Found the perfect image? Check.
Captivating shadow? Check.
Ready to make your course visually stunning? Hold on, you’ve hit a snag—no alpha channel.
You could trace around the object to isolate it, but that would mean sacrificing that lovely shadow. Annoying, right?
Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. For this tutorial, we’re using a heartwarming pit bull image, courtesy Karsten Winegeart on Unsplash.
How to Preserve Shadows Using the Luminosity Channel
- Start by duplicating your base layer.
- Make a selection around the object you want to isolate, then create a mask. At this point, your object should be isolated, but its shadow is still missing.1. Select the duplicated layer.
- Press Ctrl+Alt+2 to select the highlights.
- Now, to invert this selection, press Ctrl+Shift+I (or navigate to ‘Select – Inverse’).
- Navigate to ‘Layer – New Fill Layer – Solid Color’. Rename the layer and click OK.
- Change the color to black and confirm.
- Place this new layer behind your isolated object.
- Save your work as a PNG file.
And there you have it! You’ve preserved the shadow using the Luminosity Channel, a simpler and more straightforward method. Now your image is ready to make an impression in your course or presentation. Happy editing!
