How To Import A Background On Alice

With this tutorial I'd like to show you how to create an Alice in Wonderland photo manipulation, perfect for adorning your mobile background. Read on to learn virtually Pixelmator'due south piece of cake-to-use Effects Browser and other nifty features only available on the Mac.

Tutorial Assets

The following assets were used during the production of this tutorial:

Mushroom 1, Mushroom 2
Moss ane, Moss 2
Cup
Pocket Sentinel
Caterpillar
Smoke 1, Smoke 2

1. Dressing the Scene

Step 1

With Pixelmator open, select File > New (Command-N) to create a new document. From the dialog window that appears, cull 640 x 920, iPhone Desktop from the Preset menu and click OK.

Create a new file from the iPhone Desktop preset

Step 2

Import the Mushroom 1 paradigm by dragging and dropping it directly onto the artboard. Now visit Edit >Transform (Command-F) and resize the epitome so it is exactly the width of our artboard, and reposition the image and then the bottom of the image sits flush to the bottom of the artboard.

Footstep three

Import the Moss ane epitome and Transform that as well, scaling and repositioning the image then the sharper focused area is most the bottom of the artboard. With the Transform tool still enabled,Right Click on the paradigm and cull Perspective… from the flyout menu. Drag a corner handle to exaggerate the perspective of the moss a flake.

Import the moss flooring and adjust its perspective

Step 4

From the Effects Browser, select Color Adjustments from the pick menu, and double click on the Hue bill of fare. Now grab whatsoever of the coloured dots around the colour bike and drag information technology around until it reads 348º. Driblet the Lightness to-12%. Double click theCurves tile and in the RGB view create a subtle "Due south" shape. Now switch to the Green view and make a shallow "U" shape in the curve.

Step 5

In the Layers panel,Correct Click on the Moss 1 layer and select Add Mask from the flyout carte. Now switch to the Brush tool (B) and use a soft circular brush to paint black onto the Mask to remove the top greyness section of the Moss image. Don't worry if the Mushroom from the layer below peeks through, considering we'll exist covering this with some other paradigm shortly.

two. Setting the Table

Pace ane

Open up the Loving cup epitome every bit its own Pixelmator file by dragging the image to the app icon in your dock. Switch to the Paint Option Tool, and then click and drag across the cup's surface to create a selection of that object. You can adjust the bore of the Paint Selection Tool brush using the slider located at the meridian of the artboard.

Select the tea cup with the Paint Selection Tool

Step ii

With the Paint Selection Tool notwithstanding enabled, Right Click on the selection and cull Refine Selection from the flyout menu. And then employ the dialog window to adjust the choice to your liking. I recommend shrinking the choice so it sits just inside the outline of the loving cup and feathering the selection slightly.

Step 3

With your selection perfected,Copy (Command-C) the cup, and then switch back to your chief document andPaste (Command-Five) in the image. Use the Transform tool to resize the cup and place it nearly the bottom one-half of your scene and to the right.

Paste the tea cup into your main document and resize and position it

Step 4

While the cup is still selected, double click the Hue card and drag one of the coloured dots until information technology reads 105º. Y'all should detect the coffee has turned greenish and the shadows on the cup likewise have a green hue to them. This volition assistance it fit into its new environment better.

Step v

In the Effects Browser once again, select the Blur option from the selection bill of fare, and then double click the Miniaturize card. Using the dialog window that appears, drag the round node that is attached until information technology is centred on the loving cup. Elevate the black handle around that node to adjust the size of the mask.

In the dialog window, adjust the Blur forcefulness pct and Transition percentage to blur the cup to friction match the shallow depth of field of your moss background layer.

Blur the tea cup to match the background

Step half dozen

Create a new layer by selecting the "+" push button at the bottom of the Layers console, and so drag it and then it is beneath the cup. Prepare the Blending option to Linear Burn and drop the Opacity slider to effectually 72%.

With a soft circular brush and a very dark greenish (nearly black), paint a shadow around the rim of the cup'south saucer, making sure to elongate the shadow near the corners of the square plate to point that information technology is raised from the ground more than the sides are.

Pace 7

Open the Moss 2 image, as nosotros did with the cup, to create a new document. Using the Paint Selection Tool, select the ball of moss and refine the selection as best you can.

Select and refine the selection for the ball of moss

Footstep 8

Right Click on the layer in the Layers console and add a mask. Zoom into your epitome, and while the mask is selected, choose a minor castor and paint back pocket-sized, grass-like strands to refine the border even further.

This doesn't need to be completely perfect because we will be shrinking it downwardly soon and some item volition exist lost. I've coloured the background in my screenshot so you lot tin meliorate run into what I've done.

Mask off the ball of moss with grass-like strokes

Footstep nine

Drag the masked moss layer from that window onto your primary document window to add it to your main document. Ensure it is located in a higher place the loving cup layer in your Layers panel. Enable the Transform tool and resize the ball of moss so it fits snugly inside the loving cup, and so mask off the bottom of the moss that is covering the rim of the cup.

Adjust the ball of moss and refine the mask so it sits inside the tea cup

Step x

Create a new layer above your ball of moss and change the Blending to Linear Fire. Right Click the layer and select Create Clipping Mask from the flyout menu. With a medium green colour and a soft round brush, pigment a shadow around the rim of the cup, over the brawl of moss. Adjust the opacity as needed.

Paint shadows on the ball of moss on a clipping mask

Step xi

Open thePocket Watch paradigm, as we did with the others, to create a new document. Using thePigment Pick Tool, select the watch and chain and refine the selection as best you tin can. For this, you may notice information technology easier to select the lighter groundwork colour and and then capsize your selection.

Select and refine the selection for the pocket watch

Step 12

With the sentinel and chain selected,Copy and Paste the selection into your chief document above everything else in the Layers panel. And then adjust the size and position using the Transform tool.

Paste the pocket watch into your main document and resize and reposition

Step xiii

Adjust the Curves for this image, creating a very subtle upward bow shape for the Green view to blend the watch in with the greener environment.

Adjust the curves for the pocket watch to match its surroundings

Step 14

Apply a Miniaturize blur effect to this epitome too, making certain to match the depth of field of the moss groundwork layer.

Blur the pocket watch to match the background

Footstep fifteen

Create a new layer and place it below the Spotter image. With a soft round brush, paint a shadow of varying opacity below the watch and chain. Make certain to paint elongated shadows where the chain would appear to autumn off the saucer and deeper shadows below the watch itself, as if information technology were leaning on the saucer.

Step 16

Right Click on the Sentinel layer and select Duplicate from the flyout menu. Switch to the Transform tool. Correct Click on the artboard and select Flip Vertical from the flyout menu. Then position and slightly rotate and resize the scout so the concatenation lines up on the cup equally though it were a reflection.

Step 17

Switch to the Warp Tool in the Tools panel, and button and nudge the concatenation and clock until it warps with the direction of the cup surface.

Warp the pocket watch to the curve of the tea cup

Step xviii

Lower the opacity and Mask off whatever areas that flow over the edge of the cup itself.

Lower the warped pocket watchs opacity and mask off any overhang

3. Welcome Your Guest

Step 1

Open up the Mushroom 2 image as a new certificate. Cutting information technology out equally we've done before and paste it into your chief document. Using the Transform tool, resize the mushroom and identify it atop the ball of moss in our cup, pushing it off centre to the left. Add a mask to the mushroom and create grass-like strands at the stalk of the mushroom so it appears as though it is sprouting from the ball of moss.

Cut out and paste in your mushroom and mask off grass like strands

Step 2

Create a new layer higher up the mushroom and alter its Blending to Linear Burn, and then Right Click and Create Clipping Mask.

With a dark purple colour of varying opacity and a soft round brush, paint shadows on the right side of the mushroom cap and stalk to indicate a stronger low-cal source than the image originally had.

Paint shadows to indicate a stronger light source

Step 3

As before, open theCaterpillar image every bit a new document and select and cut out the caterpillar, pasting information technology into your master document.

Cut out and paste the catepillar into you rmain document

Step 4

Before we resize it, let's adjust his colour. From the Effects Browser, under the Colour Adjustments view, double click the Hue bill of fare. When the dialog window appears, choose a coloured dot around the colour wheel and drag it around until information technology reads 110º.

Adjust the hue of the caterpillar so it is blue

Footstep 5

Utilize the Transform tool to resize and flip the caterpillar, and and then place it upwards against our little mushroom, on acme of our cup.

Flip and resize the caterpillar and adjust its placement

Step half-dozen

Double click the Curves card from the Furnishings Browser and make an "Southward" shape in the RGB view, and so a slight "U" shape in the Red view.

Step vii

Every bit with the mushroom, add a Mask to the caterpillar and create grass-like strands at the lesser so information technology appears as though information technology is sitting on the brawl of moss.

Mask off grass-like strokes to blend in the caterpillar

Step 8

Create a new layer to a higher place the caterpillar, modify its Blending to Linear Burn, and and soRight Click and Create Clipping Mask. With a dark royal colour of varying opacity and a soft circular brush, paint shadows on the right side of the caterpillar to lucifer the rest of your shadows.

Create another layer above that set to Overlay and add a clipping mask. With a soft round brush, paint white onto the left side to exaggerate the lighting a chip more.

Paint darker shadows and brighter highlights to indicate a stronger light source

Step ix

Let'southward conform the shadows. Select the shadows layer that nosotros painted for the mushroom, and add together in cast shadows below the parts where the caterpillar interacts with the mushroom. Pay attention to the anxiety with elongated shadows post-obit the curve of the mushroom.

Select the shadows layer that nosotros painted for the moss ball and paint in cast shadows for both the mushroom and the caterpillar, making sure to curve the shadow with the shape of the ball of moss.

Paint cast shadows on the mushroom and ball of moss for mushroom and caterpillar

four. Defining the Scene

Step i

Import the Smoke 1 epitome into your master document and drag the layer so it sits betwixt the bottom-most mushroom image and the moss floor layers. Use the Transform tool to adjust the size. Then modify the Blending style to Screen and adapt the Opacity to nearly 45%.

I found some of the smoke was a niggling too harsh in some areas, so I also added a Mask to that layer and painted away some of the smoke in sure areas.

Place in smoke layer above the background

Step 2

Create a new layer directly in a higher place this smoke layer (however beneath the moss floor) and fill it with black using the Pigment Bucket Tool (N) in the Tools panel. So adapt the Blending way to Color Contrivance. The black will disappear completely.

Create a new black layer set to colour dodge

Step 3

From the Effects Browser, choose the Generator view, and and then double click the Sunbeams card. Place the round node in the upper left of the image, off the artboard somewhat. Modify the Color to #FFB12A and adjust the sliders until you are comfy with the beams. Drop the Opacity of the layer to around 12%.

Footstep 4

Create some other new layer above the sunbeams we but made and fill that with blackness as well. In the Effects Browser, choose the Other view and double click the Defocus bill of fare.

In the dialog window that appears, switch the Chief Color to white and ensure the Secondary Color is black. At present adjust the other sliders until y'all are happy with the amount and placement of the faux bokeh. Alter the Blending style to Linear Contrivance and adjust the Opacity to nigh 43%.

Stride five

Repeat the aforementioned process to create some other layer of faux bokeh higher up the last, but with a slightly larger size and in a unlike placement to add more dimension to the background.

Duplicate the bokeh effect with slightly different results

Pace 6

Create another layer above the concluding faux bokeh layer and fill it with black as well, and adjust the Blending mode to Screen. In the Furnishings Browser, under the Stylize view, double click the Calorie-free Leak menu. When the dialog window appears, select the Orion card and utilise the circular node to arrange the size and position of the scattered light effect to your liking.

Step 7

Import the Smoke ii image into your principal document and place it straight below the caterpillar layer. Set up the Blending mode to Screen and use the Transform tool to resize, rotate, and reposition the image and then it appears every bit if the caterpillar is holding the end of the incense stick.

Add more smoke as if the caterpillar were smoking

Step viii

Now allow's create a glow effect. Create a new layer higher up all other layers and enable the Brush Tool (B). With a large, soft, circular brush and a dark orange colour, click a few times in the same space on the artboard to become started. I'll testify yous this technique on a evidently white background then you can see what is happening.

Footstep 9

Reduce the size of the brush and change the colour to a yellow-orangish color, so click a few more than times in the same location. Copy this step one last time with a smaller brush and a pale yellow colour.

Step x

Alter the Blending mode to Screen and reduce the Opacity to about eighty%. Using the Transform tool, shrink and squash the glow to form an oval shape. Rotate the glow and place it over the acme right of the mushroom cap where the light would be hitting it the most. Duplicate this glow and use the Transform tool to compress and rotate it some more and place it over the head of the caterpillar.

v. Make Some Magic

Step 1

We're pretty much done with the photograph-manipulation portion of the tutorial, but nosotros still take to make it smoothen. Click on the very meridian layer in your Layers panel to select it, and then scroll to the bottom and Shift-Click on the bottom layer to select all layers together. Right Click on the Layers panel and select the Group option from the flyout menu. Duplicate this group.

Pace ii

Correct Click on the duplicate grouping and select the Merge Group option from the flyout menu. We'll be applying some effects to this layer, simply we don't want to destroy all our difficult work in instance you desire to make adjustments later.

Pace 3

With the newly flattened layer selected, switch to the Stylize view on the Effects Browser and double click the Calorie-free Leak menu. Select the Vega card and, using the round node, position the effect on the left side of the image where you like.

Step iv

In the Effects Browser again, double click the Vintage bill of fare. When the dialog window appears, select the Iris card and tinker with the settings until yous feel comfortable. I chose to stick with the default settings.

Footstep 5

Create a new layer above everything else and fill it with a dark blue color. Enable the Elliptical Marquee Tool (Y) and describe an oval the same size as your artboard. Right Click on the selection and choose Refine Pick from the flyout carte. When the dialog window appears, adjust the sliders to create a soft transition for the selection. Right Click on the option once more and cull Capsize Option from the flyout menu.

Step half dozen

With the pick still enabled, add together a mask to the dark blue layer. You should be left with simply night blue corners with the center of the epitome below completely visible. Then suit the Blending way to Multiply.

Stride vii

Create a new layer in a higher place everything else and open up the Brushes panel by double clicking the Brush Tool in the Tools panel. Enable the star scatter brush from the default listing of brushes. This isn't its official name, but information technology's the all-time description I can provide. Please await over the screenshot below to cheque which one I am referring to.

Now simply pigment across the artboard to add together some sparkle. Then adjust the Blending mode to Overlay and reduce the Opacity to virtually 25%.

Step eight

Finally, Duplicate the layer with the stars on information technology and crash-land the Opacity support to 100%. In the Effects Browser, under the Mistiness view, double click the Gaussian carte. When the dialog window appears, adapt the Radius slider to blur the stars to your liking.

Downwards the Rabbit Pigsty

I hope yous enjoyed this trip to Wonderland with me. Feel free to export your new background epitome in the file format of your choice to beautify your mobile device.