Photoshop Series:Using Masks To

Remove Backgrounds

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This deck functions as a template we can provide faculty and staff who are interested in teaching their peers.

I’ve broken it down into three main sections:

An Introductory Section, which introduces the technique and explains how it can help them in the classroom.

A Tutorial Section, which gives a detailed step-by-step process of how to do the technique, using lots of screen grabs and embedded videos.

And finally a resource/contact section, which will house a compilation of external links, Technology and Learning contact info, and references if they need additional help or materials.

This tutorial will teach you a few basic tools in Photoshopto help you remove the background from images

and create transparencies.

INTRO

This can mean the difference between this:

INTRO

And this:

INTRO

Which one would you prefer to havein your presentations?

INTRO

MASKING

Masking is a Photoshop techniquethat does exactly what a mask does:

it hides portions of something,while revealing others.[ ]

What is masking?

MASKING

We can use this technique to ‘hide’elements of our background,

making them look transparent.[ ]

MASKING

The cardinal rule to remember whenmaking a mask in Photoshop is:[ ]

MASKING

Covering part of an image in black will‘hide’ that portion, seemingly

erasing it. [ ]

MASKING

Think of it as painting somethingwith magic paint that turns whatever it

touches invisible.[ ]

MASKING

A helpful phrase to rememberwhen working with masks:[ ]

MASKING

Black as night, hides from sight.When white’s in view,

you see right through! [ ]

TUTORIAL

Using the brush tool, begin drawingover the white space of the image.[ ]

Tools used Screen Example

Step1:

With the right search terms, youcan often save yourself

a lot of work.

Leaf

[ ]

When searching for your image, add the letters png after the word.

Leaf png

[ ]

This will narrow the search tofile names associated

with png images.

Leaf png

[ ]

Sometimes your image will already have a clear background, saving you lots of work!

Leaf png

[ ]

[ ]

RESOURCES

Stock Images:

SXC and Flickr[ ]

Related Presentations:

Chris Heard’s You Tube, You Teach[ ]

If you have further questions, make an appointment with the

Technology and Learning team here.

Bubble: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1359366Leaf: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1368491Fence Painting: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kansasexplorer3128/222516796/sizes/o/in/photostream/Mask: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/678555

REFERENCES