Ideas For the Final Image.

I have got two ideas for my final piece, one is still life and the other a portrait. Both images will recreate a piece of Album Artwork, one from Lady Gaga and the other from MTV. I will try out both of the ideas and choose the image that looks the best and recreates the artwork closest.

This is the portrait image that I want to recreate as the make-up can be done on the model and the hair colour changed before using a selective black and white layer.

This is the still life photograph that will need specific lighting and backgrounds to reproduce as close as possible but will need the colours altering in photoshop afterwards so as to give it the sepia tone.

This is the text that we are going to add the 3D effect to.

After typing it out and flattening the text, we duplicate the layer so as we can edit them both and change the Levels.

We go on to 'Image', 'Adjustments' and 'Levels'  where we can change the colours of the image layers.

The top layer is changed to Red and the Output Levels to 0

The background of the top layer is now a different colour and we need to change the colour of the back layer.

When the other layer is selected, go back on the Levels box and set the Channel to green and the Output level to 0

These are the colours of the layers.

With the top layer selected, choose 'Screen' out of the Layers tab.

When the top layer has been moved down and right slightly this is the effect you get with the text and it appears to be jumping out at us.  

Black and White 3D Image.

This is the original image that we will be turning in to black and white and then 3D.

To make the image black and white first, we selected 'Image', 'Adjustments' and then 'Desaturate'. 

This is the black and white image that we will now work with to make it 3D.

We make another identical layer to the other one and layer them on top of each other. 

To get the Levels up so as we can change the colour we go 'Image', 'Adjustments' and 'Levels' 

We can then change the Channel to Red and the Output Level to 0 and apply that to the image.

The same is done to the bottom layer apart from the Channel is Green and the Output Level is still 0, then apply that to the image.

We then select the top later and choose 'Screen' on the Layers tab.

We choose the move tool so as we can move the layer down and right to produce the 3D image.

This is the final image when the layers are moved and will make the feather stand out as 3D. 

3D Colour Image.

This is the original image that we are going to make in to a 3D image. 

The layer  needs to be duplicated first so as we have two identical images layered on top of each other but on separate layers. We select the 'Background Copy' layer.

Then we need to change the levels by going in to 'Image', 'Adjustments' and 'Levels' 

We change the channel to 'Red'

And the right 'Output Level' to 0

This is the top layer which has had the colour altered on it.

We then need to change the Levels on the other layer of the image.

We go on 'Image', 'Adjustments' and 'Levels' again to alter it.

This time we change the green level.

And set the right 'Output Level' to 0

These are the colours of the layers now that the Levels have been altered.

Changing the Layer setting to Screen makes the image look relatively normal again.

This is the image when the Screen Layer effect is applied to both of the layers.

Then we need to move the images apart slightly and this can be done by selecting the 'Move' tool and moving the top layer image down and to the right slightly.

This is the final 3D image that is produced and you can see that the two colours of the images are slightly apart from each other.

Ocean Ripple Bordering.

This is the original photograph that we will be adding the Ocean Ripple border to. 

We use the Rectangular Marquee tool to select the area for the border that is even on all of the sides for presentation purposes.

We choose 'Select' and then 'Inverse' so as the outside edge is selected ready to apply the border of the image to.

This little button on the toolbar is then clicked so as to apply the Quick Mask Mode.

This is how the Quick Mask Mode appears on the top of the photograph. 

To apply the Ocean Ripple border, we have to select 'Filter', 'Distort' and then 'Ocean Ripple'. 

It then gives you the option to set the size and magnitude of the effect so I have set both of them fairly high so as to get a better end result.

This is how the effect will appear on the photograph with the block black parts representing the image itself.

Once we have set the effects, we go back to seeing the effect with the Quick Mask Mode over the top. We click the same button to remove it as we did to apply it.

We then choose the eraser tool to remove the parts of the image that aren't selected and that gives the final effect of the Ocean Ripple.

The last thing to do is to remove the selection of parts of the image. We do this by choosing 'Select' and then 'Deselect'. 

This is the final image outcome.

Although I like the effect that this gives, I would never use it on my photos as it isn't balanced on all of the sides and it doesn't look right on the photograph without all of the sides having the same amount of fade. If there was a way to make the fade even on all sides then I would use this effect to emphasize my photographs instead of just having a plain border.

Radial Blur.

This is the image that I will be adding the radial blur to as it has detail throughout the whole image.

First we select the circular marquee tool and draw a circle in to the center of the image.

We then have to feather the circle by going on 'Select', 'Modify' and then 'Feather' so as the outcome doesn't look too cut-and-paste and blends in to the image.

We then choose to Invert the selected area so as the circle is the only area that isn't selected and the blur will only affect the surrounding area.

The dotted line around the whole image shows that the selection has been inverted.

To apply the blur to the picture, we choose 'Filter', 'Blur' and then 'Radial Blur'.

This box then allows us to change the settings for the blur and I have set it to Zoom blur at a size of 82 for my image.

This is the effect of the blur and you can see that it has feathered and faded from the blur in to the sharp original part of the image.

This is the final image when the radial blur areas have been deselected.

I like this effect on photoshop as it draws attention to the center of the image and could also be used for other types of images such as macro and would give it a unique effect. I would use it on a few of my images but I think that too many pictures with this effect wouldn't show off important portfolio images very well so I would use it to boost the effect of some weaker images to make them more presentable.