Part of my daily posting diet on flickr yesterday included project365 shots for myself and my kids. As it was the weekend and we've all been ill this week I opted for a lazy home based-shoot and some photoshop editing applying textures. I used Michelle Black's new freebie texture which you can find by clicking the title link. After posting a few people posted comments asking how I'd done it so decided it might be a good idea to post a tutorial here to help and PS new comers out.
Firstly, the original photo was shot against a white background, that makes editing later easier. You don't nee a back drop I often use a white wall in my house with good lighting. Today I used a projection screen but thats not particularly necessary as long as you've got a good contrast between your subject and background.
Firstly I should make it clear this tutorial is to use the texture as a background and not to apply over the entire shot. I will probably cover that later. I opened both the files in photoshop firstly. Then I selected all of the texture file and copied and pasted it into a new layer over the photograph. You can do it the other way around but will loose your EXIF data is you do.
Once the texture is pasted over the photograph you will alarmingly be unable to see your image. At this point reduce the opacity of the texture layer to around 50%. This will allow you to see what's underneath. Now with the eraser tool set to 100% opacity and 100% flow begin erasing the texture from your subject, I always start with the face and work out. Erase just almost to the edges then refine your eraser brush. Set to a smaller diamter, around 19 pixels, with opacity at 37% and flow around 74% and erase the edges in smooth strokes. Once this is done increase the opacity of the texture layer back to around 95% so you can see and spots you've missed. Once this is tidied up run the blur tool around the edges to give a smooth finish.
Don't worry if you make a mistake, you can use the undo tool if you are not using very long strokes, if there is a white area left when you increase opacity you may also be able to use the clone tool to even it out.
Have fun!
Firstly, the original photo was shot against a white background, that makes editing later easier. You don't nee a back drop I often use a white wall in my house with good lighting. Today I used a projection screen but thats not particularly necessary as long as you've got a good contrast between your subject and background.
Firstly I should make it clear this tutorial is to use the texture as a background and not to apply over the entire shot. I will probably cover that later. I opened both the files in photoshop firstly. Then I selected all of the texture file and copied and pasted it into a new layer over the photograph. You can do it the other way around but will loose your EXIF data is you do.
Once the texture is pasted over the photograph you will alarmingly be unable to see your image. At this point reduce the opacity of the texture layer to around 50%. This will allow you to see what's underneath. Now with the eraser tool set to 100% opacity and 100% flow begin erasing the texture from your subject, I always start with the face and work out. Erase just almost to the edges then refine your eraser brush. Set to a smaller diamter, around 19 pixels, with opacity at 37% and flow around 74% and erase the edges in smooth strokes. Once this is done increase the opacity of the texture layer back to around 95% so you can see and spots you've missed. Once this is tidied up run the blur tool around the edges to give a smooth finish.
Don't worry if you make a mistake, you can use the undo tool if you are not using very long strokes, if there is a white area left when you increase opacity you may also be able to use the clone tool to even it out.
Have fun!
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