[lafayel]

Hello all and Happy New year! I know, I'm a little late but I promised that I was going to make another tutorial. And I never break my promises!!! unless something important ( ex. like school ;___; *shakes fist) keeps me from completing them. 

Anyway, to celebrate the new year, I wanted to use the nice card I made for my friends as my example. I hope you guys will find it useful.

Just a word of caution since I've started going to my online college, I'm now using the newer version of adobe photoshop. The program I'm currently using is Adobe Photoshop CS6. I've learned a lot of neat tricks so I wanted to implement them into this piece.

However, I tried to explain everything to the "t" so no one will be scratching their heads. And since I'm using the new version of photoshop ( assuming there is no new one out there ) I also tried to remember that not everyone will have the updated version, so I'm going to also try to explain it in old terms. You know? Err...onward to the so called tutorial!!!

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We're going to make a New Year's card but of course you can take what you learn here and use it for something else. I'm sure you all can take it even further and make something even cooler. :3

STEP 1 ) Click this & save to your computer. If you're wondering why the image looks small, it's not, that's just photobucket making it look tiny. To see the image in its natural glory, hover your mouse over the image and you should see 5 gray squares. I would like for you to click on the magnifying glass. Once you do that, it'll show the images true size. Right-click and save.

Example = Just in case, click this link to see what I'm talking about.

STEP 2 ) Make a new document.

1. NAME: not necessary to actually name the file but you can if you want.
2. PRESET: custom
3. WIDTH: 400 pixels
4. HEIGHT: 500 pixels
5. RESOLUTION: 72 pixels/inch
6. COLOR MODE: RGB color, 8 bit

STEP 3 ) Drag the image you downloaded into the file you just made. Or you can just go to the image you downloaded and go to >>select>>all. And you should see those marching ants ( the black & white around the image moving ). Then go to edit>>copy. And then go to the new document you just created and paste what you just copied into the new file.

So now you should see the transparent layer ( layer 1 ) and the 2nd layer should be your main image layer. In order to make this large image to fit the canvas, scale it down. Don't forget to hold shift to keep the image from losing its radiance ( haha...ok enough joking around ).

In order to scale it down.

• Edit
  
• Transform
  
• Scale
  

STEP 4 ) Just like my 1st tutorial we're going to bring out those hidden colors. More like manipulate the ones we want to bring out more.

• Layer
  
• New Adjustment layer
  
• Selective color

Don't forget to click that box that's underneath, on the left side >> use previous layer to create a clipping mask & click ok.
NOTE!!! | I'm not sure if the older model of photoshop has this but I'll double check in a second once I post this thread. I'm currently on my apple laptop and not on my red dell laptop.

STEP 5 )  With the new selective color layer pulled up go ahead and edit the....

REDS

• CYAN | -100%
  
• MAGENTA | -6%
• YELLOW | +100%
  
• BLACK | +28%

YELLOWS

• CYAN | -100%
  
• MAGENTA | -100%
  
• YELLOW | -100%
  
• BLACK | +100%

BLUES

• CYAN | +100%
  
• MAGENTA | -100%
  
• YELLOW | -100%
  
• BLACK | +100%

MAGENTAS

• CYAN | -100
  
• MAGENTA | +100
  
• YELLOW | -82
  
• BLACK | +100
  

WHITES

• CYAN | 0%
  
• MAGENTA | 0%
  
• YELLOW | 0%
  
• BLACK | +100%

NEUTRALS

• CYAN | 0%
  
• MAGENTA | 0%
  
• YELLOW | 0%
  
• BLACK | -13%
  

BLACKS

• CYAN | 0%
  
• MAGENTA | 0%
  
• YELLOW | 0%
  
• BLACK | -19%

Once you input all of that click ok. However, if you're using CS6, I don't think you need to click ok after that since you can edit the color settings in a different way. But I won't go into detail, though if you need more explaining, respond to this thread if you're stuck. I just added the first bit because that's how it is in the older photoshop I use. Yes, I still use the old one. *shot*

STEP 6 ) Download this texture. I forgot where I found it. For the life of me, I can't remember the website I got it from. If you know where I got it from, post back and I'll credit the artist. I normally use 99mockingbirds for their works but it isn't active anymore. *sob*

For this texture, go ahead and drag it into your file. Place that texture how you see fit. It doesn't have to look exactly like mine. Once you have it where you want it, change the blend mode to darken. If you notice, you'll see that the texture covers our main image. In order to fix that go to the next step.

But for now we're going to first go to...

• Layer
  
• New adjustment layer
  
• Selective color
• Don't forget to click that box that's underneath, on the left side >> use previous layer to create a clipping mask & click ok.
  

The only thing I edited was the whites & Blacks.

WHITES

• CYAN | 0%
  
• MAGENTA | 0%
  
• YELLOW | 0%
  
• BLACK | +100%
  

BLACKS

• CYAN | 0%
  
• MAGENTA | 0%
  
• YELLOW | 0%
  
• BLACK | -20%

STEP 7 ) To fix our texture problem, you can fix it in a couple ways. You can delete the unnecessary texture out of our main image by using the...

• Lasso tool
  
• Eraser tool
  
• Pen tool

I named those three because you can get the same effect like I did in mine using all three. It all depends on what you're comfortable with. Personally, I can use all three but for this particular project, I decided to use the pen tool. Why? Simple, I wanted to save my selection and you can do that by saving the paths you create when you use the pen tool. Plus, the pen tool is the perfect tool to get an exact selection of your subject.

If you're not comfortable using the pen tool, I recommend using the eraser tool to erase the black parts. However, you will need to have patience for that part and zoom in as much as you can to erase the black parts.

NOTE!!! | But...! We're not going to actually erase the black parts directly from on the texture image ( if you know what I mean - i hope ). You only do that if you're using the eraser tool. If you are indeed using that because you fine that using the eraser is easiest for you. You will take your eraser tool and erase the black parts you don't want to show until you're satisfied. Remember to lower the texture opacity so you can get a better view of what to take out. << I hope I didn't lose anyone there. I just wanted to give you another option just in case. If needed I can provide a better explanation if you're stuck.

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Now for the real purpose of step 7. If you choose to use the pen tool. Select your pen tool and head back to the main image ( the fate/stay night image ) and start using your pen tool to only outline the two figures ( archer & rin ). Here's a preview if you're not sure what I mean. I would go into more detail about how the pen tool works but for the sake of not having another wall of text here's a video I find really useful when using the pen tool. >>>CLICK THIS PLEASE!!!

Anyway, once you're done using the pen tool. Save your paths. In order to do that...

• Right side of your panel ( however you call it ) click paths
  
• Once you click that, rename that path to whatever you wish to call it
  
• Right click that path you renamed
  
• Make selection
• A new window should pop up
• In the feather radius enter >>0.5 ( this will smooth the edges a little so it won't look rough when you delete the black parts of that texture we added earlier )
  

Here's a preview of what needs to be done. :3

STEP 8 ) Now, once you've made your selection using your pen tool. You should see the marching ants appear. Don't do anything yet. Go back to the black texture. On that black texture, you can hit delete and that should erase the black parts that was covering our main image.

STEP 9 ) Download & save another texture. Another texture in which I saved in my younger days. So I don't remember where I got it from. I'm bad, I know. ;___; Shame on me. >///< With this one it won't be uber complicated. Just change the blend mode to lighten and move that texture to the left corner of Rin.

STEP 10 ) Download yet another texture. Oh my! D: You see the pattern, right!? No...tsk..tsk. j/k...... (;>_>)> ? <(<_<
You should now have in total of 3 textures. Drag that texture into your document and scale it asap so that it'll fit in the canvas nicely. You don't have to scale it too small now, k?

>>Set the blend mode to multiply.

With this texture we're just going to use our brush to color in the ugly areas we don't want to see. In this case, if you did exactly the same as I have. The grainy parts is on Rin's face and a little around poor Archer's head. To fix that up change your fill color to #ffffff.

STEP 11 ) Download this light texture. Yes....I know what's what with this texture stuff. *shakes lafayel* XD You can't have New Year's without the shinny and sparkles, right? Right...?

Erm...ok now with this light texture, we're just going to change the blend mode to screen. And scale this texture to fit well with the canvas. Also, when you scale that image down, you will probably need to erase some of the light orbs. Otherwise, you'll have a few parts that will make the image look unnatural.

STEP 12 ) Create a new layer. And change your fill color to >>#e5e5e5. And set the blend mode to darken.

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BREAK TIME!!!!
We're almost done!? CAN YOU BELIEVE IT!? WHY LAFAYEL!!! WHY ALL THIS PAIN FOR A SIMPLE DARN CARD! Shh...j/k. I hope that made you laugh. Don't give up now! Keep it up, guys!!!! <(*__*<)

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STEP 13 ) Now we can add our fancy text. Go to dafont and download the font called, A day without the sun.

• Set the font size to 99 pt
  
• For those using CS6 go to your font panel and change these settings to make it look exactly like mine.
  
• For people using the older version photoshop, I'm sorry but if you want to space your text a bit. You can hit the space bar a little inbetween the text to give it that nice clean look. You don't have to but yeah.
  
• Right-click & select blending options

We're going to add that nice red shadow behind our text ( this can be done in the older version of photoshop too - yay! ~ :] )

• Set the shadow color to #bb2a32
• Change the blending mode to darken
• Change the opacity to 68%
• Change the angle to 34
• Make sure the global light is checked off
• Set the distance to 5
• Set the speed to 0
• Set the size to 5 as well

Now for the quality section

• In the contour part, there should be a drop down option. Click that and pick the cone picture. It looks like a drop down hill ( well to me it does - idk ). To make sure you got the right one. Hover your mouse over the various images they provide you there and find the one that says cone. Or to make things easier pick the 2nd image.
  

Once that's finished click done. You now have a neat looking drop shadow effect.

STEP FINAL 14 ) We're finally done. Almost..

• Layer
  
• Flatten image

To brighten the image a little go to..

• Layer
  
• New adjustment layer
  
• Hue/saturation
  
• And only change the saturation to +30%

And click ok.

Flatten the image one more time and go to..

• Filter
  
• Sharpen
  

In order to tone down the sharp edges a bit..

• Edit
  
• fade sharpen
  
• Change the number to 47

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And there you have it. I hope I explained it good enough for everyone to follow. Writing this tutorial took far too long than I thought. I'm about to fall over because I don't feel well. Ugh..but I did for you guys. <33

Just in case, here's my psd. file in case you ever get stuck. :3 << Remember for this tutorial I used CS6. I'm not sure if the older models will be able to read this psd. If you aren't able to view the file, I'll make the same graphic I made on CS6 on my old photoshop. That's how much I love you guys. ^3^ kk..I'm going to need to go to sleep before I fall over on my cat. RUN SOFIA...RUN!!! D: le gasp.

[Wizard♦]

Lovely work, and thank you for this it helps.