RECAP: Homework: (3 points) Create one double or multi exposure image by using the Blending modes as well as any of the tools that we have covered thus far. The final image itself should be around our usual 5x7” @300ppi. An extra bonus point will be added is there can be a discernable message communicated with the inherent juxtaposition.
Bonus Homework: (4 points) If possible, share a before and after fix to remove unwanted information (usually generated by material topography issues.) While you CAN use any of the smaller targeting tools we have used before (e.g., heal and clone stamp), be sure to try and use a blending mode to do the “heavy lifting.” Also, try and keep the submitted “pre” and “post” image large enough so that the level of fix can be reasonably appreciated.
Here you will find all of the information (appropriate links (including Dropbox folder links for homework), notes, reminders, etc.) for Photoshop 101 (Photoshop Basics for Artists) Week Eight.
NOTE: Please respect the work, rights, and privacy of participating artists. You may view the uploaded homework efforts from the class within the Dropbox folder, but you may not download or manipulate their work in any way. Anya and I will be downloading uploaded homework or classwork images when needed/appropriate, but we will never share anyone’s images outside of the class without express permission from the author. All files in the Drobox folders will be deleted at the end of the course. In addition, please know that classes will not be recorded to respect each participant’s learning experience.
If there are files required for the week’s homework, then they will be available in a folder called “WeekX_Resources” in the appropriate week’s folder. You will need to download to files in this folder to complete the week’s homework. However, please be sure not to remove or add anything to this folder.
Here’s a few notes for today’s class:
Layer masking is a nondestructive way to hide parts of an image or layer without erasing them. They’re great for making image composites, modifying background colors, removing or cutting out objects, and targeting your edits so they affect only certain areas, rather than the entire layer.
Using a black and white photograph as a mask:
Create a layer mask on the layer to be masked by selecting the layer, and then pressing the “Add Layer Mask” Button at the bottom of the layers palette.
Select the layer contents (not mask) that you wish to turn into the mask.
Press Ctrl+a (Mac: Cmd+a) to select the contents of the photo in their entirety (or SELECT>ALL)
Press Ctrl/Cmd + c to copy those contents. (or EDIT>COPY)
Press Alt (Option) and click on the layer mask thumbnail. This let’s you view the mask by itself (large) so as to make changes to it.
Press Ctrl/Cmd + v to paste the copied image into the mask. (or EDIT>PASTE)
Click on the pic or any other layer and you should see the mask applied.
ALSO: Here’s an animated gif showing how we used a layer mask and dust filter to fine tune the removal of small specular reflections:
Homework (required): (2 points) Create one double/multi exposure image by using the Layer Mask. Content is totally up to you but the final image itself should be a jpg around our usual 5x7” @300ppi.
Homework (Level 1 minimum required): (3 points-LEVEL 1). Scenario: You have just been commissioned to create a portrait for a lucky client. Unfortunately–the client has supplied a “subpar” photograph to serve as the reference. Fortunately—you are quite skilled in photoshop, so you are sure you can pull off some quality digital restoration that will leave you with some great source material to work from. Upload a “restored version” of any of the supplied damaged photographs included in the Week8_Resources folder in the Dropbox. Supplied photographs are labeled with a difficulty level (1-3.) Level one is worth 3 points, Level 2 is 6 points, and Level 3 is 9 POINTS!!!
This means that with the required multi-exposure layer mask image completed, a level 3 success can leave you with 11 points for this week!!!
One last tip that I would like to mention here is my practice of slightly lowering exposure when a reference image might look as though it is “lacking” information that might be useful to me. I do this exposure tweak through the camera raw filter.
Camera Raw Filter is a subset of Adobe Camera Raw which processes raw data from cameras and allows more control over how the camera data is interpreted into an image.
Camera Raw Filter provides tools to repair images: adjusting exposure, color, granularity, vignetting, optics, sharpness, white balance, red-eye, spot removal, and geometry. It also has a detailed histogram showing color clipping (maximum brightness/saturation.)
As always, we are very much looking forward to your projects!!!
RECAP: Homework (required): (2 points) Create one double/multi exposure image by using the Layer Mask. Content is totally up to you but the final image itself should be a jpg around our usual 5x7” @300ppi.
Homework (Level 1 minimum required): (3 points-LEVEL 1). Scenario: You have just been commissioned to create a portrait for a lucky client. Unfortunately–the client has supplied a “subpar” photograph to serve as the reference. Fortunately—you are quite skilled in photoshop, so you are sure you can pull off some quality digital restoration that will leave you with some great source material to work from. Upload a “restored version” of any of the supplied damaged photographs included in the Week8_Resources folder in the Dropbox. Supplied photographs are labeled with a difficulty level (1-3.) Level one is worth 3 points, Level 2 is 6 points, and Level 3 is 9 POINTS!!!
This means that with the required multi-exposure layer mask image completed, a level 3 success can leave you with 11 points for this week!!! (UPDATE: Photo JoJo granted extra points for multiple restoration efforts so some were awarded over 11.)
Here you will find all of the information (appropriate links (including Dropbox folder links for homework), notes, reminders, etc.) for Photoshop 101 (Photoshop Basics for Artists) Week Nine.
NOTE: Please respect the work, rights, and privacy of participating artists. You may view the uploaded homework efforts from the class within the Dropbox folder, but you may not download or manipulate their work in any way. Anya and I will be downloading uploaded homework or classwork images when needed/appropriate, but we will never share anyone’s images outside of the class without express permission from the author. All files in the Drobox folders will be deleted at the end of the course. In addition, please know that classes will not be recorded to respect each participant’s learning experience.
If there are files required for the week’s homework, then they will be available in a folder called “WeekX_Resources” in the appropriate week’s folder. You will need to download to files in this folder to complete the week’s homework. However, please be sure not to remove or add anything to this folder.
Here’s a few notes for today’s class:
What are Layer Styles or Effects?
A layer style is one or more effects applied to a layer or layer group. You can apply any preset styles in Photoshop or create your custom style using the Layer Style dialog box.
The layer effects icon appears to the right of the layer’s name in the Layers panel. You can expand the style in the Layers panel to view or edit the effects that compose the style. You can apply multiple effects in a single-layer style. Also, more than one instance of some effects can comprise a layer style.
There are several effects in Photoshop that incorporate Global Light. These effects are those that require a simulated light source such as Drop Shadow. When Global Light is changed, any effect on any element which has this Global Light capability will be changed. This is very powerful as the effects on multiple elements can be updated by simply changing the Global Light setting in any effect.
The Layer Style Dialog Window
When you first open the Layer Style window, you will see the Blending Options. Here you can adjust the Blend Mode and layer Opacity, as well as some more advanced blending effects.
A layer style can have one or more different layer effects. To apply a layer effect, check the box beside it. Be sure to enable the Preview option so that you can see your changes in real-time. To quickly preview what your layer style looks like, there’s a thumbnail on the right side of the window to help remind you.
Layer Styles/Effects: (Also pay attention to the order as it will impact what is visible.)
Drop Shadow Layer Effect
The Blend Mode allows you to blend the shadow into the background in different ways (Multiply, Overlay, etc.). Lower the Opacity to increase the shadow’s translucence. The Angle option of your drop shadow will affect the direction it drops when the Distance is set to 1 pixel or higher. If the Distance is set to 0, the shadow will spread equally around the layer’s contents. Spread allows you to make the shadow thicker/denser. The Size is how big or small the drop shadow will be on each side of the object. Changing the Quality set of options enables you to add noise to your shadow and alter the contours of your shadow.
Inner Shadow Layer Effect
The Inner Shadow effect is very similar to the Drop Shadow. In fact, it’s just the inverse in that it’s applied inside the object instead of the outside of it.
All of the options are the same as Drop Shadow. You may notice, however, that Spread has been replaced with Choke – the higher the Choke value, the thicker the shadow.
Outer Glow Layer Effect
Glows are very similar to shadows in concept. Outer glows are often used to create subtle effects when an outer edge of an object needs a bit of a boost to get it to stand out from its background. Outer glows usually work best on dark backgrounds. Like shadows, you can adjust the Blend Mode, Opacity and Noise of your glow, as well as the Spread and Size of it.
An option you have with glows that isn’t available with shadows is the Technique option, which can either be Softer or Precise. Softer gives the edge of your glow a softer and more subtle edge, whereas Precise makes your glow stronger and bolder. The Range option of your glow allows you to change its thickness — the lower the number, the thicker. Setting this at 1%, for example, will actually make your glow look like a stroke rather than a glow.
Inner Glow Layer Effect
Like the Drop Shadow versus Inner Shadow, the Inner Glow versus the Outer Glow is similar, they are just the inverse of each other. All the options are the same as Outer Glow, with one additional option: Source. The Source allows you to make your glow appear from the Edge (default setting) or the Center.
Bevel and Emboss Layer Effect
The Bevel and Emboss gives an object a raised (Bevel) or depressed (Emboss) look. The effect has two sub-effects, Contour and Texture. Contour allows you to make your bevel/emboss sharper or softer. Texture gives you the option to add a pattern to your object. The higher the Depth, the sharper the structure. The higher the Size, the more center your bevel/emboss will be. The Shading set of options allow you to increase the Opacity of both the highlights and the shading, and also allows you to change the Angle (the source of light).
Satin Layer Effect
Satin is one of the more obscure settings within Photoshop Layer Styles, but if you know how to use it, you can create a few different effects. In addition to creating a silk or satin look, it can also be used to add additional depth and even more realistic detail to glass and metal effects. The Satin options are very simple, and similar to the others we have already looked at.
Color Overlay Layer Effect
Color Overlay is an incredibly simple layer style, allowing you to completely cover the layer’s contents with a color. There are three settings: the Blend Mode, the Color, and the Opacity — they are pretty self-explanatory. This is a useful effect for quickly changing colors and is often used in web design variations, when alternative colors of things like text is desired**.**
Gradient Overlay Layer Effect
The Gradient Overlay does the exact same thing as a Color Overlay, apart from that it overlays your objects with a color gradient rather than a color. The Style of the gradient can be Linear, Radial, Angle, Reflected or Diamond. The Scale of the gradient makes it smaller or bigger with respect to the size of your layer objects. There is also a Reverse option, which allows you to quickly reverse the orientation of your colors, saving you from having to recreate a new gradient. Clicking on the Gradient option presents the Gradient Editor where you can set your gradient’s colors and type.
Pattern Overlay Layer Effect
Like the other overlay effects, the Pattern Overlay works in almost the same way. This is actually very similar to the Texture setting we used under the Bevel and Emboss effect. You can select from various built-in Photoshop patterns or create/install your own.
Stroke Layer Effect
The stroke effect simply places a border around your object. The options are similar to the ones we’ve discussed earlier and are pretty self-explanatory (at least by now). The Position option, which indicates where you want the stroke to be made, can be Inner, Outer, or Center. The size of your stroke determines how thick it is — you can adjust this in pixel units. The default is 3px, but the most common is probably 1px. The Fill Type allows you to fill your stroke with different elements; you can either choose from a solid color, a color gradient, or even a pattern. The default Fill Type is Color.
Homework: (3 points) Please create one piece of promotional material which features “Layer Style/Effect” text. Try to make your customized text emphasize that which you are setting out top promote!
Bonus Homework: (4 points) Scenario: A prominent gallery has just put out a call for artists, and you being the talented visual master you are, decide you will heed the call. Unfortunately, the prospectus states that your entry image must show the piece framed and hung on a blank wall. You remember that the actual piece is already at another gallery, and the only image you already have of it has a horrible glare. As such, you will need to digitally “reconstruct” the framed piece for submission. Please upload one drawing or painting in its frame hung on the “wall” provided in the resources folder. The uploaded image should be a jpg in the ballpark of the size of the wall image provided.
RECAP: Homework: (3 points) Please create one piece of promotional material which features “Layer Style/Effect” text. Try to make your customized text emphasize that which you are setting out top promote!
Bonus Homework: (4 points) Scenario: A prominent gallery has just put out a call for artists, and you being the talented visual master you are, decide you will heed the call. Unfortunately, the prospectus states that your entry image must show the piece framed and hung on a blank wall. You remember that the actual piece is already at another gallery, and the only image you already have of it has a horrible glare. As such, you will need to digitally “reconstruct” the framed piece for submission. Please upload one drawing or painting in its frame hung on the “wall” provided in the resources folder. The uploaded image should be a jpg in the ballpark of the size of the wall image provided.)
Here you will find all of the information (appropriate links (including Dropbox folder links for homework), notes, reminders, etc.) for Photoshop 101 (Photoshop Basics for Artists) Week Ten.
NOTE: Please respect the work, rights, and privacy of participating artists. You may view the uploaded homework efforts from the class within the Dropbox folder, but you may not download or manipulate their work in any way. Anya and I will be downloading uploaded homework or classwork images when needed/appropriate, but we will never share anyone’s images outside of the class without express permission from the author. All files in the Drobox folders will be deleted at the end of the course. In addition, please know that classes will not be recorded to respect each participant’s learning experience.
If there are files required for the week’s homework, then they will be available in a folder called “WeekX_Resources” in the appropriate week’s folder. You will need to download to files in this folder to complete the week’s homework. However, please be sure not to remove or add anything to this folder.
Here’s a few notes for today’s class:
PS Basics for Artists Week Ten- The Scanning Option
What are scanners?
The basic principle of a scanner is the capturing of an images from materials like photographic prints, posters, magazine pages and similar sources for computer editing and display. Scanners work by converting the image on the document into digital information that can be stored on a computer. This process is carried out by a scanning head, which uses one or more sensors to capture the image as light or electrical charges.
Types of Scanners:
Flatbed scanners also called desktop scanners, are the most versatile and commonly used scanners.
Sheet-fed scanners are similar to flatbed scanners except the document is moved and the scan head is immobile. A sheet-fed scanner looks a lot like a small portable printer.
Handheld scanners use the same basic technology as a flatbed scanner, but rely on the user to move them instead of a motorized belt. This type of scanner typically does not provide good image quality. However, it can be useful for quickly capturing text.
Drum scanners are used by the publishing industry to capture incredibly detailed images. They use a technology called a photomultiplier tube (PMT). In PMT, the document to be scanned is mounted on a glass cylinder. At the center of the cylinder is a sensor that splits light bounced from the document into three beams. Each beam is sent through a color filter into a photomultiplier tube where the light is changed into an electrical signal.
3D scanners are a bit different than traditional scanners in that they collect distance point measurements from a real-world object and translate them into a virtual 3D object.
Scanner resolution refers to the number of pixels captured by the scanner sensor and is measured in dots per inch (dpi). The higher the dpi, the greater the scanner’s ability to capture detail.
For example, a scanner with a resolution of 1200 dpi can capture 1200 pixels per inch of an image.
Very high-resolution image scanners are used for scanning for high-resolution printing, but lower-resolution scanners are adequate for capturing high-quality images for computer display.
The scanner’s resolution is determined by the number of sensors in the scanning head.
Specifics that you do not necessarily need to dive into:
The core component of the scanner is the CCD array. CCD is the most common technology for image capture in scanners. CCD is a collection of tiny light-sensitive diodes, which convert photons (light) into electrons (electrical charge). These diodes are called photosites. In a nutshell, each photosite is sensitive to light – the brighter the light that hits a single photosite, the greater the electrical charge that will accumulate at that site.
Here are the steps that a scanner goes through when it scans a document:
The document is placed on the glass plate and the cover is closed. The inside of the cover in most scanners is flat white, although a few are black. The cover provides a uniform background that the scanner software can use as a reference point for determining the size of the document being scanned. Most flatbed scanners allow the cover to be removed for scanning a bulky object, such as a page in a thick book.
A lamp is used to illuminate the document. The lamp in newer scanners is either a cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL) or a xenon lamp, while older scanners may have a standard fluorescent lamp.
The entire mechanism (mirrors, lens, filter and CCD array) make up the scan head. The scan head is moved slowly across the document by a belt that is attached to a stepper motor. The scan head is attached to a stabilizer bar to ensure that there is no wobble or deviation in the pass. Pass means that the scan head has completed a single complete scan of the document.
The image of the document is reflected by an angled mirror to another mirror. In some scanners, there are only two mirrors while others use a three mirror approach. Each mirror is slightly curved to focus the image it reflects onto a smaller surface.
The last mirror reflects the image onto a lens. The lens focuses the image through a filter on the CCD array.
The filter and lens arrangement vary based on the scanner. Some scanners use a three pass scanning method. Each pass uses a different color filter (red, green or blue) between the lens and CCD array. After the three passes are completed, the scanner software assembles the three filtered images into a single full-color image.
The filter and lens arrangement vary based on the scanner. Some scanners use a three pass scanning method. Each pass uses a different color filter (red, green or blue) between the lens and CCD array. After the three passes are completed, the scanner software assembles the three filtered images into a single full-color image. However, most scanners today use a single pass method.
Another imaging array technology that has become popular in inexpensive flatbed scanners is contact image sensor (CIS). CIS replaces the CCD array, mirrors, filters, lamp and lens with rows of red, green and blue light emitting diodes (LEDs). The image sensor mechanism, consisting of 300 to 600 sensors spanning the width of the scan area, is placed very close to the glass plate that the document rests upon. When the image is scanned, the LEDs combine to provide white light. The illuminated image is then captured by the row of sensors. CIS scanners are cheaper, lighter and thinner, but do not provide the same level of quality and resolution found in most CCD scanners.
Resolution, Sharpness, Bit-Depth:
Scanners vary in resolution and sharpness. Most flatbed scanners have a true hardware resolution of at least 300x300 dots per inch (dpi). The scanner’s dpi is determined by the number of sensors in a single row (x-direction sampling rate) of the CCD or CIS array by the precision of the stepper motor (y-direction sampling rate).
For example, if the resolution is 300x300 dpi and the scanner is capable of scanning a letter-sized document, then the CCD has 2,550 sensors arranged in each horizontal row. A single-pass scanner would have three of these rows for a total of 7,650 sensors. The stepper motor in our example is able to move in increments equal to 1/300ths of an inch. Likewise, a scanner with a resolution of 600x300 has a CCD array with 5,100 sensors in each horizontal row.
Most scanners have a scan area that is either letter size (8.5x11 inches, 21.6x27.9 centimeters) or legal size (11x14 inches, 27.9x35.6 centimeters).
Sharpness depends mainly on the quality of the optics used to make the lens and the brightness of the light source. A bright xenon lamp and high-quality lens will create a much clearer, and therefore sharper, image than a standard fluorescent lamp and basic lens.
Resolution terms you many encounter:
Optical resolution: This is the actual number of pixels read by the CCD which measures the intensity of the light that is reflected from the image to be scanned, and converts it to an analog voltage. If a scanner has a resolution of 600 x 2400 dpi, its optical resolution is 600 dpi, which means that it can resolve 600 bits of data per inch.
Hardware resolution: Using a precision stepper motor to double-step or quadruple-step the carriage, the scanner’s sub-scanner resolution can be increased. For example, a scanner can have an optical resolution of 1200 dpi, but a hardware resolution of 1200 x 2400 dpi (because it double-steps the carriage to increase the vertical resolution).
Of course, many scanners proclaim resolutions of 4,800x4,800 or even 9,600x9,600. To achieve a hardware resolution with a x-direction sampling rate of 9,600 would require a CCD array of 81,600 sensors. If you look at the specifications, these high resolutions are usually labeled software-enhanced, interpolated resolution or something similar. What does that mean?
Interpolation is a process that the scanning software uses to increase the perceived resolution of an image. It does this by creating extra pixels in between the ones actually scanned by the CCD array. These extra pixels are an average of the adjacent pixels. For example, if the hardware resolution is 300x300 and the interpolated resolution is 600x300, then the software is adding a pixel between every one scanned by a CCD sensor in each row.
Another term used when talking about scanners is bit depth, also called color depth. This simply refers to the number of colors that the scanner is capable of reproducing. Each pixel requires 24 bits to create standard true color and virtually all scanners on the market support this. Many of them offer bit depths of 30 or 36 bits. They still only output in 24-bit color, but perform internal processing to select the best possible choice out of the colors available in the increased palette. There are many opinions about whether there is a noticeable difference in quality between 24-, 30- and 36-bit scanners.
On your computer, you need software, called a driver, that knows how to communicate with the scanner. Most scanners speak a common language, TWAIN. The TWAIN driver acts as an interpreter between any application that supports the TWAIN standard and the scanner. This means that the application does not need to know the specific details of the scanner in order to access it directly. For example, you can choose to acquire an image from the scanner from within Adobe Photoshop because Photoshop supports the TWAIN standard. Fun fact is that TWAIN is not an acronym. It actually comes from the phrase “Never the twain shall meet” because the driver is the go-between for the software and the scanner.
Ok, back to practical stuff:
General tips/info and link to scanner I use most often:
Again—It is very important to have a scanner in which you can TURN ALL ENHANCEMENTS OFF!!!
Something like Image type options will usually configure settings (auto exposure, resolutions, etc.) that would best serve the average scan of that type. Consider that any selections with scanner software (like a Marquee) may reinitiate auto-enhancements.
Always select somethin akin to ”Professional Mode” in the Mode list if applicable.
Document “Type” options usually fall under the headings of Reflective (for scanning documents or photos) or Film (for scanning film or slides).
Gutter distortion is a term that most often describes an issue with scanning books in which the book’s gutter (the space down the center of an open book where the pages are bound together) causes a page to scan to be slightly skewed. However, I use this term often to describe distortions that can happen due to noticeable imagining variations that occur at the outermost edge of the glass plate (often when a warpable material (like paper) slightly skews at the scanning “well edge.”
In Photoshop:
The Photomerge™ command combines several photographs into one continuous image. For example, you can take five overlapping photographs of a city skyline, and then merge them into a panorama. The Photomerge command can assemble photos that are tiled horizontally as well as vertically.
Tips for a successful PS Photomerge (Mostly for Photography):
Overlap images sufficiently
Images should overlap by approximately 40%. If the overlap is less, Photomerge may not be able to automatically assemble the panorama. However, keep in mind that the images shouldn’t overlap too much. If images overlap by 70% or more, Photomerge may not be able to blend the images. Try to keep the individual photos at least somewhat distinct from each other.
Use one focal length
If you use a zoom lens, don’t change the focal length (zoom in or out) while taking your pictures.
Keep the camera level
Although Photomerge can process slight rotations between pictures, a tilt of more than a few degrees can result in errors when the panorama is assembled. Using a tripod with a rotating head helps maintain camera alignment and viewpoint.
Stay in the same position
Try not to change your position as you take a series of photographs, so that the pictures are from the same viewpoint. Using the optical viewfinder with the camera held close to the eye helps keep the viewpoint consistent. Or try using a tripod to keep the camera in the same place.
Avoid using distortion lenses
Distortion lenses can interfere with Photomerge. However, the Auto option adjusts for images taken with fish-eye lenses.
Maintain the same exposure
Avoid using the flash in some pictures and not in others. The blending features in Photomerge helps smooth out different exposures, but extreme differences make alignment difficult. Some digital cameras change exposure settings automatically as you take pictures, so you may need to check your camera settings to be sure that all the images have the same exposure.
Homework: (2 points) Join the scanned pieces of the color chart and adjust as you see fit. Submit the joined/edited jpg.
Homework (Part Two-required) (2 points): Please do your best to “correct” the small scanned image provided. Submit the edited jpg.
Bonus Homework: (4 points): If possible, please try to scan one of your own works. Correct as needed and upload a jpg that does not exceed 2MB.
Alternate Bonus: (4 points) For those without access to a scanner: I am uploading a small, (poorly) scanned Christmas-themed alla prima to the Dropbox resources folder for this past week. Combine and intuitively “correct” the Xmas image to capture those bonus points!!! (Upload as a jpg.)
RECAP: Homework: (2 points) Join the scanned pieces of the color chart and adjust as you see fit. Submit the joined/edited jpg.
Homework (Part Two-required) (2 points): Please do your best to “correct” the small scanned image provided. Submit the edited jpg.
Bonus Homework: (4 points): If possible, please try to scan one of your own works. Correct as needed and upload a jpg that does not exceed 2MB.
Alternate Bonus: (4 points) For those without access to a scanner: I am uploading a small, (poorly) scanned Christmas-themed alla prima to the Dropbox resources folder for this past week. Combine and intuitively “correct” the Xmas image to capture those bonus points!!! (Upload as a jpg.)
Here you will find all of the information (appropriate links (including Dropbox folder links for homework), notes, reminders, etc.) for Photoshop 101 (Photoshop Basics for Artists) Week Eleven.
NOTE: Please respect the work, rights, and privacy of participating artists. You may view the uploaded homework efforts from the class within the Dropbox folder, but you may not download or manipulate their work in any way. Anya and I will be downloading uploaded homework or classwork images when needed/appropriate, but we will never share anyone’s images outside of the class without express permission from the author. All files in the Dropbox folders will be deleted at the end of the course. In addition, please know that classes will not be recorded to respect each participant’s learning experience.
If there are files required for the week’s homework, then they will be available in a folder called “WeekX_Resources” in the appropriate week’s folder. You will need to download to files in this folder to complete the week’s homework. However, please be sure not to remove or add anything to this folder.
Here are a few notes for today’s class:
PS Basics for Artists Week Eleven – Some Useful Tools…
Smart Object:
Smart Objects are layers that contain image data from raster or vector images, such as Photoshop or Illustrator files. Smart Objects preserve an image’s source content with all its original characteristics, enabling you to perform nondestructive editing to the layer.
Raster (or bitmap) images are described by an array or map of bits within a rectangular grid of pixels or dots.
Vector images are described by lines, shapes, and other graphic image components stored in a format that incorporates geometric formulas for rendering the image elements.
Smart Object advantages and disadvantages
With Smart Objects, you can perform non-destructive transformations.
You can scale, rotate, skew, distort, perspective transform, or warp a layer without losing original image data or quality because the transforms don’t affect the original data
Work with vector data, such as vector artwork from Illustrator, that otherwise would be rasterized in Photoshop.
You can perform nondestructive filtering. You can edit filters applied to Smart Objects at any time.
Apply a layer mask that’s either linked or unlinked to the Smart Object layer.
Try various designs with low-resolution placeholder images that you later replace with final versions.
You can’t perform operations that alter pixel data—such as painting, dodging, burning, or cloning—directly to a Smart Object layer unless it is first converted into a regular layer, which will be rasterized. To perform operations that alter pixel data, you can edit the contents of a Smart Object, clone a new layer above the Smart Object layer, edit duplicates of the Smart Object, or create a new layer.
Creating a 2D transparency tool for checking drawings or contours::
First, make sure to have good contrast and convert to black and white.
Here are tools you can use:
(Under Stylize)
Trace Contour Finds the transitions of major brightness areas and thinly outlines them for each color channel for an effect similar to the lines in a contour map. Note: Lower outlines where the color values of pixels fall below the specified level, and Upper outlines where the color values fall above.
Find Edges Identifies the areas of the image with significant transitions and emphasizes the edges. Like the Trace Counter filter, Find Edges outlines the edges of an image with dark lines against a white background and is useful for creating a border around an image.
Threshold: The Threshold filter converts grayscale or color images into high-contrast, black-and-white images. You can specify a certain level as a threshold. All pixels lighter than the threshold are converted to white, and all pixels darker are converted to black.
Posterize: Posterize is an image effect available in Adobe Photoshop that reduces the number of colors in an image. The effect is named for its similarity to the printing process called “posterization,” in which a limited number of colors are used to produce an image
Photocopy, Note Paper, and Stamp are great simplification/abstraction tools however Photocopy is my go-to for generating contour transparencies
Homework: (3 points) Create a transparency for the basket in the supplied still-life image. Keep the transparency in place, as demonstrated in class. Upload the flattened image.
Homework: (5 points) Create a printable 1x1” white grid over the supplied still-life image. Upload the flattened image.
Homework BONUS: (10 points) Let’s say that you have been tasked with teaching a Photoshop class for traditional painters. Every now and then, when trying to explain some subtlety regarding a certain effect or tool—the printed explanation seems inadequate. One such issue did arise in regard to the Trace Contour filter with its upper and lower settings relative to the level. As such, you decide that you will create a single graphic, using Trace Contour, that can clearly show the difference between these two settings with the SAME LEVEL. Please upload your solution to this dilemma.
RECAP: Homework: (3 points) Create a transparency for the basket in the supplied still-life image. Keep the transparency in place, as demonstrated in class. Upload the flattened image.
Homework: (5 points) Create a printable 1x1” white grid over the supplied still-life image. Upload the flattened image.
Homework BONUS: (10 points) Let’s say that you have been tasked with teaching a Photoshop class for traditional painters. Every now and then, when trying to explain some subtlety regarding a certain effect or tool—the printed explanation seems inadequate. One such issue did arise in regard to the Trace Contour filter with its upper and lower settings relative to the level. As such, you decide that you will create a single graphic, using Trace Contour, that can clearly show the difference between these two settings with the SAME LEVEL. Please upload your solution to this dilemma.
Here you will find all of the information (appropriate links (including Dropbox folder links for homework), notes, reminders, etc.) for Photoshop 101 (Photoshop Basics for Artists) FINAL WEEK!!!
NOTE: Please respect the work, rights, and privacy of participating artists. You may view the uploaded homework efforts from the class within the Dropbox folder, but you may not download or manipulate their work in any way. Anya and I will be downloading uploaded homework or classwork images when needed/appropriate, but we will never share anyone’s images outside of the class without express permission from the author. All files in the Dropbox folders will be deleted at the end of the course. In addition, please know that classes will not be recorded to respect each participant’s learning experience.
If there are files required for the week’s homework, then they will be available in a folder called “WeekX_Resources” in the appropriate week’s folder. You will need to download to files in this folder to complete the week’s homework. However, please be sure not to remove or add anything to this folder.
Finals week in-class project scenario: An exceptional collector/client of yours (Affluent Anya from Russia) has approached you with a commission proposal. She has always been quite taken with seascapes. One of her favorites, titled Stage Fort across Gloucester Harbor, is a mid-19th century painting by American artist Fitz Henry Lane. Frustrated that the Metropolitan Museum would not sell her the original, she has decided to commission you, her favorite artist, to create a copy (with a few personalized edits.)
First, in an effort to build up the number of drawings in her collection, she would like this new piece to be done in charcoal and white pastel. Second, Affluent Anya would like her family’s sailboat integrated into the piece (as she’s quite fond of it.)
Anya then provides the following reference material:
A 3811x2281 pixel digital image of the Fitz Henry Lane piece. (25.407x15.207 inches @150ppi.)
An 800x536 pixel image of her family’s sailboat. (11.111x7.444 inches @72ppi.)
Glancing at these specs, you inform Anya that based on the available reference material properties, the piece will likely have to be much smaller than the original piece (96.5 cm × 152.4 cm (38.0 in × 60.0 in)) as well as the roughly 25x15” image size @150. You let her know that you will need to get the image to 300ppi to really get the best image quality that you can (not to mention that the boat pic is crazy small.) With a small sigh, she states that it is fine as long as you can make it all look great! (as she takes another pretentious puff of a cigarette at the end of a ridiculously long cigarette holder.)
Affluent Anya also requests seeing a digital mockup to approve prior to starting. She requests seeing two different placements of the boats FULLY INTEGRATED into the achromatic image so that she may choose what she likes best. She, too, knows her way around Photoshop and asks that the boats be able to be “toggled” on and off so that she can judge which placement she may like better without having to switch between different images altogether.
Lastly, since you will have the file open anyway—you might as well create the togglable grid that you plan to use to draw out your cartoon. A 1x1” grid should suffice.
To complete the course, upload your digital mockup for Affluent Anya at the generally ideal maximum size you can draw the commission without losing necessary information, along with two toggleable fully integrated boat placements and a toggleable 1x1” grid.
Week#1: Max Points with Bonus: 2 Max Points without Bonus: 2 (no bonus) Week#2: Max Points with Bonus: 6 Max Points without Bonus:4 Week#3: Max Points with Bonus: 6 Max Points without Bonus:4 Week#4: Max Points with Bonus:5 Max Points without Bonus:2 Week#5: Max Points with Bonus:6 Max Points without Bonus:2 Week#6: Max Points with Bonus: 9 Max Points without Bonus: 2 Week#7: Max Points with Bonus:7 Max Points without Bonus: 3 Week#8: Max Points with Bonus:11 Max Points without Bonus: 2 Week#9: Max Points with Bonus: 7 Max Points without Bonus: 3 Week#10: Max Points with Bonus:8 Max Points without Bonus: 4 Week#11: Max Points with Bonus:18 Max Points without Bonus: 8 TOTAL: Max Points with Bonus: 85 Max Points without Bonus: 36
Final in-class assignment – 34 points
Final written exam (optional) – 13 points
TO PASS THE CLASS, YOU WOULD NEED TO SCORE AT LEAST 70 POINTS.
Any Participant scoring over 70 points will be issued a certificate of completion.
All assignments without bonuses – 36 points
Final in-class project – 34 points
Total possible: 70 points
All assignments with bonuses – 85 points
Final in-class project – 34 points
Total possible: 119 points
All assignments with bonuses – 85 points
Final in-class project – 34 points
Written exam – 13 points
Total possible: 132 points
Any Participant scoring over 90 points will be issued a certificate of completion with distinction.
