Objective
To learn advanced Photoshop texturing and masking techniques by recreating the art below:
Discussion
Although Photoshop can create many different kinds of textures, most of them tend to look digital and artificial. The ultimate marble texture will always be a photograph of real marble. However, a digital "marble" rendering can be used as an abstract texture to convey mood, especially if colorized.
Procedure
removing the green background
- download starter files
- open "singer.jpg" in Photoshop
- rename "background" layer "singer"
- new layer "black", fill with black; restack below "singer"
- select > color range: sample range of green (tool=add to sample, preview=black matte; invert=yes, fuzziness=?)
- duplicate "singer" layer
- layer > layer mask > reveal selection
- load selection (cmd+click on mask thumbnail)
- select > refine edge
- duplicate "singer" layer again
- layer > layer mask > reveal selection
- select > modify > contract
- duplicate "singer" layer again
- layer > layer mask > reveal selection
- delete uneeded layers
- clean up mask
- save as "singer.psd"
creating marble texture
- file > new "marble.psd" (450 x 450px @ 150ppi; bg=white)
- choose default colors (D)
- filter > render > different clouds (cmd+F to re-render)
- filter > other > offset (225px both directions)
- spot healing brush tool: erase edges
- filter > other > offset (-225px both directions)
- retouch if necessary
- edit > define pattern "marble"
creating the composite
- file > new "singer+texture.psd" (9 x 9in x 150 ppi; bg=white)
- edit > fill: pattern "marble"
- retouch: brush tool: window > brushes: wet media (flyout menu)
- duplicate "background" layer, rename "marble"
- image > adjust > hue/saturation: colorize=yes
- duplicate "marble" layer, rotate 45°, layer mode=lighter color;
scale larger
- duplicate "background" layer, restack to top, opacity=50%
- filter > blur > gaussian blur (3)
- layer > new adjustment layer > levels: make less contrasty
- new layer "spotlight" (layer mode=multiply)
- edit > fill: 50% gray
- filter > render > lighting effects: spotlight (pointing down)
- move tool: drag "singer" layer into "texture+singer.psd"
- adjust scale and position of spotlight
adding color
- file > new "color.psd" (3 x 3in x 150ppi; bg=white)
- window > channels
- draw a different gradient on each channel
- window > layers
- move tool: drag color layer into "texture+singer.psd"
- restack to below spotlight; opacity=25%
- adjust scale and position
grading
- print, submit color laser proof with your name on it for grading
- file graded proof in your Process Book for individual review
other textures (optional)
- file > new "textures.psd" (3 x 3in x 150ppi; bg=white)
- new layer "paper"; fill with white
- filter > noise > add noise (25%, gausssian, monochromatic)
- filter > blur > gaussian blur (.5)
- filter stylize > emboss
- new layer "fiber"; fill with white
- filter > render > fibers (variance=high, strength=low, randomize)
- new layer "wood"; fill with white
- filter > render > fibers (variance=low, strength=high, randomize)
- new layer, repeat with medium settings; layer mode=soft light
- layer > merge down (cmd+E)
- filter > liquify
- new layer "weave"; fill with white
- filter > render > fibers (variance=low, strength=high, randomize)
- duplicate layer, rotate 45°; layer mode=lighten
- new layer "rock"; fill with white
- window > channels: new channel
- filter > render > different clouds (cmd+F to re-render)
- window > layers
- filter > render > lighting effects (directional light, texture=alpha 1, white equals high=yes