Short Tutorial: [quote][b]Requirements:[/b] Ulead PhotoImpact 10[/quote] [b] Blending two similar coloured graphics to create one [/b] [img]http://i25.tinypic.com/fdysyx.jpg[/img] To Start, we'll practice first by using the 2 photos I've provided above. This way you'll understand why you're doing what you're being asked to do. Create a New Image - Canvas Color Black, 600 pixels W by 400 pixels H. Click OK. Browse to the two photos you downloaded and open them. Right-Click on fo-pic1.jpg and select Copy. Now Right-Click somewhere on your blank black canvas and choose Paste. Close fo-pic1.jpg. From now on we will call this new copy Left Image. Right-Click on fo-pic2.jpg and select Copy. Now Right-Click somewhere on your black canvas and choose Paste. Close fo-pic2.jpg. From now on we will call this new copy Right Image - remember, it's the one on top with the visible round sun. [img]http://i28.tinypic.com/2je1xea.jpg[/img] [quote][b]IMPORTANT: When you are using your own two images, add their two widths together minus approx 1/4 to get the width size you'll need. Example: Your image #1 may be 350W x 340H. Your image #2 may be 450W x 360H. You'll need to make your new canvas 800W x 360H (height=the higher number) Minus 1/4 which is approx 600W x 360H. The reason you make the width a little smaller is because you want the 2 photos to overlap a bit. It's always best to have the heights as close to the same size as possible. If you can resize one of them down to achieve the same heights, do it. (More on Resizing Images is Here) If your images are dark you'll use a black or dark canvas. If your images are light in colour, you'll use a white or light canvas - the closer to the dominant colour in your image the better. Also, it's important that you use two images with similar colouring if you want a more seamless blended look. You can find copyright -free photos to use Here.[/b][/quote] We need to Slide the photo that's now on top (Right Image) over to the blank side (right side) of the black canvas by first clicking on the Pick Tool, then click on the Right Image to activate it. On your Keyboard, use your directional Arrow Key to slide it over to the Right edge of the canvas. [img]http://i29.tinypic.com/2yn57bm.jpg[/img] It's very obvious at this point that the two photos do not blend together well. Yes, they have the same colouring but they are definitely different and one overlaps the other (don't worry, remember they're suppose to overlap). We're going to fix that using the Fade-out effect on both photos. Keep the Right Image activated. To locate the Fade-out effect go up to your main Menu bar and choose Edit / Fade-out. The Fade-out Window opens. Click the Arrow that faces to the Right. Make sure Two-color is selected with Black (0) is on the Left and White (100) is on the Right. Click OK. You'll now see on the photo that where the black was in the Fade-out window, the photo has been made translucent but where the white side was, the photo still shows. [img]http://i31.tinypic.com/2i6kodc.jpg[/img] Click on the Left Image to activate it, then go to Edit / Fade-out. Leave the settings as they are, but this time click the little Switch Button in the center of the Fade-out window. This changes the black and white colours around to opposite sides. Click OK. [img]http://i25.tinypic.com/2iiu068.gif[/img] You should now have two photos that each fade to black in the middle of them which obviously looks very wrong. With the Left Image still selected, click the Pick Tool once. Now, using your Keyboard's Right Arrow Key again, Slide the photo to the right until the two photos blend nicely into each other. (If you need to tidy up some of the underneath image, you can use the eraser [at the settings: size=50, Trans=95, Soft edge=75] or the Paint Tool. In this practice one, it doesn't need it.) [img]http://i27.tinypic.com/5a047a.jpg[/img] Right-Click, choose Select All Objects. Right-Click again and choose Merge as Single Object. Your brand new blended Image looks pretty darn good but it's very dark. To brighten it up a bit, go to Photo / Brightness & Contrast. In the B & C window, make sure Real Time Preview is checked and if this window is covering your image, move it over so you can see what you're doing. I clicked my Top Row, 3rd pic twice but you can play with it a bit to see what's best for yours. You can get more precision but adjusting the Brightness and Contrast settings on the right. If you don't like what you did, click the Reset button and try again. When you've gotten your image the way you like it, click OK. Your photo should now be lightened up so you can actually see the waves in the water. [img]http://i27.tinypic.com/2ufg29x.jpg[/img] If you've brightened it up and or given it more contrast but it looks like you need to tweak your image some more, a couple of helpful tools are under the Photo menu and in the Paint Tool. I find, depending on the image, that using Photo/Focus can help a lot. Photo/Tone Map is useful too. Additionally, using the Paint Tool to do touch-ups can make all the difference in the world. Again, it depends on your image and it's textures as to which paint tool you'll use. Sparrow's Tutorial is excellent for helping you tweak the lighting. [img]http://i25.tinypic.com/2vih9i1.gif[/img] We have a bunch of blank black space around the image to get rid of. On the Left Tool Bar, click on the Crop Tool. Now, making sure your image is still selected, click on the Crop Button (it's on the right side of the window and has a Check Mark on it. All that extra wasted space should now be gone [img]http://i32.tinypic.com/23vbz9v.jpg[/img] To save your image, go to Web / Image Optimizer. Choose Entire Image in the Image to Optimize window and click OK. In the Image Optimizer Window, Choose JPG (always best for photos). Under MODE, choose Standard. Under Quality, choose 80. Click the Save As button, browse to where you want to save the photo on your hard drive, give it a file name and click Save. You're Done! You've just take two completely different photos and blended them into one new one. Cool Hey! Once you get the hang of it, it can be pretty effective with either blending two photos, displaying side-by-sides or even just fading-out a single graphic. [img]http://i31.tinypic.com/30hu4r8.jpg[/img] Finished Product: [img]http://i32.tinypic.com/4twox5.jpg[/img] [quote][b]Credit(s):[/b] Johanna - pircsites Ulead[/quote]

Last edited by forsakendoll (2010-02-19 12:03:25)