How You Can Use a Layer Mask to Change the Background in Photoshop Elements
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- Опубліковано 26 сер 2024
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Add person to picture Photoshop Elements. I show you how to add a person to a picture (change background) using a Layer Mask And other tricks in Adobe Photoshop Elements Expert Mode. In this Photoshop Elements Layer Mask photo manipulation combining photos I demonstrate how to change background, use layers, use special brushes and brush settings, selection and refine edge, blend modes, and more.
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Sunset: pixabay.com/ph...
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Thanks bro finally someone who isn't posting malware or fake stuff, you deserve my subscribe!
Thanks for the Sub!
Keep coming back to this excellent tutorial!
Thanks Sarah!
This is the best free software Ive seen. Respect.
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By far the best tutorial i found to tNice tutorials in a short ti
Wow, thanks!
Thanks!
Thanks John, I greatly appreciate this! Really helps keep the channel going!
Finally, someone to help me understand layers and so much more about the different tools!!! I cannot wait to watch more of your tutorials. Thank you!!
You're welcome Wendy!
OMG, it really worked. Thank you so much!!
You're welcome!
an excellent presentation
Glad you liked it!
Wow! Finally, someone that goes slow enough that you can both hear and see what is being done. I needed this type of tutorial. Thank you so much.
You're welcome!
aah, i just got into making soft rn and tNice tutorials is so helpful and your voice is so sootNice tutorialng btw! thanks for tNice tutorials tutorial
I'm so glad!
Excellent demo
Thanks!
I bought PSE-15 four years ago. I have used it to improve pictures, but only scratched the surface up until now. Thanks to your excellent instructional videos I have learned more tools, and used them successfully too, over the last two weeks! I am not from the generation(s) that grew up learning things from YT videos. Your videos helped change that. Best regards.
Thank you! That is very nice to hear.
Thank you soooo much! I've been tearing my hair out trying to figure layers out by reading my Photoshop elements 14 book and watching a couple videos, neither of which did anything to help my confusion. I just couldn't grasp it. Thanks to your video, I finally understand how layers work. I cannot thank you enough!! You really are a Photoshop guru!!!
You're Welcome!!!
George
Actually works.. Just disable the real time protection in Setting. Wasnt sure that it would work .Awesome bruh..
: }
Thanks again for this tutorial. Lots to learn. Lots to be excited about.
Thanks Sharon!
Well done!!!
Thanks!
I am very glad that you save my money
: )
Yet another Great tutorial George. Thank you. Will certainly be trying it and referring to it quite alot I dare say. Thank you 😊 😊
Very welcome
Excellent!!!
Thanks!
Wow, what a great tutorial, involving so many great techniques. I will be going over this many times to take it all in. Thanks George.
You're welcome Ray,
George
Goat
Frog
Thank you very much for this video. I have long been looking to work with layers and masks but not found the right info. I was getting it all confused with Photoshop and elements. I work with elements and watching this is exactly what I needed. I will go over this a hundred times to get it right so many thanks.
: )
You are a life saver. I just got a mac and photoshop so I am lost. I just created two amazing photos. Thank you!
You're welcome Rachel!
George
At 18:45, the orange-tint overlay command is almost magical! Thanks for a great video.
You're welcome Louis, nothing like a little bit of color matching to really make an effect work
George
Cloning from 1 layer to another was something I learned in this tutorial. It is good that you mention some of the more basic techniques in your tutorials. It is something that is very helpful to those who are new to Photoshop.
+DrinkingStar Here is something most people don't know, you can also clone from one file to another! Just have both files open, do the standard clone source selection in the one file and then the clone paint in the other file. If you make a new layer first in the clone destination file you can clone to that new layer.
George
I never knew that!!
Peter Head It is a cool trick that I don't often use, but once in a while it helps.
George
Yes, I used it on a couple of Lake Como photos the other day and it worked well.
Peter Head :)
I love the video thank you so much for sharing.
You're welcome! This one just turned out nice, sometimes that happens.
George
Thanks so much I had an awesome time working on this with you. I am loving working with digital backgrounds now.
You're welcome Regina, separating out foreground elements from background elements is probably the one most important technique to learn in Photoshop Elements. Most of my projects on UA-cam use this basic concept one way or another.
George
Thank you for this tutorial, it is excellent and you make things sound clear and easy to understand. Thanks Baz
You're welcome Baz,
George
Great. I'll be coming back to this one again.
+Stanley Sims Thanks!
thank you again! :-)
You are so welcome!
Good concept George, I have done a couple of these type pictures in the past and I agree, the sell is in the detailed selection and then in the light effects. Very cleaver to use the grass tool for the fur!
Enjoyed as always, thank you for what you do!
Rich
+MrMoonpie001 Thanks Rich, the fur trick was the real reason I did this tutorial.
George
Wonderful tutorial. Learned some really neat tricks. Grass for fur?!?! How cool is that.
Thanks!
George
Super tutorial, thank you!
You're welcome!
I'm learning so much from your tutorials, Thanks!.
You're Welcome!
Absolutely amazing techniques! Thank you.
You're welcome William!
George
Thank you for this tutorial, it is excellent george,and lots of ideas with a choice of background,i like the refine,but also did a nice finish with another tutorial using only the eraser tool.
You're welcome Jackie!
As always, lots of ways to do different effects/fixes. I try to mix it up in my videos as much as possible using different techniques on different videos.
George
Wow !!! .... That is so awesome great job and thank you for all your help
You're welcome Mark !!!
George
Thank you for this video. Layer and layer masks always confuse me. I just completed a composite while watching your video for guidance and have bookmarked the video. Thank you so much, it was really helpful.
You're Welcome!
George
Love it
+suni choudhury Thanks!
Thank you for sharing your knowledge. I am a beginner and your lessons are easy to follow. I appreciate the links to the materials. I can't wait to learn more!
Thanks Ramona, help me to keep the channel going, tell all your friends and hit the share buttons!
George
+How To Gurus Will do!! I have been sharing some on Facebook. Will continue. Thank you.
Ramona Munkus : }
Excellent video!
Thanks!
A great video George
Thanks Eileen!
George
Hi, yet another fantastic tutorial.
Thanks Clive!
George
Its very very helpful
Thank You!
George
Thanks. Very helpful.
You're welcome
George
www.howtogurus.com
Your best one yet!
Thanks! It was fun finding a picture where I could do the fake fur trick.
George
Really
I bought PSE 15 several months ago and just ordered your dvds from Amazon. Several years ago I did a lot of digital scrapbooking and would like to get back to doing it again. PSE 15 is amazing, but for some reason I am having trouble getting started creating digital scrap pages. Wondering if you have made any DVDs explaining how to do this.
Thank you so much I will check them out.
: )
Great video - thank you
You're welcome Kim! Don't forget to click those share buttons.
George
Good tutorial, thanks
You're welcome Alex
George
Another great video to add to my growing collections of PSE favorites. Yours are at the top. I did not know it is possible to clone from one layer to another. I like the grass cloning trick. Do you have a trick that will add whiskers to a cat? I can never grab whiskers with the refine tool because they are so small.
Thanks Sandy! The best way I have found to add whiskers to a cat is to draw the whiskers in using the line tool and a very small brush size. Then put a gradient on that line going from lighter near the cat's face to darker out towards the tip of the line.
George
Is there a way to change the hardness of the brush, without just picking a soft or hard brush? I don't see in the tool options.
Not in Photoshop Elements, in the more expensive Adobe Photoshop there is a flow control but Elements doesn't have that
For so wierd reason when I try to use the GMS it just make one loud noise..
Turn down your speakers
HI George...
I have a question. I am using Photoshop 15. I want to draw colors on a black background. If I use layers, when I want to save the work, when I flatten or merge, the colors are barely visible against the black background. How do I do it and have one image? Thank you!
Hi Gary, you don't need to merge the layers or flatten the image. If you need to print the file just do the print right from the Elements file, it will print fine. If you need a jpg for the web, just do a Save to Web. If anything needs to be flattened Elements will handle it automatically during the save process.
George
How do I update my 2015 photoshop to 2021 please?
Hi Lynette, you have to buy the new version. Adobe doesn't do updates.
Once he put the grass in.. the artist in me was all WHOA WHOA WHOA lol. Overall informative video. If I wasn't already familiar with Photoshop and tech savvy I might have had questions. But I was able to figure out the things you didn't explain (;
Thanks! You are right, most of my UA-cam videos assume a basic familiarity with either Photoshop or Photoshop Elements and are really follow up practice training for my full training courses available Online and on DVD (links in the description).
George
I am always amazed at how cleanly/easily, whatever tool has been chosen to clean edges on a picture is moved around. I have come to the conclusion that a ''Bog Standard Computer Mouse'' is not being used.
If it is a ''Bog Standard Computer Mouse'' then I suspect I may be starting with Parkinson's Disease. Any suggestions for a better Mouse. I promise to look after it and feed it regularly with a nutritional Photoshop Diet. Once again! Thank You for excellent instruction.
Hi Tony, actually in this video I used a plain old standard Microsoft Mouse that cost about $14. Nothing special about that mouse. But the mouse pad and technique is special. I use a hard surface mouse pad with a wrist rest and move the mouse using just my fingers. This is something I learned way back in art school, for small movements use small muscles (the fingers) for larger movements use larger muscles (hand and wrist). So keeping the wrist on a wrist rest and using just the fingers to move the mouse is the trick. But back to mice, I now use a more expensive gaming mouse, mostly for the Minecraft videos but I really like it, Corsair RGB Wireless for about $50.
Thank you for such a quick response. I never knew there could be so many Wireless Corsair RGB Mice/Mouse/Mouses/Mices.
I am sure I will eventually find one that is suitable for ''precision orienteering' around Photoshop.
Thanks again and Keep Safe.
@@tonyevans1499 You're welcome Tony, but keep in mind the real trick is the mouse pad not the mouse
@@tonyevans1499 Do an Amazon search for 3M Precise Mouse Pad with Gel Wrist Rest, and you will see what I mean. The one I use is from a different company but the 3M is the closest I could find that is available today
@@HTGGeorge Thank you once again for the info. It is very helpful.
The plethora of mouse and mouse pads that have come up on my computer screen, after typing in ''Amazon'' have now given me square eyes and the infamous thousand yard stare.
I shall continue looking tomorrow.
Take care and keep up the good work.
Once I am done with the composite image in Elements is there a way I can send it back to Lightroom. (The two photos I used for the composite were sent to Elements from Lightroom and now I'd like to send the new composite image back). Thanks and great video as always.
Hi, you can set up the Photoshop Elements Organizer to list Lightroom as an additional external editor and it will kind of connect the two programs. But what happens if you click on a image in the Organizer and then click Edit in Lightroom it takes you to the Lightroom Import page and displays the Entire Elements Organizer Catalog. You then have to search through that to find the image you want from that catalog, import that into our Lightroom Library and then you can edit the image. So basically even though you can set up Elements Organizer to list Edit in Lightroom all it really does is make it easier to import the Elements Catalog into the Lightroom Library. It is much faster and easier to just save the file in Elements, then open Lightroom and import that one image.
George
In case you want to give it a try anyway, go to the Elements Organizer Edit Menu/Preferences/Editing and set up Lightroom as a supplemental editor. It will only show up in the Organizer, it will not show up in the Photoshop Elements Editor.
George
@@HTGGeorge Yes thanks. I was going to do that (import into Lightroom), but thought there might be a way to directly port it over to Lightroom from Elements. Thanks for the info. Appreciated George.........
Philip
No problem Philip, I am sure that Adobe could program that into Elements but they feel that people who use Lightroom will be using Photoshop and not Elements.
George
hi george,maybe you covered this question before,when you use the lasso tool to cut out a subject and you save it to a layer,how do you save just that layer as it would save alot of time in future tutorial.
Hi Jackie, in this tutorial I am using the Refine Edge tool to clean up the edge of the selection. In the Refine Edge tool at the bottom of the dialog box is a drop down list asking how you want to save your work from this tool. The option I usually use is Save as New Layer with Layer Mask. Other useful saves: at the bottom of the Select menu you can save an active selection and then you can bring that back up in a future editing job on the same file. Unfortunately you can't use this to save selections to other files so this trick is only for the active image but since selections are normally lost as soon as you deselect this is a great option.
There is a way to copy a selection from one file to another. First make your selection on your layer and use the Layer Mask button to convert the selection into a Layer Mask. Now drag that layer over to your new file and it will bring the Layer Mask with it. Next select the Layer Mask by clicking on the Layer Mask icon (look for the light blue outline when selected), then right click on the Layer Mask icon and choose Add Mask to Selection. And there you go, you have the selection active in your new file (quickly save it to save steps in the future).
If you want to save a single layer to another file you can simply drag that layer from one file to another as in above. If you want to quickly create a new file at the same size as the current file go to Select/All, then Edit/Copy. That copies the current layer onto the clipboard, which is of course at the full size of the image since you used that Select/All. Now to go File/New File and it will automatically be set at the same size and resolution of your current image since the default option in the New File dialog box if there is something on the Clipboard is Clipboard where you just saved that layer so it grabs the file settings from there.
George
what a fantastic reply george,the time and effort you put into tutorial and you will always spend the time to reply to guys like me who are trying to learn all we can about pse.when i started i was lucky to find guys like you george,along with inforpuppet,rick peterson anthory morganti and 42 techroman to name but a few,you are the guys who deserve the credit for putting up with guys like me, the patience and time you put in with tutorial and replys is. just amazing.one last question lol.when i complete a lesson and want to save layers ,do i save as a P.S.D FILE WHICH WILL SAVE to open recently edited file in file,if i save to jpg it will only save to first photo.
Thanks Jackie! I always appreciate positive feedback like yours. On working with and saving Photoshop Elements files, I like to keep the file in PSD format, so if I am working on a JPG the first thing I will normally do is to save it as PSD. That gives you all of the options in Photoshop Elements and retains everything when saved. If you open a JPG and do some work then you go to save, the default save format will be PSD anyway. If I need the final to be a JPG (web image for instance) I do that at the end of the project using the Save for Web or Save As functions but I always consider the PSD as my main working file.
George
Thank you! I'm trying to do this with a polar bear on a rock roaring in low light and I want to add a thunderstorm in the background. One other issue I'll need to work through is my bear sample is CG, HQ-CG, but I'm concerned I'll need to adjust the lightning background first. I'm sure if I look I'll find more useful info here. I've subbed and will sponsor when I activate YTRed if I end up using a few more of your tips.
Hi, sounds like a great project! Don't worry about which order you work on in your image, just make sure you duplicate your image layer and only work on the duplicate, simply hide the original layer so it won't get in the way. That way you can always go back to the original image in case you mess up. Duplicating my original image layer is usually the first thing I do in a project. Here is a video I did showing how to create custom lightning: ua-cam.com/video/XOCCtKcKs2I/v-deo.html
George
Reluctant Ronin
Great video. Why dont I get the handles to rescale when I drag the new picture onto the background picture, Im using Elements 15. Thank you!
Thanks Leif!, on the control handles make sure you are using the Move Tool, you should then see the control handles. IF you still don't see them go to the Image menu/Transform/Free Transform or hold down the ctrl key (command on a Mac) and hit the t key (keyboard shortcut for Free Transform).
George
How To Gurus
Great!...thank you! That work around works fine.
Strange though that the control handles doesn't come automatically......I'm using latest Elements 15.
Love your videos...especially the mask stuff....a bit hard to see thu this feature without instructions 😊
Thanks for the video. I am new to this program and you have helped me out a lot. My question on this is when I click hit Add Layer mask my picture disappears and all I have is my background. Why is this and what am I doing wrong?
Hi Sabrina, it sounds like you are holding down the alt key when you click on the Layer Mask button. Normally the layer mask defaults to White, which is Show All. If you hold down the alt key while clicking on the Layer Mask button it will instead fill with Black which is Hide All. Both are useful depending on what you are doing. So, make sure that you are not pressing on any keys while you click on the Layer Mask button and all should be fine. Of course if the mask ends up black you can always just fill it with white using the paint bucket.
George
Thanks for the quick response. I actually figured it out but, differently then you stated. I was hitting Inverse and then deleting the background. I ended up skipping this part and it worked.
Oh, now I see. The Layer Mask is set to show the current selection. So if you select around the image and hit Layer Mask it will show just the image. If you select around the image then hit inverse then hit Layer Mask it will show the background since what you did was to switch the selection from the image to the background. Actually this is frequently a good shortcut if you have a solid background, like a bright blue sky. If you want to select out a plane in the sky it is often easier to select the sky using the magic wand then invert the selection so that it is around the plane and not the sky.
George
Hi George. Don't know where my message went so try again. I am having trouble with the selecting tools. Every time I select something a box appears and says "No more than 50% pixels selected." What am I doing wrong? I tried to adjust refine edge box. I am trying to select an area to put into another photo in the docking panel. I know of the move tool to do that, but how to resize once it is deselected= ant line erased? Resize and move before deselecting? I would like to know once I zoom and clean the edges, rather than move it to the other photo, is it better to make a layer out of it, and then drop it by layer, to make it easier to resize? After it is selected, what is the best option to pick in the layers panel? I thought the layer mask would be it, but I think I am making it too complex-just a layer from copy? Then drop it in? Thanks....Gary
Hi Gary, setting up a new layer is always the best way to go since that gives you the most options. On that 50% warning, that usually means that you have feathering set too high on your selection, I usually use 1px but I never go more than 2px. Here is a video I did a while ago talking about that warning box ua-cam.com/video/Mlsgt_fIgx0/v-deo.html
George
Hello George I did this video and it came out pretty good. Bit I followed your instructions step by step, I was following things with no problems until you got to 20:37 in the video where you put another layer in the mix then moved it above the photo filter , then cloned from one layer to another layer ( I have never seen this before). Also on the layer above the photo layer you said to right click and release clipping mask? I did not have that option. I need to have some way of knowing when and why to do these moves on my own I cant seem to tie them together the way you do.
I wish I could show you the picture though it looks pretty good I like to do composites like this and mine are getting better I think.
If you have a video or group of videos that I can watch to show me how and when to use layers like you did here I would greatly appreciate it. I fell like I missed a crossroad someplace.
Hi John, that new layer is a basic new layer positioned above the photo filter. I messed up a bit and should have put that layer above the photo filter layer to begin with since it should not be clipped to the image layer. If a layer is clipped to a layer beneath you can remove the clipping by right clicking on the name of the layer, right on the text. That will bring up the popup menu with the release clipping mask option. If you click on the thumbnail you won't get that menu, you have to click where the name is on the layer.
After that it is a simple clone from one layer onto another layer. That is an easy process, when you hold the alt key to select your clone from point make sure you are on the layer you want to copy from, then move to the layer you want to copy to and do your clone, if you need to move the clone point you will need to move back to the clone from layer and alt click, then move back again to the new layer to clone to. I could have cloned directly onto the image layer but by cloning onto a new layer it gives me a protection in case I mess up since I can just delete that new layer and try again.
Here is another neat trick, you can clone from one file that is open and clone into another open file, just like going from one layer to another.
When possible I always try to work on additional layers for this reason. You could do the whole thing on the image layer but if you mess up you have to go back several more steps to fix it. Using multiple layers just makes it easier to fix. Something else which I did not show in the video but is also a good reason for using an additional layer is that I could have moved the new fur on that layer around or rotated it a bit to get a better fit, didn't need to but it is nice to have that option just in case.
If you get a Flickr or Drobox account you can post your image there so that I can see it. I think everyone should get a Flickr account and share their work. Flickr is free. Here is my account www.flickr.com/photos/georgepeirson/ I need to put up pictures from this summer to get this caught up.
Check out these videos for more image compositing ua-cam.com/video/gF_NCcmthI0/v-deo.html, ua-cam.com/video/tERet_fNUqk/v-deo.html, ua-cam.com/video/cCHeo0Zd-r0/v-deo.html
George
There you go I posted them for you to look at. I changed them a bit on mine hope you don't mind.
Thanks John, they look great. No problem on your changing them, that's the idea, that you learn the techniques then apply those techniques to your own particular vision.
George
This is a great video. The problem I have is, mid-way thru my project, I saved the project. When I reopened it the next day, my layer mask stopped working the way I expected it to.
When I hide the main background, and use the brush tool to fill in transparencies, the brush just began painting black or white over my image.
Am I doing something wrong?
Hi John, make sure that the layer mask is selected and not the image. Look for the light blue box around either the image or the layer mask. The light blue box shows which side of the layer is selected. To move to the layer mask just double click it, when you see the light blue box around the layer mask go ahead and do your editing.
George
Thanks George!
I would like to download the images George works with, but the link he shows gets me nowhere. How to get them?
Hi, the image links are in the description, make sure you click on Show More to see the whole description
When I click on the refine edge tool, I do not get the Circle with the plus (+) sign in it. The tool does not apparently activate when I click refine edge (after using the lasso tool and create a mask). I know I have done this before on a project a few weeks ago, but it will not activate. Any ideas what I am doing wrong. Thanks as always...
Hi, sounds like you got things out of sequence. Use the Lasso tool first, then use the Refine Edge to refine the edge of the Selection, then output the Refined Selection to a Layer Mask.
George
Thinking of buying Photoshop Elements 15. I want to add a border to my photos on which I will type the title; name, date, location. It must be OFF the image. I'm a genealogist and I have images of old documents in other languages. I want to add the translation of the documents next to the image of the document. Is this possible with Photoshop Essentials?
Hi Michaele, easy to do in Photoshop Elements. All you need to do is to enlarge the Canvas size, basically adding in more picture area to your existing picture. For instance you can take an 8x10 picture and make it into an 8x11 with the new space added to the bottom of the picture so that your original image remains untouched. This is done using Image menu/Resize/Canvas Size. I demonstrate this in my complete Photoshop Elements training titles available on Amazon and my web sites. There is also an easy to use Action which adds a 1" border to the bottom of the image, which may be all you need. You can find this in the Window menu/Actions and then open the Bottom Borders folder to find the Add 1" White action. Just open your picture, open the Actions and play that action. It will add one more inch below your image and fill it with white. I have a video here on UA-cam showing how to use Actions: ua-cam.com/video/xWbBGE7-Pms/v-deo.html
George
I'm having trouble (Elements 2020) right after the step where you "add mask to selection." I open Refine Edge, adjust the size of the tool, and start refining. The tool is a circle with crosshairs, like yours. When I drag it, the tool disappears and turns into a cursor (an arrow) -- after I quit dragging it (the arrow) around the selection, a lot that's outside the selection fades but doesn't disappear. If I go over it again, it stays the same... you know, like it's done all the refining it can do instead of further refining like it does when YOU do it. Can you tell me what's wrong?
Hi, the Refine Edge tool isn't perfect and frequently will leave ghosting outside the image. The first thing is to get the initial selection close to the image without going into the image. The closer the selection the better the refine edge will work. After that it depends on the difference in color and value between the subject and background. The more the difference the better refine edge will work. You can easily clean up the layer mask once it is made by painting right on the layer mask. You will see the layer mask just to the right of the thumbnail for the layer in the layers panel. Click on the layer mask and look for the light blue outline showing that it is selected. Once it is selected you can paint on it using a black or white paint brush. Black will hide and White will show.
@@HTGGeorge Thank you! It worked!!! That was exactly what I needed.
Great!
I don't have the handles in the corners to resize the image. Not sure how to get them to show up. Also, I cannot select the image (rather then the layer mask) to add the filter for color balance. The layer is not locked, but still I cannot select it after doing my cleanup of the layer mask... Help appreciated. thanks......
Hi, first make sure you are using Floating windows so that you can work with the area beyond the photo. Here is a video on Floating document windows. Then make sure you have the correct layer selected. Then use the ctrl+t keyboard shortcut to show the control handles if they are not already showing. By default Photoshop Elements should be showing the control handles, if they are not there then it is usually because the layer is not selected. Also you won't get control handles on a background layer as that is always locked. Another way to bring an image into a project is to use the Place command in the File menu, simply click Place and it will bring up a drive window, navigate to your photo to "place" it into your project.
George
Here is the link on setting up Floating Document Windows ua-cam.com/video/X26Ga4j4O9w/v-deo.html
George
Hi, I am new to Photoshop; I realized this is photoshop elements but not photoshop CS6, which is the one that I use. Could you do one in CS6 by any chance? Thank you
Sure, I will add redoing this tutorial over in Photoshop CS6 either this week or next.
George
subscribed
Hi Great Video But I can't even get he photos I want to open the way you have them in this video can you advise me how to do this basic thing as I have I can't even start this without getting the photos to import into photo shop the way you have the sorry to be a pain I know this is very basic but no matter what I do they won't import and open the way yours haveThanks
Hi Andy, I am guessing you are talking about using Floating Document Windows. Here is a video explaining how to do that:
ua-cam.com/video/X26Ga4j4O9w/v-deo.html
George
I had the same problem, Now I can move forward...Thanks !!!
Hi George. Do you use a tablet. I have been tempted recently and recommended a Wacom Intuos Pro Small Graphics Tablet , but am wary because of the cost. Have you any thoughts on this?
Hi Ken, I just use a plain old wireless Microsoft mouse. Nothing special. Tablets can give you more control once you get used to them, especially if you are doing digital painting but they aren't necessary. The Wacom line of tablets are the ones I recommend when anyone asks. The best way to improve the precision of a mouse is to get a mouse wrist pad, just do a search on Amazon and you will find quite a few. Then move your mouse using your hand and fingers instead of your whole arm.
George
Thank you George. Excellent advice as always
: )
OMG this is so crazy. I can't even choose the right brush. I am brushing over the area, but it is making it all black not making it nice like you have it.
Hi Rachel, sounds like you grabbed the Paint Brush by mistake instead of using the Refine Edge Tool brush. The default foreground color is black so I am guessing you are painting black on your image. Make sure to check out this video on the Refine Edge tool ua-cam.com/video/sQ5kI-Dltik/v-deo.html
George
HI Rachel, one more little general comment. This shows why I love digital art and digital photo manipulation. If you make a mistake you can always backup and try it again. There are two reasons I stopped painting (my art school major was Illustration), one was that computers aren't messy (art cleanup is such a pain) and two is that you can easily go back and try again if you don't get something right, very hard to do with a painting.
George
Wow thank you so much for responding so quickly
You're welcome Rachel, I am usually at my computer during work hours M-F and sometimes on weekends. I try to get back to comments quickly.
George
How did you dock into place?
Hi Rachel, here is a video on how to use docking and floating windows. ua-cam.com/video/X26Ga4j4O9w/v-deo.html
George
veja oque vc tem. depois tente formular uma pergunta.
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Hi George...In PSE 13, When I drag one background onto the other background (so that they are one layer over the other layer in the Layers Panel)...The photo I drag over, gets very small and if I drag the corner to enlarge it, it loses resolution and becomes unusable. I have done this before with no problems, but now when I drag the layer over it gets real small...Is something set incorrectly. Also, how do I convert an object into a smart object so the detail is not lost when resizing? Thanks very much and great videos....
Philip
Hi Philip, it sounds like you are dragging a 72ppi image into a 300ppi file. Open the image you want to drag in and check the image resolution, go to Image/Resize/Image Size and see what it says. Then do the same with your working file. You want them to both be at the same resolution. Do the resolution change on the file using Image Size before dragging it into your other file. Also keep in mind that when you open an image in Photoshop Elements it is zoomed to fit the screen, different images could open at different zoom levels so you can't judge the actual size of an image when it opens as the true size of the image. Again you can check that in Image Size.
If you use the File/Place command instead of drag n drop the image will come in as a smart object. This won't add in detail if you are trying to enlarge a 72ppi image to fit into a 300ppi image but it will go back to the original image as the source when resizing instead of using the image layer as the source. This really is more important if you are resizing multiple times in your working file. The best way to handle resizing an image is to resize it first before bringing it into your project, that will give you the best quality possible. Sometimes this is a 2 step process, first bring the image into your working file and do the resize you need for it to fit, note how much you have to enlarge the image. Now go back to the original and resize it that amount, then bring it back into your working file. That way you are using Image Size to do the resize and getting the best image quality.
George
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Hi George...I really appreciate your detailed reply. I did check my images (which were both exported from Lightroom at the same time directly into PSE) and one was 240DPI and one was 300DPI. I am not sure why they would be at different DPI as they were both exported together from RAW files. I did follow your advice and open the image (that lost resolution when resized) with the File > Place method and that seemed to solve the problem, so I thank you. Thanks again for the detailed reply. That was very nice of you to go into such detail and was appreciated for sure...
Philip
botton and cant see what it does (HELP PLEASE) I want my soft or say to long 5 , 10mins long... you understand
Sorry, no
Hi, great video but I would have appreciated the simple steps to someone like me who knows nothing. For example, how did you open the two photos. I have no idea someone help, thanks.
Hi, you will find a link in the description where you can download the two photos. To open them simply go to File/Open in the program and navigate to where you downloaded the photos. The best way to learn Photoshop Elements is with my training course, there is a link for that in the description as well.
George
Hi I guess what I'm saying is when I open my photos, I do not get the navigation pane. Is there something I should click?
Hi, if you are in the Photoshop Elements Organizer your photos are right there in the organizer (assuming that you have imported them already). If on the other hand you are in the Photoshop Elements Editor then you open files using the Open command in the File Menu. This will bring up a drive window (what you called a Navigation Pane), where you can navigate to your photo's location on your computer to open it. The absolute best way to learn all this basic stuff is with my Photoshop Elements course, here is the link www.georgepeirson.com/expert
George
Yes I definitely need to invest and learn how to use photoshop elements. I will consider signing up for your course probably in the next few months. Thank you for your response, I will try it out.
You're welcome Cherokee Ko
George
I've been studying your tutorials intently and I can't get to first base with these layers. I'm doing EXACTLY what you are doing but it aint working for me. When I try to trim a cut out image to overlay as you do, it won't trim (refine edge). I have every setting the way you do but it's not working. When you "refine edge" the background then comes into view, but not with me. Can't go any further at this point. Very frustrating. A thousand steps before you can make one simple move with this program!
Hi Tyrone, you need to make sure you have an active selection around your subject first. You then use the Refine Edge on that selection. Also take a look at this basic Layers video to get a good understanding of how layers work ua-cam.com/video/LXaKxDl-nus/v-deo.html
When I add another picture (to add as my background, it adds it to another tab NOT on the working pic like you are doing. Why is this doing it?
Hi, when you open a new picture it will either come in as a new tab or as a floating window. I always keep my settings to use floating windows which makes it easy to drag and drop from one file to another. Here is how to set up floating document windows
ua-cam.com/video/X26Ga4j4O9w/v-deo.html
George
Thanks so much
: )
I can't add mask to selection.I can't right click on the layer.
Did you manage to do it same here following the video and it won’t let me right click to mask the layer thank you
I know this is an answer to a really old question, but just in case someone reads this in the future, make your selection then click the Layer Mask button. To select everything on a layer hold down the ctrl key and click the thumbnail
You always have 3 to step ahead. I wish you would go step by step.
Hi, this video is step by step. Check out this video which is more focused on the Refine Edge tool ua-cam.com/video/tERet_fNUqk/v-deo.html
like
+erickroav : )
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A 4 years old effort 3/10. So much more can be done.
Hi Mark, this was a simple background replacement. Check out my channel for hundreds more Photoshop Elements how to projects.
George
Too much time to make a fake picture. My hand is not that steady, Photoshop is not for me.
Photoshop does take some time to learn, but once you know how it is actually pretty fast. Of course things go slower in my videos as it takes time to demonstrate and explain everything.
George
Thank you for the amazingly thorough tutorial!! Very helpful!!
You're welcome!
George
Hello ! I am very new to photoshop and everytime I go up to refine edge tool, it doesn't give me the circle with the plus sign and it doesn't make everything in the photo orange. I need help.
Hi Rachel, the Refine Edge tool is used to refine the edge of an existing selection, so first step is to make your selection. With the selection active the refine edge tool will work. I usually make my selections carefully using the Polygonal Lasso tool but sometimes I will get lazy and use the regular Lasso tool right next to the edge I am trying to select and clean up the edge with the Refine Edge tool. It can be a great time saver on regular edges and nothing works better on hair or fur. Here is another video showing how to use the Refine Edge tool in more detail: ua-cam.com/video/sQ5kI-Dltik/v-deo.html
George