Photoshop Piece

Photoshop

(Photoshop Piece)

        A photograph reflection usually contains the process, outcome and purpose of whatever assignment is being written about. However, this reflection is simply going to describe the process of making the picture seen above.
        First, I had to find a good picture to start with. In doing this, I generally like to work with pictures that have a lot of open space so there is room to copy and past various things into the picture, while also making sure the photo doesn't get too cluttered. Also, I skimmed through basically all of the pictures I had saved in NDR Zero, our classes folder, to make sure I picked a picture that I liked. However, in the end, my process of choosing a picture ended with me choosing one of my Little Toy pictures. Mainly because Pikachu is a very photogenic subject to have in a picture, of course. I chose the picture I took with Pikachu popping his head out of one of my mom's Ugg boots.
        My next step in the process of making my final Photoshop piece was one that sounds simple, yet took a majority of my time. I basically had to decide what effects to apply to my image. I knew that I wanted to apply the threshold effect somewhere in my picture, so I decided to get it out of the way. Initially looking at my picture, it was hard to decide where to add the effect. I decided to change the bottom of the boots. The process of applying the threshold effect takes a few steps. First, I selected the area I wanted to change. Next I pressed Ctrl-J ten times to create ten layers consisting solely of the selected area. Next, starting at the top layer (turning all the eyes off on all the layers except for the one I was working on), I changed the threshold of the layer. In doing this, I was able to chose whether the image was all white, all black or somewhere in between with various degrees of black and white. Starting with the top layer and working down, I changed the threshold of the pictures (starting with all white and working to all black). The second to last step involves once again working with each layer, one at a time. On the layer, I selected all the white area (with the magic wand) and deleted it. I pressed Ctrl and clicked on the small image of the picture in the layers menu, which selects all the remaining black area. Then I went to the color squares on the left of the screen and changed the bottom square to a color of my liking. Lastly, pressing Ctrl-Delete, all of the black area changed to the color I chose. After doing this with different colors to each layer, I clicked on all the eyes and made all layers visible. The end result was a rainbow effect applied on the bottom of the boots, created by changing the threshold of each image.
        The process of making my image then became simple. I made a duplicate layer of my initial image. First, I found a cool picture of my boy Tim Lincecum, used the magnetic selection tool, and selected Timmy. I copied him and pasted him in my picture, moving him to make it look as if he was popping out of the other boot. After feathering the bottom of his jersey, I did the same copy and paste effect with the airplane found at the top left of the picture. Using a wavy, flag-like, text box, I put "Go Giants!" in the banner. Next, I used the gradient tool to put a dark tint in the bottom left of the picture to take away some of the extreme brightness from the sun. Lastly, I merged all the layers together and used my favorite effect. I blended the image to have a Giants picture making its presence felt in the photo. World Series Champions...they had to make their presence felt!