Tutorial - Photo montage

Here is an interesting montage that I have created for a book cover on feminine spirituality. The original sculpture is a large item in a stately home in England and I photographed it using the natural, available light coming into the gallery. I also tried to position myself not only to get a decent composition of the sculpture, but also to try and get a plain background - in this case a stone wall - instead of a background cluttered by other sculptures or windows.

Once I had downloaded it onto the computer, I then opened the image in Photoshop and used the rectangular marquee tool to draw a rectangle around the whole image. I then went into Edit/Copy. Then I went into File/New and the menu that opens then has the correct dimensions for a the new file canvas that I am going to create. At the bottom of this menu I selected the 'Clear background' option, opened the new file and then opened Edit/Paste to put this image of the sculpture onto a clear background. I then used the eraser tool to rub away all the backround, getting in very close with a small diameter eraser so that I could get into all the little corners and angles. I am then left with an image of the statue on a clear background. I then selected another image of a dramatic sky, making sure that the image of the sky was more than big enough to create a background to the sculpture image and that both files had the same resolution - in this case 72 d.p.i.  These settings could be altered and matched using the Image/Image size menu. I chose the largest sky image that I could because if the image was quite small, even though I could enlarge it to a decent size, the image quality would be poor, looking 'grainy' or having a coarse texture.

I opened the sky image, and then, using the marqee tool, I drew a rectangle around the sculpture image, copied it as before and pasted it onto the sky image by clicking on the sky image window to activate it and then going into Edit/Paste. The sculture then sits against a dramatic sky. Using the 'Move' tool, I could move the sculture image around over the sky to get the best position. I wanted the lightning to appear to be related to the vase/beaker that she is holding aloft. Once I was happy with the positioning and also happy that there were no remanants of the original background wall in front of the sky, I cropped the image and then saved it as a jpeg by going into File/Save As and selecting jpeg as the file type.

In it's original form, this image is made up of two layers -  the background sky (base layer) with a clear film (Layer 1) laid over it on which is printed the sculture image. However, once I save this as a jpeg, these layers are merged together and I will no longer have the opportunity to move the sculpture into a new position over the background. If I want to keep the option of being able to move the sculpture to a new position against the sky, I will also have to save the image as a Photoshop file rather than a jpeg.

Tutorial - Photomontage - Elements and layers

The last few years have been a very arid period for my photography and creativity generally. It just seems to happen sometimes that I do not feel able to get motivated and inspired in my photography. Still, a few ideas have been buzzing around and they have all centred around photomontage work. Here is one example that I have done recently. This image is concerned with spirituality and unity. Androgynous forms have been used in a number of mystical circles to portray unity and the transcendence of gender and differences between existents.

This montage is made up of a number of images garnered from the web which are then placed on top of one another using layers in photoshop. The first layer in the background, with subsequent layers moving to the foreground. The order here is: stars, earth, moon, wings, nude and goats head. To make it easier, the planetary background and the figure were initially created separately. In this case, to create the earth element, the image file of earth was opened. Click on the dotted box in the tools pallette and draw a rectangle around the whole file. Then click on Edit/copy. Then, click on file/new and open a new file making sure that the box next to 'transparent' at the bottom, is checked. A blank file with a checkboard pattern opens to the same size as your earth file. Make this file active by clicking on it and then click on 'Edit/Paste'. Your earth image is pasted into this new file. Using the erase tool in the tool pallette erase everything bit the image of the earth and save as a Photoshop file. Open your starfield file. Click on your earth image file and as before, using the tool indicated in the tool pallette by a dotted rectangle, drag a box around this file. Click Edit/Copy. Make your starfield file active by clicking on it, and then click 'Edit/Paste'. Because the image of the earth is on a transparent base, the earth image now sits on top of your starfield file. You can move this earth image around by using the move tool next to the dotted rectangle on the tool pallette. You can continue to add elements in this way. Always save these files as Photoshop files or you will lose the layers. Only when you are happy with the final image can you save it as a jpeg file. All layers then merge into one single layer and elements can no longer be moved.

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL,

Photomontage Spoof 1950's scandal magazine. Winter in England is a time that in the main, my camera is packed away in it's case. Unless we get some snow or bright frosty days, then the landscape to me is dull and unattractive. So between November and March, I tend to spend my hobby time on the computer, and this photomontage is the sort of project I find myself doing. I quite like those scandal mags from the 1950's, so this little spoof has been made up using photoshop. The 'Boy trapped in refrigerator eats own foot' gag is from the movie 'Airplane'.

Pyramid fantasy

Pyramid fantasy, originally uploaded by foto-art.

Another photomontage. I am always looking for shots like this with unusual or ruined buildings that have open doorways or windows where a montage element can be added. I nearly always favour the rather formal composition by photographing the building head on.

Priestess fantasy

Priestess, originally uploaded by foto-art.

Another photomontage fantasy. I quite the fun irreverence of this image.

Statues

Statue, originally uploaded by foto-art.

I love these old gravestones in local cemetries; they have a beauty an sometimes an eroticism all of their own. Alas many of them are falling into disrepair or have been vandalised so over the last few years I have taken photos of the more interesting ones, especially with an eye to this kind of montage work. This image is one that I had not planned but arose as I was looking at various images and elements. What I like is the contrast between the shiny sleek figure on the left and the the rougher stone figure on the right, creating a slightly surreal and erotic image. Thus I do not close my mind to creativity after the image is taken, but continue to thing of different ways of cropping or enhancing images on the computer, especially at this time of the year, whicj in England is rather dull, damp and cold, so outdoor photography is minimised and darkroom/computer work emphasised until the better light and weather comes along.

Abbey montage

Abbey montage, originally uploaded by foto-art.

This is another of my photomontage projects using Photoshop. This one looked better in black and white. The various elements are built up on layers, and one important factor is the direction of light and shadow. I try to make my photomontages look as though they could be real...they do not necessarily appear as obvious montage work, or I at least try to leave the viewer guessing. Conflicting directions of light and shdow between elements is an obvious give away.

Fantasy castle montage

Fantasy castle montage, originally uploaded by foto-art.

Well this is the kind of thing that has tended to make up my projects recently. It is a further development of one of a technique used in one of the first posts on this blog, 'the pleasure of martyrs'. This has been constructed on Photoshop using various elements and layers. I did two versions of this, one in colour and one in black and white, but I thought that the colour one looked better.

Angelica Eroticum - Colour to black and white

angelica eroticum, originally uploaded by foto-art.

Another Photomontage on the angel theme. This one looked better in Black and White I thought, so though originally taken in colour, I went into photoshop and into Image/Mode/and clicked on Greyscale, to remove the colour information.

Global warming

Photomontage of four elements: The sky, the lighthouse, the walker and the naked body. I like the use of a naked body to create a landscape...to create something a little abstract from the human form. A tanned body colour can certainly begin to look like sand. It can be enhanced using an 85b Orange filter, and of course, further enhanced in Photoshop using Image/Adjust/Hue-Saturation and increasing the saturation slider control. using the camera flash for this kind of image is not much use...it is frontal lighting that gives no texture, but rather produces a flat looking image. This means either taking these shots outside or using a studio light or flash to the side. When doing a montage like this it is important to maintain the direction of light. The original lighthouse image has been flipped horizontally in Image/Adjust/Rotate Image, so that the shadow falls on the left, as it does on the body/landscape. If there was a sun in the sky, it would have to be on the right of the picture.

Pleasure House - Photomontage

Pleasure House, originally uploaded by foto-art.

A bit of fun with photomontage. Using the techniques described below in the angel image, four images have been combined here: three girls and the house. Converving verticals were also corrected on the house image.

Angelicus Eroticus - Photoshop photomontage tutorial

angelicus eroticus, originally uploaded by foto-art.

There are three basic images in this montage: the sky, the angel monument and breasts. Using the magic wand and eraser tool, the background of the angel image was removed, leaving just the angel figure. To make sure that parts of the angel image itself were not accidentally removed, I used the Tolerance control situated just below the drop down menu headings at the top of the photoshop window. The file of the sky was opened. Using the Rectangular Marquee Tool, a rectangle was drawn around the border of the angel image and this was copied in Edit/Copy. I then clicked on File/New and set the background to Transparent. I opened the new file and clicked on Edit/Paste and the angel image appeared in the new file. Using the Magic Wand tool I clicked on the background and Cntrl/X to delete it. I carefully went around the angel image to make sure that all unwanted background was removed, revealing the checkerboard transparent background. Using the Rectangular Marquee Tool, I dragged a box around the border of the Angel image and clicked on Edit/Copy. I clicked on the sky file and then clicked on Edit/Paste and the Angel appeared in a new layer over the sky background.

An image of a topless lady in roughly the same position as the angel was then opened. Using the Rectangular Marquee Tool, a box was drawn around the outer edge and using the same procedure as above, it was copied onto the angel. This was was then undone in Edit/Step Backward, and any adjustments to the size of the image were made in Image/Image Size. When I was happy with the size of the image, most of the image was erased leaving the breasts and an area surrounding them up to the neck and down to the stomach. Using the Erase Tool in combination with Brush Size and Opacity controls at the top of the Photoshop Window, the area around the breasts was vignetted out to produce a very soft edge with only the shape of the breasts defined. I then copied this image into a new file with a transparent background as described above. Using the magic wand, the background was erased to leave a transparent area surrounding the breasts. In Image/Mode, Greyscale was clicked on in the drop down menu, to turn this to a black and white image. In Image/Adjust, the Contrast was increased. This new image was in turn copied and pasted onto the Angel/Sky image, and using the Move tool, the breasts were placed in position. On the Layers Box, (the bottom box on the right hand side of the Photoshop Window), the opacity control was altered to about 45%. Any retouching was then carried out as required on the layer concerned, before the file was saved in File/Save As with a new name as a JPEG file.

angelicus eroticata

angelicus eroticata, originally uploaded by foto-art.

Photo montage using Photoshop

The pleasure of martyrs - Photoshop Tutorial

The pleasure of martyrs, originally uploaded by foto-art.

Photoshop tutorial: The pleasure of martyrs – photomontage: how was it done?

The aim was to create an incongruent mix of themes of death and eroticism. Three basic images were used: The mausoleum, the girl and the angels. The mausoleum is the basic element, a slightly creepy building in a cemetery, but any psuedo gothic building would have a similar effect. The original was taken in colour. This file was opened and the Rectangular Marquee Tool was used to surround the whole image (using click and drag from the top left hand corner) which was then copied using Edit/Copy. Then I went to File/New and set it to transparent background and then created a new file. (This will appear with a checkboard pattern.) It will have the same size and resolution as the copied file. I then went to Edit and clicked on Paste and the image will now appear on your new file. To increase the austere theme of death, I wanted this image in black and white, but I wanted the doorway (symbolizing the doorway to the erotic virgins promised to martyrs) to be in colour, to help retain a warm, erotic feel. Using the rectangular marquee tool, a rectangle was drawn around the doorway to the mausoleum from the top left hand corner. Then using Edit/Cut, the doorway was removed revealing the checkboard pattern underneath. Then I clicked on Image/Mode/Greyscale to turn this colour image of the mausoleum to black and white. I then saved this image as a photoshop file under a new name. I closed this file and then opened it again, and clicked on Image/Mode/RGBColor. This returned the image to a colour image, though in appearance it remained black and white. Then I clicked on Edit/Paste and the coloured doorway of the mausoleum was pasted back into the black and white image of the mausoleum. If it did not paste into the right position, then I used the Move Tool to position it correctly. The original mausoleum image had two closed doors, so using the Rectangular Marquee Tool I drew a rectangle around the left hand door and went into Edit/Cut to remove it, again showing the transparent checkboard pattern. I saved this file as a photoshop file.

Next I got the image of the girl. I drew around the whole image using the Rectangular Marquee tool and went to Edit/Copy. I clicked on the Mausoleum image and went into Edit/Paste, to copy the girl onto this image. The size was not correct. I went into Edit/Undo to remove the image of the girl. I clicked on the original file of the girl again and went into Image/Size. I made sure that the constrain proportions box was ticked, and entered a new size in the width box. (The height changes automatically). I repeated the copy and paste procedure above to see if the size was correct. If not I went to Edit/Undo and repeated the sizing and pasting procedure until I was happy with the result.

I clicked on the Mausoleum image, surrounded it using the Rectangular/Marquee tool and clicked on Edit/Copy. Then I went to File/New and set to white background and then created a new file. It will have the same size and resolution as the copied file. I then clicked on the file of the girl, surrounded the image using the Rectangular Marquee tool, and clicked on Edit/Copy. I then clicked on the new blank file and clicked on Edit/Paste. The image of the girl now appeared in the centre of this file. Then I clicked on the Mausoleum file, (which should still have the rectangular marquee dotted line around it) and clicked on Edit/Copy. I then clicked on the New File of the girl and clicked on Edit/Paste. The Mausoleum image then sits on top of the girl on a new layer. I then went to the Layers box on the right hand side and clicked on the layer with the girl. I then used the Move Tool to position the girl in the transparent doorway. When I was happy with the image and its positioning, I saved the file as a photoshop file under a new name.

I then went to the image of the angel. I wanted to make this more erotic, so I got a picture of a topless woman who was posing in roughly the same position and angle as the shot of the angel. Using a similar procedure to that described above, I got the two images to match in size. I then went to the image of the topless woman, and using the erase tool, removed all the image but the breasts. I created a soft edge by altering the opacity of the erase tool in a series of brush strokes down to 5%. The shape of the breasts were retained but the image vignetted out to the neck and lower chest. The image was changed to black and white using the procedure described above. The image of the angel was clicked on and this too was turned to black and white. I surrounded this image by clicking and dragging a Rectangular box using the Rectangular Marquee Tool. I clicked on File/New and opened a new file with a transparent background. The image of the angel was pasted in using Edit/Paste. Using the Magic Wand, all background image from the angel was removed, leaving just the Angel on a transparent background.

I clicked on the image of the breasts and increased the contrast slightly using Image/Adjust/BrightnessContrast. I surrounded this image by clicking and dragging a Rectangular box using the Rectangular Marquee Tool. I clicked on File/New and opened a new file with a transparent background. I clicked on Edit/Copy and the breasts appeared on this new file. Using the Magic wand, the white background was removed leaving the breasts surrounded by a transparent background. I surrounded this image by clicking and dragging a Rectangular box using the Rectangular Marquee Tool. I clicked on Edit/Copy and then clicked on the New Angel image and clicked on Edit/Paste. The breasts appeared in a new layer on top of the angel. Using the Move Tool, I positioned the breasts into the correct place. Then in the Layers Box, with the breasts layer active, I reduced the opacity of the breasts layer to about 45%. Then I clicked on the Angel layer and pixel cloned the dress of the angel to the shape of the breasts. When I was happy with the image, I saved it as a photoshop file.

I clicked and dragged a rectangle around the new angel file using the Rectangular Marquee Tool. I clicked on Edit/Copy. Then I clicked on the new Mausoleum/girl file and clicked on Edit/Paste. The angel appears on top, or in the foreground of the Mausoleum. Any size differences were corrected as described earlier. Once the size of the angel image was correct, it was saved. The image was then pasted and positioned on one side of the mausoleum/girl image, then the angel was flipped horizontally in Image/RotateCanvas/Flip Horizontally, and copied and pasted again on the other side of the mausoleum/girl image.

When I was happy with the whole image and the position of all the elements, then the mausoleum/girl/angel file was saved as a JPEG file. (All layers are now lost by merging and individual elements can no longer be moved). Finally, this JPEG file was opened for fine detail retouching of edges and so on before being saved as a final file.