Exingo,
Are you trying to create a silhouette ??
Desaturate works that way. And I assume when you say you want a "completely black" image, that is not really what you want.
Do you mean a silhouette, like the well known Alfred Hitchcock profile? Then create a mask covering all but the silhouette and paint it black.
Rob
Len!
Can I borrow your time machine for a while?
Rob
I see.
I am trying to create a shadow, so I duplicate a layer, transform it to position it and then want to make it black.
Rob,
Can I borrow your time machine for a while?<<
Wonderful thing is NNTP – it times messages when they are composed, NOT when they are posted…..
Len, OK, and better not lend your time machine to anyone. Two of mine never returned…
Exingo, duplicate it on a layer, make it black, use free transfom to scew it and blur it heavy. I think its called cast shadow, as opposed to drop shadow.
Rob
Exingo,
Layer ->Layer Style -> Drop Shadow.
Right Click the style and "Create Layer".
Select the shadow layer.
Edit -> Transform -> Perspective.
Thanks everyone!
1. If I wanted to duplicate the layer and make it black, what would be the best way to do it that way?
2. Does the end result look good either way by duplicating the layer or using the layer styles? Does one look more realisting than the other?
1- duplicate, set to multiply, lock transparency, fill with black, use the move tool to offset it to your liking, unlock transparnecy, blur, and play with opacity and nudge to final position.
2- I personally prefer the duplication method, and will argue that the results are equal to a layer style, though you do kind of have to commit to an amount of blur in the dupe method which can’t be decreased really, whereas the parameters of the layer style can be changed in this regard.
You never mentioned the color mode you are working in.
When you said the desaturation made a layer grayscale, we know that is not what you meant to say. Grayscale is a mode. The fact that it looks grayscale is the nature of desaturation. No saturation = neutral = no color = black & white.
exingo,
The results should be identical. I just felt that you would get better results and have an easier time using a layer style. Those of us that have been using Photoshop for a long time have a hard time letting go of the old ways of doing things sometimes. Not that they aren’t important to know, It is just that they can slow you down if you use too many at once. I am very old school and remember all too well they days before layer styles and rounded rectangles. It is amazing how many things are now taken for granted.
It is very important to know what tools are available. John’s instructions show you what is happening in the background when you use a layer style. These things are very good to know when you want to do something involving specific aspects.
You now know what locking the transparency will do for you as well as how blending modes work.
It really comes down to what makes you most comfortable. There is no right or wrong just what gets the job done the in the least amount of time with the best results.
