VPA104 Week 8 Workshop 2017

This week, we take a look at some applications for layer masks.

Layer masks are an excellent, non-destructive method of compositing images. Use them to blend images together with either the marquee too or, as this first workshop task will show you, the brush tool.

Remember, when creating layer masks, white reveals and black conceals. So paint with black when you want to conceal part of an image so you can see what’s underneath and vice versa.

VPA104 WORKSHOP 5/WK6: LAYER MASKS

WORKSHOP 5 | WEEK 8: LAYER MASKS

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WORKSHOP 5

In this week’s workshop folder, you will find four images: the man in goggles, ice pattern, ice cubes and ocean.

Download them all now from this week’s Interact 2 folder. >>>>>>

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Using layer masks in composition

VPA104 WORKSHOP 5/WK6: LAYER MASKS

Workshop 5: “Goggle Vision”

INTRODUCTION

• Image colour mode: RGB • Image size: 330ppi NOTE: Images don’t have to be 300ppi (or ‘hi res’), but make sure that when you’re compositing images that they are always the same colour mode and resolution.

VPA104 WORKSHOP 5/WK6: LAYER MASKS

To begin, with all of your images open in Photoshop CC 2015, check the following:

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In the last workshop, we looked at compositing images using the Quick Selection tool, but in this workshop, we’re not actually going to remove anything, per se, we’re going to let layer masks reveal smaller pieces of an image.

VPA104 WORKSHOP 5/WK6: LAYER MASKS

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Open all images and check resolution and colour mode.

To check image size, choose “IMAGE” from the drop down menu, then IMAGE SIZE and the image size dialogue box will open. From here, you can check the attributes of your image: dimensions, size and resolution.

VPA104 WORKSHOP 5/WK6: LAYER MASKS

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To check image colour mode, choose “IMAGE” from the drop down menu, then mode> and choose RGB.

«6» With the layers panel open, double click on the background layer and a dialogue box will open. Here, I’ve changed the layer name to “main image’, but call it whetever makes sense to you. Click OK. Your layer should now be unlocked as well .

VPA104 WORKSHOP 5/WK6: LAYER MASKS

Change the settings of the images’ background layer.

VPA104 WORKSHOP 5/WK6: LAYER MASKS

In the dropdown menu, go to FILE> PLACE EMBEDDED...and choose your second image from the folder you have saved it in (should be the same folder as your background image).

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Place Image

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Now you have two layers in your layers panel, and you will notice that the placed image is sitting on top of your main figure image. Notice also that it has a bounding box around it and cross through it - this means that PS has automatically brought it in with a free transform option.

If it’s not how you’d like it, hold down shift and click and drag the corner to resize. If it is where you want it, just hit enter (holding down shift as you resize contrains the proportions of your image).

Click and drag the new layer to sit underneath the main figure.

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WITH THE MAIN FIGURE LAYER SELECTED, CLICK ON THE “ADD LAYER MASK” BUTTON AT THE BOTTOM OF THE LAYERS PANEL.

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WITH THE LAYER MASK SELECTED, SELECT YOUR BRUSH TOOL (B).

« 11 » CHALLENGE: FIND A RANGE OF PHOTOSHOP BRUSHES ONLINE AND ADD THEM TO YOUR BRUSH OPTIONS, OR IF YOU’RE REALLY KEEN, CREATE ONE OF YOUR OWN!

VPA104 WORKSHOP 5/WK6: LAYER MASKS

WHEN YOU HAVE YOUR BRUSH TOOL SELECTED, THE OPTIONS BAR WILL CHANGE TO REFLECT THE SETTING OF THAT TOOL. EXPERIMENT WITH THE BRUSH SETTINGS AND HAVE A PLAY. I USED A SOFT BRUSH AT AROUND 40PX TO START WITH. DON’T GO TOO CLOSE TO EDGES WITH LARGER BRUSHES.

SO, IF WE WANTED TO REVEAL PARTS OF THE MAIN FIGURE IMAGE THAT WE HAVE OUR LAYER MASK ON, WE PAINT IN WHITE.

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TO CONCEAL PARTS OF THAT IMAGE (AND SO REVEAL WHAT’S UNDERNEATH), WE PAINT IN BLACK.

VPA104 WORKSHOP 5/WK6: LAYER MASKS

REMEMBER: WHITE TO REVEAL/ BLACK TO CONCEAL

USING YOUR BRUSH TOOL, CAREFULLY BRUSH AWAY THE TOP LAYER (BLACK TO CONCEAL IT). PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO AREAS THAT CONSTITUTE SHADOWS, LIKE THE TOP RIM INNER SHADOW. CREATING A REALISTIC-LOOKING IMAGE MEANS KEEPING AREAS LIKE THAT IN TACT.

VPA104 WORKSHOP 5/WK6: LAYER MASKS

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ZOOM IN QUITE CLOSE FOR ACCURACY.

EXPERIMENT MORE!

VPA104 WORKSHOP 5/WK6: LAYER MASKS

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THERE ARE ANOTHER TWO IMAGES AVAILABLE FOR YOU TO USE IN THIS, INCLUDING THE ONE BELOW, ICE CUBES. PLACE IT IN AS YOU DID THE PREVIOUS ONE. MAKE SURE IT SITS BETWEEN THE MAIN FIGURE AND THE FIRST ICE PATTERN IMAGE.

« 15 » CREATE A NEW LAYER MASK TO WORK WITH.

WITH THE LAYER MASK AND BLACK BRUSH SELECTED, BRUSH OUT THE AREA AGAIN. NOTICE THE GREY AREA TO THE RIGHT OF THE GOGGLE RIM. I DIDN’T GO TOO CLOSE TO THE RIM WITH THE LARGE BRUSH, BUT INSTEAD, TOOK OUT THE MAJOR AREA, THEN RESIZED THE BRUSH TO DO THE MORE PRECISE WORK.

VPA104 WORKSHOP 5/WK6: LAYER MASKS

YOU CAN GET RID OF YOUR OTHER LAYER MASK BY SIMPLY CLICKING ON IT AND DRAGGING IT TO THE LITTLE RUBBISH BIN ICON.

NOW FOR SOME ADJUSTMENTS:

VPA104 WORKSHOP 5/WK6: LAYER MASKS

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I WANTED IT TO BE A BIT MORE OBVIOUS THAT THOSE ARE ICE CUBES IN HIS EYES, SO I SELECTED THE ICE CUBES LAYER AND SELECTED THE FREE TRANSFORM TOOL (EDIT> FREE TRANSFORM OR CTL + T). HOLDING DOWN SHIFT, CLICK AND DRAG ONE OF THE CORNERS TO RESIZE THE IMAGE.

SELECT THE BLACK AND WHITE ADJUSTMENT OPTION

VPA104 WORKSHOP 5/WK6: LAYER MASKS

IN THE WINDOWS DROP DOWN MENU, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE YOUR ADJUSTMENTS LAYER TICKED.

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I’D LIKE TO CREATE THE ILLUSION THAT THESE TWO IMAGES ARE PART OF ONE AND THE SAME, SO WE NEED TO MAKE THE ICE CUBES BLACK AND WHITE. WE WANT TO DO THIS IN A NON-DESTRUCTIVE WAY.

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YOU SHOULD SEE THE NEW BLACK AND WHITE ADJUSTMENT LAYER UNDER YOUR MAIN FIGURE LAYER

« 19 » LOOK AT THE LAYERS PANEL NOW: THERE ARE FOUR IMAGES, PLACED ONE ON TOP OF THE OTHER.

VPA104 WORKSHOP 5/WK6: LAYER MASKS

I TRIED A THIRD, USING AN IMAGE OF A WAVE. I ALSO ADDED THE LEFT GOGGLE LENS TO THE MASK AREA. YOU COULD PLAY WITH THIS SOME MORE AND HAVE THE WAVE COME OUT OF THE GOGGLE (I LIKE THE ILLUSSION OF THAT HERE).

VPA104 WORKSHOP 5/WK6: LAYER MASKS

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VPA104 WORKSHOP 5/WK6: LAYER MASKS

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VPA104 WORKSHOP 5/WK6: LAYER MASKS

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TRY USING OTHER TOOLS TO SELECT AREAS FIRST AND THEN CREATE A LAYER MASK FROM THE SELECTION (FOR EXAMPLE, USE THE MARQEE TOOL TO SELECT AND AREA, RIGHT CLICK AND CHOOSE ‘MAKE A SELECTION’, THEN HIT YOUR ADD LAYER MASK BUTTON). EXPERIMENT WITH DIFFERENT WAYS YOU CAN SELECT, BASED ON WHAT YOU’VE LEARNED OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS.

VPA104 WORKSHOP 5/WK6: LAYER MASKS

FIND SOME IMAGES AND USE YOUR NEW-FOUND SKILLS TO CREATE LAYER MASKS INSTEAD OF USING DESTRUCTIVE EDITING TOOLS (LIKE THE ERASER TOOL).

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FREE STYLE WORKSHOP!