In this tutorial I am going to show you how to make a really nice emotional piece of parent and child. Now this really comes off better if you know both the parent and child in the images. As I didn’t have any on hand I once again went to http://www.sxc.hu/ for some stock images.
These same techniques can be used to place a refection of anything onto a persons eye and you can achieve a myriad of possibilities. I highly recommend using this technique to add detail when doing a larger composition. So lets’ get started….
- First lets open up both of the images you are going to use in photo shop. Both of the images I am using here are really high resolution images and that makes the whole process a lot easier. Using the move tool
drag the image you want to be reflected, over the image of the eye. - Now using the Free Transform Tool (Edit>Free Transform) resize the image to fit over the pupil. I like to turn the opacity of this layer down a bit so I can see the size of the pupil beneath. Now in my case I don’t want to have the whole image reflected but rather just the baby’s face and head. So I resized appropriately, notice that the picture still covers most of the eye picture. But don’t worry about that we’ll deal with that as we go.
- Now using the eraser tool
and selecting a large soft brush erase the top and bottom of the baby image that extends outside of the eye. Don’t worry about the parts that extent off the pupil and iris just yet. - Now making sure you have the layer selected that you want to be the reflection go to Filter>Distort>Spherize. Now keep in mind that irises are not completely round so you may have to play with the settings till it looks right. I used 84% in this case.
- Now you’ll have noticed that this has made our image larger. No worries, simple select the Move tool and you’ll see the free transform box come up. Holding the Shift key to constrain the proportions you can resize so that it fits again.
- Now while still on the layer with your image to be reflected create a layer mask by selecting the Layer mask Button
. The by hitting D you’ll return your background and foreground colors to black and white. Use a large soft brush and select black to begin masking away what you don’t want to see or what extends outside of the desired area. If you make a mistake you can bring it back by painting white. - Now change the blending mode of your reflection layer to hard light and play with the opacity till it looks about right. Viola you have put a reflection into an eye.
If you followed the steps outlined you should end up with a result something like mine below.
If you liked this tutorial have a look at some of my others. I always appreciate comments on how I can improve these tutorials or if you just like them. Till next time…..
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19 responses so far ↓
1 Twila // Oct 24, 2007 at 9:41 pm
Wow that is a really, really cool effect, I can`t wait to try it.
2 Jacob Wyke // Oct 27, 2007 at 10:01 am
Very cool indeed.
3 sarika // Nov 2, 2007 at 1:23 am
nice cool effect and easy to learn tutorial gr8888888
4 Sadiq // Nov 12, 2007 at 6:00 am
Cool!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
5 Osbaldoh // Nov 13, 2007 at 2:51 pm
This is a great way to make a gift to a mother, like your mother who is the mother of you, right?
6 Jimmy // Nov 14, 2007 at 5:08 pm
great tutorial. easy to follow instructions! i look forward to using this effect! Thank you!
7 Kelly // Nov 18, 2007 at 6:40 pm
This is such a cool tutorial. I did this with my eye and my son’s picture and I love it!
8 kevin // Nov 19, 2007 at 10:51 am
This website really helped me understand photoshop…♥
9 Hermie // Nov 20, 2007 at 6:03 pm
It’s nice to see a detailed application,Thanks!
10 Ramesh Palvankar // Nov 21, 2007 at 9:23 pm
Great effect achieved ! I must appreciate your way of presenting the tutorial.I must try this now.
11 rishi // Nov 23, 2007 at 8:05 am
!!!! GREAT !!!!
12 joel // Nov 24, 2007 at 12:14 am
wow
13 Alan // Dec 18, 2007 at 8:12 pm
Hey, great stuff!
I’ve been asked to teach a digital photography course in high school and its been years since I used Photoshop. I have been inspired by your tutorials and would like to ask for your permission to share them with the young talented minds of my classroom, not to mention my old mind attempting to learn new tricks!!!
Many Thanks
Alan
14 Andy // Jan 3, 2008 at 12:56 pm
Cool tutorial man, keep up the good work
15 watanabe // Jan 10, 2008 at 2:42 am
its so very nice tutorials hope you are continue share your idea about adobe Photoshop. me the the father bless upon you. thanks
16 tharthar // Jan 16, 2008 at 1:02 am
great!
17 Stock Trading Software // Jan 23, 2008 at 11:09 pm
Time to start practicing! it’s amaising and impressive (is that redundant?)
Stock Trading Software’s last blog post..Wall Street Survivor FREE Virtual Stock Portfolio
18 basheer // Mar 5, 2008 at 5:14 am
fantastic……………
19 Ramkrishna Shrestha // Jun 14, 2008 at 3:43 am
very very nice!!!!!!
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