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Lasso Tool
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Description: This tutorial shows one way
of how to give a photograph a torn or ripped look. Although
it's written with the beginner to PI in mind, a little experimentation
will be required toward the end of the tutorial to give the
jagged edge a softer effect.
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
I
chose to use a photograph found in the Fill Gallery of the Easy
Palette for this tutorial. If you want to use the same one,
simply drag it out on to your workspace. Of course, you're welcome
to use a photo of your own choosing if you prefer.
2
There are a few things we need to do before proceeding any further
which will ensure the smooth running of your work. Click on Selection
in the menu bar and be sure that Preserve Base Image is unchecked.
You'll find this tutorial a little easier to do if the canvas is
maximized too.
Lastly, if you're using a different photograph, be sure that it's
already merged (Right click/Merge All).
3
Use
the lasso tool with a sensitivity of 1 and a soft edge of 0
to create new selection. Start just outside your photograph
somewhere at the top. Do little clicks on your left mouse button
to make a jagged edge through the center of your photo right
down to the bottom. Finish that jagged line by clicking just
outside the photo edge and then click once outside the bottom
left (just outside the left corner of the photo), once
at the top left (just outside the left corner of the
photo) and then back at the start point. Finally, click on the
finish button
in the attributes bar to generate the lasso selection.
Note for PI 10 users:
At this point, you may notice a border of 1 pixel creating a
problem To get rid of this border right click and select Expand/Shrink.
Opt to expand by 1 pixel and this should be enough to fix the
problem.
Right click on your photo selection and click on copy. We're
going to lose this selection in the next step so by copying
it now, we'll be able to retrieve it when required later.
Right click and click on invert. Your selection lines will now
have moved to the opposite side of your photo.
Right click and convert to object
Right click and duplicate
Click on Edit Fill and choose the colour white to fill the duplicated
piece.
4
Open
the layer manager and drag the white selection to the bottom
position, then click on the X and Y attributes in turn and change
the numbers there to 2 lower than those for the X and Y attributes
of the upper layer.
Hold down the Ctrl key on your keyboard to select both layers
in the layer manager and then right click/Merge as a Single
Object.
5
Right click and click on Shadow. When the Shadow box pops open
use these settings:
Colour = Black
Shadow position = Lower Left
X-offset = 1
Y-offset = 3
Transparency = 63
Shadow Size = 100
Soft Edge = 8
Click on OK.
6
We now
need to change the size of this selected object so that we can
rotate it slightly at a later stage but still be on the canvas,
so click on Format/Image Size. Ensure that the changes are going
to be made to the selected object, that the keep aspect ratio
is checked and that the user defined is at 80 percent before
clicking on the OK button.
7
Deselect
your object by clicking on the Enter key on your keyboard.
Your photo should now look similar to this.
8
Click on Edit/Fill and choose the colour white to fill your canvas
with. Oh, the other side of your photo has gone!!! Don't worry
about it, we copied it earlier didn't we? Right click/Paste and
there it is again as a selected object :-)
Right click and duplicate.
Click on Edit Fill and choose the colour white to fill the duplicated
piece.
Open
the layer manager and drag the white selection to the middle position,
then click on the X attribute and change that number to 2 higher
than those for the X attribute of the upper layer (if you've not
moved the photo selection at all then the number will be 2). Change
the Y attribute to 2 lower than those for the Y attribute of the
upper layer (if you've not moved the photo selection at all then
the number will be -2 (minus 2)).
Hold down the Ctrl key on your keyboard to select both the top
and the middle layers in the layer manager and then right click/Merge
as a Single Object.
9
Right
click and click on Shadow. When the Shadow box pops open use these
settings: Black, Lower Right. X-offset = 1; Y-offset = 3; Transparency
= 63; Shadow Size = 100; Soft Edge = 8. Click on OK.
10
Click on
Format/Image Size. Ensure that the changes are going to be made
to the selected object, that the keep aspect ratio is checked and
that the user defined is at 80 percent before clicking on the OK
button.
11
Now you have two parts of a photo that looks like it's been cut
with scissors or something quite sharp. That's not quite the effect
we wanted, so here is where you will need to experiment and do
a little playing around with various tools to soften the jagged
edge into a more torn effect.
The
airbrush set with white, a size of about 10, no transparency or
soft edge works well.
The
retouch bristle smear with a shape and level of about 10 works
well for smearing the photo slightly over that white edge for
a more ripped effect.
If
there is any part of the photo that you think should have no white
edge, then use the retouch warp tool, size 10, level 100 and a
soft edge of 100.
When
you're satisfied with the look of your torn edge, click on the
transform tool, to rotate each part to your own liking for display
purposes.
12
Right click/Merge All and then save your image as a .jpg.
Congratulations, you have now completed this tutorial, I hope
you enjoyed it. Here is what your final torn photograph should
look like:
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.
I
chose to use a photograph found in the Fill Gallery of the Easy
Palette for this tutorial. If you want to use the same one,
simply drag it out on to your workspace. Of course, you're welcome
to use a photo of your own choosing if you prefer.
Use
the lasso tool with a sensitivity of 1 and a soft edge of 0
to create new selection. Start just outside your photograph
somewhere at the top. Do little clicks on your left mouse button
to make a jagged edge through the center of your photo right
down to the bottom. Finish that jagged line by clicking just
outside the photo edge and then click once outside the bottom
left (just outside the left corner of the photo), once
at the top left (just outside the left corner of the
photo) and then back at the start point. Finally, click on the
finish button 
in the attributes bar to generate the lasso selection.
Open
the layer manager and drag the white selection to the bottom
position, then click on the X and Y attributes in turn and change
the numbers there to 2 lower than those for the X and Y attributes
of the upper layer.
We now
need to change the size of this selected object so that we can
rotate it slightly at a later stage but still be on the canvas,
so click on Format/Image Size. Ensure that the changes are going
to be made to the selected object, that the keep aspect ratio
is checked and that the user defined is at 80 percent before
clicking on the OK button.
Deselect
your object by clicking on the Enter key on your keyboard.
Open
the layer manager and drag the white selection to the middle position,
then click on the X attribute and change that number to 2 higher
than those for the X attribute of the upper layer (if you've not
moved the photo selection at all then the number will be 2). Change
the Y attribute to 2 lower than those for the Y attribute of the
upper layer (if you've not moved the photo selection at all then
the number will be -2 (minus 2)).
Right
click and click on Shadow. When the Shadow box pops open use these
settings: Black, Lower Right. X-offset = 1; Y-offset = 3; Transparency
= 63; Shadow Size = 100; Soft Edge = 8. Click on OK.
The
airbrush set with white, a size of about 10, no transparency or
soft edge works well.
The
retouch bristle smear with a shape and level of about 10 works
well for smearing the photo slightly over that white edge for
a more ripped effect.
If
there is any part of the photo that you think should have no white
edge, then use the retouch warp tool, size 10, level 100 and a
soft edge of 100.
When
you're satisfied with the look of your torn edge, click on the
transform tool, to rotate each part to your own liking for display
purposes.