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WELCOME
ISSUE 112
Welcome to the latest
issue of Advanced
Photoshop. Being able to
work across different
platforms is a key attribute
for any designer. Working
with CGI in particular can
boost your popularity.
IN THIS ISSUE: GRAPHICS DIGITAL PAINTING PHOTOMANIPULATION PHOTO EDITING
ANNA LISA SAYWELL
Editor
So that’s why this month we are bringing you a CGI and Photoshop special. With over 20 pages of top techniques based on how to work with CG elements, including expert CG landscapes, sci-fi concept art and 3D abstract graphics, we are sure you won’t be disappointed!
Elsewhere in the issue, take a look at creative filters in Photoshop and whether they should have a place in the industry, or peek at our top 15 tips for professional designers, including using gradients and shapes effectively. In the reviews section, we take a look at Alien Skin Software’s Exposure 5 as an alternative choice for photo editing, and explore Wacom’s Bamboo Lamp app to see if it offers anything new.
Last, but by no means least, we have compiled a selection of exclusive content on this month’s disc, including a video tutorial and Photoshop brushes not yet on sale. Enjoy!
FIND US ONLINE:
@advancedpshop
/AdvancedPhotoshop
.co.uk
003
ISSUE 112
CONTENTS
COVER ART
Creative director Mike Campau has been a long-standing contributor to Advanced Photoshop. His work is always of impeccable standard, so why not show it off to all of our readers? See more from him on page 27.
MIKE CAMPAU
www.mikecampau.comTYPOGRAPHY NEW MEDIA
including a video tutorial and Photoshop brushes
FIND US ONLINE:
/AdvancedPhotoshop
STUDIO INTERVIEW:
MOONBOT STUDIOS
18
Invention comes first at this studio. Explore how they use Photoshop tools to make this happen
66
PHOTOMANIPULATION:
BUILD A FANTASY
LANDSCAPE
Master photo textures, Photoshop brushes and CG elements to create a post-apocalyptic scene
EYE ON DESIGN
What’s hot, who’s in and the
latest art & design happenings
PRO PANEL
Our contributors share Photoshop secrets
06
INDUSTRY NEWS
The latest information from the creative world
08
16
PROJECT FOCUS
Delicious advertising
10
PORTFOLIO INTERVIEW
3D and CGI illustration
CONTENTS
ISSUE 112
004
CONTENTS
ISSUE 112
10
3D & CGI ILLUSTRATION
15 TIPS FOR PRO DESIGNERS
26 72
PAINT A STEAMPUNK
INSPIRED PORTRAIT
34
CREATIVE FILTERS
FOR BACK ISSUES, BOOKS
AND MERCHANDISE VISIT:
TECHNIQUES
Professional artists reveal their high-end skills in our
easy-to-follow workshops
15 tips for professional designers
26
INDUSTRY FEATUREREVIEWS
We put the latest creative kit,
books and apps to the test
82
FEATURE:
Alien Skin Software’s
Exposure 5
86
REVIEW:
Bamboo Loop
Free with issue 112 of
Advanced Photoshop
RESOURCE COLLECTION
PLUS:
• Tutorial project files
• Exclusive wallpapers for mobile and desktop
• Custom fonts worth $60
Featuring 40 high-res images, exclusive
Photoshop brushes and premium Actions
TAILOR MADE
CREATIVE CONTENT
Exclusive video tutorial covering how to
work with fi lters
96
ON YOUR DISC
Mixed media collaboration
48
WORKSHOPWork with fi lters
42
FEATURE WORKSHOP3D abstract graphics
60
WORKSHOPMoonbot Studios
18
STUDIO INTERVIEWCreative fi lters in Photoshop
34
INDUSTRY FEATUREMinistry of Sound Running Trax
56
HOW I MADESEE PAGE 24 FOR THE LATEST OFFER
SUBSCRIBE TODAY!
66
Build a fantasy landscape
WORKSHOPFrom traditional to digital art
88
READER INTERVIEW76
Sci-fi concept art
WORKSHOP72
Paint a steampunk-inspired portrait
WORKSHOP76
RENDER SCI FI
CONCEPT ART
Create graffiti stencils
92
RESOURCE PROJECT006
eye on design
pro panel
pro panel
Our cOntributOrs share their PhOtOshOP secrets, exPlaining hOw
they create an array Of stunning effects using tOOls and OPtiOns
eye on design
AdAm KuczeK
www.ak-art.net
If you want to make a concept feel like a snapshot from a movie, blur the foreground elements slightly. You can even make them slightly transparent if you want. Then de-focus the background elements. The Motion Blur filter may also come in handy. Make a copy of the image, apply this effect and then erase the parts you don’t want to be blurred, revealing the original artwork beneath. Combining both effects will create a dynamic depth of field.
Dust, tiny scratches, lens distortion, subtle flares, chromatic aberration and a bit of film grain applied at the end will make your concept feel even more convincing.
■ check out Kuczek’s post-apocalyptic tutorial starting on page 66
christiAn hecKer
www.tigaer-design.com
Creating concept art can be a tricky thing. If you’re working on a project with tight deadlines, it’s best to use every tool your arsenal has to offer. Anything goes, from using custom brushes to photos, blending modes and filters. The goal is to work fast and to create an image that mirrors the requested idea. This not only works for commercial projects, but can also help when you’re stuck working on a personal project. ■ hecker shows you how to work with cGi in his sci-fi scene tutorial on page 76
AndY POtts
http://andy-potts.com/
Edit>Paste Special>Paste Into is a useful technique for building layers of texture in a figure or object. It’s also especially useful when
experimenting with unusual shapes. Pasting paint textures into specific areas of light or shadow can enhance colour and vibrancy. You also have the versatility to move your texture or shape within the attached Layer Mask, resulting in some interesting and usable accidents.
■ Find more of Potts’ mixed media work from page 48
© Andy Potts © Adam Kuczek
007
© Imagine Publishing Ltd 2013 ISSN 1748-7277
Magazine team
Editor Anna-lisa Saywell
☎ 01202 586243
Editor in ChiefDan Hutchinson
Features EditorAdam Smith
Sub EditorAlicea Francis
PhotographerJames Sheppard
Senior Art EditorDuncan Crook
Head of PublishingAaron Asadi
Head of DesignRoss Andrews
Contributors
Julie Bassett, Simon Skellon, Stephen Ashby, Chris McMahon, Radim Malinic, Simon Prades, Andy Potts, Adam Kuczek, Marc Goodman, Ashley Walters, Christian Hecker, Kirk Nelson, Marcus Faint, Alison Innes, Rachel Shemilt and Charlotte Crooks
Advertising
Digital or printed media packs are available on request.
Head of Sales Hang Deretz
☎ 01202 586442
Advertising Manager Jen Farrell
☎ 01202 586430
Account Manager Becky Palmer
☎ 01202 586438
Cover disc
Multimedia Editor Steve Dacombe
International
Advanced Photoshop is available for licensing. Contact the International department to discuss partnership opportunities.
Head of International Licensing Cathy Blackman
☎ +44 (0) 1202 586401 [email protected]
Subscriptions
Head of Subscriptions Gill Lambert
[email protected] For all subscription enquiries: [email protected]
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Disclaimer
The publisher cannot accept responsibility for any unsolicited material lost or damaged in the post. All text and layout is the copyright of Imagine Publishing Ltd. Nothing in this magazine may be reproduced in whole or part without the written permission of the publisher. All copyrights are recognised and used specifically for the purpose of criticism and review. Although the magazine has endeavoured to ensure all information is correct at time of print, prices and availability may change. This magazine is fully independent and not affiliated in any way with the companies mentioned herein. Photoshop is either a registered trademark or trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/ or other countries and is used with express permission. All $ prices are US Dollars unless otherwise stated.
If you submit material to Imagine Publishing via post, email, social network or any other means, you automatically grant Imagine Publishing an irrevocable, perpetual, royalty-free license to use the images across its entire portfolio, in print, online and digital, and to deliver the images to existing and future clients, including but not limited to international licensees for reproduction in international, licensed editions of Imagine products. Any material you submit is sent at your risk and, although every care is taken, neither Imagine Publishing nor its employees, agents or subcontractors shall be liable for the loss or damage.
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Web: www.imagine-publishing.co.uk www.advancedphotoshop.co.uk www.greatdigitalmags.com
The magazine for Adobe® Photoshop® professionals
ASHLEY WALTERS
www.ashleywalters.net
One of the most powerful filters a digital painter has is Liquify. It allows you to gently correct proportion issues without having to start over. But first, use the Marquee tool (M) to select an area you want to edit, then go to Filter>Liquify. Use the Forward Warp tool (W) to carefully push features into place and press OK.
■ See how Walters creates steampunk styles on page 72
LUKE CHOICE
www.velvetspectrum.com This work was digitally painted in collaboration with wakeupmrsingh. com, using a combination of flat angle brush strokes with minimal bristles. Using a drawing tablet, click a single point, then shift-click another point at varying lengths. Manipulate these marks using
Transform>Warp, achieving the curves you wanted. This allows you to edit this style faster.
■ Discover Choice’s work for Nike from page 56
Creating concept art
can be a tricky thing. If
you’re working on a project
with tight deadlines, it’s best
to use every tool your arsenal
has to offer
CHRISTIAN HECKER / WWW.TIGAER-DESIGN.COM
008
eye on design
industry nEWs
G-TechnoloGy
Driven creaTiviTy
compeTiTion 2013
The perfecT plaTform for professionals and amaTeurs, who sTand a
chance To win $5,000 and premium G-TechnoloGy exTernal sToraGe
industry news
Of course, if personal accolade doesn’t sell this, there are other notable
incentives. These include a whopping $5,000 cash prize and a new
G-Technology G-DOCK ev with Thunderbolt
008
G-DOCK ev with
thunDerbOlt
the G-dOCK ev with thunderbolt is being billed as one of the ultimate prizes at this year’s driven Creativity Competition. it is the only two-bay solution with interchangeable and rugged storage modules, letting you remove the drives and not have them bare. it also gives you the ability to connect them to your laptop via usB 3.0 – both of which are 1tB in size, meaning maximum storage capacity. the thunderbolt connections make daisy chaining with other G-dOCK ev solutions or thunderbolt-based devices a breeze. in addition, the device is Mac-formatted out of the box with a thunderbolt cable also included, so you’re good to go from the off. Available now at £599/$750.
E
ver wanted to be valued for your innovation and drive, as well as the aesthetic qualities of your work? If you have, this year’s Driven Creativity Competition from G-Technology is the platform for you. Professionals and amateurs alike are permitted to enter, so what’s stopping you?This annual contest recognises and supports artists’ hard work and passion across multiple categories, which again opens it up to anyone who wants to enter. Whether you’re an animator, photographer, love to shoot film or compose music, anyone is capable of displaying their talents. Check out the official website at www.g-technology.eu/ competition and you’ll discover a video reel of great examples that were produced in previous years.
The prestige of winning any international competition is encouraging, and Driven Creativity
exposes you to audiences across the globe. Julien Legay should know – he headed a group of four students who were the overall winners of the 2012 event with their project A Fox Tale. This was entered into the professional animation category. He explains: “It’s great that G-Technology offers a platform for people like us to showcase our work and recognises the efforts that go into it. The Driven Creativity Awards are proof that you can be rewarded for hard work and determination. We intend to enter the awards again this year.”
Of course, if personal accolade doesn’t sell this, there are other notable incentives. These include a whopping $5,000 cash prize and a new G-Technology G-DOCK ev with Thunderbolt – released in April of this year. A professional winner, an amateur winner and a runner-up will be selected from each of the
categories, including animation, music, photography and short film.
But the G-Technology Driven Creativity Competition is also forward thinking, and looks to promote and reward emerging formats – so the GoPro Active category is included. This recognises contributions from creatives who capture video content using a GoPro wearable or gear-mountable camera.
There’s also a People’s Choice Award for the entry with the highest online votes, and even runners-up receive high-performance, premium external storage solutions from G-Technology’s range of products. Every participant has something to play for.
To enter, sign up at at www.g-technology.eu/ competition/enter_here. Whether you’re an established or up-and-coming talent, the contest is open to you. Entries close 29 October 2013.
Dreaming Of Dubai: Winner of
HISTORICAL FACTS MADE EASY
ALL ABOUT HISTORY IS THE SENSATIONAL NEW MAGAZINE
FROM THE PUBLISHER OF HOW IT WORKS
009
Photoshop CC is now available, and there are plenty of resources that give you a head start on how to use it. The Adobe Photoshop CC for Photographers book from Focal Press features all the tools and
techniques serious photographers need to know about when using Photoshop. These are covered in over 800 full-colour pages. We have four copies to give away.
For your chance to win one, please answer the following question:
- In what year was the author of this book, Martin Evening, inducted
into the Photoshop Hall of Fame?
Find the answer at www.focalpress.com.
Please email your answers to [email protected] including your full name and address. The deadline for all entries is 19 September 2013. Only one entry per person allowed. The winner will be randomly selected after the closing date and notified in due course. The editor’s decision is final and no cash alternative will be offered. Employees of Imagine Publishing are not permitted to enter.
WIN A COPY OF ADOBE PHOTOSHOP
CC FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS
Four books up for grabs from publisher Focal Press
I’m A Crazy Little Daisy, Wild And Free: Runner-up of Amateur
Best Photography in 2012
Katharina: Winner of Amateur
Best Photography in 2012
The Fencer: Runner-up
of Professional Best Photography in 2012
009
A
ll About History is the bold new launch from the makers of groundbreaking magazines How It Works and All About Space. Imagine Publishing’s latest publication delivers fascinating historical facts and stories, illustrated with stunning photos, infographics and digital art that will engage and inspire all Advanced Photoshop readers.Its visual impact and easy-to-understand articles provide a dynamic alternative to the academic approaches of other history magazines, found on dusty newsstands. It’s all about well-crafted stories filled with accurate facts and expert opinions.
“Our ferocious commitment to bringing mainstream entertainment sensibilities to the Knowledge/Science sector has been ably demonstrated by our first two launches,” explains Aaron Asadi, Head Of Publishing at Imagine. “I believe All About History will be our most successful title yet in this regard. I am delighted to be a part of the launch of this phenomenal product.”
The first issue is packed with awesome topics, including 50 events that changed the world, the underworld of ancient Rome, the last day of President Lincoln and much more!
The new launch also signals the startup of companion website www.historyanswers.co.uk.
For those of you who love your portable devices, digital editions of All About History will be available for Android, iPhone and iPad. Download yours from www.greatdigitalmags.com.
All About History magazine hit the stands worldwide on 27 June 2013, and is now available to buy from only £3.99/approx $6.
040
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EYE ON DESIGN
PORTFOLIO INTERVIEW
FREELANCER WALDO LEE TAKES US BEHIND THE SCENES OF HIS
INCREDIBLY DIVERSE PORTFOLIO
PORTFOLIO INTERVIEW
3D AND CGI
ILLUSTRATION
www.walee.com
w_a_l_e_e
L
ooking at the work of freelance 3D/CGI illustrator and photographer Waldo Lee, it’s difficult not to be struck over by just how diverse it all is. From stunning retouched images of dancing women, to cars created from household objects, his work spans a huge range of ideas and demonstrates ceaseless creativity.“Many people say that I use digital tools in such a way that you don’t really see that my images are made with them,” he tells us. “The blending between my photography and the 3D renderings really emphasise the final image as a whole. Some others, though, say that they just like the little touch of fun to each of my images!”
Waldo’s career didn’t start out in the advertising and illustration business. After a brief stint in graphic design, it was in the videogame industry that Waldo truly got his teeth into. “I worked for a videogame
company called Kalisto Entertainment, working in the Paris studio. I was responsible for creating the design of a level in a platformer game. I learnt a lot in terms of working as part of a team and the skills required when designing in real-time 3D.”
Since turning to freelance, Waldo has worked for an impressive list of clients. “To name a few, I have worked for Sony, Amnesty International, Audi, Orange, Jeep, Desperados, LG, Syfy, Yoplait – they’re really different from one another, and that’s what I like about it; being able to offer my skills no matter what I have to do!”
Read on to discover just how Waldo injects such variety into his workflow.
CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF AND YOUR HISTORY AS AN ARTIST?
I’m a freelance 3D/CGI illustrator and photographer
based in Paris. It all started for me through the influence of my mother, who is herself an artist – namely a painter and a sculptor. I couldn’t really say that my skills come from my school background, as that was pretty much computer science studies. I was always really passionate about art, though, especially digital art back in the days of the Amiga.
I’m largely self-taught, as I was always curious to learn new tools related to CGI. There weren’t any art schools that would deal with that kind of stuff back in my day. However, even though my school orientation wasn’t art related, it really helped me in the sense that I could learn new tools and software really quickly later on in my life.
I started out doing jobs like flyers and posters, and then I moved onto working within the videogame industry, as that was something I really wanted to do. After a great experience of working in the
01
01
Beaux Arts Magazine: This project saw
Waldo work in collaboration with photographer Marc Da Cunha Lopes (www.marcdacunhalopes.com) for a Beaux Arts Magazine commission. It’s one of his most striking pieces of work © Leo Burnett
02
France Galop: Once again working with
Marc Da Cunha Lopes, Waldo created the 3D monster made out of leaves, while Marc provided the original photography © Y&R - Waldo LEE / Marc DA CUNHA LOPES
03
Graffiti Girls: Also shot by Waldo’s
collaborative partner Marc Da Cunha Lopes, this editorial series for Lady Caprice Magazine demonstrates a keen knowledge of how to make an image truly pop © Waldo LEE / Marc DA CUNHA LOPES
BLEND
SPECIAL
CGI
BLEND
CGI
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eye on design
portfolio interview
gaming business, I moved onto being a freelance artist, and I’ve loved it ever since.
When did you first discover your talent With PhotoshoP?
I can’t really say. I probably started toying with version 3.0 of Photoshop on Windows and of course it was a blast compared to what you could do with Deluxe Paint on the Amiga! The layers, the brushes; everything was just so cool.
Where do you find insPiration?
Everywhere. It can come from a book I’ve read; from an exhibition I attended; from a movie I’ve just seen; from a walk in the mountains; from surfing on the web. Inspiration can come to me from anywhere and everywhere. From colours, to shapes, to feelings; you just have to open your eyes. There’s beauty all around you.
hoW do you ensure your Work feels fresh and different from that designed by your Peers?
I try to stay creative in the work I do by incorporating everything I like into something of my own. I try pushing the boundaries of things that haven’t been done yet.
hoW do you strike a balance betWeen commercial and Personal Work? Commercial work comes first, as you’ve got to put food on the table! As such, for me the balance between commercial and personal work is related to how much I need to do to pay the bills. However, it can happen that between two jobs I’ll find some free time. Then I can work on my world, and sometimes when I’m too lazy, I’ll finally sleep to get some rest! The funny thing about it is: when you spend most of your time working for clients, you wish you had more time to work on personal projects, but when you do, you find yourself procrastinating.
Would you say that maintaining a level of Personal Work is imPortant for your artistic develoPment?
Definitely. You have to pay attention to your personal work, as it is what really represents yourself as an artist. You don’t always have the liberty to do whatever pleases you on a commercial project, and if you want to let your portfolio grow while displaying a great degree of diversity, then you have to take some time to work on your own projects. Also, regarding your artistic development, you have to take some time to learn new tools and create new techniques that will help you work faster and sharpen your style.
Which artists have had the biggest influence on you and your aesthetic? There are so many artists, but to name a few, I’d say
04
05
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BRIGHT Magazine Poster: Waldo
worked on this illustration for a huge poster, which came free for those who subscribed to BRigHT magazine. it showcases Waldo’s 3d abilities, as well as his Photoshop skills © Waldo Lee
06
Optimize The Sun: Waldo’s portfolio is
incredibly diverse, featuring a broad variety of style and content. Whatever the project, though, it’s always sure to be imaginative © Waldo Lee / Marc dA CUnHA LoPes
05
tRUN: The strong use of light makes
for an extremely sleek and effective image in this piece of work © Waldo Lee / Marc dA CUnHA LoPes
04
Syfy: This is an example of Waldo’s full
3d/Cgi work. However, as with any work of this kind, Photoshop was heavily used in postproduction © Waldo Lee
eye on design
portfolio interview
014
Mode2 for his unique graffiti style, HR Giger for his crazy biomechanical design, and Katsuhiro Otomo for being the artist that introduced me to the world of Japanese illustrators and their crazy mecha designs.
Generally speaking, I would say that a lot of the things I do come from the influence of the hip-hop and Asian culture. Also, nowadays with the internet, you can easily gain access to the work of new, talented artists. They always make you want to push the limits of what you do.
How would you best describe tHe style of your work?
A friend of mine told me that I do images that are serious, but with a twist of fun. From my point of view, I simply make images that look good to my eye, and hopefully that will please the viewer’s eyes too. It’s true that most of my work looks
photorealistic, but I really don’t want to be stuck in one category, as there’s so much I want to explore. can you describe How you approacH a new project for a client?
I start by sketching out the idea on paper, and then validate this initial idea with the client, along with the artistic direction. That includes the colour scheme,
the lighting, and so on. This step should provide a reference guide as to what you want to sell to your client. This way, you don’t start with a circle and end up with a triangle, if you know what I mean.
Once you’ve got the base idea set, you’re ready to execute your image. This means spending some time in the photo studio or sitting in front of the computer for several days until it’s all done. Of course, you will need to validate your progress with the client during the process of creating the image, but the initial sketch will always be a reminder to stay on the path you’ve set for yourself. wHat would you say is tHe most
important tecHnique you Have learnt in pHotosHop during your career?
To be honest, Cmd/Crtl+S! You can never save too often, as you never know when the almighty crash might strike.
in wHat ways Has pHotosHop been integral to implementing and enHancing your design work? Photoshop is really great at dealing with all the post-work regarding the light and the calibration of the colours of your image. You really have some
great flexibility dealing with all these adjustment layers to get the look you want for your creation. This is especially the case when you compose an image from different media – for instance, photo shoot and 3D/CGI integration. When dealing with a lot of 3D rendering with a lot of different passes, it’s really easy to composite the pass in Photoshop to save some time when adjusting for the correct look you’re aiming for.
■ stay up-to-date
Don’t be left behind. Keep up-to-date with the latest techniques and technologies that are evolving the artistic world. You need to consistently sharpen your workflow, finding ways to work ever faster and more efficiently. ■ quality versus quantity
When working on a piece for your portfolio, always be sure to spend the time required to make it really top notch. It’s better to have a few images that are top quality rather than hundreds of images that are average. You want to show your client that the images they will get will always be good. ■ sHarpen your style
Take the time to work out how you can make your style unique and stand out from the crowd. You don’t want to be a copycat, replicating all of the work that’s already out there. There’s no secret to achieving this; just work, work, work.
portfolio tips
Waldo reveals the core qualities that distinguish a good artist and a great one
08
Voodoo Doll: this image was part of some
work research that Waldo performed for the rosbeef! advertising agency in Paris © Waldo lee
eye on design
Delicious aDvertising
We met up With Russian design studio CatzWolf to leaRn hoW it
tRansfoRmed oRdinaRy teapots and Cups into fine-looking feasts
project FocUS
Delicious
aDvertising
They were changed, of course, but this mostly only concerned the shape of the objects. The textures should be as natural, realistic and lush as possible. You should avoid over-retouching the image, though, as this can actually start to make it feel unrealistic to the viewer.
How was PHotosHoP used tHrougHout tHe Process?
What we have in the final images is actually a collage of many studio-shot fragments. They were carefully placed together using Photoshop and then retouched to make them look whole. We used Photoshop to add some volume and physicality to the image, making tweaks to the lighting and shade, and then some details were hand drawn onto the images to make them feel even more lifelike.
wHat PHotosHoP tools were useful in tHis Project and How did you go about using tHem?
We used the Liquify tool a lot during this project to deform and rebuild the various shapes of the pots and cups. Mainly, however, we used the usual set of correction tools and light and shade brushes for drawing by hand.
wHat were tHe main cHallenges you faced wHen creating tHese adverts? There were many challenges, but in truth the biggest one was the size of the posters! These were A1 and at 300dpi. This complicated everything from the material selection to the shooting session, and made the drawing and retouching process much longer than usual.
No single image stood out as being any more or less difficult than the others. They were all very similar to each other in terms of the process, different only from one another in the details. There were some standout elements, however. The dragon fruit, for example, has a very complicated shape, so we needed to divide it into several fragments first, and then put them back together in such a way as to form a handle and spout. The final image also needed to be covered with drops of water, which we had to draw in by hand during the last steps of the creative process.
Tom Altman is the CEO of Catzwolf, a company he founded in 2009 after five years of working at BBDO. The company started out working through freelancers, but soon adopted a studio workflow. Today, Catzwolf provides illustration, creative retouching, 3D, animation
and digital services such as web production, mobile app development and Flash projects.
Tom AlTmAn
about tHe studio
www.catzwolf.com
TAsTy TeApoTs
For CurTis
name of Project
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Y
ou would be surprised to learn the lengths that advertisers go to in order to sell you delicious-looking food. From using glue in the place of milk to actually varnishing hamburgers for that nice, tasty sheen, there are hundreds of tricks to make what is probably stale, cold food look tempting and delicious.A far less complex method of achieving the same goal is to simply fire up Photoshop. That’s what Russian studio Catzwolf did, at least, when hired to make a series of adverts for Curtis tea. However, the studio was more imaginative than simply adding some steam and condensation to cups of coffee. Catzwolf went all out, transforming teapots and cups into the embodiment of their contents. The result is a tantalising series of images that immediately illustrate the refreshing, thirst-quenching contents of the drinks in question in one quick glance.
We sat down with Tom Altman, CEO of Catzwolf, to discover exactly how the team went about achieving this goal.
can you give us a bit of background on tHe Project? wHat was tHe brief given to you by tHe client?
Out main goal was to create an amazingly realistic mix of fruit and tea ware in one simple image. The viewers needed to be able to almost taste the teapots and cups, and even to want to bite them! The creative agency
supplied us with detailed sketches, which helped us a great deal in understanding the
end goal of the project.
How mucH PHotograPHy was used in tHese images, and How
mucH of it was edited? The number of photographs used was different for each image we created. Some only required two or three, while others, such as the chocolate praline cup, needed about ten. For a project like this, you require top-quality photos when starting out, with lighting similar to that which the final image will have. This ensures that all the parts fit together nicely when it comes to manipulating the original photo.
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Photoshop is a big program with an extensive set of tools for raster graphics. However, we only use a limited number of tools and filters in our work. I would say that I wish the application was more stable, and worked without any failures or crashes. Although they are rare, they do happen, and they can really hold you back. Also, I would like to see a faster operation speed when working with big files. However, as a whole, Photoshop is a very well-balanced piece of software and I really can’t raise many complaints about it.
I would like to thank the authors for the back-up saving option introduced in the latest version. This new addition has saved us a lot of hassle in the past
following program failures. We no longer have to worry about losing work.
What tips Would you offer to others looking to create pieces like this? To begin with, you need an artistic education, or at least some traditional drawing skills either on paper or on a graphics tablet. Specifically, pay attention to details, but don’t forget the object’s image as a whole. You need to think about both to create a great piece of art.
Finally, practise a lot with graphic software. That is essential. Once you can use simple tools correctly and efficiently, good results will come naturally.
Elements like this spout needed to be carefully cut out from photos of the original orange. Shading was then carefully applied in order to give it a sense of depth and believable authenticity
Features such as the condensation making its way down the side of the teapot were hand drawn after using shade brushes, as were features such as the steam emanating from the spout
The size of the final image posters meant that much more attention needed to be given over to detail. Note the slightly rougher edges to the chocolate – this was a feature added during post-production
can you give us a little more detail on these stages? hoW did you add other elements such as the steam?
This is usually the final stage of the work, when the picture is almost ready. Water droplets, steam and some other small details that render the tea ware as more fresh and lifelike objects are put into the image at the end. We utilise maximum zoom and great photo references to ensure that everything looks right in the final image.
are there any tools that photoshop does not yet have that you Would like to see implemented?
STUDIO INTERVIEW
INVENTION COMES FIRST AT THIS STUDIO, WHERE INDIVIDUAL TALENTS
COMBINE TO CREATE EXTRAORDINARY ENTERTAINMENT. SEE HOW THEY’RE
USING PHOTOSHOP TOOLS TO HELP MAKE THIS HAPPEN
MOONBOT STUDIOS
EYE ON DESIGN
STUDIO INTERVIEW
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M
oonbot Studios began when friendships converged to form a place of outstanding individual talent. Partners Brandon Oldenburg, William Joyce and Lampton Enochs all had experience in different areas of the entertainment industry. The three teamed up to tell the stories they wanted to in new and exciting ways, on their terms and with their friends. They did this while operating out of Louisiana, USA.In fact, this shared passion for storytelling is essentially what continues to bind the latest team members together, now including art lead Joe Bluhm and artists Tyler Schatz and Christina Ellis. As individuals and as a collective, they strive to present work in every available medium – even those yet to be fully realised commercially. “It’s important to have every discipline covered by the best of the best, but a real passion for what we do is our team’s number
one asset. It’s our major strength,” explains creative partner Oldenburg.
Moonbot always keeps an eye out for exciting and innovative ways to deliver its projects. “A great example is the way we’ve dabbled in augmented reality,” Oldenburg reveals. “Projects include the IMAG-N-O-TRON app for our Morris Lessmore picture book and the Diggs Nightcrawler video game for the PlayStation Wonderbook.” However, he’s
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quick to warn that the gimmick is always secondary to the story. “We need to be certain that it makes sense for a story to be told in that medium before we work with it.”
The entire team share the belief that life is too short, which would explain Moonbot’s willingness to experiment no matter how precarious it may be. This leads to Oldenburg urging you to enjoy what you do. “We have to appreciate the process and the journey just as much as the final product,” he adds. “It’s cool when clients recognise your playful nature and it affirms you’re doing something right. This is how we are, and play is at the core of everything we do.”
Oldenburg describes most of the Moonbot team as generalists in terms of style, which allows them to produce many looks and end products. Each team member has a fundamental art skill, but must they also have multiple talents. This seems essential in the modern creative arena. “The same person that paints the backplate for a film might help design a character for a game,” explains Oldenburg. “If things change, we then have the ability to adapt to each and every circumstance.”
So far, Moonbot Studios has had a ‘build it and they will come’ approach. The studio’s first project,
The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore,
set a high standard. “We knew that our first foot forward had to be our best. It sets the bar for everything else you do,” reveals Oldenburg. “You’re only as good as the last thing you did. Our clients
eye on design
studio interview
We knew that our first foot
forward had to be our best.
It sets the bar for everything else
you do
acknowledge this quality and expect the same from everything they ask us to do.”
This means Moonbot’s commercial work can become very involved. With this in mind, Oldenburg makes sure the chemistry is right when working with clients. He explains: “As much as clients court us and kick our tires, we do the same to them. We want to make sure the brand we’re associated with meets our standards. This way, we’re invested in every project we take on and so are our clients.”
The team makes sure that the entire process is documented, with the intention of sharing as much of it as possible. “That’s one of our favourite parts of our ‘special sauce’,” muses Oldenburg. “I grew up on DVD extras and there’s a whole DIY community that wants to know how an end product was made.” Showing the world the cogs in their machines allows their audience to become more emotionally involved in all Moonbot Studios’ projects.
Moonbot is armed with the latest creative arsenal, allowing Oldenburg and his team to continue to
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Diggs Nightcrawler is a bookworm detective seeking to find out who pushed his pal Humpty Dumpty in Moonbot’s game for the PlayStation WonderbookDiggs Nightcrawler
character DesigN
See HoW MooNbot StuDioS DeSigNeD itS leaD cHaracter for DiggS NigHtcraWler uSiNg PHotoSHoP bleNDiNg MoDeS aND bruSHeS
Diggs Nightcrawler is Moonbot Studios’
latest video game for PlayStation’s Wonderbook augmented-reality platform. The project was created in collaboration with the Sony London Studio and Exient. “It’s a film noir, mother goose story about a bookworm detective who needs to find out who bumped Humpty off the wall,” explains art lead Joe Bluhm. “I relied heavily on reference material, including Humphrey Bogart’s appearances in film noir movies, to create the character design for Diggs Nightcrawler.”
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CharaCter variationsOnce the design is looking more three-dimensional, you can easily create variations using the Lasso tool and Transform functions. You can move around parts, then deform and distort them quickly, creating design variations to present to the team.
01
sketCh digitallyStart designing characters with sketches, both on paper and in Photoshop. Different opacity settings and blending mode options can emulate traditional light table or tracing paper techniques. This way of working gives more freedom to iterate.
06
Final lookOnce the design is nailed down and the team are happy with the direction, our technical artists create the 3D character you see in the video game. The more efficient we are with the art, the more time we have to spend on crafting the in-game details.
03
Create volumeCreate a new layer above the silhouette one and link both together. This new layer is the place to develop a sculpted version of the character. Clipping masks conveniently allow you to paint within a silhouette.
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adding Colour to diggsYou can paint on a new layer and colour the sculpted designs using blending modes such as Color and Overlay. This lets you quickly get a feel for how a final composition might look. You can also give your image an extra kick by adjusting Hue and Variations.
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reFine the sketChOnce the team likes a sketch, we flesh it out by painting more detail and volume. Change the sketch layer mode to Multiply and paint a silhouette on a layer underneath, creating a base for your painting so it looks more 3D.
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anticipate and experiment with innovative design processes. “We have Dell computers with tons of RAM so our artists can paint extremely large backplates for our animated films,” he explains.
Most of the Moonbot team use Wacom tablets, either Cintiq or Intuos. They also occasionally use Python to automate exporting images from Photoshop, based on different parameters for each project. “We use Photoshop almost exclusively when texturing 3D assets that are created in Maya, as well as for textures composited later in Nuke,” explains Oldenburg. “We use several other programs from the Adobe Creative Suite as well, from both version CS5 and CS6.”
Photoshop, however, is used in almost every phase of Moonbot’s workflow: whether it’s painting and illustrating books, designing app icons and interfaces, or texturing assets for games. “Heck, we even use it to produce model sheets, style frames, character design, storyboarding, point-of-sale displays and marketing material,” Oldenburg adds. Amazingly, he continues by saying, “but that’s just a tiny bit of how we use it.”
The team all use Layer Comps when storyboarding. “We’ll start by creating a frame in Photoshop, usually a layer for backgrounds and characters,” explains Oldenburg. “We’ll then group layers together for each shot. The Behind blend mode for brushes is useful for painting behind line drawings. We’ll then add a Layer Comp for each frame.” Hot keys are set up on each creative member of staff’s tablets so that they can quickly move through groups, seeing what’s working in the sequence and what is not.
Painting is a technique that is heavily involved in all of the studio’s concept and illustration work, so Photoshop brushes have become a vital part of the
Moonbot toolkit. “As we’re developing a visual style for a project, we’ll download or create brushes to share among the team,” Oldenburg tells us. “This is helpful because it keeps the style consistent among artists with different approaches.”
Speed is of the essence at a commercial studio like Moonbot, and Oldenburg does admit to being hard set on ensuring this mantra is stuck to. “I’m always analysing how much time it takes to create something. Speed is really important, so that we can have the time on the back end to make a project great,” he explains. “I want to get to the final idea as soon as possible. To do that, you’ve got to get
through a bunch of bad ideas fast. It’s easy to be precious with things too soon.”
Although Adobe Photoshop lets you work at the required pace, it will not do all the hard work for you, you have to do this yourself. Neither will the other advanced software. “Diverse skills, love of storytelling and being really, really good at what you do are also essential,” admits Oldenburg. “Draw from life and do this a lot. Many members of our team have known they wanted to work at a place like this since they were six years of age. It’s love at first sight because of their passion. It’s like we’ve been waiting to meet them our whole lives.”
eye on design
studio interview
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF CHrIsTINA ELLIs
Christina is Currently working on art for Moonbot’s upCoMing piCture book, the nuMberlys. she takes the tiMe to share her day
09:00
Look up inspirationIn the morning, I usually try to find something cute and fun to keep on my computer monitor throughout the day.
09:30
Work on thumbnaiLsToday, I’m working on the cover of The Numberlys picture book, so I started with thumbnail sketches from William Joyce.
11:00
making brushesI’ve made and modified some Photoshop brushes to use on the illustrations for The
Numberlys book.
11:15
adding textureThis is one of the brushes I’m working with today. I’ve shared it with Kenny Callicutt, another artist working on the project.
12:00
reference materiaLWe have a big reference library at Moonbot and I have really enjoyed checking out Little
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13:00
Changing the hueThe Numberlys is mostly a
monochromatic book, but sometimes I add a sepia tone using Hue/Saturation.
14:00
time for a breakWhenever I need a rest, I sketch on the back of printouts. I’m here nine hours a day, so breaks are important.
15:00
adding texturesThis afternoon, I’m using Quick Masks in Photoshop to add a different texture to this part of the illustration.
16:00
dolls on my deskI keep dolls and toys on my desk, which are sometimes cute and sometimes creepy. They help me to stay inspired.
17:00
end of the dayI report the time I’ve worked on the project in our time-tracking system at the end of every day. This helps us stay organised.
Top 5
producTion Tips
At Moonbot, we’re AlwAys trying to find better wAys to collAborAte, off And online
■ brainstorm ideas
Go through 99 bad ideas as fast as you can because the 100th one will be great. Quick iteration is incredibly valuable. Nothing is too precious at the start of a project.
■ CommuniCate regularly
Stand up, walk away from the computer and talk to the people around you. This makes your ideas better and it’s much more fun to involve others.
■ prioritise tasks
Get to work early. Start the day by looking at your to-do lists and prioritise. Doing this every day helps you focus your efforts. ■ take a break
Your professional work is only as good as the time spent off work. You need to find a balance. Great work doesn’t come from working all day, every day, for your entire life.
■ get organised
We collaborate all the time and pass PSDs from artist to artist. Having your layers and files organised makes the whole
process a lot easier. Just be sure to name layers appropriately. All im
ag es © M oo nb ot st ud io s
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MATTE PAINT FROM A RENDER
JACEK PILARSKI
http://jacekpilarski.comDigital matte painter Jacek Pilarski explains how to create an image from a 3D render. “The most important thing at the beginning is to get the right shape from renders. Everything else, like colours and additional details, can be corrected or added in Photoshop along with photos and painting retouches. There are a few ways of creating 3D matte painting. Personally, I like to build my scene around one render.”
© Jacek Pilarski
TIPS FOR
DESIGNERS
PROFESSIONAL
PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS AND DESIGNERS SHARE THEIR ESSENTIAL TIPS TO HELP
YOU TAKE YOUR ARTWORK TO THE NEXT LEVEL
01
THE 3D RENDER“Height Map from National Map Viewer is a fast way to create believable terrain. After saving the map with MICRODEM, I improved the quality using World Machine and its erosion node. I also exported Flow and Deposition maps for distribution in Vue.”
02
ADD SKY TO SET THE MOOD“I created two clipping masks set to Multiply and Lighten, filled with the cloud and distant sky colours, which were manipulated using Opacity and Curves. I added sunlight on a duplicate layer set to Screen mode and again adjusted with Curves.”
03
FINISHING TOUCHES“Finally, I added textures and renders, and painted in elements like foliage and the figure. Since I wanted to imply more action with motion blur, I painted most of the elements in the first plane instead of modelling them, to speed up the process.”
© M ik e C am pa u ■ Colour grading
“To finish each image, I applied some colour grading using a combination of photo filters, Curves and Gradient Maps” ■ Shadows
“I created shadows cast from the sculpture on the dancer and vice versa. Doing this correctly is key to making composites believable”
■ Render
“Using alphas from the render and creating custom masks to isolate the dancers, I had to carefully intertwine the two together”
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MIKE CAMPAU
www.mikecampau.com Digital artist Mike Campau created this image as part of the ‘Motion in
Air’ series. Each image freezes a moment of time in a dancer’s aerial maneuver
and turns them into static sculptures that represent their motion and style.
“Original dancer shots were stock photography and stylised to fit within the scene. The sculptures and stage areas were created entirely with CGI using Luxology’s MODO. The key to blending the CGI render and the stock photo is to match up their lighting setups. In this case, I was starting with a photograph, so I had to harmonise lighting in CGI to make sure all the highlights and shadows matched colour, intensity and direction.”
BLEND CGI AND
PHOTOSHOP
created this image as part of the ‘Motion in Air’ series. Each image freezes a moment
of time in a dancer’s aerial maneuver and turns them into static sculptures
that represent their motion and style. “Original dancer shots were stock photography and stylised to fit within the scene. The sculptures and
The key to
blending the
CGI render and the
stock photo is to
match up their
lighting setups
MIKE CAMPAU /
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USE GRADIENT
SHAPES EFFECTIVELY
ARI WEINKLE
http://ariweinkle.comAri Weinkle is an artist and designer who has been working in the industry for six years, during which time he has worked for clients such as Adobe and Shutterstock. He created this geometric artwork, The Alternative Of Two, using Photoshop’s Shape tools and Gradient options. “Gradient shapes are a key part of my workflow. In this artwork, they add another layer of depth. To see this effect in action, begin by creating a triangle using the Polygon tool and changing
the number of sides to three in the settings. From there, set the Fill to a two-colour gradient at a 90-degree angle. Duplicate your triangle by pressing Cmd/Ctrl+J. Next, position the new layer to the right of your base layer. Use the Direct Selection tool to grab the top point of the shape and drag it over to the left so that it is at the same point as the previous shape layer. Then, grab the point at the bottom-right and drag it so that it is above the left corner, creating a faux 3D pyramid. Finally, change the angle of the gradient to 130 degrees under the Fill options. Using this technique with different types of shapes can create incredibly varied results.
Alternatively, you can combine different colour gradients to create a more surreal effect.” © Ari Weinkle 2013
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CREATE SYMMETRY
IN GRAPHICS
LUCA MOLNAR
www.lucamolnar.com Illustrator and painter Luca Molnar knows how important it is to balance an illustration. “Creating symmetry is very easy to do in Photoshop; it can also really make a piece stand out. Just Ctrl/right-click on the layer containing your object, choose Duplicate Layer, then go to Edit>Transform and choose Flip Horizontal or Flip Vertical. Now place your new object next to your previous one to make your composition symmetric. Use guides to make sure it is all in the right place.”FORM HARMONY
AMONG OBJECTS
JONATHAN FOERSTER
www.atleastwedream.com Digital artist Jonathan Foerster uses an array of different elements in his work, from stock photography to 3D rendered objects. “When piecing elements together, I generally use colour correction, saturation adjustments, contrast adjustments and the brushing of highlights and shadows using different blend modes. This gives the [impression] that objects are in the same space and lighting. When finalising the piece, I make these adjustments as well to ensure harmony as a whole.”DON’T FAKE IT
DAVID COUSENS
www.coolsurface.com For designer David Cousens, one of the vital ingredients to good artwork is authenticity. “Take the time to research the subject and content of your designs: look at reference photos, watch films, read up about the subject in books or visit a relevant place. Your research will inform you and filter into your artwork, and your audience will recognise the authentic details and be impressed. When you try to fake details, somebody will always notice. Being well informed helps to avoid making any silly mistakes”.USE A MOOD BOARD TO PLAN PROJECTS
ALEXANDER OTTO
www.alexanderotto.com
Alexander Otto is an art director and designer who has been in the industry for seven years. He has worked for some impressive clients, such as Alfa Romeo, Redbull, Mazda and Chanel. Otto was given the opportunity to work on style frames for the Infiniti FX50 project, on behalf of Parasol Island (www.parasol-island.com). The main idea was to figure out how they could integrate the car into a dark and foreboding landscape. “Before I start a new project, the first thing that I do is find reference images and use these to create a rough mood board. This helps you to visualise the direction and idea that you plan to go with, but it also makes sure that you and the client are on the same page before you head too deep into your design. As soon as a clear design direction is set, you can spend the hours making your design work and look beautiful, but before that you should make sure everything is set. That not only saves you time later on, but also keeps you from becoming frustrated and unmotivated.”
A lot of detail went into these style frames to ensure that the final result was well integrated
The style frames were created using lots of different photographic sources, perfectly composited together
© L uc a M ol na r 2 01 3 © Jonathan Foerster © A le xa nd er O tt o © David Cousens
TECHNIQUES
15 TIPS FOR PROFESSIONAL DESIGNERS
030
USE SHADOWS/HIGHLIGHTS
TO BLEND STOCK
MARIO SÁNCHEZ NEVADO
http://aegis-strife.netMario Sánchez Nevado created this colourful composite as an advertising poster for artistic collective Hysterical Minds’ (www.hystericalminds.com) exhibition at the Parallax Art Fair, London 2012. “When I build photomanipulations, I need several stock photographs from many different sources, such as stock image websites or my own photography. The quality, lighting and other specifications tend to be quite different from each other, so my main goal is to homogenise them and make them look as if they were taken in the same shoot. My preferred method for this is to use Shadows/Highlights, which you can find in the Image>Adjustments menu. It allows you to correct over and underexposed areas of the photos, lightening or darkening pixels according to the overall luminance of the picture. This is very useful for creating a consistent light spectrum across the different stock files. Depending on their original lighting conditions (intensity, direction, harshness etc), you can use settings to achieve similar lighting [across all of the photographs].”
© Mario Sánchez Nevado
BUILD UP YOUR
ILLUSTRATIONS
STEVE SIMPSON
www.stevesimpson.com Steve Simpson produced these labels and neck hangers for El Mariachi, a Mexican wine. He was initially engaged by branding agency IKON BC just to illustrate the neck hangers, but later was given the opportunity to design and illustrate the labels. “The agency supplied a template for the hangers, over which I sketched my three amigos. Once approved, I scanned them into Photoshop and used them as a base for my illustration. First, I copied the pencil drawing onto a new layer, reduced its opacity and set it to Multiply, allowing me to use it as a guide for rendering the layers beneath it. Using the Shape tool, I traced the main elements of the characters onto multiple layers and adjusted the colours accordingly. I then rasterised the shapes, locked down the transparency, and using a textured brush, added depth, light and shade. I spend a lot of time tweaking colours using the Hue/Saturation slider. To give the colours a little more depth, I added a couple of layers of scanned-in paper textures, one set to Multiply for shadows and the second set to Linear Dodge for highlights.”031
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© T im ef lie s, P er tt u M ur toADD CONTRAST AND HIGHLIGHTS
PERTTU MURTO
www.perttumurto.com
This image, One Night, is an EP cover for a band called Timeflies, and was created by Perttu Murto. Here, he shares his technique for giving an image some final contrast and highlights, making artwork look and feel like a professional package. First, you need a flattened or merged layer of everything you have done, and then you need to duplicate that layer. “Go to Filter>Other>High Pass and change the Radius value as you wish, experimenting to find the right value for your piece. After that, change the High Pass layer to Overlay and then play with the opacity.”
WORK WITH
MIXED MEDIA
DARIUSZ SZWEDO
www.d-sphotography.co.ukAdd interest to your digital artwork by incorporating traditional media, as photographer Dariusz Szwedo did in this graphics based image. “The main image was from a set of photographs of my friend and some stock photos. In order to achieve the paint effect, I have scanned in some ink splashes which I made myself, as well as some brush presets. Several shapes were also brought into the image: simple circles as well as some lines were created with the Polygon tool. Finally, shadows were done with a simple selection filled with black and a Gaussian Blur set to about 500.” ©D ar ius z S zwe do ■ High Pass “A High Pass layer is often used to sharpen images in Photoshop and is commonly used by pros”
■ Great effects
“Using this method should give your image better contrast, make it sharper and boost your highlights”
■ Final touch
“If you make any additional changes to your image, you will need to redo the High Pass effect”
The quality,
lighting and other
specifications of the
stock photographs I
use tend to be quite different
from each other, so my main
goal is to homogenise them and
make them look as if they were
taken in the same shoot. To do
this, I use Shadows/Highlights
© B ar t v an L ee uw en
SOURCE THE
RIGHT
PHOTOGRAPHY
BART VAN LEEUWEN
www.oedipoes.com Bart van Leeuwen’s amazingly detailed photomanipulations are the result of carefully selected photographic elements. “BM-Doublicious (shown here) is made out of several more or lessrecognisable parts, such as the front of a car (for the body) and a gas turbine (for the gun).” The best thing that you can do for your photomanipulations is to spend a few minutes working out what kind of photography you need, so that you can search with a purpose. For this image, van Leeuwen was looking for “shiny metallic parts; a reflective car door or a motorcycle helmet, for example.”
BUILD A BRILLIANT BACKDROP
RICHARD ROBERTS
http://richardbroberts.comRichard Roberts created this image for Tiger Beer’s Tiger Translate, which aims to celebrate global creativity through exposure to different cultures and experiences. Bringing creative artists from the East and West together, they showcase their artistic collaborations spanning the areas of music, design and art, fashion, dance, photography and more.
“One of the key features in designing this piece was creating a soft Asian mountain backdrop. Compiling a few images together with different layer blending modes, specifically Overlay and Soft Light, did this. The key is to start with a very soft plain background such as calm clouds. After that, bring in your mountain stock photos and use Overlay or Soft Light, and mess around with the opacity.
I usually turn the images I am laying down to black and white by desaturating them so that they pick up the colours of the base image. So, for example, my base image was a soft, calm blue cloud photo. I laid a dark contrasted black-and-white mountain photo on top of that and played with the blending mode. Overall, this is a fantastic tip when trying to achieve an almost silhouetted background in your image. It can also be done with trees, which looks fantastic. It can really give your piece that extra edge.”
© R ic ha rd R ob er ts
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001 | Work to a guide“For the overall composition, I used a few photographs of female models as guidelines, onto which I placed the photographic parts”
002 | Use similar photos
“The key to making it all believable is consistency of the photographic parts [in terms of] contrast, colour and lighting”
003 | Get creative
“Even the limbs and headgear in this artwork are made from photographs, which can be manipulated to fit their intended use in the image”
004 | Key tools
“Essential tools for this kind of image are quite basic: the Pen tool for cutting out and the Warp tool for deforming stock”
001
002
003
004
I usually turn the images I am laying down
to black and white by desaturating them so
they pick up the colours of the base image
CREATING WEB TEMPLATES
RADIM MALINIC
www.brandnu.co.ukFor art director Radim Malinic, the ability to save HTML-ready web mock-ups in Photoshop is an invaluable tool. “The majority of clients will not understand the website sizing from a PDF or JPEG. In fact, it manages to confuse most of the less-savvy clients, but it is easy to demonstrate the final design in a browser without writing a line of code. The option ‘Save for Web’ will generate the ‘index.html’ with an image folder, all ready for an upload to your test server. There’s also an option to slice the design directly from guides to make the HTML mock-up even quicker.”
CREATE ATMOSPHERE
VALP MACIEJ HAJNRICH
www.valpnow.comGraphic illusionist Maciej Hajnrich is a master of mood: “Building an appropriate atmosphere was one of the main goals for this artwork. To achieve this mixture of dark ambient lightning, I was using adjustment layers including Exposure and Curves. I grouped key elements, such as the background, head and groups of painted roots, and changed their blending mode to Normal. This allowed me to make colour corrections within each group without affecting others. There is another nice trick to keeping a dark image saturated at the same time: change the blending mode of the Exposure layer to Luminosity.”
© Rad im M al in ic © V al p M ac ie j H aj nr ic h
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Contributors
ADAM SPIZAK
WWW.SPIZAK.COM
Digital illustrator Adam Spizak lives by the Oil Paint filter, using it to produce the exciting, vibrant style seen throughout his portfolio of work.
STEVE SIMPSON
HTTP://STEVESIMPSON.COM Award-winning illustrator Steve Simpson uses only a few filters, to create believable imitations of traditional print effects in his projects.RADIM MALINIC
WWW.BRANDNU.CO.UK
Art director Radim Malinic strongly believes that well thought out filter application improves the editorial images for his clients.
ARCHAN NAIR
HTTP://ARCHANN.NET
Art director Archan Nair uses every filter at his disposal and any that suits his surreal mixed media style at that point of his invention. © A rc ha n N ai r
