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Using Layers in Photoplus to combine images

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How To Use The Layers Feature In Photoplus To Create Digital Collages.

Using layers to create digital collaging is really easy but if you are not familiar with the software and terminology it can be sooooo .......... frustrating. Once you have seen it done then like riding a bike, you will never forget. I use Photoplus here to show the method but other photo editors which support will have similar tools.

Follow the easy steps outlined beow and you will have no problems

I will describe the making of a digital Artist Trading Card (ATC) which is specifically 2.5 x 3.5 inches in size. You can find out more about ATC and related formats by reading my lens Simple Collaged ATC's For Beginners Specifically, I will be showing how to use the transparency feature to produce "Ghost images".



All the images in this lens are my own work unless specifically stated otherwise. This includes art, photography and screen-dumps.

Table of Contents

The Concept Of Layers

layersIf you are unfamiliar with the layers of an image in a photo-editing tool consider that each element of the image is on a separate pane of glass. When a viewer looks at the panes of glass stacked one in front of the other, the whole image is seen as one complete picture. There is nothing more difficult than that. It simply means that as a picture is edited the elements can be isolated and worked on one at a time.

The First Step

I will be describing the making of a digital ATC so the the measurements given relate to the size of this art format.

Open a new image size 2.5 X 3.5 inch (call it ATC BACK) this will contain just one background layer, which I will not use. Select VIEW and LAYERS TAB from the menu bar if you do not see a small box called layers

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The First Image

Your Background Image

open the first image, your background, I then copy this image (ctrlC), and paste this as a new layer into the ATC BACK picture (select the right window)(ctrlL) ; you should see a new layer in the LAYER dialogue box

We could use this as the background, however there are certain actions which will not be allowed on the background layer ( although we do not use them in this simple example)

***you should then be able to grab the image using the MOVE TOOL and if it is bigger than the size of the ATC BACK, scroll it around for best effect.

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The Second Image

The "Ghost Image

Now for the second image. Open your second image (this is the one I will make the ghost image, for want of a better word)

***Resize as necessary using IMAGE ? IMAGE SIZE I have reduced this by 75 % for the ATC BACK

***Cut and Paste as a new layer ( notice it appears in the LAYER BOX), select the MOVE TOOL and position roughly, can be altered later

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Erase Edges

To Blend The Image In More Naturally

Select the ERASER TOOLS and VIEW / ZOOM IN if necessary, select a BRUSH TIP (again VIEW / BRUSH TIP TAB) and erase the edges of the ghost image

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As You Get To Know The Software..

.. of course there are other ( better?) ways of removing the background from your Ghost image.

More Ways of Separating the Image From Its Background

Let The Software Do The Walking

There are a number of alternative ways of removing an unwanted portion of an image.

1. Use the MAGNETIC, POLYGON or FREEHAND selection tools. These are found under the STANDARD SELECTION TOOLS menu/toolbar.
2. Use the extraction tool from the EDIT menu

Whilst on the subject of efficiency you can also use the DEFORM tool to change the size of an image in any layer relative to other layers. Select the layer, and choose this tool and the image will appear with handles at the corners / midpoints of sides. Grab any handle and drag with the mouse to resize.

The Final Step

In Our Simple Example

Now make sure that the right layer is selected in the LAYER BOX and reduce the opacity, here I have reduced it to about 60% either under LAYER or in the LAYER BOX

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Just For The Record

Help me to understand who is reading this lens

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How Can You Get Photoplus?

There is a free version available but the latest versions can be obtained from Amazon.
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Some Of My Favourite Examples

Of My Digital Artwork

These use the same technique as shown above to combine images.

This was one of the first manipulations I did in Photoplus. Although Photoshop is the tool of choice for most professionals, it is very expensive. Photoplus from Serif has always been my favourite and I can do everything that I want with it. It does not have as much support as the Big One but then I don't use brushes or add-ons.

The background (watercolour) and face (pastel) are both my own paintings

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Another example of this sort of trickery , again with my own painted images and a public domain photo is

photoplus digital collage

Have You Found This Useful?

As I said at the beginning of the lens, This was really aimed at artists who are new to digital manipulation of images and may not be familiar with the concepts of layers and the associated terminology, but I hope it will have added a little to your understanding.

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Who Is Artyfax ?

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More Lenses By Artyfax

See my lensography to see all my lenses listed by topic. You will see groups of Lenses about Art and Crafts, Artist Trading Cards, Home Cooking, 60's Music, Digital Art and Photography, Painting and Sketching, Song Writing, Quizes and an eclectic collection of miscellaneous lenses.
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artyfax

I am a largely self-taught artist with a long time interest in the creative arts. After school I studied metallurgy and achieved two higher degrees in... more »

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