Trick Photoshop

Step 1 : I have opened this free stock image in Photoshop. Open any image. If you use a high resolution image it will be better. This is a high resolution image.

Step 2 : Press CTRL+J to duplicate the Background Layer. A New Layer 1 forms.

Step 3 : Go to Edit>Blur Surface Blur.

Step 4 : The Surface Blur dialogue box opens. Drag the Radius to 20 and Threshold to 15. Click OK.

Step 5 : Again press CTRL+J. This duplicates Layer 1 into Layer 1 copy.

Step 6 : Press CTRL+SHIFT+U. This is a shortcut to desaturate the image.

Step 7 : Click the Channels pallete to open it. CTRL+Click the layer thumbnail of the RGB channel at the top.

Step 8 : As soon as you CTRL+Click a selection appears on the image.

Step 9 : Switch back to the Layers pallete. Click the New Layer icon in the Layers pallete. A new layer forms above Layer 1 copy. The new layer is Layer 2.

Step 10 : Press SHIFT+CTRL+I to inverse the selection.

Step 11 : Make sure the Foreground Color is set to Black. By default it is. If it is not press 'x' and then 'd' on your keyboard.

Step 12 : Press ALT+BACKSPACE to fill with the Foreground Color which is Black. My photo looks like this. Press CTRL+D to deselect.

The Layers pallete looks  like this.

Step 13 : Turn off the eye icons on the top two layers and click on the layer below it.

The layer below is Layer 1.

Step 14 : Since you have turned off the eye icons in the top two layer the  layer below i.e. Layer 1 contains the color image. Color also  returns to the image.

Step 15 : Go to Filter>Artistic>Cutout.

Step 16 : In the Cutout dialogue box change the Number of Levels to 8, Edge Simplicity to 0 and Edge Fidelity to 3.

This is how my image looks after clicking OK in the Cutout dialogue box.

Step 17 : Press CTRL+J. Layer 1 duplicates into Layer 1 copy 2.

This is how my image looks.

Step 19 : Click on Layer 1 copy and turn on the eye icon.

Step 20 : go to Filter>Artistic>Poster Edges.

Step 21 : In the Poster Edges dialogue in the controls on the right keep the Edge Thickness, Edge Intensity and Posterization all at 1. Click OK.

This is the effect I have got.

Step 22 : Change the Blend Mode of this layer to Multiply.

This is how the image looks like now. A trifle dark.

Step 23 : Press CTRL+L. The Levels dialogue box comes up. You can drag the white slider at the left or type in a value in the highlighted box. I have typed in 150. Click OK.

The image brightens.

Step 24 : Click on Layer 2 i.e. the topmost layer and switch on the eye icon.

Step 25 : CTRL+Click on the layer thumbnail on Layer 2.

A selection forms immediately.

Step 27 : Go to Filter>Pixelate>Color Halftone.

Step 28 : In the Color Halftone dialogue box change the Max radius to 15 from the default 8. Click OK.

And here is what my image looks like.

Step 29 : Now click on the Layer mask and press CTRL+I.

And this is how my image looks.

And, there is my finished comic book effect. That was not difficult was it?

Other Photoshop tutorials are here.