Photoshop (Valentine) Madness

Yes, Valentine! I know it’s early, but it’s not too early to think about your February promotions — and Valentine’s is a great theme to jolt your clients out of their winter doldrums. Here, we’ve found ten great finds for the Valentines season. * Valentine Hearts shapes * 3D Valentine’s Day Typography * Age Progression tutorial * colorful background for Valentine’s Day * Basic editing tutorial in Adobe Photoshop * Valentine’s day post card * colorizing hair * smoothing skin… and more! Enjoy.

Photoshop Madness, Fred Showker surfs the web in search of good Photoshop stuff

this week's Photoshop MadnessIt’s a jungle out there… but we’ve been able to save out ten great finds for the Valentines season. Get started now * Valentine Hearts shapes * 3D Valentine’s Day Typography * Age Progression tutorial * colorful background for Valentine’s Day * Basic editing tutorial in Adobe Photoshop * Valentine’s day post card * colorizing hair * smoothing skin… and more

So I’ve posted this nice and early because Valentine’s day is a good time to promote your business! In the U.S., it’s winter, and most everyone is experiencing winter doldrums. So, it’s a real good time to get their attention, and spark up the old relationship — business wise. Part of the promotion can also remind them that spring is not far away! Enjoy.


Create a Valentine card in photoshop

Create a Valentine card in photoshop

In this tutorial, you will create a valentine card and use photoshop shapes to create this card. We selected this one because it has some pretty nice brush training. It’s from the PSDguides folks.
Create a Valentine card in photoshop Create a Valentine card in photoshop


Valentine Hearts shapes

Valentine Hearts shapes

These hearts designs from “Graphics Extras” can be used to create items for sale such as Valentine’s Day cards, books, illustrations and more. The package is for sale, ten-bucks — but many of the graphics on the page are easily tracable. The designs can be combined, modified, distorted, re-colored, applied repeatedly, applied with varying opacity or blending modes and more
Valentine Hearts shapes Valentine Hearts shapes


3D Valentine's Day Typography

3D Valentine’s Day Typography

In this tutorial by Marcin Stryczek you’ll get instruction on creating this illustration. This technique can be used in a variety of ways and also for different themes besides Valentine’s Day. This one is actually pretty good. You can see a lot more of Marcin’s work at http://marcinxp.deviantart.com/gallery/
3D Valentine's Day Typography 3D Valentine’s Day Typography


Age Progression

Age Progression

This is a little bit sneaky, but the best way to show someone how good they look today, is to show them what they’re going to look like in twenty years. Now they can be thankful and live their life to the fullest. Don’t forget to include the sentiment : “I’ll love you just as much when you grow old!” … or “looking forward to growing old together!”
Age Progression Age Progression


Create colorful background for Valentine's Day

Create colorful background for Valentine’s Day

Of course, we couldn’t pass up this tutorial and opportunity to show you how to create a colorful background for Valentine’s Day, using Custom Shape Tool, Layer Styles, gradients, and other Photoshop tools. It’s from the guys at Adobetutorialz who do a new one every year.
Create colorful background for Valentine's Day Create colorful background for Valentine’s Day


Basic editing tutorial in Adobe Photoshop

Basic editing tutorial in Adobe Photoshop

This one is from the deviously deviant young lady from the United Kingdom named Victoria Sims (or “The Tragic Truth of Me”) who has some awesome work displayed in her Deviant gallery. This tutorial has some good retouching lessons — to make your Valentine look even better than ever. It’s a very long JPG file. here
Basic editing tutorial in Adobe Photoshop Basic editing tutorial in Adobe Photoshop


Create a valentine's day post card

Create a valentine’s day post card

In this tutorial you will learn how to create yet another romantic Valentine’s day postcard, this time with some twists — like a nice 3D box with a pattern applied to it in different perspectives. It’s from GrafPedia.
Create a valentine's day post card Create a valentine’s day post card


Beginners: Colorize her hair for Valentines ...

Beginners: Colorize her hair for Valentines …

This one from “Small Tutorials” invites you to change Hair Color With Photoshop. We selected this one because it’s so easy, using just basic Photoshop skills, we can call it a true beginner’s tutorial.
Beginners: Colorize her hair for Valentines ... Beginners: Colorize her hair for Valentines …


Smooooothing the skin ... for beginners

Smooooothing the skin … for beginners

Yes, here’s another basic Photoshop skills class — on smoothing skin. Be careful, this one takes the smoothing just a bit too far. Go easy for a more natural look.
Smooooothing the skin ... for beginners Smooooothing the skin … for beginners


Be My Valentine

Be My Valentine

Omar Diaz treats us to this baby-doll piece in the “Making of Be My Valentine.” Omar is a Spanish Graphic Designer and Digital Painter, currently studying the concept of art for the movies and videogames. Some heavy-duty art here, careful — you’ll need some talent to fill in the gaps. See more at his blog and portfolio
Be My Valentine Be My Valentine

Searching for good Photoshop images and tutorials amongst all the total madness out on the web Don’t let Photoshop Madness get you down!

Searching for good Photoshop images and tutorials amongst all the total madness out on the web Don’t let Photoshop Madness get you down!
See the last edition of Photoshop Madness

There are always lots of spectacular Photoshop images and visuals out there! Share them! We’ll be back shortly with MORE Photoshop Madness … and please — BE CAREFUL WHERE YOU SURF … but when you do find a great Photoshop practitioner, or a good Photoshop tutorial, please share itwith us! If you create Photoshop Tutorials yourself, please post your info here so you can be considered for a Photoshop Fave!

Of course, some of our favorite editions of Photoshop Madness can be found in the legacy Photoshop Tips & Tricks web site — including the last edition of Photoshop Madness from 2010.

And, thanks for reading

Fred Showker

Don’t forget … we encourage you to share your discoveries about favorite or famous graphic designers and illustrators with other readers. Just comment below, or join the forums