Working with Texture Overlays-Screen Capture

[littlegal]

Hi Guys,

One of the biggest "new" things I've seen in my business (wedding/portrait) has been texture overlays. Jesh De Rox, known for his texture work got a Record 36 wins in WPPI last year, and all of the images had an overlay.

It's certainly not a prerequisite to selling portraits, but seniors and couples seem to eat them up.

They are impacting our art in a big way, so I wanted to share with everyone how they are done.

Please let me know if you have any questions I haven't answered:

1. Open the image you want to work with.


2. Open a second texture image. (Free ones can be found at Free Textures from TextureKing and adobe exchange)


3. Click on the texture image, so that it is selected. Then using the shift key, drag it over your portrait image. (Sorry guys don't know how to do this tutorial using a MAC)


4. You will see that you now have two layers on the original image. The first layer is the photo, and the second is the texture. Make sure you have the texture layer selected and go to the top left part of your layers pallet, and you will see a draw down box which currently says "Normal". Click on that, and then use your down arrow key. It will start scrolling through your options. I chose "Hard Light" (Note my screen capture on the far right side)

[littlegal]

5. Back the opacity in that layer to 0 and then edge it up, little by little until you like it. Don't look at the couple....we will take care of that next. Just get the background like you want it.


6. Now, with a lowered opacity, and properly sized brush, erase over the areas that you don't want the texture on. (Make sure you still have the texture layer selected)


7. Now you want to make a layer adjustment. (Go to the bottom of your layers pallet, and you will see a little ying/yang looking icon-click on that). Choose the Hue and Saturation adjustment layer. You will now have a third layer to play with.


8. Slide those things around until you like the image


9. And then if you want, you can do some burning and dodging. Here, I just burned the edges.


And Viola! You are done in a matter of minutes.
I hope this tutorial was fun, and I hope to see you post your images below.
Hugs,
Cindy

[cyclone]

Cindy, thanks for sharing your techniques. I think your wedding portfolio is just fantastic. Not everyone would be willing to give up favorite photoshop techniques. Have some karma. If I have some time this week, I'll give this a shot.

[littlegal]

Hi,
Thank you so much for the kind words!

[seanmcfoto]

Instead of the eraser you can use a Layer Mask. Handy if you mess up, simply swap brush colour to go back over the mistake.

Great tutorial. Don't forget to try other blending modes!