Turn Images Into Shapes

By the time you finish this tutorial you will be able to create an effect (as below) I had seen in a magazine and brainstormed a way to do it.
Click to view attachment

Step 1:

Open a new document in Photoshop, 600 pixels wide & 600 pixels high with white background. If you are planning to print your image, make the dpi 300 or whatever your printer requires. If it is for the web, 72 dpi is fine.

Step 2:

Create a New layer, name it Shape layer.

Step 3:

Click on Custom Shape Tool (U) on your Tool Box & Select a AirPlane Shape from option bar. Click to view attachmentClick to view attachment

Step 4:

Now, on your shape layer, Create a Airplane shape, hold down shift key whilst drawing the Airplane.

Step 5:

Open your image. I used following image (sxc.hu). Ctrl-a to select all (the whole canvas). Then hold Ctrl and type c. Release both keys. This copies the selection from that image into your clipboard.
Click to view attachment
Now we are going to paste this image into our Airplane Shape.

Step 6:

Go back to your file with your Airplane shape and click on your Shape layer in the layers palette to select it. Ctrl-click on your Shape layer thumbnail to select the Airplane Shape.

Step 7:

Edit--->Paste Into, this will put your Image into the Airplane Shape.
Take a look at your layers palette now,you see your image there and a mask has been made that allows only the Airplane Shape part of the image to show. (Isn't Photoshop intelligent;)
Click to view attachment

Step 8:

Now, we can edit or resize the image by selecting Ctrl-t or Edit-->Tranform, just be sure to be on the image layer, as you can see above & click on the image thumbnail i.e. layer 1 as above(not layer mask thumbnail) in that layer palette. You can also paste the image twice or thrice & trasform it by following step no.7 & 8.

Step 9:

To make the blue background, click on the background and, with blue as your foreground color, alt-backspace to fill. I also applied a Filter-->Render-->Clouds.

Step 10:

To complete the look you may apply layer style to your Shape layer as in following pic.
Click to view attachment

And here is my Final Image!
Click to view attachment

Thats it, be creative & enjoy your Photoshop! Please post your results.

Great effect bliss

Many Thanks Trueer!

Nice tut, I'll try it
Thanks bliss

thanks. i was wondering how people did that. wanted to learn and now i can.

Very cool effect, bliss

Thanks for creating this lovely tut

Btw, it's sxc.hu

Eddie

Thanks all, for the nice words!
Yes Eddie, it is sxc.hu !

Well done Bliss
Gonna have a go with this

Regards Gabrielle

Nice Effect Good Work

Great Tut - Gonna try it out

Cool idea bliss!
Thanks for sharing this.

Step 7:
Edit--->Paste Into, this will put your Image into the Airplane Shape.
Take a look at your layers palette now,you see your image there and a mask has been made that allows only the Airplane Shape part of the image to show. (Isn't Photoshop intelligent;)

Step 8:
Now, we can edit or resize the image by selecting Ctrl-t or Edit-->Tranform, just be sure to be on the image layer, as you can see above & click on the image thumbnail i.e. layer 1 as above(not layer mask thumbnail) in that layer palette. You can also paste the image twice or thrice & trasform it by following step no.7 & 8.
Step 9:






May I ask how did the Step 7 come out with a layer 1 with airplane shape (black background)?

The money image was pasted into a new layer. But how did it show the same layer with airplane shape mask?

And when you use the transform? How can it get into the shape of airplane?

I'm beginner, and would be very appreciated your instruction and teaching.

Thanks.

Lucie

Hi Lucie,

Welcome in!

The money image was not pasted in the New Layer. But, after you select & copy your image(money image in this case) you return to your existing doc. i.e. one with your shape layer & when you control-click on your shape layer thumbnail your shape gets selected. After this you simply have to go to Edit-Paste into, this should put your
image into the shape. A new layer is automatically created with the layer mask, that allows only the shape part of the image to show.

Once this is done, you can tranform you image but, just remember to click in your image thumbnail & not shape thumbnail on layer, i.e. Layer 1 in this case.

I hope this helps!

thanks!