Photoshop Practice P3: Create a Folder Icon with Masking

PRACTICE 3

(1 point)

Create an Icon...

Create a drop-background image using the masking" function as demonstrated in class and save the finished product as the icon for your own work folder in the Student server. The purpose of this practice is to begin to understand how simple masking works.

Find an appropriate (large/hi-res) image with a simple background where a single object is well centered and shown complete (no portion cropped out of the frame). (Studio shots or crisp illustrations work best. Avoid high contrast). 

Using appropriate masking techniques drop out the background to create an icon, then set the icon as the image for your folder on Sever 8 with your name. (This folder is where you will store all completed projects for evaluation and work in progress.)

To use the image as a folder icon, you must first save it as a png so that the background is transparent. Then, open the png file in Preview by double-clicking it. Do a select-all and copy. Highlight your server folder on the desktop and hit command-i to open the properties or info box. In the info box you will see a blue folder icon in the upper left corner. Highlight the folder icon in the info box by clicking it once and then paste your saved image (hit command V). The folder icon becomes the png image you created. You're done.

For this practice, you will be evaluated on choice of image, skill with masking, aesthetics, "cleanliness" of your masking, and the clarity/resolution of the final product.

Practice 3 Evaluation Rubrics