Tutorial: How to separate a background and outline the main focus of the image
How to go from this 
to this
.
Welcome to my first 'Back to Basics' tutorial. A couple of people have said to me recently 'How do you do that thing where you do that thing...' and when I try to explain it gets all convoluted and impossible to explain, so in the end I just said 'Look. I'll write a tutorial, ok?' So here we are for part one: how to separate an image from the background + how to add an outline to an image.
So, we're starting with this base of George from Dead Like Me. I've already improved the image quality with a couple of Screen and Soft Light layers. As you can see, this image is very clear. The outline of George's head and body is pretty sharp and smooth, so separating it from the background shouldn't be too hard. Things to watch out for are:
These will make it a lot harder.
Now that's straightened out, let's begin!
Duplicate the base of George, then add a new layer in between the two bases of her. Fill it with any colour - I usually go for red or pink, something that is easily distinguished from the image. You'll see why.
Ok, now go back to the top base, and start getting rid of the background. I normally use an eraser for this. If you are creating a soft, blended icon, then you should always use a soft edge eraser:
If you are making a harder edged icon, like this one, you should use a hard edge eraser:
I normally zoom in on my image a couple of times to make things easier. Then I start erasing! Sometimes you might have to use a smaller eraser, if the outline is more detailed. With this, though, I used a fairly large eraser. After I have carefully erased the background the icon looks like this:
Now, right click on the top layer (the one you have erased the background of) and go to Blending Options in your Layers Palette (as in screenshot).
The click on Stroke. Make sure the Stroke option is completely highlighted, so that the Stroke options screen opens up.
Change the colour of the Stroke by clicking on the red box. I normally go for white. You can always change it later. You can also change the size of the outline. I normally change it to 2, although it depends on the icon. 1 is normally too thin, and sometimes 3 overpowers it. It's set to 3 as default.
The icon now looks like this:
Erase any stray bits of background, and neaten up the edges. The outline will stick to whatever you erase, even if you do this:
Obviously, don't do that. I normally just go round the outline very very carefully to make it look smoother. Now, you can erase the red layer. The icon now looks like this:
Then, do whatever you want with the background! Lately I'm mad for some tutorials by awmp, so I add some effects I learned from those - adding a stripy pattern, made swirly by hitting the polar distortion tool, then retro circles on top, then a texture set to hard light over the top, with a red Color layer over the top. Then I add text on a black bar, some gradients and different colours, and there you go!
Yes, that last bit was rushed. But this tutorial isn't about how to make a cool background. That was what awmp's tutorial did, so go there - I can go through it if you really need it, but I feel like I'm stealing someone else's tutorial by doing that.
And, besides, there is so much more you can do to a separated, outlined image like this. You can simply blur the background:
Or Motion Blur it:
Or fill it with a different colour:
Or add loads of brushes:
Or textures:
Or light effects:
Or another photo!
(but please do it better than I just did, as if I were going to make a George and Mason shippy icon, I would choose much sweeter images, and stick them together far more neatly, but I'm rushing this, and thus, you can barely see poor little Mason)
And, the end!
Please, please don't copy this icon to the letter and claim it as your own. It's unimaginative and unfair. Also, some of the techniques I have used in this aren't just mine - there are elements from many other tutorials included, so you won't just be copying me, you'll be copying others. I don't insist on credit - like I said, I didn't invent the Stroke method - but I will get cross if I see this copied.
Hey, it's happened before.
to this
.
Welcome to my first 'Back to Basics' tutorial. A couple of people have said to me recently 'How do you do that thing where you do that thing...' and when I try to explain it gets all convoluted and impossible to explain, so in the end I just said 'Look. I'll write a tutorial, ok?' So here we are for part one: how to separate an image from the background + how to add an outline to an image.
So, we're starting with this base of George from Dead Like Me. I've already improved the image quality with a couple of Screen and Soft Light layers. As you can see, this image is very clear. The outline of George's head and body is pretty sharp and smooth, so separating it from the background shouldn't be too hard. Things to watch out for are:
- Bad quality images
- People with lots of hair (that isn't smooth)
- Very detailed images
These will make it a lot harder.
Now that's straightened out, let's begin!
Duplicate the base of George, then add a new layer in between the two bases of her. Fill it with any colour - I usually go for red or pink, something that is easily distinguished from the image. You'll see why.
Ok, now go back to the top base, and start getting rid of the background. I normally use an eraser for this. If you are creating a soft, blended icon, then you should always use a soft edge eraser:
If you are making a harder edged icon, like this one, you should use a hard edge eraser:
I normally zoom in on my image a couple of times to make things easier. Then I start erasing! Sometimes you might have to use a smaller eraser, if the outline is more detailed. With this, though, I used a fairly large eraser. After I have carefully erased the background the icon looks like this:
Now, right click on the top layer (the one you have erased the background of) and go to Blending Options in your Layers Palette (as in screenshot).
The click on Stroke. Make sure the Stroke option is completely highlighted, so that the Stroke options screen opens up.
Change the colour of the Stroke by clicking on the red box. I normally go for white. You can always change it later. You can also change the size of the outline. I normally change it to 2, although it depends on the icon. 1 is normally too thin, and sometimes 3 overpowers it. It's set to 3 as default.
The icon now looks like this:
Erase any stray bits of background, and neaten up the edges. The outline will stick to whatever you erase, even if you do this:
Obviously, don't do that. I normally just go round the outline very very carefully to make it look smoother. Now, you can erase the red layer. The icon now looks like this:
Then, do whatever you want with the background! Lately I'm mad for some tutorials by awmp, so I add some effects I learned from those - adding a stripy pattern, made swirly by hitting the polar distortion tool, then retro circles on top, then a texture set to hard light over the top, with a red Color layer over the top. Then I add text on a black bar, some gradients and different colours, and there you go!
Yes, that last bit was rushed. But this tutorial isn't about how to make a cool background. That was what awmp's tutorial did, so go there - I can go through it if you really need it, but I feel like I'm stealing someone else's tutorial by doing that.
And, besides, there is so much more you can do to a separated, outlined image like this. You can simply blur the background:
Or Motion Blur it:
Or fill it with a different colour:
Or add loads of brushes:
Or textures:
Or light effects:
Or another photo!
(but please do it better than I just did, as if I were going to make a George and Mason shippy icon, I would choose much sweeter images, and stick them together far more neatly, but I'm rushing this, and thus, you can barely see poor little Mason)
And, the end!
Please, please don't copy this icon to the letter and claim it as your own. It's unimaginative and unfair. Also, some of the techniques I have used in this aren't just mine - there are elements from many other tutorials included, so you won't just be copying me, you'll be copying others. I don't insist on credit - like I said, I didn't invent the Stroke method - but I will get cross if I see this copied.
Hey, it's happened before.