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How to make light shine out of an object?


KittyTheGrimm

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Hello,

I am currently wanting to crate a glowing effect out of this picture of a trunk.
122727500.jpg
Basically I want to make it look like a T.A.R.D.I.S from doctor who in the way that when the lid is opened the light from inside spills out all cool and mysterious like.
Can anyone point me in the direction of a simple tutorial or help out in any way with how to do this?
 

IamSam

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Hello and welcome to PSG.

There would be many ways to accomplish this in Ps. Here's one way.

A simple color fill layer and a reversed (hide all) layer mask.
Select the layer mask.
Use the Brush Tool with low settings to paint in the effect.

(This is a very quick version......it's not perfect)
Screen Shot 2017-05-27 at 12.34.26 AM.png

Screen Shot 2017-05-27 at 12.34.34 AM.png
 

KittyTheGrimm

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Wow that is pretty much EXACTLY what I was looking for >w< thank you =]
I find it funny that I can restore torn and damaged photos but give me something like this and I am clueless lol
Thanks so much
 

KittyTheGrimm

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So I have gotten this far
Untitled.jpg
But still can't figure out what to do from there. The brush or eraser tools do nothing to the mask. I have never understood how those things work :S
 

SepiaPhotographi

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So I have gotten this far
View attachment 74709
But still can't figure out what to do from there. The brush or eraser tools do nothing to the mask. I have never understood how those things work :S

You have to do it exactly how IamSam instructed. Somehow you've created a smart object layer, instead of a color fill with mask. Once you create this, use your brush with white to paint, use black to correct or remove.
 

MrToM

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...Somehow you've created a smart object layer, instead of a color fill with mask...
Sorry @SepiaPhotographi but that isn't a smart object.

You are right that it's not as it should be though, ie a regular 'color fill' layer, but it looks like the OP has added a shape path via the paths panel, the icon in the layer thumbnail indicates a shape....not a smart object.

Quite 'why' the OP did this is a mystery but it shouldn't, and doesn't, prevent the mask from operating normally.

If the OP paints on the mask with white then it should reveal the color regardless.

The only thing I can think of is that the OP has an active marquee somewhere and the OP is trying to paint outside of it...or in black.

A screenshot of the whole UI could be more useful than just the layers panel.

Regards.
MrToM.
 

IamSam

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So I have gotten this far.........But still can't figure out what to do from there. The brush or eraser tools do nothing to the mask. I have never understood how those things work :S
I'm very sorry, I should have asked about your skill and experience with Photoshop. It's hard to tell based on a single post and I made an assumption.

Step 1
Hit Command/Control + J to duplicate the Chest image layer. Turn off the original layer.

Step 2
Highlight the duplicated Chest layer.
Remove the background from Chest image. You will need a darker background in order for the effect to be visible.
I just used the Magic Eraser Tool for this. Tolerance was set to 35. Highlight the layer and click once on the white background.
If you look, you will see that there is some white left over in the handle, you will have to click on these areas as well.
Screen Shot 2017-05-27 at 8.02.14 AM.png

Step 3
Hold down the Command/Control key and click once on the add a new layer icon located at the bottom of the layers panel.
This will add a new layer BELOW the duplicated Chest image layer. If you don't understand this step, just create a new layer and drag it below the duplicated Chest image layer.
Fill this layer with the dark color of choice............I used black.
Screen Shot 2017-05-27 at 8.10.49 AM.png

Screen Shot 2017-05-27 at 8.10.58 AM.png

Step 4
Now add a Color fill adjustment layer. I use this because it's very easy to adjust the color.
Go to LAYER > NEW FILL LAYER > SOLID COLOR
Screen Shot 2017-05-27 at 8.12.35 AM.png

A window will pop up. Name the layer. The Color Picker will pop up, set the color to choice........I used yellowish white.
Screen Shot 2017-05-27 at 8.20.55 AM.png

Note that the layer mask is white. We need to reverse it.
Click on the layer mask to select. It will have white brackets around the layer mask. Hit Command]Control + I to invert the mask.
The mask should be black now.
Screen Shot 2017-05-27 at 8.21.05 AM.png

Step 5
With the layer mask of the Solid Color layer selected, choose your Brush Tool.
Choose a soft round brush set to 0% hardness
Set your foreground color to white.
Paint on the layer mask in the areas where you want the Yellowish White solid color to appear.
You will have to lower the settings of the brush. This will take some experimenting and practice. Change your foreground color to black to paint out mistakes.
Screen Shot 2017-05-27 at 12.34.34 AM.png

Layer mask tutorials

Photoshop:Understanding Layer Masks

Masks: Editable Selection

Layer Masks

How to use layer masks in Phtoshop

Blending photos together: Photoshop layer mask tutorial
 

SepiaPhotographi

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Sorry @SepiaPhotographi but that isn't a smart object.

You are right that it's not as it should be though, ie a regular 'color fill' layer, but it looks like the OP has added a shape path via the paths panel, the icon in the layer thumbnail indicates a shape....not a smart object.

Quite 'why' the OP did this is a mystery but it shouldn't, and doesn't, prevent the mask from operating normally.

If the OP paints on the mask with white then it should reveal the color regardless.

The only thing I can think of is that the OP has an active marquee somewhere and the OP is trying to paint outside of it...or in black.

A screenshot of the whole UI could be more useful than just the layers panel.

Regards.
MrToM.

Ahh good catch. Just one more thing I have to be mindful of, of 10 billion other things about Photoshop!!! LOLOLOL No wonder no one can "master it." It masters us! LOLOL
 

KittyTheGrimm

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Thanks so much, I am still just learning everything and I really should have said my experience is lacking in some areas.
I can rebuild photos and digitize sketches but there are still so many techniques i need to learn and practice.
I will give this a go and post my results here later =]
 

IamSam

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That's looking pretty good! Just a little more practice with the Brush Tool. :thumbsup:
 

KittyTheGrimm

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Thanks ^-^ I will get it eventually. This is really just a mock up poster for a fan-fic I am writing just for funsies
 

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