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8 Free Glitter Effect Patterns & Styles for Photoshop

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This free pack of glitter effects contains 8 repeating patterns in JPEG, .PAT and .ASL formats. Use them as backgrounds to your designs, or glam up text and other elements by applying the Photoshop Patterns or Styles directly. Load the .PAT file via the Load Patterns option of the Patterns menu, then apply the glitter effects using the Fill tool or the Pattern Overlay option of the Layer Styles window. Alternatively, install the .ASL file under the Load Styles option of the Styles menu, which then allows you to apply preset glitter effects to your Photoshop layers with a single click.

Free Glitter Effect Patterns & Styles for Photoshop



7 HD Polygon Backgrounds

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Description & details

Today’s freebie is a set of 7 polygon backgrounds from Vinay Mittal that can be used in Web Design, Prints, Flyers, PowerPoint, Presentations, Wallpapers, Headers, Cards or anything you want.
You can get the full set of these backgrounds here.

Format: JPG
Dimensions: 3000×2500 px
Resolution: 300 dpi
Size: 37 Mb


Create Creepy, Branch Based Typography

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Learn how to create some creepy typography created out of winter branches:

Step 1

Create a new document (800X600px).
Drag out a radial gradient ranging from f8f8f8 to e0e0e0 on your background layer:

Step 2

Paste in your bark texture:
Now apply a hue/saturation adjustment layer. Be sure to apply a clipping mask (layer>create clipping mask), so that your adjustment layer only effects your underlying bark layer.
Now return to your bark texture layer. Reduce it’s opacity to 30%, and change it’s blend mode to ‘overlay’.

Step 3

Now download the abstract lights brush set from the resources for this tutorial.
Create a new layer called ‘brush marks 1′.
Apply several of the brush marks (using a black paintbrush). Then change this layer’s blend mode to ‘overlay’ and reduce it’s opacity to 80%.

Step 4

Now apply a couple more layers, applying more black brush marks, and then some white ones. The idea is just to layer up your background effect:

Step 5

Now apply some text in the center of your canvas. The text can say whatever you want, but in this case I’ve just typed out the letters ‘PSD’. The font is not important, but it’s easier if you use a legible, bold font:

Step 6

Now cut out and paste in your branches from the branch photos in the resources for this tutorial. Keep these images on separate layers, so that you can easily paste them onto subsequent layers:

Step 7

Paste your tree photo into the bottom left of your canvas, positioning it against the bottom of your P letter.
Now we want to make our tree more stylized to fit with our overall composition. Apply a color overlay blending option to your tree layer, and then apply a hue/saturation adjustment layer (being sure to apply a clipping mask to it).
Color Overlay Blending Option Setting:
Blend Mode: Normal
Color: 000000
Opacity: 65%

Hue/Saturation Adjustment Layer Settings:
Hue: 0
Saturation: -100
Lightness: 0

Step 8

Now we want to start morphing our branch images to fit to our letters. To do this we’re going to use the puppet warp tool. Position the branch roughly over your letter, and then go to edit>puppet warp. Warp the branch to fit around part of your letter:

Step 9

This is how your composition looks once you’ve warped several branches to cover all your letters. With each branch layer, be sure to apply the same color overlay blending option and hue/saturation adjustment layer as your original branch layer.
Here is the composition with the original type layer hidden:

Step 10

Now create a new layer called ‘brush marks over letters’. Select your abstract marks brush again, and apply your brushes over your letters, applying a subtle frayed edge effect:

Step 11

A quick tip when applying your brushes is to rotate your brush marks where necessary. Brush sets may not always be at the correct angle to follow the contours of your layers, so you can easily alter the angle of your brushes to fit. Simply open up your brushes panel, and change the angle option (see below):

Step 12

Now create a new layer called ‘highlights’.
Drag out several white to transparent radial gradients over the tops of your letters.
Then change this layer’s blend mode to ‘overlay’ and reduce it’s opacity to 40%.

Step 13

Now paste in your crow photo from the resources for this tutorial.
Position it on top of one of your letters, and then apply a color overlay blending option:
Color Overlay Blending Option Settings:
Blend Mode: Normal
Color: 000000
Opacity: 65%.

Step 14

Now apply a final levels adjustment layer in order to add extra contrast to your composition.
Levels Adjustment Layer Settings:
0 / 1.08 / 247

And We’re Done!

You can view the final outcome below. I hope that you enjoyed this tutorial and would love to hear your feedback on the techniques and outcome.


10 Photoshop Tips and Tricks for Beginners

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Photoshop is a heck of an amazing software that can really help your creativity express itself through a variety of useful tools. It’s also excellent if all you want to do is retouch a photo a bit before you post it on your site or anywhere else. If you are a Photoshop beginner, only recently exposed to the wonders of this advanced design machine, read on. We have gathered a few tips and tricks that could really make a difference as you move forward with your next few images.
Note: The shortcuts are phrased for PC users. Mac people – you know what to do with them.

Transform
When you want to change the size of an image, rotate, flip or distort it, you can always do so by clicking Edit, then click Transform and select the action you desire. To make life easier, there’s a shortcut you can use. Simply press Ctrl + T on your keyboard and a bounding box will then appear around the image, indicating transformation. This means you can now resize your image. The best way to do so is by placing the cursor on one of the rectangle corners and then dragging the corner while holding the Shift key. When you’re finished just press Enter and you’re done.
To flip your image vertically or horizontally press Ctrl + T and then right click your mouses. A popup window will appear with a few options for rotating and flipping the image. Select the action you want and when you are done press Enter.
10 Photoshop Tips and Tricks for Beginners
Similarly, to distort or skew the image press Ctrl + T and then place the cursor on one of the corners you want to distort. Press Ctrl while holding your mouse down on the corner and dragging it down to wherever you want, then press Enter to activate.
10 Photoshop Tips and Tricks for Beginners

Change the Unit of Measurement

A short and quick way to switch between units of measurements is to place the cursor on one of the rulers (press Ctrl + R to show or hide the rulers), and right click, then choose a new unit from the context menu. You have a wide variety of units there, from centimeters to pixels, millimeters, points and even percents.
10 Photoshop Tips and Tricks for Beginners

Magnetic Lasso Tool

This is an easy selection tool that helps you trace and outline a part of an image, and to separate it from the rest of the image in order to perform certain actions. For example, you can select and separate a product from its background.
The magnetic lasso tool detects the edges of an object, so it works best when you have a bold contrast between an object and its background with well defined edges. You can find this tool in the tools panel.
To access the Magnetic Lasso, click and hold your mouse button down on the Lasso Tool until a fly-out menu appears . The magnetic lasso is the last one with a small magnet on it’s icon. Select it and then go to your image and place your mouse on the edge of the part you want to select. Click your mouse once, release and just go over the edges of the object you want to select (just like you do with scissors when you cut something out).
10 Photoshop Tips and Tricks for Beginners

Magic Wand Tool

The Magic Wand is another selection tool, ideal for when you are working with a background that is very monotone and consistent. If you have a clearly defined color that you want to choose in an image, this is the tool for you. For example, the Magic Wand is great when you want to select a white background or a clear blue sky.
Choose the magic wand tool from the tools panel and click on the part of the image you want to select. Make sure that you toggled the “add to selection” option on the top bar (icon of two squares) so you can keep on adding colors and tones to your selection.
10 Photoshop Tips and Tricks for Beginners
10 Photoshop Tips and Tricks for Beginners
Using the Magic Wand tool we selected and deleted Manhattans blue skyline

Custom Shape Tool

The Tool Panel offers all the basic shapes you need like square, line, circle, ellipse etc. However, if you’d like to have extended options check out the custom shape tool. Represented by icon that kind of resembles a roadkill (but it’s far from it!) the custom shape tool is easy to find on the Options Bar. After you select it, a world of shape options will reveal itself to you.
A shape preview thumbnail will appear to the right of the Custom Shape Tool icon. The selection is great and you can access even more shapes by clicking again on the small arrow on the right side of the panel. If you are looking for banners, speech bubbles or arrows of all kinds, this is just the tool for you.
10 Photoshop Tips and Tricks for Beginners
10 Photoshop Tips and Tricks for Beginners

Adjustment Layers

As you use Photoshop for whatever purpose, like change colors of an image, make it sharper or improve the contrast, remember to always use the adjustment layers. The big advantage of the adjustment layer is that you don’t make the changes on the image itself but on a separate layer, so you can always change the settings to see which adjustment works best for you. You will find adjustment layers in the bottom of the the Layers Panel (a black and white circle icon).
10 Photoshop Tips and Tricks for Beginners
10 Photoshop Tips and Tricks for Beginners
Sharpen and improve your photo using Adjustment Layers

Layer Styles

This is a simple & easy way to add some pizazz to your image. Layer styles are special effects that can be quickly applied to individual layers. All you have to do is double click on a layer and then choose the effect you like.
You can select from a whole variety of features, add a stroke or a glow, drop a shadow, and much more with just a click of the mouse. Be careful you don’t overdo it. These effects have a tendency to look cheap and sleazy when there’s too much of them.
10 Photoshop Tips and Tricks for Beginners
Easily add a stroke or drop a shadow on any object or text.

Spot Healing Brush

Yes – it’s exactly like it sounds, this tool will make everything look prettier! If you have a spot, blemish, or a mole this tool will remove it instantly. It can also be used as a pimple remover. Just place the brush over the area you want to “fix”, make sure the brush is a bit bigger than the blemish and click. Photoshop automatically samples from around the retouched area so you really don’t need to do anything else.
10 Photoshop Tips and Tricks for Beginners
10 Photoshop Tips and Tricks for Beginners
One simple click and the spot is gone

Dodge Tool

The Dodge Tool lightens pixels where you use it. This is a great solution for red “tired eyes”. Set the Dodge Tool to a soft brush, go to Range setting in the menu-bar’s pull-down and choose highlights, set Exposure on around 20%. Then carefully brush over the eye area. Remember not to overdo it, or your model will start to look like an alien. A few simple strokes should do the job.
10 Photoshop Tips and Tricks for Beginners

Blur Tool

A simple and delicate way to remove small wrinkles is to blur them a bit. Use the Blur tool to smooth-out small imperfections like the wrinkles around the eye or mouth area and simply blur them into the background. Again, be gentle and remember not to overdo it or instead of improving your image you’ll end up spoiling it. The Blur tool can be used for repair as well as more artistic purposes so it’s important to become friendly with it.
10 Photoshop Tips and Tricks for Beginners
What a difference the Dodge and Blur tools can make! With a little help of Adjustment layers
Source: WIX

How to - Remove Sweat or Shine Spots In Photoshop

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Hot spots are shiny/sweaty areas on a subject’s face which are caused by a flash reflecting off a shiny surface or by uneven lighting. It tends to make the subject look as if they are sweating, which is not a good look. There are nearly always more that one way to fix problems like this in Photoshop but here I’ll show you how to do it using the clone tool and some blending modes.
1. Open up the photograph with the shiny hot spots that you want to fix. I’m using a picture of Stella McCartney that looks like it was taken in a red carpet situation and she’s looking a little shiny on the forehead and nose.
Portrait
2. Select the Clone Stamp Tool (S) from the toolbox. In the Options Bar at the top of the screen, choose a large, soft-edged brush and set the Mode to Darken and lower the Opacity to about 50%.
Options
The idea behind setting the mode to Darken is that the only pixels that will change are the ones that are lighter than our sample area. The hot spots are essentially light colored pixels.
3. On your subject’s face, choose an area of “clean” or non-hot spot skin. This will be the reference point and Photoshop will now only change pixels that are lighter than this. Hold down the Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac) key and click to set the reference point. The cursor will change to an eye-dropper.
eyedropper
4. Start to paint over the hot spots with the Clone Stamp tool. The hot spots will fade but it will still look like natural skin. You’ll find that you need to resample several times in order to correctly match the skin tones. Just Alt/Option click every time you want to resample and start to paint again.
ForeheadAndNose
If the effect is too much, you can also reduce down the Opacity of the Clone Stamp Tool a little further to about 45 – 40%. Be especially careful on the skin under the eyes. You don’t want to replace hot spots with dark bags! Work around your image until you’ve removed all of the hot spots. Below you can see Before, on the left, and After.
Before After
So with a couple of seconds of retouching with the Clone Stamp Tool and the right blending mode you can quickly and easily do a makeover and remove the sweaty, shiny look.