HELP! Photoshop question...

[mommy_someday]

I played around in photoshop last night, working on DS's 1st birthday invitation, after I came across Rashmi's old tutorial threads (posted in the holiday card thread). I did the basic collage as a test, which was pretty easy once I got a rhythm going. Tonight, I decided to get a little more serious about it and make one that's actually print quality. So I resized my pics and my grid. I left a little bit of room (about 40x40 pixels) so that I could have a little of the white background showing between the pics...I thought it would be a nicer presentation. Then I intended to fill the background with a pale blue (like my sample from last night), only I can't seem to get any color. I went under 'edit' and 'color settings' and turned RGB and CMYK back on, but when I used the paint bucket, the color bled into my B&W photos (I had to flatten the whole thing before I could use the color). FYI, I went into the history and undid ALL of that - the color settings, the bleeding background, etc.

I *think* that maybe when I opened the 1600x1600 grid, I might have left it in grayscale (I was converting my color pics to B&W, so it may have defaulted to grayscale). If that's the case, how do I undo it? And if that isn't the case, what the heck did I do? I have been painstakingly lining up my pics (by the pixel!) for well over an hour...please tell me I don't have to start over from scratch!

TIA!

[mudder17]

I don't have more than a couple minutes, but could you try converting the entire picture to RGB? Or maybe you could make the border areas transparent and create a new background layer that is in the color you want it to be?

Sorry--I'd love to play around for you, but I have to be up in 4 hours! (had some caffeine and I'm now drinking some Alize--yummy fruit cognac--to try reversing the effect).


Eileen

http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/candle.gif for Leah
http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_emerald_18m.gif

http://tickers.baby-gaga.com/t/catcatcvi20040222_4_Kaya+is.png
Kaya's a cousin! 10/1/05, 5lb13oz

[mommy_someday]

Eileen, have I told you lately how much you ROCK?!? Seriously, I love you! Thanks for the help and I hope the Alize does the trick for you (sounds delish). :)

[MarisaSF]

Sorry I have no idea, but I want to see the final product! :)

[pb&j]

Is the background its own layer? If so, you can click the eye next to the other layers in the layers palette (or whatever that thingy is called, click the layers tab, or click and drag it to have it "floating" and always available), which makes them invisible, make sure the background layer is the active layer, then use the paint bucket to fill the whole background with a solid color, then make the other layers visible again. I think you will need to convert your images to grayscale BEFORE dropping them on the canvas, otherwise, when you do convert to grayscale, it will also convert your blue background to grayscale. Or, do your collage, convert the whole thing to grayscale, then convert the whole thing back to RGB. I think there should be no loss of quality?

Make image layers invisible. Select background layer. Use paint bucket to fill with desired color. Make image layers visible. Flatten and print!

Does that make sense?

Here are some screenshots I did - it may look slightly different, since I'm on a Mac.

The layers palette (note the eye to the left of the layer):
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/30496.jpg

The layers palette with the background selected, the other layer not visible (no eye), and the paint bucket applied to the background:
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/30495.jpg





-Ry,
mom to Emma, stillborn 11/04/04
and Max, edd 01/15/06 - it's a HEALTHY BOY!

http://lilypie.com/days/060115/3/25/1/-5/.png[/img] ([img)

[papal]

Poke Poke Erica!! I want to see your collage! :)