Creative Effects Challenge No. 63 - Threshold Adjustment

This creative challenge will show you how to create a layer mask from your image by using a Threshold Adjustment Layer. By this adjustment layer you will be able to create complex layer mask. This was done in elements 15 in the expert mode and the custom work space.

For this challenge, you will need an image with a plain background.

So let’s get started.

You can change this




To this



1. Open an image with a plain background.
2. Go to the adjustment layer icon and select Threshold (the second from the bottom)



3. Adjust the slider so you have a clean black and white image similar to this. (Note – Yours may have a white background with a black image. You can always invert it after step 4).



4. Create a composite layer (MAC Cmd+option+shift+e, WIN Ctrl+alt+shift+e)
5. Add a new Layer and fill with Black.
6. Add a new Layer and add a gradient as shown below.

    a. Select the Chrome Gradient
    b. Mode set to Difference
    c. Set to Linear
    d. Opacity 100%
    e. Check Transparency and Dither




7. Now start by clicking and dragging from one point to another and then randomly again and again, until you end up with something like this.



8. Add a Layer mask to this layer.
9. Select the composite layer created in step 4.
10. Select all (Cmd/Ctrl+a) and Copy (Cmd/Ctrl+c)
11. Select the layer with the layer mask
12. Option/Alt click on the layer mask
13. Press Cmd/Ctrl+v to paste the composite into the layer mask
14. Option/Alt click on the layer mask
15. Add a bevel you like from styles and your done.

Layer Stack