Photoshop Creative No. 161

Masks aren’t the flashiest feature of Photoshop, but they are absolutely essential to any professional-grade work in the program. This issue, we’ll reveal to you the many secrets of masks, and our panel of experts will show you how to master them to make any type of imagery take that all-important step up from good to great. We have a special treat this issue as well, in the form of a ten-page best-of feature, where we present our favourites from the year and get our artists’ insight into each unique creation. That’s complemented by our usual wide range of tutorials, ranging from using just about every tool in the box for a dynamic basketball image (28), or mastering vector shapes and layers for a stylish poster (22), to turning your mobile snap…

Backgrounds Gradient triangulate backgrounds to make any image pop. Zero to hero Use the stylish Zero typeface in your poster for a unique touch. Asphalt textures This pack of textures can give your artwork a grungy punch. On the FileSilo this issue… • 50 Seamless Asphalt textures • 90 Gradient triangulate backgrounds • 80 beautiful frosted backgrounds • 30 Craft textures • 12 Swirl brushes • Zero font • A total of 263 exclusive resources Log in to www.filesilo.co.uk/photoshopcreative Register to get instant access to this pack of must-have creative resources, how-to videos and tutorial assets The home of great downloads – exclusive to your favourite magazines from Future Publishing Secure and safe online access, from anywhere Free access for every reader, print and digital Download only the files you want, when you want All your gifts, from all your issues, in one place Get started Everything you need to know about…

There’s nothing more inspiring than surfing the internet and seeing what other artists are creating, and we encourage you to do so. Here are some of our favourite pictures that caught our attention recently, from some of the world’s most exciting artists and designers. Julia Molchanova https://www.artstation.com/artist/yuliamolchanova All of my illustrations are made with Photoshop; this material sphere isn’t an exception. They were painted with two standard brushes, soft and hard. Overlay and Multiply were used for more saturation on the colours and some cartoon stylisation for objects. Alex Dos Diaz http://alexdosdiaz.com/ I use Photoshop daily for all my illustrative and design work. The Selective Color adjustment layer was a huge help while working on this piece, Mithridates VII, which is part of my personal project, The Ghost Alchemist. Alexis Marcou http://www.alexismarcou.com/ This is one in a series of…

GET IN TOUCH Send us your images now for the chance to appear in future galleries Create your own gallery online PhotoshopCreative.co.uk Upload your images to Facebook Search PhotoshopCreative Tweet us your creative artwork @PshopCreative Alternatively, you can email: markwhite03@futurenet.com ChristineRoy https://www.photoshopcreative.co.uk/user/croydesign I started the process by creating a moodboard to help choose a colourful palette and I then did some research on transport. I created a linework of all the elements together, created the colour mockup and later added the details, shading and texture while perfecting each layer. Raphael Andrade https://www.photoshop creative. co.uk/user/Raphaell I used dark blending tones and blend modes with elements of the universe, to create an environment that felt like a surreal dream. The Screen blend mode was key in removing the dark pixels from the stock images. AnnWehner https://www.photoshopcreative.co.uk/user/Anjel This piece was created in Photoshop CS6 using Curves, Color Lookup tables, Brightness/…

Jonathan Schieffer Endless Circle The theme of liquid is central to this image! Masks and blend modes were key in placing the water inside the glass. We challenged you... In Issue 159, we challenged you to get creative with the theme of ‘liquid’. You were allowed to create whatever you wanted, so long as it incorporated the theme somehow. This issue’s challenge... Think you can do better? Prove it! Next issue, the theme is ‘STYLE’. We don’t mind how you incorporate it into your image, just be as creative as you possibly can! Head to www.photoshopcreative.co.ukand simply hit the Challenge link. Closing date: 1 February 2018. THE PRIZE… AKVIS Charcoal This issue, one lucky winner will win a copy of AKVIS’s awesome Charcoal, worth $69! Turn any photo into charcoal in just a few clicks and create amazing digital art…

The eraser is just as valuable to an artist as the pencil. Two sides of the same coin, the pencil creates, but the eraser enables you to edit; art is as much about deciding what you want the audience to see, as it is about expressing yourself, and even the most amazing pieces of artwork weren’t created perfectly from the very first sketch. Photoshop has an eraser option, but it’s a destructive tool. Once something’s erased, it’s gone forever. So step forward the Mask feature. Masks enable you to hide parts of your work, just like an eraser, and they’re perfect for editing art down. But the reason we favour masks over the Eraser Tool is that if you decide you want some of that layer back, you can simply unmask.…