1. The document describes a 12-stage process for transforming photographs into illustration-like pieces using Photoshop. It involves duplicating layers, adjusting levels, cropping, adding fills, blending modes, inverting, blurring, and filtering layers to create line effects. 2. Key steps include layering a black and white duplicate on top of the original, setting one duplicate to Color Dodge blending and inverting it, Gaussian blurring that layer, and applying filters like Glowing Edges. 3. The final steps tidy up edges with the pen tool and eraser to remove fraying for a clean, professionally created digital art effect suitable for album covers.

1. I wanted to experiment with the photographs I took in the studio and turn them
into illustration looking pieces. I did this through a google tutorial, once I learnt
the technique I then felt confident enough to use it again. I am now able to use
this technique on my other images I have recently taken.

2. Stage one is opening the image into Photoshop CS6 then layering from the
background so it is editable.

3. Stage two is making a duplicate layer and going to image, adjustments, black and
white and transforming the image to a negative one on the new layer.

4. Stage three is to edit the levels on the
black and white to make sure it isn’t
harshly toned neither too soft.

5. Stage four is
cropping the
image so
that it is the
size of a
front cover
on a digipak.
You can do
this by using
the cropping
tool and
pulling the
corners
outwards to
your specific
size.

6. Once that is done a fill is needed in this case I chose black as I feel that that
would be most appropriate due to my lighting choice. Duplicate this layer
again.

7. Stage seven is making a second copy of the black and white layer, and then
setting this layer to blending mode “Color Dodge.”

8. The next stage is to invert the colour dodge layer. This can be done by clicking
image, adjustments and invert.

9. The next section of the
editing is to Gaussian Blur
the inverted layer. This then
blurs the image before it is
inverted back again.
By blurring
the Color
Dodge layer,
we can
create
grayscale
shadow
tones and
control them
with the
slider as
shown. This
one is done
with the
Gaussian
Blur, which
you can find
by
navigating
to Filters >
Blur >

11. Create another copy of the original black and white Background copy layer then move
it to the top of the layers panel in Photoshop CS6.

12. Stage eleven is the filters stage. The effect is captured by going to filter, stylize and
Glowing Edges.

13. This creates a linegraph ontop of the image but to get extra line you move onto
the final stage of the process. Inverting the image to get the final result.

15. The final editing layer is to tidy up the image with the pen tool and the eraser to get rid of
the fraying edges. This is an easy looking but complex process to get correct for the right
effect. I believe that it has made my image look believable as a piece of art digitally
created as well as it looking professional enough if put in the right context for a music
album cover.