Project files, vector

illustrations & more

ISSUE 46
Vectors & photos | Smudge tool techniques | Fashion illustration feature | Fake wide-angle photos | Interview: Gary Tonge

6-PAGE MASTERCLASS

VECTORS
INTERVIEW

GARY
TONGE
The digital painting master reveals
the secrets behind his stunning art

HELPDESK
& PHOTOS Learn to create striking photomanipulations:
• Add illustrative elements • Blend with
adjustment layers • Use the Perspective tool
FAKE WIDE
ANGLE
Realistic lens effects SMUDGE TOOL
using Photoshop’s filters
TECHNIQUES
Achieve professional painting results
with this powerful tool

5 0
BRUSH0
ES
FREE O
THE CDN

HOW TO…
Design a retro circus poster
Turn logos into custom shapes
Understand different file types
Create inspirational concept art
Build a professional online portfolio
www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk

Enter the world of fashion illustration

SHAREYOUR ARTWORK NOW
VISIT OURWEBSITE AT
WWW.ADVANCEDPHOTOSHOP.CO.UK
GET ON OUR COVER pages of ISSUE 46
ISSN 1748-7277 £5.99
46
Upload your images to professional
46
UE

our gallery website tips & step-by-step tutorials

ISS

9 771748 727009

AVP_46_Coverwk4.indd 1 26/6/08 14:15:51

 Cover

Cover image
Emeric Trahand aka Tksh (his professional name) is a Graphic design:
French self-made multidisciplinary designer, TAKESHI (WWW.STILLONTHERUN.COM)
experienced in graphic design, illustration and art Photography:
direction. Although he studied management TOR KRISTENSEN (WWW.BESPOKE.ORG)
sciences at the Professional University Institute of
Saint-Étienne, France, he developed an interest for
digital creation. After a couple of years of intense
design practice and devotion to creativity, Trahand
EMERIC IS A
settled down as a freelance graphic designer in 2006.
/
MULTIDISCIPLINARY
DESIGNER
www.stillontherun.com

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 Keeping an eye on the latest trends in contemporary photography, art,
and design, Insight sets out to snapshot innovation in the making
ENERGY STAR: The Epson Stylus SX200 and SX400
Series are ENERGY STAR® qualified printers, reflecting
Epson’s ongoing focus to reduce the carbon emissions
attributed to the use of its products
Stylish Stylus printers
Epson has recently announced its latest additions to the Stylus
product line: the SX200 and SX400 series all-in-one printers.
These contemporary, stylish black machines provide a set of
innovative options that are guaranteed to excite designers,
artists and photographers alike.
Aimed firmly at those needing high-quality prints at home,
the new Epson models exhibit a small footprint, optimising
space on a busy designer’s desk.
First there’s the hardware’s Epson DURABrite™ Ultra Ink with
its advanced pigment-based technology. It’s as fancy as it
sounds, encapsulating the ink particles in a protective resin
coating, making it water, smudge and fade resistant, and
providing superb delineation when printing text and lab-
quality photographs that will last 200 years when stored in a
photograph album.
This series also considers the importance of time
efficiency in the modern digital designer’s commercial
workflow, permitting 34 pages per minute print, both black
and white and colour. Also considered is the popularity of
10
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010-012_AVP_46_News.indd 10
digital photography, and the SX200 and SX400 both provide
PC-free printing capabilities via the built-in memory card slots
or PictBridge.
To further enhance photo functionality, the SX400 model
includes a 6.3cm crystal-clear LCD viewer (shown in the image
below) to simplify navigation of print options and allowing
users to view photos before printing.
As an all-in-once machine, the devices incorporate a
1,200dpi scanner. This delivers crisp, clear, high-quality scans of
both image and text documents. This utility provides a set of
options with Epson Easy Photo Fix™, providing you with the
ability to restore colour, remove dust and correct backlight on
faded or old scanned photos.
Mark Robinson, senior product manager at Epson UK says of
the launch: “Epson has always been at the forefront of product
development in home printing, and with the new Stylus SX200
and SX400 series we have created a printer range that looks and
performs even better than its predecessors. Both models are
versatile, efficient and offer high-quality output to meet all the
printing, scanning and copying needs of our consumers.”
Luckily, prices of home-printing solutions have continued to
drop recently. The Stylus SX200 and SX400 series all-in-one
printers are priced at £79.99 and £119.99 respectively, including
VAT. For further information on this product line visit the
website below. We will be reviewing the SX400 in the next issue
of Advanced Photoshop to test its printing abilities for
ourselves, so watch out for that.
www.epson.co.uk
ADDED VALUE: Included is ABBYY FineReader®
Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software,
which makes it easy to scan and edit text docs
26/6/08 17:45:26
 Back to BASICs
07.08
Advanced Photoshop is a big fan of the independent
design crew Kapitza and is pleased to present the most
HOT
or
recent in an innovative line of resources, BASIC. This latest
project contains thousands of ready-made colourful repeat
patterns, with over 30 inspirational fonts. There’s no need to

NOT
install any additional software, as BASIC is compatible with
most software applications that support text.
BASIC patterns provide users with a huge array of
colourful and monochrome ready-made samples that are

HOT
unique and diverse. This offers the perfect solution for
many design-based projects.
Styles range from retro, ethnic, modern, geometric and
abstract patterns offering off-the-shelf application, and
since patterns can be easily recurring and tiled, using simple STYLUS PHOTO R2880
patterns to create more complex ones offers longevity and £570 (inc VAT)
fun. BASIC fonts provide features such as size, leading and www.epson.co.uk
spacing making tweaking and tuning endless. These vector This is the latest in a successful
characters can be combined, repeated and overlaid, as well professional A3+ photo printer
as scaled, stretched, or compressed to any resolution. product line. Suitable for both
professionals and amateurs.
MULTI METHODS: BASIC is an extensive and exciting resource
www.kapitza.com for any design professional who wants to use patterns in
illustration, graphic, textile, fashion, surface and wallpaper ADOBE SPECIAL
design, animations, web design and so on
OFFER
£810
www.store.adobe.com/store/en_gb/
popup/software/
photoshoplightroom/terms.html
SCREEN SIZE: This model contains a
Order Photoshop CS3 and Adobe
wide-viewing angle, 2.7-inch HVGA LCD Lightroom together today and save
and electronic level functions to create up to £ 120. Bargain.
truly stunning photographs

BADAM PISTA
www.badampista.croppedcircles.
net/aboutarchan.html
Sample the delights of this recent
showcase from industry favourite
Archan Nair. More so for the lush
artwork than anything else.

IN THE BOX: The GX200 package contains a

rechargeable li-ion battery, charger, AV cable, USB
cable, CD-ROM, strap and lens cap. The GX200 VF KIT
package contains all the above accessories plus the
NOT
electronic viewfinder
THE GREEN CLEAN
CLIP & FLIP
Ricoh unveils high-end compact £6.99/$13.73
www.flaghead.co.uk
Ricoh announces the release of the latest innovation in selling point of this product, where an expanding buffer Magnifying glasses that clip onto the
compact cameras, the RICOH GX200. A promising product, memory has made continuous shooting of up to five images brim of a hat to improve your vision
this creative compact allows photographers to reproduce when cleaning your camera? Hmm…
possible in RAW mode so you get just the right image even
high-quality images from edge-to-edge with low noise and we’re not convinced.
in the most unexpected circumstance.
natural gradation. The camera goes on sale early July. The GX200 with
Inheriting the best functions from the GX100, such as 24-
72mm high-performance wide-angle optical zoom lens and
electronic viewfinder retails at £399.99 and the standard PHOTOSHOP
wide variety of manual shooting functions, the GX200
model at £349.99. For more information, visit the website
listed below.
DISASTERS
http://photoshopdisasters.
provides some innovative extras. These start with an
blogspot.com/
increased 12-megapixel CCD and a further configured wide-
www.ricoh.co.uk
We don’t know whether to include
angle lens that allows higher resolution image capture.
this, due to the shoddy
Extensive shooting functions and high operability is a real Photoshopping or the time taken to
point it out? We’ll go with the former.

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 insight
DIARY
DATES GET CREATIVE: BookSmart™ is available for
download at www.blurb.com, allowing users
free book-making software

GO
SUPERLAMBBANANAS Blurb books
Until 25 August Blurb is the latest innovation in personal publishing, hardcover Blurb book, creating a smooth, sophisticated
www.gosuperlambananas.co.uk providing a great service to an international clientele. effect, featuring a durable matte finish.
Various locations, Liverpool, UK The recent winner of the 2008 Webby Award for Best But Blurb offers much more and, working closely
Services Category, Blurb lets users make, share, market with colour management firm Rods & Cones, it now
STREET & STUDIO: and sell real books.
Already a firm commercial favourite, producing
provides specially calibrated ICC profiling. This enables
soft proofing of your images to ensure that what you
AN URBAN HISTORY nearly 90,000 unique titles in 2007, Blurb produced see is what you will get in your printed Blurb books.
OF PHOTOGRAPHY nearly nine times more than traditional publishers that When you select the Custom Workflow upgrade, your
year. Much of this success can be attributed to the work will go to the same dedicated print device each
Until 31 August
www.tate.org.uk quality and cost-effective formats available. Books and every time. So the book you order this week should
Tate Modern, London, UK come in four contemporary sizes: Square, Standard look as close as possible to the same book you order
Landscape, Standard Portrait and Large Format next month.
Landscape. You can expect bookstore quality For all pricing information and inspiring examples,
SUPERHEROES: regardless of which format you prefer. visit the website.
FASHION AND Softcover provides durable perfect binding and four-
FANTASY colour, 12-point covers with overlaminate. Printing
occurs on the front and back cover plus spine, flaps
Until 1 September www.blurb.com
excluded. The new Hardcover ImageWrap allows you to
www.metmuseum.org print an image directly on the front and back of any
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New
York City, US

PARIS 1900: GRAPHIC Travel Photographer of the Year opens

DESIGN IN REVOLT The Travel Photographer of the Year competition opens
Until 14 September for entries and it’s certainly an event no stranger to
www.artsmia.org incentive. Open to amateurs and professionals alike, it
Minneapolis Institute of Arts, gives both a worldwide opportunity to win stunning and
Minneapolis, US memorable prizes and also gain international exposure
for your photographic ventures.
This year winners can expect a place in the 2009 High &
Wild Everest Skydive Expedition and fascinating Intrepid
Travel trips to Cuba and to see the mountain gorillas of
Uganda. There are three competing portfolio categories:
Life, Call of the Wild and Joy of Travel. Then there’s the
CAT VINTON, TPOTY WINNER 2007: The
competition closes on 9 September. Entry costs £10
for a single image category and £15 for a portfolio
category, and entry to Young TPOTY is free
First Shot, a new single-image category for less-
experienced amateur photographers aged 17 and above.
Photographers submitting entries for this category will,
for the first time in the competition’s history, be able to
submit images taken on a mobile phone.
Other categories include Destination Anywhere, the
One Shot category for individual travel shots, and the
innovative Young TPOTY. This is for photographers aged
16 and under, and entrants have the chance to win some
fantastic goodies that will ultimately enhance their skills.
These prizes include a large-format Linhof Technorama
panoramic camera, Adobe Photoshop CS3 software,
Wacom interactive pen displays and pen tablets, Lee
filters, Plastic Sandwich leather portfolio books, Lexar
Professional CompactFlash cards and dual-slot USB card
readers, and Pixfizz custom-built photography books.
TPOTY organiser Chris Coe says: “Over the last five
years, TPOTY has established the very highest standards.
While maintaining these standards, we are also looking to
help less experienced photographers.”

www.tpoty.com
© Cat Vinton, TPOTY winner 2007

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 insight
ADDER:
KLIEDER EN KL
CORE’s
“A piece for depth
theme
Vivid with no real
de a mess
behind it. I just ma ult”
and this was the res

VIVID NATURE: “A piece I created for

depthCORE’s Vivid, but I didn’t submit
it. Based on a folded flower with some
vectorised nature objects, some 2D
typography elements and gradient
colours to finish it”

FEMMINE GO
AS: “I’ve tried
out a lot of lig
hting effects,
along with som
e ‘stop speed
motion’ type of
effects. The
title means ‘Fe
male Chaos’”

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 Jordy Roelofs
07.08 TEMPLE OF EERA: “A piece for
depthCORE’s Temple. I edited this Mayan
Temple with a lot of nice flowers and some
nice lighting effects to finish it off”
Jordy Roelofs is an artist with a lot of heart. Not exactly dealt the best hand early in
his creative career, Roelofs recollects: “I didn’t study design. I applied for the Grafisch
Lyceum in Rotterdam, but I got rejected because my diploma wasn’t good enough
for what I wanted to do.” That can be enough to dampen most artistic appetites, but
he explains: “[I was] quite sad when I heard it, but [here’s not much to do about it;
the times were pretty hard for me back then and I just moved on.”
The belief, perseverance and support from his father saw Roelofs make his own
way, steadily but surely. Now he shares a healthy online presence and is one of the
main contributors to the ever-popular depthCORE collective. His beginnings were
humble and a priceless learning curve: “I’ve been doing graphics for about five
serious years now and I still enjoy every bit of it. It all started when I discovered the
anime Dragon Ball Z. I was a big fan and I wanted to know more and share my info
with others.
“Then I started to make Dragon Ball Z website’s graphics and such. That’s
when my Dad said I actually did some pretty nice stuff and I should look further
into the design world and now I’m here, writing this text for the new Advanced
Photoshop issue.”
Aside from a supportive family, Roelofs was also embraced by the bosom of
digital media. Now he has confidence in his preferred application and method. “I
like to do the ‘cut-and-paste’ technique with Photoshop. Actually most of my images
have that technique,” he says. “Stock photos are a big part for that. Find the good
photos, cut them out. Paste them into your new design and let your ideas flow! Well,
that’s just an easy way to say it basically.”
Apparently modest, his design is, in fact, a fine example of deliberate and
considerate application, contributing to the contemporary digital design arena. He
sums up his own style simply: “I would say colourful, definitely. Colourful mixed
media I guess. I always use a lot of colours in my pieces. I’m not too much into
monotone; I just like to give my designs a lot of colour. It can be quite chaotic
sometimes, but that’s also what I like.”
/ www.sysmatic.net / www.visuasys.deviantart.com

: “One of my
PEACEFUL OUTBURST
st and favo urite piec es. I made a
late
e, again with a
fantasy landscape scen
of colo urs with a ‘big ’ outburst. I guess
lot
nice but pea cefu l view from your
a very
ir whe n you see this ”
cha

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 insight
FAIRSFAIR: “Cut
and blended image
and materials
associated with the
fairground into the
Bauhaus font, the
company’s logo
font. Background
of mountains at
low opacity to be
subtle but still
give depth”

FLYER:
LOVE-TEC
-tec live
“Flyer for love
oves she,
show. She m
ne work
2007. I’ve do
such as
with brands
iff Records
Converse, St these
and many of ed
stribut
have been di ”
across the UK

Colin Berwick ita l art ist in demand. You’ll

no doubt have dis
d Sti ff
covered his
Records,
is a dig ers e an
Colin Berwick
no tic ea ble de sign for brands Conv
works through his d across the UK. e
many of which ha
ve been distribute busy: “Very busy! I’v
rw ick is an art ist who likes to keep ers hip called
Needles s to say , Be ing in a pa rtn
well as be
three agencies, as s, including
been freelancing for working on many print commission d web work.”
be en ing an
Gravydaze. I have rketing campaigns
am on g bra nd
al rep ort s an d ma e an d pe nc il ba shing, I’m trying
annu
be tw ee n the tea guzzling, mous e alr ea dy had a lot of
He adds: “In ich I’v
gra ph ics for a clothing range, wh d pri nti ng methods, all
to finish some ble , I ex plo re photography an
po ssi
interest in. When
sy lifestyle.” sm, an element of
chance
adding up to a bu ergy and enthusia a mundane 9-5
ve r, for all his en are na : “Fr om
Howe
his me teo ric ris e on the freelance an d he ne eded
coincides with anised events
I met a guy who org r basis. He liked my work and
soul-sapping job, ula
designed on a reg se on his brand an
d all its
marketing material de sign so he let me loo
my pa ssi on for
realised te.”
ve that client to da tched by his own
trimmings. I still ha os e cre ative fervour is ma
A proactive ch ara cte r, wh
tan gib le fas hio n, as “vigorously
ina tio n, he de scr ibes his style in a a wo od en floor with just your
imag s
th sim ila r ple asu res to sliding acros scription reveals Berwick’s
moist wi etic de
vocative and energ explains:
socks on”. Such a pro matched in his use of medium, as he
enthusiasm and thi s is
e to a frie nd ’s pa ssion and my
background, but du ulate my
“I’m from a fine-art , I started using Photoshop to manip
e pe rso na lity
inquisitiv
drawings. sign and
photography and realised graphic de
session and I soon ch as possible.
“This became an ob d to lea rn as mu
just a phase; I wante net scouring/book
reading/trial
illustration wasn’t a serious amount of ideas to have a
tut ori als an d co uld dri ve my
Through
ke d up a few tec hniques where I ble nd ing modes in
and error, I pic the
pre ssi on . I lov e using textures and eri ng ov er an
strong visual im od results when lay quality in my
oto sh op are fan tastic at creating go or ha nd -re nd ere d
Ph worn
seeking that extra to achieve this.”
image. I’m always an d bru shes is a great way
ing lay ers
work and us o.uk
/ www.gravydaze.c

ight
piece about the we
WEIGHT: “This is a env ironment and
wth on the
of urban gro s”
have it on our mind
how we all should

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 07.08

YELLOW WEBSKIN: “A design agency asked

me to redesign their website. I came up with a
sweet-shop style website, which is all animated. BANDIT: “This is mostly made in Illustr
ator,
All laid on a piece of scrap paper I scanned” but I did import into Photoshop for the
textured over colour and scratches on
the
beams of light”

A4 POSTER: “The last party

at one of the most popular
clubs in London. This was the BURN: “Exploration
piece. Blunted
last campaign before closing. scene, 2005. When
possible I explore
Using layer masks and photography and
printing methods,
gradients to blend the eyes in adding up to a busy all
lifestyle”
to the background gradient”

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 insight
digital artists in Poland are
FORT CHIRA-VUEAZ: “My favourite
ski; internationally, among
Tomasz Maronski and Zdzislaw Beksin
and David Edwards”
others, I like Dylan Cole, Philip Straub

EMERALD BLISS: “I decided to

create an optimistic picture in one
SONG OF SUSANA of my favourite colours. I used
H: “Cover
illustration for a Pol about 20 of my own pictures”
ish book publisher
for The Dark Tower
by Stephen King”

d part of a seaside
H – PART II: “Secon little matte painting”
SEASIDE TRIPTYC ow n pic tures an da
of my
triptych. About 20

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 Darek Kocurek
Darek Kocurek is a zealou
macabre. With a self-confe
s editorial artist with a pas
ssed style that oscillat es
my
sion for the mystic and
bet ween fantasy and horror,
coo per atio n wit h Pol ish and
he
04.08
from my interests, from
explains: “Partly it results and working with similar pub
lishing houses.”
n Kin g fan clu bs currently working
Dutch Stephe of boo k cov er art and
us examples
Having produced numero k imm ers es him self heavily in his
lishing houses, Kocure s for book
with three European pub era l illu stra tion
“Currently I am making sev he obtained his first
favourite industry area: e ind ust ry are a tha t
s in the sam
covers,” he reveals. It wa involvement with a Polish
er was connected with my t
commission. “My first ord r gra phi cs. A publishing house tha
which I made calenda iced
Stephen King portal, for of Ste phe n Kin g’s title s not
tions for several reissues
was searching for illustra
his art
my works.” sistent in the delivery of
at the right time, and con l success. But
Being in the right place Koc ure k’s com me rcia
wers, can account for
to appreciative online vie personal creative
exp resses his det erm ination to succeed through -taught person. For
he also er gra phi cs I am a self
d of comput erent
development: “In the fiel 3D programs, trying diff
using numerous 2D and s, when I
many years I have been cs sta rted in the Nin etie
with computer graphi l
techniques. My adventure rs I changed my job severa
an Am iga com put er. During the following yea ign er, I am abl e to
bought phic des
I have been working as gra mation, 3D graphics,
times, and even though er graphi cs such as ani
s of com put
identify many form
typical commercial art.” was
visualisation, printing and ms, Kocurek’s conclusion
er suc h del ibe rati on and exploration of mediu stly in Pho tos hop . It’s a
Aft I work mo
ite software: “Nowadays g operations at the
testament to our favour it allo ws typ ical pai ntin
anipulation and I try to
perfect tool for photom g in Photoshop. Usually
materials, I start dressin a way
same time. After collecting tte pai ntin g – ofte n in
t pho tom ont age s wit h 3D graphics and/or ma wh at is add ed. ”
connec ture and
onlooker which is the pic
that makes it clear to the
/ cur ek. com /en
www.darekko WATCHTOWER:
“Illustration created for
some small contest.
Photomanipulation from
more than 20 of my own
pictures; about 80 layers”
from several
WINDMILL: “Simple photomontage
use of
pictures.” The muted colour palette and
ek’s work
personal photos is common to Kocur

THE MIST: “Illustrat

ion for a story by
Stephen King. My ph
otos and 2D graph
ics”

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 insight
KABOOM COLLABORATION #25:
By Miika Ahvenjärvi (graphic designer,
http://uribaani.deviantart.com) and
Tuan Nguyen (photographer)
20
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020-021_AVP_46_Insight.indd 20
KABOOM COLLABORATION #21:
By Teddy Soegiarto (graphic designer,
www.theycallmeteddy.com) and
Tuan Nguyen (photographer)
RATION #2
COLLABO
K ABOOM ervegna (graphic
oN
By Tommas .nvertising.altervista
ww
designer, w Nguyen (photographe
an
org)) and Tu
Tuan Nguyen &
The Kaboom Collaboration
Tuan Nguyen is an artist, photographer and art director. Born in Saigon, Vietnam in
1982, he’s had an interest in the arts since childhood. However, his advancement in
photography began in the autumn of 2005. After a year’s experience, he established
himself as a freelance photographer.
His photography makes the perfect starting point for photomanipulation
projects, which is why he started a lifelong project called The Kaboom
Collaboration in the spring of 2007. The collaboration project combines the talents
of Nguyen as a photographer with graphic artists from around the world. With
regards to this project, Nguyen’s dream is “to continue to create beautiful art pieces
synergistically packed with eye candy and provocative meaning”. The project is a
reflection on humanity and the pieces are released in ‘Chronicles’.
Nguyen explains further about the collaborative effort: “The Kaboom
Collaboration is a lifelong art project, with the intention of expanding it in
Chronicles. We are working on the 2nd Chronicle, The Dark Days. The 1st Chronicle,
The Great Bloom, has just been released and you can see it at bytuan.com.”
Each artist used in the collaboration has been selected specifically by Nguyen:
“The collaboration is a fusion of the two artists’ talents into one canvas. These artists
are hand selected to join on the journey in developing a lifelong body of work. This
is the start, the great bloom.”
But why engage in such an intensive project when he’s already a success as a
freelance photographer? “This is something for me to do artistically while living
the life of a photographer – it helps me keep in touch with my artistic side,” Nguyen
tells us.
/ http://bytuan.com
0:
.
r)
25/6/08 17:12:25
 07.08
KABOOM CO
LLABORATIO
H (graphic desig N #2
ner, http://wave 3: By Waver
com) and Tuan r-h.deviantart.
Nguyen (photog
rapher)

KABOOM COLLABORATION #26: By Amy Marie

Neal (graphic designer, http://starfantazy.deviantart.
By Teddy
KABOOM COLLABORATION #22: com) and Tuan Nguyen (photographer)
callme
Soegiarto (graphic designer, www.they
her)
teddy.com) and Tuan Nguyen (photograp

21
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 Letters
Mailbox
Do you have a question or opinion about the
magazine? Email your thoughts to
advancedpshop@imagine-publishing.co.uk
or visit www.advancedphotoshop/forum
SUBJECT: Gender confusion
FROM: Nykolai Aleksander
I just received my copy of the magazine –
thanks very much! However, there are two
mistakes in the Insight article (issue 44, page
18). One painting is mistitled Aqua With Guitar
– I’ve never heard of that title and
the painting in question should be called
Samurai Templar, which is one of the
Otherworld images. And the second thing
is, I’m not male…
Editor replies: Nykolai, I’m terribly sorry about
these errors. There is absolutely no excuse for
these mistakes to have slipped through the net.
We all love your work here at Advanced
Photoshop and I certainly recommend that all
readers should take a trip to www.admemento.
com to check out more of Nykolai’s work. You
can also see her work in Ballistic Publishing’s
Digital Painting 2 book, which will be reviewed
next issue. And if you can’t wait that long,
Nykolai has created a wonderful Oriental-
themed tutorial on page 48 this issue, explaining
how she paints such powerful portraits.
SUBJECT: Brush delight
FROM: James Stewart
I have just got my copy of Advanced
Photoshop 44. As usual, I loved it, but
I was particularly impressed with the vast
collection of brushes on the disc. I know it’s
easy enough to go online and download
these for free, but it’s so much easier just to
have the various resources available at your
fingertips. I have already made use of some of
them by adding my own touches to the
Professional Photomontage tutorial by Neil
Duerden. On another note regarding the
“MANAGE YOUR SUBSCRIPTION
ACCOUNT BY GOING TO WWW.
IMAGINESUBS.CO.UK”
24
Advanced Photoshop
024-025_AVP_46_Letters.indd 24
SAMURAI TEMPLAR: This excellent image was printed
with the wrong title in issue 44’s Insight
© Otherworld
same tutorial, I was disappointed to see
that not all the files were on the CD for
completing it exactly. I sourced a model
image from sxc.hu, but it is good when
you can follow the tutorials exactly the first
time around.
Editor replies: First, James, I’m glad that you like
the brushes. The 400+ brushes supplied by
angelic-trust.net have been used by all of us in
the office and I definitely recommend visiting
the site to check out the latest updates, as there
are always ones to suit your needs. Second, I am
sorry that we were unable to provide all of the
source files for the tutorial that you mentioned.
Due to copyright restrictions, there are certain
images that can’t be supplied on our cover disc.
I hope that everyone will still try out the tutorial
on their own model images – and then upload
them to our gallery website so we can all take
a look!
SUBJECT: Amazing art
FROM: Adam Jones
Wow! That’s all I can say really, after your
master Macabre Comic-Book Art tutorial with
Ben Templesmith. I am such a huge fan of his
work and love to collect the Wormwood
books. To be honest, I never would have
expected this sort of thing in Advanced
Photoshop, as most digital design magazines
seem to focus more on commercial graphics
and swirly photomontages. I have never
bought the magazine before, but the cover
caught my eye, and when I read that Ben
Templesmith was making an appearance, I had
to buy it. I can’t draw half as well as the man
himself, but just to learn how he does it was a
real treat. Loved the rest of the magazine too –
you’ve gained a new fan!
Editor replies: Thanks for your comments Adam.
Advanced Photoshop’s senior staff writer, Adam
Smith, is a huge fan of Ben’s work as well and has
been determined to get a tutorial with him for a
while. You can see the image that Ben worked
on in the tutorial on the front of his latest book.
Take a visit to www.amazon.com or www.
amazon.co.uk to order for £12.99/$19.99.
25/6/08 17:25:05

SUBJECT: Too advanced
FROM: Sarah James
I have just purchased a copy of Photoshop CS3
after using it on my university course. I picked
up a copy of Advanced Photoshop to see if I
could glean any information about using the
program better. To be honest, I think that the
tutorials are a little out of my league, as I
struggled with them. I will still be buying the
magazine, as I love the interviews and
features, but I was wondering what you would
recommend for someone who wants to be
‘advanced’, but isn’t quite there yet?
Editor replies: Hi Sarah. I’ve come across quite a
few readers like yourself, who aren’t experienced
in all areas of Photoshop, but aspire to complete
all the tutorials in the magazine. Have you seen
our sister title Photoshop Creative (www.
photoshopcreative.co.uk)? This magazine
PHOTOSHOP CREATIVE: Check this out to swot up
on techniques to get you ready for AP’s tutorials
024-025_AVP_46_Letters.indd 25
IN PRINT: Ben
Templesmith’s
tutorial image
in issue 44 is the
cover for his latest
book, available now
from Amazon
On the
forum
SUBJECT: What do you want from
the tutorials?
FROM: jeaston82
In order to improve the tutorials in
Advanced Photoshop and give you want
you really want from the magazine, please
let me know your thoughts on your
favourite types of tutorial, so we can give
you more of these and less of what you
don’t want!
covers the basics of Photoshop, including FROM: revjessecuster
Channels, blending modes, masking, and so on, They all look fantastic. I’d love to see ways
as well as presenting some really fun, creative of improving photos to make them more
tutorials to put your new-found knowledge into commercially viable/portfolio quality. Matte
action. I’d definitely suggest taking a look! painting interests me a lot – still find it a
bit mind-blowing.
SUBJECT: Subscription query
FROM: Cassie Blackwood FROM: garry79
Hi. I have just taken out a subscription with Some tutorials from professional
Advanced Photoshop, but I was wondering if portrait retouchers or professional
there was any way of logging in online and B&W photographers would be good.
checking my details, etc?
FROM: sylgraph
Editor replies: Hi Cassie. You can manage your I would like to have tutorials about digital
subscription account by taking a visit to www. illustration, matte painting, digital painting,
imaginesubs.co.uk. All you need is your Subs ID. photo-manipulation and contemporary
I hope that helps! graphics. Your tutorials are always very
ESHOP: For all our products, visit the online store, good. I’ve already learned a lot of
where you can pick up the great-value eMag techniques with your magazine.
Join the debate at
www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk/forum
Correction
SUBJECT: University of portsmouth
contact details in Student Showcase
In Advanced Photoshop 44, at the end of
our Student Showcase special feature, we
listed incorrect contact information for the
University of Portsmouth. We apologise for
any confusion caused; the correct details are:
TEL: 023 9284 2421
FAX: 023 9284 5192
EMAIL: create.admissions@port.ac.uk
WEB: www.port.ac.uk/cci
25
Advanced Photoshop
25/6/08 17:25:27
 Letters

On the web
www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk
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!
3JANE
ARTIST: Maria Masiar
EMAIL: maria.masiar@gmail.com
WEB: www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk/user/ Masiar SHROOMZEE AND THE
SOURCE: http://tiny.com/5nc49n
“I’m a web consultant for IBM Canada. Lady 3Jane was
CANNONBALL BIRDS
ARTIST: Teodoru Badiu
created for www.ticklists.com where she was a secret
EMAIL: teodoru@theodoru.com
Easter egg in the domain of user profiles. Using a stock
WEB: www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk/user/theodoru
image of a mannequin, I achieved the metallic look of her
“I am a creative media designer based in Vienna, Austria.
body by using the Chrome filter with a Linear Dodge (Add)
This image is based on pen drawings made for a series
Blend Mode. The light effects were created through a
of characters named Skeleton Head Gang. Each
combination of my brushes and some from deviantART.
character of the gang has his own story and personality,
Gaussian and Motion Blur filters finalised the feeling of
and ShroomZee has quite a mysterious origin. One day
light movement near the left eye and various blending
after a warm and rainy day, he suddenly pops up in the
modes were used to infuse the blue and red colours.”
middle of the gang. From the very first day he loved to
chase Cannonball birds, but he is a bit clumsy; he falls
from time to time and gets hurt.
BAD DREAMS “My aim was to create a 3D world and to populate it
ARTIST: Simon Jones with characters that were going to be colourful and have
EMAIL: alchemical_man@hotmail.com a kind of clean vector graphic look. With that aim in mind
WEB: www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk/user/S8Njones I first made a few drawings, then, based on them, I
“I’ve been working freelance for the last two years after started the modelling work in Cinema 4D. One important
graduating from an illustration degree. This image was created task was the texturing; I tried to keep the textures as
entirely in Photoshop and began life as a photomontage. The clean as possible to achieve the look I wanted. For the
original montage wasn’t really working until I cropped it rendering I used VRay for Cinema 4D and I used
severely either side of the face. After overlaying a few texture Photoshop to make some minor colour and layer
layers in specific areas, I then duplicated the background adjustments, and to add the Ambient Occlusion layer.”
layers a few times, blurring them and adjusting their hues
slightly. I then cut away at them with a three-pixel Eraser
revealing the original image beneath. This technique was also
used to create the scratch-like marks.”

CELL MEMORY
ARTIST: Darek Kocurek
EMAIL: darek-k@o2.pl
WEB: www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk/user/
darekkocurek
“I am a self-taught person in the field of
computer graphics. Many of my pictures
are inspired by music. Cell Memory is
inspired by the music of Steve Roach. It is
photomanipulation from several of my images.
I did this picture in about eight hours (of
course with Steve Roach’s music playing in the
background). [To create the] whole effect I
worked with layers, montages, changed
colours and tones, and cut useless parts.”

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 Inter
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NIMBUS (MAIN IMAGE): “An enormous arched
structure reaches up from the ground and pierces the
sky, even pushing through the cloud level at its apex.
Another piece I actually quite like still; I’m always
pleased if I manage to purvey a solid perspective and a
good chunk of drama in a serene piece”
BEETLE (RIGHT): “A quick and fun
speed painting of an old classic beetle
sitting in the rain. There is something
about this car I really love, although it
looks a little sad in this piece”
GARY TONGE
Going boldly into other worlds and transforming the
everyday into the extraordinary is all in a day’s work for
freelance illustrator and concept artist Gary Tonge
A
fter 20 years in the digital
arts field, British art director,
freelance illustrator and concept
artist Gary Tonge knows a thing or two
about Photoshop, something that he is
keen to share in the form of his first book,
Bold Visions.
This explanatory and tutorial-based tome
opens up the world of digital painting
to artists of any skill level, breaking down
complex images into manageable chunks.
But today we’re more interested in the man
behind the images, his inspirations and his
artistic indulgences.
The 37-year-old is currently working as a full-
time art director for Vivendi/Swordfish Studios,
fitting in freelance work when time allows and
immersing himself in personal projects,
including the aforementioned book (see the
‘Bold Visions’ boxout for more information) and
the portfolio he holds at www.visionafar.com.
028-033_AVP_46_Interview.indd 29
Gary Tonge
He describes his introduction to the
professional arts field as “unorthodox”, after he
took an interest in creating art for early
videogames (in the late Eighties). His parents
helped him in the purchase of an Atari ST
computer, a mouse and a digital-painting
package called Degas Elite. “With this I spent a
lot of very late nights painting up images in ‘Full
320 x 200 res and 16 colours’ until I had got
together a selection of images I was quite proud
of,” he explains.
He sent out numerous discs of his images to
local games companies and landed his first job
at 17, straight out of school. He reflects honestly
on this role: “I was quite seriously out of my
depth and the learning curve was steep.”
But, despite this, Tonge soon picked things up
and his skills grew with the burgeoning games
industry: “I weathered this in the end and
managed to sync up well with the ever-
increasing complexity of computer games
29
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 Inter
view
I VERY MUCH ENJOY CREATING ART
FROM MY HEART, AND PAINTING IT IS THE
QUICKEST AND MOST REWARDING WAY I
CAN THINK OF
and the art required, learning all the time. In
many ways my art matured at the same pace
and time as the games industry itself.”
Moving into Photoshop
Tonge briefly entered the world of high-end 3D
art and animation, but the costs involved meant
that the industry as a whole looked to other
options for game design. It was around this time
that he began to become interested in painted
art again and used Photoshop (Version 3) for the
first time. “I was smitten immediately and I
started to diversify from creating mostly 3D art
and only using PS for textures, to wanting to
spend more and more time painting digitally,” he
describes. “I think the ease of use of Photoshop
and the frustration that it was quickly becoming
many, many peoples’ work to create cutting-
edge 3D art, made me very keen to move into
the conceptualisation of ideas and illustration
field. I very much enjoy creating art from my
heart, and painting it is the quickest and most
rewarding way I can think of.”
These paintings were showcased on his
website, which led to his first freelance
commission. “I had started posting my sci-fi work
onto my personal site and I was beginning to
receive some nice emails from people,” he
narrates. “Out of the blue, I was asked to create
an ‘Atlantian’ image for a private client. I was
amazed and surprised that somebody looking
for commissioned work had found me, but I very
much enjoyed taking the work on.”
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Advanced Photoshop
028-033_AVP_46_Interview.indd 30
RACE (LEFT): “Futuristic ground-skimming jets race
across the desert at perilous speeds. This was a two-fold
piece: I wanted to play with some sci-fi-style shapes and
also try out some different material effects. I want a car
that colour (and shape!)”
Having never gone to art college or formally
studied digital art techniques, Tonge is self
taught, but sees both the pros and cons in this
approach: “Being self taught has a number of
disadvantages, I guess, maybe not experiencing
art as widely as you might if you take it to the
very highest level in education, for instance, but
I tend to focus on the advantages myself. I
would definitely say that there is a lot to be
learned from being dropped into a professional
job you’re not quite ready for and having to
swim to survive.”
Developing a style
Over the years, he has experimented with a
variety of different styles, but has, in the last few
years, made his biggest transition: “I think my
style has changed quite a lot in recent years. For
a long time I created my art with a mouse – for
far too long, in fact! Using a mouse to paint
made my style very precise and quite time
consuming. Changing over to using a tablet
quickly helped me loosen up, and the work I
produce now can vary from very precise and
photographic to very speed painted and loose.
It’s great to be able to vary style dependant on
project or image, in my opinion.”
Despite this new-found freedom, there are
certain ‘rules’ that he sticks to in his artwork: “The
cornerstones of my art are colour, light,
compositional balance and perspective. I love
projecting images of things in interesting and
different ways, capturing the essence of
26/6/08 14:43:19
 Gary Tonge

PROMETHEUS (ABOVE LEFT):

“Docked and waiting for passengers, an
interstellar gravity craft is tended to above
a futuristic Earth city. Images like this can
be challenging to pull off. I wanted to try to
allow for all the elements to draw you into
the piece, not just the focal craft”

GRAND UNIVERSE (ABOVE):

“A commission for a book foundation –
this piece took quite a while, lots of little
galaxies and shapes to contend with and
little in the way of structures to create
framing. I did enjoy myself with it, though”

TREE ROOT CANOPY

(MAIN IMAGE):
“Trees so large you can walk under them
like cathedral ceilings. This image, being
a concept piece, has a loose-ish feel to it,
but I was still quite careful to nail down
the depth and atmosphere for the piece.
Lighting here was paramount”

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 Inter
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BEFORE AND AFTER 1:

“An advertisement piece. This
image is part of a series showing
the car ascending a mountain
pass early in the morning. This
first image shows the car heading
towards the hills just after dawn”

I STARTED TO DIVERSIFY
FROM CREATING 3D ART, TO
WANTING TO SPEND MORE
TIME PAINTING DIGITALLY

BEFORE AND AFTER 2:

“Second in the series. This image shows the
car as it hits the highest point on the
mountain pass, greeting the rising sun
head on. The colours complement the
previous image. I really dig cars and motion
so these sorts of pieces are great fun”

atmosphere and depth at the same time as
realistically and believably nailing down the
light and colour of a subject.”
Photoshop still plays a large part in the
creation of his images. “To be honest, I pretty
much use Photoshop for all of my art,” says
Tonge. “I don’t know if that makes me a little too
rigid in my approach, but I rarely feel I need to
move out of Photoshop for my projects. I will
work up 3D block models for complex,
challenging, or quick-turnaround commissions
or illustrations. I definitely see the value in being
able to finesse a composition before getting
down to painting. I will also sketch things in
pencil when the mood takes me, but I would
much rather scribble away on a Cintiq for an
hour in Photoshop.”
It appears to be a winning formula for Tonge,
as his work has become more widespread and
recognisable. During his videogames career, his
art has been used in over 50 products, from
Tomb Raider to The Simpsons (the 1992 version),
but he is now better known for his personal
work, which has been used for book covers,
album art, business prospectuses, snowboards,
magazine articles and interviews, television,
advertising, concept art and all sorts of other
arenas. His work has also been published in the

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GEOTHERMAL:
“A suspended superstructure
converting geothermic energy
into power for a planet.
Imagining a future where things
are very different from now is all
part of the joy of sci-fi for me”
Exposé series of books from Ballistic Publishing,
as well as art competitions when he has the
time to indulge.
Influence and inspiration
Tonge’s work is influenced by what he sees and
what he has experienced, reflecting his hopes
for a beautiful future for this world, many times
under the ruse of the image being alien or sci-fi
in origin. When asked about his favourite artists,
he is enthusiastic: “I have a lot of artists I love to
look at the work of, but, for me, Craig Mullins is
my favourite. I love his work, love his many styles
and he captures light exquisitely.”
028-033_AVP_46_Interview.indd 33
Tonge’s work certainly sits up there with his
idol’s, but his intricate designs hide the fact that
he thinks of himself as “scatty”. “I have the built-in
ability to take on too much, not take care of it
right away and then have to work really hard to
deal with all my new obligations,” he reveals.
“Interestingly, my work does not really show
that. I guess it is very much the antithesis of how
I am in many ways: organised, precise and
elegant.” As with all artists, he is self-critical,
claiming that there is “very little of my art that I
actually like after finishing it”. Yet this drives him
forward: “One of my strongest beliefs is that as
soon as you start thinking you are good enough
Gary Tonge
Bold Visions
Bold Visions is the new book by Gary
Tonge. If the images over these pages
have caught your eye and made you
wonder, “How does he do that?” then
this is definitely for you. Filled with a
series of step-by-step tutorials and
essential tips and tricks, it’s a must-have
for anyone interested in learning more
about digital-painting techniques. “I am
quite excited about working on a
physical book about how I create my art
and I also hope that it will be useful to
other digital artists, both serious and
casual, to understand digital painting
better and, also, how I go about
painting my work up and the challenges
and difficulties any artist has to go
through to bring a great piece of art
to life,” he says. We will have a full
review in the next issue, as well as a
great readers’ offer, so be sure to check
that out!
in any field, you stop progressing. What a
horrible feeling it would be for an artist to know
they had already created their best piece.”
Luckily, Tonge is not afraid to approach a new
project outside of his comfort zone: “I think it
can be very uncomfortable starting out on a
project or image that you are not sure how to
complete well, and that is not a great sensation.
But from that tribulation can come an energy
inside to understand and overcome the various
challenges before you.”
Always on hand with practical advice, we’ll
leave you with an invaluable bit of advice from
him: “If thought through and roughed out well
enough, a good artist will find a way to not only
to represent the image in their own way
successfully, but it will, in the long run, add more
skills and knowledge to their gamut of
experience. Obviously sometimes things don’t
work out at all, but even from that a lot can be
learned – mistakes are useful experiences too.
Nobody ever said being an artist was easy!” 5
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 MASTERCLASS

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034-039_AVP_46_CreatureMC.indd 34 25/6/08 16:47:34

 Concept creatures
To design believable creatures, you must build a mental ON THE DISC

library of human and animal anatomy

On the CD you’ll find three PSD files broken
up into layers starting from the sketch to
the final image, plus the high-resolution

W
photo textures used, two colour tables, a
hat we’ll be learning in this tutorial will be the creation of an imaginary creature based off what we few custom brushes (.abr files) and patterns
know about existing animal anatomy. We’ll also be covering textures, iconic designs that relate to the (.pat files). We’ll also be including the
original sketch used for the final concept
creature and how they help in creating a concept design layout.
painting at high resolution.
In preparation to starting this tutorial you’ll want to find some references of the human skeleton and some photo
OUR EXPERT Mike Corriero
references of animals such as lions, buffalo, alligators and chimps. If you can find photo references of the skeletal system
Mike is a freelance concept artist and illustrator for the
for some of these animals, it will help prepare you to design a creature similar to what we’ll be designing in this videogame and film industries. His work has been featured in a
workshop. This specific creature and the design layout for it was inspired by prehistoric mammals, dinosaurs and the number of promotional outlets including ImagineFX, Ballistic
textured feel of cave paintings. Photoshop is much more suited for this type of design for its user-friendly interface, Publishing series like Exposé 4 and 5, 2DArtist and Corel
Painter. Some of his clients include Radical Entertainment,
quick and easy custom brush and texture design and its ability to handle complex brush patterns at a high resolution. ImagineFX and Liquid Development. His work can be viewed at
To start, we’ll discuss the basics of proportion. www.mikecorriero.com.

1 Rough proportion and pose

The first thing you’ll want to cover when laying
down the basics of your design is a break up of the body
structure into simple shapes. You don’t need to worry
about details at this point, all you’re really doing here is
taking the idea of your creature and forming the
dominate shapes and roughing out the proportions.
2 Revised sketch
You’re still going to want to keep the sketch rough
because most of it is going to be painted over and will
not be a completed drawing. Although, you’ll want to
tighten things up and add only the necessary details to
begin the painting process without fussing too much
over shading and minor detailing.
3 Base coat
With the sketch layer set to Multiply, lay down
some base colours for the background using a custom
brush. The background isn’t too important, but we’re
giving it an interesting colour scheme that will help
complement the creature. Since the background will be
simple, we’re providing it with textures.

Quick
tip
When designing a creature, always ask the
question ‘why?’ This is important to creating a “ALWAYS ASK THE QUESTION
plausible design, questioning why the creature
has horns, why the proportions are the way they ‘WHY?’... THIS WILL HELP YOU
are and so on. You can continue to ask yourself
anything that will help you revamp what you REVAMP WHAT YOU MAY NOT
may not be able to answer, which might be a
useless part of design for this creature.
BE ABLE TO ANSWER”
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 MASTERCLASS
4 Splatter texture
Above the base coat, lay down a scattered brush
effect utilising the colour palette from the colour table.
This scattered effect is quick, simple and will help provide
a variation of colour and texture to the creature’s basic
colour scheme. We’re already breaking up the face with
blues to bring more focus to this area.
5 Dirty pebble texture
Using a photo texture, we’re setting the layer to
Linear Burn and lowering the Opacity to around 32%.
This helps darken the values, provide a gritty texture to
work on top of and boost the saturation of colours. We’ve
kept the Opacity at a higher percentage so it’s easier for
you to see, while erasing out areas we don’t need.
6 Colour silhouette enforced
We’re still working below the sketch at this point.
Now we’re painting more opaque colours on important
regions of the creature’s body, such as the arms and
hands, as well as reinforcing that blue on the face. We’re
strengthening small portions of the background, such as
the rocks below.

7 Cleaning up
The photo-textured background’s Opacity has
been lowered and cleaned up around the edges of the
creature. We want some of the texture to show up in the
background, but we want most of it on the creature to
serve as an underpainting. Most of this may get covered
Brainstorming and up but even if a small portion remains it will still be

smart design noticeable and serve a purpose.

If you’re under the impression that studying

animal anatomy, human anatomy, biology, and
referencing skeletal structures from animals will
help you draw better, you’re correct. The
question is, will all of that studying and research

help you become a better designer? You need to
recognise the difference first. Don’t just slap the
head of a crocodile on the body of an elephant,
give it some horns and a bunch of fur. You need
to work the design out so it makes some sense,
and so that the elements of anatomy and bone
structure you’ve accumulated are meshed so
well together that you no longer really recognise
which parts of which animals you used to create
this unique design.
8 9
Glazing and shadow Light, dark and colour
A glazed layer set to Overlay has been added by Using a custom chalk brush, we’re starting to
duplicating the entire image after it was flattened and define some of the facial features with light and dark
then erasing certain areas and lowering the opacity. values while working out the colour scheme. The face
We’ve then darkened various portions on a Multiply layer, will be the highlight of the design for this specific action
reinforcing the silhouette, the fire, the rocks in the pose, so a complementary colour that works in contrast
foreground and streaks implying motion. All background to the background will work best. In this case, the blue,
line sketches are being erased at this point. pinks and purples set against the orange background.

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 10 Value boost
We’ve lowered the Opacity of the sketch, but
kept it visible enough to complete the painting and stay
true to the initial drawing. The image has been flattened
and we’re boosting the values that will add a higher
saturation and contrast between light and dark. This is
done using the Image>Adjustments>Levels option.
13 Mirrored adjustments
The entire image has been flattened and
duplicated in order to fix some problem areas. A quick
boost to the Levels and Saturation is made. The major
issue here is aligning the torso, abdomen and legs to fit
correctly with the action pose. These kind of changes are
extremely quick and easy to make if you select an area
and just Transform>Rotate, while mirroring it and
repainting or touching up areas that show through the
re-posted portion.
034-039_AVP_46_CreatureMC.indd 37
“OTHER DETAILS, LIKE TASTE
BUDS ON THE TONGUE WILL
HELP DRAW MORE ATTENTION”
11 12
Detail additions
We’re looking to bring back the focus on the
creature. In looking at the body, it could use some
Fine tuning
The gem of this image is the creature’s head.
Zooming in, we’re beginning to refine and tighten up
additional elements. By adding shoulder spikes and the details of the facial features to really bring across the
increasing that texture it provides a more interesting emotion and colour. Specular highlights on the nose,
silhouette. We’re also cleaning up the edges with light eyes and cheekbones will really help make the face
and darkening regions around the mouth and head. pop out.
14 Focal point
Back to the head – because
this really is the most important part of
the whole design – we’re going to
provide some extra details. Refining
the lighting and shape of the teeth, as
well as the overall mouth, will go a
long way. Other little details, like taste
buds on the tongue and skin spots on
the nose will also help draw more
attention to him.
15 Lighting adjustment
When zooming out, we’ve
noticed that the background is a bit
too washed out and light around the
lower portion of the composition. In
order to keep our background texture
consistent, we’re just going to make a
quick fix with the Stamp tool by
sampling areas of the background and
painting over portions to help keep
the focus where it belongs. We’re also
going back in and refining the
silhouette of the legs and the light that
is hitting them and showing through
from behind.
37
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25/6/08 16:56:30
 MASTERCLASS
16 Simple but intricate
The reason we’re using this custom chalk
brush for the background is that from far away it would
appear bland and very digital. The chalk brush in addition
to the photo textures keep the same tone of colour and
values but they provide a gritty texture that, seen at print
resolution, will appear to have a more traditional look.
Scale and
proportions
The proportions of a creature’s anatomy, as well
as the size of the creature, will tell us a lot about
its purpose. An animal with a very strong upper
body, with large muscular forearms and a
powerful jaw lined with sharp teeth and
oversized incisors is most likely going to be a
predator. What would be the reason for the
horns? Most animals who possess horns use
them for defence, rivalry during mating season
and the appearance of horns distinguish the
animals gender in most species. Thinner hind
legs may not allow the creature to run very
quick, at least not for long periods of time. The
overall proportions along with its sharp claws
and teeth could mean that this creature is a
scavenger as well as a predator that would stalk
its prey and overpower it instead of wasting
much time and energy trying to run it down.
38
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034-039_AVP_46_CreatureMC.indd 38
17 Skin texture
Some final touches being added now are
focused on the hands and actual skin textures. Using the
18 Value check and mirrored
Flattening the image once more and
desaturating it will help us see how the values are
Stamp tool to clone portions of animal skin from this working more easily. When working in colour, the
rhino photo, we can paint a low opacity of texture on the saturation of a colour can often throw off whether or
hands and any other areas where we’d like to provide the not the actual light and darks are really working to the
creature with some added detail. advantage of the concept and light source.
19 A pop and a jump
Getting close to
finishing the actual creature, we’re
taking a look at the black-and-
white values; we’ve stepped back
and looked at the image zoomed
out and we’re just getting a better
feel for how things are coming
across. After some observation,
we decided the head and most of the upper torso of
the creature needed to pop out more. Using the
Lasso tool, we’re selecting that portion and just
upping the levels.
20 21
Cave story Story wall texture
Working back into the initial inspiration for We’ve duplicated and adjusted the colour,
this design, we’re using a cave painting as reference to levels and size of a photo texture to use as the wall
add an element to tell a small story. The story is surface pattern for our cave painting story. We’re just
extremely primitive and crude, but it’s more about the filling in the animal silhouettes with the Stamp tool and
reference of the era this sort of drawing and storytelling the dry mud flake texture, which we also turned into a
came from than the actual actions taking place. brush pattern.
25/6/08 16:48:53

“WITH THE TEXTURES, COLOURS
AND ELEMENTS, YOU FIND
YOURSELF THROWN INTO THIS
CREATURE’S WORLD WITHOUT
ACTUALLY SEEING IT”
24 25
Carnivorous
A few bones and feathers are added to help
push across the idea that the creature is a meat-eater
and a predator. This is both shown through the cave
painting story and the creature’s anatomy, ie sharp teeth
and claws. We’re using a brush with a custom texture
applied for the gritty look to the bone and another
splatter brush to add some splashes of blood later.
034-039_AVP_46_CreatureMC.indd 39
22 Dry mud
In order to help
make these extra elements
surrounding the creature
concept more cohesive, we’re
using the dry mud photo as a
pattern applied to a brush and
working it into the background.
A few larger and darker hand-
drawn cracks are also painted
in, as well as darkening the
burned orange around these
various extras.
Scale ratio
A rough profile view of the creature was
drawn out and then filled with the same dry mud
texture. This element is being added with the silhouette
of an average human next to the sketch, to imply the
actual size of this thing. This information can’t be seen
otherwise from the action pose, so this makes an
interesting addition.
23 Egg laying
In order to help tell a bit more about this
creature and the way it reproduces, lives, eats, and so on,
we’re adding little iconic elements around the page that
pertain to such aspects, which will be informative
without having to paint a full scene or write out an entire
description. This creature contains elements of a tough
scaly skin, spikes and various horns and other anatomy
features that are both mammalian and slightly reptilian.
So reproduction by egg-laying would make the species
more unique and interesting. The egg also contains that
blue that is only found on the creature’s face in order to
help relate the egg with the parent.
26 The final presentation
The lighting, textures and elements all
incorporated in the background help to frame and
centre the main conceptual design. The contrast of
complementary colours and detail bring focus to the
head of the creature. With the textures, colours and
elements you find yourself thrown into this creature’s
world without actually seeing it.
39
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 Feature

Passionfor
40
Fashion
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 Passion for fashion

© Patrick Morgan
We investigate the competitive world of fashion
illustration and questions those who are
exploring the creative cocktail of new and
nostalgic trends BY Adam Smith

A
n established art form for over 500 years, the
world of fashion illustration has experienced its
fair share of recession and revolution.. In decline
from the Thirties through to the Seventies due to the
development and phenomenal popularity of photography
within the industry, fashion illustration began to claw back
some recognition in the Eighties and its popularity has been
steadily rising ever since.
Among other factors, this can be attributed to the wave of
‘technocrat’ artists. These artists value the freedom to design as
they wish, using a liberal style to create images from their
imagination. Since the emergence of digital technology and
photo-editing functionality, their methods have developed
and evolved, with the artists re-evaluating and reinventing
their approach.
In the world of fashion illustration, computers are rapidly
becoming a vehicle for innovation and experimentation,
injecting new life into traditional styles and techniques. Thanks
to this evolving technological approach, fashion illustration
has developed from a basic ornamental representation of
the latest trend into an individual interpretation and
expression of the fashion world. But along with this surge in

© Corinne Brun © Noèlia Requena, OBVIA © Minako Saitoh Botsford

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 © Collaboration, Guilherme Damasceno and Elie Doray, Evokeone

Feature

© Minako Saitoh Botsford

TOKYO OHIMESAMA (ABOVE): Minako Saitoh Botsford believes:

“There are not many traditional fashion illustrations using sketches of
models, but nobody can sell anything unless you are fashion conscious”
THE SHIRES (RIGHT): “My workflow always starts with a quick
sketch and loads of research to gain the knowledge to illustrate the
piece to the standard expected,” explains Patrick Morgan
© Patrick Morgan

popularity emerges some strong commercial
competition. So how does the latest generation of
designers cope with providing innovative aesthetics to
a demanding consumer world?
The commercial sector
The world of fashion has become an integral part of our
daily lives over the decades, and has a continuing high
profile in the commercial sector. Trends are accepted
and followed on a global scale, which in turn has led to
the re-emerging competitive edge of the fashion
illustration industry. However, sceptics may say that
current styles are mere regurgitations of previous fads –
but is this through a lack of ideas or is it deliberate?
Should this really be acceptable in such a progressive
art form and competitive market?
Minako Saitoh Botsford, popular Japanese fashion
illustrator, has worked with international clientele
such as Sony Creative Cosmetics, Mazda and Honda, as
well as with renowned Paris-based Japanese designer
PATRICK MORGAN
Yojhi Yamamoto. Exhibiting since 1982, having
witnessed the escalation of the genre, she offers
an authoritative insight: “In the fashion world, the
previous season is supposed to be ‘old’, but the
customers’ closets are filled with old and new clothes,
five-year-old clothes, ten-year-old clothes, all mixed
together. A person with style always mixes and
coordinates the old with the new. I like to draw that
kind of person, so I choose a wardrobe that she might
choose. I follow her taste, picking and choosing from
various wardrobes to get the most exciting and fresh
look I can. All the files I have kept over the years reflect

“The creatives giving the brief

this approach. Good things don’t always have to be new
things. The fact is, this kind of coordination of styles
attracts many women, since it is not so common but is

really hold all the keys to how far artistic and independent.”
However, Patrick Morgan, successful commercial
British illustrator and prestige tutor at Istituto Marangoni

you can push the job creatively” UK, shaping the next generation for the fashion, styling
and graphics industry, explains that this liberal approach

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© Noèlia Requena, OBVIA
© Patrick Morga
© Patrick Morgan
to creation in illustration is dependent upon many
factors: “In the commercial sector people are always
trying to calm the style down and give people a
more diluted version. It all depends on the brand and
the creative direction. The creatives giving the brief
really hold all the keys to how far you can push the
job creatively.”
In a lot of cases, commercial demands can take
precedence over content and personal style. So the
dynamic between the fashion illustrator and the
designer is key to maintaining a personal touch. They
are two very different creatures, and as an illustrator
there will no doubt be times when your services will be
required by designers with less artistic aptitude. “Most
clients now know what they want, so you’re wasting
your time trying to change their vision or thoughts – it’s
time-consuming,” explains Morgan.
040-047_AVP_46_Feature.indd 43
Passion for fashion
INVIERNO 06/07 COLLECTION (LEFT): Noèlia
Requena says: “Teamwork is an internal and
external process of adaptation”
PAUL SMITH AND FACE JEANS (BELOW LEFT
AND RIGHT): Patrick Morgan explains: “I have
always worked traditionally – and maybe the odd
screen print or two”
© Corinne Brun
n
Rather than restricting creativity, this situation
can give impetus to the ‘hungry’ attitude needed to
succeed within the illustrative arena. Successful French
artist Corinne Brun, aka Coco, is also one of the people
behind Get Confused (http://getconfused.net), a
design and marketing studio specialising in
providing creative solutions to brands within the
beauty, fashion, luxury and travel industries.
She says: “I collaborate regularly with Scott
Stephen to illustrate the visual universe and
themes of his collections, http://scottstephen.
co.uk. This may be demanding, as one has to
adapt to another language, to somebody else’s
vision, which requires a necessary dose of empathy.
So there has to be some symbiosis in that sense, yet
there is definitely room for the encounter of two
creative visions.”
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 Feature
© Corinne Brun

MONTAGE 2 (ABOVE):
“I have noticed that my
style seems to find a
particularly favourable
echo in France and
Scandinavian
countries,” says
Corinne Brun
FASHION CHICK
(RIGHT): “As an
MASCARA PRINCESS illustrator you become
(BELOW): “Branding makes work very chameleon-like
go smoother, making it easier for and adapt,” admits
the client to know what to expect,” Patrick Morgan
admits Minako Saitoh Botsford

© Patrick Morgan

Creative demarcation So has fashion illustration wholeheartedly embraced

The necessity for compromise stems from having to
provide a precise service. However, there are factors that
make the mode of fashion illustration far more
accessible in some instances, and this is good news for
those looking for freelance opportunities. Morgan
explains: “Clients expect so much from the artist,
whereas with a photograph they aren’t looking at so
many elements with such expectant vision. Fashion
illustrators are great to have, as they are cheaper to
commission and give you something more creative.”
© Minako Saitoh Botsford
the digital revolution, or are there still elements of a
traditional approach throughout the industry? If we take
into account Saitoh Botsford’s earlier opinion, “A person
with style always mixes and coordinates the old with
the new”, it seems it is a combination of both
approaches that is most common. Brun concurs, as she
reveals: “I have personally opted for a mix of both
worlds. I am constantly trying to experiment and merge
classic techniques such as pencil, watercolour, pastel or
Indian ink with the new computer processes.”

This can surely be accredited to digital media and its
ability to come up with refreshing creative cocktails.
“Fashion illustration itself is becoming more and more
crossover, and the surprising thing is that because of the
digital photo, photography has become more like
illustration. Now there are many photographers drawing
on their own photos, more than just simply retouching,”
explains Saitoh Botsford.
CORINNE BRUN
With a distinctly classical aura about her style, with
perhaps unconventional Bauhaus and Art Deco
influence, she admits: “I compose the final montages in
Photoshop. I feel this hybrid work offers me an opening
into possibilities, which I am still exploring.” With digital
software no doubt having an influence, it seems the
technocratic approach is still in its infancy and there are
modern fashion illustrators seemingly at odds with this
mantle – still enamoured with the perceived romance of
traditional approaches. Such individuals approve of the
use of digital only for practical purposes, but endorse

“I feel this hybrid work offers me

it nevertheless.
Saitoh Botsford explains: “Originally I was drawing
with an airbrush on paper, then I realised I could draw

an opening into possibilities, with an airbrush digitally, so I gradually began to change

to digital airbrush according to the needs of clients. In
fact, digital artwork is only data, not a tangible art piece,

which I am still exploring” which is a drawback. But the rest is all positive. That’s
why more and more people are now creating digitally.

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PRIM-VER COLLECTION (ABOVE): “A lot
of things inspire me – a colour, a line, basic
shapes, organic structures, colleagues’ works,”
explains Requena
SCI-FI COVER GIRL (BELOW): “I always
emphasise my feminine as relaxed with fluid
sensibility, even if I sacrifice part of the figurative
persuasiveness,” admits Saitoh Botsford
© Minako Saitoh Botsford
You can simulate while you’re working and you can
show variations to the client, even after you finish the
work. You can accommodate the client’s needs further. I
have found unexpected effects here and there, and I
really like this way, which fits with the modern pace of
the commercial world.”
Noèlia Requena, Barcelona-born illustrator and
founder of contemporary brand experience OBVIA
(http://obvia.es), concurs: “I like the freedom you have
working with digital applications. They are very flexible. I
don’t feel afraid to make mistakes, because you can
make as many tests as you want without damaging the
original document. I work faster with them.” This ability
to produce fast and sustain expression really sells digital
applications to the modern professional fashion
illustrator. As Morgan clarifies: “Digital media chose me
for the reasons of time and clients wanting things
instantly, whatever the process.“
040-047_AVP_46_Feature.indd 45
Passion for fashion
© Noèlia Requen
a, OBVIA
Recollection collection
“The beautiful side has been lost a little, but digital
media has helped in other ways, like colour
management and cross-platforming,” Morgan continues.
“Modern advertising has ups and downs for fashion
illustrations, as the industry has peaks and troughs in
styles. Therefore fashion illustration is always around – it
just depends whether you adapt yourself to the
changes.” It’s clear that digital application allows for such
changes in a highly accessible manner.
It also seems that the commercial world of fashion
illustration is in a constant state of flux. Artists wear
© Noèlia Requena, OBVIA
Cultural significance
Does your location influence your style?
It’s often assumed that your location on the globe
directly influences your style of art. However, as can be
seen from the examples across these pages, it’s not
always obvious where a style of work originates – in
fact, many show a mixture of different influences from
around the world. We questioned our featured artists
to discuss whether they felt that fashion illustration
style was at all dependent upon cultural influences.
Corinne Brun reveals: “I have noticed that my style
seems to find a particularly favourable echo in France
and the Scandinavian countries. That said, one can live
in London and produce Japanese-oriented pieces.
There is no obliged space of creation. That space is
now both global and subjective. I’m aware that I
revolve stylistically around a design universe that
is essentially rooted in European influences.
Architecture, ceramics, the Swiss school’s typographic
influence, French classical fine arts, the Bauhaus and
Russian constructivism.”
This approach is echoed to a degree by Minako
Saitoh Botsford, but she understands the need to look
for a cultural undercurrent: “When fashion becomes
too globalised, we want to redress the balance by
returning to our own cultural or ethnic roots. I’m not
so into my own cultural roots. If I were asked, of course
I would enjoy drawing Japanese culture. But somehow
I seem to remember past lives with various cultural
roots. I feel very close, for example, to Native
American, European and Indian cultures, and I think I
absorb them into my own fashion roots.”
Noèlia Requena, however, feels that nationality may
be apparent in work but that personal style is always
going to be what you want to be recognised for,
regardless of your influences: “In some cases, some
designers’ work can be recognised for their nationality.
But their personal touch should be more important
than their citizenship.”
45
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27/6/08 11:14:18
 Feature
© Noèlia Requena, OBVIA

PRIM-VER
COLLECTION (FAR
LEFT): Requena reveals:
“Most of the time I begin
with pencil or watercolour
drawings. I scan them, and
then with Photoshop I
introduce filters and
vectors and play with

tsford
different layers“
FASHION MANDALA

© Minako Saitoh Bo
FACE NEW 1 (BELOW LEFT): “I’m
(LEFT): “Once you create
seeing a lot of decorative work happening
a brand, you may come
recently, which is a real interesting style,”
up against your fixed
reveals Patrick Morgan
image. It limits you and
OTOÑO – INVIERNO 07/08 you may not want to stay
COLLECTION (BELOW): “I’m still looking in the same place,” says
constantly for my own style. However, when Saitoh Botsford
I see my work with perspective, I feel a
similar atmosphere,” explains Requena

© Noèlia Requena, OBVIA

their nostalgia much like the fashions they help to
create, but are also striving to stand out from the crowd
with new and innovative designs. But is this in turn, as
Morgan suggested, diluting the beautiful side of the
style? Are digital influences having a detrimental effect
© Patrick Morgan
on an expanding image bank of which I reuse
elements in compositions for different projects. In this
sense, there isn’t much room for any preliminary
sketches.” Requena agrees: “I don’t make conventional
sketches. I begin with ideas. Through them, I generate a

on traditional rules and techniques?
Croquis, or live model sketching in laymen’s terms,
and the ‘9 to 10 head lengths’ model type are disciplines
that appear to be in decline. Concerning both, Brun
explains: “This stems from convention more than
necessity. For efficiency’s sake, my work relies essentially
NOÈLIA REQUENA
basis with different graphics, then transform them with
digital applications.”
Yet, as the saying goes, old habits die hard. There are
those who refuse to be limited, as Saitoh Botsford
reveals: “Since I draw from photos for assignments,
sometimes I enjoy sketching ‘live’ models for fun and
exercise. When you face the ‘live’ model, you feel in awe.
Everything in the universe feels extremely fluid because
when you look at a thing and try to draw it, it really

“Nowadays with all the visual moves. Through Croquis you may discover a deeper
inspiration rather than just staying in front of the

information in constant
computer all the time.”
Inspiration certainly seems integral to the survival
of this style and its future around the world. Yet

metamorphosis, there are no perhaps even this has its bearing on an artist’s need to
sustain his or her identity as a fashion illustrator, not a
contrived technocrat. Morgan reflects poignantly,

closed concepts” saying: “I do feel that people are constantly chasing the
money side, so styles are all becoming similar, with the

46
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 Passion for fashion
MCQUEEN (LEFT): Morgan reveals: “All clients will
give you a thorough breakdown of the job and
workflow, so you’re just part of a section. Branding is
so important that you must abide by this. You can try
and push the agency, but everyone is a little scared to
stretch the client creatively”

Artists’ agencies
Brands and studios from fashion illustrators

OBVIA
www.obvia.es
Founded in 2005 by Barcelona-born Noèlia Requena,
OBVIA is her trademark. Upon visiting the innovative
animated OBVIA site, you will be presented with a
fresh branding experience. She has already
collaborated on clothing lines in 2006 and 2007 with
painter Sergio Romero, and painter and web designer
Sergio Fores. Requena reveals: “OBVIA is a brand with
a clear style, but open to our own professional
evolution. The identity is building from its own course.”
She adds: “My commercial net doesn’t make any
requirement over style. People’s tastes are changing
fast. For this reason, the success or failure of a brand,
OBVIA included, is closely related to them.”

Get Confused
www.getconfused.net
Already a leading marketing and technology
consultancy specialising in providing creative
solutions to brands within the beauty, fashion, luxury
and travel industries, Get Confused is in joint
operation with Corinne Brun, aka Coco. Harnessing the
© Patrick Morgan
skills of an extensive network of creatives, Brun’s own
involvement in the branding sector is key to her
creative development. She explains: “I do work better
JIMMY 2 (RIGHT): ”I am teaching at a fashion with brands that belong to the universes I know.
school, Istituto Marangoni, and we really push the Through Get Confused, the communication agency
students to draw, draw, draw – and this is a real I co-run, I get to work closely with a variety of creative
bonus for them getting a job,” explains Morgan individuals with a strong aesthetic universe already in
place. This has given me over the years a strategic
innovators creating new and different styles that are understanding of the constraints and needs of creative
businesses and the usefulness of building a good
more creative and harder to copy. I loved it years ago work relationship.”
when different countries had styles and looked more to
their roots. This is really not enjoyed now, but will no
doubt come back.”
However, taking into account all the opinions given
over the last eight pages, it seems that no matter what
stance the fashion illustrator takes, there is little time to
stand still in this competitive arena, or a new-breed of
young illustrators will take your place.
Requena sums this up when she concludes: “I need
to take pencils and inks, smell the colours, feel the piece
of paper. I don’t reject anything. I try to adapt techniques
to the result I want to get, and I never want to get the
same. We waste a lot of time categorising things, and
nowadays with all the visual information in constant
metamorphosis, there are no closed concepts. Now
everything is a mix.” So it seems that everything goes in
this essential and innovative field. © Patrick Morgan

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 MASTERCLASS

48
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048-053_AVP_46_PaintingMC.indd 48 26/6/08 14:48:45

 Portrait painting
Learn to paint realistic portraits and fabric using custom brushes

C
lassical character illustrations and portraits
have been around in many forms since we
first began to try and convey the world
around us, from real to imaginary. During the
Renaissance (14th-17th Century), the human form in
paintings moved from static and flat to alive and
deep, truly capturing the likeness, motion and
emotion of the people depicted, as well as showing
off the most gorgeously painted drapes or elaborate
garments you can imagine. Today, paintings such as
these are mostly seen in the game and graphic novel
environment, or as book illustrations. This tutorial will
show you how to create a realistically rendered
character portrait in Photoshop, using simple tools
and almost solely depending on painting rather than
filters and plug-ins.
Here you will learn step-by-step how to take an
idea from sketch to colour, render a convincing
character, fabric and brocade, and add those little
details that are often overlooked but will really make
any portrait come alive.
Ultimately, this tutorial is about creating a strong
character portrait that not only speaks to us, but also
entices us to read a story into it. To get the best
results, it’s advisable for you to have a graphics tablet,
as it gives you much more control than a mouse.
ON THE DISC
The sketch at full resolution, the custom
brushes used for this painting, the brocade
pattern files and the Fibonacci Spiral can be
found on the CD. Hopefully these will help
you get started and inspire you to create
your own illustrations.
OUR EXPERT Nykolai Aleksander
Nykolai is an award-winning freelance illustrator mainly
working on character concepts and illustrations for books,
games and graphic novels. Her work has been seen in Ballistic
Publishing’s Exposé series, and was the cover image for Exposé
5. She can be found online at www.admemento.com.

Classical
composition

1 Start with a sketch

To start, open a new file and add a new layer to your
canvas. Call it ‘sketch’ – that way you won’t get confused
when more layers are added. Now pick the default hard
round Paintbrush, set the Size and Opacity to Pen Pressure,
and start sketching. Getting the proportions of your sketch
right is important, so use references if you feel it’ll help you.
2 Block in colours
Add a new layer beneath the ‘sketch’ layer. This
will be our main layer for the character. Keep the hard
round Paintbrush, but you may find it easier to switch
off the Size Jitter and manually adjust the size as
needed. We’ll be blocking in colours now, and it doesn’t
need to be very precise or clean; we just want to get a
feel for the overall colour scheme, light and shadows.
If you sketch directly in Photoshop, it’s a good
idea to do this on a separate layer – that way,
you can not only remove the sketch whenever
you want, you can also keep it as visible as you
like while you’re painting, by colouring
underneath it. If you have trouble with
anatomy, find stock images that you can use as
reference (or take your own). The composition
of classical
paintings is
often adhering
to the Golden
Mean, or

3 Clean up colours
Sticking with the round brush, set
Opacity and Flow manually to around
Fibonacci Spiral.
It shows how a
painting should
‘flow’. If a
70-80%, while keeping the Opacity composition
Jitter switched on. We want to smooth doesn’t feel
out and clean up the edges and quite right,
colours, and these settings will help. At apply the Spiral
this point, you can already reduce the to your painting
Opacity of your ‘sketch’ layer. Setting it to help you.
to Overlay is another option.

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 MASTERCLASS
“EYES BRING 4 Background colour
At this point the colours look a little flat. Part of

PERSONALITY,
the reason is the neutral background – it was a good
colour to start off with, but it’s time now to add a hint

EVEN WHEN THE

of light and shadow. We do this on the actual
Background layer, with a large round Paintbrush to get

EXPRESSION IS
good coverage.

NEUTRAL.
SPENDING SOME
TIME ON THEM 5 Refine the face
Having laid down our main ‘bulk’ of paint, we can

IS VERY
start refining the face. Picking the Smudge tool, set it to
Finger Painting, then choose a speckled brush tip and

REWARDING”
set the Strength Jitter to Pen Pressure, as well as Scatter
to around 30-40% – this will aid the blending and
prevent it looking plastic.

7 Eyes and lips

The eyes bring
personality to a portrait,
even when the facial
expression is neutral.
Spending some time on
them to get them just
right is very rewarding.
The mouth, too, is
important. Just a slight

6
adjustment could
Flip the canvas change the overall
To get a fresh view on things, flipping the canvas expression. In this step,
horizontally is helpful. You will be able to see where we just concentrate on
things have gone a bit wrong and can adjust them. getting the expression
Often the face can get a bit lopsided, so this is a good right, without adding too
way of preventing that. many little details.

8 Hair – the
bulk of it
Once you are happy
with the face, you can
move on to the hair. The
trick is to think of hair as
‘strands’, rather than as
single hairs. Speckled

9
brushes instantly give
the impression of Hair highlights and lowlights
strands, so pick one and Now that the basic hairdo is laid down, start
set the Brush Spacing to adding some highlights and lowlights according to the
5%, Opacity to Pen light source. This will add depth to the hair and refine it
Pressure and switch off even more. Stick with your speckled brush for this, but
the Size Jitter. maybe reduce its size a little.

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 10 Definition
To bring the hair to a level of detail that
matches the current state of the face, we keep working
with both speckled brushes and a small soft round
brush with Size and Opacity set to Pen Pressure. To
blend it in places, we can use the speckled Finger
Painting tool again. But be careful not to overdo it.
Remember, we want some texture.

Painting
fabrics
Fabrics can be daunting to paint, especially

11 Fabric flow
Let’s move on to the kimono. First we want
to smooth out the colours a bit and give the fabric
some more flow. We can use our already much used
round Paintbrush for this, with Hardness set to 60% and
Opacity to Pen Pressure. Always work with the direction
of the fabric flow to get the best results.
when they are very elaborate, but starting off
with a good base helps. Using a simple round
brush, roughly apply your base colour with
broad strokes in the direction of the flow and
folds. Then add highlights and shadows with
the same rough technique. After that, you can
define and refine the folds using lower opacity
settings and also the Finger Painting tool with a
speckled brush tip. Not too much though;
keeping it slightly rough adds life to the fabric.

12 Refine the fabric

Using the round Paintbrush, keep working
on the fabric, layering and blending the colours. The
Different fabrics need slightly different
treatment. Silk, for example, has some very
crisp highlights and shadows and is very
smooth (but not smudged) in overall texture.
speckled Finger Painting tool comes in handy again as
Cotton has less sharp highlights but more of a
well, as it adds some grain to the fabric and helps with general grain to it. Velvet can be tricky, as it can
the blending, too – but again use it with care: we don’t have reversed shadows and highlights, as well
want the edges too blurred. as odd little kinks in the fabric texture.

13 Touch-ups
Add some silky highlights with a round
Paintbrush to bring out a soft sheen. The obi knot at the
back needs more work and the front panel of the
kimono. Even though it looked good, it was wrong.
Something to remember when painting kimono: they
are worn with the panels left over right; right over left is
reserved for the dead.
Apply a base colour with broad strokes,
sweeping in the general direction of the folds

14 Design the
brocade pattern
Now that the fabric looks just
right, we can start working on
the brocade pattern. Open a
new file that is big enough in
proportion to your painting,
add a new layer, then pick a
small round Paintbrush and
sketch your designs. Check out
Use a lower opacity to refine the fabric. A hint
some embroidery patterns to
of texture will add life to your design
give you ideas.

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 MASTERCLASS
“THE PATTERN IS WOVEN INTO FABRIC BEFORE IT’S
MADE A GARMENT, SO IT DOES NOT EXTEND OVER
SEAMS. EMBROIDERY IS APPLIED AFTER”
16 Form-fitting the brocade pattern
Now we need to adjust Size and Rotation,
and Distort it as needed to work with the body-
contours/perspective. Erase parts that go over the edges
with a round Paintbrush with 80% Hardness. Remember
when painting brocade that the pattern is woven into
fabric before it’s made a garment, so it doesn’t extend
over seams. Embroidery is applied after and is seamless.

17 Make it move

15
Often a pattern can look superimposed
Apply the brocade pattern when applied like this. To avoid this, we can go
We can do one of two things. We can make a Filter>Liquify, select the Forward Warp tool, tick the
new brush from our design by going to Edit>Define Show Background box and set Blend Mode to Behind.
Brush Preset, then add a new layer to our painting and You may want to adjust the Brush Density and Pressure
stamp the pattern onto it. If the pattern is too large, we to 50-70%. We then gently push the pattern to warp
can simply drag it onto our painting. with the fabric folds.

19 Part of
the fabric
Now unlock Transparent
Pixels. To make the pattern
truly look like part of the
fabric, we can go to
Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur,

18
and set it to 1-5%. To have
Adjustments and colour more control over the
Set layer to Overlay to give it an unobtrusive blurring, we can instead
silk brocade feel and adjust the Opacity as needed. To choose the Blur tool and
give it a different colour Lock Transparent Pixels, then gently blur the edges here
paint over the pattern with your colours of choice, and there. Make sure to
shadows and highlights included. Using contrasting not overdo it; you want
colours can achieve a nice effect so play around. the pattern discernible.

21 Hair
adornments
Having completed the
biggest part of our painting,
we can now move on to all

20
the small details. We add a
Repeat as necessary new layer behind the
Now that we’ve decorated the obi, we also character, choose the round
want to give the kimono some pretty patterns. Repeat Paintbrush with Opacity set
steps 14-19 for this. To make a pattern a repeat pattern, to Pen Pressure and paint the
stamp or drag the pattern onto a separate layer each hairpins. Add another layer
time, then rotate each one slightly to make it look less over the character for the silk
‘pasted’. Make sure they don’t overlap, then merge them. flower.

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 22 Wispy hairs, eyelashes
and eyebrows
Choosing a fine round Paintbrush with Size and Opacity
24 Adjust skin texture
Set both layers to Overlay and reduce the
Opacity of both so much that you can only see a hint of
set to Pen Pressure and Hardness at 70%, we refine the the texture. Erase whatever goes over the edges of the
eyelashes. Blur them slightly on the tips for a softer look. exposed skin and over the eyes. To add more layers, use a
We refine the eyebrows the same way. Adding new speckled brush texture on forehead, cheeks and chin,
layers, we add wispy hairs and lose strands. Use the then adjust as before.
Finger Painting tool to soften some of them.

23 Skin texture
Choose a rough texture brush with Angle
Jitter at 50%, pick an almost white colour and stamp the
texture onto a new layer over any exposed skin. Repeat
this with a shadow colour picked from the portrait on a
separate layer.

25 Finalise the
background
Now that the character is
finished, we can go back
over the background once
more. Painting a wall, you
can go as smooth or rough
Custom
as you like. Here, we want
something in between, so
brushes
use the round Paintbrush as
well as rough texture The main brushes we used for this
brushes set to Angle Jitter painting are the default round Paintbrush,
and Opacity to Pen Pressure various custom speckled and texture
to get the desired effect. brushes. The round Paintbrush is good for
pretty much anything, but we used it here
mainly to lay down colours and refine

26 More textures
To give the painting even more realism and
also a little edge, we add more textures, and this time all
facial features, hair and paint the brocade
fabric. The speckled brushes are not only
good for hair, they also add some variation
over. The procedure is the same as with the skin texture to the skin (and are great for creating
(step 23 and 24), only this time with two different large freckles). We used the texture brushes to
brushes. Stamp them once each on separate layers, then add life to the background, the skin and
adjust the size of layers to cover the entire painting. the overall painting.

27 Final tweaks
Gently blur some parts with the Blur tool – it
will also help to integrate the character a little more.
Flatten the layers. Now see if the painting may benefit
from adjustment of the Levels or even Variations. To
boost the colours, Duplicate the layer, set the Opacity to
either Vivid Light or Overlay and reduce it as much or
little as you like.

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 MASTERCLASS

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 Mix vectors & photos
Combine stock images and vector elements into a stunning photomanipulation
using blending modes and adjustment layers BY JUSTIN M MALLER

W
orking illustrative or abstract renders in with multiple photographs is
an excellent way to create a high-energy artwork. When blended
properly, illustration can do a wonderful job of bringing a composition
together, by adding depth and movement to what can otherwise be quite a staid scene.
While creating compositions based entirely around photographic materials is both
challenging and rewarding, nothing stands out quite like a piece built around some very
unnatural elements. Our focus in the construction of this piece will be upon applying
some unusual kaleidoscope-like effects to our photography, all of which is freely
available stock, as well as on using the illustrative renders to add perspective and
intrigue to the composition.
In this tutorial we will look at ways to adjust and blend multiple stocks together to
create a seamless kaleidoscopic foundation for an artwork. We will also cover basic
extraction techniques, look at some innovative layer-masking methods and have a play
around with different kinds of blur effects. We’ll also cover a sneaky way to create some
nifty brush effects and cap it off with some adjustment layer fun. Plenty to sink our teeth
into with this one, so let’s get started!

1 2
ON THE DISC
Getting started Etch the model from the background All of the stock images used here are freely
The first thing we’ll need is a model! You can find This is a very dark shot that makes some edges available from sxc.hu. On the disc you will
find a PSD file of a 3D render, as well as a
the model that we used at sxc.hu, image number hard to spot – a trick here is to add a Levels adjustment Word document with links to all the stock
‘764732’. This is a good shot in that the model is well lit layer and drag the Midtones sharply towards the images used. These images are also
and very obviously focusing on a point directly above shadows. This will blow the highlights up and make referenced in the tutorial.

her – a strong beginning that suggests a direction for
the piece.
etching much easier. Zoom in nice and tight on the
photograph – around the 400% mark should get you a
nice accurate result.
OUR EXPERT Justin M Maller
Justin Maller is a graphic artist from Melbourne, Australia. He is
currently working as a full-time freelance graphic artist, while
also creatively directing the crew over at depthCORE.com. Check
out his personal folio at superlover.com.au.

3 Use the Pen tool

Now, break out the Pen (P) tool and start tracing
around the model carefully. The more anchor points you
use the better. Once you have completed a perfect
trace of the girl, complete your work path by reclicking
on the original anchor point. Ctrl-click/right-click in the
centre of your path and hit Make Selection. Ensure the
Feather Radius is set to 0 and that the New Selection
radio button is checked.

“USE A LEVELS ADJUSTMENT

LAYER TO BLOW THE
HIGHLIGHTS UP AND MAKE
ETCHING MUCH EASIER”
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 MASTERCLASS
4 Duplicate to new layer
Once you’ve made your selection, hit Cmd/Ctrl+J
to duplicate to a new layer. Create a new document at
A4 resolution and duplicate the model into it. Name the
layer – ‘model’ will be just fine.
Professional
glow effects
We love quick, easy effects that you can turn on
and off during the production of a piece to give
different looks and change direction. With this
piece, a simple glow effect allowed us to see the
piece differently while building it, and gave us
some perspective on what kind of image we
wanted to build. To try this out, simply duplicate
the ‘abstract kaleido’ layer in the main
composition. Now, apply a medium Gaussian
Blur of around 40 pixels and set the blending
mode to Overlay. Adjust the Opacity to 40%;
this should deepen the contrast and soften the
highlights – a nice dramatic effect that can be
used on any layer. It’s up to you whether you
keep it, but remember the technique for times
where a change of pace will come in handy.
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054-058_AVP_46_MC.indd 56
5 Preparing the composition
Download the canopy image (sxc.hu, image
number ‘851981’) and duplicate it into your main
6 Level out the background
Hit Cmd/Ctrl+L to bring up the Levels interface.
Drag the Midtones slider towards the Highlights until
composition. Select the Marquee tool (M) and hold the shadow area of the piece is perfectly black – around
down Shift to drag out a square selection of the left- the .062 mark should be perfect. This gives the piece an
hand side, incorporating the tallest tree and a section of excellent contrast, but more importantly will allow us to
the silhouetted lower portion. work other photos in using blending modes to create a
richer and more detailed kaleidoscope.
7 Hue and Saturation
Hit Cmd/Ctrl+U to being up Hue/Saturation. Drag
the Hue slider left to around the -20% level and the
8 Kaleidoscope
Use the Lasso tool to make a diagonal selection
across the square and hold Shift to force 45 degrees. You
Saturation down to about 15%. Now hit Cmd/Ctrl+B to might want to use Photoshop’s transparent squares to
bring up Color Balance. Drag the Shadows slider slightly line it up perfectly. Once your selection cuts the square
towards Blue, Midtones to Red and the Highlights into two triangles, cut and paste to a new layer.
towards Yellow. Use Hue/Saturation for a second time,
moving the Hue -20% again.
9 Build the effect
To start building the
kaleidoscope effect, duplicate
the layer and flip it horizontally.
Match the 90-degree edges up
and merge the two together.
Duplicate again, flipping
vertically this time. This time,
match the middle point edges
and Merge Down.
27/6/08 12:05:40
 10 Experimentation is key
Rotate the merged layer by 90 degrees and
merge down to complete your first kaleidoscope effect.
Now repeat using the other section from the original
square Marquee to get a neat ‘inverted’ feeling. You can
feel free to experiment by repeating the kaleidoscope
steps using a different original selection if you desire.
13 Distort the shape
Pinch the bottom of the shape in using the
Distort tool (Edit>Transform>Distort) – we’re trying to
break the symmetry up a bit, but it’s important to keep
the corners tidy. Once this is done, use the Perspective
tool (Edit>Transform>Perspective) to pull the top out to
enhance the effect.
15 Double
abstract fun
Open up ‘renders.psd’ again and
bring in the ‘Double’ layer.
Throw it behind the ‘abstract
kaleido’ layer and rotate it so
that the form disappears out of
screen. Duplicate and Flip
Horizontal to maintain the
symmetry of the piece. Set the
layer Opacity to 75%.
054-058_AVP_46_MC.indd 57
11 Putting it all together!
Duplicate your two kaleidoscopes into your
A4 document, placing the darker one below the lighter.
Set the blending mode on the lighter effect to Darken.
Create a new layer and drag out a gradient from a bright
pink to red – set this blending mode to Multiply. Top all
of this off with a Color Balance adjustment layer that
pulls the Shadows towards Blue. Throw all these layers
into a group and save.
14 Model and shadow
Bring the ‘model’ layer back in to play and
place her at the top of the Layers palette. Ctrl-click/right-
click the layer to get her selection and create a new
layer. Fill with black and apply a Gaussian Blur of around
50 pixels. Pop the layer below the model and drag
straight down to correspond with the light source.
12 Abstract effects
Open up ‘renders.psd’ from the CD (please
feel free to use your own illustrations here if desired).
Bring in the ‘Main’ layer and apply the kaleidoscope
effect to the main part of the illustration. There’s no
exact science to this, just use your intuition. Position the
result above the background kaleido group.
“WE’RE TRYING
TO BREAK THE
SYMMETRY
UP A BIT, BUT
KEEP THE
CORNERS TIDY”
Essential checks:
work in
progress
While creating a detailed piece like this, we
create previews at random intervals throughout
the production process and will often save
multiple versions of the layered PSD. This allows
us to backtrack throughout the history of the
piece at times when we get stuck – we can see
the things we liked at different times and ensure
that the changes we are making are truly
benefiting the piece. There have been many
times when we have had to admit that the last
five hours have been for nothing and revert to an
old version. It’s hard, but your work will be
stronger for it, so be brave!
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 MASTERCLASS

16 Position
the layers
Duplicate these two layers and
flip them vertically. Position the
abstract ‘clump’ above the
model’s head (below the
‘abstract kaleido’ in the Layers Focus on
palette). Add a layer mask and
drag out a vertical gradient adjustment
running white to black from top
to bottom to hide the tendrils. layers
We talk about adjustment layers a lot and there’s
a very good reason for it; we have never released
a finished piece of artwork that didn’t have at

“EXPERIMENTATION IS KEY WITH least two adjustment layers sitting on top of it to

unify the piece’s palette and balance the

ADJUSTMENT LAYERS” composition out. Applying specifically to this

piece, after we finished balancing all of the
layers by hand, we had a play around and found
that a couple of small adjustment layers worked

17 18
Brush effects
Create a new square document (300 x 300)
and fill with black. Render a Lens Flare in the precise
middle. Reduce Saturation to 0 and crunch the Levels by
sliding the Midtones towards the Highlights as before.
Hit Cmd/Ctrl+A to select all, then Cmd/Ctrl+I to invert.
Define this as a brush (Edit>Define Brush Preset).
Fine details
Open the Brushes palette and select your
newly made brush. In the Shape Dynamics, turn Size
Jitter up to 100%, then Scattering up to 1,000% on both
axes. Create a new layer and brush liberally behind the
model, erasing unwanted parts as you go. Less is more,
but make sure the effect is present!
wonders. First we added a Color Balance
adjustment layer and moved the Highlights
quite significantly (around the 25% mark)
towards Yellow and the Midtones fractionally
(around 5%) towards Cyan. Setting the blending
mode to Lighten completed this effect and really
made the image pop a little more, while infusing
it with a lovely warm tone. To balance this, we
then added a Channel Mixer layer and upped the
contrast in the Blue Channel by 10%. Select the
automatic layer mask, drag out a Black to White
gradient running diagonally from the top right
and you have a subtle effect that further breaks
symmetry without creating imbalance.
Experimentation is key with adjustment layers –
play with their position in the layer hierarchy,
play with their opacity, but always make sure
they are there.

19 Finishing off
Now that the basis
of the image is complete, it’s
time to put the finishing
touches in by adding fine
details. We’ve made a couple
of extra kaleidos from the
shapes and positioned them
symmetrically. We also etched
out the lily images (sxc.hu,
image numbers ‘831903’ and
‘915051’) and scattered them
around before adding more
lighting. This is where the
magic happens, so take your
time to enjoy the techniques
we have discussed.

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 Step-by-step
Workshop

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 AMAZING
SIDESHOW ART
Use your expertise with Photoshop to recreate
exuberant circus posters of yesteryear
S
tep right up, folks! The show’s about to
begin… It’s your chance to see the
lobster boy, the rubber-skinned woman
and the tattooed wonder.
These were the type of extraordinary acts that
appeared in sideshows of travelling fairs and
circuses from the turn of the century right up to
the Fifties. To the unscrupulous showman it
didn’t matter if his acts were real or fabricated,
and the outlandish posters advertising the
attractions served only one purpose: to pull in
the crowds. They promised to deliver the
1 Square up
Open ‘Backdrop_1.jpg’ from this month’s
CD and you will notice that the scan is not
square – this is easy to fix. Select the Measure
tool (found under the Eyedropper fly-out menu)
and drag a line corresponding to the bottom
edge of the illustration. Next go
Edit>Transform>Rotate and hit OK. The
complete image was too large to fit under the
scanner, so it was scanned in two parts, as you’ll
see next.
“THIS TECHNIQUE APPEARS
THROUGHOUT ART HISTORY,
MOST NOTICEABLY IN
BAROQUE PORTRAITURE”
060-064_AVP_46_CircusWS.indd 61
ON THE DISC
You’ll find all the files (except the
fonts) to complete this workshop
on this month’s CD.
‘Backdrop_1.jpg’, ‘Backdrop_2.jpg’,
‘Poser_render.png’, ‘Curtain.jpg’,
‘Banner.png’, ‘Skulls.png’, ‘Distress_
1.jpg’ and ‘Distress_2.jpg’
OUR EXPERT Mark Mayers
An award-winning illustrator and designer based in
Cornwall. He’ll be sharing his expertise at the The
MIDA Expo 08 in Malta with MetalFX seminars and
workshops. See more at www.markmayers.co.uk.
Be inspired
incredible, the bizarre and the unimaginable to
This workshop recreates the classic
the voyeuristic public.
sideshow poster composition in which
Follow this Masterclass and discover how to the central figure is framed by curtains.
replicate a style from a bygone era. We’ll be This technique appears many times
combining Poser renders, a vintage illustration throughout art history, most noticeably
and photography. And we’ll also reveal some in baroque portraiture. A painted canvas
great tricks for distressing your artwork by using backdrop was also a common element
scans of a baking tray and an old book cover. used to make the attraction more
Finally, to pull off the effect, we’ll show you how credible. We used a jungle illustration
selecting the right fonts and having an eye for found in an old Forties magazine.
detail can really make a difference. So let’s get Sourcing such material to incorporate in
the show on the road… your illustrations can be both fun and
rewarding, and they can picked up for
next-to-nothing in second-hand
bookshops and car-boot sales.
2 Perfect alignment
Use the Crop tool to extend the right-
hand canvas, then open ‘Backdrop_2.jpg’ and
straighten using the Measure tool as before.
Now drag/drop as a new layer into ‘Backdrop_
1.jpg’ and position – lowering the Opacity of
the top layer will help you align the two
images. Set the Opacity back to 100% and hit
Cmd/Ctrl+E to Merge Down.
3 Avoid the unexpected
Select a dark green as your Background Color (R = 35, G = 41,
and B = 13). Create a new RGB document (21.6cm x 30.3cm), set the
Resolution to 300dpi and the Background Contents as Background
Color. Go View>Proof Colours (Cmd/Ctrl+Y) – this prevents any colour
shifts when it’s converted to CMYK. Drag/drop the backdrop image as
a new layer, Flip Horizontally and position as shown.
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 Step-by-step
Workshop
4 Linear gradient
Tone the backdrop down by changing
the blending mode to Overlay, then hit Cmd/
6 Inverse selection
Create a new layer below the figure and
keeping black as the Foreground Color pick a
Ctrl+L to access the Levels dialog box and set burgundy for the background (R = 86 and G = 5).
the Midtones slider to 0.85. Now create a new Select the Rectangular Marquee tool and drag
layer, hit D to set your Foreground Color to black within the guides, then Shift-Cmd/Ctrl+I to
and Shift-drag a vertical linear gradient using inverse. Add a vertical linear gradient using the
the Foreground to Transparent preset. Foreground to Background preset.

5 Precise guides
Set the gradient layer’s blending mode
to Multiply and adjust the Opacity to 90%.
Open ‘Poser_render.png’ and drag/drop into
your working document as a new layer and
position as shown. Remove the white halo via
Layer>Matting>Defringe by 1px. Now go
View>New Guide and add two horizontal
guides (6.7cm and 28.6cm), then two vertical
guides (1.70cm and 21.9cm).

7 Clip an adjustment layer

With your selection still active, create a
new layer above the border and inverse the
8 Scary skulls
Clip a Color Balance adjustment layer using
the same technique as the figure. Set the Midtones
selection again filling with yellow (R = 225, G = sliders to Cyan = +14, Green = -16 and Blue = -41.
168 and B = 37). Select>Modify>Contract by Open ‘Skulls.png’ and drag/drop as a new layer
8px and delete. Target the figure layer and clip below the border. Defringe by 1px. Clip a Levels
an adjustment layer by pressing Alt/Opt while adjustment layer to the skulls, setting the Midtones
clicking the Create New Fill or Adjustment Layer to 0.62 and the whitepoint Output Level to 174.
icon at the foot of the Layers palette. Choose
Levels from the
drop-down, then
in the next dialog
box check Use
Previous Layer To
Create Clipping
Mask and set the
Midtones slider
to 0.86.

9 It’s curtain time!

Open ‘Curtain.jpg’ and go to 10 Colour fix
To remove the bright yellow

“IT’S WORTH Image>Adjustments>Shadow/Highlight. Enter

a Shadow amount of 83%, a Tonal Width of
highlights on the photo, go Image>
Adjustments>Replace Color. Use the

TRYING OUT 54% and a Radius of 110px. Enter a Highlight

amount of 11%, a Tonal Width of 50% and a
Eyedropper to select the colour that needs
fixing and set Fuzziness to 85. Check the

DIFFERENT Radius of 58px. Finally, enter a Color Correction

amount of -54 and set the Midtone Contrast
Selection option and set Lightness to -43. It’s
worth experimenting with different settings to

SETTINGS to +85. fully understand how these features work.

IN ORDER
TO FULLY
UNDERSTAND
THESE
FEATURES”
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 11 Clip the curtain
Go Image>Adjustments>Hue/
Saturation, check the Colorize option and set
13 Dodge and Burn
Add a central guide, then open
‘Banner.png’ and drag/drop as a new layer
the Hue to 0, the Saturation to 80 and the beneath the figure. Position as shown. For the
Lightness to -52. Zoom in and draw a closed 3D effect, first use the Magic Wand tool with a
path around the curtains – don’t sweat over the Tolerance of 50 and Contiguous unchecked to
top and bottom areas, as these will be hidden in select the burgundy areas, now work with the
the next step. Now Cmd/Ctrl-click on the path Dodge and Burn tools within the selection.
thumbnail to generate a selection and copy to Follow the same technique for the yellow areas.
the clipboard.

12 Lasso the skulls

Paste as a new layer in your working
document and position to the right, beneath
the border. Duplicate the layer, Flip Horizontal
and Shift-drag to the left. When you’re happy,
Merge Down. Now target the ‘skulls’ layer and
use the Lasso tool to draw around individual
skulls – then reposition them with the Move
tool to fit within the composition.

14 Add a shadow
Create a new
15 Circle graphic
Create another new layer beneath the banner and pick a
burgundy Foreground Color (R = 125, G = 18 and B = 28). With the
layer beneath the banner Ellipse tool set to Fill Pixels, draw a circle and position top left. Next add
and drag a Marquee within an Outer Glow layer style and pick a dark yellow (R = 215, G = 155 and B
the border guides. Add a = 19). Set the Spread to 100% and the Size to 10px.
linear gradient (as in Step 4).
Set the blending mode to
Multiply and adjust the
Opacity to 70%. Delete the
central area by Cmd/Ctrl-
clicking on the ‘curtain’ layer
to generate a selection and
inverse it. Ensure your new
layer is targeted and hit
delete. Repeat using the
yellow keyline (from Step 7)
as a selection.

16 More
graphics
Duplicate the circle and
then Shift-drag it over to
the right. Add another
smaller circle with the
same layer style (with the
colours transposed)
bottom left. Continue to Fantastical figures
add further graphics such
as the red stars using the We used Poser for the character in this tutorial – it’s ideal for
Polygon tool with Fill Pixels creating fantastical creatures like Chumana. She started out as
selected. Check over the the Victoria 3 base model (available from DAZ); her physique
image and carry out final was shaped using morph injections, then posed. Then the
tweaks – we decided to reptilian skin (also from DAZ) was applied along with some
alter the figure’s Color freebie clothes and a skull prop. For more information see
Balance adjustment layer http://graphics.smithmicro.com and www.daz3d.com.
to 30%.

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 Step-by-step
Workshop
Fantastic font
phenomenon
We didn’t want distorted type, so instead
of using the Create Warped Text option,
we set the banner text on a path. Start by
selecting the Ellipse tool (with the Paths
option selected) and draw an ellipse in
line with the base of the scroll. Use the
Path Selection tool to position the path as
a whole and the Direct Selection tool to
adjust any anchor points as required.
With the Type tool, click the on the path and
type. To move type along the path, click-drag
using the Path Selection tool. Raise type by
adding some baseline shift and a hard-
edged Outer Glow layer style. To format
type, move your mouse over the icons next
to the entry fields in the Character/Paragraph
palettes and use the scrubby sliders. To
create the small text, duplicate the layer and
reformat with Baseline Shift = 0.
For the ‘Alive’ text adjust the tracking and
kerning (tracking affects multiple letters,
kerning affects the space between two
characters). Skew it and colour it olive
green. Give it a fine, hard-edged Outer
Glow (using the same yellow as the
background circle) and a hard-edged
burgundy Drop Shadow layer style.
64
Advanced Photoshop
060-064_AVP_46_CircusWS.indd 64
17 Composite layer
Target the top Color Balance layer
“USE THE
and hit Cmd/Ctrl+Alt+E to Stamp Visible (this
makes a composite layer from all your visible
layers). To achieve a painterly effect and SCRUBBY
SLIDERS FOR
smooth the harshness of the 3D render, go
Filter>Noise>Median and enter a value of 6px,
then set the layer’s Opacity to 75%. Restore the
facial sharpness by adding a layer mask and use A MUCH
a soft-edged brush to gently erase the mask.
QUICKER AND
GENERALLY
EASIER
METHOD OF
TYPE
FORMATTING”
18 Freaky fonts
Create a Group folder at the top of
the layer stack and begin to add your text (see
Fantastic Font Phenomenon, left, for details). It’s
important to use the right mix of fonts to
complement the illustration. We used ‘Alcazar’,
‘Centennial’ and ‘Daisy’ from Dover Publications
(http://store.doverpublications.
com/0486999858.html). We also used a couple
of freebies, ‘Saturday’s Girl’ and ‘Queen of
Corona’, from www.girlswhowearglasses.com.
19 Add some grunge…
Open ‘Distress_1.jpg’, drag/drop as a
new layer at the top of the stack, set the
blending mode to Overlay and adjust the
Opacity to 65%. Use the Clone tool with the
Sample All Layers option unchecked and
remove any unwanted blemishes. Next
duplicate the layer and set the blending mode
to Soft Light and adjust the Opacity to 40%.
20 Some scratches
Open ‘Distress_2.jpg’,
go to Select>All and Copy, then
create a new Alpha Channel in
your working document and paste
your selection. Cmd/Ctrl-click the
channel thumbnail to generate a
selection, switch to the Layers
palette, create a new layer and fill
with olive green (R = 192, G = 189
and B = 86). Adjust the Opacity
to 30%, add a layer mask and use a
soft-edged brush to erase areas
as desired.
26/6/08 15:00:11
 Step-by-step
Workshop

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INSPIRE YOU”
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 WORKING WITH PHOTOS
Masking, layer styles and adjustment layers all explained
T
his tutorial is based on masking,
layer blending modes and
adjustment layers – three of
Photoshop’s most vital abilities.
There is a wide variety of layer commands
that all react differently in various situations
and all have their own in-depth settings. The
combinations and results of them working
together and individually seem endless.
You can access the layer commands by
going to the Layer tab on the top toolbar, or
by looking on the Layers palette itself. The
blending modes and Opacity adjustment
1 Getting started
The source files for this tutorial are
available on the disc. First, the open
‘Papertexture.psd’ and ‘Anais_colour.psd’ files.
Drag and drop the model image onto the paper
texture and place it in the centre. Add a layer
mask and duplicate the layer, renaming it ‘Grey,’
then move it under the model image in the
Layers palette. Save as ‘Emel1’.
2
First adjustment layer
Switch to full-screen mode by pressing ‘F’.
Select the ‘Grey’ layer and press Cmd/Ctrl+U. Set
the Saturation to -100 and Lightness +50, then
select the model image and set the Opacity to
60%. Add a Levels adjustment layer via
Layer>New Adjustment Layer>Levels, making
sure it is sat at the very top of the layer stack,
then set the black adjuster to +44 and click OK.
3
Masking out
Select the layer mask on the model image
(which comes with the adjustment layer as
standard). Start at the bottom of the image and
softly brush away the colour, completely at first
then more subtle towards the middle and top
of the back. Go gently around the shoulder, arm
and face. Switch to ‘Grey’ layer mask and do the
same, but only at the base of the image.
066-068_AVP_46_ReaderWS.indd 67
options are at the top and the command
ON THE DISC
menus are represented as symbols at the
You will find the document titled
bottom. There are various others there too, ‘Anais_colour.psd’ on the disc,
which include the ‘Add layer mask’ symbol. plus all the elements and the mist
and mask brush set, which I
The inspiration for the Emel1 image came
created for this image.
from the original photography by Emel
OUR EXPERT Dean Gartland
Bayram (memelsteak.deviantart.com) and
Dean is a self-taught artist from Newcastle upon Tyne in the
the styling by the Sebastien Coiffeur Studio. UK, who started out in digital art in 2006. He mainly works in
It sounds obvious, but it’s very important collaboration with photographers and models on photo
to work with images that inspire you. Don’t illustration and manipulation projects with a simplistic style.
You can see his Advanced Photoshop profile by taking a
forget to save the image after each step. And visit to www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk/user/Low Winter
remember, when masking, black hides and Sun; more of his work is also available to view at www.
behance.net/Lowwintersun.
white reveals.
Masking: settings and tips
I have supplied a set of my own brushes called ‘mist_and_
mask.abr’ to help with the masking process and for the
coloured mist. For this image I used a Size range of 226 to
145 and an Opacity range of 15% to 30%. I find it is always
better to mask out or in, gradually and subtly when
blending layers as it creates a much softer, natural effect.
Don’t worry about getting it all perfect straight away,
though – the complexity and overall look of the whole
image will change as it evolves, so it’s often best to wait
until the final stages, then go back and fine-tune the
masking and blending.
4 Extra elements
Open ‘Wave_lines.
psd’, ‘Strands.psd’, ‘Body_
blocks.psd’ and
‘Whitesplash.psd’ from
the CD. Drag and drop
them all into the main
image, moving them
below the model image
in the layer stack. Position
them around the main
image. You can also draw
your own elements using
the Pen tool, or scan in
some hand-drawn work.
It’s up to you!
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 Step-by-step
Workshop
5 Stroke and Multiply
Create a new layer under ‘Grey’, then add
a stroke via Layer>Layer Style>Stroke. Name it
‘Circles white’, set Color to Black and Size to 1.
Duplicate the layer, rename it ‘Circles clear’ and
set the blending mode to Multiply. Select the
Brush tool and choose a basic (round) brush.
Dab the brush to create random circles on both
layers using a Size range of 15 to 170.
6 Colour with Linear Burn
Open ‘Leaves_and_grass.psd’, drag and
drop it into the main image and place at the
bottom of the hair, setting the blending mode to
Multiply and the Opacity to 85%. Create a new
layer above the model image, name it ‘Hair
purple’, set blending mode to Linear Burn and
the Opacity to 28%. Using the mist masking
brush, Size 185 and a low Opacity, gently brush
random purple and blue shades over the hair.
7 Blend with colour
Create a new layer above the model
image, name it ‘Green eyes’ and set the blending
mode to Color with an Opacity of 60%. Using the
basic brush, Size 25 with a deep green colour,
place a single dot over each pupil. Create a new
layer, below the ‘Circles’ layers, naming it ‘Mist
colours’. Set the blending mode to Linear Burn
and the Opacity to 78%. Using the ‘mist_and_
mask.abr’ brushes, gently add in some light blue
and purple mist behind the head.

8 Paper texture effect

Open the ‘grey sheet psd’, then drag and
drop it onto the main image. Place it at the top of
the layer stack below the Levels adjustment layer
and centre it to cover the whole image. Set the
blending mode to Multiply and the Opacity to
50%. The image now has a much stronger paper
texture effect.
9 Curves adjustment layer
Open a Curves adjustment layer via
Layer>New Adjustment Layer>Curves. Move the
crosshair toward the top-right of the angled line
to Output = 80% and Input = 80%. Click the
middle and drag to Output = 79 and Input = 75.
Click the bottom-left of the line the same
distance along the line and adjust to Output =
25 and Input = 27. You should end up with a
slight S bend in the line.

10 Brighten it up
We need to brighten up the whole
image now, which again we will do via an
adjustment layer. Open a Brightness/Contrast
adjustment layer via Layer>New Adjustment
Layer>Brightness/Contrast or with the controls
at the bottom of the Layers palette. Set the
Brightness to +25 and Contrast -20. You can
play around with the three adjustment layers
to achieve the best look for the image.

11 Elements and
blending modes
You now have the basic version of ‘Emel1’, but

“GO BACK OVER it’s up to you to fine-tune the image as we

have to create the final result you can see on the

ALL THE LAYERS first page of this tutorial. Go back over all the
layers and play with blending modes and

AND PLAY WITH Opacity levels, add more colour or circles, touch
up on the masking layers or even bring in some

BLENDING MODES” new elements to get the image looking 100 per
cent perfect.

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 Helpdesk
During those dark nights of Photoshop confusion, let the Helpdesk be a light unto
your path. From bizarre tool behaviour, to logo vectors, we’re here to help BY KIRK NELSON

FAKING WIDE-ANGLE PHOTOS
Hi, I don’t own any wide-angle gear and can’t
really afford it right now either, but I like the
‘big’ look on some of those photos and I
figured this must be possible to do?
James Richards
It sure is. I recommend using the PhotoMerge
function to stitch individual shots together. This
feature can save you hours of work in aligning and
tone-correcting your photos. Don’t be like me and
discover the benefits of this tool after doing it the
hard way… and failing miserably.
So once you’ve got your faux photo panorama,
you want to add the lens distortion you see in those
spectacular photos from photographers with enough
HELPDESK Yes, there is a jigsaw puzzle built in to
coin to actually buy the proper gear. You could use
the Warp tool to bend the image as you see fit, but
a more elegant and accurate solution is to use the
Lens Correction filter (Filter>Distort>Lens Correction).
This filter was designed to help you remove lens
distortions, but can just as easily be used to add them.
Use the top Remove Distortion slider to create the
primary effect, then use the vertical and horizontal
perspectives to enhance the bend. In this bridge
example (above), I wanted the horizon line to rise in
the middle and the outside trees to bend in towards
the centre. So I used a -10 Distortion and Vertical
Perspective of 13. If empty areas show up around
the edges, use the Scale slider to fill the canvas again.
PUZZLED
Doesn’t Photoshop have a jigsaw puzzle
pattern? Where is it?
Sarah Scott
FAKE LENS EFFECTS: The Lens Correction filter does as
a great a job adding distortion as it does removing it
Filter>Texture>Texturizer. Check the pull-down menu
for Puzzle; if it’s not there, then click the flyout arrow
for Load Texture. Navigate to the Photoshop program
files and look for the Presets\Textures folder (this
will vary depending on your system, but it should
look something like: C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe
Photoshop CS3\Presets\Textures). Find the ‘Puzzle.psd’
file. Take notice of where that file is because it’s just a
PSD file that can be opened normally in Photoshop
and abused for all sorts of things! Just be sure to save
any changes you make to a different file.
OH CROP!
I have selected the Crop tool, but can’t find
the box that enables me to specify the crop
area, eg: 100 x 100 pixels
aprilfool, on the forum

CALL FOR QUESTIONS
Want help with Photoshop?
Send your emails to us at:
advancedpshop@imagine-publishing.co.uk
or post a message on our forum board at
www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk/forum.
Remember to specify whether you’re using
a PC or Mac and the version number of
your edition of Photoshop.
Photoshop. The real trick is finding it. Did
you try loading all the pattern files from
the Preset Manager? You did? Then you
already know it’s not there. Have you
tried assembling the individual puzzle
pieces from the Custom Shape tool? Did
it work? Didn’t work for me either.
Here’s the thing. It’s not a pattern, it’s
a texture. Even Adobe confuses them in
certain places (like the Texture Overlay
layer style). Proper textures are used by
the Texturizer filter. Patterns are used PUZZLE PATTERNS: The Texturizer has a Puzzle option,
everywhere else. So start by going to but it must be loaded first

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Photoshop has many tools that Adobe has clearly
spent a lot of time making them as useful and well
thought out as possible. Many of them are downright
genius in their implementation. The perfect fusion
of user interface and powerful functionality, like a
symphony of usability, a golden grail of graphical
gadgets… and then there’s the Crop tool. How many
of us have selected that tool, entered a specific size
into the Width and Height fields expecting to be able
to plunk down a crop rectangle of the exact size we
need? Then we watch in bewilderment as the tool still
allows us to drag a rectangle out to be as big or little
as we want. What’s going on here?
Well, the way the Crop tool works is that when
there are values in the Width/Height fields, the tool
will automatically resample the image after cropping
to fit that specified size. So it essentially becomes two
tools in one: crop and resample.
To get what you are looking for, first use the
Rectangular Marquee Selection tool and change the
Style to Fixed Size. Enter the values into the Width and
Height fields, then drop your perfectly sized square
on the canvas where you want and use the Crop
command (Image>Crop).
Another, even less obvious (and presumably less
useful) method would be to change the canvas size
(Image>Canvas Size) to your 100 x 100 pixel square.
Then use the Move tool to reposition your layer so the
desired portion shows through the canvas window.
ILLUSTRATOR TO PHOTOSHOP
Is there any way of moving vector artwork
from Illustrator into Photoshop without
rasterizing it? I’d like to keep it as editable
shapes and/or paths. Why do the Open and
Open As functions insist on rasterizing?
Rory Walkman
Remember when Adobe first started packaging
products together into a suite and proclaiming
interoperability? Remember the dream of creating a
file in Illustrator and then opening that same file in
072-073_AVP_46_Helpdesk.indd 73
COMMAND IT: Specifying a
size in the Crop tool doesn’t do
what you probably think it
should do. Use the Crop
command instead
SWITCH PROGRAMS: Getting vectors from Illustrator to
Photoshop is as simple as Cut and Paste
Photoshop? Well you can do that, as long as you like
your Illustrator vectors to be converted to flat pixels.
“But wait!” you say. “Photoshop has vectors. They’re
called Paths and Shapes, but they’re really vectors! I’ve
seen them! Why can’t I get my Illustrator work in like
that?” Okay, calm down, you can do it. It’s not even
that hard to do, but it certainly isn’t obvious.
Start in Illustrator and select your vectors, then
hit Edit>Copy. Go to Photoshop and hit Edit>Paste.
You’ll get a Paste As… box asking you how you want
your vectors. Usually Shapes and Paths are the better
choices. Just remember, Photoshop’s paths aren’t
nearly as sophisticated as Illustrator’s. You’ll want
to simplify your paths as much as you can. Use the
compound paths to define shapes instead of using
covering shapes filled with the background colour.
es
n iqu
ch
Te
FROM JPEG TO CUSTOM SHAPE
I am trying to create my own custom shape
of my company logo, which is currently a
single-colour JPEG file. Can anyone tell me
how to do this? I seem to be going round
in circles!
Atta, on the forum
Atta, in all seriousness, there really is only one way
to get perfect vector shapes from a JPEG. That’s to
trace it by hand with the Pen tool. We know that’s
not what you wanted to hear, and you probably
won’t do it anyway, just like when Mum said, “Don’t
throw your shoes in the middle of the floor,” and that’s
exactly what we all did. So here’s the alternate, non-
Pen tool, method:
1 Contrast is key
Start with a high-contrast JPEG of your logo.
Then use the Select>Color Range and Refine Edge
tools to create as smooth a selection as possible.
2
Path finder
Right-click (or Cmd-click) the selection and
choose Make Work Path. Set the Tolerance as needed.
Then use the Direct Selection tool to clean up and
adjust the path.
3
Create a shape
With your path(s) selected, go to Edit>Define
Custom Shape. This shape will now be available at the
bottom of your Custom Shapes pull-out menu.
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 Insider
Info

File extension formats

With the instantly accessible transfer of imagery in the commercial creative arena,
we explore the whens and whys of using Photoshop’s different file types,
explaining how each serves its purpose in the grand scheme of design production

S
aving your imagery in Photoshop couldn’t be easier. A simple trip to
File>Save As, specify a filename and location, and there you have it.
Well, not quite. There’s the matter of choosing Format, which is as integral
as any other phase in the creative process.
No doubt as a digital creative you’re familiar with the file suffixes ‘.jpg’,
‘.psd’ and ‘.tif’, among others. Yet each has its own purpose, designed for a
specific function that enthusiastic creatives may not be aware of. There are also
several unfamiliar and elusive options that can be applied to your saved files,
which will undoubtedly benefit your storage facility. This month’s Insider Info will
disclose the purpose and performance of all the above, helping you optimise your
file production.
image sharing. Essentially a flexible
OUR EXPERT Adam Smith
Bitmap image format, this file type is
Having produced design for both print and web in a
professional and freelance capacity, Adam knows the accepted by virtually all paint, image-
attributes and merits that each file suffix can bring to editing and page-layout applications.
presenting imagery. Here he shares his knowledge.
It comes with its own extended file
options, as with the PSD files, including
PSD: Photoshop Format (PSD) is the Image Compression, which composites
default, and the only file format, besides image data. 32-bit files can be saved
APPLIED ACTION: By activating the Actions palette and selecting Production from the drop
the Large Document Format (PSB), that with predictor compression that menu, you can run the Save As JPEG Medium action, which will automatically and quickly save a
supports most Photoshop features. This rearranges floating-point values, working medium-quality JPEG file
Photoshop-specific suffix works best with both LZW and ZIP compression. The
when applied to an image with large file latter, however, may not be old TIFF JPEG: Joint Photographic Experts Fundamentally created and applied to
capacity. The file type preserves all layer Reader compatible. Group (JPEG) lets users save in CMYK, images designated for the web, this file
and channel information so you can Byte Order concerns the platform in RGB and Grayscale, therefore supporting format is used for lossless compression.
continually edit and adjust images. which the image will be accessed. full colour palettes. This means when you Superior to the more traditional GIF, the
Because of the tight integration between Photoshop, along with recent design save photographic imagery for web- PNG supports 24-bit images, producing
Adobe products and applications, it’s applications, reads images using IBM based projects, this is a preferable suffix background transparency minus jagged
useful for anyone importing images into PC or Macintosh byte order, so this can to use. The JPEG compresses file size by edges. It has two standard options,
InDesign, for example. Upon saving the be valuable in the presentation of selectively discarding data. Be aware that selectable from the Interlaced option
PSD, users will be permitted to maximise correct image quality. once the format is closed, recompression dialog box. The None command will
file compatibility with the Layers Layer Compression specifies a is applied, therefore adjustments should display imagery in a browser only upon
command. This saves a composite version method for compressing pixel data in be done using the layered file to preserve download. The Interlaced command will
of a layered image so it can be accessed layers. Using this option eliminates the image quality. It too comes standard with display low-resolution versions of an
in other applications, maintaining need to manage a separate PSD file to its own options, like the other file types. image within a browser as files download.
blended layers’ integrity in the future. hold layer data, although files that Image options specify picture quality by This option makes for seemingly shorter
include layer data are larger. dragging the Quality slider and entering
TIFF: Tagged Image File Format (TIFF)
is designed to excel in cross-platform
Selecting the Discard Layers options
saves all as a flattened image.
a value between 0 and 12. Format
options specify file format. Baseline Did you know?
(‘Standard’) is recognised by most web
There is a time and a place for
browsers, whereas Baseline Optimized
JPEG problems creates a file with optimised colour and a
ZIP filing. Providing lossless
compression and supported
slightly smaller file size. by PDF and TIFF file formats,
Some of you may encounter difficulties with applications unable to read this compression is in fact most
CMYK files saved in the JPEG format. This may coincide with Java applications PNG: Portable Networks Graphic effective with design and imagery
not reading your JPEG file in any Color mode. If this occurs, save files without a (PNG) is a reasonably recent graphic that contains large areas of a
thumbnail preview activated. addition to the suffix genus. single colour.

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AUTOMATED PROMPT: TIFF files have plenty of options that can be customised, and they can save layers. You can choose to be notified when saving
an image as a TIFF with layers by going to Photoshop>Preferences>File Handling and selecting Ask Before Saving Layered TIFF Files
“USERS BEWARE – NOT ALL WEB
BROWSERS SUPPORT PNG IMAGES”
download time yet increases file size.
However, users beware – not all web
browsers support PNG images.
PDF: The Portable Document Format
(PDF) supports Bitmap, Grayscale,
Duotone, Indexed, RGB, CMYK and Lab
images. This is based upon the PostScript
imaging model, which lets files accurately
display and preserve fonts, page layouts,
PDF for web
When saving as a PDF, the Smallest
File Size option is perfect for
images intended for use on the
internet or emailing to clients, for
example. The PDF image will be
compressed, downsampled and
have a relatively low resolution,
so it will not be suitable for
printing purposes.
074-075_AVP_46_InsiderInfo.indd 75
INSIDER
INFO
and vector and bitmap graphics, as well
as Photoshop data such as layers, alpha
channels, spot colour and annotations
permitting access in CS2 or later.
The PDF presents a set of elective
options that can be saved for future
application to files. The Adobe PDF
presets are designed to balance file
size with quality depending on usage.
Most are shared across Adobe Creative
Suite components.
High Quality Print is preferable, as it
creates PDFs for quality printing on
desktop printers and proofing devices,
with colour and greyscale images
reduced to 300ppi, and monochrome
to 1,200ppi. Transparency, colour and
font options are preserved.
Press Quality creates PDF files for
high-quality print production, but not
files that are PDF/X-compliant.
If working on older versions such as
Acrobat Reader 4, PDF/X-1a is best.
es
iqu
n
ch
Te
OPTIONS: Coming as standard with six preset
mixing options, Channel Mixer offers the user
many colour and greyscale solutions to enhance
their artwork
Did you know?
TIFF is a versatile format that
supports images in CMYK, RGB,
Lab, Indexed Color, Bitmap and
Grayscale images. It also recognises
alpha channels in all of these image
types, except for Bitmap mode.
Fonts must be embedded into the Photoshop can save layers in a TIFF
document, colours should be CMYK, file, as it does with PSDs, but only a
flattened image is visible when
spot colours, or both, and information
opened in other applications.
on ‘printing condition for which they
are prepared’ must be supplied.
All subsequent options in the Save PHOTOSHOP HAS THE ANSWERS: For
further information on how to maximise your PDF
Adobe PDF dialog are automatically set file settings, assigning and saving your own
for your Photoshop PDF file, but can be specific presets, select Help>Photoshop Help and
set for individual creative purposes. search for ‘Save an Adobe PDF preset’
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 Our pick of the best reader submissions
sent to us this month

P
eer Pressure has once again been inundated with great artwork. The
chosen entries this month offer an array of insights into the creative mind,
sharing and revealing individual approaches and skills. We always include
your email and web address so that interested parties can get in touch.
All you have to do is send us high-quality TIFFs or JPEGs (RGB or CMYK) at 300dpi,
which can be printed at a minimum size of 15 x 15cm. Send us lo-res versions to
advancedpshop@imagine-publishing.co.uk – we’ll get back to you for higher-
resolution work if needed. Alternatively, log on to our forum at www.
advancedphotoshop.co.uk/forum. We cannot provide individual image assessment.
Each issue we select one image to be Best In Show, and that lucky person will win
a fantastic prize, courtesy of The Illustration Source (www.illustration-source.com),
which is a great way to get your work seen. So, what are you waiting for?

Fun manipulations BEFORE

JOKER: “Today the
NAME: Lisa De Boeck and Marilène Coolens joke is on me. A
EMAIL: info@memymom.com picture inspired by my
mom’s use of brushes
WEB: www.memymom.com in Photoshop”

These images show an unusual blend of photography

and Photoshop work, as well as a sense of humour
running throughout. Having already been featured in
the Showcase pages of the Dutch version of
Advanced Photoshop, we thought it only fair to share
this portfolio with the rest of our readers.
Lisa explains how she got into creating these
images and where Memymom emerged from:
“I started Photoshopping pictures when I was 12 years
old with Adobe Photodeluxe, the primitive version of
Adobe Photoshop. After having taken a break, ‘My
Mom’ reminded me of that fact, which gave me the
opportunity to Photoshop again about three years
ago. Meanwhile my mother, Marilène Coolens, began
learning the tricks of Photoshop as well, thus
Memymom emerged. Our main goal is amusement,
capturing ‘reality’ and reshaping that moment without
boundaries.” And we think they’ve certainly met
those goals here.

WELCOME TO THE FREAK SHOW: “Probably my most LES RUSSES: “A great team consisting of Ken Decooman (drummer from the audiovisual music band Motek),
recognisable style: creating an ‘irreal’ story with unnatural elements” Wes Degreef (a great architect to be) and plain old me”

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SURGEON: “Made for a local exhibition last year. Some sketch work by hand, painting in
Painter, then background, finish and tuning in Photoshop”
076-079_AVP_46_PeerPressure.indd77 77
LYSEKLOSTER: “This is a reconstruction of a local
monastery of which only ruins remain. Many years ago,
after lots of research, I made a similar illustration
(watercolour) for a book. In 1995 I decided to make a better
version in Freehand/Photoshop. This is one of my first
projects using Photoshop as my main tool. Today I would
have done certain things differently. So maybe I will have
to make another version”
BEST
IN SHOW
Traditional feel
NAME: Bernt Kristiansen
EMAIL: osing@mac.com
Bernt was born in 1946 in Os, a small township just south of Bergen,
Norway. For many years he was a journalist for the leading newspaper
of Bergen. He also held several other positions on the paper, including
the role of picture editor for quite some time. Ending his newspaper
career in 1995, he set up his own one-man business for writing,
illustrating, and layout. Book design is his main occupation, but he is
also an author and is occasionally asked to perform illustrations –
graphics and maps, but also reconstructions, portraits, scenes, and so
on, to go with specific texts.
Bernt has always been interested in the arts, which has led him to this
point: “My background as an illustrator is merely my interest for drawing
and painting, which I was born with. I have trained myself with natural
media – mostly charcoal and oils – as well as with our the fantastic
electronic tools of our day.”
Keen to fully embrace the digital era, Bernt tells us about his software
of choice. “The applications I use for drawing and painting are
Illustrator (previously Freehand), Sketchup, Painter, and above all,
Photoshop. I use Photoshop daily for editing photos for books, but I still
have a lot to learn to take full advantage of the application as an artistic
paint medium. So I hope to live until I am 147,” he admits. We hope he
does too, so we can see more of his artwork!
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 Discover the thinking behind the art

Making a
statement
NAME: Hayley Clifton
EMAIL: d.christian@ntlworld.com

Hayley is in her third year of a BA Graphic

Design course at New College, Stamford. She
left school at 16 and spent the next seven years
abroad. “I travelled to Hong Kong, China, Dubai,
Mexico, Germany, France and ended up in the
Canary Islands where I spent four years living
and working,” she tells us. “I had a handcraft
stall by the beach at Playa del Ingles. I worked
Monday to Friday in the tourist resort and then
on Friday night I’d travel inland to a friend’s
place high in the mountains. It was in this
beautiful place that I was able to be creative.”
The colours of the Canarian landscape and
the other countries that Hayley visited inspired
her and this has passed into her digital art:
“Photoshop has enabled me to explore colour
as a form of expression. When I’m working on a
piece I’m constantly surprised by the beautiful
colours that appear when working with the
Layers palette and blending modes. I’ve always
enjoyed oil painting with its delicious thick IWO JIMA: “This piece was
made to celebrate Recognition
texture and wonderful brush marks. That was
Day. I wanted to recognise the
naturally the next step for me to include rich achievement of the soldiers in
textures and vibrant brush marks in my the Second World War”
Photoshop work.”

CHILD SLAVERY:
“I wanted the child’s eyes to
touch the viewer into
submission, feel their
despair but also their
vulnerability and sensitivity”

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 best in
Fine photo-art
NAME: Rod Hanchard-Goodwin
EMAIL: hanchard_goodwin@yahoo.co.uk
WEB: www.bluefinart.com

Rod is a self-taught photographer and the digital artist behind Blue Fin Art. He has been living in
Scotland for the last 18 years and selling unique photographic art canvases online and through
galleries for just over a year. Having originally tried painting but found the final result was never what
he wanted, he was soon mucking about with photo applications experimenting with different effects.
He tells us more about this progression into using digital applications: “At this time I only had a

show
compact two-megapixel camera and wanted to find a way of working with my photographs to produce
large prints. I had purchased a copy of Photoshop and was using this to experiment with the
landscape images that I had taken previously. After a few months I had refined my technique and
managed to produce an image suitable for printing onto large canvases of 120 x 60cm (at 5,000 x 2,500
pixels) from the original image size of 1,600 x 1,200 pixels.”
He has now refined his technique. “General improvements such as levels, contrast, and saturation
Sponsored by…
Not only is Bernt Kristiansen this
are applied before starting my process. My main technique is to use the Noise filter, which reduces month’s Best in Show, he has also
the pixellation and softens the image to give it a more painted feel. I pick out key colours in the image won a year’s full Option 3
– for example a blue in the sky or greens in a field – and using a Smudge brush I can push the pixels membership to The Illustration
across the screen using my mouse to produce the desired effect.” Source, worth £150 and Featured
Artist slot for July. The Illustration
Source Ltd is the newest source of
original art, freelance illustrators,
photographers, artists and
designers on the net. Visit www.
illustration-source.com for more
information. If you’d like to stand a
chance of winning an Illustration
Source portfolio, send your images
to advancedpshop@imagine-
publishing.co.uk.

Image requirements
You’ll stand a better chance of
seeing your work in print if you
BARNS NESS adhere to the following criteria:
LIGHTHOUSE: “In this image make sure that your images are
the sky and waves were added in high-quality TIFFs or JPEGs (RGB or
from two other images and the CMYK), 300dpi minimum, and can
colour from the sky was used and be printed at 15 x 15cm minimum.
airbrushed onto the lighthouse
Don’t forget to include a small text
and waves at a low opacity”
file detailing how you created your
work as well.

CALGARY BAY, MULL:

Terms and conditions
By submitting images to Advanced
“Original image was reasonable,
so just worked with contrast Photoshop’s Peer Pressure, you
levels and hard smudge brushes hereby grant Imagine Publishing
to produce linear effect” and, if relevant, clients to whom the
relevant work has been provided,
an irrevocable, perpetual, royalty-
free licence to use such intellectual
property in relation to work similar
or equivalent to the work. This
includes the right to showcase work
on multimedia formats. By
submitting work you also confirm
that your images do not infringe
any copyright regulations should
they be published.

THE PRIZE: Check out The Illustration

Source’s website to see the portfolios of
previous winners of Best in Show

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 Feature

A head start to getting

your portfolio online

Websites
without
the tears
Your website can be a
F
or the busy artist, designer and illustrator, flexibility of creating and updating your own website
getting a presence online beyond a blog can within a third-party professional template and website-
window to a world of be the last thing on your ‘to do’ list. Your
computer skills may be limited to browsing your
management tool. Frequently embracing drag-and-
drop simplicity, these require little or no understanding
opportunity, but when favourite websites, sending emails and working with
Photoshop, so the thought of getting online alone could
of the building blocks that make your online presence
possible. Ideally suited to those on a budget, many
you need a helping hand seem daunting. Getting started online will often mean a providers offer a free trial. PayPal integration is often

getting online who

simple choice between doing it yourself or paying a included as standard, so any costs can be offset by
third party such as a web designer, and both have clear selling your work online later. Situated somewhere

should you turn to? pros and cons. The DIY option can take up time and
money, but offers self-sufficiency and proves rewarding
BY NICK SPENCE as you develop new skills that might lead to future
revenue opportunities. Web designers can be costly,
additionally so when you need regular updates, but you
should at least have a professional-looking site that
works smoothly and showcases your work effectively.
A third option, which in recent years has become
increasingly popular, is to combine the two, having the
between a free blog and a bespoke purpose-built
domain, they can offer a stepping stone between
simply getting online and having a professionally
produced, customised and highly optimised website.
Look beyond blogs
While blogs can be great for showing work in progress,
highlighting recent jobs and client updates and
showcasing things that enthuse and inspire you, for

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many a dedicated website is invaluable. “Having an
independent website in today’s competitive world has
become a crucial element in a successful artist’s career,”
insists Chris Kirkland of The Artists Web (www.
theartistsweb.co.uk). “Not only is it expected, not having
a website is like having no business cards to give
potential clients and customers. But an artist‘s own,
independent and professionally created website with a
carefully chosen domain name brings numerous
opportunity and benefits. Your website is working for
you as an agent 24/7; it welcomes visitors while you
sleep and it emphatically talks about your style and CV.”
With work increasingly delivered digitally and artwork
shipped internationally, your own website also gives you
access to a potential global audience. “A website
transcends any geographical boundaries – your work is
permanently on show in Tokyo, New York, Paris and
Timbuktu,” adds Chris Kirkland. You can also better
082-087_AVP_46_Feature.indd 83
Websites without tears
determine how you are viewed and seen by that
audience, framing your work in the right environment to
ensure your work alone is the centre of attention:
“Having your own website, rather than simply a space on
some shared gallery or social network site, gives you
control and enable you to develop your own brand. It
keeps clients focused on your work while they browse.”
Do some research
As with internet providers, a number of companies are
competing for your business, so it‘s important, as ever, to
look around and research your options before you
commit your time and cash. A good place to start is the
web designer‘s or provider‘s own website. “Check their
own website thoroughly – if they don’t have a good site
then it’s not likely they can design you a good site,”
suggests Matt Hill of OH Creative (www.ohcreative.co.
uk) and ohfolio.com (www.ohfolio.com). “Also check
Have all
of this
and more
at your
fingertips!
their portfolio pages and, if possible, the sites they claim
to have designed. Don’t be shy to ask them for a
reference from one of their clients. If they don’t want to
give that, ask why.” You will need to clarify any additional
costs, including maintaining domain names, paying for
additional webspace, general maintenance, exceeding
monthly bandwidth restrictions and all-important
website updates. It is also important to clarify what will
be done to ensure that once built, your own website will
be visible online. “Any good website design agency will
optimise a website for search engines from the start
using relevant keywords, keywords in content, textual
links and thoughtfully named page headings. Likewise
they should ensure cross-platform and browser
compatibility,” adds Matt Hill.
If you opt for the skills of a professional web designer
ask how easily and regularly websites can be
updated, and by whom and at what cost. “Most of
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 Feature
In detail
Featured web services
Our pick of the best website services for artists
Clikpic
www.clikpic.com
Cost: £35 (Standard), £50 (Intermediate), £80
(Professional), £180 (Super Pro) per annum plus
domain name from £5.
Services offered: Template-based web design
in a wide variety of designs and colours to suit your
needs. Cheap domain name service, plus the ability
to sell prints with a PayPal account for ease of use.
Automatic image watermarking is also available
if required.
Mr Site
www.mrsite.co.uk
Cost: £34.99 (Takeaway Website), £99.99 (Takeaway
Website Pro), monthly renewal after a year is £2.99
and £7.99.
Services offered: Template-based website
design, domain names, eCommerce features,
website-related email addresses, plus other
additional features such as blogs, forums and a
music player.
ohfolio.com
www.ohfolio.com
Cost: £108 per annum.
Services offered: Template based, content-
management driven, Flash-based website, includes
domain name registration. Completely
customisable with no technical knowledge needed.
See page 89 for your chance to win a year for free.
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© Famous When Dead
FORMAT: Self-
styled artist and
part-time superhero
Famous When Dead’s
(www.fwdead.co.uk)
website uses Pixel
Presence’s drag-and-drop
formatting to great effect
“Check their own website thoroughly – if they
don’t have a good site then it’s not likely they
can design you a good site” Matt Hill, OH Creative
the websites are maintained by us as this is simple and
rather cost-effective for the artists, although there are
examples of the clients updating the sites themselves,”
explains David Barrett of Royal Jelly Factory (www.
royaljellyfactory.com). “Because we work in clean HTML
and CSS, rather than Flash, if the client has a basic
understanding of HTML they can use our templates to
add new content to the site themselves, which is what
Art Monthly does.” A good web designer should be able
to implement a flexible, feature-rich content
management system to ease self-management:
“Additionally, we are currently working with a client who
really wanted to update the site regularly, like a blog,
but didn’t want to learn HTML, so we’re using
ExpressionEngine to provide a customised, web-based
content-management system in this instance.”
Avoid the generic and samey
For those offering an off-the-peg solution, it’s a good
idea you check out a range of websites produced by the
service, not simply those highlighted in press and
promotional material. First and foremost you’ll need to
ensure templates are flexible and varied enough so that
your individual website doesn’t look generic and samey.
“We don’t offer consumer templates, but variables,”
explains Darren Di Lieto of Pixel Presence (www.
© Ashby Design
© Famous When Dead
pixelpresence.net). “So with over 9.5 trillion
combinations for you to choose from for your site, and
not to mention the uploading of your personal images
and logos, I don’t think we need to worry about a
generic feel.” Variety is the spice of life and it’s good to
know your efforts won’t be duplicated elsewhere only
with different images filling the blanks. “First, we offer a
wide range of design styles and customer schemes,
each with a range of customisable features,” adds Tim
Hunt of Clikpic (www.clikpic.com). “Second, we offer
two templates that are particularly flexible, our ‘boxes’
and ‘panels’ designs, almost as flexible as a web-building
software package, but a lot easier to use. In all cases,
users can drop in their own artwork, add their logos to
the top of the website, change font sizes, etc.”
Word-of-mouth recommendation is also a good basis
for selecting a suitable website designer or provider and
it costs nothing to contact a favourite website to ask
who designed it. “Over 35 per cent of our customers this
year have been either recommended by another Clikpic
customer, or are existing customers setting up second
or third sites for other people,” suggests Tim Hunt. Many
websites will give clues to their origin with a subtle link
to the provider – click on that to find out more. Even
before signing up you can test the quality and level of
support by asking a question or request more
27/6/08 10:33:23
 Websites without tears

© Famous When Dead

PIXEL PRESENCE: “A
website is an essential part of
© Famous When Dead

an illustrator, designer or
photographer‘s marketing
campaign. A professional
web presence can mean the
difference between getting a
job or not,” says Pixel Presence
co-founder Darren Di Lieto

information. Depending on the response you should be

able to gauge what level of help and customer care is
available. “The important thing to consider is the
support offered by the company offering the service. I’m
personally with the customer every step of the way, no
exceptions – ask anyone who has a site with me,” adds
Darren Di Lieto. © Matmi

Keep it simple
Another key question to ask is how easy it is to build a
ready-made website in reality. Anyone who has come
home from IKEA and found themselves trying to put
together furniture that bears a passing resemblance to
the photo on the packaging will know instructions are
not always easy to follow. “Generally speaking,
customers are amazed that they can have a professional
website within a few hours and are thrilled that they can
create it themselves without having to be a super-tech,”
enthuses Tim Hunt of Clikpic. “The ability to update and
change the site whenever they want is a major benefit
and many actually find it great fun.” Lots of sites will offer
step-by-step guides, some video based, which can save
© Caroline Harris

valuable time once you start to build and maintain your

own site. It pays to read any documentation and those
frequently overlooked ‘frequently asked questions’
sections before jumping in.
Ease of use should mean time saved to work on the
© Caroline Harris

important job of creating new work to display, promote CAROLINE HARRIS: Keen
and hopefully sell and help generate further sales and photographer Caroline Harris (www.
carolineharrisphotography.co.uk)
commissions. “The tools are often a lot easier to use lives and works in Eccleshall,
than bespoke web design packages such as Staffordshire. She sells her work
Dreamweaver,” suggests Stuart Spice of Mr Site (www. partly from a Clikpic-powered website

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 Feature
In detail
Featured web services
Our pick of the best website services for artists
Pixel Presence
http://pixelpresence.net/v2
Cost: £2.50 weekly, £12.50 set-up fee, which
includes your first week.
Services offered: A drop-and-drag blank website
that gives you the ability to make your own with
ease for that personal touch. It also offers auto-
resizing and thumbnail creation for the perfect
gallery site, a free domain name, technical support,
as well as unlimited bandwidth and webspace for
all your artwork.
Royal Jelly Factory
www.royaljellyfactory.com
Cost: Websites from £500, newsletters from £200.
Services offered: Web design and coding
services aimed primarily at those who are involved
in the arts, particularly individual artists and
small-scale organisations, including static HTML
websites, client-updatable database-driven
websites with content-management systems and
HTML newsletters.
The Artists Web
www.theartistsweb.co.uk
Cost: £65 (Starter Package) or £95 (Value Package)
per annum; £200 (Bespoke Design) one-off fee.
Services offered: The choice of portfolio-based
template web design, user-defined upload and self-
management, or a comprehensive web-based
control panel makes customising your work simple.
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© Ray Gibson
© Gez Fry
mrsite.co.uk). “A lot of the leg work is taken care of and
it is ultimately the simplicity and quality of results that
wins through.” With so many creatives competing for a
share of success time is of the essence, and getting
online quickly and without fuss is crucial. “A lot of
customers use our product for sheer speed of
development. They can have a site up and running in
under 30 minutes without the need to use complicated
peripheral software such as FTP,” adds Stuart Spice.
“Many of our customers are professional web designers
who use Mr Site so they can get a professionally
designed site up and running, with all the webspace
and email set up for them, in a matter of minutes.”
Choosing a website should also be about maximising
your potential online, not simply showing the world
your work, but also exploring further opportunities to
sell prints, postcards, posters, t-shirts and the like.
eCommerce facilities are becoming standard, but check
what’s available to you as well as what you’ll need (a
PayPal account or credit card, for instance) to make use
of them. “A high percentage of our users will be selling
using our built-in Shop tool. They may be selling prints
of their photography work, selling handmade cards or
RAY GIBSON (ABOVE): As Raysto,
Ray Gibson creates humorous faces
drawn on many different surfaces,
showcased on a website from The
Artists Web, www.raysto.co.uk
GEZ FRY: Folio Boutique (www.
folioboutique.com) offers limited-edition
prints for sale by artists associated with
the Folio illustration agency, a service
provided by Royal Jelly Factory
indeed offering services such as consultancy or
mentoring,” explains Stuart Spice. A professional site
requires a professional attitude and good deal of self-
belief and ambition, especially if you are just starting off.
“Be bold. If you are selling work, price it high, artists
always undervalue themselves. If you are selling yourself,
do just that; sell yourself, don’t be shy or humble, be
proud of your achievements,” adds Chris Kirkland.
Specific services are also offered for those who want
to best showcase their artwork, illustrations, designs and
photos online. Most images will need some sort of
tweaking to look their best on a computer screen and
many offer automated options for successful image
upload. “We have built in a wide variety of tools that
appeal specifically to those who work heavily with
images,” says Stuart Spice of Mr Site. “Our Gallery tool
offers you a choice of thumbnail size, whether or not
you would like to watermark the image to prevent
image theft and gallery style, you can choose a flash
animation for your gallery or a simple light box
approach, or indeed a moving slideshow.” It’s also worth
considering a service that specialises in your particular
area of interest, a service for photographers run by
27/6/08 10:34:48

© Miranda Adria
“A good-looking and easy-to-use website will
enhance your business prospects
tremendously, even more so if it’s within the
context of a good marketing plan” Tim Hunt, Clikpic
photographers, for instance, which might be most
sympathetic to your needs. “OH Creative’s website
template service (ohfolio.com) is specifically aimed at
illustrators and photographers, using their imagery in a
big way for the construction of the site,” adds Matt Hill.
Cost effective
As well as finding a suitable website provider, you’ll
need to determine which price plan and package is best
suited to your needs. Many companies and individuals
offer a range of services aimed at both enthusiasts and
professionals, with template-based providers particularly
offering a basic but perfectly respectable option from as
little as £35 a year. One simple solution is to start
modestly, upgrading your options over time. “Most
customers go for the cheapest price plan, £35 a year for
up to 60 images, which allows them to dip their toes
into the online world without having to splash out that
much,” explains Tim Hunt of Clikpic. “Many of them go
on to upgrade to higher-spec packages later on as their
confidence builds and their needs change.” Companies
such as Mr Site offer a clear comparison chart listing the
difference between standard and pro options, at £34.99
082-087_AVP_46_Feature.indd 87
Websites without tears
© Sam Garton
SAM GARTON (ABOVE): These evocative
illustrations by Sam Garton can be seen on
The Illustration Source, an excellent resource
powered by OH Creative
MIRANDA ADRIA: Based in Miami,
Miranda Adria has a growing reputation
for her striking and seductive PS work,
helped in part by The Illustration Source,
a popular website designed
by OH Creative
and £99.99 per annum each. “Mr Site’s Takeaway Website
Pro, our more feature-packed product, is now selling
equal to the Mr Site Takeaway Website Standard
product, accounting for 50 per cent of all our sales,” says
Stuart Spice.
Ultimately, whichever option you choose and
whatever the cost, an online presence will pay dividends
over time, rewarding your investment, acting as an
additional platform and a vital tool to showcase and
market your talents. Your own website should be
viewed as a beginning not simply the end result of you
trawling the internet for a suitable provider. The real
work starts once your website is up, making sure people
know you are out there and readily available.
“Use your website as part of a broader marketing
plan, be clear on what and who you are targeting. Is it
sales of prints? Portraits?,” concludes Tim Hunt. “There’s
no doubt about it, a good-looking and easy-to-use
website will enhance your business prospects
tremendously, even more so if within the context of a
good marketing plan. Whatever plan you come up with,
you will be able to use your website as a very cost-
effective tool to achieve your goals.”
Creative Q&A
Critical Exposure
www.criticalexposure.com
Aaron Guldberg launched Critical Exposure with
the main focus of helping emerging artists and
their small businesses succeed online. As well as
custom-built website design, Guldberg offers a
website review service that gives an in-depth
analysis of your website and suggests ways of
maximising your online presence.
Q. Generally, what does your website
review service involve?
A. We start by asking a series of questions so that
we get a full understanding of the current state of
the website itself, its goals and how it’s currently
being marketed. We then analyse their website
based on those answers, looking at how to better
optimise the website for both the search engines
and website usability. We also view the site from the
eyes of their targeted customer to see where there
are gaps in their online sales process. We compile all
of this information, along with our professional
recommendations, in our findings report and email
it to the client in PDF form and answer any
questions they may have. Average turnaround for
this service is approximately 7-10 days.
Q. And what kind of benefits do clients
get for their money?
A. Our clients love the fact that the advice we
provide them with is very specific to their website
and tells them what they need to do meet their
website’s goals. Clients of ours who have had their
website reviewed and acted upon our
recommendations have seen increased website
visitation due to becoming more visible on the
search engines along with more qualified sales
leads to their product offerings due to the
improvements to their online sales process.
Q. What advice can you give for artists
wanting to improve their online presence?
A. Think about who your audience is for your
website and cater to their needs. You never know
who the next visitor on your website might be; it
could be a person just surfing the internet to view
artwork, it would be an art collector, a publisher, or
someone looking to apply artwork in a new
application you hadn’t even considered. Make sure
you’re representing yourself, your business and your
artwork in its best light so you can maximise the
impact you make on that visitor. You never know
what opportunities may result from their visit.
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resources

Specifications
Manufacturer: ohfolio.com
Web: www.ohfolio.com
Price: £108 (approx. $213)
About: Professional Flash templates
designed by artists for artists
Easy-to-use Site Editor to add text
and images at any time
Personal domain name and
hosting provides gallery space
for over 2,000 images
Summary: A professional website service for
people without the time or expertise to build
their own. It’s hassle free, and at £9 per
month, it’s not too expensive either.
Rating: 4/5

ohfolio Website Maker

Flash templates:
Your images are presented at a good
size, and any relevant information
can be easily obtained by rolling your
mouse over the picture

A new website service for artists, starting from just £9 per month

I
n our resources feature on page 82 this
issue, we take a look at a number of
different website services designed to
cater for artists and designers who need an
online presence without the hassle. Designed
as a professional portfolio, these services are used
by commercial artists to present their work to
potential clients.
Of course, there are plenty of free sites out
there, like deviantART or CG Society, where you
can have a profile on show, but there is nothing
like having your own website, tailored to your
needs and showcasing your work. Many are put
off the idea of building a website by the costs of
hosting involved, the technical knowledge
needed to put everything together and the time
taken to maintain the site. Website services take
away all this hassle and replace it with a fully
functional, professional-looking website, with all
the hard work done by someone else.
The newest of these services is ohfolio.com, at
www.ohfolio.com. This comes from the OH
Creative stable run by Matt Hill, which specialises
in illustration, photography and bespoke website
design, as well as running popular illustration
agency The Illustration Source.
This latest venture offers Flash templates for
photographers and artists, as well as hosting. The
company website itself proves the calibre of the
service, presenting a sleek finish and an easy-to-
navigate interface, which is exactly what you
would want from a service such as this.
There are a number of templates available to
suit your needs, each presenting you with
enough gallery space for over 2,000 images –
plenty for even the busiest of commercial artists.
Each shows your images at a good size to present
your work to its full capacity and there is space for
image information to caption your work. On
some templates, a blog space is also included, so
you can keep the wider world abreast of the
latest developments in your career. There is also a
homepage with plenty of room for a good
description of who you are and what you do, as
well as an easy-to-find contact page for when the
commissions come rolling in.
The templates are beautifully designed, using
Flash to its full benefits. Key to these is the fact
that images are embedded into the Flash site, so
they cannot be downloaded or saved to the
viewer’s computer, which means your images are
protected without having to plaster them with
nasty watermarks. Second, Flash allows for
rollovers, which have been used subtly here to
give an air of professionalism about the site. For
example, roll over your image in the Portfolio
section and the image caption pops up, giving
essential information, but hiding discreetly away
when it’s not needed to let the viewer see the
image in all its glory.

“The service comes with a Site Editor that

you can use at any time to make changes”
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The service comes with a Site Editor (the
content-management system, or CMS) that you
can log into at any time to change your site, add
in more information, news or images. And you
don’t need any web design expertise to use it.
There’s no limit on how often you can update
your site, so you are fully in control at all times.
You can customise your template to suit as well,
which is a simple process but ensures that your
site will look like your site and not anyone else’s,
even if you do use the same basic template.
In the Site Editor, you will see a drop-down
menu asking you which page you want to edit,
for example ‘gallery.xml’, which is the Gallery
section. Hit Edit Page when you’ve chosen the
one you want to tweak and you’ll see the
different elements you can change listed in the
main window. Click the arrow next to the
element you want and you can simply start
typing to change text, or use the Upload New
Image button to change a logo or gallery picture.
We definitely recommend that you close a tab
after you have finished editing, or you’ll end up
with a really long list of open elements, meaning
you are scrolling up and down for ages! But it’s still
easier than many behind-the-scenes website-
editing solutions we’ve seen in the past. It will take
088-089_AVP_46_Review.indd 89
GET BLOGGING (ABOVE): Some templates come
with a blog service, which is a great way to keep your
fans updated with the latest news
SITE EDITOR (LEFT): This behind-the-scenes control
panel is where you make text and image changes to
your website with no technical knowledge needed
“A YEAR’S SUBSCRIPTION IS £108,
WHICH WORKS OUT AS JUST £9
PER MONTH”
time to import all your text and images when you
first set up the site, but once you have done this,
making updates, even daily, is a fast process, so
there’s no excuse not to stay up to date.
You might be thinking at this stage that it must
cost a lot for this service because you are getting
so much with it, but that’s not true. A year’s
subscription is £108 (payable in advance), which
works out as just £9 per month. We reckon that
this is a perfectly acceptable cost for getting a
professional site without the hassle. It even
includes the template, the hosting, unlimited
changes to the site through the CMS and a
personal domain name. You could always refer a
resources
WIN!
A year’s subscription
to ohfolio.com
This excellent service will be fully up and
running by the time you read this. As an
added bonus, ohfolio.com is offering
Advanced Photoshop readers the chance to
win a year’s free subscription to the website
service. That’s right, you could save £108 and
get a professional-looking site to show off
your artwork or photography. The first ten
readers to register with the service will win
this amazing opportunity. To be in with a
chance, visit http://ohfolio.com/apm_offer
now to sign up for this great service!
OHFOLIO.COM: The ohfolio.com website is clean
and easy to navigate, which makes it the perfect
promotion for its services
few friends and get some of your money back,
anyway – a £10 referral fee will certainly get you
talking to everyone you know!
With an online order form, signing up for the
service really couldn’t be easier. You simply
provide your personal details, then decide on
the type of domain name you wish to use: your
own that you already have, a personal domain
name from the company or an ohfolio address
(ohfolio.com/domainname).
This is the first in a new breed of website
services for artists, and we would definitely
recommend it if you want a professional
showcase site with the minimum of hassle. 5
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resources

UDG Creator Laptop Messenger Bag

Carry your laptop in style with this professional luggage option
Manufacturer: UDG easily movable non-slip shoulder pad and
Web: www.udggear.com lightweight nylon shoulder strap.
Price: €159.95 (approx. £126.67/$250.11) The reason for its size becomes apparent
Spec: 16 x 14.5 x 7 inches when you consider its durable, water-resistant
Windows XP SP2, Vista or higher 1680D Ballistic Nylon, providing rugged
Ballistic Nylon exterior (1680D) protection that’s ideal for electronic goods.
Two padded pockets for Serato unit Good looking in comparison to other laptop
and headphones bags, you can carry your laptop and
Individually padded compartment for peripherals in style. There’s an array of lavish
15” laptop (larger size available) and strategically placed pockets, but most
Add-on trolley capability important is the individual compartment for your
Side pockets for mobile gadget laptop, encased in protective high-density foam padding.
with headphone port This padding is standard for all 18 pockets in the Laptop
Easy access front compartment Messenger Bag. Examples are the handy Adaptor pocket,
which can also contain beverages, and the front Organiser Product versatility: Zippered pockets

T he Laptop Messenger Bag, part of the UDG Creator

series, seems awkward and perhaps oversized at
first glance for simply transporting your laptop. But this
is just an initial misconception, because it’s a bag made for
so much more.
UDG bags are aimed primarily at DJs and so seem
irrelevant to the Photoshop community, but we found that in
use it was actually very practical. Once you try it, you’ll find it
comfortable to carry, with soft padding, and it’s surprisingly
light as well. This is all helped along by its soft grab handle,
compartment where your pens and pencils reside. But if
you’re into your modern gadgetry, you’ll find plenty of room
for your MP3 player, phone, a small graphics- tablet, or simply
and compartments are perfectly suited for your
headphones, power adaptor, tickets, folders,
magazines, phone, cords, business cards, keys
and much more
reading material and your lunch.
The side pockets are a nice touch, suitable for portable Summary: You’ll have to pay a little
items, and they come equipped with strategically placed more for the privilege of one of the
hottest bag brand names to date, but
earphone pass-through holes so you can safely use delicate
the dynamic Laptop Messenger Bag lets
items such as the iPod
you carry in comfort.
All in all, the UDG Laptop Messenger Bag is a professional
Rating: 4/5
luxury item.

Olympus SP-570UZ
The look and feel of a professional SLR for the price of a compact camera
well at both ends of the zoom range, with
Manufacturer: Olympus barrel and pincushion distortion the usual,
Web: www.olympus.com and visible, effects. However, Olympus
Price: £390/$500 seems to have upped the game here, with
About: 10-megapixel resolution very little distortion apparent in any of the
f2.8-8.0 aperture and a 35mm test shots we took. Zooming does take a
equivalent lens of 26-520mm
little getting used to though, as the
2.7-inch HyperCrystal LCD screen
camera utilises the DSLR camera’s popular
31 shooting modes, including full manual
operation, an Auto option and scene modes zoom ring rather than a zoom lever. But
High ISO to 6400 for movement and low light once you get used to it, it gives incredibly
xD card required, 45MB internal accurate results.
memory provided Of course, with a zoom lens this long,
Runs on 4x AA batteries you need stabilisation to prevent blur, and
that comes in the form of Dual Image

P rosumer, or bridge, cameras are the perfect option if

you want to upgrade your compact camera but are
not quite ready for a DSLR. Usually they look a lot more like
higher-end options, but retain much of the ease of use and
point-and-shoot functionality of a typical compact. The
Olympus UltraZoom range fits into this category, with the
bonus of incredibly long zoom ranges.
The SP-570UZ offers a mind-boggling 20x wide zoom,
giving you the equivalent of 26-520mm on a traditional
35mm camera. It’s still unusual to find a camera that works
Stabilisation, with a sensor-shift internal mechanism and high
ISO values. It certainly works, even in the bumpiest situation.
There are plenty of other features here to interest the
Zooming in: The zoom ring around the lens
falls in a natural position and gives you precise
control over shots, but it may take a little getting
used to if you’re coming from a standard compact
digital artist. For example, Super Macro enables focus from as
little as 1cm, which is great for collecting texture shots. A Summary: The perfect option for taking
huge range of 22 scene modes is also present, which are easy professional looking photographs that
can be incorporated into your digital
to select from and cover every conceivable situation. We even
projects without the hassle or cost of
managed to get perfectly usable model shots with this
using a DSLR.
camera, which we could crop and cut to our heart’s content
Rating: 5/5
thanks to the ten-megapixel resolution.

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ColorSchemer Studio
A colour-matching solution for
enthusiast designers
Manufacturer: ColorSchemer
Web: www.colorschemer.com
Price: £25.30/$49.99
About: Available for Mac and PC users
Explore colour using a dynamic
visual colour wheel
Mix colours and create gradient blends
Learn to visually identify colour
harmony relationships
Share colour palettes with each other, or
with the community on the ColorSchemer
Gallery (www.colorschemer.com/schemes)
C olorSchemer Studio provides a simple, easy-to-use
colour-match solution that users will take to in an
instant. Perhaps not the most dynamic software when
considering the latest digital innovation, Pantone Goe, yet to
compare the two would be unfair. ColorSchemer Studio is
targeted at the enthusiast rather than the professional.
In essence, this software offers a simple set of commands
that will get great results every time. It’s aimed at offering
those who are unfamiliar with colour scheming and
swatching: ‘fun, easy-to-use software that makes building
matching colour schemes a breeze’. We think it achieves this.
The software’s interface is instantly familiar, operating with
the application of slidebars and colour-picker functions. The
on-screen colour wheel allows users to explore colour in a
dynamic fashion. Every selected colour is related through this
device, revealing accurate gradients, and the paramount
colour has its HEX value revealed, which allows it to be
instantly activated in creative software such as Photoshop.
Harmonies are present in the sub Options bar and allow
you to choose screen styles, including Complements, Triads
and Analogous. All are presented within the confines of the
colour wheel, so they are clear and easy to understand. The
Suggested Colors command intuitively visualises
PICK FROM PICTURES: Use the new PhotoSchemer tool to build a
colour scheme based on any picture, image or photograph
091_AVP_46_Resources.indd 91
resources
recommended colour schemes, again from your colour PERFECT HARMONY: When the Color
Harmonies tab is selected, the Matching Colors
wheel, for web page production. These suggestions can be
section will highlight only the colour harmony
altered using the drop options, coinciding with those from type that you choose to display
the Harmonies command.
Typographers and web designers will also find the
ColorSchemer Analyzer option useful. Its main objective is to
find the best readable text and background colour
combinations from the colours in your Favorite Colors palette.
Upon activation, your favourites become apparent, with the
Compatible Text Colors box updating the colours that will
provide adequate contrast and readability with your selected
background colour.
The PhotoSchemer option can be compared to the Goe’s
ImagePALETTE Builder function, dragging and dropping in
imagery for ColorSchemer Studio to intuitively pick up to nine
related image colours, creating independent, unique and
storable swatches. But this option has its own alternative in
the Switch to Mosaic/Photo modes. Mosaic Pixelate imagery
justifies the defined selected tonal areas clearly.
The Color Mixer is another similar function, allowing users
to drag and drop separate colours into the Start and End
swatches. This command intuitively mixes tones, presenting
them in a blended gradient or single mixed colour. Preferred
samples can be ever present in your work interface if you hit
the Add to Favorites button, which adds them instantly.
An invaluable command that really sells this product is the GET A SNEAK PREVIEW: You can use the built-
built-in Color Blindness simulation. This allows users to see in QuickPreview tool to colour in a mini web page
template and preview what your colours might
what the colour schemes might look like to those with colour look like in a typical web page setting
deficient vision. Easily activated by selecting Adjust>Color
Blindness Simulation, users can select the type of colour Summary: At $49.99 (around £25),
deficiency they want to view their schemes, through ColorSchemer Studio weighs in as a far
Protanopia, Tritanopia, Deuteranomaly and more. Each option more economical proposition than the
defines the colour vision impairment. Pantone Goe, and undoubtedly works
efficiently within its means
Available cross-platform and seemingly influenced by the
and limitations.
suggested sciences of Pantone, this is a cost effective
Rating: 4/5
alternative that doesn’t fail to deliver on its promises.
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resources
MechaForce: Draw Futuristic Robots
We test the creative mettle of this illustrative title and its 33 step-by-step tutorials
Author/Publisher: E J Su/Impact Books
Web: www.impact-books.com
Price: £14.99/$19.99
About: Three defined, easy-to-follow chapters
33 step-by-step rendered demonstrations
Understanding basic shapes and
extreme perspectives
Fundamental anatomy teaching
Pose spectrum demonstration
Full-colour thumbnails and final
imagery examples
N ot our usual sort of title for review, but the promise
of entertainment in this creative reference from
Impact Books proved too much to ignore. The allure of
drawing futuristic robots that fly, fight, battle and brawl got
the better of us!
Clearly a specialist title, this book will satisfy the creative
needs of all futuristic fans and Manga maniacs. It will also
encourage enthusiasts to develop and enhance their
illustration skills, constructing imaginative creations by
starting with the most fundamental of techniques.
This edifying title breaks down basic drawing principles
into practical, bite-sized chunks of information, presenting
the rules and techniques of constructing and visualising basic
three-dimensional shapes, all points of perspective and
The Digital Photography Companion
We examine this comprehensive resource, dissecting photography to the core
Author/Publisher: Derrick Story/O’Reilly Media
Web: www.oreilly.com
Price: £15.50/$24.99
About: Authored by pro photographer Derrick Story
Easy-to-follow Practical Example pages
Choose the right camera
Master digital controls
Shoot like a professional
Take control of digital photography
Printing made easy
T his title is as informative about camera capabilities
as it is about utilities, so you really do start from
square one regarding both hardware and software.
Cameras are categorised into three groups – Compact,
DSLRs and Hybrid – each discussing the merits and pitfalls
of its uses. Topics covered include the handheld’s intolerance
to ISO increase, the DSLR’s lens option flexibility and
endorsing Hybrid options such as camcorders and mobile
phone cameras.
Continuing for eight informative pages, the pros and cons
of each model are dissected and clarified function by
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foreshortening or ‘forced perspective’. All so essential when
considering the dramatic essence of the genre and its
energetic imagery!
As you work through the book, the chapters become far
more involved and cover fundamental areas such as anatomy.
We particularly liked the Robot Hand Variations – from
claw to clamp, paw to gun hand – and, of course, the
application of lighting to display depth, width and height,
creating authentic effects.
The book is friendly and accessible throughout, with
thumbnails and examples of finished designs, and is polished
off in the third chapter with a set of detailed ‘how to’ tutorials.
Here readers can recap and apply what they’ve learned to
create a variety of male, female and monster robots in an
array of structures and stances, including battle poses.
Accompanying the tutorials you’ll find lessons in producing
NOT SHORT-CIRCUITED: This book helps users
action-packed scenes – which, for the most part, are gain the understanding to achieve dynamic
extremely straightforward in both presentation and the level scenes and well rendered robotic creations
of understanding required.
With only three chapters, including 109 full-colour pages of
tutelage, readers may be forgiven for thinking at first glance Summary: This will appeal to a niche
that this guide is a little basic, if not over-simplistic when audience and will most definitely tune
tackling such a complex subject. However, this is precisely up creative illustration skills – an all-
round edifying experience with a fuel
where it excels, enabling compound creations to become
injection of fun.
accessible and digestible by even the most novice of artists –
Rating: 3/5
and all in a fun yet focused fashion.
function, so the user can make an informed choice. The
Making the Decision section, for example, explores battery
types, exposure meter options, mode dials and much more.
This thorough approach runs throughout the title. Each
section also has insightful full-colour thumbnails and
diagrams, such as in the aforementioned Making the
Decision section, which offers a useful reference in the form
of a capability comparison guide.
Chapter Two gets practical, revealing the rules and rituals
of practices such as compression, image quality and white
balance that will help users get the visual best from their
photographic ventures. A great feature in this chapter is the
Practical Examples, presented by the friendly and informative
Derrick Story. Included here are examples such as analysing
Picturesque: Derrick Story presents basic
instruction, clever techniques and inspiring
examples so that users can create great shots
the landscape composition, using Burst mode for portraits,
and tips for shooting successful panoramas. Summary: A pragmatic approach and
The book also covers essential digital practices, with gems text-heavy title that amateurs may find
such as recovering photos from erased memory cards and daunting, but it is informative. This is
processing HDR images in Photoshop, along with presenting fundamental to evolving your
photographic skills, and once you start
simple print setup solutions for busy photographers.
reading you won’t stop.
This title will no doubt become essential reading for any
Rating: 4/5
enthusiastic photographer!
25/6/08 17:39:32