Gang, creating photo manipulation of wedding images is getting more and more popular. And for a good reason too. Wedding photos make great polygon for Photoshop exhibitions and I made one too :)

So, if you are interested to learn about wedding photo manipulation, here is a little tutorial!

Ingredients:

1. Here’s my choice for today’s Wedding Photo Manipulation.

• For this tutorial you will have to use your own image of the bride, but, just for learning purposes you could use any image
• Trees (download here)
• Sky with clouds (download here)
• Moon (wikipedia download from Luc Viatour)
• Mr. Alphons I, Mr. Alphons II
• Photoshop brushes Hearts

Once got our ingredients ready, together with a cup coffee, let’s dive into it.

1. Since I had the image in RAW format, I tweaked it during the import

- in Lightroom I used Color Creative CP2 preset.

If you don’t use Lightroom, here are the color preferences for RAW in Photoshop:

2. Now apply same color preferences for the two background images

3. Open the image with the trees. This will be the main background.

4. Place an image with the clouds above the background image and use the “Hard Light” layer option, with 57% Opacity.

5. And now, let’s clean it up a bit.

1. Add layer mask on the image with the clouds.
2. Draw a rectangle in the “mask area”.
3. Fill the rectangle with a gradient: from black to none (empty). The grass is hidden and the clouds will fit well in the scene.

6. Let’s copy the main background image (with the trees) using “Multiply” layer option, Opacity is at 68%

7. Lighten the grass in the front of the scene, because we want to emphasize the front. Add a layer mask, and again: draw a rectangle and fill it with a gradient: from black to none (empty)

8. Open the image with the bride and using the Quick Mask option “color” erase the background. Simply turn off Quick Mask when you are done and invert the selection area then erase it.

9. Now add a bride in the scene, just drag and drop. Place it under the tree and using Burn Tool darken the areas that will be in the shadow.

10. Using the Burn Tool darken the grass – create the shadow behind the bride, drawing shadow on the main background image.

11. Now, let’s add the moon. Open the moon file and using Elliptical Marquee Tool and “Shift” key draw a circled selection. Invert the selection and cut out the moon.

12. Color the moon with blue using Hue/Saturation.
First, set the foreground color.
Open Image – Adjustment – Hue/Saturation and check the Colorize option. Click OK, it’s done. The moon is blue.

13. Now create a layer set and change the set option into “Color Dodge”. Drag and drop the moon image into that layer set.

14. Now, copy the background with the trees as many times as you want to achieve the night feeling in the scene. I copied it four times. Merge all 5 layers (background images with the trees).

15. Now use the Dodge Tool, and lighten the image below the moon creating the moonlight effect.

Set up the Dodge Tool as shown.

16. Create a new layer in the layer set with “Color Dodge” style. Add some Hearts brushes (various sizes) and apply Filter – Blur – Gaussian Blur. Create another layer and repeat the same, but use less Gaussian Blur in order to create 3D effect. (How to instal and use Hearts Photoshop brushes – design an unique wedding invitation – video tutorial MP4)

17. Also use simple brush, with 0% Hardness and approx 30 px size.

18. I added a sleeping cat too. The process is the same as for the bride.

19. Another cat (same my Mr. Alphons) is added behind the tree trunk. Of, course, he is not behind the tree but dark bark was good to hide his body…

And here is out final result! Voila!

My cousin loved it, I hope you like it too!

In case you liked the Hearts Photoshop brushes touch, these are available in my Photoshop brushes store with commercial license so you can create commercial projects with them.

That’s all folks! Talk soon!
Silvia

P.S.

Our 250 color postcards give-away contest is still on [ends on 26 January 2012]! So, hurry up and enroll, nothing to do really just leave a comment… read more –>

I noticed, ever since I started my Photoshop brushes business that many of my buyers are using Photoshop brushes to create their own custom stamps. And this is, mainly, for two different purposes (which sometimes overlap).

1. They use these stamps in their own DIY projects like scrapbooking or similar
2. And more often then not, they use Photoshop brushes to create designs for stamps which are then being sold to stamp buyers.

And this is all well. The whole idea behind my Photoshop brushes is to help you guys, not just create stuff for your own needs, but also to help you create new stuff out of it (like rubber stamps) and make some money along the way.

There are quite a few services out there offering custom stamps. Most of them offer quick and easy on-line stamp creation. Of course, although most of you will be interested in creation of custom stamps for your scrapbooking and DiY craft needs, still, you might want to have your own signature stamps as well. Or you might want to have  a stamp with your logo on it.

So, in this little exercise, I wanted to see for myself how fast and how easy it is to create your own logo stamp with a little help from Photoshop brushes.

And, believe me, it was faster then I though. Before starting the process there are few rules to know.

1. First, the image you’d like to have on your stamp must be in full black color. Your stamp can, later on, be in red or other color, but the image you are uploading must be black.
2. Resolution of the image must be 300dpi. My brushes are in high resolution so this is not a problem.
3. File formats: cdr, ai, eps, tif, psd, jpg, gif and pdf. Of course, in this case .jpg is probably our choice

So, the procedure is quite simple, create a new file in Photoshop, make it a desired size, but the resolution must be 300dpi, add a Photoshop brush which you’d like to turn into stamp and save the file in .jpg format. (Notice: You might want to crop image so that the blank space between the brush and the edge of the image is maximally reduced.)

Now, step two, on the stampxpress.com, you will go to “Design Your Own Stamp” option and upload the file. You may choose to have up to 20 lines in your stamp but in most of the cases, 3 should be enough. You also get to choose the font type, size, attribute (bold, italic, underline) and the alignment.

And this is how I created a stamp for Graphics-Illustrations.Com.

Finally, many of you will go and look for discount stamps. For these, as well stampxpress.com is probably the right address.

Gang, it’s here, finally, 2012 is here.

I hope you had fun on the New Years Eve. For me it was not bad at all. Actually, I can’t remember when was the last time I danced so much :)

Well, now we’re back to the track ;) and it’s time, again, to make some useful stuff for you guys. And I hope you will like this one because, today, I proudly bring you

300dpi, print ready, Legal/A3 size, Calender 2012 – free download 

I prepared two versions: horizontal and vertical so it’s up to you to decide which one will fit to your “creative wall” better.

Horizontal Printable 2012 Calendar – Legal/A3 size

Free Printable 2012 Calendar  Download (Horizontal)

Vertical Printable 2012 Calendar – Legal/A3 size

Free Printable 2012 Calendar Download (Vertical)

In case you were wondering, I managed to create this Calender rather quickly (you could create a Calender like this in minutes actually). How? Why?

Well, easy. You probably guessed. I used the following Photoshop brushes to make it:

Swirled Trees Photoshop brushes set

- 20+20 Photoshop brushes
- Bonus trees brushes set (46+46) – trunk is separated from tree top for easier coloring
- Compatible with Photoshop 7.0 up to CS5- Compatible with Photoshop Elements 3.0 and newer versions
- Also compatible with PC/Mac
- COMMERCIAL LICENSE

Video Tutorial on how to use Swirled Trees Brushes Set: How to Use Swirled Trees Brushes Set

Birds Photoshop brushes set

- This set consists of 45 brushes up to 2498px AND 45 brushes up to 600px
- Compatible with Photoshop 7.0 up to CS5- Compatible with Photoshop Elements 3.0 and newer versions
- Also compatible with PC/Mac
- COMMERCIAL LICENSE

Birds brushes [These were also used in logo: Chris Turnbull Photography
Thanks Chris! :)]

2012 Calendar Photoshop brushes set

12 brushes in three designs and three sizes:
* up to 636 pixels @300dpi
* up to 1342 pixels @300dpi
* up to 2470 pixels @300dpi

- 36 transparent PNG files (approx. size 10 inches @300 dpi)
- Compatible with Photoshop 7.0 up to CS5- Compatible with Photoshop Elements 3.0 and newer versions
- Also compatible with PC/Mac
- COMMERCIAL LICENSE

All three sets are a part of the 800+ Photoshop brushes MEGA SET – click here to get the whole pack –>>

This is third post of my Do It Yourself Christmas saga: first was Do It Yourself Christmas Wreath, then second Do It Yourself Christmas Photo Card and this, third, one is – Do It Yourself Christmas Labels (Photoshop brushes set).

So, dear visitors, friends, ladies and gentleman!

Graphic designers, web designers, scrapbookers, artists, photographers, videographers,  Photoshop professionals and enthusiasts!

Today, I proudly present you nice and FREE for “commercial use” tool for your:

* graphic design projects,

* Christmas party invitations,

* Christmas gift labels,

* web design projects,

* photo books,

* rubber stamps,

* wallpapers,

* paper designs,

…whatever YOUR idea is – this one will make it happen:

Christmas Labels Photoshop brushes set

There are 4 label designs, but every label is made of 4 different shapes (for easier coloring) and they all come in three sizes.

[ PREVIEW CHRISTMAS LABELS PHOTOSHOP BRUSHES ]

But! This is not all! I, also, prepared a short video tutorial too, on how to use Christmas Labels Photoshop brushes. This tutorial will help you speed up the process of creation of Christmas graphics!

DOWNLOAD Christmas Labels Photoshop brushes /0,95Mb zipped/

And here’s a little example of a graphic made with Christmas Labels Photoshop brushes

Also, if you are a GBG Gold or Platinum member or if you decide that you want to become one, I prepared another free download for you!

Simple Christmas Trees Photoshop brushes [for Platinum GBG members only]:

Simple Christmas Trees Photoshop brushes set, video presentation

And a little something for Gold and Platinum GBG members:

Cute Labels Photoshop brushes

Cute Labels Photoshop brushes set, video presentation

OK. Gang, I hope you like new free downloads, videos and stuff and I just can’t help it, here is a little advice for all of you who won’t settle for less than 800+ Photoshop brushes:

Check the legendary, the ultimate, the one and only 800+ Photoshop brushes MEGA SET, not just because of the loads of brushes, but also because of the bonuses and a 50% OFF coupon code for all Photoshop brushes I ever made or will do, forever and ever  ->

Love you all!
xoxoxo

Do It Yourself Christmas Photo Card and this one is very easy – just “slide” your photo into the template.

Gang, Christmas is knocking on the door. For the most of us, this is the time we’ve been waiting for since January 2011. And, finally, it’s December which marks the beginning of  - Good Times !

So, what do we do for Christmas? Loads of stuff, I know, but, one of the inevitable things we do is sending Christmas Cards!

And, for this purpose, I prepared one totally cool template (at least I’d like to believe it’s totally cool :)) which you can download,  ”slide” your photo in and –  voila! Christmas Photo Card is finished!

Today’s free download includes two transparent PNG files and one multilayered PSD file. (All in one zip file). PSD files contains images and wordings too!

[ Download Free Christmas cards here ]

To make this template I used:

Fonts:

Ma Sexy from dafont.com
Windsong from dafont.com

Photoshop brushes:

Christmas II Photoshop Brushes (20+20+20) + 20 PNGs

Christmas Photo Card with one photo – add some cool background or macro shot you have.

Christmas Photo Card with three photos – it can be your family members for instance.

Don’t forget you can edit the text too :) I mean, if you’re good with Photoshop you can edit everything, twist and tune it until you love it! ;)

OK, Gang, this was rather short … and sweet I hope. Don’t forget to check out the awesome Cyber Week sale I have here and keep that lovin’ feeling :)

xoxo
Silvia