Day 3

Masks and Digital Composting

Objectives

General:

  • Uses Masks
  • Combines images

Specific:

  • Understands masks more deeply
  • Makes masks
  • Edits masks
  • Makes advanced selections using Select and Mask
  • Uses masks and layers to combine photos

Outline

Hook

  • Scroll down for example hook
Introduction:
  • Questions since last time?
  • In what situations would you want to combine images?
Masks
Using Masks to “cut out”
  • Do the Mask Exercise file here
  • Then show them they can apply that same concept using two images

Combine 2 similar images

  • Log Road Block images
  • Auto-align layers
  • Create a mask
  • Paint on the mask to bring second person in

Select and Mask Workspace

  • Select>Select and Mask
  • This window will allow you to make more precise selections for masks
  • Change view mode to the one you want (marching ants, onion skin, black & white, etc.)
  • There are familiar selection tools here, but there’s a new one: refine edge brush tool
    • Use this tool to make finer selections. This tool works really well with selecting hair/fur.
    • Demonstrate by using a picture of someone with long hair (Red-Haired Girl.png)
    • Quickly select the person, then refine the edges using the tool
  • You can also make a feathered selection by upping the feather under “global refinements”
    • A feathered selection will “fade in” instead of having a hard border
  • Click “OK” when you are finished. You will see that a mask has been made from your selection.

Application: Use everything we’ve learned so far to Photoshop Garrett’s face onto Daniel Burbank’s (astronaut) face

  • Make sure Daniel Burbank and Garrett are on two separate layers
  • Use lasso tool to select Garrett’s face (just the face, not the head/hair)
  • Select and Mask Garrett’s face
  • Feather 
  • Re-size Garrett (cmd+T) so he’s aligned with Daniel
    • Adjust the opacity of Garrett to do this easier
  • Clipping masks with adjustment layers (to get Garrett’s face to look less corpse-like)
  • Apply a color balance adjustment layer and increase yellow and red
  • Use a clipping mask so it only applies to Garrett’s layer
Conclusion
  • Recap:
    • Selections
    • Masks
    • Combinations
  • Next time:
    • Photomerge for panoramas
    • healing photos

Example Hook

 +

 +

 

=

Example Questions

  • In your own words how does a mask work?
  • Explain the difference between black and white on a mask?
  • In what situations would you combine photos?
  • Why are masks considered non-destructive editing?

Example Activities and Files

  • Follow along: have students follow along as you combine the CombineA.jpg and CombineB.jpg using selections and masks.
  • Apply it activity: Have students place a photo of themselves (or one of ours) on a background of a famous place.
  • Have students put their own face on a picture of someone famous