Help with Duplicating Parts of an Image

[Robin29374542cuvv]

Please help me before I lose my job! I am an instructional deigner whose work includes a certain amount of graphic design. I am not a graphic designer and have no training in it, but I can usally muddle along. Currently my manager wants me to manipulate a stock image of a single lit match into two additional versions, one with two matches and the other with three matches, for use in a learning interaction. I don't even know where to start or what search terms to use to find help. Can anyone point me toward a tutorial, video, or instructions? I am very grateful for any assistance!

[jane-e]

@Robin29374542cuvv 

It would be difficult to select the match and flame, so I would try this to make the extra copies:

• Create a new layer for each of the other two matches
• Use the Clone Stamp tool "S"
• In the options bar, choose All Layers, not Current Layer
• Set a starting point on the original match
  macOS: Option+click, then release
  Win: Alt+ click, then release
• Paint on the new layer with the clone stamp tool

If the original stock image was vector (.ai), there would be a different answer. You could just copy the match and flame to a new area in Illustrator.

Jane

[Robin29374542cuvv]

Thanks, Jane. That was the approach I was considering but I wasn't sure how to do it. It sounds like it would be easier in Illustrator, so I'll try a quick search for a suitable vector image too.
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[Kevin Stohlmeyer]

Hi @Robin29374542cuvv @jane-e based on the sample you provided - that is not a vector image so Illustrator would not work. 

Here are some tutorials on how to use the clone stamp tool in Photoshop:

https://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop/clone-stamp.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCREQu9jaRo

[Robin29374542cuvv]

Thank you, Kevin. I'll take a look.

[jane-e]

Yes, @Robin29374542cuvv , it is easier in Illustrator!

I found a bunch of vector lit matches in Adobe Stock and used AdobeStock_397470562.ai.

The effects require a dark background. I started by making the lowest layer with a rectangle for a dark gradient and tons of small squares invisible. We don't need it.

Then I made the artboard larger and created new lower layer with a new rectangle and a dark gradient. Your illustration looks like they used a freeform gradient.

After that I copied the match layer twice and moved and rotated two of them.

I also determined that the "new symbols" had no content and deleted them. You only need this info if you use the same image that I did.

Filter to Vector in Adobe Stock and be sure to download the vector, not the jpeg. There are so many to choose from!

Jane

[SJRiegel]

I think I would do this by making two additional copies of the full layer, and then paint on the masks with a soft brush to remove the background of the upper two layers. Each layer can then be repositoned for the grouping you need.

[SJRiegel]

Better still, mask one copy, and duplicate the already masked copy for the third layer. 

[Trevor.Dennis]

Hi Robin

If you are still struggling with this, I'm wondering what background you will be using.  It makes a difference.

You need to get rid of that nasty flare, so make the original a Smart Object. Open the Camera RAW filter, and move the Black and Shadows sliders all the way to the left.  That will kill the flare (haze).

Note: Making the layer a Smart Object means you can open the Camera RAW filter as many times as you like to fine tune, with losing image quality.

Now copy the layer a couple of times, and distribute them on the canvas.  So long as the background is Black, you can set the Blend mode for the three match layers to Lighten to show just the area you need. 

To make the background completely black (if you have some flare left in the image) add a Curves layer to the top of the layer stack, and move the black as shown below.

Good luck.

[Robin29374542cuvv]

I want to thank everyone for their responses.Some of the techniques are what I would consider advanced, but all are helpful. I ultimately used a different image of a row of matches and cropped it to suit my needs. Hopefully my manager will agree it's a good solution. If I've learned anything, it's that I need to do some tutorials or courses to get me up to at least an intermediate level of proficiency. 

Best regards, and have a great day!

Robin