From: "Saved by Windows Internet Explorer 8" Subject: =?Windows-1252?Q?National_Association_of_Photoshop_Professionals_=28N?= =?Windows-1252?Q?APP=29_=BB_Blog_Archive_=BB_Fall_Leaf_Photo_Frame?= Date: Sun, 20 Jun 2010 09:39:15 -0400 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/related; type="text/html"; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_007D_01CB105C.72AB84B0" X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.0.6002.18197 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_007D_01CB105C.72AB84B0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="utf-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Location: http://www.photoshopuser.com/members/tutorials/photography/fall-leaf-photo-frame.html =EF=BB=BF
Or more aptly: The Adventures of a Leaf, a Threshold =
Adjustment, and=20
an Unlocked Layer Mask
There once was a photo of maple =
leaf. It=20
was a lonely, little leaf until one fortuitous day when it came upon a =
photo of=20
young lovers frolicking on the crisp, fall ground. The lonely leaf =
carefully=20
measured its width, and then scrutinized its height. The lonely leaf =
realized it=20
was big enough to hold the young lovers, and thus offered itself up as a =
frame.=20
The lovers were thrilled at being cradled inside such creativity and =
they all=20
lived happily ever after. The End.
Creative frames can be found anywhere. For example, I typed "leaf on = white"=20 into the iStockphoto=20 search box and found a great photo of maple leaves on an = easy-to-knock-out white=20 background (hence adding "on white" to the search). With the quick flick = of a=20 Threshold adjustment and a well-placed layer mask, I can turn one of = these=20 leaves into a really cool frame. Read on!
Create the frame
Step 1: Open the leaf photo and select one of the leaves in the = manner of=20 your choice. Since the photo I'm working with has several leaves on a = white=20 background, I'll grab the Lasso tool and draw a loose selection around = just=20 one.
Step 2: Jump the leaf up onto its own layer by pressing Command + J = (PC: Ctrl=20 + J), and then turn off the visibility eyeball of the original = background layer=20 so you're looking at just the one leaf. NOTE: You only need to do this = if you're=20 working with an image of multiple frame (leaf) possibilities.
Step 3: Choose Image > Adjustments > Threshold and push the = slider=20 right until the leaf goes completely black, then press OK.
Step 4: Press W to select the Magic Wand and click once within the = black area=20 to select the leaf, then invert the selection's color (which will turn = the black=20 bits into white) by pressing Command + I (PC: Ctrl + I). Press Command + = C (PC:=20 Ctrl + C) to copy the selection onto the clipboard.
Frame meets photo
Step 5: Open the photo you want to frame and double-click the = Background=20 layer so it's editable. Immediately create a layer mask *that's filled = with=20 black* by Option clicking (PC: Alt clicking) the circle within a square = icon at=20 the bottom of the Layers Palette. The photo is now effectively hidden by = the=20 mask.
Step 6: Option click (PC: Alt click) the layer mask so that you are = actually=20 viewing it (your document should go solid black now). Once inside the = mask,=20 press Command + V (PC: Ctrl + V) to paste the leaf selection into the = mask.
Step 7: With white as the foreground color chip in Ye Ole Main = ToolBox, press=20 Option + Delete (PC: Alt + Delete) to fill the selection with white. Now = you=20 should see the white leaf in both the layer mask, and in the document = window,=20 like so:
Step 8: Press Command + D to deselect (send the marching ants away) = and click=20 the photo thumbnail in the Layers Palette. You should now see the couple = peeking=20 through the leaf frame.
Move the frame
We're on our way, but our photo isn't in the right place. To move the = photo=20 independently of the mask (or vice versa) we need to unlink the two.
Step 9: Click once on the chain link icon between the mask and the = photo=20 thumbnail in the Layers Palette and it'll disappear.
Step 10: Press V to select the Move tool, mouse over to the document = and move=20 the photo around at will. Likewise, if you want to move the frame but = not the=20 photo, just click once on the mask's thumbnail in the Layers Palette to = select=20 it, and then move it around.
Step 11: When you've positioned the photo and frame perfectly, click = again=20 between the layer mask and photo thumbnail to bring back the chain link. = This=20 way you can move both items together as one. This is a protective = measure only;=20 you don't have to do it.
Add a color background
Step 12: Last but not least, Command click (PC: Ctrl click) the new = layer=20 icon at the bottom of the Layers Palette to create a new layer below the = current=20 one.
Step 13: Grab the Eyedropper tool and click once on a color in the = photo.=20
Step 14: Press Option + Delete (PC: Alt + Delete) to fill the new = layer with=20 that color.
Step 15: Select the photo layer in the Layers Palette, then click the = Layer=20 Styles button (the tiny cursive f) at the bottom of the Layers Palette = and=20 choose Inner Shadow.
Step 16: Adjust the size to 15 and the Opacity to 50%, and move the = drop=20 shadow down and to the right (just click on the document and move the = shadow=20 around with your mouse), then press OK.
Sit back and enjoy your masterpiece!
TIP: For added creativity, apply a Texture to the solid color = background by=20 choosing Filter > Texture > Texturizer. Choose Canvas and press = OK. This=20 is what we have now:
As you can see, all kinds of creative possibilities exist with this=20 technique. Until next time, may the creative framing force be with you = all!
Lesa Snider King:
The Graphic Reporter
Evangelist,=20
iStockphoto.com