Putting a photo into a lemon

[Aussie Nan]

As part of my decision to start PSE with very simple projects I am working on some very basic ABC flash cards for my grandchildren. Alphabet letter on one side of a 6x4, and a photo of things they can relate to on the other. For 'L' my grandson wants a lemon as the kids love picking lemons from our tree. (The finished size of the lemon image is only 3"x4") I want to jazz the lemon up by inserting a photo of my grandaughter actually picking lemons from the tree in the middle of the lemon. I would like the edges of the photo to sort of blend into the lemon or fade out or something, the idea is to create a soft effect. I have looked at so many tuts now that I am utterly confused as to which is the simplest way of doing this. Can anyone please direct me to the best tut? :confused:

Toni

[mrod]

Hi Toni-

Cool idea! Here's what I did. Perhaps not the best way, but pretty quick:

1. Move image of the child into the image of a layer (either with the Move tool or Copy & Paste). This will put it on its own layer.

2. With the kid image on top, lower that layer's opacity until you can see the lemon, and position the image on top of the lemon with the Move tool.

3. Use the Elliptical Marquee tool (M) to draw an oval-shaped selection

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/13n69wumtf4nOvt02hDciptjp4g04D1_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=13n69wumtf4nOvt02hDciptjp4g04D1)

4. Go to Select>Feather and choose a feather amount (I did 30)

5. In your Layers palette, move the Lemon layer to the top (you should still have the oval selection)

6. Make sure you have the lemon layer targeted, and press delete. That should "cut" a hole with soft, feathered edges in the lemon, letting the picture underneath show through.

7. Click on the layer of the child, and raise the Opacity back to 100%.

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1VEMxnqig83xtimmZkoBSuYCRX8m_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1VEMxnqig83xtimmZkoBSuYCRX8m)

Hope that works! Have fun!

Mike

[Aussie Nan]

Mike, that is great. And so quick too. I would have spent a whole evening trying to work it out. Ahhhh, I love the forum.

Toni (The now 'unsour' lemon)

[Wendy]

Hi Toni ...

Do let us see the image when you have finished it :)

Wendy

[Aussie Nan]

Sure Wendy, if it turns out even half okay I will show you. Now, to find the time to do it. Have I mentioned before that work is a major interference to photoshop time hehe:)

[Aussie Nan]

Hello again Mike and Wendy, I hope I have posted this correctly and that it doesn't come out huge. Thanks for all the help and encouragement. I am a true beginner - you know what I mean - the type that are still thrilled to bits when a plan bears fruit. Fruit haha, that was an unintentional pun.:D
thanks so much, Toni

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1fEgQYqfIuo3BYBEmCxCHtWDClRN91_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1fEgQYqfIuo3BYBEmCxCHtWDClRN91)

[kroberts]

Toni,

You've done a great job!:) That kind of flashcards will certainly be much more fun for your grandchildren than the kind that can be purchased in stores.

The fruits of your labor have resulted in a great image!:D:D

[BillBarber]

Toni - that's great! Very well done! I love it!

[kevq]

Toni,
brilliantly done. You're going to have happy grandchildren when they see it.
Kev.

[Wendy]

Hi Toni ...

Oh that is just great ... I love the way it looks :) ... its going to be a great personalised flash card ..

The funny thing is that I am in the process of writing a tut about people in fruit ... but its not this sort of thing. :D:D

Wendy

[lindajay]

Toni, that is great! Your grandkids will love the ABC cards.

[hukari]

Toni, that looks fabulous. Keep us posted on the other 25!

[mrod]

Really, really nice job, Toni. Glad it all came together for you. She'll love it. And you'll always remember her initial smile when she sees it, I bet.

Happy to offer some lemon aid.

Sorry. That was bad...:eek:

Mike

[tbrannon]

Toni the flash card looks great.
And what a great idea the flash cards are.
Kids are gonna love them!

[PhotographyBB.com]

Fantastic ideas! Great work everyone... you've given me lots of ideas!

Tim
http://www.photographybb.com

[cats4jan]

cute idea to make learning fun

[Swan River Gypsy]

Toni, what a great job you did on this one! I'm sure your grand daughter will treasure it for years to come.

Sue

[hukari]

Toni, as was mentioned on another thread, be sure to print at least two copies. One for now to get used, one for later for her kids or just for memories.

[emkayess65]

Reka
That is a great idea. The "I wish I had..." are so sad.
Yes definitely two sets.

Toni,
That turned out super. WOW.
OK if I borrow the idea?
I have a two year old Granddaughter.
Great job! Yeah, let us see the other 25.
MarieS

[Aussie Nan]

Thanks everybody for the kind words. I probably won't post the others as the ones I have done so far are not as interesting as this one, in fact they could even be classed as boring. But not to the kids as they can relate to them all and helped decide what pictures to use. My four year old grandson has even taken some of the photos (well he thinks they are the ones I have used) Thanks for the tip about copies. I have laminated them, but didn't keep all copies. Silly me. :mad:
Here is where I got the tut from http://flyingsamphoto.com/digital-photo-guide-projects-photoshop-elements.shtml

Lemon-aided Toni:D