What exactly is a manipulation?

A manipulation is a realistic piece of artwork that is actually an image with heaps and heaps of layers of different objects, like stocks and colourings.

When you do manipulations, there are a few key concepts that you should focus on.

What is the theme of my manipulation?

How many layers are going to be in it, or should I have a limit in the amount?

How exactly do I want it to look like?

Where can I grab good stocks?

How do I make it look realistic?

Before you start to worry and ask many questions and get all upset, JUST CALM DOWN.

You're going to do fine, and you should always believe in yourself. If you don't believe that you can do well, then you won't do well. But if you believe you can do it, you'll try your best, and the result of the graphic you are making will be better than you anticipated. All it takes is a bit of positivity.

NEVER COMPARE YOUR WORK TO OTHER PEOPLE. This is practically a main rule in graphic designing, and it applies everywhere, even when you want to make manipulations.

Sure, check out other peoples works for inspo. but don't go all down on yourself and say that you'll never be like those ''amazing people''.

Screw them!

This is your work, and it's not as if they're standing behind you and peering over you shoulder and judging every single layer you delete on photoshop! It doesn't work that way.

Comparing is a terrible thing. Its like an evil dark demon that you're trying to get rid of, but it keeps coming back and youre enthusiasm has suddenly converted to zero.

Sure, there'll be that moment when you start to visit their page often, until you realise that you visit their website twenty times a day when you look at your own history, but....

Never. Ever. Doubt. Yourself.

Okay???

Good.

Because you'll need to keep that stored forever in your brain.

Now, let me answer those questions.

So, what theme are you supposed to do when creating a manipulation?

The theme of your manipulation really depends on how you're going. Lets be dead honest here. There doesn't have to be an exact mood unless you're doing an entry for a competition, or any of the similar situations.

Base the theme on how you feel. How many dark songs have you listened to on Spotify today? How many times have you felt that beating heart of yours so loud that you think everyone else can hear you? How about that amazing sensation after you finish a speech? Have any of these things happened recently? If it has, base your theme on that.

If i'm feeling bright and happy, i'll grab a stock of some birds and PSD #45 by Evey-V. That's just how I roll.

Capiche?

How many layers should you actually have in a manipulation?

Well, there's no limits, and here's a fun fact that you should know when it comes to manipulation.

Professional photo-manipulation artists who have do artworks often, use many layers. And when I mean many, I mean like 70 or a number close to that. They might even do a hundred!

Before you freak out, read out the first word in the paragraph above.

Professional.

Professional means someone with like years and years of experience.

Just because you started doesn't mean that you have to use a bunch of layers. Lets be truthful. If you've just begun, you'll obviously stuff up on the twentieth layer if you try.

Experience is the thing that changes it all.

When I was an immature (i still am) and also a twelvie, I spent 15 minutes on a cover. And when I mean that, I mean going on powerpoint, slapping pixelated pictures on, adding on bleeding cowboys, and using snipping tool to get the wrong-sized final product.

Hey, we all start somewhere right?

Fast forward to almost two years later, in 15 minutes, I end up with a decent cover that many people praise and call it amazing.

See what I mean? Experience gets you everywhere.

You're not going to be a professional from day one, so if you want to be amazing, you need to stay committed to what you are doing.

So if you want to be good in photomanipulation, you'll need to stay committed.

Always remember that.

How exactly do you want your manip to look like?

Um, well that's your choice honestly.

But- that doesn't mean your finalized product is going to look EXACTLY like what you imagined.

Nope, not at all. It doesn't work that way.

If you are 20 minutes into making a graphic, you're bound to stuff up somehow, or can't get the right resource or positioning. Maybe the font isn't right, or the colouring doesn't seem to blend in well.

Take a new step by opening a new layer, and don't be afraid to explore your own ideas.

I remember using an example from such a long time ago, but I still haven't forgotten it.

I had said that if someone was making a graphic for fun, and the main focus was a picture of a horse, they should go and add in a horn and boom.....A UNICORN!!

Exploring new ideas can be a good choice you'll enjoy. The unicorn example would have made the creator of the graphic happy and pleased, especially since the graphic now looks SOOO MAGICAL !!

See what I mean?

No need to copy off your inspiring designers, heck, become an inspiring designer yourself instead!!

Now, where exactly can you grab good stocks for photo-manipulation?

This is the scene where i'm screaming my lungs out.

FAESTOCK. FAESTOCK. FAESTOCK.

Either that, or just go and check out Deviantart. Even though Faestock is on Deviantart anyways.

How do you make your manipulation look realistic?

Well, try to reduce any effects you have added on, especially colourings.

Colourings do look nice, but if you want your artwork to look realistic, you better get rid of it.

You can still use it though, you just need to use the appropriate type of colouring.

There is one particular colouring that I like, that is really good when it comes to these kind of things

This magical beauty solves it all.

http://krypteriahg.deviantart.com/art/PSD-51-Peachy-Reds-484842456

( CREDIT TO KRYPETRIAHG ON DEVIANTART !! )

It has a more realistic effect to it, so if you feel like you're going to faint without a colouring, you should use this!

Make sure to credit KrypeteriaHG if you decide to use it!

Also, If you have added on lighting to your work, i'd recommend to put it on ''overlay'' and on 50%, erasing parts where necessary.

The last tip you should always remember is vitally important.

DON'T. OVERUSE. TOPAZ.

( topaz clean that is)

I know that everyone's excited when it comes to topaz clean when you usually finish your graphic, but please.

PEOPLE THINK THAT IT LOOKS AMAZING IF THEY KEEP INCREASING THE AMOUNT.

Newsflash!! It doesn't!! Keep it low people!

And there you have it! All you need to know when it comes to making manipulations!

How about trying to make one right now? I'd love to see your results, so send me a pm if you made one, and i'll give you feedback!!