Creative Photoshop with John Reuter John Reuter

In this episode we continue to explore the new features and interface in Photoshop CS4. As with the Adjustment Pane, while there are some new tools it really is a re-configuration of previously existing tools. Everything is right there for you, and in conjunction with the Adjustments Panel, you will find yourself more wiling and able to take advantage of these powerful tools.

It has been over a year since I last produced an episode of Creative Photoshop.  While many things made it difficult to continue for a long period, the release of Photoshop CS4 has given me ample reason to start up again.  I appreciate the many messages of support, in fact the podcast is more popular than when I suspended episodes.  In this episode we explore the new Adjustment Panel in Photoshop CS4.  While Adjustment layers have long been part of Photoshop, this new configuration is certain to make users take advantage of them more often.  We explore some creative ways to make use of this interface and I hope it becomes an integral part of your image creation process.

In this episode we continue our look at Analog Input/Digital Output. Taking one of our images from the last episode, we explore ways to integrate it into some other images and create a composite. We explore some techniques from past episodes and use them in different ways. We look at the CS3 Refine Edge Tool and how it helps to integrate an image into a new setting. We also explore the CS3 print dialog and how to choose settings for an Epson printer. With our last episode we have passed the 350,000 mark in total downloads. Thanks to all of you listeners, I look forward to more episodes.

In this episode of Creative Photoshop we go into a different direction. For several years I have taught a class called Polaroid Creativity: Analog Input/Digital Output. Most recently I offered this class at Grossmont College in El Cajon, CA in conjunction with the Museum of Photographic Arts in San Diego. It begins by making Polaroid Image Transfers and Emulsion Lifts with DayLab Printers and Copy System units. Students experiment with a variety of images and test the process. In classes in bygone years that would be the extent of our experiments. But now with scanners, printers, and most of all Photoshop these Polaroid materials can be enhanced, retouched, and enlarged, greatly expanding the artist’s expression. In this podcast we explore the Epson driver for scanning, discuss scanner settings and bring an Image transfer and Emulsion Lift into Photoshop for enhancement. We cover techniques for retouching; cleaning up borders, adding noise to enhance enlargement and adjustment layers to fine tune and correct our input. In our next episode we will explore some creative techniques combining these images with other sources and discuss output options. I hope you enjoy this episode. Creative Photoshop has now passed the 300,000 download plateau. I thank all of you who have been listeners. As always, I would love to hear from you with comments or suggestions.

I’m back after a rather long absence. Many things have been going on, work, teaching and actually making my own art, which I am very excited about. But turning our attention to our Composite Project, we finally get to Part Three which finishes off some details and I hope shows you what goes through my mind as I complete an image. We delve once again into Smart Objects, Layer Groups and Layer Masks, all essential tools in creating composite images. I hope you enjoy this episode.

In this episode we continue with our project on image composite. Last week we added color to an antique portrait in preparation to bringing it into a new composition. This week we blend two backgrounds together with the Blend If sliders in Layer Styles. This is a strategy I often use when beginning a composite. We will then bring the portrait into this blended background and make adjustments based on this new context. I always wait to refine a hand colored image until I know where it is going to reside. Finally we will use Layer Styles Blending to integrate the portrait into the new background.