Photoshop Tutorial: How to Create Longer Nails

A Quick and Easy Tutorial

In this Adobe Photoshop tutorial, you will learn how to make finger nails longer. This is a fun and easy tutorial for everyone from beginner to expert users. In addition, many professional photo editors use this technique when working on editorial photographs for ads in magazines, and now you can learn this technique too!

Before you start you need to find an image of hands. Obviously this works best if they are feminine hands, but you can choose whatever you like. If you personally do not have a picture of hands, there are tons of free photo and image sites online. A good place to start looking is www.sxc.hu or istockphoto.com.

Step 1) When you have selected the image you want to work with, open the document up in Adobe Photoshop as its own canvas. Make sure the document is saved and the canvas is flattened. (Layer> Flatten Image).

Step 2) Select the Pen Tool and draw a square around the nail. This will help get a good shape to form the new nail. Try your best to make it even as possible. It may take a few times to get it right. If you mess up and want to go back press Crtl+Z+Alt. This will take you back a step.

Step 3) After you have created the shape, click on the layer called Shape 1 keeping the Ctrl button on the keyboard pressed. This way when you select the outline, you can cancel the layer and choose the image layer instead.

Step 4) Now that the outline is done, it needs to be filled. Use the Clone Stamp Tool. Set the sampling area by putting the pointer on the actual nail and Alt-clicking your pointer.

Step 5) Drag the inner area to the outline to get a longer effect. Repeat this process until the whole area is evenly filled throughout the inside of the outline. Keep in mind you can always zoom in and out to check if things are even, including the tone, coloring, and sharpness.

Step 6) Once you are done, press Ctrl+D to deselect the outline. Now that the area is no longer selected you will see there are imperfections on the new nail. To fix this, select the Blur Tool on the vertical menu bar.

Step 7) Select the appropriate size of the Blur Tool brush. Go over the nail several times to blend the tones better together.