So, you just took a photo of your kid disguised as a pirate and you’d just like to add something?
This is the tutorial for you!
Phase One, Saving PSD Displacement map – we will not go into displacement maps here, it will be enough if you just follow the steps.
- 1. Open your Halloween JPG image,
- 2. Desaturate it: Image –> Adjustments –> Desaturate
- 3. Save it as a PSD file, name it “displacement.psd”
Note: We will need this psd file few steps later and it’s have to be a PSD because Displacement Filter in Adobe Photoshop works that way. You can also give some contrast to the image, or even burn details using Burn Tool: it really depends on your image quality and your preferences.
Close that PSD image, and reopen your original Halloween JPG image again.
- 4. Now, open brushes window (F5) and load our latest Halloween After-Party Photoshop Brushes set
Note: This one is available on GBG eZine edition only.
If you don’t know how to load brushes please see How to Install and Use Photoshop Brushes
Phase Two, Applying the brush
- 4.
Create a new Layer and add a brush to it
(shortcut F5 to display brushes window and B to select brush tool).
Note: open a Brush Tip Shape option and adjust the brush size and position before applying (rotate it or flip)
Basically, the image should now look like this:
As you can see, our add-on does not look natural here. So, we’ll proceed to phase three.
Phase Three, Displacement Filter
- 5. Now apply Filter –> Distort –> Displace on a Layer with the brush
Adjust the options as needed, in this case I have web size image (533×800 pixels at 72dpi), but with larger images you will need bigger numbers to adjust the Displacement Filter.
- 6. Photoshop will now ask you to load the PSD displacement file – that’s the displacement.psd file we created in the phase one.
Phase Four, Layer Adjustments
- 7. Duplicate active Layer (select Layer, right-click and choose “Duplicate Layer…”). Now we have Layer 1 and Layer 1 copy;
- 8. set Layer 1 as a Soft Light Layer like on the image below and
- 9. Set Layer 1 copy as Overlay (as on image below). Notice how colors have changed.
Note: maybe you will have to change Layers Opacity to amount smaller than 100%, it’s all up to you and your creativity.
Phase Five, Layer masking and soft-touching
10. Add a Layer Mask to Layer 1 (see image below), select simple rounded brush (sized at 1/10 of your applied brush) and set brush Hardness to zero.
Set the brush Opacity and Flow to approx 30% .
Select the Layer Mask on Layer 1 and make our tattoo look more natural by clicking on it at random locations. Use brush tool.
Phase Six, Layer masking and soft-touching 2
- 11. Select Layer 1 copy and repeat the steps taken in Phase Five.
Play around with Layer Styles, for instance: instead of Overlay you can choose Multiply for the Layer 1 copy.
And that’s it!
I hope it it was not too hard. Let me know if you need any additional help!
