Xmas Card 2012

XMAS2012

For those interested in the production of our e-card:

An evenings preparation, an afternoons photography and an evenings post-production.

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The Xmas Card – it comes around once a year!

Designers love ‘em or hate ‘em and there’s nothing we can do about it except try to create something different each time around.

This years Xmas Card came from an idea we had on New Years Eve 2011 “…wouldn’t that be good for a Xmas Card!” and at long last we finally got to work on it.

FIRST Take a few test shots to get the placement of the models and correct exposure. Quick edit in Photoshop to see the idea works.

(Our first evenings preparation was on the 18 December from 22:00 to 02:00!

Of course we woke up late, had a lie-in and only started about noon on 19 December.)

SECOND Move the furniture and Xmas tree, and rearrange the decor to fit.

THIRD Now onto the serious part – choosing the wardrobe!

I didn’t know I had so many clothes!

Francine had ‘The Twelve days of Xmas’ on her mind so we needed 12 people i.e. 6 couples or 6 change of clothes.

FOURTH “Let’s shoot!”

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About 65 shots were taken in three hours, starting from 14:13:14 and finishing 17:13:08.

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The base image upon which all other model shots will be layered.

Masking in Photoshop

The second image was opened – then: ‘select all>copy>paste’ onto the original image as a new layer.

Because the camera is in the same position and the file size is identical, the layers will place themselves exactly on top of each other. Adding a mask and painting around the models allows the background to be easily removed, leaving the models in position. This process was repeated until all six couples had been revealed in their ‘party’ positions.

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Painted mask of couple and shadows.

Second shot.

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Mask reveals the original background with second model shot in position.

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Another model shot with mask applied.

The text was added as separate layers with different fonts and sizes so they could be positioned together easily.

Finally a snowflake was added, duplicated, scaled and rotated to finish off the final image – P.T.O. (use the ISSUU.com zoom tool for a closer look).

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The text was added, sized and coloured.

All model shots added and masks applied to reveal the final ‘party’ scene.

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Text modified to fit.

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Snowflakes added, scaled and rotated.

Notes on masking in Photoshop A Wacom tablet is recommended for any hand-painting of masks, just pick up a pencil and feel how natural that is to manipulate. But, I will always use a mouse when drawing vector outlines for masks especially smooth curves and angles on mechanical objects.

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Modify the selection until it fits in the center of the black outline.

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The selection is now in the center.

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The selection is now inversed and filled with black.

A rough outline was drawn around the model in the mask with a 15px brush and hardness of 50%. fig11: The magic wand was placed within the drawn outline and a selection made of the white area inside. This selection was modified whilst still active using the menu: > Select > Modify > Expand > and typing an estimated distance from the ‘selection’ to the center of the black outline, into the dialogue box. If it’s not correct then ‘Undo’ and repeat the process typing a different number until the selection is centered or covering the black edges – fig12.

When the selection is centered choose ‘Inverse’ > OK from the Select menu and then ‘Fill’ > Black > OK from the Edit menu making a clean mask – fig13.

Now to refine the rough mask:

NOTE: Make sure the mask is active and the image is visible.

(A white line around the mask in the layers palette denotes it is active.)

Also ensure that black and white is the Foreground and Background colour by pressing the ‘D’ key on the keyboard.

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View the image with the mask active then paint around the outside of the models.

With the correct layer and layer-mask active, choose a small brush – I used 6px with 50% hardness to paint around the models, often at a zoom of 300% – 400%. You can vary the softness of the brush at any time if certain edges in the image are softer eg. hair edges.

You will find as you paint with shaky hands, that you accidentally take off a piece of the model. Pressing the ‘X’ key will change the brush colour from black to white and you can now paint back what you have just damaged.

Press the ‘X’ key again to change from white to black and continue around the outside edges.

Having refined the outside edges follow the procedure for cleaning up the mask background by repeating steps fig11 – fig13.

Simple!

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The refined edge inside the rough outline.

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The refined edge.