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Mesektet Ra
Lindsey McDonald - Part 1 Completed
Benboy606 - Part 1 Completed
Tutorial: Basic Manipulation
Adobe Photoshop CS2
Our goal for this tutorial is to get from this:
To this:
This tutorial consists of working with many layers, filters, and textures. I’m going to try to walk you through the process step-by-step as best I can.
1. First, you’ll create a new document by selecting New under the “File” category on the toolbar. I used a 300 (height) X 300 (width) pixel workspace.
2. I like to work with a black background, so I used the “paint bucket” tool on the tools table (it looks exactly as it sounds, and can be easily found by right- clicking on the gradient icon ) to fill the workspace with color.
· Select your background color on your color table.
· Select the “paint bucket” tool (Left-click anywhere on workspace to fill).
3. Create a new layer (the icon you need will be located at the bottom of your layers table).
4. Choose your first picture by selecting place under the “File” category on the toolbar. Work the image to the size that you need.
*Depending on the image quality, you may want to sharpen the image at this point. It will make masking a bit easier. (You can do this by selecting sharpen under the “Filter” category on the toolbar.)
5. Remove the unwanted portion of the photo. In this case that would be anything other than Sarah. There are several ways to do this. I do this by zooming in on the image and using the eraser tool , because I feel it gives me a bit more control over detail.
· Select Zoom In under the “View” category on the toolbar.
· Select your eraser tool and choose your brush size from the taskbar at the top of the screen. (In this case I used a brush with a Master diameter of 5, and a Hardness of 100%)
· Erase along the outer edges of the object. You can change the size of your brush, and zoom in and out as much as you like. When you’ve finished, erase the unwanted remains of the picture to leave only the object you wish to use. In this case, that would be Sarah.
· Zoom in to original view.
You’re image should look like this so far:
6. Use the “Blur” tool to soften the outside edges of the object (it resembles a teardrop and can be found by right-clicking on the “smudge” tool .)
*There are many ways to mask an image. This image isn’t a very difficult one to work with, so the zoom and erase method works fine. However, if you have an image that isn’t quite so basic, here’s a great tutorial on yet another way to mask an image. http://www.photoshopcafe.com/tutoria...ng/masking.htm
7. Create a new layer.
*If at any point you would like to merge your layers to simplify your workspace, you can do so by selecting Merge Layers under the “Layers” category on the toolbar.
8. Then I used the “lasso” tool to outline Sarah’s lips.
· Erase everything but the selected lips.
· Switch to “Multiply” mode on your layers table. Set your opacity to desire. I believe the opacity I used for Sarah’s lips was 75%.
· Sharpen your image. (“Filter” category==> Sharpen==> Sharpen)
*This makes the lips stand out from the image. You can do this with the eyes or anything else you would like to enhance. Play with your layer effects (as seen above), Get a feel for which ones do what.
9. Create New Layer.
10. Choose and place your next image. After sizing it to the size that you will need, position it as you need it. For the Eagle I had to flip the picture so that the bird was facing in the opposite direction. Do this as you are sizing the picture, and BEFORE you “place” it permanently to the layer.
11. Repeat the masking process as you did with the previous image.
12. After masking the image, use the “Move” tool to place it wherever you need it on the workspace. In this case I placed the bird atop Sarah’s shoulder.
13. Add a Drop-Shadow to the second image to give it a more realistic feel. (“Layer” category ==>Layer Style ==>Drop Shadow)
*When you are working with layers, make sure to pay attention to shadows and lighting effects. If you place an image atop or in front of another image, add a shadow. If one image’s lighting is cast from one direction, and you’re trying to merge it with an image that’s light has been cast from a completely different direction, it won’t work. Alter the lighting effect on the second image to match. You can find the lighting effects option under the “Filter” category. (“Filter” ==>Render ==>Lighting Effects). Even the best blends look flat and lifeless without shadows and the correct light cast.
14. Outline eyes with “Lasso” tool (as before), and sharpen your selection. This will accent the eyes a bit. Make sure you do this on the original layer of Sarah.
15. Go ahead and flatten your image now to make room for more layers. (“Layers” ==> Merge Layers)
16. Now I threw some lighting in there to bring the entire image “together”, so to speak. As above: “Filter” ==> Render ==> Lighting Effects.
17. Create a new layer.
18. Select your “Create New Fill” icon from the bottom of your layers table. Select Gradient Map.
· Choose from your selections of gradients to fit your liking. In this selection I used a Plum/Gold selection, and adjusted the fill for that layer to 40%. You can adjust the “Fill” on the upper right-hand corner of the layers table.
19. Create a new layer.
20. Chose and place a texture. I downloaded a good majority of my textures from various sites such as Impulsive , Reflective Desires , and Dying-Day.
· Once you have placed the texture, set its layer effect to your choosing. In this image I used The “Soft Light” effect, at 100% fill.
21. I then simply erased the texture from atop Sarah and the bird, careful of the edges.
*For the next couple of steps, I am going to be using filters that do not come with the Adobe programs. You can download all of these Plug-In filters and more for free at this website: Xero. If you do not wish to download the filters, that’s fine…Just skip these steps that pertain to Xero filters, and move on to the following steps.
22. Flatten your image.
23. Apply the Radiance (Xero) filter to the image (“Filter” ==> Xero ==> Radiance). Set the Strangeness, Charm, Truth, and Beauty to 52%
24. Use the Paint Daubs (Adobe) filter (“Filter” ==> Filter Gallery ==> Artistic ==> Paint Daubs). Set the Brush size and Sharpness to a 1. Brush type: Simple.
25. Apply the Diffuse Glow (Adobe) filter (“Filter” ==> Filter Gallery ==> Distort ==> Diffuse Glow). Set the Graininess to a 1, Glow to 0, and Clear Amount to 20.
26. Create a new layer.
27. Select your “Brush” tool (which can be found by right-clicking on the “Pencil” tool ) and set your brush size to 100pt, and brush hardness to 0.
· Choose black as your color.
· Create a border-like feel by darkening the corners and edges of the image.
28. Create New Layer.
29. Select your “Text” tool .
· Choose your font, size, and color for your text on the tool bar at the top of the screen. I chose Harrington, 30pt, purple.
· I added a bit of a Drop Shadow to the text (“Layer” ==> Layer Style ==> Drop Shadow). I used the Multiply effect, 70% opacity, and a 90° angle.
Your image should now look like this:
30. Now “Flatten” your image (“Layers” ==> Flatten image), save it….and viola, you’re done!
Mesektet Ra
Lindsey McDonald - Part 1 Completed
Benboy606 - Part 1 Completed
Tutorial: Basic Manipulation
Adobe Photoshop CS2
Our goal for this tutorial is to get from this:


To this:

This tutorial consists of working with many layers, filters, and textures. I’m going to try to walk you through the process step-by-step as best I can.
1. First, you’ll create a new document by selecting New under the “File” category on the toolbar. I used a 300 (height) X 300 (width) pixel workspace.
2. I like to work with a black background, so I used the “paint bucket” tool on the tools table (it looks exactly as it sounds, and can be easily found by right- clicking on the gradient icon ) to fill the workspace with color.
· Select your background color on your color table.
· Select the “paint bucket” tool (Left-click anywhere on workspace to fill).
3. Create a new layer (the icon you need will be located at the bottom of your layers table).
4. Choose your first picture by selecting place under the “File” category on the toolbar. Work the image to the size that you need.
*Depending on the image quality, you may want to sharpen the image at this point. It will make masking a bit easier. (You can do this by selecting sharpen under the “Filter” category on the toolbar.)
5. Remove the unwanted portion of the photo. In this case that would be anything other than Sarah. There are several ways to do this. I do this by zooming in on the image and using the eraser tool , because I feel it gives me a bit more control over detail.
· Select Zoom In under the “View” category on the toolbar.
· Select your eraser tool and choose your brush size from the taskbar at the top of the screen. (In this case I used a brush with a Master diameter of 5, and a Hardness of 100%)
· Erase along the outer edges of the object. You can change the size of your brush, and zoom in and out as much as you like. When you’ve finished, erase the unwanted remains of the picture to leave only the object you wish to use. In this case, that would be Sarah.
· Zoom in to original view.
You’re image should look like this so far:

6. Use the “Blur” tool to soften the outside edges of the object (it resembles a teardrop and can be found by right-clicking on the “smudge” tool .)
*There are many ways to mask an image. This image isn’t a very difficult one to work with, so the zoom and erase method works fine. However, if you have an image that isn’t quite so basic, here’s a great tutorial on yet another way to mask an image. http://www.photoshopcafe.com/tutoria...ng/masking.htm
7. Create a new layer.
*If at any point you would like to merge your layers to simplify your workspace, you can do so by selecting Merge Layers under the “Layers” category on the toolbar.
8. Then I used the “lasso” tool to outline Sarah’s lips.
· Erase everything but the selected lips.
· Switch to “Multiply” mode on your layers table. Set your opacity to desire. I believe the opacity I used for Sarah’s lips was 75%.
· Sharpen your image. (“Filter” category==> Sharpen==> Sharpen)
*This makes the lips stand out from the image. You can do this with the eyes or anything else you would like to enhance. Play with your layer effects (as seen above), Get a feel for which ones do what.
9. Create New Layer.
10. Choose and place your next image. After sizing it to the size that you will need, position it as you need it. For the Eagle I had to flip the picture so that the bird was facing in the opposite direction. Do this as you are sizing the picture, and BEFORE you “place” it permanently to the layer.
11. Repeat the masking process as you did with the previous image.
12. After masking the image, use the “Move” tool to place it wherever you need it on the workspace. In this case I placed the bird atop Sarah’s shoulder.
13. Add a Drop-Shadow to the second image to give it a more realistic feel. (“Layer” category ==>Layer Style ==>Drop Shadow)
*When you are working with layers, make sure to pay attention to shadows and lighting effects. If you place an image atop or in front of another image, add a shadow. If one image’s lighting is cast from one direction, and you’re trying to merge it with an image that’s light has been cast from a completely different direction, it won’t work. Alter the lighting effect on the second image to match. You can find the lighting effects option under the “Filter” category. (“Filter” ==>Render ==>Lighting Effects). Even the best blends look flat and lifeless without shadows and the correct light cast.
14. Outline eyes with “Lasso” tool (as before), and sharpen your selection. This will accent the eyes a bit. Make sure you do this on the original layer of Sarah.
15. Go ahead and flatten your image now to make room for more layers. (“Layers” ==> Merge Layers)
16. Now I threw some lighting in there to bring the entire image “together”, so to speak. As above: “Filter” ==> Render ==> Lighting Effects.
17. Create a new layer.
18. Select your “Create New Fill” icon from the bottom of your layers table. Select Gradient Map.
· Choose from your selections of gradients to fit your liking. In this selection I used a Plum/Gold selection, and adjusted the fill for that layer to 40%. You can adjust the “Fill” on the upper right-hand corner of the layers table.
19. Create a new layer.
20. Chose and place a texture. I downloaded a good majority of my textures from various sites such as Impulsive , Reflective Desires , and Dying-Day.
· Once you have placed the texture, set its layer effect to your choosing. In this image I used The “Soft Light” effect, at 100% fill.
21. I then simply erased the texture from atop Sarah and the bird, careful of the edges.
*For the next couple of steps, I am going to be using filters that do not come with the Adobe programs. You can download all of these Plug-In filters and more for free at this website: Xero. If you do not wish to download the filters, that’s fine…Just skip these steps that pertain to Xero filters, and move on to the following steps.
22. Flatten your image.
23. Apply the Radiance (Xero) filter to the image (“Filter” ==> Xero ==> Radiance). Set the Strangeness, Charm, Truth, and Beauty to 52%
24. Use the Paint Daubs (Adobe) filter (“Filter” ==> Filter Gallery ==> Artistic ==> Paint Daubs). Set the Brush size and Sharpness to a 1. Brush type: Simple.
25. Apply the Diffuse Glow (Adobe) filter (“Filter” ==> Filter Gallery ==> Distort ==> Diffuse Glow). Set the Graininess to a 1, Glow to 0, and Clear Amount to 20.
26. Create a new layer.
27. Select your “Brush” tool (which can be found by right-clicking on the “Pencil” tool ) and set your brush size to 100pt, and brush hardness to 0.
· Choose black as your color.
· Create a border-like feel by darkening the corners and edges of the image.
28. Create New Layer.
29. Select your “Text” tool .
· Choose your font, size, and color for your text on the tool bar at the top of the screen. I chose Harrington, 30pt, purple.
· I added a bit of a Drop Shadow to the text (“Layer” ==> Layer Style ==> Drop Shadow). I used the Multiply effect, 70% opacity, and a 90° angle.
Your image should now look like this:

30. Now “Flatten” your image (“Layers” ==> Flatten image), save it….and viola, you’re done!