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Stencils in Photoshop
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Making high contrast stencil images in Photoshop.
Step 1. 1st pick a photo of someone you love. Naturally I chose
Vanilla Ice.
This is his mug shot.
(Note the cool
haircut)
Ice Ice Baby
Step 2. Duplicate the layer with the photo on it. Then
go to >Image
>Adjustments
>desaturate.
Step 3. Then go to >Image > Adjustments>
Brightness and Contrast.
Here you want to bump the
contrast. I used these settings
(see figure A.)
**Update bump the contrast all the way up to 100 you don't want any greys.
Figure A.
And this is what Vanilla looks like after that step. Str8 Dope!
Step
4. Now go to >select >color Range > and on the
pull-down menu
choose "Highlights". Now
everything that is white, should be
selected. Hit 'Backspace" to
delete the selection. Deselect.
Step
5.
CTRL+click the active layer. Now go to the
"Paths" palette
and on the pull down menu, choose
"Make Work Path..."
(see figure C.)
Note: To achieve more artistic results you can smooth the selection
before you make your work path. >select >modify >smooth..
Figure C.
Figure C-2.
I normally use the setting of 1 or 2. The higher the #
the less accurately the path will follow the selection.
Figure D.
Step 6. So, now we have our path, now we just have to make
that path in a custom shape.
>Edit >Define Custom Shape..
Step 7. Delete your path, switch to the layers palette, and
create
a new layer, and
hide your other layers
Step 8. Select the custom shape tool 
and on your new layer,
drag out your image
(hold shift to maintain the aspect ratio).
And there you have
it. The beauty of making it a path/custom
shape, and not just
filling the selection with black, is that
you lose some
detail, and it comes out looking more artistic,
in my
opinion.
Example of next steps: Print one. I use an acetate transparency sheet, cut it
out, mount it on something stiff (I used a mat), use some spray adhesive (not
too much though)
then spray it everywhere, and pretend you're
Banksy!
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 If
this tutorial was confusing in anyway, or did not work out for you © tomledin.com |
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