What is Photoshop?
Photoshop is an image creation, graphic design and photo editing software developed by Adobe. It is the industry standard software and provides many image editing features for pixel-based images and raster graphics.
Video: Getting Started with Adobe Photoshop
In this workshop, we will demonstrate how to build composite images like the one above using non-destructive editing techniques in Adobe Photoshop. While learning tools and skills, keep in mind how these techniques might be integrated into your curriculum and content.
For this workshop we will be creating our own version of the Photoshop splash screen by artist Ted Chin
Contents
Tips for working with images
Planning & Preparation - Create a Plan. What will you composite and why? This will help keep you on task throughout the process of this project. Know your audience.
Create and Gathering Images – Research and save high resolution images that potentially work together for your composite.
File Management - Create a single folder into which ALL of your images and graphics are placed and consistently named. Ideally this folder is backed up in the cloud.
Match Up Your Elements – After images are gathered, evaluate which images can work together. When pairing your images assess the Perspective, Lighting, and Resolution of each image for your composite.
Select the Right Software for You – Adobe Express or Adobe Photoshop? If the project only requires a composite that needs a simple background removal, Adobe Express may be the tool of choice. If the job requires a more complex composition with blending layer edges, Photoshop is more likely the best choice.
Add Uniformity with Color – Once all elements are composited together, try to keep all colors adjusted to a somewhat consistent color balance – for example using a monochromatic, warm, or cool color scheme may help make the overall image feel more cohesive.
Direct Attention – Your composite should have a foreground, middle ground, and a background. The middle is typically where your subject should be. Your “focal point”.
WORKSHOP RECORDING:
Timelapse Video:
1. Create a new canvas
From the home screen (or going to file>new) select the "print" presets and then select "Letter" for your size
Download the assets if you have not done so.
2. Place & Mask the mountains
To place the mountains simply drag and drop them on to your canvas (alternatively you can go to File>Place and select the file). Size them accordingly and hit enter to commit.
Afterwards, use the object selection tool to select the mountains. Drag a rectangle that covers the entire desired selection:
After making the selection, click the mask button at the bottom of your layers to isolate your mountains:
3. Add the ocean
Place the ocean image with the same method you used to place the mountains. Make this image slightly larger.
4. Remove the sky from the ocean layer
Again with the object selection tool, draw a rectangle across the top of the water and apply a mask. You should end up with an image like this
Do the following to bring back the lower portion of the ocean:
- Make sure you have the mask selected in your layers
- Select your paintbrush
- Make sure you are painting with white and the opacity is set to 100%
- carefully paint in the areas where the ocean water should be
5. Add the sky
Place and scale the sky like you did previously. Move this layer beneath the ocean and mountain layers.
6. Place your clouds
Place clouds 1 and 2 into your image (they're already isolated, yay!). Move them to where you think they will be (we will adjust later)
Note: I decided 8.5 x 11 was not tall enough so I used the crop tool to add some height to my project.
7. Build your cloud-mingos
To easily move and scale a layer, go to Edit>Free Transform or press command/ctrl + T
For this part, choose which legs and necks/heads you would like to use. You will have to place the flamingo file several times, isolating the desired part each time.
8. Change the cloud color
Select a cloud layers. At the bottom of your layers, click the "fx" menu and select "Color Overlay"
Set the blend mode to "Overlay" and a select a color similar to your flamingo. Repeat these steps for the other cloud.
9. Add some fish!
Place and scale the fish image.
10. Adjust the hue/saturation to make the ocean
Add a Hue/Saturation adjustment layer make sure you click the clipping mask button so it only adjust your fish layer. I set the hue to -14, saturation to -2, and lightness to +13 to try to get a similar tone as the top right of the ocean image.
11. Mask out and blend the fish image
This part will take some practice and patience. Select your paint brush and set it to 20% opacity, 10% hardness, and the size to 400px. We are going to paint broad strokes to blend together the to images.
The end!
Although there are more adjustments we can make to create more polished final product, pat yourself on the back if you were able to get this far!
If you like to learn more about getting started with Photoshop, visit this resource.
For more PhotoShop Tutorials and resources, visit Adobe & Arizona Tutorials