DPChallenge: A Digital Photography Contest You are not logged in. (log in or register
 

DPChallenge Forums >> Tips, Tricks, and Q&A >> Photoshop question
Pages:  
Showing posts 1 - 17 of 17, (reverse)
AuthorThread
01/29/2006 08:57:57 AM · #1
Can anybody tell me the required steps for creating a layer to be specifically used for dodge and burning? I've created a new layer on my photo but when I try to dodge and burn specific areas I'm seeing no effect whatsoever.

Anybody?
01/29/2006 09:01:03 AM · #2
You are dodging and burning on the wrong layer, more than likely. Right click on the image with the pointer tool and select the new layer. Or open the Layers dialog from the Window menu and select the new layer.

Message edited by author 2006-01-29 09:02:24.
01/29/2006 09:06:34 AM · #3
That's what I'm doing but no luck so far. The new layer is created without any trouble, change the name to dodge_burn, I then highlight that layer to work on, choose the burn tool, but applying it to the image makes no difference. Weird :)
01/29/2006 09:10:14 AM · #4
is the layer you're working on on top of the other layer, with full opacity?
01/29/2006 09:12:16 AM · #5
What you are doing is creating a transparent layer above the one you have. Instead of burning your picture you are burning your transparent layer. What you want to do is either press Control + J or right click on your picture layer and click "duplicate". After you do this, you can dodge and burn all you ant and then just duplicatte again when you are ready to do something else and need another layer. You also may want to play around with going to Layer>New adjustment layer. There's some fun stuff in therer too.

Hope that helped
-Adam

Message edited by author 2006-01-29 09:12:37.
01/29/2006 09:12:30 AM · #6
It is wierd. Is there any data in that layer? Make sure there is an icon that looks like your picture beside the new layer in the Layers Window.
01/29/2006 09:33:56 AM · #7
Thanks for your time and help people. Its appreciated :) So far though I still can't burn. I'll list all the steps I'm doing to give you a better idea of where I'm going wrong.

I have a couple of standard adjustment layers in my layers box. Contrast, curves, that type of thing. I have then created a new layer, renamed it dodge_burn, its mode is normal, its opacity is 100%, fill is 100%. I've tried applying the burn tool to the image but its not working.

I've then used the advice that AChelton kindly gave by duplicating the burn layer so I now have a layer above my original burn layer titled dodge_burn copy. You following so far? :) Its mode is normal, opacity 100% and so is fill. But again, when either layer is highlighted to work on it doesn't seem to apply any change to the image.

I've tried different exposure settings on the burn tool throughout the range with no luck.

My layers are listed like this if it helps

dodge_burn copy
dodge_burn
colour balance 1
brightness/contrast
channel mixer
curves
background

Thanks again.
01/29/2006 09:35:56 AM · #8
Oops, didn't notice your reply there fotomann. There isn't an icon of my image in the dodge_burn layer, its just a transparent square. Hmmm....*scratches head*
01/29/2006 09:43:27 AM · #9
Right click on your original Layer in the layer window and select duplicate layer.

Message edited by author 2006-01-29 09:43:48.
01/29/2006 09:51:10 AM · #10
WooHoo! Looks like the problems solved. Thanks for your patience fotomann :)

*Merry little jig*
01/29/2006 09:52:59 AM · #11
You're very welcome. Glad I could help.
01/29/2006 09:53:35 AM · #12
Dodging and burning won't work on a plain layer, there has to be data in there as it's effecting whatever it is touching. If there is no data on the layer you're using, it won't dodge and burn on everything underneath.

You'll have to duplicate your original image layer that you've made adjustments to. Just click on that layer, do a ctrl-J on it and it duplicates it and places it above the layer. Now, all your adjustments layers and everything are effecting that layer now. On THAT layer, make your dodging and burning. If you mess up, just chuck that layer and re-duplicate your original layer.

But just having a blank layer above your image isn't going to do anything for data below the image. Dodge and burn doesn't have an option that has "effect all layers" on it. At least one that I know of.

And I see you got it working...good job

Message edited by author 2006-01-29 09:54:53.
01/29/2006 09:59:41 AM · #13
You CAN dodge and burn on an 'empty' layer.

1) Create new layer
2) set to soft light mode
3) set to 50% transparencey
4) set brush to 20% fill
5) Use 'black' to burn and 'white' to dodge.

Original layer is unaffected and this method offers much greater control.

Hope this helps.
01/29/2006 10:07:00 AM · #14
Originally posted by front_element:

You CAN dodge and burn on an 'empty' layer.

1) Create new layer
2) set to soft light mode
3) set to 50% transparencey
4) set brush to 20% fill
5) Use 'black' to burn and 'white' to dodge.

Original layer is unaffected and this method offers much greater control.

Hope this helps.


You have a point. AND this is pretty much the only way to get good Dodge and Burn when using The GIMP.
01/29/2006 10:07:11 AM · #15
I'd like to suggest an alternative method of dodging and burning which I think is a lot more flexible.

Instead of duplicating your image and then dodging and burning it, create a separate layer that has NO IMAGE data in it, but which is filled with the Overaly Neutral 50%-gray (i.e. RGB 128:128:128). Then you paint black or white on this neutral layer. Whatever you paint black goes darker (i.e. burns the subject). Whatever you paint white goes lighter (i.e. dodges).

The steps involved are simple:

1) Hold down the ALT-key while clicking on the New Layer icon at the bottom of the Layers palette.

2) PhotoShop will then ask for the Layer Mode. Set it to Overlay. And then click the box underneath that says "Fill with Overlay-neutral color (50% gray)" and click OK.

3) Now click on the brushes and set your opacity to something between about 5% and 10% (you want to go easy on this!).

4) And begin paint either black or white around the areas of the image that you want to darken or lighten.

The nice thing is ... when you're done you can decide to turn it OFF or ON simply by clicking the eye icon on the layer. You can quickly see the before and after effect of your dodging and burning. And if you don't like it? Delete the layer! Or maybe the effect was too strong? Lower the opacity of the layer.

The thing is ... by storing your D&B effects in a separate layer which does not have your image in it, you have complete control over whether or how much to use it.
01/29/2006 10:08:02 AM · #16
Dang... I type too slow! (well, one difference, I suggested Overlay mode instead of Soft Light mode)
01/29/2006 10:18:15 AM · #17
Ah, great advise there, I didn't even think about that.

What I really used to do is correction layers to "dodge and burn". I'd color correct an area to what I wanted, then just mask it in the correction layer. Again, this would be back in the "old days" when we would have 2 shifts of people that may be doing corrections to an image. By making it all a correction layer, someone else can go in there and make slight adjustments to something already masked without having to try to brush a little more or a little less. It was mainly a workflow issue with the place I worked. No need to apply that here.

The procedure that dwterry and front_element came up with should work great! Going to try that from now on.
Pages:  
Current Server Time: 03/28/2024 08:36:19 AM

Please log in or register to post to the forums.


Home - Challenges - Community - League - Photos - Cameras - Lenses - Learn - Prints! - Help - Terms of Use - Privacy - Top ^
DPChallenge, and website content and design, Copyright © 2001-2024 Challenging Technologies, LLC.
All digital photo copyrights belong to the photographers and may not be used without permission.
Current Server Time: 03/28/2024 08:36:19 AM EDT.