holding down the [Shift] key and selecting both of them and [Ctrl]+[G] to group them Rename the group CleanUp
01
02Color BoostAbove the CleanUp group create a Curves Adjustment Layer and name it CB - Curves Use three points along the slope 255 255 0 0 and 148 112 within the RGB channel Then create a LevelsAdjustment Layer naming it CB - Levels Within the RGB chan-nel using these values 10 115 245 Group together these two Adjustment Layers and name the group Overall because it af-fects the overall image Then create a Curves Adjustment Layerabove the grouped layers and insert four points along the slope Keep the two default points 255255 and 0 0 Add two more 35 43 and 211 201 (or somewhere within that tonal range) also in the RGB channel Rename this layer Jewelry Select the Mask by clicking on it and fi ll the Mask with Black Use the Brush tool with the foreground color set to White and paint only over the jewelry Rename this layer Jewelry Create a fi nal Curves adjustment layer above the Jewelry layer and name it Hair Use settings very simi-lar to those on the Jewelry layer within the RGB channel Select the Mask fi ll it with Black and paint over the hair with a Whitebrush Group all of these Adjustment Layers together and name the group Color Boost
GlamourRetouchIn this tutorial I will show you how I performed a Glamour retouch on a photo of my beautiful friend Asia I photographed her against a black background for a dramatic and edgy effect as well as using various Photoshop tools to achieve that ldquoglamour lookrdquo that many magazines and print work use I will be using Photoshop CS3 but any higher version should work as well The tools I will be using are Adjustment Layers Filters and Blending Modes as well as the Clone Stamp Brush and Healing Brush tools
photo retouch
38 psd Photoshop
Highlight and ShadowCreate a new layer and name it FaceBody and set the Blending Mode to Soft Light Set the foreground color to White select the Brush tool with the settings Opacity 100 Flow 2 and paint over the naturally highlighted areas bring-ing out the highlights Then set the foreground color to Black using the same settings and paint over the naturally shadowed areas increasing the contrast in the image Add a Gaussian BlurFiltergtBlurgtGaussian Blur to the layer with a ra-dius setting of 15 ndash 30 Repeat these steps on a new layer named Hair with the Blending Mode set to Overlay Create another new layer named Jew-elry with the Blending Mode set to Overlay as well Once fi nished rearrange the layers so that they are in this order from top to bottom Hair FaceBody Jewelry Lastly group these layers together and name the group HLSH or HighlightShadow
04
05SharpenMake a new layer by combining all visible layers [Shift]+[Alt]+[Ctrl]+[E] This creates a new layer consisting of all the information from the bottom layers Make this a smart object by right ndash click-ing on the layer and selecting Convert to Smart Object This makes the layer a Smart Object allow-ing the use of Smart Filters Duplicate this layer and rename the copy HP 65 and the original layer Sharpen Turn off the HP 65 layer With the Sharp-en layer selected go to FiltergtSharpengtUnSharp Mask using these settings Amount 60 Radius2500 Threshold 10 With the Blending Mode set to Normal adjust the Opacity within the 30 - 40 range and the Fill within the 75 - 90 range Then turn on the HP 65 Layer and select it Set the Blending Mode to Overlay and go to FiltergtOthergtHigh Pass Set the Radius to 65 and the Opacity within the 65 - 75 range and the Fillwithin the 90 - 95 range Finally group these two layers together and name the group Sharpen
03
Color CorrectionCreate a new layer and name it Color CorrectionSet the Blending Mode to Color Set the Brush tool to a SoftFeather setting with the Hardness to 15 Set Black as the foreground color and paint over the lips Then use Gold as the foreground color and paint over the ldquoCoachrdquo text and the handle of the sunglasses changing them from Silver to GoldSelect various colors from the skin and paint over the discolorations in the skin Put the layer in its own group and name that group Color Correction
glamour retouch
39psd Photoshop
EffectsCreate a new layer and name it Sparkles With the Pen tool create a fi ve ndash point sparkle Once fi nished drawing the outline right ndash click and select Make Selection feathering the selection by 1 pixel Make sure the Anti-aliased box is checked and the New Selection option is selected Fill the selection with White Then make several copies (four should be enough) of this layer and move the various spar-kles to certain areas on the jewelry and sunglasses Resize those sparkles individually using transform [Ctrl]+[T] Once the sparkles are at sizes you are comfortable with click on the top most layer (Sparkles Copy 4) hold the shift key then the original Sparkles lay-er and merge them by pressing [Ctrl]+[E] Rename this layer Spar-kles Then add a layer style to the layer by double ndash clicking on it I selected Outer Glow In the options for the Outer Glow effect leave the default setting only changing the Size to 3 pixels Lastly place this layer into its own group and name that group Effects Switch the Original layer OnOff and enjoy the result
by Armand Johnson
07
06
Cool DownCreate a HueSaturation Adjustment Layer mak-ing sure it is set to the Master channel Set the Saturation to -100 This turns the image black and white Set the Blending Mode set to Normalthe Opacity within the 40 - 50 range and the Fill within the 70 - 90 range Select the Maskset the foreground color to 40 Gray and fi ll the mask Paint over only the jewelry and the colored sections of the hair This brings back some of the original color but not too much of it Finally group only this layer and name it Cool Down
How to change the eye color very quickly but efficiently
How to change
eye color
beginer | 10 min
adobe photoshop CS4
how to change eye color
41psd Photoshop
Step 1First open the photos select the pupil of the eye using the method you prefer (Polygonal lassoMagnetic lasso pen etc) I used the Magnetic lasso in this case Right click the mouse on the Selection and select New Layer via Copy Rename the layer eyes
02
03
Step 2Make sure that in the Layers palette is selected layer eyes and from the menu Image select HuegtSaturation adjustments When the window will be open move the Hues cursor until you fi nd the satisfying color If you want from the same HuegtSaturation window we can also modify the saturation and brightness to achieve different ef-fects Heres an example set the Hue value on 44You can also customize more the color using the color balance adjustment selected from the menu ImagegtAdjustmentsgtColor Balance and reduce the opacity of the layer eyes to adjust the effect
Step 3For a more aesthetic effect you can use the Dodge tool selected from the Tools palette Set Light to a 5-10 opacity (or an opacity that allows to achieve the desired effect) and use Dodge toolwithin the colored part of the eye Select Burn tool(also an Opacity of 5) set to Midtones and Burn-ing to defi ne better the outline of the eye
by Ylenia Peronti
42 psd Photoshop
interview
2 pas Photoshop
Tell us about your first steps in photographyMy dad is a really good photographer and he showed me how to use his Nikon film camera when I was young and how to de-
Interview withApril Elizabeth
Can you introduce yourself to our readersMy name is April Elizabeth I am a creative photographer from the small snowy town of Ishpeming in Upper Peninsula of Michigan
April Elizabeth is an internationally published photographer from Ishpeming Michigan Her photos have appeared in magazines on book covers and websites Her clients include Random house HarperCollins Publishing and The Portland Beanie Company
43psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
3psd Photoshop
velop the film I really enjoyed it but it was expensive and I was unable to really get into photography until digital cameras came along I started with a point and shoot camera and went from there
Why did you choose this professionI think it sort of chose me Irsquove always liked photography but I never in my life imagined myself going anywhere with it That all changed when I bought my first slr and asked a local model to do a photo
44 psd Photoshop
interview
4 pas Photoshop
shoot with me I was nervous because I had never done any-thing like that before and I wasnrsquot com-pletely sure how the camera worked but the pictures turned out great and soon more and more peo-ple wanted to work with me
Where do you get the inspiration for your worksIrsquove always been an introverted day-dreamer with an
overly active imagination When other people are liv-ing their life I am looking around and thinking of sto-ries Irsquove always wanted to be a writer but photography lets me tell stories with pic-tures and as long as I can tell a story I am happy
What do you like the most about being a photographer and what are the main difficulties for youIf I am not creating some-thing I feel frustrated I like that my job lets me cre-ate things while making people feel beautiful and good about themselves I enjoy taking pictures that have a fantasy quality to them so that people in the photos can be part of something a little magi-cal instead of ordinary and people who see the photos will feel inspired One of the main difficul-ties I have is my location the middle of nowhere in the Midwest Winter lasts around 7-8 months and itrsquos always very harsh and with a lot of snow I donrsquot have a studio or anyplace indoors thatI can go to so this means I only have a very short amount of time in the year that I can really do many photo shoots
45psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
5psd Photoshop
Do you have any personal achievements you are particularly proud ofIrsquom very proud that my photo Shy with over 35550 favs is one of the most popular photos ever to be up-loaded to the website deviantart Itrsquos unreal to me Irsquom also proud that two photos of mine have been licensed to be on book covers Growing up I never thought any-thing like that could ever happen to me Being in magazines such as this one is also very nice All of these things make me feel like Irsquove accomplished something in life and gives me confidence that I can do even more
What are your plans for futureIrsquod like to get a studio someday And Irsquod like to get into stock photogra-phy Irsquom also working on a gothic romance novel called Whispering Pines and a book of short scary stories I guess I plan on just creat-ing more and trying to improve in everything I do
What would you advice to the young photographersDonrsquot worry about what kind of cam-era or equipment you have Just fo-cus on what you have now and try to create something beautiful with it Itrsquos the photographer that makes the picture good not the camera
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many successful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quitting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many suc-cessful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quit-ting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
A photographerrsquos main goal is to take a photo that makes the viewer feel a strong emotion towards it whether it is love hate anger or passion But when a photo is excellently taken yet the colors lighting and texture dont match up to the photoers vision a photo will become uninspiring This tutorial will teach you how to take your photo to the next level and create an image that matches your vision
Makingthe Mood
making the mood
47psd Photoshop
Step 1The fi rst step in changing a photo is doing the ba-sics You have to prepare your photo before you can move to the fun stuff In this pickture I got rid of any noticeable blemishes the model had and g of noticeable hair that were going across her face to give more clear picture of the model I did this using the Patch and Clone Stamp tool When edit-ing a model make sure to always keep texture in the skin its more interesting that way as opposed to having a models face which is completely air-brushed
02
03
Step 2The next step I took was darkening the whole photo I knew that I wanted the photo to be much darker than it currently was I could have just used the Curves tool or Levels but I fi nd that when overusing the Curves tool a photo starts to look overly contrasted which I dont want So instead I used a light gradient (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtGradient Map) and changed the Blending mode from Normal to Multiply Doing this gives the photo a lot more depth but doesnt darken it completely
Step 3As soon as Ive got my basic photo ready I knew that the yellowish tinge was not the effect I was going for so I used both the Color Balance tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtColor Balance)and the Selective Color tool (LayergtNew Adjust-ment LayergtColor Balance)
01
photomanipulation
48 psd Photoshop
Step 4The next thing I noticed was that my models face was not highlighted enough it was getting lost in the midst of forest and darkness so I made two new layers One layer was for the models face and I simply used a soft Photoshop brush with 0 Hardness and drew over the models face and the snakes body I then changed both layers Blending Mode from Normal to Screen and applied a Box blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 543 pixels to both so they wouldnt be as noticeable Remember you just want hints of light just enough so the models face and the snake is highlighted
04
05
06
Step 5The fi fth step is more or less a repeat of a step number three I liked the way photo looked but it wasnt nearly as dramatic as it could be So now I fi nally decided to use the Curves tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtCurves) to darken and light certain areas making sure again not to overdo it but to give it enough contrast to really bring out the picture Next I made two new Selective Colorlayers (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtSelective Color) One Selective Colors layer changed the leaves and clothes but not the models face to a more dark blue tint while the second Selective Color layer brightened the snakes skin
Step 6The next thing I did was making another two lay-ers I still wanted to brighten only the snakes skin so for the fi rst layer I changed the Blending modefrom Normal to Soft Light and then used a brush with 0 Hardness and carefully painted over the snake It took a few variations before I found a color I liked Its helpful to remember to also look at the whole picture In the next layer I created I simply wanted to add a little more color to the shrubbery in the background so I made another layer and again changed the blending mode from Normal to Soft Light I used a soft brush with 0 Hardness and a maroon and yellow color just to add a little variation from my usual palette of blue I then added it all along the bushes and used the Box Blur tool at 483 pixels also changing the Blending mode from Normal to Screen to make it less obvious
making the mood
49psd Photoshop
Step 7The fi nal step I took to fi nish setting the mood for my photo was adding a texture and chang-ing the Blending Mode from Normal to Soft LightI found that the texture was to overpowering at 100 Opacity so I lowered it to 77 I next added my fi nal layer and created a vignette around my photo by using a brush with a Hardness of 100 and then brushed it around the outer edges of the photo particularly around the four corners I then applied a Box Blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 693 pixels to the layer creating a nice dark blurred ef-fect
by Naomi Bensen
07
interview
4 psd Photoshop
sea (who is my biggest fan) is 17 I work for Bombardier of Thunder Bay Canada where I do the electrical electronics testing on the rail-cars we manufacture for the world
Interview withRandy Monteith
Please tell our readers something about yourselfI am 49 years old I have a great wife who is my inspiration in so many ways My son Rory is seven years old and my daughter Chel-
I am self-taught as an artist So any mistakes I have made are intentional All my ideas come from an overactive imagination that is only put in check when I finish a piece of artwork and then the process begins again I have been working with Photoshop for almost 7 years now I am lucky enough to have two images chosen for two of RedBubblersquos books GAIA and Compassion Courage and Friendship I have been interviewed in Photoshop Creative Magazine 14 and have images printed in Advanced Photoshop as well Recently in Issue 60 of Photoshop Creative Magazine the editors chose my portfolio on their webpage as one of the Top 5 rated portfolios I am not one to think outside the box but blow it to bits so stand back and watch me now
interview with randy monteith
5psd Photoshop
Why did you choose to become a digital artistSomeone sent me an email with a picture that someone did of an animal that was made up of three other animals and I said to myself Great Idea but I thought I could do so much better I had no clue what software was out there until some friends told me about Photoshop I am self taught as an artist and have taught myself Photoshop all on my own Creating Digital Art is a great outlet I get to see all these crazy ideas I have in my head come to fruition
interview
6 psd Photoshop
interview with randy monteith
7psd Photoshop
Where do you look for the inspiration to createMy ideas come from all over I have a very overactive imagination that works non-stop
Could you tell us a bit about the advantages and difficulties of your profession What do you find the most satisfying about it and what can be discouragingIn my case because I have a regular job as a elec-tronics tech I am lucky I donrsquot have to rely upon my income from my artwork But this also gives me the freedom to work on what I want to work on and not what the boss tells me to do I mainly create art for myself If others like it then thatrsquos a bonus
Are there any works you are particularly proud ofYes there are quite a few actually Broken from Within was featured in an ad for Photoshop Creative maga-zine Wither won a first place prize in a international art contest sponsored by Corel Earth Bound was fea-tured in a limited edition book by Redbubble
What are you currently working onNo real projects just some experi-ments that sometimes turn into pieces of artwork I love coming up with new techniques take an old techinque and stretch it a little further then others have
Any advices to those who would like to become digital artists as wellDonrsquot think outside the box Blow it to bits A program like Photoshop can be very scary to learn there are so many tools and things you have to know how to use Just take your time and learn a small part at a time Then you will learn how to slowly start using different parts of the program together en-abling you to understand it better and create some amazing art
In this tutorial I will show you how to acheive an interesting effect using vectors
Distractions
medium | 45 min
adobe photoshop CS5 | adobe illustrator
distractions
9psd Photoshop
Step 1To begin create a new document as shown below
02
03
Step 2Fill the background layer with black color [Alt] + [Backspace] Next select the picture for this tuto-rial Any picture will do but the photo of a face or a portrait will be the most suitable here Now you need to cut the face out of the picture In this sce-nario we used Pen Tool since it provided the best result In Paths panel click left mouse button on the thumbnail you created Next press [Ctrl] +[C]to copy and [Ctrl]+[V] to paste it
Step 3Now we will adjust contrast of the cut out image Go to LayergtNew Adjustments LayergtSelective color and set the values as you see in the picture below
01
creative class
10 psd Photoshop
Step 4Duplicate the models layer and desaturate it using [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[U] In the Layers panel select desaturated copy of the model and go to FiltergtBlurgtLens Blur and use the settings below
04
05
06
Step 5Now we need to save the document as PSD fi le (FilegtSave as)
Step 6In this step you need to make sure that you have chosen or made the right vectors to be used in the image you are creating As soon as you have it done drag into Photoshop and choose Smart object To do that highlight your Vector in Layers panel right click mouse button and from the drop down menu select Convert to smart object
distractions
11psd Photoshop
Step 7Now put your vectors in your fi le Choose the fi rst one and go to FiltergtDistortgtDisplace Use the settings shown below You have to do it for all the vector layers Choose the fi le you saved before in PSD format to complete the displace fi lter Next duplicate the face image as many times as the number of vectors you add to your fi le We need the original copy of the image you cut on top of any smart object you create Once you have the images on top of the vector layers you have to create Clipping masks Right-click on each copy of the image layer in the Layers palette and select Create Clipping Mask
07
08
09
Step 8Once you have done all the clipping masks you must give some layer properties to the vector lay-ers Click on fx below the Layers panel select drop shadow and use the settings below
Step 9You can modify the settings of each smart object layer just the way you want I hope you enjoy it
by Joseacute-Paulo Reis
interview
12 psd Photoshop
urge to create Also I was a lot into photography at that time but I didnrsquot have a camera After browsing a couple of websites with pho-tomanipulations I understood that itrsquos not necessary to have expen-sive equipment to create ndash and I decided to give it a try
Interview withNatalia Voloshyn
Tell our readers something about yourself How did your digital arts adventure started and why did you choose this professionIrsquove been a digital artist for three years now and my relationship with this form of art started rather traditionally ndash I was driven by a strong
Irsquom a 21 years old master student from a beautiful city of Lviv Ukraine Though my occupation (Irsquom a linguist) can hardly be called ldquoartyrdquo Irsquove been madly in love with Photoshop and photography for nearly 3 years Being an artist is an amazing feelingYou can find more of my works athttpvoloschka-photodeviantartcomhttpvoloschkadeviantartcom
interview with natalia voloshyn
13psd Photoshop
Where do you get the inspiration for your worksAnything can be an inspiration ndash music films books different kinds of art even random lines in the conversation I often build up an im-age of a future artwork in my imagination it can be my vision of a certain concept or feeling or just a fantasy scene But sometimes I just play around with images textures and brushes and something interesting comes along the way
Could you tell us a bit about the advantages and difficulties of your profession What do you find the most satisfying about it and what can be discouragingDigital art is very time consuming It might take up to 5 hours or even more to create a piece It is also quite tiring as it requires hours of concentration and sitting in front of a computer screen The most satisfying thing about being a digital artist is that nothing limits you
interview
14 psd Photoshop
ndash if you want to create a beautiful lady with huge butterfly wings or a dark dungeon with ghosts it is up to you Anything is possible Im-ages brushes and textures give you an opportunity to experiment as much as you want However digital art is technically difficult and requires a lot of practice which can be discouraging at times
Are there any works you are particularly proud of Any personal favourites Thatrsquos a tricky question I really like my latest pieces lsquoFreersquo lsquoPerfec-tionrsquo and lsquoCarried Awayrsquo but it would be wrong to call them favourite as all of my works mean a lot to me
interview with natalia voloshyn
15psd Photoshop
What are you currently working onIrsquom working on a piece portraying an imaginary being perhaps a girl lonely lost and rejected longing for warm human feelings but not being able to find them It is going to be a dreamy fantasy piece quite dark and atmospheric
What are your plans for future Are there any particular goals you would like to achieve I consider myself being a perfectionist so I try to improve my skills with every new piece I create I would like to move more in the direc-tion of digital painting learn some new techniques
Any advices to those who would like to become digital artists as wellThe first and the most important piece of advice ndash donrsquot stop Donrsquot give up even if things go totally wrong or are not as good as you ex-pected Be patient try to build up an image in your mind first or draw a sketch and then recreate it step by step If you feel that you lack knowledge browse for some tutorials they can be very helpful Im-prove your skills And remember - the sky is the limit
medium | 30 min
adobe photoshop CS3 | wacom tablet
forest fairy
17psd Photoshop
Step 1I made a sketch in Photoshop using Wacom tablet After I made a rough sketch I decided to add dif-ferent decorative details during the process of drawing
01
02
Step 2I drew the basis for the face body and dress on a new layer More details and highlights would be added later
Forest FairyI wanted to draw a beautiful fairy with long hair and bright green eyes running through the forest I decided to paint it in bright colors of yellow and orange The image needed to be magical
digital painting
18 psd Photoshop
Step 4At this point I began to refi ne the face and make up continuing from step 2 and adding more de-tails I focused on the looks and the eyes because I think itrsquos very important I painted some pinkish shades on the face added highlights and textured the lips After that I added eyelashes
04
05
Step 5In this step I drew the hair I decided that fairys hair would be long with a reddish-yellow hue First I drew the basis for hair using a dark color Then I painted waves of the hair lighter I used several colors to draw the hair (brown orange red and various shades of yellow) as it gives the effect of more volume To draw the hair I use a soft round brush In the brush settings I set ShapegtDynamicsgtFine hair fi ne hair and sized it to 2 px
03
Step 3I started to paint the basis for fairys hair I used a wide round soft brown brush and drew it on a new layer Then I began to paint more details of fairys body and of her dress by adding shadows and highlights
forest fairy
19psd Photoshop
Step 7When I fi nished the details on the girls body I drew a fl ower in her hand On a new layer with Opacity 50 I drew a light train I used a soft round brush with Opacity set to 30-50
07
08
Step 8I started to paint the background and used a soft large brush I made the left upper corner of the background lighter and the bottom of the back-ground - darker
06
Step 6I decided to make the dress more beautiful First I drew bright yellow patches on the dress and the folds I drew highlights with a soft round brush setting the Opacity to 40 I then painted gloss on her dress For this I used a brush size of 2-5 px Glitter (point brush) I drew it on multiple layers with varying transparency and used a bright yel-low and red brush The more points you paint the more the dress will shine On the brightest parts of the dress I put more points of bright color
digital painting
20 psd Photoshop
Step 10In this step I added decorative items and orna-ments I used a brush size of 2 px and yellow and brown colors to paint decorations (to look their best they need to be drawn very accurately)
10
11
Step 11I drew the falling leaves on 2 layers a front and a rear layer On the foreground I painted the leaves brighter To layer the leaves in the background I applied a Gaussian Blur
by Alena Lazareva
09
Step 9I then painted an abstract leaf in the right side of the background and applied the Gaussian Blur fi l-ter (FiltergtBlurgtGaussian Blur) Now using a soft brush with light yellow I added rays of the sun Af-ter that I again applied the Gaussian Blur
This tutorial will explain how to paint a realistic eye in Photoshop Eyes are by far one of the most important aspects of any painting especially if itrsquos a portrait Itrsquos also one of the most fun features to paint as painting an eye is much easier than one might think
How toPaint a Realistic Eye
medium | 30 min
adobe photoshop CS5
how to paint a realistic eye
23psd Photoshop
SketchBefore laying down a single brushstroke itrsquos important for me to create a rough sketch It doesnrsquot have to be perfect but we need to get our point across here This will only make things easier during the painting process Create a new layer and sketch in an eye
02
03
Laying down the Base ColorThis step is simple enough here we lay down the base color for the skin Simply use the Gradienttool here and fi ll the background layer with your color choice In general try not to go too light or too saturated here
Defi ning FormUsing the HSB Slider (WindowsgtColor) pick a darker more saturated color for the darker areas of the skin and paint it using a simple Hard Edged brush I also pick a lighter less saturated tone for the highlights of the skin I choose a color for the eye in this case a bright blue and paint that in as well
01
workshop
24 psd Photoshop
Bringing Life to the SkinThe values of the skin need some work here I choose an even brighter lighter color to defi ne the form of the skin I introduce the lighter tones according to the lighting here which is a standard front light I add the lighter tones to the tone the bridge of the nose near the eyebrow and around the eyelid to make things appear more realistic
04
05
06
Smoothing Out the SkinAt this point all my work was done using a standard Hard Edged brush which is great for defi ning form quickly To blend the skin and give it a more photo realistic look I now switch to a soft brush (Hardness at 0) and Opacity at 50 I blend all the sharp transitions until things appear much smoother Additionally I paint darker tones on the blue iris to give it more depth
Bringing More LifeAt this point I work a bit more on the skin tones adding some more saturated reddish tones on the area around the eye as well as the cheek I also add a more saturated blue to the eye as well I do this all with a soft airbrush at a fairly low opacity on a new layer then merge it down when Irsquom satisfi ed with how things are looking I also do some more detail work using a softer Hard Edgedbrush as well
how to paint a realistic eye
25psd Photoshop
DetailsIrsquom satisfi ed with how things are looking at this stage so I start working on the details Using a fairly small brush I begin to add some lsquobumpsrsquo around the eye to give it a more realistic looks I also create bumps around the eyebrow using a both a fairly light as well as dark color to help it pop for a realistic look I also add details in the iris using a lighter bluish color to really bring the image to life I work in at a very large zoom at this stage as well to make things easier and more accurate
07
08
09
Refi nementI go over everything with a Soft Edged brush at a low opacity for a more realistic look Additionally I bring out the details more using fairly small hard edged brushes I work on the eyebrow painting each strand in as well as the eyelashes
Color and Texture EnhancementThings are looking a bit too muddy for my taste so what I do here is create a new layer set to soft light and enhance the colors quite a bit I introduce much warmer tones around the eye to give it more life Finally I slightly overlay a leather photo texture to give the skin a slightly more realistic effect
by George Patsouras
In this tutorial I will explain how to paint realistic lips with Photoshop Before attempting to paint lips itrsquos essential that you practice drawing lips as well as the head in general to get the best results possible
How toPaint a Realistic Lips
medium | 30 min
adobe photoshop CS5
how to paint a realistic lips
27psd Photoshop
SketchI almost always start off with a sketch for my serious paintings and this one is no different I create a new layer and with a Hard Edged brush I quickly sketch in the lips Getting the lips to look right now just makes the painting process that much easier
02
03
Picking the right base colorPick a mid-tone for the skin one thatrsquos not too saturated or too light (a common mistake many artists make) To quickly fi ll in the canvas with a color I simply use the Gradient tool After itrsquos done I use a hard edged brush to paint in the red lips
Defi ning FormOnce I chose my base tone itrsquos time to defi ne the form of the skin The fi rst thing you must think of is where does the light come from In this case I decide to go for a fairly simple front light and shade accordingly Using a Hard Edged brush I use darker more saturated tones for the darker parts of the skin and a lighter less saturated tone for the highlights of the skin for a realistic effect Use a darker midtone for the lsquotoprsquo lip and bring out lighter tones for the bottom one (this works for most lighting situations)
01
workshop
28 psd Photoshop
Bringing out the HighlightsThings are still looking too fl at for me at this stage so I choose a much brighter midtone to bring out the form of the skin As always I simply use a hard edged brush at this step I bring out lighter tones on the lsquocornersrsquo of the lips the chin and on top of the lips
04
05
06
Smoothing out the SkinOnce Irsquom happy with my value statement I decide to soften everything out with a soft edged brush I choose Hardness 0 under my Brush Settingsand with a 50 Opacity I smoothen out the rough transitions
DetailsI start bringing texture to the lower lips using a fairly small Hard Edged brush I zoom closer here to make things easier and begin to paint the texture of the lips keeping the form in mind using a circular stroke Additionally I bring out a fairly harsh highlight at the top of the lips (the part that looks like a lsquoVrsquo) which gives the image a much more realistic feel
how to paint a realistic lips
29psd Photoshop
Even more detailsI bring more contrast to the image using lighter tones for the highlights and darker ones for shadows I introduce a fairly dark tone right underneath the lip above the chin for a realistic effect I also use a darker tone to separate the lsquobottomrsquo lip from the top giving the lips more depth in the process I also add a mole simply for the fun of it
07
08
Final Refi nementHere I add even more texture to the lips and use a very light almost white color on the bottom lips to bring more life and contrast to the image I clean the image out a bit in general and make sure everything appears as symmetrical as possible and voila Wersquore done
by George Patsouras
contributing writers
Editor in Chief Magdalena Mojska magdalenamojskapsdmagorg
Copy Editor Ed Werzyn Robert Coppa Art Director Agnieszka Marchocka
DTP Przemysław BanasiewiczSenior ConsultantPublisherPresident
Paweł Marciniak Managing Director Ewa Łozowicka
Marketing Director Magdalena Mojska magdalenamojskapsdmagorg
Production DirectorAndrzej Kuca andrzejkucapsdmagorg
Postal addressPublisher Software Press Spzoo SK
02-682 Warszawa ul Bokserska 1worldwide publishing wwwpsdmagorgen
All trade marks presented in the magazine were used only for informa-tive purposes All rights to trade marks presented in the magazine are
reserved by the companies which own themMathematical formulas created by Design Science MathTypetrade
The editors use automatic DTP systemEditorial contributions should be sent to
editorspsdmagorg Customer Service +1 917 338 3631
The Software Press Spzoo SK works individually from Adobe The psd Photoshop team reserves the right not to be responsible for the topical-ity correctness completeness or quality of the information provided by
contributors
Randy Monteith
I am self taught as an artist So any mistakes I have made are in-tentional All my ideas come from an over active imagination that is only put in check when I fi nish a piece of artwork and then the process begins again I have been working with Photoshop for al-most 7 years now I am lucky enough to have two images chosen for two of RedBubblersquos books GAIA and Compassion Courage and Friendship I have been interviewed in Photoshop Creative Maga-zine 14 and have images printed in Advanced Photoshop as well Recently in Issue 60 of Photoshop Creative Magazine the editors chose my portfolio on their webpage as one of the Top 5 rated portfolios I am not one to think outside the box but blow it to bits so stand back and watch me now
c o v e r a r t i s t
Alena Lazareva
My name is Alena I live in Russia I`m the digital artist and the illustrator My interests are art photography computer graph-ics I have been drawing since childhood I studied at the School of Art at the artist There I drew pictures in oils and watercolor is now engaged in graphic design During the last three years I have been enjoying working as a computer graphics artist I love to paint illustrations in the style of Fantasy mythical creatures fairies elves mermaids and angels and painting children fairy-tales I`m currently using Photoshop CS and tablet Wacom for of my artworks I hope you like my illustrationsWebsite wwwalenalazarevacome-mail alenkalazarevamailru
Armand Johnson
Irsquom a professional photographer and graphic designer from Northern Louisiana USA I have had the pleasure of working with celebrities non-profi t organizations and local talents within the Louisiana region Irsquove also provided public service to the area and worked with the local youth to teach them professionalism career goals and creative thinking I get a lot of my inspiration from what I observe which is everyday lifehttpwwwfl ickrcomphotosthearmandjohnsonhttpwwwtwittercomdajizzlehttpwwwcreatticacomcreativesthe-armand-john-son29390thearmandjohnsongmailcom
George Patsouras
George Patsouras is a freelance and concept artist residing from Long Island City NY His work can be seen in a variety of differ-ent projects including video games comic books as well as card games George specializes in depicting realistic fantasy images For more of his work be sure to check out his offi cial blog at httpcgaddictblogspotcom
Jose Paulo Reis
Irsquom a digital artist with 3 years of experience My passion is fashion photography creativity advertising photomanipula-tion and digital art Currently Irsquom working as a digital artist in Lalaland Studios (fashion photography) I love fashion and beauty photography and everything related with digital art Irsquom devoted to Photoshop and everyday Irsquom trying to improve my skillsEnjoy my works by visiting my blog wwwzepaulocreationblogspotcom
Naomi Bensen
Having been raised in a colorful environment of art music and creative learning it was only natural for me to gravitate towards photographymdasha medium that can catch a split second and make it last forever Behind the lens I have pursued my own unique style of photography that focuses on capturing natural and un-staged moments For me photography is more than taking a good picturemdashitrsquos about turning a moment into art Find me at httptheimaginationdeviantartcom
Ylenia Peronti
Irsquom 19 years old italian artist From 3 years I have a passion for photo retouch and generally for phtoshop so I started to practice retouch fi rst on what I call ldquoextreme makeoverrdquo as described in this tutorial and then devot himelf to studying professional photo retouching refi ning technical professional and actually retouch fashion shots Irsquom supermoderator in the Forum Graphics wwwgrafi cicreativicom and I manage especially the section of photoretouch you can fi nd me at the following links wwwyleniaperontiwordpresscom httpyleniucciadeviantartcom
interview
32 psd Photoshop
Interview withArmand Johnson
Please say a few words about yourselfI have a degree in Graphic Design and I really enjoy art all forms of it Whether that is music acting dancing painting photography etc I am intrigued by many different forms of art I DO like to play video games (when I have time but who doesnrsquot) and I DO consider video games as ART but thatrsquos a different subject Irsquom kind of laid back and very business like in my approach to most things
Why did you choose photo retouching and what do you find fascinating about itWhen I was in undergrad I collected plenty of music CDrsquos and DVDrsquos It always intrigued me how flawless and perfect looking the cover art was I thought to myself I want to reach that level of perfection in what I do But graduating with a BFA in Graphic Design kind of steered me away from that in some regards It wasnrsquot until about 5 years ago when my Aunt asked me to gather a couple of shots for some of my cousinrsquos promotional work that I begun to take retouch-ing very seriously After I took the shots I thought These images need to be presentable So I started to dabble with perfecting the images which pushed me into retouching By being a photographer retouching is essential to my workflow because I want my images to have that commercial professional appeal I want my work to look like it belongs in a magazine as a poster or on a billboard etc I find retouching fascinating because how one can push and perfect an image to hisher likings and to the clientrsquos likings as well Itrsquos a great feeling to boost someonersquos confidence by showing them the retouched image in comparison to the original It can help them gain or retain their ldquoswaggardquo
Irsquom a professional photographer and graphic designer from Northern Louisiana USA I have had the pleasure of working with celebrities non-profit organizations and local talents within the Louisiana region Irsquove also provided public service to the area and worked with the local youth to teach them professionalism career goals and creative thinking I get a lot of my inspiration from what I observe which is everyday life
See more of my works here
httpwwwflickrcomphotosthearmandjohnsonhttpwwwtwittercomdajizzlehttpwwwcreatticacomcreativesthe-armand-johnson29390
Contact me
thearmandjohnsongmailcom
interview with armand johnson
33psd Photoshop
Where do you look for the inspiration to createThere are several photographers and retouchers well known and not that inspire me with their work Joel Grimes and Dave Hill are probably the most prominent amongst the photographers I admire their approach to their craft and absolutely love their end result Other notable photographers are Dustin Snipes and Dallas J Logan As for retouchers I think Amy Dresser is amongst the best Her work is incredible Nick Saglimbeni is also Hersquos an awesome photographer and retoucher But that is just the list of people Nature and natural things are very inspiring because of their calming attributes Also
interview
34 psd Photoshop
there is a bevy of websites that are exceptionally useful for inspira-tion Abduzeedo is my favorite Being an artist you can get your in-spiration from anything and anywhere An idea can gravitate towards you at anytime
What are the main advantages of your profession and what can be discouraging about itAn advantage of being a retoucher is the payoff If yoursquore great at it you can eventually open up to a much larger clientele such as the entertainment (music movies etc) and fashion industries Once
interview with armand johnson
35psd Photoshop
yoursquore attached to some major clients your rep (credibility) increas-es for the better What can be discouraging is the journey to arrive at that stage There are many individuals proclaiming themselves pro-fessionals (whether photographers retouchers etc) that are hurt-ing the industry They are utterly confusing clients A random person with a camera is not a photographer and a random person with a copy of Photoshop is not retoucher A lot of lower level clients tend to desire commercial level work for pennies on the dollar Thatrsquos just not feasible Retouchers probably spend more time with an image than anyone else involved with the creative process They deserve to be compensated properly
Do you have any achievements that you are particularly proud ofYeah I just recently got a couple works approved on the major cre-ative website Creatticacom Also being featured in this magazine is very rewarding I look forward to achieving more goals and receiving more accolades Lifersquos a marathon not a sprint
What about your plans for the futureI plan on making my stamp within the industry as have the other successful digital artists Irsquoll always be refining and fine-tuning my craft to become more diverse I wonrsquot go into too much details cause I have a laundry list of things That could take all day ) But I will say this the pieces of the puzzle are beginning to fall into the right plac-es and I believe this interview and collaboration with PSD Photoshop magazine is a crucial step in this process
Do you have any advice to those who would like to become digital artists as wellBe artistic and approach things from a creative perspective I find many individuals wanting to be artists without being artistic or cre-ative Itrsquos a process not a fast food restaurant The creation of mas-terpieces and wonderful works of art takes careful planning time and effort There has to be a love for what you do Photoshop is only a tool which is used to create art It is not meant to replace it or the process of creating it
advanced | 45 min
adobe photoshop CS3
glamour retouch
37psd Photoshop
Blemish Removal and Skin SmoothingFirst open the RAW image and make a duplicate of the background layer by pressing [Ctrl]+[J] Name the bottom layer Retouch and the top layer Original This creates a quick toggle between the Before and After states This also allows you to monitor your progress and determine if you are making changes that have a negative effect on the results Turn off the top layer (Original) Nextcreate a new layer above the Retouch layer by pressing [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] Name this layer CleanUp With the Healing Brush [J] selected make sure Sam-ple All Layers is selected from the drop down menu and Aligned is checked Next use the Healing Brush as well as the Clone Stamp on the CleanUp layer to remove all the blemishes and imperfections The settings are 100 Opacity 100 with Sample All Layers and Alignedselected Once the skin is cleaned up create another layer above it [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] and name it Skin Select the Clone Stamp tool and use these settings 18-25 Opacity 100 Flow Sample All Layers and Aligned Use the Clone Stamp tool to even out the Highlight Shadowand Midtone areas giving the skin a very smooth fl awless appear-ance Lastly apply a little noise the layer Go to FiltergtNoisegtAdd Noise and set the amount to 25 - 50 and the distribution to Gauss-ian After initially cleaning and smoothing the skin group those layers together by holding down the [Shift] key and selecting both of them and [Ctrl]+[G] to group them Rename the group CleanUp
01
02Color BoostAbove the CleanUp group create a Curves Adjustment Layer and name it CB - Curves Use three points along the slope 255 255 0 0 and 148 112 within the RGB channel Then create a LevelsAdjustment Layer naming it CB - Levels Within the RGB chan-nel using these values 10 115 245 Group together these two Adjustment Layers and name the group Overall because it af-fects the overall image Then create a Curves Adjustment Layerabove the grouped layers and insert four points along the slope Keep the two default points 255255 and 0 0 Add two more 35 43 and 211 201 (or somewhere within that tonal range) also in the RGB channel Rename this layer Jewelry Select the Mask by clicking on it and fi ll the Mask with Black Use the Brush tool with the foreground color set to White and paint only over the jewelry Rename this layer Jewelry Create a fi nal Curves adjustment layer above the Jewelry layer and name it Hair Use settings very simi-lar to those on the Jewelry layer within the RGB channel Select the Mask fi ll it with Black and paint over the hair with a Whitebrush Group all of these Adjustment Layers together and name the group Color Boost
GlamourRetouchIn this tutorial I will show you how I performed a Glamour retouch on a photo of my beautiful friend Asia I photographed her against a black background for a dramatic and edgy effect as well as using various Photoshop tools to achieve that ldquoglamour lookrdquo that many magazines and print work use I will be using Photoshop CS3 but any higher version should work as well The tools I will be using are Adjustment Layers Filters and Blending Modes as well as the Clone Stamp Brush and Healing Brush tools
photo retouch
38 psd Photoshop
Highlight and ShadowCreate a new layer and name it FaceBody and set the Blending Mode to Soft Light Set the foreground color to White select the Brush tool with the settings Opacity 100 Flow 2 and paint over the naturally highlighted areas bring-ing out the highlights Then set the foreground color to Black using the same settings and paint over the naturally shadowed areas increasing the contrast in the image Add a Gaussian BlurFiltergtBlurgtGaussian Blur to the layer with a ra-dius setting of 15 ndash 30 Repeat these steps on a new layer named Hair with the Blending Mode set to Overlay Create another new layer named Jew-elry with the Blending Mode set to Overlay as well Once fi nished rearrange the layers so that they are in this order from top to bottom Hair FaceBody Jewelry Lastly group these layers together and name the group HLSH or HighlightShadow
04
05SharpenMake a new layer by combining all visible layers [Shift]+[Alt]+[Ctrl]+[E] This creates a new layer consisting of all the information from the bottom layers Make this a smart object by right ndash click-ing on the layer and selecting Convert to Smart Object This makes the layer a Smart Object allow-ing the use of Smart Filters Duplicate this layer and rename the copy HP 65 and the original layer Sharpen Turn off the HP 65 layer With the Sharp-en layer selected go to FiltergtSharpengtUnSharp Mask using these settings Amount 60 Radius2500 Threshold 10 With the Blending Mode set to Normal adjust the Opacity within the 30 - 40 range and the Fill within the 75 - 90 range Then turn on the HP 65 Layer and select it Set the Blending Mode to Overlay and go to FiltergtOthergtHigh Pass Set the Radius to 65 and the Opacity within the 65 - 75 range and the Fillwithin the 90 - 95 range Finally group these two layers together and name the group Sharpen
03
Color CorrectionCreate a new layer and name it Color CorrectionSet the Blending Mode to Color Set the Brush tool to a SoftFeather setting with the Hardness to 15 Set Black as the foreground color and paint over the lips Then use Gold as the foreground color and paint over the ldquoCoachrdquo text and the handle of the sunglasses changing them from Silver to GoldSelect various colors from the skin and paint over the discolorations in the skin Put the layer in its own group and name that group Color Correction
glamour retouch
39psd Photoshop
EffectsCreate a new layer and name it Sparkles With the Pen tool create a fi ve ndash point sparkle Once fi nished drawing the outline right ndash click and select Make Selection feathering the selection by 1 pixel Make sure the Anti-aliased box is checked and the New Selection option is selected Fill the selection with White Then make several copies (four should be enough) of this layer and move the various spar-kles to certain areas on the jewelry and sunglasses Resize those sparkles individually using transform [Ctrl]+[T] Once the sparkles are at sizes you are comfortable with click on the top most layer (Sparkles Copy 4) hold the shift key then the original Sparkles lay-er and merge them by pressing [Ctrl]+[E] Rename this layer Spar-kles Then add a layer style to the layer by double ndash clicking on it I selected Outer Glow In the options for the Outer Glow effect leave the default setting only changing the Size to 3 pixels Lastly place this layer into its own group and name that group Effects Switch the Original layer OnOff and enjoy the result
by Armand Johnson
07
06
Cool DownCreate a HueSaturation Adjustment Layer mak-ing sure it is set to the Master channel Set the Saturation to -100 This turns the image black and white Set the Blending Mode set to Normalthe Opacity within the 40 - 50 range and the Fill within the 70 - 90 range Select the Maskset the foreground color to 40 Gray and fi ll the mask Paint over only the jewelry and the colored sections of the hair This brings back some of the original color but not too much of it Finally group only this layer and name it Cool Down
How to change the eye color very quickly but efficiently
How to change
eye color
beginer | 10 min
adobe photoshop CS4
how to change eye color
41psd Photoshop
Step 1First open the photos select the pupil of the eye using the method you prefer (Polygonal lassoMagnetic lasso pen etc) I used the Magnetic lasso in this case Right click the mouse on the Selection and select New Layer via Copy Rename the layer eyes
02
03
Step 2Make sure that in the Layers palette is selected layer eyes and from the menu Image select HuegtSaturation adjustments When the window will be open move the Hues cursor until you fi nd the satisfying color If you want from the same HuegtSaturation window we can also modify the saturation and brightness to achieve different ef-fects Heres an example set the Hue value on 44You can also customize more the color using the color balance adjustment selected from the menu ImagegtAdjustmentsgtColor Balance and reduce the opacity of the layer eyes to adjust the effect
Step 3For a more aesthetic effect you can use the Dodge tool selected from the Tools palette Set Light to a 5-10 opacity (or an opacity that allows to achieve the desired effect) and use Dodge toolwithin the colored part of the eye Select Burn tool(also an Opacity of 5) set to Midtones and Burn-ing to defi ne better the outline of the eye
by Ylenia Peronti
42 psd Photoshop
interview
2 pas Photoshop
Tell us about your first steps in photographyMy dad is a really good photographer and he showed me how to use his Nikon film camera when I was young and how to de-
Interview withApril Elizabeth
Can you introduce yourself to our readersMy name is April Elizabeth I am a creative photographer from the small snowy town of Ishpeming in Upper Peninsula of Michigan
April Elizabeth is an internationally published photographer from Ishpeming Michigan Her photos have appeared in magazines on book covers and websites Her clients include Random house HarperCollins Publishing and The Portland Beanie Company
43psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
3psd Photoshop
velop the film I really enjoyed it but it was expensive and I was unable to really get into photography until digital cameras came along I started with a point and shoot camera and went from there
Why did you choose this professionI think it sort of chose me Irsquove always liked photography but I never in my life imagined myself going anywhere with it That all changed when I bought my first slr and asked a local model to do a photo
44 psd Photoshop
interview
4 pas Photoshop
shoot with me I was nervous because I had never done any-thing like that before and I wasnrsquot com-pletely sure how the camera worked but the pictures turned out great and soon more and more peo-ple wanted to work with me
Where do you get the inspiration for your worksIrsquove always been an introverted day-dreamer with an
overly active imagination When other people are liv-ing their life I am looking around and thinking of sto-ries Irsquove always wanted to be a writer but photography lets me tell stories with pic-tures and as long as I can tell a story I am happy
What do you like the most about being a photographer and what are the main difficulties for youIf I am not creating some-thing I feel frustrated I like that my job lets me cre-ate things while making people feel beautiful and good about themselves I enjoy taking pictures that have a fantasy quality to them so that people in the photos can be part of something a little magi-cal instead of ordinary and people who see the photos will feel inspired One of the main difficul-ties I have is my location the middle of nowhere in the Midwest Winter lasts around 7-8 months and itrsquos always very harsh and with a lot of snow I donrsquot have a studio or anyplace indoors thatI can go to so this means I only have a very short amount of time in the year that I can really do many photo shoots
45psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
5psd Photoshop
Do you have any personal achievements you are particularly proud ofIrsquom very proud that my photo Shy with over 35550 favs is one of the most popular photos ever to be up-loaded to the website deviantart Itrsquos unreal to me Irsquom also proud that two photos of mine have been licensed to be on book covers Growing up I never thought any-thing like that could ever happen to me Being in magazines such as this one is also very nice All of these things make me feel like Irsquove accomplished something in life and gives me confidence that I can do even more
What are your plans for futureIrsquod like to get a studio someday And Irsquod like to get into stock photogra-phy Irsquom also working on a gothic romance novel called Whispering Pines and a book of short scary stories I guess I plan on just creat-ing more and trying to improve in everything I do
What would you advice to the young photographersDonrsquot worry about what kind of cam-era or equipment you have Just fo-cus on what you have now and try to create something beautiful with it Itrsquos the photographer that makes the picture good not the camera
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many successful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quitting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many suc-cessful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quit-ting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
A photographerrsquos main goal is to take a photo that makes the viewer feel a strong emotion towards it whether it is love hate anger or passion But when a photo is excellently taken yet the colors lighting and texture dont match up to the photoers vision a photo will become uninspiring This tutorial will teach you how to take your photo to the next level and create an image that matches your vision
Makingthe Mood
making the mood
47psd Photoshop
Step 1The fi rst step in changing a photo is doing the ba-sics You have to prepare your photo before you can move to the fun stuff In this pickture I got rid of any noticeable blemishes the model had and g of noticeable hair that were going across her face to give more clear picture of the model I did this using the Patch and Clone Stamp tool When edit-ing a model make sure to always keep texture in the skin its more interesting that way as opposed to having a models face which is completely air-brushed
02
03
Step 2The next step I took was darkening the whole photo I knew that I wanted the photo to be much darker than it currently was I could have just used the Curves tool or Levels but I fi nd that when overusing the Curves tool a photo starts to look overly contrasted which I dont want So instead I used a light gradient (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtGradient Map) and changed the Blending mode from Normal to Multiply Doing this gives the photo a lot more depth but doesnt darken it completely
Step 3As soon as Ive got my basic photo ready I knew that the yellowish tinge was not the effect I was going for so I used both the Color Balance tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtColor Balance)and the Selective Color tool (LayergtNew Adjust-ment LayergtColor Balance)
01
photomanipulation
48 psd Photoshop
Step 4The next thing I noticed was that my models face was not highlighted enough it was getting lost in the midst of forest and darkness so I made two new layers One layer was for the models face and I simply used a soft Photoshop brush with 0 Hardness and drew over the models face and the snakes body I then changed both layers Blending Mode from Normal to Screen and applied a Box blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 543 pixels to both so they wouldnt be as noticeable Remember you just want hints of light just enough so the models face and the snake is highlighted
04
05
06
Step 5The fi fth step is more or less a repeat of a step number three I liked the way photo looked but it wasnt nearly as dramatic as it could be So now I fi nally decided to use the Curves tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtCurves) to darken and light certain areas making sure again not to overdo it but to give it enough contrast to really bring out the picture Next I made two new Selective Colorlayers (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtSelective Color) One Selective Colors layer changed the leaves and clothes but not the models face to a more dark blue tint while the second Selective Color layer brightened the snakes skin
Step 6The next thing I did was making another two lay-ers I still wanted to brighten only the snakes skin so for the fi rst layer I changed the Blending modefrom Normal to Soft Light and then used a brush with 0 Hardness and carefully painted over the snake It took a few variations before I found a color I liked Its helpful to remember to also look at the whole picture In the next layer I created I simply wanted to add a little more color to the shrubbery in the background so I made another layer and again changed the blending mode from Normal to Soft Light I used a soft brush with 0 Hardness and a maroon and yellow color just to add a little variation from my usual palette of blue I then added it all along the bushes and used the Box Blur tool at 483 pixels also changing the Blending mode from Normal to Screen to make it less obvious
making the mood
49psd Photoshop
Step 7The fi nal step I took to fi nish setting the mood for my photo was adding a texture and chang-ing the Blending Mode from Normal to Soft LightI found that the texture was to overpowering at 100 Opacity so I lowered it to 77 I next added my fi nal layer and created a vignette around my photo by using a brush with a Hardness of 100 and then brushed it around the outer edges of the photo particularly around the four corners I then applied a Box Blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 693 pixels to the layer creating a nice dark blurred ef-fect
by Naomi Bensen
07
interview with randy monteith
5psd Photoshop
Why did you choose to become a digital artistSomeone sent me an email with a picture that someone did of an animal that was made up of three other animals and I said to myself Great Idea but I thought I could do so much better I had no clue what software was out there until some friends told me about Photoshop I am self taught as an artist and have taught myself Photoshop all on my own Creating Digital Art is a great outlet I get to see all these crazy ideas I have in my head come to fruition
interview
6 psd Photoshop
interview with randy monteith
7psd Photoshop
Where do you look for the inspiration to createMy ideas come from all over I have a very overactive imagination that works non-stop
Could you tell us a bit about the advantages and difficulties of your profession What do you find the most satisfying about it and what can be discouragingIn my case because I have a regular job as a elec-tronics tech I am lucky I donrsquot have to rely upon my income from my artwork But this also gives me the freedom to work on what I want to work on and not what the boss tells me to do I mainly create art for myself If others like it then thatrsquos a bonus
Are there any works you are particularly proud ofYes there are quite a few actually Broken from Within was featured in an ad for Photoshop Creative maga-zine Wither won a first place prize in a international art contest sponsored by Corel Earth Bound was fea-tured in a limited edition book by Redbubble
What are you currently working onNo real projects just some experi-ments that sometimes turn into pieces of artwork I love coming up with new techniques take an old techinque and stretch it a little further then others have
Any advices to those who would like to become digital artists as wellDonrsquot think outside the box Blow it to bits A program like Photoshop can be very scary to learn there are so many tools and things you have to know how to use Just take your time and learn a small part at a time Then you will learn how to slowly start using different parts of the program together en-abling you to understand it better and create some amazing art
In this tutorial I will show you how to acheive an interesting effect using vectors
Distractions
medium | 45 min
adobe photoshop CS5 | adobe illustrator
distractions
9psd Photoshop
Step 1To begin create a new document as shown below
02
03
Step 2Fill the background layer with black color [Alt] + [Backspace] Next select the picture for this tuto-rial Any picture will do but the photo of a face or a portrait will be the most suitable here Now you need to cut the face out of the picture In this sce-nario we used Pen Tool since it provided the best result In Paths panel click left mouse button on the thumbnail you created Next press [Ctrl] +[C]to copy and [Ctrl]+[V] to paste it
Step 3Now we will adjust contrast of the cut out image Go to LayergtNew Adjustments LayergtSelective color and set the values as you see in the picture below
01
creative class
10 psd Photoshop
Step 4Duplicate the models layer and desaturate it using [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[U] In the Layers panel select desaturated copy of the model and go to FiltergtBlurgtLens Blur and use the settings below
04
05
06
Step 5Now we need to save the document as PSD fi le (FilegtSave as)
Step 6In this step you need to make sure that you have chosen or made the right vectors to be used in the image you are creating As soon as you have it done drag into Photoshop and choose Smart object To do that highlight your Vector in Layers panel right click mouse button and from the drop down menu select Convert to smart object
distractions
11psd Photoshop
Step 7Now put your vectors in your fi le Choose the fi rst one and go to FiltergtDistortgtDisplace Use the settings shown below You have to do it for all the vector layers Choose the fi le you saved before in PSD format to complete the displace fi lter Next duplicate the face image as many times as the number of vectors you add to your fi le We need the original copy of the image you cut on top of any smart object you create Once you have the images on top of the vector layers you have to create Clipping masks Right-click on each copy of the image layer in the Layers palette and select Create Clipping Mask
07
08
09
Step 8Once you have done all the clipping masks you must give some layer properties to the vector lay-ers Click on fx below the Layers panel select drop shadow and use the settings below
Step 9You can modify the settings of each smart object layer just the way you want I hope you enjoy it
by Joseacute-Paulo Reis
interview
12 psd Photoshop
urge to create Also I was a lot into photography at that time but I didnrsquot have a camera After browsing a couple of websites with pho-tomanipulations I understood that itrsquos not necessary to have expen-sive equipment to create ndash and I decided to give it a try
Interview withNatalia Voloshyn
Tell our readers something about yourself How did your digital arts adventure started and why did you choose this professionIrsquove been a digital artist for three years now and my relationship with this form of art started rather traditionally ndash I was driven by a strong
Irsquom a 21 years old master student from a beautiful city of Lviv Ukraine Though my occupation (Irsquom a linguist) can hardly be called ldquoartyrdquo Irsquove been madly in love with Photoshop and photography for nearly 3 years Being an artist is an amazing feelingYou can find more of my works athttpvoloschka-photodeviantartcomhttpvoloschkadeviantartcom
interview with natalia voloshyn
13psd Photoshop
Where do you get the inspiration for your worksAnything can be an inspiration ndash music films books different kinds of art even random lines in the conversation I often build up an im-age of a future artwork in my imagination it can be my vision of a certain concept or feeling or just a fantasy scene But sometimes I just play around with images textures and brushes and something interesting comes along the way
Could you tell us a bit about the advantages and difficulties of your profession What do you find the most satisfying about it and what can be discouragingDigital art is very time consuming It might take up to 5 hours or even more to create a piece It is also quite tiring as it requires hours of concentration and sitting in front of a computer screen The most satisfying thing about being a digital artist is that nothing limits you
interview
14 psd Photoshop
ndash if you want to create a beautiful lady with huge butterfly wings or a dark dungeon with ghosts it is up to you Anything is possible Im-ages brushes and textures give you an opportunity to experiment as much as you want However digital art is technically difficult and requires a lot of practice which can be discouraging at times
Are there any works you are particularly proud of Any personal favourites Thatrsquos a tricky question I really like my latest pieces lsquoFreersquo lsquoPerfec-tionrsquo and lsquoCarried Awayrsquo but it would be wrong to call them favourite as all of my works mean a lot to me
interview with natalia voloshyn
15psd Photoshop
What are you currently working onIrsquom working on a piece portraying an imaginary being perhaps a girl lonely lost and rejected longing for warm human feelings but not being able to find them It is going to be a dreamy fantasy piece quite dark and atmospheric
What are your plans for future Are there any particular goals you would like to achieve I consider myself being a perfectionist so I try to improve my skills with every new piece I create I would like to move more in the direc-tion of digital painting learn some new techniques
Any advices to those who would like to become digital artists as wellThe first and the most important piece of advice ndash donrsquot stop Donrsquot give up even if things go totally wrong or are not as good as you ex-pected Be patient try to build up an image in your mind first or draw a sketch and then recreate it step by step If you feel that you lack knowledge browse for some tutorials they can be very helpful Im-prove your skills And remember - the sky is the limit
medium | 30 min
adobe photoshop CS3 | wacom tablet
forest fairy
17psd Photoshop
Step 1I made a sketch in Photoshop using Wacom tablet After I made a rough sketch I decided to add dif-ferent decorative details during the process of drawing
01
02
Step 2I drew the basis for the face body and dress on a new layer More details and highlights would be added later
Forest FairyI wanted to draw a beautiful fairy with long hair and bright green eyes running through the forest I decided to paint it in bright colors of yellow and orange The image needed to be magical
digital painting
18 psd Photoshop
Step 4At this point I began to refi ne the face and make up continuing from step 2 and adding more de-tails I focused on the looks and the eyes because I think itrsquos very important I painted some pinkish shades on the face added highlights and textured the lips After that I added eyelashes
04
05
Step 5In this step I drew the hair I decided that fairys hair would be long with a reddish-yellow hue First I drew the basis for hair using a dark color Then I painted waves of the hair lighter I used several colors to draw the hair (brown orange red and various shades of yellow) as it gives the effect of more volume To draw the hair I use a soft round brush In the brush settings I set ShapegtDynamicsgtFine hair fi ne hair and sized it to 2 px
03
Step 3I started to paint the basis for fairys hair I used a wide round soft brown brush and drew it on a new layer Then I began to paint more details of fairys body and of her dress by adding shadows and highlights
forest fairy
19psd Photoshop
Step 7When I fi nished the details on the girls body I drew a fl ower in her hand On a new layer with Opacity 50 I drew a light train I used a soft round brush with Opacity set to 30-50
07
08
Step 8I started to paint the background and used a soft large brush I made the left upper corner of the background lighter and the bottom of the back-ground - darker
06
Step 6I decided to make the dress more beautiful First I drew bright yellow patches on the dress and the folds I drew highlights with a soft round brush setting the Opacity to 40 I then painted gloss on her dress For this I used a brush size of 2-5 px Glitter (point brush) I drew it on multiple layers with varying transparency and used a bright yel-low and red brush The more points you paint the more the dress will shine On the brightest parts of the dress I put more points of bright color
digital painting
20 psd Photoshop
Step 10In this step I added decorative items and orna-ments I used a brush size of 2 px and yellow and brown colors to paint decorations (to look their best they need to be drawn very accurately)
10
11
Step 11I drew the falling leaves on 2 layers a front and a rear layer On the foreground I painted the leaves brighter To layer the leaves in the background I applied a Gaussian Blur
by Alena Lazareva
09
Step 9I then painted an abstract leaf in the right side of the background and applied the Gaussian Blur fi l-ter (FiltergtBlurgtGaussian Blur) Now using a soft brush with light yellow I added rays of the sun Af-ter that I again applied the Gaussian Blur
This tutorial will explain how to paint a realistic eye in Photoshop Eyes are by far one of the most important aspects of any painting especially if itrsquos a portrait Itrsquos also one of the most fun features to paint as painting an eye is much easier than one might think
How toPaint a Realistic Eye
medium | 30 min
adobe photoshop CS5
how to paint a realistic eye
23psd Photoshop
SketchBefore laying down a single brushstroke itrsquos important for me to create a rough sketch It doesnrsquot have to be perfect but we need to get our point across here This will only make things easier during the painting process Create a new layer and sketch in an eye
02
03
Laying down the Base ColorThis step is simple enough here we lay down the base color for the skin Simply use the Gradienttool here and fi ll the background layer with your color choice In general try not to go too light or too saturated here
Defi ning FormUsing the HSB Slider (WindowsgtColor) pick a darker more saturated color for the darker areas of the skin and paint it using a simple Hard Edged brush I also pick a lighter less saturated tone for the highlights of the skin I choose a color for the eye in this case a bright blue and paint that in as well
01
workshop
24 psd Photoshop
Bringing Life to the SkinThe values of the skin need some work here I choose an even brighter lighter color to defi ne the form of the skin I introduce the lighter tones according to the lighting here which is a standard front light I add the lighter tones to the tone the bridge of the nose near the eyebrow and around the eyelid to make things appear more realistic
04
05
06
Smoothing Out the SkinAt this point all my work was done using a standard Hard Edged brush which is great for defi ning form quickly To blend the skin and give it a more photo realistic look I now switch to a soft brush (Hardness at 0) and Opacity at 50 I blend all the sharp transitions until things appear much smoother Additionally I paint darker tones on the blue iris to give it more depth
Bringing More LifeAt this point I work a bit more on the skin tones adding some more saturated reddish tones on the area around the eye as well as the cheek I also add a more saturated blue to the eye as well I do this all with a soft airbrush at a fairly low opacity on a new layer then merge it down when Irsquom satisfi ed with how things are looking I also do some more detail work using a softer Hard Edgedbrush as well
how to paint a realistic eye
25psd Photoshop
DetailsIrsquom satisfi ed with how things are looking at this stage so I start working on the details Using a fairly small brush I begin to add some lsquobumpsrsquo around the eye to give it a more realistic looks I also create bumps around the eyebrow using a both a fairly light as well as dark color to help it pop for a realistic look I also add details in the iris using a lighter bluish color to really bring the image to life I work in at a very large zoom at this stage as well to make things easier and more accurate
07
08
09
Refi nementI go over everything with a Soft Edged brush at a low opacity for a more realistic look Additionally I bring out the details more using fairly small hard edged brushes I work on the eyebrow painting each strand in as well as the eyelashes
Color and Texture EnhancementThings are looking a bit too muddy for my taste so what I do here is create a new layer set to soft light and enhance the colors quite a bit I introduce much warmer tones around the eye to give it more life Finally I slightly overlay a leather photo texture to give the skin a slightly more realistic effect
by George Patsouras
In this tutorial I will explain how to paint realistic lips with Photoshop Before attempting to paint lips itrsquos essential that you practice drawing lips as well as the head in general to get the best results possible
How toPaint a Realistic Lips
medium | 30 min
adobe photoshop CS5
how to paint a realistic lips
27psd Photoshop
SketchI almost always start off with a sketch for my serious paintings and this one is no different I create a new layer and with a Hard Edged brush I quickly sketch in the lips Getting the lips to look right now just makes the painting process that much easier
02
03
Picking the right base colorPick a mid-tone for the skin one thatrsquos not too saturated or too light (a common mistake many artists make) To quickly fi ll in the canvas with a color I simply use the Gradient tool After itrsquos done I use a hard edged brush to paint in the red lips
Defi ning FormOnce I chose my base tone itrsquos time to defi ne the form of the skin The fi rst thing you must think of is where does the light come from In this case I decide to go for a fairly simple front light and shade accordingly Using a Hard Edged brush I use darker more saturated tones for the darker parts of the skin and a lighter less saturated tone for the highlights of the skin for a realistic effect Use a darker midtone for the lsquotoprsquo lip and bring out lighter tones for the bottom one (this works for most lighting situations)
01
workshop
28 psd Photoshop
Bringing out the HighlightsThings are still looking too fl at for me at this stage so I choose a much brighter midtone to bring out the form of the skin As always I simply use a hard edged brush at this step I bring out lighter tones on the lsquocornersrsquo of the lips the chin and on top of the lips
04
05
06
Smoothing out the SkinOnce Irsquom happy with my value statement I decide to soften everything out with a soft edged brush I choose Hardness 0 under my Brush Settingsand with a 50 Opacity I smoothen out the rough transitions
DetailsI start bringing texture to the lower lips using a fairly small Hard Edged brush I zoom closer here to make things easier and begin to paint the texture of the lips keeping the form in mind using a circular stroke Additionally I bring out a fairly harsh highlight at the top of the lips (the part that looks like a lsquoVrsquo) which gives the image a much more realistic feel
how to paint a realistic lips
29psd Photoshop
Even more detailsI bring more contrast to the image using lighter tones for the highlights and darker ones for shadows I introduce a fairly dark tone right underneath the lip above the chin for a realistic effect I also use a darker tone to separate the lsquobottomrsquo lip from the top giving the lips more depth in the process I also add a mole simply for the fun of it
07
08
Final Refi nementHere I add even more texture to the lips and use a very light almost white color on the bottom lips to bring more life and contrast to the image I clean the image out a bit in general and make sure everything appears as symmetrical as possible and voila Wersquore done
by George Patsouras
contributing writers
Editor in Chief Magdalena Mojska magdalenamojskapsdmagorg
Copy Editor Ed Werzyn Robert Coppa Art Director Agnieszka Marchocka
DTP Przemysław BanasiewiczSenior ConsultantPublisherPresident
Paweł Marciniak Managing Director Ewa Łozowicka
Marketing Director Magdalena Mojska magdalenamojskapsdmagorg
Production DirectorAndrzej Kuca andrzejkucapsdmagorg
Postal addressPublisher Software Press Spzoo SK
02-682 Warszawa ul Bokserska 1worldwide publishing wwwpsdmagorgen
All trade marks presented in the magazine were used only for informa-tive purposes All rights to trade marks presented in the magazine are
reserved by the companies which own themMathematical formulas created by Design Science MathTypetrade
The editors use automatic DTP systemEditorial contributions should be sent to
editorspsdmagorg Customer Service +1 917 338 3631
The Software Press Spzoo SK works individually from Adobe The psd Photoshop team reserves the right not to be responsible for the topical-ity correctness completeness or quality of the information provided by
contributors
Randy Monteith
I am self taught as an artist So any mistakes I have made are in-tentional All my ideas come from an over active imagination that is only put in check when I fi nish a piece of artwork and then the process begins again I have been working with Photoshop for al-most 7 years now I am lucky enough to have two images chosen for two of RedBubblersquos books GAIA and Compassion Courage and Friendship I have been interviewed in Photoshop Creative Maga-zine 14 and have images printed in Advanced Photoshop as well Recently in Issue 60 of Photoshop Creative Magazine the editors chose my portfolio on their webpage as one of the Top 5 rated portfolios I am not one to think outside the box but blow it to bits so stand back and watch me now
c o v e r a r t i s t
Alena Lazareva
My name is Alena I live in Russia I`m the digital artist and the illustrator My interests are art photography computer graph-ics I have been drawing since childhood I studied at the School of Art at the artist There I drew pictures in oils and watercolor is now engaged in graphic design During the last three years I have been enjoying working as a computer graphics artist I love to paint illustrations in the style of Fantasy mythical creatures fairies elves mermaids and angels and painting children fairy-tales I`m currently using Photoshop CS and tablet Wacom for of my artworks I hope you like my illustrationsWebsite wwwalenalazarevacome-mail alenkalazarevamailru
Armand Johnson
Irsquom a professional photographer and graphic designer from Northern Louisiana USA I have had the pleasure of working with celebrities non-profi t organizations and local talents within the Louisiana region Irsquove also provided public service to the area and worked with the local youth to teach them professionalism career goals and creative thinking I get a lot of my inspiration from what I observe which is everyday lifehttpwwwfl ickrcomphotosthearmandjohnsonhttpwwwtwittercomdajizzlehttpwwwcreatticacomcreativesthe-armand-john-son29390thearmandjohnsongmailcom
George Patsouras
George Patsouras is a freelance and concept artist residing from Long Island City NY His work can be seen in a variety of differ-ent projects including video games comic books as well as card games George specializes in depicting realistic fantasy images For more of his work be sure to check out his offi cial blog at httpcgaddictblogspotcom
Jose Paulo Reis
Irsquom a digital artist with 3 years of experience My passion is fashion photography creativity advertising photomanipula-tion and digital art Currently Irsquom working as a digital artist in Lalaland Studios (fashion photography) I love fashion and beauty photography and everything related with digital art Irsquom devoted to Photoshop and everyday Irsquom trying to improve my skillsEnjoy my works by visiting my blog wwwzepaulocreationblogspotcom
Naomi Bensen
Having been raised in a colorful environment of art music and creative learning it was only natural for me to gravitate towards photographymdasha medium that can catch a split second and make it last forever Behind the lens I have pursued my own unique style of photography that focuses on capturing natural and un-staged moments For me photography is more than taking a good picturemdashitrsquos about turning a moment into art Find me at httptheimaginationdeviantartcom
Ylenia Peronti
Irsquom 19 years old italian artist From 3 years I have a passion for photo retouch and generally for phtoshop so I started to practice retouch fi rst on what I call ldquoextreme makeoverrdquo as described in this tutorial and then devot himelf to studying professional photo retouching refi ning technical professional and actually retouch fashion shots Irsquom supermoderator in the Forum Graphics wwwgrafi cicreativicom and I manage especially the section of photoretouch you can fi nd me at the following links wwwyleniaperontiwordpresscom httpyleniucciadeviantartcom
interview
32 psd Photoshop
Interview withArmand Johnson
Please say a few words about yourselfI have a degree in Graphic Design and I really enjoy art all forms of it Whether that is music acting dancing painting photography etc I am intrigued by many different forms of art I DO like to play video games (when I have time but who doesnrsquot) and I DO consider video games as ART but thatrsquos a different subject Irsquom kind of laid back and very business like in my approach to most things
Why did you choose photo retouching and what do you find fascinating about itWhen I was in undergrad I collected plenty of music CDrsquos and DVDrsquos It always intrigued me how flawless and perfect looking the cover art was I thought to myself I want to reach that level of perfection in what I do But graduating with a BFA in Graphic Design kind of steered me away from that in some regards It wasnrsquot until about 5 years ago when my Aunt asked me to gather a couple of shots for some of my cousinrsquos promotional work that I begun to take retouch-ing very seriously After I took the shots I thought These images need to be presentable So I started to dabble with perfecting the images which pushed me into retouching By being a photographer retouching is essential to my workflow because I want my images to have that commercial professional appeal I want my work to look like it belongs in a magazine as a poster or on a billboard etc I find retouching fascinating because how one can push and perfect an image to hisher likings and to the clientrsquos likings as well Itrsquos a great feeling to boost someonersquos confidence by showing them the retouched image in comparison to the original It can help them gain or retain their ldquoswaggardquo
Irsquom a professional photographer and graphic designer from Northern Louisiana USA I have had the pleasure of working with celebrities non-profit organizations and local talents within the Louisiana region Irsquove also provided public service to the area and worked with the local youth to teach them professionalism career goals and creative thinking I get a lot of my inspiration from what I observe which is everyday life
See more of my works here
httpwwwflickrcomphotosthearmandjohnsonhttpwwwtwittercomdajizzlehttpwwwcreatticacomcreativesthe-armand-johnson29390
Contact me
thearmandjohnsongmailcom
interview with armand johnson
33psd Photoshop
Where do you look for the inspiration to createThere are several photographers and retouchers well known and not that inspire me with their work Joel Grimes and Dave Hill are probably the most prominent amongst the photographers I admire their approach to their craft and absolutely love their end result Other notable photographers are Dustin Snipes and Dallas J Logan As for retouchers I think Amy Dresser is amongst the best Her work is incredible Nick Saglimbeni is also Hersquos an awesome photographer and retoucher But that is just the list of people Nature and natural things are very inspiring because of their calming attributes Also
interview
34 psd Photoshop
there is a bevy of websites that are exceptionally useful for inspira-tion Abduzeedo is my favorite Being an artist you can get your in-spiration from anything and anywhere An idea can gravitate towards you at anytime
What are the main advantages of your profession and what can be discouraging about itAn advantage of being a retoucher is the payoff If yoursquore great at it you can eventually open up to a much larger clientele such as the entertainment (music movies etc) and fashion industries Once
interview with armand johnson
35psd Photoshop
yoursquore attached to some major clients your rep (credibility) increas-es for the better What can be discouraging is the journey to arrive at that stage There are many individuals proclaiming themselves pro-fessionals (whether photographers retouchers etc) that are hurt-ing the industry They are utterly confusing clients A random person with a camera is not a photographer and a random person with a copy of Photoshop is not retoucher A lot of lower level clients tend to desire commercial level work for pennies on the dollar Thatrsquos just not feasible Retouchers probably spend more time with an image than anyone else involved with the creative process They deserve to be compensated properly
Do you have any achievements that you are particularly proud ofYeah I just recently got a couple works approved on the major cre-ative website Creatticacom Also being featured in this magazine is very rewarding I look forward to achieving more goals and receiving more accolades Lifersquos a marathon not a sprint
What about your plans for the futureI plan on making my stamp within the industry as have the other successful digital artists Irsquoll always be refining and fine-tuning my craft to become more diverse I wonrsquot go into too much details cause I have a laundry list of things That could take all day ) But I will say this the pieces of the puzzle are beginning to fall into the right plac-es and I believe this interview and collaboration with PSD Photoshop magazine is a crucial step in this process
Do you have any advice to those who would like to become digital artists as wellBe artistic and approach things from a creative perspective I find many individuals wanting to be artists without being artistic or cre-ative Itrsquos a process not a fast food restaurant The creation of mas-terpieces and wonderful works of art takes careful planning time and effort There has to be a love for what you do Photoshop is only a tool which is used to create art It is not meant to replace it or the process of creating it
advanced | 45 min
adobe photoshop CS3
glamour retouch
37psd Photoshop
Blemish Removal and Skin SmoothingFirst open the RAW image and make a duplicate of the background layer by pressing [Ctrl]+[J] Name the bottom layer Retouch and the top layer Original This creates a quick toggle between the Before and After states This also allows you to monitor your progress and determine if you are making changes that have a negative effect on the results Turn off the top layer (Original) Nextcreate a new layer above the Retouch layer by pressing [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] Name this layer CleanUp With the Healing Brush [J] selected make sure Sam-ple All Layers is selected from the drop down menu and Aligned is checked Next use the Healing Brush as well as the Clone Stamp on the CleanUp layer to remove all the blemishes and imperfections The settings are 100 Opacity 100 with Sample All Layers and Alignedselected Once the skin is cleaned up create another layer above it [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] and name it Skin Select the Clone Stamp tool and use these settings 18-25 Opacity 100 Flow Sample All Layers and Aligned Use the Clone Stamp tool to even out the Highlight Shadowand Midtone areas giving the skin a very smooth fl awless appear-ance Lastly apply a little noise the layer Go to FiltergtNoisegtAdd Noise and set the amount to 25 - 50 and the distribution to Gauss-ian After initially cleaning and smoothing the skin group those layers together by holding down the [Shift] key and selecting both of them and [Ctrl]+[G] to group them Rename the group CleanUp
01
02Color BoostAbove the CleanUp group create a Curves Adjustment Layer and name it CB - Curves Use three points along the slope 255 255 0 0 and 148 112 within the RGB channel Then create a LevelsAdjustment Layer naming it CB - Levels Within the RGB chan-nel using these values 10 115 245 Group together these two Adjustment Layers and name the group Overall because it af-fects the overall image Then create a Curves Adjustment Layerabove the grouped layers and insert four points along the slope Keep the two default points 255255 and 0 0 Add two more 35 43 and 211 201 (or somewhere within that tonal range) also in the RGB channel Rename this layer Jewelry Select the Mask by clicking on it and fi ll the Mask with Black Use the Brush tool with the foreground color set to White and paint only over the jewelry Rename this layer Jewelry Create a fi nal Curves adjustment layer above the Jewelry layer and name it Hair Use settings very simi-lar to those on the Jewelry layer within the RGB channel Select the Mask fi ll it with Black and paint over the hair with a Whitebrush Group all of these Adjustment Layers together and name the group Color Boost
GlamourRetouchIn this tutorial I will show you how I performed a Glamour retouch on a photo of my beautiful friend Asia I photographed her against a black background for a dramatic and edgy effect as well as using various Photoshop tools to achieve that ldquoglamour lookrdquo that many magazines and print work use I will be using Photoshop CS3 but any higher version should work as well The tools I will be using are Adjustment Layers Filters and Blending Modes as well as the Clone Stamp Brush and Healing Brush tools
photo retouch
38 psd Photoshop
Highlight and ShadowCreate a new layer and name it FaceBody and set the Blending Mode to Soft Light Set the foreground color to White select the Brush tool with the settings Opacity 100 Flow 2 and paint over the naturally highlighted areas bring-ing out the highlights Then set the foreground color to Black using the same settings and paint over the naturally shadowed areas increasing the contrast in the image Add a Gaussian BlurFiltergtBlurgtGaussian Blur to the layer with a ra-dius setting of 15 ndash 30 Repeat these steps on a new layer named Hair with the Blending Mode set to Overlay Create another new layer named Jew-elry with the Blending Mode set to Overlay as well Once fi nished rearrange the layers so that they are in this order from top to bottom Hair FaceBody Jewelry Lastly group these layers together and name the group HLSH or HighlightShadow
04
05SharpenMake a new layer by combining all visible layers [Shift]+[Alt]+[Ctrl]+[E] This creates a new layer consisting of all the information from the bottom layers Make this a smart object by right ndash click-ing on the layer and selecting Convert to Smart Object This makes the layer a Smart Object allow-ing the use of Smart Filters Duplicate this layer and rename the copy HP 65 and the original layer Sharpen Turn off the HP 65 layer With the Sharp-en layer selected go to FiltergtSharpengtUnSharp Mask using these settings Amount 60 Radius2500 Threshold 10 With the Blending Mode set to Normal adjust the Opacity within the 30 - 40 range and the Fill within the 75 - 90 range Then turn on the HP 65 Layer and select it Set the Blending Mode to Overlay and go to FiltergtOthergtHigh Pass Set the Radius to 65 and the Opacity within the 65 - 75 range and the Fillwithin the 90 - 95 range Finally group these two layers together and name the group Sharpen
03
Color CorrectionCreate a new layer and name it Color CorrectionSet the Blending Mode to Color Set the Brush tool to a SoftFeather setting with the Hardness to 15 Set Black as the foreground color and paint over the lips Then use Gold as the foreground color and paint over the ldquoCoachrdquo text and the handle of the sunglasses changing them from Silver to GoldSelect various colors from the skin and paint over the discolorations in the skin Put the layer in its own group and name that group Color Correction
glamour retouch
39psd Photoshop
EffectsCreate a new layer and name it Sparkles With the Pen tool create a fi ve ndash point sparkle Once fi nished drawing the outline right ndash click and select Make Selection feathering the selection by 1 pixel Make sure the Anti-aliased box is checked and the New Selection option is selected Fill the selection with White Then make several copies (four should be enough) of this layer and move the various spar-kles to certain areas on the jewelry and sunglasses Resize those sparkles individually using transform [Ctrl]+[T] Once the sparkles are at sizes you are comfortable with click on the top most layer (Sparkles Copy 4) hold the shift key then the original Sparkles lay-er and merge them by pressing [Ctrl]+[E] Rename this layer Spar-kles Then add a layer style to the layer by double ndash clicking on it I selected Outer Glow In the options for the Outer Glow effect leave the default setting only changing the Size to 3 pixels Lastly place this layer into its own group and name that group Effects Switch the Original layer OnOff and enjoy the result
by Armand Johnson
07
06
Cool DownCreate a HueSaturation Adjustment Layer mak-ing sure it is set to the Master channel Set the Saturation to -100 This turns the image black and white Set the Blending Mode set to Normalthe Opacity within the 40 - 50 range and the Fill within the 70 - 90 range Select the Maskset the foreground color to 40 Gray and fi ll the mask Paint over only the jewelry and the colored sections of the hair This brings back some of the original color but not too much of it Finally group only this layer and name it Cool Down
How to change the eye color very quickly but efficiently
How to change
eye color
beginer | 10 min
adobe photoshop CS4
how to change eye color
41psd Photoshop
Step 1First open the photos select the pupil of the eye using the method you prefer (Polygonal lassoMagnetic lasso pen etc) I used the Magnetic lasso in this case Right click the mouse on the Selection and select New Layer via Copy Rename the layer eyes
02
03
Step 2Make sure that in the Layers palette is selected layer eyes and from the menu Image select HuegtSaturation adjustments When the window will be open move the Hues cursor until you fi nd the satisfying color If you want from the same HuegtSaturation window we can also modify the saturation and brightness to achieve different ef-fects Heres an example set the Hue value on 44You can also customize more the color using the color balance adjustment selected from the menu ImagegtAdjustmentsgtColor Balance and reduce the opacity of the layer eyes to adjust the effect
Step 3For a more aesthetic effect you can use the Dodge tool selected from the Tools palette Set Light to a 5-10 opacity (or an opacity that allows to achieve the desired effect) and use Dodge toolwithin the colored part of the eye Select Burn tool(also an Opacity of 5) set to Midtones and Burn-ing to defi ne better the outline of the eye
by Ylenia Peronti
42 psd Photoshop
interview
2 pas Photoshop
Tell us about your first steps in photographyMy dad is a really good photographer and he showed me how to use his Nikon film camera when I was young and how to de-
Interview withApril Elizabeth
Can you introduce yourself to our readersMy name is April Elizabeth I am a creative photographer from the small snowy town of Ishpeming in Upper Peninsula of Michigan
April Elizabeth is an internationally published photographer from Ishpeming Michigan Her photos have appeared in magazines on book covers and websites Her clients include Random house HarperCollins Publishing and The Portland Beanie Company
43psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
3psd Photoshop
velop the film I really enjoyed it but it was expensive and I was unable to really get into photography until digital cameras came along I started with a point and shoot camera and went from there
Why did you choose this professionI think it sort of chose me Irsquove always liked photography but I never in my life imagined myself going anywhere with it That all changed when I bought my first slr and asked a local model to do a photo
44 psd Photoshop
interview
4 pas Photoshop
shoot with me I was nervous because I had never done any-thing like that before and I wasnrsquot com-pletely sure how the camera worked but the pictures turned out great and soon more and more peo-ple wanted to work with me
Where do you get the inspiration for your worksIrsquove always been an introverted day-dreamer with an
overly active imagination When other people are liv-ing their life I am looking around and thinking of sto-ries Irsquove always wanted to be a writer but photography lets me tell stories with pic-tures and as long as I can tell a story I am happy
What do you like the most about being a photographer and what are the main difficulties for youIf I am not creating some-thing I feel frustrated I like that my job lets me cre-ate things while making people feel beautiful and good about themselves I enjoy taking pictures that have a fantasy quality to them so that people in the photos can be part of something a little magi-cal instead of ordinary and people who see the photos will feel inspired One of the main difficul-ties I have is my location the middle of nowhere in the Midwest Winter lasts around 7-8 months and itrsquos always very harsh and with a lot of snow I donrsquot have a studio or anyplace indoors thatI can go to so this means I only have a very short amount of time in the year that I can really do many photo shoots
45psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
5psd Photoshop
Do you have any personal achievements you are particularly proud ofIrsquom very proud that my photo Shy with over 35550 favs is one of the most popular photos ever to be up-loaded to the website deviantart Itrsquos unreal to me Irsquom also proud that two photos of mine have been licensed to be on book covers Growing up I never thought any-thing like that could ever happen to me Being in magazines such as this one is also very nice All of these things make me feel like Irsquove accomplished something in life and gives me confidence that I can do even more
What are your plans for futureIrsquod like to get a studio someday And Irsquod like to get into stock photogra-phy Irsquom also working on a gothic romance novel called Whispering Pines and a book of short scary stories I guess I plan on just creat-ing more and trying to improve in everything I do
What would you advice to the young photographersDonrsquot worry about what kind of cam-era or equipment you have Just fo-cus on what you have now and try to create something beautiful with it Itrsquos the photographer that makes the picture good not the camera
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many successful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quitting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many suc-cessful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quit-ting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
A photographerrsquos main goal is to take a photo that makes the viewer feel a strong emotion towards it whether it is love hate anger or passion But when a photo is excellently taken yet the colors lighting and texture dont match up to the photoers vision a photo will become uninspiring This tutorial will teach you how to take your photo to the next level and create an image that matches your vision
Makingthe Mood
making the mood
47psd Photoshop
Step 1The fi rst step in changing a photo is doing the ba-sics You have to prepare your photo before you can move to the fun stuff In this pickture I got rid of any noticeable blemishes the model had and g of noticeable hair that were going across her face to give more clear picture of the model I did this using the Patch and Clone Stamp tool When edit-ing a model make sure to always keep texture in the skin its more interesting that way as opposed to having a models face which is completely air-brushed
02
03
Step 2The next step I took was darkening the whole photo I knew that I wanted the photo to be much darker than it currently was I could have just used the Curves tool or Levels but I fi nd that when overusing the Curves tool a photo starts to look overly contrasted which I dont want So instead I used a light gradient (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtGradient Map) and changed the Blending mode from Normal to Multiply Doing this gives the photo a lot more depth but doesnt darken it completely
Step 3As soon as Ive got my basic photo ready I knew that the yellowish tinge was not the effect I was going for so I used both the Color Balance tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtColor Balance)and the Selective Color tool (LayergtNew Adjust-ment LayergtColor Balance)
01
photomanipulation
48 psd Photoshop
Step 4The next thing I noticed was that my models face was not highlighted enough it was getting lost in the midst of forest and darkness so I made two new layers One layer was for the models face and I simply used a soft Photoshop brush with 0 Hardness and drew over the models face and the snakes body I then changed both layers Blending Mode from Normal to Screen and applied a Box blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 543 pixels to both so they wouldnt be as noticeable Remember you just want hints of light just enough so the models face and the snake is highlighted
04
05
06
Step 5The fi fth step is more or less a repeat of a step number three I liked the way photo looked but it wasnt nearly as dramatic as it could be So now I fi nally decided to use the Curves tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtCurves) to darken and light certain areas making sure again not to overdo it but to give it enough contrast to really bring out the picture Next I made two new Selective Colorlayers (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtSelective Color) One Selective Colors layer changed the leaves and clothes but not the models face to a more dark blue tint while the second Selective Color layer brightened the snakes skin
Step 6The next thing I did was making another two lay-ers I still wanted to brighten only the snakes skin so for the fi rst layer I changed the Blending modefrom Normal to Soft Light and then used a brush with 0 Hardness and carefully painted over the snake It took a few variations before I found a color I liked Its helpful to remember to also look at the whole picture In the next layer I created I simply wanted to add a little more color to the shrubbery in the background so I made another layer and again changed the blending mode from Normal to Soft Light I used a soft brush with 0 Hardness and a maroon and yellow color just to add a little variation from my usual palette of blue I then added it all along the bushes and used the Box Blur tool at 483 pixels also changing the Blending mode from Normal to Screen to make it less obvious
making the mood
49psd Photoshop
Step 7The fi nal step I took to fi nish setting the mood for my photo was adding a texture and chang-ing the Blending Mode from Normal to Soft LightI found that the texture was to overpowering at 100 Opacity so I lowered it to 77 I next added my fi nal layer and created a vignette around my photo by using a brush with a Hardness of 100 and then brushed it around the outer edges of the photo particularly around the four corners I then applied a Box Blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 693 pixels to the layer creating a nice dark blurred ef-fect
by Naomi Bensen
07
interview
6 psd Photoshop
interview with randy monteith
7psd Photoshop
Where do you look for the inspiration to createMy ideas come from all over I have a very overactive imagination that works non-stop
Could you tell us a bit about the advantages and difficulties of your profession What do you find the most satisfying about it and what can be discouragingIn my case because I have a regular job as a elec-tronics tech I am lucky I donrsquot have to rely upon my income from my artwork But this also gives me the freedom to work on what I want to work on and not what the boss tells me to do I mainly create art for myself If others like it then thatrsquos a bonus
Are there any works you are particularly proud ofYes there are quite a few actually Broken from Within was featured in an ad for Photoshop Creative maga-zine Wither won a first place prize in a international art contest sponsored by Corel Earth Bound was fea-tured in a limited edition book by Redbubble
What are you currently working onNo real projects just some experi-ments that sometimes turn into pieces of artwork I love coming up with new techniques take an old techinque and stretch it a little further then others have
Any advices to those who would like to become digital artists as wellDonrsquot think outside the box Blow it to bits A program like Photoshop can be very scary to learn there are so many tools and things you have to know how to use Just take your time and learn a small part at a time Then you will learn how to slowly start using different parts of the program together en-abling you to understand it better and create some amazing art
In this tutorial I will show you how to acheive an interesting effect using vectors
Distractions
medium | 45 min
adobe photoshop CS5 | adobe illustrator
distractions
9psd Photoshop
Step 1To begin create a new document as shown below
02
03
Step 2Fill the background layer with black color [Alt] + [Backspace] Next select the picture for this tuto-rial Any picture will do but the photo of a face or a portrait will be the most suitable here Now you need to cut the face out of the picture In this sce-nario we used Pen Tool since it provided the best result In Paths panel click left mouse button on the thumbnail you created Next press [Ctrl] +[C]to copy and [Ctrl]+[V] to paste it
Step 3Now we will adjust contrast of the cut out image Go to LayergtNew Adjustments LayergtSelective color and set the values as you see in the picture below
01
creative class
10 psd Photoshop
Step 4Duplicate the models layer and desaturate it using [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[U] In the Layers panel select desaturated copy of the model and go to FiltergtBlurgtLens Blur and use the settings below
04
05
06
Step 5Now we need to save the document as PSD fi le (FilegtSave as)
Step 6In this step you need to make sure that you have chosen or made the right vectors to be used in the image you are creating As soon as you have it done drag into Photoshop and choose Smart object To do that highlight your Vector in Layers panel right click mouse button and from the drop down menu select Convert to smart object
distractions
11psd Photoshop
Step 7Now put your vectors in your fi le Choose the fi rst one and go to FiltergtDistortgtDisplace Use the settings shown below You have to do it for all the vector layers Choose the fi le you saved before in PSD format to complete the displace fi lter Next duplicate the face image as many times as the number of vectors you add to your fi le We need the original copy of the image you cut on top of any smart object you create Once you have the images on top of the vector layers you have to create Clipping masks Right-click on each copy of the image layer in the Layers palette and select Create Clipping Mask
07
08
09
Step 8Once you have done all the clipping masks you must give some layer properties to the vector lay-ers Click on fx below the Layers panel select drop shadow and use the settings below
Step 9You can modify the settings of each smart object layer just the way you want I hope you enjoy it
by Joseacute-Paulo Reis
interview
12 psd Photoshop
urge to create Also I was a lot into photography at that time but I didnrsquot have a camera After browsing a couple of websites with pho-tomanipulations I understood that itrsquos not necessary to have expen-sive equipment to create ndash and I decided to give it a try
Interview withNatalia Voloshyn
Tell our readers something about yourself How did your digital arts adventure started and why did you choose this professionIrsquove been a digital artist for three years now and my relationship with this form of art started rather traditionally ndash I was driven by a strong
Irsquom a 21 years old master student from a beautiful city of Lviv Ukraine Though my occupation (Irsquom a linguist) can hardly be called ldquoartyrdquo Irsquove been madly in love with Photoshop and photography for nearly 3 years Being an artist is an amazing feelingYou can find more of my works athttpvoloschka-photodeviantartcomhttpvoloschkadeviantartcom
interview with natalia voloshyn
13psd Photoshop
Where do you get the inspiration for your worksAnything can be an inspiration ndash music films books different kinds of art even random lines in the conversation I often build up an im-age of a future artwork in my imagination it can be my vision of a certain concept or feeling or just a fantasy scene But sometimes I just play around with images textures and brushes and something interesting comes along the way
Could you tell us a bit about the advantages and difficulties of your profession What do you find the most satisfying about it and what can be discouragingDigital art is very time consuming It might take up to 5 hours or even more to create a piece It is also quite tiring as it requires hours of concentration and sitting in front of a computer screen The most satisfying thing about being a digital artist is that nothing limits you
interview
14 psd Photoshop
ndash if you want to create a beautiful lady with huge butterfly wings or a dark dungeon with ghosts it is up to you Anything is possible Im-ages brushes and textures give you an opportunity to experiment as much as you want However digital art is technically difficult and requires a lot of practice which can be discouraging at times
Are there any works you are particularly proud of Any personal favourites Thatrsquos a tricky question I really like my latest pieces lsquoFreersquo lsquoPerfec-tionrsquo and lsquoCarried Awayrsquo but it would be wrong to call them favourite as all of my works mean a lot to me
interview with natalia voloshyn
15psd Photoshop
What are you currently working onIrsquom working on a piece portraying an imaginary being perhaps a girl lonely lost and rejected longing for warm human feelings but not being able to find them It is going to be a dreamy fantasy piece quite dark and atmospheric
What are your plans for future Are there any particular goals you would like to achieve I consider myself being a perfectionist so I try to improve my skills with every new piece I create I would like to move more in the direc-tion of digital painting learn some new techniques
Any advices to those who would like to become digital artists as wellThe first and the most important piece of advice ndash donrsquot stop Donrsquot give up even if things go totally wrong or are not as good as you ex-pected Be patient try to build up an image in your mind first or draw a sketch and then recreate it step by step If you feel that you lack knowledge browse for some tutorials they can be very helpful Im-prove your skills And remember - the sky is the limit
medium | 30 min
adobe photoshop CS3 | wacom tablet
forest fairy
17psd Photoshop
Step 1I made a sketch in Photoshop using Wacom tablet After I made a rough sketch I decided to add dif-ferent decorative details during the process of drawing
01
02
Step 2I drew the basis for the face body and dress on a new layer More details and highlights would be added later
Forest FairyI wanted to draw a beautiful fairy with long hair and bright green eyes running through the forest I decided to paint it in bright colors of yellow and orange The image needed to be magical
digital painting
18 psd Photoshop
Step 4At this point I began to refi ne the face and make up continuing from step 2 and adding more de-tails I focused on the looks and the eyes because I think itrsquos very important I painted some pinkish shades on the face added highlights and textured the lips After that I added eyelashes
04
05
Step 5In this step I drew the hair I decided that fairys hair would be long with a reddish-yellow hue First I drew the basis for hair using a dark color Then I painted waves of the hair lighter I used several colors to draw the hair (brown orange red and various shades of yellow) as it gives the effect of more volume To draw the hair I use a soft round brush In the brush settings I set ShapegtDynamicsgtFine hair fi ne hair and sized it to 2 px
03
Step 3I started to paint the basis for fairys hair I used a wide round soft brown brush and drew it on a new layer Then I began to paint more details of fairys body and of her dress by adding shadows and highlights
forest fairy
19psd Photoshop
Step 7When I fi nished the details on the girls body I drew a fl ower in her hand On a new layer with Opacity 50 I drew a light train I used a soft round brush with Opacity set to 30-50
07
08
Step 8I started to paint the background and used a soft large brush I made the left upper corner of the background lighter and the bottom of the back-ground - darker
06
Step 6I decided to make the dress more beautiful First I drew bright yellow patches on the dress and the folds I drew highlights with a soft round brush setting the Opacity to 40 I then painted gloss on her dress For this I used a brush size of 2-5 px Glitter (point brush) I drew it on multiple layers with varying transparency and used a bright yel-low and red brush The more points you paint the more the dress will shine On the brightest parts of the dress I put more points of bright color
digital painting
20 psd Photoshop
Step 10In this step I added decorative items and orna-ments I used a brush size of 2 px and yellow and brown colors to paint decorations (to look their best they need to be drawn very accurately)
10
11
Step 11I drew the falling leaves on 2 layers a front and a rear layer On the foreground I painted the leaves brighter To layer the leaves in the background I applied a Gaussian Blur
by Alena Lazareva
09
Step 9I then painted an abstract leaf in the right side of the background and applied the Gaussian Blur fi l-ter (FiltergtBlurgtGaussian Blur) Now using a soft brush with light yellow I added rays of the sun Af-ter that I again applied the Gaussian Blur
This tutorial will explain how to paint a realistic eye in Photoshop Eyes are by far one of the most important aspects of any painting especially if itrsquos a portrait Itrsquos also one of the most fun features to paint as painting an eye is much easier than one might think
How toPaint a Realistic Eye
medium | 30 min
adobe photoshop CS5
how to paint a realistic eye
23psd Photoshop
SketchBefore laying down a single brushstroke itrsquos important for me to create a rough sketch It doesnrsquot have to be perfect but we need to get our point across here This will only make things easier during the painting process Create a new layer and sketch in an eye
02
03
Laying down the Base ColorThis step is simple enough here we lay down the base color for the skin Simply use the Gradienttool here and fi ll the background layer with your color choice In general try not to go too light or too saturated here
Defi ning FormUsing the HSB Slider (WindowsgtColor) pick a darker more saturated color for the darker areas of the skin and paint it using a simple Hard Edged brush I also pick a lighter less saturated tone for the highlights of the skin I choose a color for the eye in this case a bright blue and paint that in as well
01
workshop
24 psd Photoshop
Bringing Life to the SkinThe values of the skin need some work here I choose an even brighter lighter color to defi ne the form of the skin I introduce the lighter tones according to the lighting here which is a standard front light I add the lighter tones to the tone the bridge of the nose near the eyebrow and around the eyelid to make things appear more realistic
04
05
06
Smoothing Out the SkinAt this point all my work was done using a standard Hard Edged brush which is great for defi ning form quickly To blend the skin and give it a more photo realistic look I now switch to a soft brush (Hardness at 0) and Opacity at 50 I blend all the sharp transitions until things appear much smoother Additionally I paint darker tones on the blue iris to give it more depth
Bringing More LifeAt this point I work a bit more on the skin tones adding some more saturated reddish tones on the area around the eye as well as the cheek I also add a more saturated blue to the eye as well I do this all with a soft airbrush at a fairly low opacity on a new layer then merge it down when Irsquom satisfi ed with how things are looking I also do some more detail work using a softer Hard Edgedbrush as well
how to paint a realistic eye
25psd Photoshop
DetailsIrsquom satisfi ed with how things are looking at this stage so I start working on the details Using a fairly small brush I begin to add some lsquobumpsrsquo around the eye to give it a more realistic looks I also create bumps around the eyebrow using a both a fairly light as well as dark color to help it pop for a realistic look I also add details in the iris using a lighter bluish color to really bring the image to life I work in at a very large zoom at this stage as well to make things easier and more accurate
07
08
09
Refi nementI go over everything with a Soft Edged brush at a low opacity for a more realistic look Additionally I bring out the details more using fairly small hard edged brushes I work on the eyebrow painting each strand in as well as the eyelashes
Color and Texture EnhancementThings are looking a bit too muddy for my taste so what I do here is create a new layer set to soft light and enhance the colors quite a bit I introduce much warmer tones around the eye to give it more life Finally I slightly overlay a leather photo texture to give the skin a slightly more realistic effect
by George Patsouras
In this tutorial I will explain how to paint realistic lips with Photoshop Before attempting to paint lips itrsquos essential that you practice drawing lips as well as the head in general to get the best results possible
How toPaint a Realistic Lips
medium | 30 min
adobe photoshop CS5
how to paint a realistic lips
27psd Photoshop
SketchI almost always start off with a sketch for my serious paintings and this one is no different I create a new layer and with a Hard Edged brush I quickly sketch in the lips Getting the lips to look right now just makes the painting process that much easier
02
03
Picking the right base colorPick a mid-tone for the skin one thatrsquos not too saturated or too light (a common mistake many artists make) To quickly fi ll in the canvas with a color I simply use the Gradient tool After itrsquos done I use a hard edged brush to paint in the red lips
Defi ning FormOnce I chose my base tone itrsquos time to defi ne the form of the skin The fi rst thing you must think of is where does the light come from In this case I decide to go for a fairly simple front light and shade accordingly Using a Hard Edged brush I use darker more saturated tones for the darker parts of the skin and a lighter less saturated tone for the highlights of the skin for a realistic effect Use a darker midtone for the lsquotoprsquo lip and bring out lighter tones for the bottom one (this works for most lighting situations)
01
workshop
28 psd Photoshop
Bringing out the HighlightsThings are still looking too fl at for me at this stage so I choose a much brighter midtone to bring out the form of the skin As always I simply use a hard edged brush at this step I bring out lighter tones on the lsquocornersrsquo of the lips the chin and on top of the lips
04
05
06
Smoothing out the SkinOnce Irsquom happy with my value statement I decide to soften everything out with a soft edged brush I choose Hardness 0 under my Brush Settingsand with a 50 Opacity I smoothen out the rough transitions
DetailsI start bringing texture to the lower lips using a fairly small Hard Edged brush I zoom closer here to make things easier and begin to paint the texture of the lips keeping the form in mind using a circular stroke Additionally I bring out a fairly harsh highlight at the top of the lips (the part that looks like a lsquoVrsquo) which gives the image a much more realistic feel
how to paint a realistic lips
29psd Photoshop
Even more detailsI bring more contrast to the image using lighter tones for the highlights and darker ones for shadows I introduce a fairly dark tone right underneath the lip above the chin for a realistic effect I also use a darker tone to separate the lsquobottomrsquo lip from the top giving the lips more depth in the process I also add a mole simply for the fun of it
07
08
Final Refi nementHere I add even more texture to the lips and use a very light almost white color on the bottom lips to bring more life and contrast to the image I clean the image out a bit in general and make sure everything appears as symmetrical as possible and voila Wersquore done
by George Patsouras
contributing writers
Editor in Chief Magdalena Mojska magdalenamojskapsdmagorg
Copy Editor Ed Werzyn Robert Coppa Art Director Agnieszka Marchocka
DTP Przemysław BanasiewiczSenior ConsultantPublisherPresident
Paweł Marciniak Managing Director Ewa Łozowicka
Marketing Director Magdalena Mojska magdalenamojskapsdmagorg
Production DirectorAndrzej Kuca andrzejkucapsdmagorg
Postal addressPublisher Software Press Spzoo SK
02-682 Warszawa ul Bokserska 1worldwide publishing wwwpsdmagorgen
All trade marks presented in the magazine were used only for informa-tive purposes All rights to trade marks presented in the magazine are
reserved by the companies which own themMathematical formulas created by Design Science MathTypetrade
The editors use automatic DTP systemEditorial contributions should be sent to
editorspsdmagorg Customer Service +1 917 338 3631
The Software Press Spzoo SK works individually from Adobe The psd Photoshop team reserves the right not to be responsible for the topical-ity correctness completeness or quality of the information provided by
contributors
Randy Monteith
I am self taught as an artist So any mistakes I have made are in-tentional All my ideas come from an over active imagination that is only put in check when I fi nish a piece of artwork and then the process begins again I have been working with Photoshop for al-most 7 years now I am lucky enough to have two images chosen for two of RedBubblersquos books GAIA and Compassion Courage and Friendship I have been interviewed in Photoshop Creative Maga-zine 14 and have images printed in Advanced Photoshop as well Recently in Issue 60 of Photoshop Creative Magazine the editors chose my portfolio on their webpage as one of the Top 5 rated portfolios I am not one to think outside the box but blow it to bits so stand back and watch me now
c o v e r a r t i s t
Alena Lazareva
My name is Alena I live in Russia I`m the digital artist and the illustrator My interests are art photography computer graph-ics I have been drawing since childhood I studied at the School of Art at the artist There I drew pictures in oils and watercolor is now engaged in graphic design During the last three years I have been enjoying working as a computer graphics artist I love to paint illustrations in the style of Fantasy mythical creatures fairies elves mermaids and angels and painting children fairy-tales I`m currently using Photoshop CS and tablet Wacom for of my artworks I hope you like my illustrationsWebsite wwwalenalazarevacome-mail alenkalazarevamailru
Armand Johnson
Irsquom a professional photographer and graphic designer from Northern Louisiana USA I have had the pleasure of working with celebrities non-profi t organizations and local talents within the Louisiana region Irsquove also provided public service to the area and worked with the local youth to teach them professionalism career goals and creative thinking I get a lot of my inspiration from what I observe which is everyday lifehttpwwwfl ickrcomphotosthearmandjohnsonhttpwwwtwittercomdajizzlehttpwwwcreatticacomcreativesthe-armand-john-son29390thearmandjohnsongmailcom
George Patsouras
George Patsouras is a freelance and concept artist residing from Long Island City NY His work can be seen in a variety of differ-ent projects including video games comic books as well as card games George specializes in depicting realistic fantasy images For more of his work be sure to check out his offi cial blog at httpcgaddictblogspotcom
Jose Paulo Reis
Irsquom a digital artist with 3 years of experience My passion is fashion photography creativity advertising photomanipula-tion and digital art Currently Irsquom working as a digital artist in Lalaland Studios (fashion photography) I love fashion and beauty photography and everything related with digital art Irsquom devoted to Photoshop and everyday Irsquom trying to improve my skillsEnjoy my works by visiting my blog wwwzepaulocreationblogspotcom
Naomi Bensen
Having been raised in a colorful environment of art music and creative learning it was only natural for me to gravitate towards photographymdasha medium that can catch a split second and make it last forever Behind the lens I have pursued my own unique style of photography that focuses on capturing natural and un-staged moments For me photography is more than taking a good picturemdashitrsquos about turning a moment into art Find me at httptheimaginationdeviantartcom
Ylenia Peronti
Irsquom 19 years old italian artist From 3 years I have a passion for photo retouch and generally for phtoshop so I started to practice retouch fi rst on what I call ldquoextreme makeoverrdquo as described in this tutorial and then devot himelf to studying professional photo retouching refi ning technical professional and actually retouch fashion shots Irsquom supermoderator in the Forum Graphics wwwgrafi cicreativicom and I manage especially the section of photoretouch you can fi nd me at the following links wwwyleniaperontiwordpresscom httpyleniucciadeviantartcom
interview
32 psd Photoshop
Interview withArmand Johnson
Please say a few words about yourselfI have a degree in Graphic Design and I really enjoy art all forms of it Whether that is music acting dancing painting photography etc I am intrigued by many different forms of art I DO like to play video games (when I have time but who doesnrsquot) and I DO consider video games as ART but thatrsquos a different subject Irsquom kind of laid back and very business like in my approach to most things
Why did you choose photo retouching and what do you find fascinating about itWhen I was in undergrad I collected plenty of music CDrsquos and DVDrsquos It always intrigued me how flawless and perfect looking the cover art was I thought to myself I want to reach that level of perfection in what I do But graduating with a BFA in Graphic Design kind of steered me away from that in some regards It wasnrsquot until about 5 years ago when my Aunt asked me to gather a couple of shots for some of my cousinrsquos promotional work that I begun to take retouch-ing very seriously After I took the shots I thought These images need to be presentable So I started to dabble with perfecting the images which pushed me into retouching By being a photographer retouching is essential to my workflow because I want my images to have that commercial professional appeal I want my work to look like it belongs in a magazine as a poster or on a billboard etc I find retouching fascinating because how one can push and perfect an image to hisher likings and to the clientrsquos likings as well Itrsquos a great feeling to boost someonersquos confidence by showing them the retouched image in comparison to the original It can help them gain or retain their ldquoswaggardquo
Irsquom a professional photographer and graphic designer from Northern Louisiana USA I have had the pleasure of working with celebrities non-profit organizations and local talents within the Louisiana region Irsquove also provided public service to the area and worked with the local youth to teach them professionalism career goals and creative thinking I get a lot of my inspiration from what I observe which is everyday life
See more of my works here
httpwwwflickrcomphotosthearmandjohnsonhttpwwwtwittercomdajizzlehttpwwwcreatticacomcreativesthe-armand-johnson29390
Contact me
thearmandjohnsongmailcom
interview with armand johnson
33psd Photoshop
Where do you look for the inspiration to createThere are several photographers and retouchers well known and not that inspire me with their work Joel Grimes and Dave Hill are probably the most prominent amongst the photographers I admire their approach to their craft and absolutely love their end result Other notable photographers are Dustin Snipes and Dallas J Logan As for retouchers I think Amy Dresser is amongst the best Her work is incredible Nick Saglimbeni is also Hersquos an awesome photographer and retoucher But that is just the list of people Nature and natural things are very inspiring because of their calming attributes Also
interview
34 psd Photoshop
there is a bevy of websites that are exceptionally useful for inspira-tion Abduzeedo is my favorite Being an artist you can get your in-spiration from anything and anywhere An idea can gravitate towards you at anytime
What are the main advantages of your profession and what can be discouraging about itAn advantage of being a retoucher is the payoff If yoursquore great at it you can eventually open up to a much larger clientele such as the entertainment (music movies etc) and fashion industries Once
interview with armand johnson
35psd Photoshop
yoursquore attached to some major clients your rep (credibility) increas-es for the better What can be discouraging is the journey to arrive at that stage There are many individuals proclaiming themselves pro-fessionals (whether photographers retouchers etc) that are hurt-ing the industry They are utterly confusing clients A random person with a camera is not a photographer and a random person with a copy of Photoshop is not retoucher A lot of lower level clients tend to desire commercial level work for pennies on the dollar Thatrsquos just not feasible Retouchers probably spend more time with an image than anyone else involved with the creative process They deserve to be compensated properly
Do you have any achievements that you are particularly proud ofYeah I just recently got a couple works approved on the major cre-ative website Creatticacom Also being featured in this magazine is very rewarding I look forward to achieving more goals and receiving more accolades Lifersquos a marathon not a sprint
What about your plans for the futureI plan on making my stamp within the industry as have the other successful digital artists Irsquoll always be refining and fine-tuning my craft to become more diverse I wonrsquot go into too much details cause I have a laundry list of things That could take all day ) But I will say this the pieces of the puzzle are beginning to fall into the right plac-es and I believe this interview and collaboration with PSD Photoshop magazine is a crucial step in this process
Do you have any advice to those who would like to become digital artists as wellBe artistic and approach things from a creative perspective I find many individuals wanting to be artists without being artistic or cre-ative Itrsquos a process not a fast food restaurant The creation of mas-terpieces and wonderful works of art takes careful planning time and effort There has to be a love for what you do Photoshop is only a tool which is used to create art It is not meant to replace it or the process of creating it
advanced | 45 min
adobe photoshop CS3
glamour retouch
37psd Photoshop
Blemish Removal and Skin SmoothingFirst open the RAW image and make a duplicate of the background layer by pressing [Ctrl]+[J] Name the bottom layer Retouch and the top layer Original This creates a quick toggle between the Before and After states This also allows you to monitor your progress and determine if you are making changes that have a negative effect on the results Turn off the top layer (Original) Nextcreate a new layer above the Retouch layer by pressing [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] Name this layer CleanUp With the Healing Brush [J] selected make sure Sam-ple All Layers is selected from the drop down menu and Aligned is checked Next use the Healing Brush as well as the Clone Stamp on the CleanUp layer to remove all the blemishes and imperfections The settings are 100 Opacity 100 with Sample All Layers and Alignedselected Once the skin is cleaned up create another layer above it [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] and name it Skin Select the Clone Stamp tool and use these settings 18-25 Opacity 100 Flow Sample All Layers and Aligned Use the Clone Stamp tool to even out the Highlight Shadowand Midtone areas giving the skin a very smooth fl awless appear-ance Lastly apply a little noise the layer Go to FiltergtNoisegtAdd Noise and set the amount to 25 - 50 and the distribution to Gauss-ian After initially cleaning and smoothing the skin group those layers together by holding down the [Shift] key and selecting both of them and [Ctrl]+[G] to group them Rename the group CleanUp
01
02Color BoostAbove the CleanUp group create a Curves Adjustment Layer and name it CB - Curves Use three points along the slope 255 255 0 0 and 148 112 within the RGB channel Then create a LevelsAdjustment Layer naming it CB - Levels Within the RGB chan-nel using these values 10 115 245 Group together these two Adjustment Layers and name the group Overall because it af-fects the overall image Then create a Curves Adjustment Layerabove the grouped layers and insert four points along the slope Keep the two default points 255255 and 0 0 Add two more 35 43 and 211 201 (or somewhere within that tonal range) also in the RGB channel Rename this layer Jewelry Select the Mask by clicking on it and fi ll the Mask with Black Use the Brush tool with the foreground color set to White and paint only over the jewelry Rename this layer Jewelry Create a fi nal Curves adjustment layer above the Jewelry layer and name it Hair Use settings very simi-lar to those on the Jewelry layer within the RGB channel Select the Mask fi ll it with Black and paint over the hair with a Whitebrush Group all of these Adjustment Layers together and name the group Color Boost
GlamourRetouchIn this tutorial I will show you how I performed a Glamour retouch on a photo of my beautiful friend Asia I photographed her against a black background for a dramatic and edgy effect as well as using various Photoshop tools to achieve that ldquoglamour lookrdquo that many magazines and print work use I will be using Photoshop CS3 but any higher version should work as well The tools I will be using are Adjustment Layers Filters and Blending Modes as well as the Clone Stamp Brush and Healing Brush tools
photo retouch
38 psd Photoshop
Highlight and ShadowCreate a new layer and name it FaceBody and set the Blending Mode to Soft Light Set the foreground color to White select the Brush tool with the settings Opacity 100 Flow 2 and paint over the naturally highlighted areas bring-ing out the highlights Then set the foreground color to Black using the same settings and paint over the naturally shadowed areas increasing the contrast in the image Add a Gaussian BlurFiltergtBlurgtGaussian Blur to the layer with a ra-dius setting of 15 ndash 30 Repeat these steps on a new layer named Hair with the Blending Mode set to Overlay Create another new layer named Jew-elry with the Blending Mode set to Overlay as well Once fi nished rearrange the layers so that they are in this order from top to bottom Hair FaceBody Jewelry Lastly group these layers together and name the group HLSH or HighlightShadow
04
05SharpenMake a new layer by combining all visible layers [Shift]+[Alt]+[Ctrl]+[E] This creates a new layer consisting of all the information from the bottom layers Make this a smart object by right ndash click-ing on the layer and selecting Convert to Smart Object This makes the layer a Smart Object allow-ing the use of Smart Filters Duplicate this layer and rename the copy HP 65 and the original layer Sharpen Turn off the HP 65 layer With the Sharp-en layer selected go to FiltergtSharpengtUnSharp Mask using these settings Amount 60 Radius2500 Threshold 10 With the Blending Mode set to Normal adjust the Opacity within the 30 - 40 range and the Fill within the 75 - 90 range Then turn on the HP 65 Layer and select it Set the Blending Mode to Overlay and go to FiltergtOthergtHigh Pass Set the Radius to 65 and the Opacity within the 65 - 75 range and the Fillwithin the 90 - 95 range Finally group these two layers together and name the group Sharpen
03
Color CorrectionCreate a new layer and name it Color CorrectionSet the Blending Mode to Color Set the Brush tool to a SoftFeather setting with the Hardness to 15 Set Black as the foreground color and paint over the lips Then use Gold as the foreground color and paint over the ldquoCoachrdquo text and the handle of the sunglasses changing them from Silver to GoldSelect various colors from the skin and paint over the discolorations in the skin Put the layer in its own group and name that group Color Correction
glamour retouch
39psd Photoshop
EffectsCreate a new layer and name it Sparkles With the Pen tool create a fi ve ndash point sparkle Once fi nished drawing the outline right ndash click and select Make Selection feathering the selection by 1 pixel Make sure the Anti-aliased box is checked and the New Selection option is selected Fill the selection with White Then make several copies (four should be enough) of this layer and move the various spar-kles to certain areas on the jewelry and sunglasses Resize those sparkles individually using transform [Ctrl]+[T] Once the sparkles are at sizes you are comfortable with click on the top most layer (Sparkles Copy 4) hold the shift key then the original Sparkles lay-er and merge them by pressing [Ctrl]+[E] Rename this layer Spar-kles Then add a layer style to the layer by double ndash clicking on it I selected Outer Glow In the options for the Outer Glow effect leave the default setting only changing the Size to 3 pixels Lastly place this layer into its own group and name that group Effects Switch the Original layer OnOff and enjoy the result
by Armand Johnson
07
06
Cool DownCreate a HueSaturation Adjustment Layer mak-ing sure it is set to the Master channel Set the Saturation to -100 This turns the image black and white Set the Blending Mode set to Normalthe Opacity within the 40 - 50 range and the Fill within the 70 - 90 range Select the Maskset the foreground color to 40 Gray and fi ll the mask Paint over only the jewelry and the colored sections of the hair This brings back some of the original color but not too much of it Finally group only this layer and name it Cool Down
How to change the eye color very quickly but efficiently
How to change
eye color
beginer | 10 min
adobe photoshop CS4
how to change eye color
41psd Photoshop
Step 1First open the photos select the pupil of the eye using the method you prefer (Polygonal lassoMagnetic lasso pen etc) I used the Magnetic lasso in this case Right click the mouse on the Selection and select New Layer via Copy Rename the layer eyes
02
03
Step 2Make sure that in the Layers palette is selected layer eyes and from the menu Image select HuegtSaturation adjustments When the window will be open move the Hues cursor until you fi nd the satisfying color If you want from the same HuegtSaturation window we can also modify the saturation and brightness to achieve different ef-fects Heres an example set the Hue value on 44You can also customize more the color using the color balance adjustment selected from the menu ImagegtAdjustmentsgtColor Balance and reduce the opacity of the layer eyes to adjust the effect
Step 3For a more aesthetic effect you can use the Dodge tool selected from the Tools palette Set Light to a 5-10 opacity (or an opacity that allows to achieve the desired effect) and use Dodge toolwithin the colored part of the eye Select Burn tool(also an Opacity of 5) set to Midtones and Burn-ing to defi ne better the outline of the eye
by Ylenia Peronti
42 psd Photoshop
interview
2 pas Photoshop
Tell us about your first steps in photographyMy dad is a really good photographer and he showed me how to use his Nikon film camera when I was young and how to de-
Interview withApril Elizabeth
Can you introduce yourself to our readersMy name is April Elizabeth I am a creative photographer from the small snowy town of Ishpeming in Upper Peninsula of Michigan
April Elizabeth is an internationally published photographer from Ishpeming Michigan Her photos have appeared in magazines on book covers and websites Her clients include Random house HarperCollins Publishing and The Portland Beanie Company
43psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
3psd Photoshop
velop the film I really enjoyed it but it was expensive and I was unable to really get into photography until digital cameras came along I started with a point and shoot camera and went from there
Why did you choose this professionI think it sort of chose me Irsquove always liked photography but I never in my life imagined myself going anywhere with it That all changed when I bought my first slr and asked a local model to do a photo
44 psd Photoshop
interview
4 pas Photoshop
shoot with me I was nervous because I had never done any-thing like that before and I wasnrsquot com-pletely sure how the camera worked but the pictures turned out great and soon more and more peo-ple wanted to work with me
Where do you get the inspiration for your worksIrsquove always been an introverted day-dreamer with an
overly active imagination When other people are liv-ing their life I am looking around and thinking of sto-ries Irsquove always wanted to be a writer but photography lets me tell stories with pic-tures and as long as I can tell a story I am happy
What do you like the most about being a photographer and what are the main difficulties for youIf I am not creating some-thing I feel frustrated I like that my job lets me cre-ate things while making people feel beautiful and good about themselves I enjoy taking pictures that have a fantasy quality to them so that people in the photos can be part of something a little magi-cal instead of ordinary and people who see the photos will feel inspired One of the main difficul-ties I have is my location the middle of nowhere in the Midwest Winter lasts around 7-8 months and itrsquos always very harsh and with a lot of snow I donrsquot have a studio or anyplace indoors thatI can go to so this means I only have a very short amount of time in the year that I can really do many photo shoots
45psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
5psd Photoshop
Do you have any personal achievements you are particularly proud ofIrsquom very proud that my photo Shy with over 35550 favs is one of the most popular photos ever to be up-loaded to the website deviantart Itrsquos unreal to me Irsquom also proud that two photos of mine have been licensed to be on book covers Growing up I never thought any-thing like that could ever happen to me Being in magazines such as this one is also very nice All of these things make me feel like Irsquove accomplished something in life and gives me confidence that I can do even more
What are your plans for futureIrsquod like to get a studio someday And Irsquod like to get into stock photogra-phy Irsquom also working on a gothic romance novel called Whispering Pines and a book of short scary stories I guess I plan on just creat-ing more and trying to improve in everything I do
What would you advice to the young photographersDonrsquot worry about what kind of cam-era or equipment you have Just fo-cus on what you have now and try to create something beautiful with it Itrsquos the photographer that makes the picture good not the camera
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many successful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quitting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many suc-cessful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quit-ting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
A photographerrsquos main goal is to take a photo that makes the viewer feel a strong emotion towards it whether it is love hate anger or passion But when a photo is excellently taken yet the colors lighting and texture dont match up to the photoers vision a photo will become uninspiring This tutorial will teach you how to take your photo to the next level and create an image that matches your vision
Makingthe Mood
making the mood
47psd Photoshop
Step 1The fi rst step in changing a photo is doing the ba-sics You have to prepare your photo before you can move to the fun stuff In this pickture I got rid of any noticeable blemishes the model had and g of noticeable hair that were going across her face to give more clear picture of the model I did this using the Patch and Clone Stamp tool When edit-ing a model make sure to always keep texture in the skin its more interesting that way as opposed to having a models face which is completely air-brushed
02
03
Step 2The next step I took was darkening the whole photo I knew that I wanted the photo to be much darker than it currently was I could have just used the Curves tool or Levels but I fi nd that when overusing the Curves tool a photo starts to look overly contrasted which I dont want So instead I used a light gradient (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtGradient Map) and changed the Blending mode from Normal to Multiply Doing this gives the photo a lot more depth but doesnt darken it completely
Step 3As soon as Ive got my basic photo ready I knew that the yellowish tinge was not the effect I was going for so I used both the Color Balance tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtColor Balance)and the Selective Color tool (LayergtNew Adjust-ment LayergtColor Balance)
01
photomanipulation
48 psd Photoshop
Step 4The next thing I noticed was that my models face was not highlighted enough it was getting lost in the midst of forest and darkness so I made two new layers One layer was for the models face and I simply used a soft Photoshop brush with 0 Hardness and drew over the models face and the snakes body I then changed both layers Blending Mode from Normal to Screen and applied a Box blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 543 pixels to both so they wouldnt be as noticeable Remember you just want hints of light just enough so the models face and the snake is highlighted
04
05
06
Step 5The fi fth step is more or less a repeat of a step number three I liked the way photo looked but it wasnt nearly as dramatic as it could be So now I fi nally decided to use the Curves tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtCurves) to darken and light certain areas making sure again not to overdo it but to give it enough contrast to really bring out the picture Next I made two new Selective Colorlayers (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtSelective Color) One Selective Colors layer changed the leaves and clothes but not the models face to a more dark blue tint while the second Selective Color layer brightened the snakes skin
Step 6The next thing I did was making another two lay-ers I still wanted to brighten only the snakes skin so for the fi rst layer I changed the Blending modefrom Normal to Soft Light and then used a brush with 0 Hardness and carefully painted over the snake It took a few variations before I found a color I liked Its helpful to remember to also look at the whole picture In the next layer I created I simply wanted to add a little more color to the shrubbery in the background so I made another layer and again changed the blending mode from Normal to Soft Light I used a soft brush with 0 Hardness and a maroon and yellow color just to add a little variation from my usual palette of blue I then added it all along the bushes and used the Box Blur tool at 483 pixels also changing the Blending mode from Normal to Screen to make it less obvious
making the mood
49psd Photoshop
Step 7The fi nal step I took to fi nish setting the mood for my photo was adding a texture and chang-ing the Blending Mode from Normal to Soft LightI found that the texture was to overpowering at 100 Opacity so I lowered it to 77 I next added my fi nal layer and created a vignette around my photo by using a brush with a Hardness of 100 and then brushed it around the outer edges of the photo particularly around the four corners I then applied a Box Blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 693 pixels to the layer creating a nice dark blurred ef-fect
by Naomi Bensen
07
interview with randy monteith
7psd Photoshop
Where do you look for the inspiration to createMy ideas come from all over I have a very overactive imagination that works non-stop
Could you tell us a bit about the advantages and difficulties of your profession What do you find the most satisfying about it and what can be discouragingIn my case because I have a regular job as a elec-tronics tech I am lucky I donrsquot have to rely upon my income from my artwork But this also gives me the freedom to work on what I want to work on and not what the boss tells me to do I mainly create art for myself If others like it then thatrsquos a bonus
Are there any works you are particularly proud ofYes there are quite a few actually Broken from Within was featured in an ad for Photoshop Creative maga-zine Wither won a first place prize in a international art contest sponsored by Corel Earth Bound was fea-tured in a limited edition book by Redbubble
What are you currently working onNo real projects just some experi-ments that sometimes turn into pieces of artwork I love coming up with new techniques take an old techinque and stretch it a little further then others have
Any advices to those who would like to become digital artists as wellDonrsquot think outside the box Blow it to bits A program like Photoshop can be very scary to learn there are so many tools and things you have to know how to use Just take your time and learn a small part at a time Then you will learn how to slowly start using different parts of the program together en-abling you to understand it better and create some amazing art
In this tutorial I will show you how to acheive an interesting effect using vectors
Distractions
medium | 45 min
adobe photoshop CS5 | adobe illustrator
distractions
9psd Photoshop
Step 1To begin create a new document as shown below
02
03
Step 2Fill the background layer with black color [Alt] + [Backspace] Next select the picture for this tuto-rial Any picture will do but the photo of a face or a portrait will be the most suitable here Now you need to cut the face out of the picture In this sce-nario we used Pen Tool since it provided the best result In Paths panel click left mouse button on the thumbnail you created Next press [Ctrl] +[C]to copy and [Ctrl]+[V] to paste it
Step 3Now we will adjust contrast of the cut out image Go to LayergtNew Adjustments LayergtSelective color and set the values as you see in the picture below
01
creative class
10 psd Photoshop
Step 4Duplicate the models layer and desaturate it using [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[U] In the Layers panel select desaturated copy of the model and go to FiltergtBlurgtLens Blur and use the settings below
04
05
06
Step 5Now we need to save the document as PSD fi le (FilegtSave as)
Step 6In this step you need to make sure that you have chosen or made the right vectors to be used in the image you are creating As soon as you have it done drag into Photoshop and choose Smart object To do that highlight your Vector in Layers panel right click mouse button and from the drop down menu select Convert to smart object
distractions
11psd Photoshop
Step 7Now put your vectors in your fi le Choose the fi rst one and go to FiltergtDistortgtDisplace Use the settings shown below You have to do it for all the vector layers Choose the fi le you saved before in PSD format to complete the displace fi lter Next duplicate the face image as many times as the number of vectors you add to your fi le We need the original copy of the image you cut on top of any smart object you create Once you have the images on top of the vector layers you have to create Clipping masks Right-click on each copy of the image layer in the Layers palette and select Create Clipping Mask
07
08
09
Step 8Once you have done all the clipping masks you must give some layer properties to the vector lay-ers Click on fx below the Layers panel select drop shadow and use the settings below
Step 9You can modify the settings of each smart object layer just the way you want I hope you enjoy it
by Joseacute-Paulo Reis
interview
12 psd Photoshop
urge to create Also I was a lot into photography at that time but I didnrsquot have a camera After browsing a couple of websites with pho-tomanipulations I understood that itrsquos not necessary to have expen-sive equipment to create ndash and I decided to give it a try
Interview withNatalia Voloshyn
Tell our readers something about yourself How did your digital arts adventure started and why did you choose this professionIrsquove been a digital artist for three years now and my relationship with this form of art started rather traditionally ndash I was driven by a strong
Irsquom a 21 years old master student from a beautiful city of Lviv Ukraine Though my occupation (Irsquom a linguist) can hardly be called ldquoartyrdquo Irsquove been madly in love with Photoshop and photography for nearly 3 years Being an artist is an amazing feelingYou can find more of my works athttpvoloschka-photodeviantartcomhttpvoloschkadeviantartcom
interview with natalia voloshyn
13psd Photoshop
Where do you get the inspiration for your worksAnything can be an inspiration ndash music films books different kinds of art even random lines in the conversation I often build up an im-age of a future artwork in my imagination it can be my vision of a certain concept or feeling or just a fantasy scene But sometimes I just play around with images textures and brushes and something interesting comes along the way
Could you tell us a bit about the advantages and difficulties of your profession What do you find the most satisfying about it and what can be discouragingDigital art is very time consuming It might take up to 5 hours or even more to create a piece It is also quite tiring as it requires hours of concentration and sitting in front of a computer screen The most satisfying thing about being a digital artist is that nothing limits you
interview
14 psd Photoshop
ndash if you want to create a beautiful lady with huge butterfly wings or a dark dungeon with ghosts it is up to you Anything is possible Im-ages brushes and textures give you an opportunity to experiment as much as you want However digital art is technically difficult and requires a lot of practice which can be discouraging at times
Are there any works you are particularly proud of Any personal favourites Thatrsquos a tricky question I really like my latest pieces lsquoFreersquo lsquoPerfec-tionrsquo and lsquoCarried Awayrsquo but it would be wrong to call them favourite as all of my works mean a lot to me
interview with natalia voloshyn
15psd Photoshop
What are you currently working onIrsquom working on a piece portraying an imaginary being perhaps a girl lonely lost and rejected longing for warm human feelings but not being able to find them It is going to be a dreamy fantasy piece quite dark and atmospheric
What are your plans for future Are there any particular goals you would like to achieve I consider myself being a perfectionist so I try to improve my skills with every new piece I create I would like to move more in the direc-tion of digital painting learn some new techniques
Any advices to those who would like to become digital artists as wellThe first and the most important piece of advice ndash donrsquot stop Donrsquot give up even if things go totally wrong or are not as good as you ex-pected Be patient try to build up an image in your mind first or draw a sketch and then recreate it step by step If you feel that you lack knowledge browse for some tutorials they can be very helpful Im-prove your skills And remember - the sky is the limit
medium | 30 min
adobe photoshop CS3 | wacom tablet
forest fairy
17psd Photoshop
Step 1I made a sketch in Photoshop using Wacom tablet After I made a rough sketch I decided to add dif-ferent decorative details during the process of drawing
01
02
Step 2I drew the basis for the face body and dress on a new layer More details and highlights would be added later
Forest FairyI wanted to draw a beautiful fairy with long hair and bright green eyes running through the forest I decided to paint it in bright colors of yellow and orange The image needed to be magical
digital painting
18 psd Photoshop
Step 4At this point I began to refi ne the face and make up continuing from step 2 and adding more de-tails I focused on the looks and the eyes because I think itrsquos very important I painted some pinkish shades on the face added highlights and textured the lips After that I added eyelashes
04
05
Step 5In this step I drew the hair I decided that fairys hair would be long with a reddish-yellow hue First I drew the basis for hair using a dark color Then I painted waves of the hair lighter I used several colors to draw the hair (brown orange red and various shades of yellow) as it gives the effect of more volume To draw the hair I use a soft round brush In the brush settings I set ShapegtDynamicsgtFine hair fi ne hair and sized it to 2 px
03
Step 3I started to paint the basis for fairys hair I used a wide round soft brown brush and drew it on a new layer Then I began to paint more details of fairys body and of her dress by adding shadows and highlights
forest fairy
19psd Photoshop
Step 7When I fi nished the details on the girls body I drew a fl ower in her hand On a new layer with Opacity 50 I drew a light train I used a soft round brush with Opacity set to 30-50
07
08
Step 8I started to paint the background and used a soft large brush I made the left upper corner of the background lighter and the bottom of the back-ground - darker
06
Step 6I decided to make the dress more beautiful First I drew bright yellow patches on the dress and the folds I drew highlights with a soft round brush setting the Opacity to 40 I then painted gloss on her dress For this I used a brush size of 2-5 px Glitter (point brush) I drew it on multiple layers with varying transparency and used a bright yel-low and red brush The more points you paint the more the dress will shine On the brightest parts of the dress I put more points of bright color
digital painting
20 psd Photoshop
Step 10In this step I added decorative items and orna-ments I used a brush size of 2 px and yellow and brown colors to paint decorations (to look their best they need to be drawn very accurately)
10
11
Step 11I drew the falling leaves on 2 layers a front and a rear layer On the foreground I painted the leaves brighter To layer the leaves in the background I applied a Gaussian Blur
by Alena Lazareva
09
Step 9I then painted an abstract leaf in the right side of the background and applied the Gaussian Blur fi l-ter (FiltergtBlurgtGaussian Blur) Now using a soft brush with light yellow I added rays of the sun Af-ter that I again applied the Gaussian Blur
This tutorial will explain how to paint a realistic eye in Photoshop Eyes are by far one of the most important aspects of any painting especially if itrsquos a portrait Itrsquos also one of the most fun features to paint as painting an eye is much easier than one might think
How toPaint a Realistic Eye
medium | 30 min
adobe photoshop CS5
how to paint a realistic eye
23psd Photoshop
SketchBefore laying down a single brushstroke itrsquos important for me to create a rough sketch It doesnrsquot have to be perfect but we need to get our point across here This will only make things easier during the painting process Create a new layer and sketch in an eye
02
03
Laying down the Base ColorThis step is simple enough here we lay down the base color for the skin Simply use the Gradienttool here and fi ll the background layer with your color choice In general try not to go too light or too saturated here
Defi ning FormUsing the HSB Slider (WindowsgtColor) pick a darker more saturated color for the darker areas of the skin and paint it using a simple Hard Edged brush I also pick a lighter less saturated tone for the highlights of the skin I choose a color for the eye in this case a bright blue and paint that in as well
01
workshop
24 psd Photoshop
Bringing Life to the SkinThe values of the skin need some work here I choose an even brighter lighter color to defi ne the form of the skin I introduce the lighter tones according to the lighting here which is a standard front light I add the lighter tones to the tone the bridge of the nose near the eyebrow and around the eyelid to make things appear more realistic
04
05
06
Smoothing Out the SkinAt this point all my work was done using a standard Hard Edged brush which is great for defi ning form quickly To blend the skin and give it a more photo realistic look I now switch to a soft brush (Hardness at 0) and Opacity at 50 I blend all the sharp transitions until things appear much smoother Additionally I paint darker tones on the blue iris to give it more depth
Bringing More LifeAt this point I work a bit more on the skin tones adding some more saturated reddish tones on the area around the eye as well as the cheek I also add a more saturated blue to the eye as well I do this all with a soft airbrush at a fairly low opacity on a new layer then merge it down when Irsquom satisfi ed with how things are looking I also do some more detail work using a softer Hard Edgedbrush as well
how to paint a realistic eye
25psd Photoshop
DetailsIrsquom satisfi ed with how things are looking at this stage so I start working on the details Using a fairly small brush I begin to add some lsquobumpsrsquo around the eye to give it a more realistic looks I also create bumps around the eyebrow using a both a fairly light as well as dark color to help it pop for a realistic look I also add details in the iris using a lighter bluish color to really bring the image to life I work in at a very large zoom at this stage as well to make things easier and more accurate
07
08
09
Refi nementI go over everything with a Soft Edged brush at a low opacity for a more realistic look Additionally I bring out the details more using fairly small hard edged brushes I work on the eyebrow painting each strand in as well as the eyelashes
Color and Texture EnhancementThings are looking a bit too muddy for my taste so what I do here is create a new layer set to soft light and enhance the colors quite a bit I introduce much warmer tones around the eye to give it more life Finally I slightly overlay a leather photo texture to give the skin a slightly more realistic effect
by George Patsouras
In this tutorial I will explain how to paint realistic lips with Photoshop Before attempting to paint lips itrsquos essential that you practice drawing lips as well as the head in general to get the best results possible
How toPaint a Realistic Lips
medium | 30 min
adobe photoshop CS5
how to paint a realistic lips
27psd Photoshop
SketchI almost always start off with a sketch for my serious paintings and this one is no different I create a new layer and with a Hard Edged brush I quickly sketch in the lips Getting the lips to look right now just makes the painting process that much easier
02
03
Picking the right base colorPick a mid-tone for the skin one thatrsquos not too saturated or too light (a common mistake many artists make) To quickly fi ll in the canvas with a color I simply use the Gradient tool After itrsquos done I use a hard edged brush to paint in the red lips
Defi ning FormOnce I chose my base tone itrsquos time to defi ne the form of the skin The fi rst thing you must think of is where does the light come from In this case I decide to go for a fairly simple front light and shade accordingly Using a Hard Edged brush I use darker more saturated tones for the darker parts of the skin and a lighter less saturated tone for the highlights of the skin for a realistic effect Use a darker midtone for the lsquotoprsquo lip and bring out lighter tones for the bottom one (this works for most lighting situations)
01
workshop
28 psd Photoshop
Bringing out the HighlightsThings are still looking too fl at for me at this stage so I choose a much brighter midtone to bring out the form of the skin As always I simply use a hard edged brush at this step I bring out lighter tones on the lsquocornersrsquo of the lips the chin and on top of the lips
04
05
06
Smoothing out the SkinOnce Irsquom happy with my value statement I decide to soften everything out with a soft edged brush I choose Hardness 0 under my Brush Settingsand with a 50 Opacity I smoothen out the rough transitions
DetailsI start bringing texture to the lower lips using a fairly small Hard Edged brush I zoom closer here to make things easier and begin to paint the texture of the lips keeping the form in mind using a circular stroke Additionally I bring out a fairly harsh highlight at the top of the lips (the part that looks like a lsquoVrsquo) which gives the image a much more realistic feel
how to paint a realistic lips
29psd Photoshop
Even more detailsI bring more contrast to the image using lighter tones for the highlights and darker ones for shadows I introduce a fairly dark tone right underneath the lip above the chin for a realistic effect I also use a darker tone to separate the lsquobottomrsquo lip from the top giving the lips more depth in the process I also add a mole simply for the fun of it
07
08
Final Refi nementHere I add even more texture to the lips and use a very light almost white color on the bottom lips to bring more life and contrast to the image I clean the image out a bit in general and make sure everything appears as symmetrical as possible and voila Wersquore done
by George Patsouras
contributing writers
Editor in Chief Magdalena Mojska magdalenamojskapsdmagorg
Copy Editor Ed Werzyn Robert Coppa Art Director Agnieszka Marchocka
DTP Przemysław BanasiewiczSenior ConsultantPublisherPresident
Paweł Marciniak Managing Director Ewa Łozowicka
Marketing Director Magdalena Mojska magdalenamojskapsdmagorg
Production DirectorAndrzej Kuca andrzejkucapsdmagorg
Postal addressPublisher Software Press Spzoo SK
02-682 Warszawa ul Bokserska 1worldwide publishing wwwpsdmagorgen
All trade marks presented in the magazine were used only for informa-tive purposes All rights to trade marks presented in the magazine are
reserved by the companies which own themMathematical formulas created by Design Science MathTypetrade
The editors use automatic DTP systemEditorial contributions should be sent to
editorspsdmagorg Customer Service +1 917 338 3631
The Software Press Spzoo SK works individually from Adobe The psd Photoshop team reserves the right not to be responsible for the topical-ity correctness completeness or quality of the information provided by
contributors
Randy Monteith
I am self taught as an artist So any mistakes I have made are in-tentional All my ideas come from an over active imagination that is only put in check when I fi nish a piece of artwork and then the process begins again I have been working with Photoshop for al-most 7 years now I am lucky enough to have two images chosen for two of RedBubblersquos books GAIA and Compassion Courage and Friendship I have been interviewed in Photoshop Creative Maga-zine 14 and have images printed in Advanced Photoshop as well Recently in Issue 60 of Photoshop Creative Magazine the editors chose my portfolio on their webpage as one of the Top 5 rated portfolios I am not one to think outside the box but blow it to bits so stand back and watch me now
c o v e r a r t i s t
Alena Lazareva
My name is Alena I live in Russia I`m the digital artist and the illustrator My interests are art photography computer graph-ics I have been drawing since childhood I studied at the School of Art at the artist There I drew pictures in oils and watercolor is now engaged in graphic design During the last three years I have been enjoying working as a computer graphics artist I love to paint illustrations in the style of Fantasy mythical creatures fairies elves mermaids and angels and painting children fairy-tales I`m currently using Photoshop CS and tablet Wacom for of my artworks I hope you like my illustrationsWebsite wwwalenalazarevacome-mail alenkalazarevamailru
Armand Johnson
Irsquom a professional photographer and graphic designer from Northern Louisiana USA I have had the pleasure of working with celebrities non-profi t organizations and local talents within the Louisiana region Irsquove also provided public service to the area and worked with the local youth to teach them professionalism career goals and creative thinking I get a lot of my inspiration from what I observe which is everyday lifehttpwwwfl ickrcomphotosthearmandjohnsonhttpwwwtwittercomdajizzlehttpwwwcreatticacomcreativesthe-armand-john-son29390thearmandjohnsongmailcom
George Patsouras
George Patsouras is a freelance and concept artist residing from Long Island City NY His work can be seen in a variety of differ-ent projects including video games comic books as well as card games George specializes in depicting realistic fantasy images For more of his work be sure to check out his offi cial blog at httpcgaddictblogspotcom
Jose Paulo Reis
Irsquom a digital artist with 3 years of experience My passion is fashion photography creativity advertising photomanipula-tion and digital art Currently Irsquom working as a digital artist in Lalaland Studios (fashion photography) I love fashion and beauty photography and everything related with digital art Irsquom devoted to Photoshop and everyday Irsquom trying to improve my skillsEnjoy my works by visiting my blog wwwzepaulocreationblogspotcom
Naomi Bensen
Having been raised in a colorful environment of art music and creative learning it was only natural for me to gravitate towards photographymdasha medium that can catch a split second and make it last forever Behind the lens I have pursued my own unique style of photography that focuses on capturing natural and un-staged moments For me photography is more than taking a good picturemdashitrsquos about turning a moment into art Find me at httptheimaginationdeviantartcom
Ylenia Peronti
Irsquom 19 years old italian artist From 3 years I have a passion for photo retouch and generally for phtoshop so I started to practice retouch fi rst on what I call ldquoextreme makeoverrdquo as described in this tutorial and then devot himelf to studying professional photo retouching refi ning technical professional and actually retouch fashion shots Irsquom supermoderator in the Forum Graphics wwwgrafi cicreativicom and I manage especially the section of photoretouch you can fi nd me at the following links wwwyleniaperontiwordpresscom httpyleniucciadeviantartcom
interview
32 psd Photoshop
Interview withArmand Johnson
Please say a few words about yourselfI have a degree in Graphic Design and I really enjoy art all forms of it Whether that is music acting dancing painting photography etc I am intrigued by many different forms of art I DO like to play video games (when I have time but who doesnrsquot) and I DO consider video games as ART but thatrsquos a different subject Irsquom kind of laid back and very business like in my approach to most things
Why did you choose photo retouching and what do you find fascinating about itWhen I was in undergrad I collected plenty of music CDrsquos and DVDrsquos It always intrigued me how flawless and perfect looking the cover art was I thought to myself I want to reach that level of perfection in what I do But graduating with a BFA in Graphic Design kind of steered me away from that in some regards It wasnrsquot until about 5 years ago when my Aunt asked me to gather a couple of shots for some of my cousinrsquos promotional work that I begun to take retouch-ing very seriously After I took the shots I thought These images need to be presentable So I started to dabble with perfecting the images which pushed me into retouching By being a photographer retouching is essential to my workflow because I want my images to have that commercial professional appeal I want my work to look like it belongs in a magazine as a poster or on a billboard etc I find retouching fascinating because how one can push and perfect an image to hisher likings and to the clientrsquos likings as well Itrsquos a great feeling to boost someonersquos confidence by showing them the retouched image in comparison to the original It can help them gain or retain their ldquoswaggardquo
Irsquom a professional photographer and graphic designer from Northern Louisiana USA I have had the pleasure of working with celebrities non-profit organizations and local talents within the Louisiana region Irsquove also provided public service to the area and worked with the local youth to teach them professionalism career goals and creative thinking I get a lot of my inspiration from what I observe which is everyday life
See more of my works here
httpwwwflickrcomphotosthearmandjohnsonhttpwwwtwittercomdajizzlehttpwwwcreatticacomcreativesthe-armand-johnson29390
Contact me
thearmandjohnsongmailcom
interview with armand johnson
33psd Photoshop
Where do you look for the inspiration to createThere are several photographers and retouchers well known and not that inspire me with their work Joel Grimes and Dave Hill are probably the most prominent amongst the photographers I admire their approach to their craft and absolutely love their end result Other notable photographers are Dustin Snipes and Dallas J Logan As for retouchers I think Amy Dresser is amongst the best Her work is incredible Nick Saglimbeni is also Hersquos an awesome photographer and retoucher But that is just the list of people Nature and natural things are very inspiring because of their calming attributes Also
interview
34 psd Photoshop
there is a bevy of websites that are exceptionally useful for inspira-tion Abduzeedo is my favorite Being an artist you can get your in-spiration from anything and anywhere An idea can gravitate towards you at anytime
What are the main advantages of your profession and what can be discouraging about itAn advantage of being a retoucher is the payoff If yoursquore great at it you can eventually open up to a much larger clientele such as the entertainment (music movies etc) and fashion industries Once
interview with armand johnson
35psd Photoshop
yoursquore attached to some major clients your rep (credibility) increas-es for the better What can be discouraging is the journey to arrive at that stage There are many individuals proclaiming themselves pro-fessionals (whether photographers retouchers etc) that are hurt-ing the industry They are utterly confusing clients A random person with a camera is not a photographer and a random person with a copy of Photoshop is not retoucher A lot of lower level clients tend to desire commercial level work for pennies on the dollar Thatrsquos just not feasible Retouchers probably spend more time with an image than anyone else involved with the creative process They deserve to be compensated properly
Do you have any achievements that you are particularly proud ofYeah I just recently got a couple works approved on the major cre-ative website Creatticacom Also being featured in this magazine is very rewarding I look forward to achieving more goals and receiving more accolades Lifersquos a marathon not a sprint
What about your plans for the futureI plan on making my stamp within the industry as have the other successful digital artists Irsquoll always be refining and fine-tuning my craft to become more diverse I wonrsquot go into too much details cause I have a laundry list of things That could take all day ) But I will say this the pieces of the puzzle are beginning to fall into the right plac-es and I believe this interview and collaboration with PSD Photoshop magazine is a crucial step in this process
Do you have any advice to those who would like to become digital artists as wellBe artistic and approach things from a creative perspective I find many individuals wanting to be artists without being artistic or cre-ative Itrsquos a process not a fast food restaurant The creation of mas-terpieces and wonderful works of art takes careful planning time and effort There has to be a love for what you do Photoshop is only a tool which is used to create art It is not meant to replace it or the process of creating it
advanced | 45 min
adobe photoshop CS3
glamour retouch
37psd Photoshop
Blemish Removal and Skin SmoothingFirst open the RAW image and make a duplicate of the background layer by pressing [Ctrl]+[J] Name the bottom layer Retouch and the top layer Original This creates a quick toggle between the Before and After states This also allows you to monitor your progress and determine if you are making changes that have a negative effect on the results Turn off the top layer (Original) Nextcreate a new layer above the Retouch layer by pressing [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] Name this layer CleanUp With the Healing Brush [J] selected make sure Sam-ple All Layers is selected from the drop down menu and Aligned is checked Next use the Healing Brush as well as the Clone Stamp on the CleanUp layer to remove all the blemishes and imperfections The settings are 100 Opacity 100 with Sample All Layers and Alignedselected Once the skin is cleaned up create another layer above it [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] and name it Skin Select the Clone Stamp tool and use these settings 18-25 Opacity 100 Flow Sample All Layers and Aligned Use the Clone Stamp tool to even out the Highlight Shadowand Midtone areas giving the skin a very smooth fl awless appear-ance Lastly apply a little noise the layer Go to FiltergtNoisegtAdd Noise and set the amount to 25 - 50 and the distribution to Gauss-ian After initially cleaning and smoothing the skin group those layers together by holding down the [Shift] key and selecting both of them and [Ctrl]+[G] to group them Rename the group CleanUp
01
02Color BoostAbove the CleanUp group create a Curves Adjustment Layer and name it CB - Curves Use three points along the slope 255 255 0 0 and 148 112 within the RGB channel Then create a LevelsAdjustment Layer naming it CB - Levels Within the RGB chan-nel using these values 10 115 245 Group together these two Adjustment Layers and name the group Overall because it af-fects the overall image Then create a Curves Adjustment Layerabove the grouped layers and insert four points along the slope Keep the two default points 255255 and 0 0 Add two more 35 43 and 211 201 (or somewhere within that tonal range) also in the RGB channel Rename this layer Jewelry Select the Mask by clicking on it and fi ll the Mask with Black Use the Brush tool with the foreground color set to White and paint only over the jewelry Rename this layer Jewelry Create a fi nal Curves adjustment layer above the Jewelry layer and name it Hair Use settings very simi-lar to those on the Jewelry layer within the RGB channel Select the Mask fi ll it with Black and paint over the hair with a Whitebrush Group all of these Adjustment Layers together and name the group Color Boost
GlamourRetouchIn this tutorial I will show you how I performed a Glamour retouch on a photo of my beautiful friend Asia I photographed her against a black background for a dramatic and edgy effect as well as using various Photoshop tools to achieve that ldquoglamour lookrdquo that many magazines and print work use I will be using Photoshop CS3 but any higher version should work as well The tools I will be using are Adjustment Layers Filters and Blending Modes as well as the Clone Stamp Brush and Healing Brush tools
photo retouch
38 psd Photoshop
Highlight and ShadowCreate a new layer and name it FaceBody and set the Blending Mode to Soft Light Set the foreground color to White select the Brush tool with the settings Opacity 100 Flow 2 and paint over the naturally highlighted areas bring-ing out the highlights Then set the foreground color to Black using the same settings and paint over the naturally shadowed areas increasing the contrast in the image Add a Gaussian BlurFiltergtBlurgtGaussian Blur to the layer with a ra-dius setting of 15 ndash 30 Repeat these steps on a new layer named Hair with the Blending Mode set to Overlay Create another new layer named Jew-elry with the Blending Mode set to Overlay as well Once fi nished rearrange the layers so that they are in this order from top to bottom Hair FaceBody Jewelry Lastly group these layers together and name the group HLSH or HighlightShadow
04
05SharpenMake a new layer by combining all visible layers [Shift]+[Alt]+[Ctrl]+[E] This creates a new layer consisting of all the information from the bottom layers Make this a smart object by right ndash click-ing on the layer and selecting Convert to Smart Object This makes the layer a Smart Object allow-ing the use of Smart Filters Duplicate this layer and rename the copy HP 65 and the original layer Sharpen Turn off the HP 65 layer With the Sharp-en layer selected go to FiltergtSharpengtUnSharp Mask using these settings Amount 60 Radius2500 Threshold 10 With the Blending Mode set to Normal adjust the Opacity within the 30 - 40 range and the Fill within the 75 - 90 range Then turn on the HP 65 Layer and select it Set the Blending Mode to Overlay and go to FiltergtOthergtHigh Pass Set the Radius to 65 and the Opacity within the 65 - 75 range and the Fillwithin the 90 - 95 range Finally group these two layers together and name the group Sharpen
03
Color CorrectionCreate a new layer and name it Color CorrectionSet the Blending Mode to Color Set the Brush tool to a SoftFeather setting with the Hardness to 15 Set Black as the foreground color and paint over the lips Then use Gold as the foreground color and paint over the ldquoCoachrdquo text and the handle of the sunglasses changing them from Silver to GoldSelect various colors from the skin and paint over the discolorations in the skin Put the layer in its own group and name that group Color Correction
glamour retouch
39psd Photoshop
EffectsCreate a new layer and name it Sparkles With the Pen tool create a fi ve ndash point sparkle Once fi nished drawing the outline right ndash click and select Make Selection feathering the selection by 1 pixel Make sure the Anti-aliased box is checked and the New Selection option is selected Fill the selection with White Then make several copies (four should be enough) of this layer and move the various spar-kles to certain areas on the jewelry and sunglasses Resize those sparkles individually using transform [Ctrl]+[T] Once the sparkles are at sizes you are comfortable with click on the top most layer (Sparkles Copy 4) hold the shift key then the original Sparkles lay-er and merge them by pressing [Ctrl]+[E] Rename this layer Spar-kles Then add a layer style to the layer by double ndash clicking on it I selected Outer Glow In the options for the Outer Glow effect leave the default setting only changing the Size to 3 pixels Lastly place this layer into its own group and name that group Effects Switch the Original layer OnOff and enjoy the result
by Armand Johnson
07
06
Cool DownCreate a HueSaturation Adjustment Layer mak-ing sure it is set to the Master channel Set the Saturation to -100 This turns the image black and white Set the Blending Mode set to Normalthe Opacity within the 40 - 50 range and the Fill within the 70 - 90 range Select the Maskset the foreground color to 40 Gray and fi ll the mask Paint over only the jewelry and the colored sections of the hair This brings back some of the original color but not too much of it Finally group only this layer and name it Cool Down
How to change the eye color very quickly but efficiently
How to change
eye color
beginer | 10 min
adobe photoshop CS4
how to change eye color
41psd Photoshop
Step 1First open the photos select the pupil of the eye using the method you prefer (Polygonal lassoMagnetic lasso pen etc) I used the Magnetic lasso in this case Right click the mouse on the Selection and select New Layer via Copy Rename the layer eyes
02
03
Step 2Make sure that in the Layers palette is selected layer eyes and from the menu Image select HuegtSaturation adjustments When the window will be open move the Hues cursor until you fi nd the satisfying color If you want from the same HuegtSaturation window we can also modify the saturation and brightness to achieve different ef-fects Heres an example set the Hue value on 44You can also customize more the color using the color balance adjustment selected from the menu ImagegtAdjustmentsgtColor Balance and reduce the opacity of the layer eyes to adjust the effect
Step 3For a more aesthetic effect you can use the Dodge tool selected from the Tools palette Set Light to a 5-10 opacity (or an opacity that allows to achieve the desired effect) and use Dodge toolwithin the colored part of the eye Select Burn tool(also an Opacity of 5) set to Midtones and Burn-ing to defi ne better the outline of the eye
by Ylenia Peronti
42 psd Photoshop
interview
2 pas Photoshop
Tell us about your first steps in photographyMy dad is a really good photographer and he showed me how to use his Nikon film camera when I was young and how to de-
Interview withApril Elizabeth
Can you introduce yourself to our readersMy name is April Elizabeth I am a creative photographer from the small snowy town of Ishpeming in Upper Peninsula of Michigan
April Elizabeth is an internationally published photographer from Ishpeming Michigan Her photos have appeared in magazines on book covers and websites Her clients include Random house HarperCollins Publishing and The Portland Beanie Company
43psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
3psd Photoshop
velop the film I really enjoyed it but it was expensive and I was unable to really get into photography until digital cameras came along I started with a point and shoot camera and went from there
Why did you choose this professionI think it sort of chose me Irsquove always liked photography but I never in my life imagined myself going anywhere with it That all changed when I bought my first slr and asked a local model to do a photo
44 psd Photoshop
interview
4 pas Photoshop
shoot with me I was nervous because I had never done any-thing like that before and I wasnrsquot com-pletely sure how the camera worked but the pictures turned out great and soon more and more peo-ple wanted to work with me
Where do you get the inspiration for your worksIrsquove always been an introverted day-dreamer with an
overly active imagination When other people are liv-ing their life I am looking around and thinking of sto-ries Irsquove always wanted to be a writer but photography lets me tell stories with pic-tures and as long as I can tell a story I am happy
What do you like the most about being a photographer and what are the main difficulties for youIf I am not creating some-thing I feel frustrated I like that my job lets me cre-ate things while making people feel beautiful and good about themselves I enjoy taking pictures that have a fantasy quality to them so that people in the photos can be part of something a little magi-cal instead of ordinary and people who see the photos will feel inspired One of the main difficul-ties I have is my location the middle of nowhere in the Midwest Winter lasts around 7-8 months and itrsquos always very harsh and with a lot of snow I donrsquot have a studio or anyplace indoors thatI can go to so this means I only have a very short amount of time in the year that I can really do many photo shoots
45psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
5psd Photoshop
Do you have any personal achievements you are particularly proud ofIrsquom very proud that my photo Shy with over 35550 favs is one of the most popular photos ever to be up-loaded to the website deviantart Itrsquos unreal to me Irsquom also proud that two photos of mine have been licensed to be on book covers Growing up I never thought any-thing like that could ever happen to me Being in magazines such as this one is also very nice All of these things make me feel like Irsquove accomplished something in life and gives me confidence that I can do even more
What are your plans for futureIrsquod like to get a studio someday And Irsquod like to get into stock photogra-phy Irsquom also working on a gothic romance novel called Whispering Pines and a book of short scary stories I guess I plan on just creat-ing more and trying to improve in everything I do
What would you advice to the young photographersDonrsquot worry about what kind of cam-era or equipment you have Just fo-cus on what you have now and try to create something beautiful with it Itrsquos the photographer that makes the picture good not the camera
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many successful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quitting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many suc-cessful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quit-ting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
A photographerrsquos main goal is to take a photo that makes the viewer feel a strong emotion towards it whether it is love hate anger or passion But when a photo is excellently taken yet the colors lighting and texture dont match up to the photoers vision a photo will become uninspiring This tutorial will teach you how to take your photo to the next level and create an image that matches your vision
Makingthe Mood
making the mood
47psd Photoshop
Step 1The fi rst step in changing a photo is doing the ba-sics You have to prepare your photo before you can move to the fun stuff In this pickture I got rid of any noticeable blemishes the model had and g of noticeable hair that were going across her face to give more clear picture of the model I did this using the Patch and Clone Stamp tool When edit-ing a model make sure to always keep texture in the skin its more interesting that way as opposed to having a models face which is completely air-brushed
02
03
Step 2The next step I took was darkening the whole photo I knew that I wanted the photo to be much darker than it currently was I could have just used the Curves tool or Levels but I fi nd that when overusing the Curves tool a photo starts to look overly contrasted which I dont want So instead I used a light gradient (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtGradient Map) and changed the Blending mode from Normal to Multiply Doing this gives the photo a lot more depth but doesnt darken it completely
Step 3As soon as Ive got my basic photo ready I knew that the yellowish tinge was not the effect I was going for so I used both the Color Balance tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtColor Balance)and the Selective Color tool (LayergtNew Adjust-ment LayergtColor Balance)
01
photomanipulation
48 psd Photoshop
Step 4The next thing I noticed was that my models face was not highlighted enough it was getting lost in the midst of forest and darkness so I made two new layers One layer was for the models face and I simply used a soft Photoshop brush with 0 Hardness and drew over the models face and the snakes body I then changed both layers Blending Mode from Normal to Screen and applied a Box blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 543 pixels to both so they wouldnt be as noticeable Remember you just want hints of light just enough so the models face and the snake is highlighted
04
05
06
Step 5The fi fth step is more or less a repeat of a step number three I liked the way photo looked but it wasnt nearly as dramatic as it could be So now I fi nally decided to use the Curves tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtCurves) to darken and light certain areas making sure again not to overdo it but to give it enough contrast to really bring out the picture Next I made two new Selective Colorlayers (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtSelective Color) One Selective Colors layer changed the leaves and clothes but not the models face to a more dark blue tint while the second Selective Color layer brightened the snakes skin
Step 6The next thing I did was making another two lay-ers I still wanted to brighten only the snakes skin so for the fi rst layer I changed the Blending modefrom Normal to Soft Light and then used a brush with 0 Hardness and carefully painted over the snake It took a few variations before I found a color I liked Its helpful to remember to also look at the whole picture In the next layer I created I simply wanted to add a little more color to the shrubbery in the background so I made another layer and again changed the blending mode from Normal to Soft Light I used a soft brush with 0 Hardness and a maroon and yellow color just to add a little variation from my usual palette of blue I then added it all along the bushes and used the Box Blur tool at 483 pixels also changing the Blending mode from Normal to Screen to make it less obvious
making the mood
49psd Photoshop
Step 7The fi nal step I took to fi nish setting the mood for my photo was adding a texture and chang-ing the Blending Mode from Normal to Soft LightI found that the texture was to overpowering at 100 Opacity so I lowered it to 77 I next added my fi nal layer and created a vignette around my photo by using a brush with a Hardness of 100 and then brushed it around the outer edges of the photo particularly around the four corners I then applied a Box Blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 693 pixels to the layer creating a nice dark blurred ef-fect
by Naomi Bensen
07
In this tutorial I will show you how to acheive an interesting effect using vectors
Distractions
medium | 45 min
adobe photoshop CS5 | adobe illustrator
distractions
9psd Photoshop
Step 1To begin create a new document as shown below
02
03
Step 2Fill the background layer with black color [Alt] + [Backspace] Next select the picture for this tuto-rial Any picture will do but the photo of a face or a portrait will be the most suitable here Now you need to cut the face out of the picture In this sce-nario we used Pen Tool since it provided the best result In Paths panel click left mouse button on the thumbnail you created Next press [Ctrl] +[C]to copy and [Ctrl]+[V] to paste it
Step 3Now we will adjust contrast of the cut out image Go to LayergtNew Adjustments LayergtSelective color and set the values as you see in the picture below
01
creative class
10 psd Photoshop
Step 4Duplicate the models layer and desaturate it using [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[U] In the Layers panel select desaturated copy of the model and go to FiltergtBlurgtLens Blur and use the settings below
04
05
06
Step 5Now we need to save the document as PSD fi le (FilegtSave as)
Step 6In this step you need to make sure that you have chosen or made the right vectors to be used in the image you are creating As soon as you have it done drag into Photoshop and choose Smart object To do that highlight your Vector in Layers panel right click mouse button and from the drop down menu select Convert to smart object
distractions
11psd Photoshop
Step 7Now put your vectors in your fi le Choose the fi rst one and go to FiltergtDistortgtDisplace Use the settings shown below You have to do it for all the vector layers Choose the fi le you saved before in PSD format to complete the displace fi lter Next duplicate the face image as many times as the number of vectors you add to your fi le We need the original copy of the image you cut on top of any smart object you create Once you have the images on top of the vector layers you have to create Clipping masks Right-click on each copy of the image layer in the Layers palette and select Create Clipping Mask
07
08
09
Step 8Once you have done all the clipping masks you must give some layer properties to the vector lay-ers Click on fx below the Layers panel select drop shadow and use the settings below
Step 9You can modify the settings of each smart object layer just the way you want I hope you enjoy it
by Joseacute-Paulo Reis
interview
12 psd Photoshop
urge to create Also I was a lot into photography at that time but I didnrsquot have a camera After browsing a couple of websites with pho-tomanipulations I understood that itrsquos not necessary to have expen-sive equipment to create ndash and I decided to give it a try
Interview withNatalia Voloshyn
Tell our readers something about yourself How did your digital arts adventure started and why did you choose this professionIrsquove been a digital artist for three years now and my relationship with this form of art started rather traditionally ndash I was driven by a strong
Irsquom a 21 years old master student from a beautiful city of Lviv Ukraine Though my occupation (Irsquom a linguist) can hardly be called ldquoartyrdquo Irsquove been madly in love with Photoshop and photography for nearly 3 years Being an artist is an amazing feelingYou can find more of my works athttpvoloschka-photodeviantartcomhttpvoloschkadeviantartcom
interview with natalia voloshyn
13psd Photoshop
Where do you get the inspiration for your worksAnything can be an inspiration ndash music films books different kinds of art even random lines in the conversation I often build up an im-age of a future artwork in my imagination it can be my vision of a certain concept or feeling or just a fantasy scene But sometimes I just play around with images textures and brushes and something interesting comes along the way
Could you tell us a bit about the advantages and difficulties of your profession What do you find the most satisfying about it and what can be discouragingDigital art is very time consuming It might take up to 5 hours or even more to create a piece It is also quite tiring as it requires hours of concentration and sitting in front of a computer screen The most satisfying thing about being a digital artist is that nothing limits you
interview
14 psd Photoshop
ndash if you want to create a beautiful lady with huge butterfly wings or a dark dungeon with ghosts it is up to you Anything is possible Im-ages brushes and textures give you an opportunity to experiment as much as you want However digital art is technically difficult and requires a lot of practice which can be discouraging at times
Are there any works you are particularly proud of Any personal favourites Thatrsquos a tricky question I really like my latest pieces lsquoFreersquo lsquoPerfec-tionrsquo and lsquoCarried Awayrsquo but it would be wrong to call them favourite as all of my works mean a lot to me
interview with natalia voloshyn
15psd Photoshop
What are you currently working onIrsquom working on a piece portraying an imaginary being perhaps a girl lonely lost and rejected longing for warm human feelings but not being able to find them It is going to be a dreamy fantasy piece quite dark and atmospheric
What are your plans for future Are there any particular goals you would like to achieve I consider myself being a perfectionist so I try to improve my skills with every new piece I create I would like to move more in the direc-tion of digital painting learn some new techniques
Any advices to those who would like to become digital artists as wellThe first and the most important piece of advice ndash donrsquot stop Donrsquot give up even if things go totally wrong or are not as good as you ex-pected Be patient try to build up an image in your mind first or draw a sketch and then recreate it step by step If you feel that you lack knowledge browse for some tutorials they can be very helpful Im-prove your skills And remember - the sky is the limit
medium | 30 min
adobe photoshop CS3 | wacom tablet
forest fairy
17psd Photoshop
Step 1I made a sketch in Photoshop using Wacom tablet After I made a rough sketch I decided to add dif-ferent decorative details during the process of drawing
01
02
Step 2I drew the basis for the face body and dress on a new layer More details and highlights would be added later
Forest FairyI wanted to draw a beautiful fairy with long hair and bright green eyes running through the forest I decided to paint it in bright colors of yellow and orange The image needed to be magical
digital painting
18 psd Photoshop
Step 4At this point I began to refi ne the face and make up continuing from step 2 and adding more de-tails I focused on the looks and the eyes because I think itrsquos very important I painted some pinkish shades on the face added highlights and textured the lips After that I added eyelashes
04
05
Step 5In this step I drew the hair I decided that fairys hair would be long with a reddish-yellow hue First I drew the basis for hair using a dark color Then I painted waves of the hair lighter I used several colors to draw the hair (brown orange red and various shades of yellow) as it gives the effect of more volume To draw the hair I use a soft round brush In the brush settings I set ShapegtDynamicsgtFine hair fi ne hair and sized it to 2 px
03
Step 3I started to paint the basis for fairys hair I used a wide round soft brown brush and drew it on a new layer Then I began to paint more details of fairys body and of her dress by adding shadows and highlights
forest fairy
19psd Photoshop
Step 7When I fi nished the details on the girls body I drew a fl ower in her hand On a new layer with Opacity 50 I drew a light train I used a soft round brush with Opacity set to 30-50
07
08
Step 8I started to paint the background and used a soft large brush I made the left upper corner of the background lighter and the bottom of the back-ground - darker
06
Step 6I decided to make the dress more beautiful First I drew bright yellow patches on the dress and the folds I drew highlights with a soft round brush setting the Opacity to 40 I then painted gloss on her dress For this I used a brush size of 2-5 px Glitter (point brush) I drew it on multiple layers with varying transparency and used a bright yel-low and red brush The more points you paint the more the dress will shine On the brightest parts of the dress I put more points of bright color
digital painting
20 psd Photoshop
Step 10In this step I added decorative items and orna-ments I used a brush size of 2 px and yellow and brown colors to paint decorations (to look their best they need to be drawn very accurately)
10
11
Step 11I drew the falling leaves on 2 layers a front and a rear layer On the foreground I painted the leaves brighter To layer the leaves in the background I applied a Gaussian Blur
by Alena Lazareva
09
Step 9I then painted an abstract leaf in the right side of the background and applied the Gaussian Blur fi l-ter (FiltergtBlurgtGaussian Blur) Now using a soft brush with light yellow I added rays of the sun Af-ter that I again applied the Gaussian Blur
This tutorial will explain how to paint a realistic eye in Photoshop Eyes are by far one of the most important aspects of any painting especially if itrsquos a portrait Itrsquos also one of the most fun features to paint as painting an eye is much easier than one might think
How toPaint a Realistic Eye
medium | 30 min
adobe photoshop CS5
how to paint a realistic eye
23psd Photoshop
SketchBefore laying down a single brushstroke itrsquos important for me to create a rough sketch It doesnrsquot have to be perfect but we need to get our point across here This will only make things easier during the painting process Create a new layer and sketch in an eye
02
03
Laying down the Base ColorThis step is simple enough here we lay down the base color for the skin Simply use the Gradienttool here and fi ll the background layer with your color choice In general try not to go too light or too saturated here
Defi ning FormUsing the HSB Slider (WindowsgtColor) pick a darker more saturated color for the darker areas of the skin and paint it using a simple Hard Edged brush I also pick a lighter less saturated tone for the highlights of the skin I choose a color for the eye in this case a bright blue and paint that in as well
01
workshop
24 psd Photoshop
Bringing Life to the SkinThe values of the skin need some work here I choose an even brighter lighter color to defi ne the form of the skin I introduce the lighter tones according to the lighting here which is a standard front light I add the lighter tones to the tone the bridge of the nose near the eyebrow and around the eyelid to make things appear more realistic
04
05
06
Smoothing Out the SkinAt this point all my work was done using a standard Hard Edged brush which is great for defi ning form quickly To blend the skin and give it a more photo realistic look I now switch to a soft brush (Hardness at 0) and Opacity at 50 I blend all the sharp transitions until things appear much smoother Additionally I paint darker tones on the blue iris to give it more depth
Bringing More LifeAt this point I work a bit more on the skin tones adding some more saturated reddish tones on the area around the eye as well as the cheek I also add a more saturated blue to the eye as well I do this all with a soft airbrush at a fairly low opacity on a new layer then merge it down when Irsquom satisfi ed with how things are looking I also do some more detail work using a softer Hard Edgedbrush as well
how to paint a realistic eye
25psd Photoshop
DetailsIrsquom satisfi ed with how things are looking at this stage so I start working on the details Using a fairly small brush I begin to add some lsquobumpsrsquo around the eye to give it a more realistic looks I also create bumps around the eyebrow using a both a fairly light as well as dark color to help it pop for a realistic look I also add details in the iris using a lighter bluish color to really bring the image to life I work in at a very large zoom at this stage as well to make things easier and more accurate
07
08
09
Refi nementI go over everything with a Soft Edged brush at a low opacity for a more realistic look Additionally I bring out the details more using fairly small hard edged brushes I work on the eyebrow painting each strand in as well as the eyelashes
Color and Texture EnhancementThings are looking a bit too muddy for my taste so what I do here is create a new layer set to soft light and enhance the colors quite a bit I introduce much warmer tones around the eye to give it more life Finally I slightly overlay a leather photo texture to give the skin a slightly more realistic effect
by George Patsouras
In this tutorial I will explain how to paint realistic lips with Photoshop Before attempting to paint lips itrsquos essential that you practice drawing lips as well as the head in general to get the best results possible
How toPaint a Realistic Lips
medium | 30 min
adobe photoshop CS5
how to paint a realistic lips
27psd Photoshop
SketchI almost always start off with a sketch for my serious paintings and this one is no different I create a new layer and with a Hard Edged brush I quickly sketch in the lips Getting the lips to look right now just makes the painting process that much easier
02
03
Picking the right base colorPick a mid-tone for the skin one thatrsquos not too saturated or too light (a common mistake many artists make) To quickly fi ll in the canvas with a color I simply use the Gradient tool After itrsquos done I use a hard edged brush to paint in the red lips
Defi ning FormOnce I chose my base tone itrsquos time to defi ne the form of the skin The fi rst thing you must think of is where does the light come from In this case I decide to go for a fairly simple front light and shade accordingly Using a Hard Edged brush I use darker more saturated tones for the darker parts of the skin and a lighter less saturated tone for the highlights of the skin for a realistic effect Use a darker midtone for the lsquotoprsquo lip and bring out lighter tones for the bottom one (this works for most lighting situations)
01
workshop
28 psd Photoshop
Bringing out the HighlightsThings are still looking too fl at for me at this stage so I choose a much brighter midtone to bring out the form of the skin As always I simply use a hard edged brush at this step I bring out lighter tones on the lsquocornersrsquo of the lips the chin and on top of the lips
04
05
06
Smoothing out the SkinOnce Irsquom happy with my value statement I decide to soften everything out with a soft edged brush I choose Hardness 0 under my Brush Settingsand with a 50 Opacity I smoothen out the rough transitions
DetailsI start bringing texture to the lower lips using a fairly small Hard Edged brush I zoom closer here to make things easier and begin to paint the texture of the lips keeping the form in mind using a circular stroke Additionally I bring out a fairly harsh highlight at the top of the lips (the part that looks like a lsquoVrsquo) which gives the image a much more realistic feel
how to paint a realistic lips
29psd Photoshop
Even more detailsI bring more contrast to the image using lighter tones for the highlights and darker ones for shadows I introduce a fairly dark tone right underneath the lip above the chin for a realistic effect I also use a darker tone to separate the lsquobottomrsquo lip from the top giving the lips more depth in the process I also add a mole simply for the fun of it
07
08
Final Refi nementHere I add even more texture to the lips and use a very light almost white color on the bottom lips to bring more life and contrast to the image I clean the image out a bit in general and make sure everything appears as symmetrical as possible and voila Wersquore done
by George Patsouras
contributing writers
Editor in Chief Magdalena Mojska magdalenamojskapsdmagorg
Copy Editor Ed Werzyn Robert Coppa Art Director Agnieszka Marchocka
DTP Przemysław BanasiewiczSenior ConsultantPublisherPresident
Paweł Marciniak Managing Director Ewa Łozowicka
Marketing Director Magdalena Mojska magdalenamojskapsdmagorg
Production DirectorAndrzej Kuca andrzejkucapsdmagorg
Postal addressPublisher Software Press Spzoo SK
02-682 Warszawa ul Bokserska 1worldwide publishing wwwpsdmagorgen
All trade marks presented in the magazine were used only for informa-tive purposes All rights to trade marks presented in the magazine are
reserved by the companies which own themMathematical formulas created by Design Science MathTypetrade
The editors use automatic DTP systemEditorial contributions should be sent to
editorspsdmagorg Customer Service +1 917 338 3631
The Software Press Spzoo SK works individually from Adobe The psd Photoshop team reserves the right not to be responsible for the topical-ity correctness completeness or quality of the information provided by
contributors
Randy Monteith
I am self taught as an artist So any mistakes I have made are in-tentional All my ideas come from an over active imagination that is only put in check when I fi nish a piece of artwork and then the process begins again I have been working with Photoshop for al-most 7 years now I am lucky enough to have two images chosen for two of RedBubblersquos books GAIA and Compassion Courage and Friendship I have been interviewed in Photoshop Creative Maga-zine 14 and have images printed in Advanced Photoshop as well Recently in Issue 60 of Photoshop Creative Magazine the editors chose my portfolio on their webpage as one of the Top 5 rated portfolios I am not one to think outside the box but blow it to bits so stand back and watch me now
c o v e r a r t i s t
Alena Lazareva
My name is Alena I live in Russia I`m the digital artist and the illustrator My interests are art photography computer graph-ics I have been drawing since childhood I studied at the School of Art at the artist There I drew pictures in oils and watercolor is now engaged in graphic design During the last three years I have been enjoying working as a computer graphics artist I love to paint illustrations in the style of Fantasy mythical creatures fairies elves mermaids and angels and painting children fairy-tales I`m currently using Photoshop CS and tablet Wacom for of my artworks I hope you like my illustrationsWebsite wwwalenalazarevacome-mail alenkalazarevamailru
Armand Johnson
Irsquom a professional photographer and graphic designer from Northern Louisiana USA I have had the pleasure of working with celebrities non-profi t organizations and local talents within the Louisiana region Irsquove also provided public service to the area and worked with the local youth to teach them professionalism career goals and creative thinking I get a lot of my inspiration from what I observe which is everyday lifehttpwwwfl ickrcomphotosthearmandjohnsonhttpwwwtwittercomdajizzlehttpwwwcreatticacomcreativesthe-armand-john-son29390thearmandjohnsongmailcom
George Patsouras
George Patsouras is a freelance and concept artist residing from Long Island City NY His work can be seen in a variety of differ-ent projects including video games comic books as well as card games George specializes in depicting realistic fantasy images For more of his work be sure to check out his offi cial blog at httpcgaddictblogspotcom
Jose Paulo Reis
Irsquom a digital artist with 3 years of experience My passion is fashion photography creativity advertising photomanipula-tion and digital art Currently Irsquom working as a digital artist in Lalaland Studios (fashion photography) I love fashion and beauty photography and everything related with digital art Irsquom devoted to Photoshop and everyday Irsquom trying to improve my skillsEnjoy my works by visiting my blog wwwzepaulocreationblogspotcom
Naomi Bensen
Having been raised in a colorful environment of art music and creative learning it was only natural for me to gravitate towards photographymdasha medium that can catch a split second and make it last forever Behind the lens I have pursued my own unique style of photography that focuses on capturing natural and un-staged moments For me photography is more than taking a good picturemdashitrsquos about turning a moment into art Find me at httptheimaginationdeviantartcom
Ylenia Peronti
Irsquom 19 years old italian artist From 3 years I have a passion for photo retouch and generally for phtoshop so I started to practice retouch fi rst on what I call ldquoextreme makeoverrdquo as described in this tutorial and then devot himelf to studying professional photo retouching refi ning technical professional and actually retouch fashion shots Irsquom supermoderator in the Forum Graphics wwwgrafi cicreativicom and I manage especially the section of photoretouch you can fi nd me at the following links wwwyleniaperontiwordpresscom httpyleniucciadeviantartcom
interview
32 psd Photoshop
Interview withArmand Johnson
Please say a few words about yourselfI have a degree in Graphic Design and I really enjoy art all forms of it Whether that is music acting dancing painting photography etc I am intrigued by many different forms of art I DO like to play video games (when I have time but who doesnrsquot) and I DO consider video games as ART but thatrsquos a different subject Irsquom kind of laid back and very business like in my approach to most things
Why did you choose photo retouching and what do you find fascinating about itWhen I was in undergrad I collected plenty of music CDrsquos and DVDrsquos It always intrigued me how flawless and perfect looking the cover art was I thought to myself I want to reach that level of perfection in what I do But graduating with a BFA in Graphic Design kind of steered me away from that in some regards It wasnrsquot until about 5 years ago when my Aunt asked me to gather a couple of shots for some of my cousinrsquos promotional work that I begun to take retouch-ing very seriously After I took the shots I thought These images need to be presentable So I started to dabble with perfecting the images which pushed me into retouching By being a photographer retouching is essential to my workflow because I want my images to have that commercial professional appeal I want my work to look like it belongs in a magazine as a poster or on a billboard etc I find retouching fascinating because how one can push and perfect an image to hisher likings and to the clientrsquos likings as well Itrsquos a great feeling to boost someonersquos confidence by showing them the retouched image in comparison to the original It can help them gain or retain their ldquoswaggardquo
Irsquom a professional photographer and graphic designer from Northern Louisiana USA I have had the pleasure of working with celebrities non-profit organizations and local talents within the Louisiana region Irsquove also provided public service to the area and worked with the local youth to teach them professionalism career goals and creative thinking I get a lot of my inspiration from what I observe which is everyday life
See more of my works here
httpwwwflickrcomphotosthearmandjohnsonhttpwwwtwittercomdajizzlehttpwwwcreatticacomcreativesthe-armand-johnson29390
Contact me
thearmandjohnsongmailcom
interview with armand johnson
33psd Photoshop
Where do you look for the inspiration to createThere are several photographers and retouchers well known and not that inspire me with their work Joel Grimes and Dave Hill are probably the most prominent amongst the photographers I admire their approach to their craft and absolutely love their end result Other notable photographers are Dustin Snipes and Dallas J Logan As for retouchers I think Amy Dresser is amongst the best Her work is incredible Nick Saglimbeni is also Hersquos an awesome photographer and retoucher But that is just the list of people Nature and natural things are very inspiring because of their calming attributes Also
interview
34 psd Photoshop
there is a bevy of websites that are exceptionally useful for inspira-tion Abduzeedo is my favorite Being an artist you can get your in-spiration from anything and anywhere An idea can gravitate towards you at anytime
What are the main advantages of your profession and what can be discouraging about itAn advantage of being a retoucher is the payoff If yoursquore great at it you can eventually open up to a much larger clientele such as the entertainment (music movies etc) and fashion industries Once
interview with armand johnson
35psd Photoshop
yoursquore attached to some major clients your rep (credibility) increas-es for the better What can be discouraging is the journey to arrive at that stage There are many individuals proclaiming themselves pro-fessionals (whether photographers retouchers etc) that are hurt-ing the industry They are utterly confusing clients A random person with a camera is not a photographer and a random person with a copy of Photoshop is not retoucher A lot of lower level clients tend to desire commercial level work for pennies on the dollar Thatrsquos just not feasible Retouchers probably spend more time with an image than anyone else involved with the creative process They deserve to be compensated properly
Do you have any achievements that you are particularly proud ofYeah I just recently got a couple works approved on the major cre-ative website Creatticacom Also being featured in this magazine is very rewarding I look forward to achieving more goals and receiving more accolades Lifersquos a marathon not a sprint
What about your plans for the futureI plan on making my stamp within the industry as have the other successful digital artists Irsquoll always be refining and fine-tuning my craft to become more diverse I wonrsquot go into too much details cause I have a laundry list of things That could take all day ) But I will say this the pieces of the puzzle are beginning to fall into the right plac-es and I believe this interview and collaboration with PSD Photoshop magazine is a crucial step in this process
Do you have any advice to those who would like to become digital artists as wellBe artistic and approach things from a creative perspective I find many individuals wanting to be artists without being artistic or cre-ative Itrsquos a process not a fast food restaurant The creation of mas-terpieces and wonderful works of art takes careful planning time and effort There has to be a love for what you do Photoshop is only a tool which is used to create art It is not meant to replace it or the process of creating it
advanced | 45 min
adobe photoshop CS3
glamour retouch
37psd Photoshop
Blemish Removal and Skin SmoothingFirst open the RAW image and make a duplicate of the background layer by pressing [Ctrl]+[J] Name the bottom layer Retouch and the top layer Original This creates a quick toggle between the Before and After states This also allows you to monitor your progress and determine if you are making changes that have a negative effect on the results Turn off the top layer (Original) Nextcreate a new layer above the Retouch layer by pressing [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] Name this layer CleanUp With the Healing Brush [J] selected make sure Sam-ple All Layers is selected from the drop down menu and Aligned is checked Next use the Healing Brush as well as the Clone Stamp on the CleanUp layer to remove all the blemishes and imperfections The settings are 100 Opacity 100 with Sample All Layers and Alignedselected Once the skin is cleaned up create another layer above it [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] and name it Skin Select the Clone Stamp tool and use these settings 18-25 Opacity 100 Flow Sample All Layers and Aligned Use the Clone Stamp tool to even out the Highlight Shadowand Midtone areas giving the skin a very smooth fl awless appear-ance Lastly apply a little noise the layer Go to FiltergtNoisegtAdd Noise and set the amount to 25 - 50 and the distribution to Gauss-ian After initially cleaning and smoothing the skin group those layers together by holding down the [Shift] key and selecting both of them and [Ctrl]+[G] to group them Rename the group CleanUp
01
02Color BoostAbove the CleanUp group create a Curves Adjustment Layer and name it CB - Curves Use three points along the slope 255 255 0 0 and 148 112 within the RGB channel Then create a LevelsAdjustment Layer naming it CB - Levels Within the RGB chan-nel using these values 10 115 245 Group together these two Adjustment Layers and name the group Overall because it af-fects the overall image Then create a Curves Adjustment Layerabove the grouped layers and insert four points along the slope Keep the two default points 255255 and 0 0 Add two more 35 43 and 211 201 (or somewhere within that tonal range) also in the RGB channel Rename this layer Jewelry Select the Mask by clicking on it and fi ll the Mask with Black Use the Brush tool with the foreground color set to White and paint only over the jewelry Rename this layer Jewelry Create a fi nal Curves adjustment layer above the Jewelry layer and name it Hair Use settings very simi-lar to those on the Jewelry layer within the RGB channel Select the Mask fi ll it with Black and paint over the hair with a Whitebrush Group all of these Adjustment Layers together and name the group Color Boost
GlamourRetouchIn this tutorial I will show you how I performed a Glamour retouch on a photo of my beautiful friend Asia I photographed her against a black background for a dramatic and edgy effect as well as using various Photoshop tools to achieve that ldquoglamour lookrdquo that many magazines and print work use I will be using Photoshop CS3 but any higher version should work as well The tools I will be using are Adjustment Layers Filters and Blending Modes as well as the Clone Stamp Brush and Healing Brush tools
photo retouch
38 psd Photoshop
Highlight and ShadowCreate a new layer and name it FaceBody and set the Blending Mode to Soft Light Set the foreground color to White select the Brush tool with the settings Opacity 100 Flow 2 and paint over the naturally highlighted areas bring-ing out the highlights Then set the foreground color to Black using the same settings and paint over the naturally shadowed areas increasing the contrast in the image Add a Gaussian BlurFiltergtBlurgtGaussian Blur to the layer with a ra-dius setting of 15 ndash 30 Repeat these steps on a new layer named Hair with the Blending Mode set to Overlay Create another new layer named Jew-elry with the Blending Mode set to Overlay as well Once fi nished rearrange the layers so that they are in this order from top to bottom Hair FaceBody Jewelry Lastly group these layers together and name the group HLSH or HighlightShadow
04
05SharpenMake a new layer by combining all visible layers [Shift]+[Alt]+[Ctrl]+[E] This creates a new layer consisting of all the information from the bottom layers Make this a smart object by right ndash click-ing on the layer and selecting Convert to Smart Object This makes the layer a Smart Object allow-ing the use of Smart Filters Duplicate this layer and rename the copy HP 65 and the original layer Sharpen Turn off the HP 65 layer With the Sharp-en layer selected go to FiltergtSharpengtUnSharp Mask using these settings Amount 60 Radius2500 Threshold 10 With the Blending Mode set to Normal adjust the Opacity within the 30 - 40 range and the Fill within the 75 - 90 range Then turn on the HP 65 Layer and select it Set the Blending Mode to Overlay and go to FiltergtOthergtHigh Pass Set the Radius to 65 and the Opacity within the 65 - 75 range and the Fillwithin the 90 - 95 range Finally group these two layers together and name the group Sharpen
03
Color CorrectionCreate a new layer and name it Color CorrectionSet the Blending Mode to Color Set the Brush tool to a SoftFeather setting with the Hardness to 15 Set Black as the foreground color and paint over the lips Then use Gold as the foreground color and paint over the ldquoCoachrdquo text and the handle of the sunglasses changing them from Silver to GoldSelect various colors from the skin and paint over the discolorations in the skin Put the layer in its own group and name that group Color Correction
glamour retouch
39psd Photoshop
EffectsCreate a new layer and name it Sparkles With the Pen tool create a fi ve ndash point sparkle Once fi nished drawing the outline right ndash click and select Make Selection feathering the selection by 1 pixel Make sure the Anti-aliased box is checked and the New Selection option is selected Fill the selection with White Then make several copies (four should be enough) of this layer and move the various spar-kles to certain areas on the jewelry and sunglasses Resize those sparkles individually using transform [Ctrl]+[T] Once the sparkles are at sizes you are comfortable with click on the top most layer (Sparkles Copy 4) hold the shift key then the original Sparkles lay-er and merge them by pressing [Ctrl]+[E] Rename this layer Spar-kles Then add a layer style to the layer by double ndash clicking on it I selected Outer Glow In the options for the Outer Glow effect leave the default setting only changing the Size to 3 pixels Lastly place this layer into its own group and name that group Effects Switch the Original layer OnOff and enjoy the result
by Armand Johnson
07
06
Cool DownCreate a HueSaturation Adjustment Layer mak-ing sure it is set to the Master channel Set the Saturation to -100 This turns the image black and white Set the Blending Mode set to Normalthe Opacity within the 40 - 50 range and the Fill within the 70 - 90 range Select the Maskset the foreground color to 40 Gray and fi ll the mask Paint over only the jewelry and the colored sections of the hair This brings back some of the original color but not too much of it Finally group only this layer and name it Cool Down
How to change the eye color very quickly but efficiently
How to change
eye color
beginer | 10 min
adobe photoshop CS4
how to change eye color
41psd Photoshop
Step 1First open the photos select the pupil of the eye using the method you prefer (Polygonal lassoMagnetic lasso pen etc) I used the Magnetic lasso in this case Right click the mouse on the Selection and select New Layer via Copy Rename the layer eyes
02
03
Step 2Make sure that in the Layers palette is selected layer eyes and from the menu Image select HuegtSaturation adjustments When the window will be open move the Hues cursor until you fi nd the satisfying color If you want from the same HuegtSaturation window we can also modify the saturation and brightness to achieve different ef-fects Heres an example set the Hue value on 44You can also customize more the color using the color balance adjustment selected from the menu ImagegtAdjustmentsgtColor Balance and reduce the opacity of the layer eyes to adjust the effect
Step 3For a more aesthetic effect you can use the Dodge tool selected from the Tools palette Set Light to a 5-10 opacity (or an opacity that allows to achieve the desired effect) and use Dodge toolwithin the colored part of the eye Select Burn tool(also an Opacity of 5) set to Midtones and Burn-ing to defi ne better the outline of the eye
by Ylenia Peronti
42 psd Photoshop
interview
2 pas Photoshop
Tell us about your first steps in photographyMy dad is a really good photographer and he showed me how to use his Nikon film camera when I was young and how to de-
Interview withApril Elizabeth
Can you introduce yourself to our readersMy name is April Elizabeth I am a creative photographer from the small snowy town of Ishpeming in Upper Peninsula of Michigan
April Elizabeth is an internationally published photographer from Ishpeming Michigan Her photos have appeared in magazines on book covers and websites Her clients include Random house HarperCollins Publishing and The Portland Beanie Company
43psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
3psd Photoshop
velop the film I really enjoyed it but it was expensive and I was unable to really get into photography until digital cameras came along I started with a point and shoot camera and went from there
Why did you choose this professionI think it sort of chose me Irsquove always liked photography but I never in my life imagined myself going anywhere with it That all changed when I bought my first slr and asked a local model to do a photo
44 psd Photoshop
interview
4 pas Photoshop
shoot with me I was nervous because I had never done any-thing like that before and I wasnrsquot com-pletely sure how the camera worked but the pictures turned out great and soon more and more peo-ple wanted to work with me
Where do you get the inspiration for your worksIrsquove always been an introverted day-dreamer with an
overly active imagination When other people are liv-ing their life I am looking around and thinking of sto-ries Irsquove always wanted to be a writer but photography lets me tell stories with pic-tures and as long as I can tell a story I am happy
What do you like the most about being a photographer and what are the main difficulties for youIf I am not creating some-thing I feel frustrated I like that my job lets me cre-ate things while making people feel beautiful and good about themselves I enjoy taking pictures that have a fantasy quality to them so that people in the photos can be part of something a little magi-cal instead of ordinary and people who see the photos will feel inspired One of the main difficul-ties I have is my location the middle of nowhere in the Midwest Winter lasts around 7-8 months and itrsquos always very harsh and with a lot of snow I donrsquot have a studio or anyplace indoors thatI can go to so this means I only have a very short amount of time in the year that I can really do many photo shoots
45psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
5psd Photoshop
Do you have any personal achievements you are particularly proud ofIrsquom very proud that my photo Shy with over 35550 favs is one of the most popular photos ever to be up-loaded to the website deviantart Itrsquos unreal to me Irsquom also proud that two photos of mine have been licensed to be on book covers Growing up I never thought any-thing like that could ever happen to me Being in magazines such as this one is also very nice All of these things make me feel like Irsquove accomplished something in life and gives me confidence that I can do even more
What are your plans for futureIrsquod like to get a studio someday And Irsquod like to get into stock photogra-phy Irsquom also working on a gothic romance novel called Whispering Pines and a book of short scary stories I guess I plan on just creat-ing more and trying to improve in everything I do
What would you advice to the young photographersDonrsquot worry about what kind of cam-era or equipment you have Just fo-cus on what you have now and try to create something beautiful with it Itrsquos the photographer that makes the picture good not the camera
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many successful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quitting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many suc-cessful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quit-ting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
A photographerrsquos main goal is to take a photo that makes the viewer feel a strong emotion towards it whether it is love hate anger or passion But when a photo is excellently taken yet the colors lighting and texture dont match up to the photoers vision a photo will become uninspiring This tutorial will teach you how to take your photo to the next level and create an image that matches your vision
Makingthe Mood
making the mood
47psd Photoshop
Step 1The fi rst step in changing a photo is doing the ba-sics You have to prepare your photo before you can move to the fun stuff In this pickture I got rid of any noticeable blemishes the model had and g of noticeable hair that were going across her face to give more clear picture of the model I did this using the Patch and Clone Stamp tool When edit-ing a model make sure to always keep texture in the skin its more interesting that way as opposed to having a models face which is completely air-brushed
02
03
Step 2The next step I took was darkening the whole photo I knew that I wanted the photo to be much darker than it currently was I could have just used the Curves tool or Levels but I fi nd that when overusing the Curves tool a photo starts to look overly contrasted which I dont want So instead I used a light gradient (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtGradient Map) and changed the Blending mode from Normal to Multiply Doing this gives the photo a lot more depth but doesnt darken it completely
Step 3As soon as Ive got my basic photo ready I knew that the yellowish tinge was not the effect I was going for so I used both the Color Balance tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtColor Balance)and the Selective Color tool (LayergtNew Adjust-ment LayergtColor Balance)
01
photomanipulation
48 psd Photoshop
Step 4The next thing I noticed was that my models face was not highlighted enough it was getting lost in the midst of forest and darkness so I made two new layers One layer was for the models face and I simply used a soft Photoshop brush with 0 Hardness and drew over the models face and the snakes body I then changed both layers Blending Mode from Normal to Screen and applied a Box blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 543 pixels to both so they wouldnt be as noticeable Remember you just want hints of light just enough so the models face and the snake is highlighted
04
05
06
Step 5The fi fth step is more or less a repeat of a step number three I liked the way photo looked but it wasnt nearly as dramatic as it could be So now I fi nally decided to use the Curves tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtCurves) to darken and light certain areas making sure again not to overdo it but to give it enough contrast to really bring out the picture Next I made two new Selective Colorlayers (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtSelective Color) One Selective Colors layer changed the leaves and clothes but not the models face to a more dark blue tint while the second Selective Color layer brightened the snakes skin
Step 6The next thing I did was making another two lay-ers I still wanted to brighten only the snakes skin so for the fi rst layer I changed the Blending modefrom Normal to Soft Light and then used a brush with 0 Hardness and carefully painted over the snake It took a few variations before I found a color I liked Its helpful to remember to also look at the whole picture In the next layer I created I simply wanted to add a little more color to the shrubbery in the background so I made another layer and again changed the blending mode from Normal to Soft Light I used a soft brush with 0 Hardness and a maroon and yellow color just to add a little variation from my usual palette of blue I then added it all along the bushes and used the Box Blur tool at 483 pixels also changing the Blending mode from Normal to Screen to make it less obvious
making the mood
49psd Photoshop
Step 7The fi nal step I took to fi nish setting the mood for my photo was adding a texture and chang-ing the Blending Mode from Normal to Soft LightI found that the texture was to overpowering at 100 Opacity so I lowered it to 77 I next added my fi nal layer and created a vignette around my photo by using a brush with a Hardness of 100 and then brushed it around the outer edges of the photo particularly around the four corners I then applied a Box Blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 693 pixels to the layer creating a nice dark blurred ef-fect
by Naomi Bensen
07
distractions
9psd Photoshop
Step 1To begin create a new document as shown below
02
03
Step 2Fill the background layer with black color [Alt] + [Backspace] Next select the picture for this tuto-rial Any picture will do but the photo of a face or a portrait will be the most suitable here Now you need to cut the face out of the picture In this sce-nario we used Pen Tool since it provided the best result In Paths panel click left mouse button on the thumbnail you created Next press [Ctrl] +[C]to copy and [Ctrl]+[V] to paste it
Step 3Now we will adjust contrast of the cut out image Go to LayergtNew Adjustments LayergtSelective color and set the values as you see in the picture below
01
creative class
10 psd Photoshop
Step 4Duplicate the models layer and desaturate it using [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[U] In the Layers panel select desaturated copy of the model and go to FiltergtBlurgtLens Blur and use the settings below
04
05
06
Step 5Now we need to save the document as PSD fi le (FilegtSave as)
Step 6In this step you need to make sure that you have chosen or made the right vectors to be used in the image you are creating As soon as you have it done drag into Photoshop and choose Smart object To do that highlight your Vector in Layers panel right click mouse button and from the drop down menu select Convert to smart object
distractions
11psd Photoshop
Step 7Now put your vectors in your fi le Choose the fi rst one and go to FiltergtDistortgtDisplace Use the settings shown below You have to do it for all the vector layers Choose the fi le you saved before in PSD format to complete the displace fi lter Next duplicate the face image as many times as the number of vectors you add to your fi le We need the original copy of the image you cut on top of any smart object you create Once you have the images on top of the vector layers you have to create Clipping masks Right-click on each copy of the image layer in the Layers palette and select Create Clipping Mask
07
08
09
Step 8Once you have done all the clipping masks you must give some layer properties to the vector lay-ers Click on fx below the Layers panel select drop shadow and use the settings below
Step 9You can modify the settings of each smart object layer just the way you want I hope you enjoy it
by Joseacute-Paulo Reis
interview
12 psd Photoshop
urge to create Also I was a lot into photography at that time but I didnrsquot have a camera After browsing a couple of websites with pho-tomanipulations I understood that itrsquos not necessary to have expen-sive equipment to create ndash and I decided to give it a try
Interview withNatalia Voloshyn
Tell our readers something about yourself How did your digital arts adventure started and why did you choose this professionIrsquove been a digital artist for three years now and my relationship with this form of art started rather traditionally ndash I was driven by a strong
Irsquom a 21 years old master student from a beautiful city of Lviv Ukraine Though my occupation (Irsquom a linguist) can hardly be called ldquoartyrdquo Irsquove been madly in love with Photoshop and photography for nearly 3 years Being an artist is an amazing feelingYou can find more of my works athttpvoloschka-photodeviantartcomhttpvoloschkadeviantartcom
interview with natalia voloshyn
13psd Photoshop
Where do you get the inspiration for your worksAnything can be an inspiration ndash music films books different kinds of art even random lines in the conversation I often build up an im-age of a future artwork in my imagination it can be my vision of a certain concept or feeling or just a fantasy scene But sometimes I just play around with images textures and brushes and something interesting comes along the way
Could you tell us a bit about the advantages and difficulties of your profession What do you find the most satisfying about it and what can be discouragingDigital art is very time consuming It might take up to 5 hours or even more to create a piece It is also quite tiring as it requires hours of concentration and sitting in front of a computer screen The most satisfying thing about being a digital artist is that nothing limits you
interview
14 psd Photoshop
ndash if you want to create a beautiful lady with huge butterfly wings or a dark dungeon with ghosts it is up to you Anything is possible Im-ages brushes and textures give you an opportunity to experiment as much as you want However digital art is technically difficult and requires a lot of practice which can be discouraging at times
Are there any works you are particularly proud of Any personal favourites Thatrsquos a tricky question I really like my latest pieces lsquoFreersquo lsquoPerfec-tionrsquo and lsquoCarried Awayrsquo but it would be wrong to call them favourite as all of my works mean a lot to me
interview with natalia voloshyn
15psd Photoshop
What are you currently working onIrsquom working on a piece portraying an imaginary being perhaps a girl lonely lost and rejected longing for warm human feelings but not being able to find them It is going to be a dreamy fantasy piece quite dark and atmospheric
What are your plans for future Are there any particular goals you would like to achieve I consider myself being a perfectionist so I try to improve my skills with every new piece I create I would like to move more in the direc-tion of digital painting learn some new techniques
Any advices to those who would like to become digital artists as wellThe first and the most important piece of advice ndash donrsquot stop Donrsquot give up even if things go totally wrong or are not as good as you ex-pected Be patient try to build up an image in your mind first or draw a sketch and then recreate it step by step If you feel that you lack knowledge browse for some tutorials they can be very helpful Im-prove your skills And remember - the sky is the limit
medium | 30 min
adobe photoshop CS3 | wacom tablet
forest fairy
17psd Photoshop
Step 1I made a sketch in Photoshop using Wacom tablet After I made a rough sketch I decided to add dif-ferent decorative details during the process of drawing
01
02
Step 2I drew the basis for the face body and dress on a new layer More details and highlights would be added later
Forest FairyI wanted to draw a beautiful fairy with long hair and bright green eyes running through the forest I decided to paint it in bright colors of yellow and orange The image needed to be magical
digital painting
18 psd Photoshop
Step 4At this point I began to refi ne the face and make up continuing from step 2 and adding more de-tails I focused on the looks and the eyes because I think itrsquos very important I painted some pinkish shades on the face added highlights and textured the lips After that I added eyelashes
04
05
Step 5In this step I drew the hair I decided that fairys hair would be long with a reddish-yellow hue First I drew the basis for hair using a dark color Then I painted waves of the hair lighter I used several colors to draw the hair (brown orange red and various shades of yellow) as it gives the effect of more volume To draw the hair I use a soft round brush In the brush settings I set ShapegtDynamicsgtFine hair fi ne hair and sized it to 2 px
03
Step 3I started to paint the basis for fairys hair I used a wide round soft brown brush and drew it on a new layer Then I began to paint more details of fairys body and of her dress by adding shadows and highlights
forest fairy
19psd Photoshop
Step 7When I fi nished the details on the girls body I drew a fl ower in her hand On a new layer with Opacity 50 I drew a light train I used a soft round brush with Opacity set to 30-50
07
08
Step 8I started to paint the background and used a soft large brush I made the left upper corner of the background lighter and the bottom of the back-ground - darker
06
Step 6I decided to make the dress more beautiful First I drew bright yellow patches on the dress and the folds I drew highlights with a soft round brush setting the Opacity to 40 I then painted gloss on her dress For this I used a brush size of 2-5 px Glitter (point brush) I drew it on multiple layers with varying transparency and used a bright yel-low and red brush The more points you paint the more the dress will shine On the brightest parts of the dress I put more points of bright color
digital painting
20 psd Photoshop
Step 10In this step I added decorative items and orna-ments I used a brush size of 2 px and yellow and brown colors to paint decorations (to look their best they need to be drawn very accurately)
10
11
Step 11I drew the falling leaves on 2 layers a front and a rear layer On the foreground I painted the leaves brighter To layer the leaves in the background I applied a Gaussian Blur
by Alena Lazareva
09
Step 9I then painted an abstract leaf in the right side of the background and applied the Gaussian Blur fi l-ter (FiltergtBlurgtGaussian Blur) Now using a soft brush with light yellow I added rays of the sun Af-ter that I again applied the Gaussian Blur
This tutorial will explain how to paint a realistic eye in Photoshop Eyes are by far one of the most important aspects of any painting especially if itrsquos a portrait Itrsquos also one of the most fun features to paint as painting an eye is much easier than one might think
How toPaint a Realistic Eye
medium | 30 min
adobe photoshop CS5
how to paint a realistic eye
23psd Photoshop
SketchBefore laying down a single brushstroke itrsquos important for me to create a rough sketch It doesnrsquot have to be perfect but we need to get our point across here This will only make things easier during the painting process Create a new layer and sketch in an eye
02
03
Laying down the Base ColorThis step is simple enough here we lay down the base color for the skin Simply use the Gradienttool here and fi ll the background layer with your color choice In general try not to go too light or too saturated here
Defi ning FormUsing the HSB Slider (WindowsgtColor) pick a darker more saturated color for the darker areas of the skin and paint it using a simple Hard Edged brush I also pick a lighter less saturated tone for the highlights of the skin I choose a color for the eye in this case a bright blue and paint that in as well
01
workshop
24 psd Photoshop
Bringing Life to the SkinThe values of the skin need some work here I choose an even brighter lighter color to defi ne the form of the skin I introduce the lighter tones according to the lighting here which is a standard front light I add the lighter tones to the tone the bridge of the nose near the eyebrow and around the eyelid to make things appear more realistic
04
05
06
Smoothing Out the SkinAt this point all my work was done using a standard Hard Edged brush which is great for defi ning form quickly To blend the skin and give it a more photo realistic look I now switch to a soft brush (Hardness at 0) and Opacity at 50 I blend all the sharp transitions until things appear much smoother Additionally I paint darker tones on the blue iris to give it more depth
Bringing More LifeAt this point I work a bit more on the skin tones adding some more saturated reddish tones on the area around the eye as well as the cheek I also add a more saturated blue to the eye as well I do this all with a soft airbrush at a fairly low opacity on a new layer then merge it down when Irsquom satisfi ed with how things are looking I also do some more detail work using a softer Hard Edgedbrush as well
how to paint a realistic eye
25psd Photoshop
DetailsIrsquom satisfi ed with how things are looking at this stage so I start working on the details Using a fairly small brush I begin to add some lsquobumpsrsquo around the eye to give it a more realistic looks I also create bumps around the eyebrow using a both a fairly light as well as dark color to help it pop for a realistic look I also add details in the iris using a lighter bluish color to really bring the image to life I work in at a very large zoom at this stage as well to make things easier and more accurate
07
08
09
Refi nementI go over everything with a Soft Edged brush at a low opacity for a more realistic look Additionally I bring out the details more using fairly small hard edged brushes I work on the eyebrow painting each strand in as well as the eyelashes
Color and Texture EnhancementThings are looking a bit too muddy for my taste so what I do here is create a new layer set to soft light and enhance the colors quite a bit I introduce much warmer tones around the eye to give it more life Finally I slightly overlay a leather photo texture to give the skin a slightly more realistic effect
by George Patsouras
In this tutorial I will explain how to paint realistic lips with Photoshop Before attempting to paint lips itrsquos essential that you practice drawing lips as well as the head in general to get the best results possible
How toPaint a Realistic Lips
medium | 30 min
adobe photoshop CS5
how to paint a realistic lips
27psd Photoshop
SketchI almost always start off with a sketch for my serious paintings and this one is no different I create a new layer and with a Hard Edged brush I quickly sketch in the lips Getting the lips to look right now just makes the painting process that much easier
02
03
Picking the right base colorPick a mid-tone for the skin one thatrsquos not too saturated or too light (a common mistake many artists make) To quickly fi ll in the canvas with a color I simply use the Gradient tool After itrsquos done I use a hard edged brush to paint in the red lips
Defi ning FormOnce I chose my base tone itrsquos time to defi ne the form of the skin The fi rst thing you must think of is where does the light come from In this case I decide to go for a fairly simple front light and shade accordingly Using a Hard Edged brush I use darker more saturated tones for the darker parts of the skin and a lighter less saturated tone for the highlights of the skin for a realistic effect Use a darker midtone for the lsquotoprsquo lip and bring out lighter tones for the bottom one (this works for most lighting situations)
01
workshop
28 psd Photoshop
Bringing out the HighlightsThings are still looking too fl at for me at this stage so I choose a much brighter midtone to bring out the form of the skin As always I simply use a hard edged brush at this step I bring out lighter tones on the lsquocornersrsquo of the lips the chin and on top of the lips
04
05
06
Smoothing out the SkinOnce Irsquom happy with my value statement I decide to soften everything out with a soft edged brush I choose Hardness 0 under my Brush Settingsand with a 50 Opacity I smoothen out the rough transitions
DetailsI start bringing texture to the lower lips using a fairly small Hard Edged brush I zoom closer here to make things easier and begin to paint the texture of the lips keeping the form in mind using a circular stroke Additionally I bring out a fairly harsh highlight at the top of the lips (the part that looks like a lsquoVrsquo) which gives the image a much more realistic feel
how to paint a realistic lips
29psd Photoshop
Even more detailsI bring more contrast to the image using lighter tones for the highlights and darker ones for shadows I introduce a fairly dark tone right underneath the lip above the chin for a realistic effect I also use a darker tone to separate the lsquobottomrsquo lip from the top giving the lips more depth in the process I also add a mole simply for the fun of it
07
08
Final Refi nementHere I add even more texture to the lips and use a very light almost white color on the bottom lips to bring more life and contrast to the image I clean the image out a bit in general and make sure everything appears as symmetrical as possible and voila Wersquore done
by George Patsouras
contributing writers
Editor in Chief Magdalena Mojska magdalenamojskapsdmagorg
Copy Editor Ed Werzyn Robert Coppa Art Director Agnieszka Marchocka
DTP Przemysław BanasiewiczSenior ConsultantPublisherPresident
Paweł Marciniak Managing Director Ewa Łozowicka
Marketing Director Magdalena Mojska magdalenamojskapsdmagorg
Production DirectorAndrzej Kuca andrzejkucapsdmagorg
Postal addressPublisher Software Press Spzoo SK
02-682 Warszawa ul Bokserska 1worldwide publishing wwwpsdmagorgen
All trade marks presented in the magazine were used only for informa-tive purposes All rights to trade marks presented in the magazine are
reserved by the companies which own themMathematical formulas created by Design Science MathTypetrade
The editors use automatic DTP systemEditorial contributions should be sent to
editorspsdmagorg Customer Service +1 917 338 3631
The Software Press Spzoo SK works individually from Adobe The psd Photoshop team reserves the right not to be responsible for the topical-ity correctness completeness or quality of the information provided by
contributors
Randy Monteith
I am self taught as an artist So any mistakes I have made are in-tentional All my ideas come from an over active imagination that is only put in check when I fi nish a piece of artwork and then the process begins again I have been working with Photoshop for al-most 7 years now I am lucky enough to have two images chosen for two of RedBubblersquos books GAIA and Compassion Courage and Friendship I have been interviewed in Photoshop Creative Maga-zine 14 and have images printed in Advanced Photoshop as well Recently in Issue 60 of Photoshop Creative Magazine the editors chose my portfolio on their webpage as one of the Top 5 rated portfolios I am not one to think outside the box but blow it to bits so stand back and watch me now
c o v e r a r t i s t
Alena Lazareva
My name is Alena I live in Russia I`m the digital artist and the illustrator My interests are art photography computer graph-ics I have been drawing since childhood I studied at the School of Art at the artist There I drew pictures in oils and watercolor is now engaged in graphic design During the last three years I have been enjoying working as a computer graphics artist I love to paint illustrations in the style of Fantasy mythical creatures fairies elves mermaids and angels and painting children fairy-tales I`m currently using Photoshop CS and tablet Wacom for of my artworks I hope you like my illustrationsWebsite wwwalenalazarevacome-mail alenkalazarevamailru
Armand Johnson
Irsquom a professional photographer and graphic designer from Northern Louisiana USA I have had the pleasure of working with celebrities non-profi t organizations and local talents within the Louisiana region Irsquove also provided public service to the area and worked with the local youth to teach them professionalism career goals and creative thinking I get a lot of my inspiration from what I observe which is everyday lifehttpwwwfl ickrcomphotosthearmandjohnsonhttpwwwtwittercomdajizzlehttpwwwcreatticacomcreativesthe-armand-john-son29390thearmandjohnsongmailcom
George Patsouras
George Patsouras is a freelance and concept artist residing from Long Island City NY His work can be seen in a variety of differ-ent projects including video games comic books as well as card games George specializes in depicting realistic fantasy images For more of his work be sure to check out his offi cial blog at httpcgaddictblogspotcom
Jose Paulo Reis
Irsquom a digital artist with 3 years of experience My passion is fashion photography creativity advertising photomanipula-tion and digital art Currently Irsquom working as a digital artist in Lalaland Studios (fashion photography) I love fashion and beauty photography and everything related with digital art Irsquom devoted to Photoshop and everyday Irsquom trying to improve my skillsEnjoy my works by visiting my blog wwwzepaulocreationblogspotcom
Naomi Bensen
Having been raised in a colorful environment of art music and creative learning it was only natural for me to gravitate towards photographymdasha medium that can catch a split second and make it last forever Behind the lens I have pursued my own unique style of photography that focuses on capturing natural and un-staged moments For me photography is more than taking a good picturemdashitrsquos about turning a moment into art Find me at httptheimaginationdeviantartcom
Ylenia Peronti
Irsquom 19 years old italian artist From 3 years I have a passion for photo retouch and generally for phtoshop so I started to practice retouch fi rst on what I call ldquoextreme makeoverrdquo as described in this tutorial and then devot himelf to studying professional photo retouching refi ning technical professional and actually retouch fashion shots Irsquom supermoderator in the Forum Graphics wwwgrafi cicreativicom and I manage especially the section of photoretouch you can fi nd me at the following links wwwyleniaperontiwordpresscom httpyleniucciadeviantartcom
interview
32 psd Photoshop
Interview withArmand Johnson
Please say a few words about yourselfI have a degree in Graphic Design and I really enjoy art all forms of it Whether that is music acting dancing painting photography etc I am intrigued by many different forms of art I DO like to play video games (when I have time but who doesnrsquot) and I DO consider video games as ART but thatrsquos a different subject Irsquom kind of laid back and very business like in my approach to most things
Why did you choose photo retouching and what do you find fascinating about itWhen I was in undergrad I collected plenty of music CDrsquos and DVDrsquos It always intrigued me how flawless and perfect looking the cover art was I thought to myself I want to reach that level of perfection in what I do But graduating with a BFA in Graphic Design kind of steered me away from that in some regards It wasnrsquot until about 5 years ago when my Aunt asked me to gather a couple of shots for some of my cousinrsquos promotional work that I begun to take retouch-ing very seriously After I took the shots I thought These images need to be presentable So I started to dabble with perfecting the images which pushed me into retouching By being a photographer retouching is essential to my workflow because I want my images to have that commercial professional appeal I want my work to look like it belongs in a magazine as a poster or on a billboard etc I find retouching fascinating because how one can push and perfect an image to hisher likings and to the clientrsquos likings as well Itrsquos a great feeling to boost someonersquos confidence by showing them the retouched image in comparison to the original It can help them gain or retain their ldquoswaggardquo
Irsquom a professional photographer and graphic designer from Northern Louisiana USA I have had the pleasure of working with celebrities non-profit organizations and local talents within the Louisiana region Irsquove also provided public service to the area and worked with the local youth to teach them professionalism career goals and creative thinking I get a lot of my inspiration from what I observe which is everyday life
See more of my works here
httpwwwflickrcomphotosthearmandjohnsonhttpwwwtwittercomdajizzlehttpwwwcreatticacomcreativesthe-armand-johnson29390
Contact me
thearmandjohnsongmailcom
interview with armand johnson
33psd Photoshop
Where do you look for the inspiration to createThere are several photographers and retouchers well known and not that inspire me with their work Joel Grimes and Dave Hill are probably the most prominent amongst the photographers I admire their approach to their craft and absolutely love their end result Other notable photographers are Dustin Snipes and Dallas J Logan As for retouchers I think Amy Dresser is amongst the best Her work is incredible Nick Saglimbeni is also Hersquos an awesome photographer and retoucher But that is just the list of people Nature and natural things are very inspiring because of their calming attributes Also
interview
34 psd Photoshop
there is a bevy of websites that are exceptionally useful for inspira-tion Abduzeedo is my favorite Being an artist you can get your in-spiration from anything and anywhere An idea can gravitate towards you at anytime
What are the main advantages of your profession and what can be discouraging about itAn advantage of being a retoucher is the payoff If yoursquore great at it you can eventually open up to a much larger clientele such as the entertainment (music movies etc) and fashion industries Once
interview with armand johnson
35psd Photoshop
yoursquore attached to some major clients your rep (credibility) increas-es for the better What can be discouraging is the journey to arrive at that stage There are many individuals proclaiming themselves pro-fessionals (whether photographers retouchers etc) that are hurt-ing the industry They are utterly confusing clients A random person with a camera is not a photographer and a random person with a copy of Photoshop is not retoucher A lot of lower level clients tend to desire commercial level work for pennies on the dollar Thatrsquos just not feasible Retouchers probably spend more time with an image than anyone else involved with the creative process They deserve to be compensated properly
Do you have any achievements that you are particularly proud ofYeah I just recently got a couple works approved on the major cre-ative website Creatticacom Also being featured in this magazine is very rewarding I look forward to achieving more goals and receiving more accolades Lifersquos a marathon not a sprint
What about your plans for the futureI plan on making my stamp within the industry as have the other successful digital artists Irsquoll always be refining and fine-tuning my craft to become more diverse I wonrsquot go into too much details cause I have a laundry list of things That could take all day ) But I will say this the pieces of the puzzle are beginning to fall into the right plac-es and I believe this interview and collaboration with PSD Photoshop magazine is a crucial step in this process
Do you have any advice to those who would like to become digital artists as wellBe artistic and approach things from a creative perspective I find many individuals wanting to be artists without being artistic or cre-ative Itrsquos a process not a fast food restaurant The creation of mas-terpieces and wonderful works of art takes careful planning time and effort There has to be a love for what you do Photoshop is only a tool which is used to create art It is not meant to replace it or the process of creating it
advanced | 45 min
adobe photoshop CS3
glamour retouch
37psd Photoshop
Blemish Removal and Skin SmoothingFirst open the RAW image and make a duplicate of the background layer by pressing [Ctrl]+[J] Name the bottom layer Retouch and the top layer Original This creates a quick toggle between the Before and After states This also allows you to monitor your progress and determine if you are making changes that have a negative effect on the results Turn off the top layer (Original) Nextcreate a new layer above the Retouch layer by pressing [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] Name this layer CleanUp With the Healing Brush [J] selected make sure Sam-ple All Layers is selected from the drop down menu and Aligned is checked Next use the Healing Brush as well as the Clone Stamp on the CleanUp layer to remove all the blemishes and imperfections The settings are 100 Opacity 100 with Sample All Layers and Alignedselected Once the skin is cleaned up create another layer above it [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] and name it Skin Select the Clone Stamp tool and use these settings 18-25 Opacity 100 Flow Sample All Layers and Aligned Use the Clone Stamp tool to even out the Highlight Shadowand Midtone areas giving the skin a very smooth fl awless appear-ance Lastly apply a little noise the layer Go to FiltergtNoisegtAdd Noise and set the amount to 25 - 50 and the distribution to Gauss-ian After initially cleaning and smoothing the skin group those layers together by holding down the [Shift] key and selecting both of them and [Ctrl]+[G] to group them Rename the group CleanUp
01
02Color BoostAbove the CleanUp group create a Curves Adjustment Layer and name it CB - Curves Use three points along the slope 255 255 0 0 and 148 112 within the RGB channel Then create a LevelsAdjustment Layer naming it CB - Levels Within the RGB chan-nel using these values 10 115 245 Group together these two Adjustment Layers and name the group Overall because it af-fects the overall image Then create a Curves Adjustment Layerabove the grouped layers and insert four points along the slope Keep the two default points 255255 and 0 0 Add two more 35 43 and 211 201 (or somewhere within that tonal range) also in the RGB channel Rename this layer Jewelry Select the Mask by clicking on it and fi ll the Mask with Black Use the Brush tool with the foreground color set to White and paint only over the jewelry Rename this layer Jewelry Create a fi nal Curves adjustment layer above the Jewelry layer and name it Hair Use settings very simi-lar to those on the Jewelry layer within the RGB channel Select the Mask fi ll it with Black and paint over the hair with a Whitebrush Group all of these Adjustment Layers together and name the group Color Boost
GlamourRetouchIn this tutorial I will show you how I performed a Glamour retouch on a photo of my beautiful friend Asia I photographed her against a black background for a dramatic and edgy effect as well as using various Photoshop tools to achieve that ldquoglamour lookrdquo that many magazines and print work use I will be using Photoshop CS3 but any higher version should work as well The tools I will be using are Adjustment Layers Filters and Blending Modes as well as the Clone Stamp Brush and Healing Brush tools
photo retouch
38 psd Photoshop
Highlight and ShadowCreate a new layer and name it FaceBody and set the Blending Mode to Soft Light Set the foreground color to White select the Brush tool with the settings Opacity 100 Flow 2 and paint over the naturally highlighted areas bring-ing out the highlights Then set the foreground color to Black using the same settings and paint over the naturally shadowed areas increasing the contrast in the image Add a Gaussian BlurFiltergtBlurgtGaussian Blur to the layer with a ra-dius setting of 15 ndash 30 Repeat these steps on a new layer named Hair with the Blending Mode set to Overlay Create another new layer named Jew-elry with the Blending Mode set to Overlay as well Once fi nished rearrange the layers so that they are in this order from top to bottom Hair FaceBody Jewelry Lastly group these layers together and name the group HLSH or HighlightShadow
04
05SharpenMake a new layer by combining all visible layers [Shift]+[Alt]+[Ctrl]+[E] This creates a new layer consisting of all the information from the bottom layers Make this a smart object by right ndash click-ing on the layer and selecting Convert to Smart Object This makes the layer a Smart Object allow-ing the use of Smart Filters Duplicate this layer and rename the copy HP 65 and the original layer Sharpen Turn off the HP 65 layer With the Sharp-en layer selected go to FiltergtSharpengtUnSharp Mask using these settings Amount 60 Radius2500 Threshold 10 With the Blending Mode set to Normal adjust the Opacity within the 30 - 40 range and the Fill within the 75 - 90 range Then turn on the HP 65 Layer and select it Set the Blending Mode to Overlay and go to FiltergtOthergtHigh Pass Set the Radius to 65 and the Opacity within the 65 - 75 range and the Fillwithin the 90 - 95 range Finally group these two layers together and name the group Sharpen
03
Color CorrectionCreate a new layer and name it Color CorrectionSet the Blending Mode to Color Set the Brush tool to a SoftFeather setting with the Hardness to 15 Set Black as the foreground color and paint over the lips Then use Gold as the foreground color and paint over the ldquoCoachrdquo text and the handle of the sunglasses changing them from Silver to GoldSelect various colors from the skin and paint over the discolorations in the skin Put the layer in its own group and name that group Color Correction
glamour retouch
39psd Photoshop
EffectsCreate a new layer and name it Sparkles With the Pen tool create a fi ve ndash point sparkle Once fi nished drawing the outline right ndash click and select Make Selection feathering the selection by 1 pixel Make sure the Anti-aliased box is checked and the New Selection option is selected Fill the selection with White Then make several copies (four should be enough) of this layer and move the various spar-kles to certain areas on the jewelry and sunglasses Resize those sparkles individually using transform [Ctrl]+[T] Once the sparkles are at sizes you are comfortable with click on the top most layer (Sparkles Copy 4) hold the shift key then the original Sparkles lay-er and merge them by pressing [Ctrl]+[E] Rename this layer Spar-kles Then add a layer style to the layer by double ndash clicking on it I selected Outer Glow In the options for the Outer Glow effect leave the default setting only changing the Size to 3 pixels Lastly place this layer into its own group and name that group Effects Switch the Original layer OnOff and enjoy the result
by Armand Johnson
07
06
Cool DownCreate a HueSaturation Adjustment Layer mak-ing sure it is set to the Master channel Set the Saturation to -100 This turns the image black and white Set the Blending Mode set to Normalthe Opacity within the 40 - 50 range and the Fill within the 70 - 90 range Select the Maskset the foreground color to 40 Gray and fi ll the mask Paint over only the jewelry and the colored sections of the hair This brings back some of the original color but not too much of it Finally group only this layer and name it Cool Down
How to change the eye color very quickly but efficiently
How to change
eye color
beginer | 10 min
adobe photoshop CS4
how to change eye color
41psd Photoshop
Step 1First open the photos select the pupil of the eye using the method you prefer (Polygonal lassoMagnetic lasso pen etc) I used the Magnetic lasso in this case Right click the mouse on the Selection and select New Layer via Copy Rename the layer eyes
02
03
Step 2Make sure that in the Layers palette is selected layer eyes and from the menu Image select HuegtSaturation adjustments When the window will be open move the Hues cursor until you fi nd the satisfying color If you want from the same HuegtSaturation window we can also modify the saturation and brightness to achieve different ef-fects Heres an example set the Hue value on 44You can also customize more the color using the color balance adjustment selected from the menu ImagegtAdjustmentsgtColor Balance and reduce the opacity of the layer eyes to adjust the effect
Step 3For a more aesthetic effect you can use the Dodge tool selected from the Tools palette Set Light to a 5-10 opacity (or an opacity that allows to achieve the desired effect) and use Dodge toolwithin the colored part of the eye Select Burn tool(also an Opacity of 5) set to Midtones and Burn-ing to defi ne better the outline of the eye
by Ylenia Peronti
42 psd Photoshop
interview
2 pas Photoshop
Tell us about your first steps in photographyMy dad is a really good photographer and he showed me how to use his Nikon film camera when I was young and how to de-
Interview withApril Elizabeth
Can you introduce yourself to our readersMy name is April Elizabeth I am a creative photographer from the small snowy town of Ishpeming in Upper Peninsula of Michigan
April Elizabeth is an internationally published photographer from Ishpeming Michigan Her photos have appeared in magazines on book covers and websites Her clients include Random house HarperCollins Publishing and The Portland Beanie Company
43psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
3psd Photoshop
velop the film I really enjoyed it but it was expensive and I was unable to really get into photography until digital cameras came along I started with a point and shoot camera and went from there
Why did you choose this professionI think it sort of chose me Irsquove always liked photography but I never in my life imagined myself going anywhere with it That all changed when I bought my first slr and asked a local model to do a photo
44 psd Photoshop
interview
4 pas Photoshop
shoot with me I was nervous because I had never done any-thing like that before and I wasnrsquot com-pletely sure how the camera worked but the pictures turned out great and soon more and more peo-ple wanted to work with me
Where do you get the inspiration for your worksIrsquove always been an introverted day-dreamer with an
overly active imagination When other people are liv-ing their life I am looking around and thinking of sto-ries Irsquove always wanted to be a writer but photography lets me tell stories with pic-tures and as long as I can tell a story I am happy
What do you like the most about being a photographer and what are the main difficulties for youIf I am not creating some-thing I feel frustrated I like that my job lets me cre-ate things while making people feel beautiful and good about themselves I enjoy taking pictures that have a fantasy quality to them so that people in the photos can be part of something a little magi-cal instead of ordinary and people who see the photos will feel inspired One of the main difficul-ties I have is my location the middle of nowhere in the Midwest Winter lasts around 7-8 months and itrsquos always very harsh and with a lot of snow I donrsquot have a studio or anyplace indoors thatI can go to so this means I only have a very short amount of time in the year that I can really do many photo shoots
45psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
5psd Photoshop
Do you have any personal achievements you are particularly proud ofIrsquom very proud that my photo Shy with over 35550 favs is one of the most popular photos ever to be up-loaded to the website deviantart Itrsquos unreal to me Irsquom also proud that two photos of mine have been licensed to be on book covers Growing up I never thought any-thing like that could ever happen to me Being in magazines such as this one is also very nice All of these things make me feel like Irsquove accomplished something in life and gives me confidence that I can do even more
What are your plans for futureIrsquod like to get a studio someday And Irsquod like to get into stock photogra-phy Irsquom also working on a gothic romance novel called Whispering Pines and a book of short scary stories I guess I plan on just creat-ing more and trying to improve in everything I do
What would you advice to the young photographersDonrsquot worry about what kind of cam-era or equipment you have Just fo-cus on what you have now and try to create something beautiful with it Itrsquos the photographer that makes the picture good not the camera
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many successful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quitting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many suc-cessful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quit-ting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
A photographerrsquos main goal is to take a photo that makes the viewer feel a strong emotion towards it whether it is love hate anger or passion But when a photo is excellently taken yet the colors lighting and texture dont match up to the photoers vision a photo will become uninspiring This tutorial will teach you how to take your photo to the next level and create an image that matches your vision
Makingthe Mood
making the mood
47psd Photoshop
Step 1The fi rst step in changing a photo is doing the ba-sics You have to prepare your photo before you can move to the fun stuff In this pickture I got rid of any noticeable blemishes the model had and g of noticeable hair that were going across her face to give more clear picture of the model I did this using the Patch and Clone Stamp tool When edit-ing a model make sure to always keep texture in the skin its more interesting that way as opposed to having a models face which is completely air-brushed
02
03
Step 2The next step I took was darkening the whole photo I knew that I wanted the photo to be much darker than it currently was I could have just used the Curves tool or Levels but I fi nd that when overusing the Curves tool a photo starts to look overly contrasted which I dont want So instead I used a light gradient (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtGradient Map) and changed the Blending mode from Normal to Multiply Doing this gives the photo a lot more depth but doesnt darken it completely
Step 3As soon as Ive got my basic photo ready I knew that the yellowish tinge was not the effect I was going for so I used both the Color Balance tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtColor Balance)and the Selective Color tool (LayergtNew Adjust-ment LayergtColor Balance)
01
photomanipulation
48 psd Photoshop
Step 4The next thing I noticed was that my models face was not highlighted enough it was getting lost in the midst of forest and darkness so I made two new layers One layer was for the models face and I simply used a soft Photoshop brush with 0 Hardness and drew over the models face and the snakes body I then changed both layers Blending Mode from Normal to Screen and applied a Box blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 543 pixels to both so they wouldnt be as noticeable Remember you just want hints of light just enough so the models face and the snake is highlighted
04
05
06
Step 5The fi fth step is more or less a repeat of a step number three I liked the way photo looked but it wasnt nearly as dramatic as it could be So now I fi nally decided to use the Curves tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtCurves) to darken and light certain areas making sure again not to overdo it but to give it enough contrast to really bring out the picture Next I made two new Selective Colorlayers (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtSelective Color) One Selective Colors layer changed the leaves and clothes but not the models face to a more dark blue tint while the second Selective Color layer brightened the snakes skin
Step 6The next thing I did was making another two lay-ers I still wanted to brighten only the snakes skin so for the fi rst layer I changed the Blending modefrom Normal to Soft Light and then used a brush with 0 Hardness and carefully painted over the snake It took a few variations before I found a color I liked Its helpful to remember to also look at the whole picture In the next layer I created I simply wanted to add a little more color to the shrubbery in the background so I made another layer and again changed the blending mode from Normal to Soft Light I used a soft brush with 0 Hardness and a maroon and yellow color just to add a little variation from my usual palette of blue I then added it all along the bushes and used the Box Blur tool at 483 pixels also changing the Blending mode from Normal to Screen to make it less obvious
making the mood
49psd Photoshop
Step 7The fi nal step I took to fi nish setting the mood for my photo was adding a texture and chang-ing the Blending Mode from Normal to Soft LightI found that the texture was to overpowering at 100 Opacity so I lowered it to 77 I next added my fi nal layer and created a vignette around my photo by using a brush with a Hardness of 100 and then brushed it around the outer edges of the photo particularly around the four corners I then applied a Box Blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 693 pixels to the layer creating a nice dark blurred ef-fect
by Naomi Bensen
07
creative class
10 psd Photoshop
Step 4Duplicate the models layer and desaturate it using [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[U] In the Layers panel select desaturated copy of the model and go to FiltergtBlurgtLens Blur and use the settings below
04
05
06
Step 5Now we need to save the document as PSD fi le (FilegtSave as)
Step 6In this step you need to make sure that you have chosen or made the right vectors to be used in the image you are creating As soon as you have it done drag into Photoshop and choose Smart object To do that highlight your Vector in Layers panel right click mouse button and from the drop down menu select Convert to smart object
distractions
11psd Photoshop
Step 7Now put your vectors in your fi le Choose the fi rst one and go to FiltergtDistortgtDisplace Use the settings shown below You have to do it for all the vector layers Choose the fi le you saved before in PSD format to complete the displace fi lter Next duplicate the face image as many times as the number of vectors you add to your fi le We need the original copy of the image you cut on top of any smart object you create Once you have the images on top of the vector layers you have to create Clipping masks Right-click on each copy of the image layer in the Layers palette and select Create Clipping Mask
07
08
09
Step 8Once you have done all the clipping masks you must give some layer properties to the vector lay-ers Click on fx below the Layers panel select drop shadow and use the settings below
Step 9You can modify the settings of each smart object layer just the way you want I hope you enjoy it
by Joseacute-Paulo Reis
interview
12 psd Photoshop
urge to create Also I was a lot into photography at that time but I didnrsquot have a camera After browsing a couple of websites with pho-tomanipulations I understood that itrsquos not necessary to have expen-sive equipment to create ndash and I decided to give it a try
Interview withNatalia Voloshyn
Tell our readers something about yourself How did your digital arts adventure started and why did you choose this professionIrsquove been a digital artist for three years now and my relationship with this form of art started rather traditionally ndash I was driven by a strong
Irsquom a 21 years old master student from a beautiful city of Lviv Ukraine Though my occupation (Irsquom a linguist) can hardly be called ldquoartyrdquo Irsquove been madly in love with Photoshop and photography for nearly 3 years Being an artist is an amazing feelingYou can find more of my works athttpvoloschka-photodeviantartcomhttpvoloschkadeviantartcom
interview with natalia voloshyn
13psd Photoshop
Where do you get the inspiration for your worksAnything can be an inspiration ndash music films books different kinds of art even random lines in the conversation I often build up an im-age of a future artwork in my imagination it can be my vision of a certain concept or feeling or just a fantasy scene But sometimes I just play around with images textures and brushes and something interesting comes along the way
Could you tell us a bit about the advantages and difficulties of your profession What do you find the most satisfying about it and what can be discouragingDigital art is very time consuming It might take up to 5 hours or even more to create a piece It is also quite tiring as it requires hours of concentration and sitting in front of a computer screen The most satisfying thing about being a digital artist is that nothing limits you
interview
14 psd Photoshop
ndash if you want to create a beautiful lady with huge butterfly wings or a dark dungeon with ghosts it is up to you Anything is possible Im-ages brushes and textures give you an opportunity to experiment as much as you want However digital art is technically difficult and requires a lot of practice which can be discouraging at times
Are there any works you are particularly proud of Any personal favourites Thatrsquos a tricky question I really like my latest pieces lsquoFreersquo lsquoPerfec-tionrsquo and lsquoCarried Awayrsquo but it would be wrong to call them favourite as all of my works mean a lot to me
interview with natalia voloshyn
15psd Photoshop
What are you currently working onIrsquom working on a piece portraying an imaginary being perhaps a girl lonely lost and rejected longing for warm human feelings but not being able to find them It is going to be a dreamy fantasy piece quite dark and atmospheric
What are your plans for future Are there any particular goals you would like to achieve I consider myself being a perfectionist so I try to improve my skills with every new piece I create I would like to move more in the direc-tion of digital painting learn some new techniques
Any advices to those who would like to become digital artists as wellThe first and the most important piece of advice ndash donrsquot stop Donrsquot give up even if things go totally wrong or are not as good as you ex-pected Be patient try to build up an image in your mind first or draw a sketch and then recreate it step by step If you feel that you lack knowledge browse for some tutorials they can be very helpful Im-prove your skills And remember - the sky is the limit
medium | 30 min
adobe photoshop CS3 | wacom tablet
forest fairy
17psd Photoshop
Step 1I made a sketch in Photoshop using Wacom tablet After I made a rough sketch I decided to add dif-ferent decorative details during the process of drawing
01
02
Step 2I drew the basis for the face body and dress on a new layer More details and highlights would be added later
Forest FairyI wanted to draw a beautiful fairy with long hair and bright green eyes running through the forest I decided to paint it in bright colors of yellow and orange The image needed to be magical
digital painting
18 psd Photoshop
Step 4At this point I began to refi ne the face and make up continuing from step 2 and adding more de-tails I focused on the looks and the eyes because I think itrsquos very important I painted some pinkish shades on the face added highlights and textured the lips After that I added eyelashes
04
05
Step 5In this step I drew the hair I decided that fairys hair would be long with a reddish-yellow hue First I drew the basis for hair using a dark color Then I painted waves of the hair lighter I used several colors to draw the hair (brown orange red and various shades of yellow) as it gives the effect of more volume To draw the hair I use a soft round brush In the brush settings I set ShapegtDynamicsgtFine hair fi ne hair and sized it to 2 px
03
Step 3I started to paint the basis for fairys hair I used a wide round soft brown brush and drew it on a new layer Then I began to paint more details of fairys body and of her dress by adding shadows and highlights
forest fairy
19psd Photoshop
Step 7When I fi nished the details on the girls body I drew a fl ower in her hand On a new layer with Opacity 50 I drew a light train I used a soft round brush with Opacity set to 30-50
07
08
Step 8I started to paint the background and used a soft large brush I made the left upper corner of the background lighter and the bottom of the back-ground - darker
06
Step 6I decided to make the dress more beautiful First I drew bright yellow patches on the dress and the folds I drew highlights with a soft round brush setting the Opacity to 40 I then painted gloss on her dress For this I used a brush size of 2-5 px Glitter (point brush) I drew it on multiple layers with varying transparency and used a bright yel-low and red brush The more points you paint the more the dress will shine On the brightest parts of the dress I put more points of bright color
digital painting
20 psd Photoshop
Step 10In this step I added decorative items and orna-ments I used a brush size of 2 px and yellow and brown colors to paint decorations (to look their best they need to be drawn very accurately)
10
11
Step 11I drew the falling leaves on 2 layers a front and a rear layer On the foreground I painted the leaves brighter To layer the leaves in the background I applied a Gaussian Blur
by Alena Lazareva
09
Step 9I then painted an abstract leaf in the right side of the background and applied the Gaussian Blur fi l-ter (FiltergtBlurgtGaussian Blur) Now using a soft brush with light yellow I added rays of the sun Af-ter that I again applied the Gaussian Blur
This tutorial will explain how to paint a realistic eye in Photoshop Eyes are by far one of the most important aspects of any painting especially if itrsquos a portrait Itrsquos also one of the most fun features to paint as painting an eye is much easier than one might think
How toPaint a Realistic Eye
medium | 30 min
adobe photoshop CS5
how to paint a realistic eye
23psd Photoshop
SketchBefore laying down a single brushstroke itrsquos important for me to create a rough sketch It doesnrsquot have to be perfect but we need to get our point across here This will only make things easier during the painting process Create a new layer and sketch in an eye
02
03
Laying down the Base ColorThis step is simple enough here we lay down the base color for the skin Simply use the Gradienttool here and fi ll the background layer with your color choice In general try not to go too light or too saturated here
Defi ning FormUsing the HSB Slider (WindowsgtColor) pick a darker more saturated color for the darker areas of the skin and paint it using a simple Hard Edged brush I also pick a lighter less saturated tone for the highlights of the skin I choose a color for the eye in this case a bright blue and paint that in as well
01
workshop
24 psd Photoshop
Bringing Life to the SkinThe values of the skin need some work here I choose an even brighter lighter color to defi ne the form of the skin I introduce the lighter tones according to the lighting here which is a standard front light I add the lighter tones to the tone the bridge of the nose near the eyebrow and around the eyelid to make things appear more realistic
04
05
06
Smoothing Out the SkinAt this point all my work was done using a standard Hard Edged brush which is great for defi ning form quickly To blend the skin and give it a more photo realistic look I now switch to a soft brush (Hardness at 0) and Opacity at 50 I blend all the sharp transitions until things appear much smoother Additionally I paint darker tones on the blue iris to give it more depth
Bringing More LifeAt this point I work a bit more on the skin tones adding some more saturated reddish tones on the area around the eye as well as the cheek I also add a more saturated blue to the eye as well I do this all with a soft airbrush at a fairly low opacity on a new layer then merge it down when Irsquom satisfi ed with how things are looking I also do some more detail work using a softer Hard Edgedbrush as well
how to paint a realistic eye
25psd Photoshop
DetailsIrsquom satisfi ed with how things are looking at this stage so I start working on the details Using a fairly small brush I begin to add some lsquobumpsrsquo around the eye to give it a more realistic looks I also create bumps around the eyebrow using a both a fairly light as well as dark color to help it pop for a realistic look I also add details in the iris using a lighter bluish color to really bring the image to life I work in at a very large zoom at this stage as well to make things easier and more accurate
07
08
09
Refi nementI go over everything with a Soft Edged brush at a low opacity for a more realistic look Additionally I bring out the details more using fairly small hard edged brushes I work on the eyebrow painting each strand in as well as the eyelashes
Color and Texture EnhancementThings are looking a bit too muddy for my taste so what I do here is create a new layer set to soft light and enhance the colors quite a bit I introduce much warmer tones around the eye to give it more life Finally I slightly overlay a leather photo texture to give the skin a slightly more realistic effect
by George Patsouras
In this tutorial I will explain how to paint realistic lips with Photoshop Before attempting to paint lips itrsquos essential that you practice drawing lips as well as the head in general to get the best results possible
How toPaint a Realistic Lips
medium | 30 min
adobe photoshop CS5
how to paint a realistic lips
27psd Photoshop
SketchI almost always start off with a sketch for my serious paintings and this one is no different I create a new layer and with a Hard Edged brush I quickly sketch in the lips Getting the lips to look right now just makes the painting process that much easier
02
03
Picking the right base colorPick a mid-tone for the skin one thatrsquos not too saturated or too light (a common mistake many artists make) To quickly fi ll in the canvas with a color I simply use the Gradient tool After itrsquos done I use a hard edged brush to paint in the red lips
Defi ning FormOnce I chose my base tone itrsquos time to defi ne the form of the skin The fi rst thing you must think of is where does the light come from In this case I decide to go for a fairly simple front light and shade accordingly Using a Hard Edged brush I use darker more saturated tones for the darker parts of the skin and a lighter less saturated tone for the highlights of the skin for a realistic effect Use a darker midtone for the lsquotoprsquo lip and bring out lighter tones for the bottom one (this works for most lighting situations)
01
workshop
28 psd Photoshop
Bringing out the HighlightsThings are still looking too fl at for me at this stage so I choose a much brighter midtone to bring out the form of the skin As always I simply use a hard edged brush at this step I bring out lighter tones on the lsquocornersrsquo of the lips the chin and on top of the lips
04
05
06
Smoothing out the SkinOnce Irsquom happy with my value statement I decide to soften everything out with a soft edged brush I choose Hardness 0 under my Brush Settingsand with a 50 Opacity I smoothen out the rough transitions
DetailsI start bringing texture to the lower lips using a fairly small Hard Edged brush I zoom closer here to make things easier and begin to paint the texture of the lips keeping the form in mind using a circular stroke Additionally I bring out a fairly harsh highlight at the top of the lips (the part that looks like a lsquoVrsquo) which gives the image a much more realistic feel
how to paint a realistic lips
29psd Photoshop
Even more detailsI bring more contrast to the image using lighter tones for the highlights and darker ones for shadows I introduce a fairly dark tone right underneath the lip above the chin for a realistic effect I also use a darker tone to separate the lsquobottomrsquo lip from the top giving the lips more depth in the process I also add a mole simply for the fun of it
07
08
Final Refi nementHere I add even more texture to the lips and use a very light almost white color on the bottom lips to bring more life and contrast to the image I clean the image out a bit in general and make sure everything appears as symmetrical as possible and voila Wersquore done
by George Patsouras
contributing writers
Editor in Chief Magdalena Mojska magdalenamojskapsdmagorg
Copy Editor Ed Werzyn Robert Coppa Art Director Agnieszka Marchocka
DTP Przemysław BanasiewiczSenior ConsultantPublisherPresident
Paweł Marciniak Managing Director Ewa Łozowicka
Marketing Director Magdalena Mojska magdalenamojskapsdmagorg
Production DirectorAndrzej Kuca andrzejkucapsdmagorg
Postal addressPublisher Software Press Spzoo SK
02-682 Warszawa ul Bokserska 1worldwide publishing wwwpsdmagorgen
All trade marks presented in the magazine were used only for informa-tive purposes All rights to trade marks presented in the magazine are
reserved by the companies which own themMathematical formulas created by Design Science MathTypetrade
The editors use automatic DTP systemEditorial contributions should be sent to
editorspsdmagorg Customer Service +1 917 338 3631
The Software Press Spzoo SK works individually from Adobe The psd Photoshop team reserves the right not to be responsible for the topical-ity correctness completeness or quality of the information provided by
contributors
Randy Monteith
I am self taught as an artist So any mistakes I have made are in-tentional All my ideas come from an over active imagination that is only put in check when I fi nish a piece of artwork and then the process begins again I have been working with Photoshop for al-most 7 years now I am lucky enough to have two images chosen for two of RedBubblersquos books GAIA and Compassion Courage and Friendship I have been interviewed in Photoshop Creative Maga-zine 14 and have images printed in Advanced Photoshop as well Recently in Issue 60 of Photoshop Creative Magazine the editors chose my portfolio on their webpage as one of the Top 5 rated portfolios I am not one to think outside the box but blow it to bits so stand back and watch me now
c o v e r a r t i s t
Alena Lazareva
My name is Alena I live in Russia I`m the digital artist and the illustrator My interests are art photography computer graph-ics I have been drawing since childhood I studied at the School of Art at the artist There I drew pictures in oils and watercolor is now engaged in graphic design During the last three years I have been enjoying working as a computer graphics artist I love to paint illustrations in the style of Fantasy mythical creatures fairies elves mermaids and angels and painting children fairy-tales I`m currently using Photoshop CS and tablet Wacom for of my artworks I hope you like my illustrationsWebsite wwwalenalazarevacome-mail alenkalazarevamailru
Armand Johnson
Irsquom a professional photographer and graphic designer from Northern Louisiana USA I have had the pleasure of working with celebrities non-profi t organizations and local talents within the Louisiana region Irsquove also provided public service to the area and worked with the local youth to teach them professionalism career goals and creative thinking I get a lot of my inspiration from what I observe which is everyday lifehttpwwwfl ickrcomphotosthearmandjohnsonhttpwwwtwittercomdajizzlehttpwwwcreatticacomcreativesthe-armand-john-son29390thearmandjohnsongmailcom
George Patsouras
George Patsouras is a freelance and concept artist residing from Long Island City NY His work can be seen in a variety of differ-ent projects including video games comic books as well as card games George specializes in depicting realistic fantasy images For more of his work be sure to check out his offi cial blog at httpcgaddictblogspotcom
Jose Paulo Reis
Irsquom a digital artist with 3 years of experience My passion is fashion photography creativity advertising photomanipula-tion and digital art Currently Irsquom working as a digital artist in Lalaland Studios (fashion photography) I love fashion and beauty photography and everything related with digital art Irsquom devoted to Photoshop and everyday Irsquom trying to improve my skillsEnjoy my works by visiting my blog wwwzepaulocreationblogspotcom
Naomi Bensen
Having been raised in a colorful environment of art music and creative learning it was only natural for me to gravitate towards photographymdasha medium that can catch a split second and make it last forever Behind the lens I have pursued my own unique style of photography that focuses on capturing natural and un-staged moments For me photography is more than taking a good picturemdashitrsquos about turning a moment into art Find me at httptheimaginationdeviantartcom
Ylenia Peronti
Irsquom 19 years old italian artist From 3 years I have a passion for photo retouch and generally for phtoshop so I started to practice retouch fi rst on what I call ldquoextreme makeoverrdquo as described in this tutorial and then devot himelf to studying professional photo retouching refi ning technical professional and actually retouch fashion shots Irsquom supermoderator in the Forum Graphics wwwgrafi cicreativicom and I manage especially the section of photoretouch you can fi nd me at the following links wwwyleniaperontiwordpresscom httpyleniucciadeviantartcom
interview
32 psd Photoshop
Interview withArmand Johnson
Please say a few words about yourselfI have a degree in Graphic Design and I really enjoy art all forms of it Whether that is music acting dancing painting photography etc I am intrigued by many different forms of art I DO like to play video games (when I have time but who doesnrsquot) and I DO consider video games as ART but thatrsquos a different subject Irsquom kind of laid back and very business like in my approach to most things
Why did you choose photo retouching and what do you find fascinating about itWhen I was in undergrad I collected plenty of music CDrsquos and DVDrsquos It always intrigued me how flawless and perfect looking the cover art was I thought to myself I want to reach that level of perfection in what I do But graduating with a BFA in Graphic Design kind of steered me away from that in some regards It wasnrsquot until about 5 years ago when my Aunt asked me to gather a couple of shots for some of my cousinrsquos promotional work that I begun to take retouch-ing very seriously After I took the shots I thought These images need to be presentable So I started to dabble with perfecting the images which pushed me into retouching By being a photographer retouching is essential to my workflow because I want my images to have that commercial professional appeal I want my work to look like it belongs in a magazine as a poster or on a billboard etc I find retouching fascinating because how one can push and perfect an image to hisher likings and to the clientrsquos likings as well Itrsquos a great feeling to boost someonersquos confidence by showing them the retouched image in comparison to the original It can help them gain or retain their ldquoswaggardquo
Irsquom a professional photographer and graphic designer from Northern Louisiana USA I have had the pleasure of working with celebrities non-profit organizations and local talents within the Louisiana region Irsquove also provided public service to the area and worked with the local youth to teach them professionalism career goals and creative thinking I get a lot of my inspiration from what I observe which is everyday life
See more of my works here
httpwwwflickrcomphotosthearmandjohnsonhttpwwwtwittercomdajizzlehttpwwwcreatticacomcreativesthe-armand-johnson29390
Contact me
thearmandjohnsongmailcom
interview with armand johnson
33psd Photoshop
Where do you look for the inspiration to createThere are several photographers and retouchers well known and not that inspire me with their work Joel Grimes and Dave Hill are probably the most prominent amongst the photographers I admire their approach to their craft and absolutely love their end result Other notable photographers are Dustin Snipes and Dallas J Logan As for retouchers I think Amy Dresser is amongst the best Her work is incredible Nick Saglimbeni is also Hersquos an awesome photographer and retoucher But that is just the list of people Nature and natural things are very inspiring because of their calming attributes Also
interview
34 psd Photoshop
there is a bevy of websites that are exceptionally useful for inspira-tion Abduzeedo is my favorite Being an artist you can get your in-spiration from anything and anywhere An idea can gravitate towards you at anytime
What are the main advantages of your profession and what can be discouraging about itAn advantage of being a retoucher is the payoff If yoursquore great at it you can eventually open up to a much larger clientele such as the entertainment (music movies etc) and fashion industries Once
interview with armand johnson
35psd Photoshop
yoursquore attached to some major clients your rep (credibility) increas-es for the better What can be discouraging is the journey to arrive at that stage There are many individuals proclaiming themselves pro-fessionals (whether photographers retouchers etc) that are hurt-ing the industry They are utterly confusing clients A random person with a camera is not a photographer and a random person with a copy of Photoshop is not retoucher A lot of lower level clients tend to desire commercial level work for pennies on the dollar Thatrsquos just not feasible Retouchers probably spend more time with an image than anyone else involved with the creative process They deserve to be compensated properly
Do you have any achievements that you are particularly proud ofYeah I just recently got a couple works approved on the major cre-ative website Creatticacom Also being featured in this magazine is very rewarding I look forward to achieving more goals and receiving more accolades Lifersquos a marathon not a sprint
What about your plans for the futureI plan on making my stamp within the industry as have the other successful digital artists Irsquoll always be refining and fine-tuning my craft to become more diverse I wonrsquot go into too much details cause I have a laundry list of things That could take all day ) But I will say this the pieces of the puzzle are beginning to fall into the right plac-es and I believe this interview and collaboration with PSD Photoshop magazine is a crucial step in this process
Do you have any advice to those who would like to become digital artists as wellBe artistic and approach things from a creative perspective I find many individuals wanting to be artists without being artistic or cre-ative Itrsquos a process not a fast food restaurant The creation of mas-terpieces and wonderful works of art takes careful planning time and effort There has to be a love for what you do Photoshop is only a tool which is used to create art It is not meant to replace it or the process of creating it
advanced | 45 min
adobe photoshop CS3
glamour retouch
37psd Photoshop
Blemish Removal and Skin SmoothingFirst open the RAW image and make a duplicate of the background layer by pressing [Ctrl]+[J] Name the bottom layer Retouch and the top layer Original This creates a quick toggle between the Before and After states This also allows you to monitor your progress and determine if you are making changes that have a negative effect on the results Turn off the top layer (Original) Nextcreate a new layer above the Retouch layer by pressing [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] Name this layer CleanUp With the Healing Brush [J] selected make sure Sam-ple All Layers is selected from the drop down menu and Aligned is checked Next use the Healing Brush as well as the Clone Stamp on the CleanUp layer to remove all the blemishes and imperfections The settings are 100 Opacity 100 with Sample All Layers and Alignedselected Once the skin is cleaned up create another layer above it [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] and name it Skin Select the Clone Stamp tool and use these settings 18-25 Opacity 100 Flow Sample All Layers and Aligned Use the Clone Stamp tool to even out the Highlight Shadowand Midtone areas giving the skin a very smooth fl awless appear-ance Lastly apply a little noise the layer Go to FiltergtNoisegtAdd Noise and set the amount to 25 - 50 and the distribution to Gauss-ian After initially cleaning and smoothing the skin group those layers together by holding down the [Shift] key and selecting both of them and [Ctrl]+[G] to group them Rename the group CleanUp
01
02Color BoostAbove the CleanUp group create a Curves Adjustment Layer and name it CB - Curves Use three points along the slope 255 255 0 0 and 148 112 within the RGB channel Then create a LevelsAdjustment Layer naming it CB - Levels Within the RGB chan-nel using these values 10 115 245 Group together these two Adjustment Layers and name the group Overall because it af-fects the overall image Then create a Curves Adjustment Layerabove the grouped layers and insert four points along the slope Keep the two default points 255255 and 0 0 Add two more 35 43 and 211 201 (or somewhere within that tonal range) also in the RGB channel Rename this layer Jewelry Select the Mask by clicking on it and fi ll the Mask with Black Use the Brush tool with the foreground color set to White and paint only over the jewelry Rename this layer Jewelry Create a fi nal Curves adjustment layer above the Jewelry layer and name it Hair Use settings very simi-lar to those on the Jewelry layer within the RGB channel Select the Mask fi ll it with Black and paint over the hair with a Whitebrush Group all of these Adjustment Layers together and name the group Color Boost
GlamourRetouchIn this tutorial I will show you how I performed a Glamour retouch on a photo of my beautiful friend Asia I photographed her against a black background for a dramatic and edgy effect as well as using various Photoshop tools to achieve that ldquoglamour lookrdquo that many magazines and print work use I will be using Photoshop CS3 but any higher version should work as well The tools I will be using are Adjustment Layers Filters and Blending Modes as well as the Clone Stamp Brush and Healing Brush tools
photo retouch
38 psd Photoshop
Highlight and ShadowCreate a new layer and name it FaceBody and set the Blending Mode to Soft Light Set the foreground color to White select the Brush tool with the settings Opacity 100 Flow 2 and paint over the naturally highlighted areas bring-ing out the highlights Then set the foreground color to Black using the same settings and paint over the naturally shadowed areas increasing the contrast in the image Add a Gaussian BlurFiltergtBlurgtGaussian Blur to the layer with a ra-dius setting of 15 ndash 30 Repeat these steps on a new layer named Hair with the Blending Mode set to Overlay Create another new layer named Jew-elry with the Blending Mode set to Overlay as well Once fi nished rearrange the layers so that they are in this order from top to bottom Hair FaceBody Jewelry Lastly group these layers together and name the group HLSH or HighlightShadow
04
05SharpenMake a new layer by combining all visible layers [Shift]+[Alt]+[Ctrl]+[E] This creates a new layer consisting of all the information from the bottom layers Make this a smart object by right ndash click-ing on the layer and selecting Convert to Smart Object This makes the layer a Smart Object allow-ing the use of Smart Filters Duplicate this layer and rename the copy HP 65 and the original layer Sharpen Turn off the HP 65 layer With the Sharp-en layer selected go to FiltergtSharpengtUnSharp Mask using these settings Amount 60 Radius2500 Threshold 10 With the Blending Mode set to Normal adjust the Opacity within the 30 - 40 range and the Fill within the 75 - 90 range Then turn on the HP 65 Layer and select it Set the Blending Mode to Overlay and go to FiltergtOthergtHigh Pass Set the Radius to 65 and the Opacity within the 65 - 75 range and the Fillwithin the 90 - 95 range Finally group these two layers together and name the group Sharpen
03
Color CorrectionCreate a new layer and name it Color CorrectionSet the Blending Mode to Color Set the Brush tool to a SoftFeather setting with the Hardness to 15 Set Black as the foreground color and paint over the lips Then use Gold as the foreground color and paint over the ldquoCoachrdquo text and the handle of the sunglasses changing them from Silver to GoldSelect various colors from the skin and paint over the discolorations in the skin Put the layer in its own group and name that group Color Correction
glamour retouch
39psd Photoshop
EffectsCreate a new layer and name it Sparkles With the Pen tool create a fi ve ndash point sparkle Once fi nished drawing the outline right ndash click and select Make Selection feathering the selection by 1 pixel Make sure the Anti-aliased box is checked and the New Selection option is selected Fill the selection with White Then make several copies (four should be enough) of this layer and move the various spar-kles to certain areas on the jewelry and sunglasses Resize those sparkles individually using transform [Ctrl]+[T] Once the sparkles are at sizes you are comfortable with click on the top most layer (Sparkles Copy 4) hold the shift key then the original Sparkles lay-er and merge them by pressing [Ctrl]+[E] Rename this layer Spar-kles Then add a layer style to the layer by double ndash clicking on it I selected Outer Glow In the options for the Outer Glow effect leave the default setting only changing the Size to 3 pixels Lastly place this layer into its own group and name that group Effects Switch the Original layer OnOff and enjoy the result
by Armand Johnson
07
06
Cool DownCreate a HueSaturation Adjustment Layer mak-ing sure it is set to the Master channel Set the Saturation to -100 This turns the image black and white Set the Blending Mode set to Normalthe Opacity within the 40 - 50 range and the Fill within the 70 - 90 range Select the Maskset the foreground color to 40 Gray and fi ll the mask Paint over only the jewelry and the colored sections of the hair This brings back some of the original color but not too much of it Finally group only this layer and name it Cool Down
How to change the eye color very quickly but efficiently
How to change
eye color
beginer | 10 min
adobe photoshop CS4
how to change eye color
41psd Photoshop
Step 1First open the photos select the pupil of the eye using the method you prefer (Polygonal lassoMagnetic lasso pen etc) I used the Magnetic lasso in this case Right click the mouse on the Selection and select New Layer via Copy Rename the layer eyes
02
03
Step 2Make sure that in the Layers palette is selected layer eyes and from the menu Image select HuegtSaturation adjustments When the window will be open move the Hues cursor until you fi nd the satisfying color If you want from the same HuegtSaturation window we can also modify the saturation and brightness to achieve different ef-fects Heres an example set the Hue value on 44You can also customize more the color using the color balance adjustment selected from the menu ImagegtAdjustmentsgtColor Balance and reduce the opacity of the layer eyes to adjust the effect
Step 3For a more aesthetic effect you can use the Dodge tool selected from the Tools palette Set Light to a 5-10 opacity (or an opacity that allows to achieve the desired effect) and use Dodge toolwithin the colored part of the eye Select Burn tool(also an Opacity of 5) set to Midtones and Burn-ing to defi ne better the outline of the eye
by Ylenia Peronti
42 psd Photoshop
interview
2 pas Photoshop
Tell us about your first steps in photographyMy dad is a really good photographer and he showed me how to use his Nikon film camera when I was young and how to de-
Interview withApril Elizabeth
Can you introduce yourself to our readersMy name is April Elizabeth I am a creative photographer from the small snowy town of Ishpeming in Upper Peninsula of Michigan
April Elizabeth is an internationally published photographer from Ishpeming Michigan Her photos have appeared in magazines on book covers and websites Her clients include Random house HarperCollins Publishing and The Portland Beanie Company
43psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
3psd Photoshop
velop the film I really enjoyed it but it was expensive and I was unable to really get into photography until digital cameras came along I started with a point and shoot camera and went from there
Why did you choose this professionI think it sort of chose me Irsquove always liked photography but I never in my life imagined myself going anywhere with it That all changed when I bought my first slr and asked a local model to do a photo
44 psd Photoshop
interview
4 pas Photoshop
shoot with me I was nervous because I had never done any-thing like that before and I wasnrsquot com-pletely sure how the camera worked but the pictures turned out great and soon more and more peo-ple wanted to work with me
Where do you get the inspiration for your worksIrsquove always been an introverted day-dreamer with an
overly active imagination When other people are liv-ing their life I am looking around and thinking of sto-ries Irsquove always wanted to be a writer but photography lets me tell stories with pic-tures and as long as I can tell a story I am happy
What do you like the most about being a photographer and what are the main difficulties for youIf I am not creating some-thing I feel frustrated I like that my job lets me cre-ate things while making people feel beautiful and good about themselves I enjoy taking pictures that have a fantasy quality to them so that people in the photos can be part of something a little magi-cal instead of ordinary and people who see the photos will feel inspired One of the main difficul-ties I have is my location the middle of nowhere in the Midwest Winter lasts around 7-8 months and itrsquos always very harsh and with a lot of snow I donrsquot have a studio or anyplace indoors thatI can go to so this means I only have a very short amount of time in the year that I can really do many photo shoots
45psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
5psd Photoshop
Do you have any personal achievements you are particularly proud ofIrsquom very proud that my photo Shy with over 35550 favs is one of the most popular photos ever to be up-loaded to the website deviantart Itrsquos unreal to me Irsquom also proud that two photos of mine have been licensed to be on book covers Growing up I never thought any-thing like that could ever happen to me Being in magazines such as this one is also very nice All of these things make me feel like Irsquove accomplished something in life and gives me confidence that I can do even more
What are your plans for futureIrsquod like to get a studio someday And Irsquod like to get into stock photogra-phy Irsquom also working on a gothic romance novel called Whispering Pines and a book of short scary stories I guess I plan on just creat-ing more and trying to improve in everything I do
What would you advice to the young photographersDonrsquot worry about what kind of cam-era or equipment you have Just fo-cus on what you have now and try to create something beautiful with it Itrsquos the photographer that makes the picture good not the camera
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many successful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quitting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many suc-cessful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quit-ting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
A photographerrsquos main goal is to take a photo that makes the viewer feel a strong emotion towards it whether it is love hate anger or passion But when a photo is excellently taken yet the colors lighting and texture dont match up to the photoers vision a photo will become uninspiring This tutorial will teach you how to take your photo to the next level and create an image that matches your vision
Makingthe Mood
making the mood
47psd Photoshop
Step 1The fi rst step in changing a photo is doing the ba-sics You have to prepare your photo before you can move to the fun stuff In this pickture I got rid of any noticeable blemishes the model had and g of noticeable hair that were going across her face to give more clear picture of the model I did this using the Patch and Clone Stamp tool When edit-ing a model make sure to always keep texture in the skin its more interesting that way as opposed to having a models face which is completely air-brushed
02
03
Step 2The next step I took was darkening the whole photo I knew that I wanted the photo to be much darker than it currently was I could have just used the Curves tool or Levels but I fi nd that when overusing the Curves tool a photo starts to look overly contrasted which I dont want So instead I used a light gradient (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtGradient Map) and changed the Blending mode from Normal to Multiply Doing this gives the photo a lot more depth but doesnt darken it completely
Step 3As soon as Ive got my basic photo ready I knew that the yellowish tinge was not the effect I was going for so I used both the Color Balance tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtColor Balance)and the Selective Color tool (LayergtNew Adjust-ment LayergtColor Balance)
01
photomanipulation
48 psd Photoshop
Step 4The next thing I noticed was that my models face was not highlighted enough it was getting lost in the midst of forest and darkness so I made two new layers One layer was for the models face and I simply used a soft Photoshop brush with 0 Hardness and drew over the models face and the snakes body I then changed both layers Blending Mode from Normal to Screen and applied a Box blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 543 pixels to both so they wouldnt be as noticeable Remember you just want hints of light just enough so the models face and the snake is highlighted
04
05
06
Step 5The fi fth step is more or less a repeat of a step number three I liked the way photo looked but it wasnt nearly as dramatic as it could be So now I fi nally decided to use the Curves tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtCurves) to darken and light certain areas making sure again not to overdo it but to give it enough contrast to really bring out the picture Next I made two new Selective Colorlayers (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtSelective Color) One Selective Colors layer changed the leaves and clothes but not the models face to a more dark blue tint while the second Selective Color layer brightened the snakes skin
Step 6The next thing I did was making another two lay-ers I still wanted to brighten only the snakes skin so for the fi rst layer I changed the Blending modefrom Normal to Soft Light and then used a brush with 0 Hardness and carefully painted over the snake It took a few variations before I found a color I liked Its helpful to remember to also look at the whole picture In the next layer I created I simply wanted to add a little more color to the shrubbery in the background so I made another layer and again changed the blending mode from Normal to Soft Light I used a soft brush with 0 Hardness and a maroon and yellow color just to add a little variation from my usual palette of blue I then added it all along the bushes and used the Box Blur tool at 483 pixels also changing the Blending mode from Normal to Screen to make it less obvious
making the mood
49psd Photoshop
Step 7The fi nal step I took to fi nish setting the mood for my photo was adding a texture and chang-ing the Blending Mode from Normal to Soft LightI found that the texture was to overpowering at 100 Opacity so I lowered it to 77 I next added my fi nal layer and created a vignette around my photo by using a brush with a Hardness of 100 and then brushed it around the outer edges of the photo particularly around the four corners I then applied a Box Blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 693 pixels to the layer creating a nice dark blurred ef-fect
by Naomi Bensen
07
distractions
11psd Photoshop
Step 7Now put your vectors in your fi le Choose the fi rst one and go to FiltergtDistortgtDisplace Use the settings shown below You have to do it for all the vector layers Choose the fi le you saved before in PSD format to complete the displace fi lter Next duplicate the face image as many times as the number of vectors you add to your fi le We need the original copy of the image you cut on top of any smart object you create Once you have the images on top of the vector layers you have to create Clipping masks Right-click on each copy of the image layer in the Layers palette and select Create Clipping Mask
07
08
09
Step 8Once you have done all the clipping masks you must give some layer properties to the vector lay-ers Click on fx below the Layers panel select drop shadow and use the settings below
Step 9You can modify the settings of each smart object layer just the way you want I hope you enjoy it
by Joseacute-Paulo Reis
interview
12 psd Photoshop
urge to create Also I was a lot into photography at that time but I didnrsquot have a camera After browsing a couple of websites with pho-tomanipulations I understood that itrsquos not necessary to have expen-sive equipment to create ndash and I decided to give it a try
Interview withNatalia Voloshyn
Tell our readers something about yourself How did your digital arts adventure started and why did you choose this professionIrsquove been a digital artist for three years now and my relationship with this form of art started rather traditionally ndash I was driven by a strong
Irsquom a 21 years old master student from a beautiful city of Lviv Ukraine Though my occupation (Irsquom a linguist) can hardly be called ldquoartyrdquo Irsquove been madly in love with Photoshop and photography for nearly 3 years Being an artist is an amazing feelingYou can find more of my works athttpvoloschka-photodeviantartcomhttpvoloschkadeviantartcom
interview with natalia voloshyn
13psd Photoshop
Where do you get the inspiration for your worksAnything can be an inspiration ndash music films books different kinds of art even random lines in the conversation I often build up an im-age of a future artwork in my imagination it can be my vision of a certain concept or feeling or just a fantasy scene But sometimes I just play around with images textures and brushes and something interesting comes along the way
Could you tell us a bit about the advantages and difficulties of your profession What do you find the most satisfying about it and what can be discouragingDigital art is very time consuming It might take up to 5 hours or even more to create a piece It is also quite tiring as it requires hours of concentration and sitting in front of a computer screen The most satisfying thing about being a digital artist is that nothing limits you
interview
14 psd Photoshop
ndash if you want to create a beautiful lady with huge butterfly wings or a dark dungeon with ghosts it is up to you Anything is possible Im-ages brushes and textures give you an opportunity to experiment as much as you want However digital art is technically difficult and requires a lot of practice which can be discouraging at times
Are there any works you are particularly proud of Any personal favourites Thatrsquos a tricky question I really like my latest pieces lsquoFreersquo lsquoPerfec-tionrsquo and lsquoCarried Awayrsquo but it would be wrong to call them favourite as all of my works mean a lot to me
interview with natalia voloshyn
15psd Photoshop
What are you currently working onIrsquom working on a piece portraying an imaginary being perhaps a girl lonely lost and rejected longing for warm human feelings but not being able to find them It is going to be a dreamy fantasy piece quite dark and atmospheric
What are your plans for future Are there any particular goals you would like to achieve I consider myself being a perfectionist so I try to improve my skills with every new piece I create I would like to move more in the direc-tion of digital painting learn some new techniques
Any advices to those who would like to become digital artists as wellThe first and the most important piece of advice ndash donrsquot stop Donrsquot give up even if things go totally wrong or are not as good as you ex-pected Be patient try to build up an image in your mind first or draw a sketch and then recreate it step by step If you feel that you lack knowledge browse for some tutorials they can be very helpful Im-prove your skills And remember - the sky is the limit
medium | 30 min
adobe photoshop CS3 | wacom tablet
forest fairy
17psd Photoshop
Step 1I made a sketch in Photoshop using Wacom tablet After I made a rough sketch I decided to add dif-ferent decorative details during the process of drawing
01
02
Step 2I drew the basis for the face body and dress on a new layer More details and highlights would be added later
Forest FairyI wanted to draw a beautiful fairy with long hair and bright green eyes running through the forest I decided to paint it in bright colors of yellow and orange The image needed to be magical
digital painting
18 psd Photoshop
Step 4At this point I began to refi ne the face and make up continuing from step 2 and adding more de-tails I focused on the looks and the eyes because I think itrsquos very important I painted some pinkish shades on the face added highlights and textured the lips After that I added eyelashes
04
05
Step 5In this step I drew the hair I decided that fairys hair would be long with a reddish-yellow hue First I drew the basis for hair using a dark color Then I painted waves of the hair lighter I used several colors to draw the hair (brown orange red and various shades of yellow) as it gives the effect of more volume To draw the hair I use a soft round brush In the brush settings I set ShapegtDynamicsgtFine hair fi ne hair and sized it to 2 px
03
Step 3I started to paint the basis for fairys hair I used a wide round soft brown brush and drew it on a new layer Then I began to paint more details of fairys body and of her dress by adding shadows and highlights
forest fairy
19psd Photoshop
Step 7When I fi nished the details on the girls body I drew a fl ower in her hand On a new layer with Opacity 50 I drew a light train I used a soft round brush with Opacity set to 30-50
07
08
Step 8I started to paint the background and used a soft large brush I made the left upper corner of the background lighter and the bottom of the back-ground - darker
06
Step 6I decided to make the dress more beautiful First I drew bright yellow patches on the dress and the folds I drew highlights with a soft round brush setting the Opacity to 40 I then painted gloss on her dress For this I used a brush size of 2-5 px Glitter (point brush) I drew it on multiple layers with varying transparency and used a bright yel-low and red brush The more points you paint the more the dress will shine On the brightest parts of the dress I put more points of bright color
digital painting
20 psd Photoshop
Step 10In this step I added decorative items and orna-ments I used a brush size of 2 px and yellow and brown colors to paint decorations (to look their best they need to be drawn very accurately)
10
11
Step 11I drew the falling leaves on 2 layers a front and a rear layer On the foreground I painted the leaves brighter To layer the leaves in the background I applied a Gaussian Blur
by Alena Lazareva
09
Step 9I then painted an abstract leaf in the right side of the background and applied the Gaussian Blur fi l-ter (FiltergtBlurgtGaussian Blur) Now using a soft brush with light yellow I added rays of the sun Af-ter that I again applied the Gaussian Blur
This tutorial will explain how to paint a realistic eye in Photoshop Eyes are by far one of the most important aspects of any painting especially if itrsquos a portrait Itrsquos also one of the most fun features to paint as painting an eye is much easier than one might think
How toPaint a Realistic Eye
medium | 30 min
adobe photoshop CS5
how to paint a realistic eye
23psd Photoshop
SketchBefore laying down a single brushstroke itrsquos important for me to create a rough sketch It doesnrsquot have to be perfect but we need to get our point across here This will only make things easier during the painting process Create a new layer and sketch in an eye
02
03
Laying down the Base ColorThis step is simple enough here we lay down the base color for the skin Simply use the Gradienttool here and fi ll the background layer with your color choice In general try not to go too light or too saturated here
Defi ning FormUsing the HSB Slider (WindowsgtColor) pick a darker more saturated color for the darker areas of the skin and paint it using a simple Hard Edged brush I also pick a lighter less saturated tone for the highlights of the skin I choose a color for the eye in this case a bright blue and paint that in as well
01
workshop
24 psd Photoshop
Bringing Life to the SkinThe values of the skin need some work here I choose an even brighter lighter color to defi ne the form of the skin I introduce the lighter tones according to the lighting here which is a standard front light I add the lighter tones to the tone the bridge of the nose near the eyebrow and around the eyelid to make things appear more realistic
04
05
06
Smoothing Out the SkinAt this point all my work was done using a standard Hard Edged brush which is great for defi ning form quickly To blend the skin and give it a more photo realistic look I now switch to a soft brush (Hardness at 0) and Opacity at 50 I blend all the sharp transitions until things appear much smoother Additionally I paint darker tones on the blue iris to give it more depth
Bringing More LifeAt this point I work a bit more on the skin tones adding some more saturated reddish tones on the area around the eye as well as the cheek I also add a more saturated blue to the eye as well I do this all with a soft airbrush at a fairly low opacity on a new layer then merge it down when Irsquom satisfi ed with how things are looking I also do some more detail work using a softer Hard Edgedbrush as well
how to paint a realistic eye
25psd Photoshop
DetailsIrsquom satisfi ed with how things are looking at this stage so I start working on the details Using a fairly small brush I begin to add some lsquobumpsrsquo around the eye to give it a more realistic looks I also create bumps around the eyebrow using a both a fairly light as well as dark color to help it pop for a realistic look I also add details in the iris using a lighter bluish color to really bring the image to life I work in at a very large zoom at this stage as well to make things easier and more accurate
07
08
09
Refi nementI go over everything with a Soft Edged brush at a low opacity for a more realistic look Additionally I bring out the details more using fairly small hard edged brushes I work on the eyebrow painting each strand in as well as the eyelashes
Color and Texture EnhancementThings are looking a bit too muddy for my taste so what I do here is create a new layer set to soft light and enhance the colors quite a bit I introduce much warmer tones around the eye to give it more life Finally I slightly overlay a leather photo texture to give the skin a slightly more realistic effect
by George Patsouras
In this tutorial I will explain how to paint realistic lips with Photoshop Before attempting to paint lips itrsquos essential that you practice drawing lips as well as the head in general to get the best results possible
How toPaint a Realistic Lips
medium | 30 min
adobe photoshop CS5
how to paint a realistic lips
27psd Photoshop
SketchI almost always start off with a sketch for my serious paintings and this one is no different I create a new layer and with a Hard Edged brush I quickly sketch in the lips Getting the lips to look right now just makes the painting process that much easier
02
03
Picking the right base colorPick a mid-tone for the skin one thatrsquos not too saturated or too light (a common mistake many artists make) To quickly fi ll in the canvas with a color I simply use the Gradient tool After itrsquos done I use a hard edged brush to paint in the red lips
Defi ning FormOnce I chose my base tone itrsquos time to defi ne the form of the skin The fi rst thing you must think of is where does the light come from In this case I decide to go for a fairly simple front light and shade accordingly Using a Hard Edged brush I use darker more saturated tones for the darker parts of the skin and a lighter less saturated tone for the highlights of the skin for a realistic effect Use a darker midtone for the lsquotoprsquo lip and bring out lighter tones for the bottom one (this works for most lighting situations)
01
workshop
28 psd Photoshop
Bringing out the HighlightsThings are still looking too fl at for me at this stage so I choose a much brighter midtone to bring out the form of the skin As always I simply use a hard edged brush at this step I bring out lighter tones on the lsquocornersrsquo of the lips the chin and on top of the lips
04
05
06
Smoothing out the SkinOnce Irsquom happy with my value statement I decide to soften everything out with a soft edged brush I choose Hardness 0 under my Brush Settingsand with a 50 Opacity I smoothen out the rough transitions
DetailsI start bringing texture to the lower lips using a fairly small Hard Edged brush I zoom closer here to make things easier and begin to paint the texture of the lips keeping the form in mind using a circular stroke Additionally I bring out a fairly harsh highlight at the top of the lips (the part that looks like a lsquoVrsquo) which gives the image a much more realistic feel
how to paint a realistic lips
29psd Photoshop
Even more detailsI bring more contrast to the image using lighter tones for the highlights and darker ones for shadows I introduce a fairly dark tone right underneath the lip above the chin for a realistic effect I also use a darker tone to separate the lsquobottomrsquo lip from the top giving the lips more depth in the process I also add a mole simply for the fun of it
07
08
Final Refi nementHere I add even more texture to the lips and use a very light almost white color on the bottom lips to bring more life and contrast to the image I clean the image out a bit in general and make sure everything appears as symmetrical as possible and voila Wersquore done
by George Patsouras
contributing writers
Editor in Chief Magdalena Mojska magdalenamojskapsdmagorg
Copy Editor Ed Werzyn Robert Coppa Art Director Agnieszka Marchocka
DTP Przemysław BanasiewiczSenior ConsultantPublisherPresident
Paweł Marciniak Managing Director Ewa Łozowicka
Marketing Director Magdalena Mojska magdalenamojskapsdmagorg
Production DirectorAndrzej Kuca andrzejkucapsdmagorg
Postal addressPublisher Software Press Spzoo SK
02-682 Warszawa ul Bokserska 1worldwide publishing wwwpsdmagorgen
All trade marks presented in the magazine were used only for informa-tive purposes All rights to trade marks presented in the magazine are
reserved by the companies which own themMathematical formulas created by Design Science MathTypetrade
The editors use automatic DTP systemEditorial contributions should be sent to
editorspsdmagorg Customer Service +1 917 338 3631
The Software Press Spzoo SK works individually from Adobe The psd Photoshop team reserves the right not to be responsible for the topical-ity correctness completeness or quality of the information provided by
contributors
Randy Monteith
I am self taught as an artist So any mistakes I have made are in-tentional All my ideas come from an over active imagination that is only put in check when I fi nish a piece of artwork and then the process begins again I have been working with Photoshop for al-most 7 years now I am lucky enough to have two images chosen for two of RedBubblersquos books GAIA and Compassion Courage and Friendship I have been interviewed in Photoshop Creative Maga-zine 14 and have images printed in Advanced Photoshop as well Recently in Issue 60 of Photoshop Creative Magazine the editors chose my portfolio on their webpage as one of the Top 5 rated portfolios I am not one to think outside the box but blow it to bits so stand back and watch me now
c o v e r a r t i s t
Alena Lazareva
My name is Alena I live in Russia I`m the digital artist and the illustrator My interests are art photography computer graph-ics I have been drawing since childhood I studied at the School of Art at the artist There I drew pictures in oils and watercolor is now engaged in graphic design During the last three years I have been enjoying working as a computer graphics artist I love to paint illustrations in the style of Fantasy mythical creatures fairies elves mermaids and angels and painting children fairy-tales I`m currently using Photoshop CS and tablet Wacom for of my artworks I hope you like my illustrationsWebsite wwwalenalazarevacome-mail alenkalazarevamailru
Armand Johnson
Irsquom a professional photographer and graphic designer from Northern Louisiana USA I have had the pleasure of working with celebrities non-profi t organizations and local talents within the Louisiana region Irsquove also provided public service to the area and worked with the local youth to teach them professionalism career goals and creative thinking I get a lot of my inspiration from what I observe which is everyday lifehttpwwwfl ickrcomphotosthearmandjohnsonhttpwwwtwittercomdajizzlehttpwwwcreatticacomcreativesthe-armand-john-son29390thearmandjohnsongmailcom
George Patsouras
George Patsouras is a freelance and concept artist residing from Long Island City NY His work can be seen in a variety of differ-ent projects including video games comic books as well as card games George specializes in depicting realistic fantasy images For more of his work be sure to check out his offi cial blog at httpcgaddictblogspotcom
Jose Paulo Reis
Irsquom a digital artist with 3 years of experience My passion is fashion photography creativity advertising photomanipula-tion and digital art Currently Irsquom working as a digital artist in Lalaland Studios (fashion photography) I love fashion and beauty photography and everything related with digital art Irsquom devoted to Photoshop and everyday Irsquom trying to improve my skillsEnjoy my works by visiting my blog wwwzepaulocreationblogspotcom
Naomi Bensen
Having been raised in a colorful environment of art music and creative learning it was only natural for me to gravitate towards photographymdasha medium that can catch a split second and make it last forever Behind the lens I have pursued my own unique style of photography that focuses on capturing natural and un-staged moments For me photography is more than taking a good picturemdashitrsquos about turning a moment into art Find me at httptheimaginationdeviantartcom
Ylenia Peronti
Irsquom 19 years old italian artist From 3 years I have a passion for photo retouch and generally for phtoshop so I started to practice retouch fi rst on what I call ldquoextreme makeoverrdquo as described in this tutorial and then devot himelf to studying professional photo retouching refi ning technical professional and actually retouch fashion shots Irsquom supermoderator in the Forum Graphics wwwgrafi cicreativicom and I manage especially the section of photoretouch you can fi nd me at the following links wwwyleniaperontiwordpresscom httpyleniucciadeviantartcom
interview
32 psd Photoshop
Interview withArmand Johnson
Please say a few words about yourselfI have a degree in Graphic Design and I really enjoy art all forms of it Whether that is music acting dancing painting photography etc I am intrigued by many different forms of art I DO like to play video games (when I have time but who doesnrsquot) and I DO consider video games as ART but thatrsquos a different subject Irsquom kind of laid back and very business like in my approach to most things
Why did you choose photo retouching and what do you find fascinating about itWhen I was in undergrad I collected plenty of music CDrsquos and DVDrsquos It always intrigued me how flawless and perfect looking the cover art was I thought to myself I want to reach that level of perfection in what I do But graduating with a BFA in Graphic Design kind of steered me away from that in some regards It wasnrsquot until about 5 years ago when my Aunt asked me to gather a couple of shots for some of my cousinrsquos promotional work that I begun to take retouch-ing very seriously After I took the shots I thought These images need to be presentable So I started to dabble with perfecting the images which pushed me into retouching By being a photographer retouching is essential to my workflow because I want my images to have that commercial professional appeal I want my work to look like it belongs in a magazine as a poster or on a billboard etc I find retouching fascinating because how one can push and perfect an image to hisher likings and to the clientrsquos likings as well Itrsquos a great feeling to boost someonersquos confidence by showing them the retouched image in comparison to the original It can help them gain or retain their ldquoswaggardquo
Irsquom a professional photographer and graphic designer from Northern Louisiana USA I have had the pleasure of working with celebrities non-profit organizations and local talents within the Louisiana region Irsquove also provided public service to the area and worked with the local youth to teach them professionalism career goals and creative thinking I get a lot of my inspiration from what I observe which is everyday life
See more of my works here
httpwwwflickrcomphotosthearmandjohnsonhttpwwwtwittercomdajizzlehttpwwwcreatticacomcreativesthe-armand-johnson29390
Contact me
thearmandjohnsongmailcom
interview with armand johnson
33psd Photoshop
Where do you look for the inspiration to createThere are several photographers and retouchers well known and not that inspire me with their work Joel Grimes and Dave Hill are probably the most prominent amongst the photographers I admire their approach to their craft and absolutely love their end result Other notable photographers are Dustin Snipes and Dallas J Logan As for retouchers I think Amy Dresser is amongst the best Her work is incredible Nick Saglimbeni is also Hersquos an awesome photographer and retoucher But that is just the list of people Nature and natural things are very inspiring because of their calming attributes Also
interview
34 psd Photoshop
there is a bevy of websites that are exceptionally useful for inspira-tion Abduzeedo is my favorite Being an artist you can get your in-spiration from anything and anywhere An idea can gravitate towards you at anytime
What are the main advantages of your profession and what can be discouraging about itAn advantage of being a retoucher is the payoff If yoursquore great at it you can eventually open up to a much larger clientele such as the entertainment (music movies etc) and fashion industries Once
interview with armand johnson
35psd Photoshop
yoursquore attached to some major clients your rep (credibility) increas-es for the better What can be discouraging is the journey to arrive at that stage There are many individuals proclaiming themselves pro-fessionals (whether photographers retouchers etc) that are hurt-ing the industry They are utterly confusing clients A random person with a camera is not a photographer and a random person with a copy of Photoshop is not retoucher A lot of lower level clients tend to desire commercial level work for pennies on the dollar Thatrsquos just not feasible Retouchers probably spend more time with an image than anyone else involved with the creative process They deserve to be compensated properly
Do you have any achievements that you are particularly proud ofYeah I just recently got a couple works approved on the major cre-ative website Creatticacom Also being featured in this magazine is very rewarding I look forward to achieving more goals and receiving more accolades Lifersquos a marathon not a sprint
What about your plans for the futureI plan on making my stamp within the industry as have the other successful digital artists Irsquoll always be refining and fine-tuning my craft to become more diverse I wonrsquot go into too much details cause I have a laundry list of things That could take all day ) But I will say this the pieces of the puzzle are beginning to fall into the right plac-es and I believe this interview and collaboration with PSD Photoshop magazine is a crucial step in this process
Do you have any advice to those who would like to become digital artists as wellBe artistic and approach things from a creative perspective I find many individuals wanting to be artists without being artistic or cre-ative Itrsquos a process not a fast food restaurant The creation of mas-terpieces and wonderful works of art takes careful planning time and effort There has to be a love for what you do Photoshop is only a tool which is used to create art It is not meant to replace it or the process of creating it
advanced | 45 min
adobe photoshop CS3
glamour retouch
37psd Photoshop
Blemish Removal and Skin SmoothingFirst open the RAW image and make a duplicate of the background layer by pressing [Ctrl]+[J] Name the bottom layer Retouch and the top layer Original This creates a quick toggle between the Before and After states This also allows you to monitor your progress and determine if you are making changes that have a negative effect on the results Turn off the top layer (Original) Nextcreate a new layer above the Retouch layer by pressing [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] Name this layer CleanUp With the Healing Brush [J] selected make sure Sam-ple All Layers is selected from the drop down menu and Aligned is checked Next use the Healing Brush as well as the Clone Stamp on the CleanUp layer to remove all the blemishes and imperfections The settings are 100 Opacity 100 with Sample All Layers and Alignedselected Once the skin is cleaned up create another layer above it [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] and name it Skin Select the Clone Stamp tool and use these settings 18-25 Opacity 100 Flow Sample All Layers and Aligned Use the Clone Stamp tool to even out the Highlight Shadowand Midtone areas giving the skin a very smooth fl awless appear-ance Lastly apply a little noise the layer Go to FiltergtNoisegtAdd Noise and set the amount to 25 - 50 and the distribution to Gauss-ian After initially cleaning and smoothing the skin group those layers together by holding down the [Shift] key and selecting both of them and [Ctrl]+[G] to group them Rename the group CleanUp
01
02Color BoostAbove the CleanUp group create a Curves Adjustment Layer and name it CB - Curves Use three points along the slope 255 255 0 0 and 148 112 within the RGB channel Then create a LevelsAdjustment Layer naming it CB - Levels Within the RGB chan-nel using these values 10 115 245 Group together these two Adjustment Layers and name the group Overall because it af-fects the overall image Then create a Curves Adjustment Layerabove the grouped layers and insert four points along the slope Keep the two default points 255255 and 0 0 Add two more 35 43 and 211 201 (or somewhere within that tonal range) also in the RGB channel Rename this layer Jewelry Select the Mask by clicking on it and fi ll the Mask with Black Use the Brush tool with the foreground color set to White and paint only over the jewelry Rename this layer Jewelry Create a fi nal Curves adjustment layer above the Jewelry layer and name it Hair Use settings very simi-lar to those on the Jewelry layer within the RGB channel Select the Mask fi ll it with Black and paint over the hair with a Whitebrush Group all of these Adjustment Layers together and name the group Color Boost
GlamourRetouchIn this tutorial I will show you how I performed a Glamour retouch on a photo of my beautiful friend Asia I photographed her against a black background for a dramatic and edgy effect as well as using various Photoshop tools to achieve that ldquoglamour lookrdquo that many magazines and print work use I will be using Photoshop CS3 but any higher version should work as well The tools I will be using are Adjustment Layers Filters and Blending Modes as well as the Clone Stamp Brush and Healing Brush tools
photo retouch
38 psd Photoshop
Highlight and ShadowCreate a new layer and name it FaceBody and set the Blending Mode to Soft Light Set the foreground color to White select the Brush tool with the settings Opacity 100 Flow 2 and paint over the naturally highlighted areas bring-ing out the highlights Then set the foreground color to Black using the same settings and paint over the naturally shadowed areas increasing the contrast in the image Add a Gaussian BlurFiltergtBlurgtGaussian Blur to the layer with a ra-dius setting of 15 ndash 30 Repeat these steps on a new layer named Hair with the Blending Mode set to Overlay Create another new layer named Jew-elry with the Blending Mode set to Overlay as well Once fi nished rearrange the layers so that they are in this order from top to bottom Hair FaceBody Jewelry Lastly group these layers together and name the group HLSH or HighlightShadow
04
05SharpenMake a new layer by combining all visible layers [Shift]+[Alt]+[Ctrl]+[E] This creates a new layer consisting of all the information from the bottom layers Make this a smart object by right ndash click-ing on the layer and selecting Convert to Smart Object This makes the layer a Smart Object allow-ing the use of Smart Filters Duplicate this layer and rename the copy HP 65 and the original layer Sharpen Turn off the HP 65 layer With the Sharp-en layer selected go to FiltergtSharpengtUnSharp Mask using these settings Amount 60 Radius2500 Threshold 10 With the Blending Mode set to Normal adjust the Opacity within the 30 - 40 range and the Fill within the 75 - 90 range Then turn on the HP 65 Layer and select it Set the Blending Mode to Overlay and go to FiltergtOthergtHigh Pass Set the Radius to 65 and the Opacity within the 65 - 75 range and the Fillwithin the 90 - 95 range Finally group these two layers together and name the group Sharpen
03
Color CorrectionCreate a new layer and name it Color CorrectionSet the Blending Mode to Color Set the Brush tool to a SoftFeather setting with the Hardness to 15 Set Black as the foreground color and paint over the lips Then use Gold as the foreground color and paint over the ldquoCoachrdquo text and the handle of the sunglasses changing them from Silver to GoldSelect various colors from the skin and paint over the discolorations in the skin Put the layer in its own group and name that group Color Correction
glamour retouch
39psd Photoshop
EffectsCreate a new layer and name it Sparkles With the Pen tool create a fi ve ndash point sparkle Once fi nished drawing the outline right ndash click and select Make Selection feathering the selection by 1 pixel Make sure the Anti-aliased box is checked and the New Selection option is selected Fill the selection with White Then make several copies (four should be enough) of this layer and move the various spar-kles to certain areas on the jewelry and sunglasses Resize those sparkles individually using transform [Ctrl]+[T] Once the sparkles are at sizes you are comfortable with click on the top most layer (Sparkles Copy 4) hold the shift key then the original Sparkles lay-er and merge them by pressing [Ctrl]+[E] Rename this layer Spar-kles Then add a layer style to the layer by double ndash clicking on it I selected Outer Glow In the options for the Outer Glow effect leave the default setting only changing the Size to 3 pixels Lastly place this layer into its own group and name that group Effects Switch the Original layer OnOff and enjoy the result
by Armand Johnson
07
06
Cool DownCreate a HueSaturation Adjustment Layer mak-ing sure it is set to the Master channel Set the Saturation to -100 This turns the image black and white Set the Blending Mode set to Normalthe Opacity within the 40 - 50 range and the Fill within the 70 - 90 range Select the Maskset the foreground color to 40 Gray and fi ll the mask Paint over only the jewelry and the colored sections of the hair This brings back some of the original color but not too much of it Finally group only this layer and name it Cool Down
How to change the eye color very quickly but efficiently
How to change
eye color
beginer | 10 min
adobe photoshop CS4
how to change eye color
41psd Photoshop
Step 1First open the photos select the pupil of the eye using the method you prefer (Polygonal lassoMagnetic lasso pen etc) I used the Magnetic lasso in this case Right click the mouse on the Selection and select New Layer via Copy Rename the layer eyes
02
03
Step 2Make sure that in the Layers palette is selected layer eyes and from the menu Image select HuegtSaturation adjustments When the window will be open move the Hues cursor until you fi nd the satisfying color If you want from the same HuegtSaturation window we can also modify the saturation and brightness to achieve different ef-fects Heres an example set the Hue value on 44You can also customize more the color using the color balance adjustment selected from the menu ImagegtAdjustmentsgtColor Balance and reduce the opacity of the layer eyes to adjust the effect
Step 3For a more aesthetic effect you can use the Dodge tool selected from the Tools palette Set Light to a 5-10 opacity (or an opacity that allows to achieve the desired effect) and use Dodge toolwithin the colored part of the eye Select Burn tool(also an Opacity of 5) set to Midtones and Burn-ing to defi ne better the outline of the eye
by Ylenia Peronti
42 psd Photoshop
interview
2 pas Photoshop
Tell us about your first steps in photographyMy dad is a really good photographer and he showed me how to use his Nikon film camera when I was young and how to de-
Interview withApril Elizabeth
Can you introduce yourself to our readersMy name is April Elizabeth I am a creative photographer from the small snowy town of Ishpeming in Upper Peninsula of Michigan
April Elizabeth is an internationally published photographer from Ishpeming Michigan Her photos have appeared in magazines on book covers and websites Her clients include Random house HarperCollins Publishing and The Portland Beanie Company
43psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
3psd Photoshop
velop the film I really enjoyed it but it was expensive and I was unable to really get into photography until digital cameras came along I started with a point and shoot camera and went from there
Why did you choose this professionI think it sort of chose me Irsquove always liked photography but I never in my life imagined myself going anywhere with it That all changed when I bought my first slr and asked a local model to do a photo
44 psd Photoshop
interview
4 pas Photoshop
shoot with me I was nervous because I had never done any-thing like that before and I wasnrsquot com-pletely sure how the camera worked but the pictures turned out great and soon more and more peo-ple wanted to work with me
Where do you get the inspiration for your worksIrsquove always been an introverted day-dreamer with an
overly active imagination When other people are liv-ing their life I am looking around and thinking of sto-ries Irsquove always wanted to be a writer but photography lets me tell stories with pic-tures and as long as I can tell a story I am happy
What do you like the most about being a photographer and what are the main difficulties for youIf I am not creating some-thing I feel frustrated I like that my job lets me cre-ate things while making people feel beautiful and good about themselves I enjoy taking pictures that have a fantasy quality to them so that people in the photos can be part of something a little magi-cal instead of ordinary and people who see the photos will feel inspired One of the main difficul-ties I have is my location the middle of nowhere in the Midwest Winter lasts around 7-8 months and itrsquos always very harsh and with a lot of snow I donrsquot have a studio or anyplace indoors thatI can go to so this means I only have a very short amount of time in the year that I can really do many photo shoots
45psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
5psd Photoshop
Do you have any personal achievements you are particularly proud ofIrsquom very proud that my photo Shy with over 35550 favs is one of the most popular photos ever to be up-loaded to the website deviantart Itrsquos unreal to me Irsquom also proud that two photos of mine have been licensed to be on book covers Growing up I never thought any-thing like that could ever happen to me Being in magazines such as this one is also very nice All of these things make me feel like Irsquove accomplished something in life and gives me confidence that I can do even more
What are your plans for futureIrsquod like to get a studio someday And Irsquod like to get into stock photogra-phy Irsquom also working on a gothic romance novel called Whispering Pines and a book of short scary stories I guess I plan on just creat-ing more and trying to improve in everything I do
What would you advice to the young photographersDonrsquot worry about what kind of cam-era or equipment you have Just fo-cus on what you have now and try to create something beautiful with it Itrsquos the photographer that makes the picture good not the camera
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many successful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quitting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many suc-cessful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quit-ting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
A photographerrsquos main goal is to take a photo that makes the viewer feel a strong emotion towards it whether it is love hate anger or passion But when a photo is excellently taken yet the colors lighting and texture dont match up to the photoers vision a photo will become uninspiring This tutorial will teach you how to take your photo to the next level and create an image that matches your vision
Makingthe Mood
making the mood
47psd Photoshop
Step 1The fi rst step in changing a photo is doing the ba-sics You have to prepare your photo before you can move to the fun stuff In this pickture I got rid of any noticeable blemishes the model had and g of noticeable hair that were going across her face to give more clear picture of the model I did this using the Patch and Clone Stamp tool When edit-ing a model make sure to always keep texture in the skin its more interesting that way as opposed to having a models face which is completely air-brushed
02
03
Step 2The next step I took was darkening the whole photo I knew that I wanted the photo to be much darker than it currently was I could have just used the Curves tool or Levels but I fi nd that when overusing the Curves tool a photo starts to look overly contrasted which I dont want So instead I used a light gradient (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtGradient Map) and changed the Blending mode from Normal to Multiply Doing this gives the photo a lot more depth but doesnt darken it completely
Step 3As soon as Ive got my basic photo ready I knew that the yellowish tinge was not the effect I was going for so I used both the Color Balance tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtColor Balance)and the Selective Color tool (LayergtNew Adjust-ment LayergtColor Balance)
01
photomanipulation
48 psd Photoshop
Step 4The next thing I noticed was that my models face was not highlighted enough it was getting lost in the midst of forest and darkness so I made two new layers One layer was for the models face and I simply used a soft Photoshop brush with 0 Hardness and drew over the models face and the snakes body I then changed both layers Blending Mode from Normal to Screen and applied a Box blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 543 pixels to both so they wouldnt be as noticeable Remember you just want hints of light just enough so the models face and the snake is highlighted
04
05
06
Step 5The fi fth step is more or less a repeat of a step number three I liked the way photo looked but it wasnt nearly as dramatic as it could be So now I fi nally decided to use the Curves tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtCurves) to darken and light certain areas making sure again not to overdo it but to give it enough contrast to really bring out the picture Next I made two new Selective Colorlayers (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtSelective Color) One Selective Colors layer changed the leaves and clothes but not the models face to a more dark blue tint while the second Selective Color layer brightened the snakes skin
Step 6The next thing I did was making another two lay-ers I still wanted to brighten only the snakes skin so for the fi rst layer I changed the Blending modefrom Normal to Soft Light and then used a brush with 0 Hardness and carefully painted over the snake It took a few variations before I found a color I liked Its helpful to remember to also look at the whole picture In the next layer I created I simply wanted to add a little more color to the shrubbery in the background so I made another layer and again changed the blending mode from Normal to Soft Light I used a soft brush with 0 Hardness and a maroon and yellow color just to add a little variation from my usual palette of blue I then added it all along the bushes and used the Box Blur tool at 483 pixels also changing the Blending mode from Normal to Screen to make it less obvious
making the mood
49psd Photoshop
Step 7The fi nal step I took to fi nish setting the mood for my photo was adding a texture and chang-ing the Blending Mode from Normal to Soft LightI found that the texture was to overpowering at 100 Opacity so I lowered it to 77 I next added my fi nal layer and created a vignette around my photo by using a brush with a Hardness of 100 and then brushed it around the outer edges of the photo particularly around the four corners I then applied a Box Blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 693 pixels to the layer creating a nice dark blurred ef-fect
by Naomi Bensen
07
interview
12 psd Photoshop
urge to create Also I was a lot into photography at that time but I didnrsquot have a camera After browsing a couple of websites with pho-tomanipulations I understood that itrsquos not necessary to have expen-sive equipment to create ndash and I decided to give it a try
Interview withNatalia Voloshyn
Tell our readers something about yourself How did your digital arts adventure started and why did you choose this professionIrsquove been a digital artist for three years now and my relationship with this form of art started rather traditionally ndash I was driven by a strong
Irsquom a 21 years old master student from a beautiful city of Lviv Ukraine Though my occupation (Irsquom a linguist) can hardly be called ldquoartyrdquo Irsquove been madly in love with Photoshop and photography for nearly 3 years Being an artist is an amazing feelingYou can find more of my works athttpvoloschka-photodeviantartcomhttpvoloschkadeviantartcom
interview with natalia voloshyn
13psd Photoshop
Where do you get the inspiration for your worksAnything can be an inspiration ndash music films books different kinds of art even random lines in the conversation I often build up an im-age of a future artwork in my imagination it can be my vision of a certain concept or feeling or just a fantasy scene But sometimes I just play around with images textures and brushes and something interesting comes along the way
Could you tell us a bit about the advantages and difficulties of your profession What do you find the most satisfying about it and what can be discouragingDigital art is very time consuming It might take up to 5 hours or even more to create a piece It is also quite tiring as it requires hours of concentration and sitting in front of a computer screen The most satisfying thing about being a digital artist is that nothing limits you
interview
14 psd Photoshop
ndash if you want to create a beautiful lady with huge butterfly wings or a dark dungeon with ghosts it is up to you Anything is possible Im-ages brushes and textures give you an opportunity to experiment as much as you want However digital art is technically difficult and requires a lot of practice which can be discouraging at times
Are there any works you are particularly proud of Any personal favourites Thatrsquos a tricky question I really like my latest pieces lsquoFreersquo lsquoPerfec-tionrsquo and lsquoCarried Awayrsquo but it would be wrong to call them favourite as all of my works mean a lot to me
interview with natalia voloshyn
15psd Photoshop
What are you currently working onIrsquom working on a piece portraying an imaginary being perhaps a girl lonely lost and rejected longing for warm human feelings but not being able to find them It is going to be a dreamy fantasy piece quite dark and atmospheric
What are your plans for future Are there any particular goals you would like to achieve I consider myself being a perfectionist so I try to improve my skills with every new piece I create I would like to move more in the direc-tion of digital painting learn some new techniques
Any advices to those who would like to become digital artists as wellThe first and the most important piece of advice ndash donrsquot stop Donrsquot give up even if things go totally wrong or are not as good as you ex-pected Be patient try to build up an image in your mind first or draw a sketch and then recreate it step by step If you feel that you lack knowledge browse for some tutorials they can be very helpful Im-prove your skills And remember - the sky is the limit
medium | 30 min
adobe photoshop CS3 | wacom tablet
forest fairy
17psd Photoshop
Step 1I made a sketch in Photoshop using Wacom tablet After I made a rough sketch I decided to add dif-ferent decorative details during the process of drawing
01
02
Step 2I drew the basis for the face body and dress on a new layer More details and highlights would be added later
Forest FairyI wanted to draw a beautiful fairy with long hair and bright green eyes running through the forest I decided to paint it in bright colors of yellow and orange The image needed to be magical
digital painting
18 psd Photoshop
Step 4At this point I began to refi ne the face and make up continuing from step 2 and adding more de-tails I focused on the looks and the eyes because I think itrsquos very important I painted some pinkish shades on the face added highlights and textured the lips After that I added eyelashes
04
05
Step 5In this step I drew the hair I decided that fairys hair would be long with a reddish-yellow hue First I drew the basis for hair using a dark color Then I painted waves of the hair lighter I used several colors to draw the hair (brown orange red and various shades of yellow) as it gives the effect of more volume To draw the hair I use a soft round brush In the brush settings I set ShapegtDynamicsgtFine hair fi ne hair and sized it to 2 px
03
Step 3I started to paint the basis for fairys hair I used a wide round soft brown brush and drew it on a new layer Then I began to paint more details of fairys body and of her dress by adding shadows and highlights
forest fairy
19psd Photoshop
Step 7When I fi nished the details on the girls body I drew a fl ower in her hand On a new layer with Opacity 50 I drew a light train I used a soft round brush with Opacity set to 30-50
07
08
Step 8I started to paint the background and used a soft large brush I made the left upper corner of the background lighter and the bottom of the back-ground - darker
06
Step 6I decided to make the dress more beautiful First I drew bright yellow patches on the dress and the folds I drew highlights with a soft round brush setting the Opacity to 40 I then painted gloss on her dress For this I used a brush size of 2-5 px Glitter (point brush) I drew it on multiple layers with varying transparency and used a bright yel-low and red brush The more points you paint the more the dress will shine On the brightest parts of the dress I put more points of bright color
digital painting
20 psd Photoshop
Step 10In this step I added decorative items and orna-ments I used a brush size of 2 px and yellow and brown colors to paint decorations (to look their best they need to be drawn very accurately)
10
11
Step 11I drew the falling leaves on 2 layers a front and a rear layer On the foreground I painted the leaves brighter To layer the leaves in the background I applied a Gaussian Blur
by Alena Lazareva
09
Step 9I then painted an abstract leaf in the right side of the background and applied the Gaussian Blur fi l-ter (FiltergtBlurgtGaussian Blur) Now using a soft brush with light yellow I added rays of the sun Af-ter that I again applied the Gaussian Blur
This tutorial will explain how to paint a realistic eye in Photoshop Eyes are by far one of the most important aspects of any painting especially if itrsquos a portrait Itrsquos also one of the most fun features to paint as painting an eye is much easier than one might think
How toPaint a Realistic Eye
medium | 30 min
adobe photoshop CS5
how to paint a realistic eye
23psd Photoshop
SketchBefore laying down a single brushstroke itrsquos important for me to create a rough sketch It doesnrsquot have to be perfect but we need to get our point across here This will only make things easier during the painting process Create a new layer and sketch in an eye
02
03
Laying down the Base ColorThis step is simple enough here we lay down the base color for the skin Simply use the Gradienttool here and fi ll the background layer with your color choice In general try not to go too light or too saturated here
Defi ning FormUsing the HSB Slider (WindowsgtColor) pick a darker more saturated color for the darker areas of the skin and paint it using a simple Hard Edged brush I also pick a lighter less saturated tone for the highlights of the skin I choose a color for the eye in this case a bright blue and paint that in as well
01
workshop
24 psd Photoshop
Bringing Life to the SkinThe values of the skin need some work here I choose an even brighter lighter color to defi ne the form of the skin I introduce the lighter tones according to the lighting here which is a standard front light I add the lighter tones to the tone the bridge of the nose near the eyebrow and around the eyelid to make things appear more realistic
04
05
06
Smoothing Out the SkinAt this point all my work was done using a standard Hard Edged brush which is great for defi ning form quickly To blend the skin and give it a more photo realistic look I now switch to a soft brush (Hardness at 0) and Opacity at 50 I blend all the sharp transitions until things appear much smoother Additionally I paint darker tones on the blue iris to give it more depth
Bringing More LifeAt this point I work a bit more on the skin tones adding some more saturated reddish tones on the area around the eye as well as the cheek I also add a more saturated blue to the eye as well I do this all with a soft airbrush at a fairly low opacity on a new layer then merge it down when Irsquom satisfi ed with how things are looking I also do some more detail work using a softer Hard Edgedbrush as well
how to paint a realistic eye
25psd Photoshop
DetailsIrsquom satisfi ed with how things are looking at this stage so I start working on the details Using a fairly small brush I begin to add some lsquobumpsrsquo around the eye to give it a more realistic looks I also create bumps around the eyebrow using a both a fairly light as well as dark color to help it pop for a realistic look I also add details in the iris using a lighter bluish color to really bring the image to life I work in at a very large zoom at this stage as well to make things easier and more accurate
07
08
09
Refi nementI go over everything with a Soft Edged brush at a low opacity for a more realistic look Additionally I bring out the details more using fairly small hard edged brushes I work on the eyebrow painting each strand in as well as the eyelashes
Color and Texture EnhancementThings are looking a bit too muddy for my taste so what I do here is create a new layer set to soft light and enhance the colors quite a bit I introduce much warmer tones around the eye to give it more life Finally I slightly overlay a leather photo texture to give the skin a slightly more realistic effect
by George Patsouras
In this tutorial I will explain how to paint realistic lips with Photoshop Before attempting to paint lips itrsquos essential that you practice drawing lips as well as the head in general to get the best results possible
How toPaint a Realistic Lips
medium | 30 min
adobe photoshop CS5
how to paint a realistic lips
27psd Photoshop
SketchI almost always start off with a sketch for my serious paintings and this one is no different I create a new layer and with a Hard Edged brush I quickly sketch in the lips Getting the lips to look right now just makes the painting process that much easier
02
03
Picking the right base colorPick a mid-tone for the skin one thatrsquos not too saturated or too light (a common mistake many artists make) To quickly fi ll in the canvas with a color I simply use the Gradient tool After itrsquos done I use a hard edged brush to paint in the red lips
Defi ning FormOnce I chose my base tone itrsquos time to defi ne the form of the skin The fi rst thing you must think of is where does the light come from In this case I decide to go for a fairly simple front light and shade accordingly Using a Hard Edged brush I use darker more saturated tones for the darker parts of the skin and a lighter less saturated tone for the highlights of the skin for a realistic effect Use a darker midtone for the lsquotoprsquo lip and bring out lighter tones for the bottom one (this works for most lighting situations)
01
workshop
28 psd Photoshop
Bringing out the HighlightsThings are still looking too fl at for me at this stage so I choose a much brighter midtone to bring out the form of the skin As always I simply use a hard edged brush at this step I bring out lighter tones on the lsquocornersrsquo of the lips the chin and on top of the lips
04
05
06
Smoothing out the SkinOnce Irsquom happy with my value statement I decide to soften everything out with a soft edged brush I choose Hardness 0 under my Brush Settingsand with a 50 Opacity I smoothen out the rough transitions
DetailsI start bringing texture to the lower lips using a fairly small Hard Edged brush I zoom closer here to make things easier and begin to paint the texture of the lips keeping the form in mind using a circular stroke Additionally I bring out a fairly harsh highlight at the top of the lips (the part that looks like a lsquoVrsquo) which gives the image a much more realistic feel
how to paint a realistic lips
29psd Photoshop
Even more detailsI bring more contrast to the image using lighter tones for the highlights and darker ones for shadows I introduce a fairly dark tone right underneath the lip above the chin for a realistic effect I also use a darker tone to separate the lsquobottomrsquo lip from the top giving the lips more depth in the process I also add a mole simply for the fun of it
07
08
Final Refi nementHere I add even more texture to the lips and use a very light almost white color on the bottom lips to bring more life and contrast to the image I clean the image out a bit in general and make sure everything appears as symmetrical as possible and voila Wersquore done
by George Patsouras
contributing writers
Editor in Chief Magdalena Mojska magdalenamojskapsdmagorg
Copy Editor Ed Werzyn Robert Coppa Art Director Agnieszka Marchocka
DTP Przemysław BanasiewiczSenior ConsultantPublisherPresident
Paweł Marciniak Managing Director Ewa Łozowicka
Marketing Director Magdalena Mojska magdalenamojskapsdmagorg
Production DirectorAndrzej Kuca andrzejkucapsdmagorg
Postal addressPublisher Software Press Spzoo SK
02-682 Warszawa ul Bokserska 1worldwide publishing wwwpsdmagorgen
All trade marks presented in the magazine were used only for informa-tive purposes All rights to trade marks presented in the magazine are
reserved by the companies which own themMathematical formulas created by Design Science MathTypetrade
The editors use automatic DTP systemEditorial contributions should be sent to
editorspsdmagorg Customer Service +1 917 338 3631
The Software Press Spzoo SK works individually from Adobe The psd Photoshop team reserves the right not to be responsible for the topical-ity correctness completeness or quality of the information provided by
contributors
Randy Monteith
I am self taught as an artist So any mistakes I have made are in-tentional All my ideas come from an over active imagination that is only put in check when I fi nish a piece of artwork and then the process begins again I have been working with Photoshop for al-most 7 years now I am lucky enough to have two images chosen for two of RedBubblersquos books GAIA and Compassion Courage and Friendship I have been interviewed in Photoshop Creative Maga-zine 14 and have images printed in Advanced Photoshop as well Recently in Issue 60 of Photoshop Creative Magazine the editors chose my portfolio on their webpage as one of the Top 5 rated portfolios I am not one to think outside the box but blow it to bits so stand back and watch me now
c o v e r a r t i s t
Alena Lazareva
My name is Alena I live in Russia I`m the digital artist and the illustrator My interests are art photography computer graph-ics I have been drawing since childhood I studied at the School of Art at the artist There I drew pictures in oils and watercolor is now engaged in graphic design During the last three years I have been enjoying working as a computer graphics artist I love to paint illustrations in the style of Fantasy mythical creatures fairies elves mermaids and angels and painting children fairy-tales I`m currently using Photoshop CS and tablet Wacom for of my artworks I hope you like my illustrationsWebsite wwwalenalazarevacome-mail alenkalazarevamailru
Armand Johnson
Irsquom a professional photographer and graphic designer from Northern Louisiana USA I have had the pleasure of working with celebrities non-profi t organizations and local talents within the Louisiana region Irsquove also provided public service to the area and worked with the local youth to teach them professionalism career goals and creative thinking I get a lot of my inspiration from what I observe which is everyday lifehttpwwwfl ickrcomphotosthearmandjohnsonhttpwwwtwittercomdajizzlehttpwwwcreatticacomcreativesthe-armand-john-son29390thearmandjohnsongmailcom
George Patsouras
George Patsouras is a freelance and concept artist residing from Long Island City NY His work can be seen in a variety of differ-ent projects including video games comic books as well as card games George specializes in depicting realistic fantasy images For more of his work be sure to check out his offi cial blog at httpcgaddictblogspotcom
Jose Paulo Reis
Irsquom a digital artist with 3 years of experience My passion is fashion photography creativity advertising photomanipula-tion and digital art Currently Irsquom working as a digital artist in Lalaland Studios (fashion photography) I love fashion and beauty photography and everything related with digital art Irsquom devoted to Photoshop and everyday Irsquom trying to improve my skillsEnjoy my works by visiting my blog wwwzepaulocreationblogspotcom
Naomi Bensen
Having been raised in a colorful environment of art music and creative learning it was only natural for me to gravitate towards photographymdasha medium that can catch a split second and make it last forever Behind the lens I have pursued my own unique style of photography that focuses on capturing natural and un-staged moments For me photography is more than taking a good picturemdashitrsquos about turning a moment into art Find me at httptheimaginationdeviantartcom
Ylenia Peronti
Irsquom 19 years old italian artist From 3 years I have a passion for photo retouch and generally for phtoshop so I started to practice retouch fi rst on what I call ldquoextreme makeoverrdquo as described in this tutorial and then devot himelf to studying professional photo retouching refi ning technical professional and actually retouch fashion shots Irsquom supermoderator in the Forum Graphics wwwgrafi cicreativicom and I manage especially the section of photoretouch you can fi nd me at the following links wwwyleniaperontiwordpresscom httpyleniucciadeviantartcom
interview
32 psd Photoshop
Interview withArmand Johnson
Please say a few words about yourselfI have a degree in Graphic Design and I really enjoy art all forms of it Whether that is music acting dancing painting photography etc I am intrigued by many different forms of art I DO like to play video games (when I have time but who doesnrsquot) and I DO consider video games as ART but thatrsquos a different subject Irsquom kind of laid back and very business like in my approach to most things
Why did you choose photo retouching and what do you find fascinating about itWhen I was in undergrad I collected plenty of music CDrsquos and DVDrsquos It always intrigued me how flawless and perfect looking the cover art was I thought to myself I want to reach that level of perfection in what I do But graduating with a BFA in Graphic Design kind of steered me away from that in some regards It wasnrsquot until about 5 years ago when my Aunt asked me to gather a couple of shots for some of my cousinrsquos promotional work that I begun to take retouch-ing very seriously After I took the shots I thought These images need to be presentable So I started to dabble with perfecting the images which pushed me into retouching By being a photographer retouching is essential to my workflow because I want my images to have that commercial professional appeal I want my work to look like it belongs in a magazine as a poster or on a billboard etc I find retouching fascinating because how one can push and perfect an image to hisher likings and to the clientrsquos likings as well Itrsquos a great feeling to boost someonersquos confidence by showing them the retouched image in comparison to the original It can help them gain or retain their ldquoswaggardquo
Irsquom a professional photographer and graphic designer from Northern Louisiana USA I have had the pleasure of working with celebrities non-profit organizations and local talents within the Louisiana region Irsquove also provided public service to the area and worked with the local youth to teach them professionalism career goals and creative thinking I get a lot of my inspiration from what I observe which is everyday life
See more of my works here
httpwwwflickrcomphotosthearmandjohnsonhttpwwwtwittercomdajizzlehttpwwwcreatticacomcreativesthe-armand-johnson29390
Contact me
thearmandjohnsongmailcom
interview with armand johnson
33psd Photoshop
Where do you look for the inspiration to createThere are several photographers and retouchers well known and not that inspire me with their work Joel Grimes and Dave Hill are probably the most prominent amongst the photographers I admire their approach to their craft and absolutely love their end result Other notable photographers are Dustin Snipes and Dallas J Logan As for retouchers I think Amy Dresser is amongst the best Her work is incredible Nick Saglimbeni is also Hersquos an awesome photographer and retoucher But that is just the list of people Nature and natural things are very inspiring because of their calming attributes Also
interview
34 psd Photoshop
there is a bevy of websites that are exceptionally useful for inspira-tion Abduzeedo is my favorite Being an artist you can get your in-spiration from anything and anywhere An idea can gravitate towards you at anytime
What are the main advantages of your profession and what can be discouraging about itAn advantage of being a retoucher is the payoff If yoursquore great at it you can eventually open up to a much larger clientele such as the entertainment (music movies etc) and fashion industries Once
interview with armand johnson
35psd Photoshop
yoursquore attached to some major clients your rep (credibility) increas-es for the better What can be discouraging is the journey to arrive at that stage There are many individuals proclaiming themselves pro-fessionals (whether photographers retouchers etc) that are hurt-ing the industry They are utterly confusing clients A random person with a camera is not a photographer and a random person with a copy of Photoshop is not retoucher A lot of lower level clients tend to desire commercial level work for pennies on the dollar Thatrsquos just not feasible Retouchers probably spend more time with an image than anyone else involved with the creative process They deserve to be compensated properly
Do you have any achievements that you are particularly proud ofYeah I just recently got a couple works approved on the major cre-ative website Creatticacom Also being featured in this magazine is very rewarding I look forward to achieving more goals and receiving more accolades Lifersquos a marathon not a sprint
What about your plans for the futureI plan on making my stamp within the industry as have the other successful digital artists Irsquoll always be refining and fine-tuning my craft to become more diverse I wonrsquot go into too much details cause I have a laundry list of things That could take all day ) But I will say this the pieces of the puzzle are beginning to fall into the right plac-es and I believe this interview and collaboration with PSD Photoshop magazine is a crucial step in this process
Do you have any advice to those who would like to become digital artists as wellBe artistic and approach things from a creative perspective I find many individuals wanting to be artists without being artistic or cre-ative Itrsquos a process not a fast food restaurant The creation of mas-terpieces and wonderful works of art takes careful planning time and effort There has to be a love for what you do Photoshop is only a tool which is used to create art It is not meant to replace it or the process of creating it
advanced | 45 min
adobe photoshop CS3
glamour retouch
37psd Photoshop
Blemish Removal and Skin SmoothingFirst open the RAW image and make a duplicate of the background layer by pressing [Ctrl]+[J] Name the bottom layer Retouch and the top layer Original This creates a quick toggle between the Before and After states This also allows you to monitor your progress and determine if you are making changes that have a negative effect on the results Turn off the top layer (Original) Nextcreate a new layer above the Retouch layer by pressing [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] Name this layer CleanUp With the Healing Brush [J] selected make sure Sam-ple All Layers is selected from the drop down menu and Aligned is checked Next use the Healing Brush as well as the Clone Stamp on the CleanUp layer to remove all the blemishes and imperfections The settings are 100 Opacity 100 with Sample All Layers and Alignedselected Once the skin is cleaned up create another layer above it [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] and name it Skin Select the Clone Stamp tool and use these settings 18-25 Opacity 100 Flow Sample All Layers and Aligned Use the Clone Stamp tool to even out the Highlight Shadowand Midtone areas giving the skin a very smooth fl awless appear-ance Lastly apply a little noise the layer Go to FiltergtNoisegtAdd Noise and set the amount to 25 - 50 and the distribution to Gauss-ian After initially cleaning and smoothing the skin group those layers together by holding down the [Shift] key and selecting both of them and [Ctrl]+[G] to group them Rename the group CleanUp
01
02Color BoostAbove the CleanUp group create a Curves Adjustment Layer and name it CB - Curves Use three points along the slope 255 255 0 0 and 148 112 within the RGB channel Then create a LevelsAdjustment Layer naming it CB - Levels Within the RGB chan-nel using these values 10 115 245 Group together these two Adjustment Layers and name the group Overall because it af-fects the overall image Then create a Curves Adjustment Layerabove the grouped layers and insert four points along the slope Keep the two default points 255255 and 0 0 Add two more 35 43 and 211 201 (or somewhere within that tonal range) also in the RGB channel Rename this layer Jewelry Select the Mask by clicking on it and fi ll the Mask with Black Use the Brush tool with the foreground color set to White and paint only over the jewelry Rename this layer Jewelry Create a fi nal Curves adjustment layer above the Jewelry layer and name it Hair Use settings very simi-lar to those on the Jewelry layer within the RGB channel Select the Mask fi ll it with Black and paint over the hair with a Whitebrush Group all of these Adjustment Layers together and name the group Color Boost
GlamourRetouchIn this tutorial I will show you how I performed a Glamour retouch on a photo of my beautiful friend Asia I photographed her against a black background for a dramatic and edgy effect as well as using various Photoshop tools to achieve that ldquoglamour lookrdquo that many magazines and print work use I will be using Photoshop CS3 but any higher version should work as well The tools I will be using are Adjustment Layers Filters and Blending Modes as well as the Clone Stamp Brush and Healing Brush tools
photo retouch
38 psd Photoshop
Highlight and ShadowCreate a new layer and name it FaceBody and set the Blending Mode to Soft Light Set the foreground color to White select the Brush tool with the settings Opacity 100 Flow 2 and paint over the naturally highlighted areas bring-ing out the highlights Then set the foreground color to Black using the same settings and paint over the naturally shadowed areas increasing the contrast in the image Add a Gaussian BlurFiltergtBlurgtGaussian Blur to the layer with a ra-dius setting of 15 ndash 30 Repeat these steps on a new layer named Hair with the Blending Mode set to Overlay Create another new layer named Jew-elry with the Blending Mode set to Overlay as well Once fi nished rearrange the layers so that they are in this order from top to bottom Hair FaceBody Jewelry Lastly group these layers together and name the group HLSH or HighlightShadow
04
05SharpenMake a new layer by combining all visible layers [Shift]+[Alt]+[Ctrl]+[E] This creates a new layer consisting of all the information from the bottom layers Make this a smart object by right ndash click-ing on the layer and selecting Convert to Smart Object This makes the layer a Smart Object allow-ing the use of Smart Filters Duplicate this layer and rename the copy HP 65 and the original layer Sharpen Turn off the HP 65 layer With the Sharp-en layer selected go to FiltergtSharpengtUnSharp Mask using these settings Amount 60 Radius2500 Threshold 10 With the Blending Mode set to Normal adjust the Opacity within the 30 - 40 range and the Fill within the 75 - 90 range Then turn on the HP 65 Layer and select it Set the Blending Mode to Overlay and go to FiltergtOthergtHigh Pass Set the Radius to 65 and the Opacity within the 65 - 75 range and the Fillwithin the 90 - 95 range Finally group these two layers together and name the group Sharpen
03
Color CorrectionCreate a new layer and name it Color CorrectionSet the Blending Mode to Color Set the Brush tool to a SoftFeather setting with the Hardness to 15 Set Black as the foreground color and paint over the lips Then use Gold as the foreground color and paint over the ldquoCoachrdquo text and the handle of the sunglasses changing them from Silver to GoldSelect various colors from the skin and paint over the discolorations in the skin Put the layer in its own group and name that group Color Correction
glamour retouch
39psd Photoshop
EffectsCreate a new layer and name it Sparkles With the Pen tool create a fi ve ndash point sparkle Once fi nished drawing the outline right ndash click and select Make Selection feathering the selection by 1 pixel Make sure the Anti-aliased box is checked and the New Selection option is selected Fill the selection with White Then make several copies (four should be enough) of this layer and move the various spar-kles to certain areas on the jewelry and sunglasses Resize those sparkles individually using transform [Ctrl]+[T] Once the sparkles are at sizes you are comfortable with click on the top most layer (Sparkles Copy 4) hold the shift key then the original Sparkles lay-er and merge them by pressing [Ctrl]+[E] Rename this layer Spar-kles Then add a layer style to the layer by double ndash clicking on it I selected Outer Glow In the options for the Outer Glow effect leave the default setting only changing the Size to 3 pixels Lastly place this layer into its own group and name that group Effects Switch the Original layer OnOff and enjoy the result
by Armand Johnson
07
06
Cool DownCreate a HueSaturation Adjustment Layer mak-ing sure it is set to the Master channel Set the Saturation to -100 This turns the image black and white Set the Blending Mode set to Normalthe Opacity within the 40 - 50 range and the Fill within the 70 - 90 range Select the Maskset the foreground color to 40 Gray and fi ll the mask Paint over only the jewelry and the colored sections of the hair This brings back some of the original color but not too much of it Finally group only this layer and name it Cool Down
How to change the eye color very quickly but efficiently
How to change
eye color
beginer | 10 min
adobe photoshop CS4
how to change eye color
41psd Photoshop
Step 1First open the photos select the pupil of the eye using the method you prefer (Polygonal lassoMagnetic lasso pen etc) I used the Magnetic lasso in this case Right click the mouse on the Selection and select New Layer via Copy Rename the layer eyes
02
03
Step 2Make sure that in the Layers palette is selected layer eyes and from the menu Image select HuegtSaturation adjustments When the window will be open move the Hues cursor until you fi nd the satisfying color If you want from the same HuegtSaturation window we can also modify the saturation and brightness to achieve different ef-fects Heres an example set the Hue value on 44You can also customize more the color using the color balance adjustment selected from the menu ImagegtAdjustmentsgtColor Balance and reduce the opacity of the layer eyes to adjust the effect
Step 3For a more aesthetic effect you can use the Dodge tool selected from the Tools palette Set Light to a 5-10 opacity (or an opacity that allows to achieve the desired effect) and use Dodge toolwithin the colored part of the eye Select Burn tool(also an Opacity of 5) set to Midtones and Burn-ing to defi ne better the outline of the eye
by Ylenia Peronti
42 psd Photoshop
interview
2 pas Photoshop
Tell us about your first steps in photographyMy dad is a really good photographer and he showed me how to use his Nikon film camera when I was young and how to de-
Interview withApril Elizabeth
Can you introduce yourself to our readersMy name is April Elizabeth I am a creative photographer from the small snowy town of Ishpeming in Upper Peninsula of Michigan
April Elizabeth is an internationally published photographer from Ishpeming Michigan Her photos have appeared in magazines on book covers and websites Her clients include Random house HarperCollins Publishing and The Portland Beanie Company
43psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
3psd Photoshop
velop the film I really enjoyed it but it was expensive and I was unable to really get into photography until digital cameras came along I started with a point and shoot camera and went from there
Why did you choose this professionI think it sort of chose me Irsquove always liked photography but I never in my life imagined myself going anywhere with it That all changed when I bought my first slr and asked a local model to do a photo
44 psd Photoshop
interview
4 pas Photoshop
shoot with me I was nervous because I had never done any-thing like that before and I wasnrsquot com-pletely sure how the camera worked but the pictures turned out great and soon more and more peo-ple wanted to work with me
Where do you get the inspiration for your worksIrsquove always been an introverted day-dreamer with an
overly active imagination When other people are liv-ing their life I am looking around and thinking of sto-ries Irsquove always wanted to be a writer but photography lets me tell stories with pic-tures and as long as I can tell a story I am happy
What do you like the most about being a photographer and what are the main difficulties for youIf I am not creating some-thing I feel frustrated I like that my job lets me cre-ate things while making people feel beautiful and good about themselves I enjoy taking pictures that have a fantasy quality to them so that people in the photos can be part of something a little magi-cal instead of ordinary and people who see the photos will feel inspired One of the main difficul-ties I have is my location the middle of nowhere in the Midwest Winter lasts around 7-8 months and itrsquos always very harsh and with a lot of snow I donrsquot have a studio or anyplace indoors thatI can go to so this means I only have a very short amount of time in the year that I can really do many photo shoots
45psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
5psd Photoshop
Do you have any personal achievements you are particularly proud ofIrsquom very proud that my photo Shy with over 35550 favs is one of the most popular photos ever to be up-loaded to the website deviantart Itrsquos unreal to me Irsquom also proud that two photos of mine have been licensed to be on book covers Growing up I never thought any-thing like that could ever happen to me Being in magazines such as this one is also very nice All of these things make me feel like Irsquove accomplished something in life and gives me confidence that I can do even more
What are your plans for futureIrsquod like to get a studio someday And Irsquod like to get into stock photogra-phy Irsquom also working on a gothic romance novel called Whispering Pines and a book of short scary stories I guess I plan on just creat-ing more and trying to improve in everything I do
What would you advice to the young photographersDonrsquot worry about what kind of cam-era or equipment you have Just fo-cus on what you have now and try to create something beautiful with it Itrsquos the photographer that makes the picture good not the camera
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many successful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quitting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many suc-cessful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quit-ting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
A photographerrsquos main goal is to take a photo that makes the viewer feel a strong emotion towards it whether it is love hate anger or passion But when a photo is excellently taken yet the colors lighting and texture dont match up to the photoers vision a photo will become uninspiring This tutorial will teach you how to take your photo to the next level and create an image that matches your vision
Makingthe Mood
making the mood
47psd Photoshop
Step 1The fi rst step in changing a photo is doing the ba-sics You have to prepare your photo before you can move to the fun stuff In this pickture I got rid of any noticeable blemishes the model had and g of noticeable hair that were going across her face to give more clear picture of the model I did this using the Patch and Clone Stamp tool When edit-ing a model make sure to always keep texture in the skin its more interesting that way as opposed to having a models face which is completely air-brushed
02
03
Step 2The next step I took was darkening the whole photo I knew that I wanted the photo to be much darker than it currently was I could have just used the Curves tool or Levels but I fi nd that when overusing the Curves tool a photo starts to look overly contrasted which I dont want So instead I used a light gradient (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtGradient Map) and changed the Blending mode from Normal to Multiply Doing this gives the photo a lot more depth but doesnt darken it completely
Step 3As soon as Ive got my basic photo ready I knew that the yellowish tinge was not the effect I was going for so I used both the Color Balance tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtColor Balance)and the Selective Color tool (LayergtNew Adjust-ment LayergtColor Balance)
01
photomanipulation
48 psd Photoshop
Step 4The next thing I noticed was that my models face was not highlighted enough it was getting lost in the midst of forest and darkness so I made two new layers One layer was for the models face and I simply used a soft Photoshop brush with 0 Hardness and drew over the models face and the snakes body I then changed both layers Blending Mode from Normal to Screen and applied a Box blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 543 pixels to both so they wouldnt be as noticeable Remember you just want hints of light just enough so the models face and the snake is highlighted
04
05
06
Step 5The fi fth step is more or less a repeat of a step number three I liked the way photo looked but it wasnt nearly as dramatic as it could be So now I fi nally decided to use the Curves tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtCurves) to darken and light certain areas making sure again not to overdo it but to give it enough contrast to really bring out the picture Next I made two new Selective Colorlayers (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtSelective Color) One Selective Colors layer changed the leaves and clothes but not the models face to a more dark blue tint while the second Selective Color layer brightened the snakes skin
Step 6The next thing I did was making another two lay-ers I still wanted to brighten only the snakes skin so for the fi rst layer I changed the Blending modefrom Normal to Soft Light and then used a brush with 0 Hardness and carefully painted over the snake It took a few variations before I found a color I liked Its helpful to remember to also look at the whole picture In the next layer I created I simply wanted to add a little more color to the shrubbery in the background so I made another layer and again changed the blending mode from Normal to Soft Light I used a soft brush with 0 Hardness and a maroon and yellow color just to add a little variation from my usual palette of blue I then added it all along the bushes and used the Box Blur tool at 483 pixels also changing the Blending mode from Normal to Screen to make it less obvious
making the mood
49psd Photoshop
Step 7The fi nal step I took to fi nish setting the mood for my photo was adding a texture and chang-ing the Blending Mode from Normal to Soft LightI found that the texture was to overpowering at 100 Opacity so I lowered it to 77 I next added my fi nal layer and created a vignette around my photo by using a brush with a Hardness of 100 and then brushed it around the outer edges of the photo particularly around the four corners I then applied a Box Blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 693 pixels to the layer creating a nice dark blurred ef-fect
by Naomi Bensen
07
interview with natalia voloshyn
13psd Photoshop
Where do you get the inspiration for your worksAnything can be an inspiration ndash music films books different kinds of art even random lines in the conversation I often build up an im-age of a future artwork in my imagination it can be my vision of a certain concept or feeling or just a fantasy scene But sometimes I just play around with images textures and brushes and something interesting comes along the way
Could you tell us a bit about the advantages and difficulties of your profession What do you find the most satisfying about it and what can be discouragingDigital art is very time consuming It might take up to 5 hours or even more to create a piece It is also quite tiring as it requires hours of concentration and sitting in front of a computer screen The most satisfying thing about being a digital artist is that nothing limits you
interview
14 psd Photoshop
ndash if you want to create a beautiful lady with huge butterfly wings or a dark dungeon with ghosts it is up to you Anything is possible Im-ages brushes and textures give you an opportunity to experiment as much as you want However digital art is technically difficult and requires a lot of practice which can be discouraging at times
Are there any works you are particularly proud of Any personal favourites Thatrsquos a tricky question I really like my latest pieces lsquoFreersquo lsquoPerfec-tionrsquo and lsquoCarried Awayrsquo but it would be wrong to call them favourite as all of my works mean a lot to me
interview with natalia voloshyn
15psd Photoshop
What are you currently working onIrsquom working on a piece portraying an imaginary being perhaps a girl lonely lost and rejected longing for warm human feelings but not being able to find them It is going to be a dreamy fantasy piece quite dark and atmospheric
What are your plans for future Are there any particular goals you would like to achieve I consider myself being a perfectionist so I try to improve my skills with every new piece I create I would like to move more in the direc-tion of digital painting learn some new techniques
Any advices to those who would like to become digital artists as wellThe first and the most important piece of advice ndash donrsquot stop Donrsquot give up even if things go totally wrong or are not as good as you ex-pected Be patient try to build up an image in your mind first or draw a sketch and then recreate it step by step If you feel that you lack knowledge browse for some tutorials they can be very helpful Im-prove your skills And remember - the sky is the limit
medium | 30 min
adobe photoshop CS3 | wacom tablet
forest fairy
17psd Photoshop
Step 1I made a sketch in Photoshop using Wacom tablet After I made a rough sketch I decided to add dif-ferent decorative details during the process of drawing
01
02
Step 2I drew the basis for the face body and dress on a new layer More details and highlights would be added later
Forest FairyI wanted to draw a beautiful fairy with long hair and bright green eyes running through the forest I decided to paint it in bright colors of yellow and orange The image needed to be magical
digital painting
18 psd Photoshop
Step 4At this point I began to refi ne the face and make up continuing from step 2 and adding more de-tails I focused on the looks and the eyes because I think itrsquos very important I painted some pinkish shades on the face added highlights and textured the lips After that I added eyelashes
04
05
Step 5In this step I drew the hair I decided that fairys hair would be long with a reddish-yellow hue First I drew the basis for hair using a dark color Then I painted waves of the hair lighter I used several colors to draw the hair (brown orange red and various shades of yellow) as it gives the effect of more volume To draw the hair I use a soft round brush In the brush settings I set ShapegtDynamicsgtFine hair fi ne hair and sized it to 2 px
03
Step 3I started to paint the basis for fairys hair I used a wide round soft brown brush and drew it on a new layer Then I began to paint more details of fairys body and of her dress by adding shadows and highlights
forest fairy
19psd Photoshop
Step 7When I fi nished the details on the girls body I drew a fl ower in her hand On a new layer with Opacity 50 I drew a light train I used a soft round brush with Opacity set to 30-50
07
08
Step 8I started to paint the background and used a soft large brush I made the left upper corner of the background lighter and the bottom of the back-ground - darker
06
Step 6I decided to make the dress more beautiful First I drew bright yellow patches on the dress and the folds I drew highlights with a soft round brush setting the Opacity to 40 I then painted gloss on her dress For this I used a brush size of 2-5 px Glitter (point brush) I drew it on multiple layers with varying transparency and used a bright yel-low and red brush The more points you paint the more the dress will shine On the brightest parts of the dress I put more points of bright color
digital painting
20 psd Photoshop
Step 10In this step I added decorative items and orna-ments I used a brush size of 2 px and yellow and brown colors to paint decorations (to look their best they need to be drawn very accurately)
10
11
Step 11I drew the falling leaves on 2 layers a front and a rear layer On the foreground I painted the leaves brighter To layer the leaves in the background I applied a Gaussian Blur
by Alena Lazareva
09
Step 9I then painted an abstract leaf in the right side of the background and applied the Gaussian Blur fi l-ter (FiltergtBlurgtGaussian Blur) Now using a soft brush with light yellow I added rays of the sun Af-ter that I again applied the Gaussian Blur
This tutorial will explain how to paint a realistic eye in Photoshop Eyes are by far one of the most important aspects of any painting especially if itrsquos a portrait Itrsquos also one of the most fun features to paint as painting an eye is much easier than one might think
How toPaint a Realistic Eye
medium | 30 min
adobe photoshop CS5
how to paint a realistic eye
23psd Photoshop
SketchBefore laying down a single brushstroke itrsquos important for me to create a rough sketch It doesnrsquot have to be perfect but we need to get our point across here This will only make things easier during the painting process Create a new layer and sketch in an eye
02
03
Laying down the Base ColorThis step is simple enough here we lay down the base color for the skin Simply use the Gradienttool here and fi ll the background layer with your color choice In general try not to go too light or too saturated here
Defi ning FormUsing the HSB Slider (WindowsgtColor) pick a darker more saturated color for the darker areas of the skin and paint it using a simple Hard Edged brush I also pick a lighter less saturated tone for the highlights of the skin I choose a color for the eye in this case a bright blue and paint that in as well
01
workshop
24 psd Photoshop
Bringing Life to the SkinThe values of the skin need some work here I choose an even brighter lighter color to defi ne the form of the skin I introduce the lighter tones according to the lighting here which is a standard front light I add the lighter tones to the tone the bridge of the nose near the eyebrow and around the eyelid to make things appear more realistic
04
05
06
Smoothing Out the SkinAt this point all my work was done using a standard Hard Edged brush which is great for defi ning form quickly To blend the skin and give it a more photo realistic look I now switch to a soft brush (Hardness at 0) and Opacity at 50 I blend all the sharp transitions until things appear much smoother Additionally I paint darker tones on the blue iris to give it more depth
Bringing More LifeAt this point I work a bit more on the skin tones adding some more saturated reddish tones on the area around the eye as well as the cheek I also add a more saturated blue to the eye as well I do this all with a soft airbrush at a fairly low opacity on a new layer then merge it down when Irsquom satisfi ed with how things are looking I also do some more detail work using a softer Hard Edgedbrush as well
how to paint a realistic eye
25psd Photoshop
DetailsIrsquom satisfi ed with how things are looking at this stage so I start working on the details Using a fairly small brush I begin to add some lsquobumpsrsquo around the eye to give it a more realistic looks I also create bumps around the eyebrow using a both a fairly light as well as dark color to help it pop for a realistic look I also add details in the iris using a lighter bluish color to really bring the image to life I work in at a very large zoom at this stage as well to make things easier and more accurate
07
08
09
Refi nementI go over everything with a Soft Edged brush at a low opacity for a more realistic look Additionally I bring out the details more using fairly small hard edged brushes I work on the eyebrow painting each strand in as well as the eyelashes
Color and Texture EnhancementThings are looking a bit too muddy for my taste so what I do here is create a new layer set to soft light and enhance the colors quite a bit I introduce much warmer tones around the eye to give it more life Finally I slightly overlay a leather photo texture to give the skin a slightly more realistic effect
by George Patsouras
In this tutorial I will explain how to paint realistic lips with Photoshop Before attempting to paint lips itrsquos essential that you practice drawing lips as well as the head in general to get the best results possible
How toPaint a Realistic Lips
medium | 30 min
adobe photoshop CS5
how to paint a realistic lips
27psd Photoshop
SketchI almost always start off with a sketch for my serious paintings and this one is no different I create a new layer and with a Hard Edged brush I quickly sketch in the lips Getting the lips to look right now just makes the painting process that much easier
02
03
Picking the right base colorPick a mid-tone for the skin one thatrsquos not too saturated or too light (a common mistake many artists make) To quickly fi ll in the canvas with a color I simply use the Gradient tool After itrsquos done I use a hard edged brush to paint in the red lips
Defi ning FormOnce I chose my base tone itrsquos time to defi ne the form of the skin The fi rst thing you must think of is where does the light come from In this case I decide to go for a fairly simple front light and shade accordingly Using a Hard Edged brush I use darker more saturated tones for the darker parts of the skin and a lighter less saturated tone for the highlights of the skin for a realistic effect Use a darker midtone for the lsquotoprsquo lip and bring out lighter tones for the bottom one (this works for most lighting situations)
01
workshop
28 psd Photoshop
Bringing out the HighlightsThings are still looking too fl at for me at this stage so I choose a much brighter midtone to bring out the form of the skin As always I simply use a hard edged brush at this step I bring out lighter tones on the lsquocornersrsquo of the lips the chin and on top of the lips
04
05
06
Smoothing out the SkinOnce Irsquom happy with my value statement I decide to soften everything out with a soft edged brush I choose Hardness 0 under my Brush Settingsand with a 50 Opacity I smoothen out the rough transitions
DetailsI start bringing texture to the lower lips using a fairly small Hard Edged brush I zoom closer here to make things easier and begin to paint the texture of the lips keeping the form in mind using a circular stroke Additionally I bring out a fairly harsh highlight at the top of the lips (the part that looks like a lsquoVrsquo) which gives the image a much more realistic feel
how to paint a realistic lips
29psd Photoshop
Even more detailsI bring more contrast to the image using lighter tones for the highlights and darker ones for shadows I introduce a fairly dark tone right underneath the lip above the chin for a realistic effect I also use a darker tone to separate the lsquobottomrsquo lip from the top giving the lips more depth in the process I also add a mole simply for the fun of it
07
08
Final Refi nementHere I add even more texture to the lips and use a very light almost white color on the bottom lips to bring more life and contrast to the image I clean the image out a bit in general and make sure everything appears as symmetrical as possible and voila Wersquore done
by George Patsouras
contributing writers
Editor in Chief Magdalena Mojska magdalenamojskapsdmagorg
Copy Editor Ed Werzyn Robert Coppa Art Director Agnieszka Marchocka
DTP Przemysław BanasiewiczSenior ConsultantPublisherPresident
Paweł Marciniak Managing Director Ewa Łozowicka
Marketing Director Magdalena Mojska magdalenamojskapsdmagorg
Production DirectorAndrzej Kuca andrzejkucapsdmagorg
Postal addressPublisher Software Press Spzoo SK
02-682 Warszawa ul Bokserska 1worldwide publishing wwwpsdmagorgen
All trade marks presented in the magazine were used only for informa-tive purposes All rights to trade marks presented in the magazine are
reserved by the companies which own themMathematical formulas created by Design Science MathTypetrade
The editors use automatic DTP systemEditorial contributions should be sent to
editorspsdmagorg Customer Service +1 917 338 3631
The Software Press Spzoo SK works individually from Adobe The psd Photoshop team reserves the right not to be responsible for the topical-ity correctness completeness or quality of the information provided by
contributors
Randy Monteith
I am self taught as an artist So any mistakes I have made are in-tentional All my ideas come from an over active imagination that is only put in check when I fi nish a piece of artwork and then the process begins again I have been working with Photoshop for al-most 7 years now I am lucky enough to have two images chosen for two of RedBubblersquos books GAIA and Compassion Courage and Friendship I have been interviewed in Photoshop Creative Maga-zine 14 and have images printed in Advanced Photoshop as well Recently in Issue 60 of Photoshop Creative Magazine the editors chose my portfolio on their webpage as one of the Top 5 rated portfolios I am not one to think outside the box but blow it to bits so stand back and watch me now
c o v e r a r t i s t
Alena Lazareva
My name is Alena I live in Russia I`m the digital artist and the illustrator My interests are art photography computer graph-ics I have been drawing since childhood I studied at the School of Art at the artist There I drew pictures in oils and watercolor is now engaged in graphic design During the last three years I have been enjoying working as a computer graphics artist I love to paint illustrations in the style of Fantasy mythical creatures fairies elves mermaids and angels and painting children fairy-tales I`m currently using Photoshop CS and tablet Wacom for of my artworks I hope you like my illustrationsWebsite wwwalenalazarevacome-mail alenkalazarevamailru
Armand Johnson
Irsquom a professional photographer and graphic designer from Northern Louisiana USA I have had the pleasure of working with celebrities non-profi t organizations and local talents within the Louisiana region Irsquove also provided public service to the area and worked with the local youth to teach them professionalism career goals and creative thinking I get a lot of my inspiration from what I observe which is everyday lifehttpwwwfl ickrcomphotosthearmandjohnsonhttpwwwtwittercomdajizzlehttpwwwcreatticacomcreativesthe-armand-john-son29390thearmandjohnsongmailcom
George Patsouras
George Patsouras is a freelance and concept artist residing from Long Island City NY His work can be seen in a variety of differ-ent projects including video games comic books as well as card games George specializes in depicting realistic fantasy images For more of his work be sure to check out his offi cial blog at httpcgaddictblogspotcom
Jose Paulo Reis
Irsquom a digital artist with 3 years of experience My passion is fashion photography creativity advertising photomanipula-tion and digital art Currently Irsquom working as a digital artist in Lalaland Studios (fashion photography) I love fashion and beauty photography and everything related with digital art Irsquom devoted to Photoshop and everyday Irsquom trying to improve my skillsEnjoy my works by visiting my blog wwwzepaulocreationblogspotcom
Naomi Bensen
Having been raised in a colorful environment of art music and creative learning it was only natural for me to gravitate towards photographymdasha medium that can catch a split second and make it last forever Behind the lens I have pursued my own unique style of photography that focuses on capturing natural and un-staged moments For me photography is more than taking a good picturemdashitrsquos about turning a moment into art Find me at httptheimaginationdeviantartcom
Ylenia Peronti
Irsquom 19 years old italian artist From 3 years I have a passion for photo retouch and generally for phtoshop so I started to practice retouch fi rst on what I call ldquoextreme makeoverrdquo as described in this tutorial and then devot himelf to studying professional photo retouching refi ning technical professional and actually retouch fashion shots Irsquom supermoderator in the Forum Graphics wwwgrafi cicreativicom and I manage especially the section of photoretouch you can fi nd me at the following links wwwyleniaperontiwordpresscom httpyleniucciadeviantartcom
interview
32 psd Photoshop
Interview withArmand Johnson
Please say a few words about yourselfI have a degree in Graphic Design and I really enjoy art all forms of it Whether that is music acting dancing painting photography etc I am intrigued by many different forms of art I DO like to play video games (when I have time but who doesnrsquot) and I DO consider video games as ART but thatrsquos a different subject Irsquom kind of laid back and very business like in my approach to most things
Why did you choose photo retouching and what do you find fascinating about itWhen I was in undergrad I collected plenty of music CDrsquos and DVDrsquos It always intrigued me how flawless and perfect looking the cover art was I thought to myself I want to reach that level of perfection in what I do But graduating with a BFA in Graphic Design kind of steered me away from that in some regards It wasnrsquot until about 5 years ago when my Aunt asked me to gather a couple of shots for some of my cousinrsquos promotional work that I begun to take retouch-ing very seriously After I took the shots I thought These images need to be presentable So I started to dabble with perfecting the images which pushed me into retouching By being a photographer retouching is essential to my workflow because I want my images to have that commercial professional appeal I want my work to look like it belongs in a magazine as a poster or on a billboard etc I find retouching fascinating because how one can push and perfect an image to hisher likings and to the clientrsquos likings as well Itrsquos a great feeling to boost someonersquos confidence by showing them the retouched image in comparison to the original It can help them gain or retain their ldquoswaggardquo
Irsquom a professional photographer and graphic designer from Northern Louisiana USA I have had the pleasure of working with celebrities non-profit organizations and local talents within the Louisiana region Irsquove also provided public service to the area and worked with the local youth to teach them professionalism career goals and creative thinking I get a lot of my inspiration from what I observe which is everyday life
See more of my works here
httpwwwflickrcomphotosthearmandjohnsonhttpwwwtwittercomdajizzlehttpwwwcreatticacomcreativesthe-armand-johnson29390
Contact me
thearmandjohnsongmailcom
interview with armand johnson
33psd Photoshop
Where do you look for the inspiration to createThere are several photographers and retouchers well known and not that inspire me with their work Joel Grimes and Dave Hill are probably the most prominent amongst the photographers I admire their approach to their craft and absolutely love their end result Other notable photographers are Dustin Snipes and Dallas J Logan As for retouchers I think Amy Dresser is amongst the best Her work is incredible Nick Saglimbeni is also Hersquos an awesome photographer and retoucher But that is just the list of people Nature and natural things are very inspiring because of their calming attributes Also
interview
34 psd Photoshop
there is a bevy of websites that are exceptionally useful for inspira-tion Abduzeedo is my favorite Being an artist you can get your in-spiration from anything and anywhere An idea can gravitate towards you at anytime
What are the main advantages of your profession and what can be discouraging about itAn advantage of being a retoucher is the payoff If yoursquore great at it you can eventually open up to a much larger clientele such as the entertainment (music movies etc) and fashion industries Once
interview with armand johnson
35psd Photoshop
yoursquore attached to some major clients your rep (credibility) increas-es for the better What can be discouraging is the journey to arrive at that stage There are many individuals proclaiming themselves pro-fessionals (whether photographers retouchers etc) that are hurt-ing the industry They are utterly confusing clients A random person with a camera is not a photographer and a random person with a copy of Photoshop is not retoucher A lot of lower level clients tend to desire commercial level work for pennies on the dollar Thatrsquos just not feasible Retouchers probably spend more time with an image than anyone else involved with the creative process They deserve to be compensated properly
Do you have any achievements that you are particularly proud ofYeah I just recently got a couple works approved on the major cre-ative website Creatticacom Also being featured in this magazine is very rewarding I look forward to achieving more goals and receiving more accolades Lifersquos a marathon not a sprint
What about your plans for the futureI plan on making my stamp within the industry as have the other successful digital artists Irsquoll always be refining and fine-tuning my craft to become more diverse I wonrsquot go into too much details cause I have a laundry list of things That could take all day ) But I will say this the pieces of the puzzle are beginning to fall into the right plac-es and I believe this interview and collaboration with PSD Photoshop magazine is a crucial step in this process
Do you have any advice to those who would like to become digital artists as wellBe artistic and approach things from a creative perspective I find many individuals wanting to be artists without being artistic or cre-ative Itrsquos a process not a fast food restaurant The creation of mas-terpieces and wonderful works of art takes careful planning time and effort There has to be a love for what you do Photoshop is only a tool which is used to create art It is not meant to replace it or the process of creating it
advanced | 45 min
adobe photoshop CS3
glamour retouch
37psd Photoshop
Blemish Removal and Skin SmoothingFirst open the RAW image and make a duplicate of the background layer by pressing [Ctrl]+[J] Name the bottom layer Retouch and the top layer Original This creates a quick toggle between the Before and After states This also allows you to monitor your progress and determine if you are making changes that have a negative effect on the results Turn off the top layer (Original) Nextcreate a new layer above the Retouch layer by pressing [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] Name this layer CleanUp With the Healing Brush [J] selected make sure Sam-ple All Layers is selected from the drop down menu and Aligned is checked Next use the Healing Brush as well as the Clone Stamp on the CleanUp layer to remove all the blemishes and imperfections The settings are 100 Opacity 100 with Sample All Layers and Alignedselected Once the skin is cleaned up create another layer above it [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] and name it Skin Select the Clone Stamp tool and use these settings 18-25 Opacity 100 Flow Sample All Layers and Aligned Use the Clone Stamp tool to even out the Highlight Shadowand Midtone areas giving the skin a very smooth fl awless appear-ance Lastly apply a little noise the layer Go to FiltergtNoisegtAdd Noise and set the amount to 25 - 50 and the distribution to Gauss-ian After initially cleaning and smoothing the skin group those layers together by holding down the [Shift] key and selecting both of them and [Ctrl]+[G] to group them Rename the group CleanUp
01
02Color BoostAbove the CleanUp group create a Curves Adjustment Layer and name it CB - Curves Use three points along the slope 255 255 0 0 and 148 112 within the RGB channel Then create a LevelsAdjustment Layer naming it CB - Levels Within the RGB chan-nel using these values 10 115 245 Group together these two Adjustment Layers and name the group Overall because it af-fects the overall image Then create a Curves Adjustment Layerabove the grouped layers and insert four points along the slope Keep the two default points 255255 and 0 0 Add two more 35 43 and 211 201 (or somewhere within that tonal range) also in the RGB channel Rename this layer Jewelry Select the Mask by clicking on it and fi ll the Mask with Black Use the Brush tool with the foreground color set to White and paint only over the jewelry Rename this layer Jewelry Create a fi nal Curves adjustment layer above the Jewelry layer and name it Hair Use settings very simi-lar to those on the Jewelry layer within the RGB channel Select the Mask fi ll it with Black and paint over the hair with a Whitebrush Group all of these Adjustment Layers together and name the group Color Boost
GlamourRetouchIn this tutorial I will show you how I performed a Glamour retouch on a photo of my beautiful friend Asia I photographed her against a black background for a dramatic and edgy effect as well as using various Photoshop tools to achieve that ldquoglamour lookrdquo that many magazines and print work use I will be using Photoshop CS3 but any higher version should work as well The tools I will be using are Adjustment Layers Filters and Blending Modes as well as the Clone Stamp Brush and Healing Brush tools
photo retouch
38 psd Photoshop
Highlight and ShadowCreate a new layer and name it FaceBody and set the Blending Mode to Soft Light Set the foreground color to White select the Brush tool with the settings Opacity 100 Flow 2 and paint over the naturally highlighted areas bring-ing out the highlights Then set the foreground color to Black using the same settings and paint over the naturally shadowed areas increasing the contrast in the image Add a Gaussian BlurFiltergtBlurgtGaussian Blur to the layer with a ra-dius setting of 15 ndash 30 Repeat these steps on a new layer named Hair with the Blending Mode set to Overlay Create another new layer named Jew-elry with the Blending Mode set to Overlay as well Once fi nished rearrange the layers so that they are in this order from top to bottom Hair FaceBody Jewelry Lastly group these layers together and name the group HLSH or HighlightShadow
04
05SharpenMake a new layer by combining all visible layers [Shift]+[Alt]+[Ctrl]+[E] This creates a new layer consisting of all the information from the bottom layers Make this a smart object by right ndash click-ing on the layer and selecting Convert to Smart Object This makes the layer a Smart Object allow-ing the use of Smart Filters Duplicate this layer and rename the copy HP 65 and the original layer Sharpen Turn off the HP 65 layer With the Sharp-en layer selected go to FiltergtSharpengtUnSharp Mask using these settings Amount 60 Radius2500 Threshold 10 With the Blending Mode set to Normal adjust the Opacity within the 30 - 40 range and the Fill within the 75 - 90 range Then turn on the HP 65 Layer and select it Set the Blending Mode to Overlay and go to FiltergtOthergtHigh Pass Set the Radius to 65 and the Opacity within the 65 - 75 range and the Fillwithin the 90 - 95 range Finally group these two layers together and name the group Sharpen
03
Color CorrectionCreate a new layer and name it Color CorrectionSet the Blending Mode to Color Set the Brush tool to a SoftFeather setting with the Hardness to 15 Set Black as the foreground color and paint over the lips Then use Gold as the foreground color and paint over the ldquoCoachrdquo text and the handle of the sunglasses changing them from Silver to GoldSelect various colors from the skin and paint over the discolorations in the skin Put the layer in its own group and name that group Color Correction
glamour retouch
39psd Photoshop
EffectsCreate a new layer and name it Sparkles With the Pen tool create a fi ve ndash point sparkle Once fi nished drawing the outline right ndash click and select Make Selection feathering the selection by 1 pixel Make sure the Anti-aliased box is checked and the New Selection option is selected Fill the selection with White Then make several copies (four should be enough) of this layer and move the various spar-kles to certain areas on the jewelry and sunglasses Resize those sparkles individually using transform [Ctrl]+[T] Once the sparkles are at sizes you are comfortable with click on the top most layer (Sparkles Copy 4) hold the shift key then the original Sparkles lay-er and merge them by pressing [Ctrl]+[E] Rename this layer Spar-kles Then add a layer style to the layer by double ndash clicking on it I selected Outer Glow In the options for the Outer Glow effect leave the default setting only changing the Size to 3 pixels Lastly place this layer into its own group and name that group Effects Switch the Original layer OnOff and enjoy the result
by Armand Johnson
07
06
Cool DownCreate a HueSaturation Adjustment Layer mak-ing sure it is set to the Master channel Set the Saturation to -100 This turns the image black and white Set the Blending Mode set to Normalthe Opacity within the 40 - 50 range and the Fill within the 70 - 90 range Select the Maskset the foreground color to 40 Gray and fi ll the mask Paint over only the jewelry and the colored sections of the hair This brings back some of the original color but not too much of it Finally group only this layer and name it Cool Down
How to change the eye color very quickly but efficiently
How to change
eye color
beginer | 10 min
adobe photoshop CS4
how to change eye color
41psd Photoshop
Step 1First open the photos select the pupil of the eye using the method you prefer (Polygonal lassoMagnetic lasso pen etc) I used the Magnetic lasso in this case Right click the mouse on the Selection and select New Layer via Copy Rename the layer eyes
02
03
Step 2Make sure that in the Layers palette is selected layer eyes and from the menu Image select HuegtSaturation adjustments When the window will be open move the Hues cursor until you fi nd the satisfying color If you want from the same HuegtSaturation window we can also modify the saturation and brightness to achieve different ef-fects Heres an example set the Hue value on 44You can also customize more the color using the color balance adjustment selected from the menu ImagegtAdjustmentsgtColor Balance and reduce the opacity of the layer eyes to adjust the effect
Step 3For a more aesthetic effect you can use the Dodge tool selected from the Tools palette Set Light to a 5-10 opacity (or an opacity that allows to achieve the desired effect) and use Dodge toolwithin the colored part of the eye Select Burn tool(also an Opacity of 5) set to Midtones and Burn-ing to defi ne better the outline of the eye
by Ylenia Peronti
42 psd Photoshop
interview
2 pas Photoshop
Tell us about your first steps in photographyMy dad is a really good photographer and he showed me how to use his Nikon film camera when I was young and how to de-
Interview withApril Elizabeth
Can you introduce yourself to our readersMy name is April Elizabeth I am a creative photographer from the small snowy town of Ishpeming in Upper Peninsula of Michigan
April Elizabeth is an internationally published photographer from Ishpeming Michigan Her photos have appeared in magazines on book covers and websites Her clients include Random house HarperCollins Publishing and The Portland Beanie Company
43psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
3psd Photoshop
velop the film I really enjoyed it but it was expensive and I was unable to really get into photography until digital cameras came along I started with a point and shoot camera and went from there
Why did you choose this professionI think it sort of chose me Irsquove always liked photography but I never in my life imagined myself going anywhere with it That all changed when I bought my first slr and asked a local model to do a photo
44 psd Photoshop
interview
4 pas Photoshop
shoot with me I was nervous because I had never done any-thing like that before and I wasnrsquot com-pletely sure how the camera worked but the pictures turned out great and soon more and more peo-ple wanted to work with me
Where do you get the inspiration for your worksIrsquove always been an introverted day-dreamer with an
overly active imagination When other people are liv-ing their life I am looking around and thinking of sto-ries Irsquove always wanted to be a writer but photography lets me tell stories with pic-tures and as long as I can tell a story I am happy
What do you like the most about being a photographer and what are the main difficulties for youIf I am not creating some-thing I feel frustrated I like that my job lets me cre-ate things while making people feel beautiful and good about themselves I enjoy taking pictures that have a fantasy quality to them so that people in the photos can be part of something a little magi-cal instead of ordinary and people who see the photos will feel inspired One of the main difficul-ties I have is my location the middle of nowhere in the Midwest Winter lasts around 7-8 months and itrsquos always very harsh and with a lot of snow I donrsquot have a studio or anyplace indoors thatI can go to so this means I only have a very short amount of time in the year that I can really do many photo shoots
45psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
5psd Photoshop
Do you have any personal achievements you are particularly proud ofIrsquom very proud that my photo Shy with over 35550 favs is one of the most popular photos ever to be up-loaded to the website deviantart Itrsquos unreal to me Irsquom also proud that two photos of mine have been licensed to be on book covers Growing up I never thought any-thing like that could ever happen to me Being in magazines such as this one is also very nice All of these things make me feel like Irsquove accomplished something in life and gives me confidence that I can do even more
What are your plans for futureIrsquod like to get a studio someday And Irsquod like to get into stock photogra-phy Irsquom also working on a gothic romance novel called Whispering Pines and a book of short scary stories I guess I plan on just creat-ing more and trying to improve in everything I do
What would you advice to the young photographersDonrsquot worry about what kind of cam-era or equipment you have Just fo-cus on what you have now and try to create something beautiful with it Itrsquos the photographer that makes the picture good not the camera
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many successful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quitting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many suc-cessful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quit-ting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
A photographerrsquos main goal is to take a photo that makes the viewer feel a strong emotion towards it whether it is love hate anger or passion But when a photo is excellently taken yet the colors lighting and texture dont match up to the photoers vision a photo will become uninspiring This tutorial will teach you how to take your photo to the next level and create an image that matches your vision
Makingthe Mood
making the mood
47psd Photoshop
Step 1The fi rst step in changing a photo is doing the ba-sics You have to prepare your photo before you can move to the fun stuff In this pickture I got rid of any noticeable blemishes the model had and g of noticeable hair that were going across her face to give more clear picture of the model I did this using the Patch and Clone Stamp tool When edit-ing a model make sure to always keep texture in the skin its more interesting that way as opposed to having a models face which is completely air-brushed
02
03
Step 2The next step I took was darkening the whole photo I knew that I wanted the photo to be much darker than it currently was I could have just used the Curves tool or Levels but I fi nd that when overusing the Curves tool a photo starts to look overly contrasted which I dont want So instead I used a light gradient (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtGradient Map) and changed the Blending mode from Normal to Multiply Doing this gives the photo a lot more depth but doesnt darken it completely
Step 3As soon as Ive got my basic photo ready I knew that the yellowish tinge was not the effect I was going for so I used both the Color Balance tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtColor Balance)and the Selective Color tool (LayergtNew Adjust-ment LayergtColor Balance)
01
photomanipulation
48 psd Photoshop
Step 4The next thing I noticed was that my models face was not highlighted enough it was getting lost in the midst of forest and darkness so I made two new layers One layer was for the models face and I simply used a soft Photoshop brush with 0 Hardness and drew over the models face and the snakes body I then changed both layers Blending Mode from Normal to Screen and applied a Box blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 543 pixels to both so they wouldnt be as noticeable Remember you just want hints of light just enough so the models face and the snake is highlighted
04
05
06
Step 5The fi fth step is more or less a repeat of a step number three I liked the way photo looked but it wasnt nearly as dramatic as it could be So now I fi nally decided to use the Curves tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtCurves) to darken and light certain areas making sure again not to overdo it but to give it enough contrast to really bring out the picture Next I made two new Selective Colorlayers (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtSelective Color) One Selective Colors layer changed the leaves and clothes but not the models face to a more dark blue tint while the second Selective Color layer brightened the snakes skin
Step 6The next thing I did was making another two lay-ers I still wanted to brighten only the snakes skin so for the fi rst layer I changed the Blending modefrom Normal to Soft Light and then used a brush with 0 Hardness and carefully painted over the snake It took a few variations before I found a color I liked Its helpful to remember to also look at the whole picture In the next layer I created I simply wanted to add a little more color to the shrubbery in the background so I made another layer and again changed the blending mode from Normal to Soft Light I used a soft brush with 0 Hardness and a maroon and yellow color just to add a little variation from my usual palette of blue I then added it all along the bushes and used the Box Blur tool at 483 pixels also changing the Blending mode from Normal to Screen to make it less obvious
making the mood
49psd Photoshop
Step 7The fi nal step I took to fi nish setting the mood for my photo was adding a texture and chang-ing the Blending Mode from Normal to Soft LightI found that the texture was to overpowering at 100 Opacity so I lowered it to 77 I next added my fi nal layer and created a vignette around my photo by using a brush with a Hardness of 100 and then brushed it around the outer edges of the photo particularly around the four corners I then applied a Box Blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 693 pixels to the layer creating a nice dark blurred ef-fect
by Naomi Bensen
07
interview
14 psd Photoshop
ndash if you want to create a beautiful lady with huge butterfly wings or a dark dungeon with ghosts it is up to you Anything is possible Im-ages brushes and textures give you an opportunity to experiment as much as you want However digital art is technically difficult and requires a lot of practice which can be discouraging at times
Are there any works you are particularly proud of Any personal favourites Thatrsquos a tricky question I really like my latest pieces lsquoFreersquo lsquoPerfec-tionrsquo and lsquoCarried Awayrsquo but it would be wrong to call them favourite as all of my works mean a lot to me
interview with natalia voloshyn
15psd Photoshop
What are you currently working onIrsquom working on a piece portraying an imaginary being perhaps a girl lonely lost and rejected longing for warm human feelings but not being able to find them It is going to be a dreamy fantasy piece quite dark and atmospheric
What are your plans for future Are there any particular goals you would like to achieve I consider myself being a perfectionist so I try to improve my skills with every new piece I create I would like to move more in the direc-tion of digital painting learn some new techniques
Any advices to those who would like to become digital artists as wellThe first and the most important piece of advice ndash donrsquot stop Donrsquot give up even if things go totally wrong or are not as good as you ex-pected Be patient try to build up an image in your mind first or draw a sketch and then recreate it step by step If you feel that you lack knowledge browse for some tutorials they can be very helpful Im-prove your skills And remember - the sky is the limit
medium | 30 min
adobe photoshop CS3 | wacom tablet
forest fairy
17psd Photoshop
Step 1I made a sketch in Photoshop using Wacom tablet After I made a rough sketch I decided to add dif-ferent decorative details during the process of drawing
01
02
Step 2I drew the basis for the face body and dress on a new layer More details and highlights would be added later
Forest FairyI wanted to draw a beautiful fairy with long hair and bright green eyes running through the forest I decided to paint it in bright colors of yellow and orange The image needed to be magical
digital painting
18 psd Photoshop
Step 4At this point I began to refi ne the face and make up continuing from step 2 and adding more de-tails I focused on the looks and the eyes because I think itrsquos very important I painted some pinkish shades on the face added highlights and textured the lips After that I added eyelashes
04
05
Step 5In this step I drew the hair I decided that fairys hair would be long with a reddish-yellow hue First I drew the basis for hair using a dark color Then I painted waves of the hair lighter I used several colors to draw the hair (brown orange red and various shades of yellow) as it gives the effect of more volume To draw the hair I use a soft round brush In the brush settings I set ShapegtDynamicsgtFine hair fi ne hair and sized it to 2 px
03
Step 3I started to paint the basis for fairys hair I used a wide round soft brown brush and drew it on a new layer Then I began to paint more details of fairys body and of her dress by adding shadows and highlights
forest fairy
19psd Photoshop
Step 7When I fi nished the details on the girls body I drew a fl ower in her hand On a new layer with Opacity 50 I drew a light train I used a soft round brush with Opacity set to 30-50
07
08
Step 8I started to paint the background and used a soft large brush I made the left upper corner of the background lighter and the bottom of the back-ground - darker
06
Step 6I decided to make the dress more beautiful First I drew bright yellow patches on the dress and the folds I drew highlights with a soft round brush setting the Opacity to 40 I then painted gloss on her dress For this I used a brush size of 2-5 px Glitter (point brush) I drew it on multiple layers with varying transparency and used a bright yel-low and red brush The more points you paint the more the dress will shine On the brightest parts of the dress I put more points of bright color
digital painting
20 psd Photoshop
Step 10In this step I added decorative items and orna-ments I used a brush size of 2 px and yellow and brown colors to paint decorations (to look their best they need to be drawn very accurately)
10
11
Step 11I drew the falling leaves on 2 layers a front and a rear layer On the foreground I painted the leaves brighter To layer the leaves in the background I applied a Gaussian Blur
by Alena Lazareva
09
Step 9I then painted an abstract leaf in the right side of the background and applied the Gaussian Blur fi l-ter (FiltergtBlurgtGaussian Blur) Now using a soft brush with light yellow I added rays of the sun Af-ter that I again applied the Gaussian Blur
This tutorial will explain how to paint a realistic eye in Photoshop Eyes are by far one of the most important aspects of any painting especially if itrsquos a portrait Itrsquos also one of the most fun features to paint as painting an eye is much easier than one might think
How toPaint a Realistic Eye
medium | 30 min
adobe photoshop CS5
how to paint a realistic eye
23psd Photoshop
SketchBefore laying down a single brushstroke itrsquos important for me to create a rough sketch It doesnrsquot have to be perfect but we need to get our point across here This will only make things easier during the painting process Create a new layer and sketch in an eye
02
03
Laying down the Base ColorThis step is simple enough here we lay down the base color for the skin Simply use the Gradienttool here and fi ll the background layer with your color choice In general try not to go too light or too saturated here
Defi ning FormUsing the HSB Slider (WindowsgtColor) pick a darker more saturated color for the darker areas of the skin and paint it using a simple Hard Edged brush I also pick a lighter less saturated tone for the highlights of the skin I choose a color for the eye in this case a bright blue and paint that in as well
01
workshop
24 psd Photoshop
Bringing Life to the SkinThe values of the skin need some work here I choose an even brighter lighter color to defi ne the form of the skin I introduce the lighter tones according to the lighting here which is a standard front light I add the lighter tones to the tone the bridge of the nose near the eyebrow and around the eyelid to make things appear more realistic
04
05
06
Smoothing Out the SkinAt this point all my work was done using a standard Hard Edged brush which is great for defi ning form quickly To blend the skin and give it a more photo realistic look I now switch to a soft brush (Hardness at 0) and Opacity at 50 I blend all the sharp transitions until things appear much smoother Additionally I paint darker tones on the blue iris to give it more depth
Bringing More LifeAt this point I work a bit more on the skin tones adding some more saturated reddish tones on the area around the eye as well as the cheek I also add a more saturated blue to the eye as well I do this all with a soft airbrush at a fairly low opacity on a new layer then merge it down when Irsquom satisfi ed with how things are looking I also do some more detail work using a softer Hard Edgedbrush as well
how to paint a realistic eye
25psd Photoshop
DetailsIrsquom satisfi ed with how things are looking at this stage so I start working on the details Using a fairly small brush I begin to add some lsquobumpsrsquo around the eye to give it a more realistic looks I also create bumps around the eyebrow using a both a fairly light as well as dark color to help it pop for a realistic look I also add details in the iris using a lighter bluish color to really bring the image to life I work in at a very large zoom at this stage as well to make things easier and more accurate
07
08
09
Refi nementI go over everything with a Soft Edged brush at a low opacity for a more realistic look Additionally I bring out the details more using fairly small hard edged brushes I work on the eyebrow painting each strand in as well as the eyelashes
Color and Texture EnhancementThings are looking a bit too muddy for my taste so what I do here is create a new layer set to soft light and enhance the colors quite a bit I introduce much warmer tones around the eye to give it more life Finally I slightly overlay a leather photo texture to give the skin a slightly more realistic effect
by George Patsouras
In this tutorial I will explain how to paint realistic lips with Photoshop Before attempting to paint lips itrsquos essential that you practice drawing lips as well as the head in general to get the best results possible
How toPaint a Realistic Lips
medium | 30 min
adobe photoshop CS5
how to paint a realistic lips
27psd Photoshop
SketchI almost always start off with a sketch for my serious paintings and this one is no different I create a new layer and with a Hard Edged brush I quickly sketch in the lips Getting the lips to look right now just makes the painting process that much easier
02
03
Picking the right base colorPick a mid-tone for the skin one thatrsquos not too saturated or too light (a common mistake many artists make) To quickly fi ll in the canvas with a color I simply use the Gradient tool After itrsquos done I use a hard edged brush to paint in the red lips
Defi ning FormOnce I chose my base tone itrsquos time to defi ne the form of the skin The fi rst thing you must think of is where does the light come from In this case I decide to go for a fairly simple front light and shade accordingly Using a Hard Edged brush I use darker more saturated tones for the darker parts of the skin and a lighter less saturated tone for the highlights of the skin for a realistic effect Use a darker midtone for the lsquotoprsquo lip and bring out lighter tones for the bottom one (this works for most lighting situations)
01
workshop
28 psd Photoshop
Bringing out the HighlightsThings are still looking too fl at for me at this stage so I choose a much brighter midtone to bring out the form of the skin As always I simply use a hard edged brush at this step I bring out lighter tones on the lsquocornersrsquo of the lips the chin and on top of the lips
04
05
06
Smoothing out the SkinOnce Irsquom happy with my value statement I decide to soften everything out with a soft edged brush I choose Hardness 0 under my Brush Settingsand with a 50 Opacity I smoothen out the rough transitions
DetailsI start bringing texture to the lower lips using a fairly small Hard Edged brush I zoom closer here to make things easier and begin to paint the texture of the lips keeping the form in mind using a circular stroke Additionally I bring out a fairly harsh highlight at the top of the lips (the part that looks like a lsquoVrsquo) which gives the image a much more realistic feel
how to paint a realistic lips
29psd Photoshop
Even more detailsI bring more contrast to the image using lighter tones for the highlights and darker ones for shadows I introduce a fairly dark tone right underneath the lip above the chin for a realistic effect I also use a darker tone to separate the lsquobottomrsquo lip from the top giving the lips more depth in the process I also add a mole simply for the fun of it
07
08
Final Refi nementHere I add even more texture to the lips and use a very light almost white color on the bottom lips to bring more life and contrast to the image I clean the image out a bit in general and make sure everything appears as symmetrical as possible and voila Wersquore done
by George Patsouras
contributing writers
Editor in Chief Magdalena Mojska magdalenamojskapsdmagorg
Copy Editor Ed Werzyn Robert Coppa Art Director Agnieszka Marchocka
DTP Przemysław BanasiewiczSenior ConsultantPublisherPresident
Paweł Marciniak Managing Director Ewa Łozowicka
Marketing Director Magdalena Mojska magdalenamojskapsdmagorg
Production DirectorAndrzej Kuca andrzejkucapsdmagorg
Postal addressPublisher Software Press Spzoo SK
02-682 Warszawa ul Bokserska 1worldwide publishing wwwpsdmagorgen
All trade marks presented in the magazine were used only for informa-tive purposes All rights to trade marks presented in the magazine are
reserved by the companies which own themMathematical formulas created by Design Science MathTypetrade
The editors use automatic DTP systemEditorial contributions should be sent to
editorspsdmagorg Customer Service +1 917 338 3631
The Software Press Spzoo SK works individually from Adobe The psd Photoshop team reserves the right not to be responsible for the topical-ity correctness completeness or quality of the information provided by
contributors
Randy Monteith
I am self taught as an artist So any mistakes I have made are in-tentional All my ideas come from an over active imagination that is only put in check when I fi nish a piece of artwork and then the process begins again I have been working with Photoshop for al-most 7 years now I am lucky enough to have two images chosen for two of RedBubblersquos books GAIA and Compassion Courage and Friendship I have been interviewed in Photoshop Creative Maga-zine 14 and have images printed in Advanced Photoshop as well Recently in Issue 60 of Photoshop Creative Magazine the editors chose my portfolio on their webpage as one of the Top 5 rated portfolios I am not one to think outside the box but blow it to bits so stand back and watch me now
c o v e r a r t i s t
Alena Lazareva
My name is Alena I live in Russia I`m the digital artist and the illustrator My interests are art photography computer graph-ics I have been drawing since childhood I studied at the School of Art at the artist There I drew pictures in oils and watercolor is now engaged in graphic design During the last three years I have been enjoying working as a computer graphics artist I love to paint illustrations in the style of Fantasy mythical creatures fairies elves mermaids and angels and painting children fairy-tales I`m currently using Photoshop CS and tablet Wacom for of my artworks I hope you like my illustrationsWebsite wwwalenalazarevacome-mail alenkalazarevamailru
Armand Johnson
Irsquom a professional photographer and graphic designer from Northern Louisiana USA I have had the pleasure of working with celebrities non-profi t organizations and local talents within the Louisiana region Irsquove also provided public service to the area and worked with the local youth to teach them professionalism career goals and creative thinking I get a lot of my inspiration from what I observe which is everyday lifehttpwwwfl ickrcomphotosthearmandjohnsonhttpwwwtwittercomdajizzlehttpwwwcreatticacomcreativesthe-armand-john-son29390thearmandjohnsongmailcom
George Patsouras
George Patsouras is a freelance and concept artist residing from Long Island City NY His work can be seen in a variety of differ-ent projects including video games comic books as well as card games George specializes in depicting realistic fantasy images For more of his work be sure to check out his offi cial blog at httpcgaddictblogspotcom
Jose Paulo Reis
Irsquom a digital artist with 3 years of experience My passion is fashion photography creativity advertising photomanipula-tion and digital art Currently Irsquom working as a digital artist in Lalaland Studios (fashion photography) I love fashion and beauty photography and everything related with digital art Irsquom devoted to Photoshop and everyday Irsquom trying to improve my skillsEnjoy my works by visiting my blog wwwzepaulocreationblogspotcom
Naomi Bensen
Having been raised in a colorful environment of art music and creative learning it was only natural for me to gravitate towards photographymdasha medium that can catch a split second and make it last forever Behind the lens I have pursued my own unique style of photography that focuses on capturing natural and un-staged moments For me photography is more than taking a good picturemdashitrsquos about turning a moment into art Find me at httptheimaginationdeviantartcom
Ylenia Peronti
Irsquom 19 years old italian artist From 3 years I have a passion for photo retouch and generally for phtoshop so I started to practice retouch fi rst on what I call ldquoextreme makeoverrdquo as described in this tutorial and then devot himelf to studying professional photo retouching refi ning technical professional and actually retouch fashion shots Irsquom supermoderator in the Forum Graphics wwwgrafi cicreativicom and I manage especially the section of photoretouch you can fi nd me at the following links wwwyleniaperontiwordpresscom httpyleniucciadeviantartcom
interview
32 psd Photoshop
Interview withArmand Johnson
Please say a few words about yourselfI have a degree in Graphic Design and I really enjoy art all forms of it Whether that is music acting dancing painting photography etc I am intrigued by many different forms of art I DO like to play video games (when I have time but who doesnrsquot) and I DO consider video games as ART but thatrsquos a different subject Irsquom kind of laid back and very business like in my approach to most things
Why did you choose photo retouching and what do you find fascinating about itWhen I was in undergrad I collected plenty of music CDrsquos and DVDrsquos It always intrigued me how flawless and perfect looking the cover art was I thought to myself I want to reach that level of perfection in what I do But graduating with a BFA in Graphic Design kind of steered me away from that in some regards It wasnrsquot until about 5 years ago when my Aunt asked me to gather a couple of shots for some of my cousinrsquos promotional work that I begun to take retouch-ing very seriously After I took the shots I thought These images need to be presentable So I started to dabble with perfecting the images which pushed me into retouching By being a photographer retouching is essential to my workflow because I want my images to have that commercial professional appeal I want my work to look like it belongs in a magazine as a poster or on a billboard etc I find retouching fascinating because how one can push and perfect an image to hisher likings and to the clientrsquos likings as well Itrsquos a great feeling to boost someonersquos confidence by showing them the retouched image in comparison to the original It can help them gain or retain their ldquoswaggardquo
Irsquom a professional photographer and graphic designer from Northern Louisiana USA I have had the pleasure of working with celebrities non-profit organizations and local talents within the Louisiana region Irsquove also provided public service to the area and worked with the local youth to teach them professionalism career goals and creative thinking I get a lot of my inspiration from what I observe which is everyday life
See more of my works here
httpwwwflickrcomphotosthearmandjohnsonhttpwwwtwittercomdajizzlehttpwwwcreatticacomcreativesthe-armand-johnson29390
Contact me
thearmandjohnsongmailcom
interview with armand johnson
33psd Photoshop
Where do you look for the inspiration to createThere are several photographers and retouchers well known and not that inspire me with their work Joel Grimes and Dave Hill are probably the most prominent amongst the photographers I admire their approach to their craft and absolutely love their end result Other notable photographers are Dustin Snipes and Dallas J Logan As for retouchers I think Amy Dresser is amongst the best Her work is incredible Nick Saglimbeni is also Hersquos an awesome photographer and retoucher But that is just the list of people Nature and natural things are very inspiring because of their calming attributes Also
interview
34 psd Photoshop
there is a bevy of websites that are exceptionally useful for inspira-tion Abduzeedo is my favorite Being an artist you can get your in-spiration from anything and anywhere An idea can gravitate towards you at anytime
What are the main advantages of your profession and what can be discouraging about itAn advantage of being a retoucher is the payoff If yoursquore great at it you can eventually open up to a much larger clientele such as the entertainment (music movies etc) and fashion industries Once
interview with armand johnson
35psd Photoshop
yoursquore attached to some major clients your rep (credibility) increas-es for the better What can be discouraging is the journey to arrive at that stage There are many individuals proclaiming themselves pro-fessionals (whether photographers retouchers etc) that are hurt-ing the industry They are utterly confusing clients A random person with a camera is not a photographer and a random person with a copy of Photoshop is not retoucher A lot of lower level clients tend to desire commercial level work for pennies on the dollar Thatrsquos just not feasible Retouchers probably spend more time with an image than anyone else involved with the creative process They deserve to be compensated properly
Do you have any achievements that you are particularly proud ofYeah I just recently got a couple works approved on the major cre-ative website Creatticacom Also being featured in this magazine is very rewarding I look forward to achieving more goals and receiving more accolades Lifersquos a marathon not a sprint
What about your plans for the futureI plan on making my stamp within the industry as have the other successful digital artists Irsquoll always be refining and fine-tuning my craft to become more diverse I wonrsquot go into too much details cause I have a laundry list of things That could take all day ) But I will say this the pieces of the puzzle are beginning to fall into the right plac-es and I believe this interview and collaboration with PSD Photoshop magazine is a crucial step in this process
Do you have any advice to those who would like to become digital artists as wellBe artistic and approach things from a creative perspective I find many individuals wanting to be artists without being artistic or cre-ative Itrsquos a process not a fast food restaurant The creation of mas-terpieces and wonderful works of art takes careful planning time and effort There has to be a love for what you do Photoshop is only a tool which is used to create art It is not meant to replace it or the process of creating it
advanced | 45 min
adobe photoshop CS3
glamour retouch
37psd Photoshop
Blemish Removal and Skin SmoothingFirst open the RAW image and make a duplicate of the background layer by pressing [Ctrl]+[J] Name the bottom layer Retouch and the top layer Original This creates a quick toggle between the Before and After states This also allows you to monitor your progress and determine if you are making changes that have a negative effect on the results Turn off the top layer (Original) Nextcreate a new layer above the Retouch layer by pressing [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] Name this layer CleanUp With the Healing Brush [J] selected make sure Sam-ple All Layers is selected from the drop down menu and Aligned is checked Next use the Healing Brush as well as the Clone Stamp on the CleanUp layer to remove all the blemishes and imperfections The settings are 100 Opacity 100 with Sample All Layers and Alignedselected Once the skin is cleaned up create another layer above it [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] and name it Skin Select the Clone Stamp tool and use these settings 18-25 Opacity 100 Flow Sample All Layers and Aligned Use the Clone Stamp tool to even out the Highlight Shadowand Midtone areas giving the skin a very smooth fl awless appear-ance Lastly apply a little noise the layer Go to FiltergtNoisegtAdd Noise and set the amount to 25 - 50 and the distribution to Gauss-ian After initially cleaning and smoothing the skin group those layers together by holding down the [Shift] key and selecting both of them and [Ctrl]+[G] to group them Rename the group CleanUp
01
02Color BoostAbove the CleanUp group create a Curves Adjustment Layer and name it CB - Curves Use three points along the slope 255 255 0 0 and 148 112 within the RGB channel Then create a LevelsAdjustment Layer naming it CB - Levels Within the RGB chan-nel using these values 10 115 245 Group together these two Adjustment Layers and name the group Overall because it af-fects the overall image Then create a Curves Adjustment Layerabove the grouped layers and insert four points along the slope Keep the two default points 255255 and 0 0 Add two more 35 43 and 211 201 (or somewhere within that tonal range) also in the RGB channel Rename this layer Jewelry Select the Mask by clicking on it and fi ll the Mask with Black Use the Brush tool with the foreground color set to White and paint only over the jewelry Rename this layer Jewelry Create a fi nal Curves adjustment layer above the Jewelry layer and name it Hair Use settings very simi-lar to those on the Jewelry layer within the RGB channel Select the Mask fi ll it with Black and paint over the hair with a Whitebrush Group all of these Adjustment Layers together and name the group Color Boost
GlamourRetouchIn this tutorial I will show you how I performed a Glamour retouch on a photo of my beautiful friend Asia I photographed her against a black background for a dramatic and edgy effect as well as using various Photoshop tools to achieve that ldquoglamour lookrdquo that many magazines and print work use I will be using Photoshop CS3 but any higher version should work as well The tools I will be using are Adjustment Layers Filters and Blending Modes as well as the Clone Stamp Brush and Healing Brush tools
photo retouch
38 psd Photoshop
Highlight and ShadowCreate a new layer and name it FaceBody and set the Blending Mode to Soft Light Set the foreground color to White select the Brush tool with the settings Opacity 100 Flow 2 and paint over the naturally highlighted areas bring-ing out the highlights Then set the foreground color to Black using the same settings and paint over the naturally shadowed areas increasing the contrast in the image Add a Gaussian BlurFiltergtBlurgtGaussian Blur to the layer with a ra-dius setting of 15 ndash 30 Repeat these steps on a new layer named Hair with the Blending Mode set to Overlay Create another new layer named Jew-elry with the Blending Mode set to Overlay as well Once fi nished rearrange the layers so that they are in this order from top to bottom Hair FaceBody Jewelry Lastly group these layers together and name the group HLSH or HighlightShadow
04
05SharpenMake a new layer by combining all visible layers [Shift]+[Alt]+[Ctrl]+[E] This creates a new layer consisting of all the information from the bottom layers Make this a smart object by right ndash click-ing on the layer and selecting Convert to Smart Object This makes the layer a Smart Object allow-ing the use of Smart Filters Duplicate this layer and rename the copy HP 65 and the original layer Sharpen Turn off the HP 65 layer With the Sharp-en layer selected go to FiltergtSharpengtUnSharp Mask using these settings Amount 60 Radius2500 Threshold 10 With the Blending Mode set to Normal adjust the Opacity within the 30 - 40 range and the Fill within the 75 - 90 range Then turn on the HP 65 Layer and select it Set the Blending Mode to Overlay and go to FiltergtOthergtHigh Pass Set the Radius to 65 and the Opacity within the 65 - 75 range and the Fillwithin the 90 - 95 range Finally group these two layers together and name the group Sharpen
03
Color CorrectionCreate a new layer and name it Color CorrectionSet the Blending Mode to Color Set the Brush tool to a SoftFeather setting with the Hardness to 15 Set Black as the foreground color and paint over the lips Then use Gold as the foreground color and paint over the ldquoCoachrdquo text and the handle of the sunglasses changing them from Silver to GoldSelect various colors from the skin and paint over the discolorations in the skin Put the layer in its own group and name that group Color Correction
glamour retouch
39psd Photoshop
EffectsCreate a new layer and name it Sparkles With the Pen tool create a fi ve ndash point sparkle Once fi nished drawing the outline right ndash click and select Make Selection feathering the selection by 1 pixel Make sure the Anti-aliased box is checked and the New Selection option is selected Fill the selection with White Then make several copies (four should be enough) of this layer and move the various spar-kles to certain areas on the jewelry and sunglasses Resize those sparkles individually using transform [Ctrl]+[T] Once the sparkles are at sizes you are comfortable with click on the top most layer (Sparkles Copy 4) hold the shift key then the original Sparkles lay-er and merge them by pressing [Ctrl]+[E] Rename this layer Spar-kles Then add a layer style to the layer by double ndash clicking on it I selected Outer Glow In the options for the Outer Glow effect leave the default setting only changing the Size to 3 pixels Lastly place this layer into its own group and name that group Effects Switch the Original layer OnOff and enjoy the result
by Armand Johnson
07
06
Cool DownCreate a HueSaturation Adjustment Layer mak-ing sure it is set to the Master channel Set the Saturation to -100 This turns the image black and white Set the Blending Mode set to Normalthe Opacity within the 40 - 50 range and the Fill within the 70 - 90 range Select the Maskset the foreground color to 40 Gray and fi ll the mask Paint over only the jewelry and the colored sections of the hair This brings back some of the original color but not too much of it Finally group only this layer and name it Cool Down
How to change the eye color very quickly but efficiently
How to change
eye color
beginer | 10 min
adobe photoshop CS4
how to change eye color
41psd Photoshop
Step 1First open the photos select the pupil of the eye using the method you prefer (Polygonal lassoMagnetic lasso pen etc) I used the Magnetic lasso in this case Right click the mouse on the Selection and select New Layer via Copy Rename the layer eyes
02
03
Step 2Make sure that in the Layers palette is selected layer eyes and from the menu Image select HuegtSaturation adjustments When the window will be open move the Hues cursor until you fi nd the satisfying color If you want from the same HuegtSaturation window we can also modify the saturation and brightness to achieve different ef-fects Heres an example set the Hue value on 44You can also customize more the color using the color balance adjustment selected from the menu ImagegtAdjustmentsgtColor Balance and reduce the opacity of the layer eyes to adjust the effect
Step 3For a more aesthetic effect you can use the Dodge tool selected from the Tools palette Set Light to a 5-10 opacity (or an opacity that allows to achieve the desired effect) and use Dodge toolwithin the colored part of the eye Select Burn tool(also an Opacity of 5) set to Midtones and Burn-ing to defi ne better the outline of the eye
by Ylenia Peronti
42 psd Photoshop
interview
2 pas Photoshop
Tell us about your first steps in photographyMy dad is a really good photographer and he showed me how to use his Nikon film camera when I was young and how to de-
Interview withApril Elizabeth
Can you introduce yourself to our readersMy name is April Elizabeth I am a creative photographer from the small snowy town of Ishpeming in Upper Peninsula of Michigan
April Elizabeth is an internationally published photographer from Ishpeming Michigan Her photos have appeared in magazines on book covers and websites Her clients include Random house HarperCollins Publishing and The Portland Beanie Company
43psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
3psd Photoshop
velop the film I really enjoyed it but it was expensive and I was unable to really get into photography until digital cameras came along I started with a point and shoot camera and went from there
Why did you choose this professionI think it sort of chose me Irsquove always liked photography but I never in my life imagined myself going anywhere with it That all changed when I bought my first slr and asked a local model to do a photo
44 psd Photoshop
interview
4 pas Photoshop
shoot with me I was nervous because I had never done any-thing like that before and I wasnrsquot com-pletely sure how the camera worked but the pictures turned out great and soon more and more peo-ple wanted to work with me
Where do you get the inspiration for your worksIrsquove always been an introverted day-dreamer with an
overly active imagination When other people are liv-ing their life I am looking around and thinking of sto-ries Irsquove always wanted to be a writer but photography lets me tell stories with pic-tures and as long as I can tell a story I am happy
What do you like the most about being a photographer and what are the main difficulties for youIf I am not creating some-thing I feel frustrated I like that my job lets me cre-ate things while making people feel beautiful and good about themselves I enjoy taking pictures that have a fantasy quality to them so that people in the photos can be part of something a little magi-cal instead of ordinary and people who see the photos will feel inspired One of the main difficul-ties I have is my location the middle of nowhere in the Midwest Winter lasts around 7-8 months and itrsquos always very harsh and with a lot of snow I donrsquot have a studio or anyplace indoors thatI can go to so this means I only have a very short amount of time in the year that I can really do many photo shoots
45psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
5psd Photoshop
Do you have any personal achievements you are particularly proud ofIrsquom very proud that my photo Shy with over 35550 favs is one of the most popular photos ever to be up-loaded to the website deviantart Itrsquos unreal to me Irsquom also proud that two photos of mine have been licensed to be on book covers Growing up I never thought any-thing like that could ever happen to me Being in magazines such as this one is also very nice All of these things make me feel like Irsquove accomplished something in life and gives me confidence that I can do even more
What are your plans for futureIrsquod like to get a studio someday And Irsquod like to get into stock photogra-phy Irsquom also working on a gothic romance novel called Whispering Pines and a book of short scary stories I guess I plan on just creat-ing more and trying to improve in everything I do
What would you advice to the young photographersDonrsquot worry about what kind of cam-era or equipment you have Just fo-cus on what you have now and try to create something beautiful with it Itrsquos the photographer that makes the picture good not the camera
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many successful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quitting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many suc-cessful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quit-ting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
A photographerrsquos main goal is to take a photo that makes the viewer feel a strong emotion towards it whether it is love hate anger or passion But when a photo is excellently taken yet the colors lighting and texture dont match up to the photoers vision a photo will become uninspiring This tutorial will teach you how to take your photo to the next level and create an image that matches your vision
Makingthe Mood
making the mood
47psd Photoshop
Step 1The fi rst step in changing a photo is doing the ba-sics You have to prepare your photo before you can move to the fun stuff In this pickture I got rid of any noticeable blemishes the model had and g of noticeable hair that were going across her face to give more clear picture of the model I did this using the Patch and Clone Stamp tool When edit-ing a model make sure to always keep texture in the skin its more interesting that way as opposed to having a models face which is completely air-brushed
02
03
Step 2The next step I took was darkening the whole photo I knew that I wanted the photo to be much darker than it currently was I could have just used the Curves tool or Levels but I fi nd that when overusing the Curves tool a photo starts to look overly contrasted which I dont want So instead I used a light gradient (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtGradient Map) and changed the Blending mode from Normal to Multiply Doing this gives the photo a lot more depth but doesnt darken it completely
Step 3As soon as Ive got my basic photo ready I knew that the yellowish tinge was not the effect I was going for so I used both the Color Balance tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtColor Balance)and the Selective Color tool (LayergtNew Adjust-ment LayergtColor Balance)
01
photomanipulation
48 psd Photoshop
Step 4The next thing I noticed was that my models face was not highlighted enough it was getting lost in the midst of forest and darkness so I made two new layers One layer was for the models face and I simply used a soft Photoshop brush with 0 Hardness and drew over the models face and the snakes body I then changed both layers Blending Mode from Normal to Screen and applied a Box blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 543 pixels to both so they wouldnt be as noticeable Remember you just want hints of light just enough so the models face and the snake is highlighted
04
05
06
Step 5The fi fth step is more or less a repeat of a step number three I liked the way photo looked but it wasnt nearly as dramatic as it could be So now I fi nally decided to use the Curves tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtCurves) to darken and light certain areas making sure again not to overdo it but to give it enough contrast to really bring out the picture Next I made two new Selective Colorlayers (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtSelective Color) One Selective Colors layer changed the leaves and clothes but not the models face to a more dark blue tint while the second Selective Color layer brightened the snakes skin
Step 6The next thing I did was making another two lay-ers I still wanted to brighten only the snakes skin so for the fi rst layer I changed the Blending modefrom Normal to Soft Light and then used a brush with 0 Hardness and carefully painted over the snake It took a few variations before I found a color I liked Its helpful to remember to also look at the whole picture In the next layer I created I simply wanted to add a little more color to the shrubbery in the background so I made another layer and again changed the blending mode from Normal to Soft Light I used a soft brush with 0 Hardness and a maroon and yellow color just to add a little variation from my usual palette of blue I then added it all along the bushes and used the Box Blur tool at 483 pixels also changing the Blending mode from Normal to Screen to make it less obvious
making the mood
49psd Photoshop
Step 7The fi nal step I took to fi nish setting the mood for my photo was adding a texture and chang-ing the Blending Mode from Normal to Soft LightI found that the texture was to overpowering at 100 Opacity so I lowered it to 77 I next added my fi nal layer and created a vignette around my photo by using a brush with a Hardness of 100 and then brushed it around the outer edges of the photo particularly around the four corners I then applied a Box Blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 693 pixels to the layer creating a nice dark blurred ef-fect
by Naomi Bensen
07
interview with natalia voloshyn
15psd Photoshop
What are you currently working onIrsquom working on a piece portraying an imaginary being perhaps a girl lonely lost and rejected longing for warm human feelings but not being able to find them It is going to be a dreamy fantasy piece quite dark and atmospheric
What are your plans for future Are there any particular goals you would like to achieve I consider myself being a perfectionist so I try to improve my skills with every new piece I create I would like to move more in the direc-tion of digital painting learn some new techniques
Any advices to those who would like to become digital artists as wellThe first and the most important piece of advice ndash donrsquot stop Donrsquot give up even if things go totally wrong or are not as good as you ex-pected Be patient try to build up an image in your mind first or draw a sketch and then recreate it step by step If you feel that you lack knowledge browse for some tutorials they can be very helpful Im-prove your skills And remember - the sky is the limit
medium | 30 min
adobe photoshop CS3 | wacom tablet
forest fairy
17psd Photoshop
Step 1I made a sketch in Photoshop using Wacom tablet After I made a rough sketch I decided to add dif-ferent decorative details during the process of drawing
01
02
Step 2I drew the basis for the face body and dress on a new layer More details and highlights would be added later
Forest FairyI wanted to draw a beautiful fairy with long hair and bright green eyes running through the forest I decided to paint it in bright colors of yellow and orange The image needed to be magical
digital painting
18 psd Photoshop
Step 4At this point I began to refi ne the face and make up continuing from step 2 and adding more de-tails I focused on the looks and the eyes because I think itrsquos very important I painted some pinkish shades on the face added highlights and textured the lips After that I added eyelashes
04
05
Step 5In this step I drew the hair I decided that fairys hair would be long with a reddish-yellow hue First I drew the basis for hair using a dark color Then I painted waves of the hair lighter I used several colors to draw the hair (brown orange red and various shades of yellow) as it gives the effect of more volume To draw the hair I use a soft round brush In the brush settings I set ShapegtDynamicsgtFine hair fi ne hair and sized it to 2 px
03
Step 3I started to paint the basis for fairys hair I used a wide round soft brown brush and drew it on a new layer Then I began to paint more details of fairys body and of her dress by adding shadows and highlights
forest fairy
19psd Photoshop
Step 7When I fi nished the details on the girls body I drew a fl ower in her hand On a new layer with Opacity 50 I drew a light train I used a soft round brush with Opacity set to 30-50
07
08
Step 8I started to paint the background and used a soft large brush I made the left upper corner of the background lighter and the bottom of the back-ground - darker
06
Step 6I decided to make the dress more beautiful First I drew bright yellow patches on the dress and the folds I drew highlights with a soft round brush setting the Opacity to 40 I then painted gloss on her dress For this I used a brush size of 2-5 px Glitter (point brush) I drew it on multiple layers with varying transparency and used a bright yel-low and red brush The more points you paint the more the dress will shine On the brightest parts of the dress I put more points of bright color
digital painting
20 psd Photoshop
Step 10In this step I added decorative items and orna-ments I used a brush size of 2 px and yellow and brown colors to paint decorations (to look their best they need to be drawn very accurately)
10
11
Step 11I drew the falling leaves on 2 layers a front and a rear layer On the foreground I painted the leaves brighter To layer the leaves in the background I applied a Gaussian Blur
by Alena Lazareva
09
Step 9I then painted an abstract leaf in the right side of the background and applied the Gaussian Blur fi l-ter (FiltergtBlurgtGaussian Blur) Now using a soft brush with light yellow I added rays of the sun Af-ter that I again applied the Gaussian Blur
This tutorial will explain how to paint a realistic eye in Photoshop Eyes are by far one of the most important aspects of any painting especially if itrsquos a portrait Itrsquos also one of the most fun features to paint as painting an eye is much easier than one might think
How toPaint a Realistic Eye
medium | 30 min
adobe photoshop CS5
how to paint a realistic eye
23psd Photoshop
SketchBefore laying down a single brushstroke itrsquos important for me to create a rough sketch It doesnrsquot have to be perfect but we need to get our point across here This will only make things easier during the painting process Create a new layer and sketch in an eye
02
03
Laying down the Base ColorThis step is simple enough here we lay down the base color for the skin Simply use the Gradienttool here and fi ll the background layer with your color choice In general try not to go too light or too saturated here
Defi ning FormUsing the HSB Slider (WindowsgtColor) pick a darker more saturated color for the darker areas of the skin and paint it using a simple Hard Edged brush I also pick a lighter less saturated tone for the highlights of the skin I choose a color for the eye in this case a bright blue and paint that in as well
01
workshop
24 psd Photoshop
Bringing Life to the SkinThe values of the skin need some work here I choose an even brighter lighter color to defi ne the form of the skin I introduce the lighter tones according to the lighting here which is a standard front light I add the lighter tones to the tone the bridge of the nose near the eyebrow and around the eyelid to make things appear more realistic
04
05
06
Smoothing Out the SkinAt this point all my work was done using a standard Hard Edged brush which is great for defi ning form quickly To blend the skin and give it a more photo realistic look I now switch to a soft brush (Hardness at 0) and Opacity at 50 I blend all the sharp transitions until things appear much smoother Additionally I paint darker tones on the blue iris to give it more depth
Bringing More LifeAt this point I work a bit more on the skin tones adding some more saturated reddish tones on the area around the eye as well as the cheek I also add a more saturated blue to the eye as well I do this all with a soft airbrush at a fairly low opacity on a new layer then merge it down when Irsquom satisfi ed with how things are looking I also do some more detail work using a softer Hard Edgedbrush as well
how to paint a realistic eye
25psd Photoshop
DetailsIrsquom satisfi ed with how things are looking at this stage so I start working on the details Using a fairly small brush I begin to add some lsquobumpsrsquo around the eye to give it a more realistic looks I also create bumps around the eyebrow using a both a fairly light as well as dark color to help it pop for a realistic look I also add details in the iris using a lighter bluish color to really bring the image to life I work in at a very large zoom at this stage as well to make things easier and more accurate
07
08
09
Refi nementI go over everything with a Soft Edged brush at a low opacity for a more realistic look Additionally I bring out the details more using fairly small hard edged brushes I work on the eyebrow painting each strand in as well as the eyelashes
Color and Texture EnhancementThings are looking a bit too muddy for my taste so what I do here is create a new layer set to soft light and enhance the colors quite a bit I introduce much warmer tones around the eye to give it more life Finally I slightly overlay a leather photo texture to give the skin a slightly more realistic effect
by George Patsouras
In this tutorial I will explain how to paint realistic lips with Photoshop Before attempting to paint lips itrsquos essential that you practice drawing lips as well as the head in general to get the best results possible
How toPaint a Realistic Lips
medium | 30 min
adobe photoshop CS5
how to paint a realistic lips
27psd Photoshop
SketchI almost always start off with a sketch for my serious paintings and this one is no different I create a new layer and with a Hard Edged brush I quickly sketch in the lips Getting the lips to look right now just makes the painting process that much easier
02
03
Picking the right base colorPick a mid-tone for the skin one thatrsquos not too saturated or too light (a common mistake many artists make) To quickly fi ll in the canvas with a color I simply use the Gradient tool After itrsquos done I use a hard edged brush to paint in the red lips
Defi ning FormOnce I chose my base tone itrsquos time to defi ne the form of the skin The fi rst thing you must think of is where does the light come from In this case I decide to go for a fairly simple front light and shade accordingly Using a Hard Edged brush I use darker more saturated tones for the darker parts of the skin and a lighter less saturated tone for the highlights of the skin for a realistic effect Use a darker midtone for the lsquotoprsquo lip and bring out lighter tones for the bottom one (this works for most lighting situations)
01
workshop
28 psd Photoshop
Bringing out the HighlightsThings are still looking too fl at for me at this stage so I choose a much brighter midtone to bring out the form of the skin As always I simply use a hard edged brush at this step I bring out lighter tones on the lsquocornersrsquo of the lips the chin and on top of the lips
04
05
06
Smoothing out the SkinOnce Irsquom happy with my value statement I decide to soften everything out with a soft edged brush I choose Hardness 0 under my Brush Settingsand with a 50 Opacity I smoothen out the rough transitions
DetailsI start bringing texture to the lower lips using a fairly small Hard Edged brush I zoom closer here to make things easier and begin to paint the texture of the lips keeping the form in mind using a circular stroke Additionally I bring out a fairly harsh highlight at the top of the lips (the part that looks like a lsquoVrsquo) which gives the image a much more realistic feel
how to paint a realistic lips
29psd Photoshop
Even more detailsI bring more contrast to the image using lighter tones for the highlights and darker ones for shadows I introduce a fairly dark tone right underneath the lip above the chin for a realistic effect I also use a darker tone to separate the lsquobottomrsquo lip from the top giving the lips more depth in the process I also add a mole simply for the fun of it
07
08
Final Refi nementHere I add even more texture to the lips and use a very light almost white color on the bottom lips to bring more life and contrast to the image I clean the image out a bit in general and make sure everything appears as symmetrical as possible and voila Wersquore done
by George Patsouras
contributing writers
Editor in Chief Magdalena Mojska magdalenamojskapsdmagorg
Copy Editor Ed Werzyn Robert Coppa Art Director Agnieszka Marchocka
DTP Przemysław BanasiewiczSenior ConsultantPublisherPresident
Paweł Marciniak Managing Director Ewa Łozowicka
Marketing Director Magdalena Mojska magdalenamojskapsdmagorg
Production DirectorAndrzej Kuca andrzejkucapsdmagorg
Postal addressPublisher Software Press Spzoo SK
02-682 Warszawa ul Bokserska 1worldwide publishing wwwpsdmagorgen
All trade marks presented in the magazine were used only for informa-tive purposes All rights to trade marks presented in the magazine are
reserved by the companies which own themMathematical formulas created by Design Science MathTypetrade
The editors use automatic DTP systemEditorial contributions should be sent to
editorspsdmagorg Customer Service +1 917 338 3631
The Software Press Spzoo SK works individually from Adobe The psd Photoshop team reserves the right not to be responsible for the topical-ity correctness completeness or quality of the information provided by
contributors
Randy Monteith
I am self taught as an artist So any mistakes I have made are in-tentional All my ideas come from an over active imagination that is only put in check when I fi nish a piece of artwork and then the process begins again I have been working with Photoshop for al-most 7 years now I am lucky enough to have two images chosen for two of RedBubblersquos books GAIA and Compassion Courage and Friendship I have been interviewed in Photoshop Creative Maga-zine 14 and have images printed in Advanced Photoshop as well Recently in Issue 60 of Photoshop Creative Magazine the editors chose my portfolio on their webpage as one of the Top 5 rated portfolios I am not one to think outside the box but blow it to bits so stand back and watch me now
c o v e r a r t i s t
Alena Lazareva
My name is Alena I live in Russia I`m the digital artist and the illustrator My interests are art photography computer graph-ics I have been drawing since childhood I studied at the School of Art at the artist There I drew pictures in oils and watercolor is now engaged in graphic design During the last three years I have been enjoying working as a computer graphics artist I love to paint illustrations in the style of Fantasy mythical creatures fairies elves mermaids and angels and painting children fairy-tales I`m currently using Photoshop CS and tablet Wacom for of my artworks I hope you like my illustrationsWebsite wwwalenalazarevacome-mail alenkalazarevamailru
Armand Johnson
Irsquom a professional photographer and graphic designer from Northern Louisiana USA I have had the pleasure of working with celebrities non-profi t organizations and local talents within the Louisiana region Irsquove also provided public service to the area and worked with the local youth to teach them professionalism career goals and creative thinking I get a lot of my inspiration from what I observe which is everyday lifehttpwwwfl ickrcomphotosthearmandjohnsonhttpwwwtwittercomdajizzlehttpwwwcreatticacomcreativesthe-armand-john-son29390thearmandjohnsongmailcom
George Patsouras
George Patsouras is a freelance and concept artist residing from Long Island City NY His work can be seen in a variety of differ-ent projects including video games comic books as well as card games George specializes in depicting realistic fantasy images For more of his work be sure to check out his offi cial blog at httpcgaddictblogspotcom
Jose Paulo Reis
Irsquom a digital artist with 3 years of experience My passion is fashion photography creativity advertising photomanipula-tion and digital art Currently Irsquom working as a digital artist in Lalaland Studios (fashion photography) I love fashion and beauty photography and everything related with digital art Irsquom devoted to Photoshop and everyday Irsquom trying to improve my skillsEnjoy my works by visiting my blog wwwzepaulocreationblogspotcom
Naomi Bensen
Having been raised in a colorful environment of art music and creative learning it was only natural for me to gravitate towards photographymdasha medium that can catch a split second and make it last forever Behind the lens I have pursued my own unique style of photography that focuses on capturing natural and un-staged moments For me photography is more than taking a good picturemdashitrsquos about turning a moment into art Find me at httptheimaginationdeviantartcom
Ylenia Peronti
Irsquom 19 years old italian artist From 3 years I have a passion for photo retouch and generally for phtoshop so I started to practice retouch fi rst on what I call ldquoextreme makeoverrdquo as described in this tutorial and then devot himelf to studying professional photo retouching refi ning technical professional and actually retouch fashion shots Irsquom supermoderator in the Forum Graphics wwwgrafi cicreativicom and I manage especially the section of photoretouch you can fi nd me at the following links wwwyleniaperontiwordpresscom httpyleniucciadeviantartcom
interview
32 psd Photoshop
Interview withArmand Johnson
Please say a few words about yourselfI have a degree in Graphic Design and I really enjoy art all forms of it Whether that is music acting dancing painting photography etc I am intrigued by many different forms of art I DO like to play video games (when I have time but who doesnrsquot) and I DO consider video games as ART but thatrsquos a different subject Irsquom kind of laid back and very business like in my approach to most things
Why did you choose photo retouching and what do you find fascinating about itWhen I was in undergrad I collected plenty of music CDrsquos and DVDrsquos It always intrigued me how flawless and perfect looking the cover art was I thought to myself I want to reach that level of perfection in what I do But graduating with a BFA in Graphic Design kind of steered me away from that in some regards It wasnrsquot until about 5 years ago when my Aunt asked me to gather a couple of shots for some of my cousinrsquos promotional work that I begun to take retouch-ing very seriously After I took the shots I thought These images need to be presentable So I started to dabble with perfecting the images which pushed me into retouching By being a photographer retouching is essential to my workflow because I want my images to have that commercial professional appeal I want my work to look like it belongs in a magazine as a poster or on a billboard etc I find retouching fascinating because how one can push and perfect an image to hisher likings and to the clientrsquos likings as well Itrsquos a great feeling to boost someonersquos confidence by showing them the retouched image in comparison to the original It can help them gain or retain their ldquoswaggardquo
Irsquom a professional photographer and graphic designer from Northern Louisiana USA I have had the pleasure of working with celebrities non-profit organizations and local talents within the Louisiana region Irsquove also provided public service to the area and worked with the local youth to teach them professionalism career goals and creative thinking I get a lot of my inspiration from what I observe which is everyday life
See more of my works here
httpwwwflickrcomphotosthearmandjohnsonhttpwwwtwittercomdajizzlehttpwwwcreatticacomcreativesthe-armand-johnson29390
Contact me
thearmandjohnsongmailcom
interview with armand johnson
33psd Photoshop
Where do you look for the inspiration to createThere are several photographers and retouchers well known and not that inspire me with their work Joel Grimes and Dave Hill are probably the most prominent amongst the photographers I admire their approach to their craft and absolutely love their end result Other notable photographers are Dustin Snipes and Dallas J Logan As for retouchers I think Amy Dresser is amongst the best Her work is incredible Nick Saglimbeni is also Hersquos an awesome photographer and retoucher But that is just the list of people Nature and natural things are very inspiring because of their calming attributes Also
interview
34 psd Photoshop
there is a bevy of websites that are exceptionally useful for inspira-tion Abduzeedo is my favorite Being an artist you can get your in-spiration from anything and anywhere An idea can gravitate towards you at anytime
What are the main advantages of your profession and what can be discouraging about itAn advantage of being a retoucher is the payoff If yoursquore great at it you can eventually open up to a much larger clientele such as the entertainment (music movies etc) and fashion industries Once
interview with armand johnson
35psd Photoshop
yoursquore attached to some major clients your rep (credibility) increas-es for the better What can be discouraging is the journey to arrive at that stage There are many individuals proclaiming themselves pro-fessionals (whether photographers retouchers etc) that are hurt-ing the industry They are utterly confusing clients A random person with a camera is not a photographer and a random person with a copy of Photoshop is not retoucher A lot of lower level clients tend to desire commercial level work for pennies on the dollar Thatrsquos just not feasible Retouchers probably spend more time with an image than anyone else involved with the creative process They deserve to be compensated properly
Do you have any achievements that you are particularly proud ofYeah I just recently got a couple works approved on the major cre-ative website Creatticacom Also being featured in this magazine is very rewarding I look forward to achieving more goals and receiving more accolades Lifersquos a marathon not a sprint
What about your plans for the futureI plan on making my stamp within the industry as have the other successful digital artists Irsquoll always be refining and fine-tuning my craft to become more diverse I wonrsquot go into too much details cause I have a laundry list of things That could take all day ) But I will say this the pieces of the puzzle are beginning to fall into the right plac-es and I believe this interview and collaboration with PSD Photoshop magazine is a crucial step in this process
Do you have any advice to those who would like to become digital artists as wellBe artistic and approach things from a creative perspective I find many individuals wanting to be artists without being artistic or cre-ative Itrsquos a process not a fast food restaurant The creation of mas-terpieces and wonderful works of art takes careful planning time and effort There has to be a love for what you do Photoshop is only a tool which is used to create art It is not meant to replace it or the process of creating it
advanced | 45 min
adobe photoshop CS3
glamour retouch
37psd Photoshop
Blemish Removal and Skin SmoothingFirst open the RAW image and make a duplicate of the background layer by pressing [Ctrl]+[J] Name the bottom layer Retouch and the top layer Original This creates a quick toggle between the Before and After states This also allows you to monitor your progress and determine if you are making changes that have a negative effect on the results Turn off the top layer (Original) Nextcreate a new layer above the Retouch layer by pressing [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] Name this layer CleanUp With the Healing Brush [J] selected make sure Sam-ple All Layers is selected from the drop down menu and Aligned is checked Next use the Healing Brush as well as the Clone Stamp on the CleanUp layer to remove all the blemishes and imperfections The settings are 100 Opacity 100 with Sample All Layers and Alignedselected Once the skin is cleaned up create another layer above it [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] and name it Skin Select the Clone Stamp tool and use these settings 18-25 Opacity 100 Flow Sample All Layers and Aligned Use the Clone Stamp tool to even out the Highlight Shadowand Midtone areas giving the skin a very smooth fl awless appear-ance Lastly apply a little noise the layer Go to FiltergtNoisegtAdd Noise and set the amount to 25 - 50 and the distribution to Gauss-ian After initially cleaning and smoothing the skin group those layers together by holding down the [Shift] key and selecting both of them and [Ctrl]+[G] to group them Rename the group CleanUp
01
02Color BoostAbove the CleanUp group create a Curves Adjustment Layer and name it CB - Curves Use three points along the slope 255 255 0 0 and 148 112 within the RGB channel Then create a LevelsAdjustment Layer naming it CB - Levels Within the RGB chan-nel using these values 10 115 245 Group together these two Adjustment Layers and name the group Overall because it af-fects the overall image Then create a Curves Adjustment Layerabove the grouped layers and insert four points along the slope Keep the two default points 255255 and 0 0 Add two more 35 43 and 211 201 (or somewhere within that tonal range) also in the RGB channel Rename this layer Jewelry Select the Mask by clicking on it and fi ll the Mask with Black Use the Brush tool with the foreground color set to White and paint only over the jewelry Rename this layer Jewelry Create a fi nal Curves adjustment layer above the Jewelry layer and name it Hair Use settings very simi-lar to those on the Jewelry layer within the RGB channel Select the Mask fi ll it with Black and paint over the hair with a Whitebrush Group all of these Adjustment Layers together and name the group Color Boost
GlamourRetouchIn this tutorial I will show you how I performed a Glamour retouch on a photo of my beautiful friend Asia I photographed her against a black background for a dramatic and edgy effect as well as using various Photoshop tools to achieve that ldquoglamour lookrdquo that many magazines and print work use I will be using Photoshop CS3 but any higher version should work as well The tools I will be using are Adjustment Layers Filters and Blending Modes as well as the Clone Stamp Brush and Healing Brush tools
photo retouch
38 psd Photoshop
Highlight and ShadowCreate a new layer and name it FaceBody and set the Blending Mode to Soft Light Set the foreground color to White select the Brush tool with the settings Opacity 100 Flow 2 and paint over the naturally highlighted areas bring-ing out the highlights Then set the foreground color to Black using the same settings and paint over the naturally shadowed areas increasing the contrast in the image Add a Gaussian BlurFiltergtBlurgtGaussian Blur to the layer with a ra-dius setting of 15 ndash 30 Repeat these steps on a new layer named Hair with the Blending Mode set to Overlay Create another new layer named Jew-elry with the Blending Mode set to Overlay as well Once fi nished rearrange the layers so that they are in this order from top to bottom Hair FaceBody Jewelry Lastly group these layers together and name the group HLSH or HighlightShadow
04
05SharpenMake a new layer by combining all visible layers [Shift]+[Alt]+[Ctrl]+[E] This creates a new layer consisting of all the information from the bottom layers Make this a smart object by right ndash click-ing on the layer and selecting Convert to Smart Object This makes the layer a Smart Object allow-ing the use of Smart Filters Duplicate this layer and rename the copy HP 65 and the original layer Sharpen Turn off the HP 65 layer With the Sharp-en layer selected go to FiltergtSharpengtUnSharp Mask using these settings Amount 60 Radius2500 Threshold 10 With the Blending Mode set to Normal adjust the Opacity within the 30 - 40 range and the Fill within the 75 - 90 range Then turn on the HP 65 Layer and select it Set the Blending Mode to Overlay and go to FiltergtOthergtHigh Pass Set the Radius to 65 and the Opacity within the 65 - 75 range and the Fillwithin the 90 - 95 range Finally group these two layers together and name the group Sharpen
03
Color CorrectionCreate a new layer and name it Color CorrectionSet the Blending Mode to Color Set the Brush tool to a SoftFeather setting with the Hardness to 15 Set Black as the foreground color and paint over the lips Then use Gold as the foreground color and paint over the ldquoCoachrdquo text and the handle of the sunglasses changing them from Silver to GoldSelect various colors from the skin and paint over the discolorations in the skin Put the layer in its own group and name that group Color Correction
glamour retouch
39psd Photoshop
EffectsCreate a new layer and name it Sparkles With the Pen tool create a fi ve ndash point sparkle Once fi nished drawing the outline right ndash click and select Make Selection feathering the selection by 1 pixel Make sure the Anti-aliased box is checked and the New Selection option is selected Fill the selection with White Then make several copies (four should be enough) of this layer and move the various spar-kles to certain areas on the jewelry and sunglasses Resize those sparkles individually using transform [Ctrl]+[T] Once the sparkles are at sizes you are comfortable with click on the top most layer (Sparkles Copy 4) hold the shift key then the original Sparkles lay-er and merge them by pressing [Ctrl]+[E] Rename this layer Spar-kles Then add a layer style to the layer by double ndash clicking on it I selected Outer Glow In the options for the Outer Glow effect leave the default setting only changing the Size to 3 pixels Lastly place this layer into its own group and name that group Effects Switch the Original layer OnOff and enjoy the result
by Armand Johnson
07
06
Cool DownCreate a HueSaturation Adjustment Layer mak-ing sure it is set to the Master channel Set the Saturation to -100 This turns the image black and white Set the Blending Mode set to Normalthe Opacity within the 40 - 50 range and the Fill within the 70 - 90 range Select the Maskset the foreground color to 40 Gray and fi ll the mask Paint over only the jewelry and the colored sections of the hair This brings back some of the original color but not too much of it Finally group only this layer and name it Cool Down
How to change the eye color very quickly but efficiently
How to change
eye color
beginer | 10 min
adobe photoshop CS4
how to change eye color
41psd Photoshop
Step 1First open the photos select the pupil of the eye using the method you prefer (Polygonal lassoMagnetic lasso pen etc) I used the Magnetic lasso in this case Right click the mouse on the Selection and select New Layer via Copy Rename the layer eyes
02
03
Step 2Make sure that in the Layers palette is selected layer eyes and from the menu Image select HuegtSaturation adjustments When the window will be open move the Hues cursor until you fi nd the satisfying color If you want from the same HuegtSaturation window we can also modify the saturation and brightness to achieve different ef-fects Heres an example set the Hue value on 44You can also customize more the color using the color balance adjustment selected from the menu ImagegtAdjustmentsgtColor Balance and reduce the opacity of the layer eyes to adjust the effect
Step 3For a more aesthetic effect you can use the Dodge tool selected from the Tools palette Set Light to a 5-10 opacity (or an opacity that allows to achieve the desired effect) and use Dodge toolwithin the colored part of the eye Select Burn tool(also an Opacity of 5) set to Midtones and Burn-ing to defi ne better the outline of the eye
by Ylenia Peronti
42 psd Photoshop
interview
2 pas Photoshop
Tell us about your first steps in photographyMy dad is a really good photographer and he showed me how to use his Nikon film camera when I was young and how to de-
Interview withApril Elizabeth
Can you introduce yourself to our readersMy name is April Elizabeth I am a creative photographer from the small snowy town of Ishpeming in Upper Peninsula of Michigan
April Elizabeth is an internationally published photographer from Ishpeming Michigan Her photos have appeared in magazines on book covers and websites Her clients include Random house HarperCollins Publishing and The Portland Beanie Company
43psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
3psd Photoshop
velop the film I really enjoyed it but it was expensive and I was unable to really get into photography until digital cameras came along I started with a point and shoot camera and went from there
Why did you choose this professionI think it sort of chose me Irsquove always liked photography but I never in my life imagined myself going anywhere with it That all changed when I bought my first slr and asked a local model to do a photo
44 psd Photoshop
interview
4 pas Photoshop
shoot with me I was nervous because I had never done any-thing like that before and I wasnrsquot com-pletely sure how the camera worked but the pictures turned out great and soon more and more peo-ple wanted to work with me
Where do you get the inspiration for your worksIrsquove always been an introverted day-dreamer with an
overly active imagination When other people are liv-ing their life I am looking around and thinking of sto-ries Irsquove always wanted to be a writer but photography lets me tell stories with pic-tures and as long as I can tell a story I am happy
What do you like the most about being a photographer and what are the main difficulties for youIf I am not creating some-thing I feel frustrated I like that my job lets me cre-ate things while making people feel beautiful and good about themselves I enjoy taking pictures that have a fantasy quality to them so that people in the photos can be part of something a little magi-cal instead of ordinary and people who see the photos will feel inspired One of the main difficul-ties I have is my location the middle of nowhere in the Midwest Winter lasts around 7-8 months and itrsquos always very harsh and with a lot of snow I donrsquot have a studio or anyplace indoors thatI can go to so this means I only have a very short amount of time in the year that I can really do many photo shoots
45psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
5psd Photoshop
Do you have any personal achievements you are particularly proud ofIrsquom very proud that my photo Shy with over 35550 favs is one of the most popular photos ever to be up-loaded to the website deviantart Itrsquos unreal to me Irsquom also proud that two photos of mine have been licensed to be on book covers Growing up I never thought any-thing like that could ever happen to me Being in magazines such as this one is also very nice All of these things make me feel like Irsquove accomplished something in life and gives me confidence that I can do even more
What are your plans for futureIrsquod like to get a studio someday And Irsquod like to get into stock photogra-phy Irsquom also working on a gothic romance novel called Whispering Pines and a book of short scary stories I guess I plan on just creat-ing more and trying to improve in everything I do
What would you advice to the young photographersDonrsquot worry about what kind of cam-era or equipment you have Just fo-cus on what you have now and try to create something beautiful with it Itrsquos the photographer that makes the picture good not the camera
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many successful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quitting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many suc-cessful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quit-ting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
A photographerrsquos main goal is to take a photo that makes the viewer feel a strong emotion towards it whether it is love hate anger or passion But when a photo is excellently taken yet the colors lighting and texture dont match up to the photoers vision a photo will become uninspiring This tutorial will teach you how to take your photo to the next level and create an image that matches your vision
Makingthe Mood
making the mood
47psd Photoshop
Step 1The fi rst step in changing a photo is doing the ba-sics You have to prepare your photo before you can move to the fun stuff In this pickture I got rid of any noticeable blemishes the model had and g of noticeable hair that were going across her face to give more clear picture of the model I did this using the Patch and Clone Stamp tool When edit-ing a model make sure to always keep texture in the skin its more interesting that way as opposed to having a models face which is completely air-brushed
02
03
Step 2The next step I took was darkening the whole photo I knew that I wanted the photo to be much darker than it currently was I could have just used the Curves tool or Levels but I fi nd that when overusing the Curves tool a photo starts to look overly contrasted which I dont want So instead I used a light gradient (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtGradient Map) and changed the Blending mode from Normal to Multiply Doing this gives the photo a lot more depth but doesnt darken it completely
Step 3As soon as Ive got my basic photo ready I knew that the yellowish tinge was not the effect I was going for so I used both the Color Balance tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtColor Balance)and the Selective Color tool (LayergtNew Adjust-ment LayergtColor Balance)
01
photomanipulation
48 psd Photoshop
Step 4The next thing I noticed was that my models face was not highlighted enough it was getting lost in the midst of forest and darkness so I made two new layers One layer was for the models face and I simply used a soft Photoshop brush with 0 Hardness and drew over the models face and the snakes body I then changed both layers Blending Mode from Normal to Screen and applied a Box blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 543 pixels to both so they wouldnt be as noticeable Remember you just want hints of light just enough so the models face and the snake is highlighted
04
05
06
Step 5The fi fth step is more or less a repeat of a step number three I liked the way photo looked but it wasnt nearly as dramatic as it could be So now I fi nally decided to use the Curves tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtCurves) to darken and light certain areas making sure again not to overdo it but to give it enough contrast to really bring out the picture Next I made two new Selective Colorlayers (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtSelective Color) One Selective Colors layer changed the leaves and clothes but not the models face to a more dark blue tint while the second Selective Color layer brightened the snakes skin
Step 6The next thing I did was making another two lay-ers I still wanted to brighten only the snakes skin so for the fi rst layer I changed the Blending modefrom Normal to Soft Light and then used a brush with 0 Hardness and carefully painted over the snake It took a few variations before I found a color I liked Its helpful to remember to also look at the whole picture In the next layer I created I simply wanted to add a little more color to the shrubbery in the background so I made another layer and again changed the blending mode from Normal to Soft Light I used a soft brush with 0 Hardness and a maroon and yellow color just to add a little variation from my usual palette of blue I then added it all along the bushes and used the Box Blur tool at 483 pixels also changing the Blending mode from Normal to Screen to make it less obvious
making the mood
49psd Photoshop
Step 7The fi nal step I took to fi nish setting the mood for my photo was adding a texture and chang-ing the Blending Mode from Normal to Soft LightI found that the texture was to overpowering at 100 Opacity so I lowered it to 77 I next added my fi nal layer and created a vignette around my photo by using a brush with a Hardness of 100 and then brushed it around the outer edges of the photo particularly around the four corners I then applied a Box Blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 693 pixels to the layer creating a nice dark blurred ef-fect
by Naomi Bensen
07
medium | 30 min
adobe photoshop CS3 | wacom tablet
forest fairy
17psd Photoshop
Step 1I made a sketch in Photoshop using Wacom tablet After I made a rough sketch I decided to add dif-ferent decorative details during the process of drawing
01
02
Step 2I drew the basis for the face body and dress on a new layer More details and highlights would be added later
Forest FairyI wanted to draw a beautiful fairy with long hair and bright green eyes running through the forest I decided to paint it in bright colors of yellow and orange The image needed to be magical
digital painting
18 psd Photoshop
Step 4At this point I began to refi ne the face and make up continuing from step 2 and adding more de-tails I focused on the looks and the eyes because I think itrsquos very important I painted some pinkish shades on the face added highlights and textured the lips After that I added eyelashes
04
05
Step 5In this step I drew the hair I decided that fairys hair would be long with a reddish-yellow hue First I drew the basis for hair using a dark color Then I painted waves of the hair lighter I used several colors to draw the hair (brown orange red and various shades of yellow) as it gives the effect of more volume To draw the hair I use a soft round brush In the brush settings I set ShapegtDynamicsgtFine hair fi ne hair and sized it to 2 px
03
Step 3I started to paint the basis for fairys hair I used a wide round soft brown brush and drew it on a new layer Then I began to paint more details of fairys body and of her dress by adding shadows and highlights
forest fairy
19psd Photoshop
Step 7When I fi nished the details on the girls body I drew a fl ower in her hand On a new layer with Opacity 50 I drew a light train I used a soft round brush with Opacity set to 30-50
07
08
Step 8I started to paint the background and used a soft large brush I made the left upper corner of the background lighter and the bottom of the back-ground - darker
06
Step 6I decided to make the dress more beautiful First I drew bright yellow patches on the dress and the folds I drew highlights with a soft round brush setting the Opacity to 40 I then painted gloss on her dress For this I used a brush size of 2-5 px Glitter (point brush) I drew it on multiple layers with varying transparency and used a bright yel-low and red brush The more points you paint the more the dress will shine On the brightest parts of the dress I put more points of bright color
digital painting
20 psd Photoshop
Step 10In this step I added decorative items and orna-ments I used a brush size of 2 px and yellow and brown colors to paint decorations (to look their best they need to be drawn very accurately)
10
11
Step 11I drew the falling leaves on 2 layers a front and a rear layer On the foreground I painted the leaves brighter To layer the leaves in the background I applied a Gaussian Blur
by Alena Lazareva
09
Step 9I then painted an abstract leaf in the right side of the background and applied the Gaussian Blur fi l-ter (FiltergtBlurgtGaussian Blur) Now using a soft brush with light yellow I added rays of the sun Af-ter that I again applied the Gaussian Blur
This tutorial will explain how to paint a realistic eye in Photoshop Eyes are by far one of the most important aspects of any painting especially if itrsquos a portrait Itrsquos also one of the most fun features to paint as painting an eye is much easier than one might think
How toPaint a Realistic Eye
medium | 30 min
adobe photoshop CS5
how to paint a realistic eye
23psd Photoshop
SketchBefore laying down a single brushstroke itrsquos important for me to create a rough sketch It doesnrsquot have to be perfect but we need to get our point across here This will only make things easier during the painting process Create a new layer and sketch in an eye
02
03
Laying down the Base ColorThis step is simple enough here we lay down the base color for the skin Simply use the Gradienttool here and fi ll the background layer with your color choice In general try not to go too light or too saturated here
Defi ning FormUsing the HSB Slider (WindowsgtColor) pick a darker more saturated color for the darker areas of the skin and paint it using a simple Hard Edged brush I also pick a lighter less saturated tone for the highlights of the skin I choose a color for the eye in this case a bright blue and paint that in as well
01
workshop
24 psd Photoshop
Bringing Life to the SkinThe values of the skin need some work here I choose an even brighter lighter color to defi ne the form of the skin I introduce the lighter tones according to the lighting here which is a standard front light I add the lighter tones to the tone the bridge of the nose near the eyebrow and around the eyelid to make things appear more realistic
04
05
06
Smoothing Out the SkinAt this point all my work was done using a standard Hard Edged brush which is great for defi ning form quickly To blend the skin and give it a more photo realistic look I now switch to a soft brush (Hardness at 0) and Opacity at 50 I blend all the sharp transitions until things appear much smoother Additionally I paint darker tones on the blue iris to give it more depth
Bringing More LifeAt this point I work a bit more on the skin tones adding some more saturated reddish tones on the area around the eye as well as the cheek I also add a more saturated blue to the eye as well I do this all with a soft airbrush at a fairly low opacity on a new layer then merge it down when Irsquom satisfi ed with how things are looking I also do some more detail work using a softer Hard Edgedbrush as well
how to paint a realistic eye
25psd Photoshop
DetailsIrsquom satisfi ed with how things are looking at this stage so I start working on the details Using a fairly small brush I begin to add some lsquobumpsrsquo around the eye to give it a more realistic looks I also create bumps around the eyebrow using a both a fairly light as well as dark color to help it pop for a realistic look I also add details in the iris using a lighter bluish color to really bring the image to life I work in at a very large zoom at this stage as well to make things easier and more accurate
07
08
09
Refi nementI go over everything with a Soft Edged brush at a low opacity for a more realistic look Additionally I bring out the details more using fairly small hard edged brushes I work on the eyebrow painting each strand in as well as the eyelashes
Color and Texture EnhancementThings are looking a bit too muddy for my taste so what I do here is create a new layer set to soft light and enhance the colors quite a bit I introduce much warmer tones around the eye to give it more life Finally I slightly overlay a leather photo texture to give the skin a slightly more realistic effect
by George Patsouras
In this tutorial I will explain how to paint realistic lips with Photoshop Before attempting to paint lips itrsquos essential that you practice drawing lips as well as the head in general to get the best results possible
How toPaint a Realistic Lips
medium | 30 min
adobe photoshop CS5
how to paint a realistic lips
27psd Photoshop
SketchI almost always start off with a sketch for my serious paintings and this one is no different I create a new layer and with a Hard Edged brush I quickly sketch in the lips Getting the lips to look right now just makes the painting process that much easier
02
03
Picking the right base colorPick a mid-tone for the skin one thatrsquos not too saturated or too light (a common mistake many artists make) To quickly fi ll in the canvas with a color I simply use the Gradient tool After itrsquos done I use a hard edged brush to paint in the red lips
Defi ning FormOnce I chose my base tone itrsquos time to defi ne the form of the skin The fi rst thing you must think of is where does the light come from In this case I decide to go for a fairly simple front light and shade accordingly Using a Hard Edged brush I use darker more saturated tones for the darker parts of the skin and a lighter less saturated tone for the highlights of the skin for a realistic effect Use a darker midtone for the lsquotoprsquo lip and bring out lighter tones for the bottom one (this works for most lighting situations)
01
workshop
28 psd Photoshop
Bringing out the HighlightsThings are still looking too fl at for me at this stage so I choose a much brighter midtone to bring out the form of the skin As always I simply use a hard edged brush at this step I bring out lighter tones on the lsquocornersrsquo of the lips the chin and on top of the lips
04
05
06
Smoothing out the SkinOnce Irsquom happy with my value statement I decide to soften everything out with a soft edged brush I choose Hardness 0 under my Brush Settingsand with a 50 Opacity I smoothen out the rough transitions
DetailsI start bringing texture to the lower lips using a fairly small Hard Edged brush I zoom closer here to make things easier and begin to paint the texture of the lips keeping the form in mind using a circular stroke Additionally I bring out a fairly harsh highlight at the top of the lips (the part that looks like a lsquoVrsquo) which gives the image a much more realistic feel
how to paint a realistic lips
29psd Photoshop
Even more detailsI bring more contrast to the image using lighter tones for the highlights and darker ones for shadows I introduce a fairly dark tone right underneath the lip above the chin for a realistic effect I also use a darker tone to separate the lsquobottomrsquo lip from the top giving the lips more depth in the process I also add a mole simply for the fun of it
07
08
Final Refi nementHere I add even more texture to the lips and use a very light almost white color on the bottom lips to bring more life and contrast to the image I clean the image out a bit in general and make sure everything appears as symmetrical as possible and voila Wersquore done
by George Patsouras
contributing writers
Editor in Chief Magdalena Mojska magdalenamojskapsdmagorg
Copy Editor Ed Werzyn Robert Coppa Art Director Agnieszka Marchocka
DTP Przemysław BanasiewiczSenior ConsultantPublisherPresident
Paweł Marciniak Managing Director Ewa Łozowicka
Marketing Director Magdalena Mojska magdalenamojskapsdmagorg
Production DirectorAndrzej Kuca andrzejkucapsdmagorg
Postal addressPublisher Software Press Spzoo SK
02-682 Warszawa ul Bokserska 1worldwide publishing wwwpsdmagorgen
All trade marks presented in the magazine were used only for informa-tive purposes All rights to trade marks presented in the magazine are
reserved by the companies which own themMathematical formulas created by Design Science MathTypetrade
The editors use automatic DTP systemEditorial contributions should be sent to
editorspsdmagorg Customer Service +1 917 338 3631
The Software Press Spzoo SK works individually from Adobe The psd Photoshop team reserves the right not to be responsible for the topical-ity correctness completeness or quality of the information provided by
contributors
Randy Monteith
I am self taught as an artist So any mistakes I have made are in-tentional All my ideas come from an over active imagination that is only put in check when I fi nish a piece of artwork and then the process begins again I have been working with Photoshop for al-most 7 years now I am lucky enough to have two images chosen for two of RedBubblersquos books GAIA and Compassion Courage and Friendship I have been interviewed in Photoshop Creative Maga-zine 14 and have images printed in Advanced Photoshop as well Recently in Issue 60 of Photoshop Creative Magazine the editors chose my portfolio on their webpage as one of the Top 5 rated portfolios I am not one to think outside the box but blow it to bits so stand back and watch me now
c o v e r a r t i s t
Alena Lazareva
My name is Alena I live in Russia I`m the digital artist and the illustrator My interests are art photography computer graph-ics I have been drawing since childhood I studied at the School of Art at the artist There I drew pictures in oils and watercolor is now engaged in graphic design During the last three years I have been enjoying working as a computer graphics artist I love to paint illustrations in the style of Fantasy mythical creatures fairies elves mermaids and angels and painting children fairy-tales I`m currently using Photoshop CS and tablet Wacom for of my artworks I hope you like my illustrationsWebsite wwwalenalazarevacome-mail alenkalazarevamailru
Armand Johnson
Irsquom a professional photographer and graphic designer from Northern Louisiana USA I have had the pleasure of working with celebrities non-profi t organizations and local talents within the Louisiana region Irsquove also provided public service to the area and worked with the local youth to teach them professionalism career goals and creative thinking I get a lot of my inspiration from what I observe which is everyday lifehttpwwwfl ickrcomphotosthearmandjohnsonhttpwwwtwittercomdajizzlehttpwwwcreatticacomcreativesthe-armand-john-son29390thearmandjohnsongmailcom
George Patsouras
George Patsouras is a freelance and concept artist residing from Long Island City NY His work can be seen in a variety of differ-ent projects including video games comic books as well as card games George specializes in depicting realistic fantasy images For more of his work be sure to check out his offi cial blog at httpcgaddictblogspotcom
Jose Paulo Reis
Irsquom a digital artist with 3 years of experience My passion is fashion photography creativity advertising photomanipula-tion and digital art Currently Irsquom working as a digital artist in Lalaland Studios (fashion photography) I love fashion and beauty photography and everything related with digital art Irsquom devoted to Photoshop and everyday Irsquom trying to improve my skillsEnjoy my works by visiting my blog wwwzepaulocreationblogspotcom
Naomi Bensen
Having been raised in a colorful environment of art music and creative learning it was only natural for me to gravitate towards photographymdasha medium that can catch a split second and make it last forever Behind the lens I have pursued my own unique style of photography that focuses on capturing natural and un-staged moments For me photography is more than taking a good picturemdashitrsquos about turning a moment into art Find me at httptheimaginationdeviantartcom
Ylenia Peronti
Irsquom 19 years old italian artist From 3 years I have a passion for photo retouch and generally for phtoshop so I started to practice retouch fi rst on what I call ldquoextreme makeoverrdquo as described in this tutorial and then devot himelf to studying professional photo retouching refi ning technical professional and actually retouch fashion shots Irsquom supermoderator in the Forum Graphics wwwgrafi cicreativicom and I manage especially the section of photoretouch you can fi nd me at the following links wwwyleniaperontiwordpresscom httpyleniucciadeviantartcom
interview
32 psd Photoshop
Interview withArmand Johnson
Please say a few words about yourselfI have a degree in Graphic Design and I really enjoy art all forms of it Whether that is music acting dancing painting photography etc I am intrigued by many different forms of art I DO like to play video games (when I have time but who doesnrsquot) and I DO consider video games as ART but thatrsquos a different subject Irsquom kind of laid back and very business like in my approach to most things
Why did you choose photo retouching and what do you find fascinating about itWhen I was in undergrad I collected plenty of music CDrsquos and DVDrsquos It always intrigued me how flawless and perfect looking the cover art was I thought to myself I want to reach that level of perfection in what I do But graduating with a BFA in Graphic Design kind of steered me away from that in some regards It wasnrsquot until about 5 years ago when my Aunt asked me to gather a couple of shots for some of my cousinrsquos promotional work that I begun to take retouch-ing very seriously After I took the shots I thought These images need to be presentable So I started to dabble with perfecting the images which pushed me into retouching By being a photographer retouching is essential to my workflow because I want my images to have that commercial professional appeal I want my work to look like it belongs in a magazine as a poster or on a billboard etc I find retouching fascinating because how one can push and perfect an image to hisher likings and to the clientrsquos likings as well Itrsquos a great feeling to boost someonersquos confidence by showing them the retouched image in comparison to the original It can help them gain or retain their ldquoswaggardquo
Irsquom a professional photographer and graphic designer from Northern Louisiana USA I have had the pleasure of working with celebrities non-profit organizations and local talents within the Louisiana region Irsquove also provided public service to the area and worked with the local youth to teach them professionalism career goals and creative thinking I get a lot of my inspiration from what I observe which is everyday life
See more of my works here
httpwwwflickrcomphotosthearmandjohnsonhttpwwwtwittercomdajizzlehttpwwwcreatticacomcreativesthe-armand-johnson29390
Contact me
thearmandjohnsongmailcom
interview with armand johnson
33psd Photoshop
Where do you look for the inspiration to createThere are several photographers and retouchers well known and not that inspire me with their work Joel Grimes and Dave Hill are probably the most prominent amongst the photographers I admire their approach to their craft and absolutely love their end result Other notable photographers are Dustin Snipes and Dallas J Logan As for retouchers I think Amy Dresser is amongst the best Her work is incredible Nick Saglimbeni is also Hersquos an awesome photographer and retoucher But that is just the list of people Nature and natural things are very inspiring because of their calming attributes Also
interview
34 psd Photoshop
there is a bevy of websites that are exceptionally useful for inspira-tion Abduzeedo is my favorite Being an artist you can get your in-spiration from anything and anywhere An idea can gravitate towards you at anytime
What are the main advantages of your profession and what can be discouraging about itAn advantage of being a retoucher is the payoff If yoursquore great at it you can eventually open up to a much larger clientele such as the entertainment (music movies etc) and fashion industries Once
interview with armand johnson
35psd Photoshop
yoursquore attached to some major clients your rep (credibility) increas-es for the better What can be discouraging is the journey to arrive at that stage There are many individuals proclaiming themselves pro-fessionals (whether photographers retouchers etc) that are hurt-ing the industry They are utterly confusing clients A random person with a camera is not a photographer and a random person with a copy of Photoshop is not retoucher A lot of lower level clients tend to desire commercial level work for pennies on the dollar Thatrsquos just not feasible Retouchers probably spend more time with an image than anyone else involved with the creative process They deserve to be compensated properly
Do you have any achievements that you are particularly proud ofYeah I just recently got a couple works approved on the major cre-ative website Creatticacom Also being featured in this magazine is very rewarding I look forward to achieving more goals and receiving more accolades Lifersquos a marathon not a sprint
What about your plans for the futureI plan on making my stamp within the industry as have the other successful digital artists Irsquoll always be refining and fine-tuning my craft to become more diverse I wonrsquot go into too much details cause I have a laundry list of things That could take all day ) But I will say this the pieces of the puzzle are beginning to fall into the right plac-es and I believe this interview and collaboration with PSD Photoshop magazine is a crucial step in this process
Do you have any advice to those who would like to become digital artists as wellBe artistic and approach things from a creative perspective I find many individuals wanting to be artists without being artistic or cre-ative Itrsquos a process not a fast food restaurant The creation of mas-terpieces and wonderful works of art takes careful planning time and effort There has to be a love for what you do Photoshop is only a tool which is used to create art It is not meant to replace it or the process of creating it
advanced | 45 min
adobe photoshop CS3
glamour retouch
37psd Photoshop
Blemish Removal and Skin SmoothingFirst open the RAW image and make a duplicate of the background layer by pressing [Ctrl]+[J] Name the bottom layer Retouch and the top layer Original This creates a quick toggle between the Before and After states This also allows you to monitor your progress and determine if you are making changes that have a negative effect on the results Turn off the top layer (Original) Nextcreate a new layer above the Retouch layer by pressing [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] Name this layer CleanUp With the Healing Brush [J] selected make sure Sam-ple All Layers is selected from the drop down menu and Aligned is checked Next use the Healing Brush as well as the Clone Stamp on the CleanUp layer to remove all the blemishes and imperfections The settings are 100 Opacity 100 with Sample All Layers and Alignedselected Once the skin is cleaned up create another layer above it [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] and name it Skin Select the Clone Stamp tool and use these settings 18-25 Opacity 100 Flow Sample All Layers and Aligned Use the Clone Stamp tool to even out the Highlight Shadowand Midtone areas giving the skin a very smooth fl awless appear-ance Lastly apply a little noise the layer Go to FiltergtNoisegtAdd Noise and set the amount to 25 - 50 and the distribution to Gauss-ian After initially cleaning and smoothing the skin group those layers together by holding down the [Shift] key and selecting both of them and [Ctrl]+[G] to group them Rename the group CleanUp
01
02Color BoostAbove the CleanUp group create a Curves Adjustment Layer and name it CB - Curves Use three points along the slope 255 255 0 0 and 148 112 within the RGB channel Then create a LevelsAdjustment Layer naming it CB - Levels Within the RGB chan-nel using these values 10 115 245 Group together these two Adjustment Layers and name the group Overall because it af-fects the overall image Then create a Curves Adjustment Layerabove the grouped layers and insert four points along the slope Keep the two default points 255255 and 0 0 Add two more 35 43 and 211 201 (or somewhere within that tonal range) also in the RGB channel Rename this layer Jewelry Select the Mask by clicking on it and fi ll the Mask with Black Use the Brush tool with the foreground color set to White and paint only over the jewelry Rename this layer Jewelry Create a fi nal Curves adjustment layer above the Jewelry layer and name it Hair Use settings very simi-lar to those on the Jewelry layer within the RGB channel Select the Mask fi ll it with Black and paint over the hair with a Whitebrush Group all of these Adjustment Layers together and name the group Color Boost
GlamourRetouchIn this tutorial I will show you how I performed a Glamour retouch on a photo of my beautiful friend Asia I photographed her against a black background for a dramatic and edgy effect as well as using various Photoshop tools to achieve that ldquoglamour lookrdquo that many magazines and print work use I will be using Photoshop CS3 but any higher version should work as well The tools I will be using are Adjustment Layers Filters and Blending Modes as well as the Clone Stamp Brush and Healing Brush tools
photo retouch
38 psd Photoshop
Highlight and ShadowCreate a new layer and name it FaceBody and set the Blending Mode to Soft Light Set the foreground color to White select the Brush tool with the settings Opacity 100 Flow 2 and paint over the naturally highlighted areas bring-ing out the highlights Then set the foreground color to Black using the same settings and paint over the naturally shadowed areas increasing the contrast in the image Add a Gaussian BlurFiltergtBlurgtGaussian Blur to the layer with a ra-dius setting of 15 ndash 30 Repeat these steps on a new layer named Hair with the Blending Mode set to Overlay Create another new layer named Jew-elry with the Blending Mode set to Overlay as well Once fi nished rearrange the layers so that they are in this order from top to bottom Hair FaceBody Jewelry Lastly group these layers together and name the group HLSH or HighlightShadow
04
05SharpenMake a new layer by combining all visible layers [Shift]+[Alt]+[Ctrl]+[E] This creates a new layer consisting of all the information from the bottom layers Make this a smart object by right ndash click-ing on the layer and selecting Convert to Smart Object This makes the layer a Smart Object allow-ing the use of Smart Filters Duplicate this layer and rename the copy HP 65 and the original layer Sharpen Turn off the HP 65 layer With the Sharp-en layer selected go to FiltergtSharpengtUnSharp Mask using these settings Amount 60 Radius2500 Threshold 10 With the Blending Mode set to Normal adjust the Opacity within the 30 - 40 range and the Fill within the 75 - 90 range Then turn on the HP 65 Layer and select it Set the Blending Mode to Overlay and go to FiltergtOthergtHigh Pass Set the Radius to 65 and the Opacity within the 65 - 75 range and the Fillwithin the 90 - 95 range Finally group these two layers together and name the group Sharpen
03
Color CorrectionCreate a new layer and name it Color CorrectionSet the Blending Mode to Color Set the Brush tool to a SoftFeather setting with the Hardness to 15 Set Black as the foreground color and paint over the lips Then use Gold as the foreground color and paint over the ldquoCoachrdquo text and the handle of the sunglasses changing them from Silver to GoldSelect various colors from the skin and paint over the discolorations in the skin Put the layer in its own group and name that group Color Correction
glamour retouch
39psd Photoshop
EffectsCreate a new layer and name it Sparkles With the Pen tool create a fi ve ndash point sparkle Once fi nished drawing the outline right ndash click and select Make Selection feathering the selection by 1 pixel Make sure the Anti-aliased box is checked and the New Selection option is selected Fill the selection with White Then make several copies (four should be enough) of this layer and move the various spar-kles to certain areas on the jewelry and sunglasses Resize those sparkles individually using transform [Ctrl]+[T] Once the sparkles are at sizes you are comfortable with click on the top most layer (Sparkles Copy 4) hold the shift key then the original Sparkles lay-er and merge them by pressing [Ctrl]+[E] Rename this layer Spar-kles Then add a layer style to the layer by double ndash clicking on it I selected Outer Glow In the options for the Outer Glow effect leave the default setting only changing the Size to 3 pixels Lastly place this layer into its own group and name that group Effects Switch the Original layer OnOff and enjoy the result
by Armand Johnson
07
06
Cool DownCreate a HueSaturation Adjustment Layer mak-ing sure it is set to the Master channel Set the Saturation to -100 This turns the image black and white Set the Blending Mode set to Normalthe Opacity within the 40 - 50 range and the Fill within the 70 - 90 range Select the Maskset the foreground color to 40 Gray and fi ll the mask Paint over only the jewelry and the colored sections of the hair This brings back some of the original color but not too much of it Finally group only this layer and name it Cool Down
How to change the eye color very quickly but efficiently
How to change
eye color
beginer | 10 min
adobe photoshop CS4
how to change eye color
41psd Photoshop
Step 1First open the photos select the pupil of the eye using the method you prefer (Polygonal lassoMagnetic lasso pen etc) I used the Magnetic lasso in this case Right click the mouse on the Selection and select New Layer via Copy Rename the layer eyes
02
03
Step 2Make sure that in the Layers palette is selected layer eyes and from the menu Image select HuegtSaturation adjustments When the window will be open move the Hues cursor until you fi nd the satisfying color If you want from the same HuegtSaturation window we can also modify the saturation and brightness to achieve different ef-fects Heres an example set the Hue value on 44You can also customize more the color using the color balance adjustment selected from the menu ImagegtAdjustmentsgtColor Balance and reduce the opacity of the layer eyes to adjust the effect
Step 3For a more aesthetic effect you can use the Dodge tool selected from the Tools palette Set Light to a 5-10 opacity (or an opacity that allows to achieve the desired effect) and use Dodge toolwithin the colored part of the eye Select Burn tool(also an Opacity of 5) set to Midtones and Burn-ing to defi ne better the outline of the eye
by Ylenia Peronti
42 psd Photoshop
interview
2 pas Photoshop
Tell us about your first steps in photographyMy dad is a really good photographer and he showed me how to use his Nikon film camera when I was young and how to de-
Interview withApril Elizabeth
Can you introduce yourself to our readersMy name is April Elizabeth I am a creative photographer from the small snowy town of Ishpeming in Upper Peninsula of Michigan
April Elizabeth is an internationally published photographer from Ishpeming Michigan Her photos have appeared in magazines on book covers and websites Her clients include Random house HarperCollins Publishing and The Portland Beanie Company
43psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
3psd Photoshop
velop the film I really enjoyed it but it was expensive and I was unable to really get into photography until digital cameras came along I started with a point and shoot camera and went from there
Why did you choose this professionI think it sort of chose me Irsquove always liked photography but I never in my life imagined myself going anywhere with it That all changed when I bought my first slr and asked a local model to do a photo
44 psd Photoshop
interview
4 pas Photoshop
shoot with me I was nervous because I had never done any-thing like that before and I wasnrsquot com-pletely sure how the camera worked but the pictures turned out great and soon more and more peo-ple wanted to work with me
Where do you get the inspiration for your worksIrsquove always been an introverted day-dreamer with an
overly active imagination When other people are liv-ing their life I am looking around and thinking of sto-ries Irsquove always wanted to be a writer but photography lets me tell stories with pic-tures and as long as I can tell a story I am happy
What do you like the most about being a photographer and what are the main difficulties for youIf I am not creating some-thing I feel frustrated I like that my job lets me cre-ate things while making people feel beautiful and good about themselves I enjoy taking pictures that have a fantasy quality to them so that people in the photos can be part of something a little magi-cal instead of ordinary and people who see the photos will feel inspired One of the main difficul-ties I have is my location the middle of nowhere in the Midwest Winter lasts around 7-8 months and itrsquos always very harsh and with a lot of snow I donrsquot have a studio or anyplace indoors thatI can go to so this means I only have a very short amount of time in the year that I can really do many photo shoots
45psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
5psd Photoshop
Do you have any personal achievements you are particularly proud ofIrsquom very proud that my photo Shy with over 35550 favs is one of the most popular photos ever to be up-loaded to the website deviantart Itrsquos unreal to me Irsquom also proud that two photos of mine have been licensed to be on book covers Growing up I never thought any-thing like that could ever happen to me Being in magazines such as this one is also very nice All of these things make me feel like Irsquove accomplished something in life and gives me confidence that I can do even more
What are your plans for futureIrsquod like to get a studio someday And Irsquod like to get into stock photogra-phy Irsquom also working on a gothic romance novel called Whispering Pines and a book of short scary stories I guess I plan on just creat-ing more and trying to improve in everything I do
What would you advice to the young photographersDonrsquot worry about what kind of cam-era or equipment you have Just fo-cus on what you have now and try to create something beautiful with it Itrsquos the photographer that makes the picture good not the camera
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many successful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quitting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many suc-cessful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quit-ting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
A photographerrsquos main goal is to take a photo that makes the viewer feel a strong emotion towards it whether it is love hate anger or passion But when a photo is excellently taken yet the colors lighting and texture dont match up to the photoers vision a photo will become uninspiring This tutorial will teach you how to take your photo to the next level and create an image that matches your vision
Makingthe Mood
making the mood
47psd Photoshop
Step 1The fi rst step in changing a photo is doing the ba-sics You have to prepare your photo before you can move to the fun stuff In this pickture I got rid of any noticeable blemishes the model had and g of noticeable hair that were going across her face to give more clear picture of the model I did this using the Patch and Clone Stamp tool When edit-ing a model make sure to always keep texture in the skin its more interesting that way as opposed to having a models face which is completely air-brushed
02
03
Step 2The next step I took was darkening the whole photo I knew that I wanted the photo to be much darker than it currently was I could have just used the Curves tool or Levels but I fi nd that when overusing the Curves tool a photo starts to look overly contrasted which I dont want So instead I used a light gradient (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtGradient Map) and changed the Blending mode from Normal to Multiply Doing this gives the photo a lot more depth but doesnt darken it completely
Step 3As soon as Ive got my basic photo ready I knew that the yellowish tinge was not the effect I was going for so I used both the Color Balance tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtColor Balance)and the Selective Color tool (LayergtNew Adjust-ment LayergtColor Balance)
01
photomanipulation
48 psd Photoshop
Step 4The next thing I noticed was that my models face was not highlighted enough it was getting lost in the midst of forest and darkness so I made two new layers One layer was for the models face and I simply used a soft Photoshop brush with 0 Hardness and drew over the models face and the snakes body I then changed both layers Blending Mode from Normal to Screen and applied a Box blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 543 pixels to both so they wouldnt be as noticeable Remember you just want hints of light just enough so the models face and the snake is highlighted
04
05
06
Step 5The fi fth step is more or less a repeat of a step number three I liked the way photo looked but it wasnt nearly as dramatic as it could be So now I fi nally decided to use the Curves tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtCurves) to darken and light certain areas making sure again not to overdo it but to give it enough contrast to really bring out the picture Next I made two new Selective Colorlayers (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtSelective Color) One Selective Colors layer changed the leaves and clothes but not the models face to a more dark blue tint while the second Selective Color layer brightened the snakes skin
Step 6The next thing I did was making another two lay-ers I still wanted to brighten only the snakes skin so for the fi rst layer I changed the Blending modefrom Normal to Soft Light and then used a brush with 0 Hardness and carefully painted over the snake It took a few variations before I found a color I liked Its helpful to remember to also look at the whole picture In the next layer I created I simply wanted to add a little more color to the shrubbery in the background so I made another layer and again changed the blending mode from Normal to Soft Light I used a soft brush with 0 Hardness and a maroon and yellow color just to add a little variation from my usual palette of blue I then added it all along the bushes and used the Box Blur tool at 483 pixels also changing the Blending mode from Normal to Screen to make it less obvious
making the mood
49psd Photoshop
Step 7The fi nal step I took to fi nish setting the mood for my photo was adding a texture and chang-ing the Blending Mode from Normal to Soft LightI found that the texture was to overpowering at 100 Opacity so I lowered it to 77 I next added my fi nal layer and created a vignette around my photo by using a brush with a Hardness of 100 and then brushed it around the outer edges of the photo particularly around the four corners I then applied a Box Blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 693 pixels to the layer creating a nice dark blurred ef-fect
by Naomi Bensen
07
forest fairy
17psd Photoshop
Step 1I made a sketch in Photoshop using Wacom tablet After I made a rough sketch I decided to add dif-ferent decorative details during the process of drawing
01
02
Step 2I drew the basis for the face body and dress on a new layer More details and highlights would be added later
Forest FairyI wanted to draw a beautiful fairy with long hair and bright green eyes running through the forest I decided to paint it in bright colors of yellow and orange The image needed to be magical
digital painting
18 psd Photoshop
Step 4At this point I began to refi ne the face and make up continuing from step 2 and adding more de-tails I focused on the looks and the eyes because I think itrsquos very important I painted some pinkish shades on the face added highlights and textured the lips After that I added eyelashes
04
05
Step 5In this step I drew the hair I decided that fairys hair would be long with a reddish-yellow hue First I drew the basis for hair using a dark color Then I painted waves of the hair lighter I used several colors to draw the hair (brown orange red and various shades of yellow) as it gives the effect of more volume To draw the hair I use a soft round brush In the brush settings I set ShapegtDynamicsgtFine hair fi ne hair and sized it to 2 px
03
Step 3I started to paint the basis for fairys hair I used a wide round soft brown brush and drew it on a new layer Then I began to paint more details of fairys body and of her dress by adding shadows and highlights
forest fairy
19psd Photoshop
Step 7When I fi nished the details on the girls body I drew a fl ower in her hand On a new layer with Opacity 50 I drew a light train I used a soft round brush with Opacity set to 30-50
07
08
Step 8I started to paint the background and used a soft large brush I made the left upper corner of the background lighter and the bottom of the back-ground - darker
06
Step 6I decided to make the dress more beautiful First I drew bright yellow patches on the dress and the folds I drew highlights with a soft round brush setting the Opacity to 40 I then painted gloss on her dress For this I used a brush size of 2-5 px Glitter (point brush) I drew it on multiple layers with varying transparency and used a bright yel-low and red brush The more points you paint the more the dress will shine On the brightest parts of the dress I put more points of bright color
digital painting
20 psd Photoshop
Step 10In this step I added decorative items and orna-ments I used a brush size of 2 px and yellow and brown colors to paint decorations (to look their best they need to be drawn very accurately)
10
11
Step 11I drew the falling leaves on 2 layers a front and a rear layer On the foreground I painted the leaves brighter To layer the leaves in the background I applied a Gaussian Blur
by Alena Lazareva
09
Step 9I then painted an abstract leaf in the right side of the background and applied the Gaussian Blur fi l-ter (FiltergtBlurgtGaussian Blur) Now using a soft brush with light yellow I added rays of the sun Af-ter that I again applied the Gaussian Blur
This tutorial will explain how to paint a realistic eye in Photoshop Eyes are by far one of the most important aspects of any painting especially if itrsquos a portrait Itrsquos also one of the most fun features to paint as painting an eye is much easier than one might think
How toPaint a Realistic Eye
medium | 30 min
adobe photoshop CS5
how to paint a realistic eye
23psd Photoshop
SketchBefore laying down a single brushstroke itrsquos important for me to create a rough sketch It doesnrsquot have to be perfect but we need to get our point across here This will only make things easier during the painting process Create a new layer and sketch in an eye
02
03
Laying down the Base ColorThis step is simple enough here we lay down the base color for the skin Simply use the Gradienttool here and fi ll the background layer with your color choice In general try not to go too light or too saturated here
Defi ning FormUsing the HSB Slider (WindowsgtColor) pick a darker more saturated color for the darker areas of the skin and paint it using a simple Hard Edged brush I also pick a lighter less saturated tone for the highlights of the skin I choose a color for the eye in this case a bright blue and paint that in as well
01
workshop
24 psd Photoshop
Bringing Life to the SkinThe values of the skin need some work here I choose an even brighter lighter color to defi ne the form of the skin I introduce the lighter tones according to the lighting here which is a standard front light I add the lighter tones to the tone the bridge of the nose near the eyebrow and around the eyelid to make things appear more realistic
04
05
06
Smoothing Out the SkinAt this point all my work was done using a standard Hard Edged brush which is great for defi ning form quickly To blend the skin and give it a more photo realistic look I now switch to a soft brush (Hardness at 0) and Opacity at 50 I blend all the sharp transitions until things appear much smoother Additionally I paint darker tones on the blue iris to give it more depth
Bringing More LifeAt this point I work a bit more on the skin tones adding some more saturated reddish tones on the area around the eye as well as the cheek I also add a more saturated blue to the eye as well I do this all with a soft airbrush at a fairly low opacity on a new layer then merge it down when Irsquom satisfi ed with how things are looking I also do some more detail work using a softer Hard Edgedbrush as well
how to paint a realistic eye
25psd Photoshop
DetailsIrsquom satisfi ed with how things are looking at this stage so I start working on the details Using a fairly small brush I begin to add some lsquobumpsrsquo around the eye to give it a more realistic looks I also create bumps around the eyebrow using a both a fairly light as well as dark color to help it pop for a realistic look I also add details in the iris using a lighter bluish color to really bring the image to life I work in at a very large zoom at this stage as well to make things easier and more accurate
07
08
09
Refi nementI go over everything with a Soft Edged brush at a low opacity for a more realistic look Additionally I bring out the details more using fairly small hard edged brushes I work on the eyebrow painting each strand in as well as the eyelashes
Color and Texture EnhancementThings are looking a bit too muddy for my taste so what I do here is create a new layer set to soft light and enhance the colors quite a bit I introduce much warmer tones around the eye to give it more life Finally I slightly overlay a leather photo texture to give the skin a slightly more realistic effect
by George Patsouras
In this tutorial I will explain how to paint realistic lips with Photoshop Before attempting to paint lips itrsquos essential that you practice drawing lips as well as the head in general to get the best results possible
How toPaint a Realistic Lips
medium | 30 min
adobe photoshop CS5
how to paint a realistic lips
27psd Photoshop
SketchI almost always start off with a sketch for my serious paintings and this one is no different I create a new layer and with a Hard Edged brush I quickly sketch in the lips Getting the lips to look right now just makes the painting process that much easier
02
03
Picking the right base colorPick a mid-tone for the skin one thatrsquos not too saturated or too light (a common mistake many artists make) To quickly fi ll in the canvas with a color I simply use the Gradient tool After itrsquos done I use a hard edged brush to paint in the red lips
Defi ning FormOnce I chose my base tone itrsquos time to defi ne the form of the skin The fi rst thing you must think of is where does the light come from In this case I decide to go for a fairly simple front light and shade accordingly Using a Hard Edged brush I use darker more saturated tones for the darker parts of the skin and a lighter less saturated tone for the highlights of the skin for a realistic effect Use a darker midtone for the lsquotoprsquo lip and bring out lighter tones for the bottom one (this works for most lighting situations)
01
workshop
28 psd Photoshop
Bringing out the HighlightsThings are still looking too fl at for me at this stage so I choose a much brighter midtone to bring out the form of the skin As always I simply use a hard edged brush at this step I bring out lighter tones on the lsquocornersrsquo of the lips the chin and on top of the lips
04
05
06
Smoothing out the SkinOnce Irsquom happy with my value statement I decide to soften everything out with a soft edged brush I choose Hardness 0 under my Brush Settingsand with a 50 Opacity I smoothen out the rough transitions
DetailsI start bringing texture to the lower lips using a fairly small Hard Edged brush I zoom closer here to make things easier and begin to paint the texture of the lips keeping the form in mind using a circular stroke Additionally I bring out a fairly harsh highlight at the top of the lips (the part that looks like a lsquoVrsquo) which gives the image a much more realistic feel
how to paint a realistic lips
29psd Photoshop
Even more detailsI bring more contrast to the image using lighter tones for the highlights and darker ones for shadows I introduce a fairly dark tone right underneath the lip above the chin for a realistic effect I also use a darker tone to separate the lsquobottomrsquo lip from the top giving the lips more depth in the process I also add a mole simply for the fun of it
07
08
Final Refi nementHere I add even more texture to the lips and use a very light almost white color on the bottom lips to bring more life and contrast to the image I clean the image out a bit in general and make sure everything appears as symmetrical as possible and voila Wersquore done
by George Patsouras
contributing writers
Editor in Chief Magdalena Mojska magdalenamojskapsdmagorg
Copy Editor Ed Werzyn Robert Coppa Art Director Agnieszka Marchocka
DTP Przemysław BanasiewiczSenior ConsultantPublisherPresident
Paweł Marciniak Managing Director Ewa Łozowicka
Marketing Director Magdalena Mojska magdalenamojskapsdmagorg
Production DirectorAndrzej Kuca andrzejkucapsdmagorg
Postal addressPublisher Software Press Spzoo SK
02-682 Warszawa ul Bokserska 1worldwide publishing wwwpsdmagorgen
All trade marks presented in the magazine were used only for informa-tive purposes All rights to trade marks presented in the magazine are
reserved by the companies which own themMathematical formulas created by Design Science MathTypetrade
The editors use automatic DTP systemEditorial contributions should be sent to
editorspsdmagorg Customer Service +1 917 338 3631
The Software Press Spzoo SK works individually from Adobe The psd Photoshop team reserves the right not to be responsible for the topical-ity correctness completeness or quality of the information provided by
contributors
Randy Monteith
I am self taught as an artist So any mistakes I have made are in-tentional All my ideas come from an over active imagination that is only put in check when I fi nish a piece of artwork and then the process begins again I have been working with Photoshop for al-most 7 years now I am lucky enough to have two images chosen for two of RedBubblersquos books GAIA and Compassion Courage and Friendship I have been interviewed in Photoshop Creative Maga-zine 14 and have images printed in Advanced Photoshop as well Recently in Issue 60 of Photoshop Creative Magazine the editors chose my portfolio on their webpage as one of the Top 5 rated portfolios I am not one to think outside the box but blow it to bits so stand back and watch me now
c o v e r a r t i s t
Alena Lazareva
My name is Alena I live in Russia I`m the digital artist and the illustrator My interests are art photography computer graph-ics I have been drawing since childhood I studied at the School of Art at the artist There I drew pictures in oils and watercolor is now engaged in graphic design During the last three years I have been enjoying working as a computer graphics artist I love to paint illustrations in the style of Fantasy mythical creatures fairies elves mermaids and angels and painting children fairy-tales I`m currently using Photoshop CS and tablet Wacom for of my artworks I hope you like my illustrationsWebsite wwwalenalazarevacome-mail alenkalazarevamailru
Armand Johnson
Irsquom a professional photographer and graphic designer from Northern Louisiana USA I have had the pleasure of working with celebrities non-profi t organizations and local talents within the Louisiana region Irsquove also provided public service to the area and worked with the local youth to teach them professionalism career goals and creative thinking I get a lot of my inspiration from what I observe which is everyday lifehttpwwwfl ickrcomphotosthearmandjohnsonhttpwwwtwittercomdajizzlehttpwwwcreatticacomcreativesthe-armand-john-son29390thearmandjohnsongmailcom
George Patsouras
George Patsouras is a freelance and concept artist residing from Long Island City NY His work can be seen in a variety of differ-ent projects including video games comic books as well as card games George specializes in depicting realistic fantasy images For more of his work be sure to check out his offi cial blog at httpcgaddictblogspotcom
Jose Paulo Reis
Irsquom a digital artist with 3 years of experience My passion is fashion photography creativity advertising photomanipula-tion and digital art Currently Irsquom working as a digital artist in Lalaland Studios (fashion photography) I love fashion and beauty photography and everything related with digital art Irsquom devoted to Photoshop and everyday Irsquom trying to improve my skillsEnjoy my works by visiting my blog wwwzepaulocreationblogspotcom
Naomi Bensen
Having been raised in a colorful environment of art music and creative learning it was only natural for me to gravitate towards photographymdasha medium that can catch a split second and make it last forever Behind the lens I have pursued my own unique style of photography that focuses on capturing natural and un-staged moments For me photography is more than taking a good picturemdashitrsquos about turning a moment into art Find me at httptheimaginationdeviantartcom
Ylenia Peronti
Irsquom 19 years old italian artist From 3 years I have a passion for photo retouch and generally for phtoshop so I started to practice retouch fi rst on what I call ldquoextreme makeoverrdquo as described in this tutorial and then devot himelf to studying professional photo retouching refi ning technical professional and actually retouch fashion shots Irsquom supermoderator in the Forum Graphics wwwgrafi cicreativicom and I manage especially the section of photoretouch you can fi nd me at the following links wwwyleniaperontiwordpresscom httpyleniucciadeviantartcom
interview
32 psd Photoshop
Interview withArmand Johnson
Please say a few words about yourselfI have a degree in Graphic Design and I really enjoy art all forms of it Whether that is music acting dancing painting photography etc I am intrigued by many different forms of art I DO like to play video games (when I have time but who doesnrsquot) and I DO consider video games as ART but thatrsquos a different subject Irsquom kind of laid back and very business like in my approach to most things
Why did you choose photo retouching and what do you find fascinating about itWhen I was in undergrad I collected plenty of music CDrsquos and DVDrsquos It always intrigued me how flawless and perfect looking the cover art was I thought to myself I want to reach that level of perfection in what I do But graduating with a BFA in Graphic Design kind of steered me away from that in some regards It wasnrsquot until about 5 years ago when my Aunt asked me to gather a couple of shots for some of my cousinrsquos promotional work that I begun to take retouch-ing very seriously After I took the shots I thought These images need to be presentable So I started to dabble with perfecting the images which pushed me into retouching By being a photographer retouching is essential to my workflow because I want my images to have that commercial professional appeal I want my work to look like it belongs in a magazine as a poster or on a billboard etc I find retouching fascinating because how one can push and perfect an image to hisher likings and to the clientrsquos likings as well Itrsquos a great feeling to boost someonersquos confidence by showing them the retouched image in comparison to the original It can help them gain or retain their ldquoswaggardquo
Irsquom a professional photographer and graphic designer from Northern Louisiana USA I have had the pleasure of working with celebrities non-profit organizations and local talents within the Louisiana region Irsquove also provided public service to the area and worked with the local youth to teach them professionalism career goals and creative thinking I get a lot of my inspiration from what I observe which is everyday life
See more of my works here
httpwwwflickrcomphotosthearmandjohnsonhttpwwwtwittercomdajizzlehttpwwwcreatticacomcreativesthe-armand-johnson29390
Contact me
thearmandjohnsongmailcom
interview with armand johnson
33psd Photoshop
Where do you look for the inspiration to createThere are several photographers and retouchers well known and not that inspire me with their work Joel Grimes and Dave Hill are probably the most prominent amongst the photographers I admire their approach to their craft and absolutely love their end result Other notable photographers are Dustin Snipes and Dallas J Logan As for retouchers I think Amy Dresser is amongst the best Her work is incredible Nick Saglimbeni is also Hersquos an awesome photographer and retoucher But that is just the list of people Nature and natural things are very inspiring because of their calming attributes Also
interview
34 psd Photoshop
there is a bevy of websites that are exceptionally useful for inspira-tion Abduzeedo is my favorite Being an artist you can get your in-spiration from anything and anywhere An idea can gravitate towards you at anytime
What are the main advantages of your profession and what can be discouraging about itAn advantage of being a retoucher is the payoff If yoursquore great at it you can eventually open up to a much larger clientele such as the entertainment (music movies etc) and fashion industries Once
interview with armand johnson
35psd Photoshop
yoursquore attached to some major clients your rep (credibility) increas-es for the better What can be discouraging is the journey to arrive at that stage There are many individuals proclaiming themselves pro-fessionals (whether photographers retouchers etc) that are hurt-ing the industry They are utterly confusing clients A random person with a camera is not a photographer and a random person with a copy of Photoshop is not retoucher A lot of lower level clients tend to desire commercial level work for pennies on the dollar Thatrsquos just not feasible Retouchers probably spend more time with an image than anyone else involved with the creative process They deserve to be compensated properly
Do you have any achievements that you are particularly proud ofYeah I just recently got a couple works approved on the major cre-ative website Creatticacom Also being featured in this magazine is very rewarding I look forward to achieving more goals and receiving more accolades Lifersquos a marathon not a sprint
What about your plans for the futureI plan on making my stamp within the industry as have the other successful digital artists Irsquoll always be refining and fine-tuning my craft to become more diverse I wonrsquot go into too much details cause I have a laundry list of things That could take all day ) But I will say this the pieces of the puzzle are beginning to fall into the right plac-es and I believe this interview and collaboration with PSD Photoshop magazine is a crucial step in this process
Do you have any advice to those who would like to become digital artists as wellBe artistic and approach things from a creative perspective I find many individuals wanting to be artists without being artistic or cre-ative Itrsquos a process not a fast food restaurant The creation of mas-terpieces and wonderful works of art takes careful planning time and effort There has to be a love for what you do Photoshop is only a tool which is used to create art It is not meant to replace it or the process of creating it
advanced | 45 min
adobe photoshop CS3
glamour retouch
37psd Photoshop
Blemish Removal and Skin SmoothingFirst open the RAW image and make a duplicate of the background layer by pressing [Ctrl]+[J] Name the bottom layer Retouch and the top layer Original This creates a quick toggle between the Before and After states This also allows you to monitor your progress and determine if you are making changes that have a negative effect on the results Turn off the top layer (Original) Nextcreate a new layer above the Retouch layer by pressing [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] Name this layer CleanUp With the Healing Brush [J] selected make sure Sam-ple All Layers is selected from the drop down menu and Aligned is checked Next use the Healing Brush as well as the Clone Stamp on the CleanUp layer to remove all the blemishes and imperfections The settings are 100 Opacity 100 with Sample All Layers and Alignedselected Once the skin is cleaned up create another layer above it [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] and name it Skin Select the Clone Stamp tool and use these settings 18-25 Opacity 100 Flow Sample All Layers and Aligned Use the Clone Stamp tool to even out the Highlight Shadowand Midtone areas giving the skin a very smooth fl awless appear-ance Lastly apply a little noise the layer Go to FiltergtNoisegtAdd Noise and set the amount to 25 - 50 and the distribution to Gauss-ian After initially cleaning and smoothing the skin group those layers together by holding down the [Shift] key and selecting both of them and [Ctrl]+[G] to group them Rename the group CleanUp
01
02Color BoostAbove the CleanUp group create a Curves Adjustment Layer and name it CB - Curves Use three points along the slope 255 255 0 0 and 148 112 within the RGB channel Then create a LevelsAdjustment Layer naming it CB - Levels Within the RGB chan-nel using these values 10 115 245 Group together these two Adjustment Layers and name the group Overall because it af-fects the overall image Then create a Curves Adjustment Layerabove the grouped layers and insert four points along the slope Keep the two default points 255255 and 0 0 Add two more 35 43 and 211 201 (or somewhere within that tonal range) also in the RGB channel Rename this layer Jewelry Select the Mask by clicking on it and fi ll the Mask with Black Use the Brush tool with the foreground color set to White and paint only over the jewelry Rename this layer Jewelry Create a fi nal Curves adjustment layer above the Jewelry layer and name it Hair Use settings very simi-lar to those on the Jewelry layer within the RGB channel Select the Mask fi ll it with Black and paint over the hair with a Whitebrush Group all of these Adjustment Layers together and name the group Color Boost
GlamourRetouchIn this tutorial I will show you how I performed a Glamour retouch on a photo of my beautiful friend Asia I photographed her against a black background for a dramatic and edgy effect as well as using various Photoshop tools to achieve that ldquoglamour lookrdquo that many magazines and print work use I will be using Photoshop CS3 but any higher version should work as well The tools I will be using are Adjustment Layers Filters and Blending Modes as well as the Clone Stamp Brush and Healing Brush tools
photo retouch
38 psd Photoshop
Highlight and ShadowCreate a new layer and name it FaceBody and set the Blending Mode to Soft Light Set the foreground color to White select the Brush tool with the settings Opacity 100 Flow 2 and paint over the naturally highlighted areas bring-ing out the highlights Then set the foreground color to Black using the same settings and paint over the naturally shadowed areas increasing the contrast in the image Add a Gaussian BlurFiltergtBlurgtGaussian Blur to the layer with a ra-dius setting of 15 ndash 30 Repeat these steps on a new layer named Hair with the Blending Mode set to Overlay Create another new layer named Jew-elry with the Blending Mode set to Overlay as well Once fi nished rearrange the layers so that they are in this order from top to bottom Hair FaceBody Jewelry Lastly group these layers together and name the group HLSH or HighlightShadow
04
05SharpenMake a new layer by combining all visible layers [Shift]+[Alt]+[Ctrl]+[E] This creates a new layer consisting of all the information from the bottom layers Make this a smart object by right ndash click-ing on the layer and selecting Convert to Smart Object This makes the layer a Smart Object allow-ing the use of Smart Filters Duplicate this layer and rename the copy HP 65 and the original layer Sharpen Turn off the HP 65 layer With the Sharp-en layer selected go to FiltergtSharpengtUnSharp Mask using these settings Amount 60 Radius2500 Threshold 10 With the Blending Mode set to Normal adjust the Opacity within the 30 - 40 range and the Fill within the 75 - 90 range Then turn on the HP 65 Layer and select it Set the Blending Mode to Overlay and go to FiltergtOthergtHigh Pass Set the Radius to 65 and the Opacity within the 65 - 75 range and the Fillwithin the 90 - 95 range Finally group these two layers together and name the group Sharpen
03
Color CorrectionCreate a new layer and name it Color CorrectionSet the Blending Mode to Color Set the Brush tool to a SoftFeather setting with the Hardness to 15 Set Black as the foreground color and paint over the lips Then use Gold as the foreground color and paint over the ldquoCoachrdquo text and the handle of the sunglasses changing them from Silver to GoldSelect various colors from the skin and paint over the discolorations in the skin Put the layer in its own group and name that group Color Correction
glamour retouch
39psd Photoshop
EffectsCreate a new layer and name it Sparkles With the Pen tool create a fi ve ndash point sparkle Once fi nished drawing the outline right ndash click and select Make Selection feathering the selection by 1 pixel Make sure the Anti-aliased box is checked and the New Selection option is selected Fill the selection with White Then make several copies (four should be enough) of this layer and move the various spar-kles to certain areas on the jewelry and sunglasses Resize those sparkles individually using transform [Ctrl]+[T] Once the sparkles are at sizes you are comfortable with click on the top most layer (Sparkles Copy 4) hold the shift key then the original Sparkles lay-er and merge them by pressing [Ctrl]+[E] Rename this layer Spar-kles Then add a layer style to the layer by double ndash clicking on it I selected Outer Glow In the options for the Outer Glow effect leave the default setting only changing the Size to 3 pixels Lastly place this layer into its own group and name that group Effects Switch the Original layer OnOff and enjoy the result
by Armand Johnson
07
06
Cool DownCreate a HueSaturation Adjustment Layer mak-ing sure it is set to the Master channel Set the Saturation to -100 This turns the image black and white Set the Blending Mode set to Normalthe Opacity within the 40 - 50 range and the Fill within the 70 - 90 range Select the Maskset the foreground color to 40 Gray and fi ll the mask Paint over only the jewelry and the colored sections of the hair This brings back some of the original color but not too much of it Finally group only this layer and name it Cool Down
How to change the eye color very quickly but efficiently
How to change
eye color
beginer | 10 min
adobe photoshop CS4
how to change eye color
41psd Photoshop
Step 1First open the photos select the pupil of the eye using the method you prefer (Polygonal lassoMagnetic lasso pen etc) I used the Magnetic lasso in this case Right click the mouse on the Selection and select New Layer via Copy Rename the layer eyes
02
03
Step 2Make sure that in the Layers palette is selected layer eyes and from the menu Image select HuegtSaturation adjustments When the window will be open move the Hues cursor until you fi nd the satisfying color If you want from the same HuegtSaturation window we can also modify the saturation and brightness to achieve different ef-fects Heres an example set the Hue value on 44You can also customize more the color using the color balance adjustment selected from the menu ImagegtAdjustmentsgtColor Balance and reduce the opacity of the layer eyes to adjust the effect
Step 3For a more aesthetic effect you can use the Dodge tool selected from the Tools palette Set Light to a 5-10 opacity (or an opacity that allows to achieve the desired effect) and use Dodge toolwithin the colored part of the eye Select Burn tool(also an Opacity of 5) set to Midtones and Burn-ing to defi ne better the outline of the eye
by Ylenia Peronti
42 psd Photoshop
interview
2 pas Photoshop
Tell us about your first steps in photographyMy dad is a really good photographer and he showed me how to use his Nikon film camera when I was young and how to de-
Interview withApril Elizabeth
Can you introduce yourself to our readersMy name is April Elizabeth I am a creative photographer from the small snowy town of Ishpeming in Upper Peninsula of Michigan
April Elizabeth is an internationally published photographer from Ishpeming Michigan Her photos have appeared in magazines on book covers and websites Her clients include Random house HarperCollins Publishing and The Portland Beanie Company
43psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
3psd Photoshop
velop the film I really enjoyed it but it was expensive and I was unable to really get into photography until digital cameras came along I started with a point and shoot camera and went from there
Why did you choose this professionI think it sort of chose me Irsquove always liked photography but I never in my life imagined myself going anywhere with it That all changed when I bought my first slr and asked a local model to do a photo
44 psd Photoshop
interview
4 pas Photoshop
shoot with me I was nervous because I had never done any-thing like that before and I wasnrsquot com-pletely sure how the camera worked but the pictures turned out great and soon more and more peo-ple wanted to work with me
Where do you get the inspiration for your worksIrsquove always been an introverted day-dreamer with an
overly active imagination When other people are liv-ing their life I am looking around and thinking of sto-ries Irsquove always wanted to be a writer but photography lets me tell stories with pic-tures and as long as I can tell a story I am happy
What do you like the most about being a photographer and what are the main difficulties for youIf I am not creating some-thing I feel frustrated I like that my job lets me cre-ate things while making people feel beautiful and good about themselves I enjoy taking pictures that have a fantasy quality to them so that people in the photos can be part of something a little magi-cal instead of ordinary and people who see the photos will feel inspired One of the main difficul-ties I have is my location the middle of nowhere in the Midwest Winter lasts around 7-8 months and itrsquos always very harsh and with a lot of snow I donrsquot have a studio or anyplace indoors thatI can go to so this means I only have a very short amount of time in the year that I can really do many photo shoots
45psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
5psd Photoshop
Do you have any personal achievements you are particularly proud ofIrsquom very proud that my photo Shy with over 35550 favs is one of the most popular photos ever to be up-loaded to the website deviantart Itrsquos unreal to me Irsquom also proud that two photos of mine have been licensed to be on book covers Growing up I never thought any-thing like that could ever happen to me Being in magazines such as this one is also very nice All of these things make me feel like Irsquove accomplished something in life and gives me confidence that I can do even more
What are your plans for futureIrsquod like to get a studio someday And Irsquod like to get into stock photogra-phy Irsquom also working on a gothic romance novel called Whispering Pines and a book of short scary stories I guess I plan on just creat-ing more and trying to improve in everything I do
What would you advice to the young photographersDonrsquot worry about what kind of cam-era or equipment you have Just fo-cus on what you have now and try to create something beautiful with it Itrsquos the photographer that makes the picture good not the camera
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many successful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quitting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many suc-cessful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quit-ting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
A photographerrsquos main goal is to take a photo that makes the viewer feel a strong emotion towards it whether it is love hate anger or passion But when a photo is excellently taken yet the colors lighting and texture dont match up to the photoers vision a photo will become uninspiring This tutorial will teach you how to take your photo to the next level and create an image that matches your vision
Makingthe Mood
making the mood
47psd Photoshop
Step 1The fi rst step in changing a photo is doing the ba-sics You have to prepare your photo before you can move to the fun stuff In this pickture I got rid of any noticeable blemishes the model had and g of noticeable hair that were going across her face to give more clear picture of the model I did this using the Patch and Clone Stamp tool When edit-ing a model make sure to always keep texture in the skin its more interesting that way as opposed to having a models face which is completely air-brushed
02
03
Step 2The next step I took was darkening the whole photo I knew that I wanted the photo to be much darker than it currently was I could have just used the Curves tool or Levels but I fi nd that when overusing the Curves tool a photo starts to look overly contrasted which I dont want So instead I used a light gradient (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtGradient Map) and changed the Blending mode from Normal to Multiply Doing this gives the photo a lot more depth but doesnt darken it completely
Step 3As soon as Ive got my basic photo ready I knew that the yellowish tinge was not the effect I was going for so I used both the Color Balance tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtColor Balance)and the Selective Color tool (LayergtNew Adjust-ment LayergtColor Balance)
01
photomanipulation
48 psd Photoshop
Step 4The next thing I noticed was that my models face was not highlighted enough it was getting lost in the midst of forest and darkness so I made two new layers One layer was for the models face and I simply used a soft Photoshop brush with 0 Hardness and drew over the models face and the snakes body I then changed both layers Blending Mode from Normal to Screen and applied a Box blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 543 pixels to both so they wouldnt be as noticeable Remember you just want hints of light just enough so the models face and the snake is highlighted
04
05
06
Step 5The fi fth step is more or less a repeat of a step number three I liked the way photo looked but it wasnt nearly as dramatic as it could be So now I fi nally decided to use the Curves tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtCurves) to darken and light certain areas making sure again not to overdo it but to give it enough contrast to really bring out the picture Next I made two new Selective Colorlayers (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtSelective Color) One Selective Colors layer changed the leaves and clothes but not the models face to a more dark blue tint while the second Selective Color layer brightened the snakes skin
Step 6The next thing I did was making another two lay-ers I still wanted to brighten only the snakes skin so for the fi rst layer I changed the Blending modefrom Normal to Soft Light and then used a brush with 0 Hardness and carefully painted over the snake It took a few variations before I found a color I liked Its helpful to remember to also look at the whole picture In the next layer I created I simply wanted to add a little more color to the shrubbery in the background so I made another layer and again changed the blending mode from Normal to Soft Light I used a soft brush with 0 Hardness and a maroon and yellow color just to add a little variation from my usual palette of blue I then added it all along the bushes and used the Box Blur tool at 483 pixels also changing the Blending mode from Normal to Screen to make it less obvious
making the mood
49psd Photoshop
Step 7The fi nal step I took to fi nish setting the mood for my photo was adding a texture and chang-ing the Blending Mode from Normal to Soft LightI found that the texture was to overpowering at 100 Opacity so I lowered it to 77 I next added my fi nal layer and created a vignette around my photo by using a brush with a Hardness of 100 and then brushed it around the outer edges of the photo particularly around the four corners I then applied a Box Blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 693 pixels to the layer creating a nice dark blurred ef-fect
by Naomi Bensen
07
digital painting
18 psd Photoshop
Step 4At this point I began to refi ne the face and make up continuing from step 2 and adding more de-tails I focused on the looks and the eyes because I think itrsquos very important I painted some pinkish shades on the face added highlights and textured the lips After that I added eyelashes
04
05
Step 5In this step I drew the hair I decided that fairys hair would be long with a reddish-yellow hue First I drew the basis for hair using a dark color Then I painted waves of the hair lighter I used several colors to draw the hair (brown orange red and various shades of yellow) as it gives the effect of more volume To draw the hair I use a soft round brush In the brush settings I set ShapegtDynamicsgtFine hair fi ne hair and sized it to 2 px
03
Step 3I started to paint the basis for fairys hair I used a wide round soft brown brush and drew it on a new layer Then I began to paint more details of fairys body and of her dress by adding shadows and highlights
forest fairy
19psd Photoshop
Step 7When I fi nished the details on the girls body I drew a fl ower in her hand On a new layer with Opacity 50 I drew a light train I used a soft round brush with Opacity set to 30-50
07
08
Step 8I started to paint the background and used a soft large brush I made the left upper corner of the background lighter and the bottom of the back-ground - darker
06
Step 6I decided to make the dress more beautiful First I drew bright yellow patches on the dress and the folds I drew highlights with a soft round brush setting the Opacity to 40 I then painted gloss on her dress For this I used a brush size of 2-5 px Glitter (point brush) I drew it on multiple layers with varying transparency and used a bright yel-low and red brush The more points you paint the more the dress will shine On the brightest parts of the dress I put more points of bright color
digital painting
20 psd Photoshop
Step 10In this step I added decorative items and orna-ments I used a brush size of 2 px and yellow and brown colors to paint decorations (to look their best they need to be drawn very accurately)
10
11
Step 11I drew the falling leaves on 2 layers a front and a rear layer On the foreground I painted the leaves brighter To layer the leaves in the background I applied a Gaussian Blur
by Alena Lazareva
09
Step 9I then painted an abstract leaf in the right side of the background and applied the Gaussian Blur fi l-ter (FiltergtBlurgtGaussian Blur) Now using a soft brush with light yellow I added rays of the sun Af-ter that I again applied the Gaussian Blur
This tutorial will explain how to paint a realistic eye in Photoshop Eyes are by far one of the most important aspects of any painting especially if itrsquos a portrait Itrsquos also one of the most fun features to paint as painting an eye is much easier than one might think
How toPaint a Realistic Eye
medium | 30 min
adobe photoshop CS5
how to paint a realistic eye
23psd Photoshop
SketchBefore laying down a single brushstroke itrsquos important for me to create a rough sketch It doesnrsquot have to be perfect but we need to get our point across here This will only make things easier during the painting process Create a new layer and sketch in an eye
02
03
Laying down the Base ColorThis step is simple enough here we lay down the base color for the skin Simply use the Gradienttool here and fi ll the background layer with your color choice In general try not to go too light or too saturated here
Defi ning FormUsing the HSB Slider (WindowsgtColor) pick a darker more saturated color for the darker areas of the skin and paint it using a simple Hard Edged brush I also pick a lighter less saturated tone for the highlights of the skin I choose a color for the eye in this case a bright blue and paint that in as well
01
workshop
24 psd Photoshop
Bringing Life to the SkinThe values of the skin need some work here I choose an even brighter lighter color to defi ne the form of the skin I introduce the lighter tones according to the lighting here which is a standard front light I add the lighter tones to the tone the bridge of the nose near the eyebrow and around the eyelid to make things appear more realistic
04
05
06
Smoothing Out the SkinAt this point all my work was done using a standard Hard Edged brush which is great for defi ning form quickly To blend the skin and give it a more photo realistic look I now switch to a soft brush (Hardness at 0) and Opacity at 50 I blend all the sharp transitions until things appear much smoother Additionally I paint darker tones on the blue iris to give it more depth
Bringing More LifeAt this point I work a bit more on the skin tones adding some more saturated reddish tones on the area around the eye as well as the cheek I also add a more saturated blue to the eye as well I do this all with a soft airbrush at a fairly low opacity on a new layer then merge it down when Irsquom satisfi ed with how things are looking I also do some more detail work using a softer Hard Edgedbrush as well
how to paint a realistic eye
25psd Photoshop
DetailsIrsquom satisfi ed with how things are looking at this stage so I start working on the details Using a fairly small brush I begin to add some lsquobumpsrsquo around the eye to give it a more realistic looks I also create bumps around the eyebrow using a both a fairly light as well as dark color to help it pop for a realistic look I also add details in the iris using a lighter bluish color to really bring the image to life I work in at a very large zoom at this stage as well to make things easier and more accurate
07
08
09
Refi nementI go over everything with a Soft Edged brush at a low opacity for a more realistic look Additionally I bring out the details more using fairly small hard edged brushes I work on the eyebrow painting each strand in as well as the eyelashes
Color and Texture EnhancementThings are looking a bit too muddy for my taste so what I do here is create a new layer set to soft light and enhance the colors quite a bit I introduce much warmer tones around the eye to give it more life Finally I slightly overlay a leather photo texture to give the skin a slightly more realistic effect
by George Patsouras
In this tutorial I will explain how to paint realistic lips with Photoshop Before attempting to paint lips itrsquos essential that you practice drawing lips as well as the head in general to get the best results possible
How toPaint a Realistic Lips
medium | 30 min
adobe photoshop CS5
how to paint a realistic lips
27psd Photoshop
SketchI almost always start off with a sketch for my serious paintings and this one is no different I create a new layer and with a Hard Edged brush I quickly sketch in the lips Getting the lips to look right now just makes the painting process that much easier
02
03
Picking the right base colorPick a mid-tone for the skin one thatrsquos not too saturated or too light (a common mistake many artists make) To quickly fi ll in the canvas with a color I simply use the Gradient tool After itrsquos done I use a hard edged brush to paint in the red lips
Defi ning FormOnce I chose my base tone itrsquos time to defi ne the form of the skin The fi rst thing you must think of is where does the light come from In this case I decide to go for a fairly simple front light and shade accordingly Using a Hard Edged brush I use darker more saturated tones for the darker parts of the skin and a lighter less saturated tone for the highlights of the skin for a realistic effect Use a darker midtone for the lsquotoprsquo lip and bring out lighter tones for the bottom one (this works for most lighting situations)
01
workshop
28 psd Photoshop
Bringing out the HighlightsThings are still looking too fl at for me at this stage so I choose a much brighter midtone to bring out the form of the skin As always I simply use a hard edged brush at this step I bring out lighter tones on the lsquocornersrsquo of the lips the chin and on top of the lips
04
05
06
Smoothing out the SkinOnce Irsquom happy with my value statement I decide to soften everything out with a soft edged brush I choose Hardness 0 under my Brush Settingsand with a 50 Opacity I smoothen out the rough transitions
DetailsI start bringing texture to the lower lips using a fairly small Hard Edged brush I zoom closer here to make things easier and begin to paint the texture of the lips keeping the form in mind using a circular stroke Additionally I bring out a fairly harsh highlight at the top of the lips (the part that looks like a lsquoVrsquo) which gives the image a much more realistic feel
how to paint a realistic lips
29psd Photoshop
Even more detailsI bring more contrast to the image using lighter tones for the highlights and darker ones for shadows I introduce a fairly dark tone right underneath the lip above the chin for a realistic effect I also use a darker tone to separate the lsquobottomrsquo lip from the top giving the lips more depth in the process I also add a mole simply for the fun of it
07
08
Final Refi nementHere I add even more texture to the lips and use a very light almost white color on the bottom lips to bring more life and contrast to the image I clean the image out a bit in general and make sure everything appears as symmetrical as possible and voila Wersquore done
by George Patsouras
contributing writers
Editor in Chief Magdalena Mojska magdalenamojskapsdmagorg
Copy Editor Ed Werzyn Robert Coppa Art Director Agnieszka Marchocka
DTP Przemysław BanasiewiczSenior ConsultantPublisherPresident
Paweł Marciniak Managing Director Ewa Łozowicka
Marketing Director Magdalena Mojska magdalenamojskapsdmagorg
Production DirectorAndrzej Kuca andrzejkucapsdmagorg
Postal addressPublisher Software Press Spzoo SK
02-682 Warszawa ul Bokserska 1worldwide publishing wwwpsdmagorgen
All trade marks presented in the magazine were used only for informa-tive purposes All rights to trade marks presented in the magazine are
reserved by the companies which own themMathematical formulas created by Design Science MathTypetrade
The editors use automatic DTP systemEditorial contributions should be sent to
editorspsdmagorg Customer Service +1 917 338 3631
The Software Press Spzoo SK works individually from Adobe The psd Photoshop team reserves the right not to be responsible for the topical-ity correctness completeness or quality of the information provided by
contributors
Randy Monteith
I am self taught as an artist So any mistakes I have made are in-tentional All my ideas come from an over active imagination that is only put in check when I fi nish a piece of artwork and then the process begins again I have been working with Photoshop for al-most 7 years now I am lucky enough to have two images chosen for two of RedBubblersquos books GAIA and Compassion Courage and Friendship I have been interviewed in Photoshop Creative Maga-zine 14 and have images printed in Advanced Photoshop as well Recently in Issue 60 of Photoshop Creative Magazine the editors chose my portfolio on their webpage as one of the Top 5 rated portfolios I am not one to think outside the box but blow it to bits so stand back and watch me now
c o v e r a r t i s t
Alena Lazareva
My name is Alena I live in Russia I`m the digital artist and the illustrator My interests are art photography computer graph-ics I have been drawing since childhood I studied at the School of Art at the artist There I drew pictures in oils and watercolor is now engaged in graphic design During the last three years I have been enjoying working as a computer graphics artist I love to paint illustrations in the style of Fantasy mythical creatures fairies elves mermaids and angels and painting children fairy-tales I`m currently using Photoshop CS and tablet Wacom for of my artworks I hope you like my illustrationsWebsite wwwalenalazarevacome-mail alenkalazarevamailru
Armand Johnson
Irsquom a professional photographer and graphic designer from Northern Louisiana USA I have had the pleasure of working with celebrities non-profi t organizations and local talents within the Louisiana region Irsquove also provided public service to the area and worked with the local youth to teach them professionalism career goals and creative thinking I get a lot of my inspiration from what I observe which is everyday lifehttpwwwfl ickrcomphotosthearmandjohnsonhttpwwwtwittercomdajizzlehttpwwwcreatticacomcreativesthe-armand-john-son29390thearmandjohnsongmailcom
George Patsouras
George Patsouras is a freelance and concept artist residing from Long Island City NY His work can be seen in a variety of differ-ent projects including video games comic books as well as card games George specializes in depicting realistic fantasy images For more of his work be sure to check out his offi cial blog at httpcgaddictblogspotcom
Jose Paulo Reis
Irsquom a digital artist with 3 years of experience My passion is fashion photography creativity advertising photomanipula-tion and digital art Currently Irsquom working as a digital artist in Lalaland Studios (fashion photography) I love fashion and beauty photography and everything related with digital art Irsquom devoted to Photoshop and everyday Irsquom trying to improve my skillsEnjoy my works by visiting my blog wwwzepaulocreationblogspotcom
Naomi Bensen
Having been raised in a colorful environment of art music and creative learning it was only natural for me to gravitate towards photographymdasha medium that can catch a split second and make it last forever Behind the lens I have pursued my own unique style of photography that focuses on capturing natural and un-staged moments For me photography is more than taking a good picturemdashitrsquos about turning a moment into art Find me at httptheimaginationdeviantartcom
Ylenia Peronti
Irsquom 19 years old italian artist From 3 years I have a passion for photo retouch and generally for phtoshop so I started to practice retouch fi rst on what I call ldquoextreme makeoverrdquo as described in this tutorial and then devot himelf to studying professional photo retouching refi ning technical professional and actually retouch fashion shots Irsquom supermoderator in the Forum Graphics wwwgrafi cicreativicom and I manage especially the section of photoretouch you can fi nd me at the following links wwwyleniaperontiwordpresscom httpyleniucciadeviantartcom
interview
32 psd Photoshop
Interview withArmand Johnson
Please say a few words about yourselfI have a degree in Graphic Design and I really enjoy art all forms of it Whether that is music acting dancing painting photography etc I am intrigued by many different forms of art I DO like to play video games (when I have time but who doesnrsquot) and I DO consider video games as ART but thatrsquos a different subject Irsquom kind of laid back and very business like in my approach to most things
Why did you choose photo retouching and what do you find fascinating about itWhen I was in undergrad I collected plenty of music CDrsquos and DVDrsquos It always intrigued me how flawless and perfect looking the cover art was I thought to myself I want to reach that level of perfection in what I do But graduating with a BFA in Graphic Design kind of steered me away from that in some regards It wasnrsquot until about 5 years ago when my Aunt asked me to gather a couple of shots for some of my cousinrsquos promotional work that I begun to take retouch-ing very seriously After I took the shots I thought These images need to be presentable So I started to dabble with perfecting the images which pushed me into retouching By being a photographer retouching is essential to my workflow because I want my images to have that commercial professional appeal I want my work to look like it belongs in a magazine as a poster or on a billboard etc I find retouching fascinating because how one can push and perfect an image to hisher likings and to the clientrsquos likings as well Itrsquos a great feeling to boost someonersquos confidence by showing them the retouched image in comparison to the original It can help them gain or retain their ldquoswaggardquo
Irsquom a professional photographer and graphic designer from Northern Louisiana USA I have had the pleasure of working with celebrities non-profit organizations and local talents within the Louisiana region Irsquove also provided public service to the area and worked with the local youth to teach them professionalism career goals and creative thinking I get a lot of my inspiration from what I observe which is everyday life
See more of my works here
httpwwwflickrcomphotosthearmandjohnsonhttpwwwtwittercomdajizzlehttpwwwcreatticacomcreativesthe-armand-johnson29390
Contact me
thearmandjohnsongmailcom
interview with armand johnson
33psd Photoshop
Where do you look for the inspiration to createThere are several photographers and retouchers well known and not that inspire me with their work Joel Grimes and Dave Hill are probably the most prominent amongst the photographers I admire their approach to their craft and absolutely love their end result Other notable photographers are Dustin Snipes and Dallas J Logan As for retouchers I think Amy Dresser is amongst the best Her work is incredible Nick Saglimbeni is also Hersquos an awesome photographer and retoucher But that is just the list of people Nature and natural things are very inspiring because of their calming attributes Also
interview
34 psd Photoshop
there is a bevy of websites that are exceptionally useful for inspira-tion Abduzeedo is my favorite Being an artist you can get your in-spiration from anything and anywhere An idea can gravitate towards you at anytime
What are the main advantages of your profession and what can be discouraging about itAn advantage of being a retoucher is the payoff If yoursquore great at it you can eventually open up to a much larger clientele such as the entertainment (music movies etc) and fashion industries Once
interview with armand johnson
35psd Photoshop
yoursquore attached to some major clients your rep (credibility) increas-es for the better What can be discouraging is the journey to arrive at that stage There are many individuals proclaiming themselves pro-fessionals (whether photographers retouchers etc) that are hurt-ing the industry They are utterly confusing clients A random person with a camera is not a photographer and a random person with a copy of Photoshop is not retoucher A lot of lower level clients tend to desire commercial level work for pennies on the dollar Thatrsquos just not feasible Retouchers probably spend more time with an image than anyone else involved with the creative process They deserve to be compensated properly
Do you have any achievements that you are particularly proud ofYeah I just recently got a couple works approved on the major cre-ative website Creatticacom Also being featured in this magazine is very rewarding I look forward to achieving more goals and receiving more accolades Lifersquos a marathon not a sprint
What about your plans for the futureI plan on making my stamp within the industry as have the other successful digital artists Irsquoll always be refining and fine-tuning my craft to become more diverse I wonrsquot go into too much details cause I have a laundry list of things That could take all day ) But I will say this the pieces of the puzzle are beginning to fall into the right plac-es and I believe this interview and collaboration with PSD Photoshop magazine is a crucial step in this process
Do you have any advice to those who would like to become digital artists as wellBe artistic and approach things from a creative perspective I find many individuals wanting to be artists without being artistic or cre-ative Itrsquos a process not a fast food restaurant The creation of mas-terpieces and wonderful works of art takes careful planning time and effort There has to be a love for what you do Photoshop is only a tool which is used to create art It is not meant to replace it or the process of creating it
advanced | 45 min
adobe photoshop CS3
glamour retouch
37psd Photoshop
Blemish Removal and Skin SmoothingFirst open the RAW image and make a duplicate of the background layer by pressing [Ctrl]+[J] Name the bottom layer Retouch and the top layer Original This creates a quick toggle between the Before and After states This also allows you to monitor your progress and determine if you are making changes that have a negative effect on the results Turn off the top layer (Original) Nextcreate a new layer above the Retouch layer by pressing [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] Name this layer CleanUp With the Healing Brush [J] selected make sure Sam-ple All Layers is selected from the drop down menu and Aligned is checked Next use the Healing Brush as well as the Clone Stamp on the CleanUp layer to remove all the blemishes and imperfections The settings are 100 Opacity 100 with Sample All Layers and Alignedselected Once the skin is cleaned up create another layer above it [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] and name it Skin Select the Clone Stamp tool and use these settings 18-25 Opacity 100 Flow Sample All Layers and Aligned Use the Clone Stamp tool to even out the Highlight Shadowand Midtone areas giving the skin a very smooth fl awless appear-ance Lastly apply a little noise the layer Go to FiltergtNoisegtAdd Noise and set the amount to 25 - 50 and the distribution to Gauss-ian After initially cleaning and smoothing the skin group those layers together by holding down the [Shift] key and selecting both of them and [Ctrl]+[G] to group them Rename the group CleanUp
01
02Color BoostAbove the CleanUp group create a Curves Adjustment Layer and name it CB - Curves Use three points along the slope 255 255 0 0 and 148 112 within the RGB channel Then create a LevelsAdjustment Layer naming it CB - Levels Within the RGB chan-nel using these values 10 115 245 Group together these two Adjustment Layers and name the group Overall because it af-fects the overall image Then create a Curves Adjustment Layerabove the grouped layers and insert four points along the slope Keep the two default points 255255 and 0 0 Add two more 35 43 and 211 201 (or somewhere within that tonal range) also in the RGB channel Rename this layer Jewelry Select the Mask by clicking on it and fi ll the Mask with Black Use the Brush tool with the foreground color set to White and paint only over the jewelry Rename this layer Jewelry Create a fi nal Curves adjustment layer above the Jewelry layer and name it Hair Use settings very simi-lar to those on the Jewelry layer within the RGB channel Select the Mask fi ll it with Black and paint over the hair with a Whitebrush Group all of these Adjustment Layers together and name the group Color Boost
GlamourRetouchIn this tutorial I will show you how I performed a Glamour retouch on a photo of my beautiful friend Asia I photographed her against a black background for a dramatic and edgy effect as well as using various Photoshop tools to achieve that ldquoglamour lookrdquo that many magazines and print work use I will be using Photoshop CS3 but any higher version should work as well The tools I will be using are Adjustment Layers Filters and Blending Modes as well as the Clone Stamp Brush and Healing Brush tools
photo retouch
38 psd Photoshop
Highlight and ShadowCreate a new layer and name it FaceBody and set the Blending Mode to Soft Light Set the foreground color to White select the Brush tool with the settings Opacity 100 Flow 2 and paint over the naturally highlighted areas bring-ing out the highlights Then set the foreground color to Black using the same settings and paint over the naturally shadowed areas increasing the contrast in the image Add a Gaussian BlurFiltergtBlurgtGaussian Blur to the layer with a ra-dius setting of 15 ndash 30 Repeat these steps on a new layer named Hair with the Blending Mode set to Overlay Create another new layer named Jew-elry with the Blending Mode set to Overlay as well Once fi nished rearrange the layers so that they are in this order from top to bottom Hair FaceBody Jewelry Lastly group these layers together and name the group HLSH or HighlightShadow
04
05SharpenMake a new layer by combining all visible layers [Shift]+[Alt]+[Ctrl]+[E] This creates a new layer consisting of all the information from the bottom layers Make this a smart object by right ndash click-ing on the layer and selecting Convert to Smart Object This makes the layer a Smart Object allow-ing the use of Smart Filters Duplicate this layer and rename the copy HP 65 and the original layer Sharpen Turn off the HP 65 layer With the Sharp-en layer selected go to FiltergtSharpengtUnSharp Mask using these settings Amount 60 Radius2500 Threshold 10 With the Blending Mode set to Normal adjust the Opacity within the 30 - 40 range and the Fill within the 75 - 90 range Then turn on the HP 65 Layer and select it Set the Blending Mode to Overlay and go to FiltergtOthergtHigh Pass Set the Radius to 65 and the Opacity within the 65 - 75 range and the Fillwithin the 90 - 95 range Finally group these two layers together and name the group Sharpen
03
Color CorrectionCreate a new layer and name it Color CorrectionSet the Blending Mode to Color Set the Brush tool to a SoftFeather setting with the Hardness to 15 Set Black as the foreground color and paint over the lips Then use Gold as the foreground color and paint over the ldquoCoachrdquo text and the handle of the sunglasses changing them from Silver to GoldSelect various colors from the skin and paint over the discolorations in the skin Put the layer in its own group and name that group Color Correction
glamour retouch
39psd Photoshop
EffectsCreate a new layer and name it Sparkles With the Pen tool create a fi ve ndash point sparkle Once fi nished drawing the outline right ndash click and select Make Selection feathering the selection by 1 pixel Make sure the Anti-aliased box is checked and the New Selection option is selected Fill the selection with White Then make several copies (four should be enough) of this layer and move the various spar-kles to certain areas on the jewelry and sunglasses Resize those sparkles individually using transform [Ctrl]+[T] Once the sparkles are at sizes you are comfortable with click on the top most layer (Sparkles Copy 4) hold the shift key then the original Sparkles lay-er and merge them by pressing [Ctrl]+[E] Rename this layer Spar-kles Then add a layer style to the layer by double ndash clicking on it I selected Outer Glow In the options for the Outer Glow effect leave the default setting only changing the Size to 3 pixels Lastly place this layer into its own group and name that group Effects Switch the Original layer OnOff and enjoy the result
by Armand Johnson
07
06
Cool DownCreate a HueSaturation Adjustment Layer mak-ing sure it is set to the Master channel Set the Saturation to -100 This turns the image black and white Set the Blending Mode set to Normalthe Opacity within the 40 - 50 range and the Fill within the 70 - 90 range Select the Maskset the foreground color to 40 Gray and fi ll the mask Paint over only the jewelry and the colored sections of the hair This brings back some of the original color but not too much of it Finally group only this layer and name it Cool Down
How to change the eye color very quickly but efficiently
How to change
eye color
beginer | 10 min
adobe photoshop CS4
how to change eye color
41psd Photoshop
Step 1First open the photos select the pupil of the eye using the method you prefer (Polygonal lassoMagnetic lasso pen etc) I used the Magnetic lasso in this case Right click the mouse on the Selection and select New Layer via Copy Rename the layer eyes
02
03
Step 2Make sure that in the Layers palette is selected layer eyes and from the menu Image select HuegtSaturation adjustments When the window will be open move the Hues cursor until you fi nd the satisfying color If you want from the same HuegtSaturation window we can also modify the saturation and brightness to achieve different ef-fects Heres an example set the Hue value on 44You can also customize more the color using the color balance adjustment selected from the menu ImagegtAdjustmentsgtColor Balance and reduce the opacity of the layer eyes to adjust the effect
Step 3For a more aesthetic effect you can use the Dodge tool selected from the Tools palette Set Light to a 5-10 opacity (or an opacity that allows to achieve the desired effect) and use Dodge toolwithin the colored part of the eye Select Burn tool(also an Opacity of 5) set to Midtones and Burn-ing to defi ne better the outline of the eye
by Ylenia Peronti
42 psd Photoshop
interview
2 pas Photoshop
Tell us about your first steps in photographyMy dad is a really good photographer and he showed me how to use his Nikon film camera when I was young and how to de-
Interview withApril Elizabeth
Can you introduce yourself to our readersMy name is April Elizabeth I am a creative photographer from the small snowy town of Ishpeming in Upper Peninsula of Michigan
April Elizabeth is an internationally published photographer from Ishpeming Michigan Her photos have appeared in magazines on book covers and websites Her clients include Random house HarperCollins Publishing and The Portland Beanie Company
43psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
3psd Photoshop
velop the film I really enjoyed it but it was expensive and I was unable to really get into photography until digital cameras came along I started with a point and shoot camera and went from there
Why did you choose this professionI think it sort of chose me Irsquove always liked photography but I never in my life imagined myself going anywhere with it That all changed when I bought my first slr and asked a local model to do a photo
44 psd Photoshop
interview
4 pas Photoshop
shoot with me I was nervous because I had never done any-thing like that before and I wasnrsquot com-pletely sure how the camera worked but the pictures turned out great and soon more and more peo-ple wanted to work with me
Where do you get the inspiration for your worksIrsquove always been an introverted day-dreamer with an
overly active imagination When other people are liv-ing their life I am looking around and thinking of sto-ries Irsquove always wanted to be a writer but photography lets me tell stories with pic-tures and as long as I can tell a story I am happy
What do you like the most about being a photographer and what are the main difficulties for youIf I am not creating some-thing I feel frustrated I like that my job lets me cre-ate things while making people feel beautiful and good about themselves I enjoy taking pictures that have a fantasy quality to them so that people in the photos can be part of something a little magi-cal instead of ordinary and people who see the photos will feel inspired One of the main difficul-ties I have is my location the middle of nowhere in the Midwest Winter lasts around 7-8 months and itrsquos always very harsh and with a lot of snow I donrsquot have a studio or anyplace indoors thatI can go to so this means I only have a very short amount of time in the year that I can really do many photo shoots
45psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
5psd Photoshop
Do you have any personal achievements you are particularly proud ofIrsquom very proud that my photo Shy with over 35550 favs is one of the most popular photos ever to be up-loaded to the website deviantart Itrsquos unreal to me Irsquom also proud that two photos of mine have been licensed to be on book covers Growing up I never thought any-thing like that could ever happen to me Being in magazines such as this one is also very nice All of these things make me feel like Irsquove accomplished something in life and gives me confidence that I can do even more
What are your plans for futureIrsquod like to get a studio someday And Irsquod like to get into stock photogra-phy Irsquom also working on a gothic romance novel called Whispering Pines and a book of short scary stories I guess I plan on just creat-ing more and trying to improve in everything I do
What would you advice to the young photographersDonrsquot worry about what kind of cam-era or equipment you have Just fo-cus on what you have now and try to create something beautiful with it Itrsquos the photographer that makes the picture good not the camera
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many successful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quitting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many suc-cessful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quit-ting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
A photographerrsquos main goal is to take a photo that makes the viewer feel a strong emotion towards it whether it is love hate anger or passion But when a photo is excellently taken yet the colors lighting and texture dont match up to the photoers vision a photo will become uninspiring This tutorial will teach you how to take your photo to the next level and create an image that matches your vision
Makingthe Mood
making the mood
47psd Photoshop
Step 1The fi rst step in changing a photo is doing the ba-sics You have to prepare your photo before you can move to the fun stuff In this pickture I got rid of any noticeable blemishes the model had and g of noticeable hair that were going across her face to give more clear picture of the model I did this using the Patch and Clone Stamp tool When edit-ing a model make sure to always keep texture in the skin its more interesting that way as opposed to having a models face which is completely air-brushed
02
03
Step 2The next step I took was darkening the whole photo I knew that I wanted the photo to be much darker than it currently was I could have just used the Curves tool or Levels but I fi nd that when overusing the Curves tool a photo starts to look overly contrasted which I dont want So instead I used a light gradient (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtGradient Map) and changed the Blending mode from Normal to Multiply Doing this gives the photo a lot more depth but doesnt darken it completely
Step 3As soon as Ive got my basic photo ready I knew that the yellowish tinge was not the effect I was going for so I used both the Color Balance tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtColor Balance)and the Selective Color tool (LayergtNew Adjust-ment LayergtColor Balance)
01
photomanipulation
48 psd Photoshop
Step 4The next thing I noticed was that my models face was not highlighted enough it was getting lost in the midst of forest and darkness so I made two new layers One layer was for the models face and I simply used a soft Photoshop brush with 0 Hardness and drew over the models face and the snakes body I then changed both layers Blending Mode from Normal to Screen and applied a Box blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 543 pixels to both so they wouldnt be as noticeable Remember you just want hints of light just enough so the models face and the snake is highlighted
04
05
06
Step 5The fi fth step is more or less a repeat of a step number three I liked the way photo looked but it wasnt nearly as dramatic as it could be So now I fi nally decided to use the Curves tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtCurves) to darken and light certain areas making sure again not to overdo it but to give it enough contrast to really bring out the picture Next I made two new Selective Colorlayers (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtSelective Color) One Selective Colors layer changed the leaves and clothes but not the models face to a more dark blue tint while the second Selective Color layer brightened the snakes skin
Step 6The next thing I did was making another two lay-ers I still wanted to brighten only the snakes skin so for the fi rst layer I changed the Blending modefrom Normal to Soft Light and then used a brush with 0 Hardness and carefully painted over the snake It took a few variations before I found a color I liked Its helpful to remember to also look at the whole picture In the next layer I created I simply wanted to add a little more color to the shrubbery in the background so I made another layer and again changed the blending mode from Normal to Soft Light I used a soft brush with 0 Hardness and a maroon and yellow color just to add a little variation from my usual palette of blue I then added it all along the bushes and used the Box Blur tool at 483 pixels also changing the Blending mode from Normal to Screen to make it less obvious
making the mood
49psd Photoshop
Step 7The fi nal step I took to fi nish setting the mood for my photo was adding a texture and chang-ing the Blending Mode from Normal to Soft LightI found that the texture was to overpowering at 100 Opacity so I lowered it to 77 I next added my fi nal layer and created a vignette around my photo by using a brush with a Hardness of 100 and then brushed it around the outer edges of the photo particularly around the four corners I then applied a Box Blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 693 pixels to the layer creating a nice dark blurred ef-fect
by Naomi Bensen
07
forest fairy
19psd Photoshop
Step 7When I fi nished the details on the girls body I drew a fl ower in her hand On a new layer with Opacity 50 I drew a light train I used a soft round brush with Opacity set to 30-50
07
08
Step 8I started to paint the background and used a soft large brush I made the left upper corner of the background lighter and the bottom of the back-ground - darker
06
Step 6I decided to make the dress more beautiful First I drew bright yellow patches on the dress and the folds I drew highlights with a soft round brush setting the Opacity to 40 I then painted gloss on her dress For this I used a brush size of 2-5 px Glitter (point brush) I drew it on multiple layers with varying transparency and used a bright yel-low and red brush The more points you paint the more the dress will shine On the brightest parts of the dress I put more points of bright color
digital painting
20 psd Photoshop
Step 10In this step I added decorative items and orna-ments I used a brush size of 2 px and yellow and brown colors to paint decorations (to look their best they need to be drawn very accurately)
10
11
Step 11I drew the falling leaves on 2 layers a front and a rear layer On the foreground I painted the leaves brighter To layer the leaves in the background I applied a Gaussian Blur
by Alena Lazareva
09
Step 9I then painted an abstract leaf in the right side of the background and applied the Gaussian Blur fi l-ter (FiltergtBlurgtGaussian Blur) Now using a soft brush with light yellow I added rays of the sun Af-ter that I again applied the Gaussian Blur
This tutorial will explain how to paint a realistic eye in Photoshop Eyes are by far one of the most important aspects of any painting especially if itrsquos a portrait Itrsquos also one of the most fun features to paint as painting an eye is much easier than one might think
How toPaint a Realistic Eye
medium | 30 min
adobe photoshop CS5
how to paint a realistic eye
23psd Photoshop
SketchBefore laying down a single brushstroke itrsquos important for me to create a rough sketch It doesnrsquot have to be perfect but we need to get our point across here This will only make things easier during the painting process Create a new layer and sketch in an eye
02
03
Laying down the Base ColorThis step is simple enough here we lay down the base color for the skin Simply use the Gradienttool here and fi ll the background layer with your color choice In general try not to go too light or too saturated here
Defi ning FormUsing the HSB Slider (WindowsgtColor) pick a darker more saturated color for the darker areas of the skin and paint it using a simple Hard Edged brush I also pick a lighter less saturated tone for the highlights of the skin I choose a color for the eye in this case a bright blue and paint that in as well
01
workshop
24 psd Photoshop
Bringing Life to the SkinThe values of the skin need some work here I choose an even brighter lighter color to defi ne the form of the skin I introduce the lighter tones according to the lighting here which is a standard front light I add the lighter tones to the tone the bridge of the nose near the eyebrow and around the eyelid to make things appear more realistic
04
05
06
Smoothing Out the SkinAt this point all my work was done using a standard Hard Edged brush which is great for defi ning form quickly To blend the skin and give it a more photo realistic look I now switch to a soft brush (Hardness at 0) and Opacity at 50 I blend all the sharp transitions until things appear much smoother Additionally I paint darker tones on the blue iris to give it more depth
Bringing More LifeAt this point I work a bit more on the skin tones adding some more saturated reddish tones on the area around the eye as well as the cheek I also add a more saturated blue to the eye as well I do this all with a soft airbrush at a fairly low opacity on a new layer then merge it down when Irsquom satisfi ed with how things are looking I also do some more detail work using a softer Hard Edgedbrush as well
how to paint a realistic eye
25psd Photoshop
DetailsIrsquom satisfi ed with how things are looking at this stage so I start working on the details Using a fairly small brush I begin to add some lsquobumpsrsquo around the eye to give it a more realistic looks I also create bumps around the eyebrow using a both a fairly light as well as dark color to help it pop for a realistic look I also add details in the iris using a lighter bluish color to really bring the image to life I work in at a very large zoom at this stage as well to make things easier and more accurate
07
08
09
Refi nementI go over everything with a Soft Edged brush at a low opacity for a more realistic look Additionally I bring out the details more using fairly small hard edged brushes I work on the eyebrow painting each strand in as well as the eyelashes
Color and Texture EnhancementThings are looking a bit too muddy for my taste so what I do here is create a new layer set to soft light and enhance the colors quite a bit I introduce much warmer tones around the eye to give it more life Finally I slightly overlay a leather photo texture to give the skin a slightly more realistic effect
by George Patsouras
In this tutorial I will explain how to paint realistic lips with Photoshop Before attempting to paint lips itrsquos essential that you practice drawing lips as well as the head in general to get the best results possible
How toPaint a Realistic Lips
medium | 30 min
adobe photoshop CS5
how to paint a realistic lips
27psd Photoshop
SketchI almost always start off with a sketch for my serious paintings and this one is no different I create a new layer and with a Hard Edged brush I quickly sketch in the lips Getting the lips to look right now just makes the painting process that much easier
02
03
Picking the right base colorPick a mid-tone for the skin one thatrsquos not too saturated or too light (a common mistake many artists make) To quickly fi ll in the canvas with a color I simply use the Gradient tool After itrsquos done I use a hard edged brush to paint in the red lips
Defi ning FormOnce I chose my base tone itrsquos time to defi ne the form of the skin The fi rst thing you must think of is where does the light come from In this case I decide to go for a fairly simple front light and shade accordingly Using a Hard Edged brush I use darker more saturated tones for the darker parts of the skin and a lighter less saturated tone for the highlights of the skin for a realistic effect Use a darker midtone for the lsquotoprsquo lip and bring out lighter tones for the bottom one (this works for most lighting situations)
01
workshop
28 psd Photoshop
Bringing out the HighlightsThings are still looking too fl at for me at this stage so I choose a much brighter midtone to bring out the form of the skin As always I simply use a hard edged brush at this step I bring out lighter tones on the lsquocornersrsquo of the lips the chin and on top of the lips
04
05
06
Smoothing out the SkinOnce Irsquom happy with my value statement I decide to soften everything out with a soft edged brush I choose Hardness 0 under my Brush Settingsand with a 50 Opacity I smoothen out the rough transitions
DetailsI start bringing texture to the lower lips using a fairly small Hard Edged brush I zoom closer here to make things easier and begin to paint the texture of the lips keeping the form in mind using a circular stroke Additionally I bring out a fairly harsh highlight at the top of the lips (the part that looks like a lsquoVrsquo) which gives the image a much more realistic feel
how to paint a realistic lips
29psd Photoshop
Even more detailsI bring more contrast to the image using lighter tones for the highlights and darker ones for shadows I introduce a fairly dark tone right underneath the lip above the chin for a realistic effect I also use a darker tone to separate the lsquobottomrsquo lip from the top giving the lips more depth in the process I also add a mole simply for the fun of it
07
08
Final Refi nementHere I add even more texture to the lips and use a very light almost white color on the bottom lips to bring more life and contrast to the image I clean the image out a bit in general and make sure everything appears as symmetrical as possible and voila Wersquore done
by George Patsouras
contributing writers
Editor in Chief Magdalena Mojska magdalenamojskapsdmagorg
Copy Editor Ed Werzyn Robert Coppa Art Director Agnieszka Marchocka
DTP Przemysław BanasiewiczSenior ConsultantPublisherPresident
Paweł Marciniak Managing Director Ewa Łozowicka
Marketing Director Magdalena Mojska magdalenamojskapsdmagorg
Production DirectorAndrzej Kuca andrzejkucapsdmagorg
Postal addressPublisher Software Press Spzoo SK
02-682 Warszawa ul Bokserska 1worldwide publishing wwwpsdmagorgen
All trade marks presented in the magazine were used only for informa-tive purposes All rights to trade marks presented in the magazine are
reserved by the companies which own themMathematical formulas created by Design Science MathTypetrade
The editors use automatic DTP systemEditorial contributions should be sent to
editorspsdmagorg Customer Service +1 917 338 3631
The Software Press Spzoo SK works individually from Adobe The psd Photoshop team reserves the right not to be responsible for the topical-ity correctness completeness or quality of the information provided by
contributors
Randy Monteith
I am self taught as an artist So any mistakes I have made are in-tentional All my ideas come from an over active imagination that is only put in check when I fi nish a piece of artwork and then the process begins again I have been working with Photoshop for al-most 7 years now I am lucky enough to have two images chosen for two of RedBubblersquos books GAIA and Compassion Courage and Friendship I have been interviewed in Photoshop Creative Maga-zine 14 and have images printed in Advanced Photoshop as well Recently in Issue 60 of Photoshop Creative Magazine the editors chose my portfolio on their webpage as one of the Top 5 rated portfolios I am not one to think outside the box but blow it to bits so stand back and watch me now
c o v e r a r t i s t
Alena Lazareva
My name is Alena I live in Russia I`m the digital artist and the illustrator My interests are art photography computer graph-ics I have been drawing since childhood I studied at the School of Art at the artist There I drew pictures in oils and watercolor is now engaged in graphic design During the last three years I have been enjoying working as a computer graphics artist I love to paint illustrations in the style of Fantasy mythical creatures fairies elves mermaids and angels and painting children fairy-tales I`m currently using Photoshop CS and tablet Wacom for of my artworks I hope you like my illustrationsWebsite wwwalenalazarevacome-mail alenkalazarevamailru
Armand Johnson
Irsquom a professional photographer and graphic designer from Northern Louisiana USA I have had the pleasure of working with celebrities non-profi t organizations and local talents within the Louisiana region Irsquove also provided public service to the area and worked with the local youth to teach them professionalism career goals and creative thinking I get a lot of my inspiration from what I observe which is everyday lifehttpwwwfl ickrcomphotosthearmandjohnsonhttpwwwtwittercomdajizzlehttpwwwcreatticacomcreativesthe-armand-john-son29390thearmandjohnsongmailcom
George Patsouras
George Patsouras is a freelance and concept artist residing from Long Island City NY His work can be seen in a variety of differ-ent projects including video games comic books as well as card games George specializes in depicting realistic fantasy images For more of his work be sure to check out his offi cial blog at httpcgaddictblogspotcom
Jose Paulo Reis
Irsquom a digital artist with 3 years of experience My passion is fashion photography creativity advertising photomanipula-tion and digital art Currently Irsquom working as a digital artist in Lalaland Studios (fashion photography) I love fashion and beauty photography and everything related with digital art Irsquom devoted to Photoshop and everyday Irsquom trying to improve my skillsEnjoy my works by visiting my blog wwwzepaulocreationblogspotcom
Naomi Bensen
Having been raised in a colorful environment of art music and creative learning it was only natural for me to gravitate towards photographymdasha medium that can catch a split second and make it last forever Behind the lens I have pursued my own unique style of photography that focuses on capturing natural and un-staged moments For me photography is more than taking a good picturemdashitrsquos about turning a moment into art Find me at httptheimaginationdeviantartcom
Ylenia Peronti
Irsquom 19 years old italian artist From 3 years I have a passion for photo retouch and generally for phtoshop so I started to practice retouch fi rst on what I call ldquoextreme makeoverrdquo as described in this tutorial and then devot himelf to studying professional photo retouching refi ning technical professional and actually retouch fashion shots Irsquom supermoderator in the Forum Graphics wwwgrafi cicreativicom and I manage especially the section of photoretouch you can fi nd me at the following links wwwyleniaperontiwordpresscom httpyleniucciadeviantartcom
interview
32 psd Photoshop
Interview withArmand Johnson
Please say a few words about yourselfI have a degree in Graphic Design and I really enjoy art all forms of it Whether that is music acting dancing painting photography etc I am intrigued by many different forms of art I DO like to play video games (when I have time but who doesnrsquot) and I DO consider video games as ART but thatrsquos a different subject Irsquom kind of laid back and very business like in my approach to most things
Why did you choose photo retouching and what do you find fascinating about itWhen I was in undergrad I collected plenty of music CDrsquos and DVDrsquos It always intrigued me how flawless and perfect looking the cover art was I thought to myself I want to reach that level of perfection in what I do But graduating with a BFA in Graphic Design kind of steered me away from that in some regards It wasnrsquot until about 5 years ago when my Aunt asked me to gather a couple of shots for some of my cousinrsquos promotional work that I begun to take retouch-ing very seriously After I took the shots I thought These images need to be presentable So I started to dabble with perfecting the images which pushed me into retouching By being a photographer retouching is essential to my workflow because I want my images to have that commercial professional appeal I want my work to look like it belongs in a magazine as a poster or on a billboard etc I find retouching fascinating because how one can push and perfect an image to hisher likings and to the clientrsquos likings as well Itrsquos a great feeling to boost someonersquos confidence by showing them the retouched image in comparison to the original It can help them gain or retain their ldquoswaggardquo
Irsquom a professional photographer and graphic designer from Northern Louisiana USA I have had the pleasure of working with celebrities non-profit organizations and local talents within the Louisiana region Irsquove also provided public service to the area and worked with the local youth to teach them professionalism career goals and creative thinking I get a lot of my inspiration from what I observe which is everyday life
See more of my works here
httpwwwflickrcomphotosthearmandjohnsonhttpwwwtwittercomdajizzlehttpwwwcreatticacomcreativesthe-armand-johnson29390
Contact me
thearmandjohnsongmailcom
interview with armand johnson
33psd Photoshop
Where do you look for the inspiration to createThere are several photographers and retouchers well known and not that inspire me with their work Joel Grimes and Dave Hill are probably the most prominent amongst the photographers I admire their approach to their craft and absolutely love their end result Other notable photographers are Dustin Snipes and Dallas J Logan As for retouchers I think Amy Dresser is amongst the best Her work is incredible Nick Saglimbeni is also Hersquos an awesome photographer and retoucher But that is just the list of people Nature and natural things are very inspiring because of their calming attributes Also
interview
34 psd Photoshop
there is a bevy of websites that are exceptionally useful for inspira-tion Abduzeedo is my favorite Being an artist you can get your in-spiration from anything and anywhere An idea can gravitate towards you at anytime
What are the main advantages of your profession and what can be discouraging about itAn advantage of being a retoucher is the payoff If yoursquore great at it you can eventually open up to a much larger clientele such as the entertainment (music movies etc) and fashion industries Once
interview with armand johnson
35psd Photoshop
yoursquore attached to some major clients your rep (credibility) increas-es for the better What can be discouraging is the journey to arrive at that stage There are many individuals proclaiming themselves pro-fessionals (whether photographers retouchers etc) that are hurt-ing the industry They are utterly confusing clients A random person with a camera is not a photographer and a random person with a copy of Photoshop is not retoucher A lot of lower level clients tend to desire commercial level work for pennies on the dollar Thatrsquos just not feasible Retouchers probably spend more time with an image than anyone else involved with the creative process They deserve to be compensated properly
Do you have any achievements that you are particularly proud ofYeah I just recently got a couple works approved on the major cre-ative website Creatticacom Also being featured in this magazine is very rewarding I look forward to achieving more goals and receiving more accolades Lifersquos a marathon not a sprint
What about your plans for the futureI plan on making my stamp within the industry as have the other successful digital artists Irsquoll always be refining and fine-tuning my craft to become more diverse I wonrsquot go into too much details cause I have a laundry list of things That could take all day ) But I will say this the pieces of the puzzle are beginning to fall into the right plac-es and I believe this interview and collaboration with PSD Photoshop magazine is a crucial step in this process
Do you have any advice to those who would like to become digital artists as wellBe artistic and approach things from a creative perspective I find many individuals wanting to be artists without being artistic or cre-ative Itrsquos a process not a fast food restaurant The creation of mas-terpieces and wonderful works of art takes careful planning time and effort There has to be a love for what you do Photoshop is only a tool which is used to create art It is not meant to replace it or the process of creating it
advanced | 45 min
adobe photoshop CS3
glamour retouch
37psd Photoshop
Blemish Removal and Skin SmoothingFirst open the RAW image and make a duplicate of the background layer by pressing [Ctrl]+[J] Name the bottom layer Retouch and the top layer Original This creates a quick toggle between the Before and After states This also allows you to monitor your progress and determine if you are making changes that have a negative effect on the results Turn off the top layer (Original) Nextcreate a new layer above the Retouch layer by pressing [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] Name this layer CleanUp With the Healing Brush [J] selected make sure Sam-ple All Layers is selected from the drop down menu and Aligned is checked Next use the Healing Brush as well as the Clone Stamp on the CleanUp layer to remove all the blemishes and imperfections The settings are 100 Opacity 100 with Sample All Layers and Alignedselected Once the skin is cleaned up create another layer above it [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] and name it Skin Select the Clone Stamp tool and use these settings 18-25 Opacity 100 Flow Sample All Layers and Aligned Use the Clone Stamp tool to even out the Highlight Shadowand Midtone areas giving the skin a very smooth fl awless appear-ance Lastly apply a little noise the layer Go to FiltergtNoisegtAdd Noise and set the amount to 25 - 50 and the distribution to Gauss-ian After initially cleaning and smoothing the skin group those layers together by holding down the [Shift] key and selecting both of them and [Ctrl]+[G] to group them Rename the group CleanUp
01
02Color BoostAbove the CleanUp group create a Curves Adjustment Layer and name it CB - Curves Use three points along the slope 255 255 0 0 and 148 112 within the RGB channel Then create a LevelsAdjustment Layer naming it CB - Levels Within the RGB chan-nel using these values 10 115 245 Group together these two Adjustment Layers and name the group Overall because it af-fects the overall image Then create a Curves Adjustment Layerabove the grouped layers and insert four points along the slope Keep the two default points 255255 and 0 0 Add two more 35 43 and 211 201 (or somewhere within that tonal range) also in the RGB channel Rename this layer Jewelry Select the Mask by clicking on it and fi ll the Mask with Black Use the Brush tool with the foreground color set to White and paint only over the jewelry Rename this layer Jewelry Create a fi nal Curves adjustment layer above the Jewelry layer and name it Hair Use settings very simi-lar to those on the Jewelry layer within the RGB channel Select the Mask fi ll it with Black and paint over the hair with a Whitebrush Group all of these Adjustment Layers together and name the group Color Boost
GlamourRetouchIn this tutorial I will show you how I performed a Glamour retouch on a photo of my beautiful friend Asia I photographed her against a black background for a dramatic and edgy effect as well as using various Photoshop tools to achieve that ldquoglamour lookrdquo that many magazines and print work use I will be using Photoshop CS3 but any higher version should work as well The tools I will be using are Adjustment Layers Filters and Blending Modes as well as the Clone Stamp Brush and Healing Brush tools
photo retouch
38 psd Photoshop
Highlight and ShadowCreate a new layer and name it FaceBody and set the Blending Mode to Soft Light Set the foreground color to White select the Brush tool with the settings Opacity 100 Flow 2 and paint over the naturally highlighted areas bring-ing out the highlights Then set the foreground color to Black using the same settings and paint over the naturally shadowed areas increasing the contrast in the image Add a Gaussian BlurFiltergtBlurgtGaussian Blur to the layer with a ra-dius setting of 15 ndash 30 Repeat these steps on a new layer named Hair with the Blending Mode set to Overlay Create another new layer named Jew-elry with the Blending Mode set to Overlay as well Once fi nished rearrange the layers so that they are in this order from top to bottom Hair FaceBody Jewelry Lastly group these layers together and name the group HLSH or HighlightShadow
04
05SharpenMake a new layer by combining all visible layers [Shift]+[Alt]+[Ctrl]+[E] This creates a new layer consisting of all the information from the bottom layers Make this a smart object by right ndash click-ing on the layer and selecting Convert to Smart Object This makes the layer a Smart Object allow-ing the use of Smart Filters Duplicate this layer and rename the copy HP 65 and the original layer Sharpen Turn off the HP 65 layer With the Sharp-en layer selected go to FiltergtSharpengtUnSharp Mask using these settings Amount 60 Radius2500 Threshold 10 With the Blending Mode set to Normal adjust the Opacity within the 30 - 40 range and the Fill within the 75 - 90 range Then turn on the HP 65 Layer and select it Set the Blending Mode to Overlay and go to FiltergtOthergtHigh Pass Set the Radius to 65 and the Opacity within the 65 - 75 range and the Fillwithin the 90 - 95 range Finally group these two layers together and name the group Sharpen
03
Color CorrectionCreate a new layer and name it Color CorrectionSet the Blending Mode to Color Set the Brush tool to a SoftFeather setting with the Hardness to 15 Set Black as the foreground color and paint over the lips Then use Gold as the foreground color and paint over the ldquoCoachrdquo text and the handle of the sunglasses changing them from Silver to GoldSelect various colors from the skin and paint over the discolorations in the skin Put the layer in its own group and name that group Color Correction
glamour retouch
39psd Photoshop
EffectsCreate a new layer and name it Sparkles With the Pen tool create a fi ve ndash point sparkle Once fi nished drawing the outline right ndash click and select Make Selection feathering the selection by 1 pixel Make sure the Anti-aliased box is checked and the New Selection option is selected Fill the selection with White Then make several copies (four should be enough) of this layer and move the various spar-kles to certain areas on the jewelry and sunglasses Resize those sparkles individually using transform [Ctrl]+[T] Once the sparkles are at sizes you are comfortable with click on the top most layer (Sparkles Copy 4) hold the shift key then the original Sparkles lay-er and merge them by pressing [Ctrl]+[E] Rename this layer Spar-kles Then add a layer style to the layer by double ndash clicking on it I selected Outer Glow In the options for the Outer Glow effect leave the default setting only changing the Size to 3 pixels Lastly place this layer into its own group and name that group Effects Switch the Original layer OnOff and enjoy the result
by Armand Johnson
07
06
Cool DownCreate a HueSaturation Adjustment Layer mak-ing sure it is set to the Master channel Set the Saturation to -100 This turns the image black and white Set the Blending Mode set to Normalthe Opacity within the 40 - 50 range and the Fill within the 70 - 90 range Select the Maskset the foreground color to 40 Gray and fi ll the mask Paint over only the jewelry and the colored sections of the hair This brings back some of the original color but not too much of it Finally group only this layer and name it Cool Down
How to change the eye color very quickly but efficiently
How to change
eye color
beginer | 10 min
adobe photoshop CS4
how to change eye color
41psd Photoshop
Step 1First open the photos select the pupil of the eye using the method you prefer (Polygonal lassoMagnetic lasso pen etc) I used the Magnetic lasso in this case Right click the mouse on the Selection and select New Layer via Copy Rename the layer eyes
02
03
Step 2Make sure that in the Layers palette is selected layer eyes and from the menu Image select HuegtSaturation adjustments When the window will be open move the Hues cursor until you fi nd the satisfying color If you want from the same HuegtSaturation window we can also modify the saturation and brightness to achieve different ef-fects Heres an example set the Hue value on 44You can also customize more the color using the color balance adjustment selected from the menu ImagegtAdjustmentsgtColor Balance and reduce the opacity of the layer eyes to adjust the effect
Step 3For a more aesthetic effect you can use the Dodge tool selected from the Tools palette Set Light to a 5-10 opacity (or an opacity that allows to achieve the desired effect) and use Dodge toolwithin the colored part of the eye Select Burn tool(also an Opacity of 5) set to Midtones and Burn-ing to defi ne better the outline of the eye
by Ylenia Peronti
42 psd Photoshop
interview
2 pas Photoshop
Tell us about your first steps in photographyMy dad is a really good photographer and he showed me how to use his Nikon film camera when I was young and how to de-
Interview withApril Elizabeth
Can you introduce yourself to our readersMy name is April Elizabeth I am a creative photographer from the small snowy town of Ishpeming in Upper Peninsula of Michigan
April Elizabeth is an internationally published photographer from Ishpeming Michigan Her photos have appeared in magazines on book covers and websites Her clients include Random house HarperCollins Publishing and The Portland Beanie Company
43psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
3psd Photoshop
velop the film I really enjoyed it but it was expensive and I was unable to really get into photography until digital cameras came along I started with a point and shoot camera and went from there
Why did you choose this professionI think it sort of chose me Irsquove always liked photography but I never in my life imagined myself going anywhere with it That all changed when I bought my first slr and asked a local model to do a photo
44 psd Photoshop
interview
4 pas Photoshop
shoot with me I was nervous because I had never done any-thing like that before and I wasnrsquot com-pletely sure how the camera worked but the pictures turned out great and soon more and more peo-ple wanted to work with me
Where do you get the inspiration for your worksIrsquove always been an introverted day-dreamer with an
overly active imagination When other people are liv-ing their life I am looking around and thinking of sto-ries Irsquove always wanted to be a writer but photography lets me tell stories with pic-tures and as long as I can tell a story I am happy
What do you like the most about being a photographer and what are the main difficulties for youIf I am not creating some-thing I feel frustrated I like that my job lets me cre-ate things while making people feel beautiful and good about themselves I enjoy taking pictures that have a fantasy quality to them so that people in the photos can be part of something a little magi-cal instead of ordinary and people who see the photos will feel inspired One of the main difficul-ties I have is my location the middle of nowhere in the Midwest Winter lasts around 7-8 months and itrsquos always very harsh and with a lot of snow I donrsquot have a studio or anyplace indoors thatI can go to so this means I only have a very short amount of time in the year that I can really do many photo shoots
45psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
5psd Photoshop
Do you have any personal achievements you are particularly proud ofIrsquom very proud that my photo Shy with over 35550 favs is one of the most popular photos ever to be up-loaded to the website deviantart Itrsquos unreal to me Irsquom also proud that two photos of mine have been licensed to be on book covers Growing up I never thought any-thing like that could ever happen to me Being in magazines such as this one is also very nice All of these things make me feel like Irsquove accomplished something in life and gives me confidence that I can do even more
What are your plans for futureIrsquod like to get a studio someday And Irsquod like to get into stock photogra-phy Irsquom also working on a gothic romance novel called Whispering Pines and a book of short scary stories I guess I plan on just creat-ing more and trying to improve in everything I do
What would you advice to the young photographersDonrsquot worry about what kind of cam-era or equipment you have Just fo-cus on what you have now and try to create something beautiful with it Itrsquos the photographer that makes the picture good not the camera
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many successful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quitting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many suc-cessful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quit-ting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
A photographerrsquos main goal is to take a photo that makes the viewer feel a strong emotion towards it whether it is love hate anger or passion But when a photo is excellently taken yet the colors lighting and texture dont match up to the photoers vision a photo will become uninspiring This tutorial will teach you how to take your photo to the next level and create an image that matches your vision
Makingthe Mood
making the mood
47psd Photoshop
Step 1The fi rst step in changing a photo is doing the ba-sics You have to prepare your photo before you can move to the fun stuff In this pickture I got rid of any noticeable blemishes the model had and g of noticeable hair that were going across her face to give more clear picture of the model I did this using the Patch and Clone Stamp tool When edit-ing a model make sure to always keep texture in the skin its more interesting that way as opposed to having a models face which is completely air-brushed
02
03
Step 2The next step I took was darkening the whole photo I knew that I wanted the photo to be much darker than it currently was I could have just used the Curves tool or Levels but I fi nd that when overusing the Curves tool a photo starts to look overly contrasted which I dont want So instead I used a light gradient (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtGradient Map) and changed the Blending mode from Normal to Multiply Doing this gives the photo a lot more depth but doesnt darken it completely
Step 3As soon as Ive got my basic photo ready I knew that the yellowish tinge was not the effect I was going for so I used both the Color Balance tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtColor Balance)and the Selective Color tool (LayergtNew Adjust-ment LayergtColor Balance)
01
photomanipulation
48 psd Photoshop
Step 4The next thing I noticed was that my models face was not highlighted enough it was getting lost in the midst of forest and darkness so I made two new layers One layer was for the models face and I simply used a soft Photoshop brush with 0 Hardness and drew over the models face and the snakes body I then changed both layers Blending Mode from Normal to Screen and applied a Box blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 543 pixels to both so they wouldnt be as noticeable Remember you just want hints of light just enough so the models face and the snake is highlighted
04
05
06
Step 5The fi fth step is more or less a repeat of a step number three I liked the way photo looked but it wasnt nearly as dramatic as it could be So now I fi nally decided to use the Curves tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtCurves) to darken and light certain areas making sure again not to overdo it but to give it enough contrast to really bring out the picture Next I made two new Selective Colorlayers (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtSelective Color) One Selective Colors layer changed the leaves and clothes but not the models face to a more dark blue tint while the second Selective Color layer brightened the snakes skin
Step 6The next thing I did was making another two lay-ers I still wanted to brighten only the snakes skin so for the fi rst layer I changed the Blending modefrom Normal to Soft Light and then used a brush with 0 Hardness and carefully painted over the snake It took a few variations before I found a color I liked Its helpful to remember to also look at the whole picture In the next layer I created I simply wanted to add a little more color to the shrubbery in the background so I made another layer and again changed the blending mode from Normal to Soft Light I used a soft brush with 0 Hardness and a maroon and yellow color just to add a little variation from my usual palette of blue I then added it all along the bushes and used the Box Blur tool at 483 pixels also changing the Blending mode from Normal to Screen to make it less obvious
making the mood
49psd Photoshop
Step 7The fi nal step I took to fi nish setting the mood for my photo was adding a texture and chang-ing the Blending Mode from Normal to Soft LightI found that the texture was to overpowering at 100 Opacity so I lowered it to 77 I next added my fi nal layer and created a vignette around my photo by using a brush with a Hardness of 100 and then brushed it around the outer edges of the photo particularly around the four corners I then applied a Box Blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 693 pixels to the layer creating a nice dark blurred ef-fect
by Naomi Bensen
07
digital painting
20 psd Photoshop
Step 10In this step I added decorative items and orna-ments I used a brush size of 2 px and yellow and brown colors to paint decorations (to look their best they need to be drawn very accurately)
10
11
Step 11I drew the falling leaves on 2 layers a front and a rear layer On the foreground I painted the leaves brighter To layer the leaves in the background I applied a Gaussian Blur
by Alena Lazareva
09
Step 9I then painted an abstract leaf in the right side of the background and applied the Gaussian Blur fi l-ter (FiltergtBlurgtGaussian Blur) Now using a soft brush with light yellow I added rays of the sun Af-ter that I again applied the Gaussian Blur
This tutorial will explain how to paint a realistic eye in Photoshop Eyes are by far one of the most important aspects of any painting especially if itrsquos a portrait Itrsquos also one of the most fun features to paint as painting an eye is much easier than one might think
How toPaint a Realistic Eye
medium | 30 min
adobe photoshop CS5
how to paint a realistic eye
23psd Photoshop
SketchBefore laying down a single brushstroke itrsquos important for me to create a rough sketch It doesnrsquot have to be perfect but we need to get our point across here This will only make things easier during the painting process Create a new layer and sketch in an eye
02
03
Laying down the Base ColorThis step is simple enough here we lay down the base color for the skin Simply use the Gradienttool here and fi ll the background layer with your color choice In general try not to go too light or too saturated here
Defi ning FormUsing the HSB Slider (WindowsgtColor) pick a darker more saturated color for the darker areas of the skin and paint it using a simple Hard Edged brush I also pick a lighter less saturated tone for the highlights of the skin I choose a color for the eye in this case a bright blue and paint that in as well
01
workshop
24 psd Photoshop
Bringing Life to the SkinThe values of the skin need some work here I choose an even brighter lighter color to defi ne the form of the skin I introduce the lighter tones according to the lighting here which is a standard front light I add the lighter tones to the tone the bridge of the nose near the eyebrow and around the eyelid to make things appear more realistic
04
05
06
Smoothing Out the SkinAt this point all my work was done using a standard Hard Edged brush which is great for defi ning form quickly To blend the skin and give it a more photo realistic look I now switch to a soft brush (Hardness at 0) and Opacity at 50 I blend all the sharp transitions until things appear much smoother Additionally I paint darker tones on the blue iris to give it more depth
Bringing More LifeAt this point I work a bit more on the skin tones adding some more saturated reddish tones on the area around the eye as well as the cheek I also add a more saturated blue to the eye as well I do this all with a soft airbrush at a fairly low opacity on a new layer then merge it down when Irsquom satisfi ed with how things are looking I also do some more detail work using a softer Hard Edgedbrush as well
how to paint a realistic eye
25psd Photoshop
DetailsIrsquom satisfi ed with how things are looking at this stage so I start working on the details Using a fairly small brush I begin to add some lsquobumpsrsquo around the eye to give it a more realistic looks I also create bumps around the eyebrow using a both a fairly light as well as dark color to help it pop for a realistic look I also add details in the iris using a lighter bluish color to really bring the image to life I work in at a very large zoom at this stage as well to make things easier and more accurate
07
08
09
Refi nementI go over everything with a Soft Edged brush at a low opacity for a more realistic look Additionally I bring out the details more using fairly small hard edged brushes I work on the eyebrow painting each strand in as well as the eyelashes
Color and Texture EnhancementThings are looking a bit too muddy for my taste so what I do here is create a new layer set to soft light and enhance the colors quite a bit I introduce much warmer tones around the eye to give it more life Finally I slightly overlay a leather photo texture to give the skin a slightly more realistic effect
by George Patsouras
In this tutorial I will explain how to paint realistic lips with Photoshop Before attempting to paint lips itrsquos essential that you practice drawing lips as well as the head in general to get the best results possible
How toPaint a Realistic Lips
medium | 30 min
adobe photoshop CS5
how to paint a realistic lips
27psd Photoshop
SketchI almost always start off with a sketch for my serious paintings and this one is no different I create a new layer and with a Hard Edged brush I quickly sketch in the lips Getting the lips to look right now just makes the painting process that much easier
02
03
Picking the right base colorPick a mid-tone for the skin one thatrsquos not too saturated or too light (a common mistake many artists make) To quickly fi ll in the canvas with a color I simply use the Gradient tool After itrsquos done I use a hard edged brush to paint in the red lips
Defi ning FormOnce I chose my base tone itrsquos time to defi ne the form of the skin The fi rst thing you must think of is where does the light come from In this case I decide to go for a fairly simple front light and shade accordingly Using a Hard Edged brush I use darker more saturated tones for the darker parts of the skin and a lighter less saturated tone for the highlights of the skin for a realistic effect Use a darker midtone for the lsquotoprsquo lip and bring out lighter tones for the bottom one (this works for most lighting situations)
01
workshop
28 psd Photoshop
Bringing out the HighlightsThings are still looking too fl at for me at this stage so I choose a much brighter midtone to bring out the form of the skin As always I simply use a hard edged brush at this step I bring out lighter tones on the lsquocornersrsquo of the lips the chin and on top of the lips
04
05
06
Smoothing out the SkinOnce Irsquom happy with my value statement I decide to soften everything out with a soft edged brush I choose Hardness 0 under my Brush Settingsand with a 50 Opacity I smoothen out the rough transitions
DetailsI start bringing texture to the lower lips using a fairly small Hard Edged brush I zoom closer here to make things easier and begin to paint the texture of the lips keeping the form in mind using a circular stroke Additionally I bring out a fairly harsh highlight at the top of the lips (the part that looks like a lsquoVrsquo) which gives the image a much more realistic feel
how to paint a realistic lips
29psd Photoshop
Even more detailsI bring more contrast to the image using lighter tones for the highlights and darker ones for shadows I introduce a fairly dark tone right underneath the lip above the chin for a realistic effect I also use a darker tone to separate the lsquobottomrsquo lip from the top giving the lips more depth in the process I also add a mole simply for the fun of it
07
08
Final Refi nementHere I add even more texture to the lips and use a very light almost white color on the bottom lips to bring more life and contrast to the image I clean the image out a bit in general and make sure everything appears as symmetrical as possible and voila Wersquore done
by George Patsouras
contributing writers
Editor in Chief Magdalena Mojska magdalenamojskapsdmagorg
Copy Editor Ed Werzyn Robert Coppa Art Director Agnieszka Marchocka
DTP Przemysław BanasiewiczSenior ConsultantPublisherPresident
Paweł Marciniak Managing Director Ewa Łozowicka
Marketing Director Magdalena Mojska magdalenamojskapsdmagorg
Production DirectorAndrzej Kuca andrzejkucapsdmagorg
Postal addressPublisher Software Press Spzoo SK
02-682 Warszawa ul Bokserska 1worldwide publishing wwwpsdmagorgen
All trade marks presented in the magazine were used only for informa-tive purposes All rights to trade marks presented in the magazine are
reserved by the companies which own themMathematical formulas created by Design Science MathTypetrade
The editors use automatic DTP systemEditorial contributions should be sent to
editorspsdmagorg Customer Service +1 917 338 3631
The Software Press Spzoo SK works individually from Adobe The psd Photoshop team reserves the right not to be responsible for the topical-ity correctness completeness or quality of the information provided by
contributors
Randy Monteith
I am self taught as an artist So any mistakes I have made are in-tentional All my ideas come from an over active imagination that is only put in check when I fi nish a piece of artwork and then the process begins again I have been working with Photoshop for al-most 7 years now I am lucky enough to have two images chosen for two of RedBubblersquos books GAIA and Compassion Courage and Friendship I have been interviewed in Photoshop Creative Maga-zine 14 and have images printed in Advanced Photoshop as well Recently in Issue 60 of Photoshop Creative Magazine the editors chose my portfolio on their webpage as one of the Top 5 rated portfolios I am not one to think outside the box but blow it to bits so stand back and watch me now
c o v e r a r t i s t
Alena Lazareva
My name is Alena I live in Russia I`m the digital artist and the illustrator My interests are art photography computer graph-ics I have been drawing since childhood I studied at the School of Art at the artist There I drew pictures in oils and watercolor is now engaged in graphic design During the last three years I have been enjoying working as a computer graphics artist I love to paint illustrations in the style of Fantasy mythical creatures fairies elves mermaids and angels and painting children fairy-tales I`m currently using Photoshop CS and tablet Wacom for of my artworks I hope you like my illustrationsWebsite wwwalenalazarevacome-mail alenkalazarevamailru
Armand Johnson
Irsquom a professional photographer and graphic designer from Northern Louisiana USA I have had the pleasure of working with celebrities non-profi t organizations and local talents within the Louisiana region Irsquove also provided public service to the area and worked with the local youth to teach them professionalism career goals and creative thinking I get a lot of my inspiration from what I observe which is everyday lifehttpwwwfl ickrcomphotosthearmandjohnsonhttpwwwtwittercomdajizzlehttpwwwcreatticacomcreativesthe-armand-john-son29390thearmandjohnsongmailcom
George Patsouras
George Patsouras is a freelance and concept artist residing from Long Island City NY His work can be seen in a variety of differ-ent projects including video games comic books as well as card games George specializes in depicting realistic fantasy images For more of his work be sure to check out his offi cial blog at httpcgaddictblogspotcom
Jose Paulo Reis
Irsquom a digital artist with 3 years of experience My passion is fashion photography creativity advertising photomanipula-tion and digital art Currently Irsquom working as a digital artist in Lalaland Studios (fashion photography) I love fashion and beauty photography and everything related with digital art Irsquom devoted to Photoshop and everyday Irsquom trying to improve my skillsEnjoy my works by visiting my blog wwwzepaulocreationblogspotcom
Naomi Bensen
Having been raised in a colorful environment of art music and creative learning it was only natural for me to gravitate towards photographymdasha medium that can catch a split second and make it last forever Behind the lens I have pursued my own unique style of photography that focuses on capturing natural and un-staged moments For me photography is more than taking a good picturemdashitrsquos about turning a moment into art Find me at httptheimaginationdeviantartcom
Ylenia Peronti
Irsquom 19 years old italian artist From 3 years I have a passion for photo retouch and generally for phtoshop so I started to practice retouch fi rst on what I call ldquoextreme makeoverrdquo as described in this tutorial and then devot himelf to studying professional photo retouching refi ning technical professional and actually retouch fashion shots Irsquom supermoderator in the Forum Graphics wwwgrafi cicreativicom and I manage especially the section of photoretouch you can fi nd me at the following links wwwyleniaperontiwordpresscom httpyleniucciadeviantartcom
interview
32 psd Photoshop
Interview withArmand Johnson
Please say a few words about yourselfI have a degree in Graphic Design and I really enjoy art all forms of it Whether that is music acting dancing painting photography etc I am intrigued by many different forms of art I DO like to play video games (when I have time but who doesnrsquot) and I DO consider video games as ART but thatrsquos a different subject Irsquom kind of laid back and very business like in my approach to most things
Why did you choose photo retouching and what do you find fascinating about itWhen I was in undergrad I collected plenty of music CDrsquos and DVDrsquos It always intrigued me how flawless and perfect looking the cover art was I thought to myself I want to reach that level of perfection in what I do But graduating with a BFA in Graphic Design kind of steered me away from that in some regards It wasnrsquot until about 5 years ago when my Aunt asked me to gather a couple of shots for some of my cousinrsquos promotional work that I begun to take retouch-ing very seriously After I took the shots I thought These images need to be presentable So I started to dabble with perfecting the images which pushed me into retouching By being a photographer retouching is essential to my workflow because I want my images to have that commercial professional appeal I want my work to look like it belongs in a magazine as a poster or on a billboard etc I find retouching fascinating because how one can push and perfect an image to hisher likings and to the clientrsquos likings as well Itrsquos a great feeling to boost someonersquos confidence by showing them the retouched image in comparison to the original It can help them gain or retain their ldquoswaggardquo
Irsquom a professional photographer and graphic designer from Northern Louisiana USA I have had the pleasure of working with celebrities non-profit organizations and local talents within the Louisiana region Irsquove also provided public service to the area and worked with the local youth to teach them professionalism career goals and creative thinking I get a lot of my inspiration from what I observe which is everyday life
See more of my works here
httpwwwflickrcomphotosthearmandjohnsonhttpwwwtwittercomdajizzlehttpwwwcreatticacomcreativesthe-armand-johnson29390
Contact me
thearmandjohnsongmailcom
interview with armand johnson
33psd Photoshop
Where do you look for the inspiration to createThere are several photographers and retouchers well known and not that inspire me with their work Joel Grimes and Dave Hill are probably the most prominent amongst the photographers I admire their approach to their craft and absolutely love their end result Other notable photographers are Dustin Snipes and Dallas J Logan As for retouchers I think Amy Dresser is amongst the best Her work is incredible Nick Saglimbeni is also Hersquos an awesome photographer and retoucher But that is just the list of people Nature and natural things are very inspiring because of their calming attributes Also
interview
34 psd Photoshop
there is a bevy of websites that are exceptionally useful for inspira-tion Abduzeedo is my favorite Being an artist you can get your in-spiration from anything and anywhere An idea can gravitate towards you at anytime
What are the main advantages of your profession and what can be discouraging about itAn advantage of being a retoucher is the payoff If yoursquore great at it you can eventually open up to a much larger clientele such as the entertainment (music movies etc) and fashion industries Once
interview with armand johnson
35psd Photoshop
yoursquore attached to some major clients your rep (credibility) increas-es for the better What can be discouraging is the journey to arrive at that stage There are many individuals proclaiming themselves pro-fessionals (whether photographers retouchers etc) that are hurt-ing the industry They are utterly confusing clients A random person with a camera is not a photographer and a random person with a copy of Photoshop is not retoucher A lot of lower level clients tend to desire commercial level work for pennies on the dollar Thatrsquos just not feasible Retouchers probably spend more time with an image than anyone else involved with the creative process They deserve to be compensated properly
Do you have any achievements that you are particularly proud ofYeah I just recently got a couple works approved on the major cre-ative website Creatticacom Also being featured in this magazine is very rewarding I look forward to achieving more goals and receiving more accolades Lifersquos a marathon not a sprint
What about your plans for the futureI plan on making my stamp within the industry as have the other successful digital artists Irsquoll always be refining and fine-tuning my craft to become more diverse I wonrsquot go into too much details cause I have a laundry list of things That could take all day ) But I will say this the pieces of the puzzle are beginning to fall into the right plac-es and I believe this interview and collaboration with PSD Photoshop magazine is a crucial step in this process
Do you have any advice to those who would like to become digital artists as wellBe artistic and approach things from a creative perspective I find many individuals wanting to be artists without being artistic or cre-ative Itrsquos a process not a fast food restaurant The creation of mas-terpieces and wonderful works of art takes careful planning time and effort There has to be a love for what you do Photoshop is only a tool which is used to create art It is not meant to replace it or the process of creating it
advanced | 45 min
adobe photoshop CS3
glamour retouch
37psd Photoshop
Blemish Removal and Skin SmoothingFirst open the RAW image and make a duplicate of the background layer by pressing [Ctrl]+[J] Name the bottom layer Retouch and the top layer Original This creates a quick toggle between the Before and After states This also allows you to monitor your progress and determine if you are making changes that have a negative effect on the results Turn off the top layer (Original) Nextcreate a new layer above the Retouch layer by pressing [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] Name this layer CleanUp With the Healing Brush [J] selected make sure Sam-ple All Layers is selected from the drop down menu and Aligned is checked Next use the Healing Brush as well as the Clone Stamp on the CleanUp layer to remove all the blemishes and imperfections The settings are 100 Opacity 100 with Sample All Layers and Alignedselected Once the skin is cleaned up create another layer above it [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] and name it Skin Select the Clone Stamp tool and use these settings 18-25 Opacity 100 Flow Sample All Layers and Aligned Use the Clone Stamp tool to even out the Highlight Shadowand Midtone areas giving the skin a very smooth fl awless appear-ance Lastly apply a little noise the layer Go to FiltergtNoisegtAdd Noise and set the amount to 25 - 50 and the distribution to Gauss-ian After initially cleaning and smoothing the skin group those layers together by holding down the [Shift] key and selecting both of them and [Ctrl]+[G] to group them Rename the group CleanUp
01
02Color BoostAbove the CleanUp group create a Curves Adjustment Layer and name it CB - Curves Use three points along the slope 255 255 0 0 and 148 112 within the RGB channel Then create a LevelsAdjustment Layer naming it CB - Levels Within the RGB chan-nel using these values 10 115 245 Group together these two Adjustment Layers and name the group Overall because it af-fects the overall image Then create a Curves Adjustment Layerabove the grouped layers and insert four points along the slope Keep the two default points 255255 and 0 0 Add two more 35 43 and 211 201 (or somewhere within that tonal range) also in the RGB channel Rename this layer Jewelry Select the Mask by clicking on it and fi ll the Mask with Black Use the Brush tool with the foreground color set to White and paint only over the jewelry Rename this layer Jewelry Create a fi nal Curves adjustment layer above the Jewelry layer and name it Hair Use settings very simi-lar to those on the Jewelry layer within the RGB channel Select the Mask fi ll it with Black and paint over the hair with a Whitebrush Group all of these Adjustment Layers together and name the group Color Boost
GlamourRetouchIn this tutorial I will show you how I performed a Glamour retouch on a photo of my beautiful friend Asia I photographed her against a black background for a dramatic and edgy effect as well as using various Photoshop tools to achieve that ldquoglamour lookrdquo that many magazines and print work use I will be using Photoshop CS3 but any higher version should work as well The tools I will be using are Adjustment Layers Filters and Blending Modes as well as the Clone Stamp Brush and Healing Brush tools
photo retouch
38 psd Photoshop
Highlight and ShadowCreate a new layer and name it FaceBody and set the Blending Mode to Soft Light Set the foreground color to White select the Brush tool with the settings Opacity 100 Flow 2 and paint over the naturally highlighted areas bring-ing out the highlights Then set the foreground color to Black using the same settings and paint over the naturally shadowed areas increasing the contrast in the image Add a Gaussian BlurFiltergtBlurgtGaussian Blur to the layer with a ra-dius setting of 15 ndash 30 Repeat these steps on a new layer named Hair with the Blending Mode set to Overlay Create another new layer named Jew-elry with the Blending Mode set to Overlay as well Once fi nished rearrange the layers so that they are in this order from top to bottom Hair FaceBody Jewelry Lastly group these layers together and name the group HLSH or HighlightShadow
04
05SharpenMake a new layer by combining all visible layers [Shift]+[Alt]+[Ctrl]+[E] This creates a new layer consisting of all the information from the bottom layers Make this a smart object by right ndash click-ing on the layer and selecting Convert to Smart Object This makes the layer a Smart Object allow-ing the use of Smart Filters Duplicate this layer and rename the copy HP 65 and the original layer Sharpen Turn off the HP 65 layer With the Sharp-en layer selected go to FiltergtSharpengtUnSharp Mask using these settings Amount 60 Radius2500 Threshold 10 With the Blending Mode set to Normal adjust the Opacity within the 30 - 40 range and the Fill within the 75 - 90 range Then turn on the HP 65 Layer and select it Set the Blending Mode to Overlay and go to FiltergtOthergtHigh Pass Set the Radius to 65 and the Opacity within the 65 - 75 range and the Fillwithin the 90 - 95 range Finally group these two layers together and name the group Sharpen
03
Color CorrectionCreate a new layer and name it Color CorrectionSet the Blending Mode to Color Set the Brush tool to a SoftFeather setting with the Hardness to 15 Set Black as the foreground color and paint over the lips Then use Gold as the foreground color and paint over the ldquoCoachrdquo text and the handle of the sunglasses changing them from Silver to GoldSelect various colors from the skin and paint over the discolorations in the skin Put the layer in its own group and name that group Color Correction
glamour retouch
39psd Photoshop
EffectsCreate a new layer and name it Sparkles With the Pen tool create a fi ve ndash point sparkle Once fi nished drawing the outline right ndash click and select Make Selection feathering the selection by 1 pixel Make sure the Anti-aliased box is checked and the New Selection option is selected Fill the selection with White Then make several copies (four should be enough) of this layer and move the various spar-kles to certain areas on the jewelry and sunglasses Resize those sparkles individually using transform [Ctrl]+[T] Once the sparkles are at sizes you are comfortable with click on the top most layer (Sparkles Copy 4) hold the shift key then the original Sparkles lay-er and merge them by pressing [Ctrl]+[E] Rename this layer Spar-kles Then add a layer style to the layer by double ndash clicking on it I selected Outer Glow In the options for the Outer Glow effect leave the default setting only changing the Size to 3 pixels Lastly place this layer into its own group and name that group Effects Switch the Original layer OnOff and enjoy the result
by Armand Johnson
07
06
Cool DownCreate a HueSaturation Adjustment Layer mak-ing sure it is set to the Master channel Set the Saturation to -100 This turns the image black and white Set the Blending Mode set to Normalthe Opacity within the 40 - 50 range and the Fill within the 70 - 90 range Select the Maskset the foreground color to 40 Gray and fi ll the mask Paint over only the jewelry and the colored sections of the hair This brings back some of the original color but not too much of it Finally group only this layer and name it Cool Down
How to change the eye color very quickly but efficiently
How to change
eye color
beginer | 10 min
adobe photoshop CS4
how to change eye color
41psd Photoshop
Step 1First open the photos select the pupil of the eye using the method you prefer (Polygonal lassoMagnetic lasso pen etc) I used the Magnetic lasso in this case Right click the mouse on the Selection and select New Layer via Copy Rename the layer eyes
02
03
Step 2Make sure that in the Layers palette is selected layer eyes and from the menu Image select HuegtSaturation adjustments When the window will be open move the Hues cursor until you fi nd the satisfying color If you want from the same HuegtSaturation window we can also modify the saturation and brightness to achieve different ef-fects Heres an example set the Hue value on 44You can also customize more the color using the color balance adjustment selected from the menu ImagegtAdjustmentsgtColor Balance and reduce the opacity of the layer eyes to adjust the effect
Step 3For a more aesthetic effect you can use the Dodge tool selected from the Tools palette Set Light to a 5-10 opacity (or an opacity that allows to achieve the desired effect) and use Dodge toolwithin the colored part of the eye Select Burn tool(also an Opacity of 5) set to Midtones and Burn-ing to defi ne better the outline of the eye
by Ylenia Peronti
42 psd Photoshop
interview
2 pas Photoshop
Tell us about your first steps in photographyMy dad is a really good photographer and he showed me how to use his Nikon film camera when I was young and how to de-
Interview withApril Elizabeth
Can you introduce yourself to our readersMy name is April Elizabeth I am a creative photographer from the small snowy town of Ishpeming in Upper Peninsula of Michigan
April Elizabeth is an internationally published photographer from Ishpeming Michigan Her photos have appeared in magazines on book covers and websites Her clients include Random house HarperCollins Publishing and The Portland Beanie Company
43psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
3psd Photoshop
velop the film I really enjoyed it but it was expensive and I was unable to really get into photography until digital cameras came along I started with a point and shoot camera and went from there
Why did you choose this professionI think it sort of chose me Irsquove always liked photography but I never in my life imagined myself going anywhere with it That all changed when I bought my first slr and asked a local model to do a photo
44 psd Photoshop
interview
4 pas Photoshop
shoot with me I was nervous because I had never done any-thing like that before and I wasnrsquot com-pletely sure how the camera worked but the pictures turned out great and soon more and more peo-ple wanted to work with me
Where do you get the inspiration for your worksIrsquove always been an introverted day-dreamer with an
overly active imagination When other people are liv-ing their life I am looking around and thinking of sto-ries Irsquove always wanted to be a writer but photography lets me tell stories with pic-tures and as long as I can tell a story I am happy
What do you like the most about being a photographer and what are the main difficulties for youIf I am not creating some-thing I feel frustrated I like that my job lets me cre-ate things while making people feel beautiful and good about themselves I enjoy taking pictures that have a fantasy quality to them so that people in the photos can be part of something a little magi-cal instead of ordinary and people who see the photos will feel inspired One of the main difficul-ties I have is my location the middle of nowhere in the Midwest Winter lasts around 7-8 months and itrsquos always very harsh and with a lot of snow I donrsquot have a studio or anyplace indoors thatI can go to so this means I only have a very short amount of time in the year that I can really do many photo shoots
45psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
5psd Photoshop
Do you have any personal achievements you are particularly proud ofIrsquom very proud that my photo Shy with over 35550 favs is one of the most popular photos ever to be up-loaded to the website deviantart Itrsquos unreal to me Irsquom also proud that two photos of mine have been licensed to be on book covers Growing up I never thought any-thing like that could ever happen to me Being in magazines such as this one is also very nice All of these things make me feel like Irsquove accomplished something in life and gives me confidence that I can do even more
What are your plans for futureIrsquod like to get a studio someday And Irsquod like to get into stock photogra-phy Irsquom also working on a gothic romance novel called Whispering Pines and a book of short scary stories I guess I plan on just creat-ing more and trying to improve in everything I do
What would you advice to the young photographersDonrsquot worry about what kind of cam-era or equipment you have Just fo-cus on what you have now and try to create something beautiful with it Itrsquos the photographer that makes the picture good not the camera
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many successful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quitting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many suc-cessful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quit-ting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
A photographerrsquos main goal is to take a photo that makes the viewer feel a strong emotion towards it whether it is love hate anger or passion But when a photo is excellently taken yet the colors lighting and texture dont match up to the photoers vision a photo will become uninspiring This tutorial will teach you how to take your photo to the next level and create an image that matches your vision
Makingthe Mood
making the mood
47psd Photoshop
Step 1The fi rst step in changing a photo is doing the ba-sics You have to prepare your photo before you can move to the fun stuff In this pickture I got rid of any noticeable blemishes the model had and g of noticeable hair that were going across her face to give more clear picture of the model I did this using the Patch and Clone Stamp tool When edit-ing a model make sure to always keep texture in the skin its more interesting that way as opposed to having a models face which is completely air-brushed
02
03
Step 2The next step I took was darkening the whole photo I knew that I wanted the photo to be much darker than it currently was I could have just used the Curves tool or Levels but I fi nd that when overusing the Curves tool a photo starts to look overly contrasted which I dont want So instead I used a light gradient (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtGradient Map) and changed the Blending mode from Normal to Multiply Doing this gives the photo a lot more depth but doesnt darken it completely
Step 3As soon as Ive got my basic photo ready I knew that the yellowish tinge was not the effect I was going for so I used both the Color Balance tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtColor Balance)and the Selective Color tool (LayergtNew Adjust-ment LayergtColor Balance)
01
photomanipulation
48 psd Photoshop
Step 4The next thing I noticed was that my models face was not highlighted enough it was getting lost in the midst of forest and darkness so I made two new layers One layer was for the models face and I simply used a soft Photoshop brush with 0 Hardness and drew over the models face and the snakes body I then changed both layers Blending Mode from Normal to Screen and applied a Box blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 543 pixels to both so they wouldnt be as noticeable Remember you just want hints of light just enough so the models face and the snake is highlighted
04
05
06
Step 5The fi fth step is more or less a repeat of a step number three I liked the way photo looked but it wasnt nearly as dramatic as it could be So now I fi nally decided to use the Curves tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtCurves) to darken and light certain areas making sure again not to overdo it but to give it enough contrast to really bring out the picture Next I made two new Selective Colorlayers (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtSelective Color) One Selective Colors layer changed the leaves and clothes but not the models face to a more dark blue tint while the second Selective Color layer brightened the snakes skin
Step 6The next thing I did was making another two lay-ers I still wanted to brighten only the snakes skin so for the fi rst layer I changed the Blending modefrom Normal to Soft Light and then used a brush with 0 Hardness and carefully painted over the snake It took a few variations before I found a color I liked Its helpful to remember to also look at the whole picture In the next layer I created I simply wanted to add a little more color to the shrubbery in the background so I made another layer and again changed the blending mode from Normal to Soft Light I used a soft brush with 0 Hardness and a maroon and yellow color just to add a little variation from my usual palette of blue I then added it all along the bushes and used the Box Blur tool at 483 pixels also changing the Blending mode from Normal to Screen to make it less obvious
making the mood
49psd Photoshop
Step 7The fi nal step I took to fi nish setting the mood for my photo was adding a texture and chang-ing the Blending Mode from Normal to Soft LightI found that the texture was to overpowering at 100 Opacity so I lowered it to 77 I next added my fi nal layer and created a vignette around my photo by using a brush with a Hardness of 100 and then brushed it around the outer edges of the photo particularly around the four corners I then applied a Box Blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 693 pixels to the layer creating a nice dark blurred ef-fect
by Naomi Bensen
07
This tutorial will explain how to paint a realistic eye in Photoshop Eyes are by far one of the most important aspects of any painting especially if itrsquos a portrait Itrsquos also one of the most fun features to paint as painting an eye is much easier than one might think
How toPaint a Realistic Eye
medium | 30 min
adobe photoshop CS5
how to paint a realistic eye
23psd Photoshop
SketchBefore laying down a single brushstroke itrsquos important for me to create a rough sketch It doesnrsquot have to be perfect but we need to get our point across here This will only make things easier during the painting process Create a new layer and sketch in an eye
02
03
Laying down the Base ColorThis step is simple enough here we lay down the base color for the skin Simply use the Gradienttool here and fi ll the background layer with your color choice In general try not to go too light or too saturated here
Defi ning FormUsing the HSB Slider (WindowsgtColor) pick a darker more saturated color for the darker areas of the skin and paint it using a simple Hard Edged brush I also pick a lighter less saturated tone for the highlights of the skin I choose a color for the eye in this case a bright blue and paint that in as well
01
workshop
24 psd Photoshop
Bringing Life to the SkinThe values of the skin need some work here I choose an even brighter lighter color to defi ne the form of the skin I introduce the lighter tones according to the lighting here which is a standard front light I add the lighter tones to the tone the bridge of the nose near the eyebrow and around the eyelid to make things appear more realistic
04
05
06
Smoothing Out the SkinAt this point all my work was done using a standard Hard Edged brush which is great for defi ning form quickly To blend the skin and give it a more photo realistic look I now switch to a soft brush (Hardness at 0) and Opacity at 50 I blend all the sharp transitions until things appear much smoother Additionally I paint darker tones on the blue iris to give it more depth
Bringing More LifeAt this point I work a bit more on the skin tones adding some more saturated reddish tones on the area around the eye as well as the cheek I also add a more saturated blue to the eye as well I do this all with a soft airbrush at a fairly low opacity on a new layer then merge it down when Irsquom satisfi ed with how things are looking I also do some more detail work using a softer Hard Edgedbrush as well
how to paint a realistic eye
25psd Photoshop
DetailsIrsquom satisfi ed with how things are looking at this stage so I start working on the details Using a fairly small brush I begin to add some lsquobumpsrsquo around the eye to give it a more realistic looks I also create bumps around the eyebrow using a both a fairly light as well as dark color to help it pop for a realistic look I also add details in the iris using a lighter bluish color to really bring the image to life I work in at a very large zoom at this stage as well to make things easier and more accurate
07
08
09
Refi nementI go over everything with a Soft Edged brush at a low opacity for a more realistic look Additionally I bring out the details more using fairly small hard edged brushes I work on the eyebrow painting each strand in as well as the eyelashes
Color and Texture EnhancementThings are looking a bit too muddy for my taste so what I do here is create a new layer set to soft light and enhance the colors quite a bit I introduce much warmer tones around the eye to give it more life Finally I slightly overlay a leather photo texture to give the skin a slightly more realistic effect
by George Patsouras
In this tutorial I will explain how to paint realistic lips with Photoshop Before attempting to paint lips itrsquos essential that you practice drawing lips as well as the head in general to get the best results possible
How toPaint a Realistic Lips
medium | 30 min
adobe photoshop CS5
how to paint a realistic lips
27psd Photoshop
SketchI almost always start off with a sketch for my serious paintings and this one is no different I create a new layer and with a Hard Edged brush I quickly sketch in the lips Getting the lips to look right now just makes the painting process that much easier
02
03
Picking the right base colorPick a mid-tone for the skin one thatrsquos not too saturated or too light (a common mistake many artists make) To quickly fi ll in the canvas with a color I simply use the Gradient tool After itrsquos done I use a hard edged brush to paint in the red lips
Defi ning FormOnce I chose my base tone itrsquos time to defi ne the form of the skin The fi rst thing you must think of is where does the light come from In this case I decide to go for a fairly simple front light and shade accordingly Using a Hard Edged brush I use darker more saturated tones for the darker parts of the skin and a lighter less saturated tone for the highlights of the skin for a realistic effect Use a darker midtone for the lsquotoprsquo lip and bring out lighter tones for the bottom one (this works for most lighting situations)
01
workshop
28 psd Photoshop
Bringing out the HighlightsThings are still looking too fl at for me at this stage so I choose a much brighter midtone to bring out the form of the skin As always I simply use a hard edged brush at this step I bring out lighter tones on the lsquocornersrsquo of the lips the chin and on top of the lips
04
05
06
Smoothing out the SkinOnce Irsquom happy with my value statement I decide to soften everything out with a soft edged brush I choose Hardness 0 under my Brush Settingsand with a 50 Opacity I smoothen out the rough transitions
DetailsI start bringing texture to the lower lips using a fairly small Hard Edged brush I zoom closer here to make things easier and begin to paint the texture of the lips keeping the form in mind using a circular stroke Additionally I bring out a fairly harsh highlight at the top of the lips (the part that looks like a lsquoVrsquo) which gives the image a much more realistic feel
how to paint a realistic lips
29psd Photoshop
Even more detailsI bring more contrast to the image using lighter tones for the highlights and darker ones for shadows I introduce a fairly dark tone right underneath the lip above the chin for a realistic effect I also use a darker tone to separate the lsquobottomrsquo lip from the top giving the lips more depth in the process I also add a mole simply for the fun of it
07
08
Final Refi nementHere I add even more texture to the lips and use a very light almost white color on the bottom lips to bring more life and contrast to the image I clean the image out a bit in general and make sure everything appears as symmetrical as possible and voila Wersquore done
by George Patsouras
contributing writers
Editor in Chief Magdalena Mojska magdalenamojskapsdmagorg
Copy Editor Ed Werzyn Robert Coppa Art Director Agnieszka Marchocka
DTP Przemysław BanasiewiczSenior ConsultantPublisherPresident
Paweł Marciniak Managing Director Ewa Łozowicka
Marketing Director Magdalena Mojska magdalenamojskapsdmagorg
Production DirectorAndrzej Kuca andrzejkucapsdmagorg
Postal addressPublisher Software Press Spzoo SK
02-682 Warszawa ul Bokserska 1worldwide publishing wwwpsdmagorgen
All trade marks presented in the magazine were used only for informa-tive purposes All rights to trade marks presented in the magazine are
reserved by the companies which own themMathematical formulas created by Design Science MathTypetrade
The editors use automatic DTP systemEditorial contributions should be sent to
editorspsdmagorg Customer Service +1 917 338 3631
The Software Press Spzoo SK works individually from Adobe The psd Photoshop team reserves the right not to be responsible for the topical-ity correctness completeness or quality of the information provided by
contributors
Randy Monteith
I am self taught as an artist So any mistakes I have made are in-tentional All my ideas come from an over active imagination that is only put in check when I fi nish a piece of artwork and then the process begins again I have been working with Photoshop for al-most 7 years now I am lucky enough to have two images chosen for two of RedBubblersquos books GAIA and Compassion Courage and Friendship I have been interviewed in Photoshop Creative Maga-zine 14 and have images printed in Advanced Photoshop as well Recently in Issue 60 of Photoshop Creative Magazine the editors chose my portfolio on their webpage as one of the Top 5 rated portfolios I am not one to think outside the box but blow it to bits so stand back and watch me now
c o v e r a r t i s t
Alena Lazareva
My name is Alena I live in Russia I`m the digital artist and the illustrator My interests are art photography computer graph-ics I have been drawing since childhood I studied at the School of Art at the artist There I drew pictures in oils and watercolor is now engaged in graphic design During the last three years I have been enjoying working as a computer graphics artist I love to paint illustrations in the style of Fantasy mythical creatures fairies elves mermaids and angels and painting children fairy-tales I`m currently using Photoshop CS and tablet Wacom for of my artworks I hope you like my illustrationsWebsite wwwalenalazarevacome-mail alenkalazarevamailru
Armand Johnson
Irsquom a professional photographer and graphic designer from Northern Louisiana USA I have had the pleasure of working with celebrities non-profi t organizations and local talents within the Louisiana region Irsquove also provided public service to the area and worked with the local youth to teach them professionalism career goals and creative thinking I get a lot of my inspiration from what I observe which is everyday lifehttpwwwfl ickrcomphotosthearmandjohnsonhttpwwwtwittercomdajizzlehttpwwwcreatticacomcreativesthe-armand-john-son29390thearmandjohnsongmailcom
George Patsouras
George Patsouras is a freelance and concept artist residing from Long Island City NY His work can be seen in a variety of differ-ent projects including video games comic books as well as card games George specializes in depicting realistic fantasy images For more of his work be sure to check out his offi cial blog at httpcgaddictblogspotcom
Jose Paulo Reis
Irsquom a digital artist with 3 years of experience My passion is fashion photography creativity advertising photomanipula-tion and digital art Currently Irsquom working as a digital artist in Lalaland Studios (fashion photography) I love fashion and beauty photography and everything related with digital art Irsquom devoted to Photoshop and everyday Irsquom trying to improve my skillsEnjoy my works by visiting my blog wwwzepaulocreationblogspotcom
Naomi Bensen
Having been raised in a colorful environment of art music and creative learning it was only natural for me to gravitate towards photographymdasha medium that can catch a split second and make it last forever Behind the lens I have pursued my own unique style of photography that focuses on capturing natural and un-staged moments For me photography is more than taking a good picturemdashitrsquos about turning a moment into art Find me at httptheimaginationdeviantartcom
Ylenia Peronti
Irsquom 19 years old italian artist From 3 years I have a passion for photo retouch and generally for phtoshop so I started to practice retouch fi rst on what I call ldquoextreme makeoverrdquo as described in this tutorial and then devot himelf to studying professional photo retouching refi ning technical professional and actually retouch fashion shots Irsquom supermoderator in the Forum Graphics wwwgrafi cicreativicom and I manage especially the section of photoretouch you can fi nd me at the following links wwwyleniaperontiwordpresscom httpyleniucciadeviantartcom
interview
32 psd Photoshop
Interview withArmand Johnson
Please say a few words about yourselfI have a degree in Graphic Design and I really enjoy art all forms of it Whether that is music acting dancing painting photography etc I am intrigued by many different forms of art I DO like to play video games (when I have time but who doesnrsquot) and I DO consider video games as ART but thatrsquos a different subject Irsquom kind of laid back and very business like in my approach to most things
Why did you choose photo retouching and what do you find fascinating about itWhen I was in undergrad I collected plenty of music CDrsquos and DVDrsquos It always intrigued me how flawless and perfect looking the cover art was I thought to myself I want to reach that level of perfection in what I do But graduating with a BFA in Graphic Design kind of steered me away from that in some regards It wasnrsquot until about 5 years ago when my Aunt asked me to gather a couple of shots for some of my cousinrsquos promotional work that I begun to take retouch-ing very seriously After I took the shots I thought These images need to be presentable So I started to dabble with perfecting the images which pushed me into retouching By being a photographer retouching is essential to my workflow because I want my images to have that commercial professional appeal I want my work to look like it belongs in a magazine as a poster or on a billboard etc I find retouching fascinating because how one can push and perfect an image to hisher likings and to the clientrsquos likings as well Itrsquos a great feeling to boost someonersquos confidence by showing them the retouched image in comparison to the original It can help them gain or retain their ldquoswaggardquo
Irsquom a professional photographer and graphic designer from Northern Louisiana USA I have had the pleasure of working with celebrities non-profit organizations and local talents within the Louisiana region Irsquove also provided public service to the area and worked with the local youth to teach them professionalism career goals and creative thinking I get a lot of my inspiration from what I observe which is everyday life
See more of my works here
httpwwwflickrcomphotosthearmandjohnsonhttpwwwtwittercomdajizzlehttpwwwcreatticacomcreativesthe-armand-johnson29390
Contact me
thearmandjohnsongmailcom
interview with armand johnson
33psd Photoshop
Where do you look for the inspiration to createThere are several photographers and retouchers well known and not that inspire me with their work Joel Grimes and Dave Hill are probably the most prominent amongst the photographers I admire their approach to their craft and absolutely love their end result Other notable photographers are Dustin Snipes and Dallas J Logan As for retouchers I think Amy Dresser is amongst the best Her work is incredible Nick Saglimbeni is also Hersquos an awesome photographer and retoucher But that is just the list of people Nature and natural things are very inspiring because of their calming attributes Also
interview
34 psd Photoshop
there is a bevy of websites that are exceptionally useful for inspira-tion Abduzeedo is my favorite Being an artist you can get your in-spiration from anything and anywhere An idea can gravitate towards you at anytime
What are the main advantages of your profession and what can be discouraging about itAn advantage of being a retoucher is the payoff If yoursquore great at it you can eventually open up to a much larger clientele such as the entertainment (music movies etc) and fashion industries Once
interview with armand johnson
35psd Photoshop
yoursquore attached to some major clients your rep (credibility) increas-es for the better What can be discouraging is the journey to arrive at that stage There are many individuals proclaiming themselves pro-fessionals (whether photographers retouchers etc) that are hurt-ing the industry They are utterly confusing clients A random person with a camera is not a photographer and a random person with a copy of Photoshop is not retoucher A lot of lower level clients tend to desire commercial level work for pennies on the dollar Thatrsquos just not feasible Retouchers probably spend more time with an image than anyone else involved with the creative process They deserve to be compensated properly
Do you have any achievements that you are particularly proud ofYeah I just recently got a couple works approved on the major cre-ative website Creatticacom Also being featured in this magazine is very rewarding I look forward to achieving more goals and receiving more accolades Lifersquos a marathon not a sprint
What about your plans for the futureI plan on making my stamp within the industry as have the other successful digital artists Irsquoll always be refining and fine-tuning my craft to become more diverse I wonrsquot go into too much details cause I have a laundry list of things That could take all day ) But I will say this the pieces of the puzzle are beginning to fall into the right plac-es and I believe this interview and collaboration with PSD Photoshop magazine is a crucial step in this process
Do you have any advice to those who would like to become digital artists as wellBe artistic and approach things from a creative perspective I find many individuals wanting to be artists without being artistic or cre-ative Itrsquos a process not a fast food restaurant The creation of mas-terpieces and wonderful works of art takes careful planning time and effort There has to be a love for what you do Photoshop is only a tool which is used to create art It is not meant to replace it or the process of creating it
advanced | 45 min
adobe photoshop CS3
glamour retouch
37psd Photoshop
Blemish Removal and Skin SmoothingFirst open the RAW image and make a duplicate of the background layer by pressing [Ctrl]+[J] Name the bottom layer Retouch and the top layer Original This creates a quick toggle between the Before and After states This also allows you to monitor your progress and determine if you are making changes that have a negative effect on the results Turn off the top layer (Original) Nextcreate a new layer above the Retouch layer by pressing [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] Name this layer CleanUp With the Healing Brush [J] selected make sure Sam-ple All Layers is selected from the drop down menu and Aligned is checked Next use the Healing Brush as well as the Clone Stamp on the CleanUp layer to remove all the blemishes and imperfections The settings are 100 Opacity 100 with Sample All Layers and Alignedselected Once the skin is cleaned up create another layer above it [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] and name it Skin Select the Clone Stamp tool and use these settings 18-25 Opacity 100 Flow Sample All Layers and Aligned Use the Clone Stamp tool to even out the Highlight Shadowand Midtone areas giving the skin a very smooth fl awless appear-ance Lastly apply a little noise the layer Go to FiltergtNoisegtAdd Noise and set the amount to 25 - 50 and the distribution to Gauss-ian After initially cleaning and smoothing the skin group those layers together by holding down the [Shift] key and selecting both of them and [Ctrl]+[G] to group them Rename the group CleanUp
01
02Color BoostAbove the CleanUp group create a Curves Adjustment Layer and name it CB - Curves Use three points along the slope 255 255 0 0 and 148 112 within the RGB channel Then create a LevelsAdjustment Layer naming it CB - Levels Within the RGB chan-nel using these values 10 115 245 Group together these two Adjustment Layers and name the group Overall because it af-fects the overall image Then create a Curves Adjustment Layerabove the grouped layers and insert four points along the slope Keep the two default points 255255 and 0 0 Add two more 35 43 and 211 201 (or somewhere within that tonal range) also in the RGB channel Rename this layer Jewelry Select the Mask by clicking on it and fi ll the Mask with Black Use the Brush tool with the foreground color set to White and paint only over the jewelry Rename this layer Jewelry Create a fi nal Curves adjustment layer above the Jewelry layer and name it Hair Use settings very simi-lar to those on the Jewelry layer within the RGB channel Select the Mask fi ll it with Black and paint over the hair with a Whitebrush Group all of these Adjustment Layers together and name the group Color Boost
GlamourRetouchIn this tutorial I will show you how I performed a Glamour retouch on a photo of my beautiful friend Asia I photographed her against a black background for a dramatic and edgy effect as well as using various Photoshop tools to achieve that ldquoglamour lookrdquo that many magazines and print work use I will be using Photoshop CS3 but any higher version should work as well The tools I will be using are Adjustment Layers Filters and Blending Modes as well as the Clone Stamp Brush and Healing Brush tools
photo retouch
38 psd Photoshop
Highlight and ShadowCreate a new layer and name it FaceBody and set the Blending Mode to Soft Light Set the foreground color to White select the Brush tool with the settings Opacity 100 Flow 2 and paint over the naturally highlighted areas bring-ing out the highlights Then set the foreground color to Black using the same settings and paint over the naturally shadowed areas increasing the contrast in the image Add a Gaussian BlurFiltergtBlurgtGaussian Blur to the layer with a ra-dius setting of 15 ndash 30 Repeat these steps on a new layer named Hair with the Blending Mode set to Overlay Create another new layer named Jew-elry with the Blending Mode set to Overlay as well Once fi nished rearrange the layers so that they are in this order from top to bottom Hair FaceBody Jewelry Lastly group these layers together and name the group HLSH or HighlightShadow
04
05SharpenMake a new layer by combining all visible layers [Shift]+[Alt]+[Ctrl]+[E] This creates a new layer consisting of all the information from the bottom layers Make this a smart object by right ndash click-ing on the layer and selecting Convert to Smart Object This makes the layer a Smart Object allow-ing the use of Smart Filters Duplicate this layer and rename the copy HP 65 and the original layer Sharpen Turn off the HP 65 layer With the Sharp-en layer selected go to FiltergtSharpengtUnSharp Mask using these settings Amount 60 Radius2500 Threshold 10 With the Blending Mode set to Normal adjust the Opacity within the 30 - 40 range and the Fill within the 75 - 90 range Then turn on the HP 65 Layer and select it Set the Blending Mode to Overlay and go to FiltergtOthergtHigh Pass Set the Radius to 65 and the Opacity within the 65 - 75 range and the Fillwithin the 90 - 95 range Finally group these two layers together and name the group Sharpen
03
Color CorrectionCreate a new layer and name it Color CorrectionSet the Blending Mode to Color Set the Brush tool to a SoftFeather setting with the Hardness to 15 Set Black as the foreground color and paint over the lips Then use Gold as the foreground color and paint over the ldquoCoachrdquo text and the handle of the sunglasses changing them from Silver to GoldSelect various colors from the skin and paint over the discolorations in the skin Put the layer in its own group and name that group Color Correction
glamour retouch
39psd Photoshop
EffectsCreate a new layer and name it Sparkles With the Pen tool create a fi ve ndash point sparkle Once fi nished drawing the outline right ndash click and select Make Selection feathering the selection by 1 pixel Make sure the Anti-aliased box is checked and the New Selection option is selected Fill the selection with White Then make several copies (four should be enough) of this layer and move the various spar-kles to certain areas on the jewelry and sunglasses Resize those sparkles individually using transform [Ctrl]+[T] Once the sparkles are at sizes you are comfortable with click on the top most layer (Sparkles Copy 4) hold the shift key then the original Sparkles lay-er and merge them by pressing [Ctrl]+[E] Rename this layer Spar-kles Then add a layer style to the layer by double ndash clicking on it I selected Outer Glow In the options for the Outer Glow effect leave the default setting only changing the Size to 3 pixels Lastly place this layer into its own group and name that group Effects Switch the Original layer OnOff and enjoy the result
by Armand Johnson
07
06
Cool DownCreate a HueSaturation Adjustment Layer mak-ing sure it is set to the Master channel Set the Saturation to -100 This turns the image black and white Set the Blending Mode set to Normalthe Opacity within the 40 - 50 range and the Fill within the 70 - 90 range Select the Maskset the foreground color to 40 Gray and fi ll the mask Paint over only the jewelry and the colored sections of the hair This brings back some of the original color but not too much of it Finally group only this layer and name it Cool Down
How to change the eye color very quickly but efficiently
How to change
eye color
beginer | 10 min
adobe photoshop CS4
how to change eye color
41psd Photoshop
Step 1First open the photos select the pupil of the eye using the method you prefer (Polygonal lassoMagnetic lasso pen etc) I used the Magnetic lasso in this case Right click the mouse on the Selection and select New Layer via Copy Rename the layer eyes
02
03
Step 2Make sure that in the Layers palette is selected layer eyes and from the menu Image select HuegtSaturation adjustments When the window will be open move the Hues cursor until you fi nd the satisfying color If you want from the same HuegtSaturation window we can also modify the saturation and brightness to achieve different ef-fects Heres an example set the Hue value on 44You can also customize more the color using the color balance adjustment selected from the menu ImagegtAdjustmentsgtColor Balance and reduce the opacity of the layer eyes to adjust the effect
Step 3For a more aesthetic effect you can use the Dodge tool selected from the Tools palette Set Light to a 5-10 opacity (or an opacity that allows to achieve the desired effect) and use Dodge toolwithin the colored part of the eye Select Burn tool(also an Opacity of 5) set to Midtones and Burn-ing to defi ne better the outline of the eye
by Ylenia Peronti
42 psd Photoshop
interview
2 pas Photoshop
Tell us about your first steps in photographyMy dad is a really good photographer and he showed me how to use his Nikon film camera when I was young and how to de-
Interview withApril Elizabeth
Can you introduce yourself to our readersMy name is April Elizabeth I am a creative photographer from the small snowy town of Ishpeming in Upper Peninsula of Michigan
April Elizabeth is an internationally published photographer from Ishpeming Michigan Her photos have appeared in magazines on book covers and websites Her clients include Random house HarperCollins Publishing and The Portland Beanie Company
43psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
3psd Photoshop
velop the film I really enjoyed it but it was expensive and I was unable to really get into photography until digital cameras came along I started with a point and shoot camera and went from there
Why did you choose this professionI think it sort of chose me Irsquove always liked photography but I never in my life imagined myself going anywhere with it That all changed when I bought my first slr and asked a local model to do a photo
44 psd Photoshop
interview
4 pas Photoshop
shoot with me I was nervous because I had never done any-thing like that before and I wasnrsquot com-pletely sure how the camera worked but the pictures turned out great and soon more and more peo-ple wanted to work with me
Where do you get the inspiration for your worksIrsquove always been an introverted day-dreamer with an
overly active imagination When other people are liv-ing their life I am looking around and thinking of sto-ries Irsquove always wanted to be a writer but photography lets me tell stories with pic-tures and as long as I can tell a story I am happy
What do you like the most about being a photographer and what are the main difficulties for youIf I am not creating some-thing I feel frustrated I like that my job lets me cre-ate things while making people feel beautiful and good about themselves I enjoy taking pictures that have a fantasy quality to them so that people in the photos can be part of something a little magi-cal instead of ordinary and people who see the photos will feel inspired One of the main difficul-ties I have is my location the middle of nowhere in the Midwest Winter lasts around 7-8 months and itrsquos always very harsh and with a lot of snow I donrsquot have a studio or anyplace indoors thatI can go to so this means I only have a very short amount of time in the year that I can really do many photo shoots
45psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
5psd Photoshop
Do you have any personal achievements you are particularly proud ofIrsquom very proud that my photo Shy with over 35550 favs is one of the most popular photos ever to be up-loaded to the website deviantart Itrsquos unreal to me Irsquom also proud that two photos of mine have been licensed to be on book covers Growing up I never thought any-thing like that could ever happen to me Being in magazines such as this one is also very nice All of these things make me feel like Irsquove accomplished something in life and gives me confidence that I can do even more
What are your plans for futureIrsquod like to get a studio someday And Irsquod like to get into stock photogra-phy Irsquom also working on a gothic romance novel called Whispering Pines and a book of short scary stories I guess I plan on just creat-ing more and trying to improve in everything I do
What would you advice to the young photographersDonrsquot worry about what kind of cam-era or equipment you have Just fo-cus on what you have now and try to create something beautiful with it Itrsquos the photographer that makes the picture good not the camera
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many successful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quitting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many suc-cessful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quit-ting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
A photographerrsquos main goal is to take a photo that makes the viewer feel a strong emotion towards it whether it is love hate anger or passion But when a photo is excellently taken yet the colors lighting and texture dont match up to the photoers vision a photo will become uninspiring This tutorial will teach you how to take your photo to the next level and create an image that matches your vision
Makingthe Mood
making the mood
47psd Photoshop
Step 1The fi rst step in changing a photo is doing the ba-sics You have to prepare your photo before you can move to the fun stuff In this pickture I got rid of any noticeable blemishes the model had and g of noticeable hair that were going across her face to give more clear picture of the model I did this using the Patch and Clone Stamp tool When edit-ing a model make sure to always keep texture in the skin its more interesting that way as opposed to having a models face which is completely air-brushed
02
03
Step 2The next step I took was darkening the whole photo I knew that I wanted the photo to be much darker than it currently was I could have just used the Curves tool or Levels but I fi nd that when overusing the Curves tool a photo starts to look overly contrasted which I dont want So instead I used a light gradient (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtGradient Map) and changed the Blending mode from Normal to Multiply Doing this gives the photo a lot more depth but doesnt darken it completely
Step 3As soon as Ive got my basic photo ready I knew that the yellowish tinge was not the effect I was going for so I used both the Color Balance tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtColor Balance)and the Selective Color tool (LayergtNew Adjust-ment LayergtColor Balance)
01
photomanipulation
48 psd Photoshop
Step 4The next thing I noticed was that my models face was not highlighted enough it was getting lost in the midst of forest and darkness so I made two new layers One layer was for the models face and I simply used a soft Photoshop brush with 0 Hardness and drew over the models face and the snakes body I then changed both layers Blending Mode from Normal to Screen and applied a Box blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 543 pixels to both so they wouldnt be as noticeable Remember you just want hints of light just enough so the models face and the snake is highlighted
04
05
06
Step 5The fi fth step is more or less a repeat of a step number three I liked the way photo looked but it wasnt nearly as dramatic as it could be So now I fi nally decided to use the Curves tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtCurves) to darken and light certain areas making sure again not to overdo it but to give it enough contrast to really bring out the picture Next I made two new Selective Colorlayers (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtSelective Color) One Selective Colors layer changed the leaves and clothes but not the models face to a more dark blue tint while the second Selective Color layer brightened the snakes skin
Step 6The next thing I did was making another two lay-ers I still wanted to brighten only the snakes skin so for the fi rst layer I changed the Blending modefrom Normal to Soft Light and then used a brush with 0 Hardness and carefully painted over the snake It took a few variations before I found a color I liked Its helpful to remember to also look at the whole picture In the next layer I created I simply wanted to add a little more color to the shrubbery in the background so I made another layer and again changed the blending mode from Normal to Soft Light I used a soft brush with 0 Hardness and a maroon and yellow color just to add a little variation from my usual palette of blue I then added it all along the bushes and used the Box Blur tool at 483 pixels also changing the Blending mode from Normal to Screen to make it less obvious
making the mood
49psd Photoshop
Step 7The fi nal step I took to fi nish setting the mood for my photo was adding a texture and chang-ing the Blending Mode from Normal to Soft LightI found that the texture was to overpowering at 100 Opacity so I lowered it to 77 I next added my fi nal layer and created a vignette around my photo by using a brush with a Hardness of 100 and then brushed it around the outer edges of the photo particularly around the four corners I then applied a Box Blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 693 pixels to the layer creating a nice dark blurred ef-fect
by Naomi Bensen
07
how to paint a realistic eye
23psd Photoshop
SketchBefore laying down a single brushstroke itrsquos important for me to create a rough sketch It doesnrsquot have to be perfect but we need to get our point across here This will only make things easier during the painting process Create a new layer and sketch in an eye
02
03
Laying down the Base ColorThis step is simple enough here we lay down the base color for the skin Simply use the Gradienttool here and fi ll the background layer with your color choice In general try not to go too light or too saturated here
Defi ning FormUsing the HSB Slider (WindowsgtColor) pick a darker more saturated color for the darker areas of the skin and paint it using a simple Hard Edged brush I also pick a lighter less saturated tone for the highlights of the skin I choose a color for the eye in this case a bright blue and paint that in as well
01
workshop
24 psd Photoshop
Bringing Life to the SkinThe values of the skin need some work here I choose an even brighter lighter color to defi ne the form of the skin I introduce the lighter tones according to the lighting here which is a standard front light I add the lighter tones to the tone the bridge of the nose near the eyebrow and around the eyelid to make things appear more realistic
04
05
06
Smoothing Out the SkinAt this point all my work was done using a standard Hard Edged brush which is great for defi ning form quickly To blend the skin and give it a more photo realistic look I now switch to a soft brush (Hardness at 0) and Opacity at 50 I blend all the sharp transitions until things appear much smoother Additionally I paint darker tones on the blue iris to give it more depth
Bringing More LifeAt this point I work a bit more on the skin tones adding some more saturated reddish tones on the area around the eye as well as the cheek I also add a more saturated blue to the eye as well I do this all with a soft airbrush at a fairly low opacity on a new layer then merge it down when Irsquom satisfi ed with how things are looking I also do some more detail work using a softer Hard Edgedbrush as well
how to paint a realistic eye
25psd Photoshop
DetailsIrsquom satisfi ed with how things are looking at this stage so I start working on the details Using a fairly small brush I begin to add some lsquobumpsrsquo around the eye to give it a more realistic looks I also create bumps around the eyebrow using a both a fairly light as well as dark color to help it pop for a realistic look I also add details in the iris using a lighter bluish color to really bring the image to life I work in at a very large zoom at this stage as well to make things easier and more accurate
07
08
09
Refi nementI go over everything with a Soft Edged brush at a low opacity for a more realistic look Additionally I bring out the details more using fairly small hard edged brushes I work on the eyebrow painting each strand in as well as the eyelashes
Color and Texture EnhancementThings are looking a bit too muddy for my taste so what I do here is create a new layer set to soft light and enhance the colors quite a bit I introduce much warmer tones around the eye to give it more life Finally I slightly overlay a leather photo texture to give the skin a slightly more realistic effect
by George Patsouras
In this tutorial I will explain how to paint realistic lips with Photoshop Before attempting to paint lips itrsquos essential that you practice drawing lips as well as the head in general to get the best results possible
How toPaint a Realistic Lips
medium | 30 min
adobe photoshop CS5
how to paint a realistic lips
27psd Photoshop
SketchI almost always start off with a sketch for my serious paintings and this one is no different I create a new layer and with a Hard Edged brush I quickly sketch in the lips Getting the lips to look right now just makes the painting process that much easier
02
03
Picking the right base colorPick a mid-tone for the skin one thatrsquos not too saturated or too light (a common mistake many artists make) To quickly fi ll in the canvas with a color I simply use the Gradient tool After itrsquos done I use a hard edged brush to paint in the red lips
Defi ning FormOnce I chose my base tone itrsquos time to defi ne the form of the skin The fi rst thing you must think of is where does the light come from In this case I decide to go for a fairly simple front light and shade accordingly Using a Hard Edged brush I use darker more saturated tones for the darker parts of the skin and a lighter less saturated tone for the highlights of the skin for a realistic effect Use a darker midtone for the lsquotoprsquo lip and bring out lighter tones for the bottom one (this works for most lighting situations)
01
workshop
28 psd Photoshop
Bringing out the HighlightsThings are still looking too fl at for me at this stage so I choose a much brighter midtone to bring out the form of the skin As always I simply use a hard edged brush at this step I bring out lighter tones on the lsquocornersrsquo of the lips the chin and on top of the lips
04
05
06
Smoothing out the SkinOnce Irsquom happy with my value statement I decide to soften everything out with a soft edged brush I choose Hardness 0 under my Brush Settingsand with a 50 Opacity I smoothen out the rough transitions
DetailsI start bringing texture to the lower lips using a fairly small Hard Edged brush I zoom closer here to make things easier and begin to paint the texture of the lips keeping the form in mind using a circular stroke Additionally I bring out a fairly harsh highlight at the top of the lips (the part that looks like a lsquoVrsquo) which gives the image a much more realistic feel
how to paint a realistic lips
29psd Photoshop
Even more detailsI bring more contrast to the image using lighter tones for the highlights and darker ones for shadows I introduce a fairly dark tone right underneath the lip above the chin for a realistic effect I also use a darker tone to separate the lsquobottomrsquo lip from the top giving the lips more depth in the process I also add a mole simply for the fun of it
07
08
Final Refi nementHere I add even more texture to the lips and use a very light almost white color on the bottom lips to bring more life and contrast to the image I clean the image out a bit in general and make sure everything appears as symmetrical as possible and voila Wersquore done
by George Patsouras
contributing writers
Editor in Chief Magdalena Mojska magdalenamojskapsdmagorg
Copy Editor Ed Werzyn Robert Coppa Art Director Agnieszka Marchocka
DTP Przemysław BanasiewiczSenior ConsultantPublisherPresident
Paweł Marciniak Managing Director Ewa Łozowicka
Marketing Director Magdalena Mojska magdalenamojskapsdmagorg
Production DirectorAndrzej Kuca andrzejkucapsdmagorg
Postal addressPublisher Software Press Spzoo SK
02-682 Warszawa ul Bokserska 1worldwide publishing wwwpsdmagorgen
All trade marks presented in the magazine were used only for informa-tive purposes All rights to trade marks presented in the magazine are
reserved by the companies which own themMathematical formulas created by Design Science MathTypetrade
The editors use automatic DTP systemEditorial contributions should be sent to
editorspsdmagorg Customer Service +1 917 338 3631
The Software Press Spzoo SK works individually from Adobe The psd Photoshop team reserves the right not to be responsible for the topical-ity correctness completeness or quality of the information provided by
contributors
Randy Monteith
I am self taught as an artist So any mistakes I have made are in-tentional All my ideas come from an over active imagination that is only put in check when I fi nish a piece of artwork and then the process begins again I have been working with Photoshop for al-most 7 years now I am lucky enough to have two images chosen for two of RedBubblersquos books GAIA and Compassion Courage and Friendship I have been interviewed in Photoshop Creative Maga-zine 14 and have images printed in Advanced Photoshop as well Recently in Issue 60 of Photoshop Creative Magazine the editors chose my portfolio on their webpage as one of the Top 5 rated portfolios I am not one to think outside the box but blow it to bits so stand back and watch me now
c o v e r a r t i s t
Alena Lazareva
My name is Alena I live in Russia I`m the digital artist and the illustrator My interests are art photography computer graph-ics I have been drawing since childhood I studied at the School of Art at the artist There I drew pictures in oils and watercolor is now engaged in graphic design During the last three years I have been enjoying working as a computer graphics artist I love to paint illustrations in the style of Fantasy mythical creatures fairies elves mermaids and angels and painting children fairy-tales I`m currently using Photoshop CS and tablet Wacom for of my artworks I hope you like my illustrationsWebsite wwwalenalazarevacome-mail alenkalazarevamailru
Armand Johnson
Irsquom a professional photographer and graphic designer from Northern Louisiana USA I have had the pleasure of working with celebrities non-profi t organizations and local talents within the Louisiana region Irsquove also provided public service to the area and worked with the local youth to teach them professionalism career goals and creative thinking I get a lot of my inspiration from what I observe which is everyday lifehttpwwwfl ickrcomphotosthearmandjohnsonhttpwwwtwittercomdajizzlehttpwwwcreatticacomcreativesthe-armand-john-son29390thearmandjohnsongmailcom
George Patsouras
George Patsouras is a freelance and concept artist residing from Long Island City NY His work can be seen in a variety of differ-ent projects including video games comic books as well as card games George specializes in depicting realistic fantasy images For more of his work be sure to check out his offi cial blog at httpcgaddictblogspotcom
Jose Paulo Reis
Irsquom a digital artist with 3 years of experience My passion is fashion photography creativity advertising photomanipula-tion and digital art Currently Irsquom working as a digital artist in Lalaland Studios (fashion photography) I love fashion and beauty photography and everything related with digital art Irsquom devoted to Photoshop and everyday Irsquom trying to improve my skillsEnjoy my works by visiting my blog wwwzepaulocreationblogspotcom
Naomi Bensen
Having been raised in a colorful environment of art music and creative learning it was only natural for me to gravitate towards photographymdasha medium that can catch a split second and make it last forever Behind the lens I have pursued my own unique style of photography that focuses on capturing natural and un-staged moments For me photography is more than taking a good picturemdashitrsquos about turning a moment into art Find me at httptheimaginationdeviantartcom
Ylenia Peronti
Irsquom 19 years old italian artist From 3 years I have a passion for photo retouch and generally for phtoshop so I started to practice retouch fi rst on what I call ldquoextreme makeoverrdquo as described in this tutorial and then devot himelf to studying professional photo retouching refi ning technical professional and actually retouch fashion shots Irsquom supermoderator in the Forum Graphics wwwgrafi cicreativicom and I manage especially the section of photoretouch you can fi nd me at the following links wwwyleniaperontiwordpresscom httpyleniucciadeviantartcom
interview
32 psd Photoshop
Interview withArmand Johnson
Please say a few words about yourselfI have a degree in Graphic Design and I really enjoy art all forms of it Whether that is music acting dancing painting photography etc I am intrigued by many different forms of art I DO like to play video games (when I have time but who doesnrsquot) and I DO consider video games as ART but thatrsquos a different subject Irsquom kind of laid back and very business like in my approach to most things
Why did you choose photo retouching and what do you find fascinating about itWhen I was in undergrad I collected plenty of music CDrsquos and DVDrsquos It always intrigued me how flawless and perfect looking the cover art was I thought to myself I want to reach that level of perfection in what I do But graduating with a BFA in Graphic Design kind of steered me away from that in some regards It wasnrsquot until about 5 years ago when my Aunt asked me to gather a couple of shots for some of my cousinrsquos promotional work that I begun to take retouch-ing very seriously After I took the shots I thought These images need to be presentable So I started to dabble with perfecting the images which pushed me into retouching By being a photographer retouching is essential to my workflow because I want my images to have that commercial professional appeal I want my work to look like it belongs in a magazine as a poster or on a billboard etc I find retouching fascinating because how one can push and perfect an image to hisher likings and to the clientrsquos likings as well Itrsquos a great feeling to boost someonersquos confidence by showing them the retouched image in comparison to the original It can help them gain or retain their ldquoswaggardquo
Irsquom a professional photographer and graphic designer from Northern Louisiana USA I have had the pleasure of working with celebrities non-profit organizations and local talents within the Louisiana region Irsquove also provided public service to the area and worked with the local youth to teach them professionalism career goals and creative thinking I get a lot of my inspiration from what I observe which is everyday life
See more of my works here
httpwwwflickrcomphotosthearmandjohnsonhttpwwwtwittercomdajizzlehttpwwwcreatticacomcreativesthe-armand-johnson29390
Contact me
thearmandjohnsongmailcom
interview with armand johnson
33psd Photoshop
Where do you look for the inspiration to createThere are several photographers and retouchers well known and not that inspire me with their work Joel Grimes and Dave Hill are probably the most prominent amongst the photographers I admire their approach to their craft and absolutely love their end result Other notable photographers are Dustin Snipes and Dallas J Logan As for retouchers I think Amy Dresser is amongst the best Her work is incredible Nick Saglimbeni is also Hersquos an awesome photographer and retoucher But that is just the list of people Nature and natural things are very inspiring because of their calming attributes Also
interview
34 psd Photoshop
there is a bevy of websites that are exceptionally useful for inspira-tion Abduzeedo is my favorite Being an artist you can get your in-spiration from anything and anywhere An idea can gravitate towards you at anytime
What are the main advantages of your profession and what can be discouraging about itAn advantage of being a retoucher is the payoff If yoursquore great at it you can eventually open up to a much larger clientele such as the entertainment (music movies etc) and fashion industries Once
interview with armand johnson
35psd Photoshop
yoursquore attached to some major clients your rep (credibility) increas-es for the better What can be discouraging is the journey to arrive at that stage There are many individuals proclaiming themselves pro-fessionals (whether photographers retouchers etc) that are hurt-ing the industry They are utterly confusing clients A random person with a camera is not a photographer and a random person with a copy of Photoshop is not retoucher A lot of lower level clients tend to desire commercial level work for pennies on the dollar Thatrsquos just not feasible Retouchers probably spend more time with an image than anyone else involved with the creative process They deserve to be compensated properly
Do you have any achievements that you are particularly proud ofYeah I just recently got a couple works approved on the major cre-ative website Creatticacom Also being featured in this magazine is very rewarding I look forward to achieving more goals and receiving more accolades Lifersquos a marathon not a sprint
What about your plans for the futureI plan on making my stamp within the industry as have the other successful digital artists Irsquoll always be refining and fine-tuning my craft to become more diverse I wonrsquot go into too much details cause I have a laundry list of things That could take all day ) But I will say this the pieces of the puzzle are beginning to fall into the right plac-es and I believe this interview and collaboration with PSD Photoshop magazine is a crucial step in this process
Do you have any advice to those who would like to become digital artists as wellBe artistic and approach things from a creative perspective I find many individuals wanting to be artists without being artistic or cre-ative Itrsquos a process not a fast food restaurant The creation of mas-terpieces and wonderful works of art takes careful planning time and effort There has to be a love for what you do Photoshop is only a tool which is used to create art It is not meant to replace it or the process of creating it
advanced | 45 min
adobe photoshop CS3
glamour retouch
37psd Photoshop
Blemish Removal and Skin SmoothingFirst open the RAW image and make a duplicate of the background layer by pressing [Ctrl]+[J] Name the bottom layer Retouch and the top layer Original This creates a quick toggle between the Before and After states This also allows you to monitor your progress and determine if you are making changes that have a negative effect on the results Turn off the top layer (Original) Nextcreate a new layer above the Retouch layer by pressing [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] Name this layer CleanUp With the Healing Brush [J] selected make sure Sam-ple All Layers is selected from the drop down menu and Aligned is checked Next use the Healing Brush as well as the Clone Stamp on the CleanUp layer to remove all the blemishes and imperfections The settings are 100 Opacity 100 with Sample All Layers and Alignedselected Once the skin is cleaned up create another layer above it [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] and name it Skin Select the Clone Stamp tool and use these settings 18-25 Opacity 100 Flow Sample All Layers and Aligned Use the Clone Stamp tool to even out the Highlight Shadowand Midtone areas giving the skin a very smooth fl awless appear-ance Lastly apply a little noise the layer Go to FiltergtNoisegtAdd Noise and set the amount to 25 - 50 and the distribution to Gauss-ian After initially cleaning and smoothing the skin group those layers together by holding down the [Shift] key and selecting both of them and [Ctrl]+[G] to group them Rename the group CleanUp
01
02Color BoostAbove the CleanUp group create a Curves Adjustment Layer and name it CB - Curves Use three points along the slope 255 255 0 0 and 148 112 within the RGB channel Then create a LevelsAdjustment Layer naming it CB - Levels Within the RGB chan-nel using these values 10 115 245 Group together these two Adjustment Layers and name the group Overall because it af-fects the overall image Then create a Curves Adjustment Layerabove the grouped layers and insert four points along the slope Keep the two default points 255255 and 0 0 Add two more 35 43 and 211 201 (or somewhere within that tonal range) also in the RGB channel Rename this layer Jewelry Select the Mask by clicking on it and fi ll the Mask with Black Use the Brush tool with the foreground color set to White and paint only over the jewelry Rename this layer Jewelry Create a fi nal Curves adjustment layer above the Jewelry layer and name it Hair Use settings very simi-lar to those on the Jewelry layer within the RGB channel Select the Mask fi ll it with Black and paint over the hair with a Whitebrush Group all of these Adjustment Layers together and name the group Color Boost
GlamourRetouchIn this tutorial I will show you how I performed a Glamour retouch on a photo of my beautiful friend Asia I photographed her against a black background for a dramatic and edgy effect as well as using various Photoshop tools to achieve that ldquoglamour lookrdquo that many magazines and print work use I will be using Photoshop CS3 but any higher version should work as well The tools I will be using are Adjustment Layers Filters and Blending Modes as well as the Clone Stamp Brush and Healing Brush tools
photo retouch
38 psd Photoshop
Highlight and ShadowCreate a new layer and name it FaceBody and set the Blending Mode to Soft Light Set the foreground color to White select the Brush tool with the settings Opacity 100 Flow 2 and paint over the naturally highlighted areas bring-ing out the highlights Then set the foreground color to Black using the same settings and paint over the naturally shadowed areas increasing the contrast in the image Add a Gaussian BlurFiltergtBlurgtGaussian Blur to the layer with a ra-dius setting of 15 ndash 30 Repeat these steps on a new layer named Hair with the Blending Mode set to Overlay Create another new layer named Jew-elry with the Blending Mode set to Overlay as well Once fi nished rearrange the layers so that they are in this order from top to bottom Hair FaceBody Jewelry Lastly group these layers together and name the group HLSH or HighlightShadow
04
05SharpenMake a new layer by combining all visible layers [Shift]+[Alt]+[Ctrl]+[E] This creates a new layer consisting of all the information from the bottom layers Make this a smart object by right ndash click-ing on the layer and selecting Convert to Smart Object This makes the layer a Smart Object allow-ing the use of Smart Filters Duplicate this layer and rename the copy HP 65 and the original layer Sharpen Turn off the HP 65 layer With the Sharp-en layer selected go to FiltergtSharpengtUnSharp Mask using these settings Amount 60 Radius2500 Threshold 10 With the Blending Mode set to Normal adjust the Opacity within the 30 - 40 range and the Fill within the 75 - 90 range Then turn on the HP 65 Layer and select it Set the Blending Mode to Overlay and go to FiltergtOthergtHigh Pass Set the Radius to 65 and the Opacity within the 65 - 75 range and the Fillwithin the 90 - 95 range Finally group these two layers together and name the group Sharpen
03
Color CorrectionCreate a new layer and name it Color CorrectionSet the Blending Mode to Color Set the Brush tool to a SoftFeather setting with the Hardness to 15 Set Black as the foreground color and paint over the lips Then use Gold as the foreground color and paint over the ldquoCoachrdquo text and the handle of the sunglasses changing them from Silver to GoldSelect various colors from the skin and paint over the discolorations in the skin Put the layer in its own group and name that group Color Correction
glamour retouch
39psd Photoshop
EffectsCreate a new layer and name it Sparkles With the Pen tool create a fi ve ndash point sparkle Once fi nished drawing the outline right ndash click and select Make Selection feathering the selection by 1 pixel Make sure the Anti-aliased box is checked and the New Selection option is selected Fill the selection with White Then make several copies (four should be enough) of this layer and move the various spar-kles to certain areas on the jewelry and sunglasses Resize those sparkles individually using transform [Ctrl]+[T] Once the sparkles are at sizes you are comfortable with click on the top most layer (Sparkles Copy 4) hold the shift key then the original Sparkles lay-er and merge them by pressing [Ctrl]+[E] Rename this layer Spar-kles Then add a layer style to the layer by double ndash clicking on it I selected Outer Glow In the options for the Outer Glow effect leave the default setting only changing the Size to 3 pixels Lastly place this layer into its own group and name that group Effects Switch the Original layer OnOff and enjoy the result
by Armand Johnson
07
06
Cool DownCreate a HueSaturation Adjustment Layer mak-ing sure it is set to the Master channel Set the Saturation to -100 This turns the image black and white Set the Blending Mode set to Normalthe Opacity within the 40 - 50 range and the Fill within the 70 - 90 range Select the Maskset the foreground color to 40 Gray and fi ll the mask Paint over only the jewelry and the colored sections of the hair This brings back some of the original color but not too much of it Finally group only this layer and name it Cool Down
How to change the eye color very quickly but efficiently
How to change
eye color
beginer | 10 min
adobe photoshop CS4
how to change eye color
41psd Photoshop
Step 1First open the photos select the pupil of the eye using the method you prefer (Polygonal lassoMagnetic lasso pen etc) I used the Magnetic lasso in this case Right click the mouse on the Selection and select New Layer via Copy Rename the layer eyes
02
03
Step 2Make sure that in the Layers palette is selected layer eyes and from the menu Image select HuegtSaturation adjustments When the window will be open move the Hues cursor until you fi nd the satisfying color If you want from the same HuegtSaturation window we can also modify the saturation and brightness to achieve different ef-fects Heres an example set the Hue value on 44You can also customize more the color using the color balance adjustment selected from the menu ImagegtAdjustmentsgtColor Balance and reduce the opacity of the layer eyes to adjust the effect
Step 3For a more aesthetic effect you can use the Dodge tool selected from the Tools palette Set Light to a 5-10 opacity (or an opacity that allows to achieve the desired effect) and use Dodge toolwithin the colored part of the eye Select Burn tool(also an Opacity of 5) set to Midtones and Burn-ing to defi ne better the outline of the eye
by Ylenia Peronti
42 psd Photoshop
interview
2 pas Photoshop
Tell us about your first steps in photographyMy dad is a really good photographer and he showed me how to use his Nikon film camera when I was young and how to de-
Interview withApril Elizabeth
Can you introduce yourself to our readersMy name is April Elizabeth I am a creative photographer from the small snowy town of Ishpeming in Upper Peninsula of Michigan
April Elizabeth is an internationally published photographer from Ishpeming Michigan Her photos have appeared in magazines on book covers and websites Her clients include Random house HarperCollins Publishing and The Portland Beanie Company
43psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
3psd Photoshop
velop the film I really enjoyed it but it was expensive and I was unable to really get into photography until digital cameras came along I started with a point and shoot camera and went from there
Why did you choose this professionI think it sort of chose me Irsquove always liked photography but I never in my life imagined myself going anywhere with it That all changed when I bought my first slr and asked a local model to do a photo
44 psd Photoshop
interview
4 pas Photoshop
shoot with me I was nervous because I had never done any-thing like that before and I wasnrsquot com-pletely sure how the camera worked but the pictures turned out great and soon more and more peo-ple wanted to work with me
Where do you get the inspiration for your worksIrsquove always been an introverted day-dreamer with an
overly active imagination When other people are liv-ing their life I am looking around and thinking of sto-ries Irsquove always wanted to be a writer but photography lets me tell stories with pic-tures and as long as I can tell a story I am happy
What do you like the most about being a photographer and what are the main difficulties for youIf I am not creating some-thing I feel frustrated I like that my job lets me cre-ate things while making people feel beautiful and good about themselves I enjoy taking pictures that have a fantasy quality to them so that people in the photos can be part of something a little magi-cal instead of ordinary and people who see the photos will feel inspired One of the main difficul-ties I have is my location the middle of nowhere in the Midwest Winter lasts around 7-8 months and itrsquos always very harsh and with a lot of snow I donrsquot have a studio or anyplace indoors thatI can go to so this means I only have a very short amount of time in the year that I can really do many photo shoots
45psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
5psd Photoshop
Do you have any personal achievements you are particularly proud ofIrsquom very proud that my photo Shy with over 35550 favs is one of the most popular photos ever to be up-loaded to the website deviantart Itrsquos unreal to me Irsquom also proud that two photos of mine have been licensed to be on book covers Growing up I never thought any-thing like that could ever happen to me Being in magazines such as this one is also very nice All of these things make me feel like Irsquove accomplished something in life and gives me confidence that I can do even more
What are your plans for futureIrsquod like to get a studio someday And Irsquod like to get into stock photogra-phy Irsquom also working on a gothic romance novel called Whispering Pines and a book of short scary stories I guess I plan on just creat-ing more and trying to improve in everything I do
What would you advice to the young photographersDonrsquot worry about what kind of cam-era or equipment you have Just fo-cus on what you have now and try to create something beautiful with it Itrsquos the photographer that makes the picture good not the camera
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many successful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quitting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many suc-cessful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quit-ting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
A photographerrsquos main goal is to take a photo that makes the viewer feel a strong emotion towards it whether it is love hate anger or passion But when a photo is excellently taken yet the colors lighting and texture dont match up to the photoers vision a photo will become uninspiring This tutorial will teach you how to take your photo to the next level and create an image that matches your vision
Makingthe Mood
making the mood
47psd Photoshop
Step 1The fi rst step in changing a photo is doing the ba-sics You have to prepare your photo before you can move to the fun stuff In this pickture I got rid of any noticeable blemishes the model had and g of noticeable hair that were going across her face to give more clear picture of the model I did this using the Patch and Clone Stamp tool When edit-ing a model make sure to always keep texture in the skin its more interesting that way as opposed to having a models face which is completely air-brushed
02
03
Step 2The next step I took was darkening the whole photo I knew that I wanted the photo to be much darker than it currently was I could have just used the Curves tool or Levels but I fi nd that when overusing the Curves tool a photo starts to look overly contrasted which I dont want So instead I used a light gradient (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtGradient Map) and changed the Blending mode from Normal to Multiply Doing this gives the photo a lot more depth but doesnt darken it completely
Step 3As soon as Ive got my basic photo ready I knew that the yellowish tinge was not the effect I was going for so I used both the Color Balance tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtColor Balance)and the Selective Color tool (LayergtNew Adjust-ment LayergtColor Balance)
01
photomanipulation
48 psd Photoshop
Step 4The next thing I noticed was that my models face was not highlighted enough it was getting lost in the midst of forest and darkness so I made two new layers One layer was for the models face and I simply used a soft Photoshop brush with 0 Hardness and drew over the models face and the snakes body I then changed both layers Blending Mode from Normal to Screen and applied a Box blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 543 pixels to both so they wouldnt be as noticeable Remember you just want hints of light just enough so the models face and the snake is highlighted
04
05
06
Step 5The fi fth step is more or less a repeat of a step number three I liked the way photo looked but it wasnt nearly as dramatic as it could be So now I fi nally decided to use the Curves tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtCurves) to darken and light certain areas making sure again not to overdo it but to give it enough contrast to really bring out the picture Next I made two new Selective Colorlayers (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtSelective Color) One Selective Colors layer changed the leaves and clothes but not the models face to a more dark blue tint while the second Selective Color layer brightened the snakes skin
Step 6The next thing I did was making another two lay-ers I still wanted to brighten only the snakes skin so for the fi rst layer I changed the Blending modefrom Normal to Soft Light and then used a brush with 0 Hardness and carefully painted over the snake It took a few variations before I found a color I liked Its helpful to remember to also look at the whole picture In the next layer I created I simply wanted to add a little more color to the shrubbery in the background so I made another layer and again changed the blending mode from Normal to Soft Light I used a soft brush with 0 Hardness and a maroon and yellow color just to add a little variation from my usual palette of blue I then added it all along the bushes and used the Box Blur tool at 483 pixels also changing the Blending mode from Normal to Screen to make it less obvious
making the mood
49psd Photoshop
Step 7The fi nal step I took to fi nish setting the mood for my photo was adding a texture and chang-ing the Blending Mode from Normal to Soft LightI found that the texture was to overpowering at 100 Opacity so I lowered it to 77 I next added my fi nal layer and created a vignette around my photo by using a brush with a Hardness of 100 and then brushed it around the outer edges of the photo particularly around the four corners I then applied a Box Blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 693 pixels to the layer creating a nice dark blurred ef-fect
by Naomi Bensen
07
workshop
24 psd Photoshop
Bringing Life to the SkinThe values of the skin need some work here I choose an even brighter lighter color to defi ne the form of the skin I introduce the lighter tones according to the lighting here which is a standard front light I add the lighter tones to the tone the bridge of the nose near the eyebrow and around the eyelid to make things appear more realistic
04
05
06
Smoothing Out the SkinAt this point all my work was done using a standard Hard Edged brush which is great for defi ning form quickly To blend the skin and give it a more photo realistic look I now switch to a soft brush (Hardness at 0) and Opacity at 50 I blend all the sharp transitions until things appear much smoother Additionally I paint darker tones on the blue iris to give it more depth
Bringing More LifeAt this point I work a bit more on the skin tones adding some more saturated reddish tones on the area around the eye as well as the cheek I also add a more saturated blue to the eye as well I do this all with a soft airbrush at a fairly low opacity on a new layer then merge it down when Irsquom satisfi ed with how things are looking I also do some more detail work using a softer Hard Edgedbrush as well
how to paint a realistic eye
25psd Photoshop
DetailsIrsquom satisfi ed with how things are looking at this stage so I start working on the details Using a fairly small brush I begin to add some lsquobumpsrsquo around the eye to give it a more realistic looks I also create bumps around the eyebrow using a both a fairly light as well as dark color to help it pop for a realistic look I also add details in the iris using a lighter bluish color to really bring the image to life I work in at a very large zoom at this stage as well to make things easier and more accurate
07
08
09
Refi nementI go over everything with a Soft Edged brush at a low opacity for a more realistic look Additionally I bring out the details more using fairly small hard edged brushes I work on the eyebrow painting each strand in as well as the eyelashes
Color and Texture EnhancementThings are looking a bit too muddy for my taste so what I do here is create a new layer set to soft light and enhance the colors quite a bit I introduce much warmer tones around the eye to give it more life Finally I slightly overlay a leather photo texture to give the skin a slightly more realistic effect
by George Patsouras
In this tutorial I will explain how to paint realistic lips with Photoshop Before attempting to paint lips itrsquos essential that you practice drawing lips as well as the head in general to get the best results possible
How toPaint a Realistic Lips
medium | 30 min
adobe photoshop CS5
how to paint a realistic lips
27psd Photoshop
SketchI almost always start off with a sketch for my serious paintings and this one is no different I create a new layer and with a Hard Edged brush I quickly sketch in the lips Getting the lips to look right now just makes the painting process that much easier
02
03
Picking the right base colorPick a mid-tone for the skin one thatrsquos not too saturated or too light (a common mistake many artists make) To quickly fi ll in the canvas with a color I simply use the Gradient tool After itrsquos done I use a hard edged brush to paint in the red lips
Defi ning FormOnce I chose my base tone itrsquos time to defi ne the form of the skin The fi rst thing you must think of is where does the light come from In this case I decide to go for a fairly simple front light and shade accordingly Using a Hard Edged brush I use darker more saturated tones for the darker parts of the skin and a lighter less saturated tone for the highlights of the skin for a realistic effect Use a darker midtone for the lsquotoprsquo lip and bring out lighter tones for the bottom one (this works for most lighting situations)
01
workshop
28 psd Photoshop
Bringing out the HighlightsThings are still looking too fl at for me at this stage so I choose a much brighter midtone to bring out the form of the skin As always I simply use a hard edged brush at this step I bring out lighter tones on the lsquocornersrsquo of the lips the chin and on top of the lips
04
05
06
Smoothing out the SkinOnce Irsquom happy with my value statement I decide to soften everything out with a soft edged brush I choose Hardness 0 under my Brush Settingsand with a 50 Opacity I smoothen out the rough transitions
DetailsI start bringing texture to the lower lips using a fairly small Hard Edged brush I zoom closer here to make things easier and begin to paint the texture of the lips keeping the form in mind using a circular stroke Additionally I bring out a fairly harsh highlight at the top of the lips (the part that looks like a lsquoVrsquo) which gives the image a much more realistic feel
how to paint a realistic lips
29psd Photoshop
Even more detailsI bring more contrast to the image using lighter tones for the highlights and darker ones for shadows I introduce a fairly dark tone right underneath the lip above the chin for a realistic effect I also use a darker tone to separate the lsquobottomrsquo lip from the top giving the lips more depth in the process I also add a mole simply for the fun of it
07
08
Final Refi nementHere I add even more texture to the lips and use a very light almost white color on the bottom lips to bring more life and contrast to the image I clean the image out a bit in general and make sure everything appears as symmetrical as possible and voila Wersquore done
by George Patsouras
contributing writers
Editor in Chief Magdalena Mojska magdalenamojskapsdmagorg
Copy Editor Ed Werzyn Robert Coppa Art Director Agnieszka Marchocka
DTP Przemysław BanasiewiczSenior ConsultantPublisherPresident
Paweł Marciniak Managing Director Ewa Łozowicka
Marketing Director Magdalena Mojska magdalenamojskapsdmagorg
Production DirectorAndrzej Kuca andrzejkucapsdmagorg
Postal addressPublisher Software Press Spzoo SK
02-682 Warszawa ul Bokserska 1worldwide publishing wwwpsdmagorgen
All trade marks presented in the magazine were used only for informa-tive purposes All rights to trade marks presented in the magazine are
reserved by the companies which own themMathematical formulas created by Design Science MathTypetrade
The editors use automatic DTP systemEditorial contributions should be sent to
editorspsdmagorg Customer Service +1 917 338 3631
The Software Press Spzoo SK works individually from Adobe The psd Photoshop team reserves the right not to be responsible for the topical-ity correctness completeness or quality of the information provided by
contributors
Randy Monteith
I am self taught as an artist So any mistakes I have made are in-tentional All my ideas come from an over active imagination that is only put in check when I fi nish a piece of artwork and then the process begins again I have been working with Photoshop for al-most 7 years now I am lucky enough to have two images chosen for two of RedBubblersquos books GAIA and Compassion Courage and Friendship I have been interviewed in Photoshop Creative Maga-zine 14 and have images printed in Advanced Photoshop as well Recently in Issue 60 of Photoshop Creative Magazine the editors chose my portfolio on their webpage as one of the Top 5 rated portfolios I am not one to think outside the box but blow it to bits so stand back and watch me now
c o v e r a r t i s t
Alena Lazareva
My name is Alena I live in Russia I`m the digital artist and the illustrator My interests are art photography computer graph-ics I have been drawing since childhood I studied at the School of Art at the artist There I drew pictures in oils and watercolor is now engaged in graphic design During the last three years I have been enjoying working as a computer graphics artist I love to paint illustrations in the style of Fantasy mythical creatures fairies elves mermaids and angels and painting children fairy-tales I`m currently using Photoshop CS and tablet Wacom for of my artworks I hope you like my illustrationsWebsite wwwalenalazarevacome-mail alenkalazarevamailru
Armand Johnson
Irsquom a professional photographer and graphic designer from Northern Louisiana USA I have had the pleasure of working with celebrities non-profi t organizations and local talents within the Louisiana region Irsquove also provided public service to the area and worked with the local youth to teach them professionalism career goals and creative thinking I get a lot of my inspiration from what I observe which is everyday lifehttpwwwfl ickrcomphotosthearmandjohnsonhttpwwwtwittercomdajizzlehttpwwwcreatticacomcreativesthe-armand-john-son29390thearmandjohnsongmailcom
George Patsouras
George Patsouras is a freelance and concept artist residing from Long Island City NY His work can be seen in a variety of differ-ent projects including video games comic books as well as card games George specializes in depicting realistic fantasy images For more of his work be sure to check out his offi cial blog at httpcgaddictblogspotcom
Jose Paulo Reis
Irsquom a digital artist with 3 years of experience My passion is fashion photography creativity advertising photomanipula-tion and digital art Currently Irsquom working as a digital artist in Lalaland Studios (fashion photography) I love fashion and beauty photography and everything related with digital art Irsquom devoted to Photoshop and everyday Irsquom trying to improve my skillsEnjoy my works by visiting my blog wwwzepaulocreationblogspotcom
Naomi Bensen
Having been raised in a colorful environment of art music and creative learning it was only natural for me to gravitate towards photographymdasha medium that can catch a split second and make it last forever Behind the lens I have pursued my own unique style of photography that focuses on capturing natural and un-staged moments For me photography is more than taking a good picturemdashitrsquos about turning a moment into art Find me at httptheimaginationdeviantartcom
Ylenia Peronti
Irsquom 19 years old italian artist From 3 years I have a passion for photo retouch and generally for phtoshop so I started to practice retouch fi rst on what I call ldquoextreme makeoverrdquo as described in this tutorial and then devot himelf to studying professional photo retouching refi ning technical professional and actually retouch fashion shots Irsquom supermoderator in the Forum Graphics wwwgrafi cicreativicom and I manage especially the section of photoretouch you can fi nd me at the following links wwwyleniaperontiwordpresscom httpyleniucciadeviantartcom
interview
32 psd Photoshop
Interview withArmand Johnson
Please say a few words about yourselfI have a degree in Graphic Design and I really enjoy art all forms of it Whether that is music acting dancing painting photography etc I am intrigued by many different forms of art I DO like to play video games (when I have time but who doesnrsquot) and I DO consider video games as ART but thatrsquos a different subject Irsquom kind of laid back and very business like in my approach to most things
Why did you choose photo retouching and what do you find fascinating about itWhen I was in undergrad I collected plenty of music CDrsquos and DVDrsquos It always intrigued me how flawless and perfect looking the cover art was I thought to myself I want to reach that level of perfection in what I do But graduating with a BFA in Graphic Design kind of steered me away from that in some regards It wasnrsquot until about 5 years ago when my Aunt asked me to gather a couple of shots for some of my cousinrsquos promotional work that I begun to take retouch-ing very seriously After I took the shots I thought These images need to be presentable So I started to dabble with perfecting the images which pushed me into retouching By being a photographer retouching is essential to my workflow because I want my images to have that commercial professional appeal I want my work to look like it belongs in a magazine as a poster or on a billboard etc I find retouching fascinating because how one can push and perfect an image to hisher likings and to the clientrsquos likings as well Itrsquos a great feeling to boost someonersquos confidence by showing them the retouched image in comparison to the original It can help them gain or retain their ldquoswaggardquo
Irsquom a professional photographer and graphic designer from Northern Louisiana USA I have had the pleasure of working with celebrities non-profit organizations and local talents within the Louisiana region Irsquove also provided public service to the area and worked with the local youth to teach them professionalism career goals and creative thinking I get a lot of my inspiration from what I observe which is everyday life
See more of my works here
httpwwwflickrcomphotosthearmandjohnsonhttpwwwtwittercomdajizzlehttpwwwcreatticacomcreativesthe-armand-johnson29390
Contact me
thearmandjohnsongmailcom
interview with armand johnson
33psd Photoshop
Where do you look for the inspiration to createThere are several photographers and retouchers well known and not that inspire me with their work Joel Grimes and Dave Hill are probably the most prominent amongst the photographers I admire their approach to their craft and absolutely love their end result Other notable photographers are Dustin Snipes and Dallas J Logan As for retouchers I think Amy Dresser is amongst the best Her work is incredible Nick Saglimbeni is also Hersquos an awesome photographer and retoucher But that is just the list of people Nature and natural things are very inspiring because of their calming attributes Also
interview
34 psd Photoshop
there is a bevy of websites that are exceptionally useful for inspira-tion Abduzeedo is my favorite Being an artist you can get your in-spiration from anything and anywhere An idea can gravitate towards you at anytime
What are the main advantages of your profession and what can be discouraging about itAn advantage of being a retoucher is the payoff If yoursquore great at it you can eventually open up to a much larger clientele such as the entertainment (music movies etc) and fashion industries Once
interview with armand johnson
35psd Photoshop
yoursquore attached to some major clients your rep (credibility) increas-es for the better What can be discouraging is the journey to arrive at that stage There are many individuals proclaiming themselves pro-fessionals (whether photographers retouchers etc) that are hurt-ing the industry They are utterly confusing clients A random person with a camera is not a photographer and a random person with a copy of Photoshop is not retoucher A lot of lower level clients tend to desire commercial level work for pennies on the dollar Thatrsquos just not feasible Retouchers probably spend more time with an image than anyone else involved with the creative process They deserve to be compensated properly
Do you have any achievements that you are particularly proud ofYeah I just recently got a couple works approved on the major cre-ative website Creatticacom Also being featured in this magazine is very rewarding I look forward to achieving more goals and receiving more accolades Lifersquos a marathon not a sprint
What about your plans for the futureI plan on making my stamp within the industry as have the other successful digital artists Irsquoll always be refining and fine-tuning my craft to become more diverse I wonrsquot go into too much details cause I have a laundry list of things That could take all day ) But I will say this the pieces of the puzzle are beginning to fall into the right plac-es and I believe this interview and collaboration with PSD Photoshop magazine is a crucial step in this process
Do you have any advice to those who would like to become digital artists as wellBe artistic and approach things from a creative perspective I find many individuals wanting to be artists without being artistic or cre-ative Itrsquos a process not a fast food restaurant The creation of mas-terpieces and wonderful works of art takes careful planning time and effort There has to be a love for what you do Photoshop is only a tool which is used to create art It is not meant to replace it or the process of creating it
advanced | 45 min
adobe photoshop CS3
glamour retouch
37psd Photoshop
Blemish Removal and Skin SmoothingFirst open the RAW image and make a duplicate of the background layer by pressing [Ctrl]+[J] Name the bottom layer Retouch and the top layer Original This creates a quick toggle between the Before and After states This also allows you to monitor your progress and determine if you are making changes that have a negative effect on the results Turn off the top layer (Original) Nextcreate a new layer above the Retouch layer by pressing [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] Name this layer CleanUp With the Healing Brush [J] selected make sure Sam-ple All Layers is selected from the drop down menu and Aligned is checked Next use the Healing Brush as well as the Clone Stamp on the CleanUp layer to remove all the blemishes and imperfections The settings are 100 Opacity 100 with Sample All Layers and Alignedselected Once the skin is cleaned up create another layer above it [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] and name it Skin Select the Clone Stamp tool and use these settings 18-25 Opacity 100 Flow Sample All Layers and Aligned Use the Clone Stamp tool to even out the Highlight Shadowand Midtone areas giving the skin a very smooth fl awless appear-ance Lastly apply a little noise the layer Go to FiltergtNoisegtAdd Noise and set the amount to 25 - 50 and the distribution to Gauss-ian After initially cleaning and smoothing the skin group those layers together by holding down the [Shift] key and selecting both of them and [Ctrl]+[G] to group them Rename the group CleanUp
01
02Color BoostAbove the CleanUp group create a Curves Adjustment Layer and name it CB - Curves Use three points along the slope 255 255 0 0 and 148 112 within the RGB channel Then create a LevelsAdjustment Layer naming it CB - Levels Within the RGB chan-nel using these values 10 115 245 Group together these two Adjustment Layers and name the group Overall because it af-fects the overall image Then create a Curves Adjustment Layerabove the grouped layers and insert four points along the slope Keep the two default points 255255 and 0 0 Add two more 35 43 and 211 201 (or somewhere within that tonal range) also in the RGB channel Rename this layer Jewelry Select the Mask by clicking on it and fi ll the Mask with Black Use the Brush tool with the foreground color set to White and paint only over the jewelry Rename this layer Jewelry Create a fi nal Curves adjustment layer above the Jewelry layer and name it Hair Use settings very simi-lar to those on the Jewelry layer within the RGB channel Select the Mask fi ll it with Black and paint over the hair with a Whitebrush Group all of these Adjustment Layers together and name the group Color Boost
GlamourRetouchIn this tutorial I will show you how I performed a Glamour retouch on a photo of my beautiful friend Asia I photographed her against a black background for a dramatic and edgy effect as well as using various Photoshop tools to achieve that ldquoglamour lookrdquo that many magazines and print work use I will be using Photoshop CS3 but any higher version should work as well The tools I will be using are Adjustment Layers Filters and Blending Modes as well as the Clone Stamp Brush and Healing Brush tools
photo retouch
38 psd Photoshop
Highlight and ShadowCreate a new layer and name it FaceBody and set the Blending Mode to Soft Light Set the foreground color to White select the Brush tool with the settings Opacity 100 Flow 2 and paint over the naturally highlighted areas bring-ing out the highlights Then set the foreground color to Black using the same settings and paint over the naturally shadowed areas increasing the contrast in the image Add a Gaussian BlurFiltergtBlurgtGaussian Blur to the layer with a ra-dius setting of 15 ndash 30 Repeat these steps on a new layer named Hair with the Blending Mode set to Overlay Create another new layer named Jew-elry with the Blending Mode set to Overlay as well Once fi nished rearrange the layers so that they are in this order from top to bottom Hair FaceBody Jewelry Lastly group these layers together and name the group HLSH or HighlightShadow
04
05SharpenMake a new layer by combining all visible layers [Shift]+[Alt]+[Ctrl]+[E] This creates a new layer consisting of all the information from the bottom layers Make this a smart object by right ndash click-ing on the layer and selecting Convert to Smart Object This makes the layer a Smart Object allow-ing the use of Smart Filters Duplicate this layer and rename the copy HP 65 and the original layer Sharpen Turn off the HP 65 layer With the Sharp-en layer selected go to FiltergtSharpengtUnSharp Mask using these settings Amount 60 Radius2500 Threshold 10 With the Blending Mode set to Normal adjust the Opacity within the 30 - 40 range and the Fill within the 75 - 90 range Then turn on the HP 65 Layer and select it Set the Blending Mode to Overlay and go to FiltergtOthergtHigh Pass Set the Radius to 65 and the Opacity within the 65 - 75 range and the Fillwithin the 90 - 95 range Finally group these two layers together and name the group Sharpen
03
Color CorrectionCreate a new layer and name it Color CorrectionSet the Blending Mode to Color Set the Brush tool to a SoftFeather setting with the Hardness to 15 Set Black as the foreground color and paint over the lips Then use Gold as the foreground color and paint over the ldquoCoachrdquo text and the handle of the sunglasses changing them from Silver to GoldSelect various colors from the skin and paint over the discolorations in the skin Put the layer in its own group and name that group Color Correction
glamour retouch
39psd Photoshop
EffectsCreate a new layer and name it Sparkles With the Pen tool create a fi ve ndash point sparkle Once fi nished drawing the outline right ndash click and select Make Selection feathering the selection by 1 pixel Make sure the Anti-aliased box is checked and the New Selection option is selected Fill the selection with White Then make several copies (four should be enough) of this layer and move the various spar-kles to certain areas on the jewelry and sunglasses Resize those sparkles individually using transform [Ctrl]+[T] Once the sparkles are at sizes you are comfortable with click on the top most layer (Sparkles Copy 4) hold the shift key then the original Sparkles lay-er and merge them by pressing [Ctrl]+[E] Rename this layer Spar-kles Then add a layer style to the layer by double ndash clicking on it I selected Outer Glow In the options for the Outer Glow effect leave the default setting only changing the Size to 3 pixels Lastly place this layer into its own group and name that group Effects Switch the Original layer OnOff and enjoy the result
by Armand Johnson
07
06
Cool DownCreate a HueSaturation Adjustment Layer mak-ing sure it is set to the Master channel Set the Saturation to -100 This turns the image black and white Set the Blending Mode set to Normalthe Opacity within the 40 - 50 range and the Fill within the 70 - 90 range Select the Maskset the foreground color to 40 Gray and fi ll the mask Paint over only the jewelry and the colored sections of the hair This brings back some of the original color but not too much of it Finally group only this layer and name it Cool Down
How to change the eye color very quickly but efficiently
How to change
eye color
beginer | 10 min
adobe photoshop CS4
how to change eye color
41psd Photoshop
Step 1First open the photos select the pupil of the eye using the method you prefer (Polygonal lassoMagnetic lasso pen etc) I used the Magnetic lasso in this case Right click the mouse on the Selection and select New Layer via Copy Rename the layer eyes
02
03
Step 2Make sure that in the Layers palette is selected layer eyes and from the menu Image select HuegtSaturation adjustments When the window will be open move the Hues cursor until you fi nd the satisfying color If you want from the same HuegtSaturation window we can also modify the saturation and brightness to achieve different ef-fects Heres an example set the Hue value on 44You can also customize more the color using the color balance adjustment selected from the menu ImagegtAdjustmentsgtColor Balance and reduce the opacity of the layer eyes to adjust the effect
Step 3For a more aesthetic effect you can use the Dodge tool selected from the Tools palette Set Light to a 5-10 opacity (or an opacity that allows to achieve the desired effect) and use Dodge toolwithin the colored part of the eye Select Burn tool(also an Opacity of 5) set to Midtones and Burn-ing to defi ne better the outline of the eye
by Ylenia Peronti
42 psd Photoshop
interview
2 pas Photoshop
Tell us about your first steps in photographyMy dad is a really good photographer and he showed me how to use his Nikon film camera when I was young and how to de-
Interview withApril Elizabeth
Can you introduce yourself to our readersMy name is April Elizabeth I am a creative photographer from the small snowy town of Ishpeming in Upper Peninsula of Michigan
April Elizabeth is an internationally published photographer from Ishpeming Michigan Her photos have appeared in magazines on book covers and websites Her clients include Random house HarperCollins Publishing and The Portland Beanie Company
43psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
3psd Photoshop
velop the film I really enjoyed it but it was expensive and I was unable to really get into photography until digital cameras came along I started with a point and shoot camera and went from there
Why did you choose this professionI think it sort of chose me Irsquove always liked photography but I never in my life imagined myself going anywhere with it That all changed when I bought my first slr and asked a local model to do a photo
44 psd Photoshop
interview
4 pas Photoshop
shoot with me I was nervous because I had never done any-thing like that before and I wasnrsquot com-pletely sure how the camera worked but the pictures turned out great and soon more and more peo-ple wanted to work with me
Where do you get the inspiration for your worksIrsquove always been an introverted day-dreamer with an
overly active imagination When other people are liv-ing their life I am looking around and thinking of sto-ries Irsquove always wanted to be a writer but photography lets me tell stories with pic-tures and as long as I can tell a story I am happy
What do you like the most about being a photographer and what are the main difficulties for youIf I am not creating some-thing I feel frustrated I like that my job lets me cre-ate things while making people feel beautiful and good about themselves I enjoy taking pictures that have a fantasy quality to them so that people in the photos can be part of something a little magi-cal instead of ordinary and people who see the photos will feel inspired One of the main difficul-ties I have is my location the middle of nowhere in the Midwest Winter lasts around 7-8 months and itrsquos always very harsh and with a lot of snow I donrsquot have a studio or anyplace indoors thatI can go to so this means I only have a very short amount of time in the year that I can really do many photo shoots
45psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
5psd Photoshop
Do you have any personal achievements you are particularly proud ofIrsquom very proud that my photo Shy with over 35550 favs is one of the most popular photos ever to be up-loaded to the website deviantart Itrsquos unreal to me Irsquom also proud that two photos of mine have been licensed to be on book covers Growing up I never thought any-thing like that could ever happen to me Being in magazines such as this one is also very nice All of these things make me feel like Irsquove accomplished something in life and gives me confidence that I can do even more
What are your plans for futureIrsquod like to get a studio someday And Irsquod like to get into stock photogra-phy Irsquom also working on a gothic romance novel called Whispering Pines and a book of short scary stories I guess I plan on just creat-ing more and trying to improve in everything I do
What would you advice to the young photographersDonrsquot worry about what kind of cam-era or equipment you have Just fo-cus on what you have now and try to create something beautiful with it Itrsquos the photographer that makes the picture good not the camera
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many successful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quitting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many suc-cessful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quit-ting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
A photographerrsquos main goal is to take a photo that makes the viewer feel a strong emotion towards it whether it is love hate anger or passion But when a photo is excellently taken yet the colors lighting and texture dont match up to the photoers vision a photo will become uninspiring This tutorial will teach you how to take your photo to the next level and create an image that matches your vision
Makingthe Mood
making the mood
47psd Photoshop
Step 1The fi rst step in changing a photo is doing the ba-sics You have to prepare your photo before you can move to the fun stuff In this pickture I got rid of any noticeable blemishes the model had and g of noticeable hair that were going across her face to give more clear picture of the model I did this using the Patch and Clone Stamp tool When edit-ing a model make sure to always keep texture in the skin its more interesting that way as opposed to having a models face which is completely air-brushed
02
03
Step 2The next step I took was darkening the whole photo I knew that I wanted the photo to be much darker than it currently was I could have just used the Curves tool or Levels but I fi nd that when overusing the Curves tool a photo starts to look overly contrasted which I dont want So instead I used a light gradient (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtGradient Map) and changed the Blending mode from Normal to Multiply Doing this gives the photo a lot more depth but doesnt darken it completely
Step 3As soon as Ive got my basic photo ready I knew that the yellowish tinge was not the effect I was going for so I used both the Color Balance tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtColor Balance)and the Selective Color tool (LayergtNew Adjust-ment LayergtColor Balance)
01
photomanipulation
48 psd Photoshop
Step 4The next thing I noticed was that my models face was not highlighted enough it was getting lost in the midst of forest and darkness so I made two new layers One layer was for the models face and I simply used a soft Photoshop brush with 0 Hardness and drew over the models face and the snakes body I then changed both layers Blending Mode from Normal to Screen and applied a Box blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 543 pixels to both so they wouldnt be as noticeable Remember you just want hints of light just enough so the models face and the snake is highlighted
04
05
06
Step 5The fi fth step is more or less a repeat of a step number three I liked the way photo looked but it wasnt nearly as dramatic as it could be So now I fi nally decided to use the Curves tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtCurves) to darken and light certain areas making sure again not to overdo it but to give it enough contrast to really bring out the picture Next I made two new Selective Colorlayers (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtSelective Color) One Selective Colors layer changed the leaves and clothes but not the models face to a more dark blue tint while the second Selective Color layer brightened the snakes skin
Step 6The next thing I did was making another two lay-ers I still wanted to brighten only the snakes skin so for the fi rst layer I changed the Blending modefrom Normal to Soft Light and then used a brush with 0 Hardness and carefully painted over the snake It took a few variations before I found a color I liked Its helpful to remember to also look at the whole picture In the next layer I created I simply wanted to add a little more color to the shrubbery in the background so I made another layer and again changed the blending mode from Normal to Soft Light I used a soft brush with 0 Hardness and a maroon and yellow color just to add a little variation from my usual palette of blue I then added it all along the bushes and used the Box Blur tool at 483 pixels also changing the Blending mode from Normal to Screen to make it less obvious
making the mood
49psd Photoshop
Step 7The fi nal step I took to fi nish setting the mood for my photo was adding a texture and chang-ing the Blending Mode from Normal to Soft LightI found that the texture was to overpowering at 100 Opacity so I lowered it to 77 I next added my fi nal layer and created a vignette around my photo by using a brush with a Hardness of 100 and then brushed it around the outer edges of the photo particularly around the four corners I then applied a Box Blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 693 pixels to the layer creating a nice dark blurred ef-fect
by Naomi Bensen
07
how to paint a realistic eye
25psd Photoshop
DetailsIrsquom satisfi ed with how things are looking at this stage so I start working on the details Using a fairly small brush I begin to add some lsquobumpsrsquo around the eye to give it a more realistic looks I also create bumps around the eyebrow using a both a fairly light as well as dark color to help it pop for a realistic look I also add details in the iris using a lighter bluish color to really bring the image to life I work in at a very large zoom at this stage as well to make things easier and more accurate
07
08
09
Refi nementI go over everything with a Soft Edged brush at a low opacity for a more realistic look Additionally I bring out the details more using fairly small hard edged brushes I work on the eyebrow painting each strand in as well as the eyelashes
Color and Texture EnhancementThings are looking a bit too muddy for my taste so what I do here is create a new layer set to soft light and enhance the colors quite a bit I introduce much warmer tones around the eye to give it more life Finally I slightly overlay a leather photo texture to give the skin a slightly more realistic effect
by George Patsouras
In this tutorial I will explain how to paint realistic lips with Photoshop Before attempting to paint lips itrsquos essential that you practice drawing lips as well as the head in general to get the best results possible
How toPaint a Realistic Lips
medium | 30 min
adobe photoshop CS5
how to paint a realistic lips
27psd Photoshop
SketchI almost always start off with a sketch for my serious paintings and this one is no different I create a new layer and with a Hard Edged brush I quickly sketch in the lips Getting the lips to look right now just makes the painting process that much easier
02
03
Picking the right base colorPick a mid-tone for the skin one thatrsquos not too saturated or too light (a common mistake many artists make) To quickly fi ll in the canvas with a color I simply use the Gradient tool After itrsquos done I use a hard edged brush to paint in the red lips
Defi ning FormOnce I chose my base tone itrsquos time to defi ne the form of the skin The fi rst thing you must think of is where does the light come from In this case I decide to go for a fairly simple front light and shade accordingly Using a Hard Edged brush I use darker more saturated tones for the darker parts of the skin and a lighter less saturated tone for the highlights of the skin for a realistic effect Use a darker midtone for the lsquotoprsquo lip and bring out lighter tones for the bottom one (this works for most lighting situations)
01
workshop
28 psd Photoshop
Bringing out the HighlightsThings are still looking too fl at for me at this stage so I choose a much brighter midtone to bring out the form of the skin As always I simply use a hard edged brush at this step I bring out lighter tones on the lsquocornersrsquo of the lips the chin and on top of the lips
04
05
06
Smoothing out the SkinOnce Irsquom happy with my value statement I decide to soften everything out with a soft edged brush I choose Hardness 0 under my Brush Settingsand with a 50 Opacity I smoothen out the rough transitions
DetailsI start bringing texture to the lower lips using a fairly small Hard Edged brush I zoom closer here to make things easier and begin to paint the texture of the lips keeping the form in mind using a circular stroke Additionally I bring out a fairly harsh highlight at the top of the lips (the part that looks like a lsquoVrsquo) which gives the image a much more realistic feel
how to paint a realistic lips
29psd Photoshop
Even more detailsI bring more contrast to the image using lighter tones for the highlights and darker ones for shadows I introduce a fairly dark tone right underneath the lip above the chin for a realistic effect I also use a darker tone to separate the lsquobottomrsquo lip from the top giving the lips more depth in the process I also add a mole simply for the fun of it
07
08
Final Refi nementHere I add even more texture to the lips and use a very light almost white color on the bottom lips to bring more life and contrast to the image I clean the image out a bit in general and make sure everything appears as symmetrical as possible and voila Wersquore done
by George Patsouras
contributing writers
Editor in Chief Magdalena Mojska magdalenamojskapsdmagorg
Copy Editor Ed Werzyn Robert Coppa Art Director Agnieszka Marchocka
DTP Przemysław BanasiewiczSenior ConsultantPublisherPresident
Paweł Marciniak Managing Director Ewa Łozowicka
Marketing Director Magdalena Mojska magdalenamojskapsdmagorg
Production DirectorAndrzej Kuca andrzejkucapsdmagorg
Postal addressPublisher Software Press Spzoo SK
02-682 Warszawa ul Bokserska 1worldwide publishing wwwpsdmagorgen
All trade marks presented in the magazine were used only for informa-tive purposes All rights to trade marks presented in the magazine are
reserved by the companies which own themMathematical formulas created by Design Science MathTypetrade
The editors use automatic DTP systemEditorial contributions should be sent to
editorspsdmagorg Customer Service +1 917 338 3631
The Software Press Spzoo SK works individually from Adobe The psd Photoshop team reserves the right not to be responsible for the topical-ity correctness completeness or quality of the information provided by
contributors
Randy Monteith
I am self taught as an artist So any mistakes I have made are in-tentional All my ideas come from an over active imagination that is only put in check when I fi nish a piece of artwork and then the process begins again I have been working with Photoshop for al-most 7 years now I am lucky enough to have two images chosen for two of RedBubblersquos books GAIA and Compassion Courage and Friendship I have been interviewed in Photoshop Creative Maga-zine 14 and have images printed in Advanced Photoshop as well Recently in Issue 60 of Photoshop Creative Magazine the editors chose my portfolio on their webpage as one of the Top 5 rated portfolios I am not one to think outside the box but blow it to bits so stand back and watch me now
c o v e r a r t i s t
Alena Lazareva
My name is Alena I live in Russia I`m the digital artist and the illustrator My interests are art photography computer graph-ics I have been drawing since childhood I studied at the School of Art at the artist There I drew pictures in oils and watercolor is now engaged in graphic design During the last three years I have been enjoying working as a computer graphics artist I love to paint illustrations in the style of Fantasy mythical creatures fairies elves mermaids and angels and painting children fairy-tales I`m currently using Photoshop CS and tablet Wacom for of my artworks I hope you like my illustrationsWebsite wwwalenalazarevacome-mail alenkalazarevamailru
Armand Johnson
Irsquom a professional photographer and graphic designer from Northern Louisiana USA I have had the pleasure of working with celebrities non-profi t organizations and local talents within the Louisiana region Irsquove also provided public service to the area and worked with the local youth to teach them professionalism career goals and creative thinking I get a lot of my inspiration from what I observe which is everyday lifehttpwwwfl ickrcomphotosthearmandjohnsonhttpwwwtwittercomdajizzlehttpwwwcreatticacomcreativesthe-armand-john-son29390thearmandjohnsongmailcom
George Patsouras
George Patsouras is a freelance and concept artist residing from Long Island City NY His work can be seen in a variety of differ-ent projects including video games comic books as well as card games George specializes in depicting realistic fantasy images For more of his work be sure to check out his offi cial blog at httpcgaddictblogspotcom
Jose Paulo Reis
Irsquom a digital artist with 3 years of experience My passion is fashion photography creativity advertising photomanipula-tion and digital art Currently Irsquom working as a digital artist in Lalaland Studios (fashion photography) I love fashion and beauty photography and everything related with digital art Irsquom devoted to Photoshop and everyday Irsquom trying to improve my skillsEnjoy my works by visiting my blog wwwzepaulocreationblogspotcom
Naomi Bensen
Having been raised in a colorful environment of art music and creative learning it was only natural for me to gravitate towards photographymdasha medium that can catch a split second and make it last forever Behind the lens I have pursued my own unique style of photography that focuses on capturing natural and un-staged moments For me photography is more than taking a good picturemdashitrsquos about turning a moment into art Find me at httptheimaginationdeviantartcom
Ylenia Peronti
Irsquom 19 years old italian artist From 3 years I have a passion for photo retouch and generally for phtoshop so I started to practice retouch fi rst on what I call ldquoextreme makeoverrdquo as described in this tutorial and then devot himelf to studying professional photo retouching refi ning technical professional and actually retouch fashion shots Irsquom supermoderator in the Forum Graphics wwwgrafi cicreativicom and I manage especially the section of photoretouch you can fi nd me at the following links wwwyleniaperontiwordpresscom httpyleniucciadeviantartcom
interview
32 psd Photoshop
Interview withArmand Johnson
Please say a few words about yourselfI have a degree in Graphic Design and I really enjoy art all forms of it Whether that is music acting dancing painting photography etc I am intrigued by many different forms of art I DO like to play video games (when I have time but who doesnrsquot) and I DO consider video games as ART but thatrsquos a different subject Irsquom kind of laid back and very business like in my approach to most things
Why did you choose photo retouching and what do you find fascinating about itWhen I was in undergrad I collected plenty of music CDrsquos and DVDrsquos It always intrigued me how flawless and perfect looking the cover art was I thought to myself I want to reach that level of perfection in what I do But graduating with a BFA in Graphic Design kind of steered me away from that in some regards It wasnrsquot until about 5 years ago when my Aunt asked me to gather a couple of shots for some of my cousinrsquos promotional work that I begun to take retouch-ing very seriously After I took the shots I thought These images need to be presentable So I started to dabble with perfecting the images which pushed me into retouching By being a photographer retouching is essential to my workflow because I want my images to have that commercial professional appeal I want my work to look like it belongs in a magazine as a poster or on a billboard etc I find retouching fascinating because how one can push and perfect an image to hisher likings and to the clientrsquos likings as well Itrsquos a great feeling to boost someonersquos confidence by showing them the retouched image in comparison to the original It can help them gain or retain their ldquoswaggardquo
Irsquom a professional photographer and graphic designer from Northern Louisiana USA I have had the pleasure of working with celebrities non-profit organizations and local talents within the Louisiana region Irsquove also provided public service to the area and worked with the local youth to teach them professionalism career goals and creative thinking I get a lot of my inspiration from what I observe which is everyday life
See more of my works here
httpwwwflickrcomphotosthearmandjohnsonhttpwwwtwittercomdajizzlehttpwwwcreatticacomcreativesthe-armand-johnson29390
Contact me
thearmandjohnsongmailcom
interview with armand johnson
33psd Photoshop
Where do you look for the inspiration to createThere are several photographers and retouchers well known and not that inspire me with their work Joel Grimes and Dave Hill are probably the most prominent amongst the photographers I admire their approach to their craft and absolutely love their end result Other notable photographers are Dustin Snipes and Dallas J Logan As for retouchers I think Amy Dresser is amongst the best Her work is incredible Nick Saglimbeni is also Hersquos an awesome photographer and retoucher But that is just the list of people Nature and natural things are very inspiring because of their calming attributes Also
interview
34 psd Photoshop
there is a bevy of websites that are exceptionally useful for inspira-tion Abduzeedo is my favorite Being an artist you can get your in-spiration from anything and anywhere An idea can gravitate towards you at anytime
What are the main advantages of your profession and what can be discouraging about itAn advantage of being a retoucher is the payoff If yoursquore great at it you can eventually open up to a much larger clientele such as the entertainment (music movies etc) and fashion industries Once
interview with armand johnson
35psd Photoshop
yoursquore attached to some major clients your rep (credibility) increas-es for the better What can be discouraging is the journey to arrive at that stage There are many individuals proclaiming themselves pro-fessionals (whether photographers retouchers etc) that are hurt-ing the industry They are utterly confusing clients A random person with a camera is not a photographer and a random person with a copy of Photoshop is not retoucher A lot of lower level clients tend to desire commercial level work for pennies on the dollar Thatrsquos just not feasible Retouchers probably spend more time with an image than anyone else involved with the creative process They deserve to be compensated properly
Do you have any achievements that you are particularly proud ofYeah I just recently got a couple works approved on the major cre-ative website Creatticacom Also being featured in this magazine is very rewarding I look forward to achieving more goals and receiving more accolades Lifersquos a marathon not a sprint
What about your plans for the futureI plan on making my stamp within the industry as have the other successful digital artists Irsquoll always be refining and fine-tuning my craft to become more diverse I wonrsquot go into too much details cause I have a laundry list of things That could take all day ) But I will say this the pieces of the puzzle are beginning to fall into the right plac-es and I believe this interview and collaboration with PSD Photoshop magazine is a crucial step in this process
Do you have any advice to those who would like to become digital artists as wellBe artistic and approach things from a creative perspective I find many individuals wanting to be artists without being artistic or cre-ative Itrsquos a process not a fast food restaurant The creation of mas-terpieces and wonderful works of art takes careful planning time and effort There has to be a love for what you do Photoshop is only a tool which is used to create art It is not meant to replace it or the process of creating it
advanced | 45 min
adobe photoshop CS3
glamour retouch
37psd Photoshop
Blemish Removal and Skin SmoothingFirst open the RAW image and make a duplicate of the background layer by pressing [Ctrl]+[J] Name the bottom layer Retouch and the top layer Original This creates a quick toggle between the Before and After states This also allows you to monitor your progress and determine if you are making changes that have a negative effect on the results Turn off the top layer (Original) Nextcreate a new layer above the Retouch layer by pressing [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] Name this layer CleanUp With the Healing Brush [J] selected make sure Sam-ple All Layers is selected from the drop down menu and Aligned is checked Next use the Healing Brush as well as the Clone Stamp on the CleanUp layer to remove all the blemishes and imperfections The settings are 100 Opacity 100 with Sample All Layers and Alignedselected Once the skin is cleaned up create another layer above it [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] and name it Skin Select the Clone Stamp tool and use these settings 18-25 Opacity 100 Flow Sample All Layers and Aligned Use the Clone Stamp tool to even out the Highlight Shadowand Midtone areas giving the skin a very smooth fl awless appear-ance Lastly apply a little noise the layer Go to FiltergtNoisegtAdd Noise and set the amount to 25 - 50 and the distribution to Gauss-ian After initially cleaning and smoothing the skin group those layers together by holding down the [Shift] key and selecting both of them and [Ctrl]+[G] to group them Rename the group CleanUp
01
02Color BoostAbove the CleanUp group create a Curves Adjustment Layer and name it CB - Curves Use three points along the slope 255 255 0 0 and 148 112 within the RGB channel Then create a LevelsAdjustment Layer naming it CB - Levels Within the RGB chan-nel using these values 10 115 245 Group together these two Adjustment Layers and name the group Overall because it af-fects the overall image Then create a Curves Adjustment Layerabove the grouped layers and insert four points along the slope Keep the two default points 255255 and 0 0 Add two more 35 43 and 211 201 (or somewhere within that tonal range) also in the RGB channel Rename this layer Jewelry Select the Mask by clicking on it and fi ll the Mask with Black Use the Brush tool with the foreground color set to White and paint only over the jewelry Rename this layer Jewelry Create a fi nal Curves adjustment layer above the Jewelry layer and name it Hair Use settings very simi-lar to those on the Jewelry layer within the RGB channel Select the Mask fi ll it with Black and paint over the hair with a Whitebrush Group all of these Adjustment Layers together and name the group Color Boost
GlamourRetouchIn this tutorial I will show you how I performed a Glamour retouch on a photo of my beautiful friend Asia I photographed her against a black background for a dramatic and edgy effect as well as using various Photoshop tools to achieve that ldquoglamour lookrdquo that many magazines and print work use I will be using Photoshop CS3 but any higher version should work as well The tools I will be using are Adjustment Layers Filters and Blending Modes as well as the Clone Stamp Brush and Healing Brush tools
photo retouch
38 psd Photoshop
Highlight and ShadowCreate a new layer and name it FaceBody and set the Blending Mode to Soft Light Set the foreground color to White select the Brush tool with the settings Opacity 100 Flow 2 and paint over the naturally highlighted areas bring-ing out the highlights Then set the foreground color to Black using the same settings and paint over the naturally shadowed areas increasing the contrast in the image Add a Gaussian BlurFiltergtBlurgtGaussian Blur to the layer with a ra-dius setting of 15 ndash 30 Repeat these steps on a new layer named Hair with the Blending Mode set to Overlay Create another new layer named Jew-elry with the Blending Mode set to Overlay as well Once fi nished rearrange the layers so that they are in this order from top to bottom Hair FaceBody Jewelry Lastly group these layers together and name the group HLSH or HighlightShadow
04
05SharpenMake a new layer by combining all visible layers [Shift]+[Alt]+[Ctrl]+[E] This creates a new layer consisting of all the information from the bottom layers Make this a smart object by right ndash click-ing on the layer and selecting Convert to Smart Object This makes the layer a Smart Object allow-ing the use of Smart Filters Duplicate this layer and rename the copy HP 65 and the original layer Sharpen Turn off the HP 65 layer With the Sharp-en layer selected go to FiltergtSharpengtUnSharp Mask using these settings Amount 60 Radius2500 Threshold 10 With the Blending Mode set to Normal adjust the Opacity within the 30 - 40 range and the Fill within the 75 - 90 range Then turn on the HP 65 Layer and select it Set the Blending Mode to Overlay and go to FiltergtOthergtHigh Pass Set the Radius to 65 and the Opacity within the 65 - 75 range and the Fillwithin the 90 - 95 range Finally group these two layers together and name the group Sharpen
03
Color CorrectionCreate a new layer and name it Color CorrectionSet the Blending Mode to Color Set the Brush tool to a SoftFeather setting with the Hardness to 15 Set Black as the foreground color and paint over the lips Then use Gold as the foreground color and paint over the ldquoCoachrdquo text and the handle of the sunglasses changing them from Silver to GoldSelect various colors from the skin and paint over the discolorations in the skin Put the layer in its own group and name that group Color Correction
glamour retouch
39psd Photoshop
EffectsCreate a new layer and name it Sparkles With the Pen tool create a fi ve ndash point sparkle Once fi nished drawing the outline right ndash click and select Make Selection feathering the selection by 1 pixel Make sure the Anti-aliased box is checked and the New Selection option is selected Fill the selection with White Then make several copies (four should be enough) of this layer and move the various spar-kles to certain areas on the jewelry and sunglasses Resize those sparkles individually using transform [Ctrl]+[T] Once the sparkles are at sizes you are comfortable with click on the top most layer (Sparkles Copy 4) hold the shift key then the original Sparkles lay-er and merge them by pressing [Ctrl]+[E] Rename this layer Spar-kles Then add a layer style to the layer by double ndash clicking on it I selected Outer Glow In the options for the Outer Glow effect leave the default setting only changing the Size to 3 pixels Lastly place this layer into its own group and name that group Effects Switch the Original layer OnOff and enjoy the result
by Armand Johnson
07
06
Cool DownCreate a HueSaturation Adjustment Layer mak-ing sure it is set to the Master channel Set the Saturation to -100 This turns the image black and white Set the Blending Mode set to Normalthe Opacity within the 40 - 50 range and the Fill within the 70 - 90 range Select the Maskset the foreground color to 40 Gray and fi ll the mask Paint over only the jewelry and the colored sections of the hair This brings back some of the original color but not too much of it Finally group only this layer and name it Cool Down
How to change the eye color very quickly but efficiently
How to change
eye color
beginer | 10 min
adobe photoshop CS4
how to change eye color
41psd Photoshop
Step 1First open the photos select the pupil of the eye using the method you prefer (Polygonal lassoMagnetic lasso pen etc) I used the Magnetic lasso in this case Right click the mouse on the Selection and select New Layer via Copy Rename the layer eyes
02
03
Step 2Make sure that in the Layers palette is selected layer eyes and from the menu Image select HuegtSaturation adjustments When the window will be open move the Hues cursor until you fi nd the satisfying color If you want from the same HuegtSaturation window we can also modify the saturation and brightness to achieve different ef-fects Heres an example set the Hue value on 44You can also customize more the color using the color balance adjustment selected from the menu ImagegtAdjustmentsgtColor Balance and reduce the opacity of the layer eyes to adjust the effect
Step 3For a more aesthetic effect you can use the Dodge tool selected from the Tools palette Set Light to a 5-10 opacity (or an opacity that allows to achieve the desired effect) and use Dodge toolwithin the colored part of the eye Select Burn tool(also an Opacity of 5) set to Midtones and Burn-ing to defi ne better the outline of the eye
by Ylenia Peronti
42 psd Photoshop
interview
2 pas Photoshop
Tell us about your first steps in photographyMy dad is a really good photographer and he showed me how to use his Nikon film camera when I was young and how to de-
Interview withApril Elizabeth
Can you introduce yourself to our readersMy name is April Elizabeth I am a creative photographer from the small snowy town of Ishpeming in Upper Peninsula of Michigan
April Elizabeth is an internationally published photographer from Ishpeming Michigan Her photos have appeared in magazines on book covers and websites Her clients include Random house HarperCollins Publishing and The Portland Beanie Company
43psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
3psd Photoshop
velop the film I really enjoyed it but it was expensive and I was unable to really get into photography until digital cameras came along I started with a point and shoot camera and went from there
Why did you choose this professionI think it sort of chose me Irsquove always liked photography but I never in my life imagined myself going anywhere with it That all changed when I bought my first slr and asked a local model to do a photo
44 psd Photoshop
interview
4 pas Photoshop
shoot with me I was nervous because I had never done any-thing like that before and I wasnrsquot com-pletely sure how the camera worked but the pictures turned out great and soon more and more peo-ple wanted to work with me
Where do you get the inspiration for your worksIrsquove always been an introverted day-dreamer with an
overly active imagination When other people are liv-ing their life I am looking around and thinking of sto-ries Irsquove always wanted to be a writer but photography lets me tell stories with pic-tures and as long as I can tell a story I am happy
What do you like the most about being a photographer and what are the main difficulties for youIf I am not creating some-thing I feel frustrated I like that my job lets me cre-ate things while making people feel beautiful and good about themselves I enjoy taking pictures that have a fantasy quality to them so that people in the photos can be part of something a little magi-cal instead of ordinary and people who see the photos will feel inspired One of the main difficul-ties I have is my location the middle of nowhere in the Midwest Winter lasts around 7-8 months and itrsquos always very harsh and with a lot of snow I donrsquot have a studio or anyplace indoors thatI can go to so this means I only have a very short amount of time in the year that I can really do many photo shoots
45psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
5psd Photoshop
Do you have any personal achievements you are particularly proud ofIrsquom very proud that my photo Shy with over 35550 favs is one of the most popular photos ever to be up-loaded to the website deviantart Itrsquos unreal to me Irsquom also proud that two photos of mine have been licensed to be on book covers Growing up I never thought any-thing like that could ever happen to me Being in magazines such as this one is also very nice All of these things make me feel like Irsquove accomplished something in life and gives me confidence that I can do even more
What are your plans for futureIrsquod like to get a studio someday And Irsquod like to get into stock photogra-phy Irsquom also working on a gothic romance novel called Whispering Pines and a book of short scary stories I guess I plan on just creat-ing more and trying to improve in everything I do
What would you advice to the young photographersDonrsquot worry about what kind of cam-era or equipment you have Just fo-cus on what you have now and try to create something beautiful with it Itrsquos the photographer that makes the picture good not the camera
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many successful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quitting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many suc-cessful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quit-ting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
A photographerrsquos main goal is to take a photo that makes the viewer feel a strong emotion towards it whether it is love hate anger or passion But when a photo is excellently taken yet the colors lighting and texture dont match up to the photoers vision a photo will become uninspiring This tutorial will teach you how to take your photo to the next level and create an image that matches your vision
Makingthe Mood
making the mood
47psd Photoshop
Step 1The fi rst step in changing a photo is doing the ba-sics You have to prepare your photo before you can move to the fun stuff In this pickture I got rid of any noticeable blemishes the model had and g of noticeable hair that were going across her face to give more clear picture of the model I did this using the Patch and Clone Stamp tool When edit-ing a model make sure to always keep texture in the skin its more interesting that way as opposed to having a models face which is completely air-brushed
02
03
Step 2The next step I took was darkening the whole photo I knew that I wanted the photo to be much darker than it currently was I could have just used the Curves tool or Levels but I fi nd that when overusing the Curves tool a photo starts to look overly contrasted which I dont want So instead I used a light gradient (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtGradient Map) and changed the Blending mode from Normal to Multiply Doing this gives the photo a lot more depth but doesnt darken it completely
Step 3As soon as Ive got my basic photo ready I knew that the yellowish tinge was not the effect I was going for so I used both the Color Balance tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtColor Balance)and the Selective Color tool (LayergtNew Adjust-ment LayergtColor Balance)
01
photomanipulation
48 psd Photoshop
Step 4The next thing I noticed was that my models face was not highlighted enough it was getting lost in the midst of forest and darkness so I made two new layers One layer was for the models face and I simply used a soft Photoshop brush with 0 Hardness and drew over the models face and the snakes body I then changed both layers Blending Mode from Normal to Screen and applied a Box blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 543 pixels to both so they wouldnt be as noticeable Remember you just want hints of light just enough so the models face and the snake is highlighted
04
05
06
Step 5The fi fth step is more or less a repeat of a step number three I liked the way photo looked but it wasnt nearly as dramatic as it could be So now I fi nally decided to use the Curves tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtCurves) to darken and light certain areas making sure again not to overdo it but to give it enough contrast to really bring out the picture Next I made two new Selective Colorlayers (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtSelective Color) One Selective Colors layer changed the leaves and clothes but not the models face to a more dark blue tint while the second Selective Color layer brightened the snakes skin
Step 6The next thing I did was making another two lay-ers I still wanted to brighten only the snakes skin so for the fi rst layer I changed the Blending modefrom Normal to Soft Light and then used a brush with 0 Hardness and carefully painted over the snake It took a few variations before I found a color I liked Its helpful to remember to also look at the whole picture In the next layer I created I simply wanted to add a little more color to the shrubbery in the background so I made another layer and again changed the blending mode from Normal to Soft Light I used a soft brush with 0 Hardness and a maroon and yellow color just to add a little variation from my usual palette of blue I then added it all along the bushes and used the Box Blur tool at 483 pixels also changing the Blending mode from Normal to Screen to make it less obvious
making the mood
49psd Photoshop
Step 7The fi nal step I took to fi nish setting the mood for my photo was adding a texture and chang-ing the Blending Mode from Normal to Soft LightI found that the texture was to overpowering at 100 Opacity so I lowered it to 77 I next added my fi nal layer and created a vignette around my photo by using a brush with a Hardness of 100 and then brushed it around the outer edges of the photo particularly around the four corners I then applied a Box Blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 693 pixels to the layer creating a nice dark blurred ef-fect
by Naomi Bensen
07
In this tutorial I will explain how to paint realistic lips with Photoshop Before attempting to paint lips itrsquos essential that you practice drawing lips as well as the head in general to get the best results possible
How toPaint a Realistic Lips
medium | 30 min
adobe photoshop CS5
how to paint a realistic lips
27psd Photoshop
SketchI almost always start off with a sketch for my serious paintings and this one is no different I create a new layer and with a Hard Edged brush I quickly sketch in the lips Getting the lips to look right now just makes the painting process that much easier
02
03
Picking the right base colorPick a mid-tone for the skin one thatrsquos not too saturated or too light (a common mistake many artists make) To quickly fi ll in the canvas with a color I simply use the Gradient tool After itrsquos done I use a hard edged brush to paint in the red lips
Defi ning FormOnce I chose my base tone itrsquos time to defi ne the form of the skin The fi rst thing you must think of is where does the light come from In this case I decide to go for a fairly simple front light and shade accordingly Using a Hard Edged brush I use darker more saturated tones for the darker parts of the skin and a lighter less saturated tone for the highlights of the skin for a realistic effect Use a darker midtone for the lsquotoprsquo lip and bring out lighter tones for the bottom one (this works for most lighting situations)
01
workshop
28 psd Photoshop
Bringing out the HighlightsThings are still looking too fl at for me at this stage so I choose a much brighter midtone to bring out the form of the skin As always I simply use a hard edged brush at this step I bring out lighter tones on the lsquocornersrsquo of the lips the chin and on top of the lips
04
05
06
Smoothing out the SkinOnce Irsquom happy with my value statement I decide to soften everything out with a soft edged brush I choose Hardness 0 under my Brush Settingsand with a 50 Opacity I smoothen out the rough transitions
DetailsI start bringing texture to the lower lips using a fairly small Hard Edged brush I zoom closer here to make things easier and begin to paint the texture of the lips keeping the form in mind using a circular stroke Additionally I bring out a fairly harsh highlight at the top of the lips (the part that looks like a lsquoVrsquo) which gives the image a much more realistic feel
how to paint a realistic lips
29psd Photoshop
Even more detailsI bring more contrast to the image using lighter tones for the highlights and darker ones for shadows I introduce a fairly dark tone right underneath the lip above the chin for a realistic effect I also use a darker tone to separate the lsquobottomrsquo lip from the top giving the lips more depth in the process I also add a mole simply for the fun of it
07
08
Final Refi nementHere I add even more texture to the lips and use a very light almost white color on the bottom lips to bring more life and contrast to the image I clean the image out a bit in general and make sure everything appears as symmetrical as possible and voila Wersquore done
by George Patsouras
contributing writers
Editor in Chief Magdalena Mojska magdalenamojskapsdmagorg
Copy Editor Ed Werzyn Robert Coppa Art Director Agnieszka Marchocka
DTP Przemysław BanasiewiczSenior ConsultantPublisherPresident
Paweł Marciniak Managing Director Ewa Łozowicka
Marketing Director Magdalena Mojska magdalenamojskapsdmagorg
Production DirectorAndrzej Kuca andrzejkucapsdmagorg
Postal addressPublisher Software Press Spzoo SK
02-682 Warszawa ul Bokserska 1worldwide publishing wwwpsdmagorgen
All trade marks presented in the magazine were used only for informa-tive purposes All rights to trade marks presented in the magazine are
reserved by the companies which own themMathematical formulas created by Design Science MathTypetrade
The editors use automatic DTP systemEditorial contributions should be sent to
editorspsdmagorg Customer Service +1 917 338 3631
The Software Press Spzoo SK works individually from Adobe The psd Photoshop team reserves the right not to be responsible for the topical-ity correctness completeness or quality of the information provided by
contributors
Randy Monteith
I am self taught as an artist So any mistakes I have made are in-tentional All my ideas come from an over active imagination that is only put in check when I fi nish a piece of artwork and then the process begins again I have been working with Photoshop for al-most 7 years now I am lucky enough to have two images chosen for two of RedBubblersquos books GAIA and Compassion Courage and Friendship I have been interviewed in Photoshop Creative Maga-zine 14 and have images printed in Advanced Photoshop as well Recently in Issue 60 of Photoshop Creative Magazine the editors chose my portfolio on their webpage as one of the Top 5 rated portfolios I am not one to think outside the box but blow it to bits so stand back and watch me now
c o v e r a r t i s t
Alena Lazareva
My name is Alena I live in Russia I`m the digital artist and the illustrator My interests are art photography computer graph-ics I have been drawing since childhood I studied at the School of Art at the artist There I drew pictures in oils and watercolor is now engaged in graphic design During the last three years I have been enjoying working as a computer graphics artist I love to paint illustrations in the style of Fantasy mythical creatures fairies elves mermaids and angels and painting children fairy-tales I`m currently using Photoshop CS and tablet Wacom for of my artworks I hope you like my illustrationsWebsite wwwalenalazarevacome-mail alenkalazarevamailru
Armand Johnson
Irsquom a professional photographer and graphic designer from Northern Louisiana USA I have had the pleasure of working with celebrities non-profi t organizations and local talents within the Louisiana region Irsquove also provided public service to the area and worked with the local youth to teach them professionalism career goals and creative thinking I get a lot of my inspiration from what I observe which is everyday lifehttpwwwfl ickrcomphotosthearmandjohnsonhttpwwwtwittercomdajizzlehttpwwwcreatticacomcreativesthe-armand-john-son29390thearmandjohnsongmailcom
George Patsouras
George Patsouras is a freelance and concept artist residing from Long Island City NY His work can be seen in a variety of differ-ent projects including video games comic books as well as card games George specializes in depicting realistic fantasy images For more of his work be sure to check out his offi cial blog at httpcgaddictblogspotcom
Jose Paulo Reis
Irsquom a digital artist with 3 years of experience My passion is fashion photography creativity advertising photomanipula-tion and digital art Currently Irsquom working as a digital artist in Lalaland Studios (fashion photography) I love fashion and beauty photography and everything related with digital art Irsquom devoted to Photoshop and everyday Irsquom trying to improve my skillsEnjoy my works by visiting my blog wwwzepaulocreationblogspotcom
Naomi Bensen
Having been raised in a colorful environment of art music and creative learning it was only natural for me to gravitate towards photographymdasha medium that can catch a split second and make it last forever Behind the lens I have pursued my own unique style of photography that focuses on capturing natural and un-staged moments For me photography is more than taking a good picturemdashitrsquos about turning a moment into art Find me at httptheimaginationdeviantartcom
Ylenia Peronti
Irsquom 19 years old italian artist From 3 years I have a passion for photo retouch and generally for phtoshop so I started to practice retouch fi rst on what I call ldquoextreme makeoverrdquo as described in this tutorial and then devot himelf to studying professional photo retouching refi ning technical professional and actually retouch fashion shots Irsquom supermoderator in the Forum Graphics wwwgrafi cicreativicom and I manage especially the section of photoretouch you can fi nd me at the following links wwwyleniaperontiwordpresscom httpyleniucciadeviantartcom
interview
32 psd Photoshop
Interview withArmand Johnson
Please say a few words about yourselfI have a degree in Graphic Design and I really enjoy art all forms of it Whether that is music acting dancing painting photography etc I am intrigued by many different forms of art I DO like to play video games (when I have time but who doesnrsquot) and I DO consider video games as ART but thatrsquos a different subject Irsquom kind of laid back and very business like in my approach to most things
Why did you choose photo retouching and what do you find fascinating about itWhen I was in undergrad I collected plenty of music CDrsquos and DVDrsquos It always intrigued me how flawless and perfect looking the cover art was I thought to myself I want to reach that level of perfection in what I do But graduating with a BFA in Graphic Design kind of steered me away from that in some regards It wasnrsquot until about 5 years ago when my Aunt asked me to gather a couple of shots for some of my cousinrsquos promotional work that I begun to take retouch-ing very seriously After I took the shots I thought These images need to be presentable So I started to dabble with perfecting the images which pushed me into retouching By being a photographer retouching is essential to my workflow because I want my images to have that commercial professional appeal I want my work to look like it belongs in a magazine as a poster or on a billboard etc I find retouching fascinating because how one can push and perfect an image to hisher likings and to the clientrsquos likings as well Itrsquos a great feeling to boost someonersquos confidence by showing them the retouched image in comparison to the original It can help them gain or retain their ldquoswaggardquo
Irsquom a professional photographer and graphic designer from Northern Louisiana USA I have had the pleasure of working with celebrities non-profit organizations and local talents within the Louisiana region Irsquove also provided public service to the area and worked with the local youth to teach them professionalism career goals and creative thinking I get a lot of my inspiration from what I observe which is everyday life
See more of my works here
httpwwwflickrcomphotosthearmandjohnsonhttpwwwtwittercomdajizzlehttpwwwcreatticacomcreativesthe-armand-johnson29390
Contact me
thearmandjohnsongmailcom
interview with armand johnson
33psd Photoshop
Where do you look for the inspiration to createThere are several photographers and retouchers well known and not that inspire me with their work Joel Grimes and Dave Hill are probably the most prominent amongst the photographers I admire their approach to their craft and absolutely love their end result Other notable photographers are Dustin Snipes and Dallas J Logan As for retouchers I think Amy Dresser is amongst the best Her work is incredible Nick Saglimbeni is also Hersquos an awesome photographer and retoucher But that is just the list of people Nature and natural things are very inspiring because of their calming attributes Also
interview
34 psd Photoshop
there is a bevy of websites that are exceptionally useful for inspira-tion Abduzeedo is my favorite Being an artist you can get your in-spiration from anything and anywhere An idea can gravitate towards you at anytime
What are the main advantages of your profession and what can be discouraging about itAn advantage of being a retoucher is the payoff If yoursquore great at it you can eventually open up to a much larger clientele such as the entertainment (music movies etc) and fashion industries Once
interview with armand johnson
35psd Photoshop
yoursquore attached to some major clients your rep (credibility) increas-es for the better What can be discouraging is the journey to arrive at that stage There are many individuals proclaiming themselves pro-fessionals (whether photographers retouchers etc) that are hurt-ing the industry They are utterly confusing clients A random person with a camera is not a photographer and a random person with a copy of Photoshop is not retoucher A lot of lower level clients tend to desire commercial level work for pennies on the dollar Thatrsquos just not feasible Retouchers probably spend more time with an image than anyone else involved with the creative process They deserve to be compensated properly
Do you have any achievements that you are particularly proud ofYeah I just recently got a couple works approved on the major cre-ative website Creatticacom Also being featured in this magazine is very rewarding I look forward to achieving more goals and receiving more accolades Lifersquos a marathon not a sprint
What about your plans for the futureI plan on making my stamp within the industry as have the other successful digital artists Irsquoll always be refining and fine-tuning my craft to become more diverse I wonrsquot go into too much details cause I have a laundry list of things That could take all day ) But I will say this the pieces of the puzzle are beginning to fall into the right plac-es and I believe this interview and collaboration with PSD Photoshop magazine is a crucial step in this process
Do you have any advice to those who would like to become digital artists as wellBe artistic and approach things from a creative perspective I find many individuals wanting to be artists without being artistic or cre-ative Itrsquos a process not a fast food restaurant The creation of mas-terpieces and wonderful works of art takes careful planning time and effort There has to be a love for what you do Photoshop is only a tool which is used to create art It is not meant to replace it or the process of creating it
advanced | 45 min
adobe photoshop CS3
glamour retouch
37psd Photoshop
Blemish Removal and Skin SmoothingFirst open the RAW image and make a duplicate of the background layer by pressing [Ctrl]+[J] Name the bottom layer Retouch and the top layer Original This creates a quick toggle between the Before and After states This also allows you to monitor your progress and determine if you are making changes that have a negative effect on the results Turn off the top layer (Original) Nextcreate a new layer above the Retouch layer by pressing [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] Name this layer CleanUp With the Healing Brush [J] selected make sure Sam-ple All Layers is selected from the drop down menu and Aligned is checked Next use the Healing Brush as well as the Clone Stamp on the CleanUp layer to remove all the blemishes and imperfections The settings are 100 Opacity 100 with Sample All Layers and Alignedselected Once the skin is cleaned up create another layer above it [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] and name it Skin Select the Clone Stamp tool and use these settings 18-25 Opacity 100 Flow Sample All Layers and Aligned Use the Clone Stamp tool to even out the Highlight Shadowand Midtone areas giving the skin a very smooth fl awless appear-ance Lastly apply a little noise the layer Go to FiltergtNoisegtAdd Noise and set the amount to 25 - 50 and the distribution to Gauss-ian After initially cleaning and smoothing the skin group those layers together by holding down the [Shift] key and selecting both of them and [Ctrl]+[G] to group them Rename the group CleanUp
01
02Color BoostAbove the CleanUp group create a Curves Adjustment Layer and name it CB - Curves Use three points along the slope 255 255 0 0 and 148 112 within the RGB channel Then create a LevelsAdjustment Layer naming it CB - Levels Within the RGB chan-nel using these values 10 115 245 Group together these two Adjustment Layers and name the group Overall because it af-fects the overall image Then create a Curves Adjustment Layerabove the grouped layers and insert four points along the slope Keep the two default points 255255 and 0 0 Add two more 35 43 and 211 201 (or somewhere within that tonal range) also in the RGB channel Rename this layer Jewelry Select the Mask by clicking on it and fi ll the Mask with Black Use the Brush tool with the foreground color set to White and paint only over the jewelry Rename this layer Jewelry Create a fi nal Curves adjustment layer above the Jewelry layer and name it Hair Use settings very simi-lar to those on the Jewelry layer within the RGB channel Select the Mask fi ll it with Black and paint over the hair with a Whitebrush Group all of these Adjustment Layers together and name the group Color Boost
GlamourRetouchIn this tutorial I will show you how I performed a Glamour retouch on a photo of my beautiful friend Asia I photographed her against a black background for a dramatic and edgy effect as well as using various Photoshop tools to achieve that ldquoglamour lookrdquo that many magazines and print work use I will be using Photoshop CS3 but any higher version should work as well The tools I will be using are Adjustment Layers Filters and Blending Modes as well as the Clone Stamp Brush and Healing Brush tools
photo retouch
38 psd Photoshop
Highlight and ShadowCreate a new layer and name it FaceBody and set the Blending Mode to Soft Light Set the foreground color to White select the Brush tool with the settings Opacity 100 Flow 2 and paint over the naturally highlighted areas bring-ing out the highlights Then set the foreground color to Black using the same settings and paint over the naturally shadowed areas increasing the contrast in the image Add a Gaussian BlurFiltergtBlurgtGaussian Blur to the layer with a ra-dius setting of 15 ndash 30 Repeat these steps on a new layer named Hair with the Blending Mode set to Overlay Create another new layer named Jew-elry with the Blending Mode set to Overlay as well Once fi nished rearrange the layers so that they are in this order from top to bottom Hair FaceBody Jewelry Lastly group these layers together and name the group HLSH or HighlightShadow
04
05SharpenMake a new layer by combining all visible layers [Shift]+[Alt]+[Ctrl]+[E] This creates a new layer consisting of all the information from the bottom layers Make this a smart object by right ndash click-ing on the layer and selecting Convert to Smart Object This makes the layer a Smart Object allow-ing the use of Smart Filters Duplicate this layer and rename the copy HP 65 and the original layer Sharpen Turn off the HP 65 layer With the Sharp-en layer selected go to FiltergtSharpengtUnSharp Mask using these settings Amount 60 Radius2500 Threshold 10 With the Blending Mode set to Normal adjust the Opacity within the 30 - 40 range and the Fill within the 75 - 90 range Then turn on the HP 65 Layer and select it Set the Blending Mode to Overlay and go to FiltergtOthergtHigh Pass Set the Radius to 65 and the Opacity within the 65 - 75 range and the Fillwithin the 90 - 95 range Finally group these two layers together and name the group Sharpen
03
Color CorrectionCreate a new layer and name it Color CorrectionSet the Blending Mode to Color Set the Brush tool to a SoftFeather setting with the Hardness to 15 Set Black as the foreground color and paint over the lips Then use Gold as the foreground color and paint over the ldquoCoachrdquo text and the handle of the sunglasses changing them from Silver to GoldSelect various colors from the skin and paint over the discolorations in the skin Put the layer in its own group and name that group Color Correction
glamour retouch
39psd Photoshop
EffectsCreate a new layer and name it Sparkles With the Pen tool create a fi ve ndash point sparkle Once fi nished drawing the outline right ndash click and select Make Selection feathering the selection by 1 pixel Make sure the Anti-aliased box is checked and the New Selection option is selected Fill the selection with White Then make several copies (four should be enough) of this layer and move the various spar-kles to certain areas on the jewelry and sunglasses Resize those sparkles individually using transform [Ctrl]+[T] Once the sparkles are at sizes you are comfortable with click on the top most layer (Sparkles Copy 4) hold the shift key then the original Sparkles lay-er and merge them by pressing [Ctrl]+[E] Rename this layer Spar-kles Then add a layer style to the layer by double ndash clicking on it I selected Outer Glow In the options for the Outer Glow effect leave the default setting only changing the Size to 3 pixels Lastly place this layer into its own group and name that group Effects Switch the Original layer OnOff and enjoy the result
by Armand Johnson
07
06
Cool DownCreate a HueSaturation Adjustment Layer mak-ing sure it is set to the Master channel Set the Saturation to -100 This turns the image black and white Set the Blending Mode set to Normalthe Opacity within the 40 - 50 range and the Fill within the 70 - 90 range Select the Maskset the foreground color to 40 Gray and fi ll the mask Paint over only the jewelry and the colored sections of the hair This brings back some of the original color but not too much of it Finally group only this layer and name it Cool Down
How to change the eye color very quickly but efficiently
How to change
eye color
beginer | 10 min
adobe photoshop CS4
how to change eye color
41psd Photoshop
Step 1First open the photos select the pupil of the eye using the method you prefer (Polygonal lassoMagnetic lasso pen etc) I used the Magnetic lasso in this case Right click the mouse on the Selection and select New Layer via Copy Rename the layer eyes
02
03
Step 2Make sure that in the Layers palette is selected layer eyes and from the menu Image select HuegtSaturation adjustments When the window will be open move the Hues cursor until you fi nd the satisfying color If you want from the same HuegtSaturation window we can also modify the saturation and brightness to achieve different ef-fects Heres an example set the Hue value on 44You can also customize more the color using the color balance adjustment selected from the menu ImagegtAdjustmentsgtColor Balance and reduce the opacity of the layer eyes to adjust the effect
Step 3For a more aesthetic effect you can use the Dodge tool selected from the Tools palette Set Light to a 5-10 opacity (or an opacity that allows to achieve the desired effect) and use Dodge toolwithin the colored part of the eye Select Burn tool(also an Opacity of 5) set to Midtones and Burn-ing to defi ne better the outline of the eye
by Ylenia Peronti
42 psd Photoshop
interview
2 pas Photoshop
Tell us about your first steps in photographyMy dad is a really good photographer and he showed me how to use his Nikon film camera when I was young and how to de-
Interview withApril Elizabeth
Can you introduce yourself to our readersMy name is April Elizabeth I am a creative photographer from the small snowy town of Ishpeming in Upper Peninsula of Michigan
April Elizabeth is an internationally published photographer from Ishpeming Michigan Her photos have appeared in magazines on book covers and websites Her clients include Random house HarperCollins Publishing and The Portland Beanie Company
43psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
3psd Photoshop
velop the film I really enjoyed it but it was expensive and I was unable to really get into photography until digital cameras came along I started with a point and shoot camera and went from there
Why did you choose this professionI think it sort of chose me Irsquove always liked photography but I never in my life imagined myself going anywhere with it That all changed when I bought my first slr and asked a local model to do a photo
44 psd Photoshop
interview
4 pas Photoshop
shoot with me I was nervous because I had never done any-thing like that before and I wasnrsquot com-pletely sure how the camera worked but the pictures turned out great and soon more and more peo-ple wanted to work with me
Where do you get the inspiration for your worksIrsquove always been an introverted day-dreamer with an
overly active imagination When other people are liv-ing their life I am looking around and thinking of sto-ries Irsquove always wanted to be a writer but photography lets me tell stories with pic-tures and as long as I can tell a story I am happy
What do you like the most about being a photographer and what are the main difficulties for youIf I am not creating some-thing I feel frustrated I like that my job lets me cre-ate things while making people feel beautiful and good about themselves I enjoy taking pictures that have a fantasy quality to them so that people in the photos can be part of something a little magi-cal instead of ordinary and people who see the photos will feel inspired One of the main difficul-ties I have is my location the middle of nowhere in the Midwest Winter lasts around 7-8 months and itrsquos always very harsh and with a lot of snow I donrsquot have a studio or anyplace indoors thatI can go to so this means I only have a very short amount of time in the year that I can really do many photo shoots
45psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
5psd Photoshop
Do you have any personal achievements you are particularly proud ofIrsquom very proud that my photo Shy with over 35550 favs is one of the most popular photos ever to be up-loaded to the website deviantart Itrsquos unreal to me Irsquom also proud that two photos of mine have been licensed to be on book covers Growing up I never thought any-thing like that could ever happen to me Being in magazines such as this one is also very nice All of these things make me feel like Irsquove accomplished something in life and gives me confidence that I can do even more
What are your plans for futureIrsquod like to get a studio someday And Irsquod like to get into stock photogra-phy Irsquom also working on a gothic romance novel called Whispering Pines and a book of short scary stories I guess I plan on just creat-ing more and trying to improve in everything I do
What would you advice to the young photographersDonrsquot worry about what kind of cam-era or equipment you have Just fo-cus on what you have now and try to create something beautiful with it Itrsquos the photographer that makes the picture good not the camera
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many successful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quitting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many suc-cessful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quit-ting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
A photographerrsquos main goal is to take a photo that makes the viewer feel a strong emotion towards it whether it is love hate anger or passion But when a photo is excellently taken yet the colors lighting and texture dont match up to the photoers vision a photo will become uninspiring This tutorial will teach you how to take your photo to the next level and create an image that matches your vision
Makingthe Mood
making the mood
47psd Photoshop
Step 1The fi rst step in changing a photo is doing the ba-sics You have to prepare your photo before you can move to the fun stuff In this pickture I got rid of any noticeable blemishes the model had and g of noticeable hair that were going across her face to give more clear picture of the model I did this using the Patch and Clone Stamp tool When edit-ing a model make sure to always keep texture in the skin its more interesting that way as opposed to having a models face which is completely air-brushed
02
03
Step 2The next step I took was darkening the whole photo I knew that I wanted the photo to be much darker than it currently was I could have just used the Curves tool or Levels but I fi nd that when overusing the Curves tool a photo starts to look overly contrasted which I dont want So instead I used a light gradient (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtGradient Map) and changed the Blending mode from Normal to Multiply Doing this gives the photo a lot more depth but doesnt darken it completely
Step 3As soon as Ive got my basic photo ready I knew that the yellowish tinge was not the effect I was going for so I used both the Color Balance tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtColor Balance)and the Selective Color tool (LayergtNew Adjust-ment LayergtColor Balance)
01
photomanipulation
48 psd Photoshop
Step 4The next thing I noticed was that my models face was not highlighted enough it was getting lost in the midst of forest and darkness so I made two new layers One layer was for the models face and I simply used a soft Photoshop brush with 0 Hardness and drew over the models face and the snakes body I then changed both layers Blending Mode from Normal to Screen and applied a Box blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 543 pixels to both so they wouldnt be as noticeable Remember you just want hints of light just enough so the models face and the snake is highlighted
04
05
06
Step 5The fi fth step is more or less a repeat of a step number three I liked the way photo looked but it wasnt nearly as dramatic as it could be So now I fi nally decided to use the Curves tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtCurves) to darken and light certain areas making sure again not to overdo it but to give it enough contrast to really bring out the picture Next I made two new Selective Colorlayers (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtSelective Color) One Selective Colors layer changed the leaves and clothes but not the models face to a more dark blue tint while the second Selective Color layer brightened the snakes skin
Step 6The next thing I did was making another two lay-ers I still wanted to brighten only the snakes skin so for the fi rst layer I changed the Blending modefrom Normal to Soft Light and then used a brush with 0 Hardness and carefully painted over the snake It took a few variations before I found a color I liked Its helpful to remember to also look at the whole picture In the next layer I created I simply wanted to add a little more color to the shrubbery in the background so I made another layer and again changed the blending mode from Normal to Soft Light I used a soft brush with 0 Hardness and a maroon and yellow color just to add a little variation from my usual palette of blue I then added it all along the bushes and used the Box Blur tool at 483 pixels also changing the Blending mode from Normal to Screen to make it less obvious
making the mood
49psd Photoshop
Step 7The fi nal step I took to fi nish setting the mood for my photo was adding a texture and chang-ing the Blending Mode from Normal to Soft LightI found that the texture was to overpowering at 100 Opacity so I lowered it to 77 I next added my fi nal layer and created a vignette around my photo by using a brush with a Hardness of 100 and then brushed it around the outer edges of the photo particularly around the four corners I then applied a Box Blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 693 pixels to the layer creating a nice dark blurred ef-fect
by Naomi Bensen
07
how to paint a realistic lips
27psd Photoshop
SketchI almost always start off with a sketch for my serious paintings and this one is no different I create a new layer and with a Hard Edged brush I quickly sketch in the lips Getting the lips to look right now just makes the painting process that much easier
02
03
Picking the right base colorPick a mid-tone for the skin one thatrsquos not too saturated or too light (a common mistake many artists make) To quickly fi ll in the canvas with a color I simply use the Gradient tool After itrsquos done I use a hard edged brush to paint in the red lips
Defi ning FormOnce I chose my base tone itrsquos time to defi ne the form of the skin The fi rst thing you must think of is where does the light come from In this case I decide to go for a fairly simple front light and shade accordingly Using a Hard Edged brush I use darker more saturated tones for the darker parts of the skin and a lighter less saturated tone for the highlights of the skin for a realistic effect Use a darker midtone for the lsquotoprsquo lip and bring out lighter tones for the bottom one (this works for most lighting situations)
01
workshop
28 psd Photoshop
Bringing out the HighlightsThings are still looking too fl at for me at this stage so I choose a much brighter midtone to bring out the form of the skin As always I simply use a hard edged brush at this step I bring out lighter tones on the lsquocornersrsquo of the lips the chin and on top of the lips
04
05
06
Smoothing out the SkinOnce Irsquom happy with my value statement I decide to soften everything out with a soft edged brush I choose Hardness 0 under my Brush Settingsand with a 50 Opacity I smoothen out the rough transitions
DetailsI start bringing texture to the lower lips using a fairly small Hard Edged brush I zoom closer here to make things easier and begin to paint the texture of the lips keeping the form in mind using a circular stroke Additionally I bring out a fairly harsh highlight at the top of the lips (the part that looks like a lsquoVrsquo) which gives the image a much more realistic feel
how to paint a realistic lips
29psd Photoshop
Even more detailsI bring more contrast to the image using lighter tones for the highlights and darker ones for shadows I introduce a fairly dark tone right underneath the lip above the chin for a realistic effect I also use a darker tone to separate the lsquobottomrsquo lip from the top giving the lips more depth in the process I also add a mole simply for the fun of it
07
08
Final Refi nementHere I add even more texture to the lips and use a very light almost white color on the bottom lips to bring more life and contrast to the image I clean the image out a bit in general and make sure everything appears as symmetrical as possible and voila Wersquore done
by George Patsouras
contributing writers
Editor in Chief Magdalena Mojska magdalenamojskapsdmagorg
Copy Editor Ed Werzyn Robert Coppa Art Director Agnieszka Marchocka
DTP Przemysław BanasiewiczSenior ConsultantPublisherPresident
Paweł Marciniak Managing Director Ewa Łozowicka
Marketing Director Magdalena Mojska magdalenamojskapsdmagorg
Production DirectorAndrzej Kuca andrzejkucapsdmagorg
Postal addressPublisher Software Press Spzoo SK
02-682 Warszawa ul Bokserska 1worldwide publishing wwwpsdmagorgen
All trade marks presented in the magazine were used only for informa-tive purposes All rights to trade marks presented in the magazine are
reserved by the companies which own themMathematical formulas created by Design Science MathTypetrade
The editors use automatic DTP systemEditorial contributions should be sent to
editorspsdmagorg Customer Service +1 917 338 3631
The Software Press Spzoo SK works individually from Adobe The psd Photoshop team reserves the right not to be responsible for the topical-ity correctness completeness or quality of the information provided by
contributors
Randy Monteith
I am self taught as an artist So any mistakes I have made are in-tentional All my ideas come from an over active imagination that is only put in check when I fi nish a piece of artwork and then the process begins again I have been working with Photoshop for al-most 7 years now I am lucky enough to have two images chosen for two of RedBubblersquos books GAIA and Compassion Courage and Friendship I have been interviewed in Photoshop Creative Maga-zine 14 and have images printed in Advanced Photoshop as well Recently in Issue 60 of Photoshop Creative Magazine the editors chose my portfolio on their webpage as one of the Top 5 rated portfolios I am not one to think outside the box but blow it to bits so stand back and watch me now
c o v e r a r t i s t
Alena Lazareva
My name is Alena I live in Russia I`m the digital artist and the illustrator My interests are art photography computer graph-ics I have been drawing since childhood I studied at the School of Art at the artist There I drew pictures in oils and watercolor is now engaged in graphic design During the last three years I have been enjoying working as a computer graphics artist I love to paint illustrations in the style of Fantasy mythical creatures fairies elves mermaids and angels and painting children fairy-tales I`m currently using Photoshop CS and tablet Wacom for of my artworks I hope you like my illustrationsWebsite wwwalenalazarevacome-mail alenkalazarevamailru
Armand Johnson
Irsquom a professional photographer and graphic designer from Northern Louisiana USA I have had the pleasure of working with celebrities non-profi t organizations and local talents within the Louisiana region Irsquove also provided public service to the area and worked with the local youth to teach them professionalism career goals and creative thinking I get a lot of my inspiration from what I observe which is everyday lifehttpwwwfl ickrcomphotosthearmandjohnsonhttpwwwtwittercomdajizzlehttpwwwcreatticacomcreativesthe-armand-john-son29390thearmandjohnsongmailcom
George Patsouras
George Patsouras is a freelance and concept artist residing from Long Island City NY His work can be seen in a variety of differ-ent projects including video games comic books as well as card games George specializes in depicting realistic fantasy images For more of his work be sure to check out his offi cial blog at httpcgaddictblogspotcom
Jose Paulo Reis
Irsquom a digital artist with 3 years of experience My passion is fashion photography creativity advertising photomanipula-tion and digital art Currently Irsquom working as a digital artist in Lalaland Studios (fashion photography) I love fashion and beauty photography and everything related with digital art Irsquom devoted to Photoshop and everyday Irsquom trying to improve my skillsEnjoy my works by visiting my blog wwwzepaulocreationblogspotcom
Naomi Bensen
Having been raised in a colorful environment of art music and creative learning it was only natural for me to gravitate towards photographymdasha medium that can catch a split second and make it last forever Behind the lens I have pursued my own unique style of photography that focuses on capturing natural and un-staged moments For me photography is more than taking a good picturemdashitrsquos about turning a moment into art Find me at httptheimaginationdeviantartcom
Ylenia Peronti
Irsquom 19 years old italian artist From 3 years I have a passion for photo retouch and generally for phtoshop so I started to practice retouch fi rst on what I call ldquoextreme makeoverrdquo as described in this tutorial and then devot himelf to studying professional photo retouching refi ning technical professional and actually retouch fashion shots Irsquom supermoderator in the Forum Graphics wwwgrafi cicreativicom and I manage especially the section of photoretouch you can fi nd me at the following links wwwyleniaperontiwordpresscom httpyleniucciadeviantartcom
interview
32 psd Photoshop
Interview withArmand Johnson
Please say a few words about yourselfI have a degree in Graphic Design and I really enjoy art all forms of it Whether that is music acting dancing painting photography etc I am intrigued by many different forms of art I DO like to play video games (when I have time but who doesnrsquot) and I DO consider video games as ART but thatrsquos a different subject Irsquom kind of laid back and very business like in my approach to most things
Why did you choose photo retouching and what do you find fascinating about itWhen I was in undergrad I collected plenty of music CDrsquos and DVDrsquos It always intrigued me how flawless and perfect looking the cover art was I thought to myself I want to reach that level of perfection in what I do But graduating with a BFA in Graphic Design kind of steered me away from that in some regards It wasnrsquot until about 5 years ago when my Aunt asked me to gather a couple of shots for some of my cousinrsquos promotional work that I begun to take retouch-ing very seriously After I took the shots I thought These images need to be presentable So I started to dabble with perfecting the images which pushed me into retouching By being a photographer retouching is essential to my workflow because I want my images to have that commercial professional appeal I want my work to look like it belongs in a magazine as a poster or on a billboard etc I find retouching fascinating because how one can push and perfect an image to hisher likings and to the clientrsquos likings as well Itrsquos a great feeling to boost someonersquos confidence by showing them the retouched image in comparison to the original It can help them gain or retain their ldquoswaggardquo
Irsquom a professional photographer and graphic designer from Northern Louisiana USA I have had the pleasure of working with celebrities non-profit organizations and local talents within the Louisiana region Irsquove also provided public service to the area and worked with the local youth to teach them professionalism career goals and creative thinking I get a lot of my inspiration from what I observe which is everyday life
See more of my works here
httpwwwflickrcomphotosthearmandjohnsonhttpwwwtwittercomdajizzlehttpwwwcreatticacomcreativesthe-armand-johnson29390
Contact me
thearmandjohnsongmailcom
interview with armand johnson
33psd Photoshop
Where do you look for the inspiration to createThere are several photographers and retouchers well known and not that inspire me with their work Joel Grimes and Dave Hill are probably the most prominent amongst the photographers I admire their approach to their craft and absolutely love their end result Other notable photographers are Dustin Snipes and Dallas J Logan As for retouchers I think Amy Dresser is amongst the best Her work is incredible Nick Saglimbeni is also Hersquos an awesome photographer and retoucher But that is just the list of people Nature and natural things are very inspiring because of their calming attributes Also
interview
34 psd Photoshop
there is a bevy of websites that are exceptionally useful for inspira-tion Abduzeedo is my favorite Being an artist you can get your in-spiration from anything and anywhere An idea can gravitate towards you at anytime
What are the main advantages of your profession and what can be discouraging about itAn advantage of being a retoucher is the payoff If yoursquore great at it you can eventually open up to a much larger clientele such as the entertainment (music movies etc) and fashion industries Once
interview with armand johnson
35psd Photoshop
yoursquore attached to some major clients your rep (credibility) increas-es for the better What can be discouraging is the journey to arrive at that stage There are many individuals proclaiming themselves pro-fessionals (whether photographers retouchers etc) that are hurt-ing the industry They are utterly confusing clients A random person with a camera is not a photographer and a random person with a copy of Photoshop is not retoucher A lot of lower level clients tend to desire commercial level work for pennies on the dollar Thatrsquos just not feasible Retouchers probably spend more time with an image than anyone else involved with the creative process They deserve to be compensated properly
Do you have any achievements that you are particularly proud ofYeah I just recently got a couple works approved on the major cre-ative website Creatticacom Also being featured in this magazine is very rewarding I look forward to achieving more goals and receiving more accolades Lifersquos a marathon not a sprint
What about your plans for the futureI plan on making my stamp within the industry as have the other successful digital artists Irsquoll always be refining and fine-tuning my craft to become more diverse I wonrsquot go into too much details cause I have a laundry list of things That could take all day ) But I will say this the pieces of the puzzle are beginning to fall into the right plac-es and I believe this interview and collaboration with PSD Photoshop magazine is a crucial step in this process
Do you have any advice to those who would like to become digital artists as wellBe artistic and approach things from a creative perspective I find many individuals wanting to be artists without being artistic or cre-ative Itrsquos a process not a fast food restaurant The creation of mas-terpieces and wonderful works of art takes careful planning time and effort There has to be a love for what you do Photoshop is only a tool which is used to create art It is not meant to replace it or the process of creating it
advanced | 45 min
adobe photoshop CS3
glamour retouch
37psd Photoshop
Blemish Removal and Skin SmoothingFirst open the RAW image and make a duplicate of the background layer by pressing [Ctrl]+[J] Name the bottom layer Retouch and the top layer Original This creates a quick toggle between the Before and After states This also allows you to monitor your progress and determine if you are making changes that have a negative effect on the results Turn off the top layer (Original) Nextcreate a new layer above the Retouch layer by pressing [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] Name this layer CleanUp With the Healing Brush [J] selected make sure Sam-ple All Layers is selected from the drop down menu and Aligned is checked Next use the Healing Brush as well as the Clone Stamp on the CleanUp layer to remove all the blemishes and imperfections The settings are 100 Opacity 100 with Sample All Layers and Alignedselected Once the skin is cleaned up create another layer above it [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] and name it Skin Select the Clone Stamp tool and use these settings 18-25 Opacity 100 Flow Sample All Layers and Aligned Use the Clone Stamp tool to even out the Highlight Shadowand Midtone areas giving the skin a very smooth fl awless appear-ance Lastly apply a little noise the layer Go to FiltergtNoisegtAdd Noise and set the amount to 25 - 50 and the distribution to Gauss-ian After initially cleaning and smoothing the skin group those layers together by holding down the [Shift] key and selecting both of them and [Ctrl]+[G] to group them Rename the group CleanUp
01
02Color BoostAbove the CleanUp group create a Curves Adjustment Layer and name it CB - Curves Use three points along the slope 255 255 0 0 and 148 112 within the RGB channel Then create a LevelsAdjustment Layer naming it CB - Levels Within the RGB chan-nel using these values 10 115 245 Group together these two Adjustment Layers and name the group Overall because it af-fects the overall image Then create a Curves Adjustment Layerabove the grouped layers and insert four points along the slope Keep the two default points 255255 and 0 0 Add two more 35 43 and 211 201 (or somewhere within that tonal range) also in the RGB channel Rename this layer Jewelry Select the Mask by clicking on it and fi ll the Mask with Black Use the Brush tool with the foreground color set to White and paint only over the jewelry Rename this layer Jewelry Create a fi nal Curves adjustment layer above the Jewelry layer and name it Hair Use settings very simi-lar to those on the Jewelry layer within the RGB channel Select the Mask fi ll it with Black and paint over the hair with a Whitebrush Group all of these Adjustment Layers together and name the group Color Boost
GlamourRetouchIn this tutorial I will show you how I performed a Glamour retouch on a photo of my beautiful friend Asia I photographed her against a black background for a dramatic and edgy effect as well as using various Photoshop tools to achieve that ldquoglamour lookrdquo that many magazines and print work use I will be using Photoshop CS3 but any higher version should work as well The tools I will be using are Adjustment Layers Filters and Blending Modes as well as the Clone Stamp Brush and Healing Brush tools
photo retouch
38 psd Photoshop
Highlight and ShadowCreate a new layer and name it FaceBody and set the Blending Mode to Soft Light Set the foreground color to White select the Brush tool with the settings Opacity 100 Flow 2 and paint over the naturally highlighted areas bring-ing out the highlights Then set the foreground color to Black using the same settings and paint over the naturally shadowed areas increasing the contrast in the image Add a Gaussian BlurFiltergtBlurgtGaussian Blur to the layer with a ra-dius setting of 15 ndash 30 Repeat these steps on a new layer named Hair with the Blending Mode set to Overlay Create another new layer named Jew-elry with the Blending Mode set to Overlay as well Once fi nished rearrange the layers so that they are in this order from top to bottom Hair FaceBody Jewelry Lastly group these layers together and name the group HLSH or HighlightShadow
04
05SharpenMake a new layer by combining all visible layers [Shift]+[Alt]+[Ctrl]+[E] This creates a new layer consisting of all the information from the bottom layers Make this a smart object by right ndash click-ing on the layer and selecting Convert to Smart Object This makes the layer a Smart Object allow-ing the use of Smart Filters Duplicate this layer and rename the copy HP 65 and the original layer Sharpen Turn off the HP 65 layer With the Sharp-en layer selected go to FiltergtSharpengtUnSharp Mask using these settings Amount 60 Radius2500 Threshold 10 With the Blending Mode set to Normal adjust the Opacity within the 30 - 40 range and the Fill within the 75 - 90 range Then turn on the HP 65 Layer and select it Set the Blending Mode to Overlay and go to FiltergtOthergtHigh Pass Set the Radius to 65 and the Opacity within the 65 - 75 range and the Fillwithin the 90 - 95 range Finally group these two layers together and name the group Sharpen
03
Color CorrectionCreate a new layer and name it Color CorrectionSet the Blending Mode to Color Set the Brush tool to a SoftFeather setting with the Hardness to 15 Set Black as the foreground color and paint over the lips Then use Gold as the foreground color and paint over the ldquoCoachrdquo text and the handle of the sunglasses changing them from Silver to GoldSelect various colors from the skin and paint over the discolorations in the skin Put the layer in its own group and name that group Color Correction
glamour retouch
39psd Photoshop
EffectsCreate a new layer and name it Sparkles With the Pen tool create a fi ve ndash point sparkle Once fi nished drawing the outline right ndash click and select Make Selection feathering the selection by 1 pixel Make sure the Anti-aliased box is checked and the New Selection option is selected Fill the selection with White Then make several copies (four should be enough) of this layer and move the various spar-kles to certain areas on the jewelry and sunglasses Resize those sparkles individually using transform [Ctrl]+[T] Once the sparkles are at sizes you are comfortable with click on the top most layer (Sparkles Copy 4) hold the shift key then the original Sparkles lay-er and merge them by pressing [Ctrl]+[E] Rename this layer Spar-kles Then add a layer style to the layer by double ndash clicking on it I selected Outer Glow In the options for the Outer Glow effect leave the default setting only changing the Size to 3 pixels Lastly place this layer into its own group and name that group Effects Switch the Original layer OnOff and enjoy the result
by Armand Johnson
07
06
Cool DownCreate a HueSaturation Adjustment Layer mak-ing sure it is set to the Master channel Set the Saturation to -100 This turns the image black and white Set the Blending Mode set to Normalthe Opacity within the 40 - 50 range and the Fill within the 70 - 90 range Select the Maskset the foreground color to 40 Gray and fi ll the mask Paint over only the jewelry and the colored sections of the hair This brings back some of the original color but not too much of it Finally group only this layer and name it Cool Down
How to change the eye color very quickly but efficiently
How to change
eye color
beginer | 10 min
adobe photoshop CS4
how to change eye color
41psd Photoshop
Step 1First open the photos select the pupil of the eye using the method you prefer (Polygonal lassoMagnetic lasso pen etc) I used the Magnetic lasso in this case Right click the mouse on the Selection and select New Layer via Copy Rename the layer eyes
02
03
Step 2Make sure that in the Layers palette is selected layer eyes and from the menu Image select HuegtSaturation adjustments When the window will be open move the Hues cursor until you fi nd the satisfying color If you want from the same HuegtSaturation window we can also modify the saturation and brightness to achieve different ef-fects Heres an example set the Hue value on 44You can also customize more the color using the color balance adjustment selected from the menu ImagegtAdjustmentsgtColor Balance and reduce the opacity of the layer eyes to adjust the effect
Step 3For a more aesthetic effect you can use the Dodge tool selected from the Tools palette Set Light to a 5-10 opacity (or an opacity that allows to achieve the desired effect) and use Dodge toolwithin the colored part of the eye Select Burn tool(also an Opacity of 5) set to Midtones and Burn-ing to defi ne better the outline of the eye
by Ylenia Peronti
42 psd Photoshop
interview
2 pas Photoshop
Tell us about your first steps in photographyMy dad is a really good photographer and he showed me how to use his Nikon film camera when I was young and how to de-
Interview withApril Elizabeth
Can you introduce yourself to our readersMy name is April Elizabeth I am a creative photographer from the small snowy town of Ishpeming in Upper Peninsula of Michigan
April Elizabeth is an internationally published photographer from Ishpeming Michigan Her photos have appeared in magazines on book covers and websites Her clients include Random house HarperCollins Publishing and The Portland Beanie Company
43psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
3psd Photoshop
velop the film I really enjoyed it but it was expensive and I was unable to really get into photography until digital cameras came along I started with a point and shoot camera and went from there
Why did you choose this professionI think it sort of chose me Irsquove always liked photography but I never in my life imagined myself going anywhere with it That all changed when I bought my first slr and asked a local model to do a photo
44 psd Photoshop
interview
4 pas Photoshop
shoot with me I was nervous because I had never done any-thing like that before and I wasnrsquot com-pletely sure how the camera worked but the pictures turned out great and soon more and more peo-ple wanted to work with me
Where do you get the inspiration for your worksIrsquove always been an introverted day-dreamer with an
overly active imagination When other people are liv-ing their life I am looking around and thinking of sto-ries Irsquove always wanted to be a writer but photography lets me tell stories with pic-tures and as long as I can tell a story I am happy
What do you like the most about being a photographer and what are the main difficulties for youIf I am not creating some-thing I feel frustrated I like that my job lets me cre-ate things while making people feel beautiful and good about themselves I enjoy taking pictures that have a fantasy quality to them so that people in the photos can be part of something a little magi-cal instead of ordinary and people who see the photos will feel inspired One of the main difficul-ties I have is my location the middle of nowhere in the Midwest Winter lasts around 7-8 months and itrsquos always very harsh and with a lot of snow I donrsquot have a studio or anyplace indoors thatI can go to so this means I only have a very short amount of time in the year that I can really do many photo shoots
45psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
5psd Photoshop
Do you have any personal achievements you are particularly proud ofIrsquom very proud that my photo Shy with over 35550 favs is one of the most popular photos ever to be up-loaded to the website deviantart Itrsquos unreal to me Irsquom also proud that two photos of mine have been licensed to be on book covers Growing up I never thought any-thing like that could ever happen to me Being in magazines such as this one is also very nice All of these things make me feel like Irsquove accomplished something in life and gives me confidence that I can do even more
What are your plans for futureIrsquod like to get a studio someday And Irsquod like to get into stock photogra-phy Irsquom also working on a gothic romance novel called Whispering Pines and a book of short scary stories I guess I plan on just creat-ing more and trying to improve in everything I do
What would you advice to the young photographersDonrsquot worry about what kind of cam-era or equipment you have Just fo-cus on what you have now and try to create something beautiful with it Itrsquos the photographer that makes the picture good not the camera
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many successful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quitting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many suc-cessful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quit-ting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
A photographerrsquos main goal is to take a photo that makes the viewer feel a strong emotion towards it whether it is love hate anger or passion But when a photo is excellently taken yet the colors lighting and texture dont match up to the photoers vision a photo will become uninspiring This tutorial will teach you how to take your photo to the next level and create an image that matches your vision
Makingthe Mood
making the mood
47psd Photoshop
Step 1The fi rst step in changing a photo is doing the ba-sics You have to prepare your photo before you can move to the fun stuff In this pickture I got rid of any noticeable blemishes the model had and g of noticeable hair that were going across her face to give more clear picture of the model I did this using the Patch and Clone Stamp tool When edit-ing a model make sure to always keep texture in the skin its more interesting that way as opposed to having a models face which is completely air-brushed
02
03
Step 2The next step I took was darkening the whole photo I knew that I wanted the photo to be much darker than it currently was I could have just used the Curves tool or Levels but I fi nd that when overusing the Curves tool a photo starts to look overly contrasted which I dont want So instead I used a light gradient (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtGradient Map) and changed the Blending mode from Normal to Multiply Doing this gives the photo a lot more depth but doesnt darken it completely
Step 3As soon as Ive got my basic photo ready I knew that the yellowish tinge was not the effect I was going for so I used both the Color Balance tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtColor Balance)and the Selective Color tool (LayergtNew Adjust-ment LayergtColor Balance)
01
photomanipulation
48 psd Photoshop
Step 4The next thing I noticed was that my models face was not highlighted enough it was getting lost in the midst of forest and darkness so I made two new layers One layer was for the models face and I simply used a soft Photoshop brush with 0 Hardness and drew over the models face and the snakes body I then changed both layers Blending Mode from Normal to Screen and applied a Box blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 543 pixels to both so they wouldnt be as noticeable Remember you just want hints of light just enough so the models face and the snake is highlighted
04
05
06
Step 5The fi fth step is more or less a repeat of a step number three I liked the way photo looked but it wasnt nearly as dramatic as it could be So now I fi nally decided to use the Curves tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtCurves) to darken and light certain areas making sure again not to overdo it but to give it enough contrast to really bring out the picture Next I made two new Selective Colorlayers (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtSelective Color) One Selective Colors layer changed the leaves and clothes but not the models face to a more dark blue tint while the second Selective Color layer brightened the snakes skin
Step 6The next thing I did was making another two lay-ers I still wanted to brighten only the snakes skin so for the fi rst layer I changed the Blending modefrom Normal to Soft Light and then used a brush with 0 Hardness and carefully painted over the snake It took a few variations before I found a color I liked Its helpful to remember to also look at the whole picture In the next layer I created I simply wanted to add a little more color to the shrubbery in the background so I made another layer and again changed the blending mode from Normal to Soft Light I used a soft brush with 0 Hardness and a maroon and yellow color just to add a little variation from my usual palette of blue I then added it all along the bushes and used the Box Blur tool at 483 pixels also changing the Blending mode from Normal to Screen to make it less obvious
making the mood
49psd Photoshop
Step 7The fi nal step I took to fi nish setting the mood for my photo was adding a texture and chang-ing the Blending Mode from Normal to Soft LightI found that the texture was to overpowering at 100 Opacity so I lowered it to 77 I next added my fi nal layer and created a vignette around my photo by using a brush with a Hardness of 100 and then brushed it around the outer edges of the photo particularly around the four corners I then applied a Box Blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 693 pixels to the layer creating a nice dark blurred ef-fect
by Naomi Bensen
07
workshop
28 psd Photoshop
Bringing out the HighlightsThings are still looking too fl at for me at this stage so I choose a much brighter midtone to bring out the form of the skin As always I simply use a hard edged brush at this step I bring out lighter tones on the lsquocornersrsquo of the lips the chin and on top of the lips
04
05
06
Smoothing out the SkinOnce Irsquom happy with my value statement I decide to soften everything out with a soft edged brush I choose Hardness 0 under my Brush Settingsand with a 50 Opacity I smoothen out the rough transitions
DetailsI start bringing texture to the lower lips using a fairly small Hard Edged brush I zoom closer here to make things easier and begin to paint the texture of the lips keeping the form in mind using a circular stroke Additionally I bring out a fairly harsh highlight at the top of the lips (the part that looks like a lsquoVrsquo) which gives the image a much more realistic feel
how to paint a realistic lips
29psd Photoshop
Even more detailsI bring more contrast to the image using lighter tones for the highlights and darker ones for shadows I introduce a fairly dark tone right underneath the lip above the chin for a realistic effect I also use a darker tone to separate the lsquobottomrsquo lip from the top giving the lips more depth in the process I also add a mole simply for the fun of it
07
08
Final Refi nementHere I add even more texture to the lips and use a very light almost white color on the bottom lips to bring more life and contrast to the image I clean the image out a bit in general and make sure everything appears as symmetrical as possible and voila Wersquore done
by George Patsouras
contributing writers
Editor in Chief Magdalena Mojska magdalenamojskapsdmagorg
Copy Editor Ed Werzyn Robert Coppa Art Director Agnieszka Marchocka
DTP Przemysław BanasiewiczSenior ConsultantPublisherPresident
Paweł Marciniak Managing Director Ewa Łozowicka
Marketing Director Magdalena Mojska magdalenamojskapsdmagorg
Production DirectorAndrzej Kuca andrzejkucapsdmagorg
Postal addressPublisher Software Press Spzoo SK
02-682 Warszawa ul Bokserska 1worldwide publishing wwwpsdmagorgen
All trade marks presented in the magazine were used only for informa-tive purposes All rights to trade marks presented in the magazine are
reserved by the companies which own themMathematical formulas created by Design Science MathTypetrade
The editors use automatic DTP systemEditorial contributions should be sent to
editorspsdmagorg Customer Service +1 917 338 3631
The Software Press Spzoo SK works individually from Adobe The psd Photoshop team reserves the right not to be responsible for the topical-ity correctness completeness or quality of the information provided by
contributors
Randy Monteith
I am self taught as an artist So any mistakes I have made are in-tentional All my ideas come from an over active imagination that is only put in check when I fi nish a piece of artwork and then the process begins again I have been working with Photoshop for al-most 7 years now I am lucky enough to have two images chosen for two of RedBubblersquos books GAIA and Compassion Courage and Friendship I have been interviewed in Photoshop Creative Maga-zine 14 and have images printed in Advanced Photoshop as well Recently in Issue 60 of Photoshop Creative Magazine the editors chose my portfolio on their webpage as one of the Top 5 rated portfolios I am not one to think outside the box but blow it to bits so stand back and watch me now
c o v e r a r t i s t
Alena Lazareva
My name is Alena I live in Russia I`m the digital artist and the illustrator My interests are art photography computer graph-ics I have been drawing since childhood I studied at the School of Art at the artist There I drew pictures in oils and watercolor is now engaged in graphic design During the last three years I have been enjoying working as a computer graphics artist I love to paint illustrations in the style of Fantasy mythical creatures fairies elves mermaids and angels and painting children fairy-tales I`m currently using Photoshop CS and tablet Wacom for of my artworks I hope you like my illustrationsWebsite wwwalenalazarevacome-mail alenkalazarevamailru
Armand Johnson
Irsquom a professional photographer and graphic designer from Northern Louisiana USA I have had the pleasure of working with celebrities non-profi t organizations and local talents within the Louisiana region Irsquove also provided public service to the area and worked with the local youth to teach them professionalism career goals and creative thinking I get a lot of my inspiration from what I observe which is everyday lifehttpwwwfl ickrcomphotosthearmandjohnsonhttpwwwtwittercomdajizzlehttpwwwcreatticacomcreativesthe-armand-john-son29390thearmandjohnsongmailcom
George Patsouras
George Patsouras is a freelance and concept artist residing from Long Island City NY His work can be seen in a variety of differ-ent projects including video games comic books as well as card games George specializes in depicting realistic fantasy images For more of his work be sure to check out his offi cial blog at httpcgaddictblogspotcom
Jose Paulo Reis
Irsquom a digital artist with 3 years of experience My passion is fashion photography creativity advertising photomanipula-tion and digital art Currently Irsquom working as a digital artist in Lalaland Studios (fashion photography) I love fashion and beauty photography and everything related with digital art Irsquom devoted to Photoshop and everyday Irsquom trying to improve my skillsEnjoy my works by visiting my blog wwwzepaulocreationblogspotcom
Naomi Bensen
Having been raised in a colorful environment of art music and creative learning it was only natural for me to gravitate towards photographymdasha medium that can catch a split second and make it last forever Behind the lens I have pursued my own unique style of photography that focuses on capturing natural and un-staged moments For me photography is more than taking a good picturemdashitrsquos about turning a moment into art Find me at httptheimaginationdeviantartcom
Ylenia Peronti
Irsquom 19 years old italian artist From 3 years I have a passion for photo retouch and generally for phtoshop so I started to practice retouch fi rst on what I call ldquoextreme makeoverrdquo as described in this tutorial and then devot himelf to studying professional photo retouching refi ning technical professional and actually retouch fashion shots Irsquom supermoderator in the Forum Graphics wwwgrafi cicreativicom and I manage especially the section of photoretouch you can fi nd me at the following links wwwyleniaperontiwordpresscom httpyleniucciadeviantartcom
interview
32 psd Photoshop
Interview withArmand Johnson
Please say a few words about yourselfI have a degree in Graphic Design and I really enjoy art all forms of it Whether that is music acting dancing painting photography etc I am intrigued by many different forms of art I DO like to play video games (when I have time but who doesnrsquot) and I DO consider video games as ART but thatrsquos a different subject Irsquom kind of laid back and very business like in my approach to most things
Why did you choose photo retouching and what do you find fascinating about itWhen I was in undergrad I collected plenty of music CDrsquos and DVDrsquos It always intrigued me how flawless and perfect looking the cover art was I thought to myself I want to reach that level of perfection in what I do But graduating with a BFA in Graphic Design kind of steered me away from that in some regards It wasnrsquot until about 5 years ago when my Aunt asked me to gather a couple of shots for some of my cousinrsquos promotional work that I begun to take retouch-ing very seriously After I took the shots I thought These images need to be presentable So I started to dabble with perfecting the images which pushed me into retouching By being a photographer retouching is essential to my workflow because I want my images to have that commercial professional appeal I want my work to look like it belongs in a magazine as a poster or on a billboard etc I find retouching fascinating because how one can push and perfect an image to hisher likings and to the clientrsquos likings as well Itrsquos a great feeling to boost someonersquos confidence by showing them the retouched image in comparison to the original It can help them gain or retain their ldquoswaggardquo
Irsquom a professional photographer and graphic designer from Northern Louisiana USA I have had the pleasure of working with celebrities non-profit organizations and local talents within the Louisiana region Irsquove also provided public service to the area and worked with the local youth to teach them professionalism career goals and creative thinking I get a lot of my inspiration from what I observe which is everyday life
See more of my works here
httpwwwflickrcomphotosthearmandjohnsonhttpwwwtwittercomdajizzlehttpwwwcreatticacomcreativesthe-armand-johnson29390
Contact me
thearmandjohnsongmailcom
interview with armand johnson
33psd Photoshop
Where do you look for the inspiration to createThere are several photographers and retouchers well known and not that inspire me with their work Joel Grimes and Dave Hill are probably the most prominent amongst the photographers I admire their approach to their craft and absolutely love their end result Other notable photographers are Dustin Snipes and Dallas J Logan As for retouchers I think Amy Dresser is amongst the best Her work is incredible Nick Saglimbeni is also Hersquos an awesome photographer and retoucher But that is just the list of people Nature and natural things are very inspiring because of their calming attributes Also
interview
34 psd Photoshop
there is a bevy of websites that are exceptionally useful for inspira-tion Abduzeedo is my favorite Being an artist you can get your in-spiration from anything and anywhere An idea can gravitate towards you at anytime
What are the main advantages of your profession and what can be discouraging about itAn advantage of being a retoucher is the payoff If yoursquore great at it you can eventually open up to a much larger clientele such as the entertainment (music movies etc) and fashion industries Once
interview with armand johnson
35psd Photoshop
yoursquore attached to some major clients your rep (credibility) increas-es for the better What can be discouraging is the journey to arrive at that stage There are many individuals proclaiming themselves pro-fessionals (whether photographers retouchers etc) that are hurt-ing the industry They are utterly confusing clients A random person with a camera is not a photographer and a random person with a copy of Photoshop is not retoucher A lot of lower level clients tend to desire commercial level work for pennies on the dollar Thatrsquos just not feasible Retouchers probably spend more time with an image than anyone else involved with the creative process They deserve to be compensated properly
Do you have any achievements that you are particularly proud ofYeah I just recently got a couple works approved on the major cre-ative website Creatticacom Also being featured in this magazine is very rewarding I look forward to achieving more goals and receiving more accolades Lifersquos a marathon not a sprint
What about your plans for the futureI plan on making my stamp within the industry as have the other successful digital artists Irsquoll always be refining and fine-tuning my craft to become more diverse I wonrsquot go into too much details cause I have a laundry list of things That could take all day ) But I will say this the pieces of the puzzle are beginning to fall into the right plac-es and I believe this interview and collaboration with PSD Photoshop magazine is a crucial step in this process
Do you have any advice to those who would like to become digital artists as wellBe artistic and approach things from a creative perspective I find many individuals wanting to be artists without being artistic or cre-ative Itrsquos a process not a fast food restaurant The creation of mas-terpieces and wonderful works of art takes careful planning time and effort There has to be a love for what you do Photoshop is only a tool which is used to create art It is not meant to replace it or the process of creating it
advanced | 45 min
adobe photoshop CS3
glamour retouch
37psd Photoshop
Blemish Removal and Skin SmoothingFirst open the RAW image and make a duplicate of the background layer by pressing [Ctrl]+[J] Name the bottom layer Retouch and the top layer Original This creates a quick toggle between the Before and After states This also allows you to monitor your progress and determine if you are making changes that have a negative effect on the results Turn off the top layer (Original) Nextcreate a new layer above the Retouch layer by pressing [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] Name this layer CleanUp With the Healing Brush [J] selected make sure Sam-ple All Layers is selected from the drop down menu and Aligned is checked Next use the Healing Brush as well as the Clone Stamp on the CleanUp layer to remove all the blemishes and imperfections The settings are 100 Opacity 100 with Sample All Layers and Alignedselected Once the skin is cleaned up create another layer above it [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] and name it Skin Select the Clone Stamp tool and use these settings 18-25 Opacity 100 Flow Sample All Layers and Aligned Use the Clone Stamp tool to even out the Highlight Shadowand Midtone areas giving the skin a very smooth fl awless appear-ance Lastly apply a little noise the layer Go to FiltergtNoisegtAdd Noise and set the amount to 25 - 50 and the distribution to Gauss-ian After initially cleaning and smoothing the skin group those layers together by holding down the [Shift] key and selecting both of them and [Ctrl]+[G] to group them Rename the group CleanUp
01
02Color BoostAbove the CleanUp group create a Curves Adjustment Layer and name it CB - Curves Use three points along the slope 255 255 0 0 and 148 112 within the RGB channel Then create a LevelsAdjustment Layer naming it CB - Levels Within the RGB chan-nel using these values 10 115 245 Group together these two Adjustment Layers and name the group Overall because it af-fects the overall image Then create a Curves Adjustment Layerabove the grouped layers and insert four points along the slope Keep the two default points 255255 and 0 0 Add two more 35 43 and 211 201 (or somewhere within that tonal range) also in the RGB channel Rename this layer Jewelry Select the Mask by clicking on it and fi ll the Mask with Black Use the Brush tool with the foreground color set to White and paint only over the jewelry Rename this layer Jewelry Create a fi nal Curves adjustment layer above the Jewelry layer and name it Hair Use settings very simi-lar to those on the Jewelry layer within the RGB channel Select the Mask fi ll it with Black and paint over the hair with a Whitebrush Group all of these Adjustment Layers together and name the group Color Boost
GlamourRetouchIn this tutorial I will show you how I performed a Glamour retouch on a photo of my beautiful friend Asia I photographed her against a black background for a dramatic and edgy effect as well as using various Photoshop tools to achieve that ldquoglamour lookrdquo that many magazines and print work use I will be using Photoshop CS3 but any higher version should work as well The tools I will be using are Adjustment Layers Filters and Blending Modes as well as the Clone Stamp Brush and Healing Brush tools
photo retouch
38 psd Photoshop
Highlight and ShadowCreate a new layer and name it FaceBody and set the Blending Mode to Soft Light Set the foreground color to White select the Brush tool with the settings Opacity 100 Flow 2 and paint over the naturally highlighted areas bring-ing out the highlights Then set the foreground color to Black using the same settings and paint over the naturally shadowed areas increasing the contrast in the image Add a Gaussian BlurFiltergtBlurgtGaussian Blur to the layer with a ra-dius setting of 15 ndash 30 Repeat these steps on a new layer named Hair with the Blending Mode set to Overlay Create another new layer named Jew-elry with the Blending Mode set to Overlay as well Once fi nished rearrange the layers so that they are in this order from top to bottom Hair FaceBody Jewelry Lastly group these layers together and name the group HLSH or HighlightShadow
04
05SharpenMake a new layer by combining all visible layers [Shift]+[Alt]+[Ctrl]+[E] This creates a new layer consisting of all the information from the bottom layers Make this a smart object by right ndash click-ing on the layer and selecting Convert to Smart Object This makes the layer a Smart Object allow-ing the use of Smart Filters Duplicate this layer and rename the copy HP 65 and the original layer Sharpen Turn off the HP 65 layer With the Sharp-en layer selected go to FiltergtSharpengtUnSharp Mask using these settings Amount 60 Radius2500 Threshold 10 With the Blending Mode set to Normal adjust the Opacity within the 30 - 40 range and the Fill within the 75 - 90 range Then turn on the HP 65 Layer and select it Set the Blending Mode to Overlay and go to FiltergtOthergtHigh Pass Set the Radius to 65 and the Opacity within the 65 - 75 range and the Fillwithin the 90 - 95 range Finally group these two layers together and name the group Sharpen
03
Color CorrectionCreate a new layer and name it Color CorrectionSet the Blending Mode to Color Set the Brush tool to a SoftFeather setting with the Hardness to 15 Set Black as the foreground color and paint over the lips Then use Gold as the foreground color and paint over the ldquoCoachrdquo text and the handle of the sunglasses changing them from Silver to GoldSelect various colors from the skin and paint over the discolorations in the skin Put the layer in its own group and name that group Color Correction
glamour retouch
39psd Photoshop
EffectsCreate a new layer and name it Sparkles With the Pen tool create a fi ve ndash point sparkle Once fi nished drawing the outline right ndash click and select Make Selection feathering the selection by 1 pixel Make sure the Anti-aliased box is checked and the New Selection option is selected Fill the selection with White Then make several copies (four should be enough) of this layer and move the various spar-kles to certain areas on the jewelry and sunglasses Resize those sparkles individually using transform [Ctrl]+[T] Once the sparkles are at sizes you are comfortable with click on the top most layer (Sparkles Copy 4) hold the shift key then the original Sparkles lay-er and merge them by pressing [Ctrl]+[E] Rename this layer Spar-kles Then add a layer style to the layer by double ndash clicking on it I selected Outer Glow In the options for the Outer Glow effect leave the default setting only changing the Size to 3 pixels Lastly place this layer into its own group and name that group Effects Switch the Original layer OnOff and enjoy the result
by Armand Johnson
07
06
Cool DownCreate a HueSaturation Adjustment Layer mak-ing sure it is set to the Master channel Set the Saturation to -100 This turns the image black and white Set the Blending Mode set to Normalthe Opacity within the 40 - 50 range and the Fill within the 70 - 90 range Select the Maskset the foreground color to 40 Gray and fi ll the mask Paint over only the jewelry and the colored sections of the hair This brings back some of the original color but not too much of it Finally group only this layer and name it Cool Down
How to change the eye color very quickly but efficiently
How to change
eye color
beginer | 10 min
adobe photoshop CS4
how to change eye color
41psd Photoshop
Step 1First open the photos select the pupil of the eye using the method you prefer (Polygonal lassoMagnetic lasso pen etc) I used the Magnetic lasso in this case Right click the mouse on the Selection and select New Layer via Copy Rename the layer eyes
02
03
Step 2Make sure that in the Layers palette is selected layer eyes and from the menu Image select HuegtSaturation adjustments When the window will be open move the Hues cursor until you fi nd the satisfying color If you want from the same HuegtSaturation window we can also modify the saturation and brightness to achieve different ef-fects Heres an example set the Hue value on 44You can also customize more the color using the color balance adjustment selected from the menu ImagegtAdjustmentsgtColor Balance and reduce the opacity of the layer eyes to adjust the effect
Step 3For a more aesthetic effect you can use the Dodge tool selected from the Tools palette Set Light to a 5-10 opacity (or an opacity that allows to achieve the desired effect) and use Dodge toolwithin the colored part of the eye Select Burn tool(also an Opacity of 5) set to Midtones and Burn-ing to defi ne better the outline of the eye
by Ylenia Peronti
42 psd Photoshop
interview
2 pas Photoshop
Tell us about your first steps in photographyMy dad is a really good photographer and he showed me how to use his Nikon film camera when I was young and how to de-
Interview withApril Elizabeth
Can you introduce yourself to our readersMy name is April Elizabeth I am a creative photographer from the small snowy town of Ishpeming in Upper Peninsula of Michigan
April Elizabeth is an internationally published photographer from Ishpeming Michigan Her photos have appeared in magazines on book covers and websites Her clients include Random house HarperCollins Publishing and The Portland Beanie Company
43psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
3psd Photoshop
velop the film I really enjoyed it but it was expensive and I was unable to really get into photography until digital cameras came along I started with a point and shoot camera and went from there
Why did you choose this professionI think it sort of chose me Irsquove always liked photography but I never in my life imagined myself going anywhere with it That all changed when I bought my first slr and asked a local model to do a photo
44 psd Photoshop
interview
4 pas Photoshop
shoot with me I was nervous because I had never done any-thing like that before and I wasnrsquot com-pletely sure how the camera worked but the pictures turned out great and soon more and more peo-ple wanted to work with me
Where do you get the inspiration for your worksIrsquove always been an introverted day-dreamer with an
overly active imagination When other people are liv-ing their life I am looking around and thinking of sto-ries Irsquove always wanted to be a writer but photography lets me tell stories with pic-tures and as long as I can tell a story I am happy
What do you like the most about being a photographer and what are the main difficulties for youIf I am not creating some-thing I feel frustrated I like that my job lets me cre-ate things while making people feel beautiful and good about themselves I enjoy taking pictures that have a fantasy quality to them so that people in the photos can be part of something a little magi-cal instead of ordinary and people who see the photos will feel inspired One of the main difficul-ties I have is my location the middle of nowhere in the Midwest Winter lasts around 7-8 months and itrsquos always very harsh and with a lot of snow I donrsquot have a studio or anyplace indoors thatI can go to so this means I only have a very short amount of time in the year that I can really do many photo shoots
45psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
5psd Photoshop
Do you have any personal achievements you are particularly proud ofIrsquom very proud that my photo Shy with over 35550 favs is one of the most popular photos ever to be up-loaded to the website deviantart Itrsquos unreal to me Irsquom also proud that two photos of mine have been licensed to be on book covers Growing up I never thought any-thing like that could ever happen to me Being in magazines such as this one is also very nice All of these things make me feel like Irsquove accomplished something in life and gives me confidence that I can do even more
What are your plans for futureIrsquod like to get a studio someday And Irsquod like to get into stock photogra-phy Irsquom also working on a gothic romance novel called Whispering Pines and a book of short scary stories I guess I plan on just creat-ing more and trying to improve in everything I do
What would you advice to the young photographersDonrsquot worry about what kind of cam-era or equipment you have Just fo-cus on what you have now and try to create something beautiful with it Itrsquos the photographer that makes the picture good not the camera
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many successful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quitting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many suc-cessful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quit-ting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
A photographerrsquos main goal is to take a photo that makes the viewer feel a strong emotion towards it whether it is love hate anger or passion But when a photo is excellently taken yet the colors lighting and texture dont match up to the photoers vision a photo will become uninspiring This tutorial will teach you how to take your photo to the next level and create an image that matches your vision
Makingthe Mood
making the mood
47psd Photoshop
Step 1The fi rst step in changing a photo is doing the ba-sics You have to prepare your photo before you can move to the fun stuff In this pickture I got rid of any noticeable blemishes the model had and g of noticeable hair that were going across her face to give more clear picture of the model I did this using the Patch and Clone Stamp tool When edit-ing a model make sure to always keep texture in the skin its more interesting that way as opposed to having a models face which is completely air-brushed
02
03
Step 2The next step I took was darkening the whole photo I knew that I wanted the photo to be much darker than it currently was I could have just used the Curves tool or Levels but I fi nd that when overusing the Curves tool a photo starts to look overly contrasted which I dont want So instead I used a light gradient (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtGradient Map) and changed the Blending mode from Normal to Multiply Doing this gives the photo a lot more depth but doesnt darken it completely
Step 3As soon as Ive got my basic photo ready I knew that the yellowish tinge was not the effect I was going for so I used both the Color Balance tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtColor Balance)and the Selective Color tool (LayergtNew Adjust-ment LayergtColor Balance)
01
photomanipulation
48 psd Photoshop
Step 4The next thing I noticed was that my models face was not highlighted enough it was getting lost in the midst of forest and darkness so I made two new layers One layer was for the models face and I simply used a soft Photoshop brush with 0 Hardness and drew over the models face and the snakes body I then changed both layers Blending Mode from Normal to Screen and applied a Box blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 543 pixels to both so they wouldnt be as noticeable Remember you just want hints of light just enough so the models face and the snake is highlighted
04
05
06
Step 5The fi fth step is more or less a repeat of a step number three I liked the way photo looked but it wasnt nearly as dramatic as it could be So now I fi nally decided to use the Curves tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtCurves) to darken and light certain areas making sure again not to overdo it but to give it enough contrast to really bring out the picture Next I made two new Selective Colorlayers (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtSelective Color) One Selective Colors layer changed the leaves and clothes but not the models face to a more dark blue tint while the second Selective Color layer brightened the snakes skin
Step 6The next thing I did was making another two lay-ers I still wanted to brighten only the snakes skin so for the fi rst layer I changed the Blending modefrom Normal to Soft Light and then used a brush with 0 Hardness and carefully painted over the snake It took a few variations before I found a color I liked Its helpful to remember to also look at the whole picture In the next layer I created I simply wanted to add a little more color to the shrubbery in the background so I made another layer and again changed the blending mode from Normal to Soft Light I used a soft brush with 0 Hardness and a maroon and yellow color just to add a little variation from my usual palette of blue I then added it all along the bushes and used the Box Blur tool at 483 pixels also changing the Blending mode from Normal to Screen to make it less obvious
making the mood
49psd Photoshop
Step 7The fi nal step I took to fi nish setting the mood for my photo was adding a texture and chang-ing the Blending Mode from Normal to Soft LightI found that the texture was to overpowering at 100 Opacity so I lowered it to 77 I next added my fi nal layer and created a vignette around my photo by using a brush with a Hardness of 100 and then brushed it around the outer edges of the photo particularly around the four corners I then applied a Box Blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 693 pixels to the layer creating a nice dark blurred ef-fect
by Naomi Bensen
07
how to paint a realistic lips
29psd Photoshop
Even more detailsI bring more contrast to the image using lighter tones for the highlights and darker ones for shadows I introduce a fairly dark tone right underneath the lip above the chin for a realistic effect I also use a darker tone to separate the lsquobottomrsquo lip from the top giving the lips more depth in the process I also add a mole simply for the fun of it
07
08
Final Refi nementHere I add even more texture to the lips and use a very light almost white color on the bottom lips to bring more life and contrast to the image I clean the image out a bit in general and make sure everything appears as symmetrical as possible and voila Wersquore done
by George Patsouras
contributing writers
Editor in Chief Magdalena Mojska magdalenamojskapsdmagorg
Copy Editor Ed Werzyn Robert Coppa Art Director Agnieszka Marchocka
DTP Przemysław BanasiewiczSenior ConsultantPublisherPresident
Paweł Marciniak Managing Director Ewa Łozowicka
Marketing Director Magdalena Mojska magdalenamojskapsdmagorg
Production DirectorAndrzej Kuca andrzejkucapsdmagorg
Postal addressPublisher Software Press Spzoo SK
02-682 Warszawa ul Bokserska 1worldwide publishing wwwpsdmagorgen
All trade marks presented in the magazine were used only for informa-tive purposes All rights to trade marks presented in the magazine are
reserved by the companies which own themMathematical formulas created by Design Science MathTypetrade
The editors use automatic DTP systemEditorial contributions should be sent to
editorspsdmagorg Customer Service +1 917 338 3631
The Software Press Spzoo SK works individually from Adobe The psd Photoshop team reserves the right not to be responsible for the topical-ity correctness completeness or quality of the information provided by
contributors
Randy Monteith
I am self taught as an artist So any mistakes I have made are in-tentional All my ideas come from an over active imagination that is only put in check when I fi nish a piece of artwork and then the process begins again I have been working with Photoshop for al-most 7 years now I am lucky enough to have two images chosen for two of RedBubblersquos books GAIA and Compassion Courage and Friendship I have been interviewed in Photoshop Creative Maga-zine 14 and have images printed in Advanced Photoshop as well Recently in Issue 60 of Photoshop Creative Magazine the editors chose my portfolio on their webpage as one of the Top 5 rated portfolios I am not one to think outside the box but blow it to bits so stand back and watch me now
c o v e r a r t i s t
Alena Lazareva
My name is Alena I live in Russia I`m the digital artist and the illustrator My interests are art photography computer graph-ics I have been drawing since childhood I studied at the School of Art at the artist There I drew pictures in oils and watercolor is now engaged in graphic design During the last three years I have been enjoying working as a computer graphics artist I love to paint illustrations in the style of Fantasy mythical creatures fairies elves mermaids and angels and painting children fairy-tales I`m currently using Photoshop CS and tablet Wacom for of my artworks I hope you like my illustrationsWebsite wwwalenalazarevacome-mail alenkalazarevamailru
Armand Johnson
Irsquom a professional photographer and graphic designer from Northern Louisiana USA I have had the pleasure of working with celebrities non-profi t organizations and local talents within the Louisiana region Irsquove also provided public service to the area and worked with the local youth to teach them professionalism career goals and creative thinking I get a lot of my inspiration from what I observe which is everyday lifehttpwwwfl ickrcomphotosthearmandjohnsonhttpwwwtwittercomdajizzlehttpwwwcreatticacomcreativesthe-armand-john-son29390thearmandjohnsongmailcom
George Patsouras
George Patsouras is a freelance and concept artist residing from Long Island City NY His work can be seen in a variety of differ-ent projects including video games comic books as well as card games George specializes in depicting realistic fantasy images For more of his work be sure to check out his offi cial blog at httpcgaddictblogspotcom
Jose Paulo Reis
Irsquom a digital artist with 3 years of experience My passion is fashion photography creativity advertising photomanipula-tion and digital art Currently Irsquom working as a digital artist in Lalaland Studios (fashion photography) I love fashion and beauty photography and everything related with digital art Irsquom devoted to Photoshop and everyday Irsquom trying to improve my skillsEnjoy my works by visiting my blog wwwzepaulocreationblogspotcom
Naomi Bensen
Having been raised in a colorful environment of art music and creative learning it was only natural for me to gravitate towards photographymdasha medium that can catch a split second and make it last forever Behind the lens I have pursued my own unique style of photography that focuses on capturing natural and un-staged moments For me photography is more than taking a good picturemdashitrsquos about turning a moment into art Find me at httptheimaginationdeviantartcom
Ylenia Peronti
Irsquom 19 years old italian artist From 3 years I have a passion for photo retouch and generally for phtoshop so I started to practice retouch fi rst on what I call ldquoextreme makeoverrdquo as described in this tutorial and then devot himelf to studying professional photo retouching refi ning technical professional and actually retouch fashion shots Irsquom supermoderator in the Forum Graphics wwwgrafi cicreativicom and I manage especially the section of photoretouch you can fi nd me at the following links wwwyleniaperontiwordpresscom httpyleniucciadeviantartcom
interview
32 psd Photoshop
Interview withArmand Johnson
Please say a few words about yourselfI have a degree in Graphic Design and I really enjoy art all forms of it Whether that is music acting dancing painting photography etc I am intrigued by many different forms of art I DO like to play video games (when I have time but who doesnrsquot) and I DO consider video games as ART but thatrsquos a different subject Irsquom kind of laid back and very business like in my approach to most things
Why did you choose photo retouching and what do you find fascinating about itWhen I was in undergrad I collected plenty of music CDrsquos and DVDrsquos It always intrigued me how flawless and perfect looking the cover art was I thought to myself I want to reach that level of perfection in what I do But graduating with a BFA in Graphic Design kind of steered me away from that in some regards It wasnrsquot until about 5 years ago when my Aunt asked me to gather a couple of shots for some of my cousinrsquos promotional work that I begun to take retouch-ing very seriously After I took the shots I thought These images need to be presentable So I started to dabble with perfecting the images which pushed me into retouching By being a photographer retouching is essential to my workflow because I want my images to have that commercial professional appeal I want my work to look like it belongs in a magazine as a poster or on a billboard etc I find retouching fascinating because how one can push and perfect an image to hisher likings and to the clientrsquos likings as well Itrsquos a great feeling to boost someonersquos confidence by showing them the retouched image in comparison to the original It can help them gain or retain their ldquoswaggardquo
Irsquom a professional photographer and graphic designer from Northern Louisiana USA I have had the pleasure of working with celebrities non-profit organizations and local talents within the Louisiana region Irsquove also provided public service to the area and worked with the local youth to teach them professionalism career goals and creative thinking I get a lot of my inspiration from what I observe which is everyday life
See more of my works here
httpwwwflickrcomphotosthearmandjohnsonhttpwwwtwittercomdajizzlehttpwwwcreatticacomcreativesthe-armand-johnson29390
Contact me
thearmandjohnsongmailcom
interview with armand johnson
33psd Photoshop
Where do you look for the inspiration to createThere are several photographers and retouchers well known and not that inspire me with their work Joel Grimes and Dave Hill are probably the most prominent amongst the photographers I admire their approach to their craft and absolutely love their end result Other notable photographers are Dustin Snipes and Dallas J Logan As for retouchers I think Amy Dresser is amongst the best Her work is incredible Nick Saglimbeni is also Hersquos an awesome photographer and retoucher But that is just the list of people Nature and natural things are very inspiring because of their calming attributes Also
interview
34 psd Photoshop
there is a bevy of websites that are exceptionally useful for inspira-tion Abduzeedo is my favorite Being an artist you can get your in-spiration from anything and anywhere An idea can gravitate towards you at anytime
What are the main advantages of your profession and what can be discouraging about itAn advantage of being a retoucher is the payoff If yoursquore great at it you can eventually open up to a much larger clientele such as the entertainment (music movies etc) and fashion industries Once
interview with armand johnson
35psd Photoshop
yoursquore attached to some major clients your rep (credibility) increas-es for the better What can be discouraging is the journey to arrive at that stage There are many individuals proclaiming themselves pro-fessionals (whether photographers retouchers etc) that are hurt-ing the industry They are utterly confusing clients A random person with a camera is not a photographer and a random person with a copy of Photoshop is not retoucher A lot of lower level clients tend to desire commercial level work for pennies on the dollar Thatrsquos just not feasible Retouchers probably spend more time with an image than anyone else involved with the creative process They deserve to be compensated properly
Do you have any achievements that you are particularly proud ofYeah I just recently got a couple works approved on the major cre-ative website Creatticacom Also being featured in this magazine is very rewarding I look forward to achieving more goals and receiving more accolades Lifersquos a marathon not a sprint
What about your plans for the futureI plan on making my stamp within the industry as have the other successful digital artists Irsquoll always be refining and fine-tuning my craft to become more diverse I wonrsquot go into too much details cause I have a laundry list of things That could take all day ) But I will say this the pieces of the puzzle are beginning to fall into the right plac-es and I believe this interview and collaboration with PSD Photoshop magazine is a crucial step in this process
Do you have any advice to those who would like to become digital artists as wellBe artistic and approach things from a creative perspective I find many individuals wanting to be artists without being artistic or cre-ative Itrsquos a process not a fast food restaurant The creation of mas-terpieces and wonderful works of art takes careful planning time and effort There has to be a love for what you do Photoshop is only a tool which is used to create art It is not meant to replace it or the process of creating it
advanced | 45 min
adobe photoshop CS3
glamour retouch
37psd Photoshop
Blemish Removal and Skin SmoothingFirst open the RAW image and make a duplicate of the background layer by pressing [Ctrl]+[J] Name the bottom layer Retouch and the top layer Original This creates a quick toggle between the Before and After states This also allows you to monitor your progress and determine if you are making changes that have a negative effect on the results Turn off the top layer (Original) Nextcreate a new layer above the Retouch layer by pressing [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] Name this layer CleanUp With the Healing Brush [J] selected make sure Sam-ple All Layers is selected from the drop down menu and Aligned is checked Next use the Healing Brush as well as the Clone Stamp on the CleanUp layer to remove all the blemishes and imperfections The settings are 100 Opacity 100 with Sample All Layers and Alignedselected Once the skin is cleaned up create another layer above it [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] and name it Skin Select the Clone Stamp tool and use these settings 18-25 Opacity 100 Flow Sample All Layers and Aligned Use the Clone Stamp tool to even out the Highlight Shadowand Midtone areas giving the skin a very smooth fl awless appear-ance Lastly apply a little noise the layer Go to FiltergtNoisegtAdd Noise and set the amount to 25 - 50 and the distribution to Gauss-ian After initially cleaning and smoothing the skin group those layers together by holding down the [Shift] key and selecting both of them and [Ctrl]+[G] to group them Rename the group CleanUp
01
02Color BoostAbove the CleanUp group create a Curves Adjustment Layer and name it CB - Curves Use three points along the slope 255 255 0 0 and 148 112 within the RGB channel Then create a LevelsAdjustment Layer naming it CB - Levels Within the RGB chan-nel using these values 10 115 245 Group together these two Adjustment Layers and name the group Overall because it af-fects the overall image Then create a Curves Adjustment Layerabove the grouped layers and insert four points along the slope Keep the two default points 255255 and 0 0 Add two more 35 43 and 211 201 (or somewhere within that tonal range) also in the RGB channel Rename this layer Jewelry Select the Mask by clicking on it and fi ll the Mask with Black Use the Brush tool with the foreground color set to White and paint only over the jewelry Rename this layer Jewelry Create a fi nal Curves adjustment layer above the Jewelry layer and name it Hair Use settings very simi-lar to those on the Jewelry layer within the RGB channel Select the Mask fi ll it with Black and paint over the hair with a Whitebrush Group all of these Adjustment Layers together and name the group Color Boost
GlamourRetouchIn this tutorial I will show you how I performed a Glamour retouch on a photo of my beautiful friend Asia I photographed her against a black background for a dramatic and edgy effect as well as using various Photoshop tools to achieve that ldquoglamour lookrdquo that many magazines and print work use I will be using Photoshop CS3 but any higher version should work as well The tools I will be using are Adjustment Layers Filters and Blending Modes as well as the Clone Stamp Brush and Healing Brush tools
photo retouch
38 psd Photoshop
Highlight and ShadowCreate a new layer and name it FaceBody and set the Blending Mode to Soft Light Set the foreground color to White select the Brush tool with the settings Opacity 100 Flow 2 and paint over the naturally highlighted areas bring-ing out the highlights Then set the foreground color to Black using the same settings and paint over the naturally shadowed areas increasing the contrast in the image Add a Gaussian BlurFiltergtBlurgtGaussian Blur to the layer with a ra-dius setting of 15 ndash 30 Repeat these steps on a new layer named Hair with the Blending Mode set to Overlay Create another new layer named Jew-elry with the Blending Mode set to Overlay as well Once fi nished rearrange the layers so that they are in this order from top to bottom Hair FaceBody Jewelry Lastly group these layers together and name the group HLSH or HighlightShadow
04
05SharpenMake a new layer by combining all visible layers [Shift]+[Alt]+[Ctrl]+[E] This creates a new layer consisting of all the information from the bottom layers Make this a smart object by right ndash click-ing on the layer and selecting Convert to Smart Object This makes the layer a Smart Object allow-ing the use of Smart Filters Duplicate this layer and rename the copy HP 65 and the original layer Sharpen Turn off the HP 65 layer With the Sharp-en layer selected go to FiltergtSharpengtUnSharp Mask using these settings Amount 60 Radius2500 Threshold 10 With the Blending Mode set to Normal adjust the Opacity within the 30 - 40 range and the Fill within the 75 - 90 range Then turn on the HP 65 Layer and select it Set the Blending Mode to Overlay and go to FiltergtOthergtHigh Pass Set the Radius to 65 and the Opacity within the 65 - 75 range and the Fillwithin the 90 - 95 range Finally group these two layers together and name the group Sharpen
03
Color CorrectionCreate a new layer and name it Color CorrectionSet the Blending Mode to Color Set the Brush tool to a SoftFeather setting with the Hardness to 15 Set Black as the foreground color and paint over the lips Then use Gold as the foreground color and paint over the ldquoCoachrdquo text and the handle of the sunglasses changing them from Silver to GoldSelect various colors from the skin and paint over the discolorations in the skin Put the layer in its own group and name that group Color Correction
glamour retouch
39psd Photoshop
EffectsCreate a new layer and name it Sparkles With the Pen tool create a fi ve ndash point sparkle Once fi nished drawing the outline right ndash click and select Make Selection feathering the selection by 1 pixel Make sure the Anti-aliased box is checked and the New Selection option is selected Fill the selection with White Then make several copies (four should be enough) of this layer and move the various spar-kles to certain areas on the jewelry and sunglasses Resize those sparkles individually using transform [Ctrl]+[T] Once the sparkles are at sizes you are comfortable with click on the top most layer (Sparkles Copy 4) hold the shift key then the original Sparkles lay-er and merge them by pressing [Ctrl]+[E] Rename this layer Spar-kles Then add a layer style to the layer by double ndash clicking on it I selected Outer Glow In the options for the Outer Glow effect leave the default setting only changing the Size to 3 pixels Lastly place this layer into its own group and name that group Effects Switch the Original layer OnOff and enjoy the result
by Armand Johnson
07
06
Cool DownCreate a HueSaturation Adjustment Layer mak-ing sure it is set to the Master channel Set the Saturation to -100 This turns the image black and white Set the Blending Mode set to Normalthe Opacity within the 40 - 50 range and the Fill within the 70 - 90 range Select the Maskset the foreground color to 40 Gray and fi ll the mask Paint over only the jewelry and the colored sections of the hair This brings back some of the original color but not too much of it Finally group only this layer and name it Cool Down
How to change the eye color very quickly but efficiently
How to change
eye color
beginer | 10 min
adobe photoshop CS4
how to change eye color
41psd Photoshop
Step 1First open the photos select the pupil of the eye using the method you prefer (Polygonal lassoMagnetic lasso pen etc) I used the Magnetic lasso in this case Right click the mouse on the Selection and select New Layer via Copy Rename the layer eyes
02
03
Step 2Make sure that in the Layers palette is selected layer eyes and from the menu Image select HuegtSaturation adjustments When the window will be open move the Hues cursor until you fi nd the satisfying color If you want from the same HuegtSaturation window we can also modify the saturation and brightness to achieve different ef-fects Heres an example set the Hue value on 44You can also customize more the color using the color balance adjustment selected from the menu ImagegtAdjustmentsgtColor Balance and reduce the opacity of the layer eyes to adjust the effect
Step 3For a more aesthetic effect you can use the Dodge tool selected from the Tools palette Set Light to a 5-10 opacity (or an opacity that allows to achieve the desired effect) and use Dodge toolwithin the colored part of the eye Select Burn tool(also an Opacity of 5) set to Midtones and Burn-ing to defi ne better the outline of the eye
by Ylenia Peronti
42 psd Photoshop
interview
2 pas Photoshop
Tell us about your first steps in photographyMy dad is a really good photographer and he showed me how to use his Nikon film camera when I was young and how to de-
Interview withApril Elizabeth
Can you introduce yourself to our readersMy name is April Elizabeth I am a creative photographer from the small snowy town of Ishpeming in Upper Peninsula of Michigan
April Elizabeth is an internationally published photographer from Ishpeming Michigan Her photos have appeared in magazines on book covers and websites Her clients include Random house HarperCollins Publishing and The Portland Beanie Company
43psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
3psd Photoshop
velop the film I really enjoyed it but it was expensive and I was unable to really get into photography until digital cameras came along I started with a point and shoot camera and went from there
Why did you choose this professionI think it sort of chose me Irsquove always liked photography but I never in my life imagined myself going anywhere with it That all changed when I bought my first slr and asked a local model to do a photo
44 psd Photoshop
interview
4 pas Photoshop
shoot with me I was nervous because I had never done any-thing like that before and I wasnrsquot com-pletely sure how the camera worked but the pictures turned out great and soon more and more peo-ple wanted to work with me
Where do you get the inspiration for your worksIrsquove always been an introverted day-dreamer with an
overly active imagination When other people are liv-ing their life I am looking around and thinking of sto-ries Irsquove always wanted to be a writer but photography lets me tell stories with pic-tures and as long as I can tell a story I am happy
What do you like the most about being a photographer and what are the main difficulties for youIf I am not creating some-thing I feel frustrated I like that my job lets me cre-ate things while making people feel beautiful and good about themselves I enjoy taking pictures that have a fantasy quality to them so that people in the photos can be part of something a little magi-cal instead of ordinary and people who see the photos will feel inspired One of the main difficul-ties I have is my location the middle of nowhere in the Midwest Winter lasts around 7-8 months and itrsquos always very harsh and with a lot of snow I donrsquot have a studio or anyplace indoors thatI can go to so this means I only have a very short amount of time in the year that I can really do many photo shoots
45psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
5psd Photoshop
Do you have any personal achievements you are particularly proud ofIrsquom very proud that my photo Shy with over 35550 favs is one of the most popular photos ever to be up-loaded to the website deviantart Itrsquos unreal to me Irsquom also proud that two photos of mine have been licensed to be on book covers Growing up I never thought any-thing like that could ever happen to me Being in magazines such as this one is also very nice All of these things make me feel like Irsquove accomplished something in life and gives me confidence that I can do even more
What are your plans for futureIrsquod like to get a studio someday And Irsquod like to get into stock photogra-phy Irsquom also working on a gothic romance novel called Whispering Pines and a book of short scary stories I guess I plan on just creat-ing more and trying to improve in everything I do
What would you advice to the young photographersDonrsquot worry about what kind of cam-era or equipment you have Just fo-cus on what you have now and try to create something beautiful with it Itrsquos the photographer that makes the picture good not the camera
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many successful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quitting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many suc-cessful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quit-ting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
A photographerrsquos main goal is to take a photo that makes the viewer feel a strong emotion towards it whether it is love hate anger or passion But when a photo is excellently taken yet the colors lighting and texture dont match up to the photoers vision a photo will become uninspiring This tutorial will teach you how to take your photo to the next level and create an image that matches your vision
Makingthe Mood
making the mood
47psd Photoshop
Step 1The fi rst step in changing a photo is doing the ba-sics You have to prepare your photo before you can move to the fun stuff In this pickture I got rid of any noticeable blemishes the model had and g of noticeable hair that were going across her face to give more clear picture of the model I did this using the Patch and Clone Stamp tool When edit-ing a model make sure to always keep texture in the skin its more interesting that way as opposed to having a models face which is completely air-brushed
02
03
Step 2The next step I took was darkening the whole photo I knew that I wanted the photo to be much darker than it currently was I could have just used the Curves tool or Levels but I fi nd that when overusing the Curves tool a photo starts to look overly contrasted which I dont want So instead I used a light gradient (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtGradient Map) and changed the Blending mode from Normal to Multiply Doing this gives the photo a lot more depth but doesnt darken it completely
Step 3As soon as Ive got my basic photo ready I knew that the yellowish tinge was not the effect I was going for so I used both the Color Balance tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtColor Balance)and the Selective Color tool (LayergtNew Adjust-ment LayergtColor Balance)
01
photomanipulation
48 psd Photoshop
Step 4The next thing I noticed was that my models face was not highlighted enough it was getting lost in the midst of forest and darkness so I made two new layers One layer was for the models face and I simply used a soft Photoshop brush with 0 Hardness and drew over the models face and the snakes body I then changed both layers Blending Mode from Normal to Screen and applied a Box blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 543 pixels to both so they wouldnt be as noticeable Remember you just want hints of light just enough so the models face and the snake is highlighted
04
05
06
Step 5The fi fth step is more or less a repeat of a step number three I liked the way photo looked but it wasnt nearly as dramatic as it could be So now I fi nally decided to use the Curves tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtCurves) to darken and light certain areas making sure again not to overdo it but to give it enough contrast to really bring out the picture Next I made two new Selective Colorlayers (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtSelective Color) One Selective Colors layer changed the leaves and clothes but not the models face to a more dark blue tint while the second Selective Color layer brightened the snakes skin
Step 6The next thing I did was making another two lay-ers I still wanted to brighten only the snakes skin so for the fi rst layer I changed the Blending modefrom Normal to Soft Light and then used a brush with 0 Hardness and carefully painted over the snake It took a few variations before I found a color I liked Its helpful to remember to also look at the whole picture In the next layer I created I simply wanted to add a little more color to the shrubbery in the background so I made another layer and again changed the blending mode from Normal to Soft Light I used a soft brush with 0 Hardness and a maroon and yellow color just to add a little variation from my usual palette of blue I then added it all along the bushes and used the Box Blur tool at 483 pixels also changing the Blending mode from Normal to Screen to make it less obvious
making the mood
49psd Photoshop
Step 7The fi nal step I took to fi nish setting the mood for my photo was adding a texture and chang-ing the Blending Mode from Normal to Soft LightI found that the texture was to overpowering at 100 Opacity so I lowered it to 77 I next added my fi nal layer and created a vignette around my photo by using a brush with a Hardness of 100 and then brushed it around the outer edges of the photo particularly around the four corners I then applied a Box Blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 693 pixels to the layer creating a nice dark blurred ef-fect
by Naomi Bensen
07
contributing writers
Editor in Chief Magdalena Mojska magdalenamojskapsdmagorg
Copy Editor Ed Werzyn Robert Coppa Art Director Agnieszka Marchocka
DTP Przemysław BanasiewiczSenior ConsultantPublisherPresident
Paweł Marciniak Managing Director Ewa Łozowicka
Marketing Director Magdalena Mojska magdalenamojskapsdmagorg
Production DirectorAndrzej Kuca andrzejkucapsdmagorg
Postal addressPublisher Software Press Spzoo SK
02-682 Warszawa ul Bokserska 1worldwide publishing wwwpsdmagorgen
All trade marks presented in the magazine were used only for informa-tive purposes All rights to trade marks presented in the magazine are
reserved by the companies which own themMathematical formulas created by Design Science MathTypetrade
The editors use automatic DTP systemEditorial contributions should be sent to
editorspsdmagorg Customer Service +1 917 338 3631
The Software Press Spzoo SK works individually from Adobe The psd Photoshop team reserves the right not to be responsible for the topical-ity correctness completeness or quality of the information provided by
contributors
Randy Monteith
I am self taught as an artist So any mistakes I have made are in-tentional All my ideas come from an over active imagination that is only put in check when I fi nish a piece of artwork and then the process begins again I have been working with Photoshop for al-most 7 years now I am lucky enough to have two images chosen for two of RedBubblersquos books GAIA and Compassion Courage and Friendship I have been interviewed in Photoshop Creative Maga-zine 14 and have images printed in Advanced Photoshop as well Recently in Issue 60 of Photoshop Creative Magazine the editors chose my portfolio on their webpage as one of the Top 5 rated portfolios I am not one to think outside the box but blow it to bits so stand back and watch me now
c o v e r a r t i s t
Alena Lazareva
My name is Alena I live in Russia I`m the digital artist and the illustrator My interests are art photography computer graph-ics I have been drawing since childhood I studied at the School of Art at the artist There I drew pictures in oils and watercolor is now engaged in graphic design During the last three years I have been enjoying working as a computer graphics artist I love to paint illustrations in the style of Fantasy mythical creatures fairies elves mermaids and angels and painting children fairy-tales I`m currently using Photoshop CS and tablet Wacom for of my artworks I hope you like my illustrationsWebsite wwwalenalazarevacome-mail alenkalazarevamailru
Armand Johnson
Irsquom a professional photographer and graphic designer from Northern Louisiana USA I have had the pleasure of working with celebrities non-profi t organizations and local talents within the Louisiana region Irsquove also provided public service to the area and worked with the local youth to teach them professionalism career goals and creative thinking I get a lot of my inspiration from what I observe which is everyday lifehttpwwwfl ickrcomphotosthearmandjohnsonhttpwwwtwittercomdajizzlehttpwwwcreatticacomcreativesthe-armand-john-son29390thearmandjohnsongmailcom
George Patsouras
George Patsouras is a freelance and concept artist residing from Long Island City NY His work can be seen in a variety of differ-ent projects including video games comic books as well as card games George specializes in depicting realistic fantasy images For more of his work be sure to check out his offi cial blog at httpcgaddictblogspotcom
Jose Paulo Reis
Irsquom a digital artist with 3 years of experience My passion is fashion photography creativity advertising photomanipula-tion and digital art Currently Irsquom working as a digital artist in Lalaland Studios (fashion photography) I love fashion and beauty photography and everything related with digital art Irsquom devoted to Photoshop and everyday Irsquom trying to improve my skillsEnjoy my works by visiting my blog wwwzepaulocreationblogspotcom
Naomi Bensen
Having been raised in a colorful environment of art music and creative learning it was only natural for me to gravitate towards photographymdasha medium that can catch a split second and make it last forever Behind the lens I have pursued my own unique style of photography that focuses on capturing natural and un-staged moments For me photography is more than taking a good picturemdashitrsquos about turning a moment into art Find me at httptheimaginationdeviantartcom
Ylenia Peronti
Irsquom 19 years old italian artist From 3 years I have a passion for photo retouch and generally for phtoshop so I started to practice retouch fi rst on what I call ldquoextreme makeoverrdquo as described in this tutorial and then devot himelf to studying professional photo retouching refi ning technical professional and actually retouch fashion shots Irsquom supermoderator in the Forum Graphics wwwgrafi cicreativicom and I manage especially the section of photoretouch you can fi nd me at the following links wwwyleniaperontiwordpresscom httpyleniucciadeviantartcom
interview
32 psd Photoshop
Interview withArmand Johnson
Please say a few words about yourselfI have a degree in Graphic Design and I really enjoy art all forms of it Whether that is music acting dancing painting photography etc I am intrigued by many different forms of art I DO like to play video games (when I have time but who doesnrsquot) and I DO consider video games as ART but thatrsquos a different subject Irsquom kind of laid back and very business like in my approach to most things
Why did you choose photo retouching and what do you find fascinating about itWhen I was in undergrad I collected plenty of music CDrsquos and DVDrsquos It always intrigued me how flawless and perfect looking the cover art was I thought to myself I want to reach that level of perfection in what I do But graduating with a BFA in Graphic Design kind of steered me away from that in some regards It wasnrsquot until about 5 years ago when my Aunt asked me to gather a couple of shots for some of my cousinrsquos promotional work that I begun to take retouch-ing very seriously After I took the shots I thought These images need to be presentable So I started to dabble with perfecting the images which pushed me into retouching By being a photographer retouching is essential to my workflow because I want my images to have that commercial professional appeal I want my work to look like it belongs in a magazine as a poster or on a billboard etc I find retouching fascinating because how one can push and perfect an image to hisher likings and to the clientrsquos likings as well Itrsquos a great feeling to boost someonersquos confidence by showing them the retouched image in comparison to the original It can help them gain or retain their ldquoswaggardquo
Irsquom a professional photographer and graphic designer from Northern Louisiana USA I have had the pleasure of working with celebrities non-profit organizations and local talents within the Louisiana region Irsquove also provided public service to the area and worked with the local youth to teach them professionalism career goals and creative thinking I get a lot of my inspiration from what I observe which is everyday life
See more of my works here
httpwwwflickrcomphotosthearmandjohnsonhttpwwwtwittercomdajizzlehttpwwwcreatticacomcreativesthe-armand-johnson29390
Contact me
thearmandjohnsongmailcom
interview with armand johnson
33psd Photoshop
Where do you look for the inspiration to createThere are several photographers and retouchers well known and not that inspire me with their work Joel Grimes and Dave Hill are probably the most prominent amongst the photographers I admire their approach to their craft and absolutely love their end result Other notable photographers are Dustin Snipes and Dallas J Logan As for retouchers I think Amy Dresser is amongst the best Her work is incredible Nick Saglimbeni is also Hersquos an awesome photographer and retoucher But that is just the list of people Nature and natural things are very inspiring because of their calming attributes Also
interview
34 psd Photoshop
there is a bevy of websites that are exceptionally useful for inspira-tion Abduzeedo is my favorite Being an artist you can get your in-spiration from anything and anywhere An idea can gravitate towards you at anytime
What are the main advantages of your profession and what can be discouraging about itAn advantage of being a retoucher is the payoff If yoursquore great at it you can eventually open up to a much larger clientele such as the entertainment (music movies etc) and fashion industries Once
interview with armand johnson
35psd Photoshop
yoursquore attached to some major clients your rep (credibility) increas-es for the better What can be discouraging is the journey to arrive at that stage There are many individuals proclaiming themselves pro-fessionals (whether photographers retouchers etc) that are hurt-ing the industry They are utterly confusing clients A random person with a camera is not a photographer and a random person with a copy of Photoshop is not retoucher A lot of lower level clients tend to desire commercial level work for pennies on the dollar Thatrsquos just not feasible Retouchers probably spend more time with an image than anyone else involved with the creative process They deserve to be compensated properly
Do you have any achievements that you are particularly proud ofYeah I just recently got a couple works approved on the major cre-ative website Creatticacom Also being featured in this magazine is very rewarding I look forward to achieving more goals and receiving more accolades Lifersquos a marathon not a sprint
What about your plans for the futureI plan on making my stamp within the industry as have the other successful digital artists Irsquoll always be refining and fine-tuning my craft to become more diverse I wonrsquot go into too much details cause I have a laundry list of things That could take all day ) But I will say this the pieces of the puzzle are beginning to fall into the right plac-es and I believe this interview and collaboration with PSD Photoshop magazine is a crucial step in this process
Do you have any advice to those who would like to become digital artists as wellBe artistic and approach things from a creative perspective I find many individuals wanting to be artists without being artistic or cre-ative Itrsquos a process not a fast food restaurant The creation of mas-terpieces and wonderful works of art takes careful planning time and effort There has to be a love for what you do Photoshop is only a tool which is used to create art It is not meant to replace it or the process of creating it
advanced | 45 min
adobe photoshop CS3
glamour retouch
37psd Photoshop
Blemish Removal and Skin SmoothingFirst open the RAW image and make a duplicate of the background layer by pressing [Ctrl]+[J] Name the bottom layer Retouch and the top layer Original This creates a quick toggle between the Before and After states This also allows you to monitor your progress and determine if you are making changes that have a negative effect on the results Turn off the top layer (Original) Nextcreate a new layer above the Retouch layer by pressing [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] Name this layer CleanUp With the Healing Brush [J] selected make sure Sam-ple All Layers is selected from the drop down menu and Aligned is checked Next use the Healing Brush as well as the Clone Stamp on the CleanUp layer to remove all the blemishes and imperfections The settings are 100 Opacity 100 with Sample All Layers and Alignedselected Once the skin is cleaned up create another layer above it [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] and name it Skin Select the Clone Stamp tool and use these settings 18-25 Opacity 100 Flow Sample All Layers and Aligned Use the Clone Stamp tool to even out the Highlight Shadowand Midtone areas giving the skin a very smooth fl awless appear-ance Lastly apply a little noise the layer Go to FiltergtNoisegtAdd Noise and set the amount to 25 - 50 and the distribution to Gauss-ian After initially cleaning and smoothing the skin group those layers together by holding down the [Shift] key and selecting both of them and [Ctrl]+[G] to group them Rename the group CleanUp
01
02Color BoostAbove the CleanUp group create a Curves Adjustment Layer and name it CB - Curves Use three points along the slope 255 255 0 0 and 148 112 within the RGB channel Then create a LevelsAdjustment Layer naming it CB - Levels Within the RGB chan-nel using these values 10 115 245 Group together these two Adjustment Layers and name the group Overall because it af-fects the overall image Then create a Curves Adjustment Layerabove the grouped layers and insert four points along the slope Keep the two default points 255255 and 0 0 Add two more 35 43 and 211 201 (or somewhere within that tonal range) also in the RGB channel Rename this layer Jewelry Select the Mask by clicking on it and fi ll the Mask with Black Use the Brush tool with the foreground color set to White and paint only over the jewelry Rename this layer Jewelry Create a fi nal Curves adjustment layer above the Jewelry layer and name it Hair Use settings very simi-lar to those on the Jewelry layer within the RGB channel Select the Mask fi ll it with Black and paint over the hair with a Whitebrush Group all of these Adjustment Layers together and name the group Color Boost
GlamourRetouchIn this tutorial I will show you how I performed a Glamour retouch on a photo of my beautiful friend Asia I photographed her against a black background for a dramatic and edgy effect as well as using various Photoshop tools to achieve that ldquoglamour lookrdquo that many magazines and print work use I will be using Photoshop CS3 but any higher version should work as well The tools I will be using are Adjustment Layers Filters and Blending Modes as well as the Clone Stamp Brush and Healing Brush tools
photo retouch
38 psd Photoshop
Highlight and ShadowCreate a new layer and name it FaceBody and set the Blending Mode to Soft Light Set the foreground color to White select the Brush tool with the settings Opacity 100 Flow 2 and paint over the naturally highlighted areas bring-ing out the highlights Then set the foreground color to Black using the same settings and paint over the naturally shadowed areas increasing the contrast in the image Add a Gaussian BlurFiltergtBlurgtGaussian Blur to the layer with a ra-dius setting of 15 ndash 30 Repeat these steps on a new layer named Hair with the Blending Mode set to Overlay Create another new layer named Jew-elry with the Blending Mode set to Overlay as well Once fi nished rearrange the layers so that they are in this order from top to bottom Hair FaceBody Jewelry Lastly group these layers together and name the group HLSH or HighlightShadow
04
05SharpenMake a new layer by combining all visible layers [Shift]+[Alt]+[Ctrl]+[E] This creates a new layer consisting of all the information from the bottom layers Make this a smart object by right ndash click-ing on the layer and selecting Convert to Smart Object This makes the layer a Smart Object allow-ing the use of Smart Filters Duplicate this layer and rename the copy HP 65 and the original layer Sharpen Turn off the HP 65 layer With the Sharp-en layer selected go to FiltergtSharpengtUnSharp Mask using these settings Amount 60 Radius2500 Threshold 10 With the Blending Mode set to Normal adjust the Opacity within the 30 - 40 range and the Fill within the 75 - 90 range Then turn on the HP 65 Layer and select it Set the Blending Mode to Overlay and go to FiltergtOthergtHigh Pass Set the Radius to 65 and the Opacity within the 65 - 75 range and the Fillwithin the 90 - 95 range Finally group these two layers together and name the group Sharpen
03
Color CorrectionCreate a new layer and name it Color CorrectionSet the Blending Mode to Color Set the Brush tool to a SoftFeather setting with the Hardness to 15 Set Black as the foreground color and paint over the lips Then use Gold as the foreground color and paint over the ldquoCoachrdquo text and the handle of the sunglasses changing them from Silver to GoldSelect various colors from the skin and paint over the discolorations in the skin Put the layer in its own group and name that group Color Correction
glamour retouch
39psd Photoshop
EffectsCreate a new layer and name it Sparkles With the Pen tool create a fi ve ndash point sparkle Once fi nished drawing the outline right ndash click and select Make Selection feathering the selection by 1 pixel Make sure the Anti-aliased box is checked and the New Selection option is selected Fill the selection with White Then make several copies (four should be enough) of this layer and move the various spar-kles to certain areas on the jewelry and sunglasses Resize those sparkles individually using transform [Ctrl]+[T] Once the sparkles are at sizes you are comfortable with click on the top most layer (Sparkles Copy 4) hold the shift key then the original Sparkles lay-er and merge them by pressing [Ctrl]+[E] Rename this layer Spar-kles Then add a layer style to the layer by double ndash clicking on it I selected Outer Glow In the options for the Outer Glow effect leave the default setting only changing the Size to 3 pixels Lastly place this layer into its own group and name that group Effects Switch the Original layer OnOff and enjoy the result
by Armand Johnson
07
06
Cool DownCreate a HueSaturation Adjustment Layer mak-ing sure it is set to the Master channel Set the Saturation to -100 This turns the image black and white Set the Blending Mode set to Normalthe Opacity within the 40 - 50 range and the Fill within the 70 - 90 range Select the Maskset the foreground color to 40 Gray and fi ll the mask Paint over only the jewelry and the colored sections of the hair This brings back some of the original color but not too much of it Finally group only this layer and name it Cool Down
How to change the eye color very quickly but efficiently
How to change
eye color
beginer | 10 min
adobe photoshop CS4
how to change eye color
41psd Photoshop
Step 1First open the photos select the pupil of the eye using the method you prefer (Polygonal lassoMagnetic lasso pen etc) I used the Magnetic lasso in this case Right click the mouse on the Selection and select New Layer via Copy Rename the layer eyes
02
03
Step 2Make sure that in the Layers palette is selected layer eyes and from the menu Image select HuegtSaturation adjustments When the window will be open move the Hues cursor until you fi nd the satisfying color If you want from the same HuegtSaturation window we can also modify the saturation and brightness to achieve different ef-fects Heres an example set the Hue value on 44You can also customize more the color using the color balance adjustment selected from the menu ImagegtAdjustmentsgtColor Balance and reduce the opacity of the layer eyes to adjust the effect
Step 3For a more aesthetic effect you can use the Dodge tool selected from the Tools palette Set Light to a 5-10 opacity (or an opacity that allows to achieve the desired effect) and use Dodge toolwithin the colored part of the eye Select Burn tool(also an Opacity of 5) set to Midtones and Burn-ing to defi ne better the outline of the eye
by Ylenia Peronti
42 psd Photoshop
interview
2 pas Photoshop
Tell us about your first steps in photographyMy dad is a really good photographer and he showed me how to use his Nikon film camera when I was young and how to de-
Interview withApril Elizabeth
Can you introduce yourself to our readersMy name is April Elizabeth I am a creative photographer from the small snowy town of Ishpeming in Upper Peninsula of Michigan
April Elizabeth is an internationally published photographer from Ishpeming Michigan Her photos have appeared in magazines on book covers and websites Her clients include Random house HarperCollins Publishing and The Portland Beanie Company
43psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
3psd Photoshop
velop the film I really enjoyed it but it was expensive and I was unable to really get into photography until digital cameras came along I started with a point and shoot camera and went from there
Why did you choose this professionI think it sort of chose me Irsquove always liked photography but I never in my life imagined myself going anywhere with it That all changed when I bought my first slr and asked a local model to do a photo
44 psd Photoshop
interview
4 pas Photoshop
shoot with me I was nervous because I had never done any-thing like that before and I wasnrsquot com-pletely sure how the camera worked but the pictures turned out great and soon more and more peo-ple wanted to work with me
Where do you get the inspiration for your worksIrsquove always been an introverted day-dreamer with an
overly active imagination When other people are liv-ing their life I am looking around and thinking of sto-ries Irsquove always wanted to be a writer but photography lets me tell stories with pic-tures and as long as I can tell a story I am happy
What do you like the most about being a photographer and what are the main difficulties for youIf I am not creating some-thing I feel frustrated I like that my job lets me cre-ate things while making people feel beautiful and good about themselves I enjoy taking pictures that have a fantasy quality to them so that people in the photos can be part of something a little magi-cal instead of ordinary and people who see the photos will feel inspired One of the main difficul-ties I have is my location the middle of nowhere in the Midwest Winter lasts around 7-8 months and itrsquos always very harsh and with a lot of snow I donrsquot have a studio or anyplace indoors thatI can go to so this means I only have a very short amount of time in the year that I can really do many photo shoots
45psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
5psd Photoshop
Do you have any personal achievements you are particularly proud ofIrsquom very proud that my photo Shy with over 35550 favs is one of the most popular photos ever to be up-loaded to the website deviantart Itrsquos unreal to me Irsquom also proud that two photos of mine have been licensed to be on book covers Growing up I never thought any-thing like that could ever happen to me Being in magazines such as this one is also very nice All of these things make me feel like Irsquove accomplished something in life and gives me confidence that I can do even more
What are your plans for futureIrsquod like to get a studio someday And Irsquod like to get into stock photogra-phy Irsquom also working on a gothic romance novel called Whispering Pines and a book of short scary stories I guess I plan on just creat-ing more and trying to improve in everything I do
What would you advice to the young photographersDonrsquot worry about what kind of cam-era or equipment you have Just fo-cus on what you have now and try to create something beautiful with it Itrsquos the photographer that makes the picture good not the camera
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many successful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quitting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many suc-cessful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quit-ting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
A photographerrsquos main goal is to take a photo that makes the viewer feel a strong emotion towards it whether it is love hate anger or passion But when a photo is excellently taken yet the colors lighting and texture dont match up to the photoers vision a photo will become uninspiring This tutorial will teach you how to take your photo to the next level and create an image that matches your vision
Makingthe Mood
making the mood
47psd Photoshop
Step 1The fi rst step in changing a photo is doing the ba-sics You have to prepare your photo before you can move to the fun stuff In this pickture I got rid of any noticeable blemishes the model had and g of noticeable hair that were going across her face to give more clear picture of the model I did this using the Patch and Clone Stamp tool When edit-ing a model make sure to always keep texture in the skin its more interesting that way as opposed to having a models face which is completely air-brushed
02
03
Step 2The next step I took was darkening the whole photo I knew that I wanted the photo to be much darker than it currently was I could have just used the Curves tool or Levels but I fi nd that when overusing the Curves tool a photo starts to look overly contrasted which I dont want So instead I used a light gradient (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtGradient Map) and changed the Blending mode from Normal to Multiply Doing this gives the photo a lot more depth but doesnt darken it completely
Step 3As soon as Ive got my basic photo ready I knew that the yellowish tinge was not the effect I was going for so I used both the Color Balance tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtColor Balance)and the Selective Color tool (LayergtNew Adjust-ment LayergtColor Balance)
01
photomanipulation
48 psd Photoshop
Step 4The next thing I noticed was that my models face was not highlighted enough it was getting lost in the midst of forest and darkness so I made two new layers One layer was for the models face and I simply used a soft Photoshop brush with 0 Hardness and drew over the models face and the snakes body I then changed both layers Blending Mode from Normal to Screen and applied a Box blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 543 pixels to both so they wouldnt be as noticeable Remember you just want hints of light just enough so the models face and the snake is highlighted
04
05
06
Step 5The fi fth step is more or less a repeat of a step number three I liked the way photo looked but it wasnt nearly as dramatic as it could be So now I fi nally decided to use the Curves tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtCurves) to darken and light certain areas making sure again not to overdo it but to give it enough contrast to really bring out the picture Next I made two new Selective Colorlayers (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtSelective Color) One Selective Colors layer changed the leaves and clothes but not the models face to a more dark blue tint while the second Selective Color layer brightened the snakes skin
Step 6The next thing I did was making another two lay-ers I still wanted to brighten only the snakes skin so for the fi rst layer I changed the Blending modefrom Normal to Soft Light and then used a brush with 0 Hardness and carefully painted over the snake It took a few variations before I found a color I liked Its helpful to remember to also look at the whole picture In the next layer I created I simply wanted to add a little more color to the shrubbery in the background so I made another layer and again changed the blending mode from Normal to Soft Light I used a soft brush with 0 Hardness and a maroon and yellow color just to add a little variation from my usual palette of blue I then added it all along the bushes and used the Box Blur tool at 483 pixels also changing the Blending mode from Normal to Screen to make it less obvious
making the mood
49psd Photoshop
Step 7The fi nal step I took to fi nish setting the mood for my photo was adding a texture and chang-ing the Blending Mode from Normal to Soft LightI found that the texture was to overpowering at 100 Opacity so I lowered it to 77 I next added my fi nal layer and created a vignette around my photo by using a brush with a Hardness of 100 and then brushed it around the outer edges of the photo particularly around the four corners I then applied a Box Blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 693 pixels to the layer creating a nice dark blurred ef-fect
by Naomi Bensen
07
interview
32 psd Photoshop
Interview withArmand Johnson
Please say a few words about yourselfI have a degree in Graphic Design and I really enjoy art all forms of it Whether that is music acting dancing painting photography etc I am intrigued by many different forms of art I DO like to play video games (when I have time but who doesnrsquot) and I DO consider video games as ART but thatrsquos a different subject Irsquom kind of laid back and very business like in my approach to most things
Why did you choose photo retouching and what do you find fascinating about itWhen I was in undergrad I collected plenty of music CDrsquos and DVDrsquos It always intrigued me how flawless and perfect looking the cover art was I thought to myself I want to reach that level of perfection in what I do But graduating with a BFA in Graphic Design kind of steered me away from that in some regards It wasnrsquot until about 5 years ago when my Aunt asked me to gather a couple of shots for some of my cousinrsquos promotional work that I begun to take retouch-ing very seriously After I took the shots I thought These images need to be presentable So I started to dabble with perfecting the images which pushed me into retouching By being a photographer retouching is essential to my workflow because I want my images to have that commercial professional appeal I want my work to look like it belongs in a magazine as a poster or on a billboard etc I find retouching fascinating because how one can push and perfect an image to hisher likings and to the clientrsquos likings as well Itrsquos a great feeling to boost someonersquos confidence by showing them the retouched image in comparison to the original It can help them gain or retain their ldquoswaggardquo
Irsquom a professional photographer and graphic designer from Northern Louisiana USA I have had the pleasure of working with celebrities non-profit organizations and local talents within the Louisiana region Irsquove also provided public service to the area and worked with the local youth to teach them professionalism career goals and creative thinking I get a lot of my inspiration from what I observe which is everyday life
See more of my works here
httpwwwflickrcomphotosthearmandjohnsonhttpwwwtwittercomdajizzlehttpwwwcreatticacomcreativesthe-armand-johnson29390
Contact me
thearmandjohnsongmailcom
interview with armand johnson
33psd Photoshop
Where do you look for the inspiration to createThere are several photographers and retouchers well known and not that inspire me with their work Joel Grimes and Dave Hill are probably the most prominent amongst the photographers I admire their approach to their craft and absolutely love their end result Other notable photographers are Dustin Snipes and Dallas J Logan As for retouchers I think Amy Dresser is amongst the best Her work is incredible Nick Saglimbeni is also Hersquos an awesome photographer and retoucher But that is just the list of people Nature and natural things are very inspiring because of their calming attributes Also
interview
34 psd Photoshop
there is a bevy of websites that are exceptionally useful for inspira-tion Abduzeedo is my favorite Being an artist you can get your in-spiration from anything and anywhere An idea can gravitate towards you at anytime
What are the main advantages of your profession and what can be discouraging about itAn advantage of being a retoucher is the payoff If yoursquore great at it you can eventually open up to a much larger clientele such as the entertainment (music movies etc) and fashion industries Once
interview with armand johnson
35psd Photoshop
yoursquore attached to some major clients your rep (credibility) increas-es for the better What can be discouraging is the journey to arrive at that stage There are many individuals proclaiming themselves pro-fessionals (whether photographers retouchers etc) that are hurt-ing the industry They are utterly confusing clients A random person with a camera is not a photographer and a random person with a copy of Photoshop is not retoucher A lot of lower level clients tend to desire commercial level work for pennies on the dollar Thatrsquos just not feasible Retouchers probably spend more time with an image than anyone else involved with the creative process They deserve to be compensated properly
Do you have any achievements that you are particularly proud ofYeah I just recently got a couple works approved on the major cre-ative website Creatticacom Also being featured in this magazine is very rewarding I look forward to achieving more goals and receiving more accolades Lifersquos a marathon not a sprint
What about your plans for the futureI plan on making my stamp within the industry as have the other successful digital artists Irsquoll always be refining and fine-tuning my craft to become more diverse I wonrsquot go into too much details cause I have a laundry list of things That could take all day ) But I will say this the pieces of the puzzle are beginning to fall into the right plac-es and I believe this interview and collaboration with PSD Photoshop magazine is a crucial step in this process
Do you have any advice to those who would like to become digital artists as wellBe artistic and approach things from a creative perspective I find many individuals wanting to be artists without being artistic or cre-ative Itrsquos a process not a fast food restaurant The creation of mas-terpieces and wonderful works of art takes careful planning time and effort There has to be a love for what you do Photoshop is only a tool which is used to create art It is not meant to replace it or the process of creating it
advanced | 45 min
adobe photoshop CS3
glamour retouch
37psd Photoshop
Blemish Removal and Skin SmoothingFirst open the RAW image and make a duplicate of the background layer by pressing [Ctrl]+[J] Name the bottom layer Retouch and the top layer Original This creates a quick toggle between the Before and After states This also allows you to monitor your progress and determine if you are making changes that have a negative effect on the results Turn off the top layer (Original) Nextcreate a new layer above the Retouch layer by pressing [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] Name this layer CleanUp With the Healing Brush [J] selected make sure Sam-ple All Layers is selected from the drop down menu and Aligned is checked Next use the Healing Brush as well as the Clone Stamp on the CleanUp layer to remove all the blemishes and imperfections The settings are 100 Opacity 100 with Sample All Layers and Alignedselected Once the skin is cleaned up create another layer above it [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] and name it Skin Select the Clone Stamp tool and use these settings 18-25 Opacity 100 Flow Sample All Layers and Aligned Use the Clone Stamp tool to even out the Highlight Shadowand Midtone areas giving the skin a very smooth fl awless appear-ance Lastly apply a little noise the layer Go to FiltergtNoisegtAdd Noise and set the amount to 25 - 50 and the distribution to Gauss-ian After initially cleaning and smoothing the skin group those layers together by holding down the [Shift] key and selecting both of them and [Ctrl]+[G] to group them Rename the group CleanUp
01
02Color BoostAbove the CleanUp group create a Curves Adjustment Layer and name it CB - Curves Use three points along the slope 255 255 0 0 and 148 112 within the RGB channel Then create a LevelsAdjustment Layer naming it CB - Levels Within the RGB chan-nel using these values 10 115 245 Group together these two Adjustment Layers and name the group Overall because it af-fects the overall image Then create a Curves Adjustment Layerabove the grouped layers and insert four points along the slope Keep the two default points 255255 and 0 0 Add two more 35 43 and 211 201 (or somewhere within that tonal range) also in the RGB channel Rename this layer Jewelry Select the Mask by clicking on it and fi ll the Mask with Black Use the Brush tool with the foreground color set to White and paint only over the jewelry Rename this layer Jewelry Create a fi nal Curves adjustment layer above the Jewelry layer and name it Hair Use settings very simi-lar to those on the Jewelry layer within the RGB channel Select the Mask fi ll it with Black and paint over the hair with a Whitebrush Group all of these Adjustment Layers together and name the group Color Boost
GlamourRetouchIn this tutorial I will show you how I performed a Glamour retouch on a photo of my beautiful friend Asia I photographed her against a black background for a dramatic and edgy effect as well as using various Photoshop tools to achieve that ldquoglamour lookrdquo that many magazines and print work use I will be using Photoshop CS3 but any higher version should work as well The tools I will be using are Adjustment Layers Filters and Blending Modes as well as the Clone Stamp Brush and Healing Brush tools
photo retouch
38 psd Photoshop
Highlight and ShadowCreate a new layer and name it FaceBody and set the Blending Mode to Soft Light Set the foreground color to White select the Brush tool with the settings Opacity 100 Flow 2 and paint over the naturally highlighted areas bring-ing out the highlights Then set the foreground color to Black using the same settings and paint over the naturally shadowed areas increasing the contrast in the image Add a Gaussian BlurFiltergtBlurgtGaussian Blur to the layer with a ra-dius setting of 15 ndash 30 Repeat these steps on a new layer named Hair with the Blending Mode set to Overlay Create another new layer named Jew-elry with the Blending Mode set to Overlay as well Once fi nished rearrange the layers so that they are in this order from top to bottom Hair FaceBody Jewelry Lastly group these layers together and name the group HLSH or HighlightShadow
04
05SharpenMake a new layer by combining all visible layers [Shift]+[Alt]+[Ctrl]+[E] This creates a new layer consisting of all the information from the bottom layers Make this a smart object by right ndash click-ing on the layer and selecting Convert to Smart Object This makes the layer a Smart Object allow-ing the use of Smart Filters Duplicate this layer and rename the copy HP 65 and the original layer Sharpen Turn off the HP 65 layer With the Sharp-en layer selected go to FiltergtSharpengtUnSharp Mask using these settings Amount 60 Radius2500 Threshold 10 With the Blending Mode set to Normal adjust the Opacity within the 30 - 40 range and the Fill within the 75 - 90 range Then turn on the HP 65 Layer and select it Set the Blending Mode to Overlay and go to FiltergtOthergtHigh Pass Set the Radius to 65 and the Opacity within the 65 - 75 range and the Fillwithin the 90 - 95 range Finally group these two layers together and name the group Sharpen
03
Color CorrectionCreate a new layer and name it Color CorrectionSet the Blending Mode to Color Set the Brush tool to a SoftFeather setting with the Hardness to 15 Set Black as the foreground color and paint over the lips Then use Gold as the foreground color and paint over the ldquoCoachrdquo text and the handle of the sunglasses changing them from Silver to GoldSelect various colors from the skin and paint over the discolorations in the skin Put the layer in its own group and name that group Color Correction
glamour retouch
39psd Photoshop
EffectsCreate a new layer and name it Sparkles With the Pen tool create a fi ve ndash point sparkle Once fi nished drawing the outline right ndash click and select Make Selection feathering the selection by 1 pixel Make sure the Anti-aliased box is checked and the New Selection option is selected Fill the selection with White Then make several copies (four should be enough) of this layer and move the various spar-kles to certain areas on the jewelry and sunglasses Resize those sparkles individually using transform [Ctrl]+[T] Once the sparkles are at sizes you are comfortable with click on the top most layer (Sparkles Copy 4) hold the shift key then the original Sparkles lay-er and merge them by pressing [Ctrl]+[E] Rename this layer Spar-kles Then add a layer style to the layer by double ndash clicking on it I selected Outer Glow In the options for the Outer Glow effect leave the default setting only changing the Size to 3 pixels Lastly place this layer into its own group and name that group Effects Switch the Original layer OnOff and enjoy the result
by Armand Johnson
07
06
Cool DownCreate a HueSaturation Adjustment Layer mak-ing sure it is set to the Master channel Set the Saturation to -100 This turns the image black and white Set the Blending Mode set to Normalthe Opacity within the 40 - 50 range and the Fill within the 70 - 90 range Select the Maskset the foreground color to 40 Gray and fi ll the mask Paint over only the jewelry and the colored sections of the hair This brings back some of the original color but not too much of it Finally group only this layer and name it Cool Down
How to change the eye color very quickly but efficiently
How to change
eye color
beginer | 10 min
adobe photoshop CS4
how to change eye color
41psd Photoshop
Step 1First open the photos select the pupil of the eye using the method you prefer (Polygonal lassoMagnetic lasso pen etc) I used the Magnetic lasso in this case Right click the mouse on the Selection and select New Layer via Copy Rename the layer eyes
02
03
Step 2Make sure that in the Layers palette is selected layer eyes and from the menu Image select HuegtSaturation adjustments When the window will be open move the Hues cursor until you fi nd the satisfying color If you want from the same HuegtSaturation window we can also modify the saturation and brightness to achieve different ef-fects Heres an example set the Hue value on 44You can also customize more the color using the color balance adjustment selected from the menu ImagegtAdjustmentsgtColor Balance and reduce the opacity of the layer eyes to adjust the effect
Step 3For a more aesthetic effect you can use the Dodge tool selected from the Tools palette Set Light to a 5-10 opacity (or an opacity that allows to achieve the desired effect) and use Dodge toolwithin the colored part of the eye Select Burn tool(also an Opacity of 5) set to Midtones and Burn-ing to defi ne better the outline of the eye
by Ylenia Peronti
42 psd Photoshop
interview
2 pas Photoshop
Tell us about your first steps in photographyMy dad is a really good photographer and he showed me how to use his Nikon film camera when I was young and how to de-
Interview withApril Elizabeth
Can you introduce yourself to our readersMy name is April Elizabeth I am a creative photographer from the small snowy town of Ishpeming in Upper Peninsula of Michigan
April Elizabeth is an internationally published photographer from Ishpeming Michigan Her photos have appeared in magazines on book covers and websites Her clients include Random house HarperCollins Publishing and The Portland Beanie Company
43psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
3psd Photoshop
velop the film I really enjoyed it but it was expensive and I was unable to really get into photography until digital cameras came along I started with a point and shoot camera and went from there
Why did you choose this professionI think it sort of chose me Irsquove always liked photography but I never in my life imagined myself going anywhere with it That all changed when I bought my first slr and asked a local model to do a photo
44 psd Photoshop
interview
4 pas Photoshop
shoot with me I was nervous because I had never done any-thing like that before and I wasnrsquot com-pletely sure how the camera worked but the pictures turned out great and soon more and more peo-ple wanted to work with me
Where do you get the inspiration for your worksIrsquove always been an introverted day-dreamer with an
overly active imagination When other people are liv-ing their life I am looking around and thinking of sto-ries Irsquove always wanted to be a writer but photography lets me tell stories with pic-tures and as long as I can tell a story I am happy
What do you like the most about being a photographer and what are the main difficulties for youIf I am not creating some-thing I feel frustrated I like that my job lets me cre-ate things while making people feel beautiful and good about themselves I enjoy taking pictures that have a fantasy quality to them so that people in the photos can be part of something a little magi-cal instead of ordinary and people who see the photos will feel inspired One of the main difficul-ties I have is my location the middle of nowhere in the Midwest Winter lasts around 7-8 months and itrsquos always very harsh and with a lot of snow I donrsquot have a studio or anyplace indoors thatI can go to so this means I only have a very short amount of time in the year that I can really do many photo shoots
45psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
5psd Photoshop
Do you have any personal achievements you are particularly proud ofIrsquom very proud that my photo Shy with over 35550 favs is one of the most popular photos ever to be up-loaded to the website deviantart Itrsquos unreal to me Irsquom also proud that two photos of mine have been licensed to be on book covers Growing up I never thought any-thing like that could ever happen to me Being in magazines such as this one is also very nice All of these things make me feel like Irsquove accomplished something in life and gives me confidence that I can do even more
What are your plans for futureIrsquod like to get a studio someday And Irsquod like to get into stock photogra-phy Irsquom also working on a gothic romance novel called Whispering Pines and a book of short scary stories I guess I plan on just creat-ing more and trying to improve in everything I do
What would you advice to the young photographersDonrsquot worry about what kind of cam-era or equipment you have Just fo-cus on what you have now and try to create something beautiful with it Itrsquos the photographer that makes the picture good not the camera
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many successful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quitting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many suc-cessful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quit-ting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
A photographerrsquos main goal is to take a photo that makes the viewer feel a strong emotion towards it whether it is love hate anger or passion But when a photo is excellently taken yet the colors lighting and texture dont match up to the photoers vision a photo will become uninspiring This tutorial will teach you how to take your photo to the next level and create an image that matches your vision
Makingthe Mood
making the mood
47psd Photoshop
Step 1The fi rst step in changing a photo is doing the ba-sics You have to prepare your photo before you can move to the fun stuff In this pickture I got rid of any noticeable blemishes the model had and g of noticeable hair that were going across her face to give more clear picture of the model I did this using the Patch and Clone Stamp tool When edit-ing a model make sure to always keep texture in the skin its more interesting that way as opposed to having a models face which is completely air-brushed
02
03
Step 2The next step I took was darkening the whole photo I knew that I wanted the photo to be much darker than it currently was I could have just used the Curves tool or Levels but I fi nd that when overusing the Curves tool a photo starts to look overly contrasted which I dont want So instead I used a light gradient (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtGradient Map) and changed the Blending mode from Normal to Multiply Doing this gives the photo a lot more depth but doesnt darken it completely
Step 3As soon as Ive got my basic photo ready I knew that the yellowish tinge was not the effect I was going for so I used both the Color Balance tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtColor Balance)and the Selective Color tool (LayergtNew Adjust-ment LayergtColor Balance)
01
photomanipulation
48 psd Photoshop
Step 4The next thing I noticed was that my models face was not highlighted enough it was getting lost in the midst of forest and darkness so I made two new layers One layer was for the models face and I simply used a soft Photoshop brush with 0 Hardness and drew over the models face and the snakes body I then changed both layers Blending Mode from Normal to Screen and applied a Box blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 543 pixels to both so they wouldnt be as noticeable Remember you just want hints of light just enough so the models face and the snake is highlighted
04
05
06
Step 5The fi fth step is more or less a repeat of a step number three I liked the way photo looked but it wasnt nearly as dramatic as it could be So now I fi nally decided to use the Curves tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtCurves) to darken and light certain areas making sure again not to overdo it but to give it enough contrast to really bring out the picture Next I made two new Selective Colorlayers (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtSelective Color) One Selective Colors layer changed the leaves and clothes but not the models face to a more dark blue tint while the second Selective Color layer brightened the snakes skin
Step 6The next thing I did was making another two lay-ers I still wanted to brighten only the snakes skin so for the fi rst layer I changed the Blending modefrom Normal to Soft Light and then used a brush with 0 Hardness and carefully painted over the snake It took a few variations before I found a color I liked Its helpful to remember to also look at the whole picture In the next layer I created I simply wanted to add a little more color to the shrubbery in the background so I made another layer and again changed the blending mode from Normal to Soft Light I used a soft brush with 0 Hardness and a maroon and yellow color just to add a little variation from my usual palette of blue I then added it all along the bushes and used the Box Blur tool at 483 pixels also changing the Blending mode from Normal to Screen to make it less obvious
making the mood
49psd Photoshop
Step 7The fi nal step I took to fi nish setting the mood for my photo was adding a texture and chang-ing the Blending Mode from Normal to Soft LightI found that the texture was to overpowering at 100 Opacity so I lowered it to 77 I next added my fi nal layer and created a vignette around my photo by using a brush with a Hardness of 100 and then brushed it around the outer edges of the photo particularly around the four corners I then applied a Box Blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 693 pixels to the layer creating a nice dark blurred ef-fect
by Naomi Bensen
07
interview with armand johnson
33psd Photoshop
Where do you look for the inspiration to createThere are several photographers and retouchers well known and not that inspire me with their work Joel Grimes and Dave Hill are probably the most prominent amongst the photographers I admire their approach to their craft and absolutely love their end result Other notable photographers are Dustin Snipes and Dallas J Logan As for retouchers I think Amy Dresser is amongst the best Her work is incredible Nick Saglimbeni is also Hersquos an awesome photographer and retoucher But that is just the list of people Nature and natural things are very inspiring because of their calming attributes Also
interview
34 psd Photoshop
there is a bevy of websites that are exceptionally useful for inspira-tion Abduzeedo is my favorite Being an artist you can get your in-spiration from anything and anywhere An idea can gravitate towards you at anytime
What are the main advantages of your profession and what can be discouraging about itAn advantage of being a retoucher is the payoff If yoursquore great at it you can eventually open up to a much larger clientele such as the entertainment (music movies etc) and fashion industries Once
interview with armand johnson
35psd Photoshop
yoursquore attached to some major clients your rep (credibility) increas-es for the better What can be discouraging is the journey to arrive at that stage There are many individuals proclaiming themselves pro-fessionals (whether photographers retouchers etc) that are hurt-ing the industry They are utterly confusing clients A random person with a camera is not a photographer and a random person with a copy of Photoshop is not retoucher A lot of lower level clients tend to desire commercial level work for pennies on the dollar Thatrsquos just not feasible Retouchers probably spend more time with an image than anyone else involved with the creative process They deserve to be compensated properly
Do you have any achievements that you are particularly proud ofYeah I just recently got a couple works approved on the major cre-ative website Creatticacom Also being featured in this magazine is very rewarding I look forward to achieving more goals and receiving more accolades Lifersquos a marathon not a sprint
What about your plans for the futureI plan on making my stamp within the industry as have the other successful digital artists Irsquoll always be refining and fine-tuning my craft to become more diverse I wonrsquot go into too much details cause I have a laundry list of things That could take all day ) But I will say this the pieces of the puzzle are beginning to fall into the right plac-es and I believe this interview and collaboration with PSD Photoshop magazine is a crucial step in this process
Do you have any advice to those who would like to become digital artists as wellBe artistic and approach things from a creative perspective I find many individuals wanting to be artists without being artistic or cre-ative Itrsquos a process not a fast food restaurant The creation of mas-terpieces and wonderful works of art takes careful planning time and effort There has to be a love for what you do Photoshop is only a tool which is used to create art It is not meant to replace it or the process of creating it
advanced | 45 min
adobe photoshop CS3
glamour retouch
37psd Photoshop
Blemish Removal and Skin SmoothingFirst open the RAW image and make a duplicate of the background layer by pressing [Ctrl]+[J] Name the bottom layer Retouch and the top layer Original This creates a quick toggle between the Before and After states This also allows you to monitor your progress and determine if you are making changes that have a negative effect on the results Turn off the top layer (Original) Nextcreate a new layer above the Retouch layer by pressing [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] Name this layer CleanUp With the Healing Brush [J] selected make sure Sam-ple All Layers is selected from the drop down menu and Aligned is checked Next use the Healing Brush as well as the Clone Stamp on the CleanUp layer to remove all the blemishes and imperfections The settings are 100 Opacity 100 with Sample All Layers and Alignedselected Once the skin is cleaned up create another layer above it [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] and name it Skin Select the Clone Stamp tool and use these settings 18-25 Opacity 100 Flow Sample All Layers and Aligned Use the Clone Stamp tool to even out the Highlight Shadowand Midtone areas giving the skin a very smooth fl awless appear-ance Lastly apply a little noise the layer Go to FiltergtNoisegtAdd Noise and set the amount to 25 - 50 and the distribution to Gauss-ian After initially cleaning and smoothing the skin group those layers together by holding down the [Shift] key and selecting both of them and [Ctrl]+[G] to group them Rename the group CleanUp
01
02Color BoostAbove the CleanUp group create a Curves Adjustment Layer and name it CB - Curves Use three points along the slope 255 255 0 0 and 148 112 within the RGB channel Then create a LevelsAdjustment Layer naming it CB - Levels Within the RGB chan-nel using these values 10 115 245 Group together these two Adjustment Layers and name the group Overall because it af-fects the overall image Then create a Curves Adjustment Layerabove the grouped layers and insert four points along the slope Keep the two default points 255255 and 0 0 Add two more 35 43 and 211 201 (or somewhere within that tonal range) also in the RGB channel Rename this layer Jewelry Select the Mask by clicking on it and fi ll the Mask with Black Use the Brush tool with the foreground color set to White and paint only over the jewelry Rename this layer Jewelry Create a fi nal Curves adjustment layer above the Jewelry layer and name it Hair Use settings very simi-lar to those on the Jewelry layer within the RGB channel Select the Mask fi ll it with Black and paint over the hair with a Whitebrush Group all of these Adjustment Layers together and name the group Color Boost
GlamourRetouchIn this tutorial I will show you how I performed a Glamour retouch on a photo of my beautiful friend Asia I photographed her against a black background for a dramatic and edgy effect as well as using various Photoshop tools to achieve that ldquoglamour lookrdquo that many magazines and print work use I will be using Photoshop CS3 but any higher version should work as well The tools I will be using are Adjustment Layers Filters and Blending Modes as well as the Clone Stamp Brush and Healing Brush tools
photo retouch
38 psd Photoshop
Highlight and ShadowCreate a new layer and name it FaceBody and set the Blending Mode to Soft Light Set the foreground color to White select the Brush tool with the settings Opacity 100 Flow 2 and paint over the naturally highlighted areas bring-ing out the highlights Then set the foreground color to Black using the same settings and paint over the naturally shadowed areas increasing the contrast in the image Add a Gaussian BlurFiltergtBlurgtGaussian Blur to the layer with a ra-dius setting of 15 ndash 30 Repeat these steps on a new layer named Hair with the Blending Mode set to Overlay Create another new layer named Jew-elry with the Blending Mode set to Overlay as well Once fi nished rearrange the layers so that they are in this order from top to bottom Hair FaceBody Jewelry Lastly group these layers together and name the group HLSH or HighlightShadow
04
05SharpenMake a new layer by combining all visible layers [Shift]+[Alt]+[Ctrl]+[E] This creates a new layer consisting of all the information from the bottom layers Make this a smart object by right ndash click-ing on the layer and selecting Convert to Smart Object This makes the layer a Smart Object allow-ing the use of Smart Filters Duplicate this layer and rename the copy HP 65 and the original layer Sharpen Turn off the HP 65 layer With the Sharp-en layer selected go to FiltergtSharpengtUnSharp Mask using these settings Amount 60 Radius2500 Threshold 10 With the Blending Mode set to Normal adjust the Opacity within the 30 - 40 range and the Fill within the 75 - 90 range Then turn on the HP 65 Layer and select it Set the Blending Mode to Overlay and go to FiltergtOthergtHigh Pass Set the Radius to 65 and the Opacity within the 65 - 75 range and the Fillwithin the 90 - 95 range Finally group these two layers together and name the group Sharpen
03
Color CorrectionCreate a new layer and name it Color CorrectionSet the Blending Mode to Color Set the Brush tool to a SoftFeather setting with the Hardness to 15 Set Black as the foreground color and paint over the lips Then use Gold as the foreground color and paint over the ldquoCoachrdquo text and the handle of the sunglasses changing them from Silver to GoldSelect various colors from the skin and paint over the discolorations in the skin Put the layer in its own group and name that group Color Correction
glamour retouch
39psd Photoshop
EffectsCreate a new layer and name it Sparkles With the Pen tool create a fi ve ndash point sparkle Once fi nished drawing the outline right ndash click and select Make Selection feathering the selection by 1 pixel Make sure the Anti-aliased box is checked and the New Selection option is selected Fill the selection with White Then make several copies (four should be enough) of this layer and move the various spar-kles to certain areas on the jewelry and sunglasses Resize those sparkles individually using transform [Ctrl]+[T] Once the sparkles are at sizes you are comfortable with click on the top most layer (Sparkles Copy 4) hold the shift key then the original Sparkles lay-er and merge them by pressing [Ctrl]+[E] Rename this layer Spar-kles Then add a layer style to the layer by double ndash clicking on it I selected Outer Glow In the options for the Outer Glow effect leave the default setting only changing the Size to 3 pixels Lastly place this layer into its own group and name that group Effects Switch the Original layer OnOff and enjoy the result
by Armand Johnson
07
06
Cool DownCreate a HueSaturation Adjustment Layer mak-ing sure it is set to the Master channel Set the Saturation to -100 This turns the image black and white Set the Blending Mode set to Normalthe Opacity within the 40 - 50 range and the Fill within the 70 - 90 range Select the Maskset the foreground color to 40 Gray and fi ll the mask Paint over only the jewelry and the colored sections of the hair This brings back some of the original color but not too much of it Finally group only this layer and name it Cool Down
How to change the eye color very quickly but efficiently
How to change
eye color
beginer | 10 min
adobe photoshop CS4
how to change eye color
41psd Photoshop
Step 1First open the photos select the pupil of the eye using the method you prefer (Polygonal lassoMagnetic lasso pen etc) I used the Magnetic lasso in this case Right click the mouse on the Selection and select New Layer via Copy Rename the layer eyes
02
03
Step 2Make sure that in the Layers palette is selected layer eyes and from the menu Image select HuegtSaturation adjustments When the window will be open move the Hues cursor until you fi nd the satisfying color If you want from the same HuegtSaturation window we can also modify the saturation and brightness to achieve different ef-fects Heres an example set the Hue value on 44You can also customize more the color using the color balance adjustment selected from the menu ImagegtAdjustmentsgtColor Balance and reduce the opacity of the layer eyes to adjust the effect
Step 3For a more aesthetic effect you can use the Dodge tool selected from the Tools palette Set Light to a 5-10 opacity (or an opacity that allows to achieve the desired effect) and use Dodge toolwithin the colored part of the eye Select Burn tool(also an Opacity of 5) set to Midtones and Burn-ing to defi ne better the outline of the eye
by Ylenia Peronti
42 psd Photoshop
interview
2 pas Photoshop
Tell us about your first steps in photographyMy dad is a really good photographer and he showed me how to use his Nikon film camera when I was young and how to de-
Interview withApril Elizabeth
Can you introduce yourself to our readersMy name is April Elizabeth I am a creative photographer from the small snowy town of Ishpeming in Upper Peninsula of Michigan
April Elizabeth is an internationally published photographer from Ishpeming Michigan Her photos have appeared in magazines on book covers and websites Her clients include Random house HarperCollins Publishing and The Portland Beanie Company
43psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
3psd Photoshop
velop the film I really enjoyed it but it was expensive and I was unable to really get into photography until digital cameras came along I started with a point and shoot camera and went from there
Why did you choose this professionI think it sort of chose me Irsquove always liked photography but I never in my life imagined myself going anywhere with it That all changed when I bought my first slr and asked a local model to do a photo
44 psd Photoshop
interview
4 pas Photoshop
shoot with me I was nervous because I had never done any-thing like that before and I wasnrsquot com-pletely sure how the camera worked but the pictures turned out great and soon more and more peo-ple wanted to work with me
Where do you get the inspiration for your worksIrsquove always been an introverted day-dreamer with an
overly active imagination When other people are liv-ing their life I am looking around and thinking of sto-ries Irsquove always wanted to be a writer but photography lets me tell stories with pic-tures and as long as I can tell a story I am happy
What do you like the most about being a photographer and what are the main difficulties for youIf I am not creating some-thing I feel frustrated I like that my job lets me cre-ate things while making people feel beautiful and good about themselves I enjoy taking pictures that have a fantasy quality to them so that people in the photos can be part of something a little magi-cal instead of ordinary and people who see the photos will feel inspired One of the main difficul-ties I have is my location the middle of nowhere in the Midwest Winter lasts around 7-8 months and itrsquos always very harsh and with a lot of snow I donrsquot have a studio or anyplace indoors thatI can go to so this means I only have a very short amount of time in the year that I can really do many photo shoots
45psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
5psd Photoshop
Do you have any personal achievements you are particularly proud ofIrsquom very proud that my photo Shy with over 35550 favs is one of the most popular photos ever to be up-loaded to the website deviantart Itrsquos unreal to me Irsquom also proud that two photos of mine have been licensed to be on book covers Growing up I never thought any-thing like that could ever happen to me Being in magazines such as this one is also very nice All of these things make me feel like Irsquove accomplished something in life and gives me confidence that I can do even more
What are your plans for futureIrsquod like to get a studio someday And Irsquod like to get into stock photogra-phy Irsquom also working on a gothic romance novel called Whispering Pines and a book of short scary stories I guess I plan on just creat-ing more and trying to improve in everything I do
What would you advice to the young photographersDonrsquot worry about what kind of cam-era or equipment you have Just fo-cus on what you have now and try to create something beautiful with it Itrsquos the photographer that makes the picture good not the camera
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many successful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quitting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many suc-cessful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quit-ting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
A photographerrsquos main goal is to take a photo that makes the viewer feel a strong emotion towards it whether it is love hate anger or passion But when a photo is excellently taken yet the colors lighting and texture dont match up to the photoers vision a photo will become uninspiring This tutorial will teach you how to take your photo to the next level and create an image that matches your vision
Makingthe Mood
making the mood
47psd Photoshop
Step 1The fi rst step in changing a photo is doing the ba-sics You have to prepare your photo before you can move to the fun stuff In this pickture I got rid of any noticeable blemishes the model had and g of noticeable hair that were going across her face to give more clear picture of the model I did this using the Patch and Clone Stamp tool When edit-ing a model make sure to always keep texture in the skin its more interesting that way as opposed to having a models face which is completely air-brushed
02
03
Step 2The next step I took was darkening the whole photo I knew that I wanted the photo to be much darker than it currently was I could have just used the Curves tool or Levels but I fi nd that when overusing the Curves tool a photo starts to look overly contrasted which I dont want So instead I used a light gradient (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtGradient Map) and changed the Blending mode from Normal to Multiply Doing this gives the photo a lot more depth but doesnt darken it completely
Step 3As soon as Ive got my basic photo ready I knew that the yellowish tinge was not the effect I was going for so I used both the Color Balance tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtColor Balance)and the Selective Color tool (LayergtNew Adjust-ment LayergtColor Balance)
01
photomanipulation
48 psd Photoshop
Step 4The next thing I noticed was that my models face was not highlighted enough it was getting lost in the midst of forest and darkness so I made two new layers One layer was for the models face and I simply used a soft Photoshop brush with 0 Hardness and drew over the models face and the snakes body I then changed both layers Blending Mode from Normal to Screen and applied a Box blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 543 pixels to both so they wouldnt be as noticeable Remember you just want hints of light just enough so the models face and the snake is highlighted
04
05
06
Step 5The fi fth step is more or less a repeat of a step number three I liked the way photo looked but it wasnt nearly as dramatic as it could be So now I fi nally decided to use the Curves tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtCurves) to darken and light certain areas making sure again not to overdo it but to give it enough contrast to really bring out the picture Next I made two new Selective Colorlayers (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtSelective Color) One Selective Colors layer changed the leaves and clothes but not the models face to a more dark blue tint while the second Selective Color layer brightened the snakes skin
Step 6The next thing I did was making another two lay-ers I still wanted to brighten only the snakes skin so for the fi rst layer I changed the Blending modefrom Normal to Soft Light and then used a brush with 0 Hardness and carefully painted over the snake It took a few variations before I found a color I liked Its helpful to remember to also look at the whole picture In the next layer I created I simply wanted to add a little more color to the shrubbery in the background so I made another layer and again changed the blending mode from Normal to Soft Light I used a soft brush with 0 Hardness and a maroon and yellow color just to add a little variation from my usual palette of blue I then added it all along the bushes and used the Box Blur tool at 483 pixels also changing the Blending mode from Normal to Screen to make it less obvious
making the mood
49psd Photoshop
Step 7The fi nal step I took to fi nish setting the mood for my photo was adding a texture and chang-ing the Blending Mode from Normal to Soft LightI found that the texture was to overpowering at 100 Opacity so I lowered it to 77 I next added my fi nal layer and created a vignette around my photo by using a brush with a Hardness of 100 and then brushed it around the outer edges of the photo particularly around the four corners I then applied a Box Blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 693 pixels to the layer creating a nice dark blurred ef-fect
by Naomi Bensen
07
interview
34 psd Photoshop
there is a bevy of websites that are exceptionally useful for inspira-tion Abduzeedo is my favorite Being an artist you can get your in-spiration from anything and anywhere An idea can gravitate towards you at anytime
What are the main advantages of your profession and what can be discouraging about itAn advantage of being a retoucher is the payoff If yoursquore great at it you can eventually open up to a much larger clientele such as the entertainment (music movies etc) and fashion industries Once
interview with armand johnson
35psd Photoshop
yoursquore attached to some major clients your rep (credibility) increas-es for the better What can be discouraging is the journey to arrive at that stage There are many individuals proclaiming themselves pro-fessionals (whether photographers retouchers etc) that are hurt-ing the industry They are utterly confusing clients A random person with a camera is not a photographer and a random person with a copy of Photoshop is not retoucher A lot of lower level clients tend to desire commercial level work for pennies on the dollar Thatrsquos just not feasible Retouchers probably spend more time with an image than anyone else involved with the creative process They deserve to be compensated properly
Do you have any achievements that you are particularly proud ofYeah I just recently got a couple works approved on the major cre-ative website Creatticacom Also being featured in this magazine is very rewarding I look forward to achieving more goals and receiving more accolades Lifersquos a marathon not a sprint
What about your plans for the futureI plan on making my stamp within the industry as have the other successful digital artists Irsquoll always be refining and fine-tuning my craft to become more diverse I wonrsquot go into too much details cause I have a laundry list of things That could take all day ) But I will say this the pieces of the puzzle are beginning to fall into the right plac-es and I believe this interview and collaboration with PSD Photoshop magazine is a crucial step in this process
Do you have any advice to those who would like to become digital artists as wellBe artistic and approach things from a creative perspective I find many individuals wanting to be artists without being artistic or cre-ative Itrsquos a process not a fast food restaurant The creation of mas-terpieces and wonderful works of art takes careful planning time and effort There has to be a love for what you do Photoshop is only a tool which is used to create art It is not meant to replace it or the process of creating it
advanced | 45 min
adobe photoshop CS3
glamour retouch
37psd Photoshop
Blemish Removal and Skin SmoothingFirst open the RAW image and make a duplicate of the background layer by pressing [Ctrl]+[J] Name the bottom layer Retouch and the top layer Original This creates a quick toggle between the Before and After states This also allows you to monitor your progress and determine if you are making changes that have a negative effect on the results Turn off the top layer (Original) Nextcreate a new layer above the Retouch layer by pressing [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] Name this layer CleanUp With the Healing Brush [J] selected make sure Sam-ple All Layers is selected from the drop down menu and Aligned is checked Next use the Healing Brush as well as the Clone Stamp on the CleanUp layer to remove all the blemishes and imperfections The settings are 100 Opacity 100 with Sample All Layers and Alignedselected Once the skin is cleaned up create another layer above it [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] and name it Skin Select the Clone Stamp tool and use these settings 18-25 Opacity 100 Flow Sample All Layers and Aligned Use the Clone Stamp tool to even out the Highlight Shadowand Midtone areas giving the skin a very smooth fl awless appear-ance Lastly apply a little noise the layer Go to FiltergtNoisegtAdd Noise and set the amount to 25 - 50 and the distribution to Gauss-ian After initially cleaning and smoothing the skin group those layers together by holding down the [Shift] key and selecting both of them and [Ctrl]+[G] to group them Rename the group CleanUp
01
02Color BoostAbove the CleanUp group create a Curves Adjustment Layer and name it CB - Curves Use three points along the slope 255 255 0 0 and 148 112 within the RGB channel Then create a LevelsAdjustment Layer naming it CB - Levels Within the RGB chan-nel using these values 10 115 245 Group together these two Adjustment Layers and name the group Overall because it af-fects the overall image Then create a Curves Adjustment Layerabove the grouped layers and insert four points along the slope Keep the two default points 255255 and 0 0 Add two more 35 43 and 211 201 (or somewhere within that tonal range) also in the RGB channel Rename this layer Jewelry Select the Mask by clicking on it and fi ll the Mask with Black Use the Brush tool with the foreground color set to White and paint only over the jewelry Rename this layer Jewelry Create a fi nal Curves adjustment layer above the Jewelry layer and name it Hair Use settings very simi-lar to those on the Jewelry layer within the RGB channel Select the Mask fi ll it with Black and paint over the hair with a Whitebrush Group all of these Adjustment Layers together and name the group Color Boost
GlamourRetouchIn this tutorial I will show you how I performed a Glamour retouch on a photo of my beautiful friend Asia I photographed her against a black background for a dramatic and edgy effect as well as using various Photoshop tools to achieve that ldquoglamour lookrdquo that many magazines and print work use I will be using Photoshop CS3 but any higher version should work as well The tools I will be using are Adjustment Layers Filters and Blending Modes as well as the Clone Stamp Brush and Healing Brush tools
photo retouch
38 psd Photoshop
Highlight and ShadowCreate a new layer and name it FaceBody and set the Blending Mode to Soft Light Set the foreground color to White select the Brush tool with the settings Opacity 100 Flow 2 and paint over the naturally highlighted areas bring-ing out the highlights Then set the foreground color to Black using the same settings and paint over the naturally shadowed areas increasing the contrast in the image Add a Gaussian BlurFiltergtBlurgtGaussian Blur to the layer with a ra-dius setting of 15 ndash 30 Repeat these steps on a new layer named Hair with the Blending Mode set to Overlay Create another new layer named Jew-elry with the Blending Mode set to Overlay as well Once fi nished rearrange the layers so that they are in this order from top to bottom Hair FaceBody Jewelry Lastly group these layers together and name the group HLSH or HighlightShadow
04
05SharpenMake a new layer by combining all visible layers [Shift]+[Alt]+[Ctrl]+[E] This creates a new layer consisting of all the information from the bottom layers Make this a smart object by right ndash click-ing on the layer and selecting Convert to Smart Object This makes the layer a Smart Object allow-ing the use of Smart Filters Duplicate this layer and rename the copy HP 65 and the original layer Sharpen Turn off the HP 65 layer With the Sharp-en layer selected go to FiltergtSharpengtUnSharp Mask using these settings Amount 60 Radius2500 Threshold 10 With the Blending Mode set to Normal adjust the Opacity within the 30 - 40 range and the Fill within the 75 - 90 range Then turn on the HP 65 Layer and select it Set the Blending Mode to Overlay and go to FiltergtOthergtHigh Pass Set the Radius to 65 and the Opacity within the 65 - 75 range and the Fillwithin the 90 - 95 range Finally group these two layers together and name the group Sharpen
03
Color CorrectionCreate a new layer and name it Color CorrectionSet the Blending Mode to Color Set the Brush tool to a SoftFeather setting with the Hardness to 15 Set Black as the foreground color and paint over the lips Then use Gold as the foreground color and paint over the ldquoCoachrdquo text and the handle of the sunglasses changing them from Silver to GoldSelect various colors from the skin and paint over the discolorations in the skin Put the layer in its own group and name that group Color Correction
glamour retouch
39psd Photoshop
EffectsCreate a new layer and name it Sparkles With the Pen tool create a fi ve ndash point sparkle Once fi nished drawing the outline right ndash click and select Make Selection feathering the selection by 1 pixel Make sure the Anti-aliased box is checked and the New Selection option is selected Fill the selection with White Then make several copies (four should be enough) of this layer and move the various spar-kles to certain areas on the jewelry and sunglasses Resize those sparkles individually using transform [Ctrl]+[T] Once the sparkles are at sizes you are comfortable with click on the top most layer (Sparkles Copy 4) hold the shift key then the original Sparkles lay-er and merge them by pressing [Ctrl]+[E] Rename this layer Spar-kles Then add a layer style to the layer by double ndash clicking on it I selected Outer Glow In the options for the Outer Glow effect leave the default setting only changing the Size to 3 pixels Lastly place this layer into its own group and name that group Effects Switch the Original layer OnOff and enjoy the result
by Armand Johnson
07
06
Cool DownCreate a HueSaturation Adjustment Layer mak-ing sure it is set to the Master channel Set the Saturation to -100 This turns the image black and white Set the Blending Mode set to Normalthe Opacity within the 40 - 50 range and the Fill within the 70 - 90 range Select the Maskset the foreground color to 40 Gray and fi ll the mask Paint over only the jewelry and the colored sections of the hair This brings back some of the original color but not too much of it Finally group only this layer and name it Cool Down
How to change the eye color very quickly but efficiently
How to change
eye color
beginer | 10 min
adobe photoshop CS4
how to change eye color
41psd Photoshop
Step 1First open the photos select the pupil of the eye using the method you prefer (Polygonal lassoMagnetic lasso pen etc) I used the Magnetic lasso in this case Right click the mouse on the Selection and select New Layer via Copy Rename the layer eyes
02
03
Step 2Make sure that in the Layers palette is selected layer eyes and from the menu Image select HuegtSaturation adjustments When the window will be open move the Hues cursor until you fi nd the satisfying color If you want from the same HuegtSaturation window we can also modify the saturation and brightness to achieve different ef-fects Heres an example set the Hue value on 44You can also customize more the color using the color balance adjustment selected from the menu ImagegtAdjustmentsgtColor Balance and reduce the opacity of the layer eyes to adjust the effect
Step 3For a more aesthetic effect you can use the Dodge tool selected from the Tools palette Set Light to a 5-10 opacity (or an opacity that allows to achieve the desired effect) and use Dodge toolwithin the colored part of the eye Select Burn tool(also an Opacity of 5) set to Midtones and Burn-ing to defi ne better the outline of the eye
by Ylenia Peronti
42 psd Photoshop
interview
2 pas Photoshop
Tell us about your first steps in photographyMy dad is a really good photographer and he showed me how to use his Nikon film camera when I was young and how to de-
Interview withApril Elizabeth
Can you introduce yourself to our readersMy name is April Elizabeth I am a creative photographer from the small snowy town of Ishpeming in Upper Peninsula of Michigan
April Elizabeth is an internationally published photographer from Ishpeming Michigan Her photos have appeared in magazines on book covers and websites Her clients include Random house HarperCollins Publishing and The Portland Beanie Company
43psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
3psd Photoshop
velop the film I really enjoyed it but it was expensive and I was unable to really get into photography until digital cameras came along I started with a point and shoot camera and went from there
Why did you choose this professionI think it sort of chose me Irsquove always liked photography but I never in my life imagined myself going anywhere with it That all changed when I bought my first slr and asked a local model to do a photo
44 psd Photoshop
interview
4 pas Photoshop
shoot with me I was nervous because I had never done any-thing like that before and I wasnrsquot com-pletely sure how the camera worked but the pictures turned out great and soon more and more peo-ple wanted to work with me
Where do you get the inspiration for your worksIrsquove always been an introverted day-dreamer with an
overly active imagination When other people are liv-ing their life I am looking around and thinking of sto-ries Irsquove always wanted to be a writer but photography lets me tell stories with pic-tures and as long as I can tell a story I am happy
What do you like the most about being a photographer and what are the main difficulties for youIf I am not creating some-thing I feel frustrated I like that my job lets me cre-ate things while making people feel beautiful and good about themselves I enjoy taking pictures that have a fantasy quality to them so that people in the photos can be part of something a little magi-cal instead of ordinary and people who see the photos will feel inspired One of the main difficul-ties I have is my location the middle of nowhere in the Midwest Winter lasts around 7-8 months and itrsquos always very harsh and with a lot of snow I donrsquot have a studio or anyplace indoors thatI can go to so this means I only have a very short amount of time in the year that I can really do many photo shoots
45psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
5psd Photoshop
Do you have any personal achievements you are particularly proud ofIrsquom very proud that my photo Shy with over 35550 favs is one of the most popular photos ever to be up-loaded to the website deviantart Itrsquos unreal to me Irsquom also proud that two photos of mine have been licensed to be on book covers Growing up I never thought any-thing like that could ever happen to me Being in magazines such as this one is also very nice All of these things make me feel like Irsquove accomplished something in life and gives me confidence that I can do even more
What are your plans for futureIrsquod like to get a studio someday And Irsquod like to get into stock photogra-phy Irsquom also working on a gothic romance novel called Whispering Pines and a book of short scary stories I guess I plan on just creat-ing more and trying to improve in everything I do
What would you advice to the young photographersDonrsquot worry about what kind of cam-era or equipment you have Just fo-cus on what you have now and try to create something beautiful with it Itrsquos the photographer that makes the picture good not the camera
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many successful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quitting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many suc-cessful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quit-ting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
A photographerrsquos main goal is to take a photo that makes the viewer feel a strong emotion towards it whether it is love hate anger or passion But when a photo is excellently taken yet the colors lighting and texture dont match up to the photoers vision a photo will become uninspiring This tutorial will teach you how to take your photo to the next level and create an image that matches your vision
Makingthe Mood
making the mood
47psd Photoshop
Step 1The fi rst step in changing a photo is doing the ba-sics You have to prepare your photo before you can move to the fun stuff In this pickture I got rid of any noticeable blemishes the model had and g of noticeable hair that were going across her face to give more clear picture of the model I did this using the Patch and Clone Stamp tool When edit-ing a model make sure to always keep texture in the skin its more interesting that way as opposed to having a models face which is completely air-brushed
02
03
Step 2The next step I took was darkening the whole photo I knew that I wanted the photo to be much darker than it currently was I could have just used the Curves tool or Levels but I fi nd that when overusing the Curves tool a photo starts to look overly contrasted which I dont want So instead I used a light gradient (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtGradient Map) and changed the Blending mode from Normal to Multiply Doing this gives the photo a lot more depth but doesnt darken it completely
Step 3As soon as Ive got my basic photo ready I knew that the yellowish tinge was not the effect I was going for so I used both the Color Balance tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtColor Balance)and the Selective Color tool (LayergtNew Adjust-ment LayergtColor Balance)
01
photomanipulation
48 psd Photoshop
Step 4The next thing I noticed was that my models face was not highlighted enough it was getting lost in the midst of forest and darkness so I made two new layers One layer was for the models face and I simply used a soft Photoshop brush with 0 Hardness and drew over the models face and the snakes body I then changed both layers Blending Mode from Normal to Screen and applied a Box blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 543 pixels to both so they wouldnt be as noticeable Remember you just want hints of light just enough so the models face and the snake is highlighted
04
05
06
Step 5The fi fth step is more or less a repeat of a step number three I liked the way photo looked but it wasnt nearly as dramatic as it could be So now I fi nally decided to use the Curves tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtCurves) to darken and light certain areas making sure again not to overdo it but to give it enough contrast to really bring out the picture Next I made two new Selective Colorlayers (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtSelective Color) One Selective Colors layer changed the leaves and clothes but not the models face to a more dark blue tint while the second Selective Color layer brightened the snakes skin
Step 6The next thing I did was making another two lay-ers I still wanted to brighten only the snakes skin so for the fi rst layer I changed the Blending modefrom Normal to Soft Light and then used a brush with 0 Hardness and carefully painted over the snake It took a few variations before I found a color I liked Its helpful to remember to also look at the whole picture In the next layer I created I simply wanted to add a little more color to the shrubbery in the background so I made another layer and again changed the blending mode from Normal to Soft Light I used a soft brush with 0 Hardness and a maroon and yellow color just to add a little variation from my usual palette of blue I then added it all along the bushes and used the Box Blur tool at 483 pixels also changing the Blending mode from Normal to Screen to make it less obvious
making the mood
49psd Photoshop
Step 7The fi nal step I took to fi nish setting the mood for my photo was adding a texture and chang-ing the Blending Mode from Normal to Soft LightI found that the texture was to overpowering at 100 Opacity so I lowered it to 77 I next added my fi nal layer and created a vignette around my photo by using a brush with a Hardness of 100 and then brushed it around the outer edges of the photo particularly around the four corners I then applied a Box Blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 693 pixels to the layer creating a nice dark blurred ef-fect
by Naomi Bensen
07
interview with armand johnson
35psd Photoshop
yoursquore attached to some major clients your rep (credibility) increas-es for the better What can be discouraging is the journey to arrive at that stage There are many individuals proclaiming themselves pro-fessionals (whether photographers retouchers etc) that are hurt-ing the industry They are utterly confusing clients A random person with a camera is not a photographer and a random person with a copy of Photoshop is not retoucher A lot of lower level clients tend to desire commercial level work for pennies on the dollar Thatrsquos just not feasible Retouchers probably spend more time with an image than anyone else involved with the creative process They deserve to be compensated properly
Do you have any achievements that you are particularly proud ofYeah I just recently got a couple works approved on the major cre-ative website Creatticacom Also being featured in this magazine is very rewarding I look forward to achieving more goals and receiving more accolades Lifersquos a marathon not a sprint
What about your plans for the futureI plan on making my stamp within the industry as have the other successful digital artists Irsquoll always be refining and fine-tuning my craft to become more diverse I wonrsquot go into too much details cause I have a laundry list of things That could take all day ) But I will say this the pieces of the puzzle are beginning to fall into the right plac-es and I believe this interview and collaboration with PSD Photoshop magazine is a crucial step in this process
Do you have any advice to those who would like to become digital artists as wellBe artistic and approach things from a creative perspective I find many individuals wanting to be artists without being artistic or cre-ative Itrsquos a process not a fast food restaurant The creation of mas-terpieces and wonderful works of art takes careful planning time and effort There has to be a love for what you do Photoshop is only a tool which is used to create art It is not meant to replace it or the process of creating it
advanced | 45 min
adobe photoshop CS3
glamour retouch
37psd Photoshop
Blemish Removal and Skin SmoothingFirst open the RAW image and make a duplicate of the background layer by pressing [Ctrl]+[J] Name the bottom layer Retouch and the top layer Original This creates a quick toggle between the Before and After states This also allows you to monitor your progress and determine if you are making changes that have a negative effect on the results Turn off the top layer (Original) Nextcreate a new layer above the Retouch layer by pressing [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] Name this layer CleanUp With the Healing Brush [J] selected make sure Sam-ple All Layers is selected from the drop down menu and Aligned is checked Next use the Healing Brush as well as the Clone Stamp on the CleanUp layer to remove all the blemishes and imperfections The settings are 100 Opacity 100 with Sample All Layers and Alignedselected Once the skin is cleaned up create another layer above it [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] and name it Skin Select the Clone Stamp tool and use these settings 18-25 Opacity 100 Flow Sample All Layers and Aligned Use the Clone Stamp tool to even out the Highlight Shadowand Midtone areas giving the skin a very smooth fl awless appear-ance Lastly apply a little noise the layer Go to FiltergtNoisegtAdd Noise and set the amount to 25 - 50 and the distribution to Gauss-ian After initially cleaning and smoothing the skin group those layers together by holding down the [Shift] key and selecting both of them and [Ctrl]+[G] to group them Rename the group CleanUp
01
02Color BoostAbove the CleanUp group create a Curves Adjustment Layer and name it CB - Curves Use three points along the slope 255 255 0 0 and 148 112 within the RGB channel Then create a LevelsAdjustment Layer naming it CB - Levels Within the RGB chan-nel using these values 10 115 245 Group together these two Adjustment Layers and name the group Overall because it af-fects the overall image Then create a Curves Adjustment Layerabove the grouped layers and insert four points along the slope Keep the two default points 255255 and 0 0 Add two more 35 43 and 211 201 (or somewhere within that tonal range) also in the RGB channel Rename this layer Jewelry Select the Mask by clicking on it and fi ll the Mask with Black Use the Brush tool with the foreground color set to White and paint only over the jewelry Rename this layer Jewelry Create a fi nal Curves adjustment layer above the Jewelry layer and name it Hair Use settings very simi-lar to those on the Jewelry layer within the RGB channel Select the Mask fi ll it with Black and paint over the hair with a Whitebrush Group all of these Adjustment Layers together and name the group Color Boost
GlamourRetouchIn this tutorial I will show you how I performed a Glamour retouch on a photo of my beautiful friend Asia I photographed her against a black background for a dramatic and edgy effect as well as using various Photoshop tools to achieve that ldquoglamour lookrdquo that many magazines and print work use I will be using Photoshop CS3 but any higher version should work as well The tools I will be using are Adjustment Layers Filters and Blending Modes as well as the Clone Stamp Brush and Healing Brush tools
photo retouch
38 psd Photoshop
Highlight and ShadowCreate a new layer and name it FaceBody and set the Blending Mode to Soft Light Set the foreground color to White select the Brush tool with the settings Opacity 100 Flow 2 and paint over the naturally highlighted areas bring-ing out the highlights Then set the foreground color to Black using the same settings and paint over the naturally shadowed areas increasing the contrast in the image Add a Gaussian BlurFiltergtBlurgtGaussian Blur to the layer with a ra-dius setting of 15 ndash 30 Repeat these steps on a new layer named Hair with the Blending Mode set to Overlay Create another new layer named Jew-elry with the Blending Mode set to Overlay as well Once fi nished rearrange the layers so that they are in this order from top to bottom Hair FaceBody Jewelry Lastly group these layers together and name the group HLSH or HighlightShadow
04
05SharpenMake a new layer by combining all visible layers [Shift]+[Alt]+[Ctrl]+[E] This creates a new layer consisting of all the information from the bottom layers Make this a smart object by right ndash click-ing on the layer and selecting Convert to Smart Object This makes the layer a Smart Object allow-ing the use of Smart Filters Duplicate this layer and rename the copy HP 65 and the original layer Sharpen Turn off the HP 65 layer With the Sharp-en layer selected go to FiltergtSharpengtUnSharp Mask using these settings Amount 60 Radius2500 Threshold 10 With the Blending Mode set to Normal adjust the Opacity within the 30 - 40 range and the Fill within the 75 - 90 range Then turn on the HP 65 Layer and select it Set the Blending Mode to Overlay and go to FiltergtOthergtHigh Pass Set the Radius to 65 and the Opacity within the 65 - 75 range and the Fillwithin the 90 - 95 range Finally group these two layers together and name the group Sharpen
03
Color CorrectionCreate a new layer and name it Color CorrectionSet the Blending Mode to Color Set the Brush tool to a SoftFeather setting with the Hardness to 15 Set Black as the foreground color and paint over the lips Then use Gold as the foreground color and paint over the ldquoCoachrdquo text and the handle of the sunglasses changing them from Silver to GoldSelect various colors from the skin and paint over the discolorations in the skin Put the layer in its own group and name that group Color Correction
glamour retouch
39psd Photoshop
EffectsCreate a new layer and name it Sparkles With the Pen tool create a fi ve ndash point sparkle Once fi nished drawing the outline right ndash click and select Make Selection feathering the selection by 1 pixel Make sure the Anti-aliased box is checked and the New Selection option is selected Fill the selection with White Then make several copies (four should be enough) of this layer and move the various spar-kles to certain areas on the jewelry and sunglasses Resize those sparkles individually using transform [Ctrl]+[T] Once the sparkles are at sizes you are comfortable with click on the top most layer (Sparkles Copy 4) hold the shift key then the original Sparkles lay-er and merge them by pressing [Ctrl]+[E] Rename this layer Spar-kles Then add a layer style to the layer by double ndash clicking on it I selected Outer Glow In the options for the Outer Glow effect leave the default setting only changing the Size to 3 pixels Lastly place this layer into its own group and name that group Effects Switch the Original layer OnOff and enjoy the result
by Armand Johnson
07
06
Cool DownCreate a HueSaturation Adjustment Layer mak-ing sure it is set to the Master channel Set the Saturation to -100 This turns the image black and white Set the Blending Mode set to Normalthe Opacity within the 40 - 50 range and the Fill within the 70 - 90 range Select the Maskset the foreground color to 40 Gray and fi ll the mask Paint over only the jewelry and the colored sections of the hair This brings back some of the original color but not too much of it Finally group only this layer and name it Cool Down
How to change the eye color very quickly but efficiently
How to change
eye color
beginer | 10 min
adobe photoshop CS4
how to change eye color
41psd Photoshop
Step 1First open the photos select the pupil of the eye using the method you prefer (Polygonal lassoMagnetic lasso pen etc) I used the Magnetic lasso in this case Right click the mouse on the Selection and select New Layer via Copy Rename the layer eyes
02
03
Step 2Make sure that in the Layers palette is selected layer eyes and from the menu Image select HuegtSaturation adjustments When the window will be open move the Hues cursor until you fi nd the satisfying color If you want from the same HuegtSaturation window we can also modify the saturation and brightness to achieve different ef-fects Heres an example set the Hue value on 44You can also customize more the color using the color balance adjustment selected from the menu ImagegtAdjustmentsgtColor Balance and reduce the opacity of the layer eyes to adjust the effect
Step 3For a more aesthetic effect you can use the Dodge tool selected from the Tools palette Set Light to a 5-10 opacity (or an opacity that allows to achieve the desired effect) and use Dodge toolwithin the colored part of the eye Select Burn tool(also an Opacity of 5) set to Midtones and Burn-ing to defi ne better the outline of the eye
by Ylenia Peronti
42 psd Photoshop
interview
2 pas Photoshop
Tell us about your first steps in photographyMy dad is a really good photographer and he showed me how to use his Nikon film camera when I was young and how to de-
Interview withApril Elizabeth
Can you introduce yourself to our readersMy name is April Elizabeth I am a creative photographer from the small snowy town of Ishpeming in Upper Peninsula of Michigan
April Elizabeth is an internationally published photographer from Ishpeming Michigan Her photos have appeared in magazines on book covers and websites Her clients include Random house HarperCollins Publishing and The Portland Beanie Company
43psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
3psd Photoshop
velop the film I really enjoyed it but it was expensive and I was unable to really get into photography until digital cameras came along I started with a point and shoot camera and went from there
Why did you choose this professionI think it sort of chose me Irsquove always liked photography but I never in my life imagined myself going anywhere with it That all changed when I bought my first slr and asked a local model to do a photo
44 psd Photoshop
interview
4 pas Photoshop
shoot with me I was nervous because I had never done any-thing like that before and I wasnrsquot com-pletely sure how the camera worked but the pictures turned out great and soon more and more peo-ple wanted to work with me
Where do you get the inspiration for your worksIrsquove always been an introverted day-dreamer with an
overly active imagination When other people are liv-ing their life I am looking around and thinking of sto-ries Irsquove always wanted to be a writer but photography lets me tell stories with pic-tures and as long as I can tell a story I am happy
What do you like the most about being a photographer and what are the main difficulties for youIf I am not creating some-thing I feel frustrated I like that my job lets me cre-ate things while making people feel beautiful and good about themselves I enjoy taking pictures that have a fantasy quality to them so that people in the photos can be part of something a little magi-cal instead of ordinary and people who see the photos will feel inspired One of the main difficul-ties I have is my location the middle of nowhere in the Midwest Winter lasts around 7-8 months and itrsquos always very harsh and with a lot of snow I donrsquot have a studio or anyplace indoors thatI can go to so this means I only have a very short amount of time in the year that I can really do many photo shoots
45psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
5psd Photoshop
Do you have any personal achievements you are particularly proud ofIrsquom very proud that my photo Shy with over 35550 favs is one of the most popular photos ever to be up-loaded to the website deviantart Itrsquos unreal to me Irsquom also proud that two photos of mine have been licensed to be on book covers Growing up I never thought any-thing like that could ever happen to me Being in magazines such as this one is also very nice All of these things make me feel like Irsquove accomplished something in life and gives me confidence that I can do even more
What are your plans for futureIrsquod like to get a studio someday And Irsquod like to get into stock photogra-phy Irsquom also working on a gothic romance novel called Whispering Pines and a book of short scary stories I guess I plan on just creat-ing more and trying to improve in everything I do
What would you advice to the young photographersDonrsquot worry about what kind of cam-era or equipment you have Just fo-cus on what you have now and try to create something beautiful with it Itrsquos the photographer that makes the picture good not the camera
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many successful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quitting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many suc-cessful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quit-ting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
A photographerrsquos main goal is to take a photo that makes the viewer feel a strong emotion towards it whether it is love hate anger or passion But when a photo is excellently taken yet the colors lighting and texture dont match up to the photoers vision a photo will become uninspiring This tutorial will teach you how to take your photo to the next level and create an image that matches your vision
Makingthe Mood
making the mood
47psd Photoshop
Step 1The fi rst step in changing a photo is doing the ba-sics You have to prepare your photo before you can move to the fun stuff In this pickture I got rid of any noticeable blemishes the model had and g of noticeable hair that were going across her face to give more clear picture of the model I did this using the Patch and Clone Stamp tool When edit-ing a model make sure to always keep texture in the skin its more interesting that way as opposed to having a models face which is completely air-brushed
02
03
Step 2The next step I took was darkening the whole photo I knew that I wanted the photo to be much darker than it currently was I could have just used the Curves tool or Levels but I fi nd that when overusing the Curves tool a photo starts to look overly contrasted which I dont want So instead I used a light gradient (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtGradient Map) and changed the Blending mode from Normal to Multiply Doing this gives the photo a lot more depth but doesnt darken it completely
Step 3As soon as Ive got my basic photo ready I knew that the yellowish tinge was not the effect I was going for so I used both the Color Balance tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtColor Balance)and the Selective Color tool (LayergtNew Adjust-ment LayergtColor Balance)
01
photomanipulation
48 psd Photoshop
Step 4The next thing I noticed was that my models face was not highlighted enough it was getting lost in the midst of forest and darkness so I made two new layers One layer was for the models face and I simply used a soft Photoshop brush with 0 Hardness and drew over the models face and the snakes body I then changed both layers Blending Mode from Normal to Screen and applied a Box blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 543 pixels to both so they wouldnt be as noticeable Remember you just want hints of light just enough so the models face and the snake is highlighted
04
05
06
Step 5The fi fth step is more or less a repeat of a step number three I liked the way photo looked but it wasnt nearly as dramatic as it could be So now I fi nally decided to use the Curves tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtCurves) to darken and light certain areas making sure again not to overdo it but to give it enough contrast to really bring out the picture Next I made two new Selective Colorlayers (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtSelective Color) One Selective Colors layer changed the leaves and clothes but not the models face to a more dark blue tint while the second Selective Color layer brightened the snakes skin
Step 6The next thing I did was making another two lay-ers I still wanted to brighten only the snakes skin so for the fi rst layer I changed the Blending modefrom Normal to Soft Light and then used a brush with 0 Hardness and carefully painted over the snake It took a few variations before I found a color I liked Its helpful to remember to also look at the whole picture In the next layer I created I simply wanted to add a little more color to the shrubbery in the background so I made another layer and again changed the blending mode from Normal to Soft Light I used a soft brush with 0 Hardness and a maroon and yellow color just to add a little variation from my usual palette of blue I then added it all along the bushes and used the Box Blur tool at 483 pixels also changing the Blending mode from Normal to Screen to make it less obvious
making the mood
49psd Photoshop
Step 7The fi nal step I took to fi nish setting the mood for my photo was adding a texture and chang-ing the Blending Mode from Normal to Soft LightI found that the texture was to overpowering at 100 Opacity so I lowered it to 77 I next added my fi nal layer and created a vignette around my photo by using a brush with a Hardness of 100 and then brushed it around the outer edges of the photo particularly around the four corners I then applied a Box Blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 693 pixels to the layer creating a nice dark blurred ef-fect
by Naomi Bensen
07
advanced | 45 min
adobe photoshop CS3
glamour retouch
37psd Photoshop
Blemish Removal and Skin SmoothingFirst open the RAW image and make a duplicate of the background layer by pressing [Ctrl]+[J] Name the bottom layer Retouch and the top layer Original This creates a quick toggle between the Before and After states This also allows you to monitor your progress and determine if you are making changes that have a negative effect on the results Turn off the top layer (Original) Nextcreate a new layer above the Retouch layer by pressing [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] Name this layer CleanUp With the Healing Brush [J] selected make sure Sam-ple All Layers is selected from the drop down menu and Aligned is checked Next use the Healing Brush as well as the Clone Stamp on the CleanUp layer to remove all the blemishes and imperfections The settings are 100 Opacity 100 with Sample All Layers and Alignedselected Once the skin is cleaned up create another layer above it [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] and name it Skin Select the Clone Stamp tool and use these settings 18-25 Opacity 100 Flow Sample All Layers and Aligned Use the Clone Stamp tool to even out the Highlight Shadowand Midtone areas giving the skin a very smooth fl awless appear-ance Lastly apply a little noise the layer Go to FiltergtNoisegtAdd Noise and set the amount to 25 - 50 and the distribution to Gauss-ian After initially cleaning and smoothing the skin group those layers together by holding down the [Shift] key and selecting both of them and [Ctrl]+[G] to group them Rename the group CleanUp
01
02Color BoostAbove the CleanUp group create a Curves Adjustment Layer and name it CB - Curves Use three points along the slope 255 255 0 0 and 148 112 within the RGB channel Then create a LevelsAdjustment Layer naming it CB - Levels Within the RGB chan-nel using these values 10 115 245 Group together these two Adjustment Layers and name the group Overall because it af-fects the overall image Then create a Curves Adjustment Layerabove the grouped layers and insert four points along the slope Keep the two default points 255255 and 0 0 Add two more 35 43 and 211 201 (or somewhere within that tonal range) also in the RGB channel Rename this layer Jewelry Select the Mask by clicking on it and fi ll the Mask with Black Use the Brush tool with the foreground color set to White and paint only over the jewelry Rename this layer Jewelry Create a fi nal Curves adjustment layer above the Jewelry layer and name it Hair Use settings very simi-lar to those on the Jewelry layer within the RGB channel Select the Mask fi ll it with Black and paint over the hair with a Whitebrush Group all of these Adjustment Layers together and name the group Color Boost
GlamourRetouchIn this tutorial I will show you how I performed a Glamour retouch on a photo of my beautiful friend Asia I photographed her against a black background for a dramatic and edgy effect as well as using various Photoshop tools to achieve that ldquoglamour lookrdquo that many magazines and print work use I will be using Photoshop CS3 but any higher version should work as well The tools I will be using are Adjustment Layers Filters and Blending Modes as well as the Clone Stamp Brush and Healing Brush tools
photo retouch
38 psd Photoshop
Highlight and ShadowCreate a new layer and name it FaceBody and set the Blending Mode to Soft Light Set the foreground color to White select the Brush tool with the settings Opacity 100 Flow 2 and paint over the naturally highlighted areas bring-ing out the highlights Then set the foreground color to Black using the same settings and paint over the naturally shadowed areas increasing the contrast in the image Add a Gaussian BlurFiltergtBlurgtGaussian Blur to the layer with a ra-dius setting of 15 ndash 30 Repeat these steps on a new layer named Hair with the Blending Mode set to Overlay Create another new layer named Jew-elry with the Blending Mode set to Overlay as well Once fi nished rearrange the layers so that they are in this order from top to bottom Hair FaceBody Jewelry Lastly group these layers together and name the group HLSH or HighlightShadow
04
05SharpenMake a new layer by combining all visible layers [Shift]+[Alt]+[Ctrl]+[E] This creates a new layer consisting of all the information from the bottom layers Make this a smart object by right ndash click-ing on the layer and selecting Convert to Smart Object This makes the layer a Smart Object allow-ing the use of Smart Filters Duplicate this layer and rename the copy HP 65 and the original layer Sharpen Turn off the HP 65 layer With the Sharp-en layer selected go to FiltergtSharpengtUnSharp Mask using these settings Amount 60 Radius2500 Threshold 10 With the Blending Mode set to Normal adjust the Opacity within the 30 - 40 range and the Fill within the 75 - 90 range Then turn on the HP 65 Layer and select it Set the Blending Mode to Overlay and go to FiltergtOthergtHigh Pass Set the Radius to 65 and the Opacity within the 65 - 75 range and the Fillwithin the 90 - 95 range Finally group these two layers together and name the group Sharpen
03
Color CorrectionCreate a new layer and name it Color CorrectionSet the Blending Mode to Color Set the Brush tool to a SoftFeather setting with the Hardness to 15 Set Black as the foreground color and paint over the lips Then use Gold as the foreground color and paint over the ldquoCoachrdquo text and the handle of the sunglasses changing them from Silver to GoldSelect various colors from the skin and paint over the discolorations in the skin Put the layer in its own group and name that group Color Correction
glamour retouch
39psd Photoshop
EffectsCreate a new layer and name it Sparkles With the Pen tool create a fi ve ndash point sparkle Once fi nished drawing the outline right ndash click and select Make Selection feathering the selection by 1 pixel Make sure the Anti-aliased box is checked and the New Selection option is selected Fill the selection with White Then make several copies (four should be enough) of this layer and move the various spar-kles to certain areas on the jewelry and sunglasses Resize those sparkles individually using transform [Ctrl]+[T] Once the sparkles are at sizes you are comfortable with click on the top most layer (Sparkles Copy 4) hold the shift key then the original Sparkles lay-er and merge them by pressing [Ctrl]+[E] Rename this layer Spar-kles Then add a layer style to the layer by double ndash clicking on it I selected Outer Glow In the options for the Outer Glow effect leave the default setting only changing the Size to 3 pixels Lastly place this layer into its own group and name that group Effects Switch the Original layer OnOff and enjoy the result
by Armand Johnson
07
06
Cool DownCreate a HueSaturation Adjustment Layer mak-ing sure it is set to the Master channel Set the Saturation to -100 This turns the image black and white Set the Blending Mode set to Normalthe Opacity within the 40 - 50 range and the Fill within the 70 - 90 range Select the Maskset the foreground color to 40 Gray and fi ll the mask Paint over only the jewelry and the colored sections of the hair This brings back some of the original color but not too much of it Finally group only this layer and name it Cool Down
How to change the eye color very quickly but efficiently
How to change
eye color
beginer | 10 min
adobe photoshop CS4
how to change eye color
41psd Photoshop
Step 1First open the photos select the pupil of the eye using the method you prefer (Polygonal lassoMagnetic lasso pen etc) I used the Magnetic lasso in this case Right click the mouse on the Selection and select New Layer via Copy Rename the layer eyes
02
03
Step 2Make sure that in the Layers palette is selected layer eyes and from the menu Image select HuegtSaturation adjustments When the window will be open move the Hues cursor until you fi nd the satisfying color If you want from the same HuegtSaturation window we can also modify the saturation and brightness to achieve different ef-fects Heres an example set the Hue value on 44You can also customize more the color using the color balance adjustment selected from the menu ImagegtAdjustmentsgtColor Balance and reduce the opacity of the layer eyes to adjust the effect
Step 3For a more aesthetic effect you can use the Dodge tool selected from the Tools palette Set Light to a 5-10 opacity (or an opacity that allows to achieve the desired effect) and use Dodge toolwithin the colored part of the eye Select Burn tool(also an Opacity of 5) set to Midtones and Burn-ing to defi ne better the outline of the eye
by Ylenia Peronti
42 psd Photoshop
interview
2 pas Photoshop
Tell us about your first steps in photographyMy dad is a really good photographer and he showed me how to use his Nikon film camera when I was young and how to de-
Interview withApril Elizabeth
Can you introduce yourself to our readersMy name is April Elizabeth I am a creative photographer from the small snowy town of Ishpeming in Upper Peninsula of Michigan
April Elizabeth is an internationally published photographer from Ishpeming Michigan Her photos have appeared in magazines on book covers and websites Her clients include Random house HarperCollins Publishing and The Portland Beanie Company
43psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
3psd Photoshop
velop the film I really enjoyed it but it was expensive and I was unable to really get into photography until digital cameras came along I started with a point and shoot camera and went from there
Why did you choose this professionI think it sort of chose me Irsquove always liked photography but I never in my life imagined myself going anywhere with it That all changed when I bought my first slr and asked a local model to do a photo
44 psd Photoshop
interview
4 pas Photoshop
shoot with me I was nervous because I had never done any-thing like that before and I wasnrsquot com-pletely sure how the camera worked but the pictures turned out great and soon more and more peo-ple wanted to work with me
Where do you get the inspiration for your worksIrsquove always been an introverted day-dreamer with an
overly active imagination When other people are liv-ing their life I am looking around and thinking of sto-ries Irsquove always wanted to be a writer but photography lets me tell stories with pic-tures and as long as I can tell a story I am happy
What do you like the most about being a photographer and what are the main difficulties for youIf I am not creating some-thing I feel frustrated I like that my job lets me cre-ate things while making people feel beautiful and good about themselves I enjoy taking pictures that have a fantasy quality to them so that people in the photos can be part of something a little magi-cal instead of ordinary and people who see the photos will feel inspired One of the main difficul-ties I have is my location the middle of nowhere in the Midwest Winter lasts around 7-8 months and itrsquos always very harsh and with a lot of snow I donrsquot have a studio or anyplace indoors thatI can go to so this means I only have a very short amount of time in the year that I can really do many photo shoots
45psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
5psd Photoshop
Do you have any personal achievements you are particularly proud ofIrsquom very proud that my photo Shy with over 35550 favs is one of the most popular photos ever to be up-loaded to the website deviantart Itrsquos unreal to me Irsquom also proud that two photos of mine have been licensed to be on book covers Growing up I never thought any-thing like that could ever happen to me Being in magazines such as this one is also very nice All of these things make me feel like Irsquove accomplished something in life and gives me confidence that I can do even more
What are your plans for futureIrsquod like to get a studio someday And Irsquod like to get into stock photogra-phy Irsquom also working on a gothic romance novel called Whispering Pines and a book of short scary stories I guess I plan on just creat-ing more and trying to improve in everything I do
What would you advice to the young photographersDonrsquot worry about what kind of cam-era or equipment you have Just fo-cus on what you have now and try to create something beautiful with it Itrsquos the photographer that makes the picture good not the camera
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many successful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quitting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many suc-cessful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quit-ting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
A photographerrsquos main goal is to take a photo that makes the viewer feel a strong emotion towards it whether it is love hate anger or passion But when a photo is excellently taken yet the colors lighting and texture dont match up to the photoers vision a photo will become uninspiring This tutorial will teach you how to take your photo to the next level and create an image that matches your vision
Makingthe Mood
making the mood
47psd Photoshop
Step 1The fi rst step in changing a photo is doing the ba-sics You have to prepare your photo before you can move to the fun stuff In this pickture I got rid of any noticeable blemishes the model had and g of noticeable hair that were going across her face to give more clear picture of the model I did this using the Patch and Clone Stamp tool When edit-ing a model make sure to always keep texture in the skin its more interesting that way as opposed to having a models face which is completely air-brushed
02
03
Step 2The next step I took was darkening the whole photo I knew that I wanted the photo to be much darker than it currently was I could have just used the Curves tool or Levels but I fi nd that when overusing the Curves tool a photo starts to look overly contrasted which I dont want So instead I used a light gradient (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtGradient Map) and changed the Blending mode from Normal to Multiply Doing this gives the photo a lot more depth but doesnt darken it completely
Step 3As soon as Ive got my basic photo ready I knew that the yellowish tinge was not the effect I was going for so I used both the Color Balance tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtColor Balance)and the Selective Color tool (LayergtNew Adjust-ment LayergtColor Balance)
01
photomanipulation
48 psd Photoshop
Step 4The next thing I noticed was that my models face was not highlighted enough it was getting lost in the midst of forest and darkness so I made two new layers One layer was for the models face and I simply used a soft Photoshop brush with 0 Hardness and drew over the models face and the snakes body I then changed both layers Blending Mode from Normal to Screen and applied a Box blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 543 pixels to both so they wouldnt be as noticeable Remember you just want hints of light just enough so the models face and the snake is highlighted
04
05
06
Step 5The fi fth step is more or less a repeat of a step number three I liked the way photo looked but it wasnt nearly as dramatic as it could be So now I fi nally decided to use the Curves tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtCurves) to darken and light certain areas making sure again not to overdo it but to give it enough contrast to really bring out the picture Next I made two new Selective Colorlayers (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtSelective Color) One Selective Colors layer changed the leaves and clothes but not the models face to a more dark blue tint while the second Selective Color layer brightened the snakes skin
Step 6The next thing I did was making another two lay-ers I still wanted to brighten only the snakes skin so for the fi rst layer I changed the Blending modefrom Normal to Soft Light and then used a brush with 0 Hardness and carefully painted over the snake It took a few variations before I found a color I liked Its helpful to remember to also look at the whole picture In the next layer I created I simply wanted to add a little more color to the shrubbery in the background so I made another layer and again changed the blending mode from Normal to Soft Light I used a soft brush with 0 Hardness and a maroon and yellow color just to add a little variation from my usual palette of blue I then added it all along the bushes and used the Box Blur tool at 483 pixels also changing the Blending mode from Normal to Screen to make it less obvious
making the mood
49psd Photoshop
Step 7The fi nal step I took to fi nish setting the mood for my photo was adding a texture and chang-ing the Blending Mode from Normal to Soft LightI found that the texture was to overpowering at 100 Opacity so I lowered it to 77 I next added my fi nal layer and created a vignette around my photo by using a brush with a Hardness of 100 and then brushed it around the outer edges of the photo particularly around the four corners I then applied a Box Blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 693 pixels to the layer creating a nice dark blurred ef-fect
by Naomi Bensen
07
glamour retouch
37psd Photoshop
Blemish Removal and Skin SmoothingFirst open the RAW image and make a duplicate of the background layer by pressing [Ctrl]+[J] Name the bottom layer Retouch and the top layer Original This creates a quick toggle between the Before and After states This also allows you to monitor your progress and determine if you are making changes that have a negative effect on the results Turn off the top layer (Original) Nextcreate a new layer above the Retouch layer by pressing [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] Name this layer CleanUp With the Healing Brush [J] selected make sure Sam-ple All Layers is selected from the drop down menu and Aligned is checked Next use the Healing Brush as well as the Clone Stamp on the CleanUp layer to remove all the blemishes and imperfections The settings are 100 Opacity 100 with Sample All Layers and Alignedselected Once the skin is cleaned up create another layer above it [Shift]+[Ctrl]+[N] and name it Skin Select the Clone Stamp tool and use these settings 18-25 Opacity 100 Flow Sample All Layers and Aligned Use the Clone Stamp tool to even out the Highlight Shadowand Midtone areas giving the skin a very smooth fl awless appear-ance Lastly apply a little noise the layer Go to FiltergtNoisegtAdd Noise and set the amount to 25 - 50 and the distribution to Gauss-ian After initially cleaning and smoothing the skin group those layers together by holding down the [Shift] key and selecting both of them and [Ctrl]+[G] to group them Rename the group CleanUp
01
02Color BoostAbove the CleanUp group create a Curves Adjustment Layer and name it CB - Curves Use three points along the slope 255 255 0 0 and 148 112 within the RGB channel Then create a LevelsAdjustment Layer naming it CB - Levels Within the RGB chan-nel using these values 10 115 245 Group together these two Adjustment Layers and name the group Overall because it af-fects the overall image Then create a Curves Adjustment Layerabove the grouped layers and insert four points along the slope Keep the two default points 255255 and 0 0 Add two more 35 43 and 211 201 (or somewhere within that tonal range) also in the RGB channel Rename this layer Jewelry Select the Mask by clicking on it and fi ll the Mask with Black Use the Brush tool with the foreground color set to White and paint only over the jewelry Rename this layer Jewelry Create a fi nal Curves adjustment layer above the Jewelry layer and name it Hair Use settings very simi-lar to those on the Jewelry layer within the RGB channel Select the Mask fi ll it with Black and paint over the hair with a Whitebrush Group all of these Adjustment Layers together and name the group Color Boost
GlamourRetouchIn this tutorial I will show you how I performed a Glamour retouch on a photo of my beautiful friend Asia I photographed her against a black background for a dramatic and edgy effect as well as using various Photoshop tools to achieve that ldquoglamour lookrdquo that many magazines and print work use I will be using Photoshop CS3 but any higher version should work as well The tools I will be using are Adjustment Layers Filters and Blending Modes as well as the Clone Stamp Brush and Healing Brush tools
photo retouch
38 psd Photoshop
Highlight and ShadowCreate a new layer and name it FaceBody and set the Blending Mode to Soft Light Set the foreground color to White select the Brush tool with the settings Opacity 100 Flow 2 and paint over the naturally highlighted areas bring-ing out the highlights Then set the foreground color to Black using the same settings and paint over the naturally shadowed areas increasing the contrast in the image Add a Gaussian BlurFiltergtBlurgtGaussian Blur to the layer with a ra-dius setting of 15 ndash 30 Repeat these steps on a new layer named Hair with the Blending Mode set to Overlay Create another new layer named Jew-elry with the Blending Mode set to Overlay as well Once fi nished rearrange the layers so that they are in this order from top to bottom Hair FaceBody Jewelry Lastly group these layers together and name the group HLSH or HighlightShadow
04
05SharpenMake a new layer by combining all visible layers [Shift]+[Alt]+[Ctrl]+[E] This creates a new layer consisting of all the information from the bottom layers Make this a smart object by right ndash click-ing on the layer and selecting Convert to Smart Object This makes the layer a Smart Object allow-ing the use of Smart Filters Duplicate this layer and rename the copy HP 65 and the original layer Sharpen Turn off the HP 65 layer With the Sharp-en layer selected go to FiltergtSharpengtUnSharp Mask using these settings Amount 60 Radius2500 Threshold 10 With the Blending Mode set to Normal adjust the Opacity within the 30 - 40 range and the Fill within the 75 - 90 range Then turn on the HP 65 Layer and select it Set the Blending Mode to Overlay and go to FiltergtOthergtHigh Pass Set the Radius to 65 and the Opacity within the 65 - 75 range and the Fillwithin the 90 - 95 range Finally group these two layers together and name the group Sharpen
03
Color CorrectionCreate a new layer and name it Color CorrectionSet the Blending Mode to Color Set the Brush tool to a SoftFeather setting with the Hardness to 15 Set Black as the foreground color and paint over the lips Then use Gold as the foreground color and paint over the ldquoCoachrdquo text and the handle of the sunglasses changing them from Silver to GoldSelect various colors from the skin and paint over the discolorations in the skin Put the layer in its own group and name that group Color Correction
glamour retouch
39psd Photoshop
EffectsCreate a new layer and name it Sparkles With the Pen tool create a fi ve ndash point sparkle Once fi nished drawing the outline right ndash click and select Make Selection feathering the selection by 1 pixel Make sure the Anti-aliased box is checked and the New Selection option is selected Fill the selection with White Then make several copies (four should be enough) of this layer and move the various spar-kles to certain areas on the jewelry and sunglasses Resize those sparkles individually using transform [Ctrl]+[T] Once the sparkles are at sizes you are comfortable with click on the top most layer (Sparkles Copy 4) hold the shift key then the original Sparkles lay-er and merge them by pressing [Ctrl]+[E] Rename this layer Spar-kles Then add a layer style to the layer by double ndash clicking on it I selected Outer Glow In the options for the Outer Glow effect leave the default setting only changing the Size to 3 pixels Lastly place this layer into its own group and name that group Effects Switch the Original layer OnOff and enjoy the result
by Armand Johnson
07
06
Cool DownCreate a HueSaturation Adjustment Layer mak-ing sure it is set to the Master channel Set the Saturation to -100 This turns the image black and white Set the Blending Mode set to Normalthe Opacity within the 40 - 50 range and the Fill within the 70 - 90 range Select the Maskset the foreground color to 40 Gray and fi ll the mask Paint over only the jewelry and the colored sections of the hair This brings back some of the original color but not too much of it Finally group only this layer and name it Cool Down
How to change the eye color very quickly but efficiently
How to change
eye color
beginer | 10 min
adobe photoshop CS4
how to change eye color
41psd Photoshop
Step 1First open the photos select the pupil of the eye using the method you prefer (Polygonal lassoMagnetic lasso pen etc) I used the Magnetic lasso in this case Right click the mouse on the Selection and select New Layer via Copy Rename the layer eyes
02
03
Step 2Make sure that in the Layers palette is selected layer eyes and from the menu Image select HuegtSaturation adjustments When the window will be open move the Hues cursor until you fi nd the satisfying color If you want from the same HuegtSaturation window we can also modify the saturation and brightness to achieve different ef-fects Heres an example set the Hue value on 44You can also customize more the color using the color balance adjustment selected from the menu ImagegtAdjustmentsgtColor Balance and reduce the opacity of the layer eyes to adjust the effect
Step 3For a more aesthetic effect you can use the Dodge tool selected from the Tools palette Set Light to a 5-10 opacity (or an opacity that allows to achieve the desired effect) and use Dodge toolwithin the colored part of the eye Select Burn tool(also an Opacity of 5) set to Midtones and Burn-ing to defi ne better the outline of the eye
by Ylenia Peronti
42 psd Photoshop
interview
2 pas Photoshop
Tell us about your first steps in photographyMy dad is a really good photographer and he showed me how to use his Nikon film camera when I was young and how to de-
Interview withApril Elizabeth
Can you introduce yourself to our readersMy name is April Elizabeth I am a creative photographer from the small snowy town of Ishpeming in Upper Peninsula of Michigan
April Elizabeth is an internationally published photographer from Ishpeming Michigan Her photos have appeared in magazines on book covers and websites Her clients include Random house HarperCollins Publishing and The Portland Beanie Company
43psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
3psd Photoshop
velop the film I really enjoyed it but it was expensive and I was unable to really get into photography until digital cameras came along I started with a point and shoot camera and went from there
Why did you choose this professionI think it sort of chose me Irsquove always liked photography but I never in my life imagined myself going anywhere with it That all changed when I bought my first slr and asked a local model to do a photo
44 psd Photoshop
interview
4 pas Photoshop
shoot with me I was nervous because I had never done any-thing like that before and I wasnrsquot com-pletely sure how the camera worked but the pictures turned out great and soon more and more peo-ple wanted to work with me
Where do you get the inspiration for your worksIrsquove always been an introverted day-dreamer with an
overly active imagination When other people are liv-ing their life I am looking around and thinking of sto-ries Irsquove always wanted to be a writer but photography lets me tell stories with pic-tures and as long as I can tell a story I am happy
What do you like the most about being a photographer and what are the main difficulties for youIf I am not creating some-thing I feel frustrated I like that my job lets me cre-ate things while making people feel beautiful and good about themselves I enjoy taking pictures that have a fantasy quality to them so that people in the photos can be part of something a little magi-cal instead of ordinary and people who see the photos will feel inspired One of the main difficul-ties I have is my location the middle of nowhere in the Midwest Winter lasts around 7-8 months and itrsquos always very harsh and with a lot of snow I donrsquot have a studio or anyplace indoors thatI can go to so this means I only have a very short amount of time in the year that I can really do many photo shoots
45psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
5psd Photoshop
Do you have any personal achievements you are particularly proud ofIrsquom very proud that my photo Shy with over 35550 favs is one of the most popular photos ever to be up-loaded to the website deviantart Itrsquos unreal to me Irsquom also proud that two photos of mine have been licensed to be on book covers Growing up I never thought any-thing like that could ever happen to me Being in magazines such as this one is also very nice All of these things make me feel like Irsquove accomplished something in life and gives me confidence that I can do even more
What are your plans for futureIrsquod like to get a studio someday And Irsquod like to get into stock photogra-phy Irsquom also working on a gothic romance novel called Whispering Pines and a book of short scary stories I guess I plan on just creat-ing more and trying to improve in everything I do
What would you advice to the young photographersDonrsquot worry about what kind of cam-era or equipment you have Just fo-cus on what you have now and try to create something beautiful with it Itrsquos the photographer that makes the picture good not the camera
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many successful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quitting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many suc-cessful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quit-ting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
A photographerrsquos main goal is to take a photo that makes the viewer feel a strong emotion towards it whether it is love hate anger or passion But when a photo is excellently taken yet the colors lighting and texture dont match up to the photoers vision a photo will become uninspiring This tutorial will teach you how to take your photo to the next level and create an image that matches your vision
Makingthe Mood
making the mood
47psd Photoshop
Step 1The fi rst step in changing a photo is doing the ba-sics You have to prepare your photo before you can move to the fun stuff In this pickture I got rid of any noticeable blemishes the model had and g of noticeable hair that were going across her face to give more clear picture of the model I did this using the Patch and Clone Stamp tool When edit-ing a model make sure to always keep texture in the skin its more interesting that way as opposed to having a models face which is completely air-brushed
02
03
Step 2The next step I took was darkening the whole photo I knew that I wanted the photo to be much darker than it currently was I could have just used the Curves tool or Levels but I fi nd that when overusing the Curves tool a photo starts to look overly contrasted which I dont want So instead I used a light gradient (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtGradient Map) and changed the Blending mode from Normal to Multiply Doing this gives the photo a lot more depth but doesnt darken it completely
Step 3As soon as Ive got my basic photo ready I knew that the yellowish tinge was not the effect I was going for so I used both the Color Balance tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtColor Balance)and the Selective Color tool (LayergtNew Adjust-ment LayergtColor Balance)
01
photomanipulation
48 psd Photoshop
Step 4The next thing I noticed was that my models face was not highlighted enough it was getting lost in the midst of forest and darkness so I made two new layers One layer was for the models face and I simply used a soft Photoshop brush with 0 Hardness and drew over the models face and the snakes body I then changed both layers Blending Mode from Normal to Screen and applied a Box blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 543 pixels to both so they wouldnt be as noticeable Remember you just want hints of light just enough so the models face and the snake is highlighted
04
05
06
Step 5The fi fth step is more or less a repeat of a step number three I liked the way photo looked but it wasnt nearly as dramatic as it could be So now I fi nally decided to use the Curves tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtCurves) to darken and light certain areas making sure again not to overdo it but to give it enough contrast to really bring out the picture Next I made two new Selective Colorlayers (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtSelective Color) One Selective Colors layer changed the leaves and clothes but not the models face to a more dark blue tint while the second Selective Color layer brightened the snakes skin
Step 6The next thing I did was making another two lay-ers I still wanted to brighten only the snakes skin so for the fi rst layer I changed the Blending modefrom Normal to Soft Light and then used a brush with 0 Hardness and carefully painted over the snake It took a few variations before I found a color I liked Its helpful to remember to also look at the whole picture In the next layer I created I simply wanted to add a little more color to the shrubbery in the background so I made another layer and again changed the blending mode from Normal to Soft Light I used a soft brush with 0 Hardness and a maroon and yellow color just to add a little variation from my usual palette of blue I then added it all along the bushes and used the Box Blur tool at 483 pixels also changing the Blending mode from Normal to Screen to make it less obvious
making the mood
49psd Photoshop
Step 7The fi nal step I took to fi nish setting the mood for my photo was adding a texture and chang-ing the Blending Mode from Normal to Soft LightI found that the texture was to overpowering at 100 Opacity so I lowered it to 77 I next added my fi nal layer and created a vignette around my photo by using a brush with a Hardness of 100 and then brushed it around the outer edges of the photo particularly around the four corners I then applied a Box Blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 693 pixels to the layer creating a nice dark blurred ef-fect
by Naomi Bensen
07
photo retouch
38 psd Photoshop
Highlight and ShadowCreate a new layer and name it FaceBody and set the Blending Mode to Soft Light Set the foreground color to White select the Brush tool with the settings Opacity 100 Flow 2 and paint over the naturally highlighted areas bring-ing out the highlights Then set the foreground color to Black using the same settings and paint over the naturally shadowed areas increasing the contrast in the image Add a Gaussian BlurFiltergtBlurgtGaussian Blur to the layer with a ra-dius setting of 15 ndash 30 Repeat these steps on a new layer named Hair with the Blending Mode set to Overlay Create another new layer named Jew-elry with the Blending Mode set to Overlay as well Once fi nished rearrange the layers so that they are in this order from top to bottom Hair FaceBody Jewelry Lastly group these layers together and name the group HLSH or HighlightShadow
04
05SharpenMake a new layer by combining all visible layers [Shift]+[Alt]+[Ctrl]+[E] This creates a new layer consisting of all the information from the bottom layers Make this a smart object by right ndash click-ing on the layer and selecting Convert to Smart Object This makes the layer a Smart Object allow-ing the use of Smart Filters Duplicate this layer and rename the copy HP 65 and the original layer Sharpen Turn off the HP 65 layer With the Sharp-en layer selected go to FiltergtSharpengtUnSharp Mask using these settings Amount 60 Radius2500 Threshold 10 With the Blending Mode set to Normal adjust the Opacity within the 30 - 40 range and the Fill within the 75 - 90 range Then turn on the HP 65 Layer and select it Set the Blending Mode to Overlay and go to FiltergtOthergtHigh Pass Set the Radius to 65 and the Opacity within the 65 - 75 range and the Fillwithin the 90 - 95 range Finally group these two layers together and name the group Sharpen
03
Color CorrectionCreate a new layer and name it Color CorrectionSet the Blending Mode to Color Set the Brush tool to a SoftFeather setting with the Hardness to 15 Set Black as the foreground color and paint over the lips Then use Gold as the foreground color and paint over the ldquoCoachrdquo text and the handle of the sunglasses changing them from Silver to GoldSelect various colors from the skin and paint over the discolorations in the skin Put the layer in its own group and name that group Color Correction
glamour retouch
39psd Photoshop
EffectsCreate a new layer and name it Sparkles With the Pen tool create a fi ve ndash point sparkle Once fi nished drawing the outline right ndash click and select Make Selection feathering the selection by 1 pixel Make sure the Anti-aliased box is checked and the New Selection option is selected Fill the selection with White Then make several copies (four should be enough) of this layer and move the various spar-kles to certain areas on the jewelry and sunglasses Resize those sparkles individually using transform [Ctrl]+[T] Once the sparkles are at sizes you are comfortable with click on the top most layer (Sparkles Copy 4) hold the shift key then the original Sparkles lay-er and merge them by pressing [Ctrl]+[E] Rename this layer Spar-kles Then add a layer style to the layer by double ndash clicking on it I selected Outer Glow In the options for the Outer Glow effect leave the default setting only changing the Size to 3 pixels Lastly place this layer into its own group and name that group Effects Switch the Original layer OnOff and enjoy the result
by Armand Johnson
07
06
Cool DownCreate a HueSaturation Adjustment Layer mak-ing sure it is set to the Master channel Set the Saturation to -100 This turns the image black and white Set the Blending Mode set to Normalthe Opacity within the 40 - 50 range and the Fill within the 70 - 90 range Select the Maskset the foreground color to 40 Gray and fi ll the mask Paint over only the jewelry and the colored sections of the hair This brings back some of the original color but not too much of it Finally group only this layer and name it Cool Down
How to change the eye color very quickly but efficiently
How to change
eye color
beginer | 10 min
adobe photoshop CS4
how to change eye color
41psd Photoshop
Step 1First open the photos select the pupil of the eye using the method you prefer (Polygonal lassoMagnetic lasso pen etc) I used the Magnetic lasso in this case Right click the mouse on the Selection and select New Layer via Copy Rename the layer eyes
02
03
Step 2Make sure that in the Layers palette is selected layer eyes and from the menu Image select HuegtSaturation adjustments When the window will be open move the Hues cursor until you fi nd the satisfying color If you want from the same HuegtSaturation window we can also modify the saturation and brightness to achieve different ef-fects Heres an example set the Hue value on 44You can also customize more the color using the color balance adjustment selected from the menu ImagegtAdjustmentsgtColor Balance and reduce the opacity of the layer eyes to adjust the effect
Step 3For a more aesthetic effect you can use the Dodge tool selected from the Tools palette Set Light to a 5-10 opacity (or an opacity that allows to achieve the desired effect) and use Dodge toolwithin the colored part of the eye Select Burn tool(also an Opacity of 5) set to Midtones and Burn-ing to defi ne better the outline of the eye
by Ylenia Peronti
42 psd Photoshop
interview
2 pas Photoshop
Tell us about your first steps in photographyMy dad is a really good photographer and he showed me how to use his Nikon film camera when I was young and how to de-
Interview withApril Elizabeth
Can you introduce yourself to our readersMy name is April Elizabeth I am a creative photographer from the small snowy town of Ishpeming in Upper Peninsula of Michigan
April Elizabeth is an internationally published photographer from Ishpeming Michigan Her photos have appeared in magazines on book covers and websites Her clients include Random house HarperCollins Publishing and The Portland Beanie Company
43psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
3psd Photoshop
velop the film I really enjoyed it but it was expensive and I was unable to really get into photography until digital cameras came along I started with a point and shoot camera and went from there
Why did you choose this professionI think it sort of chose me Irsquove always liked photography but I never in my life imagined myself going anywhere with it That all changed when I bought my first slr and asked a local model to do a photo
44 psd Photoshop
interview
4 pas Photoshop
shoot with me I was nervous because I had never done any-thing like that before and I wasnrsquot com-pletely sure how the camera worked but the pictures turned out great and soon more and more peo-ple wanted to work with me
Where do you get the inspiration for your worksIrsquove always been an introverted day-dreamer with an
overly active imagination When other people are liv-ing their life I am looking around and thinking of sto-ries Irsquove always wanted to be a writer but photography lets me tell stories with pic-tures and as long as I can tell a story I am happy
What do you like the most about being a photographer and what are the main difficulties for youIf I am not creating some-thing I feel frustrated I like that my job lets me cre-ate things while making people feel beautiful and good about themselves I enjoy taking pictures that have a fantasy quality to them so that people in the photos can be part of something a little magi-cal instead of ordinary and people who see the photos will feel inspired One of the main difficul-ties I have is my location the middle of nowhere in the Midwest Winter lasts around 7-8 months and itrsquos always very harsh and with a lot of snow I donrsquot have a studio or anyplace indoors thatI can go to so this means I only have a very short amount of time in the year that I can really do many photo shoots
45psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
5psd Photoshop
Do you have any personal achievements you are particularly proud ofIrsquom very proud that my photo Shy with over 35550 favs is one of the most popular photos ever to be up-loaded to the website deviantart Itrsquos unreal to me Irsquom also proud that two photos of mine have been licensed to be on book covers Growing up I never thought any-thing like that could ever happen to me Being in magazines such as this one is also very nice All of these things make me feel like Irsquove accomplished something in life and gives me confidence that I can do even more
What are your plans for futureIrsquod like to get a studio someday And Irsquod like to get into stock photogra-phy Irsquom also working on a gothic romance novel called Whispering Pines and a book of short scary stories I guess I plan on just creat-ing more and trying to improve in everything I do
What would you advice to the young photographersDonrsquot worry about what kind of cam-era or equipment you have Just fo-cus on what you have now and try to create something beautiful with it Itrsquos the photographer that makes the picture good not the camera
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many successful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quitting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many suc-cessful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quit-ting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
A photographerrsquos main goal is to take a photo that makes the viewer feel a strong emotion towards it whether it is love hate anger or passion But when a photo is excellently taken yet the colors lighting and texture dont match up to the photoers vision a photo will become uninspiring This tutorial will teach you how to take your photo to the next level and create an image that matches your vision
Makingthe Mood
making the mood
47psd Photoshop
Step 1The fi rst step in changing a photo is doing the ba-sics You have to prepare your photo before you can move to the fun stuff In this pickture I got rid of any noticeable blemishes the model had and g of noticeable hair that were going across her face to give more clear picture of the model I did this using the Patch and Clone Stamp tool When edit-ing a model make sure to always keep texture in the skin its more interesting that way as opposed to having a models face which is completely air-brushed
02
03
Step 2The next step I took was darkening the whole photo I knew that I wanted the photo to be much darker than it currently was I could have just used the Curves tool or Levels but I fi nd that when overusing the Curves tool a photo starts to look overly contrasted which I dont want So instead I used a light gradient (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtGradient Map) and changed the Blending mode from Normal to Multiply Doing this gives the photo a lot more depth but doesnt darken it completely
Step 3As soon as Ive got my basic photo ready I knew that the yellowish tinge was not the effect I was going for so I used both the Color Balance tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtColor Balance)and the Selective Color tool (LayergtNew Adjust-ment LayergtColor Balance)
01
photomanipulation
48 psd Photoshop
Step 4The next thing I noticed was that my models face was not highlighted enough it was getting lost in the midst of forest and darkness so I made two new layers One layer was for the models face and I simply used a soft Photoshop brush with 0 Hardness and drew over the models face and the snakes body I then changed both layers Blending Mode from Normal to Screen and applied a Box blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 543 pixels to both so they wouldnt be as noticeable Remember you just want hints of light just enough so the models face and the snake is highlighted
04
05
06
Step 5The fi fth step is more or less a repeat of a step number three I liked the way photo looked but it wasnt nearly as dramatic as it could be So now I fi nally decided to use the Curves tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtCurves) to darken and light certain areas making sure again not to overdo it but to give it enough contrast to really bring out the picture Next I made two new Selective Colorlayers (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtSelective Color) One Selective Colors layer changed the leaves and clothes but not the models face to a more dark blue tint while the second Selective Color layer brightened the snakes skin
Step 6The next thing I did was making another two lay-ers I still wanted to brighten only the snakes skin so for the fi rst layer I changed the Blending modefrom Normal to Soft Light and then used a brush with 0 Hardness and carefully painted over the snake It took a few variations before I found a color I liked Its helpful to remember to also look at the whole picture In the next layer I created I simply wanted to add a little more color to the shrubbery in the background so I made another layer and again changed the blending mode from Normal to Soft Light I used a soft brush with 0 Hardness and a maroon and yellow color just to add a little variation from my usual palette of blue I then added it all along the bushes and used the Box Blur tool at 483 pixels also changing the Blending mode from Normal to Screen to make it less obvious
making the mood
49psd Photoshop
Step 7The fi nal step I took to fi nish setting the mood for my photo was adding a texture and chang-ing the Blending Mode from Normal to Soft LightI found that the texture was to overpowering at 100 Opacity so I lowered it to 77 I next added my fi nal layer and created a vignette around my photo by using a brush with a Hardness of 100 and then brushed it around the outer edges of the photo particularly around the four corners I then applied a Box Blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 693 pixels to the layer creating a nice dark blurred ef-fect
by Naomi Bensen
07
glamour retouch
39psd Photoshop
EffectsCreate a new layer and name it Sparkles With the Pen tool create a fi ve ndash point sparkle Once fi nished drawing the outline right ndash click and select Make Selection feathering the selection by 1 pixel Make sure the Anti-aliased box is checked and the New Selection option is selected Fill the selection with White Then make several copies (four should be enough) of this layer and move the various spar-kles to certain areas on the jewelry and sunglasses Resize those sparkles individually using transform [Ctrl]+[T] Once the sparkles are at sizes you are comfortable with click on the top most layer (Sparkles Copy 4) hold the shift key then the original Sparkles lay-er and merge them by pressing [Ctrl]+[E] Rename this layer Spar-kles Then add a layer style to the layer by double ndash clicking on it I selected Outer Glow In the options for the Outer Glow effect leave the default setting only changing the Size to 3 pixels Lastly place this layer into its own group and name that group Effects Switch the Original layer OnOff and enjoy the result
by Armand Johnson
07
06
Cool DownCreate a HueSaturation Adjustment Layer mak-ing sure it is set to the Master channel Set the Saturation to -100 This turns the image black and white Set the Blending Mode set to Normalthe Opacity within the 40 - 50 range and the Fill within the 70 - 90 range Select the Maskset the foreground color to 40 Gray and fi ll the mask Paint over only the jewelry and the colored sections of the hair This brings back some of the original color but not too much of it Finally group only this layer and name it Cool Down
How to change the eye color very quickly but efficiently
How to change
eye color
beginer | 10 min
adobe photoshop CS4
how to change eye color
41psd Photoshop
Step 1First open the photos select the pupil of the eye using the method you prefer (Polygonal lassoMagnetic lasso pen etc) I used the Magnetic lasso in this case Right click the mouse on the Selection and select New Layer via Copy Rename the layer eyes
02
03
Step 2Make sure that in the Layers palette is selected layer eyes and from the menu Image select HuegtSaturation adjustments When the window will be open move the Hues cursor until you fi nd the satisfying color If you want from the same HuegtSaturation window we can also modify the saturation and brightness to achieve different ef-fects Heres an example set the Hue value on 44You can also customize more the color using the color balance adjustment selected from the menu ImagegtAdjustmentsgtColor Balance and reduce the opacity of the layer eyes to adjust the effect
Step 3For a more aesthetic effect you can use the Dodge tool selected from the Tools palette Set Light to a 5-10 opacity (or an opacity that allows to achieve the desired effect) and use Dodge toolwithin the colored part of the eye Select Burn tool(also an Opacity of 5) set to Midtones and Burn-ing to defi ne better the outline of the eye
by Ylenia Peronti
42 psd Photoshop
interview
2 pas Photoshop
Tell us about your first steps in photographyMy dad is a really good photographer and he showed me how to use his Nikon film camera when I was young and how to de-
Interview withApril Elizabeth
Can you introduce yourself to our readersMy name is April Elizabeth I am a creative photographer from the small snowy town of Ishpeming in Upper Peninsula of Michigan
April Elizabeth is an internationally published photographer from Ishpeming Michigan Her photos have appeared in magazines on book covers and websites Her clients include Random house HarperCollins Publishing and The Portland Beanie Company
43psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
3psd Photoshop
velop the film I really enjoyed it but it was expensive and I was unable to really get into photography until digital cameras came along I started with a point and shoot camera and went from there
Why did you choose this professionI think it sort of chose me Irsquove always liked photography but I never in my life imagined myself going anywhere with it That all changed when I bought my first slr and asked a local model to do a photo
44 psd Photoshop
interview
4 pas Photoshop
shoot with me I was nervous because I had never done any-thing like that before and I wasnrsquot com-pletely sure how the camera worked but the pictures turned out great and soon more and more peo-ple wanted to work with me
Where do you get the inspiration for your worksIrsquove always been an introverted day-dreamer with an
overly active imagination When other people are liv-ing their life I am looking around and thinking of sto-ries Irsquove always wanted to be a writer but photography lets me tell stories with pic-tures and as long as I can tell a story I am happy
What do you like the most about being a photographer and what are the main difficulties for youIf I am not creating some-thing I feel frustrated I like that my job lets me cre-ate things while making people feel beautiful and good about themselves I enjoy taking pictures that have a fantasy quality to them so that people in the photos can be part of something a little magi-cal instead of ordinary and people who see the photos will feel inspired One of the main difficul-ties I have is my location the middle of nowhere in the Midwest Winter lasts around 7-8 months and itrsquos always very harsh and with a lot of snow I donrsquot have a studio or anyplace indoors thatI can go to so this means I only have a very short amount of time in the year that I can really do many photo shoots
45psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
5psd Photoshop
Do you have any personal achievements you are particularly proud ofIrsquom very proud that my photo Shy with over 35550 favs is one of the most popular photos ever to be up-loaded to the website deviantart Itrsquos unreal to me Irsquom also proud that two photos of mine have been licensed to be on book covers Growing up I never thought any-thing like that could ever happen to me Being in magazines such as this one is also very nice All of these things make me feel like Irsquove accomplished something in life and gives me confidence that I can do even more
What are your plans for futureIrsquod like to get a studio someday And Irsquod like to get into stock photogra-phy Irsquom also working on a gothic romance novel called Whispering Pines and a book of short scary stories I guess I plan on just creat-ing more and trying to improve in everything I do
What would you advice to the young photographersDonrsquot worry about what kind of cam-era or equipment you have Just fo-cus on what you have now and try to create something beautiful with it Itrsquos the photographer that makes the picture good not the camera
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many successful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quitting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many suc-cessful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quit-ting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
A photographerrsquos main goal is to take a photo that makes the viewer feel a strong emotion towards it whether it is love hate anger or passion But when a photo is excellently taken yet the colors lighting and texture dont match up to the photoers vision a photo will become uninspiring This tutorial will teach you how to take your photo to the next level and create an image that matches your vision
Makingthe Mood
making the mood
47psd Photoshop
Step 1The fi rst step in changing a photo is doing the ba-sics You have to prepare your photo before you can move to the fun stuff In this pickture I got rid of any noticeable blemishes the model had and g of noticeable hair that were going across her face to give more clear picture of the model I did this using the Patch and Clone Stamp tool When edit-ing a model make sure to always keep texture in the skin its more interesting that way as opposed to having a models face which is completely air-brushed
02
03
Step 2The next step I took was darkening the whole photo I knew that I wanted the photo to be much darker than it currently was I could have just used the Curves tool or Levels but I fi nd that when overusing the Curves tool a photo starts to look overly contrasted which I dont want So instead I used a light gradient (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtGradient Map) and changed the Blending mode from Normal to Multiply Doing this gives the photo a lot more depth but doesnt darken it completely
Step 3As soon as Ive got my basic photo ready I knew that the yellowish tinge was not the effect I was going for so I used both the Color Balance tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtColor Balance)and the Selective Color tool (LayergtNew Adjust-ment LayergtColor Balance)
01
photomanipulation
48 psd Photoshop
Step 4The next thing I noticed was that my models face was not highlighted enough it was getting lost in the midst of forest and darkness so I made two new layers One layer was for the models face and I simply used a soft Photoshop brush with 0 Hardness and drew over the models face and the snakes body I then changed both layers Blending Mode from Normal to Screen and applied a Box blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 543 pixels to both so they wouldnt be as noticeable Remember you just want hints of light just enough so the models face and the snake is highlighted
04
05
06
Step 5The fi fth step is more or less a repeat of a step number three I liked the way photo looked but it wasnt nearly as dramatic as it could be So now I fi nally decided to use the Curves tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtCurves) to darken and light certain areas making sure again not to overdo it but to give it enough contrast to really bring out the picture Next I made two new Selective Colorlayers (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtSelective Color) One Selective Colors layer changed the leaves and clothes but not the models face to a more dark blue tint while the second Selective Color layer brightened the snakes skin
Step 6The next thing I did was making another two lay-ers I still wanted to brighten only the snakes skin so for the fi rst layer I changed the Blending modefrom Normal to Soft Light and then used a brush with 0 Hardness and carefully painted over the snake It took a few variations before I found a color I liked Its helpful to remember to also look at the whole picture In the next layer I created I simply wanted to add a little more color to the shrubbery in the background so I made another layer and again changed the blending mode from Normal to Soft Light I used a soft brush with 0 Hardness and a maroon and yellow color just to add a little variation from my usual palette of blue I then added it all along the bushes and used the Box Blur tool at 483 pixels also changing the Blending mode from Normal to Screen to make it less obvious
making the mood
49psd Photoshop
Step 7The fi nal step I took to fi nish setting the mood for my photo was adding a texture and chang-ing the Blending Mode from Normal to Soft LightI found that the texture was to overpowering at 100 Opacity so I lowered it to 77 I next added my fi nal layer and created a vignette around my photo by using a brush with a Hardness of 100 and then brushed it around the outer edges of the photo particularly around the four corners I then applied a Box Blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 693 pixels to the layer creating a nice dark blurred ef-fect
by Naomi Bensen
07
How to change the eye color very quickly but efficiently
How to change
eye color
beginer | 10 min
adobe photoshop CS4
how to change eye color
41psd Photoshop
Step 1First open the photos select the pupil of the eye using the method you prefer (Polygonal lassoMagnetic lasso pen etc) I used the Magnetic lasso in this case Right click the mouse on the Selection and select New Layer via Copy Rename the layer eyes
02
03
Step 2Make sure that in the Layers palette is selected layer eyes and from the menu Image select HuegtSaturation adjustments When the window will be open move the Hues cursor until you fi nd the satisfying color If you want from the same HuegtSaturation window we can also modify the saturation and brightness to achieve different ef-fects Heres an example set the Hue value on 44You can also customize more the color using the color balance adjustment selected from the menu ImagegtAdjustmentsgtColor Balance and reduce the opacity of the layer eyes to adjust the effect
Step 3For a more aesthetic effect you can use the Dodge tool selected from the Tools palette Set Light to a 5-10 opacity (or an opacity that allows to achieve the desired effect) and use Dodge toolwithin the colored part of the eye Select Burn tool(also an Opacity of 5) set to Midtones and Burn-ing to defi ne better the outline of the eye
by Ylenia Peronti
42 psd Photoshop
interview
2 pas Photoshop
Tell us about your first steps in photographyMy dad is a really good photographer and he showed me how to use his Nikon film camera when I was young and how to de-
Interview withApril Elizabeth
Can you introduce yourself to our readersMy name is April Elizabeth I am a creative photographer from the small snowy town of Ishpeming in Upper Peninsula of Michigan
April Elizabeth is an internationally published photographer from Ishpeming Michigan Her photos have appeared in magazines on book covers and websites Her clients include Random house HarperCollins Publishing and The Portland Beanie Company
43psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
3psd Photoshop
velop the film I really enjoyed it but it was expensive and I was unable to really get into photography until digital cameras came along I started with a point and shoot camera and went from there
Why did you choose this professionI think it sort of chose me Irsquove always liked photography but I never in my life imagined myself going anywhere with it That all changed when I bought my first slr and asked a local model to do a photo
44 psd Photoshop
interview
4 pas Photoshop
shoot with me I was nervous because I had never done any-thing like that before and I wasnrsquot com-pletely sure how the camera worked but the pictures turned out great and soon more and more peo-ple wanted to work with me
Where do you get the inspiration for your worksIrsquove always been an introverted day-dreamer with an
overly active imagination When other people are liv-ing their life I am looking around and thinking of sto-ries Irsquove always wanted to be a writer but photography lets me tell stories with pic-tures and as long as I can tell a story I am happy
What do you like the most about being a photographer and what are the main difficulties for youIf I am not creating some-thing I feel frustrated I like that my job lets me cre-ate things while making people feel beautiful and good about themselves I enjoy taking pictures that have a fantasy quality to them so that people in the photos can be part of something a little magi-cal instead of ordinary and people who see the photos will feel inspired One of the main difficul-ties I have is my location the middle of nowhere in the Midwest Winter lasts around 7-8 months and itrsquos always very harsh and with a lot of snow I donrsquot have a studio or anyplace indoors thatI can go to so this means I only have a very short amount of time in the year that I can really do many photo shoots
45psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
5psd Photoshop
Do you have any personal achievements you are particularly proud ofIrsquom very proud that my photo Shy with over 35550 favs is one of the most popular photos ever to be up-loaded to the website deviantart Itrsquos unreal to me Irsquom also proud that two photos of mine have been licensed to be on book covers Growing up I never thought any-thing like that could ever happen to me Being in magazines such as this one is also very nice All of these things make me feel like Irsquove accomplished something in life and gives me confidence that I can do even more
What are your plans for futureIrsquod like to get a studio someday And Irsquod like to get into stock photogra-phy Irsquom also working on a gothic romance novel called Whispering Pines and a book of short scary stories I guess I plan on just creat-ing more and trying to improve in everything I do
What would you advice to the young photographersDonrsquot worry about what kind of cam-era or equipment you have Just fo-cus on what you have now and try to create something beautiful with it Itrsquos the photographer that makes the picture good not the camera
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many successful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quitting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many suc-cessful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quit-ting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
A photographerrsquos main goal is to take a photo that makes the viewer feel a strong emotion towards it whether it is love hate anger or passion But when a photo is excellently taken yet the colors lighting and texture dont match up to the photoers vision a photo will become uninspiring This tutorial will teach you how to take your photo to the next level and create an image that matches your vision
Makingthe Mood
making the mood
47psd Photoshop
Step 1The fi rst step in changing a photo is doing the ba-sics You have to prepare your photo before you can move to the fun stuff In this pickture I got rid of any noticeable blemishes the model had and g of noticeable hair that were going across her face to give more clear picture of the model I did this using the Patch and Clone Stamp tool When edit-ing a model make sure to always keep texture in the skin its more interesting that way as opposed to having a models face which is completely air-brushed
02
03
Step 2The next step I took was darkening the whole photo I knew that I wanted the photo to be much darker than it currently was I could have just used the Curves tool or Levels but I fi nd that when overusing the Curves tool a photo starts to look overly contrasted which I dont want So instead I used a light gradient (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtGradient Map) and changed the Blending mode from Normal to Multiply Doing this gives the photo a lot more depth but doesnt darken it completely
Step 3As soon as Ive got my basic photo ready I knew that the yellowish tinge was not the effect I was going for so I used both the Color Balance tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtColor Balance)and the Selective Color tool (LayergtNew Adjust-ment LayergtColor Balance)
01
photomanipulation
48 psd Photoshop
Step 4The next thing I noticed was that my models face was not highlighted enough it was getting lost in the midst of forest and darkness so I made two new layers One layer was for the models face and I simply used a soft Photoshop brush with 0 Hardness and drew over the models face and the snakes body I then changed both layers Blending Mode from Normal to Screen and applied a Box blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 543 pixels to both so they wouldnt be as noticeable Remember you just want hints of light just enough so the models face and the snake is highlighted
04
05
06
Step 5The fi fth step is more or less a repeat of a step number three I liked the way photo looked but it wasnt nearly as dramatic as it could be So now I fi nally decided to use the Curves tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtCurves) to darken and light certain areas making sure again not to overdo it but to give it enough contrast to really bring out the picture Next I made two new Selective Colorlayers (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtSelective Color) One Selective Colors layer changed the leaves and clothes but not the models face to a more dark blue tint while the second Selective Color layer brightened the snakes skin
Step 6The next thing I did was making another two lay-ers I still wanted to brighten only the snakes skin so for the fi rst layer I changed the Blending modefrom Normal to Soft Light and then used a brush with 0 Hardness and carefully painted over the snake It took a few variations before I found a color I liked Its helpful to remember to also look at the whole picture In the next layer I created I simply wanted to add a little more color to the shrubbery in the background so I made another layer and again changed the blending mode from Normal to Soft Light I used a soft brush with 0 Hardness and a maroon and yellow color just to add a little variation from my usual palette of blue I then added it all along the bushes and used the Box Blur tool at 483 pixels also changing the Blending mode from Normal to Screen to make it less obvious
making the mood
49psd Photoshop
Step 7The fi nal step I took to fi nish setting the mood for my photo was adding a texture and chang-ing the Blending Mode from Normal to Soft LightI found that the texture was to overpowering at 100 Opacity so I lowered it to 77 I next added my fi nal layer and created a vignette around my photo by using a brush with a Hardness of 100 and then brushed it around the outer edges of the photo particularly around the four corners I then applied a Box Blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 693 pixels to the layer creating a nice dark blurred ef-fect
by Naomi Bensen
07
how to change eye color
41psd Photoshop
Step 1First open the photos select the pupil of the eye using the method you prefer (Polygonal lassoMagnetic lasso pen etc) I used the Magnetic lasso in this case Right click the mouse on the Selection and select New Layer via Copy Rename the layer eyes
02
03
Step 2Make sure that in the Layers palette is selected layer eyes and from the menu Image select HuegtSaturation adjustments When the window will be open move the Hues cursor until you fi nd the satisfying color If you want from the same HuegtSaturation window we can also modify the saturation and brightness to achieve different ef-fects Heres an example set the Hue value on 44You can also customize more the color using the color balance adjustment selected from the menu ImagegtAdjustmentsgtColor Balance and reduce the opacity of the layer eyes to adjust the effect
Step 3For a more aesthetic effect you can use the Dodge tool selected from the Tools palette Set Light to a 5-10 opacity (or an opacity that allows to achieve the desired effect) and use Dodge toolwithin the colored part of the eye Select Burn tool(also an Opacity of 5) set to Midtones and Burn-ing to defi ne better the outline of the eye
by Ylenia Peronti
42 psd Photoshop
interview
2 pas Photoshop
Tell us about your first steps in photographyMy dad is a really good photographer and he showed me how to use his Nikon film camera when I was young and how to de-
Interview withApril Elizabeth
Can you introduce yourself to our readersMy name is April Elizabeth I am a creative photographer from the small snowy town of Ishpeming in Upper Peninsula of Michigan
April Elizabeth is an internationally published photographer from Ishpeming Michigan Her photos have appeared in magazines on book covers and websites Her clients include Random house HarperCollins Publishing and The Portland Beanie Company
43psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
3psd Photoshop
velop the film I really enjoyed it but it was expensive and I was unable to really get into photography until digital cameras came along I started with a point and shoot camera and went from there
Why did you choose this professionI think it sort of chose me Irsquove always liked photography but I never in my life imagined myself going anywhere with it That all changed when I bought my first slr and asked a local model to do a photo
44 psd Photoshop
interview
4 pas Photoshop
shoot with me I was nervous because I had never done any-thing like that before and I wasnrsquot com-pletely sure how the camera worked but the pictures turned out great and soon more and more peo-ple wanted to work with me
Where do you get the inspiration for your worksIrsquove always been an introverted day-dreamer with an
overly active imagination When other people are liv-ing their life I am looking around and thinking of sto-ries Irsquove always wanted to be a writer but photography lets me tell stories with pic-tures and as long as I can tell a story I am happy
What do you like the most about being a photographer and what are the main difficulties for youIf I am not creating some-thing I feel frustrated I like that my job lets me cre-ate things while making people feel beautiful and good about themselves I enjoy taking pictures that have a fantasy quality to them so that people in the photos can be part of something a little magi-cal instead of ordinary and people who see the photos will feel inspired One of the main difficul-ties I have is my location the middle of nowhere in the Midwest Winter lasts around 7-8 months and itrsquos always very harsh and with a lot of snow I donrsquot have a studio or anyplace indoors thatI can go to so this means I only have a very short amount of time in the year that I can really do many photo shoots
45psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
5psd Photoshop
Do you have any personal achievements you are particularly proud ofIrsquom very proud that my photo Shy with over 35550 favs is one of the most popular photos ever to be up-loaded to the website deviantart Itrsquos unreal to me Irsquom also proud that two photos of mine have been licensed to be on book covers Growing up I never thought any-thing like that could ever happen to me Being in magazines such as this one is also very nice All of these things make me feel like Irsquove accomplished something in life and gives me confidence that I can do even more
What are your plans for futureIrsquod like to get a studio someday And Irsquod like to get into stock photogra-phy Irsquom also working on a gothic romance novel called Whispering Pines and a book of short scary stories I guess I plan on just creat-ing more and trying to improve in everything I do
What would you advice to the young photographersDonrsquot worry about what kind of cam-era or equipment you have Just fo-cus on what you have now and try to create something beautiful with it Itrsquos the photographer that makes the picture good not the camera
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many successful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quitting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many suc-cessful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quit-ting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
A photographerrsquos main goal is to take a photo that makes the viewer feel a strong emotion towards it whether it is love hate anger or passion But when a photo is excellently taken yet the colors lighting and texture dont match up to the photoers vision a photo will become uninspiring This tutorial will teach you how to take your photo to the next level and create an image that matches your vision
Makingthe Mood
making the mood
47psd Photoshop
Step 1The fi rst step in changing a photo is doing the ba-sics You have to prepare your photo before you can move to the fun stuff In this pickture I got rid of any noticeable blemishes the model had and g of noticeable hair that were going across her face to give more clear picture of the model I did this using the Patch and Clone Stamp tool When edit-ing a model make sure to always keep texture in the skin its more interesting that way as opposed to having a models face which is completely air-brushed
02
03
Step 2The next step I took was darkening the whole photo I knew that I wanted the photo to be much darker than it currently was I could have just used the Curves tool or Levels but I fi nd that when overusing the Curves tool a photo starts to look overly contrasted which I dont want So instead I used a light gradient (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtGradient Map) and changed the Blending mode from Normal to Multiply Doing this gives the photo a lot more depth but doesnt darken it completely
Step 3As soon as Ive got my basic photo ready I knew that the yellowish tinge was not the effect I was going for so I used both the Color Balance tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtColor Balance)and the Selective Color tool (LayergtNew Adjust-ment LayergtColor Balance)
01
photomanipulation
48 psd Photoshop
Step 4The next thing I noticed was that my models face was not highlighted enough it was getting lost in the midst of forest and darkness so I made two new layers One layer was for the models face and I simply used a soft Photoshop brush with 0 Hardness and drew over the models face and the snakes body I then changed both layers Blending Mode from Normal to Screen and applied a Box blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 543 pixels to both so they wouldnt be as noticeable Remember you just want hints of light just enough so the models face and the snake is highlighted
04
05
06
Step 5The fi fth step is more or less a repeat of a step number three I liked the way photo looked but it wasnt nearly as dramatic as it could be So now I fi nally decided to use the Curves tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtCurves) to darken and light certain areas making sure again not to overdo it but to give it enough contrast to really bring out the picture Next I made two new Selective Colorlayers (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtSelective Color) One Selective Colors layer changed the leaves and clothes but not the models face to a more dark blue tint while the second Selective Color layer brightened the snakes skin
Step 6The next thing I did was making another two lay-ers I still wanted to brighten only the snakes skin so for the fi rst layer I changed the Blending modefrom Normal to Soft Light and then used a brush with 0 Hardness and carefully painted over the snake It took a few variations before I found a color I liked Its helpful to remember to also look at the whole picture In the next layer I created I simply wanted to add a little more color to the shrubbery in the background so I made another layer and again changed the blending mode from Normal to Soft Light I used a soft brush with 0 Hardness and a maroon and yellow color just to add a little variation from my usual palette of blue I then added it all along the bushes and used the Box Blur tool at 483 pixels also changing the Blending mode from Normal to Screen to make it less obvious
making the mood
49psd Photoshop
Step 7The fi nal step I took to fi nish setting the mood for my photo was adding a texture and chang-ing the Blending Mode from Normal to Soft LightI found that the texture was to overpowering at 100 Opacity so I lowered it to 77 I next added my fi nal layer and created a vignette around my photo by using a brush with a Hardness of 100 and then brushed it around the outer edges of the photo particularly around the four corners I then applied a Box Blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 693 pixels to the layer creating a nice dark blurred ef-fect
by Naomi Bensen
07
42 psd Photoshop
interview
2 pas Photoshop
Tell us about your first steps in photographyMy dad is a really good photographer and he showed me how to use his Nikon film camera when I was young and how to de-
Interview withApril Elizabeth
Can you introduce yourself to our readersMy name is April Elizabeth I am a creative photographer from the small snowy town of Ishpeming in Upper Peninsula of Michigan
April Elizabeth is an internationally published photographer from Ishpeming Michigan Her photos have appeared in magazines on book covers and websites Her clients include Random house HarperCollins Publishing and The Portland Beanie Company
43psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
3psd Photoshop
velop the film I really enjoyed it but it was expensive and I was unable to really get into photography until digital cameras came along I started with a point and shoot camera and went from there
Why did you choose this professionI think it sort of chose me Irsquove always liked photography but I never in my life imagined myself going anywhere with it That all changed when I bought my first slr and asked a local model to do a photo
44 psd Photoshop
interview
4 pas Photoshop
shoot with me I was nervous because I had never done any-thing like that before and I wasnrsquot com-pletely sure how the camera worked but the pictures turned out great and soon more and more peo-ple wanted to work with me
Where do you get the inspiration for your worksIrsquove always been an introverted day-dreamer with an
overly active imagination When other people are liv-ing their life I am looking around and thinking of sto-ries Irsquove always wanted to be a writer but photography lets me tell stories with pic-tures and as long as I can tell a story I am happy
What do you like the most about being a photographer and what are the main difficulties for youIf I am not creating some-thing I feel frustrated I like that my job lets me cre-ate things while making people feel beautiful and good about themselves I enjoy taking pictures that have a fantasy quality to them so that people in the photos can be part of something a little magi-cal instead of ordinary and people who see the photos will feel inspired One of the main difficul-ties I have is my location the middle of nowhere in the Midwest Winter lasts around 7-8 months and itrsquos always very harsh and with a lot of snow I donrsquot have a studio or anyplace indoors thatI can go to so this means I only have a very short amount of time in the year that I can really do many photo shoots
45psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
5psd Photoshop
Do you have any personal achievements you are particularly proud ofIrsquom very proud that my photo Shy with over 35550 favs is one of the most popular photos ever to be up-loaded to the website deviantart Itrsquos unreal to me Irsquom also proud that two photos of mine have been licensed to be on book covers Growing up I never thought any-thing like that could ever happen to me Being in magazines such as this one is also very nice All of these things make me feel like Irsquove accomplished something in life and gives me confidence that I can do even more
What are your plans for futureIrsquod like to get a studio someday And Irsquod like to get into stock photogra-phy Irsquom also working on a gothic romance novel called Whispering Pines and a book of short scary stories I guess I plan on just creat-ing more and trying to improve in everything I do
What would you advice to the young photographersDonrsquot worry about what kind of cam-era or equipment you have Just fo-cus on what you have now and try to create something beautiful with it Itrsquos the photographer that makes the picture good not the camera
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many successful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quitting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many suc-cessful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quit-ting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
A photographerrsquos main goal is to take a photo that makes the viewer feel a strong emotion towards it whether it is love hate anger or passion But when a photo is excellently taken yet the colors lighting and texture dont match up to the photoers vision a photo will become uninspiring This tutorial will teach you how to take your photo to the next level and create an image that matches your vision
Makingthe Mood
making the mood
47psd Photoshop
Step 1The fi rst step in changing a photo is doing the ba-sics You have to prepare your photo before you can move to the fun stuff In this pickture I got rid of any noticeable blemishes the model had and g of noticeable hair that were going across her face to give more clear picture of the model I did this using the Patch and Clone Stamp tool When edit-ing a model make sure to always keep texture in the skin its more interesting that way as opposed to having a models face which is completely air-brushed
02
03
Step 2The next step I took was darkening the whole photo I knew that I wanted the photo to be much darker than it currently was I could have just used the Curves tool or Levels but I fi nd that when overusing the Curves tool a photo starts to look overly contrasted which I dont want So instead I used a light gradient (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtGradient Map) and changed the Blending mode from Normal to Multiply Doing this gives the photo a lot more depth but doesnt darken it completely
Step 3As soon as Ive got my basic photo ready I knew that the yellowish tinge was not the effect I was going for so I used both the Color Balance tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtColor Balance)and the Selective Color tool (LayergtNew Adjust-ment LayergtColor Balance)
01
photomanipulation
48 psd Photoshop
Step 4The next thing I noticed was that my models face was not highlighted enough it was getting lost in the midst of forest and darkness so I made two new layers One layer was for the models face and I simply used a soft Photoshop brush with 0 Hardness and drew over the models face and the snakes body I then changed both layers Blending Mode from Normal to Screen and applied a Box blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 543 pixels to both so they wouldnt be as noticeable Remember you just want hints of light just enough so the models face and the snake is highlighted
04
05
06
Step 5The fi fth step is more or less a repeat of a step number three I liked the way photo looked but it wasnt nearly as dramatic as it could be So now I fi nally decided to use the Curves tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtCurves) to darken and light certain areas making sure again not to overdo it but to give it enough contrast to really bring out the picture Next I made two new Selective Colorlayers (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtSelective Color) One Selective Colors layer changed the leaves and clothes but not the models face to a more dark blue tint while the second Selective Color layer brightened the snakes skin
Step 6The next thing I did was making another two lay-ers I still wanted to brighten only the snakes skin so for the fi rst layer I changed the Blending modefrom Normal to Soft Light and then used a brush with 0 Hardness and carefully painted over the snake It took a few variations before I found a color I liked Its helpful to remember to also look at the whole picture In the next layer I created I simply wanted to add a little more color to the shrubbery in the background so I made another layer and again changed the blending mode from Normal to Soft Light I used a soft brush with 0 Hardness and a maroon and yellow color just to add a little variation from my usual palette of blue I then added it all along the bushes and used the Box Blur tool at 483 pixels also changing the Blending mode from Normal to Screen to make it less obvious
making the mood
49psd Photoshop
Step 7The fi nal step I took to fi nish setting the mood for my photo was adding a texture and chang-ing the Blending Mode from Normal to Soft LightI found that the texture was to overpowering at 100 Opacity so I lowered it to 77 I next added my fi nal layer and created a vignette around my photo by using a brush with a Hardness of 100 and then brushed it around the outer edges of the photo particularly around the four corners I then applied a Box Blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 693 pixels to the layer creating a nice dark blurred ef-fect
by Naomi Bensen
07
43psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
3psd Photoshop
velop the film I really enjoyed it but it was expensive and I was unable to really get into photography until digital cameras came along I started with a point and shoot camera and went from there
Why did you choose this professionI think it sort of chose me Irsquove always liked photography but I never in my life imagined myself going anywhere with it That all changed when I bought my first slr and asked a local model to do a photo
44 psd Photoshop
interview
4 pas Photoshop
shoot with me I was nervous because I had never done any-thing like that before and I wasnrsquot com-pletely sure how the camera worked but the pictures turned out great and soon more and more peo-ple wanted to work with me
Where do you get the inspiration for your worksIrsquove always been an introverted day-dreamer with an
overly active imagination When other people are liv-ing their life I am looking around and thinking of sto-ries Irsquove always wanted to be a writer but photography lets me tell stories with pic-tures and as long as I can tell a story I am happy
What do you like the most about being a photographer and what are the main difficulties for youIf I am not creating some-thing I feel frustrated I like that my job lets me cre-ate things while making people feel beautiful and good about themselves I enjoy taking pictures that have a fantasy quality to them so that people in the photos can be part of something a little magi-cal instead of ordinary and people who see the photos will feel inspired One of the main difficul-ties I have is my location the middle of nowhere in the Midwest Winter lasts around 7-8 months and itrsquos always very harsh and with a lot of snow I donrsquot have a studio or anyplace indoors thatI can go to so this means I only have a very short amount of time in the year that I can really do many photo shoots
45psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
5psd Photoshop
Do you have any personal achievements you are particularly proud ofIrsquom very proud that my photo Shy with over 35550 favs is one of the most popular photos ever to be up-loaded to the website deviantart Itrsquos unreal to me Irsquom also proud that two photos of mine have been licensed to be on book covers Growing up I never thought any-thing like that could ever happen to me Being in magazines such as this one is also very nice All of these things make me feel like Irsquove accomplished something in life and gives me confidence that I can do even more
What are your plans for futureIrsquod like to get a studio someday And Irsquod like to get into stock photogra-phy Irsquom also working on a gothic romance novel called Whispering Pines and a book of short scary stories I guess I plan on just creat-ing more and trying to improve in everything I do
What would you advice to the young photographersDonrsquot worry about what kind of cam-era or equipment you have Just fo-cus on what you have now and try to create something beautiful with it Itrsquos the photographer that makes the picture good not the camera
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many successful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quitting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many suc-cessful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quit-ting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
A photographerrsquos main goal is to take a photo that makes the viewer feel a strong emotion towards it whether it is love hate anger or passion But when a photo is excellently taken yet the colors lighting and texture dont match up to the photoers vision a photo will become uninspiring This tutorial will teach you how to take your photo to the next level and create an image that matches your vision
Makingthe Mood
making the mood
47psd Photoshop
Step 1The fi rst step in changing a photo is doing the ba-sics You have to prepare your photo before you can move to the fun stuff In this pickture I got rid of any noticeable blemishes the model had and g of noticeable hair that were going across her face to give more clear picture of the model I did this using the Patch and Clone Stamp tool When edit-ing a model make sure to always keep texture in the skin its more interesting that way as opposed to having a models face which is completely air-brushed
02
03
Step 2The next step I took was darkening the whole photo I knew that I wanted the photo to be much darker than it currently was I could have just used the Curves tool or Levels but I fi nd that when overusing the Curves tool a photo starts to look overly contrasted which I dont want So instead I used a light gradient (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtGradient Map) and changed the Blending mode from Normal to Multiply Doing this gives the photo a lot more depth but doesnt darken it completely
Step 3As soon as Ive got my basic photo ready I knew that the yellowish tinge was not the effect I was going for so I used both the Color Balance tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtColor Balance)and the Selective Color tool (LayergtNew Adjust-ment LayergtColor Balance)
01
photomanipulation
48 psd Photoshop
Step 4The next thing I noticed was that my models face was not highlighted enough it was getting lost in the midst of forest and darkness so I made two new layers One layer was for the models face and I simply used a soft Photoshop brush with 0 Hardness and drew over the models face and the snakes body I then changed both layers Blending Mode from Normal to Screen and applied a Box blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 543 pixels to both so they wouldnt be as noticeable Remember you just want hints of light just enough so the models face and the snake is highlighted
04
05
06
Step 5The fi fth step is more or less a repeat of a step number three I liked the way photo looked but it wasnt nearly as dramatic as it could be So now I fi nally decided to use the Curves tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtCurves) to darken and light certain areas making sure again not to overdo it but to give it enough contrast to really bring out the picture Next I made two new Selective Colorlayers (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtSelective Color) One Selective Colors layer changed the leaves and clothes but not the models face to a more dark blue tint while the second Selective Color layer brightened the snakes skin
Step 6The next thing I did was making another two lay-ers I still wanted to brighten only the snakes skin so for the fi rst layer I changed the Blending modefrom Normal to Soft Light and then used a brush with 0 Hardness and carefully painted over the snake It took a few variations before I found a color I liked Its helpful to remember to also look at the whole picture In the next layer I created I simply wanted to add a little more color to the shrubbery in the background so I made another layer and again changed the blending mode from Normal to Soft Light I used a soft brush with 0 Hardness and a maroon and yellow color just to add a little variation from my usual palette of blue I then added it all along the bushes and used the Box Blur tool at 483 pixels also changing the Blending mode from Normal to Screen to make it less obvious
making the mood
49psd Photoshop
Step 7The fi nal step I took to fi nish setting the mood for my photo was adding a texture and chang-ing the Blending Mode from Normal to Soft LightI found that the texture was to overpowering at 100 Opacity so I lowered it to 77 I next added my fi nal layer and created a vignette around my photo by using a brush with a Hardness of 100 and then brushed it around the outer edges of the photo particularly around the four corners I then applied a Box Blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 693 pixels to the layer creating a nice dark blurred ef-fect
by Naomi Bensen
07
44 psd Photoshop
interview
4 pas Photoshop
shoot with me I was nervous because I had never done any-thing like that before and I wasnrsquot com-pletely sure how the camera worked but the pictures turned out great and soon more and more peo-ple wanted to work with me
Where do you get the inspiration for your worksIrsquove always been an introverted day-dreamer with an
overly active imagination When other people are liv-ing their life I am looking around and thinking of sto-ries Irsquove always wanted to be a writer but photography lets me tell stories with pic-tures and as long as I can tell a story I am happy
What do you like the most about being a photographer and what are the main difficulties for youIf I am not creating some-thing I feel frustrated I like that my job lets me cre-ate things while making people feel beautiful and good about themselves I enjoy taking pictures that have a fantasy quality to them so that people in the photos can be part of something a little magi-cal instead of ordinary and people who see the photos will feel inspired One of the main difficul-ties I have is my location the middle of nowhere in the Midwest Winter lasts around 7-8 months and itrsquos always very harsh and with a lot of snow I donrsquot have a studio or anyplace indoors thatI can go to so this means I only have a very short amount of time in the year that I can really do many photo shoots
45psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
5psd Photoshop
Do you have any personal achievements you are particularly proud ofIrsquom very proud that my photo Shy with over 35550 favs is one of the most popular photos ever to be up-loaded to the website deviantart Itrsquos unreal to me Irsquom also proud that two photos of mine have been licensed to be on book covers Growing up I never thought any-thing like that could ever happen to me Being in magazines such as this one is also very nice All of these things make me feel like Irsquove accomplished something in life and gives me confidence that I can do even more
What are your plans for futureIrsquod like to get a studio someday And Irsquod like to get into stock photogra-phy Irsquom also working on a gothic romance novel called Whispering Pines and a book of short scary stories I guess I plan on just creat-ing more and trying to improve in everything I do
What would you advice to the young photographersDonrsquot worry about what kind of cam-era or equipment you have Just fo-cus on what you have now and try to create something beautiful with it Itrsquos the photographer that makes the picture good not the camera
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many successful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quitting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many suc-cessful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quit-ting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
A photographerrsquos main goal is to take a photo that makes the viewer feel a strong emotion towards it whether it is love hate anger or passion But when a photo is excellently taken yet the colors lighting and texture dont match up to the photoers vision a photo will become uninspiring This tutorial will teach you how to take your photo to the next level and create an image that matches your vision
Makingthe Mood
making the mood
47psd Photoshop
Step 1The fi rst step in changing a photo is doing the ba-sics You have to prepare your photo before you can move to the fun stuff In this pickture I got rid of any noticeable blemishes the model had and g of noticeable hair that were going across her face to give more clear picture of the model I did this using the Patch and Clone Stamp tool When edit-ing a model make sure to always keep texture in the skin its more interesting that way as opposed to having a models face which is completely air-brushed
02
03
Step 2The next step I took was darkening the whole photo I knew that I wanted the photo to be much darker than it currently was I could have just used the Curves tool or Levels but I fi nd that when overusing the Curves tool a photo starts to look overly contrasted which I dont want So instead I used a light gradient (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtGradient Map) and changed the Blending mode from Normal to Multiply Doing this gives the photo a lot more depth but doesnt darken it completely
Step 3As soon as Ive got my basic photo ready I knew that the yellowish tinge was not the effect I was going for so I used both the Color Balance tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtColor Balance)and the Selective Color tool (LayergtNew Adjust-ment LayergtColor Balance)
01
photomanipulation
48 psd Photoshop
Step 4The next thing I noticed was that my models face was not highlighted enough it was getting lost in the midst of forest and darkness so I made two new layers One layer was for the models face and I simply used a soft Photoshop brush with 0 Hardness and drew over the models face and the snakes body I then changed both layers Blending Mode from Normal to Screen and applied a Box blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 543 pixels to both so they wouldnt be as noticeable Remember you just want hints of light just enough so the models face and the snake is highlighted
04
05
06
Step 5The fi fth step is more or less a repeat of a step number three I liked the way photo looked but it wasnt nearly as dramatic as it could be So now I fi nally decided to use the Curves tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtCurves) to darken and light certain areas making sure again not to overdo it but to give it enough contrast to really bring out the picture Next I made two new Selective Colorlayers (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtSelective Color) One Selective Colors layer changed the leaves and clothes but not the models face to a more dark blue tint while the second Selective Color layer brightened the snakes skin
Step 6The next thing I did was making another two lay-ers I still wanted to brighten only the snakes skin so for the fi rst layer I changed the Blending modefrom Normal to Soft Light and then used a brush with 0 Hardness and carefully painted over the snake It took a few variations before I found a color I liked Its helpful to remember to also look at the whole picture In the next layer I created I simply wanted to add a little more color to the shrubbery in the background so I made another layer and again changed the blending mode from Normal to Soft Light I used a soft brush with 0 Hardness and a maroon and yellow color just to add a little variation from my usual palette of blue I then added it all along the bushes and used the Box Blur tool at 483 pixels also changing the Blending mode from Normal to Screen to make it less obvious
making the mood
49psd Photoshop
Step 7The fi nal step I took to fi nish setting the mood for my photo was adding a texture and chang-ing the Blending Mode from Normal to Soft LightI found that the texture was to overpowering at 100 Opacity so I lowered it to 77 I next added my fi nal layer and created a vignette around my photo by using a brush with a Hardness of 100 and then brushed it around the outer edges of the photo particularly around the four corners I then applied a Box Blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 693 pixels to the layer creating a nice dark blurred ef-fect
by Naomi Bensen
07
45psd Photoshop
interview with april elizabeth
5psd Photoshop
Do you have any personal achievements you are particularly proud ofIrsquom very proud that my photo Shy with over 35550 favs is one of the most popular photos ever to be up-loaded to the website deviantart Itrsquos unreal to me Irsquom also proud that two photos of mine have been licensed to be on book covers Growing up I never thought any-thing like that could ever happen to me Being in magazines such as this one is also very nice All of these things make me feel like Irsquove accomplished something in life and gives me confidence that I can do even more
What are your plans for futureIrsquod like to get a studio someday And Irsquod like to get into stock photogra-phy Irsquom also working on a gothic romance novel called Whispering Pines and a book of short scary stories I guess I plan on just creat-ing more and trying to improve in everything I do
What would you advice to the young photographersDonrsquot worry about what kind of cam-era or equipment you have Just fo-cus on what you have now and try to create something beautiful with it Itrsquos the photographer that makes the picture good not the camera
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many successful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quitting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
My most popular photo Shy and the two photos that were licenses to be on book covers were all taken with a point and shoot camera Donrsquot let your age stop you from going forward There are many suc-cessful photographers who are very young There will always be obstacles rejection and other bad things and many times you may think about quit-ting all togetherbut donrsquot If you work hard good things will come
A photographerrsquos main goal is to take a photo that makes the viewer feel a strong emotion towards it whether it is love hate anger or passion But when a photo is excellently taken yet the colors lighting and texture dont match up to the photoers vision a photo will become uninspiring This tutorial will teach you how to take your photo to the next level and create an image that matches your vision
Makingthe Mood
making the mood
47psd Photoshop
Step 1The fi rst step in changing a photo is doing the ba-sics You have to prepare your photo before you can move to the fun stuff In this pickture I got rid of any noticeable blemishes the model had and g of noticeable hair that were going across her face to give more clear picture of the model I did this using the Patch and Clone Stamp tool When edit-ing a model make sure to always keep texture in the skin its more interesting that way as opposed to having a models face which is completely air-brushed
02
03
Step 2The next step I took was darkening the whole photo I knew that I wanted the photo to be much darker than it currently was I could have just used the Curves tool or Levels but I fi nd that when overusing the Curves tool a photo starts to look overly contrasted which I dont want So instead I used a light gradient (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtGradient Map) and changed the Blending mode from Normal to Multiply Doing this gives the photo a lot more depth but doesnt darken it completely
Step 3As soon as Ive got my basic photo ready I knew that the yellowish tinge was not the effect I was going for so I used both the Color Balance tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtColor Balance)and the Selective Color tool (LayergtNew Adjust-ment LayergtColor Balance)
01
photomanipulation
48 psd Photoshop
Step 4The next thing I noticed was that my models face was not highlighted enough it was getting lost in the midst of forest and darkness so I made two new layers One layer was for the models face and I simply used a soft Photoshop brush with 0 Hardness and drew over the models face and the snakes body I then changed both layers Blending Mode from Normal to Screen and applied a Box blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 543 pixels to both so they wouldnt be as noticeable Remember you just want hints of light just enough so the models face and the snake is highlighted
04
05
06
Step 5The fi fth step is more or less a repeat of a step number three I liked the way photo looked but it wasnt nearly as dramatic as it could be So now I fi nally decided to use the Curves tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtCurves) to darken and light certain areas making sure again not to overdo it but to give it enough contrast to really bring out the picture Next I made two new Selective Colorlayers (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtSelective Color) One Selective Colors layer changed the leaves and clothes but not the models face to a more dark blue tint while the second Selective Color layer brightened the snakes skin
Step 6The next thing I did was making another two lay-ers I still wanted to brighten only the snakes skin so for the fi rst layer I changed the Blending modefrom Normal to Soft Light and then used a brush with 0 Hardness and carefully painted over the snake It took a few variations before I found a color I liked Its helpful to remember to also look at the whole picture In the next layer I created I simply wanted to add a little more color to the shrubbery in the background so I made another layer and again changed the blending mode from Normal to Soft Light I used a soft brush with 0 Hardness and a maroon and yellow color just to add a little variation from my usual palette of blue I then added it all along the bushes and used the Box Blur tool at 483 pixels also changing the Blending mode from Normal to Screen to make it less obvious
making the mood
49psd Photoshop
Step 7The fi nal step I took to fi nish setting the mood for my photo was adding a texture and chang-ing the Blending Mode from Normal to Soft LightI found that the texture was to overpowering at 100 Opacity so I lowered it to 77 I next added my fi nal layer and created a vignette around my photo by using a brush with a Hardness of 100 and then brushed it around the outer edges of the photo particularly around the four corners I then applied a Box Blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 693 pixels to the layer creating a nice dark blurred ef-fect
by Naomi Bensen
07
A photographerrsquos main goal is to take a photo that makes the viewer feel a strong emotion towards it whether it is love hate anger or passion But when a photo is excellently taken yet the colors lighting and texture dont match up to the photoers vision a photo will become uninspiring This tutorial will teach you how to take your photo to the next level and create an image that matches your vision
Makingthe Mood
making the mood
47psd Photoshop
Step 1The fi rst step in changing a photo is doing the ba-sics You have to prepare your photo before you can move to the fun stuff In this pickture I got rid of any noticeable blemishes the model had and g of noticeable hair that were going across her face to give more clear picture of the model I did this using the Patch and Clone Stamp tool When edit-ing a model make sure to always keep texture in the skin its more interesting that way as opposed to having a models face which is completely air-brushed
02
03
Step 2The next step I took was darkening the whole photo I knew that I wanted the photo to be much darker than it currently was I could have just used the Curves tool or Levels but I fi nd that when overusing the Curves tool a photo starts to look overly contrasted which I dont want So instead I used a light gradient (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtGradient Map) and changed the Blending mode from Normal to Multiply Doing this gives the photo a lot more depth but doesnt darken it completely
Step 3As soon as Ive got my basic photo ready I knew that the yellowish tinge was not the effect I was going for so I used both the Color Balance tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtColor Balance)and the Selective Color tool (LayergtNew Adjust-ment LayergtColor Balance)
01
photomanipulation
48 psd Photoshop
Step 4The next thing I noticed was that my models face was not highlighted enough it was getting lost in the midst of forest and darkness so I made two new layers One layer was for the models face and I simply used a soft Photoshop brush with 0 Hardness and drew over the models face and the snakes body I then changed both layers Blending Mode from Normal to Screen and applied a Box blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 543 pixels to both so they wouldnt be as noticeable Remember you just want hints of light just enough so the models face and the snake is highlighted
04
05
06
Step 5The fi fth step is more or less a repeat of a step number three I liked the way photo looked but it wasnt nearly as dramatic as it could be So now I fi nally decided to use the Curves tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtCurves) to darken and light certain areas making sure again not to overdo it but to give it enough contrast to really bring out the picture Next I made two new Selective Colorlayers (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtSelective Color) One Selective Colors layer changed the leaves and clothes but not the models face to a more dark blue tint while the second Selective Color layer brightened the snakes skin
Step 6The next thing I did was making another two lay-ers I still wanted to brighten only the snakes skin so for the fi rst layer I changed the Blending modefrom Normal to Soft Light and then used a brush with 0 Hardness and carefully painted over the snake It took a few variations before I found a color I liked Its helpful to remember to also look at the whole picture In the next layer I created I simply wanted to add a little more color to the shrubbery in the background so I made another layer and again changed the blending mode from Normal to Soft Light I used a soft brush with 0 Hardness and a maroon and yellow color just to add a little variation from my usual palette of blue I then added it all along the bushes and used the Box Blur tool at 483 pixels also changing the Blending mode from Normal to Screen to make it less obvious
making the mood
49psd Photoshop
Step 7The fi nal step I took to fi nish setting the mood for my photo was adding a texture and chang-ing the Blending Mode from Normal to Soft LightI found that the texture was to overpowering at 100 Opacity so I lowered it to 77 I next added my fi nal layer and created a vignette around my photo by using a brush with a Hardness of 100 and then brushed it around the outer edges of the photo particularly around the four corners I then applied a Box Blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 693 pixels to the layer creating a nice dark blurred ef-fect
by Naomi Bensen
07
making the mood
47psd Photoshop
Step 1The fi rst step in changing a photo is doing the ba-sics You have to prepare your photo before you can move to the fun stuff In this pickture I got rid of any noticeable blemishes the model had and g of noticeable hair that were going across her face to give more clear picture of the model I did this using the Patch and Clone Stamp tool When edit-ing a model make sure to always keep texture in the skin its more interesting that way as opposed to having a models face which is completely air-brushed
02
03
Step 2The next step I took was darkening the whole photo I knew that I wanted the photo to be much darker than it currently was I could have just used the Curves tool or Levels but I fi nd that when overusing the Curves tool a photo starts to look overly contrasted which I dont want So instead I used a light gradient (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtGradient Map) and changed the Blending mode from Normal to Multiply Doing this gives the photo a lot more depth but doesnt darken it completely
Step 3As soon as Ive got my basic photo ready I knew that the yellowish tinge was not the effect I was going for so I used both the Color Balance tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtColor Balance)and the Selective Color tool (LayergtNew Adjust-ment LayergtColor Balance)
01
photomanipulation
48 psd Photoshop
Step 4The next thing I noticed was that my models face was not highlighted enough it was getting lost in the midst of forest and darkness so I made two new layers One layer was for the models face and I simply used a soft Photoshop brush with 0 Hardness and drew over the models face and the snakes body I then changed both layers Blending Mode from Normal to Screen and applied a Box blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 543 pixels to both so they wouldnt be as noticeable Remember you just want hints of light just enough so the models face and the snake is highlighted
04
05
06
Step 5The fi fth step is more or less a repeat of a step number three I liked the way photo looked but it wasnt nearly as dramatic as it could be So now I fi nally decided to use the Curves tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtCurves) to darken and light certain areas making sure again not to overdo it but to give it enough contrast to really bring out the picture Next I made two new Selective Colorlayers (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtSelective Color) One Selective Colors layer changed the leaves and clothes but not the models face to a more dark blue tint while the second Selective Color layer brightened the snakes skin
Step 6The next thing I did was making another two lay-ers I still wanted to brighten only the snakes skin so for the fi rst layer I changed the Blending modefrom Normal to Soft Light and then used a brush with 0 Hardness and carefully painted over the snake It took a few variations before I found a color I liked Its helpful to remember to also look at the whole picture In the next layer I created I simply wanted to add a little more color to the shrubbery in the background so I made another layer and again changed the blending mode from Normal to Soft Light I used a soft brush with 0 Hardness and a maroon and yellow color just to add a little variation from my usual palette of blue I then added it all along the bushes and used the Box Blur tool at 483 pixels also changing the Blending mode from Normal to Screen to make it less obvious
making the mood
49psd Photoshop
Step 7The fi nal step I took to fi nish setting the mood for my photo was adding a texture and chang-ing the Blending Mode from Normal to Soft LightI found that the texture was to overpowering at 100 Opacity so I lowered it to 77 I next added my fi nal layer and created a vignette around my photo by using a brush with a Hardness of 100 and then brushed it around the outer edges of the photo particularly around the four corners I then applied a Box Blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 693 pixels to the layer creating a nice dark blurred ef-fect
by Naomi Bensen
07
photomanipulation
48 psd Photoshop
Step 4The next thing I noticed was that my models face was not highlighted enough it was getting lost in the midst of forest and darkness so I made two new layers One layer was for the models face and I simply used a soft Photoshop brush with 0 Hardness and drew over the models face and the snakes body I then changed both layers Blending Mode from Normal to Screen and applied a Box blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 543 pixels to both so they wouldnt be as noticeable Remember you just want hints of light just enough so the models face and the snake is highlighted
04
05
06
Step 5The fi fth step is more or less a repeat of a step number three I liked the way photo looked but it wasnt nearly as dramatic as it could be So now I fi nally decided to use the Curves tool (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtCurves) to darken and light certain areas making sure again not to overdo it but to give it enough contrast to really bring out the picture Next I made two new Selective Colorlayers (LayergtNew Adjustment LayergtSelective Color) One Selective Colors layer changed the leaves and clothes but not the models face to a more dark blue tint while the second Selective Color layer brightened the snakes skin
Step 6The next thing I did was making another two lay-ers I still wanted to brighten only the snakes skin so for the fi rst layer I changed the Blending modefrom Normal to Soft Light and then used a brush with 0 Hardness and carefully painted over the snake It took a few variations before I found a color I liked Its helpful to remember to also look at the whole picture In the next layer I created I simply wanted to add a little more color to the shrubbery in the background so I made another layer and again changed the blending mode from Normal to Soft Light I used a soft brush with 0 Hardness and a maroon and yellow color just to add a little variation from my usual palette of blue I then added it all along the bushes and used the Box Blur tool at 483 pixels also changing the Blending mode from Normal to Screen to make it less obvious
making the mood
49psd Photoshop
Step 7The fi nal step I took to fi nish setting the mood for my photo was adding a texture and chang-ing the Blending Mode from Normal to Soft LightI found that the texture was to overpowering at 100 Opacity so I lowered it to 77 I next added my fi nal layer and created a vignette around my photo by using a brush with a Hardness of 100 and then brushed it around the outer edges of the photo particularly around the four corners I then applied a Box Blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 693 pixels to the layer creating a nice dark blurred ef-fect
by Naomi Bensen
07
making the mood
49psd Photoshop
Step 7The fi nal step I took to fi nish setting the mood for my photo was adding a texture and chang-ing the Blending Mode from Normal to Soft LightI found that the texture was to overpowering at 100 Opacity so I lowered it to 77 I next added my fi nal layer and created a vignette around my photo by using a brush with a Hardness of 100 and then brushed it around the outer edges of the photo particularly around the four corners I then applied a Box Blur (FiltergtBlurgtBox Blur) at 693 pixels to the layer creating a nice dark blurred ef-fect
by Naomi Bensen
07
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