April Tutorial & Tips (READY, Super Pic Heavy)

Hello Scrappers! This is Jenn, aka jk703, here with a tutorial for you. I found a fun technique that I loved, but when I followed the steps, I got so confused and to top it off, I didn't like how my image was turning out! So, I decided to do it my way, and found a much easier way to get the similar result. I am going to show you what I have termed, PIXELIZING!  Really, it's just color blocking, but PIXELIZING sounds so much cooler! LOL!

This tutorial is on the advanced side, BUT everyone can do it! TRY IT! I have oodles of images, and I try to give you as much information as possible. If you do get stuck, please reach out!!!

For my layout, I have used:
INSERT!


In Photoshop, open a New Document, and then choose View > Show > Grids.


Next, under the Marquee Tool, choose the Single Row Marque - Horizontal position. Press 'X' so that your foreground color is black and your background color is white. Black will be needed to fill in the marching ants.


Now, You will create a new layer above the background layer. With that new layer chosen, you will click on every horizontal grid line. You will want to make sure you have the Add option in the options bar. (This looks like two overlapping squares on the top, once the tool is selected.) Your selections do NOT have to be perfect, mine aren't, lol! Once all grid lines are chosen, press Command + Delete. This will fill all the marching ants with black.


Press Command + D and the marching ants will no longer be marching. With the new layer still chosen, you will switch your Marquee tool to the Single Row Marquee - Vertical position. Again, click on every vertical grid line. Once all are marching with ants, press Command and Delete to fill in the lines with black. Press Command plus D to remove and Marching ants.


Now, you can go under View > Show > Grids to turn them off. This is what you created based on that grid - a Mock Grid Layer:


Bring in a photo that you want to use for the tutorial. You will want the image placed UNDER the Mock Grid Layer. Here is my image with the grid over it. Next, choose the Mock Grid Layer in the Layers Palette.


Choose the Magic wand and click on the boxes on the edges of the picture, and random boxes in the image. These particular boxes will be filled white, so leave faces or important items open. Here is mine:



Create a New Layer above image. I renamed my White Edging. Press D, and the press Command plus Delete to fill the marching ants with white.


Here is what my Layers Palette looks like at this point.


Now, with your Mock Grid Layer chosen in the Layers Palette, and the Magic Wand tool, click on new boxes and see those marching ants again. Do NOT fill.


Switch to your image as the chosen layer in the Layers Palette. We are going to create an Adjustment Layer. Click on the super small Black and White Cookie under the Layers Palette. (It's just a little circle with half black and half white, so it makes me think of those cookies). Choose Black and White. An adjustment layer will appear. Play with the settings, and look at your image. Once you find an end result you like, move on to the next step.


Here is my result - some boxes slightly grayish.


Ok. We are going to repeat ourselves, but only to a point. Choose the Mock Grid Layer, the Magic Wand, and click new boxes so you have marching ants again.


Choose your image in the Layers Palette. We are going to create an Adjustment Layer, but a different one. This time, choose Photo Filter. Play with settings you like the way your image looks.


Here is what my image looks like at this point.


I have chosen Underwater from the drop down menu, a density of 47% and checked off Preserve Luminosity. You can also see how my layers look now.


Now, we are going to repeat this one more time. Choose the Mock Grid Layer, then Magic Wand, and new boxes to get the ants marching. I made a second Adjustment Layer with Photo Filter. I again chose Underwater, but changed the Density, and unchecked Preserve Luminosity.  Here is what my image look like.


This next step is a Option and a Preference that might depend on your image. With the Mock Grid Chosen, you can change the color of the lines. Click the Mock Grid thumbnail in the Layers Palette and you will see all the lines with marching ants. Press 'X." Command plus Delee to fill with white. Here is marching ants... and then filled with white.



This is what my final image looks like:


Here is what I created with.... *INSERT KIT INFO*

*****WILL INSERT SCRAPPED PAGE!

Tip #1. (I may try to do a picture)

With a layer selected in the Layers Palette, using the number line will change the Opacity for that layer. 1 = 10%, 2 = 20%, 3 = 3%, 8 = 80% and so forth. Quick typing of two numbers will give you that percentage.

Tip #2

Pressing 'D' will give you the default colors - Black Foreground and White Background colors. By pressing 'X,' you will flip this colors, White foreground, and Black Background.

oh wow Jenn I love your tut and i think it might be [too] difficult for some but I love to bring tuts for the more advanced scrappers too! I definitely think we should show this! Great tips for the newsletter too!
Thank you very muchos!!!!!!!!!

Thank you! I totally understand if it is too hard. You could break it up into two posts, but it might be better to keep it to one. Nots sure.

I do try to make them easy as possible, even for an advanced technique. I read a technique, but it wasn't working for my pictures, and came up with this instead, lol! I think it would work well for any scrapper or situation.

I will continue to edit and fill out the verbiage. :)


I'll see if I can somehow show the opacity tip with a pic. Not sure how to do that, but I will try. :) (Maybe that will be another tutorial, fading out within an image, lol!

Let's keep the tut as is. I really LOVE it! And I don't mind challenging people!
However I think that if they follow step by step. It's not too hard!

Mirjam... Here is the layout for this tutorial. It's ready, I think. Let me know if I'm missing anything.

I don't think I'll have a chance to make an image for the Opacity tip.



Let me know if this layout is ok. I grabbed the Luvyama from the store, and combined it with Say Cheese. I didn't use the alpha yet, but will do so eventually. I thought I would but liked the word art better. Plus, more products, more links and more exposure.

What a fantastic page Jenn! I wouldn't change a thing. This is PERFECT! thanks SO much!

Great!

If I do get an image before the 1st for Opacity, I'll let you know. Just not sure with timing.