Double Exposures/adding 2 pics together, etc

[drlynn]

I've seen this question asked several times, and thought someone might get something from the way I do it. I've used this method in PS 6 and the new CS.

1. Open both pics.

2. Using the Rectangular marquee tool, select the area you want to move from one pic to the other.

3. Switch to the move tool, and move the selected area from the one photo to the other. The piece you move will add itself as a new layer to the photo you moved it onto.

4. Down at the bottom of the Layers/Channels/Paths palette, there is a box with a circle inside. This button adds a layer mask. Click it to add a layer mask to the layer that contains the image you moved from the other photo. When you click this button, 3 things should happen:
a) a white rectangle appears to the right of the thumbnail
b) a rectangle/circle icon replaces the bruch icon to the left of
the thumbnail
c) the foreground/background colors change to black and white.

5. Choose the paintbrush tool and paint anything you don't want to show from that layer. Painting with black masks out unwanted parts of the layer, while erasing restores visibility to those areas. If you switch the foreground color to white, the opposite happens: painting uncovers and erasing covers.
The advantage of using a mask over just using the eraser is that the eraser is permanent. If you erase something and then you decide you want to bring it back, you might have problems. With the mask, you just uncover the part you accidentally covered.

6. Using the Free Transform tool, move and resize the top layer into the exactly right spot.

7. Go back to your layer mask, and choose your paintbrush. Bring the opacity down to 20% or so (sometimes I go down to 10%) and go around the edges of your object. This will take the harshness off the edges, and make the object look like more like it belongs.


This technique is great for making "double exposures" or for putting your face on Drew Barrymore's body, etc. The possibilities are endless.

Feel free to PM me with questions, etc.