Translations
Software: Ulead PhotoImpact 8, XL & 8.5 Pro
Author: Debbie Hardisty
Home Page: Debisty Designs
Title: Off-the-Wall Masterpiece
Skill Level: Intermediate/Advanced

Featured Tools:
Hue & Saturation
Levels
Colour Replacement

Additional Files:
The PI 8 Patch - (essential for PI 8 users ONLY)
Ulead Classic Car Photo (optional)

 

Description: Learn how details of a specific object in a busy-looking photograph can be brought to life to create an off-the-wall masterpiece. If you are using a photograph of your own, then it's likely that Level settings will need to be tweaked a little to produce a similar effect. PI 8 users MUST download and install the PI 8 patch to be able to complete this tutorial.

My terms of use for this tutorial are simple....What you create using this tutorial is yours to do with as you please. A link back to this tut is appreciated but is not a requirement. The tutorial itself along with the images herein are copyrighted to me and all rights are reserved.

 

1

Start by opening your coloured photo in PI. I'm using the Classic Car image from the Fill Gallery.

Duplicate your image twice by clicking on Ctrl+D two times and then close the original photograph. The reason for this is so that you don't mistakenly save changes to a photo that you'd rather keep in it's original condition.

Miminize one of the duplicates, we'll need that one later.

Working on the photo that's still open in your workspace, right click and select Copy. Right click again and select Paste.

2



Click on Format/Hue & Saturation and move the saturation slider down to -100. This will cause your photograph to become a monochrome one.

3

Right click and select Copy then right click again and select Paste.

Click on Format/Invert

Right click and select Properties. Change the merge type to Addition - You should now have a plain white image but the next step will change that.

Click on Effect/Blur/Gaussian Blur. Click on the Options button and select to blur by a radius of 20.

Click on OK

4

 

Right click and select to Merge All.

Your image will have a hazy look about it which isn't quite appropriate for our needs and still looks nothing like a sketch of any type, but we'll fix that...

5

 

 

Click on Effect/Sharpen/Emphasize Edges. Click on the Options button and select to sharpen by 3.

Click on OK

Looking a little better but still it's still not quite right, so we'll have to work on this image a little more.

6

Click on Format/Level.

For the sake of this Classic Car image and working on the Master Channel, change the Input Levels to 127 - 1.20 and 255.

Click on OK.

If you're using an image of your own, you might like to tweak the settings a little by moving the black, grey and white sliders. Move the black slider toward the right to bring out the black lines in your image and move the white slider toward the left to enhance the white areas. Finally adjust the grey slider if you feel it necessary. Remember you can always click on the Reset button and start again if you're not happy with how things are going.

7

Your image should now have the look of a pencil sketch, but if you want to you can Click on Format/Level again to tweak a little more.

Using the Classic Car image, I'm quite happy with the results I have now, so I'll move on to the next step.

Right click and select to Copy.

8

We will now work on the duplicate of the original photograph.

Right click and select Paste.

Click on the Lasso Tool. In the attributes bar change the Soft Edge to 2 and then click on the Select on Objects icon.

NOTE for PI 8 users: If you don't see this Select on Objects icon then you have not installed the PI 8 Patch and will not be able to continue with this tutorial as written.

You are now ready to slowly click around the object you wish to bring out in your image until you get back to the starting point. Be sure that you are happy with your selection and then click on Finish.

Press the Delete key on your keyboard to clear the selected area.

Press on the Enter key to deselect the pencil-drawn background.

There should still be a selection line around your object.

9
The Classic Car object is still looking a little on the dark side, so I have chosen at this point to Click on Format/Level - I then clicked on the Equalize button and moved black slider down to 35. If you're using a different photograph you may not need to tweak the levels at this stage.
10

I'm not too keen on the colour red so I've elected to change it to a more favourable colour. Follow along with me to change a colour in your image too.

Click on Format/Color Replacement.

The settings I used to change all the red areas in the Classic Car to blue are:
Similarity 133
Hue -155
Saturation -30
Lightness 0

Using the ordinary dropper, click on a red area of the car in the left-hand preview pane to see the changes take place in the right-hand preview pane.

If you're using the Classic Car image and would like a different colour to the one I've chosen, then have a play with the Hue slider to find a more suitable one.

If you're using a totally different photo, then you will need to select the colour you wish to change using the dropper on the left-hand side preview pane. See how your image is going to be affected on the right-hand side preview pane. You may need to click on the plus dropper to add the colour to areas that have been missed or on the minus dropper to deselect areas that shouldn't have been coloured. It's definitely worth taking your time over this part.

Once you're happy with the new colour, click on OK.


11

Select the top layer of your image (that's the pencil-drawn part).

Click on Format/Color Balance and change the Tone Balance to either Shadow or Auto and then click on the thumbnails until you're happy with the colouring in your image.

Click on OK.

Right click to select Merge All.

Right click to select Copy.

Right click to select Paste.

Right click to select Properties and then change the merge to either Soft Light or Multiply, whichever you prefer.

Right click to select Merge All and then admire your masterpiece!

 

 

Debisty Designs Tutorial Award

When you have completed this tutorial you are welcome to download and display this award on your web page. As a courtesy, you may wish to display your results on the PhotoImpact International Board. This award is being offered on the honour system. Right-click on image and save to your hard drive.

 

 


 

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