PS pamoka. Vector grafic.

Step 1: The Displacement Map

Okay I’m going to start with the picture and I go Command-A (select all) and Command-C (copy) and then Command-N (new) to start a new image document the same size and resolution as the original. When you are confronted by the New document dialog box, choose Lab for the Mode type. Everything else should be set properly, so click OK.

This new document is going to be used later on in the tutorial, but I wanted to get you to copy the image now before we apply a bunch of layers and filters to it. With your new document started, hit Command-V (paste) and open the Channels palette and click the channel marked “Lightness.”

Go to Image>Mode>Grayscale.

You will also have to save this document as a Photoshop (.psd) file. Go Command-S (Save…) and save the document somewhere where you’ll be able to find it later. Set the Format to “Photoshop” and name the file “DispMap.psd”

Keep that file open but switch your attention (and Photoshop’s) to your original image.

Step 2: Tone

Open up the Layers palette if it isn’t already and duplicate the Background layer. Name this new layer “Tone”

Go to Filter>Artistic>Poster Edges… and plug in a value of 0 for Edge Thickness, 0 for Edge Intensity and 1 for Posterization and click OK.

Now go Filter>Artistic>Cutout… and set the Number of Levels to 4, the Edge Simplicity to 3 and the Edge Fidelity to 2 and click OK.

Now go Filter>Blur>Smart Blur… and use a Radius setting of 6.0, a Threshold of 80.0, set the Quality to High and the Mode to Normal and hit OK

Step 3: Color

Duplicate the Background layer and drag it to the top of the layers currently listed in the Layers palette. Name this new layer “Color” and set its Blending Mode to “Color”

Go Filter>Noise>Dust & Scratches and set the Radius to 10 pixels and the Threshold to 0 levels.

Go Image>Adjustments>Hue/Saturation and leave the Hue at 0 but bump the Saturation up to 80 and the Lightness to 50.

Step 4: Ink 1

Duplicate the Background layer once more and drag it to the top of all the layers currently listed in the Layers palette. Name this layer “Ink 1″ and set its Blending Mode to “Multiply”

Go Image>Adjustments>Threshold… and give it a setting of 25 and click OK.

Go Filter>Stylize>Diffuse and click the radio button beside the word Anisotropic before clicking OK.

Step 5: Ink 2

Guess what? You’re going to duplicate the Background layer again and drag it to the top of all the layers currently listed in the Layers palette again. This time, name this layer “Ink 2″ and set its Blending Mode to “Multiply”

It is very important that you reset your Foreground and Background colors to default before proceeding, so hit the D key before it’s too late!!

Go Filter>Sketch>Photocopy…and use these settings: Detail of 12 and Darkness of 15 and then click OK.

Go Image>Adjustments>Threshold… give it 100 and click OK.

go Filter>Stylize>Diffuse and select Anisotropic before clicking OK.

Step 6: Ink 3

Make a new layer at the top of the layers list and name it “Ink 3″.

Go Edit>Fill… set the Contents to Use: 50% Gray and the Blending to Mode: Normal, Opacity: 100% and leave Preserve Transparency unchecked. Click OK.

Go Filter>Sketch>Halftone Pattern… and set the Size to 2, the Contrast to 25 and the Pattern Type to Line. Click OK.

Go Filter>Distort>Displace… and set both the Horizontal and Vertical Scales to 25, the Displacement Map setting really doesn’t matter since we’re using a map that is custom fit, but set the Undefined Areas setting to “Wrap Around” just in case. Click OK and Photoshop will ask you to show it the file you want to use as the displacement map. Point it to the one we created earlier and click Open.

Go Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur… and set the Radius to 2 pixels and click OK.

Go Image>Adjustments>Threshold… and set it to 120 and click OK.

Now go Filter>Stylize>Diffuse and select Anisotropic before clicking OK.

Set the Blending Mode of the Ink 3 layer to Multiply

Hit the Q key to enter Quick Mask Mode and hit Command-V (paste) to paste whatever you might have in your clipboard there…it should be the image we started with only in red or whatever color you have Quick Mask set to display…if not or if you’re not sure, open the DispMap.psd file we created, hit Command-A (select all) and Command-C (copy) and then come back to Quick Mask mode in your comic book image and hit Command-V (paste). With me still?

Still in Quick Mask Mode, go Filter>Blur>Smart Blur… use a Radius of 6.0, a Threshold of 80.0 in High Quality, Normal Mode. Click OK.

Hit the Q key again the exit Quick Mask Mode and return to Standard Mode (aka Marching Ants Mode). You should see selections around the lighter parts of your image.

Go Layer>Add Layer Mask>Hide Selection.

Go Image>Adjust> Threshold… now, here I’m going to ask you to make a judgment call… start with a value of 200 in the Threshold dialog and adjust it to your own liking. I found 200 to be fine for the picture of Superman and the one of Bill and Pat, but this image with Pat and Leo needed to be set at 225.