I've Got a Human in My Throat book....HELP!

[meccajos]

Hey all,

I'm trying to work with a Photoshop book called, "I've Got a Human in My Throat." Do any of you have this book? I am having trouble with the section "Unnatural Hybrid 1."

I'm trying to morph a dogs head with a bird's body.

HELP!

Thanks!

[Two-Toe Tom]

what are you having problems with?

[meccajos]

The tutorial gives you photos, 1 of a dog and another of a bird. You use a lasso tool to make a selection of the dog's head, then copy it to the bird image, then scale the dog's head. Next it says to make a new layer and clone from the light part of the bird's body all over the dark part of the dog's head.

I do not understand this step. If I make a new layer there's nothing in it and how do I clone from one layer to the next?

I'm soooooo confused...and new at Photoshop.

THANKS.

[Two-Toe Tom]

do you know how to use the clone tool? just make sure the sample from all layers is checked and you have your new layer selected. then you alt-click (on pc) on the area you want to clone from and just brush it to the new area.

[meccajos]

Oops, forgot a step. After I scaled the dogs head, I have 2 layers, one of the dog's head and one of the bird. It then says to apply a mask to the layer (dog's I'm assuming) and mask out everything you don't wnat in the final picture. Then duplicate the layer and hide it for later.

I'm new so, I am not sure....In the dog layer, I clicked the quick mask mode button and drew with black brush (red) around the areas I didn't want....

I dont know what to do next. Inverse and delete or what?

I'm feeling really dumb...

[Two-Toe Tom]

you don't need the quick mask mode, just click on the create layer mask button at the bottom of the layers palette, then paint with a black brush over the areas you want masked.

[meccajos]

WOW...much easier and understandable. So, when I painted, it just took out everything I didn't want and left the bird background which looks great. Now, it says to duplicate the dog head layer and hide it for later. By dog head layer, they mean the one I just applied the layer mask to, right? I don't know why I have to do this. Can you explain?

[Two-Toe Tom]

maybe they use that layer in another step?

[meccajos]

Ok...I duplicated the layer (which includes the mask), then it says to go back to the original dog layer and adjust the hue/saturation. By "orginal" I am thinking they mean the one I just duplicated but when I go to image adjustments, it won't let me do it.

Grrrrr.

[meccajos]

oops....it did that time. Glad you can't see me blushing!

[Two-Toe Tom]

just make sure you have the layer selected and not the mask

[meccajos]

So, I adjusted the coloring and next it says to add some texture to the dog's head. First, make a new layer and clone from the light part of the bird's body all over the dark part of the dog's head. Here's where I REALLY get confused. If I make a new layer there's nothing in it.

I dont get it.

[Two-Toe Tom]

do you know how to use the clone tool? just make sure the sample from all layers is checked and you have your new layer selected. then you alt-click (on pc) on the area you want to clone from and just brush it to the new area.

does this answer your question?

[meccajos]

YES...Great! It is working!

Ok...so the next step (whew) is to fix the dog's ear. It says to clone from the body of the bird onto a new layer, the exact outline of the ear.

Huh?

[vtwin_gary]

the purpose of tuts like this is for you to fumble through so you know what each tool does & how it can be used.

if you just follow along i'm not sure you really learn anything.

[Two-Toe Tom]

the purpose of tuts like this is for you to fumble through so you know what each tool does & how it can be used.

if you just follow along i'm not sure you really learn anything.

yeah, if you don't really understand the steps it won't be very helpful, maybe you should start with a more basic tutorial that tells you what each tool is for.

[meccajos]

I wish I had the time...project due shortly. The tuts are so complicated. I've picked up several but I guess I need to start with more basics. I have gone through "Adobe Classroom in a book...boring" and "Exploring Photoshop...boring" but when it comes to the ones I really want to play with like this book and "WOW," they are all above my pea brain.

[meccajos]

Do you suggest any good basic tutorials besides the ones I mentioned?

Thanks for the help. I hope it wasn't an inconvenience.

[Two-Toe Tom]

lynda.com has some good tutorials. if you're using photoshop books, you don't have to go through them from start to finish, just skip to the parts that you need, the books you mentioned probably has a section for the clone tool.

[meccajos]

THANKS so much! I appreciate your help!

[Two-Toe Tom]

no problem, good luck with ur project :)