Photoshop Classic Effects

Book description

If you've ever wondered "How'd they do that?" you're about to find out!

Inspired by the column of the same name in Photoshop User magazine, Photoshop CS Classic Effects show you exactly how to do the same special effects you see every day in magazines, on TV, in the newspaper and on the Web. These are "The Classics"--those tried and true effects that are every where--and for a lot of professional photographers and designers, these effects are their bread and butter (as you'll see inside the book). It's not the wild stuff, it's not the weird stuff--it's the stuff you can really use--the stuff clients always ask for (and expect that you'll know).

How it works

Scott Kelby, Editor of Photoshop User magazine and author of a string of bestselling Photoshop books (including Photoshop CS Down & Dirty Tricks, and The Photoshop CS Book for Digital Photographers) takes these classic techniques and shows you how they're used by today's industry's leading professionals. You'll learn step-by-step how to build complete projects, from start to finish, so you can put these Classic Effects to work for you today. You'll learn classic photographic effects, type effects, commercial and advertising effects, and the special effects the pros turn to first to get the job done fast!

What Makes it a "Classic"

Over the years certain Photoshop special effects have become so popular they've become classics, much in the same way certain songs, or certain cookbook recipes have become classics. For example, if you bought a book of "Classic Recipes" you'd expect that it would include some kick butt recipes for spaghetti sauce, apple pie, buttermilk pancakes, meatloaf, tomato soup, and a wide range of classic dishes, right? Right. So would you expect to find some wild new culinary explorations from Wolfgang Puck in a Classic Recipes book? Not a chance. Instead you'd find the "meat and potatoes" recipes that are used every day by great cooks all over the world. Well, my friends, that's what you're holding--a book of kick butt "meat and potatoes" special effects, the same ones used by great Photoshop photographers and designers all over the world.

MTV or CBS?

Here's the thing: if your client is MTV, you can go out and do all the latest, wildest, weirdest effects and they love it. But what if your client is CBS or CNN? Try that stuff and they'll show you the door. They need a professional, clean look, and they'll expect you to know the classics and how they're used today. That's what this book is all about--teaching you the handy bag of tricks that you can use again and again.

Table of contents

  1. Copyright
    1. Dedication
  2. Acknowledgments
  3. About the Author
  4. The Tutorial to End All Tutorials
  5. 1. Hooked on Classics: The Absolutely Essential Classic Effects
    1. Using One Photo as the Background and the Focal Point
    2. Moving a Background Object in Front of Type
    3. Putting One Image Inside Another Image
    4. Blending a Photo into a Solid-Color Background
    5. Double Glows
    6. Fade-Away Reflection
  6. 2. Shadows of the Night: Soft Shadow Effects
    1. Cast Shadows
    2. Post-it® Notes
    3. Polaroid® Effect
    4. Soft Lighting Effect
  7. 3. True Confessions: Tried-and-True Special Effects
    1. Adding a Different Reflection to Sunglasses
    2. Brushed Metal
    3. Photo Tinting
    4. Adding a Pattern to an Object
    5. Creating DVD Menus
    6. High-Teching a Photo
  8. 4. Classic Rock: Rockin’ Special Effects
    1. Clipping Mask Effect
    2. Sepia Tone Effect
    3. Carved-in-Metal Effect
    4. Soft-Edged Vignette
    5. Torn Edge Effect
    6. Adding Glints
  9. 5. Time Passages: Timeless Effects
    1. Changing the Color of an Object
    2. TV Scan Lines
    3. Speed Blur
    4. Filter Edge Effects
    5. Painted Edge Effects
    6. Fitting Your Sign into Their Sign
  10. 6. Serious Side Effects: Effects That Didn’t Fit Anywhere Else
    1. Digital Pixel Effect
    2. Creating Stamps
    3. Curling Type Around Objects
    4. Blind Emboss Effect
    5. Adding Fireworks to Nighttime Photos
    6. Lightning Effect
  11. 7. Dangerous Type: Classic Type Effects
    1. Chrome Beveled Type
    2. Gel Type
    3. Putting a Photo into Type
    4. Multiple Inline/Outline Type Effect
    5. 3D Type Effect
    6. Perspective Shadow Effect
    7. Distressed Type
    8. The Chapter Intro—Airbrushed Chrome
  12. 8. Freeze Frame: Classic Photographic Effects
    1. Sharp Foreground, Blurred Background
    2. Blending Two Images
    3. Making Splashy Product Shots
    4. Creating Reflections
    5. Colorizing Black-and-White Photos
    6. Burning in Portraits
  13. 9. Almost Famous: Classic Effects You’ve Seen a Million Times
    1. Backscreened Blocks
    2. Realistically Adding a Sign or Logo to an Existing Photo
    3. Creating Starry Skies
    4. Adding a Lens Flare
    5. Motion Blur Effect
    6. Adding Elegance with Transparent Type
  14. 10. Cut to the Chase: This Isn’t Really a Chapter
    1. Backscreening Objects to Make Backgrounds
    2. Moving a Background Object in Front of Type
    3. Putting One Image Inside Another
    4. Blending from a Photo into a Solid Color
    5. Two-Color Glow Effect
    6. Fade-Away Reflection
    7. Cast Shadow Effect
    8. Post-it® Notes Effect
    9. Quick Polaroid® Effect
    10. Soft Spotlight Effect
    11. Creating a Reflection in Sunglasses
    12. Brushed Metal Effect
    13. Tinting a Photo
    14. Adding a Pattern
    15. Creating a Tinted Noise Effect
    16. Adding a High-Tech Transparent Grid
    17. Clipping into a Shape
    18. Sepia Tone Effect
    19. Carved into Metal
    20. Vignette Edge Effect
    21. Ripped Edge Effect
    22. Adding Glints
    23. Changing the Color of an Object
    24. TV Scan Lines Effect
    25. Zoom Blur Effect
    26. Filter Edge Effect
    27. Painted Edge Effect
    28. Fitting Your Image into Their Sign
    29. Digital Pixel Effect
    30. Creating the Stamp Effect
    31. Curling Type Around an Object
    32. Blind Emboss Effect
    33. Blending Fireworks into Nighttime Photos
    34. Instant Lightning Effect
    35. Chrome Beveled Type
    36. The Gel Look
    37. Putting a Photo into Type
    38. Multiple Inline/Outline Effect
    39. 3D Type Effect
    40. Perspective Type Shadow Effect
    41. Distressed Type
    42. Chapter Opening—Airbrushed Chrome
    43. Quick Depth of Field
    44. Blending Two Images
    45. Layer Masking One Photo Inside Another
    46. Creating Reflections
    47. Colorizing a Black-and-White Photo
    48. Burned-In Edge Effect
    49. Backscreened Blocks for Type
    50. Realistically Adding a Sign or Logo
    51. Adding Stars to the Sky
    52. Lens Flare Effect
    53. Motion Blur Effect
    54. Screened Type Effects
  15. Colophon
  16. Additional Photoshop Resources

Product information

  • Title: Photoshop Classic Effects
  • Author(s):
  • Release date: June 2004
  • Publisher(s): Peachpit Press
  • ISBN: 9780321272256