Graphics-type help

I think this is the correct spot on the forum for this question...

I'm trying to make my gallery and cels look a bit more spiffy and thought that backgrounds would do the trick. However, I'm out of money. Then I spied a bunch of beautiful photos from various trips lying around that would be perfect as backgrounds. They're not big enough to place behind a cel and scan and I can't afford to blow them up. If I scan a photo, is there any way that I could place the cel image on top? Thank you in advance for helping (and for not laughing at my lack of graphics knowledge)!

Hi mai-chan ^-^,

You might want to think about getting some software to help you out with your design questions.

The "free (soft) ware" route will most likely lead you to "Paintshop Pro"

Here are a few links that you should look into:

http://www.scoesc.k12.oh.us/pilascoross/paintshop.htm

And if you get really serious ^-^ , or want to or can afford to spend some $money:

http://users.erols.com/r.smith/webpage.html

http://www.desktoppublishing.com/tipspsp.html

Also, "Adobe" design software company has "Photoshop" which I like and use but unless you can find a "file sharing site" (bootleg) , you will be paying some dough!

Well, this is at least a start ^-^

Other more experience folks chime in please!

Good luck..

~ E

Yep, that's actually a fairly complex thing to do if you don't have much experience with a graphics package.

The general method of doing this would be:

1) Scan the background at 600 dpi or some really large, scary number.
2) Scan your image at 300-600 dpi.
3) *tough part* Obtain a graphics package and find out how to "mask out" the cel image. Basically, you want only the part of the cel that has the character.
4) Copy the cut out character and paste over the background image.
5) Shrink the background image.

Alternatively, if you have a color inkjet printer or something similar:

1) Scan background at high resolution and print it. (It will look a little fuzzy after blowing it up.)
2) Scan your cel in front of the printout.

That's about it as far as options go for printing something out. Hope that helps.


jn

Thanks guys! You've both given me a lot of good suggestions to work with.