Objective

To learn advanced Photoshop production techniques by recreating the
art below:

Discussion

Photoshop offers many ways to cut out an object. Clipping paths can be beneficial because it is vector, editable, and can be used by other applications. The drawback to using clipping paths is that the edges are always sharp, which may look good with man-made objects, but not with some organic objects (especially those with hair). The other draw back is the lack of shadows, but this can be corrected in InDesign.

Procedure

silhouetting the image in Photoshop

1. download starter file
2. open "guns.jpg" in Photoshop, save as "gun.psd"
3. crop tool: rotate and crop gun
4. image > mode > CMYK
5. magic wand tool: select white background
6. select > inverse (cmd+shift+I)
7. select > modify > contract: 1px
8. window > paths: make work path (flyout menu); tolerance=1
9. select direct select tool, then pen tool (cmd=direct select)
10. delete path in upper left corner
11. edit path: add/delete/move anchor points, edit handles, convert joins (opt+click or opt+click-drag)
12. window > paths: save path "path 1" (flyout menu)
13. magic wand tool: select white background in trigger area
14. select > modify > expand: 1px
15. window > paths: make work path (flyout menu); tolerance=1
16. select new path: copy (cmd+C)
17. select "path 1": paste (cmd+V)
18. subtract from shape area (options bar)
19. window > paths: clipping path "path 1" (flyout menu)
20. save

adding the drop shadow in InDesign (optional)

1. launch InDesign
2. file > new: letter, landscape, margins=0
3. file > place "gun.psd"
4. object > display performance > high quality
5. object > clipping path > options: type=Photoshop path "path 1"
6. object > effects > drop shadow: distance=0p5, size=1p2
7. new layer, fill with yellow, restack

grading

1. print a proof with your name on it for grading
2. file your graded proof in your 3-ring binder for individual review