How to Create a Sin City Effect in Affinity Photo

In this tutorial, we will learn how to create a sin city effect in Affinity Photo. Other names that the sin city effect goes by are film noir effect and solo color effect. This effect turns an image to black and white with the exception of one color. In addition, this is also a type of color correction technique.

Go to the following links to download the images for the tutorial.

• Man on Motorcycle
• Couple in Parking Garage

Now, let’s create the sin city effect!

Step 1

First, go to File > Open and select the picture of the man on the motorcycle.

Step 2

With the image still selected, press CTRL + J to make a duplicate. Or right-click on the image and select Duplicate. Name the original layer Original.

Step 3

Next, select the duplicated image. Then, select the Adjustments icon in the Layers Panel and click Black and White. In the Layers Panel, drag the adjustment layer inside of the duplicated image layer.

Step 4

With the black and white adjustment still selected, Press CTRL + J to duplicate the layer. Or right-click on the layer and select Duplicate.

Step 5

Now, select the original black and white adjustment layer. Set the Blend Mode of this layer to Soft Light.

Step 6

After that, grab the Paint Brush Tool from the Tools Panel. In the Swatches Panel, make sure your black color is active. Next, go to the Brushes Panel and select the 128 px Round Soft Brush. Then, in the Layers Panel, select the duplicated black and white adjustment layer.

Step 7

Take the brush and paint over the man’s shirt to reveal its color.

Step 8

Once you’ve revealed the red in the shirt, take the brush and go to the motorcycle to reveal the red parts of it.

Step 9

Select the Adjustments icon. Click on the Curves adjustment. Add a point in the middle. Then, drag the point slight down and to the right. In the Layers Panel, drag the Curves adjustment inside of the Background layer.

Step 10

Next, select the Add Pixel Layer icon in the Layers Panel to ad a new pixel layer. Make sure this pixel layer is at the top of everything.

Step 11

With the pixel layer selected, go to the Swatches Panel. Select the Black 60% color. Then, go to the Edit menu and select Fill with Primary Color. This will fill the pixel layer with the grayish color.

Step 12

After that, select the filled pixel layer. Go to the Filters menu. Next, go to Colors > Halftone. Set the Screen to Line, the Cell Size to 80, and the Contrast to 85. Then, hit Apply. Label this layer Halftone in the Layers Panel.

Step 13

With the halftone layer selected, press CTRL and stretch the halftone layer.

Step 14

Now, set the Blend Mode of the layer to Multiply, and lower the Opacity to 30%.

Step 15

Next, go to the Layers Panel and click Add Pixel Layer to add another pixel layer. Then, go to the Edit menu and select Fill with Secondary Color. The pixel layer should be filled with black.

Step 16

Go to the Filter menu. Next, go to Noise > Add Noise. Set the Intensity to 50%. Make sure Gaussian is selected and that Monochromatic is selected. In the Layers Panel, set the Blend Mode of this layer to Soft Light and lower the Opacity to 30%. Label this layer Noise.

Step 17

In the Layers Panel, select the Background layer, the Halftone layer, and the Noise layer. Press CTRL + G to group these layers together. Or right click on the selected layers and click Group. Label this group Sin City.

Second Technique for Sin City Effect.

Step 1

Go to File > Open and select the image of the couple in the parking garage.

Step 2

Press CTRL + J to duplicate the image. Label the original image as Original.

Step 3

Now, go to the Adjustments icon the Layers Panel and select the Black and White adjustment. Drag this adjustment inside of the Background layer.

Step 4

Next, press CTRL + J to duplicate the adjustment layer. Then, select the original adjustment layer. Set the Blend Mode to Soft Light to add more contrast to the image.

Step 5

After that, go to the Adjustments icon and select the Curves adjustment. Like before, add a point in the middle of the line and drag it slight down to the right.

Step 6

Select the Background layer. Then, grab the Selection Brush Tool from the Tools Panel. In the Context Toolbar, set the Mode to Add and check the Snap to Edges box. Take the brush and select the man’s shirt.

Step 7

After select the man’s shirt, take the brush and select the woman’s shirt. Make sure you have the Add Mode selected.

Step 8

Once you’ve done that, go to the Context Toolbar and select Refine. Set the Output to New Layer with Mask and hit Apply.

Step 9

Now, go to the Adjustments icon and select the Curves adjustments. Drag the adjustment into the shirt layer. Label this layer Shirt and turn the Background layer back on.

Step 10

With the Curves layer dialog box still open, go to the Red Channel. Add the same points to the line that you see on the screen.

Step 11

Next, go to the Green Channel. Add the points to this channel like you see on the screen.

Step 12

After that, go to the Blue Channel. Add the following points you see on the screen.

Step 13

In the Layers Panel, go to the Adjustments icon and select the HSL adjustment. Drag the adjustment inside of the Shirt layer if it is not inside this layer.

Step 14

Select the Red Channel. Set the Hue Shift to 5 degrees, Saturation Shift to 60%, and Luminosity Shift to – 5%.

Step 15

Next, select the Magenta channel. Set the Hue Shift to -20 degrees and the Saturation Shift to 28%.

Step 16

With the Shirt layer still selected, click the Mask Layer icon to add a mask to this layer.

Step 17

Grab the Paint Brush Tool from the Tools Panel. Make sure the new mask layer is selected in the Layers Panel. Also, make sure that the black color is active in the Swatches Panel. Take the brush and go over the woman’s hand to remove any red parts. Then, take the brush and do the same thing for the man’s necklace.

Step 18

Go to the Layers Panel and click the Add Pixel Layer. Make sure this layer is at the top of everything. Label the layer Halftone. Then, go to the Swatches Panel and select the Black 60% color. Now, go to the Edit menu and select Fill with Primary Color.

Step 19

Next, go to the Filters menu. Select Colors > Halftone. Set the Screen to Line, Cell Size to 80, and the Contrast to 85. Hit Apply.

Step 20

Press CTRL + Shift and stretch the Halftone layer.

Step 21

Now, hold Shift and rotate the layer to about -45 degrees.

Step 22

In the Layers Panel, set the Blend Mode of the halftone layer to Multiply and set the Opacity to 40%.

Step 23

After that, go to the Layers Panel and click the Add Pixel Layer. Label this layer Noise.

Step 24

In the Swatches Panel, select the black color. Then, go to the Edit menu and select Fill with Secondary Color to fill the pixel layer with black.

Step 25

With the noise layer still selected, go to the Filters menu. Select Noise > Add Noise. Set the Intensity to 50%. Then, select the Gaussian, and check Monochromatic. Hit Apply.

Step 26

Set the Blend Mode of the noise layer to Soft Light. Then, lower the Opacity to 20%.

Step 27

Select the Background layer in the Layers panel. Grab the Selection Brush Tool from the Tools Panel. Take the brush and make a selection of the man’s face and neck area.

Step 28

Now, go to the Layers Panel and select the Adjustments icon. Then, select the Brightness and Contrast adjustment. Set the Brightness to 60%.

Step 29

Press CTRL + D to deselect the selection. Or go to the Select menu. Then, click Deselect.

Congratulations, this tutorial is complete! You now know how to create a sin city effect in Affinity Photo. For more Affinity Photo tutorial, check out this tutorial on how to create a hologram effect.