Really no requirement, other than using a compatible file format in a compatible color space. Instead of explaining what is and isn’t acceptible, just remember that if you can’t mask, you’re in the mode.
Now, to do a mask:
Under the tool bar is two buttons, one is a white circle inside of a white square, and the other is a white circle inside of a dark square. The later button will allow you to anter Quick-Mask mode. From there, select a paintbrush and paint the area you would like to remove.
When that is done correctly, click the white-on-white button and your paint will turn into a selection. Choose Select > Invert (or Ctrl Shift I) and you will have the area you painted selected.
Now go to the Path Pallet. Select Make Work Path from the Path menu on the pallet. This will save your selection.
Now drag and drop your new image into a new layer on your original. Line it up right and size it. Then go back to your Path Pallet and choose "Make Selection" from the menu.
Do a Ctrl Shift I to invert the selection and hit delete. This should trim the new image to the size of the selection.
Or, instead of deleting that portion of the image completely, hit the "Add a Mask" button at the bottom of the layers palette. This way if you don’t like the results you can delete/adjust the mask. Nothing is done to the image itself.
Hi Ed & Cheesefood,
Thanks for your comments. Will give this a try.
Can I just confirm one or two points? As I want an image to replace one of the faces, I need to select a paintbrush and paint out the face. Is this correct?
Secondly, you saying that I should create a new layer on my original. Sorry, I’m not sure how this is done. Sorry, I’m running ahead of myself here. Are you saying that I should go to the layers pallet (or use the menus), create a new layer and then cut and paste the third image (the one that I want to appear in the face)into the new layer?
Appreciate your advice.
Best regards,
Phil
Hope this helps. It’s actually easier than it sounds and compositing is one of the funnest things to do in Photoshop.
I’d start with a layer with both halves of the face on it. In the layers palette, create a new blank layer above it (click on the icon at the bottom of the layer palette that looks like a page) and use the brush tool to paint out the area you want filled. Doesn’t matter what colors you use, but the transparency of the brush will show.
When your done, open the file you want to show up on the left. Use the move tool and drag it into the face image. It’ll show up in the layer palette as a new layer. If the new layer isn’t above the layer painted over the face, drag it above that layer.
Now hold down the alt button and in the layer pallete click the line dividing the new artwork layer and the painted mask. Now the artwork layer will only display in areas filled in the layer beneath it. You can now resize and move the new artwork to line up with the face layer.
This method is nice because it isn’t destructive like trimming a selection. The complete image of your new artwork is still in the layer. You can remove the mask from the layer by alt-clicking between layers again.
BTW, I don’t recommend saving a selection as a path (mentioned above). This doesn’t preserve transparency. Instead save selections by choosing the select menu, save selection. These are stored in the channel palette. If you need that selection again, contol-click the saved selection.
Eric,
Hi, this is an excellent solution and I greatly appreciate the time taken to explain the various steps.
As you can imagine, I’m jumping ahead of my normal learning curve here and it’s nice to see that all of you are so helpful and patient.
Best regards,
Phil
Get the Adobe Classroom In A Book for PS7. It is excellent and will give you a great overview, with examples, of Photoshop features.
Eric,
Just a few quick questions if you have a moment.
When you advise getting both halves of the image face on one layer, how do you do this? Is there a special technique for merging two images with two halves of the face and getting this on one layer? Are you saying that this should be the background layer?
Everything else seems straight forward enough.
Best regards,
Phil
Phillip, sorry I didn’t notice your message earlier. You really don’t have to have both halves of the face on one layer, but it might be simplest way to start with.
Lets say you start with a photo of half a face. When you open it up in photoshop, the layers palette will show the image on one layer, probably named Background. This is the default layer name photoshop give when opening most images, it also has some strange properties (behaves differently from regular layers and confuses lots of people). The first thing I do is double-click on the Background name in the layers palette. This will open a dialog to change the layer name (usually layer 0, which is fine). Click Ok to change the name.
Next you’ll want a duplicate of the layer to flip around for the other half of the face. In the layer palette, click on the layer to duplicate (don’t release the mouse button). While holding down the mouse button, drag the layer to the bottom of the layer palette, to the Create a new layer icon next to the trash can. The icon looks like a page. This should create a new layer above your existing layer, called Layer…copy.
To flip the image, select the new layer (actually either one will work, they’re duplicates). Now go up to the Edit menu, select Transform and then Flip Horizontal. This will flip just that layer. Some people get confused by choosing Flip Canvas from the Image menu, this flips the entire image, not an individual layer.
Now you need to move the modified layer to match up with the original. To do this have the modified layer selected in the layers palette and use the move tool (shortcut key v). However most likely you don’t have enough room on the image to do this. You’ll need to enlarge the canvas to get more workspace.
Go to the Image menu and select Canvas Size. Change the width drop-down measurement to percent and enter 200 in the measurement field. Notice the grid with nine spaces. The default is to add space evenly around the entire image. You want to add it to the right side. Click the middle leftmost square to only add space to the right (this may seem backwards at first). Click OK to apply the new canvas size.
Now you may move the modified layer to line up next to the original layer using the move tool (hold down on shift while dragging with the move tool to constrain movement). You can also nudge the layer with the arrow keys.
Once you’ve matched the two halves of the image there are numerous ways to merge them together. The easiest is to select the upper layer in the layer palette (the layers must be adjacent) and select Merge Down from the layer pallete menu (the round button with a triangle, at the top of the layer palette). Now both halves are in one layer (note it’s not named background either, doesn’t matter).
Now you can follow the instructions I gave before. Create a new layer above the artwork layer (just click on the new layer button instead of dragging) and paint your mask.
Another method you could use is to duplicate the flipped layer before merging layers (so you have the original layer, flipped layer and copy of flipped layer). Then you could use the eraser tool on the copy of flipped layer to create a mask by deleting portions of the image you don’t want.
Hope that helps you. BTW save your file in photoshop format, otherwise your layer info gets thrown out when you save and you end up with just a background layer the next time you open the file.
Have fun
Eric
Eric,
First, I’d really like to start by saying how helpful your reply has been. Thank you.
As you can imagine, the real benefit to me is the fact that your response has covered all aspects in a detailed way that takes into consideration my lack of knowledge in this area. If you are not a teacher, perhaps you should follow this profession at some stage in your life.
Finally, I have to admit that PS is relatively new to me although I do write collateral material. Your response will help to put my ideas for the cover of a publication into practice. Thank you once again for your patience and assistance.
Very best regards,
Phil
