photo shop

chris_settlemoir

ok i downloaded the trial to photo shop, i found out i can  change the contrast and hues but , what else can you do to touch it up ? can anyone got any tips on how to use photoshop effectively''?

KA1

You can do LOADS in Photoshop, there are a ton of brushes available in teh store (and across the web for free as well) that you can use for postwork, gaussian blur for adding different effects to different layers. You can add backgrounds if you have an alpha channel (so rendered to PNG with no background) - there are actions available across the web, I have a great freebie that vreates a starfield with nebulous clouds at any size canvas you want, separated into layers so you can edit to your hearts content, and you can add things like bloom to the lighting etc (iRay has the option to switch bloom on for a render but this can increase the render time so sometimes worth considering doing this in postwork)

The possibilities when working with brushes, layers, actions etc are startling - you are the only limit! I softened the below image and gave it a sepia-esque tone for a frame in a comic I'm working on - it all depends what you want to achieve!

Original Render:

Postworked render:

Tottallou

There is a thread about Post Work - Many use photoshop so you will find some ideas of what others do & how to actually do them by reading that

http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/68286/postwork-tips-formerly-using-photoshop-brushes-like-those-by-deviney-in-postwork

There are lots of tutorials online about using photoshop for various things -  postwork alone is a massive subject so you will probably need to provide more details on what you want to achieve when you need help with something.

 

 

 

chris_settlemoir

i checked on youtube alot of them i saw are patreion supports soi was like ugh i just wondering what i can do with photoshop and try to improve my images 

KA1

Before throwing yourself to heavily into postworking you may want to work on renders first, learning the finer points of lighting and composition etc should take priority, postwork can enhance your work sure but you'll need a decent image up front to do that work on.

chris_settlemoir

i understand  ka1 i just wanted to get  used to it all i dont want everyone to think im trying to take it in all at once

KA1

I started using Photoshop a little too early on originally and disheartened myself! At that point I started entering the new user contest here learning a lot for just straight render, as I've improved I've started using photoshop bit more again now :) There is a free mini tutorial in the daz store from dreamlight that touches on post work (amoungst other daz free tutorials as well!) Search the store with your filter set to Price: Low to High and check out the free tutorial offerings :)

IceDragonArt

I do love postwork.  I have the the elements version I think I paid $98 for it?  It was less than a $100 and it does everything the full program does except for like 3 things.  Which are pretty unimportant for what I do.  I was using photoshop to draw and paint with before I came to Daz though so am fairly familiar.  Like KA1 said, getting the render to its absolute best that you can is really important, then going into the postwork to enchance etc.  And there are a TON of free videos on Youtube for photoshop that don't ask for money or a donation.  I think I have watched a couple hundred.  Try searching for photoshop beginner tutorials, those will help explain where everything is and what it does.

Cris Palomino

There are tons and tons that are not Patreon based.  You can find whole sites with tutorials.  Instead of going directly to YouTube, just search "photoshop tutorials".  You can filter with terms like postwork, compositing, camera raw, and other things.

Ice, you can also subscribe to Photoshop for $120 per year, for you or anyone, if you need to get the full version.  Out of curiosity, what are the three things.  Is Puppet Warp or Liquify in Elements?  I know those are really integral to my work.

IceDragonArt

Cris Palomino said:

There are tons and tons that are not Patreon based.  You can find whole sites with tutorials.  Instead of going directly to YouTube, just search "photoshop tutorials".  You can filter with terms like postwork, compositing, camera raw, and other things.

Ice, you can also subscribe to Photoshop for $120 per year, for you or anyone, if you need to get the full version.  Out of curiosity, what are the three things.  Is Puppet Warp or Liquify in Elements?  I know those are really integral to my work.

Haven't looked recently but I know the pen tool is not there (mind you I am going off what I use to do 2D art since I have only just started the 3D stuff so there may be more that I haven't found yet. The warp
tool that allows you to do more than just deform the plane, you can't make it wrap around stuff (this is becoming more important to me as I get further into this)  I will have to look at the Liquify.  I know that there is no 3d editing at all in elements. But for editing textures, changing hue and saturation working with layers its a great price for a beginner.  And if you watch you can probably pick it up for less than what I quoted as they do run specials on it occaisionally

On the second note, does that $120 have to be paid up front each year or can you set up a montly withdrawal?  I will have to check and see if I can get a discount for upgrading.  I am getting to the point where the pen tool and the warping wraparound tool may become important soon lol. But if you are just beginning the elements program is really good and for me it was far easier to understand than Gimp.  I know Gimp is free but it frustrated the heck out of me.  Photoshop was just more intuitive for the way that I work and understand things.  and its super easy to add brushes etc. 

KA1

Its always an annual subscription you sign up for but you can pay monthly, I only have the basic Photoshop package (which includes Lightroom which so far I've never used!) Which for me is £8.95 month (I say for me as I'm in the UK and pay sterling, it may be different depending on location!)

IceDragonArt

KA1 said:

Its always an annual subscription you sign up for but you can pay monthly, I only have the basic Photoshop package (which includes Lightroom which so far I've never used!) Which for me is £8.95 month (I say for me as I'm in the UK and pay sterling, it may be different depending on location!)

Does this include the things that Chris was talking about?  $120 a year is only $10 a month.  But.... $100 once and have it forever is still a better deal lol. Just curious.

KA1

You get the full Photoshop and all updates, with their monthly plan you would ALWAYS have the latest version of Photoshop with all features for as long as you keep your subscription running.

IceDragonArt

KA1 said:

You get the full Photoshop and all updates, with their monthly plan you would ALWAYS have the latest version of Photoshop with all features for as long as you keep your subscription running.

Going to have to think about this some more thanks for the info!

KA1

Ice Dragon Art said:

KA1 said:

You get the full Photoshop and all updates, with their monthly plan you would ALWAYS have the latest version of Photoshop with all features for as long as you keep your subscription running.

Going to have to think about this some more thanks for the info!

If you do decide to try you always have the 30day trial first to see whether it would be worth doing or if elements has everything you need as is :)

Johanna

KA1 said:

You get the full Photoshop and all updates, with their monthly plan you would ALWAYS have the latest version of Photoshop with all features for as long as you keep your subscription running.

I can recommend this also.

Blender i.e. is a great freeware and works better than my 6000 USD 3D software but Gimp really only is a substitute and not worth to invest time to learn.

Its your investment of time that makes a software expensive.