by igjoe on Sun Jan 11, 2009 5:43 pm
Here are a couple techniques to look into
1. to get that gritty texture look, find a texture that you like. Any image will work really (sandpaper, jeans, concrete, etc) you just have to make it a black and white image and then mess with the blending modes and opacity until you find something you like. Google for tutorials on blending modes for help on that. This layer will go on top of all the other layers.
2. to get that glow you won't necessarily be using a "glow" technique. Instead, try putting a solid black layer on top of your image and then using a feathered selection to "cut" a hole through the black to see the image below. The feathering will give that gradual glow look. To do this method, simply use the elliptical marquee tool and set the feathering (should be near the top menu bar) to create the circle/oval that you want to cut out. Then just hit delete when you make your selection. You might have to do some trial and error until you get it right, but this method should do what you are looking for.
Just to let you know I am using Photoshop CS2. To be honest there are some more advanced ways to get this done, but these methods are easy and will look great if you take the time and find the right settings. Best of luck!
