Dragan-Effect (Video Tutorial)

Storm Effect

See the image below? Transform this cloudy country side picture into a stormy and dramatic evening by adding simple lightning effects!

Start off by duplicating the default layer (CTRL+J) as Layer 1.

Reduce brightness of duplicate image by dragging center point of the Curves tool (CTRL+M).


Duplicate Layer 1 as Layer 1 copy. Go to Filter > Radial Blur > Zoom : 80. Set the blend mode for Layer 1 copy as 'Multiply'.


You should get something like this:


Now, create a new layer (Shift+Ctrl+N) and name it as “storm”. Go to Filter > Render > Clouds.


Next up, select Filter > Render > Difference Clouds. Apply the same filter (Ctrl+F) several times (preferably 5 times or above).


Bring out the Levels Window (Ctrl+L) and apply settings until you see lumps of clouds appearing (Input Levels: 30/0.75/175).

NOTE: Results/settings may vary as each clouds/difference clouds rendered may differ.

Once done, set storm’s blend mode to 'Color Dodge'.


Transform (CTRL+T) and scale the image. You can also adjust the perspective a little, based on the nature of your chosen image. Press Enter to apply the transformation.


Next, we should remove areas which are too bright. Follow these sub-steps:
1) Go to Windows > Channel (to bring out the channels window).
2) Hold CTRL and click on Red channel (to make a selection).
3) Go to Select > Inverse (or press Shift+CTRL+I) to invert the selection.
4) Go to Select > Feather (or press CTRL+ALT+D) and set radius : 10 pixels.


Click on the masking tool to hide the brighter parts of the layer.


Select layer mask of 'storm' layer and further adjust the levels (CTRL+L) until you have something like this (Input Levels: 0/1.70/180):

NOTE: Again, results/settings may vary as each clouds/difference clouds rendered from previous steps may differ.

I’ve decided to remove some bright areas of the storm by brushing over the layer mask with a soft black brush.


Now that we have got the storm going, lets add a few bolts of lightning.


First, create a new layer (Shift+CTRL+N) and name it as ‘lightning’. Using the Rectangular Marquee tool (M), select a square box (holding down the Shift key while dragging will create a perfect square). Bring out the Gradient tool (G) when you are done.


Create a gradient by dragging through the center of the selection.

The gradient should look like this, preferably.


With the selection still active, go to Filter > Render > Difference Clouds (or just press CTRL+F as it is your last applied filter).

NOTE: Difference Clouds rendered differs as it is randomly generated.

Press CTRL+I to invert it.


And adjust the level (CTRL+L).


Apply the lightning's blend mode to ‘Screen’.


Next, use the eraser tool to remove any hard edges. Make sure the hardness is set to 0%.


Transform (CTRL+T) the bolt of lightning to which ever way you like.


I’ve tweaked mine a little bit more; adding glows, reducing brightness, and etc. This is my final image.

Before & After

3d tentacles

Step 1 Create document 250x250 pixels. Fill it with #B9CCD9 color. Create a new layer name it "tentacle". Select rectangular marquee tool [M]. Make a shape similar to mine 18 width and 240 height pixels. Fill the selection with BLACK. Don't deselect it until I tell you.

Step 2 Create a new layer above the tentacle layer. You don't have to rename it. I hope you have the selection still active. Fill it with #FCFCFC color. Now You should have two layers : Layer 1 and tentacle layer. Similar to the image on the left.

Step 3 Now apply Gaussian Filter to Layer 1. Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur with radius 4. Merge both layers CTRL+E. Now you have one layer called tentacle. You can deselect your selection selection now.

Step 4 Now all we have to do is distort it. Edit>Transform>Distort. Select right-bottom corner and using SHIFT+ALT move it to a little to the center. Do it the same with right-top corner but this time move it to the right. Watch my image.

Step 5 Add Shear filter. Filter>Distort>Shear. You can make your own or use my settings.

Step 6 Here is the most important part of this tutorial. Add Plastic Wrap. Filter>Artistic>Plastic Wrap. Settings: Highlight Strenght : 9 Detail : 9 Smoothness : 2 TIP: The trick is to add light which goes from top to bottom. It makes tentacle looks like 3D tentacle. If you want to make smaller or bigger tentacle just play with these settings.

Step 7 Add some shadows. Use layer style - drop shadow with these settings: Blend Mode: Normal Color: Black Opacity: 30 % Angle: 90 Distance: 2 Spread: 0 Size: 5

Step 8 This is the best part. We are going to cover this tentacle with BLOOD. Download some bloody brushes or use your own. I suggest you visit deviantart.com. There is a lot of great bloody brushes. It doesn't have to be blood. You can draw some spots using standard brushes. Create a new layer and name it "blood". Change the foregound color to #A2171A and splash some blood on the tentacle. Don't cover the whole tentacle. (edit: Brushes available at www.angryblue.com)

Step 9 Set the blending mode for the "blood layer" to Color Burn. While still on the blood layer hold CTRL and select "tentacle layer". Inverse a selection CTRL+SHIFT+I and hit DELETE. Now add some adjustments : Image> Adjustments> Brightness&Contrast and enter Brightness -25. Sharpen "tentacle layer". Filter>Sharpen>Sharpen. WOW!

Step 10 Final step is to add more blood spots to the background. Using this technique you can add anything to a tentacle like slime. All you have to do now is duplicate it. REMEMBER : The key is to properly set Plastic Wrap Filter. Add more tentacles and have fun. Just be creative! Congratulations, Your done!

Typography Wallpaper in Photoshop

Step 1

Create a new document at 1200 x 800 pixels with a resolution of 72dpi. Start off by importing all of your vector designs separately into a Photoshop canvas. In this case we divided our vectors into 3 separate smart objects and dragged them into the Photoshop canvas.

Step 2

Hide all vectors and create a new text box. In this case I typed out the name of our company, "Creative Volition Inc.". The font we chose was "ITC Avant Garde Gothic". Keep your font in full caps, especially if your using this one! Continue to copy/paste your text across the text box.

Step 3

Text settings: 16pt font, Regular, 16pt height spacing, Color #404040.

Step 4

Continue to copy/paste the text until it fills the entire canvas. Stretch the box out using the text tool until it expands beyond the canvas size.

Step 5

Once the text box is filled completely with the copy begin to rotate the box clockwise in about a 45 degree angle.

Step 6

Make one of the smart objects visible. Command/Apple click the preview box on the layer panel to create marching ants around your object.

Step 7

Once the marching ants appear, hide your smart object so you can see the selection.

Step 8

Rasterize the type layer and with the marching ants active on your rasterized layer click Edit > Cut.

Step 9

Then click Edit > Paste and align your new layer so all the words connect. Open the Layer Style box and change the "Color Overlay" to white.

Step 10

Continue to do the same procedure with your other smart object layers but make sure to always cut from the rasterized layer.

Step 11

Lastly create a new layer and fill it with any color. Place this layer on top of all other layers. Drop the fill down to 0%. Open the Layer Styles box and change the inner glow to the following settings and click OK.

Conclusion

Thats it! You should now have a beautiful design in front of you.

Please drop us a comment and let us know what you think? Thanks again guys.

Streams of dusty light Photoshop tutorial

We will use this picture that I took in the Arlington Cemetary for the tutorial.

Step 1: Go to Select>Color Range

Step 2: Make sure you have the Selection Radio button selected, select the sampled colors box, and choose highlights. Click ok

Step 3: Hit Ctrl + J (This will make a new layer by grabbing only what was selected in the previous layer)

Step 4: Hit Ctrl + J again or just duplicate the top layer.

Step 5: With the top layer selected, go to Filter>Radial Blur.

Step 6: Take the amount all the way to 100, select Zoom, and select Best quality. Now the most important part of the whole process is that you position the center of the blur at the direction of the source of light. For instance in our picture our source of light is coming from the almost the center of the left side of the image, so we will position the radial blur there. Now click ok.

Step 7: Now hit Ctrl + F (This is a shortcut that applies the last filter to the layer) 2 more time, or simply repeat the previous step 2 more times.

Step 8: With the top layer still selected, Hit Ctrl + J 2 more times, or simply duplicate the top layer 2 more times. (If the light is still not showing up well, duplicate until you get the desired amount of light)

Step 9: Merge all of the 3 zoomed layers into one. (You can do this by hitting Ctrl + E twice. Make sure you have the top layer selected, or you will merge the wrong layers.)

Step 10: With the top layer still selected (The ones we just merged), Go to Filter>Gaussian Blur.

Step 11: Select a radius of 1.5 and click ok

Step 12: You will have a bit of excessive blur so you can touch that up by using a soft edge brush, and using the edges to lightly take away the excess. Press E, or go to your tools menu and select the brush.

Step 13: Go to your brush Selection at the top, and select a 100 pixel soft edge round brush.

Step 14: Now just take the edge around the excess and gently take out the excess.

Step 15: Select the layer under the top layer.

Step 16: Hit Ctrl + L to pull up your levels or go to Image>Adjustments>Levels

Step 17: Pull the third tab to the right over to the left until you reach a bright hi-light for the image. Now click ok.

Step 18: With the middle layer still selected, go to Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur.

Step 19: Change the radius to 2.5 and click ok.

That’s it, you are done. If you want to give it more of a real effect, I would recommend grabbing your very bottom layer (The original, or base layer), and adjusting the levels so is becomes a bit darker (Try sliding your middle slider to the right.