Aged Photo Action [CS2]
Aged Photograph with CS2 Actions
Begin with a normal 100x100 image of your choice.
Sharpen your image. I used Filter>>Sharpen>>Unsharp Mask. [settings]
With your Rectangular Marquee tool selected, go up to the top of your workspace and select Fixed Size for your Style.
Next, enter in a width of 90 pixels and a height of 70 pixels.
Click anywhere within the image and the selection will appear in the exact size you want. Move your mouse around until you get a selection you're happy with. Ctrl+C to copy your selection.
Ctrl+N to create a new window, but before you okay the size, you'll need to change the default canvas size (90x70 pixels) to 100 px width and 80 px height. [screencap]
With your Fill Bucket tool selected, fill the new image in with white. Then, Ctrl+V to paste your crop from before into the center of your new
image (should become Layer 2).
Next Ctrl+Shift+N to create a new layer (Layer 3). This will be the icon's border. There are 2 for this icon, one on the outside with the four little corners, and one around the image itself. With Layer 3 highlighted, Ctrl+Click on the IMAGE in Layer 2. See picture:
You'll notice a perfect selection has appeared around the image in Layer 2, except you'll be working in Layer 3. Now go to Edit >> Stroke with these settings.
Next, Ctrl+A to select the entire workspace. As before, go to Edit >> Stroke. Keep all the settings the same, except for Location--choose Inside.
Finally, with your Pencil tool selected (1px diameter) and color #8C8C8C, draw in a line 4px across and 4px down (each time start at the corner) on the outer border in the four corners of the icon.
Now for the last few steps. Ctrl+A to select the entire image again. Shift+Ctrl+C to copy all layers. Ctrl+V twice to paste the whole image into two new layers (Layer 4 and Layer 5). In the layers window, click on the eye beside Layer 5 to make it invisible, and then click on Layer 4 to highlight it.
Here is where the Aged Photo Action comes in. On my copy of Photoshop, the Actions menu is located next to the History tab. Yours might be in another, but all you have to do is click on that Actions tab to bring up your actions menu.
When you have your Actions menu at the front, go to the set labeled Image Effects. This is a default folder, but yours may not be loaded into your menu. If that's the case, click on the arrow in the upper right hand corner and select Image Effects from the list that pops up (should be near the bottom). With Image Effects loaded, click on the little arrow beside the folder (see mouse in picture).
The set will open up and a whole list of actions will appear. The one you want is the first called Aged Photo. All you have to do is select it and make sure that Aged Photo is highlighted. When that's done, look to the bottom of the window and click on the small arrow button (Play) to initiate the action.
Here's the magical result :D The color is a bit much, so just one more tweak and then you're done.
Now go back to your layers window and click the box beside Layer 5, making it visible again (eye will reappear). Making certain Layer 5 is highlighted, Ctrl+Shift+U to Desaturate the layer. Now go to the box for Opacity at the top of the Layers window and change it from 100 to 20%
And that's it!
For some extra neatness, experiment with a few splatter or scratch brushes.
Begin with a normal 100x100 image of your choice.
Sharpen your image. I used Filter>>Sharpen>>Unsharp Mask. [settings]
With your Rectangular Marquee tool selected, go up to the top of your workspace and select Fixed Size for your Style.
Next, enter in a width of 90 pixels and a height of 70 pixels.
Click anywhere within the image and the selection will appear in the exact size you want. Move your mouse around until you get a selection you're happy with. Ctrl+C to copy your selection.
Ctrl+N to create a new window, but before you okay the size, you'll need to change the default canvas size (90x70 pixels) to 100 px width and 80 px height. [screencap]
With your Fill Bucket tool selected, fill the new image in with white. Then, Ctrl+V to paste your crop from before into the center of your new
image (should become Layer 2).
Next Ctrl+Shift+N to create a new layer (Layer 3). This will be the icon's border. There are 2 for this icon, one on the outside with the four little corners, and one around the image itself. With Layer 3 highlighted, Ctrl+Click on the IMAGE in Layer 2. See picture:
You'll notice a perfect selection has appeared around the image in Layer 2, except you'll be working in Layer 3. Now go to Edit >> Stroke with these settings.
Next, Ctrl+A to select the entire workspace. As before, go to Edit >> Stroke. Keep all the settings the same, except for Location--choose Inside.
Finally, with your Pencil tool selected (1px diameter) and color #8C8C8C, draw in a line 4px across and 4px down (each time start at the corner) on the outer border in the four corners of the icon.
Now for the last few steps. Ctrl+A to select the entire image again. Shift+Ctrl+C to copy all layers. Ctrl+V twice to paste the whole image into two new layers (Layer 4 and Layer 5). In the layers window, click on the eye beside Layer 5 to make it invisible, and then click on Layer 4 to highlight it.
Here is where the Aged Photo Action comes in. On my copy of Photoshop, the Actions menu is located next to the History tab. Yours might be in another, but all you have to do is click on that Actions tab to bring up your actions menu.
When you have your Actions menu at the front, go to the set labeled Image Effects. This is a default folder, but yours may not be loaded into your menu. If that's the case, click on the arrow in the upper right hand corner and select Image Effects from the list that pops up (should be near the bottom). With Image Effects loaded, click on the little arrow beside the folder (see mouse in picture).
The set will open up and a whole list of actions will appear. The one you want is the first called Aged Photo. All you have to do is select it and make sure that Aged Photo is highlighted. When that's done, look to the bottom of the window and click on the small arrow button (Play) to initiate the action.
Here's the magical result :D The color is a bit much, so just one more tweak and then you're done.
Now go back to your layers window and click the box beside Layer 5, making it visible again (eye will reappear). Making certain Layer 5 is highlighted, Ctrl+Shift+U to Desaturate the layer. Now go to the box for Opacity at the top of the Layers window and change it from 100 to 20%
And that's it!
For some extra neatness, experiment with a few splatter or scratch brushes.