I. Overview
The basic idea is to:
1. Start with a portrait photo: A clear, high-resolution portrait is essential.
2. Create bubble shapes: We'll use selection tools, gradients, and layer styles to make realistic-looking bubbles.
3. Arrange the bubbles: Strategically position the bubbles on the portrait, paying attention to composition and depth.
4. Add realism: Use blending modes, shadows, highlights, and distortions to integrate the bubbles with the underlying portrait.
5. Add extra details: Adding highlights, shadows, and adjusting brightness to the bubbles will help them to feel more real.
II. Step-by-Step Guide (Photoshop CS3 Friendly)
A. Preparation
1. Open Your Portrait Image:
* Launch Photoshop CS3.
* Go to `File > Open` and select your portrait image. Make sure it's a decent resolution.
2. Duplicate the Background Layer:
* In the Layers panel (usually on the right side), right-click on the "Background" layer.
* Select "Duplicate Layer..."
* Rename the duplicated layer (e.g., "Portrait") to avoid confusion. Working on a duplicate preserves the original.
B. Creating a Single Bubble (Repeatable)
1. Create a New Layer:
* Click the "Create a new layer" icon at the bottom of the Layers panel (it looks like a page with a folded corner). Rename this "Bubble 1" or similar.
2. Draw a Circular Selection:
* Select the Elliptical Marquee Tool (the oval-shaped selection tool).
* Hold down the `Shift` key while dragging to create a perfect circle. Make the circle the approximate size you want your bubble to be.
* Position the selection where you want the bubble to appear, using the Move tool (V) if needed.
3. Fill with a Gradient:
* Set your foreground color to white (#FFFFFF) and your background color to a light gray (#D0D0D0 or similar).
* Select the Gradient Tool (G).
* In the Options Bar (at the top of the screen), choose a Radial Gradient. Make sure it goes from Foreground to Background.
* Click inside the circle selection and drag *slightly* outward from the center. A short drag will create a smaller, tighter gradient.
4. Deslect the Bubble:
* Go to `Select > Deselect` (or press Ctrl+D / Cmd+D).
5. Adjust the Brightness:
* Go to `Image > Adjustments > Brightness/Contrast` and reduce the contrast slightly, making the white less harsh.
6. Add Inner Shadow (Layer Style):
* In the Layers panel, double-click on the "Bubble 1" layer (but *not* on the name). This opens the Layer Style dialog.
* Select Inner Shadow.
* *Blend Mode:* Multiply
* *Color:* Choose a dark gray or light black.
* *Opacity:* Adjust to your taste (around 30-50% is a good starting point).
* *Angle:* Adjust this to suit the position of a light source. Somewhere between 90 and 135 degrees is often effective.
* *Distance:* Small (3-5 pixels).
* *Choke:* 0%
* *Size:* Small (3-5 pixels).
* Experiment with the settings to get a subtle shadow that suggests depth.
7. Add a White Highlight:
* Create a new layer (e.g., "Highlight 1") *above* the "Bubble 1" layer.
* Select the Elliptical Marquee Tool again.
* Draw a small, elongated oval shape near the top edge of the bubble, where the light would reflect.
* Fill this selection with white (using the Paint Bucket Tool, G, or by pressing `Alt + Backspace` if white is your foreground color).
* Go to `Select > Modify > Feather` and enter a small feather radius (e.g., 2-3 pixels).
* Press the Delete key to soften the edges of the highlight.
* Reduce the Opacity of the "Highlight 1" layer in the Layers panel (e.g., to 40-60%) to make it more subtle.
C. Repeat and Arrange the Bubbles
1. Duplicate and Position:
* Select both the "Bubble 1" and "Highlight 1" layers in the Layers panel (click one, then `Shift+Click` the other).
* Right-click and choose "Duplicate Layers..."
* Use the Move Tool (V) to drag the duplicated bubbles to a new position on the portrait.
* Repeat this process many times to create more bubbles. Vary the size of the circles as you create the selections.
2. Vary Bubble Sizes:
* For some bubbles, after duplicating them, go to `Edit > Transform > Scale` (or press `Ctrl+T` / `Cmd+T`).
* Hold down `Shift` to constrain proportions and drag a corner handle to resize the bubble. Make some larger and some smaller.
* Press `Enter` to commit the transformation.
3. Depth and Overlap:
* To create the illusion of depth, adjust the layer order in the Layers panel. Bubbles on layers *above* other bubbles will appear in front. Overlapping bubbles will add to realism.
* Experiment with reducing the Opacity of some of the bubbles to make them appear further away or less prominent.
D. Enhancing Realism
1. Blending Modes:
* Experiment with different blending modes for the bubble layers.
* Select a bubble layer in the Layers panel.
* In the drop-down menu at the top of the Layers panel (usually set to "Normal"), try options like:
* Screen: Can brighten the bubbles and make them appear more integrated.
* Overlay: Can add contrast and blend the bubbles more realistically.
* Soft Light: A more subtle blending option.
* Blending modes can be powerful, but don't overdo it. Subtlety is key.
2. Warp/Distort (Subtle):
* Select a bubble layer.
* Go to `Edit > Transform > Warp`.
* Carefully drag the warp handles to slightly distort the bubbles. This can make them look more organic and less perfectly round, which adds realism. Don't over-warp them, just a subtle adjustment.
E. Final Adjustments
1. Overall Color Correction:
* Create an Adjustment Layer at the very top of the Layers panel. You can do this by going to `Layer > New Adjustment Layer` and choosing an option like "Curves," "Levels," or "Color Balance."
* Use the adjustment layer to tweak the overall colors, brightness, and contrast of the entire image (including the bubbles and the portrait). This helps to unify the image.
2. Sharpening (Last Step):
* As a final step, you might want to sharpen the image slightly. However, be cautious with sharpening in CS3, as it can sometimes look harsh.
* Duplicate all layers by selecting the top layer, then `Shift+Click` the bottom layer, right clicking, and selecting `Duplicate Layers`. Flatten these duplicated layers onto a new layer by pressing `Ctrl+Alt+Shift+E` (Cmd+Option+Shift+E on Mac).
* Go to `Filter > Sharpen > Unsharp Mask`.
* Experiment with the settings (Amount, Radius, Threshold), but keep the amount relatively low. A small amount of sharpening can enhance details.
III. Important Considerations for CS3
* Limited Tools: CS3 lacks some of the more advanced features found in later versions of Photoshop, such as the Camera Raw filter for advanced color correction or content-aware fill. You'll have to rely more on manual adjustments and creative workarounds.
* Performance: If you're working with a large image and many layers, CS3 might become slow. Be patient and save frequently.
* Layer Management: Keep your Layers panel organized. Name your layers clearly, and group related layers into folders (using the folder icon at the bottom of the Layers panel). This will make the editing process much easier.
* Save Regularly: Photoshop CS3 is an older program and may be prone to crashes. Save your work frequently (e.g., every 15-20 minutes). Save as a PSD file to preserve layers.
IV. Tips for Realism
* Light Source: Pay attention to the direction of the light in your portrait. Position the highlights on the bubbles accordingly.
* Reflections: Bubbles often reflect their surroundings. Adding subtle reflections (using clipped layers or cloning) can enhance realism.
* Subtlety: Don't overdo the effects. The best bubble portraits are those where the bubbles blend seamlessly with the underlying image.
Example Workflow (Summary)
1. Open Portrait
2. Duplicate Portrait layer
3. Create "Bubble 1" layer.
4. Elliptical Marquee tool - create circle.
5. Gradient Tool (radial, white to light gray) - fill circle.
6. Deselect
7. Brightness/Contrast Adjustment
8. Layer Style: Inner Shadow
9. Create "Highlight 1" layer.
10. Elliptical Marquee - small oval.
11. Fill with White.
12. Feather selection, then delete.
13. Reduce Opacity of Highlight layer.
14. Duplicate Bubble and Highlight layers many times.
15. Reposition, resize, re-order layers for depth.
16. Experiment with Blending Modes.
17. Warp bubbles slightly.
18. Add Adjustment Layers (Curves, Levels, etc.) for overall color correction.
19. Sharpen (use with caution).
20. Save as PSD.
This is a detailed guide, but experimentation is key. Have fun and adjust the steps to suit your specific image and creative vision. Good luck!