(Altering Graphics In Photoshop) Turning People Into Elves By Jeffrey J. Irwin

(Altering Graphics In Photoshop)(Altering Graphics In Photoshop)

Turning People Into ElvesTurning People Into Elves

By Jeffrey J. IrwinBy Jeffrey J. Irwin


Today we will learn how to Today we will learn how to alter photos in Adobe alter photos in Adobe PhotoshopPhotoshop• We will take a subject picture and We will take a subject picture and

change it into a fantasy art picture.change it into a fantasy art picture.• The object is to learn how to alter The object is to learn how to alter

photos to make them seem not so photos to make them seem not so real, and to teach students about real, and to teach students about how to use the Photoshop tools.how to use the Photoshop tools.

• Our subject matter, an old picture of Our subject matter, an old picture of me, will become an elf.me, will become an elf.


Subject MatterSubject Matter

• Now we will Now we will introduce the old introduce the old picture of me.picture of me.

• And here I am in all of my early morning glory, And here I am in all of my early morning glory, not happy about having my picture taken at that not happy about having my picture taken at that moment.moment.


Let’s Get Started!Let’s Get Started! • Open the picture of the person you want to alter in Photoshop. In this Open the picture of the person you want to alter in Photoshop. In this

case, we will use my picture.case, we will use my picture.


Crop and Lasso ToolsCrop and Lasso Tools Use the crop tool to get rid of any extra scenery Use the crop tool to get rid of any extra scenery

surrounding the person you wish to edit, in order to surrounding the person you wish to edit, in order to make the picture smaller.make the picture smaller.

Select the polygonal lasso tool Select the polygonal lasso tool and click around the picture and click around the picture until you have just the person until you have just the person selected and not the selected and not the background.background.

After having done this, select the After having done this, select the inverse of the picture. (This can be inverse of the picture. (This can be done by choosing the select menu, done by choosing the select menu, and then choosing select inverse, and then choosing select inverse, or by pressing Shift Control I.)or by pressing Shift Control I.)

Once you have selected the Once you have selected the inverse of the picture, (the inverse of the picture, (the background junk), go ahead and background junk), go ahead and delete it so that only the picture delete it so that only the picture remains. Don't I stand out well remains. Don't I stand out well against a white background?against a white background?


Elves With Stubbly Chins Make For Scary Elves With Stubbly Chins Make For Scary Elves…Elves…

Have you ever met an elf with 5:00 shadow? I haven't either. Have you ever met an elf with 5:00 shadow? I haven't either. Lets use the finger pointing from a hand looking smudge Lets use the finger pointing from a hand looking smudge tool after we zoom in on that scary looking late 90's face.tool after we zoom in on that scary looking late 90's face.

(It should look like (It should look like this afterward.)this afterward.)

(Altering Graphics In Photoshop)

Smudge Out That Stubble!

After having zoomed in on the face. select the appropriate brush size for the picture so that you don’t smudge the entire picture. Brush sizes can be found in the brush size menu.

Now go ahead and use the smudge tool to cleanup that face.

Avoid smudging the eyes, eyebrows, and lips. Watch the direction you smudge when on the nose so as to ensure that the lines go with the flow. Do me a huge favor and limit the size of that bump on my Roman shaped nose by pulling the smudge tool in on the lines. Thank you! I'm looking more elf like already.


Get Some Sleep!Get Some Sleep!

Make sure to smudge out those deep shadows Make sure to smudge out those deep shadows under the eyes. If you have to pull some of the under the eyes. If you have to pull some of the paler cheek color up where the sleep lines would paler cheek color up where the sleep lines would be under my eyes to mix with that color. This was a be under my eyes to mix with that color. This was a picture of me after a really bad night of sleep.picture of me after a really bad night of sleep.


Brighter EyesBrighter Eyes

Zoom in very close in on the eyes and choose a tiny brush. Select the color Zoom in very close in on the eyes and choose a tiny brush. Select the color white in your foreground color and paint a tiny dot of white into the whites of white in your foreground color and paint a tiny dot of white into the whites of my eyes. Carefully smudge around the whites of the eyes to make them my eyes. Carefully smudge around the whites of the eyes to make them appear brighter.appear brighter.


Brighter Eyes Brighter Eyes Accomplished!Accomplished!

• Tada! Now that face is much brighter and younger looking. Tada! Now that face is much brighter and younger looking. We will make an elf of him yet!We will make an elf of him yet!


Elf EyebrowsElf Eyebrows

• Ok, now is the time to Ok, now is the time to add a bit to the add a bit to the eyebrows. Using a eyebrows. Using a tiny paintbrush add tiny paintbrush add several itsy bitsy black several itsy bitsy black dots to my brown dots to my brown eyebrows. Then, eyebrows. Then, using the smudge tool, using the smudge tool, smudge out my smudge out my eyebrows so that they eyebrows so that they blend a bit and give blend a bit and give the outside corners a the outside corners a slight upturn. Think slight upturn. Think Legolas, not Keebler.Legolas, not Keebler.

(Before)

(After)


The Hat Is So Wrong For An The Hat Is So Wrong For An Elf!Elf!

• The hat can stay but let's change that color. I look like a paperboy and we need an elf .The hat can stay but let's change that color. I look like a paperboy and we need an elf .

• Here I added some green Here I added some green dots to my hat by selecting dots to my hat by selecting an appropriate sized brush an appropriate sized brush and using the paintbrush tool and using the paintbrush tool to dot on splotches of green to dot on splotches of green paint onto the hat. Let’s try paint onto the hat. Let’s try to make that hat look like a to make that hat look like a beanie cap. beanie cap.

• Ok that's a bit more elf-like, if not a bit foppish. I added Ok that's a bit more elf-like, if not a bit foppish. I added green and black and smudged all the lines to the shape green and black and smudged all the lines to the shape of a beanie style hat.of a beanie style hat.


Elves Have Pointy Ears!Elves Have Pointy Ears!

Elves aren't elves without pointy ears! Let's use the smudge tool in Elves aren't elves without pointy ears! Let's use the smudge tool in order to elongate the upper part of the ears into pointy topped ears. order to elongate the upper part of the ears into pointy topped ears. If you have to use the eyedropper tool to select a color from an If you have to use the eyedropper tool to select a color from an area of ear and use the paintbrush and a small brush size to add area of ear and use the paintbrush and a small brush size to add some color to the ears if that hair is getting in the way of making some color to the ears if that hair is getting in the way of making them longer and more pointy. Then use the smudge tool to smudge them longer and more pointy. Then use the smudge tool to smudge out those ears and make them elven looking.out those ears and make them elven looking.


Decaffeinated PleaseDecaffeinated Please

o Now zoom in and Now zoom in and carefully smudge the carefully smudge the teeth to make them teeth to make them look whiter. Elves look whiter. Elves don't drink coffee! don't drink coffee! Then carefully smudge Then carefully smudge the lips. Add a color in the lips. Add a color in tiny dots and smudge tiny dots and smudge it in if you want to it in if you want to change the color of change the color of the lips a bit.the lips a bit.


Elves Wear Cloaks Not CoatsElves Wear Cloaks Not Coats

That coat screams That coat screams mid 90's winter mid 90's winter jacket rather than jacket rather than I'm an elf in a I'm an elf in a traveling cloak. We traveling cloak. We aren't aiming for aren't aiming for extraordinary extraordinary realism here. Let's realism here. Let's change that coat.change that coat.


A Cloak Fit For An ElfA Cloak Fit For An Elf

Start by painting a Start by painting a bit of brown, or a bit of brown, or a color of your choice, color of your choice, in splotches along in splotches along the existing lines the existing lines and shape of the and shape of the coat.coat.

Use the smudge tool Use the smudge tool all over the coat to all over the coat to give it the effect of give it the effect of looking like a cloak.looking like a cloak.


Camouflage Elf

Now we have an elf in in a camouflage traveling cloak. Well, I guess camo will do for now.


Lose The Shirt!

That shirt has to go, for it is far too dark.


Let’s Give Our Elf A Plaid Shirt!Let’s Give Our Elf A Plaid Shirt!

First, paint a bit of green in the shirt area but not covering all of First, paint a bit of green in the shirt area but not covering all of it.it.Then, using the polygonal lasso tool, select the entire area of Then, using the polygonal lasso tool, select the entire area of the shirt that shows, all of the black and green.the shirt that shows, all of the black and green.After the area is selected, click on filter, and go to brush After the area is selected, click on filter, and go to brush strokes, where you will select crosshatch. Set the stroke length strokes, where you will select crosshatch. Set the stroke length to 50, the sharpness to 2, and the strength to 3, then click ok.to 50, the sharpness to 2, and the strength to 3, then click ok.Now our elf is wearing a plaid green shirt. Now our elf is wearing a plaid green shirt.

(Before) (During) (After)


No More Flyaway HairNo More Flyaway Hair

One last touch for our One last touch for our elf. That hair is too elf. That hair is too realistic looking. Lets realistic looking. Lets smudge it out following smudge it out following its natural lines so that its natural lines so that it matches the rest of it matches the rest of the picture.the picture.


Fantasy BackgroundFantasy Background

Now we need some sort of Now we need some sort of fantasy background. But fantasy background. But we aren’t going to create we aren’t going to create that. Find a background that. Find a background you like from some other you like from some other picture whether it be one picture whether it be one you have or something you have or something online.online.

I chose this waterfall I chose this waterfall image. My elf needs an image. My elf needs an excuse to wear such a excuse to wear such a heavy traveling cloak.heavy traveling cloak.


Grab Your Elf!Grab Your Elf!

Go ahead and use the Go ahead and use the polygonal lasso tool to polygonal lasso tool to select the entire image of select the entire image of your elf. If the outside your elf. If the outside smudges look a bit off or smudges look a bit off or like they extend too far go like they extend too far go ahead and clip inside the ahead and clip inside the image with the lasso tool. image with the lasso tool. Once you have the entire Once you have the entire elf figure selected click elf figure selected click edit, and then click copy.edit, and then click copy.


Adding The Elf To The BackgroundAdding The Elf To The Background

Now open the picture Now open the picture that you selected as a that you selected as a background. Click background. Click layer, and then click layer, and then click add layer.add layer.


Almost there!Almost there!

On the new layer, go On the new layer, go ahead and click edit, ahead and click edit, and then paste the image and then paste the image of the elf onto the of the elf onto the background picture. background picture. Tada! There I am on a Tada! There I am on a waterfall! It would waterfall! It would seem that I am too far seem that I am too far up though.up though.


Flattening The Flattening The ImageImage

• Go ahead and use the pointer tool to select the top layer, then Go ahead and use the pointer tool to select the top layer, then move it down so that your elf fits comfortably in with that move it down so that your elf fits comfortably in with that waterfall.waterfall.

• Go ahead and under the layer menu, choose layer properties, and Go ahead and under the layer menu, choose layer properties, and then select flatten image.then select flatten image.

• There we go! Now we have an elf who used to be a human!There we go! Now we have an elf who used to be a human!


Do Your Own Thing!Do Your Own Thing!

• Play with different pictures until you get Play with different pictures until you get the exact effects you want and can make the exact effects you want and can make elves that look far better than this one. I elves that look far better than this one. I don't make a great looking elf after just don't make a great looking elf after just having gotten up.having gotten up.

AND NOW! AND NOW! ONTO THE ELVEN WORLD ONTO THE ELVEN WORLD

TOUR!TOUR!


In order to celebrate becoming the worlds first In order to celebrate becoming the worlds first known elf, I decided to travel around the world and known elf, I decided to travel around the world and take pictures of myself. You are lucky in that I take pictures of myself. You are lucky in that I created a slideshow out of the images of me in front created a slideshow out of the images of me in front of many famous places across the world.of many famous places across the world.

Show Those Slides!Show Those Slides!


• Here I am in the heart of the Amazon Here I am in the heart of the Amazon Jungle. It was a very hot day and Jungle. It was a very hot day and bug repellant was a must!bug repellant was a must!


• This is Reykjavik Iceland. I don’t This is Reykjavik Iceland. I don’t recommend going there unless you recommend going there unless you really don’t mind cold weather.really don’t mind cold weather.


• Here I am in the lovely Paris France. Here I am in the lovely Paris France. The camera shot here is a bit The camera shot here is a bit shoddy, but it was an incredibly clear shoddy, but it was an incredibly clear and beautiful night.and beautiful night.


• This is a very bad shot of me in front This is a very bad shot of me in front of the Kremlin late one night. I of the Kremlin late one night. I highly recommend seeing it!highly recommend seeing it!


• I honestly don’t remember which I honestly don’t remember which desert this was. I saw so many!desert this was. I saw so many!


• Australia, at the opera house. There Australia, at the opera house. There I am in the lower right corner!I am in the lower right corner!


• Japan, the most expensive portion of Japan, the most expensive portion of my trip…my trip…


• Pyramids in Egypt. They make you Pyramids in Egypt. They make you feel very small.feel very small.


• Here I am at the White House. I’m Here I am at the White House. I’m pretty sure that’s Geraldo Rivera in pretty sure that’s Geraldo Rivera in the background. I’m going to be on the background. I’m going to be on the news!the news!


• Last but not least, I hit Wasco Oregon Last but not least, I hit Wasco Oregon on the way home. Oddly, my black on the way home. Oddly, my black and white film left me in color for this and white film left me in color for this picture…picture…


• I hope you enjoyed the slideshow. There I hope you enjoyed the slideshow. There were some definite lessons to be learned were some definite lessons to be learned from this presentation.from this presentation.

1.1. It is very easy to use Photoshop to It is very easy to use Photoshop to manipulate pictures, and it is very fun.manipulate pictures, and it is very fun.

2.2. Elves are very cheesy, and so was this Elves are very cheesy, and so was this presentation.presentation.

The EndThe End

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(Altering Graphics In Photoshop) Turning People Into Elves By Jeffrey J. Irwin