PhotoplusTutorials

Luminosity Masking for Skin smoothing

2012-02-08T19:08:00.002+05:30

Skin can be softened in Photoshop with Luminosity Masking. It may be an unfamiliar term, but it is not difficult to do. It can also be done in any version of Photoshop. You can also bring out color in an image with this technique.

This is a free stock image.

The same image after luminosity masking.

The tutorial is here

Sketch with Photoshop New Tutorial

2012-02-07T22:00:00.002+05:30

There are two ways to turn a color image to a sketch. Both methods are easy and require no great photoshop skills. Both can be done in any version of Photoshop. So just follow along.

This is done following one method.

This has been done following another method.

You can also do this.

All are explained. The tutorial is here

R I P

2012-01-25T23:54:00.000+05:30

My wife Sujata Chowdhury passed away at 17:00 pm this evening. She was 51.

She was hospitalised on December 13. She suffered two brain strokes and developed hospital acquired pneumonia while on ventilation. She put up a valiant fight. But it all ended this evening.

This is thank all those who came forward with financial assistance after I made an appeal on this blog as I was unable to meet the huge hospital bills. The hospital bill has been settled.

I request visitors of this blog to pray for her soul.

Thank you all.

I specially wish to thank Office colleagues, former colleagues, friends, relatives and the Women's Fellowship of the St James' Church Kolkata who came forward with financial assistance.

Srinivasan Sivabalan, a former PTI emplyoyee who is now in London sent Rs 5001.

Nirav Rawal, 6508 DESEO APT 323, IRVING, TX 75039. United States has contributed $ 200.

A donation of Rs 10,000 was given by Sister Prema, Superior General, Missionaries of Charity, Kolkata.

A donation of Rs 20,000 was made by Ranajoy Banerjee, former director of the Tea Board, India.

Square Design in Photoshop

2012-01-18T22:33:00.000+05:30

This is an easy photoshop tutorial on using the Rectangular Marquee Tool and a number of Layers to create a special effect which I am calling Square Design in Photoshop. It is not a design as such. You can do it in all versions of photoshop and works with most images.

This is a free stock image.

The special effect you will be able to create.

The tutorial is here

Cube Wrap in Photoshop CS5 Opacity Map

2012-01-08T20:50:00.004+05:30

The Cube Wrap feature in Photoshop can be used for manipulating Text or Shapes. Here I will show how you can use Shapes together with a Cube Wrap and Opacity Map.

This is the effect I will create.

The tutorial is here

Cube Wrap In Photoshop CS5

2012-01-07T22:00:00.002+05:30

Cube wrap is a brand new feature in Photoshop CS5. A Cube has six sides. If you wish to place Text on it, you will have to place it on all six sides. But Photoshop CS5 changes all that. You merely type in your Text on one side and Photoshop puts it on all the other sides. It is as simple as that. You can go one better. You can create Type floating in air.

You can create this with Photoshop CS5. The tutorial is here

Gold Gradient

2012-01-02T21:51:00.001+05:30

The color Gold does not exist in Photoshop, though it can be created. Here we will be using a Gold Gradient available for free on the internet and a free stock image to apply to.

This is a free stock image.

These are the free Gradients.

The manipulated image. The tutorial is here

Gold Tone

2011-12-23T18:15:00.003+05:30

There is no color such as Gold, but it can be created in Photoshop. It can be used to create gold tones in photoshop. The gold can be used to give a golden shade to photos.

This is a free stock image.

The same image with a gold tone.

The tutorial is here

Darkening background

2011-12-11T19:40:00.001+05:30

Dark backgrounds help to focus on the subject. But when shooting this may not be possible sometimes. You can darken the background in Photoshop. It works on any version.

This is a free stock image. Note the background.

The same image with the background darkened.

The tutorial is here

Pale Skin with Photoshop

2011-11-23T23:36:00.001+05:30

A pallor in photographs can be achieved in Photoshop. This is particularly useful when you want to make the skin tones and the entire image look almost without color. It can be done in a few steps with a number of Adjustment Layers.

This is a free stock image.

The same image with a pale tone.

The tutorial is here

Motion Blur

2011-11-20T20:35:00.001+05:30

Neither the Motion Blur, nor the Gradient Tool are new to Photoshop users. They are some of the basic tools. We can combine both and use it in a slightly different way for a special effect.

This is a free stock image.

After applying the Motion Blur and the Gradient. The tutorial is here

Sketch in Photo

2011-11-19T00:09:00.001+05:30

Turning any image into a sketch can be done in a few steps. What happens if you want to turn part of an image into a sketch. It is still easy enough.

This is a free stock image.

Part of the image has been turned into a sketch.

The tutorial is here

Color Sampler in Photoshop and how to use it

2011-11-13T21:57:00.001+05:30

Some find the Color Sampler tool in Photoshop tricky to use because it leaves behind numbers on the image and are stumped on how to remove them. The Color Sampler Tool is used to correct basic color in a few steps. I will show you how the Color Sampler works and also how to get rid of the numbers that appear.

This is a free stock image.

The color corrected image. Some more steps are given in the tutorial which you need to follow.

The tutorial is here

Other tutorials are here

Lens Blur and Depth Map

2011-10-30T22:39:00.001+05:30

The Lens Blur has more control than the Gaussian Blur which we are accustomed to. A Depth Map enables you to selectively shift the focus in an image and blur the rest, the degree of which you can also set at will.

This is a free stock photo

The same with selective blurring with Lens Blur and a Depth Map. The tutorial is here

Other tutorials are here

Pastel Look

2011-10-23T17:01:00.003+05:30

Some images look good if they are given a soft pastel look, which can be achieved in Photoshop. All you need are some Layers, the Curves, the Gradient Map and Gaussian Blur.

This is a free stock photo.

The pastel effect.

The tutorial is here

Vintage Look with Photoshop

2011-10-17T22:41:00.000+05:30

Making an image black and white from color takes just a single step -- CTRL+SHIFT+U. But it leaves an image flat. How does one overcome this and add a vintage look with a slight tint? It is not difficult to do if you know the secret of the Black and White Adjustment Layer, as also Gaussian Blur, Layer Masks, besides Adjustment Layers.

This is a free stock image to which I will give the vintage look.

The vintage look.

The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

Lab Color and Levels - Making Colors Pop

2011-10-10T22:12:00.002+05:30

You can make colors in an image pop in a variety of ways in Photoshop. The easiest is to turn the image into Lab Mode and use Levels. Learn this little trick and you will be able to do it too.

I have opened this free stock image.

The same image after turning into Lab Color and applying the Levels trick.

The tutorial is here

Other tutorials are here

Curves Adjustments Layers Secrets

2011-10-09T22:17:00.002+05:30

You must have used Curves and Curves Adjustment Layers. There are some secrets in using this powerful tool in Photoshop. Curves should not be used in an arbitrary manner, but there are ways to use it correctly. You can work on selected portions of an image with Curves, but you must know how to do it.

This is a free stock image.

The same image after correction with Curves Adjustment Layers. You can do it too. Learn the secrets of using Curves with full control.

The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

Content Aware and Protect skin tone

2011-10-05T20:56:00.001+05:30

Content Aware is a feature of Photoshop CS4 and above. Among the many uses that Content Aware can be used is for resizing in an unusual way after checking the 'Protect Skin Tone' icon. It works better than crop.

Here is a free stock image. Note that there is a lot of space at the left and a bit at the left. The easiest option would be to crop it.

I have used the Content Aware with Protect Skin tone to resize the image. It is very simple and can be done in a few steps.

The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

Adjustment Layers - Desaturated Look

2011-10-01T03:49:00.000+05:30

You can give a deliberately desaturated look to images in Photoshop, while some color still remains. It is a question of using Adjustment Layers and Blend Modes. It can be done quite easily.

This is a free stock image.

The desaturated or muted color effect.

The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

Adjustment Layers for tweaking complextion

2011-09-29T15:48:00.002+05:30

If you want to tweak the complexion of the subject of an image without affecting the Background, the best way is to use Adjustments Layers. These are non-destructive layers which allow you to mask out certain portions and concentrate on others.

This is a free stock image.

The same image after applying the tweaks with Adjustment Layers.

The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

Adjustment Layers and Blend If

2011-09-27T19:58:00.002+05:30

Sometimes small tweaks to an image make all the difference. The best way to do this is to use Adjustment Layers. You can fine tune color and tone quite easily. To make sure that the effect is not overdone, use the Blend If in Blending Options for advanced blending.

This is a free stock image.

The same image with the tweaks applied.

The tutorial is here

Other tutorials are here

Spotlights to bring out details

2011-09-24T20:46:00.002+05:30

Sometimes details are lost because of deep shadows in an image. Sometimes the image itself is too dark. You can correct it very quickly by turning on spotlights created in Photoshop. The process is easy and can be done in any version of Photoshop.

This is a very dark and shadowy image of Durga.

The same image after turning on the 'spotlights'.

The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

Sketch and Halftone pattern

2011-09-24T03:47:00.000+05:30

You can turn any image to a sketch in just a few steps and then us the Halftone Pattern for added effect in Photoshop.

This is the effect you can create.

The original images are below

The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

Textures for Special Effect

2011-09-23T00:19:00.000+05:30

You can add a Texture to an image and use a couple of Adjustment Layers for a special effect with Photoshop in any image. It is not difficult and is quite easy to do.

This is a free stock image.

The same image after adding the effects.

The tutorial is here

Other Photoshop tutorials are here

Blown out Highlights

2011-09-18T19:37:00.002+05:30

Nobody likes Highlights in an image to be blown, unless it is done deliberately for effect. Some like this style which can be done in photoshop.

I have opened this free stock image.

The same image with the Highlights blown deliberately.

The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

Lights and Darks

2011-09-15T23:52:00.001+05:30

You can change the light and dark portions in an image to bring focus in Photoshop. This can be done in a variety of ways. It can be done in a couple of steps in this tutorial in any version of Photoshop.

This is a free stock image. Note the shadow beneath the model's eyes and her chin.

The same image with the shadows lightened and the background darkened a mite.

This is another free stock image.

The same image after following the same steps.

The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

Luminosity Mask New Photoshop tutorial

2011-09-11T16:54:00.000+05:30

Luminosity Masks in Photoshop help tweak light and dark areas in an image very subtly and gives get liberty in controlling lights and shadows, which you cannot do directly with Levels and Curves. Luminosity Masks allow you to control the lights and shadows without affecting other portions of the image. I will explain the process step by step so that you can follow easily.

I have opened this free stock image in Photoshop.

The same image with tweaks with Luminosity Masks.

The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

Lomo Effect Quick Tutorial

2011-09-07T03:22:00.001+05:30

The Lomo effect can be achieved with Photoshop. What is the Lomo Effect? The name is inspired by the former state-run optics manufacturer LOMO PLC of St Petersburgh, Russia. It can be replicated in Photoshop.

This is a free stock photo.

The same image with the Lomo Effect. The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

If you have a photoshop question or would like a particular tutorial please email me at pradip.chowdhury@gmail.com

Focus with Adjustment Layer

2011-09-04T21:55:00.001+05:30

Just as you can change the focus of light in an image with Adjustment Layers in Photohshop you can also change the hues with a Color Adjustment layer. It is not difficult to do and does not need special skills.

This is a free stock image which is a tad too bright.

The same image after using a couple of Adjustment Layers, including a Color Balance Adjustment.

The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

Focus with Light

2011-09-01T00:16:00.002+05:30

Sometimes you may have too much light in an image, but you wish to focus on a particular part of the image. It can be easily done with a couple of Adjustment Layers. No particular expertise is required.

I have opened this free stock image. It is brilliantly lit all around.

The same image with the focus on light solely on the girl. You will be able to do it too and the process will work with most images. The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

If you have a photoshop question or wish for a particular tutorial please email me at pradip.chowdhury@gmail.com

Enriching Tones

2011-08-29T14:30:00.000+05:30

You can improve tones of bland looking photographs and make them more warm with just a couple of Adjustment Layers in Photoshop.

This is a free stock image.

The same image with the tones changed with Adjustment Layers.

The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

If you have a photoshop question or wish for a tutorial please email me at pradip.chowdhury@gmail.com

Focus correction in Photoshop with common tools

2011-08-28T20:56:00.000+05:30

Sometimes the background in an image may distract from the main figure or figures in an image. You can correct this easily in Photoshop. No special expertise is necessary, nor much time required.

This is a free stock image.

The image is now in better focus.

The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

If you have a photoshop related question or wish for a particular tutorial please email me at pradip.chowdhury@gmail.com

Paste Into in Photoshop

2011-08-27T15:40:00.000+05:30

The Paste Into command allows you to paste images inside Custom Shapes that are found in Photoshop. It is not difficult to do.

I have taken these three free stock images

Used a free stock Texture

And pasted them into a Custom Shape. You can use most shapes.

The tutorial is here

Other tutorials are here

Remove wires, rods, poles with Content Aware Fill in Photoshop CS 5

2011-08-23T20:50:00.000+05:30

Sometimes wires spoil an otherwise perfect image. It may also be rods. Sometimes hanging wires are not stright either. Removing them with Content Aware fill in Photoshop CS 5 makes it a breeze saving enormous time.

This is a free stock image. The rod passing diagonally across the image spoils it.

The rod has been removed magically as also one of the strands of barbed wire at the bottom.

The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

Light Focussing in Photoshop

2011-08-22T21:31:00.000+05:30

The lights in an image are very important. The lights are the focus of the an image. Sometimes the lights may not be properly focused. This can be corrected in all versions of photoshop with a couple of adjustment layers.

This is a free stock image.

The same image with the lights tweaked.

The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

Channel Mixer Adjustment - Making Colors Pop

2011-08-21T17:29:00.001+05:30

This is a simple tutorial on how you can make colors in an image pop with a Channel Mixer Adjustment Layer in photoshop. You can do it in any version.. You can boost the colors in places you want, leaving the rest untouched.

Step 1 : I will be using this free stock image for the tutorial. You will find it here

It belongs to senturk

Step 2 : Click the New Fill or Adjustment Layer button.

Step 3 : Click on Channel Mixer from the pop up.

Step 4 : The Color Mixer channel opens. It is set at Red at +100 and Green and Blue at 0.

Step 5 : Change the value of the Red channel to 150 and -25 for Green and Blue channels. (Red+Green+Blue channel should total 100).

The image looks like this.

Step 6 : Select the Green Channel.

Step 7 : Increase the Value of the Green Channel to 150 and Red and Blue to -25.

Step 8 : Lastly select the Blue channel. Increase the Blue to 150 and decrease the Reds and Greens to -25.

The image looks like this. The colors have 'popped'. But the effect has been applied to the entire image, something that is not wanted.

Step 9 : Examine the Mask on Channel Mixer 1 layer. There is a thin border around it. It indicates that it is selected.

Step 10 : Press CTRL+I to invert the Mask. The Mask changes to Black.

The Black Layer mask hides the effects achieved so far. You see the original image again.

Step 11 Click the Brush Tool.

Step 12 : Click in the top panel to reveal the Brush Controls and select a soft brush. I have selected a particular brush.

Step 13 : Switch the Foreground Color to White by clicking the bent arrow or pressing x on the keyboard.

Step 14 : paint on the areas you want to reveal. I am painting the face.

Step 15 : I have painted just the face and the dress and left the hair and the background alone. If you make a mistake while painting, switch the Foreground color to Black and paint it out. Resume painting with White.
That is all. Other photoshop tutorials are here

Adding highlights in Photoshop

2011-08-20T22:54:00.000+05:30

Sometimes an image looks too bland and could do with some highlights, but it is not in the image. You can add subtle highlights to your image in Photoshop. This can be done in any version of Photoshop.

This is a free stock image. There are no highlights in it.

The highlights added artificially in Photoshop.

The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

Focus correction in Photoshop

2011-08-18T07:54:00.000+05:30

Sometimes your subject is quite clear in the an image, but the background detracts from it. In such cases you can bring more focus on the subject with photoshop. It is quite simple to do and can be done in any version of photoshop, including Photoshop 7.

Here is a free stock image. I wish to shift the focus more on the girl than the bus.

The girl is more in focus now than the bus.

The tutorial is here

Other tutorials are here

Removing Color cast and Noise with Camera Raw

2011-08-16T23:30:00.000+05:30

Some photos turn out with a color cast and worse noise. What do you do with them except reject them. But Photoshop can help you out.You can remove the color cast and fix the noise too in Photoshop CS5.

This was a photo email to me for removing the color cast as well as the noise.

The same image with the yellow color cast removed as also the noise. You can do it too.

The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

Cross Processing -- Lightening images

2011-08-14T03:40:00.000+05:30

Cross processing can be of various kinds in Photoshop. There are paid filters which do it in a jiffy. But I think doing it on your own can be just as good or even better depending on the time you devote. Some images have a deliberate washed out look which seems to be quite a fashion. This is what the tutorial is about.

This is a free stock image.

This is the cross processed image.

This is the cross processed image with a tweak.

The center of the image retains the original color, while the remaining portion looks faded.

The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

Content Aware Fill in Photoshop CS5

2011-08-11T03:26:00.000+05:30

Contest Aware Fill in Photoshop Cs5 dispenses with laborious cloning and gives a very realistic effect. What do you use it for? Suppose you wish to move a figure without affecting the rest of the image you should use Content Aware Fill.

Here is a free stock image of a saffron clad sadhu on the Kolkata Maidan. The problem is he is at the extreme left of the image. It would have looked better if he had been somewhere around the middle.

The sadhu has been moved to the middle of the image without affecting the rest of the background in any way.

The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

Spherize Filter with a tweak

2011-08-09T01:56:00.000+05:30

The Spherize Filter is found in all versions of photoshop. It is used to spherize a selection. You can also apply it to an image without a selection for some weird effects. But I will be using a selection. It is quite easy to do.

I have opened this free stock image of a flower.

The flowers look much bigger than they actually are after tweaking with the Spherize filter.

You can use it on other images too.

Here is a free stock image.

The same image after applying the Spherize filter.

The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

Twirl Filter

2011-08-01T21:24:00.000+05:30

Most Filters in Photoshop are the same say for example the Twirl Filter. It is a very common filter, but it can be used in an uncommon way to create a special effect. It is quite easy to do and can be done in any version of Photoshop.

This is the effect you can create. The tutorial is here

Other tutorials are here

Hue Saturation trick

2011-07-26T00:08:00.000+05:30

I'm sure you must have used Hue/DSaturation umpteen times. If you use it as an Adjustment layer you can keep a portion of the image in monochrome while revealing the original colors in other parts of the image that you may want.

Here is a free stock image.

The same image after tweaks with a Hue/Saturation Adjustment Layer.

The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

Multiply and Darken Blend Modes

2011-07-24T10:21:00.000+05:30

The Multiply and Darken Blend modes in Photoshop will blend an image which is almost a silhouette with another image seamlessly. Nothing else is usually necessary.

These have been made by blending two images with only the Blend Modes.

It is quite simple to do and you can do it in any version of photoshop.

The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

Actions

2011-07-20T01:01:00.001+05:30

Photoshop comes with a number of Actions built in depending on your version of Photoshop. You can create your own Actions which will save you an enormous amount of time. Once you create an Action you can use it on other images letting Photoshop do the work for you in a trice.

These are two free stock images.

The same images after applying Actions created in Photoshop.

The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

Brush Design 2

2011-07-17T22:47:00.000+05:30

I had shown how to create a design with a Brush and Layers in Photoshop. To take it up from there, I will add an image to it.

The Background created earlier.

The design with an image added. The tutorial is here

Other Photoshop tutorials are here

Brush design

2011-07-16T02:55:00.000+05:30

You can use the Brushes built into Photoshop, whichever version you may be using, for creating a background, a special effect or other things. You can also use free, high resolution brushes available for free on the internet.

You can create a design like this very easily with downloaded brushes. The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

Instant Sharpening in Photoshop

2011-07-13T00:53:00.000+05:30

You need not be a photoshop expert to correct images that are not very sharp. All you need are three layers, desaturation, a Black Layer mask and the Brush Tool. The process will work with all images. You can also do it in any version of photoshop.

This is a free stock image

The sharpened image.

The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

Radial Blur and selection

2011-07-11T21:09:00.000+05:30

The Radial Blur, the Brush Tool and a Layer mask can be used to create a special effect with any image. It is very simple and can be done in any version of Photoshop.

This is a free stock image.

The same image after applying the Radial Blur together with the Brush Tool and a Layer Mask.

The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

Gray Fill

2011-07-10T22:01:00.000+05:30

A 50% Gray Fill Layer can add dash to an image by using the Brush Tool to dodge and Burn without actually using the Dodge and Burn Tools in Photoshop. It can be done in any version of Photoshop.

This is a free stock image.

The same image after editing.

The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

Channels and Blend Modes

2011-07-10T03:32:00.000+05:30

Channels and Blend Modes can make a lot of difference to an image, without the need for complex selections. It is simple to do and can be done in any version of Photoshop, including Photoshop7.

This is a free stock image.

The same image after editing.

The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

Blending two images seamlessly

2011-07-06T01:23:00.000+05:30

You can blend two images in photoshop seamlessly with a Layer mask and the Brush tool. It requires no special expertise and can be done in any version of Photoshop.

These are to free stock images.

The images are blended seamlessly.

The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

Smart Filters Again

2011-07-03T23:24:00.000+05:30

I have explained what Smart Filters in Photoshop are and what you can do with them. For those who missed it here is another fully explaining it.

This is a free stock image.

Special effects added to the image with Smart Filters.

The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

Steam Punk Brush

2011-06-30T01:44:00.000+05:30

This is a special effects tutorial using free downloaded Brushes for Photoshop. It works with all images and can be done even in Photoshop 7.

This is a free stock image.

The same image with the effect added.

The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

Smart Object and Smart Filters 2

2011-06-25T22:23:00.000+05:30

This another photoshop tutorial on using Smart Filters. Smart Filters are ordinary Photoshop Filters used non destructively.

I have selected this free stock image.

The same image after processing with Smart Filters.

The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

Smart Object and Smart Filter

2011-06-23T01:31:00.000+05:30

Those of you using Photoshop CS series must have heard of Smart Objects. This will show you how to turn a single image into a Smart Object and then apply Smart Filters to it to create special effects in Photoshop.

This is a free stock image.

The same image turned into a Smart Object and smart Filters applied. It is quite simple and can be done by learners. The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

Gradient Special Effect

2011-06-20T10:27:00.000+05:30

Photoshop has a lot of built in Gradients whether you are using Photoshop7 or Photoshop CS5 Extended. You can use them to create a special effect with any image. It is very simple and can be done by anyone.

This is a free stock image.

The same image with the effect added. The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

Desaturation and shade

2011-06-17T11:54:00.000+05:30

You can desaturate an image and add a dash of color to create a special effect with any version of Photoshop, even Photoshop 7.

This is a free stock image.

The same image with the effect added.

The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

Pink Tone effect

2011-06-13T21:58:00.000+05:30

This is to create a soft, dreamy pink effect with any color image in Photoshop. You need not be a wizard to do this. It is quite simple.

This is a free stock image.

This the effect you create.

The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

Filters for special effect in Photoshop

2011-06-12T14:43:00.000+05:30

Photoshop whichever version you use has quite a number of Filters which can be used imaginatively in permutation and combination, The possibilities are endless.

This is a free stock image.

The same image after playing around with some of the filters.

The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

Camera Raw Noise Removal

2011-06-10T17:11:00.001+05:30

Color Noise can be irritating. One of the ways is to use the Reduce Noise Filter in Photoshop. It blurs out details, though you can get most of it back, but it is a long process. Noise Removal in Camera Raw is a much easier option and it does not blur detail while removing the noise. Your image remains crisp.

This is a free stock image of Seattle by night.

The same image with the noise removed. It does not require much expertise.

Another noisy image.

The noise removed and some other tweaks in Camera Raw.

The tutorial is here

Other Photoshop tutorials are here

Frame with Curves and Brush

2011-06-09T01:25:00.001+05:30

You can create a frame for any image with a Curves Adjustment Layer, the Brush Tool and Drop Shadow in Photoshop. It requires no special expertise.

This is the effect you will be able to create.

The tutorial is here

Other Photoshop tutorials are here

Camera Raw and Black and White

2011-06-08T00:42:00.000+05:30

You can turn a Color image to Black and White by just pressing CTRL+SHIFT+U. But you have no control. You cannot change the light and dark parts of the image. You can do this with camera Raw.

Here is a free stock color image.

The same image with the Black and White tweaked in Camera Raw,

The tutorial is here

Other tutorials are here

Lomo Effect with Camera Raw

2011-06-06T01:44:00.000+05:30

his is another tutorial on creating a Lomo Effect in Photoshop. A Lomo effect is something like vignetting with cross processing added. I will also show how it can be done with Camera Raw. If you have never opened an image in Camera Raw, see how it is done.

This is the effect I will be creating.

The tutorial is here

Other Photoshop tutorials are here

Polar Coordinates Special Effects tutorial in Photoshop

2011-06-04T02:37:00.000+05:30

The Polar Coordinates is a filter in photoshop which is used rarely. You can use it together with other tools to create special effects.

You can create this special effect.

The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

Image as a Layer Mask

2011-05-31T23:04:00.000+05:30

You must certainly know about a Layer Mask. This is a tutorial on using an image as a Layer Mask. It does just what a Layer Mask does.

These are two free stock images. I will be using the lower image to mask the top one.

The images after Masking

The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

Split toning with Gradient Map

2011-05-28T02:42:00.000+05:30

Split toning can also be done with the Gradient Map. It is quite simple to do in photoshop.

This is a free stock image.

The same image with the Split Toning.

The tutorial is here

Other tutorials are here

Muted effect with Photoshop/Cross Processing

2011-05-26T01:26:00.000+05:30

This is two tutorials in one. Learn how to create a muted but pleasing effect with Photoshop. Next see how the image can be cross processed in quick easy steps.

This is a free stock image

The same image cross processed.

The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

Split Toning with Curves

2011-05-22T18:42:00.000+05:30

A particular Split Toning effect can be done with any version of Photoshop, including Photoshop7. Split toning is using two tones on an image. It can be easily done.

This is a free stock image.

The split toned image. The tutorial is here

Other Photoshop tutorials are here

Making photos pop

2011-05-18T23:21:00.000+05:30

This is a simple photoshop tutorial on making images pop. You can do this even in Photoshop 7. It takes no special skill. It will also work for any image.

Here is a free stock image.

The same image after processing.

The tutorial is here

Bar Code making one

2011-05-14T00:10:00.000+05:30

You can make a bar code that you will find on products. It is quite easy to make and can be done in any version of Photoshop, including Photohshop 7.

I have made just the bar code and added it to the image.

The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

Layer Mask and Radial Blur Again

2011-05-12T00:20:00.001+05:30

This is another photoshop tutorial on using a Layer Mask and Radial Blur to give an impression of motion.

It can be done in all versions of Photoshop, including Photoshop7.

Here is a free stock image.

The same image with the effect applied.

Here is another free stock image.

The same image with the effect applied.

The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

Layer Mask and Radial Blur

2011-05-10T22:24:00.000+05:30

You can use Radial Blur with a Layer Mask to create a special effect in Photoshop, which can be replicated with all images. You can also do this in Photoshop7.

This is the effect you can do easily.

The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

Layer Mask and what you can do with them

2011-05-09T23:31:00.000+05:30

The Layer Mask in Photoshop hides as well as reveals. A White Layer Mask Hides and a Black one reveals. When you paint on a Layer Mask with the Brush Tool you reveal the layer underneath. This is a tutorial on Layer Mask, but I will teach you to make a special effects poster at the same time.

This is effect I will show you step by step.

The tutorial is here

Other Photoshop tutorials are here

Textures and Layers

2011-05-05T02:32:00.000+05:30

You can use Textures and Layers for creating special effects. A lot of good quality Textures are available for free on the internet. You will also need to use some filters, but they are all found in Photoshop.

This is something you an create easily. The tutorial is here
Other photoshop tutorials are here

Bizarre Colors

2011-04-30T23:59:00.000+05:30

Use any image to change it to a bizarre colored image by using Layers, Blend Modes, Blend If, and Adjustment Layers.

This is the effect I have in mind.

The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

Skin - Removing minor skin blemishes

2011-04-24T22:49:00.000+05:30

You can remove skin blemishes and soften skin without giving a fake look to your image in Photoshop.

This is a free stock image I will use. It has some blemishes on the face.

You can see the blemishes.

The blemishes have been removed and the skin softened.

The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

Replace Color in Photoshop

2011-04-20T00:23:00.000+05:30

If you want you can change a single color or shade in an image, without affecting the rest of the image with the Replace Color Tool. It is quite easy to learn and may come in handy sometimes.

I have selected this free stock image.

I have changed the color of the dress with replace Color.

The tutorial is here

Other Photoshop tutorials are here

Quick Selection Tool in Photoshop CS5

2011-04-17T19:19:00.000+05:30

I will be making a poster with a couple of downloaded images and a photoshop brush.But it will primarily show you the use of the Quick Selection Tool.

This is the poster you can make and in the process learn the use of the Quick Selection Tool and also on manipulating a drop shadow.

The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

Gritty Look

2011-04-16T18:06:00.000+05:30

Achieving that Gritty Look can be done in Photoshop. There is also an easy way to do it.

I will use this free stock image for the gritty look.

The gritty look.

The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

Floating with Photoshop

2011-04-15T22:48:00.000+05:30

Is it not fun to hang suspended in thin air? You must have heard of levitation. Indian fakirs knew the secret. So do I. The secret is photoshop. You need an image of yourself and of your room and you can also 'float' on thin air.

You can 'float' like this in your room with a little help from Photoshop.

The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

Selective Color for color correction

2011-04-12T19:55:00.000+05:30

A powerful tool for color correction and for giving tweaks to colors is the Selective Color in Photoshop. It gives you liberty to fine tune color in an image.

This is a free stock image.

The same image after color correction with selective Color.
The tutorial is here
Other photoshop tutorials are here

Robot Girl

2011-04-11T15:56:00.000+05:30

With science progressing so rapidly, we should one day probably have half humans and half machines. It's not hard to imagine, or to photoshop.

You can easily make this robot girl in Photoshop.

The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

Sketch with Threshold

2011-04-09T22:43:00.000+05:30

You can create a black and white or a color sketch with any photo with Photoshop, using Threshold.

This is a free stock image.

The Black and White sketch.

The Color Sketch.

The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

Beveled Text simplified

2011-04-08T11:22:00.002+05:30

You can create a poster with Beveled Text created in Photoshop. No special skill is required. Just follow along.

This is the Text and effect I will create.

The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

Sketch with Blend IF

2011-03-29T02:25:00.000+05:30

Have you ever used Blend IF in Photoshop? Never? It's time you did. You can get some special effects with it. It's simple and can be done in a few steps with a couple of Layers and a Layer Mask.

Here is the sketch with Blend If.

The tutorial is here

Other tutorials are here

3D Text with Styles and Glass Texture

2011-03-26T23:14:00.000+05:30

You can create 3D Text with Styles found in Photoshop. This can be done in any version of Photoshop, including Photoshop7.

This is the 3D Text with Styles.

The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

Quick Selection Refine Edge Refine Mask in CS5 fully explained

2011-03-25T16:44:00.000+05:30

The Quick Selection Tool, the Refine Edge and the Refine Mask are powerful tools in Photoshop CS5 to make accurate selections. Selections can now be done more easily than in earlier versions of photoshop. I will design a poster while explaining the three tools as a bonus.

This is the poster you can create while going through the tutorial on Quick Selection, Refine Edge and Refine Mask. The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

Suspended in air photo manipulation

2011-03-24T21:52:00.000+05:30

You must have seen photo manipulation of people making impossible jumps or suspended in the air. It is quite easy to make in any version of Photoshop.

You can create this effect quite easily. The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

Pop art effect

2011-03-23T23:57:00.000+05:30

Pop art is very popular and can be done in any version of photoshop. All you need is a free stock image.

I have used this free stock image.

And here is the pop art.

The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

Frame Brush

2011-03-21T22:50:00.000+05:30

Creating a frame in Photoshop is easy. The easiest method is to use a B rush. You can find plenty of free Frame Brushes. I will give you the link for download.

A frame created with a Brush. The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

Poster with Brushes And Quick Selection Tool

2011-03-19T22:32:00.000+05:30

Brushes are great for making posters in photoshop. Photoshop has quite a number built into it. You can also download good quality free brushes from the internet. I will also show you the Quick Selection Tool and the Refine Edge filter.

This is the poster we will be creating.

The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

Clipping Mask

2011-03-17T22:34:00.000+05:30

A clipping mask is a very versatile thing in photoshop. You can use any number of layers and clip them all together. You can add fresh layers and clip the again. You can resize and change the position of each individual layer after clipping.

This has been created with a Text layer and Clipping Masks.

The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

Highlighted background

2011-03-16T01:21:00.000+05:30

You will find many images of models with a large highlight behind. Though these are made with lights, you can replicate it it somewhat in Photoshop.

This is the effect.

The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

Custom Shape and Layer Styles

2011-03-15T00:01:00.000+05:30

You can create your own Styles for applying to Text in Photoshop. You can also apply it to Custom Shapes.

You can create this Style which has been applied to Text. It can also be applied to Custom Shapes.

The tutorial is here

Other tutorials are here

Custom Shapes

2011-03-13T16:20:00.000+05:30

Custom Shapes are Vectors that can be resized without losing quality. Using Custom shapes can be fun. Photoshop has a large collection of them built in. Besides this you can download good and free ones from the internet. I will provide you the links.

You can create this in Photoshop easily. No special skill needed. The tutorial is here

Other Photoshop tutorials are here

Halftone Pattern and Color Haltone

2011-03-12T22:24:00.000+05:30

Halftone Pattern and Color Halftone are two filters in Photoshop. They have different effects. I will show how they are used as well as making selections and adding and deducting from it.

You can create this effect. Just follow the tutorial. It is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here

Opening Closed Eyes

2011-03-09T19:02:00.000+05:30

Closed eyes can ruin a photograph. It becomes totally useless. But fear not. Photoshop will come to the rescue. You can easily 'open' 'closed' eyes realistically. It can also be done in any version of Photoshop, including Photoshop 7.

An example of closed eyes.

This is the original image.

The eyes 'opened'

The overall image.

The tutorial is here

Other photoshop tutorials are here