On one layer I have an image of a man and on another layer the background. What I want to do is create a drop shadow on a separate layer so that I can adjust the shadow (keep it attached at his feet ... but drop the rest of the shadow at the side of him) ... not sure if I'm explaining this very well)

I have tried several ways but have had no luck ... I'm sure that there must be an easy way to do this in Photoshop but how?.

Any help would really be appreciated

Wendy

Well I have a way I like...

1st make the canvas wider on one side... select what you are going to shadow then duplicate the layer..... drag that copy onto the blank canvas side....

on the layers pallet move the new layer to below the orig. then use drop shadow.. drag the shadow to where you want it before clicking ok to the shadow dialog..

after that you can minipulate the shadow in lots of ways... including the transform tool (ctrl T ) which will allow you to do what you are trying .

in case you don't know ...you can right click inside the lines when the transform tool is active and choose other functions of that tool.. real handy on shadows.

hope that helps.
RonDon

After you create the drop shadow, go to Layer>Layer Style>Create Layer[s] (down towards the bottom of the menu). This will take all of the styles and place them on their own separate layers.

HTH,
Jeanie

Yep !... go with Jeanie's approach... much easier.

Thanks Jeanie I didn't know that... very useful for sure

Thanks to both of you ... I have now managed to create a great drop shadow and the tip about clicking inside the lines whilst using the transform tool was much quicker than my usual way.

Just another point ... The drop shadow is a bit too stark for my image, I have worked out how to lighten it but is there anyway of changing the colour itself?

Wendy

I like playing with shadows also...

you can change color or lower the opacity to fade and make it transparent...

but the opacity can also be changed after you have finished by lowering the opacity of that layer in the layer's pallet ...

see attached anyhow! .... I also like making illustrations :)

Hi Rondon,

Thats brilliant ... thanks so much for showing me how to change the colour and fade the shadow.

When I did a google search for tutorials they all seemed to be aimed at text drop shadows ... which is totally different.

Many thanks for all your help
Wendy

actually thinking about it you did me a favor asking the 1st question

I had been altering shadows the hard way... Jean's way of putting the shadow on a separate layer simplifies much.

Photoshop is a great program.... I think I've finally learnt enough to know That I know very little of it.. other things to look forward to .

Did you try Edit:Transform:Perspective for stretching the shadowdown away from the subject?

also after... switching back to transform to squat it .. great fun

Thanks everyone ... I'm learning a lot now :)


Wendy

I'm not a PS user, I use Corel's Photopaint. In Photopaint, when I use the DropShadow tool to create a shadow from an object (layer in PS speak), I can always just right-click on the object and choose to split the shadow from the control object, thereby putting it on a new layer. Doesn't PS have a function similar to this where you can just split the shadow from the control object?

I think what Jeanie posted amounts to that:

After you create the drop shadow, go to Layer>Layer Style>Create Layer[s] (down towards the bottom of the menu). This will take all of the styles and place them on their own separate layers.