There are a few little tricks you can do in Adobe Photoshop to make your text look a bit sharper on your Web pages, especially at smaller sizes. When resembling blocks of text, there is an option you may not have noticed that will help you achieve sharper results. This is particularly useful when you have scanned in blocks of text or line art.

When we go to resize the image (Image--> Image Size), Bicubic resampling is the default option . This works best for most images. (In CS+ try Bicubic sharper).Here is the result of Bicubic resampling on our text.

Try it again, but this time choose Bilinear resampling.Notice how much sharper the text is?

The second trick you can use in Photoshop applies to small text and its tracking, or kerning, which is the spacing between letters. Here is a line of text with standard tracking . In the tracking box (Window--> Show Character), increase the amount to 20. See how much more legible the text is? Look at a road sign and notice that the tracking is set very wide. That's why you can read them from a distance.

Many people use anti-aliasing on text on the Web, with mixed results. Here is a line of text with the crisp anti-aliasing applied (Layer-->Type-->Anti-Alias Crisp). It's kind of blurry.

Photoshop 7 ships with a new Sharp level of anti-aliasing. Here is a line with sharp anti-aliasing applied . Notice the difference?

These little tips help you to produce Web pages with sharper, easier-to-read text.

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First thing you will need is 2 images. Make sure they are both in the same resolution and color-space (RGB in this case). Open both these documents in Photoshop.

We will want to combine both images into 1 .psd document.Let's see how this works. Select the move tool "V" key. Drag one image into the other window and a new layer will be created automatically with the new layer on top. To center the new image in the window hold down the Shift key while dragging.

The next step is to create the layer mask.Click on the add layer mask button. This will create a new layer mask. A layer mask is transparent. When you paint black into the mask it allows the image underneath to show through. Where it is white, the underlying layer will be hidden.

Press the "G" key to select the gradient tool. Make sure the fore and backgrounds are set to black and white. "D" key. Select linear gradient and foreground to background. Now drag the gradient diagonally across the image.

You can see the gradient in the layer thumbnail and the result on the image. Where it is white, the top image shows and where it is darker the back shows through. Experiment with different angles. You may also use any of the brush tools on the mask. Black will "paint away" the image and white will "paint it back". Use a soft brush for best results.
For an interesting variation change the layer blending mode to multiply. This makes the top image appear as if it is a reflection in the glass on the clock.

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Create a new document. Mine was 300X200 pixels. You would probably want something larger. Modify all the settings for a larger image size and experiment.

Create a new layer. With the Polygon lasso tool, draw your rough shape. Notice that in Photoshop 6 you can draw off the canvas. When you get to the start/finish point you will see a little circle. As soon as you click on the start point, the entire shape will b loaded as a selection.

Fill with a dark color. Don't deselect. Now we want to add a gradient, use this method: Select-->modify-->contract. Enter 6 pixels and if you are using a larger image size, consider 10 or even 15.

 Now we want to soften the selection. Go to Select-->Feather: Chose a value between 5-10 . Choose a lighter shade of the same color as the crystals and fill.

Duplicate the layer and add a Gaussian blur to the copy. Move the blurred layer beneath the original layer.
Change the background to black. Notice the original layer and the blurred layers. Here is where the crystals take on their 3D look: Add a layer style to the shape. (Click the little "f" at the bottom of the layers palette)

Choose bevel and emboss. Technique: Chisel soft .Increase the depth and size until you are happy with the result. Change the gloss contour , uncheck global light and change the altitude to 7.
To get the translucent crystal like opacity: Still in the layer style box. Go to Blending options lower the fill opacity to 42. Press ok. In the layers palette, change the blending mode to screen.

Duplicate the crystal layer. Press Ctrl/Cmd+T for free transform. Rotate the new layer, you will see it interact with the other crystal layer. Time to spruce up the background a bit. Add a linear gradient. You could do anything you want really.

Copy the layer style to the blurred layer. It adds an interesting feel. If you want you can keep coping layers and rotating them. Experiment and come up with some of your own results.

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This tutorial is best suited for Advanced Photoshop Designers. So let's move in to the tutorial now.
Start with a gradient. To constrain the gradient to 90 degrees hold down the shift key. Add your text or image. Make a copy of the text by dragging to the new layer icon.

On the copy go into free transform by pressing Ctr/Cmd+T. Mac: Option+Click-->Flip Vertical. Drag the reflected copy below the original

Free Transform again and stretch image by dragging down on the bottom middle handle. Add a layer mask to the reflected copy and fill with a black to white gradient.

The image should now look like this. Filter-->Blur-->Motion Blur. Keep an angle of -90 . Make a selection around the bottom part of the background layer. Image-->Adjust-->Levels or Ctrl/Cmd+L Adjust the sliders to lighten the surface

Free transform again - Perspective . Select the background. Open Hue Saturation box. Colorize to add some color to the background.

Merge the reflection layer with the background by clicking on the box between the eye and the thumbnail, a link should now appear in the box. Click on layers-->merged linked.

Make a selection around the bottom part of the image by using the rectangular selection tool. Filter-->Distort-->Ocean Ripple. Adjust settings to suit the best.

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Start with your shape on a new layer. Try experimenting with a shape of your own. You can draw using the polygon lasso tool.

Make a selection around your object. Ctrl/Cmd+Click on the layer Thumbnail.

Go to Select-->modify-->contract. Choose 10-12 pixels. Your selection is now contracted.

Now to make the groove. Go to Select-->modify-->Border .Choose 4-6 pixels

You should see the double selection now. Press the delete/backspace key to erase the object on the selection.

Now to add the bevel: Add the layer styles (press the little f on the bottom of the layers palette.) Choose the inner bevel option.You can also drop a shadow.

And the shape is now beveled! If you want you can add some text, select it, switch to the object layer and hit del/backspace to chisel out some text.

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Select the gradient tool by pressing "G" Now set the tool to linear gradient in the Gradients Palette. Take your mouse to the top left and click and drag to the bottom right.

This has now created a gradient fill. Now go to Filter-->Add Noise your image should look grainy like this. Select Monochromatic so that strange colors are not added.

Now go to filter-->blur-->motion blur. Set angle for 0 and distance to taste.

You can now see a fresh brushed piece of metal.

To change the color: Hue/Saturation, Ctrl/Cmd +U. Slide the Hue slider to get different colors. This is the method used to produce the trendy Brushed metal that is used on Apples branding.

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Start with a square. Let it be of size 300X300. Then create a new layer and filled it with a gradient.

Press Crtl/Cmd+T to enter free-transform mode. Right click/Cmd click. When the drop-down menu appears, select SKEW. Click on the right middle square and drag up until you get your desired angle. Press Enter/return to apply the transformation.

Next step is to duplicate the layer. Then enter free transform again (Ctrl/Cmd+t) Right click and this time select FLIP HORIZONTAL. Drag out the copy to the left. Hold down the shift key to keep the baselines aligned. You may also want to make this side a bit thinner by clicking the left middle square (node) and drag it in a little bit.

Create a new layer and make another square and fill it with the same gradient, this time make the lightest color at the bottom left. This time while in the free transform mode. When you right click/Cmd click select DISTORT drag each corner until you get a good match. Be sure the corners fit nice and snug. This step will take a bit of practice to master.

Finally select the top of the cube. Go to Image-->adjust-->LEVELS slide the middle triangle over to the right to darken up the mid-tones. Repeat for the left side. This step adds more realistic lighting to the cube.

Thus comes a complete cube. Don't limit yourself to just cubes. You can use this effect for all kinds of shapes. You can even construct a cube out of pictures. Just use images instead of the gradients.

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Now, duplicate the photo layer. In Photoshop 7, the Liquefy Command is found under the filters menu. Photoshop 6 has it nested in the Edit Menu. Go ahead and open up Liquefy.

When you first open the Liquefy dialogue box, chances are it will take up the entire screen, which is a bugger if you want to see all the layers and not simply the one you are working on. Grab the edges of the window and drag them in, reducing the size to see the image behind it.

Now we will start the process of messing with the eyes, so let's start there. Along the left-hand side, select the Bloat Tool. Now on the right hand side, find the Tool Options section and adjust the brush size. We want to go a bit larger than the eye, but not so large that portions of the face are distorted.

Now run the mouse over an eye and click. The eye area will gradually expand. Be sure to keep the iris centered if you are slightly off the eye will become horribly distorted. Adjust each eye evenly, and if you want to go larger just increase the brush size and reapply until you are happy with the size and symmetry.

Switch to the Pucker Tool (just above the Bloat Tool) and tweak the rest of the face. We want to reduce other areas (cheekbones, nose, etc) to make our bloated areas more prominent. Thus we are now up with new face. You can play with it by coloring and segmenting.

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Convert the photo to black and white using a new Channel Mixer Adjustment Layer.

Open a new Photo Filter Adjustment Layer. (Image-->Adjustments--> Photo Filter)

Change the Filter to Sepia. Adjust the Density to your liking, for this example its 60% density. And make sure Preserve Luminosity is selected.

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The key to making websites that really stand out has to do with two factors - lighting and randomness.
This tutorial goes through the steps of making a very funky piece of wallpaper. The main focus of this tutorial is on the random lighting aspect, based on Adobe Photoshop's "Clouds" tool. This can also be implemented in higher versions of Photoshop 7 or CS2/CS3.

Make a new image, 6000 pixels wide and 4500 pixels high. With the default black and white selected, click Filter --> Render --> Clouds. Clouds are an excellent way to create randomness.

Turn the clouds into colored patches, by clicking Image --> Adjust --> Brightness/Contrast. Set the Contrast to +100. You can also alter the size of the patches by changing the Brightness. Zoom out (Press Ctrl -) and select about a quarter of the image (you can do it precisely if you like).

Click Image --> Crop. Click Filter --> Distort --> Wave. Increase the wavelength to Minimum 200, Maximum 300, and increase the maximum amplitude to 50. Randomize the waves until you've got a nice effect, and click OK.

Create a new layer. You can do this from Layer Palette. Choose the gradient tool. Click on the colored representation of the gradient. Choose Noise Gradient. Apply the gradient across the image.
Desaturate the layer, by pressing Ctrl+Shift+U. The colors of a Noise Gradient aren't useful here, but it's a good source of randomized lighting when desaturated. Change it from "Normal" to a Hard Light layer (Adobe Photoshop 6.0) or a Linear Light layer (Adobe Photoshop 7.0.)

This noise gradient layer creates a visible, unidirectional lighting, with a myriad of different intensities . The problem with this lighting layer is that it doesn't show up over the black areas.

To make the light visible everywhere, select the cloudy background layer and click Image --> Adjustments --> Brightness/Contrast. Reduce the contrast to -75%. If you do this tutorial again, instead of changing the contrast, just increase the layer's lightness by about 40.

Go to your background layer and alter its Hue/Saturation, by pressing Ctrl+U. Tick "Colorize". Play with the Lightness and Saturation, and select a Hue (color).

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