Layer Mask Animal Project

Goal: Combine parts of two animals to make a single unique animal.

You are creatingtwo new animals so you must find four different photos.

Part 1 – The Search

Use Google Images or Yahoo images and find 2 animals that you want to combine. Save these pictures in your folder (make sure you click onthe FULL SIZE pictures, and not the thumbnails!) Look for animals that will blend well.

Document the websites by copying the web address for each image. You can copy and paste it right into a word document. You will need a source page for this project.

Part 2 – The Set Up

Open Adobe Photoshop

File --> New:
Name: yourname_newanimal1
Preset: custom
Width: 5 inches
Height: 5 inches
Resolution: 72 pixels/inch
Color Mode: RGB, 8-bit
Background Contents: Transparent
Click OK

Part 3 – Photo Merge

1.  Open the pictures of the first twoanimals you want to combine (don’t forget you can use edit>transform to flip an animal so it is facing another way if you need to.)

2.  Decide which photo you want on the bottom layer and which one you want on the top.

·  Things to consider include:

ü  How you are going to blend the backgrounds

ü  How you want to blend the animals

3.  Move the animal you want on the bottom layer to the new document yourname_newanimal1.psd.

·  Rename the layer with the animal.

·  You made need to resize the photo using edit>free transform, don’t forget to hold the shift key and drag a corner sizing handle.

·  Press Return to accept the new size.

·  You can close the original file of this animal

4.  Move the second to the yourname_newanimal1.psd document you have just created

·  Rename the layer with the animal.

·  You made need to resize the photo using edit>free transform, don’t forget to hold the shift key and drag a corner sizing handle.

·  Press Return to accept the new size.

·  You can close the original file of this animal

5.  Positioning the animals

·  Lower the opacity on the top layer. Take it to zero and slowly go up until you can see through enough to line up your animals.

·  You made need to resize one or both photos using edit>free transform.

·  Keep adjusting the photos until you get them to where you think they will blend.

6.  Creating the layer mask

·  Click on the Add Layer Mask button at the bottom of the Layers Palette.

·  Select a soft brush with a size that works for your images.

·  When you paint with Black you are covering up or hiding an area of the image. When you paint with White you are uncovering or revealing an area of an image.

·  You may need to adjust the opacity as you work. It is okay if you “erase” too much because you can simply paint it back using the white.

·  Keep adjusting the mask until the images blend well.

·  You can use levels and other color adjustments to blend the photos further. You can lighten and darken to allow different color animals to blend.

·  You may need to use your retouching tools, clone stamp, healing brush, spot healing brush or patch tool to make the background areas of an image work.

7.  The Text – The New Animal’s Name

·  Click on the T (type) tool to select Font type, size and color. The style and color of font should fit your animal. (Windows>Character brings up the text palette)

·  Give them new names. The more creative the better.

·  Select a good location to place the text. It should be easy to read and fit with the image.

·  Add Layer Styles to the text to create a look befitting your animal creation.

·  The text should become part of the image, it is part of the art.

8.  Saving and Printing

·  Use the Crop Tool to crop your final photo.

·  SAVE theyourname_newanimal1.psd document in your folder.

·  Print this image now. You can go to File>Print Preview and select the Scale to Fit Media option to fit your image to the page.

9.  Saving for the Web

·  Go to Image>Duplicate, change copy to flat, yourname_newanimal1 flat

·  Go to Layer>Flatten Image

·  Go to Image>Mode>RGB to change the color mode in preparation of saving the image as a jpeg.

·  Go to File>Save For Web save the image as yourname_newanimal1.jpeg to your folder

·  Close your document but DO NOT SAVE THE CHANGES

·  You should make sure you have a folder on your flash drive named yourname_animals and in that folder you have yourname_newanimal1.psd and yourname_newanimal1 flat.jpeg as well as the two original images.

10.  Second Animal

·  Repeat the above steps for yourname_newanimal2.

·  Make sure you have TWO new animals when you are done.

11.  Turn in to drop box folder named yourname_animals

·  Animal1

ü  yourname_newanimal1.psd

ü  newanimal1 flat.jpeg

ü  The two original images for newanimal1

·  Animal 2

ü  yourname_newanimal2.psd

ü  newanimal2 flat.jpeg

ü  The two original images for newanimal2

12.  Portfolio Folder

·  Each animal printed and placed in a plastic sleeve

·  Each checklist completed and placed in front pocket

·  A single source page with animal name and website placed with checklists in front pocket.

New Animal 1 Checklist / New Animal 2 Checklist
Project Checklist This part is to be complete by the student
_____1.  I created a folder on my flash drive and named it yourname_animals
_____2.  In my folder I saved yourname_newanimal1.psd
_____3.  PSD file is 5in x 5in, 72 ppi, and RGB Color
_____4.  In my folder I saved yourname_newanimal1 flat.jpg
_____5.  JPG file is RGB Color an 72 ppi
_____6.  In my folder I saved each of the original images
_____7.  Images are clear and have good color
_____8.  Each layer was renamed
_____9.  Image adjustments were made to enhance blending
_____10.  Parts are blended seamlessly
_____11.  Final Image is cropped
_____12.  Text is visible and easy to read
_____13.  Layer styles that enhance the text were applied
_____14.  The animal’s new name is original and creative
_____15.  A source page placed in thportfolio including file name and website
_____16.  I put this completed checklist in my portfolio
_____17.  I put a printed copy of my assignment in my portfolio
_____18.  Assignment was turned in on time
_____19.  Overall effort during class time
_____20.  Overall quality of project / Project Checklist This part is to be complete by the student
_____1.  I created a folder on my flash drive and named it yourname_animals
_____2.  In my folder I saved yourname_newanimal2.psd
_____3.  PSD file is 5in x 5in, 72 ppi, and RGB Color
_____4.  In my folder I saved yourname_newanimal2 flat.jpg
_____5.  JPG file is RGB Color an 72 ppi
_____6.  In my folder I saved each of the original images
_____7.  Images are clear and have good color
_____8.  Each layer was renamed
_____9.  Image adjustments were made to enhance blending
_____10.  Parts are blended seamlessly
_____11.  Final Image is Cropped
_____12.  Text is visible and easy to read
_____13.  Layer styles that enhance the text were applied
_____14.  The animal’s new name is original and creative
_____15.  A source page placed in the portfolio including file name and website
_____16.  I put this completed checklist in my portfolio
_____17.  I put a printed copy of my assignment in my portfolio
_____18.  Assignment was turned in on time
_____19.  Overall effort during class time
_____20.  Overall quality of the project