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Flood Fill Tool

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Floodfill Tool Effect
using Masks

Created by: CarolynR.

This tutorial will teach you how to blend two images by adding masks and using the Flood Fill tool. In this exercise we have used two images - "/tutorial/html/tut7eff/angels.jpg" and "/tutorial/html/tut7eff/clouds.jpg". Firstly you will cut out all of the white bits on the angel image, next you'll copy the angel into a new layer on the clouds image, then finally use masks and gradients to blend your images. The PSP tools you will use include the Zoom, Flood Fill and Magic Wand tools.

Finally, the steps below show how to perform each task using the PSP menu options. Alternatively, you may wish to use the keyboard shortcuts for some of the tasks - these are displayed in small text - surrounded by [square brackets].

Download file

This tutorial requires you to use two images to blend.

To download our angel and cloud images:
1. Click on the "Download file" link to the left.
2. After downloading this file - unzip it.
3. Save the two images contained within the zip file
into your image directory.
4. Open each image in your PSP workspace.

To ensure that you don't lose the original images - duplicate them.

To duplicate the images:
1. Click on the original "/tutorial/html/tut7eff/clouds.jpg" image.
2. Select the Window | Duplicate menu option
     - [SHIFT+D].
3. Save the new file as "clouds2.psp" - [F12].
4. Close the original "/tutorial/html/tut7eff/clouds.jpg" image (without
     saving).
5. Repeat the above steps using the original "/tutorial/html/tut7eff/angel.jpg"
     image, saving your new image as "angel2.psp".

In this step, using the "angel2.psp" image, you need to change the Magic Wand tool settings to enable us
to select all of the white bits surrounding the angel.

To change the Magic Wand tool settings:
1. Using the Magic Wand tool, click on the "Tool
     Options - Magic Wand" box.
2. Apply the following settings:
     Match mode = RGB Value,
     Tolerance = 15,
     Feather = 1,
     Sample merged checkbox = Unchecked.

Tip:
You can also select a tool by:
1. Clicking on the Tool Options Palette title bar.
2. Clicking on the Tool Selection button (as shown
on the left), then
3. Choose your required tool from the drop-down
menu.

This is an excellent PSP feature when changing tools regularly.

Now you're ready to select all of the white bits
surrounding the angel.

To select all of the white areas:
1. Using the Magic Wand tool, click once in the
white area surrounding the angel.
2. Hold down the shift key.
3. Keep making more selections until you've
"selected" every bit of white in the picture.

Tip:
Click on the Zoom Tool to get a closer view of your
image - to assist you in selecting every single white bit in the image. If all aren't selected now, they'll stand out badly when you copy and paste the image in the next steps.

Now you'll invert and contract your selection. This
assists in making sure you don't copy any of the white areas (particularly when you've feathered the image).

To invert the selection:
1. Click on the Selections | Invert menu option
     - [SHIFT+CTRL+I].

To contract the selection:
1. Click on the Selections | Modify | Contract menu
     option. The system displays the "Contract Selection"
     dialog box.
2. Use the following setting:
     Number of pixels = 2,
3. Click on the OK button (to accept this setting).

Next you copy your selection into the clipboard, then paste it as a new layer in the cloud image.

To copy the angel:
1. Click on the Edit | Copy menu option - [CTRL+C].

To paste the angel into the "clouds2.psp" image:
1. Click on the "clouds2.psp" image.
2. Click on the Edit | Paste | As New Layer menu option
- [CTRL+L].

Your image should look like that displayed on the left, with the angel sitting on top of the clouds.

Before you commence blending the two images, you
need to adjust the Layer Palette.

To adjust the Layer Palette:
1. Click on the Layer Palette title bar (to open it).
2. Right click on the new layer (Layer 1).
3. From the drop-down menu, select the Rename
     menu option, and rename this layer ANGEL.
4. Double click on the BACKGROUND layer
     (to promote it as a layer). The system displays the
     "Layer Properties" dialog box.
5. Name this layer CLOUDS,
     then click on the OK button to accept your change.
6. Click on the ANGEL layer (to select it). Your Layer
     Palette should now look like that shown on the left.
7. Finally - switch back to the "angel2.psp" image, and
     close this file (its not necessary to save it).
8. This would also be a good time to save your
     image, renaming it "clouds3.psp" image - [F12].

Next you're going to add a mask to the ANGEL layer
in the "clouds3.psp" image.

To add a new mask:
1. Click on the Masks | New | From Image menu option.
     The system displays the "Add Mask From Image"
     dialog box.
2. To apply the mask, choose the following mask
     settings:
     Source Window = This Window,
     Create mask from = Source luminance,
     Invert mask data checkbox = Unchecked.
3. After choosing these settings, click on the OK
     button.

Notice how your angel appears to be faded now.
You're about to change that.

In this next step, you'll view the new mask, then activate the mask editing mode.

To view the mask:
1. Click on the Masks | View Mask menu option
     - [CTRL+ALT+V].

     The system displays a reddish hue over your
     image - don't worry about this.

To edit the mask:
1. Click on the Masks | Edit menu option - [CTRL+K].

Before setting up a gradient for the mask, you need to change the Foreground and Background colours in the Colour Palette.

To set the required Foreground/Background colours:
1. Click on the Colour Palette.
2. Select your colours as:
Foreground = White,
Background = Black.

Selection the Gradient Style Palette option.

In this step, while you are in our mask's edit mode -
you're going to set up a Linear gradient.

To select the Linear gradient as your style:
1. Usung the Flood Fill toool, click on the right-arrow
     in the Styles Palette - Foreground Colour box.
2. Select the second Style Type - Gradient.

To change the gradient settings:
1. Click on the Styles Palette - Foreground Colour box.
     The system displays the "Gradient" dialog box.
2. Choose the following gradient settings:
     Type = #1 Foreground-Background,
     Style = Linear gradient (the top option),
     Horizontal = greyed out (ignore this setting),
     Vertical = greyed out (ignore this setting),
     Angle = 180,
     Repeats = 0,
     Invert Gradient checkbox = Checked. = 0
3. After completing these settings, click on the
     Edit button. The system displays the "Gradient
     Editor" dialog box.

To change the Gradient Editor settings:
1. Apply the following Gradient Editor settings:
     Types = #1 Foreground-Background,
     Gradient Fore = White - paint tin at 0%,
     Gradient Back = Black - paint tin at 100%,
     Gradient Custom = Any colour (ignore),
     Transparency Opacity = both paint tins at 100%.
2. Click on the OK button to accept these Gradient
     Editor settings. The system returns to
     the "Gradient" dialog box.
3. Click on the OK button to accept the Gradient
     settings.

Layer Palette - with the ANGEL layer active

In this next step, you're now ready to flood fill
the mask with your Linear gradient. Before doing so, using the Layer Palette - double check that the ANGEL layer is still active.

To flood fill the mask:
1. Using the Flood Fill tool, click once inside your
     image. The system floods the mask with your
     gradient.
2. Click on the Masks | View Mask menu option again
     to turn OFF the mask viewing mode
     - [CTRL+ALT+V].
3. Click on the Masks | Edit menu option again to
     turn OFF the mask editing mode - [CTRL+K].

As shown in the image on the left, you can see the angel is now beautifully blended into the clouds. You can finish this tutorial here, and save the image.

However, we have taken this effect a little further, and blended the CLOUDS layer with a white background layer, which looks pretty spectacular.

4. This would also be a good time to save your
     image, renaming it "clouds4.psp" image - [F12].

Now we'll work with the Layer Palette again.

To add a new layer for the clouds to blend with:
1. Click on the Layer Palette title bar.
2. Click on the CLOUDS layer.
3. Click on the New Layer icon.
4. Create a new raster layer, naming it WHITEBG, then
     click on the OK button to accept these settings.
5. To move the WHITEBG layer down to the
     bottom of the Layer Palette, click on the Layers
     | Arrange | Send to Bottom menu option (or left click
     on the layer name, then - while holding down the left
     mouse button - drag the layer down so that it is
     below the CLOUDS layer).
6. Make sure the WHITEBG layer is selected.

Now you need to flood fill this layer with white.

To flood fill the WHITEBG layer:
1. Click on the right arrow in the Styles Palette
- Foreground Colour box.
2. Select the first style type - Solid.
3. Make sure your Foreground Colour is white.
4. Using the Flood Fill tool, click once on your image
- to fill the WHITEBG layer with white.

Tip:
Unless you have "hidden" the top two layers, you won't see the result of this action. To check that the WHITEBG layer was filled properly - simply hold your mouse over the WHITEBG layer name in the Layer Palette, and the system displays the layer's content (which should be all white).

Now you'll blend the CLOUDS layer with the WHITEBG layer, by adding a mask to the CLOUDS layer.

To add a mask to the CLOUDS layer:
1. Using your Layer Palette, click on the CLOUDS
     layer to activate it.
2. Click on the Masks | New | From Image menu option.
     The system displays the "Add Mask From Image"
     dialog box.

To apply the mask:
1. Choose the following mask settings:
     Source Window = This Window.
     Create mask from = Source luminance.
     Invert mask data checkbox = Unchecked.
2. After choosing these settings, click on the OK
     button.
3. To view the mask, click on the Masks | View Mask
     menu option - [CTRL+ALT+V].
4. To edit the mask, click on the Masks | Edit
     menu option - [CTRL+K].

Now the clouds appear to be really faded. You're about to change that.

Next you'll set up a Rectangular gradient.

To set up the rectangular gradient:
1. Click on the right arrow in the Styles Palette
    - Foreground Colour box.
2. Select the Gradient as your Style Type.
3. Click on the Styles Palette - Foreground Colour box.
     The system displays the "Gradient" dialog box.
4. Choose the following gradient settings:
     Type = #1 Foreground-Background,
     Style = Rectangular gradient (the second option),
     Horizontal = 50%,
     Vertical = 50%,
     Angle = greyed out (ignore this setting),
     Repeats = 0,
     Invert Gradient checkbox = Checked (so that the
     Gradient is black on the outside and white in
     the middle).
5. After making these selections, click on the OK
     button to accept the settings.

Last but not least, while still in the mask editing mode, you'll flood fill the clouds mask with the rectangular gradient.

To fill the clouds with your rectangular gradient:
1. Check your Layer Palette to ensure that the
     CLOUDS layer is still active).
2. Using the Flood Fill tool, click once on your image
     - the system fills your image with the rectangular
     gradient.
4. Click on Masks | Edit menu option - [CTRL+K] -
     to turn the mask editing feature off.
5. Click on Masks | View Mask menu option to turn the
     mask viewing feature OFF - [CTRL+ALT+V].

The system displays your masked image, with the clouds now fading to white on the outer edges, as shown in our image on the left. Isn't it beautiful!!!

6. Finally, save your image.

Tip:
Another way to give better contrast for a faded image is to merge all layers, duplicate the merged layer, and - on the duplicated layer - change the Layer Blend Mode to Overlay, then reduce the transparency of the duplicate layer to around 40%.

This is the end of the tutorial.

Floodfill Tool Effectusing Masks

Floodfill Tool Effect
using Masks