Styles and how to create them???

Saraluna · 10-21-2005

WOW! I'm totally fascinated with styles! Ok, yes I'm new to photoshop and I've only been fooling with it for about a month. But seeing as I have nothing but time on my hands since my layoff and I am a fast learner, I've dedicated quite a lot of energy to learning this new found passion. And now I want to take it one step further: how do I create my own styles? Or can I even? I have downloaded several already, but I want to learn to make my own now. Any chance? Thanks a bunch!

**Bub** · 10-21-2005

Why, of course you can create your own styles. All you have to do is:

Apply the blending options you wish to have in your style.
Make sure that layer is selected.
Click the styles tab.
Click the little arrow on the left of the styles tab and select "New Style..."
Photoshop will ask what you would like to name the style. Name it and hit save.

Your style will then be placed on the bottom of the Style swatches for you to use.

Good luck. Let me know if any of these instructions are unclear.
Bub

GoldNetX · 10-21-2005

Bub gave quite a nice explanation of how to create styles. They are very useful in pulling off some amazing effects. But it is just as important to learn how to use some of the other tools. The dodge and burn tools are amazingly effective and are essential to pull off some things. I would advise to try to learn both at about the same rate. I think it would help you understand the way styles work as well. Hope you enjoy using Photoshop, and can't wait to see some works.

Saraluna · 10-21-2005

Bub, you seemed to give very clear instructions, so I'm thinking I'm thick! When I select "new style" the preview window shows me a grey square, not the image I'm trying to convert into an .asl. What am I missing? I'm certain this is user error. I created an image from scratch in PS and that's what I'm trying to turn into a "style." I tried working with it both as a gif and as the pdf, but I keep getting a grey square in the end result, not the image I created. Sorry for the trouble...

But I do love this program!

BTW, thanks GoldNetX for the tip on dodge and burn tools. You're right, they're great. I tool a class in photoshop and we used those tools quite extensively and I've already managed to doctor some of my own photographs with them. In fact, just last week I produced a flyer with an image of a glass of wine on it, and using the burn tool on the glass of wine alone I managed to make the wine in the glass appear 3d! Probably not the way an expert would go about it, but it turned out great nonetheless!

**Bub** · 10-21-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saraluna99

Bub, you seemed to give very clear instructions, so I'm thinking I'm thick! When I select "new style" the preview window shows me a grey square, not the image I'm trying to convert into an .asl. What am I missing? I'm certain this is user error. I created an image from scratch in PS and that's what I'm trying to turn into a "style." I tried working with it both as a gif and as the pdf, but I keep getting a grey square in the end result, not the image I created. Sorry for the trouble...

But I do love this program!

Do you mean more like a pattern? The styles are just saved blending options. Therefore, a style maybe a 50% bevel with a blue stroke around the image.

So if you applied the style to an image, it would make the image 50% beveled with a blue stroke line.

I will try to make a graphical tutorail thingy later today if you don't get it by then

Saraluna · 10-21-2005

Fiddlesticks. I thought I could create a style from an existing image (like a gif, jpg, photo, etc...). If I understand you correctly, styles are only blending options, not images. Therefore, I can't (for example) take a image of an abstract background and create a style from it, right? Oh well. Anyway, thank you very much! You've been INCREDIBLY helpful! I did figure out what you were talking about and did in fact create my first style, even though it wasn't what I had in mind. This was a nice learning curve!

Heruka · 10-21-2005

Hmm...I believe there is a way of extracting gradients from images. Very often, a nice style on an image can be duplicated with an intuitive gradient. I forget the exact steps, but it's an useful little trick, mind you.

**Bub** · 10-21-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saraluna99

Fiddlesticks. I thought I could create a style from an existing image (like a gif, jpg, photo, etc...). If I understand you correctly, styles are only blending options, not images. Therefore, I can't (for example) take a image of an abstract background and create a style from it, right? Oh well. Anyway, thank you very much! You've been INCREDIBLY helpful! I did figure out what you were talking about and did in fact create my first style, even though it wasn't what I had in mind. This was a nice learning curve!

You're correct by saying that styles are just blending options. It sounds more like you are referring to a pattern. Patterns are pretty easy to create as well, though.

Let us know if you need anymore help, as we're always glad to help!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heruka

Hmm...I believe there is a way of extracting gradients from images. Very often, a nice style on an image can be duplicated with an intuitive gradient. I forget the exact steps, but it's an useful little trick, mind you.

I've never seen this done but it does sound awesome. Think you could find some information on it?

Bub

Saraluna · 11-10-2005

Hey guys, I got it, I figured it out! After all this time!

Yes, there is a way to extract gradients from an image and turn that into a custom style. This is what I had to do:

1. Opened my image (in this case, it was a colorful abstract wallpaper).
2. Created a pattern from it (Edit -> Define Pattern)
3. Selected the layer I was working on, and went into Blending Options
4. Selected Pattern Overlay
5. Chose the pattern I created from my image in step 2
6. Added a few more blending options, and...

Whalla! My new custom style!

Basically, what this means is that I had to first create a pattern from my image, then create a style from the pattern. Get it?

It's pretty easy now that I understand it, but being new to ps doesn't come wihtout its challenges. Maybe someone else will find this info useful, that's why I came back to this post.

You guys were great, by the way. Thanks a million!

Heruka · 11-10-2005

Sweet! That's a handy tip!

Cupcake · 11-22-2005

Thank you so much for your short tutorial. I tried it and it worked beautifully. This was so helpful. I Dl some photos of Stained glass samples and made some patterns, textures and layer styles just to see if I could do it. I was so pleased with the results. I even scanned some fall leaves and made a few styles from them they were gorgeous

Heruka · 11-22-2005

Post them on BioRUST so we can all admire them. That would be great!