MEXTURES SESSIONS: GNARLY FORMULAS
Recently we’ve been inspired by users creating hyper-colorful, over-exposed, and otherwise gnarly edits using Mextures. So we thought that we’d put together a helpful tutorial to others who may be inspired by this type of work but unsure of how to accomplish it themselves. We used two images from @as_it_is_____ that are featured right now over at the Mextures Collective. Read along and learn along!
Formula Code: RDCDXBA
For this formula, I scrolled directly down to the Light Leaks 4 pack and snagged ALIEN, shifting it to orientation 3 and changing the blend mode to Difference. This created a gnarly bokeh type film imperfection that I exploited further by adding FLECK from Dust & Dirt and blending it in Color Burn. With this overlay and blend mode I’m able to create more dark blues and purples across this wonderful image and pull together my toning. From here I use the Vignette overlay in the Landscape Enhance pack to delete the rest of my bright whites. Now you can follow the color fade from the bottom left of the image to the top righthand corner. I then add the NAVY overlay from X-film pack to pull together all of my darker colors before jumping in to the polishing tools and selecting a film preset. I wanted to stick with that “dirty film” vibe so I selected P-669-C which creates a classic Polaroid-esque feel and then I bumped the adjustments as I saw fit. Nailed it!
Formula Code: MJRWYEN
I chose this picture to edit because the entire frame was full of muted colors and tones to start with, so I knew it would be fun to brighten it up with a gnarly formula. I first added my old friend, NEUTRAL DENSITY, from the Landscape Enhance pack and used it to even out natural blacks and whites of this photo. Next I brought in VINTAGE from the Vintage Gradient pack as I felt it would help me greatly in creating some moody grays and blues. With this formula, I used CANDLE from the Light Leaks 1 pack and blended it in Difference mode which, coincidentally, made quite a difference. Now these funky light leak colors begin to sweep across the image highlighting colors and landscape in a really fun way. Lilac from X-film is the perfect touch of fade and exposure filtered through a complementary color. The K-PORTA film preset is one of my absolutely favorite film manipulations and after applying it the adjustments I make with the polishing tools are minimal and only adjusted to match with the color and overall mood that I’ve already created.
