Blur, Filters, Layers?

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Intex wrote on 2010-05-21 04:00

Are there any good layering techniques with blurs and filters to create more singular lines or add shadow?

The only thing I'm doing right now is duplicating layers and using the gaussion blur filter to create a shadow blur of the image.
Before filter -> After filter.

[Image: http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/528/ytul.jpg]
[Image: http://img34.imageshack.us/img34/7208/yltd.jpg]

The only problem is that the blur makes the image less sharp and clean (though that does give it a glow).
I really want the hair to look less pieced together and dotty but I don't like zooming in to work on it.

Is there a better way to make the effects I'm looking for?
-Cheat with photoshop 8D-
Mrlucky77 wrote on 2010-05-21 04:03

Quote from Intex;40628:
Are there any good layering techniques with blurs and filters to create more singular lines or add shadow?

The only thing I'm doing right now is duplicating layers and using the gaussion blur filter to create a shadow blur of the image.
Before filter -> After filter.

[Image: http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/528/ytul.jpg]
[Image: http://img34.imageshack.us/img34/7208/yltd.jpg]

The only problem is that the blur makes the image less sharp and clean (though that does give it a glow).
I really want the hair to look less pieced together and dotty but I don't like zooming in to work on it.

Is there a better way to make the effects I'm looking for?
-Cheat with photoshop 8D-

Put eyes on new layer, use gaussian blur on THAT layer, but not on hair layer. Flatten image/merge layers. Done.
Intex wrote on 2010-05-21 04:08

Flatten image/merge layers

Does this do anything? My image remained the exact same.

I duplicated my eyes and used gaussion on that separately from the hair.

But I was aiming more for the hair than the eyes :X
Mrlucky77 wrote on 2010-05-21 04:14

Quote from Intex;40632:
Does this do anything? My image remained the exact same.

I duplicated my eyes and used gaussion on that separately from the hair.

But I was aiming more for the hair than the eyes :X

Flatten image/merge layers makes it into one layer. That's it.

Well, more than that.

Flatten image makes ALL layers into one layer

Merge layers makes selected layers into one layer.

Also, if you're aiming for hair, just do the opposite. Make hair into new layer, blur that.
Kazuni wrote on 2010-05-21 05:09

You could blur the top duplicate layer and mess around with the layer style thing (uhm, overlay, soft light, hard light) until you find something?
Intex wrote on 2010-05-22 01:28

My stupid tablet isn't working :T

overlay, soft light, hard light

When I looked at google images it said these enhance color and texture, but my thing has neither 8D
Keique wrote on 2010-05-22 05:11

Blur doesn't really work for things like that. xD;

I suggest using the pen tool to go over the lines. It's even easier than using a tablet imo owo
Taycat wrote on 2010-05-22 05:20

Use the smudge tool very slightly and smudge the eye blackness down a bit if you'd like.

It'd be pretty epic if you ask me.
Cucurbita wrote on 2010-05-22 06:05

A warning from someone who has screwed himself over a billion times in the past.
Never merge layers unless you are absolutely CERTAIN that you are COMPLETELY finished with the image.

If you wish to organize your layers you don't think you'll use again, put them in FOLDERS. Then if you ever decide to make any changes, you can always go back to them.
Taycat wrote on 2010-05-22 12:47

Quote from kitaek27;41275:
A warning from someone who has screwed himself over a billion times in the past.
Never merge layers unless you are absolutely CERTAIN that you are COMPLETELY finished with the image.

If you wish to organize your layers you don't think you'll use again, put them in FOLDERS. Then if you ever decide to make any changes, you can always go back to them.

That's why you choose to save as a PSD or whatever the editable file name is.

On GIMP it's xcf.
Intex wrote on 2010-05-22 15:44

Whenever I merge stuff I always copy the original layers and just turn them invisible.

I name them like "Eye-Backup" and leave them on the list.
Charlotte wrote on 2010-05-22 16:00

i guess if you want the hair too look less 'dotty,' you could take advantage of the Cutout filter. if you take the paintbrush and and some scribbles of various shades of light and dark grey (to give the filter something to work with) and then run the hair through the Cutout filter....well, it becomes more geometric maybe?

i messed around a lil bit

[Image: http://i824.photobucket.com/albums/zz161/Hurtfully/ytulcopy.png]

you could probably do it much cleaner or whatever :]