Soft Light Effect

One of the cool effects I use a lot is adding a Soft Light to my images. It gives the image a soft, glamor type look. Here's a quick example.

Step 1: Getting Started

Open a new image or graphic

If you're using Photoshop 6 the layer will be locked. Double click the layer to unlock it.

Step 2: Duplicating the Layer

Drag the layer down to the Create New Layer icon

Step 3: Blurring the Image

1. Select the Original Layer you created,
2. Apply a Gaussian Blur to it. (Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur...)
3. Put a selection of 20 in but you can experiment

Step 4: Changing the Blending Mode

Click the Layer Copy and from the Mode menu, choose Soft Light

And your final image:

SOURCE::http://www.cbtcafe.com/photoshop/softlight/softlighteffect.html

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Shadow Text

Step 1. Begin by typing out some text

Step 2. Duplicate the layer

Step 3. Flip the new layer Vertically.Edit>Transform>Flip Vertical

Step 4. With the Text Copy layer still selected, click the Warp Text button and from the options choose Upper Shell. Adjust the Bend and Vertical settings to match the values in the image below. You can also input your own values. Just play around with them a bit:)

Step 5. Adjust the size of the Text Copy layer to match the first layer. Do this by selecting the layer and clicking Command-T/Control-T to access the Free Transform tool and drag out the corner handles to scale the text.

Step 6. Next, apply a Gradient Overlay by clicking the Add Layer Style button to the Text Copy to give it a fading out effect.

Be Sure to select the "Reverse" option

Step 7. Adjust the Text Copy opacity to around 40% and you're all set!

SOURCE::http://www.cbtcafe.com/photoshop/shadowtext/shadow_text.html

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Inset Lines

Getting Started

1. Create a new file
2. Draw out a shape...a rectangle will work here. Fill it with a color you like.

3. Create a New Layer and call it Black Lines

4. Using the Pencil Tool, draw out 2 black Horizontal Lines.

5. Next, Duplicate the Layer Black Lines and you can accept the default name, Black Lines Copy.

6. Now, on the layer Black Lines, Inverse the colors CNTRL-I/CMND-I.

You can test this by turning off the visibility of the top layer and looking at the layer beneath. The lines should now be white.

7. Now, using the keyboard arrow keys, nudge the lines (on layer Black Lines down a pixel and to the left a pixel.

8. On the layer Black Lines, select the Blending Mode to Soft Light.

And here's the final result:

SOURCE::http://www.cbtcafe.com/photoshop/insetlines/insetlines.html

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Custom Hi-Tech Grid

Version: Photoshop CS3 and earlier
Level: Easy
Objectives: Photoshop tutorial for creating custom pattern
Tools & Techniques: pattern, grid, special effects

Step 1: Getting Started

1. Open a new document and make it around 15x15
2. You'll want to experiment with this size to create various size grids

Step 2: Filling with Color

The color you choose will be the grid line

1. Select the Paint Bucket Tool
2. Select a Foreground Color
3. Click once on the canvas to fill with the selected Foreground color
4. Select All

Step 4: Positioning the Selection

1. Move the selection down and to the right.
2. Using the Arrow keys on your keyboard, nudge the selection over one pixel to the right and one pixel down

Step 5: Filling the Selection

Once you've nudged it over and down, fill it with Black or any other color you want to use as the background for the grid.

Step 6: Defining as Pattern

1. Select All by clicking Cmd-A/Ctrl-A
2. Go up to Edit>Define Pattern...
3. Give the new grid a name: grid--new

Step 7: Applying the Custom Pattern

1. Create a new canvas 400x400
2. Edit>Fill... and choose Pattern from the dialog box
3. Select the Pattern you just defined: grid--new

And that's it! You now have a pretty cool background to play with.

SOURCE::http://www.cbtcafe.com/photoshop/newgrid/newgrid.html

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Cool Dots

Version: Photoshop CS2
Level: Easy
Objectives: Learn to create the Photoshop techno-dot effect that can be used for both text and web graphics.
Tools & Techniques: Channels, Filters, Color Halftone, Selections
Posting Date: 01.27.07

Step 1: Getting Started

Create a New File

Step 2: Creating a New Channel

1. In the channels palette click the Create New Channel button.
2. You can accept the default name of Alpha 1.

Step 3: Creating an Ellipse

1. Make an Oval Selection using the Elliptical Marquee Tool.
2. Fill with white.
3. Deselect by clicking Commmand-D/Control-D
4. Blur by going to Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur. I used 12 but experiment.

Step 4: Adding the Distortion

Go up to Filter>Distort>Twirl

Step 5: Applying the Color Halftone Filter

1. Filter>Pixelate>Color Halftone
2. I used a Max Radius of 10 but as you experiment with different shapes and sizes you'll want to also experiment with these settings

Step 6: Loading the Selection

1. Return to the Layers Palette and create a new layer Layer>New Layer
2. Load the selection
3. Go up to Select>Load Selection and load Alpha 1 from the drop down menu

Step 7: Making the Background Color

1. Fill the selection with the foreground color by going to Edit>Fill... and choose Foreground Color from the Contents option in the popup window
2. Deselect by going up to Select>Deselect or click Command-D/Control-D

SOURCE::http://www.cbtcafe.com/photoshop/cooliodots/cooldots.html

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Creating Custom Grids and Backgrounds

Step 1: Getting Started

1. Create a New File
2. Using the Zoom Tool, zoom in really close to get a good look at the canvas

Step 2: Setting up the Canvas

1. Fill the canvas with a dark Gray. (Select a grayForeground Color then click Alt-Delete to fill with Foreground Color.)
2. Now select a medium gray to be used for the grid.
3. Using the Pencil Tool and the smallest Square Brush size, create the pattern shown.

4. Select All (Select>All)

Step 3: Defining the New Pattern

Define as Pattern by going to Edit>Define Pattern and give your new pattern a name.

Step 4: Apply the new Pattern

1. Create a new larger file
2. Fill the new file with the Pattern (Edit>Fill... and choose Pattern)
3. Select the Pattern you just created and select OK

And the finished grid:

SOURCE::http://www.cbtcafe.com/photoshop/greygrid/index.html

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Rock Texture Effect

Step 1. Create a new file

Step 2. Create a New Layer. (Layer>New Layer)

Step 3. In this example we'll apply the texture to some text

1. Begin by selecting the Type Tool
2. Select the Type Mask Tool from the Options Palette up top.
3. Once you select the Type Mask Tool, you'll notice the background will turn a light red.

Step 4. Choose a font for the text

I selected Arial Black which is a large font that will work nicely with the texture.

Step 5. Type out some text

After you've made your type, select a color and fill in the selection. (Edit>Fill Foreground Color)

Step 6. With the type selected, create a New Layer on top of the current layer. (Layer>New Layer)

Step 7. On this new top layer, fill the selection with white

A quick way to do this is to click the D key once to set the foreground/background to their default colors and then click command-delete/control-backspace to fill with the background color of white.

Step 8. Add some noise to it

Go up to Filter>Add Noise... You can use my settings here or experiment with your own. Just make sure the Monochromatic option is selected.

Step 9. Go up to Filter>Stylize>Emboss... Again, note my settings but feel free to experiment.

Step 10. In the Blending Mode options, select Overlay

Step 11. Deselect and you're all finished! (Select>Deselect or CNTRL-D)

Step 12. Add a bevel and emboss filter to it

source::http://www.cbtcafe.com/photoshop/rocktexture/index.html

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