Using Photos to Create a Graphic Novel
From Zanecorpwiki
Method 1
Developed from Photoshop tutorial by archaicagonistiv.
- duplicate image layer twice (Layer -gt; Duplicate); you now have three layers which I'll call 'dark highlight' (top), 'blur' (middle), and 'original' (bottom)
- apply Gaussian blur to the dark highlight and blur layers (Filters -gt; Blur -gt; Gaussian Blur); the example uses a value of 6.0 pixels and the IR method
- change the mask layer mode of the dark highlight layer to 'darken only' (Layers tool box)
- reduce the opacity of the blur layer (Layers tool box); example uses a value of 65%
- now select all and 'copy visible'; paste the copied composite image into a new top layer ('composite') and turn visibility off for the other three layers (not necessary, but expresses intent)
- duplicate the composite layer and rename 'final cartoon'
- apply the Cartoon effect (Filter gt; Artistic gt; Cartoon); example uses a mask radius of 4.50 and percent black of 0.1)
Let's look at the purpose of the steps (so you can tweak your look). The blur layer kills some of the detail and is the basis of the 'drawn' look. Fading the layer is equivalent to the Photoshop 'Fade' command, which essentially partially applies the blur to the original. The dark highlight layers serves to draw out edges. The 'cartoon' effect gives the final image th look of having been 'inked'.
Preserving the steps in different layers makes it much easier to go back and tweak settings.
Consider deskpecling the final image to get rid of some of the noisy black dots created by the Cartoon filter. Or leave in for a more grainy look.
