Photoshop Foundations: Using Photoshop CC’s new guides tool… no more figuring out the math on scrap paper!

It has been a while since I’ve done a Photoshop Foundations tutorial. Things are finally slowing down now (beginning of the school year rush always gets me. No matter how much I think I’m prepared. HA!) I upgraded to Photoshop CC 2015 a few month ago but I’m just now getting around to exploring the … Continue reading Photoshop Foundations: Using Photoshop CC’s new guides tool… no more figuring out the math on scrap paper!

Create beautiful hand-painted backdrops using the Mixer Brush Tool in Photoshop (includes my personal mixer brush tool presets!)

I have completely submersed myself in the PS mixer brush tool and I’m loving it in here. It seems the trend in portrait photography is creating images that look and feel painterly. One way to achieve that painterly essence is by applying painterly textures and  using blending modes to seamlessly merge them with your digital portrait. … Continue reading Create beautiful hand-painted backdrops using the Mixer Brush Tool in Photoshop (includes my personal mixer brush tool presets!)

Photoshop Techniques: How to create independent, arcing motion blurs on objects using the path blur tool…

I was reading the posts in one of my artist groups and my dear friend, Kristy Velesko, shared a technique I’ve never seen before. In PS there is a tool that allows you to create multiple motion blurs and apply them to the different objects in your image independently… you can control their direction, speed, taper, and shape of motion all using the blur path tool. … Continue reading Photoshop Techniques: How to create independent, arcing motion blurs on objects using the path blur tool…

How to turn any image into a painting using the mixer brush tool, in Photoshop!

In this tutorial you will learn my technique for creating painted portraiture using the mixer brush tool in Photoshop! No art classes required! All you need is patience and the right brush. Here’s how! (If you cannot see the video embedded into the page you can view the video on youtube.com here…Direct Link to the … Continue reading How to turn any image into a painting using the mixer brush tool, in Photoshop!

How to transform a simple portrait with 2 brushes and a texture…

When you think of photo manipulation or compositing what comes to mind? Do you imagine artists who put together huge elaborate scenes with 1000’s of layers and special effects? Do you imagine someone who has graphic design training and has the ability to paint and illustrate? What if I told you, you can make a beautifully composited image out of … Continue reading How to transform a simple portrait with 2 brushes and a texture…

Useful PS Hotkey: How to reveal a layer’s transformation handles when they are WAY out of frame…

Where are the bloomin’ handles? I have this problem all the time. When I drag a layer into my new document and it is HUGE and you go to transform or scale it down but the silly handles are way out of frame. So you back out, out, out looking for them… Well there is a nifty hotkey to … Continue reading Useful PS Hotkey: How to reveal a layer’s transformation handles when they are WAY out of frame…

Photoshop Foundations: Selection tools demystified… (I thought I already knew this stuff… until I watched this…)

 I didn’t know that selection tool could do that! I have been using Photoshop for 20 years and some of these hot keys and selection tool functionalities I have never seen before. I kept gasping and saying, “I didn’t know that selection tool could do that!” HA! I am still giggling and shaking my head over some of the … Continue reading Photoshop Foundations: Selection tools demystified… (I thought I already knew this stuff… until I watched this…)

Photoshop Techniques: How to turn daytime into night in Photoshop!

I’ve been on the hunt for a good tutorial demonstrating how to turn daytime images into nighttime images and I think I’ve finally found a few good ones to share forward… I actually use this technique a lot in my compositing. I rarely shoot at night because it is so easy to change day into night in Photoshop without the draw-backs of night-time shooting (i.e. … Continue reading Photoshop Techniques: How to turn daytime into night in Photoshop!

Photoshop Tips: How to get a quick, “Bird’s Eye” view of your image while working zoomed in…

Zoom in close… edit the detail… Zoom all the way back out… Find the next spot you need to edit… Zoom in close… edit the detail…Zoom all the way back out… Find the next spot you need… How many of you have done this? You are at 200% working on the details of an image and … Continue reading Photoshop Tips: How to get a quick, “Bird’s Eye” view of your image while working zoomed in…