JRN 440Adv. Online JournalismDestructive, masks, blend modes

Wednesday, 1/25/2012

Class Objectives

Lecture Layers, Destructive and non-destructive editing Masks, blend modes

Homework Ex. 2, 3, due Monday, 1/30 by 2:05pm

Photoshop and Layers

You have the ability to work in a layered fashion (<Windows <Layers)

Why is this good to do? Easier to change your image

Think of your image as a painting… when all the paint is on top of each other, it is harder to make changes

Can also view/hide certain layers Note: your background layer is locked (you

either need to unlock it or duplicate it to have full ability to make changes)

Photoshop and Layers

Ultimately, if you save your file as a non-native format (other than TIF), your file will flatten So it’s always a good idea to save

A native file (.psd) A non-native file (.jpg, .pdf, .eps, .png)

Destructive editing in Photoshop

Permanently changes your pixels We’re not talking about going back in your

history or reverting a file Think of it this way, you’re permanently

changing your pixels (finger painting directly onto artwork)

Examples: Adjustments of brightness, contrast, tools, color changes, filters

Non-destructive editing in PS

Background image/layer is not changed until you flatten your image (finger painting above artwork) Easiest way to do this is duplicate your

background image onto a new layer Adjustment layers Smart Objects

Use smart filters highed.atomiclearning.com Photoshop CS4 (Mac) Using smart filters

Non-destructive editing in PS

Cropping nondestructively (on unlocked layer) After you create a cropping rectangle with

the Crop tool, select Hide from the options bar to preserve the cropped area in a layer.

Restore the cropped area anytime by choosing < Image < Reveal All

Masks (different kinds of…)

What if you want to block of part of your image but still want to keep the pixels?

You can create a mask Masks let you isolate and protect areas of an

image as you apply color changes, filters, or other effects to the rest of the image

Default color is red due to

traditional printing mask

technique involving “rubyliths”

Temporary Masks

Quick Mask- used for precision Make your selection (using selection

tools) Click on button called “Quick Mask” Everything masked off is red

Can add to mask with pencil or paint brush and black foreground color

Can delete from mask with eraser and white color (or switch colors and keep same brush)

If you do not like the red- double click on the Quick Mask button and change colors/ opacity of color

Tutorial on Quick Masks

First off, open up an image (any landscape image will do)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_IukgNM1fI&feature=related (2 minutes)

You can also “paint” on a mask Highed.atomiclearning.com Photoshop 4, Using Quick Mask Mode

Tip: although you may “clean” at above 100% viewing size, your image will only print at what is seen and not seen at 100%

Saving Quick Masks

Need to save mask to make it permanent, otherwise, if you click off of it (or deselect), all you will have is marching ants < Select <Save Selection

(which becomes an alpha channel) To load selection at a later time <Select <Load

Selection

Layer Masks

Is also non-destructive way to edit parts of a layer Go to your Layers palette

Background layer, by default is locked, double click it to unlock it

Better yet, create a duplicate layer (non-destructive editing)

Make your selection Click on the “Add Layer Mask” button

Need to have the layer mask selected to work on it Any tool you use that has white reveals layer Any tool you used that has black hides/masks layer X on the keyboard is shortcut for switching colors

Layer Masks

Open up 2 different images Copy and paste one image into another

Open Apple A, Open Apple C, go to second image, Open Apple V

Go to your layers palette Select the second layer, click on “Add Layer

Mask” button Erase the elements you want.

Or, instead of this, apply a gradient to masks to blend two photographs together

Anti-Aliasing with Selections

Used when you want to partially select pixels in between fully selected ones Photoshop default is to check anti-alias box

Need to do this because of stair-stepping that occurs when making curves or diagonals out of square pixels NOT for rectangular or single row selections YES for ovals or nonregular shapes

Will not see difference if box is checked or not checked on your monitor May see it in pieces that you print!

Blending Modes

Another non-destructive way to blend 2 layers together (as long as you leave file unflattened) Can always set blending mode of layer back to

being “normal” Will most commonly use normal and change

opacity to help “see thru” a layer Web page explaining each blending mode

http://www.cgtextures.com/content.php?action=tutorial&name=blendmodes

Lots of online tutorials including http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvGqXcpl6Tc&feature=fvst (8 minutes)

On your own: Tutorial on Masks

First things Download the image suspension bridge http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=vHBbklm4cuY&feature=related (4 minutes) – nice way to make a grayscale image

Can compare this technique – using the blue in the channel – to <image <mode <grayscale and you’ll see that this technique lends to richer looking blacks.

On your own: Tutorial on Masks

First things Download Earth and open mouth images off of

website images page Need to know how to proportionately scale

things (< Edit <Transform < Scale) and use Shift key

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saaQTGKNMW8 (8 minutes)- trick about selecting and space bar, changing brush sizes with bracket keys, x key foreground and background colors

On your own: Tutorial on Layer Masks First things, have 3 images open in

Photoshop http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=DA8TgyTruV8&feature=related (start at 1:20, 6 minutes)

Create a layer mask filled with black, hold down Alt key when clicking “Add layer mask” button