Fethering an image edge

[Ken Veal]

I want to print an image on a DVD with a white printable surface in PSPro x.I want to be able to gradually feather the white edge given to the image (what is the best way to do this) so that it blends into the white background of the disc and therefore the square edges of the image do not show.How do I do this? ............Ken

[hartpaul]

Hi Ken,
I gather from your description that this is something like what you are trying to do.


I had a prepared CD image (perhaps place the printed CD on a flatbed scanner and a black background and scan that. Or can prepare in PSP.
Then I used Selection > Circle with feather set to 50+ (experiment to find what you need) I found the hardest part was centralising the selection, although if you have a larger image you can move your selection around to get what you want. I copied that circular image and pasted as a new selection.
Then drag the thumbnail of the image copy over ontop of your CD image (that auto centralises it) . Switch to the CD image and do a magic wand selection from the black centre. This should apply through to the image layer and you can use a paint brush to paint that centre in black. If you want the centre also feathered then first do a Selection > Modify and change your feather to suit.

A similar effect could probably be done with a circular mask.

[photodrawken]

1. If your image layer is named "Background", double-click on it to change it to a normal layer.

2. Use the Selection Tool to make a circular selection on the image.

3. Edit the selection to position and size it as needed.

4. Modify the selection to give it an inside feather of >50 pixels.

5. Invert the selection.

6. Delete the inverted selection and you'll have a transparent surround to the image so that the colour of the DVD will show when printed.

[Ken Veal]

1 Need some more help.I double clicked the background image - no response
2 So I went to Layers-Promote Background layer
3 Image (jpeg) is now headed 47% Raster 1------is this correct ? If not what should I do.
4 At this stage I have tried to use the selection tool to make a circular selection but I cannot find a way to do this via the selection tool.Can I have some more info here please

[photodrawken]

You just have to back up and explain exactly what you have -- from the beginning.

My assumption was that you have only the image opened. One image, one layer.

A screenshot of your Layers palette would also help us understand what you're trying to do....

[hartpaul]

Ken in your Step "1 Need some more help.I double clicked the background image - no response" This refers to the Layers Palette.

This is double clicking the layer thumbnail that says Background beside it. That should bring up the Layers property dialog box, and clicking OK should show that the thumbnail now says Raster beside it.
You can get the same effect, by doing Layers > Promote Background Layer.
You can also get it in the earlier X versions by Right clicking the thumbnail and selecting Promote Background Layer

Image (jpeg) is now headed 47% Raster 1------is this correct ? If not what should I do.

As I have mentioned before that 47% only shows the percentage of full size that the main image on the workspace is. It is not significant.
And yes the important part is now that it says Raster. When you delete something from a raster image you can see through it and so get transparency. When you try and delete something from a background image you get the background color rather than transparency.

At this stage I have tried to use the selection tool to make a circular selection but I cannot find a way to do this via the selection tool.Can I have some more info here please

If you click the little arrow beside whatever selection tool is visible you will see a fly out that shows a choice of 3 selection tools.
They are:
Selection
Freehand Selection
Magic Wand

As mentioned you need the Selection tool chosen, then up the top beside Presets you will see Selection Type above a choices box. It may say Rectangle. Clicking the arrow to the right side of that will give a drop down with a number of shape choices including circle. Make sure the Mode says Add and you can then left click on the spot you want as the centre and drag to get your circle.

[photodrawken]

Here's what I was getting at.

1. Open the image you want to use as the background.

2. Use the Crop tool (set to a "square" format) to crop your image.

3. Double-click the image layer to change it to a normal layer if its name is "Background" (or use "Promote Background to Layer").

4. Use the Selection tool set to a Selection Type of "Circle" to draw a circular selection. Don't worry about the size or position other than ensuring the circle is completely within the square image area.

5. Transform the selection so that the circle touches all four edges of the image. You now have a perfectly centered circular selection over your image.

6. Modify the selection to have an inner feather of about 50 pixels.

7. Invert the selection (so that the area outside the circle is now selected).

8. Delete the selection.

9. Deselect all.

10. Create the center "hole":
a. In the Materials Palette, set the Foreground to transparent and the Background to black.
b. Use the Ellipse Shape tool set to a circular mode to drag out a circle. Watch the readout in the status bar to get the correct size. Again, the position does not matter, but the size does.
c. In the Layers Palette, select both the image and the newly drawn shape layers.
d. Choose the Pick tool and in its Options bar set the Position On Canvas to "Center on Canvas". That small circle is now perfectly centered in the image.
e. Use the Magic Wand to select the circle. (You can now hide or delete the shape layer of the small circle.)
f. With the image layer now active, delete the selection to "punch a hole" in its center.

At this point, your image looks like this screenshot:

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

You can add any text and effects in the normal way:

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

When printed, the white of the DVD will show through the transparent areas:

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

If that's not the effect you're trying to achieve, let us know.

[Ken Veal]

My Workflow
FEATHER EDGE OF IMAGE

1 Open image and crop
2 Layers- (top) promote background layer (Layers Palette shows image as Raster 1 Opacity 100% Layer link toggle none .Blend mode normal. Padlock open icon
3 Click selection tool
4 Under “Selection Type”(to the right of “Presets at top) select circle via drop
Down arrow
5 Under modify select “add/shift.
6 Click centre of image-drag circle (could not use centre of image as it is longer than wider)
7 Ensure circle is 100% within square image area-“marching ants” circle shows
8 Selections (top)-Modify-inside/outside feather
9 In the inside/outside feather box-check inside and enter feather amount of 50-OK
10 Selections-Invert “marching ants” marquee now also shows around outside of edge of image as well a circle
11 Delete Selection
12 Deselect all

I am now seeing a rectangular (portrait) image with a marquee around it and a circular marquee of “marching ant inside that.

At 11 Cant find out where I can delete selection and therefore follow with 12

[hartpaul]

Perhaps 11 should read "Delete selection by hitting the Delete key."
Sometime we assume that people know what we mean when something is stated whereas if we are teaching someone else we need to spell it out.
eg . in photodrawken 's description I was puzzled by step 5 "Transform the selection so that the circle touches all four edges of the image. "

I looked up transform a selection and found that it is a Photoshop term but similar actions can be done using the Pick tool which was not mentioned.

[Ken Veal]

OK, "Delete" should be fairly obvious but I was looking for it in PSProX and not thinking outside the box.As you must have gathered, you are dealing with a novice here and I will probably need most details spelt out.Will give it a go and see.

[Ken Veal]

Clicked delete on keyboard and the image was round with checker board (transparency ?) out side it.Can not" find deselect all"
but saving it on the hard drive shows as a circular image with white outside.

[hartpaul]

Up the top Selections > Select None.
Because you have saved as a jpg thats why you lost the transparency.
(If stuck part way through a procedure you are best to save it as a .psp file which will maintain any layers and keep your transparency.
To do that you do a File> Save As and in the save box that comes up where it says Save As Type click the drop down arrow to the boxes right select PSPImage. That way you can reload it after you have received further instructions and continue on)