Preparing Images with Photoshop – Level 2

Workbook

Preparing Images with Photoshop – Level 2 – Workbook

This workbook accompanies the Preparing Images with Photoshop – Level 1 training session. Before you begin the tasks, first download the images that will be used in today’s session.

1. From the TSR Homepage, choose Study from the top navigation bar then Help & Training.2. Click on the IT Training link, then choose Resources.3. Download the Image Collection and Image Collection – Level 2 zip files.4. Unzip the files to your Pictures folder (Extract All button).

Task 1 – RevisionUse Photoshop to model how a wind farm in the Bristol Channel might look.

1. Open the Wind farm image and use selection tools (e.g. Quick Selection Tool (W)) to carefully select a turbine.

2. Create a new layer from your selection (Ctrl+J), name it “Turbine”. Copy the layer (Layer Duplicate Layer) into the Steep and Flat Holm image.

3. Resize (Ctrl+T) the layer and place appropriately.

4. Duplicate the turbine layer several times to create a wind farm in the Bristol Channel.

5. Finish off the image:

a. Resize to 840 pixels wide (maintain aspect ratio).

b. Use the Spot Healing Brush (J) or Content-Aware Fill (Edit Fill) to remove the boat and foreground foliage from the image.

TIP: It is good practice to duplicate a layer before editing it; this allows changes to be reverted if needed.

c. Adjust (Image Adjustments) the Steep and Flat Holm layer to improve the contrast.

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Preparing Images with Photoshop – Level 2 – Workbook

6. Export (File Export As) your image as a PNG.

Save your image as PSD

Extension Idea

Change the scene to model how a wind farm might look with a beach in the foreground:

Use a healing tool to remove both islands. Select the beach from Sky and beach. Create a new layer from the selection then copy into

the wind farm image. Resize and move as appropriate.

Task 2 – Organising LayersWe are now going to add a logo and text to the image and ensure they are aligned neatly.

1. Place the Wind Power Logo onto your image, resize it appropriately.

2. Add the company name – Wind Power Ltd - with the Horizontal Type Tool. Make your text about two-thirds the size of the logo.

3. Vertically align the text with centre of the logo. It should now look something like:

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How the Bristol Channel might look with an offshore wind farm

Preparing Images with Photoshop – Level 2 – Workbook

4. Group the logo and text together and rename the group to “Logo and Name”.

5. Use the Rectangle Shape tool (U) to create a background for the logo and text. Fill it with a colour of your choice and apply

6. Align the “Logo and Name” group within the rectangle as follows:

a. Vertical - centre

b. Horizontal – left edge

7. Create a new group that includes the logo, text and background. Name appropriately.

TIP: You do not need to ungroup the Logo and Name group; groups can be nested in each other

8. Use the Free Transform tool (Ctrl+T) to make the group a little larger and then position in the bottom left-hand corner of the image.

Extension Idea

We are now going to create three groups – small, medium and large - to organise and align the turbines:

9. Select a turbine that you want to use as a “large” turbine. Duplicate it twice and name all three layers appropriately. Hide or delete any other turbines in your image.

10. Roughly position your turbines in a row.

11. Align vertical centres to ensure they are precisely aligned. Distribute horizontal centres to space the turbines evenly.

12. Group the three turbines together, call the group “Large Turbines”.

13. Duplicate the Large Turbines group twice and resize to create a group of medium and small turbines.

14. Position the groups to create a perspective effect, then distribute the groups to the top edge.

Save your image as PSD

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Preparing Images with Photoshop – Level 2 – Workbook

Task 3 – Layer StylesUse Layer Styles to refine your wind farm image:

1. Add a Drop Shadow to the rectangle as follows:

a. Dark yellow in colour

b. The shadow should appear on the bottom and right edges of the rectangle.

c. Is quite tight around the edges.

2. Apply a Gradient Overlay layer style to the “Wind Power Ltd” text as follows:

a. The gradient should flow from a light green colour to a dark green colour

b. Angled from left to right.

c. 100% opacity.

Extension Idea

Add an Inner Shadow layer style to each group of turbines. Use the Multiply blend mode to darken the layer style, which will add clarity to the turbines making them appear sharper.

The opacity of the layer style should not be too high, otherwise the turbines will appear too dark. The opacity should also be lower for the smaller turbines, making them appear lighter and therefore further away.

Save your image as PSD

Task 4 – MasksPart A: Blending

Use layer masks to create a collage of Cardiff parks:

1. Open the Bute Park with People image.

2. Place Roath Park as a layer on top of the Bute Park image then move it to the right of the image.

3. Add a layer mask to the Roath Park image then use the Brush tool (B) on the mask to blend the two layers together. Remember that:

a. Using a black brush on a mask hides (makes it transparent) that part of the layer. Conversely, using a white brush will show that part of the layer.

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Preparing Images with Photoshop – Level 2 – Workbook

b. Adjusting the flow of the brush on a mask will create a grey area – this is translucent and will show part of that layer and part of the layer(s) below.

c. You can view just the mask by holding down Alt and clicking on the mask thumbnail.

Extension Idea

Add a third image to the collage – Llandaff Fields. Again, use a layer mask to blend the image in with the other layers. You might want to expand the canvas size (see page 9 of the How-To guide) to accommodate the new image.

Finally, add some text “Cardiff Parks” and export as a JPG. Your image may now look something like:

Part B: Selections and Masks

Create a promotional image for Cardiff Met by compositing a student from the Teaching students image with the Cardiff Met image and some banner text.

1. Open the Teaching students image then use the Quick Selection Tool to select the female student.

2. Create a layer mask of the student. Use the Brush Tool (B) on the mask to refine the selection.

TIP: Remember, white can be used to add to the selection, black to remove

3. Use Refine Mask on the Properties panel (or right-click on the mask) to make fine adjustments to the edge of the selection.

4. Duplicate your layer (and mask) to the Cardiff Met image. Resize and position the Student layer towards the left of the Cardiff Met layer. Refine the mask again, if necessary.

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Preparing Images with Photoshop – Level 2 – Workbook

5. Add text to the image – e.g. “Study at Cardiff Met”. Choose an appropriate font and colour.

6. Create a banner effect by drawing a blue rectangle behind the text; use the Rectangle Tool (U).

7. Align the text centrally within the rectangle, then group them together.

8. Apply an Outer Glow layer style to the Student layer and a Drop Shadow to the rectangle.

Here is an idea of how the image might look:

Save your image as PSD

Extension Idea

For more practice refining selections with masks, try selecting the students in the Students with Macs images. Remember you can use brushes on the mask to add or remove bits from the selection and the Refine Edge option for fine control around the edge of the selection.

Task 5 – Adjustment LayersWe are now going to use Adjustment Layers to non-destructively improve the appearance of our images.

Part A: Brightness/Contrast and B&W

1. Open the Study at Cardiff Met image you have been working on.

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Preparing Images with Photoshop – Level 2 – Workbook

2. Add a Brightness/Contrast adjustment layer to improve the contrast of the Student and Cardiff Met layers.

3. Apply a Black & White adjustment layer to the Cardiff Met layer only.

TIP: Clipping (attaching) the adjustment layer will be useful here

Part B: Colour Adjustments and Levels

Download the Cardiff Parks Photoshop (PSD) image from the IT Training website. Alternatively, if you completed the extension idea for Task 4 Part A, you can use that image.

1. Use a Photo Filter to add a subtle cooling effect to all layers in the image.

TIP: To make the effect subtle, lower the Density of the Photo Filter

2. Use a green Photo Filter adjustment layer to boost the intensity of the greens in the Llandaff Fields layer.

3. Add a Photo Filter adjustment layer to the purple tree in the Bute Park layer, to make the leaves appear more vivid.

TIP: We only want the adjustment to apply to part of the layer (the tree), so a mask will be useful here

Extension Idea

Hue/Saturation

Experiment with the Hue/Saturation adjustment layer; use it to adjust the colours to create an autumn scene in the Cardiff Parks image.

Levels

Select a Preset from the Levels adjustment layer to correct the tone in the La Rambla Barcelona image. Which preset do you think works best?

Use the Levels adjustment layer to increase the contrast of the Japanese Cruiser image:

a. move the black point to the beginning of the histogram, this will add detail to the shadows

b. move the white point to the end of the histogram, this will add detail to the highlights

c. adjust the middle slider (gamma slider) subtly to adjust the mid-tones.

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Preparing Images with Photoshop – Level 2 – Workbook

Save your images as PSD

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