Create a Fun Abstract Color Wheel

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 08:52:16 +0100

Step 1: Setting Up

Open a new AI file and select the View > Snap to Grid. Then set up guidelines by dragging the horizontal guideline from the top and the vertical guideline from the side to create a central point for your color wheel (turn the guidelines on/off with CMD + ;). Next, select the Ellipse Tool (L) and create an oblong shape. The shape will “snap” into place with the bottom anchor point resting on the central point of the guidelines. Select a fill color and no stroke.

Step 2: Convert Anchor Point

For this example, select the top anchor point of the shape. Now select the Convert Anchor Point Tool (Shift +C) and click on the top point which will cause the control handles to disappear and the shape will now have one end coming to a sharp point.

Step 3: Transparency

With the shape selected, go to Window > Transparency. When the window appears, choose Multiply from the dropdown menu and an Opacity level of 65% for the shape. This will create a color blend that looks like many overlapping “see-through” shapes. Then Select > Deselect. Select the shape layer again.

Step 4: Rotate and Copy

Next, choose the Rotate Tool (R) from the Tools panel. Then click on the bottom anchor point while holding down the Option/ALT key. This will bring up the Rotate window. For this example, enter an angle of -12º and click on the Copy button (not the OK button). This will create a copy of the shape (including the transparency) and rotate the shape 12 degrees.

Step 5: Transform Again...and Again

With the new rotated shape selected, you can either choose Object > Transform > Transform Again or Cmd+D (Tip: Hold the CMD key and keep clicking the letter D a total of 28 times to complete the vector color wheel example).

The abstract vector color wheels can vary by color and by shape. I kept the path shapes highlighted to show the original shapes. In the first example, I altered the original shape by changing the direction of one of the anchor points to create a sunflower. With the second example, I created three sizes of fuchsia circles with vertical tips (start with a perfect circle and convert the top and bottom anchor points like before) and added them together with the Pathfinder > Shape Modes > Add to Shape Area function. Finally, I chose a square for the third example, rotated the square on a corner, and changed each of the square copies to a different color shade to create a “geometric” rainbow wheel.

Create endless combinations by simply using different angles and shapes. The results are limitless.

Help bring in :- Shutterstock.com ; Tips n trics article

Colorize grayscale imagery in Photoshop

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 08:36:17 +0100

Add color quickly and easily to a grayscale image using Photoshop's Variations command. First, convert your image from grayscale to RGB or CMYK. Then select a specific area of the image. For example, if you have a photograph of a tree, select only the trunk. After making your selection choose Image > Adjust > Variations and in the resulting dialog box make your color adjustments. Make sure the Midtones option button is selected and then click on any of the color preview boxes to add that color.