Window demolition
Haven't you always thought it would be fun to do a building renovation? Here's your chance to do it in a way that won't make you hot and sweaty. If your Dreamcatcher file isn't still open, open it now and hide the background layer. Pick the window you want to demolish first, and then click on it with the Zoom tool a couple of times.
- Click and hold on the Lasso tool to pop out the Polygon Lasso tool
The Polygon Lasso tool looks a little like an upside-down wire coat hanger with a broken hook. The tip of the broken hook is where the Lasso spins from, like silk from a spider.
- Select the Polygon Lasso tool and click in the bottom left corner of your window with its broken hook
- Release the mouse button and move the Polygon Lasso tool to the top left of the window (you'll see a bright blue line spin out behind you as you move)
- Click just where the window's curved top begins, and then release the mouse button
- Move forward a few pixels along the curve, then click
- Release the mouse button and move forward along the curve again
- Click and release
This clicking-releasing-moving forward with the Polygon Lasso tool is called stitching or marking a marquee.
- Continue marquee marking around the window opening until you return to your starting point (when you reach the starting point, a tiny cursor cue in the form of a square displays next to the Lasso hook)
- Click to close the path
The marquee will begin crawling the blue path like a line of marching ants.
- Choose Edit > Cut to delete the area inside the marquee
It doesn't need to be perfect. The few stray pixels that remain in the window openings will disappear later when we reduce the size of the finished Dreamcatcher image. Using the technique above, remove all the windows in the dome.
- Return the image magnification to 100%
- Unhide the Background by clicking where the eye should be in the title bar of the background layer
Sit back and admire the view.
- Crop the bottom of the composition even with the bottom of the Dome image
- Save your work again.
Next: Snowgirl