special effects

Anica Meehan

essential skills

~   Create a posterized image using the ‘Posterize’ and ‘Gradient Map’ adjustment layers.

~   Explore the creative potential of digital diffusion.

~   Create an image that emulates the Polaroid transfer effect.

~   Create an image that emulates the classic ‘lith’ print.

~   Apply non-destructive makeover techniques to enhance portraits.

~   Explore the creative potential of advanced blending.

Posterization – Project 1

Sometimes the difference between a good portrait and a great portrait is simply the quality of light used to illuminate the subject. Soft directional light is usually great for creating a flattering or glamorous portrait, but if the light is too flat, the drama or impact of a character portrait can be lost. In this activity the Posterize command comes to the rescue to enhance the character and create a little drama!

Using the Posterize command in Photoshop (Image > Adjustments > Posterize) is as simple as selecting the command and typing in the number of levels required. You will find the Posterize command can be very effective for dividing grayscale images into large flat areas of tone to create a dramatic graphic impact. The effects of posterization, however, are often far less successful if the command is applied directly to an RGB color image. The aim of this project is to create a successful and dramatic posterized color image.

1. Open the project image from the supporting DVD. Click on the Blue channel in the Channels palette. Choose ‘All’ from the Select menu and ‘Copy’ from the Edit menu. Click on the RGB channel in the Channels palette. Choose ‘Paste’ from the Edit menu to create a monochrome layer above the background layer.

2. Select Layer 1 in the Layers palette and then select ‘Convert for Smart Filters’ in the Filter menu. Change the blend mode of the layer to Overlay and then go to Filter > Sharpen > Unsharp Mask. This project has used the settings: Amount 180, Radius 1.0 and Threshold 5.

3. Create a Posterize adjustment layer (Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Posterize) to break up the smooth continuous tone into five distinct tonal steps. Enter ‘5’ in the Levels field and select OK. Change the mode of this adjustment layer to Luminosity to remove the color artifacts.

4. Click on Layer 1 in the Layers palette to make it the active layer and then create a Curves adjustment layer blow the Posterize adjustment layer. Create adjustment points to control the shadows, midtones and highlights. This Curves adjustment layer allows you to control the precise areas on the skin where the jump from one tone to the next occurs. Leave only small areas of bright highlights (white) for maximum effect.

5. Duplicate the background layer by dragging it to the New Layer icon in the Layers palette. Drag this duplicate layer to the top of the layers stack and switch the blend mode to Multiply. Go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur and apply a generous blur to this layer (10 pixels for the project image) to create a smooth tone that overlays the stepped tone.

6. Create a Levels adjustment layer. Select OK in the Levels dialog box without making any adjustments. Change the blend mode of this adjustment layer to Screen to lighten the image. Lower the Opacity of this adjustment layer to reduce the lightening effect.

7. Stamp the visible layers to a new layer (Ctrl + Shift + Alt and then type E for PC users or Command + Shift + Option and then type E for Mac users) or go to the Select menu and choose ‘All’, Edit menu and choose ‘Copy Merged’, Edit menu again and choose ‘Paste’. Make sure this layer is on top of the layers stack and change the blend mode to Overlay.

8. Go to Filter > Other > High Pass and choose a high Radius value. This filter will give more depth or three-dimensional modelling to the contours of the image (50 pixels was used with the project image). Create one final Hue/Saturation adjustment layer and lower the Saturation until the colors are balanced with the tonal qualities of this image. This project demonstrates how tonality can have a huge impact on the mood and drama, and how, with a little digital dexterity, the extraordinary can be released from the ordinary.

Digital diffusion – Project 2

Most photographers have an obsession with sharpness. It seems that we are all striving for the ultimate quality in our images. We carefully select good lenses and always double-check our focusing before making that final exposure. All this so that we can have sharp, well-focused images that we can be proud of.

It almost seems like a mortal sin then for me to be describing a technique on how to make your images ‘blurry’ but, like it or not, these days the photographic world is full of diffused or blurred imagery. From the color food supplements in our weekend papers to the latest in portraiture or wedding photography, subtle (and sometimes not all that subtle) use of diffusion in contemporary images can be easily found.

Traditionally, adding such an effect meant placing a ‘mist’ or ‘fog’ filter in front of the camera lens at the time of shooting or positioning diffusion filters below enlarging lenses when printing. The digital version of these techniques allows much more creativity and variation in the process and relies mainly on the use of layers, blending modes and the ‘Gaussian Blur’ filter.

Diffused image made by combining a sharp and a blurred layer with the Luminosity blend mode

The Gaussian Blur filter effectively softens the sharp elements of the picture when it is applied. Used by itself, this results in an image that is, as expected, quite blurry and, let’s be frank, not that attractive. It is only when this image is carefully combined with the original sharp picture that we can achieve results that contain sharpness and diffusion at the same time and are somewhat more desirable. So essentially we are talking about a technique that contains a few simple steps.

1. First, make a copy of the background layer by selecting Layer > Duplicate. Title the copy ‘Blur Layer’ using the Duplicate Layer dialog. Next, right-click the layer and select Convert to Smart Object from the pop-up menu.

2. With the new Smart Object layer selected, apply the Gaussian Blur filter. You should now have a diffused or blurred layer sitting above the sharp original. If you don’t like the look of the Gaussian diffusion then you can choose another effect such as the Diffuse filter instead. This filter is not as controllable as Gaussian Blur but does achieve a different effect.

3. As the Gaussian Blur has been applied via a Smart Filter it is possible to adjust the filter settings at any time. Just double-click on the filter name (Gaussian Blur) in the layer stack to display the filter dialog complete with the settings currently being used to produce the effect.

4. Now change the layer ‘blending mode’ using the drop-down menu in the top left of the Layers palette. As we have already seen, Photoshop contains many different blend modes that control how any layer interacts with any other. The Lighten and Screen modes both work well for this picture. Of course, other modes might work better on your own images so make sure that you experiment. After choosing a blend mode, check your Gaussian Blur filter settings by double-clicking the filter name in the layer stack and adjusting the Radius setting.

5. Additionally, you can change the ‘opacity’ (top right of the dialog) of the blurred layer as well. Adjusting this setting changes the transparency of the blurred layer, which in turn determines how much of the layer below can be seen. More opacity means less of the sharp layer characteristics are obvious. By carefully combining the choice of blending mode and the amount of opacity, the user can create infinite adjustments to the diffusion effect.

Another approach

In some instances it might be preferable to keep one section of the image totally free of blur. This can be achieved by applying the Gaussian filter via a graded mask to the Gaussian Blur Smart Filter. With this method some of the picture remains sharp while the rest is diffused.

1. Start with base image (without the layers from the previous technique) and make a copy layer of the background using the Layer > Duplicate Layer command. Convert this layer to a Smart Object. Next select the Gradient Tool and make sure that the Tool’s options are set to ‘Foreground to Transparent’ and ‘Radial Gradient’. Switch to Quick Mask mode and create a mask from the center of the ‘51’ to the outer right-hand edge of the image.

2. Switch back to the Selection mode to reveal the graded circular selection. Depending on the Quick Mask settings, the selection may enclose the parts of the picture that were masked or may isolate the opposite areas in the picture. Double-click on the Quick Mask Tool icon to access the mask settings, change them if necessary and then click OK to change to Selection mode (marching ants). To change between these two different selections use the Select > Inverse command. Apply the Gaussian Blur filter to the Smart Object with the selection still active. After applying this extra step to the Smart Object above the original image layer, it is possible to use blending modes and opacity to further refine the strength and character of the diffusion effect.

3. To complete the technique and disguise the areas of the picture that have been smoothed with the action of the Gaussian Blur filter you need to try to match the texture of the non-diffused and diffused areas. Do this by adding a very small amount of noise to the picture, but just as we applied the blur non-destructively using the new Smart Filter technology we will do the same with this filtering step. To add noise to the same masked area as the Gaussian Blur filter, select the Smart Object layer and then choose Filter > Noise > Add Noise. Makes sure that the filter is listed above the Gaussian Blur entry in the layer stack, otherwise click-drag it to the upper position. Apply only the minimum amount of noise necessary to disguise the changes.

Examples of different diffusion techniques and blending modes

Even more control

You can refine your control over the diffusion process even more by using a layer mask to selectively remove sections of the blurred layer.

At its simplest level this will result in areas of blur contrasted against areas of sharpness; however, if you vary the opacity and edge hardness of the brush used to paint the mask then you can carefully feather the transition points.

The addition of the masking step allows much more control over the resultant image. It is possible to select, and highlight, the focal points of the photograph while not losing the overall softness of the image.

By selectively masking portions of the upper, diffused layer you can control areas of sharpness and blur within the picture

1. Rather than duplicate the base image layer (background) and apply the changes to the copy, this technique uses Smart Filtering to achieve the same effects. Start by converting the background layer to a Smart Object and then applying a Gaussian Blur. Double-click on the Filter Blending Options button in the layer stack and change the opacity (and blend mode if desired) of the filter.

2. Next select the Smart Filter mask in the Layers palette and choose a soft-edged brush with an Opacity of 20%. Set the foreground color to black and proceed to paint on the areas of the picture that you want to restore sharpness. Repeat the painting action to build up the mask’s tone (make it darker) and thus reveal more of the original sharpness of the picture. To restore the blur to areas accidentally sharpened just switch the foreground color to white and paint over the area again.

3. As a final step you may wish to add a noise filter effect to the blurred sections of the photo to help disguise the smoothing effects of the blur filter. Do this by adding an Add Noise filter to the Smart Filter stack. Be sure that the Add Noise filter appears uppermost in the stack.

Digital Polaroid transfer effect – Project 3

Most readers will probably be familiar with Polaroid instant picture products – you push the button and the print is ejected and develops right before your eyes. For many years professional image-makers have been using the unique features of this technology to create wonderfully textured images. The process involved substituting watercolor paper for the printing surface supplied by Polaroid. As a result the image is transferred onto the roughly surfaced paper and takes on a distinctly different look and feel to a standard Polaroid print.

Much acclaimed for its artistic appeal, the technique was not always predictable and, much to the frustration of a lot of photographers, it was often difficult to repeat the success of previous results. There were three main problems – dark areas of an image often didn’t transfer to the new surface, colors and image detail would bleed unpredictably, and it was difficult to control how dark or light the final print would be. I know these problems intimately as it once took me 16 sheets of expensive instant film to produce a couple of acceptable prints.

A digital solution

This success ratio is not one that my budget or my temperament can afford. So I started to play with a digital version of the popular technique. I wanted to find a process that was more predictable, controllable and repeatable. My first step was to list the characteristics of the Polaroid transfer print so that I could simulate them digitally. To me it seemed that there were four main elements:

•  Desaturated colors

•  Mottled ink

•  Distinct paper texture and color

•  The Polaroid film frame.

To duplicate these characteristics on the desktop would mean that I could capture the essence of the Polaroid process.

1. To start the process we will add a white background to the picture that will eventually accommodate the Polaroid edge or frame. Do this by creating a new layer (Layer > New > New Layer) and then dragging this layer beneath the image layer in the layer stack. If the image layer is a background layer then you will need to double-click it to change to a standard image layer before the move. Next, make sure that the default foreground and background swatches are selected (white = background) and then select the new layer and choose Layer > New > Background from Layer. With the Crop Tool selected draw a marquee around the whole of the image and then click-drag the corner handles outwards to extend the background layer (and the canvas) beyond the image area.

2. As the rest of the technique requires us to make filter changes to the image that are destructive we will now select both layers and convert them to a single Smart Object (Layer > Smart Object > Convert to Smart Object).

3. The Polaroid technique requires the watercolor paper to be slightly wet at the time of transfer. The moisture, while helping the image movement from paper to paper, tends to desaturate the colors and cause fine detail to be lost. These characteristics are also the result of the coarse surface of the donor paper.

So the next step of the digital version of the process is to desaturate the color of our example image. In Photoshop this can be achieved non-destructively using the Hue/Saturation adjustment layer (Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Hue/Saturation). With the dialog open carefully move the Saturation slider to the left. This action will decrease the intensity of the colors in your image. Here a value of –48 was used.

4. The distinct surface and image qualities of Polaroid transfer prints combine both sharpness and image break-up in the one picture. To reproduce this effect digitally and non-destructively, we will use the new Smart Filter options in CS3. My idea was to manipulate the look of the photo with a couple of filters to simulate the mottled effect of the transfer print and then use the Smart Filter blend mode and Opacity settings to adjust how much sharpness (of the original image) or mottle (from the filters) was contained in the final result.

To do this I selected the Smart Object layer and applied the first of two filters, Paint Daubs, to the picture. Though the look is not quite right, I found that by combining the effects of the Paint Daubs and Palette Knife filters I could produce reasonable results. When using these filters yourself keep in mind that the settings used will vary with the style and size of your image. Use the ones in the example as a starting point only. This part of the process is not an exact science. Play and experimentation is the name of the game and keep in mind that you can adjust the settings any time in the future as these are Smart Filters. You might also want to try other options in the Artistic, Sketch or Texture selections of the Filter menu.

5. Now to adjust how these filter effects combine with the original photo. This can be achieved by either changing the filter’s blending mode or by adjusting its opacity, or both. For the example image a simple opacity change (to 59%) was all that was needed, but don’t be afraid to try a few different blend/opacity combinations with your own work. To access these options double-click the settings icon at the right hand end of the filter layer. This will display the Smart Filter Blending Options palette. Here you can alter both blend modes and opacity of the selected filter and view the changes in the associated preview. Be careful though, as any filter selected that is not on top of the filter stack will be previewed without the combined effects of the other filters.

6. The paper color and texture are critical parts of the appeal of the transfer print. These two characteristics extend throughout the image itself and into the area that surrounds the picture. To change the color of both the image and the white surround I played with the overall color of the document using a Levels adjustment layer (Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Levels). I altered the Blue and Red channels independently and concentrated on the lighter tones of the image so that rather than the paper being stark white it took on a creamy appearance. Specifically I dragged the white output slider in the Blue channel towards the center of the histogram (to add some yellow to the highlights) and I moved the white input slider of the Red channel to the left to bring in some warmth.

7. To add the texture to both image and the white background surround I added yet another filter to the Smart Object layer. This time I used the Texturizer filter combined with a custom texture of the surface watercolor paper that I created by photographing a section of paper that was lit with a light source that was positioned low and to one side. You can download and use this very file from the book’s DVD or pick one of the other options from the Texture pop-up list. To load the DVD image select the Texturizer filter from the Filter > Texture menu and then click onto the sideways arrow in the top right of the dialog and choose the Load Texture option. Browse for and select the texture file before adjusting the Scaling, Relief and Light options in the filter to suit.

8. The last part of the process involves combining the final image with a scan of a Polaroid film edge. You can make your own by scanning a Polaroid print and then removing the image or you can use the edge located on the book’s DVD. Start by opening the edge file as a separate document. Click onto the edge picture and drag it onto your picture. The edge will automatically become a new layer on top of the existing image layer. Convert the edge layer to a Smart Object by right-clicking on the layer and choosing the Convert to Smart Object entry. With the edge Smart Object layer selected change the layer’s blend mode to Multiply. Notice that the white areas of the layer are now transparent, allowing the picture beneath to show through. Drag the edge layer to just above the image in the layer stack (below the Hue/Saturation and Levels adjustment layers) to ensure that the adjustments made by these layers are applied to the Polaroid edge image as well. Finally, use the Edit >Free Transform command to adjust the size of the edge to fit the image and the Crop Tool to remove any unwanted background areas.

Lith printing – Project 4

There is no doubt that a well-crafted lith print is, to borrow an oft-used phrase from my father-in-law, ‘a thing of beauty that is (therefore) a joy forever’. The trick, for experienced and occasional traditional darkroom users alike, is the production of such a print. Even with frequent reference to publications penned by lith guru Tim Rudman, I have always had difficulty getting consistency with the production of my prints. Despite this frustration my love affair with the process still continues. There is something quite magical about the quality of images created using this technique and it is this magic that I hanker after. They are distinctly textured and richly colored and their origins are unmistakable.

The process, full of quirky variables like age and strength of developer and the amount of overexposure received by the paper, is unpredictable and almost always unrepeatable. In this regard at least, most printers, myself included, found the whole lith printing process both fascinating and infuriating. This said, it’s a decade since lith printing started to become more commonplace and there is no sign of people’s interest declining.

‘Long live lith!’ I hear you say, ‘but I shoot digital.’ Well, good news: the digital worker with basic skills, a copy of Photoshop and a reasonable color printer can reproduce the characteristics of lith printing without the smelly hands, or the dank darkroom.

A digitally produced lith print can exhibit similar color and grain characteristics to those typically found in chemically produced originals

1. If you ask most photographers what makes a lith print special the majority will tell you it’s the amazing grain and the rich colors. Most prints have strong, distinctive and quite atmospheric grain that is a direct result of the way in which the image is processed. This is coupled with colors that are seldom seen in a black and white print. They range from a deep chocolate, through warm browns, to oranges and sometimes even pink tones. If our digital version is to seem convincing then the final print will need to contain all of these elements. Whether you source your image from a camera or a scanner, make sure that the subject matter is conducive to making a lith-type print. The composition should be strong and the image should contain a full range of tones, especially in the highlights and shadows. Delicate details may be lost during the manipulation process, so select an image that still works when the fine details are obscured by coarse grain. Good contrast will also help make a more striking print.

The next step after selecting a suitable image is to copy the file to your hard drive (if stored on CD or DVD), open and save the file in the PSD format. Now open the file in Photoshop as a Smart Object (File > Open As Smart Object). Basing your adjustments around a Smart Object will ensure that they can be tweaked at any time later and the original pixels are always maintained.

2. Now that you have selected a picture with a strong composition, let’s add some color. Photoshop provides a couple of options for adding the distinctive lith colors. The simplest approach uses the Tint options in the new Black and White control. Previously we would have used Hue/Saturation but this new feature has the added bonus of providing the chance to manipulate the monochrome conversion (convert to gray) before adding the tint hues. As we are using a Smart Object-based workflow the Black and White feature is applied via an Adjustment layer (Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Black and White). Start by adjusting the color sliders in the upper section of the dialog. These allow you to control the way that specific colors are converted to gray. Try to maintain good contrast and a full range of tones. Next move to the bottom of the feature and check the Tint option. Use the Hue slider to select the color for the tint and the Saturation slider to adjust the vividness of the effect.

3. To simulate the texture of the lith print we will add a Noise filter to the photo, but rather than applying it directly more control is possible if the texture is applied to a separate layer first and then blended with the image. Start by creating a new layer (Layer > New > Layer) and filling it with 50% gray (Edit > Fill then choose 50% Gray from the contents menu). Name this layer Texture.

To ensure that we can adjust the settings used for the filtering effect later on, convert the Texture layer to a Smart Object (Layer > Smart Objects > Convert to Smart Object) and change the mode of the new Smart Object layer to Overlay or Soft Light. Next, Smart Filter the layer using either the Grain (Filter > Texture > Grain) or Noise (Filter > Noise > Add Noise) filter. Most of these types of filters have slider controls that adjust the size of the grain, its strength and how it is applied to various parts of the image. The settings you use will depend on the resolution of your picture as well as the amount of detail it contains. The stronger the filter effects the more details will be obscured by the resultant texture. Be sure to preview the filter settings with the image magnification set at 100% so that you can more accurately predict the results. Here I have the used the ‘Noise’ filter with both the Gaussian and Monochrome options set.

4. At this point in the project the lith-print effect is finished but to show the power of working with Smart Objects let’s take the process a little further by adding some extra canvas space and a blurred border to the otherwise completed photo. Start by selecting the image Smart Object layer. Next choose Layer > Smart Objects > Edit Contents. This will open the original photo as a separate Photoshop document with no color or texture effects applied. Change the background layer to a standard image layer by double-clicking on its entry in the Layers palette. Next add a new layer and convert the layer to a background layer by selecting Layer > New > Background from Layer. Make sure that the default Foreground/Background colors are selected before this step. To extend the white background, choose Image > Canvas Size, and add 120% for both Width and Height settings.

5. To add a blurred border the size of the image, create a new layer above the photo. Label this layer Border. Hold down the Ctrl/Cmd key and click on the picture in the thumbnail of the layer containing the image. This creates a selection based on the size and shape of the picture content of this layer. Now choose the Border layer and then select Edit > Stroke. Adjust the settings so the stroke is 30 pixels wide (this may change for your image), is black, and is located on the inside of the selection. Click OK to draw the stroke.

6. We will use the Gaussian Blur filter to blur this border but, before applying the filter, change the Border layer to a Smart Object. This way it will be possible to alter the settings used for the border later if needed. Select the layer and choose Layer > Smart Objects > Convert to Smart Object. Next with the selection that you used to create the border in the first place still active, apply the Gaussian Blur filter to blur the inner edge of the stroked border. If you have lost the selection recreate it by holding down the Ctrl/Cmd key and clicking on the image layer’s thumbnail.

7. With the border now created it is time to apply the settings back to the original lith print. Save the file (File > Save) and then close the document. Photoshop will automatically update the picture Smart Object layer that sits inside the lith document with the changes.

Using Smart Objects in this technique provides endless opportunity to adjust the settings for the color and texture of the final result. Even the blur of the border can be manipulated at a later date as applying the filter via a selection automatically creates a mask that will restrain the blur effect to the inside of the image.

Portrait makeovers – Project 5

When it comes to retouching, Photoshop is definitely the king of the image-editing heap. The program contains a host of tools, filters and adjustment options that can help turn ordinary-looking portraits into something that is truly dazzling. The sheer power and dominance of the program in this area is not difficult to see as most glossy magazine covers and celebrity lifestyle stories contain a plethora of photos that have been ‘shopped’ in one way or another. The results, in most cases, are amazing and, in a few instances, even a little scary. But for the average photographer the interest is not about wanting to recreate the plastic look of celebrity stardom but rather it centers around the gentle art of photo enhancement. And in truth, I feel that this is the best use of the retouching power of the program. So with this in mind, here are a few core techniques that are used by portrait photographers on a daily basis. Most work with, rather than paint over, the basic structure and texture of the model’s face and in so doing they carefully enhance what already exists rather than replace it with something that is manufactured. Importantly all are non-destructive, keeping the original artwork free from any permanent changes.

Softening freckles

This technique aims to reduce the dominance of the freckles rather than removing them totally. In this way the underlying structure of the face shines through and is complemented with, rather than overridden by, just a hint of the freckles. In the end we are left with a result that retains much of the original charm of the initial photograph and a definite sense of reality that overworked images always lack. Remember in most cases the secret is to enhance not to replace.

1. Select the Eyedropper Tool and then check to see that the Sample Size (in the options bar) is set to average 3 × 3 or 5 × 5 pixels. Next select a flesh color from the portrait that represents a midtone of the range available across the face surface. The tone you select at this point in the process will determine which freckles are lightened. Choosing a darker skin tone will change only a few of the darkest freckles whereas a lighter tone selection will alter both midtone and dark freckles.

Kateryna Govorushchenko (www.iStockphoto.com)

2. With the skin tone selected the next step is to create a new layer above the image layer. Label the layer Retouching and change the blend mode of the layer to Lighten.

3. Now select the Brush Tool and start to paint over the freckled areas. With the layer in the Lighten mode Photoshop compares the paint color with the pixels being painted over. If the pixels are darker then they are replaced with the paint color, effectively lightening the area.

4. To ensure that the changes are both effective and yet subtle you can also alter the opacity of the layer to adjust the strength of the enhancement. An opacity setting of 100% would produce a result that was too smooth. Reducing the opacity has the effect of allowing a little of the old freckle texture to show through, maintaining the feeling of realism whilst reducing the freckle’s dominance. Continue to paint away the dominant freckles whilst being careful not to paint over details like eyelashes as you go.

Image by Anna Bryukhanova (www.iStockphoto.com)

Removing the red

In this example the model’s bright red (or is that orange) hair is coloring the light that is reflected back onto the skin tones, making them quite warm. Your initial thoughts might be to reach for the Color Balance and Curves feature and use these to reduce the warmth in the photo, but this action has the effect of reducing the vibrancy of the hair color at the same time as neutralizing the skin tones. So instead of making global (all over) changes to the picture this technique uses the Eyedropper Tool to sample an area of neutral skin and then employs the Brush Tool in Color mode to paint out the overly warm tones.

1. Start by ensuring that the Eyedropper Tool’s Sample Size is set to an average of either ‘3 × 3’ or ‘5 × 5’ pixels and not the Point Sample setting. To do this select the tool and then choose a different option from the drop-down list on the tool’s option bar. Next create a new retouching layer above the image layer and change the blend mode of this layer to Color.

2. Next locate a portion of skin tone that is free from red or magenta casts and click on it with the Eyedropper Tool. You will notice that the foreground color in the toolbox now contains the color you sampled. Check to see that the color is not too dark or light and that the hue is free from any strange casts. If this isn’t the case, then resample a different areas of skin until you are happy with the color.

3. Check to see that the retouching layer is selected and then apply the skin-colored paint over the red/magenta areas in the photo using the Brush Tool. Notice that because the layer is in the Color mode the paint is laid down in such a way that the details of the photo beneath are retained and only the color is altered. To fine-tune the effect you can also adjust the opacity of the retouching layer.

Eliminating blemishes

Ethical issues aside, Photoshop is a great tool for removing, or at least making less pronounced, a variety of unwanted photo elements. Despite the fact that skin blemishes and wrinkles are a normal everyday occurrence for most of us, photographers are constantly asked to retouch these sections of portrait photos. Like the other techniques discussed here, the secret behind successful retouching of these areas is not to remove them completely but rather to reduce their appearance. With this in mind let’s look at a couple of the tools that Photoshop offers for blemish removal.

Serious – Amanda Rohde (www.iStockphoto.com)

Clone Stamp

1. The Clone Stamp Tool works by sampling a selected area and pasting the characteristics of this area over the blemish, so the first step in the process is to identify the areas in your picture that need repair. Then make sure that the image layer you want to repair is selected. To work non-destructively create a new layer first and then apply the cloning to this layer. Make sure that the Sample All Layers option is selected in the tool’s options bar.

2. Next locate areas in the photograph that are a similar tone, texture and color as the picture parts that need fixing. It is these sampled areas that the Clone Stamp Tool will copy and then use to paint over the model’s wrinkles. At this point you can also alter the transparency of the cloning action by adjusting the Opacity slider in the tool or the retouching layer. Values less than 100% will let some of the original texture through the cloned areas.

3. To select the area to be sampled, or the ‘sample point’, hold down the Alt key (Win) or the Option key (Mac) and click the mouse button (left button for Windows) when the cursor is over the desired sample tone, color or texture. Next move the cursor to the area to be fixed. Click on the blemish and a copy of the sample point area is pasted over the mark. Depending on how well you chose the sample area, the blemish will now be blended into the background seamlessly. Continue to click and drag to repair more areas.

4. You may need to reselect your sample point if you find that the color, texture or tone doesn’t match the surrounding area of the blemish. You can also change the brush size and hardness to alter the characteristics of both the sample and stamp areas. A softer edge helps blend the edge areas of the newly painted parts of the picture with the original image.

Spot Healing Brush

1. The Spot Healing Brush removes the sampling step from the Clone Stamp process. To use the brush you simply select the feature, adjust the brush tip size and hardness, and then click onto, or drag over, the blemish. Almost magically the Brush will analyze the surrounding texture, color and tones and use this as a basis for painting over the problem area.

2. To apply the brush non-destructively create a new layer above the image layer first. Select this layer and ensure that the Sample All Layers option is selected in the tool’s options bar. Now use the tool as you would normally but with this technique the healing changes are stored in the separate layer.

3. Sometimes the Spot Healing Brush samples unwanted areas from around the brush tip, causing a less than perfect result. If this occurs try drawing a feathered selection around the blemish area first before using the Spot Healing Brush.

4. If the healed area is still showing unwanted artifacts use a harder brush tip, or switching the blend mode of the tool to the Replace option can sometimes help. In this mode the tool preserves the texture at the edge of a soft-tipped healing brush.

Healing Brush

The Healing Brush is also a two-step process. After selecting the tool you hold down the Alt/Option key and click on a clear skin area to use as the sample for the healing. This action is the same as you would take when using the Clone Stamp Tool to select a sample point. Fortunately in Photoshop CS3 the tool does have a Sample All Layers option so you can apply your retouching changes to a new layer to work non-destructively.

Advanced blending – Project 6

This project utilizes advanced blending via the Blending or Layer Options dialog box and the use of filters to create special effects. The project also makes use of the ‘Transform’ commands to modify layer content.

The technique of making the typography disappear among the cloud cover is created by a sandwiching technique and a selective blend mode applied to the top layer.

The sky is duplicated and the copy moved to the top of the layers stack. The darker levels (the blue sky) are blended or made transparent while the lighter levels (the clouds) are kept opaque. The typography now appears where the sky is darker and is obscured by the lighter clouds.

1. Open the image of the sky from the DVD. Click on the Type Tool in the Tools palette and create the desired typography. Click on the character palette icon in the Options bar to access additional type options. The example uses a font called Charcoal with the settings ‘Faux Bold’ and ‘Faux Italic’ (a Photoshop feature that allows any font to be made italic or bold). Any bold italic font would be suitable for this project.

2. The layer effect ‘Bevel and Emboss’ is applied to this type layer. Select ‘Inner Bevel’ from the Style menu and select an appropriate ‘Angle’ that is consistent with the light source in the rest of the image. Choose a blend mode, opacity and color for both the highlights and shadows. In the example both the highlight and shadow were set to 100% and the angle was set to 120°.

3. Duplicate the background layer ‘Sky’ by dragging the layer in the Layers palette to the ‘New Layers’ icon at the base of the Layers palette. Move the background copy to the top of the layers stack above the type layer (this action will temporarily obscure the type layer).

4. Double-click the background copy layer. The ‘Blending Options’ dialog box will open. This dialog box allows the user to change the opacity and blend mode of the layer. The bottom half of the box allows the user to control the range of levels that may be blended. Dragging the left-hand slider on the top ramp to a position of 150 allows all of the darker tones, or levels, to be made transparent. The typography on the layer below is now visible in all areas where the pixels are 0 to 150. The effect at present is abrupt. The type disappears suddenly into the clouds rather than gradually. A more gradual transition can be achieved by fading the effect over a range of pixels rather than selecting a single layer value at which 100% transparency takes place. By holding down the Option/Alt key and dragging the slider it is possible to split the black slider. Drag the right half of the slider to a value of around 200. This action creates the desired effect of the type fading slowly into the cloud cover.

5. Open the image that will be used to fill the type from the DVD (the image of storm clouds). Go to Select > All and Edit > Copy. Make the image with your text in the active window and then choose Paste from the Edit menu. The image is moved to a position directly above the type layer in the Layers palette and is ‘clipped’ to the type layer (Layer > Create Clipping Mask).

6. An adjustment layer is then added and clipped with the storm clouds and typography. The adjustment layer is used to shift the colors of the storm cloud towards blue. This can be achieved by using either a Color Balance or a Curves adjustment layer.

7. Select the top layer in the Layers palette. Open the image of the jet from the DVD. Drag the layer thumbnail of the jet from the Layers palette into the canvas area of the sky image.

8. Create a selection of the sky using the Magic Wand or Quick Selection Tool. Click on the ‘Add layer mask’ icon in the Layers palette. Remember to apply a small amount of Gaussian Blur to this layer mask or use the Refine Edge dialog box (Select > Refine Edge).

9. Go to the Edit menu and choose ‘Transform > Flip Horizontal’. Then select the layer mask and paint out any edges that may have appeared as a result of blurring or contracting the layer mask (hold down the Shift key and click in each corner to make fast work out of this). Ctrl-click (Mac) or right-click (PC) on the layer mask thumbnail and select Apply Layer Mask.

To create the movement effect duplicate the aircraft layer twice (drag the layer to the ‘Create new layer’ icon). Choose Blur > Motion Blur from the Filters menu to apply a 15-pixel blur to the uppermost jet layer. Apply a 300-pixel Motion Blur to the bottom jet layer. Ensure that the ‘Angle’ is appropriate for the direction of travel or movement. If you need to see a preview of the effect drag inside the preview window until part of the aircraft appears.

10. Select the top jet layer. Select the ‘Gradient’ Tool from the Tools palette. Select the ‘Linear Gradient’, ‘Foreground to Background’ and ‘Multiply’ mode options in the Options bar. Drag the Gradient Tool to conceal the front half of the blurred aircraft. With the 300-pixel blur layer selected choose Transform > Rotate from the Image menu and move the streak into position.

11. Select the Type Tool and click once in the image window to start an additional type layer. Set the font size to 36 pt and click on the color swatch in the Options bar to open the Color Picker. Move the cursor into the image window and select a red color from the aircraft using the eyedropper. Type the word ‘Red’ and then hold down the Ctrl/Command key to click inside the bounding box and drag the type into position. From the Edit menu choose Transform > Skew to increase the angle of lean of the typography. Click on the ‘Commit transform’ icon in the Options bar to apply the changes. From the Filters menu choose Stylize > Wind and select ‘From the Right’ to give the appropriate direction of travel.

Note > To apply a filter to a type layer the type must either be rasterized (rendered into pixels) or the layer must be converted for Smart Filters (Filter > Convert for Smart Filters). If type is rasterized it is no longer editable. If you have converted the layer for Smart Filters you can double-click the layer to edit the text.

Chris Mollison