New and Lost :S

GoddessEternal · 08-19-2007

Hi everyone;

I'm new both to this site and to photoshop. As a result, I find that I tend to get "stuck" on some of the simpler things. I have been buying a magazine called "Photoshop Creative" and attempting the tutorials in it so that I can learn more, but the most recent one has me stumped. I have reached the last step, but cannot finish my work! The image I am trying to make is of fish "swimming off the page" and I need to combine two water backgrounds to look like one. I have tried liquefying, merging, and blurring, but I can still clearly see a line down the middle of the page. Can anyone help me to fix this please? Do I need to post the image, or can you understand what I have said so far? Please forgive my lack of co-ordination with this so far!

Thank you!!

GoddessEternal

**Tamlin** · 08-19-2007

Your description of the problem is fairly clear, but in cases like this it always helps to post the images you're working on. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.

GoddessEternal · 08-19-2007

Ok, a few simple questions then;

1. How should I post the picture, as a .jpg, or as a photoshop document?

2. Do I just post it with my reply?

You'll have to excuse me, I am still learning all of this stuff!!

**Tamlin** · 08-19-2007

If you have access to online image hosting - either your own site or something like Photobucket - you can include links to your images in the body of your post. If not, you can attach up to 5 files to a post by clicking on the Attachments button in the toolbar above the Editing pane (the one that looks like a little paper clip).

turvas · 08-19-2007

And do post them as .jpg-s.

Gjbphp · 08-19-2007

Hmm not that I have much experience in combining multiple images into one, when I do have to do this, EG combining cloud photos with a landscape for a cd cover, I find that if you pick two images that have at least one area of similar colour and or texture / trees, clouds, seaweed or whatever the object is, it makes it easier to blend the two together, provided they are not totally different images that you are starting with.

GoddessEternal · 08-20-2007

This is the picture I have been having trouble with. I tried again last night with no success. Sorry it has taken so long to reply, I have been having some serious computer problems on top of my photoshop problems!

Thanks everyone for your help so far!

GoddessEternal

**Tamlin** · 08-20-2007

OK - I think I see the problem. Do you have your two water backgrounds on separate layers? If so, you could combine them with a gradient layer mask to disguise the "join".

GoddessEternal · 08-20-2007

Yeah, both the backgrounds are on separate layers. I did combine them at one stage, but still could not fix the problem. You'll have to forgive me here, but how do I "combine them with a gradient layer mask?" Like I said before, I'm still learning!!

Thanks for the help though!

GoddessEternal

**Tamlin** · 08-20-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoddessEternal

how do I "combine them with a gradient layer mask?"

Basically, if you apply a Layer Mask to the upper layer, you can then hide or reveal areas of the lower layer by painting on the mask with black or white (or shades of grey). This is a bit hard to explain in words - if you post the two original background images, I'll be able to demonstrate - which hopefully will be a lot easier to understand.

turvas · 08-20-2007

Yea. And also to make them blend better start off with using a single color overlay (or maybe another overlay? play with it) layer over the both backgrounds and then adjust darkness/light of both to get it just right. Maybe some levels too.
...
That was a really crappy explanation of what to do but i think tamlin understood me (fingers crossed)

//Edit: YaY! Post No. 500!

**Tamlin** · 08-20-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by turvas

That was a really crappy explanation of what to do but i think tamlin understood me (fingers crossed)

Yep, I understood that fine.

As turvas says, it's a lot easier to blend two backgrounds if they have a similar basic colour (another way to do it is to use Match Color), but let's see the originals first.

**supertackyman** · 08-21-2007

I can see the line youre talking about.
I agree with the othersabout seeing both images sepatately and such.
as for blending the two.....

Im a HUGE fan of a relly fuzzy rubber stamp tool at like 30% opacity
just make sure that you use the magic wand tool to select the water first to avoid covering the poor scuba diver with the lighter water layer.

of course theres also the true cheat of photoshop. clone a rock or a fish or some coral or something or one of these "or's"
and put it over the offending area.

please note that im and amatuer also and fellas like tamlin and turvas are more expeienced than I.

GoddessEternal · 08-21-2007

Ok, these are the two originals used. I understood some of what has been said so far, but I think it would be a lot easier to understand when demonstrated, so thanks heaps for the offer Tamlin!

And thanks also to everyone else who is helping with this, it had me really confused!

**Tamlin** · 08-21-2007

OK - those will do fine. Gotta go to work now, but I'll get back to you asap.