Need Photoshop help

[Grandpaw]

I would like to know how to change a gray sky out in a picture to a nice blue one with clouds that I have in a file. The picture I am working with has trees in it and needs to be able to slide a different sky in behind them. I have done this before with help from a friend but just can't seem to remember how it is done. Can anyone point me to a video or instuctions how it is done? I have a visual learning book but just don't seem to be able to get it changed, Jeff

[mjs1973]

The key to this type of work is going to be getting a good selection on your sky. Without seeing the image, it's kind of hard to know what to do. One of the best ways to get a good selection is by using channels. If you're not familiar with that method, read this.

Once you have a good selections, it's just a matter of dropping the new sky in as another layer.

[frleal70]

There's more than one way to skin this cat, but here's how I would do it (for PC as I'm clueless w/ a Mac). For the explanation, I'll name the one with the sky you want as Image 2 and the original with the gray sky as image 1:

1. Open both files in photoshop. They should be about the same size and resolution. Select and copy all of image 2 (Select>All, then Edit>Copy - unless you know the short cuts)

2. Minimize image 2, and maximize image 1. Paste image 2 into image 1 (Edit>Paste). It should have put image 2 onto its' own layer in the layer palette. You can click the 'eye' next to image 2 layer to remove it temporarily to see image 1. The image 2 layer will be automatically named something, or you can select whatever name you wish to call the layer.

3. Now that you have image 2 on the layer above image 1 (background layer), you want to have image 2 selected, and click on the little icon at the bottom of the layer palette that looks like a square with a little circle in it. This is called a layer mask. It should place a little square with brackets around it next to image in the 'image 2 layer'.

4. The next thing you want to do is fill the layer mask with black. This makes the entire image on that layer with the mask (image 2) disappear. It's still there, but you cant see it. The way I fill the layer mask with black is to have my default colors in my tool palette set to either black or white. You can reset them to black or white if they are another color by hitting the 'D' key on your keyboard on PC. This should make the black show up on the top square of your color selector in the tool palette. NOW, you want to click back onto the layer mask square next to the image in your image 2 layer (whatever name you decided to lable it), and select 'alt' and 'backspace' sequentially (again, for PC). That should fill the layer mask with black, and the layer the mask is on (image 2) should disappear.

5. Next select your brush tool. I usually use a soft airbrush. Now, instead of black being the top square on the color selector in your tool palette, you'll want to have white be the top color. What you're going to be doing is painting white onto a black layer mask. What this does is reveals only the part of the image you paint in using a white brush. Just remember to have the layer mask itself selected. You'll know it's selected when there are brackets around the layer mask. You can select between the image (on the layer 2 image layer) and the mask to see what I'm talking about. With the layer mask (black) selected, paint with a white brush to reveal what the layer mask is hiding. You can use varying degrees of opacity on the brush for effect, as well as brush type etc.

Just as a side note, if you notice the sky doesn't match up perfectly, and you want to make some minor adjustments to the size of the sky you want to paint in. You can highlight that layer, and select all again (Select>All). Then, with your cursor in the middle of the selection, you can right click and select 'FreeTransform'. This will allow you to fine tune the size of the image you're painting in or vice versa. Once you have resized, just hit the 'enter' key.

Hope this helps. Sorry if you have a MAC, but, like I said, I'm clueless on MACs. Good luck, and if you have any more questions, and you think I can help, let me know.

[frleal70]

After I reread your entire post, I realized you just wanted a link. Here's a video tutorial on youtube that illustrates basically what I wrote.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DA8TgyTruV8

[Grandpaw]

I appreciate both of you taking the time to help out me with this. I am reading all the information and will see if I can figure out how to do it. I am posting the picture that gives you an example of what I am trying to do. The problem is all the spaces between the limbs and getting the sky to look right. Thanks again, Jeff

I added the picture that we had added the sky in. This is what I am trying to do. I had to make the choice of waiting for a nice sky and the flowers droping off or getting the flowers and adding the sky later.

[frleal70]

Yea, those tree limbs are tough. I usually make the selection using the quick selection tool - making sure the 'Auto-Enhance' is selected. If I overselect, I just select the (-)selection tool, and remove it. Once selection is made, I then hit the mask icon on the layer I want to add in, and the layer is automatically added in using the layer I want.

I remember seeing a tutorial on a way to use the 'Channels' to make the selection via color. which seemed fairly quick and precise. But, until I find that tutorial again, I'm afraid that's out of my league. Here's my latest attempt. It was quick and dirty, and not very exact. After about 15 minutes of making a selection is about all I can stand.

[Asylum Steve]

Select and copy all of image 2 (Select>All, then Edit>Copy - unless you know the short cuts) Minimize image 2, and maximize image 1. Paste image 2 into image 1 (Edit>Paste). It should have put image 2 onto its' own layer in the layer palette.

Of course, what you describe works, but a much easier way is to SHIFT+click on a layer in one file's layer palette and drag it into the second file (the file window). PS will automatically copy that first layer and add it as a seperate layer at the top of the second file...

[frleal70]

Thanks, Steve. Yea, there's tons of similar shortcuts that I seem to have difficulty remembering.