Advanced Photoshop UK - Issue 104 2012

PHOTO EDITING

COMMERCIAL LIGHTING EFFECTSRelight a dynamic scene using channels & colour adjustments

The magazine for Adobe® Photoshop® professionals

blog.advancedphotoshop.co.uk/tutorial-filesTutorial files available at:

CREATE THIS

INDUSTRY INSPIRATION

PRO MATTE PAINTING

Industry experts reveal their top tips on creating landscapes

IMAGE

ISSUE 104 £5.99

BUILD WEB ELEMENTSNEW MEDIA

Create an authentic stitch effect for your website directly in Photoshop

• 20 photomanipulation secrets• Make the most of Content-Aware• Enhance your digital portraits

ALSO INSIDE: EXPERTBRUSH EFFECTS

Learn to paint powerful characters by mastering Photoshop’s custom brushes

KILLER TIPS AND RESOURCE PACK

CINEMATICTECHNIQUESComposite multiple assets to achieve shattering results

PHOTO EDITING

COMMERCIAL LIGHTING LIGHTING EFFECTSRelight a dynamic scene using channels Relight a dynamic scene using channels Relight a dynamic scene using

& colour adjustments colour adjustmentsRelight a dynamic scene using

colour adjustmentsRelight a dynamic scene using

& colour adjustments&

The magazine for AdobeThe magazine for Adobe® Photoshop Photoshop® professionals

blog.advancedphotoshop.co.uk/tutorial-filesTutorial files available at:

professionalsCREATE THIS

INDUSTRY INSPIRATION

PRO MATTE PAINTINGIndustry experts reveal their top tips on creating landscapes

IMAGE

professionals professionalsCREATE

KILLER TIPS AND RESOURCE PACKKILLER TIPS AND RESOURCE PACK

CINEMAATTATAATA IICCCTECHNIQUIQUIQ ESESComposite multiple assets to achieve shattering resultsComposite multiple assets to achieve shattering results

IMAGE IMAGE

CREATE CREATE

THIS THIS IMAGEIMAGEIMAGE

104

Untitled-3 1 10/12/2012 18:10

full pg.indd 1 29/11/2012 11:59

WorldMags.netWorldMags.net

WorldMags.net

http://worldmags.net/


WELCOMEISSUE 104

Welcome to the latest issue of Advanced Photoshop. This month we’ve been blown away by the awe-inspiring effects artists are able to achieve, from epic digital paintings to thrilling manipulations.

IN THIS ISSUE:

GRAPHICSNEW MEDIADIGITAL PAINTING

PHOTOMANIPULATIONPHOTO EDITING

ANNA�LISA SAYWELLDeputy Editor

So, if that whets your creative appetite, turn to page 28 for our Pro Matte Painting feature, where industry artists reveal the vital Photoshop techniques used by some of the biggest studios around on blockbusters including Ridley Scott’s Prometheus.

In addition to this we take an in-depth look at how you can replicate commercial lighting effects in Photoshop, show you how to apply authentic stitch effects to web elements and teach you to paint powerful characters by mastering Photoshop’s custom brushes.

Elsewhere we talk to Romeo and Julieta Estudio on colour, light, composition and how all these essential elements are at the heart of their design.

Finally, on a personal note, we’re very sad to see our Editor in Chief Jo Cole go this month, but wish her all the best for the future.

See you next month!

FIND US ONLINE:@advancedpshop /AdvancedPhotoshop

.co.uk

003

ISSUE 104 CONTENTS

EYE ON DESIGN:

READERS’ GALLERY94Digital artist José Paulo talks to us about his work on the Advanced Photoshop blog

COVER ARTIST

Josh is a commercial photographer who’s

obsessed with spy and action movies. So who better to bring you this

issue’s Cinematic Techniques tutorial? Turn to

page 46 to follow along

JOSH ROSSIwww.joshrossi.com

FIND US ONLINE:

20 FEATURE:

20 PHOTOMANIPULATION SECRETSWe ask top designers which tools and techniques they use to get seamless results

003-005_AVP_104.indd 3 04/12/2012 17:15


WorldMags.net



EYE ON DESIGNWhat’s hot, who’s in and the latest art & design happenings

GALLERY:Great images from the online community06ING COMPETITION:Results from the Advanced Photoshop blog10

12 PORTFOLIO INTERVIEW:Romeo and Julieta Estudio

18 PROJECT FOCUS:Design an appealing menu with Steve Simpson

CONTENTSISSUE 104

54 WORKSHOP

80 WORKSHOP

60 WORKSHOP

004

CONTENTS ISSUE 104

12 INTERVIEW

003-005_AVP_104.indd 4 04/12/2012 17:16


WorldMags.net



64 WORKSHOP

TECHNIQUESProfessional artists reveal their high-end skills in our easy-to-follow workshops

Pro matte painting28 FEATURE

REVIEWSWe put the latest creative kit,books and apps to the test

88 FEATURE:Dell Precision M6700

92 APP & BOOK REVIEWS:Epson projector, Drawing Pad

Free with issue 104 of Advanced Photoshop

SPECIAL RESOURCE PACK

PLUS:• Tutorial project files• Exclusive wallpapers for mobile and desktop• Six free wood textures

101 web banners and ribbons, 20 high-res images and ten feather brushes

TWO CREATIVE VIDEO TUTORIALSCreate a logo animation in Photoshop and follow our matte-painting tutorial with two screen captures

44 ON YOUR DISC

Cinematic techniques46 WORKSHOP

Free resources for your projects44 WHAT’S ON THE DISC

Expert brush effects54 WORKSHOP

20 photomanipulation secrets20 FEATURE

Create a fantasy matte painting36 WORKSHOP

The Throne52 HOW I MADE

SEE PAGE 58 FOR THE LATEST OFFERSUBSCRIBE TODAY!

Code stitch effect78 QUICK TRICK

60 Commercial lighting effectsWORKSHOP

Build web elements74 WORKSHOP

Textured character illustration80 WORKSHOP

72 Content-Aware toolsTOOL FOCUS

64 Enhance digital portraitsWORKSHOP

WORKSHOP

74 WORKSHOP

ISSUE 104 CONTENTS

28 FEATURE

003-005_AVP_104.indd 5 04/12/2012 17:47


WorldMags.net



eye on design gallery

readers’ galleryevery month We shoWcase the very best of your photoshop artWork

showcaseupload your images to our website or social networks

how to submit

Visit www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk and click on the Create Account option to follow the simple registration process.

01 Create a gallery

Upload your favourite images to the gallery for others to view and comment on. We’ll select the best each month to appear on these pages.

02 Upload your artwork

/AdvancedPhotoshop @advancedpshop

For this illustration, I made a basic sketch and using Photoshop I then created everything using the Path tool to form the shapes and selective

Brush tools to make the shadows and lights Marcelo Schultz, Volkswagen Bubble

Search for schultzdzn on .co.uk

006

Marcelo schultzwww.marceloschultz.com

AboUt the ArtiSt

I’m a 31-year-old graphic designer and illustrator based in curitiba, Brazil. I work as an art director at ddq design (www.ddq.com.br) and build all my work from scratch.

006

.co.uk

006-009_AVP_104.indd 6 04/12/2012 17:49


WorldMags.net



gallery eye on design

Search for hugo_ceneviva on .co.uk

007

hugo jose ceneviva cantelliwww.behance.net/hugoceneviva

about the artiSt

I’m a Brazilian art director and image-retouching professional who has been working for the last six years in advertising agencies, creating concepts, campaigns and retouching images.

006-009_AVP_104.indd 7 03/12/2012 11:39


WorldMags.net



EYE ON DESIGN GALLERY

008

Search for batkya on .co.uk

006-009_AVP_104.indd 8 03/12/2012 11:39


WorldMags.net



GALLERY EYE ON DESIGN

009

This work was made for the competition Apocalypse at www.CreativeStation.ru where I won First Place. I didn’t really use

any special techniques other than standard Photoshop tools such as inserting images, using layer masks and the Color Correction tool… Sergey Likhachev, Tornado Apocolypse

SERGEY LIKHACHEVwww.youtube.com/batkyahttp:// batkya.deviantart.com

ABOUT THE ARTIST

I am 42 and originally from Russia. Photoshop is my hobby and I like to make collages of different landscapes, images of nature and fantasy images.

006-009_AVP_104.indd 9 03/12/2012 11:40


WorldMags.net



EYE ON DESIGN ING COMPETITION RESULTS

ING COMPETITION RESULTS

WE REVEAL THE TALENTED WINNERS AND THEIR INCREDIBLE CREATIONS

EYE ON DESIGN

A dvanced Photoshop and Ingimage (www.ingimage.com) recently joined forces to offer you a great chance to use your creativity and Photoshop skills to win one of three subscriptions to the Ingimage stock library, with a total prize fund of over £1,000.

All that was required was to sign up for a free trial and create a Photoshop masterpiece using any images from the Ingimage website that fit the competition theme: colour explosion. The lucky winners have been chosen below and thanks to everyone who participated.

We were very impressed with the quality of entries and delighted to see submissions from so many different countries. Jose’s winning image was the most arresting and shows off some impressive brush work.

Our Content department has made a determined effort to get on board with the industry’s leading fashion and beauty photographers, so we were thrilled to see that these images were so popular with contestants. Unlike our competitors, we still hand-pick each of our images for their quality and hope that this comes across when searching our website.

FIRST PLACE - 1-YEAR SUBSCRIPTION TO INGIMAGEJosé Paulo (www.zepaulocreation.blogspot.com) is a digital artist with seven years of experience. He’s passionate about fashion photography, creativity, advertising, photomanipulation and digital art. Currently José is working as a digital artist in LaLaLand Studios (fashion photography) with one of the best fashion photographers in Portugal, Frederico Martins

SECOND PLACE - 6-MONTH SUBSCRIPTION TO INGIMAGEDavide Brusa (www.dawlaz.com), known as Dawlaz, is a graphic designer and illustrator based in Turin, Italy. He is passionate about illustration, digital art and photography

THIRD PLACE - 3-MONTH SUBSCRIPTION TO INGIMAGEAnmol Pinto (www.anmolpinto.com) is a 27-year-old graphic designer based in Dubai. He dabbles in music production and looks to get into motion graphics, 3D and web design soon

ING’S THOUGHTS...

010

010_AVP_104.indd 10 04/12/2012 15:55


WorldMags.net



Full Page.indd 1 03/12/2012 10:53


WorldMags.net



012

eye on design portfolio interview

Founder Jean Campos tell us how Colour, light and experiments are at the heart oF this Creative studio

portfolio interview

ROMEU AND JULIETA ESTúDIO

How Has Romeu & Julieta estúdio built sucH a successful poRtfolio?I’m extremely proud that Romeu & Julieta Estúdio has operated in the creative market for the past five years. This has offered us the opportunity to work with professionals of the highest calibre. Each experience has been unique and has enabled us to develop our work process, sometimes through the occasional surprise. The entire creative evolution of our portfolio is based on these experiences.

at wHat point did youR poRtfolio woRk become commeRcially viable? did you Have a paRticulaR plan?My wife Patricia and I had a dream to create a business model that was different from conventional Brazilian companies. I think that was imprinted from

the very start, even in the illustrations we did for smaller companies. In the first month of operation we had already closed our first major campaign for famous Brazilian Coca-Cola brand Kuat. We’ve continued to combine our own creative tastes with those of the agencies we work with. This relationship has defined our style, which is a mixture of ideas, concepts and inspirations.

some people may categoRise youR woRk as pHoto illustRation. would you agRee witH tHis?We don’t conform to a distinct style. Our work shows aesthetic similarities as we have many artists working on various projects. Also, we’ve loved experimenting with techniques and styles applied to our work from the very beginning, testing the

Brazil: a large park of machines: “This project assembled a great scene from scratch, full of machinery, workers, environments, buildings and landmarks. everything was made to look realistic, using photographs and lots of 3d compositing,” Campos explains © Agency: domínio Público. Client: Case Ce. illustration: Romeu & Julieta

001

Brahma | Imagina a festa | Imagine Party: Romeu & Julieta estúdio created this image in partnership with the agency África. The team illustrated this campaign image for beer brand Brahma, which inspires Brazilians to believe that the World Cup 2014 in Brazil will be the biggest party ever© Agency: África. Client: Brahma. illustration: Romeu & Julieta

002

001

@romeu_e_julietawww.romeuejulieta.net

012-016_AVP_104.indd 12 03/12/2012 11:48


WorldMags.net



article name article type

013

002

012-016_AVP_104.indd 13 03/12/2012 11:48


WorldMags.net



040014

Bakery Pão&Companhia: The team created this image with the very best in breads, pastries and a lot of CG, for L’équipe culinaire R&J. This was part of a wider campaign for affiliate bakery Pão & Companhia in Brazil © Client: Bakery Pão & Companhia. Illustration: Romeu & Julieta

003

Rede Globo: This illustration was produced for Rede Globo, a major Brazilian media company. The team’s objective was to communicate that people could build their own brands using the services offered by this company. The studio included several workers to assemble the image © Agency: W/McCann. Client: Rede Globo. Illustration: Romeu & Julieta

004

003

004

eye on desIGn portfolio interview

012-016_AVP_104.indd 14 03/12/2012 11:49


WorldMags.net



015

portfolio interview eye on design

adbuzeedo www.abduzeedo.com We have a very strong affinity with Abduzeedo. Most of our artists refer to the site to infuse and inspire their new work.

behance www.behance.net Arguably the best community of artists and art lovers, this is largely responsible for the dissemination of our work and expansion of our global network of partners.

ibelieveinadv www.ibelieveinadv.com One of the most comprehensive sites for ad publication, this also serves as a source of inspiration and reference. We are always on top of everything released in the market.

colour and light by james gurney www.jamesgurney.com This is a great reference for any artist thinking about creating realistic works. It’s a true guide to light and colour for designers, painters or CG artists. The stunning work of James Gurney illustrates just the tip of the creative process throughout this book.

ars thanea www.arsthanea.com This studio is a great reference for impressive jobs and has even influenced our own work. For example, our Dores project was inspired by its design of the Disney Cruise Line project, which was simply fantastic.

romeu & julieta’s key online resources

capabilities of photography, traditional illustration, stop-motion, sculpture and painting.

We are very versatile because of this and don’t like to repeat anything. I’ve always believed in trying different ways to create similar outcomes. For example, we have a folder full of CG images that are made to look photorealistic, but we weren’t too worried about the process applied to achieve [the effect]. What matters most is that the final composition is pleasing to the eye.

it’s apparent you combine photo, retouch and cg elements in your work. which is most important?What we can do with any one or all of these in a short time is most important. Often the solutions we use are not always the ones we would like to, due to time constraints. However, this again demonstrates that there are many different ways to create very similar outcomes.

For example, we would [previously] apply vegetation through painting and compositing techniques. Now we resort to applying CG elements,

as it became more time-consuming to fix photos than do everything in 3D, which ultimately offers a balanced and clean look.

In other creative scenarios we will resort to using photography. We have a core collective of photographers and our own small studio where we produce all our own references, textures and images to support our projects. We also produce our stop-motion productions in this space.

would you agree that the applied lighting and colour in your work makes it more appealing?We are Brazilians, so colours are everywhere in our day-to-day life. From fauna to flora, we are exposed to more colour combinations than you could ever imagine. I try to pass on these influences in every finished image, adding more life and making the viewer much happier…

Another thing that I have learnt more and more with every job is how light behaves with different materials. Our understanding is now at a fantastic level. One example is the Pão & Companhia image

012-016_AVP_104.indd 15 03/12/2012 11:49


WorldMags.net



016

eye on design portfolio interview

005

007

006

Mini Mundo | IGUATEMI: An illustration made to celebrate Children’s day. so as not to miss this special date, the client shopping iguatemi asked the team to create its very own mini world© Agency: dM9sul. Client: igUATeMi illustration: Romeu & Julieta

005

Dores Beach Park: The team illustrated an aquatic theme park that was being built in santa Maria. Here you can see the result of hard work from the studio staff and the agency team © Agency: JAdams. Client: dores Praia Park. illustration: Romeu & Julieta

006

New Holland: This illustrates how the studio is able to work for different types of clients. This was another challenge to overcome, but yet another beautiful outcome was achieved in the end © Agency: domínio Público. Client: new Holland. illustration: Romeu & Julieta

007

where you can see the daylight coming up and over mountains made of bread, creating shapes and curves that I had never experienced. This balance between light and dark really fills me with emotion.

Your portfolio seems to appeal to a lot of advertising clients. WhY is this?We have a very healthy entertainment industry in Brazil, so illustrators like ourselves have always been linked with this type of advertising. The industry is a fertile ground for experimentation and creative challenges. A great example in our portfolio is the Iguatemi-MiniMundo project (005). The challenge was to create a look worthy of Disney and DreamWorks in only five days. It was a nice job but we had to sacrifice a few nights’ sleep sculpting the elements and simulating the character’s hair. But we don’t run away from a challenge. In the end the client was very happy and so were we.

hoW has photoshop helped enhance Your portfolio Work?Photoshop has always been a primary tool in my pipeline work for 3D, animation, drawing, painting and post-production. This latter stage can take up to eight hours to complete. There are certain elements of light and colour that are only possible when you

pass a fine toothcomb through every pixel of an image. Sometimes eight hours turns into eight days, as was the case with our Dores project (006), where the final image had a resolution of 18,000 pixels.

What has been the greatest learning curve When producing Your commercial portfolio?The experience of co-existing with creative people – be that as part of a production team or with creative agency staff – offers a window of opportunity to expand your imagination. This has helped expand the capabilities of our own creativity and it seems that with every project our invention can go further.

What advice Would You give other artists looking to build a successful portfolio?Putting a face to your name in the market can only help you grow, if you want to that is. I see many people aspiring to do things, but just sitting in their offices with a real lack of urgency to turn the world upside down. There is no formula for success, we must make a living by learning. That’s how you evolve. Don’t just settle with what you are currently doing and always look to expand your work, especially by trying new things.

then and noW

then

Case CE © Agency: domínio Público. Client: Case Ce. illustration: Romeu & Julieta

Dores Beach Club © Agency: JAdams. Client: dores Beach Park. illustration: Romeu & Julieta

noW

Looking at the Case CE project below you can see how Romeu and Julieta previously tried to make everything from scratch, mixing paintbrushes and photographs. Although there was an interaction between these, creating a nice result, effects can still look overly illustrated. One of the studio’s latest works for Dores Beach Club now shows how it processes parts using 3D simulation. The team still used Photoshop to brighten transparency as well as comp in photos of foam and waterfalls to simulate movement. The end result shows a significant shift in the process.

012-016_AVP_104.indd 16 04/12/2012 16:03


WorldMags.net



Full Page.indd 1 03/12/2012 10:54


WorldMags.net



018

Based in Ireland, Steve Simpson is a freelance illustrator/designer

working in the areas of packaging design, illustration and art for

children’s books. Simpson has regularly had work exhibited in

London, LA and New York. He was also a main-stage speaker at the 2012 OFFSET creative conference

in the Grand Canal Theatre, Dublin. Simpson has won numerous

international awards for both his packaging design and illustration

including gold and silver at the AOI’s Images, Best of British

Illustration awards.

steve simpsonAbout the studio

www.stevesimpson.com

menu cover – fade street social

nAme of project

TECHNIQUES designing an appealing menu

Steve SimpSon diScuSSeS the photoShop challengeS that he faced when creating a buSy and attractive reStaurant menu

project FocUS

designing an appealing menu

@stevesimpson

c reating art for a restaurant menu may seem like a straightforward task, but there are a variety of factors that must be taken into consideration before you take on such

a project. First, this will be a piece of art seen by many

people from all walks of life, who will likely spend an hour or more observing your designs over several courses. This means the visuals have to be interesting, appealing and most importantly convey the character of the restaurant. Second, you need to make sure you’ve created an image that won’t spoil the appetite – the last thing restaurant owners want is their clientele being turned off before they’ve even glanced at the starters.

Here we discover how Irish designer Steve Simpson has gracefully sidestepped such issues with an appetising image that tantalises the senses as much as it does whet the palate. Scattering animals within a kitchen and surrounding them with an eye-catching collection of fonts makes this one menu that’s as much of a talking point as it is a welcome introduction to your meal. Less digestible than the image, however, was the file size that resulted from working with so many layers. Read on to find out how Simpson overcame this and more.

cAn you tell us About the brief you were given? whAt visuAl cues did you need to Achieve?At the end of June I was contacted by the design company Neworld and asked to quote on illustrating the menu cover for Dylan McGrath’s new Fade Street Social restaurant in Dublin city centre. Dylan wanted a busy kitchen scene and I suggested using animals rather than people to populate the kitchen. There was also talk of framing the menu for the wall.

were there Any inspirAtions thAt informed the work?I’m a huge fan of the limited palette, so I always bring that into my work. I also like incorporating hand-drawn type. I take a lot of inspiration from Fifties or Sixties advertising and book illustrations of the period, especially the use of texture and colour.

cAn you discuss the process you went through to mAke the imAge?I’ve been using Photoshop since about 1992, back when it came on floppy disks. With the exception of the very occasional AOI job, all my work is created or more accurately finished in Photoshop.

I start every project with a series of very basic sketches, that I resolve and refine with each rough. Sometimes I’ll scan the rough, manipulate it slightly in Photoshop to fit the format and print out a larger version to work over using a light box. When I’m happy with the direction, I’ll email a JPEG to the client for feedback.

The next step is to make the artwork file. In this case I needed to make it big enough so it could be hung on the wall. The working file was 100cm across at 300dpi – I tend to work in RGB instead of CMYK to keep the file size down a little.

I paste the final sketch into the file and size it to fit. This is kept as a guide on the top layer and multiplied, with Opacity reduced to about 30%, then locked off.

which photoshop tools were pArticulArly useful for the creAtion of this project? With this illustration I had sketched my own wonky versions of The Gastro Bar and Fade Street Social logos, so I started with them. I created a new folder (sometimes I even remember to label the folders) to isolate and keep track of the main elements. I’ve attempted many times [over] the years to get a grip of the tablet, but in the end I find the mouse much easier to work with. I use vector paths to create layers of the various shapes. I colour these – usually with any tone that’s handy – by filling the path. When I have all the shapes of a particular element on different layers, I lock the transparency… and start playing around with the colours. My colour palettes are an integral part of my style, so I usually know which ones work together and which don’t. I’m not keen on solid black or pure white, so the rest of my colours have to reflect that spectrum. I’ll fill the shapes with a tone that I feel is close to what I want, then I use Hue/Saturation to adjust it until I’m happy

©Eoin Holland

018-019_AVP_104.indd 18 03/12/2012 11:52


WorldMags.net



019

001 002 003Simpson has used a collection of fantastic fonts that work extremely well in tandem with the imagery, with the text ranging from descriptions of the food offered to exclamations of its quality. The resulting feel of the image is busy but attractive, rather than distracting.

Simpson explains his intentions for the project: “I really wanted to create something that would sit well on the table – a talking point. It’s always nice to have a captive audience. Here I had the opportunity to add to the diners’ experience of the restaurant.”

Simpson’s love of the limited palette – that is, deliberately restricting the number of colours used – works wonders here. Despite how dynamic and elaborate the image is, it nevertheless feels like an ensemble, thanks to his superlative use of colour.

All images © Steve Simpson

designing an appealing menu TECHNIQUES

with the balance between that and the rest of the colours. For the rest of the illustration this will be the basis of my colour [scheme]. Once I’m happy with the palette, I’ll add light and shade using adapted brushes. I particularly like to use textured brushes to prevent it looking too clean and digital.

DiD this particular project pose any photoshop-relateD challenges?The main challenge with this project was the number of layers. I generated well over 1,500 layers, which left me with a working file in excess of 1.5GB. Obviously this was mainly due to having to work larger to accommodate the print for the restaurant wall. The only solution was to flatten characters and save versions as I went along.

A second major challenge occurred after the illustration had been signed off. There was a change to the size of the menu, which was considerably thinner. As my machine, a 8GB 27” iMac, had been creaking under the pressure of simply saving or opening the previous working PSD, we decided I should work with the actual menu size for the resizing, leaving the previous version for the framed print. This made the file (a little less than 500MB) a

lot easier to work with. I flattened as many of the folders as I could then jiggled, resized and extended the characters, props and lettering to work in the new shape format. There were about 20 hours of tweaking needed, but I think the end result was worth all the extra work.

What aDvice WoulD you give to artists looking to create a similar image? My best advice on a large project like this would be to be organised, be sure you’re completely happy with the sketches before you even open Photoshop and always double-check the client is happy with the size of the menu before you start!

018-019_AVP_104.indd 19 03/12/2012 11:53


WorldMags.net



020

20Adam Spizak (www.spizak.com) shares his tips on creating a cold, metallic texture and blending it into this photomanipulation.

WORK WITH METAL01 ADAM SPIZAK

020

PHOTOMANIPULATION SECRETS

CREATE YOUR TEXTUREIn this image the brushed metal texture was created from a few different photographs.

BLEND FOR SMOOTHNESSScreen blending was applied for an even more smooth transition.

© A

dam

Spi

zak

MIX IN DIRTA layer of dirt was added over the metal plates using a grungy texture set to Overlay mode and applied as a clipping mask.

020-025_AVP_104.indd 20 03/12/2012 11:54


WorldMags.net



When working with photomanipulations, never use purely black or white tones to add shadows or highlights, Jorge Peña advises. “Instead, always try to grab the darkest or clearest colour near your needs,” he says. “For shadow layers use Multiply and for

highlights, use Screen or maybe Overlay to get a more detailed light.” When creating an advert image for Chinese car company Changan under DDB Chile, Peña used HD images

on the cube and made detailed selections to separate the elements. “The most important thing is to attach each element to a colour palette where everything meets. This way you don’t have to put too many Filter layers on top of everything, because in the end the art gets a little blurred and fuzzy,” he says.

Peña points out that the image doesn’t use any 3D and that the cityscape in the background is just a matte-painting creation. His full portfolio can be seen at www.behance.net/jp1985.

SAY NO TO BLACK AND WHITE03JORGE PEÑA

Creating and handling substances like jelly requires an understanding of how the material will react to advanced lighting techniques, says Oliver Wetter (www.fantasio.info).

CREATE JELLY04 OLIVER WETTER

DEFINE THE SHAPEWhen adding an element such as a jelly tentacle to an image, work with the main subject set to minimum transparency. Use the Smudge tool and Eraser to begin defining the edges.

KNOW YOUR SUBSTANCEA realistic feel relies on foreign matter, such as the jelly, behaving in a way that would be true to its form. Since the jelly is translucent, light would bleed through it and colour the skin red too.

LIGHT THE IMAGESince the lighting is defined in the tentacle, another layer for the rim light was added. It was drawn with a simple scattered brush tip with the layer set to Negative Multiply.

20 PHOTOMANIPULATION SECRETS TECHNIQUES

Oliver Wetter (www.fantasio.info) recommends giving Photoshop something meaty to work with, to improve the look and feel of your images. Stepping away from the computer and getting stuck into some arts and crafts is a great way to get unique textures. For Law

of Nature (below), which was featured as the cover of Corpus Pretero, Wetter used a layer method on top of the background of the manipulation. “I think this image comes to life through the old look and texture,” he says. “The effect is created using cardboard and white paint (Gesso), which is applied on a layer of wheat paste before it’s really dry. After a while the acrylic white dries up with the glue and the colour begins to crack.” The density and quality of texture is a key part of the overall feel of the image. “It’s possible to experiment with looks by heating and using various materials, such as glossy cardboard,” says Wetter. “The same should work with oil colours as a base and acrylic colour on top. You can also try crackle paste, which should be available at every good art-material store.” How you capture a texture is as important a decision as how you use it. “The look can be scanned, but to get more depth… it can be photographed with light coming from one side.”

USE REAL TEXTURES02 OLIVER WETTER

© Oliver Wetter

© Agency: DDB Chile. Client: Changan. Head of art: Claudio Campistó

© Oliver Wetter

Wetter uses an intuitive blend of real-world textures in his work

021

020-025_AVP_104.indd 21 03/12/2012 11:55


WorldMags.net



TECHNIQUES 20 PHOTOMANIPULATION SECRETS

There’s a ton of software for adding painted looks to photographs, but any expert can spot effects that have been added by a series of algorithms. Even with the best options, the image will never be perfectly realistic. Any time spent creating this effect manually will be worth the final result.

PAINTED EFFECT05 OLIVER WETTER

When adding a painted look, make sure the subject is separated from the background. Whichever area you’re targeting, make a copy of that layer, change the levels and make it around five-per-cent darker before you start.

SUBJECT AND BACKGROUND

To add a paint touch to the outer-edge of a subject, apply to the new layer in strokes, dots or crosshatch and erase where needed. With the Eraser set to around 15-20% Visibility you can start to remove parts of the overlying layer.

GET BRUSHED EDGES

The strokes you make will determine the overall effect. Don’t just stick with simple up and down strokes, experiment with various tip sizes for more-detailed areas of the image. Last, draw in more features such as the wings and tattoos.

PAINT OPTIONS

Commissioned by Nestlé to visually represent the taste and

feel of dark chocolate, freelance artist and designer Sebastian Andaur (http://work.andaurstudios.cl) conjured up The Dark Queen by combining an image with handmade Photoshop elements. His top tip is to layer up different zones of your image to seamlessly blend it with the new aspects you’re introducing. “Even if the environment is completely digital, the best way to blend everything is to use layer masks and several layers of different zones.” This was the technique he applied to the girl that sits in the front and centre of the final image. “All the surrounding elements are made by hand, using Photoshop with several layer masks and soft brushes.”

ZONE YOUR IMAGE

06SEBASTIAN ANDAUR

Freelance illustrator and creative director Justin Maller (www.justinmaller.com) has manipulated images for clients like Dolby and Nike, so he knows his way around layers and masks. To create Jewel (below), an experimental portrait-based illustration, Maller

started with an image by photographer Chris Knight. Using group masks is his top tip to create a seamless finish in the final image. “As you can add a layer to as many groups as you desire, it also effectively means that you can add as many masks to that layer as you require,” he says. “This is especially handy if you want to have a gradient on the mask, but also need to have it specifically edited out of other areas. Having multiple masks on the layer enables you to keep fine details constant, but adjust global flows of gradient transitions as required. Used correctly, it effectively enables you to mask as easily and infinitely as you create layers. [This] is vital in a complex composition where the placement of elements may change frequently and necessitate responsive changes in masking as well. Instead of only having one mask to then start over on, you will now have layers of masks to alter.”

GROUP MASKS ARE YOUR FRIEND07 JUSTIN MALLER

© O

liver

Wet

ter

© Sebastian Andaur

© Justin Maller

022

020-025_AVP_104.indd 22 03/12/2012 11:57


WorldMags.net




Multidisciplinary illustrator and designer Adam Spizak (www.spizak.com) shows off complex lighting effects in his image The Wicked Queen. Here are his tips for giving your images a glow: “I used the Linear Dodge tool to add highlights both on the crown and the model… [I also used] a soft large brush (30-40px) with low opacity (10/10) set to bright pink to add overall glow to the elements and make the light feel like it’s leaking out of the edges. A Screen layer set on the top of the layer stack was used to add global light and give the main light source balance and direction. The model has a few black-and-white layers set to both Screen and Color Dodge… as these help redirect light onto the model.”

Art directors Laura Potsic and Tommy Noonan made this image and others for the series of the Ben and Jerry’s ‘It’s What’s Inside That Counts’ campaign. By the time the retouchers got to lay their hands on it, the ideas and characters that make up the series of images had been fully formed by an artist, moulded, baked into clay and carefully photographed to fit perfectly into an ice-cream pint. The idea behind the series was to illustrate the slogan and make all the elements that go into a pint of ice-cream cleverly come right out again. In this big-budget campaign a lot of the work was completed away from the computer. But as soon as the time for digital compositing came, the retouchers reached for two of the simplest tools in the Photoshop kit: curves and masks.

GET TO GRIPS WITH GLOW

HIGH-END CURVES AND MASKS

09

10

ADAM SPIZAK

LAURA POTSIC AND TOMMY NOONAN

006Keep the lighting direction the same in the final edit to give a more realistic result.

001Even a clean and simple image requires elements to be selected from their environment.

002Use the Magnetic and Regular Lasso tools, as these are the best options to make selections truly accurate.

003Polished images enable the viewer to focus solely on the feel of the piece, rather than get distracted by jarring elements.

004All elements should behave in the same way within the image and blend to form a cohesive new result.

© Sarolta Bán

© Agency: Amalgamated NYC. Art director: Laura Potsic, Tommy Noonan. Art Buyer: Merrilee Hesterfer-Diaz. Post-production: Staudinger+Franke

© Adam Spizak

005Try combining some everyday objects creatively, as this lets the image take on a whole new feel and tell its own story.

Spending time perfecting selections is an important part of the process. Here Hungarian-born designer Sarolta Bán (www.saroltaban.com) offers some helpful pointers.

GET SERIOUS ABOUT SELECTIONS08 SAROLTA BÁN

023

020-025_AVP_104.indd 23 03/12/2012 11:57


WorldMags.net



024

TECHNIQUES 20 PHOTOMANIPULATION SECRETS

Use the Brush tool to apply highlights and shadows in different Blend Modes to make objects appear as if they’re in the same space and lighting.

THE BRUSH TOOL11 JONATHAN FOERSTER

Manipulations require advanced masking know-how. Try combining refined and transparent tools such as the Pen and Extract.

MASTER MASKS12 SEBASTIAN ANDAUR

Beef up your Photoshop options by adding plug-ins such as Color Efex Pro, which Eugene Soloviev (http://apachennov.daportfolio.com) uses to create his uniquely surreal images.

PLUG-INS15 EUGENE SOLOVIEV

Creating a busy image with lots of unique elements requires custom brushes that can be blended seamlessly with the source image.

CUSTOM BRUSHES13 KAROL KOLODZINSKI

Use 3D rendering to transform models into unique characters in a fantasy image, such as Duel by Karol Kolodzinski.

SKIN RENDERING14KAROL KOLODZINSKI

“The client wanted a strong light behind the huge tree growing in the middle of the street, but at the same time they didn’t want [it] to cast a strong shadow…” says Karol Kolodzinski (www.behance.net/sugarrhyme) of this image (above). “I painted strong rim lights and highlight the edges, because they accent the strength of the light that’s behind… To make it more believable I blew the background… and added a big glowing light. Finally I made long shadows, so it feels like there is a sun rising.”

SEE NEW LIGHT16 KAROL KOLODZINSKI

“When adding illustrative elements to a photo-based composition, it’s important to always consider your light source,” says Justin Maller (www.justinmaller.com). “So when you’re manipulating photos you should keep that in mind and to try to keep consistency throughout.”

He advises using a primary light source. “This is a mistake that a lot of people… are prone to – myself included,” he jokes. “The difference between a piece that adheres to its primary light source and one that doesn’t is massive. The best way to achieve this is to create your illustrative elements with flat lighting, place them around the piece, then burn and dodge edges and surfaces once you’ve finalised their position.”

BE KIND TO THE EYES17 JUSTIN MALLER

© Justin Maller

© Eugene Soloviev© Sebastian Andaur

© Karol Kolodzinski

© Karol Kolodzinski

© Jo

nath

an F

oers

ter

© Agency: Ogilvy, Istnabul. Studio: Ars Thanea. Art director: Peter Jaworowski, Karol Kolodzinski, Retouchers: Karol Kolodzinski, Pawel Nolbert. 3D artist: Tomas Muller

020-025_AVP_104.indd 24 03/12/2012 11:58


WorldMags.net



025


Use your start image to sketch out your ideas and plan out which elements will fit in the space. Photograph or source the images that you’ll need to create the final piece. Seeing sketches on the image will help you visualise the style of the source images.

DRAW IT OUTMake a quick composition, then add the main lights and shadows to see how the image reacts to them. Consider how pieces fit together, such as the window, which shouldn’t be sat on top of the pear, but rather cut into it.

SOURCE AND COMPOSITEAdd in the small elements that you may think will go unnoticed, such as the railway and clouds reflected in the windows. The image may work without them, but at the same time they give something more to put your eye on.

ADD THE DETAIL

Created for Factory311 and the Evolution Exhibition, this image by Adam Spizak features UFC’s Doug Anderson cracking through an icy prison. To create a frozen cave, Spizak recommends you look to the selection tools. “The base was built using simple selections to fake a frozen cavern,” he says. The base textures used were a mixture of stone and concrete. Using an appropriate blending mode helps to add a polished finish to the image. “I’ve set them to Overlay and Hard Light and used a soft rounded brush with low opacity (around 20/20) to add the texture to the blue base,” says Spizak. “To add more depth I’ve used the same textures set as the Screen layer and used a small brush to add highlights to the ice. The ice cracks were added using a small brush and mimic real-life.”

WORK WITH ICE19 ADAM SPIZAK

Jonathan Foerster (www.atleastwedream.com) is a senior artist in the Depthcore collective and is a

sucker for detail. He recommends layering up and building textures to create a unique visual style that suits the subject in the image. “In my work, I layer multiple textures ranging from cracked rock to rusted metal. I used these textures with various layer modes and different opacities to create a whole new texture.” Layering up with textures and elements adds depth to the overall image. Use the Eraser tool to hide unwanted areas and the Sharpening tool to highlight attractive aspects.

USE A TEXTURE WITHIN A TEXTURE

20JONATHAN FOERSTER

Creating a realistic image requires attention to detail and that includes adding reflections to the tiniest of windows. Cristal Reza (www.cristalreza.com) explains more.

SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF18 CRISTAL REZA

© Adam Spizak © Jonathan Foerster

© Cristal Reza

020-025_AVP_104.indd 25 03/12/2012 11:59


WorldMags.net



LANDSCAPE TIPS SHOOTING ADVICE CAMERA REVIEWSPORTRAIT GUIDES

ON SALE NOW> Astro techniques > 70 landscape tips > Fashion > Cityscapes

Available from all good

newsagents and supermarkets

WILDLIFE PHOTOS

Learn to inspirewww.dphotographer.com

BUY YOUR ISSUE TODAYPrint edition available at www.imagineshop.co.uk

Digital edition available at www.greatdigitalmags.com

facebook.com/DigitalPhotographerUK twitter.com/DPhotographer

Available on the following platforms

Digital Photographer 130.indd 1 04/12/2012 15:22


WorldMags.net



SPECIAL OFFER FOR USA READERS!

• Subscribe today for just $129* for 13 issues – a massive 36% saving compared to newsstand

• Pay as little as $9.92 per issue (usually $15.50 on the newsstand)

• Free content-packed CD with EVERY issue• Receive the magazine at least three weeks

before it goes on sale in stores• Guaranteed to never miss an issue• Money-back guarantee on unmailed issues

Each issue, Advanced Photoshop delivers

all the Photoshop inspiration and advice you need

Subscribe today and get 5 issues free*

* This is a US subscription off er for new subscribers only. Subscribers will actually be charged £80 which is equivalent to $129 at the time of writing, although the exchange rate may vary. Imagine Publishing reserves the right to limit this type of off er to one per household. Your subscription will start from the next available issue and will run for 13 issues. The fi ve free issues refers to the USA newsstand price of $15.50 for 13 issues being $201.50, compared with $129 for a subscription. This off er expires 31 March 2013.

To order securely online, visit the website below and enter the offer code ‘USA’www.imaginesubs.co.uk/aps

To order by phone, call the number below and quote the offer code ‘USA’+44 (0) 1795 592 880

Terms and conditions

advice you need

Non-US readers turn to page 58

Exclusivesubscriber benefits

Exclusivesubscriber benefits• Subscribe today for just $129* for 13

• Pay as little as $9.92 per issue (usually $15.50

• Free content-packed CD with EVERY issue• Receive the magazine at least three weeks

• Guaranteed to never miss an issue• Money-back guarantee on unmailed issues

* This is a US subscription off er for new subscribers only. Subscribers will actually be charged £80 which is equivalent to $129 at the time of writing, although the exchange rate may vary. Imagine Publishing

subscriber benefits

027_AVP_104.indd 69 04/12/2012 15:52


WorldMags.net



028

PRO MATTE PAINTING

WE HEAR FROM pROFEssiOnAl ARTisTs AnD sTUDiOs On UsinG MATTE-pAinTinG TEcHniqUEs insiDE pHOTOsHOp

T he art of matte painting has been radicalised since the introduction of digital software. Now commonly referred to as digital matte painting (DMP), realism and

dynamism are more attainable than ever before, as believability has never been so fundamental to a matte painter’s work. Frederic St-Arnaud (http://starno.net) agrees, saying: “You should focus on two different aspects, the wow factor that relates to the

visual composition of your work and photorealism that makes the viewer truly believe the image they are looking at is real.”

It’s this suspension of disbelief that demonstrates the difference between a matte painting and concept art, not to be confused as one and the same thing. Educating yourself as a competent matte painter who can display this distinction is imperative, especially when trying to succeed commercially.

028-035_AVP_104.indd 28 04/12/2012 12:35


WorldMags.net



029

© Capcom painting mist effectsLead digitaL artist at industriaL Light & MagiC JaiMe Jasso expLains how he Creates atMosphere using photoshop CustoM brushes

Jaime Jasso (www.jjassodigitalworks.com) first creates a layered 2D plan of his scene, using this to map the depth. “This way I plan how many elements will be present, such as trees, mountains and architecture. Then I can establish perspective, determining how near or far these will be,” he says.

Once these elements are fully rendered, Jasso will wield his Photoshop custom brushes, which he creates from cloud photo stock. He explains: “I start painting with sampled colours from the sky and atmosphere in my matte painting.” Jasso integrates effects smoothly by using the same brushes to erase painted fog around solid elements. “The strength of my brushstrokes will depend on the position of my elements in the image’s perspective – denser at the back and lighter at the front.”

DMP has become a very articulated discipline that now blends its boundaries with 3D and compositing. This means that avenues into the industry are extensive, as MPC’s head of environment and DMP Marco Genovesi (www.moving-picture.com) explains: “Any educational path that explores the use of CG and digital-image manipulation can be useful and appropriate to some extent. We shouldn’t forget that artistic talent is still an essential requisite for any

pro matte painting teChniques

good matte painter, so photography or fine-art courses that explore composition, colours and light are definitely relevant.”

Enthusiasts can also rely on the ever-expanding resources on the internet to improve their skills. Professional matte painter Alp Allen Altiner (www.alpaltiner.com), founder of www.vfxworkshops.com that specialises in techniques and production workflow, explains: “Individuals can now participate

and learn from other matte painters who teach these online classes, where a vast amount of important techniques are discussed.”

Altiner also believes studying surrounding industries is a great learning curve, especially when contemplating a commercial portfolio. He advises you check out potential client websites and demo reels. “Also study and take notes of your peers’ commercial portfolios. Really pay attention to what

028-035_AVP_104.indd 29 04/12/2012 12:35


WorldMags.net



030

You should focus on two

different aspects, the wow factor… and

photorealism that makes the viewer truly believe the image they are looking at is realFrederic St-Arnaud, www.starno.net

seems either typical or unique in film and advertising work,” he adds.

Once you’ve mastered your design skills, a new challenge lies ahead; promoting your images to potential clients. However, this is easier than you might think, Genovesi advises you to simply follow an online route: “Publishing your work on relevant forums or websites is definitely a good strategy if you want to get noticed by clients. But your portfolio needs to show absolute photorealism and it must be presented with the appropriate breakdowns, which clarify what you have applied to the original plate.”

Once you find yourself working with an art director or VFX supervisor, you will begin to understand the work process in greater detail and what is expected of you. Although imagination and invention are key as an artist, as a professional you will be expected to follow a senior’s ideas as much as any other team member. “They are a source of guidance throughout the look, mood and composition of the image you are producing,” reveals commercial matte painter Mat Gilson (www.matgilson.com). “A VFX supervisor will typically be your go-to guy, whereas an art director will normally deal with an image’s final look. Basically you are the ship and they are the captains navigating you…”

However, greater commercial experience means your creative input is likely to improve. “Sometimes the VFX supervisor might need to focus on different aspects, so they ask for some creative support. In this case, as a matte painter, you will experience more freedom to explore different routes and solutions,” explains Genovesi.

A professional matte painter should trust their art director unequivocally and vice versa. Experienced matte painter at Method Studios (www.methodstudios.com) Paul Chandler agrees: “The art director is usually very adept at channelling the most impacting ideas and aesthetics from concepts through to finished images. The art director’s role at the concept stage is also fundamental as well as occasions when matte paintings are commissioned without the concept phase, where creative solutions are found on the fly.”

Of course the inclusion or absence of a concept stage is entirely up to your own process. Ivan Girard, also an experienced matte painter at Method Studios, explains further: “Concept art, as opposed to

TECHNIQUES PRO MATTE PAINTING NTING

028-035_AVP_104.indd 30 04/12/2012 12:36


WorldMags.net



031

PROMETHEUS MATTE PAINTINGMPC’S HEAD OF ENVIRONMENT AND DMP, MARCO GENOVESI, EXPLAINS HOW PHOTOSHOP WAS USED TO CONSTRUCT THIS IMAGE FOR THE BLOCKBUSTER MOVIE

This digital matte painting (DMP) for Ridley Scott’s Prometheus was based on a quick sketch made by MPC lead environment and DMP artist Marco Rolandi, who predominantly used Photoshop painting tools. This was then coloured and enhanced by DMP artist Piotr Swigut, who composited several photos to render the main clouds. It was then Genovesi’s turn to add to the piece. “When I jumped in, the direction of the image was clear,” he explains. “All I had to do was make sure the matte painting looked photoreal and pixel-sharp. I used a mixture of techniques to achieve this.”

Genovesi sourced several photographs from MPC’s aerial reference library, working from real-world resources. “I blended these together by

031

carefully painting layer masks with some custom brushes made from smoke and cloud photos,” he continues. “Then I graded the different images using a stack of Curves, Hue/Saturation and Color Balance adjustment layers that were all targeted using clipping masks. Whenever it wasn’t possible to find a photo with the right light, perspective or quality, I painted what I needed.”

Layers were organised using group folders, separating different elements according to their depth. “This offered maximum flexibility when editing the parallax and animation between clouds. As a final task I had to generate a few lightning layers that were exported as separate elements then animated in compositing,” he finally adds.

PRO MATTE PAINTING TECHNIQUES

© 2012 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All rights reserved

© 2012 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation & MPC. All rights reserved

028-035_AVP_104.indd 31 04/12/2012 13:15


WorldMags.net



032

compositing a snowscapeFrancesco corvino reveals how easy it is to replicate this impressive matte-painting effect using simple photoshop options

Matte painter Francesco Corvino (www.francescocorvino.com) began by selecting mountain stock from his photo libraries. He then placed these roughly inside Photoshop, quickly establishing composition. “I applied Curves to colour correct each one of the stock images, producing unified colour and lighting,” he explains. “I blended photos by painting to layer masks with a low-opacity black brush, erasing from the layers on top. I also created fog elements on the horizon by painting with a low-opacity airbrush on a new layer. This created a nice transition from the foreground to the sky.” Finishing touches included adding a falling snow layer set to Screen blending mode then applying Color Range to select the brightest areas of the image. From this selection Corvino made a duplicate layer and applied Gaussian Blur to create the illusion of glowing snow highlighted by the sun.

001 woRKing witH cg eLements“when i have to produce specific elements that can’t be created with photographic stock, i usually turn to 3D assets. these are produced using 3D software Maya, which i consider to be very reliable when applied in conjunction with the renderer v-ray. aim to master these to achieve convincing photoreal results.”

002 wateR ReFLection eFFects“when you can’t find a suitable stock image with wonderful water reflection, don’t panic. there are ways to achieve this look manually. simply duplicate the stock layer, flip it vertically and warp it so that it matches the original. simulate a ripple effect by applying photoshop’s glass filter.”

matte paint witH pHoto stocK anD cg eLementsDigital matte painter francesco corvino explains the use of 3D in his work for sci-fi short ‘archetype’, FroM the aaron siMs coMpany

techniques pro matte painting

matte painting, is in essence a development stage. If drawing some lines on a piece of paper feels more natural and helps shape your ideas, this is the way to go. In most cases I find it easier and faster to use a simple brush in Photoshop to establish composition. I’ll even put some photographic elements together and apply adjustment layers to get the intended look and feel.”

Photoshop is now applicable at every stage of producing a DMP and several tools have become fundamental for producing the all-important realism. Colour adjustment layers and layer mask functionality are the most relevant. “Masks are absolutely necessary to hide pixels or use only portions of an element without permanently erasing,” explains Alp Allen Altiner.

Such a non-destructive workflow means increased productivity in an industry where time certainly equals money. Colour adjustments are

used in a similar capacity to this. Particularly Curves that are regularly applied as these are the main tool for colour grading. “This option offers the flexibility I am looking for, when I need to match a plate or blend different images together. Since the Sample tool has been implemented, it’s easier to use Curves than ever before,” explains Marco Genovesi.

Photoshop brushes are applicable, only to the extent of your capability. “You can paint certain elements and make them look absolutely real, creating convincing texture, light and shadow information…” explains Altiner. “Vegetation is an obvious example. If you are trying to discern palm trees in the background on an image, you can create bespoke tree brushes to quickly add these. Mechanical element brushes can be added to detail a destroyed building and cloud brushes to bring more detail to an existing skyline.”

You can paint certain elements and make them look absolutely real, creating convincing texture,

light and shadow informationAlp Allen Altiner, www.alpaltiner.com

028-035_AVP_104.indd 32 04/12/2012 12:37


WorldMags.net



033

005 DETAILING YOUR IMAGE“Details are very important and these usually define a very professional piece when editing to a high standard. I spend quite a lot of time polishing transitions, edges and erasing artefacts in my photo layers. The authentic detail left enriches a scene’s photorealism and re-creates the natural chaos of the real world.”

003 APPLYING TEXTURES TO 3D RENDERS“The final 3D renders tend to look too clean and perfect. A way to make these look realistic is to apply textures in Photoshop. Here I blended concrete wall textures by clipping them to 3D elements and applying a Soft Light blending mode. You can edit the strength of your added textures with a low-opacity Eraser tool…”

004 COMPING EXTREME DEPTH OF FIELD“The 3D towers were resized and placed to create the illusion of distance. Changing the contrast and colour of these elements using Curves enhances the effect, enabling me to match the values of the mountains. I then paint a dense fog on top of everything with a large low-opacity airbrush, using cool tones picked from the sky.”

PRO MATTE PAINTING TECHNIQUES

© The Aaron Sims Company

© Francesco Corvino

028-035_AVP_104.indd 33 04/12/2012 12:37


WorldMags.net



034

techniques pro matte painting

ENHANCE EXPOSURE IN URBAN SETTINGSDaviD Luong reveaLs how to achieve Light rays anD accentuate shaDow in your matte paintings

David Luong (http://davidluong.net) believes studying how light interacts with its surroundings is essential. “In humid, concrete conditions light rays are often cast into dark places,” he explains. “Light bounces off surfaces and produces glow due to overexposure.”

Luong gauges where the sun will be by looking at the shadows in his base plate image. “I then refer to this when painting light shafts, enhancing the contrast in the image’s exposure first.”

This effect produces a strong column of light that Luong gradually lessens the intensity of, using a large soft Eraser tool set at a low opacity. “I apply this until I get the results I want and will change the Opacity of the entire light rays layer to between 15-20% , depending on how strong I want the effect to be," he explains.

© adam Kuczek

028-035_AVP_104.indd 34 04/12/2012 12:37


WorldMags.net



035

aRTIFICIaL LIGHTCommerCial matte painter adam KuCzeK explains how to Create light at night

Adam Kuczek (www.ak-art.net) warns never to use night photos to create night time matte paintings. “It’s better to work with overcast images,” he reveals. “The more evenly distributed ambient light is, the better. Darkness and light are much easier to control. An easy way to simulate a night scene with artificial lighting is to create a new layer on top of your stack, filled with a dark-blue tone, set to Multiply. Adjust saturation, opacity and add further adjustment layers to create authentic looks.”

To create strong artificial lighting emanating from street lamps and windows, paint with Overlay, Soft Light or Color Dodge blending mode brushes. Kuczek explains: “Application usually takes a bit of experimenting to find out the best combinations, as results are always affected by the textures that lie beneath. One other useful tip is to copy a selection of all the windows in your image and duplicate these, setting the duplicate layer’s blending mode to Color Dodge. This highlights glowing windows so they’re easy to identify and work with.”

pro matte painting teChniques

The cross-platform capabilities of Photoshop have given rise to the application of 3D elements. These are an understandable inclusion in a matte painter’s workflow as they further enhance a DMP’s believability. “When we work with CG we often rebalance all the rendered layers in NUKE first then export the result to Photoshop,” explains Genovesi. “Sometimes we export data such as normals, occlusion, UV, position or light passes that we then apply to adjustment layer masks. It can become a very complex process, but we always end up painting over the renders to add detail and complexity, which makes an image look real.”

Admittedly, with the introduction of CG, the DMP workflow has become even more diverse, so commercial matte painters won’t always construct images in Photoshop, as Altiner explains: “Sometimes production is the other way around, where a matte painter creates elements for the 3D team. These elements are applied to a virtual

© david luong

environment, where the camera travels through a cinematic shot, making each angle and view look authentic.” Altiner continues with this example: “If the scene has slowly drifting clouds, mountains and other elements, you would create these on separate layers using Alpha channels and deliver them back to the 3D team. They use them to create projections that match the camera movement.”

The rise of 3D production has finally enabled DMPs to exist in panning, tracking and craning shots, augmenting a realistic perspective. Photoshop is likely to remain a constant production tool in this process, as it continues to produce 16-bit and 32-bit information, as well as channel and mask functionality and the ability to import 3D elements. To be a commercial matte painter you must continue to understand real-world physics in creating believable visuals. Always remember that the ability to create compelling compositions comes from experience and, most importantly, dedicated study.

028-035_AVP_104.indd 35 04/12/2012 12:37


WorldMags.net



036

TECHNIQUES CREATE A FANTASY MATTE PAINTING

EDUARDO LOPEZ MUSTAROSwww.edlostudio.net

OUR EXPERT

Ed is a professional matte painter currently working at Epics Fx Studios in Mexico city. He started a couple of years ago in the film industry and now has two European-Turkish movies under his belt plus several TV shows for the History channel and the Sci-fi channel.

@edlo727

SOURCE FILESOn the disc you will find the screen-capture videos of the whole process from start to finish, the brushes used and the original PSD file. All stock images used are free to download, please see the disc files for the links to each individual image referenced in the steps.

036-042_AVP_104.indd 36 04/12/2012 16:58


WorldMags.net



037

digital painting

create a fantasy matte paintingLearn how to work with images to achieve a matte painting, using the process of cutting, painting and bLending to get a surreaL setting

In this tutorial we will embark on a matte-painting adventure to achieve a fantasy image setup in the desert. We’ll start with a basic image, then paint detailed rock structures and use several images

to convert a simple background to a fantasy environment, all while maintaining realism. Here we will need to use a pen tablet, since there is quite a bit of brushwork involved. You can try to use a mouse,

but the process will be much more difficult to achieve the results we need.

The tutorial is completed with Photoshop CS6, but you can use almost any version from CS2 onwards to achieve the same results. However, bear in mind some items and settings might have different names. As you progress, it’s recommended that you go through the videos to catch the action and details,

as they can provide a better understanding of what is being done and clear up any doubts you might have before tackling the steps.

In order to successfully complete this tutorial you’ll need a strong practical knowledge of Photoshop, since basic operations like accessing a menu, utilising the Brush palette or using a layer clipping mask are not explained.

036-042_AVP_104.indd 37 04/12/2012 16:58


WorldMags.net



038

techniques create a fantasy matte painting

01 balance the colourThe first thing we need to do is open up our

base image then clean up some of the parallel lines on the ridges of the sand dunes with the Clone tool. We don’t need to replace everything, just break up those lines that seem too parallel to one another. This base image is a bit too yellow, so after you are finished with the Clone tool, adjust the colour balance a bit by adding some blue and cyan to it.

04 detail the abyssOnce we have the overall shape set, find the

supplied brush 16px Cliffs, which will help us define the placement and depth of the rock walls. Then we will use a medium-grey tone to start enhancing the walls. Work from the sections closer to your viewpoint and progressively all the way back to the horizon. Remember we are still just planning, so don’t waste time on detail right now and just have fun building up the shapes.

05 highlight the wallsNow that we have a section shaped, we

want to start considering the sun or main light source, so we can start getting the feel for the volume in these rocks and how highlights change depending on the distance, as well as the shadows. Start sampling highlight colours from the plate according to the position on the landscape. Adding simple highlights gives the appearance of volume on the rock walls, with the variations applied according to depth providing a greater sense of distance.

02 replace the foregroundNow we’ll replace the foreground with an

image that has enough detail for our needs. Please download image ‘13446759’ from the links on the disc and add it to a new layer. Hide parts of the image that aren’t needed with a mask and place it so it covers the foreground. Now we’ll use three adjustment layers clipped to this sand image to bring the colour and levels to match the rest. Duplicate the layers and use a section of the image that we didn’t include in the previous framing, to add some rough stone texture to the foreground.

03 create the abyssStart planning on what this huge abyss in

the middle of the desert will be. Make a new layer and use the Brush tool with a dark colour sampled from the image to start blocking in the space and shape this will have. Use the supplied 23px Chalk brush for this and enable Transfer with Pen Pressure on the Brush palette. Now block in the base shape of the area that this huge hole will have on the desert.

Hide parts of the image that aren’t needed with a

mask and place it so it covers the foreground

036-042_AVP_104.indd 38 04/12/2012 16:58


WorldMags.net



039

create a fantasy matte painting techniques

06 focus on the detailsOnce we have a base structure defined and

we are happy with the way our walls look in the distance, it’s time to zoom in a bit closer, reduce the brush size and start adding detail in the same way we have been painting. Now that we have the overall light direction and depth dialed in, we can continue sampling and refining what we have done so far, adding one more level of detail. This process has several levels or stages to it, depending on the detail we want.

07 influence the atmosphereNext, once we have the effect we want, we’ll use an adjustment layer so we can add more uniform

atmospheric influence to the whole painted layer. However, make sure you can come back and adjust it at any time. Create a new Levels layer and clip it to the painted layer, then adjust the levels so the blacks are lifted a bit and then paint with a big soft brush where you want less haze. Ensure you paint more in the distance and less in the foreground.

08 add some buildingsNow it’s time to add some man-made

structures to our image. Download and open image ‘Photoxpress_2798513’. Use the Lasso tool to grab the section that contains the buildings, then copy and paste this onto a new layer on top and add a layer mask so we can carefully mask off what we don’t need. Scale it to position and, with a smaller brush, mask off at the base so it sits nicely on the sand.

09 use blending and shadowWe will now add Color adjustment, Levels and Hue/Saturation layers all clipped to the building layer.

What we are looking to do is match the overall shade and colour of the building, so it fits the landscape. Once we have the balance set up, we will add a new layer below the base building. By sampling colour from the plate we can paint in a shadow for this building over the sand.

10 lighten the buildingFor the highlights we need a new clipped

layer on top of the building stack, set to Normal or Overlay blending mode. Make the Chalk brush very small, to around 1-2px, and sample highlights from the sky to paint in the shimmers on the walls and roofs of the building. Remember to always keep in mind the light source and apply the highlights just where the sun would hit the structures.

Quick tipPainting, whether digital or not, is a process that takes several stages to get the right effect. Whatever the project, start big by blocking the overall shape. See how that looks, then add detail by increasing the zoom and decreasing the size of the brush.

036-042_AVP_104.indd 39 04/12/2012 16:59


WorldMags.net



040

techniques create a fantasy desert matte painting

11 place a foreground towerAdd more buildings to the left and right of the image, using

exactly the same technique as before. However, the foreground tower represents a bit of a challenge, since it’s much closer. Open up the link to the tower image ‘667214’ and extract it with a mask. Add a Levels layer to lift the blacks and darken the whole structure, then a Color Balance layer to match. Add the Highlight layer on top, this time in Overlay mode, and start defining the highlights. Make sure you are constantly checking if these changes make sense with the sun’s position, as this will be key to achieving the desired effect.

14 insert the background mountainDownload and insert the back mountain

image from the link on the disc (‘1234175’) and paste it onto a new layer. Now we’ll again use a mask to carefully extract the main mountain, so we just keep what we need. Now, as with the buildings, apply Color Balance, Levels and Hue/Saturation layers to make it match the overall landscape. Start with the levels of the image and finish up with some desaturation to blend nicely.

12 apply tower shadowTo get a nice shadow we’ll use the same

tower, so duplicate all the tower layers, adjust the levels so it becomes black and then merge all these duplicated layers down. We will position this layer below the main tower layers and use the Distort command to place it over the sand. Always keep in mind that the shadows will project perpendicularly in opposition to the light source. To add some surface distortion we can also use the Warp tool a bit.

15 extraction and adjustment layersWe will extract the statue with the Magic

Wand and refine the selection to create a mask. Follow a process similar to the foreground tower, using the mask to hide the bottom section following the mountain shape so it sits nicely on top of it. Next add Levels and Color Balance layers so it blends with the mountain and landscape at that distance. Add a new layer, also clipped, then set it to Overlay and start painting the highlights.

13 bring in shadow blur and highlights

A new feature in Photoshop CS6 is the Field Blur. This is a brilliant tool if you want to control the blur over distance or shape using anchor points. In this project we need less blur close to the tower structure and more further from it. Set the layer mode to Overlay and reduce the Opacity to 75%. For the highlights, mask off the Levels layer with a 1px brush to reveal the original brightness that, in direct combination with the main Highlight layer set to Overlay, will give us a far more dramatic result.

16 highlight detail and dirtNext insert another Highlight layer, also on

Overlay, to paint in more highly defined highlights with a smaller brush. We’ll then follow with another layer, also in Overlay mode, to start adding dirt, wear and cracks onto the sculpture. Use the 2px Chalk 23 rock 1 custom brush included in the brush files, which will help add in random detail in a shorter time. Again be sure to keep in mind the light source position and also where the dirt would accumulate.

Quick tipAdjustment layers make your file size a bit larger, yet they give you the ability to go back in and tweak every part of your image when needed. In a production environment this is needed all the time, as the supervisor or client will always request changes.

036-042_AVP_104.indd 40 04/12/2012 17:02


WorldMags.net



041

create a fantasy matte painting techniques

17 use extra texturingUse another layer with a layer style texture

applied to it, so we can increase the amount of detail this structure has. Add this new layer, also clipped, to the statue and fill it with a medium-grey tone, enable the Pattern Overlay in the Layer Style dialog and load the rock pattern. Reduce the Scale a bit and move the texture so we get it in position. Rasterise the layer, set it to Overlay and reduce the opacity.

18 cut the statueWe will now cut some pieces off the statue

to add to the ancient look we want, then add a new layer where we can paint in some volume and highlights that correspond to the missing pieces. Continue using the small Chalk brush and just sample colour from the statue itself. Remember how you have painted these volume and highlights so far and always keep the light source in mind.

19 enhance the sandNow we’ll paint in some sand that piles up

to the mountain. Find the mountain layer and create a new layer on top. With the Chalk 23 brush, at about 1-2px size, start painting in sand over the lower part of the mountains. Remember, we always do our painting with Transfer enabled, controlled by Pen Pressure. Follow the shapes of the mountains and pile up more sand on the flatter surfaces.

20 apply some drop shadow to the mountain element

We need to paint in some huge shadow for the mountain all over the left of the landscape. To have complete control over this process we will use a Levels layer. On the mountain stack, create a new Levels layer and start by bringing everything down darker. Fill the layer with black so it’s all gone and paint in with white only where you want the shadow to fall. Again, always keep in mind the position of the light source.

21 adjust the shadowsOnce we have the shadow where we want it, we will adjust the Levels layer to

change the hue and depth so they match the rest of the image. We will accomplish this by adjusting the levels of the colours separately. So, if we go into the Yellow channel we can play with the blue/yellow amount our shadow has and if we go to the Green channel we can adjust the green/magenta influence on the shading.

A new feature in Photoshop CS6 is the Field Blur. This is a brilliant tool if you

want to control the blur over distance or shape using anchor points

036-042_AVP_104.indd 41 04/12/2012 16:59


WorldMags.net



042

techniques create a fantasy matte painting

22 complete the mountain features Once we have the shadow, we’ll repeat the

process on the mountain itself so both the landscape and the rocks have matching shades of shadow. We’ll create another Levels layer for the mountain and repeat the same process of masking and carefully adjusting the levels so that both shadows are the same. We can paint some more sand in the shadow area on a new layer, this time sampling colour from the closer shaded areas.

25 insert detailed shadowWe will go about this the same way as we did the tower, adding shadow using the

camel layer itself then duplicating, darkening and distorting it into position. Finalise it with a bit of adjustment from the Warp tool, set its mode to Multiply and reduce the Opacity to about 46%. Finally adjust the colour balance directly so the shadow is a bit colder.

26 paint tiny features To finalise our painted details, make some tracks for the

camel, sampling a darker shade from the plate close by and painting in a trail of prints. Then we will go back to the highlights in our tower and add some tiny detail to the features. Mask off on the Levels layer to reveal the bright original as we have done before. This time apply to individual bricks and sections of the tower.

27 finish your adjustmentsTo finalise the look of the image we’ll add three new layers all the way to the top;

first a Levels layer, just to darken the whole thing a bit, yet we will mask it off centre with a huge soft brush to create a vignette effect. Also add a Color Fill layer with a dark brown in an Overlay mode and reduced opacity. Finally, add a Color Balance layer to warm everything slightly. We can even go to the mountain and statue layers and increase the warmth on these separately.

23 include live elementsTo add some new elements to our image

we will use another of the image links found on the disc. Download, open up and insert image ‘291347’. The first thing we have to do is extract them the same way as we have done with the rest of the elements, using a mask, applied with a selection or a combination of both. We only need this camel and man for our image, so go ahead and extract them both onto a new layer.

24 placement and shadingOnce we have the figures properly

extracted, go ahead and apply the layer mask. We want them in a separate layer, so cut and paste the figure to his own layer and keep the camel in the original layer. We will then scale them into position and apply to each our technique of adjustment layers to bring the colour on par with the rest of the image. This time a Hue/Saturation layer, plus a Levels layer, will do the trick.

036-042_AVP_104.indd 42 04/12/2012 16:59


WorldMags.net



facebook.com/webdesignermag twitter.com/webdesignermag

DESIGN INSPIRATION BEHIND THE SCENES STEP-BY-STEP ADVICE





ON SALE NOWTune up your website | Build a retro banner | Get responsive with CSS

DESIGN INSPIRATION

BUY YOUR ISSUE TODAY

STEP-BY-STEP ADVICE

BUY YOUR ISSUE TODAY

PRACTICAL TIPS INDUSTRY OPINION

BUILD A BETTER WEBwww.webdesignermag.co.uk

Available on the following platforms

WebDesigner_House ad_new.indd 1 29/11/2012 14:59


WorldMags.net



ON THE DISCENJOY TWO CS6 VIDEO GUIDES THIS ISSUE, AS WELL AS ACCESS TO HIGH�RES STOCK IMAGERY, RESOURCES AND PROJECT FILES FOR THE MAGAZINE’S TUTORIALS

In the Techniques section of the disc you will find a selection of project files that you can use to follow our tutorials one step at a time. This issue they include photos, textures, vectors and layered Photoshop files.

044

RESOURCES AND PROJECT FILES FOR THE MAGAZINE’S TUTORIALS

WELCOME…… to your free cover disc. On this issue’s resource CD you can continue your Photoshop learning with four exclusive videos created especially for Advanced Photoshop magazine. You’ll learn how to animate the logo of your choice to put up online and follow the matte-painting tutorial step by step in another. To help you complete this month’s tutorials we have provided tutorial files (where available) that include original photos, textures, vector shapes and Illustrator files so you can follow along with the pros. We also have a bonus pack of goodies for you to use: over 101 web banners and ribbons from Media Militia, 20 landscape images from Ingimage and various wood textures from FanExtra. Enjoy!

WORKSHOP FILESFOLLOW ALONG WITH THIS ISSUE’S TUTORIALS

RESOURCES ON THE DISC

042-043_AVP_104.indd 44 04/12/2012 17:53


WorldMags.net



Advanced Photoshop regular Steven Lake, has provided an exclusive, professional-standard video tutorial where you will learn how to animate your logo in Photoshop. This is in addition to over two hours of screen capture, so you really can work alongside the professionals one step at a time.

CS6 VIDEO TUITIONEXCLUSIVE TUTORIALS: USE THE NEW TOOLS IN PHOTOSHOP CS6

PREMIUM HIGH RES IMAGESEXCLUSIVE LANDSCAPES FROM INGIMAGEThis issue we have teamed up with Ingimage to supply you with 20 high-resolution landscapes to work with, so if you would like to get to grips with the matte-painting tutorial this issue, then why not start with these images?

Based in London’s Soho, the Ingimage library has almost doubled in size over the last year and is fast building a reputation as an affordable, high-quality subscription. You can get a free trial to Ingimage through its website, where you’ll be able to download up to 35 high-resolution and vector images.

Course detailsIn this tutorial we will look at the basic principles of designing an animated logo. You will start off with a flat logo and learn how, by using your Timeline tool as well as other video presets, you can turn a flat image into an animated one. For over 15 minutes you will work with layers to manipulate certain parts of the image in order to produce key frames.

We present four of the best artworks from the users of our online gallery website at www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk.

READERS’ GALLERYTHE BEST WORK FROM OUR WEBSITE

In this issue you will find a great selection of design resources to use on your personal projects, including 101 web banners and ribbons, 20 free stock images, ten feather brushes and six free textures.

RESOURCES PACKBONUS PACK OF FREEBIES

We present the top-eight images from our previous tutorials that would look great on any desktop. Download your choice now!

WALLPAPERSTHE BEST WORK FROM OUR WEBSITE

Course detailsFollow the matte-painting tutorial on page 36 with over two hours of screen capture.

045

042-043_AVP_104.indd 45 04/12/2012 17:53


WorldMags.net



046

046-051_AVP_104.indd 46 04/12/2012 11:36


WorldMags.net



047

CINEMATIC TECHNIQUES WORKSHOP

CINEMATIC TECHNIQUESCOMPOSITE YOUR PHOTO STOCK TO CREATE PERSPECTIVE AND EXPLOSIVE EFFECTS IN AN ACTION�PACKED IMAGE

PHOTOMANIPULATION

JOSH ROSSIwww.joshrossi.com

OUR EXPERT

Josh Rossi is a commercial photographer who is obsessed with spy and action movies. His dream is to direct a James Bond film.

@JoshRossiPhoto

SOURCE FILESOn the disc you will find a collection of images from the shoot for this project, along with a number of other images so you can experiment and replicate the creative retouching applied in this tutorial.

T he following tutorial is for Photoshop enthusiasts looking to take their compositing skills to the next level. Some of these effects may seem daunting at first, but with a firm grasp of Photoshop and a big dollop of perseverance you’ll be creating cinematic effects in no time.

In this tutorial you will learn how to build and layer photo stock before you even start adding any type of effect. The majority of your time will be spent understanding how to create and incorporate shards of glass, producing dramatic perspective in your images. We’ll also show you how to complement this effect further by transforming your background into a window reflection.

The biggest issue when compositing an image with a lot of elements is figuring out how to place all the different pieces authentically, so your viewer doesn't lose interest. Relighting these using Photoshop adjustment layers helps with integration and enhances a sense of realism. We’ll also explore how to dodge and burn creatively, match light with colour casts and ultimately create a dynamic atmosphere. By the end of this tutorial you will be placing objects in a scene effectively, to tell your compelling story.

COMBINE ALL THE ELEMENTSRESIZE AND PLACE IMAGE LAYERS BEFORE ADDING EFFECTS

01 PICK A DOCUMENT SIZEThe first step is to open a new portrait

document, set at 4,400 x 5,600px. Once this is done, open the supplied ‘Background.jpg’, ‘Girl.psd’ and ‘Heli.psd’ files, then layer these into your workspace as you see fit.

02 SCALE THE IMAGESPlace the elements and scale them so they

look realistic. You won’t need to scale the background, just align it suitably. Make the helicopter a bit smaller to match the perspective and increase the scale of your model so she seems closer.

03 REPLACE THE SKYNow replace that boring white sky with a

something more interesting. Open the supplied ‘Clouds.psd’, copy and paste this into your document and place it behind your ‘Background.jpg’ layer. Remove the existing sky in this layer by selecting it with the Magic Wand then deleting it. Increase the scale of the ‘Cloud.psd’ layer to fit.

FROM BLAND TO EXTRAORDINARY

Progress 3: Add final detail

WORK IN PROGRESS

Progress 2: Warp the backdrop

Progress 1: Align the photos

With a firm grasp of Photoshop and a big dollop

of perseverance you’ll be creating cinematic effects in no time

046-051_AVP_104.indd 47 04/12/2012 11:46


WorldMags.net



048

WORKSHOP cinematic techniques

04 create glass shardsOpen the supplied

‘GlassShards.psd’, then copy, paste and resize the shard layers individually. This is the longest process in the entire tutorial as it takes time to create a realistic glass explosion. You will need to vary the sizes and direction of your shard layers. Start comping around the model’s body and try to achieve a look where the model is bursting out of a glass window. Add smaller shards in front of her and larger ones close to her sides.

05 add glass shatter marksNow you need to add more realism to

make the window look like it’s shattering. To create this effect all you need is a white brush with a hard edge. Set a small brush size so it feels like you are drawing with pencil on paper. Open the supplied ‘broken_glass.psd’. What you need to do is create a similar design. For the sake of time just create a new layer and trace over this image if you would like to get a feel for the effect.

06 place your broken glassInsert your hand-drawn broken glass layer

next to your model. As you duplicate the shatter marks, the layer edges will not match up perfectly. This isn’t a problem, because glass breaks are not always symmetrical. Place these shatter marks so they outline the model’s body. This makes the glass look like it’s shattering outward as the model is bursting through. Use a hard-edged Eraser tool to remove some cracks and give them a sporadic look.

07 spread glass dustNow we need to create finer pieces of glass

spraying everywhere. Do so by opening the supplied ‘GlassDust.psd’, replicate the tiny shards of glass in random order then merge the layers. Descale these pieces then repeat the process until a dust cloud starts to form. Continue to copy and paste this dust cloud layer into your image and place these new layers randomly, intermingling with the glass shards you created previously.

08 warp the backgroundWe are warping the

background because we need it to look like a window reflection. Most reflections have a slight curvature, so activate the Liquify filter and begin editing the ‘Background.jpg’ layer, keeping in mind how you are affecting direction. The top of the building to the left has been cut off, but you will need to trim a bit more off the top to make it look like there is a roof. Use the Pen Path tool to select the top part of the building precisely then delete what you have selected. Your building should now look normal.

quick tip

Save time when replicating the glass shards by placing similar-shaped pieces close to one another, editing size and direction. This will save you from having to shoot 1,000 unique pieces of glass.

046-051_AVP_104.indd 48 04/12/2012 11:37


WorldMags.net



049

cinematic techniques WORKSHOP

09 analyse your workYou will now have your

elements placed where you need them. This process has been wholly deliberate and in the following steps we will start to add all the effects and lighting we need to bring the image together. The hardest part is done, so now we are going to focus on the smaller details.

11 darken the backgroundWe’ll now darken the window and create

tinting. Insert an empty layer and fill it with black, setting Opacity at 50% and the blending mode to Soft Light. Manually create a vignette so that the model and helicopter layers are highlighted, darkening the edges of your image. Also darken some the clouds and buildings by creating an empty layer, setting the blending mode to Soft Light then painting to these with a soft-edged black brush at 20% Opacity.

10 liquefy the helicopterYou will need to liquify every image that is shown in the

simulated reflection. This includes the ‘Heli.psd’ layer, making it look authentic. Only make subtle edits to your ‘Heli.psd’ layer, otherwise the effect will look exaggerated and fake. You will also need to liquify some of the broken glass layers (not to be confused with your shard layers) so they match. However, here you can be more dramatic when applying the effect. This in fact will add more realism.

12 match the coloursAdd a Hue/Saturation layer on top of your

background layers and set Saturation at -55. Use a Color Balance layer, setting Midtones at +2,0 and -8. Desaturate the model to -51 using Hue/Saturation, then change model tone using a Color Balance layer. Set this layer’s Midtones at +8,0 and -26. Lighten your mode using a Curves layer with Output set at 63 and Input at 142. Only the model is affected by these changes, so clip the layers to the model layer.

13 alter the window frameInserting the window frame will pull the

image together and make our composited glass layers look even more real. Insert the supplied ‘Bar.psd’ and place it in the far-right of your image. To directly affect the bar, hit Cmd/Ctrl+U and set Saturation at -70. Add Curves to make it darker, setting Output at 85 and Input at 127. Now stretch it the length of the image. Next we’ll create a shine on the window frame from the sun.

match up elementsUSe LiqUify and COLOR BaLanCe tO integRate yOUR image eLementS ReaLiStiCaLLy

001Replace the existing sky with a new clouds layer and enlarge this to fit with the various elements in the image background.

002Resize and place many glass shard layers to create the effect of glass exploding out.

003Place glass dust all over the top of the image and draw shatter marks around the model.

004Warp the background to make it look like a window reflection that has realistic curvature added.

001

002

003

004

The glass needs to be desaturated and have a slightly yellow tint applied due to

the effects of sunlight

046-051_AVP_104.indd 49 04/12/2012 11:37


WorldMags.net



050

WORKSHOP CINEMATIC TECHNIQUES

14 ADD SUNLIGHTNow we need colour influenced by

background lighting. Create an empty layer and set the blending mode to Overlay. Pick a light, warm yellow (ffe09e) and paint with a large soft-edged brush set at 30% Opacity. Apply this as if the sun were in the middle of the two buildings to the left of the model. Don’t make this effect too bright, just add some warmth to the image. We can also add some colour to the buildings to the right of the model.

17 LIGHT THE MODELNext we’ll apply to the

model to show she is being shot at. Create another blank layer set to Overlay above your model, then Cmd/Ctrl-click the ‘Girl.psd’ layer thumbnail, making a selection. Go back to the layer you just created and paint highlights on the model’s left side using the same orange colours as the previous step. This makes it seem as if the gunfire is reflecting on her face, arms and legs.

18 SMOOTH THE SKINNext we’ll even out the model’s skin and take away some of the grain in her clothing. Duplicate the

image of the model then apply Gaussian Blur with a Radius of 2px to the original model underneath. Add a layer mask to the duplicate model above, then paint with a black brush at 70% Opacity over the skin. You don’t want to paint over the eyes or lips because you want those to stay sharp. Only paint over parts where sharpness will not be affected too much. When you are done, merge these two layers together.

15 REPLICATE GUNFIRE EFFECTSTo mimic gunfire we need to create a new

Overlay blending mode layer. Choose a soft-edged orange brush at 30% Opacity and paint the first layer. Choose another orange (# ffd67d) and paint next to the helicopter. Pick a slightly lighter orange than before, make the brush diameter smaller and paint again. Do this one more time with a colour close to white and an even smaller brush. Now lower the brush opacity and paint in some light streaks.

16 APPLY SPECIFIC HIGHLIGHTSTo add more highlights over the entire

image, first create a blank layer set to Overlay blending mode. Pick a soft-edged brush at 30% Opacity and paint over the top of the helicopter with the same orange colour as before. Bleed the orange a tiny bit onto the model, then focus the majority of this new colour on the helicopter. Also paint over the window frame. To be more precise, erase colour that bleeds into the dark part of the window frame.

HIGHLIGHT WITH WARM COLOURSUSE BLENDING MODES TO CREATE DIFFERENT LIGHTING EFFECTS

QUICK TIPTo create sharp-looking highlights on either a subject or the background, you will need to first make a selection around where you want to apply the highlight and put a Feather of 0 using the Refine Edge tool. Create a new Overlay blending mode layer above the object you are going to affect and paint in your highlight using a soft brush at around 40% Opacity.

WORK NON�DESTRUCTIVELYWhen an edgy look is being attempted, the image might seem dull after being desaturated. Depending on the look you want, you can manually paint in colours, which will reintroduce vibrancy. Do this by creating a new layer above the object you want to colour and change the blending mode to Overlay. Paint with the colour of your choice using a soft-edged brush at around 30% Opacity. To avoid having a colour stand out too much, reduce the opacity of the layer you are painting on.

046-051_AVP_104.indd 50 04/12/2012 11:38


WorldMags.net



051

cinematic techniques WORKSHOP

19 dodge and burnWe can now dodge and burn our model and

the background elements. To do so non-destructively we need to create a new layer set to a Soft Light blending mode. Then we paint with a white or black soft brush at 20% Opacity. Zoom in close, light up some of the dark areas and darken some of the aspects that look flat. You can create shine by brushing white down the middle of the nose and brightening up some of the flatter highlighted areas.

22 get a realistic reflectionA mirror’s reflection is very sharp as opposed to a window’s, which we are trying to re-create here. A

window’s reflection seems almost as if you have double vision. Our minds don’t really pick up on that too often, but replicating this subtle effect enhances the realism of your reflection effects. Copy each image in your background, lower the Opacity to 30% and shift it a tiny bit up and to the right.

23 make light tweaksThe background needs to be obscured to

create the right look, so we’ll add fog effects. We do this by creating a new layer and, with a black brush at 10% Opacity, paint over the images surrounding the model. Do the same with a white brush, but in front of the helicopter gunfire. The helicopter will start to look more obscure. Also apply a white brush at a low opacity to create some lens flare on the window frame halfway down. Add a couple more highlights around the image where needed.

24 final colour adjustments To finish, you will need to add colour back

into the model’s face, as well as the background. Create a new layer above the model, with the blending mode set to Overlay. Using a soft brush at 10% Opacity, paint a light red on her lips and a green around her pupils. Add a layer above the background images, fill it with a light blue (#6abbf9) and set this layer’s blending mode to Multiply. Also set this layer’s Opacity at 80% and erase where the colour affects the image too strongly.

20 cut out and blendThis is a bit of a tricky technique, but will

improve the look of your image. The glass shards need to blend into the image more, so we are going to play around with blending modes. First we need to merge all of our glass shard layers together. Next, duplicate your model layer and place this over the flattened shards layer. With the Magic Wand tool, select the shards and inverse your selection. Select the model layer above and press Delete.

21 apply blending modesOnce you have all these pieces of the model

aligned with the shards, you will want to apply the appropriate blending mode to unify them all together. You can play around with the range of styles available, but we found it best to copy this model shards layer to provide two options. The top layer’s blending mode is set to Overlay, the bottom to Screen at 60% Opacity. Remember these go over the actual glass shards layer.

quick tip Blending modes can be very useful. If you can’t seem to figure out how to make something look good or blend it into the background, try mixing different layers with various blending modes. Also try inverting the image using a new blending mode to fully explore all the possibilities.

046-051_AVP_104.indd 51 04/12/2012 11:38


WorldMags.net



techniques how i made

how I made

the throneWe reveal hoW DoDge anD Burn tools With colour aDjustments helpeD create this image’s Bright colour scheme

JORDY ROELOFS

Jordy Roelofs’ (www.sysmatic.net) own imagination inspired this image, as did the styles of Salvador Dali.

However, unlike Dali’s dark aesthetics, Roelofs has produced a bright and airy composition. “The patterned flooring and clouds

helped create distance in behind the model,” he explains. “Then I populated the image with animals, pyramids and also blurred objects placed in the foreground, all creating a cool depth-of-field effect.”

Photoshop adjustment layers were fundamental in editing and controlling colour. Roelofs tells us: “I used four adjustment layers, two were Gradient maps, one a Curves layer and another a Brightness/Contrast layer. These produced pretty much the whole tonal vibe of the image.”

Standard brush styles and Dodge and Burn tools were also applied. “I used brushes to apply the main shadows,” Roelofs finally adds. “The Dodge and Burn tools were applied to create gradient lighting on the pyramids.”

DESATURATIONTo begin, a Hue/Saturation>Saturation layer was applied to every stock photo. I set this between -65 and -100 to make these greyscale. I made the leopard element totally monochrome via Image>Adjustments>Black & White.

052

052-053_AVP_104.indd 52 03/12/2012 12:00


WorldMags.net



how I made techniques

GRADIENT MAPS I applied two separate Gradient maps set with purple colour stops #9a47a8, #1c0d20, #e9c1db and #741b55. A darker gradient was set to Soft Light blending mode, editing Fill and Opacity amounts. Another was set to Lighten blending mode.

CURVES ADJUSTMENTSPlaying with the Blue Curves channel helps create a gold-like tonality. I pulled up the lowest point, setting Input at 0 and Output at 150. The middle point sets Input at 104, Output at 87. I also cranked up the Green channel.

053

052-053_AVP_104.indd 53 03/12/2012 12:00


WorldMags.net



EXPERT BRUSH EFFECTSPRODUCE A DIGITAL PAINTING USING PHOTOSHOP BRUSHES, BLEND MODES AND MORE

DIGITAL PAINTING

TECHNIQUES EXPERT BRUSH EFFECTS

D igital painting is one of the most convenient ways of producing art, especially when done using Photoshop. Not only does it offer a wide spectrum of colours, but also layers, adjustments, transform tools, the History window and many more that will really save you the trouble when fixing things up. Of course, exercising your creative judgement and learning the art itself is still the biggest

factor in creating a painting, whether traditional or digital.In this tutorial we’ll tackle different ways to make a digital painting. We’ll use a different approach when

making the background, which involves working on a black-and-white image and using layer Blend Modes. For the character we will be blocking in colours immediately with the Brush tool. We’ll also cover other tools we can use to create the painting faster without sacrificing quality.

This tutorial can actually be completed mainly using Photoshop’s default brushes, with a few tweaks to their properties and modes, but we have supplied you with a set of custom brushes. The use of a tablet and stylus is highly recommended for this tutorial. This can be done with a mouse, but it would take more time.

MICHAEL ANTHONY GONZALESwww.mictones.com

OUR EXPERT

Michael started digitally painting back in 2006 using Photoshop. After years in the games industry he started his own studio called Tropa Entertainment. Here he shares some tricks he has learned.

@TropaENT

SOURCE FILESWe have supplied a selection of brushes used for this tutorial, as well as the settings used throughout.

FROM INITIAL ROUGH TO FINISHED ARTWORK

Progress 3: Create wings

WORK IN PROGRESS

Progress 2: Make refinements

Progress 1: Lay out the city

01 GET STARTEDStarting up a painting can be quite

intimidating, so after opening your canvas apply a gradation or fill of grey using the Gradient or Paint Bucket tool. Create a new layer (Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+N) and start slapping down paint using any kind of brush, just to get you started. Ensure you take your time to build the idea and composition by making rough thumbs.

03 USE PERSPECTIVE LINESThe scene will have a city background to add a solid

foundation, so bringing in perspective lines is a must. To create a perspective line, use your Line tool (U) set to Pixels with a weight of 2-5px. Hold Shift, click and drag horizontally, then repeat, duplicate and merge the lines. Use highly saturated colours for readability.

02 MAKE AN INITIAL PASSIt’s advisable to work on the background

first to establish the light sources for your main subject or character. Use a hard-edged brush with pressure-sensitive opacity. You can also use the Smudge tool with a dotted brush tip to create interesting texture. If you are using a mouse to apply, try to lower the opacity of your brush to provide greater control.

Exercising your creative judgement and learning the art itself is still the biggest

factor to create a painting whether traditional or digital

054

054-057_AVP_104.indd 54 04/12/2012 11:43


WorldMags.net



055

expert brush effects techniques

054-057_AVP_104.indd 55 04/12/2012 11:43


WorldMags.net



056

techniques expert brush effects

04 build quick shapesNow we’ll work on the structures of the

background. Use the Polygonal Lasso tool (L) or the Pen tool (set to Path) to build shapes of the structures in the background, then fill them with grey. You can bring in more details by using the Line and Brush tools. Remember to hold Shift before clicking, so the outcome will be straight for the Brush tool. At this point it’s not that important for the piece to have much detail, a few sets of different structures and shape variations will suffice.

07 refine the resultsTo further polish the painting, create a new Normal layer. Since

the cityscape is slanted, use the Rotate View tool and position your view to an upright position as it makes painting much easier. Using a hard-edged brush with pressure-sensitive opacity, go to the settings and adjust accordingly. Set the brush tip to look flat in order to make detailing the structures faster. Adjust the spacing to quickly make those windows and bars. You can lower the Hardness of the brush for the atmospheric effects.

08 block in the characterCreate a new layer and, using the Paint Bucket tool, fill it with any low-saturated

colour, setting its Opacity to 90%. This is enough for you to see the background beneath as a reference when you draw the character. Create another layer and use a hard brush to make an outline drawing. Using the Magic Wand tool, click on the area beyond the outline (make sure your outline has no holes), choose the fill layer and hit Delete. Now return the fill layer’s Opacity back to 100%.

05 lay out the cityscapeMake a copy of your perspective lines and use the transform tools (Cmd/Ctrl+T) to position your

lines as a guide for the cityscape. While the Transformation box is active, Ctrl/right-click and the other options of the Transform tool will appear. Use Distort and/or Perspective as you see fit. After setting up your perspective lines, drop that layer’s Opacity to around 30%. Go back to the structures you made on the previous step and use the transformation tools to lay out the cityscape.

06 add some colourTo start applying colour, make a new layer,

set its mode to Color and use the Gradient tool and brushes. Another method is merging all the layers you want to colour, using Hue/Saturation (Cmd/Ctrl+U) then clicking Colorize, set your preferences then press OK. Pick the Brush tool, change its mode to Color (hold Shift+Ctrl/right-click) and paint directly on the image layer. It’s recommended to use Color blending mode as it doesn’t require that you merge any image layers below it.

quick tipGo to Window>Arrange>New Window For, to open up a new window for your file. Keep this new window small and in full view, as it automatically updates while you work on the active window. Look at it from time to time so you can quickly view the readability of your painting.

054-057_AVP_104.indd 56 04/12/2012 16:16


WorldMags.net



057

expert brush effects techniques

11 create cyber wingsUse the Pen or Lasso tool to form the

shape and the Paint Bucket tool to fill it out with colour. You only need to make half of the image and duplicate the layer (Cmd/Ctrl+J). Transform>Flip Horizontal the duplicate half of the wing to complete it, then merge the two layers (Cmd/Ctrl+E). Make duplicates of the wing layer then Transform>Distort it to properly form it relative to the character. After positioning the wings, merge and set to Multiply.

12 place further detailsPick the Ellipse tool to make the shape of

the orbs, then apply a hard brush and use a soft brush to blend, using small brushes to add detail. To create the shiny numbers and text you need to use the Type tool, rasterise the text, Distort or Warp, then set to Color Dodge or Overlay. To add a further glow to it you may consider applying a layer style. Double-click on the layer and the Layer Style window will appear, so choose Outer Glow then press OK.

13 final effectsThere are lots of ways to make effects with

Blend Modes, such as Screen for the glow. To make the shiny lines and really vivid glows, you can create a new layer, fill it with black and set it to Color Dodge. Make a selection and paint over it with a soft brush using different colours to yield that ray-like effect. Add a Soft Light for subtle atmospheric effects. Feel free to experiment by scrolling down the Blend Modes, as the results can sometimes surprise you.

10 choose colours carefullyChoosing colours can be really tough. For

this tutorial, to keep it simple, just keep a mindset that the lit areas are warm because of the heat from the sun. The planes that directly face this are a lot brighter, so use the Color Dodge brush mode for the effect, though be careful not to overdo it. For the darker parts we can assume that they receive reflected light from the sky on the opposite side of the sun. Use a blue-violet tone as it serves as a good contrast from the warm background.

09 paint the characterSet the outline layer to Multiply and use Hue/Saturation’s Colorize option. Adjust it so that the outline

will have colour, then click the Lock the Transparent Pixels icon of the fill layer. Block in the colours, preferably using mid-tones, then add in the other colours and values. Once roughly painted, merge the outline with that layer and start blending.

unify the imagePolish the Piece using blend Modes and adjustMent layers

001it’s recommended to use neutrals for colour blocking. this helps the colours you apply easily pop out.

003get colours from the background and overlap them with the character’s existing local colour. this adds far more interest and variety.

002blend the colours together by overlapping one stroke over another. hold opt/alt and colour pick adjacent colours as you go.

001 002 003

Change the perspeCtiveFlip your image to check the balance of the composition. Paint the scene as a whole, never focus only on a single part and desaturate the image to check your values. The nearer an object is to the viewer, the more detail, intensity and colour it has. With that in mind, add adjustment layers like Curves, Hue/Saturation and Color Balance, then clip mask it to the layer.

054-057_AVP_104.indd 57 04/12/2012 11:44


WorldMags.net



3 EASY WAYS TO SUBSCRIBE NOW! OnlineOrder via credit or debit card, just visit:www.imaginesubs.co.uk/apsand enter code PAG087

3 EASY WAYSTO SUBSCRIBE NOW! OnlineOrder via credit or debit card, just visit:www.imaginesubs.co.uk/apsOrder via credit or debit card, just visit:www.imaginesubs.co.uk/apsOrder via credit or debit card, just visit:

and enter code PAG087

YES! I would like to subscribe to Advanced Photoshop

Your detailsTitle First name Surname Address Postcode Country Telephone number Mobile number Email address

Direct Debit payment UK Direct Debit paymentI will receive my first 3 issues for £3, I will then pay £25.15 every 6 issues thereafter. I can cancel at any time

Payment details 13-issue subscription only

UK – £62.30 (save 20%) Europe – £70 World – £80

Cheque I enclose a cheque for £ Made payable to Imagine Publishing Ltd

Credit/Debit card Visa MasterCard Amex MaestroCard number Expiry date

Security number Last three digits on the strip at the back of the card

Issue number (Maestro)

Signed

Date

Code: PJG104 Tick this box if you do not wish to receive any promotional material from Imagine Publishing Ltd

Tick this box if you do not wish to receive promotional material from other companies

Terms & conditions apply. We publish 13 issues a year; your subscription will start from the next available issue unless otherwise indicated. Direct Debit guarantee details available on request. This offer expires without notice. I would like my subscription to start from issue:

Return this order form to: Advanced Photoshop Subs Department, Dovetail, 800 Guillat Avenue, Kent Science Park, Sittingbourne, ME9 8GU or email it directly to [email protected].

To manage your subscriber account visit www.imaginesubs.co.uk & enter your subscriber ID

✔

Instruction to your Bank orBuilding Society to pay by Direct Debit

Signature(s)

Date

Bank/Building Society account number

Banks and Building Societies may not accept Direct Debit instructions for some types of account

Instructions to your Bank or Building SocietyPlease pay Imagine Publishing Limited Direct Debits from the account detailed in this instruction subject to the safeguards assured by the Direct Debit guarantee. I understand that this instruction may remain with Imagine Publishing Limited and, if so, details will be passed on electronically to my Bank/Building Society

Branch sort code

Originator’s Identification Number

Name(s) of account holder(s)

To: The Manager Bank/Building Society

Address

Postcode

Reference Number

5 0 1 8 8 4

Name and full postal address of your Bank or Building Society

Please fill in the form and send it to: Imagine Publishing Limited, Dovetail, 800 Guillat Avenue, Kent Science Park, Sittingbourne, ME9 8GU

Please complete your email address to receive news and special offers from us

BACK ISSUESComplete your collection for only £6.00 per issue by calling 01202 586200 or shop direct online at www.imagineshop.co.uk

0844 848 8402CALL NOW

or subscribe online

Terms & ConditionsThis offer entitles new UK Direct Debit subscribers to receive the first 3 issues for £3. After these issues, subscribers will pay £25.15 every six issues. Subscribers can cancel this subscription at any time. New subscriptions will start from the next available issue. Offer code ‘PJG104’ must be quoted to receive this special subscription price. Details of Direct Debit Guarantee are available upon request. Offer expires 31 March 2013. Imagine Publishing reserves the right to limit this type of offer to one per household.


WorldMags.net



Subscribe & get

£33ISSUES

FORPay only £4.19 for every future issue,saving 30% on store priceFree postage & packaging in the UKFree CD every issueDelivered to your door

Exclusive subscriber benefits

1. Onlinewww.imaginesubs.co.uk/aps and enter code PJG104

2. Telephone0844 848 8402Overseas: +44 (0)1795 592 880and quote code PJG104

3. Post or emailPlease complete and post the form to:Advanced Photoshop SubscriptionsDovetail800 Guillat AvenueKent Science ParkSittingbourneME9 8GU

Alternatively, scan and email the form to:[email protected]

THREE EASY WAYS TO SUBSCRIBE

USA READERS TURN TO PAGE 27


WorldMags.net



060

BEFORE

060-063_AVP_104.indd 60 03/12/2012 12:02


WorldMags.net



061

commercial lighting effects techniques

commercial lighting effects

photo editing

We shoW you hoW to relight, clean and sharpen photography in photoshop

T he editorial industry is littered with stylised portrait photography used mainly as cover images, but also for adverts and feature openers. However, many of the lighting effects you see in these kind of images, created by top professionals such as Jill Greenberg (www.jillgreenberg.com) and Dean Bradshaw (www.deanbradshaw.com.au), are produced inside a photo studio. Photoshop rarely

features in the process until the post-production stage.Of course, not all of you will have access to a studio setup and some may not even know how to wield a

camera. Luckily, Photoshop can compensate for this, once you know the right techniques. In this tutorial we will show you how to replicate studio lighting in images where it doesn’t already exist.

As a photo-editing suite, Photoshop understandably provides a host of tools and options to achieve these lighting effects. However, as you continue through the steps in this tutorial you’ll start to appreciate how light affects colour and vice versa. Once you’re finished you’ll have all the key skills to light your own images.

from natural start to studio finish

Progress 3: edit the exposure

Work in Progress

Progress 2: adjust the colour

Progress 1: cut out your bear

Pick the Quick Selection tool at a size no bigger than 20px. The trick is to apply this just inside the edges of the fur

01 Make a quick selectionWe’ll begin by removing our bear from the

existing background. This is trickier than it looks, as fur has so many stray ends, making edge selection a real battle. Pick the Quick Selection tool at a size no bigger than 20px. The trick is to apply this just inside the edges of the fur.

02 use refine edgeWith your selection active, open the Refine

Selection options. Toggle between On Black (B) and Black & White (K) view modes to check your results. Set the Edge Detection Radius to 40px, activating Smart Radius. Set Contrast to 2% and activate Decontaminate Colors to combat any edge halos.

03 edit your MaskApply a pale-blue Solid Color adjustment

layer in behind your bear copy. Activate your layer mask and choose the Grass brush style. Only have Shape Dynamics active in your Brush options. Keep editing the Roundness and Angle of your brush, applying it to fake-looking edges and reproducing fur effects previously missing in these areas.

adaM sMithwww.advancedphotoshop.co.uk

our exPert

Adam has experience in creative retouching and commercial photo editing. here he shows you how to achieve professional looks easily, using the power of photoshop.

@advancedpshop

060-063_AVP_104.indd 61 03/12/2012 12:02


WorldMags.net



062

techniques commercial lighting effects

04 clip your colourEnhance the fur edges further by applying a small Smudge brush at 100% Strength, as well as a

50% Exposure Burn tool set to Midtones. Apply the latter sparingly to again limit contaminated colours in your edges. Duplicate your Solid Color layer and place this at the top of your stack. Hold Cmd/Ctrl+Shift and click between this and the bear copy layer, clipping the colour. Set the duplicate Solid Color layer’s blending mode to Luminosity, with Opacity at 10%.

07 EvEn thE ExposurEDuplicate your masked bear layer. Ctrl-click

this new layer’s mask and choose Apply Layer Mask. Select Image>Adjustments>Shadow/Highlights, then set Shadows Amount at 50%, set Tonal Width at 50% and Radius at 30px. Add a layer mask to this layer, erasing from the right-hand and bottom edges of your bear with a 50% Opacity soft black brush. Also apply this brush to the inside of your bear’s ears before dropping the layer Opacity to 90%.

08 highlight thE EdgEsCreate another feathered Elliptical selection

over the bear’s face and add a Vibrancy adjustment layer at the top of the Layer stack. Set Vibrance at +60, activate your bear copy layer and add an Inner Shadow layer style. Set Color to white, Blend Mode to Hard Light and Angle at 107 degrees. Set Distance at 27px, Size at 80px, then add a white Inner Glow, with Blend Mode set to Screen and Opacity at 30%. Set Source to Edge, Size to 100px and Range to 100%.

05 apply color balancEAdd a Color Balance adjustment layer to

the top of your stack. Set Cyan/Red at -10, Magenta/Green at +15 and Yellow/Blue at -5. Drop the Opacity of this layer to 50%, then activate the Elliptical Marquee tool with Feather set at 200px. Hold Opt/Alt and draw a circular selection that will be the basis for a spotlight behind our bear. With this new selection active, create a Levels adjustment layer, place this behind your masked bear layer, set Midtones at 2.49 and Highlights at 205. Adjust the layer Opacity to 90% and set the blending mode to Luminosity.

06 add a vignEttEAfter examining the applied Levels settings,

the Solid Color backdrop looks slightly washed out, so we’ll change this to a dark-navy tone. Create a vignette effect by adding another feathered Elliptical Marquee tool selection, this time closer to the image edges. Next, invert this layer’s mask and set Shadows at 19, Midtones at 1.00 and Highlights at 255. Edit the Levels settings further to perfect your look before proceeding.

quick tip

Banding frequently occurs with vignette effects. Remedy this by applying Noise set between 3-6% to your adjustment layer’s mask.

060-063_AVP_104.indd 62 03/12/2012 12:03


WorldMags.net



063

commercial lighting effects techniques

09 add a soft focusHere we’ll add a soft focus by hitting Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+Opt/Alt+E and choose Filter>Blur>Gaussian

Blur. Set Radius at 65px and the layer’s blending mode to Soft Light at 40% Opacity. Hit Cmd/Ctrl+U, then set Saturation at -40 and Lightness at 20. We’re now nearing a perfect base for applying enhanced exposure.

11 boost highlightsPress Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+Opt/Alt+E, set this

new layer’s blending mode to Screen, then add a layer mask and invert it. Place marker lines where highlights should be enhanced using a 100% Opacity soft white brush. This may look odd, but activate your layer mask and apply a 15px Radius Gaussian Blur to apply the effect. Hide your highlight and shadow layers, activate your previous Selective Color layer and press Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+Opt/Alt+E. Name this layer ‘Dodge & Burn’. Last, reveal your highlight and shadow layers.

10 work the shadow back inAdd another Selective Color layer on top of

your stack, then set Cyan at +15 and Black at -45. Hit Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+Opt/Alt+E, press Cmd/Ctrl+U, set Saturation at -100 and apply a Multiply blending mode. Add a layer mask to this and invert it. Apply a 15-25% Opacity soft black brush to build up shadows and work in facial and fur contours. We’ll duplicate our Multiply layer, reapply a new layer mask and layer more shadow to the cheeks and eyes using a 5% Opacity brush.

12 dodge and burnWith your new Dodge & Burn layer active,

select the Dodge tool with Range set to Midtones. Enhance your highlights further, toggling between 10-30% Opacity to get suitable effects. Activate the Burn tool, set Range to Shadows and again toggle between 10-30% Opacity to get the effects you see in our example. With your Dodge & Burn layer still active, press Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+Opt/Alt+E to give the image exposure a dynamic look. You can tweak the opacity of this new layer if you feel the effect looks too harsh.

13 perfect the final tonality Apply a Color Balance layer, setting

Magenta/Green at -10 and Yellow/Blue at -5. Apply a Selective Color layer, then set Cyan at 65%, Magenta at 2%, Yellow at 35% and Black at -8%. Activate your Channels panel and Cmd/Ctrl-click the Blue channel thumbnail to create an active selection. Now add a Black & White adjustment layer back into your Layers palette, setting its blending mode to Soft Light at 15% Opacity. Last, hit Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+Opt/Alt+E, select Filter>Sharpen>Unsharp Mask, setting Amount at 20% and Radius at 3px.

Get a hyperreal lookPaint detailed exPosure to enhance contour and texture

002a combination of adjustment layers has effectively relit and recoloured the image, giving it more impact.

001using a vignette effect both simulates a studio environment and draws in the focus of the viewer.

003the edge lighting produced by our layer styles is the foundation for yet more advanced effects.

001 002 003

060-063_AVP_104.indd 63 03/12/2012 12:03


WorldMags.net



064

techniques ENHANCE DIGITAL PORTRAITS

ENHANCE DIGITAL PORTRAITS

Bring viBrant personality to your digital portraits using photoshop painting methods

digital painting

sara biddlewww.salizabeth.net

Our expert

Sara is a self-taught digital illustrator and has been freelancing for the past two years. She has always enjoyed art and its creation, and her passion for the craft continues to grow with every stroke of the brush.

I t’s often said that eyes are the windows to the soul. They can communicate without saying a word, show our doubts, share our fears and reveal our truths. Our eyes are carefree beacons,

showing off everything about us and letting our emotions run free.

Our eyes are all different. There are so many different shapes, colours and sizes that make us all unique. Ethnicity plays a large role in our bone structure, muscles, fatty deposits and skin that determine the shapes of our eyes. There are many colours of eyes such as blue, green or brown. The colour pigments inside the iris can vary greatly from eye to eye and, just like snowflakes, no two eyes are the same.

Our expressions alone can tell a story and this begins with the eyes. Along with anatomical structure, eyes are one of the important parts of a painting. No matter how realistic your painting may be, if there’s no life in your painting, there’s probably no life in the eyes.

The shape and position of the eyes and eyebrows are two very important details. With just a few brushstrokes an eye or eyes can go from delighted to angry. Caution should be used at this point, as one wrong stroke and your painting could go awry. Attention to shape and expression is paramount.

When painting the eyes, great care should be taken to ensure the right shape is found for the character, natural colours and authenticity.

From sketch to captivating detail

Progress 3: detail lashes

WOrk in prOgress

Progress 2: soften with texture

Progress 1: start sketching

cOnstruct the imagea complete walkthrough From sketch to polishing

01 create the canvasBegin by starting a new document with the

dimensions that you wish your final image to have. For maximum detail, try to work on as large a canvas as you can without slowing down the computer. In this case, the canvas is A4, so create a new layer and prepare to sketch out the portrait.

02 start sketchingUsing a hard round brush, begin to rough

out the basic outline. We’re going for intense eye contact, so make the brows strong and downward, with the eyes less open. The sketch will be the guideline for the painting process, so take some time to perfect the expression and gesture you want.

03 work in greyscaleNow that we have a guideline, begin

building up the form of the character in greyscale. Begin by setting the sketch layer’s mode to Multiply, then lock this layer to prevent yourself from unknowingly painting on it. Next, create a new layer underneath the sketch and fill it with a medium grey.

064-070_AVP_104.indd 64 04/12/2012 16:30


WorldMags.net



065

expert guide to painting eyes techniques

064-070_AVP_104.indd 65 04/12/2012 16:30


WorldMags.net



066

TECHNIQUES ENHANCE DIGITAL PORTRAITS

04 BUILD THE FORMOn a new layer below the sketch, apply shadows and highlights according to your the direction of

your chosen light source. Using a dark- and a light-grey, loosely block in areas that define the form of the character with a hard round brush.

07 DETAIL FURTHERDuplicate the sketch layer, move it to the top, turn it off for later use then merge everything else

together. Using the round brush and the Smudge, begin further detailing. Pay special attention to concave and convex areas. For example, protruding areas will catch more light and receding areas more shadow.

08 SHAPE THE LOWER-LIDThe eyeball itself is rounded and fits into the

bony orbits of the skull, surrounded by muscle, fatty tissue and skin areas. The differences in combinations of these elements give our eyes different shapes. In order to paint the eyeball, we must first have a place for it to go. Start by adding a small bulge, just under the eye.

05 BLEND THE TONESBefore moving on, take some time to blend

the tones together. Merge all layers underneath the sketch and select a hard round Smudge brush with Spacing at 165%, with Scattering checked. The Smudge strength is set around 50%. Gently go over rough areas with this brush to smooth things out. Use this blending method throughout the process.

06 COLOURISEMake a new layer on top of everything and

set the blending mode to Color. After choosing a few basic hues, brush colours over the entire canvas.

064-070_AVP_104.indd 66 04/12/2012 16:30


WorldMags.net



067

eNHANCe DIGITAL PORTRAITS techniques

09 define the upper-lidNext, to define the upper-lid, add shadows

along the crease and highlights to the brow bone. Because the eyelid protrudes slightly, be sure to add highlights to the area that would capture the most light according to your source.

10 fill the eyeballMake a new layer and consider your colour

choices for the whites of the eyes. Many factors such as age (where there could be more yellow or pink) could apply here. We’ve chosen a lighter, desaturated skin tone and filled the entire eyeball.

11 make the whites roundLock the Transparency on this layer, select

the colour you chose for the whites of the eyes, then make it lighter and less saturated. Brush the inside area of the eyeball to create a sense of roundness. Gently use the Smudge tool to smooth things out.

12 uncover the irisLower the layer’s Opacity setting to about

50% and uncheck the Lock Transparency setting. Apply the Eraser tool to the iris and pupil, so that they show through. Bring the layer’s Opacity back up to 100% and merge with your character.

13 blend the whites wellUse the Smudge tool around the iris to blend slightly with the whites of the eye, towards the

inner-eye (around the tear duct) and any other parts of the white that appear rough. If left unblended, the eye could appear dry and unrealistic.

14 add thickness to the lower-lid

Next, choose a light pink that’s similar to the skin tone and brush along the edge of the bottom lid. The thickness of the lid is obvious towards the outer-eye, but disappears as it reaches the innermost edge.

064-070_AVP_104.indd 67 04/12/2012 16:30


WorldMags.net



068


15 BEGIN DETAILING THE IRISStart by picking colour from the pupil, then

radiating towards the outer-edge of the iris with small strokes, fading them as they approach the edge. Do the same with the outer-edge of the iris –colour pick and make thin strokes towards the pupil.

18 CREATE DEPTHContinue adding more radiating lines,

squiggles and dots. It’s important to create a sense of depth, as an underdeveloped iris will tend to look flat and lifeless. Select the iris with the Lasso, use the Unsharp mask, then apply the settings and blur out various areas using the Smudge tool.

16 ADD COLOUR VARIATIONColour pick the iris colour then, using the sliders in the Color menu, generate a slightly different tone

than the original. Make radiating strokes just as before. Do this a few more times with various hues.

17 APPLY MORE BLURUse the Smudge tool to blur the inner- and outer-edges of your newly made strokes. Take a look at

your own eyes in a mirror, noticing how there are spots of colour, lines and different shapes. Feel free to make squiggles and tiny dots to bring dynamism to the irises.

19 SOFTEN AREAS USING TEXTURE EFFECTSColour pick the whites of the eyes using the Eyedropper tool. Make the colour

slightly lighter and with a different hue, in this case, we used a very light blue. Make a new layer then, using the Airbrush, go over the top-edge of the whites. The eyeball texture looks softer now, almost like a boiled egg.

064-070_AVP_104.indd 68 04/12/2012 16:31


WorldMags.net



069

ENHANCE DIGITAL PORTRAITS TECHNIQUES

21 ADD EYE REFLECTIONUsing a very pale (almost white) shade of

blue, we’ll place a shiny reflection for the eye. This is a distorted reflection of the light source and can be any shape you like. Here we’ve chosen to use a distorted square.

22 CREATE THE TEAR DUCTThe tear duct is the pink tissue in the

inner-corner of the eyes, it’s this part that carries tears to the nasal cavity. Carefully paint the tissue using a medium, desaturated pink. Add in some bright highlights to bring moisture to the appearance.

23 INCORPORATE A SKIN TEXTUREThe skin around eyes is textured with small

wrinkles and porous skin. Using a dotted, textured brush, go over the skin of the outer-eye to create some texture, colour picking surrounding colours as you go with the Eyedropper tool.

20 SMOOTH THE ROUGH EDGEUse the Eraser tool to remove any excess of the Airbrushed colour that isn’t inside the whites.

Afterwards, merge this layer with your character layer. If there are any rough edges left from Erasing, use the Smudge tool to smooth.

064-070_AVP_104.indd 69 04/12/2012 16:31


WorldMags.net



070


24 BRUSH ON THE MAKE-UPMake-up is a great way to bring extra

attention to the eyes. Make a new layer and set its blending mode to Color. Select a tone of your choice, then brush along the upper-lid and the outer-two-thirds of the lower-lid.

28 ENHANCE THE LASH VOLUMEFurther eyelash volume can be achieved by

running the Airbrush tool along the lash line of the upper- and lower-lids. Don’t go overboard and brush just enough to create the thickness of lash you need. Go too far and the individual lashes will be lost.

25 MAKE AN EYELASH BRUSHBefore we start on the eyelashes, we must

make some minor adjustments to the hard round brush. Tick the hard round brush’s Shape Dynamics on, then set the Minimum Diameter to 0% and a Pen Pressure control.

29 INCREASE LASH TEXTUREColour pick from the whites of the eyes

using the Eyedropper tool. Using the Eyelash brush from before, make very thin lashes following the curvature established. This creates a sense of overlapping lashes.

26 PAINT THE TOP LASHESWorking from one edge to the other, begin

adding long, thin lashes to the top eyelid. Eyelashes are curved upwards, so make your lines appear curved as well. If your character is wearing eye make-up, lashes could be stuck together in groups.

30 GIVE THE PIECE ONE LAST LOOKFinally it’s time to take a step back and

examine your portrait with a critical eye. Last-minute adjustments to the shape can easily be made by using the Liquify filter, or by applying Warp under Edit>Free Transform.

27 ADD THE LOWER LASHESWe’ll now begin inserting the bottom lashes. Keep in mind these lashes are

normally shorter and much more thinly placed than the top lashes. Working from one edge to the other, begin adding in the bottom lashes along the bottom edge of the thickness of the lower-lid.

064-070_AVP_104.indd 70 04/12/2012 16:31


WorldMags.net



TUTORIALS INTERVIEWS EXPERT GUIDES BEGINNER ADVICE

CREATE THE ART OF THE FUTURE

ON SALE NOW:> Photoreal 3D > Arch-vis > Visual e� ects > Animation > 3D printing

www.3dar tistonline .com



INDUSTRY INSIGHT



facebook.com/3DArtistMagazine

Available on:

twitter.com/3DArtist

RESOSOS

URCRCR EDISCSCS

EVEVE EVEV

RYRYR ISSSSS

USUS

E

3D Artist house ad.indd 1 20/11/2012 17:03


WorldMags.net



TECHNIQUES content-aware tooLS

072

One Of PhOtOshOP’s mOst imPressive features can alsO be One Of the mOst frustrating

TOOL FOCUS

content-aware tooLS

after

Content-Aware technology can simplify much of the image-editing process, but there are limitations to even this impressive technology. With a little know-how you can make these tools work for you

before

F or years we’ve been taught that one of the primary truths of image editing is you can’t just select something in an image and delete it. All that will do is leave a gaping hole in

your image, not revealing the background behind it. With the appearance of Content-Aware Fill in CS5, Adobe proved all of that wrong. Content-Aware features perform in such a way that they appear to be magic rather than technology. The main premise is that the rest of the image can be analysed, evaluated and pixels can be extrapolated to replace the deleted ones. It’s an ingenious approach and when it works well it’s glorious. However, when it fails, it fails spectacularly too.

Content-aware fillThe first and most celebrated implementation of the Content-Aware technology is tucked away inside the rarely used Fill dialog box (Edit>Fill). Choose Content-Aware from the Use dropdown box and hit OK. There are no options to set. At first glance the feature seems to be all or nothing. But there are some troubleshooting steps that can be taken when the results are not exactly as expected. Keep in mind that the technology will only evaluate visible pixels on the current layer. In this way, the tool can be directed as to what pixels should be used for extrapolation. Simply use a layer mask to hide elements that shouldn’t be evaluated when computing the Fill pixels. Another effective technique is to use smaller portions of the area at a time if a large selection gives strange results.

the Spot Healing brushThe little brother to the Content-Aware Fill is the Spot Healing Brush tool. Before the best option for this

tool was generally Proximity Match, but the implementation of Content-Aware here proves to be even more effective than with the Fill tool. This truly works best as a one-click touchup. Its use for removing lens dust spots and skin blemishes is unparalleled. Unlike the Fill tool, the Spot Healing Brush can sample all layers while using Content-Aware technology.

CS6 additionsIn Photoshop CS6, Adobe pushed the boundaries of Content-Aware technology even further, with the most useful implementation coming from the Patch tool. Previous incarnations of the Patch tool were mostly an extension of the Clone Stamp. This version still contains that option, but the new Content-Aware option tends to produce better results. Additionally,

The technology will only evaluate visible pixels on

the current layer. Simply use a layer mask to hide elements that shouldn’t be evaluated when computing the Fill pixels

072-073_AVP_104.indd 72 04/12/2012 16:19


WorldMags.net



content aware tooLS TECHNIQUES

073

effective content-aware workflowLeverage the power of Content-aware teChnoLogy to speed up your photo retouChing

SeamleSS adjuStmentS Content-aware appLiCations in your workspaCe

01 Take ouT The benchesThe goal in this project is to clean up the

scene by removing the benches from the pier and the boats from the water. Begin by creating a copy of the background layer to work on. Roughly select the pier pavement and add a layer mask, this will ensure that only the pavement pixels are resampled. Create a new selection around one of the benches, being careful to include the shadows and bench edges. Next, go to Edit>Fill and select Content-Aware for the Use. Repeat the process for the other benches.

02 apply filTersDelete the layer mask and evaluate the

new bench-free pavement. The Content-Aware algorithm struggles to match the perspective pattern of the bricks on the pier. To help things match up, go to Filter>Vanishing Point. Draw out a plane to match up with the pier, then grab the Clone tool within the Vanishing Point window. Hold down Opt/Alt to set a source point and watch the cursor overlay to help align the Clone brush. Use this to clone out the pavement areas that are out of perspective.

03 remove The boaTsZoom in on the background area to get a

close look at the boats and buoys. The small buoys are an easy task for the Spot Healing brush when set to Content-Aware. Use a brush radius slightly larger than the dark dots and a single click will remove each of them. The boats can easily be removed using the Patch tool with its Content-Aware option. Select a boat outline and then drag the selection to another area of the horizon to define a sample point. When released, the boat will seamlessly disappear!

002 The primary implementation of the Content-Aware feature set. This fills the selected areas with extrapolated pixels from the rest of the image.

001 Careful selections are the key to success when using Content-Aware tools. A selection that is too tight will leave a ghosted outline.

003 The distant buoys and floats are an ideal job for the Spot Healing Brush tool with the Content-Aware option enabled.

004 Content-Aware tools are destructive in that they affect pixels directly. For this reason it’s often wise to work on a copy of the background layer.

005Use a layer mask to hide pixels from being evaluated for the Content-Aware Fill. The tool will only extrapolate from visible pixels.

as long as the selection is active, the tool is still live, so the Adaptation setting can still be changed and the tool will update the results.

The latest appearance of Content-Aware technology is the new Content-Aware Move tool found in CS6. This tool enables a selection within an image to be moved and then uses the Content-Aware process to fill in the seams. The Adaptation settings remain live as long as the tool and the selection are both still active. The primary mode for the tool is the Move setting, which enables the

relocation of a selected element against the background. The alternative option for the mode is Extend. This enables the selection of a portion of an object, such as the top of a building, and grants the ability to extend it. Keep in mind this option works both ways, so the building can be pulled up to be made taller, or the selection can be pulled down and the background extended to make it shorter.

While this technology is truly astounding, it does have practical limits. You’ll find the process works best against nondescript backgrounds like sky,

water, foliage or crowds. Aligning a background perspective is another challenge for the Content-Aware algorithm. A clear future development for this technology would be to pair it with the Vanishing Point filter to produce accurate results that would be far more acceptable. Additionally, any background that contains a geometric pattern or easily discernible lines will see a clearly visible disruption of the pattern. When these examples occur, it’s best to use Content-Aware as a starting point, not for the final touches.

001 002 003 004 005

072-073_AVP_104.indd 73 03/12/2012 12:04


WorldMags.net



074

TECHNIQUES BUILD WEB ELEMENTS

FROM INDIVIDUAL ELEMENTS TO FINAL PAGEWORK IN PROGRESS

Progress 1: Use basic stitching techniques Progress 2: Apply to web elements Progress 3: Build the page

074-077_AVP_104.indd 74 04/12/2012 11:48


WorldMags.net



075

TECHNIQUES BUILD WEB ELEMENTS

GRAPHICS

BUILD WEB ELEMENTSCREATE BESPOKE WEB COMPONENTS WITH AUTHENTIC STITCHED LOOKS FOR IMPRESSIVE RESULTS

LIAM MCCABEwww.liampmccabe.co.uk

OUR EXPERT

Liam is 21-year-old web fanatic who loves to build useful tools and make them look pretty. He is currently based in Manchester working on a degree in Multimedia Computing.

@liampmccabe

SOURCE FILESOn the CD you will find examples of stitched elements seen in this tutorial that you can apply to your own web-design projects.

T he internet is a hotbed for budding trends. You can literally sift through thousands of different styles, but each year a few step to the front and are hard to ignore. Web stitch effects are an obvious example. The popularity of these looks is easy to understand. Stitch effects coupled with textured elements take a digital format and give tangibility, breathing life into your 2D designs.

In this tutorial we will show you how to simulate a stitched look, inspired by various everyday fabrics, specifically for web. Photoshop has some excellent tools that are perfect for crafting various examples of our intended effect. These include versatile Shape and Path tool functionality, as well as Pattern options and a range of styling methods to give the stitching a realistic and authentic feel. We will be using patterns from the Subtle Patterns website (http://subtlepatterns.com), where you can download the whole pack of patterns as well as a convenient PAT Photoshop file from Github (https://github.com/subtlepatterns/SubtlePatterns). These are free for use even in commercial projects.

STITCH TECHNIQUESPREPARE YOUR EFFECTS WITH BASIC SHAPE, COLOUR AND TEXTURE APPLICATION

01 SET UP YOUR DOCUMENTSelect File>New and enter the width, height

and resolution. Whether you work with 300dpi or 72dpi isn’t hugely important, as we will be using the vector-based Shape tools provided in Photoshop, which are infinitely scalable. However, just keep in mind that your final elements will be scaled to fit a canvas with a minimum width and height of 300px and a resolution of 72. Set up guides by selecting View>New Guide, setting one horizontal and another vertical, both at 50%.

02 PLAN YOUR PROJECTDesigning a stitching effect in Photoshop is

very easy once you get the hang of three basic techniques. The first involves using simple shapes, the second takes advantage of Pattern styles and the third uses paths and text in a unique way. These techniques are complemented with the right type of blending and styling. When combined they create an authentic and aesthetically pleasing stitching effect, which is even further enhanced when applied to textured backgrounds.

03 USE A TEXTURED BACKGROUNDFill the canvas with a clay colour (#924c42).

Apply a Pattern layer style by double-clicking the layer and selecting Pattern Overlay. Set a Groovepaper pattern with the Blend Mode set to Linear Burn, then apply a Gradient Overlay from the Layer Style options to create depth. Use the default gradient, reversed, with Opacity set at 65%, an angle of 90 degrees and Blend Mode set to Overlay. Also add an Inner Glow set to black, with Blend Mode set to Overlay, Opacity at 25% and Size at 140.

04 CREATE YOUR RIBBON SHAPEThe first element we will be making is a

ribbon, so grab the Rounded Rectangle tool and draw a thin rectangle at 100 x 250px, with a Radius of 4px. The Fill colour needs to be lighter and more saturated than the Background colour, we applied a red (#a80b0b). Position horizontally and in the centre, but up a notch so the top is hidden. Remove the two bottom anchor points and add one in the centre of the bottom path line. Drag it down by 40 pixels and curve off the edges with the Direct Selection tool.

074-077_AVP_104.indd 75 04/12/2012 11:48


WorldMags.net



076

techniques BUILD WEB ELEMENTS

05 apply texturePick a pattern of your choice from the

Subtle Patterns pack we’ve been using. Feel free to play around with the opacity and modes to experiment and get a feel for how each texture interacts with your colour. If it’s a light pattern, apply a Linear Burn, if it’s dark then apply Soft Light or Overlay. Add a darker-red Stroke at around 4px and apply depth with a Gradient Overlay. This is much like in Step 3, but with Opacity at 50% and a Soft Light Blend Mode.

06 create stitchingZoom in at 3,200% to one of the edges of

your ribbon, then create a small rounded-rectangle shape at around 2 x 8px. Go to Edit>Transform Path> Perspective and drag the bottom of the rectangle left. Grab the Path Selection tool, click on the slanted rectangle, copy, paste, place the duplicate under the original layer then move it so it’s three pixels under the original. Repeat until you fill one side of your ribbon, Cmd/Ctrl-click all your rounded-rectangle layers, duplicate and position on the alternate side.

07 styled stitchingFor a more authentic look, double-click one

of your rounded-rectangle shape layers, activating the Layer Style options. Set Advanced Blending>Fill Opacity at 50%, then add a Bevel & Emboss. Change Style to Pillow Emboss, Technique to Chisel Soft and reduce Size to 1. In the Shading options set Shadow and Highlight mode to Overlay, then set Shadow Mode Opacity at 100%. Add an Inner Shadow with the Blend Mode set to Overlay, Opacity at 100%, Angle at -90 degrees, Distance at 2 and Size at 3.

08 add more detailWe now have the basics, but they look a bit flat. Add a shadow by duplicating the ribbon layer, Ctrl/

right-click, clear the effects and move the layer below the original. Change the Fill colour to black, grab the Direct Selection tool and move the bottom anchor point even further down, about 10px. With the layer selected and the path visible, navigate to the Properties panel and set Feather at 4px. Add a few black icons vertically, aligned set at a low opacity, then apply an Inner Shadow layer style. We’ve now made our first element.

09 stitch some buttonsThe same technique as before can be

applied to any number of elements. When applying to a button, add the stitch shapes to all sides. You can also create nice highlights and shadows by applying Drop Shadow with Distance set at 2, Size at 3 and a white Inner Shadow with Distance set at 1, Size at 0 and Blend Mode set to Soft Light. Also apply an Inner Glow and Satin – both at a low opacity to enhance the depth. Add a Pillow-style emboss to the text and create a recessed look.

quick tipWhen dealing with vectors and path-related tools, be sure to have a good grid that clearly defines every pixel (Edit>Preferences>Guides, Grids and Slices). Also make sure that Pixel Snapping is enabled by selecting View>Snap/Snap to.

074-077_AVP_104.indd 76 04/12/2012 11:48


WorldMags.net



077

10 design your badgeCreate a new canvas and add a textured

background like in Steps 1 to 3, alternating colour and pattern, for example a lilac colour (#856299) and fabric_1 pattern. However, set the Gradient Overlay to Radial rather than Linear. Activate the Ellipse tool and draw a circle of 200 x 200px in the centre, holding Shift to maintain ratio. With the circle path still in view, draw another smaller circle on the edge of the larger one while holding Shift. Keep drawing small circles around the edge of the circle until you have a badge shape (see example).

13 bring the detailsGrab the Ellipse Shape

tool and drag from the centre holding Shift+Opt/Alt to draw a circle with a 200px diameter. Hit Opt/Alt and click to draw another circle inside the one you’ve just applied with a diameter of 150px. Reduce the Fill to 20%, adding an Inner Shadow with Distance set at 1 and Size set at 2. Add a white Drop Shadow with Blend Mode set to Soft Light, Opacity at 45%, Distance at 1 and Size at 0. Finally add some text, using Drop Shadow settings to add depth.

14 stitch a patternThe third technique to create stitching uses patterns, particularly striped patterns.

Start by creating a new canvas with a width of 20px and a height of 1px. Fill half of the canvas with colour and select Edit>Define Pattern. Create a new canvas, draw a rectangle with the Rectangle tool, set its Fill Opacity to 0 and add the pattern. With the Marquee Rectangle tool, draw a rectangle that covers our previously drawn rectangle but leaves 1-2px at the top and bottom. Next go to Layer>Layer Mask>Hide Selection, simply applying some styling like in Step 7 and we’re done! Unfortunately this method doesn’t use any vector paths or type so is not scalable.

15 unify the designUsing the three

techniques we have discussed, you’ll now be able to produce an array of different elements, which you can then combine into a web page or app design. Be sure to experiment with different characters using the Type tool and Path technique. Feel free to add more detail to individual stitches, for example holes on either side of a stitch or a striped pattern to give more of a stringed feel. Try out varying methods to make something truly unique.

11 use shadowAdd a 1px Stroke with a darker shade of the

badge colour. Add an Inner Glow with the Size set at around 20 and Opacity at 30%. Set the Blend Mode to Soft Light, then add an Inner Shadow and Drop Shadow similar to the button element in Step 9. Create a nice pattern, in this case a large leather emblem, and add the Satin, setting the Blend Mode to Soft Light, Opacity to 35%, Angle to 35 degrees, Distance to 14, Size to 40 and make sure Anti-aliased and Invert are both activated. Finally we’ll set the Contour option to Cone Inverted.

12 add stitching to curved shapesDuplicate your badge layer, hit Cmd/Ctrl+T

then click and hold one of the corners, dragging inwards while holding Shift and Opt/Alt to maintain the shape ratio and central position. Reduce the shape by 30px, then activate your Text tool and select a 13px Helvetica font. Hover your text cursor over the visible path, clicking then typing hyphens until these surround the edge of the path. Increase spacing between hyphens by editing with the Character panel’s Tracking values. Apply a Pillow-style emboss like in Step 7 and reduce Layer Fill Opacity to 30%.

advanced shape and path toolsWhen delving into paths and shapes, it can seem a bit daunting at first so here are a few tips. More tools can be listed when clicking and holding on an icon in the left toolbar. When drawing shapes and paths we can add to a shape area by holding Shift, subtract by holding Opt/Alt and intersect by holding Opt/Alt+Shift. When altering anchor points, use the Convert Point tool to adjust individual handles. Use the Direct Selection tool to select multiple anchor points by holding Shift or clicking and dragging.

techniques BUILD WEB ELEMENTS

074-077_AVP_104.indd 77 04/12/2012 16:27


WorldMags.net



078

techniques code stitch effect

New Media

code stitch effect

Discover how to utilise css3 properties to create a stitch effect

T he stitch effect has long been in Photoshop’s domain and to a certain extent it still is. However, CSS can now re-create a similar effect with simple lines of code.

Much like Photoshop, there are varying degrees of detail that can be added to create variations of the effect. For the benefit of any web-design enthusiasts, here we explore the standard option that can be

03 add textInsert a set of <h3></h3> tags in the HTML.

Place the chosen text inside the tags, then add the following code to position the text, adjusting margins for the perfect fit.

02 add curvesThe basic effect has simple straight edges

for both the box and the stitch effect. To add some curves to both the border-radius property needs to be added to the class. Apply a border-radius of 5px in order to create the curves. To make even bigger curves simply increase the Radius size to around 10px to create the desired effect.

01 Get the basic effectCreating a basic stitch effect with CSS is a

relatively simple affair. Users simply need to create a class with the appropriate properties and values. The following code will create the desired effect.

QUicK tRicK

applied to designs. This involves adding a dashed border on a single-colour background.

The CSS approach adds this background colour to an object, for example a web panel or button, then a dashed border to create the stitched look. However, many will then simply add a dashed border to apply stitching around the outside of the object. This method just doesn’t create the effect well enough.

The real magic happens when adding a CSS property called the box-shadow. This creates an even shadow around the object, which then uses a value to make it solid. The shadow adopts the same colour as the background, creating a more authentic yet straightforward stitch effect. You can experiment with colours, border size and border radius to achieve different looks.

.stitch {background: #3399CC;border: 2px dashed #fff;box-shadow: 0 0 0 4px #3399CC, 2px 1px 6px 4px rgba(10,10,0,.5);}

h3 {font-size: 120px; color: #FFF; margin-top: 25px 0px 0px 10px;font-weight: 200; font-family: “intro inline”;}.

078_AVP_104.indd 78 04/12/2012 11:51


WorldMags.net



Order online

Become an ImagineShop customer and leave reviews of your favourite products.

MAGAZINES BOOKS DVDS DOWNLOADS GIFTS

customer and leave reviews of customer and leave reviews of

Essential reading for Photoshop® professionals

Imagine Publishing has a range of magazines, bookazines and DVDs to improve your Photoshop® skills

Back issuesBookazines

Illustrate with Photoshop Genius Guide Vol. 1 Written for pros with the aim of teaching illustrators how to adapt their workflows so they can do almost everything inside this single, great program. £12.99

and DVDs to improve your Photoshopand DVDs to improve your Photoshopand DVDs to improve your PhotoshopBack issues

and DVDs to improve your Photoshop

Photoshop® Creative Collection 6 Learn a wide range of skills from simple photo edits through to more involved photomanipulations. Tutorials and features explain how to tackle vital tasks.£6.49 with code

The Photoshop Elements Book Vol. 1 All you need to know about creating masterpieces in Photoshop Elements. From editing and creating projects to sharing them with friends and family.£12.99

Photoshop® 5 Minute Tips & Fixes Vol. 1Packed with top tips and handy guides that can be completed in just 300 seconds, this is the perfect book for those wishing to improve their photos and learn the basics of Photoshop.£9.99

The Professional PhotoShop Book Vol. 2Packed with tutorials, take your digital creations to the next level. Including all the new tools in CS6 and step-by-step guides on how to edit and transform your images.£12.99

Photoshop® Tips, Tricks & Fixes Vol. 3The perfect way to develop your techniques. From top tips on image editing to using the right tools for the job, with this bookazine you’ll go further with this fantastic software.£14.99

Advanced Photoshop Premium CollectionContaining over 250 pages of tutorials, in-depth features and interviews with some of the very best digital artists in the world. You will also fi nd a free CD full of tutorials for you to follow.£14.99

Discountcode

Take 50% off Photoshop® Creative Collection 6 with

this code:

PHOTO

£5.99 each

@imagineshopuk/imagineshopuk

AdvancedPhotoshopAd_NEW.indd 1 13/11/2012 10:49


WorldMags.net



080

TECHNIQUES TEXTURED CHARACTER ILLUSTRATION

TEXTURED CHARACTER ILLUSTRATIONMAKE A BESPOKE CHARACTER DESIGN FOR A T�SHIRT USING VECTORS IN ILLUSTRATOR AND TEXTURES IN PHOTOSHOP

GRAPHICS

I n this tutorial you will learn how to create a textured character illustration with the aim to be able to print onto a T-shirt. Digital T-shirt printing has become more and more advanced and artists now have greater freedom to apply colours, textures and any details they want.

The entire process will be explained and you’ll pick up some useful tips and tricks for using both Illustrator and Photoshop. You can apply these techniques to any other illustration you wish to create in a similar style, so don’t feel constrained by our concept. After creating a vector illustration in Illustrator we will move into Photoshop to add textures and finishing details.

Photoshop’s blending modes, custom brush settings and layering features make adding textures to artwork easy. Before you begin you will need to think about who will be wearing the T-shirt, who is your target market and what sort of style you would like your artwork or character to portray. Will it be humorous, dark, vintage or cute for kids? The textures we’ll be adding in this tutorial can either be created from scratch using photos, handmade markings, or sourced from stock websites.

01 MAKE A SKETCHFirst create a rough concept sketch of the

character. You can do this either using traditional media or directly in Photoshop – whatever you feel most comfortable with. In this tutorial we are using an original monster character that has been sketched in pencil and scanned into the computer.

02 SET UP THE ILLUSTRATOR DOCUMENTWe’ll start in Illustrator by creating a new

document, placing the sketch on the canvas and selecting File>Place. After placing the image and fitting it to the canvas, we want to set it up for tracing. Bring up the Layer Options, select Template and Dim Images to 30%, then lock the layer.

03 SWATCHES AND GLOBAL COVERSYour new document will have preset

swatches, but it’s a good idea to start with a fresh canvas. Create new swatches or pick a set from the Swatch Library. Bring up the Swatch Options and make sure the Global checkbox is activated. Changing the tint of a global colour swatch will change anywhere it is used across the document.

CONCEPT YOUR CHARACTERINVENT THE RIGHT IMAGE AS THE BASE FOR YOUR COLOUR AND TEXTURE WORK

SOURCE FILESOn the CD we have included the image files used to create the Photoshop texture overlay effects in the tutorial, as well the starter sketch. These assets can be used freely in any commercial and non-commercial project.

ANNA JOHNSTONEwww.anna-johnstone.com

OUR EXPERT

Anna Johnstone is a freelance illustrator based in Nelson, New Zealand. Working with both traditional and digital-media cartoons, cat memes and monsters inspire her creation of whimsical and upbeat characters.

@annajohnstone

080-085_AVP_104.indd 80 04/12/2012 16:45


WorldMags.net



create textured character illustration techniques

081

080-085_AVP_104.indd 81 04/12/2012 16:45


WorldMags.net



082

techniques textured character illustration

04 Establish thE basEBegin by creating a new layer and naming it

for easy identification later. Use the Pen tool to trace the basic silhouettes of the face, tail, arms and legs. Think of these shapes as the base that we will be building on, adding further detail on top later. Use the Pathfinder>Minus Front option to punch out the face of the character. These shapes are kept together on the same layer because they will have the same colour applied to them later.

06 Draw in thE tailThe tail needs a different option applied in

the Pathfinder window. Select the tail marking and Copy>Paste in Place, then grab both the marking and the base of the tail and in the Pathfinder menu apply the Minus Front option. This causes the base of the tail to be cut back to the shape of the marking above. However, now the base of the tail is on the wrong layer, so in the Layers panel we need to drag it back onto the layer below.

05 bring in somE DEtailTrace around the markings on the fur, trim your markings to the shapes below using the Pathfinder

tool, then select an arm and Copy>Edit>Paste in Place. Highlight the top copy of the arm and marking shape then select Pathfinder>Intersect. Now the marking is fitted to the arm shape with any excess trimmed off. Repeat this with the face and any other markings that need to be trimmed to fit your character’s edges.

07 shirts anD pantsBy now you should be used to using the Pathfinder tool to trim your overlapping shapes. Trace and

set up the T-shirt, shorts and horns on their own layers. As they are all unique elements it’s good practise to keep them separate. This makes it quicker to find and edit them later on. Using the Pathfinder tool to punch out and tidy up any overlapping paths can greatly speed up the tracing process and help keep your outlines and fills tidy.

08 builD up thE facETo draw up the face of the character, we

need to create a new layer and move it below the rest. This will be for the mouth and the main face colour. We need to cut parts out with the Pathfinder again to get the shapes we need. To create the open mouth, first trace around the shape, make a copy and use the Object>Arrange>Send to Back option. Select both the face and mouth and use the Exclude option in the Pathfinder window.

quick tip

When choosing a design idea to turn into a cool T-shirt, it helps to think about whether it would be something you would wear. If you show your design to your friends and colleagues and get good feedback, the chances are you’re onto a good thing.

080-085_AVP_104.indd 82 04/12/2012 16:45


WorldMags.net



083

textured character illustration techniques

10 Inject a base colourOnce you have everything traced and ready

to go, select the objects on each layer and fill with one of the preset swatches. Continue until you have all the basic colours filled in and nothing has outlines. The global colours will come in handy. If any of our colours need tweaking it’s very easy to apply the changes across the whole illustration as they are linked to their respective Global Swatch. This is a good time to experiment with different tone combinations and tints.

11 arrange further detaIlsNow we have all of our flat base colours

fixed, we’ll work on the finer details. Drag the Sketch layer to the top of the Layers panel and double-click. Uncheck the Dim Images option and press OK. Highlight the sketch and in the Transparency panel set the blending mode to Multiply with Opacity set at 30%. Now we can see where the details need to go on top of the character. Lock the layer again so that you don’t end up drawing on it.

12 enhance the furTo create the fur details we are going to use

the Paintbrush tool. On the bottom bar of the dropdown Brush menu click the New Brush icon. Set the Diameter to 2pt with a Variation of 2pt and choose the Pressure setting for Roundness. Tablet users have an advantage here as these settings will mean that the stroke we create will vary in thickness depending on how much pressure is applied. Now go ahead and add some fur detail to your character.

13 Move to PhotoshoPNow that we have finished with creating the

vector side of our illustration in Illustrator, we can move over to Photoshop. This is the part where we get to create some awesome textures and add tangibility in our image, as well as some essential finishing touches. Open a new document and set the size to the same dimensions that we used in our Illustrator file back in Step 2. Set the resolution at 300dpi. Color Mode should be set to CMYK.

09 trace the detaIlsNow keep going and trace around the rest of the details such the birds, T-shirt symbol and the

lighting in this image. Once again cut each of the inside shapes out with the Pathfinder. To keep things organised, make sure your shapes are on their correct layers, in the right order.

Colour the shapescreate solid layers and add brushes to colour your illustration

003 our new document in illustrator is all set up, with the colour palette sorted and the rough illustration sketch imported.

002We have created named and organised our layers and traced around the main shapes of our character design.

001We have cut out and fitted our shapes to the character, using the Pathfinder tool to make sure none of our colours overlap one another.

001 002 003

The global colours will come in handy. If any of our colours need tweaking it’s very easy to apply the changes across the whole

illustration as they are linked to their respective Global Swatch

080-085_AVP_104.indd 83 04/12/2012 16:45


WorldMags.net



084

techniques textured character illustration

work with texturesApply clipping mAsks with smArt Objects

14 Use textUre and levelsOpen the supplied ‘texture_1.jpg’ file, copy and paste it into your Photoshop document, then rotate and

position it. Desaturate the image by selecting Hue/Saturation and setting the Saturation at 0. Apply a Levels adjustment layer on top of your texture and boost the contrast. Levels brings out the detail of the texture and also gives a more grainy look, which adds a nice aesthetic. Clip this Levels layer to the Texture layer so that you can edit it later, once you have overlaid it on the illustration.

17 Keep placing textUresAdd more textures to bring depth and

highlights across the illustration. Open the ‘splatters.jpg’ file supplied, which was created with watercolour paint splattered on paper. Use Levels to define the contrast between white and black. Create a new layer below your texture layer and apply a solid white tone. Select the white area around your splatters with the Magic Wand tool and delete. This separates the texture from the background and makes it easy to select these in the next step.

15 import into photoshopReactivate Illustrator then select and copy

your all of your character-related layers except the original Sketch layer. Copy and paste this selection into Photoshop. Make sure you select Smart Object from Photoshop’s Paste options. Smart Objects enable you to make changes to your illustration in Illustrator if needed by double-clicking the illustration icon in the Layers panel. Any changes you make in Illustrator are automatically updated in the Photoshop document after you save in Illustrator.

18 achieve highlights and shadowsUse the Lasso tool to select a part of the

texture you would like to use. Copy and paste this into your character image in Photoshop. Clip the texture layer to the illustration layer, then set the blending mode to Multiply or Screen depending on whether you would like this particular effect to be a highlight or a shadow. You can adjust the texture’s intensity by tweaking the opacity and reuse the same texture in different places across the illustration, or even repeat this technique with varying selections.

16 adjUst the elementsMove your Illustration layer below the

Texture layer if it isn’t already. Set the blending mode of your texture to Soft Light and adjust the opacity until you achieve a nice balance between texture and colour. Here we have used a setting of 80% Opacity. You don’t want your texture to look too overpowering, as it can make the illustration less appealing – remember, less is more. This enables details previously added in Illustrator to stand out with the texture laid over the top.

quick tipRemember to always take the T-shirt fabric colour into consideration. If you want your design to pop, it pays to choose tones that will complement the illustration. It’s a good idea to test your design by super-imposing it onto a T-shirt in Photoshop before printing.

080-085_AVP_104.indd 84 04/12/2012 16:46


WorldMags.net



085

textured character illustration techniques

19 MAke A bespoke bAckgroundOur character is coming together nicely, so let’s add a background to make him pop off the T-shirt a

bit more. In this case the backdrop doesn’t need to be complex or highly detailed, we don’t want to detract from the character too much. An easy way to create a background is to use Photoshop’s default textured brushes. Change the Opacity of the Illustration layer to around 20%. Then choose a brush and adjust the Transparency of the brush to around 60%.

22 finishing touchesUse the brush we just created to paint

some sparkles around the character. These will sit over top of the background. Choose a lighter colour for the sparkles to make them stand out from the background. Try to add a variety of sizes as this will help create depth. Adding extra details such as these also enhances the narrative of the image. Little details make the difference between an illustration looking boring or exciting.

23 export your iMAgeNow we are ready to pack up and send our

character to print. To export your illustration you will need to save it as a high-resolution PDF file, clicking File>Save As>Format>Photoshop PDF. Most printers can handle a wide variety of file types, but PDF is the industry standard and should be easy for the printer to manage. In this case a PDF has the advantage over a flat JPEG or TIFF, as it’s able to preserve the sharp outlines of our vector illustration.

20 enhAnce the depthHide the visibility of the Illustration layer

and shade in the circle that you just drew, making the centre of the circle darker by going over it a few more times. This adds more depth behind the character and helps him stand out more. Make the Illustration layer visible and if needed change the position and scale of the circle, using the Edit>Transform controls, so it sits behind.

21 use A custoM duAl brushTo draw details we will make a custom

brush that combines both the basic round brush and a textured brush, so the brushstrokes match the rest of the illustration. Choose a round brush and open up Window>Brush. Select the Dual Brush option on the left side panel and pick a textured brush option. The blending mode should be set to Linear Burn. Adjust the Spacing slider until the result looks like chalk.

print costsThe number of colours and applied style is often dictated by budget and the print process. There are two main printing techniques prevalent in the T-shirt industry. If you’re going to be screen-printing your T-shirt, keep in mind that each colour will require an additional silk screen. This means it can be more expensive the more colours you have in your design. It’s more cost-effective for larger runs, however, and often higher quality.

080-085_AVP_104.indd 85 04/12/2012 16:46


WorldMags.net



029028

PRO MATTE PAINTING

WE ExplorE profEssionAl MATTE-pAinTing TEchniquEs insidE phoToshop And hEAr froM Top ArTisTs And sTudios

© Capcom

T he art of matte painting has been radicalised since the introduction of digital software. Now commonly referred to as digital matte painting (DMP), realism and

dynamism are more attainable than ever before, which is lucky as believability has never been so fundamental to a matte painter’s work. Frederic St-Arnaud (http://starno.net) agrees, saying: “You should focus on two different aspects, the wow

painTing misT effecTsLead digitaL matte artist at industriaL Light & magiC Jaime Jasso expLains how he Creates atmosphere using photoshop Custom brushes

Jaime Jasso (www.jjassodigitalworks.com) first creates a layered 2D plan of his scene, using this to map the depth. “This way I plan how many elements will be present, such as trees, mountains and architecture. Then I can establish perspective, determining how near or far these will be,” he says.

Once these elements are fully rendered, Jasso will wield his Photoshop custom brushes, which he creates from cloud photo stock. He explains: “I start painting with sampled colours from the sky and atmosphere in my matte painting. The strength of my brushstrokes will depend on the position of my elements in the image’s perspective – denser at the back and lighter at the front.” Jasso will integrate effects smoothly by using the same brushes to erase painted fog dispersing around solid elements.

factor that relates to the visual composition of your work and photorealism that makes the viewer truly believe the image they are looking at is real.”

It’s this suspension of disbelief that demonstrates the difference between a matte painting and concept art, not to be confused as one and the same thing. Educating yourself as a competent matte painter who can present this distinction is imperative, especially when trying to succeed commercially.

DMP has become a very articulated discipline that now blends its boundaries with 3D and compositing. This means that avenues into the industry are extensive, as MPC’s head of environment and DMP Marco Genovesi (www.moving-picture.com) explains: “Any educational path that explores the use of CG and digital-image manipulation can be useful and appropriate to some extent. We shouldn’t forget that artistic talent is still an essential requisite for any

PRO matte Painting teChniques

good matte painter, so photography or fine-art courses that explore composition, colours and light are definitely relevant.”

Enthusiasts can also rely on the ever-expanding resources on the internet to improve their skills. Professional matte painter Alp Allen Altiner (www.alpaltiner.com), founder of www.vfxworkshops.com that specialises in techniques and production workflow, explains: “Individuals can now participate

and learn from other matte painters who teach these online classes, where a vast amount of important techniques are discussed.”

Altiner also believes studying surrounding industries is a great learning curve, especially when contemplating a commercial portfolio. He advises you check out potential client websites and demo reels. “Also study and take notes of your peers’ commercial portfolios and really pay attention to

PROMATTEPAINTING

Al MATTE-chniquEs oshop

r froM Top nd sTudios

028

PROMATTEPAINTING

WE ExplorEprofEssionApApAp inTing TEchniquinsidE phoToshop And hEAr froArTisTs And s

086-087_AVP_104.indd 2 03/12/2012 10:29


WorldMags.net



2 Filter titles by your favourite store

3 Choose a digital magazine or book

1 Visit the websiteGreatDigitalMags.com

4 Purchase in-store, download & enjoy!

086-087_AVP_104.indd 3 03/12/2012 10:29


WorldMags.net



REVIEWS DELL PRECISION M6700

088

Underneath the sleek exterior lies incredible power, with the very latest Intel Core i7 technology and one of the world’s most powerful yet discrete GPUs

REVIEWS REVIEWS REVIEWS DELL PRECISION M6700

088

Underneath the sleek exterior lies incredible power, with the very latest Intel Core i7 technology and one of the Underneath the sleek exterior lies incredible power, with the very latest Intel Core i7 technology and one of the Underneath the sleek exterior lies incredible power, with

world’s most powerful yet discrete GPUsthe very latest Intel Core i7 technology and one of the world’s most powerful yet discrete GPUsthe very latest Intel Core i7 technology and one of the

Having been outsold by its mobile sibling in recent years, we’re

reaching a juncture where the big-box PC is more likely than ever to fall by the wayside

088-091_AVP_104.indd 88 04/12/2012 15:56


WorldMags.net



DELL PRECISION M6700 REVIEWS

089

DELL PRECISION M6700

WE TEST ARGUABLY THE MOST POWERFUL MOBILE WORKSTATION IN THE WORLD AND QUESTION WHETHER THE DESKTOP COMPUTER IS DOOMED

OPERATING SYSTEM: • Windows 7 Professional

DETAILS:

• Intel Core i7-3920XM (2.9GHz)• 8GB DDR3 RAM• ATI FirePro M600 Mobility Pro Graphics (2GB GDDR5)

STARTS FROM £1,760/ $2,199

www.dell.com

The hard-drive caddy is easily accessible, simply pop the battery out and press the release button

The matte finish on the 1,080p screen minimises glare under harsh office lighting

It has been two years since Dell unleashed a Precision Mobile Workstation. Released in 2010, the M6500 model was ahead of its time and universally lauded for its specification, build

quality and uncompromising approach to the traditionally underpowered mobile computer.

Since most modern laptops are designed specifically to be small, lightweight and affordable it is easy to fall into the mindset that mobile hardware is technologically impeded. A surprising number of people think laptops are a generation behind their desktop counterpart, and there was a time when this was pretty much the case. However, the rapid progression of technology now means compromises don’t have to be made. While Dell’s Precision range has always sought to buck the trend, the M6700 proves once and for all that these attitudes towards mobile computing are completely outmoded.

Having been outsold by its mobile sibling in recent years, we’re reaching a juncture where the big-box PC is more likely than ever to fall by the wayside. With desk space at a premium, the big stars of the mobile world like the M6700 prove that the PC’s hulking chassis and noisy fan need not offend the eyes and ears of even the most demanding of customers any longer.

DELL PRECISION M6700

WE TEST ARGUABLY THE MOST POWERFUL MOBILE WORKSTATION IN THE WORLD AND QUESTION WHETHER THE DESKTOP COMPUTER IS DOOMED

OPERATING SYSTEM: • Windows 7 Professional

DETAILS:

• Intel Core i7-3920XM (2.9GHz)• 8GB DDR3 RAM• ATI FirePro M600 Mobility Pro Graphics (2GB GDDR5)

STARTS FROM £1,760/ $2,199

www.dell.com

The hard-drive caddy is easily accessible, simply pop the battery out and press the release buttonThe hard-drive caddy is easily accessible, simply pop the battery out and press the release buttonThe hard-drive caddy is easily accessible, simply pop the

088-091_AVP_104.indd 89 04/12/2012 15:56


WorldMags.net



reviews dell precision m6700

090

If there’s one complaint that can still be levelled at mobile computing, it’s the limited upgrade route. Dell has done

everything in its power to ensure this isn’t true of the M6700

The M6700 is directly aimed at audio and visual professionals. If you are a prolific Photoshop user, 3D animator or high-end video producer, then you are Dell’s target market. While prices start at just £1,760 / $2,199 US, upgrade options are many and varied. These cover several ladders of Intel’s cutting-edge Core i7 range and several production-grade GPUs, from both AMD and NVIDIA. Additionally, if you want to spend an extra £1,500 to take full advantage of the hottest hardware, it’s easily arranged.

The model we are reviewing boasts a third-generation Intel Core i7 3920-XM, capable of running at over 3GHz in turbo mode. With 8GB of RAM, 750GB of storage and AMD’s FirePro M600 Mobility Pro Graphics (with 2GB of GDDR5 RAM), our model sits firmly towards the higher end of the price scale.

With options including NVIDIA’s Quadro K5000M sated with 4GB and an upgrade path to 32GB of RAM, there is still plenty of negotiation on price.

Some might say that this kind of specification is a little excessive for Photoshop users. It’s true that entry-level models would suit 2D work just fine, but having this extra headroom ensures a faster and far more productive workflow.

If there is one complaint that can still be levelled at mobile computing, it’s the limited upgrade route. Dell has done everything in its power to ensure this isn’t true of the M6700. Unfastening just two screws on the base of the system makes the entire undercarriage become freely available. Gone are the days where a tiny hatch enabled you to swap out little more than a stick or two of RAM.

resourcesPush the boundaries with customisation

Despite offering one of the most comprehensive lists of connectivity we’ve seen on a mobile computer, it’s possible to add even more functionality to the Dell M6700 with the optional E-Port Replicator.

On it you’ll find further video output options, including twin DVI, another DisplayPort, more ultra-fast USB 3.0 slots and a further eSATA port, not to mention networking and audio in and out.

The dock itself is widely compatible with Dell’s Precision range including the 2010 model and lower-end siblings of the M6700. This effectively turns this mobile workstation into a true desktop contender. You can be assured you’ll never be short for connectivity, with the scope to add more screens and further options.

connectivity is excellent, with esata, 4xusbs, Firewire, hdmi and displayPort being just the tip of the iceberg

088-091_AVP_104.indd 90 04/12/2012 15:56


WorldMags.net



091

DELL PRECISION M6700 REVIEWS

CASE STUDYRIK THWAITES, WORKSTATION PRODUCT TECHNOLOGIST

WHICH TECHNICAL INNOVATIONS INCLUDED IN THE M6700 SHOULD DIGITAL ARTISTS GET EXCITED ABOUT?

Rik Thwaites: A number of advancements have been made since the last release. We have a wider range of next-generation professional graphics and much faster 1,866 MHz memory. There are also a breadth of expandability and storage options, which can see up to 2.8TB of storage if needed. For those using Adobe Photoshop for 3D-graphic purposes, we are also the first to offer NVIDIA 3D Vision Pro support.

WHAT SETS THIS LAPTOP APART FROM ITS DIRECT COMPETITORS?

Rik Thwaites: We have designed the Mobile Dell Precision Workstation with the needs of creative professionals in mind, including a vast amount of configuration options to meet diverse requirements. Where colour accuracy is of the utmost importance, creative professionals are benefiting from our IPS RGBLED displays, which provide more than 100 per cent of the Adobe colour gamut. This is something that isn’t achieved on Apple’s Retina display.

WHAT DOES YOUR OFFICIAL ENDORSEMENT OF DESIGN SOFTWARE MEAN FOR CREATIVE CONSUMERS?

Rik Thwaites: It is of the utmost importance that a workstation be certified for the top professional software applications, from industry leaders Adobe and Autodesk. Because of these certifications, someone can buy a Dell Precision workstation safe in the knowledge that it has been tested and is compatible with the software suites they need to get their work done.

Updated HDMI and DisplayPort sockets mean you can power up to five screens via daisy-chaining

The full keyboard layout is more ample than most and the keys offer fantastic travel for a reassuringly sturdy typing experience

Features: 10/10Ease of use: 8/10Value for Money: 8/10Quality of results: 9/10

VERDICT

FINAL SCORE: 9/10

There’s ample space for upgrades on offer. Inside you’ll see a free mSATA hard-drive bay, not to mention an accompanying mini-PCI Express slot. Even without removing the rear cover you can access the main hard-drive bay with ease. Simply pop out the battery to reveal a button that releases its cage, enabling you to swap out your storage in mere seconds.

Storage can be a main concern for photo editors and retouchers, with your device housing hundreds of original RAW and editing images. Luckily there are a multitude of options at your disposal. On top of the side-loading drive slot already in place, Dell offers a hard-drive caddy that takes the place of the increasingly antiquated DVD drive. With this available, it’s possible to generate just shy of 3TB of storage and you don’t even need an Engineering degree to do it.

Probably one of the most notable features of the M6700 is also one of the most overlooked. All of

Dell’s Precision Workstations, including all variants of the M6700, are ISV-certified for an incredible array of professional software applications. Everyone from Adobe and Autodesk, to Siemens and Schlumberger guarantee total application compatibility and dependability. We’re not talking about an impulse purchase at these prices, so it’s reassuring to see Dell going the extra mile.

088-091_AVP_104.indd 91 04/12/2012 15:57


WorldMags.net



reviews epson eh-tw9000w

I f there is one way to get your work noticed, it’s to go large. Epson’s EH-TW9000W projector, known as the PowerLite Pro Cinema 6010 in the US, certainly delivers on the size front, in

terms of display and build. This device is almost 47cm at its widest point and reassuringly weighty at around eight kilograms. This huge design and sturdy form thankfully equates to huge performance.

While the EH-TW9000W cannot be considered portable, there is no denying that the results are fully worth the work it takes to manoeuvre it into place. We were able to project an image up to 12-feet wide with no issues as far as scaling was concerned. With a few tweaks to the projector’s focus rings the image became perfectly crisp and colours were noticeably vivid, even in less than ideal light settings.

epson eh-tw9000wwww.epson.co.uk• PC, Mac with HDMI, RCA • £2,899

Show off your work and teach in Style with epSon’S full hd 3d wi-fi projector

Verdict: 8/10It is big in stature and price, but few projectors have fared better with graphics work than the EH-TW9000W

inside the eh-tw9000wWe shoW you What makes this amazing 3D Wi-Fi projector tick anD hoW it can Work For you

040092

This all translates into a projector that’ll do just as good a job at displaying your work in a darkened gallery, as it would in a light-filled classroom when teaching Photoshop to students. Where a lot of projectors fall down for creative professionals, the EH-TW9000W rises to the challenge. It displays deep blacks perfectly with all other colours remaining vivid and surprisingly true to the source image.

Such faithful colour reproduction is ideal for anyone using the device to project work, even techniques and tool sets in the Photoshop interface. Furthermore, if you’re using it in the latter capacity, you’ll be pleased to know that when connected via a HDMI lead the image is wonderfully responsive. The device enables you to apply in Photoshop and see changes reflected instantly with little to no lag.

The EH-TW9000W is a great entertainer too, as it is fully capable of presenting 3D films and imagery, with two pairs of 3D glasses bundled with the package. The projector can also work wirelessly (albeit by a mains-powered transmitter if your computer doesn’t support WiHD) making it a more flexible machine than many of its competitors.

The EH-TW9000W might be a little pricey for some, but if you are a working professional looking for uncompromising performance, this is by far one of the best projectors we’ve tested.

This projector’s large air vents on the front and a high temperature indicator on the top make it ideal for prolonged use, especially when teaching complex techniques or showing off work

A range of different mounting and placement options makes the eH-Tw9000w perfect for a variety of presentation applications

A set of dual-focus rings and two lens position controls make setting up and getting a sharp picture simple. You’ll always set your display in the right place, saving more time

the eh-tW9000W uses LcD technology to deliver incredibly bright images of up to 2,400 lumens. this means it will work well in both light and dark settings, producing pictures of unrivalled quality

092-093_AVP_104.indd 92 03/12/2012 12:08


WorldMags.net



APPS REVIEWS

DRAWING PAD

www.drawingpadapp.com• £1.49 / $1.99 • iPad, iOS 4.0 or later, Android 2.2 or later

CREATE WITH REALISTIC CRAYONS, MARKERS, PAINT BRUSHES, COLOURED PENCILS AND MORE

D rawing Pad’s accessible design, simple controls and nostalgic toolkit might make it seem like an app designed with children in mind. But this unassuming cross-

platform app is a powerful tool for those who profit from old-school illustrative looks. You’ll easily be able to sketch or paint ideas as well as advanced pieces of art.

The app’s rendering engine is impressive, especially when using the paint or crayon tools, whose multiple strokes result in different colour

VERDICT: 7/10Drawing Pad’s simplistic and skeuomorphic tools make it a great app for the quick generation of ideas

shades depending on how they are layered. For Photoshop users the app’s controls might seem a little on the simple side and the lack of advanced options may be a little frustrating. However, there’s plenty here to experiment with and any combination of tools can produce stunning results.

093

Drawing Pad tools are stored in a fun wooden-drawer interface, with photorealistic representations of how these work

071

© Imagine Publishing Ltd 2012/2013

ISSN 1748-7277

Magazine teamDeputy Editor Anna-lisa Saywell [email protected]

☎ 01202 586243

Reviews Editor Adam SmithDesigner Marcus FaintSub Editor Tim WilliamsonHead of Publishing Aaron AsadiHead of Design Ross AndrewsContributorsAngelica Jopson, Ed Mustaros, Sofiane Idrassi, Michael Gonzales, Joshua Rossi, Kirk Nelson, Chris McMahon, Liam McCabe, Steve Jenkins, Anna Johnstone, Russell Barnes, Freddie Harrison and Jo Cole.

AdvertisingDigital or printed media packs are available on request.

Head of Sales Hang Deretz

☎ 01202 [email protected]

Account Manager Becky Palmer

☎ 01202 [email protected]

Cover discHead of Digital Mat Toor

Digital Projects Coordinator Steve [email protected]

InternationalAdvanced Photoshop is available for licensing.Contact the International department to discusspartnership opportunities.

Head of International Licensing Cathy Blackman

☎ +44 (0) 1202 [email protected]

SubscriptionsHead of Subscriptions Lucy [email protected] all subscription enquiries:[email protected]

☎ UK: 0844 848 8402

☎ Overseas: +44 (0) 1795 592 88013-issue subscription (UK) – £62.3013-issue subscription (Europe) – £7013-issue subscription (ROW) – £80

CirculationHead of Circulation Darren Pearce

☎ 01202 586200

ProductionProduction Director Jane Hawkins

☎ 01202 586200

FoundersGroup Managing Director Damian ButtGroup Finance & Commercial Director Steven BoydGroup Creative Director Mark Kendrick

Printing & DistributionPrinted by: William Gibbons & Sons Ltd, 26 Planetary Road, Willenhall, West Midlands, WV13 3XTDistributed in the UK & Eire by: Seymour Distribution, 2 East Poultry Avenue, London, EC1A 9PT ☎ 0207 429 4000Distributed in Australia by: Gordon & Gotch, Equinox Centre,18 Rodborough Road, Frenchs Forest, NSW 2086☎ + 61 299 728 800Distributed to the rest of the world by: Marketforce,Blue Fin Building, 110 Southwark Street, London, SE1 0SU☎ 0203 148 8105

DisclaimerThe publisher cannot accept responsibility for any unsolicited material lost or damaged in the post. All text and layout is the copyright of Imagine Publishing Ltd. Nothing in this magazine may be reproduced in whole or part without the written permission of the publisher. All copyrights are recognised and used specifically for the purpose of criticism and review. Although the magazine has endeavoured to ensure all information is correct at time of print, prices and availability may change. This magazine is fully independent and not affiliated in any way with the companies mentioned herein.Photoshop is either a registered trademark or trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries and is used with express permission. All $ prices are US Dollars unless otherwise stated.

Imagine Publishing LtdRichmond House, 33 Richmond Hill,Bournemouth, Dorset, BH2 6EZ☎ +44 (0) 1202 586200Web: www.imagine-publishing.co.uk www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk www.greatdigitalmags.com

The magazine for Adobe® Photoshop® professionals

092-093_AVP_104.indd 93 03/12/2012 12:08


WorldMags.net



094

Don’t waste your life: “This portrays the choice we make for a healthier lifestyle or not. It’s visually detailed through the ageing

face on the dark side of youth and radiant on the healthy side of the face. I used blending modes, such as Screen, Overlay and Multiply and a lot of masks, to create the image,” says Paulo © José Paulo

094-097_AVP_104.indd 94 04/12/2012 15:58


WorldMags.net



095

We talk to digital artist José Paulo about his brilliant Work on the advanced PhotoshoP blog. WWW.advancedPhotoshoP.co.uk

interview

readers’ gallery

José Paulo is a digital artist with over seven years of experience in the industry. As a lover of everything related to digital art, we wanted to know how he creates such vibrant images.

How did you get into digital art?Manipulated images have always fascinated me. When I was young I had a dream that one day I would be able to do what I want with any image I choose and work with full freedom to modify and create truly inspirational [results]. Now I think my work is the mirror of my dream.

How would you describe your style?I have very different styles. I explore many different techniques such as photomanipulation, 3D and

digital painting. Although I can’t give a specific name to my style, what I can say is that I like to create a mixture of images related to [as well as inspired by] beauty, creativity and nature.

wHat artists Have influenced you?My main source of inspiration is the work of amazing digital artists that I have the pleasure of coming across on the web. MichaelO, Zach Bush, Peter Jaworowski, Jerico Santander, Pete Harrison, Javier Alvarado and Martin Grohs all gave me the guidance I needed to explore my world and create my own images. In terms of websites, I look at SlashTHREE, Desktopography, deviantART, Shadowness, advanced Photoshop and Advanced Creation on a regular basis.

readers’ gallery eye on design

JOSé paulOwww.zepaulocreation.blogspot.com

our reader

Time for your life: Paulo describes this image: “i tried to give an idea about the society we live in. i used polar co-ordinates to give the impression of a clock. After that i really cut a lot of images to put them in a clock format. i used a lot of colour adjustments and lighting effects” © José Paulo

094-097_AVP_104.indd 95 04/12/2012 15:58


WorldMags.net



040096

eye on design readers’ gallery

How would you describe your own creative process?It’s separated into two parts. When I work for a client, they give me the brief and the elements (sketches) I need to build the image. After that I develop the image with all orientations. When I’m developing a personal work I don’t usually draw, but I will build the image I have in mind. It’s a long process that includes the insertion and removal of many elements to reach the final result.

wHat pHotosHop tecHniques and tools do you use?I explore as many techniques as I can, photomanipulations, illustrations, digital painting and a bit of 3D mixed in usually give the result I need. The approaches I use to improve my skills are hard work and experimentation. I don’t have a single powerful function that I always use in Photoshop, but several, such as the blending modes, selections, filters and colour adjustments.

do you use pHotosHop for everytHing you do?There is no doubt that Photoshop is the main tool and the one I spend hours exploring. I work daily on a Mac in the studio, as it’s very efficient. I also use a tablet, Lightroom, Photoshop and CINEMA 4D. Of course we have a scanner, but I like to develop photographs that have been taken in the studio. I use Illustrator, freehand and a bit of CINEMA 4D if necessary, but Photoshop is the key.

Girl on fire: “This was one of my first jobs. i tried to explore Pen Pressure, many lighting effects and surround the model with a lot of energy. A lot of screen blending modes were key to achieving this result,” Paulo reveals © José Paulo

The music story: Paulo explains: “i developed this because i love music, so i put instruments coming out of the girl’s headphones. i replicated the painting style through the Brush and smudge tools and some light effects with screen blending model” © José Paulo

094-097_AVP_104.indd 96 04/12/2012 15:59


WorldMags.net



097

I like to create a mixture of images related to beauty,

creativity and nature

readers’ gallery eye on design

What projects are you Working on at the moment?I work on new projects every day. At the moment we are developing some fashion retouching and advertisement work (an international campaign) but if I have any available time at night I try to explore my imagination for new digital artwork. I never give up trying to explore new techniques to improve my digital skills.

What are your plans and aspirations for the future?My goal for the future will always be to improve the quality of my work. I currently work in a fantastic photographic studio in Oporto (LaLaLand Studios www.behance.net/lalalandstudios) with one of the most reputable fashion photographers in Portugal, Frederico Martins (www.fredericomartins.net). I also continue to train new students in Photoshop where I tell them that Photoshop is a fantastic program, which enables us to expand all our imaginations into a work of art.

Before any work starts I have a process of creativity and design both on paper and in my mind. This is a method that helps me develop the image with the highest possible quality.

I never use the Eraser tool, as layer masks are the most powerful tools we have on Photoshop. When I’m working on a huge file with lots of layers, I try to organise all my layers with different colours and groups. Always give names to your layers in order to save time when you are working with multiple layers.

Another fantastic tool for me is the Pen. 90 per cent of my selections are done with the Pen tool, as it enables a much more detailed and perfect selection than any other option.

If I can, when I think I’ve finished my work, I try to wait a day to complete the piece or to make the last changes. These hours of waiting are crucial to actually modify or complete the work with much higher quality. The next day you’ll see if the same work is complete, or if you need to make further modifications. It’s often incredible how many changes you’ll spot in this way.

Paulo Provides us with his toP creative tiPs on how to Produce great artwork

design tips

The last world: “this is one of my favourite jobs. First because it gives importance to nature and second because it serves as a warning to the world’s population,” explains Paulo © José Paulo

Dismap: “this image was very simple to develop. the model is very beautiful and i wanted a different face deforming the model, but i didn’t want to lose the beauty. i used a combination of vectors and masks and the displace filter,” Paulo explains © José Paulo

Liquid motion guy: “this [image] took hundreds of layers and lots of patience,” says Paulo © José Paulo

094-097_AVP_104.indd 97 04/12/2012 15:59


WorldMags.net



To

ON THE DISCLOAD THE DISC TO DISCOVER A WEALTH OF PHOTOSHOP PROJECTS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS

098

RUNNINGTHE DISCSThese discs have been compiled to run on Windows XP and Vista and Mac OS X.

WINDOWS USERSThe CD-ROM should autorun once placed into your disc drive. If not, follow the instructions below.1. Browse to My

Computer.2. Right-click on your

CD drive and select Open from the drop-down list.

3. Read the ‘readme’ fi le if there’s one present to fi nd out which fi les you need to launch to run the CD interface.

APPLE MAC USERSWe support OS X 10.3 and higher unless otherwise stated.This CD-ROM interface will NOT autorun when placed into your CD drive. Instead:1. Double-click the

CD icon on your desktop.

2. Read the ‘readme’ fi le if there’s one present to fi nd out which fi les you need to launch to run the CD interface.

LICENSINGSome so� ware on this disc is shareware, which means that if you continue to use the program, you should register it with the author and, in some cases, pay. Freeware programs can be used free of charge indefi nitely. Trial versions are either time-limited (eg they will stop working a� er 30 days) or have some features disabled.

If the menu doesn’t run or your disc is faulty then we will replace it free of charge. Just drop an email listing the problem to [email protected] and it will be sorted out promptly. If you are having trouble getting the best out of individual programs or extras provided, then please contact the relevant software companies.

Issue 105 of is on sale 24 January 2013

ANY DISC PROBLEMS

Having trouble with any of the techniques in this issue’s tutorials? Don’t know how to make the best use of your free resources? Want to have your work critiqued by those in the know? Then why not visit the Advanced Photoshop Facebook page for all your questions, concerns and qualms. There is a friendly community of fellow Photoshop users to help you out, as well as regular posts and updates from the magazine team. Like us today and start chatting!

facebook.com/AdvancedPhotoshop

LOAD CD

NEED HELP WITHTHE TUTORIALS?

On each issue’s disc we present four of the best artworks from the members of our online gallery website. So, if you want to showcase your work to our readers and online community, head to www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk.

READERS’ GALLERYTHE BEST WORK FROM OUR WEBSITE

RESOURCES ON THE DISC

098_AVP_104.indd 98 04/12/2012 17:56


WorldMags.net



Breathe life into your story with Poser.® Use Poser to pull inassets from any location, including online and local libraries,

or from your favorite 3D tools. Take complete control of lighting, clothing and props to build your scenes, populate with characters

and tell your story. Discover your path to personal creativity atposer.smithmicro.com

@poserpro /poser3Dfi gures

Image by synthymonkey.Miki3 from Content Paradise. Circus props by

Sixus 1 and Luke A, TerraDome by Runtime DNA.

Poser, Poser Pro, the Poser logo, and the Smith Micro Logo are trademarks and or registered trademarks of Smith Micro Software, Inc. Copyright © 2011 All Rights Reserved.

™

Boundless creativity beckons you.

Full pg.indd 1 29/11/2012 12:00


WorldMags.net



Full Page.indd 1 29/11/2012 12:00


WorldMags.net



Documents

Advanced Photoshop UK - Issue 104 2012