08-03-2002 03:10									#1
	TUTORIAL: How to make a Wonder Splash Overlay with Photoshop Put an end to popups!

Ok guys, got the skinny from Che Palle on how to make your own wondersplash overlay. Be sure to thank him if you use this transcript or use his overlays. Here is the transcript of our conversation:

Mizaq(12:22 AM):
[I'm using adobe photoshop version] 6

Che Palle(12:23 AM) :
That's more than enough :-)

I installed 6 last night so not too familiar... but should be pretty much identical (I'm running 5.5 here 'cause of Windoze95) anyway...

open a file, any file, that you want to put a translucented overlay over. just say DONE when you complete a step and I'll send the next :-)
Mizaq(12:24 AM) :
done
Che Palle(12:24 AM) :
Ok, open the LAYERS PALETTE.
Mizaq(12:25 AM) :
err wheres that
Che Palle(12:26 AM) :
Window|Show Layers

In standard installation (at least on 5.5 it's in the same group as Channels and Paths)
Mizaq(12:26 AM) :
you mean layers/channels/paths?
Mizaq(12:26 AM) :
ok its done
Che Palle(12:26 AM) :
correct. click layers so you see the "BACKGROUND" layer.
Mizaq(12:26 AM) :
i have a background and 2 layers one with apollo picture and the second layer is blank
Mizaq(12:27 AM) :
clicked on background
Che Palle(12:27 AM) :
ok, gimme a sec to see if I can find something... uno momento por favor :-)
Mizaq(12:27 AM) :
no problem
Che Palle(12:31 AM) :
u still there?
Mizaq(12:31 AM) :
yup
Che Palle(12:31 AM) :
Ok, I'm just going to quickly run you through how to do something very similar to what I did... then you can elaborate further on that, cool?
Mizaq(12:32 AM) :
great
Che Palle(12:32 AM) :
Ok, if I'm with you, you have 2 or three layers, one of which is the background layer and then your image above it, and a blank layer above that one. Correct?
Mizaq(12:32 AM) :
yes
Mizaq(12:33 AM) :
background then picture then blank layer
Che Palle(12:33 AM) :
Ok, make sure you're painting in the uppermost BLANK layer.

Then use the rectangular selection tool, to make a rectangular selection somewhere over the Apollo pic,
Mizaq(12:34 AM) :
done
Che Palle(12:34 AM) :
Ok, now (MAKING SURE YOU'RE PAINTING ON THE UPPERMOST LAYER) fill it with a color, paint it, do whatever you want... for the purposes of this silly example just go ahead and fill it.
Mizaq(12:35 AM) :
done
Che Palle(12:37 AM) :
Now we need a new selection. You can create another selection within your selection however the heck you want... freehand, another rectangle, whatever.

To make a nice border Choose SELECT | MODIFY | CONTRACT and contract it by say 4-5 pixels....

do whatever you want, so long as you end up with your filled rectangle, and a selection that is somewhat on the inside of the painted rectangle
Mizaq(12:39 AM) :
ok i contracted the selection within the rectangle
Mizaq(12:39 AM) :
didn't see any changes after I contracted it though
Che Palle(12:39 AM) :
ok, now create a new layer
Mizaq(12:39 AM) :
ok
Mizaq(12:40 AM) :
done
Che Palle(12:40 AM) :
don't expect any changes other than the marquee being on the inside of your FILLED IN Rectangle.
Che Palle(12:40 AM) :
is the marquee visibly WITHIN the filled rectangle?
Mizaq(12:40 AM) :
the selection is yeah
Che Palle(12:41 AM) :
ok, at this point you should have in order from top to bottom...

a blank layer
your rectangle layer
apollo
background.

Right?
Mizaq(12:41 AM) :
yes
Che Palle(12:42 AM) :
ok, make sure you're painting in the new blank layer... and FILL the selection, like you did before.

if you hide the previous rectangle layer you should be able to see the difference. alternatively go ahead and fill it with a different color, just to make it more obvious.
Che Palle(12:42 AM) :
Don't get rid of, move or do anything else to the selection. That selection is YOUR FRIEND :-)
Mizaq(12:43 AM) :
done
Mizaq(12:43 AM) :
grey rectangle with red selction
Che Palle(12:43 AM) :
so now you should see two rectangles, one in one color and the outside of the other one from the layer below. right?
Mizaq(12:43 AM) :
correct
Che Palle(12:44 AM) :
almost done :-)

Pick the bigger rectangle layer (the first rectangle you filled)
Mizaq(12:44 AM) :
was that rectange layer suposed to just be a shape layer?
Che Palle(12:45 AM) :
no. a normal layer. (raster layer) whatever it is...
Mizaq(12:45 AM) :
done
Che Palle(12:45 AM) :
click EDIT CLEAR.

In the layer palette, you should see that the inside of that rectangle is now gone. Correct?
Mizaq(12:46 AM) :
done, correct
Che Palle(12:47 AM) :
Final steps.... select the topmost layer (the one with the inside rectangle)...

then set it's "OPACITY" to 50% (or any other value)
Mizaq(12:47 AM) :
wheres opacity at
Che Palle(12:48 AM) :
should be on the layers palette... right above the names of the layers 5.5 has one thing that tells you the blend mode (normally: NORMAL) and next to it it has an opacity box....
Che Palle(12:48 AM) :
...right now yours should read 100%....
Mizaq(12:48 AM) :
aha there it is
Mizaq(12:48 AM) :
that's the key thing that i could never figure out
Mizaq(12:48 AM) :
!
Mizaq(12:49 AM) :
thanks
Che Palle(12:49 AM) :
Opacity is possibly the best feature in photoshop.... it's what makes Layers not just worthwhile but AWESOME :-)
Mizaq(12:50 AM) :
you don't mind if include this chat transcript in a post do you?
Che Palle(12:50 AM) :
You're welcome! :-)

BTW once you get the opacity of your little *window* right you can merge it onto the layer below it... that way you can treat your whole little window as one unit... fortunatelly the opacity from that layer will not be affected by the fact that the layer below is actually at 100% :-)
....
....
Mizaq(13:00 PM) :
thanks
Che Palle(13:01 PM) :
You're welcome.

Tell everyone that I'm not neglecting them... I'm just a clutz when it comes to moving from one PC to another :-)