Photoshop Gurus Forum
Welcome to Photoshop Gurus forum. Register a free account today to become a member! It's completely free. Once signed in, you'll enjoy an ad-free experience and be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!
Border Technique
- Thread starter Lee
- Start date
nitrobutler
Power User
- Messages
- 258
- Likes
- 0
My first guess is that it's a result from a plugin or
Someone took alot of time and selected sections of the image, put them on there own layer then drop shadow'em and cut some out as well.That's my guess.
Someone took alot of time and selected sections of the image, put them on there own layer then drop shadow'em and cut some out as well.That's my guess.
theKeeper
Guru
- Messages
- 2,313
- Likes
- 63
The odd shape of it suggests it was done manually. But the 'mosaic' effect may have been done using a special program. However, the effect can be done reasonably well with a native PS filter -- "Mosaic".
Here's some things to play with...
1)
Open a photo.
Double-click it to rename it, click OK.
Add a layer mask.
Add a new layer, drag it below the photo and fill it with white.
Back to the layer mask.
Paint with black over an area of the photo. Don't paint over all of it, and paint in the shape that you want the final image to display in. Keep the paint away from the edges of the photo.
Gaussian blur the mask by a lot... say 20 pixels.
Press Ctrl+I to Invert the colours on your layer mask.
Now run the FILTER/Pixelate/Mosaic filter. Set the size to whatever you like. Turn the "Preview" option on and watch your image as you adjust the size setting. Apply the filter when you're ready.
Voila!
(see image below)
2)
With that same photo open, turn off the layer mask by holding SHIFT and clicking on it.
Add a new layer.
Run the Clouds filter, then Auto Levels.
Apply the 'Mosaic' filter to this clouds layer.
Set the layer to Soflight; but try Overlay/Hardlight/Vivid Light/Linear Light also to see what they look like.
Create a medium sized square selection (40pixels). On the photo's layer mask, move this selection around the outside egdes of the photo and fill it with black. Use Lee's sample image as reference to how random looking this outer edge pattern is.
Do this until you only have only a specific area of the photo showing.
(see the example in my next post)
:B TIP: You can change the look of the effects by running the LEVELS filter on the layer mask and the clouds layer. Just move the sliders around and you'll see how that effect the image (mask).
Here's some things to play with...
1)
Open a photo.
Double-click it to rename it, click OK.
Add a layer mask.
Add a new layer, drag it below the photo and fill it with white.
Back to the layer mask.
Paint with black over an area of the photo. Don't paint over all of it, and paint in the shape that you want the final image to display in. Keep the paint away from the edges of the photo.
Gaussian blur the mask by a lot... say 20 pixels.
Press Ctrl+I to Invert the colours on your layer mask.
Now run the FILTER/Pixelate/Mosaic filter. Set the size to whatever you like. Turn the "Preview" option on and watch your image as you adjust the size setting. Apply the filter when you're ready.
Voila!
(see image below)
2)
With that same photo open, turn off the layer mask by holding SHIFT and clicking on it.
Add a new layer.
Run the Clouds filter, then Auto Levels.
Apply the 'Mosaic' filter to this clouds layer.
Set the layer to Soflight; but try Overlay/Hardlight/Vivid Light/Linear Light also to see what they look like.
Create a medium sized square selection (40pixels). On the photo's layer mask, move this selection around the outside egdes of the photo and fill it with black. Use Lee's sample image as reference to how random looking this outer edge pattern is.
Do this until you only have only a specific area of the photo showing.
(see the example in my next post)
:B TIP: You can change the look of the effects by running the LEVELS filter on the layer mask and the clouds layer. Just move the sliders around and you'll see how that effect the image (mask).
Here's another method to achieve a similar effect called the joiner method. I saved it from http://www.digital-creativity.co.uk/tutorials/tutorial_23.html a while back.
If you've tried your hands at creating your own panoramics, but with little success, or you want something a little different, then try this tutorial - Creating Joiners.
As with panoramics, you need to join a number of images together, but don't worry if they don't join exactly.
In my example, I took FOUR photographs of a building - although I stood in the exact spot for all of them, I did change the angle of the camera.
1. Open up the first image of your joiner. Run Auto Levels [Image... Adjust... Auto Levels] to adjust the colour etc.
Make the default Background layer into a floating layer by double-clicking on it in the Layers palette.
2. Create a new layer and rename it 'Canvas' [hold the ALT key and left-click on the Create New Layer Icon in the Layers palette]. Resize the canvas [Image... Canvas Size...] so you can add your further photographs. In my example, I enlarged the canvas by five times its original size.
In the Canvas dialogue box, leave the 'Anchor' setting at its default of Center - this will enlarge your canvas, leaving your original image in the center.
3. Open your second image and rename it 'Picture #2'.
Click and hold your mouse button on the new layer called 'Picture #2' and drag it onto your original image. Photoshop automatically places your second picture onto a new layer.
4. Repeat the above step until you have all your picture for your 'Joiner' placed on the original image in their own layers.
5. With all the pictures now on the canvas together, its time to join them up. Position & rearrange the images so they are roughly in the place they need to be in - in the next step will show you how to rotate each individual image using the Numeric command option in the Transform menu.
First, turn off all the layers except the original (click on the eye next to the image thumbnails in the layers palette) - This will make it easier for you to work with.
6. Make the second image visible by clicking on the eye in the Layers palette. If its not roughly in the correct position, use the Move tool to line it up with the first image.
Get the Ruler Tool from the Tool Box, activate the original layer and place the cursor over a straight edge - something like a sign or door frame etc, on the first image.
7. Click the left mouse button and drag the Ruler Tool along the straight edge. In my case, I dragged the Ruler Tool along the top of the main sign. Access the 'Numeric' command [Edit... Transform... Numeric]. Because you used the ruler tool, the value needed to rotate the image so it becomes straight is automatically entered into the Rotate value box. Since I wanted to rotate the image clockwise, I simply deleted the minus sign before the figure. If you want to rotate the image/layer counter-clockwise, just add a minus sign in front of the figure.
Click on OK and the image should hopefully straighten up. Activate the Move tool by either selecting it from the Tool Box or by pressing the 'V' key. Use your cursor keys to manually nudge the image until it lines up with the first image. Remember, you don't have to be exact, just close enough.
8. Repeat the above two steps until you have all your images correctly in position. If all went well, you should now have an image made up of a number of photographs, like the one shown here.
Give it a little more effect by placing a white border around the individual layers and add a small drop shadow.
Try experimenting with this technique, and see what sort of images you can create - you can join just about anything from buildings, people, scenic views to statues.
*Before Pic
If you've tried your hands at creating your own panoramics, but with little success, or you want something a little different, then try this tutorial - Creating Joiners.
As with panoramics, you need to join a number of images together, but don't worry if they don't join exactly.
In my example, I took FOUR photographs of a building - although I stood in the exact spot for all of them, I did change the angle of the camera.
1. Open up the first image of your joiner. Run Auto Levels [Image... Adjust... Auto Levels] to adjust the colour etc.
Make the default Background layer into a floating layer by double-clicking on it in the Layers palette.
2. Create a new layer and rename it 'Canvas' [hold the ALT key and left-click on the Create New Layer Icon in the Layers palette]. Resize the canvas [Image... Canvas Size...] so you can add your further photographs. In my example, I enlarged the canvas by five times its original size.
In the Canvas dialogue box, leave the 'Anchor' setting at its default of Center - this will enlarge your canvas, leaving your original image in the center.
3. Open your second image and rename it 'Picture #2'.
Click and hold your mouse button on the new layer called 'Picture #2' and drag it onto your original image. Photoshop automatically places your second picture onto a new layer.
4. Repeat the above step until you have all your picture for your 'Joiner' placed on the original image in their own layers.
5. With all the pictures now on the canvas together, its time to join them up. Position & rearrange the images so they are roughly in the place they need to be in - in the next step will show you how to rotate each individual image using the Numeric command option in the Transform menu.
First, turn off all the layers except the original (click on the eye next to the image thumbnails in the layers palette) - This will make it easier for you to work with.
6. Make the second image visible by clicking on the eye in the Layers palette. If its not roughly in the correct position, use the Move tool to line it up with the first image.
Get the Ruler Tool from the Tool Box, activate the original layer and place the cursor over a straight edge - something like a sign or door frame etc, on the first image.
7. Click the left mouse button and drag the Ruler Tool along the straight edge. In my case, I dragged the Ruler Tool along the top of the main sign. Access the 'Numeric' command [Edit... Transform... Numeric]. Because you used the ruler tool, the value needed to rotate the image so it becomes straight is automatically entered into the Rotate value box. Since I wanted to rotate the image clockwise, I simply deleted the minus sign before the figure. If you want to rotate the image/layer counter-clockwise, just add a minus sign in front of the figure.
Click on OK and the image should hopefully straighten up. Activate the Move tool by either selecting it from the Tool Box or by pressing the 'V' key. Use your cursor keys to manually nudge the image until it lines up with the first image. Remember, you don't have to be exact, just close enough.
8. Repeat the above two steps until you have all your images correctly in position. If all went well, you should now have an image made up of a number of photographs, like the one shown here.
Give it a little more effect by placing a white border around the individual layers and add a small drop shadow.
Try experimenting with this technique, and see what sort of images you can create - you can join just about anything from buildings, people, scenic views to statues.
*Before Pic
Awesome techniques Mark & Dubya! And great submissions, Ian! :} You had much more success playing with Mark's mini tute than I.
Nothing worthy of posting right now... :\ I had great fun playing with the "joiners" effect, dubya! Thanks for posting that technique!
I really like it! It was a lousy day here to go out and take photos, but I did and I played, and in the end, I just wasn't happy with the subject matter.
Then I went to a wonderful photo that a friend of mine took, recently, and figured that I could apply that technique on one single image! [excited] Worked out not too bad!
theKeeper
Guru
- Messages
- 2,313
- Likes
- 63
Hey was just fiddlin around and found this... i totally forgot about this specific filter guys, and i think it gives a slightly better effect than the Mosaic one does.
FILTER>Stylize>Extrude...
Dupe your main photo, and run the filter on that. Then run through the various Blend Modes to find the one that suites your eye. I like Screen/Overlay/Soflight/Hardlight. Darken though has an interesting effect too.
Try these settings for the Extrude filter, til you see what it can do:
TYPE: block
SIZE: 30
DEPTH: 10/random
and both checkboxes at the bottom selected.
Depth will create some VERY cool effects if cranked up. But for a subtle effect, leave it low.
Ok and now, after running that filter on the duped layer, run Unsharp Mask on it also. Set the amount to 500 radius to 0.5 & threshold to 0. This will burn out the edges of the block effect and exaggerate it. Reduce Opacity for a more subtle effect.
:B
FILTER>Stylize>Extrude...
Dupe your main photo, and run the filter on that. Then run through the various Blend Modes to find the one that suites your eye. I like Screen/Overlay/Soflight/Hardlight. Darken though has an interesting effect too.
Try these settings for the Extrude filter, til you see what it can do:
TYPE: block
SIZE: 30
DEPTH: 10/random
and both checkboxes at the bottom selected.
Depth will create some VERY cool effects if cranked up. But for a subtle effect, leave it low.
Ok and now, after running that filter on the duped layer, run Unsharp Mask on it also. Set the amount to 500 radius to 0.5 & threshold to 0. This will burn out the edges of the block effect and exaggerate it. Reduce Opacity for a more subtle effect.
:B