Introduction
For this project, you will be learning how to manipulate photos in Photoshop. While we can use Photoshop to create designs for print and work with layout, more typically Photoshop is thought of as a tool to manipulate or change photos. You will have to think about concepts such as image perspective and what parts of combined images you would see or not to help create a cohesive image.
In this project, you will be need to use Photoshop skills such as blending to help make a believable image. You will be introduced to layer masking. Layer masks are a way we can have Photoshop hide or reveal parts of images without permanently changing them and are an essential tool to
Guide
- Before you start, make sure you have opened Photoshop and put it in expert mode as well as opened up the layers panel by clicking the layers button in the bottom right.
- To start, you will need to find a picture of a weak animal. Think about an animal which is small or vulnerable that you can help make stronger. Search for that animal and look for a picture you want to edit. You will need to consider 2 things:
- Look for an image which gives you space to add elements. A picture of a kitten’s face may be cute, but limits you to only adding things to it’s head.
- Look for an image that has a usable perspective. If you choose an image of a kitten from the front, you will only be able to add parts of other animals that are also from the front or else they will not look believable. Generally, it is easier to use an image taken from the side.
- Once you find the image you want, click on it to select it, and then right click and click on copy image. Back in Photoshop you will go to File>New>Image from Clipboard. On your computer the ‘clipboard’ is what you have copied, and you will only use this to add the first picture.
- Find an image you want to add to your animal. You can add anything you want as long as it is school appropriate. You cannot use guns for this assignment but could add a Nerf gun. Try to find images that will be easier to erase the background of. A fire may look cool, but because a fire has no actual edge is is difficult to make look good.
- Once you find your image, right click and click on copy image. Back in Photoshop, click on Edit>Paste. Please note your image may paste very large and you may need to zoom out (hold alt and roll your middle mouse wheel down) and stretch it from the corner. Never resize an image from the side or the top, always from the corner.
- Once you have the image at a usable size, lower the opacity by using the slider above your layers. Make sure you have the image selected that you want to see through. Lower it just enough that you can see both images.
- Rotate, resize (from the corner) and flip your image until it looks like the position will work. To flip your image over, use Image>Rotate>Flip Layer Horizontal.
- To edit out the background, we will be using Layer Masks. To add a layer mask, click on the layer you want to remove the background from and click on the Layer Mask icon (the rectangle with the circle inside) above your layers. This will add a white layer mask beside your image.
- On your layer mask, use the paint brush tool and paint black to make your image disappear. You can adjust the size of the brush, as well as the hardness (in brush settings) at the bottom. If you are adding something fuzzy or hairy, consider using a brush with hardness turned down. For most other things, leave it turned up.
- Take your time going around images. Your job is to make them look as accurate as possible. Sometimes this takes a while, but it’s best to do it well. If you hide parts you want back, you can at any time flip your brush colour to white, and paint them back in.
- If you start painting black (or white) instead of making the image disappear (or come back), hit undo and make sure you are on your layer mask. The blue border in your layers should be around the mask, not the image.
- Continue this process until you have added five different things to your animal. When you are done, hand it in on Teams.
Key Concepts
- Layer Masks – How do we use Layer Masks to hide and make visible parts of an image?
- Image Persepective – How do we line parts of an image up in order to make them appear to fit together?
- Image Opacity – How do we change the transparency level of an image?