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Parallel Track↔ Recipes III

The master's reference: short answers to the hardest "how do I do that again?" — linear-light math, grain matching, micro dodge & burn, duotones, batch scripts, AI provenance. Every recipe assumes the earlier courses and links to the module that teaches the why.

📚 How to Use This

  • Search or scan. Filter by keyword below, or browse the categories.
  • Follow the quick steps. Each recipe is the short, expert version.
  • Go deeper when you want. The 🔗 Deep dive link opens the full lesson.

New to a topic? The linear course path teaches these in order. Recipes are the reference you keep alongside it.

Categories

No recipes match that search. Try a simpler word like "linear", "grain", "duotone", or "script".

🎛️ Color Science & Grade

Blur or resize in linear light

When blurred highlights go grey or thin lines darken on downscale.

  1. Edit ▸ Color Settings ▸ More Options, tick Blend RGB Colors Using Gamma 1.00 (or work in 32-bit).
  2. Blur / resize; highlights now stay bright, like real optics.
  3. Switch back for normal perceptual edits (contrast, grading).

🔗 Deep dive: Module 1.1: Scene- vs Display-Referred & Gamma

Develop a raw in the right order

When a develop comes out inconsistent or overcooked.

  1. Profile then White Balance first.
  2. Anchor Whites/Blacks, recover Highlights/Shadows, set Exposure/Contrast.
  3. Add HSL + Vibrance; Texture/Clarity/Dehaze last and sparingly. Keep it a Camera Raw Smart Filter.

🔗 Deep dive: Module 1.2: Camera Raw at Depth

Merge a bracket to HDR

When one exposure can't hold the scene's range.

  1. File ▸ Automate ▸ Merge to HDR Pro, Mode 32 Bit, Remove Ghosts.
  2. Image ▸ Mode ▸ 16-bit to open HDR Toning; compress with restraint (no crunch).

🔗 Deep dive: Module 1.3: 32-bit, HDR & Blend-Mode Math

Pick the right blend mode by math

When you're cycling modes hoping one works.

  1. Darken (shadows) → Multiply (b×s).
  2. Lighten (glows) → Screen (1−(1−b)(1−s)).
  3. Real added light (flares) → Linear Dodge (Add), in linear/32-bit so it blooms.

🔗 Deep dive: Module 1.3: 32-bit, HDR & Blend-Mode Math

🪄 Photoreal Compositing

Add a light wrap

When a cutout edge reads as a hard silhouette on a bright plate.

  1. Blur a merged copy of the background. Load the subject mask, Contract a few px, Feather.
  2. Use it as a mask on the blurred background, layer set to Screen, clipped to the subject.
  3. Strengthen only the lit rim; keep it thin.

🔗 Deep dive: Module 2.1: Light Wrap, Edges & Color Bleed

Match grain to a plate

When a clean element sits on a grainy background.

  1. Add one 50% grey, Overlay layer over the whole composite.
  2. Add grain/noise to it, matched to the plate's shadows at 100%.
  3. One unified grain over element + plate erases the texture seam.

🔗 Deep dive: Module 2.2: Matching the Capture

Match depth of field

When a sharp element floats against a shallow-DoF plate.

  1. Decide the element's distance / focal plane.
  2. Apply subject-aware lens blur (bokeh) to match the plate's background softness.
  3. Blur its shadow and reflection by the same amount.

🔗 Deep dive: Module 2.2: Matching the Capture

Add matching chromatic aberration

When the plate has edge fringing and the element doesn't.

  1. Offset the element's Red and Blue channels a pixel apart on high-contrast edges.
  2. Keep it subtle — a whisper reads as "same lens", a lot looks broken.

🔗 Deep dive: Module 2.2: Matching the Capture

Wrap a graphic onto fabric

When a decal sits flat on a folded/textured surface.

  1. Duplicate the surface, desaturate, slight blur, save as a .psd map.
  2. Filter ▸ Distort ▸ Displace the graphic against the map.
  3. Set the graphic to Multiply so the folds shade it.

🔗 Deep dive: Module 2.3: Surfaces & 3D

Comp a CGI render's passes

When you receive a multi-pass render to integrate.

  1. Multiply the AO for contact shadow; Screen/Add the specular.
  2. Drive lens-blur DoF from the depth pass; work in 32-bit.
  3. Then match edge, grain, and grade to the plate.

🔗 Deep dive: Module 2.3: Surfaces & 3D

💎 Beauty & Product

Even skin with micro dodge & burn

When skin is blotchy but you must keep pores.

  1. 50% grey Soft Light layer (or dodge/burn Curves) + a temporary B&W check on top.
  2. At 100%, 1–3% flow: lighten each dark blotch, darken each bright one.
  3. Even the transitions, never blur the texture.

🔗 Deep dive: Module 3.1: Beauty Pipeline

Unify skin color zones

When the forehead runs warm, cheeks red, chin cool.

  1. Drop a solid-color / strong Hue-Sat check to expose the zones.
  2. On masked Hue/Saturation layers, pull each zone into one hue family.

🔗 Deep dive: Module 3.1: Beauty Pipeline

Finish eyes at agency standard

When eyes look flat and muddy.

  1. Masked Curves to lift the iris; dodge the catchlight, keep the dark limbal rim.
  2. Clean sclera veins, lift the white only slightly (never paper-white).
  3. High-Pass sharpen the iris and lash line, masked.

🔗 Deep dive: Module 3.2: Hair, Lips & Eyes

Rebuild chrome/glass reflections

When a reflective product's reflections are a mess.

  1. Heal physical flaws on a cleaned base.
  2. Clip a masked layer; lay gradient reflections that follow the form (dark-light-dark).
  3. Add crisp speculars (Screen) + thin edge highlights.

🔗 Deep dive: Module 3.3: Product Retouching

🖼️ Matte Painting

Make a foliage brush from a photo

When you need to paint believable leaves/texture fast.

  1. Desaturate a foliage photo, boost contrast to a clear shape, Edit ▸ Define Brush Preset.
  2. In Brush Settings add Shape Dynamics, Scattering, Transfer, Color Dynamics.

🔗 Deep dive: Module 4.1: Photobashing & Custom Brushes

Unify a photobash

When assembled fragments still read as a collage.

  1. Match each fragment in scale/perspective; one grade over all.
  2. Overpaint the seams sampling scene colors; paint silhouettes, photo the detail.

🔗 Deep dive: Module 4.1: Photobashing & Custom Brushes

Paint atmospheric depth

When a painted scene looks flat.

  1. Solve light in value first (one committed direction).
  2. Glaze sky/atmosphere color over the background, stronger with distance.
  3. Keep the foreground dark, saturated, and crisp; detail only the focal point.

🔗 Deep dive: Module 4.2: Painting Light, Depth & Texture

Extend a plate seamlessly

When a real photo stops too soon.

  1. Read the plate's anchors: horizon, vanishing lines, light, grade — and extend them.
  2. Bury the seam with an occluder + irregular mask + carried grain.
  3. Grade the painting to the plate; one unifying grade last.

🔗 Deep dive: Module 4.3: Set Extension & Concept-to-Final

🖨️ Prepress & Production

Convert to CMYK for a press

When delivering photography to print.

  1. Soft-proof + Gamut Warning; pull impossible colors in.
  2. Edit ▸ Convert to Profile to the press's CMYK profile (once, late).
  3. Check shadow total ink within TAC (~300%); overprint small blacks.

🔗 Deep dive: Module 5.1: CMYK, Separations & Ink

Build a duotone

When a monochrome image needs richer tonal depth.

  1. Image ▸ Mode ▸ Grayscale, then Duotone.
  2. Ink 1 Black (shadows), Ink 2 a warm/cool Pantone (midtones); shape each curve.

🔗 Deep dive: Module 5.2: Spot Color, Duotone & Halftone

Add a spot channel

When you need a Pantone, metallic, or spot varnish.

  1. Channels panel ▸ New Spot Channel, pick the ink.
  2. Paint where the ink/varnish prints; save a spot-preserving format (PSD/TIFF/PDF).
  3. Confirm the plate count with the printer.

🔗 Deep dive: Module 5.2: Spot Color, Duotone & Halftone

Set up bleed & a dieline

When prepping packaging or a card for cutting.

  1. Document at trim + 3 mm bleed; guides for trim and an inner safe margin.
  2. Background fills to bleed; text stays inside safe.
  3. Dieline on a spot layer (overprint); design panels to it.

🔗 Deep dive: Module 5.3: Packaging, Large-Format & PDF/X

Export a press-ready PDF/X

When delivering final art to a printer.

  1. Save As Photoshop PDF, preset PDF/X-4 (or X-1a).
  2. Embed the press profile, add trim+bleed marks, preserve spots.
  3. Preflight the PDF and fix every flag before sending.

🔗 Deep dive: Module 5.3: Packaging, Large-Format & PDF/X

⚙️ Scripting & AI

Run & adapt a script

When a task needs a decision or loop an Action can't do.

  1. Save a .jsx, run via File ▸ Scripts ▸ Browse.
  2. Edit its values; add an if for per-file logic; wrap in try/catch.
  3. Think in the DOM: app → documents → layers → properties.

🔗 Deep dive: Module 6.1: JavaScript / UXP Scripting

Scaffold a UXP panel

When a script should be a one-click docked tool.

  1. Three files: manifest.json (panel + permissions), index.html (UI), index.js (logic).
  2. Click handler → executeAsModal → DOM / batchPlay.
  3. Load & hot-reload with the UXP Developer Tool.

🔗 Deep dive: Module 6.2: Building a Panel / Plugin

Write a QA gate

When automated output must be checked before it ships.

  1. A function that checks dims, color mode, resolution, size, ink, not-blank.
  2. Return pass/fail with reasons; route passes on, log fails loudly.
  3. Add retry/backoff and a run summary — never fail silently.

🔗 Deep dive: Module 6.3: Pipelines — Headless, APIs & QA

Generate with control

When a bare prompt keeps missing your intent.

  1. Pin composition (structure), look (reference), palette (style ref); keep the prompt short.
  2. Generate into a selection so it uses the scene's context.
  3. Curate the best, then integrate (Module 2) and hand-fix specifics.

🔗 Deep dive: Module 7.1: Generative at Pro Standard

Use a Neural Filter safely

When AI can do a fast heavy-lift (colorize, harmonize, depth blur).

  1. Run it non-destructively (Smart Filter / Output ▸ New Layer).
  2. Audit at 100%; mask, reduce, clone, and re-grade its artifacts.
  3. Match grain/sharpening; if fixing takes longer than doing, do it by hand.

🔗 Deep dive: Module 7.2: Neural Filters & Hybrid

Ship AI work with provenance

When delivering AI-assisted work to a client.

  1. Confirm the model/source is commercial-safe with clear output rights.
  2. Attach Content Credentials (C2PA); export preserving them.
  3. Add a context-appropriate disclosure; keep your own source/AI-use log.

🔗 Deep dive: Module 7.3: Licensing, Content Credentials & Disclosure

🎓 Want the full story?

Recipes get it done; the course path teaches you why, so you can solve the problems these recipes don't cover yet.