I think you have come across a photo with a mirror image on the Internet more than once. Naturally, most often the photographer did not even think to specifically look for a mirror surface to create a photo. It's much easier to recreate this effect in Photoshop.
This skill is likely to be useful for web designers. As you know, even website design has its own fashion and trends. The use of a photo of an object with a specular reflection refers to the above. So, it's worth spending 10 minutes of free time and learning this technique. Moreover, it is extremely simple to do such an effect.
First, we need a photo of an object on a white background. It could be anything. I chose a vase for my experiment.
We open the picture. Make sure that there is enough space at the bottom to place the reflection.
We need the lasso tool to select the image. Find it in the sidebar.
Now let's select the image. And at the bottom of the subject, you must do this with the greatest possible accuracy. At the top, you can capture the white areas. Great care is not required.
You should have something like this:
And now we press the key combinations ctrl + c and ctrl + v. We copy our image to a new layer and paste it in the same document.
Immediately the next key combination is ctrl + t. She will help us to turn the resulting image. Play it and right-click on the work area. Select "flip vertically" from the drop-down list.
Hold down the shift key. Click on the image and drag it down.
As you can see, something is starting to emerge.
Reflection cannot be completely symmetrical. Consider the laws of perspective and make the reflection slightly expanding below. To do this, press the key combination ctrl + t again and now select the "perspective" command. Pull the corner of the image. Here's what we get.
Now let's move on to the layers window. Select the bottom reflection and reduce its Opacity to 30-40%.
The simplest thing remains. In order to achieve the most realistic mirror reflection effect, let's remove part of it using a mask and a gradient.
To do this, in the layers window, click on the mask creation icon.
On the already familiar toolbar, we are looking for a "gradient".
We need to adjust the gradient from transparent to black. You will find the settings on the top bar. Click on the window.
We called the required window. Click on the markers and set the settings. Bottom color - from white to black. The top markers allow you to adjust the opacity. Black - 100% Opacity. White - 0%.
Configured. Now click on the bottom of the reflection image and drag it up.
That's all! As you can see, the seemingly complex specular effect is done very quickly.
I want to point out that you can apply this skill not only to photos. Mirroring the text is done in the same way.
By mirroring photos, you can change the perception of the frame and make it more expressive. It is believed that people looking to the right are perceived more positively than people looking to the left. To the left - as if back to the past. In landscape and city photography, the situation is about the same: bridges, rivers, streets that go to the right are movement into the future.
But, in addition to changing the perception of the picture, using mirroring and copying, you can achieve some interesting effects.
Let's take a quick look at how to mirror a picture in Photoshop.
Open the image in Adobe Photoshop. Our photo will open as a Background layer. And, by default, no changes can be applied to such a layer. This is done on purpose so that you always have the original frame when working. In order for the base layer to be changed, you need to double-click on the lock icon on the right in the layers panel. This will unlock the layer. Another option is to simply copy the layer and apply all changes to the copy.
There are two commands to flip a layer in Photoshop. They are on the menu Edit / "Editing" → Transform / "Transformation".
Flip Horizontal / "Flip horizontally" - allows you to flip the photo horizontally.
Makes vertical mirroring.
Let's take a look at another example that shows how to mirror a layer in Photoshop and achieve a kaleidoscope effect.
First, let's create a copy of the original layer. To do this, you can either select the menu item Layer / "Layers" → Duplicate Layer ... / "Duplicate layer ...", or with the mouse drag the layer thumbnail onto the new layer icon in the layers panel.
Now let's increase the size of the canvas so that all parts of the future "kaleidoscope" are visible.
We need a menu item Image / "Image" → Canvas Size / "Canvas Size".
It is necessary to set the parameters in such a way that the canvas expands to the right by an amount equal to the width of the original image - we will add a mirror image from the opposite side. Therefore, the settings will look like this:
As an anchor point Anchor / "Location" we set the left edge of the image - it stays in place. And indicated that the width of the canvas should increase by 200% relative to the original width. Let's leave the height unchanged for now.
After pressing the button Ok and applying all the changes made, the Photoshop window will look like the picture below.
Make sure that the top layer is active, and mirror it about the vertical axis using the command Edit / "Editing" → Transform / "Transform" → Flip Horizontal / "Flip horizontally"... Then, with the mouse, change the location of the two layers so that they are aligned along one of the edges.
For precise and accurate positioning, it is convenient to use the "Up", "Down", "Right" and "Left" keys on the keyboard.
Now let's make a mirror image in another plane.
Let's merge the two current layers into one. This can be done with the command * Layer / "Layers" → Merge Visible / "Merge Visible"... Let's increase the canvas size in the same way as we did before, but this time vertically. The anchor point will be at the lower border, and we will increase the height by 200%.
It will turn out like this.
Create a copy of the top layer (which already includes the original and the mirrored image). And apply the reflection command to this copy Flip Vertical / "Flip Vertical"... After that, use the mouse to place the mirrored layer on a new location.
Here is the effect of a kaleidoscope can be obtained by mirroring pictures in Photoshop.
Before we start, let's tweak the image display in Photoshop for a better experience.
By default, Photoshop displays the image in a floating document window, or in a tab. But in this case, since we have to zoom in on the image, it will be more convenient to work in full mode in Photoshop. After you have opened the image with which you will work, go to the main menu tab View -\u003e Screen Modes -\u003e Full Screen with the main menu (View -\u003e Screen Mode -\u003e Full Screen Mode With Menu Bar) :
You can also change the display modes by repeatedly pressing the F keyboard key. To return to normal, simply press the F key a couple of times.
Step 2: crop unwanted areas of the photo
First, let's remove those areas of our image that are not needed to create the effect. In my case, I want to keep only the tree itself, so I will cut the ground it stands on. For these steps I will select the Crop Tool from the Toolbox. In my example, I selected the upper part of the image for further work:
Press Enter to apply the tool action.
This image is on our background layer in the layers panel. Duplicate the background layer by pressing Ctrl + J. Now in the layers panel we have two layers, the background and its copy, with the copy we will work further.
Now let's change the width of the canvas. In the upper part of the working window of the program, in the main menu, go to the Image -\u003e Canvas Size tab.
This action opens a dialog box that we can use to add extra space to the right of our photo, for this the width is 200% (after changing the units of measurement from pixels to percent) and click on the arrow in the "Anchor" option:
If you have set the default colors in the color palette (black - the main, white - the background), then the new space on the background layer will be filled with white (i.e. background) color.
Using the Move Tool, Shift-drag the top layer to the right to the edge of the canvas:
Flip the right image horizontally using the Flip Horizontal option of the Transform tool:
Combine our two layers using the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + E, now in the Layers palette we have one layer again:
Duplicate the layer again with Ctrl + J:
Now, double the height of the canvas so that the new space is below the image:
Our canvas now looks like this:
And drag the top layer down, while holding down the Shift key:
Now let's flip this layer, but this time vertically:
Combine these two layers to form a new layer by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Alt + E:
At the moment we have the top layer active, mine is "Layer 2". Let's rotate it 90 ° clockwise. To do this, press the key combination Ctrl + T, then right-click inside the resulting outline frame and select the "Rotate 90 ° CW" item in the context menu. Here's what we get:
Press Enter to apply the transform action.
Let's cut off the excess. Hold down the Ctrl key and move the cursor over the thumbnail of the top layer in the Layers panel (a dotted border will appear around the cursor) and click on the thumbnail:
After that, a selection will be created around the layer rotated by 90 °:
Now go to the main menu tab Image -\u003e Crop (Image -\u003e Crop), after which the layer is cropped:
Press Ctrl + D to deselect.
Change blending mode
Currently, the image on the top "Layer 2" completely blocks the visibility of the layers below it. This is somewhat not what I would like. To blend the layers, change the Blending Mode of "Layer 2" from Normal to
From yesterday's lesson Photoshop you could find out around your axis. Today I am publishing another simple tutorial on how to mirror an image in a picture vertically or horizontally. This simple Photoshop trick is often used for complex illustrations, collages, and banners. For example, to create the effect of reflecting an object in water, a mirror or from a polished surface.
The model for this tutorial will be a forest girl from, whose image we successfully rotated at different angles.
Detailed instructions for beginners on how to mirror a photo in Photoshop
1. Open Photoshop and load the selected image that we want to reflect into it: File -\u003e Open ...
2. From the main menu of the program Photoshop choose Image -\u003e Rotate Canvas -\u003e Flip Canvas Horizontal:
As a result of the command, we get a horizontally mirrored image:
Similarly, you can mirror the picture and vertically. To do this, just run a similar command Image -\u003e Rotate Canvas -\u003e Flip Canvas Vertical... As a result, we get the following picture:
3. Save the result of mirroring the image using the menu item File -\u003e Save for Web and Devices ...
When creating complex collages and illustrations in Photoshop mirror reflection used along with object rotation, layer duplication, partial picture erasure, and many other effects.
Much to the delight of designers and photo artists, using Photoshop you can not only transform, retouch and create images, but also significantly modify them by making your own additions, for example, controlling the incidence of light, placing highlights on the surface of reliefs, simulating the reflection of the selected image on the surface, etc. etc. In fact, such effects have to be used very often, without them photomontage is unthinkable, because it is glare and reflections that give it the much-needed naturalness.
Imagine, for example, a situation when you need to harmoniously fit a lake into the landscape, or draw glass or transparent plastic with reflections on the surface, or fill Christmas balls with lively shine, in which surrounding objects are reflected. Or maybe add a half-sunken ship to the photo of the sea coast or decorate the smooth surface of a shady pond with floating plants. In general, there are an infinite number of situations when it is necessary to simulate reflection, and we will consider some of them in more detail.
Reflecting text
Like any other effect, creating a reflection is best seen on a fairly simple object - text. There are many ways to reflect text developed today, some of them you can find on the World Wide Web, for example, there are interesting options at: http://photoshoptoday.com/Tutorials2003/February/PSReflShad/default.asp, http: //www.adesdesign .net / php / tutorials / photoshop / reflectionObj.php or http://www.teamphotoshop.com/photoshop/tutorials/techniques/reflect/reflect.php. It should be admitted that the first option, in contrast to the second and third, provides not quite real, but perhaps the most effective reflection of the text and can be useful for Web designers when developing colorful headlines. The second and third methods, in turn, will help to master the very principle of creating a reflection effect both for text and for any other objects on arbitrary surfaces.
Let's consider the first of the proposed options. To implement it, type arbitrary text in large letters (Fig. 1).
Figure: 1. Source text
Select the image outside the text with the usual "magic wand" and do the inversion so that all the letters are selected. Move the selection slightly to the right and down, approximately as in Fig. 2.
Figure: 2. Offset selection
Create a new layer Layer1 and fill the selection with black on it to form a shadow. After that drag the layer Layer1 under the layer with the original text (Fig. 3).
Figure: 3. Text with shadow
Return to the layer with the original again, select the text and copy it to the clipboard, then paste it from the clipboard, which will automatically lead to the appearance of a new layer Layer2... Mirror the text on a new layer using the command Edit-\u003e Transform-\u003e Flip Vertical (Edit-\u003e Transform-\u003e Rotate Vertical), and move the reflected text a little lower so that the image looks like fig. 4. Use the command Edit-\u003e Transform-\u003e Skew (Edit-\u003e Transform-\u003e Shear) to distort the reflected text on the layer Layer2 (fig. 5).
Figure: 4. Text after applying a mirror image
Figure: 5. Appearance of the text after distorting its reflection
Now you need to achieve the desired degree of blurring of the reflection. For this on a layer Layer2 you will have to consistently perform a number of actions. First apply the filter Filter-\u003e Distort-\u003e Wave (Filter-\u003e Distortion-\u003e Wave) with parameters as in fig. 6. After that, blur the image twice in Gaussian with a blur radius of 1.5 pixels using the command Filter-\u003e Blur-\u003e Gaussian Blur (Filter-\u003e Blur-\u003e Gaussian Blur) and reduce the value of the parameter Opacity (Opacity) of this layer to 50%. Now blur the layer in motion for a better impression. Layer1by using the command Filter-\u003e Blur-\u003e Motion Blur (Filter-\u003e Blur-\u003e Motion Blur) with the following parameters: Angle - 0 and Distance - 5. As a result, the text will resemble Fig. 7.
Figure: 6. Window for setting Wave filter parameters
Figure: 7. Appearance of the text after blurring
At the final stage, it remains to take care of the spectacular background. In this case, it is proposed to choose suitable background colors for the main text and its reflection, and then apply a number of effects on the part of the background where the reflection is located: Filter-\u003e Noise-\u003e Add Noise (Filter? Noise? Add noise) with parameters as in Fig. 8; Filter-\u003e Distort-\u003e ZigZag (Filter-\u003e Distortion-\u003e ZigZag) with parameters as in Fig. nine; Filter-\u003e Stylize-\u003e Wind (Filter-\u003e Stylize-\u003e Wind) with the Blast and From the Right options enabled and Filter-\u003e Blur-\u003e Motion Blur (Filter-\u003e Blur-\u003e Motion Blur) with the following parameters: Angle - 0 and Distance - 56. The result may resemble Fig. ten.
Figure: 8. Window for setting filter parameters Add Noise
Figure: 9. Window for setting the parameters of the ZigZag filter
Figure: 10. The final look of the text with reflection
A completely different way to simulate reflection is suggested at http://www.adesdesign.net/php/tutorials/photoshop/reflectionObj.php. In this case, taking the same text as the original (see Fig. 1), you will get a different result.
To do this, retype the text, select it and copy it to the clipboard. After that, paste the copied text as a reflection - a layer will appear Layer1... Mirror the text on a new layer using the command Edit-\u003e Transform-\u003e Flip Vertical (Edit-\u003e Transform-\u003e Rotate Vertically), and move the reflected text a little lower (fig. 11). Then use perspective to distort the reflected text. Edit-\u003e Transform-\u003e Perspective (Edit-\u003e Transform-\u003e Perspective) and slightly reduce its height using the command Edit-\u003e Transform-\u003e Scale (Edit-\u003e Transformation-\u003e Scale) (fig. 12).
Figure: 11. Result of mirroring the text
Figure: 12. Change in reflection due to distortion
The most crucial stage remains - you need to give the reflection naturalness and expressiveness. To do this, create a new layer Layer2, which should be on top of the layer with the reflected text, select the Reflected Gradient tool, set the main color to white, and as the background color that matches the color of the reflected original (in this case, taken red) and fill in the Layer2 layer the text area previously selected in the Layer1 layer with a gradient (Fig. 13). And finally, delete the Layer1 layer and adjust the Opacity parameter of Layer2, the value of which is individual in each case and depends both on the original and on the result of applying the gradient. It is possible that the result will resemble Fig. 14.
Figure: 13. Area selected for gradient filling
Figure: 14. The final look of the text with reflection
Reflection in water
Everyone, of course, more than once paid attention to the fact that any objects located near the water are reflected in it, and this must be taken into account when introducing into the landscape of the water surface. Naturally, photo designers have long come up with many techniques for implementing this effect. In search of information it is worth looking, for example, at the addresses http://www.nicolag.com/psd1day/reflection.htm and http://a4u.tomsk.ru/texts/show_text.phtml?tid\u003d11.
Let's try to place a water surface with all objects reflected in it in front of the cottage in Fig. 15.
Figure: 15. Original image
To do this, first outline the contour of the future reservoir, using, for example, "lasso". Create a new layer Layer1, select colors for toning water from the lightest and darkest points in the sky of the original image and fill on the layer Layer1 the selected area with a gradient from bottom to top in the direction from dark to light (Fig. 16).
Figure: 16. Result of filling the simulated water surface with a gradient
After that use the Add Noise filter: Filter-\u003e Noise-\u003e Add Noise (Filter -> Noise -> Add noise) with the Uniform option enabled and the amount individually selected in each specific case (in this case, the Amount parameter is 3 (Fig. 17), which ensures the appearance of the smallest ripples on the water).
Figure: 17. The appearance of ripples on the water
Discard the selection and make a copy of the original photo, as a result you will have an additional layer Background copy, which should then be moved to the very top. Now on a new layer you need to start directly creating the reflection in the water. To do this, first get a mirror image of the layer by applying the command Edit-\u003e Transform-\u003e Flip Vertical(Edit -> Transformation -> Rotate vertically) and then from layers Layer1 and Background copy form a clipping group. To do this, while holding down the Alt key, click on the line separating these layers in the Layers palette. You should click when the cursor becomes two circles with an arrow in the middle. As a result, the palette of layers will look like in Fig. 18, and the image will resemble Fig. 19.
Figure: 18. Window of the layers palette after clipping the group
Figure: 19. Appearance of the image after clipping the group
In the next step, edit the position of the reflection by simply moving it as needed, for example, as in Fig. twenty.
Figure: 20. Result of the reflection shift
Now try to get some realism. To do this, first on the Background copy layer, change the Blending Mode from Normal to Multiply, which will provide a darkening effect on the layer. Then reduce the Opacity parameter of the reflection layer in the range from 50 to 90%, depending on the lightness and brightness of the original image. In our case, the 60% option is taken. The result may resemble Fig. 21.
Figure: 21. The appearance of the image after changing the mode and opacity
But for now, we cannot help but admit that the resulting image looks too perfect and correct - in fact, this does not happen, so blur it in motion using the command Filter-\u003e Blur -\u003e? Motion Blur (Filter -> Blur -> Motion Blur) with Angle 90 and Distance 4-8. In the example, the Distance value is 6 (Fig. 22).
Figure: 22. The result of blurring the reflection
Finally, you can impose a slight ripple on the water surface by applying a filter Filter / Distort / Ocean Ripple (Filter -> Distortion -> Ocean shudder) with parameters individually selected in each case. In the considered example, the option is taken as in Fig. 23. The finished image may look like fig. 24.
Figure: 23. Window for setting parameters of the Ocean Ripple filter
Figure: 24. Final appearance of the image
Floating objects
Any object partially submerged in water will be considered a floating object. In this case, parts of the object caught in the water are naturally distorted. The author of the most famous variation on this topic on the Web is Alicia Johnson, and her recommended way to simulate floating objects in the original can be found at: http://www.rain.rainey.net/photoshop/cooltype/articles/ floating_objects / index.html.
To use this method, open a file containing an object that will be partially submerged in water (fig. 25).
Figure: 25. Original image
Select the object in any way and copy to the clipboard, then create a new document and paste the copied object. As a result, a layer will be created Layer1... Create a new layer Layer2 and generate a suitable background on it. You can, for example, use the filter Filter-\u003e Render-\u003e Clouds (Filter -> Render -> Clouds) with pre-selected foreground and background colors or insert a water surface from another image as a background - in this example, the second option was chosen. After that, change the Opacity parameter of the background layer - it will very much depend on the specific image and the expected result and can fluctuate in the range from 50 to 70%. Adjust the position of the object by moving it as needed and turning it if necessary (fig. 26).
Figure: 26. Flower on the water
Select on layer Layer1 the upper part of the object, which should be located above the water, for example, as in Fig. 27 and copy it to your clipboard. After that, paste the copied part from the buffer, as a result, an additional layer Layer3 will appear, move it over the layer Layer2 and adjust the position of the subject according to the layer Layer1.
Figure: 27. Selecting the top of the object
Go to layer Layer1, make an oval selection in the area of \u200b\u200bthe half of the object submerged in water (fig. 28) and apply the "Zigzag" filter Filter-\u003e Distort-\u003e ZigZag (Filter -> Distortion -> Zigzag) with those indicated in Fig. 29 parameters to simulate the distortion of the underwater bottom of the object. The Amount parameter is largely determined by a specific image, and the spread of its values \u200b\u200bwhen simulating floating objects can be extremely wide - in the range from 10 to 100. At the final stage, use the same filter with the above parameters, but on a layer Layer2to ensure the excitement of the water surface itself. The result will probably resemble Fig. thirty.
Figure: 28. Oval selection at the bottom of the object
Figure: 29. Window for setting the parameters of the "Zigzag" filter
Figure: 30. The final view of a flower floating on the water
Reflection on plastic
As relevant as reflection on the surface of water and under water, is the creation of reflection on a solid surface, such as plastic or glass. In search of examples of simulating such reflection options, it is worth visiting, for example, the addresses: http://www.gasoline-prod.com/electro303/02-tech/Tutorial_bank/tips010/Tips010-FR.html, http: // rus-arhiv. narod.ru/docs/Photoshop/MIRROR.HTM and http://lepers.chat.ru/photoshop/09/09.htm.
Let's try to form this type of reflection, taking as a basis the vase in Fig. 31 and placing it on an artificially generated plastic surface (fig. 32).
Figure: 31. Vase
Figure: 32. Plastic surface
To do this, copy the vase to the clipboard and embed it on the surface drawing - this will lead to the appearance of a new layer Layer1 (fig. 33). Next, create a copy of the layer Layer1 - layer Layer1 copy... All further actions will apply to the new layer. Layer1 copy... Create a mirror image of the vase using the command Edit-\u003e Transform-\u003e Flip Vertical (Edit -> Transformation -> Rotate vertically) and drag the reflection vase downward until the original vase is visible (fig. 34). Flip the image clockwise 90 ° using the command Image-\u003e Rotate Canvas-\u003e 90-\u003e CW (Picture -> Flip the canvas -> 90-> CW) (fig. 35).
Figure: 33. The appearance of a vase on the table (no reflection yet)
Figure: 34. Initial version of the image with a mirror image
Figure: 35. Result of rotating the entire image clockwise
After that, using a rectangular selection Rectangular Marquee, select a rectangular area around the copy of the vase so that from the side of the upper part of the reflection of the vase to capture less space than from the side of the lower part, it is extremely important that the same space is allocated above and below the vase. A variant of the selected area can be seen in Fig. 36.
Figure: 36. Selected rectangular area
Now we need to slightly distort the reflection of the vase with the command Filter-\u003e Distort-\u003e Shear(Filter -> Distortion -> Wrap) by turning on the Wrap Around option and setting a curve for warping the image, approximately as in Fig. 37. To do this, first drag the upper and lower anchor points in accordance with fig. 37, then click at the very center of the grid, thereby creating a new anchor point, and drag it as needed. Then click in the center of each of the resulting curved sections of the arc, re-creating new points, and move them in accordance with Fig. 37. The result of the distortion will resemble fig. 38.
Figure: 37. Curve window for Shear filter
Figure: 38. Changing reflection as a result of applying the Shear filter
Return the image to its original position by rotating it counterclockwise 90 ° using the command Image-\u003e Rotate Canvas? 90-\u003e CCW (Picture -> Flip the canvas -> 90-> CCW). And then change the layers Layer1 and Layer1 copy in some places - the layer with the reflection should be under the layer with the original vase (Fig. 39).
Figure: 39. Vase and its reflection after turning
Reduce the parameter Opacity (Opacity) of the layer Layer1 copyto make the reflection semi-transparent. The value of the parameter is determined experimentally and in each case it is different - in this case, this parameter is equal to 80%. Then change the layer mode from Normal to Screen or Soft Light (the priority mode depends on the specific image) - in the example, the Soft Light mode is selected (Fig. 40).
Figure: 40. Changing the reflection of the vase as a result of changing the layer parameters
Then take advantage of perspective Edit-\u003e Transform-\u003e Perspective (Edit -> Transformation -> Perspective) and drag the bottom point a little towards the center of the reflection, similar to fig. 41. After that, slightly reduce the length of the vase with the command Edit-\u003e Transform-\u003e Scale (Edit -> Transformation -> Scale), since the length always increases as a result of applying perspective. And finally, align the vertical borders of the reflection using the command Edit-\u003e Transform-\u003e Distort (Edit -> Transformation -> Distortion); in this case, you need to ensure that the vertical lines of the reflection become parallel to the boundaries of the original. This action is necessary, since as a result of the previously applied perspective, the borders are distorted. And then adjust the vertical position of the reflection. The result will resemble Fig. 42.
Figure: 41. Setting perspective
Figure: 42. The final version of the image with its reflection on a plastic surface
Instead of a conclusion
This concludes our study of Photoshop. Many interesting features of the program turned out to be outside the scope of our story. For example, we did not consider the features of 3D imitation, the formation of abstract fibrous textures (resembling hair), all kinds of light effects (lightning, fireworks, glow, etc.), text transformation, imitation of the use of real optical lenses, the possibility of creating GIF animations right in the environment Photoshop and more. But a start has been made - the first steps in learning the program have been made (all Photoshop tutorials can be found on this disc), and the rest is already in your hands.
