CogSci 3 Photoshop Assignment 2a
Due Saturday, October 17th (11:59pm!)

Goals

• For this Photoshop CS assignment you will:
  1. create a multilayered image,
  2. apply a layer mask,
  3. and then add a text layer.

You may print a copy of this assignment if you wish. However, we recommend that you access the assignment online as there may be links on this document to other related information, and the online version is always the most recent one, in case changes need to be made. These instructions presume that you work on this assignment on a Windows XP computer. <\p>

It's likely that you don't have Adobe Photoshop on your home computer, which means you will need to use one of the ACS labs on campus. Note: Photoshop CS is only available on a limited number of machines on campus. We strongly recommend that you work on the computers in the class lab(s).

For this assignment, and the remainder of the quarter, sections will be held in a Windows XP lab, usually Solis 105 . See the home page info about sections to verify the times and locations. The section times are at the same times as posted previously on the web; only the location has changed.

Log into Windows XP using your ACS username and password.

This will be similar to, but different from, logging in using MacOS X.

If the screen is dark (in energy savings mode), move the mouse or type the space bar to turn the display back on. It make take several seconds for the display to "wake up".

You now should see a "log in" dialog that tells you to type: Ctrl-Alt-Del (Control + Alt + Del keys) to log in.

If, instead of the "log in" dialog, you have access to the desktop and can see the start menu, it means the person before you did not log out. You will need to log them out and log yourself in before you can have access to your own class resources (file server space). Select Start->"Log off" to log off the previous user. Note: the log out and restart process takes a couple of minutes. Eventually, you should see the "log in" dialog.

Type: Ctrl+Alt+Del (all 3 at once). A new dialog will appear; type your ACS user name and password (not your cg3fzz name and password). You should now see the Windows XP desktop, similar to the figure below:

Log into the File Server

• On the desktop, locate and open the "Class Resources" folder; it's normally above the "Start" button on the task bar.
• In the "Class Resources" folder, there should be an icon labeled "Connect to cg3f home directory". Double click that.
• Now you may get a Login type dialog with your cg3fzz account name dim. If so, enter your cg3f password.
• This login process takes several seconds to complete. You will know it's done because your cg3fzz home folder will open.

Create your homework folder

• Create a hw2 in your "home directory" folder in the "Class Resources" folder on the PC file server
• And save your work to that hw2 folder.

Get your flower photo

Starting Photoshop CS3

Once Photoshop CS starts properly, you should see:

If you do not have a Tool window, follow these directions. If you do, then just read this, so you know what to do if you do not have a Tool window!

If you do not have a Options window, then follow the directions in the figure: Windows>Options

Open an existing Image in Photoshop CS:

Choose File > Browse And a file browser will appear. Navigate to your hw2 folder and open your image file. By default, the Layers palette should show. If not, choose Window > Layers. The Layers palette displays all the layers in your document with the layer name and a thumbnail of the layer's image.

Convert the background layer:

In the Layers palette, double-click the background layer. Click OK in the New Layer dialog. Converting the background into a regular layer lets you use transparency in this layer. You can now view or hide the layer using the eye icon. Click the eye icon on a layer. Notice that the icon disappears and the layer is hidden. Click the empty icon box again. Both the eye icon and the layer's content reappear.

Apply a layer mask:

A layer mask lets you select and display just the part of the image you want to use, without altering the image.

Do the following to mask out all of the image except a circular area of the flower:

1. Click and hold the Rectangular Marquee tool (see figure below), and then select the Elliptical Marquee tool from the pop-up menu. (Look on the Tools Window in the upper left corner.)
2. Hold down the Shift key to constrain the selection to a circle, and then drag an area on the image. (If you did not hold down the Shift key, you would not get a circle, but rather, an ellipse.)
3. In the Layers palette/window, click the Add Layer Mask icon. (The second icon on the bottom of that window.)

Now only the area you selected is visible. You can change the visible area by moving the mask around the image.

1. First click the "Link" icon (see previous figure) to unlink the mask from the layer.
2. Select the Move tool, and then click inside the mask and drag to reposition it.
3. Once you have your final position, click the link icon to relink the mask and the layer.
4. Now you can move the layer and the mask will move with it.

Add a stroke effect:

1. Click the Add a Layer Style button at the bottom of the Layers palette (first icon on the bottom with a letter "f" on it), and select Stroke from the menu.
   
   
   
   
2. Choose stroke settings in the Layer Style dialog box, including color, size, and position of the stroke.
   
   
   
   
3. Add a stroke effect.

Create a new layer

1. Click the Create a New Layer button (see below) to add a new layer to the image.
   
   
   
   
2. The new layer is added on top of existing layers and becomes the selected layer.
3. Click the Foreground color swatch and select a color with the Color Picker.
   
   
   
   
4. Select the Paint Bucket tool (located in the toolbox with the Gradient tool) and click anywhere in the image to create the fill.

Reorder the layers:

1. In the layers palette, click the new layer and drag it beneath the lower layer.
   
   
   
   
2. Changing the stacking order of your layers makes certain parts of the image appear in front of or behind other layers.
   
   
   
   

Add a text layer:

1. In the Layers palette, click the top layer.
2. Select the Text tool, and then click on the image.
   
   
   
   
3. The text cursor appears.
4. In the options bar, change text size, font, style, or color to your liking.
5. When you add text, Photoshop automatically places it on its own layer, where you can edit it separately from the rest of the image.
6. To edit the text, select it with the Text tool, and then change any of the settings in the options bar.
7. To move the text, select the Move tool and then drag the text.

Add an effect to the text.

1. Click the Add a Layer Style button and select Drop Shadow from the menu.
   
   
   
   
2. You can change the color or angle of the shadow or make other adjustments in the Layer Style dialog box.
3. In the Layers palette, the layer effect shows under the layer name.
4. You can turn display of the layer effect on or off by clicking the eye icon next to the effect.

Save your file in two formats:

If your account is cg3fyy, you should have the following two files saved on your file server (along with your flower image):

mask-cg3fyy.jpg
mask-cg3fyy.psd

Portions ©opyright 2005 Mary ET Boyle
Updated: Sunday, October 1, 2006
Last updated: Thu Oct 4 15:04:58 PDT 2007 by mrw