special fx http://www.computersight.com/tags/special fx New posts about special fx Professional Photoshop Effect: Quick and Easy Sweet Effects http://www.computersight.com/Software/Photoshop/Photoshop-Quick-and-Easy-Sweet-Effects.67750 Here's is a very simple effect you can do to give emphasis on a specific part of a photo, or anything you want “standing out” of a photo. All effects I'll be demonstrating will be extremely easy to make, but with nice outcomes that look professional! Stay tuned for more volumes of my “Quick and easy” Tutorials.

  1. Open your photo/graphics in Photoshop™ (the version doesn't matter since almost all the versions after v8 react the same…here I open a one of my photos just for the tutorial, but I recommend using nicer photos with proper models :P and of course more vivid colors!)

  2. Press Q [Yep…that simple…that action actually puts u in Quick Mask Mode]


  4. Press the Brush tool and mark the region you want to stand out in your photo.(I recommend a Soft Round Brush or an Airbrush so that the effects will blend in automatically!No matter what colour you have chosen, the marked area will be in red)


  6. Press Q again
  7. Go to Filter Blur Motion Blur …then set the parameters you want (I've set the Distance to 46 pixels for greater effect.


How this Actually Works

Photoshop™ works with layers (like the layers of an onion) but also works this way. When you press Q you activate the “Quick Mask Mode” (and then deactivate it by pressing Q for the second time).The masking mode simply allows you to take a part of the photo out, and when a filter is applied to the photo, the region masked will stay unaffected! If you want to experiment a little you can try selecting different filters to apply (although the outcome can be quite impressive, the main idea is the same simple idea mentioned here!)

Stay tuned for more of my Quick and Easy Sweet Effects. My next Tutorial will be a further approach of this effect with the use of gradients.

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