tutorials

These are some tutorials that have actually helped some friends. Bookmark this page as I often update it. If you need help on webdesign, just click on the help link.

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Adobe Photoshop Layering- How to add photos on an image without the background
I'll show you how I added Eliza's beautiful face in that Harry Potter graphics.
The same technique was also used when making Daynah's Birthday page

1. Have 2 images - in this case we'll use layer1 (background) and layer2.jpg (image to be edited)


Layer1

Layer 2

2. We want to place layer 2 on layer 1 but remove the background surrounding layer2.

So, we extract the background on layer 2 by going to image>extract



3. You'll now start extracting. Select the Edge Highlighter tool (as shown). Now set a brush size . I used brush size 5 (it's on the right under tool options) and outline your foreground object. Zoom in if needed: Select the Zoom tool, click on the image to zoom inward and hold down the Alt key to zoom out.


Tip: You will have different results depending on the size of the brush you use. I have found that trying to use a small bush size on my squirrel gave me better results with minimal clean up work. If you have an image with long hair or wispy parts, then you may want to trying using a larger brush on those edges.

4. Start outlining the part you want to be extracted. You can see it as a neon green outline as you draw around it.

After you draw the outline, use the fill tool to the left . Select this tool and click in the center of the outlined object. When you fill the outlined image, it has a bluish tinge to it.



Now you are ready to preview the image by pressing the "Preview" button at the top right corner. You now should see the background disappear.If you like your image, then press the OK button.

5.The extracted image still needs to be cleaned up. So use the blur or eraser tool and clean the edges .



6. Save the edited image (click to see cleaned up image)as whatever.psd so you can reuse it again.

I resized layer 2 so it could fit onto layer 1. Then go to select>>all>and select all the image you want to layer in layer 2 image

7.Go back to the background image (layer1) and click edit and then click paste. So right now the new layer is on top of the background. But you just see 2 images on top of one another.


8. Click window and click show layers.

9. At the layers tab, you see the word opacity just below that arrow? Opacity lets you adjust how transparent you want the layer to be. So you see it now at 100% . Now reduce it to whatever % you want and you should slowly be able to see the background showing up.

10. Simple as that...now, edit the rest! Use eraser tool and blur tool to get the effect I had.

11. So this was my final image.



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