Using Dynamic Digital Brushes

Article written using Adobe Photoshop Elements 7 with Windows 7

I decided that for today’s technique we would have a little fun… scribbling! I know it sounds odd but stay with me… it’s fun, looks so artsy, and it works well on nearly all photos, but especially those with contrast and defined edges.

I’m using Brandy Murry’s Dynamic Digital Brushes: Markers Biggie 8501 to show you an easy way to add more zip to your pages – big reward for little effort and we all love that, right?

First, you need to choose a photo with some definition. I chose a dessert I had last week. It had similar tones but clear edges.

First, duplicate your photo with Ctrl+J (Cmd+J on Mac). Name the top layer Edges and the lower layer Coloring. With the top layer (Edges) active, go into the Filter menu, located on the top of the page and select Stylize, and then choose Find Edges. On my photo, I adjusted the slider until the edges were clear but not overwhelming. There will still be some color in this layer.

Now, under Adjustment layers (in the Layers Palette), select Threshold (near the bottom), and adjust the sliders until the image is black and white and “crisp.” Change the Blending Mode of this Edges layer to “Overlay” (also in the Layers Palette).

Insert a new blank layer. Drag this below the Coloring layer. Clip the Coloring layer to the blank layer using Ctrl+G(Cmd+G on Mac). Your photo will have disappeared.

Make sure you have white selected as your foreground color. Using a brush from Brandy’s set, start coloring roughly. (I liked the third brush best; I rotated it to the right about 30 degrees because I am left-handed, and it gives me a more natural look.) Your picture will start to appear on the page.

The colors will be enhanced by the “Overlay” Blending Mode you have used with your Edges layer. Continue till you are happy with the result! You may need to do it a few times to get your strokes right but you will grow to love the simplicity. Finish off your pages with whatever touches you like – and be sure to post your digital scrapbooking sketch pages on the Scrap Girls Gallery so we can all see your “inner artist!”