IMPORTANT: Previous Lesson Recap: Text layers when rasterized are identical to a picture's properties. You can use erasers, filters, and distortions on text when it is rasterized.

We're going to learn how to make a reflection today. It's very simple and can be done in 3-4 steps. And from now on, we'll be having more practical tutorial lessons in anticipation for the Facing History Seevak website competition.

Above is just to remind you where the buttons and toolbars that we're using today, are. Refer to the Adobe PDF manual for a full explanation of tools on the main padmembers.com page.

          Step One: Create a new photoshop document around 400*400 pixels.

Click the text button, type some text with a simple font (Times New Roman should do)--and then make it another color if you want. If you have trouble, please refer to Lesson 3: the basics are all explained here.

From Lesson 3: The TEXT TOOLBAR: (Options)

If you've forgotten how to use the text toolbar, above is just a simple recap of Lesson 3. Now:

Right click on your text layer, a menu will popup: Select Duplicate layer so that now, you have 2 copies of the same thing. You won't see much difference since they overlap, right? Maybe it's just a bit darker since you have color, and then more color. (Remember: Layers=Post-It notes)

You're going to see two text layers with the same layer.. almost. The new one you created (which is stacked on top) will be called "type some text and color it copy"--meaning it's a duplicate. If you think you might be confused, right click on the "copy" layer, and rename it to something else, and give it a distinctive colour.

Step 2:

Have the Reflection Layer selected: meaning you see a box on it--in the layers menu. Now pay attention: Hold down shift + ctrl (or apple shift on Mac OS) and press the down arrow twice.

What did you just do? When you hold down CTRL: that means you can move the layer around with the arrow keys. When you press the shift key, it meant that the layer could only move in the cardinal directions: LEFT, RIGHT, UP and DOWN. So you won't ever get a diagonal. For a realistic reflection you have to have a realistic measurement right? When you have CTRL + Shift and you pressed the down arrow twice: it meant that the layer, moved 20 pixels down. One time with the down arrow means once.

Now this isn't a reflection, because reflections are usually upsides down, like how your reflection in a mirror is always the opposite right? Go to EDIT: Transform: and Flip Vertical

This is what happens. Now we could call this a reflection, but it's a not a professional photoshop reflection. First of all, the text is too close to each other, and a reflection is usually lighter than the real thing right?

With the reflection layer still selected, press CTRL, and hit the down arrow 2 times. Now go to the layers menu bar, and with the reflection layer still selected, change the Opacity to 15%, to make it transparent to the white background.

So now this is a good reflection, but not quite realistic. Why? Because when you use "y" or other letters that jut out of normal text, it stands out, and sometimes--sometimes--reflections don't reflect everything, sometimes they're cloudy right?

Step 3: Rasterize the Reflection layer by selecting the primary brush--mouse over the text, you'll see a can't do circle with a slash in it--click the text anyway, and agree to the rasterization. Now your text is a picture.

Now that it's a picture: use the primary brush--select the soft brush (you'll see soft edges) and reduce the opacity to 38% (reduce the flow if you want). Set the foreground color to white: #FFFFFF. Now make some white dabs on the text to cloud it up, and use your own discretion--we want to erase part of the "y" and make the reflection a bit realistic.

Each time you press the brush, you'll put even more color to it. If you want the equal weight of color to affect the image, don't let the mouse button go. But pressing the button many times gives it more depth and power. (We'll explain this in class)

Now we are finished with the simple reflection. Reflections can be subtle or obvious--it depends on what kind of message you want to project. You can use this same technique for pictures too.

For example:

You'll just need much brushing and some creativity. The reflection here is grayscale for symbolism and imagery. Remember, Photoshop isn't just some tool, it's legitimate artwork and people should have the same respect for Photoshop artists just like anyone who uses pen and paper. Photoshop in our sense, is just more flexible and more fair to people who want to learn art.

If you need the photoshop file for our reflection lesson above: download this: reflectionbasiclesson.psd

 

2B EXPERIMENTING WITH REFLECTION LESSON

STEP ONE: Download this file into your H: drive or different hard-drive from the internet:

advancedreflection.psd

You right click your mouse, a menu pops up, and select save target as, to save the file so we can view it later.

STEP TWO: This is a banner I made a while back using a reflection for this girl. She's staring outside, and her reflection is staring right back at her. This is an example of a horizontal reflection (Edit: Transform: Flip Horizontal) and goes well with the picture. Feel free to explore the file.

What you can do:

Thank for for listening in on our fourth lesson. If you have any friends who are in the Seevak competition, please tell them about www.padmembers.com since they can just learn online. Our classes will probably be full anyway. Happy Thanksgiving and send me any comments! james@wolfyserver.net

-James Zhang, Student President & Instructor