In this tutorial, I’ll tell you how to create a pseudo surround effect using just Photoshop tools.

Ok, lets’ go! Start with creating new document 500×500 pixels. Fill the background with a linear gradient using the color #2d120b and #532803.

After that I would like to add some pattern to the background to make the text effect more evident. Get out the Rectangle Tool and create white line as on my picture you can see below.

Use Ctrl+T to rotate this line. Hold the Shift button to rotate the line exactly 45 degrees.

After that duplicate this layer more times and move left and right to create the same grid as on my screenshot.

Then mess with the layer mode & opacity/fill. I tried Overlay with opacity of 25%.

Duplicate this layer with Ctrl+J and flip horizontal with Edit > Transform > Flip Horizontal.

Now, start with creating pseudo surround effect. Get out the Custom Shape Tool and find some appropriate shape from the palette:

You can download this shape from here if you don’t have it. Use the color #998900.

After that rasterize shape with Layer > Rasterize > Shape and set fill opacity up to 40%. Then apply Inner Shadow, Outer Glow, Inner Glow, Bevel and Emboss, and Stroke layer styles to this layer:

Ok, select the Burn Tool (Brush: 200 px, Range: Shadows, Exposure: 50%) and make a little burn work in the bottom of the shape.

Looks better then before, isn’t it? Next up is the shine effect. Use Select > Load Selection to select the shape and then apply Select > Modify > Contract to reduce selected area about 2 pixels.

Ok, now I would like to cut away unnecessary part of selection. For this use Elliptical Marquee Tool, hold Alt+Shift and cut away the part of selection.

Then fill selected area with white to transparent gradient on the new layer.

Remove selection with Ctrl+D and change opacity to 50% for this layer.

Add more glares to other parts of shape in the same way.

Move to the last step of the tutorial. Move under the shape layer and let’s add some text to demonstrate our effect more. Get out the Horizontal Type Tool and write out something like ‘Splatter World’ using color of #d2af72. The font that I’ll just be using for this tutorial called BellCent BdList BT.

I’m sorry but this tutorial is done! Feel free to experiment and you will get the best results!

Here one more interesting tutorial about how to design interesting stylish advert in just a few steps.

Get started by creating a new document about 700×500 pixels, resolution (DPI) of 72 pixels and then fill it with linear gradient using colors #0582ae and #0ab7db.

Ok, after that find a nice, suitable stock photo to work with. For this you’ll want to use one of the stock photo websites. Also you can use my own picture. Open up the picture and copy it to the main canvas. Then apply the Rectangular Marquee Tool to create selection as on my picture below.

Invert selection with Select > Inverse or press Crtl+Shift+I and clear selected area with Delete button.

Remove selection using Select > Deselect and continue the tutorial. Apply following Blending Options to the current layer:
• Inner Glow
• Stroke

See the result below:

Then create a new layer below photo border, select the Polygonal Lasso Tool and create selection like mine and after that fill it with black color.

Deselect chosen area with Select > Deselect (or press Ctrl+D) and apply Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur with following parameters.

After that change layer opacity to 35%.

Press Ctrl+J to duplicate layer, then use Edit > Transform > Flip Horizontal to flip copied layer horizontal and move right under the second corner of the photo.

Now, move to the next step. Select the Pen Tool and draw a shape like a ribbon with color #aa2041 on top left corner. We will put advertise text here in future.

Apply the following layer styles:
• Drop Shadow
• Inner Glow
• Gradient Overlay

Now, we get the next result:

Create a new one layer above and merge it with previous to get all effects in one layer. After that select the Polygonal Lasso Tool to create selection as on my picture below. Press Delete button to clear selected area.

Create a new one selection, now, apply the Dodge Tool (Brush: 65 px, Range: Highlights, Exposure: 50%) to make brighter part of the ribbon.

Remove selection with Select > Deselect. Apply again Dodge Tool, but pay your attention that we’ve have changes some of presets: Brush: 7 px, Range: Midtones, Exposure: 50%.

Now it’s time to add text. Use the Horizontal Type Tool and write out something like ‘Best Choice!’ with white color. Apply Edit > Transform > Free Transform to rotate the text.

I’ll just be using the font called AvantGarde for this tutorial, which is commercial. Then add another one ribbon in the right lower corner in the same way.

We are done! Here is fully stylish advert. Thanks for the reading this tutorial. I hope you enjoyed it, even just a little bit.

Sure, you love to receive gifts, but also you love to make it to. Ok, in this small simple, but useful tutorial I’ll show you how to create your own packaging gift paper to make your gifts unique.

Ok, in the beginning create a new document about 1000х1000 pixels. If you want to make print of this paper in future use the resolution (DPI) of 300, but I just tried the default resolution (DPI) of 72. Fill canvas with grey color (#4a4a4a).

After that I would like to bring some texture to the canvas. You can feel free to use this one. Open up this file and copy image to our main canvas. Change layer mode to Multiply for pattern layer.

For the relief effect apply Filter > Texture > Texturizer with similar settings to these:

Now we have a relief like this:

Ok, next we create a new layer. Then with the Brush Tool selected, choose the soft round brush about 300 pixels from the standard Photoshop palette and create some green prints with color of #c6ff00. Change layer mode to Overlay.

Create a new layer and add more prints with blue color (#00d1fd). Change layer mode for this layer to Overlay also.

Add a couple of prints more in the same way using following colors: #fe8a00, #fe00b9 и #7601da.

Ok, now time to add the stars and we are done. So, create a new document about 23×23 pixels, transparent background. Then select the Custom Shape Tool and add white star as on my picture below.

Uuse Edit > Define Pattern to save this picture as pattern and close current document without saving. Go back to our main canvas, create a new one layer and apply the Paint Bucket Tool to fill this layer with stars pattern.

After that apply the Drop Shadow layer style for the current layer.

Change layer opacity to 25%.

That is it for now! Cool packaging gift paper for your nice gifts ready now. Thanks for reading this tutorial!

Here I’ll show you how to make a collage, using mosaic effect.

Ok, start with creating a new document sized 500×500 pixels and use the Paint Bucket Tool to fill canvas area with color of #355b00.

After that create a new layer and apply the Elliptical Marquee Tool to make a sphere selection as on a picture below, then fill this selected area with color of #97f501

Remove selection with pressing Ctrl+D and for the image jitter apply Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur with 67 pixels of radius.

Then mess with the layer mode. I tried Overlay.

Merge two of these layers in one and start with creating mosaic. I want to try to draw mosaic flower. Let’s start! In the beginning create a new one layer and then select the Elliptical Marquee Tool to make selection like on the picture below. Fill this selection with any color you like, It doesn’t matter now.

After that create another one selection as on my screenshot what you can see below, invert it with Ctrl+Shift+I and press Delete button to clear selection.

Remove selection with Ctrl+D. We get the first petal of the mosaic. Move it in the same position as mine.

After that duplicate this layer (Layer > Duplicate Layer), then reduce it a little bit and rotate with Edit > Transform > Free Transform.

Make the petal selection using Select > Load Selection and apply Select > Modify > Expand to expand selection about 2 pixels. Move to the lower layer and press Delete to clear selection. Your result should be as mine.

Now, remove selection with Ctrl+D. Move to the upper layer again and duplicate it with Ctrl+J. After that merge all layers with petals in one layer, except topmost. Go back to it and rotate it as the layer before.

Create more petals in the same way.

Ok, after that merge all of layers with petals in one and apply Gradient Overlay and Stroke layer styles for current layer.

See the result below.

Ok, now I would like to add a couple of other colors petals to create cool mosaic effect. Create a new one leaf as was written on this lesson in the beginning. Apply color of #82a203 for this layer.

After that apply Stroke layer style to this layer.

Now, we have something like this:

Ok, then add a couple of petals more to the mosaic. Apply the same Blending Options as before to each layer.

Merge all layers with petals in one layer. After that select the Burn Tool (Brush: 100 px, Range: Midtones, Exposure: 50%) to add gradients somewhere on the flower.

Apply another one Blending Option to received layer: Outer Glow.

You can see the result below.

After that move to the next step. Press Ctrl+J to copy the layer and hide the copy (click on the eye, which indicates layer visibility). Go to lower layer and set opacity up to 18%. Go back to the hidden copy of layer and make it visible again. Press Ctrl+T to reduce this layer as was shown on my picture below.

Ok, we are almost done with this tutorial, but one more step left. Then I would like to add some floral elements. For this you can use these brushes or feel free to use your own. Go to the background layer and create a new one layer above. Create a composition like on picture shown below using Brush Tool and white color of prints. Change layer mode to Overlay and set opacity up to 40% for this layer.

After that create a new one layer more and add a couple of floral prints more in black color. Set opacity up to 25% for this layer.

Looks good, isn’t it? Hope I liked this tutorial and get adorable results. We are done for now! Good luck in your experiments!

Basically, in this tutorial I’m going to be showing you how to create a photo effect like the one in the below image, it’s pretty much all accomplished by using color curves and color levels, as are most photo effects, right?

Start by finding some appropriate picture to use it in this tutorial. I used a cool hooligan photo. If you want you can download from it here and get to work. Open up the photo and increase contrast with Image > Adjustments > Levels:

Now we have a contrast like this:

Ok, move to the next step. Begin to make color correction on photography. Press on the layers thumbnail ‘Create new fill or new adjustment layer’ button and chose Curves.

After that set up following settings for each color channel:

See the difference now?

After that slightly reduce the contrast. Move to the original layer with photo and apply Image > Adjustments > Levels with such settings as on the picture below.

See the result now:

Next, create a new layer above the curves layer and fill it with green color (#007016). Change layer mode to Overlay.

And the last one thing that we need to do is to bring a little bit of noise to the photo. Create a new one layer and fill it with black color after that apply Filter > Noise > Add Noise:

Now, change layer mode to Color Dodge and you will see the final result.

That’s all for this tutorial! Sorry, but I hope you enjoyed it! This color manipulation effect looks cool, isn’t it?

I’m just going to be making a nice, hot tanned skin photo effect in this tutorial! If you are interesting, join me!

So, let’s start! If you don’t have appropriate photo you can use mine or find another one thru Google Images. Also you can use your own photos if you think that you are not tanned on the photo or do not have time to go to the sea or ocean or just want to be swarthy. Open up the photo at first.

The girl on the picture above looks untanned. I know how to help her to make ‘quick tan.’ Select the Polygonal Lasso Tool and start with skin selection.

Pay your attention that we selected just some part of the skin. We need to cut away part of swimsuits from selected area. Hold the Alt button (the minus sign should be appear near lasso tool pictogram) and start to cat away swimsuit from the selected area.

Ok, after that we need to add selection the other parts of girl’s body. In this way hold the Shift button (the plus sign should be appear near lasso tool pictogram) and select as more areas as you need.

Press Ctrl+J to duplicate selected part of image to the new layer. And now begin to change color for this layer, turning a girl in a light tan. For this effect apply Image > Adjustments > Layers and set up following presets for each channel:

Now, we have something like this:

Ok, I think, It will be better to remove contrast a little bit and change brightness with Image > Adjustments > Brightness/Contrast.

Here is result:

Ok, we are done! The girl looks better as before. You can see the difference on the picture below. Of course we can make this effect in other ways in Photoshop, but this one is simple and useful as for me.

I tried to experiment with photo and mix it with black lines to simulate drawing. Would you know how to make it? Ok, then read this tutorial.

Let’s start by finding the picture of beautiful girl with hairdressing. I went to Google Images and looked up the picture, you can feel free to download my picture from here. Open up the picture and desaturate it in the beginning with Image > Adjustments > Desaturate or press Ctrl+Shift+U.

After that increase the contrast with Image > Adjustments > Levels:

See the difference now?

Move to the next step. Create a new layer and fill it with white color. After that change layer opacity for this layer to 30%. Then select the Eraser Tool and a soft round brush to make a little clear work on the face area.

Merge two of these layers in one and start to make drawing effect. Get out the Pen Tool (you need to make sure that you’re working with Paths instead of Shape Layers). Draw out your line using paths:

After that select the Brush Tool and set up with the following settings and set foreground color as black:

Create new layer and then right-click and select Stroke Path.

A little dialog box will appear as in the screenshot. Choose Brush and make sure there is a tick next to Simulate Pressure. This is important as it will give your curve tapered ends which will make it rock!

The picture use to look as mine:

Now the line is hardly noticeable, but don’t worry about. Next right click again and select Delete Path. Try to make more lines in the same way to outline the body and hair contours.

Now, move to the background layer with woman’s photo and select the Brush Tool (use soft brush about 100 px and set brush opacity to 30% up). Sketched the silhouette with white color a little bit.

After that use the Sharpen Tool to make the contours more distinct.

I finished off with this tutorial by merging all of my layers together. Please feel free to experiment, get creative, use your own settings. I hope you enjoyed this tutorial.

Here is one interesting tutorial where I will show u how to create small photo collage and apply color and black and white effects together. If are you interesting, let’s read and make!

Firstly, start by finding a stock photos that you can add the effect to. A couple of good resources to find free stock photos are: stock.xchange and DeviantART. First of all find the photo of interior with sofa and another one will be the photo of the dog. If you want to use your own pictures, feel free to use it and experiment with composition. Open the photo of the dog and try to separate the silhouette from the background with Polygonal Lasso Tool.

Now, copy selected part of image with Ctrl+C, then open the picture with sofa and paste (press Ctrl+V) copied fragment from the first photo to the second.

After that reduce copied fragment about 30% horizontally and vertically

Bulldog does not look realistic in the background. We should fix this problem. Right click on the current layer in palette thumbnails and apply such Blending Options:
• Drop Shadow:

This layer style should be saved on the new layer as separate effect to have an opportunity to work with in future. Apply Layer > Layer Style > Create Layer to divide this layer style from the main layer. Go to the new separated layer with drop shadow (under the current layer) and use the Smudge Tool to transform it a little bit as on my picture below.

After that apply the Eraser Tool and a soft round brush to clear shadow, which is located behind the dog outside floor.

Go to the layer with dog again and apply following Blending Options to it:
• Inner Glow

See the result on the picture below:

After that get out the Burn Tool (Brush: 50 px, Range: Midtones, Exposure: 30%) and obscure the back of the dog, which is in the shade.

I think, It will be better to add the text, get out the Horizontal Type Tool and write out the text using green (#dcea78) color.

Ok, merge all layers in one and duplicate with Ctrl+J. Then we need to desaturate copied layer. We can do this by using Image > Adjustments > Desaturate.

Now we have black and white photo and one color photo under. I’m going to mix two of these photos in the next way: select the Eraser Tool and use some soft round points to clear black and white image partly.

Then use the Custom Shape Tool to add different sizes white animal prints.

Now, merge all of prints in one layer and change layer mode to Overlay. Also set up opacity to 20%.

I’m sorry, but tutorial is over. Hope, you had fun with it and learned something new. Good luck!

Here is one more tutorial about creating space landscape. It is not so difficult but very useful. I’ll teach you how to recreate solar eclipse in space.

So, let’s begin to recreate it! Set foreground color as #500000 and background color as black. After that apply Filter > Render > Clouds to our canvas.

To change the background color at the bottom of the picture apply Quick Mask Mode with gradient as below:

Then go back to Standard Mode. Now we have some selected area.

Change color of selected area with Image > Adjustment > Hue/Saturation with similar settings to these:

See the difference now?

Ok, move further. Remove the selection with Select > Deselect, after that create a new layer and fill it with black color. Apply Filter > Noise > Add Noise to this layer.

Change layer style to screen and use Image > Adjustment > Levels with next presets:

Now we have picture as below:

Ok, now select the Eraser Tool and a soft round brush and make a little clear work to get the result as on my picture below.

Time to recreate the solar eclipse. In the beginning try to find some appropriate texture of magma what we will use for the sun recreating. Feel free to use your own textures also. Open up this picture and copy to our main canvas.

Then get out the Elliptical Marquee Tool to create round selection as shown on the picture below. Invert selection with Ctrl+Shift+I and use Delete to clear selected area.

Remove selection with Ctrl+D and duplicate current layer using Ctrl+J. Ok, move to original lower layer and apply Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur with similar settings to these:

Your result should be next:

Ok, apply Color Overlay layer style to this layer.

Use the Smudge Tool to create sunlight beams.

Ok, now move to copied upper layer again and start to process it. In the beginning select it with Select > Load Selection and after that apply Filter > Distort > Spherize. Use next parameters for this filter.

Remove the selection. See the result below.

Then apply Inner Shadow, Outer Glow, Inner Glow, Color Overlay layer styles to this layer.

Looks better than before, don’t you think? Move to the next step. Create a new layer and use the Elliptical Marquee Tool to create round selection, fill it with black color.

Deselect this layer with Ctrl+D and apply Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur with next presets:

Your image should look as mine:

Ok, and the last one step that you need to do is to make optical lens flare. For this effect create a new one layer and will it with black color. Change layer mode for this layer to Screen and apply Filter > Render > Lens Flare:

Looks cool as for me!

We are done for now! Hope you have the same good result! Don’t be afraid to experiment and you will get the best results!

This useful Photoshop Tutorial about how to make stylish icons what you can apply in your website design or use in multimedia presentation.

So, let’s start! In the beginning create a new file about 500×300 pixels and fill it with white color. Now, proceed directly to creating the icon. Create a new layer, then select the Ellipse Tool to make the round shape as you can see on my picture below.

After that apply following Blending Options: Gradient Overlay and Stroke.

Now we have something like this:

Not really looks like icon is not it? Don’t worry, we process the tutorial. Now, use the Elliptical Marquee Tool to make the selection what you can see on my screenshot below, then create a new layer and fill the selection with dark blue (#1c2133) to transparent gradient.

Ok, now select our round shape icon (Ctrl+Left click on the layer thumbnail in layers palette) and invert the selection with Ctrl+Shift+I. clear selected area by pressing Delete button.

Deselect chosen area with Ctrl+D and move to the next step of the tutorial. Use the Ellipse Tool again to make a new one round shape with color of #5ebf1a. Be attentively that second one round shape should be a little bit less then the main shape.

Then apply such layer styles as Inner Glow and Stroke to this shape layer.

But we are not finished the icon yet! Go on! Rasterize this shape with Layer > Rasterize > Shape. Then get out the Elliptical Marquee Tool to make the similar selection as was before in the beginning of this tutorial, then use the Dodge Tool (Brush: 100 px, Range: Midtones, Exposure: 20%) to make the bottom part of green shape a little lighter.

After that invert the selection with Ctrl+Shift+I and change Dodge Tool Range from Midtones to Highlights and continue to work.

Ok, after that revert the selection back and now use the Burn Tool (Brush: 100px, Range : Midtones, Exposure: 30%) to add the contrast to the button.

Ok, we are almost done! Remove the selection with Ctrl+D and move to the next step. I would like to bring some ornament to the green shape. Select the Custom Shape Tool and use one of the standard Photoshop shapes from the gallery. I tried to use this one:

It will look better if we apply some Blending Option such as Drop Shadow

The result should be the same as mine:

Ok, now merge all of layers of the icon in one and apply Edit > Transform > Distort:

After that duplicate this layer using Ctrl+J and move the lower original layer as in my picture below:

Use the Color Overlay layer style for this layer.

See the difference now?

It remains to add a shadow at the bottom and our icon will be ready. Ok, move to the background layer and create a new layer above. Select the Elliptical Marquee Tool to create the selection as on my picture below and fill it with black color.

Deselect this layer with Select > Deselect and apply Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur with similar settings to these:

Then apply another one Filter > Blur > Motion Blur.

The result should be the next:

Ok, we are done for now! Also I made a couple of icons more. Try to experiment and the result will be better that ever!