Photoshop Creative No. 145

The Pen tool evokes mixed emotions from Photoshop users. Some love it, others loathe it; some shy away from using it, while others couldn’t live without it. Whatever your stance, there’s no denying it is an extremely versatile tool. And it’s really not difficult to master once you’ve learnt the basics. Turn to page 18 and discover just what the Pen tool is capable of, from making simple selections to illustrating incredible works of art. Also in this issue, we show you how to get more from layers, masks, blend modes, filters and brushes. Whether you want to make creative portraits or eye-catching photomanipulations, there are step-by-step guides to satisfy all your Photoshop needs, including an advanced tutorial on digital painting. Plus, we take a look at the most exciting…

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1 More for Elements users We launched a new Elements-only section that includes basic tool guides as well as challenging tutorials for Elements users. 2 More on 3D You wanted to understand Photoshop’s 3D capabilities, so we regularly include tutorials on how to create 3D art using just Photoshop. 3 Industry insight We increased the size of the magazine to feature expert guides, advanced tutorials, and interviews with professional artists and studios. 4 Resource projects Every issue now includes a resource project that shows you how to make your own assets in the real world to take into Photoshop.…

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. Ari Weinkle ariweinkle.com The base of this artwork is a 3D render that I created. Photoshop helped me to enhance the brushed look of the image by using a combination of Surface Blur and colour correction. Christoffer Meyer www.kindnorway.com This is a composite of two images. The drummer was shot separately in a studio, masked out in Photoshop with the Pen tool, and then placed into the environment. Then some final adjustments with Curves were added to make him blend in perfectly. Lewis Moorhead www.flewdesigns.com This…

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: pcr@imagine-publishing.co.uk Jonathan Maurin photoshopcreative.co.uk/ user/Aeon-Lux Image of the issue With this piece I was trying to create the origin of a fantasy universe. This was created mainly with brushes, and control of colour was important in creating a cohesive scene. Alina Sliwinska photoshopcreative.co.uk/ user/lady%20amarillis A photo of the sky, which I took on a return home from a long trip, formed the basis of this picture. The rest of the photos were blended to match the lighting and colour of the setting sun. I made only minor adjustments after that. Bruno…

We challenged you with these In Issue 143, we challenged you to get creative with these four images. You were allowed to use any or all of the pictures, and whatever other resources you chose. Here’s what you created. Challenge entries The best entries and overall challenge winner 1 Daryl Frakes Sunflower A simple but powerful idea came to mind when I saw these images. With a few filters and some masking, the powder image was incorporated into the subject’s eye, with the sunflower laid out behind. 2 Alexandre Perez Garden of Sunflowers I worked on the lighting and the model’s skin in this picture. The sunflowers are used in the field behind the model, the deckchairs are placed in the field and the powder texture is used on the…