When creating collages, greeting cards, posters and other images assembled from individual pieces, an important part of the work is making the background. For a photorealistic collage, you can use blended shots for this purpose. To create an abstract background, it is enough to use the tools of the Photoshop editor without selecting additional materials.
Necessary
- - Photoshop program;
- - photos.
Instructions
Step 1
The background for a realistic collage can be made from several images, the choice of which is determined by the intention of the author working with the image. If the shot of the model is superimposed on the landscape, a photograph of the earth and sky is required to create the background. You can take such pictures yourself or choose suitable pictures in the photo bank.
Step 2
Load the ground photo into Photoshop using the Open option of the File menu. Double click on the layer to unlock it. If the model, the snapshot of which will be inserted into the collage, and the ground are photographed from different angles, transform the layer with the ground using the Perspective or Distort option of the Transform group of the Edit menu. To give the landscape additional dynamics, the part of the surface farthest from the viewer can be bent in waves using the Warp option from the same group.
Step 3
Insert the second snapshot into an already open document using the Place option of the File menu. If necessary, resize the sky to the dimensions of the layer with the ground using the frame surrounding the loaded image. Convert the created smart object into a regular layer using the Convert to Layer option from the Smart Object group of the Layer menu. Use the Perspective or Distort options to reshape the sky so that it is above the ground.
Step 4
To create a smooth transition between fragments of the background, hide the fragments of the layers under the masks. To do this, add a mask to the image, part of which you want to remove from the picture, using the Reveal All option in the Layer Mask group of the Layer menu. With the Brush tool turned on with a reduced Hardness value, paint the created mask with black over the area of the layer you want to hide.
Step 5
To create a simple abstract background, a layer filled with a linear gradient is enough. Use the New option of the File menu to create a document in Photoshop that matches the size of the background you need.
Step 6
Select the Gradient tool with the Linear option turned on in its settings, expand the palette with samples of gradients and find a suitable combination of colors. Fill the background layer of the document with the selected gradient.
Step 7
You can slightly revive the monotony of the gradient fill using the Clouds filter, which is used to create fog, clouds, fire and freeform spots. To apply it, copy the only existing layer in the document by pressing Ctrl + J. Press the D key to return the foreground and background colors to their default settings.
Step 8
Use the Clouds option in the Render group of the Filter menu to apply the filter. Blend the stained layer with the gradient in Overlay mode.
Step 9
To save the created background, use the Save As option of the File menu. Choosing the psd format will allow you to get an image with all the original layers and, if necessary, further edit it during the collage creation process.
