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Advanced Photoshop Issue 058
Advanced Photoshop Issue 058
FREE
RESOURCES
• •
VECTORS BRUSHES TEXTURES
ISSUE
ISSUE
5849
47
Realistic brushwork | Motion graphics | Fantasy lighting | Get your first commission | Using photo references | Interview: Sam Gilbey
STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE
FANTASY
LIGHTING
Bring photos to life with creative
lighting and exposure techniques 8-PAGE FEATURE
MOTION
40 PAGN
TECH
ES OFES,
IQU
ND
TIPS ADVICE
GRAPHICS
Learn how to use Photoshop’s
Animation options like a pro
PRO A
REALISTIC
IN-DEPTH WORKSHOP
BRUSHWORK
• Combine hard and soft brushes • Master brush modes
• Add tones with the Airbrush • Create custom brushes
HOW TO...
www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk
commission
SH
• Become a
OP.
fashion illustrator
CO.UK
ISSUE 58 £5.99
READERS’ GALLERY USING PHOTO REFERENCES
ISSN 1748-7277
58
Get essential exposure and win Turn any portrait photo into a manga-
a Flash website worth £99! inspired illustration with our tutorial 9 771748 727009
Magazine team
Welcome to
ac g. s nd ha h,
rf in ok a y ra
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Editor Julie Easton
su sh o BC he Sa
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co u s o he nd if
julie.easton@imagine-publishing.co.uk
Advanced Photoshop
w. P ie r t la s w
☎ 01202 586243
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Editor in Chief Jo Cole
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jo.cole@imagine-publishing.co.uk
Photoshop’s brush engine is
m
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co
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Senior Staff Writer Adam Smith
e.
od e s oo
improving all the time, so the Designer Stacey Grove
VID
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Senior Sub Editor Colleen Johnson
DA
fro id r
program is a great tool for digital
m
v
Sub Editor Sam Robson
Da
Group Art Editor Lora Barnes
painting. It’s a great skill to learn too, as Head of Design Ross Andrews
mastery over the brushes can help Contributors
Debbi Allen, David Cousens, Natalie Johnson, April Madden,
you to add punch and originality to all Kirk Nelson, George Patsouras, Josie Reavely, Rob Shields,
Sarah Slee and Amy Squibb
re mi ou de e
ge at
io n n
ca m p y w , sh
ross.webster@imagine-publishing.co.uk
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james.hanslip@imagine-publishing.co.uk
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some practice, then our manga-inspired illustration ☎ 01202 586442
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hang.deretz@imagine-publishing.co.uk
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☎ 01202 586438
ta
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stuart.mcbride@imagine-publishing.co.uk
m
Cover disc
cu
brushes can add that little something extra to Interactive Media Manager Lee Groombridge
your photo projects with our guide to fantasy Head of Digital Projects Stuart Dixon
Senior Multimedia Editor Steve Litton
lighting techniques. apxtrahelp@imagine-publishing.co.uk
Our main feature this month might push you out of International
Advanced Photoshop is available for licensing. Contact the
your comfort zone, exploring the Animation tools present International department to discuss partnership opportunities.
in Photoshop Extended packages. We take a look at how International Manager Cathy Blackman
☎ +44 (0) 1202 586401
t.c e a io, re in
n’s
licensing@imagine-publishing.co.uk
ct na ete s n in
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lucy.nash@imagine-publishing.co.uk
s u C it sh st
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ch ks. T eo d C a fr
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KIR
PA
can become a fashion illustrator, discover the best To order a subscription to Advanced Photoshop:
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ta tos tin the hics
bo us Isla ras
rio ng ou
Email: adphotoshop@servicehelpline.co.uk
ck h g
fro org
Ge
marketplaces to get your first paid commission. 13-issue subscription (Europe) – £70
13-issue subscription (ROW) – £80
See you next month!
Circulation
Circulation & Export Manager Darren Pearce
or om
o
cr rea Sam s on gra
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Disclaimer
DE
ea te
Ph , sh tal bli
The publisher cannot accept responsibility for any unsolicited material lost
es th to Pu
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ito
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© Imagine Publishing
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4
Advanced Photoshop TORS
004_AVP_58_EdIntro.indd 4 28/5/09 14:15:23
Cover
Cover image
“This piece was inspired by Joan of Arc for the
perseverance of her devotion to God and for the
faith that’s carved in our own hearts. She was a
character who symbolised much; someone who was
Imageer:
famous as a demonic fanatic and at the same time as
MARIO WIBISONO
an adored heroine and saint.
“This image was created in Photoshop using a
mouse and an Intuos3 graphics tablet. It took 70
hours to complete.” “Created in Photoshop using a
/ http://raynkazuya.cgsociety.org/
mouse and an Intuos3 tablet”
5
Advanced Photoshop
ISSUE #58
inside... 36
Add depth to your
digital artworks
INSIGHT
The best digital artists around
Laura Alejo
18
18
Brian Gossett 42
Sean Thurlow 62
COMMUNITY 08
The latest news, website images and readers’
thoughts from our mailbox and forum
News 08
Mailbox 12
On the web 14
THE COVER Web challenge winners 16
Our fantastic cover image is courtesy of Mario
Wibisono. You can learn how to improve your own
digital painting skills on page 50 this issue in our
Workshop by George Patsouras HELP 64
Tips, techniques and problems solved
Helpdesk 64
INDUSTRY SECTION 70
Essential advice for becoming a pro digital artist
Interview: Arnaud Simon-Laforest 70
Feature: Getting paid commissions 72
scribe to Uni focus: Illustration courses 78
b
To sudvanced rn to Career guide: Fashion illustrator 82
A op, tu cial 56 90
osh spe
Phot 68 for affer! Re-create these rainbow Our pick of the best reader
THIS MONTH’S CD 98
pagereader o
lighting effects submissions this month
Superb stock art, project files and more!
CD guide 98
6
Advanced Photoshop
© Sam Gilbey
FEATURES/REGULAR TECHNIQUES
Insightful interviews and in-depth articles Essential guides to professional Photoshop skills
7
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• Pg 08......................News
• Pg 12 .................Mailbox p, Painter
UGH: Photosho www.ballisticpublishing.com/books/expose/expose_7
SAILING THRO
• Pg 14 .................Website Yap Kun Rong,
JAPAN
8
Advanced Photoshop
WIN $25,000
Simplify selective colouring ple
Blurb (www.blurb.com) is
announcing its call for entries for its
second annual Photography.Book.
(MY) LADY IN RED (SPOTS): An exam Now International Juried
with
of creator Lawrence Murray’s work Competition. There are three
tintii © Lawrence Murray categories – Fine Art, Editorial and
indii.org – Commercial – and the grand prize is
tintii 2.1.0 – the updated software from
ever to appl y selec tive colour $25,000 to finish (or start) a
makes it easier than
you love the stun ning photography project of the winner’s
effects to your imag es. If
ing), then choice. The closing date is 16 July
style of Sin City (known as colour popp 2009. Enter now at www.
It work s by separating
you’ll want to give this a try. photographybooknow.com.
of your imag es into grou ps of
the colour profile
9
Advanced Photoshop
Q&A
Designed to meet modern consumer demands for low-cost
hardware and inks, the stylish new range of printers
promise affordability without skimping on quality.
The Epson Stylus Photo P50 aims to provide
photography enthusiasts and amateur digital artists with
high-quality output, using Epson’s Micro Piezo print head
technology. The P50 uses individual inks for greater cost
TOM efficiency and even coats prints with a fingerprint-resistant
WELSH
We chat to Tom Welsh,
top layer to improve their durability. It can also print
borderless photos up to A4 and comes with a full set of inks
and paper in the box to get you up and running. Available
architect of Snap Art 2, from 1 July, you can pick up a P50 for £90 (RRP).
to find out more about the benefits of A further five models are added to Epson’s popular Stylus
the software, as well his vision of the family: the SX515W, SX415, SX215, SX115 and S21. These
future of digital art
printers are geared towards everyday use by families that
love to share their images. The Epson Stylus SX515W
Q: WHY USE SNAP ART 2 EPSON STYLUS SX515: A versatile all-in-one (available now, RRP £150) is a printer, scanner, copier and
OVER THE TOOLS AND designed for family life fax all in one, with built-in Wi-Fi, an LCD screen as well as
TEXTURES PHOTOSHOP PictBridge and memory card slots. The SX415 (from 1 July,
ALREADY OFFERS? RRP £120) is a robust all-in-one that sports a 2.5-inch LCD,
A: Snap Art helps the user create PictBridge and memory card connectivity, while the SX215
images that look like handmade art www.epson.co.uk features a new push-scan button and will only set you back
and are much more realistic than the £100. Completing the line-up, the SX115 and S21 are on sale
filters provided by Photoshop. From a from 1 July, sporting RRPs of £70 and £50 respectively.
single photo, you can create a portrait
or landscape that looks like a real
painting and that is ready for printing
on canvas. We also provide a rich user Alien Skin launches Snap Art 2
interface so you can control where to
put the image detail, the style of the
strokes, the colours of the image, the
Photoshop plug-in FOCUS CONTROL: Use this tool
to pinpoint
canvas texture and lighting. The clever people at Alien Skin have areas where you want to retain
detail
launched yet another
innovative piece of creative soft
ware to help digital artists
Q: WHAT’S THE BEST create masterpieces with greater
ease than ever before.
THING ABOUT CREATING Snap Art 2 is a Photoshop plug-in
that allows you to
ARTWORK DIGITALLY? turn photographs into stunning
works of art with just one
A: You don’t have to worry about click. The program is capable of
simulating a wide range
messing up. Each setting can be saved of textures, as well as realistic-look
ing individual
so you can go back and tweak the brushstrokes that look so good,
Alien Skin boasts: “The
result. Also, you can create something finished piece begs to be hung
that looks real in just a few minutes. in a gallery, especially
when printed on canvas.” It even
goes so far to say that
artwork created using Snap Art
2 is “indistinguishable
Q: IN YOUR OPINION, WHAT from handmade art,” which is quit
e an endorsement.
DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR Although it’s possible to quickly
generate artwork from
ART? ARE WE GOING TO BE photos automatically, the software
does allow the user
USING PAINT OR PIXELS? control over the results, with the
facility to pinpoint areas
A: I think there is room for both styles. where you want more detail to be you want. Most of the filters
retained (Focus
Working with real paint is a totally regions). There are hundreds of included with Snap Art 2 also
new styles as well as ten
unique experience and cannot be distinctive natural media to choo offer a Photorealism slider,
fully replaced. On the other hand, a se from, including
watercolour, oil paint and pencil which lets you keep images like
program like Snap Art opens up a lot sketch, to name a few.
You can then customise the look portraits clear around your
of possibilities for photographers of your chosen tool’s
strokes by adjusting options like subject’s face for instance, with
who have the ability to create the paint thickness and
brush size until you end up with painterly effects elsewhere in
amazing results with a camera but precisely the look that
the frame.
who do not have a background in
This high level of user control and a
drawing or painting. I have seen some slick interface make
Snap Art 2 look pretty appealing, and
talented photographers do at $199
www.alienskin.com/snapart/in (approximately £130) for the full softw
fantastically creative stuff with tools dex .aspx are (discounts
like Snap Art and Photoshop. available for upgraders) it’s an affor
dable way to
supplement your arsenal of creative
toolkit.
Find out more at www.alienskin.com
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Advanced Photoshop
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Advanced Photoshop
Web challenge
The winners TH
Challenge reference: AP 057 MOIS
On our website, www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk/competitions.php, we run a web
challenge where you are asked to create an image in Photoshop using at least one
P NT RI H’
of three images provided. These challenges are updated monthly and they are
becoming increasingly popular, so get your entries in for a chance to win.
ZE S
Check out the website for details of our latest challenge and how to enter. The
winner will collect a special prize for that month (prizes change frequently) and will
also have their design printed in the magazine, along with two runners-up.
STARCROSS’D
ARTIST: Thomas Ciccone
WEB: www.pixlmix.com
EXOTIC FOREST
ARTIST: José Paulo Amorim Reis
WEB: www.zepaulocreation.blogspot.com
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Advanced Photoshop
Mailbox
Do you have a question about the magazine? Email your
thoughts to advancedpshop@imagine-publishing.co.uk or
visit www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk/forum
more. The disc only holds 700MB, so we simply
didn’t have the room to put them in.
Finally, we found that in many cases the PSDs
actually caused more confusion than they did
help! Some of our tutorials come from images that
already exist – ie we see an image that we like and
SUBJECT: Shoddy work! ask the artist to show us how they did it. A lot of
FROM: Paul Douglass the time the layers are not organised or there are
I’ve been a subscriber to the magazine for years some missing where they have merged layers in
and love it; I can’t fault it really… except now! the past, so it wouldn’t correlate to the tutorial. In
I’ve just received issue 56 of Advanced other cases, artists change their minds halfway
Photoshop and while having a quick flick through a piece, and you’ll see lots of ‘hidden’
through on my commute to work I noticed the layers that don’t contribute to the tutorial.
feature on pages 84-88. I’m under no illusion I hope that this explains our decision to you.
that I’m the only person to spot this, however, We will review our policy on the back of your
the main image of the iMac used on page 84 email, however, it is the first time that we have
has clearly been flipped. At first I noticed this had this query. It would mean balancing the
simply because I use an iMac and know that the needs of those who wish to have the layered
CD/DVD slot is on the right rather than the left. I PSDs and those who would rather have the
thought that was quite bad of you, lazy actually, additional content, like video tutorials, stock
and then I saw the keyboard, followed by the images and brushes, as there is simply not
Apple logo! Come on, the irony that a schoolboy FLIPPING OUT: Did you spot our ‘deliberate’ enough room for everything!
error like this could be made in a Photoshop error back in issue 56 of the magazine? One keen-
eyed reader did…
magazine surely can’t be lost on you. I’m
assuming the ‘web page’ wasn’t supposed to be magazine, issue number 56, and I saw that there SUBJECT: Website question
fullscreen and, if so, what happened? Or more to aren’t the full PSD tutorial files on the CD. I can FROM: Tom Starley
the point, if not, why wouldn’t you leave the only see the starting image but not the final one I have just got a quick question regarding the
desktop and icon bar on there for a less with all the Photoshop layers. This problem also Advanced Photoshop website. I’ve noticed that
amateurish look? appears in your previous issue. Why are the full in the Editor’s blog it reads: “Hi guys, just a
PSD files with layers not included? In many cases friendly reminder to KEEP POSTING COMMENTS!
Editor replies: Hi Paul, thanks for pointing that out! over the last year, I found the full PSD files with We love the standard of artwork coming
You’re right, of course, there’s no excuse for that all the layers the best possible way to follow the through our gallery’s virtual doors, but there
getting through to print. We’ll keep a beady eye tutorial, so I decided to buy a subscription to seems to be an absence of ratings and
on these sorts of things to ensure that nothing learn that way. But now, if I’m honest, I don’t like comments. We are all here to learn and be
else like this slips through. your choice not to include the full PSD file,
because many of the tutorials aren’t as clear.
LAYERS AND ALL: How useful would the fully
layered PSD be on our disc, and is it worth the
SUBJECT: PSDs on the disc? Editor replies: We used to try and always include sacrifice of the other resources?
FROM: Alessandro Pallotta the PSD files of the tutorials on the free CD, but
I’m from Rome, Italy, and I have a subscription made the decision a while back to take them off
with Advanced Photoshop. Today I received the for a number of reasons.
First up, we often have copyright issues about
what can and can’t go on the disc. For example, if
“We’re finding that a contributor uses a stock image from, say, iStock,
file sizes of the Second of all, where we are trying to get high-
profile artists to break down their work for more
final PSDs can professional techniques, we’re finding that the
number of layers used is increasing and the file
easily top 300MB” sizes of the final PSDs can easily top 300MB and
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Advanced Photoshop
On the web
www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk
Our website and readers’ forum is perfect for showing off Photoshop creations. We present the best images on
the site this month. Log on and upload to get your images here next issue!
JUST A JOKE
ARTIST: Mimika
Papadimitriou
WEB: www.
advancedphotoshop.co.uk/
user/Mimika
HYDROGEN
BLOCK KARLA
ARTIST: Sudarshan A ARTIST: Javier Alvarado Quesada
WEB: www. WEB: www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk/user/poisonvectors
advancedphotoshop.
co.uk/user/Suddu At the tender age of 22, Costa Rican graphic designer Javier
Alvarado Quesada’s colourful artworks have twice been made
”I am a 14-year-old graphic designer from Tamil Nadu in India. I have been Picture Of The Week on the Advanced Photoshop gallery
learning graphics on my own for over a year now. I really enjoy website (you may remember his stunning work Giros, which
photomanipulation, so this picture was more of an experimentation for me. was voted POTW at the end of last year. If not, you can find it at
For Hydrogen Block, I had the vision of a block of hydrogen that could be www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk/show_image.
used as fuel in the future. I drew the lines using my graphics tablet, php?imageID=12279).
extracted water from a few stock images to give it the splashy feel and I “I am a freelance graphic designer. This piece (Karla)
manipulated them to fit the boarder. I added a few image adjustments to comprises a total of 100 layers mixing vectors and renders to
finish it off.” try and express energy from the movement.”
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Advanced Photoshop
HOPE
ARTIST: Mona Parvin
WEB: www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk/user/anom
Our winner this month was chosen because of the use of stock and because the final image was unlike any other entry that we received into the
contest this month. Artist Mona Parvin shares the secrets of how she created her finished image: “I used all three images. For the bird I did a lot
of masking, filtering, dodging and playing with Curves. To join the bird’s beak with the tree trunk, I used a lot of gradients as well as the Cloning
Stamp tool, and I painted the beak to blend into the tree.
“For the background, I used several layer copies of the tree photo that I desaturated, changed blending modes and masked. Then I used
different paint colours to create texture. For the house, I changed the adjustment layer to black and white and masked out what I wanted, then I
painted it with different colours. Finally, I painted some floral lines to add detail.”
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Advanced Photoshop
Zip: “Illustra
tio
stickers. Hand n for Hush
-drawn vector
shapes were
created in
Illustrator, vo
lume texture
and colour in
Photoshop”
is a
Vokal: “This
a
poster design for
rt
clothing line, pa
of a collection of
es
five posters. Shap
and lines were
designed in
e,
Illustrator. Volum
r
texture and colou
we re ap pli ed in
Photoshop”
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Advanced Photoshop
Laura Alejo
Website: www.lauraalejo.com
Clients: Sony Ericsson, Nokia, Discovery Channel
Growing up in her native Spain, Laura Alejo was always doodling and building
things. Receiving a degree in Industrial Design from Escola Massana, she
continued her studies by completing a degree in Graphic Design. This was all
invaluable experience, which encouraged Alejo to kick-start her own design
studio, Studio Copyright (www.studiocopyright.com), with colleagues Joel
Lozano, David Pocull and Cristina Belles.
“It was here that we started work in motion graphics on top of print,” she
explains. “In 2007 I decided to move to New York, and after some freelance work I
was offered a designer position at content creation studio Hush (www.heyhush.
com).” Currently, she holds the title of lead designer and art director. You will have
seen Alejo’s designs featured in advertising campaigns such as Niketown New
York (London, 2008) and Vokal Clothing (2008), as well as in branding for
international leaders in the mobile phone industry Nokia and Sony Ericsson.
But regardless of her transatlantic success, this hasn’t changed her habitual
application: “I always begin with pencil-on-paper sketches.” Usually then
generating basic forms, shapes and typography in Illustrator, Alejo eventually
combines all the elements in Photoshop. “It’s the final step in my process,” she
admits. “I also use it to retouch images and to create collage compositions. I work
intensely with Photoshop because it allows me to be very precise. It allows me to
be extremely detailed and that gives my work the deep richness and strength that
I strive for when approaching reality within my designs.”
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Advanced Photoshop
about getting
LA
Millar. As a lif
character th
at M
R 1: “4Tale
elong fan of nt magazine asked me to
ark had
comics mysel
f, this was a illustrate the career of co
the composit written for was kind of dream commission. Bein mic writer Mark
ion to flow an daunting to
start with, bu g able to draw any
d to tie into t
the narrativ
e about how ultimately it was all
his career de
veloped”
SAM
GILBEY Sam Gilbey’s love of films,
comic books and
videogames is obvious
when you take a look
through his portfolio. We
find out more…
S
am Gilbey has been a busy man;
MARK MILLAR
over the past few months, he’s been 2: “For the second
in Portugal at Offf (the International spread I moved
Festival for the Post-Digital Creation onto the Marvel
work he’s done, so
Culture) as well as creating artwork for clearly Spidey had
numerous magazines. to make an
“It’s a bit crazy,” the artist agrees. Looking appearance! And
more recently
at Gilbey’s portfolio, you will see how heavily Mark’s own
movie-based artwork features. Films, comic books characters have
been making their
and even videogames have had a distinct way to the movies,
influence over the artist, who particularly enjoys so I wanted to show
creating portraits: “I have quite a broad range of that as well
without breaking
influences. Movies are really central, as before I the continuity of
started getting commissions I thought, ‘What do I the illustration”
really like?’ and I wanted to celebrate what I
thought was exciting about movies. I’ve always
played videogames and been really inspired by No Heroics was nominated for the Best New British TV
them, too. On one level, I suppose you could say This love of a comic-book style can clearly be seen Comedy of 2008 at the British Comedy Awards,
that they have been more influential for my in Gilbey’s work for ITV’s No Heroics (Tiger Aspect thrusting it further into the spotlight. Gilbey
graphic design work and my web design stuff Productions). The station’s first original sitcom, explains how he got involved: “Just before the end
because you’ve got all these years of people which began in September 2008 and was made of 2007, I was contacted by Dick Lunn (art director,
creating amazing things to refer to. up of six episodes, is a series about a group of Hot Fuzz) about possibly being involved with this
“Comics as well. I grew up reading a lot of friends, who are also off-duty superheroes. It new show about a group of British
comics; my uncle gave me tons of his Seventies
reprints of a lot of the Marvel stuff, so I had lots of
Spiderman comics that I adored.
“Anything that you’re experiencing at that age
“It’s about going back to the inner kid
is going to have a continuous effect. It’s about and trying to hold on to the feeling of
going back to the inner kid and trying to hold on
to the feeling of how excited I was to see that how excited I was to see that movie or
movie or play that game and capture that sense,
keeping things positive. I’d say my work feels
play that game and capture that sense,
positive, as my colours are bright and saturated.” keeping things positive”
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“I tend to start off in Painter and then go you feel you want to do, really push it as far as you
can. Once you start a piece, don’t keep referring
to Photoshop. I build up the tones and back to work that other people have done. You
shades in Painter and go back and forth just have to go with your own instincts.
“Give yourself time to develop your own thing
between the programs, but always do and it’ll come eventually, but it’ll come because
you’ve given it time to grow. Keep it fresh and do
the final stages in Photoshop” your own thing.”
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Advanced Photoshop
ERRANT TEE:
A man of many talents “Errant Surf So what does the future hold for Gilbey? “I’m
It is with this attitude that Gilbey approaches all teaches people not sure what I can talk about at the moment,”
how to surf and
his projects, not all of which revolve around art. asked me to design teases the artist. “I want to do an experience
Working with Jason Arber, his former co-worker their new logo and diagram to demonstrate what it was like being at
on the aforementioned Pixel Surgeon, Gilbey has branding, and a t- Offf. A typographic illustration with lots of little
shirt too. I wanted
recently completed a music piece for a Channel to create a free- details, the things that were interesting or even
Five ident: “My degree was a dual honours degree flowing illustration” the things that were slightly annoying. That’s the
in Visual Arts and Music, so I suppose if I wasn’t main thing my brain is thinking about right now.
doing this then music might have been another I’ll probably post a blog about it on my site.”
thing I could have done. GarageBand is great for His website can be found via www.sam-gilbey.
keeping a little bit of that happening still.” com (below). You can also buy some pieces as
In fact, Gilbey also has lots of projects on the well, although the official Gilbey shop is still in
go, not all of which are paid commissions. development: “I like to keep busy and have lots of
Personal projects are just as important to this things on the go; I feel more inspired that way,
artist. He’s a firm believer in the fact that if you even if that’s also slightly more stressful.”
have a good enough idea then you can apply it to
any medium. And even though this keeps the www.sam-gilbey.com
designer on his toes, that’s just the way he likes it:
“I’ve always got several things at the back of my
mind that I’d love to have time to do or to sketch
down somewhere. I’ve never felt like ‘What shall I
do next?’, it’s more ‘I’d love to do that but don’t
know when I can’. The problem is getting time to
do everything! The trick is to have a notebook
with you all the time, so when you have an idea or HALLOWEEN FLYE
R:
a double bill at the New “Edgar Wright was presenting
an idea about how to evolve a project, just have it Beverly Cinema in LA,
if I’d be interested in
creating a flyer. Rather and asked
ready to make notes or do sketches. In reality I my Shaun of the De than reusing
ad illustration from
I had some fun doing a few years back,
don’t do as much of it as I’d like to do.” some bespoke illustra
is something I’d like ted type. This
to explore further in
the future”
26
Advanced Photoshop
M OT IO
GRAPHICS
G
With Pho
how in th toshop Extended
is introdu y
ction to cou have the powe
ICS
reating, e r
diting an to start animating
d compilin .
g movingWe explain
footage
we
M
sty bsite
i n
ot
ion
du gra
a r st p
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mm re illu at m i
e po st th os s on
Eff Sinc rcial ppin rativ e m t exc e o
ec e b are g e m om iti f th
ts
ha eing na. up a usi ent ng a e cr
sb a ll o c v . Fr n e
ec cqu ve ide om d fr ativ
om ire rt os i n ui e
et db h e p an te tfu
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so i
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n t mm ve Ho fess
o
are ba he erc w i
of ck i i als pla eve onal
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ef 4, efi i
or A
C S t n g b e l an
ma fter ow 4 Ext of co crea has ima
ny n m en ns tiv lon tor
Ph oti ded ume e cap g be s an
ca on us ab en d m
p ot rs
de acit osho gra ers h , and iliti con otio
sig y f p ph a e
lay ne or CS ics ve now s, w cern n de
b h
pe ers. rs to anim 4 Ex mak een Pho ich ed w sign
r m Im a ten e t t is i e
AV itt pro pp tion de ve eat sho to t th cr rs.
a o r o
an I and ing d ved ly di wit d ha r. ed
to
p C he oss
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dM M re
pr P
v
PE esig ide ctly ne up
h s th S3 a wh Over
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ex view EG-4 G fil ners o file to i w sc date ve fe
at th
po e m i e d ry atu Pho e ne
rti and . New s. O to im sup por nce its a s p es r to xt
ng u p t s cr
e p
fra xpo con tput ort ort n ed v , wh eati art an shop eig
me rt tro ty Qu ow id ich ve of d ht
co aud ls e pes ickT ex eo fr allo a m how can pag
mm io na ot t d o e
in im ist am w ion he p , ho s, we
en trac ble d clud e a s, e r w ’
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in esig MO d m
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o
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dit rs , AV st s w nal it in
ion to I or s us s An g a
to kfl e i m loo
ow th
. e p atio k at
ro n
gr
am
28
Advanced Photoshop
K
Key
ey terms
We trante r m s
you’ll disslate some key
animatiocover when e terminologie
n metho xploring s
Twee ds
n
t weenin : In digital an
im
key fram g, a process w ation this re
h fe
frames es, automatic ere the user rs to motion
ove r a p all ca
eriod o y creating th n define t wo
f time. e in -be
Key fra t we e n
points m e :K
of moti ey frames are
drawn on befo used to
o re d
one ke r other wise cre the frames in efine pivotal
y frame a te d . -bet we
anothe a A
r set at t the beginnin n example wo en are
the car g o f a movin uld be
stoppin
Frame g. g car, a
nd
display rate: This re
ed seq fe r s to
animati uentiall the num
o y
frames n. The highe per second w ber of frames
p er sec r the ra ithin yo
transitio on te, ur
n will b d, the more fl meaning more
e. uid you
r anima
Rotosc tion
live vid oping: This
eo to c a n imation
ac tion. reate a tech
A nim
from fr r tists at temp ation mimic nique traces
ame to t to kee k ing th
video’s fr p is
motion ame while foll consistent lin live
. owing e
the live work
De pt h -ac tion
backgro of f ield: Th
is
Blurrin und focus wit refers to fore
g h g
Retouc one will draw in an animate round or
h a d
or adju ing 2D anima t tention to th scene.
s ti e
accom ting vir tual ca on with comp other.
plish th meras u
is. in 3D so ter soft ware
ft ware
De pt h helps
black-t mat te: A g
o -whit reyscale
and im e gradie image
p n made u
values or ted into Aft ts. Produced p of
a n d co e r E ff ec ts, th in Photosho
pixel va nv e r t s is reads p
lues clo them in
ser and to d the
darker istances, wit colour
values h white
fur ther
away.
29
Advanced Photoshop
AAnniomtaa
im o s
s hh opp d motio
n d e s ig
p tions
t h e
e s a laye
r m a s
b lu r with
a b la
la t est Ph
o t o s hop
iv e ele m e n
r b it 3D c a n gles, b
u t a lw
. T h en yo u m u st
PPhhoto
a n n o cre a t y h e a c t O a ll le
tors atio ant an asks a
nd t attr The from a ang ne pa
nel,
anima ’s Anim superior on’t w eating ment camer Timeli
ro fe s sional 4 E x tended f fe c t s’ you d y le s , layer m tribute to cr t o s h o p’s y o u r treat to a p rofile a t io n v e the
p fter E t h Pho o
Many o s h op CS t o A t o s h op’s L ayer s t a in ly con w it c a n set e p o s ition s h o p Anim
o s it io n, m e
e Pho
t ntar y e Ph o s ce r uple d ator s to r Phot o era P r choic
believ c o m pleme e r, m any se n t o the 3 D option n t w hen co . H e r e, anim t ra n sition. t iv a te the to 3 D Cam rame of you ce n e
erely owe v dditio te tion s otion t a c e f 3D S
are m gine. H otion
con
line op yfram imed in the
n e n w e lc ome a a te m T im e n in g of a m o a d ifferen a p p ly a ke t o a final t . B a c k t in g s and
tio e t icator t
anima o p t io ns as a q u ic kly cr A n im ation
m t h e begin
e in d icator o r la yer e in d 3 D C amera R e n d er se
tion hem d mes fr
o tim city tim your e the pe.
Anima tting t tor an keyfra rrent- n, Opa ns or om in ctivat reo Ty
iv e S uite, le ic s . n c e anima o v e the cu d if y Positio down optio a nd zo c t S c ene, a u n d er Ste uce so
me
t at la ). m o - n d
Crea e n t anim r e d by fre
e
a n d s.com A s you e , t hen m te n t drop w il l o p t io n, sele B lu e optio a n a lso pro
en d a h m n p / c
indep inion
sh utant ith time o
r fra
he lay
er co Photo
sho the Re
d
ical op
tion
an op ll (w www.m g worked w he ithin t lette), e. This select e Vert
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e, h Oran sty r Lay ry ke n tw Select
in
direct
or Jam f experienc
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n and
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SD
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d d a se
conda
r a mes b
etwee
l effect
s.
o p file. se
y e a ic k il y s ll y a o f f c o o s h u
oto u may After
ix ike, N d ea s atica eries
With s ding N y quickly an e layer a
nd
autom if ies a s ation. p tions d
o
P h
c lu ra t . o d n im o r o r
you en y p o
s in r sep a elin e lly m ting a elin e
client can ve e as a tion tim ls basica s crea ion Tim tools and
s: “You
explain each shot o
r scen p ’s Anima r e v e a t in g frame h e A nimat w it h f l a t ten ow wh otosho
tosh o swe r ex is
to util
ise t
et to g
rip s
er kn Ph ct
files w
ith to Pho
hem in s that.” Wign
all’s an
Anima
tion Ways ay to g Nev never future n proje
TI P
k t ’s s t w u a o
just ch
u c
simple
a
f Phot
osh o p
fun fra
me -
vary. T
he b e Yo se in imati
It reall
y is as p o t e ntial o
u c a n create the cts an
Effe
g are yo
c o m pellin s o f t w p r o je cts. e l a n d
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s . W el a n im r a
option tion (c tion F
anima Anima xtrem
ely
based o s hop’s is an e
ay s P h o t
a k e t h u m ent in
The w in te ract m n in g a doc
e e
palett ique. B
y op
Layers techn
s ib le
acces
30
Advanced Photoshop
TI P
project tough flexibility wor k fulpoyw ou
Apply au flow r
but lear o animate wha in your
essentian how to use th t you need,
in econols to produce the bare your ap tomated effe
plication ct
processs to speed up
mic file ese effec
sizes ts
Photos
hop’s ac tions
and C S are
4
maxim E x tended an great at exc
is im ell
impor t e your time e ation work fl ing your CS3
a ff o
Ac tion nt when work icienc y. This is w, helping yo
s in u
effec ts can be used to g on comme undoubtedly
, which g e n e rc ia l p rojec ts
impor te are the rate co
n mp .
examp d frame layer instantly app lex st yles an
le, anim s in the lied to d
when w ators w L ay e r s yo u r
o il pa
applyin rk ing with im l produce a re let te. For
g Levels p to
filters.
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r
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the vid g
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p as
Ever y e alet te, click in easy as ac tiv
ff g a
stop pla ec t applied is the ‘Create n ting the
y in g /record re c o e
rded un w ac tion’ ic
the ac ti ing til on.
o
howev n effec t, ac ti icon. Animatoyou click the
e ve
minimis r, can itself be layer by ac ti rs then apply
ti v
creatin ing your appli me - consumine layer. This,
g a Play cation
selec ti shor tcu time ev g, so conside
ng e r
Panel M Edit>Shor tc t key. You can n fur ther by
e u d
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s>Play
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nd. for the r:
n
mai
e s our
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n Tim i m
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t
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ind
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laye y out th n s, similar n W S e t yo u
e
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s
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p h
a r
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ra p of Pho O p d o w > t o 2 5f g s ’ f l y e o f t h
graower
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c o a te t w e n s h e u n s a ke
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n
( W i e r ate S e t t i n ht s i d
y p o h n
to t e nt a d t h i s f
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31
Advanced Photoshop
FFrr
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for c , w e 0 p
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p os a r e b l u b t h e p f yo u r a of th ing. Yo e you a rames b Onion p on toshop tell it ap the L a er. This
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a n i m ti o n th e b a r s o ev i ew h n i m ati dro e O ni o u c an c re cur r e fo re a Sk in , Animayers. It r t from rs
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Sp a at i o n y m o n t n t h e t a n d l e b n , yo u
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t . Y hoo o to c e d h
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aw e t yo u o o ng de r o u n f o r o e t s yo u
! r v i d u r p r ev o n l y r e s f o r yo r V i d e ds . utlin
32 eo a
nd w
ie nde
r ur o. es ,
Advanced Photoshop
Rem ls p
Filte ustmen within r effect lied to a n th a n c l l a d v i de t s sta
of P emb rs, C t
urve effects our wo This is ontinu
y s. c en nim
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han Map akin y, I was nd load apdash s: “With g
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33
Advanced Photoshop
rkkwi narr e h o p is e o a t e n of s t y le i l l l oo
d u c et c o m m
f t . S ettin hop Di
s nim
a t e
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stab n wor
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r d how t. “It’s re ore it co able to toshop
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ting ms s
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a t fo e l a n d e c ce
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Pho m s
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34
Advanced Photoshop
TI P
project toug Toh sflteoxpibility in y n
Superfa en motions i ght
TI P
but lear o abneim ate ywohuar baco ur riv
essentian hoow wctoomuin gta ftryao ukg
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Photos otoshop. We dit your moti ter taining
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comme prac tical effe led with Afte d ways
rcial de c ts. No r Effec t
yo u h a sign is w creatin s to
ve d
examp produced en own to you. B g the
les, jus o u g h ac u t o n ce
prospe t where
c tiv do you complished you feel
This qu e clients? promo
te
creativ estion is put yo u r w
e to Justi ork to
design direc tor at in n L e ib ow, co -f
and liv ternati
Super fa e -ac tio onal bra ounde
d n n r/
motion . He reveals: produc tion c d - driven
design “Appro omp an
much li require aching y
k s a
This we e ever y other a simple and career in
bsite is por tion sm
to see.
Iu
the pla
c of grap ar t website,
not on se the word e you curate y hic design.
ly cu o
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rk you s ut and the site ll
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stills of e b s it e o u ld only be v ig a te , but
s doesn’t
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otion s o v ie s and a fa n c y . Let th
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n FE
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35
Advanced Photoshop
36
Advanced Photoshop
A
dding depth to any image can open up in stone and can be tweaked to fit different images. Also,
countless possibilities, making this simple remember that patience and attention to detail are
yet effective technique an essential tool for more important than any program or tool you might ON THE DISC
any digital designer. use. The techniques are also transferable across a wide On the disc, you’ll find the model image
Over the course of this six-page Masterclass we take range of different Photoshop projects, helping you to and an image used for the disintegration
the surrealism of Magritte, the shadow box sensibilities of improve depth in all your compositions. effect. There is also a document of links
for the free stock photography used in
Cornell and add a dash of contemporary fashion to To complete this image, we will be using Adobe
the tutorial.
create a stylish, sophisticated image that is both classic Photoshop CS3 and a selection of stock imagery. A
and modern. Wacom tablet is always recommended as it is a great OUR EXPERT Rob Shields
The techniques covered include a Radial Blur depth tool that can easily cut your production time in half,
Rob Shields is a freelance illustrator currently located on the east
effect, creating a subtle colour palette and making depth but it is not necessary. The filters and colour techniques coast of America, but will soon be pursing his masters in Media
of field work with your composition rather than against used in this tutorial are all standard to Photoshop and Communication in Switzerland. For his full portfolio, please
visit www.robshields.net.
it. As always, the techniques you see here are not written CS3 or later.
1 Extraction
Open up your image of the model and hit Cmd/
Ctrl+J to make a copy of the image. Next, go to Select>
2 Fine-tuning
Now you will see that a portion of the model’s
dress and face are selected. Remove these selections
Color Range. Keep all the settings as default and select using the Quick Selection tool (W) at 250-300 and set to
the grey background colour of the image itself. In the Negative (left side of upper toolbar). Once the model
Preview box, make sure the model herself looks as much herself is no longer selected, press Cmd/Ctrl+X to erase a
like a silhouette as possible and hit OK. large portion of the background. Remove the remaining
background using the Pen tool or Eraser tool.
3 Background
Open the paper texture link
found on the CD and place the
image behind the extracted
image of the girl. Desaturate the
paper by going to Image>
Adjustments>Desaturate. Now
select a light grey colour from the
paper. Fill a new layer behind the
paper layer with this and, with a
soft Eraser set to 2,500, erase the
centre of the paper layer and drop
the Opacity to 35%.
37
Advanced Photoshop
7 Pretty in a panic
Open the crystal ball
image from the link on the
CD. With the Lasso tool, cut
out small pieces from the
crystal ball and place these
below the girl and then
delete the leftover ball.
Duplicate the girl and, using
a clipping mask, cover the
broken pieces with her. With
the Lasso tool, go back and
add detailed disintegration to
the original girl.
8 Pearls
Using the Lasso tool, select a pearl from the girl’s
necklace and copy it to a new layer (Layer via Copy).
9 Nice lines
Using the Lines tool, we are going to hold Shift to
add all the lines to one layer so we can add the same
Duplicate and add pearls around the girl. For some pearls, gradient we used for our circles. This technique is a little
increase their size to 2 or 3 and 400%. This will give the trickier with lines. Press Shift when you are starting each
appearance of depth to the image. Don’t worry about new line, but release it when stretching out that line to
resolution on larger pearls. We want the larger pearls to avoid getting stuck with 45- and 90-degree angles.
be blurred.
10 Teardrop
Open the teardrop link found on the CD.
With the Lasso tool, select a small area of the bubbles
and delete the rest. Desaturate the bubbles, set the layer
to Screen and place these bubbles on her right eye. To
add a shadow on her cheek, duplicate the layer then add
a black Color Overlay blending mode and drop the
Opacity of the entire layer to 12%.
38
Advanced Photoshop
15
and make sure that its lines run parallel to the top and
bottom of the ‘room’. Place the box you cut out on a new Add clouds
layer and, using the Distort command, flatten the box to Open the link to the clouds provided on the
make it a window ledge. Duplicate the ledge and distort CD. Find a small section of clouds that will look right on
it again to finish the window. Repeat everything for the its own and repeat the process found in Step 1 using Selective colour
second window. Select>Color Range to remove the blue from those
clouds. Now position the new cloud near the window The Selective Color option, along with Levels,
Curves, Channel Mixer and the various blending
and repeat the process for the other window.
options, allows the artist to perfect the palette of
any piece. When using these tools, the key is to
remember that there are no set values and that
experimentation is rewarded. Each piece will have
colours that will complement it and colours that
will work against it, so it’s important to try various
options. For this particular image, using Selective
Color we changed the reds to +2% Cyan, -48%
Magenta, -60% Yellow and +22% Black. In
neutrals we used +25% Cyan and -30% Yellow.
16 Photo finish
Add a Photo Filter via Layer>New
Adjustment Layer>Photo Filter. With the Photo
Filter window open, select Color and choose a
light magenta colour. Click OK. Add another
Photo Filter and select the Filter option; use
Warming Filter (81). Create another Photo Filter
on top of the main girl and this time use a deep
magenta. Create a clipping mask and set the
blending mode to Overlay.
39
Advanced Photoshop
Smart Sharpen
After a composition is finished, it is always useful
to flatten the image and make any final
adjustments. In this case we used the Levels
adjustment tool to make the colours a bit bolder.
We also used the Smart Sharpen tool to make the
image crisper. Although it’s not immediately
intuitive, the Unsharp Mask can also sharpen an
image, almost the same as bringing it into focus.
22
Don’t overdo it
Set sail with sharpening
Open the sailboat image found on the CD. or you will end
Extract the boat, shrink it down to a reasonable size and up creating more
distortion than
21
desaturate it. Now duplicate a small section of the water
crispness and
Out to sea ball and give it a Motion Blur. Duplicate this layer and
the image will
Reuse the cloud image to add a backdrop move it under the clouds to give the appearance of rain.
look overdone.
(you will have to duplicate it a few times). Open the surf
picture link found on the CD. With the Polygon Lasso tool,
create the desired sea shape and fill it with white. With
the surf image, create a clipping mask over the white
shape you created. Use the Smudge tool to get rid of any
inconsistencies that you see.
Brian Gossett
collaboration with TAG SF
and Microsoft for Zune”
Website: http://briangossett.com/
Clients: Apple, Microsoft Zune, Philips
tellite
Sirius Sa n
Ra d io : “T his televisio
as
rt co nc ep t artwork w
adve llaboration
uced in co
prod
d Country”
with King an
Nickelodeon Kid
’s
Choice Award 20
08: “This
television promotion
al artwork
was produced in col
laboration
with Roger”
42
Advanced Photoshop
43
Advanced Photoshop
Model phot
o
3316148; ph from iStockphoto.co
otographer m.
: Umbar Sh Image number:
akir (Atom
icSparkle)
44
Advanced Photoshop
S
ome purists rail against people using because there is a layered PSD on the cover ON THE DISC
reference in their art – but they disc that has the lines all ready for you. Once
On the cover disc, you can find
probably just don’t get hugged you are done there, you can learn how to the reference photo the tutorial
enough! Any artist worth their salt will happily render and bring in some manga-style quirks was based on, a PSD file with the
tell you that a good reference can really inform to your artwork. lines to work from and we’ve also
thrown in some custom brushes
and improve an image. When working from references, you may be and added extras.
In this tutorial, you’ll be shown how to use a tempted to pick colours from the photo itself,
reference photo as the basis of a manga-based but it’s not advisable because you’ll rarely get OUR EXPERT David Cousens
illustration. It is obvious that not everyone the exact colour you’re after due to the sheer David runs Cool Surface (www.coolsurface.com) with his
reading this will be confident enough with number of pixels in a photo. You’ll normally wife, Sarah, from the southwest of England. They have
their drawing skills to start an illustration from find that if you start colour picking then your produced artwork for the BBC, illustrated a series of books
for Macmillan Publishing and produced work for a
scratch, so the tutorial will begin by using image will start looking a bit dull and lifeless. number of international magazines.
photos to help get you started. For those of Instead, it’s recommended to use colours
you that really don’t feel like attempting a inspired by the reference; your work will be
drawing, don’t worry, you haven’t been left out, much more exciting and vibrant!
Scan everything!
1 Bring in the reference
Create a new file (230 x 297mm, 300dpi).
Create the following layers from the bottom: ‘skin’,
2 There’s a fine line…
It’s a good idea to change the girl’s hair
and make it styled more like manga, as well as to
Although there are many sites to scour on
the web that offer royalty-free textures, it’s
‘clothes’, ‘clothes2’, ‘hair’, ‘rough’, ‘lines’ and ‘above’. add some accessories and clothes. Hide the quicker to make a texture yourself. Scan
Open the model image from the disc, then copy reference layer and reduce the Opacity of the everything you can reasonably fit in your
scanner; just be very careful not to scratch
and paste into your canvas. Hit Cmd/Ctrl+T, resize rough layer to 48%. Start to draw your lines on
your scanner while doing it!
and angle to create an interesting composition. the lines layer using the ink brush. Alternatively,
Reduce the photo layer’s Opacity to 57%, and you can use the lines provided on the disc.
3
start sketching your artwork on the rough layer
using the blue pencil brush provided on the disc. Why so blue?
Lay in the flat colours of your image with
the Ink brush on the relevant layers. Keep any
different colours that are touching on separate
layers, as this will make things easier when you
come to the shading. Manga can lean towards
the hyperreal, so choose something like a royal
blue for the hair colour.
7 Give me
some skin
Use an Airbrush to
add darker tones to
the skin, using warm
6
browns on the
Bye-bye black lines Overlay clipping mask
To make the lines look less intrusive, lock the lines layer (click the layer. Lock the skin
chessboard icon in the Layers palette) and colour them. Because the layer then use a Radial
transparent pixels are locked, you will only recolour existing pixels. Start Gradient tool (G) to
to detail the eyes and lips. Remember that both are three-dimensional, introduce some light
so think about form, where shadows lie and how wet they are. Using an beige highlights.
Airbrush, add grey shadows on the eyeballs and add some smooth Repeating this on the
highlights on the lips. Use the inking opacity brush to add variations in skin Overlay layer will
the iris and the watery reflections on the eyes. add more variation to
the lighting.
15
background layer to Soft Light.
Rising sun
Open ‘sunburst.
psd’. Copy and paste the
contents of the red lines
layer into your artwork,
directly above the
Background layer. Free
Transform the sunburst
(Cmd/Ctrl+T) so that it is
larger, ensuring all of the
beams point towards the
main focal point (her face).
By leading the eye, the
composition is stronger.
47
Advanced Photoshop
20 Lighten up!
The pattern on the T-shirt is still a bit
distracting. On the dress pattern layer, go to
21 Details, details
Cmd/Ctrl-click the thumbnail of the
layer your lip colour is on and use the Lasso
Customise and share!
Image>Adjustments>Hue/Saturation and move tool with Opt/Alt to deselect everything except We’ve given you a few custom brushes to
the Lightness to +37. Create a new layer called the lips. Use a light red Spot Gradient to add play with on the CD. Some of these were
‘overlay’ at the very top of the Layers palette and more vibrancy to the lips. Create a new layer made by us and some were shared by
set to Overlay. Use a light skin colour with the called ‘stars’ above the overlay layer, and use a other generous artists. Play around with
Spot Gradient tool to add highlights to the skin. white colour with the cartoon stars brush to their settings to see how you can alter
them to make new brushes. Click on the
add some small stars on her cheekbones. On
Brushes tab and try altering the Scatter
the appropriate clipping mask layer (Normal,
Jitter, or see what happens when you
not Overlay), use the leathery texture brush to experiment with the Dual Brush options.
add texture to her necklace and armbands. You never know what sort of brush you
may create!
22 Fabricating reality
Cmd/Ctrl-click the relevant layer to
select the sleeves and, on the overlay layer, use a
23
mixture of dark blue and white with the inking
opacity brush (with 59% Opacity) to suggest Final touches
fabric detail. Render the lines by following the Press Cmd/Ctrl+J on the paper layer
form in a vertical direction, then cross over them to duplicate it and set the blending mode to
with lines in a horizontal direction to suggest Multiply. Press Cmd/Ctrl+Opt/Alt+Shift+~ to
the intersecting nature of the fabric. select the image’s luminosity. Click on the very
top layer, then press Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+C to copy
the selection from all visible layers then hit
Cmd/Ctrl+V to paste the selection. Set the
blending mode of this new layer to Soft Light.
Finally, pick a dark red colour and add a border
by using the handwriting brush, holding Shift.
Then retrace over the border freehand, going
slightly over the lines to get a more natural look.
Add any small flourishes (eg, the small tattoo on
her arm) then clean up errors and you’re done!
48
Advanced Photoshop
FANTASY
LIGHTING EFFECTS
Learn how to transform stock photos using little more than exaggerated
lighting and advanced photo-retouching techniques
S
urrealism and ultra-realism are stunning whole. We’ll also be using tried-and-
ON THE DISC
playing a big part in modern tested photo-retouching techniques, such as
You’ll find a cloud image on the
disc, which can be used to create advertising, creating exciting and Overlay-neutral layers. Likewise, you will
a custom brush, courtesy of entertaining aesthetics. Take, for example, discover the usefulness of feathering images as
www.sxc.hu/profile/ Marvel’s Embrace Change comic series print well as how to produce great bleeding lighting
straymuse. The model image
used is included, and there are ad campaign, or the absorbing Rock Band 2 effects from this and with the basic Lens Flare
links to other stock photos. television advert, among other numerous options.
Adam Smith
examples. All that we see in the media Although this tutorial is reliant on stock to
OUR EXPERT
encourages us to experiment with our own an extent, we’ll be showing you how
Senior staff writer Adam Smith experiments with more
industry-standard effects in this tutorial. This time he’s
exciting styles, and that’s exactly what we Photoshop’s Shape tool can be used to
delivering attractive ways in which to create strong have done in this playful tutorial. complement visual effects. We will also reveal
advertising-style imagery. No plug-ins or extravagant methods are how you can make your own cloud brush sets,
required here. All that you see can be created able to be applied time and time again from
1
using the power of Photoshop’s blending photo stock. By the end of this tutorial, all these
Cut out modes and layer mask options. We’ll reveal Photoshop functions will merge to create a
Open a model image supplied on the disc how to intuitively layer effects to create a gratifying composition.
from iStockphoto.com, and select the Pen tool
2 3
set to Shape Layers in the Options bar. Zoom
in and trace the model’s outside edge. Drop Copy and paste Tidy up your model
the layer’s Opacity to 70% to clearly see where Create a new layer and click Shift+F5. This Repeat your Pen tool treatment as before
you’re applying the tool. Next, hold down Cmd/ activates the Fill options. Set Contents to White to select the wall area in the crook of your
Ctrl and Ctrl/right-click your shape layer in the and click OK, creating a white-filled layer. Cmd/ model’s arm and rasterise the layer. Cmd/Ctrl-
Layers palette and select Rasterize. Ctrl-click your shape layer thumbnail to create a click this layer’s thumbnail, activate your Girl
selection. Activate your model layer (the layer and hit Cmd/Ctrl+X. You can now erase or
Background layer) by clicking on it. Press Cmd/ place this shape layer beneath your white-filled
Ctrl+J and place this new model layer at the top layer to hide it. Select the Smudge tool, set at
of your stack. Name it ‘Girl’. 80% Strength in the options bar, and start
flicking out your hair edges to soften the hard
edges with a small, soft brush.
50
Advanced Photoshop
51
Advanced Photoshop
7 Create a shadow
Create a new layer, hide all
the layers apart from the Girl
layers and the Eye layers, then
press Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+Opt/Alt+E.
Turn the gradient background
layer back on. Name this new
layer ‘Shadow’, then Cmd/Ctrl-
click the layer thumbnail to make
Step 3: Click Cmd/Ctrl+I, inverting the a selection. Select Image>
image tone. If you notice any interference Adjustments>Hue/Saturation and
in your white background, paint it out. decrease Lightness to -100.
Finally, select Edit>Define Brush Set and Choose Select>Modify>Contract.
name and save your cloud brush. This will Contract by 30 pixels. Now select
now appear in your Brushes palette. Feather from the same options,
then set Radius at 40 pixels.
“Select the
Gradient tool from
the toolbar and
apply a horizontal
Transparent
Rainbow gradient”
52
Advanced Photoshop
13 Rainbow effects
Name this layer ‘Rainbow’ and rotate
it 45 degrees clockwise. Apply a Screen
14 Softening effects
Select a soft-edged black brush at
30% Opacity and apply it sparingly to the ends
“There’s nothing like
adding a few extra
blending mode at 70% Opacity and place across
your model’s chest. Apply a layer mask and still
and stronger areas of your Rainbow shape layer
mask. Duplicate this layer, reposition the new
elements to really help
with the Transparent Rainbow gradient active, rainbow over the model’s legs and again edit make your artwork ‘pop’”
apply the Gradient tool from the bottom of your using a layer mask function.
model’s dress to the top of her head.
Added extras
There’s nothing like adding a few extra
elements to really help make your artwork
‘pop’. We’ve gone ahead and included a
host of flying contraptions, such as planes,
birds and balloons (see the links
document on the disc).
However, make sure after adding these
elements that the lighting matches. The
best way to do this is import your image
and Cmd/Ctrl-click the layer thumbnail.
Then proceed to add your black and white
soft brushes to the Overlay-neutral layer
within your selection. You can also utilise
15
Image>Adjustments>Hue/Saturation
Light ray effects options, increasing and decreasing
Select the Rectangle tool Saturation and Brightness values.
and draw a thin pink horizontal shape. However, when doing this you’ll need to
Rasterise this layer and apply a layer activate your image layer first.
mask. Name this layer ‘Ray’. Select a
soft-edged black brush at 30%
Opacity, blending mode set to
Dissolve, and apply to the bottom
edge of your shape. Set the blending
mode to Normal and apply again to
your bottom edge and ends of your
shape. Now apply a Screen blending
mode to this layer and rotate 45-
degrees anti-clockwise.
53
Advanced Photoshop
20 Overlay-neutral layer
Holding Opt/Alt, click on the ‘Create a new layer’ icon in the
21
Layers palette. In the New Layer options, set blending mode to Overlay
and activate the ‘Fill with Overlay-neutral color’ option. Making sure Retouch layer
Shape Dynamics>Controls are set to Off in your brush options, select a Similarly, add this to
soft-edged 20% Opacity white brush and apply to the left side of your image areas where the light is at its
model’s features. strongest, such as the edges of your
model’s hair, within the hair strands
themselves and along the contours
of the body. Also apply to the top
edges of your light rays with a small
hard brush. Just hold Shift and click
from edge to edge to get the
intended effect… and you’re done!
t i o nal
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Insporkalsarh sha
Wofession andtisPthsotoysohuop
Pr ecrets to help ls
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56
Advanced Photoshop
I
n this walkthrough, I will show you how same one to follow this tutorial, or better yet,
to illustrate a realistic fantasy painting. choose one of your own to come up with
ON THE DISC
Persephone was created entirely in Adobe something original. On this issue’s cover disc are the
Photoshop, although any digital painting This image was created in order to practise custom brushes needed to
create Persephone. Although
program, such as Corel Painter, should work painting drapery, which I view as a challenge. I you can re-create Persephone,
equally as well. Choose whichever program decided to base this on the mythological tale try using this tutorial to come up
you’re comfortable with (for the sake of this of Persephone, because I felt the figure’s pose with an image of your own.
tutorial, I am using strictly Photoshop in order suited this character very well. Greek
OUR EXPERT George Patsouras
to keep things simple). mythology inspires me heavily in my work,
The model for the figure was referenced and I wanted to show that with this image. George Patsouras is a freelance digital painter from Long
Island City, NY. His work can be seen in various
from a member of deviantART, http:// Her story mainly revolves around her videogames, magazines and children’s books. If you fancy
lockstock.deviantart.com/, who has some abduction from Earth to the underworld by checking out his complete portfolio after working your
amazing fantasy-esque stock photography Hades. This image deals with that concept, way through this tutorial, then take a trip to his website
at http://cgaddict.blogspot.com/.
available free of charge. By all means, use the albeit with subtlety.
to show that with pose quickly without any detail. Break down the
figure into either a skeleton or a bunch of
this image” cylinders – either way will suffice. Remember
that the ideal figure is composed of eight heads.
57
Advanced Photoshop
10 Refine
the figure
Although I was happy with
how the form of the figure
was turning out, my
brushwork was a bit too
harsh, so I used a softer
9
variation to smooth
Begin to shade everything out. I applied the
The figure is by far the same lighting to her dress as
most important element of the I did to the skin to unify the
painting, so I made sure to image as a whole. Always
spend the most time on it. keep the same light source
Looking at a reference as a for everything, and define all
guide, I began to shade in the the elements accordingly (if
figure accordingly. I applied the the light is coming from the
first light source, coming from left of a figure, for example,
the left side of the figure. it should be shown on its
skin and attire).
58
Advanced Photoshop
14 15
Learning to combine these three brushes
Unify the image More background work
effectively takes years of practice, but it
A nice way to unify an image is to The background is a bit too empty,
makes all the difference in creating
apply its colours all around. In this case, I applied so I decided to quickly add a tree in the middle something that looks believable. I usually
the skin tones to the background, with a very to help fill in the negative space. Even at this start off with the hard-edged ones to
low Flow. I also did the same to the figure, early stage, I kept in mind the lighting of the define form, the softer edge to blend
applying certain tones from the background to image and applied it to the tree. (although you must be careful with this –
the figure’s flesh. overuse of the Airbrush can make your
figures look quite plastic) and a spackled
for shading and texture.
16 Custom brushes
Although happy with the
background’s progress, I felt that it was missing
something. This is where texture can be useful. I
used a leaf brush to add some much-needed
texture and detail to the background. Also, I
altered the tree’s shape that I added previously
to help complement the figure’s posture.
59
Advanced Photoshop
22
painted the birds similar to how I painted
Tweak the lighting everything else; starting with basic shapes,
To help the figure pop out even working on the major forms with lighting in
more, I decided to tweak the lighting a bit. I mind and using smaller brushes as I continued
used Photoshop’s Lighting Effects tool to help to add in details.
accentuate the lighting I had already set up,
23
very subtly. In addition, I used a large Airbrush
and went over the highlights with the mode set Lucky accident
to Soft Light for a softer look. At this point, I had
what I like to call a ‘lucky
accident’. I duplicated the
Background layer, inverted it
horizontally and set it to Soft
Light. What this did was imply
more detail than what was
already there, so I took this
opportunity to add to it further
by painting more tree branches
and such like. This is why you
should never be afraid to
experiment in a program like
Photoshop – many lucky
accidents are bound to happen!
60
Advanced Photoshop
27 Almost there…
The image was
pretty much finished at this
Creating
custom brushes
point, but the colours did
need a bit of improving. I Custom brushes are excellent for
used Photoshop’s Color background work. I created several custom
Balance tool to enhance the brushes for this composition, which helped
colour slightly. Additionally, me significantly in speeding up the
I created a new layer and painting process.
First of all, create a new document in
set it to Color. Using a soft
Photoshop and carefully draw some grass
Airbrush with 3-5% Flow, I
on it. Then select Edit>Define Brush and
added in some tones voila! You can now use this brush and
throughout the image to apply it to create certain textural effects,
give it some more life. like foliage for instance.
Brushes like these are best used in
Scatter mode, found under Brush Presets.
28 Add noise
Adding some noise can help make a
digital painting look more traditionally made. To
29 Harmonise colours
The final step was to quickly
harmonise the colours using Photoshop’s
Custom brushes can be used for literally
anything: skin pores, fabric texture, wood
texture… the list could go on and on. It is
important that you never underestimate
apply noise, first I created a new layer and filled excellent Photo Filter option (Image>
the power of custom brushes, because
it with a neutral grey colour, such as R = 128, G = Adjustments>Photo Filter). In this case, I chose
they are invaluable to any digital artist,
128, B =128. I then selected Filter>Noise>Add the underwater colour to help unify the image professional or amateur.
Noise with an Amount set between 100-200%. (feel free to choose one you feel works best for
Then I set the blending mode to Overlay and your own image). And that’s it done! I hope
lowered its Opacity between 3-10%. Finally, I you learnt a thing or two from this tutorial.
selected Filter>Blur>Blur More. Happy painting! “Custom brushes
can be used for
anything: skin
pores, fabric
texture, wood
texture… Never
underestimate their
power, because
they are invaluable
to any digital artist”
61
Advanced Photoshop
Sean Thurlow
Website: http://10thladder.wordpress.com/
Awards: Addy Awards (Bronze/The Big Friendly Giant; Silver/
Pyramid Head/Splats; Silver/Pyramid Head/Splats; Gold/Roller
Crazy Derby Illustration-2007)
Enforcer:
“Textures played a
big part in this Sean Thurlow was born and raised in Sussex, New Jersey, and started out doodling
piece while I was from a young age, as he states: “You can say I was definitely that kid scribbling in my
painting it in
school notes 80 per cent of the time in middle school and high school!” He exhibited
Photoshop. I was
aiming for this a strong interest in horror, fantasy and sci-fi, which still comes through in his work
particularly gritty today. “Generally, illustration is my core area of focus,” Thurlow explains. “This could
look and got it
using the Overlay be illustrations for books, covers, magazines, posters, flyers, etc. I’m also looking to
layer mode” expand into areas of concept art for games or movies.”
Thurlow is currently a college student at Pima Community College, but is hoping
to transfer to the well-known Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA. Despite
his young age, Thurlow got his first commission in his early high-school years: “I did a
small design for a company that was in town in Tucson looking for a logo on a card.
Me and about five other students in my art class came up with a couple of designs
and I was the lucky one to get my design chosen.”
Photoshop is just one part of a very varied workflow for Thurlow, as he says: “I
really like sketching in pen, pencil and markers. I even paint traditionally and lately
have been messing around with oils. Photoshop is really amazing at retouching
pieces and it is a great digital painting program. It is really neat how you can mix
traditional mediums with digital. I love how you can scan real paint strokes and turn
those into brushes in Photoshop.”
62
Advanced Photoshop
Way To Th
e Temple:
for an enviro “I was going
nment that
and depth. I indicated sc
really wante ale
of grass in th d to paint a
is so I used a lot
strokes to in lot of paint
dicate the bl
and hills” ades of gras
s
63
Advanced Photoshop
Helpdesk
Our expert Kirk Nelson
Kirk has been a graphic artist for over 11 years
in the Washington DC Metro area. He writes
tutorials for our sister publication Photoshop
Creative, and opens letters, checks emails and
hangs around the AP forum online, all for the
good of our Helpdesk. If you’re having
quibbles with Photoshop, Kirk’s your man with
the plan!
Send us your queries, your questions, your conundrums and your challenges. Our
humble Helpdesk hero will take on your personal Photoshop perplexities
What a knockout
Q
noise pollution: Use multiple noisy
Hey Helpdesk guy, thanks in advance for images to produce a single image that’s
clean and smooth
helping with this. I’ve been struggling with it
for a while and I figured you were the person
to call on.
I’m trying to create a sort of inverse clipping mask. You
know how if you clip an image to a text or shape layer, the
image only fills that area, like the rest of the image has
been cut away, right? Well, I’m trying to do the reverse, so
the shape is cut out but the rest of the image is visible. I
know I can just use a layer mask, but those aren’t
dynamic, I have to re-create the mask every time I change
the text or shape. What’s a man to do?
Joseph Laudermann
Quick t
To seam ip
A
less
Joe, you were right to come to me. This sounds levels o ly adjust the
like a job for… Helpdesk Guy! That’s an f just a
portion sm
incredibly specific request there. The layer mask of an im all
create age,
a feat
is the most natural solution to your quandary, yet the selectio hered
n first
limitation you stated is bothersome. Which got me to
thinking, there has to be a better way.
Try this. Put your text or shape layer above the image
you want to cut out. Set the Fill percentage to 0% (that’s Noiseless stack You will need the Extended version of Photoshop for
important!), then open the Layer Styles dialog box for the
shape or text layer. In the Advanced Blending section
there’s a drop-down box for Knockout. This will do exactly
what you are looking for. When set to Shallow, it ‘knocks
Q Hola, Helpdesk! I’ve got just the question for
you. A while back I was shooting a scene with
my regular old point-and-shoot digital camera
(no, I don’t have a DSLR just yet). I used a tripod and
this one, though. Go to File>Scripts>Load Files into Stack,
then use the Browse button to add your photos to the list.
Click on the Auto Align and Create Smart Object options
before pressing OK. Wait for Photoshop to do its little
out’ or clips the layer beneath this layer. When set to Deep, decent lighting setup and everything. At the time, I still dance, then go to Layer>Smart Objects>Stack Mode>
it knocks out all the layers below it and lets the wasn’t quite used to the camera settings and my shots Median. Hey presto! This will analyse each image in the
background layer show through. Notice that the text or ended up with a lot of noise. I’ve tried the standard stack and remove as much noise as possible.
shape is still editable and the effect updates along with methods of noise reduction to varying degrees of
any changes. success. Now here’s my question: since I have several
shots of the same setting and I can pull them all in as Save Selections, or not
separate layers, is there an effective method of selecting
and masking out the noise of each shot? That way, the
other layers can fill in and the end result is a smooth,
noiseless composite.
Q Dear Advanced Photoshop, first of all, I love
the mag. Ever since reading it, my Photoshop
skills have grown tremendously, plus the mag
is always inspiring.
Carolina Gettyson Onto my question. I’m trying to load and save
selections across documents, but I can’t! The document
A
Carolina, that is one excellent question. I love drop-down menu doesn’t list the file I need. What’s going
your approach here. “I’ve got a bunch of nearly on? Software malfunction? Conspiracy? Aliens?
identical photos covered in noise, can I Illuminati? Glitch in the Matrix?
combine the best parts of each and eliminate the Marcus Elliott
nastiness?” That’s really thinking outside the box. Yet even
A
www.sxc.hu: 1022837 and 1111273 with such a creative idea, Adobe’s already been there, Ah, my dear Marcus, those are all very good
explored the area and built a box around it. It’s like that, theories. But I can assure you that the trouble is
a knockout blow: Use the Knockout setting in the
Layer Styles to create a ‘reverse clipping’ effect you see. much more pedestrian than that.
Send your emails to us at advancedpshop@imagine-publishing.co.uk or post a message on our forum board at www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk/forum.
64
Advanced Photoshop
A
Creating your own library of textures is the
best way to add original flair and
personality to your work. And while a
flatbed scanner can be invaluable for such a task,
many times the scanning results aren’t quite what
you’d expect. Let’s take a look at a few ways to turn
this scan into a usable texture – and even save it as a
HAIR TODAY, GONE TOMORROW: How to use dragging it to the New Channel icon at the foot of the custom splatter brush.
channels to select hair
1
palette. Then use a Levels adjustment to increase the
Photoshop allows you to save a selection as a channel, contrast. It’s likely you will need to do some cleaning up Starting scan
done by going to Select>Save Selection. In the dialog with a brush to eliminate any stray areas. When you are This scan of spilled tea on paper has a great
box, there’s a drop-down menu that allows you to select happy with the way the channel looks, Cmd/Ctrl-click on splatter shape, but the paper wrinkles and uneven
other documents currently open in Photoshop. This lets it to create a selection. Then go back to your layer and use colour coverage are less than ideal for a usable
you save your selections across documents easily. The that selection however you see fit; perhaps use it as a texture. Start out by using a paintbrush to paint over
command has an equivalent in Load Selection, too. mask on the layer containing the hair. I know the process obvious elements that should be removed, like the
The catch is that in order to swap selections between seems obscure, but it’s very effective and is used by paper edge or visible scanner parts.
documents, the documents must be identical in size. So professional retouchers on a regular basis.
make sure both documents have the same pixel width
and height. Otherwise, the document won’t even show
up in the drop-down box, putting you in exactly the same Top tip: Managing your
frustrating situation that you’re in now! Hope that helps
you out!
file sizes
Have you found that the file size of your PSD files
2
Channel selections tend to be overly large and somewhat
Q
cumbersome? To some extent, large file sizes Careful selections
Mr Helpdesk, I’ve heard references to ‘using simply come with the territory. Go to Select>Color Range and use the add
channels’ to create selections for difficult The most direct correlation to a file’s size is the and subtract Eyedroppers in conjunction with the
items, such as hair. But I’ve looked at the number of pixels required in the file. The more Fuzziness slider to create a selection around the
Channels palette and I don’t see anything that looks like pixels, the bigger that file size. What you may not
splatter. Be cautious not to include the paper
selection tools. How is this wizardry done? realise is that even unseen pixels count towards
wrinkles. After pressing OK, go to Select>Modify>
Phil Gaitmann Photoshop’s tally. Including pixels that aren’t even
on the canvas and you may not even realise they Feather and enter a value of 1.
A
Phil, there’s no need to apply to Hogwarts to are there.
For example, if you have a canvas that’s 800 x
figure out this trick. This technique is common
600 pixels large and drop a digital picture on
enough that experienced users tend to refer to
there that’s 2,400 x 3,200, you only see a small
it casually in passing, like it’s as simple as applying a portion on your canvas, but the rest of that image
Gaussian Blur or Drop Shadow. is still there, unseen and gobbling up megabytes.
Once you’ve found the Channels palette (it’s next to You can check the real size (the size that
the Layers palette), go through each channel individually Photoshop sees) of your designs by going to
3
looking for the one with the most contrast between the Image>Reveal All. To trim out all those unseen
hair and the background. Duplicate that channel by pixels, go to Select>All and then Image>Crop. Fill the spill
On a new layer, fill the selection with black.
Cancel the selection and merge the splatter layer
with a solid white layer. Use Levels (Image>
Adjustments>Levels) to increase the contrast. Paint
out any marks along the edges and Edit>Define
Brush Preset will give you a custom splatter brush.
Remember to specify whether you’re using a PC or Mac and the version of Photoshop you have.
65
Advanced Photoshop
receives recognition the path thumbnail. This will allow the two items to be
manipulated independent of each other.
in the mag… perfect
for honing your skills Skill sharpener
Q
in Photoshop
Okay, I’m going to admit this right up front – excellent magazine plays no small a role in. But I find that
I’m an InDesign girl. I do layouts all day long I tend to forget things and lose my edge when I’m not
Top tip: Nondestructive and only use Photoshop for occasional photo producing a piece. I guess the old ‘use it or lose it’ proverb
Dodge and Burn touch-ups. So there could be an easy answer to this and
I’m simply missing it. InDesign has this great workflow
is true in the graphics world as well, but I don’t always
have actual creative work to do. And when I do, I’m not
where the content (image or text) is independent of the really sure how good it is, or if everyone is just being
The Dodge and Burn tools are a valuable asset in frame or container. So I can drop in a box and place an polite. Do you have any advice on how to keep my skills
any artist’s toolbox. These tools provide the ability
image so that it is being viewed through the box. I can sharp and not lose my edge?
to directly paint light and dark areas onto an
move, scale or rotate that image without the box being Tony Danvers
image. The technique is very organic and natural,
yet many modern artists tend to avoid them due changed. And vice versa, the box can be edited without
A
to their destructive nature – destructive in the changing the image. Is there any way possible to do this Wow, you may be pouring on the hyperbole
sense that they change the image pixels directly. in Photoshop? with that opening, or maybe you’re channelling
The same effect can be accomplished by adding Sarah Reighnol-Smith Bill S Preston, Esq. I’m not sure which is better.
a layer on top of the image and filling it with 50%
A
grey (through the Edit>Fill dialog box). Change Sarah, you are a very rare, special person. Most
this layer’s blending mode to Overlay and you will folks ask how to make InDesign act like
see the grey completely disappear. Then simply Photoshop. Not Sarah, oh no, she wants her
paint with black paint in the areas you want to
InDesign container functions in Photoshop. I salute you.
burn and paint with white paint in the areas you’d
The container-content relationship that InDesign users
like to dodge. By keeping this overlay as a
separate layer, the underlying image is never so enjoy isn’t found naturally within Photoshop, but with a
altered. The painted layer is also very flexible in bit of creativity it can be approximated pretty well. Begin
that it can be repainted at any time, or painting with File>Place (that sounds familiar, right?) to deposit an
with 50% grey as an Undo brush. image on your canvas. Photoshop automatically turns this
into a Smart Object – that’s a good thing, it allows you to
scale the image down without losing resolution. Next,
create a vector path by either using the Pen or one of the AP’S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE: Use the monthly Web
Challenge to keep your skills sharp and get your work
Shape tools. Be sure the Options bar is set to Path and not featured in the magazine!
Animated adjustments
1 Set up the layers
Q Hi Helpdesk, I wondered if you could Begin with your video layer in a Photoshop
answer a question for me. Do adjustment document. Add an adjustment layer and set the settings
layers work with CS4 Extended’s animation how you see fit. In this case, we’ve added a Hue/
features? I have a video and have applied a Hue/ Saturation adjustment layer with Colorize enabled to
Saturation layer. I open up the layers in Animation, give the video a deep blue tint.
adding a keyframe to the adjustment layer’s style
clock. But when I try to add animation, the playback
just shows the last hue setting.
Eve Smyth
A
Eve, you’ve happened upon one of the
fascinating things about the new animation
features in Photoshop. Certain things that
you’d expect to be able to animate (like adjustment
www.sxc.hu: 1101889 layer settings) simply won’t work. But there is always a
GREY AREA: Use a black-and-white Overlay layer for workaround. In this case, we’ll cross-dissolve between
a nondestructive Dodge and Burn effect two adjustment layers to give the same effect.
Send your emails to us at advancedpshop@imagine-publishing.co.uk or post a message on our forum board at www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk/forum.
66
Advanced Photoshop
ip
Can’t fi
nd y
when p our cursor
menus simply because they are so proficient
with hot keys.
ainting In CS4, there are minor changes that shake
the spa ? Ta
cursor cebar, th p things up a bit. It stems from the decision by
switche e
Hand to s to the Adobe to have Photoshop fall in line with other
ol and Adobe applications (like InDesign, Illustrator and
to loca is easy
te on s
creen Flash) and have Cmd/Ctrl+1 trigger a 100%
zoom, while Cmd+~ (or Ctrl+Tab on a PC)
toggles through open documents within
Photoshop. This decision meant that the old
functions associated with those keys had to
As for keeping your skill sharp, did you know the megapixel DSLR, but is there an easy way to browse move elsewhere. Specifically, the ~ used to
magazine has a website, www.advancedphotoshop.co. through them all, resize, automatically level and transfer target the composite channel and Cmd/Ctrl+1
uk, where you can create a gallery of your own and have the ones I want to the memory card? I’m hoping to avoid would target the first channel (red in RGB or
other artists comment on your work? There’s even a doing this manually for hundreds of pictures. cyan in CMYK), Cmd/Ctrl+2 the second channel
Picture of the Week feature where winners are printed in Jerri Strathmore and so on. Now because of the reassignment of
the magazine and have a chance at getting their work on ~ and 1, those channel operations are now two
A
the cover. Even more, the monthly Web Challenge invites The best way to accomplish this is to use keys to the right. So to target the composite
readers to create artwork using at least one of three Photoshop’s companion program, Bridge. First, channel in CS4, press Cmd/Ctrl+2 (add Opt/Alt to
selected images. The winner receives recognition in the set up an action for levels and resizing in that to load luminosity), while the first channel is
magazine and some fun prizes. It’s perfect for honing your Photoshop (that’s pretty straightforward through the now targeted by Cmd/Ctrl+3, the second by
skills to a razor’s edge. Actions panel). Then open Bridge and navigate to the Cmd/Ctrl+4, etc.
folder that contains your photos. Hold down the Cmd/Ctrl But perhaps the sweetest inclusion to the
key and select the images you want. Then go to shortcut family is one that actually involves the
Batch from Bridge Tools>Photoshop>Image Processor. In the dialog box, be mouse. CS4 lets you resize a brush by dragging.
2 3
Cmd/Ctrl+1 now
Faded effect Reverse fade sets the zoom to
Open the animation panel and under the Create a second adjustment layer; we added a 100%, just like in
other Adobe apps
adjustment layer you will see several attributes. Click the Hue/Saturation layer for a sepia-toned effect. Animate
stopwatch icon next to the Opacity attribute to set a the Opacity of this adjustment layer to be 0% at the
keyframe at the first frame of the video. Go to the last first frame and 100% at the last. On playback, you’ll see
frame and change the Opacity to 0%. Photoshop that the video now transitions from blue to sepia over
LIGHT
automatically adds a keyframe and fades the effect over the course of the video. WORK:
the timeline. Loading
luminosity is
now done with
Ctrl+Alt+2
(Cmd+Opt+2 on
a Mac)
RESIZING
REDUNDANCY:
Give the brackets
a break. CS4
allows draggable
brush resizing
Remember to specify whether you’re using a PC or Mac and the version of Photoshop you have.
67
Advanced Photoshop
INDUSTRY ARNAUD
SIMON-
An interview with…
A
rnaud Simon-Laforest is better Advanced Photoshop: Does any piece of work
known by his online alter-ego EyeS-L, stand out in particular for you?
but the 30-year-old freelance Arnaud Simon-Laforest: There’s one I like a bit
illustrator has built up quite a name for more than the others: an illustration I did for Hero
himself with his work for global videogames of Sparta for Gameloft. I was free to do what I
companies. Currently working from his home in wanted; I tried to find a dynamic action before
About the Villeurbanne, France, we pin him down between choosing a dynamic point of view and I think the
70
Advanced Photoshop
D
T “Being freelance can
be an exhausting
job… but I like it and
I wouldn’t pick
another one”
71
Advanced Photoshop
©J
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limite
72
Advanced Photoshop
GETTING PAID
COMMISSIONS A new breed of online market is opening, giving artists more
chances than ever before to make money from their masterpieces
N
ew design marketplaces are hot spots of potential
earnings and a shortcut to instant community
fame. This new breed of websites is cracking open the
way we do business. Instead of selling yourself online through
a gallery or agent, this new category of sites deliver a wider
range of business opportunity right to the designer’s feet.
Furthermore, these sites stock bulging community resources,
like forums and blogs, which can be handy for getting feedback
and spreading information on new commissions up for grabs.
Pitched as social networking with the job pages thrown in,
these digital shop windows are set to become the norm.
Traditionally, artists promote themselves through individual “The very idea
TI that for a
WOR P 2
blogs or gallery websites, trying to get themselves noticed in a
73
Advanced Photoshop
are now seeing more diverse and higher-paid projects up on our site.” A FEATURED SITES
thought echoed by regular client Bill Hale, vice president, Marketing and
Take a snapshot look at what there is and what they do:
Business Development for Transplace (www.transplace.com), who
opines that the site offers businesses more flexibility and options than CROWDSPRING
traditional methods: “crowdSPRING hands us access to many different www.crowdspring.com
With this site, it’s the businesses that do the posting and the artists flock in to offer their
styles from several thousand artists around the world. To date, we’ve services. The fee is set by the brand that also chooses the ultimate winner. Recently, LG
posted four successful commissions – all of which have been tremendous posted a commission offering $80,000 to the artist of the winning design.
successes. We have a dozen more on the schedule to be posted in the
next few months. My advice to designers is to listen to feedback PHOKKI
www.phokki.com
carefully. Go out and take a look at the company website and see if you As well as starting a gallery, becoming part of a community and opening a shop window
can get an idea of their current style. Most companies will not want to to present your style, Phokki also organises regular art challenges. The winner is featured
get too far away from their existing style, subtle changes will do a on the website and pockets a Wacom tablet.
Phokki
sy of
ourte
budding artists to gain experience and build their work portfolio from Courtesy of Inkd
© JIH
74
Advanced Photoshop
CASE STUDY:
Industry
advice
Klaus Moeller,
director of
Western
Canon Inc
(www.
©J
IH
thecelebrityvault.com),
I A;
on sourcing designers
Co
urt
from crowdSPRING
esy
o
f Ph
Q. What is crowdSPRING’s
okk
main appeal?
A. It is by far the most cost-
i
this site?
TIP 5
; Courte
yw Amazon Foundation.
with web ill score points
sit
and ensu es like Inkd Q. What level of success
re
demand you are in have you had through the
products . The more site as opposed to more
can be u or mediums it traditional avenues?
sed
TIP 4 the more on or through, A. It has been an absolute dream.
your The very idea that for a minimal fee
of succe chances
STYLE
of, say, $400, you get to look at
ss are more than 100 amazing designs
SAFEthTe Y
message
from great artists all over the world
is quite incredible. All three times
tion to
Pay atten to deliver in your .
the site has not just met but super-
t exceeded our expectations.
you w a n your style
ig n a n d ultimately oing to
de s g
tyle that is . Q. What are the benefits for
It is this s al clients on or off you as a company?
rn p o te n ti goo d at
tu e ed to b e A. It’s highly affordable, there’s a
yo u ’l l n ing
Plus, y do fast turnaround as well as
it and enjo e
creating
incredible choice and options.
to be co m
it if it is m a rk
e
your trad Q. Are there are negatives?
A. None that we have
encountered. We will definitely use
professional, ready-made print designs for small-medium business,” design. Our model is therefore very similar to a stock photo site. crowdSPRING for all future
projects. We used to use freelance
says founder and CEO Kelly Smith, who also claims it’s the first of its The designer submits work and gets paid each time the item is but I believe we are now fully
kind. With experience building a creative marketplace and downloaded. The theory is to provide recurring revenue on converted to crowdSPRING.
observations of the microstock industry, it occurred to Smith that the each piece of creative, just as photographers enjoy when they
same concepts that worked in other creative markets could be upload an image to a stock photo site.” This model allows each Q. What is your best piece of
advice for an artist hoping to
applied to the graphic design arena. “We decided to start with print piece to be downloaded (and in time a payment made to the win your commissions?
artist) repeatedly. A. Well, this is the tough part. I
Another huge draw attracting designers to this fledgling would say only to go after a job if
you are willing to come up with
website is the facilitated communication between companies something truly outstanding. Make
and designers on the site, whether they bought from them or it clear that you are willing to do
multiple revisions until the client is
not. This means a designer may be able to secure a commission
“The reason we promote ourselves for other work just because a site visitor liked their style,
100 per cent satisfied and that you
hope to be considered for future
is to let more people understand whether it be to create a customised print design or other
design work that the website doesn’t offer directly. Smith
work by the client.
and appreciate our art. Therefore, advises designers considering signing up to learn from the
Q. What improvements to the
site would you like to see?
social relationships play a great bestselling microstock photographers: “They are very proactive A. I think crowdSPRING should
have an area where a panel picks
marketers and they don’t expect any single site or community
role in this” to do their work for them. They work hard to drive links back to
the top ten awarded projects each
month and showcase these for
– Koh Chung Chek their content and are active in the blogging community.” prospective clients.
75
Advanced Photoshop
IS et se
my style and the person
appreciates the work I have done.
tM thu
Besides that, it is rather interesting
K a sidi kki en m the /
ro
Kris m Pho d out f f work
to see some other art styles,
especially photomanipulations
fro stan lit y o
ey”
“To d, quais the k
done by other artists. Some really
spark my creative juice and get w
me started! cro r vice
se
Q. How much money can an
artist earn through this?
A. This really depends on the
artist’s self-marketing strategy.
Phokki has no limit for artists to set
the price for their design.
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Advanced Photoshop
The best digital art courses and student artwork from around the world
West of England
competition entry to design a poster for 3 Mobile
Broadband, this image was printed 80,000 times
and used in a 3 Mobile campaign in winter 2008”
© SAM BEVINGTON
BA (Hons) Illustration
A
imed at people with high standards of artistic skills,
UWE’s BA (Hons) degree offers students the chance to
explore and craft their illustration skills further
through experimentation with a variety of media and
techniques, both digital and the more traditional.
Course As Gary Embury, senior lecturer in Illustration, explains: “The course
details is very popular so we have a good, diverse range of students to
University of the West of select from, nationally and internationally. We have a strong course
England
Tel: +44 (0)117 965 6261 team who encourage students’ individual development and are
Web: www.uwe.ac.uk interested in a wide range of outcomes, including print, digital,
Course BA (Hons) Illustration moving image, three-dimensional, narrative, sequential, editorial
Duration Three years
publishing and design.”
Entry requirements
Foundation Studies Diploma, Year one focuses on the importance of drawing as visual
BTEC National Diploma or communication, while year two introduces the wider influence of
equivalent qualification in art
and design
professional practices. Year three then takes students into a self-led
study period, during which the vital concept of illustration as a
business is taught. Throughout the programme, the university is
visited by professional illustrators to pass down their expert
knowledge, and a two-week work experience module is also
undertaken, as well as the chance to study animation. Most of the
course is assessed based on artistic assignments and submissions of
developmental work, but there is also a written exam in visual culture
modules and a dissertation, too.
Current student Sam Bevington enjoys the flexibility the degree
offers him: “The tutors are open-minded and don’t try to force you
into their way of working. When I look at my work from the first year I
am always surprised by how much my work has improved. I enjoy
illustration now more than I did when I started, I am able to look at
my work more objectively and I have also learned to be more
confident in my own way of working.”
Artist info
UWE has seen many successful students come through its doors,
with recent accolades including first place at the regional Lloyds Art
of Nurture competition (2009), second place at the Cheltenham
Illustration Awards (2008) and the bronze award at the 3x3
Illustration Awards (2009).
Sam Bevington
Personal portfolio site:
www.thebevlak.com
Year on course: Third
Bevington is an illustrator on
UWE’s BA (Hons) degree who
has enjoyed great success,
having been selected for the
Association of Illustrators
“I am able to look at my work
London Transport exhibition
and having his poster design more objectively and I have also
used by 3 Mobile Broadband.
He says: “The course has learned to be more confident in
given me the confidence and
the skills to go out and get
work for myself.”
my own way of working”
Sam Bevington
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Advanced Photoshop
Artist info
Zanny Mellor
Personal portfolio site:
www.zannymellor.com
Year on course: Third
R: “A
AL POSTE nal
LM FESTIV atio
TRAVEL FI First Annual Intern
poster for
The ted using
is was crea
av el Fi lm Festival, th r to draw the film
Tr n on pape them
ink and pe and then scanning ng
el s an d th e car, gs, fin al ly addi
re in
ranging th the type”
in and rear
Z A N N Y MELLOR
©
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Advanced Photoshop
The best digital art courses and student artwork from around the world
Course guide
Illustration
Some more of the best Illustration courses from around the world
80
Advanced Photoshop
Get the job you want with tailored advice from industry insiders
So you want to be a…
Fashion illustrator?
Producing artwork for a top brand or designer is often
seen as a dream job, but just how do you get a career
in fashion illustration?
Introducing
B
eing a fashion illustrator involves working in an
industry that is always changing. It’s an opportunity
the experts to create artwork to match those trends, while also
Emma Rios
Emma previously ran her own
standing out from the crowd. The great thing is, like fashion
fashion label. She has worked in itself, lots of styles are catered for – it’s just your job to make
fashion illustration for ten years. your work known to industry professionals. We spoke with
www.emmarios.com
Kavel Rafferty
five fashion illustrators to get their advice on creating a
Kavel is a self-taught illustrator career in this field.
who has been working in the
industry for seven years.
www.kavels.net
What key skills should I have?
Jonathan Williams Are there any essential abilities required to work as a
Jonathan has worked in fashion fashion illustrator?
illustration for ten years. His DIOR DARLING: Created for a book
work has been short-listed Jonathan Williams: It’s important to have strong figure called Fashion Wonderland, published by
twice this year for the V&A drawing and visualisation skills. In addition to that, you Victionary (www.victionary.com)
Illustration Awards. © CHRIS EDE
need to have a rich imagination, an eye for detail and the
www.jonathanwilliams.co.uk
Chris Ede ability to interpret other people’s ideas. Wannabe fashion
Chris is a freelance illustrator who illustrators should have the ability to follow and predict
has been working in fashion constantly changing trends, as well as being able to What Photoshop tools are useful to the role?
illustration for a year. His clients
include The Guardian, The recognise cultural differences. What aspects of Photoshop am I likely to use in my work?
Sunday Times and The 2012 Chris Ede: You need the ability to sketch freely and Kavel Rafferty: In my opinion, skills in layers and colour
Olympic Committee.
www.chrisede.com
confidently with an understanding of how garments matching are important.
Adam Lowe behave on the human form. Your illustrations should ooze Adam Lowe: I find that I use Photoshop to adjust colours,
Adam’s client list includes Nike, glamour, colour, imagination, youthfulness and style. You contrast and to basically clean it up, so I use Brightness/
The Guardian and Vedette Clothing.
should have the ability to adapt to changing trends while Contrast, Selective Color, Clone Stamp and the Airbrush.
Via www.illustrationweb.com
still retaining your individual style. It’s important to be If you’re scanning at home from a large image then there
What’s the able to work quickly and effectively while under are obviously layers to blend, which is when the old
best way to pressure, as deadlines are usually very short and Eraser comes in.
promote demanding. You must be very competent with using
computer software such as Adobe Photoshop and How do I get work experience?
my work? Illustrator to create, send and promote your work. It’s a great way to build up your portfolio, so how do I go
about getting some experience in the fashion industry?
Jonathan Williams: Many degree courses have
programmes that introduce prospective illustrators to the
“Have a strong online industry through work placements. Ideally, a placement
presence. Send out an would be supervised by a college tutor who is in regular
‘update’ newsletter contact with both the student and the employer.
every three months, Chris Ede: There are plenty of opportunities on the
then send a mailout of University of the Arts’ websites (www.arts.ac.uk); it’s a
your latest work every service for students and recent graduates to help develop
six months. Submit your their careers. This is a great platform to bag those first
work to as many important and difficult commissions or work experience.
illustration/design
blogs as possible – this
is a good way to get What’s the average starting salary?
your work seen” I know it’s likely to differ from company to company, but
what sort of money should I expect to start on?
SMALL PATTERN: This quirky yet stylish illustration was produced for
Chris Ede Bompas and Parr (www.jellymongers.co.uk) Jonathan Williams: It can vary anywhere from £15,000 to
Fashion illustrator © EMMA RIOS £19,000 per year, depending on who you work for.
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Advanced Photoshop
Industry insight
to create Israeli for GQ magazine in Russia
(www.gq.ru)
© JONATHAN WILLIAMS
BEAUTY ILLO FOR BON SWEDEN: Kavel Rafferty A closer look at how
produced this illustration for Bon Magazine in Sweden one artist got into
(www.bonmagazine.com)
© KAVEL RAFFERTY
fashion illustration
Adam Lowe
Freelance
fashion illustrator
“I decided to concentrate on fashion mainly because I
found that my style was more uninhibited when
focusing on the human form. It appealed because after
a couple of years of odd-job illustration, I wanted my
images to be divorced from diagrammatic story
elements and not be overthought, working on a much
more naturalistic level.
I attended the Illustration course at Falmouth College
of Arts in Cornwall, my first jobs thereafter being for the
25 Survivors collective based in London, working
sporadically for various institutions and magazines. The
nature of all of my early work was chaotic, eventually
including editorial, politics, council initiatives, in-store
Chris Ede: Freelance commissions
painting, cold-calling record companies, arranging
can generate publishing fees between
fashion shoots/spreads – even a bit of fontography for
£300 to £800 for a single illustration
Dizzee Rascal’s shoe box – all while still keeping the
within a magazine, depending on the
priorities of advertising brands balanced in the
stature of the client plus the number in
process. However, I am now trying to change the focus
circulation. A cover usually generates
of my work slightly. I’ve decided to work direct from
fees between £400 and £1,000, but
various fashion institutions, either from right there at a
again depends on the client. Artwork
show or working directly with an established label.”
for the textile design industry starts
from about £250 per design.
{
Emma Rios: Be really reliable and ensure you get back to illustrator different people”
any emails and phone calls quickly. Remember that in
the professional world people want things on their desk
quickly, so meet your deadlines. Want to know more?
More sites, courses and books to boost
Any other tips? your fashion illustration knowledge
What’s your best advice for a potential fashion illustrator?
Inspirational websites
Jonathan Williams: Anticipate changes in the market.
www.prospects.ac.uk
Experiment with new media and processes. Enter
http://abduzeedo.com/stylish-fashion-illustration-
competitions. Persevere. Immerse yourself in ideas and inspiration/
events that activate the imagination, not just in the world
WHAT OTHER Essential training
of fashion but also theatre, music, interior design, etc. SOFTWARE Experimental fashion drawing (short course)
Kavel Rafferty: It’s really important to show your work at PACKAGES WILL Cost: £315 Location: Central St. Martin’s, Charing Cross
every opportunity you get. And, probably most I BE USING? Rd, London Website: http://courses.csm.arts.ac.uk/
Aside from using Photoshop,
importantly of all, keep drawing! of course, Adobe’s Illustrator BA (Hons) Fashion Illustration
Emma Rios: Always keep a notebook to scribble down and InDesign packages will Cost: £3,225 Location: London College of Fashion, John
play a key role in the Prince’s St, London Website: www.fashion.arts.ac.uk
your inspiration. Work on a personal project and think of production of your work.
other creative roles you can work in, too. Just don’t give Another useful program is Must-have resources
up. Even when you feel like it’s not going anywhere.
Corel Painter. Also, if you Fashion Illustrator
have the spare cash and you Author: Bethan Morris Publisher: Laurence King
Chris Ede: Gain as much work experience as possible don’t own one already, it’s a Publishing Price: £12.97 Website: www.amazon.co.uk
good idea to invest in a
from the start. Working on live briefs for the first time and graphics tablet. Wacom is 100 Years Of Fashion Illustration
with people within the industry gives you the hunger and often a popular choice, so visit Author: Cally Blackman Publisher: Laurence King
www.wacom.com to check
desire you need to survive in a tough career. out the range.
Publishing Price: £18.99 Website: www.play.com
83
Advanced Photoshop
“Inks can
be replaced
individually,
making a smaller
slice in the
budget of the
average small
photo-printing or
graphics studio”
cheapest to replace. Based on pigment rather
than dye, they offer more true colour and added
longevity on the right kind of paper stock, but
they’ll set you back around £10 or $15 a
84
Advanced Photoshop
7/10
to produce perfect prints.
But some new features, however, seem
designed to frustrate the average small studio
7/10
85
Advanced Photoshop
7/10
manga fans alike.
OVER TO THE PANEL: It’s a simple case of click-and- manga enthusiast – then there are some
drag to make instant panel layouts. What a time-saver! excellent features that will really improve your
86
Advanced Photoshop
8/10
components, the Variation slider will be disabled. The
Size slider is disabled for filters that don’t require your effect with no visible seams. This is great for
measurable distances producing patterns for texturing backgrounds
87
Advanced Photoshop
Layers
The complete guide to Photoshop’s most powerful feature
Author/Publisher: Peachpit Press This makes each tutorial easy to follow and achievable for their
Web: www.peachpit.com intended user levels. An appendix at the end of each chapter
Price: £28.99/$39.99 also helps. These relate fundamental shortcuts that instantly
About: Learn from Photoshop guru Matt Kloskowski produce layer functions, introducing a more efficient workflow
Shows how to work and manage multiple within your projects.
layers at once However, we feel the sections entitled Making Selective
‘How do I’ appendix will help to enhance Adjustments and The Three Blend Modes You Need were a little
your workflow detached. These continue in a similar step-by-step format but
Reveals enhanced photo techniques using reveal several different functions within, jumping between
painting with light
numerous working examples. This makes the learning less
Smart layers completely explained
uniform than in other examples, yet nevertheless valid and
9
as Best in Show. This artist will win a fantastic
R
WO
9
prize, courtesy of ohfolio.com. The lucky winner
£
will receive a year’s subscription to the website
service, a fully designed Flash website template
and a free domain name.
90
Advanced Photoshop
CHARLOTTE IN SPACE: “I
made this from a tutorial on a blog
(http://abduzeedo.com/) for a
friend of mine. I decided to add some
text in the background and some
symbols and shapes to add depth”
DREAM
S
was mad OF ENYO: “T
e his
promotio as a possible
n
mate’s up al poster for a
co
a stock im ming album. I to
a ok
deviantA ge from
RT
com) tha (www.devianta
th rt
manipula ad already been .
te
to add to d, and continued
it
Dodge a , using lots of Colo
nd r
warlike fe giving it a space
el y/
goddess , inspired by Enyo
of war” ,
Luke Davis
WEB: http://starcrazy.org/ or www.advancedphotoshop.co.
uk/user/Starchild
91
Advanced Photoshop
BLIND ED
is an imag : “This
e
has gone that
th
many iter rough
ati
and I nev ons
er
get tired o seem to
f working
on it. Still
, th
feeling ha e
s
remained
th
with the w e same,
a
the colou rmth of
r palette
and the
displacem
I ROCK: “This is a 3D concept I had in en
figure em t of the
mind for a really long time. Visualising ph
the mood asising
words is one of my favourite habits” ”
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Advanced Photoshop
Armen Mnatsakanjan
WEB: www.young-dream.net
did the
D?: “First I
K SC ARE spent many hours
DO I LOO , then
paper was
ain idea
drawing on Photoshop. The m ?’
in look scared
painting it ce that says, ‘Do I
te a fa
to crea
93
Advanced Photoshop
BLUE HAIRED
created for a sm
GIRL: “An imag
all, self-published e
collaborative bo
ok I
while ago. My aim put together a
was to create a
fantasy-themed
image with a su
dreamlike quali btle,
ty to it”
Kelly Angel
WEB: http://kangel.deviantart.com/
94
Advanced Photoshop
£9 .99
ly
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&Packin
Oversea
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g
£4
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EXPERT STEP-BY-STEPS
ARTISTS’ PORTFOrsoLInaOl S
INSIGHTFUL FEATyoUuRES
nals by sio
pe Tutorials written for profes many of
Be inspired for your ownselection professionals. You ca n follow
talk
The team at iLoveDust their design this finish using
up
projects by viewing
work from the projects from start to on this CD or
through how they se t
tory and of Photoshop-based art c artists in the files that are included
studio, we explore the hisPh otoshop, some of the most pro lifi
your own stock images
development of Adob e the industry
and much more