Pen Tool and Desaturation

This tutorial is to desaturate a part of the image like in a magazine illustration.Step 1 : I have opened this image in Photoshop.
Step 2 : Drag the Background to the New Layer icon (the folded bit of paper to duplicate the image).
Step 3 : The Background has been dupplicated as Background copy.
Step 4 : Select the Pen Tool from the flyout.
Step 5 : Click in the middle somewhere in the middle with the pen Tool. Then click at the middle bottom (shown by the blue arrows. As soon as you click at the bottom a vertical line will connect the two points as shown above.
Step 6 : Again click thePen Tool and click on Add Anchor Point Tool.
Step 7 : With the Add Anchor Point Tool I have clicked on two points towards the top and botttom (red arrows), It forms two dots on the vertical line. Note that both the points I have clicked have handles (light blue arrows).
Step 8 : Again click the Pen Tool and from the flyout choose Convert Point Tool.

Step 9 : With the Convert Point Tool selected drag the handles as shown (red arrows),
Step 10 : Again click on the Pen Tool to select it.

Step 11 : With the Pen Tool I have clicked on A, B and C points.
Step 12 : Again click the Pen Tool and Select Add Anchor Point Tool.

Step 13 With the Add Anchor Point Tool I have clickd at two points at the right of the image at the top and bottom.

Step 14 : Again click the Pen Tool and select the Convert Anchor Point Tool.
Step 15 : With the Convert Anchor Point Tool drag the handles as shown. Notice the bend in the line.
Step 16 : Again click the Pen Tool.
Step 17 : Now with the Pen Tool click at the point where I first click. The 'Path' a thin line has now been closed
Step 18 : In the Layers/Channels/Paths pallete click on Paths (Green arrow). This will open the Paths pallete. You can see the 'Workpath' (yellow arrow) of the selection. Now click on Make Selection (red arrow).

Step 19 : This dialogue box opens. By default 'New Selection' should be checked. Click ok.

Step 20 : Notice iimediately after you create ok the path you have created turns into a column of 'marching ants.
Step 21 : Switch back to Layers by clicking on it (red arrow).
Step 22 : Press CTRL+J on the keyboard and selection will be copied and pasted onto a new layer. Layer 1 is the new layer with the selection (red arrow).
Step 23 : Now press CTRL and click on the layer thumbnail as shwon by the red arrow.

Step 24 : You will now find the selection of 'marching ants reappear.

Step 25 : Press CTRL+U on the keyboard and the Hue/Saturation dialogue box opens.
Step 26 : Now drag the Saturation slider all the way to the left. Click ok.
Step 27 : This is the effect. Press CTRL+D on the keyboard to get rid of the selection.

Step 28 : Go to Layer>Layer Style>Stroke
Step 29 : The Layer Style Stroke Structure dialogue box opens. Click the red color box shown by the red arrow.
Step 30 : Click the white on the left where the light blue arrow points to and you will find that the white has been selected as Stroke color (red arrow). Click ok.
Step 31 : Note the Size in the Stroke Structure. By dragging the slider to the right you an increase the Stroke i.e. you can increase its thickness. I am leaving it unchanged at the default 3 pixel. Click ok.

Step 32 : And here is the finished effect. Try it out.

Removing White Background

If a photo has an entirely white background you can remove it easily.

This is a photo with a white background.

The white background has been removed entirely.

You can add a new background after removing the white background.

You can even add text. It can be easily done.

The tutorial is here.

Wood frame with Photoshop

You can add a wooden frame to any photo for giving a special effect in Photoshop. Here is how it is done.

Step 1 : I have opened this photo in Photoshop to which I will add a wooden frame.

Step 2 : Press CTRL+J on your keyboard. This will form a duplicate layer from the 'Background Layer'. See Layer 1 above. It is the duplicate layer.

Step 3 : Press ALT+CTRL+C on your keyboard and the Canvas Size dialogue box will pop up. Since a woden frame is thick I have changed both the "Width' and 'Height' to 1.5 inchs. Make sure the 'Relative' box (highlighted in the green) is checked. Let the 'Canvas Extension Color' (highlighted in mauve) remain at 'Background'. Click ok.

Step 4 : You can see a white frame has formed around the image.

Step 5 : Now click on the Add New Layer button (shown by the small white hand and blue arrow). You will immediately find a new layer form -- Layer 2 (red arrow).

Step 6 : Go to Edit>Fill.

Step 7 : When the Fill dialogue box opens, select 'Pattern' for 'Use' (highlighted in yellow). Now click on 'Custom Pattern' (red arrow). A dropdown box will appear. Choose the Wood grain (shown by green arrow). Click ok.

Step 8 : In the Fill dialogue box ensure that 'Mode' (highligted in blue) is set to Normal and Opacity (highlighted in mauve) at 100 %. Click ok.

Step 9 : The picture is now hidden and the wood grain covers the entire layer.

Step 10 : Now click back on Layer 1 (red arrow). Next press CTRL on your keyboard and click the layer thumbnail in Layer 1.

Step 11 : As soon as you CTRL+Click a column of 'marching ants' can be seen which is the image hidden behind the wood texture.

Step 12 : Press SHIFT+CTRL+I on your keyboard to invert the selection. You can see the inverted selection above.

Step 13 : Click back on Layer 1 (red arrow). Now click the Add Layer Mask button (shown by the small white hand and green arrow).

Step 14 : Notice that the Layer Mask has formed (green arrow).

Step 15 : You can see the wood frame now. Not quite finished though.

Step 16 : Now click on the Wood grain thumbnail (red arrow). Earlier the Layer mask at its right was selected.

Step 17 : Go to Layer>Layer Style>Bevel and Emboss.

Step 18 : When the Bevel and Embos dialogue box opens, Change the 'Technique' to 'Chisel Hard' from the drop down box. Change the 'Depth' to 150 %. Change the opacity of both 'Highlight Mode' and 'Shadow Mode' to 50 %. Click ok.

Step 19 : This is how the wooden frame now looks.

Step 20 : Go to Layer>Layer Style>Color overlay.

Step 21 : When the Color Overlay dialogue box opens, click on red color box. (see red arrow).

Step 22 : When the Color Picker dialogue box opens click near the bottom for a nice dark shade of brown. (see red arrow). Click ok.

Step 23 : This is how the wooden frame now looks.

Step 24 : In the Layer Style dialogue box change the Blend Mode to Color Burn. Click ok.

Step 25 : Go to Layer>Layer Style>Inner Shadow.

Step 26 : When the Inner Shadow dialogue box opens reduce the 'Opacity' to 65 %.

The finished wood frame. How thick you would like your frame to be will depend on your image. You should give the settings accordingly in Step 3. The picture I have used is a large one, therefore the frame looks thin in comparison. OK! That's all!