Adding image depth and texture

One of our first major assignments was due on Monday.  The project was to make a poster series promoting a fictional art website for students.  The final products were two 11×17 posters, so Shane offered to print them out at his work.  Of course, I had him do that about two weeks prior (the due date got moved), and in that time I learned a TON about Photoshop that I could have used to create better images.  (Oh well.)

My problem with making Photoshop images from scratch has been: how do I keep them from looking flat?  It’s easy to get started making an outline for something – a background colour here, a square there, a line there, etc. – but I’ve always struggled with the next step.  Thankfully, I’m finding some simple tricks to move forward and add a bit of depth to my “handmade” images.

Layer FX

I’ve used layer effects before, as they are easy to add to any layer (just double-click the layer and select what you want).  But the trick here is to add multiple effects to each layer.  For instance, rather than adding just a drop shadow to text, you can make it pop more with a drop shadow, beveling/embossing and a stroke.  So instead of clearly seeing a drop shadow, the viewer will instead see 3D-like text.

If you don’t feel like picking and choosing among the various effects, you can instead select a preset style.  These are found above Blending Options in the Layer Style box; the fly-out menu has more libraries to choose from, if you don’t like the default list.  I anticipate Styles could be very useful in the future for simple website buttons and the like.

Gradients

The next two “depth options” are also located in the Layer Style box (as overlays), but I’ve found that making separate layers for them works really well, too.  The way to do this is: either click on Layer>New Fill Layer>Gradient or Pattern from the menu bar, or use the half-white, half-black circle icon on the bottom of the Layers Panel to select Gradient or Pattern.

Gradient Fill Layers let you apply preset gradients (or ones that you create) to your image, either using the layer Blending Modes or a Clipping Mask (Command-Option-G to clip to the layer below).  Like any layer, you can also add a mask to the Gradient Fill Layer and further limit what parts of the image you want to use the gradient on/in.

Patterns

Just like the Gradient Fill Layers, the Pattern Fill Layers allow you to apply preset patterns (or ones that you create) to your image, either using the layer Blending Modes or a Clipping Mask.  This is a great way to add texture to an image, and the fly-out menu of patterns is quite extensive.  Again, you can add a mask if you like.

Examples

I don’t claim to be an artist by any stretch of the imagination, so the following examples are quite simplistic.  That said, you can still see quite a difference between the first, flat chalkboard image and the second, more layered chalkboard image.  I think it’s pretty cool.

Chalkboard image with just basic shapes

Chalkboard image with layer effects, gradients and patterns applied

Raw basics

I didn’t entirely understand the difference between shooting raw files and shooting jpg files until last week.  Shooting in raw means you have control over the raw, unprocessed data your camera records.  Not shooting in raw means the camera manipulates that data into a compressed format (like a jpg) for you to work on.

Using raw files is beneficial because it gives you greater control over how the final picture looks.  Instead of manipulating the smaller, processed data of a jpg, you can play around with the larger, unprocessed data of a dng (Digital Negative) file.

Camera Raw Adjustments

In Photoshop, the Camera Raw options are split into a series of panels and a tool bar.  In the panels, you can find multiple ways of modifying the image as a whole – changing the lights, darks, contrast, colour, sharpness, etc.  The manipulations available here are very similar to those in Photoshop itself, although the names and functions may be slightly different.  (For instance, you’ll see an Exposure slider and a Blacks slider, which help set white and black points like you can do with Levels.)  As a general rule, you can’t make extreme changes to an image in Camera Raw, as the software limits the range you’re working with to help keep the picture more natural.

The tool bar contains ways to affect specific parts of the image.  Most of these are self-explanatory – the Targeted Adjustment Tool, Spot Removal, Red-Eye Removal – but the Adjustment Brush is more complex (and interesting).  This is a way of creating an editable mask (or multiple masks) on the image, which indicates where you want to make targeted alterations to Exposure, Brightness, Contrast, Saturation, Clarity, Sharpness and/or Color.

Camera Raw Comparison

Now for a quick look at how Camera Raw works.  Here are a couple of photos – the first is the jpg file my camera made from the raw data and the second is a jpg file I made from the raw data.  Can you see the differences?

Camera-created jpg file

Camera Raw-created jpg file

Camera Raw Benefits

I’m excited to experiment with Camera Raw.  Obviously, I would like my images to be a higher quality, but I also feel like Camera Raw could save me substantial time.  Instead of opening a file directly in Photoshop and going through a series of individual steps to make all the basic adjustments, I can make those adjustments at one time in the Camera Raw interface.  Then I can open up the (hopefully) optimized image in Photoshop and create further specialized effects there.

Another huge payoff in using Camera Raw is that it will not alter the original dng file!  Instead, the changes I make to the dng are saved in a sidecar file, which can be deleted at any time, if I want to start over with the original.  And for a beginner photographer like me, that’s exactly the kind of flexibility I need.

One-twelfth of the way there

I’m excited to report what I’ve learned this week about Camera Raw, but I think I’ll wait until I’ve taken some raw pictures with my camera and edited them in Photoshop to explain.  (Posts are more fun with examples, right?)  Besides, I am reaching the conclusion of my first month of school, and it’s time to answer some FAQ.

The great commuting experiment of ‘09

The mix of using my car on some days and public transit on others has been working out well.  I leave my apartment about 65 minutes before the start of class when driving and 75 minutes early when taking transit.  It takes about an hour to get home via transit, but driving after my night classes is much faster – only 25 minutes to get back downtown on the traffic-less roads!  (Ah, Vancouver, you and your constant daytime traffic.)

However, aside from the quick trip home, the battle of car vs. bus/Skytrain is so far a draw.  They both have clear pros and cons.  Driving is great for relaxing to music and taking a break from homework, but other drivers can be real jerks on the road.  Transit is great for getting reading done or listening to podcasts, but it can go downhill quickly if someone smelly and/or loud sits next to me.  Overall, I’m still not sure what I’ll do next term; I guess it depends on when (and how much) I have to be at school.

My classes

The most challenging thing about my courses so far has been the schedule.  I’m used to the traditional college structure of Monday-Wednesday-Friday classes and Tuesday-Thursday classes, meaning each class is attended multiple times a week.  Here at BCIT, I have different courses every day, so each happens only once a week (for three hours or more!).  It’s sometimes a struggle for me to recall what was covered 7 days prior (especially since I’m trying to absorb so much new information).

That said, I’ve been enjoying the program overall.  My biggest concern going into this was that I would be alienated by the web classes, yet I really like the HTML/CSS course – at least what we’ve covered up to this point.  (That class is the extent of our web-intensive learning for Term 1.)  And of course, getting better acquainted with Photoshop has been awesome.  If nothing else, I can expect to see an improvement in my photographs after this term.

Switching to student mode

The question I’ve been asked most about my return to school is: how was the adjustment after six years away?  Honestly, it was relatively easy.  I mean, let’s face it, having homework again sucks.  But I’ve found that getting back in the groove of going to class has been – dare I say it? – kind of fun.  (And now I’ve probably jinxed myself with the Most Boring Lectures Ever next week.  Ah well.)  I think my brain is just relieved to be working again after the long hiatus.

It also helps that I have a different attitude this time around.  The straight-A-obsessed student of the past is no more!  I’m focused on the knowledge I’m gaining, not my grades.  So if there’s a class or a subject that doesn’t seem to have long-term relevance (or interest) for me, I’m not stressing out about it.  I’m content to just pass and put my energy into the things I truly wish to excel at.

(This perspective has been particularly helpful in dealing with certain instructors who, while experts in their professional lives, do not understand the difference between teaching and showing.  And I will leave it at that.)

Hopefully, I can continue with this calmer attitude as the workload increases.  (Or else start enjoying more wine with dinner!)

An additional selection tool

I figured I would write a quick addendum to Thursday’s post, since I just learned yet another way to make a selection in Photoshop.  (Will the versatility of this software never end?   Haha.)

Quick Mask Mode

The Quick Mask makes a selection by creating a temporary mask.  You simply hit the Edit in Quick Mask Mode icon on the bottom of the tools panel and a temporary mask will be placed over your image.  Using the Brush Tool and Pencil Tool, draw the area you want the mask to hide using black (you’ll see the default red colour appear as you do this), and then use white to paint back any areas you do want revealed (just as you would with an actual mask).  When you are finished, hit the same button to return to Standard Mode.  Your selection will automatically be made based on the Quick Mask that you drew.

You can also make a selection first, then enter the Quick Mask Mode to modify the selection with brushes or pencils (again, using black and white colours to modify the mask/selection).