Optimised clipping and special joiningh


We are going to produce a photomontage using some of the very interesting functions of PhotoFiltre.
After understanding these tou will be able to achieve some astonishing special effects.


Begin by downloading the following two images, then open them in PhotoFiltre.

         
A. Clipping a feline


1. Rapidly select the feline with the lasso tool
You can leave a small margin round the animal

2. Menu: Edit / Optimized Clipping
- Find Edges : Tolerance 15, Both
- Effect : Antialiasing
- Create a new image

3. Paintbrush tool (Round, Small size, White)
Use the paintbrush to delete the remainder of the background which exists around the feline : a bit like a rubber

B. Create a mask from an image


1. Duplicate the image of the "clipped" feline
(Image / Duplicate or Ctrl+U)
We are going to use this copy to make a mask

2. Menu : Image / Transparency Mask
White, Tolerance 0, Antiliasing

Then copy this mask
(Edit/Copy or Right-click+copy or CTRL+C)

Select the image of the "clipped" feline

3. Edit / Paste spécial / Assemble the paste / Right

C. Pasting the associated mask


1. Select the image of the "arche" and duplicate it
We are going to use this copy later to select and copy
a part of the scenery

2. Select the mask associated with the Copy command
(B3 above) and copy to the Clipboard

3. Select the original image of the arche,
then Menu / Paste Special / Image with linked mask
The feline is now in the scenery of the arche but over-size;
we are going to reduce it

4. Reduce the size of the feline by holding down
the Shift Key (to keep the proportions unchanged) and
redimensioning by reducing from one of the corners.
Choose an appropriate size and position, such that the animal
is more than double the width of the pillar on the left of the arch

Menu Edit / Validate Paste

D. Special effects


1. Select the original of the arch and the lasso tool
Draw round the approx. 3/4 of the left-hand pillar of the arch as
accurately as possible; above all include only the rock in the
selection (no sky). You can work with zoom at 200%

2. Copy this selection (right-click + copy, or Ctrl+C)
The selection from the pillar is now on the clipboard

3. Select the arch image with the animal and paste the
pillar selection in front of the feline, positioning it exactly on the
image so as to match the pillar underneath. The animal seems
to be lying in wait behind the pillar. The minuscule tourist (on
the left) observes as well.

4. Menu Edit / Validate Paste

Click here to see the final result !

 


Copyright Pascal Dehont
Translation Alastair N. ROSS