Blog - graphic design

Homage to the iPod or iTunes ads Photoshop Tutorial

Step 1: The picture
You're going to need a photo of yourself to iPodify and it should be reasonably high in resolution and size and should be in CMYK mode. There are several elements to a silhouette poster and each of them should be considered when choosing a picture:

• Action: Even though this will be a still image, your subject should be doing something interesting. Strike a dance pose or have several shots taken during the “action” then choose the best shot. Faces look best if shown in profile view. Your subject is going to be shown from head to toe (assuming it's a person), you will have to shoot your subject holding the camera sideways (preferable at chest level) to fit all of them in.
• The iPod: In order to really sell your finished image as a homage to the iPod silhouette ads, your subject should have something about them to highlight--something that takes on the importance of the iPod in your image.
• Wording: What you will be highlighting will determine what your wording will say. The iPod ads generally say, “iPod” then below it will have a small blurb pertaining to the iPod. Think about your wording.
• Detail: One of the most common mistakes I've seen in tutorials showing how to replicate the iPod ad style is that they make the silhouette a true silhouette when, if you look at the ads, the people actually do show detail...not a lot...it's really dark...but it's there. High contrast clothing and jewelry makes for good detail in the iPod ad.

Step 2: Ready the Canvas
Open Photoshop. File > New, make the width 7.5 inches, and height 10, background transparent, resolution 220. File > Open the picture you plan to use, select all, copy, close this file and paste it into the new file you previously just made. Name this layer “Original.” You may have to scale your photo by going to edit > transform, scale. Remember to scale proportionately (shift). We may be adding a shadow so resize your image so there is some room around your image.

Step 3: Color
Add a new layer for your background color. Name the layer "Colored background". Fill by going Select > All, click on the foreground color swatch, fill in the percentages of the color you choose below in the CMYK color slots, click okay. Edit > fill with foreground color. Drag this layer to the bottom if necessary so it is behind your photo.

Step 4: Erasing the Background
Duplicate the layer your subject is on, by right clicking the layer (on the mac Control click the layer) and selecting “Duplicate Layer.” Arrange that layer on top of your Colored Background layer(s). Name this layer "iPod person". Use the magic eraser or selection tools and CAREFULLY erase EVERYTHING not needed in your background on this layer.

Step 5: Paint it Black
Just in case we need to backtrack, duplicate the “iPod person” layer and name it “Silhouette”. Click the preview eye next to the iPod and Original photo layers so they are not visible. Set the Silhouette layer's blending mode (in the pull down menu in the layers palette) to “Multiply” and then go Image>Adjustments>Hue/Saturation and drag the Saturation slider all the way to the left. This will give Saturation a value of -100. Click OK.

Now, go Image>Adjustments>Levels and enter in a value between 80-158 (depending on how dark you want the silhouette) in the first field on the Input Levels. Duplicate the Silhouette layer as many times as it takes to achieve a darker image of yourself. Watch that you don't go so dark that you don't see any detail, so go slow.

Step 6: Put in the Pod
Go to your ‘iPod Person” layer. Again, go Image>Adjustments>Hue/Saturation and drag the Saturation slider all the way to the left. Click OK. Next, go Image>Adjustments>Threshold. Adjust the Threshold Level slider until as much of the object's details are shown without it being overly white or overly black—we want the iPod in the image to be simplified. Click OK when you're done. Now, go Filter>Stylize>Diffuse... and choose the Anisotropic Mode.

Choose the eraser tool and CAREFULLY erase everything except your iPod or whatever else it is you are trying to highlight.

Drag the iPod Person layer on top of the Silhouette layer.

Step 7: iType
Grab the Horizontal Type tool select a nice cut of Myriad Pro Bold in the Options bar and set the text color to white.

Go ahead and type something appropriate for the image. It should be short--preferably one word--and it would be even better if it starts with a lower case "i" followed by an upper case letter... like iPod, right? Set the type size to 60pt.

Then, in Myriad Pro Bold, you can add a bit of copy at the bottom, like the "40,000 songs in your pocket. Mac or PC." Be creative an try to think of a way to incorporate the “40,000” number into your phrase. Set this type size to 24pt.

Step 8: Finishing the Project
Delete your original photo layer. Save.

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