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Tutorial: Brightening of dark caps (very easy)
is there something like a too much of techniques how to brighten up screencaps?
and if so, are you tired of my obscure methods yet? bwaha!
here's another not very common one. Even though I like the result in a lot of cases...
it's kinda crisp and clean and keeps the shading and original colors even though it emphasizes them. it's also customizable. and easy. and quick.
(I'm doing everything the quick&dirty way, heee!)
should work in any graphics program that has the Blending modes Hardlight and Screen.
before
and after
Step 01: Choose a BG color
depending on the pic choose a background color.
if you want a rather warm end result choose a peachy/tan color.
if you have a quite reddish/yellowish pic, choose a light cyan/blue.
If the coloring is perfect, choose white ;)
here I went for a warmer look...
Step 02: the Screencap
add your screencap on top of your background
change the Blending mode of the Screencap to Hardlight.
If the color of the cap is lighter than 50% gray, the image is lightened, as if it were screened. This is useful for adding highlights to the image. If the blend color is darker than 50% gray, the image is darkened, as if it were multiplied. This is useful for adding shadows to the image.
Note how you get Highlights and a slightly warmer look, because of the multiplying with the tan layer :)
copy the layer, change the Blending mode to Screen and use an Auto-Levels on it.
(of course you can adjust your Levels by hand, if you're not satisfied with the automatic result)
Try to get some contrast into it...
the layer witout any Blending mode
and on Blending mode Screen
Step 03: Color
add an Adjustment Layer: Hue/Saturation. Up the Saturation to the point where it just begins to hurt... and then change the Blending mode of the Layer to Color, that way you'll have less artefacts.
add your original screencap on top of all and change the Blending mode to Hue so that you get some of the Original coloring back into the mix. Quite often you can save skin tones that way ;)
Lower the opacity until it looks the way you want it.
Step 04: Crop & Fine tuning
Crop it
now you see if you have to do any customization. Here I found the result too bright.
So I lowered the opacity of the Screen layer to 80%
and duplicated the Hardlight layer and set the opacity to 30% to get more contrast.
If it is too dark, try to work on the Screen layer. Use Levels and pull the middle slider more to the left to brighten it up. Watch your icon while you're doing this, so you can decide when it's enough...
Step 05: Sharpen it
use your sharpening rituals
Screencap Credit:
Screencap Paradise
Done!
Have Fun!
Feedback is always very appreciated :)
and if so, are you tired of my obscure methods yet? bwaha!
here's another not very common one. Even though I like the result in a lot of cases...
it's kinda crisp and clean and keeps the shading and original colors even though it emphasizes them. it's also customizable. and easy. and quick.
(I'm doing everything the quick&dirty way, heee!)
should work in any graphics program that has the Blending modes Hardlight and Screen.
before
and after
Step 01: Choose a BG color
depending on the pic choose a background color.
if you want a rather warm end result choose a peachy/tan color.
if you have a quite reddish/yellowish pic, choose a light cyan/blue.
If the coloring is perfect, choose white ;)
here I went for a warmer look...
Step 02: the Screencap
add your screencap on top of your background
change the Blending mode of the Screencap to Hardlight.
If the color of the cap is lighter than 50% gray, the image is lightened, as if it were screened. This is useful for adding highlights to the image. If the blend color is darker than 50% gray, the image is darkened, as if it were multiplied. This is useful for adding shadows to the image.
Note how you get Highlights and a slightly warmer look, because of the multiplying with the tan layer :)
copy the layer, change the Blending mode to Screen and use an Auto-Levels on it.
(of course you can adjust your Levels by hand, if you're not satisfied with the automatic result)
Try to get some contrast into it...
the layer witout any Blending mode
and on Blending mode Screen
Step 03: Color
add an Adjustment Layer: Hue/Saturation. Up the Saturation to the point where it just begins to hurt... and then change the Blending mode of the Layer to Color, that way you'll have less artefacts.
add your original screencap on top of all and change the Blending mode to Hue so that you get some of the Original coloring back into the mix. Quite often you can save skin tones that way ;)
Lower the opacity until it looks the way you want it.
Step 04: Crop & Fine tuning
Crop it
now you see if you have to do any customization. Here I found the result too bright.
So I lowered the opacity of the Screen layer to 80%
and duplicated the Hardlight layer and set the opacity to 30% to get more contrast.
If it is too dark, try to work on the Screen layer. Use Levels and pull the middle slider more to the left to brighten it up. Watch your icon while you're doing this, so you can decide when it's enough...
Step 05: Sharpen it
use your sharpening rituals
Screencap Credit:
Screencap Paradise
Done!
Have Fun!
Feedback is always very appreciated :)