Lesson 1 What you’ll learn in this lesson: • How to work with multiple documents • Creating a simple composition AL • New masking features • Introduction to 3D TE RI feature TE D MA Exploring Photoshop Starting up PY RI GH In this lesson, you are offered the opportunity to dive right into Adobe Photoshop CS4 and put together an exciting composition. This lesson was created to help current users (or fast learners) quickly discover some of the hottest new features in Photoshop CS4.
1 Taking a look at the final project 1 See Lesson 1 in action! Use the accompanying video to gain a better understanding of how to use some of the features shown in this lesson.The video tutorial for this lesson can be found on the included DVD. Taking a look at the final project In this lesson, you’ll create a 3D postcard. The composition for the postcard will come from several different sources, allowing you to use some of the new cloning tools, mask features, and adjustments in Adobe Photoshop CS4.
Starting the composition 5 1 Now that you have seen the final image that you will create, choose File > Close. When the Warning dialog box appears, click No, you do not want to save the file. Starting the composition The finished postcard composition was created from three different source images. In this part of the lesson, you will start to pull those images together. 1 Choose File > Browse in Bridge, or click on the Launch Bridge button ( ) in the Application bar.
1 Starting the composition If you used previous versions of Photoshop, you might find the new system of docking image windows different than what you are used to. If you would rather have your image windows “float” as in previous versions, choose Float All in Windows from the Arrange Documents drop-down menu. 5 Select the Move tool ( ) and then click on the ps0102.psd image. Click and drag the ps0102.psd image on top of the ps0101.psd image window.
Using the new Mask panel 1 10 With the Move tool still selected, click on the newly placed ps0102 layer and drag, repositioning the child’s head to be closer to the lower-left corner. If his hand on the right is not visible, click and drag the image up slightly, as shown in the figure. Reposition the new layer so that the child’s head is in the lower-left corner of the image. You will now take a moment to save this as a work file. 11 Choose File > Save As, to open the Save As dialog box.
1 Using the new Mask panel 2 Choose Window > Masks, if the Masks panel is not visible. With the selection still active, click on the Add a Pixel Mask button ( ) in the upper-right corner of the Masks panel. A very rough mask is created, eliminating the area outside of your selection; you will now refine that selection. With an active selection, click on the Add a Pixel Mask button. The selection is converted into a mask.
Using the new Mask panel 4 1 Press OK to close the Refine Mask dialog box. You have added a layer mask that can be disabled or edited at any time. Refine the selection (mask). The selection edge is softened with feathering. Disable and re-enable a layer mask by Shift+clicking on the mask thumbnail in the Layer’s panel. 5 Using the Move tool ( ), click and drag the boy layer down slightly so as not to see the feathered edge along the bottom.
1 Adding a graphic image with the Clone tool Adding a graphic image with the Clone tool In this next part of the lesson, you will add a graphic element as a new layer and change the blending mode. This will add a subtle texture to the image. 16 1 When a new layer is added, it appears by default on top of the active layer. Because this graphic is going to be positioned between the Background layer and the boy layer, you should select the Background layer.
Adding a graphic image with the Clone tool 8 1 With the Clone Stamp tool selected, choose Overlay from the Mode drop-down menu in the Application bar. Then type 20 in the Opacity text box. The cloning that you do will now be overlaid on top of the Background layer at a light opacity. In order to get a nice, painterly feel to the text that you apply, you will make your brush a little softer. 9 With the Clone tool selected, click on the Brush Preset arrow.
1 Adding an adjustment layer to the composition You see a light copy of the graphic appearing. The benefit of using a light opacity is that you can brush (by clicking, dragging, and releasing the mouse) lightly in some areas, or repeatedly in other areas to increase the opacity of the cloned pixels. Using the Clone Stamp tool, paint the outside edges of the graphics lightly, but paint repeatedly over the center part of the image to make those clone pixels more opaque.
Adding an adjustment layer to the composition 3 1 Click on the Create New Fill or Adjustment Layer button ( ) at the bottom of the Layers panel and select Black & White. An adjustment layer is applied, on top of the boy layer, and the image changes to look as though it is a grayscale image. The Adjustments panel is now be visible. New in Photoshop CS4, you make revisions to the active adjustment layer using this panel. If you do not see the Adjustments panel, choose Window > Adjustments.
1 Adding a text layer 7 Click on the This Adjustment Affects All Layers Below button ( ) at the bottom of the Adjustments panel. The only layer being affected by the Black & White adjustment layer is the boy layer. Click on the This Adjustment Affects All Layers Below button. 8 The grayscale applies only to the layer directly underneath it. Choose File > Save to save this file, and keep it open for the next part of this lesson.
Making a 3D postcard 4 1 Hold down Ctrl+Shift (Windows) or Command+Shift (Mac OS) and then repeatedly press the > (Greater Than) key to make the text incrementally larger. Continue pressing the > key until your text is approximately 36 points. If you are not in favor of using keyboard shortcuts, you may simply type 36 into the Font size text box in the Application bar. To make text incrementally smaller, you use the < (Less Than) key instead of the > key.
1 Making a 3D postcard Making a 3D postcard You will now convert your flat image into a 3D postcard.You will do this by using the new 3D features and tools that have been added to Photoshop CS4.You will experiment more with the new and improved 3D features in Lesson 13, “Introducing 3D.” Converting multiple layers into one smart object layer Because the 3D features work with an individual layer, you will first convert the multiple layers in this image into one smart object layer.
Turning your image into a 3D texture 2 1 Type 125 in the Width text box and then choose percent from the measurement units drop-down menu. Then type 125 in the Height text box, and press OK. An additional 25 percent of transparency appears around the image. Increase the canvas size. The result. 3 With the smart object Bike On! still selected, choose 3D > New 3D Postcard from Layer.You may not see any change occur at this time.
