5 Useful Photoshop Effects in 3 Easy Steps In this fun tutorial Andrea will explain how to create 5 essential effects

in 3 easy steps, using basic Photoshop tools. Useful for a range of situations, these effects wor best when you don!t ha"e ti#e to reach high $uality standards. If you wor in an agency you now how it goes %% these techni$ues are lifesa"ers& Andrea sub#its the following ... '. (he )old And (he )eautiful Effect *et!s try to replicate the soft and blurry i#age effect used +and abused, in soap operas, dayti#e dra#as and erotic #aga-ines. I!ll call it (he )old And (he )eautiful Effect. Step ' . /uplicate the picture!s layer. Step 0 . Apply 1aussian )lur.

Step 3 . Set Screen blending #ode, possibly reducing 2pacity to your li ing. /one& 3ou can pu e now. It!s a release.

0. 4a e 5iniature Photography (his pops up here and there. 3ou ta e a picture of a landscape or a nice city shot. #iniature%start Step ' . Enter 6uic 5as and #a e a gradient selection. +detail, Step 0 . In"ert the selection and apply *ens )lur. +detail,

Step 3 . Ad7ust colors and sharpen the i#age. 8ow it loo s li e it!s a #odel. 9ute&

3. Instant Starry S y (his techni$ue is "ery useful when you need to add fine details to co#plex illustrations. It doesn!t replace a real starry s y but, if used with attention, can produce con"incing results. Step ' . 9reate a gradient for the s y. Step 0 . Select the )rush (ool +), then hit 45 to bring up the )rushes palette. Ad7ust /ia#eter and set a large Spacing. Use the pre"iew at the botto# for reference. 8ow instead of painting solid stro es you will dot the s y with stars. +See Palette,

Set Shape /yna#ics. Increase Si-e :itter to "ary the dia#eter of the stars. 4or 9ontrol choose 2ff if you don!t ha"e a tablet. (hen start sa"ing to buy one. +See Shape /yna#ics, Set Scattering. 3ou want your stars to pop up at rando# spots so use the pre"iew as guide. +Scattering,

Set 2pacity :itter. (his is crucial in #a ing so#e stars appear closer and others appear farther. If you ha"e a tablet you can control opacity and si-e by "arying the pressure, thus ha"ing #ore control. If you don!t ha"e a tablet it!s o . +:itter, So#e stars are s#all and bright, others are big and close to us but duller. ;ando#ness loo s good here. Step 3 . 8ow you can ha"e fun painting the galaxy away&

<. =ood (exture (his is not intended to replace high $uality textures but it!s a good #ethod to fa e wood when creating co#plex ob7ects and textures will not be closely scrutini-ed. Step ' . 9hoose brown hues for foreground and bac ground colors. Step 0 Apply the 4ibers filter +4ilter > ;ender > 4ibers,. 9hoose the "alues you li e.

Step 3 . /uplicate the layer, set it to Soft *ight #ode then apply 4ilter > Artistic > Poster Edges. Use the pre"iew for reference and don!t o"erdo it. +enlarge, Add nots with the *i$uify filter. Use the "arious tools on the left side of the palette. +*i$uify filter Palette,

Si#ple and not o"erly realistic but "ery fast and useful for s#all surfaces. 5. )rushed 5etal (exture (his has the sa#e usage warnings as the pre"ious texture. 1ood for s#all surfaces not in focus, bad for extensi"e ob7ects with no detail. Use real textures for those.

Step ' . 9hoose gray hues for foregound and bac ground colors. 1o to 4ilter > ;ender > 4ibers.

Step 0 Apply 5otion )lur +4ilter > )lur > 5otion )lur,.

Step 3 . /uplicate the layer, set it to 5ultiply. (his is way too si#plistic. *et!s add so#e dirt and "ariation.

1o to 4ilter > S etch > 9hro#e.

8ow those stains and drippings gi"e it #ore realis#. I use these techni$ues all the ti#e when #a ing icons. 9onclusion (hat!s it. See how easy it is to create textures and patterns with basic tools in Photoshop? And we!"e only scratched the surface& @a"e fun&