Image behind another - "computer screen effect"? w/ screenshot

Apr 03, 2012

Hello,

I am trying to emulate a computer screen with a specific website on it.  I have a graphic of a guy holding a tablet and want the tablet screen to show the website.

I took a screenshot of the website and reduced the size of the screenshot to about the same size as the tablet, but I just cant get the sizing right!

I then had a thought that what if I could drop the screenshot behind the tablet and make the tablet screen transparent.

Is there a way to do something like this?

Here is my initial effort before I had the brain fart - 

Any ideas with this one?

Cheers,

Dave

8 Replies
Bob S

Dave,

Not sure what program you are using to create the graphics, but could this be handled via a psuedo "green-screen" effect?

In other words...

  • Keep the tablet graphic you have; it will become the bezel of the tablet.
  • Now create a screen area on your tablet by using a very specific color used nowhere else in your graphic.
  • Then simply set the transparent color to the color of that screen. Each graphics tool has their own way of doing this, but many allow you to use an eye-dropper type tool to grab the color you want to make transparent. Others will ask you to put in a specific color value. Either works.
  • Place the live graphic behind in the right spot... and bingo! 

NOTE: You will want to combine your graphic in a single layer to pull this off. Otherwise the transparent area will show the arms/body of the person behind like an x-ray effect!   Cool, but not what you probably want.

Hope this helps,

Bob

Melanie Sobie

Not sure if this is what you are looking for, but - Another way would be to create two copies of your image, and then crop out the sections for the fingers, so that you can overlay them on top of the tablet image. I did something similar with another image here. Just using "remove background" in PPT2010.

Dave Newgass

Hello,

@Bob - I am not using any kind of graphic program.  The image is purchased.  I do have GIMP but you might as well tell me you want me to command the Space Shuttle.

@Melanie - Sounds interesting.....I'll have a play to see if I can de-construct it.

Thanks for the input....as always, I am open to other suggestions as well!

Cheers,

Dave

Bob S

Dave,

Sorry if I made this sound complicated. It can be done right in PowerPoint 2003 or 2007 fairly easily... (2010 has an additional way)

  1. Insert your tablet dude graphic onto a slide
  2. Use the standard PPT drawing tools to create a screen shape (rectangle or rounded corner) and set it over the tablet , but inside the tablet border so you have, in effect, the bezel of the tablet showing
  3. Recolor the shape to something like bright blue or some such that is not anywhere else in your graphic
  4. Group the graphic and your shape and use the "save as picture" feature when you right click the grouped image
  5. Delete the grouped image and instead insert the newly saved PNG you just created
  6. Use the recolor picture tools and select "set transparent color"
  7. Click on the bright blue shape and you will create a transparent hole in your tablet that you can see through!

NOTE: I did not show where to find the "Set Transparent Color" tool in PowerPoint because I was not sure what version you are using and didn't want to add confusion. If you aren't sure where to find it, try first in the format pic/recolor pic options or ask here and I will be glad to try and point it out to you.

Hope this works and let us know if you give it a shot!

Bob

Bob S

Dave,

One more thought... what I described above is pretty down and dirty. Adding some shadows around the bezel and/or slight depth via 3D effects will make it look even slicker as James has done in his example.

PowerPoint is amazingly powerful for an all-in-one tool and you can create some pretty cool looking graphical effects with a little experimentation.

Have fun!

David Anderson

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