Learners Desk: Colorful Bands Effect On A Photo In Photoshop Part 1

Creating color bands on a photo is very exiting and this can be done by using "Rectangular
Marquee tool". You will definitely be amazed with this effect.

1. Go to "File" menu and click on "Open" option or simply press "CTRL+O" and browse an image from your hard drive and press ok. Here I took a Face image.

To create bands with a particular size we have to take the help of "Ruler".

2. Press "CTRL+R" for "Ruler". Then put cursor on the upper ruler scale (horizontal scale) and hold down mouse left button and drag mouse downwards and do like this several times to set Horizontal model lines. In the same way put vertical lines as shown in the image.

3. Now select "Rectangular Marquee" tool from Tools Panel or simply press "M" in keyboard.

4. Now put cursor at the start point of first horizontal line and click and hold down mouse left button and drag horizontally along first 2 horizontal lines to create horizontal selection.

5. Now press "CTRL+C" for copy and "CTRL+V" for paste which creates a band of selected area which we can see in the Layer Palette.

6. Now go to "Layer palette" and double click on band layer(Layer 1). Then a window will be opened. Now check"DROP SHADOW" option and set measurements as shown in the image.

NOTE: Press "CTRL+;" to remove Guide lines temporarily to view our band on photo.

7. Now press "CTRL+B" or "CTRL+U". Here I have chosen "CTRL+U". Then a window will be opened. Now make adjustments of your choice which gives a good color to the band. Follow the image.

8. Now go to Layer palette and click on "New layer" icon which adds a new layer(Layer 2). Now hold down "CTRL" and click on "Layer 1" to select both layers(Layer1 and Layer2) and click mouse right button and select "MERGE LAYERS" option. Follow the image.

NOTE: Press "CTRL+;" to view Guide lines if they disappear when drawing bands.

9. Now select Background layer in Layer palette and then select Rectangular Marquee tool and draw another Horizontal band and double click on that layer, select "Drop shadow" option and set measurements as shown in "STEP(6)". Then press "CTRL+B" or "CTRL+U". Then make adjustments of your choice which gives a good color to the band. Follow the image.

10. Now click on "New layer" icon in Layer palette which adds a new layer and merge that layer(Layer 4) with Layer 3 as we did in "STEP(8)".

NOTE: Press "CTRL+;" to view Guide lines.

11. Now select Rectangular Marquee tool. Then put cursor at the start point of first vertical line and click and hold mouse left button and drag vertically along first 2 vertical lines to create vertical selection as we did earlier.

12. Now press "CTRL+C" and "CTRL+V" which creates a band of selected area which we can see in the Layer palette. Follow the image.

13. Now double click on vertical band layer in Layer palette. A window will be opened. Now select "DROP SHADOW" option and set measurements as shown in "STEP(6)". Then press "CTRL+B" or "CTRL+U" and give a suitable color to the band as we did earlier. Follow the image.

14. Now click on "New layer" icon in Layer palette and merge that new layer(Layer 6) with vertical band layer as we did in "STEP 8"(hold down "CTRL"and click on layer and right click and select Merge layers). This creates a vertical band.