Hi Contrast/Xerox Effect

[guyinsf]

Hey guys,
Does anyone know how to achieve that very high constrasty, b&w xerox effect that we see so much on tshirts and posters? I have tried using Threshhold in photoshop but that doesn't get my image to look smooth and perfect, like the example I've attached. I'm just wondering if there was a special plugin that does the trick or if you guys know specifically of the steps in photoshop that can get an image to have this look.
Thanks
Tim

[tZ]

There is no filter.

Its all about decision making.

What can be left out and added to communicate the form in one color.

I'm sure though you could play around with levels and thresholds to find a starting place. I'm not all that sure that is raster effect either, it could be a vector piece.

In that cause its all about tracing what need to be there and what doesn't to show a form.

I wouldn't say there is a quick software driven answer.

levels and threshold though are your best bet. Maybe selective color also. Other wise I couldn't think of anything.

[cornfed]

Run a gaussian blur on the photo first. That will make the darker pixels spread out more and be smoother when you threshold it (that's kind of like photoshopping it!!). Then, work with the threshold. Your lines will be a lot smoother. If theres an area that you want to show up more, then burn it with the dodge/burn tool - don't worry about how funky it looks when you burn it. It will look funny, but you'll pick up those pixels when you threshold it.

I have a bunch of paintings that I did with that effect. Our website is probably still up - www.popnouveau.com. It started out as paintings that I did of my kids but then people wanted them and a museum commissioned me to paint a bunch of stuff as decor for their annual fundraiser. I still do them when people order them, but I'm not pushing the site or anything. I would adjust the threshold in ps then print it onto transparency, then project it onto gessoed masonite and choose my colors!! They sold pretty well, but they are backbreakers to paint! We did some that were over 6 feet wide - my friend Anne and I, that is.

[guyinsf]

Great tips, I will try these out. Much appreciated guys!

[Savoir faire]

One more suggestion, if you have Illustrator CS, you can do a live trace which on an image like that and it will give you a good vector b&w trace that you can modify without any image degradation, and its an easy one step process.