PSD: Photoshop Disasters

Photoshop Quiz: Vogue Angela Lindvall

2012-02-24T23:56:00.001-08:00

Recently we posted the following Vogue spread to our Facebook page asking the question of whether or not Angela’s neck has been stretched. The photo generated so much conversation that we decided to use it for this week’s poll. Vote as to what you think might have happened and write a comment as to an explanation.

Make sure and don’t read the comments before voting!

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Play Guitar: Digital Dischord

2012-02-23T23:17:00.000-08:00

Until now, no axe master on the planet had dared even attempt playing an Ebmaj7/+9/G, the fabled “Forbidden Chord,” and lived to tell the tale. Dieter would be the first!

What’s all the commotion? Six strings, six fingers. One for each string. Makes perfect sense. What really ticks me off is the insipid placement of the “NOW” text layer in between two mutant fingers, and then some drop shadow to boot! Noob.

Thanks Fatman (No joke).

Rimmel London: Doctored Deschanel

2012-02-22T22:45:00.000-08:00

I don’t know, Antoine. Just do something with her. The woman is so damned adorable it’s making me forget I’m gay!

I don’t wanna hear any whining from anybody about this PSD. Zooey Deschanel is on my personal “Pass List.” You know, that fantasy list many of us have of famous people we’d be allowed to sleep with if and when snowballs stop melting in Hell? So suffice it to say, I know me some Zooey, and I know when somebody’s been messing with her. So, whoever did this, I will hunt you down, and you will pay for the evil that you have done here.

Thanks Roberto and Steve for the find. You can read about more about the Rimmel Ad and Zooeys response via Huffington

Woodbridge Wine: Vintage Failure

2012-02-21T23:31:00.001-08:00

This Cabernet from the Mondavi family boasts a complex, fruity bouquet and a sassy hint of spice, but must be consumed within just a few hours of uncorking as it tends to flatten rather quickly.

This is just plain stupid. Everything in this billboard ad is three-dimensional looking except for the bottle and the text. And what the heck is going on behind the bottle anyway? Either the sun is going nova or our forces have just changed status to DEFCON ONE.

Thanks Melanie!

New Idea: Oprah’s Least Favorite Thing

2012-02-20T23:11:00.001-08:00

Oprah Winfrey turned quite a few heads at last night’s Image Awards, with hair by Umberto, jewelry by Bulgari, and gown by Kuato.

So, this dream disaster is obviously a dead giveaway that the photo’s been doctored, but where? Mini-hand appears to be just a smaller clone of the original, and certainly no attempt has been made towards slimming that zaftig figure of hers. Wait a sec… has anyone seen Steadman lately? Hmm…

Thanks Kelly for the great find. You can find the original in the 2nd of January issue of New Idea Australia.

Marzo 2012: Prosthetic Paste

2012-02-19T22:44:00.000-08:00

Things were looking up for Wikus van der Merwe ever since the District 9 prawns made good on their word and restored his body back to human form. Mostly.

The left hand is without question a “quick and dirty” cut-n-paste job with no time at all spent on smoothing edges for a more realistic look. Why is anyone’s guess. Mine is that the GA began having seizures from overexposure to the copious amounts of magenta in this image, and simply had to bail out for the sanity’s sake.

Thanks Raymon. You can see the original on the 2012 Telecinco calendar.

Photoshop Round-Up: Links We Love

2012-02-18T00:00:00.000-08:00

It's finally Saturday! To celebrate the fact that we made it through another work week we've scoured the internet to find the funniest, coolest, and craziest news in all of Photoshop Land. Here's a look at the many ways in which Photoshop made waves around the web this week.

Is Photoshop ruining Lil' Kim's career... or vice versa? [Death + Taxes]

Who knew David Schwimmer would make such an ugly woman? (Okay, we could have guessed, but still....) [BuzzFeed]

In this tutorial you will learn how to use the spot brush tool to change history. True story. [CollegeHumor]

MarieClaire claims this is Eva Mendes. Shenanigans! [JustJared]

Speaking of looking different, Vogue thought Adele could stand a little slimming and smoothing too. [The Superficial]

For his first web design class assignment a BuzzFeed user gave Whitney Houston a heavenly piggyback ride. Nailed it! [BuzzFeed]

Twenty-seven creative pics you'll never believe were Photoshopped! (obvious sarcasm implied) [The Chive]

That should keep you busy for a while! We'll be back with more disasters on Monday. Have a great Saturday, everyone.

Subway: Fast Food Fizzle

2012-02-16T23:33:00.000-08:00

Is it just me, or is it somewhat disingenuous to use the word ‘truth’ in a hash tag that’s connected to such a fallacious image as this?

It’s not enough just to snap a photo of yourself wolfing down a meal to express your love for Diet Coke® and SUBWAY® sandwiches. Clearly, you must go to even greater effort and create a poorly doctored PSD photo in order for the corporate pinheads who approved this print job to truly feel your passion for their products.

Big thanks to everyone that sent this in.

Charleston College: Illegal Formation

2012-02-15T23:33:00.000-08:00

Esteemed Parents:

In response to your repeated letters, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea wishes to assure you that entire membership of Franklin High School Young Diplomats Club continues to enjoy most memorable experience during extended visit to Pyongyang and DPRK. As you can see in enclosed photo, all students are well and happy at People’s Library, where they learn much truth about peaceful intentions of North Korean people. Respectfully, Kim Jong-un

Okay, excluding the background image of what appear to be shelves full of massive coffee table books, I count 18 separate layers in this amateur offering. Not bad for a noob, I suppose, but a tad less use of the Free Transform Tool would be a welcome improvement. My favorite is ‘red ballcap guy,’ who gets my vote as “Most Likely Never to Pose For Group Photos.”

Thanks Jesse! The original can be found on the College of Charleston site.

Famous Smoke : Robusto Vision – Petit Results

2012-02-14T23:35:00.000-08:00

Not a PSD. This is actually a “moron detector.” Anyone who clicks on this ad is automatically added to the spamming list for The Tater Mitt and all 9/11 commemorative coins.

Oh, come on! The cigars in these pockets are as flat as this guy’s IQ. And the missing smoke from that two-dimensional stogie/cold sore hybrid lounging on his lip must already be high up the ass of whoever thought the GA possessed anything even remotely resembling skills.

Thanks Nick for the find. The original can be found on the Famous Smoke site.

SimplyBe: Major Fork Up

2012-02-13T23:49:00.000-08:00

In spite of all the warnings from friends and family alike, Elaine stubbornly clings to the delusion that her nail-biting habit is ‘no big deal.’

I’ll leave it to you experts to figure out how this disaster came into being. On the upside, her dress is a lovely color, and the photo has made this model the most in-demand guest at all finer marshmallow and wienie roasts.

Thanks StormKing. You can see the original on SimplyBe. If you can't see the PSD, you can see our red image circle to see the marked up version.

IStockPhoto: Marathon Muff

2012-02-12T22:52:00.000-08:00

Andy was delighted to discover there was an entirely unexpected meaning behind the term ‘high-quality’ footwear.

This cut-and-paste job fails on multiple levels, no pun intended: missing shadows for both runners, and his positioning gives either the illusion that he is running eight inches above the trail, or worse, a massive giant chasing a frightened woman from behind. Apparently, iStockphoto has no quality control department whatsoever. Think I’ll dust off my resume.

Thanks Mark! Be sure and check out the original iStockPhoto.

Photoshop Quiz: Amputee?

2012-02-10T23:29:00.000-08:00

What we have for this weeks quiz is a photo of a hurricane Mitch survivor that seems to have lost her legs or maybe she hasn’t and we need to get our eyes checked. Vote as to what you think might have happened and write a comment as to an explanation.

Make sure and don’t read the comments before voting!

Check out the results of our last Photoshop quiz. Don't forget to also add us to your Google Plus as we'd love to connect with as many of you as we can.

Maybelline: Wallop of a Dollop

2012-02-09T23:09:00.000-08:00

Following some quality “alone time,” Rachel came to realize there are worse mutations to deal with than palm flesh comprised of erectile tissue.

I think this is supposed to be a dollop of makeup cream and not one of those new hairless breeds of Tribble that are currently trending on Rigel 7. Personally, I believe a bit more contrast would make this graphic look less weird, and a lot less cream would end our nightmares regarding what manner of monstrosity she’s attempting to conceal!

Thanks Tom! The original was found in a boots store in the UK.

Nouvelles Frontieres: Fin-tastic Failure

2012-02-08T23:01:00.000-08:00

Marie’s courage in returning to the water following the shark attack that took her right foot was inspiring to say the least. Nobody had the heart to mention she could now only swim in circles.

Could there possibly be a ‘sleeper’ right foot hiding behind her left calf? I suppose. But that still doesn’t explain the missing flipper, does it. Not to mention the iffy perspective shift between underwater and surface views which make her appear to be swimming in a freeform pool at the Sheraton Atlantis.

Thanks Olivier for the photo and sending it to us. The original was found on the French metro. You can see the larger image below.

Birchog & Baago: Where To Begin?

2012-02-07T22:54:00.000-08:00

Aw, mom, no fair! Sally always gets to be the one to place the star atop the Christmas tree!

I just hope this woman gets some sort of discount on her waxing!

Thanks Hege for the great find. You can see the original on the Birchog website.

Sharper Image: Ghost in the Machine

2012-02-06T23:49:00.000-08:00

So in love was Todd with his own handsomeness, he didn’t mind in the least having to stand twice as far back from mirrors in order to see the entirety of his grotesquely swelled head.

Here’s a pure CGI image which fails on several levels, from the too-large reflected image of a missing man, to the too-small shower head, to the questionable reflection of the area where the razor hangs. I also love how nothing in this image is the least bit wet! What, is this the only mirror in the entire bathroom?

Great catch Mark! You can see this on the Sharper Image website.

Jackson Sun: Photo Bombastic

2012-02-05T22:28:00.000-08:00

Sensitive to recent criticism that their group was neither family friendly nor racially diverse, the People’s Militia of Flathead County found Photoshop to be a godsend in alleviating their public relations nightmare.

It’s pretty clear the dad with two kids is a cut-and-paste job. I personally think the black gentleman on the left was also a last-minute addition. The reason they were added in to the original group is anyone’s guess. I almost let the shovels inspire my imagination towards more nefarious speculations, but I’ll leave that angle for others to play with.

Thanks Bradley. You can see the original on the Jackson Sun website.

Stockholm Boat Show: Skills Overboard!

2012-02-04T08:55:00.000-08:00

Lars Nilsson loved his new cabin cruiser, bought for a song from the mysterious stranger with the hideous scar tissue on his forehead. The cloaking device was just icing on the cake.

Layer off, layer on! Heh-heh… this looks funny! Layer off, layer on! Ha-ha-ha! Layer off—what? Ten minutes ago? Hold on… There. Saved, exported, and e-mailed to the publisher. Happy?

Thanks Kitty! This picture came from a bank with an offer to enter a competition in which you could win tickets for the Stockholm international (stealth?!) boat show.

J.Crew: Unnatural Beauty

2012-02-01T21:46:00.000-08:00

Dudley learned everything he knows about graphic artistry through years of experience writing ransom notes.

Is this one of those automatically generated models that we've come to expect from H&M?

Thanks Nicole. You can see the original on the J.Crew website.

Gran Canaria: Size Matters

2012-01-31T22:55:00.000-08:00

The staff at the Mildendo Grand Hyatt in Lilliput was friendly and cheerful by nature. It was only during Spring Break when the ancestors of Gulliver descended upon them in droves that both patience and plumbing were pushed to the limit.

Sweet! These are the sorts of PSD’s we all live for! I feel like a kid set loose in a candy store. What cries out for cynical mocking more: The ‘splash’ effects that defy all known laws of physics, or perhaps the amateurish cut-n-paste jobs absent any shadows whatsoever? And what is that red glob where the woman’s hand meets pool water, a reaction to urine?

Thanks Margi. You can see the original on the Las Faluas site.

Modatoi: Astounding Angles

2012-01-30T23:23:00.000-08:00

Aside from her obvious challenge of finding clothes to hide her freakishly long hips, Siobhan was scouring the Internet in search of a chiropractor who did not charge on a per-vertebra basis.

Maybe it’s just some sort of optical illusion, but to my eyes, that right leg of hers appears to be about eight inches lower than it ought to be. Photoshop has great tools to fix flaws such as these, and I continue to hold that failing to employ said tools can make for just as much of a ‘disaster’ as does abusing them.

Thanks Roxane. You can see the original on the Modatoi site.

Abercrombie & Fitch: Toe-tally Messed Up

2012-01-29T23:21:00.000-08:00

Stealing the spotlight at this year’s Home and Garden Expo was the newest innovation in flooring. Tiny sensors and microprocessors within the black, glossy tile instantly compare footwear with the latest fashion trends and filter out anything unacceptable from the reflection, as it has correctly done here with these very retro and out-of-date flip-flops.

Had the camera line with this photo been close to or at floor level, I might have said no PSD. Toes that are slightly set back from the edge of a sandal would reflect enough light to be visible from a low enough angle, but no way from this height. The GA needs to bone up a bit in that area. It still, however, does not explain why the thong portions of the sandals were left out of the effect.

Thanks Caroline. You can see the original on the Abercombie & Fitch homepage.

Photoshop Quiz: Heine Anatomy

2012-01-28T00:09:00.000-08:00

Over the last two weeks we’ve received the image below from a lot our readers and we’ve been debating here in the office as to whether it’s actually a disaster or not. I'd like for you to pay attention to the positioning of the models legs and to cast your vote as to whether this is a PSD or not.

-No reading the comments before you vote or looking at the votes already submitted.

AB 18.00 Uhr: Head Pin Honey

2012-01-26T23:28:00.000-08:00

Newly divorced and alone, Susan was talked into joining the company bowling team. Her very first strike came when she imagined the woman he’d left her for as the head pin.

Obviously, this is a quick-and-dirty print promo for some ‘happy hour’ event across the pond, so I’m not going to condescend a whole lot about the amateur quality. I do, however, feel insulted that they expect us to believe that women of this caliber on the hotness scale hang out at bowling alleys which lack the budget required for either quality marketing staff or occasional painting of the pins.

Thanks Michael. The original can be found in a number of bowling alleys in Augsburg, Germany