The Buffarhino - by Spacific Designs.com

THE BUFFARHINO

Behold. the Buffarhino! This rare specimen you will find only in the outbacks of New Mexico, ...just kidding!

This Tutorial will show you how to merge two images seamlessly into one, with a few extra techniques given along the way. Two Sample files are required for this tutorial and can be downloaded by clicking here.

1.) Once downloaded, Double-Click the image named buffalo1 and it will Open in Photoshop. Select the Zoom tool

and click on the work area to Enlarge to 100%. (Use the scroll bars to Center your subject.) This will be our Background.

2.) Next, go to File > Open. Locate the downloaded Samples folder and Select the file named Black rhino. (Once Opened in Photoshop, this is where we begin.) This will be the image we montage on to the Background.

3.) First thing we need to do is Extract (remove) the Background from the Rhino's image. To do this, follow procedures from my Tutorial "Removing a Background".

With the Background removed, go to Image > Image Size and when the dialog panel appears set Height to 350 pixels, then click OK. The image will be resized to the appropriate size we will be working with. (This fitting size is done by trial and error following the Next Step until you are pleased with the results normally.)

4.) Minimize the windows now to both documents. Select the Move tool

and Drag the Rhino image onto the Background image.

Next, Drag the Rhino's head into a good position and Return image to 100% resolution. (Tip: You can turn ON and OFF palettes by hitting the Tab key, this gives Full viewing space as you work.) Some of the original head is still visible at this point and we will fix this in the succeeding Steps.

5.) Next, hold the Ctrl key and click the Rhino layer (in the Layers palette) to Create a Selection around it's head, then go to Select > Inverse. Now, go to the bottom of the Layers palette and click the Create a new layer button

to Create a New blank layer. Select the Clone Stamp tool

. Carry the curser over the work area and Right-Click to Open the Brush-Picker. Select the Soft Round 100 pixel brush, then click Enter on the keyboard to close it.

We'll start by Cloning (Replacing) area's of the Background to the Top Left of the head. Place the Stamp tool over an area in the image you wish to Duplicate to another area. Hold the Alt key and click once to take a sample. Now, place it where the duplication is to take place and simply click once to Clone.

(More information on how to use this tool can be found in my Tutorial "Clone Stamped Hair".)

Sample from different area's and continue Cloning until you are pleased with the results. (If you make a mistake, press Alt+Ctrl+Z to Undo. When you are finished, press Crtl+D to Deselect Selection. Now, continue Cloning on other area's of the image until you have something similar to the image Below.

6.) Time to tone down the brightness to the head a little. Go to the Layers palette and click the Rhino layer to Select. Now, Press Ctrl+U to bring up the Hue/Saturation controls. Move all three sliders a bit to the Left to tone the colors to the head a bit closer to the body shades, then click OK to apply.

7.) Click the Create a new layer button again to Create a New blank layer. Go to the Tool palette and Select the Lasso tool

. Draw a Selection as shown in the image Below. (To use the tool, hold the Alt key and keep clicking and Dragging to Create the shape, then click at closing to activate the Selection.)

Now, with the Selection active... press S to Select the Clone Stamp tool and Clone in more Background once again. When you are finished, press Ctrl+D to Deselect Selection.

8.) Final Step. Select the Eyedropper tool

and click on the Right shoulder to change the Foreground color swatch to a brown. Hold the Ctrl key and Click the Rhino layer to Create a Selection. Select the Brush tool

. Go to the Options bar and set brush size to the Soft Round 100 pixel brush. Change Blend Mode to Multiply and Opacity to 18%.

Now, paint area's of the head until you have a good blending of Color between the head and the body, then Press Ctrl+D to Deselect Selection. I then cropped the image at finish. Click here to compare your work.