WorldMCaregatse a.npaneortamic planet
Give panoramic images a twist
Use filters and resizing techniques to create a planet
Before Straighten up
01 Open up this image ‘City Skyline.jpg’
from the resources (under the
Tutorials section) into Elements. Start off by
going to the Straighten tool (P). Click a
straight line across the entire image, from
where the water meets the land.
Resize image Flip upside down Apply filter
02 To make this image square and 03 With the image now square, flip it 04 Use the Polar Coordinates filter
stretch out the buildings head to by going back to the Image menu under Filter>Distort. Inside the
Image>Resize>Image Size and tick the and to Rotate>Flip Vertical. This will turn the filter’s menu, set it to Rectangular to Polar.
Resample Image box. Under Document image upside down, as the image will be There are no other settings in this filter, as
Size, change Height to match the same pulled upwards and connected end to end. your image is pulled up and around. Zoom
dimensions as Width (104.46cm). in and out using the +/- controls to see what
the effect is like and hit OK.
Retouch join Marquee selection Delete edges
05 Where the two ends meet is a line. 06 Crop off the distorted edges using 07 Invert the selection and Backspace
Select the Clone Stamp tool. Set the Elliptical Marquee tool. Set to remove distorted parts. Go to
Size to 90 pixels, Opacity 100%. Zoom in to Feather to 0%. Holding Opt/Alt+Shift, click Select> Deselect. Click the Foreground
66% and Opt/Alt-click the image next to the and drag from the centre of the planet swatch and select a blue from the image. Fill
join. Paint the join to gradually fade it. outwards to form a circular marquee. in white space by going Edit>Fill Layer.
Choose Foreground Color and hit OK.
WorldMags.net The Photoshop Elements Book 201
Photo projecWt orldMags.net
Source file available WorldMags.net
Use the image provided
to re-create this
202 The Photoshop Elements Book
WorldMaCogmspo.sne seurtreal artwork
Compose surreal artwork
Learn how to create a bizarre composite using several techniques and
filters in Photoshop Elements
Y ou can achieve amazingly surreal photomanipulations in make accurate selections. This tool is only available in Photoshop
Photoshop Elements using the right tools and techniques. Elements, but you can achieve a similar effect using the Quick
Learn how to work with several images and manipulate Eraser tool (E) or the Quick Selection tool (W) in Photoshop CS
them into place before editing the image using filters and brushes. versions. We’ll also explore how to use the Lighting Effects filter to
apply shadows and inject more dramatic lighting in your scene.
We’ll start by working with the Free Transform tool to learn how
to resize, skew and rotate your elements. We’ll then work with You will find all the images and files you need to get you started
several layers and filters to produce this composition. Another supplied with this issue, so don’t hesitate to open the PSDs to
great tool you will learn is the Magic Extractor, which will help us check how the layers are distributed.
Build an abstract scene
Delve into your imagination to produce a bizarre photo composite
Set up your document Place the background
01 Begin by creating a new blank file. Hit Cmd/Ctrl+N to open the 02 Go to File>Place and select ‘Background.jpeg’. Duplicate
New dialog box, name your project ‘Lightbulb’, then set the this (Cmd/Ctrl+J) and rename it ‘Background_copy’. Move
Width to 235mm, the Height to 300mm and the Resolution to 300. (V) this layer down, tweak the perspective (via Cmd/Ctrl+T), hold
Confirm this by clicking OK. Cmd/Ctrl and drag the handles to skew the image.
Place the lightbulb image Add a clipping mask
03 Place ‘Lightbulb.png’. Click Constrain Proportions on the Tool 04 Ctrl/right-click on the Lightbulb_copy layer and choose
Options, set the Width to 60%, change the Angle to (-)10 Simplify (for Photoshop CS choose Rasterize). Insert
degrees and click the green check mark. Duplicate the layer, name it ‘GRAVEL.jpeg’, resize the image (W: 45, H:25), hold Cmd/Ctrl and
‘Lightbulb_copy’ and turn the Lightbulb layer’s visibility off. skew things a little. Now hold Opt/Alt, position the pointer between
the Gravel and the Lightbulb_copy layer and click.
WorldMags.net The Photoshop Elements Book 203
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Expert tip Apply the
Brush tool
Clipping
mask 05 Keepthe
Gravel layer
A clipping mask is a group selected, Ctrl/right-
of layers to which a mask is click and hit Simplify
applied. The clipping mask (for CS choose
enables you to cover the Rasterize). Grab a soft
image below the base layer, brush (B), set the Size
which defines the visible to 500px and the
borders of the entire group. Opacity to 10%. Apply
For example, if you have text around the image to
and you want to apply an create shadows.
image to create a nice texture,
the clipping mask is the
easiest way to achieve this
effect. To add a clipping mask,
hold down Opt/Alt, position
the pointer on the line dividing
the two layers and click.
Use the Elliptical Boost the light Insert more images
Marquee tool
07 Hold Opt/Alt again, position the 08 Go to File>Place, then select ‘TREE.
06 Open ‘LANDSCAPE.jpeg’, grab the pointer between the Grass and the png’, ‘Rock.png’ and ‘LAMP.png’.
Elliptical Marquee tool (M), set the Gravel layer, then click to create a clipping Now open the Free Transform tool to resize
mask. Go to Filter>Render>Lighting Effects and move the images around the
Feather to 25 pixels, add an Ellipse, then and set the Light Type to Spotlight. Set the composition. Hold Shift, select the Tree and
Intensity to 25, Focus to 40 and Ambience Rock layers and then hit Cmd/Ctrl+E to
copy/paste (Cmd/Ctrl+C and V) into a layer to 20. Now click OK to confirm. merge, renaming this new layer ‘Image’.
and rename it ‘Grass’. Hit Cmd/Ctrl+T, hold
Alt/Opt and resize the image.
Break out the magic! Refine your selections Erase some areas
09 Open ‘Woman.jpeg’ (courtesy of 10 Go to Select>Refine Edge, check 11 Select Lightbulb_copy, grab the Eraser
Marcus Ranum) and go to Image> Smart Radius, change Radius to 4px, tool (E), pick a large soft brush at
Magic Extractor (or Magic Eraser). Apply a Contrast to 35%, Shift Edge to +10% and around 200px, then set the Opacity to 30%.
red Foreground brush on areas to keep and Decontaminate Colors to 100%. Ctrl/right Erase inside the lightbulb without going over
a blue Background on areas to remove. -click, select Apply Layer Mask and paste. the borders and just reveal the background.
204 The Photoshop Elements Book WorldMags.net
WorldMaCogmspo.sne seurtreal artwork
Expert Edit
Use Foreground and Background
brushes to enhance the effect
Bring in some shadows Enhance the lights Apply the Magic Extractor
12 Add a new layer below the Images 13 Select the Background_copy layer 01 The Magic Extractor is a great
layer and name it ‘Shadows’. Apply a and Ctrl/right- click to Simplify (or click tool to make accurate selections
hard brush at 10px while zoomed in, then go Rasterize). Go to Filter>Render>Lighting in Photoshop Elements. Click the
to Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur, set the Radius Effect, choose Spotlight, then change the Foreground Brush tool and draw multiple
to 5px and change the Opacity to 60%. Intensity to 25 and Ambience to 10. lines to mark the area you want to select.
Pick the Background Brush
02 Select the Background Brush
tool in the dialog box, then paint
across all the colours and textures you
don’t want to select.
Increase the blur
14 Select the Lightbulb layer, hit Cmd/Ctrl+U and set the Lightness to -100. Use Free
Transform to scale the image, then apply a 40px Gaussian Blur. Select the Eraser tool
with 30% Opacity to erase the back portion of the image, then set the layer’s Opacity to 80%.
Navigate your canvas
03 To help get a more-accurate
selection, use the Zoom or Hand
tool to magnify and find your way around
the image.
Merge your layers Finish with a lens flare Preview the selection
15 Select the Woman layer, hold Shift, 16 Select and merge all the layers (Cmd/ 04 Click Preview to see the current
select the Lightbulb_copy layer and Ctrl+E), then hold Cmd/Ctrl, click the selection or hit X to switch
hit Cmd/Ctrl+E to merge. Pick the Burn tool merged layer and go to Image>Crop. Go to between the preview selection area and
(O), set the Exposure to 20% and apply Filter>Render>Lens Flare, set Brightness to the original photo. The Magic Extractor is
around this to bring in more shadows. 50% and pick Lens Type 105mm Prime. a handy tool to select complex objects.
WorldMags.net The Photoshop Elements Book 205
Photo projecWt orldMags.net What
doesitmean?
Gaussian Blur There are
many Blur filters in Photoshop
Elements, but the Gaussian Blur
creates an even and consistent
amount of blur across the
image. It’s great for
softening an image
and masking.
Before BLAST FROM
THE PAST
THE SHOT
Vintage effects give
Start with a good exposure us a glimpse into the
and then turn it into a past, but any colour
vintage masterpiece. can be applied for a
Original image different meaning.
FADE TO
WHITE
The Brush tool
set to white is
handy for fading
edges of an image,
while controlling
opacity in the
Layers panel.
Achieve a retro
photo effect
Instantly stylised photo effects made
simple using Photoshop Elements
I nstagram is an example of how to take a normal SUBTLETY IS KEY HUE VARIATIONS
photograph and turn it into something artistically
appealing. The techniques behind this style involve It’s easy to go over the top with The Hue/Saturation adjustment is perfect
twisting colour and applying distortion using layer effects like these, so keep the for controlling the colour of an image, with
masks and adjustment layers. amount of layers to a minimum. a mask to help brush away certain areas.
Here we put the Hue/Saturation adjustment to use
for distorting tones. There’s no set way to re-create the
Instagram effect, so we can get creative and mix it up.
After the colours have been distorted, we’ll add blur
effects to make sense of poor camera work, as well as
a subtle white vignette around the subject.
All this helps to portray a vintage photo technique
and aging process that degrades the quality of the
image. You can apply these effects to any type of
image, not just a portrait, so perhaps take a rummage
through your home to find a vintage item and apply
these steps.
206 The Photoshop Elements Book WorldMags.net
WorldMAachgiesve.anreetrotphoto effect
The right adjustment Instagram styles
01 In Elements go to File>Open, select the supplied ‘Outdoor 02 Tick the Colorize box in the Hue/Saturation adjustment,
portrait.jpg’, then add a Hue/Saturation adjustment to alter move the Hue slider down to 11 and set the Saturation to 31.
the colour. Find this inside the Layers panel under the circular icon. Increase the Lightness to +30 and set the blend mode to Screen.
Duplicate the Background Blur effects Mask out
03 Click on the Background layer and 04 Head to the Filter menu and locate 05 Apply a layer mask on the layer
go to Layer>Duplicate Layer. Name the Gaussian Blur filter under the being blurred by clicking the Add
this layer ‘Blur’, as we’ll be applying effects to Blur options. Inside the filter set Radius to Layer Mask button in the Layers panel.
it. Hit OK and notice that a new layer has 27px, or whichever amount suits the image Select the Brush tool with a Size of 1,600px,
been entered into the Layers panel. you’re using. Opacity set to 100% and a soft-edged tip.
Selective brushwork White distortion
06 With a black brush, paint over the main subject to reveal the 07 Create a blank layer for a white fade by clicking on the Blur
in-focus layer beneath. Be sure changes are made to the layer and then going to Layer>New>Layer. Select the Brush
layer’s mask and click multiple times to leave blurry edges. tool set to white and apply around the corners of the image.
WorldMags.net The Photoshop Elements Book 207
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