Photoshop Brushes Discover over 1500 Photoshop brushes to add a distinctive final touch to your graphic design projects. This collection features interesting textures like Photoshop watercolor and paint brushes that add detail to photographs, posters, and prints. Photoshop allows you to optimize your time by using the Actions tool. With Actions you can record your own tasks or import actions and use the effects others have created. With Actions you can record your own tasks or import actions and use the effects others have created.
Classic lithographic prints are typically high in contrast. That fact, combined with their hand-drawn appearance, draws and holds viewer attention. Given these striking characteristics, a lithographic effect made with Photoshop can boost the selling power of your business’s graphics. Photoshop doesn’t ship with tools specifically for simulating lithography. However, you can create a lithographic effect quickly by applying one of the program’s adjustable Sketch filters to an image, and using the program’s layering tools to tweak the filter’s output.
Step 1
Open Photoshop, then click the “File” menu’s Open command. Select a photo or other image to which you’d like to apply a lithographic effect.
Step 2
Click the 'Image' menu, and then click the 'Adjustments' submenu to display a list of commands for modifying exposure, color, contrast and other image aspects.
Step 3
Click the 'Black and White' command to display the Black and White dialog box. Click 'OK' to accept the default settings, and to replace the image's colors with a grayscale palette. Modern lithographs can have color, but black-and-white images are more effective at creating the impression of classic lithographic prints.
Step 4
Press 'Ctrl-J' to duplicate the black-and-white image onto a new layer. Click the 'Filter' menu, and then click the 'Sketch' submenu. Click the 'Graphic Pen' command to display a dialog box with controls for adjusting this filter's effect. The Stroke Length slider sets the length of the simulated pen strokes that this filter applies to your image. Longer lengths tend to increase contrast. The Light/Dark Balance changes the brightness of the image. Higher values darken the image. The Stroke Direction control lets you specify the angle of the simulated pen strokes.
Step 5
Drag the 'Stroke Length' and 'Light/Dark Balance' sliders until the preview pane shows a satisfying lithographic effect. Click 'OK' to close the Graphic Pen dialog box. Click the 'Opacity' control on the Layers panel to display a slider for adjusting the opacity of the lithograph layer. Drag the slider left to reduce this layer's visibility and allow the original black-and-white image to show through. This action has the effect of muting the lithographic effect.
Step 6
Release the Opacity slider or press 'Enter' when the canvas displays a pleasing balance between the lithographic image and the black and white image. Click the “Layer” menu, and then click the “Flatten Image” command. Photoshop merges the lithographic layer with the unmodified black-and-white layer to produce the final composition.
About the Author
Darrin Koltow wrote about computer software until graphics programs reawakened his lifelong passion of becoming a master designer and draftsman. He has now committed to acquiring the training for a position designing characters, creatures and environments for video games, movies and other entertainment media.
More Articles
Photoshop is generally known for its photo-modifying special effects, but it is equally effective as an image-creation tool. With a little effort, you can create shapes, logos and other art just by using the tools and functions of Photoshop. It can even create convincing organic shapes. This article will demonstrate this by creating a vine.
Step 1
Open Photoshop. Select 'File' and click 'New.' In the dialog box, make the size and resolution settings whatever you need for your project. Then go to the bottom of the layer panel and click on the 'New Layer' icon.
Step 2
Select the 'Rectangular Marquee' tool, and draw a tall rectangle on the canvas, then use the 'Gradient' tool to fill across the rectangle with a gradient. Click 'Image,' then 'Adjustments,' and select 'Desaturate.' Go under 'Adjustments,' click 'Levels,' and adjust the sliders to produce a higher contrast in the image.
Step 3
Change the 'Foreground' color to green and the 'Background' color to black. Create a new layer. Select 'Filter,' then 'Render,' and 'Clouds'. If the contrast between the green and black is too low, select 'Image,' then 'Adjustments' and click 'Brightness/Contrast.' Adjust both settings until the preview looks right.
Step 4
Select both working layers, right-click them, and select 'Link.' Select 'Edit,' then 'Transform,' and click 'Perspective.' Pull the handles at the bottom together into a point. Now change the 'Blending Mode' of the top layer to 'Soft Light.' Go to Layer and click 'Merge Down.'
Select 'Filter,' then 'Liquefy.' Make the brush about 4 times the top width of the vines. Then use it to move sections of the vine from side to side, creating a curvy effect. And that's it; a curvy vine.
Video of the Day
Brought to you by Techwalla
- Dan Ketchum