| "QUICK MASK" PHOTOSHOP TUTORIAL |
1. Prepare your base. I used a base from another photomanip and a background cropped from a bigger picture for the
purpose of this tutorial. The base should have all its layers merged and must be as close to completion as possible. The
background may still be worked as much as you want.
purpose of this tutorial. The base should have all its layers merged and must be as close to completion as possible. The
background may still be worked as much as you want.
2. Make sure you have your base layer selected on the layers palette. Hit the "Quick Mask" button as shown below - an
adjustment window will appear, locked to the base. Click on this window. You will notice that the background and
foreground colors in the toolbox will automatically change to black and white, with black as the foreground color and white
as the background. Don't change this setting.
Select the gradient tool and make sure it's set to "foreground to background", linear gradient, blending mode to Multiply,
and opacity to 60%.
adjustment window will appear, locked to the base. Click on this window. You will notice that the background and
foreground colors in the toolbox will automatically change to black and white, with black as the foreground color and white
as the background. Don't change this setting.
Select the gradient tool and make sure it's set to "foreground to background", linear gradient, blending mode to Multiply,
and opacity to 60%.
3. With the quick mask adjustment layer active on the layers palette and the gradient tool selected in the toolbox, you
are now ready to begin. Starting from the lower edge of the base, draw the cursor up several centimeters in a straight
line until it is just below the imagined height of the grass and release. Do the same where his hand rests on the grass,
but this time, do it at an angle, as shown below. I chose 60% opacity so that there is a hint of darkness under the body -
important where the body does cast a shadow, such as in the juncture of the chest and armpit and where his arms cross.
It doesn't look like much yet, but we've got some way to go.
are now ready to begin. Starting from the lower edge of the base, draw the cursor up several centimeters in a straight
line until it is just below the imagined height of the grass and release. Do the same where his hand rests on the grass,
but this time, do it at an angle, as shown below. I chose 60% opacity so that there is a hint of darkness under the body -
important where the body does cast a shadow, such as in the juncture of the chest and armpit and where his arms cross.
It doesn't look like much yet, but we've got some way to go.
4. Now switch the gradient to radial mode, retaining the rest of the gradient settings. Select different points on the
masked line of your base and draw the cursor up from the edge until it is a little higher than the level you arrived at in
section 3 and release. As you will notice, the grassline looks more natural now.
masked line of your base and draw the cursor up from the edge until it is a little higher than the level you arrived at in
section 3 and release. As you will notice, the grassline looks more natural now.
5. Okay - use zoom to enlarge the pic up 200%. with the quick mask layer still selected, switch to the eraser tool and
set it to soft round, perhaps 17 pixels (your choice), 60% opacity and flow. We are going to erase selected areas of the
mask to bring the contours of the body out. Click on these areas with the eraser - once or several times according to your
preference.
set it to soft round, perhaps 17 pixels (your choice), 60% opacity and flow. We are going to erase selected areas of the
mask to bring the contours of the body out. Click on these areas with the eraser - once or several times according to your
preference.
6. Now for the grass blades. Click on the base in the base layer to select it. Change your eraser settings to hard round,
1 pixel (lowest), 100% opacity and flow. If you like, you can temporarily reduce the opacity of the base until you can see
individual blades of grass through it. Trace these blades with the eraser tool, or erase free-form. Try to bring out as many
hues of grass color as you can, but don't overdo it. Remember, some of the grass will be flattened under the body. Don't
be too concerned about feathering the blades to a point either. It won't be noticed.
1 pixel (lowest), 100% opacity and flow. If you like, you can temporarily reduce the opacity of the base until you can see
individual blades of grass through it. Trace these blades with the eraser tool, or erase free-form. Try to bring out as many
hues of grass color as you can, but don't overdo it. Remember, some of the grass will be flattened under the body. Don't
be too concerned about feathering the blades to a point either. It won't be noticed.
7. Okaaaay... We're at the end of it now. You've noticed that you can still see the line of the base through the grass,
yes? We're going to change that. With the base still selected, change the eraser settings to soft round, 17 pixels, 60%
opacity and flow. Now - where the base line shows, erase the very edge of it - slightly in some parts, completely in others.
For example: Below the armpit, there's an area of shadow. Go softly here. :)
yes? We're going to change that. With the base still selected, change the eraser settings to soft round, 17 pixels, 60%
opacity and flow. Now - where the base line shows, erase the very edge of it - slightly in some parts, completely in others.
For example: Below the armpit, there's an area of shadow. Go softly here. :)
8. You're done. And without having to paste any tufts of grass either! Make whatever adjustments you want to your base
as regards color, saturation or contrast. Do not make an adjustment layer or duplicate the base layer unless you are
well-versed in photoshop. Doing so may alter the mask.
as regards color, saturation or contrast. Do not make an adjustment layer or duplicate the base layer unless you are
well-versed in photoshop. Doing so may alter the mask.
This process has many uses. For elves or men bathing in pools, for example, you can use it to leave a hint of body
underneath the surface of the water. Or where you have a pesky fern you want to superimpose on a base, you can put it
behind the base, use quick mask with judicious erasure on the base to bring the fern out without worrying about fuzzy
outlines. You can use it to fade strands of hair out, filter light rays or blend the edges of pasted-on backgrounds. And it
will work on any occupied layer except text. That layer, you have to rasterize first.
underneath the surface of the water. Or where you have a pesky fern you want to superimpose on a base, you can put it
behind the base, use quick mask with judicious erasure on the base to bring the fern out without worrying about fuzzy
outlines. You can use it to fade strands of hair out, filter light rays or blend the edges of pasted-on backgrounds. And it
will work on any occupied layer except text. That layer, you have to rasterize first.
