Exercises
> Creating Vignettes for Colour Backgrounds
Creating
Vignettes in Photoshop for Print and Web:
Rectangles and Ovals
This
exercise is for vignettes on a colour background; that is, any colour
other than white. If your background is white, see the exercise
for creating vignettes on white backgrounds.
The art for this exercise is located in IVLE workbin under Assignments:
Art for Exercises. Download the image and open it in Photoshop.
Crop as desired, and Save as a PSD (Photoshop document) if
not already in PSD format.
- Open
the Layers window, if it isn't already open. Select New Layer.
Choose Color: None. This will make the layer transparent so it
can act as a window for the image to appear through.
- Change
the foreground colour to the colour of the background where
the picture will be placed. With the New Layer highlighted, select the
desired Marquee Selection Tool: rectangle, oval, etc. Choose
amount of Feather pixels in the Marquee Tool properties window.
This determines how far in the pixels will be masked. The above
vignette was set at 10 pixels. Draw the shape of vignette
edge with the Marquis tool. In older versions of Photoshop, choose
Select > Feather. Set Feather radius to same as in Marquee
Tool window if necessary. (This step is not necessary in CS4.)
Choose Select > Inverse. Shape of masking layer is indicated
by "marching ants."
- With
foreground colour selected to match the background of the Web
or print page or tintblock, select the Paint Bucket tool and click
it anywhere on the masking layer. Clicking more than once will
advance the mask more into the window. (Remember, if your background
is white, you can simply use the delete key on your keyboard to
remove the background from a duplicate layer. )
- Save
As a TIFF in CMYK mode for importing into InDesign. Use at
150 dpi for drafts; 300 dpi for portfolio quality. When working
with professional printers, set to dpi that your printer specifies.
- Save
as a JPG in RGB mode for the Web. Remember to set the resolution
at 72ppi first before adjusting image size.
Adjust so that the image is about 35K and no heavier than 50K.
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