Advanced Posterize Effect

Level:

Info: In this tutorial we will show you how to make advanced posterize effects on your photos. You can add this effect easily on digital or scanned photo.

:: Step 1.

Open one of your photos that you would like to posterize. I have used this photo:

You may download higher resolution of same image here

:: Step 2.

Press CTRL+A to select entire image, and press CTRL+C to copy it into clipboard. Open up new document in photoshop (File -> New -> OK). Now paste your image into newly opened document (CTRL+V). Double click into layers palette on "Layer 1" and change it’s name into "Pic-1" for easier reference later. Right-click "Pic-1" in layers palette and choose "Duplicate Layer", name a new layer "Pic-1-gray". Covert "Pic-1-gray" to gray by selecting Image -> Adjust -> Desaturate or press on keyboard SHIFT+CTRL+U.

:: Step 3.

Again duplicate "Pic-1-gray" and rename it to "2". With "2" selected in layers palette, go to Filter -> Blur -> Smart Blur, with these settings: - Radius: 62 - Treshold: 96 And also choose: High Quality, Mode: Edge Only. Press Enter, and invert layer "2" by pressing CTRL+I on keyboard, or, alternatively go to Image -> Adjustments -> Invert.

:: Step 4.

Apply new blur effect, go to: Filter -> Blur -> Gaussian Blur, and use Radius: 1,5. Change Blending mode of "2" layer from "Normal" to "Hard Light"

:: Step 5.

Again duplicate gray layer "Pic-1-gray" (right-click on it and choose: duplicate…). Call the new layer "3". Move it on top of other layers, as shown on Image 5.

Image 5.

With layer "3" selected in layers palette go to Filters -> Stylize -> Emboss. Enter the settings as shown on Image 6.

Image 6.

Also, change it’s blenging mode to "Hard Light".

:: Step 6.

Again duplicate gray layer "Pic-1-gray" and rename it to "4", and also move it on top of other layers again. Now apply a smart blur filter by choosing Filter -> Blur -> Smart Blur, and enter options as shown on Image 7.

Image 7.

Click OK. Invert the layer by pressing CTRL+I, and change the Blending Mode to Multiply and Opacity to 42%.

:: Step 7.

Now, once again duplicate that layer "Pic-1-gray" and drag it on top of other layers, and rename it to "5". Apply the new filter on it, choose Filters -> Stylize -> Glowing Edges. Enter the settings as shown on Image 8.

Image 8.

:: Step 8.

Invert the layer "5" by pressing CTRL+I. Again change the blending mode of layer "5" to Multiply, and it’s opacity to 42%. Your image looks like this now:

:: Step 9.

Duplicate the layer "5" and put a filter on it, choose: Filter -> Blur -> Gaussian Blur. Enter "4" pixels in "Radius" field, and press Enter. Change layer’s "5 copy" blending mode to "Multiply" and it’s opacity to "100%"

:: Step 10.

Now all you have to do is colorize the photo. Choose that first layer on bottom of layers palette called "Pic-1", select it, duplicate it, and rename it to "Pic-1-color". Move that layer now on top of other layers, change it’s blending mode to "Hard Light" Duplicate that layer "Pic-1-color" and change it’s blending mode to "color".

:: Step 11.

Final result is to much like a photo, so you might want to adjust it a bit, and tweak it. You will do that this way: Select "Pic-1-color" layer and go to Image -> Adjust -> Brightness/Contrast… Use settings as shown on Image 10.