As well as providing us with a suite of features and options that can be used to edit and enhance photographic images, Adobe Photoshop Elements also contains a variety of painting and drawing tools. These can be used to create new pictures from scratch or to add original artwork to your photographs. The following techniques are designed to take you beyond the basic painting and drawing tasks so that you will be able to create professionallooking graphics that can work in conjunction with your professionally edited and enhanced photographs.

Revisiting Painting and Drawing Basics

Although the names are the same the tools used by the traditional artists to paint and draw are quite different from their digital namesakes. The painting tools (the Paint Brush, Pencil, Eraser, Paint Bucket and Airbrush) in Elements are pixel based. That is, when they are dragged across the image they change the pixels to the color and texture selected for the tool. These tools are highly customizable and in particular the painting qualities of the Brush tool can be radically changed via the More Options or Brush Dynamics palette (located in the Brush tool options bar).

The drawing tools (the Shape tools) in contrast are vector or line based. The objects drawn with these tools are defined mathematically as a specific shape, color and size. They exist independently of the pixel grid that makes up your image. They usually produce sharp-edged graphics and are particularly good for creating logos and other flat colored artwork.

11.01 Controlling Brush Characteristics

Suitable for Elements – 5.0, 4.0, 3.0, 2.0, 1.0 | Difficulty level – Intermediate Tools used – Painting tools | Palettes used – Brush Presets, Brush Dynamics

Elements provides users with the ability to change a range of brush options quickly and easily. Color, Size, Mode and Opacity are the most accessible options.

The color of the brush can be altered by changing the currently selected foreground color. Do this by clicking the foreground swatch located at the bottom of the program’s toolbar. Select a new color from the Color Picker that is displayed and then click OK to exit the palette. Any drawing or painting from this time forward will be in the new color.

Brush size, blending mode and opacity are altered by the values set in the Brush’s option bar. The size of the brush is measured in pixels with higher values producing a brush with a larger diameter. The Brush’s Blending mode controls the way that the color that is being applied interacts with the color already in the document. Notice that the options you have here are the same as the Blending modes available in the Layers palette – with the exception that when painting on a layer, two extra options, Behind and Clear, are also available as Blend modes. The Opacity setting controls how transparent the painted color will be.

Elements also comes packaged with a host of pre-designed brushes that can be acessed by clicking the Presets button to the right of the Brush Preview thumbnail in the options bar. The designs are grouped under headings that indicate the style of brush – calligraphic, special effect, faux finish. Even though these brushes are supplied with all the major characteristics pre-designed, you can customize any brush by altering one or more of its settings.

In addition to the basic changes of size, color, Blend mode and opacity many more brush characteristics can be altered via the Brush Dynamics palette. The palette is opened by clicking the More Options button located in the Brush’s options bar. Here you will find controls for a further seven brush characteristics. At first the options and their effects may seem a little strange and confusing. To help you get to know the way that each setting will alter your brush, try drawing a series of brush strokes, changing a single option as you go. This exercise will make the setting’s effect more obvious. When you feel confident then try changing the settings for multiple options to provide a mix of different effects.

The More Options Palette

• Spacing determines the distance between paint dabs, with high values producing dotty effects.
• The Fade setting controls how quickly the paint color will fade to nothing. Low values fade more quickly than high ones.
• Hue Jitter controls the rate at which the brushes’ color switches between foreground and background hues. High values cause quicker switches between the two colors.
• Hardness affects the amount of softness or hardness of the edge of the brush. Lower values produce soft brushes.
• The Scatter setting is used to control the way that strokes are bunched around the drawn line. A high value will cause the brush strokes to be more distant and less closely packed.
• Angle controls the inclination of an elliptical brush.
• The Roundness setting is used to determine the shape of the brush tip. A value of 100% will produce a circular brush, whereas a 0% setting results in a linear brush tip.

Version 1.0 users have a more limited set of brush controls accessed by clicking the thumbnail of the currently selected brush, in addition to pressing the More Options button. Completely new brushes can be added to the palette, in either version of the program, by selecting the side arrow in the Brush palette and choosing the New Brush option. For the truly creative among us, extra custom-built brush sets are available for download and installation from websites specializing in Elements resources.

11.02 Changing an Existing Brush

Suitable for Elements – 5.0, 4.0, 3.0, 2.0, 1.0 | Difficulty level – Intermediate Related techniques – 11.01 | Tools used – Brush

With the basics now under your belt let’s stretch those newly found skills by following the steps needed to customize an existing brush shape. At first the most notable differences between the preset brushes that come packaged with Elements will be the shape of the brush itself. Ranging from simple round or square tips to those that are based on pictures such as flowers or even the humble rubber duck, these shapes form the basis for the brush stoke itself. One click of the mouse button will paint the shape of the brush tip, but click and drag the mouse and you will see a brush stroke made up of a repeating pattern of the brush tip shape.

The way that the tip repeats is controlled by the options in the Dynamics palette. It is here that you can force the brush to space out the painted shape and change its color, position and opacity dynamically as you stroke.

If when you first select a preset brush shape you find that you don’t like the way that it paints then you may find that with a few changes to the brush’s dynamics it will be more suited to your needs.

Simply select the brush you wish to change from the Presets palette. Now you can make the changes to the new brush using the slider controls in the Brush Dynamics palette. To check your progress make practice strokes onto a blank document that you have open in the workspace. Next save the brush as a new brush using the Save Brush option in the fly-out menu of the palette. Custom brush sets can be saved and shared using the Save and Load Brushes, also located in the Presets fly-out menu which is displayed by clicking the sideways arrow located at the top of the Brushes Presets dialog.

11.03 Creating a New Brush

Suitable for Elements – 5.0, 4.0, 3.0, 2.0, 1.0 | Difficulty level – Intermediate Resources – Example brushes 1103-1, 1103-2, 1103-3 | Related techniques – 11.01, 11.02 | Tools used – Brush

If modifying existing brush shapes (presets) still doesn’t provide the level of creativity that you need for that all-important illustration, then why not create your own completely new and original brush shape? Elements provides users with a way that they can create brush tips from sections of photographs or original artwork. It is a two-part process – define and save the area that will be used as the basis of the new brush and then, using the newly defined brush shape, set the brush dynamics to suit your application.

The success, quality and style of the brush you make will be based on the selection of the artwork at the start of the process. Image parts that are high in contrast work best when used as a brush. Any selection tool can be used to isolate the area of the photograph that will be converted to a brush shape. If you don’t want the edge of the selection to act as part of the overall brush shape then make sure that the picture part that you use is surrounded by white. Dark or black sections of the source picture will convert to a strong color when your brush is used, mid tones will correspond to lighter areas and white parts will paint no color at all.

Once you are satisfied with your selection then you will need to convert the image to a brush format. Do this by choosing the Define Brush from Selection (Edit > Define Brush from Selection). This process changes the picture to a gray and stores the image as a brush tip in the current Brushes Preset palette. Now you can adjust the brush dynamics of your newly created brush using the processes detailed in the previous technique.

11.04 Text

Suitable for Elements – 5.0, 4.0, 3.0, 2.0, 1.0 | Difficulty level – Basic | Tools used – Type tools

Combining text and images is usually the job of a graphic designer or printer but the simple text functions that are now included in most desktop imaging programs mean that more and more people are trying their hand at adding type to pictures. Elements provides the ability to input type directly onto the canvas rather than via a Type dialog. This means that you can see and adjust your text to fit and suit the image beneath. Changes of size, shape and style can be made at any stage by selecting the existing text and applying the changes via the options bar. As the type is saved as a special type layer, it remains editable even when the file is closed so long as it is saved and reopened in the Elements PSD, TIFF or PDF formats.

Creating Simple Type

Two new type tools were added to Elements in version 2.0, over and above the two that were present in the initial release of the program. In version 5.0 you can select from Horizontal and Vertical Type tools, as well as Horizontal and Vertical Type Mask tools. Of the standard type tools, one is used for entering text that runs horizontally across the canvas and the other is for entering vertical type. To place text onto your picture select the Type tool from the tool box. Next, click onto the canvas in the area where you want the text to appear. Do not be too concerned if the letters are not positioned exactly where you want as the layer and text can be moved later. Once you have finished entering text you need to commit the type to a layer. Until this is done you will be unable to access most other Elements functions. To exit the Text Editor, either click the Tick button in the options bar (version 2.0 or later) or press the Control+Enter keys in Windows or Command + Return for a Macintosh system.

Creating Paragraph Text

Elements version 4.0 added the Paragraph Text options to the simple type ones detailed above. To create a paragraph, select the Type tool and then click and drag a text box on the surface of the picture. Automatically Elements positions a cursor inside the box and creates a new layer to hold the contents. Typing inside the box will add text that automatically wraps when it reaches the box edge. When you have completed entering text, either click the Tick button in the options bar, or press the Control + Enter keys.

You can resize or even change the shape of the box at any time by selecting a Type tool and then clicking onto the area where the paragraph text has been entered. This action will cause the original text box to display. The box can then be resized by moving the cursor over one of the handles (small boxes at the corners/edges) and click-dragging the text box marquee to a new position. The text inside the box will automatically re-wrap to suit the new dimensions.

Basic Text Changes

All the usual text changes available to word processor users are contained in Elements. It is possible to alter the size, style, color and font of your type using the settings in the options bar. You can either make the selections before you input your text or later by highlighting (clickdragging the mouse across the text) the portion of type that you want to change.

In addition to these adjustments, you can also alter the justification or alignment of a line or paragraph of type. After selecting the type to be aligned, click one of the justification buttons on the options bar. Your text will realign automatically on screen. After making a few changes, you may wish to alter the position of the text. Simply hold down the Ctrl key (MAC – CMD key) whilst you drag outside of the type area to move it around. If you have already committed the changes to a text layer then select the Move tool from the tool box, making sure that the text layer is selected, then click-drag to move the whole layer.

Reducing the ‘Jaggies’

One of the drawbacks of using a system that is based on pixels to draw sharp-edged letter shapes is that circles and curves are made up of a series of pixel steps. Antialiasing is a system where the effects of these ‘jaggies’ are made less noticeable by partially filling in the edge pixels. This technique produces smoother looking type overall and should be used in all print circumstances and web applications, the only exceptions being where file size is critical (as anti-aliased web text creates larger files than the standard text equivalent) and when you are using font sizes less than 10 points for web work. Anti-aliasing can be turned on and off by clicking the Anti-aliased button.

Alignment and Justification

These terms are often used interchangeably and refer to the way that a line or paragraph of text is positioned on the image. The left align, or justification, feature will arrange all text to the left of picture. When applied to a group of sentences the left edge of the paragraph is organized into a straight vertical line whilst the right-hand edge remains uneven or ragged. Right align works in the opposite fashion, straightening the right-hand edge of the paragraph and leaving the left ragged. Selecting the Center Text option will align the paragraph around a central line and leave both left and right edges ragged.

Font Family and Style

The font family is a term used to describe the way that the letter shapes look. Most readers would be familiar with the difference in appearance between Arial and Times Roman. These are two different families each containing different characteristics that determine the way that the letter shapes appear. Arial is a sans-serif font meaning that the letter shapes are more streamlined than the serif-based Times Roman design. The font style refers to the different versions of the same font family. Most fonts are available in regular, italic, bold and bold italic styles. You change the style of a font by selecting an option from the drop-down menu in the Type options bar. Pressing the style buttons on the bar produces a ‘faux’ version of these styles for those typefaces with limited style options.

Leading

Originally referring to the small pieces of lead that were placed in-between lines of metal type used in old printing processes, nowadays it is easier to think of this term as referring to the space between lines of text. Unlike earlier versions of the program, Elements 4.0/3.0 includes the ability to alter the leading of the type input in your documents. Start with a value equal to the font size you are using and increase or decrease from here according to your requirements.

11.05 Adding Styles to Text Layers

Suitable for Elements – 5.0, 4.0, 3.0, 2.0, 1.0 | Difficulty level – Basic | Related techniques – 11.04 | Tools used – Type tools | Menus used – Layer, Edit

Elements’ Layer Styles can be applied very effectively to type layers and provide a quick and easy way to enhance the look of your text. Everything from a simple drop shadow to complex surface and color treatments can be applied using this single-click feature. A collection of included styles can be found under the Artwork and Effects palette (previously the Styles and Effects palette) or you can view the dialog by selecting the Artwork and Effects option from the Window menu. A variety of different style groups is available from the drop-down list and small example images of each style are provided as a preview of the effect.

Additional styles can be downloaded from websites specializing in resources for Elements users. These should be installed into the following folder:

C:Documants and SettingsAll UsersApplication DataAdobePhotoshop Elements5.0Photo Creationsspecial effectslayer styles

This folder is hidden by default and you will need to follow the steps in technique 12.08 to reveal it before being able to copy the new styles. You will also need to ensure that the .asl file is in its own separate folder or it will be added to the Bevels subcategory. Note that this action will only add the new styles to the Artwork and Effects palette. If you want to access them from the Style pop-up palette in the options bar for the Type or Shape tools, you need to also copy the .ASL file to:

C:Program FilesAdobePhotoshop Elements 5.0PresetsStyles

To apply a style to a section of type make sure that the text layer is currently active. Do this by checking that the layer is highlighted in the Layers palette. Next select the Layer Styles option from the drop-down menu in the top left of the Special Effects section of the Artwork and Effects palette and then use the second menu to choose the styles group you wish to use. Click on the thumbnail of the style you want to add and then the Apply button. The changes will be immediately reflected in your image. Multiple styles can be applied to a single layer and unwanted effects can be removed by using the Undo command (Edit > Undo Apply Style). To remove all styles, choose Layer > Layer Styles > Clear Layer Style. The settings of individual styles can be edited by double-clicking on the starburst icon in the text layer and adjusting one or more of the available style settings.

11.06 Customizing Shapes

Suitable for Elements – 5.0, 4.0, 3.0, 2.0, 1.0 | Difficulty level – Intermediate Related techniques – 11.05 | Tools used – Shape tools | Menus used – Layer

Photoshop Elements’ drawing tools, such as the rectangle, ellipse, polygon and line, give users the option to create vector-based graphics which are stored as separate layers in their Elements document. These tools create their content independent of the pixels that are the base of photographic images. Being vector based means that these graphics can be scaled up and down with no loss in quality. It also means that no matter what printer is chosen for output the shapes will be printed at the best quality available, keeping the sharp edges of the graphics sharp.

As well as the predefined shapes such as rectangle and ellipse, Elements also ships with a range of custom shapes that are also vector-based graphics. Though the program does not offer the option of creating your own custom shapes you can customize those available by interactively adding extra parts to and subtracting areas from these shapes.

This process is very similar to that used to modify a selection. To start we draw a base shape. Automatically Elements creates a new layer to store the shape. By default each shape that you draw is kept on a separate layer. If you want to add a shape to an existing shape make sure that the shape layer is selected, choose the shape and click the ‘+’ or Shift key before drawing the new shape. To remove sectionsvfrom the shape click the ‘-’ or Alt key before drawing.

Both these options can also be accessed from the drawing tool’s option bar along with selections to ‘Intersect’ or ‘Exclude’ the newly drawn shape from the existing graphic. By working with the drawing tools and these modifying options it is possible to construct very complex vector shapes on a single layer.

11.07 Adding Pictures to Shapes

Suitable for Elements – 5.0, 4.0, 3.0, 2.0, 1.0 | Difficulty level – Intermediate | Resources – Web image 1107 Tools used – Selection tools | Menus used – Layer, Edit, Select

The graphic quality of shapes makes them perfect additions to many photographic compositions. They can be used as a title plate, a border, or, as is the case in this example, a picture frame. For the technique to be convincing though, it is important to try to match the scale, texture and coloring of the shape with the photograph. In essence the frame should match the mood of the picture. The example image used here, a sepia nautical photograph, contains an old world charm that needs to be echoed in the frame itself. The best way to achieve this is to add texture, color and pattern to the shape layer using the Layer Style options (Artwork and Effects palette). In this example I used a standard custom shape from the Frames group of shapes to surround the boat picture. To help match the frame to the ‘look and feel’ of the photograph I added a combination of layer styles and modified their settings to suit. The picture was then copied and pasted into the document as a new layer and dragged beneath the Shape layer. Finally, the shape was simplified and then used as the basis for a selection to trim away the unwanted excess (corners) of the picture so that the image then looked like it was sitting within the drawn frame.

New for Elements 5.0

But let’s not forget the special framing capabilities that are introduced in this release (see Chapter 12). To add a simple frame to a photo just create a new document and then apply a new frame to the page via the Frames menu in the Artwork section of Artwork and Effects palette. Now drag the open picture from the Photo Bin to the frame and use the options in the right-click menu to fine-tune the frame and photo combination.

11.08 Using Shapes as Borders

Suitable for Elements – 5.0, 4.0, 3.0 | Difficulty level – Intermediate | Resources – Web image 1108 Tools used – Cookie Cutter

The Cookie Cutter tool was added to Elements in version 3.0. Though not strictly a drawing tool, the feature works in a very similar way to the Custom Shape tool as it too allows users to select and draw a range of pre-designed shapes in the workspace. It is after the drawing step that the two tools differ. The shape drawn with the Cookie Cutter is used to define the edges of the current image. In this way the feature functions as a fancy Crop tool, providing a range of graphic designs that can be used to stamp out the edges of your pictures.

The feature is a great way to add interesting edge effects to your pictures.

11.09 Customizing the Shapes you Use

Suitable for Elements – 5.0, 4.0, 3.0, 2.0, 1.0 | Difficulty level – Intermediate | Resources – Web link Tools used – Custom Shape, Cookie Cutter

Photoshop Elements ships with a vast range of shapes that can be used in conjunction with the Custom Shape or the Cookie Cutter tools. New shape sets can be added to those already visible as thumbnails by clicking the side arrow button in the Custom Shape Picker palette. If you can’t find a favorite here then why not try some of the extra shape sets that can be downloaded from specialist Elements resources websites? You can download the ‘.CSH’ or custom shapes file directly to your computer and then transfer it to a new folder in the C:Documents and SettingsAll UsersApplication DataAdobePhotoshop Elements5.0Photo Creationsartworkshapes directory where it will automatically register as a new shape set in Elements when the program is restarted. The Artwork folder is hidden by default and you will need to follow the steps in technique 12.08 to reveal it before being able to copy the new shapes. Note that this only adds the new shapes to the Artwork and Effects palette. If you want to access them from the Shape pop-up palette in the options bar for the Cookie Cutter or Shape tools, you need to copy the .CSH file to: C:Program FilesAdobePhotoshop Elements 5.0PresetsCustom Shapes.

Text and Pictures

It doesn’t take too long before most Elements users want to combine text with their pictures. To start with they simply add a text layer on top of their picture layer and maybe alter the color of the type so that it stands out from the picture background. Those users with a little more adventure in their soul may even add a layer style to the text to really make it jump out.

Nothing wrong with this approach. This is precisely how I started and much of my text and image work still fits into this category, but occasionally there are times when I need to create a text effect that is a little different. The following three techniques are ones that often fit the ‘different’ bill.

First I will show you how to fill your text with an image (technique 11.10), then I will demonstrate the reverse, extracting the text from the picture (technique 11.11), and finally I will go ‘all out’, merging text into an existing picture by creating shadows and lighting effects similar to those that already exist in the scene (technique 11.12).

11.10 Images in Text

Suitable for Elements – 5.0, 4.0, 3.0, 2.0, 1.0 | Difficulty level – Intermediate | Resources – Web image 1110 Related techniques – 11.11 | Tools used – Type tools | Menus used – Select, Edit, Layer

We have already been introduced to this technique way back in Chapter 7 when we were reviewing the various masking options that are available in Elements. I think that it is worth revisiting the process in this context as we look at the various ways that we can combine text and images. The technique makes use of the Group with Previous command to place the image into the text. This command uses the text layer as a mask. The black region of the type displays the picture whilst the transparent area allows the white from the background to show through.

An alternative approach requires you to simplify (Layer > Simplify layer) the text layer first. This converts the text layer to a standard image layer. It is no longer an editable text layer so make sure that you don’t need to alter font, style or spelling.

Next switch back to the picture document, select all (Select > All) and copy (Edit > Copy) the image to the computer’s memory. Now switch back to the text document and select the type. A quick way to do this is to hold down the Ctrl key (Mac – Command key) whilst clicking into the type layer thumbnail. Now you can paste the picture from memory into the letter shapes using the Paste Into (Edit > Paste Into Selection) command.

11.11 Text in Images

Suitable for Elements – 5.0, 4.0, 3.0, 2.0, 1.0 | Difficulty level – Intermediate | Resources – Web image 1110 Related techniques – 11.10 | Tools used – Type tools | Menus used – Select, Edit, Layer

In a contrasting text technique we will use the text as a basis for a ‘cutout’ in the image itself. Before you begin be sure that the picture is not stored as a background layer. If you have just downloaded the file from your camera or scanner then double-click the layer’s name (‘background’) in the Layer palette, rename the layer and click OK. Alternatively select the background layer and pick Layer > New > Layer from Background. Either process will convert the background to a standard image layer ready for your text work.

Now, to add the text select the standard horizontal Type tool from the tool box. Select a foreground color that will contrast against the picture. Click onto the image area and input the words that will be the basis for the cutout. A new text layer appears in the layer stack. With the text layer selected choose a selection tool and whilst holding down the Ctrl (Mac – Command) key click into the thumbnail of the text layer. As we saw in the previous technique this action automatically selects all the type in the layer. Next select the image layer and cut (Edit > Cut) or press the Delete key. This will remove a portion of the image in the same shape as the selection.

As the text layer will be obscuring the image layer beneath, the results of your actions may not be immediately obvious, so drag the text layer to the Dustbin icon in the bottom right of the Layer’s palette to delete the layer. To finish the technique and make sure that the cutout looks realistic, select the image layer and add a drop shadow layer style. This gives the deleted area real depth.

An alternative approach that achieves the same results uses the Horizontal Type Mask tool to create the type selection. Simply select this Text option from the Type tool choices and input your words directly onto the image layer. Press the Enter key on the numeric pad to change from the Mask (red) mode to the Selection (marching ants) mode. Cut the selection from the image =using the Edit > Cut command and to finalize add the drop shadow to the cutout.

11.12 Realistic Text and Image Montages

Suitable for Elements – 5.0, 4.0, 3.0, 2.0, 1.0 | Difficulty level – Intermediate | Resources – Web image 1112 Tools used – Type tools | Menus used – Select, Edit, Layer

The previous two techniques concentrated on combining text and images in a graphic way. In contrast this section aims to seamlessly merge some text into an existing picture. As we have already discussed the success or failure of montage work often relies on matching the texture, light and color of the two components. When combining segments of photographs this means ensuring that the lighting direction and overall contrast are similar for all picture parts that will be used to form the montage. Many of the same concerns are true when you want to add text to an existing picture, the difference being that rather than photographing under the same conditions you must use Elements to recreate these lighting, color and contrast effects in the text.

The example background image of water and mountains has both distinctive color and light. To successfully montage some text into the composition, it too must reflect these qualities. To start the process I added the text to the image and then applied a layer style that matched the color of the background picture. I then proceeded to adjust the position of the highlights in the bevel of the style, using the Lighting Angle control in the Style Settings, so that they matched the direction of the light in the scene, that is from the back left. This created type of the right color and surface texture.

At this point the text feels and looks like it is floating in mid-air over the water. To make the letters look like they were sitting on, or a little under, the water I decided to add a shadow to the text. A simple drop shadow Layer Style would not give the desired effect so instead a directional shadow was added using the duplicate layer, distort and blur technique that we encountered in Chapter 7. To add the sense that the shadow was falling on water the opacity was reduced to allow the water texture to show through and a Wave filter was applied.

This provided a broken edge texture to the shadow that made it appear to fall more realistically on the water’s surface. The text layer was converted to a standard image layer using the Simplify Layer command (Layer > Simplify Layer). To give the illusion that the letters are partially submerged at their base, a series of curved selections were made at the bottom of each letter shape. The selection was feathered a little (1–2 pixels) and, with the text layer selected, these sections of the letter were then deleted (Edit > Cut).

To complete the technique some minor adjustments were made to the color and tone of both the letter shapes and their shadow. The bottom of the letters needs to be made darker and the effect gradually reduced as you move up the letter. To achieve this change the letters were selected first and then with the Intersect Selection mode highlighted, a rectangular selection was then drawn over the lower section of the letter shapes. This creates a selection of just the bottom half of the letters.

The gradient tool was selected and the mode turned to Darken. A color to transparent gradient was chosen and the color changed to a dark blue, sampled from the background using the Eyedropper tool. A linear gradient was drawn from the bottom of the selection upwards, with the effect that the letters became darker at the bottom than the top. The same gradient technique was applied to the shadow layer, this time making the area closest to the base of the letters the starting point for the linear gradient. The overall effect of the combination of layer styles, cast shadow, wave filter and gradient darkening has produced a text/picture montage that merges the type more convincingly with the background image.

11.13 Hand Drawn Logos

Suitable for Elements – 5.0, 4.0, 3.0, 2.0, 1.0 | Difficulty level – Intermediate | Resources – Web image 1113 | Tools used – Drawing tools | Menus used – Select, Image, Layer

There will be times when the particular project that you are working on requires a graphic element that can’t be sourced from a photograph or created using the Custom Shape tool. In these circumstances there is no escaping trying your hand at a little drawing. No need to panic though as Elements contains a few tools that can make even the most elementary artist’s work very presentable.

For example, let’s create a dollar sign symbol that could be used as part of a business presentation. Using the paint brush, set to a soft-edged tip, roughly draw the symbol making sure the basic shape is correct. To clean up the edges of the drawing convert the picture to just black and white (no grays) using the Threshold command (Image > Adjustments> Threshold). With the Threshold dialog still open you can alter the point at which a gray tone is changed to white or black by sliding the threshold arrow in the middle of the graph. Click OK to convert. Now the symbol has a hard edge but some of the areas where lines meet are too rounded. Use the Polygonal Lasso tool to trace the preferred outline for these areas and then delete (Edit > Cut) the unwanted edge sections. The basic shape is ready but some edges are still a little rough. Make them smoother by firstly selecting the shape and then reducing (Select > Modify > Contract) and smoothing (Select > Modify > Smooth) the selection. Next inverse (Select > Inverse) the selection and delete (Edit > Cut) the unwanted edges. Your basic symbol is now complete. You can add a layer style and a background, like the Euro notes used in the example, to complete the illustration.

11.14 Reducing your Picture’s Colors

Suitable for Elements – 5.0, 4.0, 3.0, 2.0, 1.0 | Difficulty level – Basic Resources – Web image 1114 | Menus used – Edit

For most of us when we consider the colors in our digital images we think about trying to capture and use the most hues possible. After all, the accuracy and quality of digital pictures are based, at least in part, on the number of colors use to construct them. Hence the push of scanner and camera manufacturers towards creating devices that capture in 24-, 36- and even 48-bits. This said, there are still times when for aesthetic or technical reasons there is a need to reduce the numbers of colors present in your images.

Limiting the numbers of colors in a picture is one way to make files small enough to display quickly on web pages. The GIF (Graphics Interchange Format) format is a file type suitable for web use that can also store images with different numbers of colors (up to a maximum of 256). A GIF image with 8 colors, for instance, takes up much less space and displays more quickly than one that contains 200 hues. In addition to the small file sizes, ‘reduced-color’ images have a distinctive look that can suit situations when large areas of flat color are needed.

Elements, in its Save for Web (Edit > Save for Web) feature, provides a GIF format option which enables you to interactively reduce the number of colors in your image. This feature can be used to convert a full color image (16.7 million colors) to one that contains as few as two different hues. At the same time you can also make decisions about how Elements will make the reduction. The ‘No Dither’ selection will create an image made up of flat colors only, whereas selections of ‘Diffusion’, ‘Pattern’ or ‘Noise’ will try to recreate the removed colors and tones by mixing together various proportions of those hues that are left. Deciding on which combination of settings works best for your application often requires a little experimentation. Use the example images below as a guide to how the number of colors and the dither settings alter the way a ‘reduced-color’ image looks.

11.15 Posterized Pictures

Suitable for Elements – 5.0, 4.0, 3.0, 2.0, 1.0 | Difficulty level – Intermediate | Resources – Web image 1115 Related techniques – 11.14 | Menus used – Enhance, Image, Layer

Andy Warhol made the technique famous with his ‘Campbell Soup Cans’ and now you can recreate the sixties and this posterized effect using Elements and your own digital camera. Warhol’s images were extremely graphic and were constructed of very few colors, which were applied in broad flat areas of the picture. Following on from the previous technique, here I pay tribute to Warhol by creating flat color images using a reduced color set created with a single filter in Elements.

In the example I started with a standard portrait, increased its contrast and then reduced the numbers of colors used to make up the image with the Posterize feature. To make different color combinations I adjusted the Hue and Saturation sliders in the Hue/Saturation feature.

To start the process the picture will need to contain a little more contrast than normal. I enhanced the contrast with the Levels feature (Enhance> Adjust Lighting>Levels) but you could easily use the Contrast slider (Enhance > Adjust Lighting>Brightness/Contrast). To increase contrast you need to click-drag the black point and white point triangles towards the center of the Levels histogram.

Next I reduced the number of colors in the picture using the Posterize feature. Select the feature from the Adjustments section of the Image menu (Image > Adjustments > Posterize). Input the numbers of levels you wish to use for the picture into the Posterize dialog. The smaller the number the less colors in the final picture. Here I used a setting of 4 levels.

This gives you your base colored image. To alter the color mix I employed the Hue and Saturation control. Select the feature from Adjust Color section of the Enhance menu (Enhance > Adjust Color > Hue/Saturation). You can create many different color combinations by moving the Hue slider in the Hue/Saturation dialog. If the new colors are a little strong then reduce their vibrancy by dragging down the Saturation slider.

You can extend the idea into a poster using four different posterized versions of the original portrait by copying and pasting the picture onto a bigger canvas and then selecting each copy in turn and adjusting the colors.

11.16 Kaleidoscopic Images

Suitable for Elements – 5.0, 4.0, 3.0, 2.0, 1.0 | Difficulty level – Intermediate | Resources – Web image 1116 Tools used – Crop, Move tools | Menus used – Layer, Image, Edit

I can still remember saving my pocket money for weeks to buy my first kaleidoscope. I was fascinated by the way that the images would change and move as they refracted, or is that reflected, inside the small metal tube. Apart from a brief and largely embarrassing period in my imaging career when I owned, and happily used, a ‘multi-imaging’ filter on the front of my camera, I have not rekindled my interest in these types of images until recently when I started to play with a few photographs in Elements. I found that by copying and pivoting the main image I could create an interesting and dynamic picture that contained several of the kaleidoscope qualities I valued in my youth.

Real kaleidoscope pictures are made with a tube, an eyepiece and a series of carefully arranged mirrors. The distinctive images that we see are produced by the scene at the end of the tube reflecting from the surface of a series of mirrored surfaces. The positioning and number of mirrors alter the style and complexity of the image. The digital version of this technique detailed here repeats an image around a common point allowing the edges to interact, using layer flips to reflect the picture and one-pixel cursor movements to ensure that pictures are precisely placed. Though not strictly a kaleidoscope technique, the pictures that are produced do contain similar shapes and textures that we would expect from a picture created traditionally.

The process outlined above will give you simple, but stunning, images and with a little more effort you can create truly dynamiccompositions from your photographs. Use the picture created above as the basis for further copying, flipping and positioning. By repeating the original picture several times you will end up with a multi-image kaleidoscope pattern.

11.17 Presentation Backgrounds

Suitable for Elements – 5.0, 4.0, 3.0, 2.0, 1.0 | Difficulty level – Intermediate | Resources – Web images 1117-1, 1117-2, 1117-3 | Tools used – Selection, Gradient, Crop | Menus used – Select, Layer, Image

One of the most common ways that ideas and information are communicated in the business world today is via the PowerPoint presentation. This program is the digital platform that replaces both the slide and overhead transparency projectors. It is used to sequence a series of ‘slides’ that can contain text, pictures, sound, video and tables.

People spend many hours putting together the content for these multi-slide extravaganzas but, too frequently, little attention is paid to the background images that are used in the show. These pictures provide a context for the information that is being presented and what better way to emphasize your point than to create and include background graphics that relate specifically to the ideas that you are presenting? Don’t reach for the ‘clip art backgrounds’ that come with the program – think about what type and style of pictures would suit the content of your presentation and either shoot them yourself, or source them from a stock company like www.ablestock.com. With images in hand you can now create your own backgrounds that are customized for your presentation.

Elements is perfectly suited for the creation of PowerPoint graphics and in this technique I will demonstrate how to create three different background styles with images that you can take yourself. All the procedures are based on the idea that the picture needs to be visible but not so apparent that it makes the text difficult to read.

(a) Lightening a Soft-Edged Selection

To start we must make sure that the background image is the size suitable for the presentation This value is usually determined by the default resolution of the digital projector you use. Here I used a standard 800 × 600 pixel slide. With the image open I select the Crop tool and input the height and width into the option bar. Now the tool will only allow me to crop with a shape that suits the slide size. With the image now sized, I make a rectangular selection just inside the edges of the picture. This area is where the text of the slide will be placed. The selection is then softened using the Feather command (Select > Feather). I then use the Levels feature (Enhance > Adjust Brightness/Contrast > Levels) to lighten the text area of the picture. To achieve this I drag the black Output slider towards the right. This converts the dark tones to lighter ones and creates a good area where text can be placed. The picture is then saved as a high quality JPEG file ready for use in the presentation. An extended version of this technique uses a Levels adjustment layer in Step 5. This approach provides the same results but doesn’t change the base image in the process. It also allows you to resize or move the lightened area without affecting the base image.

(b) Fade to White

The second technique uses the Gradient tool set to ‘Foreground to Transparent’ and ‘Linear’ to create the text space. The gradient is applied separately to two different rectangular selections to create a place for a heading as well as an area for main points. If not enough lightening is provided by the gradient to make the text readable, apply a levels adjustment, like the one described in the technique above, to the selections as well.

(c) Dropped Shadow Text Box

The last technique creates a text area based on a drawn rectangle filled in white that is slightly smaller than the overall slide dimensions. A drop shadow Layer Style is then applied to the white box to make it stand out from the background. As a finishing touch the opacity of the box layer is reduced to allow some of the background image to show through.

Adding Your Backgrounds to a PowerPoint Slide

With your backgrounds now complete you can import them into your PowerPoint presentation. When formatting slides in the program the background and the presentation information such as tables, text and pictures that sit on the background are treated separately. It is possible to construct your whole presentation and then apply a single background image to all the slides or even apply different images for each slide.

To add your newly created background images to an existing slide select Background from the PowerPoint Format menu. Next choose the Fill Effects option from the drop-down menu at the bottom of the Background dialog. Choose the Picture tab from the Fill Effects dialog and click the Select Picture button. Navigate your way through your folders to find the slide backgrounds that you saved as JPEG files. Select the background you want to use for this slide and click Insert and then OK. In the Background dialog click Apply to use the picture for just a single slide or Apply to All to make this image the default background for all slides in the presentation.