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Your Y our One-Stop Image Solution
Find the best creatives for your advertising campaigns by browsing Depositphotos library of over 13,000,000 photographs, vector imag es and video files. To get a 15% discount on your next purchase, visit www.depositphotos.com and apply the promotion code:
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ISSUE 110
CONTENTS
Welcome to the latest issue of Advanced Photoshop. I couldn’t start without discussing the ground-breaking news from Adobe on the end of the CS boxset and the launch of Photoshop CC ANNALISA SAYWELL
Editor IN THIS ISSUE:
NEW MEDIA
COVER ARTIST
PETE HARRISON
http://peteharrison.com Pete Harrison wields light and colour in many of his digital images, and as lighting is so important when producing paint effects - who better than him to produce our cover tutorial this issue.
The recent announcement at the Adobe Max conference in L.A. has sent our office into overdrive. We’ve learned that significant changes are being made to both the Adobe product line and the means of paying for it all, and the important questions – how, what, why and when? – have been on everyone’s minds since the discovery. So taking that into account, we discuss what exactly all the fuss is about and bring you an update on what you can expect from the new tools as well as looking into which features to get excited about when Photoshop CC is finally released on 17 June. Elsewhere in the issue, we bring you 15 great illustration tips and tricks, show you how to create character concepts in CS6 and discover creative photomanipulation all using Photoshop’s top tools. Our free disc is not to be missed either, with over
PORTFOLIO INTERVIEW:
12 THE PURSUIT OF
LIGHT AND COLOUR Marta Nael reveals her secrets on how to create a colourful portfolio but still preserve realism
@advancedpshop DIGITAL COVER ART:
.co.uk
44 ABSTRACT GRAPHICS Learn the skills required to replicate a photographic collage with multiple layers
003
CONTENTS
ISSUE 110
EYE ON DESIGN What’s hot, who’s in and the latest art & design happenings
06 08 12 18
PRO PANEL:
Our contributors share Photoshop secrets INDUSTRY FEATURE
Adobe reveals Photoshop CC PORTFOLIO INTERVIEW:
The pursuit of light and colour: Marta Nael
28
PROJECT FOCUS:
Stunning mosiacs in CS6
ILLUSTRATION TIPS FOR BACK ISSUES, BOOKS
56
CHARACTER CONCEPTS
76
36
004
DIGITAL ALBUM ARTWORK
ACTIONPACKED COMPOSITES
Professional artists reveal their high-end skills in our easy-tofollow workshops
20 28 36 44 50 56
DKNG Studios 15 Illustration tips & tricks Digital album artwork
Liquid paint effects Character concepts
62 68 72 76 88 92
We put the latest creative kit, books and apps to the test
82 Head to head - Raw war 86 Wacom Cintiq 13HD FEATURE:
Atmospheric landscapes
REVIEW:
Create stylish vintage type Shine by Kris Shields
Action-packed composites Engaging photo illustration Produce paint splash stock
SUBSCRIBE TODAY! SEE PAGE 22 FOR THE LATEST OFFER
62
ATMOSPHERIC LANDSCAPES
96
ON YOUR DISC
Free with of Advanced Photoshop
TAILORMADE Master paint splash effects for yourself using Photoshop CS6
72
SHINE
88
ENGAGING PHOTO ILLUSTRATION
RESOURCE COLLECTION
Featuring 1,050 Photoshop brushes, 200 premium textures and 20 high-res images
PLUS:
• Tutorial project files • Exclusive wallpapers for mobile and desktop • Fonts worth $30
EYE ON DESIGN
PRO PANEL
EYE ON DESIGN
OUR CONTRIBUTORS SHARE THEIR CREATIVE SECRETS, EXPLAINING HOW THEY CREATED THESE STUNNING EFFECTS USING PHOTOSHOP’S POWERFUL TOOLS DAN KUHLKEN
GREG DAVIES
www.dkngstudios.com
Running a small firm gives DKNG the opportunity to complete tasks more efficiently. Two heads are better than one, but 10 heads can be a circus. As a result, we’re limited in how many projects we can take on, but this enables us to fully focus on the ones that we do choose. Our primary goal is to create great work – generating profit comes second. A larger team would increase our bandwidth and that would decrease the quality of our work. ■ See more from Dan in this issue’s Studio Interview on page 20
www.gregdavies.co.za
Nothing imbues crispness in an image quite like a High Pass-Overlay layer. Its effect can be applied to any image, and we can all achieve this look by first duplicating our image and then selecting Filter>Other>High Pass. Once complete, set the new layer’s blend mode to Overlay, adjust the Opacity to taste and then the image will look much sharper. ■ Greg shows how to create photo-based album artwork in our
© Greg Davies
http://martanael.daportfolio.com There are many ways to create focus in an image, yet we can achieve more dynamic results by rotating the horizon line. Placing the centre of interest a bit to the right or the left, rather than the centre, is really useful for creating a diverse composition. The arrangement of light helps create mystery and can also be used to guide our eyes across a picture. Use this effect to make certain elements stand out from the background. ■ Check out more of Marta’s work in her interview on page 12
© Dan Kuhlken
006
© Marta Nael
The magazine for Adobe® Photoshop® professionals
PETE HARRISON www.peteharrison.com
It’s important to keep gradients looking smooth, especially in high-resolution images. Banding can easily occur if you don’t keep on top of your work. The best way to ensure the right look is to select Edit> Color Settings and then set your piece to Adobe RBG (1998). I use this setting for all of my work and I make sure that I keep the Dot and spot gain set at 20%. ■ Find Pete’s create-the-cover tutorial on page 50
Imagine Publishing Ltd Richmond House, 33 Richmond Hill, Bournemouth, Dorset, BH2 6EZ ☎ +44 (0) 1202 586200 Web: www.imagine-publishing.co.uk
www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk www.greatdigitalmags.com
Magazine team
Editor Anna-lisa Saywell
[email protected] ☎ 01202
586243
Editor in Chief Dan Hutchinson Features Editor Adam Smith Designer Steve Mumby Photographer James Sheppard Senior Art Editor Duncan Crook Head of Publishing Aaron Asadi Head of Design Ross Andrews Contributors
It’s important to keep gradients looking smooth… The best way to ensure the right look is to select Edit>Color Settings and set Adobe RGB (1998)
© Pete Harrison
PETE HARRISON / WWW.PETEHARRISON.COM
Gavin Thomas, Tim Williamson, Chris McMahon, Josh Rossi, Angelica Jopson, Neil Stevens, Tommy Kinnerup, Kirk Nelson Mikko Lagerstedt, Laurence Matthews, and Pete Harrison.
Advertising Digital or printed media packs are available on request. Head of Sales Hang Deretz ☎ 01202 586442
[email protected] Advertising Manager Jen Farrell ☎ 01202 586430
[email protected] Account Manager Becky Palmer ☎ 01202 586438
[email protected]
Cover disc Head of Digital Mat Toor Multimedia Editor Steve Dacombe
[email protected]
International Advanced Photoshop is available for licensing.
Contact the International department to discuss partnership opportunities. Head of International Licensing Cathy Blackman ☎ +44 (0) 1202 586401
[email protected]
Subscriptions
© Shotopop
[email protected] For all subscription enquiries:
[email protected] ☎ UK: 0844 848 8402 ☎ Overseas: +44 (0) 1795 592 880 13-issue subscription (UK) – £62.30 13-issue subscription (Europe) – £70 13-issue subscription (ROW) – £80
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Willenhall, West Midlands, WV13 3XT Distributed in the UK & Eire by: Seymour Distribution, 2 East Poultry Avenue, London, EC1A 9PT ☎ 0207 429 4000 Distributed in Australia by: Gordon & Gotch, Equinox Centre, 26 Rodborough Road, Frenchs Forest, NSW 2086 ☎ + 61 299 728 800 Distributed to the rest of the world by: Marketforce, Blue Fin Building, 110 Southwark Street, London, SE1 0SU ☎ 0203 148 8105
Disclaimer
© Ministry of Sound Australia
LUKE CHOICE
www.velvetspectrum.com My work was based heavily in Photoshop before I learned to use C4D. Once I was able to blend the two programs together, I realised how important it was to pay attention to the direction of light and shadow in when creating artwork. To amplify the contrast of certain areas in this image I used the Dodge and Burn tools, creating a greater range of depth. ■ More of Luke’s work can be seen in our album artwork feature on page 36
The publisher cannot accept responsibility for any unsolicited material lost or damaged in the post. All text and layout is the copyright of Imagine Publishing Ltd. Nothing in this magazine may be reproduced in whole or part without the written permission of the publisher. All copyrights are recognised and used specifically for the purpose of criticism and review. Although the magazine has endeavoured to ensure all information is correct at time of print, prices and availability may change. This magazine is fully independent and not affiliated in any way with the companies mentioned herein. Photoshop is either a registered trademark or trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/ or other countries and is used with express permission. All $ prices are US Dollars unless otherwise stated. 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 submit is sent at your risk and, although every care is taken, neither Imagine Publishing nor its employees, agents or subcontractors shall be liable for the loss or damage. © Imagine Publishing Ltd 2013 ISSN 1748-7277
007
ADOBE REVEALS PHOTOSHOP CC WE EXPLORE WHAT THE LATEST VERSION HAS TO OFFER AND GAUGE THE REACTIONS FROM A COMMUNITY OF PHOTOSHOP USERS
t this years annual MAX Conference, held in Los Angeles, Adobe announced its most ground-breaking update since the release of Photoshop CS6; the all-new Photoshop CC. This version will be made available in June and provides Creative Cloud subscribers with a host of brand new tools, as well as reinvented ones. Photoshop CC is geared towards photo editing like we’ve never seen, pushing the boundaries of what’s
A 008
achievable in image editing even further. Moreover, its speedy operation means photographers and designers can create with even more freedom. This is all thanks to Adobe, who continues to perfect and provide superior image editing algorithms. New tools are supplied by the dozen and include the most advanced sharpening tool available, live syncing with Adobe Camera RAW (ACR) and all-new shape tool functionality. ACR itself has now been
updated to version 8 and includes its own set of upgrades to complement a Photoshop workflow. In this feature we go into greater detail about what’s in store for us, presenting the most exciting of the new Photoshop CC tools and options. We also share some of the Photoshop communities thoughts and opinions on this latest update, in addition to exploring the new innovative options added to other software in the Creative Cloud.
PHOTOSHOP CC
Adobe has announced that, moving forward, the company will now focus on creative software developments for Creative Cloud. Photoshop CC will now be a subscriptionbased software. This is a bold step, seeing the company breaking away from its own tradition. This means that the boxed version of Photoshop has been shelved. Subscribers can now get their hands on Photoshop CC by paying a month-to-month fee, or by instead signing up for 12 months at a cheaper cost. Adobe’s Photoshop CC buying guide offers evidence that indicates a single Photoshop CC app subscription may be available in the near future. Presently, however pricing information is absent. Head over to the next page to learn people’s reactions to this revelation.
Camera shake can plague professional and enthusiast photographers alike, caused by our own movement when the camera is focused. A slow shutter speed and long focal length is also culpable. Affected shots would normally be thrown in the Trash folder, but not any more with this new addition to Photoshop CC. The Shake Reduction filter, found in the Sharpen menu, will de-blur any image affected by camera shake. Photoshop CC does
TECHNIQUES
a great job of fixing any image automatically, but it also caters for users who like to make manual adjustments. The Shake Reduction tool allows us to select the region of an image that’s most affected, with Photoshop CC algorithms laying the foundation of our edits. Users can then perfect looks using intuitive sliders that improve detail, sharpness and noise left in an image. It’s an incredibly intuitive and easy to use tool.
SHARPEN FILTER When we say ‘new Smart Sharpen filter’, what we really mean is revamped to the hilt. Adobe has thought long and hard about supplying intelligent resizing and sharpening functionality in Photoshop CC. This latest revision shows a great deal of diligence. The Smart Sharpen dialog is now resizable, so we can better scrutinize our working area. This is something that we Photoshop users have been persistently calling for, across all filters. This version still operates through a set of sliders, which makes the improved outcomes that are applied even more outstanding. There are only three in total (with Basic options), including the regular Amount and Radius types. However, Adobe has also added a Reduce Noise slider in reaction to the haloing that occurred in the results of previous versions. This may seem such a small addition, but it shows how Adobe is paying attention to even the most specific usability issues we encounter.
009
TECHNIQUES PHOTOSHOP CC
ACR FILE HANDLING
Photoshop CC lets users transfer from 32-bit to 8-bit by using ACR8 controls. To do so, simply activate Preferences>File Handling>Use Adobe Camera Raw to Convert Documents from 32 bit to 16/8bit. Now just select either 16 or 8 bits from the Image>Mode options.
THER CHANGES WE PRESENT A FEW ADDITIONAL FEATURES THAT HAVE BEEN ADDED to the creative cloud line-up •
Photoshop CC Blur Gallery and Liquify filter can be applied non-destructively, now using Smart Object functionality
•
Bring settings to multiple computers with cloud-enabled Sync Settings
•
CSS Designer in Dreamweaver CC provides the most up-to-date CSS and properties available via an intuitive visual editing tool
•
Editing Finesse in Premiere Pro CC focuses on sleek design and customisation capabilities, combined with new editing features and keyboard-driven editing
•
Photoshop CC now generates CSS code for specific design elements, which can then be copied and pasted into a web editor in order to get exact results
•
Live 3D Pipeline with Cinema4D in After Effects CC lets us add 3D objects to scenes, eliminating any intermediate rendering between applications
•
Parallax Scrolling in Muse CC allows us to create stunning effects with just a few mouse clicks – images and elements now move in different directions at different speeds when scrolling
•
010
Motion Paths in Edge Animate allow us to animate elements along totally customisable paths
•
A completely modernised architecture in InDesign and Flash Pro has been rebuilt from the ground up to be faster and more reliable, with a streamlined UI
•
InDesign has a great new QR code creator
•
Flash Pro now includes real-time drawing and live preview functionality
•
Creative Cloud members can now upload images to a Behance Pro site for free, using File>Share on Behance
PTION Photoshop has always relied on its interpolation technology to resize images. Yet due to its reliance on pixels, radical resizing wasn’t a viable option. Well it is now with Photoshop CC’s new Preserve Details option, found inside the Image>Image Size dialog. The dialog itself has had a complete redesign, now including a large image preview. Users must activate Resample to access the dropdown menu that houses all bicubic interpolation options, as well as the new Preserve Details option. This is ideal for upsampling. Bicubic interpolations are still ideal for minor adjustments, but for more
radical enlarging then Preserve Details is a must. The main difference is sharper edges when blowing up images; doubling in size doesn’t seem to be a major issue. This option also includes a Reduce Noise slider, like the other latest filters inside Photoshop CC. This helps smooth any noticeable surfaces that are afflicted with tricky artifacts.
The main difference is sharper edges when blowing up images
OBE CAMERA FILTER Adobe Camera Raw 8 (ACR8) can now be applied to any layer or file inside Photoshop by using the Camera Raw filter, but there’s much more to this than previous versions. ACR8 has been treated with new technologies to complement the Photoshop users workflow. The enhanced Spot Removal tool is just one of the latest features in ACR8 and this looks to improve photo retouching inside the app. This tool now functions much like the Spot Healing brush inside the standard Photoshop version. Retouchers can use this tool to paint to non-circular areas of an image. ACR8 will automatically remove artefacts for us. Press V to see the green marker, which highlights the replacement area that ACR8 amended from. Simple drag-and-drop this point to tell ACR8 to sample from a new area, which we may feel achieves better results.
SHAPE PERTIES PANEL Photoshop CS6 took the Shape tool to a whole new level with an new set of dialog options and vector technology. These made designs more customisable than ever. Photoshop CC continues to champion flexible shape creation with its own new options. These can be found in the Properties Panel and allow Photoshop CC users to edit shapes after they’ve been applied to a design. Now we can adjust individual corners or all of them at once, affecting shape radius and size in real-time. We can also select multiple shapes and control these at the same time, conforming each one to specific settings.
RIGHT OPTIONS Photoshop CS6 made massive strides in lens
determining the best effects mechanically and to an
correction with its Adaptive Wide Angle filter.
accurate degree – especially the Auto option.
However, this seemed to work best with fisheye
Horizontal will apply one level correction that
distortion. ACR8 with Photoshop CC has improved
matches the best-case horizon in an image. Vertical
results through its own advanced correction tools,
works to a similar effect. If we want to go the whole
found under Lens Correction>Manual. The new
hog we can apply the Full option, which will correct
Upright options in here tackle all types of distortion.
level, horizontal and vertical perspectives. Users can
There are five Upright options in total to choose
manually edit effects further by using slider options,
from. These provide one-click results, with ACR8
matching to Grid guides (enable Show Grid first).
At first I wasn’t thrilled about this. But there are a lot of pro’s. I am always upgrading to the latest versions anyway. [Photoshop CC] will just spread the cost. You get a lot for $600 a year AVE YOUR SAY SEE WHAT OUR FACEBOOK COMMUNITY THINKS OF THE LATEST CREATIVE CLOUD ANNOUNCEMENT
FRÉDÉRIC GOMBERT INFOTOGRAPHE
“That would mean the end of my collaboration with Adobe, if they don’t change their mind. I won’t pay such a high price to rent software. Creative Cloud is fine as an option, but not if its forced to be the only available solution “ CHRIS MACDONALD
“I agree with Fred. This is also the end of my collaboration with Adobe. They are forcing us into a cloud corner and I won’t be. I don’t need every single new upgrade and I refuse to pay for something I’m not going to use. I know a lot of other colleagues that will also stop using Adobe products because of the Creative Cloud subscription. Now would be a good time for some other company to come in and give Adobe some competition.” STEVE MCALENEY
R TOOL Adobe Camera RAW (ACR) has always been revered for its ability to stylise photos and this reputation doesn’t look like it will be waning any time soon. Not with the inclusion of the new Radial Filter tool in ACR8, that is. This tool lets users target a specific area of an image using a circular selection. The dimensions of this can be controlled and edited live by using control points. Applying the Radial Filter tool opens its own extensive set of options, which allow us to affect existing light, colour temperature and sharpness within our targeted area. Other cool functions of the Radial Filter tool include the ability to create a new selection, which will duplicate the settings applied previously. We can also move our selection on-screen, with ACR8 affecting the original image beneath in real-time. This is a great way of instantly seeing how effects look in other areas of an image.
TONE IN ACR OPTION Photoshop has always recognised the impact of HDR photography, with its Merge to HDR Pro and HDR Toning options both implemented and updated in Photoshop versions CS5 and CS6. Now users of Photoshop CC can load Merge to HDR Pro images straight into ACR8 and edit them. All we need to do is set Mode to 32 Bit and select the Tone in ACR option, which appears at the foot of the dialog. All ACR controls are applicable to our images. This means we can add all of the new ACR8 tools to retouch and perfect looks.
“I have to agree that I will never rent software. Adobe are making a big mistake as most people will look elsewhere for their photo editing needs – jolly bad show.” BRAD STRICKMAN
“Love it. The subscription option seemed like a great idea to bring in more customers who would normally just pirate it. If you want to always keep up with the latest updates then it’s cheaper in the long run. I don’t understand the hate.” ROBERTA KELLEY
“Haven’t decided yet.” JAY LEVINE
“At first I wasn’t thr illed about this, but there are a lot of pros. I am always upgrading to the latest versions anyway. [Photoshop CC] will just spread the cost. You get a lot for $600 a year”
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON CREATIVE CLOUD AND PHOTOSHOP CC BUY ISSUE 111 ON SALE 11 JULY
011
EYE ON DESIGN
PORTFOLIO INTERVIEW
PORTFOLIO INTERVIEW
T OF T AND COLOUR martanael.deviantart.com MartaNael
MARTA NAEL REVEALS HER SECRETS ON HOW TO CREATE A COLOURFUL PORTFOLIO BUT STILL PRESERVE REALISM
M
astering a realistic paint style is never easy, which makes digital artist Marta Nael’s portfolio all the more amazing. This issue we discuss with her how she has nurtured her amazing mixed-media method and how she continues to improve it. We also explore how Nael has successfully promoted art sales and translated her already impressive brush skills into entirely different themes – from expressive portraits to skilled matte paintings. HOW HAVE YOU CONTINUED TO IMPROVE ON YOUR PORTFOLIO?
I paint on a daily basis, never give up and am never satisfied with what I do. This is what pushes me to improve my work. Creating a good portfolio is a challenge, especially when trying to master ways to
paint light and colour effects. I only published my first images online around three years ago. My portfolio is something that has helped me to improve, by comparing older works with more recent ones and then only showing the images I’m most proud of. HOW DOES YOUR FINE ART WORK FUEL YOUR DIGITAL ART?
If you can’t paint in a traditional way then you won’t be able to paint digitally. This is something that every working artist should bear in mind. In my case, the traditional training I received when studying Fine Arts became really useful. It helped me start a method based in brush strokes, instead of line art. I found myself always shading the entire canvas with a neutral colour first, and then defining surfaces by adding to or erasing from this base. I then tried to
apply this same process in my digital workflow, to maintain the same feeling. WHY DO YOU FOCUS ON MIXED�MEDIA?
I believe my mixed-media style is one not used by many artists, and maybe this makes it popular. I create a look that’s normally achieved using acrylics, oil paints or watercolours. I think that when people see my images they don’t recognise the artificial look or airbrushed feel that some works have. HOW HAS PHOTOSHOP SPECIFICALLY SPECIFICALLY HELPED YOU TO REPLICATE THIS LOOK?
The use of several textured brushes is essential. Throughout the years, I’ve downloaded tons of styles that replicate the look of splashes and strokes. I’ve even created some from scratch. I don’t use layers a
001
001 Boat in a storm: This artwork could be
seen as a play of colours, where I intend to move away from reality and simply enjoy painting. Despite choosing an insignificant subject, I tried to highlight the use of light and colour © Ediciones Babylon 002 Ari: One
of the images I’m most proud of. I created this image as a concept art for a video game, which never came out, sadly © Ediciones Babylon
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