The bobblehead images were used for a yearbook because the seniors wanted something special and it kinda fits their attitude–just nod all the time when the teacher is speaking…

This is the original shot:

1. Using the magnetic lasso tool (L), I selected the head and created a new layer via copy. Now we have a head layer and a body layer:

2. Using the move tool (V), I resized the background, so that the body shrinks. After that I used the crop tool (C) to cut the transparent background:

3. Now on the head layer we use the eraser tool (E) to erase parts of the neck and get a smooth transition to the body layer:

4. Should the neck be a little too big for the body you can fix it in warp mode. To do that, select the head layer, click on any transformation handle on the selection and then click on the warp mode icon in the top right-hand corner:

In order to fix the neck now you have to grab the handles at the bottom corners of the head layer and drag them toward the center, as indicated in the image above.

5. After that it’s time to give the guy the comic-slim body. Select the body layer and open the liquify tool (Filter -> Liquify -> Forward Warp Tool). Depending on the image size you have to change the brush size so that the brush diameter is about the size of the body. Then you can squeeze the body the way you like. Practice makes perfect, and if you made a mistake you can always click on “reconstruct” or “revert all”.

After the warping my image looks now like this:

All you have to do now is crop the image one more time to get rid of the white space.

Here’s the final image as it appeared in the yearbook:

Check out more bobbleheads at http://shadowness.com/Mike/yearbook-photos

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If you like Please help me to VOTE this work on Sicaf (Cartoon competition in Korea)
http://sicaf-idcc.org/bbs/board.php?bo_table=eng&wr_id=37&sca=illustration

Many thanks for your kindness

Second installment is here: http://shadowness.com/mynti/frecklestutpart2

1. Create new RGB image with any size..Here i will choose 500/100..Then press “D”..This will reset swatches..

2. Then go to Filter : Render : Clouds

3. Then Filter : Pixelize : Mosaic [ 15 pixels ]

4. Then Blur : Radial Blur [ Zoom / 20 ]

5. Then Stylize : Emboss [ 135 degrees / height 10 / amount: 170 ]

6. Then Brush Strokes : Accent edges [ width 2 / brightness 38 / smoothness 5]

7. Then Stylize : Find edges

8. Then Image : Adjust : Invert [or] Ctrl+i

9. Then Blur : Radial Blur [Zoom / 60]

10. Then go to Image : Adjust : Levels [or] Ctrl + L and put 60 in the redmarked field

11. Then lets repeat 9 & 10 steps but with another optionsRadial Blur [ 20 ] & Levels [ 200 ] : the same fields

12. Then lets add some contrast. Image : Adjust : Brightness/Contrast and set +30 to contrast

Final. Then we can colorize picture..There are many ways but i like that one : Create a new layer above our crazy effect and fill it with stylish color of your choice and put the layer option to Color

You can change the zoom blur to radial in step 9 for another cool result.

NOTE: The preview images have been shrinked to to 300 of width in order to fit the page. They do not represent the real size. Thank you for using this tutorial!

1. Start a new image 200×200. Creat a new layer
[ layer/new/layer ] and name it ‘fire’. Let’s fill it with white color [ ctrl+backspace ] and then, render it with difference clouds [ filter/render/difference clouds ]. Repeat the filter 1 or 2 times more. You should come up with the same result as previewed on the left.

2. Now, Render it with lighting effects[filter/render/lighting effects]. Use the following paramaters:

3. Last step is quite magic. Simply use the filter accented edges[filter/brush strokes/accented edges] and again, follow the parameters below:

Final. Use the layer and set it ’soft light’ or other modes on your own work[layers] as to use effectively the fire you just created. Note that the fire can very much vary depending on the resolution and parameters you started from, but fortunately, the effect will always be the same. So go on, don’t fear to try!

NOTE: The final result haven’t been done only using ths tutorial. It is strictly a sample.

I am starting with a 400×300 px white canvas. Draw your basic shape. I have started with a custom shape from Photoshop’s presets.

Step 1

Fill the shape with a nice orange color (I am using #ff6600)

Step 2

Apply Bevel and Emboss to the layer using the following values :

Structure

• Style : Inner Bevel
• Technique : Smooth
• Depth : 100%
• Direction : Up
• Size : 200px
• Soften : 0px

Shading

• Angle : 120 (use global light checked)
• Altitude : 30
• Highlight mode : Screen, Opacity : 75%
• Shadow mode : Multiply (color : #ff0000), opacity 75%.

Step 3

Stoke the layer with an orange color 3 pixels in size (I am using the same orange as the fill : #ff6600)

Step 4

Apply an inner glow, size 40px.

Step 5

Create a new top layer and using the Elliptical Marquee Tool create an oval over the top of the original shape layer. Fill this layer with gradient from white to transparent (white at the bottom, transparent at the top). Give this layer a 50% opacity. You may rotate this layer so it will look cooler.

Step 6

Make another top layer and using the Elliptical Marquee Tool create an oval over the bottom of the original shape layer. Fill this layer with gradient from black to transparent (black at the top, transparent at the bottom). Give this layer a 80% opacity and a soft light or a hard mix blend.

Step 7

Now to create a nice mirror effect we’ll move all the layers to the top of the canvas and duplicate the original shape layer. Flip Vertical the clone of the shape layer and align it so it touches the bottom of the original shape layer.

Step 8

Add a new layer and using the Rectangular marquee tool make a selection starting at the bottom of the original shape layer like in the image below. Apply to this layer a gradient from white at the bottom to transparent at the top.

Step 9

Add some nice text using a good typeface and you’re set.

Originaly posted at CrazyLeaf Design Blog

We’re all big Bob Ross fans here at ClickPopMedia. Today, in the tradition of the Joy of Painting, I am going to show you how to make a happy little cloud.

Welcome back everybody. I sure am glad you could make it out today. Does everyone have their Illustrator warmed up and ready to do some vectorizing? Good.

Step 1:
What I have here is a 600 px by 600 px Illustrator document, but you can use whatever size makes you happy. Keep in mind though, if you do things at a much different size, most of the values I give you won’t translate correctly.

Step 2:
The next thing we’ll do is make a sky for our clouds to live in. So let’s make a 600 x 600 square with a nice white to blue radial gradient fill. Let’s try and get a gradual fade between the colors, just a whisper of a gradient. You can adjust your gradient using the Gradient Tool (hotkey G).

Step 3:
Create a new layer and now we’ll start to make our little cloud. Make two circles (hotkey L) that will be the outer boundaries of your cloud. There we are

Step 4:
Now then, we’re going to build up on our cloud by making more circles of different sizes.

There it is, the top of our cloud. Don’t over think this step to much. The clouds are very free, they just float around and have fun all day. So we’re just making some fluffy, carefree clouds.

Step 5:
Well, now we’re going to finish off our basic shape. Take the pen tool (hotkey P) and create a shape that covers up all the open space left in your cloud. You can also continue using circles or curves if you want to have a puffy bottom on your cloud. Just let your imagination go.

Step 6:
Now we get to the fun part. Illustrator has a neat little tool called the Pathfinder. Maybe I’ll do a bigger tutorial on the Pathfinder later, but for now we’ll just keep it simple. We are going to be using the Pathfinder to make the shapes we’ve made come together. So go ahead and select all the shapes in your cloud. Now click the “Add to Shape Area” button in your Pathfinder tab and immediately after that, before you do anything else, click the “Expand” button and watch that little rascal come together.

Step 7:
Now we’re going to give the cloud some character. Remember, this is your cloud, so you can do any little thing with it. I’m just going to show you what I did. I thickened up the outer stroke a bit, just to make our little friend look even a little puffier than before. I also added a light gray to white linear gradient coming up from the bottom of the cloud just to give the indication of depth and shadow.

Step 8:
I’ve made a few more clouds to live together, so our friend isn’t lonely. Each of our clouds has just a whisper of a drop shadow (Effect>Stylize>Drop Shadow: Opacity 30%, 0px offsets, 5px blur) just to soften things up.

And now we have a finished cloud family. So with that I’ll tell you good bye. I look forward to seeing you again. From all of us at ClickPopMedia, have fun with Illustrator, and God bless you.

GodBless:VQ

Dimension of the Facebook profile picture is 200×300. Add cool effects to your photos!

Didn’t have the chance to show the very end result, but here it is:

All the stocks are on my Shadowness.com profile. Download here