Creating custom edges

a simplified version

Based on Photoshop Users TV episode 28.

1. Use the rectangular marquee tool to select part of the photo

2. create a new blank layer and select that layer

3. Go to Edit... Fill .. and in the "Use" pull down menu, I chose foreground color which happened to be white

4. Deselect ( Command D )

5. Go to Filter... Distort.. Displace

6. Change both vertical and horizontal scales to 20

7. then navigate to Applications... Adobe Photoshop.. Presets.. textures

8. chose " frosted glass"

9. hold down the Command key and click on the layer1 thumbnail ( the white area is selected)

10 delete layer 1 ( the selected edge is still there )

11. duplicate the background and create a layer mask for the new layer

( if you hide the background, the edge becomes apparent)

12. add a drop shadow to give the edge a more defined look

13. duplicate the layer with the mask ( and edge)

14. on the new copy, click on the link between the layer mask and the image

( this allows the edge to be moved separately)

15. make you have selected the layer mask of the top layer and choose free transform ( Command T)

16. move, resize or warp this edge to suit your needs

17. click on the layer mask for the first layer and create an adjustment layer

18. I changed the saturation and lightness on this photo

19. hold down Command and click on the thumbnail of the first layer mask ( this selects it)

20 . Choose Select... Inverse

21. next press Command.. Delete

Smoothing skin texture

Based on Photoshop User Tv episode 28

This can be used to smooth out any texture or small blemishes in portraits

1. copy the background layer ( Command J)

2. apply a gaussian blur to the top layer

3. create a layer mask

4. make sure the foreground color is black and use a brush to erase the blur around the eyes, mouth and any where else you choose ( in this photo, I only left the blur on the cheeks

** hold down option and click on the layer mask, this shows you where you have already used the brush tool

before

after

Using Color Range to select and change

1, Open image and copy the background

2. use the oval marquee tool to select a part of the image ( in this case, the sky).... this just narrows down the area photoshop has to look at

3. choose Select.... Color Range

4. Use the eyedropper to select the area of color you want ( it helps if the area is a uniform color but use the slider bar to widen or narrow the range you want

5. create a layer mask

6. use the adjustments window to make whatever changes you want

before

after

Create Hand tinted effect with a vignette

1 create a new adjustment layer and choose channel mixer

2. click in the " monochrome" box and adjust channel to your liking ( I chose 20% in each channel for this one)

3. duplicate the background layer and drag it in front of the black & white layer

4. change the blend mode to soft light

5. I then added a gaussian blur of 20 pixels to this layer

6. hold down " apple, option, shift, E"to combine all the previous layers into one layer

7. to add a vignette, use the rectangular marquee box to select an area of the photo

8. choose Select...modify...feather ( I chose 125 for this photo)

9. press delete and deselect

10. change the blend mode to multiply

before

after

Use Extract for complex objects

Based on Photoshop Users TV episode 10

I thought would take a couple objects off one photo and put them onto a different background

1. open the file with the objects

2. choose filter.... extract

3. use an appropriate size brush to trace around the object ( hold down command to get a very fine line

4. use the fill tool ( while still in extract mode) to select the object to be extracted

5. extract

6. if part of the object was faded out... use the history tool to replace what is missing

7. use eraser to touch up missed spots

Create a shallow depth of field

1. open a new channel

2. click the eyeball beside the RGB channel at the top to see the photo

3. select the gradient tool and use a black & white gradient

4. drag from the middle of the object to be in focus ( in this case the egret)

5. to get the bottom part of the object in focus, change the blend mode to screen and click and drag the gradient from the middle of the object, down ( in the case I went left and right also)

6. select the RBG channel, use the magic wand tool and shift click to select the entire object ( egret)

7. select the alpha channel and use Alt delete to fill with the foreground color

8. deselect and go back to the layers palette

9. choose filter - >blur -> lens blur

10. change depth map to alpha 1

Displacement Maps - making Waves and brains

1. duplicate the image ( it must be the same size)

2. change the copy to grayscale ( image ->mode)

3. save the copy as "map.psd"

4. open the second image ( filing cabinet in this case)

5. shift drag it onto the original image

6. change it to a smart object ( layer -> smart object)

7. choose filter-> displace and select "map.psd"

8. use a blend mode of multiply

9. change the opacity to suit

10. create a layer mask and erase any parts you don't want

for the images below, I filled the copy with white and painted in a pattern of black stripes. When it was blended, the opacity was reduced to create the desired effect

neutral gradient density layer

Based on Photoshop Users TV episode 2

before after

1. make foreground color black

2. create an adjustment layer ....... select gradient

3. click the " reverse" button

4. in the layers palette, change from normal to overlay

5. to adjust height of gradient filter, double click on the gradient box in the layer palette, click on the gradient bar, then adjust the stops on the large gradient bar

curled photo effect

Based on Photoshop Users TV episode 1

1. use the marquee tool to select the area you want

2. copy to new layer ( apple J)

3. command click the selection

4. add a stroke [Edit menu]... white 15 px

5. choose the original layer and lower its opacity

6. repeat step 3 for the top layer again and choose free transform ( command T)

7. choose the warp tool and and shape the selection as desired .... press enter

8. double click on the selection ( in the layer window) and add a drop shadow

9. select the bottom layer and adjust hue & saturation as desired

Burnt- in edge effect

To add a burnt in edge effect on a photo with some degree of flexibility

1. create a new adjustment layer.. select levels

2. in the levels window, drag the markers to the left so your entire photo is black

3. use marquee tool to select the area you want

4. feather it ( shift F6)

5. choose the layer mask and fill with black ( this reveals the photo)

6. again, use the levels markers to adjust the appearance of the edge. I adjusted the output levels to get the grey affect in this photo