Adobe Photoshop 5 allows you to create all manner of tricks of the trade that any
designer worth his salt will use. This tutorial uses different layers and filters to
change three simple images into a stunning magazine cover effect. But whether you're a
budding designer or you're just beginning in Photoshop, this allows you to create
amazing images.
Part 1: adding layers
To create an interesting image, you need to start with a background picture that will
have some interesting texture or colour, such as bark or water, something you can use
to contrast within your main image. Images like this are easily found or scanned in.
In this part of the tutorial we will adjust the background image and add your first
layer. Select 'Open' from the 'File' menu and double-click on your background image.
Select 'Adjust' in the 'Image' menu
Click on 'Brightness/Contrast'
Adjust 'Contrast' by moving the arrow
Alter to create desired contrast
Click 'OK' when happy
Now we've got our background layer, we're going add another image, position it where
we want, and alter its transparency so that the background texture shows through. Open
new image and use options from 'Rotate canvas' feature in 'Image' menu to manouvere
your image into the position you want.
Choose 'All' from 'Select' menu
Select 'Copy' from 'Edit' menu
Click on 'Background' layer
Select 'Paste' from 'Edit' menu
Close new image
Your new image should appear as 'Layer 1' on your background. We now want to further
alter the size and position of 'Layer 1' before we add another image.
Select 'Transform' from the 'Edit' menu
Choose 'Scale'
Click and hold to move the whole 'Layer 1' image around the background
Drag any corner and edge of 'Layer 1' to alter the dimensions as you like
Click on 'Move tool'
To make changes click on 'Apply'
Select 'Show Layers' in 'Windows' menu
Toppers' tip: Pictures: www.digitalvisiononline.com
Part 2: masking
In this part of the tutorial we shall add another image, and alter the layers using
the 'Feathering', 'Lasso' and 'Overlay' tools in the 'Layers Palette'.
Choose 'File' then 'Open' to select your third image
Choose 'All' from the 'Select' menu
Select 'Copy' from the 'Edit' menu
Click on background image
Select 'Paste' from the 'Edit' menu
Close the new image
Select 'Transform' in the 'Edit' menu
Choose 'Scale'
Drag edges of layer to alter size
When happy, click on 'Move tool' then click 'Apply'
We now have an image with three layers, the background, Layer 1 and Layer 2. All of
these should appear in the 'Layers palette'. We now want to remove any excess imagery
that we don't need, by cropping the layers with the 'Lasso' tool.
Click on 'Lasso' tool
Click on 'Layer 1' in 'Layers palette'
Select 'Show options' in the 'Windows' menu
Change 'Feather' option to 20 pixels
Click and hold to draw around the image in 'Layer 1'
Only draw around the parts of the image you want to keep
Choose 'Invert' from the 'Select' menu
Press 'Delete' to remove excess in 'Layer 1'
Choose 'Deselect' from the 'Select' menu
Click on 'Layer 2' in the 'Layers palette'
Repeat the process with the 'Lasso' tool
Choose 'Invert' from the 'Select' menu to remove unwanted imagery
At this stage, our background layer should still be intact, whilst our two image layers
have been altered. We're now going to apply filters to these two image layers to allow
some of the background texture to show through.
Click on drop-down menu in 'Layers palette'
Click on 'Layer 2'
Select 'Overlay'
Change intensity of the filters by altering the 'Opacity'
Repeat process for 'Layer 1'
Click on 'Background layer'
Select 'Adjust' from the 'Image' menu
Choose 'Brightness/Contrast' and alter as necessary
Toppers' tip: Use the lasso and quick mask for selections
Part 3: duplicating layers
Our image now has three overlapping layers, but to add to the effect of the layers, we
are going to duplicate these layers and alter those elements to create further design
effects. In the last part of the tutorial we shall add some text to try and create a
stylish magazine cover effect.
Click on 'Layer 1'
Right-mouse click and select 'Duplicate Layer'
Select 'OK'
'Layer 1 Copy' will appear in 'Layers palette'
Click on drop-down menu in 'Layers palette'
Select 'Normal'
Click on 'Lasso' tool
Click and hold to draw round the image area that you want to highlight
Choose 'Invert' in the 'Select' menu
Press 'Delete' to remove excess parts of 'Layer 1 Copy'
Choose 'Deselect' in 'Select' menu
Right-mouse click on 'Layer 2'
Select 'Duplicate Layer'
Select 'Normal' on drop-down 'Layers palette'
Click on 'Lasso' tool
Select and crop a prominent feature on 'Layer 2 Copy' image
Choose 'Invert' from 'Select' menu and delete unwanted material
Click on 'Text' tool
Select colour for your text
Click anywhere on the main image
Enter text in 'Text box'
Change font, size and colour using text tool
Click 'OK' and the new text layer will appear
Select 'Magic Wand' tool
Hold 'Shift' key and click on each letter of the text
Choose 'Modify' from the 'Select' menu
Select 'Contract'
Change pixels to reduce or increase text appearance
Click 'OK'
We now want to create a path for our 'Text layer' which allows any features of our
'Text layer' to be applied to the other layers, in this case we want to delete the
layer material directly below the text so that the background image shows
through the text.
Select 'Path' menu on the 'Layers palette'
Click on 'Makes work path from selection'
Go back to 'Layer' menu
Click on 'Layer 2 Copy'
Go back into 'Path' menu
Click on 'Loads path as selection'
Click on each layer and press 'Delete'
Don't click on background layer
Right-mouse click on 'Text layer'
Select 'Render layer'
Click on 'Text layer' and press 'Delete'
Toppers' tip: only click on the layers you want to alter
