Everything you need to know about Brushes

How to Install a Brush

After you download an .ABR file from any website which provides Photoshop Brushes, simply go to your Photoshop software and open the Brush tool, go to the Brush Manager and click on the small icon right next to the size and hardness levels. A list pops up, click on the "Replace Brushes" and open the Brush you just downloaded.

Transforming your work into something AWESOME

A simple coloured background can be transformed into something pretty awesome if you work with the RIGHT brushes. 

I make a few thick lines...

Once you make the lines, merge them by pressing Ctrl+E, Cmd+E on Mac. Rasterize this Shape layer. Hold Ctrl or Cmd and select this Rasterized Layer. A selection is made around these lines, now use the brush tool and make a new layer, hold Ctrl+Shift+N to do this. Pick a color and select your brush and randomly color the Layer. Once you are done, change the blend mode of the layer until you get the desired look. Continue doing this until you end up with something like this...

Press Ctrl + J on your keyboard and keep merging these layers by moving them around and making it's copies. But make sure your randomly change their rotation. I ended up making this... completely random thing.

Select the Shape tool and use the Ellipse tool to make a Circle, hold Shift while making the ellipse. Drag it around and place it wherever you want. Select the Text tool and type your text. However random, the better.

Now I am still not happy with the background, so I am going to select a Texture (pre-saved textures) and place it over and blend it.
Finally, I came up with this and yep, I love it. :)

Download here

See? Started with the simple brushes, went on to make a pattern background and there we have it. Do comment and tell me how it is because I am still not sure if the texture gradient I used was alright.
Also, I am pretty sure if you are interested in a detailed tutorial, this wouldn't suffice. So, do leave me a comment or something and I'll see if I can post a detailed video on how I made this.

3D Rendering and how to reduce Rendering Time

3D Rendering

Converting your 3 Dimensional models into 2 Dimensional images with the 3D-like realism is my way of defining a 3D rendering process.

Why does it take so much time?

Even if an average RAM laptop / computer were to start rendering a 3D shape / design converting it to a 2 Dimensional image. This isn't easy as the shape / design is pretty complex i.e. it involves shading, shadows, reflection, illumination and what not!

You possibly think all this is going to be done just as quick as it takes when you press "Ctrl+S" and save your document on any photo editing software? Nope. 

Not unless you want granulated shading and blurry reflections with graininess all over the image. THAT is no way a "realistic" 3D image. 

How can I reduce Rendering time?

I researched intensively on how you can reduce Rendering time in almost any software, so these tips are general and not intended for only ONE software.

• Turn OFF Ray Tracing. This is IF your 3D shape doesn't require reflections and ambience or ray shadows.
• Level down any EXCESSIVE subsurf levels. Render your scene and see if it adversely affects your rendered image. If it doesn't, then reduce it further until you feel your render consumes lesser time.
• Soft shadows waste a LOT of time, so turn it off. I am pretty sure your render doesn't need all that Soft shadow anyway.
• For that extra touch of realism, Ambient occlusion is great tool. Unless your render is consuming a lot of time. If that's the case, turn Ambient Occlusion OFF.
• If your software automatically saves Render files, then delete them. They consume space and reduce your CPU's speed.
• Turn OFF any kinds of blurry reflections if available on your panel.
• If you are not using shadows, Turn them OFF.
• Anti-Aliasing is a very time consuming process. Turn it OFF. But ONLY if your shape doesn't need to be very detailed.
• Increase the number of tiles that render. In the picture above, you can see a 2x2 tile rendering the scene. If I increase the number of tiles, I would be able to reduce your my time down by 60%
• Make sure the Materials you are using are non-traceable.

These are probably all the things I did to reduce my rendering time to almost just 60% the original time it used to take. Like for example, if my original render time for the image above used to take 14 minutes without using all the tips above. After turning off and a few adjustments I got the entire image rendered in under 8 minutes.

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For more help or inquiries, you can always leave a comment or contact us on the page.

Working with Bevel and Emboss on Text as well as Shapes

Difficulty: Easy

Requirements: Photoshop CS6 Extended (NO PRO of course).

Step 1: Making the background

 Make a New file, "Ctrl+N" on Windows, "Cmd+N" on Mac. Dimensions, 1920x720 and a resolution of 72.

Set foreground and background colors to 10% gray and 85% gray respectively.



Go to Filter>Render>Difference Clouds.

Your screen should look like this. Lets make it more cloudy.

Render the Difference Clouds a few more times until the screen looks like the one below.

Step 2: Making a Rectangular shape and adding Bevel to it.

Go to the Shape tool, and select the Rectangle Tool. 

Select a Fill color, here I have chosen Sky Blue. Draw a Rectangle. Something like this.

Select the Shape and right click on it in the "Blending Options".

Select the Bevel and Emboss as well as Contour. In the Technique list, Select "Chisel hard". Increase the Depth to it's highest. Increase size until it looks something like below. Use a "Global Light".

Set the Highlight and Shadow color.

Select the Drop Shadow option and Un-check Global Light.

Set the angle to around 90, keep a Distance of 5 and Size to 15.

While you are doing this, your shape should look something like this.

Step 3: Adding text and effects to it.

Add text to the shape by using the Horizontal Text Tool, and select a 10% Gray color and a really Square Font style.

Select the Text layer and go to it's Blending Options.

 Select the Bevel and Emboss option.

Open the Gloss Contour list. Select the "Double ring" contour. Keep the Depth to the fullest and toggle the size until it looks like this....

Tick the "Anti aliased" option.

Select the Drop Shadow option now.

Set the same settings as you did with the Blue Rectangle shape.

Go to the Blend Panel and Duplicate the Text layer you have just created and edited now. Make sure you are doing this after adding all the blending options to the text and NOT before.

Rasterize this new duplicated Text layer. Rasterize the Layer style as well.

Step 4: Adding Chrome to the Text

Select the Duplicated Text layer, lets call this, "Text Copy" and go to Filter>Filter Gallery.

Select the "Chrome" filter from the "Sketch" group.

 Increase the detail and Max the Smoothness till it looks something like below.

 As you can notice this has completed covered the previous Text layer.

Go the Blend Panel and select the Text Copy layer. As you can see it's on "Normal".

Change this to Overlay.

You will end up with something like this...

As you can notice I changed the foreground and background color somewhere between so that the "Chrome" effect looked more detailed. 

Here I have changed the background to BLACK. Giving the chrome more depth.

You can always change it to a lighter gray or a darker gray depending on how detailed and realistic you want this effect to look.

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I hope you found this helpful.

I am somehow STILL overwhelmed with requests and will post as soon as I am done that I will be taking more.

For more info or queries, contact me via the Contact page.

No email ya'll.. Please.