Simone Pixelization

by Peter Bauer

Much of the advertising for the movie "S1M0NE" includes a pixelated version of
an image as an overlay. (To see a sample, go to www.s1m0ne.com. Use the
numerals one and zero in place of the I "i" and "o" letters.) Here's one way to
achieve that effect.
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DEPARTMENTS STEP 1
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Open the image that you want to use. If the file has multiple layers, use the
napp perks command Layer> Flatten Image. (We'll use PhotoSpin's 0730033, cropped to
featured tutorials suit.) At the bottom of the History palette, click on the left-most button to
photoshop video clips duplicate the image. This creates a separate file, identical to the current state of
member tutorials your original image. (I use this button often when I want to experiment with
photoshop tips filters.)
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Working with the duplicate image, let's pixelate. Open Image> Image Size. Look
at the upper Width and Height fields. You'll want to reduce the image to exactly
1/10th its pixel size. You can also reduce to 1/8, 1/12, or any size in between. It
is important, however, that the reduction be exact – no
fractional pixels. Make sure that both Constrain Proportions and Resample are
checked. Set Resample to Bicubic. For our example, we'll reduce the image by a
factor of ten to produce nice large pixels.
NOTE: If neither the width nor the height can be evenly divided by an
appropriate number, return to your original image and crop off a pixel or three,
then create a new copy.

STEP 3
Open the Image Size dialog box again. Change Resample to Nearest Neighbor,
and return your image to its original size. You're image should be nicely
pixelated. This image shows both the dialog box and the result.)

STEP 4 (Optional)
You can use Levels, Curves, or other adjustments or filters to change the
appearance of the image. To better achieve the look of www.s1m0ne.com, I'll
convert this image to a duotone and darken it. (To create the duotone, use the
commands Image> Mode> Grayscale, followed by Image> Mode> Duotone.)
STEP 5
Position the two image windows so that you can see them both. Make sure the
pixelated version of the image is active, then hold down the Shift key and drag
the layer named "Background" from the Layers palette directly onto the window
of your original image. That copies it from one image to the other. The Shift key
ensures that the copied layer will be centered. You can now close (with or
without saving) the pixelated version.
STEP 6
Make sure that Layer 1 is active in the layers palette. Make a selection of an
area through which you want the lower layer (the unpixelated version) to show
through. Use the menu command Layer> Add Layer Mask> Hide Selection. A
layer mask will appear in the Layers palette, showing what parts of the layer are
visible/hidden.

STEP 7
You can add a white border, if desired, in any of a number of ways, including a
bevel/emboss Layer Style. I simply used the Pencil tool on the first column of
pixels outside the mask. Remember when working with a painting tool, you can
click, then Shift-click to paint a straight line between two points.

STEP 8 (Optional)
The effect can be modified in a variety of ways. By duplicating the upper layer
and changing the mask, you could create frames of an animation that open like a
curtain. You can also try different blending modes for the upper layer, such as
(from the top) Overlay, Difference, Luminosity, Hard Light, and Vivid Light
(Photoshop 7 only).
 Click here for more tutorials by Pete

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