Part Two: Create Dimension with Shading

I like to use adjustment layers because they are editable later on. This adjustment layer will also affect all the layers below it at once. Which is what we want.

1. Click on the Create new fill or adjustment layer icon at the bottom of the Layers panel.
2. Select Hue/Saturation.

Hue/Saturation Adjustment Layer

3. In the Adjustments panel, slide the Lightness down to -75 (CS3 users: just make this adjustment in the dialog box that appears and click OK).

Reduce the Lightness

4. Now we need a fancy layer mask to control the lights and darks. Lucky, this new adjustment layer already has a layer mask for us to start with. Click on the layer mask thumbnail, which is the white rectangle on the layer.
5. Press the D key to change the foreground and background colors to the default of black and white.


Default Colors

6. Select the Gradient tool.
7. In the Control panel, click on the dropdown arrow next to the gradient (Click to open Gradient picker).
8. Select the first gradient, Foreground to Background.
9. Finally, click on the Reflected Gradient icon.


Gradient Settings

10. Draw a gradient on the layer mask: start in the center between the two eye opeinings, and drag out to just past the left eye. Hold the Shift key down to keep the gradient perfectly straight. This gradually reveals the lighter areas in the center of the face.


Gradient on the Layer Mask

11. Now we need to hide the darkness around the face:
    1. Keep the adjustment layer selected in the Layer panel
    2. Press Ctrl (Cmd on Mac) and click on the layer mask thumbnail on the face layer (the rectangle with the black and white face image). this puts a selection around the shape of the face.
    3. Select > Inverse
    4. Edit > Fill; Use: Black


Refine the Layer Mask

12. Press Ctrl+D (Cmd+D on the Mac) to deselect.
13. Save your file.

 

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Category: Photoshop, Tutorials

Tags: adjustment layers, blend modes, filters, layer effects, layer masks, paths, Photoshop, transform

 

Comments

2 Comments

• 

  By Candice Kennedy, 03/22/2009 @ 12:39 pm

  I teach Sci Vis 1 and 2 in Greensboro, NC and the art teacher showed me your website. I think its great! I plan to have my students go to your website – especially the graffiti lesson because so many of my high school age boys are very into the art style of graffiti. Being able to take their interest and my goal of learning photoshop and combine them makes my class so much more fun to teach and learn in! Thanks for this website! – Ms. Kennedy
• 

  By Dawn Pedersen, 03/23/2009 @ 4:47 pm

  You’re welcome, Candice! Scientific Visualization sounds like a very interesting course.

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