How to Use Photoshop

Create Line Drawings from Photos with Photoshop

2008-09-06T22:40:00.000-07:00

Here's another good and short tip, this time taking pictures and rendering them to look like line drawings.

Photoshop Tutorials - Photo To Line Drawing — YouTube

Create Comic Book Effect with Photoshop

2008-09-05T22:10:00.000-07:00

Here's a quickie but a goodie. I used a picture of my sons to apply this comic book effect. Here's the video tutorial:

Photoshop: Comic Book Effect — YouTube

How to Make a Sunburst Shape Vector

2008-08-07T16:50:00.000-07:00

Slick Tutorials has a marvelously easy tutorial on creating a vector sunburst. It's a text-based tutorial (no video, sorry), but is probably the best sunburst tutorial out there.

This tutorial does more than teach you how to create the sunburst; it gives you some terrific tips like these:

Holding the shift key while using the transform tool will maintain a shape's proportions.
Holding the alt key while using the transform tool will resize the image from its center.

The best part about this tutorial is that it creates a sunburst shape tool. No more creating sunbursts from scratch every time. Check it out!

How to Use the Path Tools in Photoshop: Part 1

2008-06-28T21:28:00.001-07:00

I've meant to learn more about the path tools in Photoshop. YouTube has a decent series of basic tutorials for using the path tools. In this first in the series, desktoppublishingsr gives an overview of the all the pen and selection tools:

Photoshop Path Tool Video Tutorial #1 — YouTube

I knew what all of these tools did, with one exception: the convert tool. I always wondered how you could choose only one of the handles. Now I know!

Creating Glass Balls

2008-06-06T23:24:00.000-07:00

Here's a nice and easy way to create some glass balls.

Glass Effect Tutorial — YouTube

I created the orange one like him, then a blue one. I feathered the top spot of white. Tomorrow, I think I'm going to create one of every major color of the rainbow.

Superimpose an Image onto Text - Photoshop Tutorial

2008-05-02T10:21:00.000-07:00

Want to superimpose an image onto text? In this Photoshop video tutorial, we learn how to make text that has a planet Earth coloration:

Photoshop text on path plus superimpose pic on text — YouTube

I designed this logo to represent MS organizations around the world for use in a newsletter. ----->

Mirrored Text Effect - Photoshop Tutorial

2008-05-01T10:51:00.000-07:00

This Photoshop video tutorial shows you how to easily mirror your text.

Photoshop text Mirror effect — YouTube

UFO Text Effect - Photoshop Tutorial

2008-04-30T14:39:00.000-07:00

This Photoshop tutorial is housed on the Luv2Help network. With it, you can create that eerie lighting in your text that only a close encounter of the third kind can produce.

Click here to watch the video tutorial on Luv2Help

Put a Fireball in Someone's Hands

2008-04-29T09:33:00.000-07:00

Here's a written tutorial that will show you how to create a fireball in someone's hands. As we've featured a couple fiery text Photoshop tutorials, I thought you might like to try this one out. It looks like another terrific opportunity to hone your smudge tool technique.

For the tutorial, you will have to visit My Best Web Ideas site.

3D Angled Text

2008-04-25T17:07:00.000-07:00

3D Angled Text — YouTube

Here's my results; I added a burst in the background:

3D Cliff Text

2008-04-24T09:03:00.000-07:00

Wonder how movie makers create text that looks like it's carved from a cliff?

3D Cliff Text — YouTube

Gaming Style 3D Text Effect

2008-04-23T16:49:00.000-07:00

Here's another Photoshop tutorial that shows you how to easily create a 3D text effect. I'm not sure how the "gaming style" plays in, unless it's the font style. I like how the creator of this tutorial writes the settings.

Gaming Style 3D Text Photoshop Tutorial — YouTube

3D Cutout Text Effect - Photoshop Tutorial

2008-04-21T10:29:00.000-07:00

Continuing with our Photoshop text effects series, I present this video tutorial in creating a 3D cutout effect for your text:

Photoshop Text Effect Tutorial — YouTube

Photoshop Tutorial on Using Layers

2008-04-20T12:18:00.000-07:00

Here's a simple video tutorial on how to use layers in Photoshop. The video's creator used screenshots instead of live video. Those who don't know the basics of Photoshop might not find this tutorial that easy to follow, but he uncomplicates the process of using layers.

Photoshop tutorial on using layers for effects — YouTube

I have a couple perfect shots of my wife in sexy poses like this that I want to try creating a similar effect with. How about you? Have you tried out any of these tutorials. I'd love to hear from you.

Fire Dragon Photoshop Tutorial

2008-04-19T10:29:00.000-07:00

After my laptop went down, I had to spend some time looking for new wallpaper and discovered Photoshop Master Vlad Gerasimov's excellent site Vladstudio.com. His art is compelling and fun, but what makes his site especially good is how he provides Photoshop tutorials for some of his work. The only down side is that his tutorials are text based, not videos.

I think you might enjoy his fire dragon tutorial. It's pretty advanced, but he writes his tutorials well. Check out the fire dragon wallpaper here, then if you want to try your hand at recreating it, click here.

Thanks for the great tutorials, Vlad!

Fat-to-Thin Photoshop Makeover

2008-04-18T09:14:00.000-07:00

This fat-to-thin Photoshop tutorial was just too good to pass up. The video is aptly named "The Magic of Photoshop." I'm not even going to attempt this one at this time, but it certainly is inspiring.

The magic of Photoshop — YouTube

Now, if only I could find one that shows this process in reverse.

Frozen Text Photoshop Tutorial

2008-04-17T21:36:00.000-07:00

Here's a pretty simple way to create some text that looks frozen. I had some trouble on the first go around, producing less-than-desirable effects. I switched to a much larger font size and that seemed to do the trick.

Photoshop Frozen Text — YouTube

Here's my result:

How to Create Text Effects Using Add Layer Style

2008-04-15T13:03:00.000-07:00

Here's a nice walkthrough of the basics of jazzing up your text in Photoshop using the many Add Layer Style options:

Text Effect Using Add Layer Style — YouTube

How to Set Your Text on Fire - Wind Technique

2008-04-10T16:37:00.000-07:00

I don't have any time to try this hot tutorial out, but it looks like an interesting way to make your text look like it's on fire. There's no vocal guidance in this Photoshop tutorial, and the music they're playing sounds too bassy. I recommend turning off the sound while you follow along.

Photoshop Text Effect — YouTube

Glass Letters Photoshop Tutorial

2008-04-06T22:45:00.000-07:00

Today's Photoshop lesson shows you how to create text that appears to be made of glass. For a change of pace, I decided to give you a non-video lesson. Since this clear font style is created solely in one grand sweep of the blending options, it's relatively easy to follow along. Click the link below to follow the tutorial:

Smooth Glass Type — Luxas

So, this tutorial didn't end up as great as I would have liked. Perhaps you will have more luck. Ultimately, I think the settings need to be tweaked a bit to find that nice balance. Luckily, Luxa provides the PSD for download for those hoping to use this glassy font. Here's my not-so-great result:

How to Set Your Text on Fire

2008-04-06T21:35:00.000-07:00

It's not really Web 2.0, but I enjoy this Photoshop tutorial. It's amazingly easy to make your words look like their on fire. I may try this on a white background some time as well.

Blaze Your Name In Photoshop - metacafe

After tackling this with a smaller canvas, I had to adjust the following:

Used size 53 Scriptina (same font, different size)
Created new document at 165 pixels x 150pixels
Set Gaussian Blur to 1.3 pixels
Used an initial blur of 17 pixels, then fine work done with 8 pixels

Not bad for less than five minutes work...

2.0 Logos - Reflected Text with Gradient

2008-04-06T15:37:00.000-07:00

The fun thing about blogs is that it's okay to share the trials and tribulations of development. What is a site or blog without an eye-catching header logo?

Over the next few days, I will present a series of Photoshop tutorials that show how to create a variety of logos. For each tutorial, I will create a logo for this blog and include my results below each video.

Here's the first Photoshop tutorial that shows how to create a simple text-based logo that incorporates gradients and reflection. The video lacks audio, so this might be a little tricky.

Photoshop Tutorial: How to Create a Web 2.0-Style Logo — YouTube

The Results:
This tutorial was relatively simple, but I still had to backtrack a couple times.

Beware of descenders - Descenders are letters that drop below the line of the text. Such offenders include g, j, p, q, and y. I neglected to make my text ALL CAPS, so when it came to work with the reflected text the last "p" in "Photoshop" didn't munched into the one above it, making the letter indistinguishable.
Add an extra nongradient text layer - I found that this shade of blue was just a touch too light, so I duplicated the text layer without a gradient, made sure it was located behind the text with gradient, and nudged it up one pixel to create an edge. It also added a delightful level of depth to the logo.
No need for the Beta button - Unless, of course, you are creating this logo for a site that is officially in its beta phase. For those who don't know, "beta" indicates that the site owners are still testing out the site. Beta is actually the second stage of testing. Whereas the alpha phase is only for internal testing, beta is when the site is opened up to the public (or select representatives) to play around with it.

What do you think of the results?

Photoshop 101 - Part 2

2008-04-05T13:41:00.000-07:00

Here's Part 2 of the tutorial posted last time. In it, you will learn how to work with layers. Learning layers is a defining aspect of Photoshop for anyone hoping to learn anything beyond simple image adjustments, like resizing and color refinement.

Photoshop 101 - Part 2 — YouTube

After watching this tutorial and the previous one, you will know the basics of Photoshop.

Photoshop 101 - Part 1

2008-04-03T09:49:00.000-07:00

This video is lengthy but a terrific primer for anyone wants to get started with Photoshop.

Overall, it's a good overview of all the major functions of Photoshop, but there are points in the video when the screen jerks around too much. He also interjects some personal bias that I don't quite agree with, but ultimately, it's a terrific tutorial.

Photoshop 101 - Part 1 — YouTube

Welcome!

2008-04-03T09:24:00.001-07:00

Do you have Photoshop installed on your computer but don't how to use it?

Do you know the basics but don't understand how to use some of the really cool tools that Photoshop has to offer?

Do you know how to use the cool tools but want to know how to create some truly stellar images?

Thanks to the internet, you can now learn practically anything you want to know about using Photoshop. Whether in written or video format, there are literally thousands of tutorials on the web just waiting to help guide you. The problem is finding them.

Hence, the creation of this blog: "How to Use Photoshop"!

This blog will serve as an aggregation tool of sorts, as I regularly search for and post Photoshop tutorials for your consideration. Over the course of time, I will most likely begin to develop my own tutorials that incorporate what I consider to be the most helpful and intuitive approaches.

If you regularly create Photoshop tutorials and would like to see your work showcased, feel free to contact me at roguewriterkyle a t ya hoo do t com.