With a huge response to the original post by @auroajane it is time to dust off the editing suite of your choice, rev your engines folks, and prepare for a fun learning experience!
Mike Gifford, Northy, Tiara Rutledge, April Milani, Rachel ( @roseolivia ) & Lyn Todd and a few other hosts are busy preparing an 'official' launch, first editing project, and a plan for learning to love your editing program, rather than feeling intimidated by it.
Consider this a little hors-d'oeuvre for the delights to come! If your editing program supports layers, you can join in.
This is a very brief introduction to your editing workspace - let's see if you know where the gear shift is... and most importantly, remember the undo command of your choice is your best friend, and there are many different ways to get to the same point with digital editing. If you find a different or better way that works for you, yay!!
I looked at the WWYD123 starting image (below) & decided that at 1024 x 684 pixels, I would like to expand the image to give me some more pixels to work with.
Download Mike's image and try these steps, or use one of your own if you want to ( look up your pixel dimensions if using a different image) ! You can also post any images, questions or comments related to the tutorial here! Use the tag sandbox-layers and we can see all the results! Check out http://365project.org/tags/sandbox-layers
1. EXPAND canvas size for some space around the image (not the image itself)
Look for something like → Image→ expand canvas size. I have white as my default background colour. In the options, anchor the image to the right and make the new size 2048 x 684 pixels.
2. SELECT the whole image of the island with rectangular selection tool ( get the marching ants happening!). ( do NOT include the new extended blank canvas area)
3. CREATE new layer with →Edit →Copy, then →Edit →Paste ( or it may be →Paste as new layer for some programs)
4. TRANSFORM with →Edit →transform →flip horizontal ( some programs may use different terminology or methods for this)
5. SELECT the image top layer, and MOVE (click-drag your mouse) it across to position as you like. You can try different amounts of overlap of the join area.
6. BLEND the right hand sections of the top layer by selecting ( is it highlighted?) the top layer and using the eraser tool to remove any overlapping sections that do not look right. This will blend the two images.
That is it! You now have a brand new island paradise! You can select the top layer and merge downwards, or even use cloning to tidy up the join a little more. I would clone in and/or darken the left side of the sky so it does not look there are two suns.
Here are some of the steps along the way - posted as part of the new Sandbox365 Photoshop editing group.
(note that the top right image of the collage has the background layer "turned off" and shows the transparency and the rough erased edge of the visible layer)
If you re-crop you are ready to start a bit of clean up & even clone a little so it does not look like an obvious mirror image.
So how about editing your trial image from this point onwards in any way you like, and tagging it WWYD123 for an editing challenge entry!
This is the very briefest introduction to layers, and , Plenty of more info about layers can be found on the web here for example or a video intro here, or in your program manual.
Thanks for this....going to give it a try.........thank you to everyone involved in getting the series together, very grateful :) looking forward to it :)
Thanks Lyn. I bit the bullet and subscribed to the PS package last week...yay, but having had a little look around I felt completely overwhelmed and backed away! Hopefully with gentle guidance I will feel brave enough to have a little play.
I had a play with Gimp tonight before I saw this. Getting to find basic way round but can't find 2 important things. How to undo a move ( only found revert which is a bit drastic) and also when I have clicked on lasso or something how can I clear it off my arrow to do the next move? When I know this I shall feel less frustrated. Have a day off on Friday so can play. ;-)
@sandbox365 What is the Sandbox365? Is that our "group", or just where our hosts live as a way to keep everything in one place? Should we become followers? (Sorry if these are stupid questions!)
@sandbox365 I followed up right up to the step of using the eraser to blend the edge. I see what I want to do...remove parts of the top layer to help it look natural as it overlays the original layer. But the "eraser" tool won't erase anything from this new layer. Did I missing something about how the duplicate is created so it can be erased? (I'm using Photoshop CS6.)
@shesnapped ask away when ever you are unsure of something !! ~ if you do follow your hosts ( @sandbox365 ) you will see the new images or stages of edits as they are posted. We expect to set different editing projects every few weeks. Sandbox365 is all shiny & new, so we will be placing more info on the profile page ASAP.
@houser934 glad you managed to get there in the end :)
@aponi GREAT JOB and congratulations - you have posted our very first "show & tell".
@radiogirl - if you used the start picture your canvas should be 2048 x 684 pixels?
Do you have white space, and 2 layers, each one with an icon of the half island facing the same way? it might be sitting exactly on top of the original image ( so it looks like it is not there.) You need to
click on the top layer in the layer pallette (highlight it to make it the 'active' surface to work on) , and
then select the image, and then
use the move tool to drag a bit to the left & see if you see 2 parts of an image to position?
Does that help at all? ( it is like 2 jigsaw pieces sitting exactly on top of each other.) Getting confused knowing just which layer you are on is common - you can only "see" the top layer as it hides the other layer ( which happens in this case to be exactly the same image until you 'mirror' the top layer)
@houser934 Glad you caught what you were doing and made the adjustment. Layers are very specific and you need to select the proper one that you're wanting to work on. Common mistake for sure. THE SAME goes for masks / masking. You not only have to select the layer, you need to be sure you are working on the mask and not the image portion, or you have to back out of your steps with CMD-Z or your history steps.
@sandbox365 Thanks for that. i shall try again later. The lassoo was just an example of any of the tools that once you click on I cannot get them off unless I replace with another tool immediately which i find annoying.
@ltodd Lyn yes I used the start image
And I made it 2048 x 684 pixels
I have white on the left
I have 2 layers
I also had two icons with the island facing the same way
I am on the top layer then I selected the one half of the island with the move tool and moved it to the left
And this is where im getting stuck
I have white on the left except where I moved the island to the left
And the start photo is on the right
I am unsure of how to completed the whole photo
Thank you for helping Lynn I really appreciate it.
@ltodd@radiogirl I came exactly as far as you and have the same last image as you describe, Islandgirl. A copied and horizontal flipped island on a white background left and on the right the original image. Two layers. I've never used PS so everything is new. Even things like how to save it.
@sandbox365 Many thanks for setting this up - it's a brilliant idea. @ltodd tagged many of us in this link but it didn't come up in my notifications. I spotted this on the home page. Wondering if other people also didn't get a notification.
Hi all - you can share your images by clicking on the three dots to the right of the "click to fave" star on an image album page. It is called "sharing & more options" and then click in the select the embed code box, (it will go blue) and copy & paste the entire code here. It starts with
While I think both have since worked it out, for eveyone who is new to this ---- Please try not to stress ! Learning and understanding the concept of Layers does take a little time, a bit of practice, & a whole lot of →Edit→Undo !!
Discovering the world of layers is a bit like stepping into a future world where there is a parallel universe for each layer! What you are "seeing" on screen ( the data that is "visible") might not be the actual layer (the universe) that you are able to make changes to with your curser.
One of the key learning points of this exercise is knowing how to tell WHICH layer you are working on. In photo editing with layers, what you "see" is not necessarily what you can "touch" unless you have the correct layer "active". The video mentioned above at https://www.video2brain.com/en/lessons/understanding-layers might be worth watching.
@jocasta thanks Jocasta I will check the notifications.
To save the starting image you go to http://365project.org/mikegifford/overflow-extras/2015-01-04 and click the magnifying glass on the image →right click→copy image then go to photoshop and →file →new , and in the options set the preset as' clipboard' for the new image size. then →edit→paste. I hope that helps and that the instructions match your version of PS?
@radiogirl great news! you can create a merged copy of those layers with the keyboard shortcut: Ctrl+Alt+Shift+E. A new (third) merged layer has appeared, but the original two are still on separate layers, still available below it. Note, that this shortcut will only merge the visible layers. http://www.nhaustralia.com.au/blog/merge-layers-without-flattening-photoshop/
Applying colours & filters can be a little complicated at first, (but Sandbox365 do plan to include that in future lessons), but in the meantime you might see some instant effects from →Filter →Filter Gallery
@jocasta Another way to save the largest available image to your local system is to go to the right-side panel and select Sizes. When the pop-up box appears go to the Main or Largel version and copy the entire http:// URL possible. Then go to another browser window and paste the URL into the address location and hit a . The image will appear in a browser window. Then do exactly as @ltodd mentioned, right-click on the image and save it locally on your system or copy and paste into a new file within PS. Hope this helps. @mikegifford
@radiogirl As @ltodd mentions, the Ctrl+Alt+Shift+E is a fantastic way to create a layer that captures the 'current' visible layers below the level that is active when you do the command. You can then change lower layers again if needed. If you want, you can then select (activate) the merged visible layer and add masking to that to expose elements/tones/colors that are below that layer. This is even more advanced and tricky and we'll get into this type of editing later. @mikegifford
I would love to be added to the distribution list for the editing projects please. For the past two years I have been telling myself that I am going to get more comfortable using layers, so this may bt the thing that actually makes it happen.
This sounds really interesting but I cannot seem to get my head around doing detailed PS at the moment, so I'll just follow at a distance for now. But please tag me anyway in future posts. Thanks
PS, just seen that I need to follow the group,have done so.
@ltodd@sandbox365 Thank you for your help I really appreciate it, it has been fun experimenting, I did make a third layer that merged the layers. I have posted my version of the island, would have liked to use a sunset color but didn't have time to play around anymore. Really enjoying this group.
I didn't do the blend step (don't understand how the eraser works). I also see that people just copied a small rectangular with the island, while I copied the whole picture. I'll give this another try with copying just part of the image. Thanks for the instructions! Enjoying this!
@stiggle nice edit! For blending, if you activate the top layer you can use the eraser tool to remove the parts that dont blend well with the lower layer, using a big brush size in a zig-zag action can help. I roughly "dabbed" here & there with a large soft brush.
You dont need to use the Background Eraser Tool or the Magic Eraser Tool, just the basic eraser tool will do for this exercise. Mire info on the earser tool & brushes from the two websites below http://shapeshed.com/photoshop_101_the_eraser_tool/ http://www.ephotozine.com/article/how-to-use-photoshop-s-brush-tool-17875
@sandbox365 Thanks for the info. What went "wrong" (I think) is that my edit doesn't have an overlap, so the eraser just produced a white squiggle. I tried the eraser on a mirrored image that does have an overlap and it worked fine. Thank you for the websites, I'll check them out.
@stiggle yes that would have been it. Without any overlap, the eraser was just showing the blank canvas underneath!! Sorry it was not clear in the instructions, but have updated them now. @ltodd
I am stuck at the same place. This time I selected the larger version of the original image. I also "anchored" it to the right.
step 6.
BLEND the right hand sections of the top layer by selecting (is it highlighted) the top layer and using the eraser tool to remove or blend any overlapping sections do not look right.
From the print screen you can see the select pull down menu. Or how do I select the top layer? and where is the eraser? How do I get an option to erase OR BLEND? My photo shop program is left at this point so I can do what I need to unless I went too far.
THIS IS THE SCREEN PRINT of where I am. I just completed (I hope) step 5 and am trying to do step 6.
@myhrhelper the top lay is active (selected) in the screen shot because it is blue. Not sure why the duplicate is once again smaller than that of the original image size, however if you click on the move tool or hit (V) on the keyboard you activate the move tool & should be able to drag to the left.
@myhrhelper you can position & resize by dragging the outer corner handles in the direction you want the image to grow (I am still still not yet sure why it is smaller). Hit the letter E on the key board for the eraser.
@myhrhelper in the screen shot I see layer 1 has only part of the island image - in step 2 did you drag the rectangle selection tool around the WHOLE starting image?
remember id the wrong selection tool is showing in the toolbar, click & hold the selection tool & a fly out menu will appear. Chose the selection tool called rectangular marquee tool then drag around the whole part of the island image ( not the whole image which includes the new white canvas) http://library.albany.edu/imc/pdf/photoshoptoolbar.pdf
@myhrhelper LOL - I will persevere as long as you do! The main issue left is the size of the original selection - sorry but the easiest way is to go back to step 2 & start again with the selection of the WHOLE of Mikes image (but NOT including the newly created white space) and repeat all steps as you have done once again ( you will be quicker at them this time for sure ;-D) It is OK - you are making headway & almost there...
The History panel might help you jump back in time...
The History Panel (Choose Window→History) in Adobe Photoshop Creative Suite 6 is like a recipe that lists the steps that you took to cook up your image to its present state. By using the History panel, you can browse through the recipe and return to any step in the list to begin work from that point. http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-use-the-history-panel-in-photoshop-cs6.html
OK.... after 2 hours, this is what it looks like... obviously, I have no idea how to blend things together, but this is the time that I have to give today. Thanks for the guidance, guys.
Pitiful result, fun to do, learned a bit! I had trouble with the blending as well but figured out something to make it work when I blended the layers together. I don't even know what to call it! Thanks for the tutorial, I look forward to the next one!!
@rosiekerr well done! getting to this point is a sucess. You can always learn the erasing & blending in the next tutorial!
@888rachel oooh nicely done! glad you could follow along.
@kt8ird - getting a result is a step forward. :-D As long as you learnt some stuff this time, you will be more confident ( and knowledgeable!!) next time you try something like this. Flattening layers lets you clone to clean up. Your island is dark & moody looking - I see the the central tree as a mask, with the eyes looking at me!
Thanks for playing and posting, Hopefully seeing others have the same challenges is reassuring. Your Sanbox hosts really do remember how frustrating it can be when you are first learning, and we are going to be learning plenty along the way as we set editing challenges too, so be gentle with us !! @ltodd
@sandbox365 Thanks SB team! This is going to be fun!! I'll look up cloning and flattening layers. And being in the program often will help me remember what I am supposed to be doing! Thanks again. Great project.
@sandbox365 I just want to thank you so much for taking time to walk us through this. It must be very time-consuming. I really appreciate your donation of patience and knowledge. Thank you!
This is the very first time I have opened photoshop but I have learnt so much this morning thanks to the excellent advice from the team. Most of my problems were answered in other peoples queries. So excited that managed the island Now I need to do more with the editing. Thank you all so much for your time and patience.
Tweets ahoy!
Join the Group
Pin With Me
@salza @rosiekerr @laetitiapetrussa @aecasey @slash @salza @darylo @rosiekerr @laetitiapetrussa @aecasey @slash @longexposure @frankhymus @northy @joansmor
I'm really looking forward to this group.
for selections generally, and like needed for this tutorial I would normally use the rectangle selection tool http://docs.gimp.org/en/gimp-tool-rect-select.html rather than the lasoo tool.
@houser934 glad you managed to get there in the end :)
@aponi GREAT JOB and congratulations - you have posted our very first "show & tell".
Do you have white space, and 2 layers, each one with an icon of the half island facing the same way? it might be sitting exactly on top of the original image ( so it looks like it is not there.) You need to
click on the top layer in the layer pallette (highlight it to make it the 'active' surface to work on) , and
then select the image, and then
use the move tool to drag a bit to the left & see if you see 2 parts of an image to position?
Does that help at all? ( it is like 2 jigsaw pieces sitting exactly on top of each other.) Getting confused knowing just which layer you are on is common - you can only "see" the top layer as it hides the other layer ( which happens in this case to be exactly the same image until you 'mirror' the top layer)
Here is some info on the layers panel - http://www.photoshopessentials.com/basics/layers/layers-panel/
http://365project.org/aurorajane/365/2014-12-30
It's been a while since I managed to link images from my project to other threads. I am not sure I have done it correctly.
And I made it 2048 x 684 pixels
I have white on the left
I have 2 layers
I also had two icons with the island facing the same way
I am on the top layer then I selected the one half of the island with the move tool and moved it to the left
And this is where im getting stuck
I have white on the left except where I moved the island to the left
And the start photo is on the right
I am unsure of how to completed the whole photo
Thank you for helping Lynn I really appreciate it.
I also selected the whole image, copied, pasted and flipped it, but then you just get a mirrored image.
Thanks!
While I think both have since worked it out, for eveyone who is new to this ---- Please try not to stress ! Learning and understanding the concept of Layers does take a little time, a bit of practice, & a whole lot of →Edit→Undo !!
Discovering the world of layers is a bit like stepping into a future world where there is a parallel universe for each layer! What you are "seeing" on screen ( the data that is "visible") might not be the actual layer (the universe) that you are able to make changes to with your curser.
One of the key learning points of this exercise is knowing how to tell WHICH layer you are working on. In photo editing with layers, what you "see" is not necessarily what you can "touch" unless you have the correct layer "active". The video mentioned above at https://www.video2brain.com/en/lessons/understanding-layers might be worth watching.
To save the starting image you go to http://365project.org/mikegifford/overflow-extras/2015-01-04 and click the magnifying glass on the image →right click→copy image then go to photoshop and →file →new , and in the options set the preset as' clipboard' for the new image size. then →edit→paste. I hope that helps and that the instructions match your version of PS?
I used the "burn" tool to lighten the water some at the overlap.
http://www.ehow.com/how_5822331_show-history-photoshop-cs4.html and http://www.apogeephoto.com/oct2013/photoshop-CS6-CC-navigator-and-history-panels.shtml
Applying colours & filters can be a little complicated at first, (but Sandbox365 do plan to include that in future lessons), but in the meantime you might see some instant effects from →Filter →Filter Gallery
http://www.tutorial9.net/tutorials/photoshop-tutorials/photoshops-filters/
My first real try at PS. Thanks for this opportunity to learn some new skills.
.
PS, just seen that I need to follow the group,have done so.
I didn't do the blend step (don't understand how the eraser works). I also see that people just copied a small rectangular with the island, while I copied the whole picture. I'll give this another try with copying just part of the image. Thanks for the instructions! Enjoying this!
You dont need to use the Background Eraser Tool or the Magic Eraser Tool, just the basic eraser tool will do for this exercise. Mire info on the earser tool & brushes from the two websites below
http://shapeshed.com/photoshop_101_the_eraser_tool/
http://www.ephotozine.com/article/how-to-use-photoshop-s-brush-tool-17875
step 6.
BLEND the right hand sections of the top layer by selecting (is it highlighted) the top layer and using the eraser tool to remove or blend any overlapping sections do not look right.
From the print screen you can see the select pull down menu. Or how do I select the top layer? and where is the eraser? How do I get an option to erase OR BLEND? My photo shop program is left at this point so I can do what I need to unless I went too far.
THIS IS THE SCREEN PRINT of where I am. I just completed (I hope) step 5 and am trying to do step 6.
remember id the wrong selection tool is showing in the toolbar, click & hold the selection tool & a fly out menu will appear. Chose the selection tool called rectangular marquee tool then drag around the whole part of the island image ( not the whole image which includes the new white canvas)
http://library.albany.edu/imc/pdf/photoshoptoolbar.pdf
http://akvis.com/en/photoshop-tips/selection-tools.php
The History panel might help you jump back in time...
The History Panel (Choose Window→History) in Adobe Photoshop Creative Suite 6 is like a recipe that lists the steps that you took to cook up your image to its present state. By using the History panel, you can browse through the recipe and return to any step in the list to begin work from that point.
http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-use-the-history-panel-in-photoshop-cs6.html
Looking forward to more!
@888rachel oooh nicely done! glad you could follow along.
@kt8ird - getting a result is a step forward. :-D As long as you learnt some stuff this time, you will be more confident ( and knowledgeable!!) next time you try something like this. Flattening layers lets you clone to clean up. Your island is dark & moody looking - I see the the central tree as a mask, with the eyes looking at me!
Thanks for playing and posting, Hopefully seeing others have the same challenges is reassuring. Your Sanbox hosts really do remember how frustrating it can be when you are first learning, and we are going to be learning plenty along the way as we set editing challenges too, so be gentle with us !! @ltodd
@thistle what a great result for very first opening of PS! Editing & colouring will come very soon.
@amyleewinfield ooh colourful & creative! great result!