EffectsPhotographyPhotoshop

Pin-up Effect

August 15, 2008
113

Using a mixture of filters and blending modes, Corey takes a stock photo and transforms it into an old, classic 1950’s pin-up poster.

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113 comments

  2. Josh 15 August, 2008 at 15:48 Reply

    This was amazing !

    It gave me jsut the look I wanted
    for a design project I was doing for someone.

    Photoshop GOD !

  4. Anoop 15 August, 2008 at 23:38 Reply

    Could someone please tell me what will be the equivalent of alt+ctrl+tilda key if I want to do the same thing through the menu?
    My keyboard is not english, so to press the tilda key, i have to press one other key which ultimately doesn’t work to give that effect that Corey is talking about. Hence I have to go by the menu. In future, it will help if it is mentioned what is the equivalent of the shortcut keys in the menu.

  8. jmfisher 16 August, 2008 at 22:49 Reply

    Great to see this one again! I’d caught it a long time back on youtube and then when I finally actually bought photoshop it was removed for some reason. After searching far and wide I was able to find a spanish language tutorial using the exact technique and did my best to translate, but its a relief to finally have Corey’s original english version.

  11. Márcio Guerra 18 August, 2008 at 18:21 Reply

    Hi! Great one… Another one…
    For those who don’t have the til (or tilda, in portuguese is “til”) key, I found a solution that helps a lot, even to those that don’t know or have the brackets as a first keystroke in the keyboard. Change the operating system (OS), in this case Windows, to english mode, in the bar at the bottom, near the date and so, instead of your mother language, then, even though you can’t see which simbol has the key in it, you can always press the one that Corey says, like “the havie one next to the number one”, besides that, someone already explained how to select the luminosity, by pressing cmmd or ctrl and the RGB channel!
    Well… Bye, and once again, nice tutorial…

    Márcio Guerra

  15. Mikka 24 August, 2008 at 05:24 Reply

    Nice tutorial but I can only see the beginning of it! After Corey explained how to smooth out the hair with the smudge tool the video changes and instead a comercial fot the magazine “Layers” starts. Please please I really wanna see the end of the turorial, how can a see the rest?

    /Mikka

  17. Shari 25 August, 2008 at 09:16 Reply

    I’m sorry…what am I missing? I’m on a mac and command-option-tilde does nothing for me. I’ve tried this on two macs. I’ve tried it with a shift even (since you need a shift key to make a ~ sign). I can’t find a menu command and Photoshop help doesn’t mention it.

    command option 1, 2 or 3 does something….although I’m not sure what’s getting selected, but it’s different for each one. Can anyone help me with this?

    BTW, love this tutorial (and this site!) Thanks!

  20. Russell 29 August, 2008 at 20:37 Reply

    This is the most amazing thing I have ever seen!

    I’m still new to photoshop, so would you mind helping me? I’m a little confused on how you did this part..

    How did you “load that selection” (layer 1) “and create a new layer on top of that one? and fill that selection with white?”

  23. Mi 8 September, 2008 at 03:13 Reply

    Omg, thank you -so- much for this!!! I desperately needed it because I edit my own photos and recently had a pinup shoot…….

    Thanksthanksthanks… 😛

  26. Celina 25 September, 2008 at 22:33 Reply

    hi! im really interested in this tutorial, i just have one question what is the luminosity step…?

    “option command and the wavy line” i tried searching on what is this and i dont understand…

    so please, maybe someone can explain!!

  29. Charline 2 October, 2008 at 15:37 Reply

    This is a wonderful tutorial. I have used it on numerous photographs and also used it as a black and white. They make great gifts when framed. Thanks a bunch. YOU ROCK!

    Baton Rouge, Louisiana

  32. brandon 11 October, 2008 at 11:14 Reply

    “How did you “load that selection” (layer 1) “and create a new layer on top of that one? and fill that selection with white?”

    I did not understand this part either. Maybe Corey will read the comments one day a expand on this tricky part of the video.

  33. Krissa 18 October, 2008 at 19:39 Reply

    I found out the “fill with white” problem after fiddeling around for some time. And you can either press Shift+F5 (on a pc) or go to Edit+Fill(use:White) 🙂
    Hope this helps !

  36. David Whiting 28 October, 2008 at 22:58 Reply

    You say on this tutorial around halfway. ‘Im going to fill this with white’. How do you do that? Is there a quick key for it?

  37. Lara 9 November, 2008 at 22:01 Reply

    Russell and Frunced:

    I don’t know the short cut but to load the selection go to the select menu and at the bottom it says load selection. A dialogue box will come up. Click ok. Next, click the new layer icon in the layers palette. If you don’t know what that is go to layer>new layer. Select the fill tool (under the gradient tool) and white from the swatches and click over the image. If you don’t know what the fill tool looks like go to edit>fill and select white. Click ctrl+d to deselect. i hope this helped!

    By the way, i really enjoyed this tutorial. I have tried making a similar effect but nothing has turned out this polished. Thanks!

  40. Fabio Pysklyvicz 19 December, 2008 at 13:05 Reply

    Superb!

    The tilde key for the WINDOWS is Shift + ~ but on photoshop for me it worked as Alt Gr + Shift + ~

    Hope this helps

  42. Heather 10 March, 2009 at 11:01 Reply

    Thank you so much, I have been searching for a tutorial on this effect forever!! You helped me so much thank you for this tutorial.

  50. Novaman396 (on flickr) 10 May, 2009 at 14:57 Reply

    Love your tutorials. The very cool effects plus the fact that you mention all the short cut keys you are using. Excellent!!!!

  51. Paul Ferris 14 May, 2009 at 01:37 Reply

    Can anyone clear up the option command plus the tild key for me. How would I do this on CS4 on a PC not a mac? Thanks

  52. KATE 14 May, 2009 at 15:41 Reply

    HI, I WAS REALLY EXCITED TO SEE THE EFFECT YOU GOT BUT THE TUTORIAL ONLY LET ME SEE 1 MIN. OR SO. DO I NEED TO SIGN UP OR PAY FOR ANYTHING?

  53. MediaSpecialist 14 May, 2009 at 15:59 Reply

    Something is wrong with this tutorial. Everytime he gets to the part where he duplicates the layer and sets it to overlay, and then makes the comment about how saturates the colr is, the tutorials stops and a Layers maazine ad starts. This has done it six or eight times in a row.

  54. ching 23 May, 2009 at 07:14 Reply

    what is option command tilda i cant understand that he says. thers no tilda in my key is there any easiest way to get that.?

  55. envy-me 4 June, 2009 at 18:38 Reply

    i looked through all my photoshop and didn’t find something similar like channels or that(near the layers)…

  59. Kathryn 22 July, 2009 at 00:19 Reply

    I’m using Photoshop Elements 6. I can not get past the Luminosity layer. In addition I am on a PC and not a Mac. When he talks about the option command tilda key…i have tried every combo that I can think of and still cant get it to select the same thing. If someone has a solution for me it would be great!

  63. Lisa 7 November, 2009 at 16:46 Reply

    Love it too but I have a problem with my settings I think^^ When I’m doing “past the selection” (the first time)my background gets black and don’t stay white. That really sucks. You’ve got an idea where my problem is? And I also don’t know how to fill it white. If I do it like the way described from some guys here there is nothing else to see, just white^^ I am german sorry for my englisch.

  65. Steven 23 November, 2009 at 21:19 Reply

    I can’t thank you enough for this tutorial! This is exactly the information I’ve been searching for!
    I’m looking forward to view the other tutorials on the site too!

    You guys have a New Fan! 🙂

    ===Steven===>>

  66. roger 13 December, 2009 at 09:16 Reply

    thank u very much. i have a beautiful pic of my girlfriend i wanted tattooed in a pin up girl style. im about to jump on photoshop now.

  68. Pinky 17 December, 2009 at 18:14 Reply

    Hey all PC users…to load Luminosity on a pc with cs4…..
    Press and hold the Ctrl key with the Alt key then press the number 2.(not F2…just 2)

    Don’t quote me on this but I think previous versions of PS may be …..Press and hold the Ctrl key with the Alt key then press the ~ key to the left of the number 1, you may even need to press the shift key too. Someone with earlier PS may be able to confirm.

    Pinky

  71. angelica 7 January, 2010 at 22:43 Reply

    layer 3 use > hold down the option (alt key for PC users), while selecting Merge Visible. This copies all the other layers and merges their information onto the new layer.

  75. sasha 25 April, 2010 at 07:12 Reply

    Absolutely amazing tutorial!! Worked perfectly!! For ppl having issues with shortcuts just google, say “load luminosity in CS4 (or whatever version you are in as shortcuts do change from time to time) and then your OS.” Should help out a bit! Once again, GREAT tutorial!!

  76. dave 26 June, 2010 at 18:51 Reply

    CS2 and 10.4.11.
    Cannot get the luminosity selection to happen with the cntrl-opt-tilde key. Not only that, but when I try the ‘merge visible’ option as stated, it doesn’t merge all onto another layer, leaving the layers intact… it goes ahead as if I had asked it to flatten the image.
    So… I’m stuck. Help?

  79. Rachel G 16 August, 2010 at 14:33 Reply

    absolutely brilliant! I love love LOVE this tutorial and will be using everything I learned here. Thank you so much!
    The finished project is even better than the original!

  81. samoli 12 October, 2010 at 06:19 Reply

    If you are working on a mac and have Photoshop cs4 or higher, the current way to do option+command+tilde key = option+command+2.

  82. Jason 2 November, 2010 at 11:52 Reply

    I just wanted to say that I have been trying to understand how to create the pin-up effect for a long time. I stumbled across this and as I was watching I realized I was holding my breath. This was like a revelation. Thank you so much for teaching it. I can’t wait to take notes and start creating! Thanks again.

  85. Sydney 20 December, 2010 at 20:06 Reply

    Thank you! A growing part of my business is boudoir and pin up photography. I just shot a client that wants a true old school pin-up look. This has grown my method by leaps and bounds and I can’t wait to show these photos off!

  87. Melissa 18 January, 2011 at 17:25 Reply

    Please help. I can not seem to make the Tilde Key Work in Photoshop. If I hit Shift & ~ I get the symbol, when trying to compose on email. I tried in Photoshop by pressing OPT + CMD + ~ and nothing happens. I also did the following and turned on the Keyboard Viewer by going to:

    Apple menu > System Preferences, click Language & Text, and then click Input Sources.

    Open the Input Sources pane of Language & Text preferences

    Select the Keyboard & Character Viewer checkbox.

    Make sure the checkbox next to each input source you want to use is selected and that “Show Input menu in menu bar” is selected.

    Still nothing happens. What am I doing wrong? Should I re-boot or am I missing something.

    Thank you in advance!

  88. Rigoberto 22 January, 2011 at 20:19 Reply

    Hi Gary! Well… ty 4 tha demostration, Thats exactly what i looking for…
    i appreciate your time and think about how to help others
    THANK YOU VERY MUCH…

  92. Shawn 28 March, 2011 at 11:53 Reply

    It’s a good tutorial but neglects people that have a PC or do not know where to find all the shortcuts. Would like to see a tutorial that also has a PC version.

  97. Paul 13 June, 2011 at 19:07 Reply

    Hi,

    like this tut. It’s amazing… but there is one point that I can’t understand. At position 3:57 I can not understamd , what you are saying… something like “by pressing option, command….”

    I am sorry, but english is not my motherlanguage. 🙂 So I hope, you can explain the right description to me. 🙂

    Thank you and best regards
    Paul

  104. Ged 27 October, 2011 at 15:02 Reply

    All I have to say is thank you so much. I scour the internet for tuts all the time and have to sift through really bad to ok but too long and complicated to follow or missing instruction. Your tuts are short and easy and produce amazing results. Like teaching should be. Anyone looking to create a tut please follow this man and do not clutter the internet with pap. Thanks!

  110. John Dugan 10 October, 2012 at 16:21 Reply

    At 4:30 “…Now, gonna load that layer as a selection…” I don’t get the marching ants. It worked earlier when I loaded the luminosity. I’m using CS6. Thanks!

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