Author: Syahidah

Blending are done between layers in Adobe Photoshop. There are six families of blending modes: normal, darken, lighten, contrast, inversion and component.

Normal Blending Modes

Normal family only allows adjustments of the opacity of the images. The above image shows (from left to right) the normal mode and dissolve mode in 50% opacity.

1. Normal mode 
   

   The image above shows the normal blend mode with 50% opacity. This mode only allows the typical adjustment of opacity. 100% opacity will result in completely opaque top layer, while 0% opacity will result in completely transparent top layer.

2. Dissolve mode

   The above image shows dissolve mode with 50% opacity. The only difference with normal mode is the sharper resulting layer, revealing some pixels/noise of the top layer.

 

Darken Blending Modes

Darken blending modes will turn the resulting image darker. White will be invisible while others are darkened. There are five types of darken blending modes (left to right): darken, multiply, color burn, linear burn and darker color.

1. Darken
   

   Darken blending mode choose to retain the darker color between the two layers, so the resulting image shows all the darker colors.

2. Multiply

   Multiply blending mode blends both layers’ colors and the resulting color will always be darker than both colors.

3. Color burn 

   Color burn blending mode gives similar result to burn tool, which increasing the contrast and decreasing the brightness based on both layers.

4. Linear burn

   Linear burn is similar to color burn, but the brightness decrease is based on the lower layer. In this image, the red part was originally the brightest part. However, since this blending mode depends on the lower layer, the resulting image is darker than color burn.

5. Darker color

   Darker color bending mode is similar to darken mode, but it determines the darker color based on the combination of all channels instead of just one channel at a time.

Lighten

Lighten blending modes will turn the image lighter. Black will be invisible and white will retain. Other colors will be lightened. There are five types of lighten blending modes (left to right): lighten, scree, color dodge, linear dodge (add) and lighter color.

1. Lighten

   Lighten blend mode, similar to darken blending mode, compares both layers in each channel and retains the lighter color.

2. Screen

   Screen mode blends the color and lighten the image based on the top layer.

3. Color dodge

   Color dodge mode is similar to dodge tool. This mode reduce the brightness of the image by reducing the contrast between the two layers.

4. Linear dodge (add)

   Linear dodge (add) is similar to color dodge, but it increases the brightness of the lower layer based on each channel.

5. Lighter color

   Lighter color mode is similar to lighten, but it observes the composite of all channels instead of each channel.

Contrast

The contrast blending modes increase the contrast between two layers by brightening the bright colors and darkening the dark colors. There are seven types of blending modes in this family (left to right in the above image): overlay, soft light, hard light, vivid light, linear light, pin light and hard mix.

1. Overlay

   Overlay blend mode always shows the background image. If the blend layer is dark, it darkens the mid-tone color in the background layer. If the blend layer is bright, it lightens the mid-tone color in the background layer.

2. Soft light
   Soft light is like overlay, but with softer contrast. As seen in the image, the contrast in the above image is lower than the contrast in the previous image.
   
   
3. Hard light
   Hard light is also close to overlay, but with more intense color from the blend layer because it does calculation of the brightness values based on the blend layer, not base layer like in overlay.
4. Vivid light
   Vivid light is like overlay, but with higher contrast. Since the calculation is based on the base layer, more colors from the base layer can be seen in contrast to hard light.
5. Linear light
   Linear light is the combination of linear burn and linear dodge, which are stronger than multiply and screen that are used in previously mentioned contrast modes. It looks similar to hard light but with more extreme colors.
6. Pin light
   Pin light combines darken and lighten blend modes, which are stronger than linear burn and linear dodge. Thus, the color appears more solid than in linear light. However, the mid-tones are removed from the blend layer, as seen at the center of the image above, that the color of the trees in base layer looks green like in the original image.
7. Hard mix
   Hard mix only shows basic colors based on the original values. As seen in the image above, only white, yellow, black, magenta and red are present. No shades of colors are present.

Inversion

Inversion determines the differences in the base layer and the blend layer and produces a new appearance of the blend layer as explained below for each blend modes. From left, the image above shows blend modes of difference, exclusion, subtract and divide.

1. Difference
   Difference calculates the differences of the values between the base and blend layer and shows the result in the appearance of the blend layer. The black color in the blend layer is removed in this blend mode as shown at the bottom of the image above. The white color will invert the color of the base layer negatively.
2. Exclusion
   Exclusion is similar to difference, but the mid-tones are converted to gray as shown in the middle of the image above.
3. Subtract
   Subtract uses the base layer color values and subtract them with the blend layer values. The resulting image looks similar to difference, but the mid-tone values are darker instead of negative,  as seen in the middle of the image above. Black color on the blend layer appears transparent.
4. Divide
   Divide is the opposite of Subtract, where dark colors in blend layer produce brighter color (at the bottom of the image above) and bright colors in blend layer is more transparent, showing the base layer (in the middle of the image above).

Component Blending Modes

Component blend modes use primary color components, which are hue, saturation and brightness, to change the blend layer. Hue can be described as the color with respect to blue, red and yellow (not black and white) such as in rainbow. Saturation can be described as the intensity of the color, which the primary colors have the highest intensity while gray has the lowest intensity. Brightness can be described as bright or dark, with white as the brightest and black as the darkest. From left, the above image shows hue, saturation, color and luminosity.

1. Hue
   Hue changes the hue to the blend layer while preserving other color components (luminosity and saturation) from the base layer. Black and white has no hue, so the image appears grayscale at that part as seen at the bottom of the image above. The color seen other than grayscale is from the blend layer such as the magenta color in the above image.
2. Saturation
   Saturation takes the saturation from the blend layer while preserving the brightness and hue from the base layer. The black part of the blend layer is also transparent and produces grayscale image like in Hue blend mode since there is no saturation associated with black or white. The part of the blend layer with higher intensity shows a more vivid color of the base layer.
3. Color
   Color takes the luminosity from the base layer while taking the hue and saturation from the blend layer. The black part of the blend layer also makes the image looks grayscale. The resulting image looks like Hue blend mode but with different saturation because they take it from different layers.
4. Luminosity
   Luminosity takes hue and saturation from the base layer and luminosity from the blend layer. The black part of the blend layer appears opaque in 100% opacity since black has a high luminosity because it is the darkest. The color looks similar like in Saturation blend mode because they take hue from the base layer. However, they have different luminosity and saturation because they take it from the opposite layer, making the image looks negative as compared to applying Saturation blend mode.

 

This post shows the vintage postcard presenting Penang Island, an island in Malaysia.

Front:

Back:

 

The following images show the screenshots of Adobe Illustrator workspace which was used to create the postcard.

Elements of Arts

Elements of arts consist of line, shape, color, value, form, texture and space. These elements can be seen in each art products.

1. Line
   This image shows multiple lines used in a hallway. The different lengths of lines add depth to the image by using perspective technique.
2. ShapeThe road sign shown above uses two shapes: diamond and rectangle. The usage of shapes in different road signs ease the drivers to expect the signs from far without having to exactly identify the words and pictures.
3. ColorThe above image shows multiple colors, especially shown by the middle tree. The transition of red to green as demonstrated by the tree from top to bottom shows that colors can be continuous although they have different properties. The variant colors also gives the mood of happiness in the image, especially on a sunny day.
4. Value
   Value is the different shades of color, demonstrated by the shadows on the mug in the above image. The brightness on the right of the mug and darker color at the left show the direction of the light, in this case the sunlight. This also gives the hint to the viewers of the time the picture was taken. Since the light seems to be from a lower source, the picture might be taken in the evening or in the morning.
5. FormForm demonstrates the depth of 3-dimensional objects. In the above image, the objects are clearly 3-dimensional based on the different values they have at certain parts. The shadows at the bottom also prove that the objects are 3-dimensional.
6. Texture
   Texture shows the details of the material to better visualize and sense the image. The above image shows the texture of a tree bark, which viewers may have sense or imagine that they are in the image since they can think of the feel of the texture.
7. Space
   Space is important to draw the attention of the viewers to a specific object. In the above image, the sky acts as an empty space to draw the viewer’s attention towards Statue of Liberty.

Principles of Design

Principles of design are the criteria used in art making to demonstrate some messages in their work. Among them are balance, contrast, emphasis, movement, pattern, proportion, alignment and unity.

1. BalanceBalance is the existence of a symmetry line in an image. The above image has a vertical symmetry line at the center, which the right and the left part are almost exactly the same. Thus, there is balance between the right and left parts of the image.
2. ContrastContrast can be identified from any criteria of an image. The image shown above demonstrates the contrast in brightness, which the trees on the left are bright while the trees on the right are dark. Contrast may also be identified through numbers, color and other properties, but there is usually an imaginary line that clearly separates between the two opposite criteria.
3. EmphasisEmphasis may be shown through its distinct properties apart from other part of an image. In the above image, the group of flowers is emphasized by focusing on it and blurring the background. This principle will draw viewer’s attention to the flowers.
4. MovementMovement in an image is usually shown through a continuous line demonstrating the movement path of an object. The above image shows that the water is flowing down the rocks, demonstrated by the continuous line of the water. This principle increases the sense of viewer in imagining the situation of the place.
5. PatternPattern is a principle in which something is repeated multiple times. In the above image, the hexagon-shaped lights are repeated several times to be like a bee-hive pattern.
6. ProportionProportion shows the different size of an object with respect to another object. In the above image, the sign looks obviously larger than the building on the right. Since the building should be larger in the real world, viewers can conclude that the sign is nearer than the building based on the proportion.
7. AlignmentAlignment is similar to pattern, but arranged in a line. The image shown above shows some flowers grown in a line instead of spread throughout the field. Viewers may also extend their views outside of the image, which there are more flowers in the line.
8. UnityUnity is the principle that is used in most real images since the objects are arranged in a unified way. The above image shows the unity in nature. Although the bamboo hut is manmade, it unifies with the river and the trees since it is made of bamboo, which is natural. The color reflected by the water in the river is also green, which unifies with the green trees along the side of the river.

 

Here is my tiny world! Location is not limited geography. It also entails the time zone, which can vary in seasons, perspective and overall perception. For example, the historical setting of a place is different from the current setting. A place may have historical importances, such as wars, which may already been modernly developed today. The older generation may find that the place evokes sad feelings while the younger generation may feel excited to go there and have fun. Thus, location may evoke different feelings depends on the different experiences and time.

The world in the image is in the Ohio State University, my current study place. I am connected to the space as a student and a community, and this space is where I grew up as a young adult during college life. However, I feel more connected to my home country compared to the place shown in the image since there were more memories there. I think that connection to a place depends on the duration someone is there, and the memories and experiences someone had been through.

The following image shows the Photoshop workspace for the image.
This whole image was created using two separate images: a panoramic image and a full body image. The tiny world was created by first changing the size of the long panoramic image to a square. Then, the image was rotated upside down. After that, polar coordinates filter (in distort category) was used to create the tiny world. On another layer, clone stamp and spot healing brush tool were used to remove any unwanted effects from the filter, such as the meeting point of edges and the stretching effect of the sky.

For the full body image, I cut it out from another image and insert it in the tiny world image. This was done by choosing channel with the greatest contrast, and apply burn and dodge tool to increase the contrast between the person and the background. The background will be entirely white, while the person is entirely black. Then, the background will be selected, and the selection was inversed to select only the person. Then, change the channel to RGB again and use move tool to drag the person to the tiny world image. The image is adjusted accordingly and pinch filter can be used to add the effect of looking the world from above.

To add the shadow of the person, the background in the person’s layer was selected, and the selection was inversed. Then, another layer was added and the selection was filled with black. The size and rotation was adjusted accordingly. The opacity of the layer was also adjusted. The shadows appear outside of the tiny world was erased. Another layer filled with 50% gray was also created, with screen blend mode. Black brush was used to darken the right side of the world, while white brush was used to lighten the left side of the world. Finally, the sun effect was added on another layer with screen blend mode and lens flare filter.

It was tiring. I ran continuously for an hour in the jungle. My chest went up and down as I stopped running after arriving at our designated stop near a hut. My eyes began to look around after five minutes of resting and stabilizing my breath. There was a bag on top of the bush behind me. “Looks like my sister’s bag!” I tried to open it to find some water to quench my thirst. Nothing wrong right?

Suddenly, the bag flied towards me and covered me from the top! I was suffocating at first. When I began calming myself, I realized I was in a completely different world! A snowy yet warm land! My eyes were drawn towards the tallest tower in the nearby city. It’s Petronas Twin Towers, and it was snowing! That was fascinating. I always hoped to play snow in Malaysia! A city near the equator should never get snow, but where else does that tower can be? I know my country’s landmark very much.

Am I dreaming? I tried to pinch myself to check whether I was dreaming or not. Hmm… I didn’t feel any pain. Suddenly, I was completely in dark. Oh, I’m just on my bed…

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This narrative was created based on my personal experience and other fictional stories. The snowy Malaysia was originated from my dream, which is represented by the snowy land and the Petronas Twin Towers. The idea of a fantasy-like land in a bag was originated from Doraemon animation series, which Doraemon’s pocket contains many things which I can imagine that it contains another world.

Four different images shown below were used to create the above surrealist dream art.

I used Adobe Photoshop to create the composite image. The following screenshots demonstrate each layer and process of creating the final image. The background of the forest was first placed as the bottom layer.Then, a black and white gradient layer was added on top of the background layer to adjust the contrast, especially the outer radius of the forest image. This technique may create more depth effect of the forest, as if someone is looking upwards.Next, the image of the bag was added at the top. The background of the bag was erased using background eraser tool. After that, the inside of the bag was erased using mask on that layer. Smooth and big brush tool was used to quickly adjust the opacity at the edges.A black solid layer was added on top of the bag  layer to increase the darkness of the bag. Mask was used to make sure that only the black part of the bag was darkened. The opacity was also adjusted accordingly. The snowy image layer was added below the layer of the bag and on top of the forest layer.An image of the city was also added as a layer on top of the snow layer and below the bag layer.The sky background of the city was removed by applying mask on the layer, and using black and white brush tool.A copy of the snow layer on top of the city layer was created and the sky background was removed using selection tool. The two layers of the snow and the city were grouped, and a mask layer was used for the group to make sure the edges of the layers were within the bag. The location of the group was also adjusted accordingly.

Lastly, an empty layer was added to use non-destructive editing using spot healing brush tool.

The above image shows the completed composite image with details on the layers.

 

Sources of image:

1. Donna B. “Custom Orders.” Spadoni Bags, 15 Feb. 2016, www.spadonibags.com/category/handbags-totes/custom-orders/
2. Pexels. https://www.pexels.com

The following image represents a book with Andy Warhol’s representation.The following image shows the Photoshop workspace for the creation of the above image.

The image I selected to represent me is a stack of books. The book is similar to me that I like to spread messages visually instead of orally. Although I can consider myself as an introvert, I believe that I need to spread my ideas and knowledge to the community, which people usually see it done by speakers. Books can be written anonymously by having a pseudonym, which is interesting since I can ‘work behind the stage’ without having to be significantly popular in the real world. The stack of books with various sizes shows that messages can be spread in different ways because some people prefer long writings while some people prefer images. I am currently exploring both ways to see which I am more suitable, whether visuals or writings.

In popular culture, physical books have lower popularity than digital readings such as social media, which can be accessed via smartphones. However, there are currently lots of movement to encourage reading books because social media only allows short readings, which has less advantages on brain activities than books. Some people, especially ‘book worms’ may connect to books as a source of knowledge, while other people may connect more to smartphones. Moreover, some people may also prefer ebooks (such as using Amazon Kindle) because they do not need to bring the large books. The connection of other people really depends on their own interests since people are changing towards social media because of short-time readings, while at the same time wanting to retain the culture of reading book because of its advantages.

The image created follows Andy Warhol’s idea of popular culture that is similar for both high and low-class community. Books can be popular for people of all class since books can be borrowed from the library if someone is not capable of buying it. Books are considered important for everyone to alleviate life quality. Andy Warhol shows multiple images of the same object in one art using prints to show that those objects are the same although have slightly different colors and positions. This idea is to bridge the gap between lower class and higher class community, which may impact them positively. He was also interested in using machines in artmaking. Using Photoshop in creating images, this tradition is further enhanced by using automations in editing artworks. The access to this technology changed the way I create images that I am able to express ideas through multiple images combined together instead of trying hard to combine them physically.

This geometric landscape collage was created using both Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator.

The following shows the workspace of Adobe Photoshop.The geometric shape was created using Adobe Illustrator and transferred to Adobe Photoshop. The specific parts were selected, copied and pasted to create additional layers of pieces. The process was simple but may take a long time depending on the geometric design created.

This is the edited version of the previously finished image. The eyes and hair colors are changed.The following image show the photoshop interface demonstrating this process.

New hue/saturation adjustment layers are added (Eyes and Hair layers). Then, the desired colors are adjusted using hue, saturation and lightness levels with colorize option. At this point, all the image is filled with the color. The layer is then filled with black color to hide the colors. Next, a white brush is used to reveal the color back at the desired location. For example, the eye color is revealed by brushing the pupil area of the person. The blend mode is also changed to color (for the eyes) and soft light (for the hair) to only change the color, not the brightness. That’s it! The colors can always be changed at the properties tab showing hue/saturation/lightness.

These steps are found via Google in photoshopessentials.com. These edits are relatively simple because of the use of adjustment layers. I would say that I would a bit more likely to remember these processes if it is demonstrated in the class.

Non-destructive editing is much better than destructive editing. The picture below is an example of using a non-destructive editing.The original picture is shown below. This process involves removing the freckles, tattoos and changing the background. Below is the interface of Adobe Photoshop for this process.
A new layer (Layer 1) was created and spot healing brush tool was mainly used to remove the freckles. This tool uses samples from all layers to take the color of the skin while not directly applying the changes to the original layer. It was my first time using the healing brush and it seems easy for simple images. However, removing freckles are quite hard because there are so many freckle spots and it needs to be clicked one spot at a time to make it look good. Moreover, the spot healing brush produces more pinkish color than the skin should be, resulting in a patchy skin.

Another layer was then created (Layer 2) to remove the tattoos. This time, content aware move tool and patch tool was used to take the patterns of the smooth skin and put it on the part with tattoos. This tool was great because it is faster to be used, but there are still some patchy parts seen on the skin. Spot healing brush was used to better blend the patches, but some of them are difficult because of the lightings.

The background of the original picture was removed using eraser, background eraser and magic eraser tools. This process is difficult at the hair part of the person, specifically because of the colorful background and hair. Thus, selection tools may be difficult to detect the borders of the hair. The background needs to be removed manually using eraser tool. Then, an interior image was added as another layer behind all other layers to serve as the new background.

It was my first time using the healing and patch tools, and magic eraser tool. It was great to learn that there are some ways that makes it easy to make a picture looks better especially using non-destructive edits which make it easier to change or remove any unwanted edits.

In class this week, we experimented with layers and marquee and selection tools. The picture below shows the layers used in this process.

The original picture was edited by removing and replacing with other pictures. The light blue sky background was selected using magic wand tool, removed and replaced with a galaxy-like background. A spot of grass was also selected using magic wand tool, removed and replaced with a hole-like background. The additional images were added as layers at the back of the original picture.

The following are additional versions of the edited image using image adjustments.

Original version: 

Flipped version (horizontal):

Inverted version:

Posterized version: