Liquify

Another powerful filter in Adobe Photoshop is the liquify filter, using that filter you can distort, push, pull, twirl … etc any part of your image. It’s like you are melting that part of the image, this will give you the ability to make countless effects on images.

How to use the liquify filter:

1.Go to menu bar >> select File >> Open to bring any image inside Photoshop.
2.Now that you opened an image inside Photoshop go to the menu bar again, select Filter >> Liquify.
3.Choosing the liquify filter will open the liquify dialog box containing the image you want to edit and the options and tools that you can use.

The tools in the liquify dialog box are:

1. Forward wrap tool. 2. Reconstruct tool. 3. Twirl clockwise tool. 4. Pucker tool. 5. Bloat tool. 6. Push left tool. 7. Mirror tool. 8. Turbulence tool. 9. Freeze mask tool. 10. Thaw mask tool. 11. Hand tool. 12. Zoom tool

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4.Now choose any of these tools and make the adjustments you want on your image.

Inside the liquify dialog box you’ll find the following tool options that you can set and edit to give you the tool you wish to work with on your image, these options are:

1. Brush size: here you can enter the size you wish for the brush you want to use, or you can drag the slider to get the size you want. 2. Brush density: here you can enter the density of the effect you want to apply in the box or you can set the density by dragging the slider designed for that. 3. Brush pressure: the pressure of the brush can be set by entering the value you want in the box or by dragging the slider designed for that. 4. Brush rate: This determines the pressure of the brush while it moves on the image areas. 5. Turbulent jitter: you can set that when you select the turbulence tool, by either entering the jitter value in the box or by dragging the slider designed for that.

6. Reconstruct mode: when you select the reconstruct tool, the reconstruct mode will be automatically opened so that you can choose the mode you want from a list, the modes are: a. Revert. b. Rigid. c. Stiff. d. Smooth. e. Loose.

Mask options are also available inside the liquify dialog box, these options are:

1.Replace selection: and it contains the following options:
a.Selection.
b.Transparency.
c.Layer mask.

2.Add to selection: and it contains the following options:
a.Selection.
b.Transparency.
c.Layer mask.

3.Subtract from selection: and it contains the following options:
a.Selection.
b.Transparency.
c.Layer mask.

4.Intersect with selection: and it contains the following options:
a.Selection.
b.Transparency.
c.Layer mask.

5.Invert selection: and it contains the following options:
a.Selection.
b.Transparency.
c.Layer mask.

View options: here you can choose what you want to be visible while working inside the liquify dialog box and how you want it to be visible.

-Show image:

a.By checking the box next to show image, you can see the changes while you do them on the image.

b.If you unchecked the box next to show image you’ll notice that you can still see the image but almost transparent and you can’t see the changes while you do them you can only see the changes when you click ok and go outside the liquify dialog box.

-Show mesh:

a.By checking the box next to show mesh you are telling Photoshop to display reference mesh in preview, and you have different options when you check that box.

a.Mesh size: here you can choose the size you want for the mesh, small medium or large.

b.Mesh color: here you can select the color of the mesh, the available color are:

-Red.

-Yellow.

-Green.

-Cyan.

-Blue.

-Magenta.

-Gray.

-Show mask: when you check the box next to show mask you’ll have the ability to change the mask color.

-Red.

-Yellow.

-Green.

-Cyan.

-Blue.

-Magenta.

-Gray.

-Show backdrop: this option is usually used for liquifying multiple layers, but you can also see the effect on a single layer image.

a.If you checked the box next to show backdrop and did anything on the image by any of the liquify tools you’ll also see the changes happening but you’ll also see a transparent un editable copy of the image locked in the exact position of the original image. You have three options to choose from when you check and select that option, and they are:

Use: this will give you the ability to select a layer or all layers.

Mode: here you can select the mode of the backdrop, the modes are:

a.In front.

b.Behind.

c.Blend.

Opacity: here you can enter the value of opacity or drag the slider designed for that purpose to set the opacity.