Seeking tutorial on PIP

[cgbraggjr]

I've looked a lot, but can't find a tutorial on the Picture-in-Picture effects, both framed and unframed, and I'm especially interested in the floating PIPs that must have a transparent 'background'. I have Photoshop if that helps.

Thanks - A

[fh1805]

Hi Argonaut,

By "floating PIPs" Do you mean small images that appear to move around over the main image? If so, proceed as follows:

From the PTE main window, select your main image from the slide list area and then click the Objects & Animation button.

In the top left of the new window you will see five little icons, the fifth of which looks like a picture thumbnail greatly reduced. Click this

You will now be able to navigate to where your "floating PIP" picture is currently stored and select it and open it.

Now use the Animation tab options to adjust the zoom value to, say, 40%

You will now see the PIP superimposed on the main image.

To get it to "float" you simply animate it with two keypoints: one specifying its start location and one specifying its end location.

If you haven't already done so, download the User Guide (a PDF file whose link you can find in the Tutorials forum on this site). This will give you all you need to know in order to explore the animation features of PTE v5.

[cgbraggjr]

Peter - thanks for that tip, but I'm also trying to figure out how to 'disappear' the background and rectangular frame of the PIP image. That's where I need the most help.

A.

[Lin Evans]

Any object may be made to "disappear" by setting its opacity to zero. But in order to make a portion of what appears to be an "object" such as the frame around a picture disappear, that portion of the picture must actually be a separate PNG file and thus reside on a separate layer. A background, to be made to disappear must be a file. This can be either a PNG or jpg, etc., and must be on a separate layer from other objects. Something must remain as a background if only the "black" screen of no background.

If you can give a specific example, perhaps we can help you realize your animation.

best regards,

Lin

Peter - thanks for that tip, but I'm also trying to figure out how to 'disappear' the background and rectangular frame of the PIP image. That's where I need the most help.

A.

[cgbraggjr]

Lin - let's say I have a human figure and want only the head to appear, superimposed on a 'main' photo of, say, a horse. I'm guessing I need to go into PS and select the human head using some kind of montage technique, paste it on to a blank PNG whose background is transparent, and take it back to PTE and animate it over the main photo. If this is what people do, then it's time for me to dig into PS and learn how. If I'm going down the wrong road, then I need some pointers.

Thanks - A.

[Lin Evans]

Yes, that's essentially how you would proceed.

Go to Photoshop and click on File, New then set the attributes to 8 bit RGB color and the Background Content to Transparent.

Set the size to something large enough to handle your photo ot the human human figure (you will trim it shortly) then click on O.K.

You will see a rectangle with a "checkerboard" background. This is your transparent background. Next open the file of your human figure then click on Select All. The image will be completely selected and bounded by "marching ants" dotted lines. Next click on Edit then on Copy. Now close the human figure photo and click on Edit then on Paste. This places the human figure on top of the transparent background.

Next use the Eraser tool with opacity set to 100% to erase all except the part you wish to see in your PNG file. Next use the Rectangular Marquee tool to surround the area you want to save (crop it close) and click on Image, then Crop.

Next save this file as a PNG and give it a name you will recognize.

This creates the floating "human" head or whatever you have used. This PNG file will then be placed in the Objects list and must reside in the layer "above" the one you wish it to appear over. So if you had a picture of a horse and wanted this head to replace the horse's head you would place it in the layer above the horse and move it with the mouse and rotate, etc., to size and place it where you wish.

Best regards,

Lin

Lin - let's say I have a human figure and want only the head to appear, superimposed on a 'main' photo of, say, a horse. I'm guessing I need to go into PS and select the human head using some kind of montage technique, paste it on to a blank PNG whose background is transparent, and take it back to PTE and animate it over the main photo. If this is what people do, then it's time for me to dig into PS and learn how. If I'm going down the wrong road, then I need some pointers.

Thanks - A.

[Peter S]

Hi Argonaut,

If you are going to be doing a lot of this sort of thing it would be worth your while to learn about layer masks in photoshop. They enable you to fine tune your selection by painting with black and/or white brushes. Layer masks are non-destructive and you can go back and edit them on another day. Once you have saved something where you have used the eraser over enthusiastically you might have a problem. If you search for Photoshop Layer Masks you should find a few goo0d tutorials. This link takes you to one that should give you a pretty good idea of what it's all about. Have fun!

http://www.lunacore.com/photoshop/tutorials/tut003_3.htm

Kind Regards

Peter

[cgbraggjr]

Thanks Lin and Peter, I see what I must do. Garden work will just have to wait.....

A.