Photoshop Blend If: The Secret to Vectorize Images in Seconds
TLDRIn this tutorial, the process of vectorizing images using Photoshop's Blend If feature is explained. The method involves creating a new document, placing the image, and using various adjustment layers and filters to achieve a stylized effect. The Posterize layer is key, with levels adjusted for different color variations. The 'Blend If' feature is then used to separate the colors, allowing each to be vectorized individually. An action is provided to automate the color selection and vectorization process, resulting in a fully editable vector image suitable for export to software like Illustrator. The video also discusses the Levels adjustment layer, opacity settings, and the use of the Direct Selection Tool for editing paths. Finally, the video demonstrates how to upscale the vector image without quality loss and export it to Illustrator.
Takeaways
- 🎨 Use the 'Photoshop Blend If' feature to vectorize images quickly by applying a series of filters and adjustments.
- 📐 Start with a new 2500x2500 document and place your image using 'File > Place Embedded'.
- 🖼️ Hide the background of the image using the 'Select Subject' tool and mask it.
- ➡️ Convert both layers into a smart object for non-destructive editing.
- 🌈 Apply 'Hue & Saturation', 'Levels', and 'Posterize' adjustment layers to control color and detail.
- 🖌️ Use the 'Oil Paint' and 'Surface Blur' filters to achieve a stylized effect.
- 🔍 The 'Unsharp Mask' filter enhances sharpness and contrast, especially in areas like hair.
- 🔅 'Shadows & Highlights' adjustment layer helps to bring back details in dark and bright areas.
- 💾 Save your work as a PSD for later use and adjustments.
- 🎭 Experiment with the 'Levels' and 'Posterize' settings to optimize the effect for different images.
- 👁️ Use layer opacity or layer masks to reveal or hide details as needed.
- 🌟 The 'Blend If' feature is crucial for creating clean vector selections without gaps between layers.
- 📚 Use the provided free action to automate the vectorization process and export the final vector to Illustrator.
Q & A
What is the purpose of using a smart object in Photoshop when working with images?
-Using a smart object in Photoshop allows for non-destructive editing. This means that any filters or transformations applied to the smart object can be adjusted or removed later without losing the original image data.
How does the Hue & Saturation adjustment layer affect the image in the described process?
-The Hue & Saturation adjustment layer is used to desaturate the image. By dragging the saturation slider all the way to the left, it removes all color from the image, resulting in a black and white effect.
What is the role of the Posterize adjustment layer in the process?
-The Posterize adjustment layer reduces the number of colors in the image to a specified level. For instance, at level 2, it results in a black and white image, and at level 3, it introduces grey, creating a three-color image of black, white, and grey.
How does the 'Blend If' feature work in Photoshop?
-The 'Blend If' feature allows layers to be blended based on their brightness. It has two sliders, one for the current layer and one for the layers below. By moving the sliders, you can hide or show bright or dark areas of the layers to create the desired effect.
What is the benefit of using the 'Shadows & Highlights' adjustment layer?
-The 'Shadows & Highlights' adjustment layer enhances the details in the darkest and brightest areas of the image. It allows for the recovery of details in shadows by brightening them and recovery of details in highlights by darkening them.
How does the provided action facilitate the vectorization process in Photoshop?
-The action automates the process of vectorization by sequentially revealing each color in the image and allowing the user to select it. This simplifies the manual process of selecting and vectorizing each color individually, saving time and effort.
What are the three main settings to adjust for the best results with different images?
-The three main settings to adjust are the Levels adjustment layer, which controls the color distribution; the Posterize adjustment, which determines the number of colors in the image; and the opacity of the top layer, which can be tweaked to reveal more details in areas such as the eyes.
How does the Surface Blur filter contribute to the final effect of the image?
-The Surface Blur filter is used to smooth out the skin texture in the image. By setting the radius to 20 and the threshold to 10, it helps to achieve a more even and refined appearance in the final vectorized image.
What is the significance of saving the image as a PSD file?
-Saving the image as a PSD file preserves the layers and adjustments made in Photoshop, allowing for non-destructive editing. This means you can go back and make changes to the image or effect at any time without losing the original work.
Why is the Unsharp Mask filter used in the process?
-The Unsharp Mask filter is used to enhance the sharpness and contrast of the image. By setting the Sharpness Amount to 150 and the Radius to 20, it gives a drawn-like appearance to certain areas of the image, such as hair, making them stand out more.
How does the vectorization process using 'Blend If' differ from using other selection tools?
-Using 'Blend If' for selections ensures that there are no gaps between layers, which can happen with tools like the 'magic wand tool' or 'color range'. This results in a cleaner and more precise vector output, maintaining the quality even when the image is significantly upscaled.
Outlines
🎨 Creating a Vector Effect in Photoshop
This paragraph outlines the process of applying a vector effect to an image using Photoshop. It begins with creating a new document and placing an image into it. The image is then masked using the 'Select Subject' tool. To make the filters non-destructive and editable, both layers are converted into a smart object. A series of adjustment layers are added: Hue & Saturation to desaturate the image, Levels (unedited initially), and Posterize to reduce the color count. Filters such as Oil Paint, Surface Blur, and Unsharp Mask are applied to achieve the final effect. A 'Shadows & Highlights' layer is included to enhance details. The process concludes with duplicating the layer and applying Oil Paint again, resulting in a fully editable vector-ready image saved as a PSD for later use. The paragraph also discusses adjusting Levels, Posterize, and layer opacity for optimal results and mentions a sponsored product, Wondershare DemoCreator, a screen recorder and video editor.
🔍 Refining the Vector Effect and Using Blend If
The second paragraph delves into the Blend If feature in Photoshop, which allows layers to blend based on brightness. It explains how to use Blend If to make fine adjustments to the visibility of bright and dark areas between layers. The process of vectorizing each of the six colors separately is demonstrated, with a focus on isolating the black color. This is achieved by creating a work path from the selection and converting it into a vector layer. An action is introduced to automate the vectorization process, which is executed by revealing colors one by one and picking them with the eyedropper tool. The result is a set of six vector layers. The paragraph emphasizes the advantage of using Blend If over other selection tools to avoid gaps in the vector output. It concludes with instructions on how to export the vector image to Illustrator and how to use the PSD file and action to quickly vectorize a new image.
🖼️ Finalizing the Vector Image and Exporting
The final paragraph demonstrates how to open a previously created PSD file and update it with a new image. It details the steps to remove the background, adjust Posterize levels, and fine-tune the color distribution for a four-color vector result. The eyes' detail is restored by adjusting the top layer's opacity. The action is run again to vectorize the image, with colors revealed and picked sequentially. The paragraph highlights the ability to change each layer's color and the video concludes with a reminder to watch the next video and thanks to the viewers for their time.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Smart Object
💡Vectorization
💡Hue & Saturation
💡Levels Adjustment Layer
💡Posterize
💡Stylize Filters
💡Surface Blur Filter
💡Unsharp Mask Filter
💡Shadows & Highlights
💡Blend If
💡Action
💡Work Path
💡Illustrator
Highlights
Photoshop's Blend If feature can be used to vectorize images in seconds.
Free action available to transform images into fully editable vectors for export to vector software like Illustrator.
Create a new document of 2500px by 2500px to start the process.
Use 'Select Subject' to hide the background of the image.
Convert layers to a smart object to make filters non-destructive and editable.
Desaturate the image using a Hue & Saturation layer.
Apply Posterize layer to reduce the number of colors in the image.
Use Stylize and Surface Blur filters to achieve a drawn-like appearance.
Unsharp mask filter enhances sharpness and contrast.
Shadows & Highlights adjustment layer brings back details in dark and bright areas.
Duplicate the layer and apply Oil Paint filter to finalize the vector effect.
Save the work as a PSD file for later use.
Experiment with Levels adjustment layer for color distribution.
Opacity of the top layer can be adjusted to bring back details.
Wondershare DemoCreator is recommended for recording and editing professional videos.
Blend If allows blending layers based on brightness for vectorization.
Action created to automate the vectorization process for each color.
Vectorized images can be scaled without quality loss.
Export the vector image to Illustrator by saving as an EPS file with vector data included.
PSD file and action can be used to quickly vectorize new images.
Layer colors can be changed by double-clicking the thumbnail.