Transforming an Image in Photoshop

Liquify seems impossibly complex on the surface, but it’s as easy to apply as fingerpaint after you play with it a little. Here’s a step-by-step scenario of the things you might do to apply some distortion to your own image:
1. Select and open an image you want to transmogrify with Liquify. Select a layer.
2. If you don’t want to distort the whole layer, you can make your desired selection.
Remember that you can also use a layer mask, an alpha channel, or transparent areas to define what portions you want to distort.
3. Choose Filter-->Liquify or press Shift+Ctrl+X (Shift+Ô+X on the Mac).
The Liquify dialog box appears.
4. If applicable, load your selection, layer mask, transparent areas, or alpha channel in the Mask Options area (see the earlier explanation of the mask options).
Make sure that you have selected the Show Mask option in the View Options area.
5. You can also select the Freeze Mask tool and paint over the areas that you want to mask or protect.
After you’ve frozen an area, you may want to get rid of the freeze highlighting for a while. Deselect the Show Mask option in View Options to turn the display on or off.
6. In the View Options area, make sure that the Show Mesh and Show Image options are both selected.
You can hide any or all of these at any time to get a different view of your image. For example, you might want to hide the frozen areas and mesh to view only your image with the distortions you’ve applied so far. Or, perhaps, you might want to look only at the mesh, to get a stylized look at the distortions by themselves. The ability to see the liquification process in several different ways is one of the reasons why Liquify is so controllable.
7. If you’re having trouble seeing the mesh, or think the mask color will blend in with a dominant color in your image, use the view options to change the size and color of the mesh and the hue of the mask
If you want to see your image distortions against a backdrop, you can select that option as well.
8. Use the painting tools to apply various effects to your image.
Remember to adjust the brush size and pressure to get the exact coverage you want. At various points while you work, you may decide that you want to freeze parts of the image from further changes (either temporarily or permanently).
9. If you decide you want to work on an area again, select the Show Mask option to display the frozen areas again (if necessary). Then select the Thaw Mask tool and erase all or part of the freeze.
10. Use the Reconstruct tool or options to partially or fully reverse or modify your distortions.
If you want to start over, click Restore All to get back to your original image. All option settings will stay as is. Press the Alt key (Option on the Mac) and click Reset to revert back to your original image and reset all options to their default settings.
11. When you’re finished, save the mesh you created by clicking Save Mesh. Give the mesh a name and store it on your hard drive.
This step is totally optional, but it’s a good idea if you really like what you’ve done.
12. Apply the distortion to your image by clicking OK and exiting the Liquify dialog box.