Chapter 5: Combining Images

Overview

In the last chapter, you jumped into selections by creating a web button. In this chapter, we’ll continue exploring the power of selections — specifically how you can use them to isolate and combine existing images.

Rather than create images from scratch, web designers save time by grabbing and tweaking existing images. These existing images might come from many sources, including digital photos, scanned images, and digital artwork.

Note 

You’ll find some good, general images in the companion files that you can use in your future web design endeavors. You’ll find these in the Extras folder.

A web designer should feel comfortable with manipulating images, such as separating several images from their original formats and then combining them all into one continuous image. The best way to see how all this works is through hands-on practice.

Note 

In the companion files, open the following files in the Chapter 5 folder:

• Bing_Profile.jpg

• World.jpg

• Bing_Building.jpg

Your Photoshop work area should look something like Figure 5-1.

Figure 5-1: Opening existing files in Photoshop