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Glow/Lighting effect


lnigma

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Hi ya'll!


I'm looking for a way to apply a special glow around a layer to brighten the background layers in a gradient sorta way. Here's an example image:


ei0jKQL.png


So the first cat on the left is a regular layer with an Outer Glow effect attached. This is not what I want, as the glow only seems to slightly colorize the edges of the layer. What I want is for the glow to actually change the Brightness/Contrast of the layers beneath.


The cat-looking doodad in the middle is a combination of three Brightness/Contrast masks, ascending in size. Although the effect is similar to what I want, having to copy/paste masks and then resize/align them perfectly is a tedious and unreliable task.


I wonder if there is a way to apply the same kind of gradient glow that is present with the Outer Glow effect, but have it react to the background in the way that the Brightness/Contrast masks do - that is, actually brighten the surrounding pixels in the background layer(s).


Thxs!
 
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IamSam

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Nice effect going on here! I think I understand what your shooting for.

From what I can tell, your probably going to have to include a gradient in all of the B&C adjustment layers-layer masks, but I would need to experiment a little.

If it wouldn't be too much trouble, is there any way you might upload the PSD? (Just use the add image icon)
 

IamSam

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Inigma said:
The cat-looking doodad in the middle is a combination of three Brightness/Contrast masks, ascending in size. Although the effect is similar to what I want, having to copy/paste masks and then resize/align them perfectly is a tedious and unreliable task.
In the future, this process can be made much easier by adding your adjustment layer.

Making a selection of the cat.
Screen Shot 2016-03-11 at 8.45.45 AM.png

Use the directional arrows to move the selection into place.
Screen Shot 2016-03-11 at 8.46.42 AM.png

Use SELECT>TRANSFORM SELECTION to resize the selection.
Screen Shot 2016-03-11 at 8.46.52 AM.png

Make sure the adjustment layer is highlighted and the mask is selected, then fill the selection with white.
Screen Shot 2016-03-11 at 8.47.25 AM.png

Screen Shot 2016-03-11 at 8.47.31 AM.png

Then repeat the process for the next adjustment layers-layer mask.
 

IamSam

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Remember, you can also make a selection from a layer mask by using Cmd/Cntrl + clicking the layer mask. By doing this, you can start from the newly resized cat for you next adjustment layer mask instead of going back to the original cat's size.
 

dv8_fx

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Before anything, you can attain the look of your background with just one brightness/contrast adjustment layer...

B&CSettings.jpg

Simply select Use Legacy setting.... and play with the B and C adjustment sliders.

................

To get the glow to affect the image layer beneath, adjust and play with the Outer Glow Style's Structure, Elements and Quality.

Glow1.jpg

In this example, I've set the blend mode to Color Dodge. experiment and tinker with the other settings to get the look you want.
 

dv8_fx

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Here's another take to getting the B&C adjustment look on 3 ascending sized selections.....

Make a selection of the cat (CTRL+click layer icon). With the marquee tool selected, drag or nudge with move keys to desired position.

BC01.jpg


Add the adjustment layer.... and play with the sliders.

BC02.jpg


Click CTRL+J to duplicate the adjustment layer. Then press CTRL+T to resize the layer masked image. For ease of re sizing, hold down CTRL+ALT as you drag the corner point. Commit the resize (press enter). Adjust the brightness and contrast settings to your liking....

BC03.jpg


Repeat the above step......

BC04.jpg



Fine tune da settings fer all 3 adjustment layers ta suit yer taste......


I hope diz helpz u out..... ;) :cheesygrin:
 

IamSam

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Thanks dv8, that was a slightly more advanced version of what I was explaining in post #3.

Now back to the matter at hand.

@Inigma Is this more what your trying for?

Before..
Screen Shot 2016-03-11 at 9.59.12 PM.png

After.....
Screen Shot 2016-03-11 at 10.10.45 PM.png
 
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lnigma

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Thanks for the replies guys, they've been very helpful!!

dv8, that color dodge effect is very close to what I'm looking for. I thought I'd tried all the different blend modes, but perhaps I had the opacity set too high (I have a tendency to automatically set it to 100% whenever I use Outer Glow ><).

IamSam, yes that "After" effect looks great! How did you manage that? Would it be possible to make the glow a bit brighter?

Anyway, here's what I have now with a color dodge effect:

https://www.photoshopgurus.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=62740&d=1457768978

It looks pretty good. The only thing is that the glow isn't completely a gradient. I think that's because of the large Spread, but if I decrease the Spread, the glow seems to get weaker, and I'm looking for a pretty strong glow.

I'm going to play around some more with the settings and the tips you guys gave me. The images I used here were mostly for example purposes; I wanted to figure out how to do this effect and then apply it to an ongoing project of mine. The project involves a dark background, like the one used here, but with streaks of lightning on top to light up the background in a gradient way. I think using the color dodge + outer glow method should work for that?

Anyway, I'll post any related questions in this thread. Sam - let me know how you achieved that effect! And thanks again guys ^_^
 

dv8_fx

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Please re-upload. It's not there....


I thought I'd tried all the different blend modes, but perhaps I had the opacity set too high (I have a tendency to automatically set it to 100% whenever I use Outer Glow ><).

experiment... experiment....


The only thing is that the glow isn't completely a gradient. I think that's because of the large Spread, but if I decrease the Spread, the glow seems to get weaker, and I'm looking for a pretty strong glow.

This is where you can try duplicating the adjustment layer or add another adjustment to enhance the glow effect.


The project involves a dark background, like the one used here, but with streaks of lightning on top to light up the background in a gradient way. I think using the color dodge + outer glow method should work for that?

The glow may look different depending on the background image you use. What may work on one may not necessarily work on another. You need to tweak it more or use something else. For instance, I may add a a spot of white on a new layer using a large soft brush set to airbrush and set the mode to something to increase the glow.....
 

Le Caire

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A useful tool, way often forgotten is to create your outer glow or drop shadow and, not to get stuck with your effect on the same layer to go to Layer, Layer Style and at the bottom: Create layer. This way you will be able to work on your effect or blending style independently. Useful also to make some masks very fast. By the way, why not using the drop shadow as a stand-alone layer and feather-extend it or so to get this "aura" effect? Have a nice day all and sorry for my bad English, I hope you understood.
 

IamSam

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A useful tool, way often forgotten is to create your outer glow or drop shadow and, not to get stuck with your effect on the same layer to go to Layer, Layer Style and at the bottom: Create layer. This way you will be able to work on your effect or blending style independently. Useful also to make some masks very fast. By the way, why not using the drop shadow as a stand-alone layer and feather-extend it or so to get this "aura" effect? Have a nice day all and sorry for my bad English, I hope you understood.
I don't understand at all.
 

IamSam

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@Inigma

What I did was do what I mentioned in post #2

"your probably going to have to include a gradient in all of the B&C adjustment layers-layer masks"
.

First I moved the Cat layer to the top of the layer stack.
I used a normal blending mode on the outer glow, color dodge did not look right.

Then, on a new layer, I created a radial gradient template layer using the foreground to transparent preset and black as the foreground color. Color doesn't matter since your going to turn this layer off anyway.

I then made a selection of the gradient template layer using Cmd/Cntrl + clicking the layers thumbnail.
I then went to each of the B&C adjustment layers-layer mask and filled the selection using white.

Here's one using a smaller radial gradient....
Screen Shot 2016-03-12 at 7.30.30 PM.png

Result
Screen Shot 2016-03-12 at 7.30.41 PM.png

And here's one using a larger radial gradient.....
Screen Shot 2016-03-12 at 7.31.09 PM.png

Result
Screen Shot 2016-03-12 at 7.31.21 PM.png


The resulting effect has depth throug all of the B&C adjustment layers and is not sitting on top of or behind them.
 
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IamSam

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Le Caire I'm sorry, I see what you have done and I understand (even though you did not explain how to separate the shadow layer by using "create layers"), but what does this have to do with the topic of discussion for this thread?

How does this apply to the glow effect that the OP is asking about?
 

Le Caire

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@Le Caire I'm sorry, I see what you have done and I understand (even though you did not explain how to separate the shadow layer by using "create layers"), but what does this have to do with the topic of discussion for this thread?

How does this apply to the glow effect that the OP is asking about?

May be I didn't understand anything.

Here is the first post: " [...] I want, as the glow only seems to slightly colorize the edges of the layer. What I want is for the glow to actually change the Brightness/Contrast of the layers beneath [...] I wonder if there is a way to apply the same kind of gradient glow that is present with the Outer Glow effect, but have it react to the background in the way that the Brightness/Contrast masks do - that is, actually brighten the surrounding pixels in the background layer(s)."


Assuming we have to get thisBrightness/Contrast of the layers beneath or kind of gradient glow or brighten the surrounding pixels in the background or any other layer.....

So, to get the shape of an object (a cat), drop shadow is a good tool except it is linked to the object. By creating a layer only for this drop shadow you can move and transform your shadow -or glow- (Ctrl/Cmd T), use the puppet if needed, change the colour (Hue clipped for example), move it, copy it, etc... If you want to have many layers of this effect but blended differently and gradually coming bigger, Ctrl/Cmd J and play. You can almost do every "ghosty" effect you want, you can even add some radial blur etc.

Well... I did my best, I apologize if it seems I am irrelevant.

 

inkpad.t

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Just for the OP and nothing to do with the examples shown. When doing shadows just remember your foreground, mid ground and back ground, In the example shown with the shadow on the back wall, the tin mans hand is in direct line that the shadow casts on, i would probably make a selection of the hand and use that as an other shadow area , only because it would be more predominant shadow before it hits the back wall which would be more blur and less predominant than that on the hand.

Just something to think about.

Also remember at what angle the shadow would be cast, ie it would be flat over the chess board, another good way to do shadow where it casts over materials, other pieces of the composition ect is do a gray scale copy , lighten the brighter area and darken the dark areas ( making it more contrast ) then using that as a displacement map to cast your shadow over, sometimes it works and other it dos not, depends on your image ect, but it has work for me in the past.
 
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