Step 6 - Directions

Directions for the Digital Self-Portrait

By now, you already know a lot about Adobe Photoshop.

You have learned quite a bit about:

• Free Transform, Marquee, Lasso Tool, Magic Wand, Layers, Move Tool, Opacity, Color Balance

You have learned a little about:

• Crop Tool, Eraser Tool
• This project will add the Filters to what you already know as you create your self-portrait.

Begin by creating a New Workspace: File>New

• Make it 8” x 10” or smaller. Make sure that you have “inches” and not “pixels”!
• Make the resolution 300 dpi.

Open the image that will be the bottom layer. This may be your SCANNED DRAWING, but it may not! Use the MOVE tool to drag your image into the Workspace.

Things to remember:

• Free Transform enlarges/shrinks images. Hold the SHIFT key down while pulling on a corner if you want to keep it in Proportion.
• Layers – what is on the bottom of the list will be on the bottom of the image.
• If you shut the EYE in the Layers Palette, you cannot see the layer, but it will still print.
• You must highlight the layer (turn it blue) to be able to do something to it.
• Marquee, Lasso, Magic Wand - You have choices when you need to cut something out. Which tool you use depends on the image you are cutting from.
• If you want to change the color of something in a layer, use the Color Balance. Click on Image>Adjustments>Color Balance. Use the slider bars to change the colors.

Now for the new stuff!

You may have noticed that the photographs in some of the images you looked at did not look like a “regular” photo. This is because the artist used filters in part or all of the images. These should be used carefully and with purpose! They are very interesting, but overuse will ruin your image. If there is something you are not sure you like, use SAVE AS to make a new version, so you can always go backwards.

To get to Filters, just click on the word “Filters” on the Menu bar. This will bring down a menu. Filters will widen the possibilities, and you should take some time to experiment before settling on something. Remember, a quick way to undo is pressing CTL-ALT-Z.

Before you get too far, be sure to check the Evaluation page for the rubric for the criteria that the self-portrait will be graded on!