Quick Tip: Create Light Leaks and Lomo Effects Using Actions in Photoshop

Tutorial Assets

The following assets were used during the production of this tutorial.

• Model 1
• Model 2

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Step 1

Begin by opening your images and navigating to the Window Tab of Photoshop. In the Window Tab click Actions (Alt+ F9). Once you have opened the actions panel you can begin creating your first lomo leak.

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Step 2

Now that you have the actions panel open, we can begin our first light leak. Start by clicking the “new action” icon on the panel and title your photo action. Once titled, begin adding effects.

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Step 3

For the first effect we will add Curves. Try to replicate the image shown as best as possible. It does not have to be exactly the same.

Next add a Gradient from the “fill or adjustment layer”.

Change the color to “fc2c2c”, then change the angle to -100. The rest of the gradient can stay the same, just click ok.

Now change the layer style to Screen and lower the opacity to 90%.

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Step 4

Now to wrap the action up, group the two adjustment layers, and name them “Effects”. Once finished click the Stop button and your action is complete.

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Step 5

You can now run this action on any photo. Below, I have included a brief video to demonstrate how to install and run an action on a photo.

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Conclusion

Add this action to your own photos and experiment with different colors to create beautiful light leaks and lomo effects! Also, the download files for this tutorial include 3 actions that you can apply to your own work.

Quick Tip: Create a Cookie Text Effect in Photoshop

Tutorial Assets

The following assets were used during the production of this tutorial.

• Free Cookie Texture
• Free Wooden Table Texture

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Step 1

First make a new PSD document 1000 x 400 pixels resolution 72 Dpi. Now open the free texture Wooden Table and copy and paste it into your new PSD document. Command/Ctrl + T (transform) the texture and resize it until you are happy with it.

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Step 2

Then we are going to make the texture for the Cookie style. Open the Chocolate Cookie Texture in Photoshop. Go to Image > Image Size… and fill in the setting like below. Now go to Edit > Define Pattern… name it Cookie Texture and press ok. Exit this document and go back to your document from step 1.

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Step 3

Now make your text with a font of your own choice and write your text. I wrote Cookie with Arial Black 220 pt.

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Step 4

Now we are going to apply some layer styles! Use the settings as shown below. We start with the texture for the cookie – Double Click on the text layer to open Layer Styles – Select Pattern Overlay – Click on the Pattern Box and choose the cookie Texture we made in step 2.

Now select Bevel and Emboss for the cookie style for a 3D look.

Next select Inner Shadow to give some more realism to the emboss.

Next select Drop Shadow to make it more real on the background

Now select Outer Glow to give it dark edges

Then select Inner Glow to make the cookie brighter

Next select Texture under the Bevel and Emboss to make the cookie more real and give it a grungy look.

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Step 5

Now we are going to draw around the text to make it look more like a cookie. Select the text layer, Right click on the layer and choose Rasterize Layer, Choose the Brush Tool with size of 13 and a Hardness of 100%, Now draw around the text with the Brush tool until you’re happy with it (like below).

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Step 6

Now we are going to make some extra chocolate. Make a New Layer by going to > Layer > New > Layer. Double click on the layer and use the Layer Styles as shown below.

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Step 7

Now draw some chocolate on the cookie with the brush tool – hardness 100%

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Final Image

Now your Chocolate Cookie Style is done!

Create a Retro Chrome Automobile Emblem in Photoshop

Tutorial Assets

The following assets were used during the production of this tutorial.

• Cocktail Shaker Font from Font Bros

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Step 1

The first thing we’re going to do is create our background. Create a new document, ours is 1920 x 1280, and unlock the background layer.

It doesn’t matter what color it is, because we are going to override that color using layer styles.

Double click the name of your background layer in the Layers palette to open the layer styles dialog box. Apply the following layer styles settings, using a medium red to dark red gradient for the Gradient Overlay.

You should end up with something similar to the image below.

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Step 2

Using the pen tool, draw a black shape with a jagged line across the top as a new layer. This shape is going to be used to simulate the reflection of mountains in the distance.

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Step 3

Change the Fill to 0% in the Layers palette, and apply the following layer style settings.

You should end up with an image similar to the one below.

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Step 4

Create a new layer and fill it with white. With your new layer selected, Command/Ctrl + Click the vector mask icon for your mountain reflection shape in the Layers palette to make a selection of your shape.

Press Delete to delete that portion from your new white layer, leaving you with the image below.

Set the fill to 0% in the Layers palette and apply the following layer style settings to achieve the result below.

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Step 5

Now that we have a nice reflective, red car paint effect, it’s time to create our emblem.

Draw an oval shape using the Ellipse tool, set the Fill to 0% in the Layers palette, and apply the following layer style settings to achieve the result below. The Inner Shadow effect will be used to simulate the shadow of our chrome border when we create it later.

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Step 6

Duplicate your oval layer, clear the layer style settings, set the Fill to 0% in the Layers palette, and apply a black outer stroke of 25px.

Right click the layer in the Layer palette and click Convert to Smart Object. This will allow us to style the stroke as a shape, while giving us the ability to edit the thickness later on.

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Step 7

Apply the following layer style settings to your newly created Smart Object to give it a chrome effect.

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Step 8

Next we will create a mountain shape to reflect within our oval.

Create a new layer without anything in it. With your new layer still selected, Command/Ctrl + Click the thumbnail of your Oval shape in the Layers palette to make an oval selection. Next, Command/Ctrl + ALT + Click the white layer you created as a negative of your original mountain shape. This will subtract that shape from your selection.

Fill your selection with black and apply the following layer style settings to achieve the result below.

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Step 9

Duplicate your oval shape, clear the layer styles, and move it above all the rest.

Set the Fill to 0% in the Layers palette and apply the following layer style settings for some subtle lighting effects.

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Step 10

Duplicate your top oval shape and clear the layer styles.

Set the Fill to 0% in the Layers palette and apply the following layer style settings for one last shadow effect.

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Step 11

Now for the star of our show.

In order for this retro effect to work, you need a retro style typeface.

We are using the beautifully designed "Cocktail Shaker", which you can get at Font Bros.

Create your text and apply the following layer style settings for a chrome look.

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Step 12

Next we will create our checkerboard pattern.

Create a new document that is 200 square pixels with a white background. Draw two, 100 pixel black boxes and place them in the upper left corner, and lower right corner.

Press Command/Ctrl + A to select your entire canvas and click Edit > Define Pattern. Name your checkerboard pattern and click OK.

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Step 13

Switch back over to your main document.

Draw two, 100 pixel tall strips across the top and bottom of your canvas.

Apply the following layer style settings, using our checkboard pattern for the Pattern Overlay.

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Final Image

That’s it! Using some simple selection tools and Photoshop layer styles, you now have your very own retro chrome emblem.