In this tutorial we will create a realistic rainbow and add it to our photo. This is an easy Photoshop tutorial, aimed at beginners with detailed explanations at each step.

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Final Image

As always, this is the final image that we’ll be creating:

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Step 1

Open file “Sky”. This will be our base image on top of which we will create a realistic rainbow. First let’s create a new layer by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Alt + N. Now select the Rectangular Marquee Tool and create a selection as shown in the image below.

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Step 2

Select the Gradient Tool (G) and click on the icon shown below to edit the gradient.

The following window (called the Gradient Editor) will appear. The little arrowhead icons underneath are the colors that form the gradient. Click just below the gradient representation to add new colors. You can also click on the colors and move them around after you have created them. Double click the arrowhead icons to change the color.

Add the colors shown below to your Gradient Editor window and click OK. They are in order: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, magenta, cyan.

Make sure you still have the Gradient Tool selected. Click and drag in the selection while holding shift to create a gradient with the colors you chose previously. Press Ctrl + D to deselect the layer.

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Step 3

Make a duplicate layer (Ctrl + J) of the gradient layer just to have a backup in case something goes wrong. Turn off the visibility of the original gradient layer by clicking on the eye icon at the left of the layer in the layers palette.

Select the Eraser Tool (E), select a soft round brush and erase the left and right edges of the gradient as shown in the image below.

You could also use a Layer Mask to hide the unwanted parts of the gradient, but the Eraser Tool is simpler to use.

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Step 4

Now let’s add some blur in order to disperse the colors. Choose Blur > Gaussian Blur and enter a value of 20px. Make sure the layer is deselected (press Ctrl + D just to be sure) otherwise you’ll get unwanted effects.

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Step 5

We are almost ready with our rainbow. Let’s add some curvature to our rainbow. While on the gradient layer press Ctrl + T to enter Free Transform. Right click on the gradient and from the drop down menu choose Warp.

In order to bend it in a nice fashion choose from warp options (in the upper Options Bar) Arc and play a little with the Bend value until you obtain a nice curved rainbow. Press Enter after you’re done.

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Step 6

Let’s increase the size of our rainbow and position it a bit better. Press Ctrl + T to enter Free Transform and modify the size and position to make it look like mine in the image below. To symmetrically resize hold the Shift key while dragging on the corners.

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Step 7

It looks very nice now but the effect is still a bit strong. Change the blending mode to Color and lower the Opacity of our rainbow layer to 51% for a softer effect.

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Step 8

It looks nice enough as it is but I think that a bit of glow will make it look better. Duplicate the rainbow layer by pressing Ctrl + J. Double-click the layer to enter Advanced Blending options. Use the following settings:

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And We’re Done!

Here’s how the final image should look. If you want a more artistic effect and not a realistic one then consider increasing the opacity of the rainbow layer and/or give the rainbow a bigger arc effect (Step 5).

There are a lot of techniques on the Internet on how to make a drawing from a photo. But I would like to invite your attention to another one unique simple Photoshop tutorial on how to achieve the desired effect in an easier way.

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Final Image

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Resources

• Young woman sitting with an encyclopedia

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Step 1

Open the photo in Photoshop.

With the Crop Tool selected crop the photo as shown on my screenshot below. After that, select the Polygonal Lasso Tool to cut the lady’s silhouette from the background.

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Step 2

Select some appropriate colors, for example black color (#6d0000) and orange (#69360e), then create a new layer under the layer with the lady and apply Filter > Render > Clouds.

Then go back to the layer with the lady, use the Eraser Tool with a soft round brush of small diameter and make the border between her and the background softer by erasing some parts of the hair.

Now we have to reduce the red hue on the photo. Duplicate the current layer with Ctrl+J and use Image > Adjustments > Color Balance on the copied layer to edit the color balance.

Use the Eraser Tool to do some cleaning up work to reduce the blue color presence on the photo.

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Step 3

Merge all layers into one except the background layer. Duplicate the background layer and move it above the layer with the photo.

Apply Edit > Transform > Flip Vertical to flip this layer vertically.

Desaturate it with Image > Adjustments > Desaturate.

Then use the Eraser Tool and  soft round brush to erase part of background as on my screenshot below.

Change the blending mode to Hard Light for this layer.

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Step 4

Create a new layer and set the blending mode to Overlay for it. Select the Brush Tool (Opacity: 20-30%) with a soft round brush and increase the contrast between dark and light parts by making strokes with black and white colors.

If we turn the blending mode back to Normal for this layer, then we will see the following picture:

It clearly shows that in the shaded areas we used black color, and for the lighter areas used white, that have increased the glare and shadow. Again turn back to Overlay mode and make one more copy of this layer. Change the mode to Soft Light for the copied layer.

After that change the opacity to 30%.

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Step 5

Create a new layer, press ‘D’ to set the foreground and background colors as black and white and apply Filter > Render > Clouds again.

Add some noise with Filter > Noise > Add Noise:

After that use Filter > Blur > Motion Blur with similar settings to these:

Apply Filter > Blur > Smart Blur:

Increase the size of the canvas with Edit > Transform > Scale to avoid showing sharp edges.

Now, change the layer mode to Overlay for this layer.

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Step 6

Create an adjustment layer with Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Hue/Saturation to reduce the strong contrast.

Create another adjustment layer with Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Channel Mixer to achieve the desired effect:

Add one final adjustment layer by using Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Exposure with following settings:

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Final Image

Today I will show you how to imitate evening eye make-up in Photoshop. This lesson will be very useful to those who process photos for fashion magazines.

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Final Image

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Note: Original tutorial published on Photoshopstar.com some years ago. Tutorial was updated and now republished.

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Resources

• woman

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Step 1

Open up the photo, press Ctrl+A to select canvas and copy selected area with Ctrl+C.

Create a new document and paste the copied fragment on it with Ctrl+V.

Then use Edit > Free Transform to reduce the size of the fragment.

I think it will be better to start by adding eye shadow to the eyelids. Select the Polygonal Lasso Tool and create a selection similar to mine on the picture below:

Hold down the Shift button and when the plus sign near the cursor appears, just add the second eye area selection.

After that fill the selected area with color #556141 on a new layer.

Remove selection with Ctrl+D and apply Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur with these presets:

Change layer mode to Overlay.

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Step 2

To correct the eye shadow borders we can apply the Smudge Tool (Brush: 50px; Mode: Normal; Strength: 70%).

Create a new layer and start creating the eyeliner effect.

Use the Polygonal Lasso Tool again and create a selection as on my picture below, then fill it with color #282a37 on the new layer.

Deselect the chosen area with Select > Deselect and apply Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur with similar settings to these:

Change layer mode to Color Burn and set the opacity to 70%.

Apply the Smudge Tool (Brush: 15px) for this layer again.

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Step 3

Time to add the white glow under the eyebrows. Create new layer, then select the Brush Tool and a soft round brush about 35px to color the area under the eyebrows with white.

Apply Filter > Noise > Add Noise with similar settings to these:

Change layer mode to Soft Light.

Apply the Blur Tool a little bit.

Select the Eraser Tool and apply it to make the white highlight realistic-looking.

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Step 4

Create new layer, then select the Polygonal Lasso Tool again and create selections similar to mine and fill with black.

Remove the selection with Ctrl+D and apply Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur to blur the current layer content about 1,5px and then reduce the opacity to 24% for this layer.

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Step 5

Now I would like to add eyelashes. I’m going to show you an interesting method by using the Pen Tool. Before we start making them, just select the Brush Tool and set up with the following settings:

Then set foreground color to black. After that select the Pen Tool (you need to make sure that you’re working with Paths instead of Shape Layers). Draw out the line using paths:

Then right-click and select Stroke Path.

A little dialog box will appear as in the screenshot. Choose Brush and make sure there is a tick next to Simulate Pressure. This is important as it will give your curve tapered ends which will make it rock!

Next right click again and select Delete Path. Create more eyelashes in the same way.

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Final Image

Hope you enjoyed the tutorial and found it helpful.

In this Photoshop tutorial I’m going to show you how to make an interesting creative effect of creating transparent clothes on woman body.

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Final Image

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Resources

• Esperance beach 4
• Bikini Model Shoot
• Pink Daisy

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Step 1

Open the beach photo and reduce the size to 400 x 600px with Image > Image Size.

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Step 2

Open the bikini photo and reduce the size of it with Image > Image Size again.

Select the Polygonal Lasso Tool (Feather: 1px) to separate the woman from the background.

Hold Alt button and cut away the inner parts of the background between hands and body also.

Press Ctrl+C to copy the selected area, then go back to the main picture with the scenery background and paste the image selection with Ctrl+V.

Use Edit > Free Transform to reduce the size of the copied fragment a bit and flip it horizontally with Edit > Transform > Free Transform as shown on my picture below.

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Step 3

Since the background where we put the girl is brighter, we have to adjust the brightness of the layer with the girl. Make the layer with girl active and make the adjustment with Image > Adjustments > Brightness/Contrast:

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Step 4

Open the pink daisy photo and use the Polygonal Lasso Tool to separate the flower from the background.

Press Ctrl+C to copy the selected fragment of the image, then go to the main canvas and paste the copied fragment with Ctrl+V.

Apply Edit > Free Transform to reduce the flower size.

Duplicate this layer a few times to create the upper and lower contour of the dress.

Duplicate the last  layer with the flower again and press Ctrl+T to reduce it a little bit. We need smaller flowers to create the dress straps.

After that we can bring a few flowers of different sizes to the dress area as ornaments.

Go to the woman layer and create the same selection with the Polygonal Lasso Tool as on my picture below.

After that press Ctrl+Shift+J to cut the selected part of image on a new layer. Then set the fill opacity to 0% and apply Inner Glow and Color Overlay layer styles for this layer:

Now we have one small hole on the bottom of the dress. To remove this defect use the Polygonal Lasso Tool and create selection as shown on the picture below. Fill this selected area with any color.

Remove the selection with Ctrl+D. Merge all the layers together except the interior background and the woman. Duplicate the merged layer and apply Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur to the copied layer.

Change the layer mode to Soft Light for this layer.

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Final Image

Hope you enjoyed the tutorial and found it helpful.

In this tutorial I’d like to share with you one very interesting method of stylization and Create a Forest Fairy Using Artistic Photo Processing. We are going to create a forest fairy from an ordinary photo of a girl.

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Final Image

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Resources

• girl
• Butterfly 4

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Step 1

Open photo in Photoshop.

With the Polygonal Lasso Tool make a selection of the girl.

Copy the selection to a new layer by pressing Ctrl+J.

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Step 2

Let’s work on the background first. For this purpose select the layer with the original photo and work with it only, the layer with the girl should be over the layer with the photo. Apply to the layer Image > Adjustments > Brightness/Contrast with the following settings (double-click layer if it’s still set as the background layer to convert it to a regular layer):

Apply Image > Adjustments > Curves.

Finally apply Image > Adjustments > Color balance to add a little green.

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Step 3

Let’s give the background more contrast and sharpen it. For this purpose duplicate the layer with the photo and apply Filter > Other > High Pass to the copied layer.

Set the layer mode to Multiply.

Select the Eraser Tool (Opacity: 70%) with soft-edged brush and erase this layer along the shape and contour of the girl – this will create the shining effect.

Let’s increase the shine around the girl. Create a new layer, place it over the background and below the layer with the girl that should be still above all the layers. Set Overlay blending mode for the created layer. Select a soft-edged brush, Opacity 30%, black color (#000000) and using the Brush Tool darken the edges on the new layer.

Change the foreground color to white (#ffffff) and dodge the background beyond the girl.

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Step 4

Let’s create the fairy now. To start select the girl layer. We are going to correct the contours of the girl a little by going to Filter > Liquify.

Brush Size: 194; Brush Density: 100; Brush Pressure: 35; Mode: Revert

As we’ve corrected only the layer with the girl, the contours of the girl have remained the same on the layer with the photo, so it’s worth using the Clone Stamp Tool to correct the image. To begin with, create a new layer and place it under the layer with the girl. Then select the Clone Stamp Tool in Sample parameter, select All Layers tab and correct the image on the created layer.

Now let’s correct the skin a bit and remove the shoulder straps from the shoulders.

Use the Healing Brush Tool for this purpose.

After moderate correction copy the layer with the girl and apply Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur to the copied layer.

Change Opacity of this layer to 60%.

Then change layer mode to Screen for this layer.

Duplicate this layer and change the blending mode of the copied layer to Multiply.

Now we return to layer with the girl again (not to the blurred layer). Select a soft-edged brush with a small diameter and using the Eraser Tool erase the contour, due to this the contour of the girl will be a bit blurred, it will give the impression of a fairy tale.

Duplicate the layer with the girl (the one, that wasn’t blurred) and place it above all the layers.

Apply Filter > Other > High Pass to this layer.

Apply Image > Adjustments > Brightness/Contrast with next presets:

Set Soft Light blending mode to this layer.

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Step 5

Create a new layer on top, select a soft-edged brush, black color (#000000) and just paint out the clothes of the girl, making it dress-shaped.

Duplicate the layer with the dress and apply Image > Adjustments > Levels to the copied layer.

Reduce opacity of both layers with the dress to 50%.

Select the Eraser Tool and use it on the layer with the white dress to clean the chest area.

Increase the opacity of the layer with the black dress up to 100%, set the opacity of the layer with white dress to 10% and merge down the two layers.

Now we change the color of the dress using Image > Adjustments > Hue/Saturation.

Select a Chalk brush and using the Smudge Tool (Strength: 50%) process the contours of the dress.

Create a new layer, select the brush again, 1px in diameter, white color (#ffffff), then using the Pen Tool (Paths mode), create a curve, taking into account the breast line, the curve should repeat the shape of the body a little.

A little dialog box will appear as in the screenshot. Choose Brush as a source in the dropdown menu.

Next right click again and select Delete Path.

Other curves are created using the same principle. To increase their amount, curves can be copied, transformed etc.

Copy the current layer with curves and put the copied layer under the original. Then apply Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur to it.

Set the opacity of the layer with blur-free curves to 60%.

Apply Image > Adjustments > Hue/Saturation to the layer with blurred curves.

Copy the layer with blurred curves and apply Image > Adjustments > Hue/Saturation to the copied layer.

Apply Edit > Transform > Flip Vertical to this layer.

Now select a soft-edged brush, and correct this layer a bit by using the Eraser Tool.

Create a new layer, assign Overlay blending mode to it, select a soft-edged brush and using the Brush Tool darken the waist area to emphasize it, dodge in the chest area, also darken the hair and dodge the highlight on the hair, use black to darken (#000000), and white to dodge (#ffffff).

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Step 6

Open the Butterfly photo. Cut out the butterfly by using the Polygonal Lasso Tool, scale it down with Edit > Transform > Scale and paste it on girl canvas.

Apply Image > Adjustments > Levels to the layer with the butterfly.

After that apply Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur with similar settings to these:

Copy the layer with the butterfly, lower the copied layer by one position and apply Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur.

Also apply Image > Adjustments > Hue/Saturation to this layer.

Create a new layer, lower it by two positions (the layer should be under the layer with the butterfly and under the layer with the glow around the butterfly) and using the Brush Tool create lines, the brush should be soft-edged, color #fc6d05.

Then using the Eraser Tool erase the edges of the rays.

Finally assign Lighten blending mode to this layer and set the Opacity to 45%.

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Final Image

Here is how your final result should look.