Cutting figures out of one photo and putting on other

BC
Posted By
Brian Chinnock
Aug 4, 2003
Views
324
Replies
10
Status
Closed
I wish to make a picture that is a montage of many pictures of my daughter. I currently start with my 6 different JPEG files open in Photoshop. I then cut her out of one picture with magnetic lasso, etc. and use move tool to put it on other photo. I’ve got a few questions:
1) How can I put all these cutout pictures on a blank background?
2) Once I cut out a photo to put in another one, it appears it cannot be resized. Is there some way to resize it once it is in the new photo?
3) Any other suggestions on how to best do this type of project?

Thanks
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L
LenHewitt
Aug 4, 2003
Brian,

1) Make sure all images are at the same resolution

2) Create a new, blank file of suitable size to take all the images, and at he same resolution

3) Having selected the required area, copy and paste into the blank canvas
CW
Colin Walls
Aug 4, 2003
Phew, 3 for the price of one? 🙂

1) I would simply create a new document – probably much larger than I finally need – which is just filled with an appropriate colour. Keep this open as you work. Then select each image in the way you describe and copy [ctrl-C], then paste [ctrl-V] onto the new image. It will be on its own layer.

2) You can resize it. If you choose the Move tool and make sure that "Show bounding box" is checked, you can then select the layer and you’ll have a box with handles that you can move. Hold SHIFT to keep the aspect ratio.

3) Several:

Take care about individual image size. This is challenging if you are scanning to get all the resolutions right.

Remember that layers stack on top of one another, so if one thing is obscuring another, you need to move its layer up the stack. I find the Layer/Arrange/… commands handy. Also, having the Move tool Auto Select Layer box checked can be helpful.

Pay attention to how bright the pictures are relative to one another. Typically, you will have a few that stand out, as they’re brighter. Easily fixed if you’re on the lookout.

Doing this kind of project is very time consuming, but, IMHO, great fun. You will learn some really useful PS in the process. I have done quite a few of these and you can find a couple at <http://www.colinwalls.com>

Good luck.
Y
YrbkMgr
Aug 4, 2003
And… DON’T save as JPG. Save as Tiff or PSD. Every time you make a change and save the JPG’s more data is taken away and the quality erodes. JPG should be considered a Final Output Format, and one should avoid using it as an Editing Format unless no other options are available. An even then, Edit the JPG, Save As Tiff or PSD.

Colin,
I really like your stuff by the way..

Peace,
Tony
CW
Colin Walls
Aug 4, 2003
Good point Tony. Wouldn’t it be good if PS helped with this issue some way, rather than assuming that folks know about this stuff?

Tjanks for your kind comments.

BTW, are you up very early or very late?
CW
Colin Walls
Aug 4, 2003
I take your point Tony. I guess PS is for "grown ups", who have to be responsible. Adobe have gone to great lengths to avoid this issue with PS Album, as I guess the potential users might need more "nannying".

Yes, 3:00. I have been known to be up that late, but also to need to get up that early. Good night!
P
Phosphor
Aug 4, 2003
Tony and Colin,

Seems like I’m following you guys around tonight… I’m not sure whose "job" it would be to share the JPEG degradation deal–but until last week I had no clue. Didn’t learn it in my photoshop class–came across it reading this great book <http://www.scantips.com>

Patty
Y
YrbkMgr
Aug 4, 2003
Good for you Patty! Scantips is an excellent site, read by far too few photoshoppers.
CW
Colin Walls
Aug 4, 2003
Patty: I’ve visited <http://www.scantips.com/> quite a few times, but didn’t notice that he had a book. I think I’d ike that. Did you buy a copy?
Y
YrbkMgr
Aug 4, 2003
I didn’t. I hate technical books anymore. I used to pour through them, now I avoid them like the plague. I prefer searching with a "find" feature rather than leafing through pages. Just my little "tick". I have two masters degrees in science (chemistry) and in business, and will only now look at books with pictures in them – preferably connect the dot types <grin>
P
Phosphor
Aug 4, 2003
Yes Colin, I did buy Wayne Fulton’s book, "A few scanning tips" and it is a valuable addition to my reference library.

I sent Wayne an email, saying something to the effect, "I can’t say I "enjoy" reading it, (not like a good smutty romance novel)…."

Colin, I highly recommend the book. I am "struggling" with the "perpixelating resolution issue" and Wayne’s book is helping to pull things together for me.

Patty

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