Puppetwarp in Photoshop

I use this function with nearly every single image I edit! Here's step by step on how I do it.

1. Open your image in Photoshop and duplicate the layer. You want to apply the puppet warp to the new layer, making it easier to delete the change if you don't like it.

2. Click on the Edit menu and select Puppet Warp from the dropdown list.

3. A mesh grid will appear over your image. Use your mouse or stylus to click and drag the points of the mesh grid to create pins. I start with pinning the corners and along all the edges. Then I pin the face all the way around and also put a pin in the eyes, things I don't want to move get a pin.

4. Once you have placed pins around the areas you want, you can start bending and warping your image by dragging the pins to new positions. (Try pulling out the hair a bit, or making that dress a little fuller, flowers bigger...)

5. To add more pins, simply click on the mesh grid where you want to place a new pin.

6. To remove a pin, click and drag it off the mesh grid or right click and delete it.

7. Use the Mode dropdown menu to select the type of distortion you want to apply. You can choose from Normal, Rigid, or Distort.

8. Use the Density slider to adjust the intensity of the Puppet Warp effect. Drag the slider to the left to reduce the distortion, or to the right to increase it.

9. Once you are happy with the distortion, click on the checkmark in the Options bar to apply the effect.

10. Turn your puppet layer on and off to make sure that you like the effect, then flatten the image to go back to one layer.

*tip: can turn the mesh grid off by selecting the box in the puppet warp screen, I like it better without the grid myself.

Puppet Warp is a powerful tool that can be used to create a variety of effects, from subtle distortions to more dramatic transformations. With a little practice, you can use Puppet Warp to create stunning visual effects and bring your images to life.