Artistic Effects 4

Soot and Snow, Noir Poster Project, Harlequin Masks

Photoshop CS

Digital Design 1

 

Soot and Snow is what this effect was called in the days of wet-process photography. The phrase refers to the extremes of high-contrast black and white, where all that remains of the monochrome image are the darkest darks and the lightest lights.

 

1.         To get the best results, you need to begin with an photographic image with a white background. Use Google images to find one. This type of image works best because it already has a degree of contrast.

 

2.         Duplicate the background layer. Cmd + J keys.

            Go to Image>Adjustments>Levels. You may use the settings below or adjust as you like.

           

 

3.         To make the image monochrome go to Image>Adjustments>Desaturate.

            Flatten the image by going to Layer>Flatten Image

 

4.         Set the colors back to their default settings.

            On the layers palette, select the Create new fill or adjustment layer icon.

            Choose Solid Color. Click OK to fill the layer with black.

            Set the blending mode to Overlay.

 

5.         Select the background layer.

            Go to Image>Adjustments>Brightness and Contrast

            You may use the setting below or adjust as you like.

           

 

6.         Select the color fill layer.

            On the layers palette, select the Create new fill or adjustment layer icon.

            Choose Solid Color. Click OK to fill the layer with any color other than black.

            Set the blending mode to Lighten.

 

7.         To color the background part (white) of the image add another Solid Color layer.

            Choose a contrasting color to what you chose in the previous step.

            Set the blending mode to Darken.

 

 

Noir Poster Project

 

1.         Start a new file; 4 X 4 inches, RGB, 100 dpi, white background.

Open a headshot (does not have to be yoursÉ) (10%)

Crop the headshot so there isnŐt much else.

Use the marquee tool to select the area and go to Image>Crop.

 

2.         Image>Adjustments>Desaturate

Image>Adjustments>Levels (move the levels so you get mostly a black and white image, but with detail)

Filter>Artistic>Cutout (again adjust the settings to get mostly a black and white image, but with detail)

Move the final image onto your new file. Resize it so you may add a background image with it.

 

3.         Find an appropriate background image. (10%)

Copy and paste it onto the background layer. Be sure it covers the entire background.

Image>Adjustments>Desaturate

Image>Adjustments>Levels (move the levels so you get mostly a black and white image, but with detail)

Filter>Artistic>Cutout (again adjust the settings to get mostly a black and white image, but with detail)

 

4.         Select the headshot layer.

Add a new layer.

Edit>Fill>50% Gray (see image below)

 

Filter>Noise>Add Noise        Amount = 400%, Distribution = Gaussian, Check Monochromatic Option.

Filter>Blur>Motion Blur        Angle = 90, Distance = 999 pixels

Click and drag the corner of your image file and drag it out to give you more room to perform the next step. See the image below.

 

Edit>Transform>Skew          

Drag the top right handler to the right off the edge of the image.

Drag the top left handler to the right about a third of the way across the top.

Drag the bottom right handler to the left about a third of the way across the bottom.

Drag the bottom left handler to the left off the edge of the image.

You should have just created a diagonal.

Edit>Transform>Scale

Drag the handlers to be sure they cover the area of the image only.

Hit Return. (10 %)

 

5.         Set the layer blending mode to Vivid Light and reduce the opacity to 50%.

 

6.         Select the top-most layer.

Add a new layer.

Use the Custom Shape Tool and select a speech balloon. Change the color to white. Draw a speech balloon onto the image. (5%)

 

7.         Add another new layer.

Select the text tool, change the color to black. Type out some comment and have it fit into the speech balloon. (5%)

 

8.         Save as jpeg. Use the proper naming convention:   last name_noir

Place the completed copy into the drop box. (5pts)

 

 

Harlequin Masks

 

1. Open up the image of a face.  Use the lasso tool with feather =0. Encircle the face and select the face area, without the hair or neck.

 

While still on the lasso, hold the option key and subtract from current select the eyes sockets and mouth hole.

 

 

2. Click command J to copy current selection to a new layer. Turn the original background layer off.

 

3. Click Image=> Adjust=> Levels. Set the levels by sliding the black slider right and the white slider to the left. I used settings of 17, 1, 74, but you may have to change the settings for the image you picked.

 

4. Click Edit=>Stroke. set the Stroke to

 

    * width= 1 pixel

    * color = black

    * location = Center

 

 

5. Click Edit=>Transform=>Rotate. Rotate the face a little to the left.

 

16. Command click the face layer. Add a new layer. Hit your d key followed by your x key and use the paint bucket  to fill the selection with white on the new layer. Set this layer to multiply.

 

6. Select your burn tool. Select the 46 spatter brush (adjust brush size as needed) to use with your burn tool, range= highlights, set at 8% exposure. Use very short strokes starting at half a brush stroke into the canvas and moving straight out. Follow the guides in the image on the right, moving right over the eye sockets and halfway into the cheek.

 

Change your burn tool brush to a 9 soft brush (adjust brush size as needed). Run this brush around the base of the nose corners, under the center of the nose on the face and continue down below the mouth. Use this brush to insert a laugh line on the cheek.

 

7. Click Filter=> blur=> Gaussian Blur. Set the Gaussian blur to 3.0. Click Select=> Deselect. Click Layer=> merge visible.

 

8. Add a layer style (bottom of layers palette). Check Drop shadow. Set the following

 

    * mode= multiply, black

    * opacity = 22%

    * angle = -90

    * distance = 17 pixels

    * Spread = 0

    * Size = 5 px

    * Contour = linear

 

9. Check inner shadow. Set the following:

 

    * mode= multiply black

    * opacity = 75%

    * angle = -90

    * Distance = 5 px

    * choke = 0

    * size = 5

    * contour = linear

 

 

10. Duplicate the layer. Click Edit=> Transform=> Flip Horizontal. Use your move tool to move the mask down and to the right so that the two masks are oriented as in the image on the right. Link the two layers together and move the image in the top half of the canvas.

 

11. Click on the background layer. Add a new layer. Call the layer background color. Click on the eye of the original background layer to hide it again.

 

12. Select the foreground color as white and background color as a contrasting color other than black. Select your gradient tool set to a radial gradient. Draw a gradient from the center of the two masks to the lower corner.

 

13. Select the brush tool, and add special effects brushes. Add a new layer above the background color layer and add some special effect painting behind the masks. Switch the colors to show some contrast.

 

Note: the sample uses an added camera image; mode set to pin light and the opacity is reduced to 50%. I also added a lens flair filter.

 

14. Save as jpeg, using the proper naming scheme lastname_harlequinmask and make it a jpeg.

 

15. Put it in the drop box.