Merging 2 photos

[Phil47]

I did a search on this website and couldn't find anything about merging 2 photos.
I asked Corel and when they replied I couldn't follow their instructions.
I replied to them but they have not replied to me yet - 2 or 3 days now.
I thought it ought to be pretty simple to merge 2 photos but I cannot do it so here I am asking for help again.
Well the real problem is that I cannot get 2 photos in the Layer area on the RH side of the page.
So could someone help me please.

This was Corel's reply -
Please follow the below steps:

1. Open the first image > File open (Image 1)
2.Create new layer
3.Open the second image > File open (Image 2)
4. In the second image layer double to unlock the layer
5. Click and drag the 2nd image to the first image 1.

You will see 2 images on different layer but in same canvas, Now select the image you want to apply the effects.

Please do not hesitate to contact us with any further questions.

************************************************************************
I asked how to 2. create a new layer? I got no reply.
I asked what 4. In the second image layer double to unlock the layer meant but got no reply.

[Andy2011]

Not sure how you want to manipulate the two images but to get another image onto a layer

• Open first image
  Open second image
  With second image, copy whole picture or just a selection - Edit/Copy or CTRL-c
  Go to first image and paste as new layer (Edit/Paste as New Layer - CTRL-v)

Once you have done it a few times it becomes automatic.

[hartpaul]

It would help if you give more details , perhaps even an example of what you mean by merging 2 photos. I can think of at least 4 ways of merging two images as shown below:


1. Pasting an image into a selection:

2. Image Erasing - place an image on top of another and erase parts of the top image - can also be done with masks.

3. Merging 2 or more images to make a panorama

4. Using Layer Blen modes to blend a top image layer into a lower image layer

[Phil47]

Number 4 but the face would be much bigger on the other image.

[hartpaul]

1.Open PSP in Edit Complete mode
2. Window > untick Tabbed documents
3. Load your two images and scale them so that they can both be seen on the workspace. Make each image active and check the dimensions at the lower right to see that the face type image is small enough / right size to fit in the target image.
4. Make sure your Layers Palette is visible . Make the source image -eg face active and you shoud see the thumb of that image in your layers palette. Left click and drag the thumb over onto the Target image and it will automatically copy and paste as a new image on top of your target image. You can use the move tool to move it around on top of your target image.
5. Make sure the top layer is active and change the blend modein the Layers palette to produce the effect you like. Screen Overlay and Soft Light will probably work well, but experiment to see what suits you.
6. If happy right click in the layers palette and choose Merge > Merge all.

[JoeB]

To add one step to @hartpaul's excellent tutorial steps, you can then also use the Pick tool to fine tune the size of the face image to get it exactly the size you want in relation to the background image.

[Jean-Luc]

Number 4 but the face would be much bigger on the other image.

See the video:
http://ovh.to/BQxkQtW

[LaVanche45]

i have a family group photo. I want to add a single person to this photo. His headshot I made into a png. I can merge these two photos according to your directions, but the single headshot is on the top of the family photo which is the background layer. I want the single headshot to be behind the last row in the family photo just peeking through. Is this possible? I tried making the headshot photo the background, but that doesn't work since it has transparency. Surely there is a way to do this.

[Jean-Luc]

i have a family group photo. I want to add a single person to this photo. His headshot I made into a png. I can merge these two photos according to your directions, but the single headshot is on the top of the family photo which is the background layer. I want the single headshot to be behind the last row in the family photo just peeking through. Is this possible? I tried making the headshot photo the background, but that doesn't work since it has transparency. Surely there is a way to do this.

If your PNG has transparency, place the head where you want it to be.
Resize with the Pick tool.
Erase what is overlapping (make the layer semi-transparent so you will see what must be erased).

If it is not what you explained, give us more precision.

Or see another method:
http://ovh.to/grfA71

PS: the red color you see in the video replaces the checkered transparency.

[LaVanche45]

when I used the eraser tool on the duplicate background image, mine doesn't come up red, it shows the transparent checkerboard. In the "another method" you included, this area was not precise, and it was red. Much easier to work with. Because when I put my headshot in, it didn't exactly matched what I had erased, so that was a problem. It looked so much easier in the example! Also, I started over with the headshot to see if I could get the background to stay red, but when I chose overlay and it showed red, and I clicked apply, the photo went right back to the headshot with the original background.
So I'm part way there - I did get the headshot peeking behind another family member, but I can't get it exactly where I want it. And I don't know how to "unerase" some of what I've erased. Even when you set the transparency so you can clearly see where to erase, I just can't get it precise. What am I missing here?

[Jean-Luc]

If you want red transparency, see
-> File -> Preferences -> General Program Preferences:

It is better to cut out the headshot before to place it in the final image.
The erasing I did on the duplicated layer makes a hole.
I placed the headshot under the hole.
If necessary, resize it with the Pick tool.
Make the background layer visible (last step) fills the headshot's surrounding 'hole' (and areas you erased).

[LaVanche45]

Thanks. But I'm still having a problem with the erasing part. It I make the area a little too big, the transparency shows up around the head, and if I make it a little too small, all of the head won't show up. How do you get the erased section just right? And can you undo a little of the transparency area?
In the video you sent me, the family group was against a blank wall. My family is standing in front of trees. So that makes it harder I think.

[LaVanche45]

I tried it again. And when I did the last step - made the original background visible - that's what worked. Thanks for your patience.

[Jean-Luc]

In the video you sent me, the family group was against a blank wall. My family is standing in front of trees. So that makes it harder I think.

I used the Background Eraser tool which works well when the background is blank.
In your case, it is perhaps better to use the simple Eraser Tool.

[Phil47]

hartpaul,

Unfortunately I only got as far as "Make each image active".
How do you do that please? ?