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This lesson demonstrates how to extract a Harrier Jump Jet from its background; apply it to a new background, then add a sense of movement. You will find the start images
Here. Unzip the file and open the images onto Photoshop’s workspace.
My Pen Tool for beginners lesson can be found Here!
Undo and Navigation Steps
Two ways of undoing steps are from the top menu, Edit then Step Backwards. Alternatively, click a previous snapshot in the History Palette.
Navigate (zoom in and pan) your image using the Navigator Palette,
or the Zoom Tool. 
Activate The Hand Tool by tapping the Spacebar, keeping the Spacebar pressed, pan your image in the usual way. 
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Open your choice of images onto Photoshop’s workspace.
Note: You will find this easier if you Zoom into your photograph - and navigate it with the Navigator palette - or Hand Tool. Additionally, if you need to quickly retrace your steps, click a previous snapshot in the History palette.
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From the toolbar, activate the Pen Tool.
And set the following Pen Tool attributes into its Options bar.
Detailed Pen Tool Lesson And Tips Here!
Beginning on the right wing, left-click to apply your first Anchor Point.
Then move along the wing towards the left, and left-click to apply a second Anchor Point; Photoshop then applies a Segment (Path), between the first and second Anchor Points.
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Press the Spacebar to activate the Hand Tool; then, pan to the left of your image - so you can see the curve of the fuselage - illustrated below.
With the Pen Tool, left-click the following area. 
And this time, slightly drag the Pen Tool towards the left - dragging the Pen Tool creates the following Bezier Control Handles - further information here.
Note: You will notice that your cursor has changed to a black arrowhead.
Keep the mouse button pressed, and continue to drag; this enlarges the Bezier Control Handles; making them easier to manoeuvre. Now, keeping your left mouse pressed, hover your cursor over the left-side handle, and pull it gently to the left - and swivel it in an upwards and downwards movement; swivelling the handle bends the Path Segment - as if it were soft wire - enabling you to mould the Path around the jet’s curve.
Manoeuvre the left-side handle so it is almost parallel to the Path.
Release your mouse button, then left-click to apply an Anchor Point a little further along the jet’s wing, and a Path Segment will be applied.
 
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Continue extending the path by applying Anchor Points; working between left-clicking and applying a Straight Path, and left-clicking and dragging, to create Curved Paths, until you have completely isolated the jet with a Path. After you have completed this step, you are ready for the next. To retrace your steps, click an earlier snapshot in the History palette.
Tip
You will gain more control, and accuracy, if you click your Anchor Points fairly close together.
Note
Being able to curve the Path around intricate areas makes the Pen Tool perfect for extracting complex objects from their backgrounds - additionally, prior to converting the Path to a Selection Marquee, you have full control of the path, and can alter it, at any time, so it adheres to the jet’s contours, snugly.
 
Note
Exclude the Jet’s wheels from the Path. 
Note
Don’t worry about including the following wheel mountings - they will be cloned out
later.
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After you have clicked a Path completely around the jet, and have nearly reached the very first Anchor Point.
Navigate your image, and where necessary, adjust the Path, so it hugs the jet’s edges, as snugly as possible. To do this; press your Ctrl key, and keep it pressed. Your cursor will then change to a little white arrow. Now, left-click over any Anchor Point, and gently pull it. You will notice the Path follows the direction you pull the Anchor Point to - as illustrated below; enabling accurate repositioning of the Path.
Tip
For further control, click additional Anchor Points along the Path.
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After you have navigated and reshaped your Path, return to where you placed the first and last Anchor Points. Now, hover your cursor over your first Anchor Point, and when you see a little o next to the Pen icon.
Left-click.
Left-clicking closes the path, and all Anchor Points are removed. The jet will now be isolated by an Anchor free Path.
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Now, navigate to the following area; where the background is visible though the jet.
Then from the Pen Tool’s Options bar, click to activate the following Subtract from path area tab.
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Then click a Path around the inside of the jet, as illustrated below, and Close it, in the usual way.
 
When you have completed this, you are ready for the next step.
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From the following Paths palette.
Click the tiny arrow, circled above; and from the subsequent drop-down list, click Save Path.
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In the subsequent Save Path dialogue box, accept the Path Name, then click OK.
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Now, click the tiny arrow again, and this time, choose Make Selection.
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In the subsequent Make Selection dialogue box, enter a Feather Radius of 2 (Pixels), then click OK.
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A selection marquee will immediately surround the jet, including the area where the background shows through.
Note
If you find a Feather Radius of 2 Pixels is insufficient; revert your image to before you applied the Selection Marquee, then reapply the Selection Marquee, and increase its Radius. Revert your image by clicking an earlier snapshot in the History palette.
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When you are happy with the Selection Marquee, open the Field image, then reactivate the Jet. Now, from the top menu, choose Edit, then choose Copy. Activate the Field image, then from the top menu, choose Edit then choose Paste. Your extracted jet will then be pasted onto the field, as illustrated below.
To save PC resources, delete the original jet image.
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From the Layers palette, right-click the jet layer, and from the drop-down image, choose Duplicate Layer. Click OK to the Duplicate Layer prompt. Then activate the Move Tool, and reposition one jet to the right.
 
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Activate each jet layer, individually, then from the top menu, choose Edit then choose Free Transform, and resize and reposition both jets - making one considerably smaller. Free Transform Lesson Here! Activate the smaller jet, then from the top menu, choose Edit then choose Transform then choose Flip Horizontal. And reposition the smaller jet, with the Move Tool.
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Now, when you are completely happy with the positions of both jets; zoom into them - individually, and clone out the wheel mountings, Clone Tool Lesson Here.
Warning - you won’t be able to reposition the jet after they have been cloned - without compromising the image.
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Activate the Background layer.
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And from the top menu, choose Filter then choose Blur then choose Radial Blur. In the Radial Blur dialogue box, set the following attributes, and left-click where I have indicated below - then click OK.
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To blend the smaller jet, so it is not as noticeable, activate its layer (in the Layers palette), then from the top menu, choose Filter then choose Blur then choose Gaussian Blur. Set a Radius of between 2 to 3, then click OK.
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Activate the large jet’s layer; then from the toolbar, activate the Polygonal Lasso Tool - Lesson! and with a Feather of 100, roughly draw a lasso line around the area indicated below.
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Then from the top menu, choose Filter then choose Blur then choose Gaussian Blur - set a Radius of 10 Pixels, then click OK. This has blurred the jet’s undercarriage slightly. Press Ctrl then D to remove the marquee.
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Activate the Background layer; then from the toolbar, activate the Burn Tool, Lesson Here, and set a Brush Size of 100, and an Exposure of 10% (Midtones). Now, burn an impression of the large jet’s shadow, onto the corn field.
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To finish, from the top menu, choose Layer then choose Flatten Image, then save your work. Note: I added vivid colour to my final image by applying Alien Skin Exposure’s Colour Film Plugin.
Wendi E M Scarth. Top of Page - Home.
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