In this lesson you will learn how to separate the parts of several photos smoothly into a photo-manipulation “coffee cake”. In this lesson we will also consider a unique way of working with contours and smart objects.
Lesson details:
Program: Adobe Photoshop CS4 +
Difficulty: Complicated
Estimated time to complete: 3+ hours
Images used in the lesson:
Step 1. Open the first image of a cup of coffee.
Step 2. We are going to separate the cup and saucer from the background. To get started, take a tool Ellipse
(Ellipse Tool), to make an outline around the saucer. Make sure you are working in mode. contours (paths). A good habit is to call the contours in the contour panel.
Step 3. With the Ellipse tool active, right-click on the contour and select Create selection (Make selection).
Copy (Ctrl /Cmd +C) and paste (Ctrl /Cmd +V) This selection on a new layer. Name this layer “saucer” (“Saucer”).
Step 4. Go back to the layer with the original image, use the Pen tool. 
(Pentool), to select now only a cup.
Step 5. Right-click on the contour and select Create selection (Make selection). Copy and paste the selection to a new layer, calling it “cup” (“cup”).
Step 6. Now we will delete the background. Use Levels (Levels) (Ctrl /Cmd +L) to make the background pure white.
Remove the dark edges on the saucer by using layer styles for the saucer layer.
Inner shadow:
Internal luminescence:
Step 7. Now we have to remove the cup and the shadow from the saucer. Start by creating a copy of the “saucer” layer. Create a clipping mask with an original layer with a saucer for this layer. Remove layer styles.
Step 8. Use the tool Patch 
(Patch tool), To “patch” the cup and the shadows on the saucer with the help of light clean areas. Do this until you have completely cleaned the surface of the saucer. At this stage, we simply prepare a draft version of the saucer, so do not worry about achieving the perfect result.
Step 9. Apply Blur filter according to Gauss (Gaussian Blur) with a radius of 67%. This will smooth out all visible errors that have occurred after our “patching”.
Step 10. Finishing work with a saucer, I slightly pushed the layer up a few pixels. Also added layer styles to give depth to a platter.
Stamping:
Gloss:
Step 11. Now we will eliminate the dark edges of the coffee cup, applying the same layer style as the layer with the saucer. To do this, right-click on the “saucer” layer (“saucer”) and select Copy layer style (Copy layer style). Go to the “cup” layer, right-click on it, select “Paste Layer Style” (Paste layer style).
Step 12. In this step, we will replace the coffee in the cup so that it looks cleaner and tidy. To do this, open the second coffee image in Photoshop. Tool Oval area 
(Elliptical Marquee Tool) with a feather 10 pixels highlight the top of the coffee cup, as shown in the image below.
Step 13. Copy and paste the selection into our working paper, transform it. (Ctrl +T) so that it fits the cup.
Step 14. Our two elements are ready. Merge the layers so that each element (cup and saucer) is on one, separate layer.
Step 15. The next few steps will explain how to cut a piece of coffee from a cup. First we need to create a stencil that will help to highlight a plausible piece. On a new layer using the tool Oval area (Elliptical Marquee Tool), create a selection in the shape of a circle while holding the key Shift.
Step 16. Right-click on the selection, “Run a stroke” (“Stroke ”). Create a red stroke of 5 pixels.
Step 17. Using the tool Line 
(Line Tooll) (in the Fill Pixel mode – Fill Pixel), draw in a circle a piece of cake that you want to cut.
Step 18. Rename this layer to “template”, convert it to a smart object. Transform this layer so that it follows the contour of the bottom of the cup of coffee.
Step 19. Create a copy of the “template” layer, transform it so that it fits to the top of the cup.
Continue to make copies of the “template” layer, transforming and placing them at strategic points around the cup.
Step 20. Now the stencil tells us that we will “cut off” a piece from the back of the cup. Due to the fact that we have transformed the stencil layer into a smart object, we can now regulate where the piece will be “cut off”. To do this, double click on the “template” layer thumbnail copy, turn the circle to the desired position.
Saving this file with a smart object will correct the stencil in your working document. Your image should look like this:
Step 21 Using a stencil as a guide, tool Pen (Pentool) create a contour in the shape of a “cut out” piece. Name this outline “Full Wedge”.
Next, using Pen (Pen tool) create another contour that will repeat the bottom of the piece. Name it “Base Wedge”. We will use these two contours to create the shape of a cut piece of cake.
Step 22 After creating the contours, make a few selections using the Paths panel. In the contour panel Ctrl /Cmd + click on the thumbnail of the “Full Wedge” contour, you get a selection. Further Ctrl /Cmd +Alt + Click in the “Base Wedge” miniature of the contour, so you will subtract this part from the selection. We have left the selection of the required form. Copy and paste it on a new layer, calling the layer “Missing Wedge”.
Step 23 With help Levels (Levels) (Ctrl /Cmd +L) change the color of this part to white.
Step 24 The bottom of the “Cup” layer needs to be adjusted so that it seems as if there was a piece of cake that has now been cut off. Go back to the contour panel, Ctrl /Cmd + click on the miniature of the contour “Full Wedge”. Ctrl /Cmd +Alt + Click on the miniature of the “Base Wedge” contour to highlight the place where both contours coincide. The resultant selection is exactly the piece that we will use as a mask in the next step.
Step 25. Make sure the cup layer is active. Click Ctrl /Cmd +Shift +I, to invert the selection, click on Mask icon at the bottom of the layers palette to hide this area.
Step 26. On the cup layer, use the tool. Stamp 
(CloneStamp Tool), to remove the cup rim. Instead of cup edges, there should be coffee in this place.
Step 27. Now let’s take the inside of a cup of coffee. To start, create a new layer with a clipping mask for the “Missing Wedge” layer, filling it with white. Add noise – Filter> Noise> Add Noise (Filter>Noise>Addnoise) – with a value of about 30%.
Step 28. On a new layer with a mask mask add a gradient using the tool Gradient 
(Gradient tool). Set this layer overlay mode (mode) Darker (Darker Color).
Step 29. Now we have to determine where the coffee will be inside the cup. Create a new layer, name it “Coffee Inside” (“CoffeeInside”). Tool Pen (Pen tool) draw a contour that, in your judgment, matches the coffee inside the cup. Name the contour “Inside”.
Step 30. Ctrl /Cmd + click along the miniature of the contour we just created. A selection will appear. Now Ctrl /Cmd +Alt +Shift + Click along the “Full Wedge” contour to create a selection of the area where the layers match. The resulting selection should be:
Step 31 Now draw the coffee inside the cup. Tool Pipette 
(Eyedropper tool) choose a dark brown coffee color and fill it with the selection.
With active selection, select Pipette the coffee color is lighter, which appears where the coffee is close to the edges of the cup. Grab a soft brush around the edges, as shown in the figure below.
Tool Gradient (Gradienttool) From black to transparent, make it so that the coffee that is closer to the center is darker.
Step 32 Create a new layer with a clipping mask for “Coffee inside” (“CoffeeInside”), draw a light white line. Blend Mode Set Overlap (Overlay), so that the effect was more natural.
Step 33 Before adding texture to the cake, I want to focus on creating the rest of the scene. But let’s first put things in order in the layers, put all the layers that belong to the cup of coffee in the “Cup” group.
Step 34 To create a piece of cake, we need to create a selection from the original layer of the cup. Make visible the stencil layers we created in step 20 with the tool Pen (Pentool) create a selection as shown below. Call it “CakeWedge”.
Step 35 With active tool Pen (Pen tool) right click on the contour in the picture, select Create selection (Make selection). We need this particular piece from the cup, so make sure you stand on the “Cup” layer.
Copy and paste this part on a new layer, place it above the layer with the saucer. Name this layer “Side Wedge”. For a while, hide the “Cup” group.
Turn this part to the desired position on the saucer. If you can’t get the right perspective, repeat steps 34 through 35 until your piece looks natural.
Step 36 Notice that there is an unnecessary reflex from the cup on this piece. To fix this, in the layers palette Lock Transparent Pixels. This will give us the opportunity to draw on the layer without touching the transparent background. Big soft brush 
(brush) dark brown coffee color reflection cup.
Step 37. To complete the shape of the cake, we need to go back to the layers in the “Cup” group, selecting the layers as shown below. Drag them to the icon New layer (New layer), to duplicate.
Merge the selected layers by clicking Ctrl /Cmd +E. Name the layer “Caketop” (“Caketop”), place it above the “Side Wedge” layer.
Step 38 We must prepare this part so that it easily takes the desired position. To do this, turn (Ctrl /Cmd +T) this piece so that it becomes straight.
We need to extend the inside of the coffee to have a piece of the right size, which is more convenient to work with. To do this, use the tool. Polygonal Lasso 
(Polygonal Lasso Tool), by highlighting the desired shape. Stamp (Clone Stamptool) and Brush (Brush) fill the missing part with the desired texture.
Step 39. Convert this layer to a smart object by right-clicking on it and selecting “Convert to smart object” (“ConverttoSmart Object “). Now transform (Ctrl /Cmd +T) This layer is as below. To make beautifully curved parts during the transformation, use Deformation (Warp).
Step 40. You need to add a few details to the Side Wedge layer. Create a new clipping layer to this layer and Brush (Brush) with low opacity draw reflexes as shown below.
Using the same low opacity brush, I painted the ceramic cup in dark gray, adding more shadow.
Step 41 It’s time to add the texture of the cake to our dish. Open the image with the cake and select most of the cake, as shown in the image below.
Step 42 Copy and paste the selection into the “Cup” group. Convert the layer to a smart object.
Step 43 Create a clipping mask with a layer of “Coffee inside” (“CoffeeInside”), transform it with a perspective.
Step 44. Add a mask to the cake texture layer, hiding the strip on top of the texture so that the coffee layer appears below.
Step 45. We still need to work on the cup, but first let’s add the texture of the cake to the cut piece on the plate. Create a copy of the new smart object and move it above the “Caketop” layer, into the “Saucer” group. Remove the layer mask by dragging it onto the trashcan icon.
Step 46 Temporarily hide a copy of the cake texture layer. Use the tool Pen (Pen tool), to create a contour around the piece of coffee in pieces. See how it should look.
Step 47. Standing on the “Caketexturecopy” copy of the cake, click on the icon Layer mask (Layer Mask), holding Ctrl /Cmd, to create a vector mask.
Step 48 Clipping this layer to the “Caketop” layer. Transform (Ctrl /Cmd +T) texture, giving it a proper perspective.
Step 49 Click on the vector mask thumbnail to activate the outline for editing. Tool Contour Editing
(Direct Selection Tool) Select points on the contour as shown below. Move these points, revealing a little coffee texture.
Step 50. At this stage, I am satisfied with the position of the texture with the cake. Now we need to rasterize this layer, to do this, right-click on the “Caketexturecopy” layer and select “Rasterize the layer” (“Rasterize Layer “).
Tools Lightening 
(Dodge) and Blackout 
(Burn) start adding details to the texture. There are no exact criteria, you just need to make sure that everything looks good. I darkened the edges and increased the contrast in certain areas to give depth.
Use the same technique to edit the “CakeTexture” layer. After completely coping with the shadows on this layer, I corrected Levels (Levels).
Step 51 Place all the elements in your scene as you wish.
Step 52 To add crumbs, create a new layer and take the tool Stamp (CloneStamp tool). Make sure that All Layers are listed in the Sample. Using a small stiff brush, copy the crumbs from the texture onto the saucer.
Step 53 Add the following layer style to the crumbs layer to make them more realistic.
For shadows, create a new layer below the “Crumb” layer using the Oval area (Elliptical Marquee Too) draw small ovals at the base of each crumb. Hold down the key. Shift, to make multiple selections. Fill them with black, set the opacity to 41%.
Copy the layer with the shadows and apply a Gaussian Blur to the copy – Filter> Blur> Gaussian Blur (Filter>Blur>GaussianBlur) with a radius of about 20%.
Step 54 Now you need to add shadow to the rest of the scene. Let’s start with the cup. Under the “Cup” group, create a new layer by drawing a black shape on it that follows the shape of the cup base. Add blur to the shape – Filter> Blur> Blur + (Filter> Blur> Blur More). This figure should barely peek out from under the bottom of the cup.
Step 55 Copy this layer and apply to it Gaussian blur (Gaussian Blur) with a radius of 70%. Set the opacity to 40%. This will be the outer shadow.
Step 56 Now you need to draw a shadow from a direct light source. Create a basic shadow shape and fill it with black. Set the opacity to 22%.
Step 57 Continue adding shadows to the cake and saucer using the same technique.
Step 58 To create a shadow that falls on a piece of cake, we need to convert all the layers with the cake into a smart object. This will give us the opportunity to render a separate clipping layer, which we will use for the shadow.
Create a new clipping layer and draw a shape that looks like a shadow that falls on a piece of cake. Fill it with black, set the blending mode. Multiplication (Multiply) and opacity is 45%.
Step 59 To complete the scene, add a light gradient to the background using Gradient (Gradient) from gray to transparent.
I also went back to some of the details by editing them, adding shadows, lights, and other adjustments.
Conclusion
The last step is to reduce the image. This will allow you to hide some errors and omissions. Now we made it! Your final image should resemble the following:
Author:VideoCreative.org Stephen petrany
