Tutorial files available at:

blog.advancedphotoshop.co.uk/tutorial-files

117

DESIGN
YOUR
OWN
APP
Produce an individual iOS

TIPS
FOR
STRIKING SCI FI

Retina-ready app in Photoshop

30 PAGE SPECIAL

Industry experts explain how to master

landscapes, creatures & vehicles

HOW TO:

Choose photo apps

Colour-match photos
Master the Clone tool
Work with perspective

Create dynamic layer effects Build texture

Use blending modes Retouch with brushes

CREATE
SPLASH
STOCK

Before

Build your own paint

splash stock to use
in expert projects

PORTFOLIO INTERVIEW
ISSUE 117

WACOM REVIEW

GRAPHIC
DESIGN CINTIQ
COMPANION
Gustavo Gorrichtegui discusses how
We explore whether this new launch for
passion can overcome artistic adversity

digital artists on the go is worth its salt

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Now available on Mac

Imagined by

Justin Holt
Created with

thefoundry.co.uk/mari

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ISSUE 117

CONTENTS

ISSUE 117

WELCOME

Welcome to the latest

issue of Advanced
Photoshop. The topic of
conversation in the office
this month, and in this
issue, is photography; shoot
or use stock? Should you
take your own photos?

ANNA LISA SAYWELL

Editor
IN THIS ISSUE:
PHOTOMANIPULATION
PHOTO EDITING
GRAPHICS
DIGITAL PAINTING
TYPOGRAPHY
NEW MEDIA

COVER IMAGE
DREW LUNDQUIST
www.elevendy.com
A recent graduate in
photography, Drew
Lundquist is one of the
premier artists at creative
support studio Elevendy Inc.
You can check out not one,
but two of Elevendys
tutorials this issue!

There is an eternal debate among some

professionals who believe you should only ever
work with stock that you have shot, but for those of
you that work as a freelancer and do not have the
luxury of a studio, what else is there?
Well, a number of you have commented on using
3D and CGI to produce a more cost-effective and
debatably better product to take into Photoshop.
Creative giant Taylor James weighs in on the debate
in their studio interview, how they see the market
progressing and how they plan on staying at the
cutting edge of design. Turn to page 18 to see what
they have to say.
Elsewhere in the issue, master advanced
compositing to create an all-action scene, take a
look into the creation of professional landscapes, or
if you are thinking about purchasing the new
Wacom Cintiq Companion, check out what we
thought first Until next month!

FIND US ONLINE:
@advancedpshop

/AdvancedPhotoshop

.co.uk

34 PHOTO EDITING
EXPERT ADVICE:

TECHNIQUES

Industry professionals offer their views on a range

of advanced photo editing disciplines

26 15 TIPS FOR

INDUSTRY FEATURE:

STRIKING SCI FI

Photoshop experts reveal their secrets behind

creating sci-fi landscapes, creatures and vehicles

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FOR BACK ISSUES, BOOKS

AND MERCHANDISE VISIT:

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ISSUE 117

CONTENTS
EYE ON DESIGN

Whats hot, whos in and the

latest art & design happenings

06
08
10
16
18

THIS ISSUES PRO PANEL

Our contributors share Photoshop secrets
INDUSTRY NEWS
Font inspires Olympic graphics
PORTFOLIO INTERVIEW
Graphic design with style
PROJECT FOCUS
Eye-opening illustration
STUDIO INTERVIEW
Taylor James

54 WATCH BLOWOUT

16

EYE OPENING ILLUSTRATION

66 PROFESSIONAL LANDSCAPES

004

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ISSUE 117

TECHNIQUES

Professional artists reveal their high-end Photoshop skills in

our easy-to-follow workshops

26
34
42
48
54
58

INDUSTRY FEATURE

Fifteen tips for striking sci-fi art

INDUSTRY FEATURE

Photo editing techniques

WORKSHOP

Pro photo eects

WORKSHOP

Advanced compositing
HOW I MADE

Watch Blowout

64
66
84
88
96

HOW I MADE

Bamboo Frog
WORKSHOP

Professional landscapes
READER INTERVIEW

Master movement in static designs

CONTENTS

REVIEWS

We put the latest creative kit,

books and apps to the test

78
82
83

FEATURE:
Wacom Cintiq Companion
REVIEW:
FaceFilter3 PRO
REVIEW:
Photo-editing apps

RESOURCE PROJECT

Create paint splash stock

ON THE DISC

Editing low-light images

WORKSHOP

Master selections and the Clone tool

SUBSCRIBE TODAY!

SEE PAGE 24, 63 OR 76 FOR THE LATEST OFFERS

94

ON YOUR DISC

Free with issue 117 of

Advanced Photoshop

TAILOR MADE
CREATIVE CONTENT
Exclusive video tuition on how to
replicate expert retouch techniques

48 ADVANCED COMPOSITING
72

DESIGN YOUR
OWN APP

84

MASTERING
MOVEMENT

PREMIUM RESOURCES

Exclusive vintage book covers, a selection of

textures and premium stock photos

PLUS:

Tutorial project files

Exclusive wallpapers for mobile and desktop
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EYE ON DESIGN THIS
ISSUES PRO PANEL

THIS ISSUES PRO PANEL

EYE ON DESIGN

MEET THIS ISSUES CONTRIBUTORS AND FOLLOW THEIR EXPERT ADVICE TO

CREATE EVEN BETTER PHOTOSHOP ARTWORK
FRANCESCO
CORVINO

Bram Vanhaeren

www.francescocorvino.com
Reflections are essential for
making elements like metallic
surfaces or wet roads look believable. In this
artwork, the main buildings have been flipped
vertically and positioned over the water with an
Overlay blending mode applied. They were then
modified with the Glass filter to achieve a ripple
effect, for a realistic finish.
Turn to p66 to discover how to create a
matte painting fit for the silver screen

Francesco Corvino

Drew Lundquist

DREW LUNDQUIST

www.elevendy.com
Get as much as you can right in-camera. Over-manipulating photos is an easy way to lose detail. Plan your images from start to finish, have a
solution for every prop, model or supporting asset, and know how much you want to create for yourself. The less you have to salvage an image, the
more convincing your end result.
Transform a plain stock image into an ice queen with Drews tutorial, starting on p42

006

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The magazine for Adobe Photoshop professionals

RIYAHD CASSIEM

Riyahd Cassiem

www.riyahdart.blogspot.co.uk

When creating visual concepts,

first consider the composition,
then the major elements that
make up the whole, and break it down into smaller
components. You should start painting with a larger
brush size and then gradually scale it down to paint
in the finer details. I try to create a visual flow,
detailing specific areas of interest.
Riyahd and other digital experts give their top
tips for creating sci-fi images on p26

Imagine Publishing Ltd

Richmond House, 33 Richmond Hill,
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Web: www.imagine-publishing.co.uk
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Magazine team
Editor Anna-lisa Saywell
anna-lisa.saywell@imagine-publishing.co.uk
01202 586243

Editor in Chief Dan Hutchinson

Senior Designer Dan Bevan
Sub Editor Alicea Francis
Photographer James Sheppard
Senior Art Editor Duncan Crook
Head of Publishing Aaron Asadi
Head of Design Ross Andrews
Contributors

Get as much as you can right

in-camera. Over-manipulating
photos is always an easy way to lose
vital detail
DREW LUNDQUIST / WWW.ELEVENDY.COM

Chris McMahon, Amy Squibb, Julie Bassett, Kirk Nelson,

Angelica Jopson, Elevendy, Daniel Bramhall, Francesco
Corvino, Jaroslav Stehlik, Simon Skellon and James
Sheppard

Advertising
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International
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Contact the International department to discuss
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Head of International Licensing Cathy Blackman
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Subscriptions
Head of Subscriptions Gill Lambert
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For all subscription enquiries:
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Disclaimer
The publisher cannot accept responsibility for any unsolicited
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copyright of Imagine Publishing Ltd. Nothing in this magazine
may be reproduced in whole or part without the written
permission of the publisher. All copyrights are recognised
and used specifically for the purpose of criticism and review.
Although the magazine has endeavoured to ensure all
information is correct at time of print, prices and availability
may change. This magazine is fully independent and not
affiliated in any way with the companies mentioned herein.
Photoshop is either a registered trademark or trademark
of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/
or other countries and is used with express permission.
All $ prices are US Dollars unless otherwise stated.

James Bennett

JAMES BENNETT

www.jamesbennettart.com
I use Photoshop to make the background of a painting disappear, so it can be printed as a
silhouette. Using the Magic Wand or Lasso tool, I left-click the mouse button and drag to
select the desired area of transparency. I save the image as a PNG and its then ready to

If you submit material to Imagine Publishing via post,

email, social network or any other means, you automatically
grant Imagine Publishing an irrevocable, perpetual, royaltyfree license to use the images across its entire portfolio,
in print, online and digital, and to deliver the images to
existing and future clients, including but not limited to
international licensees for reproduction in international,
licensed editions of Imagine products. Any material you
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neither Imagine Publishing nor its employees, agents or
subcontractors shall be liable for the loss or damage.

send to the printer.

Find out how James created illustrations for a Shamir Lenses ad campaign on p16
Imagine Publishing Ltd 2013
ISSN 1748-7277z

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EYE ON DESIGN INDUSTRY
NEWS

FONT INSPIRES
OLYMPIC GRAPHICS
INDUSTRY NEWS

THE RIO 2016 ORGANIZING COMMITTEE HAS RELEASED A SERIES OF PICTOGRAMS

BASED ON TYPOGRAPHY BY LONDON BASED FONT DESIGN FIRM DALTON MAAG

f youre an Olympic sports fan, youll be seeing a

lot of these designs over the next two years.
Continuing in the tradition of defining the sports
through graphic icons, the Organizing Committee
of the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games have
launched a full house of pictograms in which each
and every sport in the two events is represented.
This is one of our unique contributions to the history
of the Games, said Carlos Arthur Nuzman, the
president of the Rio 2016 Organizing Committee.
The in-house design team under Rio 2016 brand
director Beth Lula can take full credit for the fluid and
eye-catching designs, but its font design agency
Dalton Maag that helped out with a little inspiration.
They developed the typographic concept, which was
inspired by the letters and numbers of the Rio 2016
logo and the essence of the Games.
The design team has said that the first step was
researching each sport and that the first strokes

were made by hand. The word pictogram comes

from Greek and Latin, originally meaning painted
word, and this was the source of inspiration for the
stroke and flow of the design. The strokes were then
reconstructed on a computer, fitting the contours of
the letters. Bodies and equipment were built from
characters or parts of characters, and stroke
thickness was manipulated to give the impression of
depth. Each pictogram is contained in a pebble shape
and the designs can be viewed inside or outside of
this shape, making use of negative space as needed.
In total there are 64 pictogram pebbles: 41 for
Olympic sports and 23 for Paralympic sports. The
project took 16 months to complete, which included
what must have been the painstaking task of getting
approval from each federation associated with the
Games. On this feat alone, the team, which is made
up of designers and 28 others involved in the
projects development, should be commended.

Beth Lula said these pictograms are important

tools for engaging the public from an early stage.
The pictograms, from now until 2016, will serve as a
communication platform for the promotion of the
sports, for partner activations, and will be present in
all the Games visual identity, including their
application in venue decoration, signposting, tickets
and licensed products, she said.
The design sets itself apart from the efforts of the
London 2012 predecessors, who drew inspiration
from the London Underground and presented
graphic depictions in block shapes with more specific
detail than the Rio 2016 show. The pebble designs
have a distinct movement that complements the
curvy games logo released a year ago, and gives
sports fans and designers alike a taste of whats to
come in the 2016 event.
Rio was announced as the host for 2016 in 2009,
and the Games start on 5 August in that year.

All article images Rio 2016

INCLUSIVE ELEMENTS
The Rio 2016 in-house design team paid extra
attention to the additional elements present in each
sport in the Paralympic games. The pictograms
depict the prostheses and impairments that the
athletes bring to each individual discipline in a
balanced and natural way. Special features such the
blades worn by many runners in Paralympic events
are easily identifiable, alongside blindfolds that depict
visual impairments. The sheer number of sports
depicted shows off the range of exciting events that
make up the Paralympic games, an event that has
grown in popularity and is beginning to receive as
much deserved attention as the Olympics.

008

The pebble designs have a distinct movement that complements

the curvy games logo released a year ago, and gives sports fans
and designers alike a taste of whats to come in the 2016 event
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WorldMags.net
RICOH WINTER
CASHBACK

CAMERA MAKER OFFERS CASHBACK

ON SELECTED K RANGE MODELS

If Santa didnt fill your stocking with a brand new

camera this Christmas, its not too late to get your
hands on one yourself, and it might not be as
expensive as you think if you take advantage of the
remaining days of the Winter Cashback offer from
Ricoh Imaging (UK only). The offer runs until 14
January 2014 and includes camera models that offer
something for everyone, from mere enthusiasts to
professionals looking for a top-quality product. It is a
cashback offer, so you have to be willing to part with
your old camera to take advantage of it.

The offer runs until 14

January 2014 and includes
camera models that offer
something for everyone
Models that are part of the deal include the K-5IIs
body all the way through to the K-50 body. Camera
body and lens deals are also included. Cashback
values range from 85 at the top end down to 40 for
the K-50. If youre looking at purchasing the K-5II,
a18-55mm WR and 50-200mm WR, you can expect
85 in your pocket once you hand your own current
camera over. The offer is running at most good
independent retailers, but always check in store with
each on the specifics of what constitutes an
acceptable trade-in before purchasing. If youve been
eyeing out the new Pentax K-3 model, then hurry to
take advantage of the exclusive offer of 85
minimum on any camera you trade in when you
upgrade. Unlike the concurrent offer from Ricoh, this
one only runs until 31 December 2013, so dust off
your winter lethargy and get there before the year
runs out.

WORLD OF ANIMALS LAUNCHED

EXPERIENCE AMAZING ANIMALS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE WITH A

NEW MAGAZINE DEDICATED TO WILDLIFE AND CONSERVATION
From the slovenly sloths of the Amazon rainforest
to the predatory polar bears of the Arctic Circle,
World of Animals is a new monthly magazine from
the makers of How It Works that takes a unique
look at wildlife from all over the globe. With
breathtaking photography, captivating stories and
stunning illustrations, each issue offers the safari of a
lifetime, exploring the habitats, behaviour and societies
of all Earths creatures.
On sale now, the magazine launches alongside digital
editions for iOS and Android available from
greatdigitalmags.com and is accompanied by a
brand-new companion website, animalanswers.co.uk..
Be sure to connect on Twitter @WorldAnimalsMag and
Facebook at facebook.com/worldofanimalsmag..

WACOM OPENS EXPERIENCE CENTRE

HIGH WYCOMBE IS THE SITE OF THE TABLET MAKERS FIRST CENTRE,
WHERE YOU CAN PLAY WITH YOUR WACOM TABLET BEFORE YOU BUY IT

If you think Apple Stores are a neat place to

hang out, then your options have just opened
up, as Wacom in partnership with Square
Group have launched its first Experience Centre
sales outlet in High Wycombe, UK. Those who
cant get enough of the Wacom brand will be
able to view all their products on one shop floor,
with the added benefit of being able to test out
new technology before buying.
The tablet makers have said the Experience
Centre is a one-stop shop and solution centre
for everything Wacom, and aims to provide a
pleasant and professional environment with
knowledgeable staff and live demonstrations.
Managing director at Square Group Ltd
Darren King said: Were happy to be partnering
with Wacom to build the UKs first Wacom
Experience Centre. Wacom products have long
been a staple of Squares business, and the
opportunity to work closer with this prestigious
brand is very exciting. The ability for customers
to get hands-on with these new products is
very important, and were proud to be able to
offer that on all their lines.
If you havent yet got your hands on the
recently launched Cintiq Companion creative
tablets or the new Intuos line-up, you can get
them in store or try them out on the shop floor.
While youre there, check out the training
facilities or talk to a brand ambassador about
the burning Wacom questions you may not
have been able to have answered through the
companys online presence alone.

Joint venture: The new Experience Centre is a partnership between

Wacom and Square Group, an award-winning, leading technology
services organisation

All on site: The Experience Centre has training facilities and staff
members on hand to answer questions about the full range of Wacom
products, to make sure youre clued up before you buy

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EYE ON DESIGN PORTFOLIO
INTERVIEW
PORTFOLIO INTERVIEW

www.gurro.net
@Gurro15

GRAPHIC DESIGN
WITH STYLE

GUSTAVO GORRICHTEGUI DISCUSSES HOW PASSION AND A THIRST

FOR CHALLENGE CAN HELP OVERCOME ARTISTIC ADVERSITY

lthough his work exudes imagination

and bursts off the page with strong use
of colour, the path to a successful
creative career hasnt necessarily been
the easiest for graphic artist Gustavo Gorrichtegui.
Born and raised on the thin strip of connective land
that is the Republic of Panama, the digital design
industry hasnt flourished there for artists as it has in
the US or Europe. The industry in my country does
not evolve as it does in other places; it has significant
lag, explains Gorrichtegui. There are a lot of
talented people, but theres little opportunity to show
what we do in our everyday work on an online
portfolio or for an international magazine. Its a
shame, and kind of sad.
Nevertheless, this shortfall of artistic opportunity
hasnt kept Gorrichtegui from working hard. The

main lesson I have learned is to keep doing work

and to maintain the passion I feel for making things!
Gorrichtegui doesnt claim to have a specific
style, instead claiming that this is something that
develops naturally in an artists career. Its like a
specific language and it has a lot to do with how
much an artist knows themselves, and the way in
which we capture our ideas. I could describe my
work as surreal, with the sense of identity coming
from the main idea. For me, the motif is very
important; its the story of the piece. I like to put a lot
of contrast of emotions in my pieces like happiness
with a melancholic atmosphere or play with
different feelings at the same time, like drama and
intrigue. I will always try to look for different concepts
to convey my ideas. Its that constant striving for
change that defines an artists style.

CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF

AND YOUR HISTORY AS AN ARTIST?
As I remember, I have always had a passion for
creating things. When I was a kid, I got involved in
projects related to arts, like music and drawing.
When I got my first computer in the late Nineties, I
began to use Photoshop and watched tutorials on
the internet. I spent a lot of time watching those.
I never had access to a higher level art education, so
I needed to learn on my own.
By 2001, I had developed an interest in web design
and flash animation. I started to work professionally
as a web designer for seven years and began
running a design studio business with some of my
best friends. That was an amazing experience.
However, we eventually decided to separate and go
different ways. From that point on, I started to get

All images Gustavo Gorrichtegui

01

Cosmo Lady: Gorrichteguis use of

colour is very striking, particularly in this
piece, which really helps it to stand out
from the page

02

Recipe For Hate: For Gorrichtegui,

inspiration can come from anywhere: a
song, a feeling, a conversation, a day at
the beach, or his surroundings

03

Elescape: Having an open mind for

inspiration and a big imagination is key to
Gorrichateguis work. His images are
often bursting with unique ideas and
creativity, as demonstrated here

01

010
040

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02

WorldMags.netBe patient and never

lose passion, because
thats what keeps you in the
race, and thats what makes
you a better artist

03

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EYE ON DESIGN PORTFOLIO
INTERVIEW
involved in what I really think is my path or at least
the path I decided to build. I left web design behind
and became interested in digital art and started
working professionally on advertising, where I could
develop professional skills as a senior designer, art
director and freelancer.
WHAT LESSONS HAVE YOU LEARNED ABOUT
THE DESIGN TOOLS YOUVE UTILISED?
The tools are just that tools! They are constantly
changing and updating. As such, the lesson I have
learned is that artists need to keep constantly
evolving their main skills, their foundations and their
principles. When you have a strong foundation and
artistic knowledge, you can achieve more quality in
your work no matter what tool you are using. I spent
many painful hours and endured a lot of headaches
trying to do something without knowing the
principles. Now I know that maintaining a constant
knowledge of underlying artistic principles is what
makes you the best artist you can be.

04

All images Gustavo Gorrichtegui

04

05

Recuerdame Por Siempre: Theres a

sense of narrative to much of
Gorrichteguis work. This image feels
like theres a bigger story to it, and were
only glimpsing a single sentence

05

Surreal Mess: This image might be titled

Surreal Mess, but really its anything but.
Theres a carefully considered sense of
composition here, with each element
thoughtfully balanced within the frame

YOU PRODUCE A LOT OF WORK AS A

PHOTOGRAPHER. IN WHAT WAYS DOES THIS
HELP YOU WITH YOUR DIGITAL WORK?
My path through photography was short but
interesting. I started out in the discipline with an idea
of fulfilling my design ideas exactly as I had
envisioned. I had found that in the past, depending on
stock photography tends to just make things harder.
Several times I found myself changing my ideas to fit
the stock shot I found. I felt like a stock photo slave.
So for me, photography and digital art have a very
strong bond. Its a powerful combination when
theyre applied with skill. Nowadays, the majority of
artists of different disciplines use digital photography
as an integral part of their work. Right now, however,
I have decided to keep photography as a hobby and
invest myself in the world of CGI and 3D. I hope by
using these tools I can more fully realise my concepts.
CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR
EXPERIENCES AS AN ART DIRECTOR? WHAT
CORE SKILLS DOES THIS REQUIRE?
Being an art director is an amazing experience. You
have a lot of responsibility because the final look of
the piece depends on your decisions. Its amazing to
be able to make those decisions and execute them.
My best experience as an art director was getting the
Cannes Lions shortlist nomination. It was a beautiful
project where I got to work with a lot of talented
people, and they trusted every decision that I made.
Its amazing when you get to create with freedom.
For me the main skill that an art director needs to
have is to know what direction to take, to be really
sure of what he or she wants, and to be good at
making decisions; followed by a developed skill set
and good communication. It is very frustrating when
an art director cant explain what he or she wants, so
you need to be very clear communicating your ideas.

012

06

Selling Happiness: Gorrichtegui likes

to play with contrast of feeling and
emotion in his images, something clearly
evident in this juxtaposition of violence
and love

07

Hate And Love: Here we see an example

of Gorrichteguis desire to experiment
with extremes in his work, exploring the
two polar opposites of the human
condition: hate and love

06

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I think its very important as
an artist to challenge
yourself every time you decide to
create something. Thats the fun
part of creating art for a living!

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07

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EYE ON DESIGN PORTFOLIO
INTERVIEW
Secret Store

Secret Store: Gorrichtegui has also

worked in typography, creating attention-grabbing
examples such as this. The text and the colour scheme work brilliantly together here

WHAT KIND OF CLIENTS HAVE YOU WORKED

FOR OVER THE YEARS?
I have worked with a lot of different clients. The best
ones are those that contact you based on your skills
and experience and those who trust you. Its kind of
lucky to find a client like that in my small country.
Nowadays, clients contact me mainly for image
production like retouching, print ads, matte painting
and CGI. My favourite client pieces are the Cannes
Lions shortlist ads I worked on for Acetaminodol, a
pharmaceutical product and a package design I
worked on for Atlas, a beer brand here in Panama.
WHAT PROJECTS HAVE REALLY CHALLENGED
YOU OVER THE YEARS, AND WHY?
I try to challenge myself in every project that I make.
I think its very important as an artist to challenge
yourself every time you decide to create something. I
mean, thats the fun part of creating art for a living!
With this in mind, for the past two years I have been
studying and working on 3D. I think that this is the
most challenging stage of my career so far. This
branch of digital art requires a lot of dedication if you
want to really succeed at it. Besides photography, 3D
fits more with my lifestyle and my agenda, and is
something that I can practise every day without

014

moving off my laptop. Photography is beautiful, but

its field work and I personally prefer producing work
behind the screen.
WHERE DO YOU FIND INSPIRATION FOR YOUR
VARIOUS PROJECTS?
Inspiration is something that comes in different ways
for me. I keep my mind open to every single aspect
of my life and surroundings. Inspiration can come
from things like song lyrics, or a specific feeling I
experience during a song. It could come from a
particularly interesting conversation, or a relaxing
day at the beach, or something that I see. It can come
from anywhere.
Im reminded of a nice quote: Try to look beyond
the monitor screen. Thats totally true. Also, I look
for other artists work and rare pictures on the
internet. However, keeping ideas fresh based on
what you personally see, learn or feel is the best
source of inspiration.

that youre done. Use your time wisely, and

remember there are no shortcuts for skills. They
dont exist. Every human skill needs to be developed,
so take a deep breath, enjoy it, be patient and never
lose passion, because thats what keeps you in the
race, and thats what makes you a better artist.

WHATS THE MOST IMPORTANT ADVICE YOU

WOULD GIVE TO OTHER ARTISTS?
Always believe that you can be better than you are.
Our brains are designed to hold massive amounts of
information and they need to be fed, so dont think

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PORTFOLIO TIPS

GORRICHTEGUI OFFERS ADVICE FOR MAKING IT AS A

PROFESSIONAL DIGITAL ARTIST

STAY ONLINE
Create an online portfolio and stay in contact with people
that way. Ask for feedback and critiques. Online presence is
your presentation card for local and international clients, art
collectives and people just looking for cool art, so always
keep your web portfolio up to date with your best work.
DONT RUN BEFORE YOUVE LEARNED TO WALK
If you want to make stunning work, there is only one way to
do it: practice and dedication. Never try to rush your skill
development process. If you feel youre stuck, stop, take a
breath and try to make things different. Sometimes, a shift
in the way you are doing things is key.
FRESH THINKING, FRESH WORK
Keep away from stressful things, look forward for new
ideas and concepts, investigate, observe, and you will find
yourself doing more unique work. Keep in mind that it is a
process, so dont get frustrated if one day youre lacking
inspiration. This happens to everyone. Focus on other things
and then come back with clean, new thinking.

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My Windows apps
on the Mac I love amazing!

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WorldMags.net
EYE ON DESIGN EYE
OPENING ILLUSTRATION

EYE OPENING
ILLUSTRATION
PROJECT FOCUS

ILLUSTRATOR JAMES BENNETT TALKS US THROUGH CONCEPTUALISING A

SERIES OF SHARP AND WITTY PRINT ADVERTS FOR SHAMIR LENSES

I
ABOUT THE STUDIO
JAMES BENNETT
www.jamesbennettart.com

James Bennett began his

professional career shortly a er
receiving recognition from the
Society of Illustrators and RSVP as
a scholarship student at the School
of Visual Arts in New York. His
work has graced both the interiors
and exteriors of publications such
as The New York Times and Forbes,
and hes also been commissioned
for ad work for industry
heavyweights such as American
Express and Paramount Pictures.

NAME OF PROJECT
EYE SEE SHAMIR LENSES
ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN

All images Shamir Insight, Inc

016
040

t was the inherent humour in James Bennetts

work that initially attracted art directors Candice
Keating and Regina Luciano. The pair were
scouting for an artist to turn an idea for a Shamir
Lenses ad campaign into something very special.
Shamir is one of the leading manufacturers of
high-quality, progressive lenses and moulds in the
world, they knew that they wanted something to
distinguish them from other competitors, and they
wanted it to be funny.
The company had an ongoing campaign that used
work by the renowned C. F. Payne to show off their
lenses. Once Bennett came on board, they would
present him with an idea every month and then leave
him to his devices to create a witty depiction of
situations where poor eyesight would leave his
subjects in some awkward and amusing situations.
The adverts show off Bennetts distinct and
recognisable illustration style, while presenting
something that also fits the clients idea of what their
brand is about. The adverts appeared regularly in
optometrists magazines, warning future spec
wearers and optometry professionals of the perils of
picking the wrong product.
HOW DETAILED WERE THE CLIENT BRIEFS
AND HOW DID YOU INTERPRET THEM?
The client briefs were sometimes very detailed and
included specifics of each individual such as sex, age

and clothing, so that each image read like a scene

out of a movie. I had fun putting my own spin on the
individuals so that they had their own personalities.
WHERE DID YOU DRAW INSPIRATION FOR THE
CHARACTERS WE SEE IN THE ADVERTS?
The inspiration for each could come from many
different places. This could be either people Ive seen,
or from friends, or I would use myself to capture the
right expressions.
CAN YOU WALK US THROUGH THE PROCESS
OF CREATING YOUR ILLUSTRATIONS?
I do all of my sketches in ballpoint pen, fairly roughly,
keeping me from getting too caught up in details and
blending. Once approved, I transfer the sketch to the
illustration board using graphite, seal the drawing
with matte medium, and then begin painting with
oils. I try to cover the entire board with paint,as
quickly as possible, with dark and light gradations
being more important than color. Leaving the paint
medium to dry, usually overnight, I can then begin
finishing, using lighter washers and brighter colours
until it is complete. I use watercolour brushes, which
allow for tighter details.
WHAT ROLE DOES PHOTOSHOP PLAY IN YOUR
OWN WORK AND HOW DO YOU USE IT?
I use Photoshop after I scan my final image. When
doing a series of athletes for T-shirts, for example, I
used Photoshop to eliminate backgrounds and alter
small details.
Being able to alter certain aspects of the image
after it is completed has become a valuable tool in
delivering the final art. Years ago, when an art
director asked for changes, the process could be a
long one. Using Photoshop allows me to make
minor alterations quickly, without having to get my
paints out. It frees me from having to worry about
late changes.
Ive used Photoshop more and more in recent
years and anticipate learning new ways to use it in
the future. Working digitally is another creative tool in
an artists pocket. There is nothing inherently wrong
with working in only one medium, but being able to
be more versatile can make you see more
possibilities. Every artist will develop their own

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Others in the series

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A dozen unique images make up the
full Shamir Eye See campaign, and
each work is recognisable by the
distinct style and humour injected into
the images
Digital meets traditional art in
James Bennetts work, as he uses
the power of Photoshop to refine,
adjust and isolate elements

The characters in the campaign came

from a mixture of a detailed brief from
the client and personal inspiration from
faces of the artists friends, family,
strangers, and when necessary, the
artist himself

working process, so both paint and digital are valid

solutions. I deliver my artwork almost exclusively
digitally now, despite the fact that I paint them in oils.
Photoshop has helped me achieve that easily.
HOW DID YOU CREATE COHESION BETWEEN
THE IMAGES AND MAKE THEM
RECOGNISABLE AS PART OF ONE CAMPAIGN?
I think the cohesion of the campaign comes naturally
from a lifetime of work and consistent observation of
funny-looking people. No matter how different the
scene, the process I go through just seems to pull it
all together at the end.
HOW DOES ADVERTISING WORK DIFFER FROM
CREATING AN EDITORIAL PIECE?
Advertising work is very different from editorial, both
in concept and process. Satisfying the clients needs
is your first goal, and whatever amount of personal
indulgence is always secondary. Thats why Im
always more impressed when I see a successful
advertisement, because I know that the artist had to

first meet the clients requirements, before solving

his or her own need for fun and exploration. Editorial
work has its own rewards but on a much more
personal level, which is why Im grateful I am able to
do both.
WHAT KIND OF RECEPTION DID YOUR
ILLUSTRATIONS RECEIVE?
The work was very well received as a campaign and
has generated more work from ad agencies recently.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO ANY
READERS LOOKING TO DEVELOP THEIR
ILLUSTRATION SKILLS?
I think that every artist should try to enjoy their work.
I believe were fortunate to do something that is so
personal that when someone sees it, they can tell
right away whether I was having fun doing it. If I was
bored or not into it, unfortunately they can see that
too. So I always try to find work that poses either a
challenge or a laugh, that will make me want to
wake up and work.

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EYE ON DESIGN STUDIO
INTERVIEW
STUDIO INTERVIEW

TAYLOR JAMES

WHEN IT COMES TO HIGH END CGI, TAYLOR JAMES IS ONE OF THE

MOST WELL KNOWN AND CREATIVE STUDIOS IN THE BUSINESS.
WE FIND OUT HOW IT STAYS ON THE CUTTING EDGE OF DESIGN

hen we first came across Taylor

James, it had a reputation for high-end
retouching and incredible photorealism
when blending CGI with photography.
The studio, which first started out in 1999, has since
gone on to embrace new technologies, and can offer
a vast range of services including CGI, animation,
film, photography and post-production.
Head of retouch Josh Rogers, who has been with
the studio since 2005, has witnessed much of this
development first-hand: The launch of our CGI
department happened soon after I joined and was a
major change it opened up a broader client base
and changed the way we would approach certain
projects. Increasing our options and subsequently
our creativity meant ideas were more achievable and
affordable. We have since taken on our own in-house
photographers and live-action specialists, which
gives us a full range of skills and services.

Communication is key, both

internally and in liaising with
the agency or client. The client is
kept involved throughout and is
regularly updated
With such a wide range of skills all under one roof,
teamwork is certainly key to producing such
high-end projects for its well-known clients. For
each project, a suitable team is assigned, who get
together to discuss the brief and ideas. From there,
we set and agree the creative vision before moving
into full production, says Rogers. Communication is
key, both internally and in liaising with the agency or
client. The client is kept involved throughout and is
regularly updated on working progress, so there are
hopefully no shocks and only happy endings.
Communication is just as important in the way
that a project reaches its intended audience. This is
due to a shift in the way that advertising is delivered,
as project lead Kyle Grace, who has been with Taylor
James for two years, explains: The traditional model
of a captive audience who must sit through TV
advertising or flick past glossy print ads is no longer
valid; bidding wars for prime billboard space and
huge media space budgets are in decline. Brands
want to track and see how successful their campaign

018

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ABOUT THE STUDIO

TAYLOR JAMES
www.taylorjames.com
@taylorjamesuk

Taylor James is a high-end creative

production studio, providing
integrated services for digital
productions. Renowned for creative
and technical expertise, they
visualise print, animation, motion
and interactive campaigns.

Jerome Haupert, Creative Director

Josh Rogers, Head of Retouch

Kyle Grace, Project Lead

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Louise Adams, Retouch Artist

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WorldMags.net
EYE ON DESIGN STUDIO
INTERVIEW

Client - Epson; Agency - Albion; CGI & Post - Taylor James

and message is, and there is such a wealth of

different avenues they can reach their audience
through. Advertising is becoming increasingly
targeted to specific demographics or individuals.
This change in the way that brands interact with
their audiences means that Taylor James needs to
maximise its own abilities to give clients what they
need and want: As a production studio, its no longer
just a case of print and motion, says Grace. We
constantly re-purpose our CG and photographic
assets in a number of ways; motion graphics, ad
development, immersive environments, alongside
our traditional output. Maximising the number of
outputs using the same assets allows brands to
have a variety of media with the same look and feel,
but offering different levels of user interaction. Its all

020
040

about pulling the user in, as opposed to pushing a

message to them.
This sort of project brings with it many challenges,
as so many elements need to come together. Rogers
reflects on one such brief, which was for a mobile
phone brand. The final deliverables required were for
print, digital and in-store, showcasing the full breadth
of what Taylor James can offer: The pre-production
was very important to ensure the technical aspects
of the photo shoot were correct. My role in leading
the creative retouching of these comps meant long
days and nights in order to stay on schedule, and
deliver assets on time and looking good. With many
people to approve the visuals from the client and
agency side, it meant a lot of back and forth and
delays. Because the print assets were used to create

the digital and web ads, we were unable to move

ahead until the print ads had been approved. And
considering the high-res print images were over 11k
wide and fully editable, this resulted in large file
sizes! Therefore, efficient file handling and organised
structuring was imperative in order to keep things in
order and the team all up to speed.
Being such a cutting-edge studio, Taylor James
makes the most of the high-end software available.
This includes Capture One, Bridge and Camera Raw
to deal with the photographic side of things and, of
course, Photoshop. It is used across the production
workflow, as Rogers explains: Photoshop is
generally where we composite and grade everything
print-wise at least. And more and more of our
work in Photoshop is being transferred across into

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BRICKWALL MAN

LOUISE ADAMS, RETOUCH ARTIST, TALKS US

THROUGH THE CREATION OF THIS IMAGE,
WHICH BLENDS CGI AND PHOTOGRAPHY
Brickwall Man was designed and
created by Taylor James for healthcare
agency GSW. The final images were
aimed at doctors who hit brick walls in
the process of treating patients for a
specific disorder. This job brought
together many of our in-house skill sets,
from 2D concept design to CGI,
photography and creative retouching. By
using the full range of our in-house
services, we were able to blend the
most appropriate skill sets to really
optimise the final quality.

01

Brickwall Man - Taylor James

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT

We started with rough concept sketches

to establish a low, wide-angle POV. This reinforced
the weight and scale of the wall that the character
represented. We also considered how the bricks
should be constructed, adhering to real-world
proportions and limitations of how bricks could fit
together to build a head, torso and limbs.

04

RENDERING

Once the client was happy with the

composition, textures and lighting, we began
rendering the image in high resolution. Using CGI
allowed us to separate the renders into many
sub-elements, including colour, lighting, reflections
and shadows, all as individual layers, so we could
control the retouch process to a much deeper level.

02

CHalk: pre-vis

We then began to model in 3D and

compose all the pieces into our CGI scene. We
consulted with the clients medical team to ensure
the room layout and equipment was accurately
represented. In this 3D scene, we were able to
explore camera lenses, distortion and refine the
room layout for the best composition and accuracy.

05

PHOTOGRAPHY

When the characters lighting and posing

was set, we chose to photograph the patients
gown. Using all the CGI camera information, we
could match the lensing and field of view in our
real-world camera. It was more cost and
time-efficient to capture the organic nature of cloth
and fabrics, rather than sculpt or simulate in 3D.

03

TEXTURES, MATERIALS AND LIGHTING

We referenced lots of photography to

achieve the look and feel of the examination room.
We wanted to ensure that the materials accurately
portrayed the medical environment, from the
clinical lighting to the coved safety flooring. The
cross-lighting from the window also helped to
define the shape and depth of the wall character.

06

RETOUCHING

Our retouch artists honed the final image

and pushed the photographic integrity. This was
down to the eye of our retouchers, and their ability
achieved the photographic realism our work is
renowned for. It includes imperfections such as dirt
and cracks, atmospheric depth using lighting
flares, and depth of focus and colour grading.

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EYE ON DESIGN STUDIO
INTERVIEW
After Effects and NUKE for animation purposes.
With grading being such an important part of the
process, its not that surprising that Rogers says that
his favourite tool in the program is the Gradient tool:
This allows subtleties in creating gradients and
vignettes on masks, and is key for me in creating
good colour grading.
Taylor James is certainly not a studio that is afraid
of change and development to keep itself at
cutting-edge, as Rogers explains: We have always
been keen to stay at the forefront of the industry and

Photoshop users should

familiarise themselves with
motion software and how
potentially their assets could be
used in motion projects

Moving into motion in this way hasnt come

without its hurdles, Grace hopes that technology
filters down from the film and game industries to
power forward the studios motion capabilities: We
have had on-set retouchers for years; this is
especially important as we do a lot of work
integrating CG into photographic backplates (or vice
versa). With stills work, its relatively easy to drop
pre-rendered CG tests into these plates on set and
refine positioning etc. However, with motion work its
a little more complex, especially if we have moving
cameras. A lot of major film and game studios are
doing some amazing work with motion capture and
real-time pre-vis, allowing directors to view the set
with the CG in place and having the ability to move
CG elements around all in real-time! This allows for

a much more flexible and fluid approach. Hopefully,

this will filter down to the rest of the industry in the
not so distant future.
This shift in both Taylor James output, as well as
the industry as a whole, is going to affect so many
designers and the way that they work. As such, while
he doesnt think that [2D] imagery is anywhere near
dead, Grace suggests that its worth getting some
experience in motion to stay fresh: I do think its
worth it for all Photoshop users to familiarise
themselves with motion software and how their
assets could be used in motion projects, from matte
paintings in feature films to simple cinemagraphs.
Thinking about your projects in a way that allows you
to consider time and three dimensions a little more
will only help your Photoshop skills.

Client - Red Bull; Agency - Red Bull Creative; Photography & Retouch - Taylor James

like to push ourselves creatively. More and more,

projects now involve multi-platforms, be it print,
digital or TV. My role as a creative retoucher has
evolved, and I now have a broader understanding of
pre-production, motion graphics, photography and
CGI. This is vital in production planning and ensuring
that we make the most of time and budgets.
Looking to the future, Grace explains that motion
is increasingly becoming a key area. We opened our
live-action department last year, and we are pushing
this aspect of the business hard, he says. Motion is
becoming more and more important in what we do.
We have great technical and creative minds, and we
are hungry to push things as far as we can, utilising
technology for creative gain. Weve got a lot of
versatility under one roof, so Id love to see us
working on short films.

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF JEROME HAUPERT

THE STUDIOS CREATIVE DIRECTOR SHARES WITH US A TYPICAL DAY AT TAYLOR JAMES

10:00

WHATS NEW?

Time for the first meetings of the

day, a catch up with the teams to talk about a
potential job, how we are going to handle it, shoot it,
design it, who will be working on it, then plan in a
creative call with the ad agency for the afternoon.

022
040

11:00

PHOTO SHOOT

I check how setup is going for the

product shoot and can be back and forth as needed.
All images are also streamed live to our iPads while
Im in the studio, meaning I can cover a few projects
all at different stages of production.

13:00

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT

Brainstorming for pitches involves

finding references and inspiration. We then sketch
out those ideas, storyboard, CGI test, animation and
photo shoot, depending on the pitch. Once this is all
done, I build a treatment to present to the ad agency.

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TOP 5
PRODUCTION TIPS

Client FIAT; Agency - The Richards Group; Photography - Andy Glass; CGI & Post - Taylor James

HEAD OF RETOUCH, JOSH ROGERS, SHARES HIS ADVICE

REFERENCE REALITY
When retouching, always cross-reference reality, be it for a
shadow, a reflection or anything else.
NON DESTRUCTIVE RETOUCHING
Often you will be asked to go around the houses before an art
director settles on something you did last week. Make sure you
save regularly, especially at key stages, and organise your files.

All images Taylor James Ltd

UNDERSTAND COLOUR
Set up Photoshop to suit your workflow: colour profiles, colour
spaces, CMYK separations, gamut, monitor profile... a calibrated
workflow is vital to creating colour-accurate images!
AUTOMATION
Use the actions and automation features to quickly load layers
into a stack, stitch panoramas or apply filters.
USE CAMERA RAW TO EDIT YOUR IMAGES
Even if your image isnt a RAW file, you can use Camera Raw. Go
to Photoshop Preferences>Camera Raw>JPEG and TIFF
Handling>Open all supported TIFFs/JPEGs.

15:00

COMP AND CGI

Here I will review progress on our

latest cross-platform project combining
photography and CGI, we are taking footage shot on
three cameras to create a dynamic, 2.5-dimensional
object fly through a still image.

17:00

CLIENT REVIEW

I speak to a client in LA to share the

now comped images of their product with the CGI
environment and see if there are any final elements
to shoot. Our studio is free tomorrow, so we can
leave the setup for any adaptations.

19:00

THATS ALL FOLKS... SOMETIMES

Every day is different... I could be

directing on location, developing storyboards or
finessing an animation. Im loving the 3D character
made for our Christmas campaign. The environment
was created in Photoshop using photo references.

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023

BACK
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TECHNIQUES 15 TIPS
FOR STRIKING SCI FI ART

FIFTEEN
TIPS FOR STRIKING

SCI FIART
15

PHOTOSHOP EXPERTS REVEAL THEIR

SECRETS BEHIND CREATING SCI FI
LANDSCAPES, CREATURES, VEHICLES AND ENVIRONMENTS. FIND OUT HOW TO
IMPROVE YOUR OWN IMAGES WITH THIS SELECTION OF TIPS AND TECHNIQUES
ACT ON
INSPIRATION
RIYAHD CASSIEM

BLEND 3D AND
PHOTOSHOP
EDDIE DEL RIO

www.eddiedelrio.com
This concept illustration
was part of a personal
project, Speeder Mechs. Del Rio had a rough
storyline in his head before he began working
on preliminary sketches and referring to all the
research that he had gathered. [At the end of
that process], I had a 3D model (in Maya). I
rendered it out with realistic lighting and took
that render into Photoshop. I then pumped up
the drama and atmosphere to take it from a
photoreal render to something that had a little
more soul. At this point, I also added all the
background details and characters to the scene.
Painting metal really just means looking at
your sky and surroundings and painting them
reflected in the scene. Working with a 3D render
means you get a lot of detail, and sometimes
too much especially in reflections. I often find
myself editing out detail. What I try to do is
balance the look of reflections so that they dont
overpower the shape language that I worked so
hard to incorporate. My job is to find the design
in the story that a 3D program will take out of it,
and that is usually when my painting and
Photoshop skills come into play.

026

Eddie Del Rio

www.riyahdart.blogspot.com
Riyahd Cassiem explains how
important it is to search around
for inspiration when creating alien environments.
Designing science-fiction art gives you the
opportunity to create a universe based on imagination
and expand on it. Take inspiration from real-world
sciences, technology, biology, robotics, industrial
design etc, as well as science fiction. There are
numerous science-fiction artists and writers with a
gamut of material to explore. Just to name a few, H.
R. Giger (Alien), Syd Mead (Blade Runner), Isaac
Asimov (I, Robot) and H. G. Wells (War of the Worlds).
These influential artists help to inspire my art.
I use a combination of 3D sculpting in ZBrush,
rendering in KeyShot and post-work in Photoshop to
create my concepts. Photoshop helps to bring more
life into the renders, including subtle details that help
to develop the concept further, and extra design
elements, decals, textures, lights and atmosphere.
Textures are important to help distinguish differences
between materials and can help to highlight details.
Painting details onto the render using photographic
textures and custom texture brushes helps to create a
more aged and worn look if required. It helps to have
a resource library of reference, textures and custom
brushes to speed up the workflow.

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Riyahd Cassiem

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TECHNIQUES 15 TIPS
FOR STRIKING SCI FI ART
BUILD UP A SCI FI SCENE
JOHNSON TING

www.johnsonting.deviantart.com
Ting is a concept artist for Passion Republic, a
studio that produces game, cinematic and CG
content. He has been working professionally in
the industry for almost three years. This image is part of a series of
sci-fi artworks set in the fictional Neo Japan 2022, a personal project
by Ting. Here, the Malaysian artist shares the secrets behind how he
builds up his concepts, using photo references and Photoshop tools.

COLOUR AND DETAIL SECRETS

JEFF MICHELMANN

www.gtgraphics.de
Jeff Michelmann thinks that he has found the secret to striking sci-fi
designs, and here he shares it with us: When it comes to space art, I
personally have noticed two important aspects. First, having a high
level of detail throughout your image is a desirable feature. This is not very intuitive, but
often helps to spice up your space artwork and give it a final touch. And second, dont be
afraid to use bold colour combinations to create dreamlike sceneries. Space is vast with
many possibilities, so dont limit your creativity.

FIND REFERENCES: I usually find tons of references for the subject

Im going to paint. For this piece, I referenced a photo of a lake. I
always start in black and white, quickly dropping in values with
brush strokes and making good use of the Lasso tool.

Jeff Michelmann, gtgraphics.de

BRING IN COLOURS: I then overlaid colours using various blending

modes in Photoshop. I cleaned up the edges and also roughly
blocked out some ships in the background. At this stage, it was all
about getting the mood right before proceeding to the details.

ADD DETAILS: I started adding details into the painting: lights on

the main building, bridges and the mountains, trying my best to
keep the mood previously set. Once most of the details were in, I
sharpened the image and added various filters.

WORK WITH 3D AND PHOTOS

MARKUS VOGT

FINAL IMAGE

All images Johnson Ting

028

Markus Vogt

www.markusvogt.eu
Vogt has been working as a graphic designer for ten years. For this
image, he built his design up in three key steps. First was, creating,
modelling and rendering a scene in 3D. From here, the rendered
image was imported into Photoshop and extracted using the provided Alpha Channel. For
Vogt, Photoshop then became a key part of the process, using it to do all kinds of
post-work, background changing, lighting improvement and clean-up. Photo stock was
also important, and this scene used a base image of Mars from NASA, as well as textures
from CGTextures.com.

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BUILD CONCEPT
DESIGNS
MIKE HILL

www.heavyunitdesign.com
Hill explains his photorealistic
concept designs: I will sketch
out a idea using a tablet straight into Photoshop,
placing simple linework and values to establish my
scenes content. I will then, where appropriate, paste
in photographs as a texture base. I use tools like the
Puppet Warp to distort certain imagery (such as the
reflections on the visor), and then I can go and paint
in the remaining details in a much looser fashion.
For edges that need real definition, I will use the
Polygonal Lasso tool to make a selection and then
paint into it. This maintains some solid edges to
avoid things getting too fluffy.

2013 Arnaud Valette

USE REFERENCES
ARNAUD VALETTE

Mike Hill, Heavy Unit Design

www.arnaudvalette.com
Science fiction is often less
about invention than it is
re-invention. Arnaud Valette
explains: Before you create any pictures, the first
step is to gather references of the idea you have in

mind. The best references are photographs from the

internet or from a previous photo shoot. You have to
think about technology that could be new and
realistic for the world [you are creating]. To do so,
you need to have contemporary elements in your
picture so the person looking at it is not lost. Once
an idea has been sketched, I use Photoshop to add
textures or photographs onto it.

CREATE GLOW
EFFECTS
CLINTON FELKER

clintonfelker.blogspot.com
With 15 years of experience,
Felker knows a thing or two
about creating striking sci-fi art. This image,
Gaiden Inferno, is a visual for top-down shooter
game Steel Grit, due to be released by PolySauce
Interactive in 2014. I used Photoshop CS5 and a
Wacom Intuos5. I really didnt need anything else.
Photoshop has great tools for sketching and
painting, and having all the tools in one spot is
incredibly efficient. With all the improvements
Adobe has made over the years, I find myself
using less software packages but still achieve
the same, if not better, results.
One thing that stands out in this artwork is the
glow effects: Hitting glows and highlights is
usually the last thing I do. I flatten the pieces and
make a copy, then [set] my brush to Overlay and
start hitting it with white or very light hues. I
painted the lens flares in freehand and played
with Screen and Overlay [blending modes].

All images PolySauce Interactive

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TECHNIQUES 15 TIPS
FOR STRIKING SCI FI ART
COMMERCIAL
PAINTING
TOBIAS ROETSCH

www.gtgraphics.de
These images were created for
Aidan Fraser (visual effects
artist for King Kong and Star Wars: Episode III), who
was looking for a concept artist for his personal
science-fiction short film, Space Out. The images
were turned into matte paintings used in the film.
Roetsch uses a medley of Photoshop tools to create
his designs: If I had to name some favourite tools, I
would go with the Brush tool, Clone Stamp tool,
Healing Brush tool and transformation tools
(especially Warp). But only the combination of all the
tools makes Photoshop the powerful program it is.
He suggests that wannabe sci-fi painters take
time to develop their skills: It is the same for sci-fi
spacescapes as for every other artwork: you have to
be patient and try to develop your skills step by step.
You cannot expect to read a tutorial and come up
with industry-standard images right away. Art, in
most cases, is a slow process of learning. For the
field of sci-fi images, its helpful to learn some facts
about our universe, for example. That might help to
get the right relation of scale and distance.

All images Tobias Roetsch

STAY CONSISTENT
PAUL CHADEISSON

Paul Chadeisson

030

www.paul.chadeisson.fr
Strike Vector is a third/first-person person air
shooter game, and will be available on Steam
(www.steamcommunity.com) in early 2014. Paul
Chadeisson is one of eight developers on the title, which has a distinct
old-school feel, reminiscent of games such as Crimson Skies, Quake 3
and Unreal Tournament. This image is part of the pre-production
artwork for the title, showcasing a massive airport to support
important, commercial exchange in the Strike Vector universe.
Chadeisson uses Photoshop to create his concept art for the game.
Part of the challenge when working on a game title like this is to
ensure that each image is consistent with the others in the same
series, so that they come together as a cohesive whole. Its difficult to
keep a consistent look across a series of graphics, because with each
one, you will have learnt from your previous painting and have more
ideas. To overcome this, once a series has been completed, its
important to go back to the first paintings you did and make
improvements to them, so that they match up to the more recent ones.

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Color Dodge
Using Color Dodge can achieve realistic
highlight and specular areas for metal
material, but be cautious not to overdo
it. A Color Dodge layer is also practical to
add light glow effects

Blur and sharpen

During the post-process phase, blur and
sharpening filters are applied to enhance
visual realism. For blurring, I usually use
the Lens Blur filter; for the main subject,
the Smart Sharpen filter is handy as it
offers different settings for better manual
control of the effect

Add texture to details

Even though metal materials are
smooth and semi-reflective, it is
important to still use the Dual Brush
and Texture features under the Brush
Panel window in order to achieve
subtle noise effects for better realism.
Most of the character was painted with
the Dual Brush setting on

Repeat design elements

There are design elements that can be
repeated with the Clone Stamp tool. By
applying it randomly on the image, you
may find interesting design and
composition options. In this example,
the design on the characters torso is
very similar to the one on his thigh

Jianli Wu 2013

USE THE RIGHT

TOOLS FOR THE
RIGHT JOBS
JIANLI WU

www.jianliwuart.blogspot.ca
The robot image above
was created using the Brush tool, Lasso tool
and layer adjustments during the colouring
process. When painting sci-fi characters, Jianli
Wu suggests: Try and experiment with
different tools in Photoshop to get familiar with
their functionalities. Being able to utilise the
right tools with the appropriate settings
enables the great editing flexibility Photoshop
offers. It allows artists to modify and refine
their ideas at pretty much any stage during the
working process.

WORK FROM A
BRIEF
DENNIS CHAN

Dennis Chan

www.dchan.se
Dennis Chan is used to working
from a client brief, as he
explains here: If I have an idea or a brief description
from a client, I usually start by making quick
sketches. The sketches may be quick line drawings,
or I start roughly painting with black and white or
colours using the Brush tool with the normal round
brush or a custom brush. My main tool is the Brush
tool, second would be the Polygonal Lasso tool, and
third would be Smudge. I frequently jump between
these during the process of painting.

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TECHNIQUES 15 TIPS
FOR STRIKING SCI FI ART
CREATE VIBRANT COLOURS
MACIEJ REBISZ

www.macrebisz.deviantart.com
Maciej Rebiszs image Island Dock is a refreshing change from
the dark and moody sci-fi images that we are so used to
seeing. He tells us about how he managed to get such vibrant
colours in the artwork: I start with a bright and saturated
background, and then paint everything towards the foreground. In landscape shots
like this one, the background is also the sky and affects the entire colour palette of
the image. If you start with a dark background, usually you will end up with a dark
and grim mood, so do the opposite to get bright and vibrant colours. You also need
to keep an eye on colour saturation levels. If the art starts to look muddy, make
some colour adjustments and add some saturated colours to bring it back to life.

Ediciones Babylon

BLEND TRADITIONAL AND

MODERN ELEMENTS
MARTA NAEL

All images Maciej Rebisz

The image began with a sketch. I like to build my forms by painting a large shape
and erasing around the edges; its like sculpting by removing excessive material.

www.martanael.deviantart.com
This image brings together the past and
future in one scene, reflected in the style and
process. Nael explains how she did it: I mixed photo textures with
painting. I started with a blank canvas and began painting, first in
greyscale. I then used the Gradient Map to add some colours.
Afterwards, I created a new layer set to Color blending mode and
[started] adding colour strokes. On another layer set to Normal
blending mode, I started painting in colour in order to render the
image. Once the image was pretty well defined, I used the textures
mixed with the previous painting by setting the blending mode to
Soft Light to achieve more realism.

USE LIGHTING EFFECTIVELY

NED ROGERS

After some refining, I used photo textures to add more details to the structures.
Next, I overpainted them to blend them in a bit better with the other elements.

www.nedrogers.com
You really want your lighting to pull the viewer
into the scene, says Rodgers, so you need to
make sure that you choose a lighting setup that
helps to direct focus towards important areas of the image. Light will
bring out fine details in an area, so you want those details to be the
ones that are important to telling the right story in your images. The
type of light is important as well. If you know how fog and cloud affect
the way light travels around an environment, you can create a
completely different feeling than if you just light everything directly.
I did overall colour corrections by adding a couple of adjustment layers like Color
Balance and Curves.

FINAL IMAGE
Ned Rogers 2013

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Plankton Group

Aitor Santome

Photography rights JD Sports fashion plc ltd

Katie Nattrass

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PHOTO EDITING

TECHNIQUES
TOP INDUSTRY EXPERTS OFFER THEIR VIEWS ON ADVANCED PHOTO EDITING DISCIPLINES

PROFESSIONAL
RETOUCHING

hotoshop has forever changed the way

we view photography. Whether you
consider retouched images false
advertising, or beautifully manipulated
photos a work of art, few could deny the impact
that Photoshop has had on our culture.
Monica Chamorro (www.monicachamorro.
com) is a high-end beauty retoucher who has
worked for the likes of Vogue, Dior and Marie
Claire. For me, retouching people is all about
enhancing their natural beauty and bringing the
skin and colours as close to perfection as
possible without looking fake, she tells us. Its
very important to do all of this in a nondestructive way, always making sure you can
undo or modify anything youve done.
The Healing Brush is a great tool to remove
blemishes, as it gives you more control with the
texture, she continues. Curves and masks
along with the Brush to dodge and burn are
important, and the Clone Stamp is also good
when working on tasks like filling in hair. When
using the Brush or Clone Stamp, its important
to adjust the Size and Hardness to match what
youre trying to replicate so that it blends in
well. Liquify is also useful, but needs to be used
in moderation. I would recommend always
saving the Liquify mesh so that you can redo or
modify it if needed.
Freelance retoucher Katie Nattrass (www.
katienattrass.com), meanwhile, suggests: If
you know where the final artwork will be getting
sent, contact the printer and check what print
profile they use. Its worth your time to learn
about colour profiling and ink density. I always
create a simple document in InDesign and drop
my final JPEGs in with the Ink Density panel
open and set to 280% (300% is the usual ink
density for all printers). This way I can make
sure my blacks are not too dense.

CONTRIBUTORS

Tom FairFax - @MRTOMFAIRFAX

MONICA CHAMORRO

Jordan LLoyd - @DYNAMICHROME

KaTie naTTrass - @KATIENATTRASS

HTTP://KATIENATTRASS.COM

Jonny aLLen - @NEOSCAPEINC

PLANKTON GROUP

WWW.TOMFAIRFAX.CO.UK

WWW.MONICACHAMORRO.COM

WWW.NEOSCAPE.COM

HTTP://DYNAMICHROME.COM

WWW.PLANKTONGROUP.COM

Plankton Group

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TECHNIQUES PHOTO
EDITING TECHNIQUES
Katie Nattrass

COLOUR GRADING AND LIGHTING

OUR PANEL OF EXPERT ARTISTS DISCUSS THE BEST APPROACHES TO COLOUR GRADING AND
LIGHTING WHEN WORKING WITH PHOTOGRAPHY

WORKING IN RAW
OUR INDUSTRY PANEL DISCUSS THEIR
TOP TIPS FOR WORKING IN RAW
Plankton Group: Sometimes we are asked to
place a rendered building onto a photograph. In
this case, RAW photography is very useful.
When opening with Camera Raw, we try to
take out as much contrast as possible from the
original photo. We bring the highlights down,
take the shadows up and take out some
saturation from the colours that we dont want
to stand out. This flat look allows us to apply
contrast selectively where needed.
Katie Nattrass: I always work with RAW
images. If a client or photographer cant supply
me with them, I will add a disclaimer in there
and then. The benefits of working with RAW
images are that you have more shoot
information to use; details in the highlights and
shadows can be utilised and pushed forth from
the RAW shot. Many top photographers will
shoot feathers using programs like Capture
and Phocus. I have both of these, so when I
have images supplied as file libraries, it means
I have all the information from the shoot.

When it comes to photo editing, two of the most

important elements are lighting and colour. Most of
the time we will respect and maybe enhance the
original lighting, unless the photographer specifically
wants us to change it, or it is very obvious that there
is an unwanted shadow or flash reflection, says
Chamorro of the lighting process. If were adding
volumes or elements onto the image, we need to
make sure that they follow the original light. I usually
start with a RAW file, so I can already correct
exposure or colour balance there.
However, if the image has not been lit properly,
sometimes we will have image areas that will be
very bright or very dark (or both), to the point that the
photo loses detail in those areas. In that case, I
develop the image with different exposures, so I will
have all the texture and details in those areas if I
need them later. Alternatively, if the light correction
required is very subtle, we could also use adjustment
brushes just to correct those areas in the RAW
converter of our choice.
Graphic designer Tom Fairfax (www.tomfairfax.
co.uk) also believes that when it comes to working
with faces in particular, light manipulation should be
kept to a minimum. Exaggerating or enhancing
lighting characteristics, such as exposure and so
forth, is of course fine and dandy, but trying to adjust
primary lighting directions will usually lead to
problems, he says. Light defines form, and human
beings are wonderfully predisposed to be ultrasensitive to the tiniest changes in others faces.
If youre retouching an image in its own setting or
creating one, work with the lighting you have. If you
start doing more, photorealistic compromise will
almost certainly creep in. If youre compositing from

different sources, make sure the images you

combine share the same or very similar lighting
directions. Inanimate objects are thankfully far more
forgiving. You might confidently flatten and relight a
tin of beans, but doing the same to someones face is
a completely different proposition.
When it comes to colour grading, Chamorro sees
it as a way of bringing an extra element of emotion
to an image. A simple way of doing this would be
adding some tones into the shadows, midtones and
highlights, she says. There are many ways in
Photoshop to achieve that; one of them would be
using the Selective Color adjustment layer where
you select the blacks and bring the yellows down just
a little bit if you want a faint blue in the shadows.
Fairfax believes that colours should remain
natural throughout the process, with intense colour
grading only playing a part in the process at the end.
Dont use colour grading as a crutch or a shortcut
when compositing images. I choose the primary
elements in my pictures and bring the colours of all
the other elements to match their natural tones and
saturation, he explains. Only when everything has
been brought together do I start thinking about the
tones of the final image overall. Its tempting to think
that because you might end up with an image that
has a distinct and narrow palette, its easier to do
colour grading as you go, but I firmly believe that
sticking to whats natural until the last moment
leaves you far more options and protects tonal
nuances that are all too easy to loose. Retaining the
freedom to take the colour in any direction follows
the same logic that has us using masks, adjustment
layers and Smart Objects. Working yourself into a
corner is never good.

Aitor Santome

Jordan Lloyd: Something I came up with

when colourising photos that is really handy is
using RAW to compensate for different film
stocks and how they affect colours in the
original monochrome plate. In order to do this,
you would need to add colour to the image
first, before doing last minute global luminance
channel corrections in RAW. So, the second to
last step of my process is to open up the
flattened colourised image in RAW, and head
over to the HSL/Greyscale option. I will then
make the channel corrections using the
Luminance sliders.

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Images Katie Nattrass

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4 Colour grading: We wanted to achieve a dark,

warm and dramatic look. To achieve the overall
colour, we used a Hue/Saturation layer in Colorize
mode on Overlay blend mode. We also used some
Curves layers to add contrast and a glow layer on
Screen blend mode.

COMPOSITING TIPS

PLANKTON SHOWCASES ITS WORKFLOW FOR COMPOSITING A CONCEPT TOWER INTO A PHOTO
All images Plankton Group

1 The render: For this conceptual project, the client wanted to

show the volume of the building in the nearest surrounding. We
were only told that it would be a glass office tower. We had creative
freedom when choosing the mood of the image.

2 Cleaning up: Since almost all of the surrounding buildings

were originally covered with giant ad posters, we had to re-create
almost all of them in a clean version. Some of the textures were
taken from the original photo and stamped in using Photoshop.

3 Matching textures: Once the mood of the image was decided

upon, we started to simulate the sunlight on all the textured
buildings using warm, yellowish colours with the Color Dodge
blend mode.

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TECHNIQUES PHOTO
EDITING TECHNIQUES
PHOTO COLOURISATION

Plankton Group

Adam Kuczek

EXPERT JORDAN LLOYD ON INJECTING LIFE

INTO BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOGRAPHY

One element of photo editing that has received a

larger degree of attention as of late is that of
restoration and colourisation the process of
taking historical black and white photos and
returning them to the vibrant hues that they
would have displayed at the time.
Jordan Lloyd is something of an expert in the
field, rising to prominence on the subreddit
ColorizedHistory and offering his talents via high
fidelity restoration service Dynamichrome (www.
dynamichrome.com). The most basic common
process for a good result involves layering a
number of Solid Color layers using the Color
blend mode. A face, for example, may contain as
many as 14 separate colour fills or more. Using a
layer mask and a soft brush, you simply paint in
the areas you want to have colour. The reason
why Color blend mode is used is so that the
luminosity (the black and white information) isnt
affected by the application of colour. The
difference between an average and an excellent
colourised piece is determined by the number of
layers you use to build depth.
I start from the bottom layer an underlying
red layer set at 15% Opacity and keep adding
from there: the main skin tone, hair, eyes,
rouging, blood vessels, fat, veins carrying
deoxygenated blood and so on. If it doesnt look
right, I can double-click on the Solid Color Fill and
simply pick a different colour. I tend to do solid
skin layers at 50-57% Opacity (Brush Opacity
100%) then bring it right down to 5% Brush
Opacity when doing the rouging and blood
vessels. The goal is a realistic finish, not
Pennywise the Dancing Clown.
When it comes to colour grading, Lloyd
considers the process an aesthetic choice once
youve moved beyond adjusting temperature for
white balance. Colour grading can be used
effectively to emulate old colour film stock, like
Kodachrome K12, for example, he tells us. At
this point Im going to plug the master Dan
Margulis. His understanding of the Lab Color
mode is extraordinary. When Im working on
colour grading, I do a merged copy of the entire
image, then bring that it into Lab Color space.
A simple way to add stunning saturation to
your image, which gives you a lot more control
and less aberrations than the Hue/Saturation
slider in RGB, is to steepen the A and B channels
in a Curves adjustment layer. Take the flattened
Lab saturated version back into your original RGB
document, and then blend it in using something
like an Apply Image on Darken (50%). The whole
thing gives you a realistic saturation boost to
which you can apply any colour grades you wish.

038

RESTORATION TOOLS
JORDAN LLOYD DISCUSSES THE BEST TOOLS FOR
RESTORING DAMAGED PHOTOGRAPHS
Im a huge fan of the Spot Healing brush and
Clone Stamp as my main tools, along with a
lot of patience. Depending on the image,
sometimes Ill deploy a Content Aware Fill,
but really the idea is to restore physical
damage like scratches or burns, rather than
replace whole areas.
When there is a large plate to process, I
also find it helpful to divide the image into
squares. For this, I set Photoshops Crop tool
to Grid view and use the crop grid to then set
out where Im putting my guidelines. I then
cancel the Crop tool and tackle one square at
a time. Its a great way of helping you break
down an image into chunks.

All other images Jordan Lloyd

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Civil Rights Movement:

The March, Washington,
1963: Lloyd believes that
large outdoor crowd
shots often present the
most difficult challenges
for any colouriser.

The Great Depression:

Old Gold Country Store,
1939: Lloyd often finds
that obtaining good
colour references is the
hardest part of the
process. Here he tried to
find originals of every
single sign, where
possible, from auction
sites, collectibles, and in
one case a specialist soda
pop retailer.

BASIC COLOURISING

LLOYD GIVES HIS TIPS ON BUILDING LAYERS

TO OFFER THE ILLUSION OF REALITY

Skin base layers : This restored image has two base layers:
a red Solid Fill layer is set at 15%, painted in using a layer mask
applied with a soft brush at 100% Opacity, followed by a main
flesh layer at 70%. Set the layer blend mode to Color.

Blend with the atmosphere : Colour physics plays a role in

achieving a realistic result, so be sure to blend in things like the
sky and lighting. Global changes can be achieved in postprocessing or by opening the image in RAW.

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TECHNIQUES PHOTO
EDITING TECHNIQUES
EDITING ARCHITECTURAL IMAGERY

VISUALISATION FIRMS NEOSCAPE AND PLANKTON DISCUSS THEIR APPROACHES TO

ARCHITECTURAL IMAGE EDITING AND COMPOSITING CG

The Plankton Group (www.planktongroup.com) is

a visualisation firm based in Poland, with a great deal
of experience when it comes to editing images of
architecture. The main goal is very simple: to make
the building look good, says the company. We
always try to work in a non-destructive manner,
using a lot of adjustment layers with various
blending modes. There is a serious amount of
experimentation involved in the process. The first
result that we achieve usually isnt the best. If that
happens, we take a snapshot and try again. When
reviewing snapshots, we try to compare different
parts of the image, which is a great way of deciding
on the final outcome.
When working with architectural imagery, Jonny
Allen of creative studio Neoscape (www.neoscape.
com) operates using a very similar workflow to that
described by the Plankton Group. When lighting
architectural imagery, I usually approach lighting
with the Curves adjustment layer and use masks,
he explains. I then punch the lighting where its
needed, or tone it down. One of my favourite
techniques is to use Curves with gradients on large,
flat surfaces to make them more dynamic. This
allows me to add more depth to otherwise flat parts
of the image, while also guiding the viewers eye
towards the focal points.
When it comes to colour grading and creating a
sensation of mood, Color Balance and Gradient Map
adjustment layers come in most useful for Allen. I
believe one of the most underrated tools for colour
grading is the Gradient Map adjustment layer used
with different blending modes (usually Soft Light or
Overlay). Curves is another of the most vital and
versatile tools. Once you wrap your head around
using the individual RGB controls, then start using
blend modes with it, you can really work at the speed
of thought.

Aitor Santome

040

For Plankton, the team tries not to separate colour

grading too greatly from the lighting process. Colour
grading is in our opinion the most important part of
editing an image, and usually the most fun. There are
endless options, so we dont usually decide on the
colour grade straight away. First, we consider the
mood that we want to achieve. Cold and warm tones
evoke different feelings. We prefer cold, dark moods,
so usually there is some discussion required when a
client is looking for something sunnier and happier.
Architectural photo editing often also involves the
composition of CG elements into a real-life scene a
complicated task made much easier if you take
things one step at a time, according to Allen. I
generally like to get the values correct first, then
move onto colour, he tells us. I do this by adding a
Hue/Saturation adjustment layer with 0 Saturation
to the top and use Curves/Levels on the CG subject
to make sure they fit the value of the image. If you
want to get hardcore about the colour correction, you
can drop a grey layer on top and set it to Luminosity,
and all you will get is the colour of the image. From
there you can adjust as needed with individual RGB
control in a Curves adjustment layer. It gets pretty
easy with experience.
For Plankton, the first and most important factor
in CG compositing is lighting. We look at things such
as highlights, shadows and the colour of lights. It is
crucial that we match the CG lighting as closely as
possible to the photo were compositing the object
into. The more time we spend in the 3D environment,
the less time we spend figuring out how to
composite the CG image into a photo background.
The process takes time, but its worth being patient.
Of course, there are some things that you can only
do in post-production, such as matching the noise
and grain of the original image, softening the edges
and applying the final colour grade.

Neoscape

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Plankton Group

Neoscape

Tom Fairfax

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ENHANCING 3D VEGETATION

JONNY ALLEN OF NEOSCAPE REVEALS HOW TO GIVE CG VEGETATION A PHOTOGRAPHIC LOOK

All images Plankton Group

Neoscape
COMPOSITING TIPS

GRAPHIC DESIGNER TOM FAIRFAX OFFERS HIS TIPS FOR COMPOSITING IMAGERY
AND SELECTING SOURCES THAT WORK
The real secret to seamless compositing is to use the right sources.
The sources have to share the same or very similar light sources of
course, but also be of a suitable quality. I believe that generally
speaking, the more you have to work on an element to integrate it, the
lower in quality the achievable result gets.
The greatest position to be in is to be able to produce your own
sources and control the lighting conditions, but failing that, its well
worth being open-minded with a creative approach to sources. For
example: if I want a WWI British soldiers helmet lying upside down on
the floor maybe I cant find a helmet lit that way. However, a food
colander is a similar shape and material, and usually photographed the
way up I need. Its no bother to heal out a few holes and manipulate
more of a rim almost certainly less effort than completely reworking
the lighting on an actual helmet in a satisfactory way.

1 Set up your CG grass:

Buildings look so much more
appealing when they are
surrounded by lush, green
grass. To add your own, start
by finding yourself some
decent-looking 3D grass.
Make sure you have a nice,
translucent-feeling material.
Then apply some interesting
variation to the grass, and add
extra things to it like clovers
and weeds.
2 Increase reflectivity:
One of the problems with fake
translucency materials is that
they detract from the
reflection layer. Vegetation is
naturally very reflective, so we
need to add that back in. Here,
Ive taken the reflection and
specular render passes and
screened them on top of the
grass, painting the mask with
large strokes to really punch it
into the foreground.
3 Enhance the lighting:
As vegetation is translucent,
when light hits it, it tends to be
very bright in photos. Punch
the lighting hard, but keep it in
a pleasing value and colour
range. For this image, I used a
mask so only the vegetation
was affected and set the Raw
Total Lighting pass to 100%
Soft Light. I also desaturated
the pass entirely so that the
colour did not get blown out.
4 Adjust colour:
One of my favourite methods
of adjusting natural colour is
to use the Gradient Map
adjustment layer with blend
modes like Soft Light, Overlay
and Linear Dodge. Here, Ive
taken the stock Purple to
Orange gradient and set it to
15% Linear Dodge on the
vegetation. This adds warmth
to the highlights and subtle
warmth to the dark areas.

Tom Fairfax

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Before

042

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PRO PHOTO EFFECTS

TECHNIQUES

PHOTOMANIPULATION

PRO PHOTO EFFECTS

CREATE A GLOWING ICE QUEEN HEROINE USING PHOTOSHOP
BLENDING MODES AND FROST TEXTURES

he following tutorial is not for the faint of

heart, and is intended for those who are
obsessed with striving towards Photoshop
euphoria. Assuming those following along
have at least a moderate understanding of
Photoshop, well be moving swiftly through each
step, attempting to be direct and thorough without
being redundant or repeating ourselves.
Knowing where things are within the program,
as well as having basic painting and masking skills,
will aid you on the metaphorical road ahead. Some
of these effects may appear intimidating initially, but

fret not, for those who persevere through the thick

and frustrating will always take away more than
those who are easily shaken.
In short, you will discover how to summon a
glow effect from nothing but variations of a single
image, engulf a model within a glossy ice texture,
and ponder not the right way but a different way
to organise layers and groups. Well also throw out
some tips that you may already know, but if you
dont, they could open up a world free of rules that
will allow you to maximise your ability to create
iconic work at the level few have roamed.

BEGIN THE TRANSFORMATION

DOWNLOAD THE MODEL STOCK IMAGE AND SET THE COLOURCAST

01

OUR EXPERT
DREW LUNDQUIST
www.elevendy.com

A recent graduate with a bachelors

degree in photography, Drew
Lundquist is one of the premier
artists at creative support studio
Elevendy Inc. in California.

@drew_lundquist

SOURCE FILES
Go to blog.advancedphotoshop.
co.uk/tutorial-files to find a small
gathering of the supporting images
used to create atmosphere, the
model start image and a PSD file to
speed up your process.

GETTING STARTED

Download the file

model_cutout.psd from blog.
advancedphotoshop.co.uk/
tutorial-files, which has the base
model already cut out from her
background. Keep anything you
add to your model in a folder titled
Ice Queen (Cutout); that way,
everything you add to the model
will automatically be masked to
the cutout, eliminating the need
for clipping masks.

WORK IN
PROGRESS
FROM GLOOMY TO
GLISTENING

Progress 1: Getting started

Progress 2: Summon the glow

02

SET THE COLOURCAST

Create a new Fill Layer (Layer>New Fill

Layer>Solid Color) and title the layer Blue. Change
the blending mode to Color, hit OK and select your
colour, or alternatively enter #5b7ca4 and hit OK.
Youll want this colourcast to affect the entire image,
so move it above the cutout group mask to the top of
the layer menu.

03

DUPLICATE THE BASE LAYER

Duplicate (Cmd/Ctrl+J) the Model (Base)

group and flatten it (Cmd/Ctrl+E), then duplicate the
copy layer and invert it (Cmd/Ctrl+I). Title each
respective layer Normal and Inverted. These two
will be your go-to layers, as youll duplicate them
many times, but for now, turn the layer visibility on
each of them off.

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Progress 3: Final refinements

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PHOTO EFFECTS

QUICK TIP
Using multiple texture layers scaled and warped differently can add believability to an image and be a
deterrent against flat surfaces. Using Perspective and Distort to mimic the surface youre texturing can
really sell some depth. No ones fooled when one flat rock texture is over the models entire face.

04

BLENDING MADNESS

To create the models glow, youre going to

use many versions of the two layers you just created.
Within a new group titled Blending Madness,
duplicate a mixture of the Normal and Inverted
layers of the model as you see fit. Using layer
masks, vary the brush Size and Hardness to blend or
paint in areas of the model that youd like to appear
glowing using the Inverted model layer, or where
youd like to maintain highlights and shadows using
the Normal model layer.

05

EXPERIMENT WITH BLENDING MODES

You should now have a cluster of Model

(Base) layers, both inverted and not, to achieve that
perfect glow. Itll need a lot of tweaking and refining
to reveal that perfect combination of blending modes
that ultimately make the model feel incandescent.
Each mode acts differently, exaggerating or
excluding some tones while maintaining others. This
is a major experimentation phase. If youre really
having trouble with it, move past this step and
continue from the file blending_madness.psd.

06

Youre now going to adjust the highlights

and shadows of the model. Create a folder above
your Blending Madness folder, add a Black & White
adjustment layer within it and set the blending mode
to Multiply. Now, with the layer mask on your
adjustment layer selected, hit Cmd/Ctrl+I to invert
the mask, making the Multiply effect invisible. Paint
in the areas youd like to see darkened, varying in
brush opacity or fill. To lighten, repeat this step, but
instead of Multiply set your blending mode to Screen.

08
07

SKIN FROST

Now its time to grab the frost texture. You can use image #5179760 from www.depositphotos.com,
which will work perfectly. Be sure to select Advanced Search on the site or it wont show up. Position the
texture over the models chest and set the blending mode to Overlay. Use a layer mask to hide and feather the
edges of the texture image so there arent any harsh lines (seams) all over the image; you want seamless
transitions between textures. Group this texture and title it Skin Frost Texture.

044

MULTIPLY AND SCREEN

SHAPE THE SKIN TEXTURE

Youll need to duplicate and reuse this

texture all over the models skin using at least one
texture image over each feature, ie one layer covers
an arm, one her face, and so on. Use Transform
(Cmd/Ctrl+T) to resize texture layers and place them
on different parts of her skin as needed. Use Warp to
mimic areas of the skin that curve, like the models
shoulder, and a layer mask to keep texture contained
to the models skin and off things like her dress.

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STEP BACK AND ADMIRE YOUR WORK

09

Getting this far is not easy considering how much experimentation this image requires, so pat
yourself on the back, stand up, stretch and then buckle down because youre not out of the woods yet. Lets
take a look at whats been done so far

001

002

001 ADD GLOW

12

LAY DOWN SOME ICE

11

DIVIDE THE ICE INTO SECTIONS

14

BLEND ICE TEXTURE

Similar to steps 9 and 10, you will need to

add extra texture the models dress to make it
appear as though shes engulfed in ice. Go back to
depositphotos.com, grab image #5179582 and drop
it into your composition. Use the Transform tool to
manipulate multiple duplicates of this texture to
cover the entirety of the models dress and lower
exposed leg.

003

Experiment with normal and inverted

layers using blending modes to create
alternate lighting and glow

10

002 UP THE CONTRAST

Use non-destructive adjustment layers

to paint in highlights and shadows to
further emphasise drama

DUPLICATE AND FLATTEN

Once you have your dresss ice textures all

set, group all those layers together. Title the group
Dress Ice Original, duplicate it and then flatten it. Itll
look different initially, but thats okay. Create a new
group with the layer you just created and name this
group Dress Ice. Keep the original group folder in
case youd like to go back and tweak your ice, but
turn the visibility of that group off.

13

003 TEXTURE THE SKIN

Overlay snow textures on the skin to

manipulate the model into looking like a
cold-hearted princess

CREATE THE GLASS TEXTURE

Once you have grouped the dress layers

together, you can add a glass texture to them. With
the current single layer in your Dress Ice group, go to
Filter>Filter Gallery and under the Distort tab, select
Glass. Set the Distortion to 20, Smoothness to 15,
Texture to Frosted and Scaling to 200%, then hit OK.
Duplicate that layer twice so that you have three
layers in total in your Dress Ice group.

Divide chunks of ice into sections of the

dress to give the end result dimension so it doesnt
look so flat. Each section of the dress should be its
own layer. Use masks to isolate and shape each
chunk on the dress. Set each ice texture layer to
Screen or Overlay. With the toning you did before
(based on how dark your image is), blending modes
may vary, so feel free to experiment.

Change the blending modes of all three

layers, from bottom to top, to Linear Burn, Soft Light
and Hard Light. Set the Linear Burn layer to 80%
Opacity, add a layer mask and invert it, effectively
hiding the layer, at which point the ice effect will get a
little brighter. Paint in where necessary to darken the
ice around the dress. Play with adding more ice
texture or revisiting your Dress Ice Original group.

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TECHNIQUES PROWorldMags.net
PHOTO EFFECTS

BRING IN THE DETAILS

CREATE A THRONE FOR YOUR ICE QUEEN AND LAYER ON SNOW TEXTURES

15

CREATE THE ICE THRONE

Head back over to depositphotos.com,

purchase image #13470132 and drop it into your
composition above the Ice Queen (Cutout) group but
below the Blue layer. Cut the bottom of the iceberg
out, title the layer Bottom Ice and place it in its own
group also titled Bottom Ice. Use the Transform tool
to scale and rotate it 180 degrees. Place it at the
bottom of your composition, just under the model
and apply the same Filter Gallery effect from step 13
to this layer.

16

MASK THE MODEL TO THE THRONE

You now need to fuse the ice queen to her

throne. Duplicate the Bottom Ice layer. Change the
blending mode of the top one to Hard Light and the
bottom to Lighten. Select the Ice Queen (Cutout) and
group that group. Add a mask to the new group,
right above the old one. Use your Brush tool with a
super soft edge and paint away any hard edges you
see. Do the same with the Bottom Ice layer paint
away the top of the ice so that the dress and iceberg
blend together.

17

ADD ICE SPIKES

Snag image #8159693 from Depositphotos

and drag it in above the Bottom Ice group, into its
own group titled Ice Spikes. Cut the ice from the sky.
Shape and place the layer just above the Bottom Ice
group, slightly lower on the model, surrounding her
with ice. Duplicate it three times. From bottom to top,
change the blending modes to Pin Light, Color Burn
and Hard Light with an inverted black mask, and
leave the top layer at Normal with an inverted black
mask. Paint in Normal and Hard Light layers.

QUICK TIP
Layer organisation is key when working with so many duplicates of the same layer, or just an extensive
amount of layers in general. It will simplify your whole experience in Photoshop if you use a group mask
as a cutout rather than applying 16 clipping masks to one layer.

18

ADD SOME ATMOSPHERE

Grab the snow and fog images provided in

the tutorial files and pull them in as needed. Keep
most of it behind (below) your Ice Queen (Cutout)
layer and only some snow layers in front (avoid
covering her face) to give the image depth. Change
all these layers to Screen. Youll still have to mask
the edges of each image with a soft brush to avoid
those seams. Vary these assets in size with the
Transform tool.

046

19

FINAL ADJUSTMENTS

The last thing to do with every image is to

tone-manage over everything the same way you did
at the beginning of this tutorial. Create a group just
under the Blue layer and title it Overall Adjustments.
In here, create two Black & White adjustment layers
and again set them to Multiply and Screen and invert
the layer mask (black). Paint the tones in with a soft
brush on each layer. Multiply will darken, Screen will
lighten. Add as many as you need.

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GET TO KNOW THE BLENDING MODES

Combining blending modes can become a
tedious process. Theres typically one blending
mode that will achieve what youre looking for,
but with the amount of options at hand, it can be
difficult to find. Using adjustment layers
combined with various blending modes can have
the perfect effect on your image, while the
inverse can destroy your tones entirely. For future
use, its wise to become familiar with what each
mode does to an image as well as what each
does to each adjustment layer.

The images shown originate in part from WhiteWall.nl, Whitewall.de, S. Schwind, Sraficus, R. Pretot, C. Wakefield, A. Hansen, B. Kurrer, U. Zimmer

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TECHNIQUES ADVANCED
COMPOSITING
PHOTOMANIPULATION

ADVANCED COMPOSITING
BLEND MULTIPLE ITEMS TO CREATE THIS HIGH ENERGY SCENE

his tutorial will show you how to create a complex

action scene by combining 3D and photographic
elements in Photoshop. Ive always wanted to flip the
story of James Bond on its head where the woman
is the one saving the day. Hence why Jane Bond was born! We
sketched out an idea of the villain in his escape car being
pursued by Jane Bond and her Bond boy.
With all the moving parts we were imagining, Photoshop
was the only way to convincingly bring it all together. We

048

enlisted the help of uber-nerds Isaiah Mustafa, Alison Haislip,

and Zachary Levi to get just the right casting and look for the
piece. Photography was handled via Hasselblad H4D-50 to get
super high-resolution assets to pull from for our
photomanipulation. After a quick shoot, it was back to the
post-production studio to whip out our Cintiq 22HD and get
chopping. This image is one in a series of nine images that tell
the story of how Jane Bond foiled an international jewel
thief from stealing the crown diamond. Enjoy!

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OUR EXPERT
WIL WELLS

www.elevendy.com
Wil Wells is the creative director
and lead artist at Elevendy, a
creative support studio based in
California. His work has been
used on numerous videogames,
including Splinter Cell: Blacklist.

@wilwells

SOURCE FILES
Textures, particles, 3D renders, as
well as the RAW camera files are
available for your use on this
project. Download them from
http://blog.advancedphotoshop.
co.uk/tutorial-files.

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TECHNIQUES ADVANCED
COMPOSITING
Add a motion blur to the background layer to give the
artwork a feeling of speed

01

SET THE STAGE

For the first step, you will create a scene

thats very dynamic with a lot of great lines. Create a
new document and size it to 5000px wide and
3000px high with a DPI of 300. A city street with the
road coming towards the camera is a perfect stage
to place the chase. You can download this base
image from http://blog.advancedphotoshop.co.
uk/tutorial-files. This shot is perfect since it has a
wide camera angle, and will place the car racing
right at the viewer for maximum drama.

02

EXPAND THE BACKGROUND

To get that long, dramatic look down the

road, you need to expand the background by cloning
the building. To do this and not lose the vanishing
point perspective, use the Vanishing Point tool found
under Filter>Vanishing Point. Once inside the
Vanishing Point window, the default tool should be
set to Create Grid Plane. Select the four corners of
the building on the right and make sure that the lines
stay with the perspective of the scene. Ensure that
the vanishing point clone is successful.

03

CLONE WITH THE PERSPECTIVE STAMP

You now have a mesh that will keep your

background cloning in perspective. Click the midright handle of the mesh and expand it to the edges
of the composition. Still within the Vanishing Point
window, you can now select the Vanishing Point
Stamp tool. Sample the bottom-right of the plain
selection with Opt/Alt-click. From here, Ctrl/rightclick to stamp in new buildings cloned in perspective
from the original building. Make sure that the
different lines of the building align with each other.

WORK IN
PROGRESS
FROM CAMERA TO ACTION

Progress 1: Set the scene

Progress 2: Place the elements

04
Progress 3: Colour and grain

050

ADD MOTION BLUR

Click OK to apply the Vanishing Point Clone to your composition. You now need to add motion blur to the
background to give the feeling of speed. Since this is a dynamic scene with a car moving towards the viewer, the standard
motion blur filter will not give the look you want. This can be done better using Filter>Blur>Radial Blur. Set the Blur Method
to Zoom and position its source at the far end of the street. Set the Amount to 5 and click OK.

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05

INSERT THE CAR

Its now time to add the car to the scene.

We prefer using 3D elements in scenes like this
because you can choose any combination of camera
and lighting angles, as opposed to the limitations of
shooting a real car. There are plenty of places to pick
up fantastic 3D car models online if you want to add
your own getaway car. If not, weve modelled,
rendered and lit one using CINEMA 4D. You can also
download this image (car.png) from the website.
Note that we have not included the tyres at this point.

06

ADD REALISM TO THE CAR

The render directly out of CINEMA 4D

doesnt look like a very convincing part of the scene.
Using some tricks in Photoshop, you can get it
looking real in no time. The first step will be to
duplicate the car layer (Cmd/Ctrl+J) and then set the
top car copys blending mode to Overlay. Then go to
Filters>Other>High Pass and set the pixel radius to
10.0. This will add some fine detail and contrast to
the look of the render, to help it integrate into the
scene better.

07

CREATE A CAR GROUP

Select both car layers by selecting one then

Opt/Alt-clicking on the other. With both layers now
selected, press Cmd/Ctrl+G to put the two layers into
a group. Next, expand the group to see the two
layers and Cmd/Ctrl-click the layer preview icon of a
car layer. This should create a selection around the
layer. Finally, select the top group layer and click Add
Layer Mask in the bottom of the Layers tab to adhere
the selection to a mask that constrains the layers of
the group.

QUICK TIP
Blur methods are a tricky thing to master, especially when you need to account for objects going in
different directions. With its different blurs, Photoshop can handle nearly anything. However, when
working in 3D, most applications have the ability to add motion blur. This can increase the quality of the
final image exponentially.

09
08

BEAT UP THE CAR

Its always great to collect textures. In this case, youll be using scratched metal textures, available in
the tutorial files. To keep the textures organised and make sure they adhere to the constraints of the car body,
drop them into the masked group that you created for the car. Set these textures to assorted blend modes
such as Overlay, Hard Light and Darker Color. Its better to experiment with different blending modes to find
the best match, but weve also provided the modes in the file names of the scratched metal images.

ADD THE TYRES

Weve rendered out 3D versions of the tyres

to get the lighting right (tire.png). Youll be using the
same tyre for both the front-left and back-left, and a
rear-facing tyre for the right-hand side. Before
dropping the tyres into your composition, go to
Filters>Blur>Radial Blur. Set the amount to 6.0, the
Blur Method to Spin, and pinpoint the Blur Center to
the wheels centre, then click OK. Apply this method
to both tyres and move them into the composition
under the car body group.

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TECHNIQUES ADVANCED
COMPOSITING

12

PLACE THE VILLAIN IN THE SCENE

Drop and size the villain into the composition. Like you did with the cars body, create a group folder
by selecting the layer and pressing Cmd/Ctrl+G. To add more detail to the photo, duplicate the villain layer and
set the blend mode to Overlay. Navigate to Filters>Other>High Pass and set the pixel radius to 5.0. On the top
layer of the group, add a new mask to account for the dash. Paint in black along the outline of the dash.

10

ADD SHADOWS

Next, add shadow below the car body and

tyres. Set the colour to black and select the Brush
tool. We like to work with a bigger brush size to
better ensure a smooth shadow. Set the Hardness to
0 to make sure you dont have hard edges within the
shadow. Start directly under the car, painting
outwards with smooth, even strokes. Ensure that the
darkest shadow is where the tyre meets the road.

11

OPEN THE VILLAIN PHOTO

Download Villain.fff from the tutorial files

and open the image in Photoshop for masking. We
prefer to mask using the Pen tool due to its ability to
create perfect lines and curves. Note that you only
need to mask the upper torso since the car dash will
obscure the lower body, and youll use a different
hand. After youve done the outline, select the path
and create the villains mask.

13

THE GUNSHOT

Download gun-hand.jpg, mask the hand

and gun, then drop it into the scene and size it
accordingly. To get a realistic muzzle flash, first
insert the MuzzleFlash.jpg file and size it to the top
of the gun. Set the blending mode to Screen then
duplicate it, moving the new copy to the roof of the
car where the bullet is exiting. Take the Particles.
png file and place it at the bullet exit to get the look
of paint and metal breaking off the car.

052

QUICK TIP
Sometimes you get lucky and can use contrast to make a perfect hair mask. We were able to use the
Screen blend mode because our heros hair contrasted the darker background. The same method can be
used on dark hair with a light background by using the Multiply blend mode.

14

JANE BOND MASKING

Use the Pen tool to cut out and mask the

hero (Hero 1.fff), but dont cut her hair out on your
mask. Drop your masked hero into the composition,
size and place her on top of the car. To create a clean
mask of her hair, first copy the photo, remove the
existing mask and create a new one. With the icon
for the new hero copys mask selected, press Cmd/
Ctrl+I. This will invert the mask. Set the blending
style to Screen and paint in the hair.

15

HAIR DETAILS

On the hair layer, press Cmd/Ctrl+L to do a

Levels adjustment. Bring your low input level to 93
this will make the darker coloured background
disappear and the brighter hair shine through. To
make sure the hair and body layers come together
naturally, feather the body layers mask where it
meets the hair using the Paint tool. To account for
the light source of the flare, create a new layer and
paint a faint orange colour above the flare and hero.

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16

ADD THE BOND BOY

You can now mask and add the Bond boy to

the composition. Download Hero 2.fff from the
Advanced Photoshop website and open it in
Photoshop. Since theres some lens distortion on the
hand, duplicate the layer. On the top layer, mask out
the hand to the sleeve, and on the bottom layer,
leave only the hand to bring it down the size. Now
create a new layer under the Bond boy and select the
Paint tool in black. Create a shadow on the car by
painting black to the right of his body.

17

SHADOWS AND SPARKS

Follow the path of the Bond boys body,

painting in black just to the right of it. Remember
that the closer his arm is to the car, the closer the
shadow will be to his arm. Paint all the way down the
door to the ground, accounting for the shadow of his
leg and gun on the ground. Reuse the MuzzleFlash.
jpg file that you downloaded earlier to create the
spark made by the gun hitting the ground.
Composite it into the scene and set the blending
mode to Screen.

18

HITTING BRICKS

Download the bricks.jpg file, place it into

the scene and create a new mask. Using the Brush
tool, feather the dust cloud to remove the edges of
the photo while still maintaining the solidity of the
bricks. To add more energy, use Particles.jpg to
cover the bricks, some of the car, as well as a little on
the hero to tie the elements together. Then take
windshield.jpg, size it to the windshield and set the
blending mode to Screen to account for the brick
hitting the glass.

Create a consistent black level on all the elements. This really

comes in handy when they are from different sources

20
19

LITTLE DETAILS

Now that all of the elements are in place, its time to add some smaller details. Place the Smoke.jpg
file at the base of the tyres and set the blending mode to Lighter Color. Again, use the Particles.png file to
create small bits of gravel being thrown by the tires. You can also use the particle file behind the car to show
the path of debris caused by the collision with the brick wall. Finish off by adding a little more orange to the
cabin of the car from the flare.

COLOUR AND GRAIN

Lastly, its time to tie everything together

using colour and grain. Create a Curves adjustment
layer at the top of the composition. Adjust the darker
levels on the blue, green and red channels, creating
a consistent black level on all elements of the
composition. This really comes in handy when all of
your assets come from different sources. On top of
the Curves layer, wrap up the composition by placing
a grain layer, giving consistent grain to every part of
your finished photo.

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TECHNIQUES HOWWorldMags.net
I MADE

HOW I MADE

WATCH BLOWOUT

DEVIN
SCHOEFFLER
THE CALIFORNIAN ART DIRECTOR AND WEB DESIGNER LETS US
IN ON THE CREATION PROCESS OF HIS WATCH
054

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he detail thats gone into Schoefflers

artwork is simply astonishing. From the
climber traversing down the watch face, to
the helicopter hovering above, there are so
many intricate details to absorb.
Schoefflers composition didnt begin its life inside
Photoshop, though. Calling upon CINEMA 4D, he
could create the detail and lighting involved in the
watchs design more accurately. Since I didnt want

to take the chance and disassemble my own watch,

I decided to build one in CINEMA 4D, and then
shade and light it in Photoshop, explains the artist.
Taking inspiration from his own watch, Schoeffler
adds, I wanted to create something that looked
really technical and complicated but would still be
pleasing to the eye. Ive always liked wrist watches
and I own several. Visit www.ds9creations.com
for more artwork by Schoeffler.
All images Devin Schoeffler

01

QUICK SKETCH

I wanted to do something fun and a bit

challenging, so I started out by sketching a design
that would incorporate 3D elements, as well as
Photoshop, based on my own wrist watch.

02

BUILDING THE WATCH

I modelled my watch using CINEMA 4D. I

really wanted to show the watch breaking apart, and
I knew finding photos to match the perspective
would be tough, so I made the decision to use 3D.

03

INITIAL RENDER

The initial render looked okay, but needed a lot of work to match my vision. So I brought it into
Photoshop and started by first adjusting the Levels to give it stronger contrast. Then I made some colour
corrections using Color Balance to enhance the overall tone of the watch and make it redder.

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055

TECHNIQUES HOWWorldMags.net
I MADE

I wanted to create something that looked really technical and

complicated but would still be pleasing to the eye

04

ADD BEVELS

I needed to add some bevels to my render

so the watch looked more realistic. I placed a layer
set to Overlay on top of my watch and used a white
brush to add bevelled edges.

05

MORE LIGHT

07

ADDING FLARES

Using a combination of layers set to Overlay

and Soft Light, I bumped up the lighting with a soft
white brush. I tried to make it feel like the watch is
backlit by some unseen, intense red light behind it.

06

DARKER SHADOWS

08

ADJUSTMENTS AND BACKGROUND

Similar to the previous step, I painted

shadows onto the watch to make it feel more
dramatic. I generally used slightly softer shadows,
since it gives the piece more of a dreamy effect.

THE 3D ADVANTAGE
HOW CINEMA 4D HELPED TO CONCEPTUALISE
THIS COMPLEX MANIPULATION
I decided to build the watch in CINEMA 4D as
opposed to finding photos, because I really
wanted the watch angled at a certain
perspective. The program allowed me to
quickly model a watch using some basic
shapes and techniques, then light it and
produce a high-resolution render suitable for
my needs in Photoshop.

Rendering this watch himself helped Schoeffler to get the

best start possible before applying edits in Photoshop

056
040

I added in some lens flares, scaled them

down and set the layers to Screen. Lens flares get a
bad rap, but I really like using them in this way to
simulate hotspots of light.

I added a Photo Filter adjustment to the

piece to help all the colours pull together. I then
added in a background I built to accentuate the watch
and some fun pieces like the climber and helicopter.

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WorldMags.net

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058

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WorldMags.net
MASTER SELECTIONS AND THE CLONE TOOL

TECHNIQUES

PHOTOMANIPULATION

MASTER SELECTIONS
AND THE CLONE TOOL
ACCURATELY CUT OUT STOCK IMAGES AND STITCH THEM
TOGETHER TO CREATE AN EYE CATCHING ADVERTISEMENT

ts been almost five years since advertising

agency Lowe Worldwide contacted Jaroslav
Stehlik, asking for his help to make this image
for Gambrinus beer look more like a real
scenario. It had been built from a number of
purpose-taken photos and a few poor-quality stock
images that did not fit the composition at all.
It took Stehlik about one week to make the piece
fit their requirements. To do this, he used

Photoshop CS5, Blender and a Wacom Intuos3. In

this tutorial, you will learn all the techniques used to
perfectly cut out every layer, even those containing
fine hairs. You will also learn how to relight images
to make them blend in with the scene, as well as
how to modify skin tones and create realistic
shading. Finally, you will learn how to use ray
tracing to mimic shadows, and how to stitch
everything together in a realistic way.

THE BACKGROUND

www.jaroslavstehlik.com
Stehlik studied applied cybernetics in
the visual arts and previously
worked as a freelance photographer
and retoucher. He is now team
leader at Silicon Jelly gaming studio
in Prague (www.siliconjelly.com).

@jaroslavstehlik

SOURCE FILES

CLONE OUT IMPERFECTIONS FOR A PERFECT BASE IMAGE

01

OUR EXPERT
JAROSLAV STEHLIK

You can download the PSD file from

http://blog.advancedphotoshop.
co.uk/tutorial-files.

CLEAN UP THE
BACKGROUND

First, find a suitable image to use

as the backdrop of your scene.
This should be portrait orientation.
Use the Clone Stamp tool (S) and
Healing Brush (J) to remove and
tidy up any imperfections in the
image, including marks from a
dirty camera lens. You will also
need to make any brown or
patchy areas of grass look green
and lush.

WORK IN
PROGRESS

FROM AGENCY IMAGE TO

ADVERTISEMENT

Progress 1: Original image

Progress 2: Make it square

02

CHANGE THE FORMAT

You now need to convert the backdrop to a

square aspect ratio. Once you have extended it
widthways, clone and fill the empty space at the
sides of the image. You can select part of the image
with the Lasso tool and then copy and paste that part
onto different areas to fill it. For smaller details, use
the Clone Stamp tool to make smoother transitions.

03

MAKE THE GRASS GREENER

You may find that some of the colours in

the image are a little washed out or the hue is not
right. You need to enhance them with a Selective
Color adjustment layer. You will mainly need to
change the yellow and green channel. You can also
use a Vibrance adjustment layer to pop up the
colours even more.

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Progress 3: Airbrushing

059

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TECHNIQUES MASTER
SELECTIONS AND THE CLONE TOOL
QUICK TIP
It is recommended that you use a Wacom tablet every time you have to do a lot of airbrush or relighting
work, because every brush stroke is crucial for a natural look. With a mouse, it is much harder or near
impossible to re-create that organic feeling.

04

MAKE THE SKY BLUE

If the sky in your backdrop looks grey or

overcast, you can easily brighten it up in Photoshop.
You can do this using another Selective Color
adjustment layer and also create a quick mask (Q).
With a standard brush (B), select the most important
areas and then create another adjustment layer with
the mask applied. Then use a Gradient Map
adjustment layer for precise colour mapping. The
sky should look much better now, and this will help
to sell your product.

05

CUT OUT PHOTOS

Take photos of people in the positions you

wish them to be in for the image. Use the Pen tool
(P) to cut them out from their backgrounds. When
creating outlines, hold Opt/Alt when dragging to
create a broken bezier spline, which is perfect for
spiky shapes. When you have made the shape, you
need to close it at the end and then hit Cmd/
Ctrl+Enter to create a selection from the outline.
After that, Ctrl/right-click and apply Feather at about
2px for a smoother look.

06

I like to create Smart Objects from every

major layer, which is useful when you have to go
back to edit the alpha or something else later on. It
also makes the project much more organised.
Simply drag and drop the people into the right
position, and dont forget to leave some space for the
bull. You will also need to mask out part of the hands
to suggest a realistic contact between the log and the
actors. Keep the actors separate so that you can
make changes to them individually.

08
07

RELIGHTING THE ACTORS

You may find that the actors are badly lit or do not match up to the lighting in the scene. You will need
to manually relight them to make them fit better into your composition. Create a new layer and paint on it with
a regular soft brush (B) to make lit areas look unlit. This is done by selecting the skin tone colour with the
Eyedropper tool (I) and then simply painting over that area with the Brush tool (B). This is much faster than
using the Clone Stamp tool.

060

POSITION THE ACTORS

RELIGHTING CONTINUED

Set the layer to a Soft Light blending mode

so that the painted areas will remain details of the
original skin. You can also create another layer with
a Soft Light blending mode and paint with white for
lighter areas and black for shadows. You can also
add a layer without a blending mode and paint on it
with a coloured brush. Then, to re-create the details,
overlay the layer with the original image and apply a
High Pass filter and Soft Light blend mode.

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09

Fine-tune the lighting

You still need to create deep shadows for better realism and contrast. Create a new Levels
adjustment layer, hit Cmd/Ctrl+A to select all, then Ctrl/right-click and press Fill to fill the entire mask with a
black colour. Then paint onto the mask with a white brush to only darken the areas that should be in shadow.

002

001

003

10

ADD MORE SHADOWS

13

PLACING SHADOWS

Dont forget about the smaller shadow

details. The log has to throw shadows onto all of the
actors and the actors will also cast shadows onto
each other. You can use the Pen tool to first mark the
areas that should be in shadow. Create a shape with
a black fill and apply a slight Gaussian Blur at about
1px. To fade out the ends of the long shadows, use
another layer mask with a standard soft black brush.
Getting the lighting right can be tedious, so be patient
when doing this.

001 Perfect cut-outs

For hard edges, it is best to use the Pen

tool; for hair and fur, it is good to use
Photoshops Refine Edge masking tool

11

002 Clear composition

When creating your composition, make

sure that every adjustment is on a
separate layer for better control

FLOOR CONTACT POINTS

For greater realism, you need to create

contact points on the ground too. The slightest
shadows on the floor will create a rich experience
and give the impression that the actors are really in
the scene. Use a black brush on a new layer and
paint below the actors. It is also important to modify
the brush angle in the brush inspector so that it
matches the perspective of the ground and the angle
at which the background was shot.

12

003 Better colours

For overall image tone, use Color

Balance, and for selective changes for
different channels, use Selective Color

RAY TRACING SHADOW

Open any CGI program such as 3ds Max,

Maya, CINEMA 4D or Blender and re-create the
scene with cubes and spheres. This 3D composition
will be your silhouette. Then create directional light
and turn on ray-casted shadows. Try different
settings and positions to mimic the actual shot. The
output image should look like the thumbnail. You
only need to use the black and white shadow map
generated from your render output.

Blur the layer with Gaussian Blur at about

20px and create a layer mask to reproduce bounced
light from the ground. Slightly mask out the end of
your shadow, which will create a much softer look,
and also try to mask out hard edges that are far
away from the actors, which will create a naturallooking penumbra. Much better!

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WorldMags.net
TECHNIQUES MASTER
SELECTIONS AND THE CLONE TOOL
BRING IN THE BULL

MAKE COLOUR CORRECTIONS AND ADJUSTMENTS TO MAKE HIM FIT IN SEAMLESSLY

14

CUT OUT THE BULL

Find a stock image of a bull and cut it out

with the Pen tool (P) as before. The same steps were
taken in this shot except for the hair, which was
masked with the classic brush and then refined with
the layer mask refining tool in Photoshop. On the
mask tab there is mask edge button, and you can
use the masking brush to select only the hairs and
then Photoshop will do most of the work for you. It is
also good practice to adjust the colour of the edges
to blend them in more with the background.

15

AIRBRUSHING

The bull should now be fully masked, but he

does not fit into the composition at all. You need to
relight him, create fake shadows and bring in the
airbrush to make him a little shinier. Create a new
layer and change the blending mode to Soft Light.
Paint on it with a regular soft brush with black for
shadows and white for highlights. Dont forget about
the fur, which has to be shiny. This can be done by
playing with each hair individually. It can take a lot of
time, but it will pay off in the end.

16

THE COLOUR DONT MATCH

Using the same technique as before, you

can also paint with a coloured brush for better colour
control. To do this, pick any colour from the bulls fur
and in the colour palette, pick a more saturated
colour and paint all over him. Dont paint with just
one set of colour, but change the hue regularly to
create a more realistic-looking tone. The bull should
be mostly brown with very shiny fur as he only uses
the best quality hair products. And so should you!
Nah, just kidding...

QUICK TIP
For best grading results, use an interesting colour contrast with cold shadows and warm highlights in
mostly complementary combinations. However, dont be afraid to experiment. For good colour schemes,
you can use Adobe Kuler by going to Window>Extensions>Kuler, or https://kuler.adobe.com.

17

FINAL BULL COLOUR CORRECTION

Now its time to blend the bull with the

whole image. This can be done with a Color Balance
adjustment layer. Dont forget to also add some
Selective Color adjustment layers to blend everything
together. This needs to be done perfectly and can
take a lot of time, so its a good idea to take a few
breaks during this process. When you are happy with
the bull, you can move onto the next step, which is
final colour processing and grading.

062

18

COLOUR PROCESSING AND GRADING

This process will help to bake the whole

image into one perfect composition. I mostly use the
Gradient tool for grading and High Pass filters for
finer details. To do this, create a Gradient adjustment
layer. Choose a warm gradient and turn down the
Opacity to about 5-10%. After that, turn the whole
composition into a Smart Object and duplicate that
layer. Apply a High Pass filter with a radius of 10-20
and change the blending mode to Soft Light.

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AIRBRUSHING TECHNIQUES
Airbrushing can be done in many different ways.
The easiest way is to create a new layer on top of
your image with a Soft Light blending mode and
paint with a regular soft brush with black or white
tones to enhance shadows or highlights. You can
also use colour to enhance the vibrancy. The
second more difficult technique is closer to
classical painting. You paint mostly with a
hard-edged, half-transparent brush and create
stacks of layers, which you then blend with a less
transparent brush.

WorldMags.net

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064

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Ivn Pawluk

WorldMags.net
HOW I MADE
HOW I MADE

TECHNIQUES

BAMBOO FROG

IVN
PAWLUK
SEE HOW THIS DIGITAL ARTIST USED COLOUR INTENSITY WITH
SHADOWS TO CREATE THIS FUN DIGITAL PAINTING

igital artist Ivn Pawluk (www.ivanpawluk.com) has been painting for

over 12 years, and although originally taken up as a hobby, Pawluk sees
Photoshop as a way to express [his] creativity, and not as a mere tool.
This image, influenced by nature and natural creativity, came to life after
numerous days of sketching out ideas onto paper. After scanning the image in,

01

FIRST SKETCHES

Initially, I drew everything by hand onto paper and defined the lines and
where the shadows would be. I then created the shadows with pencil and blended
them with my finger.

03

ADDING THE BACKGROUND

I created a new layer and used a cloud brush to equalise the colours of
the frog with the background to create a 3D effect. I then copied half of the
background and added a Gaussian Blur at 9,0 px. I simulated a line on the image
that the pen would have drawn and on a new layer, applied a pattern.

Pawluk used a colour palette compiled from stock photos of frogs to create an
essence of realism. Pawluk tells us that the idea for the Wacom Bamboo pen
was to unite nature with [his] world of painting. [He is] a fan of both frogs and
Wacom Bamboo the image is the result of the union of hand drawing and
digital painting.

02

DIGITAL PAINTING IN PHOTOSHOP

I then created a pantone paint chart, using images of frogs as reference.

You could also start from scratch using specific paint colours on a new layer. I
painted the main outline and gave life to the drawing, ensuring that each
adjustment was on a new layer.

04

TEXTURES

To make the frog look more realistic, I created a new layer and added
texture to the frog using various brushes. To finish, I adjusted the opacity and
effects in each individual layer.

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WorldMags.net
TECHNIQUES PROFESSIONAL
LANDSCAPES
MATTE PAINTING

PROFESSIONAL
LANDSCAPES
LEARN HOW TO CREATE A MOVIE QUALITY
LANDSCAPE USING EXPERT TECHNIQUES

iscover the steps in a professional pipeline

and use them to create a photoreal
landscape fit for the movie industry. To
follow this tutorial, youll need a selection of
photos to build up your scene, either from stock sites
or your own albums. The inspiration for this image
came from the beautiful landscapes of northern
Europe. These are very rich environments that have
plenty of detail and atmosphere, with spectacular
mountains, rivers and icebergs. Spend some time on
the internet looking for inspiring scenes to base your
image on. Travelling is important if you want to
pursue a career in digital art, as it allows you to build

066

up a wide photographic library that you can use to

create stunning artwork like this.
Once you have gathered your reference material,
use Photoshop to piece your landscape together.
There are other applications out there that you can
use, but Photoshop is definitely the best software for
this kind of photomanipulation. The techniques
displayed here are simple and efficient. There is
nothing fancy, no plug-ins or complex
customisation, and this is the beauty of this
process; you can just concentrate on the
artistic aspect without being slowed
down by technical issues.

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WorldMags.net

OUR EXPERT
FRANCESCO CORVINO

www.francescocorvino.com
Corvino is a professional concept
artist and matte painter who has
worked on several feature films, as
well as commercials and TV series.

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WorldMags.net
TECHNIQUES PROFESSIONAL
LANDSCAPES
Its useful to work with a pretty wide frame in order to get a
nice panoramic view of the environment

01

ESTABLISHING THE CANVAS

Start by creating a new document with a

landscape orientation. Go to File>New and choose
the width and height of your canvas. In this case, set
it at 6,195 pixels wide by 3,500 pixels high with a DPI
of 300 pixels/inch. For this kind of landscape, its
useful to work with a pretty wide frame in order to
get a nice panoramic view of the environment all
around the camera. Use the Crop tool (C) to extend
the canvas further.

02

DEFINE THE PERSPECTIVE

Start drawing some perspective lines. Click

on the Polygonal Lasso tool icon so that all the
options of the tool appear above the canvas. Select
the wheel icon, and in the window that pops up,
check star and enter 99% in the Indent Sides By
option. Enter 100 sides next to the wheel icon
mentioned before. If you draw on the canvas now,
youll create a new set of perspective lines
converging to the focal point on the horizon line.

03

PLACE THE IMAGES

Now that the main perspective lines are

properly set, you can begin placing the photos you
would like to use to build the image onto the canvas.
Decide approximately where you want the sky, the
water and the mountains and figure out which
images are actually useful and which ones it is better
to discard. To move around the photos on the canvas,
click on the Move tool in the toolbar or just tap V on
the keyboard.

WORK IN
PROGRESS

PHOTO STOCK TO ARTWORK

Progress 1: Background

Progress 2: Foreground

04
Progress 3: Final refinements

068

ROTOSCOPING

Go to the Channels tab and select the channel with the most contrast. If you Ctrl/right-click on the channel and click
Duplicate Channel, youll create a copy. Now select it and go to Image>Adjustments>Curves. By moving the sliders, you can
crank up the overall contrast of the image, making the clouds pure white and the surrounding sky pure black. Now click on
the selected channel and you should have a nice and precise selection of the clouds.

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05

BLENDING WITH CURVES

Colour correcting and adjusting the values

is one of the most important steps. The best tool to
do this is the Curves adjustment (Cmd/Ctrl+M). You
want to darken the midtones of the image that you
just placed. Drag down the point in the middle so
that the Input value is at about 130 and the Output
value is around 170. You dont need to drag the
points very far to get noticeable results, so keep an
eye on your image as you drag the points around to
make sure it is at the right level.

06

HUE AND SATURATION

Now open the Hue/Saturation tool by going

to Image>Adjustments>Hue/Saturation, just down
from the Curves tool. Start with the Saturation and
drag the slider to the right to increase the value to
+10. In order to achieve a photoreal and seamless
result, increase the Hue to +10. In terms of the
Lightness, drag the slider to the right to +15 in order
to adjust the overall brightness of the mountain. With
these three simple options, youll have huge control
over your image.

07

BLENDING WITH BRUSHES

In order to blend the images, use the Brush

window. Go to Window>Brushes or just hit F5 on the
keyboard. Select a soft round brush at 200px,
click Brush Presets in the upper-left of the panel and
change the diameter to 140px, making sure that
Other Dynamics is checked. If you are using a tablet
to create your landscape, go to Control and under
Opacity Jitter, select Pen Pressure. This way, the
intensity of the brush will be adapted to the pressure
of the pen on the tablet.

QUICK TIP
Mastering the fundamentals of an image is the most important tool that any artist can have. Perspective,
composition and lighting are the essential elements that will decide the success of your creation. After
acquiring this knowledge, you can spend plenty of time honing your skills and refining the details.

08

ADDING DETAILS

Painting can be an extremely useful tool to

quickly patch in empty spaces between the
photographic elements. If the patch isnt too big and
the painting is careful enough, the painted areas will
look very convincing. With a few strokes, you can
paint in some ice at the base of the rocks, creating a
very convincing transition between the two
photographs. To make the painting process efficient,
select the Eyedropper tool and pick the closest
colours on the photographic elements surrounding
the patch. The painted extension will look seamless.

09

CONSIDER THE COMPOSITION

Choose the photographic elements wisely, considering where the light is coming from and the
correct scale and perspective of all the objects in the scene. Composition is critical at this stage. Think about
how the viewers eyes will move around the canvas. In this case, they will probably start reading the image
from the left, the darkest area, and instinctively move to the right to reach the brightest spot on the canvas
the sun. This composition will make the viewers eyes explore the image diagonally through the entire frame.

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TECHNIQUES PROFESSIONAL
LANDSCAPES

13

ADD SOME REALISM

Adding some images of dirt at the bottom of the car will make the integration believable and will
force the viewer to move their eyes around the canvas to pick out every little detail. Refining the shadow is
equally important, giving the illusion that the car is actually touching the road. Select the Polygonal Lasso tool
(L). Draw a rectangle under the car and hit Shift+F5 to fill the selection with black. Use Motion Blur as before to
blur the shadow.

10

ESTABLISHING THE FOREGROUND

Depth is essential for a convincing

composition. Choose one of your photos to be the
foreground element. This will help the viewer to
accurately understand the scale of the mountains.
We chose a winding road. Find a similar image,
mask the road using the Lasso tool, drag the picture
into your image and place it at the bottom of your
frame, pretty close to the camera.

11

WET ASPHALT LOOK

Start merging the background layers. Select

them all and hit Cmd/Ctrl+E. Go to Edit>Transform>
Flip Vertical and place the flipped background on top
of the foreground road. In the Layers panel, Ctrl/
right-click the flipped background layer and select
Create Clipping Mask. Go to Filter>Blur>Motion Blur
and select an angle of 0. Finally, set the layer to
Overlay and play with the opacity.

12

INSERT THE CAR

A nice Italian touch is always welcome.

Open a photo of a car, mask it with the Polygonal
Lasso tool and drag it onto the canvas. Colour correct
it with the Hue/Saturation tool and scale it to fit.
Place it on the left of the images midline, so that the
car gives a great sense of movement and fast-paced
action. With the inclusion of a familiar object, the
viewer achieves a perfect understanding of the
landscapes massive scale.

070

QUICK TIP
Creating photoreal images in a short amount of time is an invaluable tool for every artist who wants to
break into the film industry. These kinds of images, used for the design process, can give every director a
reliable tool to accurately envision the final frames of the movie.

14

ADD SOME ACTION

Add life to the scene with a flock of birds.

Find a similar photograph and place it accurately on
the left of the frame. If your birds dont appear in the
photo like black silhouettes on a very bright
background, select the sky behind them with the
Magic Wand tool (tap W on the keyboard) or use
Curves as in step 4 to get rid of it. If your picture has
enough contrast, just setting the layer to Multiply
blending mode will separate the birds from the sky.

15

FINAL TOUCH

Final adjustments are essential to give the

final, decisive kick to the image. Go to Filter>Render>
Lens Flare, play with the brightness and place the
flare on top of the sun. You can purchase lens flares
on the internet to achieve particular effects. Finally,
adjust the contrast of the image with the Curves tool,
making the edges of the canvas darker and the area
lit by the sun brighter. These final adjustments will
make the lighting vibrant and dramatic.

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WorldMags.net
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072

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DESIGN YOUR OWN APP

DESIGN YOUR
OWN APP

TECHNIQUES

NEW MEDIA

LEARN HOW TO DESIGN A RETINA READY APP INTERFACE IN

PHOTOSHOP USING SIMPLE SHAPE TOOLS

pple has completely changed the

way designers create mobile
applications for iOS devices. This
tutorial aims to get you up and
running with the basics of the new structure,
and ultimately develop an iOS 7-inspired design
using Photoshop. To do this, youll create
individual iOS elements that all come together
to a produce a beautiful Retina-ready app. This
tutorial is presented using OS X, but will look
just as good for those using Windows.

Photoshop is the perfect tool when it comes

to designing iOS interfaces because you have
complete control over what your app looks like,
and you also have the ability to make quick
changes, which would be difficult if you were to
code an app completely. Although this article
does assume basic Photoshop knowledge, you
by no means need to be an expert to follow
along! Moreover, all you need to get started
here is Photoshop CS5 and above. Just be sure
to download the assets folder from the disc.

OUR EXPERT
DANIEL BRAMHALL
www.radanapps.com

Bramhall is a developer and designer

located in the sans-sun,
northwestern urban countryside of
England, making iOS and OS X apps.

SOURCE FILES
Included in the resource pack is the
background for the application
interface along with the reindeer
image, as well as the final PSD file
with an exported version displayed
on an iOS device.

THE GROUNDWORK

CREATE A BACKGROUND FOR YOUR INTERFACE AND ADD BASIC NAVIGATION

WORK IN
PROGRESS

PHOTOSHOP CANVAS TO
RETINA IOS INTERFACE

02

NAVIGATION BAR

Add a new layer, select the Rectangle tool

(U), then create and position a rectangle at the top of
the canvas with width at 640px and height at 130px.
Change the colour of the rectangle to white and the
Fill to 35%. Open up the Layer Styles dialog and
apply a Color Overlay (#480c05 at 58% Opacity).

Progress 1: Interface layout

Progress 2: Adding some style

01

SETTING UP

To begin, youll need to get Photoshop fired

up and ready! First, create a new document thats
640px wide and 1136px high (standard Retina iPhone
5 screen). Next, place your background image.
Simply go to the tutorial file on the resource pack,
click and drag the file named 01_Background.png to
your blank canvas, position it and press Enter.

03

NAVIGATION BAR TEXT

Select the Text tool and type in Reindeer.

Position this at 320px horizontally and 88px vertically
on the canvas. Create a Back label and position this
at 88px (vertically and horizontally). Next, make two
white lines with the Line tool with 6px weight and
26px length to form the back arrow.

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Progress 3: Finished product

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TECHNIQUES DESIGN
YOUR OWN APP
QUICK TIP
To create a non-Retina version of your interface, simply go to Image>Image Size and change the height to
480px and the width to 320px this is the standard size of an iPhone 3GS. All you need to do then is refine
and smoothen your interface elements.

04

REINDEER PICTURE CIRCLE

Select the Ellipse tool (U) and create a circle

on the canvas thats 385px high and 385px wide and
position it just under the navigation bar. Drag the
reindeer image from the assets folder, arrange it
over the circle and press Enter. Move the reindeer
layer above the circle one, Ctrl/right-click the
reindeer image and select Make Clipping Mask.
Rearrange the reindeer image using the Transform
tool (Cmd/Ctrl+T) and position it in the centre of the
original circle.

05

06
GIVING THE REINDEER STYLE

Create another circle to look like a reflection

using the Ellipse tool (U). This doesnt have to be a
perfect circle. Change the circle colour to white and
position it over one side of the original circle. Clip the
new circles layer to the original circle. Change the fill
of the new layer to 10% you should see a subtle
reflection created. Next, add a drop shadow style to
the original circles layer. This should be black with
30% Opacity, Distance at 0px, Spread at 0% and Size
at 20px.

With a new layer and using the Rectangle

tool (U), create a rounded rectangle that is 62px high
and 213px wide with a radius of 6px. Change its
background to white and change the Fill to 16%.
Position the layer 175px horizontally and 615px
vertically. Duplicate this layer and position the new
layer 458px horizontally. Next, with a new layer,
select the Text tool (T), change the font to Helvetica
Neue (white with medium style, 30px in size and
with sharp anti aliasing). Type About and position it
in the middle of the first rectangle button. Do the
same with the Pictures text and position it within
that button.

08
07

CREATING THE ABOUT CONTAINER

Select the Rectangle tool (U) and create a black, rounded rectangle with a radius of 5px just below
the two buttons you created. Give it a height of around 380px and a width of 590px. In a new layer, create a
normal black rectangle about 80px by 80px. Select the Transform tool (T) and rotate it 45 degrees. Position the
new rectangle with just a tip showing out below the About button. Ctrl/right-click both the first rectangle and
second rectangles layer you created and select Convert to Smart Object, then change the Opacity to 60%.

074

CREATING THE BUTTONS

STYLING THE CONTAINER

Open up the Layer Style dialog for your new

Smart Object. Create an inner glow with 8% Opacity
and a Size of 10px with Photoshops default colour
(#ffffbe). Now, add a Color Overlay of block red
(#ff0000) with 22% Opacity. Finally, add a black
(#000000) Drop Shadow with 44% Opacity and a Size
of 9px. Keep all the defaults the same. Click OK to
apply the new styles; this will add a subtle but sweet
style to your little dialog.

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WorldMags.net

09

ADDING THE DESCRIPTION

By this point, you should have created the reindeer image container and given it some style, as well
as refined the navigation bar and its text. From here, youll be adding some text to the description and also
adding a caption box to give the design some more pep.
001

002

003

ADDING ABOUT TEXT

12

EXPORTING

Next youll be adding some text to the

container. Select the Text tool (T) and click and drag
to create a text box. You should aim to leave about
15px of padding and about 30px of room at the
bottom. Enter about 30 words of descriptive text.
Change the font to Helvetica Neue with a light font
style, 32px weight, white and strong anti-aliasing.
Position the text box layer in the middle using the
Move tool (V) and align the text to the centre.

001 NAVIGATION BAR

Youve designed a background for your

navigation bar and populated it with
iOS-style text

11

10

002 REINDEER CIRCLE

Youve designed a typically Apple display

picture for the reindeer by adding a
reflection and subtle layer effects

003 ABOUT CONTAINER

Next youll be populating the About

container using shapes and layer styles
with relevant text

ADDING THE CAPTION

Next, youll add another rectangle (516px in width and 262px in height) for the caption area. Change
the Opacity to 30% and make sure its black. Position it using the Move tool (V) at the bottom of the other
container you just created. Next, select the Text tool (T), and on a new layer type reindeer with Georgia font at
40px. Change the layer of the text to 10% and make sure the fonts colour is black to start off with.

Finally, youve created your image. Now you

need to export it. Simply save it first in Photoshop
format with an appropriate name (Reindeer-App.
psd will suffice). Once saved, go to File>Save As and
select the format you desire. To preview it on an iOS
device, you could download the iOS Simulator as part
of Xcode, use an app like Skala Preview (both are
Mac-only), or use the old-fashioned method of
emailing it to your device.

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075

www.imaginesubs.co.uk/challenge

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REVIEWS WACOMWorldMags.net
CINTIQ COMPANION

078

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WorldMags.net

WACOM CINTIQ
COMPANION

WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THIS POWERFUL NEW MOBILE

WORKSTATION FOR DIGITAL ARTISTS ON THE GO
www.wacom.com
OPERATING SYSTEM:
Windows 8 OS
SPECIFICATIONS:
HD 13.3-inch screen
Intel Core i7 processor
Intel HD Graphics 4000
8GB RAM

1,650/$2,000 (256GB)
1,999/$2,499 (512GB)

acom is celebrating its thirtieth

anniversary in 2013, and its a
milestone that comes with a certain
amount of anticipation. As traditions
would have it, Wacom is marking the occasion with
the release of a new, innovative product; something
that could quite possibly change the way we create
for good. It is the Cintiq Companion.
The Companion has been designed for those of us
who consider mobility to be an important part of
daily life. The attraction with this device is that, much
like the Cintiqs weve come to know and love,
Wacom has installed similar technology into the
Companion. This comes in two models: first, a
glorified Android device that has the bonus of being a

Cintiq; and secondly, a Windows 8 tablet running

alongside a third-generation Intel Core i7 processor.
This is the one that we got our hands on.
The Windows 8 edition gives you a fully working
mobile PC and Cintiq graphics tablet. Having a
portable graphics tablet that our Creative Cloud
membership could integrate with was something
that we found to be a huge advantage to our
workflow. Filling those in-between moments each
day be them riding out a long train journey, or
waiting to hear back from another artist is what the
Companion does best. Sketching out concepts or
simply putting a few finishing touches to a photo
composite are things we found ourselves doing the
most with the Companion. The more we got used to
the idea of having it close by, it quickly started to play
a major role in our creative workflow.
Underneath its 13.3-inch touch display is a modest
8GB RAM and 256GB storage (theres also a 512GB
model available). You might expect something that
costs nearly 1,700 to blow you away, but due to its
weight, its more likely to weigh you down. As a
portable device, the unit is surprisingly heavy for its
size and weighs in at nearly 2kg. Going fairly
unnoticed when working with it on your lap, the
weight of the Companion soon becomes a concern
when transporting in a rucksack, or trying to capture
stills or videos with its 8MP camera.

THE PRO PEN

JUST HOW PRO IS THIS ACCESSORY?
The Cintiq Companion comes supplied with a
Wacom Pro Pen, which is lightweight and
comfortable to hold for long periods at a time. It
features 2,048 levels of pressure and tilt
sensitivity, which does well to detect hand
movements while working in Photoshop. The
Companions multi-touch functions allowed fluid
movement around the Windows 8 interface,
alternating between finger swipes and using the
Pro Pen. Some of its touch functionality wasnt
available inside Photoshop, but this is an
improvement wed like to see in future updates.
The pen has a rubber tip on one end and two
side buttons to operate with the index finger.
These can be programmed to perform key
commands, such as jumping straight to the
Hand tool for panning, or accessing the Brushes
palette. A smart, black case keeps the pen out
of harms way when transporting the
Companion. Also supplied are nine additional
nibs, a nib remover and a set of colour rings to
personalise the stylus. Other pens are available,
but we found the Pro Pen to be substantial for
editing on the Companions 13.3-inch screen.

Just in case: The Pro Pen comes with a practical and well-designed

travel case that keeps accessories, including its nine additional nibs,
close at hand

Hidden camera: The Companion features

two cameras in all, one of which includes a
discrete front-facing lens. At just 2MP, this
is handy for taking up-to-date profile
pictures for online portfolios

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REVIEWS WACOMWorldMags.net
CINTIQ COMPANION

THE CLOUD
CONNECTION

ACCESS YOUR FILES WHEREVER YOU ARE

As soon as we took a firm grip of the

Companion, we felt comfortable using it as a
tablet PC. But if you happen to be used to
something along the lines of a crisp, HD,
23-inch Mac display, for instance, then the
Companions display will instantly feel a little
on the small side. What could partly be due to
its matte, anti-glare coating, it also doesnt
have the clarity to compete with Retina
displays, or even those featured on leading
smartphones an initial disappointment.
To get a better idea of what this was going
to be like in a real-world scenario, we put the
Companion through an average working
environment, using our Creative Cloud
membership, to see how it would fair, and it
slotted in impressively well. Working in and
out of the studio, our files and apps could
come right along with us. Be it creating at
home or sitting outside to work on a new
design, this was a delightful experience.
We could use the Creative Cloud desktop
app to access our files and apps and then
install them straight onto the Companion.

Without a CD or DVD drive available,

transferring files from an existing PC was
performed using one of the two USB 3.0 ports
featured on the side. The calibration for the
stylus required a very accurate (sometimes
frustratingly so) tap inside the exact centre of
four corner points. After a few attempts at
getting the stylus aligned correctly, it was all
ready to go in Photoshop.

Its unique design captured

our imagination, and we
genuinely felt free from the
confines of the studio
When it came to updating the Companion to
Windows 8.1, we had trouble configuring the
stylus. A temperamental right-click each time
we touched it down on its surface prevented
any form of creative use. After some back and
forth with Wacoms tech support team, this
was resolved by re-installing the pens driver.

The Cintiq Companion can happily sync across

multiple Cloud-activated devices. With help
from the Creative Cloud desktop app, access to
Photoshop CC and other apps was a fairly
painless process. Importantly though, this
keeps all downloads and files together, and
being able to pin installed Cloud apps to the
Windows 8 home screen meant we could keep
our workflow moving with very few hiccups.
This is further complemented by the Windows 8
touch functions, which let us swipe from one
program to the next, such as to and from our
Creative Cloud files online and Photoshop CC.

080

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WorldMags.net
The Companion features four customisable
shortcut buttons down one side, which sit around a
home screen shortcut. We could set this to our
favourite commands, which was especially helpful
inside Photoshop when we were without the
presence of a keyboard (Wacom has also designed
an optional Bluetooth keyboard priced at 45/$50).
Unlike the Android model, the Windows 8
Companion features an auto-rotate lock function that
freezes the screen in either a landscape or portrait
orientation. The Companion also features a
headphone socket as well as a Mini DisplayPort for

linking up to a dual screen or projector. We were able

to get a full days use out of a fully charged battery
while working in Photoshop and browsing the web,
but of course this depletes quicker the more
applications that were running in the background.
We cant help but think this is an idea that was
rushed into production, but nevertheless the concept
of the Companion will be appealing not only for
Photoshop artists, but for many who are looking to
reduce hand luggage. Its unique design captured our
imagination, and we genuinely felt free from the
confines of the studio to design, illustrate or render

without being tied down. But with only a 13.3-inch

display, and a screen thats not as pin-sharp as wed
have hoped for, we have been left with a slight
pessimistic afterthought about the success and future
of the Cintiq Companion.

VERDICT: 7/10
A remarkable tablet that will clearly
benefit artists, but at such a price and
with a few minor details to iron out,
some of us might not see eye to eye.

CINTIQ TECHNOLOGY

WE LOOK AT HOW THE CINTIQ RANGE HAS

CHANGED AND HOW FAR IT HAS EVOLVED

To keep editing as portable as possible, the

Companion has the same screen size as
Wacoms Cintiq 13HD, measuring at 13.3-inches
to be precise. When it comes to working in
Photoshop, the smaller interface buttons
appear, well, even smaller, and a larger screen
would certainly be beneficial. On the technical
side, its response time doesnt quite match up
to the larger Cintiq 24HD touch, which has a 13s
response time. Instead, the Companion comes
closer to the 13HDs response time of 25s,
meaning moving graphics are likely to suffer
from a slight ghost effect. But we have to
remind ourselves just what this is, and as a
portable PC, it has just the right amount of juice
to work successfully across the Creative Cloud.

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WorldMags.net
reviews FACEFILTER3
PRO

FACEFILTER3 PRO
REALLUSIONS LATEST PORTRAIT MANIPULATOR
MAKES BEAUTY RETOUCHING QUICK AND EASY

www.reallusion.com

Approx 50/$80 Windows 7/8/Vista/XP

uality beauty retouching is a difficult thing.

Professional retouchers spend years
honing their craft and coaxing pixels in
their efforts to beautify portrait shots.
Anybody who has ever attempted a beauty
retouching project in Photoshop understands just
how difficult it can be. It requires a deep
understanding of facial structures, skin tones,
make-up and more. However, Reallusions latest
offering of FaceFilter3 PRO puts expert-level
retouching tools directly into your hands. Theyve
taken the years of experience gained from in-depth
study of portrait retouching and crafted a rather
ingenious set of tools to provide even amateurs with
the ability to beautify their portraits.
Honestly, theres nothing in this program that
couldnt be accomplished in Photoshop by a
knowledgeable digital artist. But the difference is the
very fundamental approach. Photoshop is dealing
with pixels you have to know what to do with those
pixels to make it effective. FaceFilter PRO deals with
faces. The features and menus are crafted with facial
work in mind. This important distinction means that
years of portrait experience is already poured into
the tool set. You may not know that a model needs
more blush to highlight her cheekbones, but the

Before

software realises that as a common step and offers

you the tools to do so.
The program is built on the foundation of the facial
fitting engine seen in other Reallusion products. And
its a smart approach; by easily defining where the
facial features are with a set of guidelines, the
program can quickly exercise powerful retouching
features without further input. After the face is fitted,
you dont need to mask out the eyes to change their
colour the software already knows where they are!
Along with the guidance and convenience of the
program comes the drawback of loss of complete
control. Experienced Photoshop users may quickly
get frustrated with the lack of familiar retouching
tools like the Clone Stamp or Healing Brush. But
ultimately, FaceFilter3 PRO gets you much closer to
a finished project in a much shorter amount of time.

VERDICT: 7/10

USING FACEFILTER3

a step-by-step guide to beauty retouching

FACIAL FITTING
After loading an image, use the Fitting module to
teach the software where the facial features are.
This is as easy as dragging outlines around them
and positioning control points to match the contours.
This helps automate much of the rest of the project.

FaceFilter3 PRO is an impressive piece of

software for what it does, but this is fairly
limited. The tools work best for full face
portrait shots, and options for body or
profile shots are very limited. The price
tag may feel steep for a tool that can only
be applied to a few of your photos.

A er
Digital make-up
An intuitive Beauty Center interface provides easy
ways to approach major retouching tasks like skin
smoothing, eye shadow, and lip colour. If the myriad
of sliders is overwhelming, try using one of the basic
templates at least for a starting point.

DIGITAL SURGERY

Portrait retouching is as much about knowing what to do as how to do it. FaceFilter3 PRO is like having a
professional portrait retoucher looking over your shoulder

082

The Reshape tab lets you change facial structures

like head shape, cheek bone height, and eye width.
These tools provide convincing control over actual
facial features, not just groups of pixels, and show
how much research has gone into the software.

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WorldMags.net
PHOTO EDITING APPS

REVIEWS

PHOTO EDITING APPS

WE REVIEW FIVE OF THE BEST APPS ON THE MARKET

SNAPSEED

COLOR SPLASH

A POWERFUL BUT SIMPLE EDITOR

PIXLR EXPRESS

ADD A TOUCH OF COLOUR TO SHOTS

AN APP PACKED WITH FEATURES

support.google.com/snapseed

www.pocketpixels.com

www.pixlr.com/express

Free iOS / Android

0.69 / $0.99 iOS

Free iOS / Android

Snapseed is one of the most

popular photo-editing apps out
there, mainly for its ease of use.
Swipe left or right to control the
effects and up or down to switch
between options. You can selectively adjust
areas, add filters, frames or use the auto
correct tool. More variation would improve it.

Color Splash lets you quickly add

selective colour to images with
simple swipes of your finger. The
controls are easy: pinch to zoom
in, swipe to add areas of colour,
double-tap to switch to painting back in grey.
You can control the brush size and hardness
too. It could be slicker, but it does a great job.

This app has a ton of features,

from adjustments like Whiten for
improving teeth and eyes in
portraits, to adding effects like
bokeh textures, applying borders,
type, stickers and more, all for free. The
effects have to download first, which can be a
bit tedious, but theres a good variety on offer.

VERDICT: 8/10

VERDICT: 7/10

A simple app, but a useful one that

places all the most often-used edits
within an easy-to-use interface.

It may be a one-trick pony, but it does its

task extremely well, with a good level of
accuracy possible.

PHOTO FX ULTRA

ADOBE PHOTOSHOP
TOUCH

RE-CREATE FILM EFFECTS WITH EASE

www.tiffen.com 2.99 / $4.99 iPad

THE POWERHOUSE EDITING PACKAGE

www.adobe.com
6.99 / $9.99 iPad / Android tablets
Photoshop Touch is
a step above most
other photo-editing
apps, and were not
just saying that
because were big Adobe fans.
Its got a massive toolset, from
Curves to Warp, Reduce Noise
and many more. You can add
layers to stack effects too, and
one great feature is being able to
add a layer by taking a photo
using the camera. It may take
some a while to get used to the
layout and what the icons mean,
but once you do its a real joy to
use in all your image editing.

VERDICT: 7/10

Adding effects is a bit laborious but the

options on here are solid, even if some
are a bit cheesy.

VERDICT: 9/10

A very powerful tool, giving you

some great options for creative
editing for a fraction of the
desktop cost.

934 presets greet you in this fantastic app, letting

you recreate film looks, make corrections to your
shots and more. There are 65 black and white
effects, 50 textures and 27 grain presets, as well
as tools like Crop, Straighten, and Levels. The
interface is intuitive and you can adjust effects to your liking.

VERDICT: 8/10

A film photographers dream app when facing a digital

world, Photo fx Ultra is really easy to use and produces
some great results.

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083

READER INTERVIEWWorldMags.net
MASTERING MOVEMENT

MASTERING MOVEMENT
IN STATIC DESIGNS
READER INTERVIEW

DIGITAL ARTIST KEVIN ROODHORST TALKS US THROUGH THE CREATION OF THE

STIRRING LINES AND FLOWING FEATURES IN HIS DIGITAL ARTWORK

evin Roodhorst knows how to catch the

eye. His portfolio shows off pieces that
defy the static nature of images, and he
plays with light, depth and lines to give the
focal points in his work movement and mystique.
Based in the Netherlands, Roodhorst works full-time
for a creative advertisement company called
Souverein (www.souverein.com), but he still finds
spare time to take on freelance commissions and
challenge himself with personal projects.
WHAT DREW YOU INTO THE FIELD OF GRAPHIC
DESIGN AND DIGITAL ART?
It started when I found a website called abduzeedo.
com with all sorts of digital art inspiration and I was
really amazed by what people created. I thought it
would be really nice if I could create something like

that, so I started to experiment with Photoshop. That

was at the age of 14. By 16, I had created work for
my first client. It was a flyer for a dance event.
HOW DO YOU BALANCE TAKING ON
COMMERCIAL CLIENT WORK WITH CREATING
YOUR OWN PERSONAL PROJECTS?
I balance the two by not accepting every client
assignment I get offered and by just taking my time
on my personal pieces. Personal work is really
important to me, and the conceptualising process is
especially fun. Not everyone can be selective about
client assignments, so it really is a luxury. With
personal work you can work on different styles or
experiment with different software. With clients, you
simply dont have the time to experiment or try
different methods.

Nature: This subtle typography takes on the characteristics of the place its describing, and shows
off lighting techniques that bring together the background and the main focus of the image

084

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OUR READER
KEVIN ROODHORST
www.kevinroodhorst.com

@KevinRoodhorst

WorldMags.net

All article images Kevin Roodhorst

Clockwise from
top;
Fruity:
An experiment in
cross-program
designing, this
image was created
using RealFlow in
combination with
CINEMA 4D and
Photoshop. It
shows off ad-style
typography with a
fruity twist
Transform:
Using a
combination of 3D
techniques and
photography, the
metallic features of
the subject of the
image sit stark
against the
jet-black
background
Scientas
Three-Year
Anniversary: This
piece was created
to celebrate the
third anniversary of
Dutch science
website Scientias.
nl. The image
cleverly combines
the nature and
climate aspects of
the work the
website covers and
shows them off in a
3D numeral

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WorldMags.net
I drew new hair around the head of the
girl and then added movement and final
adjustments such as light, shadow and
colour to pull it together

I thought flowers would fit pretty well

with the girl and the colour scheme. I
isolated her head from the background,
cut out pieces of a mirror frame and
started puzzling them together

The inspiration for this image came from

first finding a beautiful stock image I
knew I had to do something with, even
though I wasnt sure what at first

086

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WorldMags.net
MASTERING MOVEMENT READER INTERVIEW
DESIGN TIPS
ROODHORST ON ACHIEVING PERFECT LIGHTING

NOW
Angel: Starting with a photo of an angel statue that his
grandmother bought in the 1950s, Kevin captured the
weathering that had affected it over the years and added
dramatic finishes to achieve a solemn but beautiful result

Lighting can be really difficult to get right,

especially when working with photomanipulations.
My first tip is to find a reference image that you can
keep handy as you approach different areas on
your image. The Dodge and Burn tools used
together create really striking lighting effects, and
can be used to enhance effects already present in
the image. I also always recommended playing
around with the Curves and Exposure adjustment
layers on any image. When it comes to blending
modes, the two that I find most useful and that I
use most often in my images are the Overlay and
Screen modes.

Lost In Time: This is a sculpture made of ancient artefacts.

Most of the stones and the pedestal are made in CINEMA 4D

YOUR IMAGES DISPLAY A LOT OF MOVEMENT.

IS THIS SOMETHING THAT YOU CONSCIOUSLY
THINK ABOUT WHEN CREATING AN IMAGE?
In most cases it looks really good to have some
depth of field in your work, so yes its something I
think about a lot. Movement gives a dynamic feel to a
piece and brings it to life.
CAN YOU WALK US THROUGH YOUR PROCESS
FOR CREATING A PHOTOMANIPULATION LIKE
THE ONES WE SEE HERE?
When I have a concept in mind, the first thing I do is
figure out how to realise it. For example, am I going
to use stock photos and digital painting only? Or do I
have to create something in 3D? Once Ive answered
those initial questions, I start sketching in Photoshop
by putting all the objects together and playing with
the composition.
When Im satisfied with the sketch, I cut out the
objects with more precision and rebuild the sketch.
Then Ill make sure that the lighting and shadow is

the same on every object. This is what takes the

most time. Once I have a good base, I can start
adding different light effects and additional details.
This stage involves a lot of experimenting. The last
step is to think of a nice title.
WHAT ROLE DOES PHOTOSHOP PLAY IN YOUR
WORK? WHAT TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES DO
YOU USE THE MOST?
For me, Photoshop is where everything comes
together. 3D elements and other illustrations are all
imported into the program. With the Curves
adjustment layer, I adjust the shadows and highlights
of individual objects and models. I use the basics
mostly. I dont use external plug-ins or things like
that. I achieve a lot by working with the Curves, Color
Balance, Exposure, Hue and Selective Color
adjustment layers. These are really powerful. To
isolate objects, I use the Brush tool in Quick Mask
mode with the brush you have the most control of
what you do.

HOW IMPORTANT DO YOU THINK IT IS TO HAVE

A STRONG AND COHERENT PORTFOLIO TO
SHOWCASE YOUR WORK?
Its the most important thing for an artist in my
opinion. A client gets an impression of what you do
in a couple of seconds if you have a good portfolio.
Important things for a good portfolio in my opinion
are: thumbnails of your project that arent too small,
big images and detailed shots once you click on a
thumbnail, and the ability to share projects from your
site. Contact information is also important, so make
sure that your email address is clearly visible or that
you have a contact form. A name and logo are a
must too, as the clients wants to know with whom
he or she is going to work.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE BIGGEST LEARNING

CURVE OF YOUR CAREER SO FAR?
Ive noticed that if you always stay motivated and
focused on what you want to get most, you can
achieve everything.

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CREATE PAINT SPLASH STOCK

on the disc

RESOURCE PROJECT

CREATE PAINT
SPLASH STOCK

BRING A SPLASH OF COLOUR TO YOUR ARTWORK WITH

YOUR OWN STOCK PHOTOGRAPHY

here are few things in the world that say

fun like splashes of paint. They add colour
and action to any scene and are great to
experiment with in design. Although
Photoshops capabilities are vast, the real world can
produce beautiful effects in an instant that would
take hours to reproduce digitally. So sometimes you
need to get out from behind the monitor and get your
hands messy to create a truly amazing work of art.

RESOURCE FILES

ON THE DISC

In this tutorial, youll learn how to throw paint like

a pro and capture it on camera. Then we will show
you how to process those images in Photoshop, so
you can add colour splashes to your own designs.
Its a bit messy, but with a little practice, some time
and lots of paint, youll have a collection of paint
splashes to use in any project. To get you started,
weve provided 17 paint splash images, which youll
find in the resource pack.

GETTING STARTED

create your oWn special-effects studio

02

SET UP YOUR STUDIO

Put up the backdrop somewhere you wont

mind getting paint. Outside is often best. Position the
light to the side so that it wont cast a shadow on the
backdrop. Place a bin in front of the backdrop to
catch the extra flying paint.

01

03
GATHER THE MATERIALS

Youll need a white material background, a mounted light, an old basin, some house paint, water, a
cup or bowl, a camera with either a speedlight or a pop-up flash, and a tripod.

PREPARE THE PAINT

Mix together one part house paint with two

parts or more water to thin it out and make it splash
better. Dont add too much water or the paint will
look transparent in the photos. Finding the perfect
consistency often requires some experimentation.

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on the disc CREATE
PAINT SPLASH STOCK
FLYING COLOURS

time to get messy and capture your splashes on camera

04

CAMERA SETTINGS

Set your aperture to f5.6 or higher. Use a

shutter speed of at least 1/200sec and capture in
JPEG for quicker shooting. Finally, adjust the white
balance for your lights so that the paint colour is as
accurate as possible.

05

RELEASE THE PAINT

Put the paint and water mixture into a bowl

or cup, focus on the cup and throw parallel to the
camera out and over the bin. Have a friend throw the
paint while you trigger the shutter. But warn them it
will be messy!

06

Throwing paint from different bowls and in

different ways will produce different types of
splashes: use a higher walled bowl or cup for a
longer line or throw in a circular motion for a broader
spreading splash.

SHOOTING TIP

create stills from video footage

If you are struggling to capture the perfect moment of the airborne paint, consider using the video
capture mode of your DSLR. This is also a great strategy if you are working alone and dont have
somebody to throw the paint for you. Then open the video file in Photoshop and scrub through to find
the perfect frame. Save that one frame out as the starting file for your stock image.

090
040

THROWING TECHNIQUES

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DIGITISE THE SPLASH

USE PHOTOSHOP TO CLEAN UP THE STOCK

07

OPEN IN PHOTOSHOP

Once you have a selection of photos, you

will need to choose one to edit. Make sure that it has
a well-defined shape and is opaque so that you cant
see the backdrop behind it. You will also need to
make sure that its in focus before deciding to use it.
Then open it in Photoshop.

09

08

BOOST THE CONTRAST

Once youve opened your image in Photoshop, use Levels (Cmd/Ctrl+L) to brighten the highlights
and deepen the shadows. This creates more contrast, which makes the paint easier to extract from the
background and gives it more depth in general.

SELECT THE PAINT

Using the Quick Selection tool, select the main paint splash. Use the Refine Edge tool to ensure accuracy. Increase the edge smoothness and contrast as
much as you feel is necessary for the paint splat to look like it has a smooth edge.

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on the disc CREATE
PAINT SPLASH STOCK
SELECTION OPTIONS

developing your oWn stocK liBrary

11

CLEAN IT UP

Clean up your chosen splash image by

creating a new mask on the splash layer and
painting with white to show and black to hide various
parts of the splash. Make sure that the entire
background is clean so that the stock will blend
cleanly into your designs.

10

12

SELECT USING COLOR RANGE

ON THE DISC

If the splash has lots of smaller droplets around it that you would like to keep, use the Color Range
feature under the Select menu and click the main portion of the splash. Then you can adjust the Fuzziness
slider until most of the splash is selected.

092
040

COLOUR CHANGE

To change the colour of the splash, simply

create a Hue/Saturation adjustment layer above the
layer with the splash on it. Clip the adjustment layer
to the paint splash (Layer>Create Clipping Mask)
before making slider adjustments.

PAINT SPLASH RESOURCE IMAGES

17 high-resolution paint splash photos on White BacKgrounds

Weve included 17 paint splash stock images for you to use in your own projects. These fun and colourful images should
inspire you to try to create some on your own!

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BUILD
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BETTER
WEB
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DESIGN INSPIRATION

PRACTICAL TIPS

BEHIND THE SCENES

STEP-BY-STEP ADVICE

INDUSTRY OPINION

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The Organize and
Customize buttons are still in
place, although the Output tab
has been moved to a less in
your face position

The Preset dialog options

allow the user an assortment of
easy to approach quick fixes for
image tonality, including sepia,
cross-processed and black and
white options

Export options are laid out

simplistically within the Export tab,
allowing your edited image to be
saved to disk or exported to a
third-party program like Photoshop

Image properties are displayed, listing

all details such as aperture and exposure
values, even the manufacturer and
model of camera used

EDITING LOW
LIGHT IMAGES
DXO OPTICS PRO 9

USE THE LATEST VERSION OF DXOS OPTICS PRO TO

BRING BACK DETAIL FROM SHOTS TAKEN AT NIGHT

ith DxO Labs establishing itself as a

heavyweight contender in the RAW editing
field, the groundwork has already been laid
down with Optics Pro 8. But what is new
with version 9? And how could DxO possibly improve on
an arguably already perfect product? Well, quite a lot it
would seem. These alterations are mainly updates and
refinements, with enhanced noise reduction and DxO
Smart Lighting options, to name just a few.
When updating to 9, your past project files will
automatically be recognised and be viewable in your
Organize panel. A Presets drop-down has been added,
allowing a quick glance at optional smart edits, all

096

available from an in-built library. Gone, however, are the

output options and Find Project opening page, as is the
sluggish response from past versions. Instead, what
version 9 offers is a lean, fast interface and a layout
configured to match 8s Advanced User mode, as well as
an Export to Application tab. Here you can adjust your
quality and file type options, and the sleek new Save layout
keeps it more in line with Adobe slider-based options.
To benefit from these fantastic new features, this month
Advanced Photoshop is offering all our readers money
off both the Standard and Elite editions of Optics Pro 9.
Just head to www.dxo.com and enter the discount code
found on your free disc when you are placing your order.

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DOWNLOAD YOUR DISCOUNT

CODE FOR MONEY OFF

ON THE DISC

BEWARE THE EYES

Due to the nature of many of the
more refined features of Optics Pro 9,
you will have to view the image at up
to 100 per cent zoom to see the true
result of a particular edit. These edits
are highlighted with a dashed eye
icon next to the tab.

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EDITING LOW LIGHT IMAGES

ON THE DISC

ITS ALL IN THE DETAIL

BRING BACK DETAIL IN LOW-LIGHT IMAGERY

01

SELECT YOUR IMAGE

Using the Organize panel in the top-left of

the interface, you can select either an image from a
past project, create a new project or browse for an
image directly from the tree view of your system.
Click the option best for you and open your low-light
photo. Click the Customize tab to allow editing, then
select the side-by-side before and after view.

04

TONE

Now browse to the Selective Tone menu.

Here you will be able to affect the overall tonal
values of the image. Again, focusing on the fact that
the photo you are working with is low light, you are
aiming to adjust the settings here to make the detail
shine through the overall dullness of the settings the
image was shot in. Input the following: Highlights -9,
Midtones 34, Shadows 8 and Blacks -25.

07

COLOUR-ADJUST THE DETAIL

One major factor to take into account with

this image is the ambient colour cast over the
image. Click on the Color Accentuation tab and set
the Vibrancy to 55 and the Saturation to 9. Now go to
the Light and Color tab and select HSL. Select All and
enter Saturation -32 and Lightness -10. Now choose
Red: H: -10, S: -5, L: 8; then Yellow: S :31, L: 15; then
Blues: S: 15, L: -18.

02

UPDATE THE IMAGES MODULES

Select your image from the thumbnail

below the main preview. Then by clicking on the DxO
Optics Modules tab, select Download Additional DxO
Optics Modules. Here you will have an extensive list
of cameras to select from, so choose the one you
used. After this, click the Preset tab and choose your
desired preset for the image.

05

ADD A VIGNETTE

You can add a vignette to get rid of the

white edges around the image and to enhance the
focal point. To do this, scroll down your tools list to
Optical Corrections. Here you will have the vignette
options fully available. Slide the Intensity to 1, click
on Advanced Settings and slide the Shadow
Highlight Preservation slider to 76 this will darken
down the edges slightly.

08

ADD SOME CONTRAST

With all of the previous points in place, there

is little left to do besides adding a few more subtle
tweaks. To increase the contrast, click on the
Contrast tab and raise it to 75, then select
Microcontrast and set it to -11. This will darken down
the image subtly, without muddying the general
quality. Instead it will allow a greater control over the
darker tones within the image.

03

CORRECT YOUR EXPOSURE

As the preset will override all edits applied

to the image with its own, its a good idea to use it as
a starting block first. Now, once the auto settings of
the preset are in place, you can alter them to tailor
the image to your needs. Start with the exposure
compensation. For this image we have set it to 1.29;
this will bring the images lightness up considerably.

06

REDUCE THE NOISE

Now its time to trial the new Prime mode

within the noise reduction options. This is a powerful
new addition that will soften the grain caused by
low-light shooting. Click the cross hairs and then
click on an area you know will need smoothing, then
click the Prime option and set the Luminance to 40.
Open the Advanced Settings and apply the following:
Chrominance 81, Low Freq 95 and Dead Pixels 41.

09

OUTPUT YOUR FILE

Now that the edits have been made, its

time to decide what you want to do with the image. If
you wish to send the image out to edit further in
Photoshop, for example, click Export to Application
and browse for the relevant program, or if you wish
to save, you can do so by opting for the Export to
Disk option where you can choose to output it as a
JPEG, TIFF or DNG.

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