Ryujin's Photoshop Thread

[Ryujin88]

I figured I'd share some photoshop knowledge while experimenting with styles and stuff for my
Combat Simulation Project mod.

Hopefully seeing how I made a photo will show you a few new tricks or approaches. Feel free to post any interesting pictures or techniques you have.

Picture 1: Night Vision Battle
In this first picture I'm going to take a day photo and turn it into an night battle seen
through night vision.

Start:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2593/...1d3563d0_b.jpg
Finish:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3515/...22b0cb73_o.jpg

*Note I am not going to add NVGs as that consists of hunting for the perfectly angled photos
to cut and add. If you do find the correct photos, just cut them out/scale and add them before
you do anything else. It's pretty easy once you find em.

Here's what you need:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2593/...1d3563d0_b.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2502/...c26c9697_b.jpg


-So I've got the photo open in my photoshop CS3 (yeah, I know). First thing I notice is its
got some odd lens blur. Not too bad considering I'm going to end up with an NVG effect, but it
could use a little softening.*
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o...bucket/1-1.jpg

-We first make a duplicate layer (right click on layer -> duplicate) of the background called
"soft layer"
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o...bucket/2-1.jpg

-Next we need a very soft filter to apply, I use "crosshatch" (filters->brush
strokes->crosshatch). Note the settings.
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o...bucket/3-1.jpg

-Now we need to make it somewhat transparent so it sits over the original image and gives a
subtle effect. To do this I use the eraser with a low opacity setting and carefully rub away
the soft layer until I see the result I want. Doing it this way makes it less uniform over the
image and gives greater control/feedback. You can click the eye icon to toggle your soft layer
invisible to see the resulting effect compares to the original photo.
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o...n_bucket/4.jpg

-Since the base photo has been touched up we can move to adding the A-10. Open the A-10 photo
and use the magic wand to select all the blue sky around the plane. Then go to select ->
inverse and copy paste the plane into the main photo. Scale down to a more reasonable size a
put it under the soft layer.
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o...n_bucket/5.jpg

-Now we need to do the basic NVG effect. SAVE first as flattening the image is next. Right
click on any layer and select "flatten image". This will merge all the layers. Next we want to
adjust the saturation down. Go to image->adjustments->hue/saturation. Reduce the saturation by 30.

-Now we need to adjust the lighting by blacking out the sky and bright lighting. Create a new
layer and paint it solid black. Now set the eraser to some giant size and 20% opacity and
wipe over the entire layer without letting go of the left mouse button until its evenly
transparent. This will deaden the brightness more throughly than just adjusting the sliders,
which tends to leave you with a bright sky. Now go roughly over the foreground with the eraser
to lighten it up while leaving the sky pretty dark.
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o...n_bucket/6.jpg

-Next we go to image->adjustments-Black and white, check the "tint" box, click on the color
box and enter the color # 045a01. Now we have our Nvg effect
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o...n_bucket/7.jpg

-Muzzle flash for the guy on the far right is up next. Make a new layer. Get out your paint
brush, select white, 35% opacity, 10% flow. Start with several strokes from the flash hider
out, then do a few up, down, and at angles to give the look of the flash hider dispersing the
flash a bit. Use a few strokes to add a little lighting to the soldier.
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o...n_bucket/8.jpg

-Now double click on the muzzle flash layer to open the layer effects panel and we're going to
add some outer glow. Set the glow color to a light green and note the settings in the pic.
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o...n_bucket/9.jpg

-Up next is the MG gunner's IR laser. Start with a white line 5 px thick. Right click on the
layer and rasterize it.
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o..._bucket/10.jpg

-Now we select it with the magic wand and apply the light outer glow like the muzzle flash.
Settings in the pic.
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o..._bucket/11.jpg

-Now chop up the laser with your eraser with various opacities to give the laser a look like
its catching on dust in the air.
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o..._bucket/12.jpg

-You should be pretty familer with the glow effect by now. Draw two(or however many) dots for
your flares on a new layer and on another layer draw some smoke. Apply glow to the flares.
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o..._bucket/13.jpg

-And we add now the finishing touches, flatten the image and use film grain to add NVG grain and washout.
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o..._bucket/14.jpg

[InstantWarfare]

Ryujin. Excellent Idea.

I shall have a good look at this. I am going to try Gimp myself. But I'm sure this will be a great help

TYVM

Edit:

Thanks for the tutorial. it's really helpful.

I really like shot 6... just before you add the green. Do you have that stage as a photo? If so, could you please post it? I'd like a copy of that TY

Also. Not being picky.. I just noticed...shouldn't there be a glow on back end of plane?


I really like the Final Photo too. Thanks for spending time to help noobs like me

[Ryujin88]

Originally Posted by InstantWarfare

I really like shot 6... just before you add the green. Do you have that stage as a photo? If so, could you please post it? I'd like a copy of that TY

I'll recreate it and post it later.

Originally Posted by InstantWarfare

Also. Not being picky.. I just noticed...shouldn't there be a glow on back end of plane?

Good point. Just needs a little white brushing like the muzzle flash. The pic got kind of rushed as I wanted to get it done before I went to bed. The laser could also use a bit more chopping now that I look at it. But generally that's why its a good idea to show your work to people .

Originally Posted by InstantWarfare

I really like the Final Photo too. Thanks for spending time to help noobs like me

No problem

If anyone has any requests, post em!

[Raider65]

WOW! That's really neat R88. Can you do that with paint? Paint is all I got.

[Ryujin88]

Unfortunately, no. That's why photoshop costs so much, its 10x more powerful software.

Try Gimp, its not quite as powerful as photoshop, but its free. I think you *should* be able to do everything I showed in Gimp too, but I don't know how different the controls are.

http://www.gimp.org/

[Fozzy Bear]

I admit, your night vision did make me scratch my head. If you can make another Photoshopper scratch his head and think how the beep did he do that, then you are a god.

[Ryujin88]

Originally Posted by Fozzy Bear

I admit, your night vision did make me scratch my head. If you can make another Photoshopper scratch his head and think how the beep did he do that, then you are a god.

Thanks. I've had too much free time to play with photoshop and my fair share of "how the beep did he do that?" moments to learn from (and now pass on). Not so much in terms of night vision, but the basics of layers, filters, and layer effects that I use to build this and other pictures. The key thing about this NVG pic is not only can you make NVG effects, but I'm sure you can find a million uses for the basic techniques involved. Once you know them you can do all sorts of things with this new set of "tools".

I'll have another tutorial out pretty soon, with another set of commonly unknown techniques. I think I'll try to work shadows, more soft effects, lighting, smoke/fire, extending the picture, and explosions into the next one. Might be a bit of a crazy picture...

[InstantWarfare]

"commonly unknown techniques" LMFAO Can't wait. Cheers

[Tim Dowdell]

I'm a web developer and graphic designer and Your doing a great job.

[InstantWarfare]

Welcome to the forum Tim. I hope we are going to see some of your graphic designs.