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Getting the Look - part 4 of 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

by Mike McNamee Published 01/07/2016

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If the reverse is required ie a glow to the skin (more appropriate to a female model) then one way is to use the classic Tapp-Zucker method originally devised by Eddie Tapp with the late Monty Zucker. This involves a number of steps and so is best applied as an action so that it can be quickly repeated as needed. The recipe for making the action is as follows:

1. Open the Actions Palette: Window>Actions.
2. Click New Action Set from the top right disclosure triangle and call it 'Softening'.
3. Click New Action from the top right disclosure triangle and call it 'Tapp-Zucker'. You are now recording.
4. Duplicate the Background Layer.
5. Duplicate the Background Layer again.
6. Rename the lower duplicate 'Lighten' then change its blending mode
to Lighten, its opacity to 80% and Gaussian Blur it to a level of 4 pixels.
7. Set the upper duplicate ('Darken') to Darken mode, set the opacity to 40% and Gaussian Blur it 2 pixels.
8. Your Layers Palette should now look like that on the right.
9. Make a New Layer group, then 'push' the Lighten and Darken layers upwards into it in the layers palette, until they jump to the right a little. Set the 'pass through' mode to 'normal'.
10. Add a layer mask to the Group 1 layer then click Edit>Fill>Black.
11. Click stop recording.


The black layer mask on the group may be painted upon with a white brush to apply the glow just where it is required. A glowing model on top of a hard background will produce an enhanced effect and look.

The blur values are for a delicate level of skin glow, if you want a stronger effect either double up the layers a few times or modify the recipe and use higher values of blur and/or opacity.


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1st Published 01/07/2016
last update 09/12/2022 14:54:39

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