04
MASK THE EDGES
Bring in more splashes
and drops in the same way.
However, in the splash we’ve
used here the edges of the
selection look unnaturally
hard. In this case, a layer
mask helps to soften the
transition. Click the Add Mask
icon in the Layers panel,
then use a soft-edged brush
tip and paint black over the
image to soften the edges.
05
BUILD IT UP
We can reuse layers
and position them around
the frame to build up the
effect. Using the Move tool,
simply hold Alt and drag a
layer to make a quick copy.
Try rotating layers to mix
things up. Check ‘Show
Transform Controls’ in the
move tool options then drag
the bounding box to rotate
the layer.
06
ENHANCE THE TONES
The Camera Raw
filter is ideal for those final
tonal tweaks. Highlight
the top layer and hit Cmd/
Ctrl+Shift+Alt+E to merge
a copy of everything, then
go to Filter>Camera Raw
Filter. Choose a Profile in
the browser to the right and
use the tonal sliders in the
Basic panel to add clarity
and contrast.