Graphic Design Archives

July 30, 2017March 20, 2018 by Content Editor

How to Fade an Image in Photoshop Easily

How to fade an image in Photoshop? Fading an image in Photoshop can be done in a couple of ways. First, using the gradient tool and the other is by eraser tool.

Let’s add the image into a single document. The photo image is the one we are going to fade out and the other element is a background color (It can also be an image) where it stays below the image layer.

Fade an image using the gradient tool

We can use the gradient tool by changing its gradient color. This is the perfect tool to get an even fading effect into any areas of the image.

Since we are going to create the fading effect into nondestructive technique, we are going to use the layer mask instead.

Step 1. Select the image layer. Resize, make it smaller or as desired.

Step 2. Add a layer mask by hitting the icon below the layer’s panel.

Using the mask, we can have the control over the mistake on erasing if ever it’s going to happen. Erasing it directly into the image layer will remove our chance of editing our image back from its original composition.

The mask just means we are using the foreground color black on our brush. The black color means to remove. If ever you have erased something just replace the black color into the white one (#ffffff) and brush it over to the image so parts will start to appear.

Step 4. Next, select the gradient tool.

For its colors, choose the black into a transparent gradient. This is important because we are using a layer mask.

Step 5. At the bottom edge of the image, you can start masking.

Click and drag up using the gradient tool by holding the shift key.

Make sure to select the layer mask thumbnail.

How to fade an image in Photoshop using the eraser tool

This technique gives us more freedom on the fading effect.

Step 1. First, we should set our brush into a smooth brush.

Smooth brush so it will not show clear edges upon the fade effect.

Step 3. Next, make sure the foreground color is set to black or #0000 color code.

Step 2. Second, we lower our brush flow enough that we can see our desired output fade effect.

The flow option can be found in the top menu after you select the eraser tool.

Put your desired flow value, for this, I am going to use 40%.

Step 3. Use larger brush size so you will get even fading effect with the image

Step 4. Start brushing into the bottom of image areas or wherever you desire.

I have added some texts into the composition and this is what I came up to:

How to Fade an Image in Photoshop Easily

The pink panther image source: Pixabay

March 24, 2017March 20, 2018 by Content Editor

How to Type on a Path in Photoshop Using Shapes and Pen tool

The regular left to right horizontal text direction was often used by any design graphic you have seen. Creating a custom path to the type to follow makes the texts come into life and suggests creativity. So, How to type on a path in Photoshop?

Watch the video below or continue reading.

How to Type on a Path in Photoshop Using the Pen tool?

Use the pen tool to create a freedom path. It creates a straight line segment after left clicking. Use the pen tool by left clicking, it will create an anchor point which a line segment is created.

In this tutorial, I will create a simple custom curved path for the type to follow.

This is the final design that we will implement.

First, I will create a red mark so you can see what we will be creating. The red line mark indicates the path we are going to create.

Next, we are going to use the pen tool to implement our line mark.
Since I am going to type on a path, I need to change the pen tool into path mode. In this mode, we cannot get the option to add fill or stroke. You can find the option in the top menu (see image below).

After we change the pen tool mode, I am going to create three points on our image. I did this to we can create a precise or at least balance within the curve path.

Notice some anchors of the path is on point, I’m going to make it curve so our text will not overlap. Using the pen tool, hover over the center point. Hold the ALT/Option key in your keyboard and you will see a triangle cursor symbol(see image below). Click and drag it to the right while holding the shift key until you find the right curved.

Finally, by selecting the horizontal type tool I am going to hover over to the path and you will see a type on a path symbol(See image below).

Click on it and start adding your texts.

After adding my texts, click on the check mark at the top to commit your current edit. My text was not so appealing so I will change the size, font and color.

This is what I came up with:

What if we want to change a position of the text starting point?

Well, I can by using the path selection tool.

Using the path selection tool

Change the length path segment
Flip text on path photoshop

Change the length path segment

When you hover over the path, you will see a type symbol cursor with a triangle flag (See image below).

In your freedom path, if the cursor flag faces to the left it means that it will control the end point of the segment. If it is facing to right, it will control the starting point of your text types.

Flip text on path photoshop

If you want your text to face downwards, use the path selection tool then hover over your path until you’ll see a path selection cursor having a flag symbol and click and hold down. As a result, you will see a flip text on path.

In addition, if you are unable to see the path when selecting the path selection tool, just click on the different layer and click back again to the text layer.

This is the final image I created:

How to Type on a Path in Photoshop Using the Basic shape tool?

Rectangle tool
Rounded rectangle tool
Ellipse Tool
Polygon tool
Line tool
Custom shape tool

I am going to create a path using the ellipse tool. In the same way, make the tool mode into shape.

I will be going to create the path surrounding the orange object in our image.
First, holding the shift key( to create a perfect circle ), click the center of our object and drag to expand the size of the shape.

Second, select the type tool and hover over the path you just created then click and start typing. Use the path selection tool to adjust the position.

It is pretty much the same process the only thing different is the shape of the path that is going to create.

Style your text the same as the regular horizontal align.

Here are some few examples I made:

cat_example text on a path — Image Credit : https://pixabay.com

In conclusion, you can create text on a path using freedom pen tool or using the basic shapes tool. The pen tool makes it more freely to create custom path while the shape tool might be useful if you want to create a perfect shape path for your text types.

November 13, 2016March 20, 2018 by Content Editor

Make a GIF from a Video Just Like in Tumblr

You must have seen moving images on tumblr or on any website or an advertisement. Almost all the tumblr images you have seen is a gif image format and most of them was created from a video. So, how can we make a gif from a video file?

First, let’s talk about what is a gif image.

A gif or Graphics Interchange Format supports animations of up to 256 colors for each frame.

It is a palette based which only hold up to 256 colors.

So, what are the requirements to be able to convert a video into a gif image?

Photoshop
Quicktime Player -An application required by Photoshop. Use to import and render frames within the video. It is capable of handling various formats like video and image. Download the player here.
Video file

What Photoshop does is it gets the frames from the video and converts it into layers.

The layers then used in the animation frames in the gif image.

Step 1 Import the Video

Open Photoshop. Head over to the top menu and click on File-Import-Video frames to layers.

An Import Video to Layers window will pop-up.

Step 2 Select Range to Import

There are two options to choose from, from beginning to end or selected range only.

Most of the time you will choose the selected range since the option will take all the frames within the video.

It also depends on the video on how much frames it has every second so it would avoid creating hundreds of frames.

Use the trim control guides to select the range and duration.

See arrows within the figure above.

Step 3 Make frames from Layers

The frames will become layers now.

Depending on the range you selected is how much layers you will have.

Now, we will open the timeline or animation tab.

Click on the window on the top menu and choose timeline.

It should open a tab/panel with your layers into it.

For an older version of Photoshop, you will select the animation option.

An animation tab will open.

If there will be no frames click on the toggle menu at the right side of the tab.

Select make frames from layers.

See 1 : Make sure you choose the forever in the loop option so the animation will loop again and again in our gif image.

See 2: If you have something to edit/change within you frames, click on this toggle icon and it will be converted into a video timeline.

In video timeline you can adjust the frame’s specific duration, style, position and opacity.

Step 4 Saving into a GIF Image

To save a gif image, click on file-save for web or hit Alt+Shift+Ctrl+S.

On the save for web window, make sure you select the GIF (see 1) file format.

Adjust how many colors we want lesser than 256 (see 2).

The colors within the image you created are seen at the color table (see 3).

Decrease the colors and the color table will also eliminates a color.

Lessening the colors as a result the image will be grainy so it is best to leave it at 256 colors.

We can also adjust the image size, width and height.

Save it by hitting save and test it by opening with browsers like chrome and firefox.

Now we have created a gif image from a video using Photoshop.

October 15, 2016March 20, 2018 by Content Editor

Adobe Photoshop for Beginners Tutorial (Part one)

Photoshop is a graphic editor software developed and published by Adobe Systems. It has been used widely used because of its useful functions to either simple or complex graphic related creations. Learn Adobe Photoshop for beginners’ basic tips and tools description provided below.

Window

When you accidentally closed a panel in your workspace or if you forgot where it is and you can’t find it window menu is a great help. Click on the window menu on the top and you’ll find the options you were looking for.

Workspace

Workspace is a great way to set your Photoshop interface according to the kind of projects you are working.

For example, if you are working on Image color adjustments in Photoshop then you need histogram and adjustments panel so you would choose the Photography workspace set by Photoshop for you. Go to Windows- Workspace –Photography then a panel dedicated to Image adjustments appear.

You can also create your own workspace if you want a customize tools/panels to appear on your interface. First, Display your desired panels and when done just go to Window- Workspace- New Workspace. A window pops up to fill in the workspace name and hit save.

Rulers

Rulers are located on the top and the left side of your canvas. If you can’t find it just go to View-Rulers. There are two of it, the horizontal and vertical. Add a ruler guide to your canvas by clicking and dragging it to your canvas.

Actions

Do you have loads of work to be done and you took the same steps over again? Creating an action saves a lot of time.

Tools

Didn’t know the name or the shortcuts of the tools located on the left-hand side? Hover over the tool and information about it will tip up. You could also click on the tools that have caret which means that it has another option with the same kind of tool for you to choose. If it is not available in your workspace, you can find it be clicking on Window- Tools.

PSD File

JPEG is a compressed image format. Saving your work in this format is not the better idea if you want to resume editing. Save it as a PSD file format and you’re good to go.

Smart Object

Making a layer into a smart-object is a non-destructive technique. It acts as a pre-compose layer file. It preserves image or shape’s original quality when you resize an image to smaller and vice versa.

To make the layer into a smart-object, right-click on it and choose make layer into smart object.

Interface

Do not like the default dark gray interface color of your workspace? Change it by going to edit menu-preferences-interface and choose your desired color theme.

Grids

Grids are your friends. You might want to use grids so that you can position objects evenly or specifically on your canvas.