Dispersion

Download Tutorial Files

Find:

  1. Moving Subject - but captured using a fast shutter speed (the subject is not blurred but static). Subject is also relatively easy to select from background.
  2. Custom Brush - this can be anything in the category of "Spatter", or "Particle" or "Liquid"

 

Steps:

  1. Select your subject.
    Our Tutorial image has the subject already Extracted and on its own layer
  2. Increase the Canvas Size - Use the Crop Tool
    Stretch the canvas using the crop tool so that the subject is set to a "Rule of Thirds" composition.
  3. Load Brush
    • you'll want to test brushes first to see which ones work the best for you - perhaps on a new layer.
    • You will want good opacity and interesting spatter shapes.
    • Then save any new settings that you may have applied to the brush. I recommend increasing the spacing, adjust size and under "shape dynamics" apply an angle jitter.
    • Save your Set - by clicking on the "Preset Manager", selecting your altered brushes, and saving as a new .abr set
    • At that point, you could continue working, or delete newly added brushes and reload your own specifically designed brushes.

  4. Copy the Subject layer. Liquify the new layer. Use the Warp tool and that the brush is large and the strength is up to 100%. Stretch the edge of your subject until it almost hits the edge of your canvas.
  5. Place the Liquify layer under the Subject layer. Apply Masks to both layers. Invert the mask for Liquify.
  6. Brush In parts of the Liquify effect by using a Spatter or Particle Brush on the Mask (use a white color to paint on the inverted Black Mask for the Liquify layer)
    and then Brush Out small parts of the edge of the original Subject layer on the Mask (use a black color to paint on the White Mask for the Subject layer)
  7. If you need to, you can create a new blank layer and Paint selected color spatters. I recommend using the "Color" blend mode in the brush options panel. Start with the darker colors and then layer on lighter and more saturated colors on top. Fluctuate between larger brush sizes to smaller.