LEDGER.
08-10-2008, 09:54 PM
I'm really bored, and I know there are a lot of newcomers lately, and they are asking how to blend. Instead of having thirty people make a topic, and having someone explain it over and over again, I thought, why not just create a tutorial on it. I'm not very good at explaining, but hopefully you'll be able to catch on. If you don't find this tutorial useful, you might want to check out this (http://zefron.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5292) one.
Also, this is going to go through, all of the steps in making a blend, including the coloring, and the text, so it's like a beginning tutorial. :)
We will be making this. (http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk195/highforyou_/Tutorials/Untitled-3.png)Although I recommend that if you're a beginner, to only start out with two to three pics. Don't over do yourself on your first try.
Alright, here we go. *cracks fingers*
First off, gather your pictures. Mine can be found here. (http://justjared.buzznet.com/2008/07/22/zac-efron-picks-patys/) I recommend that you find your own pictures, if you use the same exact pictures as mine you're kind of recreating what I made, and we all want to be original and creative, Si?
1. First you want to start out with a blank canvas, a blank start. In order to do this in Photoshop, go to File > New (CTRL + N) and I choose 600 x 400 pixels, but don't go that large if you starting out. (500 x 300 is good, or anything less. Don't go to small though.) It doesn't have to be transparent, but it can be if you want it too. Don't know what I'm talking about? Click here (http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk195/highforyou_/Tutorials/Untitled-4.png) to find the screepcap. Also, make sure sure sure sure that the size is in pixels. That can be found by the Width and Length dementions.
2. Place your images on your blank image. (They can be postioned how you want it to be.) Make sure their in a postion where you can blend them easily. I usually use pictures with the same background if I'm making a simple blend, it's a lot easier. My image now looks like this. (http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk195/highforyou_/Tutorials/tut1.png) I always but the biggest picture in the middle, I don't know why, so don't ask. Haha.
3. Now to the actual blending, click you eraser tool it look like this. (http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk195/highforyou_/Tutorials/tut2.png) I usually pick a soft brush between 24 and 36, and just erase the background of the very top picture. (I go from the top picture to the very bottom, if that makes sense. But you can do it how ever you like.) Alright, now that you have done that to the top picture, it should look like this. (http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk195/highforyou_/Tutorials/tut3.png)
(If you couldn't tell already, I'm going step, by step by step. This is going to be one LONGGG tutorial.)
4. Now that you have done that, take the eraser tool again, and hard brush size 12, and i zoom in to about 500%, give or take a hundred. I completely erase around the Image, being as this is the very top image, so there should be no background. Make sure you don't erase any valuable body parts. (When I first started out, Undo (CTRL + Z) was my best friend.) Also make sure you're edges for skin or semi-perfect, that's why I zoom in, you see pixel for pixel, and it's a lot easier to blend that way. It's okay for clothes, because you can easily make your own wrinkles; you can't really tell. Your 'blend' should now look like this (http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk195/highforyou_/Tutorials/tut4.png), or something similar.
5. Okay, now that one of the hardest steps to blending is over, let's get to some of the easy stuff. Simply repeat the steps 3 and 4 for each of the images. Except if you can help it, don't erase the entire background of the picture. I usually use a soft brush away from the body, because with the soft brush, it's a lot easier to make things look identical. (i.e. Backgrounds, etc.) I also use the clone brush, but I'll get into the in another tutorial. Your blend should now look like this (http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk195/highforyou_/Tutorials/tut5.png). It's not the best, simply because I'm in a rush to get this done.
6. Now the blending should be done. *Shouts and claps.* The hard part is over! Now it's for the fun part, the text, textures and coloring! Whoop. I'm going to be making up my own coloring for this, and you are most welcome to use it, but I don't know if it will work, simply because I haven't tried it on other images.
Alright, to the coloring!
My colored blend looks like this (http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk195/highforyou_/Tutorials/tut7.png). To achieve it, simply follow these steps.
1. Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Curves
RGB:
Input: 121
Outpt: 93
2. Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Curves
RGB:
Input: 98
Output: 110
3. Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Levels
RGB:
Input: 20, 1.00, 255
Output: 10, 255
RED:
Input: 40, 1.00, 255
Output: 30, 255
BLUE:
Input: 30, 1.00, 255
Output: 20, 255
4. Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Channel Mixer
RED: +120, -20, 0 , 0
BLUE: -50, +70, +100, 0
5. Layer > New adjustment Layer > Selective Color
(This step is optional, I just did it to enhance the Red's and Blues.)
REDS: -32, +14, -22, +5
CYANS: +100, 0, 0, 0
BLUES: +100, +100, +51, -14
6. Duplicate base layer, and bring to top, set to luminosity 38%, don't know how to do that? Click here. (http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk195/highforyou_/Tutorials/tut6.png)
I'll upload the PSD later. (:
Wooo! Alright, the coloring is done, now to the final steps. The textures and text. I always put a light texture, it normally hides any mistakes. For this paticular blend I choose this (http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk195/highforyou_/Tutorials/21624531pu8.png) light texture. I erased the bits that were covering the face and body, and then I duplicated it, and desaturated it. (Image > Adjustments > Desaturate or SHIFT + CTRL + U)
I then added this text (http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk195/highforyou_/Tutorials/sanami276textures7102rc3.png) texture by sanami276, I set it to Lighten.
I then took this (http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk195/highforyou_/Tutorials/texture1-1.jpg) light texture, and desaturated it, and lowered the opacity to 22%, I still couldn't see the face clearly, so I erased the parts that I needed too.
Now the textures are done with, so it's time for the text. The good 'ol text. This is personally my least favorite part, but I'll go over it anyways. Click on your text tool that looks like this. (http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk195/highforyou_/Tutorials/tut8.png)
Simply click on the blended image, there should be a little blinking straight line, type in the text you want, when your satisfied, click on the check mark. Don't know how to change your font? Or the size? Where's the checkmark? Click here. (http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk195/highforyou_/Tutorials/tut9.png)
I used Pea Carrie Script font for Zac Efron, and for Don't hesitate, I'm yours, I used Arial Black. To tilt it like I did, simply take the Move Tool (Click V to accsess it.) It looks like this. (http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk195/highforyou_/Tutorials/tut10.png) And Make sure Show Transformation Tool is selected, it should look like this. (http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk195/highforyou_/Tutorials/tut11.png) Just click by the text on the corner, and there should be a little rotating thing. And rotate it to your liking. :)
Finished product;
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk195/highforyou_/Tutorials/Untitled-3.png
Wooo! We're finally done. This took me two hours to do, so I hope you guys actually find it useful. If you have any questions don't be afraid to ask.
Also, this is going to go through, all of the steps in making a blend, including the coloring, and the text, so it's like a beginning tutorial. :)
We will be making this. (http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk195/highforyou_/Tutorials/Untitled-3.png)Although I recommend that if you're a beginner, to only start out with two to three pics. Don't over do yourself on your first try.
Alright, here we go. *cracks fingers*
First off, gather your pictures. Mine can be found here. (http://justjared.buzznet.com/2008/07/22/zac-efron-picks-patys/) I recommend that you find your own pictures, if you use the same exact pictures as mine you're kind of recreating what I made, and we all want to be original and creative, Si?
1. First you want to start out with a blank canvas, a blank start. In order to do this in Photoshop, go to File > New (CTRL + N) and I choose 600 x 400 pixels, but don't go that large if you starting out. (500 x 300 is good, or anything less. Don't go to small though.) It doesn't have to be transparent, but it can be if you want it too. Don't know what I'm talking about? Click here (http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk195/highforyou_/Tutorials/Untitled-4.png) to find the screepcap. Also, make sure sure sure sure that the size is in pixels. That can be found by the Width and Length dementions.
2. Place your images on your blank image. (They can be postioned how you want it to be.) Make sure their in a postion where you can blend them easily. I usually use pictures with the same background if I'm making a simple blend, it's a lot easier. My image now looks like this. (http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk195/highforyou_/Tutorials/tut1.png) I always but the biggest picture in the middle, I don't know why, so don't ask. Haha.
3. Now to the actual blending, click you eraser tool it look like this. (http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk195/highforyou_/Tutorials/tut2.png) I usually pick a soft brush between 24 and 36, and just erase the background of the very top picture. (I go from the top picture to the very bottom, if that makes sense. But you can do it how ever you like.) Alright, now that you have done that to the top picture, it should look like this. (http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk195/highforyou_/Tutorials/tut3.png)
(If you couldn't tell already, I'm going step, by step by step. This is going to be one LONGGG tutorial.)
4. Now that you have done that, take the eraser tool again, and hard brush size 12, and i zoom in to about 500%, give or take a hundred. I completely erase around the Image, being as this is the very top image, so there should be no background. Make sure you don't erase any valuable body parts. (When I first started out, Undo (CTRL + Z) was my best friend.) Also make sure you're edges for skin or semi-perfect, that's why I zoom in, you see pixel for pixel, and it's a lot easier to blend that way. It's okay for clothes, because you can easily make your own wrinkles; you can't really tell. Your 'blend' should now look like this (http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk195/highforyou_/Tutorials/tut4.png), or something similar.
5. Okay, now that one of the hardest steps to blending is over, let's get to some of the easy stuff. Simply repeat the steps 3 and 4 for each of the images. Except if you can help it, don't erase the entire background of the picture. I usually use a soft brush away from the body, because with the soft brush, it's a lot easier to make things look identical. (i.e. Backgrounds, etc.) I also use the clone brush, but I'll get into the in another tutorial. Your blend should now look like this (http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk195/highforyou_/Tutorials/tut5.png). It's not the best, simply because I'm in a rush to get this done.
6. Now the blending should be done. *Shouts and claps.* The hard part is over! Now it's for the fun part, the text, textures and coloring! Whoop. I'm going to be making up my own coloring for this, and you are most welcome to use it, but I don't know if it will work, simply because I haven't tried it on other images.
Alright, to the coloring!
My colored blend looks like this (http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk195/highforyou_/Tutorials/tut7.png). To achieve it, simply follow these steps.
1. Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Curves
RGB:
Input: 121
Outpt: 93
2. Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Curves
RGB:
Input: 98
Output: 110
3. Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Levels
RGB:
Input: 20, 1.00, 255
Output: 10, 255
RED:
Input: 40, 1.00, 255
Output: 30, 255
BLUE:
Input: 30, 1.00, 255
Output: 20, 255
4. Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Channel Mixer
RED: +120, -20, 0 , 0
BLUE: -50, +70, +100, 0
5. Layer > New adjustment Layer > Selective Color
(This step is optional, I just did it to enhance the Red's and Blues.)
REDS: -32, +14, -22, +5
CYANS: +100, 0, 0, 0
BLUES: +100, +100, +51, -14
6. Duplicate base layer, and bring to top, set to luminosity 38%, don't know how to do that? Click here. (http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk195/highforyou_/Tutorials/tut6.png)
I'll upload the PSD later. (:
Wooo! Alright, the coloring is done, now to the final steps. The textures and text. I always put a light texture, it normally hides any mistakes. For this paticular blend I choose this (http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk195/highforyou_/Tutorials/21624531pu8.png) light texture. I erased the bits that were covering the face and body, and then I duplicated it, and desaturated it. (Image > Adjustments > Desaturate or SHIFT + CTRL + U)
I then added this text (http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk195/highforyou_/Tutorials/sanami276textures7102rc3.png) texture by sanami276, I set it to Lighten.
I then took this (http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk195/highforyou_/Tutorials/texture1-1.jpg) light texture, and desaturated it, and lowered the opacity to 22%, I still couldn't see the face clearly, so I erased the parts that I needed too.
Now the textures are done with, so it's time for the text. The good 'ol text. This is personally my least favorite part, but I'll go over it anyways. Click on your text tool that looks like this. (http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk195/highforyou_/Tutorials/tut8.png)
Simply click on the blended image, there should be a little blinking straight line, type in the text you want, when your satisfied, click on the check mark. Don't know how to change your font? Or the size? Where's the checkmark? Click here. (http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk195/highforyou_/Tutorials/tut9.png)
I used Pea Carrie Script font for Zac Efron, and for Don't hesitate, I'm yours, I used Arial Black. To tilt it like I did, simply take the Move Tool (Click V to accsess it.) It looks like this. (http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk195/highforyou_/Tutorials/tut10.png) And Make sure Show Transformation Tool is selected, it should look like this. (http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk195/highforyou_/Tutorials/tut11.png) Just click by the text on the corner, and there should be a little rotating thing. And rotate it to your liking. :)
Finished product;
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk195/highforyou_/Tutorials/Untitled-3.png
Wooo! We're finally done. This took me two hours to do, so I hope you guys actually find it useful. If you have any questions don't be afraid to ask.