Advanced Photoshop Issue 059

68 HIGH-RES
BRUSHES
PLUS: TEXTURES, PHOTOS & MORE
ISSUE
ISSUE
5949
47
Master steampunk | Photoreal effects | Perfect paths | Student showcase | Interview: Stjepan Sejic
TH IS
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MASTER
STEAMPUNK
9
ISSUE 59
771748 727009
ISSN 1748-7277
£5.99
59
Add a retro-futuristic edge to digital paintings

www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk
OTOSHOP.C
with our in-depth, six-page Masterclass DPH O.U
N CE K
A
V
AD
W.
WW
HOW TO… STUDENT SHOWCASE

• Perfect your paths • Create pro photoreal effects • Design metallic The very best Photoshop artwork
typography • Become a concept artist • Use CS4’s 3D Mesh function from today’s brightest students
001_AVP_59_CoverWeek4.indd 1 23/6/09 15:34:36

Editorial
Imagine Publishing Ltd
Richmond House, 33 Richmond Hill
Bournemouth, Dorset, BH2 6EZ
☎ +44 (0) 1202 586200
Web: www.imagine-publishing.co.uk
www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk/photoshopfaceoff
Magazine team
Welcome to Editor Julie Easton
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Editor in Chief Jo Cole
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Steampunk, according to Wikipedia,
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Senior Staff Writer Adam Smith
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‘denotes works set in an era or world
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Designer Stacey Grove
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Senior Sub Editor Colleen Johnson
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where steam power is still widely used
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Sub Editor Sam Robson
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Group Art Editor Lora Barnes
– usually the 19th Century and often Head of Design Ross Andrews
in the Victorian era of England – but Contributors
Theo Aartsma, Anthony Giacomino, April Madden, Jeffrey
with prominent elements of either M.de Guzman, Kirk Nelson, Josie Reavely, Richard Roberts
and Sarah Slee
science fiction or fantasy’. Advertising

Digital or printed media packs are available on request.
For us, however, it represents an incredibly popular
th g t n b is m to es
in kin ca Th sed zin
Commercial Director Ross Webster
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digital art genre that encompasses all disciplines, from
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painting to photomanipulation to 3D rendering. We have

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month to show you how to use photo references and
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Advertising Manager Hang Deretz
on llist ce ak nd
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custom brushes to create a retrofuturistic painting,

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while Theo Aartsma takes a look at creating a

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Advertising Sales Executive Stuart McBride

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steampunk-inspired typographical artwork.

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[email protected]
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If you prefer photo-based Photoshop,

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Cover disc
then our main feature this issue takes an in- Interactive Media Manager Lee Groombridge
ap
depth look at high-end photoreal manipulations, Head of Digital Projects Stuart Dixon
Senior Multimedia Editor Steve Litton
with plenty of advice from the professionals who use [email protected]
these skills every day in the advertising arena. International
Advanced Photoshop is available for licensing. Contact the
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.co t h i be f
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student artists have invaded our Industry section, as we

ts st
International Manager Cathy Blackman

ph g ro r t to
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y. g sie t h e
display eight pages of the amazing entries we received

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us es can he n r m rap
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Flip to page 72 now to check out the brightest young

ag ou e t e og
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AV
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im s. Y tak aph ot
KIR
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The next issue of Advanced ISSN 1748-7277
Photoshop goes on sale 13 August 2009
4
Advanced Photoshop TORS
004_AVP_59_EdIntro.indd 4 24/6/09 15:39:23
Cover
Cover image
When we decided that we wanted a steampunk
digital painting tutorial, we turned straight to Jeff.
His Golden Bee image was the perfect inspiration,
having been on the cover of the Limited Edition of
Imageer:
Exposé 6. This image is named Double B as she’s a
JEFFREY M.DE GUZMAN
steampunk agent, but also the double of Golden Bee.
You can learn how to re-create this image on page
36, and there is a free custom brush set on the disc to
help you get the effects you need. “This image is named Double
/ www.jeffmdart.com
B as she’s a steampunk agent”
5
Advanced Photoshop
005_AVP_59_CoverImage.indd 5 22/6/09 12:51:14

STUDENT SHOWCASE
Eight pages of student talent
It’s the fourth year of our popular Student Showcase, and it’s the best
year ever! The artwork will inspire whether you are already an
established artist, a hobbyist, a student or just starting out with
Photoshop. Turn to page 70 now to check out the great artwork and
find out more about the students who created them.
ISSUE #59
inside... 48
Master this striking
disintegration effect
COMMUNITY
The latest news, website images and readers’
thoughts from our mailbox and forum
08
News 08
Mailbox 12
On the web 14
Web challenge winners 16
INSIGHT 42
The best digital artists around
Brian Walker 42
Marek Haiduk 54
THE COVER Erik Johansson 60
Re-create this fantastic cover image with our digital
painting Masterclass starting on page 36, written by
the talented Jeffrey M.de Guzman
HELP 62
Tips, techniques and problems solved
Helpdesk 62
INDUSTRY SECTION 68
cr ibe Essential advice for becoming a pro digital artist
s
68
b
Interview: Philip Straub
u
S now6!(UK/ )
Feature: Student Showcase
Career guide: Concept artist
70
78
e6
e pag e 26
(US 44 90
Se or pag Steampunk-inspired Our pick of the best reader
THIS MONTH’S CD 98
)
ROW
typography submissions this month
Superb stock art, project files and more!
CD guide 98
6
Advanced Photoshop
006-007_AVP_59_Contents.indd 6 25/6/09 15:07:33

20
We interview
Stjepan Sejic
© Stjepan Sejic
FEATURES/REGULAR TECHNIQUES
Insightful interviews and in-depth articles Essential guides to professional Photoshop skills
INTERVIEW: STJEPAN SEJIC 20 MASTER STEAMPUNK 36

The Top Cow comics artists talks Witchblade, comics and covers An in-depth look at nailing this popular genre of digital painting
PHOTOREAL EFFECTS 28 METALLIC TYPOGRAPHY 44

Industry experts reveal their top tips for high-end manipulations Create typographical art inspired by steampunk
SUBSCRIPTIONS 66 PATHS AND THE PEN TOOL 48

Find out about our latest subscription prices and offers here Use these essential tools to create a disintegration effect
RESOURCES 80 COLOURFUL ILLUSTRATIONS 56

The latest hardware, software and books reviewed Bright colours and simple shapes make effective illustrations
READERS’ GALLERY 90 HELPDESK 62

The very best submissions from our readers this month Four pages of in-depth advice from a Photoshop expert
7
Advanced Photoshop
006-007_AVP_59_Contents.indd 7 25/6/09 15:08:17

Community D&AD Awards winners
Each year since 1962, D&AD – a not-for-profit organisation that creative work that’s been awarded this year is exceptional. We’re
represents the international creative communities – has in the midst of a challenging time, and this work shows what the
celebrated the cream of the design and advertising industry’s industry is capable of. The four Black Pencil winners demonstrate
talent. The best work of the year appears in the D&AD Annual, the power and all-encompassing nature of creativity – in
while the most exciting new innovations are awarded Yellow education, politics and even in the change in our pockets. These
Pencils, with Black Pencils awarded for work that’s considered to winners are more than just great pieces of communication, as
be really outstanding. they change our behaviour and touch our lives.”
The latest creative news from around the world
The 2009 Awards Ceremony – held on 11 June at London’s Pioneering designer Michael Peters (OBE) has also been
Roundhouse – saw four Black Pencils awarded for the year’s most presented with the D&AD President’s Award by Garrick Hamm,
groundbreaking work, two of which went to advertising agency, in recognition of his invaluable contribution to creativity. As one
Droga5 NYC. Further elusive Black Pencils went to Matt Dent in of the select few to receive this honour, Peters joins an elite list
the Graphic Design category for his redesign of UK coins for the alongside past recipients, including Jonathan Ive, Sir Alan Parker
Royal Mint and – in Environmental Design – to BMW for Kinetic and Sir John Hegarty.
Sculpture by German interactive studio Art+Com. D&AD president Garrick Hamm says: “Michael’s contribution
54 Yellow Pencils were also awarded, recognising work that to design is so great that you could be forgiven for thinking he
sets new benchmarks in creative excellence. Three Yellow Pencils would have received this award years ago. He has helped shape
went to Ghost Robot with Wanderlust for Björk in the Music and revolutionise the industry into the business it is today. These
Videos category. In Press and Poster Advertising, two Yellow days we use jargon like ‘360 branding’ and ‘joined-up thinking’,
Pencils were awarded to DDB London for ‘Wallace & Gromit in but Michael was doing it 20 years ago… He was fearless in front
Alexander McQueen for Harvey Nichols’. ‘WERK No.16: Joe Magee of some of the world’s biggest clients, and he gave other
Special’ by Work Advertising in Singapore also won two Yellow designers the self-confidence to stand up for themselves and
Pencils, both in the Graphic Design and Illustration category. command proper fees.”
D&AD president Garrick Hamm commented on the high The winning entries from the D&AD Awards are showcased at
standard of this year’s entries, enthusing: “The breadth of a range of events and exhibitions across the globe, as well as at
the aforementioned Awards Ceremony. The D&AD Annual –
available online as well as in print from September – compiles
the year’s best work, and all of the winning entries can be
viewed online at http://awards.dandad.org/2009/.
http://awards.dandad.org/2009/
WINSOR & NEWTON INKS: Winsor & Newton Inks packaging

COPYRIGHT: Michael Peters & Partners, 1973
WALLACE IN PAUL SMITH & GROMIT IN

• Pg 08......................News DUCHAMP: Yellow Pencil-winning poster
• Pg 12 .................Mailbox campaign by DDB London
• Pg 14 .................Website
8
Advanced Photoshop
008-010_AVP_59_News.indd 8 24/6/09 15:19:44

Create digital graffiti with YrWall News
bites
FREEDOM
TO CREATE
The Freedom to Create prize – which
seeks to “honour artists on the front
lines who promote social justice, build
foundations for open societies and
inspire the human spirit” – offers
INTERACTIVE DIGITAL GRAFFITI: A pop-out three categories: Main, Imprisoned
GREAT FOR EVENTS: YrWall is
day interface is provided, which enables the user to work Artist and Youth. The prize is open to
available for hire from £1,200 per with digital paint to create their own digital graffiti art all forms of art and has a total prize
fund of $125,000 USD. You have until
ing the artist to
ed by environmentally friendly and allow 14 August 2009 to submit entries. Visit
YrWall is a ‘digital graffiti wall’ creat save and recall their work, as well as
having it printed www.freedomtocreateprize.com/
with pixels. Instead
Lumacoustics, which replaces paint on anything from paper to T-shi rts. YrWa ll proved to home.asp for more information.
e work s of art with
of spraying paint, users creat be hugely popular at a recen t even t at the Royal
is track ed by a com puter to follow uraged
invisible light that Albert Hall – LOAD – whe re gues ts were enco
t’s mov eme nts. YrWa ll utilis es cutting-edge ll is avail able for
the artis to create their own digital art. YrWa
lates the art of
projection-mapped video, which emu short-term and long-term hire, as well as perm anen t
adde d bene fits of being
graffiti painting but has the bespoke installations, and is alrea dy build ing a
ey, the British
prestigious client list that includes Oakl
“Users create art with Media Awards and Glastonbury Festi
val. COPYRIGHT: Philimon Bulaway
invisible light tracked ADOBE CAMERA

by a computer to follow www.yrwall.com RAW UPDATE
the artist’s movements”
Adobe has announced its latest
Camera Raw 5.4 release candidate,
free to download from www.adobe.
com/downloads/updates. The new
release adds RAW file support for an
extra 26 cameras and camera backs,
Free Photoshop plug-in including the Canon EOS 500D (EOS

Rebel T1i), Nikon D5000 and 18
Hasselblad models. Feedback can be
onOne Software has released PhotoTools 2 Lite, a
provided on the Adobe User to User
Photoshop plug-in that’s easy to use and free!
forum found at http://forums.adobe.
Downloading the Lite version equips you with 14 effects,
com/community/cameraraw/.
each of which can be applied alone or combined to give
your images a unique look. The plug-in works with CS2,
CS3 and CS4, and is based on the award-winning
PhotoTools 2 Standard Edition, utilising the same
professional-grade tools. Using the free tools provided in
the Lite download, you can dramatically alter the look and
feel of your images with just a few clicks – with no pro-
level photo-editing knowledge required. There are some
more advanced functions available in the software,
however, which you can learn how to master using over a
ADOBE FLASH
dozen video tutorials on the onOne website, plus there CATALYST
Adobe has announced a new
FREE EFFECTS: are free weekly webinars and user-to-user forums to help
PhotoTools Lite professional interaction design tool
you make the most of your images.
is available from that lets its users turn their artwork
the OnOne into stunning user interfaces without
website, where coding. To take a sneak peek, visit
you can also www.ononesoftware.com
watch a quick- http://labs.adobe.com/
start video technologies/flashcatalyst/.
9
Advanced Photoshop
008-010_AVP_59_News.indd 9 24/6/09 15:20:55

Community
Portrait Professional 9
In the news: New from Anthropics Technology, Portrait Professional 9 is
Q&A
available as a standalone program or Photoshop plug-in,
and promises to perfect your portraits with minimal effort.
Portrait Professional 9 incorporates new ClearSkin
automatic skin-enhancing technology and – according to
the manufacturer – has been “trained in human
appearance”, using thousands of photographs of people to
help program it. The software therefore has what
BEN Anthropics terms as “a built-in ‘knowledge base’ of human
KAUFMAN
We chat to Ben Kaufman,
beauty”, which means it’s able to analyse and enhance your
portraits faster and more accurately. Portrait Professional 9
analyses each portrait individually, creating custom
the 22-year-old controls to help you enhance that person’s own particular
entrepreneur who founded quirky features. This means that a subject with a double chin, for
example, will cause the software to create a ‘jaw slider’ BEFORE AND AFTER: The software can automatically enhance
Q: HOW CAN PEOPLE GET control to let you adjust the size of your model’s jaw. your portraits with high-quality results
INVOLVED IN QUIRKY? The software’s aforementioned ClearSkin technology
A: Easily! Just sign up at www.quirky. helps to eradicate blemishes, age spots, wrinkles and other can also tackle grease and sweat on a subject’s face, adjust
com – you can post your own product skin problems automatically, without removing the skin’s the lighting to relieve unflattering shadows, alter eye colour
idea for $99 or you can rate and texture, for more natural-looking results. This technology and subtly brighten eyes and teeth, among other options.
influence other people’s ideas. You Portrait Professional 9 ($99.95, approximately £61) is
can also participate in other parts of available for both PC and Mac platforms, and there’s the
the product’s development, naming, www.portraitprofessional.com option of purchasing the Studio version ($149.95,
logos, taglines, etc. approximately £92) to use in conjunction with Lightroom or
Photoshop, which works directly with Camera Raw.
Q: WHAT SORT OF
PRODUCTS/IDEAS ARE YOU
LOOKING FOR?
A: Right now, quirky is focused on
Get quirky
non-electronic consumer products DREAMS INTO REALITY: Subm
that can be retailed for under $150. it your product
ideas to the people at quirky now!
We’ll expand this scope, but it is our
starting point for now. THE SLING
BACK: This
universal
Q: WHAT’S THE MOST wire
SUCCESSFUL PRODUCT retractor is
the first
YOU’VE CREATED USING THE product
QUIRKY SYSTEM SO FAR? successfully
A: Well, we’ve had three full products brought
from sketch
go through quirky’s process. We’ve to store
got the Sling Back, a universal wire by quirky
retractor, the Ouch Pouch, a funkier
version of the traditional arm sling,
and the Pressto, a tofu press. They Kaufman explains: “I had this idea for
show the diversity of quirky’s team. Budding inventors take note! quir retractable
ky is the latest headphones (known as the Song Sling
Now we just have to reach our pre- innovation to be launched by the ). My parents
22-year-old remortgaged their house to give me
sale threshold for these items. entrepreneur who also founded a shot at this idea and
mophie (www.mophie. I went through the process of going
com) and kluster (www.kluster.com to China and getting it
), Ben Kaufman. made. I loved playing a part in mak
So what is it? quirky is a ‘social prod ing those products, and
Q: WHAT’S YOUR VISION FOR company’ that aims to take grea
uct development thought: ‘What if I could distribute
that feeling to
THE FUTURE OF QUIRKY? reality. The team at quirky encourag
t ideas and make them a thousands of people, who could all
A: To allow product ideas to come out es innovators from all feel like they had a part
walks of life to collaborate on the in making something?’ That ’s where
of people’s heads and onto shelves, process of bringing an quirky comes in.”
idea to fruition ‘from ideation, desi You submit your idea, then the quirk
and to allow as many people as gn, naming, y community has
manufacturing, marketing right seven days to rate it. The quirky team
possible to have a part in making on through to sales’. picks the winning
those things. I want people to feel product to forward through the creat
ion process. You’ll
what I felt at mophie – to walk down need to stump up $99 initially, whic
h buys you a lot of
the street and see a quirky product valuable information even if your inno
vation doesn’t get
and have that awesome feeling of “I www.quirky.com picked right away. “The cool thing is
that if the quirky
had a part in making that…” community doesn’t pick your idea,
at least you have all
these valuable ideas to go out and
try it on your own.”
Find out more at www.quirky.com
10
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008-010_AVP_59_News.indd 10 24/6/09 15:37:08

Community
Mailbox
Do you have a question about the magazine? Email your
thoughts to [email protected] or
visit www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk/forum
“One thing both my
colleague at work
and I are frustrated
SUBJECT: Retro crazy!
FROM: Sarah Howdle
at is the lack of
I went into my local Borders recently to pick up visits to the United
my usual digital arts magazine, but your last
copy (issue 57) caught my eye. The bright Kingdom by the
colours, the retro font, the free stock imagery…
well, I had to pick it up. Now I am a convert. I
NAPP guys”
loved the articles and especially the interviews visit with a seminar or two. The more people we
with inspirational artists. The Retro Graphics get to join, the better chance we have. We have
feature was especially good – it encouraged me been made aware that Scott, Dave Cross and the
to try some new styles with my artwork. And the NAPP offices know of this group, and have been
tutorials taught me some new skills that I hadn’t fairly supportive of our request!
tried before. I’ll be buying it again – thank you!
Editor replies: Hi Dave, thanks for writing in. First of
FROM: Dan James all, we’re big fans of your work over at Creative
I have been a reader of Advanced Photoshop Rush (www.creativerush.co.uk) so it’s great to
on and off for the last two years, and I have to hear from you! Second of all, we are completely on
say that issue 57 was my favourite issue to date board with your ideas – we would love to see the
– starting with that striking cover! The blend of NAPP guys over on this side of the Atlantic!
features and tutorials was really great and I read NAPP IN THE UK: A Facebook group is devoted to Advanced Photoshop readers can find out more
everything from cover to cover. Keep it up! getting the NAPP experts to come to the UK on the Facebook group mentioned above, or write
in with your views here!
Editor replies: Thank you both for your comments Twitter) that we received about the cover of our
– it’s great to hear from both new and old readers. Retro Graphics issue. It was a great cover to work
And thank you also for the other great letters and on, and Pete Harrison’s image is fantastic. Keep SUBJECT: Industry advice
emails (and Tweets via @advancedpshop on your comments coming. FROM: Jo Cobbler
I was intrigued to see your new Industry section
SUBJECT: NAPP in the UK? and in general I did like it. I found the interview
FROM: Dave Clayton with Matt Gaser and the look at getting an agent
I have been using Photoshop since version 4.0. I really interesting to read. I think it’s a shame,
decided to join NAPP last June. I use the online though, that for the first instalment you haven’t
training available plus all the other resources chosen to feature a UK-based university in the
supplied by NAPP, Kelby Training and the video magazine’s Uni Focus – we have some of the
podcasts by the NAPP team. However, one thing best courses in the world here! Still, I did find it a
both my colleague at work and I are frustrated at good addition to the magazine – especially for
is the lack of visits to the UK by the NAPP guys. students like me!
We started up a Facebook group (www.
facebook.com/home.php#/group. Editor replies: Glad you liked it Jo! It was a lot of
php?gid=103070619895) and have been hard work but we think that it is a great addition
Twittering various Photoshop groups and to the magazine, aimed at those who want to use
individuals to drum up some support to Photoshop as part of their career. Last month our
encourage Scott Kelby and the guys to pay us a chosen course was based in the UK, but we do
want to represent great courses from all around
the world. If you’d like to see your course
RETRO GRAPHICS: Our last cover has received
plenty of praise from readers – keep sending us featured, please get in touch using the addresses
your comments in the strap below.
Write to us : Advanced Photoshop Mailbox, Imagine Publishing, Richmond House, 33 Richmond Hill, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK, BH2 6EZ. Email us: advancedphotoshop@ im
12
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012-013_AVP_59_Letters.indd 12 22/6/09 14:55:15

NEW!
toshop
Advanced Pholu e3
Bookazine Vo m
£12.99
SUBJECT: Inspirational artwork INSPIRED BY RETRO: Artwork created by one
reader after issue 57’s retro special
FROM: Jody Heppenstall
Hi AP. I’m 18 and just getting into Photoshop
art. I loved the retro images featured in your tool to create the art I have in my mind and I am
feature last issue. It inspired me to get going on proud to take full credit for that work.
my own colourful artwork. I haven’t finished this Maybe Francis can’t understand that most of
piece yet, but I wanted to let you see what I had us do not have the resources to hire a studio for
done so far. It’s a background idea I am working the day, pay a model, etc. Also, take a look at
on, using a couple of online tutorials, and I want established artists like Brand Nu – many times I
to use it on a flyer for a band my friend is in. have been browsing iStock and noticed images
What do you think? that he has used in his work to create truly
inspirational art. Flick through the pages of any
Editor replies: Hi Jody, thanks for your letter. It’s digital art magazine, including Advanced
great that you found our feature last issue Photoshop, and the regular contributors always
inspirational, and I think that you have done a use stock images (take the cover of issue 57).
fantastic job on this background – especially as Stop the bitterness Francis, and appreciate the
shop
Advanced Photoe 2
you are new to Photoshop. Submit your artwork hard work and effort that goes into creating ‘art’
eMag Volum s
to our forum at www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk/ in all forms.
forum and the lovely people on there can give
you advice on works in progress as well as Editor replies: Hi Lee, thanks for your response. I
16 whole issue
£19.99
finished artwork. feel a debate coming on! Let us know your
thoughts with an email, letter or forum post.
SUBJECT: Credit concerns reply

FROM: Lee Gough
“Submit your
I am responding to the letter from Francis artwork to our
forum and the
Geralds, issue 57, with regards about the
comments made about images on the website.
Correct me if I am wrong, but wasn’t Photoshop
created for this purpose, changing images,
lovely people on
adding to images, etc? The advertising industry there can give you Visit the
has used this program for that purpose since its
release. As a budding Photoshop user myself, I advice on works in Advanced Photoshop
online shop at
have a vast amount of stock images on my hard
drive that I use every day; I couldn’t create my
progress as well as www.imagineshop.co.uk
images without them. I see stock images as a finished artwork”
imagine-publishing.co.uk. Twitter us: www.twitter.com/advancedpshop. Forum: www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk/forum
for back issues,
books and
merchandise
012-013_AVP_59_Letters.indd 13 25/6/09 15:31:53

Community
On the web
Our website and readers’ forum is perfect for showing off Photoshop creations. We present the best images on
the site this month. Log on and upload to get your images here next issue!
COLOUR MODEL
ARTIST: José Paulo Amorim Reis
WEB: www.advancedphotoshop.co.
uk/user/zepaulo
“I love digital art and I’m learning

every day with Photoshop
professionals; my goal is to reach
the level of quality of work
performed by the professionals.
I’m also working as a freelancer
doing personal artwork.
Advanced Photoshop has helped
me greatly to progress and
improve the quality of my work.
To develop this artwork, I tried to
give a colourful and beautiful
effect to the image. I tried to mix
the beauty of women with nature.
The elements of nature (such as
the leaves, dove, parrot,
butterflies and ladybird) give a touch of delicacy to the picture. The
colours are harmonious, reflecting the freshness of summer, and give
glamour to the composition.”
BUTTERFLY
ARTIST: Vitalij Sicinava
WEB: www.advancedphotoshop.co.
uk/user/chanting_stone
“I think one of the most essential

objectives of visual art and one of ORGANZA
the most important tasks for an ARTIST: Sandra Ojuri
artist is to find a possibility to WEB: www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk/user/sandie
express and demonstrate the
unique presence of magic and “Having graduated from the London College of Communication
fluorescence in each moment of with a degree in Graphic Design, I’ve since been looking for
life and in life itself. Everything that all-important foot in the door. Always interested in eye-
should seem absolutely natural, catching and beautiful design, I’ve taught myself Photoshop,
no matter how sophisticated and Illustrator and a few 3D packages like CINEMA 4D and Maya.
fabulous the colours, shapes and There was no specific direction or idea behind this piece; it
structure are. was more a case of experimenting and pushing myself further
“I love to experiment. Butterfly by using hand-drawn elements. Playing on the notion of
was created using a lot of composition and colour, I started to displace the model quite a
different brushes and light effects few times, transforming each layer and masking parts I didn’t
for the background. A picture of me with a butterfly on my face was taken need. I usually just go along with instinct in my work, topping it
while I was on holiday in New Zealand. I was inspired by the beauty of off with Gradient and Curve adjustment layers, which usually
nature, by the beauty of each moment, its magic and peace.” gets me to the end of my work.”
14
Advanced Photoshop
014_AVP_59_WebShowcase.indd 14 22/6/09 14:51:45

Community
Web challenge
The winners T
HI
Challenge reference: AP 058
MO S
On our website, www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk/competitions.php, we run a web
P NTRI H’
challenge where you are asked to create an image in Photoshop using at least one
of three images provided. These challenges are updated monthly and they are
ZE S
becoming increasingly popular, so get your entries in for a chance to win.
Check out the website for details of our latest challenge and how to enter. The
winner will collect a special prize for that month (prizes change frequently) and will
also have their design printed in the magazine, along with two runners-up.
Our prize this month is a copy of Digital Painting in
Photoshop, courtesy of Focal Press (www.focalpress.com).
Challenge start images
Acclaimed author Susan Bloom takes your Photoshop
results from competent retouching of images to visually
stunning reinterpretations of them.
FROZEN VENICE
ARTIST: Dominic Leatham
WEB: N/A
“I filled the main roof colour with a snow and frost

layer. I cut the ice flow and the sky from the Alaska
image and blended it with the Venice image. The
reflections were created by taking various
building sections and flipping them vertically,
then put on an Overlay layer. I created a custom
icicle brush to add the icicles, a light grey gradient
with hints of pink in the sky and reduced the
Opacity to create some aerial perspective.”
DANCE LIKE NOBODY

IS WATCHING
ARTIST: Phang Tau Lean
WEB: www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk/user/ahlean
“This image was inspired by the idea of ‘living life with

passion and no regrets’. Along with the dinosaur and
bird stock photos, the image was desaturated and some
Level adjustments were used to bring out the contrast.
The claws of the dinosaur were scaled larger than its
actual size to emphasise the danger waiting for the
oblivious dancers. Brushes and the Clone Stamp tool
were used to create a hand-smudged effect. The image
was then filtered with angled strokes and ink outlines.
Finally, I applied the textures and a warm filter to finish
the old grunge atmosphere.”
16
Advanced Photoshop
016-017_AVP_59_WebWinners.indd 16 23/6/09 16:03:46

R
E B NE
W IN
W
WINTER
ARTIST: Aiden Morse
WEB: http://behance.net/aidenmorse
“I started with the image of the city and masked out the sky so I could add the mountain in the background. Then I brushed in the snow and
icicles and edited the colour with a Gradient Overlay. After that, I cloned in some ice from the mountain image to add to the river. Finally, I used
watercolour, spray paint and long-exposure light stock I shot myself to add texture and falling snow. With a few more edits to Levels and the
saturation, I was finished. I started the image in Photoshop Elements 5 and finished it in Photoshop CS4.”
17
Advanced Photoshop
016-017_AVP_59_WebWinners.indd 17 23/6/09 16:04:05

Interview
STJEPAN SEJIC
Popular Top Cow comics artist Stjepan Sejic reveals the
commitment to his artistic vision and the fantasy genre, leading
to his meteoric rise to the top of the comic-book industry
20
Advanced Photoshop
020-025_AVP_59_Interview.indd 20 24/6/09 14:09:34

Inter
Stjepan Sejic
view
R OF THE
WITCHBLADE: WA VER: “A
ISS UE 127 CO
WITCHBLADES, friendships are
an issue where
Witchblade cover for lly get to paint some action”
and wh ere I fina
broken Copyright: Top Cow
RAVINE, PAGES 32 AND 33: “A spread from

Ravine displaying two girls and a dragon. As far as
fantasy is concerned, I’m actually inclined to functionality
in design and always try to avoid skimpy leather lingerie
being passed off as armour”
passions, story writing and artwork, are

encompassed into one challenging and inspiring
industry. But Sejic’s own creative passage hasn’t
been without adversity or obstacle. Back in
college, his original pencilled samples went
unnoticed by Top Cow. He strived to move on, as
he explains: “I developed my classic painting
techniques and just dreamt a lot. Then at college I
started to visit the internet on a daily basis.
Without a computer at home, this was my only
source of online information. I worked hard, and
for my birthday my parents bought me a
computer and my late uncle bought me a small
drawing tablet.” However, Sejic soon faced another
challenge, as he reveals: “Colour blending became
a really tedious process and was slowing
everything down. But due to a lucky coincidence,
WITCHBLADE SPREAD – ANGELUS when trying to make a waterfall brush with
HERITAGE: “Another fun spread where I was asked to Photoshop’s Smudge tool, I discovered the
make up a lot of new, never-seen Angelus bearers. This is
due to the fact that the Top Cow universe revolves around software’s blending capabilities. This increased my
generational artefact-based powers” productivity by about 60 per cent.”
COPYRIGHT: Top Cow
Exploring abilities
L
It’s common knowledge that the comic-art
ike many of the comic heroes and were black-and-white Italian imports. At the time, industry demands quality, and fast. Sejic now uses
heroines he portrays, Stjepan Sejic’s that was my way of understanding and making digital media to his full advantage to achieve this:
own creative destiny was bestowed comics. With the introduction of full-colour works “Photoshop is the equation, Photoshop is the X
almost by fate. Now a successful and mainstream into my world, things changed. It’s a funny and constant value. It’s the solution,” he admits.
comics artist for global comic publishing house coincidence, but that very day at my first comic “I’m self-taught in Photoshop, as the program itself
Top Cow Productions, notably working on popular exhibition on a blank wall stood a framed cover of is very intuitive and supplies me with all the tools I
title Witchblade, Sejic recalls: “It wasn’t until I visited a comic I’d never seen in my life. But the name need to work efficiently.”
my first exhibition that I actually realised how far etched into my memory – Witchblade.” So much so that Sejic has produced his own
one can actually go into defining fantastic worlds With other people often forced to choose application techniques: “I’m not a big layers
and characters. In Croatia, most of the comics between their affinities, Sejic is fortunate his guy, except when it comes to Bevel layers.
21
Advanced Photoshop

Interview
This proves itself to be a priceless tool when RAVINE, This colouring project was the step towards issues to follow, Sejic isn’t letting the success go to
creating textures and shallow volumes, used in PAGES 86 AND getting the gigs Sejic wanted. “The thing about it his head. He’ll never forget what he owes it all to,
87: “Nebezial, a
conjunction with my custom-made brushes. The character that has is that if you go to an editor and start claiming as he reveals: “Essentially, every job has its way of
layer is quite often set to a Multiply blending remained virtually that you can do about 40 pages a month, they making you pay your dues and colouring was
mode. On this layer I paint white to create raised unchanged during won’t take you seriously. It just sounds absurd. But mine. Still, even today when I look at The Darkness/
all eight years of
edges. This keeps all of the colour and volume Ravine’s if you play your cards right and do it one step at a Wolverine, I can’t help but to think: ‘Damn, Tyler
information from the base layer, simply adding a development, time, it will hit them.” Sejic remembers vividly the and I sure do make quite a team’.”
except for his cool
volume texture.” day this occurred: “My editor at Top Cow at the
tail swords with
This technique is great for creating detailed special handles” time, Renae Geerlings, asked me to show her Creative arsenal
chain mail or multiple-layered complex some of my own paintings. This was immediately Tenacity is another of Sejic’s adopted attitudes
Witchblade armour, which can take up to two after the colouring gig on The Darkness/Wolverine that has seen him shine in his respective field.
hours. Sejic also admits: “It takes little more than crossover and her response was: ‘Wait. So you can Always striving to create work that is cinematically
two to three minutes to apply my personal actually paint on your own?’” Sejic started work on real, he envisaged comics with that ‘summer
favourite technique, which is creating reflective his first title, The Darkness: Level 1, and after that blockbuster’ feel. He reveals: “I’ve always been a
surfaces and working on skin pigmentation by Top Cow bestowed him with its big event book rebellious person. I’ve never tried to do what
painting with brushes set to the Hard Light and that summer, First Born. others did. Back in my early days, people always
Linear Light blending modes.” It’s this punctual, Just finishing his 22nd book in the Witchblade criticised my work for being too clean. They told
productive attitude that has moved him on to universe, with plans set in motion for another 28 me I should emulate traditional painting. But I
bigger and better things. A fantastic opportunity
was presented when Top Cow’s penciller Tyler
Kirkham, who wanted him to colour some of his “I didn’t want to emulate traditional
works, contacted Sejic. “At the time I was already
doing the comic Kade for Arcana Comics and was painting. I worked on canvas, paper,
working on Warhammer cards. Kade was getting
good numbers at the time so I presume that’s
walls; I painted a church and I didn’t
what helped,” admits Sejic. want that in my digital style”
22
Advanced Photoshop

Stjepan Sejic
The Darkness, issue 75 cover: “This

was a cover I did for the anniversary issue of Top
Cow’s The Darkness and is probably my favourite”
Copyright: Top Cow
23
Advanced Photoshop

Interview
Conchords:
“I’ve always loved
doing portraits,
and creating didn’t want to emulate traditional painting. I
illustrations of the worked on canvas, paper, walls; I painted a church
movies, TV shows
and games that
and I didn’t want that in my digital style. I never
inspired me is how wanted to emulate the styles of great digital
I started out before illustrators and concept artists, preferring to create
I had any
commissions. It’s a style of my own.” He adds: “I wasn’t trained in this.
something I I had no access to teachers or training DVDs, just
continuously seem me and my stubbornness. But I guess it got me
to return to, and
naturally this has through the rough times and to where I am today.”
also steered the Sejic is keen to admit the influence of digital
kind of
commissions that I
hardware on his method: “I do own a Cintiq but
tend to get. Which am partial to my tablet PC. For the last three years
is fine by me!” all of my work has been done on a Lenovo X60.”
He also endorses the 3D capabilities of modern
software. Nearly an expert in ZBrush and quite
skilled in 3ds Max, he uses these to develop his
understanding of anatomy and shading. He also
admits: “These programs are extremely useful
when creating comics, as they enable me to
invent a character library of three-dimensional
people. This is a very useful way to keep the
consistency of characters without resorting to
photo referencing.” But for all his rigging and
rendering with advanced materials in 3ds Max, he
always imports to Photoshop for upgrading and
Ravine, page 19: “This is a page from the first that final artistic touch.
issue of Ravine. It’s a good example of what my style Having sampled and executed realism, the
is about: stylish, cinematic realism. I put a lot of
importance into the design of all characters”
stylish over-rendered illustration of the Nineties,
manga and cartoonist styles, Sejic admits that
24
Advanced Photoshop

Stjepan Sejic
LISBON SKETCH: “Sketching is so important to keep
going, just because it’s a place to experiment and develop
things that you wouldn’t necessarily want to try for the
first time on a commission. Offf 2009 in Oerias, Portugal,
was very inspiring and I’m making some drawings from
the photos I took”
ultimately he always had an idea of where he Devotion to style RAVINE, However, reflecting the measure of the man and
wanted to go with his respective style: “I’ve got to His dedicated approach to this project ultimately PAGES 36 AND his professional, focused attitude, he admits: “I’m
37: “Brushes and
admit that all of my evolution, all of my reflects his own passion for the fantasy genre, as Bevel layers save
relatively new to the comics industry so there is
techniques and all of my skills are centred around Sejic reveals: “For Top Cow and Arcana I do comics me a lot of time in time for awards. But in the end these aren’t really
one project, one story.” Unexpectedly, this isn’t and covers, while for Dynamite, Radical and creating images that big in this business or what drives me. The
like this one. I love
Witchblade – it’s Sejic’s own vision, Ravine. Marvel I’ve only produced covers. I’m personally a subsurface ability to match speed and quality is what matters
Ravine plays a major part in Sejic’s appetite for genre-orientated guy who likes to be challenged. scattering of light. and that keeps my workload full most of the time,
the comic genre. Always longing to share this But I’m honestly not a big superhero fan.” I guess that’s one so I can’t complain.”
of the reasons
vision with the masses, he reveals: “Ravine is the Being at the height of his profession, Sejic why I love Never straying from his goal, single-minded in
project that made me want to draw comics, and enjoys the liberty to work with companies that painting dragons” what he wants to do and where he wants to be,
after eight years of meticulous development it’s publish his kind of material. “I love fantasy so Kade Sejic has finally persevered and fulfilled his
finally being produced. Top Cow will be was right up my alley with Arcana, as was Radical’s creative destiny. He’s come through some hard
publishing it, as announced at last year’s San Hercules cover or Dynamite’s Xena and Red Sonja times and this has made him a better artist and a
Diego Comic-Con.” This character-driven epic covers. I also love sci-fi, horror and mystery so, of modest man, as he reveals: “I’m very confident as I
fantasy – packed with paladins, wizards and course, there is affection for Witchblade and know my strong sides. But I know and recognise
dragons – will be presented in an innovative Radical’s Hotwire covers. In the end I do what I like those with greater skills, and this ability to be my
fashion. Sejic explains: “It’s made in a bit of an most of the time. The rest of the time I do own worst critic drives me to do more and better.
unusual format: 12 issues of 88-page comics with superheroes,” he admits mischievously. I realise that I started out as an unskilled, stubborn
additional stories filling it up to 100 pages per Although he has achieved so much artist from Croatia with little prosperity to get
issue. It is a fully painted comic,” and undoubtedly prematurely in this competitive industry, no anywhere. But I worked hard, drew ten hours a
a precious piece of sequential art. official awards have come Sejic’s way as yet. day and it got me places. So if you want to get
somewhere, don’t give up. Life will throw you
some massive curve balls; it will try to break you at
“The ability to persevere will be the a certain moment but never let go of your
difference between working an eight- dreams. The ability to persevere will be the
difference between working an eight-hour day
hour day job you hate or fulfilling job you hate or fulfilling your dreams.”
your dreams” http://nebezial.deviantart.com/gallery/
25
Advanced Photoshop

Feature
LSD s.r.l Photographers

Over the course of this feature you will see some of
the stunning works of LSD Photographers, which is a
well-known studio for its fantastic photomanipulation
projects. You can find out more about the studio and
its projects, by taking a visit to http://lsd.eu.
PARTYPOKER
COPYRIGHT: LSD Studio
28
Advanced Photoshop
028-035_AVP_59_PhotorealFeat.ind28 28 25/6/09 15:30:09

P
Photoreal effects
ot
h oar
e l effects
Advanced Photoshop explores the techniques and digital processes
that help shape some of the industry’s most aesthetic images
I
n today’s commercial arena, we see first-hand how
Photoshop is being pushed to its limits to capture
the imaginations of both audiences and artists. This
has become apparent in the branding and advertising
arenas. Here, a distinct style has arisen; a digital
hyperreality promoting contemporary and compelling
photoreal imagery.
Defying logic, Photoshop’s powerful creative sciences
are being deployed to create stimulating and exciting
designs. Look to the advertising campaigns for Gisele
Bündchen’s line of designer sandals (www.
sandaliagiselebundchen.com.br) or the Xbox 360 Rock
Band 2 television advert for a mere flavour of
photorealism. These examples are a drop in the creative
ocean as industries across the globe go about
promoting these styles.
But with our heads turned by these images, precisely
how accessible are these methods to aspiring artists?
What techniques exist so you are able to replicate and
reinvent styles? Well, Advanced Photoshop teams up
with some of the industry’s leading artists and dissects
their design processes, revealing that these inventive
compositions are not beyond your creative
comprehension. From sourcing stock to compositing
images, professional retouching and postproduction
corrective applications, we highlight numerous
techniques and show you just how adept Photoshop is
“
at delivering intuitive invention.
In the branding and advertising arenas, a

“
distinct style has arisen; a digital hyperreality
promoting contemporary and compelling
photoreal imagery
29
Advanced Photoshop

Feature
LONDON DAY TRIP.
With a photoreal style, photo stock becomes your Range to select flat colour backgrounds. Alternatively, ALLER-RETOUR
creative bread and butter. It becomes the building they paint out image elements with a black brush. Next, (RIGHT): Another
project produced on
blocks of every project, with artists dissecting and they select these with the Magic Wand tool. Masks are behalf of TBWA agency
reconstructing high-resolution examples to great effect. then applied in the Layers palette. To refine for Eurostar. A great
example of cutting and
But what are the best ways to obtain such material? imperfections, artists zoom in up to 400%, applying a compositing high-
Some artists invest in camera hardware to capture their regular black brush at 20-40% Opacity, 5-10px in size. resolution stock
COPYRIGHT:
own photographic samples, as the market provides By selecting the Pen’s Path tool and scrutinising their Marc Paeps
CLIENT: Eurostar
some cost-effective solutions. application, artists will apply drawn paths and convert AGENCY: TBWA
Established photographer Marc Paeps (www. them to a selection in the Paths palette. Applying a layer
marcpaeps.com), having produced projects on behalf mask follows back in the Layers palette. This technique BREAKOUT (BELOW,
TOP): “This image was
of top agencies TBWA and Leo Burnett, admits: “I work gives artists flexibility going forward with its made for Degree
with a technical micrometric camera on which I have nondestructive way of working, as you’ll always be able antiperspirant. It was a
rare case in advertising
attached a professional 40-pixel digital back.” This allows to go back and edit the mask when necessary. where we were given a
verbal brief and were
Paeps to capture larger, more detailed imagery, as well However, experienced freelance photographer James asked to create the
as set a fixed focus throughout the shoot. This means a Porto (www.jamesporto.com), having worked on entire visual”
COPYRIGHT:
consistency in settings, making it easier to create projects for Kodak, IBM and GQ, demonstrates how he James Porto
composite images. However, this type of camera can be composites his images as he goes: “The way I tend to
very expensive. If you’re looking for more cost-effective work is to start with the most dominant element, make FAITES VOUS VOTRE
PROPRE FILM, LISEZ
solutions, then Nikon’s D40 sets standards in a rough mask using the Pen’s Path tool and frame out UN LIVR (BELOW,
accessibility and picture quality. With a maximum the general look of the composition. I then add BOTTOM): A prime
example of how filter
resolution of 3,008 x 2,000, averaging 8MB images, its additional elements and backgrounds in separate layers and colour
adjustments really
lowest price of £246.29 (www.tesco.com) makes it a and try to determine approximately where everything determine the mood in
classic digital SLR purchase, offering high-end will be.” The image takes shape in a rough form, as Porto this style
COPYRIGHT:
technology to enthusiasts. adds: “I then refine all the masks using brushes going Marc Paeps
When working on commercial projects, clients will around the entire edge of each element at a high CLIENT: Filigrane
AGENCY: Air
often finance photo stock and may even provide artists magnification. Next, I refine the composition with the
with their own photographer. However, sometimes you Move tool and Free Transform option to get all elements
will need to consider the cost of photo stock yourself. Be to the right scale and position.”
aware that prices may vary, depending on the image
size and licence. Take, for example, www.istockphoto.
com. Working with a credit system, standard-licence
high-resolution images can cost up to £15 (around $24).
Extended licences can cost £68, which is roughly $109.
Artists will tell you that this is a worthy purchase, as the
standard of stock is very good in general. Making that
extra investment for an extended licence means
unlimited use of images in your projects.
If these fees are an issue, then approaching freelance
or enthusiastic photographers with incentives such as
affordable payment or the ability to promote the design
in their own portfolios can be beneficial. A simple email
goes a long way. International artist Peter Jaworowski,
co-owner of the Warsaw-based creative studio Ars
Thanea (www.arsthanea.com), agrees as he explains:
“By contacting them through their online portfolio you
can agree on lighting and angles, which will make your
life much easier when putting it all together in
Photoshop later on.”
Under construction
Jaworowski’s answer leads us to our next question –
how do you put together a composition from your
photo stock? Artists will first use an array of Photoshop
tools to cut and recomposite designs. Quick Mask and
Filter>Extract options are quick ways to cut out image
elements, but with such a detailed style more precise
means are preferred. Layer masks coupled with
advanced tools play an important role here.
Artists will often duplicate the highest contrast
channel in the Channels palette, leaving it the only one
visible. Applying Curves or Levels follows so they can
clearly define image edges. Once the general shape of
the object is established, artists will apply Select>Color
30
Advanced Photoshop

Photoreal effects
“
With a photoreal
style, photo stock
becomes the
building blocks of
every project,
with artists
dissecting and
reconstructing “
high-resolution
examples to
great effect
TIP
Creating distance
Desaturate certain parts of the
image to create the illusion of depth.
The background should always look
a little desaturated in comparison to
the foreground
Essential hardware
Recommended kit for those
home-based photo studios
We appreciate that some enthusiastic artists and
photographers will want to produce their own photo
stock. This, of course, has its own advantage of getting
the exact shots you want, but it can be a heavy
investment. So here are some effective solutions for
starting out your own home studio.
We’ve revealed Nikon’s D40 is an effective hardware
solution. However, for those coming to terms with
photography, Fujifilm provides an excellent brand with
the FinePix S1000fd. Weighing in at an even more
economical £117.39 (www.argos.co.uk), this model
meets technologies halfway. With manual control over
aperture and shutter speed and ten-megapixel quality, it
takes all the advantages of DSLR technology without the
necessity for interchangeable lenses.
Studio ready-made kits are also valuable.
Prices can range between $39.99 (around £24.99;
www.handhelditems.com), up to $1,549.95 (about
£947.48) and beyond (www.bhphotovideo.com). The
difference in price undoubtedly determines the quality
of your kit. Better diffuse capabilities mean that you can
specify your light source in your projects to a better
degree. One example is the Elinchrom D-Lite 2 (www.
warehouseexpress.com). At £189 (approximately $311),
it’s designed to work perfectly with digital cameras. This
camera offers amateurs and enthusiasts the same
amount of light at the same duration and same colour
temperature when the digitally controlled flash is fired.
PLEASE NOTE: All prices correct at the time of going to press
31
Advanced Photoshop

Feature
Building up adjustments
International freelance artist Pete Jaworowski reveals how he uniformed this image’s effect
To ease monocolour, I selected the model

To enhance the glass explosion effect, I and applied both Color Balance and Curves.
applied Levels to the corresponding layers, This brought out the contrast in colour and
which evened out the exposure. This way, light, creating a difference between the
the elements were not too black or dark but model and the background
just right in light and texture
Sparkles and glows were added to

increase the dynamism of the entire
piece by applying Pen tool layers.
Setting an Overlay blending mode and
adding Outer Glow brings out effects
At the end, I slightly altered the

Adding two blue photo filters set brightness and contrast using the
to Overlay on top of all my relative Photoshop options, so the
image layers created a cool little sparks and details shine
colour cast and calm mood. The through more
blue light was also more natural
to the theme SELF REFLECT
COPYRIGHT: Ars Thanea
TIP TIP Applying the previous techniques will allow you

to construct your compositions with immaculate
photographic elements. But what effects follow to
Consideration Organisation
Pay attention to detail throughout When working with many adjustments produce realism in your images? How are your photo
your application. The really small and effects, stay organised. Put elements integrated? Porto adds: “Once converting to a
changes can really make a difference everything into layer groups with selection and applying a layer mask, you must activate
and polish your final image different colours and titles this. Do so by clicking on the layer mask icon in the
actual layer. Run the Filter>Other>Minimum filter set to
“
two pixels, then apply a one-pixel Gaussian Blur. The Pen
tool cuts like a razor. This application will first contract
the mask and then soften it, giving a natural edge
Attention to detail coupled with attentive against your new background.”
“
application of Photoshop’s Clone tool
goes a long way, too. Without scrutiny, this
style loses credibility
Attention to detail coupled with attentive application
of Photoshop’s Clone tool goes a long way, too. Without
scrutiny, this style loses credibility. Jaworowski reveals:
“To remove small details or cover them, I use the Clone
tool or just simply apply a 20% Opacity brush with Pen
Pressure in the Brush Presets switched on, using a similar
32
Advanced Photoshop

Photoreal effects
THE RED BULLETIN
image tone. By using these tools, you can hide or (RIGHT): This image
improve many skin imperfections or unnecessary is part of a series
produced as cover
lighting that ruins your vision.” illustrations created
Correcting exposure and lighting using Photoshop’s between 2007 and
2008 for The Red
adjustment options also produces authentic effects. Bulletin
Artists will often apply two live Curve layers to the COPYRIGHT:
Ars Thanea
compositions – one for highlights, the other for
shadows – selected from the ‘Create a new fill or MARTINI ASTI -
ELEMENTS (FAR
adjustment layer’ option at the foot of the Layers RIGHT): This image
palette. Inside each individual layer setting, artists will is a great example of
how depth of field
increase and decrease the Output values by altering can produce realism
within a piece. It was
anchor points, in turn increasing highlights and a finalist in the World
shadows. These layer masks on the Curves layer will Luxury Awards 2008
COPYRIGHT:
then be activated and reverted back to their original Ars Thanea
state by pressing Cmd/Ctrl+I. By selecting a 20%
MARTINI SODA
Opacity white brush, artists will manually apply (BELOW)
exposure by painting onto the layer masks. COPYRIGHT:
LSD Studio
Alternatively, for a more straightforward application,
artists will apply to an Overlay-Neutral layer. Holding
Opt/Alt and clicking the ‘Create a new layer’ option at
the foot of the Layers palette lets you set the blending
mode to Overlay and activate the Fill with the Overlay-
Neutral colour option in the settings. This produces a
greyed-out layer, where artists will apply black-and-
white lowered opacity brushes to create manual
exposure and heighten image definition. This is like
applying Burn and Dodge tools, but not as destructive.
Effective solutions
However, there is the hazard of colour distortion with
these techniques, as Porto explains: “If a single element
in the composition is incorrectly lit or the colour is off, it
destroys the illusion of realism. Each element is lit
according to where it appears in the composition.
Attention to matching light direction and quality at the
photography stage lets you drop stock in perfectly at
the digital stage. The Color Balance adjustment option,
on the other hand, is something that Photoshop is very
good at, helping harmonise each image element.”
If you adhere to Porto’s advice, then lighting effects
rather than amendments will start to shape your
composition. HDR (high dynamic range) imagery is a
prime example. This contemporary effect can be
replicated to an extent within Photoshop. This process is
particularly simple and uses the power of Photoshop’s
blending modes, and can also be applied to an image
as a whole or altered for individual elements.
Artists will begin by selecting the image layer, then
duplicating and desaturating it. A 50% Opacity Overlay
blending mode is then applied followed by Gaussian
Blur, with settings dependent on what strength effect
you want. Ultimately, you will end up with a soft focus.
Then a new merged layer is produced above these by
pressing Cmd+Opt+Shift+E (or Ctrl+Alt+Shift+E on a
PC). This is then duplicated, with the layer set to the
Screen blending mode. Duplication is repeated,
resetting the blending mode to Multiply. Opacity values
for both duplicated layers can be altered to determine
the strength of effects.
Overlay-Neutral effects can also be coupled with
the previous effect to complement your visual
outcomes. However, some artists will seek more
accessible solutions, like investing in plug-in
33
Advanced Photoshop

Feature
FREAK WEATHER
software, such as HDRsoft’s Photomatix (www. (RIGHT): This image
hdrsoft.com). This economic alternative provides a free was made for New
York Magazine on the
trial before the necessity to purchase at a retail price of subject of how climate
$99 (£60.85). change will affect New
York City
Other harmonising effects can be applied using COPYRIGHT:
Photoshop’s adjustment options, for instance the Photo James Porto
Filter, which is usually applied to treat colour casts but

SLOPPYJOE G
can generally be applied to do the opposite and create (BELOW, TOP): One
image from the 2007
them. Artists will also apply a Hue/Saturation layer from Chick-fil-A calendar
the ‘Create new fill or adjustment layer’ options. where the theme was
Cowboy Cows in
Saturation levels are then decreased for all tones in the various guises, urging
Hue/Saturation Edit drop-down options. This technique us all to ‘Eat more
chicken’
is known as selective saturation. COPYRIGHT:
With this, artists can distinguish where effects should James Porto
be applied in the image’s colour spectrum. Layer masks
MIEUX VAUT
are applied as well, using black brushes with Opacity set PARTIR AVANT
to a low value to determine the preferred colour or (BELOW, BOTTOM):
This piece of
saturation strength. Creating such diffused styles using work reveals
how saturation can
this technique serves two purposes, as Jaworowski create depth
explains: “In gritty images it’s easier to cover some COPYRIGHT:
Marc Paeps
imperfections. What’s more, the colours are closer to the CLIENT: Eurostar
world we live in so there’s more of a chance the image AGENCY: TBWA
will affect its target audience when used commercially.”
Polishing compositions
Localising any of these effects to individual image
elements is simple with Photoshop. Porto reveals that
artists will often apply a 100% Quick Mask or appropriate
selection tools before applying their adjustment
techniques. When directly selecting options from the
‘Create new fill or adjustment layer’ options, he explains:
“If I make a Curve adjustment layer, I do it while holding
the Opt/Alt key. This way, you can check the ‘Use
previous layer to create clipping mask’ box. Adjusting
the curve will apply the correction to your selected area
only.” Applying a 100% white brush and painting on the
adjustment layer’s mask will then apply clipped effects
to other image areas.
Specifying blur and sharpening effects definitely
maximises the authenticity and aesthetics within your effects with a black brush. Applying white will have the
photoreal images. Usually a process left until the final adverse effect. Next, a one-pixel Radius Blur is applied
stages of the design, artists will use numerous and the depth map is complete.
sharpening techniques, such as the Unsharp Mask filter, Artists then activate the Layers palette and select
before blurring specific image areas. Effects can be Lens Blur from the Filter>Blur options. With the Depth
applied to image edges, isolated elements or whole Map Source set to Alpha 1, Iris settings can be edited to
compositions. This sharpness adds to the heightened determine the blur amounts. Applying this technique to
reality of this style. a duplicated layer allows layer mask editing and total
The most common and quick-fire sharpening control over effects. Alternatively, Quick Masks can be
technique used by professional artists, however, is the applied to isolate image areas for standard blur options,
application of the High Pass filter. Applied generally to a or if your image is still in bits you can apply manually in
composition as a whole, artists will duplicate their a gradual process with the Blur tool at varying opacities.
image layer then apply a Multiply blending mode. Next, Now aware of just how straightforward, effective and
High Pass is selected from the Filter>Other options. A efficient these photographic effects can be, how do you
two- or three-pixel radius will often create sufficient finally present your work within the creative industry?
effects. Layers can be duplicated to add more Representation from a reputable agency is certainly
delineation, too. advantageous, while Porto adds: “Young photographers
With a razor-sharp image the blurring can begin, and should begin promoting their names and images
the most intuitive way to apply this is by producing a nonstop. It works best over time and consistency is key.
depth map. Artists can do this by opening the Color Attention to simple branding concepts also helps.” Your
Range option and applying Midtones from the Select work is more likely to be noticed if you pay it more
drop-down options. With a selection active, an Alpha creative attention, as Paeps concludes: “It’s necessary to
channel is produced in the Channels palette. Artists will be obsessive with your design at all times. This style is
paint out image areas they want unaffected by the blur an exercise of precision.”
34
Advanced Photoshop

Photoreal effects
Composing photo elements
Piece together vivid photoreal images using simple Photoshop tools and stock
Mission Design (www.mission.no) knows just how 4. Details

effective photorealism is within advertising Now to add some detail. The bird was treated to match
commodities in the branding sector. Mission’s senior the image contrast and lighting, using previous
designer Karl Martin Sætren reveals how to achieve the techniques. Then apply a layer mask, hiding elements of
effects presented in its attractive project ‘Wildlife’. the bird layer you don’t want. Add a new layer with a
Multiply blending mode set below the bird. Then use a
1. Contrast and background black brush to paint in the bird’s shadow.
Start by applying a Levels adjustment layer and, holding
down the Opt/Alt button, drag the white adjustment
arrow towards the centre. This whites out the
background. Do the same thing with the black arrow to
darken the model. Once satisfied, merge effects into a
single layer. Repeat this step for the wildlife stock.
5. Composition
The last step is to create a good composition. Make a
series of pictures creating variation. Some ought to be
cropped closer, and others inverted. Some are meant to
2. Masking be aggressive, others to be calmer. Then scan the ink
Both images are pasted into the same document. Paint experiments and apply to the pictures, giving them
out the human head on a new layer then overlap the different blending modes to disrupt the purely
animal head layer at 50% Opacity. After scaling and photographic look.
rotating this, apply a layer mask and used the Brush tool
to make a smooth transition from the head to the neck.
“
COPYRIGHT: Design, art direction and postproduction:
Mission (www.mission.no)
PHOTOGRAPHY: Pål Laukli (www.tinagent.no)
Young
photographers 3. Liquify
should begin Select the body layer and isolate the neck area using the
promoting their Rectangular Marquee tool before activating the Liquify

filter. Activate Show Backdrop, setting a 50% Opacity.
names and Apply the Forward Warp tool with a big brush size, pulling
images nonstop.
the neck area up to fit with the animal head.
It works best over

time and
consistency is key
“
TIP
Modifications
Correct imperfections with the
Clone tool, the Healing tool or the
Dodge and Burn tools to preserve
the photographic content as
faithfully as possible
PLEASE NOTE: All prices correct at the time of going to press
35
Advanced Photoshop

MASTERCLASS
r e ateer
C covthis
thFeind oimutahgoewftreodmfroomur
stic ea is
fantaer was crnish in th
cov art to fi terclass
st o Mas
pr
36
Advanced Photoshop
036-041_AVP_59_SteampunkMC.indd 36 24/6/09 17:35:30

Master
steampunk styles
Learn how to add retro-
futuristic elements to your digital paintings
C
reating a steampunk-themed portrait is very is almost complete using only one brush, the default
ON THE DISC
fun to do. It has loads of elements that can be Circle brush set to Pen Pressure with Opacity and Flow at
put in, such as glass and metals, as well as the 100% . Through this, you will be able to concentrate and On the cover disc, you will find the set of
usual Victorian-style outfits. understand the basics without relying heavily on custom brushes needed for this tutorial, mostly
used in adding textures. Also included is
Common accessories are metallic goggles, ray guns brushes to do the job for you. You won’t learn magical the isometric drawing sheet as an
and headphones. But sometimes painting machines and tips and tricks, which most of the time are only additional reference.
reflective materials can intimidate a painter, especially applicable for a specific design. Instead, you’ll get the
creating realistic ones. This is because light and colour right foundation and basics in painting. To finish, instead OUR EXPERT Jeffrey M.de Guzman
varies depending on how the light source is set in a of using photos to add texture to the image, you’ll use Jeffrey M.de Guzman is a concept artist and matte painter for a
specific environment and the object’s structure. To custom brushes to help add volume to the materials. VFX company in Makati City, Philippines. He is an Excellence
Award winner for Golden Bee in the Portrait Painted category for
overcome this, you must understand how certain Patience is needed in creating this image, as it takes
Ballistic Publishing’s Exposé 6, which was also chosen as the cover
materials, like metal, glass, cloth and leather, reflect and time and understanding. Remember, a delicious soup for the Limited Edition. Other works of his have also been
absorb light. You must also observe how a material’s doesn’t just come from a can nor is it made from instant published in Exotique 3 and 4, as well as appearing on the cover of
Advanced Photoshop. www.jeffmdart.com
texture characteristics flow and make up an object. cubes, but it comes about by combining all manner of
In this walkthrough you will learn how to effectively fresh ingredients, carefully prepared and then cooked
paint specific materials, such as metal, glass, leather and over a decent amount of time. Now it’s time to start
cloth. But here’s the twist: you will paint the image until it creating and cook up a storm!
Know isometrics,
1 Sketch and studies
It is forever drilled into artists that they should
always start with sketches and see what works and what
2 Block and define shapes
Start off with a predetermined light source or use
Filter>Render>Lighting Effects to quickly do it for you.
volume and light
Before jumping in, you need to understand the
basics of isometric drawing. This will give you a
doesn’t. It is better to know at this early stage if your Defining shapes and adding shadows will make it easier
more solid look with your design structure. By
design will work well with the entire composition. It’s for you to know where the light is coming from. You
knowing its compositional grain, you are able to
good to spend time here rather than learn that things don’t need to dwell too much on details at this point, as mimic how a certain material is made. This will
don’t work out after you have already painted most of you first need to sort out the overall lighting and outline show how highlights, reflections and shadows
the image. sketches to correct every angle and proportion before behave. Take, for example, a cylinder and a pipe. If
getting bogged down by extra details. it was rendered without knowing the structure,
realism would never be achieved. Upon knowing
the basic idea of it, adding volume to a flat image
ought to be easy. You can quickly determine
which part will be well lit, where shadows fall off
and how reflections and textures behave.
“You must understand

how materials like
metal, glass and cloth
reflect and absorb
light and colour”
37
Advanced Photoshop

MASTERCLASS
3 Design the backpack
At this stage, paint it loose and let your design
ideas flow. Try to think what looks good first and then
4 Use the Rectangle tool
After designing your machine, you can now start
refining it to the last detail. Using the Shape tools, choose
5 Use the Pen tool
Once two points are placed, the lever arm can be
adjusted to the desired curve by holding Opt/Alt. By
edit it later on. Don’t lose sight of the fact that your the Rectangle and outline your design. You may Free holding Cmd/Ctrl, a point can be repositioned to another
design should show function and sensibility. It should Transform it as well, using Cmd/Ctrl+T, to precisely fit it place. To create multiple line paths, hold Cmd/Ctrl and
not only look good, but it must also look right. Draw your in. While still on the Rectangle tool, shift to the Brush click in the canvas space to deactivate the existing line or
inspiration from different types of engines, as it will give tool, Cmd/Ctrl+B, reduce the Brush Size to 1 and hit Enter path. Then switch to the Brush tool, reduce the Brush Size
you loads of ideas to start with. to render the path. Go back to the Rectangle tool, Cmd/ to 1 and hit Enter to have it rendered. Go back to the Pen
Ctrl+U, and hit Enter to clear the path. tool, Cmd/Ctrl+P, and hit Enter to clear the path.
6 Colour wash (previsualisation)

An essential addition to your workflow is knowing
the colour theme and harmony of your image early on.
7 Know your composition
A good portrait needs to have a good and
balanced composition. Eyes need to flow freely in the
You will be able to determine what material to paint and image based on the elements you have created. From
how their colours affect each other when placed side by the face, which is the focal point, to the backpack, which
side. With this understanding, you will be able to easily is the secondary point of interest, adding details like a
paint materials in their realistic nature. watch, gauges and ray gun directs the eye flow around
the image. Also, hand poses and angles help build a
strong composition.
Steampunk ideas
Steampunk denotes technology during the
Victorian era in England where steam power was
widely used. This theme has been popularised
with the works of H.G. Wells and Jules Verne. This
can be a great resource when looking for
steampunk references. Also, one famous website
discusses in-depth steampunk engine design
techniques, which can be found at www.crabfu.
com in the steam toys category. It teaches how a
steam engine works and how to design it, while
steam-powered toys have actually been created.
You might not be able to totally understand the
technical aspect of it, but knowing the basics of
8
steam power will give you an idea. Another
inspirational reference are the engines of Background
motorcycles. Not only were they created to be Although the background is only sky, it plays a big
aesthetically pleasing, but they are functional as factor, as this will serve as the basis of your colour palette,
well. They are some of the most intricate designs just as the colour of the ocean is affected when it reflects
that can be found easily to give you an idea about the clouds and sky. With the skin brush from back in
creating a steampunk engine. You can find great issue 48 (www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk/tutorials.
motorcycle designs that are custom-made at php), first paint in cloud formations with a base colour.
www.westcoastchoppers.com/choppers. Adjust the hues as you add highlights and shadows to it.
38
Advanced Photoshop

9 Build the cylinder
Press U to switch to the Shape tool, then choose
Ellipse. Hold Shift and drag to create a perfect circle. Free
10 Paint the cylinder
Once all the outlines are in place, merge all
outline layers and lower the Opacity to 35%. Add a new
11 Pipe base
To create the base of the pipes, start off with
the Ellipse and create a circle, then Free Transform to fit
Transform and distort to fit the Free Transform border layer beneath the guidelines and paint the base colour the pipe’s diameter. Duplicate and position to the other
with the isometric guidelines. The central rotating axis first. Turn on the Preserve Transparency button so that end. Switch to the Pen tool, mark two points creating a
point should be in line where the cylinder’s central you don’t have any worries about painting outside the straight line then create another point to where the
diameter is located. Convert to a line stroke using the base. Paint in the direction following its grain structure. curve ends. While still holding on the left, click and drag
Brush tool. Create the biggest circle first then duplicate it, Continue to build up your paint strokes, as this gives a until it fits the curve. Repeat the process until you have
resize while holding Shift and reposition. natural look to it. Emphasise shadows and highlights completed it. Switch to the Brush tool and press Enter to
using the Dodge and Burn tools. have the paths lined out.
12 Paint pipes
13
Create the base of the pipe and turn on the
Preserve Transparency button. With the light source set, Make the heat sink
gradually paint strokes following the path of the pipe. With the Rectangle tool, Free Transform and
The more you build up strokes, the more realistic it gets fit in one part of the heat sink. Right-click and fill the path
as reflections and shadows are easily copied this way. with any colour. Duplicate the layer, drag below the
Gradually adjust colour tones while doing this. Highlights previous layer and adjust the colour so that it’s darker
and reflections are elongated in a pipe’s nature, so there than the previous. On the first piece of the heat sink, use
is no need to be accurate. Suggestions of these would the Dodge tool to brighten the middle part. Hold Shift to
be enough, as it won’t be readable anyway. create a straight line on an angle, then merge both layers.
“Always reserve one

piece of the heat sink
plate in case it is
needed for later”
14 Assemble the heat sink

With the first piece done, duplicate the layers
and carefully align them according to the guidelines and
15 Disc base
This is the same procedure as the cylinder.
But unlike that, this shows a flat surface with a little angle,
spaces. Merge all heat sink layers and then desaturate showing very little amount of perspective shift. Simply
with Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+U. Pull up the Hue/Saturation create a circle and Free Transform following the
palette and colourise with a colour between a light guidelines. Duplicate the circle and resize using the
brown and gold. Always reserve one piece of the heat central pivot point of the Free Transform as a guide to
sink plate in case it is needed for later. correctly put it in place.
39
Advanced Photoshop

MASTERCLASS
16 Paint the disc
Now paint the base and turn on the layer’s
Preserve Transparency button. Paint with strokes coming
17 Flat surfaces
Create a path using the Rectangle tool, and
then right-click Fill with a gold colour to act as a base
from the disc’s circumference towards the centre with a colour. Pick another colour lighter than the base and use Quick tip
small circular brush. Add light-coloured highlights in a a circular brush to paint with multiple, almost perfect
circular path following the boundary and add the same vertical strokes, changing the colour hues with every By holding the Shift button, you can easily create
strokes for the dark part on the opposite side. Again paint stroke. Since this is a flat surface, this may act like a mirror, straight horizontal and vertical lines with the
with strokes coming from the boundary towards the perfectly capturing a reflection. So check if the surface Brush tool. Hold the Shift button while tapping or
clicking with the left mouse button from end to
centre, and complete the rendering with the Dodge tool. being rendered has to reflect something else.
end creates a straight line on different angles.
This can also be used with the Eraser, Dodge and
Burn tools.
18 Easy glass technique

Since the material is transparent, the only
thing you need to know is how its reflection and
highlights behave based on its shape. For a cylinder, the
idea is the same as a pipe. For flat circular surfaces take a
look at how you rendered the disc, and for the gauges
simply follow the contour. Lightly paint highlights with a
white colour following the objects’ grain structure.
19 Leathers
The leathers are also made of a shiny material
and light bounce from it. Follow the contour and shape
when painting over it using a brown colour. Then use the
20
Burn tool for shadowed areas and the Dodge tool to add
highlights. This will give enough volume where the The fabric
material contours. Add a new layer on top of it set to Soft Know your folds as this will show how
Light, then lightly paint a desaturated blue on shadowed believable and realistic the rendering can end up. Use a
parts and light orange on areas near the highlights for a 50% grey for the shadowed areas and 10% grey on areas
believable leather look. Finally, merge both layers. that are lit. White and colour values for the lit areas
should stay almost at the same level, as this absorbs light
and doesn’t reflect it. Add a new layer on top set to Soft
Light and lightly paint light yellow over it.
22 Patterns overlay
To make the fabric look more interesting,
small patterns act as good additions. Quickly create a
brush using an overlapping letter B with the Text tool on
two layers merged on a new document. Next, add a new
21
layer on top of the fabric set to Overlay, then randomly
Fabric texture brush in the patterns to different spots. Use the Lasso
Using the scratch brush created back in issue tool (Cmd/Ctrl+L) and, one by one, select the pattern
48 (also included on the CD), add a new layer and set it and Free Transform to use the warp function, then warp
to Overlay. Choose a white colour and randomly paint each pattern according to the fabric’s contour. Now use
over the fabric. Erase out parts where textures are less the Dodge and Burn tools to emphasise the pattern’s
noticeable, often in the shadowed areas. Don’t forget to shadows and highlights.
individually warp each texture to fit the fabric’s contour.
Once done, merge with the fabric layer.
“Since the material is transparent, the only

thing you need to know is how its reflection
and highlights behave based on its shape. For
a cylinder, the idea is the same as a pipe”
40
Advanced Photoshop

23 Design the ray gun
The ray gun’s design is a standard offering,
but give it a few twists by adding different elements and
24 Paint the ray gun
The same techniques also apply in painting
the parts. Separate individual pieces onto different layers,
25 Gem pattern
Now you need to determine the cut you will
be giving to the stone. Create a simple pattern and lay it
details. Using the same techniques learnt with the so that it is easy to render them later on. Once out to the position where you will paint the gem. Lower
engine, like backpack elements, you can easily repeat the completed, merge all layer parts and finish off with the the pattern guide’s Opacity to 40%. You need to establish
same procedure and apply it here. Also, quickly block in Dodge tool on areas where light reflects the most to be the lighting and perspective to make it look believable.
shapes and see if the design fits the overall image. able emphasise metallic parts of it. Add a new Overlay Quickly block out shapes to build the form.
layer and paint subtle textures using the pores brush.
27 Texture overlays
Once every element has been completed,
merge them all up. This way, it will be easier to add
textures to it. Add an Overlay layer to the image and use
26
the custom brushes created in past Workshops, included
Paint the gem on the CD. Use the cracks brush for the machine, the
Rather than painting the entire gem, you pores brush for the leather and skin and the scratch
need to tackle one facet at a time, beginning with the brush for the cloth. Erase away any unwanted portions.
side where your light source is. Because every cut on the
jewellery has a different angle and direction, colour and
light reacts differently, too. Not only is this reflective, but
light will pass through it as well. Paint dark areas of
colour to apply depth to it.
28 Colour additions and corrections

You can easily adjust colours and target
specific areas by duplicating your image and creating
“Because every cut
on the jewellery has
colour variations to parts that you want to enhance. This
could be adding more cyan to areas of the leather, a different angle and
adding yellow to metal highlights, etc. Put all variations
in a clipping mask with a layer mask filled with black. On
direction, colour and
light reacts
29
the layer mask, use a brush with white as the foreground
differently, too”
colour. This lets you reveal the portion where brushing is Frame and noise
being applied to. Colours of certain parts can now be Create a simple textured frame above the
added and corrected by painting them all over again. background set to Hard Light and lower the Opacity to
75%. Add a new layer filled with white. Go to Filter>
Noise>Add Noise and set it to 12%. Set the layer to
Multiply and lower the layer Opacity to 5%. Adding noise
mimics photo grains, which gives it a slightly nondigital
rendered look to it. Flatten all the layers and you’re done!
41
Advanced Photoshop

insight
50 Lashes: “50 stands
of thread were combined
and stuck to the model’s
eyelid. Crystals were
added to their ends for a
glamorous touch”
Skin Dee
p:
clay shards “A number of
w
These were ere created.
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and arrang en coloured
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tellite
Sirius Sa n
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adve llaboration
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prod
d Country”
with King an
Nickelodeon Kid
’s
Choice Award 20
08: “This
television promotion
al artwork
was produced in col
laboration
with Roger”
42
Advanced Photoshop
042-043_AVP_59_Insight2.indd 42 22/6/09 14:44:57

:
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. The
appear as four s Clients: Plastic Fantastic, blank_space gallery,
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to Precious Fleshous, Horus & Deloris Gallery (solo show)
capture the illu
sio Plastic Fantastic, blank_space gallery (solo show)
Projections 08, Cremorne Theatre (group show)
Advantageous is the word to sum up the attitude of digital artist Brian Walker.
Starting his freelance career as a photographer during and after university for the
State Library of New South Wales, Walker went on to work for numerous
advertising agencies.
But he soon began to realise that creativity was severely lacking in his design
life. This led Walker on an overseas trip to London with his now wife, where he
stayed for a year. “I began concentrating on my photography and had some fun
commissions,” he explains.
Over time he progressively taught himself more about photography and
developed his own style. “I would photograph models for agencies and collaborate
with hair and make-up students. I worked with emerging fashion designers, always
looking for fresher and more eccentric styles. From there I began exhibiting and
working on various editorials, but still focused on my work as a practising artist,”
Walker adds.
Walker still loves to draw traditionally, with his sketches becoming the visual,
manual and creative dictator at his photoshoots. “From these initial strange ideas I
begin to work through every detail I see, necessary to produce the image, such as
props, rough outfits and the hair and make-up I am thinking of,” he explains. Digital
application then fleshes out these designs, with his final works having an uncanny
resemblance to their sketch-based siblings.
Walker’s overall style is one that challenges the line between reality and the
surreal, through a playfully kitsch approach. “I am a concept junkie,” he embellishes.
“I relish a tasty piece of brain tickling. I guess that explains my obsession with
popular culture.”
43
Advanced Photoshop
042-043_AVP_59_Insight2.indd 43 22/6/09 14:45:32

Step-by-step
Workshop
METALLIC
TYPOGRAPHY
Create a steampunk-style type using stock images and Photoshop
T
his issue we’re being inspired by First of all, we will be focusing on how to
ON THE DISC
Steampunk left, right and centre! If set up a structure for a piece of illustrated
On the cover disc you’ll find
three Photoshop files: one with you’ve been trying out our digital typography, which can be applied to any
how the grid was constructed, painting tutorial on page 36, then what typographical piece of work. After that, we will
one of how the letter ‘Y’ is we’ve got here is the perfect typography be using Photoshop to construct a letter using
constructed in Photoshop and
one of the final composition with to go with it. different elements from stock photos and
its layering. In this tutorial, we take a look at what’s then bring it together to make it look like a
Theo Aartsma
involved in creating a steampunk-style type. whole. The last step will be to present the
OUR EXPERT
This will involve Neo-Victorian ornaments illustration suitably.
Theo Aartsma is a 27-year-old freelance graphic designer/
combined with industrial elements from the For this walkthrough, you won’t need
illustrator from the Netherlands. With his Sumeco identity,
he primarily specialises in experimental 3D and illustrated era of steam technology, all using stock anything more than just plain old Photoshop
typography. www.sumeco.net imagery or even your own photography. and some metallic stock images. We used
Because these are both strong and distinct in CS3, but it can be done just as well with
visual language, the two elements hugely other versions of the program, as we are only
inspire many illustrators and digital artists in going to be using basic functions like cutting
their work. and brushwork.
44
Advanced Photoshop
044-047_AVP_59_TypeWS.indd 44 24/6/09 17:41:52

1 Set up the document
Go straight to Photoshop and create a new
document. We’ve done our research on the
2 Make a sample
By now, you should have an idea of which
shapes are going to be used and where they are
3 Get a structure
It is clear that the lines of the ornament are
very straight. The style of steampunk is
subject in order to find out how to make this style going to be placed. However, it’s useful to create characterised by very straight industrial beams,
work. Adjust the settings so that the canvas is a sample to make sure that what you’re while other elements combined with ornaments
sized to A3 and positioned as landscape, set to planning is actually possible. The screenshot flow over and around these. Symmetry is also
420mm by 297mm at 300dpi. shows an example of this, focusing at this point clearly in evidence. Circles are good to make the
on gaining an idea of the sample’s structure. joints, as they were a common geometrical form
used in the steam industry. These can also be
covered in ornaments.
“The style of
steampunk is
characterised by
very straight
industrial beams,
while other 4 Lay out a grid
The type needs very straight lines in order
to fit into the theme. First of all, fill your 5 Activate the rulers
Merge these layers and, holding Opt/Alt
elements background with a black colour. To obtain a grid, and Shift, drag and copy them to match the
combined with create a new layer and draw a square (hold Shift
while drawing) with the Rectangle tool, using a
structure in the screenshot. The green lines are
the guides that are going to be added. First, turn
ornaments flow white colour. Drop the alpha down a bit, then
repeat a few more times to create a structure
on Photoshop’s rulers (Cmd/Ctrl+;). With the
rulers activated, click and drag guides from the
around these” similar to the one in the screenshot. An example rulers onto the canvas and cover the complete
is on the CD. structure in this way.
6 Design the type

Next, draw a type on a new layer similar to
the one shown in the screenshot. The Rectangle
tool is useful for doing this. Bear in mind that it
can be pretty rough at this stage, as it is only
going to be used for reference. Keep the type
within the letter frame and the centre struts
while placing it over middle of the line. Once
done, roughly halve the transparency and then
turn off the guides.
7 Look for stock

At this stage, the
letters need a bit more
character. You can look for
good stock on the internet, or
alternatively you can shoot
your own. For this
walkthrough, free stock was
used from www.cgtextures.
com, which is one of the best
stock resources for textures on
the web. Once good
examples are found, they
need cutting and trimming,
for which the Pen tool or
Polygon Lasso tool are useful.
45
Advanced Photoshop
044-047_AVP_59_TypeWS.indd 45 24/6/09 17:42:11

Step-by-step
Workshop
8 Cut stock with the Pen tool
To cut out an ornament, first select the
Pen tool. Draw the path using the Cmd/Ctrl and
9 Import the elements
When some of the elements are cut out,
you can begin importing them to your type
Work with Levels
Opt/Alt keys to modify it while drawing. After canvas. Just keep adding as many elements as Don’t be afraid to try out different ways of
you have closed the path, go to the Paths panel possible, as the more variety there is, the better working. For example, instead of working
and make a selection from the path to cut out. your type will be for it. In other words, the less with Levels, you could also use Curves.
you have to duplicate, the better. These are a little more precise for
tweaking, whereas Levels generally aid a
faster workflow. To find out more about
how this works, visit www.
cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/levels.
htm. This website gives a good overview of
the possibilities of the tool.
10 Move into place

To avoid cluttering the canvas, start
to resize and Free Transform (Cmd/Ctrl+T)
pieces and try to fit them in the places you
would like to see them. Follow this up by
desaturating (Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+U) the elements.
In terms of practicality, the next few steps will
concentrate on the ‘Y’ only.
“Add as many elements as

possible, as the more
variety there is, the better
your type will be. In other
words, the less you have to
duplicate, the better”
11 Layering
Bear in mind that for the structure
you need the circle shapes for the joints and
beams for the struts. Next, layer everything on
top of each other. It’s best to have the circle
shapes on top and the beams on the bottom.
Place most of the ornaments between the
circles and the beams, and then some above
12 13
the circles and some below the beams.
Levels matching All together
Not every photo matches well with After all the elements are in there
the others. It’s not the colour that is the issue and in place with the right values, it should look
here; instead, this effect is mostly due to the similar to the screenshot. It doesn’t take long to
Levels. Adjust these where necessary. Play create all of the other letters in the same way as
around with the sliders and aim to match the this one, but it means you will probably need
Levels settings with those of another image. even more images.
46
Advanced Photoshop
044-047_AVP_59_TypeWS.indd 46 24/6/09 17:42:30

14 Solve problems with shadows
Add shadows to the little elements
so they merge better. This is also a good way to
15 Add shadows
Next, select the layer that you want to add shadow to, then
hold Cmd/Ctrl+H and click on that layer to make a selection of it. Now,
“Add shadows to
the little elements
mask some of the problems with Levels and
lighting that couldn’t be solved earlier. Creases
on a new layer, use a soft black brush sized to around 35 to 45 and
brush in some shadow. You can control the density of the shadow
so they merge a bit
and lighting problems are among the issues
that casting shadows onto objects can resolve.
with the Opacity setting. This should be done for every layer that
needs shadow.
better. This is also a
good way to mask
some of the
problems with
Levels and lighting”
16 Global shadow
After you have completed the
shadows for each layer, merge all the layers and
give the whole type a global shadow. This can
be done in exactly the same way as the previous
step. It will help make the typography look less
flat and more like a whole.
17 Colour palette
Now that it is all combined, it’s time
to add some colours again. Create a small colour
palette on a new layer, and then choose colours
you think will suit the theme. After creating the
palette and a new layer, make a selection of the
type (hold Cmd/Ctrl+H and click on the layer)
and start brushing with a big soft brush with
one of the selected colours. Set the blending
mode of the colour layer to Color and bring the
Opacity down to 57.
18 Copper colour
The colours need a good copper feel
to them, gained by getting textures from
19 More colours
Import the textures and place them
on top of the type. Make a selection of the type
20 The background
The last step is to present it within a nice environment.
Merge all the type and colour layers to tweak the letter spacing and
CGTextures once more. Before importing the (hold Cmd/Ctrl+H and click on the layer), then composition; a light background works well here, perhaps with a very
main copper texture into the canvas, give it a inverse it to delete the part of the textures you light background gradient. With a large brush, paint a vignette effect for
large Gaussian Blur. Repeat this step with an don’t want. Play with the layer modes to see the borders.
oxidised green copper texture, giving it a what works best, though you may find that
smaller blur to keep more speckles. Multiply and Overlay work the best.
47
Advanced Photoshop
044-047_AVP_59_TypeWS.indd 47 24/6/09 17:42:51

Step-by-step
Workshop
PATHS AND
THE PEN TOOL
Master these two key Photoshop tools and you can create this stunning
disintegration effect using any stock photo
T
he point of this tutorial is to learn Jaworowski was inspiration for creating this
ON THE DISC
how to take an ordinary photo and tutorial, which you can see on page 32 this
Artwork © Richard Roberts
The image that we used is from manipulate it so that it looks pulled issue, demonstrating one way to produce the
iStockphoto.com, image
number ‘8745043’. However, we
apart. This effect can be described as disintegrating effect with a photograph.
have included some model ‘disintegrating’. To follow this tutorial Photoshop is the program of choice when
shots on the disc for you to use, successfully, it is important to have a broad performing this tutorial, as it is simply the best
or you can pick any of your own.
understanding of all of the tools in the palette photo-editing program with endless
Richard Roberts
box. It is necessary to have a somewhat possibilities. Using Photoshop and starting
OUR EXPERT
extensive knowledge of fundamental tools, from scratch produces original artwork against
Richard is an aspiring freelance designer and artist
located in the US. He was born in the UK and his interest
such as the Pen tool, the Brush tool and the using plug-ins, which gives less control over
in designing started four years ago. Recently, he opened Gradient tool. The piece Self Reflect by Peter the finished product.
his online portfolio and freelance website at www.
theotherstream.com.
“It is necessary to have a somewhat

1 Base image
The first step is to get your base stock
image. Once you have done that, start to cut out
extensive knowledge of fundamental
tools, such as the Pen tool, the Brush
the female from her original background. When
you have her cut out, create a tan gradient
tool and the Gradient tool”
background using light and dark tans. Once you
2 3
have the background set, apply a white Radial
Gradient behind her head for lighting. Now go to Pen tool Making shapes
Image>Apply Image and it will create a new layer Next, start to create the disintegrating effect. First, grab the Pen Create small shapes using the same
of everything you have made merged together. tool, making sure that it is on the Paths settings and not the Shape process, but this time zoom in a few times for
This layer is crucial, as it will be known as the stock Layers option. Once you have that ready, duplicate the stock photo and detail. After you have made about ten small
layer from now on. start making paths, creating random shapes. When you have a few, shapes or more, right-click the duplicated stock
right-click and click Make Selection. Once that’s done, click Cmd/Ctrl+J image, click Add Selection and all the paths you
and move the shapes over a bit from their original positions. This will created will turn into selected shapes. Hit Cmd/
distort the image a bit, which is what you want. Ctrl+J and move the shapes a bit over from the
original position to make it seem as if they’re
getting pulled from her.
48
Advanced Photoshop
048-052_AVP_59_PullApartWS.indd 48 25/6/09 15:20:34

Model photo from iStockphoto.com. Image number:
8745043. Photographer: Quavondo
49
Advanced Photoshop

Step-by-step
Workshop
Pondering the
Pen tool
4 Path tool
Next, create paths around certain body
parts, such as the lips, eyes and cheeks. Cut out
5 Disintegrating effect
Zoom in three to four times on the image
and use the Pen tool to draw paths, creating very
each part separately on its own layer using the small round shapes on the edge of the arms,
Using the Pen tool is basically what this Path tool method explained previously. Then shoulders, etc. After you have made a good 20 or
whole tutorial is about. If you lack the move each body part to the side of the female so of them, right-click and make a selection
knowledge of it, you may have some to add a surreal touch to the piece. Keep an eye again, hit Cmd/Ctrl+J and move the shapes off
trouble with this tutorial. Here are a few out for the placement, as you don’t want to the body, with some touching and some not.
tips and tricks to help you out. We have disrupt the composition of the piece, so be sure This will create a disintegrating effect for that part
provided an image pointing out which to pick a good place. in particular.
tool is the Pen tool and what setting you
need to have it on to create paths. The
yellow circle at the top is the setting that
you need it on to have paths. The other
yellow circle in the toolbar points out the
Pen tool. You can also see a random shape
making four points. After the shape was
made, we right-clicked the shape and a
box comes up as shown in the screenshot.
Click OK and leave the default settings, as
you will then see a selection come up
around your shape. Click Cmd/Ctrl+J and
your selection creates a shape. Make sure
that you’re doing it on your duplicated
stock layer.
6 Pull shapes
Create shapes on the duplicated stock image layer, but this time
create bigger rectangular shapes of the upper body. Move them
upwards as that will be the direction of the overall piece. This step can
be repeated, but try to create shapes more from the background. Once
created, move the background shapes towards the skin. This will appear
as though the skin is disintegrating with some parts missing.
7 Shirt
The next step is to focus on the shirt. For
this, create a variety of paths with different
shapes on each side of the shirt towards the
edges. After you have a good amount and
variety, make the selection and hit Cmd/Ctrl+J on
the duplicated stock layer, then move the shapes
to the side a bit to give the effect of it being
pulled away in pieces.
9 Arms
Continue to do the same thing to the
other shoulder as you did in the previous step.
Make sure you have an overall direction with all
8
the shapes you are creating and duplicating.
Upper body Now turn your focus onto the left arm. Zoom in a
Continue to follow the same process, few times until you can see only the edge of the
duplicating more shapes on the upper body. arm, then click your duplicated stock layer that
Create long, thin rectangle shapes on the neck you keep going back to with every step and start
and the shoulders facing upwards, then zoom in making little circle shapes on the background
and create small circle shapes on the shoulder and edge of the arm. Once you have over 20 or
area. Be sure to make as many as you want to so, make a selection and hit Cmd/Ctrl+J, moving
show that the skin is coming apart. Also, cut out them towards the edge of the arm. This will
part of the cheek and move it out to the side. This create the appearance that parts of the arm are
will add to the piece overall when it’s finished. being pulled out.
50
Advanced Photoshop

10 Shirt sides
The next step is to keep creating
shapes on the side of the arms and around the
11 Small details
Now you need to focus on very small details, which add to
the piece, making it more realistic and adding far greater detail. Zoom
12 Particles
Next, just keep adding small particles.
Follow the previous step but create the small
body. Keep building it up over time, as the more in very close to the image, pick a part of the skin and create very small shapes in different parts, for example, create
you have, the better the detail and the better shapes. Make a good 30 or 40 of these. After you have done this and some on the background, some on the shirt,
the overall end result. Now focus on the sides of the shapes are created, move the shapes on the edge of the body, some on the skin. Keep doing this until you
the shirt. Create 20 to 30 small shapes on each using the method that you have been doing throughout the tutorial have added them all around the image, creating
side of the background of the stock images, to make it appear that small particles are being pulled off the female. a lot of details.
particularly small circular shapes. Create the After you have done this once, duplicate this layer and move the
selection and hit Cmd/Ctrl+J on the stock photo particles to different parts of the body. This saves time and also allows
image. Then move your shapes inward. you to add more small particles in different places.
13 Strips
Now start to make some shapes
using paths, but this time create very long strips.
14 Hair shapes
We now move on to the hair in the
photo, which doesn’t need a lot of work. Create
“The shapes become more
interesting because they
Have them facing upwards as if they were
getting pulled up off her. Create paths on the
some more shapes throughout the hair and
the area surrounding it. Once completed, make
consist of other shapes you
shirt, shoulders, skin, neck, etc. After you have a a selection and duplicate it from the stock layer, have previously made”
few, make the selection the stock image layer, then move it to the left and repeat the process
create the shapes and then proceed to move for the right-hand side. This will create
them upwards. disintegrating effects around the head to
complement the rest.
Quick tip
It is a good idea to add a blur to some of
the shapes as you go along. Do this by
using the Blur tool. This helps to create
depth in the artwork, as it looks as if these
pieces are being pulled away from the
model at speed. Just blur as many as looks
right for your composition.
16 Hair styles
Now revert your attention back to the hair. Zoom in very
close as done in previous steps and create very small circle shapes on
the hair using paths, and make a selection on the stock layer then
duplicate it. Once done, move them to the sides to create effects
15
coming off the hair.
New layer
Start to bring in some more shapes
around the sides and around the neck, creating
an overall upwards direction. Blur some parts for
depth as you did in the previous step. Go to the
top of your layers and follow Image>Apply
Image, and this will create a layer with
everything you have done so far. Use this as the
stock image that you create shapes out of. The
benefit of this is that the shapes become more
interesting because they consist of other shapes
you have previously made.
51
Advanced Photoshop

Step-by-step
Workshop
Quick tip 17 Moving shapes
Creating all of the shapes is a long
tedious task, but in the end the outcome pays
18 Lighting effects
Take a yellow soft brush sized to 15
or smaller, and start to brush strokes on different
One helpful piece of information to know off. For this step, keep creating small particle parts of the shapes you have made. Set the
is that if you take a small brush sized 10 or shapes as shown in previous steps and have blending mode to Linear Dodge, then take the
smaller and you pick the same colour as them scattered around the edge of the body Eraser and erase parts of the yellow strokes to
your background, you can draw on the
and on the body for more details. Also, start to give a more neutral fine edge to them. Take a
background hitting into the model. This
create some more shapes using paths and black soft brush and go over where you have
will create an effect of her denigrating. Try
doing this to add small details. then create a selection on the stock layer. added the lighting effect using the Soft Light
Move these shapes around the neck, blurring blending mode. Add a black-and-white Gradient
some for depth. Map to the piece and set to Luminosity.
19 Further details
20 21
Now we move onto adding a few more details here and
there. Go to the top of your layers and go to Image>Apply Image. Now Problem solving Cleaning up
take your Pen tool and create some paths. Make different shapes, some Now go through the piece to see if After you have done this, go back
small detailed ones and some other large ones. The key is to make sure you can rotate any pieces for better direction through your layers and delete all the layers that
you have some direction to the larger shapes. After you have created and overall flow. Add some soft white or black you made to make the shapes, as they are not
them, right-click and select Make Selection, then hit Cmd/Ctrl+J and brushing with an Overlay blending mode for needed any more. These are the ones that when
you’ll have some more shapes. Then proceed to move the shapes dimension. Where you want lighting to have designing the piece, you selected Image>Apply
wherever you want. Placement is key so be patient and careful when more contrast, add black brushing on Soft Image to make shapes from. After you have
placing the shapes. Light. Also, do the same thing if you want to made them, make sure that you delete that
add shading or more dimension to a shape. layer you made.
22 Finishing touches
The next step just involves adding
finishing touches. Create a black-and-white 23 Sharpen
The final step is to go to Image>
Gradient Map and switch the layer blending Apply Image. Then go to Filter and then
mode to Luminosity. This will improve the Sharpen. If some parts look like they have been
overall lighting as well as bring out the tones of sharpened too much, take a soft round brush,
the piece. You can also play with the Contrast set to 50% Opacity, and go over the parts that
settings until it looks just right. are too sharpened.
52
Advanced Photoshop

insight
Marek Haiduk
Website: www.marekhaiduk.de
Clients: Fox Atomic, Financial Times (Germany), Museum of
Tourism, Meran, Italy
Marek Haiduk describes himself in one word – “autodidact” – and it fits like a
glove. You see, Haiduk is an artist who has acquired a great deal of creative
knowledge despite no formal education. Experimentation and online activity has
been his teacher.
This is certainly reflected in his mixed-media style and creative method. Haiduk
believes that too many plug-ins and filters can become misleading, but not
altogether useless. However, he likes to stick to standard cut-and-paste methods,
applied to his scanned images using drawn vector paths. “It’s a bit old-school, but
for me it’s the best and fastest way. Especially when working with a graphics
tablet,” he admits.
However, Haiduk has embraced the nondestructive capabilities of digital
media, namely layer masks. “I use these so the original image is still intact. In fact, I
use layer masks for nearly everything, much like adjustment layers. I often only
alter the Levels and adjust Hue/Saturation. I like to keep the grainy and old look of
my images, so I don’t retouch too much.”
His graphic style has won him many admirers in the editorial sector. Fox Atomic
and Athesia publishing house (www.athesiadruck.it/en) are notable additions to
his client list. The latter gave him his first big break. Sourced online by GGG/
Design Factory (www.gruppegut.it), his work was included in the title Being
Parents – Growing Up With Children, an advisory book for parents. This
undoubtedly led to bigger and better things, with Haiduk presently producing
work for the Financial Times newspaper in his native Germany.
the MBA
ncerning ur
h is was created co can you finance yo
: “T ow
n c in g Studies Administration). H t m on ey sources”
Fina sines s differen
aster of Bu oking for
degree (M image resembles lo ermany) 2009
ie s? Th is m es (G
stud cial Ti
ht: Finan
Copyrig
54
Advanced Photoshop
054-055_AVP_59_Insight2.indd 54 23/6/09 11:14:56

Revoluti
on
wanted to st : “I
ay
mostly mon
ochrome
with this on
e, only
showing a bi
t of red.
Usually, I am
fo
working with nd of
minimum co
lours in
my personal
works”
Comic-Con: “Two-in-
one illustration for an
article for the upcoming
Comic-Con in the US.
These two pieces are
part of a series about the
convention. I decided
on the coloured stripes,
which are, in fact, parts
of a shirt found in a
style magazine from the
late Fifties”
Copyright: Fox
Atomic 2009
55
Advanced Photoshop
054-055_AVP_59_Insight2.indd 55 23/6/09 11:17:30

Step-by-step
Workshop
COLOURFUL
ILLUSTRATIONS
Use stock images and Photoshop’s tools to emulate a popular abstract style
56
Advanced Photoshop
056-059_AVP_59_IllustrationWS.in56 56 24/6/09 14:19:12

ON THE DISC
There are no files on the CD as
you can follow this tutorial using
any stock images you like. We’ll
tell you which free Stock.XCHNG
images we used as we go
through the tutorial.
OUR EXPERT Anthony Giacomino

Anthony is a 19-year-old self-taught digital artist
pursuing a professional career in graphic design. He
resides in Milwaukee, Wisconsin as a freelance designer
and student. You can take a look at his online showcase
at www.agiaco.net.
A
bstract is becoming more popular in
advertising, so learning the basics of
creating colourful shapes and
abstract compositions will help expand your
design knowledge in addition to thinking
outside of the box.
In this tutorial, we will learn how to create a
bright and colourful abstract design, teaching
versatile techniques that can be applied to
many other projects. While Adobe Illustrator
does offer vector graphics, Photoshop is still a
great program for abstract design because of
the Transform tools and the Liquify filter.
Manipulating shapes is much easier because of
the variety of tools and features that are
specific to Photoshop.
In this walkthrough, we will explore different
ways of using the Liquify feature to create
malleable lines, Transform tools such as Warp
and Distort, and creating colourful gradients
and shapes on a light blue background. Basic
guidelines for creating an interesting
composition will be covered as well.
This tutorial is written assuming you know
the very basics of navigation and tools in
Photoshop. Photoshop CS3 or higher is
preferred, as tools like Warp only exist in the
newest versions.
Expand your thinking

When starting an abstract design, it is
important to unleash your creativity
through experimentation. Photoshop
offers plenty of features, and with a little
bit of thinking you will be able to create
many interesting combinations of shapes,
colours and patterns. Try not to limit
yourself to only the tools you are familiar
with, but instead explore Photoshop in its
entirety to learn more. Experimenting is a
“Learning the basics of creating crucial aspect of abstract design, so expect
colourful shapes and abstract to make a lot of projects specifically for

practice. The more you practise, the more
compositions will help expand your tools will be at your disposal for creating
that stunning abstract piece you have
design knowledge” been waiting for.
57
Advanced Photoshop

Step-by-step
Workshop
1 Start to make shapes
Create a new document at your chosen
size (ours is 350 x 305mm, 300dpi). Fill the
2 Add some 3D perspective
Zoom in on the triangle. Create a new
layer below the triangle layer, then use the
3 Start duplicating
Create a new copy-merged layer (hide the
white Background layer, Cmd/Ctrl+Opt/
Background layer with white if it’s not already. Polygonal Lasso to draw out a thin portion on Alt+Shift+E, then reshow the Background), which
Create a new layer and, using the Polygonal the long edge of the triangle as shown. Using also saves the original layers. Start to duplicate
Lasso tool, create a long triangle. Select the the same gradient as before, drag from one end this triangle. Through rotation and resizing (Cmd/
Gradient tool and create a gradient with the to another, but make sure that the colours flow Ctrl+T), we can place other interesting
following three colours: ‘00a1c2’, ‘e2ff22’ and in opposite directions to add interest and give duplications around the large shape. Feel free to
‘f81b60’. Drag the Linear Gradient from one end the illusion of 3D. You can Burn and Dodge to save individual triangle layers in a group, but
to the other inside of the selection. blend and add 3D depth. create a copy-merged layer as before at the top
of the one main shape to work with.
“Use the Forward

Warp and Mirror
4 Useful filter technique
Copy this merged shaped a number of times. On
some of the merged copies of the triangles, navigate to
tools and distort Filter>Distort>Polar Coordinates. Leave the default option

as Rectangular to Polar and click OK. For some shapes,
the triangles to only perform it once and on others repeat the filter. Play
your liking. Repeat with the rotation and size until you have an assortment of
shapes to arrange later on.
multiple times on
different shapes
to get a variety
of malleable
blob shapes”
5 Bring some movement to the shapes

With other copies of the merged shapes, navigate to Filter>Liquify.
Use the Forward Warp tool and Mirror tool with a large brush size and
6 Arrange the elements
Using some of the liquefied shapes you
have, begin to arrange them into an interesting
7 Create a blue background
Select the colours ‘0746d4’ and ‘07b6ae’ for
the Foreground and Background. Using a Radial
distort the triangles to your liking. Experiment with Transform tools to composition. Ours will flow horizontally in Gradient, drag the line from the centre to the
add dimension, such as Distort and Warp. You’re aiming to get a somewhat of an ‘S’ shape. You can add some outside of the canvas on your white Background
collection of different malleable shapes on different layers. circles into the composition using the same layer (turn off the shape layers so you can see
gradient as before. For some circles, try inverting what you’re doing). Using the Dodge tool, set the
the colours with Cmd/Ctrl+I to get some blue Range to Highlights and click the mouse multiple
and purple tones. Now that you have a base, times using a soft brush to create balls of light.
continue to add small details from other layers..
58
Advanced Photoshop

8 Lighting effects
Make a new layer on top and fill it with
black. Navigate to Filter>Render>Lens Flare and
9 Reuse the triangles
Next, locate the original triangle you
created earlier on and hit Cmd/Ctrl+T to size it
10 Add some wildlife
Open up the bird images (image numbers ‘257465’ and
‘847050’ from www.sxc.hu) and cut using the Magic Wand tool.
select a 105mm Prime with a Brightness of down a bit. Create a curve of triangles by Navigate to Layer>Matting>Defringe and use the default settings. Press
anywhere from 30-80. Now select Filter> duplicating them and then simply resizing and Cmd/Ctrl+T and hold Shift to scale the birds down. We can add subtle
Distort>Polar Coordinates and use Rectangular rotating. Start to fill the background with shadows with a black brush and a Motion Blur (at the same angle) at
to Polar again. This will bend the light, then set abstract blue shapes and setting the blending about 15-20% Opacity. Add a small hat on top of the bird using
the blending mode to Screen to show just the mode to Overlay or Screen. Adjust the Opacity triangles and shapes from the Pen tool.
light spots. Repeat, resize and rotate many lights to around 25%. Make sure these details are
to position around the canvas. noticeable, but still very subtle.
11 Everything could use something sweet

Open the lollipop stock (number ‘1024965’ from www.sxc.hu) and crop the white using
the Magic Wand tool. Place it on top of one of the shapes and make an oval at the base to give the
Quick tip
illusion that it’s in a hole. Add a shadow for the stick and then place them in a line. Hit Cmd/Ctrl+ If you tend to have trouble with colours,
U and select -3 for the Brightness, as each stick becomes more distant. We made the bird holding try going to www.colourlovers.com. This
website is packed with pre-made colour
one in its mouth, too.
palettes to use in designs, so it might save
you the hassle of experimenting with
colours for hours. It should also help you
learn which ones go together and which
ones clash.
“If you tend to

have trouble with 12 Final details
Continue to add some lighting effects. Put in some circles
and shapes in the background on Overlay. Open the piano keys image
colours, try going (‘928484’ from www.sxc.hu) and cut with the Magic Wand tool. Play
with the Distort and Warp tools to give it perspective. Add lighting on
to www. top using the technique you learned before. Insert any other small
colourlovers.com. details to your liking and keep the techniques you’ve learnt in mind!
It might save you

experimenting
with colours for 13 Finishing touches
Navigate to Image>Adjustments>
Brightness/Contrast and set the Contrast to 5
hours. It should and set Brightness to -2. Under the Adjustments
also help you menu again, navigate to Color Balance and set
the Blues and Cyans on Midtones and
learn which ones Highlights to 3. Once the final image is merged,
select Filter>Sharpen>Smart Sharpen and set
go together” Amount to about 13%.
59
Advanced Photoshop

insight
g: “I
Anlagd Översvämnin
won a Scandinavian photo
photo.
challenge in 2007 with this
salves”
It was inspired by Rob Gon
Go Your Own Road: “I think this is

one of my most popular creations. I
wanted to plant a road in a different
way; first I thought about having a
truck making the road in a similar way,
but I like having people in my pictures
so this became the final photo instead”
Erik Johansson
Website: www.alltelleringet.com
Clients: Dragster Gothenburg, Ogilvey Cape Town,
Jerhammar Norrköping
Erik Johansson is a 24-year-old freelance photographer and Computer Engineering

student with a penchant for photomanipulation.
He has been snapping photos since he got his first digital camera back in 2000,
which is when he discovered how much he enjoyed manipulating photos. It was
investing in a DSLR that really moved his artwork forward. “In the spring of 2007 I was
out on a walk with a friend who bought a DSLR about a year earlier. I thought it was a
really nice camera compared to my compact camera and decided to buy one myself,”
Johansson says. “Once again I discovered how fun it was to manipulate photos, but
this time I started to do more serious manipulations and bigger projects. It started as
a hobby, but during the past year I have begun to do some work for different
advertisement agencies.”
Surprisingly, Johansson is self-taught, picking up tips from web tutorials and
magazines. He works on a number of personal projects, from which the images
shown here stem, and he’s currently working with Ogilvey with some photos for a
campaign for WWF. His images use two key elements: a Canon EOS 5D Mark II and
Photoshop: “I use no other software and only work with photos I have captured
ng at sea.
sister worki myself. When I have found the right environment and have taken the photos I need,
Sea: “My
Work At of my first successful the work in Photoshop begins. I want to create the unexpected and sometimes
e ”
This was on ulations back in 2007
ip impossible; Photoshop is the tool that gets me there.”
photoman
60
Advanced Photoshop
060-061_AVP_59_Insight3.indd 60 23/6/09 11:19:58

Stryktålig
:
Germany a fe “Inspired by an ad I saw in
w years ago;
name of it bu I don’t remem
61
t the idea wa ber the
s that people
were flat”
Advanced Photoshop
060-061_AVP_59_Insight3.indd 61 23/6/09 11:20:28

Q&A
Helpdesk
Our expert Kirk Nelson
Kirk has been a graphic artist for over 11 years
in the Washington DC Metro area. He writes
tutorials for our sister publication Photoshop
Creative, and opens letters, checks emails and
hangs around the AP forum online, all for the
good of our Helpdesk. If you’re having
quibbles with Photoshop, Kirk’s your man with
the plan!
This month Kirk Nelson, our Helpdesk expert, takes on more readers’ Photoshop
challenges, queries and quibbles
A mirror brush
Q
Little-known fact: Shhh! It’s
Hey there Helpdesk hero. I’ve been working a a secret, but you can reflect a source
for cloning
lot with retouching and using the Clone
Stamp tool. There have been many times
when I’ve been working on a subject matter that’s
somewhat symmetrical when I have wished the cloning
could be mirrored instead of just a straight translation. Is
there an easy way to do that?
Alison McTaggart
A
Alison, there are several layer-based methods
to tackle the issue you have brought up here.
uick tip
And while those are perfectly legitimate
techniques, I would really like to take one of the few QThe n ew
Sourc
Clone u to
s yo
e
chances I have to shed light on a little secret feature in allow rce

panel to five sou
Photoshop. Now, when I say secret, I mean features that e u p fu tile
defin . No more ga
are hidden in such obscure ways that it’s clear Adobe gs in
settin creat
never wants anyone to stumble across them. p ts at re- !
attem ast setting
Open up the Clone Source panel and enter a negative p
value in the Width setting (usually -100%). Now Opt/Alt-
click to set your source point, and when you start painting Stroke layer style. I have some text with a stroke, but selection and Dodge, because I’ve tried that and it
Photoshop will mirror the source across an imaginary line when I try to add a layer mask and fade the text out with doesn’t work very well at all. The lightening is too uneven
in the centre of your source point and paint point. If a gradient, the text colour fades but is also replaced with and it’s almost impossible to get the selection to match
you’ve never explored this Clone Source panel, take a few a fill of the stroke colour! What’s going on? just right.
minutes to get familiar with it, as there’s more hidden Henry Tyler Fran
treasures to be discovered!
A A
Hey there Henry. You’ve stumbled upon a very Relax, there is a better way. That vignette effect,
odd quirk of the Stroke layer style. Instead of where the edges of the photo are slightly
Strange styles being the outline we expect it to be, it appears darker than the rest, is pretty popular and
Q Hello Advanced Photoshop Helpdesk. I

wanted to thank you for the great job you do
on the magazine; I can’t put it down and
always eagerly wait for the next issue to hit the stands. I’m
to really be a fill that’s simply x pixels larger than the
object it’s applied to. This is particularly odd when you
consider that lowering the layer’s Fill setting leaves the
outline stroke as you would imagine.
usually folks are trying to find a way to add it. So what to
do if it’s already there and you don’t want it? Not
surprisingly, the filter that can be used to add a vignette
can also be used to remove it.
hoping you can help me with an issue I’m having with the Regardless of the quirky stroke implementation, what Go to Filter>Distort>Lens Correction, and when the
you are really seeing is true of any layer style. By default, screen-sized dialog box comes up, first turn off the grid
they ignore masks. You have to specifically instruct checkbox, because it’s never actually helpful and usually
Photoshop to have the styles obey the mask. Open the gets in the way. Then look under the Vignette section.
Layer Style dialog box and look under the Advanced Slide the Amount slider towards the right to lighten the
Blending section in the Blending Options area. Just check photo edges. Depending on the photo, you’ll need to
the box labelled Layer Mask Hides Effects to make that adjust this carefully and possibly tweak the Midpoint slider
pesky stroke behave itself! as well.
Vignette removal Hit the high notes
Q Q
Dear Helpdesk, is there a good way of Hi there, this isn’t so much of a technical
removing a lens vignette from a photo? And question, but more of a general workflow
IT’s no stroke: When is a stroke not really a stroke?
When it’s a fill. Fade it anyway! please don’t tell me to try a feathered question. We have a small team of designers
Send your emails to us at [email protected] or post a message on our forum board at www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk/forum.
62
Advanced Photoshop
062-065_AVP_59_Helpdesk.indd 62 24/6/09 14:23:30

Kirby Krackle
Q Hey there Helpdesk man. I’ve got a true
graphics geek challenge for you. A
measure of your artistic prowess, if you will.
A test of your graphical worth, if you are willing to
accept it. Good sir, I now throw down the gauntlet
and challenge you to the Kirby Krackle!
Chris Brown
A
Work this Helpdesk long enough and
eventually someone’s going to come along
and throw down such a challenge! It’s why
I always carry a supply of Kirby dots in my utility belt.
The Kirby Krackle is an affectionate name for an
effect made famous by legendary comic book artist,
Jack Kirby. The idea is to use several various-sized
circles to define the negative space around an energy
field to give it a type of fractal pattern along the edge.
1 Prep time
Begin with a comic character isolated on a
layer. On a layer beneath the character, create a
rough shape filled with the colour for the energy
field. Over this, create a new layer for the first round
A BENCHMARK FEATURE: The Lens Distortion Notes used to enjoy a prominent position on the toolbar;
filter can remove vignettes from photographs as well as of Kirby dots!
add them apparently Adobe expected everybody to be using these
as often as their real-world equivalents. Nobody did. So
under a single art director. We all use Photoshop as our they have since been buried deep under the Eyedropper
primary design tool, and often we swap PSD files tool fly-out. Dig them out again, and you’ll discover just
because different artists will be assigned different how handy they can be.
elements of a single design. We frequently need to have
an accompanying text file to explain the directions
pertaining to the piece, to contain customer feedback Top tip: Are you pro-
and more. It seems almost impossible to keep this text
aliasing or anti-aliasing?
2
file with the corresponding PSD file. We’ve tried using
Custom brush
text layers in Photoshop itself, but that just led to a mess
Photoshop isn’t great for working with small type. Open the Brushes panel and select a small
because it was frequently confusing as to what was an
At lower resolutions, text becomes smudged and hard-edged brush. In the Brush Shape area, adjust
instruction and what was part of the design. Have you
irregular. However, only so much can be done. the Spacing until you can see individual dots. Enable
run into this issue and how do you deal with it?
It helps to understand the way Photoshop uses Shape Dynamics and set the Size Jitter to around
Cassidy Beakmann anti-aliasing on text. Edge pixels are half-filled in 60%. Enable Scattering and check the Both Axes box,
an attempt to prevent sharp jagged edges. Five
A
setting the Scatter amount to around 500%.
Cassidy, you are addressing a very real concern. different modes are provided to handle the anti-
Clear communication is essential for any team aliasing approach: None, Sharp, Crisp, Strong and
to be successful. Having directions and Smooth. In the image below, you can see text
feedback written in a form that stays with the design file is using each approach magnified by 500 per cent.
a great solution. Adobe thought of this several versions There are only subtle differences between them,
ago and implemented a solution with a feature that still but those small changes can add up.
never gets much use: Notes. These are like little yellow
sticky notes that stay with your PSD file. They are easy to
use and turn on and off, and are perfect for
communicating vital design information to your fellow
designer (or even notes to yourself for future reference.)
3 Energy fist!
Use the custom brush to paint in black dots
along the edge of the energy field. Use mid-sized
dots right at the edge then decrease the size as you
paint in towards the centre. For an added effect, add
more coloured dots on a layer over the black dots to
give a more seamless transition.
FIVE DEGREES OF SEPARATION: Learn how to

TAKE NOTE: Keep track of design instructions with control the appearance of small text
digital Post-its!
Remember to specify whether you’re using a PC or Mac and the version of Photoshop you have.
63
Advanced Photoshop

Q&A
Subtract, Intersect and Exclude. These modes are Group adjustments
particularly important when paired with the Combine
button that appears when you select the Path Selection
tool. They allow you to shape the paths by using other
paths to add or cut away from the shape.
Q Greetings Helpdesk! Great magazine by the
way, best I’ve come by. This may seem a bit
obscure, but it’s something that’s really been
bugging me. Is there any way to group an adjustment
To save yourself extra work, first draw out only the initial layer with several other layers and have the adjustment
corner and extend the frame only to the midpoints along limited only to the layers in that group? I keep getting the
CONTROL POINTS: Use the mode icons and Combine the sides. Then use the Path Selection tool to pick the layers outside the group receiving the adjustment as
button to get control of your paths
shape path. Press Cmd/Ctrl+C to copy that shape. Make well. I’ve tried clipping the adjustment layer to the group,
sure the Add mode icon is enabled, then paste it back in but that doesn’t work.
Curve wrangling with Cmd/Ctrl+V. The pasted shape will be selected Cecil Cuttersome
Q Howdy Helpdesk! How would I go about

copying and pasting control points from
one portion of a curve to another? I’m trying
to draw out an ornate picture frame and I’ve got one
automatically; be careful not to select anything else and
go to Edit>Transform Path>Flip Horizontal. Slide the
pasted path down until the edges match up with the
original path. Press the Combine button to join the two A
Cecil, dear chap, I am going to go ahead and
guess that you have tried solving this by using
some very intricate mask work, haven’t you? If
corner drawn exactly how I want it. How do I copy those paths together into one to form the top half of the frame. so, you will have discovered that this technique works, but
control points to the other three corners in order to form Repeat this same process to copy, paste, flip and join the the mask then needs to be rebuilt every time a layer
a single shape? bottom half as well. inside the group is moved or altered. And that becomes
Chris Clairmont NORMAL SERVICE: Contain the adjustment layer by more painful and tedious than defragging your hard drive
setting the group’s blending mode to Normal by hand.
A
Chris, the best way to do this is by using
something I like to call Curve Booleans. When
working with curves, you’ll notice there are
different mode icons along the top Options bar: Add,
Top tip: Filter fanatic

Filters can frequently be frowned upon in
Photoshop circles, as so many artists are almost
afraid to use them. So let’s be clear. It’s really the
amateurish use of filters that’s frowned upon.
Even the most experienced digital artist uses good
old Gaussian Blur on a regular basis! Here are a
handful of tips that will help move your filter fun
beyond that of random button pressing!
• Immediately after running any filter, Edit>

Fade can reduce the filter’s opacity and
change the applied blending mode.
• The Filter Gallery allows you to stack filters
Jump to hyperspace!
1
for combined effects.
Super star field
Q
• Applying filters to a Smart Object allows you
to go back and edit the settings, and even Helpdesk guy, first of all, thanks for all the Start with a black-filled canvas and go to Filter>
use a mask on the filter effect. great answers you give to us readers. They Noise>Add Noise. Set Amount to 15% and check the
• Some filters, such as Lens Blur and Lighting are always informative and entertaining. I Monochromatic box. Next, use Levels to greatly increase
Effects, allow you to load your own selections can tell by some of your past references to pop culture the contrast and then go to Filter>Artistic>Poster Edges,
when they are saved as channels. that you are the right guy to ask for this one. I’m trying setting the Edge Thickness to 1, Intensity to 10 and
to get that warp drive effect seen through the window Posterization to 2.
of ships in the Star Wars movies. Any ideas?
Sean Murphy
A
Wait a second, surely this is a trick question,
isn’t it? Star Wars didn’t have warp drives,
that was Star Trek. Han, Luke, Leia and friends
would jump to hyperspace, which, by the way, ain’t like
dusting crops! I’m sorry about having to call you on
that Sean, but seriously, I’ve got some geek credibility
to hold up here! However, the good news is that I can
HATS OFF: Learn how to make filters work for you answer your question.
Send your emails to us at [email protected] or post a message on our forum board at www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk/forum.
64
Advanced Photoshop

Quick t
ip
CS4
If you n
eed
precisio more
paintin n when
“In the case of silky
spotlight
g, pre
Lock ke ss the Caps
y
your br to change
smooth waterfall ush ou
tl
crossha ine to
irs
imagery… the effect Create 3D meshes in Photoshop
isn’t difficult to pull off CS4 Extended
before or after the One of the new 3D features found in Photoshop
CS4 Extended is the New Mesh from Greyscale
shutter button” command. This command uses the greyscale
values of a layer as a depth map to create a 3D
model. While that may sound a bit esoteric, it’s
Well, I have a wonderfully simple solution for you. Go to not as complicated as it seems. Basically, the
the group that contains the adjustment layer and change layer is turned into a 3D polygonal mesh, the
the group’s blending mode from the default Pass Through white areas are pulled up and the dark areas are
to Normal. Yes, that’s it. That’s all there is to it. It really is pushed down. Photoshop offers several
that simple. Don’t believe me? Go try for yourself! different projection types for this feature,
ranging from the standard plane to wrapping
the effect around a sphere.
Q
Water softener Photoshop is fairly sensitive to the levels of
I’m looking through a bunch of waterfall grey in the image it uses. In fact, if you are
images and I see many of them have this attempting to create a mesh with a high and low
effect where the water looks soft and silky. Instead of difference that isn’t mountainous, you will need
individual splashes, I see streaks of white. It seems to be a to greatly decrease the contrast of the greyscale
pretty popular effect, as I’ve seen it in work from a variety file. Photoshop picks up even subtle variations
of photographers. Is this effect in-camera or is it WHITEWATER CRAFTING: How to get that silky and even the slightest difference is translated
Photoshopped? In either case, how do I do that? smooth waterfall effect into the mesh.
Chase Matthensen Utilising this feature effectively can open a
If the terms tripod, aperture and ISO made you skip whole new realm of possibilities for your
A
Ah Chase, you’ve entered into one of my that last paragraph, then you might be better off doing designs. Pair this with the Clouds filter to easily
favourite games: ‘real or Photoshop?’ In the case the effect in Photoshop. The steps will vary for individual generate a mountainous terrain, or use it in
of silky smooth waterfall imagery, it really could photos, but the basic technique is still the same. Load the place of the Displacement filter to create true
be either. The effect isn’t difficult to pull off before or after luminosity selection (Cmd/Ctrl-click on the composite indentations in a brick wall. While this isn’t the
the shutter button. The most common method is to channel) and copy that to a new layer (Cmd/Ctrl+J). most glorious of model creation tools, it’s a
capture it in-camera. What you are really seeing is a Duplicate this luminosity layer and begin cutting out tremendous entry into the 3D realm and we
motion blur of the water as it runs by. To capture this, slow different water directions. On each cutout, use the Motion eagerly look forward to Adobe pushing further
your shutter speed down to stay open long enough to Blur filter set to the appropriate direction and distance. On down this path.
see the blur (use a tripod to steady the camera). You will the original luminosity layer, use the Smudge brush with a
probably have to adjust the ISO and aperture to Spatter brush tip set to a low strength to smooth out the
compensate for the extra light. areas the Motion Blur filter can’t quite reach.
2 Star stretcher
Use the Threshold adjustment to give a tight star
field and then go to Filter>Blur>Radial Blur with Amount
3 Make the jump
Combine all the star field blur layers together
and make a duplicate of the merged layer. Run a five-
set to 1,005, Method set to Zoom and Quality at Best. pixel Gaussian Blur on the duplicate and set the
Duplicate the layer and set the duplicate blending mode blending mode to Screen. Add another layer set to
to Linear Dodge (Add). Keep creating duplicates until Overlay and run a blue-and-white cloud filter on it.
you start to get a strong hyperspace effect. Finally, put an image of your cockpit on the top. ANOTHER DIMENSION: Create a 3D mountain
in Photoshop
WE DON’T NEED NO EDUCATION: True

Remember to specify whether you’re using a PC or Mac and the version of Photoshop you have. displacement of bricks in a wall
65
Advanced Photoshop

I N D U S T RY ● E D U C AT I O N ● R E C R U I T M E N T ● C A R E E R S
INDUSTRY
A WAKING DREAM: “An image from Utherworlds.
There’s not really an easy way to describe what this
painting represents in the story of Utherworlds, but
in its simplest form it depicts the conflict between
dreams and nightmares”
An interview with…
PHILIP STRAUB
Meet the man behind the newly released
Utherworlds book and website
P
hilip Straub has done it. After years of Advanced Photoshop: Tell us a little more
hard work, his Utherworlds book and about the Utherworlds project.
website experience is complete and is Philip Straub: Certainly! At the end of 2007 I
available from Ballistic Publishing (watch out for completed my studio art direction duties at
our review soon). The book is one unlike any NCsoft and decided that I would take the time I
other, a must-have for fans of the fantasy genre. needed to complete the Utherworlds book I’d
About the We sat him down to have a chat about this been trying to finish for nearly four years. The
insider mammoth project, a real labour of love. book is an original novel of about 60,000 words,
over 100 full-colour illustrations, two unique
Job Art director
Clients Nickelodeon, Magic: Advanced Photoshop: Thanks for talking to written languages, a spoken language and a ton
The Gathering, Sci Fi Channel, us, Phil. Can you tell us a bit about yourself and of maps that define the world.
Electronic Arts, Universal
Studios, Fisher-Price and more
the kind of work that you do? The story revolves around the concept of
Awards Illustrations featured Philip Straub: I actually do a bunch of different dreams and nightmares and their connection to
in Exposé and Spectrum 4 things, but my primary role has been as an art the conscious and unconscious thoughts of
publications, illustrations
awarded in the Society of director in the games industry for quite a few sentient beings, especially humans. Our main
Illustrators of Los Angeles’ years. I started out in publishing working for character is thrown directly into conflict when his
annual competition and a total
of 12 CGTalk Choice awards American illustrator Mercer Mayer, producing art family goes missing and he finds himself in the
Websites www.utherworlds. for 35 children’s books. In 1996 I began my Realm of Nightmares with no memory of who he
com, www.philipstraub.com career in the games industry, producing a CD-
Biography One of the best- ROM game based on one of Mercer’s children’s
known names in illustration,
Philip Straub is a hard-working properties. To date I’ve worked as a lead or art
man. He’s featured in all the director on over 25 PC and console titles, but I’ve
best art books of recent years,
is a judge and board member always kept my hand in building my freelance
for many Ballistic Publishing clientele as a concept artist and illustrator.
publications and has worked
Over the last five years or so I’ve built a
Inside guide to everything for a massive list of well-known
clients. He’s also featured on licensing business for my work, and my licensed
that you need to know to the cover of Advanced
designs are appearing on a variety of products,
Photoshop (issue 36)
make it as a professional such as books, games, wall murals, scrapbooks,
digital artist, including gifts, puzzles, stationery and textiles.
university and college
courses, industry advice
THE CLOUDING: “In the Lands of Hate, there is a
and interviews with pros place known as Lake Odium. Here, the most vile
» Pg 68........................Industry interview creatures dwell, the atmosphere is toxic and the
» Pg 70 .........................Student showcase sounds piercing. Humans are afflicted with what
» Pg 78 ...........................................Career focus is know as The Clouding. The Clouding causes
flesh to burn, eyes to bleed and hallucinations.
This is one of many visions you might see when
experiencing The Clouding”
68
Advanced Photoshop
068-069_AVP_59_IndustryIntro.ind68 68 23/6/09 11:22:39

INTERVIEW
“The book is an original novel of

about 60,000 words, over 100 full-
colour illustrations, two unique
written languages, a spoken
language and a ton of maps”
WINTER DAWN: “An image created for Utherworlds,

my illustrated novel and website. This depicts
Lealinnia, the guardian of Hope in The Realm of
Dreams in one of her many forms”
AADYASHA (RIGHT): “An image from my Utherworlds

book and site. Born of The Nightmare Realm,
Aadyasha is a creature of The Lands of Vensialas. Her
scent is intoxicating, her smile disarming and her voice
sweet like the chiming of angels. While everything
about her is meant to seduce and entice, there is a
childlike innocence that lies within her – this is her
weakness and her strength all at once”
was or how he got there. He must find his past and Mark Stefanowicz. Stefanowicz is a veteran in the games going to push the boundaries of what is possible in the
understand how it is tied to both his future and the future industry, having worked on a ton of game titles and is a casual game space.
of the known universe. very accomplished artist in his own right.
In addition to the book, there is an interactive website Advanced Photoshop: What techniques do you use to
I’ve been working on with a few folks that will have Advanced Photoshop: Do you have any current create your images? Where does Photoshop come into
supplemental material to the book – almost like a field projects you’re working on/projects lined up for the equation?
guide with additional information folks can find to enrich the future? Philip Straub: My tools of choice are Photoshop, Painter
the story. But, if someone doesn’t have the book, it can be Philip Straub: I just finished a fairly large commission for and Maya for much of my illustration and concept work.
an introduction to the mythology of Utherworlds. The National Geographic that should see the light of day later Photoshop has been a cornerstone to my development
website features an original soundtrack produced by Alan in the year. I’m doing some cards for Magic: The Gathering process since I began producing my artwork digitally. My
Hewitt, a well-known composer. The animations and and I have few book covers lined up. I’m also working as technique varies depending upon the desired output.
development side of things was handled primarily by art director for a Big Fish Games title that I think is really Sometimes I just do a ‘stream of consciousness’ rough
greyscale sketch in Photoshop or Painter to find a good
composition and layout. Other times, I might go right into
colour if I feel confident about the subject matter and
have a clear vision in my mind.
Advanced Photoshop: What would be your advice for

artists hoping to follow in your footsteps?
Philip Straub: It comes down to a couple of things
really: determination, practice, more determination and
more practice. All of the creative fields are extremely
competitive and require an immense amount of
UNOHLA: “This painting from the Utherworlds dedication. Working at refining your craft every day is of
illustrated novel is one of a few double-page spreads that paramount importance. The people who strive to grow
span nearly 34 inches across. Unohla is the Lands of
Truth and Knowledge in the Dream Realm” and stay open to learning more are the ones who find
true success and evolve.
69
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068-069_AVP_59_IndustryIntro.ind69 69 23/6/09 11:24:00

INDUSTRY Student showcase
I N D US T RY ● E D U C AT I O N ● R E C R U I T M E N T ● C A R E E R S
STUDENT 2009
SHOWCASE
Amazing Photoshop artwork by students from
around the world
W
elcome to the fourth instalment of our popular
Student Showcase, presented annually and first
featured way back in issue 17 in 2006 (which also ECOFRESH (MAIN IMAGE): “Someone’s also called it
featured a certain Adam Smith, now senior staff writer of Abstract Madness. It’s slightly bigger than A2 and there’s
a lot of small different things going around, like stock
this very title!). pictures, vectors and simple 3D renders”
Each year, we are amazed by the standard of work on show by Copyright: Mateusz Sypien
those studying art-based courses. Many of the artists featured
here are receiving paid commissions before they have even
graduated, promising no lack of artistic talent in the digital art
world in the future.
The students this year have their own personal websites to
promote their artwork; they are actively involved in online
communities and are regulars in forums, competitions and art
collectives, proving that even the best courses can only take
“Even if I you so far.
decide to run We believe that each and every one of the ten amazing artists
my own studio and designers featured here will go a long way, so expect to see
them featured among these pages again, as they achieve more
in the future, I recognition in the future.
will never Over the next eight pages, we take a look at the students’
artwork, their hopes for the future, how their courses have
become a helped them to develop and how they are progressing their
typical boss. Photoshop skills.
My desk will
be standing
next to my Get your work featured!
Here at Advanced Photoshop, we’re keen to promote the
colleagues’” artwork of up-and-coming artists and designers, which is
– Mateusz Sypien why we have so many ways that you can get your work
seen, whether you are a student or not. First, we have our
regular five-page Readers’ gallery, which anyone can
submit images for. See page 90 of this issue to find out
more about how you can be considered for inclusion.
We also have our popular online gallery site at www.
advancedphotoshop.co.uk. It’s free to join and your
images could be selected as a Featured Gallery, Pic of the
Week or showcased in the Exposure section on our free
magazine cover disc.
Finally, if you are a student then we have a Uni Focus
section to highlight student work every issue – simply send
us details of your course and some samples of your artwork
and we’ll do the rest.
70
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070-077_AVP_59_StudentShowcaseFe70 70 24/6/09 14:35:13

F E AT U R E
GENERATIONM: “This was a concept for the front cover

for MTV’s Insight book, which will be produced by The
Youth Conspiracy. This concept shows a young person
who is standing against the wall of reality”
Copyright: Mateusz Sypien
Artist info
Mateusz Sypien
Course: BSc Media
Technology and Production
Institution: Bradford
University; School of
Computing, Informatics
and Media
Personal portfolio site:
www.digi-mental.com
Year on course: First
Mat is 26 and already building

up a large online presence,
with recognition on the
Advanced Photoshop,
Photoshop Creative,
popwhore.com,
j3mag.uniqsole.com and
bestphotoshoptutorials.net
websites and communities.
Krzysztof Zdunkiewicz
Copyright: Mateusz Sypien,
pl), a young designer from Warsaw”
Zdunkiewicz (www.zdunkiewicz.
between me and Krzysztof
RIDE OR DIE: “A collaboration
Q. How would you describe your style and where do your Q. Have you had any paid commissions to date?
influences come from? A. Yes, I have had a couple. I have designed a front cover for
A. Funky fresh colour boost! The biggest influence in my life is The Seed Ecoversity magazine, done a piece with Lacoste shoes
music, as it pushes me forward and gives me a lot of ideas. Books, and I won a competition with a brief for the front cover and
comics, movies, everyday facts… it’s all life. layout design of the MTV Insight book announced by The
Youth Conspiracy.
Q. What essential pieces of design kit do you use to produce
your artwork? Q. Where do you see yourself in ten years?
A. Adobe Creative Suite forever! I use different applications, such A. I will still be working hard to inspire people like me.
as Photoshop, Illustrator, Flash, Dreamweaver, 3ds Max and even a Seriously, even if I decide to run my own studio in the future, I
little bit of After Effects. Everything depends on the project and will never become a typical boss. My desk will be standing next
my needs. I’m still trying to sharpen my skills in different areas. to my colleagues’ and I will be part of the team.
71
Advanced Photoshop

Copyright: Justin Otte

and that is how I came up with Girl Power”
illustrated a girl with awesome power, like a goddess or queen of the seas,
GIRL POWER (MAIN IMAGE): “I wanted to create an image that
DREAMS: “I wanted to capture the
feeling of what this woman would be
dreaming about had she really been
asleep, so I called it Dreams”
Copyright: Justin Otte
Artist info
Justin Otte
Course: Graphic Design Q. How would you describe your style? been done before. It’s not even a conscious decision that I
Major A. I guess I haven’t really found my style yet, but I tend to turn make. I have always naturally, without thought, drifted away
Institution: Long Beach City
College, CA, USA
more towards photomanipulation type work vs the whole 3D and from the usual clichéd type of work out there.
Personal portfolio site: vector-based stuff. Although I would like to get more into that, I
www.behance.net/jotte prefer doing retouching and photo illustration. To me, I like to Q. Where do you see yourself in ten years?
Year on course: Second
create scenes that cannot be captured on camera, like surrealism A. I see myself doing high-end retouching for some of the best
Justin is 23 years old and has and fantasy. I like to create the feeling that something is real that agencies in world, using both 3D and 2D. Maya is one program
a number of skills under his cannot exist. that I have been wanting to learn, but I will most likely have to
belt. His work is a blend of 95
per cent Photoshop and five transfer to another school to get the proper education that I
per cent Illustrator, and he Q. Can you explain the inventive ways in which you use need. High-end retouching and photo illustration is my
uses a Wacom Intuos4 tablet.
His work has also been Photoshop within your work? passion, and in ten years I plan on taking the lead in what I do
featured as a Daily Inspiration A. Everything I do, or 90 per cent of it anyway, has no plan – I just and amazing the world with my talent. But who knows, I could
on Abduzeedo.
do it. When I do my art, I don’t want to create something that has be wrong. Only time can tell.
72
Advanced Photoshop

F E AT U R E
Copyright: Alexander Reeve

incorporating fluids into work”
ATRIUM: “This was an experiment with
Copyright: Alexander Reeve

was experimenting with fluids, and it grew from there”
DISSOLVED GIRL: “This piece came to me while I
Artist info
Alexander Reeve
Q. How would you describe your style and where
Course: Multimedia Design
do your influences come from?
Institution: Bradford
A. I enjoy experimenting with a wide variety of different styles. I University; Swinburne
find it hard to label myself as a particular one, because I believe it University of Technology
should be about the piece of art rather than its particular style. My www.behance.net/mimetic
biggest influences and inspirations would have to be artists and Year on course: Second
designers such as Peter Jaworowski, Justin Maller, Pete Harrison
and many others. 20-year-old Alex uses a range
of software to complete his
works, including Photoshop,
Q. How has your course helped to improve your artwork? Illustrator, After Effects, Maya
and RealFlow. To date, he has
A. My work has improved many times over as a result of my course, had some paid commissions
not necessarily from the technical skills that we learn but for the and is about to start work on
an album cover – something
motivation it provides to work and to become a better designer that he is really looking
and artist. forward to.
Artist info
Ee Venn Soh
Course: BSc (Computer
Science), specialising in
Q. How would you describe your style and image processing, computer
graphics and human-
where do your influences come from? computer interactions
A. My works are a saturated mixed Institution: University of
Auckland, New Zealand
media of colours, balance, shapes and
photomanipulation. I am greatly inspired by www.behance.net/vennsoh
art from the US, UK, Japan and European Year on course: Third
countries. I am also particularly interested in
Ee Venn Soh has been
sci-fi, retro and classic artwork from the published in a number of
good old times. I feel indebted for the international magazines,
including Advanced
advantages we now possess. Photoshop, Almanac of Asia-
Pacific IV and Layers. He’s
also had exhibitions in
Q. Can you explain the inventive ways Malaysia, the US, Singapore
in which you use Photoshop within and Greece, all at the tender
age of 23!
your work?
A. I am particularly interested in colours and
shapes. I normally use the Brush tool, Pen
tool and layer styles to create small details
within my artwork. Having good stock
photos has also saved me a lot of time. There
aren’t any secret techniques behind my
work. It is all about the concept and how I
YABAZZ: “It is a basketball illustration work for my carry out the idea.
client based in Germany. The concepts behind the
artwork are about urbanism, vibrant and energy”
Copyright: Ee Venn Soh
73
Advanced Photoshop

Artist info
Jonathan Sipkema ANX, COLLABORATION

Copyright: Jonathan Sipkema
of the body through dance and create elegance”
DANCE: “In this piece I wanted to show the movement
WITH ENKERA: “A
Course: Advertisement collaboration with my friend
and Publicity
about how the anxiety about
Institution: High School
CSG Het Noordik death can be very beautiful”
Personal portfolio site: Copyright: Jonathan Sipkema
www.jonathansipkema.com and Enkera
Year on course: Fourth
At 16 years old, Jonathan is Q. What extracurricular activities do Q. Can you explain the inventive ways
beginning his creative
venture. He has already you indulge in to improve your in which you use Photoshop within
produced web-based and
DVD cover projects and
design skills? your work?
hopes to expand his diverse A. I spend a lot of time on deviantART, a A. I establish a colour scheme and a
style – inspired mostly by
music genres – next year on well-known online community for picture I like, then make something
a Graphic Design course. He artists. I also like to keep in contact with original out of these. My favourite tools
sees himself as an
established member of a graphic designer friends. This way I are Sponge, Burn and Dodge and I also
graphic design team in years always get good critique on my work. love to apply Color Range.
to come.
HUMAN NATURE: “A world in a human’s

Q. How would you describe your style and hand, created for a Crestock contest”
where do your influences come from? Copyright: Armen Mnatsakanjan
A. My style has a poetical feel, incorporating
elements of fantasy and surrealism. I use
weird colour combinations, which makes it
unique. Inspiration comes when I don’t
expect it to come; life itself is quite a big
inspiration to me.
Q. What essential pieces of design kit do

Artist info
you use to produce your artwork?
A. Photoshop is my main tool, but from time
to time I do like to use other software as
well: CINEMA 4D to make 3D elements;
ArtRage to sketch; these days I also try to
use Corel Painter but I just can’t adapt to the
Armen Mnatsakanjan
interface as I have worked for seven years
with Photoshop. Drawing on paper is an Course: Communication
and Multimedia Design
important part for me, as you learn the hard
Institution: NHL; Noordelijke
way instead of manipulating digitally. Hogeschool Leeuwarden
www.young-dream.net
Q. Have you had any paid commissions? Year on course: First year
A. I am working on a web project for Super
Sako, an Armenian rapper, singer and Armen has been in both the
UK and Dutch versions of
producer. It’s going well, as he is open- Advanced Photoshop, as
minded to a new style, which motivates me well as in Publish magazine.
He dreams of being a
to design something new. Sometimes on professional illustrator/
other projects the communication with the designer working for an
agency like Saddington
client made me go nuts! But in the end, they & Baynes and has even
were happy with the results. been thinking of starting his
own agency.
74
Advanced Photoshop

F E AT U R E
Artist info
Kristina Gehrmann
Course: Classical Academic
Drawing/Painting
Institution: Angel Academy
of Art, Florence
www.mondhase.com
Year on course: First year
(2008-2011)
Kristina is a 20-year-old
student who has already
received recognition for her
work through her course,
receiving the O. und I.
Wunsch-Stiftung Foundation
scholarship for studies at
Angel Academy of Art. Her
style is influenced by artwork
of the past, such as
Renaissance and baroque
painting, as well as the work
of the Pre-Raphaelites.
LULLABY: “A scene from the Thirty Years’

War that ended in 1648 and left the German-
speaking countries and duchies in ruins”
Copyright: Kristina Gehrmann
Copyright: Kristina Gehrmann
whom she had brought to death, and not even her mother Herodias was able to save her”
sharp ice fragments would sever her head from her body. She died the same way as the man
legend. She was dancing on a frozen pond when the ice broke and she fell in. Eventually, the
DEATH OF SALOME: “How Salome, daughter of King Herodes, died, according to an old
Q. What extracurricular activities do you indulge coloured canvas. As soon as I feel it’s working, I make
in to improve your design skills?? a quite exact line drawing on a bigger canvas (about
A. On weekends or sometimes after school, I use my 2,000-3,000 pixels wide) of the same colour. On a new
notebook for digital painting, either working on layer, I block in all colours, light and shadow. Then
personal pieces and studies or on paid commissions. I everything is refining and detailing.
also participate in online forums, such as the one on
ConceptArt.org, and post my art in online Q. How has your course helped to improve
communities for feedback. your artwork?
A. At Angel Academy of Art, the focus is on learning
Q. Can you explain the inventive ways in which how to ‘see’. This skill helps with all forms of drawing
you use Photoshop within your work? and painting that are based on the observation of
A. My digital paintings are 100 per cent painted in nature. Also, we learn to take our time to render
Photoshop. I make a sketch of everything – mostly a something as perfectly as possible and to control the
small concept sketch, no wider than 500 pixels – on a medium used.
75
Advanced Photoshop

Q. What essential pieces of design kit do

you use to produce your artwork?
A. My toolbox consists of a sketchpad,
graphics tablet, Photoshop, Illustrator,
InDesign and, of course, Advanced
Photoshop. I begin sketching out whatever
crazy ideas may pop into my head and
begin to develop those ideas in Photoshop. I
use Illustrator for some stylish vector
elements and InDesign for type. I often refer
Copyright: Kyle Kargov
that when you’re an artist, things just appear different”
art, and my appreciation for it in everyday life. How
ART BECOMES ME: “This piece is about my love for
to Advanced Photoshop on how to realise

those ideas, which is a great help.
Q. What extracurricular activities do you

indulge in to improve your design skills?
A. Not too long ago I was accepted into the
online art group Intrinsic Nature (www.
intrinsicnature.org). They are a talented
bunch there who offer one another
consistent motivation and in-depth
feedback. The artists, including myself, have
really grown over the past few months, and
that is clear as you progress through the
art exhibits.
Q. Have you had any paid commissions

to date?
A. I’m currently designing as a paid intern
for Youth Unlimited, a youth ministry
located in Toronto. The experience is
invaluable and so far things have been
going great. I think it’s essential for any
designer to get some hands-on experience
before they enter the workforce, so I feel
grateful that I’ve been blessed with such
an opportunity.
SCORCHED: “A cover design (sans type) for a

novel about pyrokinetic killers. The black fire
and ravens represent death”
Copyright: Kyle Kargov
Artist info
Kyle Kargov
Course: Graphic Design
Institution: Seneca College
www.behance.net/blastd
Year on course: Third year
Toronto-based designer
Kyle Kargov is a young and
enthusiastic artist with high
aspirations. Originally a web
designer, Kyle has leapt out
of his comfort zone to gain
experience in a multitude of
artistic styles. His desire to
produce unique digital
solutions for a diverse
clientele has motivated him
to experiment in a variety of
different design medians,
particularly those involving
Adobe Photoshop.
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Advanced Photoshop

WICKED: “The contrast and paradox of F E AT U R E
beauty and virulence”
Credit: Pauline Nordin (model);
Artist info
Pavel Ythjall (photo)
Copyright: Thomas Ciccone
Thomas Ciccone
Course: Fundamentals of
Typography(justcompleted);
Intro to Flash (enrolled)
Institution: Sessions.edu
(Online School of Design)
www.pixlmix.com
Thomas is primarily self-

taught in digital art, but is
currently enrolled on a three-
year Advanced Certificate in
Web Design, as well as
undertaking an MA in
Psychology at San Diego
State University. He has
Copyright: Thomas Ciccone
beneath is always apparent outwardly in time”
how it can manifest in the physical or real. What lies
HARBINGER: “A play on psychological tumult and
twice been a runner-up in

Advanced Photoshop web
challenges, so this is not the
first time his artwork has
graced these pages.
Q. Can you explain the inventive ways layering capacity of Photoshop. I

in which you use Photoshop within consistently utilise many adjustment
your work? layers to add highlight, shadow, lighting,
A. I always like to try new things and colour and emphasis to most of my
techniques that I come across. However, work. I’m constantly playing with
I have found that I consistently Overlay and lighting adjustment layers –
incorporate certain techniques or brushing highlights and shadows, and
applications in much of the work I do. merging multiple overlays to get even
More specifically, I like to utilise the small effects.
AEON, FRONT 3/4: “Capturing the

dynamic lines of the car front to back.
Fading of colour and detail is a very
traditional technique”
Copyright: David Eburah
Q. How would you describe your style and where

do your influences come from?
A. I aim to blend the more traditional qualities of
Artist info
vehicle design art with newer, more dynamic styles.

I also work quickly, leaving visible line work and
brush marks, which in turn give the render that bit
more character.
Q. Where do you see yourself in ten years?

A. I would like to imagine myself continuing David Eburah
concept work for the entertainment industry. I have Course: Automotive Design
secured a place at the Royal College of Art on its Institution: Coventry
University
famous MA Vehicle Design Course for two years, Personal portfolio site:
beginning September 2009, so I’m remaining open- www.davideburah.com
minded to potential employment routes.” Year on course: Fourth
David is a 22-year-old
Q. How has your course helped to improve student in his final year of his
course at Coventry
your artwork? University. He has been a
A. My understanding of design and the quality of finalist in numerous design
competitions. He has had
my concept artwork have relied on my course and work displayed at the Detroit
the friends that I have made on it. The course has a AEON, INTERIOR THEME: “This Motor Show, Canadian Motor
design was loosely inspired by the Show, FIAT Design Centre in
large emphasis on very traditional sketching and Turin, Building Centre in
forms of WipEout, the iconic
rendering techniques. I think this shows up within London and within various
computer game” design publications.
my current style. Copyright: David Eburah
77
Advanced Photoshop

INDUSTRY Career focus
Get the job you want with tailored advice from industry insiders
So you want to be a…
Concept artist
If you aspire to create concept artwork for films, comics
and videogames, then read on for some hints on how
to get a job in the industry
Introducing
F
ancy creating artwork for your favourite film or
videogame franchise? That’s what the role of
the experts concept artist could involve. It’s a highly specialised
Maxime Desmettre
Maxime works for Ubisoft
yet highly creative job that involves working closely with
Montreal; he’s created images for the project’s art director or producer to visualise their ideas MEDIEVAL W
AR
Prince of Persia and is currently in order to develop quick sketches into finished piece by Goran, RIOR: A personal
working on Assassin’s Creed 2. which also serve
renderings. We spoke with four concept artists to get their the home page s as
illu
www.maxisland.net website to show stration of his
Devon Cady-Lee advice on securing a job in this sector. case his talents
© GORAN BU
KVIC
Devon is employed by Turbine
Entertainment. His portfolio
includes work on the Lord of the What skills do I need?
Rings videogames and Dungeons What are the essential skills that a concept artist needs? Maxime Desmettre: A good portfolio in concept art is a
& Dragons Online.
Per Haagensen: You need a good foundation of simple one. Don’t put too much in, and keep a coherent
www.gorrem.com
Per Haagensen traditional art skills and an understanding of different level of quality – this means getting rid of the unattractive
Per is a freelance illustrator and styles. You should always be open to exploring ones, even if you’re attached to them. If you have an
concept artist for Funcom. His
previous projects include work on
new designs and ideas through proper research attractive portfolio then you’ll be able to convince an art
the Age of Conan and Lord of the and experimentation. director to hire you with as few as ten pieces of artwork in
Rings: Conquest videogames. Devon Cady-Lee: Draftsmanship, the ability to your hands. If you are not sure about which artwork to put
www.artbyper.com
Goran Bukvic
understand forms in space and being able to illustrate in your portfolio, then you could ask some trustworthy
Goran has worked in concept art them for others. A keen sense of design and problem- people or even an industry professional what he or she
for eight years. His clients include solving skills help in making believable artwork. thinks about your work.
Electronic Arts, Propaganda
Games, Disney Interactive and
Pandemic Studios. What about putting together a portfolio? What’s the best way to get work experience?
www.crazybrush.com I’d like to present a decent portfolio to clients or potential I’d like to get a feel for the industry. How can I do this?
employers – any tips? Devon Cady-Lee: There are a lot of private developers
that are always producing games and animations on a
lower scale than company-funded projects. You can
always try working with them to understand the
production pipeline from concept to the finished product.
It will also give you a sense of what it’s like to be under
What’s the the pressure of a deadline, which is really important to
best way to get used to. These types of projects usually pay very little
create original or not at all, as they are strictly for the experience.
artwork? Per Haagensen: You could try freelancing as a concept
artist; it is a lot easier to get into, as it is low risk for a
studio. Another benefit is that you can test yourself within
the typical work environment.
“Keep faithful to
your style – mimicking Is it best to work freelance or in-house?
other artists’ work is I can’t decide whether to work for myself or a company –
great in order to learn, what do you suggest?
but doing it for too Per Haagensen: Working in-house is great because you
long will prevent you will learn from others and get instant feedback. You’re
from finding your
own identity” THE WICKED: Haagensen made this illustration for a university project where
Maxime Desmettre he had to concept three characters and an environment for them based on
local buildings in his neighbourhood. He compiled these individual concepts
Concept artist into something of a movie poster presentation
Ubisoft Montreal © 2008 PER ØYVIND HAAGENSEN
78
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078-079_AVP_59_IndustryCareer.in78 78 23/6/09 11:25:39

CA R EER FOCUS
Industry insight
A closer look at how one
designer got into the
world of concept art
Goran Bukvic
Concept designer
Crazy Brush
“My father was a sculptor so I grew up among art and
artists. He was a crucial influence in my life, both when
it comes to art and the way I see things today. I
eventually ended up following his path and studied
Painting at the Academy of Fine Arts in Sarajevo
(Bosnia). When I moved to Toronto, Canada, I started to
shift my career interests from fine arts back to comics,
animation and games, which led to my three years at
Sheridan College studying Classical Animation.
I stayed in the animation field for a few years and, as
turbulent as the industry was, sometimes struggled to
find work. Luckily, I always knew what I wanted to do,
so giving up and doing something else was never an
option. At some point, my work drew some attention
from the gaming world and I had a chance to work on a
six-month, off-site contract with Pandemic Studios,
Australia, doing realistic character design.
I’ve been working in games ever since and really
also more likely to develop much faster and more PRINCE OF PERSIA – HIGH enjoy the darker subject matter and the way the gaming
CASTLE: Maxime created this piece production pipeline works. I would love to work on
diversely as an artist there than when working alone at a
of concept art for the latest Prince of
home studio. Persia videogame movies too but these days they are pretty much the
Maxime Desmettre: Personally, I would go in-house. This © MAXIME DESMETTRE, same thing. I am fortunate to be able to work from
UBISOFT
will be the best work environment to learn among home, which gives me the chance to catch the creative
experienced people, see what they do on the same tasks bug whenever it comes, day or night, and give it my all.”
and gather contacts for a potential freelance career.
Devon Cady-Lee: In-house can have work benefits, like
health insurance and pensions. Your salary is guaranteed How do I find out if my artwork
every month, too. Working freelance means you need to is any good?
be constantly promoting yourself as an artist, attending
conventions and getting your name out. However, you Per Haagensen “Get feedback. Try to expose your work to people in the
will most likely have a wider variety of work because you Concept artist industry as much as possible – online forums are great for
will have different projects from different clients, and you Funcom this. You should always compare your best pieces to similar
{
can manage your own hours instead of going to work 9-5. work from successful artists”
Does the job pay well?

What sort of salary should I expect to start on? Want to know more?
Devon Cady-Lee: In my opinion, a respectable starting Learn more about becoming a concept
salary is about $40-45k. artist with this selection of great resources
Maxime Desmettre: Even to start with a salary will vary a
Inspirational websites
lot depending on the field you’re applying for (movie vs
www.conceptart.org
videogame, for example). Moreover, the salary difference
www.cgsociety.org
between countries can be significant, which makes it
difficult to give an exact figure. However, concept artists Essential training
usually get a decent wage – in videogames it’s better WHAT OTHER BSc (Hons) Games Concepts Design
SOFTWARE Cost: £3,145 (per year) Location: Staffordshire University
than level or texture artists with the same level of PACKAGES WILL Website: http://tinyurl.com/staffordshire-uni/
experience – and it seems to be harder to find people in I BE USING?
Photoshop and Corel BA (hons) Game Art & Design
this field of expertise. Painter are the most common Cost: £3,225 (per year) Location: Futureworks Media
pieces of software used to School, Manchester Website: http://tinyurl.com/
produce concept art, so it’s futureworks-course/
Any other tips? best to ensure that you’re
Do you have any other career advice for a wannabe very familiar with these Must-have resources
concept artist?
programs. In addition to that, Massive Black
knowledge of various 3D Author: Ballistic Publisher: Ballistic Publishing Price:
Per Haagensen: You should always push yourself towards applications such as 3ds Max, £46.49 Website: www.ballisticpublishing.com
Maya and even the modelling
your uppermost potential. Also, be aware of the quality tool ZBrush can be a benefit Concept Design 2
level of what other professional artists are producing and to you as well, however, it’s Author: Various Publisher: Titan Books Ltd
not normally an essential
constantly compare your art to this level. requirement for the role. Price: £19.49 Website: http://titanbooks.com/
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Canon EOS 500D

Canon’s latest 15.1MP model with HD movie recording promises to pack a
punch on paper – does it deliver?
LIGHTWEIGHT BUILD: A plastic outer shell
encases an aluminium chassis, keeping the camera
light enough for prolonged shoots
but it is a bit of a cumbersome system when

you’re in a hurry. Saving the Format command in
the customisable My Menu settings does save a
bit of time, however.
One of the 500D’s headline features is its
ability to shoot full HD (1,080p) movies – a
quality that puts it ahead of its rivals and
broadens its appeal among the creative
community. At the highest resolution (1,920 x
1,080), video is shot at 20fps – fine for most
applications – but dropping the quality down to
1,280 x 720 buys you 30fps, which looks
smoother, if less detailed. If you intend to shoot a
lot of top-resolution movies with the 500D, make
sure you’ve got plenty of space, as just 57
seconds of footage fills 265MB of storage space
(shoot 20-minute videos regularly and it’ll soon
stack up). You’re also restricted by the fact the
camera can only record sound in mono and
there’s no facility to attach an external
microphone, so serious movie enthusiasts will
probably want to look towards the pricier 5D
Mark II instead.
The 500D sports a useful Live View function,
which performs well in bright conditions, less so
On the back of the camera, a large, bright in low light or overcast situations where the AF
920,000-dot, three-inch LCD takes centre stage, system struggles to find a lock. We were also
framed by a smattering of controls. Above and somewhat puzzled as to why you can’t access
T he latest launch from Canon slots

perfectly into the mid-range DSLR
category, replacing the older 450D. The EOS
to the left, a Menu button offers dedicated
access to the 500D’s uncluttered menu system,
and a DISP. (Display) button turns the LCD on
500D builds on the success of its predecessor, and off. To the right, an exposure compensation
carrying over a few choice features as well as button highlights an on-screen scale that lets
integrating some new ones, which we will look at you fine-tune your exposure, below which sits
in more detail momentarily. the Live View/Record button. The usual four-way
In the hand, the EOS 500D feels fairly solid and control pad and OK button combo offers further
well made, although you’re acutely aware of its soft key access to frequently used settings,
plastic construction, which takes the shine off it including WB, AF mode, Picture Styles and Drive
to some degree. The grip is sculpted to mode, keeping you from having to delve into
accommodate your digits and is rubberised for the menu system too often.
added comfort. In operation the interface performs well, with
most settings being quick to access without
having to trawl through the main menus. The
one exception to this rule is the Format
“The EOS 500D builds on command. Often you’ll want to clear your
its predecessor, carrying memory quickly, but to do so with the 500D you
have to enter the menu system, scroll five tabs
over a few choice features over to the right then four items down, with a
as well as integrating some further three button presses required to
complete the process. This does mean that
new ones” you're unlikely to format your cards by accident,
DETAIL: The 500D’s 15.1MP sensor captures plenty
of sharp detail
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Competitors
Nikon D5000
Manufacturer: Nikon
Web: www.nikon.co.uk
Price: £719.99/$729.95 (body only)
Spec: 12.3MP DX-format CMOS
sensor
D-Movie mode with sound
Zone. These include Portrait, Landscape, Close- Vari-angle LCD monitor
up, Sports and Night Portrait, among others. Live View
Seasoned enthusiasts are also well catered for, 11-point autofocus system with
with the Creative Zone offering the full range of 3D Focus Tracking
semi and fully manual exposure modes, in Nikon’s latest DSLR, the
addition to the somewhat anonymous CA and D5000, is aimed at
A-DEP options that are also featured. CA photography enthusiasts
(Creative Auto) sits somewhere in-between the with an additional
Basic and Creative Zones, allowing you to hand penchant for making
over most of the control to the camera but still movies. This camera’s 2.7-inch vari-angle
allowing you to alter options like picture LCD flips out from the body to allow the
brightness, depth of field and Picture Style, user to take better shots from awkward
offering a bit more control than the camera’s full angles using the camera’s Live View mode,
Auto mode. A-DEP stands for Automatic Depth and incorporates the D-Movie mode
of Field AE – basically, all you have to do to keep pioneered by the Nikon D90. The D5000
your subject in sharp focus is ensure the red AF sports an 11-point AF system with 3D
points seen through the viewfinder cover it/ Focus Tracking to help you keep up with
them. The camera then automatically picks the the action and can shoot continuously at a
necessary aperture to keep them all in focus. rate of 4fps, which should satisfy the
Driven by the latest generation DIGIC 4 trigger-happy sports enthusiast. Auto
processor, whichever of the 500D’s modes you Active D-Lighting restores lost shadow
CREATIVE CONTROL: The 500D’s Creative Zone choose to shoot with, you can expect sharp, and highlight detail in high-contrast
exposure modes let you control settings like the depth detailed and vibrant images straight out of the captures, and Nikon promises low-noise
of field in your images camera, and plenty of extra detail to be resolved images throughout the D5000’s ISO
from RAW files, too. With a native sensitivity sensitivity range (200 to 3200).
the feature when shooting in any of the Basic range of ISO 100-3200 and well-controlled noise
exposure modes – only the Creative ones. throughout, you’re able to obtain sharp shots in
9/10
The 500D’s 15.1MP resolution trumps the all manner of lighting conditions, with minimal Sony Alpha 380
competition and – in addition to the noise reduction needed during postproduction Manufacturer: Sony
aforementioned HD video capability – Canon work. You can expand this range further via an Web: www.sony.co.uk
has shoehorned a few other top-notch features option in the Custom menu, which unlocks Price: £699/$849.99 (with kit lens)
to further broaden this camera’s appeal. For less further options right up to ISO 12800 Spec: 14.2MP CCD sensor
experienced photographers, there’s a plethora of (equivalent); however, unless you’re a fan of BIONZ processor
automatic Scene modes to choose from, falling pointillism we would recommend you steer SteadyShot INSIDE
into what Canon terms as the camera’s Basic clear of these. 5 Quick AF Live View
2.7-inch tilt LCD
The lightweight Alpha 380
Manufacturer: Canon
is the latest addition to
Web: www.canon.com
Sony’s Alpha DSLR range.
Price: £969.99/$899.99 (with kit lens)
Pitched as an ideal
Req: 15.1MP CMOS sensor
companion for jet-set
Full HD (1,080p) movies
photographers, the compact body
Up to ISO 12800 for low-light
shooting incorporates Sony’s SteadyShot INSIDE
Three-inch Clear View LCD with technology to help combat camera shake.
Live View mode In addition, Quick AF Live View is
DIGIC 4 complemented by a 2.7-inch tilting LCD
for easier composition of high- and low-
SUMMARY: Overall, the EOS 500D angle shots. In-built D-Range Optimizer
represents a solid option for any with Advanced mode adjusts brightness
developing enthusiast, with a good balance and contrast to improve backlit scenes,
of automatic and more advanced functions, and the camera’s HDMI output is coupled
and a few standout features that set it apart with PhotoTV HD to enhance still image
playback on compatible BRAVIA TVs.
8/10
GREAT FEATURES: The Canon EOS 500D boasts from the competition.
an impressive feature set to satisfy advanced
photo enthusiasts
8/10
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Nikon COOLPIX S630

The latest compact from Nikon to attempt to get a grip on the point-and-shoot market
Manufacturer: Nikon FLASH RANGE: The

flash range on this
Web: www.nikon.com compact works to 5.5
Price: £290/$280 metres, which isn’t a
Spec: Megapixels: 12 bad stretch
Resolution: 3,984 x 2,656
Lens data: f/3.5-5.3 (37-260mm)
Zoom: 7x optical, 4x digital
Focus/macro: 60cm-inf/2cm-inf
Shooting modes: A, P, 17 scenes
Weight: 140g (excl. batteries)
Dimensions: 96.5 x 57.5 x 25.5mm
Storage: 44MB int, SD/SDHC
LCD: 2.7 inches
W hile Nikon’s top-flight DSLR range has

a solid reputation, the manufacturer
came
ra
has struggled to replicate the same level of
the latesst and
success in the point-and shoot category. So For release eviews,
pth r ily
does this new model break the mould? in-dedated da
up
The S630 sports an unusual inward curvature range than most (f3.5-5.3). It offers one of the
of the right side, offering a slightly thicker end, highest ISO capabilities we’ve seen for its
known as the ‘Sure Grip’ and aimed at providing stature (6400), white balance can be affected
a more comfortable finger fit. Elsewhere, the through five preset options and slow sync is
aesthetics are much more traditional. The top included in the flash palette. What’s more, the
edge hosts an On/Off button and zoom dial. A internal memory of 44MB will accommodate a
2.7-inch LCD screen, featuring a market-average handful more shots than the market-standard
230,000 pixels, shares the rear panel with the 24MB, and users may need the extra room as
aforementioned grip as well as a Rotary Multi the camera can deliver up to 11fps in
Selector and buttons for Shoot mode, Playback, Continuous mode.
Menu and Delete. Connections and battery- Operating the S630 is as simple as the brand
cum-card compartment are securely tucked makes out. The Scene mode is easy to navigate CONTROLS AND BUTTONS:
away. On the whole it’s a pleasingly stylish bit of to and use, and inputting your own choice of Sensible methodical layout of buttons
kit, but one small niggle is the positioning of commands – such as white balance, exposure
the Exp Comp symbol, which has been compensation and flash – is a doddle. More resonate bright, lifelike colours, rich blacks,
relegated onto the right edge of the device. advanced photographers may lament at the crisp details and strong texture. There are few
Its feature set can claim to offer more than restriction of Auto, but there are ways of using exposure qualms when using Scene modes,
many of its peers: a 12MP CCD sensor when the scene feature set creatively. but in Auto there’s a tendency for overexposure.
competitors in this price range hover around The image results of the S630 are equally On the whole, metering is fantastic. Flash is
10MP, and 7x optical zoom Nikkor lens (usual for surprising. 90 per cent of the time the compact strong, but marginally dilutes skin tones and
the price point is 5x) with a wider aperture excels, punching out shots with little lag that flattens textures. Chromatic aberrations occur
in some instances, mainly on overcast days or
in low light. Noise is uncomfortably visible at
ISO 800 and above and features in the shadows
at 400 and above. Finally, results at full zoom
house a significant amount of noise with
subjects blocky and distorted, the results of
which are quite unusable. 5
SUMMARY: A stylish compact that is capable

of producing sharp results and is easy to
operate. However, perhaps the S630 is
pitching slightly above its weight in terms of
6/10
its price tag at the moment
BATTERY LIFE: This point-and-shoot kept MEMORY AND STORAGE: A larger-than-
going and going average internal memory of 44MB
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Alien Skin Snap Art 2

A painterly plug-in for Photoshop, but can it challenge the best?
Manufacturer: Alien Skin SIMPLE TO USE: The
interface is, like all
Web: www.alienskin.com Alien Skin plugins,
Price: $199 (£125 approximately) easy to understand
Req: PC: Intel Pentium 4, Windows XP from the first time
or higher that you open it, with
a selection of presets
Mac: PowerPC G5, OS X 10.4.11
or higher
Adobe Photoshop CS3 or higher;
Adobe Photoshop Elements 6 or
higher (PC); Adobe Photoshop
Elements 4 or higher (Mac)
D igital painting is a hot topic right now,

with programs vying with each other to
produce effects that are ever more realistic.
Advanced users of Photoshop or Corel Painter are
masters of making the digital look real, but for
those not blessed with the years of practice
required or the patience to attain them, there is
another way.
Snap Art 2 is a plug-in that boasts a range of Get the plug-in running and you’ll have
real-media effects, from the craggy, smeary look access to a reasonably good range of effects. All
of impasto brushstrokes to the slightly misaligned are designed to make photos or Photoshop
smoothness of comic art. For those who want to projects look more ‘arty’.
quickly and easily transform their photos into Some offer better results than others. The
works of digital art, we’re told that it can work like Pointillism filter – designed to reproduce the
a dream. Except when it doesn’t, that is. small, dotted brushstrokes of broken colour seen
Snap Art 2 is supposed to be compatible with in the work of artists like Seurat – is noisy and
Photoshop CS4 and lower, Photoshop Elements cast with red, making your images look like
(a minimum of Version 6 on the PC or 4 on the something from a cheaply videoed art
Mac) and Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo X2. installation rather than a classic of 19th Century
Admittedly, these programs have disparate and painting. The Comics filter can produce some
sometimes completely illogical ways of loading excellent bold linear effects when used with the
PAINT TEXTURE: The textures are
plug-ins, but Snap Art 2 doesn’t make any of right kind of image. The Impasto filter gives designed so that they look realistic
them easier unless you’re running CS4. If that’s reasonably good results, producing appreciably when printed on canvas
the case, it will launch its own little program thick brushstrokes at the expense of fine detail,
window, on which you can find all of its effects as but there’s a certain sameness to them. Smart Stroke and Smart Settings features. You
well as the Help key and menu options sadly Experienced users of digital imaging software are always aware that you are looking at a
lacking and much needed when using this plug- will soon conclude that Snap Art 2 is a nice filtered photograph.
in with other imaging programs. There is, then, a enough set of filters, but it doesn’t produce the Where Snap Art 2 does do better than its
clear benefit for Photoshop CS4 users when more organic-looking results that Corel Painter’s main competitor, apart from on price, is in its
compared to performance in other programs. Autopainting feature does using its unique ability to allow you to section off parts of an
image and apply different levels of effects to
them. This does allow you to create a more fluid
application of the filter’s brushstrokes and keep
the details you want sharp while deliberately
fading others. This is a great function in any
imaging product. Sadly, we reckon you’re better
off looking at one of those instead of Alien Skin’s
Snap Art 2. 5
SUMMARY: Real-media filters are great for

applying paint effects, but this particular one
has a few problems and should only really be
SKETCH EFFECT: There are a number of
6/10
used in Photoshop CS4.
different art effects to choose from,
FOCUS REGIONS: The ability to add focus regions means that you can tailor the emulating traditional materials
effect more precisely than in the previous incarnation
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Photoshop CS4 Video and
Animation
Discover how to create animation using Photoshop – in 3D!
Manufacturer: PhotoshopCAFE
Web: www.photoshopcafe.com
Price: $99.99 (£62.70 approximately)
Req: Windows XP or Mac OS X 10
DVD-ROM drive
Speakers and headphones
Minimum screen resolution of
1,024 x 768
T he first and perhaps the most awesome

thing you’ll notice upon opening this
tutorial DVD is that there is a pair of 3D
glasses in the box. The second is that the
program you spent years creating images in has
been moonlighting as an animation resource for
ages, and it’s actually pretty packed with
features. This tutorial from Macworld expert Jeff
Foster will show you what those are, how they
work and what you as a Photoshop user can do
with them.
The tutorial kicks off with a guide to how
animation in Photoshop works, and it does
require you to be pretty familiar with the
program straightaway. The first thing Foster
demonstrates is the Animation workspace and
how it rearranges the program interface, adding
the Animation Timeline, reorganising tools and
providing easy access to functions you may have throughout. Foster makes sure that you’re aware VIDEO LAYERS: Projects range from the simple, such
never realised Photoshop had. This simple, logical of the similarities between these tools and as opening short video files and learning about video
layers, to the more in-depth tasks of video editing
approach permeates the entire disc – chapters regular imaging ones, so you have a good idea
are bitesize and Foster’s decisive on-screen of what to expect from them and what you can the tutorial DVD equivalent of watching a sci-fi
manoeuvring shows you exactly where to go do with them. This is the reason why you need movie at a Fifties drive-in, and while it’s cheesy,
and what to do. Projects start out simple, like to know your way around Photoshop first before it’s nonetheless amusing and adds a frisson of
opening short video files and learning about approaching this disc. cinematic flavour to the proceedings.
video layers. These work in much the same way Once the basics have been covered – layers, Created by an expert with a clear and friendly
as still images and you’ll see this theme repeated text animation and basic movement (such as teaching style, distributed under the auspices of
bouncing a ball) – the tutorial moves on to video the PhotoshopCAFE tips and tutorials website
editing. Foster makes no bones about the fact (www.photoshopcafe.com) and boasting a
that Photoshop is not a dedicated video editor great unique selling point, this is a well-
and that you can’t expect it to have all of the structured and professionally produced DVD
functionality you’d expect from, for example, tutorial. Fast loading and Flash-based, four and a
Adobe Premiere. What he does do is teach you half hours of tuition justifies its $100 price tag for
the basics of transitions, including screen wipes those who want to discover animation with
and fades, keyframes and the Animation Photoshop CS4 – after all, it saves you purchasing
Timeline. From there it’s on to filters, masks, additional and expensive animation software! 5
green-screen compositing and applying effects
like liquid and clouds. You’ll learn how to clean SUMMARY: An excellent guide to
up old film footage and make new digital video Photoshop’s capabilities for animation; it is
look antique. easy to follow, full of information, well
It’s after this intense yet approachable course produced and a must if you’re interested in
in animation that the 3D fun begins, and every the subject.
8/10
KEYFRAMES: Macworld expert Jeff Foster teaches
the basics of transitions, such as keyframes (pictured), so often this is shamelessly denoted with
screen wipes, fades and the Animation Timeline flashing text screaming ‘Get 3D glasses now!’ It’s
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Printing with Adobe Photoshop CS4

A thorough look at what you can do in Photoshop to get better print quality
Author/Publisher: Tim Daly/Focal Press Like all good instructional guides, this tome follows a logical
Web: www.focalpress.com workflow to help you achieve good prints from the very start of
Price: £24.99/$39.99 photo creation. For example, the first chapter looks at Shooting
About: Entire workflow covered to result in better Essentials: how you can make your shots better to aid accurate
photographic prints printing in the future. This covers things like RAW vs JPEG and
Practical jargon-free advice to getting the using light meters for better exposure.
best out of your prints Moving on, there is an in-depth look at colour management,
Authored by working photographer Tim Daly, which is where anyone can pick up from, photographer or not.
also an acclaimed educator Then it moves through file processing, looking at Photoshop
18 in-depth chapters from Shooting Essentials tools to help improve your images (while it is CS4-focused, most
to Digital On-Demand Services of the tools and techniques are not version-specific). There are
some more creative chapters too, looking at creating special
P rinting can sometimes feel like a bit of a dark art. In

essence it’s simple – you just hit Print! – but for those
of us for whom the quality of our prints is really important,
effects or working in monotone, before it moves onto preparing
images for print. This has some basic advice on choosing a
printer and preparing for any type of printing, including inkjet
then it’s a lot more in-depth encompassing good colour and C-type. There’s also a lot of information on printer profiles, Photo perfect: An in-depth guide to getting
management and an understanding of colour theory. which is handy for more experienced artists and designers. perfect photographic prints from Photoshop
This is where Printing with Adobe Photoshop CS4 comes into Latter sections, looking at soft proofing and evaluating print
play. Like all Focal Press titles, it does what it says on the cover quality, will be better suited to those looking to print for display Summary: Slanted towards
and has an expert author, in this case working photographer or portfolio purposes – commercial endeavours always benefit photography, but packed to the brim
Tim Daly. While the book is aimed at getting perfect from impeccable quality. with handy printing advice for CS4 users.
photographic prints, the advice inside will work just as well for Overall, this is a great book that covers everything you need Covers an entire workflow, in and out of
all types of digital art, so don’t discard it because of its photo- to know about accurate printing. Sample imagery is Photoshop, giving you an overview of
heavy slant. The topic of printing is broken down over more photographic, but the advice will translate to perfecting what makes a good print.
than 280 pages, so you’re getting a lot of advice for your cash,
which just goes to show how complex a topic it can be.
graphics and digital art. If printing is an important part of your
workflow, then this is your one-stop manual. 5 9/10
The Adobe Photoshop CS4

Layers Book
A hands-on guide to using the power of layers in Photoshop
Authors/Publisher: Richard Lynch/Focal Press blending using the Blend If command. Each of the techniques is
Web: www.focalpress.com accompanied by large-scale screenshots that show you what is
Price: £22.99/$39.95 being taught clearly. There are also a number of coloured boxes
About: Correct and enhance colour, fix composition throughout, denoting tasks (‘Try it now’ boxes) and quick tips.
problems and repair damage and flaws The tasks that it sets for you come after written instruction
Isolate image areas for changes, and are laid out as a series of listed steps. These are easy to
adjustments and experimentation follow so that you can learn hands-on. There is a free CD that
Layer blending, clipping masks, Opacity, Fill, comes with the book that has the files that you need to
layer masks and so on explained complete the tasks, which is a real bonus. The CD also contains a
Value for money: As well as over 290
Comes with a free CD set of custom actions to help you get through sections of the pages, there is also a free CD that comes with
book faster to get quickly to the bits that you need. the book to help you learn
L ayers are the most important Photoshop tool for most

digital photographers, artists and designers. This book
is a dedicated look at layers and what you can do with
The actual editorial and the educational portions are fantastic
and it’s very easy to learn the skills – even advanced users will
get a lot out of this. Our main complaint with the title is that it is
Summary: Though there is good advice
for advanced users, this is better suited to
them, aimed at users of CS4 but with much of the advice not very visually exciting, with very little artwork. Though it’s not those coming at Photoshop for the first
covering all versions of the software. needed to provide information, it would be nice to have some time and want to progress to more
It’s hard to believe that you can fill 290 pages just on layers, colour breaking up the book to make it less intensive. advanced skills. The lack of artwork makes
but author Richard Lynch has done just that. There are ten You do get a lot of information for your money and those it less visually interesting.
chapters, each covering a specific feature on layers, from image
isolation to layer masks, applying layer effects to advanced
new to layers in Photoshop, or who want to get more from
them, will definitely benefit. 5
7/10
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Exposé 7
The seventh collection of the ‘finest digital art in the known universe’
Author/Publisher: Ballistic Publishing Soak it up,
Web: www.ballisticpublishing.com though, as it’s the
Price: Soft cover: $64; hard cover $75; Limited only bit of
Edition $170 (approximately £40; £47; editorial in the
£106)
book. After that,
About: 20 categories of artwork
you launch
Image captions detailing software used, artist
straight into the
name and country
first of 20
Biography of Grand Master Ralph McQuarrie
categories. These
Introduction by Mark Snoswell, the president
change from
of CGSociety and creative director of
edition to
Ballistic Publishing
edition, depending hugely on the work that is submitted, and
E xposé 7 is the latest art book to come from the Ballistic

Publishing stable, showing off a wide collection of
fantastic digital art.
this time around new categories include Steampunk and
Robotic/Cyborg to meet the rising quantity of artwork in
these genres.
It’s simply a coffee-table book, full of glorious images spread Each category presents first its chosen Master in that genre, TOUCH OF GOLD: The cover image is painted
out over more than 200 pages. There’s no instruction – that’s followed by all the Excellence awards. Trends tend to pop up in in Photoshop by Bente Schlick from Germany
what the d’artiste series is for – instead, just a simple showcase. these books, and this time around it’s clear that there are more
The quality of this year’s 391 images is as high as it has ever fantasy and sci-fi images submitted than ever before, which is SUMMARY: Inspirational images, this
been before, but with a judging panel that includes Max also reflected in the new category additions. is a tried-and-tested format by Ballistic
Dennison, Phil Straub (see our interview on page 68) and Chris At the back of the book are the handy Index pages, which Publishing that contains no surprises if
Stoski, that comes as no surprise whatsoever. lists all the artists featured and their contact details, which is a you’ve seen the previous incarnations,
It opens, as the series always does, with a biography of the great way of checking out digital art talent to help you with your but why change something that works
edition’s chosen Grand Master. This time around that’s Ralph own projects. so well?
McQuarrie, who is best known for his work on the original Star
Wars series. His images are sublime and his story inspirational.
If you liked the first six editions of Exposé, then you’ll know
exactly what to expect here and you won’t be disappointed. 5 9/10
Black and White

An in-depth guide to monochromatic imagery in Photoshop CS4 and
Photoshop Lightroom
Authors/Publisher: Leslie Alsheimer, Bryan O’Neil photographers’, looking at the ways that Photoshop and
Hughes/Focal Press Lightroom can help improve your workflow.
Web: www.focalpress.com There is a long introduction to the book that talks about
Price: £22.99/$39.95 photography, composition and creativity, which is great if you’re
About: Illustrated by professional-level photography a keen photographer needing inspiration. There is then a map
Dedicated chapters for Photoshop and showing five phases of a good workflow solution, which is also a
Lightroom users guide to the way that the book is laid out. It all seems quite
Extended introduction looking at ‘taking technical on first glance, but when you start going through the
the shot’ chapters the information is well delivered and easy to follow.
In-depth workflow practices explored Author Leslie Alsheimer is a photographer herself, so there
Covers printing and scanning techniques are plenty of images inside to help you on your path to taking
DEDICATED ADVICE: Does what it says on
better black-and-white shots, as well as splashes of colour when the cover, looking at tips and techniques for
B lack-and-white photography can appear simple from

the outset – take a colour image into Photoshop,
convert using one of the many monochromatic methods
illustrating before and afters. The information is very thorough,
split into Photoshop and Lightroom sections so that you can get
to the bits you need quickly.
getting better monochrome shots
SUMMARY: If black-and-white
and you’re done. This is version two of this book, so a lot of the information is photography is a particular interest for
Well, not quite. Not if you want to create black-and-white repeated from the first version but with updated sections to you, then this is probably the most
images with a perfect tonal spread, balanced exposure, impact cover CS4 functions and the latest Lightroom release. Overall, informative and educational book we’ve
and focus. The way you shoot, edit and print monochrome there are a lot of great tips and techniques, but you need to come across in the genre; however, it is
images is all-important when it comes to creating images that have a specific interest in monochrome photography to get very specific.
pop off the page. Black and White in Photoshop CS4 and
Photoshop Lightroom is a dedicated book ‘for photographers, by
much out of it. At the time of going to press, the eBook version
is available now and the printed version will be out soon. 5
7/10
88
Advanced Photoshop
088_AVP_59_Books.indd 88 23/6/09 12:36:52

! A sh
N
WuI e Flbasite
n iq we th
u r
wo
99
£
SPEECHLESS: “Semifinalist
submission for NVIDIA’s Speak Visual:
Design Digital competition”
GALLERY We showcase the very best of your artwork

Readers’
FABRI CATE: “The Un

Washington’s iversity of
planners cove
the years 2009 r design for
-2010”
u r im asgione, s
Sub mciotnsyido for i n
clu t ion o
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plea s es to adv a clud i ng t it 0 -word bio ages
i mag .co.u k , i n el l a s a 15 solut ion i m es
s h i ng as w er-re i m ag
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The Best in o r P S r i m a g e s n c e d P ho d H o u s e ,
Show winner y ou dv a on th,
send i red to A ng, R ich m u r nemou
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each month gets r e Pu b l i d H i l l
EZ ,
a fantastic prize h mo n BH2 6
33 R ic Dor set , i ngdom
from OhFolio.com, dK
Un ite
worth £99. See page
94 for full details.
www.ohfolio.com
90
Advanced Photoshop
090-094_AVP_59_ReadersGallery.in90 90 25/6/09 09:55:47

Daniel Ra
WEB: http://cornerstone.carbonmade.
com/
“I’m a 19-year-old freshman attending

the University of Washington,
majoring in Cell Biology and hoping
to become an oral surgeon one day.
Once a sponsored skateboarder
who was raised in Guam, I currently
reside in Seattle. I was introduced to
design during my sophomore year
in high school from a friend, who
unfortunately passed away earlier
this year due to diabetes-related
“My designs causes. Having been an officer of at
have helped least four student-run organisations
and working 20 hours a week while
fund multiple attending soccer practice, I was
causes, forced to postpone my practices in
design during my junior year in high
including an school. In senior year I started to pick
it up again, and have been actively
organisation designing ever since. My designs
called New have helped fund multiple causes,
including an organisation called
Life New Life Presbyterian, for which
Presbyterian” I raised over a grand in funds by
designing and selling shirts for their
Daniel Ra annual Mexico mission.”
ANIMOSITY: “For Luminarium’s VI

exhibit entitled Illuminate”
91
Advanced Photoshop

Readers’ gallery
Sean Harris Ferguson
WEB: www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk/user/devian
“I’m a 24-year-old graphic artist living in Bethel,

Connecticut, with a degree in Visual Communication.
I’m a member of the digital art group Raster (www.
rasterized.org), run by Keith Kennedy and Luis
Araujo. These two people, as well as the members of
Raster, have helped me grow so much in my work. I
have been creating digital art since I was 14 when I
began to play with Photoshop. It became an instant
addiction. The best gift digital art has is the ability to
inspire the uninspired. Each of my pieces represents
a significant time in my life, from depression to
heartbreak, personality changes to joyous times,
death to life. I try to invoke these emotions to the
viewers through my work, feel what I felt during these
times or strike a memory within them. I don’t control
my emotions, I just make them digital.”
BEST
IN SHOW
EVERYTHIN G’
told me she wa S BLUE: “After my wife
s no
heart broke. Try t in love any more, my
ing to get some
emotion out an of that
d how painful it
this time turned felt during
into this”
PIECE OF ME: “My father passed away in 2008. When he

did, it felt like he took a piece of me with him. While grieving, I
started to create this piece. This piece means a great amount to
me. Rest in peace Robert W. Ferguson”
92
Advanced Photoshop

TURE:
THE ADVEN this
ally feel that
“I re
es the spirit
image captur
e
of the song Th gels
An
Adventure by iginal
. Or
and Airwaves pdtnc.
://
photo by http /
m
deviantart.co
“Each of my pieces
represents a
significant time in
my life, from
depression to
heartbreak,
personality changes
to joyous times,
death to life”
Sean Harris Ferguson
SHATTER: “This was inspired by Feeder’s

song Shatter. I used the same photograph
as the base for four separate images, which
was challenging yet enjoyable”
Liam Wong
WEB: www.eluu.co.uk
“I am a digital artist situated in

Scotland. I am currently a student at
the University of Abertay, Dundee. I
began using Photoshop in my free
time while still at school, at which
point it was very much a hobby.
After discovering the advantages of
digital art, I was instantly hooked.
Since then, I have been constantly
learning new software, including
Maya, ZBrush and the remainder
of Adobe’s Creative Suite. As a
result, my portfolio covers not only
photomanipulations but also 3D,
animation and web design.
In an effort to further my
knowledge of digital art, this
OF BLOOD, LOVE AND TEARS: summer I will be taking part in
“During my marriage, things were not as easy the games competition ‘Dare to be
as they appeared. It takes a lot of emotion
and strength to keep things running Digital’, where I will be creating
smoothly. Each element in this image has a art assets for a game to be created
significant representation” within ten weeks.”
93
Advanced Photoshop

Readers’ gallery
What you can win…

HYPERGRAF: “A collaboration with James
Knowles for The Luminarium’s Illuminate exhibit. We
wanted to create a strong contrast between a rough
background and the smooth futuristic graffiti”
H
RT
WO
99
£
Past examples:
Each month, one of
the featured artists is
selected as Best in Show.
This artist will win a
fantastic prize, courtesy
of ohfolio.com. The lucky
winner will receive a
year’s subscription to the
website service, a fully
designed Flash website
template and a free
domain name.
Alastair Temple
WEB: www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk/user/ • A unique Flash
SmilingDemon
website template
“I am 19 and study Civil Engineering and CMS hosting
at the University of Edinburgh. In my service
spare time I love to create, whether it
is via the medium of photography or
through digital art. I enjoy participating
• Create and
within art groups, co-running The edit your own
Luminarium (www.theluminarium.net) website content,
and contributing to Intrinsic Nature using the easy-to-
(www.intrinsicnature.org). The beauty understand tools
of an art group is that it can offer
a reliable foundation for providing
feedback on your work and present • Templates
the incentive to design and improve. designed by artists
Collaborating on big team projects
and individual pieces is a great way • Host up to 2,000
to share knowledge and a brilliant
way to produce something unique;
images
combining the skills of many talented
artists is elemental in creating a Terms and conditions
piece that may not have come to exist By submitting images to Advanced
Photoshop’s Readers’ Gallery, you hereby
through the mind of one artist. My own
grant Imagine Publishing and, if relevant,
art often consists of 3D abstracts, and clients to whom the relevant work has
I employ strong textures to provide THE TR been provided, an irrevocable, perpetual,
IP
depth that you can almost feel.” Luminariu : “This was created royalty-free licence to use such intellectual
m for
show the ’s Prismatic release. The property in relation to work similar or
un Iw
bright colo real feeling of a trip anted to equivalent to the work. This includes the
ured abstra with the right to showcase work on multimedia
ct”
formats. By submitting work, you also
94 confirm that your images do not infringe

any copyright regulations should they be
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What is the magazine about?

What is the magazine about?

What are some of the featured articles in this issue?

What are some of the featured articles in this issue?

68 HIGH-RES

Add a retro-futuristic edge to digital paintings

HOW TO… STUDENT SHOWCASE

001_AVP_59_CoverWeek4.indd 1 23/6/09 15:34:36

or ust lise Su r fro eel

:// pog eri en

science fiction or fantasy’. Advertising

painting to photomanipulation to 3D rendering. We have

Head of Sales James Hanslip

custom brushes to create a retrofuturistic painting,

while Theo Aartsma takes a look at creating a

Advertising Sales Executive Stuart McBride

steampunk-inspired typographical artwork.

If you prefer photo-based Photoshop,

student artists have invaded our Industry section, as we

International Manager Cathy Blackman

☎ +44 (0) 1202 586401

display eight pages of the amazing entries we received

Re .dp ore on , m rev

into the Student Showcase 2009. This is our fourth year of

sie ww m Can ine nd

Flip to page 72 now to check out the brightest young

For all subscription enquiries:

talents in the Photoshop world.

Happy Photoshopping! ☎ UK: 0844 848 8402

☎ Overseas: +44 1795 592 880

13-issue subscription (UK) – £62.30

Julie Easton 13-issue subscription (Europe) – £70

Printing & Distribution

Printed by St Ives Andover, West Portway, Andover, SP10 3SF

Distributed by Seymour Distribution, 2 East Poultry Avenue, London,

EC1A 9PT ☎ 0207 429 4000

Publishing Ltd. Nothing in this magazine may be reproduced in whole or part

magazine has endeavoured to ensure all information is correct at time of

Photoshop is either a registered trademark or trademark of

Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or

The next issue of Advanced ISSN 1748-7277

Photoshop goes on sale 13 August 2009

005_AVP_59_CoverImage.indd 5 22/6/09 12:51:14

006-007_AVP_59_Contents.indd 6 25/6/09 15:07:33

INTERVIEW: STJEPAN SEJIC 20 MASTER STEAMPUNK 36

PHOTOREAL EFFECTS 28 METALLIC TYPOGRAPHY 44

SUBSCRIPTIONS 66 PATHS AND THE PEN TOOL 48

RESOURCES 80 COLOURFUL ILLUSTRATIONS 56

READERS’ GALLERY 90 HELPDESK 62

006-007_AVP_59_Contents.indd 7 25/6/09 15:08:17

WINSOR & NEWTON INKS: Winsor & Newton Inks packaging

WALLACE IN PAUL SMITH & GROMIT IN

008-010_AVP_59_News.indd 8 24/6/09 15:19:44

invisible light tracked ADOBE CAMERA

Free Photoshop plug-in including the Canon EOS 500D (EOS

008-010_AVP_59_News.indd 9 24/6/09 15:20:55

008-010_AVP_59_News.indd 10 24/6/09 15:37:08

012-013_AVP_59_Letters.indd 12 22/6/09 14:55:15

SUBJECT: Credit concerns reply

012-013_AVP_59_Letters.indd 13 25/6/09 15:31:53