Here is a quick and easy lesson to create a mirror word images in Photoshop that you can use for websites, digital scrap book pages or anything your creative mind can find use for.

Step 1: Start by opening a new document page; what ever size you would like to use then type something. I would start off using a simple and bold font.

Step 2: Create a new blank layer and name it MIRROR WORDS. Make sure the background layer is NOT visible and merge the blank layer and the word layer by pressing CTRL + SHIFT + ALT + E. Photoshop CS2 automatically creates a new layer when doing this.

Step 3: We are now going to turn the MIRROR WORDS layer upside down by going to EDIT > TRANSFORM > FLIP HORIZONTAL. Change the transform option to SKEW and stretch it just a little so it isn’t perfectly strait with the top.

Step 4: After you flip the image you want to match the bottom edges to the master words. If any of the the “mirror” are over lapping the top words erase them so there is a even line between them.

Step 5: Select LAYER STYLE and GRADIENT OVERLAY . Use two colors one being the color of the font, the other the color of the background. You can customize your colors by clicking on the color box and a new window will open. Click on the small box in the left colorUse the dropper and click on the font color and click ok. Set the layer style to REVERSE; if needed, so the text color is on top.

Step 6: Change the visibility but lowering the OPACITY in the layer box. I usually go down to 50% or less.

Step 7: Lower the saturation (Remove some of the color) by going to IMGAGE > ADJUSTMENTS > HUE/SATURATION. Reduce it by 10 to 25% so it’s just a little less saturation.

Step 8: Blur slightly by going to FILTER > BLUR > GAUSSIAN BLUR. You just need a little feathering / blurring so 1 to 2 pixels should be fine.

Step 9: Select the original text layer and using LAYER STYLE add a DROP SHADOW according to taste.

YOUR DONE! Now you can do what every your imagination tells you to do with it!

On a side note you can basically use the same steps above with photos and other pictures for a reflection effect with a little playing, blurring and using the smudge tool.

I love the look of a soft focus portrait. Here is a quick and easy way you can achieve this style yourself using Photoshop. Before we begin you need to make a duplicate copy of the picture that you want to work with.

Step 1: make a duplicate layer of the image. You can do this by going to the top of you tool bar and clicking on LAYER> DUPLICATE LAYER > then OK

Step 2: you need to make the layer black and white. You can do this by going to IMAGE > ADJUSTMENTS > DESATURATE

Step 3: Change the layer to color by going to your layer pallet/window and use the drop down arrow and change from NORMAL to COLOR

Step 4: Merge the top layer. You can merge the top layer (and still keep the bottom layers) by pressing SHIFT + CTRL + ALT + E at the same time.

Step 5: Outline the mouth, nose and eyes using the lasso tool. While drawing the outlines press shift at the same time so you can make multiple selections. Once you have drawn the outline press SHIFT+CTRL+I to invert the selection **HINT** You also want to make sure that you have the feather selection set to 15 or higher (I like mine set to 30)

Step 6: Blur the selection. Now you want to blur your selection using the Gaussian blur tool by going to FILTER > BLUR > GAUSSIAN BLUR. In the new box set your radius selection to 15.0 pixels or higher. You barely want to be able to make out the facial features.

Step 7: Change Layer to Screen. Now go to the Layer box and change the layer from NORMAL to SCREEN and adjust the Opacity to your liking. AND YOU’RE DONE!

I like to up my saturation after I have done this but the best part minor facial flaws disappear and in turn you don’t have to do as much facial cleaning / cloning to get that perfect skin. After you get used to playing with layers and finding your preferred technique it will only take you a couple minutes to get the perfect effect you want to achieve.

here is your before

and after