Water Drop Tutorial, Part I

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Learn how to turn a picture into a water drop! Part I.

Begin with sapling.jpg*: End with:
Begin with sapling.jpg End with a water drop!

*sapling.jpg stolen from http://www.srpnet.com/environment/enviropolicy.aspx

  1. Open sapling.jpg in Photoshop.   If you want to, duplicate the layer (control-J) and hide the old one. 

     

  2. Next we are going to delete the white space around the photo.  Select the magic wand tool from the toolbox on the left and set the tolerance to 45.  Click the white space.  It should be selected.

    Step 2

     

  3. Press the delete key. 

    Step 3

     

  4. Now we’re going to make the picture shaped like a tear.  Select the custom shape tool from the toolbox.  (It may be hiding behind the line tool.  If so, just press the button with your mouse and several tool buttons will pop up.  Select the custom shape tool.)  Then select the middle button on the toolbox on top to draw a path.  Select the tear-shaped shape.  Draw the shape on top of the picture of the sapling.

    Step 4

     

  5. Click on the rectangular marquee tool on the top-left of the toolbox.  Right-click on the picture and select “Make selection…”   Set the feather to 0 pixels and click OK. 

    Step 5Step 5

     

  6. Right-click on the picture and click “Select Inverse.”

    Step 6

     

  7. Press the delete key.  Deselect the image (control-D).

    Step 7

     

  8. Filter>Liquify…

    Step 8

     

  9. Fool around with the tools.  Here are some things you can do:

     

    Select the forward warp tool at the top left.  Set the brush size to about 180 and make the shape more like a tear. 

    Step 9a

     

    Use the bloat tool to make it look more spherical. 

    Step 9b

     

    Use the pucker tool to make part of the drop “pucker” in.

    Step 9c

     

    Select the forward warp tool at the top left and set the brush size to about 55 to make the top less pointy. 

    Step 9d

     

    If you mess up, you can always click Restore All.

    Step 9e

     

    When you’re satisfied click OK. 

    Step 9f

     

Hooray! We're done!

That didn't take too long, did it? Good thing there's Part II!

Top | Part II | Back to "How to..."


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