AdvancedPhotoshop No. 117

Tutorial files available at:

blog.advancedphotoshop.co.uk/tutorial-files

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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 Gorrichátegui discusses how We explore whether this new launch for passion can overcome artistic adversity

digital artists on the go is worth its salt

Now available on Mac

Imagined by

Justin Holt Created with

thefoundry.co.uk/mari

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 Elevendy’s 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:

ISSUE 117

CONTENTS EYE ON DESIGN

What’s hot, who’s in and the latest art & design happenings

06 08 10 16 18

THIS ISSUE’S 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 66 PROFESSIONAL LANDSCAPES

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EYE OPENING ILLUSTRATION

ISSUE 117 CONTENTS

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 effects 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

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

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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 • Custom typeface

EYE ON DESIGN THIS ISSUE’S PRO PANEL

THIS ISSUE’S PRO PANEL EYE ON DESIGN

MEET THIS ISSUE’S CONTRIBUTORS AND FOLLOW THEIR EXPERT ADVICE TO CREATE EVEN BETTER PHOTOSHOP ARTWORK FRANCESCO CORVINO

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

© Bram Vanhaeren

© 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 Drew’s tutorial, starting on p42

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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

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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

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Disclaimer 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.

© 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 it’s then ready to

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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

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f you’re an Olympic sports fan, you’ll 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 it’s 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 project’s 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 what’s 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.

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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 what’s to come in the 2016 event

RICOH WINTER CASHBACK

CAMERA MAKER OFFERS CASHBACK ON SELECTED K RANGE MODELS

If Santa didn’t fill your stocking with a brand new camera this Christmas, it’s 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 you’re 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 you’ve 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 Earth’s 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 can’t 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: “We’re happy to be partnering with Wacom to build the UK’s first Wacom Experience Centre. Wacom products have long been a staple of Square’s 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 we’re proud to be able to offer that on all their lines.” If you haven’t 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 you’re 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 company’s 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 you’re clued up before you buy

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EYE ON DESIGN PORTFOLIO INTERVIEW

PORTFOLIO INTERVIEW

www.gurro.net @Gurro15

GRAPHIC DESIGN WITH STYLE

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GUSTAVO GORRICHÁTEGUI 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 hasn’t necessarily been the easiest for graphic artist Gustavo Gorrichátegui. Born and raised on the thin strip of connective land that is the Republic of Panama, the digital design industry hasn’t 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 Gorrichátegui. “There are a lot of talented people, but there’s little opportunity to show what we do in our everyday work on an online portfolio or for an international magazine. It’s a shame, and kind of sad.” Nevertheless, this shortfall of artistic opportunity hasn’t kept Gorrichátegui from working hard. “The

main lesson I have learned is to keep doing work and to maintain the passion I feel for making things!” Gorrichátegui doesn’t claim to have a specific style, instead claiming that this is something that develops naturally in an artist’s career. “It’s 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; it’s 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. It’s that constant striving for change that defines an artist’s 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 Gorrichátegui

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Cosmo Lady: Gorrichátegui’s use of colour is very striking, particularly in this piece, which really helps it to stand out from the page

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

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Elescape: Having an open mind for inspiration and a big imagination is key to Gorrichategui’s work. His images are often bursting with unique ideas and creativity, as demonstrated here

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Be patient and never lose passion, because that’s what keeps you in the race, and that’s what makes you a better artist

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 YOU’VE 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.

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All images © Gustavo Gorrichátegui

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Recuerdame Por Siempre: There’s a sense of narrative to much of Gorrichátegui’s work. This image feels like there’s a bigger story to it, and we’re only glimpsing a single sentence

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Surreal Mess: This image might be titled Surreal Mess, but really it’s anything but. There’s 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. It’s a powerful combination when they’re 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. It’s 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. It’s 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 can’t explain what he or she wants, so you need to be very clear communicating your ideas.

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Selling Happiness: Gorrichátegui likes to play with contrast of feeling and emotion in his images, something clearly evident in this juxtaposition of violence and love

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Hate And Love: Here we see an example of Gorrichátegui’s desire to experiment with extremes in his work, exploring the two polar opposites of the human condition: hate and love

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

EYE ON DESIGN PORTFOLIO INTERVIEW

© Secret Store

Secret Store: Gorrichátegui 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. It’s 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 it’s very important as an artist to challenge yourself every time you decide to create something. I mean, that’s 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

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moving off my laptop. Photography is beautiful, but it’s 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. I’m reminded of a nice quote: “Try to look beyond the monitor screen”. That’s 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. WHAT’S 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 don’t think

that you’re done. Use your time wisely, and remember there are no shortcuts for skills. They don’t exist. Every human skill needs to be developed, so take a deep breath, enjoy it, be patient and never lose passion, because that’s what keeps you in the race, and that’s what makes you a better artist.

PORTFOLIO TIPS

GORRICHÁTEGUI 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. ■ DON’T RUN BEFORE YOU’VE 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 you’re 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 don’t get frustrated if one day you’re lacking inspiration. This happens to everyone. Focus on other things and then come back with clean, new thinking.

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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 he’s 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

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t was the inherent humour in James Bennett’s 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 Bennett’s distinct and recognisable illustration style, while presenting something that also fits the client’s 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 I’ve 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. I’ve 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 artist’s 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

Others in the series

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 Bennett’s 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 artist’s 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 client’s needs is your first goal, and whatever amount of personal indulgence is always secondary. That’s why I’m always more impressed when I see a successful advertisement, because I know that the artist had to

first meet the client’s 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 I’m 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 we’re 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

W

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

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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

Louise Adams, Retouch Artist

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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, it’s 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. It’s 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

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 client’s 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 character’s lighting and posing was set, we chose to photograph the patient’s 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, it’s 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 hasn’t come without its hurdles, Grace hopes that technology filters down from the film and game industries to power forward the studio’s 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, it’s relatively easy to drop pre-rendered CG tests into these plates on set and refine positioning etc. However, with motion work it’s 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 doesn’t think that [2D] imagery is anywhere near dead, Grace suggests that it’s worth getting some experience in motion to stay fresh: “I do think it’s 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. We’ve got a lot of versatility under one roof, so I’d love to see us working on short films.”

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF JEROME HAUPERT

THE STUDIO’S CREATIVE DIRECTOR SHARES WITH US A TYPICAL DAY AT TAYLOR JAMES

10:00

WHAT’S 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.

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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 I’m 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.

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 isn’t 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

THAT’S ALL FOLKS... SOMETIMES

Every day is different... I could be directing on location, developing storyboards or finessing an animation. I’m loving the 3D character made for our Christmas campaign. The environment was created in Photoshop using photo references.

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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 don’t 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.”

© 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, don’t be afraid to use bold colour combinations to create dreamlike sceneries. Space is vast with many possibilities, so don’t limit your creativity.”

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

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 scene’s 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 didn’t 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, it’s 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. “It’s 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, it’s 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.

■ 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 character’s 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 Rebisz’s 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; it’s 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

© Katie Nattrass

© Photography rights © JD Sports fashion plc ltd

PHOTO EDITING

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

PROFESSIONAL RETOUCHING

P

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. “It’s very important to do all of this in a nondestructive way, always making sure you can undo or modify anything you’ve 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, it’s important to adjust the Size and Hardness to match what you’re 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. It’s 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 don’t 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 can’t 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. 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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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 we’re 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 you’re 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 you’re compositing from © Aitor Santome

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 someone’s 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. “Don’t 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. It’s tempting to think that because you might end up with an image that has a distinct and narrow palette, it’s easier to do colour grading as you go, but I firmly believe that sticking to what’s 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.” Images © Katie Nattrass

■ 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) isn’t 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 doesn’t 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 you’ve 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 I’m going to plug the master Dan Margulis. His understanding of the Lab Color mode is extraordinary. When I’m 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 “I’m 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 I’ll 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 Photoshop’s Crop tool to Grid view and use the crop grid to then set out where I’m putting my guidelines. I then cancel the Crop tool and tackle one square at a time. It’s a great way of helping you break down an image into chunks.”

All other images © Jordan Lloyd

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 isn’t 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 it’s 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 viewer’s 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

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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 don’t 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 we’re 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 it’s 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

© Plankton Group

© Neoscape

© Tom Fairfax

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, it’s well worth being open-minded with a creative approach to sources. For example: if I want a WWI British soldier’s helmet lying upside down on the floor – maybe I can’t find a helmet lit that way. However, a food colander is a similar shape and material, and usually photographed the way up I need. It’s 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, I’ve 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, I’ve 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

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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

T

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, we’ll 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. We’ll also throw out some tips that you may already know, but if you don’t, 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 bachelor’s 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. You’ll 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 you’ll duplicate them many times, but for now, turn the layer visibility on each of them off.

Progress 3: Final refinements

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TECHNIQUES PRO 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 you’re texturing can really sell some depth. No one’s fooled when one flat rock texture is over the model’s entire face.

04

BLENDING MADNESS

To create the model’s glow, you’re 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 you’d like to appear glowing using the Inverted model layer, or where you’d 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. It’ll 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 you’re really having trouble with it, move past this step and continue from the file ‘blending_madness.psd’.

06

You’re 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 you’d 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 it’s 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 won’t show up. Position the texture over the model’s chest and set the blending mode to Overlay. Use a layer mask to hide and feather the edges of the texture image so there aren’t 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

You’ll need to duplicate and reuse this texture all over the model’s 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 model’s shoulder, and a layer mask to keep texture contained to the model’s skin and off things like her dress.

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 you’re not out of the woods yet. Let’s take a look at what’s 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 model’s dress to make it appear as though she’s 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 model’s 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 dress’s ice textures all set, group all those layers together. Title the group ‘Dress Ice Original’, duplicate it and then flatten it. It’ll look different initially, but that’s okay. Create a new group with the layer you just created and name this group ‘Dress Ice’. Keep the original group folder in case you’d 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 doesn’t 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 PRO 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. You’ll 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.

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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.

GET TO KNOW THE BLENDING MODES Combining blending modes can become a tedious process. There’s typically one blending mode that will achieve what you’re 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, it’s wise to become familiar with what each mode does to an image as well as what each does to each adjustment layer.

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TECHNIQUES ADVANCED COMPOSITING

PHOTOMANIPULATION

ADVANCED COMPOSITING BLEND MULTIPLE ITEMS TO CREATE THIS HIGH ENERGY SCENE

T

his tutorial will show you how to create a complex action scene by combining 3D and photographic elements in Photoshop. I’ve 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

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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!

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 that’s 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

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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.

05

INSERT THE CAR

It’s 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, we’ve 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.

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ADD REALISM TO THE CAR

The render directly out of CINEMA 4D doesn’t 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 copy’s 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.

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BEAT UP THE CAR

It’s always great to collect textures. In this case, you’ll 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. It’s better to experiment with different blending modes to find the best match, but we’ve also provided the modes in the file names of the scratched metal images.

ADD THE TYRES

We’ve rendered out 3D versions of the tyres to get the lighting right (tire.png). You’ll 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 wheel’s 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 car’s 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 don’t 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 you’ll use a different hand. After you’ve done the outline, select the path and create the villain’s 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.

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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 hero’s 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 don’t 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 copy’s 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 layer’s 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.

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 there’s 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 boy’s 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, it’s 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, it’s 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 HOW 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 that’s gone into Schoeffler’s 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. Schoeffler’s composition didn’t begin its life inside Photoshop, though. Calling upon CINEMA 4D, he could create the detail and lighting involved in the watch’s design more accurately. “Since I didn’t 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. I’ve 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.

055

TECHNIQUES HOW 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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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

I

t’s 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.

Progress 3: Airbrushing

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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 don’t 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.

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

Don’t 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 Photoshop’s 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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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. Don’t 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 DON’T 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 bull’s fur and in the colour palette, pick a more saturated colour and paint all over him. Don’t 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, don’t 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 it’s time to blend the bull with the whole image. This can be done with a Color Balance adjustment layer. Don’t 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 it’s 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.

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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.

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.

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064

HOW I MADE TECHNIQUES

HOW I MADE

BAMBOO FROG

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

D

igital artist Iván 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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TECHNIQUES PROFESSIONAL LANDSCAPES

MATTE PAINTING

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

D

iscover the steps in a professional pipeline and use them to create a photoreal landscape fit for the movie industry. To follow this tutorial, you’ll 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

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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.

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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TECHNIQUES PROFESSIONAL LANDSCAPES

It’s 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, it’s 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, you’ll 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

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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, you’ll 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.

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 don’t 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, you’ll 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 isn’t 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 viewer’s 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 viewer’s 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 image’s 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 landscape’s massive scale.

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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 don’t 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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072

DESIGN YOUR OWN APP TECHNIQUES

DESIGN YOUR OWN APP NEW MEDIA

LEARN HOW TO DESIGN A RETINA READY APP INTERFACE IN PHOTOSHOP USING SIMPLE SHAPE TOOLS

A

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, you’ll 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, you’ll need to get Photoshop fired up and ready! First, create a new document that’s 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.

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 that’s 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 doesn’t 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 circle’s 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 circle’s 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 rectangle’s layer you created and select Convert to Smart Object, then change the Opacity to 60%.

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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 Photoshop’s 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.

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, you’ll 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 you’ll 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

You’ve designed a background for your navigation bar and populated it with iOS-style text

11

10

002 REINDEER CIRCLE

You’ve designed a typically Apple display picture for the reindeer by adding a reflection and subtle layer effects

003 ABOUT CONTAINER

Next you’ll be populating the ‘About’ container using shapes and layer styles with relevant text

ADDING THE CAPTION

Next, you’ll add another rectangle (516px in width and 262px in height) for the caption area. Change the Opacity to 30% and make sure it’s 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 font’s colour is black to start off with.

Finally, you’ve 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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REVIEWS WACOM CINTIQ COMPANION

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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)

W

acom is celebrating its thirtieth anniversary in 2013, and it’s 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 we’ve 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 (there’s also a 512GB model available). You might expect something that costs nearly £1,700 to blow you away, but due to its weight, it’s 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 Companion’s 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 wasn’t available inside Photoshop, but this is an improvement we’d 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 harm’s 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 Companion’s 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 WACOM CINTIQ COMPANION

THE CLOUD CONNECTION

ACCESS YOUR FILES WHEREVER YOU ARE

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.

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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 Companion’s display will instantly feel a little on the small side. What could partly be due to its matte, anti-glare coating, it also doesn’t 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 Wacom’s tech support team, this was resolved by re-installing the pen’s driver.

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 day’s 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 can’t 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 that’s not as pin-sharp as we’d 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 Wacom’s 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 doesn’t quite match up to the larger Cintiq 24HD touch, which has a 13s response time. Instead, the Companion comes closer to the 13HD’s 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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reviews FACEFILTER3 PRO

FACEFILTER3 PRO REALLUSION’S LATEST PORTRAIT MANIPULATOR MAKES BEAUTY RETOUCHING QUICK AND EASY

www.reallusion.com

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

Q

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, Reallusion’s latest offering of FaceFilter3 PRO puts expert-level retouching tools directly into your hands. They’ve 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, there’s nothing in this program that couldn’t 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 it’s 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 don’t 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

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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.

PHOTO EDITING APPS REVIEWS

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• £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 there’s 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.

ADOBE PHOTOSHOP TOUCH

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 we’re not just saying that because we’re big Adobe fans. It’s 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 it’s a real joy to use in all your image editing.

VERDICT: 9/10

A very powerful tool, giving you some great options for creative editing for a fraction of the desktop cost.

VERDICT: 7/10

Adding effects is a bit laborious but the options on here are solid, even if some are a bit cheesy.

PHOTO FX ULTRA

RE-CREATE FILM EFFECTS WITH EASE

www.tiffen.com • £2.99 / $4.99 • iPad 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 photographer’s dream app when facing a digital world, Photo fx Ultra is really easy to use and produces some great results.

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READER INTERVIEW 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

K

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 don’t have the time to experiment or try different methods.

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

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OUR READER KEVIN ROODHORST www.kevinroodhorst.com

@KevinRoodhorst

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

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 wasn’t sure what at first

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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 it’s 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 I’ve answered those initial questions, I start sketching in Photoshop by putting all the objects together and playing with the composition. When I’m satisfied with the sketch, I cut out the objects with more precision and rebuild the sketch. Then I’ll 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 don’t 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? It’s 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 aren’t 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? I’ve 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

T

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 Photoshop’s 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, you’ll 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. It’s a bit messy, but with a little practice, some time and lots of paint, you’ll have a collection of paint splashes to use in any project. To get you started, we’ve provided 17 paint splash images, which you’ll find in the resource pack.

GETTING STARTED

create your oWn special-effects studio

02

SET UP YOUR STUDIO

Put up the backdrop somewhere you won’t mind getting paint. Outside is often best. Position the light to the side so that it won’t cast a shadow on the backdrop. Place a bin in front of the backdrop to catch the extra flying paint.

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03 GATHER THE MATERIALS

You’ll 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. Don’t 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!

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 don’t 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.

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06

THROWING TECHNIQUES

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.

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 can’t see the backdrop behind it. You will also need to make sure that it’s in focus before deciding to use it. Then open it in Photoshop.

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BOOST THE CONTRAST

Once you’ve 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

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.

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12

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 We’ve 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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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 DXO’S OPTICS PRO TO BRING BACK DETAIL FROM SHOTS TAKEN AT NIGHT

W

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

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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 8’s 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.

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.

EDITING LOW LIGHT IMAGES ON THE DISC

IT’S 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 IMAGE’S 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, it’s 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 image’s lightness up considerably.

06

REDUCE THE NOISE

Now it’s 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, it’s 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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We don’t keep secrets

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Learn the truth about iPhone, iPad, Android, Photoshop and more with the Tips & Tricks series’ expert advice and tutorials

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