Swapping Heads? - DPChallenge Forums

10/01/2003 11:05:15 AM · #1

Someone wants me to swap heads with two photos.
What is the best software to use for this trick?
I know some make it easy but how about Photoshop?
Or Corel Photopaint?

Can someone give me the steps or tips?

Calvus

heida

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

10/01/2003 11:12:47 AM · #2

I would do it in photoshop You use the measure tool to be sure that the two photos have the same sized head and then you use the clone stamp to stamp from one picture to the other I would stamp the new face on a new layer and then you have to fix the colors and the light and stuff. There are many ways to do it.
Heiða

10/01/2003 11:30:55 AM · #3

When it comes to this I'am Photoshop dumb.
Where is and how do you use the clone stamp?
I looked and did and did not find it.

I used the free hand mask and cut one head out and inserted it to the other pic.

Then I used the "Edit" "Transform" command to adjust the inserted head.

Then adjusted the levels. But this looked pretty tacky?

Calvus

10/01/2003 11:34:25 AM · #4

Why not use the rectangle lasso and outline the head to cut it out? Thats how I always do that :)

Message edited by author 2003-10-01 11:34:57.

10/01/2003 11:37:33 AM · #5

To get the heads to look good you have to tweak a lot of parameters - levels, color balance, contrast, hues, and so on.

Message edited by author 2003-10-01 11:37:48.

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

10/01/2003 11:41:06 AM · #6

The Clone tool looks like a little rubber stamp and is about 2/3 down on the left of the tool palette.

It is typically used by holding the Opt/Alt key while clicking the mouse at the point you want to "pick up" the source image, them you paint where you want the duplicate image. The size/opacity of the tool is determined by the Brush and Options selected once you pick the Clone tool.

10/01/2003 11:41:09 AM · #7

I can do all that, I just need to find the best way to copy the head from one photo to the other I guess.

Calvus

Originally posted by ScantyNebula:

To get the heads to look good you have to tweak a lot of parameters - levels, color balance, contrast, hues, and so on.

10/01/2003 11:48:46 AM · #8

Thanks!

That works great. I just have to tinker with it and see how good I can do it.

Calvus

Originally posted by GeneralE:

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

10/01/2003 11:57:55 AM · #9

Instead of the Lasso tool, I usually create a mask in a new Channel, using a soft-edged paintbrush. Your selection will then be feathered, and less-obviously "pasted" on. You can sometimes use the Defringe filter to get rid of unwanted background pixels.
In addition to tweaking the color and contrast, pay attention to the lighting. Subtle inaccuracies can lead to images that are "almost" successful composites, like this.

10/01/2003 12:06:01 PM · #10

Is this to complicated to explain the procedure?

Or tell me where I can find more details?

[quote=GeneralE]Instead of the Lasso tool, I usually create a mask in a new Channel, using a soft-edged paintbrush. Your selection will then be feathered, and less-obviously "pasted" on. You can sometimes use the Defringe filter to get rid of unwanted background pixels.
quote]

Calvus

10/01/2003 12:07:07 PM · #11

Ok - I use the lasso tool, then go Select - > Feather - and put the value at around 2. this creates soft edges - solves the problem and takes less time to do.

10/01/2003 12:11:00 PM · #12

Is the defringe filter a 3rd party add on?

I have not found it in Photoshop yet or is it under a different name?

Originally posted by GeneralE:

You can sometimes use the Defringe filter to get rid of unwanted background pixels.

Calvus

10/01/2003 12:11:56 PM · #13

Kinda like this //www.nebulaart.com/lasso.jpg

once you say ok, you can then click on your selection and drag it into a new window, and the feather will be applied and give the edges a soft feeling.

Message edited by author 2003-10-01 12:13:02.

10/01/2003 12:15:04 PM · #14

If you're not familiar with Photoshop and you're on a time limit - then I'd say instead of trying to figure out with definge is, just use a soft edged eraser and erase the pixels you don't want in the pic! There's always easy quick solutions in photoshop :)

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

10/01/2003 12:21:14 PM · #15

In PS 5 it is at the very bottom of the Layers menu, under "Matte" commands. If you already have a feathered selection made with either a selection tool or a mask you are less likely to need the Defringe effect anyway, as the selection edges are more accurately drawn and partly transparent.

smellyfish1002

Canon EOS-20D

10/01/2003 12:23:08 PM · #16

Something that has worked well for me is to make a selection around the head (bigger than needed) and copy and paste to the other photo. Reduce the opacity to about 50% so you can see both images. Move the new head into place and adjust location, size, etc. Once you have it where you want it, put the opacity back to 100%. (Oh yeah... opacity changes are made in the Layer menu (Window>Layer in the drop down menus)

Select the eraser tool as shown, then click on brush properties and select a soft edged brush (the fuzzy one).

You can then erase away the 'extra' stuff around the head, until just what you want is left. If you use a soft edge brush, you will not have the 'cut and paste' look. Adjust the size of the soft edge brush for the best results (experiment).
As noted by others, you will then have to adjust levels, hue, saturation, etc to match skin color and make it look natural. Once you get the colors close, I have a way to get rid of any remaining visible transition. Use the lasso tool (free hand lasso) and select around the transition, including a little on each side. Then select the color from one side with the foreground color, and the color from the other side for the background color. then apply a gradient to cover the transition. I'll post example photos of this after I pick Josh up from school!

JD Anderson

Originally posted by Calvus:

I can do all that, I just need to find the best way to copy the head from one photo to the other I guess.

Calvus

Originally posted by ScantyNebula:
To get the heads to look good you have to tweak a lot of parameters - levels, color balance, contrast, hues, and so on.

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

10/01/2003 05:01:43 PM · #17

Originally posted by smellyfish1002:

I have a way to get rid of any remaining visible transition. Use the lasso tool (free hand lasso) and select around the transition, including a little on each side. Then select the color from one side with the foreground color, and the color from the other side for the background color. then apply a gradient to cover the transition. I'll post example photos of this after I pick Josh up from school!

JD Anderson

A short-cut for this last step is (on the layer with the pasted-in head) use Select-All and then hit the left and right arrows to nudge it back and forth -- it should reduce the selection to only the opaque pixels. Then use Select>Border to extend the selection to either side, and apply your gradient as above. You can also at this point flatten the image (make a copy) and apply a blur to the transition.

10/20/2003 02:36:17 AM · #18

hi all, I'm trying to do this also. Can you resize one picture until it fits the desired size to match the other picture? I try to, but it resizes both layers at a time.
Also, face color differs from the skin color of the character i'm pasting on, and i can't get it to match. Anyone know how?

10/20/2003 03:38:53 AM · #19

You need to size the head as you want it.
Or crop it out and use edit/transform and adjust it.
You want the head on a second layer anyhow.

The skin tone you will just have to work on.
It is not easy. But I was able to get mine done.

I replaced Austin :)

//home.comcast.net/~rlholdensr/dpc/austin-05sm.jpg

Calvus

Message edited by author 2003-10-20 03:41:50.

10/20/2003 11:57:57 PM · #20

Nice Calvus!! how did you do it?

p_johns

Canon EOS-10D

10/21/2003 12:51:47 AM · #21

I have very successfully achieved this in photoshop - for a television commercial! We had shot a bedroom package with talent for a furniture company, but the talent wanted $700 each time she was used! So rather than re-shooting the package, we simply replaced her head with another talent :) You couldn't even tell!

10/21/2003 11:27:28 AM · #22

Some of the women that my wife works with wanted me to do it, it is their boss' head and he is a "big" Austin Powers fan.

Using the "Lasso Tool" I cropped Austin Powers head onto another layer.

I then cropped his hair, eyes and glasses onto separate layers, I was thinking of re-using the glasses but it disguised the face to much.

I took a digital photo of their boss and cropped his head off.
Inserted it onto another layer and used "Edit" + "Tranform" to adjust the size of his head to match the hole I cut out from Austins head. I was thinking of using his hair (the boss') but the hole left by Austin's hair was to big :)

Adjusted Austins hair and the boss' head using "Edit" + Transform" so they lined up. I had to tilt the boss' head a little to match.

With the boss' head on the separate layer. I did "Level adjust" and etc on the his head till the colors came as close as I thought I could get and then tweaked the entire image.

I just turned off the layer with Austin's eyes and glasses because I did not use them.

I think that covers it.

Calvus

d2frette

Canon EOS-D30

10/21/2003 12:01:03 PM · #23

Originally posted by bodtchboy:

Also, face color differs from the skin color of the character i'm pasting on, and i can't get it to match. Anyone know how?

Healing brush (PS7+) should help.

10/23/2003 02:23:00 AM · #24

Ok calv, how did I do?

I can't believe i got this far!! Thanks for explaining how to do it calvin. I have a hard time with the layers, but here's what i did:

I erased han's face. then i started a layerof my face and was able to shrink it. I could see it through the erased han face, so it helped me adjust the size and rotate it a little. then I tried the color (that was hard.) I just kept adjusting till i felt i was close enough. I thought there is a tool, using the eyedropper tool, to take color from the one picture and transform to the second picture, but i couldn't figure out how. Anyway, I had some white outline around the face, but it was on the han picture. I used the stamp tool to get rid of it, but you can kind of see an outline from where i stamped. Then as a finishing touch, I blurred the entire image, since my face was sharper. and vuala!

What do you think? Anyone know how I can make it more real, or an easier way to do this, let me know. I am a beginner, so this is all I know in photo shop right now.

Message edited by author 2003-10-24 02:42:05.