Zebraceros Photoshop Help

**headsortails** · 14th August 2007

I've been trying to do this walkthrough.

I can get as far as doing a pretty good job of liquefying the zebra skin to the rhino, but I'm stuck on one thing that I don't think the tutorial covers. Because there are 2 pics there are obviously two backgrounds - how do I cut the background from the zebra pic and would I do it before or after the shading?

Any pointers greatly appreciated.

**sun** · 14th August 2007

It does not cover it,put on step one it says first extract the Zebra.
I would go about extracting the background with the magic wand tool in photoshop.
You may have to alter the tolerances but I think it should be fine.
Make sure your Zebra layer is 100% opacity though.
Good luck

**radicalrom** · 15th August 2007

You should layer mask. Layer mask does not erase the background, it strictly hides the background. First make a copy of the layer. Select the layer and CRTL-J will create and duplicate the layer. Now the little eye that is in the layer box, click on the original layer. This will hide it. This way you always have a copy of the picture. Ok, now go to layer menu at the top and then click on layer mask and then reveal all. I am doing this by memory, so hopefully it is right. Now, you should see a box popup to the right of your picture in the layers area. This is you layers mask. Now use any selection tool (lasso, polygonal tool, etc.) to select the area you want to hide. I would recommend that you use the polygonal tool. Yes it is slower then the magic wand, but it is A LOT cleaner. Ok, it should be select now. Paint either with a brush or a paint bucket the black color. You will see that area is now hidden. If you make a mistake, change the color to a white and paint that specific area again and whamo the information is back. By the way you can fade real easily by using a gray color.

When you are 100% happy with how it looks save it. Now what I usually will do is right click on the layer mask box (right of photo in layer box area). Now select apply mask. Then I just save the file as a new name and that way if I needed to go back to a previous version I can.

There are many tutorials out there on layer masks and I would highly recommend that you get away from erasing or other removal processes and stick with the layer mask.