Sharpen Your Photos like a PRO (Quick Tip)
Bring out the DETAIL & SHARPEN your Photos in Photoshop LIKE A PRO (NO PLUGINS!)

Why Sharpen Your Photos?
Sharpening your Photos is a great way to bring out the detail in Photos and in your Photoshop Designs. The image will look more professional and the effects and details will stand out. In this tutorial, I'll show you how to sharpen your photos in 3 easy steps to achieve a professional result. You don't need Plugins for this!
Start the Editing!
Download the Photo Here "Size doesn't matter" for this tip but what you need to understand is that the BIGGER YOUR PHOTO the MORE RADIUS you will use for the HIGH PASS FILTER. The SMALLER YOUR PHOTO the LESSER RADIUS you will use. I'm going to use a photo of a model but you can use any photo you like.






Final Touch Up!
Now that we have sharpened our image, I added a little more color to the image using the "Color Balance" adjustment layer. Doing so will add life to your image. Remember, only add use the color balance if you feel your image could use a little color. DON'T OVER DO IT! YOU DON'T NEED TO USE THESE EXACT SETTINGS.


How to Create Effective Youtube Thumbnails
How to Create Effective Youtube Thumbnails

Why are Youtube Thumbnails important?
The first thing that grabs your attention to any video is the "thumbnail image", the better the design the more chances there are that you'll click on the video. A good Thumbnail image increases the chances of a user clicking on your video. In many ways, the thumbnail image tells the viewer what he can expect from your video. Remember these words, CLICKBAIT! That's exactly what it is. In this blog, you'll learn how to create an "effective" youtube thumbnail image. Let's show you how to design some "Click Bait"!Get Your Size Right!
Firstly! you'll need to get the right size for your image to show up correctly and the right sizes are: Thumbnail Includes in following sizes: 4K Resolution (4096 x 2160 pixel) 1080p Resolution (1920 x 1080 pixel) 720p Resolution (1280 x 720 pixel) Now that we've got the sizes out of the way, let's get started to design an effective youtube thumbnail.Use Large Bold Text

Contrast your Thumbnail
Choosing Your Images
Good Images are crucial for a good looking thumbnail. It's common practice to include no more than 2 images of people or 1 background image. If it's a vlog then it's good to include a cutout image of yourself. If it's a background image then it's good to have an appropriate image with your text in the center fo more balance and symmetry. If it's an image of yourself or a product then keep your product or image on the left or right with the text on the opposite side. You can find some good images from here -- Unsplash - https://unsplash.com/
- Pixabay - https://pixabay.com/
- Pexels - https://www.pexels.com/
How to Make an Album Cover
How to Design a Modern Album Cover in Photoshop
- Setting up Photoshop (Canvas, Resolution)
- Getting the Photos & Masking the Photos
- Darkening the Photos
- Adding the Sun & Glows
- Adding Water Reflection
- Adding Stars
- Write your Text & Add Your Logos
- Bring the Image to Life (Final Adjustments)
Step 2. Getting & Masking the Photos
Sky StarsOnce you've downloaded the images, bring the Water Image / Sea Image in first and crop it to fit the canvas. It should look like this.


I have increased (transformed) the size of this image to increase the size of the clouds and make sure the trees and buildings are below the horizon line of the sea. We will be masking out the trees and the buildings.
While your Sky image is selected, click on the layer mask icon at the bottom of the panel.
















Step 5. Adding Water Reflection
Just like you did with the glows on the sun, use those same colors and paint on the water.
Press B on the Keyboard to Bring up the Brush Tool and select a Soft Round with the Hardness set to 0 and the Opacity set to 100% and a Color #ff8a0c.
Oh! Make sure the BLEND MODE of the LAYER IS SET TO OVERLAY. This is very important.
Make sure that the size is around the same size as the Circle/Sun. (Brush size will vary depending on the dimensions of the album cover)





Bring in the STARS photo and place it in the canvas. Transform it so it fits nicely in the canvas. I prefer to have the stars as small as possible.
Change the Blending Mode of the layer to "Screen", this way every thing that is BLACK will be REMOVED and only the white will show. Bring down the Opacity to 50%.
Erase a little bit of the bottom portion so. the transition is smoother and you don't see the harsh edge of the image. You can use the masking technique I showed you earlier.















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Create a Cool Grungy Dispersion Effect for your Photos in Photoshop

Step 2. Setting Up Your Photo
With your photo selected, click on the mask icon at the bottom of the layers panel (3rd from the left)

With the mask selected, press CTRL or CMD + I on the keyboard to invert the mask and make it BLACK. Doing so your PHOTO SHOULD DISAPPEAR







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Create Distressed & Grungy Text in Photoshop Tutorial
Nope that isn't a cool looking font. In this tutorial I'll show you a cool little trick to get an amazing NON DESTRUCTIVE GRUNGY TEXT EFFECT to ANY FONT including Hand Written fonts.
Let's break this tutorial down:
1. Setting Up the Document
2. Write Some Headline & Convert to Smart Object
3. Download a Grungy Textured Image
4. Saving Image as Displacement Map
5. Applying Displacement Map to Text
Let'sdo this!
Step 1. Setting Up the Document
It really doesn't matter what document size you choose, the effect will work no matter what size. But, I'm going to use a document size of 900 px x 400 px at 300 dpi with a background color of #ffe615
Step 2. Write a Headline and Convert to Smart Object
I've used the font Helvetica Compressed as the font of choice. You could use ANY FONT.
I then wrote the word GRUNGY. You could write any word you wish.
To make the effect editable I turned the text into a smart object. (Right Click on the text layer and select Convert to Smart Object.)
Step 3. Download a Grungy Textured Image
To get a grungy text effect we need a grungy image. The image I've used to get this effect can be found here.
Click Image to Download
Rotate the image to make it landscape and then go to IMAGE - ADJUSTMENTS - DESATURATE or press CTRL (CMD) + SHIFT + U
(desaturating the image is important)
Go to FILE - SAVE AS - FORMAT (Photoshop) or CTRL (CMD) + SHIFT + S to open us the SAVE as dialog box. We saved it as a PSD because THE DISPLACE FILTER we are about to apply only works with PSD FILES. Step 5. Applying the Displacement Map to the Text Here's where the GRUNGY EFFECT COMES TO LIFE Select your Text Layer, now GO TO FILTER - DISTORT - DISPLACE

You can play around with the values on the Horizontal Scale or Vertical Scale but I'm sticking with 10 and 10 on the Horizontal and Vertical Scale. You can copy these settings but feel free to experiment.
CLICK OK.
A new dialog will open asking you to select your PSD file. It's the file you created in STEP 4.
Select that PSD file and Click on OPEN
You should now see your text appear GRUNGY and DISTRESSED.
That's all there is to it. Remember to play with the settings in the DISPLACE FILTER, different settings will produce different results. Give it a Try!
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Glowing Social Media Icon Photoshop Tutorial
Glowing Social Media Icon Photoshop Tutorial






















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Adding Dramatic Lighting in Photoshop










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Roy Woods Album Cover Design in Photoshop
In this tutorial I'll show you how to make an Album Cover Design in Photoshop in a few simple steps. We are going to replicate the style of Roy Woods. The design is simple and easy to achieve, but sometimes the simplest things can be the most complicated. Let's Break down this tutorial before we begin 1. Setting up the Photoshop Document 2. Creating the Circle Glow 3. Adding the Model 4. Adding the Noise 5. Adding the Text This is the finished design we will achieve through this tutorial.




Right Click on the layer and select "Convert to Smart Object"


Do the same for the ORANGE circle but this time change the Gaussian Blur to 16.0




Step 3. Bringing in the Model
Download the Model Image from Here Once we've opened up our model image in photoshop we need to mask him out before we add him in to our Album Cover document. If you are using Photoshop CC 2018 and above you can cut the model out easily by going to the Select menu and click on Subject. Photoshop will automatically select out the model for you.




We need to color grade the model in so it looks like he belongs in the scene. We'll do so by adding a few adjustment layers to the model.
We will start by adding a BLACK AND WHITE ADJUSTMENT LAYER and clip it to the model by right clicking on the adjustment layer and selecting "create clipping mask". Now the Black and White adjustment layer will only effect the model and not the other layers.Next we will add a GRADIENT MAP ADJUSTMENT LAYER which will add the colors of the glows to the model. I've used #ff5d15 for the orange. That's all I've done!
You can already see that the model blends in much better. It looks like he belongs in the scene. You can add a curves or levels adjustment layer and brighten him up a bit but we won't need to do that here. He looks fine!
Step 4. Adding Noise
Let's add some grain and noise to the album artwork design to give it some texture. Create a new layer, press SHIFT + F5 or go to EDIT - FILL and from the Contents dropdown, select 50% GRAY. Click OK




Step 4. Adding TEXT
TITLE FONT (CLUB NITRO HOUSE) - I've used steelfish bold for the title with a size of 182 pt.

To finish things off I added a Parental Advisory from google images and threw it in the design. With some bold text I added the Artist Series and Billboard Logo to add a little polish to the overall design.
There you have it, we have completed this Album Cover Design in Photoshop. I'm pretty happy with the results. I'm giving you the completed PSD so you can follow along with this tutorial.
Remember, Art is Subjective, you don't have to follow the exact settings and colors I've used, experiment and have fun.
Download the PSD
Check out and Download the Nitro House Album Artwork Share on facebook Facebook Share on twitter Twitter Share on linkedin LinkedInWant more like this?
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Want more Views? Look more Professional
It's as simple as that, a cool Youtube Banner for your Channel is crucial to give your channel "that" professional look. While the quality of your videos is important, having well designed Channel Art and Youtube Video Thumbnails is just as important.
Ever heard of the term "Click Bait"? Well, that's exactly what your Channel Banner is intended to be. A good designed Youtube Banner or Video Thumbnail is almost 100% guaranteed to have visitors flocking to your channel. You get the idea, don't you.
Today we will design a professional looking Youtube Channel Banner inside of Photoshop. This tutorial is intended to be simple and less complex. I'll leave a link for you to download the PSD and use it on your channel.
This is the Youtube Channel Banner we will look to create using Photoshop CC 2020.
Alright then...let's get to work.
Step 1. Open up photoshop and make a new document (photoshop .psd file of course)
As of 2020, the size of a Youtube Banner is 2560x1440 pixels. This size is optimized for Desktops, TV's & Mobile Devices. That's the size you must choose.
Step 2. Adding a Pattern or Background
I've chosen to add a background of leaves. In this case i've used the default photoshop patterns that come with Photoshop CC 2020, if you don't use CC20 then you could always add a background of leaves which you could find on unsplash.com, pexles.com or pixabay.com
Step 3. Adding a rectangle across the canvas
Next, we'll add a rectangle shape horizontally across the canvas to act as a base / container for our text and photo. This section is very important because this is what your viewers on their desktop and mobile device are going to see. I have added the template with all the guides and safety margins for the devices, leaving that technical stuff aside, let's get on with the tutorial.
Once our container (black rectangle) is in place, I'll double click on the rectangle layer or right click on select "Blending Options", and select "Pattern Overlay" and choose the same "trees background" as you did for the main background in Step 1,
Bring down the opacity of the pattern to around about 35% - 40 %.
Looking good!
Now we will add text to our Youtube Banner Template. You could add the photo first but, I like to start with the text first to make the design a lot fuller and give me better visual direction.
Step 4. Start Texting
Nothing fancy here, just some text to inform my viewers exactly what my channel is about.
TITLE FONT - For my title PHOTOGRAPHY, I've used the MONT HEAVY DEMO from dafont.com with a size of 35 PT and a TRACKING of -40. I've also set the font to italic and uppercase on the character dialog box.
SUB TITLE FONT - For the Sub Title, I've used the Montserrat Black from dafont.com with a size of 6 PT and a TRACKING of 250. You get the idea!
You can download the fonts here:
Month Heavy Demo
Montserrat Black
Bebas Neue
Step 5. Adding Your Photo
I've chosen to add a photo to the left of the text, this is subjective and you could add it anywhere you'd like as long as it's within the safety margins so that your photo will be displayed correctly on all devices.
I added a circular shape where I want my photo to appear. This circular shape will serve as the "mask" or "container" for our photo. In other words, the photo we place will take the shape of the "mask" or "container". In this case it's a circle.
In order for our photo to take the shape of the circle we will need to use a "clipping mask". A clipping mask will "clip" the photo to the circle so it could the shape of the circle.
To make the photo a clipping mask, you would need to make sure your photo sits directly above the circle shape. Right click on your photo and from the long dialog box that opens, select CREATE CLIPPING MASK
Notice how your photo has now taken the shape of the circle. That's perfect!
So this is what we have thus far. Not too bad!
and oh! I grabbed a Youtube Subscribe button from google images and added it to the Youtube Banner Design. The options are endless, you can go crazy if you want to.
That's it! You've learned how to design a good looking Youtube Banner for your Channel.
Download the PSD
Download a Set of Youtube Channel Banner Templates Share on facebook Facebook Share on twitter Twitter Share on linkedin LinkedInWant more like this?
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