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Joseph Kling on: Transparent backgrounds and Drop Shadows for Desktop Publishing Step 1. First, make sure that your image has been scanned to a high enough resolution for the intended output. Let’s start in photoshop with our sample image of the earth. We’ll use the magic wand tool to select the background and then choose > Inverse to select the planet. Go to menu >Select and pull down to >Save Selection. This creates a new alpha mask in our Channels Palette. Save the file. Now do a Save As and name the file “whatever it is” Drop Shadow. Your subject should still be selected. If not, Option-click the alpha channel mask in the Channels Palette and your selection will become active. (Note.. This all works best if your subject is on a white background. If it’s not, use whatever masking method works best for you and make your selection mask around your subject. With your subject selected and the Foreground and background colors at their default Black and white, Select Inverse to get the background then click Delete to fill the background with white. SAVE your file. Now we need to identify our assignment. If we are placing our images on a white page, follow steps with the letter “A” after the number. If our page has a tint or gradation in it, follow the steps with the letter “B” after the number. OK? Are ya with me now...? Next: Step Two: Creating the Mask

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